#Pet Supplies my new fed

[ladykailitha]

A Love Connection Part 3

Hey, all! Welcome to first of two posts today.

I've really got to ask, are you guys seeing these posts? I dropped from 70-80 notes on a post at the beginning of the month to barely cracking 40-50 these days and then it slowly works up as more people see it, but it's taking weeks to get that when it used to take a day maybe two.

I did change my schedule but the people I'm tagging should be able to see them right? And the people that have me on notifications?

Also I've seen a sharp drop in people that used to comment and reblog all the time, from anywhere from not seeing them at all to them only liking a post.

I'm not trying to dog anyone, I'm just curious about the sudden change.

Any advice would be helpful.

This morning's chapter includes the cutest kitten (Sorry Nermal), a Robin apology, and Chrissy and Robin have a confession to make.

Part 1 Part 2

~

Steve pulled up to the apartment building and turned off his car. He put his head on the steering wheel with a heavy sigh. He was about to hit his head on the horn when he heard it. He lifted his head and tilted it.

There!

Steve scrambled to get out of the car. He rushed toward the sound. He skidded on the wet and icy pavement as he tried to come to a stop, nearly toppling over in the process. Near the dumpsters was a wet cardboard box, falling apart in the thick snow.

He scrambled toward it, trying to keep his feet under him. He knelt in the snow and peeled back as sagging corner of the box to reveal the sweetest thing he had ever seen. There, all alone in the destroyed box was a small cream colored kitten with dark brown ears. It looked up at Steve and mewled in the weakest, most plaintive meow imaginable.

He sank to his knees and with gentle hands scooped the wet creature into his arms. It clung to him as he stood shakily to his feet.

“Hey, little guy,” he murmured. “Don’t you know outside is no place to be at this time of year?”

It mewled again and clung a little harder to Steve’s coat. “There’s no place open for me to get you checked out, little one, but let’s get you inside and dried off at the very least, then I’ll see what I have that you can eat until I can get you some proper food. How does that sound?”

“Mew!”

Steve chuckled. “I figured you’d be down with that.”

He turned away from the now fully collapsed box, that once had read on the outside “KITTENS FREE TO GOOD HOME”

~

Before Steve even gotten the kitten dried and fed, he knew he was going to keep it. The poor little thing was as alone as he was feeling in that moment.

He looked up vet services and vowed to make a run to the pet store for supplies first thing in the morning.

He looked up everything he could; like how old the kitten was likely to be, what kind of nutrition the little thing needed, how to tell the sex of his new friend, what toys it would need, proper bedding.

He fell asleep reading how to tell how big a kitten was going to grow up to be, the kitten nestled under his chin.

Steve woke up to distressed mewling. He shot up when he realized it, no not it, he, was no longer on his chest. At first he couldn’t see him, but then he caught sight of the small little paw located near the distressed meows.

He peered over the sofa and burst out laughing. Somehow the kitten had gotten one of his claws caught in the afghan Joyce had given him his first year as a teacher. Something she did for all new teachers at her school regardless of their years being a teacher.

He reached over and gently untangled the little thing from the blanket. “There you go. What were you doing up there anyway?”

“Merrow!” he meowed.

Steve checked his watch and was pleased to note it was barely seven. Which meant he had plenty of time to get dressed, get the little tyke checked out and to stop by the pet store for supplies.

He set him down on the sofa and immediately the kitten tried to walk off the edge. “All all kittens this dumb or is it just you?”

“Meroh!” the kitten cried.

He laughed and scooped him up into his arms. He set the kitten in the middle of the bed so he could change his clothes. Steve laughed every time he had to stop what he was doing and rescue him from the edge, placing him in the center of the bed once again.

Finally he was ready to go. He placed the kitten in his coat to keep it from getting stuck under the car seat and for Steve’s own piece of mind.

He drove to the nearest vet and hoped it wouldn’t cost him an arm and a leg to get the little guy checked out.

~

The vet was quick and painless. On his wallet too. The nice lady at the desk got him set up with a vaccination schedule and the adoption papers.

“All right,” she said warmly, “all he needs is a name.”

Steve chewed on his lip for a moment before he wrote in big capital letters “ODIE”.

She raised her eyebrow but before she could comment the vet’s assistant came out with the little rascal. “That has got be the stupidest or the most fearless kitten I’ve ever met.”

The desk lady looked back at the vet’s assistant and then back at Steve who was trying very hard to hide his smile and failing miserably.

She sighed and helped put the kitten in a cardboard carrier. “There you go, Odie is all set.”

The vet’s assistant burst out laughing. “I like it.”

Steve was about to ask for her number when he noticed a ring on her left hand. Damn.

Oh well, he couldn’t win them all. He thanked them both and took his new friend out to his car.

“Come on, Odie,” he murmured, buckling the carrier into the passenger seat, “lets go get you everything you’ll need.”

~

Steve had just gotten into the car when his cell phone pinged. He opened it to reveal a text from Robin telling him to call her.

He dialed her number. “Hey, Bobbin.”

“So, um...my girlfriend is mad at me for ditching you,” she began nervously, “and making you watch the AV club when last night was supposed to be about hanging out with you before we left.”

Steve sighed. Which meant that Robin had lied to Chrissy about him joining them later and she only found out this morning that was never the plan. “How much hot water are you in?”

“A lot,” Robin admitted. “Like if this trip hadn’t been planned for months, I wouldn’t be going kind of hot water.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand and sighed. “Yeah, that’s pretty bad. Is she doing the thing with her bottom lip and watery eyes?”

“Yes!” she wailed. “Now I feel horrible!”

“About upsetting your girlfriend or for ditching me?” he asked because he felt it was a very important distinction she needed to make.

“Shit!” she hissed. “Of course I feel horrible about leaving you with seven little demons. I know I wasn’t last night when you were messaging me, but I filled with booze. When I got home I was filled with regret. I’m the one that told her about ditching you, she didn’t find out any other way. I promise. You know how get with pretty ladies. Chrissy had showed me what she planned to wear out last night, yesterday morning and that the only thought in my head all day. And when you kept messaging me, and Chrissy kept asking me when you were coming out, I just dug a hole for myself and just kept digging. I’m really sorry.”

She paused for a moment. “I probably should have led with that instead of the upset girlfriend, huh?”

Steve clicked his tongue. “Yeah, probably. So when are you two leaving?”

“In a few minutes,” she murmured. “We have everything packed up and ready to go, we just need to get to the airport and get checked in.”

“Are you sure you two don’t want me to take you?” Steve asked. “I could be there in five minutes. That way you don’t have to take an Uber or pay for long term parking.”

Suddenly there was BEEP, BEEP!

“Looks like our ride is here,” Robin said. “Chrissy got one of her friends to take us because they live closer. But you better pick us up, okay? I’ll miss your stupid face.”

“Your face is stupider,” Steve teased back. “You two ladies have a great trip and I’ll see you in a week.”

Robin sighed dramatically. “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“I can’t,” Steve said, “you’re taking all the stupid with you.”

“Hey!” she protested as he hung up on her. He chuckled at the immediate message he got after the call disconnected.

He looked over at the new cat carrier he bought. It was much bigger than Odie currently needed but Steve wanted to give him room to grow into. The kitten was currently asleep in it. Having passed out while Steve was shopping. This is didn’t count as doing something stupid while she was gone, he reasoned, because she was still here.

~

Once Steve got home, he setup the cat bed in the living room, the food and water dishes in the kitchen and the litterbox in the bathroom. He would need to be trained to use the litterbox, but the nice ladies at the vet said it was fairly easy because it was pretty much their instinct to want to bury their wastes.

Steve just had to be consistent. Which was perfect because he had the next two weeks off.

He put the pet toys in his room and settled Odie in. He had been fed and shown the litterbox where he promptly did his business. Steve turned on the latest season of “A Love Connection” and Odie immediately curled up on Steve’s chest right under his chin.

Yeah, this was going to work out just fine.

Over the next week Steve and Odie got used to each other and Steve learned that Odie was more fearless than stupid. He wouldn’t go anywhere he might actually get hurt, once he knew where the limits were. But he was always testing those limits.

Steve knew that he would probably have to find a bigger place once Odie had grown up because of all the jumping the little thing tried to do.

The kitten was aptly named in one sense though, he followed Steve around like a dog. Always at Steve’s heels.

He wasn’t sure how many times he almost stepped on Odie, but it was a lot. But he had good reflexes and he sure put them to the test.

~

A week later, Chrissy and Robin showed up at the apartment with a six pack of his favorite beer, a large bag of gummy worms, and of course his Christmas presents. But it was the guilty expressions that really sold it.

“So um...” Robin began looking at Chrissy for help. “In early November, ‘Love Connection’ posted online for a casting call for their all queer season of their show. I think it’s a little rude that it’ll be for the thirteenth season, but–”

Chrissy put her hand on Robin’s arm. “What Robin is trying to say is that we sent in your application as a joke. We didn’t think that they would pick it. It was one in a couple million shot, you know? Anyway, I think they must have recognized my email as the one attached to my Twitter account and well...”

Steve put his face in his hands. “You didn’t...come on, guys. I don’t want to go on a game show to find love. I’m not that desperate yet.”

“We brought you gummy bears and beer!” Robin said hold up her prizes like that would help the matter. At all.

Steve was ready to open his mouth to shut this down when he got the best idea. “I’ll do the show on one condition,” he said with a blinding smile.

Chrissy and Robin shared a shocked glance. They didn’t think he would agree so easily.

“Yeah, okay,” Chrissy said warily, not sure where this was going.

Steve dashed into the bedroom and came back holding the kitten Lion King style. “I get to keep Odie!”

~

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Tag List: FIVE SLOTS LEFT

1-@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

8- @gutterflower77 @a-lovely-craziness @just-a-tiny-void @w1ll0wtr33 @beelze-the-bubkiss

9- @dreamercec @wheneverfeasible @themoonagainstmers @garden-of-gay @little-birch-boy

[heepthecheep]

Inklings 2024- (Insert title here)

Whoops, I posted this last night but I forgot to tag you @inklings-challenge

I would like to sincerely apologize ahead of time for the formating. I can only post from my phone and Tumblr isn't accepting the formating from Google docs. I have no idea what this thing looks like on a computer and I promise that I know what a paragraph break is.

I managed my time really horribly, and I hope to improve for next year. I only got to go over this thing once and it shows.

I was also attempting to write something for a younger audience than I normally go for, because out of Lewis's works I'm most familiar with his Narnia series.

Aboard the New Eden, there is never a quiet moment. At dawn-or the closest thing to dawn: the flicking on of the incandescent bulbs startled awake a chorus of birds. The birds set off the wolves, dogs, and all other manner of dog-like things. Then the whole ship comes alive, squawking and screeching until breakfast is served. At night, the dark is full of insect song and the fluttering of leathery bat wings. It’s enough to cover the sounds made by a lone person. It could cover the sounds of many people, but as far as Ada was concerned, she may as well have been the only human aboard the rocketship. The crew existed in a world entirely separate from the live cargo in the great hold of the ship, stories above in the flight deck. They didn’t even come down to take care of the animals-they left all of that up to the Spitzes.

From where she was now, she could see one, a white fluffy thing with a curled tail. It awkwardly stumbled around on delicate hindlegs, struggling to pour a bucket of chum into a seal’s enclosure. The spitz grumbled as the fish finally plopped out onto the ground, pulling back its ears as the seal loudly barked. Placing the handle of the bucket in its mouth, the spitz trotted off on all fours. Ada waited until the clicking of the dog’s nails faded before she eased open the grate covering the vent in which she was currently crouched. She crawled out and stretched, wincing as she popped. Tiptoeing past the seals and their fishy meal, she made her way to another enclosure, this one for a pair of hippopotamuses. The larger of the two opened its mouth and bared its tusks at her as she reached between the enclosure’s bars.

“Easy, “ she whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you,”

She grabbed an unpeeled orange off of the ground and wiped the rind on her shirt. She took her fruit back to the vent and sat at the opening, tossing pieces of orange peel into the animal enclosures nearest to her. It wasn’t enough. She’d have to go out and look for more later, perhaps when they fed the elephants.

Ada jumped as something clanged loudly, uncomfortably nearby. She pulled herself into the vent and pulled the door closed behind her. She strained her ears, trying to hear above the din of machinery and animals, and her own heartbeat pounding in her ears. Footsteps. She tilted her head and listened: not from behind her in the darker depths of the air filtration system, not from out in the vast menagerie, but from above. The footsteps were too heavy for a spitz’s, too calm to belong to some escaped animal. It was a sound she hadn’t heard since leaving Earth, a sound that she had been dreading, a sound that could only mean trouble.

“Hello, Mister!” One of the spitzes called out shrilly. “Did you come to see our work? We’ve been doing good work, lots o’ good work!”

Ada slowly inched towards the grate, and peered outwards, praying that she wouldn’t be seen.

“Yes, I came to check on you and the others,”

She could see the spitz now, running excitedly towards the stairs to greet a young man. It was the same dog before, although it looked much happier than when it was working.

“Mister! Mister!” It barked, curled tail wagging furiously.

“But first, would you be able to show me where the supplies are being kept?” The man asked, reaching out to pet the dog on the head.

“Supplies? Which part?”

The man started walking again, towards the place where Ada was hidden.

“We have lots of supplies, but we’re only allowed to touch the stuff meant for the animals,”

“The vittles,” The man said. He glanced over his shoulder nervously.

“Vit-tells?” the spitz’s head tilted at the question. “Vit-tells?”

“I mean food. Things you eat. Where do you keep what you feed to the rest of the animals here?”

“Well, there’s a big icebox for all the meat on the other side of this floor. Most of the dry stuff is two floors down, ‘sept for the oats, which we keep up here for the hooved things”.

“I see,”

The man and the dog were eye-level with the vent. Ada sat as still as possible, taking small quiet breaths. The man’s eyes passed over the vent, but he seemed not to notice her.

“Do you want to go and see the supplies now?” The man turned back to the spitz and shook his head.

“No, I can find them on my own now. Thank you.”

“Are you sure?”

“You did such a good job of telling me, I don’t need to see it”.

The man patted the spitz’s head again, and the dog skipped happily around in a circle.

“Will the rest of the humans come down to visit us? We’ve been working so hard!”

The man shifted awkwardly and rubbed his elbow.

“I’m sure the rest will be down eventually,” The spitz’s ears and tail drooped. “We’ve been so busy, but we do appreciate your work.”

“Oh. Okay, well, there sure is a lot of work that needs to be done. You wouldn’t happen to have any treats on you?”

“No, sorry”. The man said, shaking his head again. The spitz scampered away, nails clacking over the metal floor. The man watched the dog go, then turned and looked straight at Ada. She stared back, stock-still.

“Who are you?” he mouthed.

“What?”

“Who are you? Are you one of the crew?”

Ada shook her head. “No- I’m with the spitzes”.

“Really?”

“Uh-huh,” Ada said. “A handler, if you will.”

“Well, I’m part of the crew, and I haven’t seen you around before.”

Ada slunk back further into the vent. “I could say the same for you. Where’s your uniform?”

“Where’s yours?” He squinted at her, leaning forward to peer through the grate.

“It’s being washed right now.”

“Which is why you’re crawling around in the dusty vent?”

Ada crossed her arms and scowled.

“That’s none of your business,”

They looked at each other for a few moments before the man spoke again.

“I’m Kaspar”.

Ada held her silence for a moment more, before sighing and crawling back out of the vent.

“I’m Ada. You’re not really with the crew up top, are you?”

“No, no, I am part of the crew…”

“You don’t sound like you do,”

Somewhere, something cawed out, setting off an echoing choir of screeches and cries. The two stood awkwardly, looking out over the menagerie. This time Ada broke the silence.

“Are you also not supposed to be here?”

“Here? On this ark?” He asked, gesturing to the vast room. “No, I’m not”.

Somewhere a donkey bayed forlornly, causing a monkey to start screeching in panic.

“I figured as much. The Spitzes wouldn’t know any better, but I do.” Ada said, brushing dust off of her shirt. “After all, I actually know-”

“Shh, shut up!” He hissed.

“Why? It’s absurd, you know. Breaking onto a rocket bound for Venus, hiding out amongst a bunch of animals,”

“Be quiet!”

“For some rich guy’s zoo-”

He pushed her into the vent and crawled in behind her, shoving her into the darkness.

“What!”

“Shut up, someone’s coming,” he whispered harshly. “C’mon, we’ve got to go”.

Ada nodded and started crawling away from the light. She looked over her shoulder, back towards Kaspar.

“Are you coming?”

“Yes, I am! I just wanted to make sure we weren’t being followed!” he whispered back. Ada continued through the darkness, Kaspar hot on her heels.

“There’s a spot ahead where it gets wider,”

A loud clang echoed behind her. Ada startled and glanced over her shoulder.

“Ow!” Kaspar swore under his breath.

“Watch out, the ceiling is low!”

Kaspar grumbled, before bumping into her.

“I said watch it!”

“I can’t see anything!”

Ada grabbed his hand and pressed it to the floor.

“Feel the pattern in the metal?”

“Uh, you mean the seam?”

“Yes. Keep your hand on it and your head low,” She whispered. Kaspar tapped the floor and nodded.

“Good, your eyes will adjust soon”.

They continued through the dark in silence. Behind them, they could hear the chattering of the spitzes. Slowly, the dark became less black, fading until the walls of the vent were once again visible. The ceiling was higher, high enough that Ada could sit up straight, although Kaspar still had a hunch in his back. Overhead, light filtered in through a different grate, along with the soft sound of bird song. She pressed a finger to her lips, listening for any indication that Spitzes or other people were above. After a moment, she dropped her hand.

“Okay,” she said softly, “Here’s my little corner of New Eden”.

“The vents! I hadn’t even thought of hiding in the vents until I saw you!” Kaspar exclaimed.

“Well, I didn’t think I could get away with hiding anywhere else”.

Kaspar glanced around the metal room and then pointed to the bedding on the ground and the small pile of clothing and supplies that she had brought with her. “You even had time to furnish the place!”

“Not really,”

“Hey, it’s more than I have! I wish I had thought of a hairbrush…” he said longingly.

“Where have you been hiding?”

Kaspar reached into his hair and pulled out a piece of straw, the same color as his messy locks.

“In the hay room,”

“Like…in the straw?”

“Yep! The day before liftoff I buried myself in the back,” He said with a grin, dropping the piece of straw into Ada’s hand.

“But then you came right out and showed yourself?” Ada asked, turning over the piece of straw in her hand. “Instead of staying hidden?”

“Well, the hay was getting used up. There wasn’t going to be much left for me to hide in.” Kaspar plucked the piece of straw out of her hand and stuck it behind her ear like a pencil. Ada snorted.

“So you decided to convince the dogs that you belonged here?”

“Correct!”

Ada rolled her eyes.

“It worked!” Kaspar exclaimed. “Earlier today I talked to one of them, and I got something to eat that hadn’t been chewed on by an animal.”

Kaspar knelt on the ragged blanket that was currently serving as Ada’s bed and smoothed out the fabric. He leaned against the wall with a sigh and closed his eyes.

Ada thought he had fallen asleep when he spoke again.

“What are you going to do when we reach Venus?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Ada said crossly. “Get off my bed”.

Kaspar scooted off of the blanket without opening his eyes.

“I’m going to get a job. There’s lots of work to be done at the menagerie. If there isn’t, then there’s plenty of work elsewhere in the settlements”.

“I see,” she uncrossed her arms and leaned against the opposite wall.

“So, what about you?”

Ada didn’t answer, instead turning to look down at the darkness of the vent.

“Ada?”

“I don’t know. When I left Earth-” she paused and thought for a moment. “When I left Earth, I thought I had nothing left. But now I don’t know.”

Kaspar opened his eyes and looked at her, even as she looked off into the darkness.

“How will I explain my arrival on Venus? Surely everyone will know that I’m a stowaway.”

“So? Stowaways exist, regardless of whether they’re wanted,”

“Yes, but do I look like I’m cut out for physical labor? Can you imagine me pouring concrete at some construction site? Or welding steel beams 500 feet off the ground?” Ada asked, clenching her hands into fists. Her eyes were burning from tears that she refused to let fall.

“Who said you’d have to do something like that?”

“No one, no one did, but I don’t know what I’m going to do!”

Kaspar laughed, the first laugh either of them had heard since leaving behind Earth.

“Are you laughing at me?” Ada asked incredulously. “Really?”

“You’re so worked up about something that hasn’t even happened yet,”

“And this is funny because…?”

“Because I know you’ll figure something out. You’ve gotten this far,”

“Without getting caught,”

“Yes, without getting caught! If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.”

Ada finally met his gaze and smiled softly.

“I can make it anywhere,” Ada repeated. Though the tears still threatened to fall, her smile grew wider. “I can even make it on Venus”.

[radskull-69]

BOB X KIDNAPPED READER!

(Someone requested this and I was bored so why not?)

(Also idk how to do writing requests so if you wanted a mini story or some head cannons plz let me know-)

I feel it would have started when bob caught wind of you when you were going home or if you two already met, you’d probably only seen him once as he’s very shy! Stalking you from afar as he works the courage to kidnap- meet you. But once he’s got you in his arms he’ll be the only thing you ever see, that and the basement you’ll be living with him! Don’t worry, if your behaved he’ll let you around the house as long as he’s close by.

You’ll wake up to a chain on your ankle connected to a one person bed in a basement, both were cleaned long before you arrived by bob. He wanted everything to be in tip-top shape for you! He’d be sitting on a chair watching patiently for you to wake up, acting very excited when he sees your eyes flutter open. Maybe he put too much sleeping pills into the food?

Anyway, he’d get *very* touchy and hug you whatever chance he gets! He’d grope your fats and nuzzle into your face more often then not. Buy you sweets and sometimes a eye ball that was the same colour as yours! Something that remind him of you! Ain’t that sweet?

If you struggle against him he’d take it as not getting used to the sudden change in environment and getting antsy, like a cat! If you hit him *too* much he’ll get a bit frustrated. Don’t you see he’s just trying to show you some love?

He will tie you up snuggly and just hug you, rocking you while humming and petting your head until you calm down.

He’ll cook all your meals and be’d watching to make sure your getting fed! He’ll cook all your favourites just so he could see your smile again, (sometimes he’ll slip in a few human recipes-) He’d do anything to make you happy aside from letting you go, if you ask to leave too much he’ll get angry and punch the wall above your head out of anger. Hearing it crack under his fist would probably scare you into tears and he’d immediately feel sorry and comfort you. Saying thing such as ‘I’m sorry angel..’ or ‘I was just trying to prove my point.. I’m sorry’ yeah.. he’s not the best at apologising..

More often then not he’ll be sleeping in your bed next to you, or if you really don’t want him to, he can just sleep on the floor. What ever makes you comfortable. All the clothes you’ll be wearing will be his, but sometimes he likes to get you a cute lil dress to wear or suit to wear. He can’t resist dressing up his lil dolly~

When he comes home from ‘work’ (aka murdering people) he’ll likely come home angry or tired and just stomp down to the basement and flop on the bed beside you, laying you on his chest before promptly passing out. Times like these are usually the best times to escape, as he left the basement door wide open.

If your ever feeling bored he’ll get you things you like, you like drawing? BOOM now you got all the books and drawing supplies you’ll ever want (minus sharpeners and scissors etc) yuo like to read? BAM now you got enough books to fill a library, and if your scared of the dark it is or how creepy the basement looks he’ll get some fairy lights (making sure their put up high enough you can’t get them and hang yourself-) and buy some furniture and decorations to make you more in your new home! The action would’ve been sweet if not given the situation…

When he finally lets you out of the basement after being so good for him he’ll *always* be by your side, incase you hurt yourself or try to run away. Good thing all the windows and the doors were securely locked. He didn’t like the bright sunlight anyway..

Later he’ll even let you go into the kitchen and cook with him! As much as he adores seeing you in a little apron he bought you and for you to cook him meals he’s worried you might hurt yourself (or *him*) with a knife, can never be too careful..

He likes to finally have you sleep with him in his bed, his bed was bigger and more comfortable since it could now fit the both of you( Especially his larger body). Other items he’ll sit on the couch with you and rubbing his thumb over your thigh as they watched the new, telling people that you went missing. He chuckles at how they really think they’ll find you, not to mention that you even *want* to leave.

While it takes longer then bob would like you do get used to his company and your new home, and he couldn’t be happier!

[adancedivasmom]

Pairing: Dave York x F!Reader (no physical description, however it is implied she hasn’t lost her baby weight)

Rating: Explicit 18+ (By proceeding to read beyond this warning, you are agreeing that you are 18 years or older)

Content: Lactation kink, smut, frottage, mention of abandonment, body insecurity, pet names and name calling (slut is used once), Dave York is his own warning

Word Count: 2K

Summary: After a hectic morning and barely making it to work on time, you realize you forgot your breast pump at home. You haven’t nursed or pumped in 16 hours and worry you won’t make it through your important afternoon meeting. Luckily for you, a certain handsome DIA agent knows just what to do and offers his assistance.

(This takes place before the events in The Equalizer 2 and Dave is divorced in my au.)

A/N: A huge thank you to @toomanystoriessolittletime for posting this idea on Discord and for not minding that I took and ran with it (this is all their fault really). Thank you to @ozarkthedog and @firstofficerwiggles for reading this over for me, offering their kind words, and telling me to go for it and post this. Also, special thanks to my fellow Dave York Nasties for their encouragement. I love you guys!

This is the first fic I've ever written, and I'm nervous. Please be kind. 💝

REBLOGS WOULD BE LOVED AND APPRECIATED

No, no, no, no, no…

This can’t be happening.

For the fifth time, you look underneath your jacket in your office.

It’s not there.

Your breast pump bag is not there.

You think back to your crazy morning. Somehow you managed to turn the volume down on your phone alarm. You never heard it and slept in.

Your son, bless his heart, had just started sleeping through the night a couple of days ago.

After throwing on your blouse and favorite flowy skirt, hastily brushing your hair and teeth, you flew to your son’s room.

He was still sleeping as you rushed into his nursery to get him dressed for the day. He greeted you with the biggest smile, kicking his legs and reaching for you.

It was times like this that made the challenge of raising him on your own worth it. His father had skipped out on you a month ago after informing you he no longer felt attracted to you.

No, none of that, you told yourself. You did not have time for self-pity right now.

Once you finished changing your little bean’s diaper and dressing him, you tried to feed him, but he fussed and refused to latch on. 

Most likely, he could sense how stressed you were.

Not a problem, you told yourself. Your mom had extra bottles and an ample supply of your breast milk in her freezer. Everything would be okay.

After dropping your baby off at your mom’s house, you drove to work and made it there at 9 am.

You threw your jacket and purse on the extra chair in your office and barely had time to unlock your computer when the HR supervisor knocked on your door. 

“Brian called off. I’m going to need you to give the morning and afternoon presentations,” she briskly informed you and quickly walked away.

Great, just great, you grumbled to yourself. You had one hour to prepare for the staff meeting to review the new health care benefits package the DIA was changing to at the start of the new year.

You bolted for the conference room and managed to be ready in one hour when your coworkers started filing in.

The meeting went well, and you answered everyone’s questions and addressed their concerns efficiently and cheerfully.

Which was shocking because, at this point, your breasts were hurting, really hurting. It had been almost 16 hours since you last fed your son before you put him down for the night.

Thank goodness it was your lunch hour, and you could close your office door and get some much-needed relief pumping.

This brings you to the present, frantically looking all over your office for your breast pump that’s nowhere to be found.

Maybe you left it in your car?

You grabbed your keys and took off. Not watching where you were going, you bumped right into him.

Dave York.

Of all the people to run into, it had to be him. You’ve been secretly obsessing over him since your first day of work at the DIA.

He was gorgeous. You couldn’t help but notice his large hands, the way his dress shirts seemed to strain to cover his large shoulders. Goodness, he was deliciously broad. One day in the lunchroom, Dave had his sleeves rolled up and caught you staring at the veins in his forearms. He looked at you with piercing brown eyes and knowingly smirked at you, the bastard.

You offered a hasty, “I’m sorry, Mr. York!” and sprinted for the parking lot.

Unfortunately, today was not your day. Your breast pump bag was not in your car either.

You were practically in tears by the time you made it back to your office.

You struggled for a solution to your predicament. Maybe you could soak some paper towels in warm water to ease the pain. Women hand-expressed in the past before breast pumps were invented. Surely that would work, right?

It had to. There was no way you could give the afternoon presentation in your condition. You don’t remember your breasts ever being this sore and full before. You were amazed you hadn’t started leaking through your nursing bra and blouse.

Having that happen during your next session was out of the question. You would be humiliated.

A gentle knock on your door brought you out of your thoughts. 

It was Dave again.

“Are you alright?,” he asked with genuine concern.

“It’s nothing,” you replied. “I’m just having an awful day.”

Dave responded, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, not unless you have a breast pump in your office,” you answered with a little more attitude than you meant to.

“Hmmmm,” he hummed as he slowly walked towards you.

“You may be surprised to learn I know little about what you are going through right now. Your son’s about three months old now, isn’t he? He probably just started sleeping through the night. I remember when my ex-wife, Carol, was nursing. She was relieved when the girls started sleeping through the night, but not so much when her milk production didn’t slow down right away.”

Your eyes widened. “Wait, how do you know this? How do you even know how old my son is? I’ve never even talked to you except to say hello in passing.”

“I notice everything about you,” he admitted as he touched your cheek.

“Let me offer you my… assistance,” Dave said as he held your gaze.

“There was something I always wanted to do with Carol,” he continued, “but she never wanted to try.”

“I think you’re different, though. I think you know what I can do to help ease your pain,” he whispered in your ear. “And you want it, don’t you?”

Goosebumps erupted on your skin as arousal spread through your body. You clenched around nothing and fought to keep yourself from moaning.

Was this really happening?

“Shut your door and lock it,” Dave ordered darkly.

You never moved so fast in your life.

By the time you turned around, he had already moved your purse and jacket to your desk and was sitting on the extra chair in your office.

“Now be a good girl for me and let me take care of you,” Dave said as he held his hand out to you.

You walked to him and took his hand as your heart pounded in your chest.

“What do I...” you began.

“Sit on my lap,” he commanded softly.

Feeling self-conscious, you quickly argued, “But I’m too..”

“Don’t,” he interrupted. “Don’t you dare say what I think you’re going to say. You are beautiful. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Now, sit.”

You straddled him, your legs on the outside of his, facing him.

Eyes blown with lust, Dave stared at you like a man starved.

You couldn’t believe you were doing this. You worked in HR for goodness sake. It would be the end of your career if someone walked in on the two of you.

But you couldn’t bring yourself to care, not when Dave looked at you like you were the only thing that mattered. You would do anything to please him at this point.

“That’s my good girl,” he breathed. “Now unbutton your blouse.”

Powerless to resist, you undid your buttons and exposed yourself.

“Fuck,” he growled out. “I knew your tits would be spectacular.”

He slowly unclasped the right side of your nursing bra and glanced down.

You knew what he saw. Your breast was engorged and started to leak almost immediately.

Dave gently massaged you and gave your nipple an experimental lick, causing your milk to start squirting from your breast.

He quickly opened his mouth to catch the flow. You could hear your milk landing and pooling in his mouth.

Dave groaned and latched on. You could feel the familiar pull and sighed with long-awaited relief.

Dave continued to massage your breast while he gulped down your milk enthusiastically.

It took a tremendous effort to keep quiet. The reality of what was happening right now made you dizzy with desire. 

Once Dave felt he had taken enough from the right side, he stopped and turned his attention back to you.

“That ex-boyfriend of yours is an idiot if you don’t mind me saying,” he told you candidly.

“You are a goddess. If you were mine, I’d make sure you were told that daily.”

Before you could think of something clever to reply, Dave had already uncovered your left breast and latched on.

At this point, you were incredibly turned on. You could feel your arousal leaking through your panties, and you desperately wanted to rub your thighs together for relief.

Sensing your struggle, Dave grabbed your hips and pushed you down until your core rubbed against the now rather large bulge in his trousers.

Mortified, you heard yourself moan out loud.

Dave put his hand over your mouth and hushed you.

"I know, I know. That feels good, doesn't it," he taunted. "But you need to keep quiet otherwise your co-workers will discover what a filthy little slut you are."

“Now take what you need, gorgeous girl,” he instructed as he returned to your breast.

With his help, you started to rub your core over his clothed erection. Need coursed through your body, and you lost yourself to your pleasure.

With every second, you become acutely aware of how much of your slick was dripping from your cunt, soaking through your panties and making a total mess of his lap.

Dave did not care in the least and only encouraged you.

“That’s my good girl. Just like that,” he moaned and quickly resumed gulping your milk like a man dying of thirst.

Faster and faster, you moved against him, whimpering while you felt your crest quickly build.

Dave released your nipple with a pop.

He held your chin and forced you to look into his eyes.

“Come for me,” he demanded, his voice dark as sin. “Be a good girl and come for me...now.”

That was all it took to push you over the edge. You came with a silent scream. Not taking any chances, Dave kissed you to make sure he would swallow any of your noises that might escape.

You could taste yourself on his tongue, and it was the most erotic thing you had ever experienced.

When you slowly came down from your high, you opened your eyes to see Dave gazing at you fondly.

“You look so beautiful right now,” Dave said reverently. “You did such a good job for me.”

You shyly replied, “Thank you, Mr. York,” and tried to look away.

Dave was having none of that.

“Don’t look away,” he said, forcing you to meet his eyes again. “We’re both consenting adults. You needed help, and I was happy to offer my assistance.”

Before you could respond, Dave reminded you of the time and your upcoming afternoon meeting.

You slowly and reluctantly removed yourself from Dave’s lap and tried to look presentable again. You smoothed out your skirt, closed up your nursing bra, and started to button up your blouse.

Anxiety crept into your mind. Did anyone hear what the both of you were doing?

Dave quickly took over buttoning your blouse.

“Don’t worry, pretty girl. No one heard a thing,” he promised sincerely.

You met his eyes and knew he would never lie to you.

“Next time, you’ll have to come to my office," he offered. "I have a couch in there. You’ll be much more comfortable sitting on my cock while I drink from your gorgeous tits.”

You must have had a shocked expression on your face because you heard Dave chuckle softly.

"Does that sound good to you?" he teased.

You shook your head yes immediately.

You didn't know what you had gotten yourself into with Dave York, but you were excited to see where this was going.

You left him in your office to sort himself out. Thinking about his promise of a "next time," you walked to the conference room smiling softly.

[cordycepsfem]

I'm sure I've mentioned it here once or twice, but I have a special hardness in my heart for "queer" groups that turn into beg-fests. I didn't join a networking group to see people with their hands out begging for money or supplies - sorry, "mutual aid" (that usually only goes one way).

I also have a certain hardness in my heart for people who are homeless or who have chosen to live in less-than-conventional ways but keep animals with them. That is absolutely unfair for an animal. There are resources for homeless people - are they great? Not always, and many of them have stringent requirements that make little sense, and we could always do better; big cities tend to have better resources, etc. - but I know that accommodating people with pets is definitely less possible than accommodating just people.

I understand that people love their pets and are willing to go to what I sometimes consider wildly bizarre levels to keep them, but if you are subjecting your animal to sleeping in the cold with you, to having less-than-enough food, you are a dick. Your pet deserves better. They did not choose you as an owner, they did not ask to be in those situations. They need to be housed, fed, and receive veterinary care. If you cannot do those things, it's time for the animal to live elsewhere.

I give you all of this backstory because one of the first posts to pop up for me on the book of faces was this

Okay, so, FTM individual who somehow can't get their Venmo name changed... had an extremely expensive sleeping bag (approximately $1000 worth of one) that they just... let get moldy. At that rate they should just head over to the thrift store, where they can get one for like $10... oh, but wait...

I can't risk it with used items. I can only take cash. And you should give me the cash in my preferred way so you can give me MORE.

"If you can't give me money, reminding me that I matter is also great!"

WTF. Why is it everyone else's responsibility to tell "queer" people that they matter, that they're valid, that everything isn't their fault, that it's cool that they always have their hand out for money.

And of course the cherry on top:

"Don't suggest anything that might be helpful! Money or nothing!"

I don't know why this bothers me so much, this money-grubbing... just that in every other community I'm a part of, minority groups especially, there's not this blanket carte blanche to wield one's individual identity for money at the slightest provocation. Parents mean? Help my "survival fund" so I can leave home and have a total mastectomy. School hard? Help me stage a protest so I can bring my ESA ferret to the dorm. Wind blow the wrong way? I need snacks and pronoun pins! Oh, and I'm greypansexual demigender sparkleboy with AuDHD and I only like to kiss on Tuesdays (damp/damper pronouns).

I'm a gender-free lesbian woman with actually diagnosed autism, a pantheon of mental illnesses, one very rare neurological condition, and a brand new autoimmune disorder that's been making my life hell. My sister's disabled, my college didn't give me any financial aid this term, and I can't afford a parking pass. Most of my friends live 900 miles away, I can't see my girlfriend as often as I'd like, and the library keeps sending me oppressive emails with titles like "Hey, it's time to return that book that you keep saying you're going to finish but are ignoring in favor of watching TV."

... wait, maybe this is easier.

[pbandjesse]

What a lovely day. I barely didn't feel good. I was engaged and happy and felt like I really liked it at both of my jobs. It was honestly just really great. And an ego boost for sure.

I slept fine. I woke up at 6:30 because I had a nosebleed. I guess I jinxed myself when I said I'm glad that I haven't been having that symptom. But it wasn't so bad. James came upstairs and laid with me for a few minutes. I didn't actually have to get up yet but I ended up just getting up and washed and dressed and sat downstairs on the couch for a bit. James left for work after giving me a big hug and I would leave like 10 minutes later.

Driving to campus fine. It was chilly this morning and would remain fairly comfortable to wear a long sleeve shirt all day. And when I got there I would eat my breakfast and waited for everyone else to come in.

It would be a really productive day with the BGE volunteers. There was like 45 of them and they were really sweet. I was not thrilled that I was on the painting the floor team because I was like I don't think I can bend that much but they decided to cut painting anyway because we didn't have the proper supplies. And so I ended up going to the barn with Rachel and Heather to help muck and drive the Gator.

when we got up there I did remember I am technically allergic to hay so the back of my throat was kind of itchy but I don't get hives like I sometimes would when I was younger. So it was fine. I wasn't really actually raking anything I was just driving the gator and I have never driven the barn gator and it was slightly different and I was very nervous and then I did drive it into a tree by accident. But overall went fine. And I enjoyed talking about the horses and petting the horses. And after the two-ish hours of raking I gave all the adults handfuls of carrots to feed to the horses and it was really cute.

They were really nice team too and I told them that this was not just busy work and this was really important and I really really appreciated them coming out and donating their time and it was just really good.

after we fed the horses carrots we walked back down to the lodge for lunch. Which was running late but it was fine. Because I'm pregnant and have no self control I did not wait until all of the volunteers got lunch. I helped set it up and I got them utensil so I got pizza for some. And there was plenty of food so it wasn't like I was taking from anyone and we were more than welcomed by the woman who organized it. Who was lovely. She grew up going to camp and I love that she cares so much about making this connection. She would love to come volunteer over the summer as well which I think is great.

Elizabeth would come over to kind of give a little spiel about camp itself and getting your kids involved and stuff. And alexie had talked to them earlier in the day about all the important programs that we do. Maiden choice. Baltimore station. Stuff like that. And we really just tried to emphasize that all of this goes to support those things and it's really nice to give you reminded of it. For me. And I really hope that we continue to get to support those things.

After lunch I let Elizabeth know what we had accomplished. Apparently all the other teams finished all of their work. Mine would probably benefit from another hour but apparently Rachel wanted to finish it herself so I let her know I was going to go home and go to sleep.

And that is exactly what I did. Because I halfway home just became so tired. So when I got back here I changed into pajamas I put on the fans I closed our new curtains which made the room nice and dark and I slept for over 2 hours.

Sweetp was all up in my face meeting so much attention and affection which is very sweet but also he trips me when he does that. He was following me around and standing on me. But we slept and it was good. And I woke up around 4:00. I got dressed again in a circles and would go and sit downstairs to wait for James before I had to leave for the museum.

When James got home they were very excited to see me and give me a big kiss on the face and they would clean up and then come sit with me on the couch. Warmed up my Chipotle for dinner. I wasn't hungry but I knew that I needed to eat so that I wouldn't feel all weak and stuff when I was working. And honestly for this event I'm really glad that I gave myself that bit of energy. Because I was busy.

The event tonight was young Catholic professionals. I thought it was a boy's charity but no it was like people my age. And honestly a little weird to be around that many people that are Catholic. I am not used to people being religious that are my age. Just not a world that I'm a part of anymore. But man they were all so nice. I had an excellent night.

I got to break out our religious imagery from the print shop which I never get to use so I was really excited about that because we have a lot of it. I found a couple Mary's and a couple jesus's. And I was just the bell of the balls tonight. Just everyone was so excited and I kept hearing like oh my god it's the blessed mother and I'm like yes enjoy my art. I know I didn't make them but I did print them and I got to talk about print to basically everyone that came because the people who were running the front desk and the check-in table were so excited about the prints I made that they were telling everyone they had to come back so I have never had this many people in the print shop before and it was wonderful.

Ended up making multiple types of prints not even just the two that I have photographed above. I was just making whatever and telling people come get a picture of your mom because that's a funny joke to me when you talk about Mary. And it was just so nice. Everyone was so sweet and I just loved all their questions and was just having fun. It was honestly just the most ideal event night I have had in a really long time.

I did get to tell a lot of stories about printing but also just about working at the museum and doing art and some of the other interesting things I've done. I also told people about the lead exposure. I did get my test results back today and my lead levels are fine. Specifically the nurse practitioner said that they are reassuring. And now I have a funny story.

I just finished cleaning up and I checked in with Merrill and I ran around the main hall to see the tables that they had set up for the different parts of the charity and support system I guess. And the one table had like free stuff on it. I did not take any of it but it was like rosaries and very tiny little vials of holy water. Which was very funny to me. I love the ephemera of the Catholic Church. And honestly everyone was just really nice tonight and I met another pregnant girl and she's 28 weeks pregnant and we had a lovely conversation and I was just really happy.

I'm almost home now. And I'm going to clean up and get all the ink out from under my fingernails. And hopefully sleep easy. Tomorrow we leave for North Carolina. Charlotte going to check on the house and the animals. I am hoping it is just a nice drive and I don't get nauseous. But thankfully we were able to get me more zofran so I'm going to bring that to as a gist in case. But I was not very nauseous today so I am hoping that we have reached a point where I stop throwing up.

I hope that you all had a lovely day. And I hope that tomorrow is nice. And you sleep well tonight. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Good night

[tubefullofdemons]

HI my name is Jessica, I'm queer and autistic and I need your help. Anyone familiar with me would know that I have had many ups and downs for the past couple of years. I've been going to college in an effort to help my community and also seek some independence. Some good news is on the horizon, I was able to get a job but it won't be a month until I can get my first paycheck. I've been living month to month, struggling just to get by paying for pet food, pet supplies and utilities. I don't even have enough to buy work attire. My mom and my pets rely on me and I don't have any other family that could help. We are alone in this. The reason I'm posting this and starting a gofundme is because it's going to be my birthday in June and honestly my birthday wish is to make it without any struggling or fear of the rug being pulled under me.

I just want to be okay. Most of all I want my pets to be fed and the bills to be paid.

Just to give some background in november last year my mother lost her widow's benefits due to lost paperwork and it set us back two months. In those two months we were evicted, taken to court and forced to use any money I would acquire to make the move. I am left with virtually nothing and I've run out of things to sell. I've been barely with my head above water all the way until now. I also have other ways to receive funds also.

paypal (this is my mom's) bojess78550@gmail.com

Cashapp $applelily74

Venmo @Jessica-Ortiz-586

Please share I would really appreciate it. Ignore the goal, I don't need to meet it, any donation helps. If you can't donate, please share.

[wilderun]

same anon another new curiosity! how do you feed them/work out their nutritional needs? I recently read a discussion on the issues with all raw diets in a lot of pet dogs, does that still apply to wolfdogs? Or are they able to get more of the nutrients they need from just the meat?

Raw is a species appropriate diet for wolves but may cause nutritional decencies over time if not balanced out. In the wild a lot of wolves suffer from decencies. In captivity we can balance it to the correct ratios if choosing to feed entirely raw, but my dogs eat primarily dry food with supplemental raw at this point. In the past I have fed almost all raw and done carcass feeding and the dogs loved it but it’s a lot to manage and takes a massive amount of storage space to supply in bulk to be affordable lol.

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I'm deeply ready for the days off I've planned for myself, including PRIDE night for me and wifey (and maybe some new clothes to go with? Neither of us have had a new outfit in over a year. I think maybe for wifey for sure, as her wardrobe always take harder and faster hits than mine does)

I've got a nice four day lil 4 day weekend, and a 3 day weekend to follow, so hopefully by the end of it, I will be feeling much better rested and will have gotten a few things handked around the house.

God and I have our anniversary to plan for next month already, and I'm still neck deep in initial planning for our tenth so I honestly don't even know what that's gonna look like. Maybe just a nice dinner at our favorite place? And maybe buying a new movie to watch together and cuddle. A nice jug of cider for me to spice up.

Lord I'm just tired all the time lmao, and I'm trying to get myself in order, but I'm just usually so busy or exhausted or we've run thru the paycheck for the week, or whatever the fuck.

We definitely need to buy and build the chicken run first thing during my long weekend, because it's almost butchering day for the waffles, and the ladies are almost big enough to deserve real exercise space (the hen house is huge lol, and until now genuinely has been big enough for them all to not need outdoor space at all). They can managw another week together in there with no consequences, but after that, they're gonna need their outdoor run.

I think I'll buy the berry bushes and the fencing supplies all in one go so I don't have to worry about coming back to it later and disrupting the ladies. Which really means I need to find a local nursery with native berry bushes, because I don't feel up to driving all the way down the mountain to Ream in the same weekend if I don't have to. I can save that trip for picking up our trees later in the sunmer.

Man, I really am looking forward to having the garden set up and the ladies grown enough to lay. Free fresh eggs are a huge relief on our budget, especially if we keep doing periodic waves of meat birds to keep cutting down our meat budget alongside it. I'm thinking probably 2-3 sets of meat birds per year, maybe a dozen each time? I'm never doing Cornish Rocks again tho, these little abominations are a disaster to raise. Literally every bird we lost (4 total) was a fuckin Waffle, and they always died for the stupidest reasons. One literally just ate too much and then passed out for a nap under the heat lamp until he got heat stroke because he didn't bother also hydrating???? The only other birds I've raised with this kind of mortality rate are fuckin great white turkeys and they drown in the goddamn rain. Apparently it's not just us either. If I'd taken the time to research more instead of trusting the meat and egg chick mix, I'd have seen all the other homesteaders online panicking about half their flock dying and meing warned by more experienced folks that Cornishes are really only viable for industrial scale farming that can reliably take those kinds of losses. In retrospect, now that I *do* know that, I'm almost proud we managed to keep 80% of our Waffles alive.

Point being, I'm never going through that again. There are plenty of heritage meat birds, and I'll be sticking with them please and thank you.

I've considered starting to do rabbit too? It would cut down on our pet food costs a fair bit, and then maybe I could co-graze themand the chickens in a tractor along the yard to manage overgrowth of ground cover. I'd prefer a goat obvi, but I don't think the council will let me have one, even if wifey would lmao. That's definitely a later thing tho. Gotta get the humans more sustainably fed before I can consider any new livestock lmao

I think the chicken run, the berry bushes, the first order of seeds, and a chest freezer are probably the major expenses this coming paycheck. We might be able to postpone the chest freezer? Our freezer isn't overly full at present, and I think could actually fit 20 processed Waffles if needed. We'll need one soon regardless tho, cuz it definitely won't fit the next butchering day product at that point, nor the frozen fruits, veggies, and easy preps we'll be starting to make over the summer. So if not this pay period, then the next one.

God, I guess that means I should prep all my orders so I can place them first thing on Friday when I get paid, and price out the batches. Ughhhh I'm so busy today, that's gonna be hard to make time for during my breaks, and after work it's dinner and eorzea time, plus probably some tidying.

Awww fuck i gotta bring in the washing too and maybe do another load.

Whatever. Point is, I'm gonna be busy for a while. Which is good. But also means I have less time to sit and think and write which does make me a lil sad. It's just until harvest season is through tho! Once everything is planted and plucked and canned and stored, I'll be back to having time for other things. I'm probably gonna prioritize my writing and my sewing thru the winter so I can be ready for fiber processing in spring and publishing season in summer/fall. I'll want to get back to the zine soon too, because I really do want to add in the documentation I've been building around appalachian riperians

Lordt

Someone needs to tell my brain to pick a goddamn lane. This is how I end up pulled in so many directions that nothing gets done lmao

[realm-sweet-realm]

A Road Further, chapter one: New Journeys

The protagonist of Scarlet/Violet moves away, and the lives of the Paldea trio go on.

Nemona is ecstatic when Geeta decides to take her under her wing and groom her to be the next head champion of Paldea, and doubly so when it means competing against champions of other regions in a worldwide tounament. With Geeta’s very rigid ideas of how a champion should act, Nemona will have to find a balance between respecting authority and forging her own path.

Penny’s crimes begin to catch up with her as her parents send her to live with her uncle Looker in hopes that he’ll set her straight. But as Penny’s skills turn out to be quite useful for crime-solving, she might find out that her weird uncle Looker isn’t so lame after all.

Between the loss of his dad and his three friends moving away, Arven is crushed. When Clavell tries to cheer him up by introducing him to two Alolan exchange students including the tech-savvy Sophocles, Arven hatches a desperate and ill-advised plan to bring back his father.

I hope you all enjoy this.

---

The sky was grey and heavy as Arven walked Miraidon to what would be its new home in the Lighthouse Laboratory. Penny and Nemona followed behind, carrying supplies for the creature. Arven shifted the bags of Pokémon food he’d been carrying into one arm and stroked the creature with the other, trying to quiet its whining.

“I know,” he whispered. “I miss him, too.”

Not long after the annual treasure hunt, Florian’s mother had been transferred to a new location for work and they’d had to move away. They’d been forced to leave Miraidon behind, and Arven to try to find one of his father’s old lab techs to look after it. He wasn’t looking after it himself longer than he had to. It was just too much of a reminder.

There wasn’t much to be done at the Lighthouse Laboratory. The three students put down a giant pet bed for Miraidon, scattered its toys, fed and watered it, and they were done. Arven had called Penny and Nemona out for emotional support more than anything.

“Thanks for being here,” he said to the girls, sitting down on one of the old tables in the laboratory. “You know, I played it cool in front of Clavell, but losing my dad is... well, it’s a lot to process. I mean, apparently he did love me, but now I’ll never get to actually spend time with him. It kind of hurts knowing what could have been. But hey, at least now I have you two.” He gave them a smile. “Between that and all the schoolwork I have to catch up on, I won’t even have time to think about it!”

The two girls exchanged an awkward look.

Penny was the first to speak. “Actually, my parents are sending me away to live with my weird uncle Looker in Kalos. Probably for a whole year. They found out about the whole Team Star and stealing millions in LP thing and want to scare me straight.”

Arven got up, fists curled and teeth gritted. “Seriously?! But Geeta and Clavell let you off with community service for all of that! And you have a job lined up after graduation. How many 14-year-olds can say that?”

“Yeah, but they said that ‘it’s still a felony,’ and ‘I need to learn to respect the rules before I run into someone who won’t let me break them.’ It sucks.”

Nemona spoke up next. “...And Geeta wants to train me up to be the new head champion. Which means I’m leaving the Uva Academy, too. I’m really sorry, Arven.”

“Oh. Well, at least I’ll be able to reach you by flying taxi since you’ll be in Paldea.”

Nemona shared a pained look with Penny. “…She’s starting by taking me to a world championship event in Hoenn. It’ll only be for a few weeks!”

Arven felt like the lifeline he’d caught was disintegrating. He’d be all alone at school again, at the time he most needed not to be. It took him a second to blink back tears and figure out the right response. “Oh. Well, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you. Are you excited?”

Finally released from the expectation to act sympathetic, Nemona’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “So excited! You have no idea. I’m going to get to battle some of the strongest trainers in the whole world! Up until a while ago, even meeting them would have been a dream come true!”

“Great. You’ll finally have some people who can keep up to you. I’ll watch all your matches.”

“If you can find time while digging yourself out of the homework pit,” Penny quipped. “But yeah. We’ll be watching. ...Assuming uncle Looker lets me. Or I can find a way around his rules. Which I will.”

“You heard it. We’ll keep in touch,” Arven agreed, crossing his arms. “Assuming Penny can go a couple weeks without doing something stupid and getting her phone privileges revoked.”

Penny jabbed his arm. Arven jabbed her back.

Nemona smiled. “You guys are the best! Yeah, let’s keep in touch!”

---

Nemona squinted into the sunrise as she tried to make out whether the flying taxi on the horizon was La Primera’s or if she still had a while to wait. She’d shown up twenty minutes early. Some might call that overkill, but one couldn’t take this too seriously, and Nemona had read that Geeta liked to be early.

As the flying taxi neared, Nemona could see that it was Geeta. She stood up and ran to it, getting in before it even touched down.

“I’m glad to see that you’ve kept your passion for battling,” Geeta said. Even in the early morning, her image- the suit, the elaborate hair, her gentle smile- was just as flawless as she’d been every time Nemona had seen her. It almost hadn’t sunk in yet that she’d be working for her. She’d be spending the next few weeks learning to be just like her.

“Oh yeah! I’m not gonna let you down.” Nemona replied. “Oh my gosh. Do you think Cynthia does autographs? Do you think I could get a picture with Blue’s blastoise? Or maybe...” Nemona caught something vaguely disapproving in Geeta’s eyes. “Uh, sorry, I’ll calm down.”

“No, go ahead,” Geeta assured her. “It will be best for you to get your excitement out now. Once we’re at the airport and especially once we’re there, you’ll need to keep that excitement under wraps. You’re representing Paldea, after all. You have to act like you belong with the other champions, because you do.” Those last three words were a jolt of energy to Nemona’s heart. “No autographs. Pictures are fine so long as they look professional.”

“You got it!.”

As it turned out, they had plenty to talk about on the flying taxi ride and then the flight to Hoenn. Nemona already knew a good deal about the champions and the teams and strategies they used, and Geeta helped fill in the gaps of her information. After getting settled at the hotel, it was late and Nemona was tired, but her energy came right back when she told Nemona that some of the champions were already competing.

“I thought that the tounament didn’t start until tomorrow?”

“The brackets will be announced tomorrow,” Geeta explained, “but for now some of the champions are doing some unofficial one-on-one matches to warm up the audience. Would you like to watch them?”

“Watch them? I want to join them! Let’s get down there,” Nemona replied, already running for the door to their hotel room.

“No,” Geeta said gently, making Nemona stop dead. “I’d like us to watch them from here, where we can discuss what they’re doing. It will be an important lesson for you.”

“Okay.” Nemona sat back down on the bench next to Geeta.

The television displayed the tournament arena. On one side of it, Diantha strode in alongside her gardevoir, mega-evolving it to the audible delight of the crowd. On the other, Cynthia glided down from the bleachers on the back of her garchomp, sliding off of her at the last moment and landing nimbly on her feet as the dragon took her position in the ring.

“Begin!” shouted the referee.

“Garchomp, Poison jab!” Cynthia ordered. Her garchomp lunged, her claws coating themselves in purple fluid.

“Ice punch,” Diantha returned. Gardevoir’s fists covered themselves in ice, and she countered the first jab. Garchomp was darting in and out of Gardevoir’s range as Gardevoir stayed stationary, blocking only as many quick but relatively weak jabs as it took and clearly taking more damage than it was dealing.

“Wait, why's she doing that?” Nemona asked. Gardevoir didn’t have the attack or speed for this, but with her special attack, a good dazzling gleam would have-

“Because,” Geeta explained calmly, “This is what everyone came here to see.”

“Ah,” Nemona said as she watched the garchomp’s speed and footwork.

“Dazzling gleam!” Diantha ordered. Gardevoir gathered energy and blasted a powerful beam of pink energy from her outstretched hands.

“Dig,” Cynthia retunred. Garchomp quickly dug into the ground, only its tail getting grazed. Earthquake would have been more powerful and maneuverable, but this was more of a sight to see.

“Send it into the earth, Gardevoir,” Diantha ordered. The gardevoir ran over to the hole and sent dazzling gleam down into it, filling the hole completely and leaving pink light overflowing from its edges. A roar of pain emanated from it. And yet, Cynthia seemed unworried. She closed her eyes and smiled as the ground behind gardevoir opened up, releasing pink energy and a battered-but-still-fighting garchomp, her claws coated in poison. Gardevoir barely had time to look back before a powerful hit took her out.

“Cynthia and Garchomp are the winner!” the referee announced, pointing his flag to Cynthia. The TV screen showed a close-up of her smile before cutting out to sports commentators.

“Wow!” Nemona beamed, clasping her hands together in excitement. “Man, it’s like they’re coordinating with each other in real time to give everyone the best show possible! Like, to show everything their Pokémon are capable of, while also trying to win as a second goal. That must be even more challenging than just winning!” Nemona gripped the pokéball at her belt, her body yelling at her to go and try out this new challenge.

“Yes, exactly,” Geeta stated. “You are a great trainer, Nemona. You will have no trouble at all upholding the Pokémon league standards, I’m sure. But I’ve brought you to this tournament so that we can work on your image and showmanship. Part of a champion’s job is representing their region, after all. There is much to attend to- we’ll need to design you a perfect outfit and figure out your trademark mannerisms and a team including a trademark Pokémon.”

“Oh, man, a trademark Pokémon!” The mere thought that one of her Pokémon could be as iconic as Cynthia’s garchomp or Diantha’s gardevoir... or Leon’s charizard or Steven’s metagross or... Nemona couldn’t help it. She let out some little squealing noises.

Nemona smiled. “Yes. I suggest you make a list of candidates for that role. We’ll go over them tomorrow morning and find just the right one.”

---

The heavy door that separated the prison from the outside world slammed shut, nearly making Penny jump. Looker walked in front of her and gestured for her to follow.

“This is what happens to people who break the rules,” Looker explained, stone-faced as they passed by cell after cell, each one containing two miserable, dead-eyed prisoners, two cots with thin mattresses and thin blankets, a metal toilet, and little else.

“People won’t keep giving you free passes forever! And there won’t be a warning for when they won’t. Every rule you break could be the one that puts you in here! Yes, even now. Stealing as much currency as you did could have given you more than two years, and once you’re sixteen, you would have been transferred to a place just like this! We don’t want that.”

Only if you get caught, Penny thought as she followed behind him, but she thought better of saying it. She settled for nodding along instead, with a face that she hoped said “I’m taking this seriously,” but might have been more along the lines of “how much longer until you shut up?”

“I love you, Penny! And that’s why I have to do this. You’re going to work here after school for the next semester. Maybe the next year if it’s necessary. I promised it to your parents, so to make sure it’s all the time you’ll spend there!”

The two ran into a gruff-looking security guard, who Looker handed Penny off to for a tour of the facility and explanation of her duties.

It was late by the time Penny was off work, done with dinner, and could escape to the room that Looker had her set up in. It matched the rest of the house in containing a functional amount of furniture- in this case, a bed, a desk and chair, a bedside table, and a closet with hangers- but nothing else. When one worked for the international police, one moved too frequently to make a house a home.

Penny sat down at the desk and pulled out her rotom phone, only to realize that its usual rotom had been replaced with a sharp-eyed parental control one. When exactly Looker had managed that was beyond her. Penny sighed. It was a good thing she’d prepared for just this situation. She opened the window and then dug into her eevee backpack and pulled out a plastic baggie of dead batteries interspersed with red and green loose wires.

“Want a snack?” she asked the rotom, firmly holding her phone in one hand and dangling the bag in the other.

The rotom nodded vigorously. Penny could feel it trying to get loose and float over, but she held the phone firmly. The rotom pulled until it popped out of the phone. Penny threw the baggie out the window, and the rotom chased it out. She closed the window, got up, and laid down on her bed, ignoring the creature as it tapped the glass. This should give her a few hours at least.

The phone’s screen was filled with new texts from Arven, Nemona, and the ex-members of Team Star. She could respond to them later. For now, she brought up the internet and typed “how to get fired from a prison job without getting killed.”

If Looker was going to give her a hard time, she’d give him a hard time right back.

—-

Late morning light filtered through the curtains as Arven laid in bed, phone in hand and Mabosstif curled up on top of him. He was missing second period and had missed his classes yesterday as well, but who cared? Clavell wouldn’t suspend him while he had nowhere else to go, and he was almost beyond caring if he took an extra year to graduate. He was scrolling through a some long-winded excited ramblings from Nemona when he heard a knock at the dorm room door.

“Arven?” came Clavell’s voice. Arven scrambled out of bed, almost kicking Mabosstif in the process. Thankfully he’d gone to bed in his clothes the night before, so he could pass as having been up for a while. He’d say he had to catch up on some important school project and had thought it was more important than a couple missed classes. Hopefully that would make Clavell go away.

Clavell opened the door and stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking like we wasn’t sure what to say. After pausing for a moment, he crossed the room, sat on Arven’s bed, and gestured for Arven to sit next to him. Arven obeyed. “How... how have you been handling the professor’s death, really?” Clavell asked.

“I’m fine,” Arven replied.

“...And your three friends being away?”

Arven closed his eyes and looked away from Clavell. “I’m fine, alright? I’m used to not having anyone around. It’s fine! Just punish me if you’re going to and go.”

Clavell took a deep breath. “I’m not going to punish you, I just thought...” Clavell shook his head as though reconsidering something. “Actually, very well. There is something you can do for me as punishment for the missed classes. Two exchange students are arriving today from Alola. If you could give them a tour and get them settled into their dorms, that would be wonderful.”

“Okay,” Aven replied. He had a strong sense that this was to get him moving or to cheer him up somehow. He would have thanked Clavell if it weren’t being framed as a punishment.

“Excellent. Stop by my office and I’ll give you the details. And let me know if you need anything.”

Hours later, the flying taxi touched down in front of the academy, containing a green-haired girl in her early twenties, a little boy playing on a gaming device, and their luggage.

“Hey,” Arven said to them. “Welcome to the Uva Academy. My name’s Arven. I’m going to be the one to show you around.”

“Mallow,” the green-haired woman replied, “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too. first thing’s first, let’s get you guys set up in your dorms. I’ll lead the way.”

Arven navigated the crowded halls, checking every so often to make sure that Mallow was still following.

“So, what brought you to the academy?” Arven asked.

“Well, I aged out of being a trial captain- that’s like our equivalent to gym leaders, and only people under twenty can be one- so I thought I’d try to figure out what I want to do next. I’m probably going to be a cook, though. Alola is just so good for growing ingredients. Berries are the obvious ones, but you wouldn’t believe how many medicinal plants grow there. Maybe I could be some kind of healer!”

Okay, Clavell had definitely put him up to this to cheer him up. “Wow, you’re into cooking, huh? Me, too. And as for medicinal plants, trust me, I know more about those than I ever wanted to. But at least the little collection I got out of it can make anything taste great.” Arven stopped in front of their dorm room doors and turned to Mallow. “The teachers let me use the home ec lab so long as I’m out and it’s clean by the time it’s needed. Want to show me what you’ve got?”

“Yeah! Oh boy, I knew I didn’t bring those dehydrated rawst berries for nothing!”

“You brought dehydrated rawst berries? Oh my God, we need to put those in a stew, right now! I swear, they’re like the only thing that’s better dehydrated. Or un-dehydrated, as they’ll be once we’re done with them.”

“Sounds good! But only if you show me which of those healing herbs we can add to it!”

“Oh, you bet.”

“Can I help?” the little boy asked. Arven realized that he hadn’t spoken until now. He didn’t look older than eight or nine, maybe ten, and between the short, round physique, the bad haircut, the quietness and the resting grouch face, Arven predicted that he’d be spending most of his free periods at the academy alone, and that was if he was lucky enough to fly under the radar of bullies.

“Of course you can join us, little buddy!” Arven replied, giving him a big smile.

Mallow smiled down at the younger boy. “This is Sophocles. He’s also a trial captain. He invented a machine that can summon totem Pokémon, and he’s made a lot of other really cool stuff, too! His parents wanted him to come here so he could expand his horizons and hopefully make some friends.”

“Oh. He’s good with tech, is he?” Arven’s brain had practically shut off once he’d heard that, and it was currently screaming at him not to do what he was about to do. “Do you like robots, little buddy? Have you worked on them? Ever programmed anything?” he asked, crouching to get down to Sophocles’ level. Hopefully his voice sounded less suspicious to Sophocles than it did to his own ears.

“Yeah,” Sophocles replied nervously.

Arven’s heart was beating hard, the way it did when one was about to do something that could get them in immense trouble. “Oh, well, in that case the academy might just have a special field trip for you. I’ll be leading you on it, alright?”

“Okay.”

Arven stood up straight again. “Pack for a couple nights. I’ll meet you right outside Mesagoza at eight tonight.” Arven started for his room to pack. Going back to Area Zero would be risky, even with a gym leader-strength trainer coming with him. And who knew what the distant future would be like once they got to it using the time machine. But maybe, just maybe, Sophocles would be able to reprogram his dad, get him to come home and act like a parent to him.

Arven looked back to Sophocles and Mallow, the latter of which had definitely realized something wasn’t right. “Uh, your room numbers are 309 and 310. See you guys for your tour later,” he called out before running off.

[danco110]

“Hi there…Grim.”

The disguised bonder hid her suspiciously squeaking pouch behind her back as the grizzled soldier drew near. The man towered over her, even after he leaned down to smirk menacingly at her.

“Good morning, Miss Kay,” Grim growled. “May I see your satchel, there?”

Kay anxiously held out a hand in response to Grim’s question. “Er, no, sir! There’s…um…sensitive munitions in there! Headed over to Lavabrink. Can’t have everybody handling them, you know.”

Grim frowned, clearly skeptical of Kay’s claim. “Dangerous country, out that way. I’ll provide an armed escort.”

“Uh, no need! I’m plenty capable!”

“As are the raptors that prowl the roads, Miss Kay. All the same, I’d feel much better if you didn’t make the journey alone.”

“Uh…”

Finally fed up with the charade, Grim pointed to Kay’s satchel. “Hand it over, Miss Kay.”

With a defeated sigh, the bonder complied and relinquished her pack, which was still making a squeaking noise. Grim’s smirk returned as he rooted around in the bag, but it quickly fell from his face once more. His new expression told Kay that he did not find what he was looking for.

“Hm. Strange. No explosives, but it seems everything else is above board. Here you are.”

Grim begrudgingly returned Kay’s bag, prompting the bonder to tilt her head at the man.

“Uh, Grim?”

“Wondering why I didn’t crush your pet hiding in there?”

As if on cue, a blue-finned otter popped its head out of Kay’s bag.

“Well, he’s not just a pet, but…yes. I thought you were…?”

“My job,” Grim growled, “is to protect General Kudro, and to prevent any monsters from desecrating our memorial graves. I thought your pet might’ve been doing the latter, stealing bones or some such. I apologize.”

“But…you don’t care that I’m stealing supplies?”

Kay’s otter ducked back into the pack, quickly resurfacing with a smaller bag in its mouth.

“No,” Grim chuckled. “Like I said, the roads are dangerous. Wherever you’re going, the least I can do is let you take something for the road.”

[You would think Enforcer’s job was to stop monsters from getting into Drannith or something. But neither of his abilities really point to that at all.]

[letlovelightlife]

I make my world small.

I shrink into the already small apartment

And when I leave,

I shrink into an even smaller box

And drive to bigger places where I still feel small.

I make my world small.

There are 2.8 million men in Colorado

But I spend my mind ruminating on three

I make my world small.

I eat the same meals

And never finish the same coffees

I watch the same shows

Until I forget I’m disintegrating

I make my world so small

That I can eventually fold it into my mind

And my mind feels so big that I somehow feel even smaller

This small world has one small circle with only four stops

Time, money, sex, and doubt

I take the same route

But it always ends with me looking up

Lost for a way out

I make my world small

But I never stop looking for bigger things

I meet a woman at a bookstore

And we immediately feel important to each other

She tells me I have to go to Mexico with her

I say I want to,

But money, time, money, time.

I’ll try

I get my own apartment and my world feels enormous.

Until I remember that it isn’t

My father dies

And I make my world smaller

Because I shrink into unexpected mourning.

I meet her again the day after he dies

This time she doesn’t ask if I’m going to Mexico

She tells me, “You’re coming to Mexico”

It is a crack of sunshine that lights my small world

And heats my small home

From March to July

A friend takes me to the airport

And brings me coffee and food and hugs me goodbye.

I am rich.

4 of us enter a villa in the small city of Teotihuacan

Lavender grows everywhere

We are served a 4-course meal

Every day at 3,

And there is a never-ending supply of cinnamon coffee

I am rich.

We walk to the pyramids often

And I realize I am witnessing something

So old, so grand and so wonderful—every single day.

The world feels big and I am expanding

I am sitting in a temazcal on a cactus farm

With the other 3

And an elder we just met.

We are topless

I’ve rubbed fresh aloe steaks all over my body,

Sweat over hot stones for hours,

Smoked his sacred peace pipe,

And cried enough until I could not speak.

My world is thawing out and opening up.

I am rich.

I am staring at a painting that has stunned me silent and left me open-mouthed

Guadalupe dripping in honey

Not only is it beautiful, but it is unreleased and unfinished and I’m seeing it

While next to the artist that made it

I’m stuck in a moment that few will witness

Glued there by the honey

The bees on the canvas stretch my world open.

I’m rich.

In a hammock

I hold a fluffy Siberian cat with big blue crossed eyes.

Clutching my new favorite book in one hand

And petting him with the other.

We are spinning and I’m thinking,

I’m rich.

I’m in a tunnel under the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent

Receiving a private tour of one of the greatest archeological findings in history

This world is so much bigger than I’ve ever imagined

I realize this is the closest to the earth I’ve ever been and probably ever will be.

They let me hold an ancient artifact to my breast and I can’t stop thinking,

I am rich.

I’m terrified, but I take a deep breath and declare

‘I won't die because life is a dream, a beautiful dream.’

From the balloon, the world has never looked bigger.

The specific scent of the air over that sacred land on that early morning with those specific people brings tears to my eyes.

Until I whisper ‘I’m rich’

We are still on the tarmac

But a child on the plane asks ‘Are we on the sky?’

And I smile to myself

I am rich.

Maybe it was the therapy

Maybe it was the mushroom capsules

Maybe it was the friends that fed me to the brim with deep belly laughs

Maybe it was all the animals I held

Or all the prayers in my name

Maybe it was finally being able to hug my family regularly

Maybe it was the long walks with Carol

Maybe it was the stones I held and inhaled

Maybe it was the best sex of my life beginning in my thirties

Maybe it was all the free concerts

Maybe it was the hours spent in the hot springs

Or the Trazodone

Or all that time alone

Maybe it was finally making somewhere my home.

Maybe it was my week in Mexico

The sacred spaces

The steam in the temazcal

The stone doll

Frida’s house and her blue spilled everywhere for miles

Maybe it was the poetry

But I no longer see my life as ‘poor me’

I am rich.

I’m Rich:April Dawn

[bloop-im-a-frog-now]

If The Gods Were Kind — pizza 2

5th part here we go!!! And yes, you should be worried :). I just love torturing my blorbos. If it weren’t for a reply I got from @stiffyck askbox, this part wouldn’t exist, actually. But I quite like it, so you guys are suffering with me.

Enjoy!

Master Post

— —

Content warnings: Animal death, blood, gore, violent intrusive thoughts, violence, grief

Scar only stared in disbelief at the Red Army. Grian was yelling at him about doing something, but Scar only heard static noise. They weren’t aiming at him. They were aiming at Pizza . Her beady eyes gawked at him, and it was only then he could unfreeze and march towards her. 

Grian petted Pizza’s fur on her neck, the only place deprived of red. She brayed painfully, barely standing, as one more arrow nested itself in her. Scar placed his hand in front of her face and untied the leash around the pole, feeling her slimy tongue licking his palm.

“She’s gonna die,” Grian’s voice barely reached his ears with the flying arrows going past him, one lodging in his leg. 

Scar grunted, and looked back at the Red Army. “One more arrow and you’re all dead!”

An arrow hissed too close to his ear. He dodged and immediately regretted it.

“NO!” Grian yelled as a bray echoed in his ears. 

Scar dared to look back and didn’t see any white fur at his eye level. No, Pizza’s body laid on the sand, beady eyes wide open, arrow in her throat, tainting her white fur red, just like their stupid banner. Scar choked back a sob, legs trembling, tension in his neck screaming just as hard as Pizza did in her last moments, hips dragging him to the world’s core. 

A ping pierced his ears, some shuffling accompanying it. 

“Red winter is here,” Grian read. 

Scar looked back at the fleeing army, fists clenched. “Grian,” he croaked, mouth dry. 

His partner hummed, already by his side for Scar to lean on him. Scar shook his head. 

“I think I need to kill one of them,” he practically growled. 

It would’ve come eventually. The urge to see blood on his hands, caused by him . Having Ren’s head looking back at him in horror, Scar spitting in his face, knowing a head detached from its body couldn’t do anything about it. Slay Martyn with his new shiny netherite sword, fed by his screams of terror as he died the same way Pizza did, without any hesitation or cause. Burning their enchanter, burning their “palace”, whatever they called it, drowning them in lava and hearing their cries of pain and mercy. It was inevitable. No, they did not deserve mercy. 

Scar took his netherite sword from his inventory and was ready to sprint after them, to make them feel the same pain Pizza felt. But someone grasped his bicep harshly. He swiveled and opened his mouth to vociferate, only to be met with Grian’s death glare.

“It’s gonna be four against one, you are not good at combat and you can kiss your last life goodbye before you can even land a hit on them.”

Grian was right, but Scar’s hands twitched, lips pursed. Grian bore his stare in his piercing red eyes, green eyes glimmering under the sun at its zenith. 

“You’re injured, you will not go far with an arrow in your leg, and they will take advantage of your weakness.”

Scar huffed and tried crossing his arms only to be reminded of the tension in his neck, the ache in his shoulders that made movement difficult, and the piercing soreness in his hips and calves. Scar held in his grimace, but Grian saw right through it. He shook his head and dragged him inside as gently as he could with his hold on Scar’s bicep. 

He made him sit down in the kitchen and rummaged in their barrels for first aid supplies. Scar didn’t understand why Grian wanted to tend his wound. He barely felt it, being a red life helped him ignore the excruciating pain it would probably normally cause him. 

Ren needed to pay. 

But Grian looked so concern and he made excellent points. How many injuries could Scar sustain before it was too much for him? Before it became troublesome? Before he lost his last life? 

What happened after you lose all of your lives? It was probably the next question people were asking each other, after they realized you could die, after they realized you could die twice before getting that red haze. 

Grian raised his leg, making Scar hiss through his teeth. Grian mumbled a “sorry ” and took out the arrow in a swift motion, placing a clean piece of wool on the open wound. 

“Ah!” Scar yelped, closing his eyes and trying to think of other things than the sting. Grian winced and inhaled sharply in response.

He soaked most of the blood with the ball of wool, dabbing around it to clean it. He took a piece of cloth, placed it on the wound and wrapped some string around it to hold it in. Once he was sure Scar’s clumsiness wouldn’t ruin the bandage, he stood up, exchange the first aid supplies with golden carrots, and shoved it in Scar’s hand. 

“Eat,” was all he said as he left the room to do gods know what. 

Scar stared at the carrot, out of focus. He could almost see Mr. Bubbles, if he was smaller. He lost his giant bee too, he realized. Dogwarts not only killed Pizza, but they kill the innocent Mr. Bubbles. His hands trembled. This was all his fault.

He was the one who got attached to those animals. He made himself vulnerable, he knew that. And yet, it still hurt. And yet, the urge to kill them didn’t fade away, no matter how slow he breathed. They were gone, forever erased from this world, leaving him alone.

Scar gasped a breath, noting how heavy his body felt, noting how he couldn’t bring his arm higher to eat the golden carrot, noting his vision was blurry, not out of focus. 

He heard the flutter of wings and the footsteps before hearing and feeling Grian’s panic. Grian fell onto his knees, putting his hand on Scar’s cheek to raise his head. For red eyes to meet green ones. Scar turned to look away, tears landing on his forearm, cold against his warm skin. Grian tried to hold his wings still, but they flapped and fluttered, making him slightly groan. He focused back on Scar, hand on his thigh and, woah, since when was Grian’s hand so warm?

“Scar, buddy, what’s wrong?”

Scar sniffled and tried to swallow the ball in his throat, to no success. Cheeks became wet quicker than his fall in the ravine. 

“Is—” his throat constricted, and he swallowed again, “—is she truly gone?”

He didn’t know how Grian understood what he said, his voice was merely a whisper, jumbling over words, it even sounded wrong to his ears. But when he looked back to his partner, his concerned look was back. 

“Oh, Scar,” he murmured.

Scar let out a sob and curled on himself, ignoring every tear in his body, ignoring the stretch on his wound and the piercing pain it gave, ignoring his surroundings. He just couldn’t understand, even if it made perfect sense. 

Pizza was gone. 

Pizza was dead .

And that’s when it hit him. They were all gonna die eventually. All disappear from this world. No survivors, no more alliances, no more wars, no more stealing cookies. Just like Pizza, everyone’s life held on a string, just waiting for the punchline to cut it. 

But Pizza was dead .

And it hurt.

Something hit his lips, and when he opened his eyes, his appreciation for Grian only grew. The avian had the golden carrot in his hand and helped Scar eat to close up the wound. Scar obliged, and they sat in the silence.

A wave of energy spread throughout his body, easing the tension but not the ache in his hips. It seemed the rest of the day was crutches day.

“Can we have a funeral?” he asked, voice quivering and quiet. 

Grian gave him a warm smile.

“Of course.”

Grian was the one who did most of the work. Digging a hole large enough to bury Pizza, dragging her corpse in it, and helping Scar build a coffin to cover the uneven ground. He placed the headstone while Scar wrote the epitaph on a wooden plank. Grian hammered it above the coffin and joined Scar, both staring at it as the sun turned to dusk. 

Rest In Peece Pizza. Freind, Sister, Mother

Scar could only stare at the wooden structure. He couldn’t shed any tears anymore. The ball around his throat became bigger, and Scar was ever so grateful when Grian placed his hand on top of his, running his thumb across his knuckles. The cries of mobs surrounded them when the sun disappeared in the horizon. Grian nudged him to come inside, but Scar remained impassive, gaze never leaving the coffin.

Grian grew a bit more restless, wings fluttering behind him. 

“Scar.”

Scar shook his head, grip tightening around the handles of his crutches. Grian sighed, let go of his hand and went back inside. Scar tried to make his mind stop wandering, stop thinking of taking his netherite sword and plunged it on Grian’s back, stop contemplating blowing their base to the ground. 

He rested one of his crutches on the coffin and placed his hand on top of it.

“They’ll get what they deserve,” he murmured in the cold wind, not that he could feel it. “They’ll regret the day they took you out of this world.”

He took back the crutch and joined Grian inside. His partner was sharpening his sword but jumped when he heard the door opening. He poked his head out of the door that lead to the kitchen, eyebrows frowned. Scar sent him a wavering smile and passed him to sit on their bed. 

His mobility aids were both leaning against the wall close to him, in case he woke up one morning not being able to do much. Even with this enhance senses and strength being a red life gave him, it wouldn’t dim the consequences of whatever affected his body. 

The shuffling of feet approaching dragged him out of his head. Grian had a hand on the door frame, wings held tight together. Scar simply sighed and patted the bed. Grian cautiously joined him, wings itching to wrap around them. 

Scar let out a chuckle, leaning against him despite their height difference. Grian opened his mouth, only to close it promptly, red on the face, and let his wing wrapped the both of them against the chill of the night—or Scar assumed, since Grian’s chin wasn’t trembling anymore. 

Grian placed his hand on Scar’s thigh, and despite Scar absolutely beaming at the touch, it felt like this little weight made the ache even frailer than it already was. He took his partner hand and settled it on Grian’s thigh instead. 

Grian squeezed his hand and they stayed like this for a while, in the silence of the desert. No more buzzing of wings, no more small braying, just their breathing and the far away awakening of mobs at the foot of their mountain. Scar had never wished for the world to be louder.

<- Prev _ Master Post _ Next ->

[aliaparker3]

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Using Dog Feeders

Are you wondering how to maintain your dog's feeding schedule without compromising your busy lifestyle? Or perhaps you're interested in finding a solution that supports your dog's health by managing portion sizes and feeding times? Welcome to the world of dog feeders! This comprehensive guide will help you navigate the various options and find the perfect feeder for your canine companion. With the right dog feeder, both you and your pet can enjoy peace of mind and happiness.

Introduction to Dog Feeders

What is a dog feeder and why might you need one? Imagine you're a busy bee who struggles to maintain a consistent feeding schedule for your pooch. A dog feeder acts as a reliable helping hand, ensuring your dog eats the right amount of food at the right times, even when you're not home. This can be especially beneficial for pets with specific dietary needs or those prone to overeating.

Types of Dog Feeders

Gravity Feeders vs. Electronic Feeders: Gravity feeders use a simple mechanism where food is dispensed as your dog eats, while electronic feeders provide portion control and timing options. Understanding these types can help you decide which suits your dog's needs best.

Benefits of Using an Automatic Dog Feeder

Consistency and Convenience: An automatic dog feeder ensures your dog gets fed at the same times every day. This consistency is crucial for pets with diabetes or weight issues. Plus, it’s a convenient solution for your peace of mind during long workdays or unexpected trips.

How to Choose the Right Dog Feeder

Consider Your Dog's Size and Eating Habits: Size matters when it comes to feeders. Larger dogs need sturdier and bigger feeders compared to smaller breeds. Also, consider your dog's eating habits—does your dog eat meals quickly or slowly?

Popular Features in Dog Feeders

Programmable Timers and Voice Recording: Some advanced models come with programmable timers to schedule meals and voice recording options to call your dog to eat with a familiar voice.

Setting Up Your Dog Feeder

Finding the Perfect Spot: Choose a quiet, low-traffic area in your home where your dog feels comfortable. Make sure the spot is easy to clean, as even the neatest feeders can involve some mess.

Maintaining Your Dog Feeder

Regular Cleaning Is Key: To keep the feeder functioning well and hygienic, regular cleaning is essential. Follow manufacturer instructions for the best results.

Training Your Dog to Use the Feeder

Patience and Positive Reinforcement: Introduce the feeder gradually to your dog and use positive reinforcement to create a pleasant association with the device.

Where to Buy Dog Feeders

Choosing the Right Supplier: Check out trusted pet supply stores and websites like houndsy.com for a variety of quality dog feeders.

Expert Tips for First-Time Users

Start Slow and Monitor: Initially, monitor how your dog interacts with the new feeder to make any necessary adjustments to the feeding schedule or portion size.

Dog Feeder Myths Debunked

Separating Fact from Fiction: We'll clear up common misconceptions about automatic feeders, helping you make an informed decision.

Safety Precautions for Dog Feeders

Ensure Safety and Reliability: Look for feeders with safety features like secure locking mechanisms to prevent your dog from accessing the food supply unsupervised.

Conclusion

Investing in a dog feeder can greatly enhance your dog's health and your convenience. Whether you choose a simple gravity feeder or a high-tech electronic option, the right feeder can revolutionize your pet care routine.

FAQs

1. Are automatic dog feeders safe to use? Yes, when used as directed and with the appropriate safety features, automatic dog feeders are safe and beneficial for your dog's feeding routine.

2. Can an automatic feeder help my overweight dog? Absolutely! By controlling portion sizes and feeding times, automatic feeders can play a crucial role in weight management for dogs.

3. How often should I clean my dog feeder? It's best to clean your dog feeder at least once a week, but always refer to the manufacturer's guidelines.

4. What if my dog doesn't like the feeder? Try introducing the feeder slowly and ensure it does not make loud noises or movements that could scare your dog. Use positive reinforcement to help your dog get used to the new feeding method.

5. Where is the best place to set up a dog feeder? A quiet, low-traffic area where your dog feels comfortable and that is easy to clean is ideal for setting up a dog feeder.

[pbandjesse]

My sinuses are very swollen. My allergies were bugging me a lot today. But I did get good sleep last night for the most part. I was very tired today though. Still am. I did not lay down and sleep when I got home only because I thought it would help me sleep easier tonight. But I also was to tired to actually do anything so I just laid here for 4 hours. Ugh. It's fine. Tomorrow's another day.

I woke up at 6 this morning and was not thrilled. I was able to fall back asleep but when my alarm went off at 7 I had James hold me for 10 minutes before I actually got up. I was struggling a bit. But I would be okay.

James walked out with me and it was very grey. It wouldn't rain but we weren't sure. Tomorrow it is supposed to. We will see how that shakes out.

I drove out to camp. Stopped for a donut. It was a nice day.

After eating my donut in my hammock, I spent that first hour collecting materials and making sure the tables were set up for the feild trip group. And then I went to the office. Where I found everyone else. We had some laughs about the rotations for today and forgetting to assign Sarah a role, plus being overstaffed for once. But we sorted it out. Celia would be doing critter talks, I was leading a mural, Nick was leading Gaga, Sarah would help with s'mores, Dechelle would help with the rotations. While indigo would lead a program they were calling "spirit sticks". Which was just a modified program using my paint brush supplies.

I was mildly concerned about this. I really like all the indigo staff but I get frustrated when things are just woo woo spiritual stuff. And the broad brush of "Native Americans" keeps getting used. Which frustrated me when I have worked so hard and done so much research to try to get us away from that! So I brought the concern up after we were like. Hey what is spirit sticks? And the answer we were given felt. Off. Like it felt like we were just being told a made up answer. So they would lead it. And they kids loved it. But I am not thrilled that we are basically back to doing something that could be considered appropriation. Like not the actual piece, which I guess is fine still because it was still basically the paint brushes, but the way they were spoken about and taught us sus to me. Elizabeth says a larger conversation will be had when Alexi and Heather come back next week.

It would still be a good day though. The group came and we very sweet but this was for sure the most rambunctious group we've met so far. Apparently because of a teacher shortage, last year yeah first grade class had 40 students. That's a wild ratio and I'm not shocked they are 2nd graders with 1st grade/kindergarten social levels. But they were still sweet, just loud and wanted to run a lot.

After we had a circle intro I took the first group and besides the yelling and running ahead they were great. We found just about everything on our list. We looked at and identified mushrooms. I got to tell them history about things. Talk about plants. We looked for frogs. Still no luck catching one down there. And we got all the way up to the horses. Which was so exciting for them. Some of them had never seen a horse in real life before. We fed them hay and pet their noses. It was really sweet.

We had carried the new MWEE staffs today and I think they look great. A child did accidentally hit me with one in the neck and I was very upset but couldn't show it. Was just like, okay I will take this stick now you cannot handle it safely. And we headed to lunch.

I really enjoyed the two teachers I was with today as well. Adam from indigo and Mr Duckett. They both had excellent insight and questions. It made the hike really enjoyable.

I just had to sit quietly at lunch I was so tired already. But to quickly we were heading over to get our groups.

There was a miscommunication though and while we had planned on 1215 for foest program they thought it was 1235. So I quickly fixed the schedule and we cut each rotation back down to 15 minutes. We made it work.

And it was fun! I was so pleased with how their mural came out. The first three groups filled almost all the frames and besides one or two mistakes everyone was good about not stepping on the fabric. The first group made me realize they didn't know what fabric was. Like what that word meant. So I would say we are drawing on fabric, fabric is like what your clothes are made of! We are using markers. We don't use markers on ourselves, our friends, the building, or the floor. Only on the fabric! And that worked so well.

The last two groups would be so gracious when I told them while all the frames were filled their jobs were to finish the drawings that didn't get done and then the final group was making it perfect. I think that language really helped make them excited, like they really were a part of the community making the piece. And that felt really good.

Once my last group was done and cleaned up, I folded up the metal and gave it to the indigo staff. They told me they will gift it to the principal. I love that.

I was able to run down to the fire pit and get a s'more and watch them pour water on the fire. It was really fun. I chatted with Sarah and Dachelle. And then we headed up to get all the materials and put them away.

Sarah was a doll and grabbed my drink and my walkie I forgot. And we set up the boxes to be reset tomorrow. But we were all just so beat. I changed my shoes back to my birks and We went and sat in the office for 15 minutes. I had a little snack. And when Sarah said she was walking to the lodge to clean up the tables I walked with her.

I would check in with Gabe about changing the project, maybe to musical instruments like a shaker or something similar. He said he'll be in touch to discuss it more. So fingers crossed.

Once all the chairs were put away and everyone else was finishing up the last tables I got all the sticks and things that needed to be out away and headed to the after building and then the office.

In the office I talked to Elizabeth. I put trash away. I made my to do list for tomorrow more solid. Eventually Sarah would come back up but she was soon off. Taking things to be mailed. Elizabeth had a tour and then she said she would leave right after. So I only stayed until her tour started. I was excited to leave a little early.

I would have to deal with some traffic but not to much. I decided to stop at Walgreens

Got some chapstick and a new sponge. I felt overwhelmed by vitamin choices. So I did not get any and went home.

I beat James home. So I took an everything shower. I was feeling really bad today about my hair and face. So I wanted to try to fix that. Trimmed my bangs a little more. Washed my hair. Might do my eyebrows. Just trying to feel nice.

James got home and I was so happy to see them. We had some packages. I got a graphic novel in the mail. I started reading it but I decided to wait until I could give it my full attention and I wasn't so tired my eyes were crossing.

James would record their podcast episode. I laid in bed and watched tiktoks. I answered emails. I have a meeting with someone from the creative alliance next Friday so I'm excited about that. But mostly I just laid here with sweetp. James would bring me a salad and a little cheese cake bite. And eventually they would shower and then join me in bed.

I am more then ready to sleep now. I feel so tired but I am still worried I will struggle to fall asleep. Let's hope it comes easy.

Tomorrow me and Sarah are the only ones at camp. I have high hopes of organization and knocking things off our list. I really hope we can get stuff done.

Goodnight everyone. Take care of yourself. I love you all.

[rooklinensinker]

Bad news, I think I got attached to the snails 😭

So I was doing research on them and realised that I was doing everything wrong!

- they need a constant food source available to them and with that a source of calcium (like cuttlefish bone) for their shell health and a weekly dose of protein (like dried mealworms)

- they need a dewormer to get rid of possible parasites because you can't check whether or not they have them so might as well

- they need a nicer enclosure with proper dirt because the current one is very tall and if they fall they might hurt their shells and die.

So as the great father I am I was ready to go to the pet store and get supplies until my brother staged an intervention. He basically said I was dumb, snails aren't proper pets, and since I don't earn my own money yet he gets to say no so yeah I can't get supplies for them.

And tbh idk what to do because I thought snails would be easy (turns out gullible was written on the ceiling after all) and low maintenance. I can't release them because they're invasive and I don't want them to eat my flowers, but if I keep them I'll essentially have to watch them die slowly. And if they will die, at least I'd rather make it comfortable for them. But it feels like nothing I do is enough because it's not perfect. This has taught me more about myself than I've realised.

When I first got Snelson I tried to accommodate and overcompensated to a harmful degree. I even fed him orange peels of all things! And ever since I've tried to research and mend my mistakes because it isn't good if it's not perfect. But I'm not in a position where perfect is achievable. It's very selfish of me I know, to take in something I can't take care of to the best of my ability. But I guess I'll have to learn to settle.

I was already so willing to plan for the next 15 years of sheltering them and giving them the best but if I'm honest I wasn't even going to do a fraction for myself. I don't live very healthily so how can I take care of something if I can't even take care of myself?

All this to say, unfortunately I give up trying. I don't think I can afford to do much other than survive at this point. I haven't even got a job yet. I need to sort myself out, THEN maybe I'll do better. I have to do good first.

Dammit I'm crying. My brother was right.