#Senior Nail Trim

[herespaaa]

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[lexirosewrites]

O!Steve & B!Robin as childhood friends!! Not Nancy Wheeler Friendly bc this is from a protective Robin POV & I needed drama & No Upside Down AU

They meet when Robin skips 4th grade & become friends when they're paired together for a project. Steve is a Henderson bc his mom divorced his sire Richard Harrington & Steve didn't want to b a Harrington anymore he wanted to have his mom's maiden name. He & his mom moved to Hawkins the week before school started.

Steve is chubby & a boy omega (which is rare especially in Hawkins Elementary where only two other boys in the grades below r omegas) which makes him different & he's not very good at reading aloud but he still gets some of the best scores on their social studies or history lessons & his scent is still muted like the kids younger than them. So he isn't popular but he isn't overtly bullied but he is largely ignored by the kids w more social capital.

So he & Robin bond abt being treated as outcasts. They quickly become best friends & spend as much time together outside of school as they can except every other Sunday bc Steve's mom drives a few towns away in Roane County to the nearest Episcopal church.

Robin was raised Buddhist bc her mom is a child of Vietnamese immigrants & her dad was an anti-war protester (especially after he gets drafted into Vietnam, causing him to lose his left leg). The Buckleys celebrate a vague Christmas tht they treat more like Yule with Father Winter instead of Santa, presents still happen but Robin is expected to choose a few of her gifts to give to a nearby domestic violence shelter where some kids stay.

Then high school starts. Steve has his first heat the summer before & so his scent matures to smell like baked apples w honey. He loses a bit of the baby fat, his face gets clearer of acne he'd developed in 7th grade, & his hair is noticeably more shiny. This means Steve is suddenly the subject of new attention by some of the beta boys & alphas of Hawkins High. It all makes Steve uncomfortable so Robin stops trimming her nails & even files them sharper when at home. She shows off her newly sharp nails when she scratches up the arms of an alpha senior who wasn't taking Steve's polite refusals as an answer, tearing up their jacket sleeves, & even ripping a big hole in the bottom of their backpack so all their things tumbled out.

After tht word spread quickly tht Steve Henderson had a guard, Robin Buckley. So the attention turned from a rush to a trickle.

A!Tommy Hagan tries harassing Steve in their sophomore year & calling it courting but Robin tells B!Carol Perkins tht Tommy is trying to cheat on her & together they scratch Tommy so deeply he gets scars. Sophomore year is also when Steve begins babysitting for extra cash. He starts w his little cousin Dustin, then the Sinclairs hire him every other Saturday night, & the list grows till Steve is having Robin help him keep a planner just to keep track of his babysitting gigs.

Then junior year brings abt a Steve who is the uncontested prettiest omega in school & the attention gets worse. Except now ppl know to try to get Robin's approval. She doesn't make it easy & this weeds out the ppl who only wanted a chance to say they'd popped Steve's cherry.

This works till A!Nancy Wheeler sets her sights on Steve. Nancy does practically every task Robin gives her w minimal complaints, so Robin gives Nancy the chance to actually court Steve. Except it quickly becomes clear to Robin tht Nancy didn't seem all tht interested in learning more abt steve outside of who he was in the schools social ladder. Robin would watch how Nancy flaunted their relationship to others to establish a growing social status but would then make eyes at B!Jonathan Byers, The Creep as others called him.

When O!Will Byers goes missing (later being found kidnapped by his father) & B!Barb runs away while the town is focused on tht, Nancy becomes more & more disinterested in Steve. Apparently insisting to Steve tht Barb was her best friend & tht she would've told Nancy if she was going to run away. Robin snorts when Steve tells her this bc it was obvious to Robin their friendship was a one way street of Nancy getting what she wanted.

So of course Nancy embarrasses herself & Steve at Tina's Halloween party the next year, after a year of growing colder towards Steve & leading him on & insisting to them both tht Jonathan is just a friend. Of course Nancy runs off w Byers after the whisper of a lead on where Barb had gone reaches her ears, of course she comes back smelling like Byers in a way tht made it clear she'd had sex w him & only then breaking up w Steve & worst of all is how Steve doesn't get angry with Nancy or Jonathan.

It all gets more annoying when Steve is newly single & knot headed A!Billy Hargrove tries approaching Steve when no one else is around. He never offers to exclusively court Steve & he never approaches Robin abt it either. He just follows Steve to secluded corners of the school or town & makes comments when no one is around to hear him.

Eventually they graduate, Robin decides to put off going away for college opting instead to take classes part time at the Roane County Community College w Steve. Billy Hargrove races out of town after he beats his father in the Hargroves front lawn, Mr Hargrove leaves town soon after but his wife & step daughter the Mayfields stay in Hawkins. Robin only learns most of this thanks to Steve being Max's babysitter now

for two weeks of the summer Nancy tries to court Steve again, claiming she'd changed but this is after Jonathan Byers learns tht Nancy hadn't broken up w Steve till after their fruitless attempt to convince Barb to come home led to them sleeping together & so he breaks up w her unable to believe she'd hurt Steve in the way his own father had hurt his mom

They get jobs at the mall in the food court. Then the larger parent company of their employer Scoops Ahoy gets shut down by the government for tax evasion & tax fraud & a whole list of illegal labor practices so they find new jobs at the Cinema-plex in the same mall. Then the mall burns down bc the construction was cheap & several safety regulations were blatantly ignored. So they find another job they can work together. This time at Family Video, after an interview w Keith (whose parents own the small strip mall where the laundromat & the arcade & video store r located) wherein Robin said her favorite movie was a German silent film she knew Keith would know nothing abt & Steve equally stumped Keith w a samurai movie tht Robin knew didn't circulate in the US, Ms Henderson had gotten the VHS of the movie shipped to Hawkins through friends in the UK.

Time went on, they took their classes at the small community college, Steve still babysat here & there, & the platonic soulmates were even apartment hunting in their free time. Settling on the relatively affordable rent of a 2 bed trailer in Forest Hills.

That's where Eddie Munson pops into their lives. Apparently he'd met Steve once or twice when Steve had come by to babysit Max. Now tht the pair lived so close by Munson he took to being a welcome committee. A couple of months of living in the trailer park, hanging out w Eddie who had begun working at the local mechanics instead of racing out of town like Hargrove, & buying the odd joint from the alpha at an obviously reduced price. Munson made his move & approached Robin on a day tht she was working without Steve.

The alpha was visibly nervous but determined & he didn't even shrink away when Robin glared him down for 5 minutes in silence. So she sighed & gave him a random task tht she knew Steve would like to see. This went on & on, Eddie growing closer w Steve & when Steve told Robin he wanted to b courted by their neighbor she delivered the news to Eddie w her best friend right behind her.

The pair courted for 2 years before Steve sat her down & told her he was pregnant just abt 2 months along & tht he & Eddie were going to exchange bites before the due date & tht they wanted to move in together. Robin was silent bc they were supposed to leave for Portland tht spring, so tht she could attend college & Steve could get a cosmetology license, they were supposed to remain together into their old age. She didn't even realize tht she'd nearly gone into a srs beta drop till it was the next morning & she was being held by Steve in his nest.

Over breakfast sandwiches in bed Steve explained tht she had dropped before Steve could tell her tht if she approved Eddie was going to drive to Portland two weeks before they planned to leave & get a 3 bedroom apartment set up. If she didnt approve Eddie was still going to drive there early but just find an apartment for stobin & another apartment for himself. They talked for hours abt how Steve didn't want to b best friends w anyone except Robin & his alpha, how Robin had been scared for awhile abt Steve leaving her, & it ended w them having a movie night where they ordered Eddie to pick up a pizza & sodas & the biggest order of chicken tenders possible

7 months later after a home birth in Portland Oregon, Robin cried when she got to meet her best friends twin babies & learned tht they'd named the youngest of the baby girls Janis Robin Munson while the older twin was Joan Cathy Munson (Cathy was Eddie's mom's name & coincidentally grandma Henderson's name)

& Aunty Robin became the Munson pups favorite babysitter 🥰

Robin being protective of omega Steve is always so lovely💕💕💕

[neighbourscat]

𝐒𝐄𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐘 || 𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙣

𓈒  ˙ ꪆৎ   ꣹  ۫  𖨂 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 . .. . president’s son!rafe cameron X crisis manager!black!fem!reader. ||

𓈒  ˙ ꪆৎ   ꣹  ۫  𖨂 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 . .. . lowercase intended! second person reading-perspective. mature language! ‘G’ in ‘God’ & ‘J’ in Jesus is lowercased. age-gap between black!fem!reader (32) & rafe cameron (24) / power dynamic! multiple uses of ‘y/n’ and ‘ms. mcclellan’. mentions of political corruption and doctoring. suggestion of and carrying out of an inappropriate relationship — while engaged to another! political drama! heavily inspired by scandal and how to get away with murder. wordcount :: 3.8k!++

𓈒  ˙ ꪆৎ   ꣹  ۫  𖨂 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 . .. . pyd, justin bieber ft. r. kelly ! || nervous, the neighbourhood !

BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

with a perfect, manicured nail hovering over the green-call button, you thought of every way the next few minutes could go. each turn, each road block, each scenario more vivid than the next of how your mother would make the conversation / your situation, about her; letting you know what she wouldn’t have done, like ‘lie straight to the chief of staff, the national security advisor, and senior white house counsel’, though she sure would have, or remind you again that the white house just wasn’t the place for you. the courtroom was, by her side. she was batman, you were always robin.

you’ve tried the courtroom with your mother. you’ve tried ‘tegan mcclellan & associates’ law firm. it took you four years to realize that that wasn’t exactly the path you wanted to continue down, for building your own name and your own career was impossible with a.) tegan mcclellan constantly in your ear and b.) within the walls of tegan mcclellan’s fix-it-all firm. you experienced first hand why, sometimes, being employed in a family business does not work.

though, there were good things that came from ‘tegan mcclellan & associates’ .. you guessed your fiancé wasn’t too bad when he wasn’t complaining about work, loathing your mother, or drinking himself to sleep. like your friends, who were ( are ) constantly competing for your mother’s attention, approval, or begging you to put in a good word so they could take charge of a case.

you switched off your cellphone. you pulled open a drawer of your new desk and dropped the device into the empty space. you froze, taking another look at your phone .. and closed the drawer — a single knock sounded at the doorframe. you quickly gathered your thoughts.

“i heard what you did.” announcing her presence; it was gemma sutherland, looking slim and trim in a navy blue dress with white stripes under a plain cardigan, white pantyhose, and dirty red flat heels — this was gemma’s first year as the chief of staff’s assistant. gemma’s job entailed her to run around the west wing; delivering reports, key files, and memos to the chief of staff and the senior advisor. “you are incredible, ms. mcclellan.”

“thanks.” you hummed, unenthusiastic. you glanced over to the door, your expression cool and calm. you waved gemma in. your dark eyes — eyes that had sized up countless opponents in debate, law school — fixed on gemma with the kind of intensity that made her stomach flip. you weren’t just intimidating; you were magnetic.

gemma could hear her heartbeat in her ears, she did her best to keep her face neutral. “i, um, just wanted to applaud you,” she answered, her voice sounding a touch higher than usual, “i actually wanted to speak with you, ask a question or two .. really quickly, before you’re off.” gemma grabbed herself a chair, one of the three that had been lined up against the wall, and set it opposite your desk. without thinking much, she asked: “the recording was ‘doctored’?” not of usual icebreaker variety.

you gave a clean nod — you removed the president’s son from the narrative entirely. the recording was manipulated? a bold lie. a dangerous lie. but in today’s age; a world where digital forgeries were becoming harder to detect, it was plausible. “i know it’s not my place, but .. i’d rather hear about it - all of it - from you than the news, or office whispers in passing, if that - what happened in there?”

gemma knew of you. she knew a lot, but she learned more from the catch-up! category of the insider’s edge ( gemma had followed every article, every piece of gossip ); a self-owned, widely-read platform run by a seasoned political commentator who thrived on breaking exclusive, behind-the-scenes stories from capitol hill to the oval office. the blog’s built a reputation for sharp, incisive commentary, particularly on the role of women of color in washington’s power circles.

you weren’t just any washington insider. you were practically political royalty; the blog had chronicled your ascent from law school — where you showed flashes of brilliance akin to your mother’s — to your internships on captiol hill, and now to your coveted role in the white house.

the insider’s edge had consistently highlighted the pressures you face: navigating your role as a woman of color in a predominantly white, male political landscape while constantly being compared to your mother’s success. the blog didn’t dare shy away from critiquing your every decisions:

the blog’s most recent headlines:

— “following in her mother’s footsteps or creating her own path? y/n mcclellan’s first 100 days in the white house starts today!”

— “does washington have room for two mcclellan women? a look at the legacy y/n has to uphold!”

— “the new! crisis manager to watch: will y/n mcclellan rise above the expectations?”

— “recently engaged. is y/n taking his last name? or is he taking hers? i’d take hers! duh!”

gemma, with her auburn bob and bang swoosh, leaned in a bit — holding both hands over the edge of your desk. when you looked into her light brown eyes, it was just enough to make gemma’s heart rate spike — yeah .. gemma read the insider’s edge a lot, went nowhere without the tab available on that samsung device in her back pocket.

“gemma -“ you had barely exhaled when a harsh knock blared at your office door. rafe cameron stood in the doorway; tie loosened, sleeves rolled up, his usually composed expression shadowed by disbelief. his gaze cut past gemma and landed directly on you.

she looked between you and the president’s son .. not wasting a second — gemma nodded, pushing the chair back. she hurried out, not even brushing past the towering man .. and as she raced way back down the hall, she realised that she had gotten an answer to something that had been bothering her for months.

gemma sutherland was a reddit user. an avid user. months ago, she had stumbled upon a conversation post that had asked what y/n mcclellan smelled like, if one had to guess; many answered ‘too good to be described’, while others answered ‘chocolate’ or ‘vanilla’ or ‘pumpkin’ or ‘sea salt’, like a cool summer night on the boardwalk.

but gemma had an answer: floral. powdery. classic. like baby lotion. or exactly baby lotion.

— he closed the door behind gemma, careful not to let it slam.

“if you’re here to thank me .. don’t.” you started in ( poor ) attempt to lighten the air. and that was no good. you weren’t sure why you even tried. you remembered how he looked at you in the situation room — why would right now be any different? “why are you in here, rafe?” you should have started with that.

rafe took another step closer — hands in his pockets. and then another .. until he was standing directly in front of you, close enough that you could see the way his pulse ticked in his throat. close enough that the toe-part of your pearly-white heels bumped into his shins — you instantly uncrossed your legs .. any type of contact had your mind melting.

low and quiet: “because you lied.”

you should have expected this. “i did what had to be done.” you had lied. boldly. completely. without hesitation. you had taken something that was undeniably real and turned it into a fabrication. a deepfake. a smear campaign. a coordinated attack on the administration.

and the worst part?

people were actually believing it. the press was running headlines about AI-generated disinformation. pundits on cable news were questioning whether the recording could be trusted. the white house’s story was sticking ..

but it shouldn’t have been, because rafe had been there.

the scandal wasn’t just bad. it was catastrophic. it had everything the opposition could have hoped for — a secret meeting, an incriminating recording, and the president’s son; the face of the first family’s younger generation, at the center of it. the tape painted a clear picture: rafe cameron had tried to broker a private deal with a foreign power — one with enough economic leverage to tip the election if they pulled their support.

if the recording had gone unchecked, it wouldn’t just cost the president his reelection — it would have triggered a congressional investigation, accusations of collusion, and a media storm that wouldn’t die down until the administration was irreparably damaged.

and you had just buried all of it. you had stood in the situation room, surrounded by the most powerful men in the country, and rewritten reality with nothing but your voice — maybe your mother would be proud. you did what you always did. you fixed it .. but fixing wasn’t the word for what you had done. you lied. you fabricated a reality that did not exist — “by any means necessary,” your mother had instilled.

“i did it. i did that. i went behind my father’s back - you should have let me take the fall.”

you shook your head, rolling the office chair back .. giving yourself space to stand up. “i fixed it. i handled it.” he scoffed, scratching the scrunch in between his full eyebrows, “th- .. that shit? you call that fucking-shit fixing? handling? really, y/n?”

he watched as you circled around him and take position at the opposite end of your office .. at the liquor cabinet; its contents: high-end and classic. whiskey / bourbon, cognac, vodka, wine / champagne. “i saved you,” you corrected. “i saved you from public - generational trauma and humiliation -“

you snatched up a glass .. you wouldn’t go for something subtle. not tonight. you bypassed the carefully curated diplomatic wines and the champagne meant for toasts. you didn’t reach for the vodka — too clean, too impersonal. no .. you went for the bourbon. something strong and powerful. something with weight. you didn’t bother with a slow pour. two fingers, neat. no ice. no dilution.

“- you are welcome -“

“oh come-the fuck-on!” with lengthy strides, rafe came up behind and stole the glass of bourbon before you could gulp down the rest. “be honest with me, huh? you’re capable of that, yeah? me, not them? right?!”

a deep sigh, annoyed and exhausted. mentally. emotionally. politically. “if i didn’t, the administration would be over.”

“bullshit.” he set the glass down.

you rolled your eyes and reached for another mini glass. “well .. what else do you want me to say?”

“hmm, how about the fucking truth? hmm? for once, maybe? that would be fan-fucking-tastic.”

you huffed when his warm hands stopped yours from taking the bottle of bourbon. rafe then, gripped your shoulders and forcefully turned your front to face him completely. “what .. in the fuck .. were you even thinking?”

again: “the administration.”

rafe dropped his head — “you’re lying.” he removed his heavy hands from your shoulders and started toward your desk, creating distance. he couldn’t breathe anymore. taking a breath felt so much harder on his body. “this .. this wasn’t just about the administration.” rafe met your gaze again, “you didn’t lie to protect my father, his feelings and his job. what-the fuck-ever. you did that to .. to protect me. and i need to know why.”

yeah .. that had nothing to do with the president. and it had nothing to do with the reelection. “you don’t get it.” the answer was short, and way too simple.

“then make me get it.”

you shook your head — grabbing your previous glass of bourbon — because saying it out loud made it real. and if it was real, then so was the madness of what you had done. you had spent this entire year crafting your new career; fighting, clawing your way into the president’s inner circle, making yourself indispensable.

you felt like your mother.

the single woman who raised you to be sharp, relentless, untouchable. the woman who spent her life twisting the truth with ease, making impossible choices, cutting the world open with a scalpel and stitching it back together before anyone noticed the wound — the woman you swore you would never become. the woman who had taught you that power wasn’t about truth — it was about control ..

.. because in washington, that’s what survivors did.

rafe stared hard .. he wasn’t looking at you like a strategist. he wasn’t looking at you like a fixer. he was looking at you like he had just realized you were capable of anything.

“i ..” you were supposed to be above this. above emotions. above personal attachments. but tonight? you lied like a woman who had something special to lose. “.. saved you.” refilling the glass, “i saved you the trouble.”

“what ..?” searching your face for a new angle. “you should have let me fall.”

“i saved you ..” you repeated, wincing after the liquor intake, “.. from ruin. from becoming’a headline. front page of every outlet, broadcasted on every news channel. from the kind of scandal that doesn’t jus’end careers - it destroys legacies.”

rafe released a sharp breath, moving in — furious and disbelieving, “you think i give-a-shit about legacies? seriously?”

“i know you don’t. you’re reckless. i think you have no idea how dangerous that shit was - how one misstep, one wrong word, one leak could have ended everything. everything would have crumbled because of you!” you pointed a finger, hand trembling with restrained anger, “hours and hours and hours of everyone’s time spent into securing your father’s presidency .. wasted because of you!”

“me?!”

“yea’! yea’you! you don’t get to fuck up! you -!” and you stopped yourself. you had to. you couldn’t keep yelling .. especially at the president’s son. anyone could have barged in and caught the sight. you lowered the glass nearby and moved from the liquor station. you settled down on the arm of the lounge chair, much further from rafe now. you crossed your legs again, “you don’t get to be naive,” you said after, folding your hands over your knee. “you don’t get to be stupid. a stupid young adult .. like everyone else. you don’t get to make mistakes and think they’ll only fall on you -“

rafe stiffened, fists clenching and unclenching, his sky blue eyes widening just enough for you to see it. he dragged a hand down his dry mouth, his composure cracking. he needed the room to stop spinning — so he dropped himself down onto a corner of your desk .. looking straight at you. eyes flickering from your face, to the layered jewelry around your neck, to the closed buttons keeping your breast covered, to the glittering engagement ring on your left finger ..

he blinked off then.

“- you are the president’s son. you are the heir to a machine built on power and perception. and if you had gone down for this? if i had let you take the fall?”

a pause.

lethal, intimate: “they wouldn’t have just ruined you. they would have burned and buried you.”

rafe swallowed deeply, his adam’s apple bobbing.

“you would have been reduced to a cautionary tale. a disgraced footnote in your father’s presidency -“ unable to sit still anymore, you slid from the armrest. “- his failure. his shame. and then, rafe? he loses. ‘nd everything .. every policy, every promise, every ounce of work this administration has done - gets erased.”

and you weren’t done. not nearly.

you were marching toward him .. getting dangerously close. so close that he was starting to see the fire in your eyes, the seriousness. “rafe ..” barely a whisper, almost intimate in its intensity, “.. i saved you from a lifetime of being the reason your father lost his second term. i saved you from a shit-storm you would have never recovered from. i saved you from the press tearing into you, from the wolves in that room who would have chewed you up and spit you out before you even knew what was happening.”

rafe sitting on your desk allowed him to finally be eye-level with you. “i saved you from yourself.”

and the words hung between. rafe just stared at you, breathing hard. because now? now he understood. you hadn’t done it because of politics. you hadn’t done it because of strategy. it had felt like desperation. you had done it because it was him. and you cared so deeply about him.

that was the real problem.

you don’t save people. you fix. you manipulate. you control. you lie to keep your clients, your candidates, your president unbeatable.

again, this wasn’t strategy. this wasn’t some calculated political maneuver. because you cared about rafe, you had to save him. and for the first time in your career, you didn’t make a move based on logic or power or control — you made it based on him.

rafe was a weakness.

no. you turned sharply, ready to pack up your belongings and head home for the night. you had said what needed to be said. made your case. explained yourself well enough — rafe’s hand caught your wrist .. his grip firm and hot, locking around the cold silver of your timeless watch, like a restraint and a plea all at once.

“rafe,” a low warning.

but he didn’t let go. “i like when you say my name ..” with little force, he pulled you back in — swift, deliberate, no hesitation.

your body collided with his, and suddenly you were standing between his legs, your knees brushing against the edge of your own desk, your breath coming fast. “wh-no, rafe.” he shushed you softly, shaking his head. he released your wrist, only for a second, to snake both arms around your waist and tug you in even closer.

his gaze — god, his gaze. “no, rafe.” you tried to rip yourself away .. he wouldn’t dare let you go. not right now. your throat was dry and every exhale felt uncomfortable.

softly, “can we stop the bullshit?” rafe tilted his head a bit, careful as he leaned in .. trying to be extra sneaky. “please?” he leaned in some more, just enough for you to feel the heat of his breath against your jawline, and it was infuriating how easily he unraveled you. “please? can we stop the bullshit? please?” he was intoxicating.

when he pulled back to meet your eyes and study your face .. he could see the way your lips parted, the way your next breath caught, the way your entire body seemed to betray you. “please ..?” his fingers moved, maddening and slow, and skimmed the hem of your button-up.

a test. a warning. a promise.

you didn’t stop him. didn’t shove him away. didn’t say the words you should have said. so .. he kept going — his fingertips traced the first button, lingering for just a second before he slipped it free, gentle and precise, like he had all the time in the world.

“let’s stop the bullshit, yeah?” rafe’s fingers brushed against the skin just beneath your collarbone, burning against the cool air now slipping between the fabric. “we can do that, right?” light and easy.

then, the second button.

this time, you sucked in a breath, your pulse drumming beneath his fingertips. rafe lifted his gaze, watching you again — watching every tell. because you could outtalk, outmaneuver, outthink anyone. but your body couldn’t lie. not to him. he moved lower — third button, fourth — his knuckles grazing bare skin, the edge of lace beneath. “tell me we can .. ms. mcclellan.”

and when his slick fingers ghosted over your ribs, you finally reacted — your hand shot up, gripping his wrist, holding him still. your breath was ragged, your pupils blown, and god, you were trying so hard to fight this.

to fight him.

“you know i don’t beg, ms. mcclellan ..” and for you he would, which you knew. “we’re not doin’ th’bullshit anymore, right?” instead of responding, you brought your hands to his chest, fingers dragging against the soft, expensive fabric of his blazer.

he didn’t move. didn’t breathe. didn’t dare break the moment as you slowly pushed the suit jacket off his shoulders. the fabric slipped down his arms, and when he let it fall onto the desk behind him .. you found the first button of his crisp white shirt and drew downward; you were crossing a line you could never uncross.

his shirt parted just slightly, exposing the smooth skin of his collarbone, the faintest hint of muscle underneath. you continued on .. you weren’t thinking about the scandal. you weren’t thinking about the lie you had told to protect him, about the fact that you had risked everything for him.

you were thinking about how rafe cameron had always been off-limits ..

he didn’t speak, didn’t smirk, didn’t push — like he knew this was something you needed to do .. and this was something you needed to do.

daydreaming: two bubbles had been floating around in his mind. rough .. gentle. the two words were bolded and in their own unique, distinct font. and then, more words swept in. the question: ‘how was she in bed’? reserved? kinky? passionate? placid? dominant? submissive? too lost in his own world, he opened his mouth and almost asked the question —

— without so much as a warning, he felt your thumb on the underside of his cock .. you took in a low breath, heavy and wanting as you crept all the way to the tip. the pad of your thumb teased and gently dipped into his slit before you lifted your chin, finding his eyes.

rafe’s face twisted up as he let out a wounded noise. his whole body locked, gasping .. he hadn’t felt when you unzipped his fresh slacks and dipped your hand below, into his boxers. with a deeep gulp, he grumbled out: “i can’t do this ..” there had been enough build-up. there had been far too much sexual tension the last couple of months. he couldn’t do the foreplay. he couldn’t do the teasing, the edging, the whatever else before the sex. “i can’t -“ swallowing a sloppy mess of saliva that waved over his tongue.

in one swift motion, he took two fistfuls of your button up and tore it back — loud and deafening, you couldn’t react quick enough. rafe unfastened the safety straps, spun you around, and unzipped your mini-printed pencil skirt. the professional attire crumbled at your heeled feet .. again, he twirled you back and giving you zero time to adjust, lifted you up into the air — as if you weighed nothing, his strength an effortless vigor you couldn’t ignore.

for a second, everything stopped .. the world quieted. you were so caught in the moment, so heated and so caught up in him .. you didn’t hear what he had said. yeah, you saw his lips move .. but no sound was produced.

“put it in .. need you t’do it.” a sweet whisper. a whisper too good, you hadn’t thought twice.

[girldriveroscar]

he restricts oscar from cumming for a month til he learns the proper way to address his seniors! <- hey are YOU gonna be paying for my therapy? HAND OVER THE CASH

lowk forgot what i said in the og post but. more sfw to nsfw markoscar thoughts.

always a big fan of #guy who used to stare at the poster on his wall while cumming suddenly having the star of his fantasies controlling his life. (if u allow me to get a litttle bit Lowk toxic TPE about this)

idk w markoscar i like oscar getting kinda weird and obsessive in ways that he himself doesn't even recognize as off-putting/embarassing. and his social apathy just turns mark on even more. when people comment and say things like ah oscars kinda a quirky guy. Oh and Mark is rubbing his hands admiring his humiliatingly loyal pup like Yea Yea Yeaaaa....

ieeee mark lending oscar his clothes, wearing his dad shorts and orthopedic socks to the race track and Oscar never feels embarrassed, not when it puts him just a slice closer to being marks most intimate partner. letting mark write him meal plans that are juuusttt peculiar enough to raise Kim's eyebrow at dinner, asking why oscar is cutting his pizza slice into thirds and dismissing it as another odd quirk of his. or mark telling oscar he's not allowed to trim his nails because he doesn't want oscar fingering himself on race weekends they're apart. and sometimes they get really long but he just dutifully keeps them clean, no matter lando's appalled comments, quietly pleased when mark sees him again and runs his tongue against the tips.

justtttt dunno. Oscar being a bit of a Weird guy. and he doesn't care at all. bc mark made him that way and likes him that way. and in hand w this, mark wanting to be in control of Oscars lifestyle, telling himself its a healthy coping exercise to vicariously stay in F1, (repressing how much he loves their dynamic bc it allows him to care for oscar and lay claim to him nearly innocuously). mark harping on about keeping it a strictly professional exchange, oscar trying to respect what mark wants, failing when he's incoherent and cum-drunk and yearning to just be marks boyfriend and not his plaything.

idk where's the longform fic of contractual daddy/pup markoscar with lovesick babyface oscar and feelings ignorer mark. so much potential...

[roanofarcc]

PROJECT SUNSHINE CHAPTER SIXTY ONE → PERM MAINTENANCE

summary: steve harrington x oc || read on Ao3

when another product of Hawkins National Laboratory escaped a long-survived nightmare alongside her sister, she crashed into one unsuspecting teenage boy and dragged him deeper into the dark mysteries that made up their hometown.

word count. 3.6k || masterlist || ocs moodboard

warnings: cannon typical violence, child abuse, horror, gore, and depictions of mental illness. parts of this story were written pre-season 4 release. cannon divergence.

previous chapter ← → next chapter

tag list: @sattlersquarry, @leptitlu, @two-sides-samecoin

Steve skillfully balanced a bottle of black polish between his knees as he painted Robin’s right hand. She had her head turned, looking over her shoulder and into the Willow’s kitchen where Tamera was busy rolling strands of Nancy’s hair into curlers. Since Robin was unable to gesture with her right hand, she had doubled the intensity of her movements with her left hand, annoyingly so. Steve nearly missed up every time she got too excited but managed to keep the pain off of her skin and only on the nail. 

“And then he gave me a C. No English teacher has ever given me a C before,” Robin complained. “My paper was good, I know it was, but I swear he has it out for me!” 

Tamera tugged a tad too hard on Nancy’s hair, causing her to wince and squeeze her hands together tighter on her lap. She was hesitant to let Tamera freshen up her perm, considering she’d only ever been to the same hairdresser since she was little, which was pretty common in a town that only had one salon. But after some light begging from Tamera, Nancy agreed but looked to regret it each time Tamera pulled on her hair before pinning the roller tightly against her skull. 

To Tamera’s credit, she was learning. Instead of college, she set her sights on a cosmetology license. She needed people to practice on before she enrolled in beauty school. Steve flat-out refused. While he liked Tamera, or more so liked that Robin liked Tamera, he did not trust anyone around his head of hair with scissors unless it was his aunt, who also worked at the only hair salon in Hawkins. 

“Did you do something to make him have it out for you?” Tamera asked. 

“No! Of course not. I am a delight to have in class!” A quiet laugh sounded from the floor in front of Steve, where Sunshine sat with her freshly trimmed hair and newly painted nails. Robin furrowed her brows at her. “What?” 

“You called him sexist for only talking about male authors in class,” Sunshine replied, debunking Robin’s previous statement. The senior-year English teacher was a little bit of an asshole, from what he recalled, but he never did pay too much attention. 

With a huff, Robin said, “Yeah, well, am I wrong?” Sunshine shook her head and resumed writing in her journal. Steve almost stopped himself from peering down at what she was writing about because her journals were the one thing she kept close to her heart. Sunshine only ever showed him or anyone else when she felt like she needed to, but from the glance he took, he realized she was writing a list, not one of her stories. He finished Robin’s last finger before leaning down and wrapping his arms around her shoulders before resting his chin on the top of her head. 

“Whatcha’ doing?” he asked. 

Sunshine didn’t answer right away but instead finished the last word in her list, ‘toothbrush.’ “Making a list.”

“A list for what? I thought your parents got groceries before they left?”

Sunshine’s parents left for a four-day weekend trip that morning. Mr. Torres had a conference up in Michigan and they decided to use it as a romantic getaway. The couple hadn’t gone anywhere since Sunshine returned and she convinced them that a break from Hawkins would do them good. That left her alone until Monday morning, which meant Steve didn’t have to spend time at his home with his parents; he got to relish in the company of his girlfriend undisturbed. 

She turned her body, forcing him to let go and sink back into the couch. She looked a little conflicted, her gaze bouncing between him and Robin in the living room and Tamera and Nancy in the kitchen. “It’s for a little trip,” she said after a beat. 

Steve furrowed his brows. “We’re going on a trip?” She hadn’t mentioned anything about it before. 

Biting down on her lip, Sunshine slowly shook her head. “No. I’m going on a trip. A little one. Tomorrow…” 

“What?” He was taken aback. They had planned to spend the whole weekend together, watching movies he borrowed from work. 

“I talked to Kali last night, the one who Luke and Leia lived with before they came back to Hawkins with El. She’s another kid from the Lab and she agreed to meet with me in Indy, but she said I had to go alone,” Sunshine explained, but Steve was still confused. 

Nancy, with her head full of rollers, stood up from the kitchen stool and crossed her arms over her chest. She wore a look bordering between concern and confusion, probably similar to how Steve looked. “Kali? The one who’s in a gang? Why does she want you to go alone? Why do you need to meet with her in the first place? Is something going on? Is something happening again?” 

“No, no, no,” Sunshine said quickly, attempting to ease some of the concern that swelled in the home. “I’ve been remembering things from the Lab that I blocked out for a long time. But now they’re coming back to me and it’s really confusing. Kali has started to be in a lot of them lately and I think maybe it’s a sign. Maybe they’re coming back to me for a reason and maybe she remembers more than I do. I’m going to see if she can give me answers.”

Ever since Starcourt when Sunshine pushed herself way too far, she’d mentioned, briefly, some of the memories that started flooding back to her. Steve never pushed too hard; the memories she’d forgotten about seemed to all have plenty of reason to be scrubbed from her brain. Why they started coming back to her, no one knew, but Steve could tell it was bothering her. The gaps in certain memories left her awake at night; he could tell by the bags under her eyes that she tried to cover up or when she’d sneak out of bed when he stayed over to get some fresh air. And as much as he wanted to help her, there wasn’t much he could do but listen when she wanted to talk about it. 

“Do you think she’ll have the answers you’re looking for?” Robin asked. She and Tamera weren’t fully filled in on everything that happened inside the Lab, but Steve and Sunshine pieced together some of it for them. They were smart, though, and Steve had a feeling they had put more of it together on their own. 

Sunshine shrugged. “I have no idea,” she sighed. “But she was in a lot of those memories so maybe she can fill in some of the pieces that I’m missing and make sense of some of it. Maybe then I won’t feel as crazy.” She laughed at herself, but it was hollow. Steve frowned and squeezed her shoulder. She smiled back at him and leaned into his touch before she continued. “Kali doesn’t trust people. She hardly trusts me, which is why she asked me to go alone. If I don’t, there’s no chance she’ll talk to me. But I’ll only be gone for a day. And maybe I can convince her to come back to Hawkins with me. I can show her that she doesn’t have to stay on the run; she can find a home here that the rest of us did.” 

Tamera asked, “Are her parents here?”

“No. She’s not from Hawkins, according to the twins. Dr. Brenner and Miller took her from somewhere else.” At the mention of Calum’s father, Tamera visibly winced. She had lost her best friend when he moved to Indy with his mother. The two had one final argument after Starcourt that pushed Tamera over the edge, and she hadn’t spoken to him since. She was still hurt, it was written all over her face at the slightest mention of him or anything related to him. Steve figured Calum was in the same boat; the two of them had been inseparable since he could remember. 

Nancy opened her mouth, hesitating for a moment before she said, “Do you think she’d want to find a place here? I mean after everything and without a real family in town-” 

Underneath Steve’s fingers, he felt Sunshine’s shoulder tense. “I’m her family.” 

“No, I know,” Nancy added quickly. “Hawkins isn’t everyone’s ideal town to live in, that’s all. I just don’t want you to get hurt if she doesn’t want to come back here with you.” 

It was interesting, Steve thought, the way Nancy spoke to Sunshine. He wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but Nancy always seemed more careful around Sunshine than anyone else. There was an undeniable softness that smoothed out her usual harder tone and a look on her face that he hadn’t seen Nancy take with anyone else. Steve didn’t remember what she had been like around Barb, but he had a feeling it was similar, and Nancy had lost her. 

With a sigh, Sunshine toyed with the pendant of her necklace. “It’s her choice if she wants to. I can’t make her. I just…I want her to know she has a place to go and people who care.” 

There was no question that Sunshine could handle herself, but he felt like it was his responsibility to worry about her. She must’ve sensed his unease and looked at him, golden eyes soft. “I’ll only be gone for a day. I’ll be on the first bus back to Hawkins on Saturday morning,” she said. “But I have to do this.” And he didn’t plan on stopping her. If she thought talking to her estranged sister would get her the answers she’d been looking for, then she had to do it. But that didn’t mean Steve wasn’t going to worry; that was sort of his job and one he was very good at. 

The rest of the afternoon at Tamera’s passed in a gentle blur. Nancy’s hair was restored to its curled form. Robin’s nails were painted black and her hair was cut shorter, Tamera got more practice, and Sunshine finished her list for her first trip out of Hawkins alone. 

They all bid each other goodbye as six o’clock rolled around and Steve had to leave for the late shift at Family Video. Nancy and Robin headed home while Steve lingered in front of the Willow’s house with Sunshine. She picked up her bike from the grass and brushed off some of the dirt from the handlebars. She and Robin had ridden to Tamera’s after school together, which they did often since the weather had grown warmer. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drop you off?” Steve asked, twirling his keys around his finger. 

“You’ll be late to work.” 

Steve playfully rolled his eyes. “I think Keith can manage a couple of minutes without me.” 

Rolling her bike onto the sidewalk, she stopped in front of him. It was funny, no matter how many times she looked at him like that, with her head tilted upwards to meet his gaze, cheeks dusted pink, and lips pulled in a small smile, his heart raced. 

“I’ll be okay,” she said. “You’ll be over after work, right?” 

“Absolutely, sweetheart.” Sunshine smiled a little wider as she leaned in for him to meet her halfway. The kiss was short and sweet but left him feeling as giddy as always. Nearly everything she did left him feeling like some kid with a crush. Even before their first official date, after the Starcourt disaster, Steve was positive Sunshine was the person for him. But getting to date her, to be with her without the unspoken thing hanging between them, was better than he could have imagined. Dating his best friend was blissful. He was sure no one understood him as much as Sunshine did. She eased his worries and pulled him out of his spirals of self-doubt that sometimes hit him hard.

“I was going to tell you about Kali and me visiting her,” she said, pulling away from him slightly. “I wasn’t just going to leave.” 

“I know.” Because he trusted her, maybe what some people would consider too much, but it was different between them. Once you go through more than one life-or-death situation with someone, you tend to hold more trust, especially when they have never let you down. 

With that, Sunshine took off down the road on her bike, bidding him one last goodbye. He climbed into his car and headed to work. The Family Video store wasn’t the most ideal job, but it was enough for the time being. He wouldn’t be in Hawkins forever, working minimum wage jobs, but he’d stay as long as Sunshine needed to because as he had known since he was a little boy, he’d follow her anywhere. 

→←

The trailer park was quiet that evening. The air smelled like spring, budding flowers, and incoming rain. Sunshine parked her bike in front of the Mayfield’s trailer, beside Max’s, and skipped up the front steps with a bag of greasy burgers and fries from the little dinner she passed on the way. After a few knocks, the door swung open to reveal Max. 

She was skinnier, her face lacking freckles from the sunshine, and her blue eyes were a little sadder than they used to be. Max had been having a hard time since Starcourt, since Billy died, and she felt it was all her fault. No matter how often Sunshine reminded her that it wasn’t, Max didn’t believe her. In the wake of Billy’s death, his dad left Max’s mom, which forced them to sell their home on Cherry Street and move into the town’s trailer park. Her mom was struggling too, working twice as hard to support them and coping with alcohol when she was off shift. It was a shitty situation, but Sunshine refused to let Max isolate herself. It didn’t matter how hard she tried to push Sunshine away, she stayed pestering the redhead with dinner and small talk to take her mind off of her troubles for at least a little while. If Max hated it, she didn’t say so. Instead, Max always let Sunshine inside her house and ate the food she brought. If she was lucky, Max would talk about school or make small talk. 

“I didn’t think you were coming tonight,” Max said, stepping aside to let Sunshine in. She always seemed to stand or sit with her arms crossed, curling into herself any chance she got. Beer cans littered the coffee table and Sunshine had made the mistake of looking at them a little too long. Max huffed before she picked them up, shoving them into the trash. “She had a long day at work. The assholes at her job-” She started to defend her mom, but Sunshine stopped her. 

“Hey,” she said, softly. “I know. I just want to make sure you’re okay, that’s all.” 

Max kicked a couple of discarded jackets into a pile on the floor, pushing them aside to clear a path to the kitchen. “I’m fine.” She wasn’t. She knew she wasn’t and she knew that Sunshine knew that too. 

“I’m sorry I was later than usual,” Sunshine said, switching gears as she sat down the paper bag of food on the counter. “We went to Tamera’s after school.”

“Why didn’t Steve drop you off?” Max asked as she dug into the food. 

“He had to work. I didn’t want him to be late.” Max hummed in response. 

They ate in silence. After they were finished, Sunshine cleaned up their wrappers and helped Max clean up the rest of the kitchen, so that her mom would have one less thing to stress over in the morning when she woke up. Once they were done, Max sat back at the table and rubbed her head. “You don’t have to do this, you know?” she said, quietly. 

“I know,” Sunshine replied. “But since you’re not with the boys as often, this is the only way I get to see you. And this may come as a surprise, but I like hanging out with you.” She really did. Max was like her other younger sister, and she missed the spunky girl she met two years ago. She was still somewhere inside of Max, underneath the rubble of trouble and tragedy. Healing was complicated; Sunshine of all people knew that, and she didn’t expect Max to wake up one morning and revert to the same kid she had once been. Max wouldn’t tell anyone she was struggling; she’d do it all alone and shut everyone else out. Sunshine promised she’d be there though; she’d never give up on any of the kids.

Max rolled her eyes, but there was a small hint of a smile. “I guess I like hanging out with you, sometimes.” Sunshine laughed, musing the hair on top of Max’s head. 

"Oh! I forgot I brought you something.” She dug around in her backpack until she found a slightly wrinkled pink envelope covered in stickers of seashells, starfish, and other oceanic items. “El sent your letter to my house and asked me to give it to you. She misplaced your new address.”

Max’s whole demeanor changed. For a brief moment, the child-like giddiness filled her bright eyes as she snatched the letter from Sunshine’s hand and peeled it open. Inside was a one-paged letter on El’s notebook paper. Her letter had come the day before and El had told Sunshine all about her spring break plans with Mike, who was visiting California. El also started to plan Sunshine’s summer visit, listing all of the fun activities she wanted them to do together. Sunshine couldn’t wait to see the ocean for the first time and spend some much-needed quality time with her siblings. They had visited Hawkins during Christmas break, but a few days wasn’t enough time to catch up.

While Max read her letter, Sunshine moved to the sink to refill her glass of water. As the faucet ran, she gazed out at the gravel road between the trailers. The quiet night started to settle in but was interrupted by loud music spilling from a van that pulled into the lot beside the trailer across from Max’s. The music cut and out from the van jumped a kid who Sunshine went to school with, Eddie Munson. 

Eddie was loud and boisterous. He was also the leader of the party’s new Dungeons and Dragons club. Mike and Dustin admired the teen. Eddie was far from being considered “cool” in popular high school terms, but he didn’t seem to care about what people thought of him, and to the two boys who had a history of being bullied for being themselves, it was probably nice to see someone so similar to them not give into the pressure of acting like everyone else. 

Sunshine wasn’t too sure what to make of Eddie; they hadn’t interacted much, aside from brief hellos when she passed the boys at their lunch table or biked home with them after their meetings. 

“Ugh,” Max groaned, appearing beside Sunshine at the window. “He always comes home like that, probably waking up half of the old people who live here.” 

“The boys like him.” 

“Because they all like the same nerdy game,” Max said. “At least Lucas found a different hobby.” Lucas still participated in the club, but most of his focus was on basketball. Sunshine didn’t know much about the sport, despite having been to all of Lucas’s games that season, but according to Steve, he was really good and would no doubt be team captain come his senior year. Unfortunately, Sunshine’s trip to see Kali meant she’d miss his final game of the season, the championship. But she wished him luck before they left school that afternoon. He seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself, branching out, and finding more friends to connect with. Sunshine was proud of him, as was the rest of the kids for trying to stay afloat in the new world of high school. It was brand new for her too, and after nearly an entire year she still wasn’t sure if she had the hang of it. 

“Speaking of Lucas-” Sunshine began but was swiftly cut off by a sharp glare from Max; the effect of El’s letter disappeared. 

“Don’t.” 

“I was just going to ask if you were going to his game tomorrow.”

Lucas was a sensitive topic for Max. They had been on and off dating, as much as fourteen-year-olds could, all summer. After last summer, Max “officially” broke it off with him. Lucas gave Max the space she needed to cope, while still trying to be one of her best friends. But Max was hurting, bad, and pushed him out each time he tried to get in. He was still just a kid too, reeling from what had happened, so he backed off. Lucas carried his emotions outside his body while Max kept them buried within. He liked Max and would probably wait forever for her for a relationship or just a friendship. Sunshine had a feeling Max knew that and she was scared of it. Love at their age sounded silly and fruitless, but it was different after what they’d been through. Lucas was one of Max’s best friends; they needed each other now more than ever, but Max was having a hard time accepting that Lucas was trying to prove it to her.

Max shrugged lamely. “It’s not like he cares,” she muttered. 

“I think he cares a lot more than you think.” 

[mittensmorgul]

Christmas, Present

Pairings: Dean/Cas, Charlie/Gilda Words: 6102 Tags: Holiday fluff, college au, getting together, matchmaker charlie Rating: T

Summary:

Charlie just wants her best friend to be happy, and has been trying for four years to help Dean meet his perfect match. A last-ditch effort and a laid back holiday party in the woods could either help Dean find the Christmas spirit he'd been missing out on most of his life, or else backfire spectacularly. She could honestly use a Christmas miracle...

Read it now on Ao3, or the entire story below the cut :)

Two Weeks Before The Party

Charlie only ever wandered through the earth sciences department once a week on her way to class, but she was thrilled the day she actually managed to catch Benny hanging up a flier for the forestry department’s annual Christmas tree harvest blowout bash. Every year, it was the biggest unofficial holiday party on campus, and every year she tried to use it as an excuse to play matchmaker for Dean Winchester. It wasn’t the only time she tried to play matchmaker for him, obviously, but she always put in her best effort for that party.

Not only was it just sad to spend the holidays alone every year, the guy worked himself to the bone year round. And since Charlie had failed for three and a half years to convince him he needed an occasional excuse to let loose once in a while, even consider dating seriously and having a social life outside of their small group of friends, she was worried about him. Sure, he went on an occasional date, but nothing ever seemed to stick for long before he went right back to his old routines.

She’d been convinced that the only person who could succeed at the task of winning Dean’s heart was someone who magically didn’t seem to exist. She’d devoted an exceedingly large portion of her free time to trying to find that person anyway. And since they were seniors, she felt like she was running out of time to find Dean’s unicorn.

She sidestepped her way through the crowded hallway and zipped in right behind Benny.

“How’s the planning coming?”

Benny slowly looked over his shoulder, and then dropped his gaze down to her with a grin on his face.

“We got the last of this year’s harvest cleared out today. Brought in a tidy little profit, but tomorrow we start clearing the ground and preparing for spring planting of the new saplings. We got a ways to go before we can move into party planning mode yet,” he warned her. “Plus we got two weeks yet before the big night.”

She peered around his shoulder to read the flier. Every year it was essentially the same. The forestry majors decorated the clearing, set up a big tent and hauled out tables and chairs, but it was really the guests themselves who were expected to do most of the work. It was bring your own everything. Most folks showed up with their choice of alcohol— which was mostly the cheapest beer they could get their hands on, and the assortment of holiday-themed adult beverages like cider, egg nog and mulled wine— and a wide variety of takeout. One year, someone managed to haul out an entire living room set, including the fake fireplace with stockings nailed to it.

For a college party, it was practically sedate, and always felt more like a bunch of kids hiding in the forest pretending to be adults than a literal group of adults throwing a raucous party. Not that things didn’t get wild out there in their own way, but your typical frat party it was not.

The vibe could best be summed up as a decompression session between finishing exams and preparing to venture home and face the family for a few weeks. For an event that took place in an often snow-covered forest clearing, it was cozy. Sheltered from the wind by next year’s nearly grown Christmas trees decorated with random assorted lights and garlands, and a big bonfire with all the scraps trimmed from the most recent harvest of pine tree branches that crackled and popped as people drunkenly attempted to toast marshmallows over it. But it definitely fostered an atmosphere of getting cozy with your neighbor, and as such Charlie was borderline desperate to get Dean to connect with someone there. This was her last chance to spark that kind of magical holiday cheer and romance for Dean before they graduated and inevitably all went their separate ways.

Now she just had to convince him to show up.

Six Days Before The Party

“Charlie, for the last time I am not gonna hike out into the woods to freeze my ass off and make nicey nicey with a bunch of people I barely know,” Dean said a week and a half later.

She really was running out of time now. The party was in less than a week, exams were almost over, and while she knew Dean was staying on campus over the holiday break, he’d overextended himself again and was still struggling to put the finishing touches on all the portraits he was painting people as holiday gifts.

“It’s just a few hours, Dean,” she wheedled, lying on his bed and studying for her final exam while Dean painted at his desk. “And you know me and Gilda, and Benny, and Max and Alicia, and a bunch of our other friends will be there too. You deserve a break.”

Dean snorted, turning toward her with a little glob of blue paint smeared on his cheek. “Yeah, and I’m gonna get three whole weeks of break just as soon as everyone else clears out of here and leaves me with peace and quiet.”

Charlie frowned at him, getting up and crossing over to him to remove the blue streak from his face with her thumb, showing him the results of her efforts when he gave her an odd look. He batted her hand away and grumbled as he went back to his work.

“You need a social break,” she replied. “You know, where you talk to actual living people instead of just the portraits you paint of them.”

“I’m talking to you right now,” he replied without bothering to look up at her.

She dropped back on to the edge of the bed, crossing her arms and watching him for another moment.

“Why are you so grinchy about the holidays? Because it usually doesn’t take this much work to get you to at least be sociable for an hour or two. There’s gotta be something there…”

Dean stiffened, and took a deep breath. Charlie was worried for a second that she’d crossed a line, struck a too-painful nerve, but she just waited to see how Dean would react. At least he wasn’t yelling. Eventually he dropped his paintbrush in the cup of dirty paint water, clasped his hands, and spun his chair around to face her.

“Well aside from the fact I don’t enjoy freezing my ass off—”

“You know there is a bonfire, right? It’s plenty warm around the fire.”

Dean continued as if she hadn’t interrupted him. “I hate all that fake holiday magic shit. The cheesy music, the plastic decorations, it all just sucks and I get enough of that just walking through the grocery store this time of year. I don’t need to seek it out on purpose.”

Charlie frowned at him. “You do understand that we mostly sit around complaining about exams and professors, and all the stupid shit our families are gonna drag us to back home, or all the stupid shit they made us do as kids. Worst holiday memory story wins a case of beer,” she said, hoping that might entice his inner Scrooge.

“Yeah, well, my worst holiday memory was the year our house burned down and took my mom with it. Dad spent it in a bottle, and I spent it trying to keep my infant brother alive. I was five.”

He’d watched the look of horror spread across Charlie’s face as he ranted at her, and then looked contrite. In a much gentler voice, and with a sad smile, he continued.

“Look, that’s all in the distant past, but I really fucking hate dredging it up every year under the guise of celebrating something most people think is jolly fun, you know? I really ain’t good company this time of year.”

“I’m so sorry, Dean, I had no idea,” she said.

His smile turned more genuine as he reached out and patted her knee. “It’s okay, you couldn’t have known. Sometimes it’s just easier to just stay out of everyone else’s way rather than be a constant wet blanket about it. I’m not here to piss in anyone’s egg nog.”

She nodded slowly, and took a deep breath. “That’s why you make paintings for everyone every year,” she realized. “Giving people the piece of yourself you can, showing them they’re loved, without having to say it out loud.”

Dean frowned at her, but didn’t disagree. “Sounds dumb when you just say it like that, but yeah. I can’t really be part of it, but I’m still there with everyone in spirit, I guess.”

After a few quiet minutes, Charlie dared to speak again.

“Have you thought that maybe you just need to make some better memories to pin to the holidays? Not that you could ever erase the pain, but maybe it doesn’t have to control the rest of your life.”

Dean sighed, and nodded. “Yeah, I tried a few times back in high school. Took a job as an elf at the mall one year and earned enough to buy Sammy some decent presents for once, but that didn’t really do much to improve my opinion of the holidays in general.”

“Yeah, capitalism will do that to you,” she replied, commiserating. “The mall is not known for being an epicenter of the true spirit of Christmas.”

Dean snorted. “Yeah, it definitely didn’t inspire the whole peace and goodwill shit, anyway.”

Charlie smiled at him. “Well, I promise I won’t push if you really don’t want to come, but if you do…”

Dean held up a hand like he was gonna protest again, but Charlie just talked louder at him.

“If you DO come, I also promise a chance to make some more pleasant holiday memories with a bunch of people who actually care about you. Worst case scenario, you get to hang out with me for an hour or two, and I’ll bring you home the second you decide you can’t take it anymore. I’ll even make you a thermos of that hot cinnamon cider you like that tastes like alcoholic apple pie.”

Dean actually let out a little laugh at that, and shook his head. “I appreciate that, Charlie, and I swear I’ll think about it, okay? But right now, I gotta get back to work here. And you probably do, too,” he reminded her, pointing at her open textbook and piles of notes.

Charlie knew she’d at least done the best she could. Now she just had to tackle the other side of her problem. Who to introduce Dean to at the party that had the power to not only un-grinchify him, but convince him the holiday spirit was more than just the ghosts of Christmas past.

Three Days Before The Party

“Hey, Cas,” Charlie said to the library clerk who helped her check out the last stack of books she needed to plow through before her final exam in the morning.

She and Dean had both known Cas for years, even if he was an even bigger enigma to her than Dean was. He was an art history major, and Charlie knew he shared a few classes with Dean every semester, but he’d been even more difficult to convince to let loose and have a good time than Dean. The only time she’d been able to convince him to join them for a game night had been using Dean himself as a lure, and then Dean had had the nerve to bail on them for a date that he ended up bailing on halfway through dinner when it was clear they really didn’t have anything in common. When Cas had shown up and learned Dean wouldn’t be there after all, he awkwardly tried to make the best of it, but ended up excusing himself after a single round of Cards Against Humanity. Charlie had tried to invite him again many times, but he always had some excuse at the ready.

She knew he worked hard, between his classes and long hours in the library, but she really didn’t know him well outside of that. Aside from what Dean had told her about him— since Dean spent a suspicious amount of time talking about him— she really didn’t know him at all. But maybe that was just the thing… maybe she’d been trying too hard to find the perfect person for Dean when he’d been right there all along. But if she wasn’t even sure Dean would drag his sorry ass out to the party, she couldn’t very well invite Cas based on the tenuous hope that Dean would be there, too. No, she realized standing there wearily pondering her options. This would require subterfuge. But like, mistletoe-festooned subterfuge. She was struck with a bolt of inspiration, and began laying the groundwork for a plan that was practically foolproof, even if these two idiots didn’t want to cooperate.

“Oh, hello, Charlie,” Cas said when he blearily scanned in her card and finally recognized her. “Still studying for your finals?”

“Yeah, four down, one to go. What about you? Are you finally free yet?”

Cas nodded, looking like he was about to pass out on the desk. “One more,” he replied, lifting up the open textbook from behind the counter to show her. “I’ve been cramming between helping desperate people find last minute study resources.”

“Sheesh, they don’t even cut you a break during finals week? You look like you need a coffee. Or maybe a nap.”

“I can sleep tomorrow at three o’clock, after I finish my last exam. I have it penciled in on my calendar.”

“Well, if you’re recovered by Saturday night, you should really come out to the forestry department’s Christmas party. It’s a nice, relaxing way to end out the semester.”

Cas squinted at her, confused. “I was unaware you studied forestry.”

Charlie couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “I don’t, they just put on the best holiday do on campus. You met Benny at that game night, right? He’s the current mastermind behind the party planning.”

Cas nodded slowly. “Yes, I remember Benny.” He frowned then. “I see him with Dean a lot.”

Charlie knew she was losing him, and considering his current lack of focus it probably hadn’t been the best time to bring it up, but it wasn’t like she had a lot of time.

“Well, it’s totally worth delaying your plans to go home for a day or two for. If you need a little warmth and human kindness.”

“Those things all sound lovely, but I am home, so I suppose I won’t be going anywhere for winter break.”

Charlie blinked at him. “Wait, I thought you were from Boston or something? Or is it Chicago? How did I get that so wrong?”

Cas let out an ugly little laugh. “Well, I was from Boston until my parents decided that I was no longer welcome in their home.”

“Oh, oh Cas, I’m sorry…” Charlie said, and between stumbling across Dean’s childhood trauma and now faceplanting directly into Cas’s family drama in an effort to get them both in the same place at the same time, she was pretty convinced she’d failed completely.

“It’s fine, Charlie,” Cas replied with a sad smile. “It’s better this way.”

“Well, then you have twice the reason to come out and share a little holiday cheer with friends,” she replied, smiling encouragingly at him and sliding one of the fliers with the party details across the counter to him when he handed back her books. “We’ll be glad to have you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Cas replied, taking the paper and setting it down on his textbook. “Good luck with your exam tomorrow.”

“Yeah, Cas, you too,” she replied, collecting her things and heading for home. She was pretty sure there was at least a 50-50 shot that either of them might show up. But at least she’d paved the way for part two of her dastardly plan.

Party Day

Charlie arrived at the clearing before dusk. She expected to pitch in with the setup, and had brought a massive collection of ornaments she’d pulled out of the trees after last year’s party. Benny and his crew were nearly done stringing up all the lights, the tent and dozens of tables and chairs had already been assembled and arranged, and the bonfire pit was nearly ready to set ablaze. The weather had been unexpectedly cooperative, and it was warmer than usual, if still technically cold. At least it wasn’t raining, Charlie thought as she set her tote bags down and began hanging sparkly plastic baubles on lit trees.

“We were wondering where all those went off to,” Benny said, grinning at her and making his way over with a large box of new ornaments to add to Charlie’s.

“Well, you guys usually end up chucking them out or losing them every year, so last year I decided to take matters into my own hands,” she said, hanging another bauble and then turning her own grin on Benny. “Reduce, reuse, recycle, right?”

“That’s much appreciated, Red. Shame you didn’t go into forestry.”

“Even the forestry service needs IT people,” Charlie replied. “It’s not too late to recruit me.”

Benny laughed. “Yeah, well, I tried recruiting Dean after he said something similar about architects and artists, and yet…” he waved his hands around at everyone busily working around the clearing. “He’s nowhere to be found.”

Charlie frowned. “Did he tell you he was coming?”

“I know better than to ask him, but when he dropped off me and Andrea’s Christmas presents last night, I mentioned we hoped to see him here. He was… noncommittal about it.”

Charlie snorted. “Yeah, I’ve been nagging him since last weekend. I figure it would take a miracle to get him to show his pretty face, even for an hour or two.”

“The boy is set in his ways,” Benny replied. “He’s got his reasons, and I’m not gonna pry too hard into them.”

“Well, if you do see him tonight, just let him be, okay?” Charlie pleaded. “If he shows up, he’s got his reasons, and I don’t think it would help to tease him about it.”

Benny considered her for a moment, really thinking about what she was trying to tell him. “What sort of shenanigans do you have up those big pink puffy sleeves, Bradbury?” Benny asked with one suspiciously raised eyebrow.

“I’m just here to have a good time,” Charlie replied, a little more sing-songy than she’d intended.

“You just leave me out of any trouble you’re thinking of stirring up,” Benny replied. “The whole point of this shindig is to leave for the holidays on good feelings.”

“That’s the goal,” Charlie muttered under her breath, and then shot Benny a winning smile and patted his shoulder with her fuzzy mitten.

“Mmhmmm,” Benny replied, and then sighed, getting back to his work. “Just don’t let me hear you were causing problems, and we’re all good.”

Charlie waited until after dark, patiently keeping an eye out for Dean and Cas, hoping she wouldn’t have to activate her emergency protocol. She tried to enjoy the Thai takeout her girlfriend Gilda brought a few hours later, only having a couple of drinks and not really letting herself go too crazy, but of course Gilda noticed how distracted she seemed.

“Okay, so what’s really bothering you?” Gilda asked after watching Charlie anxiously pick at her food for half an hour. “You’re not worried about meeting my parents, are you? Because I told you they’re going to adore you.”

“What? No, absolutely not,” Charlie replied, turning a reassuring smile on her girlfriend. “I know we’re gonna have an amazing time with your family. I was just hoping to see Dean before we leave. I worry about him all alone here over break.”

Gilda smiled fondly at her. “This is why I love you. You care so much about all the people in your life. If he doesn’t show up by the time we leave, we can stop by his place on our way out tomorrow. Maybe take him out for lunch and call it our own little party.”

Charlie felt the tension melt from her shoulders. “See, this is why I love you, too. You get me. That I just don’t know how not to care so much.”

They finished their food, then moved over to the fire pit where Max was handing out little prepackaged kits to make s’mores and tending the flames. Alicia passed out mulled wine in little paper cups, ladled from a huge soup pot perched carefully on a large flat stone by the fire while conversation turned toward everyone’s plans for the long break. Charlie let herself relax for a little while, but when she checked her watch she knew it was now or never for her little plan. She sighed, leaned in and kissed Gilda’s cheek, and then stood up.

“You just wait here, I’ll be back in a few minutes, okay?”

Gilda nodded, only a little confused as Charlie pulled her phone out of her pocket and stepped away from the warmth of the fire. Her first call was to Cas, because if she couldn’t convince him to come, there was no point to making her second call. He was a good guy, though, and she only hoped he’d recovered from his post-exam exhaustion enough to actually be awake as she pulled up his contact info. It was still early, she convinced herself. At least, it wasn’t too late to ask a favor from a friend.

She took a deep breath and dialed the phone. If she swayed a little on her feet to help herself get into character, nobody else had to know.

“Hello, Charlie, how are you this evening?” Cas said when he answered.

“A little drunk,” she said, slurring her words just enough to be believable. “I’m so sorry, Cas, but I didn’t know who else to call. Everyone else I know has already left for break, and you’re a solid dude who might take pity on a drunk girl and help her get home safe.”

Cas sighed, but she could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again. “Where are you, I can come and get you.”

“At the forestry school party. I think someone spiked the cider, and things just got away from me after my third or fourth cup.”

Cas laughed outright at that. “Okay, I might need a few minutes to get ready. Will you be okay until I get there?”

“I’ll just stay by the bonfire. You won’t be able to miss me. I’m the one in a hot pink parka and a toboggan hat with pointy elf ears glued to the ear flaps.”

“Yes, your coat is rather memorable. I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. You just stay put, and maybe don’t have any more cider.”

“Good advice,” Charlie replied. “Though it would’ve been better advice an hour ago.”

“See you soon,” Cas said.

“Thank you, Cas,” Charlie mumbled into her phone, and then hung up and quickly dialed Dean.

The drunk story wouldn’t work on him, she knew from long experience. Dean would just tell her to have Gilda or Benny drive her home. And without getting into a long back and forth, or lying and telling him she and Gilda broke up— which he would never believe anyway— it was easier to concoct an entirely different lie for Dean. One absolutely consistent trait of his was his reflexive impulse to help any of his friends out of a sticky situation. It overrode even his ingrained dislike of Christmas parties.

“What’s up, Charles. I thought you were supposed to be out partying tonight?” Dean asked when he answered.

“Well, I was having a lovely evening at this little soiree, but now my car won’t start and I’m kind of stranded here.”

Dean sighed, and she could hear him fumbling around already pulling his boots on to come out. “So you need a rescue? What’s the problem? Is it turning over at all or is your battery shot?”

“It just clicks and nothing,” Charlie said.

“Yeah, it’s probably a dead battery. Did you leave the lights on?”

“I don’t think so,” Charlie replied.

“Well, I got jumper cables in the trunk, but worst case scenario, I’ll just bring you home and we can figure out what’s wrong with it tomorrow when we got some daylight to work with.”

“Thank you so much, Dean. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“Where are you parked?”

“Right up close, not far from the bonfire pit. I’ll meet you there.”

“Stay warm, Charles. I’ll be there in less than ten,” he said, and Charle heard him juggle the phone to pull on his coat as he grabbed his keys and then hung up.

She stood there in the dark for a moment, eyes closed, and then took a deep, fortifying breath. This was all either going to go very, very well, or horribly, awfully wrong. There was no turning back now, though. She marched back to the fire pit and took Gilda’s hand.

“Would you care for a romantic stroll through the woods?” Charlie asked her.

“Only if you promise to tell me all the juicy details of whatever scheme you’ve been planning all night,” Gilda replied, getting to her feet with a knowing smile.

“Of course, now that we’ve crossed the Rubicon, I’ve been dying to tell someone for weeks, actually.”

“Well, then,” Gilda replied. “Lead the way.”

Before they ducked into the trees, Charlie made sure to tell Alicia, Max, and Benny they were going for a little walk. Now that her unwitting accomplices were all primed to play their parts, Charlie led her girlfriend through the softly glowing trees at the edge of the clearing. She led them a couple rows further into the dark, and then looped around under cover of the trees to the other side of the clearing to wait and watch.

While they walked, over the muffled sounds of talking and laughter coming from their friends a short way away through the trees, Charlie explained what she’d done.

“I just couldn’t stand the thought of them both being alone anymore,” she finished with, and Gilda touched a hand to her cheek.

“You are a good friend, Charlie,” she said. “Maybe a little overzealous, but your heart is in the right place.”

“So you don’t think they’re both gonna disown me for this?” Charlie asked, sounding genuinely nervous, because now that everything was out of her hands, she was.

Gilda shrugged. “Dean might not talk to you for a while, but he’ll have three grumpy, lonely weeks to get over it before you have to face him again. He’ll probably have forgiven you by then.”

Charlie let out a shuddering breath and gave a nervous laugh. “I hope so.”

Gilda peeked out through the trees when they heard the engine of Dean’s car pull up. Charlie snatched her arm and tugged her back into the shadows with a warning look. The plan would fall apart before they even had a chance for it to work if Dean caught them now, before Cas even showed up.

Charlie dared a glance, and saw Dean looking at her car briefly, and then wandering over toward the bonfire. He greeted Max, who tried to force a s’mores kit on him, and eventually Dean relented, taking the stick and the little bag of cookies, marshmallows, and chocolate bars from him before apparently asking where Charlie was. Max pointed off in the general direction of the tent, and Dean thanked him before heading over that way. A moment later, he found Benny, who gave him a big hug and offered him a drink that he declined. They talked for a few minutes before Dean remembered his mission, and Benny sent him off into the woods in the direction Charlie and Gilda had gone.

“It’s working perfectly,” Charlie muttered excitedly, as Cas arrived and wandered over to the bonfire moments later, and was also directed toward the tent after a short conversation with Alicia. A few seconds later, he disappeared into the woods, as well.

“So what do we do now?” Gilda asked, sounding as quietly excited and invested in their little game as Charlie was.

“Now, we wait. And if they don’t storm back out in the next few minutes and tear me a new one, we quietly slip away and let nature take its course,” Charlie replied.

In The Woods, Right Friggin’ Now

“Charlie?” Dean called out. “Where the fuck did you go?”

He stomped down the row of lighted trees bordering the clearing, and then pushed his way into the next row, muttering under his breath.

“So much for staying put where I could find you.”

It was only a few minutes before he heard a distinctly familiar voice call out nearby. He shuddered at the sound that had filled some of his most frustrated fantasies over the last few years since they’d become friends, and shoved all those unrequited feelings down when he realized what Cas was doing out there. Also, apparently, looking for Charlie. Well, that was a disheartening development. But at least he figured he could have some help, and possibly even a little company while he scoured the woods for his wayward friend.

Dean took a deep breath and called out for Charlie again. Not far away, Cas’s footsteps froze in their tracks. After an extremely awkward moment, Cas called out again, this time sounding a little confused.

“Dean? Is that you?”

Dean steeled himself, and headed toward Cas’s voice. “Yeah, it’s me. You looking for Charlie, too?”

Cas fought his way through a row of trees and appeared on the path just a few feet from him with a relieved sigh.

“Yes. It’s concerning that she apparently wandered off into the forest in her state.”

“Her state?” Dean asked, taking in the pine needles sticking out of Cas’s disheveled hair.

Cas nodded, brushing more needles from his coat. Dean couldn’t help but think he looked adorably festive.

“She called me asking for a ride home. She was quite inebriated, and she shouldn’t be wandering alone like that.”

Dean snorted, shaking his head, and realized exactly what Charlie had done. “She was deadass sober when she called me ten minutes ago because she was having car trouble.”

Cas’s eyes went wide, still not having fully understood what was going on, or why he was standing in a cold, dark forest. “Then why did she tell me she was drunk if she’s actually having difficulty with her car?”

Dean reached out without thinking and laid a hand on Cas’s shoulder, brushing some more pine needles away and grinning at him. “Dude, I don’t think she’s drunk or stranded. I’m pretty sure we’re being set up.”

“Set up?” Cas asked, tilting his head to the side in that adorable way of his. “For what?”

Dean shrugged, letting his hand drop. He hated to pass up his chance, especially since Charlie had plotted and schemed to get them both out there for some reason. But he knew Cas wasn’t into him in that way, much as it had pained him to realize it years ago. When Cas had pointedly ignored all his flirting when they’d first met, Dean took the hint and had accepted that Cas wasn’t interested in anything other than his friendship. It had been a struggle, and those feelings had never really gone away, but Dean had endured. Cas was far too important to him to cut ties with, even if it broke his heart just a little bit every time Cas smiled at him.

“I think she was trying to get the two of us, out here, alone in the woods.”

Cas’s confusion was not alleviated by that information, so Dean pressed on with a heavy sigh.

“Dude, she was hoping we’d run into each other, laugh about it, and forget all about her as the magic of holiday romance swept us away.”

Cas squinted at him for a moment, before a look of recognition finally crossed his features. “Oh, is this supposed to be like one of those Hallmark Channel movies she talks about?”

Dean snorted, feeling relieved that Cas was finally catching on, but still disappointed that it wouldn’t change anything between them.

“Yeah, her heart’s in the right place, but sometimes her head ain’t quite screwed on all the way.”

Cas nodded, apparently understanding. “Because you’re not gay. I’m surprised she made that kind of mistake.”

Dean blinked at Cas, wondering if he actually heard that right. “What?” was all he could muster.

“She is one of your closest friends, it seems strange she would set you up for a holiday romance with me.” His eyes narrowed again. “Unless this is some sort of prank on us?”

“What?” Dean blurted again, and then shook himself off. Maybe it was the cold wind that had picked up freezing his frontal lobe, or maybe it was just the shock of Cas’s certain but entirely wrong declarations about his sexuality in general and his interest in Cas more specifically. After years of dutifully repressing all those tangled feelings, Dean was entirely unable to stop the flood of words that escaped his mouth next.

“Dude… she set us up because she probably knows I’ve been borderline lovesick over you since the day we met. And for the record, she’s fully aware that I’m bi, which she figured out when I spent the first six weeks of freshman year dating Max.”

“What?” Cas blurted out after staring openmouthed at Dean for a full thirty seconds.

“I thought you knew. I mean, after I spent the first few months after I met you putting all my best moves on you, I figured you just weren’t interested in me that way, and I let it go.”

“What?” Cas repeated, looking truly shocked now.

Dean stared at him for a moment, and then just broke down laughing. “Oh my god, you really didn’t know. You just… didn’t get that I was flirting with you, like at all.”

Cas slowly shook his head. “No, I didn’t. You know I’m not very good at picking up on that sort of thing.”

“Yeah, I’ve come to realize that pretty recently,” Dean said, feeling a giddy kindling of hope in his chest for the first time in years. Maybe Charlie hadn’t been as entirely off the mark as he’d thought. Or maybe she’d just finally accidentally stumbled into the mark. “At the time, I thought you were just trying to let me down easy.”

After a few moments, Cas quietly asked, almost like he was too afraid to hope for the answer he wanted to hear, “So does this mean you would still consider flirting with me now?”

Dean raised an eyebrow and stepped right up into Cas’s personal space. “Does this mean you’d be interested if I was?”

Cas nodded slowly. “I have also been, as you say, borderline lovesick over you, so yes, I would.”

“Huh,” Dean replied as his heart threatened to beat through his ribs. “I guess I’m not about to pass up a Christmas miracle when it’s practically gift wrapped and handed to me.”

Cas didn’t even have time to ask what Dean meant before Dean leaned in and kissed him. A split second was all it took for Cas to recover from his shock and kiss Dean back.

Charlie, Gilda, and their car were long gone by the time Dean and Cas wandered back out of the woods. When he got back to his car, waiting to follow Cas back to his place for a warmer and more comfortable continuation of the evening’s events, Dean sent Charlie a message.

“You were right, I should’ve just agreed to come to the damn party.”

“Everything worked out, then? You’re not gonna hunt me for sport?”

Dean laughed, and replied. “Not for this. We probably owe you a better Christmas present now.”

Charlie just replied, “No more ghosts of Christmas past. You just go and make some happy new memories with Cas, and we’ll call it even.”

Dean sighed and started his engine. He waved to Cas as he got in his car and they headed out together. Yeah, maybe this was exactly the kind of holiday spirit he could live with.

Read it again (or just leave comments or kudos!) on ao3!

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Shadows in the Night

This story is inspired by @misseviehyde‘s Twitter thread here.

It had all ended in an instant for Amber. The bullying head cheerleader of North Ridge high school never would have expected that she would have gone out in the way that she had. It was ironic really that the queen of mean who was notorious for being heartless would have died from a heart attack due to a rare undiagnosed heart condition. It happened in her sleep and in the snap of a finger, she was gone. Although not entirely.

Her soul refused to leave and enter the afterlife. It had plans, it had unfinished business. However each passing moment on earth made it feel weaker and dragged further to the afterlife. It needed a body. Taking the form of a shadow it detached itself from Amber’s body and crept next door to Amber’s neighbours house, the Joneses. It slid in the mailbox and up the stairs until it found what it was looking for. Or more accurately who it was looking for. Cassie Jones

Cassie was in senior year with Amber but that’s where the similarities ended. Where Amber was confident, vain and cruel, Cassie was shy, modest and kind. Amber’s soul would have preferred a more suitable host but time was running out. Cassie slept soundly as the shadow crept closer and closer. Just when it seemed like Amber’s shadow was about to attack, Cassie’s own shadow put up a fight. However Amber’s soul shadow was stronger even in its deteriorating form.

Amber’s shadow easily dominated Cassie’s. Even in shadow form Cassie was the victim to Amber. Cassie was moaning and groaning in her sleep, unaware of the fight happening but still reacting physically to it. Amber’s shadow began to absorb Cassie’s. It grew stronger in an instant as it latched onto Cassie and became her new shadow. Cassie stopped groaning as Amber’s soul took over and flooded her mind with pleasurable thoughts of being a hot bully. By morning she would be completely new woman. And not just mentally.

A subtle transformation began with Cassie's features. Her innocent and delicate facial structure gained an allure, her soft eyes now laced with a piercing gaze that promised manipulation. Her lashes elongated, giving them a seductive flutter that exuded power and control. Cassie's lips, once gentle and kind, grew fuller and took on a more provocative curve.

Her once modest and shy form underwent a metamorphosis. It molded her slender frame, accentuating her curves with a subtle but unmistakable allure. Her non athletic body began to tone all over, giving her a form that could flip, bend and pose in all the right ways. Even in her sleep her body's natural grace was changed, making her movements alluring and captivating.

Cassie's hair underwent a dramatic transformation. Once a plain and dirty brown, her locks now radiated with a lustrous, bright sheen. Strands of hair became sleeker, cascading in waves that framed her face, hinting at a magnetic allure. The color brightened to an alluring shade of bright blonde, exuding an air of beauty and seduction.

Next her nails underwent a captivating metamorphosis. Once neatly trimmed and natural, they now grew longer, becoming elegant talons painted in a glossy crimson. The tips of her fingers acquired a wicked grace, capable of inflicting both pleasure and pain, a physical representation of her newfound cruelty.

Her breasts, formerly modest in size, swelled and grew, accentuating her curves with a provocative allure. They became a symbol of her newfound sensuality, commanding attention and leaving no doubt of her transformation into a seductive and empowered figure.

These changes, although superficial, served to further mold Cassie's physical appearance into a vessel that embodied Amber's essence. With her hair exuding allure, her nails symbolizing her capacity for manipulation, and her enhanced breast size enhancing her sensual appeal, Cassie's exterior reflected the shadow's wicked intentions. The shadow's power transformed her into a seductive and cruel version of herself, equipped with the tools to captivate and control those who crossed her path.

The transformation extended to her aura, as a chilling confidence infused Cassie's being. Her once timid demeanor was replaced by a calculated charisma that would draw others in, only to be ensnared by her cruelty. The shadow's influence seeped into her every thought, twisting her empathy and kindness into callousness and malice.

As Cassie's sleeping body was reshaped by the shadow's dark power, a cruel and seductive version of her emerged, a haunting echo of Amber's former self. The new Cassie would become a force to be reckoned with, wielding beauty, manipulation, and wickedness in equal measure.

As the first rays of morning light filtered through the curtains, Cassie's eyes fluttered open, unaware of the physical transformation that had occurred while she slumbered. She sat up in bed, stretching her arms, and a surge of newfound confidence surged through her veins. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a darker side of her personality that had lain dormant until now.

Her new conscience crackled with a newfound wicked desire, laced with a hunger for power and control. A sinister smile curved her lips as she contemplated the possibilities that lay ahead. The once timid Cassie had been replaced by a charismatic predator, ready to manipulate and dominate those around her.

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed she walked towards her closet passing her full length mirror. She stopped dead in her tracks and walked back to the mirror. Her eyes roamed over the reflection of her body, taking in every curve and every inch of herself.

“I look… perfect. As per usual.” She said self satisfied with a bitchy smirk as she snapped some selfies of herself.

A new wicked voice whispered seductive suggestions in her mind, urging her to seek admiration and fear from her peers. It fueled her new desire to become the queen of the school, to take down Amber, but with a newfound edge of cruelty and malice. She craved the twisted satisfaction of wielding power over others, of seeing them tremble beneath her reign.

Cassie stood before the mirror, her gaze fixed upon her transformed reflection. A twisted smile crept across her lips as she spoke aloud to herself, her voice dripping with venomous determination.

"Amber, my dear, your reign ends today. I will topple you from your pedestal and claim the throne for myself. You will see, the queen of mean shall now be me, and only me."

She sauntered over to the wardrobe unaware of the flashing lights arriving next door. In her closet she found all her clothes to be lacking and made a mental note to throw it all out later and go on a shopping spree. Finally she settled on an old horse riding outfit she had when she was younger. It clung to her nicely and showed off all her perfect curves.

Venturing outside, her mind was awash with plans and schemes to take down Amber and take up the mantle of queen. It made her positively wet just to think about how much wicked fun she was about to have. However as she looked over to her nemesis’s house she was surprised to see an ambulance pull away with Amber’s parents driving quickly after it.

"Well, well, maybe it'll be easier than I thought. Looks like fate might be lending me a hand." She said to herself as she strolled over to a cop about to leave. Putting on her best sympathetic face she tapped him on the shoulder. The cop whirled around slightly annoyed but his demeanour quickly warmed when seeing the vision of beauty in front of him.

"Hey officer," she purred, her voice dripping with sweet naivety. "I couldn't help but notice the commotion. Is everything okay?"

The officer, caught off guard by Cassie's sudden attention, cleared his throat and replied, "There was an incident. Amber... well, she had a heart attack in her sleep. Tragic."

Cassie widened her eyes, a mask of false surprise adorning her features. "Oh my, that's awful! She always seemed so healthy. Poor thing."

Inside, Cassie reveled in the news, relishing the confirmation of Amber's demise. Her act of innocence had successfully concealed her wicked intentions, and now she could seize the opportunity that fate had presented.

Cassie's mind swiftly processed the information, concocting a plan to exploit the situation further. With a coy smile, she shifted her focus back to the officer, her eyes glimmering with a mischievous twinkle.

"Officer, I know this may sound strange, but... I was Amber's friend, and she said I could borrow a few of her clothes for a special event tonight," Cassie fibbed, her voice laced with a hint of desperation. "I'd really love to retrieve them as a memento of our friendship. Is there any way you could let me in, just for a moment?"

The officer hesitated, torn between his duty and Cassie's persuasive charm. After a brief pause, he replied, "I'm sorry, miss, but I can't allow unauthorized access. It's a crime scene."

Cassie leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of flirtation and innocence. She lightly touched the officer's arm, using her charms to her advantage.

"Please, Officer... I promise I'll be quick. It would mean the world to me," she pleaded, her voice taking on an alluring tone.

The officer's resolve began to waver as Cassie's charm worked its magic. With a gulp, he finally relented. "Alright, but make it fast and stay out of the way. No touching anything."

Cassie flashed him a grateful smile, hiding her true intentions beneath the façade of a grieving friend. She had successfully manipulated her way into Amber's house, ready to seize not only the opportunity for stylish clothes but to step into the void left by the departed queen bee.

As she swayed up to the door she felt the eyes of the police officer on every curve of her. She’d have him helping her out of the house with clothes, jewelry and makeup before long. Maybe she’d even reward him, but probably not. It was good being a bitch.

[galtx]

GALTx eNews: Resolutions For Your Hound's New Year

This far into the new year, most of us have given up on our personal resolutions. Not to worry. We have ideas for hound related resolutions that you can easily achieve:

1) Schedule your hound's annual check up to review their vaccination status, check their weight, get a nail trim, and have an examination.

2) Begin a healthy dental routine for your hound that includes brushing at least a few times a week. If you already know your hound needs a dental and have been putting it off, get it scheduled with your vet.

3) Talk to your vet regarding preventative medications and make sure your hound is getting what they need to protect against internal parasites, ticks, and fleas (and all the diseases they carry).

4) If your hound needs to lose weight as much as you do, make changes to their diet to help them get trim. Maybe a little less kibble or fewer treats every day will do the trick. Seniors might benefit from switching to a senior food and, if recommended by a vet, might benefit from supplements.

5) Make sure your hound's nails are getting trimmed. Pick a day each month that you'll take a look and trim as needed or book a repeating visit to a groomer.

6) Inspect your yard, fence, and gate to identify any repairs you need to make to help keep your hound from escaping.

7) Inspect your hound's tags to make sure the contact information is still current and legible and while you're looking, make sure your collars, leashes, and harnesses are all in good shape.

8) If you have moved since adopting from GALT, send your updated contact information to us at info@galtx.org. Your GALT hound has a tag with our phone number on it and we want to be able to find you if someone calls saying they found your hound.

9) Check with your microchip company to make sure your contact information is still correct and, the next time you're in, have your vet check to make sure your hound's chip is still readable.

10) Establish an exercise routine with your hound that will benefit you both! If you're not walking regularly, start with a couple of walks a week. If you're already walking, bump up the scheduled frequency. Increase your hound's activity level gradually to make sure they don't over do it.

11) Start teaching your hound one new skill like stay, leave it, or come. These basic skills can be critical to averting an emergency.

12) Get more involved with the Greyhound community by joining a local Greyhound walk or sharing your hound photos in a social media group.

You don't have to do it all at once. Consider adding just one item to your calendar each month. You'll have a full month to get to it and at the end of the year, you'll have done everything on this list!

1/11/23

[bunnysmooch]

i trimmed the boys' nails today all on my own! they both did really well too, I'm so proud

mochi usually fights us really hard, but this time he was much calmer. i think it may have been a combo of him not being held (I set him on the backyard table) and me not making A Big Deal™ about it (it was only me and not a second person, we didn't burrito him, etc)

or maybe its just old age lol. he's almost 9! according to the vet, he's considered a Senior Rabbit™ now

[petsgrooming]

Elevate Your Cat's Grooming Experience with Cut on Car Pets Grooming!

If you're a devoted cat owner in Dubai, searching for unparalleled grooming services for your feline friend, your quest ends with Cut on Car Pets Grooming! Our team, driven by a profound love for pets, is excited to introduce our exceptional Cat Grooming Car Services, bringing grooming expertise right to your doorstep.

Why Opt for Professional Cat Grooming in a Mobile Grooming Car?

While cats are known for their self-grooming prowess, some require extra care, especially those with long fur or seniors facing grooming challenges. With our Mobile Cat Grooming Car Service, we grasp the unique needs of cats, ensuring a stress-free grooming experience.

Comprehensive Cat Grooming at Your Doorstep

Radiant Coats through Brushing: Our grooming includes thorough brushing, promoting natural oil distribution, reducing fur ingestion, and preventing mats and damaged fur. Comfortable Nail Trimming: Long nails can cause discomfort. Our expert groomers handle nail trimming for your feline's ease of movement. Hygienic Medicated Bathing: Adventure-loving cats often accumulate dirt.

Flea and Tick Control: Regular checks and treatments keep your cat free from these pesky parasites. Health-focused Skin Examination: Our professionals diligently examine your cat's coat, identifying potential infections or dermatological issues. From stylish lion cuts to practical crocodile cuts, we cater to breeds with long fur or cats facing matting issues.

Nail trimming is crucial for cat grooming. Our expert groomers ensure a painless experience, preventing bleeding or discomfort associated with longer nails.

Pro Tips for Cat Owners

Regular grooming sessions enhance your cat’s well-being, promoting skin health, circulation, and muscle tone. Whether it’s combing, nail trimming, or professional grooming, these activities are vital for their overall health.

Prioritizing your cat's comfort and health, our Mobile Pet Grooming Service brings quality grooming to your doorstep in Dubai. Experience the ultimate convenience of Professional Cat Grooming Car Services today!

[herespaaa]

Senior Nail Care and Wellness Services | HereSpa

Discover rejuvenating wellness services including senior nail care, complete nail trims, and restorative pedicures at HereSpa. Pamper yourself with our specialized treatments tailored for seniors.

[poipoipoi-2016]

But there are also downsides. As any Googler will tell you, these companies usually have a lot of fat to trim. Some of what looks like economic inefficiency is actually vital seed corn for the innovations of the future, but some of it is also just inefficiency, because nobody looks at the books, because it isn’t that kind of company. Likewise, being highly deliberative about everything can lead to some really smart decision making and avoidance of group think, but it can also be a cover for laziness or for an odium theologicum that ensures nothing ever gets done. Smart managers steeped in this sort of culture can usually do a decent job of sorting the good from the bad, but only if they can last, because you see there’s a third problem, which is that almost everybody involved is a quokka.

Engineers, being a subspecies of nerds, are bad at politics. In 1996, Boeing did something very stupid and acquired a company that was good at politics. McDonnell Douglas, another airplane maker, wasn’t the best at making airplanes, but was very good at lobbying congress and at impressing Wall Street analysts. Boeing took over the company, but pretty much everybody agrees that when the dust had settled it was actually McDonnell Douglas that had taken over Boeing. One senior Boeing leader lamented that the McDonnell Douglas executives were like “hunter killer assassins”. No, sorry bro, I don’t think they were actually that scary, you were just a quokka.

Anyway, the hunter killer assassins ran amok: purging rivals, selling off assets, pushing through stock buybacks, and outsourcing or subcontracting everything that wasn’t nailed down. They had a fanaticism for capital efficiency that rose to the level of a monomania,

which maybe wasn’t the best fit for an airplane manufacturer. And slowly but surely, everything went off the rails. Innovation stopped, the culture withered, and eventually planes started falling out of the sky

[pawspace007]

Why Regular Grooming is a Must for Pets in Bangalore's Climate

Bangalore's tropical savanna climate—with its mix of warm summers, rainy monsoons, and mild winters—can take a toll on your pet's health and hygiene if not managed properly. That's why doorstep pet grooming Bangalore services have become essential for pet parents looking to keep their furry friends comfortable, clean, and healthy year-round. From high humidity to city dust and allergens, the environment calls for regular, professional grooming to protect your pet’s skin, coat, and overall well-being.

The Bangalore Climate and Its Impact on Pets

Bangalore may be known for its pleasant weather, but for pets, especially dogs and cats, the fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels can pose several grooming challenges:

Humidity encourages matting in long or thick coats.

Dust and pollution can lead to skin irritations and clogged pores.

Rainy season increases the risk of fungal infections and ticks.

Seasonal shedding can clog your home with pet hair and impact air quality.

This is why timely grooming isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. And with the rise of doorstep pet grooming Bangalore solutions, taking care of your pet has never been more convenient.

Why Regular Grooming Matters

Grooming does more than just make your pet look cute. Here are several health-focused reasons to schedule regular sessions:

1. Controls Shedding

Routine brushing and de-shedding remove loose fur, reducing hair around the home and preventing painful matting.

2. Prevents Skin Infections

Clean skin and trimmed fur prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, particularly during the monsoon season.

3. Improves Circulation

Brushing helps improve blood flow to the skin, making the coat shinier and healthier.

4. Early Detection of Health Issues

Professional groomers can often spot early signs of skin problems, lumps, or parasites that may otherwise go unnoticed.

5. Reduces Allergies

Regular grooming minimizes pet dander, which can help both your pet and family members breathe easier.

What Makes Doorstep Grooming So Effective?

Mobile grooming services eliminate many of the stressors associated with traditional salons:

No car rides (which many pets dislike)

No long waiting times

Less exposure to other animals (lower risk of infections)

Comfort of familiar surroundings

With services like doorstep pet grooming Bangalore, your pet receives personalized, professional attention without ever leaving home.

Introducing Pawspace: Your At-Home Grooming Partner

Pawspace has quickly become one of the most trusted names in doorstep pet grooming Bangalore. With a team of certified groomers who are trained to work with all breeds and temperaments, Pawspace delivers high-quality grooming experiences straight to your living room.

Whether your pet needs a basic bath, a full spa day, or a breed-specific trim, Pawspace offers customized packages designed for Bangalore’s unique climate and your pet’s specific needs.

Services Offered by Pawspace

Here’s what you can expect when you book a grooming session with Pawspace:

Basic Grooming – Includes bathing, brushing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning.

Full Grooming – Adds trimming, de-shedding, and anti-tick or flea treatments.

Puppy & Kitten Packages – Gentle grooming for young pets.

Senior Pet Grooming – Tailored care for older, more sensitive pets.

Seasonal Grooming Packages – Focused on combating monsoon or summer-specific issues.

Each session includes a thorough hygiene check and uses only pet-friendly, hypoallergenic products.

Simple Booking Process

Pawspace offers an intuitive booking system that allows you to:

Select your pet’s grooming needs.

Choose a date and time that suits your schedule.

Sit back and relax while a professional arrives at your doorstep with all necessary tools and equipment.

It’s that easy to access top-notch doorstep pet grooming Bangalore services.

Real Stories, Real Results

Pet parents across Bangalore have seen real benefits from choosing at-home grooming with Pawspace. Here’s what they’re saying:

“Our golden retriever used to dread going to the salon. Now, with home grooming, he’s calm and actually enjoys his baths. The groomers are fantastic!”

“I didn’t realize how much our dog was shedding until we started regular grooming. Now he’s happier, and so are we!”

These stories prove just how impactful and transformative regular grooming can be.

Ideal Grooming Frequency Based on Climate

If you’re wondering how often your pet should be groomed in Bangalore’s climate, here’s a quick guide:

Short-haired breeds: Every 4–6 weeks

Long-haired breeds: Every 3–4 weeks

During monsoon season: Increase frequency to every 2–3 weeks to avoid fungal issues

Senior pets: As recommended by a vet or specialist

Luckily, Pawspace’s flexible scheduling makes staying on track easy and affordable.

Why Pawspace is the Right Choice

Here’s what makes Pawspace the go-to provider for doorstep pet grooming Bangalore:

Certified, friendly, and experienced groomers

Clean, sanitized tools and pet-safe products

Flexible timing and easy online booking

Packages tailored to breed, age, and climate

Affordable pricing with no hidden charges

Their focus is not just on grooming—but on building a stress-free and enjoyable experience for your pet.

Final Thoughts

Bangalore’s climate brings a unique set of challenges for pet parents, but with regular grooming, your dog or cat can thrive in any season. Thanks to innovative services like doorstep pet grooming Bangalore, maintaining your pet’s health and hygiene has never been easier.

Skip the stressful salon visits and give your pet the luxury of grooming in their comfort zone. Explore Pawspace’s doorstep grooming services and ensure your furry friend gets the pampering they deserve—all without stepping outside your home.

[williambutcher008]

Stress-Free Pampering: Best Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore

Every pet parent knows how important grooming is—not just for hygiene, but for your pet’s overall health and happiness. But getting to a salon in Bangalore’s traffic can be a nightmare, and not all pets enjoy the stress of being around unfamiliar animals and spaces. That’s why more people are turning to Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore, and PawSpace is leading the pack when it comes to comfort, care, and convenience.

Let’s explore why at-home grooming is the best choice for your furry friend—and why PawSpace should be your go-to.

🐶 Why At-Home Grooming Is a Game-Changer

Imagine your dog or cat getting pampered right where they feel safest—your home. No travel anxiety, no exposure to other animals, and no waiting in loud salons. This is what makes Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore so ideal.

The best part? Your pet receives one-on-one attention from a professional groomer, resulting in a more personalized and stress-free experience. It’s spa day—but better.

🛁 What You Get with PawSpace

PawSpace offers premium Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore, complete with everything your pet needs to look and feel their best:

Bath & blow-dry

Hair trimming and coat styling

Nail clipping and paw pad cleaning

Ear and eye cleaning

Tick & flea treatment

De-shedding treatments for heavy shedders

Each session is tailored to your pet’s breed, coat type, and temperament. PawSpace groomers come equipped with sterilized tools, safe products, and the expertise to handle pets gently and effectively.

📲 Easy Booking on Mobile

One of the highlights of PawSpace is how simple it is to book a grooming session. No phone calls, no long forms—just a quick visit to their website, a few taps, and your appointment is set.

In a digital world, having a mobile-friendly grooming solution is key. Whether you’re at work or on the go, you can easily schedule Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore from your phone in under two minutes.

💸 Pricing That Makes Sense

PawSpace offers transparent, upfront pricing that starts at just ₹799. The cost depends on your pet’s size and the grooming package you choose, but you’ll never be surprised by hidden fees.

They also offer grooming subscriptions—ideal for pet parents who want consistent care while saving money. With Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore becoming more mainstream, PawSpace keeps it accessible for everyone.

🐾 Final Woof

Choosing at-home grooming means choosing your pet’s comfort, and with PawSpace, it also means choosing professionalism, quality, and ease. From puppies to seniors, anxious dogs to playful ones, PawSpace provides care that’s just right for every personality.

If you’re ready to make grooming day your pet’s favorite day, try the most trusted Pet Grooming Services at Home in Bangalore—because your pet deserves the best.

[helperssenior899]

Personal Care in Canton: Reliable In-Home Help for Seniors

Growing older often brings changes that can affect one’s ability to manage everyday routines. In Canton, many seniors prefer the comfort of their own homes rather than transitioning to a care facility. While independence is a top priority, maintaining it safely sometimes requires a little extra support. That’s where personal care services step in—offering tailored assistance with day-to-day activities, all within the familiar setting of home.

What Does Personal Care Involve?

Personal care refers to non-medical assistance provided to individuals who may struggle with basic daily tasks due to aging, disability, or recovery from illness. These services support seniors in maintaining good hygiene, a clean environment, and a structured routine—all of which are vital for physical health and emotional well-being.

Some common personal care services include:

Bathing and Dressing Assistance: Helping seniors stay clean and dressed in clothes they feel comfortable and confident wearing.

Grooming and Personal Hygiene: From brushing hair to trimming nails, caregivers ensure individuals feel fresh and well-cared-for.

Mobility Support: Reducing the risk of falls by offering safe movement assistance within the home or when transitioning from bed to chair.

Toileting and Incontinence Care: Providing private and respectful help with bathroom needs.

Meal Preparation: Cooking nutritious meals and assisting with feeding when needed.

Medication Reminders: Helping clients remember their prescribed medication times and dosages.

Why Personal Care is Important in Canton

Canton, GA, is a city with a growing population of active retirees and aging residents. With its quiet neighborhoods and community-focused environment, it's no surprise that so many older adults choose to age in place here. However, when mobility, strength, or memory begin to decline, reliable personal care becomes essential.

Here’s how personal care services in Canton make a difference:

1. Encouraging Independence

The goal of personal care isn’t to take over—it’s to empower seniors to remain self-sufficient for as long as possible. Caregivers support routines that preserve independence while minimizing risks and discomfort.

2. Supporting Health and Hygiene

Neglecting hygiene can lead to infections, skin issues, or emotional distress. Regular grooming, bathing, and clean clothes boost self-esteem and promote better physical health.

3. Relieving Family Caregiver Stress

While many families want to care for aging loved ones themselves, the demands can be overwhelming. Professional caregivers give family members time to rest, recharge, or focus on other responsibilities without sacrificing their loved one’s care.

4. Building Meaningful Relationships

Beyond physical help, caregivers often become trusted companions. They offer conversation, emotional support, and a sense of consistency—particularly important for seniors who live alone.

5. Safe Aging at Home

With the right support, seniors can stay in their own homes safely and comfortably. Personal care services help prevent accidents, ensure proper nutrition, and encourage medication adherence, all of which contribute to long-term well-being.

Choosing the Right Personal Care Provider

Finding a personal care provider is more than just picking a name from a list. It requires attention to both professional qualifications and the ability to build trust. When considering options in Canton, keep the following in mind:

1. Credentials and Licensing

A reputable agency should be fully licensed and insured. This ensures that caregivers are trained, vetted, and supervised according to industry standards.

2. Services Offered

Not all seniors need the same level of assistance. Choose a provider that offers flexible care plans—whether it’s just a few hours a week or full-time help.

3. Caregiver Compatibility

The bond between a caregiver and client can significantly impact the care experience. A trial visit or consultation can help determine if personalities are a good match.

4. Reviews and Referrals

Hearing from other families in the area can offer peace of mind. Look for testimonials that highlight reliability, professionalism, and compassion.

5. Transparent Pricing

Discuss all fees upfront. Ask about insurance, veterans' benefits, or Medicaid options that might reduce out-of-pocket costs.

Trusted Personal Care in Canton

If you're searching for a dependable and experienced care provider in the area, Senior Helpers of Canton is a trusted option. Their team focuses on delivering personalized, respectful care that allows seniors to maintain their dignity and routines while receiving the help they need. Whether it’s mobility assistance, meal support, or just a friendly face, Senior Helpers brings high-quality personal care directly to your door.

For more details visit at us https://www.seniorhelpers.com/ga/canton-rome-cartersville/services/  or call us on (678) 497-0765 

[akash1618]

17 mar. monday

got a 333. got down at nelco, and while walking towards marol depot, saw a 312 arriving at the bus stop, so had to run. got it though. just right before 8:30.

wore my orange shirt today. well, she wore orange on thursday, so wanted to replicate.

forgot my mask. i surely has removed it from the hanger, but ig i forgot to put it in my bag.

i have been feeling good, but just very tired. slept at 1, so no cookie points for guessing why.

if i buy a house in mumbai, i'd try to have it in parle. it's such a feel good place.

weekend wasn't that good for chores. didn't trim my beard, didn't cut nails, didn't press my clothes, didn't wash my bag, didn't clean shoes.

yesterday, i would have made bro lost way. i again incorrectly read the map, and we might have ended on dharavi. but luckily, bro knew the route.

office early - at around 9:25. watered lior a bit and placed it near the window. someone had watered it already though. idk who. the soil felt moist. also, the plastic pot is leaking. cut the yellow leaves by hand, and laid them in soil.

washroom. met another one of her teammates there. wanted to say hi to him but didn't. i have spoken to this guy before twice, but he doesn't give off good vibes, so i didn't speak anything.

sunny is back to work. he had been to rameshwaram. i wish. even i wish to visit there. i am hopeful that i'd be able to some day.

i was told that there'd be a design review by 12.

i went out to fill my water bottle. i saw her sitting on the couch. she stood up and left the moment i had arrived. she went towards the coffee machine. must be her work, i don't mind. she wore a red patterned top. lol, god. she was right there when i heard her name again. my friend's team was discussing something, and one of his teammates proly shares a name. idk. but funny.

i was randomly called in by boss. while going to the cabin, i saw her sitting on the couch, the closest to arena. he wanted my views for a picture he was snapping for his linkedin post. picture included a digital newspaper copy in his tablet. idk, it'd have worked without me. but anyways, glad that he called me.

i saw her again while leaving.

i went to have a coffee at around 11 then with sunny and the senior coworker. i saw her again, on the same couch.

she seems like such a nice person. as if she's naturally nice. hard to put into words, but it's as if i strive very hard to be nice, and she's just, just nice. even though she always frowns, her frowning doesn't take away the niceness from her character. my pretense, and i still fail a lot of the times. i have heard her talking many times, and she always sounds very helpful towards her teammates. but me? i only act nice because i want to be liked. there's a gap of heavens between our characters. i don't feel like a fake, just that i could never be authentic enough no matter what i do. authentic is an incorrect word, maybe i am trying to mean that i can never be myself very much, the one who would laugh from his heart. also, maybe nice is not a good word to describe her character. she has a feel good character - a blend of many things. nice is very vague to describe her.

she definitely won't get mad if i simply go and talk to her, she's that sort of nice. but idk why i am scared.

umm, yes, she is god's perfect timing :) i don't want to believe otherwise.

⁠♪ it's just a matter of time before the sunshine ♪

the review meeting didn't happen at 12, and i had to move to the next task of my own accord for now.

my water bottle filling trick isn't coming off well. it only has happened just 2-3 times. it gets overfilled by the count of 15.

i saw her again while we were going up for lunch. she was sitting on that same couch.

we went up. got a random seat, which was on the outside. it's a high desk. i don't like these very much.

sunny was talking about rameshwaram, and I wanted to ask so many things. but he never answers straight, so i was taken back after two or three times

i saw her friend come and sit at the high desk near ours. and then she came. i wanted to look at her so much, but then, i was repressing myself very hard. she was sitting with her friends. idk what i was thinking at that point, but it felt as if i was doing the right thing by not looking at her. sunny was looking at me as well, teasing with eye gestures. i did look at her once or twice, but i had made my heart to not make it awkward for her, so i refrained.

everyone left after finishing their lunch, and i was sitting alone now. wasn't feeling awkward today though because i was facing the crowd and no one was making sounds behind my back. i still had the urge to look at her, but i was trying very hard not to. also, the food, i might have choked myself today. it's the usual forcing food down my throat arc. after i was done, while leaving, that's when i actually looked at her without any hindering.

post-lunch. pathetic time. i was going out every fifteen minutes. how could i talk about my personal details on call while i sit at desk? set mandates fail, and then they charge twice.

once, when i was returning from outside, i saw her walk towards the vending machine, and she turned back, as she always does. i wanted to look, but then i hesitated, so i moved on.

while i was returning from the washroom, and was going to get a coffee, i saw her. she was right in front. and i dare look elsewhere. she's just so pretty. i kept looking at her this time though. first face i see after washing me eyes - it's you madam!!!

evening. we went to canteen. by this time, i was completely out of energy. i used pinterest. had my fruit plate.

was also reading about myself. the contrast in intp moods haha. you both have my upvotes :)

returned. my eyes, and head don't feel good now.

i decided to tune in some music. the moment half song was done, i was called in for a meeting. boss carried my laptop towards his cabin. felt so funny. meeting went fine - work was appreciated. i don't think it was anything extraordinary. boss left.

i saw her through the glass. she left for home ig. i just went out and sat on my fav couch. sunny joined me. we took a walk till gulshan and returned back. there seemed like a fire outside. sirens were ringing, and there was a stench of burn in the air. but it was proly nothing.

wasn't even feeling like working at this point.

even sunny feels that he's being overworked. his brother works in microsoft, so sunny got a chance to visit his brother's office last week. he was stating that the culture there is very good. must be. idk.

yes, but i do feel overworked sometimes. there's barely any life outside my work. i don't watch tv much. most of my time in the day when i am not working or traveling is spent on pinterest or tumblr. neither do i have time to work on my portfolio and resume. i do get a sunday, but sunday is, well a sunday. i have to again prepare for the next week, and just spend some time doing nothing. but i end up with saturday's pending work. poor time management i believe.

lior's leaves are turning yellow, the older ones mostly. that's obvious right? thing is that when i had received it from instamart, there wasn't a single yellow leaf on it.

left at around 8:20. no bus, until i got 181 at 8:55.

looping sajni again. no wonder the song felt familiar to me. i had heard it before last year a few times on insta.

left two 333s. caught a 410. home at 9:45.

didn't see the moon up in the sky tonight. feels very empty whenever i don't see the moon. idk, i looked everywhere. it's not new moon today, then? maybe clouds? or was it because of the buildings?

mother had made paneer, and also puran poli.