#Never prepaying again

[maipareshaan]

There is nothing worse than the rage you feel if your order gets messed up then you have to be normal about it bcz obvs shit happens

[tollytolin]

Need to win the lottery so i can give a buncha money to every donationpost i see

[jmdbjk]

So I did a thing...

Polyc recreated some of his small tattoos into temporary tattoo sheets, 7 sheets in a set, and offered them for sale.

[photo: @polyc_sj on Instagram]

I followed the instructions and ordered a set.

I never received them, so since I had to prepay (not inexpensive with shipping) I followed up by emailing him.

And now I'm in a email conversation with Polyc and IT. IS. SURREAL I tell you.

He told me he recalls sending them. I love him. THIS GUY HAS HANDLED JK'S ARM!! HE'S TATTOOED MOONS ON JIMIN'S BACK!!! HE'S TATTOOED LIL 7'S ON ALL OF THEM!! AND HE REMEMBERS SENDING ME MY ORDER!! I was in his brain for five seconds!!! I'M SOMEBODY!!!!!!!!!!

It's surreal. And cool.

Anyway... just wanted to share.

EDIT: He says he's sending them out again.

[the-official-goose-god]

Alright time to inflict the anteater question onto someone else on this website:

If you were an anteater and you were trying to infiltrate an elementary school (whilst pretending to be a human student) and somehow get into the Locked principals office to steal a specific sparkly pink pencil and then escape again WITHOUT BEING CAUGHT OR having someone realize you arent a human… how would you do it.

Ok, I totally have not thought this through.

So, first, I become popular. I make a ton of friends, from all the different groups. Now that I know a ton of people, I start to learn all their skills and they can give me personal tips. At least one of them have to know how to pick a lock (I'm the person who knows how to pick a lock irl). Then the day before you intend to break in, jam something in an outside door so you can get in later

Then, I plan a huge party for the principal, probably at a restaurant or something. While he's distracted you leave, making sure to prepay for his meal, and go to his office. You break into the school, pick the lock into his office, and grab the pencil and leave making sure to lock all the doors on your way out.

No, I totally have never thought about doing this to prank anyone, no don't ask questions

[darklydeliciousdesires]

Runaway - Chapter Fourteen.

Wow, besties! You reached that unlock at speed! Something tells me that you’re going to be exactly the same with this chapter, too :D Thanks for your engagement as usual, and I hope you enjoy!

Previous chapters - Prologue  One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight  Nine  Ten  Eleven  Twelve  Thirteen

Taglist - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed

Words - 1,638

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!

Ahhh, stories from respective pasts. A fantastic way to get to know someone, and be thoroughly entertained throughout. At that point in the evening, and with the storm showing no signs of abating, they were covering the school years. 

“So I ask her again, and she predictably tells me no, but by this point I feel like my fuckin’ bladder is gon’ burst, so I just said to her, ‘fine, you asked for this’, got up, walked over to her plant in the corner, and pissed right in the pot. She starts screaming at me, I calmly told her that she should have just let me go to the bathroom, but at least with my way, she got to see the fact I had a real big dick, so it was a win win scenario.  

“The entire class went crazy laughing, she reported me to the principal, but it was only the comment I made about my dick I got in trouble for. Turns out the principal’s wife was a urologist, and so because he knew how bad it was to hold a piss in, she got in deep shit for not allowing kids to go to the bathroom.  

“That ain’t even the wildest part of the story, though. I saw her in a bar years later, and gave her hell about what a tyrant she used to be. She just stood there and took it, then said that since I’d grown up to be such a knockout, I should let her make it up to me. I went home with her that night and fucked her until her bed broke.”

Hannah almost choked on her wine. “Oh my god!”

“What?” he laughed, his dirty chuckle filling the room. “She was a bitch, but she was hot!”

“I’d say I can’t believe that you fucked your former teacher, but it’s you after all.” She nudged him with a teasing foot, Manny grabbing her leg and tickling behind her knee, where he knew she couldn’t bear to be touched. “Get off me!” she cried, her giggles sending sparks of happiness through his insides. It had been a while, since he’d been playful like that with a woman.

“Oh and I bet you were nothing short of perfect at school, right?”  

She fought against him, kicking his thigh until he finally let go. “I was, actually. About the worst thing I did was let the fire alarm off to get a guy I liked out of a test. He never really noticed me like that before, until I walked past him when we were filed up outside, whispered ‘you’re welcome’, winked and walked away. I’d like to think that was one of my smoother moments in life.”

“And did it work? Not that you should have needed to resort to such, being as gorgeous as you are.”  

She nodded, dropping her head for a moment, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, it worked. We dated for four months before I broke up with him. Me and my poor impulse control struck, the impulse being that the quarterback of the football team asked me out, and I looked at him as a better option.”

Manny leaned forward slightly, arching an eyebrow as he lifted his glass to his lips. “And was he?”

“Nope! I never seem to learn my lesson there. Then again, the last time I acted on impulse, I got something wonderful.” He gestured for her to continue, watching her smile grow. “I got Lola.”

“And you didn’t end up married to an asshole either,” he observed, draining his glass, Hannah hauling herself up to fetch the second bottle from the kitchen. “Anything more there, or is he sticking to his restraining order?”

“I’ve had a few phone calls come through where no one talks, and I know it’s him. I block all the numbers he calls me from just as I always have, but he’s persistent, uses pay phones, I think at one point he was using cheap prepay phones as well. I just have to keep a diary of it, but it’ll be hard to prove it’s him unless he talks. It’s a nuisance, but what can I do?” Sitting down again, she topped up their glasses, setting the bottle down on the table. “I heard through the grapevine that he moved away recently, he’s gone up to northern Cali somewhere, so as long as he isn’t a physical presence in my life, I don’t mind so much.”  

“I do,” he stated with vehemence. “I mind him bothering you. If he ever does turn up again, you tell me, okay? Fuck the police, fuck the courts, you come and you tell me. He’ll leave you alone for good.”  

Her eyes widened a little. “You wouldn’t...” she made a gun motion against her head, her thumb pulling an imaginary trigger, “would you?”

“No! Don’t be crazy, of course I wouldn’t. But I’d make him believe I would.” That was only half the truth. If he ever physically came near his daughter in a threatening way, Michael would cease to breathe, although that wasn’t a truth Manny was quick to share with her mother. “And I’d probably smack him around a little, just for daring to fuck with someone I care about.”

He couldn’t help but add that, the wine getting to him a little. Anything stronger than beer, and it was essentially like giving him truth serum.  

“Manny,” she warned gently, reaching for his arm. “Please, don’t.” It took him a moment to answer, the feel of her hand upon him, her skin on his, even though so innocently placed there making a jolt run straight to the pit of his belly.  

He raised his eyebrows, recovering himself. “He’ll be fine, unless he breaks his restraining order. I saw it, when you broke down and revealed it all, just how fucking stressed out the motherfucker had made you. That don’t happen on my watch, Hannah.” Pausing, he leaned forward, reaching for her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. “Don’t matter how unique it all is, our relationship as parents, what could have been, if the circumstances were different. I meant it when I said I care about you.”  

Perhaps he hadn’t recovered himself sufficiently enough, the blue of her eyes like cloudless skies he wished only to sail through, shining through the candlelight. His mouth felt dry, taking another swig of wine, his heart beginning to pound. No. He couldn’t act. He had to shove it down again, but the lure of her. Oh, the lure, his loins burning at the memory of how it felt, when he was with her. Fuck.  

In turn, the pull she felt to him was intense, like he’d lassoed her insides, as only an accomplished cowboy could, the rope being wound in with every statement that passed over his lips, every compliment, her foundations feeling shaky in the presence of him. Despite herself, her hand covered his, the light of her gaze meeting the dark of his, both paused, perhaps for too long... or not long enough... the wine clouding them, the memories of one another returning. As if that attraction had ever been far from the surface.  

The storm outside swirled with all the potency of what they’d both tried to push down, the sky illuminated as Manny set his glass down, taking hers from her hand, moving up the couch, his hands gripping her knees, opening them enough for his body to slot between them, the boom of thunder rocking the ground as their mouths met.  

Any reservations they might have had were swept away as they fell headlong down the rabbit hole, the tempting promise of what they would experience in their own Neverland of blissful sin tugging at them too strongly, dragging them down, until all that was left was them. There was no Carmen, no time between their only night together and then, no reason why not. Only them.  

A scattered path of kisses scorched her skin, the firm grip of his hands moving to pull at her vest, Hannah suddenly stopping him.  

“I... I look... different.” Her stammered words made him pause, searching her eyes, resting his forehead to hers. “I don’t look as good as I used to, since the baby.”

“Let me be the judge of that.” His kisses landed softer, his haste calmed as he slowly lifted her vest, pulling it from her body, her sweats next to go, Manny sitting back on his heels as he looked down at her, his gaze finding the nerves in her eyes. “This body is beautiful. You know why? It’s the body that grew my child safely for nine months, and if you think just because it’s a tiny bit different to how I remember that it’ll put me off, then you’re crazy. Now, lie back and let me show you just how goddamned beautiful I think you are.”  

She’d be lying if she said her confidence had been truly bolstered in the wake of his praise, no matter how lovely his words were, but still, she felt desired enough to pull him back to her, their mouths locked together, undoing his shirt as kisses of sugared embers grew hotter, the feel of his skin on hers torridly enchanting.  

“Wait.” Sitting up, he lifted her, Hannah wrapping herself around him. “I need more room than a couch has to really fuckin’ enjoy you, darlin’.”

As soon as the bedroom door closed behind them, so did the chapter of them entitled ‘Two parents trying desperately to convince themselves there was only a child connecting them.’ And lord, the chapter they would write together to follow, only legible until the flames that roared between them threatened to burn each word off the page entirely.  

[isa-ghost]

Good afternoon, I have some anti capitalist propaganda for everyone.

I recently got a new boss. He sucks ass for a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to:

Owing at least 3 of my coworkers money for multiple weeks; he owes one $2500+ and another $500+. He keeps saying he'll pay them [insert day] and then doesn't. He has actively refused to pay the one he owes $2500+, even telling her "you make too much," when he made her district manager of all 3 of our stores because he can't take any responsibility for himself.

He requires prepay for a service. Aka you are paying upfront when it's not guaranteed your product (dry cleaning) will come back cleaned right, unruined, or unlost.

He put a fee on our credit card machine so he doesn't have to worry about it with his taxes. He took down the sign he put up to notify customers of said fee, and told us not to tell customers, aka he doesn't want us telling customers we're charging them more than we're saying, and to lie to them. He claimed two weeks ago he'd remove this fee and hasn't.

He said he won't be paying us overtime or sick days. Not paying us overtime is illegal in our state. And dare I mention he said something about making the full time employees (ie: my mother) work 66 hours a week?

He only wants us to have $40 in singles at the end and beginning of each day. Aka we have no change ever for many of our customers who pay in cash, which forces them to use their card on the machine with a fee. When we run low on singles, he makes us walk across our mall's parking lot to the bank where ""he has one million dollars in an account"" to get singles. Yesterday he made me do this in a blizzard and negative temperatures, and the bank was closed because of the Midwest's current deadly weather. So I did it for nothing. When I called and informed him, he said he would come bring me singles to my store. 15 minutes later he called again and said he wouldn't make it because of the snow. I had to ask for exact change or force them to use the machine with a fee.

One morning he straight up forgot to give me any cash at all and took 2 hours to make a 15 minute drive from the main store to my store to give me said cash.

Another time he was supposed to come to my location to collect the day's money. Again, 15 minute drive. He never showed up. Then returned to the main store 5 minutes before it was supposed to close. We have no fucking idea where he was that whole time.

His changes have chased away regular customers who have been coming to us 20+/30+/50+ years. And other less long-time regulars too. We told him all 3 stores are getting several complaints DAILY and being told by SEVERAL customers that they're not coming to our cleaners anymore. He quite literally told me to my face "oh well."

He ignores any and all feedback employees and customers alike give him. He blatantly ignored me to my face twice. Related, he can't get it through his thick fucking head that we're a business in the suburbs, not the city, so things don't work the same as his shitty cleaners in Chicago.

We're a small mom and pop business who's been struggling since the pandemic. This is part of why my previous absolute saint of a boss sold the 3 stores to this douchebag. This ignorant moron said we'd probably lose 10% of our business and "it'd be fine," when we're struggling as it is.

We have 9 employees for 3 stores. He tried to make my coworker he dumped all responsibility on fire 5 of us (rather than doing it himself), including the one that trained her for the job years ago. He called all of us replaceable, even the one he dumped all responsibility on. He also took down all Help Wanted signs and said we definitely have enough staff.

We've caught him in MULTIPLE lies ranging from white lies about his personal life to MAJOR lies about our business and how he wants us to run the stores. We've also witnessed him lie to customers.

He doesn't communicate at all, he's told all 3 stores 3 separate things. There's no reasoning for this, all 3 stores do the same shit. All 3 stores have always done everything the same way before now. He just literally doesn't communicate properly. He changed store hours, and was shocked to find that my store didn't change them weeks later. We didn't change them because he didn't tell us to, he didn't tell us when the change was supposed to go into effect.

He's impossible to contact. If you call and he doesn't answer, his voicemail box is full. He doesn't call back. If you don't have his cell number to text him, you're screwed. There's no guarantee he'll answer texts either.

He's trying to change our entire system that keeps track of customers and implement a text system that will tell the customer their cleaning is done. I told him many customers we get are elderly people who don't text and don't even have smartphones and can't get that notification. He said he didn't care, and that they'd just have to remember their cleaning or forget it. Might I mention that after 60 days or more, he plans on selling the clothes on eBay?

He has a fake service dog (he told my coworker himself) that he brings to our main store every day and forces my coworker to babysit while she does her work. Work that you can't do and watch a dog at the same time. This is the one he owes $2500+ to btw.

That coworker looked up his full legal name (which she has access to since she had all his responsibilities dumped on her, including his personal emails) and found an article that strongly suggests he has a criminal history, if it's definitely him and a credible source. The kicker is, he has a very unique non-White name that we'd be very shocked to hear more than one person has. I can't confirm if the article is legit even so, because I obviously don't have his legal name. But she sent me a screenshot of the article and the crime was gun related. My coworker also saw emails of his that she, a recovering addict, is confident are drug dealing related.

The heat in my specific store hasn't worked properly in months. My previous boss was too tight on money to fix it. He was literally maintaining just enough to pay all employees and the essentials for the stores. He cared way more about us than money.

And the heat not working is what brings me to my real post, despite those reasons being more than enough to birth a new anti capitalist. Here's my REAL post:

So that deadly Midwestern weather right now? -20°F to -70°F in some parts? For my non-Americans, that's -20°C to -56°C. Without "RealFeel"/Wind Chill included. Those are daytime temperatures, not how cold it gets at night.

It was snowing SIDEWAYS almost the entire day yesterday, and he didn't close the stores. I had to work. My car is small and light, it slides and gets stuck super easily. Our roads are not plowed right now. I'm relying on the grooves from traffic to avoid driving in snow that'll get me stuck. I have to drive 20mph at the fastest on roads where the limit is 40-45mph.

Today it's-3°F (-19°C). For the high. RealFeel/Wind Chill is -27°F (-32°C). There are wind gusts up to 55mph. Visibility on the road is almost nonexistent, snow is blowing everywhere in massive walls across the streets, which still aren't properly plowed.

He still had my mom work today from 7am to 3pm, in our store that has no working heating. The inside of our store has been about 50°F (10°C) at the warmest all day. We're relying on two small and unhelpful space heaters, one at the front of the store and one at the back, to keep any form of heat in the store, which is all immediately sucked out the second our door opens for even a second. He also had the audacity to ask my mom to walk across the parking lot in this weather, to the bank as soon as they opened (which isn't even open) to get singles again, rather than bringing them despite there no longer being any snow preventing him from coming in his big ass definitely snow-safe truck.

It's still so cold in this store that my mom and I have our coats, hats, gloves and scarves on. I'm currently wearing 4 layers, a scarf and gloves sitting literally inches from one of our space heaters to keep myself warm. We have had maybe 5 customers since 7am. It's now 4pm.

Normally I would be working until 6pm today. At 6pm, it will be -6°F (-21°C), RealFeel/Wind Chill -40°F (-40°C according to my converter. It's so fucking cold our temperatures are syncing). My mom called our boss to see if we can close early, even mentioning that we've had no business today to try and persuade him further. He said we can. At 4:30pm, which was 2 hours from when she called him.

He's so greedy, he'd rather leave us in these conditions for a little longer despite there being 0 benefit to anyone rather than just sensibly closing right then and there. I've been here an hour and we've had no customers. At 4:30pm, it'll be dark outside on top of the already poor visibility outside, on top of rush-hour traffic, on top of roads in garbage condition.

He's quite literally choosing profit he's not going to make over my and my mom's lives, because if the worst happens as we're driving in those conditions, with the car that slides and gets stuck easily that I mentioned before, we could die if we crash or slide off the road.

Fuck capitalism, eat the fucking rich.

[hellsbellschime]

So, ya girl has the worst luck in the world and thus my expectations for shit in my life going right are quite low. But like three months ago I got a letter from the IRS saying that I hadn't paid my taxes yet, which wasn't true, and I double-checked with my bank to make sure and yes, there was an 8k withdrawal from my account in April from the IRS. But then I get another letter, saying that I still haven't paid and my bank assets may be seized in order to pay my tax bill, so I'm like okayyy what the fuck. Obviously, call the IRS, don't get through, call the tax advocacy service, and they're like okay well I don't know why your taxes are coming up unpaid, but once you get in touch with someone from the IRS it should be fine.

So I call again yesterday and finally get in touch with someone, and she is also like oh that's weird I can see that we took money from you but it still says you owe that so WTF. So she does her IRS thing and puts me on hold for ages and FINALLY comes back and says oh, so your tax filing in April was a pre-payment for what you expect to owe in 2023, meaning that you haven't paid 2022's taxes yet. So I'm like okay A. I paid H&R Block to do my taxes and definitely did not say do not pay this year's taxes but pay taxes for the fucking future, and B. the money is there and I have clearly paid so can that money just be used for my 2022 taxes as it was obviously intended?

So once again she puts me on hold and after another 10 minutes comes back and is like yeah sorry no, because you're self-employed and you qualify for tax prepayment I can't change that money to go towards your 2022 taxes. So I'm like okayyyyyyyy, so what does that mean then? And she's like well, you have to pay 2022s taxes. And I'm like okay BITCH (that part was in my head) I did but y'all jabronis said I was prepaying for 2023 which is some shit I've never even heard of, so what now? And she was like yeah I'm sorry I can't do anything but if you don't want to accrue more interest and penalties then you need to pay that 8k bill ASAP and I'm like BITCH ARE YOU NUTS YOU ARE LOOKING AT MY TAX RETURNS WHAT GIVES YOU THE IMPRESSION THAT I JUST HAVE ANOTHER $8,000 ON HAND TO PAY MY TAXES TWICE.

So obviously I had a near aneurysm and @thetourguidebarbie was like call H&R Block NOW which I did, and I have an appointment to speak to them in like half an hour which is GREAT because I just opened my mail and my FINAL NOTICE OF BANK SEIZURE was in my mailbox. And, if I can't get this resolved then I am at risk of not being able to get my EV tax credit for 2023, which means that not only will I have double-paid my taxes this year, but my bank account will suddenly be empty, and would also mean that I LITERALLY LOSE OUT ON $7,500 BECAUSE SOME IDIOT SOMEWHERE DECIDED THAT PREPAYING MY TAXES WAS A THING.

So I'm going to sit here and stress eat for the next half hour and tell myself that there has to be a reasonable solution to this problem because in a country of 300 plus million people I can't be the only person that this has happened two and obviously a lot of people don't have money on hand to pay twice as much as they were expecting to, but it would be nice if shit in my life could just be easy for once. Oh and also in case it wasn't clear, do not hire H&R Block to do your taxes because I have always done my taxes before and had no problems and this was the first year I actually paid someone else to do it and they completely fucked it up even BEFORE I found out all of this shit.

[roadtogracelandx45]

Charming Town|11| Sons of Anarchy

part ten

masterlist

@prettyinpayne | @ohnoitsthebat

Eleven  

Ryder didn't want to get her hopes up, that Jax didn't want to lose her or the kids, but he was never good at keeping his promises to her. He always found a way to hurt her. Even if it wasn't intentional. But yet waking up the next morning their bodies entwined, that familiar hope started building up in her stomach again. The loud knock on the dorm door followed by Chibs' voice startled her husband awake, "Be there in a minute." He groaned before pressing a sleepy kiss to the top of her head and pulling away from her. Fighting off the whine she had built up, she rolled over and buried her face into the pillow before pushing herself to get up.  

She had responsibilities. 

Harley needed to be picked up from her brother's house, the burial arrangements for Wendy needed to be made and she needed to find a place for them to stay since she refused to go back into the house that Wendy moved into and destroyed. Don't get her wrong, she loved Piney and the house she grew up in but there was no way in hell that she was going to raise her kids in that house. 

Kids.  

It surprised her how easily it went from her daughter to her kids. How quickly she wanted to be Abel's mother. Releasing a heavy sigh, she slipped out of the bed and pulled her shorts and undergarments back on followed by one of Jax's faded white SAMCRO shirts that was hanging out of the drawers. "I will be on the prepay today if you need me," Jax commented, startling her out of her thoughts. "Okay," She returned, "I am going to get Harley from Opie's, I have to go arrange Wendy's burial." 'Babe, you don't have to do that." He felt like he had been repeating that comment a lot in the last two days she had been back in Charming, "I can handle it."  

"Yes, I do Jax, you won't do it, and she had no one else. The club was all she had. And as much as I want to hate her for thinking she could be me and take you away, she is still Abel's birth mother and if there is ever a chance of him finding out that I am not his mother, I want him to have something to go and visit.' It never ceased to amaze him how much he could love Ryder and how quickly she was able to adapt and think ahead.  

She pulled the baggy shirt over her head and then looked at her blackberry that had gone several times in the night, but they had both slept through it. "Alice, one of the girls that works for me, has a couple of places lined up in Charming for me to look at. One is close to Gemma and Clay and the other is closer to Opie and Pops.” She was fully expecting to go house hunting on her because of whatever club bs that he had going on. 

'Gemma wants to clean up the other house."  

"She can burn it to the ground for all I care, Jax, I refuse to step back into that house. I refuse to take Harley back to it and I refuse to take Abel into it.'  

There was so much silent strength and faith that their son would pull through that her husband couldn't bring himself to tell her that he wasn't going to pull through. He didn't need to put that on her. It wasn't fair.  

“Ry.” He started, his hand catching her waist and pulling her to him. “Jax, we have stuff to do.” she put her hand on his chest to push him away, “What happened last night was a one-time thing until we got shit worked out. And besides, the next person that will come back here is going to be Clay and I don’t have enough caffeine in my system not to commit murder right now.” 

Choking back a laugh, he pressed a kiss to her mouth and released her.  

*** 

“Juicy needs to talk to you two.” Chibs started once they came out of the dorm area, the old lady looking down at the screen of her phone, her thumbs going across the keyboard. “He has answers on why that ATF agent is looking into the lass.”  “Chapel,” Jax ordered before looking at the prospect who was standing at the bar, “bring the coffee in, I think we are going to need it.”    

Half-Sack nodded his head pulling his eyes away from Ryder, Juice had started to fill him in on the younger Winston and parts of the relationship between her and Jax. And he wasn’t going to lie, he was curious about her, especially since she seemed nothing like the old man or her brother.  

“New prospect?” she asked, the last she heard, there were no new prospects in any of the charters but then again, she had been so far removed that it was hard to keep things straight.   

“Half-Sack.” Juice filled in from where he was sitting at the table in the chapel.  

“Do I want to know?” 

 “No, Lass, you don’t.’ Chibs answered. “What’s his real name?” She countered taking the Scot’s word for it.  

“Kip.” Her husband filled in as he steered her into the chapel and to the table.  

  She paused at the door; she could count on one hand how many times she had been into the chapel. And none of them were good experiences. She was sure that this one wasn’t going to be good either.  Her husband’s warm hand in hers pulled her out of her thoughts and he pulled her to where her brother and father usually sat at the end of the table near where Juice was sitting.  

“How much do you know about what your firm is doing?” He asked his dark eyes on the VP’s old lady and not on the man that was sitting next to her. “More than I know about the club. I am next up to be a senior partner.” She answered, “I met with the head of the Russian mob here a couple of weeks ago, Putlova, I think.”   

“Jesus Ry, why didn’t you say anything?” Jax questioned scrubbing his hand down his face. “I was pissed at you Jackson and hurt.’ She answered, twisting to look at him, “You would’ve made me come home sooner. Then I would have gone to New York for good with Harley.”  

Juice and Chibs shared a glance and then looked at the couple, they knew that the two had problems, but nothing was ever said to them about it.  “We take a lot more precautions than the club does.” She shrugged helplessly, 'The firm knows that I have gotten my hands dirty before for Samcrow, they brought me in about 6 months ago with it.’  

‘Were you by yourself?’ Bobby Elvis asked from the doorway, he was holding a paper bag full of banana nut muffins and the full coffee pot.  

“When I met with Putlova? No, I had security from the firm, and Hap and Koz went with me.”  She held up her hand to stop her husband’s angry statement, “I got them out of trouble with Tacoma PD before they even got arrested. So, they owed me a huge favor.”  

As much as Jax wanted to be angry with Kozik and Happy, he couldn’t. They had his wife’s back when she didn’t trust him enough to have it.  

And he was thankful for that.   

“Babe, you need to tell us what you can so we can help cover if need be,” Jax commented as Clay stepped into the chapel, eyebrows raised in question, they never had this much excitement this early in the morning.  

** 

Tara was thankful when she showed up to the NICU to check on Abel Teller that the room was empty, the last thing that she wanted to do that morning was to deal with Gemma or her little pawn of a daughter-in-law Ryder.  She had found herself coming into the area to think and try to formulate a plan.  

Any sort of plan to get Jax back to her and have him terminate Ryder’s rights as Abel’s mother. She wanted to be his number one person. She had never truly been that because of Ryder being around like an ugly black cloud surrounding her and Jax’s relationship.   Her dark eyes studied the baby, before smirking, “Don’t worry Abel, I am going to make everything right.”   

[kingparking]

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Valet

If you need a parking spot at the airport, valet parking is an option to think about. People typically don't think to ask for valet parking assistance. Truly, this is a fantastic means of economizing time. Simply pull up to the designated area, where a valet will be waiting to receive your vehicle. Just pack up your bags and grab your briefcase, because you're leaving now. Your car will be expertly parked by the attendant.

When time is of the essence, valet service comes in handy. Don't waste time circling the lot in search of a parking spot; there are plenty available. You can easily lose track of hours doing that. In addition, you won't have to worry about finding a parking spot in a distant lot. The process of getting back to your house is simplified by using valet parking. You can get to your car quickly and easily, allowing you to leave the airport in record time.

Prepaid

Parking Connection and similar services offer prepaid parking as an option. If you park at a busy airport, you can save time at the lot by purchasing a parking pass in advance and paying online. If you need parking near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), New York City (JFK), or Long Island (LGA), you can reserve a spot in advance to make your arrival and departure more streamlined. You can reserve your desired parking option and pay for it online. You have a choice between valet parking and self-parking. At some airports, you may be able to select and prepay for a specific option in advance.

Self-Parking

If you need to leave your car at an airport, valet parking is usually the best option. In contrast, if you're willing to put in a little extra effort, you can save cash. Parking lots and terminals are typically connected by shuttles for quick and easy transportation. You'll enjoy it more if you reserve a spot ahead of time and pay in advance. When you plan ahead and make a reservation, everything goes off without a hitch.

Reserved

Finding out about reserved parking is a great convenience for frequent flyers. Make your reservation online at your convenience. Choose wisely, and you'll be able to find a convenient parking spot. Simply look online to find the options that are available for your specific airport. Making a reservation allows you to be sure of getting a spot so you'll never again need to drive endlessly around. You'll be able to pay part or all of the parking ahead of time. This is a great option for anyone who wants a more convenient way to park at the airport.

Airport parking may not be your top priority when it comes to organizing your holiday, but pre-booking is the best way to get your space reserved at a great rate. Airport parking is the same at all car parks and all airports so you will pay more on the day than if you book in advance. Airport Parking fees are based on the actual time a vehicle is in the facility so you can easily budget what the cost will be before you leave for your holiday.

Airport

So in a time when we can expect cheap deals on our flights and accommodation, you should be looking for a great deal on your airport parking as well. Some airport parking companies can save you up to 60%. A huge number of websites offer to book Airport Parking cheaply. Booking airport parking is no different from booking a hotel and there are many online aggregators on the web that will compare prices on a number of car parks without being partial towards a specific airport car parking company. Airport hotels with parking are often cheaper than parking alone so ensure you check every parking price to see what options are available.

Parking

With so many options for parking your car at airports, it's worth finding out which car park is the most convenient for your departure terminal. Parking at the airport is often just a few minute's walks from the terminal building so you can relax whilst getting to the airport and enjoy your trip. The turn-up-and-pay costs for airport parking can be extortionately high. Parking can represent 50% of non-aeronautical revenue for some regional airports. Many airports offer on and off-site airport parking plus valet chauffeur services. If we take the same approach to airport parking as we do to other aspects of our traveling such as flights, hotels, and car hire, we can reap the rewards by getting the same quality for less cost.

Hotels

Hotels often offer parking specials, so make use of the extra facility being offered by the hotel you plan to stay in. Parking can work out to be free with a Stay and Park Hotel package. If you prefer to relax and enjoy your journey you can always book an overnight stay in one of the airport hotels so that you can rest overnight before your journey. Many airport hotels offer a package including airport parking that can cost less than parking alone, or not much more. Years ago, it seemed you could get almost unlimited free parking with a single overnight stay; these days, most properties limit you to seven days of free parking, although a few give you 14 days, and the extra day rate at most of the hotels is usually very fair. There are some excellent airport parking & hotel packages available at great prices, check out airport hotels for a more relaxed, leisurely start to your trip.

Already, approximately 60% of leisure travelers book their airport parking in advance. If you want a hassle-free start to your journey, join over 70,000 people who book their Airport Parking and Airport Hotels online each year. Airport parking is much cheaper if you book online but the only problem with cheaper price websites is availability. Getting a cheap price is a good thing but being able to make a booking and confirmation for your low-cost airport parking is the main objective. Consequently, it makes sense to open several windows at the same time to compare the deals offered by online airport parking providers.

Click on  Online Reservation Parking for bookings

[txtpiner]

Quip refill pack

#Quip refill pack how to

#Quip refill pack plus

That's why plastic floss picks have sold so well, despite not being nearly as effective as string floss due to not being able to wrap around subgingival tooth.Īt the end of the day, if it's a matter of $8 of oralB floss that sits in the cabinet untouched for a year vs. The reality is that for most people (outside the dental industry) flossing is a major inconvenience. With premium quality items and extraordinary care for my teeth and mouth, it’s definitely a win.It's not a money scam if it gets used more than the $8 oralB floss. Overall, I’m quite pleased with this subscription. In this pack, I even got a cover mount that makes it easy for me to bring my electric toothbrush when I travel. Moreover, there’s no longer any excuse to not take care of your teeth and mouth properly. No more emergency runs to the store when you run out of toothpaste or when your battery is suddenly not working anymore. Quip Refill Pack sends every 3 months so you can replenish your stock of toothpaste, change your brush head, and replace batteries easily and conveniently. The back of the cover has a strip that acts as a suction cup so you can easily attach or detach it on a glossy surface. It also works as a toothbrush stand and wall mount. Travel Cover Mount ($5) Here’s a must-have when traveling, a travel cover mount which fits perfectly with the Quip brush head. It has no excessive power or unnecessary modes, perfect for a wholesome two minute clean. The bristles provide the right amount of sonic vibrations and guiding pulses to help simplify better brushing. It can stand alone, making it easy to bring on-the-go. Toothbrush Head ($5) This refill toothbrush head comes with a transparent, hard plastic cover, making sure that the toothbrush is protected and comes in its best condition.Īside from its durability, the container is pretty versatile too. Good to know that their toothpaste does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).īattery. Also included is a non-rechargeable alkaline battery enough for 3-month of regular use. Printed at the back of the container is some essential information about the toothpaste like the ingredients, warnings, and directions for use. I got it in a big tube which can last for 3 months! Quip 3 Months Anti Cavity Toothpaste ($5) This toothpaste contains sodium fluoride, an active ingredient that keeps the teeth clean, healthy, and strong while providing the mouth a fresh feeling all the time. Quip 2 Weeks Anti Cavity Toothpaste ($5) I also got the same kind of toothpaste in a smaller, lighter, and more compact tube which I can bring when traveling. It’s good enough to last for 2 weeks! They also announced that they improved their toothpaste formula using xylitol, which helps eliminate bacteria.

#Quip refill pack how to

Of course, they included an illustrated guide on how to change brush heads and batteries. The pack includes a mini-booklet that contains information about all the refill supplies, as well as helpful tips!įeatured on this part of the booklet are some simple stretches and exercises in case your bite is feeling the pressure. You can choose to prepay your refills or even get multiple starter sets in one pack, for a couple or family! Since there are 8 colors, you will never mix up your toothbrushes again! Refill plans start at $5 and ship every 3 months.

#Quip refill pack plus

Starter sets start at $25, which includes a sonic vibrating electric toothbrush with timer mode, a handy holder that stands, suctions to walls and travels hygienically, plus optional anti-cavity mint toothpaste. Quip offers a subscription plan for oral care products.

Food & Cooking Subscription Box Reviews.

Geek, Gamer & Nerd Subscription Box Reviews.

[soggywert]

Icemav Ice Rink Date - fic

This is based off of my ice rink hc i made for the two!

Link: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/hangman-puzzlesolver/692206064923541504?source=share

Characters: Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell and Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky

Words: 5.08k

Warning: start is a bit slow, but it gets a bit better :) | oh, also, that I know jack about ice skating

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

It was a hot morning in the Miramar sun. It pelted down on the land and made looking ahead hard. If someone were to ask Maverick to look ahead without seeing any heat waves, he would lose that bet in an instant. Everywhere you went, you would need sunglasses to reflect the light away from your eyes.

It was a weekend, a chaotic one at that. You couldn’t go out to the local bar without all the seats inside taken; the beach was packed, every square inch taken up by a family or couple. Though, finally, for once, Mav had pre-planned a few things. A few tickets hid up his sleeve.

It had been his turn to plan a date day for himself and Ice.

“Ice!” he called out down the hallway, shuffling along the carpet barefooted. A blonde head poked around the corner, his lips pursed, and his eyebrows scrunched up. He was dressed in a single tank top (that didn’t even make an attempt at trying to fit him) and some beach shorts, a bag slung around his shoulder full of random assortments. “What is it?” he drew back a little into a more upright position as Mav reached the end of the hallway to be face to face. “let’s not go to the beach; we won’t get a spot, '' he huffed, crossing his arms. Ice looked up and down at the other, the cogs in his head ticking along to make assumptions. “We don’t have air conditioning for jack in here; and I am not going to the god damn public pool down the road” he vowed. Maverick had a smile drawn across his face in response. “I’m glad we’re on the same wavelength for once”

Ice drew a hand around to clasp Maverick’s waste, a glint in his eyes. “Then where are you thinking of taking us?” he questioned. Mav spared a glance down to Ice’s hand that crept along him in a gentle sway. “How about the Ballad Ice Rink?” Ice’s eyes snapped out of the glint, his eyebrows furrowing up again and the corner of his lip curling. “Mav, are you serious? That would be packed by now, wouldn’t it?” he queried. “Yeah, you’ve had to prepay for a session- “Mav glanced down to his own shirt, reaching into the pocket on his chest to pull out two slim papers with words printed on them. “And guess who actually came prepared for once?” “… That’s… your date idea?” Ice asked, looking back and forth between the tickets and Maverick’s shining smile. “Yeah? Why wouldn’t it be; we’ve never been ice skating before and its hot today! Perfect date” he gave Ice a small peck on his cheek, before he turned around to make a move to his bedroom.

Ice followed in suit, dropping the bag by the corner of the hallway. “Mitchell, if it’s sessions, what time do we have to be there by?” he asked from behind, sliding an arm around the others shoulder. “12:30 to 3:30” Mav replied, shovelings the tickets into his pocket and slipping a hand up to meet Ice’s, to enlace them with his own. “How far away is it?” Ice questioned again. Mav huffed at all the questions. “15 minute or so drive,” he replied. A shuffle came from Ice, but it was too far out of Mav’s peripheral vision to tell what he was doing.

The next comment clicked the puzzle pieces together. “Well, we have to be there in 20.” Maverick glanced at his own watch. It was 12:10.

Oh shit.

Once both of them rushed into some jeans (as instructed by Maverick, because Ice wanted to put on shorts) and a shirt that was more appropriate for the occasion, Ice rushed outside to his 1962 Chrysler convertible, to start it up. Maverick rushed around, trying to pack a bag for them to store two bottles of water for them to share, two spare zip up hoodies to wear if they get cold and two pairs of gloves if either one of them wants to be extra safe. Mav cringed at the sound of the horn sound, honking in a tune that must have been practiced numerous times. He rushed to the vivid white front door that had a mosaic glass window on it, bag in one hand, keys in the other. He snatched his pair of brown tinted aviator sunglasses and slipped them on, as he opened the door with a quick thrust. He slipped through the door frame, slamming the door shut behind him and shuffling the keys into the keyhole to seal the house up.

His feet flew down the little staircase to the driveway’s pavement, then speed walk to Ice in the Chrysler. It was silver and was extremely well looked after. It shone so much; it could be its own light source. The roof was down, which made it easier for Mav to throw the bag in, and charge up to make the attempt to throw himself in afterwar-

“Don’t you dare! Use the god damn door, Maverick” Ice snapped in the driver’s seat, turning towards the other with a pointed finger. Mav pulled back into the present and contemplated the words. Not worth the fight. He opened the door and slipped into the seat, putting the bag under the dashboard, before digging into the glove box to pull out the pair of aviators Ice used for his car.

Ice had multiple pairs of aviators for specific jobs. There was one in the car, for driving, another for beach day, another for flying and so on. All in their specific places, which Maverick knew off by heart. He only had his brown tinted aviators to wear around, because he didn’t see the need to harbour multiple. He had a brand to keep up with. “Here you go, sweetie” Maverick cooed, as he passed the glasses to Ice. He just rolled his eyes, making it as obvious as he could for Mav and slipped them on. “You scratch her or put a dent in her, and I will make you pay for the trip to the dealership. You’re not in Hollywood, not every entrance has to be dramatic” Ice scolded. Maverick leaned in for a kiss on the others cheek. “You know you love me”

Soon, they were on the road, rushing to the ice rink near town. Both made small talk about their experience with ice skating (well, Maverick mainly did, Ice listened) or argued on which road to turn down.

Of course, Maverick’s godly power of showing up just on time came into light, and they found a parking lot to park across the street. They jumped out, jaywalked across the road, and slipped into the building in the nick of time. The clock hit 12:30. The sign in room was lit up by fluorescent lights and the air conditioning was the biggest break either of them had from the hot Miramar air. Maverick slipped his glasses off approaching the desk with a grin on his face. A lady with a curled bob glanced up from her newspaper to give a quick glance up and down. “Here for the 12:30 session?” she asked, her voice dulled from repeating the same question over and over again like a script. “Yeah” he pulled the tickets out from his jeans pocket, slipping them across the desk. She analysed them, checking the information printed on them. “Alright, you’re here till 3:30. Go to the blue desk on the far right of the building, opposite the beginners ice rink and pick up your shoes there” she repeated like a robot, a small attempt at uplifting her tone. “Thanks darl’, appreciate it” Maverick replied, after the lady picked out two coloured wristbands for the two to put on. Mav felt a burning sensation from Ice’s stare hit him in the back after his little ‘darl’ comment. “Of course, have a lovely day” the lady replied nonchalantly, going back to the newspaper. Mav turned around to meet Ice’s gaze, a challenge in his eyes. “Come on, we only got 3 hours here” he sent a provoking smile Ice’s way.

Ice stared back but decided against taking the bait. He slipped an arm around Mav’s shoulder again, leading them through the hallway to the other side. They were met with another wave of icy air, music, and flashing LED lights up above, spinning around the ring in a mix of reds, blues, greens and purples. It was mesmerising.

Give or take a few minutes, and Maverick and Ice had a seat at a table, slipping their ice skates onto their feet. Mav was tugging and shoving his foot into the last ice skate, swearing under his breath. Once he had it on, he started tugging at the Velcro straps to keep the skate enclosed around his ankle tightly. This was to prevent his ankle from giving out and spraining it. He looked over at Ice who was doing the same thing, a cold focus in his grey eyes. Mav was soon finished and using the table as a way to push himself up to stand up right. “Almost done?” Mav asked when Ice let out a sharp exhale. “Almost done” Ice repeated the other words. He glanced up, a slightly defeated look on his face. “Can... you help me up?” Ice asked, holding out his hand for Maverick to clasp. Mav did that and added a slight tug to help Ice to his feet, which it did. A stumble to regain their balance and a moment of holding each other in their arms later, the couple found themselves able to stand sup straight. Chest to chest, Maverick found himself laughing, holding onto Ice by the triceps. He stared up at the other through creased eyesight from his big grin, Ice staring back with a similar smile. Ice was chuckling, holding onto Maverick’s triceps as well, the glint returning to his eyes. One only Mav could recognise. One reserved for him and him only. The moment shriveled up when a couple beside them looked over with an annoyed stare.

Mav drew away, not wanting to bring any more attention to them both and started his strut to the beginner’s rink. His ankles wobbled on the spot, making him have to pause to find a wall to help support his crumbling balance. He took a quick glance behind him to see Ice still standing in place, arms held up to balance his own wobbly legs. This is new, Mav thought to himself, biting down on his lip. He wobbled back to the other, holding out an arm. “You alright?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow curiously. Ice forced a nod, grabbing Maverick by the wrist. “Fine” he replied, taking his first few steps, not sparing a second to glance up in front of him. If Ice looked away from his feet, he’d probably lose his footing and go face first into the ground. Maverick would love to see that, but he bit down that comment.

Soon, Ice found his footing quicker than Maverick, taking the lead to the beginner’s rink. They didn’t let go of each other’s arms, it could be seen as a platonic hand hold in public, one friend helping another. Ice reached the gate to the rink and stared down to the ice. Maverick soon followed suit past him and into the rink instantly, holding onto the railing on the wall. “Come on, Ice. It’s your natural habitat” Maverick purred, waiting for the other to step onto the ice.

For a second, Maverick thought he caught a nervous flash appearing in Ice’s eyes. Ice still didn’t move, contemplating how to approach this. “Kazansky” Maverick initiated. Ice looked over to Maverick, his eyebrows knitting. “What? Hold your horses, Mav. I’m thinking” he replied sharply. Maverick just grins, tilting his head a little to his left. “Don’t make me say it” “Say what?” “Don’t think…” “Holy shit, Mav, don’t. I will put this skate up your ass” Ice warned. “Juuust…” “Mitchell…” “Do”

That got Ice moving. Maverick drew his arm away from the other before the grip could strengthen, and skated off, trying to find his footing. There was shouting from Ice behind him, as per usual. At least Ice was on the ice rink. A yelp of distress sounded from behind Maverick, which made him turn around in a quick whip motion, holding onto the railing to steady his ass from doing a 360 spin. He watched as Ice fumbled for balance on his skates. It was like watching a cartoon from Warner Bros, the corny slipping and sliding around in an attempt to not fall on their ass was being perfectly displayed by Ice. Maverick’s mouth gaped, as he watched someone who was known for his cold hard precision slip and stumble around, trying to maintain his balance.

He stifled a laugh, covering his mouth with a free hand. “Ice do you- “

“No!” Ice said between an almost tumble to the ground, his hands fumbling for the railing. Ice was soon back into a balanced stance, his arms, and legs out to keep balance. It was as if he was a mannequin in a star jump pose.

Maverick snorted, buckling his shoulders a bit.

“Ice cold, no mistakes” Maverick commented, repeating what Goose had used to describe Ice the first time he had come up on topic. The first time they had met and shared that glace. That little talk. The tension was stronger than today’s heat waves. The passive aggressiveness was all that everyone surrounding them could only pick up; but, between them. Maverick and Iceman. Pete and Tom. The glint in Tom’s eyes sparked a small flame in Pete’s heart. It made him yearn for more. And now, they had become a fire. A fire that burned bright than a-

“Mitchell, you’re gonna have to stop with the lovey dovey eyes. It’s distracting me” Ice comment broke Mav from his trance. Mav met Ice’s eyes and formed a smile, his ears drawing back a little in habit. He had learnt how to wiggle his ears, and now they just moved when reacting to anything. “Oh, I’m glad I’m distracting to you, Kazansky.” Maverick commented. He held out a hand for Ice to take. Ice didn’t obligate.

Soon, they found themselves slowly doing loops around the rink, shuffling along the ice at a calm pace. Ice kept stumbling here and there, which Mav was always ready to hold an arm out to help the other. Kids and parents kept flooding the rink, soon able to pick up the pace and skate ahead of the couple. Maverick kept seeing a snowman ice skating aid with kids, and a more straightforward ice-skating aid by grown-ups and teenagers being used. Maverick saw them across beside the pickup and drop off area for ice skates and contemplated on going to snag one for Ice so he could start skating ahead again.

He felt a need for speed, to put it simply.

He kept pushing on, biting down on impatient impulses to skate off. “When you push to go forward, try maybe…” Maverick paused to think of a way to put it into words. “Try… try coming back in. Like, in and out, with your feet. You don’t need to lift your foot, just in an out, kind of like a snake” Mav demonstrated on his own feet, giving a little push to get some speed, then doing the slithering motion on the ground with both his feet. In and out. In and out. Ice watched, holding onto the other by an arm slung around his neck. “How… did you push off again?” he asked, doing the awkward stepping forward motion to catch up with Maverick. Mav looked back, making sure Ice had caught up, before demonstrating. “You want to push from a slight angle. Kind of a step you take, it’s on an angle, then you push forward” he replied, bringing Ice over to the railing. “Hold onto this, let me skate around to show you”

Once Ice was in a secure place, Maverick took off, leaning forward to keep his balance as he started skating forward. He started to make his way around the ring, smoothly avoiding obstacles, also known as children, and picking up speed. He passed by Ice, turning his torso towards the other, a grin ever present. Ice just watched, a smile creeping up his face. It made Mav’s cheeks rise, growing redder on the spot. The Ice’s face turned more serious. Maverick then felt something knock into him. A small splat sounded on the ground.

Maverick turned his head back to what it was, pulling to a halt to not go any further. He saw it was a little kid, landing on his side. He had blonde hair, a vertically striped shirt, with a dark blue hoodie over the top. He leant down, to squat, a wave of concern washed over him. “Oh shit, you alright buddy?” he asked, holding out a hand. The kid's lip quivered, but he looked up and nodded his head. “Aw, here” he held out his arms to help the kid up and brush him off.

“Where are your parents?” Mav asked in a soothing tone, trying to level with the kid. 

“Right here” a woman’s voice spoke up. 

Mav glanced up, a spark of dread crawled down his spine. She had straight brown hair, and she was in a hoodie as well, gloves on her hand. “I am so sorry; I wasn’t looking where I was going and- “he slammed his jaw shut when she went down onto her knees to pick up her child.

“No, it’s okay, I told him to go the direction everyone else was, but of course he didn’t listen” she scoffed, brushing him down. Mav stared up, feeling a bit dumbfounded. He didn’t see this one coming. “Jude, you alright?” she asked the young boy in her arms, who nodded his head, looking away shyly from the rising figure, not daring to meet Maverick’s gaze. A presence appeared behind Maverick and a hand gently rested on his waist. It was cold to the touch. Ice. Maverick shifted on the spot, to kind of hide the hand on his waist. It was an automatic thing Ice did when there was any tension. Ice would hold Maverick close, in an effort to comfort him. If anything tried to stir his hot head up, Ice was there to cool him down.

“I’m still sorry about that; I should’ve looked,” Maverick pressed. The woman did a brisk nod of her head. “We all make mistakes, don’t worry” she replied, giving a small smile to the two of them. “I think he needs a bit of a snack break, anyway. You two have a lovely day” the lady turned on the ice and skated away back to the exit. Maverick felt himself let out a breath that had been caught in his throat for the longest minute of his life.

“Jesus” he mumbled to himself, sinking a bit into Ice. Ice, thankfully, had the balance to accept the embrace. “Y’know, I think we might need our own snack break” he suggested, putting his arms around Maverick, who snorted at the comment. “Wise move, Ice. Let’s go get something at the café” he replied. He pulled Ice along towards the exit of the rink, finding now after spending some time on the ice, he was way smoother. He could actually change direction, turn and go faster easier. Though, stopping was still one of his down sides. He for now is doing a t-stop, which he knew was bad for the blade if he kept it up.

He helped Ice off the rink fist, before getting off himself. “Y’know, I think that was a sign from god to never adopt” Ice said, holding out a hand for Maverick to take. Maverick grabbed him by the wrist, so it wasn’t suspicious. “Yeah, no, I agree. I mean, Bradley has been enough; I don’t know how Carole does it” Maverick laughed, wiping off a bit of sweat from his brow. “How about you go order the chips, and I’ll go grab our jackets; deal?” Mav turned on the spot, to face the blonde. Ice turned to Maverick as well. He leaned in a bit closer. “Alright, deal” he said, taking a quick glance around before leaning in and giving Maverick a quick peck on his lips. “See you at the table?” he suggested. Maverick nodded his head, a rush of adrenaline hit him at how risky that kiss was. But it’s what kept Maverick coming back. The risk they had made. It was addicting.

“See you” he said, watching Ice walk away, almost too good in the ice skates. The one thing he was apparently good at on skates. Maverick turned to the table and journeyed over. He slipped down onto the seat, picking up the bag and zipping it open. Ice isn’t good at ice skating, Maverick thought, irony staining those words. He grinned at the thought of showing off. Finally, a battle he could win at. He was good at ice skating, while Ice wasn’t. He took a sip from one of the bottles he had brought along. He took out a grey hoodie that had a scratched-out Laker’s logo on it, the other being a plain dark red hoodie. He rubbed his hands together, glancing around the room to the main ice rink.

That was where most of the couples gathered that thought it would be a good challenge to try the big rink. It was fun to watch a lot of them lose balance, while the other tried helping stabilise them back onto their feet. Odd one or two fell flat on their asses. Every now and then, both partners would fall. Mav grinned in grimace at the idea of them doing that. Him and Ice.

He turned away, seeing the tables full of either family, couples or groups of friends. If only they could be as open about their relationship as everyone else was. It always had to be masked as a strictly platonic relationship. Hell, the adrenaline rush Maverick got when they would tease each other with small kisses, hands on the waist, and wiggling eyebrows towards the bathroom got him on a high. But…

Sometimes… it would be nice to just cuddle, and no one would question it. Carole and a lot of the Top Gun class didn’t mind. Anyone who knew didn’t mind, but, well, the rest of the population usually would have something to say.

A lump in his throat always grew when the thought crossed his mind that they might get hurt being together.

Mav looked up to Ice walking over with a single cardboard cup of chips in hand. “Only one?” Maverick queried. “$7.35 for one. I am not buying two” Ice grumbled, his nose curled into a crunched-up look like if something stank. “I don’t want to be wasting any more money here” he huffed, sitting next to Maverick, offering the cup in front of the other. Maverick snagged a chip, the smell of salt and spices emitted from it. “I paid for this date” Maverick raised an eyebrow, turning into the table to face Ice, crossing a leg over the top of knee. He pressed an elbow on the table and kept a hand on his temple to hold his head up.

“I should be getting a bit back in return,” he complained. “I’ll put more effort into the next date, don’t worry. I just don’t like paying for overpriced mediocre chips'' Ice commented back, looking down at the cup.

Mav contemplated Ice’s words, shoveling the chip into his mouth. He was spluttering it out in the next instance, the heat burning his tongue and the roof of his mouth. “It’s hot, by the way,” Ice said, taking a small bite from a chip he drew from the cup. “Asshole”

Maverick threw the hoodie into Ice’s arms, then throwing the half-eaten chip under the table. “You’re feral” Ice scolded the other, slipping the hoodie on and doing the zip up. “Yeah, well, I’m not the first” Maverick dismissed the others comment, before snagging another chip.

“Can I show you something?” he asked standing up. “Do I have a choice?” Ice’s gaze followed Maverick in his stance, glancing up and down in his usual flirtatious way. A smile grew across his cheeks, his lips riding up to reveal his gum. Maverick felt his cheek become warmer, by the second, a flustered look on his face. 

“No, on the rink. We can go there after” he joked.

Ice rolled his eyes, slipping up and off the table smoothly. He put an arm around Maverick’s shoulder, and snatched back the cup of chips, taking two out offering one to the smaller man. Mav didn’t oblige to the offer and took a chomp out of it. “Alright, no more, or I might throw up on the rink” the sarcastic comment snaked out, but Mav didn’t show any sign of regretting it. Ice rolled his own grey eyes, shuffling along to the wall of plastic glass and painted wood that surrounded the ice rink. Mav paused to consider what he was about to do. He moved out the way when a couple wanted to get past him onto the rink. “Alright…” Maverick breathed.

“Want to come on with me, or stay out here?” he asked, turning to Ice. “No food allowed on the rink” Ice pointed out, shaking the cup.

“Looks like you’re gonna have to go on your own. Sure you can handle it?” Maverick scoffed. “Try me”

Ice grinned, sending a ‘dare you’ nod Maverick’s way. “Show me what you got, Pete” the smile grew. Maverick held the gaze for a little longer, before strutting onto the ice, turning back to look at Iceman. “Hold onto your cup, Kazansky. This one is gonna be a show” he grinned, starting to push his skates to go backwards. This caught Ice’s attention through the shield.

That’s right, keep staring, Maverick thought, his heart skipping a few beats at the idea of what was going through Ice’s head right now. “Talk to me, Goose,” he whispered to himself. It was a verbal ritual he used to get him to focus, not let any other intrusive thoughts invade his mind.

Time to turn and burn, Mav.

He blasted off in his skates, starting to pick up some speed. This was challenging enough, trying to maintain his balance. In and out. In and out. In and out. Push, push, push. He felt like he was in the cockpit again, going a million miles an hour. Now, he could feel the wind brush against him, if he imagined hard enough, he would be able to visualise the air flow around his not so aerodynamic body. The F-14 was easier than this, but this? This had to be second best. Leaning forward, bending his knees, he pushed on and on, getting faster and faster.

It was fun just doing this, but Ice wasn’t here to be impressed by how fast he could get. He had to put on a show. He had to slow down first. He started to drop in pace, at an average pace he started to make his way back to Ice. He got his back straight, held his arms out, bent down into his knees to prepare himself. Leaning forward…

Mav twisted his torso to the left, his knees riding back up to turn his feet to face behind him. He dipped back down to catch himself from going off balance. Maverick was now going backwards. To put it simply, he did a Two-Foot Three Turn. He looked back to Ice to catch his expression, leaning to the left more so he could do a circle around. Backwards. He needed to impress him a little bit more. Ice didn’t even try to hide it. He was impressed.

Maverick grinned, before slowing himself down to turn around to face Ice. Now he was gonna demonstrate his next trick. It wasn’t much, but he started making an attempt at circle work, going around and around, doing a few cross overs before making the attempt into a two footed spin. It was… alright. Could’ve been worse. He tried at another one, but this one he slipped up and almost went face first into the ice. Right now, he was crouched down, to prevent himself from doing just that.

There was a laugh from behind the shield, which made Maverick’s ears perk. A hot wave of embarrassment hit him, and he pushed himself up from his crouched position. He skated over to the exit and crossed his arms.

Ice turned to him, face to face with the shorter man. The music was louder here; the song was currently: Horror Movie by Skyhooks. They shared a smile; Maverick ran his tongue along the inside of his lip. Ice’s lips parted slightly; his tongue idled at the base of his top row of teeth. He looked up at the speaker, before motioning his head to a quieter corner of the building. Maverick nodded his head and started leading the way to that area, a hand brushing against his triceps to hold onto it. Ice cold.

Once he made it to the wall, Ice put a hand up against, holding the cup idly by his chest.

“I didn’t know you could skate '' he stated, looking Maverick up and down to the other. Maverick stared back, forcing himself to keep his posture. Ice had a habit of melting him on the spot. “You never told me you couldn’t, '' Maverick replied, crossing his arms. The glint returned to Ice’s eye, as his mouth gaped into a small chuckle.

“Touché Pete. Fuckin’ Touché”

Pete picked a chip out of the cup, and idled it in his mouth, he chewed through a bit of it, till he saw Ice moving in to take a bite out of it. They closed their eyes, nibbling through it together, before lips touched, the odd salt grain resting on the other's lip burning Maverick’s own. It added to the flavour. There, they took a long kiss, the world around them becoming a mumbled blur. In this moment, they could only talk in a language only they shared. No one could interrupt them, even if they tried.

This was their moment.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

[thatbadadvice]

Help! I Can't Afford Not To Destroy My Cleaning Lady's Life

Dear Prudence, Slate, 20 September 2021:

Q. Collections department: ​​A few years ago, I hired a cleaning lady. She had a small business, with a few employees working for her. I’d prepay her in batches, and on occasion she’d ask for additional funds due to something unexpected, but she’d always work it off. Then the pandemic hit. Her staff abandoned her, and she had become too unwell to clean herself, so she closed her business, with $1,200 of prepayments from me. I told her back in January she’d need to pay me back, since she could no longer clean, but I wasn’t in a hurry for the money and knocked the repayment down to $1,000.  I’d asked her to send me $100 payments and wanted it paid off by the end of the year.

So far, I have only received $500 back and have had to hound her. She comes back with sob stories of getting fired from various delivery and driver services and saying she doesn’t have any money, after agreeing to pay me when she gets her monthly Social Security deposit. This month, after not receiving a payment in August, I have tried contacting her, and this time no answer. I’m tired of hounding her and could live without the cash, but I can’t live with the resentment of getting taken advantage of by her. I have three choices: Let it go, continue to hound her, or give her an ultimatum that I need to be fully paid back by the end of the year, or I’ll take her to court. I feel like I’m working for my money all over again. What should I do?

Dear Collections Department,

The last 18 months have been incredibly difficult; we are living (well, some of us) through an unprecedented global pandemic that has absolutely decimated supply chains and entire industries, forced parents to make terrible no-win decisions about raising and schooling their children, and separated families across the globe. Many of us have lost and will continue to lose friends and loved ones. Others are economically destitute, forced to work long hours for dying wages in a country with a cruel fucking sham of a social safety net.

And then, of course, there's you — COVID's number-one victim. Sure, Zoom funerals suck, but how about some of these entitled chucklefucks try going a year wiping down their own countertops! Wah-wah-wah, you haven't met your grandchildren? Boo-hoo, you had to put off important medical treatments because you didn't want to risk dying alone on a ventilator in the ICU? Bleat about devastating isolation-induced depression all you want, the real issue is that it's been 18 months since somebody came by to personally clean up your filthy shit.

This cleaning lady ~ claims ~ that a deadly airborne pandemic impeded her and her staff's ability to freely enter peoples' homes to spend time indoors with strangers at length. Pretty improbable, if you ask me! I mean, any rube could have smelled that pile of horse manure from a mile away! Here your cleaning lady is, living the life of Riley on a monthly Social Security stipend that likely extends into the high tens of dollars, withholding from you a king's ransom that could be put to good use for any number of things — lining your purebred hamster's cage, wiping your ass, being set on fire and launched into the sun for shits and giggles. The possibilities are endless, except for the possibility that you just let this fucking woman whose whole life has fallen apart just have five hundred goddamned dollars that you wouldn't even look twice at if it grew fucking legs, put on a trench coat, and started blasting Peter Gabriel on a boombox outside your window.

Poor people are poor on purpose and because of their moral failings, whereas people who would literally never miss $500 but who threaten to take a struggling woman to court to ensure she pays off a meaningless debt at the lowest point in her life and career are good and worthy! It is your cleaning lady who must be taught a lesson about the value of money, and what better instructor than you, a person who deserves all that comes to them in this life, and hopefully also in the next.

[71tenseventeen]

Into That Bad Night-Timestamp 4

Warnings for violence, torture, threat of sexual assault, violent death, and murder. If that’s not for you, you’ll want to skip this one. 

Thanks to @ljummen and my amazing beta @hrroyalgeekness. She spends 95% of her beta time dealing with my comma issues-so much patience! 

Also thanks to @ljummen​,  @8771eh​ and @hrroyalgeekness​ for being scary as hell in their extensive knowledge of horrible torture techniques. 

Also, as always, thanks @cakemakethme for the kickass banner. 

Timestamp 4 below the cut: 

Sid frowns down at his phone, thumbing through the short contact list once more. As if there is someone he could have missed out of the five people listed there. 

It’s not like he doesn’t know anyone; he knows lots of people. It’s just that most of them aren’t people he knows well enough to ask a favor like this, but even if they were, he wouldn’t trust any of them. 

Friends, or something like them, had come and gone a lot but he hadn’t really trusted anyone since Nate and even that was shaky towards the end. He glances at the list again with a sigh. The three guys he knows from around town are out. His new boss at Malkin Foundation is obviously out, and he doesn’t know anyone else there well enough yet. 

That leaves one person. 

Sid bites at the inside of his lip, thinking it over. He trusts Zhenya, but this is way outside of the realm of something he would ever normally dream of asking a client for. He’s never even called Zhenya before. But he’s spent the last three weekends with him, and Zhenya told him what feels like a hundred times that he should call if he ever needs anything. Sid’s never taken him up on it but now—He doesn’t have any other option with the receptionist staring at him impatiently. 

His hands feel shaky as he dials, fighting the urge to end the call before it even goes through. 

It only rings once. 

“Sid?” Zhenya’s voice sounds tense. 

“Hi,” Sid’s voice is shaky as he steps just outside the clear glass doors, so that the receptionist can’t hear his conversation. 

“You okay? Something wrong?” 

“No. I mean I’m okay. Nothing’s wrong and I’m, um, sorry to call you. I just um, I know this is last minute and I wouldn’t even ask if I didn’t have to…” 

“What you need?” he asks in a gentle tone that’s usually reserved for those quiet moments after Zhenya has just taken him apart in bed.  

“I just, um. Well I’m having my wisdom teeth removed today, and I was going to take Lyft home, but they said they won’t let me do that, and I have to call someone I know to pick me up, or they won’t do the surgery. I’m really sorry to ask.” 

“Sid, I tell you million times, you need anything, you call. Of course I help. Glad you call.”

Sid breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Zhenya. I really appreciate it. Whoever you send won’t have to do anything except come inside to check me out and drive me home.” 

Zhenya is quiet for a long moment before Sid hears some shuffling. “You tell me address. I take care of it.” 

--

Zhenya frowns at the sign on the door.

“Boss?” 

Zhenya turns to Tanger with a scowl. “Paint chipped on sign.” 

“Let’s hope they’re better at oral surgery than door maintenance.” 

“They better be,” Zhenya mutters as he pushes the door open, leaving Tanger to keep an eye on the parking lot. He really wishes he’d been able to send Sidney someplace different, but it’s too late for him to do anything about it now.

Inside, the receptionist greets him without looking up, and he crosses his arms to wait until she does. It only takes a few seconds for her to realize and glance up, doing a double-take before asking, “Can I help you?” 

“Yes,” Zhenya replies flatly. “Here for Sidney Crosby.” 

“Oh, ok. He’s not finished yet but feel free to have a seat.” She gestures to the chairs scattered around the small waiting room. 

Zhenya huffs, unimpressed, before turning back to her. “How he doing?” 

“What?” 

“I ask how he doing. He’s have oral surgery, yes? Want update on his status.” 

“Oh. Well that’s not something they usually update me on.” 

“Then find someone who know,” Zhenya snaps impatiently. He’s never had a problem dealing with people who aren’t in the business—it comes with the territory—but today he has little patience for it. Seriously, how hard is it to get a patient update? Again he wishes he’d known about this ahead of time, so he could insist that Sidney go somewhere better. 

When she hesitates, Zhenya glares at her until she finally stands. “I’ll see if I can find something out.” 

He crosses his arms, shifting irritably while he waits. 

She’s back within a couple of minutes, followed by an older woman in scrubs with pictures of clowns all over her top. Zhenya fights the urge to roll his eyes. “How Sidney?” 

“They say he’s doing fine. They’re nearly done, no complications.” 

“Mmm. Please keep me update.” 

He turns back to the receptionist who is clearly not happy to have his attention back on her again. “He prepay?” 

She opens her mouth to say something but stops herself, tapping at some keys on the computer with a sigh. “Mr. Crosby is on a payment plan.” 

Zhenya pulls out his wallet. “I take care of it.”

Once he’s tucked the receipt away in his pocket, he finally turns away from the receptionist and starts to pace the waiting room. No one else comes in besides Tanger, who only briefly makes an appearance to update Zhenya on a business matter. The receptionist stares at him for so long he finally turns his back to her. 

“What’s her deal?” he asks in smooth Russian.

“Nosy,” Zhenya replies, scowling. “She gave me a hard time getting information about Sidney. I have no patience for it today.” 

“Please don’t kill the receptionist.” 

Zhenya gives Tanger a flat look. “I have more self-control than that.” 

“Do you?” Tanger grins, already heading for the door. 

“Get back to work,” Zhenya grumbles, cranky. 

He asks for another update after fifteen minutes, and this time she’s smart enough not to argue. The nurse is clearly annoyed when she returns, and Zhenya simply does not give a shit. “How he?” 

“They just finished and are waking him up. You should be able to take him home soon.” 

“Good.” 

It’s a relief when she finally emerges another twenty minutes after that and leads Zhenya to the recovery room. Sidney is relaxed back into the chair, and at first Zhenya doesn’t think he’s even awake. The moment he asks the doctor how things went, though, Sidney cracks his eyes open and gives Zhenya a bright, dopey smile. 

“Shhenyaa,” he slurs happily and gives a funny little wave before dropping his hand back down heavily. 

Zhenya is so glad Sidney called him for this. 

He grins as he comes closer, raking his fingers through Sidney’s hair. 

“You good wif your hans,” Sidney beams up at him while he tries to talk and Zhenya laughs.

He has a lot of questions for the doctor about how the procedure went (they say it went fine but Zhenya will most certainly be confirming that with an oral surgeon of his own choosing) and what kind of aftercare Sidney will need.  

Sidney interrupts, snagging Zhenya’s sleeve clumsily. “Iss okay,” he warbles at the doctor. “Shenya always takes care’ve me. He keeps me safe.” 

Zhenya raises his eyebrows and he can’t help feeling a little smug.

Sidney is clumsy but manages to walk with Zhenya’s arm firmly around his waist. He keeps grinning up at Zhenya and stumbling over his own feet, but they manage to make it almost all the way through the lobby without incident. Almost. 

Zhenya is pulling the door open when Sidney says it. 

“I like your dick. S’big.” 

Zhenya snorts, choking a bit on his laughter, hustling Sidney the rest of the way out without looking back. 

--

Tanger drives, so Zhenya can sit in the back with Sidney as he keeps drifting in and out. Each time he opens his eyes, he smiles dopily at Zhenya and says hi to both him and Tanger.

“You have good hair,” he says to Tanger in a dreamy voice. 

Tanger grins. “Thanks.” 

“S’not as good as Shenya’s though,” he says absently, looking out the window at the passing buildings while Zhenya barks out a loud laugh. 

“Where we going,” he asks, eyes fluttering again. 

“Taking you home with me so I can take care of you.” 

“Thas nice,” Sidney says and he’s out again. 

--

Zhenya manages to get Sid all the way to the bed before he blinks a few times, glancing around. “S’not home,” he slurs. 

“I know. Think I can take better care here. Is that okay?” 

Sid shrugs and lets Zhenya guide him to lie down. “S’good. Haysh’ll lea-me alone here.” 

That draws Zhenya up short. “Who?”

“Don’ like him,” Sidney says, not really paying attention, eyelids already fluttering. 

“Who bother you, Sidney? What they do?”  

But Sidney’s eyes have already slipped shut, and he’s starting to snore softly, leaving Zhenya frowning. 

He pulls off Sidney’s shoes and pants, getting him tucked in before he calls Tanger. “Put surveillance on Sidney’s building tonight. Want to know anyone who go near his apartment.” 

“On it.” 

--

Waking up is like fighting his way to coherence through several layers of thick cotton stuffing. 

Sid is so tired and drifty; he wonders why he’s even bothering. 

Then he hears it again. “Sid? Need you wake up and take medicine.” 

It’s a struggle to get his eyes open and even more of a struggle to process Zhenya carefully helping Sid to a sitting position and pushing his hair back. “Zshenya?” he slurs, remembering now that his mouth is swollen and sore. Nothing makes sense.

Zhenya grins at him with a chuckle. “Look so confused. Cute.” 

He boops Sid’s nose gently with his thumb before reaching to the side table, and it’s then that Sid realizes he’s in Zhenya’s bed. Had whoever picked him up taken him to Zhenya instead of home? 

“Time for meds. I have glass of water, need be very careful, okay?” 

Sid nods dumbly because he can’t really wrap his head around all of this right now. He takes the medicine, though not without difficulty. He realizes he’s maybe still a little numb in spots when water rolls right out of his mouth the first time he tries. Somewhere in the back of his head, he’s pretty sure he’ll be embarrassed about that later but right now he just stares at Zhenya once he’s managed to get the pills down. 

“Why’m I here?” 

“You think I’m send driver to take care after surgery? No chance. I come get you, bring you here. Need someone take care of you after thing like that.” 

Sid ponders that. Zhenya came to get him, not a driver. Now that he thinks about it he has some hazy memories of being in the car with Zhenya while someone else—the guy with the hair maybe?—drove. Sid glances back up and manages to warble out a belated, “thank you.” 

“How you feel?” 

Sid has to think about it. His brain is still so fuzzy from the anesthesia. Finally, he shrugs. “Okay.” 

Zhenya looks skeptical but doesn’t argue. “You want lay back down or sit up for awhile.” 

Again it takes Sid a few seconds to comprehend and decide on an answer. “I think—stay up? Is that okay?”

“Of course. Come, I get you set up on couch, we watch movies and I let you wear fuzzy slippers,” he says, winking at Sid with a cheeky grin. 

--

Zhenya grins at Sid’s soft snores, tucking a blanket around him. He’d lasted all of ten minutes on the couch before he’d mumbled something about his meds, and then he was out again. 

His phone rings and he gives Sid one last glance before ducking into the kitchen to answer Tanger’s call. “Yes?” 

“Flower’s watching the apartment. He said one guy already came to Sid’s door, the landlord, apparently. I checked him out—Martin Hayes.” 

Zhenya narrows his eyes. “Hayes. What you find out?” 

“Few run-ins for petty crime on his official record, but nothing that stands out.” 

“Sid behind on rent? Problem with apartment?” 

“Not that I can tell. The ledger in his personal apartment shows Sid’s current and has been for the last eight months.” 

Eight months—right about the time Zhenya hired Sid for the first time. But if it’s not a money issue then why is Hayes at his door? 

“Find out what he want with Sidney, then. Be discrete.” 

“You know I will.” 

Zhenya hangs up with a frown. He doesn’t know what’s going on but he intends to find out. 

--

Sidney is in and out for the next couple of hours. He doesn’t remember much about the times he wakes other than feeling a little loopy and confused. And Zhenya. 

Zhenya is right there every time, grinning as he takes care of Sid, makes sure he has everything he needs. Sid’s still not fully clear on how he wound up at Zhenya’s apartment, recovering from oral surgery, but he’s got a nagging feeling he may have embarrassed himself, if the number of times Zhenya laughs and calls him “cute” is any indication.��

He’s glad when the anesthesia finally seems to have burned out of his system, and he’s a little less fuzzy-headed. He’s not numb anymore and it seems like a victory to be able to feel his own lips again. 

He works his way through some cooled broth Zhenya brings him before he finally gathers his thoughts enough to ask, “I thought you would just send someone to pick me up.” 

Zhenya waves his hand dismissively, “Like I tell you earlier, not trust just anyone take most good care of you. 

Sid flushes, picking at the blanket. “Oh. Well, um, thank you. I, uh, I hope I wasn’t too much of a pain.” 

“Not pain at all,” he grins wider. “You very relax, cheerful. Most chatty I ever see you.” 

“Oh god. I hope I didn’t say anything stupid.” 

Zhenya’s smile definitely brightens at that. “Nothing stupid. You say my hair better than Tanger, and,” he pauses, grin changing to an unmistakably cocky smirk. “In waiting room you say how much you like my dick. Both things true.” 

Sid groans loudly, carefully covering his face with his hands. “Oh no, oh god, I didn’t.” 

“Did,” he replies cheerfully. 

Sid sinks lower, cheeks flaming as he keeps his eyes covered. “I can never go back there again.” 

“Good. I not like place anyway, paint chipping on door. I send you to my guy for follow-up. He take most good care of you. You can tell him how much you like my dick.” 

Sid groans again, pulling the blanket up over his face. 

--

Zhenya waits until Sid is carefully working his way through a bowl of jello before he brings up the landlord. “Who Hayes?” 

He prickles a little at the way Sid freezes. There is definitely an issue, and Zhenya wants to know what it is. 

“What, um, why?” 

“Earlier when I bring you here you say Hayes won’t bother you here.” 

Sid blanches a little, staring down at his bowl before he takes a deep breath. “He’s the landlord of my building. I just don’t like him.” 

“How he bothering you?” 

“Most of the time he’s not. He just, um, he asked me out, and I said no. It’s not a big deal.” Sid trails off with a shrug. 

Zhenya thinks about that for a moment before asking quietly. “I’m need to have talk with him? Can make sure he leave you alone if you’re not want to date him.” 

Sid’s eyes snap up to meet Zhenya’s. “I don’t! God no. But you don’t have to do anything. I told him no already.” 

He believes Sid, knows his tells very, very well by now, and he can tell Sid means every word he says. 

He also knows that there’s more that Sid isn’t saying. 

Zhenya is more than familiar with Sid’s tendency to diminish bad experiences, and he doesn’t like it. But he doesn’t like the uncomfortable look on Sid’s face, doesn’t want to stress him out right now, so he finally nods. “Okay. But want you to know, can call me any time, for anything. Anyone bother you, you need ride, need anything, you call.” 

Sid bites at his lower lip, looking so uncertain so Zhenya leans up a little, grabbing Sid’s wrist. “Hey. I mean. We friends, yes? You on Evgeni Malkin good side, you always taken care of. Is nice perk.” 

Sid gives him the smallest smile. “Okay.” 

“That and best dick.” 

Sid groans, turning away again but not too quickly for Zhenya to see him grinning. 

--

Sid spends most of the next two days with Zhenya fussing over him and managing his recovery. Eventually, though, Zhenya has pressing business matters and Sid has work at the Malkin Foundation to get back to. 

Even though Zhenya insists Sid can take whatever days off he wants without penalty, he doesn’t want to do that. It feels so good to have a real, reliable job again, and even though he hasn’t known them long, he likes most of the people in his office. He doesn’t want special treatment just because he’s, well— it’s none of their business what he is to Zhenya. 

It’s Friday and Sid thinks about Zhenya as he gets ready for work. it’s been almost two weeks since Sid last saw him, and he’s really hoping Zhenya will call tonight. He’s in a good mood when he heads out the door, so he’s entirely unprepared to come face to face with the landlord. He feels his stomach twist with dread and he tries to avert his eyes quickly. “Oh. Hi, Mr. Hayes. I’m just on my way to work.”

“Oh Sidney. You know me well enough to call me Martin, don’t you think?” 

“I’d rather not.” 

“Mmm, suit yourself. You should stop by the office and see me on your way home this evening.” 

Sid’s stomach clenches. “I probably have to work late,” he forces out before dodging to the side and rushing towards the stairs. 

Hayes doesn’t follow him, and Sid breathes a sigh of relief. 

It’s a decent day, but Sid’s feeling a little sour after the encounter with Hayes this morning. To make matters worse, Zhenya doesn’t call and Sid really doesn’t have a reason to be upset about that—but he is anyway. 

He stops by the grocery store after work, picking up a pint of ice cream as a treat before heading home. He’s pleased when he makes it past the office with no sign of Hayes and he bounds up the stairs, anxious to dig into his banana fudge ripple. 

He stops short when he gets to his door and finds it padlocked shut. Something sick twists inside him as his jaw drops open but before he can even process what he’s seeing, he hears the voice behind him. “Looks like you don’t have the key to that particular lock.” 

Sid takes a deep breath before turning to face Hayes. “What are you doing?” 

Hayes doesn’t move out of the way, stepping closer instead, trapping Sid against the door. He cringes away when Hayes raises a hand and runs his finger down Sid’s cheek. “You’ve been avoiding me.” 

“I told you I don’t do that anymore.” 

“You had no problem doing it when you were about to be evicted.” Hayes’ smile is predatory and Sid has to close his eyes for a moment against the painful memory. 

“My rent is paid up, and it has been for a long time.” Ever since he met Zhenya, to be exact.

“Is it? Hmmm, I feel like maybe I remember you paying this month but I can’t be sure.” 

Sid swallows hard. “You know I did.” 

“I’m not so sure I do. You might need to convince me, Crosby.” 

Sid shakes his head, feeling his stomach retch. “I’m not going to do that. You can’t do this to me, my rent is paid.” 

Hayes shrugs. “What are you going to do about it?” 

And that’s really the bottom line because Sid knows he’s right—there’s very little he could do about it. Cops are a joke and would never believe him, anyhow. His choices are to comply or likely lose everything he’s worked so hard for. It may not be much but it’s his. 

Swallowing hard he casts his eyes around, stalling, but there’s nothing and no one. Anger bubbles up inside of Sid at the situation. “I’m not touching you,” he snarls, before turning to bound down the steps. Once he’s outside he starts running, anxious to get as far away as quickly as he can, tears stinging at his eyes every step of the way. 

He eventually slows to catch his breath, dropping sadly onto the bus stop bench. 

It’s not fair. 

He’s going to lose everything, and there’s nothing he can do about it. 

Except. 

Maybe there is. 

You need anything, you call. He knows Zhenya meant it. And he’s so tired of being pushed around. In that moment, he realizes that what Zhenya does for a living simply doesn’t matter to him anymore. 

He takes out his phone and stares at Zhenya's number for a moment. When he hits call, it’s a lot easier than he thought it would be.

--

Zhenya knows something’s wrong the second he hears Sid’s trembling voice on the other end of the line. 

“What wrong?” 

“You said, um, you said I should call if I needed anything.” 

Zhenya’s on his feet before Sid gets the last word out. “Yes. What going on?” 

“I, um, my landlord is—he locked me out of my apartment. But I swear I’m not behind on rent!” 

Dark anger fills Zhenya’s chest at the mention of Hayes. “Where you? Somewhere safe?” 

He’s out the door before Sid has even finished answering him. “Stay where you are,” he says firmly. “I’m on way. You call immediately if anything happen.” 

“I—okay.” 

Sid looks sad and scared when Zhenya spots him at the shitty little diner he waited in. He’s shaky as Zhenya escorts him to the car, eyes turned down like he’s afraid. As soon as the car starts moving, Zhenya closes the privacy window and turns to Sid. 

“Tell me what happen,” he coaxes, as gently as he can.

Sid still won’t meet Zhenya’s eyes as he starts talking. “He locked the door with a padlock. He’s trying to say I didn’t pay my rent, and that I have to—” 

Zhenya can’t stand the way Sidney’s hand is shaking. He squeezes it and does his best to be patient. 

“He says I have to fuck him, or he’ll say I didn’t.” 

It takes everything Zhenya has to keep the rage from showing on his face. For the first time, he’s glad Sid’s not looking at him because he doesn’t think he quite manages. 

“That not going to happen; he not going to touch you.” 

“Zhenya, I—there’s something else you should know.” 

Zhenya hates the sadness etched all over Sid’s face right now. 

“It’s my fault,” he stops, taking a deep breath before he goes on. “Before, um, before I met you I got behind on rent, and I had to—” Sid pauses again before whispering, “I didn’t know what else to do.” 

Zhenya sets his jaw, not wanting Sid to see his anger and misinterpret it. 

Hayes is a dead man. 

But not before Zhenya makes him pay. 

“You did what you had to. Have to survive, Sid. No one judge you for that.” 

“A lot of people would.” 

Zhenya swallows back his anger at everything Sid has had to deal with. “Not me. Never me.” 

“Thank you,” Sid whispers sadly. 

Zhenya scoots closer and slides an arm around Sids shoulders, tucking him in close at his side. “Not worry anymore. Glad you call, I’m take care of this.” It’s enough for the moment to feel Sid’s body relax just a little at those words. 

“I’m not, um, I’m not asking you to do anything...bad. I just need help.” 

Zhenya grasps his hand and squeezes. “I’m powerful man, Sidney,” He says, without a hint of humor. It’s true and he’s not going to pretend otherwise. “If I’m want new landlord for your building, I’m get. Is no shame in ask me for help. I’m just going make sure he not work there anymore, not bother you anymore.”

He’ll be sure of it because Hayes will be dead, but he’s not telling Sidney that. 

Zhenya is patient. He’d like nothing better than to be making Hayes hurt right now but making sure Sid is okay is more important. Once home, he gets him settled, makes sure he eats and tries to reassure him any way he can.

He sticks close until Sid finally drifts off, looking young and sweet with his curls splayed on Zhenya’s pillow. He pushes Sid’s hair back, says a few quiet words to make sure he’s really out and pulls the door shut as quietly as possible. 

Fleury is waiting outside the front door. “He okay?” 

“For now,” Zhenya says, bitter anger spiking again. “Want full time coverage on Sid from now on. You want job?” 

“Absolutely.” 

“Want recommendations for who alternate with you by morning.” 

“Not a problem.” 

“He’s sleeping now. Call if necessary.” 

Zhenya steps into the elevator with a single-minded focus. Hayes is going to pay for every second he ever spent with Sidney Crosby.

--

He’s sitting on the chair and has the audacity to look irritated when Zhenya enters the room. White hot anger surges through Zhenya, but he doesn’t say a word, taking his suit jacket off instead, enjoying watching the color drain from Hayes’ face when he sees Zhenya’s holster.  

“You’ve got the wrong guy. This has to be a mistake, I—”

“Shut up,” Zhenya says coldly, crossing the room to stand in front of the chair. He stares down at the man for a moment, filled with dark, angry emotion before he backhands Hayes, knocking him out of the chair with one powerful motion. 

“Get up,” Zhenya says, voice full of venom. 

Hayes tries to obey, but Zhenya knocks him down again. Over and over, Zhenya hits him relentlessly until his face is a bloody mess, and he’s sobbing, begging Zhenya for mercy. Only then does Zhenya stop, leaning over to yank the man’s head back by his hair, relishing his cry of pain. “You fucked up when you fucked with Sidney, and now you going to pay.” 

Even though the blood and tears, Zhenya can see understanding dawn in his eyes, giving way to nothing but pure fear. Zhenya smiles cruelly. “Now we can begin.” 

He strides to where Tanger stands by the closed door, handing over several lengths of rope that he had ready.

Zhenya makes short work of propping Hayes back up in the chair before binding his arms and legs tightly to it with Tanger’s help. He circles the chair then, slow, calculated. 

“You take advantage of Sidney when he have no other options then you try to do again tonight, even when he say no.” 

“Please, I didn’t know he—” He’s cut off by another sharp backhand, and he wails in pain. 

Zhenya shoots him a disgusted look. “Pathetic coward, can’t even take like a man.” 

He pulls a tire iron from where it sits on the metal shelving and flashes a cold look. “Now you gonna cry some more because you gonna pay.” 

Without any more warning than that, Zhenya swings the tire iron hard and fast, connecting with the man’s right knee cap. “Hurts?” Zhenya brings it down again, this time on the left. “Good.” 

Hayes hands and fingers are next, followed by his ribs, shoulders, elbows—anything Zhenya can break without actually knocking him out, though at this point, Hayes is barely clinging to consciousness. Zhenya casts the tire iron aside when he’s finished, starting to circle the chair again. “You gonna die tonight, and no one ever gonna know what happen to you. But don’t worry, they gonna find pieces of you so your Mama not have to wonder if you alive or dead.” 

The man sobs at the words, trying to plead for his life again, even while blood is dribbling down his chin. Zhenya crouches down to meet his eyes, barely visible now through the swelling. “You sorry for what you did?” 

“Yes!” comes the warbled response. 

“Good.” 

Zhenya stands and gives a single nod towards Tanger who crosses to the other side of the room to the utility sink, casually plugging the drain and turning on the water. 

Zhenya starts unbuttoning his shirt, ignoring Hayes’ pleas for mercy as he gets the last button and peels the shirt off, leaving him in dress pants and an undershirt. He continues to ignore the whimpering and begging as he cuts the ropes and hauls Hayes up by his hair and shirt. 

He puts up a fight as Zhenya drags him across the room, but it’s pathetic at best, and Zhenya sneers at him in disgust. How dare he ever think he could force Sidney into anything he didn’t want, could take advantage of him when he was scared and in trouble. Anger builds and roils in his gut again as he yanks the man to a full standing position. Pausing only to say quietly, “You never gonna touch Sidney again,” he thrusts Hayes’ top half forward, plunging his head and neck under the cold water and holds him there, easily over-powering him as his struggling quickly weakens.

It takes a few minutes, but Zhenya holds him there just a little longer. When he finally lets go, the man doesn’t move, body draped limply over the edge of the sink, and Zhenya relishes the satisfaction that rolls over him.

He’s done what he came to do. 

--

Sid feels Zhenya slip into the bed and instinctively nestles against him, pressing his ass back without a second thought. They haven’t been together since before his surgery, and he really hopes Zhenya wants to tonight. He grinds his hips back a little harder and feels a soft huff of laughter at the nape of his neck. 

“Yeah?” Zhenya asks, voice silky and deep. 

“Yeah,” Sid breathes. “If you want to.” 

Zhenya makes a low, growly noise. “Always want. You sure you okay for it?” 

“God yes.” 

Zhenya’s only reply is the hot, wet slide of his tongue below Sid’s ear. 

[theothersimon]

'DO NOTHING. Don't switch energy firm. Inaction is the best action... unless they're trying to double your direct debit' Martin's energy bills crisis Q&A... The energy market is in crisis. Firms are failing. Bills are rocketing. The cheapest fixed deals are double the price of a year ago. The energy price cap rose 12% (13% prepay) on 1 Oct. It's all on the back of an explosion in the cost of wholesale gas. No surprise many are worried, and we're swamped with questions. So we've put the most common to MSE founder Martin Lewis - you can read them here or if you prefer to watch, see Martin's ITV energy bills crisis special...  Q. With prices rocketing, should I try to bag a cheaper deal?  Martin: No. DO NOTHING - the energy price cap is the cheapest deal. The price cap limits what providers can charge on their standard variable (default) tariffs. There are no meaningfully cheaper switches available right now. The cheapest fixed deal is 35% higher (around £450/year more for someone on typical bills), and my best guess is that gap makes it too big a premium to make it worth moving right now, but check for yourself by doing a Cheap Energy Club comparison. As you'll be on the price cap, or AUTO-moved to it, if: 1) You've never switched. 2) Your cheap fix ends. 3) Your provider goes bust and you're moved to a new firm - that means do nowt and you'll be on, or moved to, today's cheapest deal. Q. The price cap is £1,277/yr, does that mean it's the most I can pay?  Martin: No. 'Price cap' is a stupid name - it's more of a rate cap. There's no maximum you can pay for your domestic energy. The £1,277/yr rate is just what the cap would be for someone on the regulator's defined 'typical use'. The best way to think of it is as a cap on the rate you pay for each unit of energy you use. So use more, and you pay more.  Q. I'm comfortably in credit, but my firm's hugely hiked my direct debit, is this fair? Martin: It's not fair if it's out of proportion to the cost rise, and it's worrying. I'm hearing this a lot - some have seen their direct debit (DD) double. The DD is designed to smooth out your energy costs across a year. Going into winter, it's normal to be a month or so in credit. So as the price cap has risen 12%, if you're on it, expect a similar DD hike. If you're coming off a cheap fix and paying 30-40% more, expect that too. Yet if you're in credit and your DD is rising way above the rate rise, there's an issue. Do read our full Energy DD help, but in brief, first, do a meter reading, so any DD estimate is based on up-to-date usage. Once that's processed, call and politely ask the firm to justify the hike. You've a right to a 'fair direct debit' under energy firm licence conditions. If it can't, ask for the DD to be lowered. My concern is some firms are hiking DDs right now to help their cash flow, even when it isn't justified. Has your energy direct debit been increased? Please vote.   Q. Is it true the price cap will rise again in April? Martin: Almost certainly yes, possibly by 30%+. Each cap lasts six months - the current one finishes on 31 March. It's best to think of it as a six-month fixed tariff you can leave at any time if, and hopefully when, other tariffs get cheaper. Come April, sadly, we expect the cap to rise hugely again based on its current run-rate (yet that'll still be less than today's cheapest fixes). We know this as the assessment period to set the level of the April cap started in August, just as wholesale rates exploded. See how the price cap is set for more. Q. I'm on a cheap fix, should I leave it as I'm worried my firm may go bust?  Martin: No, do nothing, relish the cheapness while you can. If your firm goes bust you'll almost certainly be moved to a new provider at the price cap - the cheapest you can get now anyway - and all your credit is protected (though do screenshot now how much credit you have). So you may as well stick with your low rate for as long as you can. Q. My energy firm (Igloo, Avro, Green etc) has gone bust. How much more will I pay?  Martin: For most on cheap fixes, it'll be 10-40% more than you were paying. We've full analysis of the new deals for Avro, Green, Igloo, PFP, People's, Symbio Energy and Utility Point customers. Q. I'm really worried I can't afford to pay my bills - what do I do?  Martin: Speak to your supplier as soon as possible. Emergency pandemic rules mean your supply can't be cut off and prepay customers can get emergency credit. Yet communicate and let your supplier know you're vulnerable. It may be able to offer payment reviews, breaks or reductions. Also check our 2021/22 warm home discount and home & energy grants help. And review all your finances too, including doing a 10-min benefits check-up and a money makeover. PS: For help to use less energy, see our 18 energy mythbusters guide, and top thrifty heat-saving tips.

Latest weekly email: Martin's car & home insurance warning

[medea10]

Medea’s Worst Year of All-Time Anime/Game Superlative

Nobody saw this year coming…except for maybe Barbara Walters! Who could have predicted that this year would bless us with Australia burning, the entire west coast of the U.S. set on fire, stupid people setting fires because they wanted to reveal a baby’s gender, murder hornets, Ruth Bader Ginsburg dying, an almost war with Iran, serial killer mascots arrested, policemen killing unarmed black folks for having a counterfit $20, policemen killing unarmed black folks for breaking up a fight, policemen killing black folks for holding sandwiches, policemen killing unarmed black folks for fucking sleeping, a wide variety of “Karens” coming out of the woodworks, the end of Bojack, the end of Steven Universe, the end of Empire, and a pandemic so huge it’s killed the economy, canceled fun, and given the U.S. president the dumb-fuck idea of injecting bleach to kill the virus!?

SERIOUSLY, WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED ALL OF THIS WAS GOING TO FALL IN OUR LAPS LIKE HOT COFFEE ON THE CROTCH?!

At least there was anime this year.

…

At least there was SOME anime this year.

…

Biden won the election and Vickeblanca came out with Black Catcher this year.

Hey internet, it’s Medea here to give you her trashy opinion on this years anime and games that she’s watched or played. Because for some reason, my loser-ass loves to do out-dated as fuck memes! I shouldn’t complain, this shit brings a lot of attention to my page every year when I do this. Yes, 2020 was a complete dumpster fire so large that Domestic Girlfriend is crying foul. Many of us had to go on lockdown and ended up binge-watching the entire 957+ episodes of One Piece. I did no such thing. I am one of those “essential workers” so I didn’t hunker down for 9 months straight. But when I was home, I was watching anime. Actually, I would have done that even without the pandemic. I’m an introvert and find the human race to be deplorable.

You all know how this goes. I go over the best this year had to offer me. I had to search really hard to find the good in this year, especially in the anime world. Many things had to be put on hiatus or were delayed to a later date. Just a reminder, I don’t discriminate in what year the anime or game came out. If something came out in the happier times of 2007, that anime or game counts! Let’s get at it!

First Fandom of 2020: Interspecies Reviewers

Did anyone expect a fan-favorite of 2020 was going to be a hentai? Did anyone have on their batshit 2020 bingo card that a hentai was going to grab everybody’s attention? At the beginning of the year, my mind was set on the Railgun sequel and Eizoken. It wasn’t until licensors, streaming sites, and TV stations in Japan dropped this series that I started to pay attention. And got immediately hooked! It’s about three men going to different brothels and reviewing their time with the ladies. And these ladies are of different species! So with every bang comes possible enlightenment, new kinks, or a night of having your dick sucked off more than humanly possible. This anime blew away all of my skepticism and first impressions right out the window. Maybe it’s because I’m a degenerate and am often curious about sexual content, but this was a guilty pleasure of mine this year.

Favorite Main Character of 2020: Moroha from Yashahime

I know the majority of this story is going to revolve around Towa and Setsuna, but can we please focus a little more energy on the spunky, quarter-demon girl?! I know they’re pitting Moroha as the comic relief, but I’m hopeful that she’s going to surprise us one day. We fans of InuYasha would spend the past decade and some change wondering what InuYasha and Kagome’s daughter would be like. This year, we got our answer with Moroha. She’s got this wild side to her, probably due to the fact that she’s spent her entire life on her own. And while she’s silly at times, she can get down to business in a pinch. She has her father’s sense of smell. She has a sword. She’s able to shoot sacred arrows much like her mother. And to top it all off, she has this special rouge that if she puts it on, she’s able to unleash that ¼ demon power inside her and become Beniyasha! Yeah, I know the power only lasts a minute, she’s only 14, give her a break! I will gladly go through another week scratching my head at the confusion this story gives me if I get to see one more second of Moroha and her crazy antics or her bad-ass slaying.

Favorite Villain of 2020: The Devil Believers from Black Clover

This was one hell of a year for Black Clover. It would have been an easy choice to pick the devil and possible super devil that appeared during the elf fight. But I’d like to give a nod to the filler arc villains. And you can’t blame this group for wanting the power of the devil. They’re literally the bottom-rung of the Clover Kingdom and ones with little to no power or mana. So I can agree with why they would want the power of the devil. For one thing, they’d have more power. And for another thing, they’d be able to exact revenge on those who have wronged them. On some occasions I agree with exacting revenge and when it comes to the nobles and some characters in Black Clover, some folks do deserve death. I mean, have you met the king of the Clover Kingdom? Plus, this town and many other poorer towns get looked over by the kingdom. Peasant uprise! Anyways, I thought these people were really crafty in their crimes. I mean, they were able to knock Asta out on his ass with specially made poisons. I was actually hooked to this story of Black Clover (despite it being a filler arc). I know we’ll never see them again as they have been exiled, but it did have me semi-rooting for them.

Favorite Video Game Character of 2020: Honey from Pokemon – Sword & Shield (Expansion Pass)

Sorry Raymond from Animal Crossing!

Honey is the saucy wife of Mustard…I did not expect that to come out the way it did, but here we are! She has one hell of a team you can fight once a day. She looks out for her husband, the dojo, and the students of the dojo like they were her own children by providing food, drinks, and others. However that does come at a price as you do have to give up a sizable chunk of your watts that you collect in raid dens. I’m sure a bunch of MILF chasers were more than happy enough to give her all their hard-earned watts just so they can have their one-on-one moment on the beach with Honey.

What won me over was when that one guy from a rival dojo bad-mouthed her husband’s dojo and she…I think she kicked this guy’s ass herself. I don’t think she used any of her pokemon. Game Freak won’t show it, but we all know she kicked this guy’s ass to a point where he’s begging for mercy.

Honey, for the win!

Favorite Game of 2020: Animal Crossing New Horizons

This game was just Zen for me. I know the release of this game came with some controversy like Gamestop saying it’s an essential business and will remain open for people to get their copies of the game. Hell, I was one of those assholes in line waiting to get a copy on March 20th. Did I predict that a pandemic was going to rage out of control when I got a prepay copy of this for Christmas 2019? NO! I only predict political things, not deadly pandemics! The good news, we social distanced, didn’t catch the covid and got the game.

Anyways, this game has been a non-stop calming and fun ride. I can even forgive their botch-up of Bunny Day. They even have events for holidays I never thought they would ever touch. I mean, does anybody know when Museum Day is? Probably not until Animal Crossing had an event for it! I’ve been able to let my freak-flag fly with designing my island. And this goes way beyond New Leaf for the 3DS. I can make a sign post with the words “Fuck Trump” on it and post it in my yard. I can dig up trees and plant them elsewhere. I can poop in a toilet. I can craft furniture and put my own design on it. My furniture can have Tracey Sketchit’s beautiful mug on it. I can sit on Tracey Sketchit’s face. I am a sick fuck and I don’t care. I can give Raymond and Bob maid outfits. Magical time in my game! My hopes for next year…I don’t know, get the Festivale furniture, get Papi and Olivia to join my island, maybe visit Danny Trejo’s island, who knows, sky’s da limit!

Favorite Het Couple of 2020: Nasa and Tsukasa Yuzaki from Tonikawa

This is one of the most unorthodox marriages I’ve ever seen. But in this 90 Day Fiance world we’re living in, I shouldn’t pass judgement on these two getting married in episode one and not knowing much about each other. Nasa meets Tsukasa as he was about to be plowed by a truck. Tsukasa saves his life. Nasa says she’s beautiful. Tsukasa says she’ll be his girlfriend if they get married. He agrees. She disappears. Four years later, Tsukasa appears in front of Nasa’s front door with a marriage registration form. Congratulations buddy, you’ve got yourself a waifu! In some way, this felt like watching Yamato and Takeo from My Love Story. I was fascinated with them progressing through their relationship. The only difference is that Yamato and Takeo took the old-fashioned route. This couple did everything ass-backwards in terms of having a relationship. But I couldn’t take my eyes off Nasa and Tsukasa’s relationship during each episode. I find them cute.

Favorite Yuri Couple of 2020: Karin Asaka x Emma Verde from Love Live Nijigasaki High School Idol Club

AAAAAAAAAH! I’M IN IDOL HELL AGAIN! Yeah, no kidding! I came this close to putting Miu x Nicole from that abomination 22/7. But thank God for Love Live! There’s no telling if any of the girls from the Love Live franchise are confirmed to be lesbians. But fuck it, all of them attend all-girl schools, no males exist anywhere, and Sunshine gave us Kanan x Mari! Yeah, you know Kanan and Mari is canon as fuck, don’t at me. So naturally, I found more third-years to ship in the new Love Live series. Now I know I should have put up Ai x Rina or Ayumu x Yuu. Especially the latter due to recent events! But Emma x Karin is my OTP.

Now Emma is an exchange student from Switzerland and in coming to Nijigasaki, she first meets Karin and they became instant friends. When Emma said she wants to become an idol, Karin helped her quite a bit. Even though Karin had no interest in being an idol as her modeling career is starting up, Karin would occasionally help Emma out. And surprise, surprise, Karin ends up fascinated with the idol world and Emma helps her come to the light to be herself there. Okay, I’m totally reading this in some fragmented way, but I’m currently playing Love Live School Idol Festival All Stars and the app game has a lot more stuff involving stuff the anime has yet to talk about. Confirmed or not, Karin x Emma for the win!

Favorite Yaoi Couple of 2020: Eiji Okumura x Ash Lynx from Banana Fish

It took me a while to get here, but I finally made it to 2018’s overlooked gem. Forgive me for not being fully caught up, but from what I’m watching at the moment, I’m sticking to my guns and supporting the hell out of this. I mean, I could have mentioned The Titan’s Bride here…but fuck no, I ain’t goin’ down that mess! Ash has gone through a lot, I mean a helluva lot in his past. His cute boy looks have made him a target on the streets of New York, with mafia dons, and with prison inmates. But dude can kill if you mess with him. Then you have Eiji, who is just a literal example of a “pure cinnamon roll (until episode 8)”. These two are as opposite as you can possibly get. Ash is from New York and Eiji is from Japan. Ash likes hot dogs with everything on it. Eiji likes grilled fish and natto. Ash spent the majority of his life killing on the streets. Eiji was a track superstar. You get my meaning. But when we got these two together it’s quite adorable. Ash is really able to change when he’s around Eiji. Ash isn’t some heartless killer on the street about to kill a thug with prosthetic fingers. When he’s with Eiji, he’s a joker that can easily get scared of pumpkins. And even in later episodes, you got these two acting like a husband and wife.

Fandom That You Didn’t Expect to Get Into: Les Miserables – A Girl Named Cosette

Let me explain a little something. Les Mis! I have never seen the play, watched the movie, or read the novel prior to picking up this anime. Not a single one of those! And that’s a bit of a head-scratcher when you realize I was a bit of a musical theater nut in my teenage years. But one thing I do like is when Japan does an anime based on plays or historical events (like Romeo x Juliet or Rose of Versailles). The second I popped in Les Miserables the anime, I wanted to binge watch the whole 52 episode series. It is by no means a perfect adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel. Several key players end up surviving all the way up to the end of the story! But because this was my very first viewing of anything Les Mis, I took to the story of Cosette and was eager to see what was going to happen next in her tale. Unlike the movies and play, Cosette was the main focus of the story besides Jean Valjean and Javert. And thanks to watching the unfortunate stories of Cosette, Jean Valjean, the Thenadiers, Javert, Marius, and the rest, I thought it was time to watch the OTHER adaptations to Les Mis.

…

Russell Crowe sucks.

Fandom That Made An Unexpected Comeback: Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni

Higurashi or When They Cry is one of my favorite fandoms of all time! So naturally when we heard that it was making a comeback, I was excited. It was also very odd that Higurashi was given this sequel or reboot. Ahem! There’s another franchise that needs a face-lift. Umineko still deserves a better treatment. Plus, now that this series was out of the faulty hands of Studio Deen, Higurashi will get the special care it deserves. Believe it or not, it wasn’t just the anime that made a comeback for me, but the manga as well. Since 2009, I’ve read several volumes (out of order) and would every now and then come back to read the story. Back to the anime, this reboot or sequel…you know what, I’m gonna call it a “rebooqual”! This rebooqual sucked me back to the town of Hinamizawa and all the murders. Every week, I find myself comparing the current episode to one from the 2006 version. But then the fourth episode of each arc seems to catch me off guard.

Where are they going with this story and these twist endings to our favorite arcs? I did not expect Rena to turn a simple attempted murder into the end of School Days! I didn’t expect Rika to die in the most disgusting fashion they could think of. Could someone kill Teppei fucking Hojo? I will pay ¥5000 for someone to do that job. So yeah, because I know how much of this plays out and who does what, I’m usually watching and reading while making wise-ass remarks. But I still have fun with it.

Fandom That Inspired the Most Crack: Konosuba

In a year where I caught up with the popular Isekais like Shield Hero and Re:Zero, I found the wacky misadventures of Kazuma Satou to be amusing as all get-out. From the first 5 minutes, I found myself laughing at Kazuma’s misfortune. Seriously, how the fuck do you mistake a tractor for a car, have a heart attack, piss yourself, and fucking die in the first couple minutes to the series? You can only get away with this shit in gag animes! But it’s not just Kazuma’s dumbass, there’s a mage who only does explosions, but loses all her energy after one blow-up. Then there’s a busty, blonde who gets turned on by getting hurt and can’t strike anything with her sword. Anime’s biggest masochist or Cheryl Tunt incarnate, I haven’t decided which one to believe! Then you have this loud, crazy goddess chick named Aqua. She’s also useless about 86% of the time! Watching their unfortunate missions is all the crack that I need to get through this year. Seriously, Darkness is just all kinds of fucked up, but we love her.

Last Fandom of 2020: Yashahime

That’s right, the InuYasha sequel gets top spot here! Even though week after week I find myself asking more questions than when the episode started, I’m still hooked. If you’re like me, you watched and fell in love with the series InuYasha. So if they’re doing a sequel, you’re expecting to see all of your favorite characters from the prequel like InuYasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Sesshomaru, Koga, Rin, and the rest. Actually, no! Quite the opposite! We’ve got Sesshomaru’s daughters, but no Sesshomaru. Rin is sleeping in a tree we think! We’ve got InuYasha and Kagome’s daughter, but they’re M.I.A. None of the girls even know a thing about their birth parents.

Now are these new characters a catch like the ones from the previous series? Some are! The three main girls, yes! Especially Moroha! I’ve already praised her name earlier in the superlative. Towa and Setsuna do take on some personality traits from their parents. Setsuna is definitely serious like Sesshomaru and Towa sometimes has a carefree yet loyal aura to her like Rin. I know I’m always skeptical when a series gives us a sequel featuring the offspring of the main characters. Especially when you’ve got some lame examples like Boruto and Eureka Seven AO (I might retract my diss on Boruto later)! As each week gives us a new episode, we’re unraveling new clues into a lot of things involving our old favorite characters, as well as the new ones. So I have high hopes for Yashahime for the time being!

[accidentalajumma]

I ordered from Coupang Eats yesterday (food delivery service). Between that and Coupang (like Amazon), now I never have to leave the house again. It only took me 8.5 years of living here. 

Yes, I know this has been the way for many people for many years, but arranging online shopping is hard in a non-native language in a country where online stuff is just.... not like most places (seriously - what other country wrote the use of Internet Explorer for shopping on computers into their law.....) and when your husband wishes to avoid 99 percent of online transactions because of (probably legitimate) data protection worries, so won’t help you. 

And we have used food delivery before, but only cash-on-delivery things, not apps that I have actually figured out (by myself!) how to prepay on, and that update you real time as to where your delivery driver is, including when they have left the drop outside your door (and walked away). Yes! I am a 20th century person just being introduced to 2020 delivery!