#Quick Side Hustle FE

[marketingprofitmedia]

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Quick Side Hustle Review: What Is It?

Quick Side Hustle Review: Overview

Creator: Jason Fulton

Product: Quick Side Hustle

Date Of Launch: 2024-Feb-01

Time Of Launch: 09:00 EST

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Quick Side Hustle Review: How Does It Work?

Quick Side Hustle Review: Why You Need To Get It Now?

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Quick Side Hustle Review: Verify User Feedback

Quick Side Hustle Review: Who Should Use It?

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Quick Side Hustle Review: OTO And Pricing

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Quick Side Hustle Review: Conclusion

Quick Side Hustle enticing claims of effortless earnings and guaranteed high-paying jobs with top companies might seem like a shortcut to financial freedom. However, upon closer inspection, the lack of transparency, unsubstantiated claims, and unrealistic promises raise significant red flags. Remember, sustainable income generation rarely comes without effort, skills, and dedication. Instead of falling prey to Quick Side Hustle’s dubious claims, explore alternative side hustles that require your skills, dedication, and a commitment to continuous learning. The path to financial freedom might not be effortless, but with the right approach and realistic expectations, you can achieve your goals through genuine hard work and exploration of proven side hustle opportunities.

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[sh-tposter2021]

Fumbling

Chapter 1

Find Chapter 2 here!!!

TW// Swearing

(This is a repost bc my dumba** just accidentally deleted the first chapter *facepalm*)

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

My hands were shaking as I tried to tie my boyfriend's tie for dinner tonight. Well, it’s not technically his tie, it’s my older brother's tie that I stole from his dresser drawer early this morning.

“Fucking Christ Y/N,” Jack said to me as I threw my hands to my sides causing my outfit for tonights dinner to wrinkle and crumple at the sides under the sudden weight. “I should be da one worried ‘bout tonight, not you.”

I stared at the boy—no, the man—standing before me as the hustle and bustle of the Newsboys Lodging echoed in the back of my mind. The only thing I could pay attention to was Jack Kelly. My eyes started to water and I tried to blink back the salty mist of tears edging their way out of the inner corner of my eyelids.

Being the youngest of four children to the Mayor of Manhattan was pressure in and of itself. “Be a proper lady,” Mother would say. “Marry rich,” she prattled on. However, that’s not what I wanted. I wanted Jack Kelly. I wanted danger and adventure and our own little Santa Fe ranch.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jack said with a worried undertone to his voice. I looked at him, tears streaming down my blushed, warm cheeks. “What if they don’t love you like I do Jackie?” I cried. Some of the other boys popped their heads in, I know this because Jackie raised an eyebrow while looking over my shoulder at the doorway. “It don’t matter to me if they love me. What does matter is that you love me. Ya?” I looked at him through the foggy lens my tears had created. He’s right, I wish he wasn’t, but he’s right. He put his hand under my chin, lifted my head up and gave me a quick peck on the nose. Why’s he such a tease at the worst times?

I pulled myself together like my mother had taught me and went back to tying the limp, crinkled tie around my Jackie’s neck. Occasionally he’d let out a little giggle, which I can only assume he did because I had accidentally grazed his neck with my fingers or thwacked him in the nose with the tie.

Minutes turned into hours and the tie was finally tied correctly. Since there were a couple of hours to spare before we had to be at my home for supper, we went onto the roof of the lodge and just stood there. “Ya look nice,” Jackie said with a flirtatious undertone. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told ya that today already but, ya do look nice.” He came up behind me and put his arms around my neck, laying loose and limp at the shoulders. I turned around to face him and stood on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his soft lips. Yes, tonight was going to be perfect.

[shreddedparchment]

Heavy is the Hand You’re Dealt

Part 2

08/31/2019

Pairing: Steve x Reader, Thor x Reader     Word Count: 7,541

Masterpost          Warnings: Smut, language, ANGST, Endgame canon

Challenge Prompt: Imposter - Bearson

A/N: So, I had every intention of making this a two-parter...fml, right? But I think three parts is more appropriate. This one ends where it needed to. A lot happens and I think we all need time to digest. I hope you all like it. I really do. I love @youngmoneymilla as a writer (and human--let’s be honest) and I so want to rise to this challenge. As always, any feedback on what you loved or what spoke to you the most is appreciated. Any reblogs are as well. Thanks. xoxo P.S. Sorry I used so many gifs.

It’s eerie how quickly the world changed. In an instant it’s all become so…alien.

The sounds of the city have not been the same since that day. It’s too quiet. The hustle and bustle muted. Hardly any animals.

Soy again tonight? Tofu with roasted tomatoes?

Or maybe tofu burgers? Maybe you can convince Steve to splurge and get him to buy himself a real burger. Beef.

Animals breed faster than humans so, the price is falling. Finally, after five years, burgers are almost affordable.

It’s all about soy now-a-days.

The familiar jiggle of keys in the deadbolt pulls you slightly out of your dinner contemplation. Eyes frozen on the hazy glass, dark skies looming overhead. Thunder crackles, clear and sharp. It shatters your concentration and you lean forward, tilting your head up to look at the swirling slate clouds.

“It’s gonna rain.” You say, the front door quietly closing followed by the setting down of keys and the hanging of a jacket.

Soft thumps on your hardwood floor move closer, stopping just behind you as two large hands come to rest atop your shoulders. A kiss to the back of your head. Lingering. The hands move down along your biceps, a warm silken caress raising goosebumps along your skin.

As they reach your elbows, they transfer onto your sides and wrap around your waist.

His heat curls around you from behind and you tilt your head up and to the side to look at him as he leans down and buries his face against your neck.

“Hey, you okay?” You frown, the tremor in his chin and the crinkle of his brow means trouble. “Steve?”

He sniffles once, wrapping his arms around you tighter.

You almost cry too because it’s hard to see him quake. Your rock. Your center. He’s still so…shaken. You’ve tried to do as much as you can. You’ve  tried to help but maybe you aren’t enough? He’s quiet about it but sometimes, like now, he’s almost like a child. Searching for reassurance and comfort.

You twist around in his arms, hands placed on his cheeks as you pull his head up to stare into those beautiful eyes.

The pine green plaid shirt he’s wearing brings out the small flecks of emerald around his pupil. They’re sea green today.

“How was the group?” You probe, making sure to keep your voice light as he sniffles again, eyes red, cheeks flushed.

You miss his beard but without it, you can see him cry and you’re grateful. He’s open with you—more than with anyone else—yes, but he’s also withdrawn. Secretive. You have to pry things from his lips at times and you know it’s only because his life has changed again.

He went into the ice and woke up in modern day. You’d been around to help with that. And now he’s plunged into this nightmare after the snap and you know that he’s struggling. He blames himself. They all do.

You wipe the tears from his cheeks, loving him so much and thankful because he can fall apart in your arms now when before he’d been so careful to keep up the façade. This is progress.

“The group’s fine. One of the guys went on a date.” Steve’s voice is lower than normal. Deep baritone as he struggles with his sorrow. “He’s got a second one lined up for tomorrow.”

“That’s good.” You praise him, knowing he needs it. He’s is making a difference. Always striving to help. “Right? It’s working.”

His effort. It’s worth it.

“Yeah.” He sniffles one last time and stands up straighter, breathing in slowly then exhaling as he traces the shape of your hips.

Like a magnet, his hands draw you closer. You push yourself up onto your toes, knowing this need better than his other ones. Five years with Steve has taught you his ins and outs. You’d already known him fairly well before the world had ended but now, on this barren planet, you know him better than you know yourself.

You’ve seen his highs—most of those before the Snap—and you’ve seen his lowest of lows.

You know when he needs your words and when he doesn’t.

Like now.

He kisses you, soft lingering pecks as his body molds itself to yours. He steps towards you, pelvis first, searching, needing, desperately. Arms crushing your chest to his.

“I need you.” He whispers, sending shivers down your spine.

Five years and you still can’t believe that Steve wants you. That he comes home to you. He sleeps next to you.

“I’m here.” You promise him, tracing the shell of his ears before you slide them up into his growing blonde locks.

Steve’s face changes, eyes darkening as he backs you up against the wall beside the window you'd been staring out of.

Thunder rumbles again and the torrent begins, loud against your window.

He comes at you, mouth open, tongue sliding out to tangle with yours and you taste the watered-down coffee from his meeting. As his right hand pushes against the small of your back to keep you up against him, his other hand slides down to hold your bum to keep it still as he thrusts against you.

It’s wild movement. Chaotic and almost lost in desire.

“Ooh, Steve…” You moan against his mouth.

“Mmmph.” He groans and pulls back.

Reaching down for your hand. He takes it, leads you to your shared bedroom, then sits you on the edge of the bed. In silence he kneels before you, pulls at the button of your jeans as he leans in to kiss you in more wet lingering pecks.

You work on his jeans too, tugging them open until there’s enough space for your hand and you slide in past his waistband to find his cock, hard and throbbing.

Steve's hands stutter as you grab hold of him and begin to stroke. You squeeze him, soft pliable flesh, burning skin, the thought of that salty taste of him already coaxing your lips apart.

Your touch calms him. He moves his hands to rest on either side of your hips on the bed as you work him, elbows trembling with your touch. You pass your thumb over the head of his cock and feel him quiver as he drops his head and leans forward to rest it against your breasts.

He buries his face in them. Relishing in the relief you’re giving him, groaning against them, slowly nudging them with his nose.

Wrapping your arm around his head, you kiss the top, over and over as your hand speeds up.

Steve’s find your waist and he coaxes your shirt up to slide his fingers against your skin. His exploration becomes tender, less frenzied as he trails the pads of his fingers over your ribs and back behind you to unhook your bra. When it’s loose, he slides his hand up over your breasts, kneading them softly.

Finally, he lifts his head, pushes your shirt and bra up to take you pert nipple into his mouth.

“Steve…” You mewl as he suckles, his tongue making long slow circles leaving wet marks around the pebble.

He leans back and you stand up. He stands with you, hands pulling your shirt up over your head. You begin to squat down, eager to taste him, but he catches your elbow and stands you back up.

“No.” He says gently. “I wanna see you.”

You blink, surprised by the sadness still within those blue eyes.

If that’s what he needs…

You unzip your pants and strip, stopping only when you’re laid bare before him all woman curves and wanting flesh.

He touches you, your arms, your shoulders, your hips, massages the curve of your ass and turns you around to slide a strong hand down the center of your back while the other wraps around your front and slides down along your stomach to your swollen nub.

He presses down on it and you whimper, biting your lip hard as his other hand pushes your back forward and he grinds against your bum. The rough fabric of his jeans chaffing but the bulge of his cock tempting.

He pushes you until you’re at the edge of the bed, chest flat against the mattress, ass up in the air towards him.

You can hear the slide of his zipper and turn your head on bed so that you can look back at him. He pulls his shirt off, exposing the perfect chiseled sculpt of his body and his muscles flex as he steps towards you again. He traces your spine again and you can only stare at his perfection as he leans over and kisses the center of your back.

A quick lick to that spot between your shoulders that always makes you weak, and the heated tip of his cock is pushing into you.

Your head snaps front, back arching into the mattress as he slides in easily because you’re dripping for him.

He grunts and he stops, feeling you around him, clenching and adjusting to his girth.

“Oh, baby…” You whimper, laying yourself back down as your hips squirm with the anticipation of his movement.

He doesn’t move though. He kisses your back again, slides his pants off and steps out of them.

You try to keep quiet. To be patient because Steve needs this right now. Needs you. This he can control. The world might have been broken and he may not be able to put it back together but at least with you, here, in the safety of your bedroom, he can move and bend you and make you his in any way that he wants.

He doesn’t make you wait too long before he’s pushing into you deeper. He pulls back and rolls his hips into you again, groaning.

“Oh, Steve that feels so good.” You tell him, unable to help yourself.

He puts one knee beside you and pushes in the rest of the way.

“Shit.” He growls. “Fuck, you’re so wet.”

Steve never talks dirty and it surprises you, sending warm tingles down your stomach. Heat pools at your core and you whine, squirming again.

He lays himself over you, curling his body until he’s right on you, knees offering support, your own feet still on the floor.

His lips are everywhere. Your neck your shoulders. He tilts your head to the side, and he kisses you, tongue pushing past your lips as he begins to move again.

He moves slow at first, then faster and faster until the lurid sound of his skin slapping against your ass fills the room.

His hands are magic along your slit as he moves in and out of you. He finds your nub and pulls, prods, pinches, and moves against it in slow circles. There’s a break within you suddenly and it comes all at once. Your body comes undone.

“Steve!” You cry, as you twitch and spasm as while he keeps pumping through your climax then pulls out only to turn you onto your back and crawl over you giving you a moment’s relief from stimulation.

Still breathing hard, he wraps his arm around your weakened body and tugs you upwards. He lays himself between your legs and plunges back into you, moving faster as you lift your legs and spread them for him.

Your hands find his bottom, hard flexing muscle as he relentlessly thrusts into you and you push him down against your clit hard, the swell of his cock stretching you so delicious.

“I love you.” He tells you, dropping down closer so that your breasts are pressed flat against his chest.

“Oh, Steve…” You moan, touched. “I love you.”

And you do and you’re so overjoyed that this is your life. This is what you can do for him and so much more. But this, being with him, this closeness, his love so freely given—“I love you.”

He kisses you hard, teeth clashing as you both try to convey the depth of your wants and joys.

“Mmmm.” He moans against your lips. “Shit.”

“Come for me, baby.” You whisper, reaching up to slide his hair back, fingers lacing through the soft tresses as he bucks against you faster.

“No.” He protests, a sudden flicker of fear in his eye. “I shouldn’t.”

“Then outside but come for me, Steve.” You nod at him, hands sliding up along his strong taut back, lusting for his body. You want to touch every bit of him. Kiss, love, and enjoy every inch of his Adonis structure.

“I shouldn’t.” He says again, ignoring you.

“Steve?”

“I…shouldn’t.” He moves faster, hips grinding down on your clit hard.

“Ste-? AH!” You moan loudly, body crashing once more into euphoric bliss as Steve stares right into your sex-hazed eyes, thunder overhead drowns out your pleasure cry.

“I’m…I should…shouldn’t…” He grunts but then rams himself into you three more times very quickly and you feel the heat of his climax fill you up. Hot thick spurts inside you, all the way in.

He collapses on top of you and your relaxed limbs wrap around him, keeping him close as he rolls both of you onto your sides.

With one leg straightened, the other left around his own, you push his hair back and notice the small beads of sweat on his forehead.

“You okay?” You check, reaching up to wipe at the sweat.

“I’m not done.” He states, and pulls you into his arms again, chest to chest, still inside you he grows hard again slowly.

He kisses you, lips moving languidly along your own.

“I love you.” He declares.

So much love today. You’re so lucky.

“I love you, Steve. You know I do.”

He gives you a quick small smile then reaches down and hooks your leg up high around his hips.

“I love you.” He says again and as the sky outside cracks with another deafening boom and the rain falls harder and faster, he pulls his hips back and thrusts up into you once more.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Should I come with you?” You hold the sheet against your naked body, watching Steve get dressed.

He’s pulled on a pair of dark jeans, a black long sleeve, his hair combed back. It’s so long. You like it this length.

He’d fallen asleep in your arms last night, cheek against your bare breasts while your hands had stroked that beautiful blonde hair. You wish it was last night again.

Every time Steve goes back to the compound, your heart beats wild with apprehension. You aren’t sure what it is or why it makes you panic. Perhaps it’s because that’s where you were when it all fell apart?

One story ended and yours and Steve’s began.

Today you feel especially sick to your stomach about it. It’s all in knots, making you queasy but this time you know why.

Nat’s getting a report today from the remaining Avengers. Rhodey’s been patrolling the more torn up countries. Following a trail of high-profile crime syndicate killings. Someone’s taking out all the bad guys but violently and definitely not sanctioned. Okoye has been handling things in Wakanda and Carol, Rocket, and Nebula are all dealing with various crises on other planets.

New Avengers.

All of them reporting to Nat who then in kind, reports to you. The new Fury. Or so Nat says, usually with a smirk. You stay out of the Compound, but you have your hand in all the pies.

You reach for your tablet and power it on. New notifications of possible problem areas becoming real issues fill your screen and you open up the World map to look at the spots and see if there’s a pattern to the trouble. You check in with some contacts around the world; London, Paris, Hong Kong, Seoul, Wakanda, Sydney…all the major check points and they begin to inundate you with strange occurrences and questions.

“No. I’m just going to go check up on Nat.” Steve says, moving to sit at the end of the bed and pull on his boots.

You slip the sheet under your arms so that you can work with both hands, your brow furrowed in concentration as you answer questions about Iron Man and where he’s been.

Busy. He’s semi-retired. Is it an emergency? Can local law enforcement handle it? What makes this case special? Sounds like it’s already over.

You sigh.

Steve has mostly kept out of all the trouble. He does what he can, but he’s focused on helping with the group and doing smaller things around the city. He’s kept his distance and you’re pretty sure it’s because he feels like he’s failed the team. Things are quieter anyway.

“I’ll need to check in at some point.” You tell him, still distracted. “I can come.”

You feel his weight drop down beside you and look up. He’s sitting on the edge of your side now, his left arm around you on your right as he leans in, that tempting half smile in place as he meets your eyes.

“Stay. Rest.” He begs, then slides those storm blues down to the top of your sheet. He slides two fingers under it then pulls it away, exposing you.

He leans down, kisses one breast, then the other before sitting up straight. He takes the tablet out of your hands and throws it to the foot of the bed before sliding that right arm underneath your knees. He pulls you once, hard and fast so that you fall onto the bed on your back, breasts bouncing from impact.

You chuckle and Steve smiles a little more widely at the sound.

He lays his torso over you and your hands trace the bulge of his biceps.

“Sleep. You’ve been waking up really early and going to sleep very late.” He complains.

“I get distracted.” You confess. “I’m busy. I’m-”

“The world is full of problems, Y/N. They’re not going anywhere.” He assures you.

“I know. I just…I wanna help.” You sigh and Steve traces the curve of your cheek.

“You are.” He kisses you, slow and pure, then pulls back.

He looks down at your breasts once more, a lick of his lips to show you that he still wants it, before he pulls the sheet back up and tucks it in around you. Places to be and things to do.

“Sleep.” He kisses the tip of your nose.

You’re never ready for it. The change. The way things are perfectly fine—well, as close to perfectly fine as they can be after the Snap—and then suddenly everything becomes unknown. Everything that you pictured for your future is thrown to the wind.

Everything you’d thought was possible disappears because now anything is possible. Anything.

You’re not alone in your worries.

Your phone rings, buzzing across your desk at the Compound.

“Hello?”

“I figured it out.”

“What?” You gasp, hushing yourself as a wave of hope and panic immobilize you.

“I know how to do it. I know how to go back…Y/N…”

“Tony, are you sure? Because Bruce has been trying to get Scott to-”

“Old man or baby?” He asks, cutting you off.

“B-Both.” How the hell does he know that?

“I know how to do it right.” He says once more.

“We can get them all back?” You ask, excitement already beginning to flow through you, setting your world to glow.

“We can.”

“Tony…Steve-” You begin, already getting to your feet to go get him.

He’s been in the hangar with Bruce this whole time, a temp lab because the equipment is so large. He’s been as distracted with this time travel idea as you were before with work. He’s laying all of his hopes on this idea. Maybe, if you can give him the good news then he won’t be so…distant.

Steve the morning he came to see Nat and Steve after he spoke to Nat and Scott are like two people. Before their talk, okay, yes. He’d been preoccupied. Depressed a little. But who isn’t depressed these days?

Things are hard. Lives were changed in drastic and bad ways. Steve had been and is still your only consolation.

However, even though he’d been preoccupied, he’s withdrawn into this project. He’s brighter. The light in his eyes is full of hope and eagerness and disappointment when it doesn’t pan out, but he’s driven again. He’s got something to strive for.

You only wish it didn’t also make him spend less time with you. Unless it’s to go to bed, you don’t hear from him all day and that’s because he’s right there, in the room. He doesn’t hold your hand or kiss you or even smile at you.

One time you’d looked up and caught him watching you. Eyes sad. He’d forced a smile then looked away.

“Don’t tell him.” Tony says, shocking your heart into confusion.

“What?” It would make him so happy!

“I-I’d like to tell him myself. He and I…we need to-”

“Yes!” You gasp, not even needing him to finish. “Yes, Tony. I’ll let you tell him.” More than Steve’s kisses or love filled gazes, you want him and Tony talking.

“But…please get here soon? I really don’t know how many more times they can make Scott old before he starts losing his mind.”

And Tony does come. He and Steve bury the hatchet—very quickly too—and then they all go to work.

But not with you.

To your surprise, Nat pulls you aside and hands you her tablet. The one she talks to you with. The one that holds all of the relevant information for the operation that you’ve been running together to keep the world turning without too many blazes.

“I hate to ask, but while we work on this, do you think you can take over?” She looks sheepish and so not Nat that you take the tablet without hesitation.

“Of course, Nat. Whatever you need. But if I can help you with anything here though, with this, can you let me know? I’d love to help.” You look for Steve behind her. You want to be beside him, helping him achieve his dreams.

And…you want to see him. Talk to him. Love him. He’s busy. You remind yourself. A scolding.

“Thanks, Y/N. And if we need anything, of course we’ll come to you.” She smiles softly, then turns and heads back towards Steve, Tony, Bruce, and Nebula all huddled around the large Quantum pad they’re building.

Nebula walking around and putting a panel down only for Bruce to shake his massive green head.

“No. I said to the right.” Bruce gripes.

“This is the right.” Nebula argues.

“My right. Not your right.” Bruce says.

“This is your right.” She points out.

“Oh.” Bruce looks down at some schematic you can’t see. “I meant left.”

Nebula stands up straight, jaw clenching and flexing.

Rhodey hurries to her side and gently moves to slide his hands under hers. “Here, I’ll get it. Go help Rocket.”

“Looks like they don’t want your help either, aye?” A deep gruff voice comes from behind you.

You turn to find Thor sitting on a bench, legs spread wide, belly slightly peeking out at the bottom of his ratty, stained, and torn up beige t-shirt.

“Guess we’re not…worthy of giving a hand.” He scowls.

“Are you okay?” You ask him, frowning as you hold the tablet against your chest.

He’s not looking so great.

Thor on the other hand looks down at your feet then shakes his head. Whatever he’s going to say weighs heavy on his shoulders and so instead of saying what he really wants to say, he changes the subject.

“Did I ever tell you about Jane Foster? My ex?” He asks, suddenly leaning forward, sunglasses thrown up onto his head as he stares at you with one piercing blue eye, the other is amber.

His beard is long and thick; a mess. His hair in chunks and clearly in need of a wash and some brushing. He’s let himself go. He smells…well, you’ve smelled worse but not much.

Sweat, stale beer, that always familiar ozone only it’s more prominent and stings your nose. You don’t wince or otherwise betray that your olfactory has been assaulted.

Thor is a broken wretch of a man, given up on himself and everyone around him. It’s sad to see him like this because you know the pinnacle of Godliness that he’d been before. The absolute confidence that had shaped his strutting, thumping, godly energy.

However, you understand this fallen man. The chasm that must rest in his chest where his pride had settled beside his heart left must ache.

This loss, the Snap, broke him. It tore him to pieces and he’s only just put them back together enough to be here.

“I met her once. She was very nice.” You nod, giving him a small smile.

He returns it, a soft curve of his lips that brightens the otherwise glum expression. “She was beautiful. And smart. So smart.”

“Yes.” You nod once again. “She was.”

“And I failed her.” He says weakly, his voice closer to lamenting than speaking. “I failed everyone.”

Your smile falls, concern replacing the wariness as you move towards him and squat down before him so that he’ll have to look down at you. You carefully place your tablet in your lap, then your hands on his knees to keep your balance.

“Thor, no one blames you for what happened with Th-”

“No.” He protests, shaking his head at the name.

“For what happened with that guy.” You correct. “Everyone played a part in this beat, Thor. Even me.”

Thor’s face shifts from grief to fond and delighted amusement. It’s a soft expression, the smile gentle and his eyes crinkling at the corners. It’s the first time you’ve seen it in a long time. Since Ultron’s days at the party after the team had found Loki’s Scepter.

Thor’s exalted revels.

He takes hold of your chin and gives your head a very minute shake. It’s a soft tough, hot calloused fingers, affectionate and gentle.

“You were passed out on your bed, little dove. Not much you could have done.” He points out.

“And why was I passed out?” You ask him, waiting as he thinks it through.

He drops his hand from your chin but only to rest it over yours on his knee.

“You know, I don’t know. Captain Rogers never-”

“Because Nat drugged me. Because Steve didn’t want me out there fighting with everyone else. Because I’m normal, and weaker than them. I didn’t have Nat’s training or Sam’s skills or Rhodey’s military background. All I have, even to this day, is a glorified certification for an elite spy squad. A certification that I made use of by sitting behind a monitor and watched as everyone else went out to do the fighting.” You give him a second to let his mind catch up because he’s got his confused face on, brow furrowed as he stares at you. “If I was different, if I was better, if I was stronger, or special then I could have been out there fighting and maybe that would have made a difference?”

“Y/N…” He protests, chastising you for your thoughts.

“See? It’s easy to find blame in yourself if you try hard enough.” You explain. “You might have been right there Thor but the only person responsible for Thanos’s actions is Thanos.”

He doesn’t even flinch when you say his name.

“I still believe in you, Thor. Always.” You promise then lean up to press a chaste kiss to his cheek, grab your tablet, and leave him to hopefully, pull himself together.

Your eyes are burning. You haven’t stopped crying since they got back. They’re outside, dealing with the aftermath of their choices and you’re one friend short.

Not Nat. Is all you can think. No. It’s not true.

How can she be gone? The strongest Avenger. She is…was…she'd fought so hard only to have it to end like this?

She’s gone and you didn’t even get to say goodbye. You crumble against Steve’s bed, clinging to Nat’s tablet because it’s the last thing she gave you before they left on their heist.

The shining excitement in her pale rosy cheeked face as she’d bounced on her feet waiting to go back in time feels so wrong now. It feels like sacrilege.

How dare she be that eager to go out and die? Why? Why Nat?!

“Y/N?” Tony’s voice is winded, weak, and grieving. He’s like you. “You in here?”

You’re crying so he moves towards the sounds. “I-I-She’s not gone.”

Your denial makes him somber.

“She did it for us.” Tony tries to reason with you. “For them.”

Right now you would rather have Nat than the rest if the Universe. You know it’s selfish but it’s Nat!

He sits on the edge of the bed and places his hand on your ankle. He doesn’t try to comfort you because nothing can be said to make this better. Nothing can bring her back.

He lets you cry yourself out. When you finally sit yourself up, you struggle to find your balance, weak as you are.

“Where’s Steve?” He hasn’t come to see you yet. He came back and you sat on the bed, sniffling and crying silently while he showered and changed. He’d kissed your forehead and then left you in here.

“I have to regroup with the team.” He’d said, and then left.

“They’re going to the lab. We’ve got the stones and the gauntlet is almost finished.” Tony leans back, looking at your utter state of depression with gentle eyes. “You wanna come?”

You consider his offer, wondering if you want to be there to celebrate in the stones that took your friend…so many of them actually.

You wanna see Steve but he’s actively keeping his distance from you. You’re not sure why but you can feel his withdrawal.

Shaking your head, you let your hair fall forward, shielding your face from view.

“We’ll try to fix it. I think we can try to fix it. We’ll bring them all back. All of them, Y/N. Nat too.” He says, more hopeful than certain.

His warm calloused hand suddenly slides in underneath your hair, cupping your cheek gently.

“Hey, wanna do me a favor then?”

You nod, anything to distract from this agony and the looming question of Steve and why he doesn’t have you tucked in under his arm as he holds your hand like he always does.

You know you’re being stupid. The fate of the universe is in the balance. Of course your relationship has to be put on the back burner.

“Morgan’s been asking about you.” He says, finally drawing your eyes up.

That girl is the cutest and you haven’t seen her in so long.

“I’ll go.” You tell him, knowing what he’s asking. Steve probably asked him to. He wants you away from the danger of all this.

You find him in the lab and he hugs you tight when you tell him you’re going. He holds you much longer than he normally would in front of the team as you almost fall to pieces over Nat again, but he releases you and kisses you quick before sending you on your way.

“Stay safe.” You beg of him.

~~~~~~~~~~

You’re sitting with Morgan on the log house’s rustic porch when the garage door is blown open. You see a streak of blue and silver fly up into the sky, a blue-white spark of repulsor energy trailing behind it.

“What’s going on?” You ask, picking up Morgan to hold her close.

She looks worried, but only like a child would be. She doesn’t understand. All she asks when Happy comes out is, “Where’s mommy going?”

And you know things must have gone wrong.

The funeral is beautiful, at least in the way funerals can be.

When Pepper pushes the tribute wreath for Tony out onto the lake by the house, you cry. You stand inside, watching from a distance because you can’t bring yourself to be in front of all those people.

You’re alone. And you’re broken because Tony was here. He was just here. And now he’s gone and nothing feels the same.

Steve keeps his distance too. You don’t take offense because this battle, this mission, this whole fucking plan had taken so much from everyone. From Morgan the most.

Bruce is scarred from having used the stones to undo the Snap—and he’d said he tried to bring her back, but it didn’t work, and Nat is really gone—Steve had been broken and bruised and emotionally wrought.

He'd hugged you and cried into your shoulder as he clung but then he let you go and disappeared.

It was all so jumbled, this mess of celebration and grief. You lost him in the crowd and when things had finally died down, the two of you sat together silently, holding hands.

Taking solace that even though the Compound was gone, the two of you are still here, and you have each other.

Silver lining. You watch Steve hug his friends. After the funeral he and Bucky talk for a long time. They walk out to the lake and they sit, and they just talk.

You keep your distance because Steve has been needing this to happen. He’s needed Bucky back. And Sam. And Wanda.

You can already see the weight on his shoulders lessen and you feel your own sense of relief to know that he’s finally going to feel better.

When most of the people are gone and it’s only the team, you move out to Bruce as he sets up what looks like a smaller Quantum pad.

Suspicious. Worried.

“What’s going on?” You ask him, uncertain about this time travelling crap after what happened with Nat.

“Oh, hey. We’re getting everything set to go back again.” He explains, messing with the knobs and buttons on the panel before him.

Like death, fear begins to creep in, turning your blood to ice.

“Why?” You ask, afraid of who you’ll lose this time. Will Clint go? Or Rhodey? Bruce himself?

“Well, I made a promise. We have to get the stones back to where they belong the very moment that they were taken so that we don’t accidentally start any new timelines…although, I’m pretty sure we already did that, what with killing past Thanos at the compound. But…oh well. What could really go wrong, right?” His explanation makes your brain hurt but you get what he’s saying.

“Who-?” As he meets your eyes, you realize you don’t even need to ask. “Steve is going?”

“Yeah.” Bruce reaches over to gently massage his right shoulder, held tight with a sling then freezes as he sees the shift in your eyes. “I'm, oh jeez, I’m sorry. I-He hasn’t told you, has he?”

Rage. Pure rage engulfs your heart, at the center like the black pit of a rotten apple is the fear fueling your fire. You can’t lose Steve. You just can’t.

“I thought you knew!” Bruce yells after you, sounding remorseful.

Stomping mad, you search for Steve.

How dare he make this type of decision without speaking to you first? You’re his girlfriend. Hell, you’ve been living with him for five years! You’re way more than that by now.

You don’t have to go far and find him on the bench where he’d been with Bucky earlier, sitting with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together as he stares out at the water.

“Steve?” You storm, moving towards him intent on letting him know that he cannot go back in time to drop off the stones because more than a million things can go wrong and you cannot risk it.

No. He’ll just have to send someone else.

Steve jumps, which in and of itself should surprise you but you’re so angry you don’t notice the guilt in his eyes.

“How can you make the choice to go back in time again without even asking me?” You demand. “After what happened with Nat? You are not going. Do you hear me?”

Steve swallows hard, his hands clasped tightly at his side. He’s holding something, you realize. He doesn’t even seem annoyed by you demanding he stay.

“Y/N…”

“What’s that?” You ask him, pointing at his hand.

Steve looks at it and opens it up, holding his old compass for you to see.

“Oh. Well,” You renew, “This time travelling thing? I can’t watch you do it again, Steve not with-”

“I think…” He begins, hesitating as he stares down at the compass in his hands, cutting you off.

He’s twirling it around over and over, drawing your eyes to it and effectively silencing you.

“We’ve been friends for a long time.” Steve says, and with the way he does, your heart drops down into the pit of your stomach. “We had to wait until the world ended before we had our chance. I know that, part of that is my fault. If I’d been less scared to take the chance…you had to kiss me, remember?”

“Steve…” You try, softly, suddenly terrified.

“Please, don’t stop me or I’ll never get this out, Y/N.” He pleads, and his tone makes you nervous, chest aching painfully at the guilt you can clearly see now.

You lick your lips but nod and remain silent.

“I love you.”

Why doesn’t that give you comfort?

He nods, agreeing with his own statement. “So much but…”

He opens the compass and stares at it. Then he turns it and offers it to you.

You take the two steps closer to him in order to grab the compass, and your hand grows numb at the old black and white photo that lines the inside of the lid.

You know this face because you’d studied it during your training. You know it because you’d looked her up when Steve had finally told you about who she was and what she’d meant to him.  And just how important she really was. You’d known back them that you didn’t compare to her and yet, somehow, even knowing this, knowing what she represented to Steve, you didn’t see this coming.

You’d been so confident. Five years is no small amount of time to spend with someone.

Now you can see it. As clear as day, blinding and painful.

The moment time travel had become even a plausible possibility, Steve had begun to push you away.

He’d slipped up a few times. The night before they went on the heist especially.

He’d curled up behind you, coaxed you awake, kissed you fiercely and made love to you tenderly.  He’d even cried but you’d been sure that it was because he was nervous about the mission. What if they messed it up?

You realize now that he was telling you goodbye. Tracing the shape of your arms and legs, the curve of your breasts and bottom. He’d stared into your eyes and kissed you slow. Deep.

One last fuck before he does what he’s known he would do the moment he knew he could go back.

“You’re leaving me.” You whisper, disbelief ripping through you.

“Y/N…” He begins again, taking a step closer but you take a step back, tearing your eyes away from the beautiful Peggy Carter.

“You’re going and you’re not coming back.” You realize, betrayed.

“I…I have to see. I have to take the chance because if I can be with-”

This isn’t happening. This is a lie.

You turn away from him, and he goes silent. “Five years…Steve. We have been together for five years. You kissed me this morning—every morning for the last five years. You told me you love me.”

Him leaving must be a lie because if it isn’t then those five years you spent with him. Those kisses. His declaration that he loves you. Those become the lie.

“How…Are you not happy with me? I-I know that I…no, I…how can you…wait, I…don’t you love me?” You sputter, jumping from hurt to angry to confused as you turn to look at him again.

“Of course, I’m happy with you.” He rushes forward, hands on your cheeks and the way he strokes them is genuine and loving. You don’t want him to go. He can’t. “I love you…I do…”

“But not enough?” You gasp, realizing this as the truth. “You love her more. You’ll always love her more.”

This angers you. You shove him, hard, pushing against his chest because you’ve dreamt only of Steve. You’ve wanted only Steve. From the moment he taught you to punch, through all of the doubts and struggle and the distance that kept you apart when he was on the run and the times that he couldn’t be with you. You’ve loved him, body and soul. You were there after the Snap and you gave him what he needed and you…you’re nothing?

No. Not nothing.

You’re not enough.

Just a stop along the way.

You sob.

“I’m the one that’s been here through all of this shit with you Steve. We’ve lived together for five years. You slept beside me, for five years and you’re telling me that this entire time I was…what? Second best?”

“No.” Steve moves towards you again but you’re spitting angry and hurt. The hurt is the worst.

“But that’s what you’re telling me.” You argue. “I’m here. I’m right here, Steve.”

“I know.” He says, quiet, pained.

“I love you and I want to give you my life.”

“I know. I love-”

“I will marry you-” You utter desperately, begging almost but you’re getting angrier and angrier.

“Y/N…” He says, a little shocked.

“-and give you babies-”

He blinks, stunned. Thinking fast and hard, brow furrowed with thought and pain.

“-you are all I want. You know that…you know that I love you.”

“I do.” He assures you, seeming to snap out of it.

Your anger spikes, reaching new levels and coating your heart in venom. “Well if you know that you’re all I want the why do you want someone else?!”

You shout and Bruce gives you two a glance but then turns to leave to give you space?

Clint and Wanda turn to look at the two of you, staring for a moment with furrowed brows. Responding to the atmosphere but not your words.

The house door opens, swinging with a faint creak, and Bucky comes outside, standing by the railing as he watches. Deep knowing concern etched across his face.

He knows.

They’re all too far to really hear what you two are arguing about but they know you’re arguing.

“Don’t you want me?” You ask him, back to what sounds like a slight begging quality in your tone for him to choose you only because you choose only him. It’s Steve. Or no one.

“Yes.” Steve nods. “I do.”

He sweeps you into his arms, pulling you against his chest as you turn your head up to look at him, your hand still clutching his compass.

“Then stay with me. I love you. Please don’t do this to us.” You plead. “Please?”

Your voice cracks.

“Please?” You sob.

He leans down to kiss you but the guilt in his eyes doesn’t recede. It makes you pull back and he stops.

“You’re still going?” You check, even though you already know the answer.

“I have to.” He sighs, “It’s…it’s Peggy.”

You shove him away from you again and this time he tries to hold onto you, but you don’t let him.

“And I’m nothing.” You spit, finally managing to get out from under his hold. “I’m nothing to you.”

“Y/N, no. Baby…”

“Don’t call me that, Steve. How can you call me that and do this? Don’t…stop lying.”

You toss the compass at him and it hits his chest. He catches it while you turn and head back inside.

“I’m not lying. Baby…Y/N!” He calls after you, though he doesn’t make to follow and that kills you again.

You pass Bucky who opens his mouth to say something. Defend Steve? Empathize with you? You don’t care. None of it matters.

“Don’t.” You choke, tears streaming down your face.

You don’t stop until you’re in your bedroom, ignoring the multiple faces looking up at you with concern.

“Y/N?” Pepper asks, worried with Morgan in her arms.

“What’s happened?” Thor asks, sitting up straighter in the armchair he’s chose beside the couch.

Once in your room, you move to the closet and go in there too. You find a corner and slowly sink down to the floor, wishing there was a room in this house even smaller than this one where you might have the chance to fall apart in peace.

You want to be crushed. Enclosed in nothing so that this isn’t real, and Steve isn’t leaving you for someone else.

You don’t want to exist. You want to never have felt like this for Steve so that he can’t hurt you.

As it is, this will have to do, so you let yourself fall apart.

An hour later, Steve abandons you.

I’m so sorry to anyone who asked to be tagged and I said I wouldn’t be doing tags because it’s only two parts. If you would like to be tagged in the last part, let me know and I will add you! xoxo

Buy me a coffee!

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[pyrewriter]

Explanations (Part 3)

The class had mixed reactions to hearing about the things Adrien had done and the pain he hid behind the mask of being a young male model for a world renowned designer. Marinette and Alya had perhaps the most visceral reactions, Nino stood silent clenching his fist and teeth trying his best to restrain himself from calling Adrien out right then and there. Marinette was crying through most of the story, she was coming to the realization that she didn't know Adrien as well as she once thought. The rest ,including Chloe, were sheepish as the same revelation dawned on them.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm more driven than ever to make sure Adrien's ok" Chloe stated trying to turn the dour atmosphere that had set in. 

Fe' could see spirits flare at Chloe's words as they raised their fists letting out a collective "YEAH!!" thanking Chloe for being the one to say what they needed to hear. The mood had shifted to one of conviction even Marinette ,who was just on the verge of collapse, had seemed to regain her footing and looked more determined than any other.

"Oh and one more thing about Adrien before you go" the class looked at Fe' "He's a total dork and absolute mega nerd, best chance of finding him is at an expo". Adrien whistled a tune that caught the attention of Fe' and the class, Fe' repeated the tune in a different key "Apologies ,I seem to have dragged on, please go have fun" she said with a warm smile. The class was puzzled by what had happened but brushed it off and went on to enjoy the following hours at the pool.

Juleka had gone back to the main pool to talk to Nino "Your 'shy friend' told me to talk to you" he looked to Adrien who was watching from the hot tub.

When he received a confirming nod Nino gave Juleka the address of his uncle's tavern "Go there at around 10:00pm and he'll show you what you need to know". Juleka nodded before returning to Rose's side and enjoying the rest of their time at the pool with the class. Adrien stayed in the hot tub for most of the time but decided to cool off and to see how long he could hold his breath at the bottom of the pool. Nino had noticed him get into the main pool at first but went over to tease him when he did.

"Don't be such a stranger Bro, you decide to finally join the living" he asked jokingly, unfortunately his conversation caught the attention of the class. The girls took a notable interest in Nino's covered friend and were murmuring to one another as the two of them talked.

Adrien spoke quietly and in a timid manner "Hehe sorry man, you know how I get when there's people around" he waved his hand gesturing around him. "Hey do you mind timing me real quick? I want to see how long I can hold my breath at the bottom" he asked pointing toward the deep end of the pool.

Nino gave him a thumbs up "Of course Bro, I'll start counting when you hit the bottom and stop when you breach". Adrien closed his eyes, took a deep breath and let himself sink, once at the bottom he sat cross legged focusing on his heart beat. The girls wanted to get a better look at the boy who covered his head, as Adrien sat the girls all dove swimming toward him. Nino was occupied counting the seconds to notice the girls all swimming past him ,he was at 40 now, the girls swam close enough to touch him when they saw his scars and muscle tone. Adrien had noticed the distinct shift in light and felt the current around him churn and sway, he opened his eyes to see he was surrounded.

His focus broke and he shot himself to the surface gasping for air as he reached the surface, the girls breached soon after ,also gasping for air, around him keeping him from escaping. Adrien's instincts took over and he dove under again pushing off the wall behind him to dive underneath and past them. Before anybody knew what had happened and the girls figured out where he went he was on the opposite side of the pool plastered to the wall. Nino began to swim over and Adrien's head snapped to the noise like a cornered animal, the girls were surprised by his reaction and concerned.

Nino tried to calm his friend "Dude, dude, easy you're fine" he said holding his hands in front of him as he slowly approached getting close enough to grab his shoulders. "Calm down" Nino hushed his voice "Adrien you're fine" he said trying to stop his erratic breathing, slowly Adrien began to calm and his breathing became slow and deep. Adrien's eyes followed the girls as they began to swim closer, Nino raised his to normal speaking level "I think you should go do some breathing in the changing room". Adrien nodded in agreement and got out hustling to the boys locker room wrapping himself in a towel to cover the scars as he did.

"Is...is he going to be ok?" Marinette asked voicing the concern of the group.

Nino rubbed the back of his neck "Yeah he'll be fine, you guys really spooked him though" he said adding with a chuckle "I didn't know he could move that fast". He looked to the changing room "Gonna have to ask him what that was about, though considering his past I can probably make an educated guess".

Fe' was concerned "I think I should get going" she announced "-it was a lot of fun hanging out with you all, and thank you for your hospitality". She waved to the class as she entered the changing room, while she changed she called Adrien's cell.

"What's up Fe', everything ok?" Adrien asked answering his phone.

"I should be the one asking that question" Fe' replied then asking "Must've been a pretty bad flashback huh?".

Adrien rubbed his eyes trying to stop the slight burning from the pool water "Yeah, you leaving too or should I come pick you up later?" he asked as he began changing into jeans and a hoodie.

Fe' sighed and crossed her arms "I told them I was leaving so we can hang at my place until you need to go be a hero".

Adrien finished changing and grabbed his helmet "Sounds like a plan ,meet me outside by the bike, I've gotta talk to Nino real quick" Fe' hung up and left to wait outside. He entered the main pool area with his mask on and and hood up carrying his helmet in one hand, whistling to get Nino's attention as he approached the edge of the pool. Nino swam to meet him halfway but stayed mostly submerged, Adrien squatted down to talk with him as the girls watched sheepishly from the other side of the pool.

"You headin out, Bro?" Nino asked.

Adrien nodded "Yeah and I'm taking Fe' with me so I'll be at her place until later tonight, I'll probably be spending my spare time doing reno at the tavern". He held out his fist "See you later Nino, and tell the girls I said 'sorry, my anxiety flares when I get surrounded' for me".

Nino reached up pounding his fist against Adrien's "Sure thing Bro ,I got you, you go relax" Adrien chuckled before standing and exiting through the changing room. Nino went back to enjoying his time at the pool. Marinette recognized the bike helmet letting her quickly identify the hooded boy as the one who's been picking up Fe' on his bike.

She was curious though "What's his connection to Miss Fe', is he her boyfriend or something, and if he's so shy why ride a motorcycle, what is Nino not telling us" she thought to herself. "Follow me girls, it's time Nino gave us some deets on his friend" she said swimming over to him "Hey Nino, do you mind telling us more about your friend?" she asked.

Nino resorted to telling half truths again "Uhm-well thing is, that's actually the first time I've seen him without a shirt on and he doesn't talk about himself much so...".

Juleka helped him "So you don't know anything about all those scars?" she said pushing hair out of her face to wink.

"Yeah, he told me that he's pretty self conscious and came from a bad place but I never asked out of respect for his privacy" Nino said rolling off Juleka's question. The girls continued to question him for a while but Nino only told what he thought wouldn’t reveal too much or feigned ignorance telling them he didn't know or the subject never came up. Ultimately Marinette wasn't able to learn anything more than what she had already been able to surmise or guess from her observations. Meanwhile Adrien and Fe' were making the short ride to the apartment arriving about three hours before Adrien needed to be Chat and go on patrol with Ladybug.

They were greeted by Belial jumping onto Adrein's head and batting at his face, Adrien blocked his paw "Alright, alright, I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long" he said removing his mask.

Fe' smiled "He must really have a connection with you hehe".

"Well we were both strays when we met and now we got it good, all things considered" Adrien explained grabbing Belial holding him in his arms like a baby "Isn't that right".

Plagg flew from his pocket "Hey what am I sliced cheddar?" he exclaimed.

"Aww come here you little incarnate of destruction" Adrien said reaching up with one arm catching Plagg and nuzzling him "You started this cat troupe".

"Egh! Fe', help me he's being a dork again" Plagg pleaded.

She tried to stifle her laugh but it came out anyway "Hahahaha"

Adrien paused "what so funny?" he asked.

Fe' had to wipe a tear from her eye before answering "Nothing, nothing it's just nice to see you've got a family even though Father treated you like property" she said.

Adrien put Belial on his shoulder and reached over Fe's shoulders, pulling her in "Don't act like you're not part of this Familia". She looked into his eyes before returning his embrace, they stayed inside watching funny videos and playing video games for two and a half hours before Adrien needed to be Chat. He took Belial with him on patrol and planned on taking him to the tavern while he worked to make up for leaving him alone for so long. Adrien transformed in the bathroom "Plagg claws out" and opened the window to leave putting Belial on his usual spot.

"Don't get shot ok" Fe' called from the couch as he left.

He laughed "I make no paw-mises" he called back closing the window and jumping from wall to wall digging his claws into the bricks to make finger holds. Once on the roof he started his patrol route for his half of Paris waiting for Ladybug at the Eiffel tower when he was done but she never showed. "Well looks like LB has her hands full in her civilian life...again" Chat thought aloud "-not like I haven't patrolled the whole city alone before so why should tonight be any different?".

Marinette was hanging out with Alya and the other girls in her room talking about Nino's mysterious friend "I think he’s with Miss Fe'" she said.

"Like..together, what makes you say that?" Mylene asked.

"Marinette, they haven't even been our counselor for two days and has only been in Paris for three, what makes you think they’re connected?" Alya added.

"The helmet" Marinette stated, everyone looked at her puzzled and the room fell silent.

Alix spoke up "You mean the motorcycle helmet, what about it?" she asked.

Marinette began to pace "The past two days after school Miss Fe' got on a bike with someone but I couldn't see the rider's face, and Nino’s friend had it when he came out" she explained. The others expressions still looked lost "Each time she got on she held him, like really close and tight" she elaborated adding "-does that not sound like they know each other?". They continued to gossip through the night while Chat patrolled Paris alone, stopping to wait for Ladybug at the tower one more time.

Chat sat and waited until he was about to de-transform *BEEP BEEP* "Well the city's quiet tonight and I got stuff to do at the tavern" he said to himself scratching behind Belial's ears. He shook his head "First she acts like she despises me, then she acts concerned and willing to listen, then she ditches me? Ok LB, sure, fine, great" he exclaimed annoyed. Extending his staff to the ground he slid down it like a fireman's pole and de-transformed, he wasn't in the mood to care. It was dark and he was wearing a hood and mask ,no one would be able to tell who he was, he walked to Fe's apartment to pick up his bike. It was getting late and Adrien didn't want to bother Fe' to get his Helmet so he decided to ride without one and pick it up tomorrow after patrol. The sound of the bike starting caught the attention of Marinette and the girls, they all rushed to the balcony to see where it was coming from.

Alya spotted the bike's light from across the street pointing to it asking "Is that the bike you were talking about, Mari?".

"Yeah that's it but he still has his face covered and no helmet" Marinette replied "Maybe if we get down there fast en-" he was already down the street before she could finish her thought.

"Darn!" Alya exclaimed "Well at least we know where he'll be tomorrow, question now is when" she said. Then as if a light bulb went on in her mind "Hey why don't we stay the night and take shifts watching the building" she suggested.

"Ooooh like a stake out?" Rose asked practically jumping at the thought.

Alya winked "Exactly" she said making a finger gun.

Juleka raised a finger stating "We should go get our pajamas and sleeping bags if we're staking out that 'shy friend' of Nino's" everyone looked to each other giving a determined agreeing nod. All at once they filed off Marinette's balcony and out the door running to their houses, Juleka took a different route than normal to go to the address Nino had given her.

With everyone out of the room Tikki flew out from behind the books she had been hiding behind "Marinette, you were supposed to be on Patrol with Chat tonight" she said.

Marinette pulled at her hair "Oh no you're right, do you think we can still catch him?".

Tikki face palmed "That was hours ago, Chat's probably finished by now" she looked around looking like she was searching for something "But I don't feel Plagg's presence".

"So then he might still be out there" Marinette said taking her stance "Tikki-".

"WAIT!" Tikki shouted "If you're not here when your friends come back they'll be suspicious" she explained with a serious tone "Chat will be fine". Marinette raised a hand to argue but Tikki cut her off "You'll have to make it up to him later ,for now, you should get ready for guests don't you think?".

Marinette deflated "You're right, I'll go make some snacks and grab snacks" she said with a defeated sigh.

Juleka was almost at the address but she was hesitant to enter the alley that was supposed to lead her to it "Is this really where Adrien’s been hiding all this time?" she asked aloud. The sound of a motorcycle approaching filled her ears, Adrien saw her looking at him standing at the entrance of the alley. He was curious as to what Juleka was doing out so late let alone staring into alleys like a little kid who's scared of what's crawling in the fog.

Adrien stopped next to her "What are you doing all the way out here, isn't you place down by the river?" he asked taking his hood down to reveal his blonde hair.

Juleka rubbed her arm replying "Nino told me to go to this address around this time and that 'you'd show me everything I needed to know' but I think I've got the wrong street".

"No you got the right street, taverns right down there" he said shaking his head and pointing into the mist filled alley.

Juleka shrunk back "Uhm" Adrien got off his bike and held out his arm toward her, Belail walked across over his arm jumping to her. She caught him in her arms and he began to nuzzle her purring loudly.

"Hold him" he said offering her his hand, Juleka took it holding Belial close with her other arm as they walked through the fog. After a few feet in the front of the tavern became visible, he opened the door gently pulling her through the door way trying to warn her "Mind the step". The warning didn't come fast enough and she tripped dropping Belial and letting out a surprised yelp, Adrien still had her hand and managed to catch her before she fell. Belial had landed on his feet but was spooked and ran behind the bar, Juleka might as well have been hugging Adrien thanks to the position they were in.

"I got ya, Jule?" Adrien said not moving out of fear she would fall again ,she tightened her hold around him, "Uh Jule, are you ok?".

"You have everyone worried sick" she said tightening her hold again "Why won't you just come back?" she asked demandingly.

Adrien sighed "I would have thought the pool story would be enough reason, but if it was then you wouldn't be here" he said. She let go and he went to turn on the lights pulling out a chair along the way telling her "You might want to sit down" as the lights came on, Juleka refused. "Then at least stand in front of it, trust me" he pleaded, begrudgingly she sat in the chair and waited for him to explain "Thank you" he said. Slowly he reached up and began to remove his mask, stopping just before he moved it away from his face "Last chance to take the story as explanation," he told her. Juleka was silent "Alright" moving the mask away he showed his bare teeth and large scar.

Juleka gasped and covered her mouth looking like she was about to pass out from shock, Adrien chuckled "Told you".

Previous Chapter(Part 2)   Next Chapter   Chapter Guide

[backpackingwithmylens]

Marrakech is one of the most touristy cities in Morocco. Located in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, it serves as an ideal halting point for those travelling south. Marrakech is known for its bustling Medina, the famous night market, culture and beautiful gardens.

Last year I went on an epic 10-day trip to Morocco covering eight cities from North to West. I made Casablanca my base for five days, while I was covering the northern cities like Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen and Fes. However, on my sixth day, I shifted my base to Marrakech as I headed to explore the west (Essaouira and Imlil).

Here’s a complete itinerary that you can follow to make the most of your time in Marrakech.

Things to See and Do near Marrakech

Day 1 – Half day city tour to Essaouira

Essaouira is a beautiful port town situated on the Atlantic Coast of Morocco. It is approximately three hours away from Marrakech, making it an ideal destination for a day tour. The city has a plethora of scenic beauty and good food. However, it lacks connectivity and has limited transportation (scroll down for more details). Therefore, plan your trip accordingly.

Still not convinced? Here are the five reasons why you should pick Essaouira as your first destination from Marrakech.

Day 2 – Trek to the Atlas Mountains

Go beyond the hustle and bustle of the city and explore the nature’s abode. The Atlas Mountain is known for its beautiful trekking trails through the mud-brown Berber villages amidst the snow-capped peaks. Here’s a complete guide to help you make the most of your time in the Atlas Mountains.

Tip: Extend your stay for a day or two in Marrakech and head to the south. Spend a night in the Sahara desert, where you will get to dance in the dunes and camp under the stars.

Things to See and Do in Marrakech

Day 3 – DIY Marrakech city tour

Marrakech city is one of the easiest to memorise and navigate. Therefore, you can head out on your own and explore the gems on foot. All you need is an active internet connection with Google maps as your guide. Here’s a list of attractions that you can explore to make the most of your day.

Mouassine

Mouassine district within the medina is where you will find the most touristy spots. From the Secret Garden to the famous Bahia Palace. While you hop from one attraction to another, take small breaks in between to explore the market. A great place to shop for souvenirs.

Tip: Don’t hesitate to ask for a discount and remember to smile.

Le Jardin Secret

The newly restored 19th-century palace complex attracts thousands of tourists every day. Le Jardin Secret teleports you to a world that is in contrast to what lies outside of its door. People call it an oasis of tranquillity. You will be amazed by the architecture that takes its inspiration from Islamic art and architecture. If you’re an art lover, a beautiful gallery awaits your presence. Enjoy a cup of hot mint tea at the cafe while you ogle at the beauty of this place.

Bahia Palace

You will find a lot of palaces across Morocco. However, Bahia Palace is one of the grandest that you will see. The architecture gives a brilliant display of Islamic and Moroccan craftsmanship. The compound has a set of gardens, rooms with ornate walls, a mosaic floored courtyard with a fountain at the centre and a central axis. You’ll be in awe with the beauty of this place. Therefore, get ready to go on a clicking spree.

Tip: Make sure to charge your phone before entering this place, as you will run out of battery by the end of your tour.

Direction Régionale de l’artisanat

Make a quick halt at the Direction Régionale de l’artisanat. A government-operated art and handicraft gallery located near the Koutoubia Mosque. A great place

City Centre

Go beyond the Medina to explore the modern side of Marrakech. The bustling city centre is a hub of malls, cafes and decorated alleys. Walk around to get a better understand the life and culture. Also, don’t forget to grab a bit at the French cafes nearby.

Tip: If you are a waffle lover, head to La Creperie De Marrakech to satisfy your sweet cravings.

The main square of the medina is the busiest place in Marrakech. Famous for its night food market, also known as the covered souq. Find all the Moroccan delicacies at one place to fulfil your gastronomic fantasies.

Day 4 – Explore the remaining bit of Marrakech.

Jardin Majorelle

The famous Majorelle garden is one of the best you would come across in Morocco. The botanical garden has been created by a French orientalist, over forty years. Amidst the garden resides a gorgeous blue villa named the Villa Oasis. The Majorelle garden remains flooded with tourist throughout the year. However, the tranquil surroundings make the chaos disappear.

Tip: Be patient while taking pictures and wait for your turn, or else be ready to get photo bombed.

Lunch at Ourika valley

Merely 50 km to the south of Marrakech resides a blooming valley. Surrounded by the snow capped Atlas Mountains and named after the Ourika river. A great place to escape the heat and enjoy nature’s beauty. The valley has a hub of local cafes by the river where you can enjoy your lunch before heading back home.

Getting in and around Marrakech on a budget

Train

Marrakech is well connected with the northern cities by train and bus. However, train is the best and the most convenient transportation to reach the city. Therefore, catch the earliest train from the city you’ve been staying, and head to Marrakech. The city serves as a perfect spot to explore the gems close by.

Bus

Bus is the best transport when it comes to inter city travel in the west and south of Morocco. The bus station in Marrakech is close to the Train station. Moreover, you don’t need to pre-book the tickets. All you need is to reach the station on time and buy the tickets on the spot!

Taxi

You can opt for a taxi to travel long distances within the city. Also, don’t forget to check the metre reading before you start your journey.

On Foot

The best way to explore the Medina and attractions nearby is on foot. It saves time and also gives you a better sense of direction. Moreover, if you opt for a battery car, you might end up getting stuck inside the Medina.

Where to stay in Marrakech

Hotel

There are various hotel options available within and close to the Medina. I stayed at Hotel Oudaya for a night. A decent mid-ranged hotel that was merely 10 minutes away from the train station. You can read the review here.

Riad

A little pampering never hurt nobody! Therefore, stay in a Riad at least for a night to get a taste of luxury.

What and where to eat

Breakfast

An authentic Moroccan breakfast includes sweet and savoury pancakes, mint tea, nuts and olives. Whether you are staying at a Riad or a hotel, this breakfast is available everywhere.

Lunch

For lunch, head to any cafe within the medina and try out the delicious cooked or raw Moroccan salads along with Tajine. End your meal with a cup of hot mint tea.

Dinner

Hog at the night market. Try the famous Snail soup, Brochettes, Ketbans and other Moroccan dishes that you won’t find anywhere else.

In between

Carry a bunch of dates and nuts to satisfy your mid-day cravings. Also, don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated. Head to any juice counter at the medina, and try out the fresh fruit juices.

4 Days In Marrakech: A Complete Guide Marrakech is one of the most touristy cities in Morocco. Located in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, it serves as an ideal halting point for those travelling south.

[travelxbritt-blog]

10 TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE UP FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP

If you are wondering how to save big for your next trip, you’ve come to the right place.

When I ask others why they don’t travel, the answer almost all of the time is money.

Isn’t it bizarre how much power a little piece of paper has over our lives?

What if we paid closer attention to where the money is actually going?

I want to inform you that whatever travels plans you have, it’s not impossible, in fact, it’s actually incredibly doable. If you prioritize successfully, you’ll be on that trip sooner than you think. You don’t have to get into debt to travel either.

When I went on my Europe trip I noticed a pattern of friends and foes DMing me, “How are you traveling so much?” There’s no real secret. Just like you save up for a car, or for an apartment, it is the same exact way you can save to travel. Prioritize and limit spending. In this post, I’ve included everything I’ve done and still do to help me save to travel and maintain my travel lifestyle. If you are looking to learn how I started traveling, you can read about that here.

These tips and thinking processes below are exactly what helped me save 10k within 4 months.

1. PAY OFF YOUR DEBTS

Strategy # 1 Eliminate all your debts. Before you start saving, make sure you don’t owe anything. Having no debts helps you save everything for yourself. If I had debt, I would focus on paying that off before trying to save, if not, you’re technically negative and that’s not helpful. Interest can catch up if you choose to avoid this. Paying interest is never a useful way to spend your money. When I refer to paying off these debts, I’m not talking about student loans or mortgages. I’m talking about things like credit card bills and the debt you can pay off relatively fast. I don’t think anyone pays off their student loans right away so the debts I’m talking about in this passage are everyday debts.

Take action: If you have debt, come up with a game plan to get out of it. Work on this plan and stay consistent until you are back at 0 and don’t owe. Once you are at 0 you can start to save for your next trip with that extra money.

2. IDENTIFY NEEDS VS. WANTS

Before you start physically saving, you should identify what are your true needs vs wants. Need = something you need to survive, no exceptions. Some examples: food, water, shelter, minimal amount of clothing, etc. Wants = Things you don’t need but urge to have because you desire them. Some examples: cocktails, frappes, fancy clothes, eating out, etc. You don’t need any of this to survive. These are luxuries. The biggest point here is to know what you truly need (to survive) to help identify your pointless expenses. The money spent on pointless expenses is the money you could be saving. The more you cut out, the more you will save. It’s simple.

Take action: Figure out ALL of your expenses – What are your absolute life necessities? Are there any luxuries you absolutely can’t live without? Write it down somewhere so you have a mental note on how to move forward. Ask yourself before you pay for anything, is this a true need or a want? Do you really need it?

3. BECOME A MINIMALIST

Now that you’ve identified your needs vs wants, I recommend maintaining a minimal lifestyle. But first! What is minimal? Cambridge Dictionary defines minimal as – very small in amount. Maintaining a minimal lifestyle means living a very basic life. It’s living with what you need and that’s that. This prevents useless expenses and more financial burdens for you. It’s a great way to save for your next trip because you’ll limit the unnecessary expenses. It starts to become second nature after some time. If you want to keep traveling, you have to be mindful of these things.

This could be hard if you are attached to material things – but think of the bigger picture. Money in your hands or possessions? You pick. Have you ever looked at your closet and realized how much of your clothes you DON’T wear? Right, I’ve definitely been there. Now think of the people who don’t even have a shirt on their back. Right, I’ve been there too. It sucks! You are only one physical person. Trust me, there are only so many events and so many places you can wear these clothes too. Limit consumption!

Take action: Look into anything you have in excessive amounts. Stop buying whatever you have in excess. What can you sell that you have an excessive amount of? Too many clothes? Video games? Electronics? Sell it! That’s money sitting on the table if you don’t use these items. This will also help clear out your environment which will continue to promote a minimal lifestyle.

4. DON’T BE A BIG CONSUMER

Not being a big consumer goes hand in hand with minimalism. For saving purposes, don’t be a big consumer. To consume means to use, to use, you need to buy products to use. In other words, if you want to save, you will have to limit consumption. In the past, one would probably call me the ideal consumer. To think about it now, I cringe – Why was I so convinced to purchase ….. everything?! It was so ridiculous.

My point isn’t to consume anything, my point is to know the difference between your needs and wants and limit it so it doesn’t go overboard. In other words, don’t get into overspending or even worst, debt!

Take action: What can you stop buying today that will save you money? Are you buying anything that you truly can’t afford? Is there a cheaper option if you can’t live without it? Reorganizing how you will consume is a great way to save up for your next trip. This has helped me SO much in my personal life. If I don’t need it, I don’t really even have interesting in buying it.

5. BECOME PSYCHO ABOUT WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

People have a hard time-saving. Yet, if you take a deeper look at it, it is usually careless spending. Careless spending is also when people go above their means in life.

Can you afford what you want with your salary? Should you be living in a smaller apartment? Be realistic. Should you be driving a cheaper car? The only one who will have to pay back that debt is you, so really think about your money.

Start tracking your money, every day. Every transaction, calculate it. If you pay for it, calculate it. Know where every dollar goes. I’ve found that any moment I leave to not pay attention to my finances, it can get messy – quick. If we want to be on top of our finances, we have to pay attention to everything financially related.

Take action: Track your statements to the T. Having this knowledge and organization of your finances helps you save for your trips and to save overall. Know what your spending on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This way when you log into online banking you don’t gasp and have a heart attack when you look at your balance. You know what to expect and understand your statements.

6. WORK MORE/GET A SIDE HUSTLE

If you need more money, you’ll have to work for it somehow, someway. Can you work extra hours at your current job? If not, get a side hustle. You can be a server at a restaurant, maybe do something online, the options are endless.

The side hustles I did to save for my travels were bartend, promote brands, and be a brand ambassador. There are LOADS of Brand Ambassading and Promotion companies out there. Companies hire all the time, there are always events and people are always needed. I’m signed up with countless promotional agencies. The favorites that I would highly recommend are TEAM, Beacon Brand Solutions, and Next Level Marketing. These companies pay 20-50$ per hour, depending on the event. It is an easy peasy lemon squeezy way to make a quick $100-150 a day, which adds up quickly over time.

Disclaimer: Please note, promotion and BA work is not really consistent work. Meaning you won’t really be able to turn into a full-time income. I have tried this once and it’s not worth the energy. To do so, you’ll have to sign up for a million agencies. In my honest opinion, it’s more exhausting getting contracted to do this type of work than it is doing the job. These options are a side hustle, definitely make it your extra income, not the 9-5 replacement.

Take action: Look into whatever other side gigs interest you. Apply, start working, start saving!

7. EAT OUT LESS AND COOK MORE –

Restaurants mark up food at insane rates. How else would they make a profit? Start cooking and eating more at home. A lot of people have food as a huge expense in their life. Being mindful of this will help you save for a trip by not paying for overpriced food.

How to compromise:

Eating out with friends is a social activity. Sometimes it’s hard to turn down that dinner invite to save a few dollars. I get it! But some options for the whole crew to save are -why not have a potluck at a friend’s house or go to a friend’s house to cook together? It’s fun and intimate. (you won’t have to shout at your friends across the table to hear them like in a restaurant.)

If you’re absolutely not budging and have to eat out, here are some tricks to save while dining out:

Always avoid the extras i.e cocktails and desserts.

Use eating out with friends to your advantage. I.e Split something! In America, a lot of the portions are inappropriately huge. Odds are it’ll probably be a lot of food and you won’t end up finishing all of it.

If you want to see price ranges so there are no surprises when you get there, try to look online for the menu. Most restaurants have a preview. The price isn’t always there but it’s worth a try.

8. LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Those 7 drinks you had on Saturday, yeah it adds up. Your average bar in NYC charges $7-17 dollars for cocktails. Multiply that by 7 thats a whopping $49-$119! Just on alcohol. This is not including if you’re eating out too. Going out for the sole purpose of drinking adds up, too quick. It is an expense.

How to compromise –

Pregame! I’m not saying to not go out, I’m saying to go out smarter. Usually, on a big night out, my friends and I meet up at someone’s house before the event to have a few drinks. A 6 pack of beer at most liquor stores is about $10-15. Compare this to a bar in NYC, it will probably be about $5-7 for one beer. Not only does this help you save for your next trip, but it also helps you avoid the crowd that’s always hovering over the bar. Odds are, by the time you get to the place, you won’t need any more booze. You’ll be set!

9. LIMIT CAR SERVICE AND TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION –

Ah, yes. Uber everywhere. Until you look at your bank account and say I spent how much? to go where?! Think again. For the most part, when I was hopping around in NYC, I’d pull up Google maps to see my time to my destination. Not even joking, 75% of the time it took the same exact time to go in an uber than to ride a subway. Who wants to ride the subway? Absolutely no one, especially in NYC! But! Who wants to pay extra overhead charges just to sit in traffic? Think ahead.

How to compromise –

Use public transportation. You can’t compare $3.00 for subway fare to $30 for one uber ride. That’s a 10x mark-up. Be smart about using a car service. If you really have to use it, make it a one-off occasion. Not your daily habit. Or better yet, when you do take car service, try to split the fare amongst friends. It will help you save for your next trip big time.

10. STOP BUYING COFFEE BEFORE WORK

Mm, coffee. It’s a luxury sometimes, isn’t it? Whether you think it is or it isn’t, it’s money being spent buying it daily.

Let’s say your coffee go-to place is Starbucks. For your usual order, you get a frappe that’s $4-5 dollars. 5 x 30 (days of the month) = 120, 120 x 12 (months of the year) = $1,440 a year. That’s just on coffee, imagine if you get a pastry or something else.

This will not help us save up for a trip. Overpriced and a perfect example of another unnecessary expense. Your job probably provides free coffee. Utilize it! If you don’t like the blend, buy your own or bring your own from home. If you work from home, buy a coffee maker and make your own. A very simple solution that will save you over $1,000 a year.

**Bonus pointer – If you are not sure how much money to save for your next trip, having an idea of your destination helps a lot. Figure out what a daily rate would be to visit this destination. You can even try to come up with an itinerary so you know what a good ballpark is. Always have more money saved to visit a destination than less. This way you have more flexibility and aren’t on such a tight budget.

Aaaaaand that’s a wrap! I genuinely hope you found these tips useful. Adopting this mindset is what helped me save 10k in 4 months for my travels in 2017. Nobody pays for my travels, but me. No rich parents, no credit cards, no rich man, just my hard-earned money. If you really want to go on a big trip, save and you can make it happen. We prioritize to spend on a new laptop, a new camera, travel is no different. There’s no hidden secret or unattainable tricks but work, save and pay attention to where the money’s going.

Once you’re on the road enjoy your travels, you’ve worked hard for this! Enjoy your travels, your way!

Happy traveling my friends!

XO,

Britt

[beautifullybrokenarchive]

REPOST. Please do not reblog.

Tagged by: mydamnself

Full Name: Pearl Lee Sullivan, but call her Bullet

Gender and Sexuality: Cis Female | Bisexual

Pronouns: She/her

Ethnicity/Species: American ( Irish descent ) | Usually human ( though she has werefox and vampire verses )

Birthplace and Birthdate: Santa Fe, New Mexico on June 23rd

Guilty Pleasures: Mexican food, Britney Spears, bad po.rn, collecting tiny horse figurines, romance novels

Phobias: Loneliness, abandonment, never being happy

What They Would Be Famous For: Hustling someone out of money without them even realizing it, her smirk, the ass that goes with her sass

What Have They / Would They Gotten Arrested For: Public intoxication, brandishing a firearm, petty theft

OC Character You Ship Them With: Most of her ships are with other OCs

OC Character Most Likely To Murder Them: Her cousin Frankie, if he gets angry enough

Favorite Book Genre: Bad romance novels

Least Favorite Book Cliche: Man goes off to war, leaves behind woman thinking she’ll become a widow...

Talents and/or Powers: Bullet is a supreme talker, manipulator, and loophole finder. She can dance well, and more than anything, she’s an excellent shot. In her not-yet-fleshed-out-Marvel(esque) verse, she can manipulate electricity.

Why Someone Might Love Them: She’s incredibly fun, intelligent, and will give you all the physical attention and affection you want. She’s also amazing to watch with strangers.

Why Someone Might Hate Them: She’s demanding of time and attention, quick to tell you to fuck off if you’ve insulted her in some way, and a bit emotionally stunted when it comes to interpersonal relationships.

How They Change: Bullet began as a side character in a bigger story. She’s grown to be so much more, grown into her own person with her own story to tell.

Why You Love Them: Other than the fact that I came up with her, I just really love when Bullet’s herself, when she cans the BS and is just her fun-loving self.

tagging: Anyone.

[sh-tposter2021]

Fumbling

Jack Kelly X Reader Fic

TW// Swearing

Chapter 1

My hands were shaking as I tried to tie my boyfriend's tie for dinner tonight. Well, it’s not technically his tie, it’s my older brother's tie that I stole from his dresser drawer early this morning.

“Fucking Christ Y/N,” Jack said to me as I threw my hands to my sides out of frustration causing my outfit for tonights dinner to wrinkle and crumple at the sides under the sudden weight. “I should be da one worried ‘bout tonight, not you.”

I stared at the boy—no, the man—standing before me as the hustle and bustle of the Newsboys Lodging echoed in the back of my mind. The only thing I could pay attention to was Jack Kelly. My eyes started to water and I tried to blink back the salty mist of tears edging their way out of the inner corner of my eyelids.

Being the youngest of four children to the Mayor of Manhattan was pressure in and of itself. “Be a proper lady,” Mother would say. “Marry rich,” she prattled on. However, that’s not what I wanted. I wanted Jack Kelly. I wanted danger and adventure and our own little ranch in Santa Fe.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Jack said with a worried undertone to his voice. I looked at him, tears streaming down my blushed, warm cheeks. “What if they don’t love you like I do Jackie?” I cried. Some of the boys popped their heads in, I know this because Jackie raised a furious eyebrow while looking over my shoulder at the doorway. “It don’t matter to me if they love me. What does matter is that you love me. Ya?” I looked at him through the foggy lens my tears had created. He’s right, I wish he wasn’t, but he’s right. He put his hand under my chin, lifted my head up and gave me a quick peck on the nose. Why’s he such a tease at the worst times?

I pulled myself together like my mother had taught me and went back to tying the limp, crinkled tie around my Jackie’s neck. Occasionally he’d let out a little giggle, which I can only assume he did because I had accidentally grazed his neck or chin with my fingers or thwacked him in the nose with the tie.

Minutes turned into hours and the tie was finally tied correctly. Since there were a couple of hours to spare before we had to be at my home for supper, we went onto the roof of the lodge and just stood there. “Ya look nice,” Jackie said with a flirtatious undertone. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told ya that today already but, ya do look nice.” He came up behind me and put his arms around my neck, laying loose and limp at the shoulders. I turned around to face him and stood on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his soft lips. Yes, tonight was going to be perfect. It just had to be.