#blue scallop tile

[hellaplastic]

Seattle Kids Bathroom Mid-sized transitional kids' bathroom design example with blue and gray porcelain tile, a gray floor, a single sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, quartz countertops, white countertops, a built-in vanity, gray walls, and a vessel sink.

[il-faut-etre-shooter]

Transitional Bathroom Seattle Inspiration for a large transitional master porcelain tile and white tile porcelain tile, white floor and double-sink bathroom remodel with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

[biggsunko]

Bathroom Powder Room in Seattle Example of a small transitional powder room with wainscoting, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, blue walls, a vessel sink, white countertops, and blue porcelain tile flooring.

[thequeenofsand]

Seattle Master Bath Bathroom Inspiration for a large transitional master porcelain tile and white tile porcelain tile, white floor and double-sink bathroom remodel with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

[choasset]

Philadelphia 3/4 Bath Example of a small eclectic 3/4 blue tile and subway tile mosaic tile floor, multicolored floor, single-sink and wallpaper bathroom design with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, multicolored walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

[evan-collins90]

Farallon restaurant - 450 Post Street, San Francisco, CA (opened June 1997 - closed 2020)

"Farallon is named after a fishing island off the Pacific coast.

The underwater fantasy theme drives the $4 million restaurant. The electric atmosphere grabs customers the minute they walk through the glass doors framed by a brushed steel and Lucite canopy, which vaguely looks like a scallop shell. Giant jellyfish chandeliers hang from the high ceiling. The walls are textured with shellfish impressions, and lighted yellow pillars that climb the walls are imprinted with seaweed. And that's just the bar.

The big main dining room is more elegant, but maintains the marine motif. Tiny tiles form mosaics on the ceiling, where two huge light fixtures are formed into seashells. Even the hood over the kitchen carries out the theme: It's covered in copper scales. And suspended over the counter are beautiful blown-glass lights shaped like fish.

A gracefully curving staircase leading to the mezzanine is covered in 50,000 blue-black glass beads that resemble magnified caviar, while the wall sconces replicate stands of coral and barnacles."

Excellent examples of the 'Org-Nouveau' style popular in the 1990's

Designed by Pat Kuleto

Scanned from American Theme Restaurants by I.M. Tao (1999) and the February 1998 issue of Interiors Magazine

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This is an amazing Zen estate. The architectural features are superb. Built in 2002 in Santa Fe, NM, the 6bd, 8ba estate is priced at $2.595M.

Isn't the entrance hall amazing? It's like entering a Buddhist temple.

Intricately carved wood, niches, and a tile fireplace with built-in sofas to match.

The sculptural architecture is magnificent.

Step down into a large living room. The entrance has carved molding and the ceiling beams fan out like an umbrella.

You'll notice lots of skylights in the ceilings. I would think that the white candle tables are sculpted up from the floor.

Enter this very serene space.

I like these umbrella ceilings. This is a lovely dining room with a corner Pueblo style fireplace.

I like how the ceiling crisscrosses. The rooms are so sculptural throughout the home.

Another scalloped and beamed ceiling, carved wood columns and a carved fireplace.

Beautiful dining area for the kitchen has high open ceilings.

The kitchen is lovely. Almost every room has a rounded wall or two, and the kitchen is no exception. I like the brick wall, light Shaker cabinets and hammered copper farm sink.

There are so many tables and chairs. I love the turquoise tile, and at first I thought it was a water feature, but I'm not sure what it is.

The primary bd. is spacious, has a raised platform bed, and a fabulous built-in canopy. A door opens to a patio and a lighted art niche is in wall next to the desk.

This bath has double blue glass sinks and a stone floor that comes up to surround the tub.

The stairs are beautiful with the carved rail, niches, and interesting light fixtures.

This bedroom is lovely. It has so many built-ins the scalloped ceiling and doors to a patio. It's like a 2-room suite.

Go down the stairs to a sitting area that looks like a play area for toddlers, with the safety gates. But, notice the ceiling fan- isn't that cool?

The baths are all very Zen. This one has a stone tub surround.

Here's a nice corner home office with spiral stairs to a loft.

The grounds are absolutely stunning. Here's a fountain and a vine growing over a wood structure, plus a garden of sculptural rocks.

There's a covered patio and larger patio under a pergola.

And, off to the side there's a koi pond.

A path to stroll passes by a beautiful water feature.

This is a custom-built 2bd, 3ba guest house.

The desert estate is 13.74 acres.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/14-Destierro-Trl-Santa-Fe-NM-87506/6843993_zpid/

[thegigilwriter]

02 | “Danger & Star, Rooster & Angel” — Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Female Mitchell OC

Summary: 26-year-old Lucy Asa Mitchell did not know what was in store for her when she first bumped into Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. After an instant mutual connection followed by a sweet whirlwind romance that swept both their feet, Lucy found herself being immersed deeper into Bradley’s world of the Navy, F-14s, and deployments. What she didn’t expect was finding was the answer to an elusive part of her past — the identity of her long-lost father.

Masterlist

Keywords/Warnings: Romance, Inaccuracies of the Navy and Marine Biology, Implied religious theme

02 | Halo-Halos by the Beach 🍧

Monday May 29, 2023

Lucy

Grasping at the pebbled edge, Lucy lifted herself from the water and laid down with her feet still submerged. Her eyes drifted far above the glass ceiling of the arena, the sky looked like a pot of ink spilling into various hues of blue and purple. She breathed as slowly as she could, her chest rising steadily and falling at the same pace.

Only 25 laps, Lucy. Thatʼs it. Thatʼs what the doctor said.

Resisting the strong urge to throw herself into the water once more, she rose to her feet swiftly and grabbed her towel on the bench.

She wiped the water from the mirror, steam still present in the air. Glancing towards her hair brush, she began to towel her hair dry. It fell from the sink ledge, and the clatter against the tiles was resounding in an empty shower room. Surely the steam will result in a frizzy aftermath, nevertheless, Lucy began to comb — for the sensation was simply comforting. She looked at herself in the mirror. In truth, Lucy Mitchell was average-looking. Olive skin. mahogany hair, brown eyes, and a slightly wider face than she had liked. She had two moles: one at the corner of her left eye and the other at the right corner of her lip. These were her God-given attributes. No mesmerizing irises or kissable lips. A lot of people remarked that she was a carbon copy of her mother. They did have the same features, so Lucy always wondered why her mother was far more beautiful than she.

In her mind, Bradley Bradshawʼs dimple beside his swoon-inducing smile and the velvet tone of his voice appeared. She could feel the graze of his fingertips as he first handed her the fallen tape, his bicep beneath her palm, and his warm skin as their arms brushed when they sat together in the front seat of his Bronco. Her eyes returned to her reflection. Sighing, she clasped on her small string of pearls and her cross, and placed the strap of her beige-colored tote on her shoulder. She walked to the parking lot to her dark burgundy-colored Nissan Versa, opened the driverʼs seat and hopped right in. Placing her tote in the passengerʼs seat, she then folded her hands atop the steering wheel and pressed her forehead against them.

God, even he can wear the scars on his face so good.

She looked at her dashboard.

It was 5:50 in the morning, and she was going to be late for church.

“Lord, I am not worthy to enter under your roof,ˮ she whispered. “But only say the word and I shall be healed.ˮ

There was a a pause of silence and then a shuffle of movement. From the furthest pew, Lucy watched the backs of the processors rise and line up towards the altar. Her eyes moved towards the enormous stone cross that was carved from the natural stone wall and stared at Jesusʼ face. She must have been for quite some time for another churchgoer beside her to nudge her gently against the arm. It was Tita Ramona, with her kind eyes, smile lines, milky complexion, and mourning veil with Chantilly lace and a scalloped edge.

“Itʼs time to receive him again my child,ˮ She looked at Lucy kindly.

As she walked solemnly up the aisle, she couldnʼt help but feel a sense of relief seeing many familiar faces with their heads bowed towards their clasped hands.

After walking down the aisle and receiving Him with a quiet “Amen,ˮ she returned to her seat and knelt down in prayer. She didnʼt really know what she could say or what to ask, so she remained in silence. Her gaze was drawn towards a woman in a green forest frock, and beside her, two sleepy little children in their navy-colored school uniforms. Lucy smiled as the sister leaned her head tiredly against her brotherʼs shoulder. He looked at her annoyed, but patted her head softly. She didnʼt know when she started crying — it was absurd to her— how fast the tears ran down her cheek. Beside her, Tita Ramona took her hand in hers.

“Does it ever stop?ˮ Lucy asked quietly.

“No,ˮ she replied to her after a long pause. “You just learn to live with it... and eventually, it will hurt less. Give Him your tears, now sweet child — give Him your tomorrows and be thank Him for today.ˮ

So Lucy did, and she asked for one more thing.

“Lord, if heʼs the man youʼve sent for me, let him sit with me in front of You.ˮ

She looked at the cross again. She looked at the backs of the church-goers on their knees — just like she was. She didnʼt feel so alone anymore.

She turned the keys to her apartment and let herself in. She placed her tote on the hatstand, her shoes into the wooden compartment, the fresh pandesal on her countertop, and turned the kettle on. As the water boiled, Lucy lay down on her grape-colored couch. She lay sideways facing the TV console, her most recent creation, which also served as a home to two two-year-old tortoises. Lucy slid off of the couch, hung her fingers in holes of the mesh cover, and peered at them. The foreground was covered in random ceramic tiles that Lucy had found at Goodwill. The coco coir and topsoil hybrid substrate was speckled with succulents, interestingly shaped rocks, and pieces of Mopani wood. At one corner was a painted clay plant pot tipped on its side where the tortoises could take refuge, and in another was a shallow terracotta dish plate filled with water that Lucy made in one pottery class. Two heating lamps were installed on either side of the enclosure.

“Hello Tip and Toe,ˮ she smiled at them. Toe stared at her with a mundane expression (assuming tortoises can have expressions) as he worked on some lettuce, and Tip emerged from the water basin to greet her. Lucy took the mister from the top of the console, opened the hatch on the side, and began to spray the interior. She laughed as the tortoises closed their eyes, as if savoring the cool water.

With that, she proceeded to water the hanging plants as well: her succulent Mother of Thousands, her Hindu Rope plant, her various Spider plants, and her Garden String of Hearts. By the window sill — her tomatoes, kalamansis, chives, various herbs, and her ferns. After tending to her green children, she approached every one of her Walstad shrimp and snail bowls — six of them to be exact, that were all over the apartment.

When she was quite finished, she took the kettle and poured herself some hot water for her hot chocolate. Sitting on the couch with the paper bag of pandesal, she turned the TV on . She tore a piece of the bread in her hands and dipped into her drink.

“Give him a date for when Maryʼs out of mourning,ˮ The Countess Dowager, Lady Grantham said from the screen. “No one wants to kiss a girl in black.”

Lucyʼs gaze lingered towards her bookshelf and the lonesome guitar on its stand beside it. She sighed and looked at the clock above. It was already nearly noon.

Bradley stood against the Bronco, hand in his pocket, and another on his phone. It was 1:50 in the afternoon and Bradley was waiting for Lucy. He had already saved the location of their first date on his phone. So he went ahead and opened his photo gallery for the screenshot of the address when to his surprise, there were shots from yesterdayʼs events. Perhaps it was Nat who had taken them when Bradley had to go to the washroom when they were at that Shake Shack. There were wacky selfies of Nat and an annoyed Sam, and the last two pictures were of Lucy who seemed to be engaged in a conversation with the latter. Her eyes were shining and her smile was wide in both of them.

Bradley stared at the photo for a while until the creak of the gate in front of him caught his attention, and there, was Lucy in the flesh. She was wearing a green, delicate, cap-sleeved top and an off-white bohemian long skirt with sandals. She had removed nearly all the accessories she had don on when they first met, save for her string of small pearls and little cross on her neck. Her hair was in a half-up, with curly locks framing her face.

“I see that you are consistent with your sense of style, Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy chuckled. Yes, to her, Hawaiian-print shirts were corny and should only be worn on cruises. But that with a pair of denim pants, a fitted tank top, and a pair of aviators on Bradley Bradshaw? He was the exception.

“What can I say?ˮ Bradley smirked. “I gotta maintain standards.ˮ “And you, Lucy Mitchell...ˮ he drawled.

Lucy raised a single brow in amusement as he drew closer to her.

“Are beautiful.ˮ

“W-Well—“ She blushed profusely. “Iʼd say have pretty good standards too, Lieutenant.ˮ

“Without a doubt,ˮ Bradley was smiling at her pink cheeks, and offered his hand to her. Lucy was the smallest woman Bradley took on out for a date and he couldnʼt help but let out a few chuckles as he helped her up into the Bronco. It was endearing, and he couldnʼt help but like the way her smooth and dainty hands felt against his big and rough palms.

“I think Iʼm too short to ride this one Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy joked. “Youʼre fun-sized!ˮ Bradley laughed.

After loading in the Bronco, Bradley set the location on his phone and turned on the radio.

“Welcome to our first official date, Lucy Mitchell.ˮ He said as they pulled into the street.

“Glad to be on board,ˮ Lucy played along.

“So—“ Bradley began.

“Oh my goodness!ˮ Lucy exclaimed, as she reached her hand for the radio dial. “I love this!ˮ

“You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain,ˮ Lucy sang, her eyes closed, and her hands poised as if she was holding onto some drumsticks, following the beat with zest. “To much love drives a man insane!ˮ

Lucy averted her gaze towards him.

“You broke my will, but a thrill.ˮ

She did a cute little head bang before singing aloud:

“Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!ˮ

For the entirety of the song, Bradley didnʼt speak — not because of Lucyʼs avid iteration of Jerry Lee Jewisʼ Great Balls of Fire — but from genuine shock, from the fact that she knew every word and part of it. If the universe was sending Bradley a sign that he should marry someone, it couldnʼt have been more obvious than Lucy Mitchell head-banging to the piano solo and dancing jerkily in the front seat of his Bronco.

They arrived at Sitaʼs some minutes later. Bradley had to duck under the threshold and go down some steps to enter the quaint little shop on Newport Avenue. The eclectic vicinity was illuminated with pale-yellow fairy lights and the walls were one giant, vibrant mural. There was bamboo furniture placed casually around the venue, as well thriving ornamental plants. Bradley and Lucy approached the counter, where a rotund and cheery middle-aged woman was wiping it down. She had a hibuscus flower in her dark coils with olive skin, and deep-set eyes.

“Hey!ˮ She boomed, reaching over the counter to embrace Lucy. “I havenʼt seen you for so long!ˮ

“Hello Bonnie,ˮ Lucy smiled. “Howʼs the new terrier?ˮ

“Heʼs delightful!ˮ Bonnie beamed. “Me and Marcus are seriously considering taking him in!ˮ

“Thatʼs great!ˮ

“Now, now—“ Bonnie looked over Lucyʼs shoulder. “Whoʼs your new friend?ˮ

“Bradley, Bradley Bradshaw,ˮ he shook Carolʼs hand.

“Nice to meet you, Bradley,ˮ she smiled. “Do you work with, Lucy?ˮ

“Not at all,ˮ Bradley replied. “Iʼm dating Lucy.ˮ

Bonnie turned to Lucy, absolutely gobsmacked. Lucy glared at Bradley with playfully as he held up is hands with a chuckle, as if to express his innocence.

“Lucy Mitchell!ˮ She gasped. “Itʼs about time!ˮ

“Just get us the two specials, please Bonnie.ˮ Lucy blushed.

“Alright, alright I wonʼt tease now!ˮ She laughed. “Now you two have fun, Iʼll have your order out in a minute.ˮ

“Thank you,ˮ Lucy breathed as she took a beeper from the counter and lead Bradley towards their seats.

“She seems like the life of party,ˮ Bradley remarked as they sat down.

“Bon is like the sun,ˮ Lucy said as she set down the beeper and tucked her purse against her side. “She attracts nearly everything that comes into orbit.ˮ

“So quite like you?ˮ He smiled.

“You flatter me Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy laughed. “But I am not a sun person.ˮ

“Then what would you say you are?ˮ

Lucy fell quiet in thought.

“I would say Iʼm the poet who admires them,ˮ Lucy replied.

“Wouldnʼt you rather be the flower or stars?ˮ Bradley wondered.

“These are all beautiful things. But what good is beauty if there is no one to receive it or if there are no words to venerate it — to immortalize it?ˮ

“Maybe beauty isnʼt important if itʼs temporary,ˮ Bradley replied. “Thereʼs something more intangible about the sun — more than its aurora borealis and rainbows. It makes plants grow and the seasons change.ˮ

Lucy gazed at him considerably.

“I meant what I said earlier. Youʼre a beautiful woman Lucy Mitchell, and itʼs more than skin-deep,ˮ Bradley gazed into her sweet caramel-colored eyes. “So imagine my surprise when I thought I heard Bon say that youʼve never been on a date before.ˮ

Just then, the beeper resounded noisily. Bradley gently pried the device from her fingertips as he knelt in front of her.

“Iʼll get it, Angel.ˮ

Lucy was blushing profusely now. Her heart was beating thunderously against her warm chest. This specimen of a man. This good-looking, smooth-talking Casanova had no right to be this impressive — especially for her official first date. Somehow, it infuriated her. But when he flashes that priceless smile, all rage simply evaporates and all is well.

Bradley returns with two, big fancy plastic bowls of cold dessert, grin large as he approached their table.

“Okay— maybe this is my first date,ˮ Lucy admitted. “But you are certainly not the first man to ask me on one.ˮ

“Glad Iʼm up to your standards Angel,ˮ Bradley winked. “I do have a proposition Iʼd like to run through you, if you donʼt mind?ˮ

“Go on.ˮ

“I appreciated how you were so direct with me yesterday, so I figued Iʼd return the favor. How about this? You can ask me any 10 questions youʼd like about anything.ˮ

“And in return?ˮ Lucy raised a brow.

“I can ask you any 10 questions I like.ˮ “What if I donʼt answer a question?ˮ

“Then you have to give me something else,ˮ Bradley smirked. “A meal, a performance, a kiss...ˮ

“Nice try,ˮ she chuckled. “But Iʼd like to take you up on that anyway, Lieutenant.ˮ

“Okay, but before we start what — is this?ˮ He gestured towards the dessert.

“Itʼs halo-halo,ˮ Lucy grinned at his amusement, picking up the cup and savoring a lick of the purple yam ice cream on top. “Itʼs shaved ice and ice cream and sweet beans and jello and evaporated milk and egg custard and rice krispies. Itʼs the most chaotically delicious dessert to ever exist.ˮ

“You...ˮ Bradley chuckled. “Have a way with words. Alright, how do we eat this?ˮ “Itʼs in the name,ˮ Lucy smiled. “You mix-mix!ˮ

Bradley watched her lips grow wide as she relished the satisfying crunch of the ice against every beat of her spoon.

They drove up the coast, blaring the radio and singing along, and stopped for some fries at a nearby McDonaldʼs. Bradley parked the Bronco and helped Lucy down before they slipped off their footwear and strolled on the warm sand by the cool water edge. They treaded the peaceful landscape side-by-side in a comfortable silence.

“Mmmh,ˮ Lucy sighed. “Fries and halo-halo and the beach.ˮ

“I think Iʼve underestimated how fun first dates can be,ˮ she remarked.

“No,ˮ Bradley shook his head. “Youʼre just lucky that your first oneʼs with me.ˮ

“How lucky I am indeed,ˮ Lucy laughed.

Bradley turned to her.

“Alright, hereʼs my first question.ˮ

“Fire away.ˮ

“Where did you grow up?ˮ

Bradley stared as Lucy licked her lips.

“Before I moved to Oregon in middle-school, I grew up in this... beautiful little place called El Nido. Itʼs in an island called Palawan, a part of the Philippines.“

“I think one of my buddies went there for the summer,ˮ Bradley spoke. “Was this buddy of yours into scuba-diving?ˮ

“I think he is,ˮ Bradley nodded.

“El Nido tends to attract their kind. Itʼs really no wonder why I became a marine biologist.ˮ

“How about you? Where did you grow up, Lieutenant?ˮ “Just Virginia,ˮ he replied.

“Iʼve always wanted to visit. Thereʼs Mount Vermont, Monticello, so many natural parks...ˮ

“Maybe we can take a road trip someday?ˮ

“I like the idea of that,ˮ Lucy smiled.

“So Sam told me the other day that your team studied whales in particular...ˮ Lucy hummed in confirmation, as she popped a fry into her mouth.

“Out of every living thing in the sea, why whales?ˮ

“It wasnʼt really in my plans to study whales. When I first came to Umi, I was working in reef conservation. We basically traveled, built artificial reefs, grew corals, and did some education promotion stuff— I loved it. One day, my team and Dr. Agnesʼ — my boss now— boarded on the same boat on our way to Florida. On one of our free days, we all hung out in a baby Manatee reservation. I guess... she was intrigued with the way the calfs were following me around and clinging to me. Before I knew it, she was having me sign my transfer papers over to her team and handling the whale interactions.ˮ

“Wow,ˮ Bradley chuckled. “Are you some secret baby Manatee whisperer, or something? I promise I wonʼt tell.ˮ

“Careful Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy teased. “I might just count that as your third question.ˮ

“How kind of you not to,ˮ Bradley teased back. “Look, you may not be some whisperer and you yourself may not know— but youʼre kinda easy to be with, Angel. And over the years Iʼve learned that animals are one of the best judges of character.ˮ

Lucy gazed at him considerably.

“Thank you Lieutenant,ˮ she said softly. “But I think Iʼd prefer being part of a team of scientists for my abilities as a researcher, over my qualities as a person, donʼt you?ˮ

“Sure,ˮ Bradley replied. “But youʼd be surprised how there are more smart asses out there than people who choose to be kind — and look at our world. Itʼs still a shitty place.ˮ

“Perhaps thatʼs one of the reasons why I switched over to whales,ˮ Lucy mused. “You see so many ugly and hopeless things in conservation and you feel so helpless when you can‘t do anything to fix them.ˮ

“Thereʼs many things in this world you and I can never fix, Angel. The least we could do is live the lives we want to lead.ˮ

“Did you lead the life you want to lead so far?ˮ Lucy asked. “Why did you want to become a pilot? Those are two separate questions by the way. I have seven left...ˮ

Bradley chuckled.

“Flying multimillion aircrafts and landing them on boats is cool and all, but I became an aviator because of my dad. He was a really great pilot and a great guy, and Iʼve always looked up to him. I wanted to live my life like he did.ˮ

“Was?ˮ

“He died when I was two,ˮ Bradley sighed. “He broke his neck when he was trying to eject. His call sign was Goose and just like you — he loved Jerry Lewisʼ Great Balls of Fire.ˮ

“He had impeccable taste,ˮ Lucy spoke. “He should be proud though… he gave the world a decent pilot and a girl an amazing first date.ˮ

Bradley laughed.

They sat on the beach together, their half-finished dessert cups buried partly in the dunes. Sand clung to their skins and the richly-colored glow of the setting Californian sun came upon them as their amount of allotted questions slowly dwindled to none.

“You know,ˮ Bradley drawled. “I technically didnʼt answer one of your questions.ˮ

“How honest of you, Lieutenant,ˮ Lucy remarked.

“I havenʼt led the life I wanted to live,ˮ Bradley gazed at her, her sweet-colored eyes drawing him to her. A stray hair fell on her check and he tucked it behind her ear.

“Not yet, at least.ˮ

“Since I didnʼt answer that when you asked me, I guess it means I owe you one huh?ˮ

Lucy was far too preoccupied with his handsome visage — the indents left by the scars on his face, the sincerity in his eyes that her melt with every stare, the shape of his lips, the trembling locks of his charmingly curled hair, and his oh-so suave mustache.

“How ‘bout another date, Angel?ˮ

I’m so excited! Looks like their first date went amazing✨ Their next date is a little more inventive, and I’m hopeful that I can emphasize a more intimate aspect of Bradley’s character while as much as possible remaining true to his canon. You can read 03 | A Hike and a Dance here!

[moodyskeletonart]

ACNH Skeleton Island Day 3

Construction on the museum has started, I'll FINALLY be able to donate the fish and bugs that have been piling on my yard, I basically have my own museum at this point tbh

I FINALLY have my house, which is pretty epic no lie

Got the stuff I ordered in the mail, also got Gulliver's gift in the mail, which was... A 'pigtail'... Thanks. I'll keep my Wario hat.

HHA also gave me a recipe for a wooden end table

Did some very mild home decorating, extremely early work in progress here, my house is basically in the pre-alpha stages here

I'll figure out a theme for my house eventually, I might end up falling back into the cabin motif that I always go with, or maybe not? Maybe I can try to get a mid century home equivalent

Oh yeah fun fact, you don't need to mash the A button to make crafting go faster, you just need to press it twice

The washed up bottle gave me a recipe for a wooden stool, nice, I guess

Gullivarrr washed up on shore, did his thing, while doing it I found a scallop, which summoned Pascal, he gave me a recipe for a mermaid wall, laid me the deep truth on me, feel this dawg "They say that yesterday is gone, but I can still see it on my calendar, maaan." That's a good one I like that one, actually, I do actually consider myself truthed today, anyway I found Gullivarrr's communicator, so now he can get back to his crew ARRRRR!!! ;) So I guess he'll mail me something tomorrow.

Went into the community center tent, and they're talking about building the shop, I pretty much mostly have the supplies for that so I'll be able to complete that immediately, then Nook gave me a miles ticket, I'll wait to use it for the three houses

Bought a garden lamp and K.K. Blues from Nook Shopping

I gave Timmy 30 pieces of regular and soft wood, he gave monochromatic-tile wall and aqua tile flooring in return, then I gathered and donated the iron nuggets, he gave more flooring, I used this flooring, kept the other two as I might end up having a use for them

Sheldon gave me some iron nuggets, cool

Got stung by bees while chopping wood

Then I donated my hard wood and then I plopped down the shop, Plucky gave me a shovel while doing this, anyway I put the shop basically right next to the community center

Then I talked to Tom Nook, aaaaand he didn't say anything about the person that wanted to move in, I guess my goal for today is to just get enough money to pay off my loan

[thenightlymirror]

Rhubarb

We used a 500w light

The kind you buy from Home Depot

And hid it above the bathroom mirror

The light that came down from the ceiling

Painted everything in a warm shimmer

The actor that played you in this film

Was not the one I would have chosen

He had a habit of smiling when he had nothing better to do

Which made the suicide attempt at the end of the film

Seem to come out of nowhere

Your professor friend told you to take the scene out

But I was adamant that the scene stay in

It’s the only shot I like

If you really want to make everything cohere

Just get rid of the rest of the film where he’s smiling for no reason

You could have said something

That’s what directing is.

Balibar

I misread something once and assumed for many years that Etienne Balibar was Althusser’s wife

He looks like he gives really good hugs

Rhubarb #2

See, knocking toward recorded states

Knowing most days ever deduced you

No season forwarding miles

She, wraith-like, lifts the sitter through the ether

Up through dirt and regret

Her spirit-name lapping over stones on the river

The white sheet, wet, tracing time in wooden faces

In Illyrium, mine forever

Out of nickel slugs, the lie and splinter gang

Stay with me stage-left in the hallway of your laundry room

The shadow of your wrist

The black summer outside in cicada hum

The stage painted black

Yellow dressing room lights dimly during the day

While classes went on and we slept in sawdust

The sawdust, the centipede

The tile floor of your bathroom under the risers

Bleecher marks on your skin

Thoth hidden in the bathtub Armada among artifacts like the cold faucet

You, Anise, in cattails

Stepping on boards across marshes

You, sweet friend, red seraphim, yours alone

Ewe’s horn and fool, come and find me

Malefic foe of D’ne, attacking the temple headfirst

Shallow gold passage of oil that flows over her feet

The lady machine bewitched

The Dodo’s song on the back of a washboard

Along Katib’s reed and whistle

Elephants sigh in empathy with the ghost

He knows

When the smiling snake of Tabitha and Abbadon

The red scalloped rib of the cinema curtain

The rabbit’s pink nose on heaven’s cloud

Air graveyard pipes

And violin bow the singing saw

Evil eye on sister Venus climbing the miller’s wheel

Speaking her angel’s papyrus with disappearing ink

Remember me before we knew warm river shores

Long fingers in sand

The soil that hangs on branches standing upright on its banks

Pulling the threads of it dark brown roots

Tangled in telephone wires red and blue

The beige receiver unscrewed

The voice in carbon cupped in your hand

Yellow vinyl, bareback, cigarette smoke hovering into the austere void above

Soft plastic tissue released from engines in the blue sky

The deep end of the living room

Suspension of the lithe body

The proximity and weight

Roaring lion’s voice and the beasts it kills like an open door

Tawny and overgrown rusted junkyard

Heat and sweat on your cool face underneath

The tattered orange towel that covers the window

The tortoise shell

Love or the dark cabinet

I waited hidden for hours crying alternately sniggering through the peep hole

As the party continued

As breath quickened and stopped

Teapot Dome changes a gourd half carved out an intricate path

Stiff paper walls

Labyrinthine circuit, unseen, unknown

To that breathing thing, unfolding inside itself in cellulose

Bark-like, dry, a wonder

Tightly winding the mouse a sewing needle

[wedezineinterior]

Transform Your Kitchen into a Timeless Masterpiece with WeDezine

Are you dreaming of a kitchen that radiates nostalgia and elegance, blending classic charm with modern functionality? At WeDezine, Bangalore’s premier kitchen interior design firm, we specialize in crafting vintage-inspired kitchens that are both warm and inviting. Here’s how we can help you turn your kitchen into a timeless masterpiece.

1. Classic Color Palettes

The heart of any vintage kitchen is its color scheme. Soft pastels such as mint green, powder blue, and buttery yellow evoke a sense of nostalgia and warmth. Our team at WeDezine can help you choose the perfect hues, combining them with crisp white or cream accents to create a serene atmosphere.

We suggest high-quality matte or satin finishes to add a subtle elegance to your walls and cabinetry. Our designers are skilled at pairing these classic colors with complementary shades and patterns to ensure a cohesive, timeless look that perfectly suits your style.

2. Elegant Cabinetry

Cabinetry is a key element in vintage kitchen design. WeDezine’s expert designers can incorporate intricate details like beadboard panels, decorative moldings, and scalloped edges to give your kitchen a classic, refined look. We love working with Shaker-style cabinets for their simplicity and elegance.

We can also help you select the perfect distressed or painted finishes, and mix contrasting colors to add visual interest. Our selection of antique-style hardware, including brass and copper knobs and pulls, further enhances the vintage appeal.

3. Retro Appliances

Incorporating retro-style appliances is an excellent way to infuse your kitchen with charm. At WeDezine, we can guide you in choosing from a range of retro-inspired appliances by brands like Smeg, available in vibrant colors like mint green or pastel pink.

These appliances offer modern functionality while maintaining classic aesthetics. We ensure that these stylish appliances blend seamlessly with your cabinetry and other vintage accents, providing both beauty and practicality.

4. Vintage Flooring

Flooring sets the foundation for your vintage-inspired kitchen. WeDezine offers a variety of classic options such as checkerboard tiles, patterned linoleum, or wood flooring with a distressed finish. Each option adds its unique touch of nostalgia while providing the durability needed for daily use.

We also suggest adding decorative rugs with retro patterns to create a cozy, personalized space. Our designers will help you select flooring that harmonizes with your overall kitchen design and enhances its vintage charm.

5. Charming Backsplashes

A backsplash can become the focal point of your kitchen. WeDezine’s team excels at designing charming backsplashes using classic materials like subway tiles in white or pastel colors. We can also create intricate designs with mosaic or decorative ceramic tiles to add a touch of artistry.

Our attention to detail ensures that your backsplash complements the rest of your vintage kitchen, creating a beautiful and cohesive look.

6. Vintage Lighting Fixtures

Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the atmosphere. At WeDezine, we offer a selection of vintage-inspired lighting fixtures, including pendant lights with Edison bulbs, wrought-iron chandeliers, and retro sconces.

Our designers will help you choose fixtures that not only provide the right amount of light but also enhance the vintage ambiance of your kitchen, creating a warm and inviting space.

7. Antique Accents

Antique accents bring authenticity and charm to your kitchen. From farmhouse sinks and vintage spice racks to retro dishware, WeDezine knows how to incorporate these elements seamlessly into your design.

We’ll help you select items that add both character and functionality, making your kitchen a space rich in history and warmth.

8. Open Shelving

Open shelving is a hallmark of vintage kitchens, perfect for displaying charming dishware and kitchen essentials. WeDezine can design wooden shelves with a distressed finish or metal brackets for an industrial touch.

Our team will ensure that your open shelving is both stylish and practical, using decorative backsplashes and under-shelf lighting to enhance its visual appeal.

9. Decorative Details

The finishing touches make all the difference. WeDezine’s designers excel at adding small but significant details such as lace curtains, retro aprons, vintage canisters, and classic clocks.

These details personalize your kitchen and elevate its vintage charm, creating a space that feels uniquely yours.

Conclusion

At WeDezine, we’re dedicated to creating kitchens that blend timeless elegance with modern functionality. Whether you’re drawn to retro appliances, classic cabinetry, or charming antique accents, our team is here to bring your vintage vision to life.

Contact us today to start designing a kitchen that’s both nostalgic and practical—a true masterpiece that will become the heart of your home.

[vancouverkitchenrenovation]

Creating a Memorable Bathroom With a Shower Design

Whether you’re remodeling your own bathroom or you’re designing a new one, a great shower design is a key factor in creating a memorable and functional space. Shower designs can be modern, traditional, or multi-colored, and can create a calming or energetic atmosphere in your home.

Modern bathroom with grey tones

Using grey in the bathroom can be a great way to create a functional, yet stylish space. Grey can be used to complement the natural wood in the space, and it is also a versatile hue that can be used as an accent color.

The most important thing to remember is to choose a color scheme that is in keeping with the style of your home. For instance, if you have a contemporary style bathroom, then gray may not be the best choice. You may also want to consider using a lighter shade of gray to help highlight the space.

Traditional-inspired walk-in shower with rich tiles and intricate details

Whether you’re designing a walk-in shower for a new home or remodeling your current bathroom, rich tiles and intricate details can add elegance and sophistication. To highlight these natural architectural elements, use a variety of colors and patterns to create a unique look.

Natural light can illuminate the natural dimension of the tiles. A dark grout evokes a graphic quality, while a lighter grout accentuates the tiles on the walls.

Small multi-colored mosaic tiles break up larger blocks of color. A nautical-inspired tile features a scalloped shape to mimic the curves of an ocean. Whether you choose a subtle color or a colorful pop, these tiles create a relaxing atmosphere.

Multi-colored shower tiles create a lively atmosphere

Using multi-colored shower tiles can add interest and dimension to your bathroom design. Whether you use multi-colored tile on one wall or throughout the shower, you’ll be sure to get a lively atmosphere.

Mosaic tile is a versatile material that allows for an exciting variety of designs. These textured tiles can be used as an accent wall, backsplash or mirror surround.

Using different colored mosaics can give your bathroom a unique look. In addition, a mosaic wall can create an intricate pattern that will make your shower wall a focal point.

In-shower bench pulls double duty as storage and seating

Adding a shower bench to your bathroom can provide double duty as a storage and seating option. Shower benches are made of durable, water resistant materials that are designed to last for years.

Shower benches are available in a variety of styles and can be used to provide storage space for shower accessories. For a more contemporary look, a floating bench can be a nice solution.

Shower benches are usually constructed from plastic or wood. The best materials are made from durable, moisture resistant materials, such as teak or bamboo. They also resist mold growth, so they can last for years.

Blue porcelain subway tiles

Adding blue porcelain subway tile to your shower is a great way to add color to your bathroom. It also adds a touch of texture to your shower. These tiles are available in many colors and can be used on walls, floors, and even as backsplashes.

For the best effect, apply the subway tiles in sheets. This can give your bathroom a glossy finish that will shine. These tiles are also durable and easy to clean. They are also available in a variety of colors and finishes to suit any style.

Grey and white porcelain tiles

Using grey and white porcelain tiles for shower design can create a stylish, clean and seamless look. These tiles work well in a variety of settings and are an excellent choice for bathrooms with a calm, relaxed atmosphere.

The grey and white porcelain tile series is a well-rounded series of tiles designed to reflect nature and the outdoors. The tiles are a beautiful complement to any decor, whether you want a contemporary or vintage style.

The grey and white porcelain tile is available in a variety of designs and shades. This is a great choice for a bathroom with a traditional flair, but the tiles are also available in neutral tones that can add a soft feminine feel to a more masculine space.

Glass shower tile

Whether you’re renovating your bathroom or creating a new shower, glass shower tile can bring elegance and style to any space. There are a variety of shapes and colors to choose from. The cost of glass shower tile can range from $30 to $40 per square foot.

The design of a glass shower can be very simple, with a large window and light color scheme. The glass enclosure makes the shower appear larger, and the space feels luxurious. For a more dramatic design, add a glass door that creates an extension of the bathroom.

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The bathroom is often the last room people consider renovating, which makes sense since it’s usually the smallest space in the house. With Vancouver Kitchen Renovation, you can expect a spa-like bathroom that feels luxurious and is built to last. We’ll create a custom bathroom design based on your preferences and budget and handle everything from demolition to installation.

We understand that to be successful is to stay ahead of the curve. That means staying current with the latest technology and design trends. We always want to improve our products or services without breaking the bank. That’s why we stay connected to the latest technologies of NKBA, National Kitchen and Bath Association. In addition, at Vancouver Kitchen renovation, our primary focus is providing sustainable bathroom design and renovation packages, and we believe in sustainable living. Sustainable living is a way of life in harmony with nature. It is a lifestyle which focuses on the preservation of our environment. Sustainable living is a philosophy emphasizing respect for the environment and concern for its well-being. This means we should take care of the planet and treat it as if it were our home. We should try to preserve what we have and protect it from destruction. If we do this, we will enjoy the benefits of the earth’s resources for many generations. Whether you’re planning a major remodel or adding finishing touches to your current bathroom, we’d love to discuss your project. Book your showroom consultation online.

Main Areas of Service in British Columbia:

Vancouver

North Vancouver

West Vancouver

Burnaby

Coquitlam

Squamish

Whistler

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you update your bathroom in 2023

It is important to first understand your bathroom needs.

What features do you really need and what are your priorities? What are your top priorities?

Then start looking at products that fit those requirements.

You might not find exactly what your looking for but there are many options.

Here’s some stuff to consider:

Size – How big are your bathrooms? Are there any modifications that you will need to make to accommodate new fixtures and appliances?

Style – What is your preferred style? Contemporary, traditional, etc.? Style – Bathrooms are available in many styles: transitional, traditional, and modern. The traditional style has been popular since Victorian times and features natural stone floors. Modern bathrooms have sleek lines and glass finishes. They also feature open-plan layouts. Transitional designs mix elements of modern and traditional styles.

Layout – Some people prefer smaller spaces, while others enjoy more space. How do you want your bathroom to be laid out?

Colour Scheme – What colours do you want in your bathroom?

Lighting – How bright do you need it? And where is it coming from?

Storage – Do I need more storage space for my bathroom? Do you have enough storage space? Are you lacking enough storage space?

Ventilation – Is your bathroom adequately ventilated?

Features – You should also consider the number of features you’d like to include in your new bathroom. A heated towel rack or steam shower might be something you’d like. Do you need a spa tub or a Jacuzzi? Would you prefer a tub/shower combination or a separate, walk-in shower?

Budget – You should also consider your budget. This will help narrow down your options, and prevent you from overspending.

Warranty – It is important to confirm that the manufacturer provides a product warranty. They guarantee their products for a specified period of time.

Once you’ve identified what you are looking for, it is time to begin shopping for products. You can shop online, read magazines, or visit stores. Once you find something you like, compare prices and read reviews before purchasing anything.

Before you begin planning your bathroom renovation, here are some things to keep in mind.

When planning your bathroom renovation, there are many factors to consider. It is vital to determine a budget for your bathroom renovation and to adhere to it. This will ensure that everything runs smoothly and you don’t get any unexpected expenses.

Once you have created your budget, it is time to start thinking about what type of design you want for your new bathroom. Do you want something contemporary or traditional? How much space will you need? These are crucial questions to ask before you start any renovation.

Are mosaic tiles appropriate for modern bathrooms?

You should avoid mosaic tiles in modern design, unless they are used as accent tiles. They can look outdated and busy in your bathroom. You may love mosaic tiles and want to accent your bathroom with them.

Statistics

2023 bathroom design trends: Heated floors were favoured by a substantial 75% of those who responded to the survey.(https://nkba.org)

2023 bathroom design trends: Large format tile (59%) was the most popular material for tub and shower surrounds. Slab surfaces (40%) were the next most popular (https://nkba.org)

The average midrange bathroom remodels costs $27,164, according to the latest Remodeling Cost versus Value report, and it’s projected that you will recoup 58.9% of that cost when reselling your home. (architecturaldigest.com)

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had someone call and say they have an existing old tub (which, 99% of the time, is 60” wide once they’re pulled out) and want to convert the bathtub to a shower. (blog.innovatebuildingsolutions.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Chromotherapy, which uses coloured lights to stimulate relaxation, was chosen by 25%. Preset lighting schemes for different times during the day were favoured by 29%. (https://nkba.org)

Keep in mind: they advise that, all told, your bathroom project should cost no more than 5 to 10 percent of your home’s value. (remodelista.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Bathroom faucet designs reflected wellness concerns, with 61% choosing accessible lever handles, 48% choosing motion and 36% going for the touch or tap options. (https://nkba.org)

If possible, allow a 15 to 20% contingency fund so you’re prepared for the unexpected. (loveproperty.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: 82% of those surveyed preferred low-maintenance, nonporous surfaces for their bathroom. (https://nkba.org)

NKBA estimates that broken down, most of this cost comes from fixtures and plumbing (about 29 percent), followed by counters and surfaces (21 percent), labour (20 percent), and cabinetry and hardware (16 percent). (remodelista.com)

Glass tile is one of the greenest bathroom flooring options because it can be 100% recycled. (caddetailsblog.com)

Outdoor showers can dramatically increase the value of your home—according to a 2018 report from Realtor.com, homes with outdoor showers tend to list for nearly double the asking price of other homes! (housebeautiful.com)

External Links

houzz.com

2020 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study

Contemporary tile design with storage niches – Eclectic tile and storage niche – by Katie Monkhouse Interior Designs

nkba.org

Home – NKBA

Bathroom Remodeling: Real-World Costs

How To

How to hire contractors for bathroom remodelling projects

There are many steps involved in bathroom remodeling. These include hiring the right contractor, selecting materials, getting estimates, signing contracts and then starting the work. This is because you don’t want to make any mistakes but also want to get it done quickly. Here are some tips to help find the right contractor and hire them for your bathroom renovation project.

Start by searching online. Bathroom remodels are not difficult to find. You can look for contractors through websites like Trustedpros, Houzz, and others. You can enter your zip code to see local contractors with good reviews. Make sure to check their portfolio and google reviews.

Ask your friends and family. Your family and friends probably know someone who has done a bathroom remodel. Ask them if they would recommend a contractor if they are willing to share their experiences. They might even be able to give you a referral fee for referring them!

You can also check out forums online. You can find many forums for bathroom remodelling on Facebook. Here, people can post photos of their projects and get advice. Other popular places include Reddit and Pinterest.

Research thoroughly. Check their credentials before you hire anyone to do the work. Look at their licenses, insurance, and other relevant information. Take note of any previous jobs. Do they have experience in bathrooms? Have they worked with similar-sized spaces?

Did you miss our previous article… https://vancouverkitchenrenovation.com/bathrooms/how-to-design-powder-rooms/

The post Creating a Memorable Bathroom With a Shower Design first appeared on Vancouver Kitchen Renovation.

source https://vancouverkitchenrenovation.com/bathrooms/creating-a-memorable-bathroom-with-a-shower-design/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creating-a-memorable-bathroom-with-a-shower-design

[icantremembermydreams]

02.23.23

It was a kind meeting room with glass walls and the room was located at one of the edges of the building. In the room was a gray long couch that faced opposite of the door and in front of that couch was a long coffee table (made of glass, not entirely, black frame). There were other people whose faces I can’t recall but one of them knew what classes I had and i thought it was nice to know someone else was thinking of me. Everyone starts leaving the room because another group of people were coming. I’m not in the building anymore, I’m in an all tiled room. The lighting was blue tinted and a bit dark. On the left was a little white tile booth that had a yellow orange light coming out of it and no one was at the booth it was empty. In front of the booth was a tile shelf with seashells and wax candle sticks. The room was filled with people who were all talking along each other. Some people were glueing a seashell on a tile (whole objective of that room). I’m with Sarah who’s in a ponytail and her sweatpants not sure what kind of shirt. I tell her it’s too crowded I’m going to wait outside. On my way leaving the room i bump into this guy and I can’t remember what I say. When you exit the tile room it’s suddenly a poorly light school cafeteria with round tables. I can’t find Sarah, not sure if she left or not yet but I tap this persons shoulder thinking it was her but it wasn’t and i apologize. I’m in my room now, my actual room. And on my shelf next to my bed are a bunch of chair statues in all sorts of sizes. I pick one up and it’s a navy blue armchair with a white pillow. I rearrange all my chairs. Then I turn to my window, the one near my staircase and in my picture frame is the guy i bumped into before. I wake up

Extra

The room was small, floor, ceiling and walls were covered in white bathroom tile

-Some tile only had one calico scallop shell

[nonobadcat]

Yandere All For One x F! Reader

Rating: Explicit - for readers 18+ only

Entire Story TW: Rape/Noncon, gore (non-reader directed), All For one too many kinks to count them all. Highly mentally and sexually abusive relationship. This story is absolutely not for minors and readers should consult the warnings/tags at the top before reading.

Read the entire story at: Archive of Our Own

This chapter's TW: Dub-con pet play, menstruation kink, praise kink, breeding kink, cosplay (ears, toys, and tails), and terrible aftercare.

Chapter 30 Excerpt:

It was less than three minutes later that Shigaraki returned with a large silver shopping bag with a satin ribbon handle. He rummaged through the pale tissue paper and extracted a halter neck black silk bodysuit. The front had a scalloped cross shape with floral lace trimming around the sides. The back appeared to be a delicate stretch mesh with a large, aftermarket keyhole sewn conspicuously in the middle. It also looked like the crotch gusset had been modified for “easy access”.

“Why don’t you change into this, my dear?” Shigaraki stated, handing you the unsubtle teddy before fishing around in the bag.

“Yes, Master,” you replied in an indifferent tone, unwrapping the towel from around your shoulders. You stood up, leaving the hair drying sheet on the toilet. Then you started to unfasten the knot around your chest. The terry cloth slipped to the tile floor. You wiggled yourself into the skin-tight contraption with a frustrated wince before it snapped into place. As you tugged the last shoulder strap up, you heard an appreciative whistle.

Shigaraki was positively beaming as his eyes roamed up and down your body. “If I had known you’d look that good, I’d have had you in that sooner.”

He held out his hand and passed you a pair of small black puppy ears on a headband. In them was a wire which allowed you to adjust the position. Your husband put them in a half-flopped position that reminded you of the triangle shape of a Jack Russell terrier. You took the ears and placed them on your head, tilting the band to seat them in the correct spot. You glanced at yourself in the mirror, checking to make sure they were even. That’s when you saw Shigaraki’s reflection pull out the fuzzy black tail with some sort of scarlet ribbon tied to it.

Your heart stopped as you realized what it was.

It was a furry silicone butt plug puppy tail with a sweet red bow.

You whipped around, eyes wide with horror as protective hands clasped over your backside. “You’re joking.”

He held the soft black plastic by the middle and cocked his head at you. There was a cruel, teasing glint in his rapidly darkening eyes. “As I promised, this will make it impossible to put anything else in there.”

You opened your mouth, closed it, opened it again, and frowned. Then you blinked at the turnip-shaped insert with a flared base before your eyes rolled to Shigaraki’s beaming grin and back again. Then your eye twitched.

“Now my dear, I can assure you this was the smallest one they make. It’s barely bigger than my finger really.”

You gave him a silent scowl in response.

He held up a small blue snap bottle of water-based lubricant. “It’s not like it’s going in dry. Besides, we’ll have to get you more relaxed first.”

You sat down, firmly burying your bottom against the towel on the toilet.

Shigaraki sighed and shook his head. “Well, I suppose you don’t have to take the deal if you don’t want to.” His eyes narrowed. “Though it would compromise our give-and-take relationship for you to back out now, don’t you think?

“In other words, if I back out you’ll do something worse?”

Shigaraki grinned at you and didn’t answer the question.

You took a deep breath. “Fine. I get the message,” you pointed at the object in question. “But if it hurts, I’m taking it out.”

Your husband held out a large, beckoning hand to you. “Of course. I much prefer spoiling my pet.” He wrinkled his nose. “And I won’t suffer animal abuse.”

Well… Guess even evil had some standards.

Read the rest at: Archive of Our Own

This chapter is so squicky I feel bad even tagging people. I'm sticking to those I know read the last chapter and the squarters.

If I missed any of you sick puppies on the tags let me know!

@shigashigashig @shig-a-shig-ah @weo0o @feral-creep @raygard-elvets @awkward-confused

@princess-lemons @the-lady-writes-what @all4one @avelaste @diowithagun @yeunsstuff @river-to-swim-forever @lizthewitchh @0-ddball @catalystgaming27

[hometoursandotherstuff]

A Singapore apartment has been transformed into a jewel box that takes you on a trip round the world – each room filled with colorful character inspired by the cosmopolitan tastes, of Amy, who works in the global energy industry. Love the black & white mural wallpaper, b/c it’s dramatic, but lets the color in the room shine.

On the opposite wall, woven panels are set against a seagrass wallcovering. The chairs were found locally and resprayed in a vibrant shade of blue.

On the walls, a navy blue grass cloth is offset by orange & blue fabric. Dining chairs surround a table designed by Elizabeth Hay, the apt.’s designer.

A new pocket door leads into the redesigned kitchen, which features terracotta tones that unify the main living areas.

The wall lights in the kitchen are from New York. Love, love, love, the terracotta cabinetry and pearly subway tile backsplash.

Elizabeth designed the sofa in the family room, which is upholstered in ticking. The inlaid coffee table was made in India.

Indian-inspired arches bring a touch of whimsy to the apartment.

The existing built-in desk & cabinets in the study was reinvented with a mix of bold patterns in shades of blue, including ‘Pineapple’ wallpaper.

A headboard in ‘Citrus Garden’ by Schumacher fabrics was the starting point for the decoration in the main bedroom.

‘Folly’ wallpaper is the background for a green scheme in the spare room.

‘Kalamkari’ wallpaper inspired the ebullient scheme in the girls' bedroom. The beds are upholstered in ‘Rajkot’ from Lisa Fine Textiles. The rattan pendant light is from Indonesia.

A scalloped blind made from ‘Blazer Stripe’ picks up on the built-ins painted in ‘Bright Garnet.’

https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/gallery/elizabeth-hay-singapore-flat

[busterkeatonfanfic]

Note: Today is so beautiful, you all deserve this 8,000-word chapter a few days early. Thank Uncle Joe and Aunt Kamala. If you enjoy it, please leave me a little comment telling me what you liked best. They really keep me going!

Chapter 13

Nelly had never suffered stage fright in the theater, but as her taxi pulled up to the Villa, she felt like she was getting a year’s worth at once. Her taxi wasn’t the only vehicle in the front drive. A handsome red-and-black Packard was there, expelling a man in a seersucker suit and a fashionable woman who shimmered in a dress the color of a deep blue sapphire. She wished desperately for a drink. She wished that she hadn’t eaten a plate of scalloped ham and potatoes before leaving. She wished that she’d asked Buster what to wear, how to comport herself, what to say, but all she had to go on were her own acting skills and a small measure of courage. She wondered if he’d be surprised to see her show up, if he’d forgotten the invitation altogether.

She had rented her dress from Carmela’s for the handsome sum of $37. It was pale green like a luna moth and layered in silks and crepe de chine. Silver beading was stitched across the front in a design vaguely resembling a rising phoenix. She’d also purchased a white-feathered rhinestone headpiece for $12, but her necklace was her own and its green gemstones only glass. Her hair was waved, each side done up in a braided bun. For her lips she’d chosen a dark rose, and she’d applied some turquoise shadow to her lids above the kohl liner. She felt like a perfect imposter, albeit an elegant one. 

Until they’d pulled up his drive and she’d sighted the Villa, she hadn’t really understood just how rich Buster Keaton was. The residence was white and enormous, a sort of boxcar shape with both ends bent inward, with a red clay-tile roof and another large house to the left as you were approaching the Villa from the back. A long paved drive wound up the back of the house where palm trees, Mediterranean cypresses, and a carpet bed of flowers studded the hills. Buster’s easy, humble manner on the few occasions she’d interacted with him in person had made her feel increasingly at ease with him. It had begun to feel like they were on the same level. Now she realized how incorrect that feeling had been. She’d been in a few stately houses back in Evanston—those belonging to her mother’s higher-society friends—but they were nothing to the sprawling grandeur of the Villa. 

The jets of a stone fountain in the center of the front drive splashed pleasantly as Nelly stepped out of the car and tipped the driver, holding her door, with a five-dollar bill. She smiled and tried to look easy, like she belonged there and was in the habit of handing out handsome tips. Her only thought as she approached the tall arched doorway of the Villa was, I’m going to flub my lines.

It was a warm night and no one was wearing coats, but there was a maid in the foyer prepared to take them nonetheless. Just outside of the foyer, a beautiful young woman was smiling and clasping the hand of another beautiful young woman, who was accompanied by a beautiful young man. The beautiful young woman looked a whole lot like Norma Talmage and Nelly realized that she was none other than Natalie. Her heart went wild. Before she had time to think about what she would say, it was her turn to greet the hostess.

“How do you do?” she said.

“Very well. How do you do?” said Natalie, smiling. She was slim and petite, with a dark bob parted on the side and prettily waved.

“Very well. I’m Nelly. I worked with Bus—your husband—on Steamboat Bill.” She didn’t know what made her blurt it, only that Natalie was looking at her without a hint of recognition in her eyes and Nelly felt she owed an explanation for how a nobody like her ended up among the big names. She fancied that she saw something in Natalie’s expression change a little, but the smile didn’t waver.

“Very pleased to meet you. You’ll find refreshments just over there. Buster will be down in a little while. I’m sure he’ll be pleased you came.”

Nelly wanted to do something to soften Natalie’s impression of her, compliment the house or her dress, a costly-looking beaded yellow one that hit slightly above the knee, but she was already greeting the next guest.

Seven or so couples mingled in the space beyond the foyer. There were two square white columns supporting an upper level, a majestic stone staircase leading up to it on the right, and arched doorways to the left and right leading to unseen parts of the house. There were arched doorways everywhere, in fact, and a long table filled with an assortment of French hors d’oeuvre. A recessed area with white-streaked black marble steps stood at the rear of the open room, leading out to a loggia from which Nelly could just see the backyard. She itched to find the washroom so she could powder the sweat off her face.

A butler appeared at her elbow offering a cocktail and she took it at once. When she was sure no one was watching, she gulped it in one go and hid the glass on a nearby table. She had no business being here. She wondered whether she was meant to have invited somebody. All of the other couples seemed to know each other and were engrossed in conversation, and she was the only one without a partner. She stood on the checkerboard marble floor with her hands knit in front of her, smiling and trying her best to project an air of belonging.

That smile faltered when she saw who came through foyer next. It was Louise Brooks! She was wearing a low-cut black gown that revealed the cleavage of her small breasts and her lips were a deep cherry red. She was accompanied by a man that Nelly didn’t recognize. Nelly’s mouth began to go dry and she was keenly aware of how damp her underarms had become. She had nothing to anchor herself to for comfort or security. As the minutes ticked by and she remained unacknowledged by the other guests besides polite smiles and nods, she began to feel hot and dizzy. Her heart was beating rapidly. She needed to escape. She wondered if anyone would notice if she made a casual break for the loggia.

“Hey, Buster!” a man called. Some people pointed up and waved. Nelly followed their eyes and saw Buster on the second level above the loggia. He put up his hand gravely like a king recognizing his subjects and started down the stairs.

In the next horrifying moment, he lost his footing and took a hard tumble straight down. The room erupted in gasps and shouts. Buster had come to rest on his back at the foot of the stairs with his limbs splayed. His eyes were closed and he wasn’t moving. Some of the guests rushed toward him.

Then, with a mildly baffled expression, he stood up and brushed the dust off the arms of his suit jacket. Someone began clapping and pretty soon everyone joined in, laughing and cheering him. Only then did Nelly realize it had been a pratfall. She didn’t know if it was funny. The sight of him lying so still for those few heart-stopping moments had rattled her. 

“A drink?” The butler was at her elbow again.

She looked away from Buster. “Please.”

He handed her a martini glass with a little orange wedge on the side and sugar on the rim and she sipped, the spell of her own panic broken somewhat, though not for very long. Still more guests were filtering into the room. She recognized Marion Davies and Norma Talmadge with another thudding of her heart in her throat. The room seemed to be getting famouser by the minute. Buster was greeting guests a few yards away, sober and unsmiling, unaware that she was there. She wondered if he’d forgotten that he’d invited her. It seemed quite possible.

It was too much; she gave into her impulse to steal off to the loggia. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she stepped down into the recessed area, through an arched doorway, and into the loggia. White wicker furniture, potted trees, and pink orchids adorned it. Sconces on its inner walls burned with real flames, while two hanging fixtures gave a stronger light.

It felt a few degrees cooler outside. The sun had by now fallen and only a few streaks of purple remained in the sky. Nelly’s cocktail tasted of citrus, and she licked some sugar off the rim. The glow of the drinks hadn’t yet hit her. Too much scalloped ham in her stomach, she supposed. She stood next to one of the columns beneath yet another arched doorway and looked down what seemed like one hundred white marble steps, illuminated by carefully concealed electric lights, leading to the huge sunken swimming pool. The green lawn seemed to go on for miles. She still couldn’t get her head around the sheer excess of Buster’s abode. She remembered a two-reeler in which a down-and-out Buster, looking pitiful, stood in a bread line but was denied a loaf at the last minute. How humble and sad he had seemed!

“Hello,” said Buster behind her. 

She shuddered in surprise and turned around to see him walking toward her. “You always sneak up on me,” she said.

“Nelly.”

The split-second astonishment on his face told her two things. One, he hadn’t recognized her. Two, she looked as good as she thought she did. A sudden warm confidence renewed her. 

“What are you doing out here?” he said, stopping a few paces from her. He raised his own cocktail to his lips.

She took another sip of hers, deciding there was no point in not being honest. “I realized I was out of place and wanted some air.”

Buster looked at her appraisingly. He was wearing a well-tailored navy-blue suit and the flowers on his matching silk tie were embroidered in bright gilt thread. It was the prettiest tie she’d ever seen. “Thought you wanted fame and fortune,” he said.

She raised her eyebrows. “I want a job as an extra. I never said anything about fame and fortune.”

“What about your starring role in Shakespeare’s big talkie?” he said. Although he wasn’t smiling, it was definitely a tease. 

“I want the role. I hadn’t thought about what happens next,” she said, and it was true. She wanted to be an actress because she liked it. She wanted recognition for that acting, but it had never occurred to her, not seriously anyway, that recognition might lead to prominence or money. Now, among Hollywood’s elites in Buster Keaton’s extravagant mansion, anything seemed possible. Silence fell between them and she finished her cocktail. 

Buster said, “So what do you think?”

“Of what?”

“My house. The Villa.” He came to her side.

She met his eyes and was alarmed to feel a sort of flutter in her middle as they regarded each other. She thought of Natalie greeting her in the foyer and was disgusted with herself. “It’s, uh …” she said, distracted.

“Vulgar?”

“No, that’s not what I was going to say. I think it’s wonderful. I’ve never seen anything like it.” “But it is vulgar. I think it’s wonderful as well, but it’s vulgar. You can say it.”

“If you insist,” she said, looking away from him. It was difficult to look him in the eyes now.

“You’re not being honest,” he said. 

For a panicked second, she thought he was referring to her feelings. But no, they were talking about the house. “I never thought you lived like this,” she said. “I guess I don’t know what I thought. I’m not used to it.”

Buster nodded. “You thought I was that honest boy from the pictures.”

“Well that’s how you seem when you’re working. I mean, when you’re filming a picture.”

He sipped his cocktail. “It’s expected,” he said, sweeping his hand to indicate the house. “When in Rome, you know.”

“Well I suppose that tells you that I’m out of place, that I’m not used to it.”

“C’mon, I’ll help you find your place.” He held out his elbow and she found she couldn’t refuse. She linked her arm in his before she was properly aware of it. His arm was warm and the material of his jacket was soft against her bare arm. He smelled like cigarettes and aftershave. Her mind protested, Natalie, his wife Natalie. But she was powerless. They walked back up the steps to the recessed area, then up the other pair of steps to the checkerboard floor. The room was now noisy with conversation. A Victrola playing jazz could barely be heard.

Buster dropped her arm and stopped in front of Marion Davies and her male companion, who were near the hors d'oeuvre table sipping drinks. “Nelly, this is Marion and Dick. Marion and Dick, this is Nelly.”

“How do you do?” said Nelly, blushing. 

With formalities out of the way, the lovely blonde-haired Marion asked with a polite smile, “And what do you do, Nelly?”

“I’m a theater actress. I worked with Buster on his last picture,” she said, the answer coming out just as smoothly as if she’d rehearsed it. 

More polite conversation commenced, and Nelly began to relax. This was one of her mother’s garden parties when she was a teenager and she was practicing her charm and manners with the adults, that was all. Sure it was artificial, but that was okay. 

As soon as there was a lull in the conversation with Marion and Dick, Buster spun her toward a nearby man looking to be about forty, slightly heavy with large, broad arms. “Clarence, Nelly. Nelly, Clarence.”

Clarence ended up being Clarence Brown, who had directed Norma Talmadge in Kiki. Nelly told him that she had liked it and Buster said in a whisper, his breath hot on her ear, “Careful you don’t charm him too much, he just got divorced.”

Next, Buster turned her toward Jack Conway and his wife Virginia. She didn’t recognize his name and kicked herself for not paying more attention to title credits when Buster explained that he was Jack Conway the director. She had seen Brown of Harvard, though, and was able to find common ground with him by telling him that she liked it. She was just starting to feel like she had established a good rapport with the Conways when Buster whisked her away again. She was now faced with Louise Brooks, sparkling like the dictionary definition of sex, and her date, a slim-mouthed man in a grey double-breasted suit who did not sparkle with anything. 

“Louise and George, Nelly. Nelly, Louise and George.”

“Call him Wet Wash,” said Louise, giggling. 

“She’s not his wife,” Buster whispered. Nelly swallowed at the feeling of his breath against her ear again. 

Again, Buster’s butler approached her and again she accepted a cocktail. This one was bright green and mint-flavored. Nelly hadn’t seen Louise Brooks in any pictures, but she’d seen her in plenty of magazines, so she expressed her admiration for Louise’s sleek, dark-brown bob instead. Louise received the compliment good-humoredly and asked Nelly what she did. Buster placed his hand on the small of her back. The weight of it was exquisite, but brief. He leaned over to say, “You’re on your own now, kid. I have to mingle.” Then he was gone.

“I’m a theater actress,” said Nelly. 

And Louise said, “Oh, what have you starred in?”

And pretty soon she was telling Louise about the humble Vista, the revues, and playing Helena and Maria like it was nothing. It was suicide to be seen paying more than momentary attention to a girl in the presence of Nate and the two warships that were his sisters-in-law, but from the minute Buster saw Nelly out on the loggia, a vision in green, he couldn’t seem to leave her alone. There was no reason why he should worry so much about whether she was having a good time or if she spoke to the right people, but now that she was here, he felt compelled to look out for her. Maybe it was how drunk she’d gotten at that speak-easy. Without guidance, she seemed liable to slip and be swallowed up. Or maybe it was her unspoiled Midwestern ways, which reminded him so much of folks he’d known in Muskegon.

He wondered that he’d never noticed that her eyes were blue.

His sense of duty toward her became more powerful with every drink. He knew he’d suffer the consequences in the form of one of Nate’s jealousy attacks, but that punishment seemed far removed as his guests got drunker and their sense of abandon greater. Morning was far off and the night was still young. Now was a time to be happy about it all, to stop tormenting himself about how to make Nate happy and thinking about being saddled with twenty M-G-M gag writers who wouldn’t know funny if it high-kicked them in the forehead like Joe Keaton. He was with his friends in his palace, there was a pretty girl to charm, and life was okay. Somewhere north of nine o’clock, Nelly was sitting in the family room on a settee opposite Louise and George, who were sharing a chair. Perched in George’s lap, Louise’s sparkle drew lots of men’s eyes, Nelly noticed. Of course, that sparkle had a lot to do with the shocking low cut of her dress and its promise to expose her breasts if she moved just a little this way or that. In spite of Louise’s glamor and unabashed provocativeness, Nelly liked her. She was down-to-earth, and they soon discovered a mutual love of books and music. Another citrus cocktail had been handed to Nelly by the butler at some point and the warm glow of spirits was finally upon her. She couldn’t remember why she’d been so worried about this party. She belonged perfectly.

Louise was in the midst of a story about her first feature role which was to begin filming in Mexico the following month when Buster wandered over. It had been over an hour since Nelly had last seen him. She looked up expectantly, waiting for him to sit next to her on the settee. Instead, he moved closer and seated himself straight in her lap. 

“Buster!” she cried, trying not to spill what remained of her drink. 

He sprang up and looked at her lap, his brows knit in confusion. Then he sat next to her, folded his hands, and looked at Louise and George, as if unaware of his mistake. Louise laughed appreciatively and George smiled. Nelly tried not to laugh, but couldn’t help it. He really was funny, playing the boyish Buster she knew from the screen. 

“Oh. Nelly,” he said, as though noticing her for the first time.

“Buster,” she said dryly. 

“I don’t suppose you like to dance,” he said. He searched her eyes and nodded slowly, as if coming to an answer. “No, I don’t think you do.”

“What?” she said. Her cheeks were warm and there was a joke she wasn’t understanding.

“Go dance with him!” said Louise, laughing. “That’s what he’s asking.”

Buster responded with a mock pained look and opened his hands, as if to say, Great, you just ruined it. 

Silently, he offered his elbow to Nelly, looking straight ahead and not saying anything, back to acting like one of his characters again. She took it and cast Louise a helpless look as he led her away. As they headed back toward the room with the checkerboard floor, she kept her gaze straight ahead. She didn’t want to risk catching any of the Talmadges’ eyes if they were around.

A medium-tempo jazz number was playing on the Victrola. Buster wasted no time in placing an arm around her waist and taking her hand in his. He led her onto the checkerboard floor where a number of other couples were dancing. She smelled whiskey on him where she hadn’t earlier and wondered if he was drunk. Buster hummed along to the song, which wasn’t one she recognized, but she liked the jaunty saxophone. He was a good dancer, nimble and coordinated.

She looked into his eyes and what she thought she saw there made her certain that she was in over her head. She quickly glanced away. She was getting that gay happy feeling she had the night at the blind tiger and wished to squash it. Natalie might be somewhere in the room and Buster was dancing with a girl other than his wife, so she had to have all her wits about her. 

Don’t you know who she is

Looking right at me is

Sugar

My sugar

She looked at Buster’s hand curled around hers. She’d never noticed how big his hands were for such a small man. Feeling the danger in it, she glanced back at his face. He was regarding her impassively. She dropped her eyes again.

Bees would not be buzzin’

‘Round her if she wasn’t

Sugar

My sugar

I declare that honey hasn’t got a thing on her,

No sir!

Buster hummed as he swanned her around the room. Nelly finally worked up the courage to look over his shoulder to see who else was in the room. To her relief, she saw none of the Talmadges, which could only mean that they were in the living room. She made a note to spend the rest of the night out here offering herself as a dance partner so she could avoid finding out how they felt about Buster inviting her to dance.

In conclusion therefore

That is why I care for 

Sugar

She felt a little out of breath when the song ended. Part of her was relieved that they were no longer drawing attention to themselves and the other part was disappointed, especially when Buster released her hand and dropped his hand from her waist.

She started to thank Buster for the dance, but his attention was elsewhere. Her eyes followed his and fell on a man who wasn’t much taller than Buster, but seemed far bigger. Maybe it was the breadth of his most defining features: that distinctive cleft chin, the prominent nose and ears. Or maybe it was just the way he had loomed so large in her fantasies. 

“Well there’s your Don Juan,” Buster said softly, breaking the spell. “Won’t you go to him?” 

“Oh, I can’t,” she said, terror grabbing her.

Buster touched her chin and steered her face back to his. “Do you want to be in pictures?” He looked at her in an earnest way. 

“Yes.”

“Then let’s meet him.” He placed his hand lightly in the center of her back and walked her to the object of so many of her torrid dreams.

“Jack, this is Nelly. Nelly, this is Jack,” he said. 

To Nelly’s alarm, Buster melted off into the crowd and she was stuck staring up into John Barrymore’s face.“How do you do?” she said. Tremulous didn’t begin to describe how she felt.

He smiled. “How do you do?” His voice was deep and rich and aristocratic, exactly as she had imagined it. “Do you care to dance?”

She managed to nod and he pulled her close to him, guiding her in a waltz step as a slower number began. It was a new version of “In the Good Old Summertime” that she hadn’t heard before.

In the good old summertime

In the good old summertime

“And what’s your story, Nelly?” Barrymore asked.

Nelly felt like she might be drowning.

You hold her hand and she holds yours

And that’s a very good sign

In a daze, her cheeks flushed, she found herself telling him not about being a theater actress or working with Buster, but of playing Kate in the first talkie adaptation of Taming of the Shrew. Unlike Buster, Barrymore knew Shakespeare back to front and she felt sure somehow that he would understand. He smiled and listened, the perfect gentleman. She explained that talkies were a natural fit for Shakespeare and would forever change the way audiences experienced him. All the while, the soft dreamy notes of the music carried them along. She had been gay and light-hearted before, but now she was overpowered by Barrymore’s sheer presence. He was strong, he was beautiful, he seemed a little dangerous. Maybe this was what real love felt like.

She was surprised when he released her hand and thanked her for the dance. The music had ended just like that. She felt as though she’d only been dancing for seconds.

Before she had time to do anything other than return his thanks for the dance, another man touched her shoulder. “May I have this dance?” he said in a refined English accent. He was about Buster’s size and quite handsome.

“Of course,” she said, taken aback. She was dizzy with the drinks and the encounter with Barrymore. She wanted nothing more than to retire to the washroom to touch up her face and memorize the details of her conversation with Barrymore, but it wouldn’t do to be rude to one of Buster’s guests.

The man grasped her waist and took her hand as a Dixieland jazz tune began. He smiled. He had full lips, blue eyes, and thick wavy hair that was turning white at his temples and forehead. In spite of that, he looked and sounded young. She tried to remember if she had ever danced with three such handsome men before in a single night.

“I’m Nelly,” she said. “A stage actress.” 

“You probably don’t need me to introduce myself,” said the man. His voice was light and cheerful. He bore forward and she stepped back, left foot, right foot, to the side. A tango. 

She didn’t recognize him at all, but guessed that he was a director. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are,” she confessed. “I’m pretty new to town.”

The man’s smile broadened. “You’ve really no idea?” He seemed delighted by this news.

Nelly smiled and shook her head. “Not in the faintest.”

“Shall I spoil it for you or do you like a mystery?” he said.

“I like one well enough,” she said, trying to remember her tango steps. 

“I’ll give you a clue. Clue starts with C.”

Beautiful changes in different keys

Beautiful changes and harmonies

“You’re charming,” she said.

“That’s not my name, but it’s a good guess.”

Watch that, hear that minor strain!

The song changed tempo and they trotted across the floor. She was definitely out of breath now.

There’s so many babies that he can squeeze, 

And he’s always changing those keys.

She studied his face and shook her head again after a few seconds. “I can’t place you. Are you a director?”

“The first four letters were right,” he said, winking. “When you said ‘charming.’”

She spelled them in her head, C-H-A-R, and the penny dropped, along with her jaw. “I can’t believe it!” she managed. 

“It’s not often I get to surprise anybody,” he said, looking satisfied. 

She searched his face for hints of the Little Tramp, but couldn’t find them. “I never knew your eyes were blue. I thought they were brown.”

“One of my many secrets.”

“Well, you are a director. I had that right!” she said, and that made him laugh.

When the dance ended, Charlie Chaplin kissed her hand before releasing her and she felt truly like she was walking on the moon as she sought out of the washroom. It didn’t seem possible that this was her life. She relieved herself, then appraised herself in the mirror. It was scalloped and gold, with the names of famous Italian cities stamped around the edges, FIRENZE, GENOVA, ROMA, MODENA, VENEZIA. She was happy to see that her makeup was mostly bearing up under the dancing, but she touched up her lipstick and powder. Although she was a little flushed, she felt far more in control of her faculties than she had been the night of the blind tiger. There was great irony, she supposed, in the fact that she had felt out of place that night too. Whether in low company or high company, Nelly Foster managed to stick out. Her head whirled with the encounters she’d had over the past few hours, Marion Davis, Louise, John Barrymore, and Charlie Chaplin.

And Buster, the architect of it all. As she left the washroom, she wondered where he’d gotten off to. She hesitated in the corridor, reluctant to rejoin the revelers on the checkerboard floor or face the Talmadge clan in the living room. Once again, the loggia seemed the logical solution. She crept off to it, wondering what time it was. 

Unfortunately, the loggia was not a refuge. As soon as she stepped foot on it, she heard such blatant sounds of passion that sent her scurrying and blushing back to the room with the checkerboard floor. The front door seemed to beckon. There was a grandfather clock just outside the foyer that told her it was a quarter to eleven. The mere thought of the late hour made her yawn; she was accustomed to being asleep by nine-thirty each night. The night had been enjoyable and, all things considered, she had comported herself alright. It seemed wisest to call a taxi and quit while she was ahead.

“You’re not leaving?” said Buster behind her.

She startled again. “How do you manage to do that?” she said, turning around

“Do what?” He had a whiskey glass in each hand and was wearing a nonchalant expression.

“Oh, you know what,” she said. “And yes, I was thinking of it. It’s getting late.”

Buster cocked his head, indicating the front door. 

“What?” she said.

He rolled his eyes in mock impatience and cocked his head again, wordless, playing his character. She followed him, her heart quickening as she followed him out the massive arched mahogany door and into the circle drive where the fountain splashed. She couldn’t imagine where they were going and why. He went left and led her past topiaries, then left around the corner of the house. Outside, it was dark and still. The leaves of palms waved above them and shrubs sheltered them from sight. Buster sank down in the lawn some feet from the marble steps of another loggia, this one with a squarish entrance.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

Instead of answering, he reached up and offered her one of the glasses. She took it and sniffed it. It was straight whiskey. Her stomach remembered the way it had felt coming back up that night in his hotel room in July and she hesitated.

“Did you get your break with Barrymore?” Buster said, looking up at the sky. 

Nelly set the drink in the grass and lowered herself carefully next to him. She had to return the dress the following day and would be responsible for any damage, including grass stains. “I didn’t get a chance to bring it up.”

Buster tilted his glass to his lips. “I can talk to him if you’d like. Or Sam Taylor.”

Nelly frowned though he couldn’t see her face well in the diffuse light coming from the loggia. She picked up the glass and swirled it, then plugged up her nose before she took a drink. All the same, the whiskey still burned going down. “Why are you being so nice to me?” she said at last. The question had been growing on her ever since he invited her to the party and, influenced by the cocktails, she wanted to know.

Buster took another drink. “Is there a reason I  shouldn’t be?” He lowered his chin and looked off into the distance.

“Are you drunk?” she said. She didn’t have proof, but she was pretty sure she was more sober than him by miles.

“Does it matter?” he countered. 

The conversation wasn’t getting anywhere. “All I mean to say,” she said, “is that you don’t have to introduce me to your friends. When I called you the other day, I wasn’t expecting this. In fact, now I don’t think I ought to have called you at all. I ought to have just found a way to ask Mr. Taylor myself.”

“Everyone has an angle,” said Buster, knocking back the last of the whiskey. 

Nelly had not thought of herself as someone with an angle before, but there was some truth to his words, even though she didn’t like to admit it. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you doing these days?” he said. He pulled a flask from his jacket and refilled his glass.

The flask shocked Nelly a little bit, but she bit back a blunt remark and answered his question as if she didn’t notice. “Working on the United Artists lot. They put me in the prop department and I paint backdrops once and awhile. I’m hoping to get a part as an extra in the new D.W. Griffith. Anything they’ll let me do, really. It pays my rent fine.”

Buster hmmed. She saw that his hair was beginning to resist the lacquer he’d put in it and was coming loose, a curl here, a wave there. Likely it was the cocktails speaking, but she wanted to take the glass of whiskey away and stroke it. 

She followed his gaze. The Villa looked down into the soft, firefly-like glow of Beverly Hills. The light from the distant mansions wasn’t enough to dampen the stars, which hung white and clear overhead, peeping through the palm leaves. The grass was dewy beneath her hands and goose pimples rose on her arms as a breeze stirred. It was decidedly cool now. Although October in California felt nothing like October in Illinois, there was something of autumn in the air. She shivered. It was like a scene out of a picture, Buster and his girl under the stars, dissatisfied because they hadn’t yet sorted out their misunderstanding. Then she gave herself a mental shake for being fanciful and romantic, reminding herself of how Natalie had welcomed her into the Villa earlier. This was her home just as much as it was Buster’s; she was Buster’s girl.

“Cold?” said Buster. 

She protested, but he was already shrugging out of his jacket. He arranged it around her shoulders. “Thank you,” she said. His face was close as he tucked the jacket and she turned away. She reached for her glass and took another swallow of whiskey. She wasn’t ready to face her thoughts without more liquor on board. 

“Pretty dress, by the way,” said Buster, leaning back on an elbow. “Might be the prettiest one here.”

“Thank you. I rented it,” she said, warmth rising in her cheeks.

“Why?” 

She laughed. “Why? Why’d I rent it? Well to begin with, I’m not rich, and if you’re going to act, you need to look the part.”

“Are you acting?” said Buster.

She choked back another mouthful of whiskey and grimaced. “Sure I am.”

“What does your father do?”

It was an odd non-sequitur. “He’s in real estate,” she said. “Why?” The warm bloom of a proper drunkenness was settling on her.

“And he does pretty well for himself, I guess?” said Buster. 

“I guess.” She rolled the glass between her hands.

“You didn’t want for anything growing up?”

“No.”

“Most of those people in there, they didn’t grow up so well. We all just got lucky, that’s all. Right place, right time kind of thing. We’re just kids with a bunch of money, buying toys and palaces. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of around them. Everyone’s pretending just as much as you.”

She considered him, his face deeply shadowed in the feeble light. There was something dark and melancholic in his mood.

“Anyway, I should have told you to bring someone,” said Buster. “You would have felt a little better I bet. Do you have a steady?”

She shook her head, wondering what it meant that he was asking her if there was a man in her life. “No steady. And I did feel a little better, after you introduced me.”

“Good.” He tossed back the rest of his glass and scooted closer. “How was Jack Barrymore? Did he live up to your dreams?”

She grew hot and took another swallow of the biting liquor before answering. It was the second time he’d brought up Barrymore. The truth was, events had moved so fast she hadn’t had a chance to think about her encounter with Barrymore in any depth. And now that Buster was so distracting and near, she found it hard to think of Barrymore at all. “What makes you think he has anything to do with my dreams?”

“ ‘Cause you said so, that night I picked you up from the speak-easy. It’s alright, I won’t tell his wife. They’re getting a divorce, anyway.”

The joke felt cruel, the barb of it directed more at her than Barrymore and his wife. It made her feel ridiculous and scheming, ashamed of the dazed way she’d looked up at that singular face she’d only seen on screen, imagining that this could be her break, that she might be captivating him or falling in love. The worst of it was that it might be true. She did have an angle, possibly more than one. 

“That’s mean,” she said, looking out at the distant houses. 

“Well, it’s true. And I suppose you heard about Chaplin’s scandal, how he got soaked for almost a million in that divorce of his,” he said.

She acknowledged that she had. 

“I just hope Nate’s kinder to me when the time comes,” he said. 

She looked at him quizzically. “What do you mean?”

His lips twisted in a bitter smile. “You can’t seriously think that we’re happy.”

“Nate?” she said.

“My wife. Natalie.”

“Oh.” The conversation had taken a dangerous turn and she finished her whiskey before saying, “I hadn’t thought about it.” Her heart thumped in her ears.

“Do you like me, Nelly?”

“Yes. Why?” She tried to sound casual, but wasn’t sure if she succeeded. 

She hazarded a glance at him, fearing what she might find in his eyes, but he was looking straight ahead again. What she didn’t dare say was that she liked the profile in front of her—the aquiline nose, the soft lips, the dark brows, the heavy-lidded eyes—better than Barrymore’s. She had for a while now, she realized.

Buster shrugged and pulled the flask out of his jacket again. Nelly, by now feeling the whiskey’s full effects, did something shocking without a single thought. She snatched it from his hand, raised her arm as high as she could, and flung it down the hill. 

“Hey!” said Buster, somewhat loudly.

“Shh,” she said. “We’ll be heard.”

“Don’t shush me, sweetheart, this is my party and I can drink as much as I like, you hear?”

He looked like such a mixture of things in that moment—bewildered, indignant, hurt—that she leaned in and kissed him.

He didn’t react. 

For a split second, she was sure that she had misread all of the signs she thought she’d noticed and was about to be in serious trouble with him. Then his hand was at the back of her neck and he was pulling her into a deeper kiss, nothing at all like the chaste, brief pecks he gave on screen. She threaded her hand in the shorter hair at the back of his head to keep him where he was. His arm came around her shoulders and she braced her free hand against his chest. She was thrilled to find that his heart was pounding.

“You shouldn’t drink anymore tonight. You’ll have an awful headache in the morning,” she said in a whisper, when he pulled back for a moment.

He kissed her again. The heat in her cheeks was rapidly starting to spread to other regions of her body. Now that this was happening, she didn’t have a single thought for anything but Buster. Her entire world had come down to him, and he felt too right for her to worry about morals or consequences. 

She leaned her forehead against his as they broke apart. His breath warmed her lips. He was looking at her silently and she looked back. Gradually, the world began to fade back in. She could hear a faint peal of laughter from within the Villa and she wondered how long it would be before someone would miss the host and go searching for him. 

“I guess we should go in,” she said, after a few moments of silence.

Buster looked at her. His finger traced the bow of her upper lip, then the seam of her mouth. When she parted her lips in response, he captured them again. She closed her eyes and cupped his cheek as her world narrowed back down to the sound of their kisses and his soft, needy exhales. It might have been just seconds or whole minutes before Buster jolted her back to reality with the press of his tongue against hers. She drew back, feeling light-headed, and he followed, biting her neck, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to tell her that this could get out of control quickly. The base part of her wanted that—very much—but the rational part of her mind was waking up. 

“We should go,” she said.

“We’re by my wing,” said Buster hoarsely. “There’s a staircase to my balcony. You could wait in my room for me until the party’s over. I’d get you out before morning.”

“We can’t,” she said, even as he was arguing against her neck with more gentle love-bites. 

“Why not?” His head went lower and his tongue outlined her collarbone.

“It’s dangerous. I bet your guests are already looking for you.”

Almost on cue, laughter echoed out from the area of the drive and the fountain. Aware that it could be the Talmadge sisters, Nelly took the opportunity to stand up and brush herself off before he could persuade her—and he was perhaps too close to persuading her. She’d lost track of the whiskey glass and whether she had finished what was in it. She was decidedly intoxicated. “C’mon,” she said. She stuck out her hand for Buster. He let her pull him up and swayed beside her for a moment, wincing and rubbing his forehead.

“Will you call a taxi for me?” she said. 

He reached out and touched her cheek, looking at her for a long quiet moment as if to memorize her. She noticed that his mouth was smudged in lipstick. 

“Oh dear. I got lipstick all over you,” she said. “Do you have a handkerchief? I don’t have mine on me. My handbag’s inside.”

“You and that damn bag, always leaving it behind.” He reached out and fished in the breast pocket of his jacket on her shoulders. 

She dampened the handkerchief with a little saliva and scrubbed at his lips. “Ow!” he said, frowning. 

“Don’t be a baby, it’s almost off,” she said, wiping at the corner of his mouth. She stood back. It was hard to tell because of the shadows, but she thought that she’d gotten most of it. “How do I look?”

Buster smirked, the first real smile she’d seen on him the whole night. “Defiled,” he said. “Better stay out here while I call that taxi.” He pressed her hand before he left, and she was alone with the most impossible tangle of thoughts, the foremost of which was that she wanted him to come back as soon as possible so that they could finish what they’d started.

She stepped into the loggia and sat down in the nearest chair. Stunned didn’t begin to describe her feelings. Buster’s jacket around her shoulders enveloped her in the smell of him, cigarettes and his own unique scent. Drunk, she was buoyed on a comfortable wave of happiness. She and Buster had done something daring, it was true, but in her heart’s core it was what she had wanted and she didn’t regret it a single bit. She’d only stopped it because she was afraid of being caught. Under normal circumstances, that thought would have alarmed her, but inebriated she could be honest with herself. It wasn’t to say that she didn’t get the thrill of a lifetime when she thought of her dance with Barrymore or even handsome Charlie Chaplin; she did. It seemed, though, that she had fallen for Buster without even knowing it. She shivered and not because of the chill in the air.

“I’m glad you’re back,” she said, standing up and catching his hand when he reappeared a few minutes later.

He gave her hand a squeeze and passed over her bag, which he was holding. “I did you one better. Caruthers said he’d take you home. He’ll have the car ready in five.”

“Five minutes is a long time,” she said suggestively.

“Even I can’t finish that quick, honey,” he said, and she was glad he couldn’t see how brightly her face burned.

“I didn’t mean that you goose, I meant this.” She leaned in and kissed him again.

“Oh. Yeah, that,” he said. He pulled her against his chest and gave her a long, searching kiss. 

This time, Nelly didn’t pull away at the touch of his tongue; she met it and Buster groaned. With one hand, she stroked the fallen strands of hair at his forehead. “Thank you,” she said, when they broke apart. “Thank you for inviting me tonight.”

“Sure you won’t stay the night?” Buster said, kissing the corner of her lips.

“I’m not crazy,” she said.

“If you were, would you?” he said, drawing back to look in the eyes.

Her heart pounded. “Yes,” she said, after considering it. “I guess I would.”

He pulled her close and embraced her. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, thinking that she could stay here in his arms all night. Another burst of laughter and conversation came from the direction of the fountain. Car tires crunched on the gravel.

“We better behave,” Buster said.

“You’re probably right.” 

He released her and sat down in one of the chairs, and she followed his lead. He took her hand between both of his and they fell into silence. She wanted to tell him what the night meant to her, but couldn’t find the words. She looked out at the distant houses and up the stars, wondering if she’d ever get the chance to kiss him again or if she was just a passing fancy for a starry, booze-filled night. Too soon, there was the honk of a horn and Buster let go of her hand, standing up. “I think that’s your ride,” he said. They walked back to the drive, Nelly a few paces ahead of Buster, where a dark-colored Packard was waiting. Buster approached it and opened the nearest backseat door. He took her hand and helped her into the car. “Thanks for coming,” he said, after regarding her for a quiet moment.

She wanted to give him a parting kiss on the cheek, but couldn’t with his butler for an audience. “I had a beautiful night,” she said. “Thank you so much.” He gave her hand another quick squeeze and went around to the driver’s window, where he said to Caruthers, “Get her home safe.”

As the butler pulled away, she watched Buster walk back to the Villa. He didn’t turn around once, but continued until he reached the mahogany front door and slipped inside. Only then did she realize she was still wearing his jacket and had forgotten to check him for lipstick again.  Soundtrack: Red Nichols’ Stompers - “Sugar” Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra - “In the Good Old Summertime” Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra - “Changes” You don’t know how many times I’ve listened to these songs on repeat the past two months.