#large putter grip

[captain-huggy-bear]

Wait.. how was teacher y/n feeling after Quinn was injured.. I know she took good care of him

Went with his oblique injury rather than his hand for this! Fingers crossed Quinn stays healthy for a while now Big requests/full fic/big idea requests are closed at the moment but drabble and prompt requests are still open. Writing Masterlist

"Sit." You point to the couch, the spot you've already piled with blankets and pillows, a cosy little spot just for Quinn. In prime view of the television so he can watch any games he wants, stack of his unread books nearby in case he decides he'd rather read. Maybe you're being overbearing, but you don't think so, not with the way he winces every time he moves, not with the fact he's been told he can't even practice on the ice yet.

"Baby, I'm fine." You're fed up of it, if you're being perfectly honest. For the last few days Quinn has resisted every attempt of yours to help him, to look after him. A stubborn sort of pride gripping him that refused to budge in the face of your fussing. You hated it. You hated that he kept pushing his limits, that he never let his body actually rest, that he was seemingly determined to break himself. You hated that you couldn't fix it.

"Quintin Jerome Hughes, you are most certainly not fine, so sit your ass down and let me look after you." Your voice is sharp, snappy in a way you usually don't use with him. The sort of voice you typically only pull out in class when someone is doing something particularly dangerous or fool hardy. It's rarely, if ever, directed at your boyfriend.

There's a beat of silence, your harsh tone slapping Quinn across the proverbial face as you huff at him, lips pursing, cheeks puffing out in frustration.

He's sitting before he really thinks about it, plopping down in the spot you'd made for him with a, "Yes, ma'am." and letting you throw the blankets over him and wrap him up like a burrito. It's somewhat inconvenient that he can't use his arms, but in that moment, as he watches you fuss he realises that it's not so much for him as for you.

You're fussing to ease your worries, you're fussing because it makes you feel useful, like you're helping when you have absolutely 0 control over how fast he heals from his oblique injury.

Quinn watches you, follows you with his eyes as you putter around getting him something to drink, something to eat, a heating pad, an ice pack, anything and everything. Contradictory items, large and small.

"Baby..."

"What do you need? Have I forgotten something?" You're in a tizzy, frazzled as you plump the cushion beside him like he needs another cushion at all when he's surrounded by them.

"Baby, I'm okay...you don't need to worry about me." You're in your own head, he can see that. You're more worried about him than you've been letting on, letting the pressure build and build until your ready to pop...and maybe he's been neglecting you too. Not noticing, not thinking that maybe his girlfriend might find his constant injuries just a tiny bit stressful on top of her already stressful day job.

"You're not okay...you...you keep getting hurt and I feel so...I feel so useless..." You're breaking in front of him slowly, a few tears slipping out that you wipe away was you turn away from him to hide it. It's not even all about the injuries, it's everything.

Teaching has been more and more stressful lately, deadlines and meetings and parents that don't see that you're just trying to support their child. On top of it all Quinn's injury, his own stress from not being able to play, from the Canucks performing so poorly without him.

"Hey, hey...c'mere, sweetheart," Quinn's voice softens, a gentle reassuring cadence. He's opening up the blanket burrito you'd wrapped him in, holding it open until you crawl in besides him. You're delicate about it, gentle, overly mindful as if you think a single tap might break him, scared to hurt him.

He pulls you tight against him, not letting you hesitate for long and the moment you slot against his body properly? You melt into him like this was all you needed as he wraps the blanket around you and cocoons you inside with him. "I promise i'm okay...you don't need to worry so much, baby."

"I can't help it...I feel useless."

"You're not useless. You've taken such good care of me, baby, but it's not on you to look after me. I'm okay."

It might take awhile for you to believe it he thinks, but that's okay because he'll remind you each day that while his oblique hurts, while he can't play hockey right now he can look after himself. He can cook his own food, wash his own hair, get himself dressed and you? You need to stop taking everything onto your shoulders like the world will end if you don't control it.

Quinn leans back further into the pillows, drawing you down with him as you nuzzle into his neck. Your body is warm against him as you curl into his side, the sort of reassuring weight that he's missed while you've been too scared to touch him.

"It's not all on you, baby. You're not Atlas holding up the world." His fingers stroke through your hair in soothing motions, as much for you as for him as he tries to take some of that stress away.

"I feel like it sometimes..."

"But, you don't need to be, you can't control everything and you don't need to." He knows that's easier said than done for you. You've always been someone who need to be organised, in control, to feel like everything is ticking along like clockwork. The smallest spanner putting everything out of sync. He knows you can't just turn that off, but he wishes...he wishes you could just exist sometimes, not feel like everything depends on you.

"I just...I know you hate being out from hockey and I know you're stressed and I just want to make it better."

"You do, just by being here you make it better." He sighs into your hair, pressing his nose to the top of your head and just inhaling the smell of your shampoo.

Does it suck that he can't play? Yeah, it fucking sucks...but God, just being around you makes it easier. All he needs is you around. He doesn't need you to fix him, to find a solution to a problem that can't be solved with quick fixes. He just needs you.

The sooner you realise that, the better.

[jeeblie]

I really want to share, a little tidbit from some of the stuff I'm working on

But you SYA fans have to keep it a secret from SYA fans that don't have tumbler- it'll be a little Easter egg secret for the ones that figured out I reside here 😈

Discord SYA'ers- go ham with it 👍👍

chapter bomb spoilers

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⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ spoilers ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

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⚠️s🚨p💥o📢i🚨l⚠️e💥r🚨s📢📢🚨💥⚠️

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"You are like, the softest cutest thing right now, idk where you got your idea about being big and bad-"

Still scratching the back of his fuzzy neck, the puttering in his chest is the loudest its been, and you can see him struggling to get his wits back.

You can't help but laugh.

"Literal kitten." You grin, "Technokitty."

He frowns at you, with his big boar face, and fuzzy eyebrows, and scar marred skin. His tusks are way longer then when he's human, and without much thought you switch from scratching the back of his neck, to grabbing both his tusks in your hand.

His eyes are intense, absorbing your every move with the dialated look of a wolf that found prey.

"Kittens can't break arms." He murmurs, hands sliding up the bed to circle around the joint of your elbow.

His hands were bigger then before, engulfing your biceps and halting all arm movement.

He lightly squeezes your elbow and it forces you to release your grip of his tusks.

"But kittens do go limp when someone grabs their scruff." You try to say confidently in reference to just moments before where Techno was limp with your touch, but his eye contact is incredibly intense and leaves you feeling skittish.

He puffs a hot rush of laughter at you, chin still perched against your chest, large ribcage still pinning your abdomen to the bed, hips still slotted between yours, and tail lazily waving like a flag.

Still completely flattening you to the bed.

You're suddenly more aware of the position you're in.

He doesn't say anything after his puff of laughter, but there's a clear idea in his head as he releases one of your arms, hand quick to slid up under your neck to palm at the base, fingers sliding up into your hair from the roots-

His hand tightens, a gentle but firm pressure that pulls your head upward, exposing your neck.

He scruffed you. By the neck.

As if to say, 'Who's really the kitten?'

A chittering noise in your throat bubbles up, and with your one free arm, you drop your hand onto his snout-

You felt embarrassed- you could feel the heat rushing to your face and his all consuming gods damned eyeballs wouldn't stop being deadlocked onto you

"Alright buster-" you thrash yourself, trying to fight back, "You need to learn your lesson."

You shove his snout off you, wriggling to get out from under him, and you can feel the laughter in his chest.

The hand behind your neck releases, like he can sense your fluster and knows to give you your space.

He's shifting back, human features quick to align themselves into a prideful and amused facial expression. Too cocky.

The urge to knock him down a peg or two is strong.

He relents, anchoring himself up off of you with a snarky laugh.

He won whatever this was- and out of spite, as soon as he was sitting on the side of the bed with both feet against the floor, you bumped your forehead against his arm and nipped at him.

Nothing painful, no force behind your jaw, but a clear drag of your sharper teeth against skin, ending with a pinch and release.

His eyes flick in your direction, and you're immediately filled with a giddy fear- the kind of fear that you get when you're playing tag and the chaser is right behind you as you run.

Your fight or flight flickers to life and it screams RUN.

You fucking flounder off the bed, squealing as you attempt to run by, dropping to the floor.

That lasted all of two seconds as Techno snatches you up before you even make contact. Before you can even get to your feet and start to flee.

His grin is downright evil, hauling your body up into the air, rising to his feet to really increase how much you were dangling.

One hand was against your back, fisting the fabric of your shirt and pulling you into reach of his other arm, which hooks around your ribcage and presses your back to his chest.

"Alright- okay- I show mercy and you pick another fight- I see how this is-" he grits, evil.

You're laughing so hard, flailing in an attempt to be released, but with how hard you're laughing your attempts are downright pitiful.

"Alright- where should I bite as payback- huh?" He huffs, glowering down at you as you grin in pure glee and giddy fear.

"NOoO-" you laugh, all attempts at coming up with an actual argument reduced to a single word.

"Forearm?" He says, using his free hand to grab your arm, forceably pulling it to his face, and you feel him press his closed teeth to the skin.

"NoOooo-" you whine- tugging your arm out of his hold and grabbing his wrist to try to keep him from further manhandling you.

"Shoulder?" He says, curling around you to press his closed teeth to the fabric of your shirt. You still feel his tusks through the fabric.

"TEchnoooo-" you shimmy, looking down at the floor in hopes that the arm keeping you held against him loosens enough for you to drop and run.

"Neck?" He says.

His voice drops to the most serious it could sound, and you genuinly can't tell if it's a part of the bit or if he's actually serious, but the next moment you feel his closed teeth gently resting against the outer layer of skin on your neck and you freeze.

Hot breath pans all across your neck, sending goosebumps scuttling across you.

No bite. Just a threat. Skin untouched other then the teeth resting against it.

You could feel his grin, feel as it started to drop into something more serious.

Hear as he took in an unsteady breath.

Hear his chest gently come to life with a deep rumble.

Before you could say anything, he nipped you, just as gently as you did, only his tusks dug at you, not breaking skin, but dragging in a way that almost hurt.

You audibly 'meeped'. Going limp in his hold and Techno proceeded to set you on your feet and peel himself off you.

When you turn around to look at him (your eyes all wide with how flustered you were) he's already laying on the bed, back facing you and curled into a ball.

"You win- scram nerd-" he says- refusing to look at you. Like he just embarrassed himself. You catch sight of his ears, flushed completely red.

You imagine you aren't too far off from the same.

[hauntedhokage]

PART 13: The Date

WORD COUNT: 1.7k

SUMMARY:  You get a bit closer to Bakugou, in multiple ways.

[series masterlist] | {ao3} | [tumblr masterlist] | {ko-fi} | [spotify playlist]

Last minute scheduling changes resulted in Katsuki offering to pick you up from the station rather than your apartment so he could take you out.  The text you got simply said: ‘Dinner & mini golf’ and you left your questions for later since you didn’t want him to feel self conscious (you didn’t think he had the patience for mini golf or any activities that may be crowded). It was going to be a good evening with him, because you were both excited about going out on a date. 

“I'm actually terrible at mini golf,” you confess, looking up at Katsuki as he hands you the yellow handled club. “It’s almost criminal to let me have one of these things in my hand.” 

“Good thing I literally get paid to stop crime.” His counter is met with a gentle nudge of his putter to your calf, and you roll your eyes as he leads you to the first hole. “We‘ll make a pro out of you.”

“I didn’t think you’d be big on mini golf. Small clubs, rules, a lot of people - doesn’t quite seem like your vibe.”

“I like that I don’t have to try hard. It’s nice to be good at things, but this is something I don’t care about being good at so I don’t really care to try.” 

For someone who didn’t care to try, he was pretty damn good at mini golf. It was actually a bit frustrating to watch him effortlessly sink ball after ball after ball with only a few strokes not hitting their intended target. The scorecard was thrown out after the second hole, his seven strokes compared to your fifteen proving there was no need to even try to compete or interest in keeping record of how bad you were at mini golf. 

You would give him credit for knowing when to tease and when not to tease you for your performance. Maybe he’d seen enough of Eijirou’s jokes fall flat that he knew when he’d get the desired reaction, that wouldn’t be surprising considering how closely he analyzed everything around him. 

“Can I show you something?” The question has you looking up from your obnoxious yellow golf ball to see him approach when you nod. “Your grip on the club is weird and I’ve noticed that your swing is weak, that’s why your shots never go where you want them to and go about two feet at a time.”

He’s standing behind you before you have a chance to overthink it, the warmth of his body at your back as he leans over you. Large hands carefully adjust yours on the grip of the club, the earthy smell of his cologne mixed with the constant smell of smoke washing over you like a forest fire.

“They go more than just two feet,” you defend, earning a breathy chuckle in your ear.

“Yeah, sometimes they go three,” he teases, his hands settling over yours as he steps closer. “It’s okay to smack the shit outta the ball. It’s not like you’ve got pro hero strength.”

“No, but with my luck it’d go flying and I’d hit someone with the ball.” 

“Yeah, that’s fair.” His arms start to swing with yours, getting into a steady rhythm with you as you try to focus on what he was saying. “Let’s hit the ball now, yeah?”

He moves with you as you step forward to line up with the ball, and again his arms move with yours to hit the ball with just enough force to actually send it towards the hole. 

“Look at that, at least four feet now.”

“You’re so mean.” You’re pouting as he steps away from you, instantly feeling the colder air against your back without his warmth blocking it out. He only smirks while picking up his beer from the ledge, leaving you to pick up your own drink as you lean against the ledge to watch him take his shot. “Dare you to hit yours one handed.”

“You think I can’t?”

“I’m sure you can, but can you hit it well?”

His response to the challenge is to line up the shot, then start to drink from his cup while swinging the putter - and you watch in amazement as the ball not only goes straight, but knocks into your ball to send it a few feet forward.  

“I hate you.”

“Nah, you think I’m hot.” The correction has your cheeks flushing, because yeah of course you did but so did half of the country. The number one hero was incredibly hot - and not just where his quirk was involved. “Don’t you, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, maybe.” 

Because he was, and the fact that he was interested in you was insane to think about. He was a pro hero, deeply committed to another pro hero, and he wanted to go out on dates with you. Sure, you were dating his boyfriend, but you were just a reporter - no quirk, just a pretty face that looked wonderful on television and some critical views on hero work. You still wondered how you had managed to pull Eijirou, your beloved chivalrous hero, when you had zero charm and minimal patience after he’d spilled coffee on you. 

“I think you’re pretty hot, too,” he comments as you walk towards your balls for your next shots, something that had your cheeks warm as you nudge him with your elbow. “Beautiful in general; but how smart and patient you are, combined with how much you care is pretty hot.”

“My insides are sexy?”

“Yeah.” His confirmation makes you smile, only for you to laugh when he realizes what you said and looks over to you with a blush. “Wait, not like that. Like your personality insides, not your organs.”

“You only want me for my kidneys,” you sigh, waving him off as you settle in to take your shot. This time your ball actually goes where you want it to, into the hole that will allow you to gain more distance. “You see that? I’ve gotta be your favorite golf student, right?”

“Only if you can confirm that you’ve got both of your kidneys.” He pats your side as he comes to stand in front of you, fingers carefully prodding at your back and making you giggle since it tickled. “I bet the people behind us are pissed.”

“Eh, we offered to let them play ahead on the eleventh and they chose not to.”

“Why not our apartment?” He asks as you enter your apartment building, a place he'd never seen the inside of since he'd only ever stayed in the car if he went with Eijirou to drop something off for you. It was interesting to see where you lived when you weren't half asleep on the couch tangled around your shared boyfriend who refused to move to the bed since he "wasn't sleeping".

“I’m morning anchor this week, I don’t like bothering you guys in the morning after you’re out patrolling all night. Eiji can’t stay asleep when the shower runs, since his room shares a wall with the bathroom.” Your explanation has him nodding as he follows you into the elevator of your apartment building. You really were always thinking about how to make them more comfortable, which makes him wonder if all of the times you stayed at your place instead of theirs was because of your schedule conflicting with theirs. Something that would definitely have to get figured out, considering Eijirou wanted forever with you, living together was going to be part of that. “But am I really that bad at mini golf?”

“You are terrible at mini golf,” he teases as you lean into the wall, and you can’t help but pout at how he answered with zero hesitation. “But you’ve got this focused face when you get ready to hit the ball that’s pretty cute.”

You have no idea where talkative Bakugou came from, but you’re definitely not complaining. Not when he was calling you cute, and the other compliments. It made a lot more sense now when Eijirou had told you that Katsuki could actually be very charming when the mood struck. Could you meet his level of charm? You weren’t sure but it was always worth a shot. 

“If you wanted to give me more mini golf lessons, I wouldn’t complain.”

“No?”

“I like spending time with you, Katsuki.” Your voice is soft as you look up at him, seeing his cheeks flush as the elevator door opens on your floor. “You’re very fun to be around, I see why Eiji loves you so much. Not that I ever questioned it before, but-“

“No, I get what you mean. It just like, hits different when you get to spend individual time together and not after you’ve almost died.”

“Or dealt with the massive stress of being at a fundraising gala.” 

“Again, almost died.” You snort at that, shaking your head at the anti-social hero. He’d landed himself with an extroverted boyfriend and you, a public figure who didn’t wear a mask or punch people that everyone in the city knew and gawked at. There were going to be a lot of evenings like that in his future, sometimes being the hero making the appearance to pull better PR. 

“You were very brave that whole night. I don’t think I can say enough how much fun I had with you.” You opt not to ask him what he’s going to do when future events pop up that will require his appearance at your side or when you ask for a favor that involved him in his costume telling kids to say no to drugs or something like that. Wearing the mask was likely easier for him, but that was something you’d work through, you supposed. Worst case scenario, buttering him up like you did to Eijirou would most likely work. Men were men, after all. 

Katsuki Bakugou, however, was a very unique man that you were thrilled to be getting to know better.

[housethemd]

Come in from the Cold

House/Wilson established relationship

Written based on a prompt from @griffin-11

This wasn’t what I was expecting to write when I got the prompt, but it’s what happened!

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The bite of early January always sinks into his bones in a way he can’t shake. The trip from the car to the apartment takes twice as long as it does in other seasons, lest he slip on the icy ground. No amount of complaints to the building’s management about the state of the steps in the wintertime have any effect. They insist the stairs are perfectly passable, which may be true for the even footed but are treacherous to his uneven gait.

Snowflakes flutter to the ground, fluffy and large, adding the existing two feet of snow already on the ground. For a moment he remembers winters from a decade ago. When weather such as this would mean a trip to upstate New York, to a ski resort where he and Wilson would spend weekends on the slopes. Wilson skied, but he always prefered snowboarding. He liked the speed, the balance it required, the feeling of the wind burning his cheeks as he hurdled towards the bottom of the hill, the satisfaction he got from safely reaching the bottom of the difficult hills, having dodged trees and other obstacles the whole way down. But those days are long behind him now, and the memory stings almost as much as the cold.

Every second spent outside is painful, as even his long wool coat can’t protect the crater in his thigh from the sub-zero temperatures. A mess of missing muscle and over sensitive nerve endings, the cold burns bright hot. He limps heavily up the few stairs into the building, doing his best to strike a balance between speed, safety, and keeping pain to a minimum. When he finally breaches the threshold into 221 Baker Street he lets the door fall shut behind him, and leans on it heavily.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

He grips his thigh tightly, desperately trying to rub the stiff burning from what remains of his leg, as the mantra plays in his mind. Wilson always tried to get him to breathe through the pain. He always argued that it was new age bull crap, right up there with auras and chakras. Breathing wouldn’t regrow this missing muscle, breathing wouldn’t fix the damaged nerves, and breathing certainly wouldn’t get rid of the mangled mess of partially numb, partially hypersensitive scar tissue that marred his right thigh. Still, he tries. Wilson doesn’t know he tries when Wilson isn’t around, and he always gripes when Wilson makes him try, but he tries all the same because that’s what people in relationships do. They try.

When the breathing mumbo jumbo doesn’t work he reaches into his pocket to pull out his Vicodin bottle and dry swallow two of the white, chalky tablets. The bitter taste promises some relief, though he knows it will only do so much. His leg will take hours to warm up, and only then will the pain reduce to its usual daily level. He really hates Winter.

Sucking a breath through his teeth he limps slowly towards his door, pausing to pull out his keys he can hear the puttering sounds of Wilson moving about their now shared apartment. He was unsure about Wilson moving in, his one and only stint with cohabitation had been with Stacy, but had since found it was not completely terrible. It was nice not being alone all the time, and Wilson was probably the only person in the world he could stand to have around all the time, though he’d never say that out loud.

When he enters the apartment Wilson pops out from the kitchen, smiling fondly.

“Oh wipe that look off your face. You saw me three hours ago.” He scoffs, shucking his coat and letting it fall to the ground.

The apartment smells like Wilson’s cooking. The living room is tidy in a lived-in sort of way. Wilson is dressed in sweats and his McGil sweatshirt, but is barefoot. The entire scene is so warm and domestic it warms his heart and makes him nauseous in equal measure.

“What? A guy can’t look happy when a handsome man walks into his home?” Wilson asks, arms crossed.

“Sure he can. He just can’t look happy when an old, misanthropic, cripple walks into his home.” He shoots back.

“Oh right. I always confuse those two.” Wilson smiles, leaning on the door jam and throwing the dish towel he had been holding over his shoulder.

House managed to remove his shoe from his right foot, but as he shifts his weight onto his right leg and cane to remove his left he has to stop, a pained noise slipping unbidden past his lips as pain shoots through him. Wilson is beside him in an instant, one hand on his back and the other on his chest, ready to support his weight should he need it.

“Hey hey hey, what’s going on?” Wilson asked gently.

“Stupid cold weather. Cripples don’t do well in the cold.” He grumbled, not meeting Wilson’s eyes.

“Alright well let’s get you off your feet. You're inside now, so the pain should lessen up soon, yeah?” Wilson tried to encourage.

Wilson knew the cold bothered him, but House had never really been clear to what extent. He weighed his options now, agreeing that he would soon feel better and spend the rest of the evening trying to hide his pain or admitting that the cold made things worse than he’d let on. On the one hand he could keep a little bit of his dignity, but would likely end the evening fighting with Wilson over something stupid. On the other hand Wilson would enter full caring mode, and spend the evening doting on him, and that always gave him a weird feeling in the bit of his stomach.

“It… takes a while for my leg to warm up. Damaged blood vessels and nerves. I thought you were a doctor? Just, let me go to bed.” He grumbled, staring at the floor.

“Wouldn’t a hot bath help? Or at least a heating pad?” Wilson reached out to rub circles on his shoulder.

“No. Too much heat at once makes it worse, just let me go to bed, dammit!” He snapped, and it seemed that his honesty still resulted in a stupid fight.

Wilson said nothing, but supported his weight from the door to the bedroom. As soon as House was seated on the bed he turned and left. With a deep sigh House stripped down to his boxers and climbed under the blankets. He winced when he swung his right leg onto the mattress, pain shooting down into the rest of his leg. He closed his eyes, naming infectious diseases in alphabetical order in an attempt to distract himself to sleep. His leg was killing him and he had a pissed off boyfriend in the other room, sleep was truly his best option at this point.

He’s just starting to get through the B’s when the bed dips behind him.

Wilson has stripped down to his boxers as well, and is carrying what appears to be every blanket they own in his arms. He begins pulling them over the bed, over the lump of House’s body. Creating heavy layers that aren’t at all unpleasant.

“What are you doing?” House asked, trying to sound annoyed.

“Warming you up.” Wilson replied.

“Then why are you practically naked?”

Wilson just smiles, and as the last blanket is smoothed out over the bed he slides underneath them, curling his body around House’s. Wilson radiates warmth, and House can admit it’s nice, though it will be awhile before the heat sinks into his leg. He’s about to say as much when Wilson places one large, warm hand over the scar on his leg. The body temperature heat isn’t enough to aggravate the nerves, but is enough to soothe them. Wilson runs hotter than House, apparently just enough hotter that his body can provide a small amount of relief to his painful leg.

“How's that?” Wilson asked, breath tickling the hairs on the back of House’s neck.

“It’s fine. Weren’t you doing something when I got home?” House questioned, pretending not to enjoy having his boyfriend as his personal heater.

“Nothing that can’t wait. Nothing more important than this.”

House feels strangely choked up. He hates when Wilson does this to him. He shouldn’t be getting emotional over a cuddle session in bed, no matter how much it helps his pain. He opts to say nothing, but feels Wilson smile against his skin regardless.

“Go to sleep, House.”

The pressure of the blankets, the feeling of Wilson’s body against him, and the warmth of his hand radiating into his scarred thigh have his eyes feeling heavy. He slips into sleep with the sound of Wilson’s breathing as a lullaby.

[jd07201990]

My car had broken down while hauling ass down a wide open, middle of nowhere road toward the city. I was passing through nowheres-ville, when the engine made this horrid clanging noise, and puttered out. I knew I should’ve paid extra for the newer rental, but this old classic seemed fun at the time! One last ride of freedom before starting my Bank job and finally moving away from this small-town living. I couldn’t wait to be gone. Luckily, or rather, incredibly unfortunately as I’d later find out, this oil stained, drawling mechanic was putting down the same road, saw me at the side, and offered a tow. He even let me ride with him to his shop. The whole way, he talked nonstop about how his daughter had run off to the city the moment she could, and only called to brag about her successes. He'd hoped she’d have stayed, and settled down with a good, hard working young man, have a slew of grand-babies, to keep the family business alive for generations. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that was my exact plan as well. That I’d been on my way out of cow-ville when the engine had blown up. So, I told him I was just going into the city to pick up some things instead. He was working on the car, when he popped his head up and asked if I was able to pay, when he figured out what was wrong. I gulped, and nodded, pulling out the insurance papers the rental place had given me. The mechanic Frowned, tossing them on a table full of tools and crossing his arms. He glared at me as he said he wasn’t about to wait 6 months for the rental place to fight their insurance, and that if I wanted it fixed, it was cash or credit only. I had neither, as I’d spent the last I had on the rental and the down-payment on my new apartment. He wasn’t thrilled when I said this, and lumbered to the door, locking it. He turned and shocked me as he pushed me off the stool I was sitting on, his boot on my chest. He told me that if I couldn’t pay, I couldn’t leave. His boot pressed down on my ribs, forcing all the air out of my lungs. I gasped, trying weakly to grip his ankle, when finally, I’d blacked out. When I finally woke, 2 years had passed, and one look in the mirror told me I was Mitch’s boy. The strapping young buck he’d always wanted. Best of both worlds, a strong worker, and a virile stud who’d provide him with a big family. Keeping the garage running, living the high life in a double wide trailer with my gorgeous fiancé, one pudgy tot at her breast, the result of a one night stand turned future marriage, and twins swelling her belly once again. Mitch says it’s a blessing to have a large family, and lots of future kin to keep the business and the lifestyle alive. Something told me Tessa and I were going to be quite busy, with me working at Mitch’s garage, and her raising many, many kids. Mitch finally got the grand-babies he was looking for, despite his daughter thriving in the City.

[allthatmay]

ya take prompts? if so, can ya write a shanksace fluff? only request i have is that is on the pirateverse rather than a modern au, but besides that ya can go wild.

Here ya go! Sorry for the wait. It's set within my Shanks/Ace TCoH universe at some ambiguous point in time. Hope you like it. I couldn't resist a classic sick fic.

Ace has never seen Shanks so much as waver in the face of danger, but in the face of a cold? He's defeated unequivocally within minutes of waking, planting his face against his pillow with a groan. His hair is unkempt, sticking to his forehead, and his cheeks are flushed in a way they've only ever been when he's drunk.

"Sweetheart," he mumbles. He gropes around sightlessly for Ace who, with a bitten-back smile, takes his hand. "I feel like utter shit."

The lamplight splutters. Ace flicks a swirl of fire in its direction, strengthening the flame until its blooms brightly, suffusing Shanks within its light. It's strange to see Shanks' face so still—muted by the grogginess of sickness—where it's usually so expressive and open.

"Can I get ya anything?" Ace asks.

"Bottle of whiskey."

Laughing, Ace strokes along the dorsum of Shanks' hand, appreciating the bumps of his knuckles as if they were piano keys. "Don't think that'll help much."

"Might make my head stop hurting."

"Let me fetch Hongo, then."

But Shanks doesn't let Ace leave, holding on to his hand as tightly as possible. He draws Ace in, his grip so much feebler than usual that Ace willingly goes to him, taking pity.

"Don't leave me, angel." Shanks presses his nose into Ace's neck, sighing. "You're so warm..."

"For once, I think that's you." Ace tries to rotate in Shanks' hold, but is largely unsuccessful. He smooths down the flyaway strands of Shanks' hair. "How about some water? Soup?"

Another sigh from Shanks. His grip tightens, then loosens. "For you, treasure."

Of course, Shanks still doesn't let him leave, though it doesn't seem to be a conscious decision. His eyelashes flutter against Ace's skin, as featherlight as the hot puffs of his breathing. He mumbles something indistinct, getting quieter until he stops altogether.

"...Shanks?"

The only reply Ace receives is the soft puttering of the lamp, followed by a long, deep exhale from Shanks, one that curls around Ace's neck. He tucks his hand around Shanks, curbing a smile that nevertheless spreads, as mellow as butter.

"Chief? Ace?" There's two curt knocks on the door. "Up and at 'em, fellas."

Ace keeps his voice as low as possible as he replies, "Benn! I need your help!

"Why?" Amusement laces Benn's every word. "Did the chief leave you tied up again?"

"No!" Ace's refusal is so vehement that his shoulders jerk, making Shanks grumble in his sleep. "And you said you'd never mention that! Just get in here, already."

The look on Benn's face when he opens the door is exactly as Ace expects: a sort of tired amusement, so common to him now that it's all but written in his bones. He leans back against the doorframe, arms and ankles crossed, eyebrows raised.

"What's up with him? Hungover?"

"No." Ace pulls the duvet a little higher up Shanks' chest. "He's sick. Wouldn't let me get Hongo."

"Well, that explains it. The captain doesn't do sick. You should've seen him when he lost his arm."

Laughter is startled from Ace. "To be fair, Benn, he lost a fucking arm!"

"Yeah, Benn." The drowsy reply comes from Shanks himself, who's only half-returned from sleep. "I lost an arm."

"And you never let us forget it." Benn fishes a matchbox from his pocket, but Ace beats him to the punch, igniting his kiseru before he can do it himself. "Look, sit tight, Chief. I'll grab Hongo."

"It's just a cold," Shanks protests. He presses his hand into Ace's stomach, humming happily. "I have my own little furnace here. I'll be fine."

Ace rolls his eyes, pointedly ignoring the affectionate warmth ballooning in his chest. "Could you get him some soup, too?"

Benn nods, blowing a mouthful of smoke out of the ajar door. He inspects Ace carefully, then asks, "You want something, too?"

Aptly, Ace's stomach rumbles. "Yeah, if it's not any trouble."

"Never any trouble for you, Ace."

The door closes behind Benn with a click that goes unheard beneath Shanks' soft chuckling.

"Aw, Benn likes you..."

"Naw," Ace says. His face is unfortunately pink. "How ya feeling, anyway?"

"Like you do when you're dropped in the ocean, I'd bet."

Ace snorts. "That bad, huh?"

"Never that bad when you're here." Shanks opens his eyes, squinting against the light. With a heavy blink, he focuses his gaze on Ace's face, his pupils dilating. Then he smiles, more dopily than usual. "You're so beautiful, sunshine."

Ace fidgets. Shanks' fingers dig gently into his ribs. "That's the fever talking."

"But you are, angel. I'm so lucky." Shanks touches his forehead to Ace's shoulder, lips parted against his skin. The next words he speaks are just as much felt by Ace as they are heard. "You mean everything to me, sweetheart. I adore you."

Heart in his throat, Ace gently cards his fingers through Shanks' hair. "Yeah, and I..." He swallows, his pulse jumping in his neck. "I really care about you, too."

"Mm." Shanks' smile is wide enough that his teeth tease Ace's skin. "See, treasure? I'm feeling better already."

Yet he falls asleep promptly after, his snores wending out of the porthole. Ace's arm is still trapped beneath him, but that hardly matters, as Ace has no intention of leaving. Not yet, anyway, and maybe not ever.

He'll stay as long as Shanks will have him.

[cosmica-galaxy]

DOORS - Prey with the raincoat - Part 1

Relationships: None Type: READER INSERT Words: 4,478

- - - - -

What rotten luck. Out of all nights, why did it have to be this one that your car decided to quit on you? It started out like a typical night. You were just making a quick run to get some snacks after getting off work and your car had suddenly decided to putter out and die on you in the middle of nowhere…during a heavy downpour…at night. Which meant no repairman was coming to your aid until dawn and you were all alone until then. It was a rather strange occurrence…since your car has always run fine and you rarely had any problems…until tonight. You quietly grumble to yourself as you hug your raincoat tighter to your trembling form, your small bag of snacks and drinks gripped tightly in one of your hands. The pouring rain soaks you to your bones as you trudge through the relentless downpour. The raincoat barely does anything to help keep you from getting wet or chilly from the torrential gale that rips past your form. Yet, you continue regardless. You drag your feet along the wet mud and soaked concrete, struggling to keep yourself from slipping and falling over as you continue to walk up the staircase towards your hopeful salvation. Your eyes glance up as you look up to a rather nice looking hotel, perched high up just on the hilltop. The same hilltop your car just happened to break down at the bottom of. Hopefully the hotel would be a comfortable place to stay while you wait out the rainy night and maybe they would even have a phone you could use! Since your phone was pretty much dead, and probably ruined from getting wet, it was your only limited option of being able to reach a repairman in the morning. Until then, you would have a nice place to sleep and keep warm on this chilly winter night. You noticed something strange, however. 

There was no sign advertising the hotel…or…even if it was a hotel. This might just be some random person’s house or mansion for all you knew…even if they called the cops, hopefully you would still get some help. You just couldn’t sit in your car all night doing nothing. You already went through an exhausting road trip, so you just really wanted to go home. Besides, you would rather explain yourself to some cops than quietly freeze to death in your car overnight. Upon reaching the top of the hill, you carefully approach a pair of large wooden double doors. Despite the illuminated interior and welcoming atmosphere of the supposed ‘hotel’, you pause.

There was just…something about this building…it was giving you a bad feeling in your gut. But…where else could you go? What choice did you really have? You were already soaking wet, your car couldn’t go anywhere, and you had no method of communication. You didn’t really have a choice and you certainly weren’t gonna sit in your car now that you were all wet… So you push the feeling down and decide to enter the building. With a handle gripped in each hand, you pop the latch. They open with a resistant creak as you open it just wide enough to peek your head inside. It was…strange for it to not be locked…but the moment you stepped inside, you seem to realize why. So…it was a hotel. There was a desk with a key rack behind it, some comfy chairs in the waiting area, fancy paintings decorating the wall, and it even had a lit fireplace! You wasted no time in walking inside once you finished your brief visual inspection, allowing the large doors to slam shut behind you. You quickly wiped off your feet on the welcome mat and hurried over to where the fire was, eager to get rid of your lingering chill. You slip your soaked raincoat off and lay it on the ground near the fireplace to dry as you let out a brief shudder and rub your arms in an effort to chase off the remaining chill from the rain. You eye the cozy chairs that surround the fireplace and you shiver a bit as you take a moment to sit down in one to gather up your energy. Setting your bags of goodies down next to the seat, you let out a sigh of relief. At least you were safe, warm, and out of the freezing rain. You take a second to look around your surroundings, taking in the fancy-looking atmosphere that made up the hotel. With its wooden floors, elegant wallpaper, wooden furniture, and fancy paintings, you silently guess it was of a much more ‘upper class’ hotel. Thankfully, you’ll only be here for one night. So the money they would ask for shouldn’t hurt you TOO bad. Speaking of which…where was the clerk? Shouldn’t they have come back by now?

Your curiosity is suddenly piqued as you sit for a few more moments before getting up.

You approach the desk with growing confusion as you look around to see if there were any doors that led to the back or staff rooms…but you see none. You continue to gaze around and then you finally take notice of the desk bell. You silently figure that you would have to ring that to get service. So, you gently ring it. There was only silence that followed afterward, so you ring it again. Expecting someone to come and provide you with some service. But nobody came. “Hello??” You call out into the lobby, waiting for a reply. Again, you were met with silence. You look around in a confused manner before checking for any notes that may be laying around, but once more, you find nothing. Then, your eyes catch something interesting. In the back of the lobby, you see them. Elevators. There are two of them and they both seemed to be operating as one was simply sitting open. Your curiosity only grows, but you don't want to get into trouble by wandering around the hotel without consulting the clerk for a room to sleep in for the night… But…maybe you could go looking for the clerk? That wouldn’t be too bad to explain if you got caught walking around the hotel, right? You decided to think about it for a few minutes as you sit down by the fire once again to warm up and dry off before you make your next move. A moment of idleness passes and you finally decide to stand up, gather up your coat and goodies, and go looking for the clerk yourself. What could they possibly be doing that requires them to stay away from their desk for this long?? So you begin to head towards the elevators. It was rather eerie how one elevator was staying open no matter what…so you decided to walk inside of it. Then…that looming feeling of dread comes crawling back as you observe the buttons that lead to the lower floors. Correction…the single button that led to a lower floor. There were no numbers or designated floors for maintenance and staff…just a downward pointing arrow. You cast your gaze back to the lobby, seeing the large double doors so far away and the heavy rain still pouring down outside. A little feeling in your body was telling you–no–BEGGING you to get out of the elevator and run, but you merely stood there in confusion before brushing it off.

You were just nervous about going into the hotel without permission, it’s okay. No need to panic. So you merely push the downward button…and the dread only grows worse as the door to the elevator closes and it begins to descend. Your worries only amplify once you take notice of just how LONG the elevator is taking to reach the ‘second floor’. Suddenly, the elevator jerks. Sending your heart straight into your throat as it grinds against something in the shaft before continuing on, the light flickering for a moment before everything becomes stable again. Your heart thunders as the elevator music doesn’t calm your nerves in the slightest. Maybe you shouldn’t have gotten into the elevator…maybe you should’ve listened to your instincts… Something just kept feeling more…WRONG the deeper into the hotel you go. Then much to your surprise, the elevator finally stops and the door opens. Revealing a much smaller version of the room from before. There were paintings, a fireplace, tables, a desk with a bell, and a key rack. You step out of the elevator, completely ignoring how the doors suddenly close behind you without your input. Instead, the first thing you take notice of is the presence of windows.

Didn’t you just go DOWN into the hotel?? How were there windows here?? Despite your growing confusion, you refocus on the desk in the center of the room. Once more, you walk up to the desk and ring the bell. Similar to the main lobby, you get no response and you begin to ring the bell over and over in frustration. Only pausing when the bell actually BREAKS and you silently step away to avoid getting blamed for it. Upon looking around, everything in the room looked the same as before. However, you now take notice of the single door that displays ‘001’ on it. You see that it has a lock and with a brief look around, you see the key to said door hanging on the key rack. You, growing more impatient and worried, crawl through the baggage carriage that blocked the way behind the desk, and snatch the key from its place on the wall. You crawl back through and make it to the door and with a little bit of fiddling, the door suddenly swings open. Revealing a short hallway that leads to room ‘002’. You blink in surprise and the feeling of dread suddenly amplifies as you take a look back at the elevator, looking to see if you could go back. Finding the elevator door closed tightly and noticing the lack of call buttons. Suddenly…you feel as if you were in danger. It takes a bit for you to gain the courage to move on in the hotel, but door after door, the hotel only grows more and more strange. So much so, that it begins to feel like you were having a fever dream. There were numerous doors that were broken or blocked off by wooden planks, stairwells that didn’t lead to upper or lower floors, the layouts stopped making sense entirely, and there was a constant feeling of being watched and looming danger skulking about. Then, you have your first encounter. Upon opening door ‘014’, you take notice of how the lights flicker as you enter. Then, the sense of fear inside of you suddenly spikes as your heart begins to race. At first, you didn’t know why. Then… You hear it. Something was coming from somewhere behind you. Loud, bellowing, and quickly approaching. Deep within yourself, you could feel something urging you to HIDE!

You sink down into pure instincts and look around the room in a panic.You take notice of a wardrobe that was sitting off to the side and the same feeling inside of you tells you to hurry and hide inside of it! You sprint over and swing open the doors, finding the closet surprisingly empty. Without hesitation, you throw yourself into the closet and shut it quickly, listening as the noise grows louder and louder. Then, through the crack in the closet, you see it. A large being with a gray smiling face and a shadowy body races past your hiding place quickly. Bellowing loudly and shattering all the light fixtures that it passes. You even cover your ears as the beast charges past, its large toothy mouth agape, letting out its loud roar, and tearing through the room ahead of it recklessly. Then just as quickly as it arrived, it vanished like it wasn’t even there. Your heart was still thundering loudly in your chest as you struggled to process what just flew by your hiding place. Even worse, you swear that the darkness inside of the closet was moving and your heart rate grew even more rapid as you swore something was touching you and whispering ‘get out’ into your ears. In response, you bolt from the closet and out into the darkened room. With a quick few stumbles, you enter the illuminated room ‘015’ and collapse to the floor in shock. Your heart thundering in your ribcage and your eyes flicking about as you hold onto your bag of snacks like your life depended on it. What the FUCK was happening?!? What was that thing that flew by the closet?? What was that thing IN the closet?!! Why wasn’t this hotel making sense ANYMORE?!! You take rapid breaths to try and calm your heartbeat, but it did very little to help. You simply lay there on your back, panting and trying to regain your breath from your close encounter with death. After a few minutes, you manage to calm down just enough to finally stand back up and continue on your unwilling journey. Moving on through room ‘015’ to continue on through the endless rooms. You managed to discover a few interesting rooms, namely a painting room that involved a puzzle, multiple styles of studies, large rooms with numerous bedrooms in them, long hallways, and rooms with numerous closets or toppled bookshelves. In these numerous rooms, you even managed to find a lighter in a drawer. You also had more encounters with that large screaming shadow demon. Each encounter is as terrifying as the last as you hide in a closet and watch it rush past, screaming and tearing through the room with its large teeth. Until in one particular room. The moment you open door ‘023’ you are met with darkness. You pause at the entrance, looking into the darkened room in surprise as you blink. Worry eats at you from within, as you swear you can feel a presence lurking around in the dark from where you stand. Squinting a bit, you take notice of a locked door further into the room and a door off to the side. Great…it was locked and it was an office-type of room. Just judging on the familiarity of the layout. You take another moment to gather your courage and pull out the lighter you found. Upon flicking it to life, you walk into the inky black room, taking notice at how it seemed…darker than usual. Your light barely did anything to keep the darkness at bay as you walked along the wall and felt for the door to the office.

You feel the handle and turn it, opening the door to a cluttered office space that looked like someone was just moving in. Boxes, a bed, numerous unmarked crates, and a desk off to the side. Along with those ever present windows with the raining downpour still continuing outside. You quickly stride over to the desk and begin to search the drawers. Nothing notably interesting, except you managed to find some lockpicks. The key wasn’t here. You grumble a bit and then, much to your surprise, you sense something around you… “Psst.” You jump and look around rapidly and once your gaze lands on a floating inky-looking disembodied head with tendrils, glowing white eyes, and a wide toothy grin, you let out a loud scream. The creature does the same thing, except its screech is louder and piercing. Which made you visibly flinch and recoil in response to the sheer octave that the little being reached. Then, it rapidly disappears back into the darkness of the room. Your heartbeat thunders in your chest after the encounter and you try to snap out of it. You needed to get OUT of this dark room, now ! 

So you searched and searched, looking for the key. You even had to put out your lighter to prevent it from burning out on you too quickly. So now you were working in complete darkness with that thing lurking around you. Then, surprisingly…something in the room began to glow an eerie blue. 

From a ways away, you take notice of a glowing key that was laying upon the ground. You hurry over to the luminous key, not really questioning at the moment how it was glowing, before hurrying out of the office. Even more interesting, the door itself was glowing that same eerie blue. With shimmering sparkles and a radiant aura that emitted from it. So you waste no time and head over to the door, the light providing you enough visibility to slip the key into the slot and pop the lock. The door to ‘024’ opens and you rush out of the dark room, doing a quick check around yourself to make sure that whatever that thing was didn’t follow you out into the light. Once in “safety”, you take a look back towards the door that you just came through. Seeing the sparkling blue light slowly fading away from the door until it was no more. Strangely enough…that light felt comforting. 

It did help you after all…maybe whatever was causing those glows was…good? Benevolent, even? You just hoped that you had at least SOMETHING to rely on while you traverse this hellscape of a hotel. And so…you continue on through the rooms. Most of the rooms through 025 to 029 were uneventful. You just have another heartstopping encounter with the large rushing shadow monster in room 028, which you easily survived. However…when you enter room ‘030’, you encounter another monster. You are taken off guard when you hear a rather peculiar sound and suddenly something appears in front of you. A mass of eyes radiating a bright blue light appears in the middle of the room. At first, you thought it must’ve been the being that was guiding you through those dark rooms, but upon looking at it, you see its numerous pupils flash and multiple cuts begin to get slashed upon your body from seemingly nowhere. You flinch and fall down from the sudden pain, looking away from it as it hisses in agitation. You thought you were going to die, but as you lay there, the creature remained dormant. Not attacking you after you looked away from it. Taking this knowledge in hand, you regain your composure, pick up your stuff, and finally yourself up off the floor. Keeping your gaze away from the cluster of eyes glaring at you. You slink around it and manage to get to the next door.

Upon opening door ‘031’, the sound and light from behind you suddenly fades away. Looking back, you see nothing there. The eyes were gone…yet the cuts still remained. 

You wince as you look around the room, finding it to be another multiple bedroom section of this madness-inducing hotel. Maybe you would be able to find something to help heal these injuries…so you began to look around. For the next few rooms, you managed to scrounge up a couple of bandages to help patch your injuries. For the rest of rooms ‘031’ to ‘034’, were primarily uneventful. Except with one small dark hallway and another visit from that shadowy smiling creature that tore through the rooms at the speed of sound.

But upon entering ‘035’, you take a moment to pause as a brief moment of panic goes through you when you see the lights in the room flicker. Instinctively, you run and hide in a closet. 

But after a few minutes…you were met with silence. Trying to ignore the lingering sense of something in the closet with you, you wait a little longer than required just to be sure that the shadowy entity wasn’t on the way over. 

After a few moments, you hurried to step out of the closet once you felt the presence within growing much more touchy-feely. When it began whispering into your ear in a hostile manner, you knew you had no other choice but to leave.

Upon looking around the room, you see no signs of that quick shadow demon. No distant roar. No flickering lights. Just silence. You figured that it must’ve been just the ambiance…until you felt something watching you. You take a closer look around the room, then you freeze in place when you see it. An eye. An eye was poking out of the wall from a black dripping mass that looked like a wound. The large singular pupil focused on you as you cautiously walked around it. Upon moving on to room ‘036’, you see the lights flicker again, but more eyes appear. It was a short hallway and the eyes, two of them, each watched you move from one end of the hall to the other, and you couldn’t fathom the feeling of dread that was starting to build up in your body.

Entering room ‘037’ and ‘038’ each had a similar experience. Except the eyes were practically everywhere by the last room. All watching you move about and do whatever you need to do. The chills you were getting were unreal and the paranoia you were experiencing was unlike anything you have ever experienced before.

Something BIG was coming. You felt it. The dread, the panic, the fear…you silently wonder if the eyes could sense it as well. But upon opening up door ‘039’. You find the place remarkably lit and free from those eye-like entities. It was just a long hallway. No closets, drawers, or tables to be found. Just more of those windows that you couldn’t see out of and more of the ever-present pouring rain. Still, that feeling of dread wouldn’t leave your body. You clutch your snack bag as close to your body as possible, squishing it into your raincoat, as you walk further into the hallway. As you drew closer to the end of the hall, you thought that it was just another typical hallway, like the ones before. Oh how wrong you were.

The sound of the floorboards creaking loudly behind you makes your head turn rapidly towards the source of the disturbance. Your heart stops as you see a pool of that black substance from before start to build up more and more until you see two “hands” emerge from it. A head then emerges and a single eye slips onto the “head” of the creature, with a few agitated pulls, tendrils of slime pop off of its form as the excess sinks back into the floor and the humanoid form is released. 

The singular eye locks onto your terrified form and it lets out a distorted screech before it PHYSICALLY STARTS TO RUN AFTER YOU. You quickly turn around and bolt away from it into the next room. You scream bloody murder as you hear the loud thumping of footfalls from behind you and the walls being covered with eyes and an ominous red light. Your heart thunders inside of your chest and your legs are burning from the exertion. You break through another door and then you see furniture move on its own to block your path! You were about to panic until your eyes caught a quick glimpse of a familiar flurry of sparkles guiding you towards a hole in the blockage. To which you scurry through with reckless abandon. It isn't long until another attempted blockage is placed in your path, but with the mysterious light guiding you, you hurry through without a moment of hesitation.

You find yourself running through halls, each with barricades of furniture and ruined doors. But with only one door that would allow you through. The thundering footfalls from behind you almost sounded like they were closing in as you bolt through the halls to flee from the creature chasing you. Then upon flinging open the door to door ‘046’, the scene before you is nothing short of horrifying. A once grand hallway is turned into a war zone and large shadowy hands break through the elegant windows upon your entrance, reaching out around their limited space. The chandeliers that once hung from the ceiling now are nothing but a ball of fire on the ground. You couldn’t even take a moment to stop and think as you run about the room. Dodging fire, clasping massive hands, and the entity still hot on your tail from behind. You could see the open door in the distance and you almost feel a sense of relief. Possibly sensing your happiness, you hear the creature behind you let out a shriek of defiance as you sidestep the last large hand that tried reaching for you.

The moment you pass through the door, you slam into the wall of the next room. You pant desperately for breath as you turn around and let out a shrill scream, seeing the shadowy one-eyed entity running straight for you from the hallway.

SLAM! You jump out of your skin as the door that separated you both is suddenly slammed shut by a familiar shower of sparkles. The creature on the other side lets out a roar of frustration as it beats on the door. You lay there for a moment, not expecting the door to hold it back. But after a moment, the banging suddenly stops…and the dread you feel passes. Then, silence fills the room. Your desperate breaths are the only thing present in the room as you lay there and try to force yourself to calm down. That was too close. This place…what WAS this place?? How were there so many monsters in this building?! You…you could’ve died! Who knows what that thing would’ve done to you if it caught you! You lay there for a moment, clenching your bag of snacks for comfort as you struggle to calm down. A few seconds turns to minutes and you finally feel your heart rate dropping back to a normal pulse. A few more minutes pass and you regain the strength to get up and off the floor to continue on your journey. You look at the next door, seeing that it reads ‘048’.

Entering it, you find nothing but another short hallway. You easily pass through it, but upon entering ‘049’, you suddenly see what looks like to be the entrance to a grand study. There were a few bookshelves, a desk, a globe, numerous ruined books, and a large elegant entryway that read ‘050’ above it. You were about to think that the whole nightmare was over and that you were about to find the exit. Until you heard a very ominous reverberating growl come from the other side of the door. You could only gulp and tremble in fear while standing in front of the large door in question. It seems like your journey through this hellish hotel isn't over quite yet…

You just hope that you get out of here alive.

[fandomsnstuff]

I could've written something before i went to work this afternoon but i didn't and it is once again ten pee em so here's some blupjeans for the soul

@taznovembercelebration

Day 9: sticky/truth

Lup and Barry meet a witch in the woods. They get away, but find themselves in a sticky situation afterwards.

Read it on AO3

The thing about witches in huts in the woods is that sometimes they can be very helpful, and other times they… aren't.

Lup and Barry were looking for the Light when they came across the small stone cottage. They asked the little old woman who answered the door if she'd seen anything. She said she hadn't, but she was sure she could help them and ushered them inside. They stood in front of a large cauldron as she puttered around her kitchen. She came up to them and smeared a gooey purple substance on Lup's left hand, and Barry's right, then scraped the rest into the cauldron, which steamed and bubbled pleasantly.

"Now," she said, standing on the opposite side of the cauldron, the steam obscuring her some, "tell me what your hearts desire."

"We're looking for something called the Light of Creation. It fell to the surface of this world last night," Lup said.

The liquid in the cauldron turned red, and bigger bubbles rose to the surface and popped. The witch frowned. "You!" She pointed to Barry. "What does your heart desire?"

"Uh," he and Lup shared a look, "like we said, we're just looking for the Light."

The cauldron boiled violently, turning an even deeper red. "Lies!" The witch cried.

"Seriously, lady," Lup said, "that's all we're looking for."

"How dare you!" She wails. "You're lying to me and yourselves!" The blood red liquid began to spill over the edges of the cauldron and coat the floor. It burned when it touched their feet. They stumbled back, and the witch continued to scream and wail at them. Lup grabbed Barry's hand, the weird purple stuff squishing unpleasantly between them, and bolted.

Now, they're running through the forest, the witch's cries long faded behind them. Their hands are still clasped, so Lup notices when he starts to fall behind. She slows to a stop and turns to him.

"You okay, Bear?"

"Yeah," he says a little breathlessly. He checks over his shoulder, "I think we're okay now, though. That was weird."

She snorts. "No kidding. We go in asking for help with the Light and have to run away with her screaming about our hearts greatest desires."

"Right now, my heart's greatest desire is a shower and my bed."

"Amen."

They take a moment to get their bearings, then head back in the direction of the ship. They don't drop each others hands. Lup tries not to think about it too hard. His hand is warm, and slots together with hers perfectly. Even the gross texture of the weird witch goop is gone.

"Hey," she bumps shoulders with him, "what do you think she wanted us to say?"

He looks at her for a long moment. She could get lost in his eyes forever, but they flick away. "I don't know," he says, looking at the ground but not pulling away from her, "what do you think?"

She has an idea, but she's too afraid to vocalise it and make it real. "Yeah, I don't know. Maybe she just wanted an excuse to kill us."

"Maybe."

As they approach the ship, Lup figures that maybe she should let go of his hand. The last thing she needs is Taako being annoying about it. She tries to casually loosen her grip, but nothing moves. Not even the tips of her fingers. She stops and looks down at their hands. Barry stops with her.

"Lup? Are you okay?"

Try as she might, she can't seem to lift her fingers off the back of Barry's hand. "Stay there," she says. She starts taking steps away from him, and their arms extend between them. When she's as far as she can get from him without letting go of his hand, she tugs, and nothing moves. Barry looks at her with deep confusion as she closes the distance again. "Try to let go of my hand," she says.

After a quick silence, Barry's eyes widen. He looks back up at her, his face a tinge of scarlet. "What do we do?"

"We can either go back to the witch, or the ship." He looks like he's considering it, so she adds, "and I'm not going back to the witch." She'll take Taako poking fun at her afterwards over whatever the fuck that bitch had going on.

They head back into the ship, and Taako gives her a Look. She explains to him and the others what happened with the witch and asks them to pretty please get their hands unstuck.

They. Try. Everything.

Acetone, rubbing alcohol, elixirs, pastes, a spatula, spells, soap, Taako even tries a paring knife before Davenport catches them, but nothing unsticks their hands. Not even a tiny smidgen.

"Guess you're stuck like this for the foreseeable future," Taako says with an infuriating grin. Lup wants nothing more than to take him out at the knees.

Not that she has a problem being around Barry. She loves being around Barry. It's just… inconvenient. Can't do science good as a pair when you're down one hand each. And their beds aren't that big, she doesn't want to get all up in his personal space.

The first night, they're both stiff as boards as they lie in Barry's bed, not wanting to infringe on each others space, but also not having much choice. Not that they haven't slept next to each other before, but it's one thing to fall asleep together in a team cuddle pile, or on the beanbag in the lab, or in the other's bed when someone died and they're sad and need comfort, and a total other thing to be stuck together. But as the nights go on, the relax into it. Lup cuddles into Barry's chest, their glued hands tucked between their bodies. Barry drapes his free arm over her, and it's a comforting weight.

She wakes up early one morning, orange sunlight filtering in through the small window. She just takes him in. They way his features look, relaxed in sleep, his slow, steady breathing. He's got some scruff on his face. Against her better judgement, she reaches up with her free hand and cups his jaw, running her thumb lightly against his skin. He stirs at her touch, his eyes blinking open. He smiles, and she can feel herself melt.

"Morning," he says, sliding his free hand up her arm to cover her hand with his own.

"Hi," she says quietly. They just look at each other for a while. Barry's thumb rubs idly over the back of her hand.

"I could wake up like this every day," he murmurs.

A lump builds in her throat. "I know, me too."

"Lup?"

"Hm?"

"It was you. What the witch wanted me to say? My heart's greatest desire? It was you. It always has been."

She sighs. "We've talked about this, Bear."

"I know, but if not now, when? We don't know how long we'll be doing this, and if we wait until it's over, my lifespan-"

"I know, Barry." She rests her forehead against his, her eyes downcast. "I don't like that part."

"Then let's give ourselves as much time as we possibly can." He cups her cheek and says, "I love you, Lup. I'm tired of pretending I don't."

She sighs deeply. "I love you too, and I want this so bad, but the others-"

"They don't have to know." She looks back up and meets his eyes. He says, "it can just be for us, for as long as we want. They don't have to know any more than they already do."

She searches his face, and finds nothing but the open, genuine love she always sees from him. "Alright," she says, "but only if you kiss me right this second."

He smiles, and pulls her in for a kiss. They've kissed a few times before, but this one is different. It's the start of something new and exciting. Lup tilts her head and lets her mouth fall open as the kiss deepens. She shifts and wraps her arms around Barry's neck. He pulls her flush up against him. He breaks the kiss and says, "Lup?" Her eyes flutter open. "Did our hands just unstick?"

She blinks. Both her arms are around Barry's neck, and she can feel both of his hands against her. "Huh."

"Guess the witch got what she wanted."

"Do you think she owns our souls now or something?"

He shrugs. "She can have 'em. Well get them back once the year's up."

[saberwitch]

Commander Week Day 5: Love

She woke, and immediately wished she hadn't.

Her mouth felt like hot sand. She was restrained, somehow. Legs and one wrist. Something covered part of her face. She tried to call out, but could only manage a raspy croak.

"Captain Elliss," came a warm and vaguely familiar voice. "Please be still. It's taken me three days to put everything back more or less where it was supposed to be, and I really don't want to have to do all that again."

She froze.

"Thank you. Here, drink this."

The water was warm and tasted of metal, but she gulped it down as well as she could.

"Who," she managed.

"Doctor Tikka, at your service. You were badly injured. The Commander brought you here. Carried you in here herself, in fact."

Elliss grunted and pawed in the direction of the voice. Her hand connected with skin and she grabbed and pulled.

The warm voice, Doctor Tikka (or so she claimed), sputtered in protest. Elliss dragged the owner of the voice in front of her and held her in place.

Doctor Tikka was an Asura, and now Elliss realized why she sounded familiar. She was the Chief Medical Officer at Fort Trinity.

"H--" she began, but the sand was back in her mouth. Fireworks of pain were popping off around her, but she couldn't tell what they were attached to.

"How bad," she rasped.

"Now isn't the time," Doctor Tikka said, her voice warm and calm again. There was a single small bright blue firework that seemed to come from her right side. The rest of them faded into grey.

"This will help you sleep," the voice said again, as the bloom of blue sparkles swirled around her, pulling her down into a vortex of cool water. She felt her grip loosening and she fell, fell backwards, and there were...there were...rotting limbs...pawing at her, and then...

Darkness.

It was some three days later when she found herself sitting somewhat upright, watching the doctor putter around, finally able to sleep and talk and even more or less feed herself.

"Doctor," she said. "I think I'm ready."

She saw the doctor's shoulders droop. The Asura put down an information tablet she'd been tapping at, turned, and came over to Elliss's bedside. She had a small stool to climb on so she could look her patient in the face.

She had enormous, deep brown eyes, large floppy ears, and a prim mouth. One three-fingered hand came up and rested on Elliss's forearm.

"How bad?" Elliss asked again.

"Both of your legs were broken," Doctor Tikka said. "Three ribs. Your left wrist was shattered. Your back and right side were slashed down to bone. There will be heavy scarring there. Your right eye is...gone. There was nothing there to save."

"Any good news?" Elliss asked weakly. Gone? What did she mean, gone?

Doctor Tikka blinked like she didn't understand the question.

"You're alive? You'll heal. You may not get full use of your left hand, but you'll heal. And be alive. Did I mention that? I feel like that's important."

"Yeah," Elliss sighed. "No, you're right. I'll heal."

"As I said. Now, I need you to do something for me. Are you listening? I need you to get that awful woman out of my field hospital."

"What?"

"Captain Elliss. Please listen very carefully. The Commander has barely left this room since she carried you in here. She has been sleeping in here. She is very large and very VERY in the way. Please get rid of her."

"What," Elliss protested. She understood most of the words Doctor Tikka was saying, on their own, but together they made no sense.

"I can hear you, Doctor," came a very familiar deep voice.

"Yes, yes, you have the hearing of a murellow. I have other patients to attend. Move, you towering oaf!"

And then the Commander was there, next to the bed, purple eyes locked on Elliss's face.

"Commander," Elliss stammered.

"Captain. I am glad to see you awake and aware."

She carried you in here herself.

"Zhaitan?" Elliss asked.

The Commander nodded.

"You did it," Elliss said, feeling a weight lift. "You killed Zha--"

"We," the Commander said, and Elliss clamped her lips shut on the rest of her words. That was a tone that brooked no argument.

She looked at the Commander. The Commander looked back at her.

"You heard the Doctor," Elliss finally said. It wasn't a question.

A warm, slender hand came up to the side of her face that wasn't swathed in bandages. Elliss closed her eyes, barely managing to keep from leaning into that touch.

"I did. I am sorry."

Elliss opened her eyes, but she couldn't look up.

"Commander," she whispered. "Please don't pull me off active duty. Yeah, this sucks, but I can't sit here and just-- I can't. I need--,"

You.

"...this. I need this. I need to get back into the field."

The hand fell away from her face.

"We will have this conversation later. After you have healed."

Elliss looked up.

She has barely left this room. She has been sleeping in here.

"Commander," she said. There were more words, but they didn't seem to want to come out.

"Melody," the Commander said. Not 'Captain'. Not 'Elliss'. Her first name. It sounded so strange. It sounded...

Comfortable.

"After you have healed. And rested. A hero's rest. You have earned it."

There was a long silence.

"I'm going to be scarred up," Elliss finally said. Her voice felt small and not comfortable at all.

"Among my people, scars are considered attractive," the Commander said.

Elliss tried to digest that one. What did that mean? Was she saying...?

"Out," said a different voice. Doctor Tikka. Elliss bit her lip as she watched the Asura, who was just barely knee height to the imposing Norn, shooing her out of the room with a folded piece of paper.

She's barely left this room.

Elliss watched the Norn bend almost double to get through the door. Remembered seeing her on the deck of the ship, facing down an Elder Dragon.

she carried you

"Ahh, shit! Fuck, gods-damnit!" Elliss shouted.

Doctor Tikka came running, her floppy ears pointed skyward in concern.

"What? What is it? What's happened?" she cried waving her tablet.

Elliss kept staring at the door the Commander had just left through.

"Gods," she said again, ignoring the doctor. "I think I'm in love with that woman. I am so fucked."

Doctor Tikka rolled her enormous eyes.

"Alchemy save us from idiots and fools," she muttered.

[stationintern]

WIP Snip to start the week!

Thank you to @tackytigerfic for tagging me! This is for my San Francisco fic, since I’ve mostly been working on a fest fic that I can’t share as of late.

“Here you are, sir.”

The luggage handler passes him his trunk, which has to be ten years old at this point, worn and battered from overuse— not to mention Harry’s habit of running it into walls while levitating it.

“Thanks.”

The Portkey station is quiet, tired travellers puttering about, sleepily hugging family members who have skipped out on a late Saturday sleep for those they love. A cloud of brown hair awaits. Hermione’s nose is buried in a book, wrapped up in a massive black sweatshirt and some grey joggers, hard-soled slippers on her feet.

“‘Mi!” he calls, and her head whips up at lightning speed.

“Harry!”

She closes her book and runs, launching herself into his arms, engulfing him and leaving little room for breath. He forgot about her aggressive sense of affection, always surprising him until he remembers how to lean into the feeling, appreciate it.

“Oh, it’s so lovely to see you,” she reluctantly releases her grip, but keeps her hands firmly around his shoulders, looking him up and down, “I managed to find a parking space. Let’s go.”

She takes over levitating his trunk, leading him out a set of automatic doors and into the liminal space of a large and echoing parking garage, which is so foreign and Muggle compared to the Portkey office.

“Parking space?” he asks, but he’s pretty sure he meant to say something else.

She gives him a look, before seeming to realise something, “Oh! Yes. There’s no Apparating within the city limits. New legislation regarding magical energy peaks in certain areas.”

“Mm.”

“Don’t be like that. Driving is nice.”

Driving is nice. Now, he wishes he’d found a way to bring his motorbike.

Hermione’s car is adorable, and suits her quite well, actually. It’s compact and a disgusting shade of lime green, but Harry’s never known much about cars, and probably couldn’t distinguish its make and model if asked.

Hermione slides his trunk into the back while he clambers into the passenger’s seat, feeling too large for the tiny space. His head nearly brushes the ceiling. He can’t imagine Ron trying to fit in here. Hermione buckles herself in and turns the key, ignition roaring—squealing—to life.

She turns, stares at him with a blank expression.

“Yes?” he prods.

She tsks, shakes her head, “Your seatbelt.”

“Mm.”

Harry buckles up, feeling more at home than he had the moment before.

I invite who wants to participate to post a little something!

[macrogolf12]

The Benefits of Using an Oversized Putter: A Game-Changer from Macrogolf

The right equipment from Macrogolf can bring a significant change to your golf game. Among the various clubs in your bag, the putter plays a crucial role in determining your performance on the greens. If you’ve been looking for a way to improve your putting accuracy and consistency, consider switching to an oversized putter from Macrogolf. This innovative design offers a range of benefits that can enhance your overall game and help you sink more putts with confidence.

 What is an Oversized Putter?

An oversized putter is a club that features a larger head than traditional putters. The increased size provides a larger sweet spot, making it easier to strike the ball consistently, even when your aim is slightly off. The design of an oversized putter typically includes a wider face, which increases the surface area in contact with the ball, providing more forgiveness on off-center hits. This can be a game-changer for golfers looking to reduce mishits and improve accuracy on short and long putts alike.

 Increased Forgiveness and Consistency

One of the key advantages of using an oversized putter is its ability to increase forgiveness. In golf, forgiveness refers to the club’s ability to minimize the impact of off-center hits, which can result in inaccurate shots or missed putts. With the larger sweet spot of an oversized putter, even when your stroke isn’t perfect, the ball is still likely to travel on the intended line. This consistency is especially valuable for amateur golfers or those who struggle with their putting technique.

An oversized putter allows for more effective weight distribution across the face, which further helps mitigate errors and improve ball control. Whether you’re putting from a short distance or tackling a more challenging long-range putt, the oversized design provides a higher level of confidence with every stroke.

 Enhanced Stability and Control

The design of an oversized putter not only boosts forgiveness but also provides improved stability and control. The larger head creates a more stable base, reducing twisting during the stroke and making it easier to maintain a consistent swing path. This stability can help golfers avoid the common problem of overcompensating for mishits, especially when putting under pressure or during crucial moments in a round.

Additionally, the added weight of an oversized putter offers greater control over the distance and direction of your putts. This feature is particularly beneficial for golfers who struggle with touch or controlling the pace of their putts, as the weight distribution helps to smooth out the stroke and deliver more consistent results on the green.

 Why Choose Macrogolf’s Oversized Putter?

At Macrogolf, we are committed to providing golfers with the highest-quality equipment to enhance their game. Our oversized putters are designed with cutting-edge technology and premium materials to deliver exceptional performance on the greens. With a focus on comfort, stability, and forgiveness, our oversized putters cater to golfers of all skill levels, helping you achieve better results with every round.

[golfruso]

Lynx Golf Clubs: A Comprehensive Guide for Golfers

Golf is not just a sport; it’s a passion. Every golfer knows that the right equipment can make all the difference. When it comes to selecting the perfect golf club, Lynx Golf Clubs have earned their place in the spotlight. With a legacy built on performance, precision, and innovation, Lynx offers a range of clubs designed to elevate your game.

Why Lynx Golf Clubs Stand Out

Lynx Golf is synonymous with quality and performance. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, Lynx offers something for everyone. From the sleek, stylish design of their clubs to the high-tech features that improve your game, Lynx clubs are crafted for success. The “Black Cat” logo is iconic, symbolising power and precision on the golf course.

Here’s why Lynx Golf Clubs should be your next choice:

Innovative Design: Lynx Golf Clubs are designed to suit a range of playing styles. Whether you need more distance, control, or forgiveness, Lynx has the solution.

Performance: With the right clubs, golfers can expect higher accuracy and better results on the course. From fairway woods to hybrids, Lynx clubs deliver top-tier performance.

Diverse Selection: Lynx offers an extensive selection of golf clubs, including irons, wedges, and putters, so every golfer can find the perfect fit.

Types of Lynx Golf Clubs

Lynx Golf offers a variety of clubs, each tailored to specific needs and skill levels. Here are some of the top picks in the Lynx range:

1. Lynx Irons

Lynx irons are well-known for their exceptional feel and accuracy. Whether you're hitting long approach shots or short chips, these irons give you the control you need. They are perfect for golfers looking to improve their game with every shot.

2. Fairway Woods

Fairway woods from Lynx help golfers cover more distance with less effort. Their lightweight design and low centre of gravity ensure that you can easily launch the ball high and long.

3. Hybrids

Lynx hybrids blend the best qualities of irons and woods, providing exceptional versatility. Perfect for players looking for distance and control from the fairway or rough.

4. Wedges

When it comes to chipping around the greens, Lynx wedges are a favourite among golfers. They offer precision, spin, and control, helping you to execute the perfect shot.

5. Putters

A great putter is key to finishing a round strong, and Lynx putters provide the accuracy and consistency you need to sink those crucial putts.

Lynx Golf Clubs on the PGA Tour

Lynx Golf Clubs have made their mark in PGA Tour history. Many professional golfers rely on Lynx clubs for their exceptional performance. The clubs have been used in various events, including the Ryder Cup and major tournaments, and have helped players achieve remarkable feats, such as the legendary 15th sub-60 round.

Lynx's influence in the sport is undeniable. Players like Tiger Woods and other professionals have showcased the power and precision of Lynx clubs on the world’s biggest stages.

Features to Look for in Lynx Golf Clubs

Lynx clubs are designed with cutting-edge technology to provide golfers with the best possible experience on the course. Here are some of the features that make Lynx Golf Clubs stand out:

Shaft Technology: Lynx clubs come with specially designed shafts that improve control and accuracy.

Clubheads: The large, forgiving clubheads help reduce the chances of a poor shot.

Distance: Lynx clubs are built for maximum distance, helping you cover more yards with each swing.

Grip: A comfortable grip enhances control and performance.

Where to Find Lynx Golf Clubs

Lynx Golf Clubs can be found at top retailers and online stores. Whether you’re looking for new clubs or are hoping to get a great deal in the sale category, Lynx has you covered. They also offer custom options for golfers who want a tailored experience, from the shaft to the clubhead design.

Popular Lynx Golf Club Models

Some of the popular models of Lynx Golf Clubs include:

Lynx Black Cat Irons: These irons offer precision and are ideal for players who want more control over their shots.

Lynx Hybrids: A great choice for golfers who want the best of both worlds between woods and irons.

Lynx Fairway Wood: Known for its distance and accuracy, this wood helps players get the ball down the course with ease.

Reviews and Customer Feedback

Lynx Golf Clubs receive plenty of positive reviews. Golfers from Europe to Minnesota have praised the clubs for their performance, particularly in events such as the Ryder Cup. Players appreciate the comfortable feel, improved accuracy, and long-lasting durability of the clubs.

Many golfers claim that Lynx clubs have significantly improved their game, especially when it comes to hitting long drives and achieving pinpoint accuracy. The combination of quality and affordability makes Lynx a popular choice.

Tips for Maximising Your Lynx Golf Club Performance

To get the most out of your Lynx clubs, here are a few tips:

Know Your Shot: Whether it’s a wedge for a chip shot or a fairway wood for a long drive, choose the right club for the situation.

Practice Regularly: Like any club, the more you practice, the better your game will become.

Get Fitted: Custom-fitting your Lynx clubs ensures maximum comfort and performance.

FAQs

1. What makes Lynx Golf Clubs stand out?

Lynx Golf Clubs are known for their innovative design, performance, and versatility. They offer excellent accuracy, distance, and forgiveness, making them suitable for golfers of all skill levels.

2. Which Lynx clubs are best for distance?

Lynx fairway woods and hybrids are designed for maximum distance, providing golfers with the power to cover more yards with each swing.

3. Can I find Lynx Golf Clubs online?

Yes, Lynx Golf Clubs are available at top retailers and online stores, offering a variety of models, including custom options for tailored performance.

4. Are Lynx clubs used by professional golfers?

Yes, Lynx clubs have been used in major PGA events, including the Ryder Cup, and have been favoured by top players for their exceptional performance.

5. How do I maximise the performance of my Lynx clubs?

To maximise performance, it’s important to practice regularly, choose the right club for each shot, and get custom-fitted clubs for the best fit and comfort.

Conclusion

Lynx Golf Clubs have earned their place in the golf world due to their innovative design and top-notch performance. Whether you're hitting the links at St Andrews or playing a local course, these clubs offer everything you need for a successful round. With a wide range of options, including irons, wedges, hybrids, and putters, Lynx ensures that every golfer has the tools they need to play at their best.

If you’re ready to take your game to the next level, consider GolfRUS Golf Clubs. With their precision, distance, and reliability, GolfRUS can help you reach your golfing goals.

[duskys-dreams]

I was running some sort of evil empire in what appeared to be a type of video game. I was doing very well with it, travelling to other people’s places and taking their resources easily.

But eventually I had to leave, and discovered a new place. There were four trials, each representing a different element. Fire, water, earth, and air.

The fire trial started in some sort of giant basketball court, and I had to protect my friends from all the other people there.

After that, I went to the air trial. It was much more difficult.

I had my two friends, and we had to get on top of this ledge to progress. But the only way to do that was to use this air geyser given to us, and it was difficult. It was just too far away from the ledge, and there was a second complication.

On the first failed jump, a large door on the right wall would open, revealing these rails. On the second fail, a huge teddy bear in a huge minecart would appear, going in a straight line. If anyone was hit by the teddy bear, all of us would die and we’d have to start again. But after that, the teddy bear would disappear and the cycle would repeat.

I took the lead, trying to jump again and again. The air guardian, a young girl not much bigger than me, watched us while smiling smugly, offering us no help.

Eventually, I managed to make it onto the ledge. I then waited for my two companions, warning them not to get hit or else I would die too. We all made it, and together we walked toward the next challenge.

We had to hop across these small circles in the water, making sure not to touch the liquid. Easy enough, we all did it first try.

After that was a bit more challenging. We had to run through this long and dark tunnel filled with water and avoid the zombies that would come out of holes. It was terrifying and difficult, but we made it.

The end was kind of nice. We were at the surface again and there was this artificial island nearby, full of plants and very pretty. We left after that, annoyed at the air guardian for making such an absurd challenge.

I went to my mom, who was standing at the end of this huge line behind the elementary school. Apparently we needed to get some sort of papers checked, and it was a long wait.

I had to go find something, so I left my mom in the line and went inside the house. Inside, I asked my mom through those red headpieces she has (we both had a pair) if she remembered that old elf-on-the-shelf movie. She said she didn’t, so I went about describing it as I puttered around the front landing. I told her how it was about these two tiny elves-on-the-shelves, one wore white and green and the other just green (and very small). They were watching this one house, but the elf wearing white was accidentally touched by the kid and couldn’t go back to report to Santa. But with the help of the little green elf and the girl who accidentally touched him, he made it back to Santa.

During this explanation, I munched on these old Easter candies I found in the potted plant, and I couldn’t hear my mom afterward. So I went back outside and could see her lips moving, but I could only barely hear her through the headpieces. I asked her to fix it, and she agreed, but said she wasn’t the one eating while talking on the phone. I felt embarrassed.

We both had to go upstairs to talk to someone to fix the headpiece, but we needed someone to hold our spot. My brother and Xander were both there for some reason, so I ran up and called him Tobias, asking if he could hold mom’s spot. He said sure, looking confused. I ran off.

Everyone had to climb this steep hill, but it looked difficult. As I watched, some kids would lose their grip and slide all the way down. We had to go to the building on the right, so I considered trying to climb the much more jagged part of the hill on the right, but instead had a better idea. I went to the left and clung to the building as a climbed, using this small wooden ledge as a support to pull me up as I climbed.

The supervisor on the hill praised me for my ingenuity, saying that I even had a handhold.

I made it to the top of the hill (it was a struggle even with my strategy) and Mom and I went to the building on the left. I reflected on the nature of names during the walk, thinking about how Tobias’ name didn’t sound right and neither did mine.

We climbed the stairs and found a man sleeping in a bed, with his gorgeous tortoiseshell cat curled up next to him. Mom went past him and into the next room, looking for screws, and the man sleepily came to, saying “hey, dear.” He thought it was his girlfriend who was waking him up. It was not.

I paid more attention to the cat. She was very beautiful, and even had a pamphlet about her. It has basic instructions and trivia about cats, and in one part said “is it good if a cat slow blinks at you?” and then a picture of the cat’s face instead of an answer. Peering closer at the cat’s face, I saw it has the word YES written in white fur on its right cheek. It looked like it has been written with the numbers on a clock.

I asked the man if this happened naturally, and he seemed unsure, but said he was pretty sure the people at the pet store bleached the fur for the trivia. I was disappointed.

My mom found what she was looking for, so we left, bidding goodbye to the man and his cat. He seemed nice enough.

We slid down the hill easily, along with everyone else, and rejoined our spot with Tobias and Xander. There were more people behind us now.

I asked my brother if his name was actually Tobias or if I was losing it. He laughed and said I was losing it, his name was Marcel. I was confused, but it sounded right.

I abandoned my mom and Marcel and met up with my companions from before. It was getting dark, and we wanted to get revenge on that annoying air guardian.

We went inside her challenge again. It was dark this time, but the geyser still worked. The rails and teddy bear were nowhere to be found.

I managed to grab these water pipes that ran across the ceiling, which hadn’t been there before, and pulled myself on top of it. I then shimmied across it, dropping down on the ledge. This wasn’t the way we were supposed to do it, so it was exactly what we all did.

We ran down to the cushions in the water again, and I took the lead, hopping across but heading to the right instead of straight. It hadn’t been there before either, and it turned out to be a shortcut that led directly to the surface.

Once I was on the surface, I jumped around a lot, trying to make sure my new checkpoint was saved. I was on gravel, and my socks were getting wet, but I didn’t care much.

Granddad was watching me from across the street, and I waved at him. He said nothing, so I said nothing in return.

I saw two figures emerge from the darkness, one who was short with long hair, and another that was taller and had two bug-like eyes on top of her head. But they came closer, and it was just my companions. They asked what we should do now.

We went to the island and started messing around in the water. The physics were exactly like in Roblox, and we’d be forced to the surface at every opportunity.

We found more people during this, and they liked our plan. They joined us in our plan to mess with the air guardian.

We went back to the beginning, along with our new friends. But now, the teddy bear minecart was back. This time, however, the minecarts weren’t disappearing when the teddy bear did. We decided to activate it over and over to see if we could break it.

The minecarts piled up, and the teddy bear would keep colliding with it. Sometimes we would get stuck in the minecarts and have to hop out, which would delete that minecart.

Eventually we had a pile of minecarts. One companion said this probably wasn’t supposed to happen. I said that was a good thing, and we climbed up the pile easily.

We went through the circuit again and again, memorizing it and getting better each time. Eventually, we all met up at the end and went on the island.

I swam inside the island, which was hollow in the middle. We knew we had succeeded, and it was time for celebration.

My friends were on the outside, and I looked at them. We started a song as I opened the wheel-like door, as I would shout out lyrics and my friends would scream “SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS!”

I changed the lyrics to something from Encanto, and everyone fell silent in confusion for the first line. But they got it after the second one.

After we got to the “READY? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS-“ the island started flying into the air, higher and higher with each chant. At the final “SPOONGEBOB… SQUAREPAAAAAAAAAANTS-“ the island kept floating in the air, and I held onto it like a small Lego house until it ended.

After that, we all started to leave. Two people got in a boat, and one said to the other, “now who is going to be the princess, if not the air guardian?” The other said that Wheels was a good candidate. My name was Wheels.

[bestgolfclubsforwomenbeginners]

10 Essential Golf Tips for Beginner Women Golfers - The Do's and Don'ts of Choosing Golf Clubs

Golf has increasingly become a popular sport amongst women, with more and more women taking up the sport every year. Whether it's the allure of the green, the challenge of the game, or the opportunity for socialization, golf provides an engaging experience for all. For beginner women golfers, one of the first pivotal steps on this exciting journey is choosing the right golf clubs. This decision can significantly influence your game and enjoyment, making it essential to get it right from the start.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the essentials of selecting the perfect golf clubs for beginner women golfers. From understanding the basics to maintenance and care, we’ve got you covered.

Understanding the Basics of Golf Clubs

When venturing into selecting golf clubs, it's crucial for beginner women golfers to grasp the fundamentals. Golf clubs are not one-size-fits-all; their variety caters to different aspects of the game, including drivers for long tee shots, irons for various distances, wedges for short game precision, and putters for the green. Each type serves a unique purpose and choosing the right combination can significantly impact your performance on the course. Additionally, the club's shaft flex, weight, and length can influence swing mechanics and ball trajectory, making it vital to select clubs that match your physical attributes and skill level.

Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing Golf Clubs

Read more information at: How to choose golf clubs for women beginners

Do:

Consult with a Professional: Before making any purchase, it's advisable to consult with a golf professional or a qualified club fitter. They can assess your swing, height, strength, and playing style to recommend clubs that will complement your game.

Test Before You Buy: Many golf shops offer demo days or fitting sessions. Take advantage of these opportunities to swing different clubs and feel which ones suit you best.

Don't:

Ignore Club Length: Playing with clubs that are too long or too short can adversely affect your swing mechanics and overall performance. Ensure the clubs you choose are properly sized for your height and arm length.

Overlook the Importance of Grip Size: The grip is your only contact point with the club. Grips that are too large or too small can hinder your ability to control the club during your swing. Select a grip size that feels comfortable and allows for proper hand placement.

Finding the Right Fit Golf Clubs 

Choosing the right golf clubs is a critical element of maximizing your potential on the course. Here's a deeper look into the do's and don'ts to consider when selecting your clubs.

Do:

Research on Club Types: Understand the specific roles of different clubs in your bag. For example, woods are designed for long-distance shots from the tee or fairway, while irons are used for a variety of shots from different distances, focusing on precision. Wedges offer high precision and control in short-distance shots, particularly near the green. Knowing the purpose of each can help you make informed decisions.

Consider Your Skill Level: Your choice of clubs should reflect your experience and skill level. Beginners might benefit from clubs that offer more forgiveness on off-centre hits, whereas experienced golfers might prefer clubs that offer more control and the ability to shape shots.

Don't:

Neglect Shaft Options: The rigidity of the club's shaft, known as "flex", can have a significant impact on your shot. Shafts that are too stiff or too flexible for your swing speed can lead to problems with accuracy, distance, and trajectory. It's crucial to select a shaft that matches your swing speed and style.

Forget About Club Weight and Balance: The weight and balance of a club can profoundly influence your swing. Some golfers may prefer a heavier club that helps increase swing speed, while others find better control with a lighter club. A properly balanced club can improve both the comfort and accuracy of your shots.

Selecting the right golf clubs involves a mix of understanding your own game, acknowledging where you want to improve, and knowing the technical aspects of golf equipment. It's a process that combines personal preference with practical considerations, aimed at enhancing your enjoyment and performance on the course.

Tips For Maintaining and Caring For Golf Clubs

Do:

Regularly Clean Your Clubs: Keeping your clubs clean is not just about aesthetics; it's crucial for maintaining their performance. Dirt and debris can affect the spin, flight, and accuracy of your shots. After every round or practice session, use a soft brush and mild soap to clean the heads, shafts, and grips of your clubs, ensuring they are in optimal condition for your next game.

Check for Wear and Tear: Regular inspection of your clubs can help you identify signs of wear and tear that could impact your game. Pay special attention to the grips, as worn-out grips can lead to a loss of control and accuracy. Similarly, inspect the club heads for any damage that might affect your shots' trajectory and distance.

Store Your Clubs Properly: Correct storage of your golf clubs can significantly extend their life. Avoid leaving them in extreme conditions, such as the hot trunk of a car, as this can warp the shafts and damage the clubs. Store them in a cool, dry place, ideally in a golf bag that keeps them organized and protected.

Don't:

Ignore the Importance of Grip Size and Material: The right grip size and material can drastically improve your feel and control over the club. Playing with grips that are too large or too small for your hands can hinder your ability to perform your best. Additionally, the material of the grip (e.g., rubber, corded, or wrap) can affect your comfort and the club's performance in different weather conditions.

Overlook the Need for Professional Fitting: Even with a good understanding of what you need, a professional fitting can fine-tune your choices to your exact swing characteristics. A professional can analyze your swing speed, style, and preferences to recommend the best clubs for your game, adjusting the length, lie angle, and shaft flex to suit your specifics.

Neglect to Update Your Set as Your Game Evolves: Your golf game will change over time as you develop skills and preferences. What worked for you as a beginner might not serve you well as you improve. Be open to updating your clubs to match your evolving game, whether it means adding specialized clubs, such as different wedges or a hybrid, or changing your entire set to better match your current skill level.

By focusing on both the maintenance and care of your golf clubs, as well as being mindful of equipment choices and updates, you can ensure your gear supports your performance and love of the game for years to come.

Conclusion

Choosing the right golf clubs as a beginner woman golfer is a critical step toward refining your game and enhancing your golfing experience. By understanding the basics, seeking personalized fitting, and maintaining your clubs well, you can set the stage for success on the golf course. We encourage all beginner women golfers to take control of their club selection process and continuously explore methods to improve their game.

We’d love to hear about your experiences and tips on choosing golf clubs. Share your stories in the comments below, and let’s continue to support each other in this wonderful sport.

For more information, visit: https://bestwomensgolfclubs.wordpress.com/

[aforerime]

The steel lid clattered violently upon the roiling pot. Water spurted from the edges, frothing feverishly for escape; blistering beads of liquid streamed down pot's sides and met their fateful demise, licked by the hungry flames below. Uraume listened to the water's rebellion attentively, lifting the pan to place a chopstick across the mouth of the pot and resettled the lid. Now, the water clung to the wood, gripping for freedom, ignoring all thoughts of freedom.

Uraume heeded less to the modern era's cuisine, seeking no reason to explore a realm that did not concern them. However, they listened to those they adored, Lord Sukuna and Mistress Hansol. What they desired is what they created, and it wasn't till several nights before that Uraume had no inclination to modern cuisine when Hansol mentioned corn soup during their nightly repose. Uraume investigated the dish, saw its simplicity, and began procuring the necessary ingredients to fulfill her desire.

Uraume peeled back the pale green husk, eyes searching for the luscious bone within. They expected plump, glistening kernels underneath the thin, silk tendrils, only to find a barren ear. Uraume peeled back the rest in hurried concern, finding the ear of the corn lacking in kernels. They paid as everyone else, paid for a plump and delicious ear of corn for a tremendously lacking vegetable.

The violent puttering of the water halted suddenly as Uraume left the kitchen enveloped in a tilted sheet of ice. They marched from the Hanok, hellbent on blood. However, eliminating the crooked and inattentive grocer would not bring back the loss corn. For so long they relied on the ingredients of the marketplace, relied on fallible humans who paid little attention to their products and more to the weight of their pocket. Uraume knew a waste to the market would do little to altering the system. Humankind was impossible to mold, fixed in their growth out of fear and comfort.

Uraume veered from the city and disappeared into the sunless treeline.

Upon their mindless venture through the woods they happened upon a clearing sparsely littered with cedar trees and large boulders. As they examined the expanse before them, they came to a haunting realization. Their reliance on this world has been tested. First, the chick, who now fully grown in a productive hen, rekindled their desire for self-efficacy. Now, the barren corn was fuel to the icy fire. Their meals were not their own. The personality subdued by the craft and failures of others. Uraume clicked their tongue with repulsion. If they desired to feed Lord Sukuna and Mistress Hansol their soul, they must construct everything.

For several days they've returned to the edge of the clearing, producing a mental map for envisioned farm. For several days their focus zoned in on this goal, breeding absentmindedness in their daily chores. Perhaps this is what brought their Lord to follow. For on the fifth day, Uraume heard the snapping of sticks crackling behind them. Without hesitancy, they recognized their lord's footsteps and turned around to bow.

"Lord Sukuna," they greeted, "your timing is impeccable. I request an arrangement, My Lord."

[topreviewin]

Are you looking to up your game on the green? Are you not throwing the ball very far distances? Are you struggling to make good contact? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should consider investing in a good golf club set. One of the best golf club sets you can invest in is the MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge for Men & Women, 36 Degree. This club will open up your distance on the green, while also taking away the need for a lot of power. Additionally, the MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge for Men & Women, 36 Degree is a great option for those who rely on their short game. This club will take the stress out of making good contact, while also saving you from a lot ofstrokes. If you're looking to take your game to the next level, then the MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge for Men & Women, 36 Degree is a great option to consider.Table of ContentsMAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge for Men & Women,36 Degree - Save Stroke from Short Game,Right HandStrata Men’s Complete Golf SetRAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag - Graphite/Steel ShaftsFrequently Asked QuestionsMAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge for Men & Women,36 Degree - Save Stroke from Short Game,Right HandPros: Alignment line for accuracy, putter-like length for easy swing, high performance rubber grip for better control, improved short game. Cons: May be too light for some users. The MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge is a great choice for those looking to improve their short game. The alignment line and putter-like length make it easy to use, and the high performance rubber grip gives you better control. The improved short game is a great benefit, and the price is just $69.80.Strata Men’s Complete Golf SetThe Strata Men's Complete Golf Set is designed to give you maximum performance and confidence from tee-to-green. The set includes a driver, fairway wood, hybrid, irons, putter, and stand bag. The driver features a lightweight 460cc forged head with a large sweet spot and titanium construction for more forgiveness and distance. The fairway wood is oversized and designed for forgiveness and high flying shots. The hybrid is a great alternative to difficult long irons and provides more confidence on a variety of shots. The irons are stainless steel and offer a great combination of forgiveness and control. The putter is a mallet style with alignment features to help with accuracy. The stand bag is lightweight and includes five pockets, an additional cooler pocket, a rain hood, and a backpack strap system.RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag - Graphite/Steel ShaftsThe Ram Golf EZ3 is a great choice for golfers who are serious about improving their game. The set includes all the clubs you need to get out on the course and play better golf. The driver is oversized with a 460cc head and a lightweight graphite shaft that will help you generate more club head speed. The 3 wood is smaller than the driver, but still has a large sweetspot and is perfect for long approaches. It also comes with a lightweight graphite shaft. The hybrid is a great choice for accuracy and control, and replaces the longer irons in your bag. The irons are deep cavity back and fitted with steel shafts for more precision. The putter is a mallet design that helps put more weight to the extremities of the club, making it less likely to twist if you make an off-center ball strike. The stand bag is of great quality with auto-pop out legs, dual shoulder straps, and a rain hood. This golf set was built to be easy to use and forgiving, with technologies to help golfers who are serious about improving their game. Frequently Asked QuestionsGreat clubs can help you up your game on the green. In this Q&A, we'll compare three golf clubs that can help you improve your game: the MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge for Men & Women, the Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set, and the RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag. Which club is best for you? To find the best golf club for you, first decide what you need it for.

If you're looking for a pitching wedge to help you improve your short game, the MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge may be a good fit. If you're looking for a complete golf set, the Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set may be a good choice. If you're only looking for a golf club stand, the RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag may be a good option. Each golf club has its own advantages and disadvantages. The MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge is a good option if you're looking for a pitching wedge that can help you improve your short game. The MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge has a 36-degree loft, which is perfect for pitching golf balls into tight spots. The MAZEL Chipper Club Pitching Wedge also has a smooth, polished surface. This makes it easy to chip the ball towards the green. The Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set is a good choice if you're looking for a complete golf set. The Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set has a variety of club options, including a drivers, a woods, and a putter. The Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set is also easy to carry around. The Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set has a steel shaft, which makes it durable. The RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag is a good option if you're looking for a golf club stand. The RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag is easy to set up and take down. The RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag is also easy to store. The RAM Golf EZ3 Mens Golf Clubs Set with Stand Bag is a good option if you're looking for a golf club stand that can hold a lot of golf clubs.