#driveway refurbishment

[zanamoses]

Walkway - Modern Landscape

This is an illustration of a summertime mid-sized modern full sun backyard landscape.

[dityop]

Walkway - Modern Landscape An illustration of a summertime mid-sized modern full sun backyard landscape can be seen here.

[bredforloyalty]

people in real life outside of work: hey man hows it going hey let's go for a walk and enjoy this beautiful weather

the substance is a metaphor for when the two uptight coworkers and the others (AHEM khm cough) get alternating shifts

[sidekickjoey]

Somethin' 'Bout a Truck

Rating: T | WC: 3,070 | Tags: Steve's new truck, pushing canon aside using S5 spoilers, Eddie Munson is stressed | read on Ao3

AN: RIP Eddie Munson, you would've loved Steve's new pickup truck.

Eddie first saw it on a lazy Saturday morning.

He was perched up top one of the new leather barstools in his and Wayne's brand-new house, idly plucking the strings of an acoustic guitar to drain the day away. Wayne was sat a little bit nearby, lounging on the couch with his eyes poured into the day's paper, his cup of coffee dutifully placed nearby. They'd both grown accustomed to mornings like this since moving in, when life finally quieted down and not as many people figured Eddie to be the spawn of Satan. They were nice. Peaceful.

Peace and quiet was not on the menu that morning, however, courtesy of the unmistakable rumble of an engine approaching just outside.

It sounded nothing like Eddie's old van, which wheezed with every breath, or Wayne's discount truck he snagged from the junkyard and refurbished after Eddie's fell through a portal to hell. This was deeper, heavier. Newer, and maybe built with better parts. Eddie set his guitar to the side.

"You expecting someone, ol' man?" He asked in the general direction of Wayne, sitting up more and trying to crane his neck toward the window. Wayne shook his head, his brow furrowed.

"Nope. It's Saturday. See people every other day."

"Great." Eddie frowned. "Juuuust great. And I'm guessing it's up to me then to waltz out and check then, huh? Get to see if it's some fiesty little jock rolling up to finish what the bats started? Maybe a sweet old lady with a pitchfork or two?"

Wayne rolled his eyes but said nothing, giving him a little gruff grumble for good luck and to quit the dramatics, maybe. Waving him off with his hand, Eddie grabbed the bat he kept by the door -- an ironic choice, but a reliable one at that, he's come to learn -- and stepped past him to go outside. There, he was met with the sun glaring off a baby-blue and white truck parked right in the driveway. It was a brand-new Silverado, if he had to guess, with its engine still ticking as it cooled.

"What in the hell..." Eddie muttered to himself, stalking toward the vehicle. He got around almost to the passenger side when suddenly, the driver's door opened and stopped him short. To his absolute shock, awe, and dismay, none other than Steve Harrington popped out, his hair perfectly done up but completely outshined by an obscenely purple pattered top and the tightest jeans known to man.

"...Harrington?"

Steve’s grin was sheepish as he leaned against the doorframe. "Hey, Munson."

"I- What are you even doing here right now? And what is going on with that yee-haw looking truck of yours? Is it even yours? Don't tell me your folks got you another car out of the goodness of their hearts and wallets. I don't think I could be seen around you if that's the case."

Steve’s smile turned rueful. "Beemer's dead, actually. Got this one with my, uh, hush-hush money? Thought about replacing the old gal, but figured something more practical was probably the better choice for me now. Besides, the kids are like, way less likely to guilt me into driving their asses around town in this."

Eddie's fingers tightened on the bat. He raised his brow. "Practical, huh? How so, exactly? 'Cause as far as I know," he raised his brow and gently tapped the bat against one of the truck's tires, "this thing doesn't look so practical for your type of needs."

Face scrunching up, Steve kicked Eddie's bat away from the tire. "My needs?"

"You do realize you can’t get so hot and heavy in one of those, right?" Eddie gestured to the back of the truck. "Only two seats. That sounds like it'd go against your entire Steve Harrington code of conduct, no? Cause a little trouble with the ladies?"

Eddie's words dawning on him, Steve's smirk widened. He shrugged and leaned back against the doorframe, tossing a hand through his hair for good measure.

"I dunno about that. But, you’d be surprised what you can do with a flatbed, Munson."

Indeed, he would be surprised -- was, as a matter of fact, if the way his brain immediately turned to static was any indicator. If it wasn't, well, all of the thoughts his imagination quickly supplied soon after of how Steve could use a flatbed surely did the trick.

Like a damn cartoon, Eddie audibly gulped.

"Y-Yeah, okay Harrington," he dashingly replied back, tone sounding no different for a second than his thirteen-year-old self when he first inhaled helium from a baloon. "Whatever you say. Now, did you come here to tell me something, or did you just come over here to flaunt your amazing truck at me?"

Steve huffed, only to look down at his feet and give a small kick to his tire, too. He was wearing loafers, Eddie realized then. Freakin nerd.

"Wanna' hang later today? I'll bring snacks."

"Sure, sure," Eddie shrugged, casually waving his hand in the air like the thought didn't send him into hysterics. "Tempt me from my dungeon with your snacks and promises of company after waving your new treasure in my face, oh Lord of Hair."

Steve snorted shook his head. "I'm taking whatever that was as a yes and getting outta' here before I have to hear any more. See ya' later, man."

With one last incredulous look back, Steve slid right back into his truck, turned his key in the ignition, and drove off from whence he came in his new baby blue ride.

Eddie, he's proud to admit, waited all the way until he turned the corner out of sight to scream and barrel past Wayne's cozy setup over to his room.

Wayne sighed, his morning over.

Later that night, Eddie took Wayne's place on the couch.

He had realized moments after his sheer panic in his bedroom earlier that he and Steve never quite mentioned a time for when they would hang. To stop himself from cringing at how stupid that was, and how nervous not knowing when the guy would show up was going to make him, he'd moseyed on over to Wayne's usual spot and thrown on the TV. He flipped through anything to help get him by -- infomercials, the news, even those static channels that make the TV screen feel weird. Whatever worked and got Steve out of his head, he was determined to find it.

He'd just gotten through his third channel playing reruns of Andy Griffith when a knock at the door startled him.

It was Steve. It just had to be him -- no bat needed.

Shutting off the TV, Eddie scampered to the door to meet him. He allowed himself ten seconds of panicking some more and checking his hair in the hall mirror before finally being a big, grown man and opening the door to face his friend.

Opening it, he quickly realized he should've taken much, much more time than ten seconds. There was Steve Harrington, looking insufferably confident in his outfit from earlier, holding a picnic basket in one hand and a blanket in another. It was a sight worthy of cardiac arrest. Eddie gulped, fearing that fate to soon fall upon him.

"Harrington," he said slowly. "What...are you doing?"

Steve held up the basket. "Proving a point."

"A point about what, exactly?"

"The truck," Steve said simply, stepping backward toward the driveway. "C'mon, I'll show you."

Bewildered, Eddie followed him out and over to the truck. There, Steve jumped into the flatbed ahead of Eddie and made quick work to spread out the blanket he brought there for him. Eddie's heart did a little involuntary flip at it once he saw it all spread out, as well as when Steve began pulling out entire candles to light up the place, their soft glow casting shadows on the sides of the truck and his stupid, perfect face.

"You’re insane," he lamented, despite putting no heat into it. He climbed in to join Steve then, sitting cross-legged on the blanket as the guy unpacked sandwiches, fruit, and what looked like homemade cookies from his little basket. Upon further inspection, Eddie's heart lurched to see they were his favorite kind -- snickerdoodle.

"See?" Steve said, handing Eddie a sandwich. "Perfectly practical and useful. Very romantic too, no?"

Eddie took the sandwich, unable to stop himself from shaking his head with a small grin. "Are you sure you didn't get hit in the head again when giving the Beemer a good ol' Viking funeral, Harrington?"

"Nope," Steve affirmed, popping the p and diving in for a mouthful of sandwich -- PB&J, if Eddie's eyes didn't deceive him again in the candlelight. "Very open head, clear thoughts."

"If only your mouth was that open."

Eddie paused, watching the mouthful of PB&J Steve had slow to a stop. Embarrassed, he quickly looked away, ears burning hot. Steve swallowed and let out a laugh, one of those big, booming ones stifled only by a few coughs here and there.

"That did not come out right."

"See, told ya'. Lots of game to still be had in the back of a flatbed."

Eddie's blush deepened. Nervous, he reached for one of the cookies, making quick work to smash it in his mouth and keep himself from making any other stupid comments. It was good timing too, because Steve proceeded right then and there to turn things up a notch a thousand fold, humming one of Eddie's favorite songs at the moment and making so many noises of approval between bites of his sandwich.

Finally, snickerdoodle gone and his mouth threatening to water, Eddie let out an exasperated huff and threw his hands in the air.

"Okay, fine! You've shown me the light, Harrington! You can wine and dine someone here! You don't have to keep being all...like that anymore."

Steve titled his head, his gaze steady. "Like what, Eddie?"

"Like what, he says." Eddie laughed, beside himself. "Did you not hear yourself eating, man? I've heard actual couples sound less satisfied. That was borderline illegal. My ears are scandalized, thoroughly."

Amused, Steve set aside his sandwich. "That all?"

"That ALL? What about the way you're out here singing my favorite songs, making my favorite cookies? I'm proved, okay! You don't need to keep trying to win me over, it's fine. Your truck hasn't completely rendered your game useless. Or groove, I guess." Eddie winced. "Whatever your types call it these days."

Steve nodded, contemplative. Then, he shifted closer, the playful confidence he'd been sported suddenly replaced with something softer, yet somehow more sinister. Eddie's heart rate picked up.

"If you're done, there's one other thing you forgot that I still need to test."

Eddie faltered, swearing he saw Steve's eyes flicker down to his lips and a hint of mischief enter his gaze. God help him. He was so doomed. Utterly, put-him-in-a-casket doomed.

"H-Huh?"

"I mean, sure, you approve of the setting," he continued, looking around at the little setup he'd prepared for them. "You seem to approve of the food. But I believe you said something about getting hot and heavy. What about that?"

Eddie’s breath caught. His usual bravado scrambled to make an appearance, only to get sumo-smashed and kicked in the ribs by the absolute fluttering monster that was his anxiety. "I-I was just being a piece of shit."

"Your point still stands though," Steve replied after a moment to consider, shrugging a little. "Maybe I want us to find out what this baby's capable of together."

To Eddie's absolute shock and dismay, it was in that second that Steve chose to lean closer and rest his hand lightly on Eddie's knee. How a feather-light touch such as this managed to hold so much magnitude and heat, Eddie'd never know. What he did know, though, was that Steve's face was coming closer to his at a rapid pace, and he had about two seconds to act before the guy did something he most certainly would regret with him for the sake of a stupid car and a stupid comment and a stupid, stupid boy.

Quickly, ungracefully, Eddie jumped back and out of the way. A few of the candles nearly fell in the process, making for a lovely near-heart attack. He didn't dare look at him, but Eddie could hear Steve mumble something confused at his side as Eddie scrambled to right them all in place.

"Hold up!" he stammered out, holding up his hands once every candle was accounted for. "Hold the fuck up! Ha ha ha, no. Look, Harrington, I appreciate your all-in bravado here and commitment to the bit. I really do, trust me. That kind of shit gets the twerps leagues ahead in campaigns. But I know we both don’t need you doing something you really don’t want to do just to prove some dumb point about a truck. Seriously, I'll take whatever rumor you want me to make about this baby and run with it. I'll swear up and down that it is the hottest spot for couples next to goddamn Vegas if you'd like. Name your price, I'll pay it."

Steve looked at him for a long beat. Then, fixing his hair a bit, he cornered Eddie with a hell of a gaze and asked, completely serious, "Did I say that?"

Eddie froze.

"Excuse me?"

Steve inched closer again, his voice low and steady. "Did I say I didn't want to do anything? Because I don't exactly remember that."

Eddie shook his head. "N-No, you didn't, but you aren't...but I'm not... girls!"

Steve huffed. "Girls?"

"You like them," Eddie blurted out back, heart stuttering. "I'm not one. The, uh- the test mentioned girls. I mentioned girls. Faulty logic. No can do."

"You only mentioned them after your little test," Steve replied, damn him, "but even then. Eddie, look at me."

Eddie did, only to be hit with a massive sucker-punch of feelings by the sudden intensity in Steve's eyes.

"Think about all this for a sec. Take two seconds, and think with me," he said, way-too-calm about it for Eddie's liking. "I showed up at your house. I asked to hang out, which you agreed to. I then made you a picnic in the back of my truck with your favorite snacks, like you said, and hummed some of your favorite music. I lit candles for you. Does it sound like I'd be opposed to something more after that? Like I'm not serious?"

Eddie short-circuited. "I-I thought that was for the truck test."

"Partly, yeah, but maybe also I've been looking for an excuse to do something like this for a while, maybe take you somewhere and see where things went, and the truck was the perfect way to work up some nerve to do it. Ever think about that?"

Eddie’s brain did the equivalent of twenty somersaults in two seconds in response. Verbally, all he could muster was a very shaky, very unsure, "You… you’re serious?"

"Dead serious," Steve said, his hand now gently cupping Eddie’s cheek. "But if you don’t want that, i-if I've read this and the last however many stupid months of us going back and forth completely wrong, just say the word and I’ll stop. I'll back off and we can just eat the rest of this stuff. Maybe have a laugh about this sometime later. Get high. I dunno. I'll have Robin think something up for me."

The funny thing was, Eddie wanted exactly none of that. It took all but three seconds of thought for him to come to that conclusion too, when Steve was looking at him with those big chocolatey eyes of his and offering to literally make his dreams come true with no conditions attached. Sure, he'd probably have to have others swear up and down for him that he didn't dream this up, or have Steve sign documents and shit to prove he won't turn around and use this against him as some big 'gotcha' moment, but right then and there? Eddie was happy to comply. Dammit, he would comply.

Before he could overthink it, he grabbed Steve by the shirt collar and closed the gap between them. The resulting kiss was electric, if not a bit sloppy at first because of the suddenness of it all and Steve's surprise. When Steve settled in though, and when Eddie felt himself finally gaining a bit of confidence too, it turned positively electric. It was all heat and tenderness and Steve, Steve, Steve rolled into one, far surpassing any of Eddie's previous dreams of the guy.

His hands soon found a home on Steve's shoulders, gripping tightly as the world titled off its axis around him. Steve lips responded in kind, soft but insistent and trying their damnedest to live up to their hype.

When they finally pulled apart, Eddie stared at Steve, his chest heaving and his mind absolutely blown. Steve, the bastard, grinned back at him with flushed cheeks and loads of confidence. Eddie wanted to kiss it out of him. Instead, he leaned back and released him from his grasp with a laugh.

"Okay," he conceded, holding his hands up again. "Fine. Fuck. The truck passes."

Steve let out an adorable giggle, tossing his head back. "You're ridiculous."

"And you're the freakin weirdo who used his new pickup truck as a goddamn pickup line on me," Eddie fired back, full of mirth. "Who told you to make that play? Robin? Wait, no, scratch that. She'd never do something like this. She's smarter than that."

"Hey!"

"I mean, you give a guy leagues worth of material, nerd shit and catalogues of music, and he goes for the freakin' car-"

"It worked, didn't it?"

Eddie met Steve's gaze. For good measure, he flicked at Steve's nose, earning him a tiny yelp and -- friendly -- shove his way. ''You tell anyone it did, and I'll never let you hear the end of it. Okay? I'll tell the kids, the Bird, everyone."

Impossibly fond, Steve recovers and flashes one of his signature all-too-caring smiles. "Fine, you have yourself a deal. IF, that is, you stay and finish up this meal with me."

Reaching for another snickerdoodle, Eddie grinned and tapped it against Steve's cheek. "Make me more of these and I'll stay here forever, big boy. Car or no car."

The End.

[parkitaco]

my childhood house was at the top of a long private driveway and the new owners have refurbished the gate and put in a new code and extra no trespassing signs so i can’t even get a glimpse of the house without committing a minor crime and anyway where’s that post abt not being able to write a poem abt something bc it’s just too obvious

[honeyhenry]

Apple Pie and You and I: A Very Happy Seresin

Ignore the fact it has been over a year since the last instalment...I would offer my life story but it has been HECTIC. Anyways, I have never ceased to think of Dad-to-be!Jake Seresin and since it is now the summer holidays, my gift to you is this lovely part 4 of the APAYAI series!

In the calm haze of what surely would be a sweet summer, you found rest in the peace held within the mid-June evening. Jake would return shortly from his quick job out by Mav's old place, helping Rooster refurbish the old skyline beauty Maverick hadn't had the time for lately. A whole stack of them had taken their turn, and while Jake remained a reliable friend now in the squad, he had really fought it internally, not wishing to leave your side.

Not when he could be snuggled up to his wife, on the porch or resting on the sofa, smelling the strawberry shampoo from your hair, or your shea butter moisturiser. Nor could he kiss you as and when he liked from 4.30pm, the second he got home from work, all the way to bedtime and then again in the morning before you both headed off - him to base, and you to your kindergarten class.

No, he wasn't going to be home until closer to 9 - almost 30 minutes away yet - and the worst part was, he was missing more than just you these days. The swell that continued to grow once you'd left Texas had become his new obsession - the slice of heaven that he already adored because they were going to be just like you, and make you look like the sweetest, hottest little thing this side of the States.

Resting quietly on the sofa, you await his return, knowing he'll ache and sweat and smell on his return - you can't wait to soak him all in and show him the newest development. You swear this baby grows dramatically overnight, a claim you state often whilst Jake just smirks because it's his big Seresin baby that he personally delivered, that grows and nestles inside you.

Your living area is lit by a chamomile candle and a yellow lamp that envelopes the room into a warm glow. The scattered pillows across the sofa and rug are perfect to relax on, and your most recent book "Parenting 101" swapped out for Cosmo magazine led to an idyllic evening. A small cup of tea and the night had gone perfectly.

Sooner than expected, you hear Jake's truck pull up into the driveway. Instead of standing to check and then unlock the door, you wait. Jake much prefers you to stay safely in the house, always alerting you if he has arrived - that you shouldnt be moving a muscle if you can help it. 8.36pm - he's early.

"Lovebug? It's me, I'm home!" he hollers into the foyer of the house, his deep voice carrying through to the living room. Pressing your soft bunny slippers to the floor, you call back.

"In the living room, honey!"

You hear footsteps and then a moment later, there he is, basking in the glow of the lamp above you. Or is it sweat? You can't decide for sure, taken aback by the mixed smells of oil and sweat.

"Hey baby," he finds your lips, leaning over the sofa to not get it marked, "and hey little baby." You smile as he extends a warm hand down to your stomach, smiling softly as he soaks in the moment.

"How was work? And Mav's?"

"Fine, fine. Got a bunch of stuff fixed in the back, Bradshaw got covered in grease and oil so if you see him with a black moustache, you'll know why."

You giggle as he stretches and then quirks a brow. "More importantly, how are you? How is peanut treating you? Being a good and upstanding citizen?"

"I think they grew again overnight. Or through the day, really since breakfast - although it might just be breakfast and my other meals.

"Yeah? Lemme see" he pulls you up carefully and you stand, moving past the plethora of pillows you had build a comfortable place to sit. He smooths his hand down his own shorts first, hoping it would be clean enough, before undoing a little clasp of your pyjama shirt to gain access to your stomach. His hand, warm and firm, rests atop your belly and you can't quite tell if its just butterflies, or that the baby is starting to move within you.

"Oh yeah, i feel it." he rubs softly still. "They're certainly growin'. Good job peanut" he speaks in high praise "and good job Momma...makin' us a baby..."

You have a quick kiss before you usher him upstairs to shower, and you turn the lights off, blow the candle out, and head upstairs to bed. You have your routine set - facial moisturiser, nightly stretches, a warm cup of tea, and belly rubs with your new balm.

You are finishing up your routine, rubbing small shapes into your belly as the smell of coconut fills the room. Jake adores watching you, from the doorway of the en suite. You sit back a little, scooping the balm onto your palm before ever so carefully applying it in small circles, then larger, deeper strokes while still taking tender care of your body. His favourite part has to be when you start whispering sweet words to your belly, realising you aren't alone in this routine. He's caught you a handle of times with; "We love you so much"; "Have you had a nice day in there, hm?" and tonight is no different.

"You're gonna be nice and relaxed in there hm? Me and daddy love you little baby pie. Could just eat you up..."

Moving from the door, he speaks up, hoping to not jolt or surprise you too much.

"Hey, don't go eating up my legacy now"

You giggle, a sound he knows will only ever be beaten by his child's first cry, before halting your laughter at the mere sight of him.

Leaning against the doorway, dripping wet, with a towel barely clinging around his waist. It would be a lie to say that your husband had never looked so good, because this was his standard. Anything he set his mind to, he would accomplish. It just so happened that having a body to die for was the collateral. And here he was, gazing into your soul, heart soaring while watching you treasure and love upon his biggest achievement yet.

"Don't you worry an inch Lieutenant. But I just know they are the cutest, I mean look!" you gesture to his side of the bed. All that sits there is his watch, his alarm clock, and a framed picture of the sweet blob sonogram. "You agree!"

"Yes honey, they're cute I know. Cause they're half you. The other half? Well they'll be the best Top Gun 2050 graduate if they get anything from their Pops."

"You know what, I want them to be all of you."

"Oh really?" Jake shucks off the towel before grabbing his pyjama shorts, grinning cockily as he stretches and flexes, much to your amusement. "I mean I get it, who wouldn't wanna go for a dip in this gene pool?"

"I'm serious, you goof! I have dreams, and the baby...they have your eyes, and that one little dimple like you have your cheek, and, and I don't know. I feel, when I feel the baby, that they're just like you. They feel like home. And-"

You're halted by his physique pressing up beside you, kissing you as if he'd been on an infinite deployment and that holding you was the only sure sign that he was really back home; alive, safe, loved.

"You make me the happiest man alive. You both do. Now, lemme check the house and I'll be right back to hear more about these dreams you're having about me." He winks and you groan, knowing your confession will fuel his ego that little bit more.

As he heads downstairs, you begin massaging your belly again before crying out;

"Oh, Jake!"

You hear the clatter of the teacup he'd taken downstairs, and 5 loud thumping footsteps before he reappears at the door.

"What?!"

With big doe eyes, you smile sheepishly.

"I forgot to tell you, the baby is the size of an apple today."

Jake's expression shifts from one of panic, to utter relief. His chest visibly drops and he runs a hand through his drying hair.

"Baby....don't do that...y'just scared me to death. I'll be right back and then y'can tell me all about it."

On his return from locking up, checking the lights and ensuring he had his uniform laid out for the next day, Jake quietly moved into the bedroom and clicked the door shut. In one hand, he had a glass of water - one you'd never ask for but he knows you'd need through the night. In the other, is a thick, wooden book covered in a multitude of colours and shapes.

You quirk an eyebrow, curious about whatever Jake was holding.

"No Aviator's Digest or Fatherhood 101 tonight?"

"Actually, Bradley gave me this, wanted us to have it at least for now. Something' bout reading to the baby. Then they know my voice... if I'm away." Jake looks down at the book as he shuffles into bed, doing his best not to disturb how comfortable you have made yourself during your nightly routine.

You know that being away now means a great deal more to Jake than before. The issue is sensitive, of course. He doesn't want to be an absent father in the way deployments and time on base can project. You haven't spoken about it too much, but you know it will bother him. Simultaneously, giving up the job he has worked so hard for to be more present is a big sacrifice. One that would also be financially risky to your growing family.

Instead of diving deeper, you keep it light. Jake has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, or even for very long. It's best to focus on what you can control.

"Oh? What book is it?"

"Something about a hungry caterpillar. Looks a bit demonic on the front, but Bradshaw swore his cousin's kids loved it."

He rests up against the headboard, curling one arm around your shoulders, intertwining his hand with yours atop your belly. Certain that he has you safe and warm in his arms, he unpops your shirt again at your tummy "so they can hear" which has you rolling your eyes. He holds the book right by your belly, and begins.

"Good evening, baby Seresin. This is your father, your Pops. Now you gotta listen - there's a test at the end of this story and we don't tolerate anything but top marks here."

"Jacob Seresin!"

"All right, all right. Now, are we ready? Then let's begin. In the light of the moon, a little egg lay on a leaf. One Sunday morning..."

By the time he had turned to the middle page after his soft southern drawl had recounted a feast of apples, pears, and plums, you - and baby - were fast asleep. Closing the wooden book, he pops the button back into place carefully, sorts your pillows, and turns off your bedside lamp.

He'd finish the story tomorrow evening.

[mudandmire]

In This House

Azriel x Eris ~7.9k words Cowboy AU

Read Here

Roots, when Eris finally manages to grow them, become wild and uncontained. Three years, three summers, and he wants to build a garden with reserved ranch hand Azriel. When he proposes making things more permanent, Azriel begins to withdraw. Eris takes the resuscitation of their romance into his own hands. A bit violent, a little deranged; they come together anyway. ~ Or: I make Eris insane, Azriel gets turned on by domesticity, and they frot in a kitchen that doesn't belong to them.

Lil snippet for ya ;)

~~~~

The sweat, a simple slide down his temple, meets the hinge of Azriel’s bronze jaw, and then Eris’s mouth. A reward in the touch of his tongue to sun-warmed skin. The shudder of Azriel’s whole body, curving into Eris like the melted frame of the waxing moon over the Mogollon Rim. 

There’s a prayer here, somewhere. Between Eris’s lips and Azriel’s skin. Between the sun-stoked red rocks of central Arizona and the tough soles of their boots. 

The fact that he allows it. Likes it. Holds Eris’s hips squarely between the heart of his palms and catches his eyes under the wide brim of his hat. Shadows falling across his face, the slip of a quickly waning evening where the heat rises, baking their bodies until they shine as bright as the wavering sheen of appearing stars. 

A moment kept. The brims of their hats meet, tip forward and into each like tectonic plates, and Eris can taste salt and the dry red dust of the earth they’ve been kicking up the whole day. 

~

There’s land not too far out in Sedona, a collection of suburbs. They make up the bottom of the mountains by periphery. All of their smooth asphalt streets, shiny new stop signs, and well-paved driveways leading up to stone bungalows. The sweet front-stoop porches reminded Eris of his grandmother’s house near the Tetons. Her windchimes of sea glass because she missed the ocean. 

There’s one specific house on the outskirts of suburbia. Cupped at the very end of a cul-de-sac, far enough away from neighbors that there’s no danger of peeking over each other’s fences. There are beds of soil in the front yard, fertile and dry enough for a nice garden. The stairs leading up to the green front door had been refurbished recently and still smelled of fresh paint. Eris has the whole place mapped out. From room to room, he marks each space with a memory not yet made and says, here, here is where we’ll build.

~~~~

Read here for more!

[holy-puckslibrary]

sid to a furry friend's rescue!

florist!reader gets flustered during sid's calendar shoot

parents mentors for the day

chief crosby's got a date... and its not with florist!reader

... was in a bit of a silly goofy mood, forgive me (and be sure to read the endnotes!)

gif from @littlemessyjessi

This is the last thing Sidney Crosby imagined he'd come home to: another man settled in his chair.

His cat is curled in the intruder's lap, and said intruder's hand is curled over your knee. And Sidney's soup—homemade and hand-delivered—split in bowls between you.

"Thought you didn't need a babysitter?"

Sidney watches the gleeful expression wilt on your pretty face—color drained like his bank account succeeding the egregious bid he matched to make bail—with equal measures of self-satisfaction and self-contempt.

"I-I didn't, I just—"

"Settle down, Chief," the ranger laughs. "I knew our little lady here was feeling under the weather, so I thought I'd stop by after my patrol shift and keep her company while you were indisposed."

Sidney glares into the bright cerulean eyes of one Anthony Beauvillier, a park ranger in the Atlantic Coast Uplands region.

If memory serves, he was recently transferred from Waverley to Blue Mountain but resides in Peggy's Cove. This is a 50-minute detour.

In the opposite direction.

The Fire Chief's jaw is painfully tight, his blood scalding. If it were't for his, albeit dwindling, sense of self preservation, Sidney would've marched up those two steps—recently refurbished at his hand, might he add—to forcefully remove the park narc's grubby paw from your body.

Mercifully—for all involved parties, you do so shortly and of your own volition before joining Sid in your driveway.

Guilt smeared over your sickly features, your mouth parts, an explanation hot on your tongue, but all that comes is a grizzly cough that stings Sid's chest just hearing it. Despite his vexation, he's patient with you; he owes it to you both to wait it out. He hopes this is just one big misunderstanding somehow.

But, before you're able, the absolute last person Sidney wants to hear from pipes up.

"Resting, ma biche. You're meant to be resting," Tito attempts to coax you back onto the porch—back to his side—with an outstretched, up-turned hand.

(my doe / my darling — reminder: see end for important notes!)

Not as quick with his French as he'd like to be, he growls at the perceived insult. However, rather than running his fist through the opposition's teeth in your honor, Sidney defiles it.

The park ranger, and everyone else who happens to be out and about tonight, are treated to an unexpected eyeful of their Fire Chief's innermost feelings rushing to the surface. They pour into your mouth with reckless abandon, unconcerned with his public image or the utter lack of privacy; this kiss could be broadcast on the Nightly News for all he cares.

All that matters to Sidney Crosby is making his intentions known, and crystal fucking clear. Staking his claim is just a bonus.

"Well, it looks like my work here is done."

At your dazed expression and Sid's bewilderment, Tito stands from the rocking chair with a genuine smile fixed on his face. As he deposits evergreen Stetson atop his wind-swept hair, he pauses.

"Y'all have a nice night," he winks with a tip of the brim, bidding you farewell before slipping into his government-issued Ram.

As gravel crunches under the vehicle's wheels, gears click into place behind Sidney's burnt umber eyes, now gleaming with clarity.

"Nate and Emmy." — Statement, not a question.

"Please, don't be angry. They just wanted to help because... because I didn't believe that... y'know." You gesture to the sliver of space that still separates you, a bashful little smile pushing up your feverish cheeks.

He couldn't find it in himself to be ticked off about your best friends' not-so-harebrained scheme—which, honestly, deserved more credit than he would ever be willing to give it—if he wanted to. Not while standing so close he can smell the PEI tulips you've been elbow-deep in all month, and definitely not having tasted the whisper of herbal tea lingering on your tongue.

Smirking, he closes the gap with a gentle tug.

"Oh, I know." Voice dropping to a thick hush, his lips hovering a lick above your skin, "D'you believe it now?"

The pinkish skin crinkles around his warm eyes as you pretend to think.

"I could do with a little more... convincing," you ultimately quip. "But, only if you're up for the t—"

The remainder of your cajoling is overtaken by a fit of giggles as he corrals you up and across the porch. The front door slams shut with a satisfying air of finality. Though, not before little Ember slips in with you.

Chief Crosby was thorough by nature, and he'd be damned if he didn't dedicate the evening to dispelling any and all doubts threatening to take root. Feigned, or not.

—

gotcha! teehee 😋 sid really said sick germs?? no match for my LOVE!!! ALSO! tito anon, this ones for you bbyyyyy 💓💓💓💓

***** 'ma biche' was chosen because its typically humorous and rarely intended seriously, + can be considered majorly outdated (even by 60s sitcom standards)—and its not always romantic! ... it also sounds a lot like an english insult, hence sid's reaction lol (at least, according to my french-canadian grandmother who remains very confused by my random call for a french lesson on infrequently used terms of endearment lol) *****

as always, i would really appreciate if you reblogged my work, left a comment or dropped by my inbox w some feedback :) fandom runs on engagement, and so do writers!! thx a mil in advance!

[angels-silhouette]

Ten Years Gone

3. Invited In

Warnings: Emotional distress Word Count: 1.7k

A/N: I didn't proofread this thoroughly, if there's any discrepancies that's my bad.

The driveway was almost snowed over after Novena had shoveled that morning, but wasn’t too deep to stop Dean from pulling in closer to the house. The visibility was only getting worse and it was a miracle that they’d made it back safely. It still baffles her that only living ten minutes inland can affect how much snow her area gets.

“Dean, please stay for tonight. I’d hate for you to get into an accident…”

“I’ll be fine. Driving in a bit of bad weather is nothin’ new to me. I’ll stay until you get inside.”

Such a typical man answer. Rolling her eyes and pressing her lips together in frustration at his comment.

 Huffing out a deep exaggerated breath she says, “That’s unacceptable. You’re coming with me.” 

“Are you detaining me…” Dean lets out a small giggle.

Then he realizes that she’s actually serious, he raises his eyebrows in curiosity. She had a worried look on her face, and it makes him wonder if it’s just for his safety or if there’s something bad hidden beneath those eyes of hers. “Fine, fine. First thing in the morning, I’m outta here.”

Novena nods her head in approval. Dean shuts off the ignition and the pair get out of the car and walk across the driveway to get to the porch stairs. The porch light flickers on once they’re close enough. 

Must be motion-sensored, Dean thinks to himself.

He didn’t see her pull out her keys to unlock her door, she just walked right in.

Weird, who doesn’t lock their doors? 

When entering the house there’s a sign hung up on the stair banister in front of them that states, “No Shoes Beyond This Point!” Dean is self conscious only because he didn’t have time to shower this morning, and he’s been wearing shoes all day.

The house smelled of lavender and cedarwood. There were things everywhere but not in a hoarding type of way. Everything seemed to have a purpose. To the right of the staircase was the living room, an old box tv sat atop a refurbished entertainment center. She motioned for him to walk down the hall and follow her to the back of the house. Pictures littered the walls in the hallway, some of nature and some of her family. 

Then there was the kitchen. It felt like home to Dean.

There were no overhead lights in the ceiling, only smaller lamps everywhere. Again, pictures were covering the walls, cookbooks and coffee mugs sat in built-in cabinets that are on either side of the small circular dining table—with a big window that leads out to the backyard above the table. Plants hanging in front of the window that’s above the sink. A baby pink vintage fridge reminded Dean of the one his parents used to have in Florence, only theirs was light green. And it smelt of homemade bread.

“You want any water? Food?” She asked.

Cinnamon rolls.

“Could I have one of these?” Dean was already taking the lid off of the glass cake stand before Novena had the chance to say anything.

“Mmm, these’re good. You make ‘em yourself?”

A huge grin spread across her face, “I did. Family recipe.” She slid a glass of water to him anyway. 

“Damn. I’d die for these rolls…”

That’s when he heard a thunderous bark come from the other side of the kitchen. A huge, midnight black pitbull was lurking in the shadows, glowing gold eyes shining brightly in the dimly lit room. It made Dean jump for a second time, quickly moving off of the stool he sat himself on. Instinctively reaching for his gun. He almost choked on his cinnamon roll. Trying to cough out the small piece of bread that went down the wrong pipe.

“Sorry about that. Ghost can be very quiet when he wants to be. Come here Ghosty, say hi.”

The dog is cautious, as he should be. Dean was a stranger after all. Ghost slowly lurked towards them, every muscle becoming visible in the more illuminated area of the kitchen, and sniffed Dean’s hand when he extended it out towards him.

Ghost stared intently at Dean, as if trying to determine if he’s worth trusting. If he’s worth being in his owner's home. It almost felt like an interview? The nervous eye contact, heart rate increasing, if Ghost had opposable thumbs, they’d be shaking hands right now. Dean had hoped he wouldn’t smell all of the old blood that remained embedded in his leather jacket and his boots, or sense that he had killed countlessly–or that he had lost part of himself in Hell and in Purgatory…

After what felt like hours, Ghost gently licked Dean's fingers that were lingering in the air and rubbed his head against his palm afterward. Patting his head and taking a big sigh of relief, Dean relaxed back onto the stool, and was met with the sweet, intoxicating laugh from the woman who is too trusting of him. 

Like mother like son, he couldn’t help but to think.

“I’m surprised he likes you. He usually hates men.” 

“Well, that’s good to know after the fact. Thanks for the heads up…” Rolling his eyes not so playfully this time.

Novena saunters over to him, stands between his spread out legs, and places both of her hands on his face, whispering, “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, scaredy cat.” Gives him a wink and boops his nose. He is so whipped already, his mouth agape and eyes pining into hers. The trance she causes him to go into is irresistible.

“Um–uh, you should really lock your doors. Noticed it when we walked in.” He places his hands at the small of her back, inching her closer to him.

“Attentive now, are we?” Still maintaining that breathy tone.

“Yes, ma’am. Wanna know you’re safe.” What the actual hell? Why did he feel the need to say what he was truly thinking?

Novena was so close. Her long hair that smelled like coconut was tickling Dean’s thighs. He was looking up at her, head inclined to keep his eyes on hers and not her bust…

“Trust me, it’s safe in this town. More so in this house–”

“If it’s so safe, tell me why your ex ruined your car? Sounds dangerous to me.”

Her demeanor changed instantly. Defensively backing away from him, she crossed her arms and looked down towards the ground. Eyes starting to water, cheeks turning pink with anger, voice quivering, “I think it’s best that I get to bed. If it clears up tomorrow, I need to leave early for work.” 

“I, I’m sorry Nov–”

“It’s fine, let me show you to the guest room.”

—

Novena had shown him upstairs to the room he was to stay in, was provided a towel, travel sized toiletries, and pajamas. Dean watched her walk with her arms wrapped around her, as if she was comforting herself, down the hall until she turned the corner to get to her room.

He felt like shit even after his shower. There must be more to the story if she got this upset over a simple comment. The self guilt that radiated from her was worrisome–like Novena should’ve known Vince was going to act that way. Almost as if she couldn’t predict it. How would she be able to? But why did it seem that way? And what makes her think this house is ultimately safer, especially with the doors unlocked?

Dean padded across the hall towards the room, dried off, and put on the clothes he was given. They fit well. He couldn’t help but to wonder if these were her dad’s or her ex’s pajamas. Hopefully the former. Is that even appropriate to hope for since he’s dead? Dean guessed it was the better option, he didn’t know either of them but he already wants to kick the ex’s ass. Novena was better off without any of his possessions around.

Laying down on the bed was like laying down on a woman’s breast. Soft but firm, warm, and heavenly. The only thing missing was listening to a heartbeat lulling him to sleep. Instead, thoughts of Purgatory plagued his thoughts. The sleepless nights, killing over and over again, looking for Cass, almost getting killed hundreds of times whenever he had tried to get rest. It’s safe to say that it’s a long night riddled with insomnia. 

Two hours had passed before Dean knew it. The hum of the radiator in the corner of the room was somewhat soothing. Every so often the house would creek, causing him to be on high alert. Worried that someone, or something was roaming the halls. At times he thought he heard whimpering coming from the other side of the house, which Dean dismissed–phantom noises like that happen more often than you think working in this business. Especially when you protect more people than you can count. Although, it could be Ghost or Novena. He was conflicted on if he wanted to check on her, since he had upset her. At times it wouldn’t be surprising if Dean was losing his sanity by worrying so much. She’d be fine. He would make it up to her in the morning.

Dean was finally drifting in and out of conscientiousness–focusing on the radiator was the trick to ease his brain into submission. 

Then he heard her blood-curdling scream. 

He wasn’t exactly sure where her room was but he was running in the direction she had gone earlier. Looking behind every door until he found her. Ghost was whimpering somewhere at her bedside when he flung open the door. Flicking on the lightswitch Dean saw that Novena was thrashing in her bed. Grasping at her throat. Tears running down her face. Moving swiftly towards her, Dean sat beside her and held her down while whispering her name, and to wake up. That nothing bad was happening. That she was safe. 

The sadness that her sobs entailed was heartbreaking. What happened to this woman to provoke these night terrors? She still wasn’t waking up but she had calmed down slightly. Calling out for both of her parents. The weak “mommy’s” and “daddy’s” escaping her raw throat made Dean tear up. Her inner child called out for her guardians that she had to mourn; he knew how that felt. And all he could do was hold her close to him, murmuring that he was right there whenever she woke up.

—

tags! @ambiguous-avery @aylacavebear @jackles010378 @deans-spinster-witch

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

A very late Inspiration Saturday/Several Sentence Sunday

Hi! Happy 9-1-1 week! Thank you to @tizniz @diazsdimples @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @wildlife4life (Happy birthday!) @exhuastedpigeon and @disasterbuckdiaz for the tag!

I had a busy day yesterday so didn't get anything posted. Here it is, on a Monday!

Here's a snippet I managed to write from Pennsylvania Under Me yesterday!

---

The Buckleys live, for now at least, on a quiet suburban crescent where every house has a cleanly mowed lawn and color coordinated garden. It’s an old house. Maybe as old as the town, though clearly refurbished. 

From the moment they park the rental car in the driveway behind Buck’s parents, Eddie feels a strange sort of gravity. Here it is. The house where one of the two people most beloved to him learned to hate himself. A lesson so difficult to unlearn. So many weeds he’d labored, along with the other people who adore Evan Buckley so completely, to pull from an overgrown flower bed; and here is the root. 

Eddie knows a part of Buck is still concerned that they’ll all walk in there only to discover something about Buck still worth hating. Eddie is terrified Buck will forget that everything about him is impossible not to love. 

“You had a great street to play on,” Chris observes, looking in awe at the big old trees with branches suited to climbing. 

“I did,” Buck agrees. “And I took advantage of that. I was outside as much as possible as a kid.”

---

It's too late to tag anyone for Sunday haha but please consider this as your no pressure tag to share writing or whatever! @pantsaretherealheroes @jeeyuns @aroeddiediaz @theotherbuckley @fionaswhvre @steadfastsaturnsrings @mangacat201 @daughterofscotland @athenagranted @evanbegins @devonwritesstuff @adarkermiserablecrow @epicbuddieficrecs @fortheloveofbuddie @your-catfish-friend

[ficthots]

August

A/N: Okay, I know it took me forever to get this published again, but here it is! This is set to the theme of August by Taylor Swift, obviously. As always let me know what you think and enjoy!

Warnings: SMUT. DNI if you are under 18. 18+ only

Word Count: 7.4k+

Salt air and the rust on your door

I never needed anything more

Whispers of “Are you sure?”

“Never have I ever before”

Summer is a magical time of the year. If you don’t mind sweltering temperatures, humidity so dense that you can feel the air around you, and every place you visit being over packed to the point where you literally can’t move without touching someone's sticky body. Despite those lows, the triumph of what summer truly stands for is where it makes it a winner over all the other seasons.

Freedom. 

No longer being tied to class schedules, extra curricular activities, stressing over college applications. Nope, not this year. This was the year that you were putting that all behind you and stepping into the future. Your future. 

College was on the horizon, growing larger the closer it appeared. All the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears now long gone as the crisp hopefulness of the next chapter popped into your line of vision. That didn’t mean you weren’t going to enjoy what your little hometown had to offer during your last year as a permanent resident here.

It was why Danny��s piece of shit truck was idling in the street, blocking your driveway, waiting for you to come bounding down the stairs to spend the day at one of your favorite places in the world. His entire face lit up when you entered his line of sight, throwing open the rusted passenger door and hearing the creek of it echo into the neighborhood as it moved.

Not even uttering a hello, you grabbed the loose auxiliary cord that hung from the refurbished radio and connected your phone to it. As Taylor Swift filled the speakers, he rolled his eyes, looking over his shoulder to pull away from the curb and begin the drive. 

“You bring the cooler?” You asked over the pounding of the music, turning around and seeing it crammed behind the seats. “Mhm. There should be a raspberry iced tea Arizona in there.” Your eyes lit up with excitement at the discovery, cracking it open, and leaning towards the open window.

Your hair whipped around in a complete frenzy as Danny got up to full speed, seeing the content smile gracing your lips, eyeing the view as it whizzed by. He laughed at the view of you trying to tame your locks, hand landing on your thigh subconsciously as he continued the drive. 

You two belted along to the songs that randomly played through your combined playlist, Danny’s fingers tapping on the bare skin of your thigh to the beat of whatever was playing. There was nothing better than spending your days like this together. It was always the highlight of your vacations. 

When you two could disappear from everyone else and just bask in one another's company. The splash of the water cascading onto the secluded shore had your mind humming in peace. Sun soaking on a picnic blanket and towel, a small portable radio by your head playing music into the area around you, a backpack stuffed to the brim with food laid next to you. 

Danny wading out of the water, small trunks clung to his thighs, long curls pushed back away from his face and dripping down his bare back had you smiling as he approached you. He snatched his towel from under your head that you had been utilizing as a pillow, wrapping it around his body. 

This was an area that you two had discovered once by sheer accident, but now was your own spot that no one else had seemed to find quite yet. A small piece of the lake that was undisturbed by any other bodies. Something that seemed to have been crafted just for the enjoyment of you two. 

Not even your group knew of this place. Whenever you all would come together, it was to a different place, much more visible to the public then where you currently resided. No, this was just for you two. It wasn’t something you had discussed either. Keeping this a little secret between you both. It just…was.

Danny’s soaked body dripped onto yours as he stood over you, a true giant from the angle you were laying at. He had grabbed his own beverage of choice for the day, guzzling it down in one go before collapsing on the blanket next to you, letting the sun conveniently dry him. 

Wiggling closer to him, his skin was cold to the touch as you rolled over, leaning on one elbow to peer at him. “You’re very pretty.” Was all you offered as you stared him down without his knowledge, eyes being shut as he relaxed. His body shook with laughter as you poked his cheek, then his nose. 

“Think that’s what I’m supposed to say to you.” He mumbled out, eyes remaining shut as he lifted an arm, letting you cuddle into his side. You scoffed at his response, laying your head on his bicep, staring up at the cloudless sky. “No.” 

That was how you two remained for the rest of the afternoon. Laying soundless as you drifted in and out of naps, occasionally treading into the water before coming back out and occupying your time in a different way. 

Munching on a sandwich he had made for this afternoon, you were engrossed in your book, sunglasses perched atop your damp head. You had been reading out loud for Danny to listen to the tale despite not having heard the first seventy percent of the story, but he didn’t mind. His head rested on your lap, listening intently to your enthusiastic tones and the changing voices as different characters spoke. 

Handing the sandwich down to him, eyes never parting the book, not halting your reading, he took it from your hands and polished it off for you, having finished his long ago. His phone went off in the backpack that had been continuously moved around the blanket space as you two moved around throughout the day. 

Stopping where you were in the chapter, you handed it over to him to see that it was his alarm going off, signaling that the day had come to an end and it was time to return home. Silently, you both stood and began packing up all your belongings.

Mindless chatter flew between you both as you rolled the towels after he shook them out to remove any lingering sand and pebbles. “Okay, tell me again why he’s in jail.” You had the backpack handle in your mouth, stuffing the towels in there, but spit it out as you spoke. 

“Because he was falsely accused of murdering the girl from his high school.” His brow furrowed at your words, folding the blanket up. “How do you know he was falsely accused?” You stood, bag slung over one shoulder as you waited for him to finish his task. “In chapter four it says that he was out of town with his grandfather.” 

He stood back up, slinging his arm over your shoulder as you walked back to the truck. “Okay, so why doesn’t the grandfather go and bail him out? Tell the police that he was on a trip with the guy.” You shook your head, fingers lacing with his as they dangled over your shoulder. “Because the grandfather died the following week.”

Danny’s bottom lip pushed out as he nodded his head, opening the truck door for you as you climbed in. The window was rolled down as he shut the door, leaning through the opening to you. “Yeah, you need to tell me how that ends cause it sounds fucked up.” You laughed, nodding at him as he tapped the tip of your nose before walking to his side of the car. 

The entire drive home, you sat in the middle seat, pressed into his side. His hand rested on your leg, tapping to the beat of more songs, a permanent smirk plastered to his lips. These were the days you savored. Craved. 

Where it could just be you two. No pressure, so stress, no nothing. Just you two. That was how you liked it to be. If it could remain that way for the rest of time you would snatch that up in an instant. And you knew Danny would, too. 

When he pulled back up to your house, your achy limbs from a day of swimming cried as you trekked up the driveway to your house. Danny called out to you from the open window as you reached the front door, drawing your attention back to him instead of the shower and bed that were screaming your name. “Call me tomorrow. Love you!”

Your hand shielded your eyes from the setting sun, waving at him as he began driving off, calling out an ‘I love you’ back as he left. You two tried to make that trip happen at least once every other week. If it couldn’t be a lake visit, it was something else. Movie night at someone's house, arcade and ice cream, the only all night diner in the county. It didn’t matter as long as it happened. 

No one else knew of these little escapades you two had. You just simply didn’t bring it up and no one ever asked. It wasn’t lying because there were no suspicions of you two breaking off from the group and going and doing your own thing. If they ever caught wind of it, they never said anything. 

It wasn’t anything more than just spending quality time in the company of a close friend. No romantic interest really. Was Danny attractive? Of course. He was literally one of the most sought after boys in your graduating class, but you wouldn’t see him in that light. To you, he was just Danny. And to Danny, you were just you. 

That’s all it was. 

Did you plan to lose your virginity to him on a random Wednesday night just a few weeks before you left for school? Absolutely not. But if there was someone you were glad it happened with. It was Danny. 

You two had reconvened for a movie night, sprawled out on the couch in your basement, watching a movie that Danny had brought over, but your mind was elsewhere tonight. You had been chatting with one of your friends about moving away for school and when she found out you were a virgin, she was quick to suggest you have that taken care of before going off to school.

It gnawed at you for days following the encounter. Was going off to college a virgin really that big of a deal? According to her and whatever census she had read or taken, yes it was. Danny had noticed you were off tonight, your mind wandering into an abyss he knew you could occasionally get trapped in. 

He nudged you with his foot, pausing the movie after you missed the big gag of the movie. “What’s up with you?” Your eyes snapped up to his, flurried with confusion and questions. Your fingers played with themselves, lip tucked in between your front teeth, but you shook your head. “Nothing, why?”

Rolling his eyes, he sat up and moved closer to you. “Come on. What’s wrong?” Should you ask him this? Was it your place to even know this information? You knew he was your best friend, but this topic was much more suited for someone like Sam. Battling yourself in your mind, you finally decided to just blurt it out at him.

“Are you a virgin?” His eyes went wide as he blinked once at your question before breaking into hard laughter. You pouted at him as he tried to catch his breath. Slapping him away from you as he rolled closer to you, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes, you were annoyed. “Wha-what? What the hell brought that on?” 

Finally catching his breath, he was able to ask you that question. Grumbling under your breath, you crossed your arms over your chest. “Nothing.” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him inching closer to you despite you moving further from him, but to no avail as you were at the corner of the sofa.

“Seriously, what happened? Why do you want to know that?” Your eyes were glued to the paused tv screen, shaking your head as your only response. “I’m teasing you! It was just really out of the blue.” Peeling your eyes back to him, only slightly, he was smiling at you. 

“Why do you want to know?” You huffed a small sigh, eyes falling down to your lap at the frayed blanket that lay over you. “Because I was talking with Sarah and she said that if I go to college as a virgin it’ll totally be a hindrance or whatever.” 

His brows drew in, confusion etched across his face. “That makes no sense.” You groaned, hands flailing as you did. “I know! But what if she’s right? What if I get there and a guy finds out I’ve never had sex and then won’t do anything with me? Then word spreads and I’m a total outcast.” 

Danny rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “That won’t happen. I can guarantee you.” Mumbling, you ignored his words. He obviously wasn’t understanding your issue with this. He had no idea what you were talking about. “Yeah well, you’re not a virgin so you don’t get it.” 

“Yes I am.” 

Your head flashed up, eyes connecting with him at his words. “What?” He nodded with a shrug, acting like it was entirely obvious. “Yeah. There just hasn’t been, I don’t know, a right time or person. Just hasn’t felt right.” He was acting so nonchalant about the entire thing, it was flabbergasting to you. 

“But what about prom? You took Susie and you guys had a hotel after.” He closed his eyes, reliving the memory as he laughed. “She got so plastered at prom that she literally got to the hotel room and passed out on the bed. I ended up sleeping on the couch.” Your brows furrowed, shaking your head, uttering an apology. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

He beamed at you, chuckling. “Why are you apologizing? It’s not an embarrassing thing. It’s literally a construct, nothing more.” His eyes connected with yours and softened. “Bug?” You squeaked out, nerves wracking your body at the sheer idea of what you were about to ask.

Humming in response, he took your hand in his overly large one, calluses from the drum sticks hardening some of the skin. “Would you-would you ever,” you couldn’t even get the question out before he spoke out over you. “The only person I’ve ever thought about going that far with is you.” 

Swallowing thickly, you felt like you were going to choke on your tongue. The stare between you both was so intense that you were scared to do anything but look into the incredibly dark irises that pinned you to the couch. Slowly, Danny moved closer to you, calve held in his hand as he extended your leg. 

Danny knew what you were going to ask him. He wanted to make this as easy as possible and didn’t want you to feel like you had to outright ask him. It was all he had ever thought of. Exchanging this encounter was a big deal and there was no one else he would have rather done it with. 

Both of you were breathless, entirely nude as you laid on your couch, fighting for the shared breath between you both. Before Danny made any further moves despite how far you two had gotten, he was entirely shaking, choking on his own words as he spoke out. “Are-are you su-sure, bug?” 

Nodding enthusiastically, you caught his lips against your own, breath hitching in your throat as Danny entered you for the first time. Eyes squeezing shut, you wanted to savor this moment, searing it into your memory. Feeling nothing but comfort and serenity with him. 

As you two came down from your fast highs, Danny rested his forehead against your own, chasing your lips, over and over. He laid down on top of you, wild curls splayed across your chest. His heavy head laid on your bare skin, listening to the quick beat of your heart. Both giggling out at what had just happened as you enclosed him in your arms. 

It wasn’t what you were expecting to happen, but you were beyond happy it had. The experience was everything you had ever hoped for, with the person you trusted most in the world. Forming a bond that you weren’t entirely sure what to do with. Unsure of what it meant for the future, but it didn’t matter because it wasn’t able to form anymore.

You went to school the next week, taking on a new life as you went to experience what you had heard was supposed to be one of the best, but most stressful times of your life. But you knew that no matter what you did, where you went, that Danny would always be there for you. Danny knew that it was the same for you too. As he and the band took off, he knew that when he came home for breaks it would be the same every time. Both of you waiting patiently for the other to come back. 

Even though it was incredibly selfish on both of your parts. It was okay, because for the time being, you were allowed to be just that. Selfish. 

Your back beneath the sun

Wishin’ I could write my name on it

Will you call when you’re back at school?

I remember thinkin’ I had you

The first two semesters of school nearly annihilated you. No, really. They were beyond rough. After a tough lesson your first semester of why 8am lectures were never a good idea, you knew better going into your second semester. Afternoon and evening lectures were your friend. 

The course load you had on your plate was crushing. That’s why when spring break rolled around, you were more than content to come back home and relax by the pool for a full two weeks. Of course, that plan was foiled by your gang planning their own homecoming for the same time. And they all loved the fact that you had a pool.

It’s why you had music blaring through the outside speakers, the smell of barbecue wafting through the yard, and the sounds of pool splashing filled your ears. This wasn’t a bad way to be spending break. Not at all.

Especially when Danny was practically naked in front of you the entire time. Since he had shown up at your house and enclosed you in a massive embrace the night you had flown in, you two had hardly spent any time apart. 

He had slept at your house that night, squeezing into your full size mattress, not wanting to be apart from you after having slept together the second he stepped into your room. Every day after that, you two were either with the group or you were getting texts from him about secret meetings. 

Nearly every single day of the full two weeks you were home had the group at your house, enjoying the warmer weather and pool. It came with the ground rules of being the owner of the pool. You almost always had to expect people to optimize using it. Today was of course no exception. 

It was a struggle to keep your eyes off the boy as he lifted himself on the edge of the pool, newly tanned skinned from spending nearly every single day outside, glistening from the water droplets clinging to his torso, muscled back contracting as he used his arms. Nearly had your mouth watering until your attention was ripped away, Jake shaking his wet hair out as he plopped himself down on the edge of your seat.

“When do you fly back to school?” You sighed, setting your book on the table next to you. “Tomorrow night. I have class first thing Monday afternoon.” He groaned, leaning back against your tucked legs, back sitting soundly on your shins. “Us too.”

You only hummed in response, eyes instinctively connecting with him from across the way. He had heard your small conversation with his brother, eyes burning in desire. Subconsciously clenching your legs together, knowing that tonight was going to be your last chance to spend with him until god knows when. It had to count. 

Danny only texted you an address and told you to be there around eight. As you traveled to the location he had sent, you were confused as you looked around and saw no surrounding buildings. Yet, when you saw his old truck and a small camp made up, you pulled over quickly. 

Rushing over to him, Danny caught you, instantly connecting you both. Your hands held his jaw, his arms wrapped around your waist, both moaning in utter relief, not even able to spend a full twenty-four hours apart without insane desire burning through you both. 

When you finally pulled away, you took in the sight. Some small lights were at the four corners of the air mattress. Pillows and blankets filled the space, calling you to lay down in its warm embrace. You did exactly that, pulling Danny with you. 

As the sun set and the stars came out and glistened along the sky, you felt the chill rush down your spine. Straddling him, your neck craned back, looking at the moon and its friends decorating the sky. “God, look at that!” You breathed out, entirely forgetting what you two had just finished moments earlier.

His hands still held firm to your hips, not even looking behind you, just directly at you. Enamored with what he saw before him. The moonlight lit up behind you, casting you in a glow that was rare to observe. He felt like the chosen one, being lucky enough to witness this. 

Climbing off of him, you laid next to him, wrapping the sheet around yourself as your head rolled over, seeing his sharp features already looking straight at you. Your face lit up in a wide grin at his locks held up in a loose ponytail. 

“Where do you guys go next?” You finally asked after you two held each other’s gaze, fingers linking together as he pulled you closer towards him, not wanting you to be too far. He sighed, “Nashville. Still working on the album and setting up tour dates.” You hummed, eyes slipping shut as the warmth of his body seeped into your bones. 

The sheet was wrapped around your nude frame loosely, only draped lowly on his waist. The stars danced in the sky, not a cloud to cover them. You could hear various insects chirping in the distance of the field you sat in. Only basking in the moonlight as it soaked you both in its glamorous rays. 

Danny sat up after being in silence for a beat too long. Clearing his throat, he didn’t want to turn and look at you. To see your reaction to what he was about to take the time to ask you. What he had been grappling with since you had left for school months ago. 

“Are you going to call me? When you’re back at school?” You sat up to match him, lips dancing nervously on the bare skin of his back. Wrapping the sheet tighter around yourself, you rested your chin on his shoulder, brushing some of his hair away from the skin, you placed another chaste kiss there. 

Before you spoke, you wanted a second more to enjoy this. Before it was ruined by what your response was going to be to him. Instead, you took the hair tie from his locks and did his hair for him. Fixing it to hold the hair up and out of his gorgeous face that he had hidden from you. Letting his tense muscles come into better view. 

Beautiful.  

He shivered at your touch, eyes closing as he sat waiting for your response despite knowing what it was going to be. “Why can’t we just have this?” It was whisper quiet, only carried by the soft breeze that danced across the grass you were currently laid in. Nodding, he wrapped his arms around you, turning and bringing you back to his embrace. 

Listening to his steady heartbeat beneath your ear, you basked in the warmth his arms offered you. The serene comfort that you could only seem to find with Danny. It wasn’t what you had wanted to say. Not in the least, but it was what you had to say. 

It would be too hard. With him and the boys' music exploding as it was, you with school preoccupying any and all of your time, it wouldn’t work. What could work was knowing that the other would always be there during the breaks. To retreat back to one another and do this over and over would work. 

It was just what you had to do. Danny knew that too despite how much it shredded him to hear it actually said. The band was taking off at lightning speed in a way none of them had anticipated and he knew that there was no way he would be able to juggle both. Not right now. 

But he knew that you would be back in the summer and he would be too and it would pick right back up. That thought brought him comfort to combat the sadness that sat deep in his soul and burrowed. 

Hope. 

Back when we were still changin’ for the better

Wanting was enough

For me, it was enough

To live for the hope of it all

Cancel plans just in case you’d call

And say, “Meet me behind the mall”

So much for summer love and saying “us”

Cause you weren’t mine to lose

You weren’t mine to lose, no

And that was exactly how it continued on. For a few years actually. Up until spring and summer breaks weren’t a thing anymore because college had rapidly come to a close. That was one thing about entering the real world. Those breaks didn’t exist. Which meant that whatever you and Danny had didn’t exist anymore either. 

Knowing that they would be there to see you at those sure times, no question about it. Where he would be waiting for you with a warm embrace and the best time of your life. It all came to a close when you landed your big girl job, Greta Van Fleet became a global sensation, and adult life swept you both up in very different ways.

No time for those silly summer flings that clenched your heart in unexplainable ways whenever you thought back to them. Whenever you thought back to him. That’s why when you got a call from them asking if you could take a bit of a vacation to meet them, you jumped at the chance. Especially when you found out where they wanted you to meet. 

In the middle of their great European trek. To watch them perform for adoring fans, see what they had blossomed into after all this time. No longer the garage band you sat in on to watch their practices nearly every single day. Instead, now globe trotting rockstars. 

Transforming into these grown men, who you honestly would never see as such, was…odd. Seeing the familiar permed ball of frizzy curls always brought a sense of comfort to you, but the on-stage bedazzled jumpsuits and rhinestones had you giggling at his love of performance shouted out to the world. The always long locks of the brothers who could’ve been classified as twins more so than the actual twins, newly adorned facial hair had you rolling your eyes at their attempt to be “men”. Then there was Danny.

No more of the unkempt curls, but instead nourished well formed ringlets and bangs. New found fashion of button ups that were almost entirely unbuttoned and tight pants that left little to the imagination. Built form instead of the strong skinny you were used to. He was utterly breathtaking as you took him in. 

You yourself had changed much as well much to the surprise of the brothers. It wasn’t a one sided transformation, but instead something that happened on all fronts for everyone. A part of growing up. It didn’t stop the yearning that settled deep in your bones whenever your eyes connected with his though.

He knew exactly what you were feeling. It was reciprocated and he was itching to find a way to get you two to sneak off together. Just like old times. Something he thought about far too often, but would adamantly deny if it was ever brought up. When your phone went off at a group dinner after watching a show stopping performance from the brothers, you felt butterflies erupt in your stomach.

Danny had concocted an entire tale to be able to spend the day with you tomorrow. One that you bit back a smile at as he explained to the brothers why he was going to be absent from their group tomorrow and why you were going to also be gone tomorrow evening. It worked perfectly. Not a single question asked. 

You two were sitting at a candlelit table on a balcony overlooking the city, snorting in laughter at the stories you both had missed from everyday life. Your heart ached as you listened to the insane stories of the life he now lived, what you dreamed you could be doing with him. He couldn’t explain the sadness that sat deep in his gut as you chortled through story after story of your workplace and coworkers. 

As giggles died down, setting your now empty wine glass on the table, you let a deep sigh you didn’t know you had been holding escape into the night. His soft eyes held your gaze, smile never diminishing as he watched you battle your thoughts. He knew exactly what you were thinking. 

“Well, Danny, it sounds like you are literally living the dream.” He shrugged, polishing off his drink and leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, it’s not too bad.” You rolled your eyes at his candor. Eyes slightly squinting in his direction, you nearly tripped over your tongue as the words expelled from you. “Still interested in your old fling, then?” 

He had been waiting for you to ask all night. There would never be a time in his life where you weren’t always playing in his thoughts in some way or another. As he had been traveling the world, all he had been thinking about was how you should’ve been by his side for everything. How it didn’t make sense that you weren’t there. That he missed you more than he could put into words. This evening had been the best one he had spent in the last year on the road. 

“Always.” 

Danny took you back to a hotel room that night that he booked with you in tow. Giggling as you stood at the check in counter, he told them he didn’t care what kind of room was available as long as there was a room. The suite was extravagant and more money than you would ever know what to do with just sitting in your bank account, but he didn’t even bat an eye. 

The entire evening you had spent within his grasp. Reliving past memories and experiences you thought would never happen again. Nearly destroying a hotel suite together after having sex on every surface you could find. Desperate to feel his muscles contract as he reached finish after finish. To see his face contort in a way that it only did when pure bliss washed over him. Only when he was experiencing this with you. 

The rustled sheets and blankets were strewn about the room despite the top sheet you two were hidden beneath. Feeling his gentle breathing as he slept soundly underneath you, holding you to him. Not wanting to let you go. Not again.

Despite how wonderful and mind numbing the time had been together, it was a jarring realization of what exactly was going on between you two. The harbored feelings that you had kept at bay for far too long crashing to the surface only to be shunned away from the harsh reality of what lay before you. 

That it would never work. That as time continued on and you two continued changing through the times that it was only ripping you further apart. Such different points of life that you two sat in, you couldn’t even begin to see him from where you were standing. How he was living his life without you and enjoying himself more than you would ever begin to understand. 

The stories you shared were the only highs you could offer him. The rest of your time was spent in a mundane existence that you could only dream about spending with him. That Danny would make better in a way that only he could. Knowing that after telling yourself for exponential amounts of time that he wasn’t thinking about you, didn’t need you, you didn’t truly believe that.

This evening proved that.

You crept out of the room before the sun rose that morning. Not wanting to be there when he woke up to face that light together. You wouldn’t do that to yourself. Because you loved him too much. Too damn much. 

Instead, you were going to survive off the hope that maybe one day way down the road there would be a glimmer of chance for you two. That chance didn’t exist yet, but maybe one day it would. Because that was all you had to go on. 

Hope. 

Your phone dinged into the room, vibrating against the wood of your nightstand table. You were getting ready to go see a movie with one of your friends and you thought the message was going to be from her that she was on her way.

Instead, Danny’s name sat on your screen, telling you that you needed to meet behind the mall at nine that night. One of your secret rendezvous points that no one would ever think to check into. 

Quickly messaging your other friend that you weren’t feeling your best that night and would have to cancel, you haphazardly changed your clothes and rushed out the door. He was already there waiting for you when you arrived. Arms enclosing around you and placing chaste kisses all over your face, neck, and arms.

Laughter echoing off the buildings as you weakly fought him off. “Where we going tonight?” You asked as he wrapped you in his embrace and started to move you both towards his truck. “Ah, that’s a surprise, bug.” 

The entire drive to the top secret location, you were tucked into his side as he drove, lips occasionally dancing across your hairline and temples. It was a fact that whenever you were with Danny that you were always beaming. He loved it. Seeing you so utterly happy. It was unlike any feeling he could describe. 

When you sat in an empty field that you two frequented together, he was smiling brightly, grabbing all of the supplies he had packed in the back of his truck. “We are watching the meteor shower tonight,” he finally told you as he made the bed of his truck into a makeshift bed for you both.

You had briefly mentioned this to him last week, but in actuality it was to the entire group, not realizing Danny had picked up on what you had mentioned. Crawling in between his legs, you back connected with his chest, letting his arms drape over you. 

With heads inclined up, you two watched the meteor shower for hours. They traveled across the sky so quickly you would miss them if you blinked. It had been quiet for most of the night, Danny just letting you enjoy this. 

It nearly startled him when you began talking. “Danny?” His lips pressed into the crown of your head, letting you know that he was listening. “Can you promise me something?” You were speaking quietly. Not wanting to spook the night. Worried that if you were to raise your voice, it would startle the stars from their resting spots. 

Speaking again before he had the chance to, it was choked out. “Promise me it’ll always be us, Danny.” Without a moment of hesitation, he tipped your head back, locking eyes with you as he lightly pecked your lips.

“Always.”

Nearly crying the entire flight home, you were filled with disappointment. They had dropped you off at the airport after a few wonderful days together, Danny hardly able to look you in the eyes. When he had woken up without you by his side, he couldn’t understand why you would have left. Maybe everything he had thought you two had was all a figment of his imagination. Something he had concocted in his mind to cope with the unreturned feelings he had for longer then he could begin to explain. 

All you had wanted was for him to stop you from getting on that plane and going back home. It was too much to ask. You knew that. You knew that Danny was never yours to lose. So why did it feel like you were? 

 But I can see us lost in the memory

August slipped away into a moment in time

Cause it was never mine

And I can see us twisted in bedsheets

August sipped away like a bottle of wine

Cause you were never mine

Every time you and Danny managed to sneak away from everyone it almost always was something different. Making sure to escape to somewhere you wouldn’t accidentally run into someone you weren’t supposed to be seeing. 

Sometimes it meant going to the arcade, movies, or ice cream. Always the next town over just to be safe, but still. It meant getting to spend time with him while you could. Before August would come to a close and you would part once more. 

Any time you could spend together was utter bliss. The summer months meant freedom, but it always held a deeper meaning to you. Summer was Danny. 

Every break wasn’t always the same though. You weren’t naive enough to believe that you were the only person Danny was seeing year round, but it was a stab to the chest when you came home for Christmas and saw he had someone else under his arm.

In the spot you should’ve been. But you knew it wasn’t fair to think like that. Danny wasn’t yours. The relationship wasn’t yours. There wasn’t a relationship there to claim. Instead, you forced a smile to your face and refused to look in their direction for the family Christmas party. 

By the time summer had rolled around again, you both found yourselves partnerless and ready to immerse yourselves back into each other. Your parents had left for a week-long cruise through the Florida keys which meant you had the house all to yourself while they were gone.

Which meant spending time with Danny every single night. 

He hadn’t left your house all week. You two had purchased enough food and drinks to last the entire time. Lying to friends that you had gone with your parents and that Danny was off visiting some distant relatives for the week had meant you two were golden.

Danny hardly let you out of his sight the entire time. Having christened the entire home, you two were laid in your living room on the final night, drunk on champagne you had purchased for brunch, but ended up not using for that purpose. Never having reached brunch. 

The fireplace was the only light source in the room, tv playing lowly in the back, you were sat atop Danny’s lap, bottle in hand and swigging from it. He was speechless, seeing you in this light, nude on his lap and seeing you unbelievably happy. 

The happiest he was sure he had ever seen you. The happiest he had ever been. He didn’t understand what he was feeling as he watched you. Relief? Content? Love? 

No, of course not. It wouldn’t make sense. It didn’t in his mind. That’s why he tabled it, pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, just wanting to spend the time he had with you, with you. No pressure, no anxiety, no expectations. Just the time you two spent together where it was just you two.

 What summer was for you, it was for Danny. You were summer. 

When Thanksgiving came, you were nervous. Extremely nervous to even be attempting to do this in front of your family and closest friends. In front of Danny. Everyone was warm and welcome to offer a seat at the table for your new partner. Nothing serious you noted, but wanting to get your mother off your back about bringing someone home, you bit the bullet and drug him along with you. 

Now as you felt eyes burning a hole into the side of your head, you were wracked with regret. You knew it was going to be hurtful to him. That’s why you didn’t want to do it, but how could you explain whatever your situation was with Danny to them? You couldn't, which is exactly why you brought this guy. 

Danny had never experienced these feelings before. Jealousy, sadness, anger to this degree. But he had to be fine with this because you weren’t his to put some sort of ridiculous claim on. No matter how much he wanted to. 

You weren’t his. 

Back when I was living for the hope of it all

Carrying on with life was proving to be much more complicated than you had intended. If you knew this would be the outcome, you wouldn’t have gone in the first place. Moping around your home was proving futile to your mental health.

Go figure, right? 

Curled up on your couch, you were startled when a pounding came from your front door. It was late, way too late for someone to just be casually showing up at your home. Slowly approaching the door, they knocked again, making you jump back just a couple of feet.

“Bug!” 

Instantly standing up straight at the voice, you threw the door open. Danny stood there, clearly nervous to be standing at your front door. His eyes were bouncing around at you and the surroundings, your mouth agape like an idiot. 

Blinking rapidly, you came back to your senses and fully opened the door and moved for him to come in as you grabbed his arm. “What-what the hell are you doing here? Why didn’t you call me? What’s going on?” You were rapid firing the questions off and as you went to ask another, he cut you off. 

“I shouldn’t have let you get on that plane.” 

You shut up. Facing him in utter confusion at his words, hearing the strained tone in which he spoke. Shaking your head, you didn't know what to say back. “I love you.” Was the next thing out of his mouth that nearly had you collapsing onto the floor.

Tears filled your eyes as you looked up at him to see him crossing the room to you. His hands cupped your cheeks as the tears fell down them. The tremble in his hands nearly disappeared entirely the moment he got his hands on you. 

“I love you, bug and I know you love me.” Your chin wobbled at his words, vision blurred from the continuous stream. “I shouldn’t have let you get on that plane. I’m not watching you leave me again. I can’t do it.” His mouth was set as he finished, refusing to accept any but your confession of love.

Your hands went to his wrists, grabbing at the familiar skin that you missed dearly. “You are mine. You’ve been mine since we were teenagers! I love you and you’re not leaving me again.” You sniffed, trying to find your voice to respond to him.

“I love you.” You finally squeaked out. His eyes shut, relief flowing from his veins at the admission. Bringing you to him, he connected you both in a needy mess. It was all you two needed. 

To be with one another past summer. Because despite Danny being summer, you knew that he was yours year round. And you were ready to stake that claim. 

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Ooooh, I love this. It's a classic 1940 Art Deco home in Norman, Oklahoma. It has 2bd 1ba and is listed for $385K.

The home has been completely refurbished and is turnkey.

Look at how cute it is. Like how they made the duct over the sitting area look like an architectural feature.

Typically rounded Art Deco fireplace. I would probably repaint that. They fitted a bookshelf into the cubby that was probably for firewood.

The eat-in kitchen area could probably handle a larger table.

Love the green cabinetry, floor tile and backsplash. Is that a compact double door fridge under the counter?

Love the black modern farm sink and the compact dishwasher.

The master is an ample size.

The bath was beautifully redone.

Look at this, they made a little family room with a washer/dryer and and a full-size fridge. Very nice.

Plus, a great covered patio outside.

Whoever redid this house did a great job. A lot of thought and style went into it.

Could plant some nice flowers around this area.

It's a nice corner property.

[batratcatman]

"So like... are you really sure you're cool with me hitting you up to... well, kind of brave the tide of how bad all of this can get? Even if I might just... well, sorta just chicken out." She sighed. Anticipation was causing her to tense up, not sure whether attraction or repulsion would win out.

"I don't mind if you show me how slovenly you can really get in your own home. Hit me with your worst shot, and... I guess we'll see where it goes from there."

“Aw, still so sweet! Don’t worry, quarter-ton, I won’t push you too hard! But if you’re here, means I can finally sto-OOUUURRP-holding these in~”

pffffFFFRRRRRRNNNTTT!!

“Ngh~! Feels good! But we shouldn’t do this out here, let me show you inside!”

As I turn on my driveway where you’ve come to meet up, I gaze back at my house…Which looks more like a refurbished warehouse. Sliding doors rise up for an entrance the size of a garage door. one that my hips and ass almost block, even feeling my flab press against it as I waddle through. But I stop halfway, might as well have some fun getting in!”

“Oh, give me a little push?”

bbbBBRRNNNnnrrtt…

[professionallydeadinside]

H*CK YEAH, HOUSE LORE!

Okay, so the house was build back in the early 1800s (I'm a sucker for Victorian houses, sue me) and was built by a guy for his soon-to-be fiance. However, unfortunately, the woman died to tuberculosis, and as a result, he died of a broken heart, and he unfortunately killed himself in the basement of the house. (Yes, he is the thing in the basement. He's chilling, tbh.) He had bought the whole acreage of land that was being sold, which racks up to about almost 10 whole acres. Multiple families, companies, and hotel owners try to own the land and whatnot, but unfortunately weird stuff started to happen anytime they tried to take down the house or try to refurbish it more than just fixing it up enough to be livable. People were saying that I was cursed, that it was destined to be abandoned, that nobody would live there, and everybody in the town was surprised when you bought it. They even had almost like a bet going on and how long you would last, and only the innkeeper down the very long driveway on the other side of the road want it by saying that you were going to stick it out and be there for a while. but even then, you've stayed there for a lot longer than people thought and they genuinely think that you are not leaving, and that some kids think that you might be a witch or consorting with something. The town is pretty small, maybe at biggest 900 people, and that's only a guess. On your property is a huge swatch of the woods that seem to surround the town, and that's where the more dangerous being seem to be. Your whole entire property is like super duper haunted. The house itself is a basic Victorian layout, living room, dining room, and kitchen are all downstairs. The basement is obviously underground, and there are two bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs. There's also an attic that you keep hearing things in, but you don't exactly know what it is sometimes it sounds like high heels, sometimes it sounds like just people walking about, sometimes it even sounds like animals are walking up there. The whole house has been newly renovated, but they unfortunately couldn't take down any walls because most of the walls were load-bearing, so every room is still pretty closed off. You've put in your own bits and pieces of your life in there, obviously, but you also have bits and pieces for everyone who's come forward and talk to you. So you have various '80s memorabilia for Yati, you have some furniture or accessories or decor from the 20s and 30s for me, you even have some punk memorabilia lying around for Silas. You even still have the original painting of the original owners wife hanging up in the entryway so he can look at her when he comes up, who isn't often.

You go all out during holidays, but especially Halloween, since you have the room. (Have you possibly leaned into the rumors of you being a witch or consorting with something that you shouldn't for halloween? ...Perhaps. Did Silas and Yati and I help you with that by being as creepy as possible when kids came to the door that believed in it? ...Maybe.)

Every so often Silas, myself, and Yati seem to almost say a different name when talking to you, then we freeze, look confused, and call you Axis, you know, your actual name. ...right?

-Kirk anon

SORRY I WAS MAKING DINNER BUT FUCKKKK I LOVE THE HOUSE BEING VICTORIAN BUT HAVING LITTLE THINGS THAT GO WITH THE GHOSTS.........

[maximumdreamerfox]

Turn Your Wreck into Cash with Smart Car Wreckers

Turn Your Wreck into Cash with Smart Car Wreckers

If you have an old, damaged, or completely wrecked car sitting in your garage or driveway, you might be wondering what to do with it. Maybe it no longer runs, or perhaps the cost of repairs far outweighs its actual value. Whatever the reason, letting it gather dust and rust is not doing you any favours. What if we told you that your so-called junk car could still put money back in your pocket?

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One of the biggest advantages of choosing Smart Car Wreckers is our competitive pricing. We pride ourselves on offering some of the highest payouts in the industry for unwanted vehicles. Whether your car is running or not, we assess its value based on reusable parts, metal content, and market demand to ensure you get the best deal possible.

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We’re not just about business — we’re about the environment too. At Smart Car Wreckers, we follow strict environmental guidelines to ensure every car we process is dismantled responsibly. Hazardous fluids are safely drained and disposed of, recyclable metals are sent to eco-friendly facilities, and usable parts are refurbished for resale. By choosing us, you’re helping reduce landfill waste and lower the demand for new raw materials.

[maguire-skips]

Reliable Skip Hire in Richmond, Coulsdon & Brixton – Affordable Waste Solutions

Proper waste disposal is essential for both residential and commercial projects. Whether you're renovating your home, clearing out a property, or managing a construction site, having a reliable skip hire service can save you time and effort. If you're looking for skip hire in Richmond, Coulsdon, or Brixton, we offer affordable, efficient, and environmentally friendly solutions to meet your waste management needs.

Why Choose Skip Hire?

Hiring a skip is one of the most convenient ways to handle large amounts of waste. Instead of making multiple trips to the local dump, a skip allows you to dispose of all your waste in one go. Here are some key reasons why skip hire in Richmond, Coulsdon, and Brixton is the best solution for waste removal:

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When undertaking a renovation, home clearance, or garden project, waste can accumulate quickly. Instead of piling up rubbish and worrying about transport, a skip hire in Richmond allows you to dispose of waste efficiently. We deliver the skip to your location, and once filled, we collect it at your convenience.

2. Cost-Effective Waste Management

Hiring a skip is more affordable than making multiple trips to waste disposal sites. Our skip hire in Brixton offers competitive pricing with different skip sizes to match your specific needs. Whether it's a small household clearance or a large commercial project, you only pay for the space you need, making it a budget-friendly option.

3. Environmentally Friendly Disposal

At a time when environmental concerns are growing, responsible waste disposal is crucial. Our skip hire in Richmond, Coulsdon, and Brixton ensures that as much waste as possible is recycled, reducing landfill impact. We follow strict guidelines to separate materials like wood, metal, plastic, and green waste for sustainable disposal.

Types of Skips Available

Different projects require different skip sizes. Here’s a guide to help you choose the right one for your needs:

Mini Skips (2-3 yards) – Ideal for small household clean-ups, garden waste, or minor renovation projects.

Midi Skips (4-6 yards) – Perfect for medium-scale clearances, including kitchen and bathroom refurbishments.

Builders' Skips (8 yards) – Designed for construction debris, including bricks, concrete, and heavy materials.

Large Skips (12-16 yards) – Suitable for commercial projects and bulky waste like furniture and large garden waste.

If you're unsure about which skip size you need, our team can help you choose the right one based on your waste volume.

How Skip Hire Works

Booking skip hire in Richmond, Coulsdon, or Brixton is simple. Here’s how the process works:

Step 1: Choose Your Skip Size

Select a skip based on the amount of waste you expect to dispose of. If you're unsure, it's always better to go for a slightly larger size to avoid overfilling.

Step 2: Book Your Skip

Contact our team to arrange a skip hire in Coulsdon or any of our other service areas. Let us know the delivery date and duration you need the skip for.

Step 3: Delivery and Placement

We deliver the skip to your chosen location at a convenient time. If placing it on a public road, we can arrange the necessary permits.

Step 4: Fill the Skip

Once delivered, you can start loading waste into the skip. Avoid overfilling, as this may result in extra charges or collection delays.

Step 5: Collection and Waste Disposal

When you're finished, we collect the skip and dispose of the waste responsibly, ensuring recyclable materials are processed correctly.

Skip Hire Regulations and Permits

If you're placing a skip on private property, such as a driveway or construction site, no permit is required. However, if the skip needs to be placed on a public road, you may need a permit from the local council.

Our skip hire in Brixton team can assist with securing any necessary permits to ensure compliance with regulations. Failing to obtain a permit when required can result in fines, so it's always best to check beforehand.

What Can You Put in a Skip?

Most household and construction waste can be placed in a skip. However, there are some restrictions:

Allowed Waste:

 ✅ General household waste ✅ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs) ✅ Garden waste (branches, soil, grass) ✅ Construction waste (bricks, concrete, metal) ✅ Plastics and packaging materials

Restricted Items:

❌ Hazardous waste (asbestos, chemicals, paint) ❌ Electrical appliances (fridges, TVs, washing machines) ❌ Batteries and gas cylinders ❌ Medical waste ❌ Tyres

If you need to dispose of restricted items, we can advise on alternative waste management solutions.

Why Choose Our Skip Hire Services?

With years of experience in skip hire Richmond, Coulsdon, and Brixton, we are committed to providing:

Reliable Service – Prompt delivery and collection, ensuring minimal disruption to your project.

Affordable Pricing – Transparent pricing with no hidden costs.

Eco-Friendly Solutions – Responsible waste disposal with high recycling rates.

Expert Advice – Guidance on the right skip size, permits, and regulations.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a skip is the most efficient way to manage waste, whether you're undertaking home improvements, commercial clear-outs, or construction projects. Our skip hire in Richmond, Coulsdon, and Brixton ensures a hassle-free experience with prompt service and affordable rates.

For a reliable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective waste disposal solution, get in touch with us today. Let us help you keep your space clean and your project on track!