#lakeside toys

[1980sactionfigures]

Raggedy Ann (Lakeside Toys)

[gallimaufryish]

[jbarchietto]

Few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to work with the brand Funwhole for a photoshoot of their A-Frame cabin set.

I really wanted to work outdoor, as the serene lakeside setting combined with the magic of nighttime provided the perfect backdrop to showcase the details and charm of their creation.

I share some shots of this enchanting project! Stay tuned for more shootings like this ;)

[clnclm]

[trinkerichi]

The origins of the Toybox Circus! 🎪

A short story about a vintage puppet who imagined a new world inside of a magical toybox.

Once upon a time there was a magician in a traveling curcus. He performed for audiences far and wide with his bag of tricks. The bag contained what seemed like endless amusing props, but the crowd’s favorite by far was a large wooden puppet. A ventriloquist puppet with enormous teeth in a permanent smile, mismatched eyes, dressed with a red suit and top hat, with a smiling white balloon tied to his hand. The magician called him Caine. 

Caine delighted audiences; the magician’s skills practically animating the puppet to life. And as the cheering crowd reflected in the puppet’s glossy painted eyes, it almost seemed like he was smiling back at them. 

As time went on, the audience became fewer. Sadly, the circus fell on hard times, and the magician desperately sold many of his belongings. The puppet was sold off to a curiosity shop, and stood for years on display in the window. 

Now an antique, the puppet still sat in the window, often looked upon by people passing by, but never again to be animated by human hands. 

Years of dust had collected on the puppet, yet he still sported his toothy grin nonetheless. 

One day, the shop fell into new ownership, and new furnishings were in order. For the first time in years, Caine was lifted up into a human’s arms. But only for a moment, as he was then unceremoniously dropped, among several other old toys, into a large wooden box. The lid slammed shut. The lock clicked as a key was turned. And there he lay. 

But one ray of light still shone in the puppet's eyes. Quite literally, the light shining from the keyhole of the wooden chest reflected in the eyes of the puppet lying in the darkness.

Now, what happened next cannot be explained. Some say the rays of the sun can have strange effects on beings, or perhaps there was some true magic left over from the magician's hands. Whatever the case, the puppet blinked. 

Then he looked around. 

And then, he laughed. 

For he was alive! Which was truly a wonderous thing, however it had happened. 

But soon enough, as living things often do, he desired companionship. After all, he was built for entertainment! 

So Caine, remembering the performance of his old friend the magician, focused on the balloon affixed to his hand. He focused, willed, wished with all his might. And soon, by harnessing his own kind of magic, the balloon began to move as if it was a puppet of his own! Amazing! 

Next, he willed the balloon to talk.

“Hwaaahh.. hiya, boss!” Said the balloon in a high pitched voice, now sporting a toothy grin of its own. It drifted a distance away and began to gnaw on one of the toys nearby.

Its behavior was a bit strange, but it was Caine's first attempt at a creation after all. He figured the results of his magic would get better with practice. 

Now, Caine decided he needed to illuminate his new home. And so, he imagined a smiling sun and moon, which he had seen depicted on a mobile overhead in the shop window. Sure enough, his imagination was so very strong that the magic worked again, and a happy little sun and moon appeared to shine upon the inside of the toybox. They both said hello as they gazed warmly upon their creator. 

Growing excited, Caine began to set his newfound magic on his surroundings. The inside of the toybox grew and grew, and within it, Caine created a world of his own. Manifesting from the locations he remembered from his past performances: a park, a fun fair, a lakeside beach, and finally an enormous circus tent. This was to be the main attraction, and Caine finally set to relive his glory days of entertaining audiences with his spectacular shows. Other toys from within the toychest danced along to his will as he commanded them to perform tricks. An invisible audience cheered at every act, laughing and clapping just as the puppet remembered. 

But with this, Caine suddenly felt dissatisfied. It was a feeling he could not place. Why shouldn't he be happy with this world of his own creation? What was missing? 

Caine snapped his fingers, dismissing the crowd and performers around him. The invisible audience went quiet, the animated toys went limp, and the imagined props disappeared in a pop of colorful streamers. 

Caine's ballon bobbed behind him as he pondered. “Ya got a problem, boss?” the balloon chattered. 

“I find myself at a loss, my faithful assistant.” Caine responded. 

No matter what he created, how plainly he could see it before his very eyes, it didn't feel real. What was this all for? If not for… 

That's it! Humans! Oh how had he forgotten? The joy of entertaining real humans was what he'd truly missed all along. 

Caine looked upon the various lifeless toys strewn about. He could command them to speak, create little personalities for them, have them do all he wished. But alas, even with all of the magic in the world, the imagination of a wooden puppet is far too limited to simulate a convincingly alive human. One who can speak and act on their own, who can tell Caine far more about the world than what he already knows. 

And so, Caine wished once more. He wished for humans to find him once again. To make them happy in his world of entertainment. 

For ages, nothing came of this. And Caine continued on in his empty world.

Until. A miracle! A miraculous miracle! A toy arose to its feet without Caine's influence. A stuffed dog stumbling around, distressed and confused, insisting they were human and mortified at their appearance. Last they remembered, they had apparently looked through a kaleidoscope that sat atop an old wooden toybox. They wondered aloud if this was some sort of strange nightmare. 

But Caine was overjoyed! What a new experience! Welcoming his new guest, Caine set to work once again on his circus performances. Now that he had a human to have fun with, he would never again feel the loneliness of the once dark empty toybox. 

But sadly, the joy could not last. Despite Caine's best efforts, the human simply could not adjust to their new home. They found Caine's appearance to be horrifying. Constantly begging for a way out, the human spoke of lost memories, of their “real body”, of family who may be searching for them, of the unsettling fakeness of their new plush form. These concepts were alien to Caine, and though he tried to sympathize, he simply could not understand. 

The human became reclusive. They refused to participate in the circus performances, and spent their days muttering darkly about concepts Caine couldn't begin to understand. 

Eventually, it seemed a breaking point was hit. To Caine's dismay, the plush dog began to… tear at their own stitching. Screaming, yet continuing despite all of the pain this was apparently causing. The cotton stuffing inside the dog spilled out, twisting and turning in a frenzy as if trying to free itself from the inside. The thread holding fur pieces together unraveled and split, the dog's button eyes chipped and cracked. The plush toy had now become an unrecognizable writhing mass of ripped fabric and stuffing.

Caine had seen the dog become hurt before. Some of the circus acts led to injury more than once, but Caine had always been able to easily fix any damage caused. But he had never seen an event such as this. Quickly he summoned his magic to put the dog back together, but no matter how many times he attempted to fix the stitching, it all unraveled again even worse than before. What was left of the dog seemed to be clawing at the floor. The mass of fibers tumbled about, slamming into the walls and tearing at its surroundings. All the while, a distorted mix of growling and screaming echoed through the circus tent. 

Caine was at a complete loss. Oh, this would never do! But if he couldn't heal the human, he must think of another solution… 

Now, the inside of the toybox was a vast expanse. Caine had created a little island of sorts that contained his circus grounds, but surrounding this was a large dark pit of seemingly nothing. Extra space that Caine could not think of a use for at the time. Thus, it remained empty. Caine had never seen a reason to venture out past his circus, so the empty space remained a mystery to him. Surely the bottom of the toybox must be down there somewhere, he figured.

Now, it seemed, it had found a use. 

Lifting up the writhing mass that used to be his human friend, Caine tipped it over the edge and into the black abyss that surrounded the circus grounds. He listened for a sound to indicate it had reached the bottom of the toybox, but no sound ever came. 

“My dear human!” he eventually said aloud to the void, “I promise I shall find a way to cure you one day!” And he had every intention to. But at the moment, all Caine could think to do was stare into the blackness. 

But joy soon came once again, when another human had awakened as a toy in Caine's magical circus! And Caine decided then and there that he would constantly work even harder to keep his guest entertained and happy. This way, hopefully, such a tragic event wouldn't happen again! 

The years went by, and the human was joined by another, and another! Soon Caine had a whole group of humans together as members of his amazing circus. Difficulties would arise of course, and once in a while another human would befall a similar fate to the first, rendered to nothing but an abstract shredded mess. Caine would quickly discard these abstractions just as he had the first, so as not to upset the remaining humans. 

And so the years passed this way. Humans would appear in the circus. New adventures and acts would be created every day, the humans performing for an invisible audience at the command of Caine. And occasionally, a human would go mad and unravel, to be replaced by the next new friend who would join the act. 

It was a cycle that Caine was content to continue for all eternity. 

As they say, the show must go on. 

[luvyeni]

luvyeni's masterlist 🤍...

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recent work: cockblockers nct dream 00 liners fic

upcoming:

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texting chan while he's at the studio [M][💬]

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coming soon ...

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©️LUVYENI

[stalkerr-daddy]

Taking you on a vacation to a lakeside cabin in the mountains, one night we start drinking and smoking, just relaxing after a day at the lake. You drink a little too much and decide to go to bed. You wake up randomly in the middle of the night and see somebody in a mask standing over your bed, watching you sleep. You start to let out a scream but they jump on top of you, quickly covering your nose and mouth so you’re not able to make any more noise. They pull out a knife and start cutting your clothes off of you, starting with your shirt so they can touch and feel your perfect tits. Then cutting away your panties, touching your clit, playing with your hole to see how wet you get when you’re scared. As you’re fighting and squirming they get sick of it, unbuckling their belt and pulling their cock out, shoving it inside of you as deep as possible, you gasp, you go limp and your brain goes completely blank. As they start thrusting inside of you, you start fighting some more, with the last bit of energy you have, they put the knife to your throat, pressing it against hard against your skin and you completely stop fighting. Knowing that you better sit there while they rape you, allowing them to fuck you however they want, it’s not like you have a choice. As they’re desperately fucking your pussy they’re choking you, groping your tits, kissing and sucking on them. They’re putting their fingers in your throat, making you gag on them while they shove them as deep down your throat as possible. Making you feel like a pathetic slut, just a set of holes for them to use for their pleasure, and their pleasure only. You lay there like a limp little doll as they desperately hump you, shoving their cock as deep inside of you as possible and cumming against your cervix, breeding your pussy. Leaving you there, dripping cum, feeling like a used toy. I come into your room the next morning and tell you that I made you breakfast, you slowly get out of bed, you’re very sore and your brain is numb from what you went through the previous night, but you still have no idea it was me who snuck into your room with a mask on

[crossnamara]

Black Friday dash simulator

⭐latte-hatte Follow

Ugh my bitch coworker is out with her stupid boyfriend. At least we arent busy but Im not getting any tips. Think Im going to kill someone

⭐latte-hatte Follow

Whats going on at Lakeside?

⭐latte-hatte Follow

THEY WHAT

(3,247 notes)

☕blackcoffelvr Follow

If I hear that stupid jingle one more time, I swear I'm going to lose it.

🎀tickle-me-wiggly Follow

You'we going to make your friendy-wend cwy!

☕blackcoffelvr Follow

Good.

(214 notes)

🟩unclewileytoysofficial Follow

totally caused all those riots on purpose guys

🟩unclewileytoysofficial Follow

LMAO THEY SENT ME A CEASE AND DESIST FOR THIS

(15,204 notes)

🍏unclewileytoys Follow

Uncle Wiley Toys™ is not responsible for any injury, death, or religious fervour that may be caused while purchasing, using, or looking at a Tickle-Me Wiggly doll.

(54 notes)

🇺🇸howardgoodmanbignaturals Follow

(987,678 notes)

🎭ruthie6969 Follow

DID I JUST FIND OUT THEY NUKED RUSSIA BECAUSE OF A FUCKING DESTIEL MEME????

🤓micropeter Follow

THEY WHAT

🎭ruthie6969 Follow

(13 notes)

🍏unclewileytoys Follow

i need to get him pregnant

🍏unclewileytoys Follow

FUCK WRONG BLOG

⌚wear-a-watch Follow

wHAT

(204,507 notes)

[kosmichippieccfinds]

👑 MEDIEVAL MODS + CC | The Sims 4

I am currently playing Morbid's ULTIMATE Decades Challenge over on YouTube. Below is a list of all of the Mods + CC I am using in my game to create the ultimate MEDIEVAL experience 👑

I'll be updating this list as I add new mods and cc to my game.

📺 Watch on YouTube

👑 MODS:

Medieval Windenburg

MC Command Center

MC Woohoo

More Traits in CAS

Royalty Mod

Medieval Interactions

Ye Olde Cookbook + Stoves

Home Region by Kuttoe

Fashion Authority 2 by Lot51

Functional Broom

Functional Loom

Functional Pottery Wheel

Archery Skill

Blacksmithing Skill

Honey Production Mod + Mead Brewer

Children/Toddlers Can Die of Anything

Playable Harp + Lute

Functional Horses & Carriages, No Helmet

Create Campfire Bonfire Anywhere

Arranged Marriages

Custom Farm Animals

Purchase Custom Animals

Zero's Historical Mods (pickpocket, disease, etc.)

Phone to Notebook Replacement

Sippy Cup + Toys Default Replacements

Stuff for Pets

Harvestable Wheat Grain

Natural Knitting Stuff

Live in Business (LittleMsSam)

More Buyable Venues (LittleMsSam)

Force to Leave (LittleMsSam)

👑 CC:

Build:

TSR Ye Medieval - Ligna Windows Set

TSR Ye Medieval - Timber Frame Walls

TSR Ye Medieval - Framework Walls

TSR - Broken Wood Door

TSR Ye Medieval - Soil Terrain

TSR Ye Medieval - Hay Ground Terrain

Birch Tree (2048x2048)

Objects:

Lili's Palace - Folklore Set No. 1

Linzlu's Frontier Items

TSR Ye Medieval - Peasant Homelife 1

TSR Ye Medieval - Peasant Homelife 2

TSR Ye Medieval - Peasant Homelife 3

TSR Ye Medieval - Peasant Homelife 4

TRS Ye Medieval - Tristan Bathroom

TSR Ye Medieval - Tavern Part 1

TSR Ye Medieval - Candle Holder

TSR - Skara Stool

TSR - The Old Garden Boat

TSR - The Old Garden Quay

Fish Market Decor

Fish Rack

Fish Crate V1

Fish Crate V2

Bohrium Vegetables I

Old Rustic Well ("Eco Living" version)

Stable Set by Moriel

Rustic Animal Shed

Rustic Chicken Coop

Rustic Bee Box

Bassinet + Infant Crib

CAS:

TheSimsResource (Ye Medieval)

TheSimsResource (Sifix)

Simverses (most of my peasant CC)

Anora's Hair (Princess Leia's Kenobi Hair by Buzzard)

Rosceline's Hair (Lusine by simstrouble)

Kenric's Hair (Henry Hair by JohnnySims)

Mira's Hair (Padme's Mustafar Hair by Buzzard)

Papa Cedrick's Hair (Wearwolves Game Pack)

Roseline's Peasant Dress

👑 LOTS:

Caspian's Seaside Hut (Lot + CC List) (20x20)

Caspian's Lakeside Cottage (Lot + CC List) (20x20)

TSR Ye Medieval Avelyn Castle (64x64)

TSR Ye Medieval Galbury Tavern (30x20)

TSR Ye Medieval Tyrada Tavern (30x20)

TSR Ye Medieval Herbalist Hut (40x30)

👑 SAVE FILE:

Srsly's Blank Save

Map Replacement Medieval Windenburg

[cuttleimagines]

𝙱𝚊𝚕𝚍𝚞𝚛'𝚜 𝙶𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝟹 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚜:

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙼𝚘𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚗 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝™ (part 1)

𝙱𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝟹𝚊𝚖 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚢𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚕

Contains: Astarion, Halsin, Gale, and Wyll

Warnings: 𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚢 𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚎𝚜, 𝚗𝚘 𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚢/𝚗, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚞𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚜, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚖𝚊𝚘

Have more headcanons? Let me know in the comments!

Like what I write? Tip me on ko-fi! ⚔️

Halsin:

Halsin’s the outdoorsy BBQ dad who takes you on family camping trips.

You learn all of your life-saving skills from daddy Halsin. How to build a campfire from scratch, how to safely put one out, how to pitch a tent, how to fish.

A particular core memory you share with your dad is when he brought you to the lakeside, teaching you how to skip rocks across the calm waters.

“Look for flat rocks, little one. The ones you can run the pads of your thumbs over.” Halsin hums, the rocks crunching under his shoes as his eyes scan for the best rocks to gather for you to practice with.

His strong arms give the best hugs, and his broad shoulders are the best to lean on when sitting down next to him.

You already know all the moms simp over him when he shows up for school gatherings 💀

They see how attentive he is, how he’s always at LEAST 10 minutes early to your recitals, games, award ceremonies, fundraisers, you name it. He’s always willing to volunteer if the school staff need an extra pair of muscles too.

Since he volunteers a lot, he starts to become pretty popular amongst your classmates too. Definitely the cool dad without trying to be the cool dad.

Probably one of the coaches for the local little league

Mans has an affair with his grill. That thing is his BABY. It’s sacred.

Your weekend evenings are filled with the cool summer evening air against your skin and the faint scent of bug spray and the smoke from dad’s grill, playing with your yard toys.

He’s happy to have helpers as long as you ask! He’s a very patient teacher. He’ll pass you a turning fork and a meat paintbrush to perfectly cover the meat in his homemade BBQ sauce that was passed down for generations.

“Look at you, making dinner all by yourself!” He’d let out a hearty laugh, a proud smile on his face as he eats with the rest of the family, the small glow of a latern on the table outside illuminating his face. “It tastes better than I usually make it. Well done.”

He can hike like a motherfucker

There is not one trail this man has not conquered. His favorite is always one closest to the waterfalls wherever you all camp.

You are his pride and joy and he shows it. A HUGE sucker for you but he is firm with discipline. Refuses to hit you, only believes in consequence with experience.

Will 100% put you in the timeout corner. Is not fooled by toddler crocodile tears.

He has expectations, but he’s such a caring dad to the point where you don’t really see them as annoyances or burdens.

He’s a listener. If you’re going through something, he’ll listen and carry it out. Helps you in all the ways he knows how.

Puts a LOT of trust in you, highly suggest you don’t break that trust as you get older and become more independent.

Hyper-protective but not in a helicopter parent way. Just pls always give him frequent calls and updates whenever you’re out otherwise he will worry.

His texting style is very brief but you can tell he cares lol

“dad I’m going to my friend’s house and staying the night.”

“👍❤️” “Stay safe. Call me when you get there.”

Idk if I stressed this: DAD BEAR HUGS !!

Dad Song™️ that reminds you of him: You’ll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins

Wyll:

Wyll’s the nostalgic workaholic, attentive and caring dad who taught you life lessons that you’ll think about for the rest of your life.

He’s very very passionate about helping as many people as he can and saving those who need it the most, so I picture him being gone a lot due to work.

He probably travels a lot and you were mostly with your other parent while growing up.

However, when he is home, I cannot explain to you how amazing of a father your dad is.

Like, I can picture your other parent getting so fed up with all the responsibilities of holding down the fort so long without his help, and when he walks in the door, all of that tension is just gone.

He’s a movie dad, probably knows all the classic films and wins all of the trivia games when it comes to 60s - 2000s movies.

(No, seriously, never bring this man to an Olive Garden or a Chili’s to play the trivia games on the little iPads. He’ll win every fucking time.) 💀

That also means frequent movie nights when he’s home!

Imagine being cuddled up with popcorn, laying beside your dad on the couch while he makes side commentary on the plot that makes you laugh.

If you show him a movie or a song, he’s very attentive and will ask many questions, such as “Who’s this actress? She’s really talented” or “When was this made?"

When you were a baby, he'd be the type to sway with you in his arms, singing to one of his favorite songs as it played on the stereo in the morning

Occasionally, he still does it. He gets really happy if you learn the lyrics and sing with him. 😭

Being active is a big, big thing for him. Please, play outside. Be a kid. Don’t be cooped up inside. He HATES that.

He’s gonna encourage sports, as long as you stay up-to-date on studies and try your best.

I don’t see him getting upset if you have grades below an A. Just as long as you’re passing and trying your best, he’s happy.

However, if you have a goal to get into a competitive school, he might push you a little.

“The hardest steps are always the first ones. After you pass that, you will sail.”

Whenever anyone at the school is giving you shit, please, please tell him. He'll be so heartbroken if his baby doesn't come to him with their problems. ☹️

I don’t think it’s a surprise that he’s not going to swear in front of you, or encourage drinking or sneaking out of any kind.

He volunteers a lot at your school events, similar to Halsin. They have frequent conversations together, bonding over their little bundles of joy. 😭

When you get older, he’s teaching you everything he KNOWS about adulthood

Shows you how to do your taxes the DAY you turn 17 so you’re a year ahead and don’t have to pay anyone, takes you out to practice driving a lot, helps you move into your college dorm.

“Are you positive you have everything you need? I know I’m not here frequently, but I’ll drop my duties if you need anything.”

I think for your 18th birthday, he gets matching tattoos with you and lets you pick out the design/the words.

He flaunts it a lot, regardless of whatever it is.

You’re his BABY!! He’s so proud to be your dad 🥹

Dad Song™️ that reminds you of him: Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tennille

Astarion:

Astarion is 100% the "don't tell your mom" dad who lets you get away with murder.

Astarion never pictured himself as someone who would be having children. He didn't even think he'd be a good father. So when you were born, everything crashed around him, and all he could see was tunnel vision when your tiny hand held his finger. 🥹

However, please keep in mind that he has no idea what the literal fuck he is doing when he's getting into the whole "dad" thing. Whenever you spit up, start bawling, or shit yourself he just holds you up like "What the fuck do I do?"

This slowly fades as you get older and he goes from holding you like a fragile piece of glass to hoisting you up by one arm like you were a sack of potatoes.

Encourages mischievous behavior. If you want a cookie before dinner, you get one. If you want to watch TV past 9:00, he won't tattle.

Whenever you're young, it's a little difficult to get along with your dad, surprisingly, but mainly just because he doesn't know how to properly play with you and give you the one-on-one you need. But trust that he'll be there. Just distant.

As you get older, though, he finds it easier to relate to things with you, and you grow closer. Especially when you start learning how to gossip. God, he loves that. Tell him what that one bitch told you in the hallways. He's the BEST at talking shit.

"Honestly, darling, you need to use that backbone I gave you. The best way to piss somebody off is to act like they can't touch you. Come on, practice on me. Tell me my mother's a whore."

Yeah, you get in trouble quite often. You're Astarion's kid. Who's surprised?

However, your little eyes light up whenever the teacher threatens to call your father. That man is your lawyer in the principal's office.

He is the school board's worst nightmare. It's so good. 🤭

"So what if they put gum in her hair? Honestly, though, have you SEEN her? She needs some color in her hair, I think. I believe they were helping her, personally."

I'm sorry but if you stay at home a lot of the time and you're in your teens, he WILL give you shit for it.💀

You always remember seeing him sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, swirling a glass of wine in his hand as he stares at you with that raised eyebrow.

"It's a Friday night. You have friends, don't you? Sneak out every once and a while. Be a kid, for gods sake."

Although he's incredibly relaxed about you partying and staying out late, you'd better CALL him if you get in trouble. He always stays up to make sure you get back home safe.

One memory you always hold onto is your dad always having a hand on you in public. Whether that be on your shoulder, absentmindedly twirling your hair, hand on the small of your back, or just holding the cloth of your shirt. NOBODY is touching you. ‼️

Surprisingly, he’s a dad who prioritizes safety beyond everything else. Look both ways, carry pepper spray at all times, always carry cash, never have your phone below 20 percent out of the house. More importantly, CALL him if you’re walking home alone so people know not to fuck with you.

He has your location on and checks it frequently, but don’t worry, he’s not anal about anything as long as it’s in character for you.

Because of this, you have the best street smarts out of all your friends.

He's an absolute NIGHTMARE at your school games. Talks shit to all of the parents on the other side and is the loudest when it comes to calling out the refs for bad calls.

“Double dribble?! Where?! How about you double dribble on this dic—“

He's gotten escorted out of the gymnasium a few times. 💀

When you get older, he becomes someone you confide in a LOT. And he’s going to be there for you, no matter the circumstance.

Overall, he just wants to give you a better life than he had. He's the most loyal father EVER.

Dad Song™️ that reminds you of him: Renegade - Styx

Gale:

Like Astarion, Gale is also a "don't tell your mom'' dad, but for very, very different reasons.

He's just a sucker for you, honestly. Can't say no to your big puppy eyes that you got from him.

I don’t think it’s a surprise that Gale’s secretly always wanted to be a father. That man gets off on sharing his knowledge. Passing that down to a little tiny Dekarios running around the house is right up his alley.

Gale just absolutely loves being a dad.

He loves playing pretend with you, getting to see how your little mind works while he crawls on the floor pretending to be a horse while you ride on his back.

Playing hide and seek is his favorite because you giggle so loudly and hide in such an obvious spot every time. It’s the cutest thing ever.

“Hmm… Where could that little rager have run off to…? I wonder~” He’d grin, staring right at the blanket you had so deviously hidden under.

Gale would buy those math flashcards to teach you times tables when you’re way too young for it.

You don’t care though because you get to spend time with your dad and his frustration’s funny when you just stare blankly at him.

Another thing he loves to do is read to you. You know those preschool teachers who show the book around and make little voices for the characters? That's him.

As you get older, you learn what to go to him for.

If you fake a sickness because you don't want to go to school, he's coming to pick you up. Even though he's very well aware that you're faking, and you're gonna get an earful of a lecture about it, he's always there if you need him.

He'd take you out for ice cream and while you're stuffing your face, he has the most disapproving look on his face.

"You know, you can't expect to get good grades if you've got chocolate ice cream in your stomach while the other kids are getting fed important information, sweetheart. Are you listening to me?"

As you get older please be gentle with him because he still sees you as a freshly wrapped-up newborn. It breaks his heart whenever you get in arguments when you reach your rebellious hormonal teenage persona.

Despite your issues with your dad being a little overprotective with high expectations, he's such a teddy bear and you grow a big soft spot for him as you get over your rebellion.

He's very easy to make laugh if you pull pranks on him. If you hide behind one of the doors and scare him, he's so animated it's great.

"I'm getting old, you know! You'll make my heart stop one of these days!" He'll joke, laughing through his rapid heartbeats.

He always has photos of you as a baby and insists on taking photos at all your big moments. Your graduation, he's first in line to take a picture with his baby. Damned scholarships can wait. He's the one who raised you.

Posts pictures of you all the time with witty captions and might throw a baby photo or two in the mix for a bit of nostalgia.

"Still terrorizing my wallet after all these years. I am a walking piggy bank. 😂 Love you, you hellion! Happy birthday. 🥳" Posted with a picture of you as a baby with one of those boujee toy kitchen sets right next to a picture of you getting your first car.

He's so posh about his cooking and will insist on eating at home ALL the time. You started to grow sick of it but after moving out you missed home-cooked foods so bad. Everytime you visit, you INHALE your dad's food.

Wears a "Kiss the Cook" apron, plays music whenever he grills.

Speaking of grilling, all the dads get together to grill once every few months but Astarion doesn't participate and just brings his family there for the free food because he can't be asked to cook. 😭

Dad Song™️ that reminds you of him: Dream On - Aerosmith

[unleashed-fest]

UNLEASHED FEST: REVEALS!!!

It's time, reveals are finally here!

A massive thank you to all our gorgeous creators who poured their hearts and soul into their works, please shower them with love!

And to all the readers and commenters, who have been so supportive throughout. This fest has been such a joy again and we can't wait to see you all next year!

🐾 FIC

Nectar by @jtimu (Draco/Harry, T, 1.9k) Draco's first Animagus transformation doesn't go as planned.

Gym Rats and Whippet Pats by @ViridianRynn (Dudley/Millicent, T, 6.8k) When his longtime girlfriend Milli adopts a dog, Dudley wants nothing to do with him. He's never had a dog and he's never wanted one.

His avoidance of taking care of the new pup is tested when Milli goes on a business trip for two weeks and leaves the dog in his care. Will he be able to step up to the task, or will his inability to connect with the dog endanger his relationship?

A fluffy little romp in which Dudley gets a crash course in pet ownership and learns that it isn't easy to keep a furry companion out of your heart.

Little Menace by @annanother-thing (Draco/Harry, M, 3k) Draco wants to make his mother happy. Narcissa wants everyone to get along. Harry wants to call Leonora Leo. Lucius wants his son to break up with his boyfriend and marry a good pureblood woman.

And Leonora? Well, she's quite happy playing with all the toys she can find...

The Cat-astrophe by @thetacowrites (Draco/Harry, E, 4.3) Harry Potter can't sleep. Grimmauld Place is being haunted by a vicious ghost of a cat who inflicts a magical injury onto Harry and the Ministry of Magic sends one of its Junior Unspeakables to investigate. The unspeakable in question being Draco Lucius Malfoy.

The Selkie's Secret by @midnightstargazer (Neville/Pansy, T, 5.1) A series of encounters by the lakeside in seventh year lead Neville to discover a different side to Pansy Parkinson. Despite the war going on, the two form an unexpected bond. Can it be strong enough to survive the Battle of Hogwarts?

Run, Rabbit, Run by @dracopetal (Draco/Harry, E, 46k) Harry finds an injured rabbit in the Forbidden Forest.

Which Came First, the Phoenix or the Flame? by @astridastrolabe (Luna/Draco/Ron, M, 18k) It's a tale as old as time: the darkest night of the soul– and taking that one.more.breath.anyway. The hero(ine)'s journey.

Just as Ron is truly having a final, wrackspurt-induced, alcohol-inflamed psychotic break, he finds that there are forces far beyond his control that have a very different path for him. Namely those forces of the Great Houses Lovegood, Bulstrode and Malfoy. Ron and his pet cockatoo, Sturgil, cross a threshold of more than one level of reality. Polyamory, adults doing their best, recovery story, lots of inner narration. Complex!Ron POV. Buckle up.

Creature Comforts by IzRoan (Draco/Harry, M, 86k) When Draco is turned into a werewolf, he does not expect to be given a postbellum bedroom in Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, nor does he expect to find a whole new set of friends.

When Harry is turned into a werewolf, he does not expect to make a whole new set of friends. He could have anticipated, however, falling even harder in love with the stubborn, acerbic, workaholic prat who’s been hovering at the fringes of his life for the past seven years.

This is exactly what happens.

Raising Kids by nicolawritesdrh (The Other Kind) (Pansy/Neville, E. 4.8k) "Pansy exhaled deeply. “Neville,” she said slowly, “When I suggested we get a pet, I meant a cat or a dog. I never mentioned a fucking goat.”"

When Pansy suggested they get a pet to practice their parenting skills before trying for a baby, she hadn't expected Neville to walk in the door with the world's worst behaved goat.

The Cat that got the Créme (de la Potter) by @youhavemyswordandmybow and @aniimamundi (Draco/Harry, E, 22.6k) Draco's doing fine after the war. No, really! He's a repentant, industrious employee by day and a gorgeous, vigilante cat by night. So what if he's been disowned by his parents (father)? Life's great!

And, when he gets into a spot of trouble? Pffft … he's going to save himself! Easy peasy. The Chosen One is not actually required. He just happens to be there. It's not like Draco went looking for him … or anything.

Ripped Apart by @dittanyanddreams (Draco/Harry, E, 4.3k) Following his father’s failings in the war, nobody in the Wizarding World knew of Draco’s affliction - his father’s punishment being his son handed over to Greyback to do with as he pleased. Somehow Draco had managed to claw his way back - pun intended - into some form of acceptance in society again, although he knew there were those out there who thought he should be in Azkaban - or dead. He’d also fallen in love, with none other that Harry fucking Potter. If they know we’re dating, it will only be worse for him, Draco thought as he walked through Knockturn Alley on the way to the apothecary. Draco couldn’t know at that moment how wrong this thought was.

Scales and Sorcery by Splashstar01 (Draco/Harry, E, 13.9k) As toddlers, Harry Potter and Draco’s lives change when they befriend each other on James Potter’s Romanian dragon reserve, where Draco is hatched as a rare shape-shifting Hungarian Horntail. The two quickly become inseparable, and as they grow up together, their bond deepens into something truly magical and unbreakable.

Follow them on this unique coming-of-age journey of self-discovery and first love, where Harry finds his soulmate in the most unexpected of creatures.

Kaleidoscope by @dyke3vader (Harry/Ron/Hermione, E, 39k) Dear Mooney and Padfoot,

It’s been months, and I’m sorry.

Harry discovers old letters written by his father, and uncles, while organizing Hogwarts' archives. Desperate for any type of connection to the dwindling memories of his parents, he embarks on a journey to become an Animagus with Ron and Hermione - Leaving his job, his emotions, and his fiancée by the wayside. Maybe if he digs around in the past for an answer, the universe would be kind enough to help him out… Unless said universe was sick and tired of Harry Potter looking backwards instead of forwards.

Wherever He Leads Me by @dodgerkedavra (Draco/Harry, E, 11.2k) Draco never knows when a certain someone’s stag Patronus will block his path as he’s trying to sneak out of a memorial or leap on his pelvis during yoga class.

He doesn’t even know if Harry Potter is sending frantic messages via stag on purpose.

But he does know that whenever the stag appears, he’ll follow it.

No matter where it leads.

🐾 FIC AND ART

Every Glade With You by @blackseatwenty (Luna/Theo, G, 2.8) Luna wasn't surprised by the growing number of sightings; she was prepared to save the creatures to help those who didn't believe her, but she was taken aback when Theo decided to join her on the journey.

🐾 PODFIC

Draco Malfoy and the Crupnapperby Oakstone730 by @cailynwrites(Draco/Harry, E, 4 hours) Life as a night shift creature keeper is scarcely the life Draco once imagined for himself, but ten years after the death of Voldemort he’s accepted his fate. Until the day Harry Potter forces his way back into Draco’s world and everything turns upside down.

Trevor the Escape Artist by DrPansyParkinson by @lumosatnight (Pansy/Neville, G, 30-35min) Trevor the Master of Escape feels his reputation being ruined because a certain someone keeps successfully locating him and bringing him back to his owner. Trevor is often found in bathrooms because he likes humidity.

[honeyspawn]

Silly little assorted Hatchetfield Headcannons that don't warrant thir own individual post:

Paul is a pretty good cook, but not an excellent cook. Like, a 7/10. Above average. Sometimes his food comes out a little bland, but his chicken is never dry, and his pancakes are always fluffy.

Richie draws fan art. Ruth writes fanfiction.

Mr. Spankoffski's shoe store is in Lakeside Mall near Toy Zone, and he is on friendly terms with Frank Pricely. Sometimes when Pete is around he goes in there to look for action figures or Lego sets when he has spare cash. (Also Pete was helping his Dad in the mall during Black Friday, and Ted came when he heard what was going on to pick them up)

Boy Jerry didn't actually think Donna was guilty of murder in "Hatchet Town," he was just trying to get a promotion.

Richie makes cosplay tiktoks.

Despite being very good at swimming, for years Daniel's family thought he couldn't swim at all, because they never could see him doing it, and thought he was lying when he said he swam across the pool and back in a split second.

Ruth loves Be More Chill

Lex found out Santa wasn't real when she was 9 because Pam forgot/didn't bother to get her or Hannah gifts from Santa that year. When Lex asked, Pam confirmed it and said she's not doing it anymore. Lex has been making or buying Hannah a gift from Santa every year since, even after Hannah stops believing in Santa (it's a tradition at this point)

MacNamara and his husband have 3 kids. Their oldest son (Joey's army character, in tgwdlm, since apparently that was what he himself intended with his character portrayal), and 2 identical twin daughters about the same age as Hannah Foster.

Before she had to switch schools, Alice was the stage manager for the Hatchetfield High drama department, and Ruth was her underclassmen protégé (Ruth absolutely used to have a crush on her).

[ch6douin]

What if instead of you have a lil characters of survivors follow you. Some survivors get a lil you to follow them.

If for some unknown reason this happened i know that most survivors will be very confused yet intrigued by lil you, specially because you chose one of them in specific. For example:

Edgar: Annoyed, but not enough to forget that even if you keep distracting him from his painting sessions, now he has the perfect reference to paint you. Even then he still finds that your plushie lacks in appearance and details if he compares to the real thing. He enjoys having mini you on his lap or a nearby dresser so it can watch him paint.

Patricia: Finds herself talking with your plushie even though it cannot answer back. As a kiter, she still finds it better to have mini you wait inside her room. I feel like Patricia didn't have enough time to enjoy her childhood which means that it is one of her very first plushies, and so she takes care of it very well. She makes sure to sew mini you herself if your stuffing comes out.

Mary: Oh but of course your plushie wants to be by her company! Who wouldn't want to know what the queen herself does in her free time? But mini you follows her around too much, even during matches! She'll have you wait inside her chambers before your comically small feet get stained with mud. And then, when Mary feels like it, she may share a few things with you.

Robbie(platonically, of course): It's his favorite toy now, no further questions. Will carry you around everywhere, dragging you by your little arm, and will forget that everywhere means even lakeside village. When he finally realizes, you're drenched and grimy, forcing him to ask for the help of an adult to clean you up thoroughly. Robbie will NOT share you, he's a good kid but you're an exception.

Even though mini you only picked one of them to follow around, the others cannot resist but sometimes try to steal you away. Well done, little you is now the mascot of Oletus Manor.

[rbvcdeluxe]

It's Black Friday

at

Hatchetfield

Lakeside

Mall

With sales so

HUGE

You'll

LOSE

YOUR

MIND

doors open at

7 AM

LOSE

YOUR

MIND

Pick up a

Kitchen Aide Air Fryer for only

$54.95

CRAZY

A

Two piece living room set

FROM Miller's for only

$555.88

I JUST

DROOPED

DEAD

And fill this

HOLIDAY season

with GIGGLES with

the brand new

TICKLE-ME WIGGLY

by UNCLE WILEY TOYS

only

$49.95

at TOY ZONE

[abadarkade]

IT'S BLACK FRIDAY AT HATCHETFIELD'S LAKESIDE MALL, WITH SALES SO HUGE YOU'LL

LOSE YOUR MIND

DOORS OPEN AT 7:00AM

LOSE YOUR MIND

PICK UP A KITCHEN-AID AIR FRYER FOR ONLY $54.95

CRAAAZY

A TWO PIECE LIVING ROOM SET FROM MILLERS FOR ONLY $555.88

I JUST.

DROPPED.

DEAD.

AND FILL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH GIGGLES WITH THE BRAND NEW TICKLE ME WIGGLY FROM UNCLE WILEY TOYS! ONLY $49.95 AT TOY ZONE

[joeyalohadream]

Clegan Modern Neighbors! AU

This will be a multi-chapter buck x bucky modern AU and they're neighbors! I'm excited and also nervous for this one, but eager to share. I have it all mapped out, but figured I'd get the introduction out there to see if there is any interest.

Title: The Boy Next Door

Introduction –

The unit next to Bucky’s own in the quaint lakeside apartment building near the marina in Manitowoc has been vacant since the red eviction notice was hung on the door back in May. Now, only days away from August beginning Bucky notices a change for the first time in weeks.

He exits the elevator upon his return from the marina, sweat soaked and sunburnt from working in the hot summer sun all morning. As he walks past the vacant 6B, he notices that the door is ajar. His footsteps halt out of curiosity, but as he’s about to give a gentle knock, the door swings open and he smiles as he’s greeted by Robert Rosenthal exiting the unit.

“Rosie, my favorite landlord!” Bucky moves to close the space between them to go in for his typical enthusiastic full body handshake but is swatted with the clipboard in his friend’s hand before he can make contact.

“Keep your sweaty paws to yourself Egan,” Rosie grumbles, but still smiles and nods in lieu of Bucky’s preferred physical greeting.

Bucky throws him an exaggerated pout but backs off with his hands raised placatingly. Rosie and he have known each other since their days playing high school baseball and while Bucky loves to push his buttons, he can acknowledge that he’s a little more than ripe at the moment.

“So, what brings you up to my floor? I haven’t seen you around much since that yahoo finally moved outta here.”

Bucky had been more than happy to see his last neighbor go. Bucky had lived in this building, in 6A, since he returned from college six years ago and he was proud of the work and care he’d put into it to make it a home. Other than his ma’s house, no place was more comfortable to him than the little nook he’d carved out for himself in this building.

He'd gone through many neighbors over the years. It’s a small place, typically attracting young couples on their way to saving to buy their first home. Most of his experiences had been positive. He’s a friendly guy and he always wants to make new friends, so the forced proximity of sharing this corner of the hallway with 6B inevitably leads to some meetups.

The first neighbor Bucky had had was a man, a couple years his junior, by the name of Curt Biddick. He’d moved in to get a break away from his parents, who he had since learned came from old money, and a lot of it. He and Bucky had become fast friends, a shared love of food, alcohol and sports had led to many an evening in each other’s spaces.

Once Curt had finished his culinary classes at the technical school downtown, he’d reconnected with his family and eventually moved out to a large house right on the water. Bucky spends almost every weekend over there lazing about the beach and the pool and utilizing all of Curt’s waterfront toys.

When Curt isn’t helping his father run the two restaurants he owns, he’s collaborating with Bucky on his podcast, and Bucky couldn’t be more grateful to Rosie that he’d leased 6B to someone who grew to be one of his closest friends.

While his first ever neighbor turned out to be a blessing, his last one was a curse. A man in his mid-thirties had moved in at the beginning of the year and at first, he’d seemed decent. He had no interest in small talk, but he wasn’t rude about it. The most Bucky got from him was a head nod and an occasional, “hello.” Which was fine. Bucky was aware that despite his roguish good looks and his undeniable charm, not everyone wanted to be his best friend.

But after a month had gone by, he noticed that the guy from 6B was no longer a loner. The door opened at all hours of the day and night and Bucky noticed an endless string of visitors. Some around his age, some significantly older, some men and some women. The loud music started soon after the visitors, followed by constant shouting and what sounded like a not insignificant amount of potential property damage. The smell of cigarette smoke creeped into the hallway constantly, and despite indulging in the habit himself on occasion, it bothered Bucky endlessly that Rosie’s pride and joy was being treated like a bar.

He’d tried to speak with his neighbor about the disturbance one time, but when he’d answered the door, it was clear that something chemical had taken 6Bs ability to even stand up straight. He’d been angry the moment he’d opened the door and noticed it was Bucky and not one of his usual visitors. Bucky had made it back into his apartment with a crumpled shirt and a clenched fist, proud of himself that his famous temper was still controllable when he really wanted it to be.

 His little slice of comfort he’d created for himself in this building was slowly becoming a burden and he spent more nights sleeping in one of the many spare bedrooms at Curt’s place than in his own apartment.

Only after Curt offered him a permanent relocation, “You know I got plenty a’ space to spare Bucky,” did he finally gather his wits and speak to Rosie.

While Bucky had been away at college studying Sports Broadcasting, Rosie had apprenticed with his father who owned several residential properties in Manitowoc, including this one. He completed some maintenance and management courses at the same technical school Curt ended up attending and eventually was given ownership of this property. Bucky had rented from him during his first month of ownership and the improvements that Rosie made hadn’t stopped since. He put his trust in his landlord and friend, shared his concerns about his neighbor and after a couple weeks of police reports and confrontations that improved Rosie’s already impeccable reputation in Bucky’s eyes, an eviction notice was slapped on 6B.

Thankfully Bucky never saw him again after that, and other than the very occasional disheveled visitor that somehow makes it passed the digital locks into the building to knock on the door to the empty apartment, Bucky has had his little slice of paradise back.

Taking in the clipboard in Rosie’s hand and only just now noticing the smell of fresh paint permeating through the door, Bucky hopes that still stays true.

Rosie heaves a sigh, “I had some contractors come in early this morning to put a fresh coat of paint in the unit. The cigarette smell really lingers and it’s made it tough to rent.”

“I’ll bet,” Bucky grimaces. “Think the paint will do the trick for ya?”

Rosie shrugs with a smile, “Doesn’t much matter actually seeing as I rented it two days ago, even with that stench.”

Bucky blinks in surprise and scoffs, “Let me guess, they wanted lower rent and a fresh paint job to sweeten the deal?”

Rosie laughs and shakes his head, “That’s honestly what I expected, and I probably would’ve gone for it at this point. But no, not at all. This guy just looked around and said it was fine. He even asked if he was allowed to paint the walls or if it was against the lease agreement.”

“That right?” Bucky was skeptical, but he had already decided to be very picky about who got to be his neighbor from now on.

“Yeah, man,” Rosie continued. “I was standing right next to him, and the smell was bothering me so it had to bother him too. But he just asked if he could paint. I’m sure he figured it would help with the smell and didn’t want to push.”

“But why wouldn’t he want to push?” Bucky questioned the odd behavior. “I wouldn’t want to pay my hard-earned money for a place that smelled like a bar, no offense, and I definitely wouldn’t spend my hard earned money to also offer to fix it.”

Rosie laughed but nodded too. “Yeah, Bucky I know. But that’s honestly one of the reasons I rented it to him so quick. I think he’s just a genuinely good dude. He’d already passed the rental background check with flying colors, and he seemed a little desperate to get into somewhere near here. I didn’t want to lose the business.”

Bucky nodded along but still had his doubts. “You say he seems like a ‘genuinely good dude’? Well, I say he sounds gullible as hell and a little naive.”

Rosie puts one hand on his hip and waves his clipboard at him with the other. “Alright Bucky, that’s enough of that.” He scolds. “I know your last experience with a new neighbor was worse than bad and I sympathize with that, especially considering I rented the unit to the guy.”

Bucky immediately moves to defend Rosie. Despite the truth of his words, Bucky doesn’t have any ill will towards the other man, only gratitude for how quickly he righted the situation.

“I’m not done yet,” Rosie cuts him off with another swing of his clipboard. “But this new guy is not like that. I’m willing to bet my reputation that this one is going to work out for both of us. I’ve only met him in person once, but I can already tell you’re going to like him.”

Bucky trusts Rosie, he really does but he’s going to go into this new situation with both eyes wide open. The last occupant of 6B seemed perfectly normal at first too, so Bucky is not just going to take Rosie’s word for it.

“Alright, I’ll keep an open mind,” Bucky relents a little, letting Rosie lower his clipboard. “But then why’d you have the apartment painted if the guy agreed to take it as is?”

Rosie rubs the back of his neck and shrugs, “I felt bad renting it to someone like him without at least trying to improve it a bit. Plus, I take pride in this place, and it’ll help me sleep at night.”

“Someone like him?”

Rosie looks a little flustered, “He’s like, really nice Bucky. Kind, you know?”

Bucky narrows his eyes, “Would you have painted it for someone like me Rosie?”

Rosie laughs and pats him on the shoulder, pulling his hand away with a grimace when it comes away wet and Bucky laughs in return. “Course I would Bucky.”

“You’re good people Rosie,” Bucky answers. “Well, when’s my future neighbor move in, huh?”

Rosie looks at his watch and does some mental math. “He’s coming by for the paperwork and the keys in an hour, but he said it’ll take him a couple of days to actually move in.”

Bucky sighs and nods, “Alright well, I’m going out with Curt and Kenny for drinks tonight so I’ll probably miss him. I’ll roll out the welcome wagon when I see him around.”

“Thanks Bucky,” Rosie says with a small smile. “I know you got used to the solitude, but you can trust me on this. You’re gonna like 6B.”

“Only time will tell Rosie,” Bucky backs away towards his own door. “Catch ya later!”

He watches as Rosie waves his clipboard at him and then makes his way down the hall towards the elevator. Bucky enters his apartment and pulls his shirt over his head, dropping it into his hamper once he reaches his bedroom. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and shoots a quick text to Curt.

Getting a new neighbor in the next couple days. Still up for drinks?

He undresses and turns the shower on and waits for the water to warm. His phone buzzes and he laughs as reads the message.

Aw, no neighbor will ever compare to your first 6B 😉 But if they turn out to be like the last one, I’m ready to kick some ass.

Noted, tough guy. Drinks?

Satisfied with the water temperature, Bucky goes to put the phone down when it buzzes in his hand.

As long as you don’t mind being a third wheel!

Bucky grins and replies immediately.

You gotta actually ask him out before I can be considered a third wheel Curtie.

I’m playing the long game Bucky, you know that.

Eager to wash off the mornings grime, Bucky sends another text.

Where and when?

He waits a moment and grins at his phone as he reads Curt’s response.

The Wharf at 5! Second shift starts at 4 and Benny hired a new server we gotta check out. Well youuuuu gotta check out. I’m telling you, Bucky… you’re gonna swoon.

Only time will tell, see you at 5!

He shoots the text back and drops the phone onto the counter, finally hoping into the hot stream of water. Two new people to meet apparently in his very near future. He’s as skeptical of Curt’s matchmaking skill as he is of having a new neighbor so he’s not feeling overly confident on either front.

Only time will time.