#backyard makeover before and after

[sketsagriya]

Fire and Flowers: A Cozy Backyard Makeover in Santa Rosa, CA

The backyard makeover project in Santa Rosa, Northern California is a transformation of a dull and unremarkable outdoor space into a lush and vibrant oasis. The project site is located in a region that is known for its dry and arid climate, and as such, the client has decided to replace the existing plants with drought-resistant varieties that require little water to thrive. Some of the plants…

[blackangelene]

Natural Pool

[lamentationsofalonelypotato]

Chapter 23: Extreme Makeover Backyard Edition

Pairing: Soldier Boy x f!reader, Reader POV, Soldier Boy POV

Summary: When the reader left Payback 40 years ago after a falling out with her childhood best friend she never looked back, but when two men show up to her apartment and start asking her questions about the past, the reader begins to think those things can’t stay hidden and starts to question what’s real and what’s fantasy.  This is a re-telling of The Boys Season 3, where the reader is a supe who's known Soldier Boy since 1927. The chapters will fluctuate between past and present. This is chapter twenty three of my "You Call It Madness But I Call It Love" series. (I'm so bad at summaries please forgive me!)

Word Count: 9.1K

Warnings: I'm going to label this one 18+ because it handles some heavy subjects!  Angst, Cursing, Nudity, Mentions of Abuse (sort of- it's more the reader being used without knowledge of it and I'm not sure what to call that), Numbness, Depression, Mental Health, Brief mentions of graphic death, Brief mentions of graphic torture, Mention of gore, Mention of death, Mentions of character going through some HEAVY EMOTIONS and INTERNAL TRAUMA, Fluff, Sexual References, Family Problems. Soldier Boy might be, is, really, absolutely, completely a little OOC. Soldier Boy is really all you need as a warning.

Note: This is told from the Reader's perspective. Any references to the reader is made using you or your. There is minimal use of y/n. I tried my best to proofread, but nobody's perfect. Reader is described as "curvy" occasionally. If you don’t like, don’t read, but if you do like, you’re my favorite!

Internal Monologue is in first person and is in italics

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

Reader POV

You fall on your hands and knees in the soft grass of Legend's front yard, falling from the sky like a comet as it's glow fades and burns for the last time before striking the earth. You don't remember how you left Stan's apartment, don't remember flying here, don't feel anything, not the humidity that comes with the rising sun, not the cold kiss of dew against your skin, all you feel is the cold creeping numbness that trickles through your veins.

The memories of what you did come in flashes, but they do nothing. They do not evoke remorse nor pain, they haunt you, but do not bring tears to your eyes.

You open and close your hands, letting the blades of grass crush beneath your fingertips, but you don’t completely comprehend where you are, or how the hell you got here. All you feel is weakness tugging at your every muscle, threatening to drag you under the rising tide. You felt electrified, but so tied at the same time, everything and nothing. What happened seemed centuries ago and also seconds ago.

There was no anger, no remorse, no pain, no horror, no shock, there was nothing, only the chill that clung to your skin on the warm summer morning. You could see Stan’s death in your mind, watch his body collapse in on itself under your power and yet it did nothing to you.

You're not sure of anything anymore. Who you are, who Rosemary is- everything you knew is gone and you're not sure what's left behind, not sure what will come crawling out of the shell you were now. You knew you should be afraid, but another voice in your ear whispered so should they.

Someone grabs you by the shoulders, hauls you up off the ground, raising your gaze from the wet grass.

Ben looks furious, mind you, he always seemed to be angry when it came to you. You wondered if that was because he loved you or if it was because the two of you were fated to kill each other one day.

Or maybe it's a healthy combination of both.

He's wearing his jeans again, his dark hair falling forward into his eyes that burn with the force of his rage, but as soon as he sees the dried blood coating your cheeks, hair, and body, you watch worry begin to spark behind his glowing green eyes.

You register that deep down his anger and worry comes from a place that he'd hidden from you for eighty years, his love for you, the love that he was no longer hiding. But the chill still rose in your chest like the first frost of winter.

"Fuck." Ben mutters, moving his hands along your body, boldly looking for injuries, but he doesn't find any. "What the fuck happened? Why did you leave?"

You don't answer him, instead you take in a shallow breath, filled with the smell of fresh cut grass and Ben's musk. You're trying to find your voice, but it's difficult for you.

"Y/n are you alright?" He asks it, firmly gripping you by the shoulders, trying to shake you back into reality. You can hear the way the anger in his voice has shifted to something else.

"It's not mine Ben." Your voice is no more than a whisper as you stare blankly at him.

"Whose is it?"

You can't answer him, the only thing in your mind is Stan's words to you, the secrets he kept for forty years coming to light, the terrible things that he and Vogelbaum did. You want to tell him, tell him about what you know, but you can't find the words, can't find the thoughts to follow them.

"Sweetheart?" Ben furrows his eyebrows together, tilting your face to look at him. His hand softly strokes against your cheeks not understanding why you’re acting like this. “Are you alright?” 

His voices sound like you’re underwater, a murmur, a buzz, just a shadow of the deep rumble you love so much, the voice you thought you'd never hear every again.

Ben says your name again, with such urgency that it snaps you out of it for only a moment. The smoke clears, but what’s left barely has the strength to cling to him as you collapse into his chest. Your body shakes uncontrollably, tears soaking through his thin t-shirt, unable to do anything else, but clutch him tighter against you.

"He's our son Ben. They stole my-" You can't find the words, can't find your voice, it sounds hollow. "Stan he and Vogel-." But your voice breaks again and you shudder against Ben's chest, the numbness coming back to drag you under.

Ben doesn't hesitate, he picks you up as if you weigh nothing, tucking your head under his chin as he goes and turns back towards the house. You barely register his picking you up, can’t seem to focus on anything, breath coming in shallow gasps, body still shaking. Ben tightens his arms around you as if trying to comfort you as he walks through the front doors.

“Is she alright?” Rosemary’s voice is close, but you don't raise your head from Ben's body.

“Fuck, there’s so much blood.“ Hughie adds and you can imagine him standing beside her, his eyes wide.

Guess that means he survived Mindstorm.

Your only hope was that Lou was already in bed, that she wasn't watching Ben carry you soaked in blood through Legend's house.

“It’s not hers.” Ben replies gruffly, still moving towards the staircase. He wasn't stopping and you were thankful for that, you didn’t want to talk to anyone and didn’t want to have it out with Rosemary. You were so tired, tired of fighting and of trying. You didn’t want to yell at her, didn’t want her to yell at you, all you wanted was to slip deeper into the darkness.

"Shit, she's just as fucking unhinged as Soldier Boy is." Butcher mutters under his breath wherever it is he's standing.

“Wait mom talk to me-“ Rosemary tries again.

“No.” You murmur into Ben’s neck. Stan’s revelation rings in your ears once more, betrayal momentarily clawing its way from the pit before the cold feeling comes back to drag you under.

Because it felt like she had betrayed you. All these years you thought that Vought left the two of you alone, but no, it was a lie. And if she'd done that, what else had she done to ensure your freedom?

“Please-“ She sounds broken, and it strikes something inside, because she's never sounded like that before. Rosemary was strong, stronger than you ever were.

But then the word makes the memory of Stan’s body snapping and twisting beneath your control come roaring back, his pleas for the mercy he didn’t deserve exhaled on his dying breath, as you turned him into nothing more than a lump of flesh.

You gasp, another shudder shaking through your body and you don’t answer and don't raise your head.

"Wait Ben-" She says his name, but Ben doesn't stop.

"She doesn't want to talk right now." Ben's tone is controlled, but you can hear the trickle of his rage just on the edge of his inflection. "And I'm not going to make her." He continues walking down the stairs and Rosemary does not follow.

Ben doesn’t put you down on the bed, instead he takes you to the adjoining bathroom. It’s bigger than your bedroom back at your apartment with a walk in shower big enough for five people to stand in, a giant vanity with two sinks, a jacuzzi, and a bathtub big enough for three. Legend never spared any expense when it came to that sort of thing.

Ben slowly places you on the vanity but when he pulls back you grab the front of his shirt. “No.” You breathe suddenly terrified. The terror of Ben leaving cuts through it all, followed by a wave of horror and fear.

If he leaves they’ll come for me again. They’ll come take me or Lou.

You were afraid to be alone, didn’t want him to go, not after everything that happened.

“Shhh.” Ben soothes you, brushing your hair back, “It’s alright sweetheart I’m just getting a washcloth.”

You relent, hand unfurling from his shirt, and he comes back with it, wetting it with warm water before he begins to drag it over your face as gently as possible. His eyebrows are furrowed with concentration, but you don’t move, you only stare at a point over his left shoulder not really comprehending what’s happening.

What happened to Stan comes back in flashes, black and white photographs followed by the bits of conversation that unmade you, the revelations that would haunt you for the rest of your life.

Ben sighs. “Well. I don’t think this is helping at all.” He throws the washcloth into the sink and gently cups your chin, turning your gaze on him.

You blink a few times to focus your eyes.

“Look sweetheart I know you don’t want me to leave, but you gotta get in the shower. I can’t get it all with this washcloth and the last thing I want is to put you in bed covered in blood.” He searches your gaze trying to make you understand what he was asking but you don’t respond.

He leans his forehead against yours. “Honey please you gotta say something. You’re scaring me.” Ben’s eyes meet yours, wide and for the first time in years you see genuine fear.

You let out a shallow breath, but don’t say anything. You can’t find your voice. Instead you gently touch his chest just over his heart. It’s a small gesture, but it’s enough for Ben.

Ben closes his eyes for a minute as if trying to make sense of it all. “Okay.” He breathes, opening his eyes again to look at you, care and concern charging the air between the two of you. “Can I take off your clothes?”

You nod once, eyes still focused on the white tiled wall behind him.

“Okay.” Ben gently pushes the leather jacket back from your body. It falls back on the counter in a bloody heap, staining the white countertops with flecks of dried reddish-black blood. “I need you to stand up for me sweetheart.” Ben says, holding you firmly by the waist and pulling you off the counter.

You stand there for a moment, unsteady on your feet, staring blankly ahead of you.

“Arms up.” Ben whispers.

You raise them above you head and Ben removes your shirt and bra before moving to your pants. “Hold on to me.” He places your arms around his shoulders as you step out of your shoes, pants, and panties.

If you’d been in your right mind maybe you would have worried about this moment, worried about Ben seeing you naked again after all these years. He’d only ever seen you the one time, but somewhere deep down registered that this was different. It wasn’t sexual. There weren't any expectations and there was nothing to be embarrassed about. This was Ben keeping his promise and taking care of you the way that he always had.

He steps over to the bathtub, running his hand under the stream of water to check the temperature.

"Come on.” Ben gently leads you over, your small hand in his and helps you step over the side of the tub and into the warm water.

Steam rises around your body, but the water feels lukewarm. Your gaze levels at the water that streams from the spout on the edge of the tub, not looking up at Ben as he switches the water to the handheld shower head.

"Tilt your head back for me honey." Ben murmurs, touching your chin with your free hand to tilt it back. "Eyes closed."

You do as he says and feel the water trickle through your hair and down your back, followed by the gentle scrub of Ben beginning to work shampoo through the strands. He works quietly, catching the suds that threaten to fall into your eyes. Your hands are folded in your lap, eyes still closed, feeling the steady way he cleans your hair and then your face.

As you sit there the memory of everything that happened with Stan begins to trickle in, causing an uncontrollable shudder to shake through your body. Ben's ministrations were doing little to make the cold feeling dissipate, if anything you could feel it sinking into your bones.

"It's alright sweetheart, I'm almost done." Ben says, and you feel his thumb stroke against your cheek for a moment before he continues to wash your hair.

"Sit here for a second. I'm going to go get you some clean clothes."

You open your eyes and watch him go. The water in the tub is red now, the last remnants of Stan's blood scrubbed clean from your body.

The fire would destroy any evidence that you'd been there and washing the clothes that you killed him in should take care of any other problems.

When you're dried off and in your own clothes, you stand in the bathroom and catch a glance of yourself in the mirror. You look hollow, broken, eyes miles away, skin a little paler than normal. You don't look like yourself, but you also don't feel like yourself.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." Ben says and you feel him pick you up again, carrying you to the bed as if you weigh nothing.

You mechanically go through the motions of getting under the covers, pulling them up almost over your head as you curl in on yourself, making yourself as small as possible. You shut your eyes to try and make the images of what happened go away, but you can't fight the ebbing darkness that comes to welcome you home. It's familiar. The same one that you fell into when Ben broke your heart and you thought he died. The pit was opening beneath your feet once again, and you wondered if you'd be able to pull yourself out this time.

Ben changes into a pair of faded sweatpants, before he crawls into the bed behind you under the covers, putting his arm up over your waist to pull you into him. You turn in his arms so that you're chest to chest and can bury your face into his shirt, inhaling the familiar scent, trying to rid yourself of the images and of the things you learned a few hours ago.

"It's alright Sweetheart, I'm right here." You can feel the rumble of Ben's voice in the palms of your hands where they curl against his soft shirt. The weight of his arm over your waist is familiar as is the heat of his body, the warmth you expected to wipe away the cold feeling that crept along your spine drowning everything else out of your head.

It's quiet for a few moments. Ben's hand is gently trailing up and down your spine, but sleep is miles away for you.

"I'm trying real hard not to be mad at you Sweetheart, especially when you're like this but-" Ben sighs, rubbing his hand up and down your back. "You lied to me. What were you thinking going off alone and-" His tone has shifted into more of a growl, the one he gets when he's about to yell at you.

If he had yelled at you, you wouldn't have reacted, you were just so tired of everything, couldn't focus on anything.

Ben's body tenses. It was as If he was physically trying to hold himself back from being upset, but you couldn't answer him. It had seemed like a good idea when you went, seemed right, but now you weren't sure.

What you had learned changed you, and you weren't sure if you'd ever be able to go back to the way you were.

He's quiet for a minute, before finally he presses a kiss to your forehead, and you bury yourself further into his chest. "I love you." He murmurs. "I promise I'm not going to go anywhere."

But you barely hear him, the only thing you hear is the low buzz of fluorescent lights and Vogelbaum's voice telling his staff to keep you quiet.

Soldier Boy POV

He didn’t know what to do. In all the years he’d known you, Ben had never seen you like this. He’d seen you upset, angry, sad, but never this.

It had been three days since you came back covered in blood, three days of you laying in bed refusing to speak, curled up into his chest.

Ben had tried to get you to eat something, but when you wouldn’t do it by yourself he had to spoon feed it to you, as if you couldn’t remember how to eat.

It scared him.

Ben hadn’t ever felt fear like this before in his entire life, but now, seeing you so distant and cold, he was terrified. He worried that you’d never come back.

Mindstorm had told him the truth about Homelander and as angry as Ben was about that, he couldn’t understand how Homelander was also your son. He’d never heard you say anything about them taking something from you for genetic testing, never spoken about willingly giving up your genetic material.

So then how the fuck did they get it?

There was something sinister that danced on the edge of his mind, something that seemed too horrible to consider, something that meant that Ben had failed to protect you, had failed to keep the promise he made eighty years ago.

But deep down Ben wondered if it was true, because as much as he knew you hated killing people, this seemed different than you usual reaction.

He held you closer to him, curving his body around your back as you slept soundlessly. You were holding on to his hand while you did, fingers entwined with his, holding it against your chest while you found some peace.

Ben was honestly waiting for another nightmare. Each time you’d fallen asleep over the past three days you’d woken up gasping for air, shaking uncontrollably, with tears rolling down your cheeks. Ben did what he could, brought you into his lap and held you tight, reassuring you that it was okay, that it was only a dream.

He was trying not to be angry, but he was. He was furious when he got back to Legend’s two days ago and discovered that you were gone, that you’d left to go off and do God knows what with Homelander flying around. Rosemary refused to tell him where you were only told him that you left but that you’d be back. Ben hated that you made him wait around like a fucking woman waiting for her husband to come home.

He had intended on yelling at you, at making sure you knew how pissed off he was that you did the one thing he told you not to do, but then he saw you land in Legend’s front yard looking like you had taken a shower in someone’s blood and he couldn’t. Not when he feared that the blood was yours and not when he saw how broken you were.

Ben had loved you for a long time, understood you, saw how strong you were, saw that you always spoke your mind no matter what, and to see you like this was… petrifying. He didn’t know what had happened, didn’t understand how something you learned could effect you this much.

He too was still reeling from the revelation that Homelander was his son, felt an even greater sense of betrayal because Vought should have let him give the team to his son, pass it off like a king giving up his throne. And after the night that he had spent with you all those years ago, Ben was ready to give it up, to walk away and give you the life that you always wanted away from the spotlight.

Ben figured that Stan had told you Homelander was your son, and maybe that’s what this was. Ben had been dreading the conversation with you when he got back to Legends, the conversation in which he was going to have to tell you that Homelander was your son too. He didn’t want to hurt you all over again with news like that.

I guess I don’t have to.

Ben thinks to himself listening to the soft beat of your heart, pushing his face further into your hair where it hangs over your shoulders. But he's not sure that this is better.

When he wakes the bed is empty.

“Sweetheart?” Ben says looking around the bedroom. He strains his hearing to see if you’re in the bathroom or upstairs but he doesn’t hear you. Fear grips his heart.

Fuck. Where did she go?

Thunder shakes the house, rattling the windows as Ben looks around the room, brief flashes of lightning illuminates the vintage furniture, but you aren't sitting on anything. The sliding glass doors on the back wall of the bedroom are open, allowing rain to sweep through onto the carpets, water flooding towards your now cold side of the bed.

Shit.

Ben all but jumps out of the bed and rushes to the sliding glass doors, looking beyond into the darkness of Legend’s backyard. Lightning skates across the night flashing bright white, and catching where you stand in the grass. You’re looking up at the sky, soaked to the bone, but seemingly unnerved by the weather.

“Sweetheart?” Ben shouts over the sound of the thunder, but you don’t move. “Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?”

“It’s not a nightmare.” You murmur into the storm, your eyes still focused on the sky, looking up at something that he can't see.

“What do you mean?” Ben gets closer to you, his feet sinking into the wet grass, rain saturating his clothes every second he stands out there with you. Ben was trying to understand, was trying his best to do what you needed, but he was worried that he was failing, that maybe he needed to take you to a hospital. He wasn't sure how to explain that to anyone if he did take you to one.

If anything he thought that you'd want to talk things out with Rosemary, but you hadn't wanted anything to do with her at all. That was the most surprising, that you didn't want to speak to her, didn't want her around. She had tried to come down to the bedroom, but you hadn't looked at her, you'd only clung tighter to Ben and said no. He wanted to know why, what Stan had told you to make you not want anything to do with her.

He was happy that Lou hadn't come down with her, he didn't want Lou to see you like this, didn't want it to haunt her the same way it was haunting him. He had heard Lou ask about you when he was laying in the basement beside you, and she had found him in the kitchen getting you something to eat and had hugged him tight and asked where you were. There were tears in her eyes when she did so and Ben told her that you weren't feeling well, but that he was taking care of you. There was a hand-drawn card on your bedside table from her filled with a picture of Lou holding out a bouquet of lavender to you that she asked him to give you.

“It really happened.” You close your eyes, head tilted up at the sky.

Lightning crackles across it, striking close to where you're standing, but you don't move an inch.

Ben stops mid-step. Your words sink into his soul, burn against his ribcage, anger surging up to replace the chill of the rain that clings to his skin. Because it meant he failed. It meant that the promise Ben made to you all those years ago was worthless, that he'd failed to protect you.

He thinks about all the time he wasted with other women, chasing after them, ignoring you. He thinks about all the moments he should have spent with you instead.

Maybe I would have figured it out if I wasn't so damn selfish. If I hadn't fucking cared about those stupid movies, or commercials, or the shitty interviews. I failed because I didn't put her first and I allowed this to happen.

“Stan told me.” You continue. "I wasn’t supposed to remember, but my mind knew. It was trying to tell me all these years but I just ignored it. Fucking pushed it away because I thought my mind was messed up from living this long. But it really happened."

“When?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that he said they did it when you were on location shooting a film. That they were too afraid to take me when you were still there.”  You're still not quite looking at him.

Ben felt the words like a punch to the gut. Why did I ever shoot any of those stupid films? Why didn't I take her with me? Why didn't I make up some stupid reason why I needed her there with me? Why didn't I tell her sooner how much she meant to me?

Ben remembered the first time you had the nightmare in front of him, he had just gotten back from shooting a film overseas, one that he could barely remember only that he literally had sand in every crevice of his body after each day of shooting. He remembered how happy he was to see you when you answered the door of your small apartment, how you smiled at him, but you seemed more tired than usual. Ben had missed you more than he knew, he had tried to call while he was away, but you hadn't picked up. He remember thinking that was odd. You always picked up the phone or at least always called him back, but you hadn't.

“They knew I’d say no. Knew that I wouldn’t want to raise a child under Vought’s watchful eye and instead of respecting that, they-" You stop mid sentence, your body has begun to glow bright purple, not just your eyes, there's a thin film of purple radiating out from your body, tracing your outline with a heavy hand, glowing brighter than the lightning that flashes across the sky. "Stan wasn't even ashamed. He was proud of what they made. Proud of what they did to our son."

As soon as you utter the word 'son', the ground begins to shake under Ben's feet, grass shreds in the air all around him, and the storm grows worse by the second. There's a terrible cracking sound and the trees on the edge of Legend's property snap, loosing their limbs to flashes of purple energy that wash away into the darkness with the force of your power.

Ben could feel the same power trying to push him back from you, push him inside the house, but he fought it, continuing to take more steps towards you.

“After all these years he wasn’t afraid of me. He was afraid that you would show up and make him pay.” Ben can see your body shake. “Everyone was always just afraid of you. All those years I worked so hard to make sure you didn’t kill anyone and for what? So they could take advantage of me?”

Your body begins to rise off the ground, glowing brighter and brighter. Until Ben almost has to look away, his body still being forced backwards. In all his years of watching you use your powers, he's never seen you do anything remotely like this. This didn't seem like just telekinesis and Ben wondered who else had killed you over the years, if it had happened before and you just hadn't cared to tell him, or if it had happened in the years he'd been away.

"Sweetheart please." Ben tries to say again, but it's swallowed up in the howling of the wind.

"All those years I gave Vought everything. I let them dress me, tell me what to say, inject me with that shit. I was everything they wanted me to be, and they used me just like I was a fucking doll for them to play with!" Ben can hear your teeth clenching together in rage, your powers spiking again so that now there is shredded earth, grass, and trees, whirling around the two of you swirling together in a vortex that flashes with purple energy. "But no more. They're all going to pay."

"Y/n-"

You were still rising off the ground getting further and further from Ben's reach and he was scared. He'd never seen you like this before, never seen you lose control or seen you this angry. Sure he pissed you off and you'd occasionally throw a couch around the room, but this was almost insane.

Fuck I should stop pissing her off.

Ben could feel his own rage surging in his chest when he understood exactly what Vought took away from you, when he understood exactly what Vogelbaum had done. But at the same time he was ashamed that he hadn't been there for you, that he hadn't been able to protect you from them, and that he hadn't known the first time you had that fucking nightmare and woke up screaming when he was in bed beside you.

"Sweetheart!" Ben finally shouts, grabbing your hand. As soon as his skin touches yours he feels like he's stuck his finger in an electrical socket,  as if the energy from your body jumping into his is almost painful, but he doesn't let go. He couldn't lose you to this, whatever the hell this was, wouldn't allow himself to lose you again.

Your glowing purple eyes flick to his. "Are you going to tell me that I shouldn't do that?" Your voice is cold. "That my revenge isn't as important as yours?"

"No." Ben shakes his head. "It's important. It's justified. I hate that they did that to you, that I wasn't there to stop them. That I didn't understand until now."

"It's not your fault what happened to me." You shout back, eyes flashing bright purple. "This isn't about you. This isn't your fight!" The vortex swirls faster around the two of you now, blurring everything beyond. "This is about what I need to do!"

"Yes it is!" His hand tightens in yours. "It is my fight if it involves you. I love you and that's what it means. It means us working together-"

"I don't need you to protect me! I am strong enough to do this on my own. I am so sick of people underestimating me and what I can do."

"Y/n please, listen to me!" Ben pleads. He could feel you slipping away and it scared him more than anything he'd been through in his entire life. He wasn't afraid to admit that. The look on your face and the display of power was so different than the person he knew.

You watch him silently, body glowing brightly in the night, floating off the ground as you stare down at him.

"I don't want you to do this alone." Ben says. The storm was still raging, thunder shaking the ground, lightning surging all around him. "I'm asking you to let me help you. Please."

"What?"

"You say that I hide what I'm really feeling, but you do too. You still hide things away from me. You think that you have to be perfect, controlled, some version of yourself that has everything together all the time, but you don't." Ben gently tries to pull you down an inch from the sky. "You've done that since we were kids, always done what you think is expected of you. That's why you almost married that asshole, because you were afraid to just let it go. So I'm asking you to do that now, to let go of all of it, because I promise that I will be right here for through every step of it."

"But-"

"I know I made promises when you chose me, and I'm sorry I let you down, I'm sorry that I let this happen, that I wasn't able to protect you from them." Ben's voice breaks and for a moment he sees a flash of the two of you in your bedroom the night that he asked you to come with him, how young and innocent you were, how much you cared for him reflected in your eyes. "So I'm promising you this now. That I will protect you, that I won't let anything happen to you and that you never have to be alone ever again. Because I love you. So please, just let go and let me in.

The whirlwind slows around the two of you, still ripping up the ground and the grass in the backyard.

"I have to be in control." You say in almost whisper.

"Why?" Ben asks.

"Because if I'm not I don't know what will happen!" You snap. "Someone dies, or you leave again, or they come to take Rosie or Lou away and I can't-" You shake your head, the glow on your body fading for a moment. "I'm not strong enough-"

"Sweetheart, you don't have to be." Ben says, and this time he pulls you from the air so that your bare feet swish in the grass again. His hand falls under your chin to raise your face to his. "That's why I'm here. You don't have to do this alone anymore, you don't have to carry this all on your shoulders. I am here and I am not going anywhere."

"But-"

"Please. I'm asking you to give me your pain, your anger, your burdens, your sorrows. Give me all of you. It's not going to scare me away." Ben whispers, taking your face between his hands. "I know that in the past I haven't been as dependable, but nothing is going to scare me away. I love all of you, even the pieces of yourself you keep from me, that you think you have to, to keep me here with you."

Fuck I sound like a pussy, but it's true. She's all I have and all I've ever wanted. And why shouldn't I say this to her? It's what she says to me. It's what she tells me and I believe her. I believe her when she says that I can rely on her, that I don't have to be strong all the time, that I can break.

He searches your face, brushes his thumbs across your rain soaked cheeks. I just want her to know that she can too and trust that I'll be here for her.

The vortex stops, the pieces of earth, trees, and grass falling to earth, the purple fading from your eyes as they do. You're no longer glowing, no longer a beacon in the night, you're just you, the woman that Ben loves more than life itself, and the woman that he thought he would never have ever again.

"I love you too." You whisper leaning into him, wrapping your arms around the back of his neck to lean your forehead against his.

He can feel the curves of your body against him, your wet clothes sticking like a second skin, hair stuck to your head, but you're just as beautiful as you always have been. And Ben understands that this time, he's not going anywhere, that he's going to stay with you for the rest of his life, and nothing can keep him away.

Reader POV

"Mindstorm told me." Ben says dragging his hand up your arm. You were laying on his chest in the bedroom, hair still wet, but now wearing dry clothes.

The residual thrum from your use of power was still charging through your cells, but lessened. Honestly you didn't remember going outside, didn’t remember standing in the storm, didn't know how long you were out there before Ben came out.

You were glad he did. You weren't in your right mind when you were out there, and if he hadn't come out you were sure that you were going to charge Vought yourself, tear it down and send it to hell where it belonged. You still wanted to, but you wanted Ben to do it with you. He was right, you didn't have to do it alone, and you didn't want to.

You nestled further into him, remembering what he shouted outside, remember how he held your face with the storm raging around him. He looked so afraid. You had only seen him look scared a handful of times in your life, but out there in the storm was different. It shocked you back into reality, brought you back from the pit, made you feel like you again for the first time in days.

And what he said hauled you further out of the darkness. You had said it to him countless times since he came back, that he didn't have to hide away what he was feeling from you, but for him to say it to you meant that he was listening. To you, Ben saying that made all of this more real, that he really wanted every part of you, that he loved you as much as he said.

The storm still raged outside, thunder occasionally shaking the windows, and lightning flashing behind the closed curtains, but you stayed curled up against Ben. Your head was tucked under his chin, arm wrapped over his bare chest. He hadn't put a shirt back on after the two of you changed, but you weren't complaining about that, there wasn't anything to complain about when it came to that. He was just so wonderfully warm, that you didn’t think you would get used to it. You also hoped that you didn't turn radioactive because of him, but you being here with him, laying on his warm chest made it worth it.

"Did he know about what Vogelbaum did?" You whisper.

Ben's muscles tense beneath your body when you ask that question. You knew that it hurt him, that it made him feel like he'd failed to protect you, but you didn't blame him for that. Even if he had been around, you knew that Vogelbaum would have figured out a way to do it, to get around him. And you didn't like it when Ben felt like he failed, it made you think about all the terrible things that his father used to yell at him when he was a kid. Ben had told you bits and pieces, over the years, and it was enough to make you want to travel back in time and kill his father yourself.

Honestly, you thought about killing him all the time when you weren't a supe as well.

"No. He didn't know that. All he knew was that Homelander was our son." When Ben says the word son he hesitates as if it's difficult for him.

It was also difficult for you, understanding that you had another kid and one that you didn't have anything to do with for forty years was hard. You suddenly understood how Ben felt about Rosemary.

"I should have known." You mutter into his chest.

"What do you mean?"

You sigh loudly. "At the premiere, Vogelbaum was pushing for me to come to the lab, said he was working on raising the "next generation of heroes" or whatever. And then Stan tried to come by and get me to do the same thing after you died, but I broke his nose."

"I remember." Ben mutters.

"What do you mean you remember?" You sit up to stare at him.

Ben raises an eyebrow. "I might have been there with Countess, but do you really think I wasn't listening to everything that was happening around you? He was dancing with you, I was making sure that everything was okay." Ben clears his throat awkwardly. "I mean I know that there was a lot happening that night, but I still wanted to make sure that you were okay."

"I wasn't."

"Yeah I-um- I know." His eyes flick away in shame.

"Ben?"

"Yeah?" He murmurs.

You gently turn his face back to look at you, fingertips under his chin. His green eyes are downcast, brows furrowed, lips pulled down into a frown. You knew how much he was still beating himself up for everything that happened in the past, and it was difficult for you to pretend that you didn't still feel the sting. But you knew he wasn't going to do it again, you believed that.

"It's okay. We're starting over. Just you and me." You brush your thumb over his bearded cheek. "No one else. This time what we're doing, it's different, it all feels different. Don't you think so? I mean I still love you just as much as I always have, but I-" You could feel yourself blush just a little, you weren't sure if Ben could feel that too.

"I know. It does." Ben whispers gazing at you. His fingers push back the strands of your hair that have fallen forward into your face. The way he's looking at you is the same way he did the morning you woke up on his chest after you slept together for the firs time. "I love you too Sweetheart." His lips find yours, gently pulling you up further on his chest so he can kiss you deeply, show you how much you mean to him, and you can’t help but smile into his mouth, feeling warm and happy for the first time in ages. His love dragging you out of the darkness that loomed over you and consumed your heart when Stan told you the truth about Homelander's heritage. 

You sit up, folding your legs beneath you, pulling Ben's right hand into your lap, gently tracing the lines with a finger tip, noting the rough callouses that he'd developed over the years. You weren't really sure what to say next.

Ben sits up so that he's leaning towards you. "Are you feeling better?"

"A little." You continue to trace the lines. His hands were so much bigger than yours, everything about Ben was big, but you liked his hands, mostly because how small yours were when you held his. "I think destroying Legend's backyard was just the right amount of therapy."

"That was a little much, but I'm glad you're feeling better. I was-" Ben swallows. "I was really worried about you."

"I know." You whisper. "It's never been that bad before. The last time I got close was-" You stop mid-sentence.

"Forty years ago?" Ben asks quietly.

You nod.

"I figured." Ben scoots closer towards you so that his thigh is brushing against yours. "I'm-"

"No." You squeeze his cheeks, eyes narrowing. "No more saying sorry. Not again."

"Okay." Ben's gaze is still apologetic. He waits for a minute, watching you in the silence. "What are we going to do about Homelander?"

"I don't know."

It was the truth, you had no idea what to do with your supposed son. You had seen the coldness in his eyes, heard about the horrible things that he was doing to other people, the horrible things he had threatened to do, and you'd seen the way he didn’t seem to care about human life.

Then again maybe I can't judge him, not after what I did to Stan. You think, your frown deepening. Stan deserved what I did to him and my only wish is that Vogelbaum somehow survived getting his head fucking blown off so I can make him pay.

"Do you think we should try to talk to him?" Ben asks.

"I don't think that's possible."

"Why not? He's our son, somewhere deep down he's got to be willing to do that." Ben's voice rumbles up through his chest. "Maybe they brainwashed him into the person we saw at Herogasm, maybe he's just being controlled and told what to do just like we were."

"I don't think that’s possible."

"Why not?" There's an urgency in his eyes that is unfamiliar to you, almost as if he's pleading for you to understand.

But why? Yes he's our son by blood but we don't know anything about him. We haven’t been in his life for forty years, we don't have any connections to him.

"You saw how he was at Herogasm. How he was almost happy to kill Butcher, how he was happy when he tried to kill you and me. I don't know what kind of person is okay with that. I mean you and I have killed people and we feel remorse after, or there's some kind of justification, but there was something in his eyes, it's almost not human. It's predatory, it's-" You shake your head trying to comprehend it. "I don't know what the fuck Vogelbaum did to him, but there's something inside Homelander that's not able to be saved."

"You don't know that."

"Ben, do you think that I want to believe that? To believe that our son is not a good person?" You drop his hand from your lap. "It's taking everything I am not to go to him, not to try and work this out. I keep trying to tell myself that maybe all he needs is family, but I don't know."

"My old man said that blood mattered. That it was the only thing that defined family-"

"Now you want to listen to your dad?" You sigh looking at Ben who is frowning at you. "We both know that he's not exactly the best role model."

"Well neither am I okay?" Ben snaps, his eyes flashing. "Maybe he just needed someone and there was no one there. I mean I wasn't there for Rosemary, but she had you and she turned out fine!"

"That's not your fault Ben. It's not your fault that you weren't there. You can't forget that they sent you to Russia to replace you with him."

"I'm not forgetting I'm just saying that they did the same fucking thing to me!"

Your next thought fizzes to a stop in your brain. What is he talking about?

"What are you talking about?" You try to reach for him, but he pulls back from your touch.

"They force fed him all that shit about what it was to be an American, they made him a supe, they brainwashed him with all my old fucking films." He spits. "But in the lab when we got the serum the first time, they did the same thing to me. They told me that I was going to be a god, that I was going to be the symbol that America needed to get through the war, that I was everything that would save America from destruction."

"Ben." You say again, this time taking his hands and he doesn't pull away. "Ben listen to me. You were older when you became a supe, we both were. You knew what reality was, you knew what the world was like when the scientists started spouting all their crap. You were old enough to understand. Homelander was raised in a lab, he didn't have a family, he didn't have friends. He was told that he was a god every day and he's not. He was raised to believe that he was something more than human, something unbeatable."

"But-"

"They told me that too." You push his hair back out of his eyes, trailing your fingers against his forehead. "That I was a god, that everyone would want me, would look at me and understand that I was beyond human. And at the beginning maybe I believed it for a few years, but that doesn't make him anything like you or like me. He's twisted, his mind is gone, any semblance of humanity he had has been warped away into something dark. He never had any light to begin with."

"You don't know that."

"I do. I can see it in his eyes. I saw it when I fought him at the Herogasm. There's nothing left to save. He's done terrible things."

"I have too." Ben mutters.

"No. You lost control, we all do. It's unrealistic to think that it won't happen, especially not for people like us who have lived this long, but him? He did those things of his own volition, because he believed that he should or maybe it was because he believed that no one could stop him." You cup his cheek, pulling his face forward into the space between the two of you. "The things you've done you feel remorse for. I was there for you every time you messed up. I saw what it did to you, saw how broken you were when you hurt someone."

"Because I'm a hero." Ben sighs. 

"Messing up once or twice does not make you less of a hero Ben, it makes you human." You lean your forehead against his, cupping his cheeks with your palms, feeling the way his beard tickles against your skin. "But Homelander, I don't think that there's anything human left."

Ben's hand comes up to hold on to your left wrist. "Then what do we do?"

"I don't know." You sigh. "I wish I did. If you really want to try to talk to him, we can, but I don't think that it's a good idea."

"He's still our son."

"He's our blood, but I don't think that makes him our son." You murmur.

You really didn't know how to deal with any of this. You wanted to believe that there was some semblance of humanity left in Homelander, but you didn't think that there was. You hated that Ben believed that he was like his son. Maybe that was some weird misogynist thing and Ben kept thinking like father like son in his head, but there wasn't any way that Homelander could be anything like Ben. Ben wasn't around for him, wasn't in his life, but maybe.

Ben pulls you back down on his chest once more, and you nestle into him once more, your head directly over his heart, the warmth of his skin comforting against your cheek.

"I think Noir knew." You breathe, tracing your hand over Ben's right pec.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Stan kinda hinted that he did, said that Noir was obsessed with me after I saved his life-"

"When did you save his- oh." Ben sighs.

"I think I should have seen that coming, given how much he kept showing up to my sparring sessions, the interviews, even some of the commercial shoots I had he seemed to always be around." You frown with a sigh. "I can't believe that I didn't know he was stalking me."

"What?"

"Stan said he kept breaking in to my apartment when I wasn't there, that he stole my necklace, you know? The one my dad got me for my birthday-"

Ben sits back so he can look you in the eye. "You're shitting me right?"

"No. That's what Stan said." You shrug. "Might have been just Stan trying to take some of the heat off, but that's what he said."

"That piece of shit." Ben almost growls. You can see the flash of jealousy and possession in his eyes that makes your heart thud a little faster in your chest. He clears his throat. "You-um- you never liked him right?"

"What?"

"The two of you were never that close?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Well you did save his life."

"Ben I've saved plenty of people from your temper. But no, I never liked him that way. Irving was sweet, but he was always so eager to prove himself to Stan it was just sad."

"Good."

"Why?" You sit up further, smirking at him. "Does that make you jealous? For you to think that Noir and I were together?"

Ben's eyes darken. "Watch it Sweetheart."

"Watch what?" You bat your eyes innocently. "I'm just asking a simple question."

"You keep poking the bear and you're not gonna like what happens."

"Poking the bear?" You snort sitting up and poke him in the ribs. "Are you the bear in that scenario?" You poke him again with a wicked smirk.

"Yes."

"Hmm. Well I think you're all talk. Because I have definitely poked you several-"

You're on your back in a second with Ben hovering over you, his green eyes shining as he flashes a roughish grin at you. One of his hands is pressed into the pillow next to your head, the other is at your waist, slipping beneath your t-shirt to rub circles over your hip bone with his thumb. "You were saying?" His voice is the low rumble that makes it hard for you to think.

You clear your throat. "I was saying that," You thread your hands behind the back of his head, working your fingers into his hair. "You have nothing to be jealous about."

"Really?"

"Mhhmm." You smile sheepishly. "Because it's always been you. No one else. Not Howard, Not Noir, just you." His hair is soft between your fingertips, his gaze unbreakable.

Ben returns your smile and collapses on top of you. You gasp out a breath, in a loud 'oof' sound as he does. His arms go around your waist and he buries his head in your chest breathing deeply. "I like it when you say that." He murmurs, turning his head so he can look up at you from your chest, with a smile that catches you in your heart.

"I know." You continue to scratch your fingertips through his hair.

"Sweetheart?"

"Yeah?" You breathe as you close your eyes, comforted by the weight of his body on top of yours. It was familiar, almost like he was a weighted blanket that took all your anxiety away. You felt safe with his arms wrapped around your waist, as if no one could touch you. You needed that now, needed that after you learned that without Ben someone had taken you from your home.

"I know that I can't say that there hasn't been anyone else." He whispers. "But you're the only one who mattered. You're the only woman that I've ever loved, and I swear that as long as I live I'll never love anyone else. You are all I've ever wanted and everything I thought I'd never have."

"You have me Ben." You whisper, beginning to fall asleep. "You always have, you always will."

And with those words you drift into the first fulfilling sleep you'd had in days, wrapped in the warm cocoon of Ben's love, allowing it to send you under into oblivion.

A/N: I know this one was mostly fluff and talking, but I thought that the reader deserved that after everything with Stan, and also after she well -you know- made a tornado in Legend's backyard. We're going to pretend that no one else heard it. 😂

As always thank you so much for reading! If you'd like to be added to my taglist please let me know :)

And if you'd like to read something a little more bantery then try my series: Take A Chance On Me

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[fullsandwichmiracle]

 "Oxford: A Year Abroad”

Paring: Felix Catton x reader 

Warning: 18+, nsfw, alcohol MDNI

Word count: 1622 

01|02|03|04|05|?

Y/N was enrolled at Oxford as an exchange student, specializing in economics. Securing a solo dorm since her roommate was a no-show, the room radiated old-money featuring two beds on either side, accompanied by a desk and a drawer. Opting for a rearrangement, she transformed the space by fashioning a king-size bed on one side and situating the desk and drawer on the opposite side, creating an illusion of more space. Following the successful room makeover, Y/N took a swift shower to freshen herself up to make a favorable first impression.

Y/N proceeded to the hall where all the international students were set to gather for campus information. The tour guide, Venetia, with bleached blonde hair in braids, began by extending a warm welcome to the international students and then led the group towards the library. The library exuded a cozy atmosphere, and Y/N noticed a guy sitting on a couch with some mates, engrossed in studies. He quickly glanced Y/N up and down before Venetia remarked, 

"Hi Felix, nice to see you studying for once."

Felix chuckled in response, saying,

"Nice to see you sober for once."

With that, Venetia briskly continued the tour, urging everyone to follow, casually dismissing the encounter. The reminding part of the tour was rather uneventful, and Y/N returned to her room after its conclusion. On her way back, she encountered Felix again, this time standing in a door frame engaged in conversation with a girl. It was evident that he towered over Y/N by at least a head, if not more. He appeared unfazed and his hair was roughed up but looking perfect. Realizing she was accidentally staring, she looked away, hoping he hadn't noticed, and continued walking back to her dorm.

Upon entering her dorm, Y/N glimpsed into the mirror and noticed a flush on her cheeks from the encounter. Felix, tall and quite attractive, struck her as unlike anyone she'd ever encountered. The remainder of the evening was dedicated to packing up the remaining items and dressing the bed in light pink covers. Y/N then changed into her pajamas, gearing up for the upcoming first week of lectures.

At the end of a full week of classes, Friday arrived, and all Y/N desired was to join her new classmates for a night of drinks. Rumors circulated about a party hosted by someone named Farleigh, to which one of her friends had secured an invite. Seeking some excitement for the night, Y/N opted for a more daring outfit, wearing a linen blouse with a plunging neckline, a lace bra, a short denim skirt barely concealing her ass, and a stylish yet steady pair of pink heels. Before heading to the party with her friends, she took two shots of vodka to calm her nerves.

As the cab arrived at the party, Y/N's friend, who got the invite, led the way to the gate and buzzed for entry. The gates opened without any verbal exchange. Upon entering the house, they discovered a bustling scene with people scattered all around and a makeshift bar. The group then separated, each exploring the lively gathering. Y/N approached the bar, scanning the surroundings to determine if it operated on a self-service basis or if there was a bartender. A guy emerged from what appeared to be a cupboard, holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and wine in the other. Y/N approached the guy, asking him where she could get a drink. He smiled and replied,"Hello, I'm Farleigh. Feel free to help yourself to anything, sexy.”

Glancing at Y/N from head to toe, he suggested, "How about kicking off the night with a glass of white?”

Pouring a wine glass nearly to the brim, she gazed at the filled glass, smiled, and remarked, "That would be lovely Farleigh. My name is Y/N.”

Farleigh smirked and headed off to attend to his other guests.

After wandering around the house for a bit and finishing her wine, Y/N spotted the pool in the backyard where people were engaged in drinking games. A group playing beer pong caught her eye, and after observing a round, she went back inside to grab a fresh drink to join in. Upon her return, they were organizing players, and Y/N approached the table. On the opposing side stood Felix with Farleigh, and a seemingly random girl joined Y/N's side. Yet, it wasn't just any girl; it was Venetia, the one who led the tour. As the game kicked off, a crowd gathered to watch. The guys scored on their first throw, and Venetia took the initial drink. The game was evenly matched, with the guys having two cups left and Y/N and Venetia with one. Felix kissed the ball and scored directly into the cup. Y/N smirked at Felix before downing the cup filled with warm beer. Not a fan of the taste, she quickly sipped the cider she had obtained earlier. Venetia took Y/N by the hand, leading her to the poolside where a fireplace was situated. Felix and Farleigh had just arrived, and others were playing truth or dare. Venetia asked, "Mind if we join your little game?" as she sat down, pulling Y/N with her.

The game started off quite mild, but with each question, it escalated into more risqué territory. When Venetia declined to answer a question, Farleigh revealed a hidden bottle of tequila from a bag behind him, declaring, "Every time someone doesn't answer, they have to take a swig from this tequila.”

Venetia took the bottle, downed two swigs, grinned, and handed it to Y/N, saying, "Y/N, I dare you to knock back two shots or spill the beans on who on this lot you fancy for a cheeky quickie.”

Y/N glanced at Felix, then gulped down the tequila, going beyond the two shots and placing the bottle back. Felix stared at Y/N with a grin, seemingly formulating a plan, which he whispered to Farleigh.

When it was Farleigh's turn, he gazed at Felix, nodded, and remarked, " Y/N I dare you to take a lounge into the pool or tell us what position you want Felix fuck you in.”.

Felix glared at Farleigh and remarked, "You didn't have to be that aggressive.”

Y/N started to blush as all eyes were on her, awaiting her response. Having already consumed a bit too much tequila, taking a leap into the pool didn't seem like a terrible idea. Y/N rose from her seat and walked towards the pool's edge. Before taking the plunge, she removed her denim skirt to prevent it from getting soaked, revealing her pink string and someone whistled as she was bending down to take off her heels. Pinching her nose, Y/N leapt into the pool, tossing her shirt aside. As she hit the water, the chill had a sobering effect, and she realized the extent of what she had just done. She had exposed herself in only underwear to everyone around the pool. Feeling a tad embarrassed, Y/N climbed out of the pool and hastily dressed herself again, still soaked in water the blouse quickly became transparent and skirt denim darkened in color as if she had jumped into the pool with them on. She returned to the fire to warm up, taking a shot of tequila to help erase the recent events from her mind. This time, she chose to sit beside Felix who was staring at her chest that was now fully exposed with only her transparent blouse and the lace bra she was wearing under it. Y/N looked at Felix and realized that there was a big bulge in his pants, for the bulge to be that big he had to have a big package Y/N thought and then looked up and met Felix face that was covered in a big grin because he noticed how long she looking at his bulge. He put his hand on Y/N's inner thigh asking "Feeling a bit chilly? Wanna head inside?”

He looked down at Y/N breasts again and her nipples which nearly pierced through her shirt. Y/N nodded, and Felix fetched a blanket, draping it around her. He extended his hand, gesturing for her to take it. Leading Y/N into the house, Felix guided her up the stairs and into a room. It appeared to be someone's bedroom—quite lavish, with a bed that looked incredibly inviting. He whispered, "May I assist you in taking off your blouse? I reckon it won't be of much help in keeping you warm.”

Y/N nodded again to flustered to speak, Felix began taking off the wet blouse and kissing the neck once the shirt was off. “ Take your skirt off” he whispered whilst kissing her ear. She began taking off her skirt that was now very tight due to it being wet. Felix noticed how much she was struggling and ripped them off. As he did Y/N let out a small moan and he chuckled. “ As much as I would love to fuck you sweetie, you're to drunk and need to sleep but I can join you if you want”.

Felix tucked Y/N into bed, and she promptly drifted off to sleep. He planted a kiss on her forehead, undressed, and hopped into the bed beside her.

[lamemaster]

The Evermoor

Request: Sinister love for Maedhros, especially if it's after his fiery death ~how very SPOOKY~ he'd be scary enough as a ghost, but more terrifying would be if he survived or was resurrected, with his burns.Gosh I love Halloween

Pairing: Maedhros x Reader/ Reader x OC

Genre: Horror

Summary: He was better than ever—but not the same. It was as though the fever had washed away more than just his illness. The man you loved had been replaced by someone—or something—else.

AN: Your prompt is so awesome 😩 I loved writing it too much. Got carried away so now there's another part. I'm sorry if this does not exactly follow your prompt but this was awesome.

Chapter 1| Chapter 2

Next up- Sinister love with Maedhros chapter dos 🤭

You cower, eyes squeezed shut, muscles tense as if trying to melt into the mattress. The darkness feels oppressive, alive, crawling across the room toward you, its presence tangible in the suffocating silence.

Buried under your quilt, your mind drifts toward the closet opposite the bed. Its door, barely cracked open, looms in your vision. A door you distinctly remember forcing shut before slipping beneath the covers. A door that seems to have a will of its own, refusing to remain closed.

The house whispers around you—the creak of brittle wood rising from the old floorboards as if the very bones of the mansion are shifting in the night.

The Evermoor, ancient and untouched, resists the modern makeover your fiancé envisions, its colonial elegance holding tight against time’s slow decay.

For now, the Evermoor stands as it always has—unmoved, unchanged, steeped in shadow.

Most days, Evermoor feels like a distant memory, as if it exists in a realm between the living and the forgotten. Its old stone walls, hidden by evergreens and draped in mist, seem to breathe with the weight of centuries. It sleeps peacefully, exhausted by the passage of its long history.

That was how you first saw it—the slumbering, serene majesty of the Evermoor, drawing both you and Zaid into its mysterious hold. Your fiancé.

The decision to leave Prague had been wild, impulsive, even. Trading the city’s buzzing streets for the quiet of Viscri, nestled in a valley so still it felt like stepping back in time.

Zaid had been enchanted by the sprawling backyard, imagining your two dogs bounding across it, while you found comfort in the damp, earthy scent of the village—like fresh rain mingling with ancient stone.

This was how life unfolded for most people: years spent amid the crowded anonymity of cities, until you find the one person who makes the world slow down. Love follows, fierce and fragile, weathering the storms, if you’re lucky. Then comes the dream of escape, leaving the fast lane for something slower, more peaceful.

Work promotions had helped make that dream possible. The suburban fantasy, a far-off dream for many, had crept into reality with the right person by your side.

Zaid was that person—the flirtatious frat boy you never imagined sticking around. But beneath his charm lay a deep kindness, and that kindness made it impossible not to love him.

Loving Zaid was effortless. He made it so. Flowers left in unexpected places, candlelit dinners, soft words, and grand gestures that melted your heart. He cradled your love with a care that drew you in, little by little, until you couldn’t imagine life without him.

The once-ridiculous international student who convinced you to leave everything behind now sat beside you in Evermoor, slurping ramen as you both debated which floorboards would suit the study best.

A glittering diamond caught the light on your finger. He had proposed three months ago, under the soft light of candlelit shadows. Did you see it coming? Yes. But did you put on an elaborate act of surprise? Absolutely.

Zaid was predictable, but in ways that made you feel safe. He was a man of habit, of routines you had come to cherish. You hadn’t meant to stumble upon the hidden ring. Its hiding place in the unused suitcase had been clever—until one of your friends asked to borrow it.

The ring was magnificent, the kind that sparkled so brightly it drew gasps, making people look twice to make sure it was real.

Had you known what was to come, you would’ve never accepted it. You would’ve sent that suitcase—along with the cursed ring—to the farthest corner of the world.

The ring that stole Zaid away from you. Or was it the Evermoor?

The early days in the mansion had been enchanting. Bright, warm spring afternoons spent poring over floor plans, your future laid out before you. The wedding was to take place at Evermoor, the perfect venue. The house itself felt magical, like it had been waiting for you and Zaid to bring it back to life.

The mansion was a spell you couldn’t resist. It drew you into its labyrinthine halls, its ancient bones whispering secrets as you wandered through its forgotten rooms.

Your freelance work went on hold, and soon you found yourself documenting your journey on YouTube—a simple series on renovating your dream house. While your editing left much to be desired, the vlogs gathered a modest following of 56 subscribers, five of which were Zaid’s accounts.

You couldn’t have imagined then that those mindless videos would become relics, haunting the internet for years to come. Fame would find you, but not in the way you expected.

It all began with a cold. Zaid wasn’t unfamiliar with seasonal colds, and at first, you didn’t think much of it. You joked about him being a "frail Victorian child" wasting away in the manor’s drafty halls.

You expected it to pass, like it always did, with a steady diet of soups, tea, and Vicks humidifiers. Even your doctor friends laughed it off, teasing Zaid as they handed him a lolly for his melodramatic whining.

But as the days dragged on, your laughter grew strained. The cold didn’t break. Zaid grew weaker by the hour, his skin losing color, his energy fading. Nights were filled with his fevered ramblings, his body slick with sweat, twisting beneath the covers.

You stopped the renovations, packed your bags, ready to drag him to the hospital. But Zaid refused. His grip on the Evermoor tightened, as if the house held him captive. His sunken eyes stared at you, forbidding the thought of leaving.

You stayed by his side, your hands clasped in his, pleading with him, crying through sleepless nights as his fever raged on. His brothers flew in from the States, ready to move him to the infirmary. Your aunt stepped in to oversee the Evermoor while you prepared to leave.

And then, overnight, Zaid recovered. His pallid face transformed, flushed with sudden vitality. Every plan to leave vanished in an instant.

He was better than ever—but not the same. It was as though the fever had washed away more than just his illness. The man you loved had been replaced by someone—or something—else.

Zaid’s obsession with restoring Evermoor to its former glory took precedence over everything. The modern renovations you had so carefully planned were tossed aside, replaced by an eerie fixation on the mansion’s past.

His eyes gleamed with an intensity that unsettled you—a brightness that seemed to glow, unnatural, when he caught you staring.

And it wasn’t just you. Hermes and Zeus, once Zaid’s loyal companions, now cowered in his presence. The dogs, who once leapt into his arms, growled or fled when he entered the room. But Zaid remained indifferent, unbothered by their fear.

What disturbed you most was his fixation on the ring. His eyes followed your hand, tracking the diamond wherever it went, but he rarely touched you like he once had. When he did, he avoided the ring, as though afraid of it.

He was like Tantalus—forever reaching for something just out of his grasp.

It was during a quiet afternoon, while absentmindedly scrolling through comments on your YouTube channel, that you stumbled upon it.

A simple comment that stopped you cold.

Tevildoisapookie 5:08 Did anyone notice the elven script on that newspaper? Didn’t expect a Silmarillion crossover with cottagecore, lol.

Confused, you paused the video, your brows knitting together. The paper you had used to cover the windows during the painting of the guest bedroom doors was visible in the frame, covered in scrawled text.

Your fingers hovered over the reply button, hesitation filling you.

LadyofEvermore Can you read what it says?

Chuckling nervously at your own paranoia, you tossed your phone aside and resumed petting Hermes. The dog gave you an annoyed glance, irritated at being woken from his nap.

“I’m sorry, old man,” you muttered, running your fingers through his fur. Slowly, you drifted off, the warm sun lulling you into a shallow sleep.

You woke to the low growls of your dogs. Blinking groggily, you found Hermes and Zeus standing over you, tense and alert, their eyes locked on something across the room.

Your gaze followed theirs and froze. Zaid stood in the doorway, unnervingly still, his eyes gleaming with that strange, unsettling light as he stared back at the dogs.

You quickly gathered the dogs, leading them outside where their tension evaporated as they chased fireflies into the dusk. But as you turned to head back inside, you felt two arms wrap around your waist.

Zaid.

You forced yourself to relax, leaning back into him.

“Pizza okay with you?” you asked, your voice wavering slightly. Zaid nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on your hand, on the ring that sparkled in the fading light.

Later, when you took out your phone to order the pizza, a notification awaited you.

Tevildoisapookie www.reddit.com/r/Quenya/comments/4x2d9k/the_language_Quenya_script_more]

A Reddit user had commented, translating the strange symbols from your video-

SobbingMaia It seems to be a Quenya reiteration of the Oath of Fëanor(a pretty good one) :

Death we will deal him ere Day’s ending, Woe unto world’s end! Our word hear thou, Eru Allfather! To the everlasting Darkness doom us if our deed faileth. On the holy mountain hear in witness and our vow remember, Manwë and Varda!

[msweebyness]

Akuma/Theater Kids Mother’s Day Plans

Howdy y’all! This is what I imagine the Akuma Class and the Theater Kids did for Mother’s Day! For background, you can look at my Akuma and Theater Class families! @imsparky2002 @artzychic27

Marinette sewed a beautiful new Hanfu for Sabine and they got dinner at her favorite restaurant. She also went on a motorcycle ride around Paris with Gina.

Alya, Nora and the twins spent all day in the kitchen cooking an entire Martiniquan banquet for Marlena. Alya also made a montage of photos and videos with her mom for her personal blog.

Nino made a mix of all of Margie’s favorite songs and he and Chris made her favorite dessert. Well, they tried to…

Chloe stole Audrey’s credit card and went on a shopping spree with Zoe.

Sabrina and Tanya went on a mother-daughter shopping trip and got dinner together.

Juleka and Luka treated Anarka (with help from the rest of Kitty Section) to a performance of a bombastic heavy metal version of Drunken Sailor, and they all slept on the deck under the stars.

Rose cleaned the entire house for Lily and arranged a beautifully decorated tea party for the two of them in the backyard.

Kim and his sisters took Mai to an indoor extreme sports facility…and she proceeded to completely kick her children’s asses.

With Markov’s help, Max made his mother an incredibly detailed digital holographic map of the known universe.

Alix and Salma went bungee-jumping before going to dinner and a pro-wrestling match.

Ivan (with help from his dad) made Galina a new bench for her garden, where she likes to sit and read. (it had the family’s names carved in Russian.)

Nathaniel painted a mural for Aya’s cafe of their whole family, and took his mother out for lunch.

Missy visited her mother’s grave and left flowers, sitting to talk to her for a while.

Jesse took Imelda to a local flower show, and they made dinner together. (Mylene also made a flower wreath and card for Imelda, because that woman is more of a mother to her than her own ever was.)

Ayesha made a hand-drawn animation for Megan as card outlining the reasons why she loved her.

Dot and Dolores spent the day helping Enid reorganize the house.

Petra and her godmother went to a pottery studio together, making gifts for each other and for Petra’s dads.

Roxie took Rydel to a concert for a band she loved, who happened to be performing in Paris.

Anthony bought Sylvie a basket of all her favorite teas and they had a horror movie marathon.

Candace and Sandra had a mother-daughter spa day.

Eri and Ryuji took Sasami to a showing of one of her childhood favorite plays, and after that they all gave each other makeovers.

Staci and Yumei just went out on a walk around Paris, doing whatever they felt like.

Margo and Dagny spent the entire day baking and doing crafts together.

Brecken and his sisters made a quilt with treasured family pictures for Rachel and spent the day helping Annie at the shelter.

Soo-Yeon, like Alya, spent all day making Mi Cha’s favorite foods, and after that, they played one-on-one basketball in the backyard.

Parker and Cissy did a mother-daughter obstacle course and went to the gym together.

Mona and Bindi had a movie night and bought all the junk food they could possibly eat.

Evie wrote and performed a song for Carolina, with parts for each of her siblings.

Eloise and Chet had a gaming session with Roerva, who’s actually better than both of them.

Anais took Olive out for dinner and got her a card. Their mother isn’t one for big gestures of affection.

Ondine and her brothers made the mistake of trying to make Haggis like Elsie’s mother would, but…they ended up just ordering a pizza and watching a movie.

Happy Mother’s Day, ya’ll! Shout out to my mom, who is the best! Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

[chvoswxtch]

Miss ma’am could I have an old fashion with Mr. Castle?👀

Creators choice, go wild my love <3

my fiesty little phoenix,

you can have whatever you'd like. thank you for letting me run wild with this one. I hope you enjoy. <3

headcannon below the cut

frank castle finally takes a goddamn day off

i personally think it's criminal we never got a single scene of what frank likes to do in his free time, so i'm taking it upon myself to make y'all feed into my delusions of what that would look like, because the man deserves a day of fucking peace, so let's give it to him

frank is an early riser. after years in the military, his body is just trained to wake up at a certain time, and no matter how much he wants to sleep in, he just can't

i'd like to think frank sleepily pads through his place, makes himself a strong brew of coffee, and goes outside to watch the sunrise. i think he would enjoy the peace, when it's early in the morning and everything is super still and quiet, and he just gets to exist for a little while, slowly let his body and mind wake up as he takes in the tranquil colors of the sunrise

maybe he'd make himself a nice lil breakfast. he strikes me as a bacon guy, so whatever he makes, just know there's bacon. he likes the applewood smoked thick cuts. don't ask me to explain, i can't. it's just something my soul knows

we saw that frank likes to read, so maybe he spends some of the morning working through a new book. he strikes me as someone that secretly loves murder mysteries, and mysteries in general. i'd like to think he gets really into them and really excited when he figures out the mystery before he reaches the end

"fuckin' knew it was the goddamn maid!"

frank also strikes me as a handyman, and i'd like to think he enjoys little projects. maybe he spends part of the afternoon giving his truck a tune up while listening to classic rock in the garage with a few beers (he's a classic rock guy, don't @ me. y'all saw how excited he got about those bruce springsteen tickets) maybe he's finally putting together some new furniture he got, or even building some new furniture bc he can fucking do anything. maybe he's repainting the spare bedroom bc the white walls were boring and frank's secret guilty pleasures are cooking and home makeover shows

in a perfect world, frank has a dog (it's definitely a sweet, beautiful pitbull) so maybe they go on a little walk together on a nice trail or maybe they go to the doggy park so they can play and when they come back they take a lil nap on the couch together bc it's fucking cute and they're sleepy so why the hell not

i'd also like to think that when the evening rolls around, frank goes to socialize bc the thought of him being lonely breaks my heart in ways i can't explain

maybe he goes over to the lieberman's for dinner and helps sarah cook, teaches david how to fix the sink that's broken in their guest bathroom, plays catch with zach out in the backyard, helps leo with a book report she's writing, and passes out with the kids on the couch twenty minutes into a movie they picked out

or maybe he goes out with curtis to a bar to have a few drinks, gets talked into (and drunk enough) to bust some moves out on the dance floor, giggles with curtis as they drunkenly stumble together to the closest twenty-four hour pizza joint, and ends up having a sleepover with him bc his apartment is closer and the pizza and booze made him sleepy

bonus points if curt doesn't make him take the couch and they just share his bed bc they're drunk and also brothers who cares (you're telling me all that time in the military together and there wasn't a "there's only one bed" situation? sorry, I can't suspend reality that much)

extra bonus points if he goes out with matt, karen, and foggy to josie's and is the only one that can keep up with matt in pool

"can't believe y'all let this bastard cheat you like this. this how you treat your friends, red? hustlin' 'em for free drinks? you're the worst goddamn catholic I ever met."

extra extra bonus points if foggy challenges him to a shot contest but then gets so drunk that frank has to carry him home over his shoulder and karen gets several pictures and videos and matt can't stop cackling

extra extra extra bonus points if he's having to carry matt AND foggy home drunk over his shoulder (bc he could) and karen is still being the absolute mvp getting so many pictures and videos while giggling

i just want this man to have a good fucking day that's all, thank you for coming to my ted talk

[magnoliaroad]

Luxe Living Kitchen + Family Room

Hello friends! At long last, I am ready to publish two playscenes from my Petz 5 makeover project. The Luxe Kitchen and Luxe Living playscenes are now available for download. Be sure to check out my blog post below for a behind-the-scenes look at my creation process.

OVERALL AESTHETIC

In making these overhauls, I was going for a luxury living aesthetic featuring gold accents, neutral beiges, and a touch of rococo. Understandably, this may not be everyone's aesthetic! I have ideas for future themes such as cottage core/witch core, dark academia, Barbie, etc. Now that I have done the ground work of making a reusable PSD template of this playscene, making future variations will be much easier because I can quickly swap out the wallpaper, flooring, rug, etc.

KITCHEN

I don't have a lot of notes on the kitchen remodel as it was a relatively straight forward recolor. The window backyard backdrop was replaced with my remodeled version. I added a tile backsplash for a touch of realism. Various components like the sink and its handles were recolored to gold to go with the luxury living theme. The ugly curtains, orange floor, wallpaper, and yellow fridge are all replaced with a more toned-down, neutral look.

I spent the most amount of time cleaning up the curtain and the window sprites as these were poorly done in the original. If you look closely, you can see several pixel defects that never got cleaned up.

BEFORE / AFTER

FAMILY ROOM

Making over the family room was quite the project as it involved editing several animation sprites. Here are my notes on the different parts of the room.

RUG

I know that the rug's perspective is not 100% correct but when I tried to adjust it to better match the perspective of the room, the results were actually worse. Somehow, the "correct" perspective ruined the "cozy, intimate" ambience of the room. It's a little hard to explain but I hope this design choice isn't too immersion-breaking for most people.

FIREPLACE

The boring old red brick was replaced with something a bit more contemporary. Where the brick texture meets the golden grate, I had to edit the edge so that there is a mortar gap. I also edited the fireplace sprites to remove some ugly pixel halos that the original assets had.

MOUSE HOLES

I replaced the default mousehole covers with golden doors to match the Luxury Living theme because I thought our little mice friends deserved an upgrade too! Tremendous thanks to Reflet from the Petz Hacking and Modding discord for helping me figure out how to do this. If you're making a non-overwrite hexed family room, then changing the mouse holes requires an extra step in a hex editor - it isn't enough to just swap out the sprites in Tinker. If you would like to learn how to do this yourself for your own playscene creations, Reflet's solution is posted in the Petz Hacking and Modding discord.

WINDOW + WEATHER EFFECTS

Oh my glob this was a whole project in itself. I swapped out the outdated backyard backdrop with my remodeled versions. But this presented a problem. Replacing the window backdrop meant that I couldn't use the animated rain and snow sprites that came with the original family room. These weather effects were pre-rendered against the old backdrop, making them incompatible with my replacement backdrop. So this meant that I had to craft my own rain and snow effects from scratch, frame by frame. *eye twitch* But if we're being honest, the original weather effects weren't that great looking anyway. The rain is so faint and barely visible and the snow animation left much to be desired.

Moreover, it always bugged me to no end that the original weather animations do not extend to the bottom of the window. Whenever the window is open, there is a noticeable gap where the rain or snow animation abruptly ends. I'm baffled on how this passed quality control testing (or if was there any).

I corrected this in my version of the weather animation by adjusting the size of the animation to extend to the bottom of the window and then fixing the X and Y positioning coordinates of all the frames in Tinker so that the animation was seated in the right spot. (I used the selection tool in photoshop to measure that the window sprite needed to be seated 858 pixels along the X axis from the left, and 56 pixels down the y axis from the top). Additionally, the original window has this odd 2-3 pixel gap at the top of the window which I fixed in my version so that the window properly extends up to the curtain rod.

Unfortunately, I had to remove the window shine from my window frame recolors. For some reason when you import the images into Tinker, Tinker recolors partial transparency to black and ruins it. If anyone discovers a solution to this problem, please do let me know!

I managed to create the rain animation by using an old video effects software called Particle Illusion. I tweaked a pre-existing rain preset and then recorded my screen using Screen-to-Gif to capture the animation, making sure that the screen capture matched the exact pixel dimensions of the window.

I extracted the exact number of frames I needed, made it transparent, and created a layer mask on the left side of the canvas to account for curtain, which clips into the window slightly.

Then I exported these frames as individual pngs and then imported them into Tinker. Thank goodness for photoshop actions and batch editing for performing repeated actions, or else I would have lost my mind.

The snow animation was much more challenging because I couldn't find a good video effect animation I liked - and even if I did, making the animation loop flawlessly would have been nearly impossible. So I hand-made my own using an old school 2D animation technique known as "parallax scrolling". Basically how it works is that I created 3 "conveyor belt" layers of snowflakes, each with a seamless repeating pattern. These three conveyor belt layers would each move independently of each other at a different pace. Conveyor belt 1 would move down slowly at a pace of 1 pixel per frame. Conveyor belt 2 would move down a little faster at a pace of 2 pixels per frame, and conveyor belt 3 would move down the fastest at a rate of 5 pixels per frame. The multiple layers of snowflakes give off the illusion of depth, making it look like some snowflakes are farther away.

In order for this animation to loop seamlessly, I had to calculate (yes, super serious complex petz math) the dimensions of these conveyor belt layers to correspond with the pace at which they would be falling. If conveyor belt 1 was falling at a rate of 1 pixel per frame, my repeating snowflake pattern needed to be about 30 pixels tall because there were 30 frames. The fastest conveyor belt, conveyor belt 3, had to be a pattern that was 150 pixels tall because it would be moving at a pace of 5 pixels per frame over the course of 30 frames so 30 x 5 = 150 pixels.

Once I made these three separate patterns I copied and pasted them downward to make the "conveyor belts" that would move down the window over the lifespan of the animation.

To animate this, I would make a new frame and then I would move layer 1 down 1 pixels, layer 2 down 2 pixels and layer 3 down 5 pixels. Then I created another frame and repeated this again and again until I hit 30 frames. If I messed up anywhere (which I did), I would have to redo the entire animation. It took some experimenting to finally get it all looking correct and looping properly.

I decided to enhance the snow animation further by addressing a longstanding issue with Petz 5's weather effects. It always bothered me that it could be snowing in the game, yet the scenery remained unchanged to reflect the seasons. To improve this, I overlaid my completed snow animation onto the winter version of my backyard backdrop. Now, whenever it snows in the window, the scenery actually shifts to a wintery backdrop. I mean that would just make sense right? It speaks to the sloppy/rushed development for Petz 5 that they didn't make it this way from the get go. If a solo amateur like myself could do it in one weekend, I don't know why a team of developers couldn't. (If I am allowed to humbly toot my own horn for a moment and say so.)

BEFORE / AFTER

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading this! I hope this journal proves to be useful and inspiring for future petz content creators who may want to get into custom content creation and retro game modding. It's been such a therapeutic pet project and I'm looking forward to making more playscenes in the future. The next playscenes on the release radar will hopefully be my 4 seasons backyards. I am still finalizing those and hope to release those as soon as life allows. Thank you for patiently waiting, real life is hectic!

To download the Luxe Kitchen and Luxe Living playscenes, jump over to my main page at Magnolia Road - the download link is under Resources > Playscenes.

[dana-chan-the-control-brain]

You know, I don’t see nearly enough love for bob. Any fun facts about him? Thanks!

BOBERT!

And ye.

I've talked about him a bit before

But a few additional facts.

Bob was on the wrestling team in his highschool.

He met Ted when he first started working at Fazbear Entertainment. Before he was possessed.

Bob actually got a raise by the time of Twins. Being the only mechanic that survived the "great employee purge" So he actually has a pretty sizable house with a big backyard in the more rural area. He lives alone, but there is a reason he has all that space that will either be revealed in Twins or Lives.

Bob in the time of Lives and Twins is 39. He is 34 in Lofi. While Ted was 29 in Lofi.

Also at the time of Twins, he's in therapy and anger management. He even got his chip. :D (also a handmade chip that Chica made for him)

Bob despite his hostility and shaky relationship with the Twin animatronics, for understandable reasons he gets along fairly well with the other animatronics. Treating them first as more or less like you would expect a grumpy mechanic would treat robots. Fixing them is still his job after all.

Even though Chica is scared of Parts and Service, he doesn't try to make it painful for her. (Sometimes he just gets frustrated with her running and fighting. He's human after all and does use force but that's rarer with her.)

Roxy likes Bob just cause he does take care of her hair. She more or less views parts and service like getting a makeover.

Bob and Monty have bonded and grew a camaraderie over the years. Monty reminds Bob of how he was so rage-filled as a kid. And he's usually on the Monty defensive squad more often then naught. And gives the Gator legitimate advice at times cause he understands what it's like to be that angry. Monty likes Bob compared to mechanics of the past, cause he doesn't bullshit him and is the only human who can actually suplex him.

Sun and Moon are on far better terms with Bob by Lives and even call him Uncle Bob at times.

[myshredda]

Pink compulsively playing makeover and dress up and baby dolls but not enjoying it like she thinks she should because she was raised to be this hyperfeminine being, a wife, a mother. Learning whether or not she actually enjoys those things for herself. Also the main trio have become the teachers, but good!

NO EXACTLY! I think she would be conditioned to be hyperfeminine because of the cult and she might not even be sure if she LIKES girly things because she likes them or because she thinks she has to. I feel like she'd have a lot of room to experiment with her new family, like different clothing styles, different hairstyles, maybe she finds her own version of femininity that SHE LIKES and it really doesn't involve anything pertaining to romance or babies.

She still likes pink I think, because she has room to like it in a healthy way now. Skirts are okay, she likes how spinny they are, but she can wear pants and shorts now whenever she wants to, which she wasn't allowed to before. I think she wears the opposite of all white now, like everything is crazy colors and really childish because she doesn't want to be reminded of her cult outfit (I feel like Duck would let her burn it in the backyard when she felt emotionally strong enough to do so)

I think it would be really really interesting to see how she reclaims her life for HERSELF not for what the cult told her she had to be. She's got more room to be childish now, and be as interested in things the cult deemed masculine, and even feminine things the cult disliked, (idk like. feminism I guess I'm not super well-versed on cult opinions of women)

She still loves nature, and flowers and all the beautiful things in the world, the real world, not Malcolm's fake cloud world. She can appreciate real life now, even though pain and hurt may come with it.

She's afraid of butterflies for a long time, obviously, but eventually, she even finds the beauty in them too after Green explains to her about caterpillars and cocoons and butterflies and how amazing their metamorphosis is. She can learn that just because one of the people that hurt her was part of a specific group, it doesn't mean every member of that group is bad. And it helps her unlearn the cults brainwashing about how all gay people are bad or only members of the cult are good.

Literally the original clump are the teachers now. That's character development baby.

[unitedstatesofworld]

Discovering Charles Todd Hill: The Hidden Gem of HGTV

Ever stumbled upon a home renovation show on HGTV and wondered who was behind those jaw-dropping designs? Well, one name that keeps popping up in the world of home makeovers is Charles Todd Hill HGTV Pictures. Known for his creative vision and knack for transforming ordinary spaces into extraordinary havens, Charles has become a celebrated figure on HGTV. But what’s the story behind this design maestro?

Charles Todd Hill: The Man Behind the Designs

Early Beginnings

Charles Todd Hill didn’t always have his sights set on becoming a design superstar. Born in a small town, his early years were filled with curiosity and creativity. From building forts in the backyard to sketching dream homes in his notebooks, Charles always had a penchant for design. His journey into the world of professional design began somewhat serendipitously.

Passion for Design: As a child, Charles was fascinated by how spaces could be transformed with just a few tweaks.

Educational Background: He pursued a degree in architecture, which laid the foundation for his design career.

First Big Break: Charles landed his first big project fresh out of college, and there was no looking back.

Rise to Fame on HGTV

Charles Todd Hill’s ascent to fame on HGTV wasn’t an overnight success. It was a mix of talent, perseverance, and a bit of luck. He started as a guest designer on a popular home renovation show and quickly became a fan favorite.

Guest Appearances: Initially, Charles appeared as a guest designer, showcasing his unique style and innovative solutions.

Signature Style: His ability to blend modern aesthetics with timeless elegance caught the eye of producers.

Own Show: Eventually, he landed his own show, where viewers could watch him transform homes week after week.

The Magic of Charles Todd Hill: A Closer Look at HGTV Pictures

Design Philosophy

Charles Todd Hill’s design philosophy is all about creating spaces that are not only beautiful but also functional. He believes in designing homes that reflect the personalities and lifestyles of their inhabitants.

Functionality: Every space must serve a purpose.

Personal Touch: Incorporating elements that tell the homeowner’s story.

Timeless Elegance: Combining modern trends with classic designs to create timeless spaces.

Stunning Transformations

One of the most exciting aspects of Charles Todd Hill’s work is the before-and-after pictures. These HGTV pictures not only showcase his incredible talent but also inspire viewers to reimagine their own spaces.

Living Rooms: Charles has a knack for turning drab living rooms into cozy, inviting spaces. His use of colors, textures, and smart furniture placement makes a world of difference.

Kitchens: From outdated kitchens to culinary masterpieces, Charles’s transformations are nothing short of magical. He often incorporates state-of-the-art appliances and clever storage solutions.

Bedrooms: Creating serene sanctuaries, Charles’s bedroom designs focus on comfort and style. His use of soft colors, luxurious fabrics, and thoughtful lighting sets the perfect ambiance.

The Art of Personalization

Charles Todd Hill understands that no two homes are alike. He takes the time to get to know his clients and tailor his designs to their specific needs and tastes. This personalized approach is evident in every project he undertakes.

Client Interviews: Understanding the homeowner’s lifestyle, preferences, and vision.

Customized Solutions: Designing spaces that cater to the unique needs of the family.

Attention to Detail: Every element, from the smallest decor item to the overall layout, is carefully considered.

FAQs About Charles Todd Hill and His HGTV Pictures

Who is Charles Todd Hill?

Charles Todd Hill is a renowned designer featured on HGTV. He is known for his ability to transform ordinary spaces into stunning, functional homes.

What is his design philosophy?

Charles believes in creating beautiful yet functional spaces that reflect the personalities and lifestyles of the homeowners. His designs are a blend of modern aesthetics and timeless elegance.

How did he become famous on HGTV?

Charles started as a guest designer on a popular home renovation show and quickly became a fan favorite. His unique style and innovative solutions eventually earned him his own show on HGTV.

What are some of his most notable transformations?

Charles is known for his breathtaking transformations of living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. His work is often highlighted through before-and-after HGTV pictures that showcase his talent and creativity.

How does he personalize his designs?

Charles takes the time to understand his clients’ needs and preferences. He conducts detailed interviews and incorporates personalized elements into his designs to create spaces that truly reflect the homeowners' personalities.

Conclusion

Charles Todd Hill has made a significant mark in the world of home design, particularly through his appearances on HGTV. His stunning transformations and unique design philosophy have inspired countless homeowners to reimagine their spaces. Whether it’s through the captivating HGTV pictures or his insightful design tips, Charles continues to influence and elevate the field of interior design. If you’re looking to transform your home into a personalized sanctuary, Charles Todd Hill’s work is definitely worth exploring!

[miniaturereviewwasteland]

12 Steps To Finding The Perfect Emu Restaurant Furniture

Classic and Timeless Outdoor FurnitureOmega ChaiseOutdoor Furniture

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Outdoor furniture's durability depends heavily on its materials and style; but, its helpful life can be significantly extended through correct care, maintenance and protection against environmental components.

When searching for out of doors furniture, a set consisting of a table and four or six chairs could be your ideal resolution. This type of seating permits for meals and conversations and creates an intimate seating area on your back porch or balcony. Furthermore, tables that include builtin drinks coolers could additionally prove convenient relaxing Adirondack patio chairs or hammocks might even add vacation vibes whereas encouraging family and friends to pay more time outside! RentACenter of Greenwood makes your backyard or deck the ultimate summer hangout with topoftheline outdoor furniture, from Nordic impressed patio sets and trendsetting loveseats made with Acacia wood to resilient resin wicker chairs with weatherproof cushions upholstered with weatherproof cushions upholstered in weatherproof cushions. And we tend to carry relaxing Adirondack patio chairs for relaxing vacation vibes or add four piece lounge sets complete with coffee tables to your condo porch therefore friends can gather and chat for hours without making a rich down payment with our simple rent to possess rental furniture! Whatever your need might be, our rentable rentals make making outdoor oasis while not making a commitment or giant down payment just what you need!

Patio table and chair sets create great poolside furniture. By getting multiple sets without delay, you'll be able to realize highquality pieces at discounted prices particularly when purchased from firms who specialise in wholesale patio furniture for pools and public facilities; such businesses can additionally facilitate guide the look method. The Park Catalog carries an in depth selection of heavyduty luxury out of doors furniture appropriate for hotels, country clubs, spas and resorts. Grosfillex contract commercial resin chairs and tables will face up to rain, snow, ice, wind, harsh sun exposure and chlorine gas exposure for an affordable different to high end patio furniture made from aluminum and teak.

At any movie night or appetizers party, comfy bean bag chairs offer intimate conversations or sipping wine in front of the fireplace. Indulge yourself with this relaxing expertise for Valentine's Day dates or unwind after long workday. Conjointly ideal for garden parties and barbecues where relaxed conversation takes place; simply rearrange and wipe clean for fast patio makeover.

Recently, designers have treated patios and courtyard gardens like extensions of interior living spaces. Currently outdoor furniture is meant to enhance indoor living rooms and dining areas reflecting this trend with collections that boast clean lines and natural aesthetics; sturdy performance materials conjointly permit owners to easily mixandmatch colours, textures, and styles for an eclectic look.

Artie's outdoor furniture is highquality and longlasting, designed with sustainability in mind. Their product are created using recyclable materials such as recycled woods and ecofriendly materials; additionally they employ green manufacturing processes that have minimal environmental impacts an wonderful way to feature trendy up to date decor into the house.

Homeowners would like to consider several factors when purchasing outdoor furniture, together with its sturdiness under extreme weather and sunlight conditions. Resin wicker furniture stands up extremely well against both components.

This furniture piece mimics the sound of waves rolling in, making it the ideal piece for relaxing on your porch or deck. Opt for from an array of colors, styles and designs to find one that best enhances your patio.

Grand resort out of doors furniture is typically constructed of premium materials like teak wood and stainless steel, that includes sleek up to date and minimalist styles plus modular pieces designed to be simply reconfigured as required. Many pieces additionally boast classic or traditional parts for an aesthetically pleasing ensemble look.

Several retailers run sales all year long to clear out inventory and prepare for a replacement season, providing you with some unbelievable outside patio furniture deals. Exploit these sales to attain yourself some fantastic outside patio furnishings!

RentToOwn Outside Furniture in Mississippi. Build your backyard the final summer destination with highquality outdoor furniture from renttoown patio dining sets or two outsized lounge chairs from renttoown patio dining sets, perfect for hosting massive barbecues with all your family, or rent two to form the perfect spot on your condo porch for relaxation together with your partner.

Resort outdoor furniture created of ecofriendly synthetic wicker is also an ecofriendly choice, mimicking the look and durability of natural wood with less maintenance needs and maintenance necessities. Artificial wicker also stands up well in humid climates because it won't become moldy or mildew prone.

Brian's Furniture offers a comprehensive choice of out of doors furniture appropriate for each size yard and budget. We have a tendency to carry each brand name items from trusted manufacturers also exclusive designs created inhouse whether or not you are looking out for luxurious wrought iron sets or additional casual conversation items, you are sure to search out your ideal item at Brian's. If you are trying to form a comfy outdoor lounge area, attempt this reclining chair and ottoman set. Its elegant design and neutral hues build it suitable for any yard style. We provide several other reclining chairs, chaise lounges, and sectionals in different sizes and styles too.

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Top Trends in Grosfillex Furniture

One in all the most important trends for 2024 is using neutral colors and natural materials for garden and patio furniture. Beige, gray and charcoal hues are currently trending for frames; whereas materials like wicker, rattan, teak and aluminum have become well-liked choices for cushions and upholstery as these materials are simple to keep up and clean creating them suitable for outdoor use.

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Homann's AH Outside Series boasts an elegant combination of rigorous aesthetic and soft forms chairs and tables will even be stacked to save space!

Omega Chaise for Family Gatherings

Your industrial pool furniture must be designed to face up to constant use by multiple guests. Search for quickdrying construction materials like aluminum, wicker, recycled plastic and teakwood as these offer lasting performance in wet environments. Cushion, sling and strap models supply resistance against fading in wet conditions while powdercoated frames protect from rusting and corrosion harm.

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Brian's Furniture attracts its name from Louisiana culture's love affair with its signature sugar kettles from planters and fountains to simple estate ornaments, sugar kettles are an integral part of its style and you can get one for your house here at Brian's.

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Manmade synthetics have become an increasingly fashionable selection for outside furniture thanks to their versatile designs and reasonable costs. Most are treated against weathering and ultraviolet radiation exposure to help retain their color while not fading over time, and a few come woven in wicker patterns for vogue and texture.

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Garden furniture is usually created of weatherproof materials that build it suitable for outdoor use, as well as tables and chairs for dining, relaxing rockers or Adirondack chairs, lounging sofas or fabric sofas with big selection of colours and textures to match any decor such as solutiondyed acrylic and spun polyester materials that resist moisture buildup, mildew growth or staining cushioned throw pillows can any enliven outdoor seating or living areas.

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An inflatable pool lounge chair can take your poolside experience to a higher level. Choose from varied colors, dimensions and shapes.

Outdoor Furnishings Maintenance Tips

Choosing the perfect balcony furniture for your condo is key to creating it actually your own area. Your selection should reflect each your taste and personality while simultaneously increasing its worth. Outer furniture offers trendy and durable patio items made with highgrade materials and come back complete with lifetime warranties also cash back guarantees, making them a sound investment.

Outdoor Furniture for Picnic Excursions

Outdoor resin furniture makes an engaging and purposeful addition to any home, whereas being ecofriendly and weather resistant. Furthermore, it resists mould growth along with mildew growth.

Outdoor Furniture for Sunrooms and Porches

Resort Life Extendable Table made from premium Eucalyptus Wood with a light-weight aluminum frame is another fantastic possibility, featuring natural organic features as well as cracks and color variations that enhance its beauty. Treated with Duragrain waterbased finish to guard its surface whereas displaying natural grain features of wood surface.

Grosfillex Furniture Lighting and Ambiance

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To stay out of doors furniture stunning and in sensible condition, it's crucial that it is regularly cleaned and protected against the elements. Regular soap and water cleaning will do simply fine, whereas adding protective coating like varnish or wax can keep pieces looking whole new for an extended period. Alternatively, water repellant spray can also work effectively; simply be certain it's been specifically created for out of doors furniture as using regular household cleaners will harm its surface. One amongst the most popular trends in out of doors furniture style is mixing materials. Furniture manufacturers often combine wood, metal and plastic into fashionable styles that stand up to weather components giving shoppers more decisions so as to pick out pieces that best match their personal styles and add texture and depth to a house.

If you like traditional aesthetics, think about teak wood patio furniture sets. Their natural patina can age to an attractive grey over time or they'll be given protecting coating. Unfortunately, though, such items of patio furniture can be quite serious.

Makers are increasingly designing product which will be used each indoors and outdoors, usually created of materials suited to different climates. Shoppers have shown a lot of willingness to pay on luxurious out of doors furniture thanks to increased disposable income and interest in outside activities. Wood is that the goto material for outside furniture. Hardwoods like teak are naturally immune to rot, insects and Flash Restaurant Furniture the weather; its sturdiness will easily be restored by sanding and polishing it back into its original condition. Softwoods may need further maintenance.

Outdoor Furniture for Garden Oasis

LBO is the premier wholesale supplier of aluminum metal patio and pool furniture for public swimming pools, private swimming pools, water parks, YMCA's, apartments, home house owners associations (HOA's), hotels and resorts. Their prime quality business grade patio and pool furniture products are manufactured using superior materials like Marine Grade Polymer that resist warping, fading or chemical breakdown good to be used at private and non-private pools alike! Contract Furnishings International provides stylish nevertheless comfy out of doors furniture to any business, good for restaurants, hotels or clubs alike. Our big selection of patio furniture matches any theme or style with styles designed to face up to rain, snow and sun a necessary thought when choosing outside seating for any restaurant, hotel or club.

Outdoor FurnishingsGar FurnitureOutdoor Furnishings for Picnic Excursions

Artie's outside furniture is highquality and longlasting, designed with sustainability in mind. Their merchandise are made using recyclable materials like recycled woods and ecofriendly materials; additionally they employ inexperienced producing processes that have minimal environmental impacts an wonderful approach to add trendy contemporary decor into the house.

Artificial materials provide another sturdy option for out of doors furniture, with several corporations currently providing ecofriendly versions of well-liked frames such as fiberglass, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or high density polyethylene that can withstand any climate condition and even come back manufactured using recycled ingredients to boost their sustainability credentials. Teak remains the superior wood for out Gar Restaurant Furniture of doors furnishings, thanks to its dense structure which repels rotting, warping and bug infestation better than any alternative species of wood. Furthermore, teak's high waterresistance and tolerance of extreme temperature changes makes it highly reliable selection.

Based on your atmosphere, usage, and storage desires, selecting durable furniture materials can be essential to its longterm functionality. Some materials are better suited to certain climate than others and some need constant upkeep so as to prevent injury or discoloration.

Rocking chairs

Resort Life Extendable Table made from premium Eucalyptus Wood with a light aluminum frame is another fantastic choice, that includes natural organic features including cracks and colour variations that enhance its beauty. Treated with Duragrain waterbased end to shield its surface whereas displaying natural grain options of wood surface.

Pottery Barn offers an spectacular assortment of out of doors furniture if you're willing to go the additional mile when choosing out of doors pieces for your patio, from chairs and dining tables, through custom orders. Their teak wood furniture stands up well against weather components. In addition, this brand provides highend product with luxurious details like handapplied finishes and custom stitching.

Resin furniture may still draw householders to its natural organic charms, but nextgeneration materials like resin are quickly gaining in popularity due to their sturdiness and adaptability. Resin furniture pieces could prove worthy alternatives to wooden tables and chairs due to their appearance while not compromising on quality; however, before creating a final call regarding buying resin furniture.

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15 Best Blogs to Follow About

Stylish Nardi Omega Ideas

Interior designer Laura Hodges gave this complete her stamp of approval because its items feel modern and stylish. Discover discounted furniture sets around Labor Day. Additionally, request free fabric swatches on-line thus that you can see how they will look in your house before purchasing anything. When buying out of doors furniture, your high priorities ought to include its ability to stand up to varied varieties of weather and matching your aesthetic. As an example, if you like entertaining guests frequently then an ample patio set would make an ideal solution contemplate Wayfair as they sell numerous brands and provide twoday shipping as a perk of membership! Before getting furniture, it's essential to set up out its layout and live several times. Additionally keep in mind that totally different materials suit bound climates higher; metal furniture tends to be a lot of sturdy than wicker or wood however requires additional maintenance as it's inclined to corrosion. Wood furniture offers larger versatility whereas being easier to maintain as its cleanup needs simply damp cloth cleaning; additionally it's less likely to rot than its metal counterpart.

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One in every of the key trends for 2024 is using neutral colors and natural materials for garden and patio furniture. Beige, gray and charcoal hues are currently trending for frames; while materials like wicker, rattan, teak and aluminum have become popular choices for cushions and upholstery as these materials are simple to keep up and clean making them appropriate for outdoor use.

Serena & Lily's beachinspired styles exude that soughtafter "wow issue," while not going over the top or being too themed. Their collections offer masses of musthave coastal items that will bring a relaxed, vacation vibe into any backyard setting.

If you prefer ancient aesthetics, contemplate teak wood patio furniture sets. Their natural patina can age to an enticing gray over time or they'll be given protective coating. Unfortunately, though, such pieces of patio furniture will be quite serious.

At any movie night or appetizers party, snug bean bag chairs give intimate conversations or sipping wine in front of the hearth. Indulge yourself with this relaxing expertise for Valentine's Day dates or unwind after long workday. Additionally ideal for garden parties and barbecues where relaxed conversation takes place; simply rearrange and wipe clean for quick patio makeover.

Addition of a firepit with seating will enhance the resort experience for visitors. It can enable guests to sit, converse and soak up the scenery while not distraction or fatigue; whereas out of doors games such as shuffle board or corn hole will keep guests engaged and entertained for hours on finish. Providing shade such as cover tents or permanent umbrellas to shield guests from the sun will further elevate this upgrade.

Some pool users need to just lounge around and unwind, which makes having lounge chairs around an important piece of furniture. It permits guests to commence their shoes, lay go into reverse and absorb some sun while not ever needing to leave the water! Lounge chairs conjointly build an glorious place for reading, napping or merely having conversations several designs exist that float while others should be placed on deck or patio to be used.

Householders want to consider many factors when purchasing out of doors furniture, including its durability under extreme weather and sunlight conditions. Resin wicker furniture stands up extremely well against each parts.

Homecrest assortment furniture offers longterm quality with poly outside pieces designed not to rot, splinter or attract wood bees. Their durable chairs, tables and loungers can withstand even extreme climate conditions whereas boasting stunning color options that arise against nature.

the best patio furniture can create all the difference in a backyard house. Whether or not it's hosting friends for a crawfish boil or relaxing on your deck, outdoor furniture creates welcoming environments where family and friends will unwind along and take pleasure from each other's company. At Brian's Furniture in Port Allen, there's an array of options that are sure to fit into any lifestyle perfectly! Selecting outside furniture needs careful thought of both comfort and vogue, but our extensive choice will create the task much less complicated. Nardi Omega Chaise for Wineries: Designing Outdoor Tasting Areas From folding chairs that fold and stack to full patio dining sets and lounge seating arrangements plus tables and umbrellas that add color or shade you're sure to seek out specifically what you need for your backyard!

Versatility

One amongst the numerous advantages of outdoor furniture crafted from recycled resin is that it can stand up to all forms of weather it resists rusting, staining and mildewing while having the ability to face up to extreme temperatures and sunlight without warping or rotting over time. Recycled resin furniture makes an wonderful various to wood out of doors furniture that typically needs regular repairs for best performance and pleasure. Recycled plastic furniture offers another advantage over its counterparts: it's entirely recyclable itself. Several manufacturers utilize this material in the production method, guaranteeing ecofriendliness. By recycling this material and continuing production with quality furniture pieces from it, manufacturers reduce oilbased polymers that may contribute to pollution problems.

The proper pool lounge chairs will rework your backyard into an idyllic haven, ideal for tanning, reading and napping. Plus they make great storage containers for sunscreen bottles and towels! When looking out for lounge chairs that meet these criteria, look for ones created of weatherproof materials with sturdy construction that may waiting against regular outdoor use and cushions that quickly dry thus they don't become saturated with water.

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Nardi Furniture for Summer Parties

We have a tendency to love this toptier complete for their incredible quality and a focus to detail in each piece they turn out, along with their intensive expertise in furniture business that ends up in highend patio furniture meant to stand the take a look at of time.

Nardi Omega Chaise for Summer Parties

When shopping for outdoor furniture, a group consisting of a table and four or six chairs could be your ideal solution. This sort of seating permits for meals and conversations and creates an intimate seating area on your back porch or Enhance Your Outdoor Retail Space with Nardi Furniture featuring the Omega Chaise for Stores balcony. Furthermore, tables that include builtin drinks coolers could additionally prove convenient relaxing Adirondack patio chairs or hammocks could even add vacation vibes whereas encouraging family and friends to pay additional time outside! RentACenter of Greenwood makes your backyard or deck the ultimate summer hangout with topoftheline out of doors furniture, from Nordic inspired patio sets and trendsetting loveseats made with Acacia wood to resilient resin wicker chairs with weatherproof cushions upholstered with weatherproof cushions upholstered in weatherproof cushions. Plus we tend to carry relaxing Adirondack patio chairs for relaxing vacation vibes or add four piece lounge sets complete with low tables to your condo porch Nardi Furniture featuring the Omega Chaise for Residential Parks: Creating Outdoor Recreational Spaces so friends can gather and chat for hours without creating an expensive down payment with our easy rent to own rental furniture! Whatever your need may be, our rentable rentals create making out of doors oasis without making a commitment or large down payment simply what you wish!

Outdoor Furnishings Materials and Durability

Your business pool furniture should be designed to stand up to constant use by multiple guests. Search for quickdrying construction materials like aluminum, wicker, recycled plastic and teakwood as these supply lasting performance in wet environments. Cushion, sling and strap models provide resistance against fading in wet conditions while powdercoated frames defend from rusting and corrosion injury.

Nardi Omega for Beachside Lounging

At any movie night or appetizers party, comfortable bean bag chairs provide intimate conversations or sipping wine in front of the hearth. Indulge yourself with this relaxing experience for Valentine's Day dates or unwind once long workday. Conjointly ideal for garden parties and barbecues where relaxed conversation takes place; simply rearrange and wipe clean for quick patio makeover.

Outdoor FurnitureOutdoor FurnitureOutdoor FurnitureOutdoor FurnishingsNardi Omega Chaise for Solo Relaxation

Manmade synthetics became an increasingly common selection for out of doors furniture thanks to their versatile styles and affordable prices. Most are treated against weathering and ultraviolet radiation exposure to assist retain their color while not fading over time, and some come woven in wicker patterns for vogue and texture.

Rustic Nardi Omega Inspirations

Make a budget plan before shopping for pool furniture. Higher price tags sometimes indicate higherquality items; however, this does not necessarily require emptying your checking account so as to urge these top pieces for your poolside patio. Many retailers supply financing and payment plans therefore it is easier for shoppers to afford such luxury outside items for his or her poolside oasis.

Nardi Omega Chaise for Scandinavian Style

When purchasing patio furniture, it is wise to seem for things that can face up to adverse atmospheric condition. If you live in an space liable to frequent rainfall, choose weatherresistant fabrics or furniture with protective umbrella bases and canopies as this can provide additional rain protection. Similarly, considering galvanized steel is additionally an option as this material provides extra durability against corrosion or rusting. Additionally to tables and chairs available from Costco, Costco additionally offers patio furniture covers that feature fitted styles to permit air circulation therefore mildew does not develop; these covers return in numerous colours/ sizes creating this a useful addition for any patio area!

Outdoor Furnishings for Summer Parties

Selecting the perfect balcony furniture for your condo is key to creating it actually your own house. Your choice should replicate each your taste and personality whereas simultaneously increasing its value. Outer furniture offers trendy and durable patio items created with highgrade materials and come complete with lifetime warranties in addition to money back guarantees, making them a sound investment.

Outdoor Furnishings for Sustainable Living

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Nardi Omega Brands and Manufacturers

Resort Life Extendable Table made from premium Eucalyptus Wood with a light-weight aluminum frame is another fantastic possibility, featuring natural organic options including cracks and color variations that enhance its beauty. Treated with Duragrain waterbased end to guard its surface while displaying natural grain options of wood surface.

Nardi Omega for Solo Relaxation

Choosing Outside Furniture For Your Hoa. Take into account how residents and guests can use your hoa's outside furniture when buying it for them. Weatherproof tables and chairs bring indoor comfort outdoors while rockers or Adirondacks give relaxing lounging options.

If you would like to create an impressionful statement with your patio lounge chairs, choose fashionable patio lounge chairs that stand out from the standard plastic or metal deck chairs. Opt for designs featuring comfortable cushions and fabrics plus options like reclining options and adjustable height settings for optimal comfort. And, there is certain to be chairs of various sizes to suit each need of your guests!

Making a Poolside Paradise With Out of doors Furniture For Pools

Search for chairs with ottomans that provide enough comfort for one person, good for relaxing afternoons within the garden. Additionally, rummage around for ones created from easytoclean materials and that can stand up to outside parts.

Nardi Omega Chaise for Pet-Friendly Spaces

LBO is the premier wholesale supplier of aluminum metal patio and pool furniture for public swimming pools, non-public swimming pools, water parks, YMCA's, residences, home owners associations (HOA's), hotels and resorts. Their high quality industrial grade patio and pool furniture product are manufactured using superior materials like Marine Grade Polymer that resist warping, fading or chemical breakdown perfect to be used at public and private pools alike! Contract Furnishings International provides stylish yet snug outdoor furniture to any business, perfect for restaurants, hotels or clubs alike. Our big selection of patio furniture matches any theme or vogue with styles designed to withstand rain, snow and sun an important consideration when selecting outdoor seating for any restaurant, hotel or club.

Omega Chaise for Mountain Retreats

Artie's outside furniture is highquality and longlasting, designed with sustainability in mind. Their products are created using recyclable materials like recycled woods and ecofriendly fabrics; additionally they employ inexperienced producing processes that have minimal environmental impacts an wonderful approach to add fashionable contemporary decor into the home.

Some of the simplest pool furniture ideas for out of doors spaces embody chaise lounges and different chairs crafted from longwearing materials like teak or resin wicker. Though additional expensive than alternative patio furniture items, these chairs will rise higher over time and create a better aesthetic in your pool space. Furthermore, adjustable backrests may add comfort.

This furniture piece mimics the sound of waves rolling in, making it the ideal piece for relaxing on your porch or deck. Opt for from an array of colours, designs and designs to find one that best complements your patio.

the perfect patio furniture can build all the distinction in a backyard area. Whether or not it's hosting friends for a crawfish boil or relaxing on your deck, out of doors furniture creates welcoming environments where family and friends can unwind together and take pride from one another's company. At Brian's Furniture in Port Allen, there is an array of choices that are positive to suit into any lifestyle perfectly! Selecting outside furniture needs careful thought of both comfort and style, however our extensive selection can create the task abundant easier. From folding chairs that fold and stack to full patio dining sets and lounge seating arrangements and tables and umbrellas that add color or shade you're certain to seek out exactly what you wish for your backyard!

Add further options to your pool chair expertise with something like the Safavieh Newport's easy nevertheless purposeful pool chair, featuring soft foam cushions supported by an enticing, durable eucalyptus wood frame with clean lines, in addition to an innovative slideout table to store drinks and other necessities. Poolside furniture plays a necessary half in providing recreation and relaxation at public swimming pools, from casual chairs to dining tables. When making this selection, it's essential that every piece be durable enough for repeated use, while reflecting the style of its surrounding.

RentToOwn Outside Furniture in Mississippi. Make your backyard the final summer destination with highquality outside furniture from renttoown patio dining sets or two oversized lounge chairs from renttoown patio dining sets, perfect for hosting big barbecues with all of your family, or rent two to make the ideal spot on your condo porch for relaxation together with your partner.

To stay out of doors furniture beautiful and in smart condition, it's crucial that it is often cleaned and guarded against the elements. Regular soap and water cleaning will do simply fine, while adding protective coating such as varnish or wax can keep items trying whole new for an extended period. Alternatively, water repellant spray can conjointly work effectively; just be certain it's been specifically created for out of doors furniture as using regular household cleaners will damage its surface. One in all the most popular trends in outside furniture design is mixing materials. Furniture makers typically combine wood, metal and plastic into trendy styles that face up to weather components giving consumers additional choices so as to pick items that best match their personal designs and add texture and depth to a house.

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Optimizing nuclear fuels for next-generation reactors

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/optimizing-nuclear-fuels-for-next-generation-reactors/

Optimizing nuclear fuels for next-generation reactors

In 2010, when Ericmoore Jossou was attending college in northern Nigeria, the lights would flicker in and out all day, sometimes lasting only for a couple of hours at a time. The frustrating experience reaffirmed Jossou’s realization that the country’s sporadic energy supply was a problem. It was the beginning of his path toward nuclear engineering.

Because of the energy crisis, “I told myself I was going to find myself in a career that allows me to develop energy technologies that can easily be scaled to meet the energy needs of the world, including my own country,” says Jossou, an assistant professor in a shared position between the departments of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE), where is the John Clark Hardwick (1986) Professor, and of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Today, Jossou uses computer simulations for rational materials design, AI-aided purposeful development of cladding materials and fuels for next-generation nuclear reactors. As one of the shared faculty hires between the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and departments across MIT, his appointment recognizes his commitment to computing for climate and the environment.

A well-rounded education in Nigeria

Growing up in Lagos, Jossou knew education was about more than just bookish knowledge, so he was eager to travel and experience other cultures. He would start in his own backyard by traveling across the Niger river and enrolling in Ahmadu Bello University in northern Nigeria. Moving from the south was a cultural education with a different language and different foods. It was here that Jossou got to try and love tuwo shinkafa, a northern Nigerian rice-based specialty, for the first time.

After his undergraduate studies, armed with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Jossou was among a small cohort selected for a specialty master’s training program funded by the World Bank Institute and African Development Bank. The program at the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja, Nigeria, is a pan-African venture dedicated to nurturing homegrown science talent on the continent. Visiting professors from around the world taught intensive three-week courses, an experience which felt like drinking from a fire hose. The program widened Jossou’s views and he set his sights on a doctoral program with an emphasis on clean energy systems.

A pivot to nuclear science

While in Nigeria, Jossou learned of Professor Jerzy Szpunar at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, who was looking for a student researcher to explore fuels and alloys for nuclear reactors. Before then, Jossou was lukewarm on nuclear energy, but the research sounded fascinating. The Fukushima, Japan, incident was recently in the rearview mirror and Jossou remembered his early determination to address his own country’s energy crisis. He was sold on the idea and graduated with a doctoral degree from the University of Saskatchewan on an international dean’s scholarship.

Jossou’s postdoctoral work registered a brief stint at Brookhaven National Laboratory as staff scientist. He leaped at the opportunity to join MIT NSE as a way of realizing his research interest and teaching future engineers. “I would really like to conduct cutting-edge research in nuclear materials design and to pass on my knowledge to the next generation of scientists and engineers and there’s no better place to do that than at MIT,” Jossou says.

Merging material science and computational modeling

Jossou’s doctoral work on designing nuclear fuels for next-generation reactors forms the basis of research his lab is pursuing at MIT NSE. Nuclear reactors that were built in the 1950s and ’60s are getting a makeover in terms of improved accident tolerance. Reactors are not confined to one kind, either: We have micro reactors and are now considering ones using metallic nuclear fuels, Jossou points out. The diversity of options is enough to keep researchers busy testing materials fit for cladding, the lining that prevents corrosion of the fuel and release of radioactive fission products into the surrounding reactor coolant.

The team is also investigating fuels that improve burn-up efficiencies, so they can last longer in the reactor. An intriguing approach has been to immobilize the gas bubbles that arise from the fission process, so they don’t grow and degrade the fuel.

Since joining MIT in July 2023, Jossou is setting up a lab that optimizes the composition of accident-tolerant nuclear fuels. He is leaning on his materials science background and looping computer simulations and artificial intelligence in the mix.

Computer simulations allow the researchers to narrow down the potential field of candidates, optimized for specific parameters, so they can synthesize only the most promising candidates in the lab. And AI’s predictive capabilities guide researchers on which materials composition to consider next. “We no longer depend on serendipity to choose our materials, our lab is based on rational materials design,” Jossou says, “we can rapidly design advanced nuclear fuels.”

Advancing energy causes in Africa

Now that he is at MIT, Jossou admits the view from the outside is different. He now harbors a different perspective on what Africa needs to address some of its challenges. “The starting point to solve our problems is not money; it needs to start with ideas,” he says, “we need to find highly skilled people who can actually solve problems.” That job involves adding economic value to the rich arrays of raw materials that the continent is blessed with. It frustrates Jossou that Niger, a country rich in raw material for uranium, has no nuclear reactors of its own. It ships most of its ore to France. “The path forward is to find a way to refine these materials in Africa and to be able to power the industries on that continent as well,” Jossou says.

Jossou is determined to do his part to eliminate these roadblocks.

Anchored in mentorship, Jossou’s solution aims to train talent from Africa in his own lab. He has applied for a MIT Global Experiences MISTI grant to facilitate travel and research studies for Ghanaian scientists. “The goal is to conduct research in our facility and perhaps add value to indigenous materials,” Jossou says.

Adding value has been a consistent theme of Jossou’s career. He remembers wanting to become a neurosurgeon after reading “Gifted Hands,” moved by the personal story of the author, Ben Carson. As Jossou grew older, however, he realized that becoming a doctor wasn’t necessarily what he wanted. Instead, he was looking to add value. “What I wanted was really to take on a career that allows me to solve a societal problem.” The societal problem of clean and safe energy for all is precisely what Jossou is working on today.

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Choosing the Best Landscaping Company: A Step-by-Step Guide

Selecting the right landscaping company can significantly impact the outcome of your landscaping project. Whether you're planning to revamp your backyard or create a beautiful front garden, finding a reputable and skilled landscaping company is essential. In this step-by-step guide, we'll navigate through the process of choosing the best landscaping company that aligns with your vision and needs.

1. Assess Your Needs and Preferences: Define Your Vision

Before you start searching for a landscaping company, take time to define your needs and preferences. What is the scope of your landscaping project? Are you looking for a complete garden makeover, regular maintenance, or specific additions like a patio or water feature? Understanding your requirements will help you communicate effectively with potential landscaping companies.

2. Research Local Landscaping Companies: Build a List

Begin your search by researching local landscaper near me companies in your area. Browse online directories, ask for recommendations from friends or neighbors, and check online reviews. Create a list of potential companies to further evaluate their services and suitability for your project.

3. Check Credentials and Experience: Ensure Professionalism

Once you have a list of potential landscaping companies, dig deeper to assess their credentials and experience. Verify if the companies are licensed, insured, and bonded. Experience matters, so look for companies that have a proven track record in providing landscaping services. An experienced company is more likely to understand the nuances of landscaping and deliver a satisfying result.

4. Review Portfolios and Past Projects: Evaluate Their Work

Take the time to review the portfolios and past projects of the landscaping companies on your list. Look for projects similar to what you have in mind. Assess the quality of their work, creativity in design, and attention to detail. This step will give you a good idea of the capabilities and style of each company.

5. Request References and Client Testimonials: Hear from Previous Clients

Ask the landscaping companies for references from their previous clients. Speaking to past clients allows you to gain insights into their experiences, satisfaction level, and any challenges they may have faced. Additionally, read client testimonials and reviews online to gather more feedback about the company's performance and reliability.

6. Inquire About Services and Specializations: Ensure a Match

Reach out to the landscaping companies to inquire about the range of services they offer and any specializations they have. Some companies may specialize in certain areas like sustainable landscaping or hardscaping. Ensure that the company you choose aligns with the specific services you need for your project.

7. Discuss Budget and Estimates: Get Clarity on Costs

Be transparent about your budget with the landscaping companies and request detailed estimates for your project. Understand what is included in the estimates and if there are any potential additional costs. Choose a landscaping company that can work within your budget while delivering the desired results.

8. Meet the Team and Communicate: Gauge Professionalism

Arrange meetings with the landscaping companies you're seriously considering. Use this opportunity to meet the team, discuss your vision, and gauge their professionalism and communication skills. A good working relationship and clear communication are essential for a successful landscaping project.

9. Consider Reviews and Recommendations: Weigh Public Opinion

Take into account the reviews, recommendations, and feedback from others who have worked with the landscaping companies on your shortlist. Public opinion can offer valuable insights and help you make an informed decision.

10. Make an Informed Decision: Choose the Right Fit

After careful evaluation and consideration of all the factors, make an informed decision and select the landscaping company that best fits your needs, preferences, and budget. Ensure you have a written contract that outlines all the project details, timelines, costs, and any other important terms.

In conclusion, choosing the best landscaping company involves a systematic approach of defining your needs, researching, assessing credentials, reviewing past work, and communicating effectively. Taking the time to follow these steps will ultimately lead you to a reputable and capable landscaping company that can turn your landscaping vision into a beautiful reality. Happy landscaping!