#more people clearly need to buy fruit in bulk

[whodoyouthinkithinkiam]

You are absolutely right about every one of those sayings.

I'd just like to reiterate, though, that one bad apple spoils the barrel.

I don't actually think every problematic expression has a better, longer version with the opposite meaning that oddly enough no one heard of until it surfaced on the internet like ten years ago. I think that is potentially not true

[foodandfolklore]

Loblaws Boycott. How to get affordable food?

Today is May 1st; which means it is the start of the Loblaws Boycott across Canada. For those unfamiliar with the situation, food prices in Canada have been climbing to astronomical sums. Our main chain Grocery Stores keep increasing prices beyond what is normal inflation. Because they know as Mortals, we need to eat. And the further north you go, the worse it gets. They have already been caught artificially raising Bread prices a few years back, and blaming the price hike on the War in Ukraine. They set a price, We pay for it, and then they keep the price cause clearly people are willing to pay /s

So a boycott has been organized by people of Canada through social media and has even been talked about by TV News Outlets. The idea being to speak with your wallet and pressure change. The problem for many, however, is...Loblaws is just so massive, they don't see other alternatives. They own No Frills, Great Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drugmart, and a ton more. For many Canadians, it seems like Loblaws is their only option in their area.

So I want to provide a list of some options for people to still get fed. Or even if you don't want to engage in the boycott, you just wanna find affordable food.

Costco and Walmart If a friend of family member has a Costco Membership and is willing to take you with them, do it. The workers there don't police who has the membership, so long as someone has one. You can bulk buy a bunch of staples like Meat, Cheese, Toilet Paper and Coffee for much cheaper in the long run. However, Buying in bulk is not always feasible for everyone. They either don't have the space or they can't afford to drop a few hundred dollars on a single shop. Walmart is a controversial suggestion because they have some....history. And your values may require you to not shop at Walmart. But if you need some accessible groceries for reasonable prices, Walmart actually has a very good selection.

2) International/Local Stores This is not really an option if you live more rural. But if you can find a nearby Asian Grocer or Halal Store you can get a lot of stuff. And not just rice. Legumes, Beans, Meat, Seafood; you'd be surprised how much you can get. You may also find a gem of a bakery or butcher.

3) Farmers Markets It's getting to growing season in Canada. Be Sure to check your near by Farmers Markets. You'll mostly find Fruits and Veggies, but may also be some local honey and eggs if you're lucky. This is also a great option for people who feel eating Organic food is important.

4) Food Waste Apps There is a surprising amount of apps dedicated to preventing food waste by selling you food that is about to be thrown away. The food is still good, and the reason for Discarding varies, but commonly it's because it's approaching it's best before date or Expiration date. Food can still be consumed after it's best before date, so long as it's not spoilt. Different areas will have different Levels of Activity on Different apps. A store needs to opt in before you can buy anything. So check out a few different ones. Flash Foods, Food Hero, and Too Good to Go are popular.

5) Ugly Food Boxes A lot of food gets chucked cause it doesn't conform to our expectation of how that food should look. It grew in a weird way and despite being totally fine to eat; Stores don't want to sell them. So you can get Subscription Boxes of Ugly Produce. Which I think is kinda fun. I remember being younger and my mom pointing out the funny shaped peppers. This isn't entirely a new concept, and many people would of probably heard of Imperfect Foods. However, this is a USA only service; useless to us Canadians. But we can try Odd Bunch or Eat Impact. The bonus with this is it's delivered directly to you. Great for people like myself who can't Drive but love to cook.

6) Meal Kits You see it all the time on Youtube: Try Hello Fresh and get so many meals free, yada yada. Well....it might be worth a try. You can cancel these kits at any time, and them hop back on them later. Like a streaming service. A friend of mine apparently does this. Ordering a box when the value of what they're offering is worth the price to her. Not a great option if you tend to forget to cancel subscriptions *cough* (Hi) but it can be a really smart way to get exactly what you want for a good price. Plus if you use a sponsor code, or a coupon in the mail.... Hello Fresh and Make Good Food are the two more well known meal kits available in Canada.

[ntxmaxgummies]

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[softboywriting]

Opposites Attract | Shawn Mendes AU

Summary: Shawn. He is your brother’s friend, bad boy, long time crush and now, your new housemate. You’ve had it bad for him since you were a teenager, and he knows it too. There’s just one little problem, he isn’t your type. Or is he? Will Shawn prove to be more than the guy who picked fights and got in trouble or will he be the same guy you knew growing up? [bad boy] [fluff] [mild nsfw]

Word Count: 11k

|Masterlist In Bio|

The day you told your brother you needed a roommate because your old one moved in with her boyfriend, you were just intending to vent. Zack was halfway across the country going to college to be a lawyer, how was it he just happened to have someone to move in with you? It was the last thing you expected to hear from him, that he knows someone looking for a place, but you were desperate and rent was due soon.

The day Shawn shows up is one you won’t be forgetting any time soon. It was six in the morning, you had just woken up and gotten out of bed. It was a nice morning, cool, so you had the windows open while you made breakfast. The sound of birds was beautiful as you sang along to the radio on the kitchen counter. Life was good. Until the sound of a very loud motorcycle interrupted everything.

Loud engines weren’t anything new in your neighborhood. Most people had second hand cars and not all of them were the best. You live in a college town, beat up cars is the norm. But this was different because it was clearly a motorcycle and it was in your driveway causing a racket.

Before you could get to the front windows the sound stops. The engine shut off. You opened the door and that’s when you saw him. Shawn. Standing by his bike unloading a huge duffle bag that’s strapped to the back. When Zack said he had a friend coming to meet you about the roommate offer, you didn’t expect him to bring his stuff. In fact you didn’t remember Zack telling you which friend it was.

Shawn turned and smiled at you, a hand raised in greeting. Your heart stopped. Of all of Zack’s friends, it had to be Shawn that needed a place to stay. Shawn, the guy who picked fights with everyone in school. Shawn, the one who stole a car with Zack when they were sixteen and drove it into your neighbor’s pond. Shawn, the one who bought you your first shot when you turned nineteen and then knocked out your boyfriend for flirting with some girl at the club you were at. Granted the last one was well deserved and Gauge, your ex, was an asshole. But it just had to be him. The one person you have a history of feelings for.

You couldn’t believe you were staring him down on your front porch after all this time. All six foot and three inches of muscle, tattoos, piercings, perfect wavy brown hair and a photo ready smile. He was a handsome, problematic son of a bitch and you were playing with fire the moment you let him into the house.  

_____________________

One month. It’s one month of living with Shawn before he asks if you have a boyfriend. You’re in the bathroom, the door is open, and you’re washing your face. It’s just a normal Tuesday night and he just pops the question.

“So, you got a boyfriend?”

He’s leaning against the door frame oh so casually, arms crossed in his black tank top that shows off his full sleeve of tattoos going up to his shoulder. He’s huge, way bigger than you remember him being and you think it’s definitely because he’s bulked up. You couldn’t imagine being on the receiving end of a punch from him when you were back in high school, you definitely couldn’t imagine it now.

“Uh, no.” You turn to look at him with your face scrub smeared across your face. “Why?”

“Just curious.”

“Why?”

Shawn shrugs and you aren’t buying it.

“You looking to knock someone out? Because that’s what you did to my last boyfriend.”

He chuckles and leans his head on the door. “Gauge was a dick. You really haven’t dated since you were nineteen?”

“Oh I’ve dated.” You rinse your face and grab your moisture. “I just haven’t had a boyfriend, like a long term relationship.”

“So you’ve had hook ups?”

“Dates.” You level your eyes and pull away your hairband keeping your hair out of your face. “Hook ups imply sex.”

Shawn follows you as you walk out of the bathroom and head for the kitchen. He’s like a puppy on your heels and you can’t help but feel like he is asking all these questions for a reason.

“So you haven’t gotten laid in a while?”

“Shawn!”

“What?” He raises his hands in defense and walks back against the counter. He crosses his arms and smirks. The audacity. “We’re adults. Sex is an adult topic.”

“I’m not talking about my sex life with you.” You sigh and open the fridge to find something to make for a late dinner. You had worked over time, picking up a half shift for a friend who had to pick up her sick kid at daycare.

“You’re such a goody two shoes.”

“And you’re a nosy Nancy.”

Shawn rolls his eyes and runs a hand over his hair. “Curiosity is not nosiness.”

“Arguable. Why do you want to know anyway? Why are you curious?”

He shrugs. “We live together. I just thought I’d get to know you a little better. It’s been a few years since we really talked.”

You pull a pack of chicken from the fridge and walk around him to grab a cutting board. “Well, I’m pretty much the same person.” You look at him and give him a once over. He doesn’t fail to notice. “It seems you are too.”

“Yeah? What’s that mean?”

“It means I’m not going to hook up with you. You’re my brother’s friend and even if you weren’t, you aren’t my type.”

Shawn scoffs and grabs a banana from the fruit basket behind him. “And what is your type?”

“Good boys.” You quip, walking around him again to put your chicken in a pan.

He chuckles and remains quiet. You’re shocked.  That’s what it took to shut him up huh? You feel like this isn’t the end of this conversation. Shawn wasn’t one to relent so easily. And while he wasn’t your usual type of guy you might flirt with, you’d be damned if you said he didn’t pique your interest.

____________________

It’s pouring rain the day you lock yourself out of the house. A week ago your washer took a shit and you’ve worn everything in your closet. You packed everything up that morning and took it to your parents house half an hour away. You decide to drive home at the first signs of a storm, your mom saying she would finish up your laundry for you if you wanted to pick it up tomorrow.

By the time you pull in the driveway, it’s pouring rain and thunder is rumbling across the sky. Shawn’s bike is parked under the eve of the side of the house with a tarp over it. You hurry out of the car and up to the front door. You scramble to find your house key on your keyring and realize it’s not there. You loaned it to Shawn when he lost his keys a week ago. He found his eventually but he didn’t give you back yours.  

“Shawn!” You yell, pounding on the door. “Shawn let me in!”

The wind picks up and you shiver, pulling your jacket across your chest in an attempt to keep some of your body heat in. There is no response from inside the house. You press the doorbell relentlessly and start pounding again.

The lock clicks and the door opens to a soaking wet Shawn in a towel. “What the fu-”

“About time!” You push past him and into the house, water dripping off every inch of your body. “I need my house key back by the way.”

Shawn closes the door and turns to face you. “I’m sorry?”

You push your hair back out of your face and stare at him. He’s just as soaked as you but for a much better reason. There’s water running off the end of his nose and you can’t help but stare at his piercing. He’s got a ring in it today instead of his usual stud. It’s hot. Way too hot.

A grin spreads across his face and he licks some water off his lips. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” You snap out of your daze and remember that you’re drenched. “Give me my key when you’re done showering.”

“Yes ma'am.” He saunters past you, winking as he pushes his hair back. It’s so cliche but god damn did it work. You were fucked for him.

Fifteen minutes later and you walk into the kitchen to start some lunch. Shawn is already in there, sitting at the table looking at something on his phone. He’s still half naked, just wearing a pair of his running pants. You wish he wasn’t in there though because you are in clothes you usually reserved for men you were trying to get into bed with.

All of your clothes were at your parents house. Literally everything but one pink nightie like tank top and a pair of silky black shorts. You can’t help the flush that rises on your cheeks as you turn away from his gaze to start making a sandwich.

“That’s an awful pretty outfit for making lunch in.”

You won’t turn and look at him. You know he’s right behind you now. “Yeah well, all my clothes are at my parents house.”

“I have clothes you can wear.”

Good point. But you weren’t going to ask him for clothes. You didn’t want to smell like him and have thoughts of him being all over you. God no. This was bad enough, having him stand behind you and chat about your lingerie.

“It’s fine. I’m already wearing them.”

You see his arm, tattoos all up the forearm, before you feel his body against your back. He’s hot, in every sense of the word. He reaches up to get something overhead in the cupboard and he is so obvious. This is so painfully intentional it hurts.

“What are you doing?” You ask, trying your best to sound completely neutral.

“Getting a bowl for cereal.”

He leans forward, on his tiptoes no doubt as he presses flush against you, pressing you into the counter. He’s so big and so…fuck…you push back against him in an attempt to get him to move off of you but it ends up resulting in him dropping his head to your ear.

“You wanna do that again?” He purrs, free hand coming up and grabbing your hip.

Your body heats up, flushing from head to toe as he stands there’s waiting for your answer. You are so hot and so turned on you’re glad he can’t see your face.  

Shawn lowers his cereal bowl from the cupboard and places it in front of you with a chuckle. “I might not be your type but I definitely turn you on.” He slides his hand over your stomach and places a kiss behind your ear. “I know you think about me, and it’s okay, I think about you too.” He gives your hip a little squeeze and steps back with his bowl.

Immediately you miss his heat, but it’s fine because you generated enough of your own to melt the polar ice caps. You let your shoulders fall as you stare blankly at the sandwich fixings on the counter before you. You can hear him idly making a bowl of cereal behind you and you just…can’t turn around yet. You can’t face him. He absolutely knows you’re completely fucked for him and he is going to play it to his advantage.

____________________

Shawn is surprisingly well behaved for the next week. He doesn’t flirt with you or anything. The most he says that’s outside of a normal conversation is that he likes your outfits for work. There’s no insinuation to the compliments, it’s just him genuinely telling you that you look nice.

Saturday night a few friends invite you out for drinks at a club in downtown for your friend Trisha’s birthday. They ask you to bring Shawn after meeting him one day when he brought you your lunch you had left on the counter at home. You know the girls just wanna oggle him and that’s fine, Shawn is definitely a gorgeous guy.

The lot of you get to the club and post up in a booth on the outside of the dance floor. You and Shawn sit beside each other facing Trisha and her boyfriend Oliver while your other two friends Kate and Macy head to the bar to get drinks.  

“You wanna go dance?” Trisha asks you, leaning her head on Oliver’s shoulder. “I love this song!”

You scoot out of the booth and Shawn has ahold of your shirt. You glance back and he releases you, looking away. Did he not want you to leave him?

“What’s wrong Shawn?” You ask loudly over the music and he shakes his head.

“Nothing. Go have fun!”

Trisha drags you away, giggling as some bass boosted Taylor Swift song starts to play. Kate and Macy join the two of you and together you guys dance and sip your drinks.  

Time passes quickly while you’re having fun. Songs start to blend together, bodies in never ending motion as you completely let go of all your worries for a few hours. You’re sweaty, drunk, a total mess as you walk up to the bar for a glass of water. You may be at your limit but you know you still need water.  

Shawn is sitting at the end of the bar, chatting with some girl with long blonde hair. You catch his eye and he looks past the girl to you. She doesn’t seem to notice and you can tell by the way her very animated story is still going on. Suddenly your view is blocked by a guy in a black shirt that smells like cheap cologne.

“Hey sweetheart,” the guy purrs, leaning against the bar.

“Hi.” You turn to face the bartender who’s got his back turned while making a drink.

“I saw you dancing out there. You look like you know how to move.”

“I do. I learned to walk when I was a baby.” You deadpan, trying to give this guy a hint that you aren’t interested.

He laughs, as if you told an actual joke. “You’re a tough one huh? I love feisty girls.”

“I bet you do.” You push away from the bar to go join Macy and Kate. The guy’s hand wraps around your wrist and he pulls you back.

“I wasn’t done talking to you.”

You jerk your arm away and rub your wrist. “Don’t touch me, and I was done talking to you, so step off.”

The guy steps toward you and suddenly you’re staring at the back of Shawn’s head. He has stepped between you and the douchebag. “The lady doesn’t seem interested, why don’t you move on?”

“Why don’t you mind your business pretty boy.”

Shawn chuckles and you’re all too familiar with that particular laugh of his. It meant bad news for whoever he was chatting with. “You should really just leave her alone.”

“Fuck you gonna do about it?” The guy shoves Shawn and you step back to avoid getting knocked over.  

“Shawn don’t,” you mutter as if he was going to hear you over the music.

Before you can manage to actually say something loud enough for either guy to hear, Shawn’s arm is pulled back and he’s punching the guy in the face. The guy reels back, catching himself on the bar and people nearby start to gasp and clear away. Security steps in just as the guy lunges for Shawn.

You back away and go back to Macy and Kate. They’re both totally wasted and Trisha is at the booth with Oliver making out. You aren’t sober yourself and you don’t know what to do. You don’t want to watch Shawn fight and you sure as hell don’t want to get kicked out for getting involved. You watch from across the dancefloor as security drags both of the men outside and you grab your purse off the booth seat. You don’t bother telling anyone you’re leaving, you were just going to take a cab anyways since Oliver started drinking and he was meant to be the designated driver.

Once outside you see Shawn by his bike, wiping his face with the back of his arm. You go over to him and he looks at you as he swings his leg over the seat of the bike.

“What the hell was that about?”

“That guy was harassing you.”

“I would have been fine. I’ve dealt with assholes before.”

Shawn rolls his eyes. In the lights of a passing car you can see blood on his face, smeared from his nose no doubt. “Yeah well, he shouldn’t have grabbed you. That’s a red flag that he will do much worse given the opportunity.”

You fold your arms over your chest and look away. “I would have been fine.”

“Yeah, maybe so. But what about the next girl he preyed on if you got away?” Shawn kicks the bike to life and gets himself steadied. “You want a ride home?”

“No. I’ll call a cab.”

“Suit yourself.”

He pulls out onto the street and you watch as he takes off, the engine growing ever distant. You call a cab and wait, sitting on the edge of the street. Fights like this is why Shawn wasn’t exactly your type. Why he couldn’t be someone you got into a relationship with. It’s been four years since you saw him before he showed up ready to move in and he really was the same guy. You can’t believe you let yourself get involved with him, at least you didn’t let it go too far yet. You could still keep your distance. Maybe.

_____________________

Shawn doesn’t come home for a week after the fight at the club. You have no idea where he’s staying or if he comes home while you’re at work. He hasn’t called or texted you and his bedroom door remains ever open. You did try calling and texting him several times but to no avail. You can’t figure out what went wrong, what happened. You think maybe it has something to do with the fight at the club but he didn’t seem to care if you were mad at him about it so you dismiss that as a reason.  Your other worry is that he’s in jail for some reason, for what, you have no clue.

Friday you walk out of the laundry room, the landlord had called a guy to fix the washer a few days ago, and you see Shawn standing in the kitchen with his back to you.

“You came home.”

He turns and you drop your laundry basket. He has a little black ring in his lip. That was definitely new. And he also has a butterfly bandage on his eyebrow that makes you think he may have gotten into another fight.

“Are you okay?” He chuckles, walking over to you and crouching down to help you gather the laundry you’ve dumped everywhere.

You just gawk at him, eyes fixed on his lip. It’s so hot. You didn’t think he could be sexier but God you were so fucking wrong. “Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Where were you?”

“I was staying at a friend’s.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I needed some time to think. Sorry, I just…I needed to get away.”

You reach out and touch his eyebrow. There’s a cut leading up into his hairline from it. “Are you okay?”

“That?” He touches over your fingers and you pull away. “I stood up too fast at work. The car I was under wasn’t as raised as I thought.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah…I’m kind of a clutz I guess.”

“You? Never.” You smirk and he smiles as he stands and passes you the laundry basket. “How about the lip ring?”

“You like it?” He moves it with his tongue. “My friend Casey did it for me.”

“It’s… different.”

He grins and you flush, breaking eye contact. “You like it don’t you?”

“It’s dumb.”

“Uh huh.” He bumps your basket to get your attention and your eyes snap to him and his eyes soften. “Do you like it though, for real?”

“Yeah.” You smile. “It’s nice. I’m glad your home.”

“I’m glad to be home.”

_____________________

Waking up to the smell of sausage is a treat. You never have time anymore to make breakfast that is more than a bowl of cereal or a microwaved breakfast sandwich. So when you wake up and the house smells like breakfast back home, you almost cry.

You wander into the kitchen, expecting your mom to be making waffles on her old griddle and sausages in her cast iron pan. No. You get something entirely better. It’s Shawn.

A sleepy, messy haired, glasses wearing Shawn standing at the stove in a worn to hell tee shirt and jogging pants. He’s looks incredible, like an angel in your kitchen.

“Hey you,” he grins, turning to look at you. “Good morning.”

“What’s all this?”

“Breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“And an apology.” He sighs softly. “For fighting and not coming home.”

You didn’t expect that. Not from him. “It’s okay, you’re home now.”

You walk into the kitchen and lean against the counter beside him. He’s got eggs in one pan and little sausage patties in the other. Not just cooking but multi tasking. Wow. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“I can get by.”

“It smells amazing.”

Shawn flips his eggs and looks over at you. “How do you like your eggs?”

“Over easy is fine. Soft yolks are fine but hard whites are a must.” You watch as he moves easily from pan to pan, checking the food before taking it out and serving it on two plates with toast he had already made.

“I saw Gauge yesterday.” Shawn says as he sits down with you at the dining table. “He brought his car into the shop.”

“Yeah? Still a piece of shit?”

“Yeah.” Shawn laughs around his toast. “He said he was looking for you.”

“What? Why?”

Shawn shrugs. “Dunno. I told him you left town years ago.”

You take a bite of sausage and sigh. “I know what he wants. He thinks he can get me back. He messaged me on Facebook a few weeks ago but I blocked him. He was on some bullshit about how he’s a new man.” You roll your eyes. “Like he was ever a ‘real man’. What a joke.”

“I know you aren’t really looking for anyone right now so I just wanted to steer him away, and he’s an asshole.”

“I’m not looking for anyone? Who said that?”

He pushes his remaining breakfast around on his plate and clears his throat. “N-no one said anything. I just sort of figured since you haven’t had anyone around since I moved in and stuff.”

“I haven’t had anyone around because you moved in. You’re hard to explain.”

He snorts.

“Come on. Seriously. Can you imagine going to a girl’s place and there’s this fit, tattooed and pierced guy living with her? Wouldn’t you be suspicious?”

“You have a point. So it’s my fault you haven’t been dating?”

“Well… Not completely.”

“Not completely?”

“It’s whatever.” You finish your food and take your plate to the sink. “Thank you for breakfast. It was really good.”

“Of course and…if you need to talk about…y'know stuff, I’m here.”

“Thanks Shawn.”

“Anytime.”

_____________________

“Do you remember that place we used to go camping with our families?” Shawn asks one day while helping you clean up the kitchen. It’s chore day and the two of you have been scouring the house top to bottom for hours.

“The spot at Summit Park?”

“Yeah! I couldn’t remember the name of the place. I had a dream about it last night. Do you remember when me and Zack caught that massive catfish up there?”

“Ohmygod yeah!” You rinse the sink and turn to face him. “I haven’t been there forever.”

“Let’s go then.” Shawn tosses his cleaning rag in the sink and peels his dirty shirt off over his head. Jesus Christ you could see him shirtless a thousand times and you’d never get used to it.

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s fun. Let’s get out of the house, get away from town for a few hours. We need a break anyways.”

“Okay…yeah…let’s do it.” You head to your room to change into something that isn’t your old sweats and holey tee shirt.

You meet Shawn outside and you stop when you see he’s on his bike instead of waiting by your car. He’s even got an extra helmet sitting on the seat. Oh no. Oh hell no.

“Come on,” Shawn grins, patting the seat in front of him.

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

“I am not getting on that death trap with you.”

He climbs off and stands before you with your helmet tucked under his arm.  "When are you going to trust me?“

"When I lose my mind.”

“Oh come on.” He sets the helmet on your head and the buckles dangle beside your face. “You know I would never hurt you.”

“It’s so dangerous,” you eye the black and silver bike warily. “What if we crash?”

“Honey I’ve been driving this thing since I was eighteen. I think I know how to handle it. Besides, were just going to Summit. It’s all highway and dirt roads the whole way there.”

“There’s no seat belts.”

Shawn lifts your arms up and swings them a little. “Got'em right here. You hold onto to me.”

You groan. Part of you swore years ago you would never get on a motorcycle. They’re dangerous and unstable. There was something terrifying about driving at high speeds with no seat belts or enclosure that put you on edge. But there is also part of you that wants to do it because it’s Shawn. It’s Shawn and you actually do trust him.

“Okay.” You close your eyes and take a deep breath. “Lets go before I change my mind.”

Shawn smirks. “I knew I could get you to do it!”

You regret everything immediately. Shawn is a jerk. A complete jerk. The second the two of you get out on the seemingly endless highway that leaves town he kicks the bike into high gear and starts flying down the open road. You have to hold on for dear life as he approaches what you assume to be a hundred miles per hour.

You close your eyes, grip him like he’s all you have left in this world, and wait for it to end. You feel the bike jerk, Shawn changing lanes around a car no doubt and you make the mistake of opening your eyes. A red car passes in a blur and for some reason your brain convinces you to look forward in response. Regret. Big mistake.

Shawn is in the middle of a cluster of cars and trucks. He’s weaving in and out, not slowing down for a second. The back end of a semi approaches rapidly and you dig your nails into his jacket and let out a scream. As soon as you’re sure you’re going to become a human version of a fly splattered on the back of the semi’s doors; Shawn is turning, jetting over in front of a car and taking off, speeding up to whatever you assume is the bike’s max speed.

There are no other cars as far as you can see, just open road, trees and farmland. Shawn is laughing. You can feel it in your chest. He lets out a loud yell, tilting his head back and just hollering into the vast emptiness, adrenaline coursing through his veins no doubt.

Ten more minutes of rumbling, rushing, wind whistling agony and Shawn finally starts slowing down. He turns at the sign that says Summit Park and you can’t even yell at him. Not yet. You’re still reeling, heart pounding from his little stunt.

Shawn kills the bike and you stay frozen against his back. He puts his hands over yours and you just aren’t quite ready to unpeel yourself from him. Your hands are stiff, fingers dug into his jacket.

“We stopped.” He pats your hands. “Hey, you okay back there?”

“You’re a jerk,” you whisper into his back. “A huge, metric fuck ton of a jerk.”

He chuckles. “You lived though.”

“Barely.” You peel yourself away from him and he gets off, leaving you sitting on the bike. “I’m never riding with you again.”

“Why? Because you got a little scared?”

“Because you almost killed us! You were weaving in and out of traffic like a mainiac!”

“It was fun! I was completely in control the whole time. I thought you trusted me.”

You pull off your helmet and set it over the handles. “I trust you enough. That was…that was…you didn’t give me any warning.”

He steps forward and takes your hands. “I’m sorry.” He looks down and you can tell he’s serious. “I just thought it’d be fun to get you a little adrenaline high.”

“Just…warn me next time.”

A smile spreads across his face and he gives you that troublemaker look. “Next time huh?”

“Shut up.” You drop his hands and shove him a little.

“You liked it!”’ He wraps his arms around your waist and spins your around as you squeal. “No, you loved it didn’t you?” He sets you down and kisses your head, making your heart stop.

“You’re pushing it.”

“I’ll keep pushing it.” He purrs and steps away toward the camping area. “Come on, let’s go explore.”

You shake your head and follow after him. Sure you’d been scared to death but part of it was fun, the adrenaline rush was unlike any other. What was he doing to you? Ugh.

____________________

Shawn sits on the dock beside you and passes you a bottle. It’s definitely not water and you raise your eyebrows at him. “Really? Day drinking?”

“It’s just a little bit. You seem tense.”

“Have you already drank some?”

“Not yet.”

“You aren’t going to drink and drive.” You set the bottle on the opposite side of your lap out of his immediate reach. “I’m fine, and I’m not having any alcohol. Where’d you even have this?”

“In my bag on the back of the bike.”

You sigh.

“Come on.” He bumps against your side. “We don’t work tomorrow, we could just stay out here and get away from our boring lives for a few hours. I’ll rent a cabin for us.”

“But I didn’t bring any clothes? And what about food? We can’t just go camping impromptuly.”

Shawn reaches around your back and grabs the bottle. He opens it and takes a drink much to your protest. “We can if I can’t drive us home.”

“Shawn!”

He takes another drink and smirks at you.

“I can’t believe you.” You lay back on the dock and stare at the sky. “This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Nah, it’s not even in the top ten.” He sets the bottle down and gets up. “Stay here, I’m going to go to the ranger station and pay for a cabin.”

You close your eyes. How on earth did you manage to let him rope you into this situation? You never should have agreed to ride on that bike with him. Now you’re stuck out in the middle of nowhere on an impromptu camping trip. He was going to pay for this.  

A few hours pass and the sun begins to set on the lake. Shawn had gotten a cabin close to the water and some food from the ranger station. You forgot they had a little store in there for campers who forgot things. You and Shawn spent the majority of the last few hours hiking in the woods and looking for firewood while chatting about the good old days when your families and some other family friends would all come out twice a year for a week long camping trip. It’s not going as bad as you thought it would and you are actually having a good time reliving your youth.

You’ve gotten a fire started in the little pit outside the cabin and you and Shawn are sitting around it eating your pop tarts and trail mix he picked up. The sun is almost below the horizon and you can feel the temperature drop a bit. It’s chilly and Shawn comes over and puts his leather jacket around you.

“Remember the first time we kissed?” He asks as he sits on the log beside you.

“What?” You laugh, looking over at him. He looks so good in the glow of the fire light. It dances off his eyes and the ring in his lip. Fuck he looks incredible. “We’ve never kissed.”

“Oh yes we have. You don’t remember? It was here.”

“What are you talking about? How much of that bottle have you drank?”

He stokes the fire with the big stick you found earlier behind the cabin. “Wow. I’m hurt you don’t remember. It was probably the second to last time we all came up here. I think it was right before graduation.”

“When you snuck that bottle of jack daniels from your dad’s liquor cabinet?”

“Yeah, and all of us kids sat around the fire after our parents went to bed and passed it around.”

You laugh. “Yeah, that was the first time I ever had alcohol. God it was so gross.”

Shawn smiles at you. “You were only like sixteen right?”

“Yeah, almost seventeen. You were such a bad influence.”

“Hey, I just brought the booze. I didn’t make you drink. Anyway, we were all playing truth or dare remember?”

“Oh God yeah. I remember! That’s when Derek kissed me because I fessed up to never having been kissed!”

Shawn’s face falls. “It wasn’t Derek.”

“What? Yes it was. Derek was sitting next to me and you were over by Kelsey and Kaley and they were all over you because you had just gotten that tattoo on your forearm.”

“Yeah but when Derek got up to piss or something I came over and grabbed the bottle and sat down. And why do you remember that the girls were all over me? You jealous?”

“Fuck no.” You roll your eyes. You were at the time of course. “And I didn’t realize you came over.”

“Yeah I came over and we started truth or dare. You confessed to never having been kissed and like an idiot I said I’d fix that and you said okay and I kissed you. I shouldn’t have because you were really out of it and that was no way to have a first kiss.”

“I-” you shake your head. “That makes sense actually. Because I asked Derek about it a few weeks later and he acted like he had no idea what I was talking about. I guess it wasn’t acting.”

“Yeah so…”

“So…now what?”

“We can get in the lake? Go for a swim? I’m not even remotely tired yet.”

“You’re out of your mind.” You look over at the calm waters of the lake in the cool evening air. “It’s too chilly for swimming. It’s nearly November.”

“Nah.” Shawn stands up and pulls his shirt over his head.  

“No, oh my God. You are not going out there!”

Shawn smirks. “The hell I ain’t. Are you coming with? Or are you a little chicken shit?”

“I am not a chicken shit!”

He pulls his belt off and tosses it aside, going for the fly of his jeans and getting them ready to push down. “Prove it.”

“No! I’m not getting in that water.”

“Chicken.” He tugs his jeans off and heads for the lake. His big form is illuminated by the soft moonlight and you can’t help but stare. How was it that he looked good in the dark? How was that a thing?

You follow him down to the dock and stand there with your arms crossed as he lowers himself onto the wood slats. “Go on, get in.”

He sticks his feet in. “Oh yeah, that’s chilly.”

“You aren’t gonna do it. Drop the tough guy act.”

“Oh I’m gonna do it.”

You roll your eyes and turn to go back to the cabin. “I’m going back to the campfire. If you need me I’ll be-”

Your foot catches a loose plank and suddenly you’re not on your feet and all you can see is darkness followed by cool water flooding into your nose and seeping into your bones. You surface, body cold as hell and you look around for Shawn.

“Are you okay?!”

You whip around, desperately treading water to stay afloat. “What the fuck am I supposed to wear to bed now?” You shout, as it’s the only thing that comes to mind after you register that you aren’t dying.

“I have spare clothes in my pack on the bike.” Shawn says as he gets closer. “I’m more worried about you. Are you okay? What happened?”

“One minute I was on the dock and then I tripped and here I am!”

Shawn gets closer and you grab on to his arm. “Easy, damn you’re gonna leave bruises.”

“I can’t stand up.” You kick your legs tiredly. You hadn’t been swimming in ages, you were not cut out for it. “It’s too deep.”

“Oh. Fuck.” Shawn grabs on to you and you float against him. He’s not moving which means he’s just standing on the bottom of the lake where it’s shallower. Must be nice.

“Can we just get out? It’s cold.”

“Yeah. Hold on to me.”

You wrap your legs around his waist and he puts one arm around your back as he heads for the shore. The water gets lower and lower as Shawn walks up the sandy shore line until you’re fully up on the land. He doesn’t put you down though, no, he just carries you effortlessly to the campfire.

“I’m f-freezing.” You double over in front of the fire and Shawn goes to his bike. He returns with a pair of boxers and a tank top.

“This Is all I have. Let’s go in and get you out of these clothes. I’m sure there’s a blanket in the cabin.”

The next hour or so you spend curled into Shawn while wearing his boxers and tank top with his leather jacket around you. The cabin had no blankets and only a large fold out camping cot to sleep on. It was no surprise though, the cabins are basically just a rustic shelter from the elements with a working sink and toilet.  

“I’m sorry I brought you out here.” Shawn says softly, petting your hair back. “You must be miserable.”

“No. It’s been an adventure.” You curl into his chest and he presses as closes as he can for you to get warm. “I know it sucks that I fell in and I’m cold now but it’s not your fault. You were just trying to get me to have some fun, do something totally different.”

“You’re really not mad?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Can I ask something totally unrelated?”

“Sure.”

“You said you don’t date because of me and other reasons. What’s the other reasons?”

You close your eyes and sigh softly. “I just don’t like dating to be honest. I’m over playing games with people. Phone tag, social media prowling, do you like me or don’t you? Hook up or more? I just want something stable, something permanent.”

“Something serious.”

“Yes. Exactly. Something serious. I’m ready to settle down, maybe have a kid before I’m too old.”

Shawn squeezes you tight. “I get that. I think I’m at that point too, wanting something serious that is.”

“Yeah.” You yawn. “Maybe someday we’ll figure it out.”

He chuckles and settles his hand in your hair. “Maybe.”

_____________________

A week has passed since the camping trip and you and Shawn have been spending a lot more time together. The two of you regularly eat dinner together, make each other breakfast and even go on jogs sometimes. So the night that some heavy storms roll in, you aren’t surprised that Shawn joins you on the couch when you can’t sleep.

“How’s it going?”

“Fine?” You look over at him and he puts his arm around your shoulders. “I just can’t sleep.”

“Are you still afraid of storms?”

“I’m not afraid.” You mumble, turning up the TV over the sound of thunder rumbling outside.

Shawn chuckles. “You’re definitely a little afraid of storms.”

“I just don’t like all the noise.”

“Uh huh.”

You lay your head on his shoulder and he runs his hand through your hair. The two of you sit in silence, watching the baking show rerun on TV.

“What’s it like?” You ask suddenly, brain wandering off and thinking about Shawn’s piercings.

“Hmm?”

“Your lip ring. Doesn’t it bother you when you talk or eat?”

“Not really.”

“No? I’d think it’d get in the way.”

Shawn turns your head to look at him and you swallow hard. “You want to know what it feels like, don’t you?”

“What? No?”

“Mmhmm. You were thinking about how it’d feel against your lips.” He leans in and you let out a little whimper. “You like to stare at my lips don’t you?”

“N-no.” You look down, his nose ring the only thing you can see he is so close. “I wasn’t…I don’t…”

Shawn presses his lips to yours and you close your eyes, balling your hands in the comforter on your lap. He pulls back just enough to talk. “Did it feel weird?”

You shake your head.

“Want me to do it again?”

You nod.

He leans back in and kisses you again, this time with a little more force. His hand finds its way into your hair and he licks at your lip. You give in and let him explore your mouth. He’s eager, tasting you and teasing his tongue against yours. He pulls your lip between his teeth you feel his lip ring bump against your bottom right fang tooth as he goes back in to stroke your tongue with his and you pull back.

“What’s wrong?” He purrs, eyes half lidded as he chases your lips with little barely touching kisses and nips.

“We can’t be doing this.”

“Says who?”

“Me. You’re…you’re not the type of guy I want to get involved with. I told you I’m looking for something serious.”

Shawn twists his fingers around in your hair, mouth still only centimeters from yours. “And I told you I am too. I’ll be your good boy.” He breathes into your mouth and bumps his nose with yours, eyes pleading. “Give me a chance?”

“I know you Shawn.”

“And I know you.” He presses his forehead to yours. “Please?”

“I’ll think about it.”

Shawn grins and toys with his lip ring with his tongue. “I’m gonna be a such a good boy for you. Just you wait.”

_____________________

Tuesday morning you find yourself in the backroom of the library where you work. Usually you work on the main floor but today you’re in the archives with some of the restoration crew. Your job is fairly simple, clean, dust, sort. That’s all. It’s extremely important though. Without a librarian like you, books would be everywhere and no one would be able to find anything.

You stand before one of the large metal shelves, returning books on ancient pharaohs that some researcher was using for his work. Some of the books are so old they have to be stored in air tight bags after each use to prevent further deterioration.

To your left you see something move. Just out of the corner of your eyes, a quick flash of darkness and then it’s gone. You figure it’s probably Kate looking for something.

You look back down at the book in your hands and sigh. Secrets of the Ancient Tomb of Cleopatra. You flip it open and suddenly there are hands covering your eyes.  

“Hello?!” You reach back, patting at the body behind you.

“Guess who,” Shawn purrs in your ear and you turn around.

“What’re you doing in here?!”

“Macy let me in.” He smirks. “I just gave her a smile and she was like putty in my hands.”

“Of course you did. Why are you here?”

He leans against the shelf opposite you. “I brought you some lunch.”

“You… brought me lunch?”

“Your favorite.” He grins. “Chicken parmesan from Alfredo’s Kitchen.”

You almost start drooling at the thought of it. It was seriously the best thing you had ever eaten but it was so expensive you rarely got to eat there. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Ah, c'mon.” He steps forward and cups your face in his hands. “It’s nice to get spoiled now and then.”

“You’re trying to sway me.” You narrow your eyes. “You’re buttering me up.”

“Maybe just a teensy bit?” He plays with his lip ring and you stare at it. “I don’t need to butter you up too much though do I?”

“Oh shut up.” You shove him back and he laughs. “Where’s this lunch then?”

“Up front with Macy.” He points to the doors to the main floor of the library. “And there’s another thing. Just something for you.”

You narrow your eyes and head for doors. He follows you out but when you get to the front desk to turn and say something he’s gone. On the desk there is a small floral arrangement of pink roses and little white flowers. The son of a bitch was playing with your heart strings now. He knew pink roses were your favorite, god, he was infuriating.

“You’re so lucky.” Macy sighs, face in the roses. “I wish I had a man like that.”

“He’s not my man.” You grab the take out box of food from Macy’s outstretched hands. “He’s…he’s complicated.”

“It always is with those types.”

“Macy.”

She laughs and sinks down in her chair. “Can I keep the roses on the desk?”

“Sure. I’m going to lunch.”

“I’ll let Kate know. Have fun!”

_____________________

“Pink roses huh?” You ask yourself as you open the front door carrying your vase of roses. Shawn was something else.

“Hey honey,” Shawn purrs as you walk into the kitchen. It’s smells incredible, like sauteed garlic and herbs.

“Are you seriously cooking dinner for me? And don’t call me honey.”

Shawn walks around the kitchen island and takes the roses, setting them aside before taking your hands in his. He’s got his glasses on, hair a mess, and he’s wearing your pink cat printed apron. It’s too cute.

“I’m making dinner for both of us, not just you.”

“Shawn. You don’t need to do all this just to get me to give you a chance.”

“You don’t like good boy Shawn?”

You roll your eyes. “I didn’t fall for good boy Shawn.”

His whole demeanor changes and he drops the good boy act, walking you back against the counter. “You fell for me huh?” He bites his lip as he looks you over. “You made your decision a long time ago, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t.”

“You did. Don’t lie, I know you.” He runs his hand up your side. “You’ve wanted me since you were a teenager.”

“Shut up.” You mumble, looking down but he tilts your chin up. “You’re the worst.”

He chuckles and leans in, nose bumping yours. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

You swallow thickly. He’s not. You’ve had it bad for him since you were about fourteen years old. He had it all. The looks, the attitude, an air of mystery and a bad boy reputation. He was exactly the kind of guy you didn’t need, but you wanted so bad. You’ve had it with good boys.

You run your hand up his tattoo covered arm and over his shoulder. “I…I wanna take it slow if we do this.”

“Yes ma'am.” He grins, leaning in and you pull your head back.

“I mean it.”

“I know. You call the shots.”

“Good. And one more thing-”

“You talk too much.” He grabs the hair at the base of your neck and brings you in for a heated kiss. It’s just as good if not better than the first one and he has you whimpering for him. Never did you think you would be coming undone in the hands of the one man you pined after forever.

______________________

Friday you get home early, walk into the house and drop your purse by the door. Shawn is home for sure, his boots are in the shoe tray. It’s unusual he’d be home before you, especially since you’re home early as it is.

“Shawn?” You call out as you wander toward the living room. “Did you come home ea-”

You get to the entryway of the kitchen to the living room and see Shawn. He’s pacing the living room and has his phone up to his ear.

“I can’t do that.” He stops and stares at the blank tv. “You know why I can’t.”

You lean against the wall and eavesdrop. It sounds like a pretty serious call.

“Yeah I remember. I’m not stopping by.” He starts pacing again. “You know why I don’t want to. It’ll look bad and I’m not about that anymore. I’m serious.”

You raise your eyebrows. What was going to look bad?

“Stacy, I know we talked about this.” He drops his voice. “I’m not doing that anymore. That’s final. We broke up a year ago, let it go. I’m moving on.” He shakes his head. “Yes I’m with her. No, you’re not going to change my mind.”

You feel a wave of jealousy washes over you and churn your stomach. He was on the phone with an ex girlfriend and it definitely sounds like she’s trying to get him to come over for a booty call. You don’t really want to hear anymore and you walk across the living room to go to your room.

Shawn turns as you cross the living room and calls out to you. You ignore him and go to your room, closing the door.

“Hey,” Shawn pushes your door open a minute later and you turn to face him.

“What?”

“I’m gonna go out for a few minutes. Are you alright? You seemed pissed or something.”

“I’m fine.” You quip. You can’t believe he’s actually going to go over to her house when he just said he wasn’t going to. Wow. Just wow. Your heart hurts, you thought he was better than this.

“What’s your problem?”

You cross your arms and let out a disgusted laugh. “Nothing.”

He crosses the room and stares you down. “No. What’s your problem?”

“Why would I have a problem? Go do whatever you’re going to do.”

��Oh cut the shit. You were listening to me weren’t you?”

You shrug. “I heard you on the phone. I dunno what’s going on.”

Shawn crosses his arms. “I’m not going over to Stacy’s if that’s what you think.”

“Okay? Not like I care. You’re an adult.”

“Oh my God you’re infuriating.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Let me clear the air here. Stacy and I used to be together. We broke up. Then it became this weird booty call thing but I am done with that. I’m done. I don’t want you to think I’m gonna sleep around while I’m interested in you. I’m not going to her place, I’m going to meet Casey and help him with his truck. Stacy called out of the blue as I was getting ready to leave, I swear I am not going anywhere near her.”

“Oh…I just…” You look down, ashamed you thought he would do that sort of thing when he’s been pursuing you for months now. God you look like a dick.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” He pockets his phone. “You really think I’d do that? I want to be with you. I swear.”

“I’m sorry.” You turn and look away, guilty for feeling like he’d do something like that. He comes up behind you, running his hands down your shoulders. He kisses the back of your neck and you feel weak in the knees.

“I only want you.” He holds your hips. “You’re all I think about.” He kisses across your shoulder.

“I must seem like a bitch.” You sigh. “We aren’t even together and I’m acting jealous and jumping to conclusions and making you out to be a jerk when you’re not.”

Shawn wraps his arms around you and pulls you against him, his tattooed arm heavy across your chest. “Insecurity is a bitch, and it’s okay, I forgive you. Four years ago I was much different and I can understand your hesitations. I’m trying to be better now because I want better. “

“I’m still sorry.”

He rubs your shoulder lovingly “And for the record, we’re not together yet,” he purrs, biting at your ear. “Not until you decide on what you want.”

“Yeah.” You lay your hands over his arm. “I’m kind of a tease aren’t I?”

“The best kind, so I don’t mind.” He kisses your jaw and you lean your head against him. “I have to go meet up with Casey now. I’ll talk to you later honey.”

“Don’t call me honey.”

He steps away and pauses in the doorway. “Sorry, you’re right. Not honey. I meant Princess.”

“Shawn!” You throw a pillow at him.

“Ugh! You’re right.” He grins and you narrow your eyes. “Babygirl.”

“GET OUT!”

He walks away cackling and you sink on to the bed. He is actually going to kill you with the pet names.

______________________

“Get up, I’m taking you somewhere.”

You roll over and look at the shirtless body on the bed beside you. God. He looks insanely hot. Why did he exist? How?

“I’m sleeping in.”

“Nope.” He pulls your blanket down and you try to grab it back. “Get up and shower. I’m taking you somewhere and it’s a surprise.”

“But it’s my birthday, I don’t want to go anywhere yet.”

Shawn growls and crawls over you, pinning you to the bed. Your heart picks up and your eyes go wide. He’s so big, so, so big. “Get up.”

“Or else what?”

He leans in close and you flick your tongue out against his lip ring to surprise him. He presses his mouth to yours and you break your arm free of his hold to grip his hair, pulling harshly and making him bite your lip. You moan into his mouth and he rolls his hips down against you as you bite back.

“As much as I’d kill to take this further, we actually need to leave.”

You stare at him, lips throbbing and damp. He plays with his tongue ring absently and you wanna kiss him again. “It’s my birthday. Can’t we do what I want?”

“Yes, but I actually have an appointment we need to be at in half an hour.”

“An appointment? What is this surprise?”

Shawn pushes up and kneels, straddling your hips. He’s obviously half hard and it’s very visible against his tight black boxer briefs. He’s obviously not shy about it either as he palms over it while talking. “It’s a surprise. Hurry up and get dressed.” He says and crawls off your bed, heading to his room to get dressed as well.  

Half an hour later and Shawn is walking you into a building, guiding you by your hands since as soon you left the house he insisted you wear a blindfold. Honestly you had no idea what his surprise could be until you step into the doors and hear a very familiar whirring noise.  

You push up the blind fold and you’re standing in the entryway to a tattoo and body piercing shop.

“No.”

“Oh come on. I haven’t even said what we’re doing!”

“No! Shawn! I’m not doing anything here.”

He rubs his thumbs over the backs of your hands in his. “You always said you wanted a rose tattoo. A pretty pink rose.”

“You…”

You huff. Of course he would remember the conversation he had with you after getting his first tattoo when you were sixteen. You said you’d get a rose one day, right on your back shoulder area. God. You were sixteen and dumb but you did still want it. “You little shit.”

“Come on.” He grins, biting his lip. “Be a bad girl for one hour.”

“I-” you look around the shop and it’s so nice. You’d feel horrible if you walked out and wasted the appointment Shawn set up. “You’re a bad influence.”

“I’m the best influence, and I’m paying.” He pulls you in and puts his arm around your shoulders. “Come on, I set you up with Olivia. She’s incredible.”

Ten minutes into your tattoo and you’re really feeling it. You were told once that the pain gets numb and becomes more annoying than anything else. That isn’t the case. Maybe you’re a weenie to pain. Maybe you are too nervous and it’s all in your head. Either way you’re crying and Shawn has just sat down in front of you.

“You okay?” Shawn asks softly, taking your hands.

You’re sitting facing the back of the chair, arms hung over the backs of the armrests and your chin on the headrest.

“It hurts.” You take a deep breath as Olivia wipes some blood off your shoulder. “I know it’s almost done though.”

“It’s not numb? Is it like raw feeling?”

“It’s more like I can feel everything and it’s like I’m getting poked by a bunch of thumb tacks. I think I’m focusing on it too much.”

Shawn leans over and Olivia pauses. “It’s beautiful honey.”

“Don’t call me honey.” You grit your teeth and he leans in, pressing his forehead against yours.

“You’re doing so good.” He smiles and you can’t help but smile back. Though you’re sure it’s more like a grimace. “I’m so proud of you. My bad girl, getting her first tattoo.”

“Only, tattoo.”

“That’s what I thought too.” He leans back as someone walks over. You turn and look at a guy in all black with a bunch of facial piercings.  

“I’m ready when you are.”

“Are you okay alone?” Shawn asks, cupping your face. “I can stay.”

“I’m fine. She’s almost done.”

Shawn pecks your lips and stands up. “Alright Casey, let’s do it.”

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“You’ll see.” He grins and Casey chuckles.

The two of them walk away and you watch them disappear into another sectioned off station. You’re suddenly more focused on Shawn then you are on your back. Before you know it Olivia is finished and bandaging you up.  

______________________

Your birthday party is insane. Somehow Shawn got together with Kate and Macy from work along with a few other friends and they rented a private room at the club. You’ve been drinking and celebrating and dancing for hours now and finally you’re ready to rest.

You see the perfect seat. A black denim clad lap calling your name. You walk over and stand in front of Shawn. He holds your hips and smiles. “I need a seat.”

“I’ve got one right here.” He glances down and you straddle him, hiking your dress up enough to sit comfortably.

“How are you feeling?”

“Good. Happy.”

Shawn runs his hands up your sides and back down over your hips. His eyes have that hungry look you’ve seen a few times since he moved in. There was no doubt he was ready for that green light from you.

“Have you had any cake yet?”

“No.” You look over at a slice sitting next to you on the table. It was your favorite. Chocolate cake with whip cream frosting. “I should probably eat something.”

“Let me help you.” Shawn cuts a piece with his fork and holds it up for you. You bite the cake and he grins big. “More?”

“Mmmhmm.”

Shawn gives you bite after bite until you finish the slice. It’s oddly intimate, as if sitting on his lap wasn’t enough. “You got some frosting on your lip.”

You lick your lips and he shakes his head.

“Let me.”

He leans in and licks the corner of your mouth as he kisses you. The two of you make out lazily, hands in each other’s hair as you swallow the taste of each other’s kisses. Sweet, bitter, cinnamon and cream. Everything you’ve been doing shots of and everything he’s been sipping.

You roll your hips against him and he groans, teeth closed around your lip. You do it again and his head falls back.

“Are you giving me a lap dance?”

“Am I?” You put your arms on his shoulders and look down at his lolling head. You roll your body against his and he lets out another groan. He sure is sensitive tonight. “Tell me what you want.”

“You,” he rasps, fingers digging into your hips. “We need to get out of here.”

You lean in and press your lips to his ear. “Isn’t that a little bit wrong? The birthday girl leaving her own party?”

“Mmm, yeah. Ditching to fuck the bad boy. Such a bad girl.”

“That’s what you like right?” You giggle against his ear and he slides his hands over your ass, fingers toying with the thin lace trim of your panties.

“I also like sweet,” he bumps your jaw with his nose. “Good girls.” He kisses down your throat and you tilt your head back. “Who do just what I say.”

You let out a shuddery moan and he bites at your collar bones.

“Are you gonna be my good girl?”

“Y-yeah.”

“We should get going then.”

_____________________

You lay back and stare up at Shawn on the bed. He’s on his knees in front of you pulling his shirt off.  You’re already stripped down, a result of his skilled hands and urge to please, and you’ve got bites down your chest and stomach from him as well.  

Shawn tosses his shirt aside and your eyes go wide. He’s fit. That’s nothing new. But the little metal piece of jewelry in his nipple is new. Very new.  

“You are such a liar.” You smirk, sitting up in front of him. “You said you got a touch up today.”

He grins and bites his lip. “You like it?”

You run your hand up his chest and brush against the piercing gently with your thumb. He hisses and moans softly, the site is still very tender. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s hot. But why?”

“Lost a bet with Casey.” He moans again as you brush the little silver bar. “Fuck, you gotta go easy on me.”

You lean in and kiss his chest a few times around his pec. He watches you, hand in your hair as you flick your tongue out and barely touch the tender skin. That’s it for him.

He guides you back, crawling over you and taking your mouth with his. He’s careful of your back, making sure you’re comfortable as he explores your mouth, jaw, neck.  You’re so hot and turned on, you can’t get enough of him. You run your hands up his back, scratching gently as he rolls his hips against you.

“Shawn,” you arch up against him as he slides his hand between your legs. “Please.”

He lets out a little growl of pleasure as he teases you, mouth on your neck, driving you wild. “Easy honey,” he purrs against your ear. “I’m wanna take my time with you. It is your birthday after all.”

_____________________

Two months later

“God I’m so tired of this.”

You look over from the books you’re sorting and Macy is leant against the shelf in front of you. She looks like she’s in pain. “Macy? Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’ve got horrible cramps this period.” She takes a deep breath. “Don’t you hate that?”

“Yeah.” You chuckle and go back to your sorting. Actually. You don’t remember your last period. “What’s today?”

“The twentieth?”

You stand up and place your books on the cart. “I’m going to take a lunch.”

Macy looks at you funny. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just hungry.” You walk out of the archives and across the main floor of the library. You were far from hungry. You were about to be sick.

The second you get home you dig into the medicine cabinet. There’s a pregnancy test in there from your old roommate and you take it out with shaking hands. You can’t remember your last period, or the one before that. The night of your birthday you can’t remember if you used protection. You have every time since, for sure. But that first night. You just can’t remember.

You hear the front door open and Shawn calls out your name. You had texted him, asking him to come home for lunch. He knows something is wrong because you never ask him to leave work.

“Honey?” He knocks on the bathroom door and you wash your hands, leaving the little white test stick on the counter as you open the door.

“Shawn…”

“What’s wrong?” He holds your face, checking over every inch of you. “Are you hurt? What ha-” He’s seen it. The stick on the counter.  

“We fucked up.”

“What…” He looks from you to the counter and back three times. “What?”

“Two lines.” You pull away and grab the test, holding it up for him to see.

Shawn takes the test with shaky hands and looks at the two very bright pink lines in the indicator window. “You’re pregnant.”

“At least two months, since my birthday. I can still go and-”

“I’m gonna be a dad.” Shawn says softly. He tosses the test at the counter and grabs your hips. “I’m going to be a dad!”

“What?” You shake your head. “You’re excited? This isn’t supposed to happen, we fucked up. This…I-”

Shawn smiles. “You said you wanted a kid. You said you wanted something serious, to settle down, right?”

“Y-yeah but I…we just…So soon?”

He cups your cheeks and stares at you lovingly. “I’m here for you. Whatever you decide. I’m ready. I’m ready to go all in if you are. I’m ready for a white picket fence with a dog in the yard and a baby on the way. We’re halfway there, we already have the house and the white picket fence.”

You holds his arms and he trembles, tears in his eyes. “You’re sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my whole life. We’ve known each other for years, I know we just got together recently, but I think this is how it’s supposed to be.” He leans in and bumps his nose with yours. “I’ve never been happier then I have been the last two months and I can’t see myself with anyone else.”

You laugh softly, and he kisses you.

“I love you.” He kisses again. “I love you and I want to marry you and have babies with you and spend every damn day with you.”

You wrap your arms around him and he holds your head to his chest. “I love you Shawn.” You close your eyes. “I love you more than anything.”

“I love you too honey.” He kisses the top of your head. “I can’t wait to start my life with you.”

“I think you already have.”

“Yeah.” He chuckles. “And I couldn’t ask for more.”

End

——-

Thank you so much for reading! Please reblog if you enjoyed it :) -A

*****Note: none of my works should be posted anywhere outside of my linked accounts. I do not give permission to repost with or without credit to my accounts. Please notify me of any reposted fics.*****

[myrskytuuli]

YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT WAY TOO MUCH!!!???

Where do wizards in Harry Potter universe get their food?

No, listen! This is actually a very interesting question, when you start to really think about it. Rowling doesn’t exactly give us any facts about how the food distribution in the wizarding world is handled, but the facts we do know are these:

1.       Hogwarts is always described with ample amounts of food, the students get banquet full of food three times a day, every day, and students are also known to visit the kitchens where the house-elves practically stuff them with even more food.

2.       No food stores are ever described in the books, expect form Honeydukes, the candy store.

3.       While the wizards have their own distinctive dishes (pumpkin juice) they mostly eat traditional British foods, made with “normal” muggle ingredients.

4.       Pure-blood wizards are shown to be incapable of using muggle services.

5.       One of the basic laws of magic is that you cannot conjure up food. (Gamp’s law)

Therefore, where does their food come from? (Ryan Bergara voice) Let’s get to the theories.

1.       There are wizard farmers, and the magical world is self-reliant when it come to food production.

Doubtful. First of all, even if one were to figure in the aid of magic, the percentage of the population needed to produce all foodstuff, would be big enough that their presence should be visible in the story. There are no children of farmers in Hogwarts, who are planning to go back to work on their family fields. Now, one possibility would of course be that the fields are manned not by humans, but by creatures, house elves for example. But once again I doubt that, for the simple reason that Hogwarts diet seems too varied for that. Diet produced by self-sustaining agrarian farming is very simple, and clearly, they already are exporting chocolate, coffee, tea, spices, and fruits in. That would mean a corresponding wizarding food production for every edible ingredient around the world. I just do not think that it would be practical for the magical world to use that much energy and manpower to establish their own independent food-trade.  

I do think that most wizards at least partially produce their own food. The Weasleys have their chicken-coop, and Hogwarts grows pumpkins. The Malfoy estate probably does have a garden that the house-elves take care of, and the death eaters are in Half-Blood Prince mentioned drinking elf-made wine. But small-scale food production like that would not be capable of keeping the entire wizarding population at the 20th- 21st century standards of eating. The Weasleys are never mentioned going hungry, and the muggleborns at Hogwarts never complain about the food being plain and unvaried.

The question of where all magical creatures get their food, is more complicated. I’m ready to believe that creatures like the centaurs hunt all their food, but Goblins probably have to trade with wizards. (or maybe they have underground mushroom farms. I don’t know what they eat)

2.       Wizards shop in muggle supermarkets

Yeah, clearly no. Some witches and wizards who might have muggle backgrounds or have simply accumulated into muggle society, and live amongst muggles anyway, probably do this. But people like the weasleys? The Malfoys? No way! Malfoys would never set a foot in a muggle shop, and all their serving staff consists of elves, who for obvious reasons cannot exactly line at the self-checkout line at Waitrose.

3.       Wizards steal form muggles

It would make sense at the first glance. Wizards are known for oblivating muggles in order to get access to their stuff. The train to Hogwarts was built by muggles, who were then afterwards oblivated. (pottermore information) and the unfortunate muggle Mr. Robert’s never knew that he had been chosen to host the quidditch world cup at his campsite. However, when it comes to food, you would need to do this repeatedly and constantly. If the muggle farmers don’t know that they need to produce x amount of potatoes for Hogwarts every year, they are going to notice that an x amount of potatoes is missing from where they were originally headed. Also, from the wizarding point of view, it would be incredibly risky to not have any kind of dialogue with the people who are producing your food. You might want to know where your food comes form, what has been done with it, and the security of knowing that you will have food being produced for you in the future.

4.       There is an agreement between international food suppliers and Magical world

The only way that for me makes sense, is that there is a trade deal between the Minstry of Magic and international food suppliers like ECD and STC. They buy all the necessary food supplies in bulk and deliver it for the wizards. There also has to be some type of agreement to cover it up by claiming that the potatoes are heading to Tesco, or some other big chain food distributor. There is a paper-trail for everything, and the amount of food needed to feed an entire underground population is not exactly easy to hide, but if there are enough people in high places who know, I’m sure it can be done.

But what is really interesting, is who is in charge of this on the wizarding side of things? Is it the ministry? Is there a government monopoly for food distribution in the wizarding world, and is that why keeping a chicken coop in your backyard is a good insurance knowing how weak the ministry can be?

Or is there some private family who at the onset of 19th century realised an opportunity and now owns the only company that sells food in the wizarding world? When Narcissa Malfoy makes a list of ingredients they will need for the next dinner party/death eater gathering, who will she give that list to? To the house-elves who pop into the marketplace, or does she send it straight to some wizard who works in the food business and then brings the food straight to the manor kitchens?

I feel like the question of where do the wizard get their food would have been something that could have been explored during the last book when there was, you know, a war going on. The chain of getting food from the muggle suppliers to the magical world cannot be very thick. In order for it to stay hidden, it has to be pretty centralised, and controlled only by a small amount of people. And breaking that chain during the war could have made things pretty interesting in very chaotic ways. 

[drivelings]

TWtaH - Plot

Just in case work absolutely decimates me and I can’t finish the story somehow. Below is pretty much every single plot point from chapter 16 onward. It's not that I've given up, but I've been spinning my wheels and I am reaching my limit. This has almost everything I wanted to write about minus some specific details.

The Watchpoint now faces a dilemma: their food supply is dwindling and they know they’ll have to either go out to buy food everyone (which increases their conspicuousness) or get Chef’s arrangements back in order. The latter is not an option anymore since Chef effectively sabotaged the relationship between the restaurant and Overwatch.

Additionally, Overwatch still has Talon agents they have to feed.

Overwatch ultimately decides to dump the Talon agents over the border of Gibraltar (the Line) and have contacted Coeur d’Artichaut for help because of Asim’s logistic connections.

Asim refuses and basically makes it clear that he’s sacrificed a lot and did not ask to be involved in an international crime or get a whole restaurant business dumped on him. He’s tired and just wants to be left alone to pick up the scraps of a business that Chef just threw upon him.

In the end, Asim gives Overwatch a contact for them to sort things out. There’s a moral dilemma here where it’s unclear who is in the wrong, but both sides have their own reasons.

McCree sorts things out in person.

It’s decided Overwatch will drop Talon off over the border in a few days.

Meanwhile, in Overwatch’s kitchen:

Several things have been destroyed and needs replacement. Lot of utensils, glassware, etc.

Brigitte volunteers to fix it all up and Torbjorn helps out when he gets the chance.

Because the kitchen’s stuff is old, lots of the old styles can’t be replicated or found in production anymore, so they all do some Frankensteining and the kitchen is repaired with spare parts. Everything works, just looks weird.

Some agents are clearly uncomfortable with being in the kitchen, especially the veterans who know it’s supposed to be off-limits.

No one really goes into the Cellar except Fareeha and Torbjorn. They have a job to do down there, but Athena still warns everyone to keep things respectful for Chef’s sake.

The Cellar is slowly getting security upgrades, but it takes some time to order the supplies. So as of now, Athena’s systems are connected to the Cellar’s systems via cables running through the Cellar door.

Symmetra set up some turrets over the Cellar door. She’s disgusted with the way the kitchen looks now because it’s disorderly. She organizes things to the best of her ability.

Rotation cooking schedule is implemented via lottery. So far, Lucio, Mercy has been cooking.

On Lucio’s turn, everyone finds out that Symmetra is vegetarian and can’t have meat.

On Mercy’s turn, they find out she’s not a very elaborate cook. Dry toast, yoghurt,

Zarya, Junkers, and a few others have issue with this.

Lots of tension because it’s hard to go out constantly to buy more food for the big eaters and there are people with very specific food preferences.

Tracer reminisces that it wasn’t like this when Chef was cooking. She wonders what’s different--is it because Chef knew all their food preferences or is it because there was someone dedicated to handling such a basic need?

Hanzo’s turn is coming up.

Overwatch has their internal meetings. Almost everyone is back on base. Genji is running around and Hanzo is clearly avoiding him still. But he thinks about Genji a little more now.

Winston is also debating about what to do about Chef.

Solider: 76 isn’t talking about getting rid of Chef now--it’s way too late and risky.

Ana talks to Hanzo a little about the current situation, teases him and tells him to talk to Chef about cooking. She’s heard that he’s not a great cook and hints that after Mercy's attempt, she wants something a little more substantial.

Hanzo talks to Chef, finally. His feelings are vaguely making itself known, but when seeing someone you are starting to care about so down in the dumps, the conversations are a little awkward.

Chef has been left in the dark about all the decisions that are taking place and isn’t aware about what’s happening with the kitchen.

You have absolutely any idea how terrifying it is to have raison d’atre getting yanked out from under you?

Chef’s basically cut off from the restaurant by choice of Asim and Argus who can’t keep playing middleman in an international crime between two morally dubious organizations and the world government and a bunch of regulators while still trying to run a charity restaurant.

And the agents are cooking their own food (who are realizing it’s not as easy as just ‘cooking your own food’, but it’s normal for Chef, so it’s not like it’s particularly recognized as difficult).

Hanzo swallows his pride a bit and asks Chef for some help to grab some ingredients. It’s a secret from Mercy who doesn’t want Chef running around.

Chef is on board because it’s freedom.

Chef was visited by a lot of people who has been instructed very strictly not to talk about stressful stuff.

They leave some clothes with Chef because McCree started it.

Hanzo comes to pick up Chef before the ass-crack of dawn. They’re sneaking out, so it’s best to do it when no one is around.

Chef is wearing some weird clothes--McCree’s serape, D.Va’s cap, Mei’s yeti slippers, Ana’s sunglasses, all worn over hospital clothes. Hanzo is in business casual clothes (because that’s all he has) and even he disapproves of Chef’s appearance.

Look, Chef didn’t have a lot of clothing choice being stuck in the medical bay.

Hanzo insists on Chef changing--they are both supposed to be incognito. This weird outfit is anything but.

Hanzo accompanies Chef to get clothes because he doesn’t actually know where they are. So, to his horror--because Mercy was very, very, very explicit in not inducing stress--they’re headed back to the kitchen.

Chef gets the surprise of a fucking lifetime because the kitchen is not the same kitchen anymore.

But anyway, that gets pushed through quickly enough. Chef leads Hanzo into the Cellar. Hanzo, remembering that Chef may remember the site of being gunned down, just rushes down the hall past where the blood stain is still chillin’.

Stopping in front of a door, it’s revealed that it’s a dorm room. Hanzo waits while Chef changes.

Chef takes a moment to think about the gunshot wounds, debates whether it’s worth it or not to bring pain medication on the trip.

Nah.

They go down the tunnels again because they figure they might as well if they’re trying to sneak out.

Chef stops at the tunnel fork that leads to the weird vault-thing that the Junkers were spending all their time in. 

Chef doesn’t actually know the Junkers are there.

They don’t take the truck when they go past it. Hanzo insists he’s strong enough to bring back all their shit, but Chef insists on taking a dolly. It makes them more conspicuous, so Hanzo refuses.

Basically, it’s a date.

They talk on the shopping trip, Chef reminiscing about the past while pointing out different stalls and teaching Hanzo different things about ingredients.

Hanzo’s enjoying himself, actually. He’s mentally taking notes about the stuff Chef is teaching him. He gets to taste samples of fruits and stuff. They’re surprisingly good and somehow better than the stuff he had when he was with the Shimada clan. Sure, they don’t look very pretty, but they’re flavorful and juicy and crisp and--they’re just good.

They talk about what Hanzo wants to cook and Chef gives some tips as Hanzo talks through how he’s going to make his meals.

They’re picking up bulk ingredients.

Eventually, they pick up rice--the huge sacks of them. Hanzo basically flexes and shows he can carry all that, the ingredients, and Chef, if necessary. 

Chef gets tired eventually. The pain is beginning to kick Chef’s ass and out of stubbornness, refuses to take a break.

Hanzo pulls a, “But I’m hungry,” and forces them both to stop at a breakfast place. Chef still can’t eat anything, so he just gets Chef a drink.

They talk a little bit more about a few more personal things. Like what Chef plans to do now and what Hanzo wants to do with his situation with Genji.

He doesn’t really want to talk about it in a public place, but Chef indicates that Genji cares--Genji talks to Chef and mentioned a few things.

At some point, Hanzo holds Chef’s hand. Originally, it’s to make sure Chef can keep up the pace, but eventually, it’s just forgotten about.

At some point, Chef is staring off in the darkness, thinking that there’s something there. Hanzo’s danger senses are going off, so they are forced to return back to the Watchpoint.

Mercy, Genji, and Zenyatta are waiting for them and greet them before they get to the Watchpoint. Genji, for protection purposes, Mercy for medical reasons, and Zenyatta to keep the peace.

Hanzo brings all the stuff into the kitchen to start on breakfast without speaking to Genji while Chef gets escorted back to the medical bay for more pain meds and treatment.

Chef basically knocks out for the rest of the day--it was exhausting.

Wakes up near dinner time and finds a covered dish sitting on the bedside table.

It’s curry from Hanzo.

Chef, despite the nothing-by-mouth order, begins to eat the curry and rice.

It’s a lukewarm, overly thick, too salty, and the rice is a little dry. It’s not conventionally good or gourmet, but Chef begins to cry. It’s fucking delicious for some reason.

It’s the first time in years that anyone has cooked anything for Chef for the sake of goodwill. Chef begins to remember Head Chef Richard talking about love again.

Usually, when Chef eats, it’s either leftovers the Chef made out of necessity or test creations from other chefs who want a critique or just test dishes for the restaurant.

Remember the title of the story? The Way to a Heart? Yeah, this wasn’t just about the way to Hanzo’s heart.

Chef gets sick because, again, ‘nothing-by-mouth’ order. So, Mercy is angry. However, when Hanzo comes back, Chef lets him know the curry is delicious. While Hanzo is sure it’s not 100% sincere, he feels good about it. He gets a glimpse into the satisfaction one can get from just serving food to others.

Chef is back in the kitchen to clean and get things back in order with Symmetra while everyone else is discussing strategy.

Chef is making tamales because it’s easy and just to have something to give to the agents for the big mission. It should be easy, but knowing Talon, it might get tough.

So the mission to get rid of the Talon agents is underway.

Hanzo, Genji, Ana, Soldier, Lucio, and McCree are off to escort the Talon agents they have as their prisoners away. 

McCree, Ana, and Soldier insisted on going because Talon. 

Surprise. Reaper’s waiting for them.

It becomes a hell of a brawl.

Ana and Hanzo are at their perches while both Soldier and McCree are trying to chase after Reaper who was apparently assigned to get back those Talon agents who, by now, know Overwatch is almost fully operational. 

Reaper is also a great distraction because there is an attempt by Talon to get into Overwatch’s Watchpoint.

Yeah, the remaining agents at the Watchpoint isn’t about that life and puts a stop to that real quick. Though it’s not like Talon tried very hard.

Later, it’s revealed that Reaper wasn’t taking the attack on the Watchpoint too seriously. It’s an apology to Chef. He’s the one who has been keeping tabs ever since the whole attack on Chef happened.

At some point, Genji is overwhelmed try to clean up after Soldier’s and McCree’s asses, and inevitably gets damaged to the point to temporarily being unable to move.

Hanzo rushes down and throws himself into the midst of a fuckton of enemies while facing his own flashbacks and eventually the past and present overlap and he gets some breakthrough where he unleashes his dragons on the battlefield.

Ana is exasperated because she can’t fucking believe she’s babysitting so many people. Lucio is doing his best to keep up.

Reaper is cornered by McCree at a point who throws a tamale at Reaper. 

Why? Because McCree has an inkling about what’s happening and the tamale is to remind him about what matters. Reaper makes a telling comment about the Chef (”dishwasher”) that indicates he’s been watching and very aware of what’s happening.

Reaper insists he doesn’t need to be lectured by a kid and disappears after a few more choice words about McCree’s life choices, pulling back and giving Overwatch a victory.

It’s not much of a victory when you have both Shimada brothers wiped out and McCree emotionally shaken. Soldier’s also a bit shaken but he has to keep it together. Lucio is fucking exhausted because healing these fools and keeping up with them is exhausting.

They return to find out the Watchpoint was attacked, but no one was seriously injured. The Shimada brothers get emergency care and Chef is immediately concerned.

When Hanzo wakes up, it’s been a day or two. Genji, already functional, yells at Hanzo for being a moron. Who would be happy about him attempting to sacrifice himself like that?

This is their reconciliation scene. It’s awkward, it’s painful, but Hanzo finds himself a little lighter and not as full of regret as before.

The brothers talk a bit and Hanzo finally takes that first step toward recovery. 

Chef comes to visit, still recovering, but not unwell enough to not cook up something for Hanzo’s recovery.

Artichoke soup.

It has great sentimental value to the chef, not that Hanzo knows this, but it’s easy to consume and warm.

Hanzo’s feelings get a bit deeper.

When Hanzo gets a moment to escape the medical ward, he finds Genji chilling somewhere in the Watchpoint, humming a familiar song their mother used to sing.

They talk a bit about the past, agree that it’s a work in progress, and they’ll work through it in small steps.

SURPRISE. THIS WAS A HANZO REDEMPTION FIC ALL ALONG.

Eventually, the Watchpoint gets itself back into order.

Winston plans on announcing Overwatch’s return to the world.

Chef returns to the kitchen, now on a schedule--those who do not eat in the designated time will be dragged down to eat. This is so Chef finally has a healthy sleeping schedule.

There’s more group meals.

Hanzo and Genji have their meal together. Chef joins them for this one. D.Va’s taking pictures of Hanzo and Chef smiling at each other in that really tender way that no one’s ever seen before.

Fuck, I almost forgot: as thanks for the curry, Hanzo teaches Chef the curry recipe and they make it together.

Cue me describing my absolutely favorite curry of all time. Chewy, beautiful and fragrant short-grain rice, thick gravy that coats every grain and filled with shreds of pork and onion. Crunchy, crispy, and juicy pork katsu that is just full of flavor. Absolutely fucking delicious.

After talking with Winston and some advice from Hanzo, Chef decides to open up the kitchen and tell everyone about the secrets of the kitchen. Chef is now the master of it, after all, and shouldn’t be held back by the past.

Before that, Chef visits the vault.

The Junkers are there, sheepish at being found.

The vault contains a hydroponic plant that’s been restored with Junker technology.

This is the secret of the Cellar. An indoor, self-sustaining garden that acknowledges Gilbratar’s import issue and takes it upon themselves to create nutrient-rich and delicious ingredients.

Chef reveals the Cellar’s secrets, providing everyone with the map, talking through every room and its purpose. Overwatch debates repurposing the rooms since they will likely be moving from Watchpoint to Watchpoint once Overwatch becomes official.

It’s then that Hanzo realizes what the real treasure of the Cellar is.

Remember the dorm? Yeah. It’s heavily implied that the treasure is no alcohol or gold. It’s the chefs who serve the Watchpoint and Overwatch’s agents. The Head Chef was a huge sap for his employees, if a hard-headed sap.

Oh yeah, Coeur d’Artichaut?

McCree visits them while undercover as Joel Morricone and finds that they have a new owner: the previous Overwatch Head Chef Richard Sauveterre.

Richard sees through his disguise and grabs McCree by the neck for a cigarette break.

McCree tells him about Chef and Richard laughs at him, saying he doesn’t care about a child who left him such a huge mess to clean up. However, Richard implies that he cares very much and knows how hard Chef has been working and expresses some regret over having taught Chef in the way he has, leading to this outcome.

But Richard is happy for the chef who has now found the light.

Richard tells McCree not to tell Chef about his appearance here or else he’ll turn McCree into his “Meatload Surprise”.

Chef has come to terms with having fucked up everything, and while it’s not satisfying, does not contact Argus or Asim again except to leave an apology.

Chef has finally chosen to stay with Overwatch. 

Back at the Watchpoint, Hanzo and Chef are talking. Chef finally uses the miso that was kept in the fridge and Hanzo breaks out the cheesiest and most roundabout way of confessing:

“Will you make me this miso soup for the rest of my life?”

It’s a traditional (or antiquated) Japanese proposal, okay?

Yes. It’s something new and scary, but they’re both okay with it. Yay, the deal is sealed with a kiss.

Great. Story ends.

Nope. Epilogue.

Epilogue is two years later where Hanzo is sent with Baptiste and Mercy to go to a jailhouse. They take a car and Hanzo is dressed all business-like. Hair down, long trenchcoat on his shoulders, etc.

SURPRISE. Chef was finally arrested shortly after the end of the story for international crimes of assisting Overwatch during their time of exile, money-laundering, setting up a fake charity, and other financial related crimes.

DID YOU REALLY FUCKING THINK YOU CAN DO THIS WITH NO CONSEQUENCE?!! 

Not to say that Hanzo didn’t try to save the Chef. He tried, but Chef decided to face everything head-on. No more running away.

It’s basically a long flashback about how everything led to this.

It ends with Hanzo and chef meeting each other again, Chef jumping into Hanzo’s arms and forehead touches and kisses.

They’re finally bringing Chef home and now their relationship can really start.

[thetriggeredhappy]

9 “My head hurts.” for Speedingbullet ~ also you're now my new fav fic author

thank you very much, you’re very sweet!! (warnings for me being mean to scout again)

9.) “My head hurts.”

Sniper really didn’t intend for things to go the way he did. He really didn’t mean any harm. Honest.

Before he joined the team, Sniper was aware of the concept of pranks and whatnot, sure, but he’d never really been subjected to any, or done them to other people. He didn’t go to college (a place where, allegedly according to Engie, pranks happen a lot) and he didn’t technically finish his last year of required schooling and even before that the closest thing to a “prank” that his classmates would do was essentially beat him up. Black eyes and bruises and bloody noses were their idea of a hilarious after-school activity to rope him into.

But on the base, he was introduced to actual pranks. The inside of Demo’s eyepatch being coated in syrup while he’s asleep, Soldier’s helmet being covered in dozens of sparkly stickers, plastic wrap over the door to the kitchen, things like that. Things that were actually a bit funny and not anything worse than annoying and inconvenient to the person being pranked.

At some point, Scout, main prank-maker of the team (years of experience under his belt, apparently) had tried to get Sniper. Salt in the sugar bowl. He’d sat down with coffee, the terrible “acquired taste” stuff that Spy occasionally drank because he mysteriously couldn’t find the normal stuff, and put a spoon’s worth into his mug to make it more bearable. Stirred it. He hadn’t noticed what Scout’s expression was until he lifted the mug to take a sip and made eye contact over the rim. Absolute interest in what Sniper was doing, just a smidge too much to be normal, and no focus at all on the bowl of cereal before him, which just wasn’t normal.

He took his sip, and it was only with that suspicion in the back of his head that he managed to keep from making a face at the taste of it. And then Sniper had a choice to make, and he did so quickly.

He drank the entire mug without flinching. Scout’s confusion rose with every bob of his adam’s apple.

“Something on my face?” Sniper asked neutrally when he put the empty mug down again, the very picture of normalcy.

“Uh,” Scout said, and shook himself from his shock, “I, uh, no. No, you’re good.”

A few beats passed, then Scout picked up the sugar bowl, glancing down at it. He hummed to himself, tipping a bit into his cereal, then putting it down and taking a bite.

He choked immediately, then looked up at Sniper, who was trying very hard not to laugh. “Oh, fuck you.”

That had been the beginning of a little prank war between the two of them.

Scout had done plenty of things. A glitter bomb from an envelope that looked just like the envelopes they received with information for contracts. Taken about half a dozen stray cats from the nearby town and put them all in Sniper’s camper while he was in the base doing laundry. Replaced all the cans of beans and soup that he had stocked up in case of emergencies big or small with cans of brussel sprouts. Given Engie twenty dollars to make a tiny little device that made a little beeping noise every two minutes and fifteen seconds, and promptly hidden it under Sniper’s mattress, driving him bonkers for a total of an hour and a half before he finally found it. It was worth noting that Sniper did lock his door, the little bugger just knew how to pick locks apparently.

Sniper’s major form of retribution for most of the pranks was to act either like it didn’t bother him or like he enjoyed what Scout did. He ended up cooking the brussel sprouts for dinner one day, and talked to Scout about how friendly all the cats were and what their names now were, and Scout was clearly extremely annoyed to see Sniper acting completely normal when he went to battle the day after the beeper incident. But for pranks like the glitter bomb, which left him in a sparkly uniform when he went to dinner, he did feel the need to deliver actual retribution.

Which is why he put an armadillo in Scout’s room. And a small non-venomous snake in Scout’s room after he then started locking his door. And the friendly owl that liked to pester Sniper for snacks in Scout’s room through the window when he asked Demo for help moving his door slightly closer to the floor. He just found that Scout tended to react a lot to animals and kept running with it.

Also he broke Scout’s door once, but to be fair that wasn’t part of a prank. That was a different thing. Which was only tangentially Sniper’s fault technically sort of. He apologized. He got a second glitter bomb.

And admittedly, their little prank war had died down a bit after that, mainly because they’d gotten on somewhat friendlier terms somehow during the mayhem. He wound up talking to Scout occasionally, the younger man just sitting himself down when Sniper was making a campfire or otherwise sitting outside his camper and doing things. In return, sometimes he tried to say hello to Scout when he passed him in the rec room. But then Sniper had suddenly been faced with what he thought was the perfect opportunity.

He’d been out doing his shopping, having headed to a bigger town to get some more specific things that he needed that weren’t easy to find elsewhere, when he’d seen it. The energy drinks Scout chugged like water most of the time, big palettes’ worth of them. Three different flavors, although he’d only ever seen Scout drinking two.

And next to them, the same three again. He walked closer, pondering if maybe Scout would appreciate getting a bulk package of the drinks instead of having to do a twice-weekly run to the store in town to buy a few six-packs. And he’d picked up one of the packs, looked it over, and noticed a little blurb written on it.

“Caffeine-free!”

The plan hit him almost immediately, and he moved to start piling cans into the cart he’d gotten.

From there it was simple—a trick he’d learned years and years before from an oddball “friend” to sneak alcohol into concerts. Sealed drinks being all that was allowed, he learned how to open cans and close them again without it looking any different. It was the work of an afternoon to empty out the cans of Bonk! into the sand (both the Cola and the Fruit Punch flavors just to cover all his bases) and replace them with the caffeine-free versions. Then he waited for the next time they did a supply run, and put it in with the rest of the groceries.

But then, things got… strange.

Scout was fine that first day, a Friday, not particularly groggy at all. During the lunch break in the middle of the day he chugged a good bit more of the soda than even he was usually known for, and didn’t eat anything else, but otherwise acted about the same.

By Monday, things had taken a significant dive.

He first noticed that Scout was almost late. That was extremely strange for him. Scout was usually among the first to report, and would mingle and pester the rest of the team. But instead, he was dashing in five minutes before they were headed onto the field, sleeves not even rolled properly and one shoe untied, looking completely out of it. He stammered an apology, then set about fixing his whole situation.

Through his scope, Sniper kept cursory track over the team so he’d be able to know whether someone could feasibly be passing by or if it was a spy. And what he saw of Scout was funny for a little bit, but quickly grew worrying, and then terribly guilt-inducing.

Scout was fully off his game, running erratically but in a way that was clearly unintentional, getting his attention diverted by sounds of gunfire only to miss the sounds much closer to him. His chatter on the comms was limited, and Sniper caught sight of him getting gunned down over and over and over again.

When the mid-day break was called, a bit earlier than usual, his first sighting of the kid since that morning was of him sitting on a crate, elbows on his knees, head held tight in his hands, talking quietly to Medic, who looked extremely concerned about the situation. Within a few moments the scene had brought over Engie and Demo, and everyone looked fairly grim.

Spy noted the scene happening, then glanced at Sniper, and his posture went rigid at Sniper’s expression. Presumably it was one of guilt, because that’s what was rapidly overtaking Sniper.

“What did you do?” Spy asked sharply, voice a hiss.

“Nothing,” Sniper said quickly, defensively.

All at once, Spy was stood just behind him, a hand on his shoulder, the other holding a knife in the bend of his back, cutting through the stitch of his vest and pressing hard enough to make Sniper’s heart skip a few beats. “Interesting answer. Because our local little idiot has been feeling horribly, terribly under the weather all day, and this is rapidly becoming the sort of problem that gets him in trouble with noteworthy individuals,” he said, voice the kind of lighthearted that made Sniper aware that he was probably about to be killed if he so much as stuttered. Then the weight of what Spy was saying to him sunk in, and he paled in realization. Scout could get in very real trouble for such a drop in numbers. Very, very real trouble. And in their line of business, bad things usually happened to those who got in trouble with their employers. “I just found it interesting, the way you were staring at him just now.”

“I didn’t mean any harm,” he managed, voice hoarse. “Really, I didn’t!”

“I’m going to ask you this exactly once, bushman,” Spy said, voice low now. “What. Did. You. Poison him with?”

A pause. “Oh! No, no, mate, you’ve got it wrong, I—I didn’t poison him! I just—“

The slightest bit of additional pressure from the knife.

“Really! I just switched out that caffeine nonsense he drinks for the same stuff but without the caffeine. It was just supposed to be a prank, I, I didn’t think he would get like this. Figured he’d be a bit groggy and that’s all!”

Spy swore to himself under his breath. “You’re an idiot, bushman,” he hissed. He shoved Sniper a step forward. “Go explain to him what you did. Now.”

Sniper did walk over.

Medic had moved away to talk quietly with Demo, but Engie was still there, sitting next to Scout, a comforting hand on his shoulder. He looked up as Sniper approached, giving him a little, worried smile.

“Er,” Sniper said, fidgeting with his hands for a second before just sticking his thumbs into his pockets. “Scout, can I talk to you for a mo’?”

Scout hummed out a little noise like agreement.

Sniper glanced at Engie again, who took a moment before he realized what Sniper meant and went to get up and give them space. He gave Scout one more pat on the shoulder before he went.

Sniper took his place, hands to himself. “Er. So… you’re not doin’ so well,” Sniper tried.

Scout groaned, shoulders sinking further. “I dunno what the fuck is wrong. This shouldn’t be happening,” he said, voice quiet. “I’m fuckin’ dying over here.”

“Yeah?” Sniper asked, guilt corroding at him quicker by the minute.

“My head hurts,” Scout started. “I feel like I’m gonna throw up. My hands won’t stop shaking and I can barely reload a gun. I didn’t sleep at all last night or the night before that or the night before that and I can’t get a good breath in and I feel like I’m five fuckin’ seconds away from freaking out. Just the usual gunshots and screaming make me start shaking even worse and basically I fuckin’ hate everything right now an’ wanna die. I felt like shit all weekend too but it’s just getting worse and worse.”

Sniper swallowed hard.

“And I dunno what the fuck the issue is, I—I only ever start gettin’ shaky and gross feeling whenever I go without getting caffeine for a few days, and, and I’ve drank like three cans and kept ‘em down and everything and I—I dunno the fuck else to do,” Scout said, and there was an underlying kind of distress, dismay, panic, misery that made Sniper fold in on himself.

“Didn’t realize… you needed it that much,” Sniper said carefully.

Scout sighed, his breath leaving him almost explosively. “Yeah, because I didn’t want nobody to know. Only the Doc was supposed to know, because we kept tryin’ all kinds of meds but none of ‘em worked right, and we figured out if I just drink a fuck ton of caffeine it works better than most meds. So he found some stuff with a ridiculous amount of the stuff and now I drink it all the time or I can’t think right or do anything.” A second sigh, and Scout looked like he was trying to melt and sink into the ground. “And now everybody knows that I’m a fuckin’ idiot who can’t do shit or think right without drinkin’ enough liquid energy to give a bear a heart attack. And I’m maybe having the worst day ever and I just wanna go curl up and down half a bottle of headache meds and try and sleep until everything stops sucking so much.”

Sniper was pretty sure he was going to keel over dead.

“But hey,” Scout said, a dreary, sarcastic attempt at optimism in his voice, and lifted his head enough to look at Sniper, and he hadn’t noticed earlier, but his face was pale and his eyes had bags and circles under them that may as well have been bruises they were so dark. “At least you’re over here. Talkin’ to me. That’s really not like you. Good to know you give that much of a shit about me to come listen to me whine.”

Sniper had to look away, squeeze his eyes shut.

“Anyways, you said you wanted to talk to me?” Scout asked, putting on a terribly brave face despite how objectively horrible he was feeling.

“It was me.”

A pause. Sniper couldn’t look up. “What?”

“It was me. I switched your Bonk! out for some caffeine-free rubbish.”

Another, different pause. “You what?” Scout asked, voice quiet.

“It was meant to just be a prank,” Sniper said, head falling to his hand. “I thought you’d get all drowsy for a little while, be sleepy and a bit off your game and confused. I didn’t mean to make you feel this sick, and… and I’m sorry.”

Silence for a good minute or so. “Snipes, I’m gonna fucking kill you.”

Sniper nodded. “I’d deserve it,” he conceded, glum.

“I’m gonna fucking kill you.” Sniper got shoved, and was sent sprawling on the dirt. “You fuck! I can’t believe you!”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Sniper tried, sitting up.

“God damn it if you weren’t so cute I’d break you right now!” Scout exclaimed, bat in hand, red-faced and positively fuming.

“You think I’m cute?” Sniper asked, a bit surprised.

“Not the topic of conversation right now! You’re a bastard!”

Sniper fell back onto the dirt, staring up at the sky. “I’m sorry,” he said again.

“You owe me,” Scout declared.

“I know.”

“Big time,” Scout added.

“I know.”

“You’re takin’ me out after we clock out today and you’re buying me more soda and then you’re getting me dinner,” Scout finished.

“That sounds fair.’

“…Fuck you,” Scout said once more before he stormed off.

Sniper remained on the ground for another few moments, silent.

“…Cute?” he repeated to himself quietly.

[mybyapp-blog]

COVID19 and Daily essentials: How women are using MyBy to untangle not only their woes but, also of essential suppliers collectively

MyBy was developed to answer the inconveniences faced by every household daily. It’s a platform that connects trusted local vendors and services providers to their nearby communities and families. With stay-at-home becoming the new normal, here’s how women of Bengaluru are taking the lead using MyBy.

When the Indian government announced a national lockdown to contain Coronavirus, normal lives were hit and confusion surfaced among the citizens. People started panic buying, and stocks at most of the supermarkets depleted.

The e-commerce giants such as Amazon and Flipkart suspended their non-essential categories. Many customers faced cancellation issues from hyperlocal delivery giants. The circulars from the government authorities clearly stated that the suppliers of essential goods — grocery shops, pharmacies, etc.. are exempted from stay-at-home orders. Yet the fog of anxiety in people’s minds resulted in impulse panic buying — an unnecessary reflex.

Amidst this chaos, it was the Kirana stores and the local vendors who faced the brunt of the panic in connection with the lockdown. They continued to witness a swarm of people gathering in front of their store.

Certain localities, fearing of getting infected, did not allow vegetable vendors and milkmen to enter their lane. This added more woes to the family that was eagerly waiting to buy their stock. Clearly panic was brewing at its best capacity.

Women and their Kirana Re-connect

Ms. Manmeet Bevli, a former IT professional and an entrepreneur at a coaching center in the city, was one among many that were grappling with this uncertain time.

She says “Before the stay-at-home days became the new normal, groceries and other errands were fulfilled by the delivery players. I would buy my vegetables from the likes of BigBasket, and the pantry was refilled from items purchased from Amazon. Just before the lockdown was announced like any other citizens, we too rushed to stock the essentials. Post the lockdown we were adapting to self-isolation days, staying at home, keeping the distance away from the crowd.”

“I knew some of the vendors nearby my community before I got used to big delivery companies. I was reconnecting with them after five or six years, it was a big challenge for me to procure items from these places. Many people from my community in Mahadevpura, like me, were going to these suppliers to meet their daily needs. The vendors were facing a surplus of demands and found themselves in a spotty situation. Every day they were receiving bulk orders and this piled up subsequently.” she added.

Women untangling their woes and the vendors

Women like Manmeet are coming to the forefront to untangle not only their woes but also of essential suppliers collectively. Overnight, they brought many community women on to anything from Whatsapp or Telegram groups, created google sheets on shared drives etc to consolidate orders from the community households and organized vendors to fulfil them.

“Everyone was going crazy as nothing tallied, what people ordered vendors did not have, what vendors had people did not know they could order, prices of fruits and vegetables were changing daily, payment to vendors was another additional chore…… whole thing was a nightmare”.

Spread throughout the city was the tech team of a startup working day-and-night from their homes to tune their product to help the communities fight the Covid situation. What better time than now, for local startups to come in the front to the rescue.

Manmeet, while discussing her woes with another friend from the same community, came across MyBy, an all-in-one app for everyday needs. The app was developed to answer the inconveniences faced by every household daily. It’s a platform that connects trusted local vendors and services providers to their nearby communities and families.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/I1duslFlDzQ

She realized the potential of the app as the need of the hour and started exploring it on her own. After understanding the functional and operational aspect, she was on a mission to help other women with their essential needs. The next step was to reach and teach the vendors about this app.

“I would take screenshots of the app to help the vendors and local farmers onboard the app. Along with me, many other women started listing the nearby vendors, Kirana store owners, and local farmers. We reached out to them and explained how this app can ease both our problems. Initially, there were some challenges, but once they got the hang of the concept, their supply chain was streamlined, the payments were made online. For customers like me and others from my community of 150 villas, the app helped in reducing our anxieties to hoard the essentials and released our panic buy pangs. Now we are getting everything predictably and with ease …. including fish, meats & mangoes!”, added Manmeet.

The vendors, essential suppliers, and local farmers are not shying away from the fact that the app indeed helped them in easing their immense difficulties. When approached to know about the experience on MyBy, Nithin Raj, who runs a vegetable shop under the name Namma Fresh Coconuts and Vegetables in the city, was all praises.

He said that before MyBy, only limited people knew about his business. He runs his shop along with his other three family members. When the lockdown was announced, he saw a long queue in front of his shop. With a few inconveniences, he managed to meet customer’s demands. However, the following days got him worried about his own safety. He did not want to get infected and had no option to suspend the shop’s operation as its his only livelihood.

“MyBy came to my rescue. We are maintaining safety measures while packing the vegetables. With no direct contact, I am glad that I can keep myself and my family away from unnecessary crowd. My business has seen a 20% rise with daily orders coming in. Now many people are familiar with my shop’s name, and it feels good to serve people.”, concludes a chirpy Nitin who was busy planning his supplies.

On a positive note

While the lockdown is extended till May 3, 2020, it looks like women have hit the right notes with MyBy on their side. The mission of the app is to make everyday interactions with local suppliers easy even while adapting to social-distancing. Indeed nobody saw this unprecedented time coming our way, but this also leaves us with a thought that such situations cannot be left ignored. Someone rises to the occasion — this time it was the women in our communities!

[bitchronan]

lime to the heart

Draco x Percy

College, non-magical AU

ao3

Crowds of obnoxious college-aged kids weren’t out of the ordinary on a Saturday evening at the store where Percy worked - they arrived en masse pre messy nights out to bulk buy vodka and own-brand mixers - but even still, the group that had just passed through the automatic sliding doors exuded the cocky self-confidence that could only be pulled off by the incredibly entitled.

The group was headed up by an arrogant blonde boy drawling loudly into a mobile phone as he pointed his friends towards the liquor aisle.

“I don’t care if there’s vodka there,” he was saying. “If you think I’m going to drink dollar store toilet cleaner, you’re sorely mistaken.”

Percy sighed as he began to unpack the next crate of tomatoes, thankful only that he wasn’t on checkout tonight.

“Can we do tequila shots with pink Himalayan sea salt?” A brunette girl in heels about as high as her skirt was short asked.

“Only if we’re criminally insane,” a dark-skinned boy replied rolling his eyes. “Honestly Daph, you’re as blonde as your sister sometimes.”

‘Daph’ stuck out her jewel-studded tongue at the tall boy and returned to perusing the shelves.

“Marcus says to get more solo cups - they’ve run out - and also to bring him some fags,” the cocky blonde boy announced, having hung up his phone and loaded two bottles of tequila into a shopping cart being pushed by a girl with a razor-sharp bob and a bored expression.

“Oh, Draco don’t talk about yourself like that,” Daphne quipped, causing the girl pushing the cart to laugh loudly and obnoxiously.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood,” Draco shot her a venomous look but the corners of his mouth twitched into a small smirk.

“I wasn’t sure,” Daphne replied. “It’s so similar to your bad mood.”

“Is anyone but me going to be useful?” Draco ignored the jab, “Or do I have to do everything myself.”

“Title of your sex tape,” bob girl smirked, blowing a large pink bubble with gum that popped loudly.

“I’m a saint to deal with you lot,” was all Draco replied before he swept ahead of the group towards the fruit and vegetable aisle.

Percy immediately put his head down and tried to look invisible - an impossible feat considering his carrot-top hair and green polo emblazoned with the words ‘ASK FOR ASSISTANCE’ across the shoulder blades, but an admirable attempt nonetheless.

The short-haired girl leaned forwards over the handle of the shopping cart, giving anyone looking an ample view of her chest covered only by what Percy suspected to be lingerie rather than a top.

“What, we need broccoli or something?” She asked, “Worried no one at the party will have enough vitamin C?”

“Scurvy is an admirable cause,” the tall dark boy replied. “And Draco is a philanthropist.”

“Scurvy or preventing it?” Daphne asked with a grin, plucking a peach from the stand Percy had finished stacking only ten minutes earlier and biting into it.

“God, Daph,” the other girl scoffed, popping her gum again.

“Want some?” Daphne asked, holding the peach out. Juice dripped down her wrist onto the shiny laminate floor.

The girl wrinkled her nose and Daphne turned, “Hey Blaise, want some of my peach?”

“Is that a metaphor?” Blaise replied, “Because if so it’ll have to be a hard pass.”

Daphne had just taken another bite of the peach when Draco rounded the fruit display.

“Excuse me?”

Percy didn’t look up from his tomatoes.

“Excuse me?” Draco repeated, louder this time.

Percy straightened slowly, plastering his customer service face on. “How can I help?”

“Do you have any limes that aren’t so… ugly?”

Percy couldn’t help but frown at this, “Ugly?” He repeated.

“Yeah, like more aesthetically pleasing limes,” Draco confirmed.

The unnamed girl snorted from behind Percy, Draco glared at her over his shoulder.

“Whatever limes are out are all we have,” Percy said, dumbfounded at this line of questioning.

“We could go to Trader Joe’s,” Daphne suggested through a mouthful of peach.

“They’re limes,” the dark-haired girl said. Percy stepped out of the middle of their conversation, wondering if he could return to unloading his tomatoes.

“We’re gonna be too drunk to see what they look like in an hour,” she said rolling her eyes.

Draco sniffed, “Maybe you, Pansy. I won’t be able to enjoy myself if I know our limes are so deformed.”

“You’ll be deformed in a minute,” she retorted. “Go grab some limes before I hurt you so badly you won’t be able to enjoy yourself ever again.”

Percy wished fervently he wasn’t experiencing this.

The four of them stood in silence as they waited for Draco to return with the limes. After what felt like an eternity he dropped several into the shopping cart, which now contained two bottles of tequila, several stacks of red solo cups, a tub of table salt, and several admittedly unattractive limes.

“Onwards,” Daphne declared licking peach juice off her wrist whilst waggling her eyebrows at Blaise.

Percy wondered if she was planning to pay for the peach or not.

Pansy threw Percy a penetrating look as the other three left toward the checkouts.

“What time do you finish working?” She asked her gaze moving from him to the crates of tomatoes.

“What?” He asked.

“What time do you finish?” She repeated, “We’re going to a party at Phi Delta Alpha, come along once you get off.”

“I don’t really… do parties,” Percy protested.

“Whatever, I don’t care. You should come anyway.”

“Why?”

“Because,” she said like it was obvious, “Draco likes you and I’m sick of listening to him talk about how depressing his life is, or whatever.”

“Sounds like you’re a great listener.”

“Thanks,” she said, unaffected. “You’ll come then.”

“When was the last time someone said ‘no’ to you?” Percy asked.

“They don’t. I don’t let them.”

“How democratic.”

She didn’t reply, just grinned wickedly and turned towards her friends who were arguing loudly by the door about cocktail umbrellas versus tiny plastic swords.

Percy wished he could claim he didn’t know where Phi Delta Alpha was but it was pretty much impossible to attend UW without at some point acquiring such knowledge. He could, however, honestly say he had never been there before. When he pulled up and squeezed his tiny, shitty car into one of the last spaces left on the street he almost pulled immediately out and left again.

Students spilt out of the front of the house onto the lawn, most holding red solo cups and some smoking and vaping. Percy knew this area was mostly student and Greek housing so parties tended to be thrown here regularly, he’d never come to one before.

Summoning all his courage he climbed out of the car and approached the frat house - he’d changed out of his green polo shirt back into the casual button down he’d been wearing earlier that day but still felt incorrectly dressed for the occasion.

He squeezed through the crowds of people into the house, some rap song Percy didn’t recognise was blaring from the speakers and a keg was shoved unceremoniously in one corner of the living room. Percy stepped over a discarded solo cup, trying not to let his discomfort show on his face and moved further into the room.

A girl shrieked and someone grabbed his arm halting his progress.

“You came!” Daphne screamed at him, more than loud enough to be heard over the music and chatter.

Her brown hair had been twisted into a careless bun on the top of her head, and her insanely high heels discarded in favour of a pair of high-top converse that were clearly several sizes too big for her and had been laced tightly to stop them from slipping right off her feet. She held a solo cup in the hand that wasn’t still wrapped around his wrist; it was full of what looked like Red Bull and sloshed dangerously.

“Want some?” She offered the cup to Percy.

“No, thanks,” he replied. “Did you pay for that peach?”

She screwed up her entire face with the effort of understanding him after he’d repeated the question enough times to make him feel ridiculous she grinned childishly. “What are you the peach police? Peachlice?” She laughed at her own joke then, seeing his frown replied, “Calm your tits, of course I paid for it. Draco’s in the kitchen with Pansy by the way.” She added, taking a swig of the drink.

“Right,” Percy replied. “Cool.”

Someone called Daphne’s name, and she turned away, already smiling widely at the newcomer. She tripped on her too large converse and made her way across the room laughing to herself, wiping red bull off her skirt.

Percy found his way to the kitchen, unsure of why he had come here at all. The song had changed to Barbie Girl and, upon entering the room, Percy found Pansy sitting on the kitchen island, her legs loosely looped around Draco’s waist and both of them singing along to the music. Unsure of whether to make himself known Percy stood stupidly in the doorway until someone walked into him, spilling half a beer down his shirt and causing the rest of the kitchen to turn towards the commotion.

“Watch where you’re fucking going!” The stranger who had poured their drink down Percy’s front swore.

“Crabbe,” Pansy said sharply.

Crabbe turned to look at her, opening his mouth to retort.

“Fuck off,” Draco supplied picking up a drink from beside Pansy and joining Crabbe and Percy by the door.

Crabbe scowled but did as he was told and Draco held the drink out to Percy.

“What is it?” Percy asked frowning.

“Lemonade. You can pour it yourself if you don’t believe me,” he added seeing the scepticism on Percy’s face.

“You were confident I’d come.”

“You came didn’t you?” Draco smirked pushing the drink into Percy’s hand, “Come on.”

Percy followed Draco into the kitchen proper and watched as Draco prepared himself a confusing concoction of drinks.

“I’m Draco by the way,” he said once he’d taken a sip of the purple drink.

“Yeah,” Percy replied slowly, pretty sure he was having an out-of-body experience. “Percy.”

“Right, your name tag said so.”

“Do you normally invite random guys to parties with you?” Percy asked feeling supremely uncomfortable.

“Pansy invited you,” Draco pointed out, taking another swig of the purple concoction.

“Right.” Percy put the untouched lemonade down, “I should go.”

“No, I’m sorry, I just meant - no I don’t normally invite random supermarket workers to parties. That’s more Pansy’s thing, but I’m glad she did.”

“Well, how has your night been so far?”

Draco laughed, “Better than yours I’d wager - you’ve probably made an enemy for life in Crabbe.”

“He walked into me!” Percy protested before catching Draco’s expression, “You’re joking.”

“Yeah,” he replied with a grin. “He has the memory of a possum.”

“How do you know possums don’t have really good memories?” Percy challenged.

“Do they?”

“I don’t know. You’re not as drunk as Pansy threatened,” he added when the conversation lapsed. “Did the ugly limes affect you that much?”

Draco grinned, “Didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of you more than I already had. Although, ugly limes do plague my mind.”

Destiny’s Child was now pounding through the speakers. Percy wondered if he’d been transported to an alternate universe where frat parties played nineties hits and rich kids were actually kind of charming.

Feeling bold he turned to Draco, “Wanna dance?”

Draco looked a little shocked but decidedly thrilled with the suggestion and downed the rest of his drink before overzealously dragging Percy to the makeshift dance floor.

As soon as Percy realised that even if he was sober everyone else was too drunk to care what a fool he was making of himself he found he actually rather enjoyed frat parties. He and Draco danced to the two Destiny’s Child songs that played back to back (Say My Name and Nasty Girl) then, when some techno song neither of them knew came on, Draco dragged Percy back to the kitchen and allowed him to mix him a drink. It turned out the colour of fertiliser but Draco drank it anyway and mostly managed to conceal his disgust.

Percy watched as Draco wiped the corner of his mouth, “That was… delicious,” he said, eyes watering.

Percy smiled wickedly, “I can make you another.”

Draco looked panic-stricken for a moment before he burst out laughing, “You’re a menace!”

Feeling emboldened Percy stepped forwards, closing the short distance between them and pressed his lips to Draco. The other boy responded instinctively, one hand grasping the back of Percy’s shirt at the small of his back and the other reaching up to cup his face. Draco opened his mouth and Percy tasted the remnants of the drink he had made on his tongue.

When they broke apart Draco was flushed and Percy’s shirt had come untucked from his jeans at the back.

Percy pulled a face, “Pansy was right, you must really like me if you drank that.”

Draco laughed, “And you must really like me if you’re willing to come to frat parties and get beer poured down you.”

“Guess we’re even,” Percy said smiling.

“Guess so,” Draco pulled him in for another kiss.

[polynymph]

What Once Was Chapter 3

This was supposed to be up yesterday, but here it is! Hope you enjoy it!

Armyah spent the rest of the night jumping at every shadow. Seeking a distraction, she began to ready her bag to travel to the palace in the morning. Packing essentials like soaps and oils, a simple chemise for sleeping, a vial of water from a weeping willow (Asra’s secret for skin care), an ivory comb, a small sewing kit and, of course, the tarot deck. Satisfied with her luggage, she shuffled wearily to the bedroom above the shop and changed into her nightdress. Her knees trembled at the sight of her bed, the thought of flopping into the cozy quilt Arsa had made for her was practically sinful. She doesn’t remember falling asleep, just the feeling of the soft pillow beneath her head allowed her mind slip away peacefully, losing itself in a dream…

The sky was no more than a slim, green line along the endless horizon. Rust-colored sand stretched on for miles beneath her. It seemed to never end. Armyah looked to the viridescent sky, there was no moon or sun, dark clouds hang heavily in the sky, but small stars dotted at the same time…it appears it was a bizarre mixture of day and night here. Beside her, there is a many-legged creature unlike anything she’s ever seen and yet it seems so familiar. Atop the strange beast is Asra, his hair is tousled from the wind…but Armyah had yet to feel any sort of breeze.

“Where are we?” she asked aloud, but more to herself. The clouds bare down all around the landscape, shifting the dunes below them. Ahead, a road of perfect obsidian stone materialized before the pair. Arsa pulled the scarf from his over his mouth.

“I dare not tell you.” The magician looked at his apprentice, flashing a reassuring smiling, “If I did, you’d have to promise me never to seek this path.” He looked away from her. She must’ve been mistaken, but he looked…dejected. “Not even I am such a hypocrite as that, Armyah.” She was sure she had never walked this road before, and yet the sight of it felt like an old nightmare. She squints to see ahead more clearly, trying to see where this strange road leads, but the path keeps shifting. “Soon there will be a crossroads,” Arsa explained, pulling her from her thoughts.

“Where will they lead?” She doesn’t tear her eyes away from the ever-changing path in front of her. She didn’t see a crossroads, but she was beginning to think he didn’t mean it literally.

“Depends,” he chuckles, “which path will you take?” She turned to him, confused, but he didn’t return her gaze. He was staring straight ahead, unaffected by the road constantly shifting. He seemed confident in where he was going. He looked at her, still smiling. His mouth didn’t move, but she could hear his voice echo in her mind, “sleep…”

Armyah wakes with a gasp, jolting straight up. She’s in her bed above the shop. No strange beast, no sand…no Asra. She looks to her teacher’s empty bed. It wasn’t made, it never is. That way it was always ready for him to fall into when he was tired. Asra had a strange sleep schedule: he’d either sleep for ten minutes or ten hours…there was no in-between. Early dawn filtered through the dusty windows, bathing the magician in golden light. Still groggy from sleep, she peeled back the quilt and swung her olive-toned legs over the edge of the bed, wincing at the feeling of her toes touching the cold floor. She pulled on the name hand-made tunic and patchwork skirt from the night before. They were slightly wrinkled, but she didn’t have anything better. She slipped on her shoes and ran down the creaking wooden stairs to grab her shawl and travel bag. After slicing a piece of crusty bread from the cupboard for the road, she heaved the heavy wooden door open and stepped into the bright street.

You wouldn’t even recognize the city in the daylight. The streets were bustling with people everywhere, a far cry from the deserted marketplace from the night before. After the break-in last night, Arymah locked all three iron locks for the first time in a while. For good measure, she pressed her right hand against the woodgrain and whispered a cross-me-not spell. Dull light flashed between the grooves beneath her palm and rippled over the entire door in Asra’s intricate design patterns. White whorls glow deep within the door, slowly fading into the grain.

“The shop will be fine…” she assures herself, “everything will be fine.” She pulls her shawl tighter around her shoulders and steps out onto the busy street. Turning toward the ally way that leads toward the Center City Market, the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. There, right where she needs to go, is a dark shape, looming under a hood. At first, she doesn’t realize she is looking at a human. They’re monstrous in size, flesh scored with scars of all shapes and sizes. Shrouded in a pall of weather-beaten furs, it’s hard to make out the figure’s face, but they’re watching her…waiting for her to walk their way. Of course, they’re standing between the magician and the path she needs to take. She takes a few testing steps, watching the person cautiously. Stormy green eyes follow her every movement as she carefully treads past them, but they make no movement.

“You are in grave danger…” a voice like distant thunder rumbles from under the cloak. Armyah freezes, she doesn’t even turn toward the figure, “he will return uninvited. He will offer you a gift, when you need it most…” She looks to the stranger in the ally, the overwhelming aroma of myrrh floods her senses, “Turn it away or you will fall into his hand…just like the rest of us.” Before the fortune-teller is able to ask who they’re taking about, they shuffle away into the shadows of the surrounding buildings, all that’s left is the sound of dragging chains. Shaking her head, she strides onward to the lively market.

Wood groans beneath her feet as she steps carefully onto the walkway that covers the gaps from the aqueducts leading down from the palace. Daylight seeps through the spaces between the worn planks, shimmering on the water that flows below. Red paper lanterns hang from the rafters above, catching the sunlight and dotting the ground below with crimson. It’s early, but the marketplace is wide awake and flush with people. Vendors peddling their wares, bantering and laughing with travelers and citizens alike; rugs, jewelry, pottery, fresh produce, you name it. A voice Armyah knows well calls out to her over the noise of the crowds.

“Armyah!” Selasi, the baker beckons the magician over to his stall, “Have you eaten? I’ve got that pumpkin loaf you like in the oven. Won’t be long now.” Her stomach twists at the thought of fresh pumpkin bread. That meager breakfast she had did nothing to quell her hunger. “Come, sit down, talk for a while!” As much as she would love to, she should probably head straight for the palace.

“Sorry, Selasi! I’m on important business!” she jerks a thumb toward the palace standing watch over the small city. The baker’s eyes go wide in wonder.

“So, it’s true?” he asks. Armyah nods, she’s not surprised he’s heard something. Gossip travels faster in this city than the plague. “Not funny,” she thought to herself. “Well, you wouldn’t want to keep anyone waiting,” he winks, ducking back into his sweet-smelling booth. She weaves through the crowd to find a clear path between the surge of peasant workers heading to their morning labor. A sharp cry from above the fortune-teller causes her to jump. Her gaze shoots up, using her hand as a visor to block the sun so she can spot the cause of the cry. A raven perched overhead, and it seems to be looking right at her. When she looks closer she notices it’s looking past her, over her shoulder. Curiously, she glances behind her…

Him.

Her heart stutters in shock. Doctor Devorak, mask-less, moves casually through the throng. Though, she’s close enough to see him unmistakably, the crowd between them is so dense he doesn’t spot her. She whips back, turning her back to him and ducks into the crowd. Maybe she can slip away without him seeing. “What’s he doing without a mask,” she thought, “In broad daylight…is he trying to get caught?” A chill ran through her spine…has he been following her? How long? Did he break in again while she was sleeping? What does he want from her? She turns so she can just see behind her from her peripheral vision, just to see if she had been spotted. The raven screeches yet again, initiating another jolt from the young magician. The doctor’s good eye draws toward the bird, toward her. She turns a bit more to see him more clearly, heart pounding. The crowd may as well have disappeared as a gray eye meets chocolate eyes. He looks…surprised to see her. Maybe he wasn’t following her, maybe it’s a coincidence that he’s here. Her thoughts dissipate as she realizes that he started walking toward her, weaving through the mob, eye never leaving her. However, she knows this marketplace. She knows where to turn, where to hide. She dashes between the booths to an alleyway, not daring to look back. She rushes up a narrow, tightly-packed stairway, too afraid to stop in case the man decides to give chase. She doesn’t notice the young woman emerging from a fortune-teller’s booth muttering under her breath.

“Three-six-seven-nine,” she chants, “three-six-seven-nine, three-six-sev-ACK!” Armyah collides with the girl causing the basket on her hip to fall, sending a dozen pomegranates rolling down the stairs. “Perfect! As if I wasn’t already late…” she huffed impatiently. The magician drops to help.

“I’m sorry,” she says, “I wasn’t watching where I was going…” These were luxurious fruits. It’s unusual to buy them in bulk. One rolled onto the street, threatening to be stomped by a stray hoof. Armyah runs to grab it, forgetting to check for the reason she ran into the side street in the first place. She swipes it at the last second and hands it back to the girl, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“Don’t worry about it,” she smiles, “I wasn’t really looking either. It’s sweet of you to help!” Together, they hunt down the rest of the fruit, nearly being trampled while maneuvering through the steadily growing foot traffic. “I can’t thank you enough!” She rises to her feet and offers Armyah a hand to help her up. Her small hand is rough and calloused, her grip is strong. “I probably shouldn’t do this, but….” She takes a pomegranate from the basket, rubs it on her shoulder, and offers it to the magician. She takes it, not brave enough to tell the girl she’s never tried one and isn’t sure if she likes them. Hell, she doesn’t even know how to begin eating one! Do you just…bite it? Like an apple? The smile the girl gives her warms the young woman’s chest. “Take care, alright?” She winks and saunters off into the crowd. Armyah put the fruit into her bag.

“That was Portia, you know…” A rattling cough draws the magician’s attention. A fortune teller has moved to stand at the entrance of the booth the girl had come from and is eyeing Armyah with avid interest. The booth gave her a sense of nostalgia…the tapestries had moons and stars on them. Asra had a stall like this when she first woke up in his arms. “She’s the Countess’s favorite servant.” Armyah got excited, maybe she would see this Portia again once she gets to the palace. “As for you…you look like a wanderer, yes?” they beckon the magician toward their stand, “Would you like the fates spun for you?”

“No thanks,” Armyah chuckles, if she wanted her fortune read she’d ask her teacher to do it.

“As you wish,” they shrugged, “But know this…your fate will come to you either way.” A gold tooth glints in the sunlight, “A bright future awaits you.” Armyah smiles at the fortune-teller and nods her farewell. She took the advice with a grain of salt, but the notion of a bright future put a little sip in her step.

As the sun journeyed across the sky, Armyah climbed stair after seemingly infinite stair. The higher she ascends, the fewer travelers she encounters along the way…she must be deep in the Heart District. By the time she reaches the last stair her legs ache and her chest burns. It’s almost dark when she reaches the palace gates. She wipes the sweat from her sun-beaten brow and looks toward the towering gate of twisting iron. Beyond, the palace is glittering in the setting sun. “It’s even more beautiful up close,” she thought. It might have been the trek up the never-ending stairs, but she finds it difficult to catch her breath.

“Who goes there?” Two guards stand on either side of the winding gate, they were so still Armyah had mistaken them from designs in the ironwork.

“My name is Armyah,” she explained, “I have come at the request of the Countess.” The guards look at each other and the tips of her ear go red.

“Armyah?” The magician nodded. “We have no knowledge of you.” Armyah’s face grows hot. Now what was she supposed to do? The Countess said the guards would know. Does she just go home? “Unless you know the code, you must leave at once.”

“Code?” she wondered aloud? One guard folded their hands over the hilt of a planted sword.

“Yes, a series of four numbers,” they clarified, “If you do not know them, leave. We are not above violence or torture.” Armyah’s chest constricts and she swallows audibly. “When something catches your attention, there’s a reason” Asra’s words resonate through her mind, “If it feels like it has a special significance, it does.”

“I know the code,” she proclaimed. The guard nods for her to proceed, “It’s three-six-seven-nine.” The sequence of numbers Portia was mumbling before Armyah bumped into her. The guards look at each other again and, for a moment, Armyah considers bolting. However, her plans change once they each swing open their respective doors for her to enter. She nods confidently despite the chill down her spine and strides purposefully across the bridge. Her gait was broken when she hears the gate slam behind her. Was she going to be allowed out at all? She didn’t leave a note for when Asra came home…will he think she’s missing? Her fears dissolve when she hears a familiar voice.

“Can I help you?” It’s Portia! Armyah smiles at the friendly face as it light up at the sight of the magician,

“Oh! It’s you!”

Tag List: @julians-chest-hair

[theketo7-blog]

Keto Body Tone CA,AUS,NZ: Keto Body Tone Reviews, Where To Buy?

Keto Body Tone is another ready-to-use item including just normal focuses. The vast bulk of them depend on the keto diet plan or the ketogenic procedure. look at this site : Ideal Advance Weight-loss Tablets in Canada, Spain, NZ, Ireland, France, UK, Australia, Singapore, South Africa and Extra. This way, lemon significance additionally aids to maintain the energy degrees in the body as it goes on delivering stimulating nutrients to the body. Keto BodyTone basically paves the way to establish lean muscular tissues by getting rid of added fat as well as toning the muscles. However, Keto BodyTone can aid to increase your power levels to ensure that you can do physical activities throughout the day. So it clearly shares a terrific component of Ketosis due to the fact that when our body participates in Ketosis state the metabolic degree rises and also within such problem, our body genuinely depends on different power sources offered in the kind. Also, Keto BodyTone enhances digestion in order to throw away excess fat taken in throughout the keto diets or generally along with any kind of hazardous antigens that allow additional fat to obtain accumulated. Augmentation Fat-- Boosting fat usage to 70% is standard to getting results with keto. This item is 100% without side effects and also can be used without a doubt. Keto Body Tone is a cutting edge weight reduction supplement that accompanies 60 containers in each jug. Keto Body Tone shark storage tank Nevertheless, that discount rate makes it easier for you to go for the supplement each month, with a monthly membership which can permit you to obtain brand-new updates and also renewed supply on a monthly basis without having to log in each time. Keto Body Tone will certainly has the ability to give you these sorts of ketones just when you are on the keto diet having of Carbohydrates, 70% of fats and also 25% protein. Finally, do not neglect to look into https://ketoweightlosssupplements.com/ as well as https://PinchePeso.mx if you are searching for weight reduction supplements down in Mexico. To learn more regarding Keto BodyTone as well as just how you also can start, simply click on the web link below. Making use of Keto BodyTone will certainly offer you that barrier you need to take it more comfortable. Once more, when it concerns energy, fat is likewise a better source of fuel for your brain feature. When I started utilizing this formula throughout the very first week of its dose, I did not locate any kind of changes in my body, but after 2 weeks, I understood that my clothing had actually started to look Keto Body Tone scam excellent. The rinsing of these fruits is used in the manufacture of these slimming supplements having keto body tone. keto body tone is the name of a plant that expands in Asia. If you want to relocate away from the keto diet regimen and also search for something else, we need to choices we highly recommend. To purchase it, you will certainly have to do it online from the main Keto Body Tone web site. One of the vital aspects of any type of Ketogenic Diet is count on and inspiration which plays a crucial function in assisting the body under Ketosis state. Keto BodyTone requests to understand the cycle of a well balanced diet regimen often to follow the Ketogenic Diet plan quickly. So, you can completely rely on Keto BodyTone as this fat burning supplement is entirely safe to take in. People quit following it much prior to it can reveal some type of enhancements because of these damaging impacts of a keto diet regimen. As pointed out previously, Keto BodyTone is simply incapable of triggering any negative effects on the body. This insurance claim is not based on the results supplied by the service yet on the distinct method to allow you trust your diet in the first place. Not simply that, it likewise alleviates lots of underlying wellness conditions by causing tiny yet successfully prominent changes in the way of living. Actually, BHB is an active Ketone Body that shares 75% of every Ketogenic Diet option. The real hero is BHB(Beta-Hydroxybutyrate) a Keto salt that holds a crucial location in Ketosis due to the fact that it assists in shedding extreme pounds by switching Glucose to Ketone Bodies. Then he gets in the circulatory system and also begins operating in the place in a short time. Thin X Genie Keto isn't accessible in any type of physical store and also you need to get it on the web, straight from the manufacturer's site. CHECKOUT OUR urged KETO brand name what is Keto Quick is among one of the most exceptional. Every weight-loss option clearly shows a substantial degree of potential to provide the real outcomes but it all depends upon our body. There are much more benefits of Keto BodyTone as well as all this is merely as a result of its natural constituents. It assists to get rid of many illness by positively altering the lifestyle. It assists to control the cravings so that overeating can be stayed clear of which better removes the threat of excess fat buildup. It is drawn out from an herb discovered in the Southeast Oriental jungles and has several medicinal residential properties in addition to weight reduction. check here helps to obstruct the course of fat build-up in the body thereby aiding in weight reduction procedure. https://www.supplementllc.com/keto-body-tone-review/ is a natural supplement that utilizes all-natural parts to eliminate the added weight of the body. There is original site of this nutritional supplement producing the keto impact on your body if you are not complying with the diet regimen. Any kind of keto supplement that you take is mosting likely to provide BHB ketones which is one required resource required by a body to stay in the keto diet plan. So, if you want to shed fat promptly while remaining perfectly energized as well as active after that Keto BodyTone is worth a shot. Additionally, this fat loss supplement provides a lot of wellness advantages as it readjusts your body in the direction of a much healthier lifestyle. This is why Keto BodyTone advanced weight reduction is designed as though essentially any person can use it to get slim without following the abovementioned practices sternly. Due to the fact that it functions by transforming kept fat right into energy, this effective ketogenic supplement burns fat at a huge rate.

[everydayecoist]

Planet: 1- plastic: 0 - A beginners guide.

Today I want to talk about 5 ways the everyday person can help the planet by eliminating single use plastic (and paper) from their life. I promise these will all be super easy and affordable. 

1. “It’s only one straw” said 7 billion people. Now that is a lot of straws.

Coincidentally that is also the first thing I want to mention. Switching out single use plastic straws for reusable ones is the easiest thing you can do. You can for example choose from;

Metal

Bamboo or Wood

Glass 

Paper

Just remember to have one with you when you are out and about and ask the waiter/bartender to remove it from your drink when you order :)  Little side note: If you need a plastic straw because of a disability or something else this will not apply to you. 

2. Did you know that every plastic toothbrush that has ever been made is still here today, in one piece. To prevent even more toothbrushes from ending up in landfill or our oceans you can simply get a bamboo one! A lot of people think they are somehow worse and don’t do the job. Well they couldn’t be more wrong and are just afraid of change. So the next time you need to switch your toothbrush out, opt for a bamboo one instead. 

3. I once read that less than 1% of all coffee cups get recycled. Most of them are coated in plastic and can therefore not be recycled. So what can you do? The easiest solution is to invest in a reusable cup that you can take with you to work, coffee shops, camping, hikes, you name it... You could also use that cup for water and then there is no need to buy bottled water ever again! Or you know, you can always get a reusable water bottle too. The more the merrier. 

4. Did you know that many plastic bags can’t be recycled? They are often too small or thin for the machines to pick up so they just end up in landfill or our oceans. I can almost guarantee that if you go look you can find at least 3 reusable bags in your house right now. Now all you need to do is to store them in an obvious place so you remember to take them with you to the store next time. This can for example be in the kitchen, in your car, your purse/bag, your bike etc. This also applies to those little plastic bags that you find in the fruit and vegetable section. Fruits and veggies most often have a natural peal that protects them from getting ruined on the journey home so you don’t even need the bags. If you can’t live with out them you can simply invest in reusable produce bags. 

5. My last tip is about carrying a container with you when you are out and about. It can be plastic, glass, silicone, or even a jar. They are so versatile and can be used for almost anything. You can take them with you to the store for bulk items. You can use them for ice cream, smoothies or at a restaurant instead of getting single use packaging. They are also great for home made lunch or to take home leftovers after a meal. 

So if you already follow most of these tips, good for you! You are clearly on the right path. If not, I hope these where helpful. I would consider this list a sort of beginners guide to use less single use plastic/paper. I have started to carry a sort of zero-waste kit in my backpack at all times that includes a cotton bag, a produce bag, a container, reusable straw and a water bottle. It has helped me greatly to reduce my waste on the go. 

Ps. I’m sorry for all the people with english as a first language, it clearly isn’t mine but I’m learning. 

[allaboutfoodgwu]

Anywhey You Want It

Protein is something humans reap naturally from food. From hunter-gatherer times, until the 1950’s, people seemed to survive, grow and function just fine without additives and supplements, so what happened? In the early 1900’s, a man named Bob Hoffman was one of the first people to suggest nutrition influenced the health and strength of a “man” (24, Hall and Fair).

Bob Hoffman greatly protested the early protein powders. He believed everything humans needed for an ideal physique could be provided by a balanced diet. His focus on nutrition’s bodily effect prompted people to pursue a perfected form—a way to maximize protein consumption, for a better physical outcome.

Thus, protein powder was born. One of the first was “by Patton’s dietetic of Los Angeles and Schenectady and contained such ingredients as soy beans, deep sea kelp, and whole wheat germ” (24, Hall and Fair). This sparked the beginning of body building that Americans, today, may be more familiar with. Protein became a revolutionary way to bulk muscle, without eating massive amounts of food.

So if protein powder was born among the body building community in Los Angeles, how did it end up in the hands of the average consumer? Re-appropriation of protein supplements to target specific demographics like professional athletes, body builders, or people looking to lose weight, has driven the market in multiple directions. Protein powder was born from a culture obsessed with physical appearance. Now that protein products are becoming more ubiquitous in grocery stores, questions of who has access to such an excessive product and why are they buying it come to mind. Could protein powder be an indicator of larger cultural beauty standards?

Ulterior to the relationship between protein powder, working out and beauty standards, the expansive availability of vegan protein powders may be in response to increased popularity of veganism and vegetarianism. Agriculture and animal production are two of the largest contributors of green-house gases and climate change. In response, research has suggested Americans should reduce meat consumption to discourage animal production (Joyce, et al, 2012).

Being the meat centered culture that America is, concerns of protein deficiency are large. Protein powder then becomes a viable option to help make up any nutritional gaps created by the omission of animal products. This study cannot speak for all American’s, however, so from her on I will be talking about protein powder consumers.

Funny enough, modern vegan powders are not totally unlike the original made back in 1950, soy is still a fairly common additive. The major difference between then and now though, is that people want more than just protein, they want a full serving of vegetables, antioxidant fruits, super food blends, biotin, collagen, vitamins, probiotics—things that would not be in your average hamburger.

My point is, protein powder has become a lot more than just protein, it’s become more of a cultural product in America, and for this study D.C. It is still used by athletes and body builders, but now D.C. residents outside these categories are hoppin’ on the Whey Train, hoping these magical protein powders will transform them as well. A self-awareness of environmental impact, in hand with influences from cultural beauty and fitness paradigms, creates an imaginary necessity for protein powder.

Understanding protein powder is not vital for survival, I would like to reconfigure it as a dietary accessory. Using ethnographic data collected from GNC, Safeway, Whole Foods and CVS, I use the position of protein powder in the store, as well as the availability of natural/conventional powders to generate an idea of the kind of customer these stores are targeting.

So what is my protein powder consumer profile? It seems the person stores are marketing to is affluent, health oriented and body conscious. Quick disclaimer: I only witnessed protein powder being purchased once during my time in the field, so all of my conclusions as to who protein consumers really are, are drawn from observations of the greater environment of each store.

Out in the real world D.C. residents do purchase protein powder. The fact that specialty stores, like GNC, exist shows there is demand in D.C.; however, I think demand for vegan or ‘natural’ protein powder is growing. 

GNC has a limited selection of “healthy” powders, as the majority of their brands contain long lists of unknown (and unpronounceable) substances. The lack of business when I visited the store seems to suggest a decline in the popularity of their products, though I would also posit online markets may reflect a very different reality. These observations from GNC, combined with high prices ranging from $19.99 to $64.99, tells me protein buyers must be of higher economic status. Being located in a business area of D.C., I also suggest GNC’s protein customer is educated and health conscious (because they are buying protein powder).

Whole Foods has a growing supply of natural protein powders. The average Whole Foods customer fits the archetype of my consumer—affluent and health conscious with the added bonus of environmental awareness. Whole Foods itself has a reputation for being fairly elite, as suggested by its nickname, “Whole Paycheck.” The high prices, starting at $25.99, of natural protein powder works to limit those who have access to the additive, repositioning protein as a status symbol (and supporting my hypothesized affluency of a protein powder consumer).

Safeway tries to recreate the Whole Foods upper class ambiance by placing protein powder in the ‘natural’ aisle, which stands apart from the rest of the store because of its ‘natural’ wood flooring and organic labels. The aesthetic shift accentuates the segregation of ‘natural’ foods from the rest of the store. Protein powders can only be found in this aisle, and their selection is limited to natural and vegan brands.

Prices did start a little lower, at $16.99, however the large aisles, carts and adjacency to neighborhoods, suggested it is more of family grocery store. Therefore, these prices may still be considered high if two or more people are using the protein product.

The aesthetic separation of the natural aisle works to further emphasize protein powder as a status symbol by mimicking “whole paycheck.” Consumers of natural protein powder are physically and economically separate from the average Safeway shopper.

CVS bridges the gap between Whole Foods and Safeway as it has both natural and conventional protein powders, despite its limited selection. Once more, I would like to bring attention to the placement of the conventional powder behind a support beam. This suggests CVS prioritizes the visibility of the natural protein powders. Maybe this means they expect customers who are looking for protein powder to be looking for natural brands. The natural products are consistently more expensive, starting at $23.99, than those that are not, which start at $20.79. The customer who purchases the natural product is likely someone with the resources to do so. Yes, there are the conventional options, but it seems clear that protein powders have taken a turn for the natural and expensive.

Discussion Looking across the four stores, protein powder is clearly a dietary accessory. Where powders once served a specific purpose for body builders, protein markets have expanded their appeal by incorporating other nutritional additives. High prices limit the accessibility of protein powder, something even greater affected by the even higher prices of natural products. The concept of ‘natural’ seems to be a marketing tool used by stores (with the exception of GNC because they have a more specific weight lifting demographic). “Natural” and “organic” tend to have upper class connotations or affiliations due to price trends (and whole paycheck). Protein powder’s affiliation with body builders may appeal to consumers’ desire to improve their musculature, but I argue this association is too limited now.

The socioeconomic affiliation with “natural” pricing and superadditives advertised on protein powder labels began to appeal to a broader audience. The cosmetic origins of protein continue on today as they aid in achieving cultural ‘fit’ beauty standards. This leads me to believe my Whey Train people are of a middle to upper socioeconomic class who seem to favor plant-based proteins in the interest of improving their health and physique.  

Adele Queener

Hall, Daniel and Fair, John. (2004). The Pioneers of Protein. Iron Game History. 8(3), 23-34.

Joyce, A., Dixon, A., Comfort, J. & Hallett, J. (2012). Reducing the Environmental Impact of Dietary Choice: Perspectives from a Behavioral and Social Change Approach. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. Doi:10.1155/2012/978672.  

[diet2nourishh]

How Do You Get Rid Of Those Extra And tense Pounds

A lot of people are trying to shed pounds each day. The number of options available that it can be difficult to choose one. These tips can be beneficial with virtually any diet program.

Best Dietician in Noida , There is no need to engage in regular exercise in order to shed weight. If you're not one to do exercise regularly, it's particularly vital. Instead, fool yourself by engaging in fun activities such as throwing a ball and walking your dog or taking nature walks. So, you'll appreciate the physical exercise you're getting.

When you're at work or out at a party It's possible to adhere to your diet. Start with fruits or vegetables, and then move on to other foods. You will be able to enjoy the celebration without worrying about breaking your weight loss program. Don't stress about how you're doing when you attend an event, simply attempt to overcome it.

It is possible to cut calories and shed weight by eating just the egg's whites, instead of the entire egg. Egg yolk has its advantages, but if you do not wish to include all fats in your diet, it's recommended to stay clear of it. Egg whites can provide you with the protein you require.

When you achieve the goal you've set to lose weight, be happy. You can buy a little treat for yourself, or even take an individual day to engage in something you truly would like to do, but haven't had enough time for. These small treats can help to keep your motivation up.

To increase your weight loss Write down the caloric consumption of your meals. If you consume more calories than you're burning, it is impossible to shed weight. Even healthy calories should be counted in your daily calorie consumption. Develop a clearly defined diet plan and keep track of your daily calorie intake.

Make a plan for your workout. If you schedule an appointment with yourself to exercising, you'll be more likely to keep it up. Choose a time that you will exercise and commit to it each day.

Take a diverse diet when you are trying to shed some weight. This will help you remain content while eating. Be mindful of your food choices and consume food in moderation.

Use the stairs when you have to get to another floor. It may seem not important, but it will add calories each time you go up and down it.

When you've started to lose significant weight, look through your clothes, and eliminate those that are no longer fitting. This will let you know the progress you've made and provide you with an incentive to adhere to your diet plan for the next few days. Another benefit is that it gives you the drive to maintain your new size and maybe reduce another size.

If you're trying to adhere to your diet, make sure you eat food before going to the celebration. This will keep you from eating all of food items and unhealthy food items at the party. Instead of drinking alcohol like beer or mixed drinks with a lot of calories drinking, you can sip a little of wine throughout your evening. A wine spritzer, which is alcohol mixed in soda water can reduce calories and stretch the duration of your drink.

It's simple to talk about losing weight however, actually getting started may be difficult. It's time to begin and start moving forward with your new way of life to shed the pounds now. It is possible to wonder what took you so long to begin it.

It's an excellent idea to imagine the amount of additional burden you're carrying. Try looking at a five-pound weight in an exercise facility. Lift the weight and see how heavy it really weighs. This will help keep you strong and focused.

In the absence of activity, your body will store the bulk of the calories that we consume. Remember that you shouldn't begin eating if there is no plans for an extended duration. You should ensure that your food intake during the day is proportional to the level of activity you're planning to be. By eating this way, you can ensure you're not overindulging.

If you are dining at the restaurant and are given the choice of soup or salad, go with the soup when it's clear. However, you should opt for the salad if the soup appears thick as stew or is stuffed with cream. This will ensure that you consume only enough as your meal arrives.

Eliminate any clothing that you used to wear before losing weight. If you keep those large old clothes, you'll continue to believe that in the future, you'll get back to that size! If you shed the clothes, you will find yourself obligated to keep up your weight-loss regimen.

The best method to shed some pounds is to eat less calories and work out more in. Increased metabolism can encourage you to shed fat. Consuming fewer calories increases the likelihood to reduce fat stored.

You are able to weigh yourself every in the morning. Don't get dismayed when your weight fluctuates by an ounce or two due to the weight of water fluctuates. This will let that you know when something is not working. Be sure to have a scale calibrated and weighs you at the same time every day.

A food diary is a great tool for helping you shed weight. It's not essential to keep track of calories. Note down the foods you consume during the day. You might be shocked by how much you're eating. Tracking your food intake can allow you to see the food you're eating. You might decide to cut out the extra slice of cake or cookie of cake when you are aware that you must record it.

When you realize that it's not your fault that you're fat and you're overweight, it's time to let go of the blame and get to work. You cannot forget the past and continue to move forward until you have done this. Don't spend long periods of time thinking about the past and remorseful actions. take a moment to feel empathy for those bad choices you made in the past , and make use of your newfound determination to forge a new path.

This article provides effective weight loss strategies that can aid you in losing weight. Take a look at the tips in this article and determine which ones work best for you. Keep in mind that you will achieve your weight loss goals. Don't give up!

[luckycatkryptonite]

Things To Ask Yourself Before Starting An Automobile Business

The automobile business is one of the businesses which can help you in earning a huge amount of money. Moreover, starting your own business gives you control over your working hours, and you also get the flexibility of using your profits and benefits as per your wishes. The entrepreneur spirit in you gives you the push and motivates you an automobile manufacturing setup . This can only be done in case you have a passion for automobiles.

When you decide to open an automobile business, you need to start from scratch. Its overall research is very important in all fields, including advertising, accounting, marketing, legal formalities, start up costs, business plan, etc. Auto entrepreneurs can always make things easy for themselves by purchasing an existing auto shop. The best benefit of doing this is that it would be equipped with all the necessary equipment needed for such a business and have a fixed clientele for the same. No matter how you start your business the key to opening your own automobile business is your overall knowledge about what you are going to sell.

Now that you have decided to become an automobile entrepreneur, there are a few questions you must ask yourself in order to do away with any kind of mistakes. These mistakes can increase the rate of failure in the business which would give you a great setback if you don’t ponder on these questions before you start the business.

Here Are Some Important Things Before Starting An Automobile Business

01. Why Are You Starting The Automobile Business?

Before you think about anything else, this is the most critical question you should answer to yourself. By starting the automobile business are you looking for a better lifestyle, or is it that you want to generate a continuous cash flow and not report to anyone. Questions like this would narrow down the entrepreneur’s type of thinking towards the business or any industry. Think wisely. Is this really what you want to do? Can your passion for cars really get into a thriving, profitable business?

02. Have You Prepared A Manufacturing Plan ?

The manufacturing plan you make should include every big and small detail including an overview of the automobile industry. The type of your business should be described in detail along with the finances, marketing, and staffing detail. Although it could be a tough job to do, having a business plan guides you to start your business with least number of mistakes. When you start a business and make a business plan, you are bound to be surprised with the ups and downs and the difficulties you face. This results in giving you all the more experience to plan for the future.

03. What Capital Do You Have Access To?

After making the business plan, you need to evaluate your financial situation. How much money do you have and how much you require getting a loan.

Evaluation of your assets would help you to borrow money. To start your dream business it is also very important you need to understand very clearly, how much financial help do you need and how much will you be able to obtain and what business opportunities are available accordingly.

04. How To Obtain Funding?

To start your automobile business, you will need the funding and finances. Does this funding come from your own pocket or do you need to find an alternative source? To finance your business if you have decided to get a loan, it can be done by borrowing money from friends, family or taking it from the bank. Getting a loan from the bank would require a few formalities which have to be fulfilled by you and makes getting a loan easy.

05. What do you know how to do it?

Skills and talents are needed on a broader range when it comes to starting a business of your own. You need to know how to manage people, take tough decisions with limited information and resources, keep your finances on track, etc. On morality grounds, you need to assess your capabilities and shortcomings. You can always work hard to develop your skills which could be helpful in your business. Take advantage of your strengths and find alternative methods to overcome your weaknesses. Mentor and advise yourself before you start your business.

    06. What Type Of Automobile Manufacturing Do You Want?

There are a wide range and varieties of automobile businesses. Customers need to be delivered with different services and products for their vehicles. You need to choose what suits your experience and passion with cars and what you are most interested in. When you decide on the type of business you would be doing, you need to be trained for the same so that you become an expert in the chosen field. Before you start your business the different options that you can choose on are as follows-

·         Auto glass business

·         Auto paint business

·         Automobile repair business

·         Car rental business

·         Car wash business

·         Oil change business

·         Transmission business

·         Car upholstery business

  07. How To Specialize In The Chosen Business?

Once you have chosen what type of business you need to do, you can narrow down several choices. Contact the specific franchises to get more information about what they can offer to you for your startup business. The franchisees will always help you with the prospective opportunities and explain to you the details of their products, their selling prospectives, potential customers and expected profits, etc. meet the franchisor personally and ask him to provide an ongoing support for your franchise and help you go with the new business. You can get the best training and support from these experienced people which would result in getting you more profits.

08. Have You Looked For A Location?

Do you know about the zoning laws existing and whether you can open up an automobile business in your area? The type of automobile business you have chosen for yourself will decide whether you need to get a commercial location to do the business or simply get a vehicle for a van based operation. This assistance can be given by the franchisors you are getting help and training.

09. Have You Obtained All The Necessary Licenses And Permits?

You need to know about the important licenses and permits you need in your state to start the business. The local state motor vehicle department would be able to tell you what licenses will be needed to operate your automobile business. You need to keep in mind that your standards of your new business should be high from the beginning especially for the repairing car ones where you are answerable to the pollution and cleanliness factors around your place.

10. Did You Take The Insurance?

When you are starting an automobile business, it’s important to get it insured for any mishappenings. Especially, if you are starting a car repair shop, worker liability is a big issue. So it’s better to get insured beforehand.

11. Who Should Be Hired?

According to the scope and the size of your business you need to decide on the number of employees you will need to hire. Hiring and managing the employees is a big role in a growing new business. The employees hired should be chosen according to their explicit talent and knowledge towards their department which includes finance, marketing, etc.

12. What Equipment Needs To Be Purchased?

Automobile business capital expenditures are generally very high. You need to purchase many types of equipment in bulk. According to the kind of business you have chosen to start the bulk buying can earn you competitive prices on your equipment.

13. Are You Marketing And Advertising For Your Business?

Investing in an automobile business gives you fruits and profits in the final stage of the setting up of your business. If your business owns a brand name, it becomes all the easier. The franchisors generally provide marketing material needed for the new business in addition to regional and nationwide campaigning. If not, you need to do it on a personal level to get your business known.

If you decide on getting your own brand in automobile business, you need to choose a name and automobile logo which would help your products to sell under your brand. Besides, having a well-designed professional website design can also increase reach and visibility of your business.

[gothrapxxx]

It's not crap conversation, regional, alright, trapeze great trap beats for your next wild fires, tune, and yeah. I've invested ages going throughout the web, attempting to locate trap beats in my time as an artist. Oh, I'm simply going to produce currently, as well as I made a decision to do that rather, but you could definitely locate numerous trap beats online, as well as I'm going to assist. You discover you understand, producers that you appreciate and show you different methods that you can go about doing that, so be certain to stay via to the end, since you're going to see some sights that you thought huh what you could locate deets on there. If you do not know that I am, I'm Jake away from jquery.com mentor you exactly how to be better at songs advertising and marketing, online advertising, and also online organization. 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