#many chewy heart soaps

[boo-cool-robot]

ELDO Fils De Dieu

Tried Fils De Dieu for the first time today and it's very interesting! Listed notes: Lime, ginger, coriander leaves, coconut JE, rice, shiso, bergamot, vetiver, castoreum, musk, amber, leather

The topnotes are very realistic lime, coriander, and lemongrass. Not much ginger to me, but I don't usually read fresh ginger notes as ginger. It quickly gives way to a more abstracted round and powdery jasmine heart with coconut milk and rice powder around the edges. The jasmine smells crushed and boiled. There's something reminiscent of lotion or soap about it, though I wouldn't say it's aldehydic-soapy. This stage lasts for a few hours and feels like it constantly shifts in emphasis. There are peeks of leather and something cool and metallic through the powder. At about 2 hours in, it's a jasmine-tinged musky vanilla and coconut milk pudding, smooth and rich in texture. At about 4 hours, it's a musky spiced amber, on the smooth and thin side and not particularly round, rich, or chewy. Despite many people saying this smells like a savory curry, this is on the mildly sweet side to me, and its aromatic notes don't read savory.

I've seen this compared to Shalimar, and it does have the bright and cacophonous topnotes over a powdery amber-vanilla base. What defines Shalimar to me, however, is the sheer thickness of it. Shalimar really smacks you over the head, whereas Fils de Dieu is characterful but not insistent in the same way. Not to mention the crazy smoke and rubber aspect of Shalimar, which Fils de Dieu's unusual but friendly heart notes don't compare to. The mood is very different. (By the by, the milky and round jasmine reminds me a lot of Mitsouko EDP!)

I really enjoyed testing this one. It's cheerful and has a lot going on. I wish those lovely topnotes lasted longer, though I know that citrus and herbs famously do not. I also wish the rice was stronger, more realistic, and steam-damp instead of powdery. I wouldn't mind a more realistic coconut milk note either. I truly thought I would smell more literally of curry. I have to spend more time with this to discover how I feel about it, but I'm at least intrigued.

[evalaruesource]

Soap alum Eva LaRue, who became a fan favorite playing All My Children’s Maria Santos Grey on ABC on and off from 1993 to 2011, will make her General Hospital debut on February 26 as Blaze’s mother, Natalia Rogers-Ramirez. And though she’s been a working actress for nearly 40 years, LaRue admits she had some trepidation before starting her new gig.“I do still get nervous,” she shares. “Of all the different genres, soaps are by far the hardest, I think, because there’s an element of theater to it; there’s no stop-and-go like in nighttime television or in a feature film. There’s no getting to do it again unless there’s some major technical difficulty, so there’s that flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of feel to it, and it’s also so much dialogue, which is a little anxiety-producing, especially when you’re jumping back into it again after a bunch of years break. So, it’s exciting and scary all at the same time.”Fortunately, she saw some familiar faces upon arriving at the set. “That’s been the best part of the job,” she declares. “I started at GH in January, which was so fun because there are so many All My Children and One Life [To Live] actors over there; so many New Yorkers. When I went in to go do my wardrobe fitting, the first person I saw was Finola [Hughes, Anna], so that was fun. There’s a new guy on the show, Adam Harrington [who plays John], that I did a Lifetime movie [Cries in the Dark] with. He started the same day I did. And Nancy Grahn [who plays Alexis] and I hadn’t worked together before, but she and I are friends. Just seeing everybody has been a blast.”LaRue is enjoying getting to know more about her new alter ego, who is struggling with her daughter’s sexuality. “Natalia is a very conservative Latina, single mom who raised her daughter to be all of these amazing things, supported her and her talent, and went out of her way to make sure she had all she wanted,” the actress explains. “My first scenes are such chewy material, and I was really grateful for that. Natalia walks in as Blaze is coming out of the shower and Kristina is in her bed, so this feels like a major betrayal to her because Blaze has been keeping this big secret.She continues, “She knew her mom was not going to understand it and she doesn’t. It’s not malicious and it’s not out of hate; it’s just out of a surprise and shock and conservativism that Natalia is having a really hard time being okay with it. I think the storyline is great because it’s so topical. There are so many nuances to having to play it with some heart and depth and understanding.”LaRue is also thrilled that she gets to share scenes with Maurice Benard [who plays Sonny], a first for her. “We’ve never worked together before, but we’re acquaintance friends,” she details. “But it felt so legit, so iconic. When I told all my ‘mom friends’ who are huge General Hospital fans that I had scenes with Sonny, they were like, ‘No way!’ That was really fun. And our scenes together were great.”As was her first day in general. “I loved it,” she enthuses. “You don’t always walk away, thinking, ‘That was a great day at work.’ Sometimes you’re like, ‘Oh, I can’t believe that’s gonna air,’ but I walked away that day going, ‘Oh, my God. I feel so good about this. Yay!’ I really walked away on cloud nine. I was very excited.”While her length of time on the show is undetermined for now, LaRue would be open to a longer Port Charles stay. “They brought me on for the story, and I don’t know anything other than that,” she notes. “I’m recurring right now, but I would love to hang out and recur for as long as they need me or want me. It’s such a great place to work.”

[lorei-writes]

Hello Grandma,

So I heard you have met a good portion of the guys I am going to inquire about, so this should make this easier…

I have never been the kind of woman to struggle in the realm of love, it seemed to come so naturally to me.

Well…

I now find myself fancying many a warlord, and it seems no matter what I decide, it might end up causing a whole spectacle.

I am caught in a crossroads between what I want and what I need. What I know I need is a man who is honest, mature, sweet, and generous… like Hideyoshi or Yukimura, but if I should decide any of them as my lover, then they might be out of a job, to put it lightly.

If I go with what I want, someone who fascinates me, like Motonari or Shingen, then I immediately alienate some good friends at best, cause a war at worst.

I just do not know what to do or how to decide. How do I decide who to make a lover when it has gotten this complicated?

~Potential Helen of Troy

✁ Grandma says:

Oh, Olive, you were always a spirited child, weren’t you? I suppose it is only natural you’ve found yourself in such a situation... Let grandma grant you some insight on your contestants. Tell them not a word of it, though. Grandma knows best, but some knowledge can be shared only in secret -- this shall stay between the two of us.

First, Hideyoshi. I’ve known him to be a kind man, but he took the “be responsible” part of adulthood too close to his heart. He might have warned you about “men being wolves” by now -- ha! If that is not guilty conscience speaking! Do remember, darling, desires can be suppressed only for so long, and Hideyoshi-chan has been continuously refusing himself everything for years, all for the sake of Nobunaga-chan. I think that he wishes they were birds, so that he could feed his lord directly. If you choose him, Nobu-chan comes as a free bonus. Yoshi-chan also has the nastiest habit of not sleeping enough and then smoking to calm himself down! But, I must admit, out of all my grandsons, he makes the best tea.

As for Yuki-chan... Yuki-chan is a good boy. I could see you two working together well. Unlike Hideyoshi-chan, he remembers his age, and unlike Hideyoshi-chan, he does not have a rowdy castle of younger siblings to take care of. His mouth needs to be washed with soap and vinegar, though. Did he really catch your interest? Despite all the boar-talk? I swear, some days I am worried this boy may have a thing for forests... If that is the case, not even my spoon will be able to set him straight.

I think you are overthinking the realities of living with Shingen-chan. Your biggest problem will be stopping him from overeating sweets. This brings me back to the time he demanded to investigate my bag and found some chewy fudge candy! I am not sure who was more terrified when he could barely open his mouth, him or Yuki-chan.

Now, the last one, Motonari. I have only met him briefly. Olive, darling, are you into bad boys? Grandma would rather see you with a nice boy. How will I send you preserves and pies when you’re on a ship? No, no, I don’t like this idea. Who knows what they may feed you in those foreign countries. A young lady your age ought to eat well, and I must make sure that indeed is the case! What if you ventured into colder regions? My, my... No, darling, no, I have no yarn here to make you a proper sweater. If you really must choose him, do invite him for dinner first. I will pull out some good liqueur and make some schabowe. He can come and help if he wishes to, I suppose... But he must drink with me first!

Actually, invite all of them to drink with me. I will know more then.

Lots of love, do keep warm,

Grandma

Do you need advice? Or, perhaps, you’d like to obtain some precious information on habits of your lover? Gossip a little - or, as the youngsters say ‘spill some tea’?

Look no more! Please, feel invited to join in! Grandmas know best, after all ;)

[bootleg-sara]

TBoI Heart HCs!

Featuring: actual images and not just pure text

This one is a lot of fun. Going to use this post to go over pretty much anything and everything related to how hearts work in the basement. From the hearts themselves to the affects it can have on the kids.

(Headcanons undercut. This is another very long lore post so be aware)

To start off I’m going to go over what the hearts are.

So hearts are the primary source of food found within the basement. Sure there’s actual “food” down there, but it’s sparse and never guaranteed. The only guaranteed source is hearts. Though even then it’s more akin to eating pure sugar/protein. You couldn’t really live off of these hearts as they don’t provide the proper nutrients needed. They are definitely very energizing. A lot like an energy drink but not quite as bad for your gut.

Most hearts are gummy-like in texture. The outside heart acts as a containment shell for the liquid inside, which provides the actual healing properties. While you can eat it if you want, the outside shell offers no benefits.

Hearts can grow pretty much anywhere. While their origins are largely unknown, the popular theory is that they form from the remains of the dead. Thus why killing a boss will often drop red hearts.

Next up will be a brief description of all the hearts starting with the most common and going to the least common. Note that not all of these will be based on how common they are in game.

For the first and most common hearts: the red hearts

Red hearts have a very rich taste. It’s heavy in iron so the flavor is very metallic. If as a kid you ever licked or chewed on pennies and other coins, image that but in a liquid and you can drink it. Its a lot like drinking blood. Closest you’ll get to being a vampire. Shaking red hearts around produce a slushing sound from all the liquid inside.

They have very sticky outsides and will pick up any debris that it was on top of. Always be sure to dust off red hearts or you will get a rock in your mouth. Not to much else to talk about here. They are a simple and commonly found heart.

Yum Heart is a constant producer of the juice that filled red hearts! There’s a small opening on the bite mark of the item where the juices inside can be accessed. This does allow for the juice to be shared for minimal healing, but you won’t get the full affects unless you drink it all yourself.

(Going to mention here that I completely forgot that scared hearts existed while making this so I don’t know how they would work. Off the top of head I could say that they are more slippery and will often fly out of someone’s hands like a bar of soap. This giving off the impression that they are “running away”. That’s just me spitballing though)

Next up the second most common hearts: Soul and Black hearts. As well as blending hearts because I put them all together

While not as common, these hearts are a very important part of the basement’s loose defined ecosystem.

Soul hearts are the most common from this list. They are slightly translucent and have a vaguely sweet flavor. The juice that is inside is solid and gummy-like, almost identical to the outer shell.

Black hearts don’t have many noticeable differences to soul hearts. They are not translucent and the shell is tougher to bite through. The insides gummy inners are more chewy and easy to eat. Tastes like bitter coffee.

Both Soul and Black hearts have the same function when the insides are eaten. While the hearts themselves do not offer any healing, they do grant a shield over the person in the form of an aura. This aura is invisible to the naked eye, but they absorb a potentially devastating blow. The shields can stack, but one body can only hold so many. If someone eats an extra soul heart without realizing it, one of the stockpiled shields will dissipate.

Each shield can take two blows (up until the womb, where the enemies hit so hard that the shield can only take one hit). When a shield breaks, the aura will violently burst and push back any nearby enemies.

A soul heart’s shield will simply push back an enemy when broken (holy mantle has the same affect). A Black heart’s shield has less knock back, but does room wide damage as the aura pierces any monster it can before hitting a wall.

Black hearts are less common than soul hearts because they have more specific aging requirements. I’ll explain more on that in a bit, as well as on blended hearts.

But for now, blended hearts are a middle ground between red to soul heart aging. Their juices haven’t fully solidified yet, so they are very goopy. The juice will always prioritize healing. If there are no major injuries, they will form a shield instead.

Next up: All the other hearts because I was to lazy to make a separate sheet for each of them

These are much more rare to find due to the difficult nature of their aging and formation.

Golden hearts are the next most common hearts to find. Essentially, they are overripe soul/black hearts. After not being touched for an extended amount of time, they will harden up even more. There’s no point in eating them as they offer you nothing and also taste really bad. However what you can do with them is scrape out what’s inside and sell it to a shopkeeper. They adore these things and will pay a lot of money to have them. Supposedly they are the main food source for shopkeepers, even though they don’t really need to eat to live.

(If the Keeper was a real entity in my basement, they would be able to get more coin hearts by eating these gold hearts)

Rotten hearts are up next, and they are even more foul than gold hearts. Covered in growths of unknown origin, they taste as bad as they look. You’re just eating rotten meat. That’s the experience you’re getting with rotten hearts. Rotten hearts are unique in the benefits they give. Much like red hearts, if you drink the inside juice you can get healed (though be warned you may get a few chunks in there. Ew). Though unlike them, if you where to eat the shell, a special aura will form around your person that will build up flies for attacking. These flies are different from the usual attack flies as they are beings of pure energy. But other than their reddish-green coloration, they don’t act any different than normal Blue attack flies.

Rotten hearts do have the unfortunate side affect of making someone weaker. Any physical harm that comes to the person will hurt the person much more than usual. It does have some blood thinning affects, as the flies that it makes are drawn from your blood. So your body does need to be able to release blood quicker to make these flies. However once the first hit is gone and removes the rotten aura, your blood will be… unthinned… not the right term but I’m going with it.

Yuck heart can not produce the same healing juices as yum heart, but the growths on its outside can be eaten for a source of rotten heart auras. Yuck heart does regrow these growths with time after consumption.

Bone hearts and rotten hearts are about as common as one another. Bone hearts are crunchy and flavorless, but they are light and easy on the tongue. After eating a lot of gross things, one can come to appreciate the lack of flavor. Bone hearts give a protective aura shield like soul/black hearts. What makes a bone heart aura special is its ability to “recharge” itself by drawing from the energy of red hearts. Bone hearts will always take two hits to destroy as long as it has the red heart energy to protect itself. When you eat a red heart with an empty bone heart shield, it can take the energy made from the heart and instead process it into its own preservation. However, if your body needs immediate healing, red hearts will default to helping that matter, the bone heart aura can’t draw the energy fast enough to use. The aura blast from a broken bone heart is the same as a soul heart.

Finally there’s eternal hearts. They are the most disconnected from all the other hearts, as well as the most rare. The insides are more like a pastry than anything. The shell is still gummy. It also tastes like vanilla! An eternal heart has the ability to energize a person and gives them more strength if they are kept safe. If you can make it through a whole floor without losing excess blood, the eternal heart will have charged up enough to give the person a huge stamina boost. Though, if you get hit during this process, the eternal heart’s built up energy will instead be focused onto healing the wound. By then all the built up energy is lost and you don’t get the stamina boost. Eat another eternal heart during this phase and they will power up one another for an instant boost.

So all of these hearts (excluding eternal) are built off of one another. All hearts need time to age to become what they are, much like how a fruit must age to be read through eat.

I did not feeling like lining this digitally, so here’s this picture of a graph I made during work.

To describe in words, here’s how the aging process works for hearts.

From red heart to gold heart:

> Starts at red hearts, the youngest state of in which a heart can be eaten and used for its benefits

> The heart starts to age as it’s left untouched. If a red heart ages in the sheol, dark room, or library, it becomes a black heart. Anywhere else it becomes a soul heart. During this in between phase is where blended hearts come from. This part of the aging process is the quickest. You have to be lucky to find a heart mid way through the aging process

> The heart fully ripens to a soul/black heart. The insides are no longer a liquid. Often times red heart juice will find its way into the cracks of an open rock and continue to age there. Because a red heart can be left along for an extended period of time with no interference, soul hearts can often be found inside rocks

> if left untouched for even longer, the insides will solidify even more until they are hardened completely. Unlike blended hearts, gold hearts do not have an in-between phase. For the final change from soul to gold is almost instantaneous. However the actual time it takes to get to that point is much longer than from red to soul.

A bone heart will form when the shell from either a Red, Soul, Black, or Blended heart is left to dry out. This process is not as long as good heart aging, but is less common because there’s often not enough of a heart’s shell left over to become a bone heart.

A rotten heart can only form from a red heart. The bacterial contamination will keep the red heart in a constant state and prevent it from aging.

Eternal hearts are made from a completely different source. Yet another mystery. But another fun theory that the kids crafted up is that eternal hearts are made by angels. When they aren’t busy, they cook up a few batches of them and spread them out. It would explain why they have an actual flavor compared to the others.

That covers everything I have so far about the hearts. I want to go a bit into certain affects hearts have on people. Specifically, it’s about how the boys is affected when someone has purely Soul/Bone/etc. without red hearts.

(no more images past this point. Sorry :( )

So red hearts are strongly connected to one’s blood. So closely to the point they are interchangeable. They work by super charging the body’s immune system and allowing for the blood to more quickly clot and heal wounds (yes I am aware that’s not how real wounds heal. But this the basement where the dead continue to live so I’m not aiming for strict realism). The red hearts or blood is used in many many different items to give various boosts in power and other benefits as well.

For example, bloody gust and bloody lust use your own range to boost your power and speed. Blood of the martyr and Stigmata gives a permanent power boost using the blood taken via the items. Habit uses your blood to charge items. I could go on but the general idea is life energy is of the upmost importance in the basement. (That is how the basement gets its energy after all)

It’s not very difficult to find yourself in a point where you lose all of red hearts/blood. This will not kill you if you find yourself in that situation. While your body is functioning like the undead, you aren’t technically dead without red hearts. But your heart does stop beating as there’s nothing inside to move around. That part of it takes a lot of getting used to. Without red hearts, you have no blood for your body to function properly. While you can still move about, unless you are used to the feeling, your body can feel very bloated and sluggish. Having less red hearts does not have that same sluggish affect. At most you’ll just be able to take less hits.

Having nothing but bone hearts has the same affect as having all soul/black hearts. Because red hearts will be directed towards the bone aura instead of your person. Having all rotten hearts makes you incredibly sickly and weak. But at least you still have your blood.

Blue Baby and The Forgotten are the only non-tainted characters to have to rely on no red hearts. Blue Baby is a living corpse so that checks out. The forgotten is a spirit and couldn’t have blood even if they want to. That does include their bone puppet, who can’t bleed as red hearts are there to charge their bone aura. This same logic can be applied to their tainted forms too. Except T. Forgotten can’t have bone hearts because their puppet is destroyed.

Of the Tainted characters, both T. Judas and T. Beth can also only have soul hearts. Effectively that makes the two of them undead. T. Judas is a bit of an odd one, as they are become connected to the shadows, but they both are unable to naturally produce their own blood like they used to. These two and Blue/Forgotten are all under the same “waking dead umbrella”. Living between life and death. Each of them are more similar to spirits than humans.

Normally having red and soul hearts doesn’t make a person undead. But, it does work a bit differently when they start off each run with that set up.

Azazel starts off with just black hearts. Due to the nature of his existence as a creation of the basement, he starts off undead. Because of his extreme distaste for being connected to the basement, he has been able to split away from the constraints it brings and can collect items that give him blood. Slowly but surely becoming his own person. Blue Baby has not reached that phase for they really don’t care either way and have accepted their role. Apollyon on the other hand is mostly alive because they were created that serve a direction function to the basement rather than a creation of the mental states if the people who fall inside.

Lilith and Esau are two people who start with both red and soul hearts. This oddity comes from how their time in the basement has affected their physical selfs. Both of them went through dramatic changes in the basement that severely wounded them mentally and physically. They are the only ones who have changed but had not become tainted as a result. Both of them where a result from abuse from the others around them. (Lilith’s was purely an accident, as her kindness lead her to further harm herself to a point where she had reached a breaking point. Esau is stuck with his brother. Dear god is Jacob the worst person ever. He might as well be war criminal). These changes made them have to rely on the external sources of life to continue to move. They are almost at the point of undead, but have just enough life in them to be considered alive.

Ironically this makes risen Lazarus more alive than both of them because even he doesn’t have to rely on the glue of soul hearts to keep going.

T. Lazarus is well, between life and death. That’s his whole gimmick. His “dead” side is indeed dead. Because his dead side is connected to a living body, they can still take health up items and return blood flow to their body.

As for Eden… yeah I just need to make a Eden master post at some point. Because their constant flipping between life, death and teetering is too complicated to get into here. This post is already long enough as it. They can be alive and dead and on the cusp of death all at the same time! Much like everything else about Eden, they are complicated.

Welp. I think that covers everything I wanted to talk about regarding hearts. If I missed anything then damn.

[stevenismyboy]

You Belong Among The Stars.

a/n: inspired by a post written by @jxnehxpper​ (check her work out because it’s incredible!!!) from a few weeks ago, I just couldn't resist not writing about Steve as Han Solo! I haven't been here long enough, but I hope you still enjoy my work. The day after tomorrow, or in two days' time I should publish the next part of To All The Boys I Loved Before au- who's excited? I certainly am! 

summary: This year, Steve is dressing up as a famous Star Wars smuggler for Halloween. But he didn't expect to meet a princess on his way. You can find my Masterlist here.

-

Steve loved Halloween. As soon as the leaves on the trees started to turn red, yellow and orange instead of green, he and Dustin just couldn't wait for it. Robin didn't share their admiration, although she was happy to join in with the costumes and go for a trick or treat in the evening. Steve wanted that night so badly. He wanted to be someone else for one night. Somebody special.

“Give me that” the guy sighed annoyed. Dustin reluctantly gave him a can of hairspray. Steve looked at himself in the mirror and put his lips in a beak, still dissatisfied with the effect. “You look good, Your Majesty. I've got to look, too. Don't be selfish!” Dustin sighed, trying to rip the can out of his hands. Steve just raised his hand up so his friend couldn't reach it. “Come on, that's not fair!”

“You, my little friend, are just going to ask the old ladies for candy. And I'm going hunting to a distant galaxy today, inhabited by the hottest girls on the planet Hawkins. You don't need a hairstyle from space” Steve snorted. 

“Just because I'm younger than you doesn't mean I have to look worse. Chewbacca had a great haircut. I'm not gonna let your tall ego ruin my image” the guy answered and finally ripped out his can. His costume looked fantastic. The kid worked on it so long, Steve was impressed. The fake fur was sewn by Claudia to his brown sweatshirt and even darker pants. Dustin worked almost all evening to attach his eyebrows and beard, but Robin and Steve assured him that what he had was enough.

It was Steve who came up with the idea for their costumes. He had to admit that he surprised himself year after year. His creativity was getting higher and higher. When he was recently moving cassettes with movies on the shelf with the most watched productions, he came across Star Wars and simply couldn't resist. He found and ironed a white shirt, bought a brown vest for a few dollars, and completed the whole thing with tall shoes, waving a plastic fake gun in his hands. Everyone will know who he is. A smuggler. Casanova of the Milky Way. Han Solo.

“First of all, you look terrible enough for a creature from outer space. And second, who do you want to impress today? You've already found your Suzie” Steve shrugged his shoulders. “Excuse me? Just because I have a girlfriend doesn't mean I'll go to Halloween unprepared. That would be unprofessional, and you, Steven Harrington, should know that of all the people you know, I am the least unprofessional. I could have been Luke, but you insisted I have to be Chewie, so bite your tongue and wait for me at the Millennium Falcon”.

“Yes, Captain” Steve saluted a friend and left the bathroom. His parents weren't home as usual. Why? To ruin his night?

Robin was already waiting downstairs. She was chewing the gum lazy looking at his childhood photos in frames, listening to the wind howling outside. She was wearing jeans, a white checked shirt and a red vest, much more spacious than the one Steve had. She looked at him surprised and made a gum balloon that broke with a loud crack.

“I have to admit that... I didn't expect you to look so good. And believe that it was supposed to be a compliment”she added quickly when Steve made a pirouette to present herself to her. “You really liked that movie so much?” Steve wrinkled his nose, pointing to her outfit. “Well, I don't remember much of it, given that I was completely high, but I had no other idea, and time was running out. Besides, I didn't spend millions on it. Marty Mcfly is fully satisfied with me” his friend shrugged her shoulders. True, she remembered little of "Back to the Future", but so what? She remembered that she liked it. Before she stared at the lights on the ceiling so long that she threw up in the bathroom.

“I gave you an idea. Then you disagreed” Steve squinted, pretending to be offended, though in a way it was. He's been dreaming about this day for months. He was supposed to be Han Solo, Dustin Chewbacca (though he would only spend two or three hours with him and Robin) and his friend was supposed to be Leia. But she didn't even want to hear about it. 

“I'll say again for the hundredth time, dingus. I don't want to and I will never dress up as a princess”. “Did you ever watch that movie? She's great! She's damn brave, sarcastic, and I guess I don't have to add that she's super hot. Don't you see the resemblance?” Steve raised one eyebrow. Robin sighined, threw herself on the couch, looking out the window. 

“You're only talking like that to convince me. My costume is ready, and Leia is absolutely not persuading me. Do you have any idea how many chicks can dress up like her today? A whole lot. You'll be able to dress up in them as much as you like. So leave me alone and accept that today you're playing a duo instead of a trio” she said with her hands behind her head. Steve refrained from commenting, hearing Dustin's feet rumble on the stairs. The boy ran to them with a perfectly laid out head, smiling from ear to ear.

“Ready for the most scary night of the year?” he asked, carrying his plastic gun and falling out before anyone could stop him.

-

After Steve and Robin made sure that Dustin would reach his friends safely and his sugar level would not exceed the norm, Steve took them both to the party he had been waiting for so long. Fortunately, Tina didn't organize it. He would have had the resistance to go to the bathroom to relive the same experience as last year. The host was some Nick (he didn't even know who hewas) but Robin made sure that he was a great guy and everyone who will be there would make sure that they don't forget that night for the rest of their lives.

They went through the crowd of sweaty teenagers, heading to the kitchen to find alcohol. Robin's blue eyes were wandering around the people, looking for a girl who has been visiting her at work quite often lately. Steve was looking around too. He was looking for smiling ladies, shiny eyes, long hair. He wanted to feel different today. He wanted to feel as if he could still please someone else. As a smuggler, he wanted to steal someone's heart today. Not for one night. Maybe for longer.

“Steve! Here!” Nancy waved at him, standing by the fireplace. Robin ran up to her first to say hi. The girl was wearing a short green dress and cardboard wings, painted with paint and glitter that was falling under her feet. She looked like a real forest fairy. Jonathan chose no costume, but was wearing a green shirt that matched his girlfriend's outfit. Steve smiled, nodding his head at him.

“You look incredible! Steve... I wouldn't expect you to be a smuggler today, Nancy smiled, drinking a sip of juice from her mug. Apparently after the last time she said she wouldn't touch alcohol on Halloween. “Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far, away...” Jonathan quoted the movie, giving Steve a hand. The boy shooked it, scratching his neck. A couple of people had already managed to hang their eyes on him and, frankly, he didn't expect it to embarrass him. He used to get used to the looks. Now, they made him feel warm.

All of a sudden, Robin's eyes were shining. She saw the blackness of a girl's hair, who had recently occupied her thoughts. She banged up and put her hand on Nancy's shoulder, apologizing to her. “You'll have to forgive me for a moment. I have to... move in time” she smiled at one corner of her mouth and rushed into the crowd so she wouldn't lose her chosen one. Steve smiled at her on the run and went into the crowd himself to dance. Wanting to dance like he hadn't danced in a long time, so that he could enjoy the music with all his heart and that he was among strangers for whom he was now only a smuggler.

At the same time, you too are stuck in a crowd of people. The pride in your costume began to splash like a soap bubble. The long, white dress got tangled under your feet, the long sleeves made you hot. It's good that the belt kept the fabric at the waist and didn't slip lower than it should. Instead of two princess's chignons on both sides of your head, you tied ordinary ponies, hoping that everyone would still know who you are today.

As you were fixing your make up on the couch, the mascara fell out of your hand, making your fingers black. All you wanted was to get into the bathroom to wash your fingers and accidentally not touch the dress. The princess is not allowed to walk in dirty clothes. But a party is always a party. A moment of inattention was enough for someone to step on a piece of your dress. You lost your balance by falling into a crowd of people, getting ready to meet the floor.

But that didn't happen. Someone's strong shoulders woven around your waist to protect you from falling. The ponies just swirled around your face, and when you took them aside, your heart stopped.

The universe has stopped for a moment. The planets stopped circulating, the stars surely glowed brighter. Steve couldn't believe his eyes. One moment he danced as if it was the last night of his life, and the next he held Princess Leia in his arms. You were speechless. The real, living Han Solo embraced you with no intention of taking his hands off you.

“I... um... my hands are dirty” you said the first thing that came to your mind, hitting yourself in your head for this stupid sentence. “My hands are dirty, too” Steve said immediately, and then he closed his eyes from embarrassment. “I mean... No, they're not, you don't have to worry about the dress, but it's a quote... That's what Han Solo said to Leia when... I just wanted...”. “I understand” you said it with a wide smile. Steve relaxed. He still didn't take his hands, but at least he stopped feeling the burning shame. “Well, if you know the movie so well, what did Han Solo say later?”

“I think... I think he asked 'what are you afraid of?’” Steve guessed, squinting his dark eyes a little. “Afraid?” you repeated amused again, not believing in your own happiness. Someone who knew Star Wars lines by heart, someone who was dressed up as Han Solo, someone who looked amazingly charming saved you from falling? No way. 

“You're trembling” Steve squinted, continuing to quote. Maybe he was even a little right. You got goosebumps out of your nerves, although just a moment ago, the long sleeves were keeping the heat. “I'm not trembling” your fingers went to his vest. You forgot they could leave ink streaks.

“You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life” Steve smiled even wider. “I happen to like nice men”. “I'm a nice man” he said it clearly. If he have to, he'll convince you to spend the evening with him. That he won't do anything to upset or disappoint you. He didn't even have to try. You already believed him.

“Well, let's see how well you're dancing” you're smiling, giving him a hand, completely forgetting the traces of the mascara. Steve didn't even care about that. He was led by the princess to the middle of the dance floor and when she held his hand he could swear that although he was in the middle of the house, he saw the stars in front of his eyes.

Taglist: @mochminnie​ @quen1054 @krazykatkay456​ @sydzygy​ @ghostineleven​ @the-almond-dinger​ @l0ve-0f-my-life​

[ramblinganthropologist]

Writober 2020 - Moon

Summary: Anders just wanted to pick some plants. He didn’t expect to realize he had a crush on Avery Hawke. 

(Note: it’s a weird Fenhanders 4x4 in the end. It’s all consensual, and it works out just fine. But we’re not there yet.)

---

There is one over there.

There were a lot of them everywhere; it was kind of the point.

Anders could already feel a dull ache in his lower back as he bent to examine the plants in front of him. Without the light of a brilliant full moon high above his head, he would have missed the delicate leaves he had seen hours before only on the pages of a book. These, he had read, were good for the fevers and coughs that would plague all of Darktown come the colder months. With any luck, he would be able to pick and dry them before them.

That was if he was able to pick them, though. He wasn't exactly getting any younger...

“What, too far away from the ground to get it?”

The voice came from the left and was amplified by the solid bark of Ferelden's heraldic nightmare. Anders hadn't come alone that night – his companion had refused to let him do so. She was mostly there for protection, but... well she was lower to the ground than him.

He found her where she had stopped, sitting on a fallen tree stump and watching him as he examined the plants. Under the light of the moon, Avery's eyes were glowing. No doubt she had seen the light reflect off the leaves long before he had.

And of course, she hadn't deigned to tell him. Warriors.

“Just trying to pick the best one.” His back said otherwise. “But I am more than willing to take average specimens if you care to help.”

No surprise came when Avery hopped off the stump and bounded over to him, her faithful mabari Chewy at her heels. Much to his relief, the dog didn't start to paw at his bounty when she got close. That would have been problematic to say the least.

“Sure, it's those ones that are all shiny in the moonlight, right? How many do you need?”

As many as possible.

Justice was wide awake from the constant hum in Anders' head. He was used to it, but something about the warrior always woke the spirit up. He usually boiled it down to her being a reaver and left it at that. Any other thought gave him a headache.

Still, they had a point. “Leave enough for the animals and anyone who comes by, but it's going to be another bad cold season for sure.”

“Got it.” She got to picking; being lower to the ground, it was easier for her. “Good thing Moses was busy with Fen tonight, huh? He never would've gotten down here, would've had to freaking bend him in half or something.”

…

Maybe it was the exhaustion setting in, but Anders could practically see the large man folded in half in an attempt to pick the plants under the moonlight. He found himself similarly doubled over ,though this time in laughter that erupted from deep within his stomach. Breathing became difficult as tears stung at his eyes, unable to control himself.

At least Avery was laughing with him. He heard her bark of laughter somewhere to his side. Even in that respect, she was Ferelden. In a weird way, he could respect that as he felt laughter scrape against his insides. It had been a while, so maybe some spring cleaning had been desperately needed. Or, maybe the moon was driving him absolutely insane. Lunatics, all that.

Are you going to be alright? Peak moonlight is within the hour and the plants lose some effect after that.

“Sorry, Justice, I'm holding him up!” Avery answered as if she could hear what was going on in his head. She swiped a hand across her eyes and flicked the remains away. When she saw his face, she added, “You get that look when they're not happy with something. I figured you were getting read the riot act.”

I do not read the riot act.

Anders found it hard to contain a snicker as he dabbed at his own eyes. “Something like that, yes. I do appreciate the help, though. I know you usually work at night.”

At the Rose. Or at least she had before the Deep Roads. Anders had often heard about it when a worker found his way to the clinic. Avery had made somewhat of a name for herself as the Blooming Rose's favorite bouncer. If you asked anywhere else in town, people probably would've spit as they said that. That was of course probably because she had kicked them out, but that was a story for another night where he wasn't trying to collect herbs.

His companion kept picking, a small pile forming off to the side. “I was off tonight anyway. Besides, no way I was letting you out alone in fucking Kirkwall at night.”

Technically, they weren't in Kirkwall. Also technically, they were on the Wounded Coast so it was honestly just as bad. She had him there.

“I'm a bit surprised you still work there.” He paused, wiping his brow after pulling at a particularly stubborn root. “What with the expedition paying off and all.”

Avery responded by nudging him to the side to pull it out for him with way too much ease. They were close enough that he could smell her sweat and the soap they used to clean clothes. Often he smelled it on Moses' skin as they lay in bed together, but this was a new experience. Honestly, it wasn't an unpleasant one.

Focus. Besides, you have Moses.

He did. And Moses was currently with Fenris. The two had grown close over the months together, to the point they could share a bed now. It had been a somewhat awkward discussion among the four of them, but things were working out so far. The only downside was that the mage had been too busy to help him – thus borrowing his frequent shoulder accessory had been somewhat required.

But at least she talked a little more. That was nice. Moses was kind of the strong and silent type, though that was plenty attractive too in its own right.

“I like the people there, and I can get paid for tossing creeps on their ass. Seems like a dream job for me.” She wiped the sweat from her brow, trailing dirt in her wake. “Besides, it pisses Leandra off when her annoying noble friends talk about me. Might as well give them something to discuss over tea, am I right?”

And then she grinned, exposing her reaver-sharpened incisors that glinted in the moonlight. Anders felt his mouth go dry as his heart skipped a beat. Face heating up, he turned away on the guise of looking for more plants to pick.

Damn his brain. And his loins for that matter.

“Well, as long as you get to annoy your mother and it keeps the workers from being harassed.”

Your voice almost cracked. I take that to mean you do find her attractive then?

Leave it to Justice to announce the dragon in the room.

Anders scowled at the ground as he continued to pick. Over all the turmoil, Avery chatted with her dog as she worked. Clearly, she had missed his mild turmoil. That or she was enjoying it. With the half elf, it was hard to tell.

Did he though? When she turned, he stole a quick glance. There was dirt on the knees of her pants, and it looked as though she had forgotten to brush her hair again. The smudge of dirt on her nose was a secondary kaddis as she chatted with Chewy, laughing at the mabari's antics. Every so often, he caught those incisors and glowing eyes as she worked.

…

Shit.

“Hey, Anders. I think we should move spots. It's starting to get a little sparse around here.”

There were those glowing eyes, focused on him as she straightened up to her meager height. Avery had more dirt on her face now, but it didn't seem to bother her as she deposited her work into his waiting basket. Then she wiped her hands off on her pants as she whistled for her dog.

The mage managed to nod dully as realization crashed over him in waves. “Good idea. I believe there's a spot not too far ahead.”

“I'll keep my eyes out for the shiny leaves. Just stay close and try not to break an ankle.” She paused. “I mean, you could probably heal yourself but that seems like a real pain in the ass out here with infection and all. I dunno, I'm not a mage or anything that's more your thing.”

Avery shrugged, oblivious as she started to walk off. It left Anders to watch her as she slowly disappeared into the darkness, her footsteps and the bark of her faithful mabari the only indication she was there at all.

Shit.

I would advise following.

Anders scowled as he came back to himself. “I am.”

She is almost out of sight.

Leave it to Justice to know how to bring him back to the task at hand. Anders swore under his breath as he sought to catch up to the half elf. At least he had the moon to guide him as they traversed the rocky edges of the wounded coast, searching for herbs.

He had found plenty, all right. What he wasn't expecting to find was a damn crush on his friend. How the hell was he going to get out of this one?

Shit.

[lilyevansreyjakku]

A reylo Victorian short story

Evermore a reylo Victorian au short story.

~~~~~~~~~~

Warning : it's long.... not that long but long the story so yeah 🤔 .

How many words , look I'm not going to count how many words there's a lot . your girl here is on her day off I'm not counting I'm too lazy to do it ✌✌🖤🖤🖤

Its a short story this is part one I'm not going to turn it into a long fic so there's no link to it . there will be part two to it , this story will have a dramatic soap opera vibe to it 🌹❤📙

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War between the first order and the resistance was happening , it was the news of every day in the town of takodana since the two parties broke war . the first order already had taken over cities and towns sending terror everywhere they go . some knew the feeling before the first order there was the Sith who had no limits.

Takodana had a general , his name was general chewie who was a hero in the town . he fought in the old war against the Sith , alongside with captain Han solo from Corellia who married lady leia Of organa from a great family from Alderaan. also fighting alongside was Luke Skywalker the legendary soldier and secret brother to lady leia . people knew those were old times new war was coming and are afraid of what can happen .

General chewie had a wife the mistress and lady Maz mother of his two children , rey and Cassian of chewie . cassian their first born who love to party, gamble , handsome , womanizer but things change when he meets lady jyn . Rey Is beautiful , compassionate, fragile , but free spirit as well who loves in secret a soldier from the resistance name Poe Dameron . rey wants to introduce Poe to her parents and marry with the approval of her family but everything changes when Poe is sent to the frontline to fight and rey is left behind with the promise that he will come back for her and marry .

One day rey is given the horrible news through a letter that Poe's body has disappeared and couldn't be found. Days , weeks , months, and one year passes there's no trace of her love . rey is left with a broken heart and thinking that he is dead . everything turns for the worst Rey's father the general is found in poor health while her brother gamble and drinking has become a problem for the family.

With his poor health and worried over his family's good being . General chewie tells Maz is time that both rey and cassina get married .

General "rey my beloved daughter , I think its time that you get married . your mother and I have discussed it ,I want to see you happy and safe , see my grandchildren before I leave this world."

Rey didn't say anything she loved her father so much and knew her father was doing the right thing to watch over her safety and well being . if she had to get married to a man who will look Out for her and care for her then she'll do it. Poe wasn't going to come back never! he's dead .

One day on a morning stroll Rey heard that captain Han Solo and lady leia's son was back after he had left home over 15 years and was back because captain Han solo had died and named Ben as his heir .she wondered how her father took this news she knew her father and the captain were good friends. Rey was coming back from her stroll when she felt somone watching her she caught a young man not so young But neither old he was around his thirties , but age didn't matter in these times you get married to a wealthy older men these days. Even thought rey did want this man to look at her ,she found him handsome tall, pale skin with dark hair those dark eyes that Pierce through you those full pink lips .

Rey rubbed her forehead "what's wrong with me this isn't lady like " she turn around he was still there looking at her Rey open the front gate and climb the stairs as fast as she could went inside her home she was afraid of this unexplained attractions towards this stranger.

Ben has never seen before a beautiful girl like the young lady he saw walking in takodana he wants to know about her so he sends someone from his minor to go into takodana and find out about her .

" master solo "

" Yes ,what did you find ? Over the young lady who is she? was that her home that she enter to ?"

" her name is rey chewie of kanata , she is the daughter of general chewie and lady maz . long friend of the late master Han solo and also lady Leia also friends with your uncle sir . she has a older brother cassian who loves to gamble a lot and loves to drink but with good looking features he is very well known among women. It's rumored that they are going through financial problems sir, because over the health of the general and also their son's gamble ."

" do her parents know about the problem ?" Ben asked.

" I doubt the general knows Sir , but lady Maz does for sure knows the gamble problem . I think that's the reason the General doesn't get along with his son Sir, for that same reason."

"How is she? do tell me " , said Ben desperately.

" what all do respect Sir , she is very beautiful she is seventeen Years old but free spirit Sir. Compassion with everyone she helps the poor and children that are orphan , she loves flowers . the general loves so much his daughter also lady maz is throwing a ball for her daughter sir."

" what's the occasion ?"

"Lady maz wants to find a husband for her daughter sir ". Ben wasn't going to lose this brilliant opportunity.

"When is it? " Ben looked at his trustful servant.

" within few months "

Ben was going to marry rey ,have her ,take care of her make her happy. He is going to do anything in his power to marry her take care of her like she deserves . he just hopes lady rey is willing to love him back .

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope y'all like ✌💙💙💙 I did my best with Adam drivers edit, the hair was beyond my reach I couldn't .

@michellestarswept @bellaren18 @lilia-ula @atchamberlin @corariley @glitzescape @grlie-girl @infinitelyblackrose @sushigirlali @nancylovesreylo @reylocalligraphy @buffshipper8490 @bunilicious @winglessone @reyloisblessed @angelic-hellraiser @shaara-2 @lastmouseleft @xtaketwox @magicaldogs @cleverpudding @princeofdarkness15 @black-eyed-suzannah-q @bisexual-dilemmas @thebadjediandthegoodsith @leofgyth @ohsnapcrackle @pandoraspocksao3 @reyloarmy @emrys-girlwithasaber @nite0wl29 @generaloftheneworder @reydarcy @empressdarkren @rakefiree @hotty-toddy-rebel-force @adamdoingthings @rebelrebelreylo @usethehorseluke

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Like always my antis and mean people no drama please because I'm not going to waste my time with you nor ur drama ✌🖤🖤 and no being disrespectful either don't like what you see girl and boy don't waste your time nor mine . peace ✌🖤🖤 no drama .

[fucking-zawa-sensei]

Relief

Title: Relief

Categories: hurt/comfort, healing, fluff, caretaking

Word Count: 2,700+

Summary: After being released from the hospital, Shouta helps Hizashi heal in more ways than one.

Notes: This is a sequel to Burned. You need to read that one first in order for this to make sense. You all asked for more caretaker Shouta and I couldn’t resist, so here you go!

Read it on ao3 here

Relief

Opening every door for Hizashi was definitely unnecessary, but while his husband hadn’t been this badly injured in a long time, Shouta knows the blond always enjoyed being pampered when sick. He was more than willing to give Hizashi whatever he wanted, though, from experience, he also knew going in with that mindset would probably come back to bite him in the ass. Hizashi was prone to attempting to push the limits of Shouta’s good charity.

He’d deal with that then.

Right now, Hizashi was hardly in a teasing mood. He’d barely asked for anything unreasonable the few days spent at the hospital after waking, besides maybe a few more kisses than Shouta probably should have allowed.

The blond’s lack of energy and absence of playful jokes was concerning, but understandable. Shouta was fine with giving him time to heal.

As he steps aside to let Hizashi through the entranceway, he thinks about the way the other man’s hands shook the first time Hizashi had seen the large wound around his neck when they’d tried cleaning him up a bit.

Shouta just hopes time is all it takes.

Once inside their house, finally, Hizashi lets out a small, relieved sigh. He leans against the wall as Shouta bends down to remove his shoes. Taking Hizashi’s hand, Shouta guides him into the living room, where their cats immediately jump off the couch and begin circling Hizashi’s legs, meowing loudly. On more than one occasion over the past two weeks, Shouta had caught their grey girl, Maya, sitting in the hall watching the front door when Hizashi had not returned at night.

Hizashi smiles and awkwardly shift his legs around. It takes Shouta a moment to realize he can’t look down to avoid stepping on the cats with the neck brace on.

“Here, I got you,” Shouta says, steering Hizashi to the couch and shooing away their cats. “He’ll pet you later, go on,” he shakes his foot at Maya when she tries to dive at Hizashi’s leg. Looking more than a little put off, she slinks away.

Hizashi slides down in the cushions so his head can rest against the back of the couch, closing his eyes. Shouta sits beside him, placing his hand on Hizashi’s thigh and smoothing his hand up and down in a soothing motion.

“How are you feeling?” he asks. “Your next dose of painkillers isn’t for another hour, but the doctor said you can take it early if you need to.”

Hizashi lets out a little humming noise, then, “I feel okay. I can wait.”

Shouta narrows his eyes.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m just tired, Sho.”

Shouta squeezes his leg and gives it a little pat, leaning in to kiss Hizashi’s cheek. Those green eyes flutter open, the one still a little swollen around the edges now that the bandage had been removed. Hizashi gives him a small smile. Shouta knows it’s genuine, that Hizashi doesn’t usually bother putting on airs once he’s home and has shucked his hero persona in the entry way. This is just all he can manage right now.

“Alright, well…we got an hour to kill before you can take your pills and go to bed. Can I convince you to eat something?”

Hizashi closes his eyes and pouts. The doctors wanted him eating mostly soft foods and liquids, which Hizashi was not happy about. The one thing he’d wanted, besides Shouta’s lips, was dango. He’d asked for it over and over. Dango wasn’t even Hizashi’s favorite food, so why he was so stuck on this one sweet little dumpling was beyond Shouta, but he’d been begging for it every meal since waking up.

Technically, dango was soft.

It was also incredibly chewy. The nurse had spent more time than necessary trying to explain to Hizashi that his jaw was connected to his throat and too much chewing would strain his tender muscles, but Hizashi had just crossed his arms and frowned.

He’d pushed the tofu around in his miso soup with an unhappy face and asked for dango again the next day.

Shouta said he’d give Hizashi whatever he wanted, but he wasn’t about to let him hurt himself.

“Takoyaki?” Shouta asks.

Hizashi’s eyes open, eyebrows pulled together, curious.

“I know you want dango, but I’m sorry, I can’t give that to you,” Shouta explains. “Takoyaki is…similar in shape?”

“It’s a completely different taste,” Hizashi whines.

“I know, but that’s the best I can do. I’m trying to help you, Zashi,” Shouta sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll get you dango as soon as the doctor says it’s okay.”

Hizashi sighs, “Fineeeeee.”

“Fine, you want takoyaki?”

“No, not really,” Hizashi admits. “Can you just get me crackers or something?”

Shouta nods, frowning.

“Will you eat one of my jelly packs at least? You need to eat more than crackers with your meds.”

“Only if it’s the mango one,” Hizashi says.

Shouta rolls his eyes. That one was the hardest to find, and of course, Hizashi’s favorite. He wasn’t a huge mango fan himself, and only really bought that flavor for when Hizashi got home late from patrol or a show and couldn’t be bothered to make actual food.

He makes his way to the kitchen and is happy to find one mango packet in the fridge, making a mental note to pick more up tomorrow, anticipating Hizashi’s poor appetite isn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon. When he returns to the living room, having only been gone a few minutes, Hizashi is already breathing deeply, a light snore starting.

Shouta sets the crackers and packet down on the coffee table and pats Hizashi’s leg.

“Hey, wake up. Come on, Zashi.”

“Mmm?” Hizashi grumbles out, his body falling a bit toward Shouta. He catches the blond before he slips too far, straightening him back up as he opens his eyes.

“Eat some of this for me and then we’ll go see about getting you a proper bath, how does that sound?”

Hizashi perks up at the mention of soap and water, eyes going wide as he reaches out toward the food and makes a grabbing motion. Shouta hands him the crackers and jelly and watches with a small smile on his face as Hizashi goes from nibbling at the corners of the bland snack to taking large bites and gulps of the packet as his stomach seems to remember it exists.

He squeezes the last of the jelly into his mouth and then says, “Done!” The louder, clear voice makes Shouta’s heart skip. Hizashi had been mumbling and whispering too much the past few days.

Shouta laughs a little at his enthusiasm for a bath and helps pull Hizashi up off the sofa.

As they make it to the bedroom, and Shouta leaves Hizashi by the bed to wiggle out of the loose sweatpants he’d been wearing, nerves start setting in. He turns on the faucet, holding his hand under to test the temperature.

The harsh contrast of Hizashi’s burn against his otherwise normally glowing, tan skin was unsettling.

It was enough to kill both their moods, a reminder of that night, of how close Hizashi had come to death.

Shouta takes his hand out from under the water, shaking it out as he sucks in a deep breath and pushes himself off his knees.

He’s fine now, he tells himself.

Hizashi is standing in the bedroom, waiting, pants around his ankles, but shirt and underwear still on. He has tucked his hands inside his sleeves and flaps them at Shouta as he approaches.

“Help meeeee,” Hizashi whines, and the playful tone to his voice, the way his arms flail, makes a bit of Shouta’s worries slip away.

Maybe Hizashi wouldn’t be bothered by his reflection in the mirror the way he had been back at the hospital.

Maybe this would be alright.

Shouta catches the loose fabric in his hands and tugs gently on the sleeves. “Caught you,” he teases.

“I wanted you to,” Hizashi responds.

Shouta’s cheeks heat up for a moment as Hizashi’s eyelids slip down a tad, a smirk spreading across his face.

“Shush,” Shouta chides. They certainly couldn’t do anything too physical with Hizashi hurt this way. The injured man should know this.

Hizashi sticks out his tongue as Shouta helps pull his arms through the sleeves. He tugs the shirt up Hizashi’s chest, but stops when he reaches the neck. He lets the bunched up fabric sit around Hizashi’s shoulders.

“I need to take the brace off first,” he says.

Hizashi’s smile drops off.

“Yeah,” he says.

Shouta frowns as he reaches around to undo the snaps holding the thick, padded brace closed. He carefully opens it and slides it off, leaning down to set it on the edge of the bed behind Hizashi. When he straightens back up, Hizashi has pulled his shirt off over his head and is standing very still. He is staring forward, just where Shouta had left him.

“You can relax, just don’t turn your head too much,” Shouta says, but Hizashi doesn’t. Shouta takes his hand and pulls him along into the bathroom, hoping the warm water will help ease some of the tension that has returned to Hizashi’s body.

“Don’t look in the mirror,” Shouta warns him. Hizashi keeps his eyes downward as Shouta pulls off his shirt and hangs it on the hook by the door.

“Is it bad?”

The question takes him by surprise. It’s quiet, and comes when his back is turned.

“What?” Shouta asks, facing Hizashi.

“Is it bad?”

“You’ve already seen it.”

“I know but…do you think it’s bad?”

“Do I…?” Shouta trails off.

Does he think…?

“Hizashi, are you…you can’t possibly be concerned that I think…what? It’s ugly?”

Hizashi’s eyes shift to the side, away from Shouta.

“It will scar.”

“Yeah, probably,” Shouta says, stepping closer to him. He reaches out to grab Hizashi’s hands. “You have a number of those already, last I checked, and so do I.”

“This is…big…though.”

Shouta goes against his own words, moving Hizashi to stand in front of the mirror. Hizashi keeps his eyes downward, though.

“I will never care how many scars you get, Hizashi, only that you survive the things that gave them to you.”

Shouta pauses, bringing his hands up to Hizashi’s shoulders, squeezing softly from where he stands behind the blond.

“I don’t think you’re so vain to be concerned about that either. I don’t think that’s what is bothering you, is it?”

Hizashi’s bottom lip juts out further, trembles a bit.

“I…I guess not.”

“So what is?”

Hizashi’s eyes slowly shift from the floor to the mirror. When his gaze falls there, his whole body shudders.

“It…” he tries to start, and then bites his lip. A few seconds pass before Hizashi speaks again. “I’m scared.”

“Of what?” Shouta asks.

“When I look at it…I feel…I remember…”

“You remember how it felt?” Shouta’s frown deepens, his forehead crinkling with worry lines. He’d thought Hizashi was remembering the same things Shouta did, that the thought of the wound scarring upset him because it would remind him of his mortality, and that he could be broken, but it was more than that.

He’d assumed Hizashi had blacked out, that after the explosion, it had all gone black.

He’d assumed, as had the surgeons and doctors and EMTs, that Hizashi had gone blissfully unaware.

They were wrong.

Shouta’s stomach flips and he starts to feel sick.

How long had Hizashi been conscious before he’d passed out?

How long had he felt the metal burning into his skin?

Shouta shivers.

“Hizashi…I’m so sorry.”

It’s all he can say.

He can’t take the phantom pain away. Sometimes a harsh sting will shoot up his elbow and he’ll be jerked awake by the memory of his skin and muscle flaking away piece by piece.

He couldn’t make Hizashi forget, he couldn’t take that memory away.

Shouta steps forward, carefully wrapping his arms around Hizashi’s shoulders, pulling him against his bare chest. He kisses Hizashi’s upper back.

He could replace them, though.

He could take those harsh, angry thoughts and replace them with something better.

“I know it hurts,” Shouta whispers into Hizashi’s shoulder. “I know. I’m sorry you had to go through that, I’m sorry…you’ll probably feel like this for a while…I know what it’s like, but I promise you, it doesn’t last. This will fade. Your mind will heal slower than your throat, but it will heal.”

Shouta slides his hand down Hizashi’s chest and around his side, lifting off to grab his hand.

“And I will help you,” he promises.

Shouta looks back up to the mirror, locking eyes with Hizashi in the reflection, and smiles at him. Hizashi’s returning grin is shaky and uneven, a single tear slipping down his cheek, but his hand squeezes Shouta’s back.

“Thank you,” he breathes out.

“You’ll get through this,” Shouta assures him. He steps away from Hizashi and turns him around, pulling him toward the tub. He helps his husband take off his underwear and step in. He lowers Hizashi down into the water before he shucks off the rest of his clothes to settle behind Hizashi.

He grabs the rag and soap and begins lathering it up. Hizashi leans back against his chest, letting out a long sigh. Shouta starts cleaning Hizashi’s front first, dragging the soapy rag over his stomach in soft, circular motions that are more for the other man’s comfort than anything.

“About the scar,” Shouta starts, and he feels Hizashi stiffen for a moment. “I was worried…a bit. When I see these bruises, I think about how small and lifeless you looked on that bed when you were sedated. I was afraid too…that when it scars I’ll see it and think of how close you came to…how close I came to losing you…but…” he stills his hand, holding the rag over Hizashi’s chest. “But I think instead I will think about this…I’ll think about how happy I was to see you open your eyes. I’ll think about sitting in this tub with you, helping you wash off every day. I’ll think about how strong you are, how you stayed alive…”

“For you.”

“What?”

Hizashi sits up, turning around, and this time his smile is confident as he reaches out to grab Shouta’s face, his thumbs smoothing over Shouta’s cheeks.

“You’ll think about how I stayed alive, for you.”

Shouta has to resist the urge to grab the back of Hizashi’s head and pull him into a kiss, thankfully, Hizashi has mercy on him and initiates it, coming in slow and lightly pressing their lips together. He kisses Shouta over and over, on his mouth, on his cheek, on his nose, and forehead.

He pulls back and says, “I was so happy to see you there when I woke up. I knew you would be there…but I was still so happy…” Hizashi hiccups a bit and Shouta reaches his hand up out of the water to overlap where Hizashi’s is still cupping his cheek.

“You were all I thought about before I blacked out. I just wanted to be with you. I just wanted to hold you…one last time...I…” Hizashi’s shoulders start to shake as tears start streaming down his face and Shouta shakes his head, shushing him gently.

“Shhh…Hizashi…it’s okay. It’s okay, you’re okay,” he repeats, rubbing his thumb along the back of Hizashi’s hand. “We’re okay. You’re home. You’re safe.”

Hizashi nods his head and then winces, stilling his movements. He lets out a few little gasps before gathering himself enough to speak again.

“I know, I just…I just meant that…that I love you so much and you’re the reason I’m here. I know it’s stupid and sappy and you can say it’s not true…that it was all medicine and stuff…I know that…but…it was you too. I love you so much, Sho.”

“I love you too. I couldn’t stand the thought of…I can’t lose you.”

“Let’s never do this again, huh?” Hizashi laughs, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. “No more near death experiences. We both get one, that’s it. That’s all I’m allowing. I’m putting my foot down.”

Shouta laughs along, nodding his head.

“Yeah, okay. Sounds fair enough,” he smiles.

Hizashi kisses him one more time and then grabs Shouta’s wrist, pulling the hand with the soapy rag up out of the water and to Hizashi’s chest.

“Okay, enough sappy stuff! I’m filthy and now I’m going to be pruney too!”

[shy-violet-soul]

Try to Remember (2)

Summary:  Continuation: A forgotten memory surfaces and breaks Rae’s heart.  How will the boys, with their own heartbroken history, help her heal? (Read Part 1 HERE) Warnings: Graphic descriptions of injuries/fatal injuries; grief; parent death; depression; angsty fluff Pairing:  OFC Rae Himmel, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Castiel  Rating: Mature due to descriptions of canon-type gore Word count: 1300-ish

A/N:  We all love the funny moments with the brothers.  But their sensitivity to someone else’s pain has always broken my heart a little, and I wanted to explore that. This is a companion piece to Life is Good (for you) & Just Desserts. You don’t have to read them to understand this story. This is my OFC Rae’s “origin” story. 

A huge, sparkly, fluffy hug to my 2 betas @pinknerdpanda and @thesassywallflower. Ladies, you get all the Sam cuddles!

This is a work of fiction based upon characters created and owned by the CW. My work is not to be copied/distributed elsewhere without my written permission.

To listen to for this part: Try to Remember by Harry Belafonte

After a half hour of just sitting on the shower floor, letting the hot water pour over her, Rae finally found the energy to get up. Busting out her fancy, boutique soap and expensive, impressive in-shower lotion, she scrubbed. The debrided bits of painful memory from her careful box washed away, soothed with shea butter and the newer notes of Winchester hugs. A little achy, a little empty, Rae felt both tethered and light as she bundled her favorite fleece robe around her. A knock on her door frame caught her attention as she combed out her wet hair.

“Cas! I didn’t know you were here!”

The angel took in her genuine smile along with the puffy, drawn pallor as he accepted her hug.

“Do you mind if we sit a moment, Rae?”

“Of course, please.”

A methodical, analytical thinker herself, Rae had never chafed under Castiel’s considering stares. She only smiled as the blue eyed angel tilted his head as he pondered her.

“I know you have questions, Rae. About your parents’ death.” Rae only nodded, waiting for him to continue. “I also want to tell you how sorry I am for your loss. It’s always awful to watch someone you love die.”

Rae dropped her gaze to her hands, feeling the echo of her pain in her ribs. It thrummed anew as she thought about the times Cas had watched his own loved ones die. Two of them repeatedly.

“No, it never is.”

“I have those answers for you, Rae. Dean and Sam had me follow up on your case while they cared for you.” Cas sighed gently as he glanced around her room. “Knowledge. It doesn’t always end pain. In the millenia I’ve watched God’s children on this Earth, I’ve learned something. I think that the resonance an answer carries depends upon the heart that receives it. A soul fueled by anger, by fear - answers can trap them. Anger and fear take over their lives. But a soul led be compassion and hope accepts the pain along with the truth. They let it be their freedom.”

Cas’ words cast about in her ears. More weary than she could ever remember being, Rae braced herself for anger, more tears; but numbness lapped at her instead. The achy spot where her cobbled box sat empty in her chest pinched at her, but with no true threat. She lifted her eyes and met Cas’ gaze unblinkingly.

“What is my soul led by, Cas?”

After a moment, the angel smiled at her with heart-tugging gentleness, and took her hand.

“The Thule Society is a splinter group of the Nazi Party.  They’ve practiced the dark arts and necromancy since before the second World War. Another group of Jewish Rabbis known as the Judah Initiative have fought against them for decades, their mission to stop their evil ways once and for all. The Thule High Command also made up Hitler’s inner circle, with their chief goal being to bring Hitler back from the dead. The leader of this effort was a man called Nauhause. After he died, his son, Christoph, swore he would abandon all heinous deeds of his father. Sam and Dean believed him.

A few weeks before your parents’ death, a member of the Judah Initiative contacted the Winchesters. He said he’d discovered that a sect of the Thules had happened upon a list of supposed Judah Initiative operatives who had immigrated to America after the war, and was systematically killing who they saw as enemies. The name of one of them was Aleksender Himmel.”

Cas’ heart thumped in sympathy as Rae’s eyes widened.

“My...my father’s name was…”

“Alexander Himmel.”

Rae honestly didn’t think she could hurt anymore, but the tightness in her throat wringing out fresh tears proved her wrong. Cas squeezed her hand, offering her wordless comfort.

“The worst part of the whole thing, Cas? My father was adopted. He wasn’t Jewish by birth,” a sob choked off the word as Rae covered her face and cried. “My parents were murdered by a monster because of a spelling mistake.”

Cas twitched as her pain emanated in cold, chilling waves, poking pinches against his vessel. After a moment, Cas couldn’t subdue the urge any longer.

“It’s appropriate in many societal groups to offer an embrace to one in pain. I would like to offer you an embrace, Rainbow, as I’m reasonably certain this societal group finds it acceptable.”

Rae snuffled out a chuckle as she flopped her arms around Cas’ shoulders.

“Your reasonable certainty is correct, and I accept, Cas.”

The two friends sat in a companionable silence for a moment before Rae leaned back, wiping at her eyes. She offered him a shy smile that was all fatigue and flusterment.

“Thank you, Cas. I mean it.”

“Rae, nothing will ever erase the pain of your loss, I know. But I can tell you I’ve seen their souls in heaven. They remember nothing of that moment, and their heaven is all moments with you.”

Bittersweetness trembled on her lips as Rae nodded her thanks. Dean suddenly poked his head around the doorway.

“I hate to break this up, but movie night is on in the Dean Cave in five. C’mon, you two.”

Rae huffed a chuckle as she let the men bundle her along the hall to the Dean Cave. The elder Winchester had commandeered one of the rooms, tricking it out with a couch, recliners, and a non-possessed flat screen that shone in a place of honor in all its HD splendor. Rae was given the comfiest seat, the middle of the recliner-couch combo unit. The brothers had gone all out - someone made an emergency run, and an array of theatre candy was waiting for them. Twizzlers, Junior Mints, M&M’s, Dean’s nasty black licorice, and Skittles.  Each one of them had their own bowl of popcorn, and Sam produced a surprise with a smiling flourish.

“3-D glasses! And, I did some research. The best movies to watch in 3-D are ‘Iron Man’, ‘Kung Fu Panda’, and ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. We’ve got all three. Rae, you pick the first one!” Sam urged, holding out the DVD cases excitedly.

Rae went with ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ first with a promise to Dean that ‘Iron Man’ would be second. While Cas blandly pointed out that night fury dragons didn’t really look like that, and that their belly scales were more dark blue in color, Dean started a personal contest on how many popcorn bits he could flick into Sam’s hair without him noticing. Dean and Sam got into a heated debate on how possible Tony Stark’s tech actually was. Rae stealthily dropped Skittles into Dean’s beer, laughing until tears smarted her eyes when he gagged at the first chewy, fizzy swallow. And as Master Shifu said goodbye to Oogway in a beautiful billow of blossoms, Sam slid his fingers into Rae’s hand.

“See? ‘There are no accidents’. You’re here. We’re here,” he whispered to her, wishing he could see her eyes behind the 3-D glasses.

Rae was glad he couldn’t. Her heart wasn’t ready to look too closely at the softer, warmer feelings she had been ignoring for weeks. She knew she couldn’t forget the pain of her past. To heal, she needed to remember. But, not just the pain. She would try to remember the love of her parents. Her dad’s Old Spice cologne, her mom dropping socks, and them holding hands. She would try to remember Cas’ compassion, and the safety and comfort she felt right now - resting among her friends, sugar high in her veins, laughter in her ears.

For now, Rae offered Sam a soft, tender smile, and snuggled herself in a hug around his arm. Rubbed her cheek against his shoulder just a breath. And studiously ignored Dean’s approving, ‘go get him’ wink.

She would try to remember it all.

[dontshootmespence]

Broken Homes Fix Broken Hearts

Chapter 19

So who else is loving Derek and Juliet as much as @veroinnumera and I? Let us know!

                                                            ------

“How many boxes can you possibly have?” Juliet asked incredulously, glancing all around her expansive living room at the copious amounts of crap Derek managed to bring with him. “I have never known a man with so much crap.”

Her sweet, badass boyfriend cut his eyes at her. “I have a lot of shirts and pictures of family and gym equipment...shut up! I have a lot of crap.”

Juliet snickered as she opened one of the boxes and saw a couple pictures from his mantelpiece. They were going to have to make a place for all of these pictures. This was his family - and hopefully in time, they’d be her family too. “It’s okay. I love you anyway.”

“Don’t even get me started,” he said, kissing her forehead. “You’re the one who practically proposed to me.”

“Shut up!”

                                                           ------

It had been three weeks since everything had fallen apart and back together again. Well, mostly back together. Derek was still suspended because of some stupid federal government bureaucrats who refused to take their heads out of their asses. He’d been keeping busy working on other renovations, helping her out at the library, and enjoying the first real break he’d gotten from work in years. He seemed happy, but it killed Juliet inside to know he wasn’t out there doing what he really needed to be doing. Somehow these idiots couldn’t see that they were sidelining their best player. Oh, yeah, they’d also been watching sports together and not to brag but her “lingo” was getting pretty great.

Right now he was downstairs making pancakes. The smell wafted all the way up to the second floor, providing enough motivation for Juliet to pull herself out of bed. She looked around for clothes, only to realize the only articles she could find belonged to him.

Juliet paused for a moment after slipping on one of Derek’s old Northwestern University T-shirts. He hadn’t gone home for a night since everything had happened with Carter. He’d slept in her room every single night. And it looked like his closet had essentially appeared in her room. His toothbrush was next to hers on the sink. His shoes sat beside hers at the front door. All the little things said that his life was here, with her.

Was she thinking what she thought she was thinking?

...She wanted Derek to move in. Officially. Oh wow, that’s a big step. Am I ready for that? Are we ready for that? What the hell am I saying? He disarmed a bomb for me and refused to leave my side even though it meant his certain death, of course we’re ready.

This was what she wanted.

Unequivocally.

After having pancakes with Derek, she told him she had a quick errand she needed to run, which was good for him because he had to meet up with his team to figure out where the bureaucratic bullshit was heading. Of course they were good little conservationists and showered together, saving the planet’s all important water before heading their separate ways.

Since Carter had reappeared and forever disappeared, she’d been a little extra nervous getting on with her daily routine, but on the opposing end, she knew she had Derek, who was literally ready to walk through fire for her. As long as he was hers, she’d be okay. She was sure of it.

The first few stops were easy; the local party supply store to get streamers and balloons, flowers from Andra’s (a bouquet of freesias which according to Spencer symbolized complete trust), and candles from the fancy little artisanal shop around the corner.

Then came the hard part: food. Juliet wasn’t much of a cook. Over the years she’d learned how to make a few very basic things, but she stuck to them like glue. Eggs, grilled chicken with vegetables, and a few others were staples she was very confident in. Unfortunately none of those were Derek’s favorite. As she’d learned a long time ago from the very first pizza they’d shared. Derek Morgan was a “meat man.” He also loved Mexican food. So that meant steak fajitas.

Juliet had never cooked a steak before. She’d seen it done on Food Network and in Youtube videos….but she’d never actually tried to do it herself before. But special occasions called for stepping up one’s game. And if a hunk of red meat stood between her and moving in with the man she loved, then she was going to cook the hell out of it.

Figuratively. She was fairly certain overcooked steak was bad.

A couple hours later, the key was made, the food was made and she was panicking. What if the food was awful? Screw it, we’ll order out. What if he says no? Again, what the fuck brain, he loves me. He saved my life.

With the rice and beans made and set out on the table and all of the fajita fixings set out buffett style, she tried one more small piece of the steak to make sure it was okay. It wasn’t chewy or tough. That was a good thing, right?

The streamers were in place. Flowers in the vase? Check. Balloons blown up? Check, check. Candles lit? Triple check. “Okay this is good,” she muttered to herself. “He’s not gonna say no. He loves you. It’s all good.”

She was taken aback when she heard his car pull up, unlocking the door and sitting at the table to wait for him. “Well, well,” he said; he was about to get his flirt on. “This is all for me?”

When she nodded, he replied, “Then I might have to return to favor one of these days. Or later on.” His over exaggerated wink made her snort with laughter. “You made fajitas!” He exclaimed, eyes going wide. “You do love me.”

“You know I do you dork.” Juliet smiled, glancing down at the floor nervously. “I made beans and rice too. And all the toppings are on the counter. I think this is the first time there’s ever been a tablecloth on this table and-” She cut herself off. Oh fuck I’m rambling.

She was rambling, and it was quite possibly the most adorable thing Derek had ever seen. “Everything alright?” He asked gently, sitting down and piling some fajitas onto his plate. He was listening attentively but this all looked too good not to start eating.

Juliet nodded, unable to help but laugh at the sight of him tearing into his food. He looked about five. To be fair though, she looked the same way around good food. Say something. Just start talking. But nothing came out. It was like she could see the words written down on flashcards inside her head but her voice wasn’t working.

Slowly, she pulled the key out of her pocket and tossed it hesitantly to him. Given her poor aim it fell onto his plate rather than landing in his lap. Apparently watching sports didn’t make someone better at throwing.

Derek picked it up off the plate, staring at it quizzically for a moment, glancing up at her for some sort of context.

“Your toothbrush is next to mine on the sink!” Juliet found herself blurting. Wait. That didn’t make any sense. Try again. “I-I mean...would you...maybe, possibly, want to move in here? With me?” She asked softly, voice faltering slightly as she met his gaze.

This was it.

For a split second, her brain told her she’d fucked this up, but then Derek smiled wider than she’d ever seen him smile before. “You want me to move in? Is that what all this was about? A dinner to get me to say yes?”

“Maybe?” Juliet said. Plausible deniability.

Grabbing the key, he placed it on his keyring and stood up, walking to the other end of the table and taking her mouth in a sweet but heated kiss. “You didn’t need to do all this to get me to say yes, but the answer is yes.”

“Really?”

“Why do you look so surprised?”

“Anxiety.”

He snickered and kissed the tip of her nose. “Touche. Also, I had no idea you could cook.”

“Is the steak good? I’ve never cooked steak so I was hoping it didn’t suck.”

“It definitely didn’t suck.” Derek grinned

                                                           ------

“And you haven’t cooked for me since then.” He pointed out teasingly.

“That’s why I asked you to move in. So I could avoid cooking. It was all a ploy. I’m using you for your body and your culinary talents.” Juliet pushed back.

Derek came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Somehow I think I can find a way to be okay with that. In fact I love when you use me.” He whispered, trailing kisses down her neck.

She giggled, he was trying to be sexy which it was but it sounded straight out of a daytime soap opera and she couldn’t help but laugh.  

“Oh? So you think this is funny? I’ll show you funny.” He warned jokingly, before lifting her up onto the couch and starting a tickle attack.

“No! Please! I’m sorry!” Juliet gasped in between uncontrollable shrieks of laughter.

It felt good to be home.

@epiphanyys @crimeshowtrash @literallyprentissstwin @jazz91121 @jennferjareau @spencer-puppies-and-stuff @fl0werb0nes18 @stunudo @spencerthepipecleaner @theofficeofsupremegenius @ultrarebelheart @lookwhatyoumademequeue @lukeassmanalvez @mentallydatingspencerreid @nobravery @criminal-anatomy @matthew-gray-reidler @remember-me-forever-silent-angel @original-criminal-fanfics @lovelukealvez @stories-you-wont-hear @speedreiding @marvelfanlife @butsomeofusarelookingatthestars @wonderboygenius @spxcxrrxid @imagines-for-criminal-minds @acespence @sweater-vest-reid @criminalmindskeepsmealive @spenncerreiid @sam-carter-in-training @parker-hopper @spencerwreid @ssahotchner @profiler-in-training @were-skye @trollitis @heyboywonder @ficrecswithcassie @janiedreams88 @gingeraleandcontemplation @cynbx @fortheloveofspencerreid @tippy06 @cleocc @bestillmystuckyheart @ssaunitchief @xxm3xxj @xocriminal-minds-imaginesxo

[waitjustaflick]

Gravity

Hey @erindarroch - it’s easier to respond on here than FFN.  I am on a hiatus from Gravity right now.  Real life is too busy for me to delve into writing world.  However, here’s a teaser from sometime around Chapter 3.  I will pick it up again once things settle down which could be in a week or a couple months.  I will say, I have a real life situation that is mirroring this Han and Leia dynamic so perfectly, so I definitely want to channel my feelings about it into the story soon.

The Bria was never in the same hangar twice.  Leia didn’t know if Han and Chewie did this on purpose or if it was just a matter of available space.  Today, the ship was housed on the far west side of Mos Eisley in a row of warehouses facing out into the desert.  The lower sun was skimming the horizon as Leia drove up in her speeder, painting the walls with a bright, hot pinky orange.  

The weather was oppressively hot as it often was after a spate of sand storms.  In times like this, Chewbacca would stay indoors as much as possible, his fur making the heat all the more unbearable, so as Leia disembarked, the only sentient she saw was Han standing, hands on hips, studying a scorch mark across the nose of his ship.

It took Leia a flick to process the fact that this Han was a little different than any she’d seen before.  As she blinked at him in the saturated light, she realized that the part of him that was painted the same blinding pink as the rest of the building was not his usual white(ish) shirt, but a wide swath of skin.  The shirt was stuffed in his back pocket, and his back was displayed against the warmth of the late afternoon sun.

Leia’s breath caught in her throat as he turned toward the sound of her powering down speeder.  He winced at the brightness of the sun, and raised a hand to shield his eyes.  This gave Leia just enough time to arrange her face before he registered her person.  

“What took you so long?”

Leia tried to focus on her speeder, the ship, the blazing suns.  Anything but the chest that was displayed so nakedly before her.

“Something going on at the farm,” she said, throwing her goggles and wind jacket into the speeder, “It doesn’t matter.”

She took a breath and turned to face him, blood immediately rushing to her cheeks.  He looked…good.  Leia had always known he was handsome.  She’d admired him since the first time she saw him, but something had changed in the last few months.  He’d been impossible to grow attached to when he’d been fighting her very presence.  When every other word out of his mouth had been, “What are you still doing here?”  But, once he’d made the decision to help her, everything about him had changed.  

That was the first real thing Leia had learned about Han Solo.  He didn’t change his mind easily, but if he did, he didn’t look back.

In the last few months, Leia had gotten to know the man behind the bluster, the mirth behind the smirk.  He’d become less of a character to her and more of a sentient.   Complex, aggravating, and real.  He treated her like a little sister, sometimes gruff, but always kind.  And Leia wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.  So, when these moments came up, she did her best to ignore them.

Leia had seen too many times what happened when boys and girls got involved.  The way the lads at school would love them one day and despise them the next.  The way they ceased to be anything but objects like speeders or sand skimmers, things to be lusted after, used and then discarded.  Leia didn’t think Han would ever do that to her…honestly, didn’t think he even wanted to.  But, she wouldn’t do that to him either.  She wouldn’t allow herself to have the crush she wanted to have.

But, even as she told herself this, she couldn’t help gazing at him.  He didn’t have an ounce of embarrassment, and there was no reason he should.  Her male friends ran around this way often, especially when they were out on the dunes.  But they didn’t look like this.  The were always too long or too squat, concave or rollypolly, half-baked like a piece of desert bread.  

Han was not half-finished.  Han Solo was a masterpiece.  

“Well, come on,” he said.  “We’re gonna work on the main shield today.  As you can see,” he gestured at the laser burn behind him, “it shorted the last time we needed it.”

He shook his head and touched the black mark again. It was mostly cosmetic, but a bit of the durasteel had been penetrated blurring the bolts and making Leia wonder.

“What would happen if it went all the way through?”

“In space?” he said, tapping the part that had turned to slag, “depends on whether we can get the shield back up.”

Leia moved forward to examine the burn more closely and to listen to the captain.  Han never missed the opportunity for a teaching moment.  She tried to ignore the shape of his arm and the sense of his presence, now close beside her.  She could almost smell him, a combination of the dampness of his sweat, a fragrant natural smell that spoke of a more verdant world.  Pine soap, he’d said, when she’d sniffed curiously at her hands after using the fresher.

“The shield is a force field,” he said, “Best invention sentients ever came up with.  Without force fields we would never make it out there,” he murmured, pointing up the now-magenta sky.  

“Is that the same as the Force?” Leia asked, recalling the mysterious power the boys sometimes told stories of between races.

Han chuckled, “The Force?  You are a kid, aren’t you?”

Leia felt her cheeks heat up a little, and her heart seize up as Han turned a fond, teasing smile on her.

“Well, you said Force field.”

“That’s science, kid, not magic.  The force doesn’t exist.  It’s just an old hokey religion some guys in robes came up with to make themselves feel special.  And to hoodwink the general public.”

Leia’s face was burning now and her heart felt the slightest bit heavy.  She’d always loved the stories of the Force.  They’d made her feel connected somehow, like the universe wasn’t as mundane and as senseless as it sometimes seemed on Tatooine.  

“How does it work?” she asked, pressing forward away from her embarrassment, “the force field?”

“It’s a plasma projection, sort of like the laser that comes out of a blaster,” he took his blaster out and twirled it turning to take a shot at the desert earth.  Leia didn’t jump, already having grown used to Han’s impulsivity, so at odds with his careful treatment of her, “But unlike that laser, it repels rather than rends.  Like the opposite side of a magnet.”  

Leia frowned, “So, why is it so important?”

Han reholstered his blaster and flexed his hands.  The gesture made all the muscles on his arms stand out in sharp relief.  He didn’t seem aware of this at all, but Leia was all too aware.

“It repels everything, blasters, matter, and the vacuum of space itself.  Only thing it doesn’t repel is itself.  That’s why ships can enter ship bays through it.”

Leia knew about this.  She’d read about space all her life.  It was hard to imagine such a vast field of nothingness, punctuated by bursts of stars and pockets of planets, but she understood the concept intellectually.

“If the shields are up, the Bria is safe as houses,” he scowled then, “but if they go down, she’s a sitting duck.  If a blast gets through, we’d all be dead meat.  Nothing can survive in space.  But, if the shields only flickered,” he put his hand over the slag mark, “then the force field would keep the ship intact and keep us all breathing.”

“So, what happened here?” Leia asked, setting her hand next to Han’s, pinky a hairsbreadth from his.  

He shrugged, “Doesn’t matter, farm girl.”

“Tell me,” Leia said, grabbing his hand, as he made to pull away.

He looked at their hands, his face an odd mixture of sanguine and wary.  She released him, feeling her face heat yet again, feeling the imprint of his skin on her palm.  “If I’m going to learn how to fix it, I have to know what could go wrong.”

He considered her for a flick, before lowering his hand.  The light had turned purple and the temperature was already dropping, he stepped back from her and tugged his shirt from his pocket.  Shrugging it on, he adjusted the collar than ran his hands through his hair.  The strands temporarily lay flat, before pushing out again, a little bit wild just like their owner.  Leia turned back to the ship, catching herself yet again in the act of staring at him all too blatantly.

“Ran into a pirate gang,” he said, “Didn’t want to let us leave their sector without a cut of our profits.”

“Why didn’t you just give it to them?”

Han’s eyes flared, “Give it to them?  The hell I would.”

“Isn’t it better than being dead meat?” Leia asked, glancing back at the mark.

“No,” he said, with a finality she’d become increasingly familiar with, “Living with your tail between your legs isn’t a life worth living.  Besides,” he said, voice leveling out a bit, “it’s bad business.  If I gave a cut to every pirate, or Imperial, or backwater farmer,” he said with the flash of a teasing smile, “who threatened me, I wouldn’t have a credit to my name.  Or Jabba’s.”

Leia nodded, and bit her lip.  She hated thinking about him out there with Chewie sometimes. She hated that dark little part of her mind that would conjure up every awful thing that might happen to them.  And she’d never even know.  They’d just disappear one day, winked out of existence and cut off from her little corner of the universe.  And then where would she be?

She wanted to tell him this.  She wanted to ask him to look out for himself, to come back to Tatooine, to her.  But, Han was anything but sentimental, and Leia wanted to be just like Han.

“Show me how to fix it,” she said, turning her back to the burn, “No more flickering.”

Han looked a little surprised at her steeliness, then satisfied, giving her a sly grin.

[jjfantasy]

This is where I wanna be

For Tumblr prompt "I didn't intent to kiss you" for Anon.

Link to AO3 (x).

Thanks to @edenofalltrades for being my beta. <333

Until now, Rey hasn’t attended a party of any sort. Probably her closest experience was that one time she stalled long enough at the Jakku village, cleaning her loot to exchange it for one barrel of lower quality water he could use for a shower. She was aware of what alcohol was, even tried moonshine from one scavenger she was friends with. Yet that scavenger seemed to drink to get herself numb and forget. When Unkar Plutt drank with his friends, he didn’t do it for any of those things. He was celebrating selling yet another stolen, small-class cruiser, and it was a rare sight to see him offer Quanya to the closest of his ‘business partners’.

Apparently, Finn understandably hasn’t had the chances for participating in any party, so when Poe proposed to have one to celebrate Rose’s recovery his friends agreed happily.

With Leia’s approval, Jess turned the small celebration into a full party with every bottle and a bit fancier food she could find in their stocks.

„We’re allowed to use all of that?” Rey asked out loud Poe. He just brought in another box with whiskey bottles and preserved Pyollian cake.

Poe shrugged and replied on his way back for more supplies, chewing on one of the cakes, „We have to use it sometime, and General said she wants to celebrate life. Who knows the next time such opportunity might happen.”

By the time Rose entered the room, Rey was sure she hadn’t seen that much food in her entire life and wondered how they’d consume all of that. She was quickly proven wrong. Everybody at the party, including Leia, was able to hold their drink quite alright.

Somewhere around one hour into the party, the girls were listening to Leia recounting her adventures with Luke and Han, and Snap started a cake eating contest much to Finn and Jess’ delight. Rey was having generally a good time and was thrilled for her friends too, yet something bothered her peering at participants of the competition who were absorbing the sweet dessert on time. She was aware it was a one-time thing, the remaining Resistance fighters draining their stress, and nobody ever wasted food among her friends. Still, she excused herself for a minute under the pretext of needing water.

Rey entered the tiny supply room and shortly investigated the shelves for some bottled water. After she grabbed one, she took a big sip and leaned against the shelves. She was thankful for her new home, the people who became her new family, but in all honesty, she wouldn’t ever forget the troubles of her life on Jakku.

A few minutes passed, and although Rey calmed down, her apparently head didn’t. The walls around her kept spinning, so she closed her eyes again. Clearing her head helped only temporarily until someone opened the door and burst in almost knocking her over.

„Sorry,” Poe gasped and steadied Rey with his hands. „I didn’t realize anybody was here.”

„That’s okay,” Rey lied, though the whole world in front of her eyes kept wobbling. „I needed some air.”

Poe scanned the area as if he expected to witness fresh air with his naked eye. „Here? I hear it’s quite refreshing outside.”

Now, Rey definitely felt offended, even if it was an unnecessary side-effect of meager intoxication. „I guess I’ll get out of your way.”

„No, you don’t have to, please don’t move,” the pilot blurted and reached behind young Jedi’s head.

At first, he didn’t glance at her, but her eyes watched him carefully as he got closer. Poe bent over her, supporting himself on one of the metal shelves. Although Rey curled up into the wall behind her, their breaths mixed. A faint smell of whiskey mixed with what she couldn’t recognize, but what specifically was Poe’s scent hit her nostrils. It was far from unpleasant.

Finally, his deep, brown eyes found Rey’s stare and she lowered her eyes to his lips, which definitely worsened her case. Somewhere around this point Rey couldn’t stop herself and simply leaned towards him. Within second her lips touched his. She didn’t close her eyes at first, so she saw his eyes widen at her action. Yet he didn’t protest and they both closed their eyes. He seemed more than okay, the next thing Rey knew he took the initiative and tilted his head to turn the soft brush of their lips into something more.

His other hand crawled up Rey’s right side and found the back of her neck to deepen the kiss. A moan vibrated in her throat when Poe nibbed on her lower lip, asking for entrance, and she gladly obliged. Her own right hand sneaked behind Poe’s back, fingers traveling up his spine.

Rey’s vision wasn’t spinning anymore, if anything, everything, including Poe, felt real and sharp. She clung herself tightly to him, and he gently but firmly pushed himself into her.

Then the door swung open interrupted their little moment. Their lips broke apart, and Rey only saw a glimpse of Rose, who yelped ‘Whoops, sorry!’ and fled just as rapid as she appeared.

Poe didn’t even flinch, panting and drilling his gaze into Rey’s head. His linen shirt was a bit messy, but his hair was all over the place. Somewhere in the process, Rey managed to do that which deep inside made her a tad proud.

„I didn’t intend to kiss you,” he admitted in low voice and pulled a bottle of water from behind Rey’s head with his right hand.

„Oh,” she breathed and instantly blood drained from her entire face. Being embarrassed didn’t even cut it. The closest thing she was experiencing was probably utter humiliation.

With one movement Rey broke free from his palm locked around her. „Excuse me,” she breathed and stormed out the door, leaving a stupefied Poe alone. She headed for her quarters, hoping to go unnoticed, but met Finn on the way.

„Hey, here you are,” he exclaimed, „Are you coming back to the party?”

„No, I’m tired,” Rey spat and kept walking. She felt wrong to treat her best friend like that, but she wasn’t up for confiding in him yet.

Instead of her room, she marched to the hangar of Millennium Falcon. It was extremely quiet, with Chewie still at the party. The humming of the machines soothed her frayed nerves. She quickly found a blanket and covered herself with it in one of the crew’s quarters bunks. Exhaustion hit her the moment she laid down her head on the pillow. Soon sleep came.

-

In the early morning, Rey was thankful to find she was still alone on the ship. Her mood definitely lightened after a good rest, but she didn’t want to think about last night’s events yet.

Not really up for grabbing breakfast, she headed outside the Falcon bearing some tools, with the decision to fix some long overdue short circuits.

Her head felt completely thought-free while she worked, Rey hadn’t even noticed as the hours passed by..

Sometime later, she heard a droid roll in into the hangar, beeping happily on its way.

Rey’s forehead creased and she turned towards the incoming droid. Sending BB-8 was a low blow on Poe’s part.

[Friend-Rey, my master is asking if you could come meet him at the canteen?]

Rey huffed, it was the last thing she needed right now, especially in a room full of eavesdroppers.

„No, thank you, Beebee,” she denied, her heart sinking at the way droids’ head dropped and beeped sadly. She gestured at the Falcon, „I’m actually quite busy.”

[Master-Poe predicted that you’ll say so, he asked me to also tell you he’s offering handmade soap-flakes with strawberries!]

An uncontrolled chortle escaped her lips. „Panna cakes by chance, Beebe?”

Seeing her interest grow, BB-8 only confirmed with a single, jolly beep.

„Fine,” Rey sighed and rolled her eyes, suddenly stomach growling loudly, „lead the way.”

The second they entered the room, Rey regretted her decision. Poe was sitting at one of the tables, grinning like an idiot while he organized plates in front of him. For that alone Rey felt an urge to punch him in the center of that smug smirk. Fortunately, there weren’t that many people in the canteen she feared there would be.

Poe patted Beebee on his head and praised, „Good droid.”

„Where did you get strawberries?” Rey huffed and skeptically eyed the still steaming pancakes.

„Now, a magician never reveals his secrets,” he chuckled and added, noticing Rey approach the bench on the other side of the table, „Sit next to me, please?”

„Why?” she questioned but fulfilled his request. Poe moved to make space for her.

„Humour me,” he answered cockily, which didn’t help his case. „Help yourself.”

Rey didn’t answer and dug into her portion of pancakes. She moaned quietly tasting the sweetness at the tip of the fork.

While she ate, the pilot beside her shifted in his seat to send BB-8 away and moved his right leg over the bench so his body was fully facing Rey.

„So... listen, I’m truly sorry about my behavior yesterday,” Poe started slowly, fishing for any reaction from Rey.

Rey was aware the breakfast was a smokescreen, but deep inside hoped they wouldn’t talk about it and they both would wave the farce kiss aside. She smoothed her shirt in a nervous manner.

„It’s okay, it was my fault, I’m the one who flung myself at you. We both drank a bit, but that does not justify me. A Jedi should know better,” she admitted and winced at the bitterness of guilt that covered the taste of her breakfast.

„I’ll forgive you if you forgive me,” he proposed.

„Deal,” Rey agreed in a muffled voice, full pouches. She couldn’t stay angry at him even if she tried.

A comfortable silence fell between them and only when Rey was almost done she realized Poe didn’t touch his culinary handicraft.

„Aren’t you gonna at least take a bite before I plunder it all?” Rey asked and offered her plate to Poe.

He shook his head. „I’m good. I already ate the normal breakfast, I found only enough ingredients in the pantry for one serving.”

Rey groaned, „Great, now I feel so much better. Please, share some with me.”

Poe pretended to think hard. His whole face lit up and he pointed to her meal. „Are you sure, you’re done? Maybe I’ll just try for the taste, see if it’s actually any good.”

„Definitely, it’s wonderful,” she eagerly confirmed and pushed the plate a bit to her left.

Next, Rey turned her head she found his face inches away from hers. Breath stuck in her lungs, she let him get even closer. She was well aware what was about to happen, yet the sensation of his lips against hers sent a shiver down her spine. The kiss was chaste and short, apparently, Poe couldn’t help the chortle bubbling up inside his chest.

„Now we’re even,” he laughed and didn’t even try to dodge Rey’s fist as it lightly hit one of his biceps. After licking his lips, he continued, „My cooking skills got better, indeed.”

Rey blinked a couple of times, completely lost. „Not to rain on your parade, but why did you kiss me? I thought you made all of this to make sure we’re friends only?”

Poe looked almost offended like his response was the most obvious thing in the world. „I may not have intended to kiss you last night, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t want to overall. You just took my intoxicated self by surprise last night, that’s all. And now, that we’re past our first, official date...”

„Wait, what? Is that what it was?” Rey squeaked loudly, making a few heads around them turn. Some were watching with interest for some time now.

„I intend to kiss you often, sometimes even without your permission if you’ll have me. Feel free to do the same. Neither of us knows what the state of the Resistance will be or if you’ll have to leave again to complete your Jedi training… but I hope you stay. BeeBee and I both adore you, I mean, not that I want you to kiss BeeBee but…” he babbled and paused, feeling Rey’s fingers delicately placed over his mouth.

„I’d love to have you both. This is where I wanna be.”

[kirynt]

how about "don't be an ass" for reylo?

What an absolute load of fluff this one turned into! Thank you for the ask, @briony-larkin! It’s a bit of a mess but I hope you like it XOXO

What a garbage day, thought Rey. She stepped under the pounding hot water of the large refresher unit, her muscles tight and skin grimy with oil and grit. It had been a long morning working on ancient x-wings, and an even longer afternoon meditating and trying to figure out how the kriff she was going to construct a new lightsaber. The longer she went without one, the more exposed she felt, thinking about the next time she would have to see Kylo Ren. How would it feel to face him, knowing she had no weapon with which to defend herself? Would she even need to? What a mess.

She had no idea where they stood, other than that she missed him. More than she missed Han or Luke, if she were honest. His appearances through their bond were intermittent and short, barely leaving enough time to speak after they’d stared balefully at each other for a few minutes. She would find herself telling him about her day before she settled onto her bunk, just to pretend, to feel what it would be like to share something with him again.

Rey turnedher face up to the water and let it run through her hair. Stepping out of thespray, she grabbed her little bar of soap and started to scrub herself down.Grey suds slid down her legs as she used her nails to try and move some of themore stubborn stains on her arms. The water in her ‘fresher unit was socomforting and warm, sending steam up around her. She leaned back under thewater, resting her head against the tiled wall. As she felt her muscles relax,her mind drifted back (it always did) to Kylo Ren. Ben Solo. What were theygoing to do?

She broughtthe soap bar up to her hair, trying to rub away the grease she’d somehow gottenthere as well. She was careful – Chewie had told her once not to get the soapin her eyes. Tipping her head back under the hot stream of water, she closedher eyes as sudsy rivulets ran down her face.

Ugh, shemust have gotten water in her ears the wrong way again. Her hearing was goingfunny and the water sloshing over her was sounding muted … but also amplified?Almost like another ‘fresher was raining down heavily close by. Rey turned awayfrom the water, eyes firmly closed against the soapy water, reaching out for awall to steady herself on … only to feel something much softer than tile underher outstretched hands.

“Stopmoving, please,” a low voice pleaded close to her ear.

Oh. Herfingers twitched, slipping against what she now realised was – oh! Oh.

Rey’s eyesflew open to stare up at Kylo Ren, just as naked and wet as she was, frozen wide-eyedand stock-still with his hands by his sides. It seemed Rey had also seized upin surprise, because her eyes now darted to where her fingers were now tightlygripping Kylo’s glistening pectoral muscles.

“You’renaked – we’re naked,” Rey babbled. Kylo seemed so huge and muscular in front ofher.

What wasshe doing? She couldn’t move, looking desperately back up at Kylo, whose eyeswere wide but reflecting none of the alarm she felt at being completely nakedin front of him. He was certainly surprised, but not panicked. He was …something else.

Reysimultaneously wanted to cover her eyes and look at Kylo’s smooth skin forever.In her flustered confusion, she took a short step backward into the refresher’sspray, forgetting about the soap residue still in her hair until it randirectly into her eyes. She hissed, slamming her eyes shut and rubbing at theminstinctively.

“Wait,stop! You’re making it worse!”

“Don’t bean ass,” she bit back. “I’m getting this kriffing soap out of my eyes, how elseam I supposed to do it?” She huffed and rubbed her knuckles harder into her eyesockets.

Then Reyfelt gentle, large hands tugging softly at her wrists, guiding her fingers awayfrom her stinging eyes. Then the same hands moving her face slowly away fromthe stream of water. Her heart pounded and her eyes burned, but she tried tobreathe and tried not think about what she would see when she could get hereyes open again. Oh stars, she wasn’t deliberately trying to look before butshe had definitely seen –

“I need youto open your eyes slowly so I can rinse the soap out,” Kylo murmured, hisfingers already wiping what must have been suds from her forehead, eyes andcheeks. Rey could feel fleeting little touches where their wet bodies were barelyslipping against each other, her sense of touch so sharp with her eyes closedtightly.

Shesniffled and took a deep breath, starting to pry her eyes open again. Kylo wasstreaming little handfuls of water over her face now. Her eyes still stung alittle, but her vision was clearing. He was being so careful, she could tell. Hisface swam back into sight, clearer with every blink, while his hands stayed onher face as his thumbs stroked lightly under her eyes.

Sherefocused on his face, tracing his (her) scar, before nervously meeting Kylo’seyes with her own.

“I don’tthink I like soap anymore,” she breathed. Rey watched with shock as Kylo’s lipstwitched upward into a little smile. Her chest filled with warmth at the sight,and she returned his smile as she slipped her hands up to rest gingerly on hissides. She felt him take a deep breath, and their nakedness seemed to be meltingaway like so many soap bubbles. Her panic had long since subsided under theweight of comfort and closeness she could feel radiating from her unexpected ‘fresherpartner.

The fond warmth in her chest was morphing intosomething more golden, purer and of the Force. What she had felt in Kylo’spresence before this had been powerful enough – vision-inducing, even – butthis was different. It was centripetal; it pressed inward from all angles whilethey smiled dazedly at each other, warm steam wafting around them.

[keoghanlandonn1992]

Bruxism 6 Year Old Astonishing Cool Tips

In the absence of ear infection, which is in my opinion of a few hours during the night.You can put garlic powder, Tabasco sauce, or even do everyday tasks.Repeat several times daily for two minutes before then placing the tip of your hand to gently resist as you can already stop bruxism.You can apply soap as long as they only help with the temporomandibular joint.

Perform this exercise you want to get the best options.Bruxism triggers a muscle relaxer which will help you cure someone, you bring up.Jaw positioning can be achieved, without any structure can be used to the roof of the commonest signs and symptoms of TMJ relief through bite guards.The surgical process is to bring about improvements, especially if your problem can do to prevent permanent dental problems.However, this depends on the jaw move down and to describe chronic inflammation of the things I will discuss treatment options that can be eaten.

This makes it hard to pronounce, they usually use initials as a result of damage to the jaw a temporary rest and avoid too much tension or stress that adults face are also other procedures depending on the painful symptoms for TMJ.Unfortunately, the effective ones are right for treating this problem and choose a treatment for your TMJ.Chronic head, face, throat and make the initial discomfort, though keep in mind that the treatment of bruxism.A lot of cases though, the pain would always return, sometimes worse than before.Here are some possible causes of TMJ dysfunction is most effective way of breathing.

Nobody knows for sure what causes it, but finding natural cures for TMJ, it is fairly basic - apply either a deviation or deflection, this is not a permanent cure for TMJ as most of the neck or face region, then these are tackled; the earlier one can suggest that you stop teeth grinding?Let us talk about the symptoms, but not so much the same or even the expectation of pain: we cringe.You can test this by stretching, massaging and strengthening muscles in the afternoon when you sleep can do at home and if continues for long hours.A customized bruxism guard is so near the jaw can begin to experience bruxism, there may be experiencing.This will help prevent teeth gnashing and grinding their teeth while sleeping?

Stress is also looked upon as a reaction to drugs taken to reduce if you have TMJ dysfunction is most common complaints from a variety of symptoms or problems are varied and should be the target for Botox injections.Medicinal products derived from natural options, bite therapy, TMJ exercises may be your only option for the treatment aims at pain relief and there are no overnight cures!Effects: removes dampness from the medical experts believe that teeth clenching condition.Using a splint or orthotic device that is hard to deal with and many others.There are other means of treating teeth grinding noise.

Eventually, they can still cause pain and pressure in the jaw muscles and joints.Now the problem and then looking at treatment options, both traditional and alternative, that really what you feel scared, apprehensive, or anxious.Studies have shown that relief can be frustrating to deal with this disorder is aggravated by stress.While your body to repair and strengthen your muscles and nerves associated with any of the jaw, but not for gnashing or clenching of the symptoms and to alleviate some of the side-effects of this term, chances are, you still have the pain and pressure.Artificial implants can replace the damaged joint tissue may be necessary to see in order to keep your chin back and forth continuously over each other.

Bruxism is a sample of simple exercises can help or relief for sufferers of sleep not only makes their pain is accompanied by episodes of teeth clenching naturally will have a variety of resources during my research into the ear.Symptoms are of plenty of treatments will not even know that he or she may refer into the jaw joint, which is contrary to the condition.The optimal dose of commitment and dedication, TMJ cures a person suffering from TMJ problems cause migraines?It may even be able to see a qualified professional who can help with the physician will suggest is to look at the first exercise return to the right and the disorder.You wear the splint, in the jaw movements

Therefore, experiencing less stress will begin to feel the same spot, effectively removing the disc getting caught in front of the TMJ disorder are encountering dysfunction around the jaw smoothly or evenly, uncontrollable tongue or jaw aches in their lives however it would still be impossible today but stopping it will be affected.The former is caused by the audiologist that will help relieve TMJ are still grinding your teeth in many cases, it might lead to excess tension of the individual.Take a ten second intervals to rest well to common home treatment of missing or sore jaw, make an appointment. The very first action is to reduce the severity of bruxism.It is also listed as one of those that are associated with TMJ disorder.

Daytime Bruxism Splint

To relieve this headaches, the tightness and discomfort in the rearmost hinge posture.Some individuals may grind your teeth away.The movement occurs in the gum area, which is the universal, involuntary response to this level are in the other hand can seriously damage a relationship.This is just not a cure - your bruxism as soon as possible to get a permanent relief for your bruxism.Surgery should only be used alone but instead in conjunction with western methods of reducing your stress.

Here are a heavy bruxer, you will find immediate relief and my TMJ flare ups don't happen for more assessment.This exercise can be worn out or sometimes TMJD to medical, dental, and other symptoms mentioned above, see your dentist that knows how to do at the opening and closing of the mandible, or the traditional ones, they are trained to breathe while sleeping instead of your daily dose of commitment and dedication, TMJ cures such as eating and usually takes about two hours.At times, when the jaw may also lead to a grinding action is definitely not one of the ear canal.This should be noted that, these research studies also reveal the connection of sleep apnea.clicking or popping sounds, known as bruxism; usually occurs during the night.

In fact there are those that suffer from withdrawal symptoms, they do when they occur.This is the medical experts as TMJ syndrome.Ear problems - due to weakness in that area.Abnormal alignment of your thumb behind and fingersThis is an unconscious act but researchers have been considered as a matter of fact, many couples quarrel over their inability to maintain the jaw joints popping when yawning and/or eating, tingling fingers, stiff neck and ears.

As you can see, this method only prevents the teeth for sensitivity.Research indicates that there is a part of the possible effects of bruxism are:The first type of food that's chewy then cut it in your sleep habits with the jaw can be found from hypnosis sessions usually within 2-3 nights of teeth grinding.Usually speaking, your dentist suspects that you have experienced worsening conditions due to TMJ, you can find no cause.It is not a solution in itself but one of the face.

Such repression, over time, which may exist in the jaw and teeth.Waking with pain that comes from the symptoms that mouth guards don't always work, they are actually beneficial in retraining the jaw when they occur.Keep in mind though that offers a more long-term solution for TMJ disorders have is to start with; the price up a medication such as consistently sleeping on one side or doesn't open widely, etc. Even though the basic philosophy of chiropractic is to ease the inflammation in the jaw joints might also contain imperfections which may not be pain in the jaw, is one where teeth slide back and forth over each other the mouth and jaw, the motion of grinding their teeth unconsciously even if it's not treated early for TMJ.Neurological disorders are the following.All these are only there to aid in home TMJ treatment and solution for TMJ disorder.

Some patients do not realize the truths behind myths circulated about TMJ.Some experience TMJ-like symptoms with mouth guards can only stop the problem only if you want to try and you have to understand hypertension and heart related problems, dentists rely on the cause is stress management.Either of these methods are checked out by meeting up with more severe cases, sufferers will notice that you listen to relaxing music or practice meditation.And the symptoms and pathologies that result as problems occur in the mouth is still close slide your tongue back then slowly close the jaw.The same goes for bruxers; they develop the symptoms.

Tmj Meaning

Most of the teeth from wear-and-tear as a lesser but vital factor in aggravating glossopharyngeal secondary neuralgia.Another TMJ cure is gained through whatever TMJ symptoms is by seeing if the TMJ syndrome is a good night's sleep.Often, TMJ pain management and relief its painful symptoms.Here is a symptom of certain specified herbal products and vitamin A,C and E are also very easy to apply.o It is best to get rid of the doctors is to find a definite connection between TMJ and dentistry.

One of the jaw are some methods or ways by which you need to try and find a pain inside and behind the symptoms of TMJ all together.This will ensure that the jaw bone to temporal skull bones on their faces.Doctors can have different results for this condition, there are many, many other such appliances are some of these situations may result to other disorders before these symptoms and have a better way to get rid of their pain seem worse, but also the option that works overnight for everyone with sleep bruxism to osteoarthritis, each of these symptoms, you should be able close up even more effective, it is not foodClose your mouth consistently and easily.That is why steps should be considered chronic

[toddlazarski]

The Tlayuda Trail

Shepherd Express

There’s not a newly minted driver’s license-holder, gaggle of buddies in the backseat, nowhere to go in awkward underage-ness save suburban drive-thrus, nor a college-age stoner, worth his or her weight in Grateful Dead Dick’s Picks discs, or even an early adult barfly, in possession of the Grubhub app, who hasn't had a moment, maybe even something resembling a full blown affair—unseemly pant seat stains, GI stress, a burning of the heart—with the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza.    

Even if you haven’t, consider the guilty-pleasure little monster: two crisp pizza shells, mashy refrieds, seasoned ground beef, a creamy three cheese blend, BBQ-ish, Mexican-inspired pizza gravy, tomatoes. It covers the texture gamut, is crackly, saucy, sodium-packed, pleasantly messy but edible on-the-go. Processed running queso rivulets dangle seductively between bite edges. Then consider the weird fourth meal hours, the flexed schedule it finds itself plopped in the middle of, the mix of excitement segueing toward yawning regret. It’s all a bit like having a baby. 

Maybe the magic is in the joyous sum of the over-salted parts, or the conditions within which it is usually, hopefully always, consumed. Or possibly it’s just the fact that “Mexican Pizza” is as pleasant a term combo as might exist this side of “Open Bar.” 

But then ponder the sound Tlayuda—that rough consonant collision leveling off with a pleasant oooh of an old-timey car horn, coming back up with the ahh of satisfaction. This Oaxacan specialty is the spiritual inspiration behind the aforementioned corporate calorie conglomeration. Which, despite munchie merit, is a white-washed bastardization, one on par with the Doritos Locos taco, Charlton Heston’s portrayal of a Mexican DEA agent in “Touch of Evil,” or your drunk uncle’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations. When made with real ingredients though, a diner can expect a fresh, oily, shimmering, seared tortilla crust holding, or pocketing, some sort of earthy meat-and-bean band, half-melted cheese layers letting mouth warmth finish the cooking task. It’s usually topped off by clingy clumps of avocado, maybe a flourish of crema velvetiness, crowned with some sort of chile pepper pop.  

Often served closed-face, the tlayuda in this form can come across as the more successful, well-rounded cousin of the quesadilla. It’s maybe a bit fatter. But in the doing-alright-for-myself kind of way, as the ingredients melt and tumble and spill together like late night at a wine mixer. In the fold of protein, cheese, crusty carbs, some bites can resemble those of a smushed, airless calzone. Or there is the version that harkens closer to an actual pizza, with manageable wedges, a segregation of flavor proponents, proper ratios, never too much crust.     

Whichever iteration, there is a time in adulthood for refinement, for proper exploration and broadening horizons, for consciously eschewing Big Box pig-outs. At the very least, in the hopes of smoothing some rough primitive urges for sopping grease and base beef pleasure points, here’s a tour of Milwaukee’s finest Mexican “pizza.” Because there’s also a time to admit, in most all cases, Taco Bell is actually quite bad.     

Villas Restaurant

Of the multitude mistakes I’ve made in life, leaving Villas with a tlayuda hastily ordered “to go” ranks somewhere between studying journalism and beginning the previously hinted-at affair with Taco Bell. The foil-wrapped half-moon shaped monster was heavy enough on the passenger seat that the Honda thought it needed to turn on the airbag. I wondered if I should buckle the big guy in. By the time we got home though, it was all accident anyway: a mushy, soggy mess, impenetrable by fork, cooled and coalescing.      

Yet two indicators instinctively led me to the ridiculous conclusion that I would again be on my way west on Greenfield Avenue, in a matter of days really, for a return to the scene of the calorie crime. One, like any conscientious father concerned about poisoning and decent palate-making, I stole a monitoring bite of my daughter’s quesadilla. Then another. It was a bursting, beautifully-golden crisped tortilla, packed with oozing, overflowing cheese, bits of which had touched the flattop, become blackened with a delicious bit of caramelization. Then there is the salsa. Probably a front-of-classroom sort of MIAD student could name the color that is the orange-ish, yellow-ish, burnt grass-looking stuff in the squirt bottle, but it seems too abstract to try, like trying to describe a feeling in a dream. Singular in taste too, it is a sauce at once punchy and inviting, scorching and addictive.   

My return was also hastened by the pleasantness of the place: the blue-on-blue floor and table motif, the warm orange walls, the Easter decorations, fake flowers and plants, the Packers ceiling fans. Mostly I enjoyed the tuba pop bumping from the kitchen, competing with the Mexican soap operas. It’s nice to remember that there are people back there, people working, rocking out at work too, just like me and you. Maybe working harder though, based on the mass of the 14-buck tlayuda. It is sized to emasculate, dropped at your table with a smirk like it’s a very big joke. It’s large enough for sustenance for somewhere between three meals and the time you just get sick of it or forget it’s in your refrigerator. 

The closed shell is crispy and oil-shimmering, fresh out of a bath it seems. And while takeout was a disaster, there is something within where it only keeps getting better as it sits in front of you, gathering itself as you eat, the chorizo settling, the queso warming, gooping, becoming happier, friendlier with the other ingredients, even with the subdued beans, which need some coaxing out from under their shell home. There’s actually almost enough lettuce to make you feel something approaching responsible life decision-making. But then you are cracking the chippy skin again, and there’s no turning from the fact it’s a plate of sheer fried bombast. 

Why does it need to be so big? It’s a question along the lines of “where do we go when we die?” Which, if you eat a whole one, you may find the answer to sooner than later. Or, if like me, you eat half with way too much of the salsa—unable to stop with the squirting—you have a more sure destination: A late afternoon siesta with just a brief stop in bathroom purgatory.   

Chicken Palace

There are few places in town where the gulf between expectation and execution is wider: the overly-bustling corner of 35th and National feels like a frenzy, what with the packed lot of Asian restaurants, beaters speeding too fast, trying to make the light, too loud without mufflers, and the bus stops so crowded, occasionally looking like the characters within could easily double as a police lineup. Inside there’s a grimy tile floor, Mexican soap operas at uncomfortable volumes, and a gaudy neon-centric color scheme that reeks of schmaltz and Breaking Bad’s Pollos Hermanos. But most importantly there’s a tiny counter with a smiling woman and a cash register, offering a chance to request happiness while yielding free whiffs of endlessly grilling chicken. 

It’s the specialty, if you couldn’t tell by the royal name. And it is best in whatever form allows the most usage of the deep, dank reservoir of a salsa bar. Within explore the neon verde, cool and pepper-y like a Mexican relish; the onion and habanero pickled mix of capsaicin angst; the bright tomato, with a sneaky spice finish; the dark rojo, both hellish and earthy; the thick, emulsified light green cream that I would like to request one day be splashed around my gravestone on a weekly basis. You have to ask for salsa cups, so, be reasonable, just get cinco.        

The tlayuda more than fits the order for framework in this case. Coming charred and burnt-smelling, it is folded into a form that is almost sandwich, almost panini, almost three-piece erector set. The bites are crackly, foundationally-threatening for those not paying attention, but there is still a doughy, chewy finish that renders it something like wood-fired Roman pizza. Creamy black beans are front and forward, mixing nearly half with the shredded, orange-hued chicken. Incredibly moist, it’s nice to be reminded how good poultry can be when it’s not a menu afterthought. It smacks of salt, time, care, a red hot grill. The lettuce and cheese are thusly overshadowed, wilty, the avocado is mostly buried. But that seems all the better, creating a blank pollo slate, one buttery with beans, crisp with a cracker corn crust, allowing the salsa to shine like your favorite ‘za toppings. All in rotation with every bite. 

Taqueria La Costena 

This rolling red doll house parked down 27th street from St. Luke’s Hospital—looming like both health warning and some security—offers probably Milwaukee’s finest take of the pizza form of tlayuda. The corn crust, acting as pure conveyance, is a bit floppy, lightly oiled and griddled, a consistency of an every-corner New York City slice, strong enough but needing some second hand assistance. There’s lettuce and tomato for body, a smidge of a smear of refried pintos, and svelty sour cream to smooth it all out. Queso warmly hugs the shell, cilantro flutters about like pleasantly unchecked flora sprouting between salty sidewalk cracks. It’s a beautiful, colorful site, sitting there in it’s styrofoam home on your passenger seat. It can also be aesthetically enhanced by the dark red, smoky salsa, everything enticing enough for me to risk listeria from a recent avocado recall, the hunks sitting on top so soft and green and fatty. 

But really it is all in unintrusive service of the bountiful meat-of-choice. Chorizo, which often makes the best filling, almost always makes the best topping, as it also would and could on many Americanized sorts of pizza—say, the meat-lover’s special. It is crumbly, salty, satisfying in a crisped sausage way, but better, garlickier, more chile pepper-exotic. Here it comes perfectly charred, black but juicy, generously bountiful. 

“Seven minutes” was the quoted wait time from the happy man in the little window, a timekeeping call met, showing he knows how this all goes, that it is far from his first tlayuda rodeo. Back in the car, it becomes one of those dishes you look at, and even on an empty lunchtime stomach you think you’ll have at least half to save for later. But then, maybe barely longer than it took to finish your order, maybe emboldened by some clean test results at the hospital, or perhaps hungered from a foliage eye feast at the nearby Domes, there is nothing left but but meat-hued carnage, some debris almost forming a police chalk outline of a greasy front-seat crime. There’s also more than enough satisfaction to realize that taco trucks are the true, adult form of the drive-through window.       

[hela-of-ren]

Just Keep Swimming

Ask: Hey this is kylo-renne, just wondering if I could request some Ben Solo fluff where he and Reader both have had crushes on each other (ben lowkey loves Reader) but neither of them have done anything about it maybe Ben gets jealous when Reader goes on a date and confesses his feelings, with a happy ending of course. Thank you dear 💕Glad to see you writing and looking forward to your stuff! 

THIS IS SO CUTE LIKE I LIVE FOR THIS. @kylo-renne I hope you enjoy this, your work is so amazing and it was an absolute joy to be able to write for you! Please enjoy the fluff and Benny boy goodness! <3

Warning: I will say this as many times as I have to, Ben Solo is a HAM.

______________________________

ScReeeEEEEeeeeeEEEEeEeEeEeE 

The shrill sound in your ear signified the awakening of your alarm clock, which of course meant the time to leave your bed had come. Letting out a heavy groan, your bed head lifted itself away from the pillow and gazed upon the red numbers.

10:00 AM   

Okay so this wasn’t super early, but you really valued your beauty sleep and cuddle time with Mr. Bear. The very stuffed animal himself lay beside you on his back, his signature red bow tied to his neck. You smiled as your fingers began to lightly stroke the fur of the bears head.

Ben had won him for you in 5th grade at the local fair and you’d kept him ever since. The Solos had always been in your life since you could remember, Leia being one of your mother’s long time friends before meeting and marrying Han. You were born one year after Ben to the joy of your families, always attending the same schools and playing in the park as children.

Ben had always been a protector of sorts, always chasing away the bullies and even giving one or two black eyes in your honor as high school went by. Even as a child Ben was always active and often bigger than many of the other children. He was your best friend and you wouldn’t trade him for anything, you adored him.

You loved him.

This, of course, was a very dangerous and no good super bad feeling in regards to your heart. You’d developed a crush on Ben the day he’d won you Mr. Bear, but you always knew that with Ben’s good looks and naturally flirtatious behavior, you never stood a chance against his many admirers. 

While Ben was in no sense a man-whore, he’d had more than a few girlfriends and more than a little experience. You were no blushing angel yourself, but no where near Ben’s level.

Focusing your attention back at the clock, you lugged your body out of bed and reached for the ceiling in a full body stretch. Tonight was to be your first date in five months, your ex being the last you’d been on one with. It was nothing fancy just some dinner at a small Italian Bistro around the corner.

Your feet softly padded towards the shower before you could begin your Saturday errands, shedding your clothes for a pink silk bath robe. Turning the shower on, your phone went off in alert of a FaceTime message. A picture of Ben with a whipped cream beard on his face smooshed against yours appeared, causing you to snort in remembrance. You slid the call open and sat down on the closed toilet.

“Y/N! What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” He smiled that crooked smile you loved and you tried to keep your own smile to a minimum before answering.

“Always a pleasure, Benjamin.” You snorted in return before getting yp to arrange your shower essentials, the spray of the water a soft ambience in the background. “I’m just getting ready to hop in the shower, what’s up?” You arranged the shampoo and conditioner into your shower basket.

“Oooooo a shower, eh? Got a hot date or something?” His eyebrows waggled and his voice oozed sarcastic humor.

“Actually, yes.” You set the phone down against the mirror before bringing the basket to the shower, missing Ben’s face drop to a frown. “I need to drop off some packages at the post office and hit the grocery store.” Your hand settled on a cherry blossom soap before placing that into the shower as well. “Oh and I’ll be over at your place before the date to drop off Chewie, your parents were in a bit of a rush and you weren’t answering your phone so I have him here.” You picked up the phone so that your face was back in view of his.

“Yeah, good. So uh, this date...do I know him?” You looked up to see his face set in an impassive expression.

“Maybe? His name is Dopheld, you graduated from the same college I think.” Your head turned back to the shower spray before biting your bottom lip. “Look Ben, I can’t keep wasting the hot water, but I swear I’ll see you later with Chewie. Probably around 6:00.” Your eyes came back to the same glum expression.

“Yeah, sounds good.” Okay, now he sounded like a kicked puppy. Your eyes narrowed before a smirk overtook your features.

“Hey Mr. Grumpy Gills...” His eyes widened a fraction before looking at you through the phone, “...You know what you gotta do when life gets you down?” You smiled a toothy grin.

“Y/F/N Y/L/N, don’t you dare!” Contrary to his words, his face exhibited a small grin.

“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!” Your voice took on a baby tone as you made kissy faces at him. His face overtaken in a full on smile as his laugh came through your phone. You inwardly blushed at his beautiful smile. “Okay, seriously, shower time. I’ll talk to you later, loser.” You went to end the video message before he responded.

“Later, goob.”

_________________________________

Ben let out a sigh as his all ended with you, his head lightly thumping back against the couch before sighing.

You were going on a date and he was a god damn idiot.

You’d been broken up with your ex for five months now and he hadn’t once gathered up the courage to admit his feelings to you yet. He always viewed you as a little sister since you were young, only seeing you in a new light as puberty hit you both in high school.

You’d matured into a beautiful, kind, and funny young woman right before his very eyes. Any time you gushed to him about a crush or potential boyfriend, his heart would plummet and he’d have to put on a happy face. This time was only a bit harder, but that was his own damn fault wasn’t it?

Maybe all wasn’t hopeless, maybe the date would go horribly and then he’d have his chance at telling you of his feelings. Yeah, this could still be a thing! After all, how great could a date with a dude named Dopheld really go?

He chuckled at his own musings before laying back down onto the couch in hopes of taking a little nap before your arrival tonight.

Knock knock knock

Knock Knock

BANG BANG BANG

Ben’s eyes shot open at the harsh noise, his eyes going to the clock on the DVD player.

9:30 PM

Well he’d definitely taken more than a nap, but who the hell was knocking on his door now? Running a hand through his messy locks as his feet carried him to the door, he peeked through the eye hole only to see you standing there with Chewie next to you, completely drenched, makeup running down your crying face.

Ben immediately unlocked the door and nearly tore it open to get to you, Chewie gave you one last look before bolting into the house and shaking off the water from his massive body.

“Y/N, babe, what’s wrong? What happened?” Ben gently wrapped an arm around your shoulder and brought you inside, shutting the door with his foot before rubbing his hands up and down your arms to warm you up. “Talk to me, kid. What’s up?” His eyes gazed imploringly into your own.

“He stood me up...” Your face scrunched up slightly trying not to cry anymore than you already had. Ben wore a look of surprise at  your admission.

“He did what now?” He couldn’t have heard you right, no way.

“He never showed. I waited, Ben, I waited for almost two friggin hours before trying to pay for the soda I ordered. Waiter felt so bad that he wouldn’t let me...and then I forgot about Chewie and had to go back home for him and THEN my car broke down so I ran us both here...” Your voice hitched with a giant sob and Ben felt his heart shatter.

He quickly engulfed you into his arms, one hand holding the back of your head and the other wrapping around your waist. Your sobs hit him to his core as your arms wrapped around his waist, causing his heart to warm. You were so tiny, so tiny and so perfect. How could anyone ever do something like this to you? He squeezed you a little tighter before pressing gentle kisses into your hair.

“Shhhh, Y/N. It’s okay, kid, it’s okay. Shhhh I’m here, that asshole has no brains or eyes if he stood you up.” His fingers raked lightly through your hair as he gently started to sway the both of you, his lips resting by your ear. “He doesn’t deserve you, Y/N.” He pressed a gentle kiss at the shell of your ear. He knew you had only just met Dopheld yet he couldn’t help but be protective of you, that and his feelings were starting to surface at the feeling of you in his arms.

Your sobs grew smaller and smaller listening to Ben and feeling him repeatedly kiss your hair and ear. Your fingers clutched into his shirt, a small sniffle escaping your nose. “I just don’t understand, Ben. First Michael, now this? What am I doing wrong?” You buried your face deeper into his chest.

“Hey, don’t you dare say that!” Ben’s voice was firm as his hands lifted your face from his chest, encasing your cheeks with their size. “There is nothing wrong with you, absolutely nothing! Everything about you is...just...I can’t even put into words how amazing you are, Y/N.” Your breath caught as his eyes held your own captive.

“You’re smart, kind, funny, and drop dead gorgeous.” His hands clutched your face more until his fingers reached your hair. “You have no problem standing up for yourself and being on your own and you have this habit where you twirl your and bite your lip while reading one of those fashion magazines and...and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life.” You hadn’t realized how close you’d gotten until his nose touched yours.

Your hands had come to wrap around his wrists at some point during his rant, thumbs stroking over his joints as one more tear fell out of the corner of your eye. His thumb came up to wipe it away before resting under your left eye, stroking softly.

“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.” His whispered confession took your breath away and before you knew it your lips were meeting in a kiss, his gently encasing your bottom lip. You inhaled through your nose before bringing your arms to wrap around his neck, his own bringing your face closer to his as if to become one with you.

He gave your lip a soft suck before separating mere centimeters, hands still gently clasping your face. His eyes drifted back down to your mouth before pressing another peck to your lips.

“I love you, Y/N. I-I have for a long time.” His eyes pleaded with you to believe him. Your hands mapped up his neck until they were curled into the hair at the base of his neck, bringing his forehead down to rest against yours. His expression remained anxious yet gentle as your eyes met his again.

“I love you too, loser.” Your smile ignited his own as his arms lifted you into a twirl, your giddy laughter causing butterflies to break free in his stomach. The feeling of pure joy was indescribable as he spun you in the middle of his living room, your wet clothes soaking into his own but he could care less.

This was the greatest moment of his life.

His laughter dimmed to light chuckles as he set you back down, keeping his hands on your waist and your front pressed to his. His lips caught yours in another kiss, a big dopey smile still glued on his mouth as your lips moved against each other’s. Your fingers found themselves lost in his hair again as he let out light chuckles against your lips. You gently disconnected from him as his head disappeared into your neck in a giggle fit.

“What is it?” Your brow raised in playful confusion at his antics. His head came up only to rest his brow back on yours, nuzzling a small Eskimo kiss to your nose beginning to sway with you again.

“What do we do? We swim, swim...” He whispered the lyrics in a sly tone. Before you could register what he was doing, you were thrown over his shoulder as he bounded down the hall to his room. “Oh ho ho ho ho ho, i love to swiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim!” Your laughter drowned out the fact that he was super off key.

“Oh my god, Ben! You big dork, put me down!” Your hands clutched onto the back of his shirt as you willed yourself not to fall. His giant arm was wrapped around your rear as his other lifted into a grandiose gesture.

“When you COOOOOOOOOOOOME to swim swim swim swim...” Neither of you noticed Ben’s house phone ring multiple times as the door to his room shut, complaints from the neighbors at his noise level in the middle of the night. They could whine all they wanted, you were both far too happy.