#credit card for farmers

[somerandomg33k]

I am doing my Sunday stream on Twitch. And you know what, I haven't play Stardew Valley in some time. So, let's do it. And since it has been so long, new farm. Because why not. And this time, modded. Also trying to raise funds to help with my credit card debt. Come and join me.

(!13+) Playing Stardew Valley again. This time modded. And screw it, new farm. | !freepalestine | !creditcarddebt | !retweet | !ama |

[umangharyana]

किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड का कर्ज होगा माफ, जानिए कौन उठा सकता है योजना का लाभ

नई दिल्ली: देशभर के किसानों के लिए अच्छी खबर है। सरकार ने किसानों की आर्थिक परेशानियों को कम करने के लिए किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड (KCC) लोन माफी योजना शुरू की है। इस योजना के तहत छोटे और सीमांत किसानों का कर्ज माफ किया जा रहा है। अगर आपने भी किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड के तहत लोन लिया है, तो तुरंत लिस्ट में अपना नाम चेक करें। किन किसानों का कर्ज हो रहा माफ? सरकार ने इस योजना के तहत मुख्य रूप से छोटे और सीमांत…

[bi-writes]

Would Simon do cute-sy couple things with MOB in public? Hand holding, kisses/cuddles, pet names? Or since they are out in the open, is he always reserved until they are in a restaurant or in the car- just away from the public eye

mail-order bride

in private, this man is on his knees for his wife. in the car, he'll put his hand over yours on your thigh or just look over at you time to time to check on you. at home, he fixes your hair for you, offers to cut your nails if you don't get them done, oils your hair, brushes it. he learns your skincare routine and will help you in the bathroom mirror, smoothing it over your face and making sure your skin is hydrated and treated. he definitely asked you to show him how you take off your makeup so that he can help you do it at the end of a long day; he'll come into the bedroom with micellar water and cotton and have you lay your head in his lap as he takes it off for you and murmurs how pretty you are.

he loves putting your shoes on for you, especially if there's laces or things to tie. gets on one knee for you and buckles your heels or ties your runners or zips up your boots.

he doesn't like when you use the stool to get to the top shelf. he likes showing off his strength, picking you up to get you to the shelf, groping you a little and making your head spin when he sets you down and buries his face into your neck.

in public, he's still affectionate, but he doens't initiate much. but he never turns his girl away.

he always wears his mask, so kissing doesn't happen much, but you make it work. when he buys you some flowers at the farmers' market, you kiss him over the mask softly, cooing in his ear, telling him he's so nice, he's so kind. doesn't say anything because he's blushing mad under the mask.

when you're walking along the main road checking out the shops, you reach over and take his hand, and he intertwines your fingers gently as you keep walking.

simon always keeps you away from the road. subconsciously even, always getting between you and someone else, always standing at your back, glaring when someone looks your way too long or looks at you funny. he carries your things for you; shopping bags, groceries, heavy packages, he doesn't let you hold a thing, but you don't mind, especially when the items get heavy. you try not to stare too long as he grunts when he lifts up a heavy box for you, big arms bulging as he carries it into the house.

calls you love, sweetheart, luvvie. his most frequently-used petname is baby, he adores calling you that, cause that's what you are to him. in public, baby makes you shy, in the bedroom, it has you a whining, squirmy little mess.

he doesn't love to be too affectionate in public though. the most he does is hold your hand or keep you close; at the pub, he likes when you sit in his lap sometimes, but he keeps it very cool and casual. although he does grip your chin sometimes or say something into your ear, and it definitely has you squeezing your legs together when you think a little too much about it (effortless sex appeal ok).

in a restaurant, simon is just a straight gentleman. opening doors for you, pulling out your chair, taking your purse for you to hold it or set it aside (and to keep you from paying, although it's adorable when you use the credit card he gave you to give to the waiter). when you need to go to the toilet, he gets up, takes your hand, walks you over so he can see you go inside safely. doesn't matter if it's a fast food place or a fancy restaurant, simon is just always concerned about you and can't sit still unless he knows you get to and from somewhere safely.

with his mask on in public, it's a lot of noses touching, foreheads pressing together, chaste kisses through cloth. always brief and always quiet, but they are intimate exchanges anyways. they are almost always silent, and you speak with nothing but your eyes, but you don't need much else with simon. you know each other by now, can read each other, and you take comfort in your new reality.

he is most himself at home, though. most himself without his mask, cooking you dinner, leaning over you as you bake something for him in your new cast iron pan (he saw the red color of it and thought of you in that cherry dress, couldn't help himself). he's most himself feeding the cats, cutting up whole sardines and quail eggs, a pump of salmon oil and some freeze-dried chicken hearts (the black cat prefers veggies, too, in an elevated bowl--the orange one is forced to eat from a lick mat or else she'll eat too fast for her own good). he's most himself watching you in the mirror, stealing glances of you coming out of the shower, tucking you into bed.

and he feels the most alone when he stands in front of you, duffel bag over his shoulder as johnny honks on the car horn outside. he feels the most alone, the saddest, when he tries to ignore your trembling lip and teary eyes as he says goodbye to you.

in his own home, mask on, feeling so close to you and yet somehow, the farthest from you. and when he kisses you goodbye, mask hiked up over his nose, he tries to forget the taste of your tears and the sound of your choked i love you.

if he thinks about it too long, he won't move from this spot.

[hoshifighting]

Urban Hearts, Rural Souls

"Never had it this good before, huh?" he teased, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he watched you squirm beneath him. "And what about those boys from your city?" he taunted. "Do they fuck you this good? Huh?"

— Synopsis: Where you are a Rich Girl abruptly sent to the countryside by your worried parents, there, you meet Mingyu, the farmer's son, who introduces you to something that defies the shallow trappings of city living. — WC: 10.6k — WARNINGS: Smut, angst, fluff, oral (f. and m. receiving), intense sex, crying, dirty talk, cum eating, g'spot stimulation, wet pussy and etc. — Reader! Rich Spoiled Girl X Farmer! Mingyu

Wrapped in designer clothes from head to toe, strutting around in those expensive heels like you owned the world. And maybe you did, in a way.  You were the kind of girl who had it all – overpriced clothes hanging in your closet like trophies, expensive cars parked in the driveway like shiny jewels, and a life filled to the brim with luxury. Your every whim was catered to, your desires instantly fulfilled with the swipe of a credit card.

But behind all the glitz and glamour, there was a gnawing emptiness that even the shiniest baubles couldn't fill. Your parents, bless their worried hearts, watched from the sidelines, knowing they had a hand in creating this materialistic monster. They'd given you everything you ever wanted, but maybe they didn't realize they were also giving you a one-way ticket to blindness.

You were always craving the next big thing, the newest gadget, the trendiest outfit. But in your quest for more, you lost sight of what truly mattered. Genuine connections, simple pleasures, the beauty of a sunset—those things seemed to fade into the background against the allure of luxury.

Your parents, busy with their own pursuits of wealth and success, rarely saw you at home. They provided you with everything money could buy, but as time passed, they began to realize that they had unwittingly traded your presence for material possessions.

"Sorry, I can't go to this dinner, I already promised my friend that I would club with her tonight," you said, leaving the keys of a Porsche in your hands, closing the door.

"Sorry, I'm going shopping today," you said, looking at yourself in the mirror, leaving and closing the door again.

"Sorry, I'm going to hang out with Jisoo today," you said, once more leaving the keys of a Porsche in your hands, closing the door.

Your parents tried to intervene, gently nudging you towards a more meaningful existence. But you brushed off their concerns, too wrapped up in your own world of excess to see the wisdom in their words. After all, why settle for less when you could have it all?

Yet, deep down, a small voice whispered that maybe there was more to life than the next shopping spree or exclusive event. Maybe true happiness wasn't found in the gleam of a diamond or the purr of a sports car engine.

There you were, lounging by the pool with your phone in hand, completely engrossed in the digital medias. The sun beat down, casting shimmering reflections on the water's surface as you scrolled and tapped away, oblivious to everything else around you.

Suddenly, your mom emerged from the doorway, her expression serious yet gentle as she made her way towards you. She called out your name, her voice cutting through the haze of your screen-induced trance. With a sigh, you reluctantly tore your gaze away from your phone, realizing that this was no ordinary interruption.

She explained that it was time for a chat, a real one, away from the distractions of social media and status updates. You hesitated for a moment.

Eventually, you acquiesced, dragging yourself out of the pool and wrapping a robe around your damp skin. As you followed your mom back into the house, you couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension that settled in the pit of your stomach. 

You found your parents sitting at the dining table, their expressions unusually serious. With a nonchalant air, you plopped down in front of them, taking a leisurely sip of your juice.

Your dad cleared his throat, his tone carrying a weight of concern. "Sweetheart, we need to talk. Your mom and I have been growing increasingly worried about you."

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. Here we go again, you thought, another lecture about how you only cared about material things.

Your mom chimed in, her voice gentle but firm. "We know you might not like what we have to say, but we truly believe it's for the best."

You raised an eyebrow, already anticipating the worst. "Let me guess, you're cutting off my credit cards?"

Your dad let out a humorless scoff. "As tempting as that may sound, no. But we have decided that it's time for you to take a break from this lifestyle. You need to step back and reassess what truly matters in life."

You couldn't help but scoff, the corners of your mouth twisting into a mocking smile. "Let me guess, you're sending me to some remote island resort to 'find myself'?"

Your parents exchanged a glance before your dad spoke again, his tone grave. "Actually, we've arranged for you to spend some time in the countryside. In the home of some dear friends of ours. It'll be a chance for you to unwind, disconnect, and maybe gain some perspective."

You leaned back in your chair, disbelief written all over your face. "You've got to be kidding me. You're seriously sending me to some rustic farm in the middle of nowhere?"

But as you looked into their unwavering gazes, you realized they weren't joking. They were dead serious about this. And suddenly, the prospect of trading designer labels for mud-stained boots didn't seem so far-fetched after all.

Your dad's words hit you like a ton of bricks. "Wait, you're telling me you didn't even mention this earlier?" you exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. "This has to be some kind of joke, right? You can tell me now."

But before your dad could respond, his phone rang, interrupting the conversation. As he answered, you stood there dumbfounded, watching him hurriedly talk to the person on the other end.

"Oh hello, yes yes, she's traveling today. She's getting ready. Thank you so much, Mr. Kim," your dad said into the phone before hanging up.

You felt a rush of panic as reality set in. They were serious. You were really being whisked away to some countryside retreat without so much as a warning.

Rushing to your room, you flung open your largest suitcase, hastily stuffing it with your best clothes, your mind still reeling from the sudden turn of events. Designer dresses and high heels made way for practical boots and sturdy jackets, a stark departure from your usual wardrobe.

You barely had time to indulge in one last comforting soak in your oversized tub before the reality of the situation hit you like a splash of cold water. Sitting on the couch, arms crossed, your suitcase stood by your side like a silent sentinel.

Despite your indignation and discomfort with the whole situation, you knew deep down that your parents only wanted what was best for you. But seriously, how did they think this was a good idea? Just the thought of mosquitoes made you shiver involuntarily.

As you heard the honk from the driveway, you begrudgingly grabbed your suitcase and followed your parents to the door. Stepping outside, you were met with a man who greeted you with a warm smile, remarking on how much you had grown. He was the friend of your father, the same one you had seen in old family photos.

Despite your lingering resentment, you treated him with the utmost politeness. After all, he was just following your parents' instructions, and he seemed genuinely kind.

Your parents bid you farewell, their seriousness about the whole ordeal evident in their expressions. But before you could climb into the car, your mom stopped you, snatching your phone from your hands. You scoffed incredulously, "What, no phone too?"

She simply nodded, stating matter-of-factly, "There's no internet anyway."

With a frustrated sigh, you allowed yourself to be pushed into the car, the middle-aged man already taking your suitcase and stowing it in the trunk. As the car pulled away from the driveway, you couldn't help but wonder what kind of wilderness adventure awaited you in the countryside.

As the car rolled along the winding countryside roads, Mr. Kim struck up a conversation with you, perhaps sensing your unease.

"So, your parents tell me you're not too thrilled about this little getaway," he began, his tone light and friendly.

You glanced at him, unsure of how much to reveal. "Yeah, you could say that. I'm more of a city person, you know? This whole countryside thing isn't really my scene."

He chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I figured as much. But hey, sometimes it's good to shake things up a bit, right? You might find you enjoy it more than you think."

You raised an eyebrow skeptically. "I highly doubt that."

Undeterred, he continued, asking you about your life in the city, your favorite hangouts, and the luxuries you were accustomed to. With each response, he laughed, seemingly amused by the stark contrast between your world and the one you were about to enter.

"You know," he said with a grin, "sometimes it's the unexpected experiences that end up being the most memorable. Who knows, you might discover a whole new side of yourself out here."

As the car rumbled along the road for what felt like hours, the familiar hum of the city fading into the distance, you watched as the asphalt gradually transformed into a dusty dirt road. The scenery changed from towering skyscrapers to vast expanses of green fields and rolling hills.

Finally, the car came to a stop, and the man turned to you with a smile. "Well, we're here," he announced cheerfully.

You peered out the window, taking in your surroundings. Before you stretched acres of farmland, dotted with quaint wooden buildings and surrounded by lush vegetation.

This was certainly a far cry from the luxury hotels and high-rise penthouses you were accustomed to, but there was a certain allure to its simplicity that intrigued you.

Mr. Kim gets out of the car, saying he's going to ask for help with your suitcases, and disappears into the house.

Stepping out of the car that had transported you from the city to the countryside, with a disdainful glance around, you smoothed down your summer dress and adjusted your sunglasses, attempting to shield yourself from the glaring sun.

Just as you were about to take a step forward, your designer boots caught on a loose cobblestone, and you stumbled clumsily, arms flailing wildly as you tried to regain your balance.

With a loud yelp, you crashed ungracefully into a pile of hay, your dress now adorned with specks of dirt and straw. Uttering a few curses under your breath, you began to clean yourself off, feeling thoroughly irritated by the whole debacle.

To your surprise, you heard a sincere laugh echoing from somewhere nearby. "Smooth entrance." came the amused voice.

Startled, you looked up to see a tall, muscular guy leaning against the porch, clad in a simple white tank top and worn jeans. He had the rugged look of someone who spent their days working the land, and you couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at his false amused expression.

"Very funny," you muttered, shooting him a withering glare as you brushed off the last of the hay from your dress.

The guy smirked at your retort, "Hey, don't blame me for your lack of grace," he teased, stepping closer to you.

You crossed your arms defensively, shooting back, "Well, don't blame me for your lack of fashion sense."

He chuckled, unfazed by your jab. "Fashion sense? Please. I'd take practicality over designer labels any day."

Rolling your eyes, you scoffed, "Easy for you to say when you probably haven't stepped foot in a city in years."

His smirk widened, and he tilted his head, challenging you. "And what's wrong with that? Country life has its perks, you know. Fresh air, wide open spaces... not to mention, real food."

You narrowed your eyes, feeling a surge of defiance. "Oh, please. I'll take a five-star restaurant over your farm-to-table nonsense any day."

With a shrug, he flashed you a knowing grin. "We'll see about that."

He furrows his eyebrows as he reaches for your suitcases, grunting slightly as he lifts them from the ground. "What the hell are you packing in here, bricks?" he mutters, struggling slightly under the weight. 

You couldn't help but roll your eyes at his dramatics. With his broad shoulders and muscular arms, it was obvious he could easily handle the weight. But instead, he seemed intent on putting on a show of struggle.

As he hoisted the suitcases up, you glanced at his impressive physique, a stark contrast to your own slender frame. "Oh, I don't know," you replied casually, masking your amusement. "Maybe you're just not as strong as you think you are."

His expression darkened at your taunt, and you could practically see the steam coming out of his ears as he begrudgingly followed you towards the house. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered, his voice tinged with annoyance.

You couldn't resist a small smirk as you walked ahead, enjoying the satisfaction of getting the last word in.

As you approach the quaint farmhouse, nestled amidst the serene countryside, you're greeted by a picturesque scene straight out of a storybook. Lush greenery and vibrant foliage surround the charming abode, a small porch extends from the front of the house, its weathered floorboards worn smooth by years of use, a few well-worn rocking chairs moving with the breeze. 

You glanced around the bedroom, taking note of the meticulously prepared bed with towels neatly arranged on top. Despite your initial skepticism, it was clear that some effort had been put into making you feel welcome.

Mingyu stood beside you, his expression unreadable as he watched your reaction. For a moment, there was silence between the two of you, the air thick with tension.

Just then, Mr. Kim appeared in the doorway, a warm smile on his face. "Ah, I see you've met my son, Mingyu," he said, placing a hand on Mingyu's shoulder. "He'll be helping out around here during your stay."

Mingyu flashed you a half-hearted smile, his expression tinged with a hint of mockery. "Yeah, we had the great pleasure of meeting earlier," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

You raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on your lips. "Oh yes, it was truly unforgettable," you replied, matching his mocking tone. "I especially enjoyed the part where I ended up covered in hay."

Mr. Kim chuckled at the banter between you and his son, clearly amused by the exchange. "I'm sure you two will get along just fine," he said with a knowing smile, before leaving you to settle in.

Feeling a bit lost and unsure of what to do with yourself, you decided to head back to the living room. As you entered, you spotted Mingyu in the kitchen, busy mixing something on the stove, while a woman arranged antique stamped dishes on the table.

Her warm smile drew your attention, and you couldn't help but admire her grace as she went about her tasks. When she noticed your presence, she immediately set aside her cooking apron and approached you, enveloping you in a tight hug.

You returned the gesture, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort wash over you in her embrace. She introduced herself as Mrs. Kim, and her genuine compliment about your appearance made you blush, a shy smile tugging at your lips.

Before you could respond, you caught Mingyu's glance from across the room. When your eyes met his, he quickly looked away, returning his focus to the task at hand.

Feeling a bit flustered by the unexpected attention, you cleared your throat and glanced around the room, searching for something to say. "Thank you, Mrs. Kim" 

Ah, but you missed your 16-seat table. Your silvered forks and knives…

She beamed at your words, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "Oh, it's nothing, dear. Just a simple meal to welcome you to our home," she said warmly, patting your arm affectionately.

Despite your initial frustration and discomfort with the abrupt change in scenery and the unfamiliar accents surrounding you, you couldn't deny the genuine warmth and hospitality of the Kims. As you observed Mrs. Kim bustling around the kitchen and Mingyu's earnest efforts to make you feel welcome, a sense of guilt began to gnaw at you.

As Mrs. Kim served you a plate of food, you couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the array of dishes laid out before you. Unsure of what to pick, you glanced around nervously, feeling the weight of everyone's expectant gazes upon you.

Taking a tentative first bite, the food was simple yet bursting with deliciousness, each bite infused with a warmth and comfort that you hadn't realized you were craving.

Your eyes widened in surprise as you savored the food, a genuine smile spreading across your face. "Wow, this is really good," you exclaimed, unable to hide your delight.

The Kims exchanged knowing glances, their smiles widening at your enthusiastic reaction. It was clear that they were pleased to see you enjoying their home-cooked meal.

As you continued to eat, you found yourself digging in with gusto, savoring every bite as if it were the most delicious thing you had ever tasted. It was a stark contrast to the fast food and gourmet dishes you were accustomed to in the city, and yet, there was something undeniably special about this homemade meal made with love.

Mingyu and his dad shared subtle, satisfied smiles, their eyes twinkling with amusement as they watched you devouring the food with such enthusiasm. It was clear that they were pleased to see you embracing their culinary traditions and finding joy in the simple pleasures, for the first time? 

As you rolled up your sleeves and began to help with the dishes, Mingyu appeared at your side with a teasing smirk. "Well, I'm surprised to see you know how to wash a plate," he remarked, his tone laced with playful incredulity.

You couldn't help but roll your eyes at his playful jab. "Oh, please. It's not like I've never washed a dish before," you retorted, scrubbing a plate with more force than necessary.

Mingyu chuckled at your defensive tone, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'm just surprised, is all. Figured someone with nails as pristine as yours would be afraid to get them dirty," he teased, gesturing to your perfectly manicured hands.

You shot him a pointed look, a hint of irritation creeping into your voice. "My nails will be just fine, thank you very much." you replied curtly.

After finishing up with the dishes, you managed to steal a quiet moment for yourself. Making your way to the bathroom, you were pleasantly surprised to find that there was hot water available, despite being in the midst of a countryside farm. And as you drifted off to sleep, the sound of crickets chirping outside lulling you into a peaceful slumber.

As the sun streamed through the window, bathing the room in a warm glow, you slowly stirred from your sleep, feeling more refreshed than you had in ages. The sound of a rooster crowing in the distance filled the air, a gentle reminder that you were far from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Just as you were about to stretch, you heard a familiar voice at your door. Groaning inwardly, you sat up, blinking away the remnants of sleep as you focused on the figure standing in the doorway.

There stood Mingyu, holding a pair of buckets in his hands. "Hey, sleepyhead," he called out, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Time to rise and shine. We've got a cow to milk."

You blinked in disbelief, your mind struggling to process the request. Milk a cow? Surely he must be joking. But as you glanced out the window and saw the sun rising higher in the sky, and the way he stood at the door, you realized that he was serious.

With a resigned sigh, you pushed back the covers and swung your legs over the side of the bed, steeling yourself for the unfamiliar task ahead. 

You couldn't help but roll your eyes at Mingyu's teasing remark as he caressed the cow with practiced ease. "Yeah, well, I figured I'd take precautions after yesterday's little incident," you retorted, gesturing to your brightly colored galoshes.

Mingyu chuckled at your response, shaking his head in amusement. "Fair enough," he conceded, his eyes twinkling with laughter. "But I've got to admit, you look a bit out of place here on the farm."

You huffed indignantly, feeling a pang of annoyance at his comment. "And what exactly am I supposed to look like?" you shot back, crossing your arms defensively. "Peppa Pig jumping in muddy puddles?"

Mingyu's laughter rang out loud and clear, the sound echoing through the barn as he shook his head incredulously. "Hey, I'm just saying, those boots aren't exactly farm chic," he replied, unable to hide his amusement.

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes again, instead choosing to focus on the task at hand. As Mingyu nodded towards the bucket under the cow and the small stool nearby, you took a deep breath, steeling yourself for the challenge ahead.

As you continued to milk the cow with gentle, tentative strokes, Mingyu couldn't help but chuckle at your cautious approach. "If you keep going at this pace, we'll be here until evening," he teased, shaking his head in mock exasperation.

You couldn't help but sulk at his teasing, feeling a pang of self-doubt creeping in. "I'm just afraid of hurting her," you admitted softly, glancing down at the cow's udders with concern.

Mingyu rolled his eyes playfully, squatting down behind you and gently taking your hands in his. "Here, let me show you," he murmured, his voice low and soothing as he guided your movements.

As his warm hands enveloped yours, you felt a jolt of electricity shoot through you, you couldn't help but be drawn to the way his chest pressed against your back, his breath tickling your ear as he whispered instructions. Lost in the sensation of his touch, you found yourself forgetting about the task at hand, your focus shifting entirely to him. 

"See? It's not so hard, is it?" Mingyu's voice broke through your thoughts, his tone gentle and encouraging.

Oh, it sure is, with those arms around you.

You nodded slowly, still feeling a bit flustered by the unexpected closeness between you. "Yeah, I guess not."

As you watched the chickens with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, your mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, unable to find the words to express your uncertainty.

Noticing your hesitation, Mingyu couldn't help but chuckle at your predicament. "Looks like it's time to collect some eggs," he remarked, gesturing towards the coop with a smirk.

Taking a deep breath, you steeled yourself for the task ahead and stepped into the coop, determined to prove that you were capable of handling farm chores. But as soon as you entered, the chickens seemed to sense your unease and began to peck at your legs and feet, their sharp beaks causing you to yelp in surprise.

Jumping back in alarm, you flailed your arms wildly, trying to fend off the feathery assailants as Mingyu looked on, shaking his head in amusement. "Well, that's one way to get the eggs," he quipped, unable to suppress his laughter at your antics.

Feeling flustered and more than a little embarrassed, you quickly retreated from the coop, shooting Mingyu a sheepish look. "I think I'll leave the egg collecting to the experts," you muttered, feeling defeated.

Mingyu grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he watched you dust yourself off. "Don't worry, princess, I'll take care of it," he teased, reaching for the basket and heading towards the coop with a knowing smirk.

Mingyu couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of you sprawled out on the sofa, your face flushed from the sun and your body looking utterly exhausted. His mom joined in with a soft giggle, amused by your worn-out appearance.

"Looks like someone had quite the day," Mingyu remarked with a grin, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he observed you from across the room.

You let out a tired groan, your limbs feeling heavy and your muscles aching from the day's activities. "I feel like I've run a marathon," you admitted with a weary smile, unable to hide the exhaustion in your voice.

Mingyu's mom nodded in understanding, her eyes filled with warmth and affection as she looked at you. "It takes some getting used to, but you'll adjust," she reassured you, her voice gentle and reassuring.

Mingyu flashed you a reassuring smile, his gaze lingering on you with a hint of admiration. "Yeah, you'll get used to it," he echoed, his voice soft and reassuring.

As you lay on the sofa, your mind drifted to thoughts of your friends back in the city. You could already imagine their laughter and teasing when they heard about your countryside misadventures.

The image of them laughing at the idea of you "touching cow's tits" made you cringe, and you couldn't help but feel a twinge of embarrassment at the thought of being the subject of their jokes. And the mental image of you being chased by chickens while wearing bright yellow galoshes instead of your usual designer boots was almost too much to bear.

As you stood face to face with the towering horse, a surge of determination coursed through you. You were determined to prove to Mingyu that you were capable of handling any challenge that came your way, no matter how unfamiliar or daunting.

With a defiant glare, you met Mingyu's gaze head-on, refusing to back down from the challenge before you. "Did you know that horseback riding is expensive enough for me to know?" you retorted, your voice laced with confidence.

Mingyu raised an eyebrow at your defiant remark, his hands on his hips as he regarded you with a mixture of amusement and skepticism. "Is this a dare?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his tone.

You smirked, your eyes gleaming with determination. "It's not a dare if I'm going to win," you replied boldly, your confidence unwavering.

Mingyu chuckled at your bravado, shaking his head in amusement. "Well, we'll see about that," he replied with a smirk of his own. "But I'll have you know, a farmer can ride way better than a rich girly who did hipstism."

As you settled into the saddle and urged the horse forward, you felt a surge of exhilaration coursing through your veins. With each powerful stride of the horse beneath you, you felt a sense of connection and freedom unlike anything you had ever experienced.

Glancing back at Mingyu, who was hot on your heels, you couldn't help but smirk at the competitive gleam in his eye. With a determined flick of the reins, you urged your horse to pick up the pace, the wind whipping through your hair as you galloped across the long field.

Feeling the rhythm of the horse's movements beneath you, you couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration as you rode faster and faster, the thrill of the chase driving you forward.

But as you approached the towering mount of straw ahead, Mingyu's voice rang out behind you, announcing the end of the race. "This is it!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the wind.

You turned to face him with a confident smile, your eyes sparkling with determination. "Bet," you replied, your voice filled with certainty as you prepared to take on the challenge ahead.

s you crossed the finish line first, a victorious grin spread across your face. You patted the horse affectionately, thanking it for its speed and cooperation, a playful twinkle in your eye as if expecting a response from the animal.

Mingyu appeared right behind you, his expression a mixture of surprise and begrudging admiration. He glanced at you, clearly not wanting to give the impression that he was impressed, but failing miserably.

You couldn't help but laugh at his unsuccessfully concealed expression, a playful smirk tugging at your lips. "Looks like I win," you teased, unable to resist the opportunity to gloat a little.

Mingyu rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Beginner's luck," he muttered, trying to brush off his defeat with a nonchalant shrug.

But you could see through his facade, and you knew that deep down, he was impressed by your riding skills. "Sure, keep telling yourself that," you replied with a playful wink, reveling in your victory.

As the days turned into weeks, Mingyu and his parents couldn't help but notice a change in you. At first, they were surprised by your transformation. They had expected you to grow restless and bored, eager to return to the comforts of city life. But instead, they watched in awe as you flourished in your new surroundings.

While you may have initially viewed your newfound chores as a means to an end, a way to expedite your return to the comforts of home, you couldn't deny the genuine joy and fulfillment you experienced in caring for the animals and immersing yourself in farm activities.

With each passing day, as you spent more time in the stable and the fields, you discovered a sense of peace and contentment that you had never known before. 

Whenever Mingyu's parents were away in the center of the countryside, Mingyu took it upon himself to keep you entertained and engaged, determined to show you the lighter side of farm life and ensure that you didn't find the countryside boring.

Sometimes, he would teach you how to fish in the nearby stream, laughing as you fumbled with the bait and giggling as you shrieked with delight whenever you felt a tug on the line. From impromptu horseback races across the fields to makeshift picnics under the shade of a sprawling oak tree, Mingyu made sure that there was never a dull moment when you were together.

As the rain poured down outside, Mingyu looked at you with a mischievous grin, his eyes dancing with excitement. "Hey, since we're stuck inside anyway, how about we play a game of hide and seek?" he suggested, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

You couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise at his suggestion. Hide and seek? Wasn't that a game for children? You hadn't played it in years, not since you were a kid back in the city.

"But isn't that game a bit... childish?" you asked, your tone laced with skepticism. After all, hide and seek seemed like such a simple and silly game, hardly befitting someone of your age and sophistication.

Mingyu laughed at your hesitation, shaking his head in amusement. "Come on, it'll be fun! Besides, it's not like we have anything else to do while we're stuck inside," he replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

You hesitated for a moment, unsure if you wanted to indulge in such a childish pastime. But as you glanced out the window at the dreary weather outside, you couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity and excitement at the prospect of a little indoor adventure.

With a reluctant smile, you finally relented, nodding your head in agreement. "Alright, fine. But you owe me if I end up getting bored," you teased, unable to hide the hint of amusement in your voice.

Mingyu grinned at your acceptance, his eyes alight with excitement. "Deal," he replied.

As Mingyu's voice counted down from ten, you dashed around the house, your heart racing with excitement as you searched for the perfect hiding spot. His laughter echoed through the halls as he called out the numbers, his anticipation building with each passing moment.

Finally, you found it—a small space between the wardrobe and the wall in your room. It seemed like the perfect hiding spot, tucked away from sight with just enough room for you to squeeze into. With a quick glance over your shoulder to make sure no one was watching, you darted into the hiding place and pressed your back against the wall, your heart pounding with excitement.

As you waited in the darkness, the sound of Mingyu's footsteps grew closer, his laughter echoing through the room as he searched for you. You held your breath, trying to stifle the giggles threatening to escape as his footsteps drew nearer and nearer.

Suddenly, you heard a soft gasp as Mingyu's hand brushed against the wardrobe, his fingers grazing the edge of your hiding spot. Your heart skipped a beat as you held your breath, hoping he wouldn't find you.

As Mingyu's hand brushed against your shoulder and his fingers wrapped around your arm, pulling you out of your hiding place, you couldn't help but let out a startled gasp as your body collided with his. His laughter filled the room, echoing in the darkness, but you couldn't find it in you to join in.

"Sulking again, huh?" Mingyu teased, his voice warm and playful as he wrapped his other arm around you, pulling you close. 

You rolled your eyes in response, trying to hide the smile that threatened to tug at your lips despite your best efforts to maintain your facade of annoyance. "I don't sulk," you protested weakly, but even to your own ears, the protest sounded half-hearted.

Mingyu chuckled softly, the sound reverberating through the room as he held you close. "Sure you don't," he replied, his tone teasing but affectionate. 

Suddenly, you felt his hands on your face, his fingers tracing your features with a gentle touch that made your heart race. In the darkness, his touch seemed to intensify, his caress becoming more intimate as he explored the contours of your face with a tenderness that took your breath away.

As Mingyu's lips met yours, time seemed to stand still, the world falling away as you melted into his embrace. His lips were soft and warm against yours, sending a thrill of electricity coursing through your veins as he pressed your back against the wardrobe, his hand pulling you closer by your waist.

With a soft moan, you found yourself responding eagerly to his touch, your hands tangling in his hair as you deepened the kiss. Mingyu groaned against your lips, the sound sending a shiver of pleasure down your cunt as his tongue danced with yours.

As Mingyu's lips trailed down to your neck, igniting a trail of fire with each kiss, you couldn't help but moan softly, your body arching towards him in response to the overwhelming sensations coursing through you.

"M-Mingyu…"

"I can feel how much you want me," he continued, his voice low and seductive. "You're practically melting against me, begging for my touch."

His words sent a shiver of anticipation down your spine, your breath coming in ragged gasps as you surrendered yourself to the pleasure of his touch.

"You're so beautiful like this," he murmured, his lips brushing against your ear.

His hands roamed over your body, exploring every curve and contour with a hunger that matched your own. As he pressed his body against yours, you could feel the heat radiating from him, the intensity of his desire burning bright in the darkness.

As his fingers brushed against your hardened nipple through your top, you couldn't help but let out a soft gasp of pleasure, the sensation sending waves of heat coursing through you.

Feeling your reaction, Mingyu hissed in response, his desire evident in the husky tone of his voice. "I need to see you," he murmured urgently, his hands moving to lift your top, his fingers tracing the contours of your body in the darkness. "This darkness isn't helping."

With a nod of understanding, you waited patiently as he disappeared into the darkness, the anticipation building with each passing moment. And then, just as suddenly as he had left, he reappeared with two lanterns, the warm glow casting a soft light over the room.

And there you were, already naked and sitting on the bed, your body bathed in the soft light of the lanterns. Mingyu's eyes widened in surprise, a low hum of appreciation escaping his lips as he took in the sight before him.

"You're naughty," he murmured, his voice husky with desire as he approached you slowly. The warmth of the lanterns illuminated every curve and contour of your body, casting a mesmerizing glow that left him spellbound.

As the room filled with light, you couldn't help but catch your breath at the sight of Mingyu standing before you, his features illuminated in the golden glow of the lanterns. His eyes burned with desire as he looked at you, his gaze traveling over your body with hunger and longing.

With a soft smile, he stepped closer, the warmth of the lanterns enveloping you both. "Now I can see every inch of you," he murmured, his voice thick with desire. 

s Mingyu's hands deftly removed his shirt, tossing it aside with a casual flick of his wrist, your eyes were drawn to the sight of his toned, muscular body illuminated by the warm glow of the lanterns. His hard work and dedication were evident in the way his muscles rippled beneath his skin, sending a shiver of desire coursing through you.

Instinctively, your legs pressed together, the heat pooling between them as you felt the unmistakable arousal building within you. Mingyu's presence was intoxicating, his sheer physicality leaving you breathless and eager for more.

Unable to resist the temptation any longer, you reached out to him, your hands tracing the contours of his chest and abdomen with a hungry urgency. His skin was warm beneath your touch, his muscles firm and taut as you explored every inch of him with a sense of wonder and reverence.

As your fingers trailed lower, tracing the outline of his hardened arousal, a low groan escaped Mingyu's lips, his desire mirroring your own.

As you untangled his belt and lowered his jeans, your desperation was palpable, your need for him evident in every movement. Mingyu watched you with a knowing smile, his lip caught between his teeth as he observed your eagerness.

With a sense of anticipation building between you, you got down on your knees before him, your eyes pleading as you lowered his underwear, revealing his thick, pulsing cock. It lay heavy on your face, the weight of it sending a thrill of excitement coursing through you.

Mingyu's breath caught in his throat as he watched you, his desire growing with each passing moment. "That's it, baby," he murmured huskily, his voice thick with lust. "Show me how much you want it."

With a slow, provocative motion, you began to suck on the tip of his cock, teasing him with your tongue as you savored the taste of him on your lips. Mingyu groaned in pleasure, his hands tangling in your hair as he urged you on.

But then, with a sudden shift in his demeanor, Mingyu's voice took on a commanding tone. "Enough teasing," he growled, his gaze dark with desire. "I want you to suck it, all of it. Show me how good you can make me feel."

As you obediently lowered your head, taking all of Mingyu's length into your mouth, you could feel him groaning in pleasure above you. His hands tightened in your hair, gripping it firmly as if he were holding onto reins, his fingers wrapping around your locks like a lasso.

With each deep thrust, he urged you on, his voice thick with desire as he commanded you to take him deeper. "That's it," he moaned, the sound reverberating through your body as you continued to obey his every whim. "Just like that, baby, all the way in."

As you relaxed your jaw, allowing Mingyu's thick cock to press against the back of your throat, a wave of pleasure surged through him, causing his knees to falter for a moment. But you remained steadfast, your determination unwavering as you held your breath and took him deeper, allowing him to penetrate you fully.

Mingyu's grip on your hair tightened as he let out a guttural groan of pleasure, his hips bucking involuntarily as he was overcome by the intense sensation of your throat enveloping him. The feeling of your warm, wet mouth engulfing him completely sent waves of ecstasy coursing through his body, igniting a fire within him that threatened to consume him whole.

With each deep thrust, he felt himself losing control, his desire mounting to dizzying heights as he surrendered himself completely to the overwhelming pleasure of the moment. And as you continued to take him deeper, your throat accommodating his girth with ease, he knew that he was on the brink of an explosion unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

As Mingyu pulled on the lasso of your hair, halting just before he reached his climax, you let out a whimper of anticipation, your body trembling with need. He pulled you up and pushed you onto the bed, spreading your legs apart as he positioned himself between them. Your ass lifted off the bed, your breath coming in shallow gasps as you waited for his next move.

With a hungry look in his eyes, Mingyu dropped to his knees before you, his tongue darting out to lick a fat stripe along your slit. A moan escaped your lips as pleasure shot through you, your body arching off the bed in response. "Mmm... yes," you murmured, the sensation overwhelming as he continued to lap at your pussy with fervent eagerness.

Mingyu cooed softly as he tasted you, his tongue exploring every inch of your wetness with a skillful precision that left you dizzy with pleasure. "You taste so good," he whispered, his voice low and husky as he lavished attention on your sensitive folds. 

As Mingyu sucked on your clit, bobbing his head with a fervent eagerness that sent waves of pleasure coursing through you, you couldn't help but moan loudly, the sensation overwhelming you completely. "Ohh... yesss," you cried out, your voice filled with unrestrained passion as he worked his magic on you.

He held back a smirk as he felt your cunt throbbing with the approach of your orgasm, knowing that he had you right where he wanted you. With a wicked grin, he doubled down on his efforts, sucking your whole pussy hard, his tongue lapping at your juices with an insatiable hunger.

The intensity of his ministrations pushed you over the edge, your body convulsing with pleasure as the orgasm washed over you with a force that left you breathless. Mingyu smiled triumphantly as he felt you come embarrassingly fast, your moans filling the room with the sweet sound of your pleasure.

As Mingyu laid you down properly on the bed, he gazed into your eyes with a hunger that sent shivers down your spine. His voice was low and husky as he asked how much you wanted him to fuck you, and you could barely think straight, your mind clouded with desire.

With your orgasm still pulsing through your body, you almost drunkenly replied that you wanted him a lot, your words slurred with pleasure. Mingyu's lips curled into a wicked grin as he heard your response, his eyes smoldering with lust as he leaned in closer.

"And how much do you want this farmer to fuck you?" he murmured, his voice dripping with desire as he teased you with his words. The hint of his country accent sent a shiver of anticipation coursing through you, your body quivering with need.

You rolled your hips instinctively, searching for his cock, your movements desperate and needy. Mingyu chuckled softly at your eagerness, his hands roaming over your body possessively as he continued to taunt you with his dirty talk.

With a whimper of desire, you opened your mouth in an "o" of longing, unable to resist the overwhelming urge to feel him deep inside you. "A lot," you gasped, your voice trembling with need. "I want it... a lot... please..."

Mingyu's cock lay heavy against your belly, the sight of it making your breath catch in your throat. He looked at you with a wicked grin, his eyes burning with desire as he teased you with the promise of what was to come.

"Do you want my cock right here?" he murmured huskily, his voice sending shivers down your spine. "Inside of this pretty little pussy of yours?"

You could only nod eagerly, your body trembling with anticipation as you gazed up at him with lust-filled eyes. "Yes," you whispered breathlessly, your voice barely above a moan. "Please, Mingyu... I need it... I need you inside me..."

Mingyu's grin widened at your response, his desire reaching a fever pitch as he positioned himself between your legs, ready to claim you as his own. With a primal growl, he pushed himself inside you, filling you completely with his throbbing cock as you cried out in ecstasy.

As Mingyu kissed you with a hunger that matched your own, you cried out in pleasure, feeling your pussy clenching tighter around his throbbing cock with each thrust. Your hands roamed over his back, feeling every ridge and muscle beneath his skin as he moved with a primal intensity that drove you wild with desire.

Suddenly, he took his cock out and pushed back inside you with all his force, causing your head to be thrown back in ecstasy. The sensation of him filling you so completely, stretching you to your limits, sent waves of pleasure coursing through you, igniting a fire within you that threatened to consume you whole.

Mingyu's gaze locked with yours, his eyes boring into your soul as tears streamed down your cheeks, your body trembling with the intensity of his thrusts. He leaned in close, his voice low and husky as he whispered filthy words that sent shivers down your spine.

"You like that, don't you?" he murmured, his breath hot against your ear as he continued to pound into you with relentless force. "You like feeling my cock splitting you in half, don't you, baby?"

You could only whimper in response, your pussy clenching tightly around him at his words, sending a jolt of pleasure coursing through both of you. Mingyu stuttered for a moment, surprised by the intensity of your reaction, before letting out a low chuckle.

"Never had it this good before, huh?" he teased, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he watched you squirm beneath him. "And what about those boys from your city?" he taunted. "Do they fuck you this good? Huh?"

You shook your head vehemently, your legs trembling around his waist as you cried out in pleasure. "No," you screamed, the word torn from your lips in a primal moan. "They don't... ah!"

Mingyu grinned triumphantly at your response, his own pleasure mounting to dizzying heights as he continued to drive you wild with desire. With each powerful thrust, he pushed you closer and closer to the edge, determined to show you just how good it could be with a real man like him.

As Mingyu's cock pounded into you relentlessly, a white ring formed around his shaft, evidence of your overwhelming arousal. He looked down at you with a smirk, his voice low and husky as he taunted you with his words.

"Can you hear how wet you are, baby?" he murmured, his breath hot against your skin as he leaned in closer. "You're practically dripping for me."

You blushed furiously at his words, feeling a surge of embarrassment wash over you at the realization of just how turned on you were. But despite your embarrassment, you couldn't deny the overwhelming pleasure coursing through your veins, driving you to new heights of ecstasy with each thrust.

You bit your lip nervously, unable to form a coherent response as Mingyu's cock continued to pound into you with relentless determination. Your back arched involuntarily, your body betraying you with its desperate need for more.

Mingyu's hips plunged deep into you, sending shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your body as you jolted, desperately reaching for his hand. He chuckled softly, his voice dripping with amusement as he teased you mercilessly.

"Oh, looks like I found it," he taunted, his thrusts growing harder and more relentless with each passing moment. "Right here... and here again. Is this where you want me, baby?"

You could only whimper in response, your mind consumed by the overwhelming pleasure of his touch. "I-I'm going to cum," you gasped, your voice thick with desire as your orgasm approached with dizzying speed.

Mingyu's hand tightened around yours, providing you with an anchor to hold onto as he continued to pound into you with an intensity that left you breathless. His hips worked deep against your G-spot, driving you closer and closer to the edge with each thrust.

"Come for me, baby," he whispered huskily, his voice laced with desire as he urged you on. "I want to feel you cumming around me."

As Mingyu noticed the way you tensed hard and squeezed his hand tightly, he could feel the intensity building within you. "You're going to cum so hard for me, baby"

And then, as if on cue, you let go, your body convulsing with the force of the orgasm that tore through you. Mingyu watched in awe as you came apart in his arms, your screams filling the room as you lost yourself completely to the pleasure.

"Fuck," he breathed, his voice hoarse with desire as he drank in the sight of you, your body trembling with ecstasy as you rode out the waves of pleasure. He didn't want to blink, didn't want to miss a single moment of the beautiful sight before him.

As your body finally relaxed, Mingyu withdrew himself from your swollen, sopping cunt. You looked up at him with a lazy smile, feeling completely satisfied but still hungry for more.

"Did you cum?" you asked, your voice laced with anticipation as you waited for his response.

Mingyu hesitated for a moment, but before he could answer, you cut him off with a mischievous grin, sticking your tongue out of your mouth playfully.

"Don't worry about that," he began, but you interrupted him, your eyes sparkling with mischief as you pleaded with him to cum for you.

"Come on, Mingyu," you urged, your voice dripping with desire. "I want to see you cum. I want to taste you on my tongue."

Mingyu's eyes widened in surprise at your boldness, but a wicked grin spread across his face as he realized just how much you wanted him. With a low growl of desire, he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against yours as he whispered his response.

"You're insatiable, aren't you?" he murmured, his voice thick with desire. "But I like it. I like it a lot."

As Mingyu gently arranged your hair, he positioned himself so that his cock was within reach of your mouth. You eagerly complied, your saliva mixed with your own lubrication serving as the perfect medium for him to stroke his throbbing cock.

With his heavy tip resting on your tongue, you felt the anticipation building within you once again. Your lips parted as you watched him with hungry eyes, eager to taste him once more.

Mingyu groaned softly as he began to masturbate his cock, the sensation of your tongue and lips against his sensitive skin driving him crazy. With each stroke, he grew harder and thicker in your mouth, his arousal evident in the way his cock throbbed against your tongue.

You moaned softly around him, the vibrations sending shivers of pleasure coursing through his body as he continued to pleasure himself with your eager mouth. And as his release approached, Mingyu's movements grew more urgent, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he edged closer and closer to the brink.

Finally, with a low growl of pleasure, Mingyu reached the point of no return, his cock pulsating as he spilled his hot cum onto your waiting tongue. You eagerly swallowed every drop, savoring the taste of him as he rode out the waves of his orgasm.

"I'm feeling so good," you murmur, a contented smile gracing your lips as you lay beside Mingyu.

"Do you?" he asks, his voice soft and filled with tenderness as he gazes at you.

You nod, feeling a warmth spreading through your body at his gentle touch. Mingyu brushes your hair away from your face, his fingers trailing lightly over your skin as he lays on his side, his eyes fixed on you with a look of adoration.

"Yeah," you reply, your voice barely above a whisper as you meet his gaze. "I feel amazing."

Mingyu smiles, his expression filled with affection as he leans in closer, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead. The atmosphere feels incredibly comfortable, more intimate and peaceful than ever before.

You blinked, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains as you slowly roused from sleep, only to find yourself alone in bed. The warmth of Mingyu's big body, which had been so comforting throughout the night, was noticeably absent, leaving you with a sense of emptiness.

As you sat up, rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you couldn't shake the feeling that the events of the previous night had been nothing more than a dream. But then, just as doubt began to creep in, the door swung open, and there stood Mingyu, shirtless and wearing only jeans, a tray of breakfast in his hands.

He flashed you a warm smile as he entered the room, the sight of him banishing any lingering doubts from your mind. "Good morning," he greeted you, his voice soft and filled with affection.

"Good morning," you replied, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips as you watched him approach. The sight of him, shirtless and bearing breakfast, made your heart skip a beat, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth spread through you at the sight of him.

Mingyu set the tray down on the bedside table before climbing back into bed beside you, his warmth enveloping you once more. As you sat together, enjoying breakfast in each other's company.

In the middle of the afternoon, you was alone in your bedroom, Mrs. Kim appears with her phone, it was your parents, wanting to talk to you. You take the phone from Mrs. Kim with trembling hands, your heart racing with anticipation as you retreat to a secluded corner of the house. With bated breath, you answer the call, hoping against hope that it's your parents finally coming to rescue you from this unfamiliar place.

"Hello?" you say tentatively, the sound of your own voice echoing in your ears.

On the other end of the line, you hear your mother's voice, filled with concern and urgency. "Sweetheart, are you okay?" she asks, her tone fraught with worry.

You feel a surge of relief wash over you at the sound of her familiar voice. "Mom, it's me," you reply quickly, trying to keep your voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside you. "I'm okay, but I really want to come home. Can you please come get me? I need to tell you something…"

There's a moment of silence on the other end of the line before your mother responds, her voice heavy with regret. "Honey, I'm sorry, but we can't come get you right now," she says, her words hitting you like a punch to the gut. "We need you to stay there for a little while longer."

Your heart sinks at her words, the sense of disappointment threatening to overwhelm you. "But why?" you ask, your voice cracking with emotion. "I don't understand."

Before you can say anything else, you hear a click on the other end of the line, signaling that the call has ended. With a heavy heart, you lower the phone from your ear and turn around, only to find Mingyu standing there, his expression hardened and unreadable.

You swallow hard, feeling a sense of unease settle over you as you meet his gaze. "Mingyu, I..." you begin, but he cuts you off with a curt shake of his head before turning and walking out of the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts and a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.

You ran after him, your footsteps echoing in the stillness of the countryside as you desperately called out his name. But Mingyu didn't turn to look at you, his gaze fixed on the horizon as he continued walking towards the lagoon.

"Mingyu, please," you pleaded, your voice thick with emotion as you struggled to catch up to him. "Listen to me."

He finally stopped walking, but he still didn't turn to face you. Instead, he spoke with a tone of resignation, his voice heavy with disappointment. "I understand now," he said quietly. "You were just using me to pass the time until you could go home."

Your heart sank at his words, the guilt weighing heavily on your chest as tears welled up in your eyes. "No, Mingyu, that's not true," you insisted, your voice trembling with emotion.

"I... I care about you. What about yesterday? What we shared..."

But he cuts you off with a bitter laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "Yesterday was a mistake," he says, his words like a knife to your heart. "It doesn't change the fact that you were never really here for me. You were just biding your time until you could leave."

Your mouth hung open in shock as Mingyu's words sliced through you like a blade, leaving you reeling with hurt and disbelief. Tears welled up in your eyes as you struggled to comprehend his harsh accusations.

"That's mean!" you finally managed to choke out, your voice trembling with emotion. "I know I'm wrong, but you're being so mean right now!"

Mingyu's attention snapped back to you at the sound of your sobs, his heart clenching with regret as he watched the tears stream down your face. He hadn't meant to hurt you so deeply, but in his anger and frustration, his words had cut far deeper than he had intended.

For a moment, there was silence between you, the weight of Mingyu's harsh judgment hanging heavy in the air. And then, finally, you spoke again, your voice barely above a whisper.

"It was a mistake then?" you asked, your words barely audible over the sound of your own ragged breathing. 

Mingyu hesitates, his own emotions swirling inside him as he struggles to find the right words. "No, it wasn't a mistake," he admits quietly, his gaze softening as he meets your tear-filled eyes. "Yesterday... what we shared... it meant something to me."

Your heart races as Mingyu's words sink in, a mix of hope and confusion swirling inside you. "Then why are you saying all of this?" you ask, your voice trembling with emotion. "If it meant something to you, then why..."

Mingyu cuts you off with a heavy sigh, his gaze dropping to the ground as he struggles to find the right words. "Because it's not going to work," he admits, his voice filled with resignation. "You're going back to your expensive bags and imported cars, and I'm going to be alone."

His words hit you like a punch to the gut, the realization of what he's saying sending a surge of pain through your chest. "But how can you be sure that I want to go home?" you protest, desperation creeping into your voice. "You didn't even heard the whole conversation. I need to go home, yes, but not because I want to leave you. I need to go home to tell my parents, my friends, that I want to stay here."

Mingyu's shoulders sag at your words, a flicker of hope shining in his eyes. "You want to stay?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nod, tears pricking at the corners of your eyes. "Yes," you say softly. "And do you know what made up my mind?"

Mingyu's gaze searches yours, waiting for your answer.

"You did," you admit, your voice barely a whisper as you meet his gaze. "You and this life... it made me feel something real. Something I've never felt before."

For a moment, there's a glimmer of understanding in Mingyu's eyes, a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, things could work out between you. He takes a step towards you, reaching out as if to touch you, but you step back, your heart still raw from his earlier words.

"I'm hurt," you whisper, your voice breaking with emotion. "And I need some time alone to figure things out."

With that, you turn and walk away, leaving Mingyu standing there, his gaze following you with a mixture of longing and regret. And as you disappear from view, you can't help but wonder if you've made the right decision... or if you've just made a terrible mistake.

Mingyu stands in the doorway, his expression pensive as he takes in the sight of you curled up on the bed, your breath trembling from your recent tears. He hesitates for a moment, unsure of how to approach you, before finally taking a step into the room.

"I... I wanted to talk to you," he begins, his voice soft and hesitant. "I know things have been... difficult between us lately, and I just wanted to say..."

He pauses, struggling to find the right words as he searches your face for any sign of understanding. "When I first heard that a rich girl was coming to our farm, I'll admit, I had my doubts," he admits, his gaze dropping to the floor as he speaks. "I thought you would be like all the others – snobbish, entitled, looking down on us like we were beneath you."

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself for what comes next. "But you proved me wrong," he continues, his voice growing stronger with each word. "You learned everything we taught you, you got along with everyone, and... despite our bickering, you seemed so genuine."

Mingyu's words hang in the air, the weight of his apology lingering between you. He takes a step closer, his eyes pleading for understanding as he searches your face for any sign of forgiveness.

"I'm sorry," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry for the way I've treated you, for the things I've said. I was wrong to judge you based on where you come from, and... I hope you can forgive me."

There's a vulnerability in Mingyu's voice that tugs at your heartstrings, a sincerity that you can't ignore. You feel a lump form in your throat as you meet his gaze, seeing the regret and remorse etched in his features.

"I... I forgive you," you whisper, your voice barely audible as you speak. "And... I'm sorry too. For the way I've acted, for... everything."

Mingyu's eyes soften at your words, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Thank you," he says, his voice filled with gratitude. "And... I hope we can start over. Put all this behind us and... move forward."

In the bustling city where love often feels like just another commodity, you found something rare and precious in the countryside with Mingyu – an intense and fast connection that seemed to defy all logic and expectation. It was as if you could parachute jump into this feeling without a second thought, without fear of falling.

[sexy-celestial]

2024 is:

Regular facials, manis, pedis, massages, Brazilian waxes, lash lifts. Glowing skin. Glowy makeup. Fluffy curls. Microshaded brows. Laser hair removal. Perfect Rx Skincare. Veneers. Intoxicating perfumes. Shopping. Diamonds. Designer bags. Credit card rewards. International travel. Networking. Career certifications. Investing more. Brunch with the girls. Picnics. Farmers markets. Art galleries. Museums. Fresh flowers. Silk scarves. Big sunglasses. Beautiful lingerie. Silk robes. Receiving lots of gifts. Lots of sunlight. Hot yoga. Nature hikes. Tennis lessons. Green smoothies. Candles that smell expensive. Sleeping 8+ hours a night. Bubble baths. Studying foreign languages. Absorbing as much knowledge as I can. Book clubs. Pottery classes. Cooking with fresh herbs, vegetables, and spice. Champagne. Charcuterie & bruschetta. Gelato. Fresh bread. Ocean air. Hugging my loved ones. Pet cat. Giving lots of gifts. Journaling. Meditating. Gratitude. Volunteering. Donating to charity. Manners. Etiquette. Charisma. Therapy. Healthy boundaries. Radical personal responsibility. Positivity. Self care. Abundant love.

[ailurinae]

We do have both mobile devices with pin entry, and tap ones, but both are at least somewhat recent. And the ones that use the contact chip tend to get dirty/damaged (not sure of details), and don't work well, at which point you need to fall back on the magnetic stripe. The tap ones are even newer and thus rarer, but at least are more reliable than the contact ones. And places like NYC and SV are more likely to have newer ones, backwaters in the western interior are less likely. Also varies by type and age of business… I rarely went to bars even before the pandemic, so I have no clue what is common now. Last time I did go to a bar was probably over 5 years ago in Seattle, and they held onto your card… they might have had a Square tap reader though? Hard to recall.

Right Americans, I need an explanation. What on Earth are these kids doing wrong? Surely this is normal?

[oscarsgallery]

I tried explaining credit card debt to kenji using goats and goat soup and he got upset because he thought I was threatening his goat...

I thought like all 14 year old knew of credit card debt? Or maybe you're just smart idk.

@trickofthelight-snow

//ignore how I'm still on the credit card shit

i'm like, the smartest 14 year old in the whole wide world. kenji is......a farmer. i'm not sure he knows what nintendo is.

[the-most-humble-blog]

10 Things That Make No Sense - But We Accept Anyway

Life is full of absurdities—things we just go along with even though they defy all logic. From tipping culture to daylight savings time, society seems to operate on a shared agreement that we’ll just smile, nod, and pretend these things are totally normal. But let’s break the silence. Here are 10 things that make absolutely no sense—but for some reason, we all accept them anyway.

1. Tipping Culture

Ah yes, tipping. Why do we pay extra for services that people are already being paid to perform? And why does the guilt hit hardest when the little iPad flips around, and the barista stares at you while you decide if making your $6 latte deserves another $2?

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why not just pay service workers a livable wage instead of making customers do financial gymnastics?

Why does tipping vary so much by country? (Ever tried tipping in Japan? Prepare for awkward refusals.)

2. Credit Scores

“Want to borrow money? First, prove you don’t need it.” The credit score system is basically the adult version of a trust fall—but instead of falling into someone’s arms, you fall into debt.

Why It Makes No Sense:

A late payment from 7 years ago can haunt you like a bad ex.

Closing a credit card hurts your score because… you’re too responsible?

The formula is so secretive that even experts just shrug and hope for the best.

3. Daylight Savings Time

Twice a year, we collectively agree to mess up everyone’s sleep schedule for no good reason. “Spring forward, fall back” sounds cute until you’re driving to work in the dark, questioning your life choices.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Originally meant to save energy, but studies show it doesn’t actually work anymore.

Farmers (often blamed for DST) don’t even like it.

Why are we still pretending this is necessary in 2025?

4. The Price of Bottled Water

We’re literally paying for water. WATER. The thing that falls from the sky and comes out of taps for (almost) free. Yet somehow, paying $3 for “artisanal spring water” in a plastic bottle feels normal.

Why It Makes No Sense:

It’s 1000x the price of tap water and often the exact same thing in a fancier package.

Why does “alkaline” or “purified” make it taste the same but sound more expensive?

5. Streaming Service Overload

“Cut the cord,” they said. “It’ll be cheaper,” they said. Now you’re subscribed to 7 different streaming platforms, paying more than cable ever cost, and half the time you can’t find what you want to watch.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why can’t one service just have everything? (Looking at you, Disney+ and Netflix.)

The “new” season you’ve been waiting for? It’s on a platform you didn’t even know existed.

6. “Convenience Fees”

Oh, so you want me to pay extra for the convenience of doing all the work myself online? Whether it’s concert tickets or paying your bills, these fees are the ultimate slap in the face.

Why It Makes No Sense:

You’re charging me extra for using a system that saves you time and money?

How is this legal, and why are we all okay with it?

7. College Textbook Prices

College tuition is bad enough, but then they hit you with a $300 textbook… that you’ll only use once. And don’t even think about buying a used copy because this edition has two new sentences.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Most of the “new editions” are just rearranged paragraphs.

Why do professors require books they wrote themselves? Double-dipping much?

8. “Shrinkflation”

You’re not imagining it—your favorite snacks really are smaller than they used to be. And no, it’s not because your hands got bigger. Shrinkflation is when companies reduce product sizes but keep the price the same (or higher).

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why are chip bags 70% air?

How did a “family-sized” box of cereal become single-serve?

9. Influencer Culture

We used to idolize astronauts and scientists. Now, we’re giving millions of followers to people whose biggest accomplishment is being hot on Instagram. And somehow, they’re the ones living in mansions while the rest of us struggle to pay rent.

Why It Makes No Sense:

Why do we buy $40 candles just because someone we don’t know said it “smells like confidence”?

Why do influencers get free stuff… even though they can already afford it?

10. Luxury Brands Selling Ugly Stuff

Why are we spending thousands of dollars on stuff that looks like it came from a middle school art project? Balenciaga sells $1,500 trash bags. Gucci made dirty sneakers that cost $870. And Crocs, well… they just exist.

Why It Makes No Sense:

The more absurd it looks, the higher the price tag.

Who decided that expensive = fashionable?

Conclusion

We’re all guilty of going along with things that make zero sense because, well, that’s just how the world works. But maybe it’s time to start asking questions—or at least laughing at the absurdity of it all.

What’s something you’ve accepted as “normal” even though it makes no sense? Let’s hear it in the comments!

[dykepuffs]

I want to argue that Dracula is the first work of Nokiawave.

-It's heavily concerned with new technology which drives the plot: Telegrams between everyone being collated into the text, Dr Seward's audiolog on the phonograph which Mina types up, mass transit in the form of both trains and Tube, steamships (and specifically the contrast between steam and sail) and loads of minor examples.

-It's concerned with new social technologies and social change: Mina is a typist, a respectable modern job for a young middle-class woman. Jon is a clerk and is working in an exciting emerging market. Dr Seward uses all the modern methods and keeps up with theory and scientific developments. Lucy is pleased to have plenty of male friends, not just to be seeking to marry. And it contrasts this with both the "good" Old Ways - The helpful, hopeless, peasants who give Jon his anti-vampire icon, the "broad minded" but also clearly steeped in superstition Van Helsing - and the "bad" Old Ways - Obviously, Dracula and also the enslaved Roma (Who, oh god, I I have to write about them in the context of Romanian chattel slavery of Roma, which was technically abolished in stages throughout the 2nd half of the 19th century, but where emancipation came with enforced sedentarism and obligation to a landowner - And where many remained enslaved in all practical terms into the C20th, and specifically in Transylvania the effects of Maria Theresia's Four Decrees that were still in effect that meant they would both be indentured to a landowner as "new farmers" and their children would be kidnapped by the state and given to white families for "reeducation" - but most people analysing the text seem to treat them as willingly Evil Minions).

-It's full of the anxieties about what Eastern and Southern Europe will do as they "modernise and open" (ie become financially and culturally available to the West) and specifically the fear of the Rich Slavic* Oligarch (to a certain kind of British mind, anyone east of Berlin and north of Athens is Slavic, sigh) spreading their malign influence in the Capital Cities of the West. Even the touch that Dracula was once a warlord but is now a slick investor and man-about-town.

-It has lots of continent hopping, focusing on the ~local colour~ in Transylvania and the contrast between both the "superstitious" locals and the traveller who finds it all very quaint and interesting but not very serious, and between the poverty of the normal people and the wealth and seclusion of Dracula, and then likewise giving us whistle-stop tours of the interesting bits of Whitby and London, making the city as much of a character as the humans. The Westerner abroad is seen as just a natural phenomenon, but the foreigners* in Britain are notable and exotic.

- It has a mysterious superweapon/monster which is hidden around a big western capital city, where most people (and even the police and regular military) have no idea what it is and are powerless to stop it, and a lot of tension lies on the crux of "What happens if this gets out here, surrounded by all these civilians?" - In a way that treats the mythological East* as a natural place for atrocities to occur, but them happening in London is a shock.

-It has spying: Jon sneaking around the locked-up Carfax with his miniature camera, trying to take pictures to find out what Dracula is doing in there, could have absolutely been in a 1990s thriller. Likewise, meeting in Harrods to avoid suspicion because it's a plausible place for a fashionable young lady to be, surrounded by anonymising crowds.

-It has information warfare: Dracula reading up on British politics, studying maps of London, paying clerks and using shell companies to disguise his property acquisitions, and likewise the heroes using the telegram and port records and the sheer mass of paperwork generated by his activities to track Dracula, which feels like close kin to the Nokiawave staples of finding someone on cctv or by their credit card, or their car registration being flagged at a checkpoint. Jonathan lamenting the lack of an Ordnance Survey in Europe and the unmapped bits of Transylvania specifically really fits with the idea of the "Control Grid" posited by Gregory Flaxman who writes a lot about surveillance and information control in cinema.

-It has a team of both specialists and laypeople who were dragged into the action by circumstance, and much relies on their relationships. The laypeople's "unimportant" skills (Jonathan's knowledge of property and finance especially, and Mina's skills with logistics as well as her innovation and bravery in using herself as a conduit to Dracula) turn out to save the day. The team is multi-national and basically represents The Free World (TM), as well as allowing for jokes about national stereotypes.

-Mina being notably not a damsel in distress, but instead using her personal connection to the villain to absolutely ruin him in ways that nobody else could, is very much like the role of many women in Nokiawave films: She may be traumatised and in danger, more than anyone else because of the villain's obsession with her, but she's smart and deadly and willing to take risks to complete the mission.

-It ends with a massive cross-continental vehicle chase with tonnes of explosions.

[thekingofcrochet]

If anyone is able to help me get meds (my insurance is being difficult) by the end of the month and some fresh produce from the farmers market this weekend I’d greatly appreciate it. I had some last minute travel plans that ate into my savings and i maxed my credit card…

$kingcrochet to donate directly

or via my throne if you wanna be anonymous

or you can buy something from my etsy shop or book a profile pic commission or sub to my sites.

Goal $100 USD

[thatonevolleyball]

Hii, can anyone help me find this Sakuatsu fic? I read it on AO3 and couldn’t find it again. Sakusa is a food critic and is traveling on vacation with someone( I’m pretty sure it’s Oikawa) to a small town. In the small town he meets Atsumu at a farmer’s market kind of place ( Atsumu was a chef and had his own restaurant, which we don’t learn until later in the fic,but now he is back in this small town being a farmer ) they go on multiple dates and sakusa ends up spending his whole vacation with atsumu at his place and then sakusa goes back to his job and they break what they have off. At the end the place sakusa works throws a party and atsumu surprises sakusa showing up as a chef to the event and they talk and make up. During his stay at atsumu’s place they stargaze, go fishing and go wine testing in a friends ( I’m almost sure it’s Kita and Aran ). Also, Osamu isn’t really in the story, atsumu was grieving something and it might have been osamu’s death but I don’t remember 😭 and in the fic description omi and whoever is with him are looking at atsumu’s food stand and omi’s friend leaves him alone there and omi doesn’t have a credit card to pay fruit/vegetable atsumu is selling.

[umangharyana]

किसानों के लिए वरदान बनी किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड (KCC) योजना, जानिए कैसे कम ब्याज पर मिलेगा 3 लाख तक का लोन

KCC Loan Scheme : खेती-किसानी में किसानों को हमेशा पैसों की जरूरत पड़ती है, चाहे फसल लगाने की बात हो या देखभाल की। इस आर्थिक समस्या का समाधान करते हुए केंद्र सरकार ने किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड (KCC) योजना की शुरुआत की है। इस योजना के तहत किसान केवल 4% ब्याज दर पर 3 लाख रुपए तक का लोन ले सकते हैं। किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड, जिसे ग्रीन कार्ड भी कहा जाता है, 1998 में भारत सरकार ने रिजर्व बैंक और नाबार्ड के साथ…

[sourcreammachine]

GREEN PARTY MANIFESTO 2024 SUMMARY

tldr: there's a feeling of tension in this manifesto, between youthful zennial climatic ecosocialism and old-guard hippy-liberal environmentalism. this year the greens may well go from 1 MP to the dizzying heights of 2 (there's whispers on the wind that they may even get 3...), and the green council delegation is at 800-odd now, so this could easily be a changing-of-the-guard moment

with the great Berry and the ok Denyer in parliament the party could have more momentum in battling the starmerite government, and with that, it has the ability, the possibility to pick up more momentum. this is a big opportunity in the party's history - over the next five years it can and could be pushed into a holistic ecosocialist movement by the centrally influential mass party membership, and remove the last dregs of its tunnel vision to provide a lefty movement for everyone, green and pink, a Newfoundland coalition. with votes at 16 on the cards and this potential evolution of the party, 2029 could be a big moment for this country's left. whether or not the greens play the role of keystone is up to them

it is also the only manifesto to use the term 'neurodivergent'

💷ECONOMY

wealth tax of 1% on individuals with assets over §10m and 2% for assets over §1b (an extremely humble proposal), reform capital gains and investment dividend taxation to be at the same rates as income taxation, remove the income-based bands on national insurance contributions, ie raising total income taxation by 8% at §50k/a, – altogether raising government revenues by upwards of §70b/a

stratify VAT to reduce it for consumer stuff and hike it for stuff like financial services

permanent windfall tax on banks for whenever they get windfalls

perform a holistic land survey to get the data needed for a new, effective Land Tax

abolish the tax relief on existing freeports and SEZs

heavy carbon tax to raise a boatload of billions, rising progressively over a decade to allow industrial adaptation, for a ~§80b state windfall for five years that'll be for green investment as this windfall starts to recede

renationalise water and energy

§15 minimum wage, 10:1 pay ratio for all organisations public and private (ie §150 sort-of maximum wage, ~§300k/a), mandatory equal pay audits, 'support' lower hours and four-day weeks [clarification needed]

unambiguously define gig workers as workers with contract rights from day one, repeat offenders of gig-slavery will be banned from operating in the country

every City bank required to produce a strategy with a clear pathway to divestment of all fossil fuels "as soon as possible and at least by 2030", every City non-banking organisation simply to be banned from having fossil fuel in their portfolios, credit to be banned for repeat City climate offenders, mandate the BoE to fulfil the funding of the climate transition and climate leadership of the City, FCA to develop measures to ban fossil fuel share trading in the City and immediately prohibit all new shares in fossil fuels

"we will explore legal ways for companies to be transformed into mutual organisations"😈

develop regional cooperative banks to invest in regional SMEs, coops and community enterprises

diversify crop growth, promote local agricultural cooperatives and peripheral urban horticultural farms, give farmers a sort of collective bargain against grocers

aim towards a circular economy: require ten-year warranties on white goods, rollout of right-to-repair

tighten monopoly laws on media with a hard cap preventing >20% of a media market being owned by one individual or company and implement Leveson 2

🏥PUBLIC SERVICES

abolish tuition fees and cancel standing debt

surge nhs funding by §30B, triple labour's spending plans for everything, the entire budget, the entire state, everything

free personal care, with occupational therapy being part of this

35h/w free child care (eg seven hours over five days, or seven days of five hours)

renationalise many academies under local authorities, abolish the "charity" status of private schools and charge VAT

surge funding for smoking-cessation, addiction support and sexual health service

surge funding for public dentistry with free care for children and low-earners

free school breakfasts in primary school and free school lunches for all schools

one-month guarantee of access to mental health therapies

online access to PrEP

let school playing fields be used in the evenings by local sports clubs

greater funding for civic sports facilities and pools

🏠HOUSING

unambiguously-under-the-law nationalise the crown estate for an absolute fuckton of land and assets for housing and for green energy and rewilding for FREE

rent control for local authorities, ban no-fault evictions and introduce long-term leases, create private tenancy boards of tenants

local authorities to have right of first refusal on the purchase of certain properties at aggressive rates, such as unoccupied or uninsulated buildings

all new homes to be Passivhaus standard with mandatory solar panels and heat pumps

§30B across five years to insulate homes, §12B of which is for social homes, and §9B more for heat pumps, and §7B more for summer cooling

planning law reform: council planning mechanisms to priorities little developments all over the place rather than sprawling blobs, demolitions to require as thorough a planning application as erections, new developments required to not be car dependent

planning laws to require large-scale developments feature access to key community infrastructures such as transport, health and education, often mandating the construction of new key infrastructures, support nightlife and local culture in planning regulations

exempt pubs and local cultural events from VAT

building materials to be reusable, builders' waste rates to be surged to encourage use of reuse

750k new social homes in five years

🚄TRANSPORT

'a bus service to every village', restore local authority control and/or ownership of their busses

renationalise rail via franchise-concession lapsing, slowly assume ownership of the rolling stock (currently leased, and would continue to be so under labour's implementation of renationalisation) by buying a new train when the stock needs to be replaced

electrification agenda across the rail network, strategic approach to rail line and station reopenings

bring forward (sorta, the tories suspended it but labour says they'll reinstate it) the new petrol car ban from 2030 to 2027, existing petrol cars targeted to be off the road by 2034, investigate road-price charges as a replacement for petrol tax, hike road tax proportionally to vehicle weight, drop urban speed limits from 50kph to 30kph (or from 30mph to 20mph if you only speak Wrong), mass funding for freightrail and support logistics firms transitioning away from lorries

§2.5b/a for footpaths and cycleways, target of 50% of urban journeys to be extravehicular by 2030

frequent-flyer levy, ban on domestic flights within three-hour rail distance, remove the exemption of airline fuel from fuel tax, prioritise training of airline workers into other transportational jobs

👮FORCE

abolish the home office, transfer its police/security portfolio to the justice ministry and its citizenship/migration portfolio to a new migration ministry separate from the criminal justice system

abolish the kill the bill bill and restore the right to protest

recognise palestine, push for immediate ceasefire and prosecution of war crimes, back the south africa case, "[support] an urgent international effort to end the illegal occupation of palestinian land"

grant asylum-seekers the right to work before their application is granted

end the hostile environment

abolish Prevent

end routine stop-and-search and facial recognition

commission to reform 'counterproductive' drug regime, decriminalise personal possession

amend the Online Safety Act to "[protect] political debate from being manipulated by falsehoods, fakes and half-truths", ie actually protecting 'fReE sPeEcH' and not everything that rightists imply by that phrase

decriminalise sex work

reform laws to give artists IP protections against ai

cancel trident and disarm

push for nato reforms (in its and our interest, they're not russophiles, they're not galloway, it's ok): get it to adopt a no-first-use nuclear policy, get it to prioritise diplomatic action first rather than military reaction, get it to adopt a stronger line on only acting for the defence of its member states

right to roam🚶‍♂️

🌱CLIMATE

zero-carbon by 2040, rather than the ephemeral ostensible government target of 2050

stop all new oil/gas licenses, end all subsidy for oil/gas industries, regulate biofuels to end greenwashing, end subsidies for biomass

decarbonise energy by 2030, minimum threshold of energy infrastructures to be community owned, "end the de facto ban on onshore wind" with planning reform

massively expand the connections between the insular grid and the UCTE continental grid to increase electricity import and export and prevent the need for energy autarky

more targeted bans on single-use plastics

"give nature a legal personhood" ok grandma let’s get you to bed

§2b/a to local authorities for local small-business decarbonisation

"cease development of new nuclear power stations, as nuclear energy is much more expensive and slower to develop than renewables. we are clear that nuclear is a distraction from developing renewable energy and the risk to nuclear power stations from extreme climate events is rising fast. nuclear power stations carry an unacceptable risk for the communities living close to facilities and create unmanageable quantities of radioactive waste. they are also inextricably linked with the production of nuclear weapons. green MPs will campaign to phase out existing nuclear power stations." because some people just can't let go of the seventies. nuclear is good. nuclear is our friend

invest in r&d to find solutions to decarbonise 'residual' carbon in the economy, such as HGVs or mobile machinery

increase unharvested woodland by 50% (no time frame given), grants to farmers for scrub rewilding, rewet Pete Boggs, make 30% of the EEZ protected waters and ban bottom trawling

§4b/a in skills training to stop gas communities getting Thatchered, prioritising shifting these workers into offshore wind

a.. licensing scheme for all pet animals? you guys sure about that one

regulate animal farming with a goal of banning factory farms, ban mass routine antibiotics, ban cages/close confinement and animal mutilation

ban all hunting including coursing and "game", ban snaring, ban hunt-landscaping such as grouse moors, end the badger cull, mandate licensing of all animal workers with lifetime striking off for cruelty convictions, compulsory hedgehog holes in new fencing, 'push' for 'ending' horse and dog racing [clarification needed], new criminal offences for stealing and harming pets, 'work towards' banning animal testing

🗳️DEMOCRACY

proportional representation for parliament and all councils

abolish voter ID

votes at sixteen

votes for all visa'd migrants

restore the electoral commission's prosecutory powers and remove the cap on fines it can impose on parties

increase Short Money, especially for smaller parties

create a manifest legal category of organisation for think tanks, to allow better enforcement of lobbying and funding restrictions

consider fun new measures for political accessibility such as MP jobsharing and allowing public provision of offices for all parliamentary candidates

🎲OTHER STUFF

Self-ID including nonbinary recognition, including with an X passport marker

"work towards rejoining the eu as soon as the domestic political situation is favourable", join the eea now (with restored free movement)

let local authorities invest shares in sports teams, including professional ones, dividends ringfenced for public sports facilities and coaching

right to die

[cartooemcanhis]

Bugbo hcs for my wacky dacky au

Bugbo!!

🐜 He's this odd combination of an ant, a dock bug, and a cockroach.

🐜 Believe it or not, he used to have wings but they got ripped off in some kind of accident(Presumably the same one he got his antenna bent in), theres only a tiny bit of his wings still left

🐜 He does just want the best for his friends but he can come off as very passive agressive often

🐜 His friends and him all live together

🐜 The way he met his friends was..odd to say the least, he just randomly showed up one day and noone really questioned it

🐜 Never admits it but he probably goes out late at night to go like pilage random farmers crops just for the hell of it

🐜 He may look fluffy but trust me, don't touch the floof, it's like caterpillar hair, it WILL give you an itchy rash

🐜 Doesn't let Gerbo drink chocolate milk in the middle of the night because it's HIS chocolate milk

Gerbo!

🕷️Very silly fellow!

🕷️ Despite being a spider he cannot make webs :(

🕷️ He can climb walls and stuff though, he just doesn't do it often because he often gets stuck on ceilings

🕷️ Hoppo and him have this sibling like relationship where they do all sorts of wacky stuff together, The main two things being playing adopt me on Roblox and watching YouTube kids for hours on end

🕷️ He really really looks up to Bugbo

🕷️Big fan of chocolate milk but he's never allowed to have it 💔

🕷️Unlike Bugbo, Gerbo's fur is actually safe to touch and it's decently floofy.

🕷️He still secretly collects rocks for no rhyme or reason but that's ok

Gradient Joe!

⚫ Starting off with a slightly cocnerning one,his Gradient is kinda like a parasitic non-sentient being, it's slowly taking over all of his body, don't worry though, it doesn't hurt him. (He also theoretically could spread his gradient to other people but hes never intentionally done that.yes, he has done it by accident before.)

��� Unlike what Bugbo says, he's probably just average intelligence lol

⚫Every part of his body that has gradient on it is oddly cold to the touch

⚫ Probably good at cooking but he can't eat so he doesn't bother to

⚫Has a very small crush on Bugbo but he knows that Bugbo won't ever like him back, but he's fine with that

⚫He's the one that pays the taxes in the house

⚫ uncomfortable around small children, it's unclear why

⚫ ABSOLUTELY locks his credit card up in a high security safe whenever he doesn't have it on him because he knows Hoppo will steal it and use it to buy 5839920202 shells worth of robux to waste on pet sim x on roblox

Hoppo!

🦗 the giggler

🦗 Ultimate ipad kid and yet somehow a girlboss and war criminal at once

🦗Uses internet slang when talking often

🦗Collects bones and other odd stuff and trinkets

🦗Scams so many kids on adopt me Roblox and on pet sim x

🦗 Absolutely slaying in the bug war, they're having fun somehow

🦗 Always off doing stuff

🦗 Physically cannot sit or stand still, always stimming in some way

🦗 Occasionally joins Bugbo on his late night "pilaging crops" outings

🦗He is a massive prankster, whenever it's April fools day you better lock your windows, doors, and chimneys, she is coming, they will show no mercy

🦗Can and will produce and spit acid at you if ur making xe angry or uncomfortable, they will then giggle at you and hope away

THOMAS FLYSWATTER!

🪰His backstory is fake as hell, every time he's asked about his past he'll make up a new backstory because he genuinely can't remember his actual backstory/past

🪰 Absolutely stims whenever he's explaining his devious plans (Yes, this includes his goofy rat looking tail wagging like a dog lol)

🪰Legit doesn't have a bed, he just sleeps on the floor of his evil lair like a cat lol

🪰Said lair used to be an old Swatter Inc building that got abandoned and he decided to live in

🪰All of his clothes are WAY too big for him since he's thin as a twig and flatter than a pancake

🪰Actually does use his hands and tail swatters as actual flyswatters (do not shake this man's hands they are nasty)

🪰His feet are flyswatters as well so whenever he doesn't have shoes on and he walks he makes funny af slapping sounds and waddles like a duck sorta

🪰 Litterally drinks bugspray, he just sprays it right in his mouth like a weirdo

🪰He's tried to kill Bugbo like 90 times now and every time he tries to Bugbo acts like he's never seen him ever in his life

[basedkikuenjoyer]

This one's been a long time coming, Sweetie & I picking up the anime remake over dinner recently seems like a good time to do it. If we're going to talk about Wano as an homage to classic samurai cinema we can't ignore Akira Kurosawa's epic many would consider his magnum opus. I'd argue Rashomon deserves that honor but I like weird shit, today we're talking Seven Samurai.

Now, as always Wano is not one samurai movie reference. It's a massive pastiche. Seven Samurai's influence is a lot more structural. Big epic split between a segment of rounding up the gang, one where we spend time on preparations, then a big battle. The 1954 film is credited with like, pioneering this basic film structure of getting the band together for a mission then executing it. The mission is very different, the Raid being a little more like 47 Ronin instead of the titular Seven defending a village from bandits, but the way the story is arranged very much shows that influence. Even the seemingly detached sidestory at the start to introduce one of the gang fits the mold, luckily Kiku got to go all Oyuki on someone else's topknot over cutting her own hair like Kanbei.

You know the drill by now, as always she's the one who really shines when you look at this side of things. Samurai 7, that's a straight retelling. More futuristic setting but it's functionally the same gang. The only one with a name that really obviously resonates with the Akazaya Nine is Kiku, thanks to the two versions of the guy we have here. Kikuchiyo. Originally played by Kurosawa mainstay Toshiro Mifune. There are some elements that track. Good with kids, can be a bit of a wild card. Very different aesthetic though obviously.

Where it really shines is being the odd one out. The "heart" of the group. Not to mention one who'll break off and do their own thing. And that's consistent in both versions. Kikuchiyo is not actually a samurai, he's the son of a farmer. The bridge between the villagers and the men they hire. Our sweet, wonderful Okiku does sorta have that going for her, but with a different coat of paint. Digging back into where she starts in Oda's journey as a writer.

Probably said this at least somewhere, but on top of the whole Kamatari connection to Oda's time as a Rurouni Kenshin assistant Kiku also kinda gives you this Misao vibe. And I specifically mean how Misao related to the Oniwabanshu. Kid that idolized them but was left behind for her own good. Our sweet flower sure felt like that at the start. Nice blend of the two that ends up being it's own wonderful thing.

[happy-beeeps]

Right Where You Left Me

WC: 5.5k

Pairing: Echo x f!reader

Summary: After Echo was presumed dead, you started a new life on Tatooine, but what happens when he comes back?

A/N: This is a two-fer! @starboytech and I did the roll for clone that @ghostofskywalker created a while back, and I was able to combine it with a prompt for @clonexreaderbingo! My roll for clone prompts included Echo, exes, fluff, and a playlist! So enjoy this fic that got away from me, I will be writing another part or so, and enjoy the playlist below! Also this playlist is for like this fic vibes and I prommy its fluffy but the general synopsis is slightly angst so sorry for all the sad songs!!!!!

You Missed My Heart- Phoebe Bridgers

Cornelia Street- Taylor Swift

Come Back, Be Here-Taylor Swift

Chicago-Louis Tomlinson

Right Where You Left Me-Taylor Swift

Fine Line-Harry Styles

Francesca-Hozier

The Night We Met-Lord Huron

You really had no idea what brought you to this godforsaken dust pile. Well, technically it was a collective bantha shitload of grief and a well placed advertisement promising a new life and a new career. What the advertisement promised was the aforementioned new life and career, somewhere exotic where no one knew your name. What the advertisement didn’t disclose until you were on the landing platform of the Mos Eisley spaceport with your bags in hand was what an absolute wasteland Tatooine really was. In reality, you could’ve coughed up the cash and went home to Coruscant, or even to your birth system, but what was there to go back to? Echo, your love and light and bright spot in every way, was gone, he’d been gone since the Citadel and there was no chance he was coming back. You couldn’t keep dragging his brothers down when they came to visit you, or moping around your friends’ wine nights. Besides, your credits went far here and you were out of the way enough to escape the general turmoil of the war–and the foundation of the Empire.

The work came easy, and you settled into a stable routine. The cantina paid fine, and you were able to afford a small house in one of the lesser crime ridden areas of the town. Serving drinks was simple and mind numbing, and you found it easy to bat your eyelashes and flirt your way into extra tips. Every so often a rogue bounty hunter or homesteader tried to take you out, and once or twice you even obliged. The last man you agreed to go out with, a quiet moisture farmer named Timo, became one of your closest friends on the system when you explained you just didn’t have it in you. You hated pulling the “dead boyfriend” card, you had built your character here on being strong and dependable, so just settled with calling him your ex. And so he remained your ex Echo, allowing you only the quiet moments of the night to truly mourn him.

What you hadn’t counted on, exactly, was how hard it was to stay dead.

*

Timo was hunched over the bar, sipping some new ale your boss had smuggled in recently when his eyes pointed over to the group of men sitting down nearby. “New bounty hunters?”

You eyed them suspiciously, four men, two with their backs to you. Of the two who faced you, one had the familiar face and stature of a clone trooper, altered only by his shaggy hair and face tattoo, and the other appeared to be his brother, though you hadn’t recalled ever seeing a clone of that size and stature before. You’d seen a trooper or two around here before, but seeing a full squad was surprising. The other two men appeared buried in their work, and your heart ached at the sight of cybernetics on one of the men’s bodies. You looked a little further and your mouth dropped open, eyes shooting back to Timo. “Did they bring a fucking child in here?”

Timo looked over before bringing a hand up to his mouth, stifling a laugh. “I mean, when in Mos Eisley I guess?”

You made to move over there, you rarely got involved in customer’s business, frankly you were convinced that's how you’d survived this long, but a child in the bar was evidently your line. You leaned closer to yell at them when an all too familiar voice broke through the air.

“Right, ‘cuz Cyd’s never given us a reason to distrust her before.”

You knew it was crazy, he was dead and there were quite literally a million other people with that voice, but it was so him. His cadence, his tone, it was all so surreal it had you dropping the glass you were carrying onto the floor, and you dropped to follow it before the troopers turned to look at you. Timo glanced down worriedly at you, and you looked up at him, eyes wide and mouth open. A memory, one forced down in a feat fueled by both pain and survival, fizzled into your brain.

You were both tangled in your bed, your hands dancing around the tufts of black curls you had your fingers threaded through as Echo murmured sweet nothings into your neck.

“Why do you have to leave, why can’t we just run away to Scarif or something?” you murmured, bringing a hand down to cradle his cheek. He leaned to press his lips against your palm.

“You know I can’t do that.”

“I know, I’d never really ask you to. You know I’m always here waiting for you.”

He’d smirked, pushing himself off of your chest and placing both strong arms on either side of your head. “You’ve never given me a reason to distrust you before.”

You hadn’t realized how long you’d been down there, or how frozen you must’ve been, because Timo was suddenly disappearing from behind the counter and approaching the troopers. You heard his voice murmur something, and more voices responded, before he dashed back to where you crouched behind the bar. “I got help, these two guys are soldiers or something, they said they can check if you’re hurt-”

“Timo…” you groaned, but your voice was pulled back out of your throat when you looked up into Echo’s wide eyes, filled with a heartbreaking combination of fear, shock, and complete adoration.

“Echo?” you asked, voice barely traveling past a whisper, and his eyes widened again in realization that it really was you. Your name came across his lips so soft it was like a prayer, and his arm reached down over the bar to help you up. You grabbed his hand, still not sure if he was even real, how this was even happening. You glanced at your friend who was staring between the two of you with a concerned curiosity, and to the other goggles wearing trooper who seemed to be making the same expression. “Timo, this is Echo.”

“Ahh, the ex. Nice to meet ya’!” Timo extended his hand to Echo and he shot a look at you.

“The ex?”

You sighed, running a hand through your hair and shooting a glare at Echo, “I hardly think that is our biggest issue right now.”

“No, it certainly is not,” goggles trooper stated, looking at the datapad in his hands, “it appears Echo is on the brink of a heart attack.”

“Great, that makes two of us.”

*

It was a short and relatively silent walk to your apartment. Timo had told your manager you had fainted and, given your spotless record, he agreed to give you the rest of the day off. Echo and his squad, and their child soldier, followed you to your house, where you promised they’d be safe and he promised he would talk. It was hard not to stare at him as you walked side by side. He was your Echo, but so much had changed. He was pale and still slightly gaunt, as if the mental scars would never feel. His legs looked to be cybernetic below the mid thigh, and one arm had been replaced by more circuitry and ended in a heavy looking scomp link, not to mention the ports and wiring that wrapped around his head. Above all, he just looked sad. You unconsciously ran a hand through your hair. You didn’t feel much different. 

The walk ended shortly and you approached the house. Echo turned to face his brothers when you started unlocking the door. “Guys, it’s fine we can trust her, she’s my ex.” He had huffed as the group of you walked inside. 

“Well technically I’m your widow but that seems to be a little redundant now doesn’t it?” You nearly chucked your keys onto the small table near the door, and the child soldier, whose name you learned was Omega, burst in infront of them.

“Look at this place! It’s like a real home!” She yelped, and your heart softened at the way he smiled down at her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Maybe this was why Echo hadn’t called, hadn’t reached for you. He had a family now, and it was becoming strikingly clear that it did not include you. You let them all filter into your home, and pointed out the features around you. It wasn’t huge by any means, but it was a good enough space. You had a small living space with a few sofas and chairs you had collected from neighbors and a well-to-do art dealer you’d met at the bar. There was a kitchenette attached, and you had two bedrooms, though one was doing little else other than collect space. You weren’t entirely sure why you had elected to pick the home with two bedrooms, some gnawing hope in your gut that maybe one day you really would have a family. 

“You all can stay as long as you want. I’ve got a spare bedroom, and there’s space to sleep here,” you gestured to the couches around you, “how long will you be on system?”

Echo chimed in, “Three rotations, but we can stay on the ship, really it’s not an issue-”

“Come on Echo, don't be such a downer!” Wrecker is the first to respond, quickly sprawling out on, and dwarfing, the couch closest to the door. “This is the softest couch I’ve ever felt.” His words are enough to spur the interest of Omega and Tech, who both settled on the couch opposite Wrecker. Hunter stayed standing, shooting an apologetic look to his brother. “If it isn’t too much trouble?”

“Not at all, I’d appreciate the company.” You hustle over to the kitchen, pulling out various takeout containers and inspecting each one, placing them on the small counter. “There’s a bunch of leftovers here, don’t know what you’re hungry for but help yourself.” You grab a bottle of wine and a small food container and move closer to Echo, voice dropping to a murmur. “I think you and I ought to have a moment alone.”

He follows you immediately, without even throwing a glance over his shoulder.

The thing you loved about this house was the outdoor space. It wasn’t exactly orthodox, but if you crawled through the window you were able to sit out on the small ledge that gave your back entryway some shadow. It was small and private, due to the small courtyard your house backed up against, and you often left a small candle and a blanket out there to rest after a long day. Now it provided the perfect backdrop to sit with Echo, the chatter inside the house fading to a mumble as you both settled. He was so radiant, even now, eyes looking up at the crimson colored sky. It took everything in you not to reach for his hand right then and there, even though you desperately wanted to. The quiet is deafening, Echo will hardly look at you, and your body is screaming for him, to touch him and make sure he’s still real. This doesn’t feel real, the whole experience. You both quietly sip from your glasses, until one glass turns to two.

It was you who broke the silence first.

"I mourned you, you know." You say, biting with more venom than you intended.

"I'm sorry I hurt you-"

"I was stuck there, stuck in the spot you left me. I couldn't study, couldn't eat. Echo, I missed you."

He has nothing he can say, and you see your words hit their mark. He's hurt you, and he knows it. You sit in the silence for a beat longer and continue.

“I know why you didn’t call me.”

“So you understand?”

“She’s a remarkable little girl, Echo. I don’t know how she came to you, but, I understand. You’ve got a family now.”

“What? Cyare, no-”

“No, I don’t want you to apologize.” You did betray yourself then, placing a hand atop his, “I just want you to know that she seems like she’s worth it.”

“I didn’t call you because you deserve something better.” His voice comes out fast, bitter. He pulls his hand back so fast you gasp at the lack of warmth, even though you haven’t been cold in what feels like millenia since you got to Tatooine. “The day that Rex came to you, I should’ve died. I, I think it would’ve been better.”

Your heart nearly shatters at the admission, and you move closer to him. He doesn’t resist when you put a hand on his cheek, your breath shaking. “Don’t ever say that again.”

“I’m a mess mesh’la. I’m not even whole, I couldn’t see you, couldn’t face you. And my brothers,” his head dips towards the house, “They get me, you know? And we’ve been on the run, honestly, I just figured you’d have found someone else by now.”

You shake your head fast, your tears finally slipping as you watch something, hope perhaps, slip back into Echo’s eyes at your admission. “There’s never been anyone else, there can’t ever be.” You bring your forehead to his, and he closes the gap to press his against yours. “You’re always you, Echo.” You pull backwards, resting on your folded legs. “You’ve got a hand to hold, a face to kiss, your heart to love,” you put a hand on his chest at the admission, and you don’t miss his eyes going glassy, the way he gnaws on his lower lip. “Did you think I wouldn’t love you anymore? That I’m that superficial?”

“It’s not that, you need someone better, someone who can make you happy. What about that guy at the bar, Timmy, Tibo…”

“I don’t want Timo,” you don’t care how pouty you sound now, your face scrunching up, “I want you.”

“You shouldn’t.” It’s an admission that betrays his heart, and his voice cracks as he says it. All you can do is stand and reach for him. He accepts your hand in silence as you hoist him up, long having forgotten about the wine, as you lead him back into your room.

“Sit.” You push his shoulders so he’s seated on your bed, and you walk out of the room. The suns have dipped below the horizon during your conversation, and you want to make sure everyone is settled for the night. Wrecker is fast asleep on the couch, mouth open as he snores with Omega curled into his side. Tech and Hunter are hunched over your kitchen table, though Hunter stands quickly before you get in the room. “I’m locking up for the night, you’re all ok to rest.” You turn to walk away before a voice cuts you off.

“He talked about you. A lot.”

You whip your head around to face Hunter, who is slowly trying to scoop a sleeping Omega into his arms and carry her to the small spare bedroom. He and Tech will figure out who gets the floor or the spare couch. The unspoken implication does not miss you. 

“He used to say he had this girl on Coruscant, that she was so smart but so crazy. That you and his brother would steal drinks from Cody’s boys on nights out.”

You laugh at the memory as the two of you walk down the short hall, but there’s a pang of finality in your gut. Echo would never have left Fives alone.

“He said you were a student,”

“Was.” You smile, and unlock the spare door as Hunter sets Omega down. “Hard to grieve and focus, you know?”

He gives you a knowing smile and a grateful pat on the shoulder before turning back towards the living room, leaving you to go into your bedroom alone.

Echo is sitting on your bed where you’ve left him, but there’s a few things moved from where you’ve left them. An old necklace he got for you on a mission has been pulled from your jewelry box, the perfume you used to wear is on your nightstand. He’s currently pouring over your datapad, and when you sit next to him you see he’s looking at the photogallery.

“Do you remember this?” You ask, pointing to the one he’s currently looking at. You’re both clearly drunk and walking around one of the fairs Coruscant would host in the square. Echo has one arm wrapped in your hair and another dropping low down the skirt of your dress, and you’re both beaming like lovesick children.

“I think about it nearly every day.” He swipes to the next one, he’s at a gala for your university, his ARC trooper armor looking freshly scrubbed while you accept an award. The next, you’re both laying in civvies, watching a flick on the holonet together.

“I am not going to beg for a spot in your life. You have to know you deserve me.” You move the datapad off of his lap and stand up, wedging your body between his knees. “But I am yours, body and soul. I’ve lost you once, but I can’t do it again.” You press a kiss to his forehead, thumbs sweetly caressing the side of his face before you turn to the small chest of drawers in your room. You rifle through them quickly before finding your prize, and hand him the bundles of fabric.

“Are these my blacks?”

“Now they’re my pajamas,” you smile, pulling your dress off over your head and pretending to ignore the way his eyes rake over your body before pulling on a thin shirt, “figured I could share. Let’s go to bed.”

*

You wake up to the movement in your bed when Echo rises, and you let yourself bask in the bliss of the reality you’ve created. Watching through curtained lashes, you watch as he stretches his arms up high overhead, muscles straining taught against his back. You want to reach out and pull him back to bed, want to press yourself against his body, but you don’t. He moves quietly as he clicks his armor together, a task you used to do easily and with the training of a well practiced soldier. You slept together last night, but you didn’t sleep together. You still aren’t sure where you stand, and your chrono is ticking internally. He’s only here for two more days.

“Good morning,” he murmurs when he catches you starring, and you smile back at him, a real and raw one.

“Mornin’” sleep is still dripping from your voice while you stand and make your way to the kitchen as Echo follows. The rest of the squad is idling in the kitchen, having figured out your caf pot. You offer them a small wave and don’t miss the way Tech’s eyebrows climb high on his forehead at the two of you.

“We’ve got a busy day today, Cid has evidently presented us with a number of small jobs here and in Mos Espa. I’ve charted a day that puts us at the most efficient, while also avoiding the most direct sunlight.”

“Thanks, Tech,” Hunter claps his brother on the shoulder before moving over to you. “Do you think you could keep an eye on Omega? I hate to bring her on missions if I don’t have to.”

The pit in your stomach grows, “Is it dangerous?”

“Nah,” it’s Echo’s turn now, and you notice the smile at your worry. “Hunter’s right though, just better to be safe than sorry.”

You shrug, “sure! Just got some errands to run. I’ll let her sleep in as much as I can.”

Hunter gives you a grateful shoulder squeeze and you send the squad your wishes. You reach for Echo’s hand as your fingers dance around one another. “Come back please.”

“Of course.” 

Omega doesn’t rise for a while, which gives you time to warm up some bread and jams and run to the market near your house for a jug of blue milk. You suspect the girl hasn’t had a real home cooked meal in her life, and you’re eager to provide the experience for her. Something pulls hard in your gut, the domesticity of the actions, caring for this little girl and waking up with Echo, that makes you want to cry. This is, essentially, everything you’ve dreamt of for so long, but maker at what cost. You know Echo is hurting, it’s written clear across his face whenever he looks at you, and you can’t imagine the extent of what he’s suffered. You want this, you want him and you want this little life, but the cost it required makes you feel sick.

Omega wakes up not long after breakfast is done, and she rubs her eyes as she walks into the kitchen. “Where is everyone?”

“They left for the mission, but you’re in very good hands, I promise.” You smile, leading her to the table. She beams up at you and at the food you settle onto her plate. “Have you ever had these before?”

“No, Kaminoan food is kinda weird, and we normally just eat snacks and ration bars on the ship.” She cuts into the bread cautiously, and takes her first bite. The grin that overtakes her face is contagious, and she whips her head to you. “This is amazing!”

You come up and ruffle her hair, “I’ll make it for you whenever you like.”

“Thank you.” Her words are so kind, so genuine, that it sends a pang to your chest.

“How long have you been with the batch?”

“I dunno, it’s hard to say. I don’t like counting, I feel like it’ll jinx it.” She shrugs, “but definitely a while. They rescued me. We’re a family now.”

“You certainly are.”

She continues to pick at the food while you go into your quarters to get ready, pulling on clothes and tying your hair back. Mos Eisley isn’t exactly the ideal place for children, but you suspect she’s seen worse. Besides, you’ve got credits burning a hole in your pocket and an insatiable desire to mother this child. You come back out to her cleaning her dish and smile, “How do you feel about a day on the town?”

“Really! We don’t have to just stay here?”

“Something tells me you can handle yourself.”

She beams at being recognized, “You bet! Let me get my bow.”

The market is full of life as usual, and Omega is happily bouncing between stalls, picking up anything and everything that isn’t nailed down. You’re happy to oblige her, and you've got a bag full of dolls, snacks, a shawl, and some drawing supplies. She’s walking a few paces ahead of you, blonde hair bobbing in the sun, and she frequently turns around to make sure you’re close by. It’s rather endearing.

“You know, I used to know another blonde Kaminoan.”

“Is it Captain Rex?” 

You’re surprised she knows the name, and you blink a few times. “Have you met him?”

“Yeah, he came by the cantina on Ord Mantell,” she slows her pace to walk next to you, “he’s old.”

“Yeah he is,” you laugh, thinking fondly of the captain who looked out for you. “He’s an old friend too.”

“Did you know him on Coruscant?”

“I did. He was Echo’s captain in his old squad.”

“Oh yeah, I think he mentioned that. Did you meet him when you and Echo got in love?”

There’s a scuff as you stumble over your feet and you look down at her. “What do you mean by that?”

She shrugs, “I thought you guys were in love. At least, that’s what Echo says. You’re the girl from Coruscant, I saw the holopicture of you two in the hallway.”

Shoot. “I mean, we definitely were-”

“Because I heard Echo tell Hunter he loved you back on the ship not that long ago. They thought I was sleeping, but I wasn’t, and I heard him say he felt sad ‘cause he still loved you. At least, I think it was you. He said she was a student at a fancy school, and she was so smart, so it seems like you. Which is good because now we’re all together again, so Echo won’t be sad, because you love him too, and you’re together!”

“Omega…”

“Besides, I like you, and Echo is nice and gives really good hugs. And I think you’d be perfect together.”

“I wish it was that simple kid,” you lean down to ruffle her hair. “Let’s pick out something good for dinner.”

*

Cooking with Omega is fun, there’s something precious in the way she washes the leafy greens and vegetables while you chop beside her. The holo is on in the background, creating a warm hum of noise that keeps you both company. She’s chatty, eager to tell you about their adventures. You’re pleased to hear that Rex is alive and well, and that they’ve been helping rescue other clones. She talks about their ship, her room they’ve made for her. It’s so endearing, the way she talks about her family. You feel so drawn to it, to her. You want so badly to share in this with Echo. To have him here by your side. There’s a sigh that escapes your chest, of both relief and pain, and for the first since you’ve gotten him back you let yourself completely melt into the ache in your heart of missing him, of having him back. You don’t notice you’re crying until Omega comes up to your side.

“You must’ve really missed him.”

“Yeah Meg, I really did.”

“What was he like when you first met him?”

“He was so confident, but so strict with the rules.”

She scoffs endearingly, “Don’t worry, he’s still like that.”

“He was so clean cut, but so handsome. Always so worried, wanted to be so polite,” you lean down to whisper to her, “One time, when he first started staying at my apartment-”

“At least give me a chance to defend myself, come on!” Echo shouts as he enters the apartment, the rest of the batch in tow. He removes his helmet and he’s smiling, the lasting effects of a blush on his cheeks. The rest of the men follow noisly in, and are quick to remove boots and blasters at the door and start bustling around the kitchen to help finish dinner. You sidle up next to Echo as he finishes putting the meat in the small leafy cups, and the tips of your fingers ghost around his waist for just a moment. He freezes, then melts into your touch almost immediately, letting your hands hang around his midriff.

“Hi,” he murmurs, low enough that even Hunter doesn’t hear, filling Omega in on their mission.

“Was worried about you, Tatooine’s no good.”

“Funny, I was gonna say the same thing to you.”

You look up at him with a smirk and remove your hands as you help him distribute plates to the batch. “You got any better suggestions?”

It’s so quiet you nearly miss it, and you suppose he had hoped you would, but still, it carries over to where you stand near Wrecker. “I have a few suggestions.”

It’s not until later that night that you get Echo alone again, when you slip out of the fresher and notice him perched up on your bed in his blacks. He stiffens when you enter the room, conveniently dressed in nothing more than his blacks tops, hanging loosely off your body.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed you’d want me back in here.”

You shake your head and slip into bed beside him. “You assumed correctly.”

He grins at you before setting your datapad now. You’re still so attuned to him, you notice the rigid movements in his hips and torso as he twists to set it down, and your hands are on him almost instinctively. 

“Where does it hurt?”

“It’s nothing, just chronic stuff, nothing you need to worry about.”

“Even though you tried to fire me,” you murmur as you coax him to his back and encourage him to flip on his stomach, “I’d argue it is my job to worry about.” You pull yourself up and straddle his back, perching yourself right above his hips. Your hands are quickly underneath his shirt, rubbing soothing circles along his back and shoulders, wrapping down his biceps. You pause for a moment at the spot where the prosthesis begins, and he offers a muffled sound of encouragement when you begin to rub small, gentle circles along the meeting point. Cautiously, you work your hand further south, and the sound of bliss that leaves his mouth when you find the spot where flesh meets metal in the middle of his thighs is all the encouragement you need to keep going.

“You know, the heat here helps the pain.” He tosses over his shoulder, turning his head and propping himself up on his arms to look at you. 

“Maybe you should just stay then, you know. For health reasons.”

“Oh? Would you like that?”

You say nothing, but you can see him pick up the smile, the twinkle in your eye. Instead you roll off of his back and lay down beside him, turning your head to face him. “Omega told me something funny today.”

“Oh yeah? I can’t even imagine.”

“She told me you’ve been telling stories about a girl you left on Coruscant.”

“Really? Didn’t know she’s been hearing all that. What else did she say about this girl?” Even in the low light of your darkened room you can see him starting to blush. 

“She said she was a student at a fancy school, and that you thought she was smarter than you.”

“I remember saying so smart, but, sure, she’s smarter than me.” His fingertips float along your thigh, up your body. He’s so cautious, but getting bolder by the second.

“She told me you still loved her.”

His hand freezes at its spot on your waist, moving from a light touch to a grip, as if he’s afraid this is it. This is the moment you’re gone forever.

“I think she was probably hurt at first, because she missed you and she mourned you. But she could never stay mad at you. She thinks your family is cute.” Your hand comes up to rest on his cheek, pulling him in close to you. “I think she still loves you too.”

There’s a beat where you hear him exhale, it’s shaky and soft, and his words flow quickly afterwards. “Mesh’la, I thought of you everyday. I couldn’t face you, not after what I’d been turned into, after I let you down.”

“Don’t.” Your forehead is against his now, breathing him in close, “Don’t start with that.”

And then you kiss him and it feels like coming home. Like a warm glass of bantha milk and a cookie set aside just for you, or a warm towel after a cold shower. It feels like being wrapped in a blanket of adoration, like this is all you’re meant to be doing forever. In fact, you’re pretty sure you could actually die here as his tongue grazes your bottom lip, and you absolutely blossom into the touch. You feel like the lovesick first year you were when you met Echo in the first place, when the only thing that mattered was passing exams and spending all of Echo’s shore leave tangled in your sheets. 

He pulls back too soon for your liking, though you know in reality you’ve been wrapped up in each other for maker knows how long. There’s a pitiful little whimper that breaks past your lips when he does, and it makes you blush.

“Don’t disappear like that again.” You whisper, and he pulls you into this chest and presses a long kiss to your hairline.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

*

The next morning is, of course, full of goodbyes, and the walk to their docking bay has you fighting tears. You and Echo stayed up all night wrapped up in one another, whispering confessions and plans for the future like you were both nothing more than two lovesick shinies again. You had both decided that you would stay on Tatooine, stay in your life. In turn, the batch planned on paying off their debt to Cid and set up base on Tatooine. Tech had agreed that, logistically, Tatooine made the most sense for those evading the empire, and Wrecker was happy to have the option of sleeping in an actual home. You had given Omega and the batch rations and well wishes, and you stood outside the ramp of the Marauder, hands clasped behind your back as you looked up at Echo.

“Come back soon?”

He moved to catch your lips in a kiss, and you reveled in the slight taste of caf on his mouth from the morning, “Wouldn’t dream of staying away.” He broke away a moment later and moved to stand on the ramp. You waved goodbye as it began to life and he grinned. “And stop calling me your ex!”