#built raised planters

[sevenlittledwarfs]

Contemporary Deck

Example of a mid-sized trendy backyard deck container garden design with no cover

[sinuousmag]

Contemporary Deck Example of a mid-sized trendy backyard deck container garden design with no cover

[panela-na-janela]

Landscape Retaining Walls Manchester Summertime photograph of a small, modern courtyard with retaining walls and decking.

[stlinzk]

Outdoor Kitchen in Portland

Example of a huge trendy backyard concrete paver patio kitchen design

[gaboobers]

Beach Style Patio - Gravel Ideas for a substantial coastal backyard gravel patio renovation

[charlierises]

Calgary Landscape Fire Pit

Design ideas for a huge courtyard landscaping with a fire pit.

[cgtaxpe]

Outdoor Kitchen Outdoor Kitchen

An enormous contemporary backyard concrete paver patio kitchen design example

[erkiengill]

Calgary Pergolas Deck Outdoor kitchen deck - huge backyard outdoor kitchen deck idea with a pergola

[soaps-mohawk]

Cherry Red, Crimson Blood

Chapter 57: Reunited And It Feels So Good

Summary: Settling into your new lives isn't going as smoothly as you had hoped. Luckily Johnny and Simon arrive to save the day.

Pairing: Poly 141 x reader

Word Count: 9,000 words

Warnings: NSFW, 18+, smut, explicit sexual content, p in v sex, threesome, oral, fingering, squirting, creampie, cum eating, slight choking but not really, crying during sex, dick so good 'mega passes out (only for a moment), Simon's big cock, Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics, alternate universe, angst, domestic fluff, language

A/N: Happy 4th of July! Celebrate with some smut with British men!! this chapter about killed me but I got it done! I did it! yay me!

MASTERLIST | <- Previous | Next ->

The bed shifting wakes you. The room is dark as you open bleary eyes, your arm reaching out and finding nothing but warm sheets. You roll over into that warm spot, pressing your nose into the pillow.

John.

He’s gotten up, likely to go to the bathroom. You settle back in, pulling the blanket up higher around you. Kyle is off somewhere across the bed snoring softly. You sink into the warmth John left behind, phasing in and out of sleep for the next two hours. The sky starts to lighten as the sun starts to rise, and sleep starts to evade you.

You let out a quiet breath, rolling back over. John hadn’t returned, the bed devoid of his presence while you slid in and out of a light sleep. A frown pulls at your brows as you decide to get up, quietly slipping out of bed to avoid disturbing Kyle. You slip on a robe before you leave the room, heading down the hall to the kitchen.

John isn’t there either, but there’s a mug in the sink. You start the coffee, letting it drip before you head to the back door, looking out at the yard. John is kneeling in front of one of the built in planters, pulling out weeds. You step out into the cool morning, quietly sliding the door closed before approaching him.

“You’re up early.” You say, coming to a stop beside him.

“Couldn’t get back to sleep.” He says, not looking up at you as he tugs another weed out of the dirt. “Thought I’d get up and be productive.”

Another frown creases your brow but you don’t push, instead looking at the row of planters. “You want to plant something this year?”

“It’s early enough in the spring we could.” He says. “Flowers or a garden.”

“It might be nice to have some fresh vegetables this summer.” You say, rocking back and forth on your toes. “Or flowers would be pretty. Liven up the outside while we work on it.”

“A garden will take more work, but it’ll give us something to do while we work on getting things set up for animals.” He says.

“Now you’re thinking about animals?” You say, raising a brow.

“I always was,” he says, sitting back on his heels. “I just know we have a lot of work to do before we can think about getting any.” He looks out past the end of the patio to where the green grass disappears down a small hill. It’s starting to get long. “The fence needs some work back there, and we’d have to renovate the barn out there. It’s in dire need of repairs.”

You hum, looking out at the distance before looking back down at him. “You’ve been thinking a lot this morning.”

He shrugs, going back to weeding. “I’ve had a lot of time to think.”

So much for retirement being relaxing, you think, but then again, it’s good that he’s finding something to do with himself. You know he’d be going stir-crazy if he didn’t have something to do. He’s never going to be good at sitting still, not until he has no choice.

You head back into the house, Kyle up and making himself some tea.

“Morning, love.” he says, pressing a kiss to the side of your head. He passes you a mug for your coffee. “How long has he been out there?”

You shrug. “Probably a while. I heard him get up earlier before it was light out.”

“Think he’s eaten anything?” He asks, tossing his tea bag in the trash.

“Probably not.” You say, taking a sip of your coffee.

“I’ll start on breakfast, you keep an eye on him.” Kyle leans down to press a kiss to your lips before making for the fridge pulling out some eggs.

You take a seat at the table, hardly more than a card table with plastic chairs but it’s what you could get without committing to a full dining table yet. The couch and the bed had been the first purchases and now you were going to slowly accumulate more and more furniture over time.

You can see John out the window, still kneeling and weeding the planters. His brow is pulled in focus, gaze locked into the dirt. You’ve seen him like that before, the intense focus on his task, the drive to complete whatever goal he’s set out for himself. Some deep part of you is starting to feel a bit on edge about it, but at the same time, as long as he’s happy…

You go out to fetch him when breakfast is ready, avoiding stepping in any of the dirt piles laying on the concrete. “Breakfast’s ready.” You say, coming to stand beside him.

“I’ll be in, in a minute.” He says, not even looking up at you.”

You stand there for a long moment, waiting for any more acknowledgment but none comes. “Okay.” You say quietly before turning on your heel, making your way back into the house.

“He coming?” Kyle asks, setting out plates.

“He said he’ll be in soon.” You say, taking a seat at the table.

Kyle frowns, shaking his head. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll go get him.”

You watch Kyle step out the door, reaching for the eggs as he stops beside John, words passing between them before he walks back towards the house. John stays where he is for a moment before he gets up, brushing the dirt off his jeans before heading towards the house as well.

You try not to let it bother you. You really don’t want it to, but you can’t deny the pang of hurt that John brushed you off so easily, but he listened to Kyle. They have a bond stronger than yours, different than yours. They’ve been through combat together, they trust each other on a level you’ll never achieve.

Whatever Kyle said, it worked. That’s what you should be thankful for.

John smells like dirt as he passes, going to wash his hands before he sits at the table on your other side. You’re already eating, shoving down your emotions with every swallow.

It’s quiet at the table, that prickle still in the back of your mind that something is off lingering. Your omega is picking up on something, but you don’t know what it is. You knew there would be an adjustment period, that things would be hard for a while, but you hadn’t really known what to expect. Maybe this is the start of it. Maybe it’s just the three of you trying to figure out this new dynamic, this new world. It’s new to all three of you, and maybe you just need some time to settle in. Maybe this tingling will go away with time, as the three of you settle more and more into this new routine.

You can only hope.

The days continue to get warmer and warmer, the three of you focusing your efforts outside. You did decide on a garden this year, or at least to try and get something established for coming years. John had jumped right into that plan, buying plants and soil and fertilizer and all the supplies you’ll need to get it started.

That deep feeling that something is off continues to simmer beneath the surface, reaching out its spindly fingers every time you wake to find John gone from the bed, every time you see him so knee deep in a task he forgets the world around him. He’s still waking early, your body becoming in-tune with his early rises. You wake when the bed shifts, blinking in the darkness, rolling into the warm spot he leaves behind, waiting for him to return but he never does.

Some part of you knew they’d wake early. Well, John would. Kyle has taken to his newfound freedom well, sleeping in later than even you some days. You had laughed about it being his body catching up on missed sleep over the years. You wished John would be able to do the same, yet he continues to wake before the sun.

You want to talk about it, but you’re not sure how to broach the subject. There will be push back. You don’t doubt that one bit. You’re just not ready for a fight like that yet. Things have been going so well. The last thing you want is to shatter this veil of domesticity that you’ve put together.

You manage to catch him one morning, when he’s slow to rise from the bed. You roll before he can push himself up, half asleep as your fingers wrap around his arm.

“John,” You slur, tugging at his arm. “Stay.”

Even half asleep you expect him to brush you off, tuck you in and kiss your head. He does hesitate, but then he gives in, climbing back into the bed. You snuggle up to him, giving him no chance of escape as he wraps his arms around you, resting his chin on your head. You let out a content sigh, wanting to play out the dream of a lazy morning, waking in his arms as the sun rises.

You doze back off for a while, nose pressed against his chest, breathing in his scent.

You wake a couple hours later, still squished up against his chest. Kyle in his sleep has partaken in your master plan to trap John, rolling up against your back, his arm slung across you to rest against John’s hip. It’s warm between them, nearly stifling with the sun shining in the window, but you wouldn’t move if the world was on fire. You’re getting what you wanted, but at the same time, there’s a disingenuous feel to it all. John only stayed because you forced him. He’s likely only still here to avoid waking both you and Kyle.

He’s not asleep. You can tell by the way he breathes. You know him well enough to decipher the changes between his breathing, the tension in his body as he lays there with you. He likely didn’t go back to sleep at all, laying awake while the two of you dozed the morning away. He must be itching to get up, itching to do something with the morning besides sleeping it away.

Kyle wakes with a grunt, disappearing from behind your back as he pushes himself up to sit, wiping the sleep from his eyes. “Gotta piss.” He mumbles, crawling down to the end of the bed before disappearing into the bathroom.

You lay where you are, fingers brushing John’s chest, drawing small patterns against his skin. “Thank you for staying.” You murmur, shifting closer against him.

He hums quietly, wrapping his arms tighter around you. “Didn’t give me much of a choice.”

“I think you could have gotten away if you wanted to.” You say, pressing a kiss to his skin.

He lets out a sigh, rolling over until you’re pressed against the mattress under him. “And miss this?”

He has missed this. For days he’s been missing this.

You’d never say that out loud, though.

His face presses into your neck, breathing in your scent. Lips press gentle kisses against your skin, a content hum leaving your lips. Your hand sinks into his hair, neatly trimmed to your disappointment. There’s still time yet to convince him to grow it out.

You yelp as his teeth sink into your skin, pinching it between them. You smack his arm, trying to wiggle out from under him. “Rude!”

He chuckles, pressing a soft kiss to the skin he just bit. “You were thinking too much.”

You pout, tugging at his hair until his head lifts from your neck. “I always think too much.”

He hums, leaning down to kiss you. “You’re distracted this morning.”

“I’m distracted every morning, but you wouldn’t know that.”

It slips out before you can stop it, but he elects to ignore it.

He breathes against your lips, hips pressing against your leg. “You’ve been thinking too much this morning too.” You say, feeling the bulge in his sleep pants against your thigh.

His scent is thick in the air, projecting, though whether purposefully or not, you’re not sure. You’re no better than him, warmth starting to bloom between your thighs.

“I leave for two minutes and you’re already getting all worked up.” Kyle says, stepping out of the bathroom.

“We’ve been thinking too much.” John says, pulling back just slightly.

“Clearly.” Kyle says. “Don’t have too much fun.” He makes his way towards the door.

“Where are you going?” You ask, lifting your head up to stare at him.

“To start on breakfast.” He shrugs before leaving the room.

“Loser.” You say, flopping back onto the pillow.

“He’s just set on missing out, then.” John says, his hand resting on your stomach. “Hope he makes a big breakfast. You’re going to need it by the time I’m done with you.”

You let out a whine as his teeth nip at your lip, his hand sliding lower. Oh fuck…

Your legs are still shaking as you sit at the table happily nibbling on a piece of bacon. John sits beside you, sipping his tea and scrolling on his phone. Kyle is seated across from you, making quick work of his eggs and toast.

“Easter’s this weekend.” John says. “Simon and Johnny will be here Friday.”

“I’m shocked they’re not driving up Thursday night.” Kyle says.

“I’m sure Johnny wants to,” You say. “It’s probably Simon making him wait until Friday morning.”

“They’ll get here before midday.” Kyle says. “I’ll put money on that.”

“Johnny will have them on the road before the sun’s up. Lad’s excited to get here.” John says.

“He misses us.” You shrug, spooning eggs into your mouth.

“If it wasn’t for Simon, I don’t doubt he’d have retired too.” Kyle says.

It falls silent for a moment. Of course Johnny would never abandon Simon like that. He’s loyal to his alpha and he’ll follow him wherever he goes, no matter if it means splitting the pack up. You would have liked having Johnny here too, but at the same time, you’re glad Simon has him. The thought of Simon being alone in the barracks tugs at something in your heart. He’d do it, no doubt, but it would be a lonely existence.

“Do you think Simon will ever retire?” You ask quietly, piece of toast in hand, but you can’t bring yourself to take a bite.

“He’ll have to eventually.” John says. “The body wears down and Simon would never take a desk job.”

Or he’ll die in the field.

That truth remains unspoken, but all three of you know that risk. John and Kyle had lived it many times, and you had spent the better part of six months living that reality. Now you’re living it again. Even if the threat isn’t there for your entire pack now, it doesn’t lessen the worry you’ll always carry for Johnny and Simon.

“Do you think he’d ever retire for us?” You ask, voicing the hidden question you’ve had burning at the back of your mind ever since John announced his retirement.

John lets out a heavy breath. “That’s not a question I can answer,” he admits honestly. “You’d have to ask him that yourself.”

“So we’ll never know.” You say quietly, staring down at the last piece of bacon on your plate.

“Simon’s a complex man.” John says softly. “As much as I’d like to think I can, I can’t put myself completely in his head. There’s things he does that surprise even me sometimes.”

“It’ll be good to see them.” You say, cutting off the conversation before you can think too hard about it. “I’ve missed them.”

“So have I.” Kyle says, stealing the bacon off your plate, knowing you’re not going to eat anymore. Your appetite has been spoiled by the heavy topic of conversation. “I bet Johnny will cry when he sees us again.”

“Oh he’s definitely breaking down.” You agree.

“He’s going to cry, and then he’s going straight for the bed.” Kyle chuckles. “Your poor pussy is going to feel every day that he’s been away.”

You wince, squeezing your thighs together at the thought of how much she’s about to go through.

“Simon is going to be just as insatiable.” John says.

“We might as well sleep in the guest room on the air mattress.” Kyle says to John. “Probably won’t be getting much sleep that first night.”

“What, you don’t want to join in?” You ask, staring at them over your mug as you sip your coffee.

John’s gaze darkens, Kyle’s jaw twitching as they stare at you. There’s a sudden tension in the air, their scents starting to thicken.

“As much as we’d enjoy it, they deserve some time with you to themselves.” John says lowly, a subtle growl in his voice.

“We’ve been spoiled, getting to have you whenever we want.” Kyle says, his own voice pitched low and gruff. “Only seems right to give them that chance.”

A shiver runs down your spine as you stare at them, eyes flicking back and forth from John’s gaze to Kyle’s, then back. You feel small under the intensity of their gaze, the back of your neck tingling. A deep part of you is wanting to run, to give them chase, but you wouldn’t make it far. Down the hall maybe. Probably not even into the room.

“Smell that?” John rasps, taking in a deep inhale.

“Thought you wore her out already.” Kyle rumbles.

“Thought I did too.” John’s gaze is dark, another shiver running down your spine.

You can stop yourself as you jump up, racing towards the entrance to the kitchen. They’re on their feet almost as soon as you are, footsteps thudding behind you. You slip on the turn around the corner, flying down the hall to the room.

You just manage to get the door closed, flipping the lock before taking a step back. They’ll get through, you don’t doubt that. Instead your gaze turns towards the window, an idea popping into your head. You don’t care that your barefoot as you climb into the bed, pushing the window open. It gives a bit of resistance from the damp air outside but you get it open just enough to slip through and onto the patio. You take off towards the grass, hearing the sliding door open.

A body hits you from behind, forcing you down into the grass. You just made it off the patio, breathing hard as you land in the tall foliage. Kyle is on top of you, flipping you over onto your back, John right beside him. You’re laughing, kicking out at Kyle as he tickles your sides.

“Little shit.” He grins, not even breathing hard after the short run.

“Giving us chase, you little minx.” John says, pinning down your top half.

“Not my fault you were stinking up the house.” You giggle, giving up the fight.

“Enjoy that did you?” John asks, staring down at you.

“Yeah.” You breathe, staring up into those intense blue eyes.

You can see the thoughts behind those eyes, the ideas his brain is coming up with and storing for later. Another shiver runs down your spine at the thought.

Finally Kyle lets up, leaning his body over yours. You wrap your legs around his waist, tugging him down so he’s chest to chest with you. He grunts softly, catching himself on his elbows.

“We gonna make this a regular thing?” He asks, his thumb brushing your cheek.

“Do you want it to be?” You ask softly.

He smirks. “That’s up to you and how much you feel like running.”

You hum. “Might have to pull out my running shoes again.”

Kyle chuckles, pressing a kiss to your lips before sitting up on his knees. “Gotta work on that stamina.” He grins, his hand trailing up your side. “Johnny and Simon will get a head start on that.”

You swallow thickly, your scent starting to project again.

“Don’t get her riled up too much.” John says, shifting your wrists into one of his hands, the other dropping to brush across your lips. “She’s already had an exciting morning.”

“I didn’t get to have my fun.” Kyle says.

John releases you as you push yourself up to stand, staring down at him where he sits on his knees. You drag your fingers through his curls tugging his head back. “Maybe you should have stayed then.” You lean down, pressing a kiss to his forehead before stepping around him, making your way back towards the house.

“Shit,” he breathes, your ears just picking it up as you reach the sliding glass door.

A grin splits your face as you step back into the house, leaving them outside.

The bed dipping again pulls you from sleep. You roll over, reaching out but find nothing but air. The shadowy figure of John disappears into the gaping maw that is the bathroom before the door closes and the light turns on. You lay there in the dark, staring at the strip of light for a moment. You’re half tempted to get up, to beat him to the kitchen, finally confront him about his sleep, but Kyle chooses that moment to roll over and wrap his arms around you. You silently curse him, laying there as the bathroom door opens, John’s shadow making its way across the room and out the door.

You let out a sigh. John hasn’t been sleeping well. He’s up late and rises early, and you know he gets up sometimes during the night. You want to ask, you want to talk to him, but you don’t know how. You’re not sure he would talk to you, if he even could. Something’s up with him and it’s bothering you that you can’t help. Instead you lay there helpless in Kyle’s arms, staring at the wall until your eyes start to droop.

It’s light out when they open again. Kyle’s gone, his warmth fading from the bed. John’s side is cold, just as you expected. You lay there in the blankets for a moment, staring up at the ceiling illuminated by the sun coming in through the window. It’s Friday, which means Johnny and Simon will be on their way here soon, if they aren’t already. They had sounded excited on the call last night, and you can’t help but wonder if Johnny got any sleep. You hope he did considering he’ll be driving.

You climb out of bed finally, pulling on a pair of shorts before heading to the kitchen. The smell of toast and eggs wafts down the hallway, drawing you towards the sounds coming from the kitchen.

“Morning, love.” Kyle says softly, turning to look at you from the stove.

“Morning.” You say, rubbing your eyes as you head for the coffee pot.

John is seated at the table, nursing a tea with his phone in hand. He looks tired, dark circles like bruises under his eyes. You wonder what he does when he wakes so early. Go on a run? Sit and have an existential crisis? Scroll on his phone until his mind is numb and leaking out of his ears?

“Morning, sweetheart.” He murmurs over the top of his mug when you take a seat at the table.

“You were up early.” You say, your heart pounding in your chest. You’re pushing a boundary here, but curiosity is beginning to make you brave.

“Couldn’t get back to sleep.” Is all he says, setting his mug back down on the table. For some reason, it feels like a finality.

If you were braver, you’d push, but you don’t have it in you. Not when he’s looking like this.

Kyle interrupts the moment, or perhaps saves it, as he sets a plate of toast, eggs, and sausages down on the table. You’re not particularly hungry, but you eat anyway, knowing you’re going to need the strength later.

“Johnny and Simon left around 6 this morning.” John says.

“That early?” You frown.

“I’m surprised they didn’t leave earlier.” Kyle says.

“They should be here around noon.” John continues. “Perhaps earlier depending on if Johnny decides the rules of the road are actually rules.”

“Maybe later if he gets pulled over again.” Kyle says.

“He’s been pulled over before?” Your brows raise, though you’re not sure why you’re surprised.

“A few times.” John says. “He’s even gotten out of a ticket a couple times.”

“It’s the charisma and charm.” You say.

“Nah, he just plays dumb.” Kyle says.

“Or that.” You giggle.

The three of you finish breakfast and you set up to make sure the house looks perfect, even with its sparse furniture and décor. You want it to look good for Johnny and Simon. You want their first impression of your nest to be a good one. They’ll probably like it regardless. Anything will beat the barracks, but still, you have that drive to make sure everything is in its place and perfectly aligned.

Noon arrives with great anticipation, and you eagerly await the sound of tires on gravel outside.

You don’t have to wait long, your body up off the couch as soon as you hear the crunch of rocks that make up the front driveway. You fling the front door open, standing there impatiently as Johnny parks next to Kyle’s car.

Simon exits the vehicle first so he’s your first target, your body bee-lining to him automatically, even before you realize it. You almost slam into him, wrapping your arms around his waist as tight as you can, squeezing him like your life depends on it. He lets out a quiet grunt at the impact, but his arms fall around you too.

Tears sting your eyes as you rest against his chest, emotions welling up inside of you. It’s been almost two months since you’ve seen them. Even with the hectic business of the house and settling in, there lingered an ache deep in your chest, the ache of missing the other half of your pack.

Simon’s scent floods your senses and you breathe it in deeply, almost tasting the scent of leather and eucalyptus and the distant tang of gun powder. His own nose is pressed into your hair, breathing in your own sweet scent.

“Missed you, love.”

It’s murmured against the top of your head, rumbling deep in his chest against your ear. Three simple words but they have the tears finally sliding down your cheeks. You missed his scent, his voice, his arms around you. You’ve missed him more than you thought, that ache in your chest all the more noticeable now that he’s back with you. You missed your alpha, his warmth, his comfort, his strength. You’d drop to your knees and beg him to retire right now if you could bear to tear yourself away from his hold.

“Missed you so much.” You whisper, your voice wavering.

His hands rub your back, fingers trailing through your hair. “I’m here.” He whispers, lips pressing against your forehead. “I’ve got you.”

The two of you stand there, caught up in the moment for a few breaths, the tears still trailing down your cheeks. You don’t want to let him go. You’d fuse yourself to him if you could.

A voice cuts through the silence, breaking the quiet moment.

“Did ye forget about me?”

You reluctantly pull yourself back from Simon, turning in his arms to blink blearily at Johnny. “No.” You say, reaching out for him. “You wouldn’t let me.”

He nearly slams into you, picking you up off the ground and spinning you. “Oh I missed ye, kitten.”

“I missed you too.” You giggle through the tears, wrapping your arms tight around him. “I missed you so much.”

Johnny sets you back on your feet, cupping your face in his hands as he leans down to press a kiss to your lips. He groans quietly as he finally gets a taste of you after months, kissing you hard.

His thumbs stroke your cheeks, wiping tears against your skin. You missed him terribly too, breathing in his soft, warm scent as he pulls your body close against his. His kiss leaves your lips, trailing down your cheek to your neck, his nose pressing into your skin as he inhales deeply.

“Fucking missed this.” He groans, his hands sliding down your back.

“Alright, come on you needy pup.” John says, slapping his shoulder. “Don’t get too excited. You don’t want the neighbors to see.”

Johnny pulls back, looking around at the farmlands that surround you. “What neighbors?”

“Come on,” John says motioning with his head. “I thought you wanted to see the house.”

“I do!” Johnny says excitedly, taking your hand. “Show me this wonderful place, kitten.”

You giggle, wiping the tears from your cheeks with your free hand. “Come on.” You lead him up the steps of the porch to the front door.

“It’s cute.” Simon says, following behind you.

“She’s a little sparse, but I think you’ll see the vision.” You say, leading them inside.

You give them a tour, showing them around the living area and the kitchen, then outside to the patio and the land that stretches beyond, telling them all about your plans and the animals you’ll get soon. Then you head back inside, showing them around the guest rooms and the bathroom before you end in the main bedroom.

“Screamin’ Jesus that’s quite the bed.” Johnny says, toeing off his shoes before jumping onto the mattress.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” You ask, following him up onto the bed. “John got the reinforced frame.”

“Good.” Simon says, crawling on behind you. “I assume you’ve put it to the test already.”

You giggle bashfully. “We’ve put it through some thorough testing.” You lay back against the pillows, staring up at him. “Though there’s still a few things we have to try.”

His gaze darkens as he stares down at you, his hand lifting to cup your cheek. “We’re you waiting for us?” His voice is low, rumbling deep in his chest.

You nod, breathless under his gaze. “Yes.”

“Christ in heaven.” Johnny moans, shifting on your other side.

You sink your teeth into your lip as you stare up at them, your body starting to buzz excitedly. You’ve missed them so much, their touch, their taste, their smell. Being this close to them again almost makes you dizzy, your mind reeling from the look of them above you, making you feel small beneath them.

“Happy for your reunion, but would you like lunch before you defile our omega?” Kyle’s voice cuts through the moment.

Simon and Johnny both look away, turning to glance at Kyle. They glance back at each other, having a silent conversation before looking back at the other beta.

“Lunch would be great.” Simon says, pushing himself up off the bed.

You pout, pushing yourself up to sit. “But what about me?”

Simon gives you a wicked grin, adjusting his pants. “You can be our afternoon snack.”

A whine leaves your throat at his words, your teeth sinking into your lip again.

You don’t get to be the afternoon snack. The five of you get too caught up talking and getting each other caught up with your lives that it’s dinner before you know it. You help Kyle cook, working on your skills with him so he doesn’t always have to be the one cooking. He doesn’t mind, it’s something to do, but at the same time you feel bad. He deserves a break every so often too.

Dinner passes by quickly, the five of you retiring to the living room after, nursing beers as you relax in post-food euphoria. You’re squeezed on the couch between Simon and John, Kyle and Johnny taking to the floor, spread out on the carpet.

“It’s good to be back together again.” You say, leaning your head on Simon’s shoulder. “I missed this.”

“Aye, it feels wrong to be apart for so long.” Johnny says, leaning back on his hand.

“You can always retire.” You say, a smile tugging at your lips.

“Wish it were that easy.” Simon grumbles, leaning his head back against John’s hand. His arm is draped across the back of the couch, fingers playing with the hair at the base of Simon’s head.

“I know.” You say, taking another swig of beer. It tastes like piss but you’re too afraid to say anything, lest you face the teasing of the Brits before you. “So what do you think of the house?” You ask, changing the topic of conversation to something a little more lively.

“It’s cute.” Simon says. “Very much you.”

“Feels homey already.” Johnny says. “Can’t wait tae see it when it’s fully decorated.”

“I approve of the bed choice.” Simon says, his hand dropping to your thigh.

A shiver works its way up your spine, the promise of what’s going to happen later silently conveyed by that one action. You can’t wait, but they seem content where they are, dragging it out for you.

The anticipation only adds to the arousal starting to build within you.

Simon’s hand continues to rest on your thigh as the conversation continues, his thumb stroking your skin. You wish his fingers would slide higher, press against the seam of your shorts where you’re starting to get wet. No doubt your scent is thickening in the air, filling the room with your thick scent.

All four pairs of eyes are on you suddenly, your skin tingling from their gaze. You try and hide behind your beer can, sinking further into the couch.

“Someone’s getting excited.” Kyle smirks.

“Yeah, well, I missed my boys.” You say, taking a big swig of beer, hoping for a little liquid courage.

Simon’s hand finally slides up your thigh, fingers pressing between your legs, feeling the heat there. He slides your shorts to the side, his hand cupping you through your panties. “I’ll say.” He nearly groans, his fingers stroking you through the fabric.

Johnny takes in a deep breath before downing the rest of his beer, setting the can on the coffee table. “I cannae take much more.” He says, pushing himself up to stand. He’s sporting a hard-on, cock bulging through his jeans.

Simon’s hand leaves you as Johnny bends down, his shoulder meeting your middle as he pulls you up and over his shoulder. You let out a squeal, hands fisting his shirt to try and keep steady.

“See ye in the morning.” He says, already heading down the hall to the bedroom.

Your back meets the bed, bouncing from the impact as he quickly tears his shirt over his head. You lick your lips at the sight of him, drinking in every last inch of skin revealed to you as he kicks off his pants.

“Eager tonight.” You say, laying back on your elbows.

“Missed ye.” He grunts, nearly catching a foot in his boxers before he kicks them across the room. His cock is hard where it hangs between his thighs, red and angry already. He’s been horny just as long as you have, likely even longer. You wouldn’t be surprised if he was half hard on the drive up here.

His fingers curl under your waistband, yanking your shorts and panties down your legs and off your feet. He pushes your legs open, bending them up so they’re resting against your chest. A curse leaves his lips as he stares down at your soaked folds, his hands sliding down your thighs. You tug your shirt over your head as he leans down, dragging his tongue through your folds.

A deep groan leaves his lips, his eyes rolling back. “Fucking beautiful.”

He buries his face in your pussy, slurping like a man starved. His tongue laps through your folds, drinking up every last drop of your juices that dribbles out of you. You let out a sigh, laying back on the bed as you finally get some friction against your pulsing clit.

He closes his lips around it, sucking hard. Your eyes roll back, toes curling from the pleasure. John and Kyle have ignored you for the last couple days, giving you time to rest and recuperate before this moment, when Simon and Johnny finally got their hands on you again.

A whimper leaves your lips as he’s suddenly pulled back, your head lifting to find Simon standing beside him, hand gripping Johnny’s mohawk. Johnny’s face is shiny from your slick, his tongue darting out to lick his lips as he stares up at Simon.

“Needy little mutt.” Simon says, his gaze focused on Johnny. “Getting started without me?”

“Couldnae help it.” Johnny almost whines, his fingers flexing against your thighs. “Smelled so good.”

Simon hums, fingers releasing Johnny’s hair. “Well then,” he shoves Johnny’s face back towards your pussy. “Do your job and make her cum.”

“Yes, sir.” Johnny murmurs before he’s back at your pussy, lips closing around your clit again.

Simon climbs on the bed beside you, leaning on his arm. His free hand grips your chin, turning your face towards his. You stare up into those deep, dark eyes, a shiver running down your spine from the unmistakable lust in his gaze. His scent is quickly filling the air, mixing with yours and Johnny’s.

Your lips part with a gasp as his hand slides down your neck, fingers wrapping around your throat. Your pulse thrums against his fingers, toes curling from the attention that Johnny is giving to your clit. You’re going to cum, your chest rising and falling quickly as Simon’s hold on you tightens just slightly.

You grip Johnny’s hair, pulling his face harder against your pussy, hips lifting to grind against his mouth. You don’t care that you might be smothering him, and you doubt he cares either as he continues to eagerly slurp at your clit. You continue to hold Simon’s gaze, mouth falling open as you get closer and closer to the edge. Simon’s gaze doesn’t waver, neither does his grip around your throat as he holds you there, keeping you steady while Johnny has you coming undone.

Pleasure comes in waves as you cum, legs shaking against Johnny’s hands as he sucks hard on your clit. It’s almost too much, your back arching off the bed. One hand wraps around Simon’s wrist, holding on for dear life as you gush into Johnny’s mouth. He lets out a groan, lapping up every last drop of slick.

“Good boy.” Simon praises him, finally releasing you to stand back up.

You drop lax on the bed as Johnny finally releases you, kneeling on the floor in front of Simon. Their gazes are locked as Simon starts to undress, tugging his shirt over his head before taking his time undoing his belt. You lay on the bed, watching the moment while trying to catch your breath.

Simon kicks his pants off before climbing onto the bed, moving past you to lounge against the sheets, his cock resting against his stomach. He stares at you and Johnny, arms behind his head looking as causal as can be.

“Well?” he lifts a brow. “It’s not going to suck itself.”

You and Johnny share a look before you’re moving, climbing between his spread legs. You wrap your hand around the base of his cock as Johnny climbs up beside you, his arm brushing yours as he leans down, wasting no time. You start to stroke Simon’s cock as Johnny takes his head into his mouth, sucking lightly. You keep your gaze on Simon’s face, his eyes lidded as he watches you.

You push Johnny aside and bend down, flicking your tongue across Simon’s slit, feeling him get harder in your hand. You circle his head with your tongue before prodding at his slit again, still stroking him with your hand.

A hand tangles in your hair, pulling you off of Simon’s cock. Johnny releases you before bending back down, taking Simon’s cock in his mouth. His hand rests on Simon’s thigh as he sinks down until his lips touch your hand where you stroke him. He bats your hand away before sinking even lower, gagging as Simon’s cock hits the back of his throat.

“Show off.” You breathe, shouldering him aside as you take his place, taking Simon’s cock into your mouth.

Johnny’s hand grips the back of your neck but you drive an elbow into his stomach, sinking down as far as you can until you feel your gag reflex start to protest.

A hand tangles in your hair, tugging you up off of Simon’s cock. Simon is holding you, his other hand gripping Johnny’s mohawk. Both of you stare up at him, drool sliding down your chin.

“Enough.” He growls, releasing you. “Behave.”

You turn to look at Johnny, his face leaning forward to lick the drool off your chin. You let out a choked sound as his lips slide up, meeting yours. You grip Simon’s cock again, both of you leaning down. Your tongues entwine, licking all over Simon’s cock as you start to stroke him again. He’s leaking, precum beading from his slit. Johnny swipes a drop with his tongue, smearing it across Simon’s head. Your teeth scrape the delicate skin of his cock, smirking as you feel the twitch against your hand. He’s close, the heavy rise and fall of his chest visible out of the corner of your eye.

You drop your hand to his balls as Johnny takes him into his mouth again, bobbing his head as he sucks Simon off. A deep groan leaves Simon’s mouth as you massage his balls, feeling them tighten before he cums, spurting into Johnny’s mouth.

Johnny takes every last drop, your hand stroking Simon until he stops twitching. Johnny pulls off of him, your hand darting out to grip his chin before you force your tongue in his mouth before he can swallow. Simon’s cum is bitter on your tongue as you flick it against Johnny’s, his tongue passing some of it to you. You can almost feel the deep groan that leaves Simon, his cock hardening again in your hand.

You swallow down what you got, pulling away from Johnny. Both of you turn to look at Simon, his eyes lidded, mouth parted as he breathes. His hand reaches out for you and you crawl forward, letting him guide you to sit on his stomach. His hand lifts up to brush your bottom lip, cleaning off the residue of drool and cum.

“Did you enjoy that?” He asks quietly, softly, so very different from the commanding presence you had just witnessed.

You nod. “Yes.”

“Good.” He cups your cheek with his hand. “I missed that fucking mouth. Had to put up with that slag for weeks.”

Johnny lets out a whimper, his hand dropping to drag against his own cock.

“Missed this pussy even more.” He says, his hands falling to your waist to drag your hips against his stomach. “Been dreaming about it.”

You rest your hands against his chest, rocking your hips back and forth, dragging your clit against his skin. You’re leaving a wet patch but you don’t care, shamelessly using him for pleasure.

“Now, before I turn you into a little fountain, there’s something I need you to do first.” He cups the back of your neck, pulling you down towards his face. His breath fans your ear as he whispers. “Johnny’s been an awful good boy waiting for this moment. Why don’t you give him the ride of his life and milk him dry with your pussy.”

You sink your teeth into your lip, pushing yourself back up on his chest. You climb off of him, pressing your hands against Johnny’s chest, guiding him to lay next to Simon. He goes willingly, eyes locked with yours as you maneuver him.

You settle yourself over his hips, taking his cock in your hand. It’s already rock hard, tip leaking. He’s not going to last long once he’s inside of you, but that’s all part of this plan. Fuck him till he begs you to stop, no matter what. You just have to outlast him.

His head falls back as you lower yourself onto his cock, a moan leaving your lips at the stretch of him. Simon turns on his side, watching the two of you as you sink down completely, sitting yourself on Johnny’s hips.

“Feel good?” Simon hums.

You nod. “So good. Missed you so much.”

“We know.” Simon says, slapping Johnny’s cheek lightly. “Be a gentleman and watch your omega as she uses you.”

Johnny tilts his head back down, lips parted as you start to move, lifting yourself up before lowering again on his cock. Simon’s hand rests against Johnny’s stomach, his other hand propping himself up as he watches you. Johnny’s hands rest on your thighs, gripping tightly as you bounce on his cock, squeezing around him with every press of his tip against that spot inside of you.

You have to outlast him. You just have to make it longer than him.

He’s not going to last that long.

He’s already twitching, hips jerking under you as you grind your hips, angling yourself so your clit drags across his skin. He’s moaning and whining, fingers dimpling your skin from how tightly he’s gripping you.

He cums quickly, nearly bucking you off as he spills inside of you, but you don’t stop, continuing to fuck yourself on his cock. Simon holds the base of his cock as you continue to bounce, feeling him getting hard again. He’s panting, lips parted as he stares at you, cheeks flushed and eyes shiny. He looks wrecked and he’s only cum once.

“Fucking...Jesus.” he groans, back arching as you continue your movements, pussy fluttering around his cock, squeezing him. “I cannae take it.”

“You can.” Simon says, moving his hand once Johnny’s completely hard again. “And you will.”

Johnny whines, hands bruising on your thighs as he desperately hangs on, eyes fluttering. You don’t stop despite the ache in your thighs, the sweat soaking your skin. Your stamina isn’t what it used to be, but you ignore the fatigue, grinding against him again, pushing yourself closer and closer to the edge.

Johnny’s hands leave your thighs and slide up to your waist, aiding you with every bounce, the sound of wet skin slapping wet skin filling the air.

“Come on,” Simon goads him, sitting up on his knees. “You can do it.” His hand slides behind you, gripping Johnny’s balls.

A curse leaves Johnny’s lips, his back arching as he thrusts up into you, nearly throwing you off of him, but Simon’s other hand settles on your waist, keeping you upright. You’re tired, sweat dripping off your forehead but you don’t stop, not even when Simon’s fingers slide to your clit, rubbing tight circles over the sensitive bud.

“You too.” He breathes in your ear. “Come on.”

You cum with a cry, legs giving out as you squeeze around Johnny’s cock. Johnny cums with a shout, filling you a second time. He’s shaking too, falling limp beneath you.

“I cannae…I cannae take more.” He gasps, trying to push you off of him.

You lift your hips, letting him slip out of you, his cock landing with a wet smack against his stomach. You lay yourself against his chest as Simon rises, heading for the bathroom. You rest against Johnny for a moment, both of you trying to catch your breaths.

“Fucking better than I remembered.” Johnny breathes, pressing a kiss to the side of your head. “Fucking magical pussy.”

You giggle, that giggle turning into a shriek as Simon flips you off of Johnny onto your back on the bed next to him. There’s a towel under your hips, Simon kneeling between your thighs.

Oh, he wasn’t kidding.

He pushes your trembling legs up, spreading you open before him. “There she is.” He says, eyes locked on your pussy, some of Johnny’s cum dripping out of you. “Isn’t that a sight.”

He moves your hands to hold the backs of your thighs, pussy spread open for him. His fingers rub slow circles over your clit, eyes locked with yours. You’re sure you’re a sight right now. Sweaty face, damp hair sticking to your skin, still shaking from your last orgasm, Johnny’s cum slowly seeping out of your wet pussy. Looking properly wrecked and he hasn’t even started with you yet.

Johnny is beside you, watching with interest. He knows what’s about to happen. He’s not stupid...well, not completely. He might have been fucked dumb but it wouldn’t take a genius to realize what’s about to happen to you.

Simon slides his hand lower, slipping two fingers into you. You whimper, still sensitive after fucking Johnny. Despite that your pussy squelches around his fingers, walls fluttering as he finds that spot inside you. You brace yourself, breathing through the slow thrusts of his fingers against that spot.

You can feel the slow build of pressure, the pleasure starting to thrum under your skin. The anticipation nearly takes you out, toes curling as you wait for him to truly start. His gaze is on your face, watching you as he slowly picks up the pace, pushing his fingers against that spot faster and faster. Your lips fall open, breaths coming in short gasps as the pleasure builds, pussy fluttering uncontrollably.

It gets to be too much, feeling like you might explode as he drives his fingers into that spot, a cry leaving your lips as you squirt all over his hand.

“Screamin’ Jesus.” Johnny breathes, watching your body writhe on the bed, Simon’s fingers driving right back into you, thrusting up against that spot again.

Simon’s hand presses against your stomach, pinning you down as you try to writhe away. “One more.” He grunts, thrusting his fingers hard against that spot before you squirt again, soaking his hand and the towel. “Good girl.”

He doesn’t give you any time to recover, slotting himself between your legs and thrusting into you. Your pussy stretches around him, not even Johnny able to fully prepare you for the size of him. You fall limp against the bed, Simon tossing your legs over his shoulders before he’s thrusting into you, snapping his hips against yours. You reach out, gripping Johnny’s arm as your back arches, your fluttering pussy squeezing around Simon’s big cock as you ride one orgasm into another.

It’s too much, your vision swimming as you try to breathe. You feel like you’re floating, the pleasure almost painful as he snaps his hips against yours, grinding the tip of his cock against that spot inside of you. He’s grunting and growling, hands gripping the comforter under you. You can’t do anything but lay there and take what he’s giving you, your legs trembling uncontrollably as he wrings another orgasm out of you.

“Fucking shit.” He groans, hands pinning you to the bed as he fucks you hard, driving the tip of his cock into your spot over and over. You can feel it building again, that unmeasurable pressure as tears leak out of your eyes from the overwhelming sensations. “Come on.” He grunts, driving his hips upward. “One more for me.”

He thrusts into you hard, hips meeting your ass as you squirt around his cock, your vision going dark from the pleasure.

“I think ye killed her.” Johnny’s voice reaches you through the ringing in your ears.

You’re shaking all over, body limp on the bed as you blink bleary eyes up at Simon. He’s still above you, one hand stroking the tears from your cheeks.

“There she is.” He says softly, gently easing your legs from his shoulders. “Welcome back.”

“I think he’s right.” You rasp, body still trembling. “I think you killed me.”

Simon chuckles, pulling himself out of you. Cum and slick seeps from your pussy, adding to the damp spot already soaking through the towel. “You did so good for me.” He praises you, brushing damp strands of hair from your face. “Took me so well.”

You pull him down against you, sweat mixing with sweat as you hold him for a moment. “Don’t tell anyone,” you say, your fucked-stupid brain forgetting to whisper. “But your cock is my favorite.”

Johnny goes to protest, but he stops himself. “Ye know after that, I don’t blame ye kitten.”

Simon chuckles, pushing himself back up. “Let’s get you both cleaned up.”

He uses the towel to wipe between your thighs before taking it to the bathroom, adding it to the hamper. He grabs a clean cloth, wetting it before coming back, wiping you down, then Johnny. You manage to get your body to roll over, cuddling up against Johnny’s side.

“That was good, kitten.” He says, kissing your forehead. “Got my cock achin’.”

“I think my pussy needs rehydrating.” You murmur, sleep already starting to tug at the back of your brain.

Simon maneuvers the covers out from under you, tucking in you and Johnny before sliding in behind you after turning out the light. He tucks himself against your back, tossing an arm over you.

“Missed you a lot.” You slur, half asleep already.

“I know.” Simon says, kissing the back of your head. “We missed you a lot too. Not just your pussy, but every part of you. Your presence, your humor. Having someone there to protect and take care of. It’s not the same without you.”

You make a small noise, wiping your sweaty forehead. “Who knew all I needed to do was leave for two months and suddenly you’d get sentimental.”

Simon grunts, pulling you and Johnny tighter against him. “Don’t get a big head, you little shit.”

You can’t help but smile, comforted by his words. At least you know they do miss you.

To be notified about new chapters, please follow HERE and turn on notifications

[hometoursandotherstuff]

What a strange house. It's very colorful and angular, sort of like a clown house. It was built in 1995 in Albuquerque, NM, has 2bds, 2ba, 1,733 sq ft, and priced at $595k. (Reduced $55k in November.)

The entrance hall. The walls throughout the house are Venetian plaster.

The entrance opens directly to the open concept living room/kitchen with a modern black fireplace that really stands out.

This is actually just a structure with a free standing wood stove, not actually a fireplace, but there's lots of room to store wood.

Very spacious area with vaulted ceilings. And, then there's a small step up to the kitchen. Why do they put trip hazards in?

For some reason, the stove is in the middle of the kitchen floor. What is it connected to? There's no exhaust hood, either.

The cabinets make it look like a laundromat with a vintage sink.

The power source must be coming up from the floor beneath it.

They should've used a level to hang that heavy shelf.

Another crooked heavy shelf in the laundry room.

Looks like a large black & white photo behind this wood frame on the wall.

The rooms in this house are gigantic. The family room has a little electric heat stove in the corner and doors to the yard.

This bath is nice, but the stairs to the tub lead to a corner. Weird.

The primary bedroom has windows overlooking the living room.

Colorful 3 pc. bath with a skylight.

Bedroom #2 features plantation shutters and what looks like it may be a door to the outside.

The front yard has a raised patio with a planter.

Doors in the kitchen open to another patio with a bench swing.

A 3rd patio in the back.

Stairs go up to an area that looks like pebbles and wraps around the house.

There's a one car garage and some parking.

The house lit up at night. 7,840 sq ft lot.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3512-Campus-Blvd-NE-Albuquerque-NM-87106/6733617_zpid/

[changingplumbob]

Second Round - Day Eleven (Gonk) 1 of 2

@sleepyselkiesims, @sanitysims, @bakersimmer, @invisiblequeen, @abbysimsfun, @fallin4fiction - Sim creators, co-writers, costume/makeup department and fashion photographers

Bright and early, the household wakes up. Room order was randomised, and turns out Nicola and Nephinae have ground floor rooms today. A wheel was spun for type of shower the contestants would have (opportunity for energised, flirty or inspired moodlet) and whether they would brush their teeth (possible confident moodlet). Once they are finished getting ready they're sent to breakfast. Autonomy is toggled on and room doors are locked.

The order the contestants arrive at breakfast matters a little. Deanna compliments each of them in the order they arrive. Those who are talked to early seem to have more chance of fitting in autonomous socials with Deanna. They might fit in a joke, flirt or gossip between her complimenting others.

Deanna: Good morning Nicola! Oh... are you alright?

Yasmine: Did you have another shampoo disaster?

Nicola: *tearfully* Yes

Arista: *mermaid noises* I'm sorry if that seemed insensitive

Nicola: No I know, it's involuntary

Nephinae: You okay Kris?

Kristina: *sadly* Shmoo shmoo

Yep, Kristina has been struck by a sad moodlet from her erratic trait this morning.

Arista: Hold on, I need a hug

Deanna laughs and hugs the pink haired sim before checking up on her. When she sits back down it appears Yasmine's steamy shower is paying off.

Yasmine: The stripes on your shirt match my hair, it's fate, we're matching

Watchers note: Evelyn who was clearing dishes hears Yasmine flirting and dumps the pile of dirty plates in front of her. I couldn't stop giggling for a while as Evelyn just stood there interrupting the conversation in such an un-Evie way. Yasmine however is unbothered.

Deanna: Do you need to take some time Kristina before the challenge? To feel better?

Kristina: *smiles* No, I just need some extra love

Deanna hugs her and brings her back to the table to talk with everyone. Please note how Kristina did not wash that big pile of dishes in front of Yasmine either...

Nicola: I mean I thought about cutting my hair but I feel that would just make it easier for the shampoo to get to my face

Arista: Depends how short you want to go. I don't have any problems

Yasmine: I hope we get to do an outdoors challenge today

Kristina: I would love that, maybe a gardening challenge

Nicola: I love gardening, it's such fun!

Nephinae: Back home I built these raised planter beds with a full irrigation system...

Arista: Do you have pictures? I just hope the challenge isn't swimming

Evie: *laughs* I think you'd have the advantage there

Deanna: It's not a swimming challenge

Nicola: I just want it to be something I can enjoy

Evelyn: *shocked* But Nic, you already had a date and bonus points. Did you not enjoy those ones?

Nicola: *carefully* I enjoyed winning

Evelyn: *sighs wistfully* I wish I was good at stuff I didn't like. It would make assignments easier

Nephinae: I think anyone can be good at most things, there's just a learning curve first

Arista: I am really good at bouquet catching at my sisters weddings now

Yasmine: Are all six married? That must have been good practice for catching

Arista: They are, and I reckon by wedding three I knew where to stand

The contestants enter a costume department of a local film company.

Luna: Guten Morgen. You haven't met me yet but I'm Luna Villareal. Before I fell for Deanna's older sister I was an active member of the paragons, a group that loves to dress up. So for this challenge to win a date with my sister-in-law, we're going to be doing some dress up. Drumroll please

*group taps a drumroll*

Devin: Ta-da!

Devin strides out in one of her signature outfits from the Starlight Accolade winning Pirates of the Aegean.

Devin: What can I say? I'm optimistic about a sequel

Devin: My wife loves fashion, and I basically play dress up to pay the bills. Today we have some of my friends coming in to help you dress up. Our themes are earth and land, wind and spirit, water and sea as well as fire and light. We'll be picking themes randomly, then you'll have the help of Luna, me, some paragons and some of my co-stars to pick your outfits. Once you're decided Rudolphous, who does all my film make-up, will apply the finishing touches and we'll get you in front of a camera

Watchers Note: Since art is subjective I did not want to choose the winners myself. They will be decided by charisma skill levels. That is coming in the next part, this part is all about celebrating the creativity of simmers. Don't forget you can post your own creations on your page once they've debuted here, I would love to make sure people can see them! This challenge is inspired by the dress up challenges @cawthorntales does for his BC's.

On with the show.

Nicola's Theme - Wind and Spirit

Nicola: I LOVE dressing up! Miss Frizzle is my practically my idol. I don't dress up as much as she does, and I also don't have a magic bus, *sad violin music* but the students love a theme day and they make me feel like a kid again!

Nicola chooses to soar amongst the clouds with her outfit. Henford has beautiful blue skies and Nicola has many memories of cloud gazing as she was growing up with her brother. It's a way to connect with home.

Nephinae's Theme - Fire & Light

Nephinae: Oh watcher, these sims aren't ready for me.

Nephinae chooses to pay homage to fire in nature- the glow and burn of magma. When Volcanoes show their might, that's where you'll fine her. The heat pushing from under the crust of the earth.

Arista's Theme - Fire & Light

Arista: Oooo sounds fun! I never bothered with dress up when I was a little boy, so I suppose it's about time I give it a try!

So much for killing with fire, Arista has become new in the flames. From the ashes of her past this trans woman rises like a phoenix, becoming her own light and true self.

Evelyn's Theme: Water & Sea

Evie: Ooh, fun!

Water flows all over the surface of the earth. It is a powerful force, yet it still bends to the will of the moon. Day is not the only time the ocean is alive.

Yasmine's Theme - Earth & Land

Yasmine: *confused* I never thought too much about what I wear, but if it matters for this challenge, I guess I will try. At least the theme seems right up my alley

A truer statement has never been spoken! Nature loving Yasmine takes the theme head on and basks in the choices. So much so that she finds eight outfits she cannot pick between! Was there really any other outcome for Earth's biggest fan?

Kristina's Theme - Wind & Spirit

Kristina: I'm not the biggest fan of dressing up. It can be really fun, but I love being outdoors, being comfortable, and you can't really climb a lot of trees in a costume. But the theme of this one speaks to my soul. The natural elements that make up our beautiful planet; it's such a cool idea!

Death being the end, such a strange concept. Spirits can linger… Unobserved by humans, a spirit's movements may be seen only by the creatures of the world under the light of the moon. Their presence felt only by windchimes, casting sound into the darkness.

[whencyclopedia]

John Tyler: The Pariah President of the US

John Tyler (1790-1862) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the tenth president of the United States. His presidency was a tumultuous one – initially elected as vice president, he came to office after the death of his predecessor, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), leading political opponents to refer to him as 'His Accidency'. After vetoing two bills that would establish a national bank, he was exiled from the Whig Party, leaving him politically isolated. Hoping to save his sinking popularity, he turned the focus of his administration toward the annexation of Texas, which was ultimately achieved in 1845. After his single term in office, he supported the South during the sectional crisis that preceded the American Civil War (1861-1865). When Virginia voted to secede from the Union, Tyler was elected to the Confederate Congress, but he was yet to take his seat when he died in January 1862.

Early Life & Career

John Tyler was born on 29 March 1790 on Greenway Plantation, a 1,200-acre estate built by his father in Charles City County, Virginia. He came from a wealthy, slave-holding family that could trace its roots back to the earliest English settlement of Virginia. His father, John Tyler Sr., was a prominent planter and public official; a friend and colleague of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the elder Tyler had served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates in the 1780s and would later become governor of Virginia from 1808 to 1811. His mother, Mary Marot Armistead Tyler, also came from a wealthy Virginian family; tragically, she died of a stroke in 1797, when Tyler was only 7 years old. Growing up on the plantation with his two brothers and five sisters, Tyler was a sickly child, thin and prone to diarrhea. At the age of 12, he entered the College of William and Mary. He graduated in 1807, after which he began reading law under the supervision of his father. In 1809, he was admitted to the Virginia bar; still only 19 years old, he was technically too young to be admitted, but the admitting judge overlooked this qualification.

In December 1811, Tyler followed in his father's footsteps when he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, beginning the first of five consecutive one-year terms. By the end of his first term, he had begun to develop some of the political convictions he would carry with him throughout his career, such as his strong support of states' rights and an aversion to national banks. He supported the War of 1812 (1812-1815) against the United Kingdom and even raised a militia company, called the Charles City Rifles, to defend Richmond in the event of a British attack; in 1813, when it became clear no such attack was forthcoming, the company disbanded. The year 1813 saw two major developments in Tyler's personal life. The first was the death of his father on 6 January, after which he inherited Greenway Plantation as well as 13 enslaved African Americans. The second was his marriage to Letitia Christian on 29 March. Letitia's parents had died shortly before the marriage, leaving the newlywed couple with large inheritances from both sides of the family. The marriage would ultimately produce nine children, seven of whom survived childhood.

In 1816, Tyler won a special election to fill a vacant seat in the US House of Representatives. In Congress, many of his positions were guided by a strict constructionist interpretation of the US Constitution. For instance, he opposed appropriating federal funds for internal improvement projects such as ports, canals, and roadways because he believed the federal government had no power to sign off on such ventures. Similarly, he opposed the Second Bank of the United States because he saw it as a corrupt institution that wielded too much power. In 1818, he joined several of his colleagues in denouncing General Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) for his actions in Spanish Florida, which included the illegal executions of two British subjects – while Tyler admitted that he admired Jackson's character, he could not condone his actions. In 1820, Tyler reluctantly voted for the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri into the Union as a 'slave state' in exchange for Maine's entry as a 'free state' as well as the prohibition of slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel. He would later express regret for voting for the compromise, believing that it only enflamed the sectional divide between North and South over the question of slavery.

Read More

⇒ John Tyler: The Pariah President of the US

[sassysnakedemon]

So I spotted Michael Sheen today at my local Walmart. Well, not really, but someone who looked very much like him. Crazy, curly, unruly hair and beard, TARTAN!!! shorts, wearing socks with sandals because we all know that Michael would do that, beautifully shapeless dark grey t-shirt, and just rocking a dad bod! I am not ashamed to say that I stared. For a good minute. Guy noticed, looked a bit confused and then smiled and wiggled a little bit. I almost died in the damn gardening/bbq section of a Walmart.

In proper Crowley fashion, I was there to pick up an absolutely ridiculous amount of dirt for my organic pepper garden (just built in a new raised bed - tung oiled boards, concrete planter blocks, the whole nine). I raised an eyebrow at this guy, shrugged, and smiled like the idiot I am. Fun little interaction without any words with a total stranger.

I've also met a real life Aziraphale at my local SpecSavers - this guy is SOOO into the glasses he's selling (I'm now at the point where I need glasses, but I'm kinda loving it), and was so helpful with sizing and style - he kept redirecting me to styles that would suit me better, and I started to wonder if he was just keeping me away from frames he didn't want to see leave the shop. He's English, blond, soft, and dresses in mostly beiges. I fully stared at this guy for a while too - I think it made him a little nervous, because he started wringing his hands as he talked, which didn't help my situation at all. By the end of the interaction, I think I was wearing Crowley's patented shit-eating grin. I can't imagine what this guy was thinking when I came back in for the fittings. I tried to dial it back that time, but it was hard! I mean, imagine meeting someone who reminds you of one of your favourite characters to the point that he just about could have played the role if he was an actor!

I'll point out that I live in a small town - real farming community where I am, and it seems like there shouldn't be two of these people running around such a small place.

Later, I'm hoping to post some pics of my gardens, in case anyone's interested. As I said before, organic peppers - jalapenos, srirachas, poblanos, pimentos, and some random things like Thai Gong Bao, Alligator Jigsaw, and habaneros - and an organic rose garden that's going in in a couple of weeks. I'm hoping to get some rosehips for my house rabbit and to make tea with.

[marlynnofmany]

Downhill Speed

You know what's a shame? Wasted potential.  Like this new place we were doing business, which was all swooping walkways and ramps — a spectacular opportunity for hoverboard fun, except for the fact that it would probably cause a massive diplomatic incident. The locals were an exceptionally stuffy and dignified species. I couldn't tell if they walked that slowly out of choice or necessity, though the planters full of edibles leaves every few yards felt like a clue. These guys were always chewing, as if they'd run out of the energy to move if they stopped.

I don't know. Maybe they were just like that for cultural reasons. But they kinda did look like koala-sloths in fancy robes. 

And as much as I wanted to find something with wheels or thrusters to ride whooping down the walkways, I didn't want to get our courier ship blacklisted from this sector of space. 

So I just waited patiently while Captain Sunlight worked out the details, and I helped Paint and Mur transfer the pile of small boxes from their hoversleds to ours. I didn't even comment on the inefficiency of all these small crates and multiple hoversleds when they could have had them strapped together in a pallet. Maybe the things came from multiple houses. Not my business. 

But then. One of the locals dropped a box.

It landed on a corner and cracked right open, to a chorus of horrified gasps, and its contents rolled out — a single glowy blue sphere, all sparkly and beautiful, the size of a bowling ball and just as fast. It gathered speed down the ramp while locals cried out helplessly. 

Well if that's not my cue, I don't know what is.

I jumped on a hoversled and flashed off after it, kicking madly to catch up. This was more awkward than I expected. I was out of practice — it had been a long time since I zipped between college classes on a proper board — and this was definitely not that. The little hoversled clearly wasn’t built for speed. It vibrated under me like it was panicking about the velocity we were going, and I couldn’t blame it.

This ramp was a pretty straight one so far, which was great, because I had no real way to steer. I’d kicked to a proper pace, and now I balanced with both feet planted and both arms out like an absolute amateur. But I didn’t want to tip over. I was closing in on the ball.

It made an ominous rumble along the floor.

It was just two yards away.

There was a corner coming up.

The ball was one yard away.

I crouched.

And I grabbed it, tucking it against my chest with one arm while I clutched the edge of the hoversled with the other, sitting down just before I slammed into the clear wall at the corner.

That was some painful skidding. I put my feet down to slow things further, which ended up spinning me around, dragging my feet behind me. But I didn’t drop the ball. And I probably didn’t get any friction burns through my sleeve, though I’d definitely have to check that later.

For now, I was busy sliding to a stop and taking a few deep breaths before standing up. As my blood stopped pounding in my ears quite so loudly, the realization trickled in that people were making a lot of noise around me.

Good noise? I think. Whew.

It took a second to be sure, but those were cheers of praise. Either this ball was an important holy item, or the stunt I’d pulled to catch it was just that impressive. Possibly both. I wouldn’t know until I got back up to the top, because there wasn’t anyone nearby to ask.

But they were hurrying down to meet me, as much as their species could be said to hurry. I found the height adjustment on the hoversled and raised it to where I could tow it without bending down, then started the long walk back up. I held the pretty blue sphere close.

When the koala-sloths met me in the middle, galloping with an undignified flapping of robes, they thanked me profusely for catching the high explosive before it leveled the place.

Multiple responses ran through my head.

I ended on “You might consider better packaging for it.”

They agreed, taking it from me (to my relief) and pulling the hoversled as well. By the time we reached the top, our entire crew was going to town with bubble wrap on the other boxes, and Captain Sunlight had arranged a significantly higher delivery fee.

~~~

The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!

[roanofarcc]

BABYDOLL: CHAPTER TEN. AN OLIVE BRANCH

jj maybank x fem!routledge OC // read on Ao3

In which a boy with zero self preservation falls in love with a girl clawing at life.

chapter summary. regrouping after midsummers, John B. made a breakthrough in their axed gold hunt; after a meetup gone wrong, the Cameron's propose an alternative to the twins being kicked off the island.

word count. 4.2k || masterlist

previous chapter < >next chapter

After ditching Midsummers, John B. called a mandatory meeting of the Pogues to explain the cryptic “super secret spy shit” he’d been talking about. Since Kie and Pope’s parents were pissed at them, JJ’s house was almost always a no-go, and the Chateau was apparently being watched by more than just the DCS, they had to meet in a secluded little area John B., Lottie, and JJ had discovered when they were kids and claimed at their hideout. There wasn’t anything to it but a lazily built fire pit, which was just a circle of rocks surrounded by large logs to sit on. 

They started a fire with JJ’s lighter and gathered around it, eager to hear John B. explain what he’d been up for the past day and a half. 

“The gold never went down with the Royal Merchant,” he began. 

Pope groaned, hanging his head in the firelight. “Again with this?” 

“Just hear him out, all right?” JJ had already conspired with John B. after he was released from the police station, being the first one up to speed. 

John B. continued, “The gold’s been here the whole time on the island.” 

Lottie wasn’t sure how to feel about that. She didn’t want to get her hopes up too high again, but it was hard to not be convinced by the twinkle in her twin’s eye. 

“Are you serious?” Kie asked to which John B. nodded with enthusiasm. 

Pope raised his hand. “I’d like to voice my skepticism.” 

“I’m sure you would, but can I please present my evidence first, sir?” 

“Fine. Proceed.” 

John B. grabbed his backpack and pulled out a piece of paper, holding it up to show the group. “This is a letter from Denmark Tanny, a slave who survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Slaves weren’t mentioned as crew members of the ship, but dad had found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery,” he explained. “Tanny used the gold to buy his freedom and after that, he bought his farm. Where is his farm, you may ask? It’s Tannyhill plantation.” 

Lottie blinked in surprise. “Tannyhill?” she repeated, making sure he heard her brother right. 

“Yep. And after he bought his farm, he used his money to free even more slaves. He also sold a shit-ton of rice, which pissed off all of the white planters. They decided to lynch him, and on the day they came to get him, he wrote a letter to his son as a farewell. In the last line of his letter, there’s a coded message about where to find the gold.” 

With each sentence John B. spoke, excitement started to stir between the Pogues, the mystery unraveling before their ears. 

“Where did he hide the gold?” asked Kie. 

“He told his son to ‘harvest the wheat in parcel nine, near the water.’ Except, he wasn’t talking about wheat; that was code for gold. The gold’s in parcel nine, near the water.” 

Pope snatched the latter from John B.’s hands and read it over carefully. Lottie leaned halfway off her log to see it too under the glow of Pope’s flashlight. It did seem too good to be true, but at the same time, it felt more real than it had before. If what John B. was saying was true, and it seemed to be, then the gold could be within their grasp. 

“All we need is an original survey map of the property and we’ve found the gold!” They shared looks of excitement and disbelief. 

Pope handed the letter back to John B. and said, “Okay, this might have a small chance of being true.” 

Jumping up from his seat, JJ hugged John B., picking him up in the process. He stumbled, nearly knocking them both into the fire before JJ placed the taller boy down with a beaming smile. 

“I’m so proud of you right now, man,” JJ said. 

John B. laughed and patted JJ’s cheek. “That’s really sweet of you, dude.” 

“So, what’s the plan?” 

“Good question,” John B. said, clearing his throat for a moment as he avoided the eyes of the group. “Sarah Cameron is coming tonight and she’s bringing the original survey map-” Despite him speaking quickly to get everything out before being interrupted, Kie cut him off shortly after the name Sarah Cameron settled in their ears. 

Lottie winced, knowing what was coming. Only Kie and Pope were unaware that John B. had been in cahoots with the Kook princess, and Lottie didn’t know the full extent of their cahoots. All she knew was that Kie hated Sarah with a fiery passion and even gold might not be enough to break up that feeling for Kie. 

“Hold on, Sarah? Why Sarah?” 

JJ sat back down beside Lottie, leaning closer to her to whisper, “This’ll be good.” 

Scratching the back of his neck, John B. seemed to brace himself for the conversation. “Sarah, um, she got me into the archives at Chapel Hill yesterday. That’s where I got the letter.” 

Kie scoffed, betrayal seeping into her features. “You went to Chapel Hill yesterday with Sarah Cameron?” 

“Uh, yeah…” 

JJ smirked, making matters worse. He said, “He was mackin’ on her too.” 

“I wasn’t macking-” 

“You were totally mackin’!” 

John B. huffed in annoyance at his friend. “No! I wasn’t. I was using her for access to the archives.” 

As much as Lottie wasn’t a fan of Sarah because of her Kook status and because of Kie, she didn’t feel great about her brother using the girl for their treasure hunt; it felt gross. 

“Did you tell her about the treasure?” asked Kie, crossing her arms over her chest as the nighttime breeze swept through the air. They were still dressed in the Midsummers dresses with goosebumps on their arms. 

John B. sputtered for a response for a moment before he rushed out, “I was just trying to get into the archives!” 

“So, is that a yes?”

“I-I left out key details!” 

Throwing her hands up in frustration, Kie’s gaze hardened. “You let a Kook in on our secret?” 

“I told you, I was using her for information!” The more he said it, the more it sounded like he didn’t even believe that was the full truth. 

If he liked Sarah Cameron, there was very little chance that would end well. Sarah was already dating Topper, everyone knew that, and he had already tried to kill the Pogues with Rafe on more than one occasion without the knowledge that his girlfriend was sneaking around with John B. From what Kie had told Lottie about Sarah, she wasn’t a great person to be friends with, let alone date. 

If he was just using her for information, that was a bad look on his part too. That wasn’t even mentioning the whole Kook vs. Pogues bullshit that held strong between most people on the island. There wasn’t one positive thing she could think of that could come from a relationship with Sarah. 

“Why don’t I believe you?” said Kie. 

John B.’s attitude started to turn sour. “I’m trying to make us fifthly rich so we can pay off a boat or send Pope to autopsy school to study dead bodies. You guys know me. Do I look like the type of person to fall for Sarah Cameron?” 

He looked at Lottie for some kind of backup, but she shook her head and said, “You don’t want me to answer that, dude.” 

“You don’t even know her yet. I do!” Kie cried. A look of hurt flickered across her face, replacing the anger and annoyance that had just been there. She hadn’t spilled everything that happened between her and Sarah during Kie’s year at the Kook academy, just that they had once been friends until they weren’t. Whatever happened was enough to make Kie practically seethed at the sight of the sun-kissed blonde. “You can’t trust her.” 

Pope aligned himself with Kie. “Her brother did hit me in the back of the head with a golf club.” 

“And tried to beat up JJ twice,” added Lottie. 

JJ shrugged. “Yeah, but he only got away with it once.” 

“Rafe and Sarah and two different people, okay?” 

Look at Kie, JJ asked her what exactly Sarah had done to her. 

“She’s like a…like a spitting cobra! First, she blinds you, and then…” Kie stumbled over her comparison, earning a shake of the head from Pope. 

“That’s a terrible analogy.” 

With a frustrated sigh, Kie forwent a real explanation. “Just listen to me. Whatever we get, she’s gonna try to take.” 

Lottie looked between her best friend and her brother, reading that he didn’t know what else to say. They needed that map to find the gold, and if the only person who had access to it was Sarah Cameron, they didn’t have much of a choice. Lottie wasn’t a fan of the idea, but they didn’t seem to have another option. 

“We’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she said after a beat. “All we need her for is the map. Then we’ll cut her loose.” 

They all filed into the Twinkie and headed toward the spot where Sarah was supposed to meet them with the map. The air inside the van was tense, radiating off John B. and Kie the most. Lottie sat on the floor beside JJ with her legs kicked out in front of her, the skirt of her dress fanned out over them. She forced herself not to pick her nails and opted to toy with the silky fabric of her dress as a distraction instead. She at least wanted Kie’s nail polish job to last one night without Lottie ruining it. 

Once they arrived, everyone readied to jump out of the van but were stopped by John B. “Actually, I think I’m gonna do this one by myself,” he said, making the silence in the van fall even heavier. “I don’t wanna spook Sarah with the peanut gallery.” 

“I just don’t understand why we’re including her at all,” Kie muttered bitterly, not looking John B. in the eye. 

His want to appease Kie faded into an eye roll. “We’re not involving her. It’s just a business meeting. Like Lottie said, once we get what we need, we cut her loose. Plus, we can’t do shit without the map.” 

With a sigh, Kie glanced at him. “Promise me nothing’s happening between you two.” 

“Nothing is happening,” he said, but Lottie knew her brother like the back of her hand. He was lying, it was obvious in the shiftiness of his gaze and his tapping fingers against the center console. Maybe she should have called him out, but she couldn’t bring herself to. It seemed like he was trying to convince himself nothing was happening. 

Kie didn’t relent. “This is serious. This isn’t about you or us. This is about her. She’s gonna get inside your head. Just promise me nothing is gonna happen between you guys.” 

That time, he seemed to take her words a little more seriously, pausing for a beat as he took them in. Maybe he was considering that Sarah may not be as great as she looked, or maybe he was thinking of a way to prove Kie wrong. Either way, he said, “I promise,” and left the van. 

The rest of them slumped back in their seats, left with nothing to do but wait. Kie stared out the window, JJ worked on rolling a joint, and Pope complained about the hot car and lighting that rolled in across the sky. Another storm was settling in, illuminating the distance in bright flashes followed by quiet hums of thunder. 

One normal day would have been nice, Lottie thought. Don’t get her wrong, she had guarded excitement that they had a real plan and knowledge of where the gold was, but she hadn’t realized how much she took for granted normal days she had just a week ago. 

If they did get the gold and went full Kook, Lottie wanted to relax somewhere where no one but her friends could reach her. She wanted to swim and surf without a storm cloud lingering over her head, ready to rain down doom at any second. 

“You know, holding onto your grudge is like drinking poison and thinking Sarah will die, Kie,” Pope said, breaking the silence in Twinkie and circling back to their Sarah Cameron situation. 

Kie said nothing, continuing to sulk with her head against the window. 

Lottie answered for her, looking between the boys with a sigh. “You guys don’t get it. Girls don’t fight like guys do. We don’t beat the shit out of each other. It’s nastier, passive-aggressive, and it usually ends in life-long grudges, okay?” 

A puff of smoke left JJ’s lips, filling the already stuffy air of the van with the smell of weed. Lottie swatted the smoke away from her, not wanting her nice dress to reek. “Chicks are malicious, bro,” JJ said. 

Violence wasn’t the answer to a disagreement like most of the boys and men she knew believed, but grudges weren’t great either. She just hoped that either John B. kept his promise to Kie or Sarah turned out to be a lot different than Kie made her out to be. 

Their conversation lulled as time stretched on. The gaps of silence were filled by JJ smoking and the storm that brewed. Lottie got tired of the stuffy air and opened the back door, letting in the humid air and dangling her feet against the grass as she stared out at the darkness of the lot they were parked in. She listened to the thunder, but her ears were pricked by something else picked up by the wind. She heard it first, a voice yelling something she had trouble making out. 

“Do you guys hear that?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at her friends. They listened too for a moment, before the scream struck them louder, more frantic, calling for help. Without another word, they all scrambled out of the van and sprinted through the sand, following the voice that came from the Hawke’s Nest, a lookout post that gave a nice view of the island. 

Sarah Cameron was the source of the screaming. She was on the ground at the bottom of the lookout, holding a sprawled-out John B. to her chest. 

Lottie’s stomach dropped at the distressed sight of her brother, lying on the ground. She kneeled on the opposite side of him, peering at a tear-streaked Sarah who held onto him tightly. Through hiccupped sobs, she explained that John B. had been pushed by Topper from the very top of the Hawk’s Nest. The tall wooden structure loomed behind them, lightning illuminating a broken railing at the top. A fall from that height could have killed him. 

Tears welled up in Lottie’s eyes and a rattling sense of fear squeezed her frame. She had already lost her mom and dad, but she never even thought of the possibility of losing her brother. Her twin had been the only constant throughout her entire life; they were the only family each other had left. It had never even crossed her mind that John B. could leave her too. But as she stared at his screwed-shut eyes, the thought punctured her heart in such an awful way, nearly knocking the wind out of her. 

Everything moved in a blur. Someone had called an ambulance, and they arrived in flashing red and white lights, competing with the lightning. Lottie was shifted into someone’s arms while John B. was carried into the ambulance. Somehow, she ended up in the ambulance with him, listing off all of the medical information of his that she knew. 

Once they arrived at the hospital, Lottie was left alone in the waiting room for a while, numbly sitting on an uncomfortable chair under fluorescent lights. She pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her head in the fabric of her dirty and damp dress. 

Someone else, one of the hospital staff or police Lottie presumed, called DCS because they obviously wanted to make the night even worse than it had suddenly become. Cheryl showed up, sporting her blue button-down and a sympathetic frown. She tried to speak to Lottie; nothing came of it. Lottie was much too lost in a numbing daze and an awful, sinking feeling digging into her chest. John B. had always been her other half, quite literally. No matter what happened, he was always there with some bullshit plan, a stupid idea, and a promise that they’d always stick together. 

The paramedics said he’d be fine, and the doctors said he’d make a full recovery, but she was still shaken up. Her mind wandered back to when they first played with the idea of hunting for the gold when JJ said they had nothing to lose, the three of them, but that was even more untrue than Lottie originally thought. They had each other to lose, and what would happen if they did? What would she do?

Eventually, a nurse grabbed Lottie, allowing her to wait in John B.'s room until he woke up. The steady sound of beeping and John B.’s gentle snores were the only sounds in the room. It was still dark outside, nearly the wee hours of the morning. Taking the seat at his bedside, Lottie curled up and closed her eyes until she dozed off. 

The position she had fallen asleep in, only for a couple of hours, was horrendous. Her back ached and feet were asleep. Her hairdo was half undone, and she had lost the flowers Kie had put in it throughout the night’s events. With a yawn, she stretched her legs and arms. John B. was still fast asleep with a cast on his arm that she could see better in the morning sunlight. 

A light knock sounded on the door before it was cracked open. “Hi,” a soft voice spoke. Peering inside the room was Sarah Cameron. She too was still dressed in her Midsummers attire and looked probably as rough as Lottie did having spent the night at the hospital. However, along with Sarah’s sleep-deprived appearance, she also looked sad as her eyes fell onto John B. Her nose was red, and she sniffled as she wiped it with the back of her hand. 

Returning her gaze to Lottie a moment later, she asked, “Could I wait here with you? Just until he wakes up?” 

If Lottie had slept better or didn’t feel the lump stuck in her throat, she probably would have said no. But when she looked at Sarah, not the Kook Princess sipping beer at Keggers or prancing around the country club, but just Sarah, she remembered the way the blonde had hugged John B., crying like someone who really cared about him. At that moment, she cared less about Kie’s feud and more about how John B. would probably want Sarah there too. His promise that nothing was happening between the two had to be a lie because there was no way Sarah would have reacted like that or stayed at the hospital overnight if there was nothing there. 

Did Lottie still think it would blow up in his face at some point, more than it so clearly already had? Yes. But Sarah’s boyfriend already tried to kill John B. twice, so Lottie supposed it couldn’t get much worse than that. 

“Sure,” Lottie said, nodding at the extra seat beside her. Hesitantly, Sarah crossed the room and sat down, shivering slightly in the sterile hospital air. 

The other Pogues tried to stay with Lottie, but the hospital wouldn’t let them pass the front desk. It was well after visitor hours and them being “practically family” didn’t count in the hospital’s eyes. How Sarah managed to not get kicked out too was beyond Lottie. 

“I’m really sorry,” Sarah whispered. For a moment, Lottie wasn’t sure if she was talking to her or John B. until Sarah met her gaze. “I didn’t know Topper would show up. I tried to convince him he didn’t see me talking to anyone at the party but clearly, he did or someone told him. And I…” She sighed, dragging her hands down the length of her face. “I’m just sorry.” 

With her eyes all red and puffy, and her lips downturned in a watery frown, Sarah looked far from a “spitting cobra,” as Kie had described her. 

“It’s not your fault,” Lottie said, looking back at her brother. His injuries weren't as bad as they could have been, but he took a long fall. “I don’t think it’ll be seen as anyone’s fault. I’m sure your boyfriend will get off scot-free.” The bitterness in her voice wasn’t directed at Sarah but rather at the fact that no matter what they did, the Kooks would never get in trouble. 

“Ex,” Sarah quickly said. “Ex-boyfriend. I was telling John B. last night before Topper showed up that I was going to break up with him.” 

Lottie rubbed her tired eyes with a pang of sympathy in her chest. “I don’t think we’ll be here much longer,” she sighed. “DCS has been on our asses for weeks now. I don’t think we can hide from them anymore. We don’t have a legal guardian here and their not super stoked about letting two minors run loose, unfortunately.” 

Sarah opened her mouth to say something but stopped when a small groan sounded from John B. His fingers curled around the blanket tossed over him and he started to blink his eyes open. 

“Where am I?” he croaked out, squinting in the sunlight that bathed the room. 

“St. Olive’s,” Lottie answered, relief replacing her nonstop worry at the sight of his eyes open and him talking. “You fell from the Hawke’s Nest but the doctor said you just have a broken wrist and a concussion. I told him that was funny because I didn’t think you had a brain in that big head of yours.” 

John B. cracked a smile, his eyes falling past Lottie and onto Sarah. 

“Hi,” he said. 

Sarah smiled. “Hi.” 

It took him only a moment to realize what Lottie had shortly after they arrived at the hospital. It was a lot easier to find the kids you’ve been looking for when they’re unaccompanied minors admitted. He quickly tried to sit up, groaning in the process. 

“We gotta get out of here.” 

Lottie shook her head, shoulders slumped in defeat. “Can’t. They’re already here.” John B. squeezed his eyes shut and fell back against his pillow. There wasn’t anything they could do now. Cheryl was probably ready to haul them straight from the hospital to the ferry. 

“Actually,” Sarah piped up, looking a bit too happy. “I don’t think that’ll be an issue.” She stood up and strode toward the door, peeking her head out into the hall and ignoring the confused faces of the twins. A moment later, Sarah stepped back inside as her dad entered the room too. 

Yesterday, Ward Cameron looked as intimidating and asshole-ery as most of the rich men at Midsummers did, but standing there in the hospital room, he looked anything but. Ward didn’t look like one of the richest men on the island; he just looked like a dad. 

“Sarah told me everything,” Ward said. “About your little adventure and about you two runnin’ away from DCS.” He looked at John B. “She also told me about how you protected her in the tower.” Sarah and John B. exchanged a look, a sweet one that made Lottie both want to smile and gag. 

“John, I believe I owe you an apology. You were honest with me about a small indiscretion, and I fired you anyway. I shouldn’t have done that,” Ward said with a shake of his head like he was truly disappointed in himself. “Unfortunately, from time to time, I have a bit of a short fuse. But I’d like to make it up to you and to your sister. I spoke with Sheriff Peterkin and I’ve offered to be your legal guardian if you’ll let me.” 

Lottie nearly toppled out of her chair. “W-What?” 

“It would mean a roof over your head and no more runnin’ from DCS.” 

The twins shared a look, both beyond confused by the offer. For a long time, they’d been told the world was an unfair place and they were at the bottom of the food chain. They were taught to fend for themselves, and their dad hated handouts more than anything. That was why Lottie never got hand-me-downs from their neighbors and had to share clothes with John B. until she was bullied on the playground for it; their dad thought it was charity and turned it away. That was why the twins learned to cut their own hair and pocket candy bars from the drugstore. But Lottie was tired of running and lying to DCS. She was tired of fending for herself if she was being honest. Accepting Ward Cameron’s act of charity meant they got to stay in Kildear, which was all Lottie wanted. 

John B. sat up a little straighter on the bed as he answered, “Sure.” 

Ward looked at Lottie for her answer. “Yeah. That sounds…nice.” 

The man smiled and Sarah looked like she was biting back a squeal of excitement. “Okay then.” Ward clapped his hands together, sealing the deal. “Welcome to the family.”

[billdecker]

I also have an update on the huge monster shitting dog!

so every night our upstairs neighbour Frank stands on the fire escape stairs like he's Juliet and has a chat with a lady neighbour we nickname Ground Force, because she's in charge of this group of residents from the next door block who have taken over doing up the huge patch of grass behind our flats. They've made it amazing. Built a pergola, benches, planters. Me and D have done our part and planted a shit load of daffodils which are currently looking gorgeous.

Anyway, Ground Force knows everything about everyone on this scheme so I sent D out to interrupt Frank and Ground Force's date to ask about the dog seeing as it lives in her block.

Turns out the couple and the dog aren't even residents of the scheme. They're staying with a lady who is the mum of the woman because they're having building work done on their flat. So, good news is they won't be here forever and hopefully I can have a nice time outside this summer growing loads of flowers and some veg. I got a raised planter so I'm going to grow some radishes and I might have a go at courgettes.

What annoys me though is that they're a guest in someone's home and this is how they're treating the grounds? Surely you'd be even more observent about your dog and it's behaviour than in your own home? It's somehow kinda pissed me off even more.

D asked Ground Force what the owner is like to have a word to and she said that she'll talk to anyone but even she avoids her, so please put it out there that their building work is done soon and they're out of here because I'm fed up of my lawn being shit on by a mini horse-size dog called coco chanel.