#kitchen design company in Texas

[freixadesign]

Expert Kitchen Interior Design Services for Your Home with Freixa Home Design

Our expert kitchen interior design services focus on creating spaces that are both visually stunning and highly functional. We understand that every kitchen is unique, so we work closely with you to design a layout that fits your specific needs and style preferences, whether modern, classic, or contemporary. From optimizing storage with custom cabinetry to selecting the perfect lighting and decor, we handle every detail to ensure your kitchen is not only beautiful but also practical for daily use. Our goal is to make your kitchen the perfect blend of style and efficiency, becoming the true heart of your home.

[whxtedreams]

Cookies as Payment

A Poets Love

Inspired by rupi kaur poem:

i'd be lying if i said  you make me speechless the truth is you make my tongue so weak it forgets  what language to speak in  - by rupi kaur (milk and honey - page 61)

Word Count: 1.5k

Pairing: neighbour!joel x reader

Tags: no outbreak, fluff, baking, kissing, first kiss (with Joel), just wanna rip my heart out kind of fluff.

Series Masterlist - Main Masterlist

You didn’t expect it. Truth be told, you’re positive he didn’t plan it either. There’s so much you didn’t expect to happen between you and your neighbour, and knowing how soft his lips are was definitely not on your bingo card.   

The house smells divine, a tantalising blend of vanilla and chocolate filling the air, the sweet scent mixing with the smooth jazz playing from the record player. The atmosphere is cosy and welcoming, blending all the perfect ingredients for an afternoon with Joel as he works outside on another one of your projects.

He walks through the kitchen door, his nose leading him to you while you pull the slightly browned cookies from the oven. Your back is to him as you place the tray on the counter to continue cooking as they cool.

“They smell amazing.” Joel hums as he reaches over you for one. 

“They’re not ready yet, they’re still cooking as they cool.” You swat his hand away with the oven mitt, scolding him for almost touching them.

“But they smell too good.” 

You softly shove him as his hand reaches for the cookies again. You turn to face him then, arms crossed over your chest as you lean against the counter. His wired headphones dangle over his shoulders, blending into his plain white tee, his jacket discarded in the early afternoon from the Texas heat.

“I could smell ‘em from all the way outside, got me droolin’ out there.” He huffs a soft laugh as he brings his hands up in false defence, moving back from the cookies. “I’ve been tellin’ ya to start sellin’ them, make a fortune.” He points at you then before pushing himself to sit on the unused side of the counter. 

You open your mouth to say something but shrug instead, your hands focusing on the small fabric strands at your sleeves. He’s mentioned this a few times, every time he tries something you cook he ends up showering you with compliments. It’s sweet, how much he likes your baking and cooking and you have considered selling what you make but the idea terrifies you. Having someone pay for what you make, you’d rather just gift them to friends and family.

The first time you cooked for him, he almost begged you to help him cook for Sarah’s birthday the following week. You didn’t believe him when he told you he was a terrible cook. He ended up cooking for you that night to prove you wrong and after he made you spaghetti, you thought it would be better if he just stuck to prepping while you did the rest of the work for Sarah’s birthday dinner. You didn’t think someone could mess up spaghetti that badly, you were proven very wrong.

It’s been a few months since you moved in next door to Joel and it took him no longer than a week to start offering help in renovating. Took two weeks before he started coming over without the excuse of helping out and just wanting to hang out. 

It’s been nice, the constant company that doesn’t feel like you’re suffocating your own social battery. It’s the easy, effortless conversations that instead fill your social battery instead of draining it like others tend to do. There have been nights where nothing is said for hours, each just bathing in each other's company as you each do your own little hobbies, not demanding attention. 

There’s been times where you’re so stuck in your book you forget Joel is sitting across the room, tools in his hands as he carves away at another design. It’s not until he walks over to show you that you get the fright of your life, forgetting that you’re not alone.  

You fall into another easy conversation as Joel impatiently waits for the cookies to be ready. He updates you on the bench he’s building for your patio, and you get lost in how passionate he becomes when he talks about his job. His hands start moving the more he talks, the corner of his mouth twitching as he explains how he overcame something when it wasn’t quite working the way he wanted it to. 

You could listen to him for hours. You have listened to him for hours. 

You offered to pay him of course, but he said a batch of cookies was more than enough payment.

You make him coffee as he talks, already knowing how he likes it due to the amount of times he’s ended up over at your house in the mornings while his daughter Sarah had a house full of teenage girls over. He’d stumble over half awake and plant his face on the counter as he waits for the coffee to brew, his hair a mess and clothes crumbled. Hard to sleep when they stay up all night fuckin’ laughin and playing games. As much as he complains about it, you know he loves that his daughter ended up with a nice group of friends, even if they keep him up all night. 

You pour his coffee and he takes it as he mentions he’s almost finished outside. He’s rambling now and you’re half listening as you place a few cookies on a plate. His eyes light up and he shuts up as you turn back around with the cookies. This time you don’t swat his hand away as he takes one. 

His eyes close as he takes a bite and you smile, knowing that you made him happy. “So fuckin good.” he mumbles with a mouth full. 

You’re standing in front of him when he opens his eyes, and you can’t seem to read his face as you smile up at him. His eyes seep into you and it lingers on your skin as his eyes flicker down to your lips. The room goes quiet besides the music in the background. 

And then he puts his coffee down along with the cookie, his hands reaching for the sleeves of your dress. Your heart is in your throat by the time he pulls you between his thighs, one hand on your wrist while the other rests at the back of your neck. 

Your smile is gone, eyes wide as his own burn into yours. Then his hand on your neck ever so slowly pulls you in, giving you time to move away. You don’t. 

The first press of his lips on yours steals the air from your lungs and leaves you completely breathless, completely entranced by the sensation of his touch. Your muscles loosen, your mind clears, and any sense of tension in your body disappears. You feel like putty in his hands, every ounce of your trust and affection poured into this single moment. He could do anything he wishes, and you would simply allow it. 

His lips are soft and comforting, the stubble a welcomed contrast as they move over yours again and again. There's a sweet and sensual feeling in the air, the connection between you both being amplified with every kiss.     

His hand trails up the back of your neck and into your hair, his fingers lacing themselves through the strands and pulling a deep sigh from you. The tender, intimate touch is causing you to melt, your body and mind slowly responding to his touch. The feel of his hand in your hair is both soothing and stimulating, drawing out a shiver from you.

He pulls away all too soon, leaving you wanting more. He holds you close, his warm breath fanning over your face as he looks into your eyes. You can see the smile slowly settling on his face as he sees your gaze, the longer he looks down at you the more his smile seems to grow. 

“I think you taste better.” He confesses in a whisper, his hand leaves your wrist and settles at the small of your back. 

You try to speak, but the words keep failing to escape your lips. You want to say so much, but there are so many thoughts and feelings racing through your mind that you can't translate them into words. It makes your tongue tired as it struggles to say how you feel, as if your feelings have completely filled your brain and left it with nothing left to speak.

At your lack of response, Joel's smile widens and his lips move down to kiss you once again, this time with even more tenderness and affection. The touch of his lips on yours is soft and gentle, sending an intoxicating sense of joy and comfort that sweeps through you. As his lips move over yours, brushing over them in a sweet and sensual way, you can feel yourself falling further into his arms.

And you think that maybe, you like the taste of your cookies better on his lips as he kisses you. The lingering flavours of vanilla and chocolate seem to blend perfectly with his mouth, as if designed to perfectly complement each other.

Notes

little thank you to @janaispunk for tagging me in the pinterest moodboard game and therefore making me sit on pinterest for an hour looking at cookies to bake and then write this. Thinking of making this a small series. Just small scenes losely based around rupi kaur poety as I read through their books.

[shakirawastaken]

dsmp if...they wanted to propose to you!

dsmp if... series goes wild  anyway

dream: - he’d put himself out there with a poise of confidence and strategy - like bro is prepared . he knows when where what why and how all this shit is happening  - but is also kinda like “ill just wing it and we’ll see how it goes lol” - get this man a schedule - he doesnt want to do a whole public thing so in my head i see him proposing to you in like a restaurant but like a fancy one - hed splurge for sURE  - one of those guys who had like 50 million meeting with ring companies to design the perfect one - asked his mom for help on designing a ring  - he had the blueprint for a speech in his head but when the moment came he went with the flow  - but when hes proposing hed remember his speech so hed be like - “i had this speech that id written, but looking at you made me forget it all, will you marry me?” or some shit like that LMFAOOO - pays sapnap money to come eat the place too so he can take pictures 

sapnap: - okay sapnap is a family man in my head - hed also want to do a destination proposal - maybe greece? rome? somewhere not in america is what im feeling - or hed do it in a fucking ranch in texas or like down the street from the dream team house either one - EITHER WAY he would want your parents and his parents MINIMUM to be there - searches up “best wedding ring designs 2022″ in google and hopes and prays - hed have one or two meeting to plan the ring but i think he’d be confident in what you like  - even if he has no clue - like “so sir, do you think your future fiance would like a rose gold band or gold band?” “rose gold for sure” *has no idea what you like * - would not try to plan a speech, he knows he’d forget it and wouldn’t even use it - saves all that material for the vows - so confident you’ll say yes that he starts calling ahead to look at venues to tour - LMFAO IMAGINE YOU ANSWER HIS PHONE AND THE GUY IS LIKE “hello yes we’re calling nick because he had interest in touring our wedding venue! congrats on the engagement!” - and youd be like “tf” - so you know - but dont tell him you know please it would make his year 

george: - is nervous - “dream what if they say no idk” “bro youre a fucking idiot” - def doesnt want to do a public proposal, he likes the private aspect - so he does it at home or some shit and his phone up to record cause bro knows youd be mad if you had no memento - but he doesnt do it secretly - hed press record and set it up so you can obviously see it - and youre expecting some prank - but then he gets down on one knee and youre tearing up and shi right in the middle of your kitchen - get mad at him for not letting you dress up and look nice for it - has a speech planned out in his head. word for word. and recites that shit back to you like its fucking drama class - once u say yes hes on discord like “SHE SAID YES” and sapnaps like “no fucking shit” - he’s the type of guy to make a ring that he likes and hopes that you like it too - luckily you do like the ring so it all works out - if not just tell him he wont be mad hell just go make a new one

quackity: - asks you like a few months earlier if you want to get married - “do you wanna get married” “sure” - so he knows youre locked in and ready to go LMFAOO even if you interpreted it as light hearted at the time - because of that theres a little suspicion that goes on in your mind when you see him go “i gotta take this call” or “no im def not looking up wedding venues 2023 what do you mean” - but you being the great s/o you are just ignore it - is he proposing or did he take you on a late night drive to an outlook thing - is he proposing or did you catch karl in the bushes with a camera - is he proposing or did he say youre beautiful - is he proposing or did he get down on one knee?? YK WHAT IM SAYING - bro just stares at you and you stare at him like - “babe” “babe” love - youre nodding ur head yes before bro gets a chance to speak - which is good cause he didn’t know what he wanted to say - not that he doesnt know what to say its just - he has so many words for you that he cant put them into words - was ready to blurt out a mixture of spanish and english and hope u caught his drift

karl: - enlists the help of his friend - “hey tina take y/n to get their nails done” - “hey brooke take y/n to get a new dress” - “hey sapnap give me money to buy y/n a ring” LMFAOFMOA - no hed be saving up that shit for AGES - started a proposal dream pinterest board the minute he knew you were the one - subtly ran ideas by you over the course of the years you were together - you didnt think of anything. blissfully unaware - “look at this picture on pinterest!” “oh its sO PRETTY!! imagine getting engaged there” - *saves it to the board* - BUT AS A RESULT he cant make up his mind on where to propose - so he just picks one enie-meanie-miney-mo or however you spell it  - wherever it ends up being its so sweet - mr beast or someone tricks you into coming to the location under the guise of a video  - and you show up and its karl in a suit - “lets go on a walk love” “okay?” - you get an idea of whats about to happen

wilbur: - stalks your pinterest stalks your moms pinterest stalks your ex friends sister met someone at the club and he kissed her’s pinterest - is SO CONFIDENT he’s got everything right because all his information is form you directly - plans that shit out to a T  - “okay phil at 11:02 am you call y/n and say good morning any plans for the day then tommy at 11:34 am call y/n and ask her if she wants to join you for a vlog at [location]” “dude wil we know lets just get on with it” - chooses somewhere with ambience with music perhaps by the ocean or a river or something - meticulously listens to all of spotify for the perfect song to play in the background - hired james and ash (professionals) to film  -  public proposal wants the world to know that he is wilbur and he loves you -  isnt nervous about proposing but is scared something is gonna go wrong -  the whole build up to the proposal is a blur to him  - he wants it to be perfect - hes mentally checking everything off in his head as it happens - “okay so we arrived on time, check” “we’re standing in the right direction check” - when the time comes to propose he blanks - cause everything went right and now its showtime - says whatever is on his mind and then gets on track - “oh my god everything i alright this is amazing! but i love you dear like a lot and...” - cue cheering from tommy (and a lot of soft smiles from random people) when you say yes 

please send me requests it took me days to figure out what to write about here

[nicole-timey-wimey-stuff]

Southern & Slow

Joel Miller x Reader

Shorter Drabble based on Luke Bryan’s song Southern and Slow

Warnings - reader described as female, soft smut, piv, sex, talk of sex, mentions of pregnancy and having a baby, age gap, reader late twenties 28 Joel around 48, feelings, talk of love, no outbreak au, quoting of The Notebook, my terrible writing. No use of y/n in this one.

Word count 1.6K

This song just reminded me soo much of older Joel with his loyal sweet girl.

When you love me slow and southern like a Sunday

Like muddy water rollin' by a riverbank

Like some sleepy little town, down with the moon

Livin' like honey drippin' off a spoon

Like the sun that takes an hour to get behind the water tower

'Bout the speed of watchin' wildflowers grow

Ain't but two ways this old boy's gonna go

Slow and southern, southern and slow, southern and slow

Waking up in the warm Texas sun with your gorgeous cowboy pressed up against you ………. that will never grow old. You're both still naked from last nights activities, and the feeling of his skin against yours is heavenly. You roll over so you can see his face, smiling at the sight, his hair is stuck up in every direction and curls sticking to his forehead in the sweaty Texan heat. His face looks so relaxed, frown lines almost invisible, the weight of the world off his shoulders for a little while. You loved Sunday mornings, they were always lazy, slow and intimate. They usually lead to slow, calm and lazy days, walks by the river, soft kisses, slow dancing in the kitchen, and watching the sunsets from the porch while Joel plays his guitar.

The small town you’d moved too was sleepy on Sundays, no one ever had anywhere to rush too. After you both were married Joel built you both a home, one you’d both spend the rest of your days in. You’d designed it together, you’d said you ‘want a white house with blue shutters and a room overlooking the river so I can paint’ quoting your favourite story. But Joel bless him he took it very seriously, so that’s what you got a beautiful little White House, with gorgeous pale blue shutters and a small room facing the river, where you had space to paint, draw and write.

Life was good, Joel had taken a extra day a week off work, giving more of the reigns to Tommy. Therefore giving himself a longer weekend to rest and spend time with you. You worked for a writing and editing company so you mainly worked from home, only having to go to Austen sometimes. You are also working on writing your own book, slowly but surely.

Looking at your sleeping cowboy once more you gently move a curl from his forehead, stroking down his cheek, watching as his face twitches and his eyebrows furrow. My goodness you loved him, sometimes you worry you love him a little too much, but he loves you equally so you guess it’s ok. How could you not love a man like Joel, a man who loves you so completely, who protects you, makes you laugh, sings songs for you and builds a home for you both.

When you’d first told your parents about Joel, they weren’t too sure, there was an obvious age gap and they felt you had a whole life to live. But the second they met him that all changed, they got it, understood wholeheartedly why you loved this man. Now he’s part of the family, as you are his, Sarah warmed to the idea instantly, surprising you both as you feared she would be the one to object, you were only eight years older than her. But it was Tommy and Maria who took a bit longer to warm up to you, but seeing how happy you made Joel everyone eventually accepted your relationship, five years in now and you both couldn’t be happier.

Joel stirs awake mumbling “Good mornin’ darlin’” nuzzling his face into your neck, “Morning baby” you hum. Bringing your hand to run through his curls, slowly scratching his scalp. He lets out a contented groan, causing you to smirk to yourself. Joel begins tentatively kissing your neck, finding your sweet spot and gently sucking. You moan arching into him, the sheet barely covering you both slipping down around your thighs now, Joel took that as enough of a reason to slowly slide on top of you, his hands stroking and grabbing at any skin he could find.

“I can never get over how soft you feel under me sweetheart” Joel begins, his hand now sliding between your thighs “soo soft and smooth and wet for me huh” he continues bringing his mouth back up to yours, licking slowly into your mouth, his tongue caressing yours. His fingers glide through your slick, bringing it up to rub slow circles around your clit, causing you to gasp into his mouth.

No matter how much time goes by, every time with Joel is like the first, every time makes you erupt with butterflies and quiver under his expert touch. You arch even closer to him, moulding your body to his as you begin rocking your hips into his hand. “Needy this mornin’ aren’t we darlin’ don’t worry I’ve got you” he hums, inserting two fingers into your heat, and using his palm against your clit. He finds your toe curing spot instantly and precisely, using the come hither motion while simultaneously rubbing your bud “Joel fuck! I’m gonna cum” you moan, “That’s it baby let go for me” Joel instructs, and you do you cum hard around his fingers, gasping into his ears.

You’re still coming down when you feel the blunt end of his cock pushing into your core, as he slowly nestles his way home. Grabbing your hand he laces his fingers with yours, kissing your palm before rolling his hips into yours. Your spare arm grabs his back for purchase, fingers running through the hair at the nape of his neck. “God Joel you feel so good” you pant, “Yeah?” He asks “You’re made for me sweetheart, made for me and no one else, this pussy is mine! Only my cock can make you feel this good right baby?” He trails off while punctuating everything with deep hard thrusts. “Yes Joel all yours, I am all yours!” You mumble back then like a mantra you repeat ‘Joel Joel Joel’.

There’s no rush on these lazy mornings, he never speeds up his thrusts, just keeps the steady rhythm as he makes love to you deep and slow. “Fuck Joel I’m close, come with me” you moan, now meeting his movements with your own. “Ok baby girl shit! Almost there hang on a bit longer for me” he rasps. He kisses you passionately, his kiss matching his thrusts slow and steady, as he pulls you impossibly closer.

“Now baby! Let go for me” he pleads, hand moving between your legs once more to roll over your sensitive pearl, “Joel!!!” You whine as you come undone, pussy clamping down on his cock, Joel reaching his end simultaneously and emptying himself inside you with a low moan.

You run your hands up and down his back, while placing sweet kisses to his shoulder, pulling his head up he looks at you with such a soft and loving expression, “I love you darlin’” “I love you too” giving you a quick peck he pulls out, walking on wobbly legs to the bathroom where he turns on the shower, “Come on sweetheart, let’s clean up” he insists, pulling you up with him and carrying you to the shower.

The morning carried on lazily, your shower was spent carefully washing each other with dopey smiles, all while having long snuggles under the steaming water. You made coffee together and enjoyed drinking it on your porch, watching the river flow, and the wildflowers blow in the breeze. Before an impromptu call to Tommy, inviting him, Maria and their beautiful baby girl, over for lunch.

You stood leaning on the doorframe lovingly watching Tommy and Joel play with the baby, while Maria sat close by engaging in casual conversation with the men. You couldn’t remember when you’d last felt so content, and watching Joel play with the baby did something to you. A new sensation of butterflies coursing through your stomach. Joel looks up at you then, smiling to himself as he stands and makes his way over to you.

Wrapping his arms around you he pulls you in close, stroking a hand down your cheek. Warm pools of chocolate searching your eyes, “What do you think darlin’?” Joel hinted, nudging you and looking over at the new parents, “Huh?” You reply confused. “Should we have one? Been thinking about it a lot recently, you all round carrying my baby” Joel smirks as you gasp “Really” you stutter, shocked he’s really suggesting it. “Yeah really, I think you’d make a wonderful mother, and I’m getting on now. So if we were going to have one it would need to be now, well at least soon” he replies, obviously being completely honest.

You grin so wide your mouth ached, you’d love to have a baby with this man, but with Sarah being all grown up you didn’t think it would be in the cards for Joel, and you had accepted that, Joel would always be enough. “Your sure? Because I mean we don’t have too if you don’t really want an….” Joel cuts you off with a soft kiss “I’m sure darlin’ in fact nothing would make me happier” you grin again “Ok, yeah let’s have one” you reply, “Yeah?” He asks once more, “Yeah I’d love to have your baby Joel” you affirm. He smiles and pulls you in close again, arm over your shoulder, while watching his brother and niece.

Yeah, you loved these slow southern Sundays with your cowboy.

[reasonsforhope]

"In the far western desert of Texas, a striking 3D-printed hotel with Swedish style will take shape over the coming years to present both the beauty and savings of 3D printing to the country and the world.

The architecture is handled by Swedish design architect Bjarke Ingels, while the printers will be supplied by Austin-based 3D printing company ICON, that [has] really taken the technology to the next level with 3D-printed batteries and whole neighborhoods besides.

The two are teaming up to transform the El Cosmico hotel/campground in Marfa, Texas, into a 62-acre remote hotel with an infinity pool, art exhibition hall, outdoor bathhouse, and outdoor kitchen, all designed as an homage to both the desert surroundings and the cosmic show on display in the night sky above.

The local West Texas earth is being added to the 3D printing cement mixture to ensure the luxury cabins blend in with their surroundings.

“The promise of 3D printing is that the printer doesn’t care how complex the design is, if it uses organic curvature, dome-like shapes, or hyperbolic paraboloids,” Ingels, an early investor in Icon and a frequent design collaborator on its 3D-printed projects, told AD.

“All it cares about is how long it takes to print and how much material [it is] going to deploy, so you can make a square box or a beautiful domed house at the same cost.”

That cost can be around 30% less than traditional methods, as well as 350% stronger depending on the size and scope of the project.

The hotel rooms will all feature skylights to allow unobstructed viewing of the night sky, and expansive views of the Davis Mountains. Just next door is Big Bend National Park, one of the largest in the Lower 48, and a paradise of desert exploration.

El Cosmico “2.0.” is predicted to begin construction in 2024."

-via Good News Network, 3/27/23

[customclosetsofhouston]

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[farfromstrange]

Foreigner's God | m.m

Matt Murdock x avenger!OFC

Chapter twenty-six: Black Out Days

Read part XXV here ° series masterlist ° work masterlist

Summary: The team follows its designated plan. Natasha talks real with her friend, Clint talks real with Matt and Eliza chooses to forgive the Avengers for lying to her. Though the relief is only temporary when Eliza decides to let her dark side take over, and Matt is having none of it. This might be the end of their relationship altogether and perhaps even the end of herself.

Warnings: ANGST, canon-typical violence, Eliza (finally) snaps

a/n: Every time I write angst in capital letters you know it's serious and it is going to hurt. (Edit: Also I met Charlie today?!?! Wtf still can’t believe it) Thank you, you can carry on now.

“Okay, on a scale from one to ten, how tired are you?” 

Natasha chuckled at her question, shuffling the stack of cards in her hand. The group of six sat at the table in the main room, just next to the kitchen. Beer bottles, full and empty, littered the top, surrounded by chip crumbs and empty chocolate bar wrappers. 

Eliza popped another peanut into her mouth. “I’m serious, rate yourselves!” she said. “How tired are you?”

“I’m a constant two,” Natasha replied. She switched the stack from her left to her right, sliding the top card off and placing it face-down in front of Clint, who was sitting next to her. 

He moved the piece of cardboard a little closer to himself, having played this game several times before and knowing damn well his friends were nosey cheaters. 

“I’m a seven,” Bruce said. As so often, his fingers fidgeted with each other. “You know, the clinical depression kind of does the trick.”

“Oh, yeah? How’s the other guy?” Eliza smirked. She’d had about two beers too many, her head lulled into a comfortable fog, but not so much that she was no longer lucid. The sleep deprivation mixed with the alcohol into a rather toxic cocktail. 

Bruce chuckled awkwardly. “Pi.”

“Pi?”

“Yeah, pi.”

“What’s Pi again?” Clint questioned, albeit jokingly. “Three point something? I don’t know.”

“Three point five period something, I think,” said Natasha. 

“Wow,” Tony who just entered the room with a glass of Scotch and his sweatpants on eyed the group with judgy eyes, “Your math skills are blowing my mind.”

“Tony, so great of you to join us! You wanna play?”

“Poker with you?” he said. “Please, I’m already rich enough.”

Eliza laughed at that, pointing her finger at him. “That’s funny ‘cause we all use your bank account, so no matter how any of us play, your balance is gonna suffer,” she said.

He pouted into his glass. “Yeah, I’m aware.” Finally stopping his pacing, he lowered himself into the free chair left empty just for him. “Alright, I’m in. What’re we playing? Texas Hold Em? Stud? Razz? Uno?”

Natasha continued handing out the cards clockwise until each player had two in front of them. “If we were playing Uno, would I be shuffling poker cards?” she teased. 

“Who knows? I considered buying the company to, you know, adjust the rules ‘cause the actual rules to Uno are bullshit, but Pepper told me not to.”

Eliza frowned, the beer swaying slightly as she threw her arms back. “No one plays Uno by the rules!” she said. 

Clint peeked at his cards, not moving a muscle yet satisfied with his hand, then returned his attention to his friends. “Zero point five,” he blurted. 

“What?”

“That’s how tired I am.”

“Why are we all using uneven numbers? I said on a scale from one to ten.”

“Zero point five is between one and ten, last time I checked.”

She groaned. “You’re all so boring.”

“Oh, yeah? How tired are you?” Steve quipped. 

All eyes turned on him. “Well, he’s still here,” Clint said. That earned him a series of laughter. 

The captain sighed. “I just like to keep quiet and observe.”

“Up until now I literally thought you were a statue,” said Tony. 

“Fossil,” Eliza corrected. 

“Yeah, that makes so much more sense.”

Natasha placed the five open cards in front of her before checking her hand. She had no obvious tells. With her, you had to dig deeper to figure out what she was hiding. 

Steve took a look at his cards. Eliza instantly slapped the table. “Cap just scrunched his nose! He’s gonna fold.”

“Aw, man!” He placed the cards back down on the table. “Playing with you is no fun.”

“We haven’t even started and she’s calling all the bluffs,” said Clint. Though as he spoke, his eyes crinkled. “Natasha, that’s your fault. You taught her that.”

“Me?” the redhead exclaimed. “No, no, that was all Tony.”

“Barton’s going all in,” Tony said as if to prove their point. “There, called it! Saw his cards.”

He rolled his eyes, throwing his cards into the ring. “Yeah, I’m out.”

“Boooo,” Eliza called, taking a sip from her beer. 

“Banner is also gonna sit this one out.”

“I wasn’t…” Bruce chuckled. It was of no use. “Yeah, you caught me. I’m out.” He shoved his cards back on the table. 

Natasha watched the scene unfold with amused eyes. Once everyone had left the table, only she, Eliza, and Tony were left. The latter picked up his cards, squinting his eyes to read them better. 

“Inner circle,” she stated. “Like old times.”

Eliza tried her hardest to hold back the smartass comment that lay on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t help it. “Tony just smirked,” she said. 

He glared up at her. “Yeah, that’s annoying,” he grumbled. “I don’t wanna play anymore.”

She waved giddily as he got up, walking as dramatically as possible, and disappeared into the hallway where everyone else had gone. 

“Way to ruin game night,” Natasha said. 

“I didn’t ruin anything. We’ve all been up for almost eighty hours. I can’t help it that the lack of sleep only makes me smarter.”

She smirked. “You wanna play Uno, don’t you?”

“YES, UNO!”

“C’mon, get the cards.”

But Eliza was already up and at it the second the words left her mouth. 

The sight of her friends at the old wooden table at Fogwell’s maneuvered her back to less dark times. Times in which they had been happy and free, a happy little family. Game nights together, sometimes just Natasha and her, but more often than not the entire group of the Avengers scattered around a table and played silly little board games. She missed it. Now the sight only brought on nausea, the table was no longer filled with games but with weapons of a great variety, and the people around it weren’t dressed casually in their pajamas but in their professional work attire, suits, and steel boots. 

The cold end of a plastic bottle nudged her bare shoulder. She looked up to see Matt standing next to her, already wearing his Daredevil suit, minus the mask, which allowed her to get a good look at his eyes. He didn’t even try to meet hers, once again a reminder that they weren’t together anymore. They hadn’t been a couple, really, but they hadn’t been friends either. What they had, had been perfect and now it was just gone. The word was absolute. They were over and their relationship was gone. Gone, dead, gone. 

She took the bottle, nodding curtly. “Thanks.”

“You’re not drinking enough. You haven’t even touched the food we ordered last night. Not- not that I care, but if I did, I would ask you if you were alright.”

He was so bad at this. 

“I’m fine,” she told him. It was a lie, but her heartbeat remained the same as always; steady and unique. 

“You need to take better care of yourself,” he once again said, handing her (ironically) a chocolate bar. “Your blood sugar’s low. Eat this, drink your water and then come back to the table. We have work to do.”

She reached for his hand. “Matt,” she called out. “Thank you.”

He left without saying a word, not even squeezing her fingers the way he usually did. She couldn’t help herself either, as it seemed. 

Eliza finished the chocolate bar, downed the bottle of water, and then followed Matt’s command to join the team at the round table. She cleared her throat. “So, what do we got?” she jumped in. 

The Avengers glanced at her, surprised she even showed up in the first place. 

“Weapons,” Natasha stated. 

“Cool. What else?”

“Are you okay?” She eyed her. 

“Yes, why?”

“You don’t look okay.”

“Then stop looking.”

Steve eyed them. “We’re creating a battle strategy,” he stated. The change of subject was more than welcome. “Since it’s Sam’s friend, we’re taking the non-invasive approach. But just in case things go south, I want to assign teams.”

“What could go south at the mayor’s office?” Matt questioned. “It’s not like we’re fighting criminals or anything.”

“No, but we have to protect our identity. This will be of no use to us if the police or Secretary Ross get wind of our presence here in New York, let alone Eliza’s whereabouts that everyone wants to know.”

Sam stepped around the corner where the locker room was. He straightened his suit, the closed wings sticking out of his back. “I’m gonna get him to join us on the roof,” he said. “We’ll use the safety of sundown so we can move more freely since, you know, we’re all fugitives.” His eyes fell on Matt, “Minus one.”

“Thanks,” he answered sourly. 

“Eliza and Nat,” Steve called out, “You two will wait on the roof of the mayor’s office.”

“Why us?” Eliza asked. 

“You have similar skill sets.”

“I have similar skill sets with everyone. Let me work with Matt.”

“No, Matt is going to work with Clint,” he said. His answer sounded final. Whenever he was in charge, the soldier in him came to the surface, peeking his head out and tearing everyone around him with him. 

She was used to taking orders during missions. She was more than vulnerable to his commands, so when he said his words with such authority, she didn’t waste another breath to question them. 

Clint tightened the strap of his bow, putting more pressure on it. “That’s cool with me,” he said. 

Matt nodded. “Yeah,” he said. Anything but working with Eliza. He couldn’t deal with that. He would only be distracted the entire time. 

“You two will be standing by on the opposite roof. Clint knows how to shoot if the need arises.”

His features hardened. 

“If,” Steve emphasized. “I’m not big on murder either, don’t worry. It’s just a safety measure to get us out if we need to.”

“So what will be my role in this?” Matt asked. 

“You’ll be my ears,” Clint stated. “I’ll be the eyes, you can use your enhanced hearing and whatever else you have in store to stay alert. There are things even I can’t pick up on, even with an earpiece in. That’s where you come in.”

“Yeah, I don’t need an earpiece.”

Clint stared at him, he could feel it. 

“What?”

“Nothing, I’m just asking myself what rock you’ve been hiding under all this time.”

“My apartment,” Matt deadpanned.

“Yeah, that’s a rock,” said Clint. 

“As I said, the Avengers are not my thing.”

“One of them is,” Sam muttered under his breath. Eliza kicked him. “Sorry.”

Clint wasn’t going to stop with his recruitment plan, even though there was nothing left to recruit him for. For whatever reason, he had grown to like Matt, primarily because of his abilities but also for reasons he couldn’t quite pinpoint. 

“Look, all I’m saying is, we could have used another pair of ears in some of the missions we’ve been on because mine don’t exactly count. I’m just good at shooting things from a distance.”

“Well, there's a reason they call you HawkEYE and not HawkEAR.”

The team was seriously taken aback at the joke. That was the thing about Matt Murdock; he had this brooding attitude about himself, a dark, guilt-consumed facade that hardly ever smiled around people (or so it seemed), so most people misjudged him greatly. Matt Murdock could crack a mean joke. Though sometimes in the most inconvenient situations, he knew how to make people laugh. He was fun. People hardly got to see the man his friends got to see - and Eliza had seen even more than Foggy and Karen, the carefree Matt, the one who liked to giddy laugh, sometimes even giggle. This was the Matt she missed with all her heart, and he was right there, she just couldn’t touch him. It was torture of her own making. 

She was the first one to snort. She tried to bite back the laugh, but she couldn’t. Everyone else stared at her. She even had Matt’s attention, who seemed relieved that at least someone reacted positively. “I’m sorry,” she said and slapped a hand in front of her mouth. “I’m sorry. Not funny. Sorry.”

“No?” Matt turned to Clint. He shook his head. “Okay.”

“It was a good joke.”

Stop being so goddamn lovable, he cursed over and over in his head. He couldn’t move on, not like this, probably not ever. This was worse than anything he had ever felt. Not the rejection, the love. Love is a fickle thing as it is, but to Matt, this particular emotion tore him apart from the inside. It consumed him whole. Once again not because she rejected him but because he had never loved a person this much before and it scared him. It scared him because even though he sprung it on her, he was just as scared to admit it. Yet, he did. He would do so over and over again. He did, he did love her. He was scared of how far he was willing to go for her. 

Steve let out an exasperated, prolonged sigh. “Now that that’s out of the way,” he said. “We have Liz and Nat, Clint and Matthew, that leaves me and Sam. Foggy is back at the apartment, safe and sound. If we need help from the outside, we call him.”

“But that’s highly unlikely,” Eliza finished for him. 

“Yes, very.”

“No, I’m serious. He’s been involved enough. He almost died last night because of me and I can’t… I don’t want him involved in this too. The line ends here. He’s safe at Matt’s apartment and he’s gonna stay this way. That’s my final decision.”

“I agree with Eliza,” said Matt from the other side of the table. She looked at him, smiling almost thankfully. “Foggy’s been through enough because of me-”

“Because of me,” she corrected him. “Don’t protect me, not now.”

“I’m not protecting you. It’s your fault too, more than mine, but I’m taking it on my shoulders because he’s my friend.”

“Yeah, well, he’s my friend too.”

“Circumstantial. He was my friend long before you came along.”

“Oh, so you want to get him in the divorce? Fine! I’ll just tell Foggy you’re treating him like a piece of meat.”

“Oh, I am?” he raised his eyebrows. “You seem to be collecting friends like dolls on your stupid little shelf and every time someone gets put up on that wall, they get hurt. They’re broken like porcelain and you still collect them.”

Natasha stepped in front of her in all of her intimidating glory. “Careful,” she warned him. 

“No, he’s right,” her voice sounded dull as she spoke, “People do get hurt once they’re close to me,” she said. “You can be glad you pulled out. You know, before you turn into one of those broken dolls on my shelf.”

She didn’t cry, she didn’t even move a facial muscle. He wasn’t sure what he expected to happen. He was angry, he wanted to coax a reaction out of her, any reaction, just so he could find a reason to hate her, but nothing happened. She simply agreed with him. She didn’t run out crying, she stayed and she didn’t care. The Eliza he knew was gone and part of him believed it was his fault. 

She straightened her shoulders out. “Where were we?” she asked. 

And at that moment he knew, she was completely dead inside. 

At the mayor’s office, the teams took their positions. Eliza played with the loose threads on her old suit pants. The leather was uncomfortably tight. It stuck to her skin in all the wrong places. Natasha leaned against the wall on the opposite side, arms crossed and one foot angled against the stones. 

“You’re gonna talk to me at all?” she asked eventually. “Or are you just going to give me the silent treatment all night?”

“Leave her alone, Natasha,” Clint jumped in over the earpiece. 

Eliza only shook her head, staying quiet. 

“I’m just trying to fix this,” Natasha said. 

“Pressuring her won’t work.”

“Pressuring her is just going to make her shut down,” Matt’s voice filled her ears. 

What was wrong with him? He either treated her like crap or he defended her, there was no in-between. She hurt him, yes, but that offered no excuse for his behavior. He was acting like a dick. She deserved the silent treatment, maybe even snarky remarks, but not this. Even she knew she didn’t deserve this. 

Natasha tilted her head. If there was one thing she was good at it was reading her. Eliza met her eyes. She sighed. “Alright, earpieces out,” she said. 

She took her earpiece out. 

Eliza pointed to her ear, then to the opposite roof. Natasha nodded. The next time she opened her mouth, the words flowed out in Russian. 

“Okay, what’s going on?” she asked.

“I honestly don’t know anymore.”

“You can talk to me about everything, you know that, right?”

“I know and I’m trying to forgive you because you are like a sister to me, but it’s hard.”

“Okay, I get that. I will work to regain your trust.”

“I trust you, I just… I feel betrayed, Nat.”

“I know and I’m sorry.”

“Matt told me he loved me,” she said instead of acting on her apology more. It would repeat itself until she believed her. 

Natasha sighed, “I know.”

“I didn’t say it back.”

“I know.”

“Do you think I’m broken?”

“What? Oh, sweetie, no.”

She scoffed almost sourly. “He called me that during sex,” she told her.

“Okay, gross! I am never calling you that again.” 

Natasha chuckled first. Eventually, Eliza joined in. She sat down next to her on the ledge of the roof. 

“Thanks, appreciate it.”

“So, uh,” she wiped her runny nose, “You’ve been getting into it since we last saw each other.”

She snorted. “Shut up.”

“It’s not a bad thing. I’m just surprised that you chose him out of all people. He is so not your type.”

“We were desperate.” She paused. “And he’s, like, really good-looking.”

Natasha couldn’t deny it. “Yeah, he is.”

“And the sex. God, the sex was so good!”

“How good?”

“Mind-blowing, leg-shaking good.”

“Man, I need to get laid.”

“It’s hard as a fugitive. That’s why I slept with Matt. I think. I don’t know. Maybe I do like him. I mean, I know I do,” she said, “I care so much about him it makes it hard to breathe. But I don’t know how to love. That’s the truth. So I can’t say it back when I don’t understand what I’d be saying back, you know. I think I was not falling in love, I was just falling to my demise.”

Trying to be comforting, Natasha patted her shoulder. “We’ve all been there.”

“Have you? Have you really?” She cocked an eyebrow. “Have you ever established such a deep emotional connection that your powers make you want to stay close to him at all times, and when you can’t have that your throat dries up and your heart hurts so much you just shut it off?” With every word, her voice grew sharper. Her rage consumed her. All Natasha could see was the fire in her friend’s eyes. Her sister. 

She kept her hand on her shoulder, rubbing to comfort her in any way. Not sure how far she could go with Eliza still mad at her, she applied more pressure until her arm slipped around the girl’s shoulders. 

“You’re going to be okay,” she said softly. “Maybe not now or tomorrow but once this is over. You’re going to be okay. You’re going to figure this out. You’re Eliza,” she said, “And you’re always going to crawl back from whatever hellhole life throws you into. You always do.”

For the first time since she returned, Eliza smiled at her and all her anger vanished into thin air. This was the woman who pulled her out of Hydra’s grasp, reversed her brainwashing, and trained her. She trained her to be good, to be vigilant, to be forgiving, and always fight for what’s right. She taught her what it was like to live in the real world, to survive all the bad things, and come out as the winner in the end. She found her after her overdose, helped her through withdrawal, and visited her in rehab. She was always there when she needed her, and even now after Hydra tried to have her taken and Fisk tried to have her killed, Natasha chose to risk her freedom and her life to come back and help her. She came back to save her like she always did. 

Eliza realized she was just trying to protect her. By keeping her file a secret, the Avengers tried to protect her. They were looking out for her. Natasha made a choice, she chose not to tell her even though she considered. She weighed the risks and she decided what was best. She might struggle to accept it, but deep down she knew, and right then and there she chose to forgive her. She forgave them. 

She laid her head on her shoulder. Natasha instantly held her closer, her head under her chin and just holding her. She always held her like this. Whenever she fell apart, Natasha was there. Not even fugitive status could drive them apart. 

“I’m sorry,” Eliza admitted. 

“For what?” Natasha asked.

“For going off as I did. I was angry at you and angry and the world but I think I was mostly angry at myself. Knowing how I came to be and what was done to me… I don’t know, it makes me angry, and I’m sorry that you were the outlet for that anger. You didn’t deserve that. You told me the truth, not as Tony did. Tony lied to me and he almost had me arrested. I can’t forgive him, but you?” she said. “I forgive you. You’re my sister, after all. Or the closest thing I have to one.”

Natasha looked up to stop the tears from streaming down her face, tears of relief, tears of love. “You’re not broken, Eliza,” she whispered. “You are capable of love. I feel it every day. You and Matt just need some time to figure your stuff out.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeah. I still hate him though.”

Eliza chuckled. “Why?” She sat up straight again.

“Honestly don’t know,” she said. “I just do. Call it spy instincts or just sisterly instincts. I have a bad feeling about him. You don’t have to understand, I just do.”

“Oh, my God.” She full-on laughed at that. “You are so bad. Matt is a good person! Don’t hate him. He’s been nothing but good to me the past few weeks and I owe him for that.”

Natasha switched back to English. “I will try to like him,” she said, making sure he heard her. “For your sake, not for his.”

She could only imagine his smirk, as bitter as himself. 

“Don’t be petty,” said Eliza.

“Sorry, I just had to say it.”

She rolled her eyes. “Just put your earpiece back in.”

“Are you done talking about us behind our backs?” Sam asked as soon as the static kicked in and everyone knew the pair was back on the channel.

Clint laughed. “They always do that. I don’t know why you’re surprised,” he said.

“They always do that?” Matt asked Clint on the opposite roof. 

“Yup, every time they have something to say they don’t want us to hear, they choose a language none of us speak. Doesn’t always have to be Russian. I’ve heard them speak Mandarin once.”

“Well, it sounds like they made up in the end. Their voices changed.”

“That’s something. Maybe she can forgive us too.”

“She does,” Matt insisted. “She’s just worked up, stressed and she feels betrayed by everyone. She says things she doesn’t mean when she’s angry.”

“I know that,” he replied with a small chuckle. “She’s always done that.”

Matt, who had his mask in his hand instead of on his face, seemed to struggle with what he was about to say next. His face said ‘fuck it!’ And he took out his earpiece to speak in confidence. “Has Eliza ever been in love with someone?” he asked. “Do you know that?”

“What?”

“It’s just… okay, you all know what I said. You know I sprung it on her and that’s my fault, but… she didn’t say it back after giving me so many mixed signals, and she agreed that we’d try this, her and me when this is all over. We’d try to be a couple, and now we’re just… not. I’m trying to figure out why. I mean, has she ever been in love and things went south or- or has she ever been hurt so bad that she chooses not to fall in love again? What? Can you tell me that?”

Clint shook his head. He slipped his earpiece out, focusing on the man next to him as he fiddled with one of his arrows. “Eliza doesn’t do relationships,” he stated.

Matt threw his head back. Then perhaps she just didn’t feel the same way after all, and that hurt so much more. 

“But what I can tell you is that she’s scared of feeling her own emotions because she feels so much already. She’s never been shown parental love, she’s been used and she’s been abused. The men in her life have constantly traumatized her until we came along, and even then it took her a while to trust us. Natasha? That instantly clicked.”

“So what’re you saying?”

“What I’m saying is that Eliza is so traumatized, she’s afraid of love. From what I’ve seen,” he said, “she adores you. The way she looks at you… she’s never looked at anyone like this before. So maybe she does love you and she’s just afraid to say it. But it’s not her fault.”

He sighed, nodding slowly.

“You made it sound like it is, back at Fogwell’s. I know you’re angry but this isn’t the way to her heart, far from it. She’s gonna push you away while also trying to keep you close until she’s figured out what her feelings mean, and if you keep acting like that? You’re gonna lose her.”

“Yeah,” he muttered, “I think I already did.”

“No,” and Clint’s smile made the hope inside of him stop falling into the abyss. “You haven’t lost her. Not yet.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Eliza, in my eyes, is just a scared little kid. She’s younger than you. She hasn’t been in charge of her own life for that long and in the time that she has, she’s been through even more trauma than she came out of. You are, by far, the only person she’s ever let this close to. She let us in, too, but not like this. If you’d lost her, she wouldn’t still be here.”

Matt sucked in a sharp breath, scratching his nose to stop the urge to cry from overwhelming him. “Thanks,” he said. 

“Do you love her, like really love her?”

“I do,” he nodded. “So much it hurts. And I usually don’t talk about my feelings, but this one is so overwhelming… she means the world to me. It scares me, but I’m okay with that.”

Clint shrugged, stuffing the arrow back into the quiver on his back. “Then things are going to work out for you,” he said. 

“Alright. Thank you, Clint. Seriously, I mean it.” 

“Hey, I’m not Natasha. I actually like you.” 

He laughed. “Okay.”

“If you two ever get married - not you and Nat, God forbid, but you and Eliza - I want to be invited. When one of my kids gets married, I want to be there. Assuming I’ll no longer be a fugitive then.”

“How many children do you have, exactly?”

“Biologically, legally, or emotionally? Because there is a difference.”

He laughed, even more, a quiet and breathless laugh that slipped easily over his lips. 

“If I could adopt her,” Clint said, more serious this time, “I would in a heartbeat. So if you hurt her, seriously hurt her, I will break both of your kneecaps and then your neck.”

Matt lifted his arms in defense. “I hear ya. Not gonna happen again.”

“Good. Glad we’re on the same page.”

“Well, we gotta be each other’s eyes and ears tonight, so…”

“Do you always joke about your disability?”

“Occasionally,” he said. 

“Funny,” Clint said, “I like you, Matt. You’re cool.”

When they put their earpieces back in, they got a taste of their own medicine.

“Who’s talking behind whose back now?” Natasha teased.  

“Shut up, Nat,” Clint said. 

“I just want to say,” Eliza cut in, “I get it.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, two men filled with too much testosterone need their me-time, right?”

Natasha laughed loudly on the other side. Clint and Matt shared a look. 

“Hey, you’re the ones who spoke Russian to throw Batman here off his game,” he argued. “But wait a minute, did you just make a joke?”

“Yeah.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I forgive you asshats.” 

“That’s good to hear,” said Steve. 

Clint frowned. “How do you always pop out of nowhere?” 

“Doesn’t matter. It’s showtime. Everybody, get in positions. Sam is coming out with the package.”

Eliza quoted, “The package.” 

“Yeah, I know. I didn’t know what else to call it.”

“Anything but the package.”

“Ah,” Natasha grinned, “This reminds me so much of old times.”

“Right now I wish these were old times.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Hey, Nat,” Eliza said and turned to her, “You said you’ve been keeping tabs on my father. Is there a chance you could let me know where he is?”

She thought about it. “Do you think that’s such a good idea?” she questioned.

“I just want to know where I come from. And I want to see for myself that he’s still alive. If I have at least some proof, I can finally relax.”

“Alright, I will pull some strings. Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

That’s a promise I’d be happy to make if I could keep it. 

“I won’t.” 

Oh, you are such a little liar.

“This is just to satisfy my curiosity,” she added and as she said it, she smiled and Natasha could never say no to that smile.

She wholeheartedly believed her. I’m hindsight, she should have known it was foolish to give in like that and blindly believe that Eliza would not do anything stupid. She should have known better. She knew her, so why did she give in? Perhaps it was because she knew her that she gave in. 

Stupid, foolish Natasha. She will never learn. 

The door to the roof opened. A brunette man in his mid-forties stepped out into the darkening sun. He stopped when he saw the two women waiting for him. The door fell shut behind him. He flinched. 

Eliza flicked her wrist to fix the handle in place and close the lock for good. No one had to know. 

“I think I have been misinformed,” he said, his breathing uneven, and the fear radiated off of him. She took a whiff. “I was supposed to meet a friend here. My mistake.” 

He turned to open the door again just to find it locked. He panicked, rattling the knob over and over again, but it wouldn’t budge. 

“You weren’t misinformed,” Natasha said. 

“I shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be here.” He hit the door. “Look, whatever you want, I can’t help you. Just open the door.”

“Who says we can?”

“It’s her.” He shot around, pointing a finger at Eliza. “The witch from the news. I should have known when Sam contacted me that this was some sort of trap. Please, I haven’t done anything.”

“Who said we think you did?” Eliza quipped. “For all, we know we’re just here to talk.”

“Yeah, right. I’ve seen what you did to those men, how you made the ground move a-and how you knocked them out all on your own. I don’t want to be here. I should not be here and neither should you.” He once again tried to open the door. His fist hit the hard plastic. “Damn it!”

“Owen,” Sam’s voice sounded from mid-air as he landed, wings still spread. His boots hit the ground, as did his knee. 

The man looked at him. Fear caused his eyes to sink, the dark circles clear, and a layer of sweat coated his forehead. On any other day, Eliza would have cursed herself and tried to talk him down, but not this time. This time, she was intrigued. She thrived off of it. He was scared, for good reasons. He was scared of her and he had every right to be. No, he had to be. He had to be scared. 

She loved it, and it should have scared her that her mind worked that way, but it didn’t. She long stopped caring. 

“No,” Owen muttered. “This isn’t right.”

“Owen, please,” Sam said. “Listen to me. We’re not here to hurt you.”

“She trapped us up here!” He once again pointed at her. “You brought her here and now she’s gonna hurt me. Look at her! She’s fucking crazy.”

“Hey,” she said. 

“What? It’s true. She’s a danger to society, the world, and probably to herself, which makes this so much worse. You have lured me into a trap, Sam!”

“Hey now, I’m certainly not a danger to myself.”

“That raises so many questions.”

“Owen,” she stepped forward and he took another step back until his back hit the door. “I’m not going to hurt you.” The yet laid on her tongue. 

“Yet,” he said out loud for her.

“Well…” she shrugged. “If you give me no reason to hurt you, I won’t.”

Natasha stared at her. She didn’t glare, she simply stared, and her eyebrows furrowed at her sudden change in attitude. “Eliza,” she hissed. 

“What, he wants to know the truth,” she said. 

“You’re being a bit too harsh. He’s an informant, not a suspect.”

“Ah, potato, pot-ah-to; cheater, adulterer, whatever. All the same thing.”

“They’re right,” Sam said, stepping forward as well. “We’re not here to hurt you, Owen. We just need your help.”

“With what?” he asked, still cowering in fear against the door. 

“We need your help finding a building. Since we know you have access to all the permits that have been given out to people building on certain grounds here in New York, and you also have an index on actual facilities, not just homeowners in general, we want to take a look at it. That’s all we need, your access codes.”

He swallowed. “No.”

“No?”

“No, I won’t give them to you. I don’t care what you want, I’m not going to risk my job.”

A thud sounded on the gravel. Steve landed next to them. “This is important,” he said. He looked a lot more intimidating with his beard, even without the shield. Especially without it, he looked less like a patriot and more like an actual warrior. “We’re trying to stop Hydra from experimenting on children, young girls, and young adults. They’re making supernatural weapons to gain control over the government and eventually cause mayhem, something like the Battle of New York only much, much worse. We have a blueprint,” he stated, “We have a 3D model, we just need to find the location. Once we have that, we’re gone.”

His nostrils flared. “My answer stays the same,” he said. “I won’t help you. I won’t incriminate myself. Hell, you’re lucky if I don’t report you. And I won’t if you open this door and leave right now. If you don’t, I will call the cops on you. I will do it Right now, tell everyone you’re holding me hostage.” He reached into his back pocket. “It’s truly nothing personal, Sam. If times were different, I would let you call in your favor, but you’re all fugitives and you’re harboring a dangerous mutant. I won’t let that slide.”

He unlocked his phone, though before he could type in the number, a baton flew straight against it, knocking the device out of his hands. On the ledge stood Daredevil, the rising moon shining a light on his back, illuminating his silhouette.  

“Don’t,” he warned. 

Clint appeared on the opposite side, bow and arrow ready to be used in his hand. Eliza had never felt more powerful than with her friends having her back while her powers charged in her hands. 

Owen looked between them, his face paling completely. All the blood drained from his body. 

“Now,” Eliza said, “Why don’t we talk like adults?”

He hesitated. His eyes flicked from Eliza to where Daredevil was standing, the arrow pointed at him, Black Widow with her hand on her gun, and he made out a small gap between Sam and the ledge. 

“If you do what I think you’re about to do,” Daredevil bellowed, “I will be very unhappy, so don’t.” 

Still, the second the words left his mouth, Owen sprinted towards what would be his certain death. 

Matt was about to make a run toward the man to stop him, but he stopped suddenly when the air sizzled with the familiar feeling that had run through him too many times to count. 

Owen ran into the wall that appeared out of nowhere, see-through and red, almost like bricks stacked on top of each other. A strange force yanked him back by the shirt, pulling him toward the Avengers. They watched in horror – yes, horror – as Eliza used her glowing hands to maneuver him around. The hands that clawed at him weren’t even attached to a body, they came and went as soon as he landed at her feet. 

She flipped him onto his stomach, knee pressing into the top of his spine right on his neck, shutting off most of his oxygen flow, and she pulled his arm back so far his shoulder cracked. 

“He’s not the only one who’s unhappy,” she growled. Her eyes turned such a dark red, they resembled black holes. 

Natasha recognized that look and the memories that came to mind were dark and the most terrifying thing she could remember, and she had seen a lot in the course of her career, a lot of which she had done herself. 

She pulled harder at his arm. “Hydra. I want to know what you know. And don’t lie to me, I have a feeling you’re working for them. Or you at least know what building I am talking about.” She pulled again. He cried out, though choked up through the knee on his neck. “I saw it on your face when Rogers dropped the name,” she said. “Tell me what you know and I might let you breathe. If you don’t,” and this time she removed her knee slightly, allowing him a second to breathe, and then applied even more pressure until he gurgled, “This will probably be the last breath you have ever taken, Owen.” 

The voices around her suddenly came back into her consciousness. “ELIZA!” It was Matt, the one voice she could recognize like no other, and the only one able to coax her out of whatever state she had put herself in. “Eliza, let go of him. He can’t breathe.”

She ground her teeth. “That’s the point,” the animal that possessed her was more than ready to go through with it.

“He either suffocates or you’ll break his neck. Either way, he dies. Do you want that? Do you want his blood on your hands?”

She hesitated. Did she want that? Yes. No. Not again. She wasn’t this person anymore. Or perhaps she was, she didn’t even know anymore. 

“He hasn’t done anything,” Matt tried again. “He may be an asshole but he hasn’t done anything to justify this. Please, sweetheart, look at me.” 

Sweetheart. There it was.

Her head snapped around. He had taken off his mask, standing far enough away from Owen for him not to see his face. 

“If you do this, you’ll never forgive yourself. If you kill him, this will change who you have grown to be forever. It will send you years back. It will ruin everything Natasha had worked toward. It will ruin you. Please, let go of him. You don’t want to kill him, I know it.”

She tilted her head. Owen grunted again when she twisted his arm further. “Listen to my heartbeat,” she said. She was conscious but at the same time, she wasn’t. “Does it sound like I don’t want this?” 

“Yes,” he said with utmost conviction. His lip tilted up in a smile but his eyes displayed sorry and foremost fear. 

She scared him. 

Goddamnit. 

“I…” her knee slipped from his neck, followed by her arm. She popped his shoulder back in and let go, jumping back to her feet. As quick as her feet could carry her, she stepped away. She braced her hands on her knees, panting heavily. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. Her hands tangled in her hair. “I lost control, I’m sorry.”

Turning her emotions off to deal with everything better had been a bad idea. The state slowly got to her and she didn’t like who she was becoming. While she was lucid, the part she had swallowed down for so long was starting to return to the surface, breaking through it. She could barely control the monster anymore. The Red Demon was about to make her appearance worse than what she displayed at that moment. 

Sam helped Owen up, yet he held him by his collar, the crying and terrified man. Matt pulled the mask back over his head, taking determined steps toward Eliza. She was shaking her hands, trying to calm herself down, but the rage just wouldn’t stop. 

He reached for her shoulders. “Eliza,” he called her name softly. He was scared yet willing to sacrifice everything to help her. She didn’t deserve that. He was an idiot of the highest order.

“Don’t touch me!” She flinched away. “Don’t fucking touch me,” her mouth wasn’t hers anymore. “Not anymore, you lost that right last night.”

He frowned. “What is wrong with you?” The question came through gritted teeth. 

“Everything,” she said. 

“You almost killed that guy.”

“He was lying to us.”

“He wasn’t.” 

“No, he knows something.”

“Maybe, maybe not, but you crossed a line here. You almost crossed a line you swore yourself you would never cross again, and you crossed my line specifically by almost choking that guy to death, something I will not stand for.”

“Boo-hoo, cry me a river! You don’t get to judge me, Mister I throw people off rooftops.” 

“I make sure no one dies,” he argued.

Eliza laughed out, high-pitched and manic. “That’s great! Breaking their spines and paralyzing them is so much better than murder.” 

“Okay, this is not the woman I fell in love with.”

“Then you shouldn’t have fallen in love with me because this is me. That picture you have of me was a lie,” she said. “Everything you saw, everything we did, it was a lie. And you were so fucking foolish to believe it.” 

He slowly backed away. She saw his heart break, worse than it did before. The organ broke right through, tearing his soul down with him. “Don’t say that,” he breathed.

“It’s the truth,” Eliza felt no remorse. 

“Well, if that’s so, I’m glad no one’s ever fallen in love with you before. Clint tried to vouch for you but I think differently now. You are not capable of love. You are broken beyond repair and I’m tired of trying to fix you.”

“Oh, you are?”

“Yeah. You know what? Forget everything I said about you, it doesn’t mean anything now. I’m out. You can do this on your own like you wanted to from the beginning. I won’t be a burden to you anymore. Clearly, you’ve got your perfect team right here,” he spat. “Use them instead of me. I won’t be your punching bag anymore. I am done, and I am done for good.”

She threw her hands up. “That’s fine by me!” 

“I wish I had never met you,” Matt didn’t mean it, but he was so angry and hurt at that moment, he just spewed what came to his mind first. 

Eliza yelled back, “You too!”

He jumped the rooftop to the next building and just like that, he was gone, disappeared into the night that had come over them. 

The Avengers watched her, eyes wide, some filled with pure disappointment and others with worry. The colors were too bright, so she shut them out. She was tired of feeling. She was tired of all of this.

She stalked up to them. Owen recoiled. “What do you know?” she asked him. 

“I- I can check your blueprint and see if anything’s familiar. I can offer you the permits we gave for bigger facilities, maybe you’ll find something there. If it’s something unique, I will remember it as soon as I see the blueprint. Just please,” he whimpered, “Please don’t hurt me again.”

The gravel had drawn blood around the white collar of his dress shirt.

She eyed him. “I won’t.”

The lock on the door opened.

“Is anyone else in the building? And don’t lie to me unless you want to feel like this again.” 

“No, no one’s here anymore. They all left.”

“Great. Nat, you disable the cameras, the rest of us will check what Owen has to offer us.”

Steve held her back roughly by her bicep. “You don’t make the commands here,” he said.��

Eliza pulled away. “I do now. Does anybody have a problem with that?” She looked around. They all shook their heads. “See? You’ve been replaced, Captain. You tag along or you don’t, either way, I’m going to get my answers.”

Behind her, Clint leaned into Natasha. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he whispered.

“That the stress is bringing Hydra-Eliza back?” she whispered back. “Yeah, I think so too.”

“We are walking dangerous territory here,” he said. 

Sam was guiding Owen in the front, Eliza on the other side, Steve in the middle, and the two friends behind them as they walked down the stairs into the building. 

“If she snaps, we’re gonna have a problem. You saw what she can do, Nat. We need to talk about what to do if it happens because now Matt is gone too, and if he’s gone, she has no one left to keep her in check. God knows she won’t listen to us.” 

“I know,” she said. “I’m trying to figure it out.”

“Well, do it fast because I don’t think she’s going to be able to hold on much longer.”

“I’m doing my best here, Clint. If you pressure me, it’s only going to get harder for me to focus.”

They entered the man’s office. Sam shoved him into his chair, Natasha focusing on the computer. Eliza cracked her knuckles. 

“I’m going to show you our 3D model,” she told him. “And you’re going to tell me what you know. If you don’t…”

“Please, Owen,” Sam said. 

“Don’t say please, he doesn’t deserve please.” 

“He’s still my friend.”

“Is he? He was ready to snitch on us.”

He couldn’t say anything to that. 

Steve pulled her aside. “What’s going on?” he asked. 

Eliza pulled away from him. “I’m just tired of being lied to.” Her eyes were dead when she looked up at him. He nodded slowly, realizing he was walking toward dangerous waters. He didn’t want to push her any further.

Owen took a close look at the model Clint showed him. Narrowing his eyes, he spun the hologram around. He took in the measurements and the other numbers that had been on the blueprint. 

He shook his head. “I feel like I’ve seen it before,” he said, “but I can’t pinpoint where. It’s been a while, could be years. This place is nothing famous here in New York, I’ll tell you, but I’ve seen this blueprint before.”

“Where?” Eliza pushed him. “Think!”

“I don’t know. I think it wasn’t someone trying to get a permit but rather something I saw on a colleague’s desk as I was passing through the building legislation department.”  

Clint leaned in to whisper in her ear, “Hydra did infiltrate a government facility back when they took over SHIELD. Who’s to say they won’t get into the mayor’s office? Spreading their ideology can get even the people here on their side.”

“Hitler did the same thing,” Steve said. 

Eliza nodded along. “Yeah, you’re right. I think there might be a leak here.”

“What colleague?” Sam questioned him. “We need to know. He could be working for Hydra.”

“If I tell you, I’ll die,” Owen said.

“You’ll die either way,” she retorted. 

“I can’t tell you because I don’t remember. But even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Natasha looked up from the computer. “There is nothing here,” she said. “I think we should go with the leak.”

Sam pulled him back by the air, angling his head. “Liz, is there any chance your powers expand to mind reading?” 

“Not exactly. I can look into his soul though, see if he has some strong emotions attached to that particular memory.”

Owen whimpered, “Please don’t.”

“Do it,” Steve ordered. 

Everyone else nodded. 

Eliza stepped forward. She didn’t need to touch him to get her answers, but his fear was so sweet, she wanted to taste it up close. She placed her hand on his forehead, closing her reddening eyes. Owen cried only harder, even though she wasn’t actively hurting him. He was scared and the fear caused him pain. She thrived off of it. 

She stepped into a different reality. It wasn’t hard to find the memory that Owen talked about. The day he caught sight of the blueprint was connected to buckets of fear. She realized soon why. 

Owen was thrown into a chair, just like they did. The man whose face she didn’t recognize towered over him. “Oh, Owen, what are we going to do with you?” he cooed. 

“Who is that?” she asked. 

“Evan Fowler, he’s the mayor’s lawyer,” he told her. “Never leaves his side.” 

Someone else stood behind Evan. Eliza’s eyes widened in realization. That goddamn face haunted her every time she closed her eyes. He wore a suit covered by a trenchcoat. His hand held a wooden cane, trying to conceal the limp he had. Gloves adorned his hands, those disgusting wandering hands she loathed with her entire being. She recoiled, stepping back as Evan landed a punch to Owen’s stomach. He was suddenly tied to the chair with the man’s tie. Once he was beaten bloody and bruised, the other man stepped forward.

Viktor stepped into the limelight. He used a tissue to wipe the blood that had splattered on him off his face. With a sigh, his voice filled the room and her blood ran cold. “Here’s what we’re going to do,” his Russian accent was still as thick, “You are going to forget you ever saw this building. If someone comes asking about it, you will tell them that you don’t know anything, even if it kills you. Can you do that?”

Owen nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, I’m sorry! I won’t tell anyone, just please, don’t hurt me.”

“Oh, no, I will not be starting with you, Owen,”

Eliza remembered the picture on his desk, his wife, and two kids. He had a family. 

“I will come for your family first,” Viktor said, “and then, when everything and everyone you have ever loved is gone, then I will get you, torture you and kill you.”

“Oh God,” he cried. 

“Evan, clean the blood off your floor. I don’t need people asking questions. We need to hurry if we want to get ahead of the deserter Anton. My source says he’s hiding here in New York and I intend to find him.”

As he turned away, Evan loosened the ties around Owen’s wrists. “Copy that, boss,” he said. 

Viktor tapped his cane against the floor two times before opening the door. “Hail Hydra.”

“Hail Hydra.”

She let go of his head, eyes wide and petrified. “He threatened your family,” she breathed. 

“Yes,” Owen struggled in his hold. “Viktor is a cruel, cruel man. He has me in a chokehold. If he finds out you know, he’s going to kill my wife first and then make me watch him kill my son and daughter. I can’t let that happen, surely you understand that.”

“Sam, let him go. He doesn’t know anything, he just saw the blueprint. Who we need to focus on is Evan Fowler.”

He loosened his hand in his hair and Owen stumbled away, bracing himself against his desk. “He doesn’t have an office here,” he panted, “but the mayor does.”

“You think he’d be hiding the plans in the mayor’s office?” Natasha asked. 

“I think so, yeah. But that is all I can tell you. Please, I need my family to be safe. What you did today put everything I worked for in jeopardy. I won’t call the cops on you, simply because I would be incriminating myself,” he said, “but I won’t help you any further than that.”

Eliza nodded. She understood his need to keep his family safe. Viktor was cruel and he didn’t care about anyone but himself. Killing innocent families fit right into his MO. He threatened his enemies like that. It was the easiest way to hurt them, killing their families. The only thing everyone loved he could easily take away and he would never hesitate to do it. 

She retrieved her phone from her pocket, punched in a number, and held the device in front of his face. “Call this number, tell him about your family and he will get you out of the country in the next twelve hours, just enough time to pack your things and head to the airport,” she said. “You will be escorted by someone trained to protect, so I can assure you, you will be safe.”

Owen frowned. “Why are you doing this?”

“I’m making up for what I did on the roof. I’m sorry, if I had known Viktor was threatening you, I would have never tried to kill you. Call this number,” she shoved the phone into his hand, “and get out of here, bring your family to safety. God knows you need it.”

He nodded. He pressed the call button. Within seconds, the line clicked. He gave his family’s whereabouts and his name, to which the person on the other end seemed to agree. It was a fast conversation, nothing that could be tracked. Her contact was someone she trusted with her life. The man on the other end could easily fake her death and get her anywhere she wanted to go, that was why she always had his number memorized. You can never know when you need to leave your old life behind and start new somewhere other than where you started. 

He looked at her almost thankfully, handing the phone back to her. “Thank you,” he said. 

“It’s okay. He probably already told you, but you will get a new identity and he will make sure your disappearance goes down as certain death on paper. He will burn your house down, probably, but it’s a small price to pay if you don’t want to get killed by Viktor Volkov.”

“Right, thanks. I owe you my life.”

He scrambled to get his bag. Just as he was about to shove his laptop into the satchel, sirens roared outside. The team exchanged a quick look. The police were closer than they should have been. 

Owen’s eyes widened. “I didn’t call them!”

“Yeah, we know,” Steve said through gritted teeth. He pulled the curtains aside slightly, poking his head out the window. “They’re almost here. We need to get out.”

Clint shouldered his bow. “I’m going to escort Owen out of here, make sure no one gets to him or his family,” he said.

“Great. The rest of us needs to head to the roof and get out before they call a chopper.”

Eliza didn’t roll with it. “No,” she stated. 

“No?” Steve asked. 

“No. I’m going to get to the mayor’s office. I don’t know when we will get the chance again.”

Natasha called out for her, “Eliza, wait!”

She stormed out of the door and down the hallway. Determined to get her answers, she ignored the fact that the police stopped right in front of the building or that they brought dogs to sniff her out. She ignored the feeling in her stomach that made her heart drop and her throat burn. She was focused on Owen’s memory alone, and what it brought on. They were so close, she wasn’t going to risk losing everything once the police came and turned everything upside down. 

Eliza disabled the alarm, bursting into the office. The place was licked clean. He had a giant bookshelf, a mahagoni desk, and several cupboards. She jumped at the sound of the door falling closed. 

“Nat, you shouldn’t be here,” she said as she tore the drawers open, lazily scouting through them. “If you get caught, you’re going to jail.”

“You too,” she replied. Natasha took it upon herself to check the other shelf. “I told you, we’re in this together.”

She rolled her eyes. There was no arguing with her. It was something they had in common. They searched through the files quickly, finding nothing. The blonde headed for the desk, hacking into the mayor’s computer. Eliza kept sifting through the drawers, slowly growing agitated with the lack of answers. She thought she had something.

“How’s it going over there, Nat?” she asked. 

“Finding nothing,” she said. “You?”

“Same.”

“Maybe he took it home with him, or maybe Viktor stole it. He wouldn’t be so stupid and keep important Hydra information here.”

Eliza ripped the lock from the bottom drawer. The metal fell to the floor. She slid it open. The files weren’t even sorted correctly. Desperate as she was, she skipped over those she deemed unimportant. She was just about to give up until…

Bingo.

She pulled the papers out of the file, folded them in the middle, and then shoved them into her suit. 

“You found something?” Natasha questioned from behind. 

Eliza sighed. “No, no I didn’t.” She slapped the drawer shut, hoping she didn’t hear the slight quiver in her voice that usually gave away when she was lying. 

“Yeah, me neither, but the cops are here and we need to think fast.”

She looked over her shoulder, toward the window. She seemed to be thinking the same thing. “The window,” they said at the same time. 

“Yeah, glad we’re on the same page.”

The doorhandle rattled. Eliza had closed it well, but not with her powers, and the chair Natasha had pushed in front of it couldn’t hold back the force of several strong men throwing themselves against it. 

They looked at each other. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked. 

“Totally,” said Natasha. 

Just as the door fell off its hinges, the glass of the window broke at the force of two bodies jumping out of it. The two soared through the night. The ground came closer and closer and closer. Their bodies thudded against the asphalt, ribs cracked and skin scraped open. Eliza sucked in a sharp breath, and Natasha did the same. They were alive, that was all that mattered. They could let the pain consume them later. 

Eliza rolled over onto her stomach, hoisting herself up on her knees. “You okay?” she grunted out. 

Natasha rolled over. “Yeah, just… getting old, I guess.” She sat up, earning a chuckle from her friend. 

She offered her hand, which she took gladly. They rose to their feet. Shrill lighting came from the office they had just jumped out of, the police scanning the night for mangled bodies. They only caught silhouettes though as Eliza and Natasha jogged out of the alley and up the next best roof. 

Steve met them around a dark corner. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?!” he snapped at them. “Do you know what could have happened?”

Eliza pressed a hand to her side. Every breath felt like the blade of a knife cutting right through her flesh, puncturing her lungs. She figured two ribs were broken, one bruised. Nothing she would need medical attention for, and the second they reached matt’s apartment it would be healed. 

“We’re fine,” Natasha sounded just as pained. “Just a few broken ribs. The cops didn’t see us. Jesus!” She hunched over. “That hurt like a bitch!”

“Preach,” Eliza said.

“You guys are insane,” Sam cut in, though he didn’t sound as mad as Steve. “You almost got caught. You could have gotten killed. What were you thinking?”

“On second thought, I wasn’t thinking. We found nothing, but now we can’t say we didn’t try.”

Steve threw his hands up. He knew when he spoke, he would say things he didn’t mean, so he kept his mouth shut. 

“We should leave,” it was Sam’s idea. 

Eliza gave a thumbs-up. “Good idea.”

“Yeah, I could really use some ice,” said Natasha.

“Me too.”

“What exactly did you do?”

“Leap out of a window.”

“And we broke it,” Eliza said. 

“Yeah, we broke it.”

Sam sighed, “If I didn’t know any better I’d say you two were suicidal.”

Natasha shrugged. “Maybe we are.”

“Totally, but I wouldn’t throw myself out of the second floor.”

“Same.”

“Let’s go,” Steve said. His voice sounded like gravel. 

They were in for a much longer lecture once they were back in the safety of their four walls. 

Foggy jumped out of the armchair as soon as he heard the rooftop door open. Steve and Sam came in first, followed by the disheveled and injured women. He could tell from the beginning that for one, something bad must have happened and for two, they were missing two members of their team. 

He had helped himself to Eliza’s leftovers. They were long forgotten on the table as he sprinted toward them. He caught her with an arm around her waist. She hissed at the pressure on her ribs. Steve helped Natasha down the last few steps, holding her the same way. 

Foggy walked her to the couch as if he had done this a million times before. And he had. He had done this for Matt several times before. 

“What happened?” he asked. 

Natasha fell into the cushions beside her. “Oh, that is so good,” she muttered.

“You guys need ice.” He walked into the kitchen, retrieved two ice packs, and returned to the living room. “Here,” he handed it to them, “now talk. What happened? Where are Clint and Matt?” 

“Clint’s helping Sam’s friend get out of the country,” Natasha stated.

Sam frowned. “Now that you say it out loud it sounds weird,” he said.

She scoffed.

“Eliza, where is Matt?” Foggy asked her then. He had a bad feeling, but for good reason. “Eliza?”

She clenched her jaw. Not from the pain in her side but from the faint jab of emotional agony and regret. She regretted talking to him like that but it had to be done. “He left,” she answered plainly. “And I doubt he will be coming back to help us anytime soon.”

“What? What the hell happened out there?”

“I snapped, we fought, then we almost got caught by the cops that Hydra sent after us, no doubt. Or Fisk, I don’t know. They’re all the same in my head.”

“He already said he was done once, he’s going to come back. Matt doesn’t just leave, not when something like this is happening in his city.”

“Well, he sounded pretty convinced to me.” With the ice pack pressed to her ribs, she got up. “Anyone want a beer?”

Sam raised his hand, “I’ll take one.”

“Same here,” said Natasha.

“Steve?” she asked.

“No thank you,” he said. 

“Oh, someone’s pissed. Alright, your loss.”

“Pissed?” He raised his eyebrows. “I’m feral. You said you were taking over the command and I rolled with it, fine, but what you did is not something a leader would do. You put the safety of the entire team in jeopardy. You almost killed a man.”

“I didn’t almost kill him,” she clapped back. “I don’t know what you saw, but I was going to let go before that could have happened. Besides, aren’t you the one who said he’d do anything to stop Hydra? Well, I did something. I did what was necessary. None of you seemed to want to do it, so I did. Natasha was the only one willing to help me. She wouldn’t let me do this alone. What did you do, Captain? Nothing. You ran. You ran like it would help us to run every time things get hard. Guess what? Running away is helping no one but yourself.”

“Don’t yell at me,” he said, his voice remaining steady and almost soft.

“I’m not yelling. I’m just raising my voice, hoping that my words somehow manage to get past that thick skull of yours. You guys heard Viktor’s name,” she said. The fridge shook with the force she used to shut it again. “You all did. I saw him in Owen’s head. He has already infiltrated the mayor’s office, God knows what he will take over next. And that memory was old, not fresh. Years ago, I think. That means things have only gotten worse from there on. It’s Viktor, the man who ruined my entire life, and I’d be damned if I let him get away with doing this to other, innocent people just because of me. I won’t let that happen, not on my watch. Now, you can either help me or you get out of my fucking way.” 

She came dangerously close to the tall super soldier, staring him right in the eyes. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest. She didn’t care about his soft blue eyes or his protective stance, she just wanted him to listen. She wanted him to leave at the same time she wanted him to stay, all of them. She wasn’t sure what exactly she wanted, but it wasn’t this.

“Eliza,” Foggy said.

“No,” she waved him off. “I get it, I need to calm down. Excuse me.”

She disappeared into Matt’s bedroom, closing the door behind her with less force. Though the milky glass still rattled.

She lay on the bed for a while, basking in the scent of him. She stared at the ceiling, hoping the answers would just come to her in a daydream. She tried to sleep, but that didn’t work either. Eventually, she pulled the papers out of her suit. All she needed now was for Natasha to hold up her end of the bargain. She needed to know the man’s whereabouts, the same man whose file she was holding in her hands.

Eliza sat down on the floor, leaning against the bed. The papers built a circle around her. She skimmed over them. He was displayed as an employee for giving out information, possibly even who she was, then a prisoner for not telling them the truth about where he kept the information on Eliza, even after years of torture, and at last, a deserter – someone who ran away from the organization when he wasn’t allowed to, without a word, without reason. He escaped. He escaped two years in the past, came to Tony, gave him his daughter’s file, and then disappeared from the face of the earth. Viktor said he wanted to find him in New York, so chances were he wasn’t there anymore. Still, her hope remained. He wasn’t dead, that she knew, and Viktor didn’t get him back. No doubt they were still searching for him, even though they already knew Eliza was in New York too and they could easily get her. 

She would be the first to reach him, she decided. Hydra had nothing on her, she could find him and then they had nothing. They had nothing and she could destroy them. 

She quickly piled the documents back together, stuffing them into Matt’s bedside drawer. 

Heading for her duffel bag, Eliza felt heavy. Her legs weighed tons, her heart trapped in her stomach, and her soul felt like a brick she had to swallow. She reached for the stack of paper inside the bag and a pen she kept there, and she started writing right there on the floor.

When Natasha came in, there was no sign of what she had done. Eliza sat on the bed, looking into the mirror as she tried to braid her hair and tie it up. She failed miserably. 

She chuckled a little, stepping behind her, settling on the bed, and took the brush from her. She brushed her hair gently, parting the strands, and she braided her hair like old times. For old-time’s sake. 

“You could just not do this, you know?” The fake Eliza appeared in the mirror behind her. “You’re just going to hurt them when they could easily help you,” she said. “I’m not often against you fighting to find out the truth, but this is the wrong way.”

Eliza rolled her eyes. She ignored her. 

Natasha finished the second braid with ease. “How do you want them; One bun or two?” she asked.

“Tie them together at the back so they won’t fall into my face,” she told her.

“Alright.” She got to work.

Eliza looked back at her double in the mirror. For the first time, she seemed to have more emotions in her eyes than she did in reality.

“Don’t do it,” she said. “I know you can hear and see me, but you can’t answer because you don’t want to freak her out, so believe me when I tell you that you cannot do this. You’re just going to ruin everything.”

She bit her lip.

“This is not the right path. This is going to get you hurt. You might unfold your true nature, but this won’t help if you get killed doing it.”

“What’s on your mind?” She flinched at the sound of Natasha’s voice.

She shook her head. “Nothing, I just… I’m thinking about my father and how he knew what I could do from the beginning but refused to tell Hydra until a couple of years ago. I need to understand why exactly.”

“Hm, I get that. You know, I worked with my family to take down the Red Room and it helped me get some closure, closing the chapter of my old life for good. That reminds me,” she said, reaching into her pocket, “I had my contact send me a file on your father’s latest whereabouts. It’s nothing too detailed, but there are pictures and things he did. Maybe it helps you close this chapter, too.”

Eliza forced a smile. “Thanks, Nat.”

“There, I just sent it. You’re welcome. Now, let’s go to bed. Everyone else is asleep already and we have an early day tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Natasha smiled from her spot at the door. “Good night,” she said.

“Good night,” she said back. 

“If you need anything, just let me know.”

“I won’t, but thank you.”

“Okay.” 

The door closed. Eliza was left alone in the soft purple of the Billboard mixed with the yellow of the bedside lamp. She looked out of the window, watching the ads dance on the screen and fade into another color once again. 

Sighing, she reached for the envelope she had slid under the pillow.

“Eliza, don’t,” the voice begged her again. She stood right next to her.

“You know I have to,” she whispered. No one had to hear. “There is no other way.”

“We will find one. This is not something I can foresee and you haven’t thought this through enough for me to agree with you. As your common sense, I urge you not to do it. Talk with them, but don’t do what you’re about to do.”

“I thought you said you were done.” She scoffed. “I should have known my mind was going to lie to me too.”

“I didn’t lie, I just came to warn you.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve heard your warning,” she said, “And I acknowledge it, but you’re not going to stop me.”

“Please,” she begged again. 

Eliza closed her eyes. She thought about something else, anything that would overshadow the person standing in the mirror, looking down at her as if she was broken or deranged. 

She thought back to the same memory at the table at the compound, playing UNO with Natasha, and playing poker with her friends. Nights spent together, being normal, having fun, all of that over in the span of just a few days, and now she had nothing left but broken pieces of what her already unstable life had once been.

When she opened her eyes again, the voice was gone and she was all alone again. The silence offered her solace, a silent go-ahead. 

As if to convince herself, she sighed, checking her outfit in the mirror one last time. “I’m gonna do it,” she told herself. “I’m gonna do it and everything’s going to be alright.”

Don’t lie to yourself.

She took an even deeper breath. She choked out her common sense like foam over a wildfire. 

Checking her phone for the file Natasha sent her again, making sure she had the right plan in mind, she turned her attention back to herself. Her eyes were dead, and empty and perhaps she had been right, perhaps she was deranged, but if she was, being batshit crazy had never felt better. 

Everyone was asleep when she stepped out of the bedroom. Matt still hadn’t returned. She left the letter on his bed, closing the front door behind herself without a single sound, and she never looked back. 

[blueo9035]

On the Health Benefits of Swimming  

Thinking of looking for a swimming pool company in Houston to outfit your home with a custom pool?

Well, on top of the fact that a pool can increase your home’s overall entertainment space, add resale value to your home, and furnish you with endless opportunities for recreation with friends and loved ones, swimming is great for your health, too.

Here are just a few of the ways that swimming supports overall health.

Support Attaining Your Weight Loss Goals

Swimming is a calorie burner. An average-sized person burns close to 500 calories swimming for an hour at a leisurely pace. Swim at a more vigorous pace, and that figure bumps up to 700, or more. It is a whole-body workout that burns calories much more efficiently and quickly than many other pursuits.

Tone and Strengthen Muscles

Swimming works your whole body, and utilizes both large and small muscle groups. It can strengthen and tone muscles, and build endurance and stamina, too. Moreover, there are many different styles and strokes you can try that focus on different muscle groups, such as sidestroke and backstroke, which target different muscle groups.

Improve Cardiovascular Health

Swimming doesn’t just tone your skeletal muscles. It gives your heart and lungs a real workout too, increasing lung capacity, circulation, and importantly, strengthening the heart. Some studies have shown that swimming not only improves cardiovascular health, but that it can also help with blood pressure and blood sugar regulation. The benefits to the respiratory system may be able to help people with asthma, too.

Improve Flexibility

Since swimming works out your entire body, it can help improve flexibility, too, which is perhaps the most often-overlooked component of physical fitness, despite the fact that it supports the others.

It’s Low Impact

Swimming is a low-impact activity, which means it doesn’t place a lot of strain on your muscles, bones and joints, even though it provides excellent resistance. This helps prevent inflammation of the joints and tendons, and it makes swimming safer, too. It just so happens that swimming is one of the few physical activities that’s relatively safe during pregnancy.

Manage Stress

There are studies that suggest swimming can help individuals manage feelings of stress. In one of them, only about 8% of a group of swimmers indicated feelings of stress and depression after swimming, whereas previously nearly 44% had - so swimming may not just help with chronic, but with acute stress. Swimming has also been demonstrated to boost and uplift the mood.

Improved Sleep

As many as 50% of older adults experience some form of insomnia, and the number may be as high as 40% among younger adults, too. Fortunately, swimming may be able to help relax you and help you get better sleep. It’s also one of the few physical activities that is suitable for basically all age groups - so nearly anyone can reap the benefits of better sleep through swimming.

Work with a Swimming Pool Company in Houston

Thinking about adding a pool to your home? If you’re in Texas, in the Houston area, you may be in luck.

Get in touch with Ocean Blue Pools, who for nearly 30 years has served as a trusted swimming pool company in Houston (while also serving the surrounding areas).

Ocean Blue Pools uses the latest technology to design custom pools, patios, landscaping and backyard kitchen, and then brings those visions to life.

You can learn more on their website, see examples of their previous work, or get in touch with them directly at 281-858-8000 to get the wheels of your project in motion.

For more information about Pebble Tech and Pool Builders Houston please visit:- Ocean Blue Pools, Inc.

[classic-property-management]

Luxury Townhome!

2728 Garden Gate Lane

Wylie, Texas 75098

RENT:$2,400•Available Now

2 beds•2 baths•1,343 sqft.

Apply Now:https://is.gd/Nejm6r

Amenities

Community Pool

Community Clubhouse

Stainless Steel Appliances

Granite Countertops

Electric Fireplace

Built-In Microwave Oven

Walk-in Closets

High Ceilings

Washer Dryer Furnished

Gym/Recreation Area

Luxury Townhome!

Luxury Townhouse located in the beautiful city of Wylie, TX. This spacious property features 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms & 2 car garage, providing ample space for comfortable living. The townhouse boasts a modern design with high ceilings, creating an open and airy atmosphere. The Kitchen is equipped with stainless steel appliances (Refrigerator, Gas Stove, Built-in Microwave, Dishwasher) and granite countertops, perfect for those who love to cook and entertain. Cozy up in front of the electric fireplace, adding warmth and charm to the living area. The built-in microwave oven offers convenience and saves counter space. The townhouse also includes walk-in closets, providing plenty of storage for your belongings. There is a small space off the hallway area that could be used for an Office or extra storage & separate utility furnished washer & dryer.

As a resident, you will have access to the community pool, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the warm Texas weather. The community clubhouse is also available for your use, providing a great space for gatherings and events. With its prime location and desirable amenities, this townhouse offers a comfortable and convenient lifestyle. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make this your new home. Contact us today to schedule a tour and experience the beauty and charm of this townhouse in person.

Contact Classic Property Management at (469) 609-1204 or email is at 2728-garden-gate-ln@rent.dynasty.com for inquiries.

"Discover The Classic Difference"

[floormasterus]

Advantages Of Vinyl Flooring Solutions In Lampasas, TX

In home decorating, choosing the floor is always an essential decision. Today the market offers a number of options suitable for both renovation and new construction, making vinyl flooring very popular in Lampasas these days. Homeowners appreciate vinyl for its extensive range of properties, including ease of maintenance and cost effectiveness, and this is why its use in homes is on the rise. In some introductory words, this post briefly discusses the advantages of Vinyl Flooring Solutions in Lampasas, TX.

1. Strength and reinforcement

Vinyl flooring is indeed very tough. Unlike traditional hardwood or even laminate flooring, vinyl flooring can resist heavy foot traffic as it is specially made for such. Such a feature is very helpful, especially in homes with multiple household members, pet owners, and even those with pets within the house of Lampasas, TX. Having scratches stains, and being resistant to moisture means you won't have to be at the mercy of wear over time. This is useful, especially in places such as kitchens and bathrooms, where accidents or dampness can lead to damage to other flooring.

2. Variety of styles

Decorating your space with vinyl means choosing from many patterns, colors, and textures that create an atmosphere in a room. Homeowners can choose from options that mimic the look of hardwood, stone, or tile, providing a high-end aesthetic without the hefty price tag. This has a particular draw for those who are doing work with a limited budget but still want the grace of wooden floors. You can choose any design you want when getting vinyl flooring since it is made in all colors and patterns.

3. Comfort underfoot

Wood flooring feels cold and hard, unlike the vinyl one, which is a more supple, warmer, and more comfortable material. Many vinyl options are available with added cushioning to make standing more comfortable for long periods. This additional cushioning can be a huge benefit for families with kids and people who often use these areas in the kitchen and laundry room.

4. Easy installation and maintenance

For homeowners considering Laminate Flooring Installation in Lampasas, TX, vinyl can be an easy and no-fuss alternative. Many of the vinyl flooring products are designed with a click-lock feature, which enables fast and glue-free installation, and to be very precise one can say without the need for nails. This, in turn, allows you to carry it out on your own most of the time; thus, it is a labor-saving measure for you.

5. Affordable

Comparing options, vinyl flooring is generally less expensive than laminate or hardwood. This makes it a value for money option for any homeowner who wants to remodel their home without spending too much. For people in Texas, such as Lampasas, savings in cost make it possible to deviate from the standard gray kitchen countertops and try a more expensive version. Nowadays, even some Hardwood Flooring Experts in Lampasas, TX are availing of the vinyl floor installation services.

Conclusion

So, you must be aware of these advantages of the vinyl flooring solutions. The best vinyl flooring solutions are available in the company Floor Master Texas.

[bigcountryrecycling]

Everything You Need to Know About Stainless Steel Recycling Services in Texas

Stainless steel is one of the most versatile and widely used materials in both industrial and household settings. Whether it's in kitchen appliances, medical instruments, or automotive parts, stainless steel is prized for its strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. But what happens when stainless steel items outlive their usefulness? The good news is that stainless steel is 100% recyclable, and recycling services across Texas are helping individuals and businesses recover and reuse this valuable material. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about stainless steel recycling services in Texas, from the benefits of recycling to how the process works.

Why Recycle Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel recycling is an essential practice for several reasons. First and foremost, stainless steel is a highly sustainable material because it can be recycled without losing its properties. Recycling stainless steel reduces the demand for virgin materials, such as iron ore and chromium, which are required to produce new stainless steel. By recycling, we conserve natural resources and reduce the environmental impact of mining and manufacturing.

Finally, stainless steel recycling is financially beneficial. Individuals and businesses can earn money by selling scrap stainless steel to recycling centers. Texas is home to many facilities that purchase stainless steel scrap, making it convenient for residents and companies to recycle their old items while also turning a profit.

How Stainless Steel Recycling Works

The stainless steel recycling process involves several key steps, each designed to ensure the material is properly sorted, processed, and prepared for reuse. Here’s how it typically works:

Collection of Scrap Stainless Steel

The first step in stainless steel recycling is the collection of scrap materials. Individuals, construction companies, manufacturers, and other industries gather scrap stainless steel from a variety of sources. Common items that can be recycled include:

Old kitchen appliances

Stainless steel sinks and faucets

Industrial machinery and equipment

Automotive parts

Medical instruments

Sorting and Identification

Once the scrap stainless steel is collected, it must be sorted and identified. Not all metals are created equal, and different types of stainless steel may contain varying amounts of nickel, chromium, and other elements. Recycling centers use advanced technologies like spectrometers and magnetic systems to accurately sort the different types of stainless steel. This step is crucial because it ensures that the recycled material maintains the quality needed for future use.

Processing and Shredding

After sorting, the stainless steel is processed and shredded into smaller pieces to make it easier to melt down in the next stage. Shredding increases the surface area of the material, allowing for more efficient melting. During this stage, other materials that may be attached to the stainless steel, such as rubber, plastic, or insulation, are also removed to ensure that the final product is pure stainless steel.

Melting

The shredded stainless steel is then sent to a furnace where it is melted down at high temperatures. The melting process can vary depending on the type of furnace used, but it typically involves heating the stainless steel to temperatures of around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Once melted, impurities are removed, and the liquid stainless steel is poured into molds or cast into specific shapes for reuse.

Purification and Alloying

During the melting process, stainless steel may undergo purification and alloying. Purification ensures that any remaining impurities are removed from the steel, while alloying involves adding elements such as nickel or chromium to achieve the desired properties for the new stainless steel product. This step ensures that the recycled material meets the required specifications for strength, durability, and corrosion resistance.

Solidification and Distribution

Once the stainless steel has been melted, purified, and alloyed, it is cast into molds and allowed to solidify. The solid stainless steel is then processed into sheets, bars, or other shapes, depending on the intended use. From here, the recycled stainless steel is ready to be distributed to manufacturers and other industries, where it will be used to create new products.

The Benefits of Using Professional Stainless Steel Recycling Services

Using professional stainless steel recycling services provides several benefits over trying to manage recycling on your own. Here’s why you should consider working with a certified recycling service:

Expertise and Knowledge

Recycling centers that specialize in stainless steel have the expertise and equipment needed to properly identify, sort, and process different grades of stainless steel. This ensures that the material is recycled correctly and can be reused in high-quality applications.

Convenience

Many recycling centers offer convenient services, including drop-off locations, pick-up for large quantities of scrap, and easy-to-use recycling bins for businesses. This makes it simple for you to recycle without having to deal with transportation or sorting on your own.

Financial Return

By selling your scrap stainless steel to a professional recycling center, you can earn money while also helping the environment. Many recycling services in Texas offer competitive prices for stainless steel scrap, giving you an incentive to recycle rather than dispose of old items in a landfill.

Environmental Impact

Stainless steel recycling reduces the need for mining and processing raw materials, which in turn reduces environmental degradation and pollution. By recycling, you’re contributing to a more sustainable future and helping to preserve natural resources.

Conclusion

Stainless steel recycling is an important and environmentally responsible practice that benefits both individuals and industries in Texas. From reducing energy consumption to conserving natural resources, recycling stainless steel has a significant positive impact. By using professional stainless steel recycling services, you can ensure that your scrap metal is properly processed and put to good use, all while earning a financial return. Whether you're a homeowner with an old appliance or a business with industrial scrap, Texas offers plenty of opportunities to recycle stainless steel and contribute to a greener future.

Take the next step in sustainable waste management with Big Country Recycling! Their Stainless Steel Recycling Services Texas are designed to help you recycle your stainless steel efficiently and responsibly. Don’t let valuable materials go to waste—partner with them to make a positive impact on the environment. Contact them today at 325-949-5865 or visit their location at 5117 Armstrong Street, San Angelo, TX 76903. Let Big Country Recycling be your trusted choice for Stainless Steel Recycling Services Texas!

Source: https://metalrecyclingsanangelotx.weebly.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-stainless-steel-recycling-services-in-texas

[nathanslifka]

Nathan Slifka is a Senior Project Production manager for Power Home Remodeling. His career starting in NJ as a remodeling consultant. He was 1 of 6 consultants in the company chosen to move to Texas to open their Dallas office in 2016. After almost 2 years as a consultant, he moved to the Project Services division.

[cycreekpest]

Impactful Pest Control Services in Houston, Cypress, and Katy, Texas

Keeping your home or business free of pests is very crucial, not just for your peace of mind, but also for your well-being. If you live in Houston, Cypress, or Katy, Texas, and have issues with certain pests, then the number one service to call is Cycreek Pest Control. Whether you need Houston bee control or Katy, Texas termite inspections, our team promises efficient, responsible, and sustainable pest control solutions that cater to all your needs through cutting-edge services.

Effective Houston Bee Control Services

Bees are integral to our ecosystems, but when they decide to make their nests around your home, they can be a big problem. Houston bee control is not just to remove but to do so in a manner that's safe for your family and the environment. At Cycreek Pest Control, our personnel are fully trained in carefully coping with and relocating these important pollinators so that your property is safe and without bees.

Whether you are dealing with a swarm or have an established hive, our Houston bee control professionals have the skill and experience, along with the right kind of equipment needed to handle the situation quickly and effectively.

Houston Ant Control: Eliminate Ant Infestations

Ants can quickly become a nuisance, invading your kitchen, bathrooms, and even outdoor spaces. That's why Houston ant control services by Cycreek Pest Control are targeted and delved into the source. Be it fire ants, carpenter ants, or common house ants, we specialize in treatments to wipe out these aggressive ants from your property and avoid their return.

Our dedicated team of ant control professionals in Houston works rapidly, using only eco-friendly products that are safe for your people and pets yet very tough on ants.

Rodents are a bigger health hazard compared to being a nuisance. Mice and rats commonly contaminate foodstuffs, damage property, and spread pathogens. Our company, Cycreek Pest Control, delivers professional Houston rodent control services, ensuring that rodents are eliminated fast and effectively. Our people will do a comprehensive look-up to identify entry points, nests, and food sources. The next course would be the follow-up with custom-designed control strategies for the elimination of rodents and preventing further pest infestation.

From sealing entry points to setting humane traps, our Houston rodent control solutions will give you peace of mind by knowing your home or business is rodent-free.

Cypress, Texas Pest Control: Your Local Solution

Are you in need of professional pest control in Cypress, Texas? Look no further than Cycreek Pest Control. Our professional team is experienced in understanding the different and unique challenges raised by pests in Cypress. We deal with everything from termites and mosquitoes to ants and rodents. We also offer comprehensive inspections, targeted treatments, and continuous maintenance services to ensure that your property is free from pests throughout the year.

Be it a sudden infestation or a preventive measure, our Cypress, Texas, pest control services offer the finest defense for your home and family.

Termite Inspection in Katy, Texas: Secure Your Home

When left unchecked, termites can cause major structural damage to your house. Termite inspections in Katy, Texas are very crucial in confirming termite activity before it becomes a very expensive problem. At Cycreek Pest Control, we do have thorough inspections and treatments designed to help in the elimination of termites and protect your property from future problems or infestations.

Our state-of-the-art tools permit our experts to discover the slightest activities of these insects, thus providing you with peace of mind and saving you from potential damage. 

Termite Inspection in Houston: Prevent Termite Damage

Much the same as in Katy, termites are a big issue for so many homeowners here in Houston. Houston professional termite inspection can discover early signs of an infestation and potentially save you thousands of dollars rather than having to correct termite damage. Cycreek Pest Control is on hand to perform a full termite inspection and treatment solution that would rid your premises of destructive pests and protect your investment.

Regular termite inspections in Houston will help keep one a step ahead of the potential attacks, thus ensuring that the house stays structurally sound.Pest control is essential for maintaining a safe and healthy environment in your home or business. Cycreek Pest Control provides a wide range of services, from Houston bee control to termite inspections in Katy, Texas, and beyond. Our trained professionals use cutting-edge technology and eco-friendly methods to eliminate pests and prevent future infestations.

[chorusfm]

Green Day + Keurig Coffee Kit

Green Day have teamed up with Keurig to release an American Idiot branded kit. BURLINGTON, Mass. and FRISCO, Texas, August 20, 2024 – Today, Keurig® announced a new collaboration with legendary punk rock band, Green Day to launch a limited-edition brewer kit to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band’s iconic album, ‘American Idiot’. The kit includes a custom-designed K-Iced™ Plus brewer, Punk Bunny Coffee K-Cup® pods and branded tumbler, plus exclusive access to a Spotify playlist curated by the band. The brewer bundles are available exclusively on Keurig.com for a limited time. Green Day is no stranger to coffee, having established their first coffee company, Oakland Coffee in 2015. Now known as Punk Bunny Coffee, the new brand builds on the core values of Oakland Coffee to provide a carefully curated organic, Fair Trade Certified™ coffee. Earlier this year, Punk Bunny Coffee announced a new partnership with Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) to join the Keurig K-Cup® pod system, making Punk Bunny Coffee available to more than 40 million U.S. households with a Keurig brewer. “We are on the road celebrating 20 years of American Idiot all summer,” said Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day. “Our buses and back stages have been stocked with our coffee company’s first ever signature brewer. Now, we can finally announce this release and hope you guys love it as much as we do!” Keurig continues to celebrate the intersection of music and coffee, which comes through in this limited-edition brewer. Inspired by the album’s iconic artwork and beloved lyrics, this brewer embodies a piece of cultural phenomenon for music and coffee lovers alike to enjoy. Fans can also savor their favorite Punk Bunny Coffee blends over ice, making it perfect for iced coffee lovers. “What’s impressive about Green Day is their unwavering passion for both their music and their coffee,” said Becky Opdyke, Senior Vice President, Coffee Marketing at Keurig Dr Pepper. “After working closely with the band on our Punk Bunny partnership, we were inspired to design a brewer that embodies their enthusiasm and celebrates one of their biggest accomplishments. We’re excited to deliver a piece of the band right to fans’ kitchen counters.” Fans can purchase the limited-edition brewer bundle for $159.99 on August 20 on Keurig.com, while supplies last --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/news/green-day-keurig-coffee-kit/

[splashawaypoolspatx]

Enhancing Outdoor Living Spaces: The Benefits of Adding  Pergolas in Midlothian and Waxahachie, TX

 In the charming community of Midlothian, Texas, where outdoor living is a cherished part of the lifestyle, homeowners continually seek ways to elevate their outdoor spaces. Adding a pergola is one of the most effective and stylish ways to achieve this. These versatile structures enhance the aesthetic appeal of one's backyard and significantly boost its functionality, offering a perfect blend of beauty and practicality. Here's how a pergola can transform the outdoor living space in Midlothian.   Creating a Defined Outdoor Space   One of the primary benefits of adding a pergola to one's Midlothian home is creating a defined outdoor living area. A pergola serves as an architectural focal point that visually separates different sections of the yard. Whether the homeowner is looking to create an intimate dining area, a cozy lounge space, or a shaded retreat, a pergola provides the perfect framework to delineate these spaces while maintaining an open and airy feel.   Enhancing Aesthetic Appeal   Pergolas in Midlothian and Waxahachie, TX are inherently beautiful structures that can dramatically enhance the visual appeal of any outdoor space. With various design options available, from classic wooden pergolas to more modern metal designs, one can choose a style that complements the existing architecture of one's Midlothian home. Whether it's a sleek, minimalist structure or a more ornate design with climbing vines and hanging plants, a pergola adds an element of sophistication and elegance to one's backyard.   Providing Shade and Comfort   In the Texas heat, shade is a valuable commodity. Pergolas provide much-needed relief from the sun without completely blocking out the light. The slatted design of a pergola allows for partial shade, creating a comfortable environment that's perfect for relaxing or entertaining outdoors. For additional shade, one can add retractable canopies and curtains or even grow climbing plants like wisteria or ivy, increasing the shade and enhancing the pergola's aesthetic appeal.       Increasing Property Value   Investing in a pool or a pergola can also boost the resale value of one's Midlothian home. Outdoor living spaces are highly desirable features, and a well-designed pergola can set the property apart from others on the market. Potential buyers are often drawn to homes that offer outdoor amenities, and a pergola can be a significant selling point. It demonstrates that the space is functional and thoughtfully designed, making it more appealing to prospective buyers. Homeowners can consult a pool company in Mansfield and Red Oak, TX for inground pool construction or remodels.   Versatile Entertainment Space   Pergolas are ideal for hosting gatherings and entertaining guests. Whether the homeowner throws a summer barbecue, a family dinner, or a quiet evening with friends, a pergola provides a versatile and inviting space for all social activities. With outdoor lighting, comfortable seating, and maybe even an outdoor kitchen, the pergola can quickly become the heart of one's outdoor entertainment area.   Customization and Personalization   One of the most significant advantages of a pergola is the ability to customize it to one's specific needs and tastes. From choosing the materials and finishes to adding personal touches like lighting, curtains, or heaters, homeowners can create a pergola that perfectly suits their lifestyle. Whether one prefers a rustic wooden structure with natural finishes or a modern aluminum design with sleek lines, the pergola can be as unique as one's home.   Adding a pergola to one's Midlothian home is an excellent way to enhance the functionality and aesthetic appeal of one's outdoor living space. With the ability to create defined areas, provide shade, and increase one’s  property's value, a pergola is a worthwhile investment that will offer enjoyment for years to come. 

[dancoremodeling]

Best Kitchen Renovation Company

Looking for a top-rated kitchen renovation company in Texas? Choose DANCO Builders & Remodelers! Our expert team delivers exceptional kitchen transformations with personalized designs and superior craftsmanship. Experience the best in kitchen renovation. Contact DANCO Builders & Remodelers today! Call at 8328071201. For more information visit our website.