#i used the new massage gun for an hour before a nap and it is wonderful and the only reason i can get out of bed or look at my phone

[crimeronan]

it is an 800mg of ibuprofen* day lads. holy FUCKING-

*[fine print at the end of a medication commercial voice] occasional 800mg ibuprofen doses have been approved and moderated by my doctor as an alternative to permanently frying my immune system. please do not destroy your kidneys by doing this for funsies with zero medical supervision. posts about casually doubling up on ibuprofen stress me out so fucking bad you guys do NOT

[folliesandfolderols]

Writing prompts day 10

From this prompt list. I set a goal of writing at least 150 words per day in 2024, which sounds pretty pathetic but if you take into account the fact that I haven't written any fiction since 2019 it felt like a feasible target. Anyway I've finished the first draft (it topped out at 88k words) and will be unlocking each post as I edit.

read from the beginning here

Day 9 here

***

119. “Let me make you feel good this time?”

***

Damian drifted off again within a few minutes. Tim lay still as long as he could, listening to him breathing and pathetically grateful that he hadn't had to deal with the aftermath alone. He almost never missed living in the Manor, but sometimes it had been comforting to wake up sobbing and know there were other people in the same house to talk to if he needed.

He didn't think about Bernard, and waking up next to him.

After half an hour of staring at the ceiling, he gave up and eased out from under Damian's limpet clinging to go back out to the living room and work on the files he'd only pretended to look at earlier. This was the grinding sort of information accrual and analysis that he excelled with, even though sometimes he wished he were better at the physical side of the job instead. Currently, he was tracking guns purchased in Gotham and moved to North Carolina, where they were resold and distributed across the country until they made their way south of the border. The guns sold in North Carolina had been identified in dozens of crimes, some of which provided leads about connections in Texas, which could give them some ideas about where they were being used in Mexico and further south.

He didn't realize he'd been sitting in one place for five hours until he rubbed his stinging eyes and his vision went blurry. Right. Time to shower again and wake up.

The one rich-kid indulgence he'd allowed himself that wasn't job-related was a bathroom remodel before he moved in. The shower on the houseboat had barely been big enough to turn around in, and he was sick of hitting his elbows against cold tile and knocking bottles over when he moved too fast. His new shower had double heads, a tile bench, and enough room to sleep in if he felt like it. He'd definitely been tempted to take a nap on the floor a few times. Only the knowledge that he might accidentally block the drain and drown had forced him to get out and trudge to bed.

He turned on both shower heads, stripped, and got in, turning the water hot enough that the bathroom started filling with steam almost immediately. Once in the water, his motivation to get back to work fled. He sighed and leaned his head against the wall, names and addresses still flying through his brain, looking for patterns.

Damian's voice reached him through the fog. "You weren't able to sleep?"

Tim nearly started but caught himself in time. "Nah, too wound up. Worked on the trafficking case instead."

Through the stream of water blurring his eyes, he saw Damian draw closer to the doors. "Well, that will support our story to Father."

Tim exhaled on a laugh. "I thought so too."

"May I join you?"

"Be my guest."

Almost before he'd finished speaking, Damian opened the door and stepped into the water, sighing with contentment. "It's cold this morning."

He had his back to Tim, and the thick, knotted scar on his spine caught Tim's eye. Without thinking, he reached and put his hand over it, feeling the hard tissue beneath his palm.

Damian glanced over his shoulder. "Is everything all right?"

It would definitely be weird to say something about how he was glad Damian wasn't dead anymore. "Yeah. Just. Having a hard time getting moving."

"Here, let me help." Damian poured shampoo into his palm and motioned to Tim to turn around. Tim obeyed and nearly moaned at the feeling of Damian's fingers massaging his scalp. Damian let out an amused breath after a moment. "I believe I used too much. My hair is much thicker than yours."

"That's okay. This way I don't have to wash my back."

"Tt. That's like saying this way you don't have to get clean. Here." Cracking open his eyes as he rinsed, Tim watched Damian get a washcloth and pour shower gel on it. "If you're that tired, I'll take care of it for you."

Tim thought about protesting but couldn't drum up the energy. The shower was having the opposite effect than he'd hoped, and now he was feeling every minute of sleep he'd surrendered. He let Damian get him thoroughly clean and didn't even bother worrying about the fact that he was fully hard by the time Damian knelt to wash his feet.

Damian stood again and gently pushed his shoulder. "Rinse." Tim took a step back, into the thickest part of the spray, and Damian followed. "Is it all right if I . . . ?" He ran his fingers over Tim's erection instead of finishing the sentence.

Tim leaned his forehead against his chest. "I'm tired," he complained, instead of answering.

Damian's free arm wrapped around his back and pulled him closer. "That's all right. You don't have to do anything. Let me make you feel good this time?"

Tim, instead of putting a stop to this the way he knew he should, kept his eyes shut and nodded his assent.

Days eleven and twelve here

[boldlyvoid]

Of Quartz I Will

Amethyst You So Much✨ Part 2: Of Quartz I Will

Summary: after 2 years of dating, Spencer decides it's finally time to get Y/N something to match her Amethyst bracelet.

Warnings: fluff, gun violence, shooting tw, Reid's season 5 knee injury, hurt/comfort, emotional smut, body massage, hand jobs, riding, penetrative sex.

word count: 6K

Spencer notices her as she walks in, through the briefing room window, she’s wearing his purple shirt. He wanted to wear that for work today but couldn’t find it anywhere, now he knows why.

“Excuse me,” he says to his group of teammates as they contribute reading case files.

“Hey,” Spencer grabs her attention from the railing beside the briefing room. “I’ve been looking for that shirt everywhere.”

“It’s mine now,” she smiles, setting her things down at her desk for the night. “I’ll buy you a new purple dress shirt.”

“Buy yourself one, I like that one,” he whines.

“Finders keepers, doctor Reid. Either stop leaving your shit on my bedroom floor or move in already.”

Everyone hears it. All eyes are on them as they bicker in the middle of the bullpen, including the team of profilers just beyond the window.

“Okay,” he agrees. “We’ll talk about this later.”

She climbs the stairs quickly, giving him a good morning hug even though it was 9pm. “I love you, that’s why I’m wearing your shirt.”

He smiles against her shoulder as he holds her, “I love you, more so in my shirt.”

When he sits back down at his chair at the round table, everyone is waiting with a raised brow. They want details, they want his opinion, they want to hear him stutter and see him blush like he used to. But he doesn’t.

“Yes, I will be moving in with her. We have people to save,” Spencer reminded them. Avoiding eye contact and flipping through the files.

Derek tugs on his amethyst bracelet, he hasn’t taken it off since he got it, almost 2 years ago. “Are you ever going to get her any other jewellery?”

“When she goes home I’ll show you,” he whispers, still avoiding eye contact as they all gasp. “Keep it cool or I will kill you.”

He keeps an eye on her at her desk, smiling when she looks up to see him. She blows him a kiss and waves softly a few times, but other than that, they don’t talk for the rest of the day.

—

The next time She sees him, he’s in her bed sound asleep as she’s coming home from work. She sits on the edge of the bed and brushes his hair away from his face to wake him up gently, he blinks into the morning sunlight to see her.

“Good morning,” he smiles.

She’s in his pink shirt today. She liked to keep something of his close on bad cases that take him out of town. In this case, out of the country. He was in Canada for a few days, the case was horrific and she had to deal with all the office work in Penelope’s absence.

“Amethyst,” she whispers, it was part of their secret code.

Spencer, being a cunning linguist, he loved anagrams.

They had Amethyst for I miss you, Quartz for of course, and Olive for I love you. It was easier to keep the PDA to a minimum at work, not wanting to sit in a seminar like Derek and Penny about sexual misconduct and hostile work environments.

“Olive,” Spencer replies, pulling her down into the bed so she can cuddle in.

“We can’t stay, there’s another case. JJ told me to bring you in on my way home,” she explains softly. “They need you to go to ER Doctor Barton’s house, in McLean, he got a note saying someone was going to kill his son. So far they’ve also connected him to a few surrogate kills of Hispanic men, they need the speed reader to go through all his recent surgeries.”

He sighs, holding her tightly and snuggling in against her back, “no.”

She laughs, “Spencer, you can read really fast and the faster you read the faster you can come home to me.”

“Fine,” she has perfect logic, he always tells her that. “Are you driving me to the guy's house?”

“Yep, so we can stop for coffee and talk in the car, I really did miss you a lot,” she struggles out of his grasp to turn and face him, opting to hold his face in her hands as she looks at him. He’s exhausted, just like her.

“I missed you too, I’m sorry I was gone so long,” his voice is barely a whisper, “We should take a day off together soon.”

“Yeah,” she smiles wider, completely in love with him. “I’d really like that, maybe we can look at apartments?”

“Apartments?” He repeats the word with a grin, raising his eyebrow softly. “I thought you liked it here?”

“It’s too small, I want to get a cat, if you’re bringing your closet here we’re going to need a bigger one,” she ranted. “And actually, I was thinking if you’re on the same page as me and this is a long-term thing for you too, what if we just got a bigger place and got a mortgage and start a little life outside the FBI, together?”

He’s so in love with her, “get my bag?” Is all he can say.

“What?” She’s so confused, shaking her head softly as she comprehends it.

“On the floor there, grab my bag, please there’s something for you in there,” he points behind her, trapped under her and the blanker so it’s not like he could get it himself.

She gets up, placing the bag on the bed for him as she watches him dig through it for a little box. “Arminius helped me pick this out.”

He had become best friends with the owner of the rock shop, she wasn’t surprised to hear that he had gotten something else from there for him. It made her giggle with excitement, bouncing softly as Spencer sat up and moved his bag out of the way.

But then he got out of bed, he’s in a pair of purple boxers and his hair is a mess and he’s so nervous and she has no idea why until he gets down on one knee.

“I was waiting to do this.”

“Holy shit.”

He nods with a shaky laugh, “yeah, I’m in it long term if you are?”

“How the fuck am I supposed to drive you to work now?” She laughs, unable to stop smiling as the two of them stare hopelessly at each other. She hasn’t even looked at the ring yet, too occupied with the wonderfully happy look on his face.

“Quartz,” is all she can say, flabbergasted as she keeps laughing with a shocked smile.

He takes it from the box and she watches as he slides the most beautiful purple Amethyst ring over her ring finger and then her hands are back on his cheeks. Pulling him into a kiss, she can’t seem to hold him close enough as she breathes in. Holding her breath as she keeps him there.

He pulls away with a laugh, “when are we supposed to be there?”

“Now.”

“Damn,” they’re all giggles.

And it doesn’t stop, she takes off Spencer’s shirt and he puts it on instead, matching it with a vest and a tie while she makes him a coffee and can’t stop smiling as she glances at the ring.

It really only made sense for their engagement to happen in the same place she fell in love with him.

Sure, she liked him a lot when he was getting her rocks and she really wanted to get to know him more after his last note, but it was the bracelet that made her fall in love. He went out of his way to make her smile on what felt like the worst day of her life, and she knew she wanted forever with him from then on out. Now she was going to get it, she was going to be Agent Y/N Reid, and her ring was absolutely perfect.

He catches her taking photos of it in the sunshine when he comes out of the bedroom. She still can’t stop smiling, it’s just so perfect and she’s just so in love with him.

They get muffins from the bakery under her apartment before getting in her car, “where is it?” Spencer asks, playing the role of GPS whenever they drove together.

“120 Kensington Road, McLean Virginia,” she members it clearly.

“Take a right,” Spencer smiles, and she’s off.

She drives with one hand, looking at her ring almost more than the road as Spencer held her other one. She pulled up to the Doctor’s house and he didn’t want to leave. Sighing, he looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

“I will see you when you get home, I’m going to call out after this case is done and you get mandatory 24 hours off for back-to-back cases,” she said, knowing protocol almost better than him. “Go to work.”

“Fine,” he frowns again, getting out of the car and walking around to her door. She rolls the window down and tilts her chin up, leaning out for the kiss he’s waiting to give her.

“Let me know when you’re done, I can come and pick you back up,” she whispers against his lips between kisses.

One last smooch and he pulls away, backing up so he isn’t tempted to stay any longer, “olive.”

“Olive,” she replies with a smile, waving slightly before he disappears behind the door.

She releases a long sigh, melting into the chair as she lets the butterflies swarm around a bit in her stomach, it felt wonderful.

She went home, napped from 10 till 2 and then sat in bed to stare at her beautiful ring for a little while. She couldn’t believe he proposed just like that. All she asked was if he wanted to get a mortgage on a house and she guesses he heard "spend the rest of your life with me."

Sometimes, when Spencer was on a case in Virginia and too busy to keep her updated, she would turn on the police radio and listen to what was going on around in the area. It was good to keep her mind preoccupied and to remind herself that he was safe.

At least that’s what it used to do.

“Shots fired at 120 Kensington Road, McLean Virginia, 10-999, 11-41, all units in the area are requested.”

“10-999, officer down, 11-41, send ambulances,” she whispers to herself, remembering all the dispatch lingo from the office.

She doesn’t have time to panic, she unlocks her safe and grabs her gun, loading it and then she’s out the door, in her car and pulling up behind the sheriff's car as she’s running out.

She tosses her badge up to show the cops as she tries to run onto the scene, “I’m an FBI agent on his team, let me through!”

She slides her knees along the grass, surely ruining her jeans as she dives for him. She places a hand on his bloody knee and looks everywhere else, “are you okay? Are you good? Holy shit, Spence?”

Her breathing is so heavy, she clutches her chest with her left hand and tries to calm down as he looks up at her and they breathe in and out a few times without breaking eye contact. He’s completely fine, there’s just a bullet in his knee, he assures her.

“I’m fine,” he laughs lightly, wincing at the pain as he leans forward to kiss her gently.

She’s there only 2 minutes before Derek, JJ and Rossi are pulling up on the scene. Everyone huddled around them on the grass as the EMTs bandaged his knee up before taking him to the ambulance.

“You need to call Emily,” Spencer speaks over everyone, “something happened to Hotch, I’m fine here with Y/N, just go see him.”

He was always going to be fine with her, that was for sure. She never left his side, except when they took him in for surgery and forced her back into the waiting room. But as soon as he was okay again, his hand was in hers.

—

He was given a month off after his knee surgery, but he still ended up in the office most nights. Becoming more of a night owl than usual as he accompanied his fiancé to her desk and sat beside her as she did her work. It was really nice to spend time with her and not have to do anything.

Of course, he filled his time by going over other case files, things they weren’t able to get to as a team and things that didn’t fit the criteria of the BAU. He made phone calls and sent emails, helping small-town cops make simple connections and doing more good that way.

He sat at her desk, his leg resting over her lap as she made a few phone calls. Handing the background of the cases, filing off invoices and approvals. Dispatching units and requesting files and overrides from other departments. She was amazing.

She hangs up the phone, finally, after 45 minutes of rolling her eyes and sighing as she was transferred from office to office all around America. She places her hand on his leg and absentmindedly runs her hand along his shin, staring off at the desk, silently.

“Are you okay?”

She nods, “do you think you’re healed enough to start looking at places?”

He nods back, “actually, I already found one. Hold on,” he slides his leg off her lap and stands with his crutches, hobbling over to his desk where he looks through his files for a new folder.

When he comes back to her, he places the folder in her hands, “forever homes,” is listed on the tag and he sees her heart melt in her eyes. She opens the folder as he sits down, there are about 15 pages of house and apartment listings printed off.

“When did you do all this?” She whispered, shocked and not wanting to cry at work.

“Before I got shot, I was on the phone with Penelope and I asked her to help me find some, she printed off like 50 and I selected the good ones, but there’s more if you don’t like an-“

“Babe,” she cut the rant short, “I’m sure I’ll love any of them, as long as they come with you.”

He pulls a specific sheet from the pile, “this one is my favourite.”

She can see why, it’s a large, green exterior, Victorian home. There’s a turret and a porch, large windows with a bench seat in the kitchen. A garage, 4 bedrooms, a finished basement, a study and a pretty nice backyard.

“It’s a bit of a fixer-upper, but Derek said he’s willing to help teach me how to fix some stuff,” Spencer pressed his lips together awkwardly. He really wanted this on.

“Let’s get a Realtor and set up a walk-through,” she agreed, “and we should bring Derek because he’ll know more than most inspectors anyway. I don’t want to get a place with a cracked foundation or a faulty water heater.”

He smiled again, “remember last week when I had that extra appointment?”

She tilted her head, “no, there is no way you’ve already been there to check it out without me.”

“And I put an offer in, but I was waiting for your approval,” he adds, nervous for her to hate it.

“With what money? I thought we were doing this together?” He’s not sure why she’s upset, normally she loves his surprises.

“When I sold my moms house, I invested the money and it’s been gaining interest for years now,” his voice is soft, “I got through college with scholarships and if I was ever down on money I just had to go to one casino and I always leave with two grand, minimum, I promise, I’m really in this for the long run. I know what I'm doing.”

She smiles, picking up the listing and calling the agency. “Hi this is Y/N Y/L/N calling, my fiancé, Doctor Spencer Reid, recently put an offer in on the listing for 247 Chestnut Drive, I’d love to come and see it soon and take some measurements and things. If you could call me back…”

Spencer is so in love with her it hurts. He wants to scream right then and there, like a kettle on a hot stove for too long, he’s bursting at the seams. She hangs up the phone with the best smile he’s ever seen, “I’m going home early, cause I’m sick, care to join me?”

She stands then, putting her hand out for him so he could stand with her help. “Quartz,” he replies, taking her hand and stands, she gathers their things and she clocks out. No one really cared about all her sick days, she did her job well and they wanted the good doctor to be taken care of.

When he finally gets to show her the inside of the house, she is so in love with it. The hardwood is all original, same with the railings, shelves, banisters and countertops. They're all rustic and beautiful, she can’t help but run her finger over everything as she looks around with an open mouth. X

The kitchen cabinets are green, there is a beautiful colourful wallpaper as a backsplash… and it’s completely empty. It was a remodel, some house flippers did it up and didn’t want to stay. It was made more modern, updated appliances and every safety protocol met. It was perfect.

She turned to him with a smile after only 5 minutes of looking, “this is it.”

“Good,” the women showing them around said, “because your offer was approved, with your say so I can get everything started with escrow.”

“Holy shit!” Y/N cheered, jumping a bit and showing off while Spencer just leaned on his crutch. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek a few times.

“You can start that paperwork,” Spencer smiled, holding her back with his face in the crook of her neck.

—

The hardest part of moving is transporting all of Spencer’s books from one home to another. It's at least 30 boxes of books and Derek will be faxing his chiropractor bill to Spencer within the week.

His office here was huge, floor-to-ceiling oak shelves and green walls, full of all his books and belongings now. It was his own space in the house he shared with his future wife.

It felt crazy to him.

She used to just be the cute girl in the office, he can remember the exact moment he laid eyes on her. She was walking around aimlessly with some files in her hands when he turned around at his desk. She looked lost, overwhelmed and like she was about to have a breakdown.

She looked at him with the same fear he felt on his first day, he took the file from her and knew exactly where it was meant to go. She followed behind him, quiet as a mouse as he placed it in a folder by the wall under a sign that said "Anderson."

He turned with a press-lipped smile and a nod and then they went their separate ways. Silent conversations became their thing, the only time he really heard her voice was when she called him in in the middle of the night or when he heard her on the phone.

Other than that; she smiled when they passed each other, she’d tap her watch when he needed to be doing something Hotch asked for and was preoccupied with something else, she even knew exactly what he was looking for by just observing his chaos. Always able to pull a sheet of paper from the bottom of the stack with ease, and always silently, until that one day she said sorry to him after slamming the phone.

Now he knows that she talks in her sleep, she likes to go over her plans out loud in the shower every morning, and she sings all day long. Be it little tunes, hums, random tongue clicks or whistling, she’s always making noise. His favourite, however, was when sometimes she’d remember something she was trying to remember during a conversation they had, 4 days prior, and she’d scream it out like he knows what she’s thinking every second of every day.

He was in love with her voice, he never wanted to stop hearing it.

He was in love with her face, he never wanted to stop seeing it.

He was in love with her body, he never wanted to stop touching it.

He was in love with her mind, he never wanted to stop exploring it.

All those thoughts rushing to his brain and rushing a new form of butterflies for him. Like anxiety, but happier. Like he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her. It was anticipation rather than fear.

She really was it for him, and as he unboxed his life into the house they were about to share for the upcoming future, it all became very real. This was how the rest of his forever was going to look with her. All their memories from here on out were going to take place in this house, in these rooms.

When he picked this house, it was just a fun idea, and now he looks at the hardwood floors and thinks about how wet baby feet are going to sound during bath time. He wonders how many times the creaky steps are going to let him know she’s coming up to bed, he wonders what screaming matches and fights and love-making will happen beyond the bedroom door across from his study.

He wonders if she’s going to love him as long as he wants to love her.

He opens his study door then, “Hey, babe?”

“Yeah?” She calls up from the bottom of the stairs.

“Can you come up here?”

She marches up the stairs, still not used to the creaky staircase or the length of stairs she had to climb, soon enough, she’s on the second floor and walking into his study, “what’s up?”

He doesn’t know how to ask, he doesn’t even really know what he wants actually. He just missed her, and she was only just downstairs.

“Can I have a hug?”

It comes out more pathetic than he predicted, cringing at the embarrassment as he shrunk into the couch.

“Quartz,” her voice is soft as she approaches him.

Sitting on the brown leather couch that was once in his apartment, she wraps her arms around him and he holds her back softly.

Resting his head on her shoulder, he just wants to hold her for a while. Eventually, they end up laying down with her on his chest, still holding each other as silent as they were in the beginning.

“I love you,” Spencer whispers against her hair.

She snuggles in more, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder softly, “I love you, too, are you okay?”

He nods softly, “I was just thinking about everything and I wanted to hold you.”

She swoons, “do you remember the first night we cuddled like this?”

He nods again, brushing his chin against her head each time, “it all feels like history repeating like it’s supposed to be this way for us.”

“I like to think so,” she agreed. “I actually think you’re my twin flame.”

He hums, thinking about it, “I’m not sure I know what that means.”

“So soulmates are kind of like mirror souls, they are exactly everything that the other needs and they fill the missing parts for each other." She explains softly and he can already tell where her rant is going.

"I don’t think that’s us because we are too similar; sometimes we butt heads and don’t see eye-to-eye, and you drive me crazy a lot of the time because we have the same anxiety and daddy issues, but it’s also because you do things I think about doing and then I can’t do them because they're done already and they’re my calm down things so then I have nothing to calm down with, like yesterday-“

“Babe,” he whispers, “I know, we finish each other’s sandwiches, that’s what your niece said when she saw us together.”

It makes her smile and he can feel her cheekbone against his chest, “twin flames are what happens when one soul is ripped in half and sent to two bodies. They’re capable of surviving separately, as long as they have the right kindling, but they burn brighter together.”

“People sometimes think fire is living because it consumes and uses energy, requires oxygen, and moves through the environment,” Spencer says softly, “have you ever seen something catch fire on both ends?”

“Yeah, a few times, why?”

“It’s never about burning the item entirely, both fires are only concerned with connecting to each other for mass destruction. They always burn in the strangest patterns, but they always connect first before devouring the victim.”

She sits up to look at him, “are you saying I devoured you?”

“That would be de-flowered,” he teases, “but no, I’m saying it makes sense. We really have been burning through everything to find each other.”

“I cannot believe you just said I de-flowered you before the most beautiful thing you’ve ever said,” she laughs, “and it was a mutual de-flowering, might I remind you.”

“I will never forget,” he coos, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers.

She pushes him back against the couch, it’s been forever since they’ve really done anything. With moving, Spencer’s recovery, her working nights and sleeping all day. It hasn’t been rewarding in a long time, it’s just been enjoyable.

“No,” he whispers as she starts to trail kisses down his neck. “I’m not having sex on the couch the first time we do it in the house.”

She laughs against his neck, pushing herself off the couch and extending a hand to him, “did the doctor even say you can yet?”

“I can’t do all the work, but I can give a second opinion?” He couldn’t stop the grin on his face as she hauled him to his feet.

“Let me heal you,” she whispers, and he knows exactly what she means.

She lays him down on their bed, on top of the covers with no clothes on as she gathers her things. She closes the blinds, turns on her amber lamp, and lights her candles. But his favourite thing that she adds is the sound therapy… helping the water in his body vibrate at the right frequency to calm him completely. She’s going all out for this one.

Much like the first time.

She’s naked too, both of them completely unfazed by each other’s naked form by now. She sits between his legs with all her chakra stones in her hands and she sets them down on his stomach before arranging them in order where they’re supposed to help on his body.

The Amethyst is just above his head for his crown chakra, touching his scalp gently. He closes his eyes as she places a Lapis Lazuli on his third eye, in the centre of his forehead. An Aquamarine on his throat. Rose Quartz on his heart, Tiger’s Eye on his solar plexus, Pyrite on his belly button and finally, Fire Agate at his core.

He always felt so totally relaxed like this, even the first time she ever laid him down like this. He was so calm, he knew he was in good hands and seeing her bless the room made him feel even better.

“Only good may enter here,” the words she repeats every full moon when she opens the windows and blessed the whole house. Keeping them safe, happy, healthy and loved.

She kissed the scar on his knee, causing him to open his one eye to see her. She was laying between his legs now, head resting on his hip as she lightly ran her fingers over his knee, ticking the skin where he finally had feeling again. It took forever for the numbness to go away, even longer for the pain. But she was so patient with him the whole time, taking the best care of him.

She doesn’t mind that he’s hard, she’s very close to his dick as it rests on his stomach beside the crystal.

She kisses his hip, inching each kiss over until she’s pressing one right to the shaft of his dick and he takes a deep breath. Knowing she’ll stop if he forgets how to do the breathing exercises she showed him. He wasn’t allowed to tense his body, this was about pleasure and there was no rush.

For either of them.

He’s done this for her a few times over the years too, just as slow and sensual as she was being. It was calming, rewarding, they bonded with each other and really felt like one being this way.

He heard a cap open, but he was so used to it by now that it filled him with contentment rather than excitement. He remembers the first time she said she wanted to do this, getting some skin-safe, homemade, vegan massage lube and almost turning inside out with how awkward she was asking to do this for their first time.

She sat on her knees between his legs with a small bounce as she got excited about her favourite part. She sat with the bottle resting between her thighs, warming up while she ran some of it over her hands. She massaged his thighs first, getting all the knots and making sure there was no “Charlie's on any horses”, the first time she said that he almost cried laughing and ruined the mood for a little.

She took the rocks off him then, sitting more on his hips as she drizzled the warm oil on his chest. He let his hands rest on her knees, wanting to feel her skin while she felt his. Her hands felt like magic, running over his chest, arms and shoulders like this was her job. She knew every crook, every cranny, every pressure point and soft tissue on him. His body was just as much her’s now.

It's when she presses her body flat against his that he knows the mood is changing. Her breasts are flat against his chest, her hands are behind his head as she looks down at him, her groin pressed right against him as he aches for contact, grinding up into her slowly as she stares into his eyes.

“Better?” She whispered with a small smile, already feeling how much calmer he was, she just wanted confirmation.

“Much,” he’s just as quiet in his reply. “If I don’t bend that knee, it’ll be fine.”

“I don’t mind doing all the work, baby,” she kisses him quickly, “I know you like it more like this anyway.”

She slithers down his body then, his body slick with oil as she easily glides down and creating the most wonderful amount of friction with him. He groans, tossing his head back against the Amethyst on his scalp.

She sits on his good thigh, avoiding pressure with his bad knee like he was an old man now. She makes contact with the only part she didn’t message, adding more of the massage lube to her hand before lazily jerking him off. He keeps a hand on her thigh, groping and managing her right back as she kept a perfect rhythm.

She occasionally grinds against his thigh, mostly when he moans and groans. Extremely turned on by him having a good time, proud of herself for relaxing him, always complaining that he was too tense, she really knew how to release the pressure.

Just as she gets into it, the calming sounds of rain and high-pitched frequencies come to an end… Rhiannon starts playing and he literally watches her come alive; changing her rhythm to match the beat as she starts to grind against him more, she only added his song to the queue, somehow an hour had passed and her music was resuming.

And when Spencer said she was eclectic, he meant she could go from listening to a rare Canadian band called the Tragically Hip, to Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Evanescence and back to Fleetwood Mac. He had no idea where the mood was about to go.

He moved his hand up her thigh as he tried to power through the pleasure, her hand was so amazing he was bubbling away under his skin. He manages to get his middle finger between his leg and her, massaging her clit as she bucked her hips down on him.

Mutual pleasure in any sense was enough for them, seeing the other being perfectly content after everything they went through; it was euphoric. She leans up then and kisses him desperately, unable to stop stroking him as she sucked his tongue into her mouth.

She smiles against his mouth as the song changes again, it’s the song from the ending of Dirty Dancing, he knows how much she loves that movie. Her kisses get softer, she’s so gentle as she strokes him just a few more times before throwing a leg over his hips and lowering herself onto him in one go. Bottoming out faster than before, both of them making the same moan as they curled forward for each other, mouths clashing as they held onto each other.

Grinding together, Spencer kept a hand on her to help her ride as she was preoccupied with her hands in his hair and kissing his neck as they moved in tandem. It was so good, he was incredibly close but he wanted to hold off as long as possible to feel her finish first.

His ultimate pleasure was knowing she was pleasured, he massaged her clit once more between their bodies and she shuttered, “right there,” her words are small as she kisses under his ear, tugging his hair softly as he moans so she can lick at his neck as she moves her hips up and down, gloriously.

He can’t keep his eyes open, everything is too much and he’s so relaxed; it’s like his body is floating on a cloud as she rides him like they’re actually in heaven. He was really having the time of his life and it made him smile at the end of the whimper he released as she tightened around him suddenly and on purpose.

She moves faster, and so does his wrist as he helps her over the edge first. She’s panting in his ear as she rides him with purpose. She cums with a gasp and then he’s gone, her whole body stuttering as she let out the most relaxed and uncontrollable moan he’s ever heard from her.

His grip on her ass tightens as he holds her hips down, he cums with a gasp and it’s so powerful he passes out.

—

He’s so cute when he sleeps.

She’s got him all cleaned up, everything put away and where it’s supposed to be in their new room. She just lays beside him as she watches him nap, blissed out and relaxed, she doesn’t even care that it’s such a typical guy thing to fall asleep right after.

That was kind of her mission.

He’s been so stressed, he wasn’t going to tell her because he didn’t want his stress to become her stress like it so often did. Feeding off each other like a fire, he really knew how to give a phrase to a feeling. But he was stressed because he was in pain from his knee and no matter how much he lied and said he was fine, she knew he wanted to relieve the pain but he was afraid of even taking a Tylenol.

This is the most relaxed he’s been in months.

She ordered a pizza while he was asleep, it arrived before he woke up too. She sets the pizza box, 2 bottles of pop and a roll of napkins at the end of the bed, gently, before getting back into her spot.

She brushed his hair from his face and kissed the tip of his nose gently, seeing him scrunch his face and swallow before blinking awake. She smiled at him, “Hi, sleepyhead.”

“Hello, beautiful.”

“I ordered pizza,” she whispers.

“Olive,” he replies.

“Well yeah,” it makes her giggle but she has to say it, “I got our regular green olives, mushrooms and extra cheese.”

He laughs too, extra happy after both the sex and his nap. “I love you,” he says the full thing this time.

She presses another kiss to his lips before hauling him into a sitting position, “I love you, too.”

It’s the best night of her life so far.

the house

Taglist: @dreatine for inspiring a part 2 <3

@shemarmooresfedora @spencers-dria @reidsfish @manuosorioh @mochionly @samuel-de-champagne-problems @jswessie187 @k-k0129 @calm-and-doctor @blanchardsbk

[necros-writing-stuff]

This time can you do kylar and eden with a king but monster s/o ? Like they can have four arms or more than two eyes or claws/fangs or a tail or even better all of this. This s/o is not insecure about those traits but can be a bit worried their lover are turned by them btw. I just love badass legit monster people and I wonder what would be the stance of these two love interest about them :)

Have you played Cloud Meadow? There's some stuff there you might like.

Eden

Eden is on a hunt one day when they first see you. They've seen a lot in their days, but you're new. They aren't sure whether to shoot or just watch. Should they run? Are you dangerous.

You turn to look at them and Eden freezes. Expecting to be charged, their grip on their gun tightens.

Then you speak, and it's not what they're expecting.

"Hi! I'm a bit lost, do you know the way back into town?" you question, wandering over and even presenting one of your several hands in greeting.

Eden shakes it cautiously, very curious about what you are. They decide there's no harm in leading you in circles a bit so they can get a good look and question you.

That for three months ago. You kept getting lost in the woods. You kept asking for Eden's help getting back into town, and Eden found themselves growing used to your company, even craving it.

Eventually they invite you to live with them, and you excitedly agree. You're very sweet, they've learned, which clashes with their more solemn personality but they like it.

Eden now lies on their front on the new rug, groaning as your four hands massage away the stress of the day. Eden barely thinks about your differences anymore, they just see you. And they think they might be falling for you.

Sure, you've been intimate now, but Eden had thought that it was partially due to curiosity, then due to how good it had been.

Eden loves when you blink when talking to them. Your top pair of eyes blink first, then the bottom two follow in a delayed response. Smart, means you always look out for predators.

They're bad with words, but they try their best to let you know they're happy by snuggling close and wrapping your arms around them, as if to say ''I'm not scared."

Kylar

This hentai watching mother fucker has fantasised about having a monster s/o plenty of times.

They meet you when they have to walk home at night, having been stuffed in a locker at school and left there. They'd spent hours kicking until the door gave and they could use the secret park entrance to get out.

They're in the back alley that runs behind Domus when they spot you hiding in a sideways box, seemingly cold from the way you shiver. Your eyes are closed, and you don't notice them.

Kylar approaches you and just stares for a while. The multiple limbs and multiple eyes don't scare them, neither do the claws or the little fangs that peak out from your lips. Are those horns?

They move to touch you when your eyes flutter open and you squeak in suprise. They dart off before you can ask what is going on, embarrassed at getting caught.

But you track their scent, curious, and find the home they ran to. Its pretty big, and the garden is to. Plenty of places for you to hide and sleep without being disturbed. So you find a lovely spot under a bush and have your nap.

The next meeting is in the garden. Kylar comes out to draw, liking the weather but had overheard Whitney say they would be in the park today, so that was a no go. Their parents left early for work, so they were alone.

You creep up behind them, pleased to see that the cute little human is working on a sketch of you, sleeping in the alley. You don't know how long you watch them draw for, but its long enough that the sun moves enough to let your shadow fall over the human.

They turn as soon as they notice, and you're about to run when they yell for you to wait.

"You're um, well, I think you're really pretty, can you model for me?"

Kylar's so embarrassed to ask, but they can't stop thinking of you.

You sit down on the floor in front of their bench and make idle chatter, feeling rather good about yourself. You've never felt insecure in your appearance but to be called pretty by such a little cutie? You might have to spend some more time around them.

[excelsi-or]

your type (pt. 8)

w.c. 3.3k (yeah it’s a long one. sorry! :D)

pairing: jihoon x OC/reader

pt. 1; pt. 2; pt. 3; pt. 4; pt. 5; pt. 6; pt. 7

Jihoon loses track of time and only realizes the hour when she’s knocking on the door. Over his shoulder, he finds her standing in the doorway. She’s dressed in a white maxi dress, which she hadn’t been wearing when they’d talked earlier. He would never say it about anyone else, or out loud, but she looks like an angel.

Her hair is a little crimped from having it up, but she’s clearly run her hand through it, because it’s flipped in that way he likes. Her face is flushed from walking across campus to meet him.

She laughs. “You’re staring.”

Jihoon shakes his head and waves her inside. “Are you ready?”

She drops her bag on the couch and practically collapses into the spare chair. She sighs in relief.

“Been on your feet all day?” She’s complained about how the bench tops are too high for her to sit comfortably and work.

“Just a lot of walking back and forth.” She waves her hand dismissively. “But I’m here to listen to your music.”

Jihoon passes her the headphones as she settles back in the seat. Her eyes fall closed and Jihoon plays her the first song. As she’s here for critiquing purposes, she says what she’s thinking aloud and Jihoon notes it all down.

She finds herself swaying to a lot of the music and Jihoon finds himself enjoying watching her. The studio can get pretty dull for other people. The grey of the soundboards, the computer screens, the large speakers, and the black couch. It’s all pretty monochromatic, and she stands out in her white dress. As an observer of people, particularly women, Jihoon can’t help but notice.

“Last one’s a little romantic, don’t you think?” She drops the headphones around her neck.

“The topic was supposed to be about love. I can’t remember the actual prompt.” He begins shutting down the computer. “Should we go for dinner?”

She turns to look at him, the back of her head never leaving the head rest. “I’m so sleepy. Do we have to go out?”

Jihoon tilts his head. “The boys are having dinner at my place if you don’t mind seeing them.”

She closes her eyes. “Have you told them about our arrangement already?”

“That you agreed to date me?” he chuckles.

“Test it out,” she emphasizes.

Even though her eyes are still closed, he can’t help but smirk. “No.”

“So, it would be really weird if I came over without my friends.”

“No.”

This makes her laugh and her eyes open again. He can see how tired she is. “Yeah. Right.”

“They’ll only be annoying for a little while,” he promises.

“Is that better than going out?” She rests her cheek in her palm. “I don’t know.”

“You have until we get out of the building to decide.”

She sighs and pushes herself to standing. She stretches her arms over her head and then bends over to touch her toes. They both hear the crack of her spine. “I’m broken.”

Jihoon laughs as she straightens again. “You’re tired and need to rest.”

“Maybe it’s better to eat in.”

Jihoon quickly messages the group chat as she slings her backpack on. The onslaught of responses at varying degrees of excitement sets his phone off. He doesn’t bother to read them.

On the walk back to his apartment, Jihoon is highly aware of her knuckles brushing against his. The boundaries are blurred for him, and he’s unsure if she’ll react poorly to him holding her hand.

“Commit to it. My god.” She slips her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. He can feel the calluses on her palm. They must be from the gym and bouldering, some interests that she’s mentioned in passing. When she starts swinging their hands back and forth, he wonders if she even notices.

“Can I ask you something?”

“If it has to do with my ex,” she sighs, “then you know my answer already.”

“No, something else.”

She glances over at him. “Shoot.”

“What’s something that you wish your previous boyfriends had done?”

She tilts her head. Her lips purse in that cute way of hers when she’s thinking. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one. I don’t know.”

“Really?” Jihoon tugs her hand to pull her closer to him. “Girls usually have an answer for that one.” After a stranger walks past, she puts a bit more distance between them again.

Lifting her eyebrows, she asks, “Like what?”

“Usually something either sexual or romantic.” He shrugs. “It usually insinuates that they want me to do it ASAP.”

She laughs. “You have a lot of moves. What’s one that always works for you?”

Jihoon pretends as if he needs to think about it before tugging her towards him, his forehead leaning down to touch hers. “This tends to work,” he whispers, “better when I can kiss you.”

She grins up at him and his stomach drops. “Guess your moves aren’t 100% fool proof,” she whispers back. She pulls away first, leading the way to his place.

Jihoon doesn’t mind letting her lead. Chuckling, he says, “I’ll find a move that works on you. But that one usually gets girls pretty good.”

“I can see how it would work,” she glances back at him, “proximity.”

He gives a small pull on her hand and she’s back at his side. “What’s a move that you used to do that always worked?”

“I didn’t really have any moves.”

“Can we please stop pretending like Sejeong didn’t tell everyone that you were once the ace of the dating game?” Jihoon squeezes her hand. “Come on. I won’t be offended that you’ve used the moves on other men before.”

She rolls her eyes. Exasperation looks good on her. Exasperation with him is even better.

“I’m asking as your potential boyfriend. What’s a move I gotta watch out for?”

“That’s gonna make you fall for me?” she laughs. She slows and looks both ways. Nobody else is around in this back alley, so she stops and turns to face him. He indulges her and does the same, eyebrows raised as he waits.

She runs her tongue along her teeth, debating if this is worth it. Then she steps towards him. Her fingertips trail up his arm and she gazes up at him, batting eyelashes that he hadn’t noticed until this very movement. Jihoon can feel her moving closer, her body flush against his. He already has a hand on her waist.

Lightly, she pokes his Adam’s apple, pulling him back to the present. Her cheeky smile eases the flush in his face. “There’s usually a kiss involved, but not today.” Then she steps away from him, taking her warmth with her.

Jihoon swallows hard. “That…” He clears his throat. “That one works.”

Naturally, their hands intertwine again, and they continue to the end of the alley, Jihoon’s apartment at the corner. “It was pretty effective to get us into the bedroom or out of a bad date.”

“Those are two very different scenarios.”

“It’s like… a stun gun. Gives me a few seconds to escape or take over.”

As soon as they enter Jihoon’s apartment, he enters first and makes a point of glaring at everyone to shut up and not make a big deal about it.

Once inside, she slips out of her shoes and laughs when Soonyoung takes her backpack from her.

“Do you want more water, noona?” Seungkwan asks.

“Yes, please.”

Soonyoung passes her water bottle over.

Seungkwan rolls his eyes. “Don’t go through her bag.”

Jihoon lets go of her hand, so she can wander into the living room. He joins a few of them in the kitchen. He can hear Hansol and Seokmin greeting her.

“So? How did it go?” Mingyu asks from the stove.

Jihoon shrugs, accepting the Coke can that Seungcheol hands him before grabbing another one to take to Hansol. “We’re testing it out.”

“That is the best news I’ve heard in the last 4 and a half months,” Seungcheol says as he returns to the living room.

They feed her and they pepper her with questions. All the boys are under strict instruction not to say anything about her and Jihoon’s almost-but-not-quite relationship. She sits between his legs after dinner as they chat. Jihoon’s hands laze around her shoulders, his thumbs resting on the sides of her neck. He gently massages the tendons in the back of her neck.

Talks about future dates and women fly around the room, as the boys update each other on the various people they’re seeing. Jihoon can actually feel her head going limp in his hands as she dozes off.

He leans forward and whispers in her ear. “Do you want to nap in my room for a while?”

She tips her head back, resting her head in his forearms. “You won’t take advantage of the fact that I’m in your bed?”

“Cross my heart and hope to die.”

Her struggle to keep her eyes open endears him.

“Then yes, I want to nap in your room.

Jihoon nods. He steals a quick kiss on her forehead and her eyes widen in surprise, but she doesn’t protest. Helping her to her feet, he leads her to his bedroom.

It’s her first time in his room and she stands in the doorway trying to process everything in her foggy brain.

Her eyes land on his dark grey sheets. “Should I be concerned that your sheets are dirty?”

“From what?” Jihoon knows where her mind’s gone. “I wash my sheets every time a girl leaves in the morning. And Jiwoo and I were in the living room anyway.”

She’d already flopped onto his bed when he said he washed them every time a girl left. Jihoon watches her stretch, her back arching before curling around a pillow. She falls asleep almost immediately. He finds a light blanket in the hallway closet and rests it over her legs that have become exposed from the slit in her dress. Jihoon leaves the door ajar and rejoins the others in the living room.

“Wow, we thought you were already going in with all of us here,” Minghao snorts.

Chan pulls a face. “God. Please don’t ever do that.”

“That’s only happened once and it was Cheol,” Jihoon snorts. He collapses back onto the couch. “She’s been in the lab all day, so she’s wiped.”

There’s a beat of silence before Jun laughs. “Mingyu wasn’t kidding.”

“What?”

“You actually like her,” Seokmin says. “Hyung, never thought we’d see the day.”

Jihoon rolls his eyes.

“Come on. We saw your face,” Seungkwan teases. “We might actually win this bet if you fall in love with her first.”

Jihoon shakes his head. “No way. I think after today I actually have a decent chance of winning.”

She wiggles around, stretching all her limbs. She tips her head back, looking out the window behind her. The sky is indigo, fire red at the horizon line as the sun disappears. She realizes that she hadn’t even laid down on the bed properly, dozing off horizontally across it instead. When she looks to her right at the wall across from the bed, she stares at her reflection. There’s a mirror on the wall, easily reflecting the pillows and anyone entangled in the sheets.

She can’t help but snort at that decoration. In the dark, she glances around Jihoon’s room. It’s pretty bare of any personality. Besides the mirror, there’s nothing up on the walls. The bedside tables have nothing on them except for a notebook and pen on the right table.

With the blanket around her shoulders, she steps out of the room. It takes her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the light, but she can hear the boys talking. When they catch sight of her, Hansol’s face breaks out into a smile.

“Noona! You’re awake!”

Immediately, the volume picks up.

“Were you guys being quiet for me?” she asks when Seungkwan pulls her onto the smaller couch between him and Wonwoo.

“Hyung kept saying you were tired and that we needed to shut up,” Chan informs her.

She glances at Jihoon, but he’s on his phone. “I should really be getting home.”

“You just woke up, noona!” Seokmin exclaims. “Play some games first!”

Wonwoo catches her eye and nods.

“Okay,” she leans forward on her elbows, “what are we playing?”

It’s a lot later than she was anticipating when the boys start to knock out. She glances at the clock for the third time in ten minutes. She’s already texted Jihyo that she’s at Jihoon’s place. She has ignored all subsequent messages from her roommate.

“You wanna head home?” Jihoon was apparently watching her.

“You fine to walk me home?”

Jihoon nods. “Come on.” He helps her move out from under Soonyoung’s head and replaces her legs with a pillow. She passes him the blanket, which he takes back to his room. He reemerges with a hoodie on.

“Are you going to be cold?”

“I—” Before she can affirm or deny, Jihoon puts a cardigan of his around her shoulders.

“You can just give it back tomorrow.”

“It’s the weekend; I’m not going to campus tomorrow.”

“I know.” Jihoon opens the door.

She gives him a little nudge. When she’s about to pick up her backpack, Jihoon slings it over his shoulder first. “Someone’s going a little overboard.”

“Well, do you want to carry it?”

“Not if you’re offering,” she laughs.

Jihoon closes the door behind him and finds her hand easily. He watches her yawn and can’t help but smile a little.

They’re quiet for most of the walk. The streets are also quieting with the late hour, restaurants closing down for the night, couples and friends heading home. She watches everyone around her, and Jihoon wonders what she sees.

“Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?” Jihoon asks.

She shrugs. “Probably not.”

“Do you wanna go for a walk then?” He knows there’s a park near her place. When he gauges her expression, he adds, “It’s well lit.”

Smirking, she nods. “Yeah, okay. As long as you don’t mind getting home late.”

They turn down a different street and she can see the park at the end, just before the road curves left.

“What were you guys talking about?”

“When you got up?” The boys had been in deep conversation about something, their heads leaned together, talking in hurried low voices. “Seungcheol and Jihyo.”

“Ah.”

“Do you think Jihyo’s settling?”

“For Seungcheol?” She looks to Jihoon. “Do you guys think Cheol’s settling?”

Jihoon hums.

“I think we’re both too loyal to say yes or no,” she muses.

“I guess you’re right. Well, that’s what we were talking about.”

She mulls this over, but decides to change the subject.

“How did you guys meet?”

“Who? Cheol and me?”

She nods.

“We were sleeping with the same girl,” Jihoon says simply.

Her laugh is genuine. “You’re serious.”

He smiles. “Yeah. I’m serious. She’d double booked us without realizing. I knocked at her door and she sent Cheol because she thought it was their food.”

“Did you stop seeing her?”

“I didn’t. Cheol did. He’s all for sleeping around, but apparently he felt like it was some slap in the face that she got our dates mixed up.” Jihoon adjusts the backpack on his shoulder. “We wound up in the same music theory class that semester. I needed a roommate, and he was the only person I knew in the class.”

According to her, she and Jihyo had met in a second-year biology lab. Jihyo needed a new roommate because her old one was moving out to move in with her boyfriend.

“Jihyo’s actually the one who introduced Jungkook and me.” She sees a set of swings and leads him over to it. She begins pumping her legs and Jihoon watches her swing higher.

“You must really care about him if you’re still friends.”

“Jungkook was good to me, and he was still exploring his sexuality at the time. I told him that he was free to do so, but not with me as his girlfriend. So, we ended things. It took us a while, but we’re good now.” She soars up into the air. “And I like Taehyung.”

The skirt of her dress splits from the slit in it and Jihoon admires the muscle in her legs. It’s not typically something he notices about a girl. But then again, he doesn’t tend to have such a drawn out period of time between finding a girl attractive and having her in his bed.

“You seem like a good judge of character. Jungkook has a good reputation.”

She hears the underlying taunt. Jihoon’s reputation is less than remarkable. “I used to think so; my friends still think so. But Byunggu made me question my abilities.”

“Sometimes people are good at disguising their intentions,” Jihoon calls up to her.

“Yeah.” She swings back high. “He fooled me.”

This is the most she’s ever said about Byunggu. It’s the first time she’s ever said his name.

The late night seems to be loosening her tongue. “We met at a party and he was just a different person under the influence. Made it easy to hide.” She stops pumping her legs and lets the momentum slow.

“So, when he asked you…”

“Well, I thought my judge of character was still good then. I said yes.”

“And?”

She looks down at him, her dark hair frames her face. She’s up in the sky, so he almost misses what she says. “God, I fell so hard for him.”

Jihoon feels his chest clench at the words. He twists in the swing, spinning rather than swinging. He stops when her sneakers drag through the gravel.

“But knowing his type better has made me wary about dating people. On campus especially.”

“Yes, you made it hard to learn anything.”

She lifts an eyebrow. The sound of the chains is grating as she turns to face him. “You background checking me?”

“You background checked me, didn’t you?”

“Not intentionally.”

Jihoon moves his swing closer. “I’m assuming that people have intentionally said awful things about me.”

She nods. “They have.”

“And yet, you’re still here.”

Her eyes narrow, but he can see something akin to a twinkle in them. “Don’t ruin it.”

Jihoon thinks she’ll let him kiss her, but he has to know one thing. “How do you know I won’t hurt you like Byunggu?”

Her exhale is long. “I don’t.”

“But…?”

“I have no buts here,” she murmurs. Her eyes flick back and forth, studying his face. He can tell she’s thinking a million things at once, but she doesn’t share any of them. “You either prove me wrong, or you’re exactly what everyone said you were.”

Jihoon can feel her breath on his skin. She smells like a mix of the summer air and clean laundry. “It’s after midnight.”

“I know,” she responds, clearly caught off guard by his mentioning of the time. “It’s 3.”

“You said you wouldn’t let me kiss you yesterday.”

Realization dawns on her, but she says nothing and doesn’t move towards him.

He plays it safe and catches her cheek with his lips. When she still doesn’t move, he brushes her nose with his and can feel the warmth of her lips on his. He closes the distance and she doesn’t react right away. Jihoon has time to cup her face and adjust his angle before she kisses him back.

Her kiss is gentle and Jihoon’s worried that if he’s too forceful, she’ll stop. So, he lets her lead, and he lets her pull away first.

“Do you always blush when you kiss someone?” she asks.

He doesn’t respond. Jihoon admits only to himself that no one’s every kissed him like that before.

[queenjunoking]

Wolf Taming pt 39

CW: Noncon - Shock Collar - Pain - Petplay

Mimi

I knocked at the door and waited for a response. Miss Eos had decided to take a nap after her late night phone call and told me to wake her up once Callidora was about to reach her final mile. Jude had sent me an alert on my tablet and I hurried as fast as I was capable of to Miss Eos’s room to wake her.

After a few rounds of knocking I decided I needed to risk punishment and just enter the room. The punishment for failing to follow through on her orders would be much worse than the one I might get for entering her room without permission.

“Miss Eos?” I hobbled across the room and lightly touched her shoulder.

She sat up, took a deep breath, and glared at me. “Whatever happened to knocking, Mimi?”

“I-I I’m sorry, Miss Eos.” I tried my best to stay strong. Miss Eos always seemed to have a soft spot for me despite everything she did to me. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t afraid of her getting angry at me. “I tried knocking but you didn’t respond. You said to wake you when Callidora reached her last mile. I-I didn’t want you to miss it.”

She picked up her phone, probably to check the time. It was three in the morning. She was on her final mile in little over six hours. Not a marathon pace under normal circumstances, but given her circumstances it was fairly impressive. Most ponies tended to start collapsing early on and their shoes actively worked against them. I knew that feeling better than anyone, the only thing worse than the hoof boots were the ballet boots I was locked in.

She stood up, went behind a screen, and began to get changed into her formal riding gear. It was important to reinforce Callidora’s place. Miss Eos was a rider and Callidora was a pony. “Did she require the harness to finish her run?”

I scrolled through my tablet to check Jude’s logs. “Yes, Miss Eos. Though fairly late. Over 97 percent of our new ponies require the harness set up to keep them on their feet by the fifteenth mile. Callidora managed to make it to mile 22 before she collapsed the first time. It puts her in our racehorse category.”

“And Z was going to waste this potential by making her a puppy.” Miss Eos laughed as she came out from behind the changing screen.

“It seems especially impressive given the speed increase you ordered around mile sixteen. Even after the harness cables were attached to keep her up, Jude kept the treadmill going at three miles over the standard speed.” I stood at attention as Miss Eos passed me and went into the hallway. I tried my best to follow her, but even after all this time I couldn’t move fast enough to keep up with other people and soon lost sight of her.

I sighed and decided to do some of my maid duties. I wanted to see what was going to happen, but walking in late would just make things weird. I’d probably see Callidora doing training in the yard soon enough anyway.

Hopefully Callidora would put Miss Eos in a good mood. It had been awhile since we had a real winner and if Callidora played her cards right she would be cared for very well. Her own spacious stall, good food, and attention. The best ponies got a personal stablehand to take care of them. It was nicer than most slaves would ever get, myself included.

I couldn’t imagine anyone willingly jeopardizing such luxury.

Eos

I quietly walked into the barn, passing stablehands that stopped what they were doing to bow as I was passing. I couldn’t help but smile at the obedience on display. I was once told the idea of using slaves as stablehands was a bad idea. Giving slaves such an important job was a bad idea. They’d sabotage the operations. They’d try to escape or rebel if I let them congregate.

But I did it anyway and it allowed my operation to expand quickly. The stablehands were given an amount of freedom but more or less had a gun to their head. Any mistake or signs of rebellion were harshly punished. They could be replaced. If they acted out they would most likely find themselves in a worse position. I chose stablehands from slaves not fit to be ponies or cows which gave them limited alternative use. I usually sold them off to one of the families that made them into various useful objects. A combination of drugs and restraints could make anyone something as nice as an artful cup holder or as unfortunate as an urinal. Eitherway, I couldn’t imagine anyone being able to spend the rest of their life like that, it's why I suggested they behave during introductions.

I made my way to the exercise room and knocked on the door quietly before I walked in. The treadmills faced away from the door so Callidora couldn’t see me. I could see her though and it was quite the sight.

Her body glistened in sweat, the evidence of her long hard run. Her ass was still a bright red from being at the end of Jude’s crop the entire night. I could see her legs were shaking. The new pony’s legs always shook like newborn fawns when they were finished with their runs. None of them were ever prepared for a marathon like they had experienced.

I watched her stumble, but the cables attached to her harness from the ceiling caught her. I heard her make an angry noise when the cables went taut. I didn’t want the ponies to rely on the harnesses to keep them up, so when the cables became taut they got a shock so they’d get their weight off of them.

She was breathing hard, but I could still tell that there was determination in her. To prove she couldn’t be controlled she had to show she wasn’t weak. All that did was show us that she was a prize though. It was always amusing to see a slave play right into your hands.

Jude looked up at me and was about to greet me, but I held a finger to my lips. She nodded and turned back to Callidora. I approached her as well, standing to the side of the treadmill. Her blinders didn’t allow her to see me, but she knew someone was standing next to her. She tried to turn her head to look at me and Jude corrected her with a swap from the crop. Ponies needed to keep their minds on the task at hand, not distractions. The blinders were there to help with this, not to make her look around.

Callidora grumbled unhappily from the swat, but kept looking forward. She stumbled one more time and got another shock before she made it to the end. The treadmill slowed to a stop and her legs were shaking non-stop.

“Jude, disconnect the current so Callidora can use the harness to take weight off her legs.” Jude walked to the other end of the room and pushed a few buttons before giving me a thumbs up. “You can rest now, Callidora.”

The mare ignored me and continued to try and stay on her feet. I grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at me. “Hello Callidora. My name is Mistress Eos. I am your new owner. You know longer have to worry about Z and her incompetence. You just completed your first marathon and I am extremely impressed. You’re going to do well here.”

Callidora tried to say something through the gag. She seemed unable to stop running her mouth even when she couldn’t use it. I undid some of the pieces of her tack, allowing for the bit to be removed while leaving the rest of the headpiece on.

“B…” Callidora was breathing hard and stretching out her jaw. Her voice failed her on whatever she was trying to say.

“I’m letting you talk right now. It’s a small gift. Think wisely about what you want to tell me.” I smiled and stroked her hair. It was a nice length, but I was going to want it longer for a much nicer ponytail.

“Bitch.” She spat the word at me, anger in her eyes.

“Adorable.” I grabbed the crop and hit her leg with it. She crumpled, if it wasn’t for the cables she’d have collapsed on the floor. “I’m sure you think you’re very strong. I know you think you can take anything we can dish out after spending time with Z. As much as I hate to admit it, she was very talented at breaking things like you.”

“Is she now?” She spoke between breaths. “She didn’t seem very talented at much aside from pushing a button on a shock collar.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “I like that fiery spirit of yours, Callidora. I think we’d get along very well if you just let yourself enjoy your time here.”

“I think you should go fuck yourself.” She spat the words out again.

“Oh Callidora.” I stroked her hair again as I spoke. “You’re never going to escape from here. You are a slave in the Society. An organization like ours doesn’t stay around for hundreds of years because slaves escape. Z wanted you for a pet. It’s a waste of your talents. You’re a runner. You want challenges. This is the perfect position for you. Tonight was harsh, but its trial by fire. Your daily routines will be easier than this.”

“And if I refuse?”

I couldn’t help but smile at that question. I walked away from Callidora and approached Jude. “Have Callidora taken to one of the bigger stalls. Give her the full works, muscle massage, bath, food and water. Let her get a few hours of sleep.”

“Of course, Miss Eos.” Jude nodded and left the room to go get some more stablehands to assist in transporting Callidora.

I took another look at her just hanging from the ceiling over the treadmill. “You’ll get to see some of the nicer things you’ll get to experience if you work with me. The treatment the best of our racehorses get. Later this afternoon you’ll get to go on a tour of the grounds. You’ll learn then what might happen to you if you refuse. It’s only fair I give you all the information available before you make a decision you’ll regret.”

[zuffer-weird-girl]

SFW ALPHABET Chronostasis/ Kurono Hari

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Not very much when around people, but behind close doors? Oh boi, he is always peppering your head, cheeks, lips with kisses.

He is both a man of action and words so go ahead and enjoy yourself with our blockhead ^^

B = Beginning (How would the relationship start?)

Hari is dense with relationships, he might like you but damn is hard fro him to make the first move so you might need to straight up tell this idiot that you like him and kiss him.

Apreciate his shock face. Seriously apreciate! IS RARE TO SEE HIM SHOCKED SO APRECIATED IT AND KISS HIM MORE!

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Yes of course he does LOVE IT!

Kurono doesn't mind being either big spoon or little spoon if they can still be chest to chest with you. But he does enjoy when he is sitting with your head rested on his chest as he carres your arm and hair.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He is a bit hesitant since all of his life on the Yakusa and being Overhaul's right hand man but he does wish secretly to have a cozy lifestyle with you as long as you guys taste some adrenaline from time to time.

Kurono is amazing at cooking and cleaning but sorry, you aren't escaping the house chores.

Cmon this guy already work his ass off to the Hassaikai GIVE HIM A BREAK!

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

He really wouldn't like to break up. But if is needed or you or him messed up BADLY them he would, begrudily tell you to leave him.

He would try to fix things, but if you betrayal his trust than its game over. It's hard to get him to loose up, so no. Not ever seing or hearing of him again... unless I dunno if he is oN JAIL-!

F = Fiancé(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Errrr

Difficult topic.

Marriage does scary him a bit, but he is not oppose to it. He doesn't though want you to get hurt by his affiliations with the mafia but still would do everything to protect you and his possible babies ^^

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

If you manage to break his walls then surprise surprise HE iS A SoFTiE-!

His hugs are magical! His kisses leave you on cloud nine and it's just feel so right! So loveable and soft and warm oh god all of him is perfect (is kurono simping hours)

He would listen to every problem you have without a complain and ping! Comfort hugs and food and kisses TAKE HIS KISSES!

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

As stated before. It feels just right.

You would feel secure on his arms and all warm, surely you wont feel cold. He likes to prop his chin on your head and just enjoy the feeling of you on him as his arms cling onto your waist or shoulders.

Is quite frequent quick hugs from behind and rarely cuddle sections since he doesn't like much staying still when you are around, he might enjoy what he has until Overhaul is requesting his presence again.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

If you were friends before he is fast enough to saythe three magical words. For real, he might even say before you.

But if you two weren't friends and are only meeting now it might take a little while longer, not longer than Chisaki but still-!

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Soft, magical, right and most important, addictive.

He likes kissing ever part of you and enjoys the same treatment.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

PRETTY GOOD (despite what happened to Eri-)

Children actually feel more at ease with him. One time you two were walking and a baby was crying non stop until he passed bye and waved at the kid. He even holded for a bit and the toddler was actually giggling!

10/10 for papa Hari

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Soft, on his days off mostly because if not he is only kissing your cheek and storming off.

He will hug you tightly while staring at the ceiling, if you start to kiss him he would chuckle a bit before pinning you to the bed to show how glorious his body is as he looks down at you like you are his whole world.

"My turn~"

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Poor man will just collapse in you and groan how much his back and legs are in pain and just how much he is tired.

Rub his back or give him a little massage and he becomes potty in your arms. Might be grumpy about how he is suppose to be taking care of you instead of the other way around but just kiss him to make this dumbass to shut up.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Oof! This one is just as a hard head as Overhaul!

It will take a lot of time for him to be open to you, I guess it would take 2 to 3 years to at least spill the tea for you.

It would feel like a weight left his shoulders after it.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Pretty difficult with this one. He likes to talk things out instead of yelling so it would take a lot for him to be angry.

Like hurt yourself for a stupid reason at the point of go to the hospital. He is furious more at himself though relax.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He is the worst with numbers and dates, but little things like what kind of food you like or even that little detail you talked about one of your favorite clothes.

Asides from dates, he is the best of remembering things.

And he marks dates on his calendar to not forget anymore because of you so win win.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Hm.

When you guys made your first mischief together.

It can be anything, is just so hilarious to him but still loveable when you both exchanged glances at the exact same time before running from being yelled at. Hand in hand even.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Not much just when necessary. Subsconciously wrap a hand on your waist if someone is looking.

If they so much dare to flirt with you and you uncomfortable he just show a part of his gun hidden on his waist, one glare at them is enough to scare the poor soul away but he still growls like a damn wolf a "back off."

Just protecting his emotional state leave him at ease since this man is clearly overworked. He would just roll his eyes with a smirk before grabbing on your shoulder gently.

"Is not necessary love, I swear."

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Lots.

You are his everything, he doesn't want to lose you because of how much he works so he puts a lot of time on making dinner bu the light of the moon and candles.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Bitting his nails, spacing out, put work sometimes before you because he thinks is for the best and for your protection, and way more importantly and worrying:

Problem of hearing due to the much sounds of gunshots it currently will damage his eating so might be alert to that.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks? Do your looks bother them?)

Not much sincee this bastard knows he is quite good looking but still has a bit of insecurity due to his quirk where is located on his hair.

Got teased a lot as a child and even as a teenager from it...

Your looks are the same thing as perfection for him, so he doesn't bother with it.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He feels at ease with you, more at peace and loved so of course he would feel incomplete, especially where he lives and what he has to deal with...

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Knows more shit about guns then actually of himself holy shit, and gets all giddy and happy if he has the chance of seing and using a new gun and gushes to you about.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

They wouldn't like if you put others before yourself neither when you brush off a injury as if was nothing.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs? Does it change around a partner?)

Ding ding here is the thing: he doesn't do much of sleep. He has chronic insonia (lol) but still gets to rest and just take a little nap only if you are with him and are on his room.

Either alone or in another place he wont be able to.

[blankdblank]

It’s a Mother Flocking Puffin Pt 22

Use of Karliene: Walk with the Devil. Requested by @deepestfirefun​.

…

‘Rest up, hope you’re feeling better. Been getting calls and messages all day yesterday and this morning to pass on that everyone will wait as long as necessary for their instruments to be repaired and returned. Your health is imperative.’ Bilbo’s message read loud and clear across your phone screen once you’d been given it from your bag that had kept it safe.

Along with that inquiries from Mal and thanks for saving her from that dagger notices from the social page you were instructed to make to display previews of your artwork for your illustration course to be tagged for the class and school for possible interest from future employers. The only public account you had with scores of messages of well wishes and compliments of the song you had been at the school to record.

Curious of how you did the clip was easily found on the same site your videos for the guys were posted on in the popular news category. The stilled image was you in the booth while the band outside readied to play the tune for you. And to the first note the camera steadied into a slightly better angle to come to rest as your voice came out in an accented Khuzdul flow sounding so awkward to you while others in the comments were praising the song you’d written for the popular fable a production company was currently filming. Snare taps to a drum beat kept the song going while the brass section readied for their role to the melody.

I've never claimed to be a good boy

That lad is long dead

'Cause I got stuck in the wars, Grace

Ones with bullets

And ones in my head

But you made it so

Easy to let go

Now I'm all alone

And the shots are deafening

  A few lines in the footage flickered between you and a montage of sorts, reading a sort of fable linked to your lineage with Melkor’s death and inherited oath to bring down your family passed to the Avari.

  So I walk with the Devil

My rivals best be careful

'Cause when you're already dead

There's no gun at your head

You're finally free

  This one more of a fan video for your saving the day as slowed down enough to get stilled images of your fighting the Avari to when Smaug was released.

  I shook hands with the Devil

Ah this town best be careful

'Cause when you're already dead

There's no rope for your neck

You're finally free

Yeah, I walk with the Devil

  People fled while you ran from the courtyard. More stilled images flickered of the path to the Nursery until more flames destroyed that wing.

  Do you remember that broken man

When you sang your song?

And how you put him back together, girl

With your voice and with your love

  The shop came next up to the trio hoisting up the wind lance ending with the reduction of Smaug to rubies and gold.

  'Cause you made it so

Easy to let go

Now I'm all alone

And the shots are deafening

  The image of Thorin’s elated embrace of you afterwards was held for a good while with banners of wishes for long rules for their interim King and Queen.

  So I walk with the the Devil

My rivals best be careful

Cause when you’re already dead

There’s no gun at your head

You’re finally free

  The final part held a montage of clips from your videos on the progress for building your piano and repair job for the orchestra with words of hope to see what music you would bring into the world in the years to come.

  I shook hands with the Devil

Ah this town best be careful

Cause when you’re already dead

There’s no rope for your neck

You’re finally free

  The combination was a bit awkward of a match to go with the song but you simply took it as the culture variations at play that you simply didn’t see the tying features at not having grown up with their media they were used to. Still shockingly low on the pop culture references here down you scrolled realizing this was a fan video and not how this was put on the news. That footage was five times the length of this video due to the discussion of the anchors and a frozen image on one of the parts of you with what looked to be ice wings coming from your back used for another fan video titled Dragon vs Puffin Queen. Each video you saw continued the pattern of using various parts of the footage until you dipped to something else entirely. One focused solely on the song faces of Dwarves for the video you clicked on showed their shared plea for the production company to use the song you’d written for that fable in their upcoming film stirring a smirk out of you.

At your side you set the phone and again in your bag your hand dipped to fetch your notepad to continue working on a writing assignment formerly due in a week. Emails had been sent that the rest of the week the school was being cleaned with usable portions to continue housing classes while those in the destroyed wings would be moved to other courses. Among the few students on required bed rest and the parents understandably requiring some time off virtual courses were to be given for each applicable with written projects to be assigned weekly for the courses requiring physical attendance to have a grade to place until those lectures could be made up.

All the same you would do all you could to leave little extra stress for your Professors on top of the shift to not have to make up too many assignments. On the other hand however the Professors having heard from the news that the worst injuries you faced were cracked ribs assured you that there was no rush for you to hurry back to class before you were fully healed to not hurt yourself even more in returning before the month was up. Even after the Feast was set to take place to grant you more relaxation time even if your ribs and other troubles were healed by then.

.

Being with you was priority, though for his urge to stay curled up with you half an hour was what he set aside daily to work on the bunnies for you, maybe more if you had drifted off into a nap. Each day bringing him closer to the finished present he could give to you before the holiday break would come to tick off another marker to your courtship before meeting your clans in person. The first day went easily enough with small naps taken every so often between meals. With the second once you had finished off all your backed up work even a dig for an old needlework kit had taken up a few hours while Thorin had picked up some more loose ends to help carry the equal share of evening out from the fallout. Mainly the management of funds to be allocated to the building crews chosen for repairing the University and landscaping teams which should cover most of the issues for the remainder of the week minus the daily meetings.

A clever idea came from Balin’s wife in her time to bond with you while Dis sat for the official portrait for her, Vili and their children for that release at the end of the week when Thror and Niro would return home to the Palace. Propped on your legs rested on top of two pillows while you were being iced post stop by the Healers to stretch and massage out your still tight leg from hip to toe sat a tablet. With it you eyed the 3d model of the cottage you had chosen that she smirked relaxing that at least in your boredom some work to get more steps completed could be started, and the length of the task could take up ample time to get you through this healing bout of bed rest.

Easily the agreed furry foot stools and the forest green rug like in one of the studies you had seen with different color patterns were added. Tucked in the bedroom was a bed frame you wanted that by a peek into the boys’ room in the rental you shared Thorin might not be against using that frame for your marital bed. Blank boxy white furniture was settled where you wanted to fill spaces to be agreed upon later with the basic rooms first, starting with the living room. White furniture scooted around the room expanding and shrinking around the white rug before you turned your focus to the color of the walls, patterned wallpaper for a few rooms to be looked over by Thorin later surely as it wasn’t just going to be your home it’d be his too.

By the time you moved onto the dining room while your company was off to feed her little girl and put her down for a nap Thorin had come back and smiled ready to relax himself with an ice pack on his shoulder. Right up to your side with a gentle press of his lips to your cheek he wiggled closer, smile splitting wider in notice of what you were up to and the bashful grin on your face at being caught pressing forward on this step alone.

“Decorating to keep you busy?” He hummed gladly with eyes shifting to your face again, the blush on your face lured him inwards to steal another kiss on your cheek. “Let’s see what you have so far.”

“I have the stools we already agreed on, and I was thinking this rug, if those colors work.”

“That is a lovely rug,”

“And I did pick a bed frame like this, if you’d be good with that?”

“My beds have always been like this.” Hastily he wet his lips. “There is a style I imagined for the armchairs in our study and parlor guests won’t be using, just for us, it’s nice and deep,” his fingers on one hand found the style and settled one in place that with a tap of your own you added a second and switched between the colors tugging a smirk across his lips.

“Ooh, I like this grey one.” Once that was placed you said, “Maybe we should pick room colors and papers first.” Starting the task to coloring each room you could leaving the others blank for the time being with a symbolic giant crystal sculpture of Mumakil in the center of those rooms as a symbol to come back to later.

.

Kili grinned saying, “Now, I am on the camera, countdown, 5,” he hurried over and you giggled at his switching the camera on to record with the mini screen aimed at the three of you. You were tucked up in a plushy armchair with feet up on a furry foot rest with pillows rested behind your back fully warmed by the lit fireplace to your left, Fili was seated on one arm of the chair with Kili for the other. “2,” Back at your free side he came and smiled making you nip at your lip and grin through their usual sign in ready and comfortable for this video the guys thought would be a good check in for the public to say you are on the mend.

Lowly in Khuzdul they both said, “Welcome back to our little corner of the LonelyMountain. Today our salon doors are open to you.”

“ManeMan,” Fili said with a grin before Kili said, “And the GlitterGrizzly” Both bowed briefly making you glance down to shift your legs again, “At your service.” Their hands clapped and the pair settled a hand on the chair back behind your head smiling wider, “And today we are here again with our incredible model SnowBunny.”

In a soft giggle you waved with your now sling free arm glad to have some normal movement from that shoulder again and the pair each brought forward a set of measuring tapes, “Who is so kindly allowing us to measure her for a sketch while she relaxes by her lovely warm fire.”

Kili, “Already from our selection of candles she has chosen her favorite, a lovely warm cider scent.” With a smile he watched Fili play with and light the candle he set up on the mantle behind you.

Fili in sitting down again, “And now that we are assured our model is tucked nice and comfy in this large armchair with blanket, pillows and furry footrest we shall get to the measuring.” Through giggles you let them shift you subtly with tapes covering what was revealed above the blanket and just a long measure of the top of your legs and the tent your feet made on the stool. Each number was recorded on a notepad before the pair smiled moving to the stools set out they showed off smoothing their hands over them lifting the sketch pads and pencils waiting there for both on opposite sides of you to get started on the sketch. Halfway through to another exaggerated show of using their pencils to scale up a part of the sketches Sir Akdâmuthrab came over and climbed his way up onto your lap.

Kili, “Hey! I was almost done!”

Fili chuckled saying to the camera, “Introducing a little Burglar who is intent on stealing the focus of our SnowBunny.”

“Oh he can’t help it, nice and warm and he likes to cuddle since I can’t run away and wake him up,” you giggled out to the Princes who chuckled.

Kili leaned in saying, “Now to just wait for him to settle so I can get his markings right, him and his envious mustache and brows.”

Again you giggled out, “If he keeps up photo bombing we might have to pick him out a bowtie. Something fancy to wear.”

Fili, “Ooh, we could do that, stitch him up some options and have a try out for him to see which he likes.”

Exaggerated sketch sounds and taps on the pads came with your Burglar’s napping stretch granting them a second shot to get him added to the images that at the end they showed off. Once signed off the guys switched the video to edit while around you then posted it with a nice little message for a mini update from the Young Majesty from the Palace. The video had to be done today as the guys were meeting up with their team for a practice before the game this weekend taking them from your company and leaving you to Thorin’s watch once Thror and Niro return.

They were off while you slept soundly in a nap post lunch break, having been helped back to the comfortable mattress by the boys as walking was a bit rough on breathing easily for long distances past the occasional bathroom trip you could manage there and back again on your own.

*

Thror upon seeing Thorin tugged him into a tight hug, “How are you feeling?”

Niro promptly claimed her own hug widening his grin, “In any pain?”

“I am doing well, bit sore, but more for the massages and realignment from the Healers. Mostly just bruises and scrapes for me.”

Thror, “How is Jaqi? We saw the video the boys posted this morning. Quite early.”

“Jaqi is doing well, slept early, rough to say better or not, ribs are still troubling for her to walk or move too freely with just yet.”

Niro, “Are the Healers with her?”

Thorin shook his head, “No, resting right now, we just had lunch a bit ago.”

She looked over her grandson, “Are you resting?”

“Yes, I’ve been staying with Jaqi most nights unless it’s too late after things that have come up. I don’t want to wake her or make her shift by me joining her in her sleep to hurt her ribs. I am sleeping, just still tired.”

Thror, “Are you off to rest after we do the public hand off of the ring?”

Thorin nodded, “Small nap, then I would like to finish up the touches on the bunnies. Just a few tiny things to double check then it’s waiting until she is healed to have a walk or picnic at least.”

Thror patted him on the back, “That is a relief, come and we will handle this business and you will be demoted again to focus solely on our granddaughter.” Deepening the Prince’s smile on the joint turn from the garage where their jet had let them out to get inside the Palace walls.

All was still locked down on these grounds at least as it would stay out of respect for you to grant you ample protection and trust that you had all the time you needed to recover. While you had been resting the Emperor when not at your side had made a couple trips on the days you were meant to go into the shop to at the very least assure Bilbo that you were all holding up nicely, along with handling a few press updates with simple statements in passing. All that you were improving and following the Doctor’s instructions to continue doing so after a blow to the ribs. They were your main injury that none wished to rush you on as in their required sparring courses rib injuries were abundantly common and known to require a bit of babying to recover from no matter how irritating the bed laying could be. All in all the people were of good spirits knowing ample updates day to day after what could have gone so much worse for everyone involved.

Niro with a smile looped her arm into Thorin’s arm asking, “And what is this I hear about cottage decorations while on your bed rest?”

Thorin chuckled along with Thror, “A tablet was given to keep her distracted, mainly just wall colors and a few rooms down.”

Niro, “It is a start, once the mirrors are taken down off that pillar then we can get to painting and papering the cottage.”

*

“Put a little something together for you, my Yuula,” the Emperor said rolling you in the wheeled chair to your 3rd spare bedroom now turned into a mini workshop filled with a selection of the 8 double bases and 12 cellos sent from the orchestra the day prior. “I imagined the orchestra pieces might be wanted to complete first.”

Tearily you looked up at him smiling in his lean forward to give you a hug, “Thank you.”

“I know you just want to be productive, the boys helped me sneak these back, well, not much to sneaking, they are huge, but tagged and organized for you. Bilbo said the Violas come in a few days.”

And that was how your little bed rest rebellion began. Resting in your chair the 2 hours and 40 minutes for the bases went by smoothly. Followed by the first half of the cellos for 2 hours until your brunch came in to by followed by finishing off the cellos that were, via text to Bilbo, moved over in the system and to be taken back to the shop to notify the orchestra in a few days to not spoil the surprise. As if they had already been done and simply gotten shuffled down on the call to pick up list traded for the violas in their drop off. As it went the day of rebellion was followed by two mainly sleeping for the ease of the Healers and Durins only for you to wake to the first six of the 12 violas sent in at a time. Two hours was all it took and to avoid another slump like that again you spaced them out through the day before and after meals to grant you a shower and nap to be rested for supper with Thorin.

The Emperor was pleased to say the least that you were restless and somewhat calm, that your fighting spirit hadn’t taken an injury and sorrow or a deep depression had crept in to keep you wishing to stay in bed forever and never leave these palace walls again. Desserts were group affairs with breakfasts on occasion when you were up to be held together, each adding another tick mark to proof that you would be back to normal soon enough.

Tonight however with the shipment of Athelas plants from Gondor he had sent for the Emperor sat up next to you having helped you lay out on your side. With shirt tucked up revealing the painful black bruise of the handle surrounded by a sea or deep indigo bruises from your side branching onto your back matching those on your legs. Soft and tenderly his voice ebbed and flowed from wall to wall in the squeeze of his fingers around the wet cloth draining the excess warm water mingled with the essence of the ground Athelas blooms causing it to begin to glow. Barely touching the skin over your bruise his hand paused at the clench of your side feeling the heat already of the cloth and hand close to touching the painful spot. A healing bath was set to be drawn for you later today but this bruise and fractures had to be seen to first to ease your discomfort before you could soak in a hot bath preventing risks of losing your breath in the tub from the heat.

Down his hand moved to fold around the bruise as kindly as possible for the slow and steady smooth of the cloth down your ribs to spread the healing ointment. Faintly to his song your skin began to glow and between each stroke of the cloth he would remove it to drench it again to coat your skin some more. Every one showing signs that the bruises were lightening, with eyes shut you controlled your breath to grow accustomed to the uncomfortable feeling of the fractured ribs underneath his palm beginning to seal whole again from the painful crack outwards. The sight from the foot of the bed had Thorin’s hand smoothing comfortingly over your ankle and lower leg eyeing each inch of the astonishing bruise covering your torso. Curiously the boys had asked to watch the process and having heard your bruises would heal as well were glad to get your approval for their filming the process.

Black to Indigo the ribs began to give way to a tolerable purple growing fainter to an olive shade where he would guide your body onto your belly. Up to your shoulders the back of your shirt was eased up revealing the back of your front clasped razorback bra in a stand out nude shade he worked around guiding those indigo bruises around the small bandages he uncovered to smooth the ointment over. Those remaining scabs moistened soaking it all in to heal by morning adding to the stunning process relaxing those watching even more at the growing ease you found to move and breathe again.

Down into the now empty bowl the cloth was settled. And over your back the shirt was eased again for his guiding you to sit up cross legged for a series of easy stretches to test your limberness regained again widening your grin knowing that surely after the bath you’d be mostly back to normal after another day of continuing to rest as much as possible. The return to health was much anticipated though glad for more days of cuddles Thorin stayed close. In private as the boys went to watch and edit the footage down to update the people again who had caught sight of one of your bruises before on your leg when a massage was being given to it in a try to help speed it along. The comments almost all focused on how long it might take to have those indigo bruises to heal on your Hobbity self with others of Hobbit lineage sharing their own long battles with bruises.

The videos surely were seen by your clan, who had called Winge and calmed at the delivery on its way to aid in those lingering wounds paining them greatly. Again and again the footage of the attack was viewed by them watching their brave strong lost heir defeating a formidable foe and foiling the anticipated death toll tipped entirely onto the Avari. Aching to have this week over with wishing to have you greet them in this new kingdom you’d yet to travel to that they could show you all of the secrets they had learned in their stay. They could have come to visit but still clung to the fact they did not wish to overstep as if they had been there in your pained moments they would not have left your side until you were back to yourself again while sharing all you had missed and they had been compiling on personal lists for the decades of your absence sure to spill out of them. But it was just another week until you would arrive, having assured them in your video call times at the back end of Winge’s daily updates that you were still coming on time so they didn’t have to change the Feast of Starlight plans.

.

Two sock bunnies sat on your table along the wall while tucked in bed with Thorin on top of the covers beside you watched a film. One baby blue with white spots and a white t shirt complete with blue button paired with an identical bunny in grey and white. Much like for you in the past his speech shot right out of his mind and even sore still a tight hug on your part was met by his gentle embrace pleased to have received your adoration on his skills. One loving dinner had been prepared by him and all night he remained close to you with just a break to change to his flannels and return again to stretch out with you enjoying the film he’d chosen, smiling brightly all the while at your place nestled half against his chest using his shoulder as your pillow. In the morning he’d be off to another final wedding being held out in one of the Southern Dwarf Kingdoms that would keep him away a few days. You wouldn’t be sitting around moping, not with classes beginning this week to sit for and instruments to pretend you weren’t fixing.

  *

“I’m telling you Amad I don’t know!” Kili huffed out plopping into a chair bedside his brother’s after having been standing so long to show off his mark dots on the shape of a clover on his wrist now in a darker shade of light gold hinting he’d touched his One.

Dis huffed as Vili said, “Well there has to be a hint on how many people you whacked your wrist into while Smaug was terrorizing the school.”

Kili blurted out, “Well what about Fili?! His mark is on his collarbone they’d have had to go under his shirt why isn’t he getting this grilling when he should no doubt know who touched him underneath his clothes! All I know is we were at the game and our marks lit up, so it’s someone that went to the game!”

Dis said, “No deflecting, we are working youngest to eldest. Now from the first sign Smaug was being let loose who did you come into contact with? As best you can remember. There are two clans to research and contact to begin courtship talks.”

Kili sighed and wet his lips looking at his wrist himself trying to remember. “We just came out of the orchestra session and we were in the breezeway, we saw the team, then dagger was thrown. Smaug came out and we grabbed,”

His eyes went wide as Fili’s did realizing who it might be, both groaning out rubbing their hands over their faces, “Mal.”

Dis looked them over asking, “Ok yes she is on the list we took note of on the security footage there is of this. Why the groan?”

Kili lowered his hands to say, “I grabbed her arm and Fi kept her head between us, when we went to the water I had to help him get her to let go of his shirt.”

Vili, “Ok, good candidate then, why the groan do you not like her?”

They both said, “You don’t date your friend’s friends! Bro Code! She’s Jaqi’s only friend outside the clan!”

Kili shook his head, “Can’t be her,” crossing his arms over his chest.

Fili did the same, “She’d never talk to us again.” His folded arms shifting his shirt to show the side of the pale blue jellyfish shaped dots of his mark once more of an off white than a legible shade of blue at all.

The parents relented and let the boys go with word given to Dwalin through his friendship with Bilbo to ask what clan she belonged to on her Dwarf side. A task leaving them less than satisfied as he said he paid no one to that ‘jumble of nonsense’ her father hailed from and had even himself broken free of to choose the more respectable Baggins clan and name for his own to get a fresh start from the life he rarely spoke of beyond a muttered curse. Leaving just one person to ask for any clue without approaching the young Dwobbit herself.

Pt 23

All –

@himoverflowers​​​, @theincaprincess​​​, @aspiringtranslator​​​, @thegreyberet​​​, @patanghill17​​​, @jesgisborne​​​, @curvestrology​​​, @alishlieb​​​, @jogregor​​​, @armitageadoration​​​, @fizzyxcustard​​​, @lilith15000​​​, @marvels-ghost​​​, @catthefearless​​​, @imjusthereforthereads​​​, @c-s-stars​​​, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore​​​, @mariannetora​​​, @shes-a-killer-kween​​, @ggbbhehe4455, @xxbyimm​​

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim​, @jotink78​​, @pastelhexmaniac

x Thorin – @evyiione​​, @deepestfirefun​, @queenoferebor​​

X all Rich. A - @abiwim​​, @deepestfirefun​, @thestorybookmistress

[nimmy22]

A Mistake: Chapter 4

Cara missed her first two classes, having been knocked out into the late morning hours, courtesy of her dad. No parents were rushing to wake her up, no breakfast waiting for her, no offer for a ride to school. She woke up with a gash on her head, an abdomen that was an artwork of black and blue. The cause of it all was a dealer who had no stock to sell. His suppliers suddenly cut all contact leaving her parents without their fix.

Last night her dad came home seconds from exploding. He almost broke down the door as he struggled to open it in his drunken stupor, nose flaring and teeth grinding into dust even before his eyes locked on her. While these beatings were nothing new to Cara, she will admit that his hand was extra heavy yesterday, evidenced by the deeper shades on her skin. Her mother didn't even have to add anything into the mix, satisfied by her husband's handiwork.

Cara just couldn't wait to leave, but money was a dilemma. She tried her best to get the odd job here and there, whatever she could find, really. Things were even more difficult since her parent recently took to stealing her hard-earned money, ransacking her bedroom for anything worth selling. Not even the mattress stuffing or the soles of her shoes were a safe place.

Adding to her troubles was the potential loss of a job. She could no longer babysit Sherry and hasn't been contacted by the Birkins. Still, perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing. After all, these people were beyond dangerous, and she would do just about anything to never meet that man again. It still broke her heart to be cut away from such a sweet little girl, the separation was sudden, and god knows how hard that must've hit Sherry, losing one of the few people she trusted.

As expected, both her parents were gone. They were likely fishing for another dealer, and if they did not find what they were looking for, she knew what will be waiting for her tonight. It was better to stay away from home for now, and it didn't matter where.

While the other bruises were easier to hide, the limp in her walk was too obvious. She had just finished formulating a story by the time she made it to her third class, auto-mechanics. Usually, people ate up her stories without a problem, curbing their questions as their concern lacked genuinely. The real issue was Claire. She'll spit the story right out without even tasting it.

Claire was already waiting in their usual spot. Despite the pain, Cara tried her best to be as subtle as possible but attempting the once flawless movement of her legs took a considerable amount of control.

"Hey, you," Claire cracked a smile as soon as she spotted her friend. "Missed you at lunch. Actually, missed you for like half the day. Where've you been off to? Could've invited me too."

" Stayed up too long watching reruns and then ended up sleeping in. I scared my mom this morning when I came out of my room. She thought I was a burglar." Cara giggled over her lies, struggling to fight the grimace as she took a seat. Thankfully, Claire didn't seem to notice, leaning back in her chair to put up her red hair into a high ponytail. Care relaxed inwardly, feeling safe from the questions.... for now.

Half an hour later, Claire slid beneath the car donated to the school while Cara sat next to her on the floor leaning against the door. Cara was glad. This way, she could finally slouch over and breathe, gladly keeping the weight off her bad leg. The radio played a series of pointless advertisements adding nothing valuable to the background noise. Mr. Crawford liked the radio host, but Cara thought he simply lived to promote Michael Warren or was paid handsomely to do so. Sure, the mayor had done much for the city. Still, she found all this prosperity odd, especially under such a short period of time. Something smelled fishy.

"This shit can't be fixed," Claire grumbled, sliding out from below the hunk of metal, tossing the greasy gloves next to her on the floor. The car was so weathered the paint came off in large chips as she peeled whatever was left of it on the door.

"Something Claire Redfield can't fix? Well, that's a surprise." Cara giggled, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't fix what's not there. Half the parts are missing. The idiot who donated the car must've stolen it, took whatever was worth shit, and donated the rest to get rid of the evidence."

"Looks like you've been hanging around the station too long. What, are you going to start an investigation now?"

"If I wanted that bike upgrade, then I obviously need money, and you know I don't like asking my brother for money. But what I don't mind asking for is a job around the station. Pretty much everyone knows me by now. It's like a foot in the door. I'll just annoy them until it's official."

"Once they hire you as a janitor, don't forget about me. Then we can break into the records room where they keep all those juicy storybooks."

"Okay, that's a fun idea. But here's another idea! How about we not get my brother fired along with us. Plus, you forget where we live. Nothing major happens around here."

"That's where you're wrong," Cara whispered before mentally slapping herself. She tensed, begging higher entities that Claire heard nothing.

"What do you mean?" Claire perked up, reminding her of a puppy who heard the sound of the treat bag opening.

"Oh, nothing," Cara tried to play it off, not want her friend to dig deeper. If there was one thing she learned last Friday, it was to keep her mouth effectively shut. She was already screwing herself over and placing a friend in danger. Her pulse began racing with the prospect that she already said too much.

"Cara," Claire crawled towards her friend, a threat in he voice. "You heard something or...saw something? You can tell me, I'm your friend. Chris and I will always be there for you."

"I know. You remind me of that every day. It's not a big deal. I'm just worried about the level of stupidity in this town. I've heard about the three seniors who got caught breaking into Kendo's gun shop last night. He had them lined up on their knees with their hands behind their head by the time the cops came. The whole street watched them."

"Ugh, I've never seen someone do something as stupid in my life. Had to hear all about it from Chris. In fact, that's all he talked about last night and this morning. Don't get in the wrong crowds, bluh bluh. Guns are bad bluh bluh." As claire grumbled through her rant, Cara knew she had successfully steered the boat to safety.

"Well, it's nice to have a brother. I wouldn't mind a lecture or two."

"Oh honey, I can help with that," Claire cocked her head to the side with a gleam in her eyes.

"No, yours are excluded."

"Oh, ha ha, you'll be begging for it one day. Now be a good girl and be on the watch out. I'm taking a nap." Claire said, sliding back below the car before getting into a comfortable position. "Oh, and give me a foot massage while you're at it,"

"It'll cost you."

"Wait till I hear back about a job, and then we'll talk,"

They stayed like that, Claire breathing softly while Cara listened absentmindedly at the radio. Her thoughts were yet again plagued by the events of last Friday. It was suffocating having to mentally recover from something so scarring and no one around her knowing a thing. She had no one to talk to. The words of the host were starting to become much more appealing than her thoughts.

"Michael Warren did so much for Raccoon decades before he was mayor, but with him in power, we're doing so much better, growing faster than ever before. We all gotta thank him for that, you know? Everyone was skeptical about big pharma moving in, but he made a good partnership with them, and the jobs came raining down. Have you seen the homeless folk on the streets? No, cause they all got help, been offered good jobs, their lives are turned for the better. Y'all look at the jails. They are pretty much empty. Nobody needs to turn to stealing for a living when good-paying work is right in front of them." The host trailed on, with Cara barely listening to the shameless paid promotion. The supposed decrease in crime seems a bit far-fetched to Cara. Maybe the robbers, murders, fraudsters, and rapists just moved their activity to the next town over for whatever reason, much like her dad and his dealings? But if there were so many work opportunities, why couldn't someone come 'help' her parents? Uproot them out of the dark pit they dug?

"Hey, you coming?"

"What?" Cara snapped back to reality, realizing Claire was already on her feet, stretching her back.

"The assembly?"

"Oh...?" Cara frowned, forcing a straight face as she pulled her aching body up.

"I guess I can't blame you. You did miss half the day. Come on, I want to get a seat in the very back, makes for a speedy getaway." Claire was already out the door, staring back at her friend with her hands on her hips, impatiently tapping her foot.

"You go ahead and reserve me a seat. I just need to go to the washroom." Cara said, hoping to walk to the gym at a slower, less painful pace.

"Fine, but don't be too long," Claire said before jogging away.

Taking her sweet time, Cara turned a 5-minute walk to the gym into 10 minutes, but even then, that was still an exhausting mission. Soon she was seated next to Claire with the rest of the students as they waited for the presenter.

The gym was in a state of chaos. Everyone talked over the other. But this was not a surprising thing considering it was the last period of the day and the events of last night.

When Cara looked over the stage, she was surprised, seeing a banner with the Racoon police department STARS name on it. Great, it was another talk with the cops, most likely about drugs and whatnot.

"Hey, maybe your brother is here,"

"Chris? He would've told me,"

A throat clearing next to the speaker's podium failed to get the attention of the kids. It was followed by a very authoritative "Attention,"

Cara never experienced so much power put into a single word, but it was loaded, and it succeeded in forcing everyone to smack their lips shut.

For a few seconds, she was staring but unable to focus, her muscles tensed, ready to make a break for it. She held her breath, slid down her seat, covered her face with a curtain of hair, and for added measure, she put her head down. She hoped to stay hidden in the crowds of students.

It was Albert Wesker at the podium, hands resting on the edges. His eyes didn't have to scan the crowds for long, finding her easily. Her attempt to hid was adorable but in vain. He could track down men in another country given extraordinarily little info, and the foolish little thing thought she could hide in a measly crowd of 1200 hormone-riddled teens.

"I am Captain Albert Wesker of STARS, and five days ago, there had been an unfortunate, unfortunate accident. Maxwell Robford was barely five years older than many of you. Driving while drunk, he ended up wrapped around a tree and was incinerated along with his car. That road wasn't popular, and it would take days for someone to stumble across the wreck and give us a call. We could only recover a pile of ashes and bones to return to his family. Our hearts go to them. I'm here on behalf of STARS to urge you to stop drinking and driving because the next incident may not only result in us digging out your corpses but those of others. The morgue is no place for people so...young. That's all from me, and now my partner will add a few more words." Wesker stepped away from the podium, nodding as the other uniformed officer took over. The next speaker struggled to calm the students, who all at once started talking about the accident.

"That’s so terrible. I feel so bad for his family," Claire said, leaning her head back.

"Yeah..." Cara answered absentmindedly, unable to take away her eyes from the crooked officer. She was angry that he could come to her school and pretend to be an officer of the law concerned for the futures of the kids in the room. If anything, she could bet all the money she had that the kid died because of a foul. Maybe, Wesker himself arranged the scene before it was supposedly...discovered. Perhaps that poor kid saw something he shouldn't have and paid the price. And maybe she'll also end up in an unfortunate accident sooner or later. The thought of that sent the bile straight up. She rocked herself, mind reeling with the possibility.

"I'm going to the washroom," Cara said quietly, her voice unusually thick as she could not push the lump down. Raising from her seat, she rushed out of the gym, feeling the world closing in on her. She was barely aware of Claire calling out to her and the man on the stage who followed her with his eyes.

Completely bypassing the washroom, Cara burst through the school's back doors before throwing her back against the garbage bins, sliding to the floor. The stench didn't register as her brain tricked her into thinking she could smell burning flesh. Thinking about what the kid must have felt while burning up, she shut her eyes tightly, unable to handle such imagery. She didn't try to control her sobs, letting them overpower her without caring about who was watching.

Someone was watching, and they were amused.

"You know, it's rude to walk out while a speaker is presenting. We take the time out of our boorish days to speak to a bunch of idiots who won't hang onto a single word we say. A complete and utter waste of time." Wesker spoke, walking around the garbage can to look down at Cara. The silence came sharply as she noticed his presence. It was hard to believe the girl cowering in the corner was the same person who risked her life to protect his little Sherry.

"Did you kill him?" Cara whispered, her puffy eyes finding his.

"Who?" standing in front of her, Wesker squatted down to her level.

"You know who I am talking about."

"Still in the mood for asking questions? Do you think he will be more alive having that knowledge?" Wesker reached over with a gloved hand to push the hair away from her face, enjoying the complete mess she was. The girl was like this because of him, and he loved having that power. He didn't have to do a thing to get to her. Merely show up.

" I didn't say anything to anyone, I swear. Please just leave me alone." Her voice was octaves higher, uncaring when it fragmented at the end. Even if someone heard her, she doubted they would help. The decorated officer can make up a story more likely believable than a word out of her mouth. She was alone and wholly regretted leaving the gym. Cornering herself, she practically led him to her.

"Our encounters will only end once I say so. Now, answer this. Why were you limping?" Wesker watched as she flinched when his hand came to rest on her injured leg. He found this development displeasing. Someone trespassed on his right to be the only one to hurt her, to use her, to kill her. And correction was in order.

[whereflowersbloom]

Hypermarket adventure

When Tim Drake woke up that morning he had no idea he would have to buy a new coffee maker because the one they had was unusually broken. Damian Wayne. Tim massaged his temples, exhaustion sinking deep in his bones, and wonders how long it's been since he had more than four hours of sleep. Damian was responsible for this, one of his secret schemes to make him stop consuming caffeine. Tim was sure it was his fault, so the broken coffee maker refused to give him the fluid of life and he had lost it...and maybe Tim destroyed it with vicious vengeance. In his defense, he had been up for more than twenty hours, before taking a nap of two hours. Sleep later coffee first.

So naturally he announced to Alfred he would be making a quick trip to the store to get a new one, politely asked the British man if he required anything from the store. Alfred seemed to consider the offer for a solid minute before asking him if he could get some groceries and essentials on his way back home. Handing him a list. Before he walked out of the manor Dick volunteered affably to accompany him, convincing a grumpy Jason, who was comfortably sitting, reading a wrinkled newspaper to tag along. Jason surprisingly agreed, with the condition he was the one driving. Alfred rapidly suggested to take the demon spawn with them, he could use some frest air. Now things could only go downhill from this point. This piqued Steph’s interest, who casually commented she had nothing better to do. Soon they were on their way to the closest hypermarket.

Dick was there to make sure Damian didn’t behead anyone and get enough boxes of cereal he could hide before Alfred looked at him with disappointed eyes. There’s nothing worse in this world than Alfred’s disappointed eyes. The old man claimed ‘It’s not a proper meal or healthy if it contained high levels of sugar’, but the companies also tended to fill them with vitamins, calcium, iron and folic acid. Therefore it was a fortified food! It had everything he needed for a balanced meal in Dick’s opinion. The extra sugar was even good for him considering how many calories he burned.

“The sword stays in the car, Damian.” Dick commanded, taking away the blade from twelves earth-old before he sets a foot out of the automobile, which was responded by a low ‘TT’.

“Did we really have to bring shortstack?” Jason complained, voice etched with irritation, index finger pointing at Damian.

“As if I would agree to lower my nutritional standards because you fools failed to purchase the provisions Pennyworth demanded which is why I have it in my power.” Damian logically explained, grinding his teeth and waving the list at Jason. Tim rolled his eyes, focus on the reward, coffee, he mentally told himself.

“Don’t stab anyone.” Dick ordered with authority.

“I make no promises, Grayson.” Damian muttered dryly crossing his arms over his chest.

Damian cannot comprehend why would Pennyworth think he was needed to carry out such a simple task, he supposed if his siblings lacked the basic function acquire the list of edibles Alfred gave them and simultaneously behave in public, then he could supervise them. He was already here, nothing to do about it.

“Did anyone asked Cass if she needed anything?” Dick questioned them, clear blue eyes looking at them expectantly. Cass was probably still in her bedroom resting, after staying up with him analyzing some cases.

“Oh how thoughtful of you. You weren’t that nice to me, not even after I died.” Jason commented, his voice dripping with sarcasm and bitterness.

“Jay, you gotta stop bringing it up.” Dick reasoned as he placed a hand upon Jason’s shoulder, offering a small apologetic smile.

For once, Damian was quiet, observing the older brothers bicker over such a insignificant matter. Stephanie stifled a snort at their immature antics. A muffled ‘crybaby’ escaped her mouth, but only Tim, standing next to her was able to hear it.

It took everything Tim had not to roll his eyes and simply walk away. Why was he here with these troublemakers? Right. Coffee. The things he had to endure for a cup of black coffee.

“I texted Cass. She wants pop tarts.” Stephanie supplied, eye glued to the screen of her phone.

“If you get lost. I’m leaving you here, losers.” Jason threatened with narrowed eyes, a faint glow in his blue-green eyes. Five minutes after parking the car, the siblings marched inside the hypermarket. Tim sighed wearily, silent calculations running through his mind, how long it would take them to leave the store with the groceries

~~~

Jason Todd was ready to shoot Dick Grayson if only he had a gun between his hands. Why the fuck did he even agree to come with these lil shits? Clearly, he wasn’t in his right mind. He was doing this for Alfred and Jason could never say no to Alfred. It was an easy task: read the list of essentials Alfred wrote down, grab the items, deposit them inside the fucking cart and pay for them. Piece of cake. But here he was in the middle of dairy aisle, listening to Dick asking him all sort of stupid questions. His patience dangerously wearing thin.

“Why is milk five dollars a gallon?” Dick exclaimed with shock as he examined the dairy product’s label.

“Who cares? You’re rich, money shouldn’t be a problem, dickhead.” Jason replied annoyed, there goes ten minutes of his life, stuck in the dairy aisle with this enthusiastic fool. Where did Damian and Steph go? Dick had thrown several boxes of cereal inside the cart, including: Cheerios and Waffle crisps, the latter was Steph’s petition. Who in the bloody hell needed fifteen boxes of cereal? Wait a minute, is that coffee flakes? That one had to be Tim’s idea.

“How do you exactly milk an almond though?” Dick asked with furrowed Brows, concentrated on the product, as If he was trying to decipher a secret code.

The desperation and bewilderment in Dick’s voice made a Jason raise an eyebrow. He would kill for a quick smoke. Not like he was seriously considering smoking inside the store. He could wait a few more minutes.

“I’ll explain out to you when you finally become a functional adult.” Jason Breathed.

“Who wants bacon?” Stephanie came out of nowhere, asking with a juvenile glee in her eyes.

Hopefully I can finish this oneshot today 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

[midnight-strays]

Hello! I hope you’re doing well and not too busy. If you wouldn’t mind, I was wondering if I could make a request for Chuuya with a fem s/o in Port Mafia who hasn’t been coping with stress well (she doesn’t want to upset Mori so she does all the missions even though she’s exhausting herself), just a fluffy scenario of her coming back practically crawling on the ground and Chuuya helping her out. (And canceling all of her missions for the future cause she needs sleep! Haha) Please and Thank you!

//This isn’t so much stress, more just physical exhaustion. Hope you enjoy!

Letting out a long and heavy, but silent yawn, you tightened your grip on your gun, blinking back tears formed by the yawn so your vision was clear. Forty-eight hours- no, make that forty-nine hours without any sleep. You’ve barely sat down since you woke up the other day. You had gotten up, after sleeping for maybe five hours, got ready, received a call from a subordinate of yours and headed straight to your boss’ office to receive your new orders. Now here you were, forty-nine hours later, back against a large sea container as you tried to keep yourself focussed on the task at hand. You could hear footsteps creeping towards you, almost silent but by holding your breath and paying close attention, you could hear them, how close they were, how fast they were moving, male or female. You were trained well enough to be able to pick it all out.

The footsteps were slow, calm. They didn’t know you were there, most likely on patrol. The footfalls were heavy, they were most likely male and judging by the faint clicking you could hear, they were armed. Just as you had expected them to be. You stood close to the corner of the sea container, gun in one hand and the other hand ready to strike out. The moment you saw the weapon of the other, you grabbed it, pulling them around the corner before quickly disarming them. They hardly had a chance to let out a yell before a bullet was lodged into their brain. Thank god for silencers, you didn’t need too many people on your ass right now. The body dropped to the floor like a sack of shit and you quickly looked around the corner to see if anyone else was in sight or had heard the small amount of sound you had made. No one.

With the coast clear, you continued on with your job, making your way into the facility undetected. So far that is. Your legs ached; you haven’t sat down for more than a couple minutes at a time since you woke up forty-nine hours ago. You neck also hurt, beyond belief, as about five hours ago, you spent a whole hour, stuck inside an air vent, listening into a conversation to find this place. God you needed to hot bath, a massage and a much-needed sleep. But you just knew, when you got back, Mori would have another job for you. You almost wanted to drag this on a little longer, maybe take a nap on your way back, just so you could take a break, but you knew what would happen if Mori found out. He’d work you even harder, right down to the point you were unable to lift your own gun.

You shuddered at the thought, shaking your head to try remaining focused. You couldn’t afford to get caught now. You didn’t know the building well enough to escape if someone saw you and set off an alarm. Seemed you had no choice in the matter however, as you didn’t notice the censor hidden in the corner of the doorway you just walked through. There was no alarm, no rushing of footsteps, nothing. You didn’t know you were in trouble until you were met with a wall of people, all pointing lethal weapons in your direction. Why couldn’t you have been an ability user?

-

Beaten, bruised, bleeding and struggling to hold yourself up, you sat in the train, head tilted back as you tried to relax your tense muscles. What a rodeo that had all been. First you were captured, pushed for information, beaten to a pulp and given some adrenaline to keep you awake right when you were about to pass out from exhaustion. Lifting your arm, so your wrist was above your face, you stared at your watch, trying to work out how long it had been since you last slept. Seventy-four hours. A little over three days of no sleep and even now, you still had to get back to the base, which was about half an hour away, shower and patch yourself up which could take up to an hour and then report back to Mori, an extra twenty to thirty minutes. God you were so tired.

Weary eyes were on you, some concerned over your condition, others fearful of the reason you were so beaten up. Were you bad or had bad people gotten to you? What they didn’t know, was that technically, you were both. You dropped your arm over your eyes, letting out a heavy sigh, followed by a yawn. You could feel your eyes becoming heavy, sleep calling your name now that the adrenaline had worn off. Not wanting to fall asleep on the train and miss your stop however, you jumped to your feet, startling some people with your sudden movement. You reached up and held on to a bar above your head to remain steady and kept your eyes focused straight at the doors, eager to get the hell home.

When you got off the train, you were left to walk to the base. Not only had Mori forgotten to send someone to pick you up, no taxis would stop for you, considering the state you were in. So, as you finally walked through the doors of the building’s elevator and then through Mori’s office door without knocking, you were about ready to drop- wait. No. You did drop. Exhaustion finally grasped onto you completely, practically squeezing the life out of you as your legs gave out from under you. The men in the room cringed as you toppled to the floor. Even Elise’s eyes widened in surprise and she likes watching people suffer! Mori, who was sitting at his desk, watching with raised eyebrows while the other man, one of his executives, quickly made his way over to make sure you were okay.

A gloved hand was offered to you, which you took, so he could help you to your unsteady feet.

“Thank you Chuuya,” you murmured, catching sight of his ginger hair before actually seeing his face. When you were able to make eye contact, you could see concern written all over his face.  Straightening up the best you could, you looked to your boss. “Boss, with all due respect, I’ll report back to you when I’m able to stand on me own,” you spoke, a look of amusement crossing Mori’s face at your words. Chuuya wrapped your arm around his shoulders to hold you up so you weren’t supporting your full weight on your legs.

“Very well. Chuuya, we’ll continue this talk later, please assist Miss (Y/N) for now,” the man responded calmly, earning a nod from the hot-headed executive before you were escorted out of the office and towards the medical bay.

“No… Chuuya, just take me home. Please. I have what I need there, I just want to go home…” you sighed out, holding onto him tightly, fearful you would drop back to the ground if you let go of him any time soon. The mafia executive was about to argue, insisting that you needed proper treatment, but the look on your face said it all. You needed to go home. So, he turned to the elevator and took you down to the underground parking lot where he got you into his car and drove you to your apartment, just like you had asked of him. He didn’t speak to you, only keeping an eye on you from time to time, making sure you didn’t suddenly stop breathing or some shit like that. You were beat up pretty bad.

When you arrived, you tried to get out of the car on your own, only to almost fall out, cueing him to come around and assist you into your apartment, where he insisted he clean your wounds before you took a shower. It took a moment to find your keys and get into the apartment itself, but once you were seated at the kitchen table, Chuuya went straight to your first aid kit- he’s patched you up before- and got to work on cleaning you up the best he could for now. He would do a better job once you had showered.

“The boss has been wearing you pretty thin huh?” he finally spoke, cleaning up a deep cut on your collarbone.

“It’s just part of being in the mafia…” you responded with a small shrug, wincing a little at the pain it brought you.

“I hate to say it, but the boss runs you around a little more than some of the others. I’ll ask him to lay off for a while, at least until you’ve healed and regained your strength,” he claimed, looking up at you from where he was slouched over.

A soft smile crawled to your lips at his words, thankful that he would do something like that for you.

“Thank you Chuuya.” After he had cleaned up your not so pretty wounds, you went to take a shower, sitting on a stool to prevent further injury. The water pooled at your feet, brown and red in colour for a little while before running clear again. After that, you just enjoyed the feeling of the water on your skin, almost falling asleep in there, if it wasn’t for Chuuya calling out to you, making sure you hadn’t slipped or something.

You wrapped a towel around yourself, carefully making your way out of the bathroom and coming to sit on the couch. You didn’t bother dressing just yet. For now, this made it easier for Chuuya to finish what he was doing before.

“Take it easy for the next couple of days. We don’t need you coming in if you’re just going to pass out on us, okay? I’ll come around tomorrow to check on you, so if you’re planning on sleeping all day, put a key somewhere I can find it,” he explained to you as he placed bandages over your wounds. When he didn’t get a response, he looked up from what he was doing with a small frown, only to chuckle and shake his head when he saw why. You were fast asleep.

[canoyjuvielyn23]

                                               ACE Water SPA

Welcome to Ace Water Spa If you’re looking An all-weather indoor facility that features hydrotherapy massage for the whole family. Enjoy our heated pools, lapping pool, steam, sauna and hydro-spa.

If you’re looking for a splashing good time, you don’t need to go all the way to those out-of-town water parks or schedule an entire weekend beach trip to play and let loose in the water. You can find your very own aqua escape conveniently located in Pasig or Quezon City at ACE Water Spa!

Ace Water Spa is  the all in one entertainment hub you need to discover. They have herbal pools also they have a complimentary   covered parking and 25  ultrasonic  massage systems and 4 herbal pools. They have clean air conditioned locker and shower rooms ,they also observation deck for those who wants to see around the pools.

Price is definitely affordable for a soothing and undeniably stress relieving experience in the city. Definitely recommended.

Ace Water Spa are for all ages. They have especially designed pool for kids that includes the famous Lazy River where a small square surfboard are provided, just lean and let your body go as the river flows. Adults are also allowed in this area and I must say, we unexpectedly enjoyed this river .

Ace water spa is a hydrotherapy. It helps cleansing, relaxing and healing as well all in one place. Difference from manual hand massage, water spa is where you can focus which body parts needs more attention.

Location can easily find from Robinsons Pioneer St. straight ahead until reach United St. turn right and see Ace Hotel.

                                              Locations :

                                  Located in : Ace Hotel &  Suites

                                Address: United St. Corner Brixton St. Near Pioneer

                                Frequently/ asked questions (FAQ’s)

                         What is Ace Water spa?

                          What is hydrotherapy massage?

                            What is the proper attire of   Ace water Spa?

                           What do I need to bring when availing of a spa?      

                                                                                    Transportations:

                                Private and public mode of transportations

                                   New Normal Operations Hours Daily

                                  Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Sun =   6Am -10pm    

                                          Fri,Sat                               6am -10pm 

                                                                                                          MAPROUTE

                                                    REMINDERS:

Price is definitely affordable for a soothing and undeniably stress relieving experience in the city. Definitely recommended!

Ø  Ace water spa are not into a reservation type, they are open for walk in type only.

When it comes to food, ACE Water Spa recommends you eat a full 30 minutes before dipping into their pools. Eating is strictly prohibited in the pool areas but you can eat after your stay at the Ace Coffee Lounge.

Please be reminded of the ff: 1 Bring your own personal hygiene products, towel, and swimming attire preferrably spandex materials because these are strictly observed. 2 Wear your key bracelet with you all the time. Lost key fee is 200 (pricey) 3 There are package counter in the spa area where you can put your towel while your on the pool. 4 Swimming cap is provided by Ace. 5 There are purified water dispenser near the spa area. 6 For short nap, you may use the resting area near the locker room.

Here’s the things why you must visit in ACE WATER SPA

ACE Water Spa offers multiple packages for any occasion, so if you want to celebrate a birthday, have an office outing, or simply go with a big group of friends, don’t hesitate to call them and ask about the best package for you!

Ø  The standard ACE Water Spa rate for spa service is P600 for adults and P300 for children below four feet. What does this get you? It gets you four hours of unlimited access to all of the wet and dry areas of the spa, meaning you get to enjoy whichever pools and amenities you want at your own pace.

Ø  In order for their specialized water jets to have their intended therapeutic effect, ACE Water Spa has a strict dress code when it comes to swimwear. You’re only allowed to wear fitted (preferably Spandex) swimwear; board shorts, beach shorts, undergarments, and shirts are a no-go. But don’t worry! If you don’t have the swimwear you need or are comfortable with, ACE Water Spa has the option of renting or buying the appropriate attire at their swim shop.

Ø  When it comes to food, ACE Water Spa recommends you eat a full 30 minutes before dipping into their pools. Eating is strictly prohibited in the pool areas but you can eat after your stay at the Ace Coffee Lounge.

Ø  ACE Water Spa offers multiple packages for any occasion, so if you want to celebrate a birthday, have an office outing, or simply go with a big group of friends, don’t hesitate to call them and ask about the best package for you!

What to do?

From Olympic lapping pools to soothing Jacuzzi hot tubs and fun and gigantic pool areas, there’s sure to be a watering spot at ACE Water Spa that you’ll enjoy.

If you’re looking to just relax and have a good time, then you can start off in the massage areas of the spa. These are specially designed spots that let you relax and recharge with varying degrees of intensity. Hot herbal spas are also available for a more aromatic and recharging dip.

The Kid’s Area is also a perfect spot for the whole family to hang around and have fun. Giant water guns, floor fountains, and even a lazy river are all great ways to spend your afternoon!

You can even get a good workout in, if that’s more of your speed! ACE Water Spa has 25m lapping pools that you can dive into if you’re looking to get your heart rate pumping between all of the rest and relaxation.

Ace Hotel & Suites

If going for a dip and getting wet isn’t your thing, then you can take still have a good time at Ace Hotel & Suites. At the same location as ACE Water Spa’s Pasig branch, Ace Hotel & Suites is an extension of the ACE Water Spa hospitality that goes outside of the pool.

Like the name says, Ace Hotel & Suites is a hotel- meaning that you can extend your water spa day into a whole weekend! They also have more restaurants and function rooms, making them better equipped to hold big celebrations. And, last but not least, it wouldn’t be possible to talk about Ace Hotel & Suites without mentioning their incredible and up-to-date KTV Rooms, truly making it an easy choice for a great night out.

FACILITIES:

Ø  Kids area

Ø  Soft massage

Ø  Moderate massage

Ø  Hard massage

Ø  Hot herbal pools

Steam, sauna &pools

KIDS AREA

Ø  The play and swim have “for kids with high rate of activities to choose from

Kids Pool:

Ø  A specially designed pool idealsmall kids. Play hide and seek in mushroom falls as you get hit by a big Water gun.

Soft massage

Bubble Bed where you can lay down comfortably on the designed bubble bed to fully feel the air and bubbles emitted on the surface through small holes as it slightly beats down your back, buttocks and feet. 

Bubble Pool which effectively massages the temporal pressure points specifically on the back portion of the legs and hip area. 

Bubble Massage which has an effect of "feel good all over" after bathing as air combined with warm water comes out on holes at the floor surface that massages the body. 

Hydro-Acupuncture Bed which produces the effects of acupuncture that allows a person to enjoy the pricking sensation through the use of highpressure warm water with air coming from the tiny holes within the bed surface.

Moderate massage:

Rainfall Acupuncture best enjoyed when lying face down wherein million raindrops with various intensities gently massage every part of the body. 

Eight Nozzle Shower which is designed as an alternative way of cooling down after using the hot herbal pools, steam and sauna if you do not want to use the cold pool. 

Hydro-Buoyancy Massage which uses a jet driven water from the bottom that creates suppleness to build a floating sensation especially when combined with breathing exercises. 

Buttocks Massage – In which water pressure gushes out on the surface which hits and rubs down the buttocks while sitting comfortably. 

Jet Chair which water pressure gushes out directly towards the meridian points of the body to eliminate stress and at the same time loosens up tight muscles in a sitting position. 

Jet Chair with Foot Massage which water pressure gushes out directly towards the meridian points of the body while simultaneously receiving foot massage in a sitting position. 

In hard massage section, there are:

Head & Shoulder Massage -The water coming from the equipment strongly hits the upper portion of the body. 

Water Falls - The surging water from the falls strikes in all parts of the body largely on the upper portion. 

Multi-point Massage - The surrounding wall towers with water nozzles injects variety of water pressure that massages different parts of the body. 

Chest Jet Massage which is best relished in a squatting position to fully feel the water presure that strikes directly towards your chest. 

Waist Jet Massage is system that uses high and low water jet nozzles that produces strong water pressure. Upper 

Body Jet Massage - Rigid water pours down from the elevated jets rubbing down the upper parts of the body.

This Massage system is NOT RECOMMENDED for those with osteoporosis. 

Ø  High Pressure Massage - This system uses high and low water jet nozzles that produces strong water pressure. 

                                      Hot Herbal Jacuzzi:

Mint Jacuzzi - With a temperature of 36 ‘C 

Jasmine Jacuzzi – With a temperature of 38 ‘C

Ø  Will surely make you invigorated with relaxing your muscles their pool is marked at 38’C.

Lavender Jacuzzi – With a temperature of 40 ’C 

Ø  Is the hottest pool with 40CA as. Its temperature while The lavender scent keeps keeps the skin soft and smooth.

                                  Sauna and Steam Room: 

The Steam and Sauna will remove excess water and fats from the body. As you step outside in this area, the cool and misty natural fog that is sprayed in the area will surely complete this heavenly ambiance.

 Other Sections are: Cold Pool This is the fastest way to cool down after using the hot herbal pools, steam or sauna. Contrast Therapy Plunge is a special hydrotherapy experience wherein an alternate plunging into the hot herbal pools and cool pool takes place. Lapping Pool Approximately 25m 4-lane swimming pool is ideal for swimmers and soon-to-be swimmers to practice their "winning" strokes. 

OTHER FACILITIES:

Ø  Parking – valet options                

Ø  Receptions area

Ø  Organized shoe racks

Ø  Shower area

Ø  Resting area

Ø  Hot herbal Pools

Ø  Sauna

Ø  Restaurant – Ace   coffee Lounge

Ø  Swim Shop

Ø  Spacious Locker Rooms

Ø  Changing Area (For women)

Ø  25;5lanes Lapping Pool

Ø  Hydro theraphy Spa Area

Ø  Steam

Ø  Floor mountain

Ø  Sky Garden

                             COFFEE LOUNGE

                             ACE SPA RATES:

Ø  Now that you already have an idea on what to expect inside, you may want to ask how much woul it cost us to get inside.

 ENTRANCE FEE: (Inclusion of 4 hours use of amenities, a locker and a head cap)

P550.00 - Adult P250.00 - Kid P250.00 - Kid (4 ft. & below) 

Proper Attire: 

Ø  Only tight bathing suit for ladies and trunks or cycling shorts for male are allowed. Branded swimming board shorts or beach shorts will not be allowed since these have the tendency to inflate because of the strong water and air pressure generated during hydrotherapy. Wearing of undergarments or shirts on top of our swimwear is also prohibited. However, you may opt to rent or purchase quality swimwear at very reasonable prices at Ace Swim Shop. (As per Ace Water Spa rules and regulations). Don’t forget to bring your own towel. 

REVIEWS:

REFERENCE;

https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/ShowUserReviews-g298453-d4277989-r309664919-Ace_Water_Spa-Pasig_Metro_Manila_Luzon.html

https://ph.phonebooky.com/blog/ace-water-s

https://www.sassyzeal.com/2013/12/ace-water-spa-facilities-and-things-to.html

[quadraphonictypewriter]

Rushing Whispers Part 13/?

Read from the beginning or Part 12

July 6 & 7, 1970 ((approx. 1950 words))

It was early evening when Cameron and I made our way to the bedroom. The English portion of the tour would start tomorrow, followed by our trip over the Channel to France. 

“Run it by me again,” I told Cameron as I changed into a pyjama top. 

“Well,” he accepted, “we’ve got a coach for the road, and should be in hotels most nights. I’d suppose that sometimes we’ll need to sleep on the bus, driving overnight to the next city.” 

“Doesn’t sound that bad.” 

Cameron took his shirt off and tossed it into the laundry basket. “It’s not,” he agreed. “But it will be more bearable this time, with you beside me.” 

A smile spread across my face but before I could kiss him, the phone in the hallway rang.

Cameron left the room and answered on the third ring. Too curious for my own good, I leaned against the bedroom door’s frame and watched him. 

“Evening, Geoff. You’ve got news?” Cameron spoke into the handset. He stretched, his waistband lowered a tad, and saw me watching him. He winked and gave me a sly smile, leaning against the wall. 

‘I wasn’t gonna, but too bad for him,’ I joked to myself. I smiled sweetly at Cameron as he answered whatever Geoff had asked. I walked up to him and put my hand on his waist, kissing his cheek in a swift movement. 

“We’ll be ready, then, it’s no issue,” Cameron told Geoff while smiling at me. 

I lowered my lips, bringing them to his neck. My hands felt warm on his waist and I gently pulled at the belt loops on his jeans. My kisses moved to his chest and soon moved to just above his navel. 

“What are you doing?” he whispered, his hand covering the mouthpiece of the phone. 

I knelt down while looking up at him. “Nothing,” I answered in a quiet voice. Cameron put his head back against the wall as I continued to bring my kisses lower. 

“Won’t be a problem, Geoff,” he said into the phone. I could hear the slightest quiver of his voice as he spoke. My hands unbuttoned his jeans and I lowered the zipper before tugging both layers of fabric down.  

I could hear the faint murmur of Geoff’s voice on the line, but I ignored it, instead giving quick kisses as I massaged with my hand. Cameron was responding very well to my actions; I gave a long lick and put my mouth on him. 

“Oh dear God,” Cameron gasped. I chuckled but didn’t stop my motions. “What? Oh, I’ve just...  stubbed my toe,” he told Geoff. 

A quick upwards glance showed me that Cameron’s hand was in his hair, and his eyes closed. I quickened my pace and heard him inhale sharply. 

“Geoff, I’ve got to go,” he said hurriedly. “Someone’s knocked at the door. Yes, we’ll be ready.” Cameron slammed the phone down and groaned loudly. “Have you lost your mind?” he cried out to me.

“Maybe,” I answered, only stopping for a moment. 

The breath that escaped his lips was heavy and quickly turned into a moan. His hands went to my head, gently touching my hair. It didn’t take long before he was nearly begging me to stop. 

“I don’t want to finish with you on your knees,” he gasped. I wiped my mouth with my hand and he pulled me back up to my feet. “You’d better be on the bed by the time I take these off,” he warned. 

I smirked, but didn’t take my eyes off of him. He removed his jeans and boxers before taking a step towards me. With every step he took, I retreated into the bedroom, my eyes still locked on him. He tossed the discarded clothes onto the floor. I took another step backwards and felt the bed behind me. 

“You’re not on the bed,” he noted with a straight face. “How unfortunate for you.” 

“I guess I’m not,” I replied. “Your move.”

I stopped counting after the third surge; it was clear that I had started something and Cameron was going to finish it. When we did stop, we laid beside each other holding hands. 

“You must have lost your mind,” Cameron said with a laugh. 

“Me?” I asked, mocking indignation. “I believe you were the one who said ‘oh dear God’ while on the phone with Geoff.” 

We both laughed. Cameron gave me a long kiss, pulling me on top of him. “Speaking of Geoff, he said they’ll be coming by around five to pick us up. We’re the last, then we’ll leave for Newcastle.” 

“Well, I guess we should get some sleep, then.” 

“Probably should,” he said before kissing me. “But all I want to do is eat.” 

I blushed, bringing my mouth close to his. “You’re still hungry?” I joked. 

“For you? Always.”

True to Geoff’s word, the coach pulled up to the driveway at five the next morning. Cameron and I had been ready since four-thirty, waiting on the steps. We had filled my large suitcase and two smaller ones with our clothes and toiletries, which Cameron put in the bus’ luggage compartment. 

We were greeted happily when we stepped onto the bus, even Willie didn’t seem so sour today. I put my purse on the seat beside Cameron, but before I could sit I was hastily motioned over by Sylvia, who clearly wanted to chat. 

The drive to Newcastle-upon-Tyne took a little less than five hours, during which I had spoken with Sylvia and Lee, and snuck in a nap with Cameron. We arrived at the venue just before ten o’clock, the road crew with their equipment-loaded bus having arrived an hour earlier. 

They were already hauling equipment into the club when our coach parked beside theirs. Lee and Clyde, with Sylvia in tow, had immediately gone to a nearby pub to meet with an old friend of theirs from a band they’d been in a few years previously. Geoff called Cameron and Willie to a mini-meeting by the stage, which left me with Dale. 

We sat at one of the club’s few tables and began to talk. I was surprised when one of the staff came up to us and asked if we wanted a hot drink; Dale asked for tea and I ordered a coffee.

“So, Dale,” I began, “what made you get into singing?”

“My sister,” he chuckled. “We were born in Bristol, but moved to Scotland when I was ten. She was five at the time, and so frightened most nights that I’d sing her to sleep. Once I realized I had a good voice, it was all over.” He punctuated his story with a laugh and I smiled. 

“That’s a beautiful thing you did for her,” I told him, thinking of my own sister. 

“It helped her, at least. She’s gone now, got married two years ago and moved to France.” 

“She got married young,” I noted. “How old are you?” 

“Twenty-five. And you?” 

I took a sip of my drink and answered. “Twenty-nine next month.” 

“You old broad,” he joked, clinking glasses with me.

After the conclusion of the mini-meeting with Geoff and Willie, Cameron had taken me to a few of the sights in Newcastle as I’d never seen England before. By the time we got back to the club in the early evening, soundcheck was just around the corner and both opening bands were in the backstage area. 

The club opened its doors at nine, with the lineup outside beginning nearly an hour earlier. The local act, Gun It, began their set at ten and didn’t sound too bad for a band that had just started out. While they played their thirty minute set, we mingled with the members of Riot Men, who would accompany us on the English tour this month and the Scottish dates in October. 

I was standing at the table covered in bottles at the far end of the room when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around with a whiskey bottle still in my hand. 

“Hi, are you Emily?” The man asking looked to be in his early twenties and had a jovial look on his face. 

“Yes,” I answered. “You’re in Riot Men?” 

“Yes,” he announced proudly. “Reggie, the loyal drummer.” He extended his arm and I put down the bottle to shake his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Reggie. It’s a good thing, too, because I really didn’t want to smash this fifteen year over your head,” I laughed. 

“Fifteen year whiskey?” Reggie picked the bottle up from the table and took two glasses from a stack. “A dram for the lady?” 

“Thank you,” I said, accepting the glass. “Where in Wales are you from?” 

Reggie took a large sip from his glass, which had more whiskey than mine did, and chuckled. “Anglesey. And you? What part of Britain gives an accent like yours?” he quipped. 

“I’m from eastern Canada,” I explained. 

Reggie nodded. “Not in Nova Scotia, by any chance? My grandmother’s brother started his family there.” 

“A little more west than Nova Scotia. I used to live near Montreal.” 

He ran a hand through his hair and took another sip. “Where do you live now?” 

I mimicked him and took a sip of my drink as well. “With Cameron.” 

“Lucky man,” he said. Something caught his eye and he turned towards his bandmates. “We’re on shortly.” Reggie finished off his drink in one gulp and put the glass down on the table. “Very nice chatting with you, Emily.” 

“Same here,” I answered. Reggie took off towards the other end of the room and rejoined his bandmates, who were discussing something among themselves. 

I only had time to take a few more sips of my drink before Cameron strode over, announcing his arrival with his arm around my waist. 

“Hello,” I giggled happily. 

Cameron gave me a quick kiss in response. “I see you’ve met the Welshman.” 

“I did. He’s nice.” 

“He is,” Cameron agreed. “Their bass player, not so much. But Reggie’s a cool guy.” 

“Have they played with you before?” I asked curiously, leading us to a small table nearby. 

Cameron nodded. “They were with us for part of the tour last year. February and March, if I remember.”

Amoeba's set started at midnight, half an hour after Riot Men left the stage. I took my spot beside the stage, just as excited as everyone else for the first show of the tour. 

“Hey! How are you tonight?” Dale shouted excitedly once he was on stage. “Happy to be here, let’s get something going for you all…” 

The performance was a definite crowd-pleaser, though perhaps that is too mild of a term. The show ended with tables overturned and chairs everywhere, people everywhere. If this was a taste of what was to come, I was in for quite the experience. 

The band got off the stage and entered the dressing room, but not before Dale was groped and Lee was forcefully given a woman’s bra. He held it by the strap and stared at it, mouth gaping. 

“Your mouth’s only supposed to do that with tits, not just the bra,” Dale sneered. He took the bra from Lee and put it against his chest, parading around for a moment in full confidence. 

“Fuck. Off.” Willie had a look like glass shards when Dale pranced up to him and flirted. I cackled without restraint, making everyone else laugh with me. 

Cameron approached me and gave me a kiss, his hands framing my face. 

“A fantastic show, my love,” I assured him with a smile. “You nearly started a furor!”

--

Part 14

[thefallennightmare]

Soldat [3/10]

Paring: Bucky Barnes x Reader and Steve Rogers x Reader

Warnings: language, angst, fluff, violence, smut(eventually)

Summary: Captain America and Reader have worked together at SHIELD for over a year. What happens when they have a run in with The Winter Solider and Steve finds out the secret Reader had been hiding from him all this time?  

A/N: I am on a roll today! Hopefully I can get another chapter out today. Feel free to send me a comment, message, or an ask if you want to be tagged in this story!

The bickering had reached a whole new level of annoying. Natasha wanted to jump right into the fight; for Nick. Steve wanted to think about a plan of action first. He hated not having a plan. And Steve’s new friend, Sam, was fine with whatever we decided; he was happy to help in whatever way we needed. I, however, did not want to do anything. I sat at the table in Sam’s kitchen with the rest of them, chipping away at my nail polish, trying to drown out their voices knowing they would try to make me choose a side. 

It had been one hell of a 48 hours. After Steve and I barely managed to escape Shield Headquarters, Natasha, and I found what was on the hard drive Nick left Steve; a location in New Jersey. Come to find out it was where Steve was trained for the war; pre serum. And what we found there was something that still wasn’t sitting well with any of us. 

Hydra had infiltrated Shield years ago thanks to Dr. Zola and had been creating weapons that could be used to eliminate millions of people all over the world. We had also found out who had killed Nick, granted I knew before any of them but decided not to tell them. 

The Winter Soldier. 

Once Shield had found us in New Jersey and after dropping a bomb on us literally, we made it back to D.C and were currently hiding out in Sam’s house. I was tired, hungry, and desperately needed a shower however everyone was bickering about what our next plan of action needed to be.  

I continued to remain silent, hoping that Steve could make the decision without me. I had seen a lot of shit during my years on Swat and in the FBI. I also faced a lot of scary things but nothing scared me more than the Winter Soldier and I was not about to tell my team why.

“Y/N?”

“Hmm?” I reluctantly looked away from my fingers and rested my eyes on Steve’s face. 

The bags under his eyes were heavy and his shoulders were heavily weighed with the guilt of everything happening. We both needed to rest before we did anything drastic. 

“What do you think we should do?” He questioned. 

They waited patiently for my answer, causing me to groan.

“Please don’t make me choose,” I begged while pushing away from the table, “I need some time alone.”

Ignoring their stares, I walked down towards one of the spare bedrooms Sam allowed us to stay in and fell onto the bed with a large groan. My body started feeling heavy, darkness starting to engulf me in sleep, and I almost succumbed when voices in my mind awoke me with a start. 

Soldat? What are you doing here?

You need to leave, now. 

No, I’m not leaving you. I lo-

“Y/N?” 

Raising from the bed, I leaned back on my elbows and gave Steve a weak smile. He was leaning against the door frame, the muscles in his arms tensing as he crossed them over his chest. 

“Are you alright?” He asked. 

“Yeah. I’m sorry for snapping earlier. I haven’t slept in over 21 hours and my body feels like it’s been thrown through the ringer. I need a massage and a hot shower,” I admitted while rubbing my shoulder. 

Steve nodded towards the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom. “I was about to shower. You can go ahead.” 

Sucking in my bottom lip between my teeth, I took in his appearance, suddenly wishing I could see him underneath the stream of water. He was only wearing his jeans with a white tank top and I fought the urge to suggest that we should shower together. 

“Or you could join me. Save water, ya know?” 

Fuck. 

Steve’s eyes widened at the request and coughed, trying to hide the arousal that pooled in his stomach. “I’ll just use the shower in Sam’s room.” 

My cheeks burned in embarrassment when Steve turned me down and I simply  nodded before dragging my feet towards the bathroom.

 “Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.” I mumbled. 

“Y/N-”

Steve’s voice called as I slammed the door shut behind me. A twinge of guilt pulled at my heart for snapping at him but I was embarrassed that I had even suggested that in front of him with everything going on. I should have been worrying about what our next steps were going to be, not having shower sex with Steve

Groaning out in pleasure, I let the hot water cascade down my body, the dirt and sweat rinsing away with ease. Not wanting to be rude and use up all of the hot water, I stepped out a few minutes later wrapping a towel tightly around my chest. 

“Y/N?” A soft knock sounded on the other side of the door. 

Natasha. 

“Yeah?” I called back. 

“There’s some fresh clothes for you on the bed. Sam said an ex of his left a bunch of her clothes here so they’re fair game.” 

Even though I couldn’t see her, I knew Nat had a smug smile on her face. 

“Thank you, I’ll be out in a minute.” I giggled. 

Once I knew I was alone again, I used my fingers as a comb to untangle the knots out of my hair before leaving the bathroom, shutting the light off behind me. My feet padded against the carpet but came to a halt when I saw the figure walk through the door, a towel wrapped tightly to his waist. 

Steve jumped a bit when he saw me, not realizing I was out of the shower yet. 

“Sorry! Nat said she had some clothes for me in here,” He apologized. 

“Of fucking course she did,” I scoffed. 

Silence fell between us as we both stared at each other. Steve’s hair was pretty damp still, water running down his broad chest, and I had to lock my feet into place to stop myself from running over to him, licking up the little drops of water. The sexual tension between us was getting thicker each second that passed and Steve had to discreetly adjust himself under his towel .

“Did the shower help?” His voice came out raw and husky. 

Licking my lips, I shook my head. “I still think I could have used some help.” 

Steve’s body went rigid and slowly nodded. “Sorry.” 

“Next time,” I jokingly suggested. 

“Definitely.” 

Steve’s eyes went dark with lust as they grazed over my exposed skin, as if taking a mental picture for himself. Feeling the desire pool between my legs, I pointed behind me. 

“I’m going to get dressed in the bathroom. Feel free to use the bedroom.” 

Grabbing the black leggings and the maroon tank top, I scurried into the bathroom, Steve’s burning gaze on my back. Once alone, I let out a few strong breaths to steady myself. 

I wasn’t sure what had come over Steve but whatever it was, I wanted to find out if it were his true feelings or just being caught practically naked that caused it. Biting my lip, I opted out of the leggings, deciding to just wear the tank top and underwear and after tousling my hair a bit, I walked back out into the bedroom, hoping Steve would still be there. 

He wasn’t. 

Letting out a disappointing breath, I pulled back the sheets of the bed, suddenly wanting nothing more than to take a six hour nap. I was about to crawl underneath when the door opened, Steve returning wearing nothing but sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his hips. His hair was brushed back, a few strands falling into his face, and he had a glass of water in one hand. 

He looked like a fucking dream. 

I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion. “I thought you left?”

“I did. To grab some water for you.” Steve placed the water on the bedside table before locking his gaze with mine. 

“Have we decided what the plan is?” I questioned. 

He nodded. “We’ve got a few leads we can follow. Sam suggested we rest up before though. We’re leaving in a few hours.” 

“Okay,” I responded. 

Steve stuffed his hands in his pockets before nodding towards the door. “I’ll come wake you up when we’re ready to go.” 

“Stay,” I breathed. 

He blinked before nodding, not bothering to ask if it was okay. He knew I didn’t mind. 

We crawled underneath the covers together, Steve’s body warmth immediately warming me up without me touching him. I went to turn my back to him but his arms engulfed around me pulling me into his chest. Not fighting it, I rested my head against it, absolutely loving the feeling of having a body pressed against mine. It had been years since I’ve been in bed with anyone and had missed the feeling of it terribly. 

“Is this alright?” Steve questioned. 

“More than alright,” I cooed.

We fell into a comfortable silence and I felt the darkness starting to take over when Steve started running one hand through my hair, the other tracing shapes on my bare thigh. His lips grazed the top of my head and his breath hitched when I placed a leg over his hips. 

“Is this alright?” I mimicked his question, the sleep slowly taking me. 

“Sweetheart, you don’t even have to ask.” Steve groaned.                  

“Let me go you asshole!” I screamed pounding on the bars in front of me. 

“Shut up!” The guard spat towards me. 

“You’ve kept me prisoner for days now. I’ve told you before, I don’t know anything!”

“I said shut up!” The guard pointed his gun towards me, immediately shutting me up. 

Biting my lip, I fell against the wall of my cell, a sob escaping the confines of my throat. 

“SOLDAT!You’ve returned. Watch her. I have to take a piss,” The disgusting guard demanded of a man who I hadn’t noticed before. 

The man stepped closer to the slightly dimmed cell and my breath caught in my throat. The light cascaded his metal arm and I scurried farther away from him. 

“I swear I don’t know anything about Zola, please.” I sobbed. 

Soldat turned his head to the side, studying me, his hair falling into his face. He pushed away the strands of hair with his metal fingers before looking around the small cell. Using his metal arm, he ripped the door to the cage open causing me to scream. I crawled away from him but the cool fingers wrapped around my ankle, dragging me over to him. 

Sitting up in bed, I let out a large scream, eyes snapping open as I took in my surroundings. I was in the guest room of Sam’s house, taking a nap with Steve. 

Steve.

Looking to my left, I noticed the empty spot that was no longer warm, meaning Steve had left the bed awhile ago. 

“Y/N?!” 

Steve had busted through the door when he heard my screams and was kneeling in front of me. “What happened?” 

I shook my head, not wanting to get into details. “Nothing. I’m fine.” 

“The hell you are. Your scream woke the damn birds outside.” 

My eyes snapped to the doorway where Sam and Natasha stood, worrying etched over their faces. 

“I said I’m fine.” I reassured and tried to get out of bed before Steve stopped me. 

His hands gripped my hips, keeping me locked in place. 

“What the hell happened?” He asked, “And please don’t lie to me.” 

My heart fluttered at Steve’s worried eyes but I still couldn’t find the words to tell him about my past. 

“Please Steve, I don’t want to talk about it.” I begged. 

“Y/N, he needs to know.” Nat’s soft voice suggested. 

I looked at her dumbfounded but let out a low chuckle. “Of course you know. You’re Natasha-fucking-Romanoff.”

“I’ve known for awhile now. I’ve just been waiting for you to tell them,” She admitted with a small frown. 

“Tell us what?” Sam asked. 

“Sweetheart, what are you talking about? I thought there were no secrets between us.” Steve squeezed my thigh. 

“It was something that happened way before I met you or Nat. I never thought to mention it because I didn’t think I would ever run into him again.” I quietly admitted. 

“Who?” Steve placed a finger under my chin forcing me to look at him. 

I clasped my shaking hands together and sighed, trying to find the courage to say his name out loud. 

“The Winter Soldier. Or I knew him as Soldat.” I breathed, “It was years ago, back when I was in the FBI. I was undercover in Russia gaining intelligence on a possible terrorist group run by Dr. Zola when I was kidnapped. Only at the time, I didn’t know what I know now about Zola.” 

Steve squeezed my hands. “How long were you a prisoner with them?”

“I stopped counting the days after ten. For all I know, I could have been held there for six months.” I revealed. 

“You didn’t know his name?” Sam asked, referring to Soldat. 

I shook my head. “No, the men only ever called him Soldat. It took me a while to understand what it meant; soldier.”

“That’s why you froze on the roof?” Steve suddenly started putting the pieces of the puzzle together. “He was the one who kidnapped you.” 

“God, no. He was my savior. He was the reason I escaped,” I assured them, “I don’t think I would be alive if it wasn’t for Soldat.”

Jealousy raged through Steve’s eyes at the mere thought of someone else protecting me, saving me. His grip on my hands tightened and I had to gently brush my fingers across his cheek. His face softened, only for a split second before he rose to his feet, his hands dropping from my hips. 

“He still killed Nick. So he’s not the Soldat you remember,” Steve’s demeanor and voice changed, almost with venom before he nodded towards Sam. “Have you heard from your informant?” 

Sam nodded. “He’ll be leaving lunch in an hour.” 

“Let’s suit up then,” Steve demanded, not bothering to look in my direction as he left me and Nat alone in the room together. 

“Man, jealousy does not look good on him.” She chuckled. 

“Whatever,” I mumbled before dragging my body to the bathroom to get ready for what I didn’t know would be the most crazy, fucked up next couple of days. 

                                     Tags:

@kat002nd

[deans-baby-momma]

The Padackles Link-Chapter 56

Jensen’s POV

Finding a lawyer who was willing to expedite my plans was easy. After all, money talked and I had plenty of it.

I spent over an hour on the phone with him, explaining my reasons for needing a speedy divorce; the desire of  wanting it done before the news got out to the tabloids, who always jumped on the opportunity to knock down a celebrity. When in all actuality, I can’t really propose to one woman while still married to another. Well, I guess I could but that just doesn’t seem right to me. It’s not how I was raised. I wanted to be a free man when I got down on one knee and asked Drea Murphy to be my wife. That is, after charming my way back into her heart.

Stephen Brett worked quickly and within three days, I had a petition for the dissolution of my marriage in my hands. I heard Drea heading toward the kitchen so I hastily jammed the papers back into their envelope and shoved it into the nearest drawer. Drea and Jackson entered the room none the wiser. 

“Good morning handsome,” I cooed as I lifted my son from his mother’s arms. “Ready for breakfast?”

Drea and I went about our day as normal. Normal now consisted of just occupying the same space and being amicable but no real affection. I missed that the most. I caught myself many times yearning for her touch, her warmth. I just wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her close. But I screwed up and have lost the right to do that and now I have to work on getting it back. The package I received this morning is one step closer to that finish, I hope and pray.

After helping Drea with Jackson’s morning routine, I told her I had some business to take care of and headed toward town for Phase Two of “Wooing Drea”. Grabbing my truck keys,  I watched as Drea went toward the laundry room with a basket of Jackson’s soiled clothing. I still can’t believe I almost lost her; that I caused her to have any doubt about my love for her. I shook my head and walked out the door. I have to win her back, no matter what. She is my realized fantasy, the unicorn in my dreams.

I jump in the truck and aim it toward the west part of town. Massage Sway, the day spa Jared had taken Drea to when she was depressed over losing Jacob was my first priority. Drea had boasted about the facility and wished to return. What better way than a girls’ day with Gen. I walk in and am quickly assisted with what I needed and walk out of the building with a purchase of two of the Revivafy package and a nice little bottle of massage oil. Maybe once I have attained my goal, Drea would allow me to use it on her. To help relieve stress and strain of raising an Ackles.

Hopefully, though all this is a step in the right direction; closer to restoring Drea’s faith and trust in me. 

Drea’s POV

Having Jensen home to help with Jackson and anything else that came up was wonderful. For the first month of being a new mother, I had been run ragged. Who knew the chaos one tiny human could create?!

But then after JJ’s party that all changed. After he got upset because Daneel was moving on and dating another man and leaving our home, albeit for just one night, I began to feel dismayed being near him.

It’s been a week, 7 days, since then. And 6 days since I kicked Jensen out. Now he sleeps down the hall in the spare bedroom but is still here to help with whatever needs to be done. For that I am quite grateful. I might have jumped the gun a bit when I threw him out but I am stubborn and am standing my ground. 

Not having Jensen by my side, beside me in bed at night is heart-breaking. Yes, I know it’s my fault but I still miss him. I miss having him to hold me and to cuddle with and just relax. Jensen was my go-to when times were tough. He’d just listen as I talked about my day or grumble about the lady in aisle 4 of the grocery store who took her sweet time, although I was behind her with a wailing child.

The suspicions began when he would tell me he had an errand to run and was vague with the details. It didn’t take me long to catch on, he was sneaking off to see Daneel and his daughter. I can’t blame him for wanting to see and spend time with JJ but he was lying about it and doing it behind my back. Before all this, we would go spend time with the cute little blonde together. That hurt! It hurt worse than when I thought Chad was cheating. 

Maybe it’s because we have a child together; maybe it was because Jensen took my broken heart and glued it back together but right now all I know is my mended heart was shattering again. And it was his fault.

Taking care of a child who looks like a miniature version of the person tearing your heart in two is challenging. Jackson’s eyes have recently changed from the pale blue he had at birth to an identical brilliant green, he has a dimple in the exact spot as his father and his nose is shaped the same as Jensen’s. It made things…..difficult, to say the least.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my son. I love him beyond explanation but when those green eyes look up at me with that gummy smile, it just makes my heart hurt.

I sit in the rocker in Jackson’s nursery, arms full of a snoozing baby, just staring at the perfection. One thing is for sure, Jensen Ross Ackles has the genes to make beautiful kids.  I had ran off to the baby’s room once Jensen had told me had had a few errands to take care of. I couldn’t watch him walk out the door, leaving us to go see his other family.

Once Jackson is asleep, I carefully transfer him to his crib and grab the baby monitor before leaving the room. Since I had no idea how long Jensen would be gone, an important detail if you ask me, I decide to clean the kitchen and put a load of towels in the washer.

I am putting the last of the clean dishes away when I hear the front door open. I quickly finish my task and speed out of the kitchen. Although I know where he has been, I don’t want to see the look of bliss on his face or hear about his time with them.

Thankfully Jackson’s cries sound through the monitor so I head to his room. Not only to welcome him from his nap but to give myself time to prepare to be in his father’s presence. By the time I have our son changed and calmed down, I am as ready as I was going to be to encounter Jensen. Lifting Jackson from the changing table I head back toward the kitchen.

@flamencodiva @lostinaseaoffictionalbliss @carryonmywaywardcaptain  @darlingpeanut @sunskittlex @sis-tafics @wayward-gypsy  @sea040561 @pretty-fortune @squirrelnotsam  @death-unbecomes-you @sandlee44  @internationalmusicteacher @kricketc288 @natura1phenomenon @mannls  @nickie-amore @spn-tw-37 @frozenhuntress67 @blacktithe7 @supernaturallymarvellous @thetardishasaquidditchpitch @sirod-30  @heyitscam99 @smoothdogsgirl  @i-just-wanna-run-hell @paintballkid711@closetspngirl @starfirerules @vickiq9761  @rainflowermoon  @spnbaby-67 @drakelover78 @jessieray98 @81mysteriouslyme @travelingriversideblues-x @akshi8278 @keymology @topthis808 @lilulo-12 @onethirstyunicorn

[gloriousthorn]

Lush ficlet

As the people* demanded.  Under the cut purely for space, it’s very much G-rated, not even any swear words.  Spot every inside baseball** fandom reference and win a prize***

(*at least one anon) (**not that kind of baseball) (***there is no prize)

shoutout to @space-feminist for our hero’s previous experience with Lush products

recommended soundtrack

“...and then she just—like, she put her hand on my hand when I was finishing my tea, it was just so...tender...” Daisy’s eyes widened, then narrowed and fluttered, and she sighed contentedly.  “God, I hope she texts me today.”

“Co-signed,” I agreed, straightening up a display of Pearl massage bars.  They didn’t really need it, but I liked the feel of the shimmery pink beads under my fingertips, and Daisy would keep going if I didn’t make a reasonable attempt at looking busy.  “Sounds like it was a good first date.”

“Best one I’ve had in a while, for sure,” Daisy agreed.  A young woman with sunglasses perched on her head came in then, and Daisy, brimming over with energy from her very tender date, said, “Hi, welcome to Lush!  Can I help you find anything?”

I shook my head.  I only had an hour to go before I’d be able to treat myself to my Friday afternoon milkshake, take a nap, and pull myself together for a show with the last few of us from school who hadn’t managed to fit in one last vacation before the new semester.  It had been a tedious day, filled with aggressive teenage tourists, and I was ready for my own date with a Turmeric Latte Bath Bomb.

With Daisy demonstrating the Cupcake Fresh Face Mask (it is a really good one) for her customer-slash-victim, however, it fell to me to greet the next poor soul who wandered in, a rare guy who was probably lost or shopping for his girlfriend.  They’re usually good for buying whatever you tell them to and then some.  “Hi, welcome to Lush,” I said, trying as always to strike the right balance between friendly and detached.  “What can I help you find today?”

“Ehm, hi,” he said, scratching his head.  “A friend of mine told me to come here, that you might have some—conditioner that was good?  This humidity, it’s got me a little...” He gestured to his head, where a thick lock of bright chestnut hair hung over his face, the rest of it pulled back in a sloppy bun.  But bun or no bun, the frizz was real in the mid-August humidity.

“Definitely,” I said.  “Hair care is right over here.  I’ll show you a couple of things.  Have you ever been to a Lush store before?”

“I have, actually.  There’s one not far from home for me, believe it or not.”

“I was going to ask if you were visiting.”

“Yeah.  I’m from Ireland?  Just stopping over here for a bit in between some...work.”

“Oh.  Well, welcome.  Have you tried any of our products before?”

“Ah, actually, one of the bath bombs— Metamorphosis?”

“Oh, yeah, people love that one.  Well, I’ll show you one or two of the new ones when we’re finished with the conditioner, but let’s start with…” I thought for a moment— that was a lot of hair, it looked like.  Probably we’d need the big guns.  “So this is Retread,” I said, pulling down a jar from the shelf and unscrewing the lid.  “This one is thicker and creamier— that’s why it comes in a jar, almost like a balm or a cream rather than a conditioner.  And it has a more neutral scent than the next step down— smell that and see what you think.”

He bent down— tall dude, a good six-five or so, probably could have gotten the jar down more easily than I did, but hey, he’s the customer.  “Oh, yes, that’s nice,” he said.  “And what do you, ehm— do with it, then?”

“You’re shampooing every other day or so?”

“Thereabouts, yeah.”

“So just apply it evenly after you wash.  I’d leave it for a few minutes, really give the olive and avocado oils a chance to sink in and give you some shine.  And then…” I handed him the jar and walked him over to the next shelf.  “See, with hair like yours, you’re probably dealing with both the humidity and also some dryness, right?  So you might want to think about adding a hot oil treatment once a week.”

“Ehm, I’m pretty busy right now—”

“Exactly when self-care is so important.  Didn’t you enjoy that bath bomb?”

He blushed.  “It was very nice, yes.”

“Well, then, you know when you come to see us, we’re going to encourage you to take time for yourself.”  I actually smiled, although God only knew what kind of high pressure job this hipster could possibly have.  “Now do you ever wear your hair out, or do you usually tie it up like that?”

“Ehm, depends—”

“So you might want to try the Yuge hot oil treatment.  This little cube goes a long way— you can cut it into two, even four pieces, even for a lot of hair like you’ve got, and have a few treatments out of it.  That’s going to give you some nice body when you want to wear it loose.  Or if you’re going to be tying it up a lot, try Marilyn, that’s going to protect you from damage from pulling it back all the time—” I handed him one of each.

“Marilyn?”

I shrugged.  “I don’t make up the names, man, I just work here. Anyway, you’ll want to warm those up and then just apply evenly, really focusing on the ends.”

He nodded.  “All right, sure, I’ll, ehm, go ahead and take both of those also.  Thank you so much—”

“Of course.  And let me show you some of our newest bath bombs…” The bath bomb table glittered, quite literally, in a riot of candy colors.  “Oooohh, this is my current favorite— it’s called Kitsune?  See, it looks like a little fox?”  I held it up.  “And it’s got this nice warm scent that’s perfect for getting you thinking about fall without being too, you know, pumpkin spice-y.  Not that there’s anything wrong with pumpkin spice, just saying.”

His face lit up and he smiled, almost giggled, to himself.  “Can I get two of those, please?” he asked.

“Sure. I’ll put them in a little bag for you here…” I took two of the small paper bags and wrapped up one of the bath bombs in each of them.  “One for now and one for later, maybe?”

“Ehm, one for me and one for a friend.”

“Well, perfect.  Maybe a nice way to start the weekend.”

“Should be, yeah.”  He smiled.  “Anyway, thanks for all your help— Tara, is it?” he asked, glancing at my nametag.

“Yup, that’s me.  And you’re—”

“Ehm, Andrew.  Thanks again very much.”

“Sure.  Daisy will take you over at the register,” I added when I could see Daisy finishing with ringing out her customer.  I was only too happy to find some more straightening up to do.

I checked my watch.  Fifty-two minutes left.  I’d hope for something interesting to happen, but I’d rather just call it a day.