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redfoxwritesstuff · 25 days ago

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A Misdemeanor Of The Heart: Chapter 19 (Human Alastor x Married Reader)

Chapter Trigger Warnings: Fluff, a little angst, Alastor thinking too hard about feelings, more damp Alastor

Prev Masterlist AO3 KoFi

Alastor pulled the pan out of the icebox as you looked around his kitchen., taking in the sight of warm, worn woods. You ran finger tips over places where stain had been worn away by years of work, refinished by someone who didn’t bother to touch the color up. Everything was older, clearly not updated with the quickly improving technologies and style standards of the time.

It reminded you of home in a way your own home did not. It reminded you of home from your childhood, not as it was now, updated, but how it had been when you were a girl, sneaking into the kitchen to steal a buttery roll before dinner had been served. The room, no- the whole home from what you’d seen, had a warmth to it you doubted your own home would ever have. Alastor’s home was one that could raise happy families.

It felt strange, padding around a home with nothing but your stockings on your feet. You didn’t even go around your own home without your house shoes on your feet. There was a comfort in the action too, much like the rest of Alastor’s home.

Shaking your head, you tried to bring yourself back to the present. There was nothing to be gained thinking about how the home made you feel. To keep you grounded in the present, you tried to make yourself useful.

“What can I do to help?” you asked, fingers twisting together as Alastor set the pot on the stove.

Alastor looked over his shoulder at you as he made his way to the stack of firewood off to the side. He hummed for a moment as he bent, picking up a two hunks of split log and a handful of kindling from the bin along the kitchen wall. The scraping of splintering wood against itself was loud in the quiet room.

“Only relaxing,” he said after a moment of thought. “I doubt you get to do much of that.”

“No,” you said as you settled into the chair at the humble dining table, fingers tracing scratches in the finish, “I suppose I don’t.”

“Is Jambalya alright?” Alastor asked as you watched him grab a match from a hanging tube near the stove and strike it along the surface, lighting it with practiced ease. After shifting the wood around a bit more, he stuck the match inside the body of the stove and watched as it caught dry kindling. He knelt and watched as the flame spread, catching the wood before he closed the door to the stove. “It’s from last night.”

“I’m sure it’s fine,” you said, rather more unsure than you wanted to let on. You couldn’t remember a time you’d eaten food prepared by a man that wasn’t a a cook by profession. The idea of your father, brothers, or even Laurence in the kitchen was frankly comical.

“I assure you, it’s more than simply fine.” Alastor teased as he put the pan on the stove, stirring the contents with a wooden spoon after he set the lid aside. As the food warmed, the delicious aroma of spices and cooked meats filled the air.

You sat and waited, listening to the sounds of cooking and Alastor’s humming along with the jazz floating in from the main room. It was a battle, but you forced yourself to remain in place, not taking over tasks that didn’t belong to you as he dished the food up into chipped bowls.

It clinked softly against the worn wooden table as he sat the serving in front of you. It was a generous helping, more than you would have given yourself, more than Laurence would have allowed you to have. The spices smelled divine as you took in a deep breath.

Taking the first bite, you found the food was as good as it smelled, much to your delight. One bite followed the first and soon you fell into the steady rhythm that came with sharing a relaxed meal together.

There was an ease in eating with Alastor. It was comfortable at the well loved dining table, tucked off the side of the kitchen rather than in some cold, formal dining room.

You were not even sure he had one. The home was small but not cramped, leaving little room to hide a dining room. Comfortable. Warm. The heat from the woodstove pushed the damp cold out of the air, but you knew it was far more than that.

“Did you grow up here?” You asked as you traced more scratches on the table. Your father would have lost his mind if he caught you scratching up the table, but you were far from innocent of such childhood acts of destruction like the ones you ran your fingers over.

“In this very house,” Alastor smiled softly. “Mother worked hard to ensure we could keep it. I wouldn’t dream of parting from it now.”

“And your father?” The question brought as close to a frown across Alastor’s face as you could remember ever seeing.

“He left when I was just beginning to grow into a young man.” Alastor said tensely.

“I’m sorry.” You reached out for his hand before you thought twice. “I can’t imagine a father leaving.”

“It was for the better.” Alastor’s smile returned, though soft, as he looked down at your smaller hand covering the back of his.

“Your mother worked hard to provide a home for you. I think that’s admirable.”

Alastor stood, slipping his hand out from under yours as the record ended. He walked quickly into the living room, pausing when he knew he was out of sight of you to run his fingers through his hair, curls catching in his fingers as he raked back his hair.

He forced his breathing to slow and tried to will his heart to do the same. This was ridiculous. He was being ridiculous. There was no reason for the touch of a woman, why your touch should send his heart into a fit. It wasn’t the first time he’d had your hand in his, nor was he some inexperienced young man.

There was no reason you should get to him so much. There was no reason for you to worm your way under his skin like you did. Unless?

No, that was out of the question. Alastor shook his head as he crossed over to the record player and put on a new selection. Mimzy’s constant pestering was getting to him. That was all there was to it. She was getting in his head and left the door open for you to get in too.

“I’m sorry if I overstepped.” Your voice was soft from the doorway. The downside, Alastor realized, of having shoes off to keep the floors cleaner meant it was harder to hear you move through his home. He wasn’t used to having guests in his space.

Alastor looked at you, eyebrow raised as he stood in silence. The gas lamps cast warm firelight into the space, reflecting off the curls in his hair, messy, wild and soft. You couldn’t help but wonder if he knew how he looked, how it broke your heart and made you long for a life you didn’t even know you were missing out on before now.

He was the picture of domestic bliss, black socks on warm wood floors, firelight. You longed for a life where this was the home you maintained, welcoming the kind man home after his day of work wrapped up and he shook off the illusion of the day.

Holding his hand out to you, he invited you closer. Hesitantly, you slowly made your way to him,

“Not at all, my dear. Just putting on another record.” His hand took its place low on your back as you reached his side. Did he know how you longed for the weight of his hand on your back when you were alone with your thoughts? “Do you have a preference?”

“No, not really.” You shook your head, wishing you did. “Laurence doesn’t-”

“I know,” Alastor’s voice was soft as he dropped his hand from you, switching the record out for another he picked seemingly at random. “He doesn’t let you indulge in the joys of life.”

“No” Why did you feel like crying in that moment? “He dosen’t.”

“Ma cherie, why the frown? This is not a sad song.” He took your hands in his and smiled down at you, eyebrows furrowed in an adorable contrast that had your frown softening.

“Perhaps this song isn’t,” you whispered as Alastor tugged you to him, swaying your bodies together to the music. This wasn’t the classical music Laurence would favor, but that did nothing to hamper Alastor’s ability to lead you through a slow dance that had your heart hammering in your chest. “But isn’t my life just comically so?”

“How do you mean?” Alastor asked, face too close to yours but you didn’t mind. In fact, you leaned into his touch hoping he’d indulge.

You felt so painfully safe with him. it wasn’t fair. He had taken liberties time and time again, discounted social boundaries left and right. Touching you like doing so meant nothing more than touching the spine of a book at the booksellers.

Even now, alone in his home with him, you felt safe. Not once had Alastor pushed more than you would allow him. It left you wishing he would push for more, that he would lean down and kiss you as he spun you around the small living room, leaving you no space for your thoughts.

“I could care for you, Alastor, deeply. You’re so reckless with our friendship. How could I not fall into the trap of caring for you far too deeply?”

“You say that like it’s a problem.” Alastor whispered as he spun you out of his arms, only to tug you back to him, keeping just enough space to barely be proper.

“Isn’t it?” You whisper, hand on his chest as his hands return to their place, taking your other hand up in his. His hand on your hip guided you through the steps. Though you stumbled, tripping and stepping on his feet, he didn’t so much as flinch.

“I should get back home,” you said, though you didn’t want to leave the bubble of his home. “I’ve got to get the cleaning done and start dinner.”

“What if you were home?” Alastor’s hand tightened around your waist, knowing he was pushing you.

“It’s a lovely daydream.” You sighed, torn between looking away from him to hide the way your eyes burned with tears as he spun you around the living room and keeping them locked on him, refusing to leave the shelter of the illusion he offered but surely did not mean.

“One more dance?” Alastor asked as the song ended. “Then I’ll take you back to the life you don’t deserve to live.”

His heart swelled as you agreed with a timid nod. Why he needed the last dance so badly, he couldn’t understand. He didn’t want to take you back. He didn’t want your time together to end.

It would just leave him craving more of your time. Why?

You tripped over his foot again, same mumbled sorry falling from your lips, though you hardly caused him pain. It was clear you were not a practiced dancer, but you followed his lead well enough and he enjoyed catching you when your stumbled steps risked sending you tumbling to the floor.

What if Mimzy was right? He didn’t want her to be, but did it really change anything? He had planned to take you from Laurence, anyway. He had toyed with the idea of making you his anyway, letting you be the cover for his lack of desire. Was it really much of a problem if he were to care for you just a bit more than he had another?

He had wanted to deliver you to the front door. It was only proper to do so, but that would be far too risky. With the wet weather, too many people eager to gossip will be sitting in windows looking out on the streets. Anyone who looked to be out of place would find itself dissected, picked apart in the micro social circles of reading groups and knitting circles.

All they could risk was a pass by the front of the house, rolling by just slowly enough to get a good look inside windows and examining the driveway. The car had to keep rolling down the street, fast enough to not raise eyebrows. They had to ensure that there was no sign of your husband’s car in the driveway or any sign of his presence within the home.

Alastor was far less eager to return you to your home than he had been to pick you up. The rain had tapered off to a light drizzle, weighing heavily in the air and ensuring the feeling of dampness long overstayed the drops of rain themselves. Gloom clung to the both of you as he held the car door open for you, sheltering you from the rain as you stepped outside.

The umbrella was an ever present could over you, held by Alastor as he led you through the trees behind the park. His eyes burned with something you couldn’t understand as he looked ahead, ensuring you steps were sure and safe. He moved branches and brush out of your way, letting you make your way through the forest while remaining fairly dry.

It went against every urge in his body, even those new desires he failed to understand or have words for, to deliver you to the one place he knew without a doubt would see you in pain. His palms itched, fingers twitching in an ever present physical manifestation of his restless mind.

Rain dripped onto his head, running through his curls as he did his best to keep you dry under the umbrella. You wore his long coat over your day dress, far too large for you. Yet another layer of protection for you against the rain that would raise questions for the man who would desire to do nothing more than ruin you.

He watched you as you walked, lost in his own thoughts and you yours. You made such a sight, stepping through the underbrush carefully. Water gathered on the toes of your shoes, reflecting the dim light up at him.

Did you know how uniquely beautiful you were, stepping between branches and dodging greenery heavy with rain?

He didn’t think so.

You seemed to be amusingly unaware of the pictures you made in his mind, the way they lingered like photographs he could never hope to capture. An unassuming beauty, hidden away in the shadows. How cruel that you were married to another before he found you! If he had met you years ago, in a lifetime where you were still unattached, would he have known you for what you were then?

He stopped just in front of the big apple tree in your yard, standing on the edge of the forest holding your hand in his as he looked between the looming house and you. Was your heart beating as fast as his? Were you feeling the same indescribable feeling he was? Would you have a name for it?

Was it was he feared it was?

“What is it?” Your voice pulled him from his thoughts and then your soft fingers were slipping under the curls draped across his forehead as you checked him for fever. Such an innocent gesture and yet so forward. “Are you sure you’re alright? You’ve been disappearing.”

“Disappearing?” Alastor laughed. “I wasn’t aware I was performing magic tricks.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at his joke, drawing a bright smile to his face. Another vision, another picture he could only hope to capture in his mind. It was madness, what you were doing to his mind. How pictures of you seemed to litter the corners where bloodshed and disgust had only lived before.

“You’re so…” your words died off as your eyes locked with his.

“I’m sorry, my dear, I’ve been thinking.” Was that fear that crossed your face? Alastor reached out, caressing your cheek with the backs of his long fingers. You still flinched when he would reach out for you, he noticed. It was a subtle movement, one that betrayed years of abuse your body and mind were conditioned to accept. You would flinch and then you would lean into him, a timid little cat only beginning to learn that a man could do something other than cause pain.

“About?”

“I enjoy seeing you,” Alastor started, voice soft and shifting as it felt like a struggle to maintain the accent that he usually found came naturally. “A lot.”

You opened your mouth to say something, but he only shook his head.

“I can’t keep calling the house,” Alastor said, fingers ghosting down your neck and along your shoulder. “The operator will notice. Word will spread and there’s always the risk that he will answer.”

“He’s been staying out longer,” The idea of Alastor’s calls breaking your day up and whispering temptation to put aside your housework and see him ending when they’d only just begun broke your heart. You didn’t get to listen to his voice while he worked in the evening. You didn’t want to lose the little nuggets of his attention you could snag. “He’s been working so much we’ve hardly been out.”

Alastor’s head cocked, “Do you really still think it’s working he’s doing?”

“I don’t know, it’s… it’s what he says-.”

“He’s not faithful to you.” Alastor wasn’t sure why that mattered to him. He needed to know that you knew your husband held no candle for you in the face of the reality that you may not clearly remember what you had seen or heard at the speakeasy. Returning to his intended conversation with a shake of the head, he continued, “What I wanted to say was that I cannot keep calling, making plans with you when another can so easily listen in. As this… thing between us grows, it’ll only become more obvious to the city if we’re sloppy. Does he come out back?”

“No,” You shook your head. Alastor was treated to the view of your face in the afternoon sun, peeking out from between the breaks in the heavy clouds, from different angles as your hair shifted with the action. Such a strange thing for him to find himself aware of. “He hires a landscaper to maintain the property, but they’ve been coming less and less lately. He’s not fond of the outdoors, in all honesty.”

“This tree,” Alastor reached out, running a hand over the rough bark of the apple tree, looking up for a moment at the branches dotted with the starts of flowers before handing you the umbrella. “There’s an old rabbit den here.”

“There is?” you asked as he knelt, moving long grass aside as he showed you the opening under a root, deep and abandoned.

“I can get back here without him seeing, even if he’s home. If I was careful enough, even if he was outside, I’d be able to get back here and slip notes in. Would you be able to come get them?”

“It’s not uncommon for me to come out back for air,” you said, crouching down next to Alastor to look at the hole. “If he’s home and in a mood, I wouldn’t, but how would I know when I need to find a way out?”

“You’d just have to check.” Alastor shrugged. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was something. “I’ll keep a lighter in the hole so you can burn the notes. When I’m here, I’ll flash it a few times in case you’re looking. He doesn’t seem the type to sit at the window.”

“What if I wanted to leave you notes?” You chewed your lip, wincing at the way your teeth scraped against the healing split in the flesh. It was an injury that was becoming more common. Though the beatings had lessened, Laurence was more likely to slap your face in the last two weeks, something he usually avoided for the need to maintain appearances.

“You could,” Alastor took her hand in his, “If you wanted to. I can swing by and check a few times a week, maybe more.”

“Our own personal mailbox,” you mused as Alastor stood. He held his hand out to you, helping you to stand again as well.

“Indeed, now let me walk you to the door. Can’t have you getting wet, can I?”

You walked arm in arm with Alastor, nestled into his side. He kept the umbrella over you, continuing to sacrifice his comfort to ensure you were dry as you walked across the back lawn and to the back door.

In what felt like just a moment, he was standing on the back stoop with you. It felt normal to deliver you to the door. He liked the feeling, though he’d give anything to be delivering you to your father’s doorstep and not this one, but that was alright. He would make the best of it.

He was brought to you for a reason. You were brought to him for a reason. No one else could free you. No one else was strong enough to kill for you. No one else was deserving of you.

Alastor stepped into your space, wrapping his arm around you before he thought it through. His shirt was damp with rain and for a moment fear clawed at him as you stood stone still. Then your arms moved, wrapping around him and soothing the fear as you held him to your body just as tightly as he was holding you.

Part of him wanted to hate you for the way you had brought fear into his heart. Part of him soared with the thrill of it. When had he last felt fear of anything? Of anyone?

“Can I see you again?” Alastor asked as his fingers ran down your back. “Tomorrow?”

The game changed, Alastor knew that. His heart raced at your soft agreement. He didn’t need to feel the way you sighed into his chest or the way your head tucked ever so easily under his to know he had never understood the game he had set out to play.

It didn’t matter. What mattered was the fact that Alastor had always been a quick study, sharp and keen. This may be a new game, one he had never played before, but that didn’t matter.

Alastor would win this game, of that he was sure.

He would win, no matter the cost.

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it-was-all-a-beautiful-dream · 5 years ago

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Mr. I want suck your blood - Pt 4

Warning: Mentions of violence and Swearing

Word count: 2,451

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In stories, Soulmates were meant to be the real deal. They were forever. They were two individuals who were brought together by the universe so their lives finally made perfect sense.

You'd never heard of Soulmates ‘Taking a break’ or ‘Splitting up,’ it wasn't something that happened. That’s not what happened in the stories.

Thats just the thing though. Life isn't a story. Life’s a bitch.

Y/N POV

It had been 1 Hour 19 minutes and 45 seconds since Carlisle shattered your world. 1 Hour, 22 minutes and 23 seconds since you had ripped out your IV line and stormed out of the Cullen house. 1 Hour, 28 minutes and 15 seconds, since Carlisle Cullen, your SOULMATE, decided to call it quits.

Carlisle’s words were still ringing in your ears. “It’s safer this way.” or “Now you can live a normal human life.” You felt numb.

-1 Hour, 19 minutes and 45 seconds ago-

You looked up as you saw Carlisle standing in the wooden door frame. You smiled and placed a hand on your fast beating heart relieved to see him unscathed. Bella had swiftly exited the room. It was just the two of you now. You could tell straight away that something was wrong. Your heart started racing again.

You sat there and listened, as Carlisle took your hand and proceeded to shatter your world. He’d decided that being together, it was too dangerous. He couldn't put you in danger again, couldn’t watch you bleed in his arms again. You both argued. It was his over protective nature, that was the cause of this.

“What about Bella and Edward? She’s still human?!” Apparently it was an invalid argument. Invalid my ass. He wouldn't budge. He thought some time apart would be for the best, even if saying it did secretly pain him.

You were angry, so angry that you ripped out your own IV, not without gagging of course. The screaming and arguing drew the attention of the rest of the Cullen household. Bella was trying to calm you down and stop your arm from bleeding, while Edward and Esme were talking to Carlisle.

You didn't care anymore. How dare he. How could he do this to you? You didn't ask for this life. You'd been dragged into it head first. You'd accepted him for all he was. Before all of this you WERE a normal teenager, with normal teenage problems!

You didn't want normal anymore. You wanted Carlisle, the Volturi, wolves and blood singers. You wanted it all, but just like that, he took it away.

You hadn't wasted any time running through the house, past Alice, Rose and Jasper and to your car. You say run, more like fast walked, your legs were still jelly from lying in bed the last couple of days. Alice had tried to stop you on the way out but Jasper told her to let you go, he could feel the pain and anger radiating of you in waves.

The first thing you did when you got to your car was check your glove box for cigarettes. You got in and slammed the door, you could see Carlisle fighting to try and get passed Edward and Emmett but they wouldn't let him out. You looked over to see Bella running toward your car. You waited. She jumped in the passenger side and neither of you spoke a word. You didn't have to. You started the engine and it came to life with a roar, you peeled out of the Cullen’s drive way with tears streaming down your face and a cigarette between your lips. You fucking hated Forks.

Bella had made you pull over halfway home, scared the tears were clouding your vision. She was probably right, the road ahead did look quite blurry. You traded places and carried on towards home. She was talking to you but you weren't really listening, just watching the trees speed past in a blur, you were sure you could see other objects moving beside you through the trees just as fast, but blinked and they were gone.

-2 weeks later-

Grand Piano by Nicki Minaj blared through the speakers on repeat, you sat staring blankly at your sketchpad, no inspiration, no drive.. nothing. It had been like this for two weeks. Bella had apparently been the same, but you just couldn't shake it. You'd shut yourself off from everyone. Only coming out of your room to get food and use the bathroom. You felt numb.

You could tell your Mom and Charlie were starting to worry. They'd tried to talk to you, find out whats wrong. All they knew is someone broke your heart bad. You'd started having nightmares the first night you were without Carlisle. They felt like more than nightmares though, so vivid, almost like premonitions. You'd wake up still screaming in a cold sweat clutching your chest and crying. Crying for everything you lost when Carlisle let you go. You'd never been in love before and if it felt like this then you never wanted to be again. You didn't think you could love again.

You were spaced out, the music was still playing in the background but your mind was somewhere else, another thing that had been happening since the accident. You just went places, like you were daydreaming, lost in a trance. This time was different though. It was if you were actually there, watching things unfold, only when you came to you were in your bedroom, your paints scattered everywhere, your sketchbook now covered in imagery. You gasped and flew back from your desk, the page awash with shades of vibrant red and black. You gagged. Blood….. and a symbol, it was an emblem of some sort. You shook your head and closed the book on the now dry paints.

What the fuck.

It happened a few more times after that. The spacing out, coming back to earth having drawn on something or once, even scratched symbols into your desk. You'd practically stopped sleeping. Too many thoughts in your head. Even Bella was getting worried, she knew what it was like to spiral and you were doing it at 100mph. She’d suggested talking to Carlisle but you shouted at her for even bringing him up. He left you and hadn't made any attempt to contact or see you. Why give him the satisfaction.

You'd decided enough was enough. You had to start living your life again, or at least thats what you tried to tell yourself. Today you were going to see Seth. You’d become quite close friends with Seth since getting involved in the whole supernatural side of life but you'd been shutting him out for weeks, he knew what had happened with Mr I want to suck you blood, but he didn't ask questions, which you were grateful for. You thought it would do you some good to get outside and breath in the fresh air. You couldn't wallow in self pity any longer.

It felt weird to be in normal clothes rather than ratty old pyjamas. You parked up, jumping out of your car, slinging your backpack over your shoulder. You had brought your sketchbook with you, you didn't know who to talk to about these things, so you were going to show one to Seth, just to see if he recognised anything.

You couldn't help but breath deeply as the air floated off the salty sea and toward your face. You smiled as you watched Seth running down the beach. His boyish grin was charming and his smile grew as he got closer to you. He wrapped you in a hug and you hugged back desperate for a bit of normalcy.

“Hey Seth,” You grinned, thankful for a bit of human, well in this case werewolf, connection. Yeah you had Bella.. and Alice had tried to stop by from time to time, but at the minute they were just a constant reminder of him….

“Y/N! I missed you, things have been so strange without seeing you around ya know!” You bumped his shoulder as you walked down the beach. It had been strange. You'd moved to Forks, got involved with Vamps and the supernatural and in all this time you'd never had any normal time to yourself, or with a friend.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so distant, you know the whole…. thing…” He just nodded his head. You didn't have to explain, he was just happy you were there now.

You'd spent hours just walking and talking on the beach. While walking you had bumped into some of the others as well, Sam, Paul…. You got along with them too, but they had never agreed with your relationship. They seemed somewhat more comfortable around you now. Catching up was good, you felt a lot lighter when you walked, your heart a little less heavy, he was still in the back of your mind though, as much as you tried to think about anything else.

There was an abandoned fire pit a little further up from where you'd been talking with the others, logs surrounded the ashy mound, placed out like small earthy benches. You'd been collecting odd pieces of wood on the way, expecting to find it there. Yourself and Seth pilled the kindling high and he started a fire, he didn't really need to because of his heat, but it was still fun. As Seth continued the fire you reached around and grabbed your leather backpack, opening the zip and fishing inside for your paint covered sketchbook. He came to sit beside you as you started flicking through the pages. You tried to glance at him from the corner of your eye to read his expressions.

“Y/N, these are pretty amazing, and… somewhat scary…” He looked at the book and then back at you. “What are they?” His finger traced the images and the symbols.

You shook your head and flicked through the pages more rapidly. “I don't know S, I…if I tell you something you have to promise you wont tell anyone, not even Sam, not even Jake….” You gulped and looked up at him. He looked confused. You faltered a little, getting nervous you shut your book and started to shove it in your bag. “This was stupid, I should go…” You stood up trying to leave but Seth grabbed your hand.

“I wont tell, you can trust me I promise.” You relaxed, still hesitant, you sat back down. You took the sketchbook back out and went to the first page, tracing the symbols and images, remembering how clearly you had seen them in your mind.

“I drew these. But I didn’t, at the same time.” Seth just looked even more confused now. “I think…. I think something happened to me when I was bitten S…. Something I cant explain. This symbol, I drew this, sat at my desk, one minute the sky outside was light, the next thing I knew it was dark, and the once blank page was covered in all these drawings!” You flicked through the book and sighed placing your head in your hands. He probably thought you were crazy. You sure felt crazy.

You felt his hand rest on your back as you hunched over sighing. “Y/N I’m a wolf, The Cullen’s are Vampires… crazier things have happened, i’ve just never heard of this crazy happening yet….”

You peaked at him from your hands. “Do you know what any of the symbols mean? I see them in my dreams as well, it’s like i’m watching a movie in my head, it’s like I'm there but no one can hear me or see me.. It feels so real.” You sit up, flicking through the pages, before you can turn to the next, Seth’s hand comes flying down stopping the process as he points to one of the symbols.

“Y/N, I’ve seen that symbol before… I think it’s something to do with the cold ones.. the Volturi to be exact.” You groan. This cant be fucking happening. Not only were you dumped now you were having freaky Volturi dreams as well? You searched in your bag for your cigarettes, you held the packet out to Seth and he surprisingly took one. You grinned.

“Wow Sethy never took you for the rebel type.” He ruffled your hair and you shoved him. “Seriously though what am I going to do, this shouldn't be happening i’m human, I didn't turn, Carlisle made sure of that.” You couldn't hide the bitter tone in your voice.

“I don’t know what it means Y/N, but I promise we will figure it out.. cant you talk to Cull…” You glared at him before he could finish his sentence. “Never mind, stupid idea, ignore me.” You laughed and you both carried on looking through the book. What the hell did this mean?

It was late now, Seth walked you to your car, his body still close to keep you warm, the sea breeze now icy cold on your skin. You sighed, part of you didn't want to leave, it was the first kind of normal you'd felt in a really long time, even before coming to Forks. Life in your old place had been really hard, You didn't fit in anywhere, you could count your friends on one hand and you had a strange relationship with your bio dad. You thought things would get easier, Forks had the smallest population and yet you managed to find yourself smack bang in the middle of all this drama, you'd thank Bella for that later. You thought it would be easier living here, maybe you were wrong.

You turned, looking at Seth as you reached your car, you were about to tell him you'd had a nice time, ask him if he wanted to hang out again soon, but you couldn't speak. The waves sounded louder, the air around you felt thicker and you couldn't breath. You could hear Seth’s muffled voice in the background somewhere and a pair of arms shaking you but in your head you were somewhere else entirely.

Cloaks of black floating across the white pearlescent snow, rivers of red blood flowing all around. Wicked eyes staring into yours, and then pain.

You screamed and grabbed your head, it felt like someone had jabbed it with a white hot poker. Images flashed before your eyes, Volturi, Snow, Red, Carlisle. You gagged, so much blood, so much pain. Then, nothing.

Your mind went dark, no images now, no sound, just the sharp ache as you feel your body shut down and hit the solid ground, then the coldness surrounded you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys! I’m sorry it took so long for me to post another part! Hope you enjoy reading x Please comment if you'd like to be tagged!

PT 5 -------- HERE

@sagittarius-flowerchild

@thechangingcolourswithinthewoods

@scream-kiwi79

@kettnerjanea

@caraboo15

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cmanonstillinhiding · 4 years ago

Text

Unhooking the Stars

@enbies-and-felonies chapter 9!

Strawberry Blond

Slipping out of the city was surprisingly easy: there were no roadblocks, and hardly any patrols as they wove their way north for the second time. Emily had wanted to leave as soon as possible, and JJ had no real objections.

‘What are we going to do?’

Emily looked at her. ‘Right now, we’re going up to the border. We can talk about the rest later.’

‘Are we crossing?’

‘I don’t know yet. There’s no rush, JJ. We have all the time in the world.’

‘Until Hotch finds us.’

‘Ah, yes. The seemingly-infallible Agent Hotchner. He’s not gonna find us.’

‘And you know this how?’

‘Has he found us before? You place so much trust in your precious profiling abilities. There’s nothing to lead him to us, no trail to follow, no messages or signatures to analyse.’

‘There’s always something.’

‘And he can bleed his brain dry looking for it. In the meantime, we’ll be one step ahead.’

JJ fiddled with her jacket hem, not entirely reassured. She was stopped from tearing the fabric by Emily’s hand, softly laid over her own to still it. ‘Hey. It’ll be okay.’

‘It’s not going to be okay! Nothing is okay! My family is trying to kill me and I don’t know what to do.’

Emily squeezed her hand gently. ‘We’ll figure it out.’

‘You can’t promise that.’

‘I can’t, but I’m going to anyway. We can start over, just us.’

‘How? How do we go on from this?’

‘The only way we can. Forward.’

‘Well, it looks a lot nicer when I’m awake.’

Emily sighed as she stopped the car in the back of the farmhouse. ‘It never looks nice.’

The house was a startling red against the grey-brown landscape, just beginning to be dusted with snow. It fell thicker and steadier as they dragged the few bags and groceries they’d been able to bring, Emily unlocking and dragging open the back door.

JJ stepped inside, looking around the kitchen. ‘Home sweet home, huh?’

‘At least for tonight. Grab some kindling from that box, would you? I’d rather not have this place be the same temperature as outside.’

JJ collected a handful of sticks from the bin Emily had indicated, tossing them into the woodstove in the living room. Emily gasped in mock horror. ‘What are you doing? Don’t they teach you to start fires in fed school?’

‘Are you judging my fire-starting ability?’

‘Yes! Give me those. You have to make a pyramid, and then-’

JJ groaned, raising her hands in surrender. ‘Why don’t you just do it?’

‘I will, thank you. You can go and get the actual logs from the woodshed.’

JJ sighed. ‘I am so not going to be able to live with you.’

Emily paused. ‘I thought we were splitting up after we got out of the country.’

JJ turned back. ‘I hadn’t thought that far ahead.’

Emily nodded. ‘Let’s just get through tonight.’

Two hours later, the house was almost a habitable temperature and Emily had managed to throw together something resembling dinner from their depressing supplies.

JJ was now sprawled over the couch, dozing with her feet encroaching dangerously on Emily’s perch on the arm.

Emily had thought she was asleep, and was weighing the merits of shoving her off the couch entirely when she spoke.

‘Why don’t we just stay here?’

Emily looked up from the book she had been trying to read. ‘Hmm?’

‘We can stay here. There’s no reason to leave unless we’re being chased, and no one in town knows what’s going on.’

‘What’s going on with the whole on-the-run-from-the-FBI thing, or with us?’

JJ sighed. ‘Is there something going on with us?’

Emily didn’t answer. ‘I thought you wanted to leave the country.’ And then split up.

‘I still do, but there’s no rush.’

‘What about Hotchner? Yesterday you seemed pretty worried he’d be kicking in our door by now.’

‘I don’t want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. We don’t need to stay here forever, just a few months or so.’

Emily nodded. ‘Okay.’

‘Okay? Really?’ JJ grinned. ‘I thought I was going to have to pull out a powerpoint.’

‘I don’t like running either, and I’ve been doing it far longer. If there’s no danger to staying put, there’s no reason to move.’

JJ shivered. ‘I mean, it would be warmer in Mexico.’

Emily laughed. ‘Oh, give it up. If we cross the border, it’ll be the northern one.’

‘Ugh. We’re definitely staying here.’

Emily dragged herself to her feet. ‘If you’re that cold, you could help me bring in wood.’

‘Or I could go find a blanket.’

Emily shoved her off the couch. ‘I like my idea better.’

Emily jolted awake, lying on the threadbare carpet. Neither of them had wanted to take the time and energy to make up the bed, and around 2am JJ had just laid down on the floor and refused to get up. Emily had given up on anything else and stayed there with her, justifying her actions with ‘she might make a run for it.’

It took her a moment to get her bearings, sitting and looking around for what had woken her. Beside her, she could just make out JJ’s face, still asleep, the firelight paying over her features and highlighting the blonde hair spilling over her shoulders.

JJ shifted slightly, eyes still closed. ‘Hm? Is someone there?’

Emily sank back down, running her hands through her hair. ‘No.’

‘You sure?’

She sighed, letting her head drop onto the floor. ‘Yeah.’

JJ slithered closer, almost touching her. ‘I’m cold.’

Emily froze, torn between closing the gap between them and fleeing to Canada immediately. ‘You...could get closer to the fire.’

JJ smiled, eyes still closed. ‘Oh, but you’re right here.’

Emily decided Canada could wait. She’ll be gone in a week, tops. Just this once. She wrapped an arm around JJ’s shoulders, pulling the blonde against her. JJ tucked her head against Emily’s chest, curling even closer. ‘See? Now we’re both warm.’

Emily almost smiled. Just this once.

JJ was gone when she woke up in the almost sunrise light, the fire burned down to embers. Emily lay there for longer than she needed to, knowing once she got up life would be there to kick every inch of her for letting her guard down. She’s leaving soon. There’s no point in...whatever this is.

She dragged herself to her feet after another minute, hoping JJ was at least still in the house.

JJ turned out to be in the kitchen, drying last night’s dinner dishes. Emily noticed the holster back on her hip, no doubt strapped on first thing after she’d gotten up.

JJ grabbed a plate from the sink. ‘Good morning.’

Emily wasn’t sure how that ‘good morning’ had been meant. ‘Hey.’

JJ set the plate she’d been drying on the counter, wiping her hands on the dishrag. ‘We need to talk.’

Emily’s heart skipped about five beats. ‘About what?’

‘About our plans after this. We can’t live here forever, but I still don’t want to try leaving now.’

‘Whenever you want is fine.’

JJ twisted the dishrag between her fingers, looking anywhere but Emily. ‘And when we do leave...are we going to stay together?’

Emily didn’t particularly want to look at her either. ‘If you want.’

JJ nodded, staring at her feet. ‘Okay.’

Emily stepped closer to her, willing her to look up. Just this once.

JJ kept her eyes fixed firmly on the ground, turning to put the plates away. Emily reached for her, stopping her in her tracks. Just this once.

‘You ever heard the phrase ‘taking advantage of someone?”

JJ met her eyes. ‘Yeah?’

‘Well, seeing as your hands are full, and as such you can’t go for your gun, I’m going to take advantage of that.’

Before JJ could respond, Emily’s hands were in her hair as she kissed her, pulling JJ close against her before stepping back.

JJ stared at her. ‘What...what was that for.’

Emily looked back at her. ‘I just wanted something of you. For just one moment.’

JJ smiled, hair falling into her eyes. ‘You can have more than a moment.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

JJ tossed the plates and towel onto the counter before turning back to Emily. ‘I mean this.’ She reached for Emily’s hand, twining their fingers together, pulling her back in before kissing her, feeling Emily’s other hand back in her hair, wrapping her own free arm around her shoulders.

Emily pulled back, staring at her. ‘You just kissed me.’

‘Is that an issue?’

Emily grinned. ‘Not at all.’

JJ drew her closer. ‘Good, ‘cause I’d like to do it again.’

Emily let her, allowed her hands to drift into JJ’s hair, around her shoulders, holding her close. Just this once.

#thank you tamora pierce for helping me with that last scene #we still love alanna #'she might make a run for it' mhmmmm okay emily #sure bitch #sorry this took so dang long!!#maybe you'll forgive me based on the content though?

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autumnignited · 5 years ago

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Top 9 of 2019

@crazyrandomhappenklance had the good idea to do a top 9 for writers the way that artists are doing. Since all of my writing was collaborative with @yuzuling, I decided to highlight times that I enjoyed their writing in particular. Sail always writes Lance and I always write Keith, so these are small moments where I either had Feelings of some kind for their Lance, or was just generally really proud of us and our teamwork.

Several of these are from works we have yet to publish (and are already like 100k+ into) but they will be! Something to look forward to in 2020?? :D??

Seriously, though - before this year, I had forgotten how much writing meant to me, and it’s thanks to this fandom, but most importantly to Sail, that I got that back. And now they’re somewhere gagging because I’m a sap. Whatever, fucking choke on it.

So, Sail’s Greatest Lance of 2019:

Oh no, Keith was hot. Keith was a hot ghost, Lance knew that now. That was knowledge he had, but no idea what to do with.

"You look…"

Hot. Sexy. Like a vampire I want to kiss.

"Alive."

Good one, Lance.

The House with the Red Front Door by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

Lance shook his head. “It’s just.” He gestured to Keith’s....everything. Mostly his hair. “I thought you died in the 90’s, why do you have a mullet?”

Keith’s hand flew up to his hair indignantly and he scowled. “It’s not a mullet, asshole - I like it long and it just grows that way!”

“Then I hate to break it to you, but it grows in a mullet. Rough afterlife facts, buddy.”

The House with the Red Front Door by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

“Lance,” Keith whimpered. He had never sounded truly frightened before - not when he was caged, or magicless, or even locked in a root cellar with only the darkness, Lance, and his own vulnerability.

“Don’t watch.” Lance pulled Keith toward him by the hand. Familiars all around them buried their heads or covered their eyes if they weren't already covering their ears. He wanted to run away. To take Keith far from here, back to their cottage, back to their simple life. “Look at me. Don’t look up there,” he commanded, but couldn’t tear his own eyes away.

The Sorcerer And His Dragon (tentative title) by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

It wasn’t until Lance was well into retelling individual stories within the Annals of the Embrace that he realized Keith was only vaguely listening as he undid their bedrolls on top of their brand new and extremely depressing bedding. Clearly, his dragon was less interested in the wondrous happenings and miracles of the Nine than he was in the base, spooky stories meant to scare the young. He had devolved into giving occasional, disinterested grunts by the time he was stacking kindling in the remnants of the fireplace.

“-and then the sea monster swallowed Maiess whole and all hearths were left unprotected. Thousands died that night. Including me.”

“Oh, really?” Keith asked blandly, reaching his hand into the burgeoning flames to rearrange a few logs. “Huh.”

“Yep. The whole world went dark and we all exploded. We don’t exist. It’s over. Poof.” Lance glared at the back of Keith’s head.

“Mmhmm.” Blowing on the kindling helped coax the embers into small licks of flame. “Go on.”

“You’re not listening.” Lance threw a pebble at Keith, hitting him square on the back of the head. “Salamander.”

Keith’s head snapped around. “Hey! I was, but this stuff’s boring! I liked it better when there was dismemberment.” He chucked a piece of ancient coal half-heartedly towards Lance.

The Sorcerer And His Dragon (tentative title) by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

His Master was exactly where Keith had left him: staring holes into pondwater, looking as if he was rethinking every choice that had ever brought him to this point. Keith nudged him with a toe.

“Food,” he said.

“Thanks.” Lance took a pie without looking and tore off a chunk. He threw it into the lake.

They both watched it bob at the surface.

“I stopped a criminal,” Keith said conversationally around a mouthful of handpie. “He was stealing salt from the baker.”

“That’s nice. Why isn’t it biting?” Lance tore off another chunk and threw it. The filling oozed around his fingers.

“Hey.” Keith snatched the pie back from him and sat down beside Lance, giving him a grumpy look. “If you’re just going to feed the pond monster, you’re not allowed to hold the pie. I’ll feed you myself if I have to.”

“That’s it.” Lance undid the laces of his tunic and threw it off. “I’m going in, hold my pie.”

The Sorcerer And His Dragon (tentative title) by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

Keith sighed, but nodded in reluctant agreement. “Fine. Permission to change forms, or are we still pretending to be incognito?”

“I think subtlety has been thrown out with the carriage.”

“Good.” Bending forward, Keith roared as his back split and his human form rippled, giving way to a red-scaled beast three times the size of the bear. When he swiveled his gold eyes on the hooded attackers, more than one took a step back.

“Yeah, that’s right,” he sassed at them. “I see your bear and raise you one I’m a fucking dragon.”

Okay, Lance could see that he wasn’t needed. That he was being stupidly stubborn to want to fight when his real skill was bending over a cauldron. But they’d taken on a water hag, a selkie, an unusually amorous manticore and a giant together. Well, okay, the giant didn’t turn out so well, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that they’d done it all together. Lance wasn’t going to stop now.

He drew from Keith’s almost endless pool of magic and created a bubble of water around the bear’s face.

“Oh good,” Keith observed. “You take the bear. I’ve got the humans.”

“Oh goodie. One whole rabid bear, all to myself. This isn’t going to be hard at all.”

The Sorcerer And His Dragon (tentative title) by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

Once they were seated, Lance slung his arm around Keith's waist and dragged him to his side. "Did he hurt you?" he whispered, ducking his head so he wasn't looking at Keith.

“No,” Keith whispered back, smoothing his pants. “But I’d like to hurt him. Thanks for the save.” He accepted the plate of fruits and cheeses passed down to him by a servant.

"Don't ever do that again." Emotions flooded and overflowed, twisting his heart and balling his fists. "I've never asked anything of you before. Give me this; never again."

Keith’s eyebrows shot into his hairline. “Which part specifically?”

"The part where I had to watch you gladly rub against other people-" Lance turned to face Keith. "-and watch them greedily rub against you."

Keith gave a visible, full-bodied shiver, and goosebumps prickled along his gold-dusted skin. He picked up a plump orange berry and held it up to Lance’s lips, lashes falling to half mast as he pushed just a little, seeking entrance. “I was only ‘glad’ to rub against one of those people.” His tongue snuck out to wet his own lips. “Lance.”

The Sorcerer And His Dragon (tentative title) by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

"Love? Seal? I--" Lance clamped his mouth shut. It didn't matter if his magic came from rocks, nothing mattered if he didn't hurry. Lifting his chin, he squared his shoulders. "I will do whatever you want. Use me, if I'm so powerful, to destroy your enemies. I don't care." He folded, bowing low. "My life is yours if you let me save his."

Allura’s face softened. She hovered a hand over him, uncertain, before finally placing it on his hair. “I was never going to stop you from leaving. I just thought you needed to know. Your magic may be unpredictable from now on.”

She switched her grip to tug at his chin and urge him to standing. “I won’t let him die. Be swift.”

[...]

“We can stay no more than three days. We will carry him with us, but longer than three days and you will need to track us.”

"I won't be late." He bowed and kissed her knuckles. "Take care of him. He's all I have."

“You have my word.” She nodded. “Go.”

The Sorcerer And His Dragon (tentative title) by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

Lance swallowed. “Uh, Keith? Where did you find my jacket?”

“In a small room. In the long room.”

“Did you also happen to find any underwear?” Lance wasn’t sure which answer he wanted to hear. Either Keith was completely naked under that jacket or he was wearing a pair of Lance’s underwear. He should’ve escaped when he had the chance.

“I do not know that word,” Keith said blithely, pressing closer to take in Lance’s body heat.

Okay, different question. “Are you wearing anything else besides my jacket?”

Keith nodded. “Legs.”

“Give me strength,” Lance murmured to no one in particular.

At Water’s Edge by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

“Keith, no!” It was already too late. Keith was sitting up to his waist in dirty fountain water.

Black iridescent scales were already popping up across Keith’s legs as he looked at Lance from his contented place sitting on the bottom of the fountain. “Legs are itchy,” he explained.

“No, no, no, no.” Lance grabbed at Keith but he wiggled away. “Get out of there. You can’t do that. What if someone sees you?” He leaned over as far as he could and swiped for anything to grab hold of. Even in shallow water, Keith was fast. There was no way he’d get to him without getting dirty.

With a few choice cuss words, Lance kicked off his shoes and rolled up his pants to trot in after Keith. “Get back here right now and put your legs back on.” He splashed in the fountain, his pants soaking up to his thighs.

At Water’s Edge by SailUnchartedWaters and AutumnIgnited

#Klance #Klance fic #top 9 of 2019

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flyingblackhawk · 6 years ago

Photo

Shower

Clintasha fic

1,290 words

They are outside when the first drops start to fall. Natasha is splitting logs, and Clint is trying hard not to notice how good his partner looks wearing one of his flannel shirts. He looks up when he feels the rain, and finally notices the dark clouds that have gathered overhead. Natasha stops chopping just as the drizzle starts.

Shit,” Clint groans. “C’mon, let’s grab the wood.”

Natasha sighs, and gathers up as much as she can carry in one load. Clint follows suit, and they jog over to the porch of the farmhouse, hurriedly dumping their piles of dry wood down. They run back to the chopping blocks, bundle up more, do another round before the sky darkens. The rain begins to drum down in earnest, and within a few moments they are both soaked.

“Enough,” Clint says, on their fourth lap. The wood at the pile is too wet to bother with, and they have enough to last a while at any rate. He flops down onto the porch steps, wiping the rain off his face. Natasha joins him after a few moments, wringing out her hair as best she can.

“Where the hell did this come from?” she says, reaching a hand out beyond the protection of the eaves.

“I didn’t read the forecast before we landed,” he admits. “I thought the weather looked nice enough.”

She stands up with a sigh. “Come on. Let’s get all this inside and light the fire before it gets too cold.”

He hauls himself off the steps, and armful by armful they carry the logs inside the house. Clint is pretty happy with it so far, although a couple of the rooms are still empty and he’s really not sure what he’s supposed to do with a whole dining room. But there are beds, there’s a couch, and there’s a large fireplace. He can work with it.

Natasha closes the door behind him as he brings in the last logs. He builds up a stack of papers and kindling, then lights it on fire. The flames curl up the edges of the paper and the sticks begin to burn. When it gets hotter, he adds larger sticks, and finally a log. When he’s satisfied, he pulls back from the fire.

Natasha is standing in the kitchen. She has peeled off the wet flannel and her pants, and is now just wearing underwear and a black tank top. Clint tries not to swallow his own tongue.

“I’m gonna take a shower,” she says. “Warm up a bit.”

“I did just build a fire,” he points out.

“And that was very manly of you,” she smiles. “Still taking a shower, though. You should too.”

He manages half a smile, and she vanishes up the stairs. He pulls a screen across the fire, and heads upstairs after her. The shower is already running in her room when he passes the door.

“She’s your partner, jackass,” he chides himself, as he strips off his own shirt on the way in through his door.

“Gotta stop,” he mutters, as he steps into the shower. He’s not sure he knows how to stop. He’s never had to deal with feelings like this before, not for someone he works with. But it’s not normal, this partnership of theirs. They know each other so… intimately. Everything they do, they do together. Of course it’s normal to get attached, and he comforts himself by hoping that maybe Natasha has struggled with feelings like this too. She’s good at hiding it if that’s the case, but you could never know with her.

He washes himself, then gets out of the shower. He dries, dresses, and heads downstairs, where he finds Natasha back in the kitchen. Her curls are still wet from the shower, and she presses a mug of hot tea into his hands.

“Let’s just sit by the fire for a bit,” she says, tugging his sleeve. “We never get to just relax like this.”

It’s true, he realises. They hardly ever get to stop these days. The more they achieve in the field, the more in demand they become, and it’s only in the grey spaces between the end of a mission and being called in for debriefing where they can pause and take a moment with each other. Natasha flops onto the couch, and he follows her. The fire is crackling, and he’s not sure if the room feels cosy because of the warmth or because of the person next to him.

“I like this place,” she says.

“It needs work.”

She nods. “But it’ll be worth it once it’s finished. Did you see the dining room?”

He shrugs. “What good is a dining room? I always eat in the kitchen. Besides, it’s not like I’ll be having guests that often.”

Natasha nudges him with her foot. “You never know. Maybe you’ll meet someone. Start a family.”

“Yeah,” he scoffs. “I’ll have kids, and a dog, and we’ll all live together here in our house…”

She watches him for a moment. “Sounds good.”

“It kinda does,” he admits. “God, I… I’d never really thought about it, but… yeah. I could see myself living like that. One day.”

She seems to draw back, and Clint frowns. “Tasha?”

“I’d like to see that,” she murmurs. “You… happy.”

Clint can’t bear to watch her fold in on herself like this. All at once he knows what she’s feeling, because he’s felt it himself.

“Maybe you’ll be here too,” he murmurs. She looks up at him like she doesn’t understand. “I never picture that future without you, you know.”

“You don’t?”

It breaks his heart that she could think there would ever be a time he wouldn’t want her right here by his side. “Natasha… I know it wouldn’t be marriage and kids, but there’s no future here that I can see that doesn’t have you in it.”

“Clint-”

“No, I know, and it doesn’t have to be… anything like that,” he says. “Just… I don’t want to be without you. It can be whatever it is, as long as you’re with me.”

The silence is punctuated by the drumming of the rain on the roof. Natasha sets down her mug, and slowly shifts out of her spot on the couch. Clint is sure she’s about to walk away, possibly out of the house and his life, but no- she moves over to him, takes his tea and puts it down, then slides in behind him, pulling him down so he’s lying with her, tangled up with her. His head is resting on her shoulder, and her fingers wind into his hair. It’s all such a surprise, but it feels so wonderful that Clint doesn’t question it, doesn’t say anything. He feels like the luckiest person in the universe.

“I’ll never leave you,” she whispers, and he’s half asleep but he hears it. Next thing he knows, there is a blanket over him, and Natasha is holding him, and they’re falling asleep together by the fire in his quaint little farmhouse.

Clint wakes alone, but Natasha is in the kitchen, bathed in light from the window. The rain has vanished, replaced by a cold but sunlit morning, and his partner hands him a coffee.

“We’ve been called back for debriefing,” she tells him. He nods, and sips the drink.

“Thank you,” he murmurs. She knows what he means, and just smiles. That alone is enough to warm him more than the fire did. They drink coffee in silence, until his phone starts buzzing. Natasha sighs, and their peaceful break is over.

“Come on,” she says. “We should get going.”

Clint follows her out of his house, a smile on his face.

#AC19 #day 2 #fic #clintashafic #earlyclintasha #clintashafluff #clintasha #fanfic #clint barton #natasha romanoff

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wynndygoon · 6 years ago

Text

How I Met A Zoroark- Story

Noma was flipping through records at an entertainment shop at the mall in her city. Looking through the records helped keep her mind off of the breakup with Elise. It wasn’t really a breakup per se, because they are still good friends and there is no hatred towards each other, but they decided to end the relationship because both of their jobs were too demanding and conflicting with each other’s schedules. By the time that Noma would get home, Elise would have to head in to work. The only time they really got to see each other was whenever Elise had to come to Noma to pick up shipments that they had ready, and they figured why not just end the relationship and remain friends.

Noma agreed and while it could have been worse, she was still upset that the first real relationship she had and the first girlfriend she ever had was now just her friend.

‘Maybe I fell too hard for her.’ She thought as she was skimming the tops of the records with her fingers. ‘It’s probably something I did.’ She shook these thoughts away when she shook her head and tried to regain focus on finding the Nico Vega record she wanted and had been searching for for a while. As she moved from record aisle to record aisle and bin to bin, she never really paid much attention to what was going on around her because she was caught off guard when an employee came up and tapped her on the shoulder to ask if she needed any help looking for something.

“No, no. I’m fi- actually, yeah, no, I do need some help. I’ve been looking for the ‘Fury Oh Fury’ album by Nico Vega for months now. You wouldn’t happen to have it somewhere? I swear I’ve looked everywhere else but here and I’m hoping that you all would have it.” She asked with a smile and moving the hair out of her face.

“Oh man, that IS a tough one to find since they aren’t the most well known group around. Let me check our computer to see if it we have it!” The Exploud said as he walked back to the counter and started typing away.

Noma kept looking through the records to pass the time and see if she could find it herself and save him the trouble. After a few minutes of flipping through, she heard the Exploud say the he didn’t have it logged in the computer, but that he could check in the back.

“Oh, you don’t have to, it’s no big deal.” Noma replied with a smile.

“Eh, you seem like you’ve been looking for a while, I really don’t mind to check!” he said as he disappeared into the back storeroom.

Noma smiled and decided to go and look at the best selling aisle and see if there were any that she didn’t already have. As she was standing in the aisle, looking through the covers, she heard her name being called from outside of the store in the mall.

“Noma? Noma Kindling?!” A small, purple Zoroark was standing out in the mall in front of the store waving her hand up in the air towards the Blaziken. By now, the Zoroark was making her way to Noma, all the while she was trying to think of the fox’s name.

“Ayla?” Noma asked.

“In the fur! How long have you been here? It has been forever since you moved away for college!”

“Well, I went to college here at Castelia University, so I moved her when I left home.”

“I never expected you to move to the biggest city in all of Unova. It doesn’t seem like you would enjoy it all that much.” Ayla replied, shifting her shopping bags around.

“I could say the same for you!” Noma laughed. “And besides, I live on the outskirts of town, away from all the noise and busyness.”

“Well I came up here because my boss said that there may be a bar that one of his old friends was selling and that I may be able to get it for a pretty cheap price, so I decided that I would come up here and check it out.” Ayla explained.

“How long are you here for?” Noma asked curiously. She noticed that Ayla’s clothes looked a little bit worn down like she had been sleeping in them for a couple of days.

“Who knows? I’m just looking for a cheap hotel or apartment complex to stay in since I’m tired of sleeping in my car like I have been for the past few days. I also came by here to pick up some new clothes,” motioning to her bags that she had on her arm, “and just trying to get by until I can meet with the owners.”

At this point, all of Noma’s worries and past issues with her split with Elise were gone, more interested in catching up with her best friend since high school than even looking for the record which just so happened to not be in the store because the Exploud had returned from the back and said that he couldn’t find it there either.

“Well, what happened to your whole plan of joining an orchestra? Didn’t you get a scholarship for your talents on the Saxophone?” Noma asked, walking out into the mall and motioning for Ayla to follow her.

“Well, about that, yes I did get a scholarship, but I still needed money to help pay for college because my fucking bigot parents weren’t going to help out, so I got a job working at a bar. You know the one on Nesbeth Drive, Getting’ Lit?” Ayla asked.

“Yeah, the nightclub?”

“Yep! I worked as a dancer there starting out.” Ayla said proudly.

Noma just about choked in surprise. “Wait what?”

“What?”

“You worked as a dancer at a night club?!” Noma asked again for clarity.

“Uh-huh. It’s not like we were strippers or anything. We were all dressed up in the bar’s uniforms and we were there just to have something for the people who were too socially awkward to dance to watch. Everything was modest and there was nothing sleazy about it because the owner and manager didn’t like women being portrayed that way. And besides, we only danced for certain parts of the night when people would vote on what song which dancer should dance to, and even then, there had to be a majority vote per song per dancer. When we weren’t dancing, we were serving as waitresses and bartenders.”

“Huh, honestly, that kinda sounds like a fun job!” Noma chuckled.

“Oh it was, especially once I moved up and became a manager myself. Eventually we also convinced the owner to let us dancers have our own costumes for when we danced, which was more fun because we really became more individualized then. Since a lot of us decided that we wanted to show some more skin, that’s when a lot more people kept trying to get a bit too touchy and we were told by the manager, who was a Pangoro that if any sick bastard tried anything that we didn’t like to beat the shit out of them or call over security. There were a few people who tried to grab a few of us, but that didn’t last long after people witnessed those people get their teeth knocked in. When I became a manager, I didn’t have to worry about that anymore because I mainly worked as a bartender, but I used my illusions to make it look like I was dancing along with bartending so I was able to mess with some people.” Ayla laughed.

“God, wasn’t that scary people trying to touch you and get in your personal space?”

“Nah, cause we were up on a stage, if someone wanted to get up there, they would have to drag themselves up the front of the stage and by then, we would see them trying to climb up and could just step on their hands. Not only that, but most of the customers who saw anyone trying to get up to us would usually tackle them and knock them out themselves, so we were pretty well protected.”

As the two talked and were getting each other caught up in their lives, they walked to a tea and coffee shop and Noma asked what Ayla wanted to drink.

“Oh, oh no, I can’t let you do that after running into you again. I’d feel awful.”

“Oh nonsense, you’re in the middle of moving and I want to do something nice for you! Besides you were always there for me in high school.” Noma blushed and smiled.

“Alright, but I’m paying you back for it later.” Ayla replied.

“Dude, It’s like 6 bucks, don’t worry about it.” Noma laughed while explaining.

After finally convincing Ayla to let her pay for her drink, Noma bought them both some tea and also got them both a danish and they went and sat outside in one of the picnic tables.

“So, you don’t have a place to stay since you’re looking for a cheap hotel and whatnot?” Noma asked after finishing her danish.

“Yeah man, you know of a good place?” Ayla perked up.

“My house. Completely rent free.” Noma offered.

Ayla just stared forward at Noma and was trying to comprehend what she just heard.

“So? Sound good?” Noma asked trying to confirm.

“Noma, we’re best friends and all and you are really fun to hang out with, but I can’t just mooch off you by living with you, especially for free.” Ayla said still shocked at the offer.

“Ayla, it’s no problem. I fact, I’m kinda lonely and would like to have a roommate again. Had a breakup a few months ago.” Noma said stirring her tea somewhat dismissively.

“I’m sorry sweetie. I hope you’re not too upset over him, you’ll find someone better who deserves you and will treat you like a queen!” Ayla said, reaching out and holding Noma’s hand and reassuring her to try to make her feel better.

Noma just chuckled a bit before she said, “Yeah, except it wasn’t a guy and she did treat me right. Maybe it was just the magic of my first girlfriend and most serious relationship I’ve had yet that made it magical.” Noma trailed off for a few seconds before snapping back to the present.

“Whoa, wait what? Girlfriend? Noma, I never knew you swung that way! That’s, well, amazing.” Ayla exclaimed with visible excitement.

As Noma talked on, Ayla was sitting in awe about what she just found out about Noma. They were friends all through middle school and high school is when they became really close friends and was also when Ayla came out as lesbian. It was difficult for her considering that she was in a relationship with one of her best guy friends at the time that she came out and that she had a lot of her friends that she really wanted to date and thought were pretty. Noma was one of those friends that she thought was attractive but quickly moved past the feelings since they were such good friends and didn’t want to ruin their friendship. It was difficult to not ask the tall Blaziken how she felt about her when they would hang out and when Noma would tell Ayla how pretty she was and how jealous she was of Ayla’s natural markings.

“So Ayla, if you are still on the fence about staying with me, would you at least want to go and check out the house?” Noma offered, hoping she would.

“Sure, why not?” Ayla said, already getting up and gathering her bags. “Where are you parked? I’ll follow you out.”

“Um,” Noma laughed, “I really don’t have a car or truck. This city here is not tall pokemon friendly. One of my friends, an Aggron who was even taller than me doesn’t have a car either because all these stupid dealerships only carry small compact cars. I do know how to drive though, besides, I like the exercise!” Noma said while rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.

“So you walk everywhere? That’s balls dude. Come on, my car is tall enough for you to ride in.” Ayla grabbed Noma’s hand and led her to the car. “It’s only a two seater sports car, so there will be more than enough leg room, you lanky bastard, but you’ll have to hold the bags unfortunately.”

Noma laughed and said, “Maybe if you didn’t spend your whole paycheck on shirts that you’ll wear once and then never again, then maybe you could fit them more easily in your car.”

They both laughed and they kept digging at each other just as they did when they were in high school. When they finally reached the car, Noma saw that it was bright race red and was very low to the ground. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was a convertible and that the engine was a V-8 Hellcat.

“Holy shit, you’re gonna have to show Joan and my parents this car, they will be so amazed!” Noma said while walking around the car, getting a good look at it.

“Yeah, I’m proud of her, she’s a bitch to keep running though, but gas isn’t all that bad believe it or not.” Ayla said while pressing a button on her key that opened the doors vertically. Noma whistled when she saw this and sat down in the comfy leather seats. Ayla explained some more things about the car as she hopped in and sat the shopping bags down. Noma moved the bags into her lap and looked around the interior of the car and noticed that the entire lower half of the doors and even the section between the seats were filled with speakers.

“Aright, show me where to go!” Ayla said. They left the parking lot of the mall and Noma gave directions to her house. After a good 10 minutes, they pulled in to the driveway and Noma let them both in.

“Well, here it is. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like no problem and no rent!” Noma said while motioning for Ayla to follow. They walked down a hall to their right and then turned to the right again and entered a bedroom. “If you want, here is another bedroom that you can use. It comes complete with its own full bathroom and walk in closet. Unfortunately, we would have to get you some dressers and drawers and stuff, but that shouldn’t be too bad. If anything, I can move the ones out of the guest room to this one.” Noma offered.

“Wait, this isn’t the guest room?” asked Ayla.

“You think I’m gonna let my best friend take a shitty guest room when there is a master bedroom perfectly available? This used to be Joan’s before she moved out, so no one is using it, so feel free to make it your own!” smiled Noma.

Ayla blushed and thanked Noma. Noma said that she’ll be in the kitchen trying to figure out what to do for lunch while Ayla gets moved in. The purple Zoroark moved to the bed and sat her shopping bags down beside her and flopped back on the bed. It felt so good to actually have a bed to just sit on. She looked around the room and saw some photos on the wall and they looked like they were different photos from Noma’s childhood. Ayla got up and moved to look at them. There were a few pictures of her mother and father together, there was one of a very young Noma, who was a Torchic at the time, and Joan, who was a Pawniard, sitting on a swing together with Joan holding Noma in her lap. Ayla couldn’t help but laugh at the thought that Joan was actually taller than Noma at one point. In the next photo she saw another picture of Noma as a Combusken with a giant bow around her neck and an oversized sweater that completely covered her feet. Beside that picture, there was one of Joan and their mom both arm wrestling with Elizzabet looking like she is struggling with all her might to beat Joan and make her feel like she is super strong. Ayla started to tear up looking at all of these sweet pictures of Noma and her family and started thinking back to her own family and how they treated her after she came out to them. While she was deep in thought about her own family, she was snapped out of it by Noma’s voice asking if it was okay if they just ordered some take out.

“Uh- yeah, yeah that, that sounds nice actually.” Ayla stuttered. Placing the picture back on the wall, she walked out in the hall and eventually found her way into the kitchen where Noma was bent over on the counter looking at a menu on her phone.

“Hey, did you get settled in? I know it may be hard to store your stuff without proper furniture, but we’ll get that taken care of right after I place this order. Have you ever had anything from Dragon’s Wings?” Noma asked, still scrolling through the menu.

“Not that I can remember, what all does it have?”

“Well they mainly serve hibachi stuff, but if you would want something different, just let me know, there are plenty of restaurants around here that deliver.”

“Actually, that sounds pretty good right now. I could go for some hibachi steak and some eggrolls right now!” Ayla aid with a smile.

“Okay, I’ll place the order.” Noma said while proceeding to the delivery section of the website. After everything was ordered, Noma clicked on the checkout tab and Ayla laid her hand on Noma’s and said that she would pay, that it was the least she could do to pay Noma back for everything that she has done for her today. It took a lot of convincing, but eventually Noma let her pay.

“Well, if you want, before we move the dressers into your room, we can put all your clothes into the washing machine and get them cleaned while we wait for the food.” Noma suggested.

“Noma, look, we’re good friends and all, but I’m not gonna get naked and-“

“You know I have clothes you can borrow, right? How about this, you gather up all your new and old clothes into the bags and set them in front of the door to your room, I’ll get you some of my clothes that I know will fit you, and you can take a nice shower and get refreshed. I’ll move the dressers and stuff into your room and start the laundry. When you’re done, you can just come and hang out in the living room with me until the food gets here. Sound good?” asked Noma.

“At least let me help you with moving the furniture.”

“Pfft, you kidding? You’re my guest, I can’t have you doing that junk.” Noma said nonchalantly.

“Well…if you don’t mind…I’d like to be your roommate.” Ayla said nervously. At this point, she was overrun by the kindness the red pokemon had shown her and decided that it would be nice to live with one of her lifelong friends. It beats living alone in her car or some dingy cheap hotel any day. “And if I’m your roommate,” Ayla continued, “then I’m gonna pull my weight around here. Besides, I’m not letting you show me up!” She said, nudging the stocky Blaziken.

“Oh yes! I’d love to have you stay here as a roommate! It’d be just like when we would spend the night at each other’s house again! And seriously, don’t worry about helping move the furniture, you’ve had it pretty rough the past couple of days, living in your car and everything, so just let me do this for you.” Noma said, holding up her index finger and winking as she turned to retrieve the dressers.

Ayla stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame and watching Noma as she walked to the other room. If it weren’t for the fact that they had been friends for so long, Ayla would have already asked Noma to go on a date, especially since she found out about Noma’s orientation. She knew the potential for her to mess up such a long friendship and that if they were going to be roommates, then she would rather just suppress the want for a meaningful relationship to keep what they already had. “Well, better go ahead and start that shower.” She said.

Noma had started to lift the dresser up and make her way to Ayla’s room when she forgot that she told the Zoroark to pile her clothes in a hamper and leave it in front of the door and tripped over the hamper causing her to drop the dresser and fall onto the carpet. Obviously, there was a lot of noise, but Noma was hoping that somehow Ayla went deaf just long enough to not hear.

“Oh my God are you okay? What happened?” Ayla said, poking her head out of the bathroom door.

Noma, still lying face down on the ground with the dresser drawers sprawled out everywhere said, “Never better. I forgot I told you to leave your clothes in a basket in front of the door, and I couldn’t see it. But yeah, I’m fine.”

Ayla giggled, “Man, you always were so clumsy. For someone as graceful in appearance, you sure throw people for a loop when you do stuff like that. Here, I’ll help you up.” she said, emerging from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. She crouched next to the Blaziken, who was still lying with her face buried in the carpet who just kept saying she’s fine and that she didn’t need any help. The purple fox ignored Noma’s words and grabbed her by her hand and pulled her up. When Noma was fully sat up, she had a look of indifference and annoyance on her face to which Ayla couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m so sorry, I should have set the basket somewhere else an-“

“Nah, it’s my bad for not paying attention to where I was going. Thanks though, for helping me up.” Noma said while turning to face Ayla. When she finally saw the Zoroark, she quickly looked away as her cheeks flushed up in a brighter shade of red.

“What, you’re not embarrassed to see another woman in a towel are you? Didn’t you play softball and have to use the showers before? Or hell, have you ever been in a locker room?” Ayla asked.

“Oh hush. You want me to move your furniture or not?” said Noma as she stood up, dusting herself off.

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to strike a nerve. I’ll go ahead and start my shower. And…thanks again, for everything. Seriously, you are amazing!” Ayla said while giving a smile.

After Ayla started the water and Noma heard the shower curtain pulled, she started gathering up the drawers and putting them back into the heavy wooden dresser. Once that was done, she set it in the corner near the bathroom so that Ayla could easily get clothes out after she was done showering. Next she made sure to move the hamper out of the way of the door before going back and getting the rest of the furniture that needed to be moved such as a small cabinet nightstand and the T.V cabinet. A few minutes had passed and as Noma finally set the T.V in the spot in the cabinet, she was exhausted and walked into the kitchen to grab herself a bottle of water and relax on the couch in the living room.

________________________________________________________________

Ayla was standing in the shower, letting the warm water hit her back and wash away the worry that she had been carrying around with her about where she was going to stay. Running her claws through her hair and grabbing the shampoo, she was thankful to be able to wash her hair and her fur from the grime and sweat of travel. Rinsing her hair and holding strands of where her black hair blends into purple, she relished in the silky feel her hair now has and then looked for the soap to wash the rest of the body. After she found the bottle of soap, Mane and Tail, and started lathering up her washcloth. Running the cloth down her body and feeling the dirt and stress just run off with the soap was the best feeling she had experienced in a while. Finally, after getting herself washed off, she let the water hit her back once more for another minute or so before finally turning the water off. As she reached for the towel and started drying off, she breathed in the steam and pulled the curtain back. Before stepping out, she lifted one leg up and rested her foot on the lip of the bathtub and ran the towel over the top of her foot and up her leg. When she got to her hip, she switched legs and rand down the other one. Once done, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around herself and combed through her hair to straighten it out so that it could air dry quicker. As she put down the comb and opened the door, she saw a large t-shirt, some sweat pants, and underwear lying on her bed. ‘I guess these are the clothes Noma left’ she thought to herself. Dropping her towel to the floor, she reached for the underwear first and tried them on. The boxers fit her alright and were comfortable enough. ‘Kinda weird that Noma wears boxers instead of panties, but whatever.’ Ayla thought about maybe getting her a pair or two before, but now she wasn’t really sure. She liked how comfortable they were, but hated how roomy and loose they felt. Next, she reached for the bra and tried it on. After a solid minute of trying to stretch it behind her to hook it together, but eventually gave up. ‘Damn, I knew Noma was smaller than I was, but shit. I’m outta breath.’ She decided to ditch the bra and folded it back on her bed. She looked at the sweat pants and held them up to her and decided not to wear them as well since the waist came up halfway up her stomach because of the height difference between them. She then picked up the shirt that had a picture of a coffee cup on it with “More Coffee Please?” written on it. Looking at it, she noticed it was designed with a stretched out collar and sleeves and was loose fitting even for Noma, like a shirt that you’d wear on a lazy day where you didn’t care how you looked or who saw you. After slipping it on, Ayla realized that it was a little too big for her since the neck line fell completely off her breasts and back onto the floor. She then put it back on, taking a part of the collar in between her teeth and holding it on her as she took a hairband and tied the back into a bunch. It helped a little but was still slack on her, but hey, at least it covered everything! She picked up her towel and walked into the bathroom to hang it up over the shower rod and take a new towel to dry her hair off some more with before putting it up into a messy bun. Feeling refreshed, she decided to finally go and meet up with Noma in the living room and wait for the food, if it hadn’t gotten there already.

________________________________________________________________

Noma was watching a cooking show and taking notes on the names of the dishes that were shown when she heard Ayla’s claws tapping on the hardwood floor as she walked.

“Feel better?” she said while leaning her head back.

“Yeah! Thanks for letting me use your shower.” The Zoroark replied.

“No problem…also, where are the rest of the clothes I laid out for you?”

“So, uhh, It would seem I’m much smaller than you everywhere but my chest. The boxers fit because of the elastic band, but the sweatpants were too big and kept falling off as well, also, I know your chicken nuggets are smaller than mine, but I never knew it was by that much, and the shirt kinda fits, I had to scrunch it up in the back and tie it because it would just keep falling off, speaking of which, where did you find this style of shirt? I love the loose neck designs but can’t seem to find any.”

“Whoa what the hell do you mean by ‘chicken nuggets’?” Noma asked, furrowing her eyebrows at the fox.

“Aww, don’t be like that. They’re cute! I’m just saying, you can’t fit 40 pounds of stuff in a 10 pound bag.” Replied Ayla while she was taking a seat on the recliner across from the red bird.

Noma just rolled her eyes and gave a chuckle before returning her attention to the T.V. “And for your information, I bought that shirt at Level 21 back in Imann city.”

“Well, it’s very cute and I’m sure it looks great on you.” Said Ayla with a smile.

“Quite your shit, I know you’re just trying to make it up for what you said about my bust, which I am quite happy with, thank you!”

Ayla said something about not taking her too seriously which Noma just waved her hand at dismissively and continued watching her show. She wasn’t mad at Ayla, but just miffed, but she figured she may as well get used to it if they are gonna be roommates. To try and how her that she wasn’t bothered by what Ayla said, the Blaziken turned to her and asked if she wanted to keep the shirt, saying that she didn’t wear it much except for pajamas or if she was really lazy and didn’t want to get dressed for anything.

“Sure, I’d love it! As long as you don’t mind that is.”

“Yeah, have it, at least with it being yours, it’ll actually be worn. Also, what do you wanna watch while we wait? Show’s over.”

“Oh, I uh, don’t watch much T.V. so I don’t know what’s good.” Ayla said.

“Oh, shit, well I’ll pull up Netflix and Hulu and we can find a show that you think you’d be interested in.”

Noma began flipping through the selections of Netflix first and Ayla suggested ‘The Hateful Eight’. So they started it up and Ayla mentioned about how she used to watch Westerns a lot and really enjoyed how cheesy they could be but loved whenever the big shootouts would happen. Noma agreed and mentioned that if she liked Hateful Eight, then they’ll have to watch Magnificent Seven to which Ayla immediately agreed to.

About 30 minutes into the movie, the doorbell rang and Noma answered and came back with food in hand. “Alrighty, let’s dig in!” she yelled from the kitchen.

Ayla came into the kitchen and took her takeout box and flipped open the lid and noticed that she forgot to ask for a fork instead of the chopsticks that normally come with the meals. Noma noticed she looked somewhat annoyed and asked what was wrong.

“Oh no, did I accidentally order the wrong thing?”

“Nah, it’s right, I just forgot to ask for a fork instead. With the way my hand is with these claws, it’s hard to hold them right.”

“Here,” Noma said while opening the drawer she was standing in front of and pulled out two forks, “use this till you find one.” She said with a smile. “I don’t really know how to use them either.”

Noma pulled out her chair and Ayla sat beside her and they both started their meals together. Throughout the time they spent eating, they enjoyed some small talk and the stories that they told each other and Ayla felt stronger in her feelings towards Noma.

Noma was feeling somewhat flustered as well and loved it when Ayla would laugh. She missed hanging our with her throughout their childhood and now it was perfect. She also knew that since they are both out of the closet that it may be awkward at times in the future especially since she was thinking of the possibility of going on a date with her just to see how it would go. Maybe it’s the fact that she was feeling lonely and coincidentally, here came one of her childhood friends who just happened to be lesbian into her life that was swinging her to ask Ayla out. She quickly dispelled these thoughts so as to not blush and make herself awkward like she usually does.

After they finished their meals and were putting things away, Noma said something to an unseen person to play some music. Ayla’s ears perked up when she heard “Hotel California” pop up from somewhere in the kitchen. Noma was humming along when she turned to see Ayla looking around for the source of the sound and her ears trying to focus in to where the music was coming from.

“Confused?”

“Yeah, where is the music coming from?”

“I set up a sound system all throughout the house with a smart home AI installed so I can play music wherever. It was expensive as hell, but so worth it for parties and junk. With the speakers being stored in plain sight, you wouldn’t know where to look. See that cabinet above your head?”

“Yeah?”

“Doubles as a speaker. The back extends into the wall and hold the speaker there. There’s plenty more scattered everywhere.”

They continued with their small amount of cleaning that they needed to do which was over pretty quick. They continued to dance and sing along to the playlist Noma had and just had some fun. As the playlist ended after three more songs, they moved back into the living room to finish the movie.

_______________________________________________________________

After an hour or so, the credits rolled and it was starting to get late and Noma got up and stretched, arching her back and leaning from side to side. “Well, I’m off to bed. Gotta be up at work early tomorrow to fill a big order I got in. Gotta carve a 300 pound arrow out of a block of steel.”

“Holy shit, really? Can your fire even get that hot to cut through that?”

“Yeah, check it.” Noma cracked her knuckles and finger joints before giving a snap and a bright blue flame appeared at the end of her index finger. “I can even control length and temperature as well.” She made the flame a deeper blue and extended the reach from about 3 inches to a full foot before extinguishing it again. Ayla looked surprised.

“Well, goodnight! I hope you enjoy it here! It’s been nice to catch up and hang out like old times.” Said the Blaziken, smiling.

“Yeah, it has been fun. I guess I’ll be headed to bed too.” Ayla said, getting up from her seat.

“You don’t have to, if you want to stay and watch T.V or play video games, that’s fine by me. This si your house as well.”

“I’m pretty worn out myself, maybe tomorrow after you get home from work though?” the purple fox asked hopefully.

“Yeah, we can.” Noma said before stretching again. This time she bent back further than before and stretched her arms back as far as they would go which lifted up her tank top a bit to expose her stomach. Ayla noticed and could not take her eyes off of Noma’s abs and how in shape she was. Her face started feeling warm and she turned her head and looked away. When Noma was done stretching she pulled her shirt back down and apologized for her shirt riding up on her. Ayla said it was fine a bit too quick and Noma turned down the hall and started walking to her room.

“Goodnight, sweet dreams!” the lanky bird said.

“Yeah…you too.” Replied a blushing Ayla. As the clicks of Noma’s talons faded down the hall, Ayla soon followed and turned into her room and shut the door. She hopped onto her bed and folded the clothes that Noma laid out for her earlier and decided to go ahead and ask Noma where the washing machine and dryer was. She walked over to Noma’s room to ask and opened the door but quickly realized her mistake as Noma was in the process of getting undressed. They both just stopped and looked at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time before Noma jokingly said to come in. Ayla slowly handed her the clothes back and shut the door and walked back to her room, turned the lights off, and hopped in bed trying to forget about what just happened.

_______________________________________________________________

The next morning Noma was up and cooking breakfast for both of them and still laughing to herself about the events that took place the night before and how red Ayla’s face got. Admittedly she was a little embarrassed, but stuff like that is gonna happen some time or another with roommates right? She was finishing up with the eggs and toast when she heard Ayla’s door open and her walking down the hall. She watched the Zoroark turn the corner and quickly look to the floor as soon as they made eye contact.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Noma said while laughing, “stuff like that is expected to happen with roommates.” Noma said trying to cheer her up. Ayla didn’t say anything and kept her head down and didn’t look at Noma. After Ayla went back to her room last night, Noma thought more about the possibility of dating Ayla. Sure, it could potentially ruin the friendship they have if everything goes wrong, but it would be a much better relationship if it worked out than what she could have with anyone else. She knew Ayla well and they are close, so it’s not like they would have any trouble getting along or having to spend time getting to know each other, so she figured why not? She did have to admit though, that deciding to ask Ayla out on a date after being seen naked was probably the weirdest time to ask someone out, but nowhere to go but up from there, she reasoned.

“So, uh… last night was…interesting huh?” the fire type asked. Ayla didn’t respond, but she noticed her turn a darker shade of red around her cheeks. “Well, I was thinking that uhm…maybe to try and show you that it wasn’t a big deal, maybe we could…go out on a date, or something?” She finally asked.

Ayla’s ears perked up and she slowly lifted her head and met Noma’s gaze. The Blaziken was smiling softly and was blushing? Ayla couldn’t really tell since Noma was red already. ‘What kind of game is she playing?’ she thought to herself, but decided that she would go along with it. ‘What kind of person asks someone on a date AFTER they were seen naked?’ “Sure, sounds nice, but don’t you have work today?” asked Ayla.

“Well, funny story, there was an accident with the shipping procedures, no one was hurt or anything, but a bunch of shit got misplaced, so they shut down my floor and only the people involved with the shipments that were supposed to go out today are allowed in to help try and sort everything out.” Noma was relieved that Ayla had agreed to go on a date, but she didn’t plan out anything past asking her, so she stalls for time to try and think of an idea.

“Oh, that’s cool…” Ayla trailed off. She was still confused and her head was spinning by everything that happened in the past day. “So, what’s the plan for our date?” she asked cheerfully.

“Why did you have to ask me that? I didn’t plan this far ahead!”

They both laughed and ate their breakfast. With the tension falling away and both of the worries that they had dissolving, they could both look forward to and plan for their date.

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hellacluttered · 8 years ago

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Resolve (Vasquez)

A/N: All right, so as @cambetaut pointed out, Vasquez's face when Anthony says his mom died giving birth to him seems hella significant. Also, Vasquez makes a big deal out of the responsibility of being a father, which makes me wonder stuff. I’m just gonna use Manuel as Vas’s first name because a. I probably need a first name because his family wouldn’t call him by his last one and b. I’m lazy. I’m making Vas about 16 in this. Thanks @cambetaut for inspiring me to write this :3

“Manuel! The fire’s going out again!”

“Be there in a moment!” Manuel raised the axe again and swung it, another droplet of sweat tracing down his spine. The wood split, and he hastily gathered up the two new pieces as well as those he’d already cut. The air was heavy and moist, dampness clinging to the wood as closely as its bark, and the fire was hesitant to burn; Manuel was on his third round of cutting kindling. He walked quickly into the small house, ducking under the doorframe, and hurried across the room to the small fireplace, next to which lay his youngest sister, still shivering despite being tucked under every blanket in the house.

“How’re you doing, Ana?” he asked, setting several new pieces of kindling onto the dying fire and prodding at them with another piece of wood until they got into the position he wanted them in.

“I’m cold,” she said, her voice weak. “And my stomach hurts.”

“I’m sorry,” Manuel said softly, stroking back the hair from her clammy forehead.

“I wish Momma was here,” she said, her words hardly audible over the crackling of the fire. Manuel forced a sad smile onto his lips as his little sister looked up at him, her face worryingly gaunt.

“I wish she was too, but she’d be proud of you, you know?” He said. “Little soldier.”

Ana smiled at the sound of her nickname, and shifted up slightly to lay her head in her brother’s lap. Her shivers began to slow, and Manuel didn’t know whether it was because she was warming up or because she was growing even colder, but when he took her hand in his, her small fingers were no longer freezing cold, and he watched with some relief as her eyes drifted closed in sleep. “How does she seem?” Maria asked.

“I’m not sure,” Manuel said, his thumb absently moving across the back of Ana’s hand.

“She’s too thin,” Maria said.

“I know.” Manuel glanced at his sister where she lay on her cot across the room. “Come over here; aren’t you cold?”

She considered, and then stood, hauling the straw mattress across the room to join the other two in front of the fireplace. “Did Papa say when he’s coming back?”

Manuel shook his head, trying to keep down the anger that welled up at the mention of the name. “But I wouldn’t expect him anytime soon.” The words came out more venomous than he had intended and he silently cursed himself when he saw Maria’s face fall, her hopeful eyes dropping from his to stare into the fire instead. There were too many worries on her young face. “I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

She shrugged. “You were just being honest.”

Sometimes honesty isn’t the best policy, he thought to himself as Maria glanced toward the door, probably unthinkingly. Their father disappeared for days at a time, usually coming home, the smell of alcohol thick on his breath, after losing what little money he’d taken with him to gambling and drinking. He’d stay home long enough to sober up and make a little money off the cobbling business he still halfway-ran (although Manuel had to turn away most of the customers now because they often came when his father wasn’t home), and then disappear again. It had been six years since their mother had died giving birth to Ana, and since then, Manuel had acted for the most part as both parents to his sisters.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Maria asked as she lay down, clearly starting to grow drowsy.

“I will later. I’m not tired,” Manuel lied. “You should though.”

“Okay,” Maria said, though she looked a little guilty as she rolled over, her back to Manuel.

“Good night,” he said softly.

“‘Night.”

Ana took a turn for the worse sometime between the pit of midnight and the light of dawn. Her shivers started again, more violent and jarring than ever, and her normally tan face was pale, sweat beading on her forehead. When Manuel gently shook her awake to ask her how she felt, she jerked upright and vomited on the hearth before collapsing weakly into her nest of blankets again. It had been the first bit of food she’d been able to digest in nearly a week, and Manuel could see her growing smaller with each passing day. Maria stood without a word, grabbing a few rags to clean the mess with while Manuel added a couple more logs to the fire before gently scooping up Ana and setting her in his lap, hoping his body heat could do some good to warm her.

Her task done, Maria joined them at the fireside, laying her head on her elder brother’s shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her tight to him and pressing a kiss first to her cool forehead and then to Ana’s feverish one.

Four days later, Manuel went to their neighbors’ to borrow a shovel. He dug the grave by himself, rivulets of sweat blending with the equally salty tears already running down his cheeks. The shovel grew heavy with passing time, but never nearly as heavy as the invisible weight on his shoulders, not as heavy as his heart, crushed and set adrift in the blackness of his mind. Curses and prayers blended to a ceaseless and nearly-silent monologue as his feet sunk deeper into the dirt with the hole.

Five feet away from her mother, Ana was laid to rest, her small body wrapped in the cleanest blanket Manuel and Maria could find. Neither of her siblings could sleep that night and it was in silent tears that they sat in front of the fire til dawn.

Their father blamed them when he got home, and neither spoke through his shouting, though Manuel got so close to lashing out at him that it took Maria clenching his hand in her own to stop him.

He left again the same evening with what little money they had left. Some sense in Manuel’s gut gave a feeling of finality to the closing of the door.

Five hungry days later, Manuel awoke to find himself completely alone, Maria nowhere to be seen, and instantly fear shot through his chest, tightening his breathing, and throbbing in his skull like a beast waiting to be released from its cage. He pushed back the blankets, bare feet thudding against the hardened dirt floor as he ran toward the door, grabbing his grandfather’s dusty old revolver on the way out.

Shouts down the street as he emerged into it were the next bad sign, striking his ears as harsh chords. Those in the town who caused trouble in the streets should have still been in bed hungover at this hour.

His feet led him toward the noise, toward the shouts of, “Stop, police!” and, “Get her!”

And then he saw her shoot out from a side-street, his little Maria, running for her life, a presumably stolen loaf of bread clutched to her chest, hopelessly out-paced by the three mounted officers behind her as she pelted toward him.

When the crack rang out and Maria staggered, Manuel felt it as if it had been him the shot hit. He froze, the breath punched out of his lungs, watching helplessly as she tottered and then fell forward, landing face-first in the dirt. It was as if through a haze he watched one of the officers dismount and walk across the dusty road toward Maria. He knelt and was reaching out to turn her over when Manuel’s senses came screaming back to him, stinging and burning, raw and razor-sharp. His hand rose, cocking the revolver, pulling back the trigger, and the man reeled back. Manuel aimed and fired again before the remaining two could react, and another fell out of his saddle to land in a pile on the dirt. The last one fired, but Manuel didn’t feel the deep cut the bullet left in his shoulder; his scream of rage and hurt resounded down the street as he fired his last shot and the last man fell. Already he could hear hooves nearby, men’s voices rising in increasingly urgent shouts.

Tears were streaming down his face as he ran and dropped to his knees next to his sister, pulling her body into his lap and cradling her in his arms, her blood soaking hot and wet through his shirt. Her eyes were just barely open, her face ghostly pale. “Manu…” she said, and then coughed weakly, a trickle of blood tracing from the corner of her mouth. “Go.” And then she was gone, her last breath escaping her in a little puff as the light left her eyes.

Manuel groaned, the sound hardly human, desperate with loss as the world threatened to crash down him, looming over him like the crest of an immense wave. He gently set his sister in the dirt though the thought of leaving her manifested a deep, physical pain in his chest, and mounted one of the horses, nudging the creature hard with his knees.

And then they ran, ran from everything Manuel had lost, ran from the town where he’d lived his whole life and loved more fiercely than he imagined he ever would again, ran from the torture of it all. The wind dried the tears on his cheeks and stung the cut on his shoulder but the pain made him focus, reminded him that he was alive, a criminal now, with no friends, no family, and nowhere to go.

But for some reason that he supposed he would have to seek out, he was alive.

He clung to that search like a dying man, and it was that that kept him going, through days fleeing his foes, months on the road, and years of solitude. He blamed himself for what had happened and he swore off love, preferring to live hard and let his calloused and scarred heart rest, though under it, the fire of a tired and vulnerable teenage boy still burned. Yet slowly he forgot, forgot what it was to love, what it was to be with other people, to look out for them and care for them, and life was easier that way. He had failed his sisters and thus failed himself, and he aimed to never make that mistake again.

But despite years of resolve, a bounty hunter’s promise, a small town, and six fighters were all it took to break through the barriers around his heart again.

#i'm sorry vasquez #you don't deserve this bb #vasquez #mag7 #the magnificent seven #mag7 scenario #mag7 imagine #vasquez scenario #vasquez imagine

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mrstevenbushus · 5 years ago

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Wood Burning Stoves for Modern Homes

As I write, I’m sat next to my wood burning stove which – even though it’s still summer – I have just lit.

The whole process took two minutes, but that’s because there were newspapers to hand, plenty of kindling prepared, the ash pan had recently been emptied and there were logs in the porch ready to fill the basket.

It would have been even quicker if a broadsheet paper been around; they make better firelighters but rarely appear.

Why are stoves so popular?

They say that wood warms you three times: when you’re collecting it, cutting it, and burning it. All true, but to this I would add one more – stacking it – as firewood generally needs to be properly stacked at least once in a dry place after it has been cut and split. It’s a work-out, though, and good practice for tasks like dry stone walling.

Explore more: Heating and Ventilation Products

But does it still make sense to have a stove in a modern home which, of course, needs very little space heating? Take a Passivhaus, for instance. Given the high levels of insulation and good airtightness in these buildings, the warmth from people and appliances is almost sufficient to maintain a comfortable year-round temperature.

The HWAM 4660 is a woodburning stove with a nominal heat output of 7kW

A wood burning stove is often capable of satisfying the remaining heat demand for the whole building, though this depends on the size and layout. Distribution is likely to be uneven, but before central heating, this was not considered an issue. When radiant heat was king, if you were cold you moved closer to the fire and, if too hot, you moved away.

In many cases, people want a wood burner for the effect, and the psychological benefits of flickering flames should not be underestimated. Nothing beats the immediacy, smell and primal experience of an open fire, but they are inefficient and would contravene modern airtightness regulations in any case. So a stove is a fair compromise, and you can save the open fire for the campsite.

Bear with me, though… I need to put a log on the fire and turn down the heat. Clearly stoves have fringe benefits – a useful reminder to get up from the desk occasionally!

Types of stove

A simple wood burner is just a space heater. Multi fuel versions can also run on the likes of coal and anthracite, but I wouldn’t want to encourage anyone to use fossil fuels.

Some stoves have back boilers. Coal models of this type were once common, and the heat was piped to provide domestic hot water (DHW), distributed space heating or both. For modern homes, a back boiler is really worth considering, especially for DHW provision.

Combine with solar thermal panels and this setup can produce carbon neutral hot water all year round – often a target for the eco-minded. If the sun is out, it will warm your solar panels; if it’s not, you’ll be lighting the wood burner.

Bear in mind an immersion heater may still be needed to top up the temperature on cloudy summer days. A back boiler does reduce the heat output from the stove to the room, but in a modern home this shouldn’t be an issue.

The ivory enamelled Manchester wood burner is available from Eurostove and has a nominal output of 12.6kW

If you are only an occasional user of your wood stove, then there is little point fitting a back boiler – as space heating and hot water are needed on a daily basis. If you want constant carbon-neutral heating in this kind of scenario, then consider a small biomass boiler.

These appliances can be automated just like a gas boiler, and unlike standard stoves they are subsidised with cashback payments under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

Find out more: Biomass Boilers Explained

As so many wood burners are fitted for their looks and effect, the last few years have seen a wide range of stylish appliances emerging onto the market. You’ll find anything from classic cast iron stoves to all-glazed versions and sharp Scandinavian designs.

With most modern products, the glass is kept clean by an airwash system – reducing maintenance. Heat distribution can be improved by adding a fan, which sits on top and is powered purely by the heat. These are usually silent and can even reduce fuel use.

Some designers have reverted to an old idea, creating modern wood burners you can cook on. This makes a huge amount of sense: why use electricity to boil water when you can simply place a (non-electric!) kettle on the stove?

More sophisticated versions include a full-blown oven; and you can even get cooker stoves with back boilers – perfect for completely off-grid homes.

Are wood burners carbon neutral?

One big advantage of using wood as a fuel is that it can be an almost carbon-neutral source of heat, depending on the source of the firewood. In the carbon cycle, trees take up CO2 as they grow and this is released when wood is burnt.

In between you have energy used for harvesting, transporting and processing. This cycle absolutely relies on timber being replanted – so the best option is to only burn waste wood (of a suitable quality) or fuel you are certain comes from sustainable sources.

Dru’s SP Varia built-in wood burner gives the effect of an open fie thanks to its large glazed area, but with the energy efficiency

Ideally, firewood will come from as close as possible to where it’s being used to minimise transport impact. Offcuts from local sawmills are good, and smaller sizes make great kindling.

If burning waste wood, avoid treated or painted timber, as domestic stoves don’t filter the gases produced and there may be a detrimental impact on flue liners.

Impact on air quality

Wood does not give off solely CO2 when it burns; there are a range of other potential pollutants, as well as a number of ways to combat these. One of the biggest arises because the smoke is comprised not only of gases but also small particulates of unburnt fuel.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been identified as having an effect on human health, especially respiratory diseases, when present in sufficient concentration for a sufficient period.

The air in our cities is much cleaner now than when we burnt coal, but there is concern that the increasing prevalence of wood burners could cause an issue once again. In practice, smoke is unlikely to be a problem in rural areas due to the limited housing density. Meanwhile, larger conurbations are covered by smoke control areas, set by the local authority (there’s a useful summary of them at UK Smoke Control Area).

If you live in a smoke control area, you can only burn wood in specified exempt appliances. If your stove isn’t on the list (see GOV.UK), then you will be limited to using authorised smokeless fuels.

Exempt appliances simply prevent slow burning, which means you can’t turn the heat down as far – but low temperatures will leave tar in the flue, so should be avoided in any case. Even stoves that meet these requirements will still contribute to PM2.5 levels in the air.

The TT21 R wood burner from TermaTech has an elliptical design and an operating range

Manufacturers are responding to this with the launch of Ecodesign-ready stoves that meet more stringent criteria for air quality(in advance of legislation coming in 2022).

The most important thing when burning wood, however, is to always make sure it’s well-seasoned. Air pollution is much worse from wet timber, as different chemicals are produced during combustion. Most wood requires atleast two summers to season properly, although some softwoods can be ready quicker. For the sake of your stove, fuel conservation and air quality, get well ahead with your supplies and buy a moisture meter.

Stoves need oxygen to function, so they’re usually designed to draw fresh air in via a vent through the wall in the same room as the heater. Other solutions are available in airtight houses. If you’re opening doors, either when first lit or later when the fire is set to burn low, do so slowly at first, as this will prevent smoke blowing back into the room.

Ultimately, tricks like this will help ensure that your indoor living environment is only improved by using a stove.

Are wood burning stoves a good idea for new build homes?

We’ve used wood to cook and to stay warm for millennia. If everyone used it now, however, there wouldn’t be enough to go around – so most of us will be reliant on other fuel sources for heat.

Installation and maintenance

These days, fitting a stove is not usually a DIY job. If you do not use an installer registered with a self-certification scheme (such as HETAS), then you have to notify building control, pay the inspection fee and carry out the work in accordance with the relevant Approved Documents.

Flues now have to be lined so that there is a direct route from your stove to the open air, and no risk of fumes entering a building, so most of us prefer to leave it to the pros.

Day to day maintenance on stoves is limited to ash removal, though wood burners actually produce very little of this. Wood ash is rich in many micronutrients – especially potash, so it can be added directly to the garden or mixed in with the compost heap, giving you an extra benefit.

Depending on frequency of use, a regular visit from the chimney sweep is a must. For lined flues especially, the job is quick and clean.

But if you have a local supply of firewood (especially if it’s waste) and the source is being replanted, I would argue it makes a lot of sense to use this rather than any other source of fuel.

Ultimately, a well operated stove burning dry firewood can be eco-friendly and cost-efficient to run, and will produce very little smoke. And the time you spend outside chopping wood and staying warm and fit, you’re not having to heat the house!

The post Wood Burning Stoves for Modern Homes appeared first on Build It.

Article reference Wood Burning Stoves for Modern Homes

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northernarizonaflora · 5 years ago

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10 Best Firewood in 2019

It doesn’t really matter if you want to burn firewood in a furnace; stove or fireplace, what matters most is that, are you actually burning the best firewood? Well, I would say that it’s very important for you to burn the best firewood for the reasons of safety, efficiency and convenience because it can be very frustrating and annoying when you burn wet wood and pieces of poor quality and wrong sizes with your wood burner.

Apart from the frustrating aspect, burning these kinds of wood hold a risk of depositing Creosote which can possibly result to a hazardous chimney fire. Actually, you can save yourself from all troubles by just buying the best firewood which will even further help to maximize efficiency.

In choosing the best firewood, you must be aware of the attributes of the different types of firewood because all the distinct kinds of firewood do not give the same result and this is exactly why I’m writing this review and buying guide to equip you with the needed knowledge and tips to purchase the best firewood that will serve you well. Keep calm, relax and let me unveil to you the right tips you need to purchase the best firewood.

Our favorite picks

Best Overall Wildwood Kindling Kiln-Dried Cedar Kindling Best Value Pine Mountain Ultraflame 3-Hour Firelogs Best Budget Wood Products 9910 Fatwood Box

It’s suitable for camping and other occasions

It’s easy to use

It’s easy to light

It’s environmentally friendly

It’s of high quality

It creates an enjoyable atmosphere

It’s 100% natural

It can be used for lots of things

it’s resistant to moisture

Check Price

10 Best Firewood with reviews

1. Wood Products 9910 Fatwood Box – Best firewood to burn in home

There are lots of things that this firewood is suitable for and this is exactly why i’m choosing it as the best firewood to burn in home. You can use this firewood for grills, campfires, stoves, and fireplaces. To include, this Wood Products 9910 Fatwood Box contains a high degree of natural resin because it is carved from the remains of pine trees, thus, it is purely natural and no chemicals of any kind are added to it.

Now, do you see why I say it is the best firewood to burn in home? It is 100% natural, which means that it will burn efficiently and effectively for whatever you use it for. Another interesting thing about this firewood is that it’s resistant to any kind of moisture. This firewood is very much fitting for all your occasions and it’s long-lasting; it can be stored for a long duration so, why not get it today?

Pros

It’s 100% natural

It can be used for lots of things

Its resistant to moisture

Cons

The flame might disturb you

Check Price on Amazon

2. Duraflame 6 lb 4-hr Firelogs – Best firewood for fireplace

Looking for the best firewood for fireplace? Look no further, Duraflame 6 lb 4-hr Firelogs is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Unlike ordinary wood that cannot burn for a longer period of time, this firewood is capable of burning for a lot more. In just about five minutes, the light will begin to rage proper immediately it comes in contact with a lit match.

Another thing that interests me more about this firewood which makes me to further reevaluate as indeed the best firewood for fireplace is because it releases just few pollutants which is actually cool for the environment. Both your outdoor and indoor purposes can be effected with this firewood and to include, it has safety certificates.

Pros

It’s safety approved

It burns longer

It’s good for the environment

Cons

Some people have complained of poor customer service

Check Price on Amazon

3. Duraflame 4637 Crackleflame – Best firewood for camping

Your camping has been made easy and convenient with this Duraflame 4637 Crackleflame. After ignition and in just about just few minutes, you’ll begin to enjoy the powerful fire this firewood supplies. Igniting this firewood will never pose a huge and disappointing issue like others do and you don’t have to spend the whole day burning stale newspapers before you can get the firewood well lit.

You will enjoy this cozy atmosphere created during your camping and it’s a clean firewood. To include, you’ll enjoy the long burning duration of three hours and you will have no course to be disturbed with changing the firewood for a couple of times.

Pros

It creates a great and enjoyable atmosphere

It’s easy to use

It’s clean to burn

Cons

It’s a bit expensive

Check Price on Amazon

4. Duraflame 2.5 lb 1.5-hr Firelog – Best firewood for wood stove

Someone who recently purchased this Duraflame 2.5 lb 1.5-hr Firelog commented on the quality of this firewood when he was using it for his wood stove. He divulged that he had been using and testing different kinds of firewood for his wood stuff and he was getting different results which were not really pleasing until he got this Duraflame 2.5 lb. He said the firewood get his house warmed for about three hours and it lights up quickly enough.

Okay, that’s just a testimony that this firewood will do a lot of good for your wood stove and it wont burn out so soon because it lasts for a very long time. You can use this firewood outdoors too and you will begin to enjoy the full flames in just few minutes of lighting it. Your safety is guaranteed because this firewood has been approved for safety by UL, in fact, the Institute of America classed Duraflame 2.5 lb as chimney safe.

Pros

It’s safety-approved

It burns for a long time

It burns clean

It’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor uses.

Cons

The smoke can be somewhat disturbing

Check Price on Amazon

5. Premium Cherry Kiln-Dried Firewood – Best firewood for heat

Made from premium cherry wood, this premium type of wood is what I recommend as the best firewood for heat. Why? It is of great quality and one particular thing about this Premium Cherry Kiln-Dried Firewood is that it always stays clean and you can never find any mold or insects of any kind over it.

Apart from the fact that I vote it to be the best firewood for heat, you can even use it for other business purposes too like a restaurant due to the fact that insects do not get attracted to it. Immediately you receive this Premium Cherry Kiln-Dried Firewood, you may choose to get it stored or you might just burn it straightway as you wish. Also, this firewood doesn’t produce much smoke like others, it produces enough heat for you to enjoy and it’s very long lasting.

Pros

Its very safe to use

It doesn’t produce too much smoke

It doesn’t attract insects

It’s long lasting

Cons

Some users have complained of it not staying lit

Check Price on Amazon

6. Pine Mountain StarterLogg – Best firewood for cooking

Cooking has been made easy with this Pine Mountain StarterLogg. Either you prefer an indoor or outdoor cooking; this firewood will serve you efficiently for both. You should experience no problem using this firewood because it’s very easy to use, and it will light up immediately you put a match to it which means that there is no need for lingering around over just creating a fire.

One peculiar thing that made me choose this firewood to be the best for cooking is due to the fact that it’s made from real hardwood, so, if you want, you can just get it split into varying sizes and use for your cooking. However, this firewood is not limited to cooking only; you can as well use it for many other things like your outdoor and indoor needs.

Pros

It’s easy to use

It’s made from real hardwood

Its suitable for indoor and outdoor uses

Cons

Some users have complained of easy lightning issues.

Check Price on Amazon

7. Duraflame 4.5lb 3-hr – Best Firelog

If you’re very much concerned about purchasing the kind of firewood that will give you zero worries about safety issues, this product is what you should go for. Apart from the fact that this firewood has been certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America, in an UL-listed factory, it has also been accredited for safety classification.

Use this firewood indoor or outdoor for anything you desire to use it for and enjoy its burn time of about eight hours without having any iota of fear.

Pros

It’s great for indoor and outdoor uses

It has a burn time of eight hours

It has safety certificates

Cons

Some users have complained of its disturbing smell

Check Price on Amazon

8. Kiln-Dried Kindling 1 Cubic Ft. Easy-Light – Best Firewood

This firewood is one of the best you will find on the market. It burns perfectly and it can be used in campfires, smokers, fireplaces or wood stoves. This Kiln-Dried Kindling is so clean and if you want, you could get it cut into little few pieces or perhaps, you may just decide to burn it as it is to enjoy its beautiful raging fire.

This product is very natural and can be easily stored because it’s free from debris and dirt. This product is very light, it’s not heavy at all and you will really enjoy burning it because it’s very dry. Whatever purpose you need it to serve, it will do so and you’ll be truly satisfied.

Pros

It’s clean

It lights up easily

It’s very dry and very light

Cons

It’s a bit expensive

Check Price on Amazon

9. Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Logs – Best USDA Certified Kiln Dried (Red Oak, 8-10 lbs)

This USDA certified product is one of the best products of Smoak. The company actually focuses on producing wood that are best for cooking. You can use this firewood in either of the two sizes that are recommended; you may use as 16 inch which is considered as the standard length or use as 8 inch which is considered as mini logs.

Either way you choose, you can be rest assured of cooking with a firewood with a very high quality. You can use this wood for your pizza ovens, fire pits, smokers or outdoor/indoor grills

Pros

It’s good for cooking of any kind

It’s pest free

It’s clean to burn

Cons

It has a smoke that can be disturbing sometimes

Check Price on Amazon

10. Plow & Hearth Boxed Fatwood Fire – Best Starter All Natural Organic

Let your fire burn joyfully with this wood and get your ambiance enjoyable with the flame of this firewood. This Plow & Hearth Boxed Fatwood is very natural and it’s rich with organic resins which makes it very easy to be ignited. Unlike some other firewood that give you too much problem about lightening, in just a single match, you would get a beautiful blazing fire.

This Plow & Hearth Boxed Fatwood is quite friendly to the environment because it’s not made from neither clear-cutting nor commercial logging. This firewood is very much ideal for anything you need it for; you can use for fire pits, chimeneas, campfires, fireplaces, wood stoves and many others you can think of. Another interesting thing about this firewood is that it has the capacity to get ignited even when it’s wet! So, what are you still waiting for?

Pros

It’s environmentally friendly

It’s highly efficient

It’s chemical free

Cons

Some users have complained of it having a smoke that can be disturbing sometimes

Check Price on Amazon

Buying Guide

Getting firewood is important but getting the best firewood is more important. Practically, I don’t believe that you should only get firewood when it’s winter because there are lots of things you can use firewood for; you can use for cooking, heating, camping, creating a fireplace and even many other things. However, while you are making your choice of firewood, be aware there are lots of different types, there are some that burn better and there are some that burn best, which one would you love to go for? I guess it’s the ones that burn best you would love to go for.

Taking a look at the list of firewood that I’d listed above, you would realize that knowing listed them all bases on different purposes to serve any kind of your needs. If you just love to have firewood for cooking, I’ll recommend you to purchase the Pine Mountain StarterLogg and if you want to heat up your home or a space, I’ll recommend you to purchase the Premium Cherry Kiln-Dried Firewood. All these firewood are available on Amazon and you are just a click away from making a purchase.

Nevertheless, these firewood can still function effectively well for other uses but if you just want a firewood for a particular use only then, you should go for the one that matches your need.

What should I look for when buying firewood?

When you are making purchase, there are four important things you must look out for; the clean state, burning time, light up time and safety certificates, these four things are very important to look out for so that you don’t end up grumbling over the firewood you purchase.

Clean Firewood

All the firewood I listed above are quite cleaner than all these regular firewood you will find elsewhere. However, always have it in mind that, when your firewood is clean, there won’t be much pollution in the air which means that your environment won’t get affected. If you are making a purchase for firewood and it’s stated to be clean, it’s a good plus for you.

Burning Time

This feature is one of the vital things you must always consider before you purchase firewood. Every firewood has its distinct burning time, so, if you are creating a fire and you don’t want to consume too much wood, it’s better you go for the firewood that has a very long burning time. Apart from the consumption factor, you should go for the firewood that has a very long burning time if you don’t want to keep spending too much on purchasing firewood.

Light up time

You can’t even avoid not considering this factor before buying firewood because you may end up abandoning the firewood out of frustration. The light up time of firewood is very weighty, if you are purchasing firewood and it’s not mentioned that it has a quick light up time, this means that you might experience some difficulties in lighting it up at first so, you might have to use some dry pieces of wood or newspapers to ignite the fire. It can be very time consuming doing all those and if the weather is not even nice, you might even spend more time than usual.

Virtually all the firewood I reviewed on this buying guide have a short light up time. You should get a very powerful fire in just five minutes after having got the firewood lit up. If you don’t want to get sweep off by frustration over lighting up a firewood, always go for the one that has a short light up time and you can make your selection after taking a look at the list of firewood that I’ve already recommended above.

Safety Certificates

This is another factor you may also consider when you are choosing your firewood. It’s a very great thing If you purchase a firewood that has safety certificates but you should also understand that the fact that a firewood doesn’t have these certificates doesn’t mean they are worthless or hold high risk, NO! If you are very much concerned about your firewood not having safety certificates, you may contact the manufacturer to make your enquiries.

My point is, if your firewood has safety certificates, it’s a plus and of it doesn’t, it still doesn’t translate that your firewood is not safe for use or has little value. Do you understand now? Good!

How much Firewood do I Need?

I can’t specifically answer this question because the amount of firewood you need is dependent on how much of a big fire you intend creating and what you plan to use the firewood for. Nevertheless, if you want to make a fire that is very large, then of course, you’ll need enough firewood. Another factor that determines how much firewood you will need is how much stuff you want to burn and the number of people that will be coming near your fire.

So, I can’t really give you a direct answer to this question because the quantity of the firewood you need varies for different purposes and are as well influenced by other factors that surround it. To know exactly the amount of firewood you will be needing, make sure you take a look at the few factors that I’ve given you and with that, you should be able to have an idea of the quantity of firewood you will need.

Another tip I’ll give you is that you should always ensure that you have enough firewood for whatever you need so that you don’t run out on them while they are very much needed.

What you should know about seasoning a Firewood

Seasoning a firewood is nothing different from drying out a firewood. When you want to lit up a firewood, if there is more than twenty percent of moisture in the firewood, you won’t be able to start a fire. Seasoning a firewood usually takes a very long period of time, you may spend about six months to two years trying to fully dry out a firewood because all the contained moisture and water must be completely ejected.

To commence the process of seasoning a firewood, assemble and get the wood stacked one on top of one another. After, you will need to ensure that the wood is ready for storage and this can only be done by cutting it into pieces. Now, the wood will be stored outdoors so as to discharge the bugs that are still dwelling in it.

However, you must ensure that the wood is standing upright and not directly on the ground and then, use a waterproof sheet to cover it so that when it rains, it won’t be affected and you won’t be back to square one. You may later utilize a wood moisture test meter to ascertain if the wood is dry enough.

How can I stack a firewood?

If you are stacking a firewood, it’s very important that you do it the way it should be done because if you don’t, you might end up not being able to use the firewood because eventually, it would have been prone to getting more moisture.

Foremost, you must ensure that your firewood is not touching the floor and there is a gap amidst the floor and the firewood. Since you’ll be placing the wood over one another, it’s very important for you to let them breathe by allowing air to still get to them, and you can achieve that by ensuring that gaps are created amidst the wood.

In addition, you should also put some necessary measures into place so that the wood won’t be falling over and they can become more stable.

Additional tip

When you’re shopping for a firewood, always make enquiries on what type of wood it is made from because there are some particular wood type that don’t produce much heat and there are some that produce enormous heat

FAQ

Q:How many types of firewood do we have?

A:There are two major types of firewood; hardwood and softwood.

Q:What is the difference between hardwood and softwood?

A:Hardwood takes a very long period of time to be seasoned but they burn longer. However, softwood is just the opposite, it can be seasoned in a short period of time but it doesn’t burn too long.

Q:Should I go for hardwood or softwood?

A:Well, this actually depends on what you want. If you want to heat your home throughout the night, I’ll advise you to go for a hardwood but if you want to set up a campfire, I’ll advise you to go for softwood.

Conclusion

The uses of firewood are vast; you may need to use it to burn out some waste, roast nice marshmallows during a campfire with your family or to heat up your home during winter. Regardless of whatever you’re using firewood for; I’ll always advise you to go for the best firewood which will be very efficient for whatever you plan to use it for. I am well aware that getting the best firewood to purchase can be very tricky due to the numerous types of firewood you will often come across with but with all the tips I’ve shared, you should be able to make a very nice selection.

Nowadays, there are different kinds of firewood available and they come with distinct features. There are some that are very environmentally friendly and they are suitable for both indoor and outdoor uses because they don’t produce too much of carbon monoxide.

However, don’t forget that in the buying guide section, I’ve already shared with you some certain things that you must always look out for when you are purchasing firewood and if you can do well to follow them as I outlined, you should have no problem at all selecting the best firewood.

The post 10 Best Firewood in 2019 appeared first on Northern Arizona Flora.

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thecoroutfitters · 6 years ago

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Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

Dead of winter or height of summer, there are some relatively quick, easy, and commonly inexpensive projects we can tackle right in our own backyards to improve our self-reliance and test our preps.

Train Prepper Pards

For many of us, our animals are beloved family members. Animals can also be incredible helpmates, even basic livestock like poultry and rabbits. Having those animals trained to respond and accept handling increases their usefulness as well as our ability to get them out of dangerous situations.

Both dogs and goats can be trained to wear packs and pull in harness.

That can decrease our loads not only in evacuations and hiking with them, but also increase their usefulness as we collect or distribute water, haul groceries to the kitchen, and maneuver about our daily lives.

They have to build up to their tasks, just like we do, both mentally and physically, so work in short periods and increase time and reps/weight regardless of task.

Animals also have to become accustomed to their gear. Many need some adjustment periods even for simple booties that protect them from roadside and forest or trail debris and surfaces.

Having well-behaved animals is always a plus. For preppers, especially, having animals that leash and load well, can be handled if they’re injured or sick, and that respond off-lead regardless of situation, and respond to voice, whistle pips, and silent hand signals is even more beneficial. Even the smallest backyard – or apartment interior – serves as a training ground for those abilities.

Since so many preppers recommend either headstrong or high-activity working dogs that need jobs to be contented companions, the concept “a tired puppy is a good puppy” also applies in the need for regularly working and training with our animals.

Rain Catchment

When it comes to preparedness, it really just does not get much easier or cheaper than some freebie buckets or curbside-pickup totes and trash cans, drilling 2-8 holes, and covering with old shirts or sheets, with $2-$5 in plumbing hardware optional.

Tagging onto gutters and roof lines is one of the most common – and efficient – methods of water catchment, but it’s far from the only way. We don’t have to stick with big kegs or drums for our catchment, either.

I actually prefer building tiers and pyramids of buckets because the smaller containers are easier to access for cleaning and lighter to move around.

Other options – especially for evacuating – include rolling trash cans we can fill with gear or livestock supplies, unpack, and use either for rainwater or fill larger amounts from water sources and be able to move (a bit) easier due to the wheels.

We can also create freestanding catchment out on our properties or as part of our bugout or camping plans, using tarps, damaged umbrellas, and kiddie pools to widen the catchment when able.

With an open mind for sizes and the ability to sheath them for looks, they’re applicable to vehicle bug-outs and even many condo/apartment flat dwellers.

Sub-Irrigated Planters

Done correctly, this is one of the few items even easier and cheaper than water catchment, and just as capable of greatly forwarding our productivity and efficiency.

The premise is that we stack or fill things to create a reservoir beneath a planter, with a tube running through that planter to the reservoir and a wick up to our soil.

We’re able to fill the reservoir quickly, and because the water stays “underground” for plants to access through soil wicks, there’s little or no surface area for evaporation. It also keeps water available for sensitive plants like tomatoes and lettuce, and gives squash the deep watering they prefer.

We can use those same trash cans, totes, and buckets we sourced for free. We can also use filing cabinets and deep plastic or plastic-lined drawers.

The reservoir space can be created or held/supported by milk jugs, peanut butter jars, or chunks of logs. Instead of the usual PVC/ABS pipe for filling that reservoir, we can use empty plastic bottles. With short containers, it may take only a single bottle to reach the surface. Otherwise, we can cut a hole and nest 2-4 together.

For really tight spaces yet, we can get many of the same benefits with planters made from 2 liter bottles.

We’re more limited in what we can grow, but they’re also fast and simple enough for anyone, can be constructed with a nail and scissors, and are plenty big enough for lettuces, spinach, herbs, and – if we feed them with coffee grounds or re-brew tea bags to use for watering – even strawberries and small oriental cabbages.

Garden Irrigation

Bottles are also handy in watering conventional gardens. They can have holes drilled or poked to deliver water to plants roots similar to olla irrigation. PVC gets used to much the same effect, and we can use yogurt cups and plant pots for essentially the same, although the volume is reduced.

As with SIP’s, it lessens “soaking” time and reduces surface water, so more of the water we’re pumping or hauling gets used by plants instead of running off or evaporating.

PVC/ABS can also be joined into a drip-irrigation grid that lets us water quickly and efficiently.

Our speed with watering can be increased further still with buckets or large jugs and some lines.

A little elevation is all that’s needed for gravity-driven drip irrigation in small plots. For longer rows and beds we can create T-posts or use hooked hangers for bird feeders to quickly hang reservoirs higher so they reach further.

We can leave them in place to fill from hoses, pails, or mobile water tanks, or create quick attach/detach points that let us just swap buckets between our catchment or fill area and the garden.

Collect & Organize Firewood

Even without a wood stove or fireplace, a lot of backup and alternative methods for cooking and heating rely on good ol’ trees for fuel. For some, like rocket stoves, a grill, or a small fire pit, it doesn’t require much room to keep a supply handy.

Keeping that supply neat and organized with a couple of CMU blocks, a stock tank or kiddie pool, or some freebie curbside-pickup bookcases can keep it from being an eyesore or rambling pile in a small yard. The same are handy for keeping kindling and stove wood handy by a door or work area. The same can be used to keep today’s wood out of weather even for those of us who use firewood regularly.

Solar Heat

We can use trash like soda and soup cans, scrap wood and split logs from downed limbs and trees, and salvaged freebie windows to capture solar heat for all sorts of projects – several types of dehydrators, solar ovens, window and greenhouse and tent heaters, or, combined with coils of hose and buckets/barrels, even hot water for cooking, bathing, or showers.

Pallet Sheds

Especially if we’re just getting our feet wet in construction and DIY, or pressed for time, pallets can be a godsend.

Small, simple sheds can be constructed from as few as 5-8 whole pallets and 1-2 extras that we cut apart for joint pieces. Additional pieces let us expand in size, fill in the gaps in boards, and build sturdier-yet structures.

It’s harder to get a hold of pallets in some areas, but many preppers can source them for free via trader websites or by developing contacts at nearby distribution hubs.

Those same pallets can be used for temporary or near-permanent fencing – and remember, both fences and buildings for expanding our space can be painted if that eyesore thing is a problem.

Predator Protection

Yeah, we’re protecting the predators. Mostly the bug-eating predators in this case, although I’m also a big personal fan of weasels, garter and king snakes, and small hawks and owls – big enough to get mice, shrews and rats, but not to menace adult poultry.

It’s easy enough to make and build space for the critters that eat mosquitoes and garden pests.

Bat houses, toad castles, dragonfly waterers, bug hotels, and birdhouses – especially those targeted at primary hunters like wrens and swallows – can be cobbled together from rough wood, scrap material, broken jars and pots, sticks and weeds, bottles and cans, old gourds and boots, and even homemade mud daub.

We can also leave small patches of yard with native weeds and shrubs or cultivate flowers, herbs, and shrubs that provide habitat and feed for our helpful predators.

Edible Backyards

People are sometimes surprised by just how much food can be had from the weeds in gardens and yards, the ornamental varieties we grow, and our nearby ditches and wild areas.

I’m a huge Samuel Thayer enthusiast (good for a read as well as information resource), but for beginners and ‘burbs, I’m also a fan of Ellen Zachos’ smaller “Backyard Foraging” guide.

It’s unlikely we’ll truly feed ourselves off foraged foods, but they can make great supplements to basic carb-protein diets, with a resilience to weather and climate our domestic crops just can’t claim. Cultivating them can also boost our ability to hide food production in plain sight.

Convert Hoards to Stockpiles & Work Space

I hesitate to even mention it, but …

One of the most effective things we might do is actually clear out our sheds, garages, and yards. If we can’t get to stuff – easily and readily and immediately – it’s not doing us any good, anyway.

Sorting through, organizing, discarding things that are mouse-eaten and rotting, and clearing out space to work can let us accomplish more going forward.

Setting aside 15-60 minutes specifically for cleaning out 1-2 times a week can help it from being overwhelming, both the loss aversion/shock of loss, and the seemingly impossible task some people’s piles have evolved into.

I know. Extreme. We won’t talk about that anymore.

Backyard Prepper Projects

There’s lots of other options for quick and easy projects that can have big impacts on our self-reliance and preparedness, without either breaking the bank or going anywhere, regardless of our property size.

Big or small, pick a project and get started on DIY today.

All the better if you can up-cycle to accomplish it – tapping into creativity and the ability to use whatever’s on hand is actually a really good life skill, period, but it’s especially handy if we expect supply lines to dry up at some point.

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kristinawilliam9-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Winter Home Preparation in Fireplace

Is your home arranged for winter? Think about this arrangement like how you prepare for a major occasion get-together: the more preliminary work you do ahead of time, the more charming the event since things are all together and the occasion runs all the more easily. From setting up your chimney and fireplace to fixing entryways and windows, the best Fireplace possible deterrent measures can have an immense effect. By setting up your home for the winter months, you'll appreciate a smoother – and Here are a few hints on winter readiness for your home.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

As winter approaches, make it a propensity to put new batteries in these units inside your home. (It wouldn't hurt to do this in both the fall and spring.) Don't put carbon monoxide indicators inside 15 feet of chimneys, gas apparatuses or heaters, in light of the fact that these machines produce little measures of carbon monoxide when initially turned on, which could bring about a false perusing.

Windows and entryways

In warm months, awful seals on windows and entryways aren't that observable. In frosty months, inappropriate seals acquire chilly air and let warm air avoid, bringing about higher warming expenses. Apply a decent caulking around all window and door jambs. Introduce or supplant old climate stripping between the band and window outlines. In the event that you can see light through the splits of entryways, include climate stripping there, as well. Consider introducing storm windows for a definitive protection.

Seepage drains

In the event that there are trees close to your rooftop, likely there are leaves and flotsam and jetsam in your canals when fall is finished. Clearing out the canals will take into consideration smooth seepage of rain and dissolving snow amid the chilly months. Canals that are stopped up will case water to move down and overflow the sides, making a waterfall impact in places where you don't need it.

The rooftop

with winter drawing nearer, it's a decent time to have your rooftop checked for spills. A material expert can review for free, harmed or missing shingles. In the event that you live in an especially cold area of the nation, an appropriate investigation can likewise decide whether your rooftop is basically sufficiently stable to deal with the substantial weight of snow for quite a long time and months on end.

Electrical outlets and switch plates

You've most likely heard the well-known axiom, "An ounce of aversion is justified regardless of a pound of cure." This standard applies to pretty much everything in life, including how you set you up home for winter. Early readiness implies sparing time and cash later.

Look at section 2 of this arrangement for considerably more helpful hints.

In case you're considering adding a chimney or stove to your home, consider United Fireplace Stove part stores first. Our specialists can enable you to choose the finest models with the ideal shape and configuration to add both excellence and warmth to your living condition. Discover a UFS part store in your general vicinity today.

Preparing Your Fireplace

You need to ensure that your chimney is prepared to utilize securely. You can take after these tips to prepare your chimney for utilize:

Compass the Chimney:

You should procure a stack clear before you begin utilizing your chimney toward the start of winter. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you have your fireplace cleared once a year to expel risky residue and flotsam and jetsam.

Note Any Abnormalities:

While your expert stack sweeper is finished, make a point to give him or her think about any odd things you a chance to have seen from your smokestack. This could be an odd scent, another draft or anything of the sort.

Check for Damages:

You have to check the fireplace structure and covering for breaks, free blocks, weakening or missing mortar. You likewise need to set aside this opportunity to ensure that your fireplace is legitimately and safely joined to your home. Additionally, check for water harm, which can be hurtful to the whole house.

Examine Gasket Material:

Make a point to deal with the gasket fixing the entryway, the glass entryway itself, and the fiery debris dump. It is vital to assess these pieces and supplant them as important. In the event that these aren't working legitimately, your fire can get excessively oxygen, which can make an over-flame condition.

Clean the Blower:

On the off chance that your chimney has a blower, ensure it is completely cleaned. Most chimney blowers don't have a channel, so you need to clean it to forestall development.

Assess the Damper:

The damper is a valve or plate that manages wind stream within your smokestack. You need to ensure that it is working legitimately before you begin utilizing the chimney.

Top the Chimney:

Your smokestack ought to be appropriately topped so as to keep winged creatures, rain, squirrels, leaves and different flotsam and jetsam from entering. Ensure you supplant or repair a harmed or missing top.

Check the Alarms:

It is vital that you ensure you supplant the batteries of any smoke or carbon monoxide finders. Make sure to test your alerts to ensure they are working appropriately.

There might be a couple of different things you need to do, however these means will help get you destined for success to a sheltered chimney. Ensure you enlist an expert to investigate your smokestack since they will know precisely what to search for, and they will have the capacity to guard your family and home as could be expected under the circumstances. Make certain to get some information about what cautioning signs to search for and for legitimate upkeep and use tips.

Using Your Fireplace

Since you know the chimney is sheltered to utilize, you ought to likewise know how to securely work it:

Pick the Firewood:

Make a point to consume thick, prepared wood, for example, oak. You need to utilize wood that has been part and put away in a dry place for no less than a half year. Green wood and softwoods, for example, pine, deliver more creosote, which is a combustible side-effect that can develop in a bad position later.

Set up the Firewood:

On the off chance that you are cutting your own particular kindling, you need to try to take after the majority of the correct strides. You initially need to part the wood into pieces that will fit into your chimney or stove. Ensure the pieces are no bigger than six creeps in breadth to guarantee they consume appropriately. At that point stack the wood so the split-side is down and off of the ground. Try to cover the wood so it remains dry from rain or snow. At last, store the wood for a few months– it is suggested that you store softwood for at least a half year and you store hardwood for at least a year.

Test the Moisture:

You can likewise purchase a wood dampness meter to test the dampness of your kindling. In the event that the wood is appropriately dried, it will have a dampness perusing of 20% or less. Wood that is high in dampness won't consume well.

Purchase Local Wood:

In the event that you don't anticipate cutting your own particular wood, or don't have the space to store wood for a large portion of a year to a year, attempt to purchase neighborhood wood. This is valuable since a few states and urban communities have uncommon mandates set up about kindling.

Utilize Just Enough:

You would prefer not to over-burden your smokestack. Bigger flames radiate more smoke, which prompts more creosote development. Expansive, high warmth flames can likewise break the fireplace lining.

Manufacture it Right:

You have to know how to securely manufacture a fire in your fireplace. You need to put the logs towards the back of the chimney on a metal mesh. You need to utilize encouraging, not combustible fluids, to begin the fire. You likewise need to make a point to begin the fire with simply fuel, and after that include a couple of bits of wood. You need the fire to have a lot of air, and you need there to be a lot of space between the logs as you include more.

Utilize a Guard:

You ought to likewise utilize a start watch when you're utilizing your chimney. A start watch is only a work metal screen or glass chimney entryway that prevents coals from shooting out of the chimney.

Clear the Area:

This one is self-evident, yet dependably make sure you move any combustible questions far from your chimney or wood stove.

Course the Air:

You can get the most out of your kindling by coursing the warm air in your home. You can do this by running roof fans clockwise on low speeds to divert the warm air from the roof into the living space.

These tips will enable you to keep the fire in the chimney.

Keep Safety in Mind

Regardless of what time of year it is, you generally need to make sure to remember security. An unattended fire can without much of a stretch escape hand and cause wrecking demolition, however following these chimney planning and security tips will help you to have the capacity to protect the movement as could be expected under the circumstances. Ensure you have your chimney examined by an expert in any event once per year. You need to have the capacity to get the most use out of your chimney as would be prudent, and ensuring it is legitimately reviewed will enable you to do only that.

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