#have to get one (1) load of laundry in the machine now

[thedubioustruth]

Seems like today is one of those days I'll be liking more than I'm posting.

Love a low energy day.

[wol-fica]

shamelessly requesting for a smut with any JO char that gives g!p r head when r is asleep 👉🏻👈🏻👉🏻👈🏻

based on this:

https://twitter.com/_maiqo/status/1661162706739638272?s=20

summary - ^ (in the link)

an - that comic did something to me…

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Tara hummed softly to herself, throwing her dirty laundry in the washing machine. She had just finished taking a shower after her nap and her workout, and was now planning on organizing and cleaning the apartment after a spurt of energy came to her.

She turned on the machine, before opening the dryer to get out the fresh load she did earlier. The clothing was warm on her finger tips, sending a pleasant chill down her spine from the heat.

After settling the laundry basket on her hip, she strolled out of the scullery to head to the bedroom to fold the clothes. Tara was aware of you sleeping, you had told her you were probably going to take a nap after school, which is why she found you passed out on your shared bed.

She smiled at the sight, gazing at your sleeping figure for a moment. You stirred slightly, a soft mewl passing through your lips as you rolled onto you back. Tara cooed at you, taking out her phone to snap a picture before going into your shared closet to silently put away her clothes.

She slid an airpod into her ear while she worked, quietly singing and dancing along while she folded her garments. Her music was loud, but not loud enough to drown out the noises you started to create. At first she thought you were just dreaming, being that you were huffing and mumbling, but that soon turned into pathetic sounding whimpers and whines that had her concerned.

So she came out of the closet, her eyes finding your body shifting uncomfortably in your sleep. She frowned, coming around the bed in thoughts of waking you up until she saw what was making you so squirmy.

There, under the conceal of your slightly tight grey sweatpants, was a large bulge. Tara’s eyes widened, her gaze focused on the rather huge tent in your pants. She glanced at your exposed stomach, her pupils expanding at the flex of your abs and the line of dark hair leading into your sweats.

“Oh sweetie…” She mumbled, kicking off her shoes and shorts before climbing onto the bed with you.

She knew you needed your sleep, the nap was well awaited and very much useful for you tomorrow, so she planned on making sure you stayed that way.

She watched you inhale deeply, before her hands grabbed the hem of your sweats and pulled. Your cock spring free, standing at a tall 7 1/2 inches, with its veins throbbing and a small amount of precum leaking at the tip. You were big, the biggest Tara had ever seen and taken, but she wasn’t complaining in the slightest.

Her mouth watered as she pushed your legs up and apart, so they were bent at the knee and spread open for her. She got a good view of your balls, large and twitching as you dreamt about god knows what. She squeezed them slightly, before diving in with a broad lick up your shaft.

You groaned, hips bucking up slightly at the feeling. Her tongue reached your tip, catching the precum that was leaking out. She licked her lips, savoring the sweet taste of you before opening her mouth to take your tip in.

Her lips wrapped around you, tongue expertly licking and massage your sensitive top. You whined above, your thighs twitching in Tara’s grasp. She hummed in response, taking more inches into her mouth before you were sat snugly in the back of her throat.

“Mmph!” You moaned, one of your hands sliding down into her hair, “T-Tara!”

Her eyes snapped up to you, seeing your head thrown back into the pillow and your lips parted in a guttural moan. She smiled around your length, her tongue sliding up and down your shaft that sat in her throat.

Tara loved having you like this, enjoying the control she has over you. It was different from when you were buried in her pussy, that feeling was more intoxicating and pleasurable, while sucking you off was more satisfying and relaxed. She knew she was giving you the pleasure you needed, and she knew you very much loved it as getting a blowjob was one of your favorite things.

“Baby…” You whined, hips bucking up, “Please…deep throat me…”

She blushed at your forwardness but complied, opening her jaw wider to take the rest of you in. Soon, her nose bumped against your abdomen, the head of your cock nestled deep in the back of her throat.

She gagged around you, taking a long inhale through her nose before licking and sucking around your member. You cried out her name, both hands now in her hair to try to get her even closer. Slurping noises could be heard throughout the bedroom, mixed in with Tara’s muffled moans of satisfaction.

The knot tightened, a familiar feeling growing until it snapped abruptly. You came with a cry of her name, your cum shooting straight into her stomach. She swallowed greedily, throat bobbing with each suck.

“F-fuck…okay okay…” You pulled on her hair, trying to get her off due to overstimulation.

She giggled, pecking your sensitive tip before crawling up to sit on your abdomen. Her hands cupped your face, leaning down to kiss you passionately.

“That was extremely spontaneous.” You mumbled against her lips, feeling yourself harden when her ass bumped against your cock.

“Mmm, and you should let me spontaneously ride you.” Tara suggested, grabbing the hem of her shirt to pull it over her head.

She reached behind her to unclasp her bra, letting the garment fall and tossing it somewhere behind her. Her breasts spilled free, round and plump and waiting to be sucked on.

“Let me sit up.” You murmured, moving to do so while Tara got your own shirt off of you.

“God…your abs are sexy as fuck.” She observed, running her hands along your muscles, “So toned…”

You chuckled, pulling her hips up and back so your tip could run through her folds. She hissed at the feeling, pushing your hands away so she could have control. You let her, watching with blown pupils as she slowly lowered herself onto you.

She let out a hefty moan, her face scrunched at the feeling of you being so deep. Her walls pulsed around you, warm and velvety. Soon, her hips began to rock back and forth, creating an easy rhythm for her to follow.

Tara shuttered, moaning your name freely as she worked. Your hands found solace on her waist, kneading and pushing her as you pleased. You encouraged her, pulling her up and slamming her back down on your length to suggest a proper bounce.

She complied, adjusting herself before beginning to bounce up and down on your cock. The sight of your penis appearing and then disappearing back into her had you feeling like you were on cloud nine. With each slam of her hips, a large bulge appeared in her stomach from the sheer deepness that you achieved.

She kept going, resting her hands on your chest to give herself leverage. Her tanned skin had a sheet of sweat on it, creating a glossy look for her. Her hips grinded down into yours, causing you both to moan at the feeling.

“Damn babe….you look so good in my lap.” You praised, squeezing the fat of her ass, “So pretty and perfect.”

Tara moaned in response, rocking herself harder on top of you. She was chasing her high, clearly seeking the satisfaction of cumming. Your patient was wearing thin, and soon broke when her pace slowed slightly.

So you grabbed her by her hips, forcing her down onto your thickness before flipping you both over on the bed. Your hips pulled back before slamming into her, pounding away at a fast pace that had her losing her breath with each thrust.

Your head dipped down, mouth finding solace with sucking her nipple. Her hands clawed at you, your name being screamed as her walls clamped down tightly. She came with a loud cry, her back arching prettily while a gush of wetness covered your penis.

That didn’t stop you though, and you brought her straight into another orgasm as you finally found yours. Your hips drilled into her until you pushed yourself as deep as you could go, pumping and humping pathetically against her while you came.

“Fuck.” You breathed, letting Tara run her fingers through your hair, “That was…I…”

“Shhh.” She murmured, kissing your temple and pulling your face into her neck, “You still need that nap.”

“While I’m still inside of you?” You questioned, sleep crowding your senses as she scratched your scalp.

“Just go back to napping.” She cooed, teasingly squeezing you, “I’ll be here when you wake up.”

You purred, giving her a sudden pump of your hips that made her squeal in surprise, before pushing her legs up onto your shoulders and pounding yourself back into her.

“Screw napping, I wanna fuck you.” You whispered into her ear while she screamed your name.

——————————

ye

[sp4ceboo]

CHAPTER 6 ~ CALM BEFORE THE STORM

beneath a crimson sky masterlist | ch 1 | ch 2 | ch 3 | ch 4 | ch 5 | ch 6

pairing: stray kids ot8 x afab!reader

genre: apocalypse au, dystopian, dark, adventure, action, thriller, fighting, eventual smut, romance

a/n: apologies for the sparse updates i swear i'm still alive, icl i have beef with this chapter in terms of characterisations but the next chapter is my lil baby so yall can look forward to that

chapter warnings: large amounts of crying, swearing, panic attacks, mentions of mind control, for some reason i really like The Hello Kitty Blanket, not much else but i probably forgot at least 1 thing

chapter word count: 3.6k

When you wake, you are lucid. Too lucid, it seems, because you recall your dreams with such clarity that you throw up, emptying the meagre contents of your churning stomach into a bucket someone had handily placed by your side. You do not want to believe what you’ve seen, so you chalk it down to the fever.

It’s early in the morning, and Jisung lies propped up against the wall beside the makeshift bed the boys must have made you, heavily asleep, a half full bottle of water held loosely in his hands. You manage to heave yourself upright, and it’s only then that you notice the rope tied loosely around your wrists and ankles, tied to the foot of the centrifuge and tethering you down.

Your stomach twists. Felix. You hurt Felix.

And yet, Jisung snores peacefully beside you. There is a calm in his slumbering face, a tranquility. He feels safe to sleep beside you, and no one has deigned to disturb him from his position - then, they don’t blame you, nor do they fear you.

Hesitantly, almost expecting your body to disobey your orders, you reach out and pluck the bottle from his grasp, taking careful sips until it’s finished. With a glance behind you, you notice Jeongin has sat up, rubbing his eyes, and that Chan is making his way towards you. He looks a little paler than before, and the semicircles beneath his eyes are darker.

You cannot imagine for the life of you why they have stayed and looked after you.

Unbidden, a smile finds its way onto your face as he approaches, and it widens when he returns it, his dimples appearing in his cheeks. Relief is clear on him, in the slight sag of his shoulders and release of tension in his brow, as if a heavy load has been lifted from him.

“Hey,” he whispers, crouching beside you, eyes bright and hope filled as he unties you. “I knew you would make it.”

“Chan,” you say, and suddenly your voice and smile are wobbly.

You reach out your hand, simply intending to grab ahold of his hoodie and remind yourself that you’re fine now, that they didn’t leave you even though they should have, but he goes one step further and engulfs you in his arms. Breath shaky, you close your eyes, holding onto him as tightly as you can.

Chan is warm and solid, and he smells ridiculously like clean laundry despite the fact that none of you have gone near a washing machine in weeks. It feels as if he is keeping you whole, as if you might crumble apart if he lets go. You squeeze your eyes shut and breathe him in.

You’re able to find your voice once your face is hidden in the safety of his shoulder. “Did I hurt anyone?”

“No,” he says, and you can’t tell if he’s lying or not. “You were pretty weak when that stage set in.”

You nod, trying to find words. “How - how long was I out?”

“Just under a week.”

Your jaw drops. “A week?”

“Yeah,” he says. “The next ship hasn’t landed yet. We met three guys looking for the rest of their group. The leader - his name was Hongjoong - has dubbed it the Reprieve. I just think it’s the calm before the storm.”

You blink. “You talked to someone? Were any of them sick?”

Getting to his feet, Chan shakes his head. “I don’t think anyone has been since the first horseman’s ship took off.”

Grabbing his hand, you stop him. “Thank you, Chan. You - you didn’t have to put yourself or the boys in danger for me, but you did, anyway.”

“I did what I’d do if it happened to any of us,” he says, as if it’s the simplest thing in the world to him.

You’re about to reply, but you’re cut off by a drawn out gurgle from your stomach. Chan chuckles, his dimples appearing again. He is so bright, so clear, that it is hard to believe the shadows could even survive while he was there.

“I’ll get you some food in a second,” he grins. “Minho, Changbin, Felix, Seungmin, Jeongin and I are going out on a supply run. We don’t know how long the Reprieve will last so we’re going to try and stock up as much as possible in case we need to hole up when the second horseman comes.”

Briefly, you consider volunteering yourself too, but although you feel healed, you’ve been out for the last week and you need to rest. No doubt Chan would refuse to let you come along, anyway - he hands you a can of pasta shapes drowning in synthetic tasting tomato sauce, and you scarf it down while the lab begins to fill with life as the others wake up.

Felix bounds over and hugs you, followed closely by Hyunjin. You scan the former’s face for any signs of fear or hurt, but he beams at you, and your soul feels a warmth it hasn’t in a long time. There’s a beauty in his smile that is so hard to come by, now.

All of the boys greet you once they’ve woken up, even Minho, who kind of just stares at you like he can’t believe you’re alive. You don’t blame him. Hope is rising in your chest, the same way it shines in Jisung’s eyes when he jerks awake to see you conscious and radiates from Jeongin’s smile, because despite it all, you survived Pestilence, and if you survived the first horseman, maybe there’s a chance you’ll all be able to live through the next ones.

The hope rises so high that you dismiss your fever dreams. It lingers, wonderfully so, and rests on you, Hyunjin and Jisung after the others go out on the supply run, filling the three of you with bubbling laughter as the hours pass.

And then, abruptly, it falls short.

The sun is setting, painting the already red sky redder, and the others do not return. They do not come bustling through the door, laden with plastic bags full of supplies. Their voices do not echo down the street as they make their way back to the lab.

There are plenty of reasons they could have been delayed. They could be lost, or maybe they met that guy called Hongjoong again, yet you can’t help but feel the sinking feeling of despair re-enter your chest, when before you’d been so light and happy and hopeful. Hyunjin stares down at his lap and picks nervously at his cuticles. You glare worriedly out the window, tapping your foot on the floor.

Jisung begins to hyperventilate.

Immediately, you scoot over until you sit on the floor beside him. He’s rocking back and forth, his hands clenched into fists so hard that you know his nails must be digging painfully into his skin. His worry is contagious, settling in your bones and creeping into the back of your mind, armed with doubt.

Hyunjin is frozen where he is sat, and for a terrible, mind numbing moment, you feel painfully out of your depth - you know you could fight to protect him, but this is not something you know how to deal with. Minho or Chan would know what to do, not you.

Still, you prise his hands open so you can hold them. Positioning yourself so he can feel the press of your front against his back, you grip him tight enough for him to stop rocking. You tell yourself that the others will come back, repeating those words like a mantra, and even though you cannot fully deceive yourself, it steadies you nonetheless.

“Breathe with me,” you command, in a voice that leaves no room for arguing - a voice that sounds just like Chan’s.

Jisung’s breathing stutters, his chest heaving with the effort of it, but he fights to obey you, and you hold him close to you, grounding him even when his grasp on your fingers begins to sting with how hard he squeezes them. His trembling begins to ease up, and you loosen your arms on him, but he grips onto your wrist, keeping you wrapped around him. Carefully, you stroke his hair, keeping your breathing slow and deliberate.

“I’m here,” you soothe. “Jinnie’s here as well, okay?”

He twists in your arms so he can face you. Tears have tracked down his cheeks, and you wipe them away with your thumbs, a tight ache developing in your chest when his face crumples and he hides himself in your embrace again. Hyunjin shuffles over, resting his head on your shoulder and stroking a hand down Jisung’s back. You realise he’s shaking too.

“What if the next wave starts and they’re out there?” Jisung asks quietly.

“We’d have seen the ship coming down,” you tell them firmly, pushing back flashes of your dreams that crowd your head. “It’s not over yet.”

Hyunjin nods against your shoulder, a little sniffle escaping him. You wrap an arm around his shoulder and bring him a little closer, resting your chin on his head. The three of you stay like that for a while, tangled together as you listen to the sound of your heartbeats; there is a tension filling the lab not unlike the tightness in the air before rainfall, and you attempt to tamp down your worries, keeping them to yourself when the sky becomes the darker than the deepest of red wines and stars begin to wink to life.

This is the calm before the storm. You’re just afraid that your own, more personal storm might have arrived before the big one.

“I hate them,” Jisung announces after a while, and his arms tighten around you.

“The aliens?” You ask.

He nods. “I don’t care if they hear. I hope they hear - I hope they know I hate them for what they’ve taken from us.”

He has raised his head from where it was resting on your shoulder, and there is a fire in his eyes that you have not seen before, paired with pain woven through with a bitter sort of determination - the type derived from spite, the dogged tenacity to survive. A lump grows in your throat. You pull him close again, burying your face in his hair so he and Hyunjin don’t see the tears welling at your lash line.

You hate the aliens too. You hate them for their fucking games and stupid horsemen, you hate the way they’ve invaded your sky, you hate that they have broken millions of hearts and torn families apart. And now, if the others don’t come back, another family will have been lost.

The waiting makes you feel helpless. Restless, you pace circles in your mind, wondering whether you should go out and search for them, but that would leave Jisung and Hyunjin alone, and the next horseman could arrive at any time. You want something to do, something to put your mind off the worry, but there is nothing. All you can do is pull the two of them closer to you and soothe them with hollow words.

You’re about to suggest trying to eat something when the sound of footsteps approaches. You’re all on your feet in seconds, hurtling to the door, and before you can think to caution him, Hyunjin has shoved it open and looks out with wild hope bright in his eyes.

It’s dark outside. You can see silhouettes making their way towards you, their heads bowed tiredly, and though you can’t see their faces, you know for sure now - it’s not over yet. It won’t ever be over, as long as you’re all together and breathing.

Jisung sprints out into the street and hurls himself right into Minho’s arms.

You slump against the doorframe, relief swamping any anger you felt at them for coming back so late. Minho has dropped his bags and is gripping Jisung tight, his nose buried in the younger man’s hair, eyes squeezed closed - the sight is poignant enough to make your vision blur with unshed tears, vanquishing the tension that had been pervading your body for the last few hours. You step into Felix’s arms, your knees feeling as if they may give out any second.

“What happened?” You breathe out, sheltering in his embrace.

“There were dogs,” he replies, patting your back soothingly. “We were stuck balancing on top of a food shelving unit until they got bored and left. I’m sorry, we came back as fast as we could.”

You almost find it in you to laugh. All that worry, while the boys were camped out on the top shelf, waiting for animals that used to be beloved pets to lose interest in them. It feels as if you should take it as a warning, a reminder that you should take nothing for granted, but it fills you with a vicious triumph instead - they came back, and that’s what matters.

You squeeze him hard enough that he squeaks. “Don’t be sorry. Just, I was - we were scared. Shitless. Don’t ever do that again, you fucker.”

He laughs, and suddenly, with that bright sound ringing sweetly through the air, everything is alright again.

Everything continues to be alright until, a few hours later, you all decide to sleep, and though you are not alone as you once were, the dreams still come.

Snatches of laughter echo in your ears. Grasping, shadowy fingers tear at your hair and clothes. A blonde woman and a bronze skinned man, reduced to nothing but puppets, command swathes and swathes of survivors.

Reaping more than should ever be taken, great slaughter and boundless hunger ravages the land. There is only endless falling, like you are trapped in the vast pull of a black hole.

Eventually, you wrest yourself from the visions' claws.

Panting, sweat breaking out all over your skin in sharp prickles, you sit up, kicking the blanket off you. You pause for a moment, listening. Tonight is a rare night where Chan is actually asleep - his breathing is deeper and far slower than it is when he lies with his eyes closed, pretending. He is still next to you, frighteningly so, and you wish you could not so easily imagine him lifeless beside you.

Moonlight bleeds from the crack in the blinds, alighting on Hyunjin’s shoulders and spilling from them like a crimson cloak. His head is bent towards someone else, a slighter figure, with light hair, blonde hair -

She’s here.

And then you realise that the blonde is slightly grown out, that it’s far too glossy and a little too short to be hers. You deflate in relief. It’s just Felix. When he turns his face towards you, you see his sweet eyes and his freckles, and wonder how you could have ever seen his hair and mistaken him for her, even in the near darkness and from across the room.

Felix smiles and beckons you over, and you get up, keeping your footsteps quiet. The two of them have tucked the Hello Kitty blanket around them - a glance over your shoulder reveals that Changbin is now sharing Seungmin’s blanket, tucking himself tight against the younger man’s back, even in sleep. Hyunjin opens the blanket on his side, and you gratefully wedge yourself in.

The lab air is cold and a little biting, as if there aren’t solid walls separating you from outside, but you feel warmed by their actions, by the openness blooming so plainly on both their faces that it makes your heart ache.

“Nightmares?” Felix asks.

Mutely, you nod.

“Do you want to talk about yours?” Hyunjin asks. “Sometimes it helps.”

You blanch. Telling them of your fever dreams feels like speaking truth into them, like giving them the power to become real. There’s a chance that they’re just the substance of your terrified mind, but they have a strange quality to them, like the humming, disastrous tone of a prophecy. Not telling them could be withholding information that might be valuable.

“I had these visions when I was ill,” you blurt, then quieten your voice. “I don’t know if they were visions or dreams. Either way, they showed the next three horsemen.”

Hyunjin sucks in a sharp breath, stiffening beside you. Although he doesn’t say anything, Felix reaches out and squeezes your hand, and you cling to him like he’s your anchor, willing yourself to continue. It is harder than expected to describe what you saw - the images flash before your eyes, the scents and the sounds right in your head, and yet your tongue is stiff in your mouth with fear and dread.

“The one coming now is War. He…” You struggle with your words, wondering how many details are needed. “I think he possessed these two people. They’re supposed to be generals of some sort, maybe. Once he looked at them, they were his.”

Hyunjin curses under his breath. A rustle sounds nearby, like the sound of someone rolling over, and you glance up, aware that your voice had risen and taken on a panicked edge near the end of your sentence. Jeongin is stirring, but soon he relaxes, and you twist the blanket in your fingers, worrying at a loose thread.

“Keep going,” Felix urges.

“The third one is Famine. She was terrible, but beautiful too,” you murmur, unable to meet their eyes. “This one was hazier. I just remember the hunger, so strong that I would have done anything to destroy it. It felt like my body was changing, too, but I think that part was symbolic of something. Like the weighing scales she had.”

“Symbolic, like of the monsters humanity is becoming?” Hyunjin says, the horror clear in his voice.

Swallowing harshly, you press on. “The last was Death. There are blurry parts, parts I can't focus on, like what he said to me, but I remember other bits. Falling. What he looked like. I was - ” Your voice cracks. “ - terrified. That’s the clearest bit. The fear. I was helpless.”

Felix squeezes your hand. “We’ll - we’ll make it through. We’ll survive them.”

You can’t fathom how strong he must be to say that.

“Please don’t tell the others,” you whisper. “In case it’s not true, and it was all just some crazy fever dream. I - I don’t want to scare them. Chan will worry.”

“I agree,” Felix replies. “We don’t know if it’s real.” He squeezes your hand again. “Thank you for telling us.”

“Thank you for listening,” you mumble.

What you really mean is: thank you for staying, thank you for looking after me while I was under Pestilence’s hold, while I went crazy and could have killed or hurt you all. They are insane, for risking their own lives for you, merciful where the end of the world should have hardened their hearts.

Hyunjin is silent. You are too afraid to glance over and look him in the eyes, for fear that you will be condemned by what you will see in them. He doesn’t say anything for a long time, just huddles under the blanket with the rest of you, and you wonder if he hates you for being the bearer of news that could be the death of every person in this room.

You wouldn’t be surprised if that is the case, yet when he finally turns to you, he hugs you tight - tight enough to squeeze all the air out of your lungs, yet it doesn’t suffocate you. It feels like he’s holding you together, just like it did with Chan.

You allow a few of your tears to soak into his shirt before you pull yourself together.

When you raise your head, you realise Hyunjin is crying too, and yet the tears streaking down his cheeks look like war paint. He looks strong, like a warrior prince, and fearsome. Though he weeps, it is the farthest thing from a weakness.

And then he yawns, rubs at his face, and he is just sleepy, Hello-Kitty-blanket-around-his-shoulders Hyunjin again. Still, you see the remnants of that magnificence, and you know that although it has receded, it is as much a part of him as the tired but brave smile he sends you when he catches you looking.

“Shall we go back to sleep?” Felix asks.

You nod, and Hyunjin stands, wiping his eyes and holding the blanket around his neck like a cape. A smile tugs at your lips, and he grins down at you, doing a little twirl - the soft fabric flares out at the bottom, and you duck to avoid getting smacked in the face by it, opening your mouth to tell him that he looks like some sort of Sanrio monarch.

A keen whine splits the air like a guillotine.

The colour drains from Felix’s face, and his eyes dart immediately to the window. Hyunjin freezes. Suddenly, Jeongin is up, and he rolls right out from under the blankets and onto his feet, crossing the room to the window so he can yank the blind open. Baffled, you follow his gaze, and your heart sinks.

It’s a ship. The next horseman is coming.

You haven’t heard the sound of one of their ships before - you’d been delirious - but there’s no doubt left in your mind as one of the dark specks in the sky detaches from the others and arcs towards the ground like a falling star.

The Reprieve is over.

taglist: @estella-novella @0bticeo @lixies-favorite-cookie @smashleywow @realrintaro @extremechaoswarning @4l17h4 @hyunjinsjeans @insufferablyunbearable @lovemepie67 @needsumcomfypillowstosleep @loumin908 @rxlvvrz @iris-iiridescent @brbwritingfanfic @missseoulite @juliettejwnewinesa (let me know if you want to be added)

[bwabys-scenarios]

Fixer Upper

Part 2

Perv!Kurapika x Fem!Reader

part 1

part 3

taglist: @fabitheraven @tsukilover11 @ashdownunderscorebeloved @lemonslut @homeinmydreams @superweeniehutjrsblog

if you’d like to be ADDED to the taglist, please comment a red heart ❤️, make sure you’re able to be tagged/mentioned, and have your age in your bio(IF YOU ARE ALREADY ON THE TAGLIST, YOU DON’T NEED TO ASK TO BE ADDED AGAIN!!)

warnings: mentions of Kurapika injuring reader in the past

(Name) threw the last article of clothing into the washing machine before starting it. It was around 7:30 am, and the boys were in the kitchen eating breakfast as she did some last minute cleaning.

“Killua, will you put this load of laundry on when it’s done? Kurapika and I are going into town to run some errands.”

Killua nodded, his mouth full of some sugary cereal he’d picked out.

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to pick you up some more chocolate robots.”

His eyes widened and he nodded frantically, seemingly excited.

“I should get ready. We leave in 30 minutes!”

She turned on her heels and ran upstairs, tripping halfway up before running up the rest.

Killua snickered. “She always trips on the 6th step. I think it’s slightly taller than the others.”

Kurapika hummed in response. He wasn’t paying much attention, focused on his breakfast. Today it was a fluffy omelet with a side of mixed fruit.

Now that he wasn’t shoving the food into his mouth so fast he could choke, he had to admit it was pretty good.

Once he was finished, he left to get dressed. (Name) had laid out his tabard and his old shirt. The torn sleeve of his shirt had been messily sown up, but it would do until he could get another one today.

As he pulled the shirt over his head, he noticed how good his clothing smelled. Usually he would just wash it with scentless detergent, but now it smelt floral.

‘Mmm… I wonder what detergent she used.’

He pulled the tabard on and looked at himself in the mirror.

For the most part he looked… okay. His hair had grown out to graze his shoulders, in need of a trim. Kurapika rubbed a strand of his hair between his fingers.

The day before his hair had been dry, yet oily at the same time, but now it was soft and smooth. Her shampoo worked miracles for him, but it didn’t fix his hair entirely. There were still split ends, but overall he felt a lot… better. Slightly more put together than he had been in a while.

After quickly combing his hair, Kurapika left his room.

(Name) was waiting by the front door, and he had to admit, she looked awfully cute.

Today she wore a floral tank top and jean shorts. On her back was a hello kitty themed backpack, several keychains hanging from it.

He recognized one of the keychains, his chest tightening slightly.

“You ready?”

He gave a curt nod, (Name) opening the door. “Alright, let’s go!”

——————

Kurapika climbed into the passenger seat of (Name)’s car. The front seat was clean and tidy, but one look in the backseat told him Killua had been there.

There were chocolate robot boxes strewn across the car floor along with random toys and gadgets.

“… does killua ride along with you often?”

(Name) laughed. “Yeah, he does. I take him wherever he needs to go, that includes to the airport when we pick up Gon or Alluka.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Gon stays with you as well?”

“Yeah, unlike Killua he has a loving home to return to, so he’s here less, but he visits for at least a week or two every other month. You should see the car when HE’S here.”

“I assume it’s worse?”

“You assumption is correct.”

The two laugh, (Name) cranking up the car and backing out of the driveway.

“What’s our plan for the day?” Kurapika asked, staring out the window as they drove through the neighborhood.

“First, we’re stopping at the nearest men’s clothing store and getting you some clothes.”

“Then?”

“Then we’ll stop and get you your own soap and toiletries.”

He nodded.

“We’ll grab some groceries, and should be home before lunch.”

Kurapika pulled his satchel into his lap and looked around. He still had his wallet, thank god. While running the other night, he’d dropped several of his personal items, including a pair of sunglasses, his portable soap, and his spare change of clothes.

“We’re pulling up!”

Kurapika glanced up to see they’d pulled into a small parking lot, (Name) parking before getting out and stretching.

“Ugh, I hate shopping so early in the morning, but I hate the crowds even more.”

“I second that.”

Kurapika joined her, making sure his weapon had been left in the car. He didn’t want to make a scene in case it were to fall from his satchel.

The two walked in, (Name) picking up a basket at the door.

“Hmm, Kurapika, what are you looking for exactly?”

“A few pairs of pants, shirts. Maybe a set of pajamas. I won’t be staying with you long.”

She nodded, grabbing his hand and leading him to where he needed to go.

Her hands were always so soft and warm, a sharp contrast to his cold and calloused ones. He looked down to where their hands connected, his eyes softening.

“Oh, here it is!”

She let go and pointed. “You should be able find everything you need over here. I’m going to go look at the kids section. Killua’s grown out of his favorite pair of shorts, so I’m going to get him a bigger size. He’s pretty particular about what he’ll wear. Not as bad as Gon, though.”

She giggled to herself. Kurapika nodded, making a fist with the hand she’d held in an attempt to keep her warmth from escaping.

“Alright. I’ll meet you back at the car in 15 minutes.”

(Name) left the store with a shopping bag full of clothes, Kurapika raising an eyebrow.

“Didn’t you say he only needed a new pair of shorts?”

She purses her lips. “Well, the more I thought about it, the more I realized he’s grown out of his dress pants, and several shirts. Oh, and he’s always losing his socks.”

He smiled. ‘She’s like a mother. It’s… sweet.’

“I see. Well, if we want to get back before lunch we should get going.”

Her eyes widened before she unlocked the car. “Crap, you’re right! Let’s go!”

He almost laughed at how fast she slipped into her seat, following behind her.

—————

The next place they stopped at was a large grocery store. Kurapika and (Name) walked together to the hygiene care aisle.

“Mmm, are you okay with normal mint flavored tooth paste?”

“Yes. I’m not exactly picky.”

She nodded, placing a tube of toothpaste into the shopping cart, along with a red tooth brush and floss.

“Hmm.”

(Name) looked over the small selection of men’s hair and body wash. Between the 5in1 bottles to the soap that smelled too intense, (Name) was having trouble helping Kurapika pick.

“What do you usually use?”

“The scentless kind.”

She hummed in response. “Is there a specific scent you’re going for?”

“Not really, again I’m not picky.”

(Name) peeked at him, thinking of her next words carefully.

“So… you wouldn’t mind checking out the women’s selection then?”

He glanced at her. “I wouldn’t, but why do you ask?”

“Well…”

He knew exactly what she was thinking of.

While in York New together, the group of five had gone out to dinner. When the waiter stopped at their table, he hit on Kurapika, thinking he was a woman.

It was very awkward. Kurtapika didn’t hear the end of it the entire night, the other boys only stopping when (Name) put an end to it by saying they were jealous he was pretty enough to be hit on.

The memory of her words still made his heart flutter.

“No reason. The women’s section just has…”

She stared at the 5in1 bottle with a frown.

“Better options.”

He couldn’t argue with that.

The women’s section was something Kurapika had only ever looked at in passing, the man staring at all the options in shock.

“There’s more neutral scents down here. How about this one?”

She handed him a bottle, the man lifting the lid and taking a whiff.

It smelled tropical, like mango and coconuts. While smelling good, it wasn’t too intense.

“This is fine.”

She added it and a matching set of conditioner to the basket. “How about a body wash with a similar scent?”

He nodded, not paying much attention. Kurapika didn’t care too much about what she picked for him, knowing it would smell good and be good quality. She always worried about small details like that.

“Oh, wait.”

He blinked, staring down at her.

“I forgot, you had a bad reaction to this brand when we bought it in York New. Let’s try another one.”

Kurapika was surprised. He hadn’t even remembered that, how had she?

“Let’s do this brand instead. It’s a similar scent too!”

Kurapika grabbed the basket after she set the new set of hair wash in, the girl giving him a questioning look.

“… I’ll carry it for you.”

It was the least he could do.

She didn’t argue, only smiling up at him. “What a gentleman.”

His cheeks turned pink, the man quickly turning to walk toward the food section of the grocery store.

“Hehe, thank you sweetheart.”

That didn’t help his cheeks cool down at all.

(Name) walked along the aisles of food, tossing random items in.

“Mmm, we’re out of crackers… oh and Killua’s favorite cereal…”

She stopped suddenly, turning back to Kurapika with a grin. “If you see anything you like, just toss it in!”

The blonde nodded hesitantly, following behind her.

After a few minutes, he spotted the pretzels he would snack on the most often.

(Name) caught him looking, immediately grabbing the bag and dropping it into the cart.

“… thanks.”

She didn’t respond, but sent him a smile before throwing another item into the cart.

Kurapika began to notice that nothing she had gathered was for her. She’d say this or that was for Killua or Leorio, but not a single thing was just for her.

“Oh, I need to grab some more meat, used the last bit of chicken a few days ago.”

She was talking to herself, off in a different world as she left the snack aisle, leaving without something of her own.

“Ahh, finally.”

The two were back in her car, the girl groaning. “Grocery shopping is the worst.”

Kurapika buckled himself in, watching as she pulled out of the parking lot.

“We’ll get home just before lunch time. Anything you want?”

He shrugged. “I’m-“

“I get it, you’re not picky, but is there something you’d prefer?”

Kurapika thought for a moment. Was there a food he liked more than others? He knew there were, but nothing that she would be able to cook. They were all Kurtan recipes.

But one thing did come to mind.

“… sandwiches.”

She nodded. “Alright, we’ll have sandwiches for lunch!”

Kurapika stared out the window for the rest of the car ride. For the first time in a while, he was looking forward to lunch.

———————

They pulled into (Name)’s driveway about 15 minutes later. Before getting out, she sent a text to Killua.

“Why are you texting him?” Kurapika asked.

‘She’s about to to inside, can’t she just tell him whatever she needs to then?’

His question was answered when killua came sprinting out of the house, throwing open the door to the car and grabbing grocery bags quicker than a normal person would be able to process.

“Was… was that-“

“Killua? Yeah. He takes the groceries inside in exchange for chocolate robots.”

The two leave the car, Kurapika opening the front door for her.

“(Name)!”

Killua stopped mid bite of a freshly unwrapped chocolate robot to jump up and smile. “What’s for lunch?”

(Name) hummed as she walked into the kitchen, Kurapika following behind. “We’re having sandwiches today.”

“I want ham and cheese!”

“Coming up!”

Kurapika watched from behind the kitchen counter awkwardly.

“Are you going to help her put up groceries, or are you just going to stand there looking dumb?”

Kurapika turned to see Killua staring at him with an annoyed expression.

“I was going to.”

Kurapika brushed past the boy, picking up a random item and staring at it.

“(Name), where does this go?”

“Oh, in the cabinet on the left!”

Killua snickered from his seat, Kurapika shooting him a look before putting the item away.

This went on until they were finished, (Name) patting him on the back.

“Thanks for the help! Now I can get lunch done faster.”

He just nodded in response, lingering in the kitchen. Kurapika wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself when he wasn’t busy. Should he sit and watch TV? Help (Name) with lunch? Go rest in his room?

His decision was made for him when (Name) grabbed his hand.

“Kurapika, why don’t you go sit down and I’ll bring you some lunch? You’re still not fully recovered, some rest will do you some good.”

Kurapika let out a relieved sigh. “Alright.”

He sat down on the couch, trying to relax. Kurapika wanted to recover as soon as possible. The faster he recovered, the faster he could get back to finding the scarlet eyes.

Killua jumped slightly when his side vibrated, patting his pocket and then pulling out his phone.

He put in his password before answering.

“Gon? Hey.”

Kurapika perked up. It had been a while since he’d seen Gon. He’d felt guilty about not being there for him when he’d nearly died around a year ago, so he’d been avoiding him along with (Name).

“Yeah. I’m sure she won’t mind. Hey, (Name)?”

The woman in question hummed in response, placing a finished sandwich on a plate.

“Gon’s asking if he can come over this week and stay for a month while his family renovates their house.”

“That’s fine, make sure he tells Aunt Mito I appreciate that basket she sent me after…”

She trailed off. Killua seemed to know what she was talking about, glancing at Kurapika with a frown.

“I will. I’ll be right back.”

Killua walked out of the room, continuing to talk to Gon while he did.

This interaction troubled Kurapika. Were they keeping something from him?

‘I’ll ask a few questions, perhaps it’s just my imagination.’

“She sent you a basket? What kind?”

(Name) paused, a piece of ham falling onto the floor. Kurapika noticed this, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh, just a gift basket. Nothing special.”

“Uh huh…”

He began to ask her another question, but Killua walked in beaming.

“He’s catching a flight tonight and will be here in the morning!”

(Name) composed herself, giving him a smile back. “Oh dear, I may have to do another grocery run if Gon is coming. I’ll call Leorio and see if he wants to meet up as well. It’s been a while since we’ve all been in one place!”

Kurapika froze, another memory flooding back.

“No… no (Name), you can’t. I won’t let you.”

The girl wrenched her wrist away from the rage filled blonde, wincing at the pain blooming beneath her skin.

“I can, and I will. Why won’t you let me help you? You had no issue with Gon and Killua-“

“That’s because they aren’t fucking weak like you!”

Kurapika would never forget the look on her face when he yelled at her for the first time. Leorio had to step in to make sure she was okay, saying Kurapika had fractured her wrist.

The man glanced at the girls arm, seeing no injury. It had been two years, of course she wasn’t still hurt, but the memory of the pain he’d caused her would haunt him forever.

He was torn from his thoughts when (Name) called for him. How she still managed to smile at him after he’d hurt her didn’t make sense to him.

Kurapika was still that same man, willing to do anything to fulfill his mission. He knew, if he had to, he could bring himself to hurt her again.

And that’s why he couldn’t stay for long. It was better if he was gone, where he couldn’t hurt anyone he loved.

The sandwich he’d been looking forward to sat in front of him, the crust cut off the ends.

She’d remembered he didn’t like the crust.

He took a bite, letting himself enjoy a meal with his friends by his side. Kurapika knew this wouldn’t last forever, but just for a moment (Name) was sitting next to him, and Killua was laughing away at something random on TV.

It was peaceful, not quiet, but… calm.

—————

“Killua, I know you’re excited, but you should go to bed. We have to get up early to pick up Gon.”

Killua was currently pacing the hallways. He was in his new pajamas, staring up at the clock as it ticked away. (Name) flicked the light on and yawned, leading the boy into the kitchen.

“Let’s warm you up some milk. Should help you sleep.”

The sound of a door opening caused her to jump, the girl turning to see Kurapika rubbing his eyes from the doorway to his room.

“Is something the matter?”

(Name) tried not to react. The man was shirtless, only wearing a pair of baggy sweatpants.

“No, Killua is just having trouble sleeping.”

The boy pouted. “I can stay up for three days at a time you know.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you should.”

She ruffled his hair, the boy swatting at her hands, but Kurapika could tell he didn’t mind it at all by the way Killua was smiling.

“Sorry for waking you. Would you like some tea? I’ll be back down in a minute.”

Kurapika nodded, opening his door all the way and walking out into the living room. Killua raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you half naked? (Name) is right here.”

The man looked down then back up. “The clothing I bought today is still being dried.”

(Name) waved her hand dismissively. “I promise I don’t mind. Come on Killua, let’s get you to bed.”

She rushed off, dragging the boy behind her.

Kurapika watched in mild amusement, leaning against the counter.

He looked down at his torso again, frowning lightly.

Kurapika had lost weight again. When alone, he only ate just enough to fuel himself, rarely eating a full meal.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to eat, he was just way too busy to have the time to. He’d get cranky in the middle of the day just to remember he had yet to have eaten anything.

A sigh escaped his lips. He ran his fingers through his hair. Kurapika didn’t want to worry her, he’d seen the way her smile faltered when he said he hadn’t been eating right.

He stood up and began to rummage through her cabinets.

——————

“You’re too trusting of him.”

(Name) sighed, plopping down onto the rocking chair beside Killua’s bed. When he had trouble sleeping or the occasional nightmare, (Name) would stay by his side singing lullabies until he drifted off.

“He didn’t mean to hurt me, he just has trouble controlling his strength when he’s angry. He already apologized for that”

Killua scoffed. ‘Yeah, and for that only.’

“It could happen again. And if I did I would-“

“It won’t.”

She pushed back the hair on his forehead and planted a kiss. “He’s going through a lot, and I know that doesn’t excuse his actions, but let’s enjoy the time we have with him, alright?”

The boy sighed. “You’re too forgiving.”

“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t let you live here,” she teased as she ruffled his hair. “I’m glad I don’t rent, with the amount of damage you’ve caused.”

He pouted, obviously embarrassed from the trouble he’d caused.

“Try to be nice, alright? He’s our guest.”

“As long as he’s nice to you.”

(Name) groaned. “No, Killua, you should be nice to him regardless. Even if-“

“Even if people are unkind, you shouldn’t let it influence your actions, blah blah blah. You’re being hypocritical. Didn’t you chew Illumi a new one during the final phase of the Hunter Exam?”

She pursed her lips. “That’s different. Adults stand up for children, not the other way around.”

She stood up, leaning down to tuck him in.

“Now, sleep. I’ll come check on you in an hour, come knock on my door if you need me.”

She stood up, making sure his nightlight was on before leaving the room. “Goodnight Killua, sleep tight.”

“Goodnight…”

She closed the door behind her.

(Name) began the decent downstairs, humming to herself. She could smell something, but couldn’t quite place the scent.

“(Name)? Perfect timing, the tea is almost ready.

(Name) peeled into the kitchen, seeing a tea kettle on the stove.

“Oh, thanks! You didn’t have to.”

He shook his head, placing two cups on the counter and inserting a tea bag into each.

“It’s… the least I could do.”

It was hard to look her in the eye now. He’d only been able to do it once during his stay, quickly shying away after.

He missed seeing the pretty (e/c) color of her eyes.

Kurapika set the cup of tea in front of her, (Name) inhaling the scent with a happy sigh. “Mmm, it smells amazing.”

She smiled up at him, those eyes staring right into his.

He looked away immediately, moving to sit right beside her to make eye contact harder to achieve.

“Have trouble sleeping?”

Kurapika took a moment to answer. “Yes. I get nightmares sometimes.”

He’d told her about that before, during the Hunter Exam. She placed her hand on top of his, pretending to not notice him flinch.

“We can watch a movie until you’re ready to sleep.”

He nodded. “Alright.”

He wanted to say no, to go back to his room and suffer in silence, but he couldn’t. He needed to be with another human being right now, to feel their warmth next to him.

It helped that it was (Name), one of the only people he could tolerate.

The two carried their cups to the couch, (Name) offering him a throw blanket before grabbing one of her own.

“Let’s see what’s on…”

(Name) turned on the TV, the last channel on being the news.

“It’s been reported that a member of The Phantom Troupe has been spotted downtown, causing havoc. Citizens are warned to stay indoors-“

(Name) changed the channel quickly.

“That’s unfortunate but-“

She was interrupted by the sound of his cup crashing onto the floor, the man standing up and rushing to the laundry room.

When he returned, she could see his eyes flowing a bright red.

“I’m leaving to check out that report.”

(Name) stood, grabbing his sleeve. “Kurapika, you shouldn’t, it’s late and you’re not fully recovered y-“

Kurapika whipped his head around, his enraged face enough to make her let go and shrink away. It he wasn’t so angry, he’d feel awful that he could cause such a reaction in her. Calming himself enough to talk without screaming, he gave her a small smile.

“… I’ll be careful. Don’t wait up for me.”

He left without another word.

——————

Killua woke up to (Name) shaking him.

“Come on, get ready. We’ve got to be at the airport in 30 minutes.”

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, pausing.

“I don’t sense Kurapika. Did he leave or something?”

Killua finally got a good look at (Name). Her hair was a mess, and her eyes were red with dark bags decorating them.

“He… it was reported that a member of the Phantom Troupe was causing trouble down town, so he left to see if it was true.”

Killua jumped up. “When did he leave?”

(Name) sighed. “At around 1 am, so 6 hours ago. He…”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “He hasn’t answered my calls.”

“Did you get any sleep?”

(Name) shook her head. “No, but I just had a cup of coffee so I should be fine. I’m taking a nap after we pick up Gon, so don’t worry.”

Killua nodded, pulling out his phone to text Gon. The two may need to go searching for the blonde later.

The two got dressed, (Name) downing another cup of coffee before getting in her car.

“We’ll pick up some breakfast after getting Gon.”

“Alright. He said he’s getting his luggage now.”

The two sat in silence, the only sound a random pop song playing on the radio.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the airport. As they waited outside for Gon, (Name) attempted to call Kurapika again.

Killua frowned when she pocketed her phone.

“He’s still not answering?”

She shook her head. “No. He’s… he’s probably busy.”

This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. Killua remembered the countless phone calls him and Leorio had made when Gon had been hospitalized.

If only Kurapika knew (Name) had been in critical condition too.

Killua hoped that if he had known, he would have come. That hope was the only reason he was able to allow Kurapika in (Name)’s home.

She’d begged them not to tell him, though she wouldn’t say why.

“Killua, (Name)!”

The two looked up to see Gon sprinting towards him, his luggage flying through the air behind him.

The boy jumped into the air, pulling them both into a hug so fast they all toppled over.

“Hey, careful! (Name) could of gotten hurt!” Killua scolded while squeezing Gon tight.

“I’m fine, Gon you’ve gotten taller!”

The three laughed, Gon pulling (Name) to her feet. “Aunt Mito says she’s going to put a brick on my head to keep me from getting taller than her.”

Killua stood as well, pausing when he stood in front of Gon.

“I have to agree with her. You’re taller than me now!”

It was true, Gon had grown to be an inch taller than his white haired friend.

“Aww he’s just having a growth spurt. You’ll have one too, maybe if you’d eat more of your vegetables-“

He smacked a hand over her mouth.

“(Name)! I eat plenty of vegetables.”

“Do chocolate robots count as vegetables?” Gon asked, giving him a sly grin.

“Shut up, both of you.”

—————

(Name) and the boys entered a small diner, Leorio waiting for them inside.

“(Name), Gon, Killua! It’s been forever!”

The man pulled them into another hug, Killua squirming free.

“It’s only been three months.”

“That’s way too long!”

(Name) laughed. “It’s going to be nice to finally have the whole gang back together!”

Killua and Leorio shared a look.

“I heard Kurapika was in town. Where’s he at now?”

Killua shot him a look, shaking his head.

“Ah. Did something happen?”

The three sat an a random booth, the boys sitting together on one side and the adults on the other.

“He… last night he saw the news reporting there was a member of the Phantom Troupe in town.”

Leorio groaned. “I saw that too, I was just hoping he wouldn’t. What, did he go to check it out?”

She nodded. “He left at around 1 am and hasn’t answered any of my calls.”

“I’m sure he’s fine, Kurapika is strong. We should try not to worry.”

Gon wasn’t wrong, but Leorio knew (Name) would worry anyways.

“Didn’t get much sleep last night?”

Leorio glanced from the dark circles under her eyes to her nails tapping against the table.

“Yeah. Was…”

“Waiting for him to get home?”

She nodded, picking up her menu. “I’m alright though. I’ll take a nap and be good as new.”

Gon noticed Killua frown. The boy nudged his friend.

“Is something up?”

“… no, just…”

He sighed. “Just worried about the current situation.”

Gon hummed, leaning his head against the table. “We can go look for him later if he doesn’t show up by lunch time.”

The waitress took their orders, leaving the group in silence.

“Hey, why don’t we have a get together to celebrate Kurapika being in town?”

Gon didn’t seem to get that the man was a sore subject right now.

“We can have a sleepover at (Name)’s! It’ll be just like the Hunter exam when we all slept together on the airship!”

(Name) grimaced. “Ugh, sleeping on the floor then made my back hurt so bad I thought I was going to die.”

“That’s because you’re a baby. We were fine.”

“Well I’m sorry I wasn’t raised to be an assassin that can sleep anywhere or a mountain boy that could sleep on a bed of nails and wake up refreshed.”

Killua snickered, Gon tilting his head. “I haven’t slept on a bed of nails, but I have slept on a bunch of rocks.”

“My point stands.”

The three laughed, Gon joining in their laughter after a moment.

“Alright, we’ll have a sleepover. How about tomorrow night?”

Leorio nodded. “That’s okay with me. I’m free the rest of the week.”

(Name) leaned against her seat, humming in thought. “I’ll have to go grocery shopping tomorrow morning, then. Everyone send me a list of what you want, including snacks and finger foods.”

———————

Leorio joined the group at (Name)’s, following behind her in his car.

The boys requested to ride with him, Leorio saying he needed to stop to get gas before coming home.

(Name) exited her car, carrying a takeout box she’d ordered for Kurapika. When she reached her door, she paused.

It was open.

And there was a trail of blood leading through the doorway.

(Name) stared at it for a split second, her eyes going wide.

She set the box down by the door and walked in, careful not to step in the blood.

She could sense someone was here, but their presence was faint. (Name) followed the trail, her heart thumping against her chest as she climbed up the stairs.

She already knew who would be at the end of the trail, all could she do was hope he would be alive.

(Name) stopped in front of the bathroom door, the sound of the shower turning off causing her to pause.

She could hear someone approach the door, then walk away again. (Name) waited a few minutes before the door finally opened.

“(Name), you’re home.”

Kurapika stood before her, his hair still wet from his shower. She stared up at him, tears falling from her eyes.

“You… all that blood…”

“None of it was mine, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

An instant relief washed over her, the grip she’d had on her shirt relaxing.

“I see. You’re okay, then?”

“Mostly. Just… tired.”

(Name) leaned her head against his chest, the man becoming stiff as a board. His hands stayed at his sides as his eyes bore into her.

He wanted to embrace her and apologize for making her worry. From just one look he could tell she hadn’t listened and had stayed up waiting for him.

“You wouldn’t answer me, I was so scared…”

She gripped the front of his shirt, tears soaking into the fabric.

“I… it was hard to answer with my hands covered in blood.”

(Name) sniffled before pulling back and rubbing the tears from her eyes. He’d done it, he’d made her cry again. Just how many tears would he make her cry over him?

“(Name) we’re- HOLY SHIT IS THAT BLOOD!?”

The sound of several sets of footsteps running inside made (Name) sigh. “It’s okay, I’m upstairs.”

Killua was the first one there, grabbing (Name)’s arms and looking over her. “You’re not hurt? Wait is that Kurapika?”

“Kurapika!!!”

Gon launched into the air and hugged the blonde, who laughed and patted his head. (Name) watched with a halfhearted smile. She wish he’d give her some affection too.

Kurapika explained the situation to the other three, the boys nodding along.

“So, was it really a member of the Phantom Troupe.”

“No, just a copycat.”

(Name) walked downstairs carrying the bathroom laundry hamper. His clothes had been completely soaked with blood, and would need to be hand washed before going in the washing machine.

Kurapika sighed, rubbing his temple. “I dealt with them as quickly as possible, but… I needed a moment to calm down.”

“(Name) didn’t sleep last night, you know. Could have at least called her.”

Kurapika frowned. “I left my phone at home.”

“That’s…”

(Name) looked at him with confusion. “That’s not what you said earlier…”

The four stared at him.

“Why didn’t you call us? Be honest.”

Leorio put a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed.

“I… I couldn’t. I didn’t want to admit I was tricked into thinking a Troupe member was actually here.”

(Name) sat down next to him and squeezed his hand. “It’s alright. Just don’t do it in the future, okay?”

Gon and Killua shared a look. Kurapika hasn’t been completely honest, and they could tell.

‘If she knew I didn’t call her because I couldn’t stand to hear her worry over me, she’d think I was an asshole. Who the fuck gets angry over their loved ones caring about them?’

Kurapika ate his takeout silently as the others chatted, only stopping when they mentioned something about a sleepover. He coughed on his food, (Name) patting his back.

“A what?”

“A sleepover! Since you’re in town, we wanted to celebrate! We’re going to have a sleepover like we did on the airship.”

“That wasn’t really a sleepover, also I got drooled on by (Name).”

She gasped and smacked Kurapika’s shoulder. “You said you wouldn’t tell anyone!”

He tried to keep a neutral expression, but his eyes twinkled with amusement. “Did I? I don’t seem to remember that.”

She folded her arms to her chest and leaned against the couch with a huff.

The others laughed, even Kurapika joining in.

“Ugh. I’m going to take a nap, wake me up before 3 pm.”

She stood, leaving the four alone.

——————

The group of four sat in silence for a while, Kurapika staring down at his lap with tired eyes.

“You’ve been MIA for a while.”

Leorio was the one to break the silence.

“(Name) wasn’t sure why you hadn’t updated her. She had to call me to get any kind of update on your well being.” Leorio stated, running his hands through his hair.

“I… I’ve been busy. It’s dangerous for me to be contacting too many people.”

“Is that the excuse you’re using?”

“We’ve all been really worried…”

Killua and Gon sat together in front of the TV, having turned around to face Kurapika.

“I know. I’m… sorry.”

Killua looked him up and down. “You should be saying that to (Name). I haven’t forgot what you said to her.”

Kurapika froze.

He hadn’t forgotten either. Not for a single day since.

“… I can’t apologize for that. It would be dishonest.”

“You didn’t have any trouble lying to her earlier.”

The blondes eyes widened.

“What was the real reason you didn’t call her, huh?”

Kurapika shook his head. “It’s none of your business.”

“If it’s affecting (Name), I think it is.”

Killua and Kurapika had a stand off, the two glaring at each other. Gon stepped in between the two.

“Hey, let’s not fight! Maybe Kurapika has his own reasons for not sharing why he couldn’t call her. Let’s just get along, okay?”

Killua huffed and sat back down. “Whatever.”

Kurapika stood up. “Im going to nap as well. Talk to you all later.”

He left, closing his bedroom door behind him.

[avastrasposts]

The Pilot and his girl - ch 11

Now we're getting into the fun part! 😋 The metaphorical shit is about to hit the fan as Frankie and our reader get ready for their one year anniversary on September 26, 2013. I had a lot of "fun" writing this chapter and I hope you enjoy it even though I'm now taking a seriously hard left turn with this series, away from the fluffy little bubble I've wrapped us in. The warnings will contain spoilers so I've put them in a separate post and will update them as I go: Warnings

Word count: 6.2 k

Chapter 12

Chapter 1, if you want to catch up from the beginning

Taglist: @pimosworld @i-own-loki @casa-boiardi @littlenosoul @stormseyer @mxtokko  @javicstories

“Cariño! I’ve got to go now, come kiss me!” Frankie calls through the apartment as he pulls on his boots, hastily tying them up before he tugs on his jacket. “Carinooooooo!” he wails, “come kiss me goodbye, I can’t leave if you don’t kiss me!” 

You spit out the toothpaste and rush to rinse your mouth, before opening the bathroom door, looking over at your baby of a boyfriend who’s currently standing by the door, bag in hand, making puppy eyes at you. “Cariñoooooo!" he wails impatiently while you pad over to him on bare feet, shaking your head. 

“You’re such a baby, Francisco Morales,” you wrap your arms around his neck as he bends down and gives you a wet kiss on your lips before trailing more wet kisses down your throat. 

“I can’t leave if you don’t kiss me,” he gives you a fake pout as he stands up. “You’re sure you’re ok to pack everything up on your own? I’ll be back as soon as possible so we can just load into the truck and go.” 

“Yeah, it’s fine, I’ll do some laundry and pack the last of the food. Just ring me when you leave work and I’ll be ready to go when you’re back.” 

“Ok, hermosa, mi amor, my gorgeous cariño, happy anniversary, my love,” Frankie captures your chin between his thumb and fingers and you smile up at him as he gives you another long kiss. 

“Happy anniversary, Frankie, my love,” you mumble against his lips, giggling as he tries to push you up against the door, groping at your ass, “I thought you had to leave.” 

“I do, fuck, but I don’t want to,” Frankie sighs, and plants a final kiss on your mouth before he opens the door and heads out, “I’ll see you this afternoon, hermosa,” he smiles, “te amo.” 

“Love you too, Frankie.” 

You lock up behind him and continue to get ready. The plan is to head out of the city and up to Denny’s cabin as soon as Frankie’s back from work. You’re working from home today to save some time, you’ve set aside manuscripts to read and that’s best done from home anyway. 

Frankie had surprised you a couple of weeks ago by telling you he’d asked Denny if you two could borrow the cabin for your anniversary, have a little holiday together. Today was exactly one year since you met at The Outback Bar and it had been the best year of your life thanks to Frankie. A weekend escape, just the two of you at the cabin, sounded like the perfect way to celebrate. To make matters even better you’d closed on a house just a few days ago, all the paperwork signed, you didn’t even have the keys yet, but you’d still spent the past three days mentally decorating the whole place. Frankie had sent Lucía pictures of the house and her room and she’d been over the moon to see the pictures of the pool outside. Now you were planning on throwing your very first Thanksgiving dinner at your new house together with Frankie and Lucía. 

You allowed yourself to get lost in daydreams for a while as you finished your breakfast and cleared the kitchen, throwing a load of clothes in the washing machine. While it ran its cycle you sat down at your small home office and went over the manuscript. 

Frankie called you just after lunch with bad news. 

“I’m sorry, cariño, I think I’ll probably be later than I thought, things are fucking crazy today,” he sighed over the phone. “One of our choppers crashed, we can’t get hold of the pilot, I’m just fucking praying he’s ok, Denny’s on his way out there now.” You can hear him rub his hand over his face, rough against his scruffy beard, “And I’ve got to fly three doctors to different locations, apparently they’re swamped, all kinds of crazy shit happening, it’s like it’s a full moon night but it’s midday.” 

“It’s fine, Frankie, just fly safe, you’ll get here when you get here and if it’s too late we’ll drive up tomorrow.” 

“Yeah, but I wanted to be with you all weekend,” he huffs, “Fuck, I’ve got to go, Denny’s on the radio. Talk soon, cariño.” He hangs up before you have a chance to say goodbye. 

By the time seven pm rolls around you have everything packed up for the trip to the cabin, you’ve been checking your phone for Frankie’s phone call for the past hour. He hadn’t been exaggerating when he said things were crazy today, you’d gone down to the corner store for some snacks for the road and found it closed, shutters down even though it was only five pm, the streets empty. And on your way back to the apartment you’d seen a police car crash into a small car. You’d started running over to the crash to see if you could help but a police man had stumbled from the cruiser and yelled at you to get back inside, to stay away. Something in his voice had scared you and you’d turned back straight away, running back to your building and up the stairs. 

Once back in the apartment you’d locked the door and tried calling Frankie, but he didn’t pick up. That wasn’t unusual, he usually couldn’t answer when he was flying, if you really needed to get hold of him you’d call Denny and he’d patch you through on the radio. But you tried Denny too and there was no reply there either, not on his cell or the landline to the airfield. 

So now it’s seven pm and you’re getting antsy. There are an extraordinary amount of police sirens outside, the news are talking about riots in the streets downtown, but the footage makes it look more like a warzone and the local news cuts the broadcast when someone attacks the camera man. 

At nine you’re pacing the apartment, back and forth between the big window facing the street and the small window in the kitchen overlooking the parking lot. When your phone rings you jump, and relief floods your chest when you see that it’s Frankie. “Frankie, where are you? Did you see the news?” you ask when you pick up, but you’re interrupted by him straight away. 

“Cariño, where are you? Still at home?” He sounds stressed and he’s breathing hard. 

“Yeah, I’m at home, waiting for you, of course. What’s going on, are you running?” You press your phone to your ear, trying to hear what’s going on around him, you can hear people shouting in the background. 

“I was, I’m trying to get away from Washington Park, I…I got into some trouble,” he stutters, “some guy was beating up another guy and I pulled over to stop him, I had to pull him off the other guy but he was fucking crazy, like high on salts or something, never seen anything like it. He came after me and I had to…I’m sorry cariño, I had to…take him out.” 

You hear the shame in his voice, you’ve only talked a couple of times about the guy in the bar Frankie beat up because he thought he’d hit you. He knew his skill at violence scared you and he’d done his utmost to prove to you that he wasn’t a violent person. But now he’d had to take this guy out, in self defence, and he was trying to explain it to you. 

“Just get home, Frankie,” you say, “we can talk when you get here, just get home.” 

“I’m trying, hermosa, but the police turned up and…fuck…hang on.” 

You hear his heavy boots shuffling over broken glass and hard ground, he grunts as he seems to move through or over a structure, nearly dropping the phone. 

“Ok, I have to keep moving, hermosa,” he pants, “the police turned up and…they thought I’d killed the guy, the didn’t see him beating up the other guy an-” 

“You killed him!?” your eyes are wide, you’ve stopped dead in your tracks in front of the big window. 

“I don’t know, cariño, the police came, they pulled their guns on me, I had to run and-”

“Frankie, why the fuck did you run from the police? You’re gonna get into so much more trouble now!” 

“I couldn’t stay, something isn’t right, some weird shit is happening all over town.” 

“And fucking running from the police after beating someone to death is the way to make it less weird, Frankie?” you spit out, you’ve been worried about him for hours but now your nervous energy shifts into anger at his stupidity. “Just get the fuck home and we’ll deal with this mess in the morning, or just maybe just turn yourself in, it’s gonna look so bad with you running from the scene.” You sigh, pushing your fingers through your hair, “Frankie, why’d you have to be so reckless?”  

Frankie bristles, you can hear his anger, “You don’t understa-” he begins but suddenly your phone goes dead, cutting him off. You look down at the screen and curse, you have no reception, there are no bars, it looks like the service has overloaded or gone down.

“Fuck,” you say out loud, and turn it off, maybe a restart will help, but no luck. Your phone is still dead and when you try calling Frankie on your landline phone it goes straight to voicemail. You leave a message, telling him to just come home as soon as possible. 

After that there’s not much to do except wait, you resume your path between the kitchen window and the living room window, stopping every now and then to flick through the news, all hell seems to be breaking out across the state, even the country. You try calling Frankie a few more times but it still goes straight to voicemail. The knot in your stomach is growing, making you feel nauseous with nerves. 

You call Pope but there’s no reply so you call Will’s landline. Hannah picks up and she’s frantic with worry about Will, he’s not back from work and she can’t get hold of him either. Benny was meant to have dinner with them and he’s taken the car to try and go pick up Will at work but with the cell phone services down she can’t reach him either.  

“I don’t know what the fuck is going on,” she almost cries, “I saw people running down the street just now and I don’t know if I should leave or what?” 

“No, just stay put, Will or Benny will come back there so just lock up and wait,” you say, you can’t stop yourself from biting your nails, you feel panic rising in your throat.

You promise to keep in touch and update each other, when you hang up you feel sick to your stomach. You desperately want Frankie to come back, you need to see him and feel his arms around you, tell you it’ll be alright, but no matter how many times you call, you only get his voicemail. You ring a few extra times just to hear his voice repeat the same message. 

“Hi, this is Francisco Morales, I can’t pick up right now, please leave a message.” 

“Please, please, please, Frankie, come home, come home, baby,” you whisper into the phone as you listen to his voice again. 

Night has fallen outside and it’s even worse, around the city fires have broken out and from your apartment you can see a couple of them burn out of control. Just after midnight the news channel stops broadcasting, suddenly, in the middle of an update. You flick through the channels but there’s only static on all of them. 

You call Will’s place again but there’s no reply, you hope that means Benny has brought back Will to Hannah, and they can’t pick up right now, maybe they’re on their way here. 

Just as you’ve put the phone down it rings again and you snatch it up. 

“Frankie?” you almost cry down the receiver but instead you hear Pope’s worried voice. 

“Is Frankie there?” he asks, you can hear the stress in his voice. 

“No, he called at nine, he…he was in some trouble but I don’t know…he was on his way home, but he’s not here yet,” your words rush out, “Pope, what’s  happening? I can’t get hold of Will or Benny either and I’m freaking out!” 

“I don’t know, it’s a shit show, people are…listen, I’m not too far from you, I’ll try and make it over there. I’m on a military frequency so my phone’s still up, I’ll call you if anything. Just stay put inside, keep the door locked.”

“Yes, yeah, of course, I’m waiting for Frankie, I’m not going anywhere,” you say, double checking the lock and deadbolt on the front door. 

“Do you have a weapon, a gun, baseball bat, knife, anything?” he asks, you can hear him jogging, his shoes drumming along whatever hard surface he is on. 

“I don’t know, I don’t think we have a gun, we have a baseball bat, and the kitchen knives,” you frown, looking out the window again, “Pope, why do I need to arm myself, are people looting?” 

“Yeah, they’re looting and it’s getting violent, so stay inside, and don’t open to anyone except me or Frankie. And don’t talk to anyone but me or Frankie, ok?” 

“Ok, I’ll dig out the baseball bat straight away but…but just get here, please, Pope, I’m really scared.” You leave the window and go to the closet in the guest room where Frankie keeps his old bat. 

“I know, I know, I’ll get there as soon as I can.” 

“Hurry, please, and stay safe, Santi,” you say, you can feel tears gathering on your lashes as your voice starts to wobble. 

“I need you to be strong, ok,” Pope’s voice is firm, as if he’s giving a soldier orders, “I need you to handle yourself, if someone tries to come through that door, you need to defend yourself, do you understand? Even kill them if it comes to that, do not let anyone attack you.”

“Santi…” you stumble, “I can’t..”

“I know, but you have to. This is serious, Frankie’s not around so I need to make sure you’re safe, and for you to be safe, you need to be ruthless now, do you understand?” His voice has a sharp edge, he’s breathing hard, moving fast trying to get to you, and the reality of what he’s saying hits you. 

“I promise, Pope,” you whisper, “I’ll…I’ll try my best to defend myself, I’ll try.” 

“Good, I’m about an hour away on foot, but it’s slow going. Give me two to three hours and I should be there.” 

“Stay safe, Santi, please,” you beg, pressing the receiver of the phone to your ear, as if hearing the voice of your friend will keep him and you safe. 

“I’ll try my best, and stay strong for me, and for Frankie, ok?” 

“I will,” you promise. 

… 

When his phone dies, Frankie hears the click and then nothing. He had a feeling this would happen, it’s mayhem in the city and the system is bound to be overloaded, so the lack of reception is no surprise, but he still curses under his breath. 

He was moving down narrow back alleys, jogging fast, staying off the main streets, avoiding people, especially any police, as he tried to get away from Washington Park. When he’d put some distance between himself and the park, he’d stopped to call home. He’d crouched down just behind a dumpster, keeping out of sight, while he talked to her. Now he stands up carefully, looking up and down the alley and considers his next move. The keys to his truck are in his pocket, it’s still where he left it by the park, he could maybe try to get back to it but the police are sure to be there. 

But something, at the back of his head, tells him he needs to keep moving and get home as fast as possible. Things are not normal, the whole day has been a shit show, but now, now it’s getting out of control. The man he’d tried stopping beating up the other guy had been raging, he’d turned and attacked Frankie so fast he’d barely had time to react. Only his instincts from the army, slower now but still just under the surface, had saved him from getting bit, fucking bit! 

The guy had actually tried biting him when Frankie sidestepped, and tripped him up, making him fall to the ground. He’d been on his feet in a flash and Frankie knew the guy was high on something when he saw his eyes, so he’d sidestepped again and swung an elbow to the guy’s head, hitting him in the temple. It had been harder than he’d intended but the sudden attack had his adrenaline running high, and the man had dropped to the ground and remained motionless. 

As he started running, when the police pulled up, his only thought was to get away as fast as possible. But as he ran, as he put a couple of blocks between him and the park, he saw others starting to act strange. When a city bus crashed into a taxi he dodged into an alley, the passengers on the bus flailing about inside as if they were locked in battle with each other. Frankie’s gut was yelling at him that something was very wrong, this was not just a weird day, this was something else, but he couldn’t wrap his head around what was going on. So he’d stopped to call her, to hear her voice and make sure she was safe, and let her know he was trying to get home. 

The way the call ended, when the phone network died, left a knot in his stomach that had nothing to do with the unfolding mayhem in the city. This weekend was meant to be about them, he wanted everything to be perfect, and now the last words between them had been anger. The small box in his jacket pocket represented everything he wanted for their future, and more than anything he needed to get back to her, to explain what had happened and get them out of the city for their anniversary. Whatever the fuck was going with everyone else, he needed to be with her, at the cabin, and ask her to be his wife. Everything else was secondary. 

Frankie drew a deep breath and started moving back towards Washington Park. He needs his truck, it’s their best chance at getting out of the city. Hopefully the police had been called away on something else, letting paramedics deal with the guy he’d taken down, maybe he hadn’t actually killed him. 

He stays on side streets and alleys, keeping low, staying out of sight. When he sees the door to a gun shop wide open, he pauses, considering the risk. A gun would make him feel safer, but looting one now, is pretty shitty behaviour. The thought stays with him for only a second, before he cautiously moves into the shop. The back of the shop is dark but quiet, broken glass crunches under his boots as he moves towards one of the display cases. There’s rifles on the wall but they’re too hard to hide, instead he quickly finds a Glock among the wreckage, the familiar gun feels solid in his hand. 

There’s ammo behind the counter but when he steps around it, he sees the woman, splayed on the floor, face down. He stops in his tracks, staring down at her still form for a beat. She’s wearing a pink t-shirt and he can see the blood where it’s been ripped open over her shoulder. It doesn’t look like a significant amount of blood but he can’t see her face, can’t tell if she’s alive or not. 

There’s a box of ammo near him and he quickly loads the gun, sliding a full magazine into the Glock. He doesn’t know why, maybe the way the day has been, but he keeps his gun trained on the woman, safety off, while he carefully moves towards her. There’s more ammo behind her and he wants to pick it up, but he also doesn’t want to leave her injured or dead without checking on her. 

Gently he nudges the toe of his boot against her hand, shifting it slightly, and he hears a deep growl, inhuman. The sound makes him take a quick step back, more glass breaking under his feet with a loud crackle. The woman lifts her head and turns to look at him for a beat. All Frankie has time to think is that her eyes have the same rage as the man at the park, she scrambles to her feet and launches herself at him. He fires his gun on instinct, the bullet hitting her cheek, the close range making it explode out the back of her head. 

She drops instantly as Frankie holds the gun trained at her. It takes a split second for his training to kick in, but then he moves. Stepping over her, he grabs two more boxes of ammo, stuffing them in his pockets, before he quickly throws himself over the counter and heads out the back door he came through, checking the street before he leaves. Walking fast, but not running, he puts the safety back on the gun and shoves into the back of his trousers, out of sight under his jacket. His breathing is normal but he can feel adrenaline pumping through his system, muscle memory makes him move through the city as if it’s hostile enemy territory. 

What the fuck is going on? What was that? Bad batch of some drug on the streets? 

As he moves back towards the truck he checks his phone, there’s still no reception. There are more people on the streets now, more cars too, all heading for the freeway. He sees a family hastily throw bags into a car, a cat in a travel cage stuffed into the back. Other cars speed past, full of stuff, people are packing up and leaving. The sight makes him anxious, he needs to do the same, get back home, get to her, and get the fuck out. 

Screw the weekend, we need to get the fuck out of the city fast, whatever this is, it’s not gonna be over by Monday.

He finally spots his truck, parked where he left it, the man he’d knocked out nowhere in sight, and no police. Quickly scanning the area for signs of trouble, Frankie crosses the street and gets into the truck. He breathes a sigh of relief when he can lock the door and the engine rumbles to life. He can see traffic lining up on the other side of the park so he takes a side street, mapping the best route back home in his head as he tries to drive as fast as he can, people are running along the streets, cars speeding past and it gets worse the closer to downtown he gets. He tries to skirt around it but as he turns down a side street he finds it blocked by a truck that’s crashed into a building. 

“Fuck,” he breathes under his breath, there’s fire under the truck and he can see people on the other side. Quickly he reverses back onto the main street and turns left, heading a few more blocks down. The traffic’s getting heavy and it’s getting harder to avoid getting stuck, up ahead he sees cars grinding to a halt and in a last second decision he pulls a hard right and turns down a narrow alley, he knows it connects to another big road after a couple of blocks but it will get him closer to home at least, almost all the way there if it’s clear. He barrels through the alley, slowing down only to take the sharp turn onto the main road, and speeding up as he sees the way ahead of him clear. The harsh headlights flooding the cabin of his truck is the only warning he has when the bus slams into the passenger side of the truck. The screech of metal and tyres is the last thing Frankie hears as the world outside the shattered windscreen goes spinning and turns to black. 

…

Your body is telling you to sleep but you can’t, it’s almost three am and you’re on the couch, with a painful knot in your stomach. There’s sirens wailing outside, close by, and you’ve heard screams of terror and pain throughout the night. Frankie’s baseball bat is next to you on the couch, your hand shoots out to grab it whenever you hear a sound, your nerves on edge, the big kitchen knife on the coffee table. You’ve cried yourself dry with worry, Frankie’s not home, Pope hasn’t arrived either, you feel like you’re all alone in the world and every minute you’re fighting to keep the panic down. Pope’s words, keep strong for me and for Frankie, roll through your brain, it’s all you’ve got to keep you from falling over the edge. 

A loud crack rings out somewhere in your building and you shoot up to your feet, it sounded close and it sounded like a gunshot. Straining your ears you try to hear more, but the wailing sirens from outside make it hard to make out anything. Slowly moving closer to the front door, you grip the bat in your hand. You stop in the hall, holding your breath and listen intently in the silence. Suddenly you hear a shoe scuffle against the floor outside your door and you bite down hard on your lip, your heart is thumping so loudly it’s deafening. 

A soft tap on the door startles you enough to make you jump back into Frankie’s sneakers on the shoe rack. 

“It’s me, Pope, open the door,” Santi’s familiar voice filters low through the front door and you almost cry with relief, stumbling forward to unlock it. He comes through it as soon as it’s open enough to let him in and he immediately closes it behind him, locking and sliding the deadbolt in place. When he turns to you, you throw your arms around him, and you feel him grab hold of you, squeezing you tight as he pulls you into the living room. 

“Santi, I’m so scared,” you sob, fighting back tears, as he sets you down on the couch, “what’s happening?” 

“I don’t know yet, Frankie isn’t back?” he asks, looking around the living room. 

“N-No, I haven’t heard from him since the cell network went down,” tears well up in your eyes, “h-he said, he was coming back here. But that was six hours ago, Santi!” The tears spill over as fear overcomes you and he sits down next to you on the couch, wrapping his arm around your shoulders, gently shushing you. 

“Deep breaths, hermana, you need to focus,” he turns you around, putting both hands on your shoulders, squeezing them as his eyes lock onto yours. “Listen, I need you to stay with me now, ok?” 

You nod weakly as Pope wipes your cheek with the back of his hand, “We need to pack essentials and get out of here, there’s a couple of dirt bikes in the garage under your building, I’ve got the keys and-” 

“I’m not leaving without Frankie,” you say immediately, leaning back from Pope instinctively. “I have to stay here until he comes back.” 

“You can’t, it’s not safe, I have to keep you safe while Frankie’s not around,” Pope grabs your shoulders again, as if to press it into you but you baulk. 

“If I leave, with the phones down, he won’t find me. He said he was coming back here and I said I’d stay until he came back,” you pull away from Pope and stand up, moving to the window to look down on the street again. 

“Hermana, you haven’t seen the city, it’s chaos,” he’s stands up and comes after you, grabbing hold of your arm, “I don’t know what’s going on but people are unhinged, losing control and attacking each other,” his grip on your arm loosens a little but he’s turning you to look at him, “I don’t want to scare you more, but it’s bad out there, people are dying.” He falters, hesitating for a few seconds, “I’m sorry, this isn’t going away anytime soon, and Frankie might not make it back.” 

“Don’t say that. Don’t fucking say that!” You feel panic rising in your chest and you push him away.

“I saw a woman…she was…she killed a child, it’s that bad out there,” Santi grabs you again, a pained look on his face, pleading, “I’m sorry, Frankie is a very capable soldier, one of the best, but it took all I had to make it here.” 

You pull your arm from his hand, “He’s coming back here, I’m not leaving without him,” you spit out and step back into the living room, crossing your arms as you turn back to Pope, he’s looking at you from the window. 

“I can’t leave you here, Frankie’s my best friend, my brother, and you’re the love of his life, I’ve got to keep you safe. For him, hermana.” He’s pleading with you but you shake your head even as tears well up in your eyes again. 

“If you want to help Frankie, get to Lucía. Take one of the dirt bikes, get her and we’ll meet you at Denny’s cabin.” You’re staring at him, your jaw set, you know Pope can’t argue with that and he has no choice. As he drops his chin to his chest you know you’ve got your way. 

“Ok,” he sighs, “I’ll go and get Lucía, but you have to promise me that if Frankie’s not back by Sunday morning, you take the other bike and come up to the cabin too,” he’s walked over to you again, looking down at you with dark eyes, “if he’s not back by Sunday morning, he’s not coming back. Take the bike, get to the cabin.” 

“He’s coming back, Santi.” 

“I really want you to be right, hermana,” he sighs as he wraps his arms around you and pulls you to his chest. You slump against him, you can feel your body shaking with the onslaught of nerves and adrenaline. 

“He has to come back,” you whisper into his chest, “he has to, he has to, he has to,” you repeat as a mantra as Pope gently strokes your back. 

You don’t notice when Pope carefully lays you down in your bed, pulling the blanket over you. Your exhausted body and mind shuts down for a few hours and lets you sleep without dreams. When you wake with a start, daylight is starting to creep through your window, and for a second it feels like a normal morning, until you see Frankie’s side of the bed, empty. 

You push back the blanket and make your way out to the living room to find Santi on the couch, two guns and a rifle laid out in front of him. 

“Morning,” he says, looking up at you. “I hope you managed to sleep some.” 

You sit down next to him on the couch, watching his methodical movements with the weapons, “Did you sleep at all?” 

“No, I kept watch, but it’s fine,” he adds as he sees your concerned look, “I’m still running on adrenaline and I’m used to it. Pulled plenty of all nighters in the army.” 

“Did anything happen while I slept?” You move to the kitchen and open the fridge to pull out some breakfast, the inside of the fridge is dark. 

“The electricity and the military phone network cut out about an hour ago,” Pope nods at the fridge. “Eat whatever might go bad first.” He stands up and grabs a backpack, you recognise it as Frankie’s spare one. “I’ve packed enough to keep me going for a few days, and I’ve done the same for you and Frankie,” he points to a bigger backpack, Frankie’s hiking pack. “I’m gonna try to get to Lucía now, you and Frankie head to the cabin as soon as possible. Get out of the city, that’ll be Frankie’s plan too.”

He comes over to you where you’re standing by the kitchen counter, frozen in your movements. “Remember what I said last night, hermana, I’m sorry, but if he’s not back by Sunday morning…” he pauses and grabs hold of your hand, squeezing it tight, “if he’s not back, you have to leave by yourself and get to the cabin. Promise me,” his dark eyes are bearing into you as his fingers wrap around your own. 

“I promise, I’ll leave if he’s not back by Sunday morning,” you say, your voice barely over a whisper. 

“Ok,” he gives your hand another squeeze and goes back to Frankie’s backpack. “I’m leaving a gun with you, and some ammo, it’s in the pack,” he shows you the boxes in an outside pocket. “This is your gun,” he picks up one of the handguns on the coffee table, “it’s easy enough to handle, I’ll show you.”

“Where did you get them?” you ask, “did you just happen to have two guns and a rifle on you yesterday?” 

“No, I didn’t,” Santi looks at you, “I broke into a gunshop and took them.” He sees the way your eyes widen and holds up his hand, “Look out of the window, the world is falling apart, I don’t know what is happening, but looting three guns to protect myself and you, is the least of our worries right now.” He picks up the gun and motions you over and shows you how to hold it, “Grab it like this, both hands, keep it steady.” 

The gun is heavy and cold in your hands, “You really think the world is falling apart?” Your voice is quiet as you adjust your grip as Pope moves your fingers. 

“The first thing I heard yesterday was that something was going on in Indonesia, then Rotterdam. Here, put your thumb like this.” He moves your thumb to cross over your hand, “then there were news reports from all over the US. And if things are as bad there as they are here, then yeah, I think the world is falling apart.” 

He steps back and looks at your grip on the gun, “That’s it, hold it like that and squeeze the trigger when you’re ready.” 

You pull back on the trigger and the gun clicks. “So we get to the cabin and then what?” you ask, looking down the barrel of the gun, feeling the weight. 

“We hold down the fort, wait it out, until it’s under control again.” Pope gently takes the gun from your hands and shows you how to load it, making you go through the motions several times. When he decides you’ve got a hang of it, he takes the gun and gives it to you, “Safety on, keep it within easy reach. I should’ve gotten you a holster but stick it in the back of your pants for now, keep it on you at all times, ok?” 

“Ok,” you nod, doing as he says before looking up at him. “Do you think the others, Will and Benny, will come up to the cabin too?”

“If they can, yeah, it’s the most logical choice.” 

He turns and grabs the smaller backpack and his jacket, “I’m leaving, I’ll get to Lucía, get her and her mom, if I can, back to the cabin. Sunday morning, ok?” 

“Sunday morning I leave if he’s not back, yes, Santi.” You nod, your jaw tight. 

“Ok. And listen, when you do leave, with or without Frankie, don’t trust anyone. People are attacking without warning, like animals.” Pope’s eyes are on you, imploring you to understand, “Anyone moves towards you, shoot them, aim for the torso to bring them down, then head shot, to kill. I know it’s not going to be easy, but if you want to survive, you have to. Get to the cabin, I’ll be there.” He pulls you in for a big hug, squeezing you tight and you hold on to him for as long as you can before he pulls away. 

“Stay safe, Santi.” 

“You too, hermana.”  

You walk him to the front door and watch him as he listens through it for a couple a minute, the landing outside is silent. Carefully he opens the door, gun drawn, and peeks outside. Daylight is filtering through the windows, shining some light into the stairwell. With a final look at you he steps through the door and you close it behind him, locking it securely again. 

Walking back to the living room, you sit down on the couch. Twenty four hours until Sunday morning.

All you can do now is wait.

Chapter 12

[tsuchinokoroyale]

Genuinely nonjudgmental ask: Does having unprotected sex ever make you nervous? Have you ever had an STI? I just opened up my relationship with my boyfriend, so I immediately got on PrEP. I still have been using condoms when I’m fucking with anyone that’s not my partner, but I’ve gotten skeptical responses from every guy when I bring up wearing them. I just want to protect myself and my bf from other STIs. I’m considering lying and saying that I’m not on PrEP just to get less pushback. Again, this is not a judgmental ask. I’ve just been out of the game for years, and it seems like the rules have changed!

There are 3 things I’ve always used to protect myself against STI’s:

1. Trust in your fellow man

2. DDF? Tested?

3. The Vibe Check

The first two are basically wet tissue paper level defense, but it’s basically the idea that someone who has the symptoms of an STD/knows they have one wouldn’t willingly go out and spread it. But some STI’s are communicable before they are detectable or symptomatic so they’re honestly weaker than wet tissue it’s more like semi-permeable membrane levels of protection.

I bank the hardest on the last one, which does employ a little bit of judgement but it’s my health so I do what I want to. I prefer to have sex with people that are selective with their partners, people that either don’t sleep around much because they have a primary partner or because they prefer fwb situations. Of note, its important that they mention that they still get tested frequently.

Most one night stands I have I’ll use protection unless they pass the vibe check so hard that my bottom instincts override my better senses and I need their DNA inside me.

Which leads me to

“The Backseat Sloppy Incident”

I had a fwb situation at one point with a friend who had recently become single. He hadn’t topped anyone since he broke up with his boyfriend, it’s been a few months, he didn’t really like hook ups, and of course he made me laugh and had a very shapely shape during sweatpants season. We hung out one night and I very coolly said “hey why aren’t we having sex with each other” and he was like “huh good point” and then we fixed that.

And then it suddenly started to burn when he peed.

We both freaked out and got tested. It was Gonorrhea. We both got our shots in the butt, or really he got two shots in his butt and I got ONE MASSIVE SHOT THAT HURT LIKE ALL HELL and when that was done I was back to taking his loads like I was a laundry machine.

But there was still the question of: How did he get it ?

See I tested negative for gonorrhea. I had em swab everything and test for everything but only he came back positive. I was completely clean.

We puzzled over this many a time because the only time he did anything was when he picked up a Tinder date from the train station who gave him head in the backseat of his car as thanks. He’d told me this had happened as well, to which I said “Damn instead of saying thank you I’m just gonna start giving backseat sloppy from now on”

But that had happened like a month prior. STIs can have a rather lengthy incubation period but a month is pretty long. And I won’t have any character assassination of this boy, I trust him with my life and he honestly still owns this hole if he didn’t live so far away but anyways the point is you truly just never know.

I haven’t had an STI as of yet, but I’m sure that’s mostly just luck. I’ve put myself in seedy situations and come out clean, and the closest I’ve come to catching an STI was a situation where I thought for sure it wouldn’t be an issue. Keep watch over your body, take ya meds, get tested frequently, and always use a condom unless you’re either 100% sure you don’t need one or you’re ready to reckon with any consequences that come your way. Anyone that gets pissy about you using condoms is being a brat who doesn’t respect your health boundaries. And what do we say to sleeping with people who don’t respect your boundaries?

🙅‍♂️🙅‍♂️🙅‍♂️

[demented-tours]

ADHD/Autism/Neuro-spicy/Exec Function Issues/Burnout Life Hack

So listen, as the owner and sometime operator of a brain with medium to hot neurospicy wiring, I occasionally struggle with... well. Everything. But particularly making myself do Small Tasks That Require One More Spoon Than I Ever Have Thanks To Having to Exist in this Dumpster Fire World AND Never Being Taught Anything Useful About Myself Much Less How to ACTUALLY Recharge or Regulate My Nervous System Which Only Has an "Actively Being Mauled By a Bear" Setting. (TM)

It's been a long few decades.

Anyway, as such, I have tried so many little ways to motivate myself, and some of them are decent, but I also have days where just... nothing seems to work.

Except this one thing. Now, it's only working NOW, but it seems to be working semi consistently, so I'm hopeful. Ish. As hopeful as I get anyway.

And it's low cost, requires no bullshit medical professionals or meds and it appeals to my competitive spirit and inner gamer nerd.

I figured I'd share here, though it's likely a terribly unoriginal idea, but hell, sometimes it's just reframing crap that you knew to be true once but forgot about it in the current depression-inspired stew.

We're gonna call this one Warmie Magic.

Step 1: Acquire/make a warmie. Those are the things you heat up and apply to body parts for relaxation/pain relief. They come in all shapes, sizes, stuffed animals forms. Let your sensory needs go wild. I like THIS ONE because it can be used on hot or cold settings and it comes unscented. It's also made for neck/shoulders, which basically always hurt. But they make them cheaper and in whatever shape you like. It just matters that you can heat it up in the microwave.

Step 2: Figure out your temperature setting timing for your warmie. For me, that warmie thing takes 4 minutes in my microwave to acquire that perfect near-scalding-yet-still-soothing temperature. Bonus if it's over 2 minutes of time, but really, whatever works, here.

Step 3: Fixate on some mundane, small task that you Need To Do: dishes. Laundry. List making. Toilet cleaning. Whatever. Put the warmie in the microwave, set the timer... Then get ready... get set... PUSHBUTTONANDGO! Try not to let your lack of body sense knock you into too many objects on your trajectory to the Task at Hand.

Step 4: Do the tasks for the duration of the short timer. You would be AMAZED at what you can do in 4 freakin minutes. Single load of laundry in machine. Or most of one load folded. Or at least a few pans washed. One toilet insides scrubbed. Dishwasher loaded/unloaded. Whatever--do it until the timer goes off.

Step 5: Stop the task, retrieve the warmie, and enjoy the sensory snuggle reward. Fuck about for a while.

Step 6: When the warmie is less warm, get up and repeat the process. OPTIONAL: Set another timer without the warmie and do it again while enjoying the sensory snuggle reward.

What I like about this is that I can trick my brain shit with the, "Well, hell, it's JUST four minutes" line. Or the, "We have to wait for the damn thing to warm up anyway, and it'll take fucking forever if we just stand here." Usually some combo, there, works. And it gives you a positive reinforcement reward that the body feels that isn't food oriented or what have you.

Obviously, your mileage will vary. All neurospicy settings are unique. I'm just going to enjoy this method while it manages to be effective. This is how I've made myself do my stretching routine, laundry, and dishes for the past few weeks, so...

This could also work for all sorts of things in all sorts of applications. I also used to write like this, sometimes. I'd set a timer for 30 minutes and just GO. Whatever happened in 30 minutes was golden. Six words or six thousand.

I've also done something like this with a snack pack of fruit snacks and I get one per tiny item completed because, yeah, my brain sometimes operates with a psychotic toddler's reward system setting. But it got the damn Wal Mart delivery unpacked.

Oh, and one last thing that's helped me... Do your breathing exercises to slow yea olde burnt out nervous system right after you pee. I can do a solid round of box breathing (5 seconds breathe in, 5 seconds hold, 5 seconds out, 5 seconds pause, rinse and repeat) while washing my hands. And sooner or later you have to pee so might as well use that as a functional reminder. Not that I remember to do this more than one time out of seventy, but in THEORY, it'd be great.

And now let's get back to our usual soft-porn-funny-shit-pretty-shinies programming around here.

<3Dee

[invincible-selfxmade-punk]

Big Year wrap up post / things that I'm thankful for

Every year is a year of ups and downs or at least that's pretty universal. I don't think anyone ever has a year or everything is completely good or completely bad.

The good was plentiful for me this year.

I remember back when I was in Corpus Christi and I had read the book The Secret and I started out making my list of what I wanted for my life.

The list went something like this #1. A teaching job.

#2. an actual house with a front and back door and a yard, #3 was $30,000 in the bank.

I don't know where I came up with that number it was just a number I thought would be a good financially stable number.

I have had a teaching job for the last 6 years.

I have had a house for the last 2 years.

And I'm still working on that number but at least I do have a savings account that I'm not constantly having to dip into. And this year I finally was gifted a washing machine by someone at work. I still don't know who did it but they were incredibly hind. It only works on one cycle but it works and that has saved us so much time and money. Being Mobility challenged it was horrible looking clothes to and from the laundromat. Plus trying to cough up the money each time we needed to do laundry was another problem. I am still in awe of the fact that if I need to do a small load of clothes I can just go and do them and be done with it. We have a clothesline in the backyard and honestly that is all we need.

Work has been a bit dicey this year but it is not because of the kids it is more because of the parents and the administration. And I don't really see that changing so I must figure out ways to deal with it.

The parents are getting younger and less educated and do not understand some of the things I say into in class. Which means I need to mask myself even tighter than ever.

That is one of the few things that really sucks about this year and the last couple of years as far as my autism.

At one point I had so many people on staff that I could absolutely be myself with and they were okay with it. One by one though those people left because this isn't the greatest school system to work for. The principals tend to back the parents and not the teachers and there is absolutely no discipline whatsoever in any of the schools.

The kids know this and the parents know this so especially if the parent is Rich or a part of the school system the kid gets to do whatever they want with no consequences.

And this is scared a lot of the yòd teachers away.

I am NOT young and I'm slightly disabled because of my vision and my lack of Mobility so I suck it up because I can't go anywhere else at this point.

I want to retire to another place but as far as a job this is really the only one I'm capable of doing.

I guess it's a part of being autistic that if you see something that's wrong you want to call it out. At least that is the way it is with me. And from that now you really can't do that without getting in trouble. Everyone knows what's wrong and no one wants to fix it. People just want to turn them line die. I made that mistake about three three years ago with my previous principal. When she said there was an open door policy I believed it like an idiot and or for the record if someone says there is an open door POLICY THERE IS NOT AND YOU WILL JEOPARDIZE YOUR JOB BY BELIEVING IT.

For speaking out about anything I thought was unfair, she got me alone and absolutely eviscerated me. She brought up all kinds of petty little things having to do with my work ethic that no one else would have ever called out, she called me unprofessional, she called me hard to work with, and she gave me the worst Job review I have had in 45 years of working.

To this day I have nightmares about that and her the same way I had nightmares of my abusive stepmother that I was subjected to for 7 years. Only the principal did that much emotional damage in 2 hours.

So yes having the masks so tightly at work does suck but it is a job and it is the first time in my life that I have not had to work multiple jobs in order to support myself.

And of course the credit for all of this goes to God because I could not have done any of this of my own free will. I am weak and I am scared and I am full of every Neurosis in the world so whatever strength that I have come to know throughout my life definitely was god-given. I utilized it and I made my own but it had to come from God first. And speaking of that

My 11th eye surgery was a success. I had a corneal transplant and it has been going wonderfully thank god. Right now I am just waiting for the surgeon to tell me I can go ahead and renew my prescription. He has been very picky and says that my eye would change so much throughout the year there was no use getting a new prescription because I would have to throw it out in 6 months anyway. But I would have been willing to do that if I could have just been able to see better with my classes. Right now aside from driving I don't even wear them because my eyes have changed so much and now I can't see anything with my glasses at all. Getting around town, and thank God this is an extremely small town, I feel like I do more from muscle memory anyway. I have no one to drive me so I kind of have to do this.

But thank God I can see!!!

Other than that hubby and I have been healthy all this year and thank God for that.

Of the bad things I have had to survive the big two that weigh on me the most is losing two people I loved very dearly. One I knew my entire life and she was like a second mom to me. I still dream about her constantly. She died at 8:00 if 93 and she had a wonderful life and was surrounded by children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and we did get to talk on the phone right before she died and that was a blessing. Even knowing I couldn't see for crap I still drove 3 hours out and 3 hours back to her funeral and God bless me I made it only with God's care. It was scary going.

The other one is my friend Ben who took his own life a few months ago. It is so hard for me not to be mad at his ex-girlfriend because I believe her breaking up with him after 10 years directly led to his suicide. But we are not responsible for the actions of others. Many people reached out to ben, myself and a couple of teachers who worked with us that now have moved on reached out to him constantly. I thought at least he had talked to them they thought he had talked to me and he did not talk to any of us.

It wasn't out of the blue thing. He was always very depressed and very sensitive. And he would make posts on Facebook about being alone and not having friends and not having anyone that understood him. And with each of these posts I would reach out to him and tell him I loved him and I wanted to talk and I was always there and nine times out of 10 he would not reach back out to me. It had been 8 months since we had spoken or since he had taken me up on one of my offers to talk and at the time he killed himself. It was and still is very hard to deal with.

And honestly is far as bad things go, that was it. Yes a few parents made my work life miserable for a while. Yes I walk on eggshells at work now after getting written up twice for something no one in any other school district would have ever written me up for. But when I look back at the truly bad things that happened last year there's only those two.

I miss writing a lot. I would write huge fan fictions, essays and poetry. Sometimes I would write 8 to 10 hours a day in my spare time, when I had a day off or in between jobs. Now the only writing I do is on this site. All of my Muses have dried up. I don't have time to enjoy things like I used to. I don't have time to completely submers myself in whatever band or piece of media I have always been into. The most time I get is maybe 45 minutes for a documentary here or there. I always think when I have a vacation like Christmas break or spring break that I'm going to sit down pick up an old thick and either rewrite it or expand on it. I

And I never do. I don't even have the time at night to indulge in the Daydreams and fictional ideas that used to lead me into sleep. I am so exhausted now I am asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. If I'm not asleep then I am awake watching a movie with no other thought in my head.

Thanks to and after school staff meeting where the art Department supplied us with supplies enough to make a Christmas painting, I have discovered I really enjoy painting. And I'm hoping maybe to do a little more of that this year or at least try it out.

If you took the time to read this, bless your heart. And I hope the year was kind to you and that next year will be even kinder.

Vaya con Dios!

[im-not-a-l0ser]

Hi, today sucked, lemme tell you all the reasons it sucked in chronological order

I woke up at 1 am and read for a while. I did not get back to bed until 5 am.

I woke up approximately 15 minutes before I had to be out the door, so despite my planning to take a shower and wear a Victorian esc clothing today (for throwback Thursday, dumb school thing) I couldn't.

I didn't eat last night, so for the first time this semester I got breakfast from the cafeteria and it was not good.

We were practicing hand and arm massages in class for state board and wow, I fucking hated the smell, feeling and all around company of the lotion we were using.

I didn't charge my phone last night so I had my phone (and laptop) plugged in for my last two periods of school.

It was warm enough that I didn't need my jacket (a comfort item) so I took it off and put it over my backpack. It fell on the dirty bus floor while I was napping through the half hour bus ride.

My laptop wasn't plugged in properly so it was nearly dead when I got home.

Dad said we were going to the library to file my taxes. Okay, gotcha, I won't change into my home clothes, I'll just switch my binder out for a bra.

My sheets were dirty and I didn't want to lay in my gross bed with clean clothes on so I stripped my mattress and brought the sheets downstairs, where I find the washing machine on a self cleaning cycle. It was at 0, but I guess that's not done?

I notice that my little siblings who had lice for a couple days have put clothes in the laundry basket downstairs, which has my prom dress in it. Prom is on Saturday and I am literally too afraid to dig through their shit to find the dress.

I return to my room and work on chapter two of a story, but it's getting late and my dad hasn't called me out to the van yet.

I only learn my dad is home when he sends a picture of dinner to the gc. I leave my room to ask when we're doing taxes; he tells me he's eating and that I should eat too.

Twenty minutes later (like 7:50 pm at this point), we finally start my fucking taxes.

Very long annoying process, to learn that state taxes should not be filed through this site for me. It worked just fine for my sibling. I ask dad if we can do it tomorrow and he says taxes are due in four days. Whatever.

We go to a different site to file my state taxes where I try to register twice and it denies me both times for my laptop having a VPN. I do not control that; it's my school laptop and it didn't even process that's what the issue was for like 10 minutes.

Dad tells me to go to bed. He's tired. That's when I'm allowed to go to bed, when he's tired.

I return to my room and realise my sheets have never been put in the wash, and I can't sleep without a blanket. And for obvious reasons, I only trust that one blanket right now.

I shove it in the wash for a half hour load, but it doesn't fucking matter because my sister's shit is in the dryer at 45 minutes. She doesn't have an empty basket in the bathroom to put the dry stuff into should it finish and someone else needs to. Her shit is going on the floor in about 20 minutes.

I'm laying on my bed, very cold, just waiting for the fucking wash to be done so I can go to sleep. Except, I know it won't be because my sheets take like two hours to dry at high heat, which also means I won't have my comfort jacket for tomorrow.

I just want to go to sleep and can't because I'm stressing over the idea of going to school in not my comfort jacket.

Honorable mentions: My cosmetology textbook has really misleading information regarding synthetic wigs and its pissing me off. I was supposed to go to Walmart today so I could get breakfast for tomorrow. We had a test in English that gave me a lot of anxiety.

[starlit-mansion]

i might make the post where i was very critical of laundry stripping specifically in one person's 50k note post unrebloggable soon because my problem with the original post is that it's a bad resource for probably 90% or more of people and situations, and i don't think mine is a sterling resource either. I just think that it's important to be really critical of life hacks, ESPECIALLY one's with really dramatic visual stim elements like seeing a bathtub full of brown sludge as proof it's worked.

So my slightly more articulated points are:

Based on OP's comments, OP has uncommonly hard water and issues with at least one of the big common detergents, and specifically was talking about very old worn clothes. All of these are probably not applicable to you if you don't think your clothes are gross right now. If they smell and feel clean as is, then you don't need to torture them for no reason.

You can make your own laundry soap, it's cheaper than storebought but also particulate inhalation is no joke, and you might be at some risk from it from borax... if you can buy borax; it's banned in some places. i'm not fucking doing that, because i want the laundry detergent that i like that already has blueing in it.

The particular practice of alkaline soaking isn't bunk, but it can be harmful to a lot of fabrics, is better for whites and lights rather than your dark clothes (again, dye leech!)

You can just do this with oxygenated cleaners (oxyclean), and you don't need to make your tub unusable for 12-24 hours. the tub thing is a very bright white surface that you can see a very visible change in, but you can soak things IN YOUR WASHER. if it's modern, it probably has a setting for it. if there's not a reason for you to haul heavy wet clothes from your bathroom to your washer, you don't need to see the dramatic visual results of soaking, the same way you don't need to see your dirty dishwater when you've got a dishwasher right there doing the work for you

the real thing that experts have to say on it is just wash your clothes more effectively. don't overload the washer, use 2-3 tablespoons (or the 1 line in the cap) of detergent per load, don't use scented additives or fabric softeners, look up how to clean your washer, add white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser or add it in and run another rinse to deal with any issues from your clothes not being rinsed out. this is not as tiktokable but it's easier and cheaper and overall a good choice for the environment

if you need to do this for stuff, you probably need to do it once before doing laundry in the above way to maintain it, to strip out buildup from fabric softener, deodorant, body oils, lotion, etc. I'd only bother with it if the laundry was gross! I don't actually have stuff that feels and smells nasty. I used to have a polyester dress that had a body odor funk, but i stopped wearing it and donated it to a thrift store. It probably could have stood a good presoak to get rid of the gunk. i'd have done it in the machine drum or a bucket next to the machine, personally.

really, this is just rebranded presoaking. it sucks that most of us aren't taught how to do laundry correctly and there is a genuine pitfall of residue-leaving products that make things worse, but i also think Big Laundry is less out to get you than it seems. washers are helpful and efficient and we don't need to start mistrusting them and doing laundry by hand

line drying in sunlight is genuinely nice and also good at getting rid of germs and saving power and wear on the dryer. I can't do it where i live now but i used to. If your really want to do something old-fashioned for the aesthetic, a line of nicely hung clothes is lovely. (You can pop them in the dryer for 5 minutes to get rid of crunchiness, esp on towels)

I would be hypocritical if i said wash stuff less. I don't, because something in my head says it's gross. i want my clothes clean and i won't rewear stuff after 8 hours of wear unless its an emergency or a polyester skirt. however, you can hang and air stuff for longer wear. just don't do it for stuff directly touching your junk and pits and feets. wash that.

...also fast fashion is not purposefully trying to get your clothes dingy to make you buy more. the other problems with it vastly outstrip those and that was the one part of the post that genuinely bothered me. why invent a problem when you already are dealing with another separate problem (people don't know how to do laundry effectively and rely on info from commercials, and also there's a lot of hard water in most places.)

finally: research this stuff on like at least one reputable news/interest site. they're gonna write articles about every trend some tiktokker popularizes, that's good clickbait right there.

[purpleicedteas]

My life has been hell recently. I know I have not been active on here, Discord, AO3, etc. I’m planning to give a more formal “statement” (lol for the two people who care) later, but rn I just need to VENTTTTT

Right now I’m staying with my parents. I’ve been staying here off and on, and I’m planning on moving back home due to my disabilities and health issues.

The problems:

1) My old bedroom is no longer mine, and I stay in a tiny room that was once our “computer room” (2000s flashback) that is connected to, and the only way to get to, the laundry room.

2) My mother is a narcissist. I love her. She is my closest friend and confidant. But she is a narcissistic parent. She helicopter parents me despite me being in my mid-20s living a boring ass life with no risks to helicopter over.

3) After living in the city, I have no car, so rely on my parents to get me places. I can borrow my dad’s car, but he’s gone a lot either at work or caretaking for his mother.

3a) My mom will not let me drive her car. That’s her right to draw the line, but when I have two cars at my disposal and one is rarely available, it means I am essentially home bound.

4) I have been dealing with sleeping issues for over a year since I got COVID. I think it’s some combination of long covid and perhaps some other issue, but nothing seems to help. I need to nap during the day. If you wake me up, I am in the foulest mood, have insane anxiety, and can sometimes derail my whole day. I know this is something I need to work on in therapy, but I currently can’t afford it. I have a sound machine, but my dad loves to yell and my mom knows how to wake me up.

4a) My mother has ADD and cannot sit still. She does at least a load of laundry a day. If there’s nothing to wash, she’ll just wash bedding or something random. I’ve asked to help with the laundry, I’ve asked to do the laundry, and she refuses. She has her set way of doing it, and gets pissed/angry otherwise. She also somehow can tell any minute difference in how I did the laundry (how much detergent, what settings, how long it was in the dryer, etc) and berate me on it.

4b) She seems to LOVE to do laundry when I am asleep. Which once again, I am in the room that you have to go through to get to the laundry room, whose door has cracks throughout so the light and sounds instantly wake me up. There are plenty of opportunities for her to do laundry when I’m awake, (I sometimes point them out to her) and I’ve also suggested multiple times to do it myself, and have sometimes done so without asking. This problem persists. I woke up today to her doing the laundry and changing my garbage bag right next to my bed (it’s a tiny room) WHILE I AM TRYING TO SLEEP claiming my room “stinks” (it didn’t and doesn’t.) She just gets manic and has to do shit so she’s not sitting still irregardless of others.

5) “Whatever you can do, I can do better!” I had a headache last night? She’s been having migraines for a week. I’ve been having digestive issues? She’s been having intense gastro pain. I have allergies? She has allergies. I have back pain due to my 40 degree scoliosis curve? She has arm pain, or neck pain, or shoulder pain, miraculously and only once I’ve mentioned my pain.

This is already a thousand years long and I could go on and on. I have not even touched on my father, which is a whole other bandwagon.

I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. When I was visiting here, things were better. Now that I’m being treated as a permanent fixture, things have gone to hell.

Help me.

[imaginewriting1]

the obvious unseen

Ariana Grande x youtuber!reader

Part 15 of "positions"

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5.5 (1) | 5.5 (2) | 5.5.5 | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Ariana felt like sun-soaked sheets. That was the first thought you formed when you woke up, though not in those exact words. You lay still, relishing in the feeling - her soft breath on your collarbones, the weight of her body against yours. After having those few quiet moments for yourself, you decided to get up and prepare breakfast for the both of you.

You untangled your limbs from hers as carefully as possible, deciding to brush your teeth at the kitchen sink to not wake her up. You pulled the duvet up her neck before heading to the fridge.

After brushing your teeth, you opened your fridge. You found some items that you were sure weren’t in it before. You found a recipe online that was perfect for Ariana’s dietary preferences and hangover. Selecting everything you needed, you get to cooking. 

When the food was ready, you placed them on a tray along with some water and painkillers. You returned to the bed.

You weren’t sure if it was the click of the door or the aroma of the food that woke her but Ariana sat up when you entered the room. It took a minute for her to register your presence. 

“I made some pancakes with the blueberries you bought.” You spoke softly, “How’s your hangover?” 

“Not too bad.” Ariana yawned, rubbing her eyes. When you placed the tray in front of her, she motioned you towards her. You leaned down and were greeted with a kiss on your cheek. “Thank you, baby.”

You couldn’t hide your smile even if you tried. “You’re welcome, Ari.” 

She moved a little to make space for you. You slipped back under the covers in response. The two of you spent the rest of the morning eating and resting in bed while a TV series played in the background.

After lazying around for two hours, you decided to start going through your to-do list. Being a month away from home, there were chores you have to complete. You told Ariana exactly that. “You can sleep off your hangover in the meantime. When I’m done with everything we can do whatever you want.” You saw her eyes light up. 

“Good. I’m going back to sleep now.” Ariana shimmied down until her head rest on the pillow. 

“Do you want me to draw the blackout curtains?”

“Yes please, thank you.”

After you did so, you left Ariana to her devices in dreamland.

-

Ariana found you near the washing machine two hours later. You had been doing your laundry after unpacking your luggage. She announced her presence with a back hug, almost catching you by surprise. You felt Ariana let go of you so you could turn around. Noticing she was wearing your shirt and shorts, you asked. “Do you want me to wash your clothes too?”

“Okay.” She took your hand as the two of you made your way to your bedroom. You found her clothes sitting neatly on your chair. You pick them up and put it in a laundry bag. After, you started removing your bedsheets too, knowing that there was enough space in the washing machine for them. Ariana noticed what you wanted to do and helped out.

“This is easier with two people.” You commented to yourself when the both of you pulled off a corner each. Ariana agreed with a hum, removing the duvet cover while you carried the bedsheet and pillowcases back to the laundry area. Everything loaded neatly into the washing machine and you started the washer.

Moving on to the next chore, putting on clean sheets on the bed, pillows, and duvet. It was completed quickly, with two sets of hands instead of one. You laughed when Ariana plopped onto the newly made bed, moving her arms like she was making snow angels. You decide to take a short break by lying beside her.

As if the both of you had telepathy, you turned around to face her when she did so. Even your smiles materialized in synchrony. This is what peace feels like, you thought.

Wordlessly, the space between the both of you disappeared. You watched her head rise and fall with each breath you took and you wondered if she could hear your heart.

Eight minutes felt like an eternity. You would be happy to spend every second with her, in this position, but your stomach decided to interrupt the peace.

You felt your cheeks heat up as she giggled. “You must be hungry.”

“It’s close to lunchtime.” You said. “Want to get some food?”

“Yeah. Are we ordering takeouts?”

“I’m thinking of making something. Since you stocked up my fridge.”

“Well you gave me your key, might as well put it to good use.” Ariana carried the breakfast tray as you two headed out of the room. She washed the plates and forks while you riffled through your fridge again. 

“What do you think about a rice bowl with some vegetables and tofu?” You asked. “I could make some kind of soup too, maybe seaweed?”

“Sounds perfect,” Ariana replied. 

With her agreement, you set to work. You sit her down at the kitchen counter, not wanting her to help since she was a “guest”, an argument she couldn’t refute. 

Back to the task at hand, you mixed vegetable stock, seaweed, tofu, and water into a pot and let it sit on the stove to boil. Next, you washed the rice and placed it in the rice cooker. After that, you prepped various vegetables for a stir-fry. When it was done, you plated it before checking on the soup. You dipped a spoon in for a taste. Walking over to where Ariana was, you let her take a sip. “How is it?”

“Mhm, it’s good!” She complimented, “Can’t wait to eat.” With her approval, you added a little seasoning and garnish. Given that it was a simple meal, all the dishes were ready in less than thirty minutes. You set them on the counter before grabbing utensils and napkins. “Thank you for the meal.” 

“You’re welcome.” You replied, before moving the stool to the opposite side of the counter. 

The two of you spent the time savoring the food instead of talking, so you were caught off guard when she spoke up. “You know, I don’t know how to feel about you having a picture of a naked woman, now that we’re together.”

You almost spat out your rice. While Ariana was deadpan, the amusement twinkling in her eyes assured you she was just joking. “Ah, well she’s been a good company for years.” You said after swallowing.

“What if I recreate it for you? A new picture for your counter.”

You gave it more thought than you should, and settled on an answer. “You are already doing it for me. And I rather keep it all in my head.” 

It was her turn to blush. The two of you resumed eating before the food got cold.

“Can I have a second serving?” Ariana asked. You were surprised at how quickly she finished her food and were glad that she enjoyed every bite. While your cooking skills had definitely improved over time, it was still nerve-wracking to cook for someone else, especially one as important as her.

“Of course.” You grabbed both of her rice and soup bowls and refill them. You returned and placed them in front of her.

When the both of you finished your food, you stood up and cleared the bowls. They were practically cleaned, so all you had to do was load them in the dishwasher, which Ariana insisted to do. The two of you decided to rest and let the food digest before continuing with the chores you had left.

“So, what other chores do we have to do?”

“Mop the floors, clean the stove, and dry the laundry when they're done.”

“Okay, let’s do it.”

The both of you decided to mop the floors first since the laundry was still being washed, and the stove should be cleaned after dinner if you decided to cook again. The task was easily completed since you have a roomba to help. However, to speed things up, you wielded a mop while Ariana refilled the bucket with clean water.

With that checked off your list, you start on the next task: drying the laundry. You set up the drying racks in your backyard while Ariana checked up on the washing machine. When you were done, you headed back in. Upon seeing Ariana dragging a basket full of clothes, you went to help her by lifting it together. 

You were fortunate that the weather was good that day - sunny with a little breeze. Everything would dry quickly. The two of you spent the rest of the afternoon lining the clothes on the rack. 

Evening rolled by and you decided to order takeouts after a whole day of doing chores. You get to splurge and treat yourself to food both of you loved.

This time you two sat in front of the TV so that you could watch something while eating. You felt a little bad for asking Ariana to help out with chores instead of spending time doing things she wanted. So you let her pick whatever she wanted.

From the opening scene of In the Mood for Love, Ariana was hypnotized. You observed her as though her face was a projector screen, reliving the love story through her expressions. For a film filled with scenes of food, hers remained untouched. For a moment, you wondered if you should bring her back to reality, but you decided against it. Instead, you moved the takeout boxes before her tears dripped into them. 

“Why didn’t they get together?” was the only thing Ariana asked as she sniffled when the film ended. In place of an answer, you placed her food back in front of her after heating it up, nudging her to eat. You smiled inwardly as she polished it off, clearly famished. 

Ariana turned towards you, still waiting for an answer. There were many in your head, but you settled for the simplest: circumstances. “Their lives didn’t allow them to.” You said, “Even so, they didn’t dare to themselves.”

She went quiet for a moment, before saying, “Good thing we did.”

While it was your fifth time watching the film, the tragedy of it still tainted your emotions greatly. You couldn’t help but feel, making it the perfect time to address the issues that have been plaguing you.

She has never been with a woman or in a relationship that caused people to stare just cause she held hands with her lover. She hasn’t faced homophobic microaggression or blatant hate. So everything is new and exciting and surreal until it was not. And when that happens, she may call it a mistake, call it quits.

“It is a good thing.” You started off, continuing from Ariana’s words. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own circumstances to navigate through. It’s inevitable that people will find out that we’re together, or at the very least, start rumors about you being with a woman. It’s not all fun and games and pride parades. If or when you do decide to come out publicly, haters, and homophobes will use your sexuality against you, just because they can.” You could tell she wanted to say something but held back so that you could finish. “I would protect you from all these things but it’s impossible. I’m afraid that it might affect our relationship, or worse yet, you, negatively.” You took a deep breath. “And… you might come to push me away.”

Ariana doesn’t let you pull away, keeping your hands in hers. “Don’t you ever think that. I’m more than aware of the things you point out. It’s sweet that you’re looking out for me but you don’t need to protect me, just be by my side when shit goes down. And leave the rest to my PR team.” She took your hand, “If it makes you feel any better, I know how to keep things under wraps for a long time. So do the people around me.”

You bowed your head in pure relief, feeling your worries dissipate. “I just want to be with you peacefully.”

Ariana pressed her forehead against yours. “Then that’s what you’ll get, baby.” 

[shikonstar]

The Cat-astrophe was not the only fiasco.

No. Oh, no.

My house continues in its efforts to kill me or bring me to ruin (honestly neither would be hard.)

The gas company comes out to install a new meter. Easy peasy, should take less than thirty minutes. He comes up to the porch, and lifts his head like a bloodhound. “I smell gas.”

And I’m thinking, ‘congratulations, I’ve been smelling it for almost 3 years, and none of you have cared about it yet.’

So he pulls out his handy little doohickey, and sure enough, there’s a leak. My gas gets turned off (right before we expect a cold snap) and he tells me to contact a plumber. Normally this would send me into a frenzy, knowing this will not be a cheap (read: under $100) fix. Luckily, after much eye rolling and being called paranoid, I had managed to convince my husband to invest in gas line coverage.

Where one problem has made a nest, a second problem decides it might be a nice location.

The next day, after doing a load of laundry, I walk to the washer….and right into a small pond.

I am desperate for this to be dog pee.

It is not dog pee.

After experimentation, I discover that the stock pipe (where the water drains out of the machine) keeps getting backed up. I try to have my dad come and snake it, but the pipe is far too small for what it is meant to do and it has more bends than an inexperienced diver.

Once again, I am depressed but grateful that I also, in my supposedly unfounded paranoia, decided to get water pipe coverage as well.

The contracted plumber arrives to assess whether or not we qualify to have the repairs. Now, my house was built in the early 40s, and it has seen more than its share of abuse. But this means that the crawl space is small. Super small. Like, fetch me a coal-smudged six-year-old street urchin that I can send in there for six-pence.

The plumber is not small.

Luckily, he remembers my house from last years Main Water Line Rupture, so he has brought the company Skinny Guy. Skinny Guy dives under the house like Liquid Dachshund, and starts rooting around.

“Here it is! …Oh. Um. I….Wait, is it supposed to look like this?”

As with doctors, this is not a phrase you want to hear from plumbers.

After pictures being taken and both of them staring in fascinated horror, they inform me that the pipe has sections of illegal plastic.

I have been sitting on a pipe bomb for 3 years.

He goes to check the line shared by the washer and the kitchen sink. There is a veritable knot of plumbing under the house, with so many 90-degree turns that it’s practically a corkscrew. Plumbing, especially drain lines, are supposed to be as straight as possible. The problem is compounded further (because of course) the pipes, instead of being the needed two inch, are 1 and a quarter. They are also the original galvanized pipes, and have almost corroded to the point of being fully blocked.

Luckily, everything qualifies to be covered!

My house takes this as a challenge.

After almost every bit of the gas line under the house is replaced, they find out that the main line also leaks, and it is going to have to be replaced. Lovely. My plumbing turns out to be even more complicated. Part of it isn’t in the crawl space, but jammed on a cement slab.

There is no access.

They are going to have to cut.

But I must have done something right in my life, because they are able to cut a small hole in my kitchen into an area of dead space, and with determination and the flexibility of contortionists, they manage to reach through and connect everything. And I am saved the expense of fixing the wall, because they put in an access hatch. (Smart move, gentlemen. You have seen my disastrous system and you know you’ll be back.)

Now, I shall no longer blow up (at least, my risk has been reduced in one area), and my washer and kitchen sink now connect to the sewer and won’t back up! The tub, bathroom sink, toilet, and bedroom sink on the other hand….those lines will have to be fixed. And my water is still red (today I was given the lovely alternative of black water from the bathroom sink), so those will have to be fixed as well. At least we have a plan for all of that.

Right now, the only immediate problem is an outlet with reversed polarity (and possibly ungrounded). So. Send thoughts that no one gets electrocuted during the repair.

[sascosmarthome]

Types of Best Home Automation Systems: Transform Your Living with SASCO Smart Home

Home automation systems are revolutionizing the way we live, offering unparalleled convenience, comfort, and efficiency. With technology evolving rapidly, there are now various types of home automation systems designed to cater to different needs and preferences. At SASCO Smart Home, we specialize in providing the best home automation systems, tailored to create a seamless, smart living experience.

Let’s explore the types of home automation systems that can transform your home into a futuristic haven.

1. Lighting Automation Systems

Sasco is Best system integrators Companies in India.Lighting automation is one of the most popular and essential aspects of a smart home. These systems allow you to control your lights with:

Voice Commands: Integrate with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri for hands-free control.

Mobile Apps: Adjust brightness, color, and on/off schedules remotely.

Motion Sensors: Automatically turn lights on or off based on movement.

SASCO Smart Home offers customizable lighting solutions to create the perfect ambiance for every occasion while saving energy.

2. Climate Control Systems

Smart climate control systems optimize your home’s heating, cooling, and ventilation. Features include:

Smart Thermostats: Learn your preferences and adjust settings automatically.

Zone Control: Manage temperatures in individual rooms or areas.

Energy Efficiency: Reduce energy consumption with advanced scheduling and remote control.

These systems not only enhance comfort but also lower energy bills, making them a must-have for sustainable living.

3. Security and Surveillance Systems

Home security has been redefined with smart automation. Key features include:

Smart Cameras: Provide real-time video monitoring with remote access.

Smart Locks: Allow you to lock/unlock doors remotely or with a code.

Motion Detectors: Send instant alerts for suspicious activity.

Integrated Alarms: Automatically activate alarms and notify authorities when needed.

SASCO ensures your home is secure with robust and reliable smart security solutions.

4. Audio and Video Systems

Professional audio visual systems extends to entertainment, providing immersive experiences with:

Multi-Room Audio: Play your favorite music in any room of your home.

Home Theaters: Custom setups with 4K/8K displays and surround sound.

Streaming Integration: Access all your streaming platforms seamlessly.

SASCO Smart Home combines top-notch technology with expert installation to bring your entertainment vision to life.

5. Smart Appliances

Upgrade your kitchen and laundry with smart appliances that simplify chores. Features include:

Smart Refrigerators: Track groceries and create shopping lists.

Smart Ovens: Preheat and adjust settings remotely.

Smart Washing Machines: Schedule and monitor wash cycles via an app.

These appliances integrate with your smart home ecosystem, enhancing convenience and efficiency.

6. Home Energy Management Systems

Monitor and control your energy usage with advanced systems that:

Track Usage: Provide real-time insights into energy consumption.

Solar Integration: Optimize energy usage with solar panel monitoring.

Load Management: Schedule high-energy appliances during off-peak hours.

SASCO’s energy management solutions help you create a greener, more sustainable home.

7. Irrigation Automation Systems

Perfect for garden enthusiasts, smart irrigation systems automate watering based on:

Weather Conditions: Adjust schedules based on real-time forecasts.

Soil Moisture Sensors: Ensure plants get the right amount of water.

Mobile Access: Control your irrigation system from anywhere.

These systems conserve water and keep your garden lush and healthy.

8. Universal Control Systems

Integrate all your smart devices into a single platform with universal control systems. Features include:

Single Interface: Manage lighting, security, climate, and entertainment from one app.

Voice and App Control: Seamlessly operate all systems with voice commands or a smartphone.

AI Integration: Use AI-powered automation to anticipate and adapt to your needs.

SASCO’s universal control solutions ensure effortless management of your smart home.

Why Choose SASCO Smart Home for Your Automation Needs?

At SASCO home automation, we understand that every home is unique. Here’s why we stand out:

Tailored Solutions: We design systems to meet your specific needs and preferences.

Expert Installation: Our skilled technicians ensure flawless setup and integration.

Premium Products: We partner with leading brands to provide the best automation technology.

Ongoing Support: From troubleshooting to upgrades, we’re here for you every step of the way.

Conclusion

Investing in the best home automation systems is no longer a luxury but a necessity for modern living. From smart lighting to universal control systems, SASCO Smart Home offers a comprehensive range of solutions to elevate your lifestyle.

Ready to make your home smarter, safer, and more efficient? Contact SASCO Smart Home today to discover the perfect automation solutions for your space!

[chocolatedetectivehottub]

cheapest laundry near me,

cheapest laundry near me,

Doing laundry shouldn’t break the bank, but finding affordable laundry services can sometimes feel challenging. Here’s a guide to help you locate the most budget-friendly laundromats, laundry pickup services, and wash-and-fold options near you.

1. Look for Local Laundromats with Deals

Many laundromats offer promotions, especially for new customers or during off-peak hours. Search for “laundromats near me” on Google or a map app and check if local places list any discounts. Some laundromats have early bird or late-night discounts when machines are less busy.

2. Compare Prices and Services Online

Websites and apps like Yelp, Google Maps, or local business directories often provide customer reviews and price ranges for laundromats. Look for facilities that offer cost-effective self-service machines. Also, some places have loyalty programs or offer discounts on certain days of the week, which could save you even more in the long run.

3. Check for Student and Senior Discounts

If you’re a student or senior, some laundromats offer reduced rates. It’s worth asking about any special rates at nearby laundromats or checking online listings to see if there are discounts available for certain age groups.

4. Opt for Laundry Pickup and Delivery Deals

Many laundry services now offer pickup and delivery, which can sometimes be cheaper, especially if they provide promotional rates for first-time customers. Look for deals on apps like Rinse, SudShare, or local laundry services, which may give discounts if you’re a new user or order during a certain time of the week.

5. Use Laundry Service Aggregators

Platforms such as LaundroKart, Cleanly, or SudShare let you compare various laundry service providers in your area. These apps often have promo codes and offer package deals, which might make laundry services more affordable than traditional laundromats.

6. Ask About Bulk Pricing

Some laundromats and laundry services offer discounts if you wash in bulk (like more than 20 pounds of laundry). This can be an excellent option for families or roommates who combine their laundry into one large load.

7. Buy or Bring Your Own Supplies

Many laundromats charge extra for detergent and fabric softener. Bringing your own supplies can cut costs. Also, some brands offer eco-friendly laundry pods or sheets that are easy to transport and affordable in the long run.

8. Look for Coin-Operated Laundromats

Coin-operated laundromats usually charge lower fees than digital machines because they require less maintenance. They may not have the latest machines, but they get the job done and keep your costs down.

9. Save on Drying Costs

One trick to reduce your drying expenses is to spin-dry clothes twice, if possible, before moving them to the dryer. Clothes that are less wet require less time in the dryer. You could also bring clothes home to air-dry if you have space, which cuts out dryer costs entirely.

Final Tips for Affordable Laundry

Finding the cheapest laundry service requires a bit of research, but it’s worth it for long-term savings. By exploring local deals, comparing prices, and using discounts, you can keep your clothes clean without spending too much.

This approach should help readers find affordable laundry options nearby, helping them save on laundry costs every week.

4o

[nathank77]

11/5/25

11:07 a.m

Sleep was unexpectedly wonderful last night. I fell asleep fast on my normal dosage. Maybe it's cause I worked out.... I mean but I was at the gym at like 9:30 in the morning until around 11 a.m. I'm just glad I slept well..

I'm doing laundry which is annoying... I cleaned the dryer. I have my towels in. I got about 3 loads... but I want to do my bedding.. I don't think it's possible... imma see what i can accomplish. I hope it is.

As I usually do, I'd do the laundry today, my normal clothing and then I'd do the bedding the day after... but I got to go to the gym tomorrow before my testosterone shot. I want to go to the gym now but I'm actually sore from the gym. Mostly my legs. A little in my arms and shoulders. I'm targeting my arms, shoulders, pecs, and that's it right now. Hopefully my stomach fat falls off and then I'll work on abs.... if not that's cool I'll be adorable no matter how my body looks in a couple months. I wish I could go today but I can't lose the time bc I got to stay on the laundry machines...

Riley peed in the house after going outside.... Idk why it's not like her at this point. And she peed in the kitchen... also not like her. She does it in the living room. I wish my mother would rehome her. Her aid is here now and all she's doing is barking and whining. It makes my at home situation stressful. I love going to the gym, I don't have to be at my house. But I hate running and unfortunately it's important.

I'm still thinking about chlorestoral medication... idk what to do... I don't want gout. It's caused by a build up of uric acid.... Certian chlorestoral medications cause it. And my cardiologist isn't a bloodwork guy... maybe i could ask for a drug to lower uric acid... but then I have two drugs that cause side effects lol

Also I was thinking muscle pain is a side effect of most medications like dry mouth... but the statins are scary bc they can cause myopathy... and just the idea of it triggers anxiety.

I've had a few muscle spasms the last couple days. I'd blame the statin but as of tomorrow it's been a week since I took it. From my research it could be a couple things causing the spasms and muscle related issues from statins. Coq10... which is why I went to 30mg... also ca+ leaks... I have a feeling I'm a ca+ leaker... my Dr is urging me to try something else. They believe I'm statin intolerant.

Unfortunately I don't really know bc my anxiety is so high that it doesn't stand a chance. I can almost make my muscles spasms if I think too hard about it. It sucks.

My wrist still hurts. My scan still isnt covered. I have to try to get assistance.... I might call my dad today or tomorrow not for money just to talk bc our conversation went so well last time. I want to connect with someone.

I still want to share my brain scan with someone. I also wish I had a disc drive for my Mac... it sucks.... I had to go out to a place to view my brain scan. Also it seems like they missed one side of my head but idk it could just be position... bc they were looking at my ears.. and they got the top, back, side, all kinds of pictures. I've been having fun identifying anatomy parts on my scan but I really wish I could use the program on my Mac. I just don't have the money to get a disc drive and then when I think what else could I use it for?

1) nothing. No one uses cds anymore. I'd never watch a movie on my Mac unless my electric was out but then I wouldn't watch a movie on my Mac bc it would be a power source to charge my phone.......... I mean disc drives are getting phased out. I have apple music and even if I didn't.... id use YouTube or Spotify........ so if I got a disc drive it would only be for my brain scan...

I had bad anxiety last night. I always have bad anxiety. It was like once all my daily stuff was done and I ate and started to relax I was stuck in my barricade with my shitty mother. And yea