#not get it back into bath mode for the faucet

[femmesandhoney]

realized one of my roomies was HOME while i was off the walls deep cleaning and i was singing the same song to myself for like two hours on repeat and also screaming in outrage every time i opened more gross shit from the fridge lmaooo she said imma protect my peace and not see what shes doing

[teaboot]

Its been a rough couple days out here so I'm writing a list of things I love about my son

(who is cat)

His dumb little face

His pretty yellow eyes

Every day when I get home the FIRST thing that happens is I scoop him up into my arms like a big baby and he let's me rub his tumtum for a whole two minutes!! Before returning to Bite Mode

The SECOND thing that happens is he gets the zoomies! When his father returns from work he goes SNUGGLE! then zooooooom. Because he is excited for me to play with him!!

When I play computer games he likes to feel included so even though he isn't normally very touchy he lets me scoop him up in one arm so he can sit there like a toddler and watch the screen

He trusts me SO much like if he wants up on a shelf or down off something tall I can just walk over and kneel and he'll crawl up or down me like a ladder and I've never had a cat do that before

He'll ride around on my shoulders when I take him out for walks which van be tricky now that he's big but he's so brave even when we pass a dog

Sometimes when I go to run his chin he gets SO EXCITED he'll jam his nose into my palm and smush it hard like he's trying to burrow a hole in the ground and it's adorable

He loves water-appliances? Like sinks and toilets and baths and such. He gets SO excited every time I turn on a faucet, he'll rush over and get as close as he can to watch without getting wet.

His favourite part of the whole house is the bathtub and whenever I take a bath he'll drape himself over the side and lounge there until I get out. He's not allowed in when I'm using the toilet but once I'm done I open the door to leave and he rushes in to check if I've been taking a secret bath without him, goes straight to the tub

In trying to teach him not to bite me, he has learned that he IS allowed to bite blankets. So if he really, really wants to play and I'm ignoring him, he'll bite me blankets and whip them around like a puppy playing tug-of-war.

If I'm ignoring him because I am ALSEEP, this sometimes results in me waking up because he has successfully pulled my blankets off of me.

He likes watching trucks. He'll sit in the window and watch traffic but if he hears a loud engine he'll RUSH to check it out.

When he was a baby, my brother would visit in the afternoons to feed and play with him while I was working. As a result, he loves his uncle more than me, and will allow constant tummy rubs

Because my brothers and I do family movie night at my place, and because he loves his uncles so much, he lights up whenever the doorbell rings and MUST greet visitors at the door.

Sometimes he tries to climb up a door by hugging the edge and jumping as high as he can. It has never worked but he still keeps trying. I think he just likes sliding down like it's a firepole.

He is obsessed with the smell of McDonalds french fries. He doesn't try to eat them, he just wants the box. There us currently one under my bed that I'm not allowed to throw away. I can hear him jamming his face into it right now.

Sometimes when he's curious about something I'm doing- eating, drinking, washing up, whatever- I'll let him sniff, and I'll just hear two or three strongass HUFF. HUFF sounds before he goes back to chilling. It's the cutest shit.

He's soft like the luxurious wild mink

His littol baby FEETSIES

Sometimes he stops grooming himself and forgets his tongue is sticking out

His laser toy has a keychain attachment that jingles so whenever he hears a metallic jingle like that he thinks it's playtime

when I wash my face in the bathroom in the morning he hops on top of the toilet tank and starts grooming himself like "Oh hey I guess it's EVERYBODY'S bath time okay"

He's chatty and will meep back and forth with me

He has a round little wicker nest bed on a pedestal in my room and he likes to climb inside at night and make biscuits on the cushion while he sucks on the corner and it makes me wanna cry he's such a big baby

He will not wake me up for breakfast but as soon as I move in thevmorning he'll hop up onto my chest and stare at me. If I take too long to get up he'll meep in my face and then bounce back and forth between me and the door until I'm up.

Once I AM up, he will circle me and continue chirping until I ask him if it is time for dinner. Dinner, as far as he knows, is the only word for food. As soon as I ask, "is it dinner time?" He will zoom to the kitchen like a bat out of he'll and wait beside his bowl.

He genuinely seems to enjoy walkies and will climb into his carrier if he thinks we're going somewhere

Soketimes he'll pick up one of his toys and trot around with it like he's showing it off and I swear to God every time it makes me wanna make the most embarrassing noises

Him son ♡

[pretentious-blonde]

soft spot

pairing: steve harrington x reader

summary: after being drenched by the rain, steve just wants to take care of you whilst reminiscing over his “king steve” days

warnings: none

a/n: it was raining so here you go, also steve is a gossip you can't change my mind

The stairs leading up to your apartment were usually a challenge, but today they felt endless. Each step you took was accompanied by the squelching sound of rainwater trapped in your shoe, only irritating you further as you climbed. Your hair was plastered to your face and you could tell how horrendous the strands looked as they stuck to your skin, drops of rain that still clung to your eyelashes blurred your vision. You started to regret your ambitious decision to walk home, Steve had insisted on picking you up but of course, it had to start pouring halfway home. Typical. 

You let out a sigh as you reached the top floor, rummaging in your bag before your hands managed to snag your keys, shivering slightly from your soaked clothes, the coldness seeping into your bones. The door let out a gentle creak as you entered, stepping inside and savouring the warmth of the flat as you allowed it to flow over you. 

“Steve?” You called out into the empty room. 

Within a few seconds, his head poked out of your shared bedroom, brown hair falling over his forehead from jumping up so quickly. His brown eyes widened as he took in your drenched state. 

“Oh, honey, what happened?” His voice was laced with concern, his question answered by the loud crash of thunder that rumbled loudly from outside. 

“You said you would call. Look at you! You’re soaked through.” His large hands flew to your coat, heavier due to the rain, peeling it off your body like it was tissue paper. 

“I was fine—“ You began to say, only to be cut off by his excessive fussing. 

“You’re clearly not,” he shook his head as he hung up your jacket, a small puddle already forming underneath that he would have to deal with later. “I can hear your shoes from here, sweetheart. And your hair—“ he brushed a wet lock out of your face and behind your ear, his concerned expression making you giggle. “You’re shaking, honey. Gonna get sick like this.” 

You just smiled at him through your waterlogged lashes, his over-the-top worrying making you laugh more are you batted his hands away. “I’m fine, Steve. Really. It’s just rain, it happens all the time.”

“Nope. No way,” he said, not letting you respond as he was already halfway to the bathroom. “You’re gonna catch a cold and I’m not gonna let that happen.”

His voice was playful but still firm, the sound of running water became audible as he returned to your side. 

“Bathtime,” he said teasingly and you knew there would be no point in arguing, not when he was in full-blown protective mode. God, he could be so stubborn sometimes. 

The brunette boy led you into the bathroom, muttering under his breath about how you should have just phoned him as you trailed behind, wet clothes dripping onto the floor. You stood patiently in the doorway as he rummaged in underneath the sink, his furrowed brows relaxing as he found what he was searching for. He straightened up with a playful grin and held two bottles, bubble bath from one of those birthday sets you got ages ago and forgot about, finally being put to good use. 

“Alright, angel, we got options here,” he said as he inspected the labels on both. “Lavender or…this one’s called ‘Sunset Bliss’. I guess they are bottling sunsets now.”

You roll your eyes before tapping your finger against the small orange bottle, trying to hold back a smile. “Sunset Bliss, obviously.”

“Good choice,” he said whilst nodding as if you passed some sort of test, opening the cap and pouring it into the tub. “Gotta get some sunshine back into today, right?” His voice was light as he leaned over the bath, holding his hand underneath the faucet to check the temperature, adjusting it just how you like it. Just shy of scalding.

He stood back up and hesitated as he looked down at you. “Do you want me to stay with you, or should I wait outside?” His tone was gentle, so as to not pressure you. Just that lovesick gaze that was laced with a hint of concern. 

You shrug your shoulders at his question, still shivering slightly as you respond. “You can stay. I still have to tell you what Robin and I got up to.”

Steve’s eyes softened as he nodded, stepping towards you with a tender smile. His fingers were gentle as they brushed against your skin, treating you with care as he helped you out of your rain-soaked clothes. He was so sweet as he worked, treating you as if you were the most precious thing to him. To which he would probably agree. 

There was nothing suggestive in his movements, no expectation—just the quiet intimacy you had come to associate him with. He adored being close to you in this way. 

Once you were free of the drenched clothes, he held onto your arm as you lowered yourself into the water, feeling a sense of pride as you sighed in relief. The water was soothing to your freezing skin, helping thaw out your numb fingers and toes. He took a seat on the bathmat next to you, resting his chin on the edge of the tub as he gazed at you expectantly. He always had a soft spot for your ramblings. 

“So,” he began as he drew out the word, an amused look on his face. “What did you and Robin get up to while I was slaving away at work? Any trouble?”

You splash a bit of water on his face at his teasing before sinking deeper beneath the bubbles, beginning to babble about your day, not leaving anything out as he loved hearing all the small details. No matter how mundane. He listened, amber eyes focused as he nodded along, occasionally throwing in a sarcastic comment and then laughing at his own joke. God, he was a dork. 

Steve reached out and traced small patterns on your arm with his fingers, his touch light. “Do you want me to wash your hair, sweetheart?” He asked you with eager eyes—he always wanted to do things for you. Things you really didn’t need help with. He was constantly coming up with excuses, helping you made him feel good. He liked to feel needed. 

You shook your head with a chuckle. “You don’t have to.”

He scoffed and you knew he would not take no for an answer, already reaching out for the shampoo bottle on the side of the tub. “I know I don’t have to. I want to.” He said with finality, popping open the cap and allowing the scent of citrus to fill the steamy air. “Besides, I’ve got hair down to a science,” he said with a wink as he moved behind you. 

You tilted your head back to look up at him and he placed a soft kiss against your lips, gently moving you to face forwards, careful not to get any water in your eyes. His fingers were firm as they massaged your scalp, blunt nails moving perfectly as you shut your eyes, leaning closer to where he knelt. 

“You do have great hair,” you tease, eyes still shut, focusing on the motion of his hands. 

“Steve ‘the hair’ Harrington was my nickname in high school,” he smirked, you don’t see how proud he looked of the title at that moment. 

“Part of your charm huh?” You poked at him. 

“Oh, absolutely,” he agreed as he carried on with his movements. “Speaking of charm,” he continued, “any updates on Robin and Vicky? Has she finally made anything resembling moves?”

You groaned as you recalled the previous conversation you had earlier that day, the hour spent listening to Robin pining. “She is still being awkward about it. I swear she panics every time she talks to her, and you know how she talks too much when she’s nervous.” 

Steve snickered, a sound so boyish you couldn’t help but join in. “Robin? No way.” His sarcasm earned him another splash to the face, making him laugh even harder. 

“Hey! I’m just stating the facts!” He said. “But seriously, she needs to just ask her out already. Vicky is clearly into her.”

“I know right? They would be adorable together,” you agreed with him, enjoying the playful sass he was giving. If there was one thing Steve secretly loved, it would be gossip. He ate it up just like he did back in school, he always knew the drama from listening to people talk in the hallways. Plus he could never keep a secret, that’s what he had you for. You pretty much knew what every citizen of Hawkins was going through based on their movie choices at Family Video, he always kept you up to date on those. 

“She better not mess it up,” Steve added, rubbing conditioner through your hair, making sure to focus extra on the ends. “Might have to step in. Play matchmaker.”

You scoffed at the statement. “Like you’d do any better?”

He shoved your head playfully. “Honey, I have excellent matchmaking skills. You’re looking at the guy who got Nancy and Jonathan together—but maybe that’s not the best example.” He paused, thinking for a second, before the both of you burst into laughter.

You felt his hands slow as he finished working product through your hair, you turned your head to find him looking at you warmly. “I’m not worried about Robin and Vicky. If they’re meant to be, they’ll figure it out. Just like we did.”

Your heart clenched at the look on his face, all soft eyes and adoring smiles. The expression that was reserved for you and you alone. 

“Yeah,” you whispered as you turned back around, allowing him to carefully rinse your hair for the final time. “Just like we did.”

He finished up and shifted to your side once more, fully facing you. “All done, angel. Feeling better?” His voice was low and sweet, like syrup. Sticky and saccharine. 

“Thank you,” you tell him honestly, as you move to get up. He rose as you did, hands outstretched to help you climb over the ledge of the bath, making sure you were steady on the bathmat before reaching for a towel. Wrapping you up with exaggerated care.

“Alright, sweetheart, wait here. No running off,” he said as he finished tucking the towel around you. 

You giggled, watching him scoop up your pile of wet clothes from the bathroom floor. “And where exactly would I go?”

He walked to the door and held a finger up, pointing at you. “Knowing you, you’d probably find some trouble to get into. Plus, I don’t want to mop up any more water from the living room, so stay put.”

He disappeared into the hallway and you could hear the familiar beep from the dryer, along with him talking to himself about what buttons to push. He always complained about how many setting the damn thing had. 

Not wanting to keep you waiting for long, he reappeared, holding a pair of your pyjama bottoms and—of course—one of his old school jumpers. 

He handed them both to you with a small smile. “Vintage Hawkins, what do you think?”

You raised an eyebrow as you inspected the item. “Didn’t think you’d want me wearing something that is so… ‘King Steve’”

Barking out a laugh as he helped you into the soft material. You had spoken a bit about his past, he openly disclosed that he may not have been the best person then. You withheld using the nickname, usually reserving it for when you wanted to rile him up. 

“I don’t mind,” he said with a shrug. “You would’ve been way too good for me back then. No way we’d be friends in high school. I was kind of a dick.”

You hummed as you wriggled into the dry clothes. “Kind of?”

Steve held a hand to his chest in mock offence. “Wow, okay! That hurts, honey. I’m nicer now aren’t I?”

He helped you tug up your pyjama bottoms, taking a step back to admire you, as if you were dolled up for a date. He loved you like this. Warm and comfy, wearing his clothes. “You are very nice. Maybe too nice.”

He flashed that beautiful, boyish grin once again. “Too nice? No such thing.” He pulled you closer to him. “I had to change my tactics to win you over. I’m whipped for you, just ask Robin.”

Leading you to the couch and pulling you down next to him, he grabbed a blanket and draped it over you both, looking over your shoulder to make sure your feet were covered too. 

“You know, I don’t think I would have liked you much back then,” you teased, poking his side and earning a surprised yelp from the boy beneath you. “Mr. ‘I’m too cool for everyone.’”

Steve ruffled your drying hair playfully before continuing. “Yeah, I was pretty insufferable,” you can hear the cringe in his voice as he looks away, cheeks heating slightly at the embarrassing memories. “But look at me now, completely reformed and with a gorgeous girl looking all pretty in my lap.”

It was your turn to blush as you hid your face in his chest, TV playing softly in the background as you let yourself melt into his embrace. He always made it easy for you to unwind around him. Completely relax. It was simple with Steve, it always was.

“I’m glad I’m not that guy anymore,” he said, his quiet voice laced with sincerity, fingers running through your hair. “Because now, I get to be here with you.”

You tilted your head upwards, eyelids beginning to droop, surrounded by his warmth. “I’m glad too,” you tell him as you feel your body getting heavier.

The white noise from the TV and Steve’s embrace lulled you into a gentle sleep. He smiled down at you, seeing you completely at peace on his chest. He placed a soft kiss on your temple, inhaling the smell of you mixed with the citrus shampoo he had used earlier. He felt content, full. 

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” he whispered, not speaking too loud at the risk of waking you. His fingers drew shapes across your back as the TV droned on, but he wasn’t paying it the slightest bit of attention. Way too focused on the sweet girl in his arms, and nothing in this world could make him want to move. 

[strawberryscarecr0w]

can you do a fic on Sugarboo coming home in a bad mood?

Alphonse x Seth x GN! Reader

(Low key this was super cute and fun to write, thanks for the request!!)

You were absolutely exhausted, the whole day had started out wrong. When you woke up, your hair didn’t want to cooperate and once you finally made it to work, you were late. Nothing had gone your way today as customer after customer screamed at you. Now you were finally home and you could relax. At least, that’s what you thought until you came home to a dirty kitchen. The sink was stacked with dishes, trash almost overflowing, it was all too much. Your brain went on auto pilot mode, tossing your work bag on the counter as you ran off to your bedroom. You hadn’t even heard the concerned call of your beloved boyfriend Seth, ears ringing, vision blurring with tears as you ran straight into- Alphonse. “Boo?” He questioned, a hand cupping your cheek as he examined your tear streaked face. There were soft footsteps behind you as Seth entered the room, his hand resting on your shoulder. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Seth asked softly, rubbing circles with his thumb into your shoulder. Suddenly, you couldn’t stop the words from pouring from your mouth. “Today was horrible,” You sobbed, “nothing was right, my boss was yelling at me and oh- the customers were so cruel and-,” Your trembling voice was cut off as Alphonse pulled you into his chest, gently shushing you. Seth let his hand slide to your back, his brows knit with worry as you bawled into Al’s shirt. 

“Sh sh, it’s okay Boo, we’re here now.” Alphonse whispered into your hair as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. “How about I go run you a bath and you can get some R&R?” Seth asked gently, smile tugging at his lips as you nodded your head. He pressed a kiss to your cheek before leaving for their shared bathroom, you could hear the faucet turn on and the tune he was humming. Alphonse guided you to the bathroom, an arm wrapped around your shoulders as you wiped your eyes. “There you go, Boo, a pretty face like yours shouldn’t be crying!” He joked, smiling when he earned a giggle out of you. Seth chuckled as he turned to greet the two of you, his brown eyes searching your face for any distress. “What do you need from us Sugar?” Seth asked, cupping your cheek. “If it’s not too much trouble, can you clean the house?” You whispered, smiling once Alphonse chirped, “Seth and I are great at doing chores, Ma used to make us do them all the time so you betcha we can!” This caused you to laugh as the two boys set off to clean up. You slipped into the bath, taking the time to do some breathing exercises as you enjoyed the peace. After a while, you climbed out, wrapping yourself in a towel. You could feel the exhaustion from the day hitting you as you yawned, using a towel to dry your hair to the best of your ability. Once  you were satisfied, you went into your bedroom to put on pajamas, your eyes growing heavy. Against your better judgement, you decided to slide under the covers to wait for the boys to finish. Though the exhaustion crept in and soon enough you were fast asleep. 

“Okay, this looks good! Let’s go check on Sugar, make sure they’re doing okay.” Seth said, wiping his hands after taking out the trash. Alphonse agreed and they both went to go check on their lover only to find them passed out in bed. “Oh,” Alphonse sighed, a smile creeping up on his face, “they look so peaceful.” He hummed, pulling to covers farther up your sleeping form. Seth chuckled only to be cut off by a yawn, Alphonse started to yawn as well causing Seth to smirk. “Guess we’re not far behind.” He joked, pulling his jacket off as he slipped into bed. Alphonse giggled and slid next to you, the three of you snuggling into a ‘Boo Sandwich,’ as Al called it. As the boys began to drift off, you dreamt of rainbows and little moth men, your bad day long forgotten.

~ ~

This was super cute lol, sorry if it’s not super great, I wrote it in like thirty mins in the middle of the night 😭

Word Count: 690

[corner-stories]

30, nightgown with Jean and Pieck?

September Prompts 🌻

30. Nightgown Post-Rumbling Ambassador shenanigans because why not?

The bathroom on the vessel is just like the rest of the ship — constricting, utilitarian, and made with barely any elbow room. In his time as an Ambassador, Jean has seen many rooms just like it, but this might be the first time he's seen a shower head placed nearly above the toilet.

But nonetheless, it's enough room for him to comfortably bathe, though with the caveat that he must stand completely straight and remain unflinching under a stream of cold water.

In the midst of the night he turns off the shower and steps out. After patting himself dry, Jean wraps his towel around his waist and crosses the floor of the bathroom with a single step. He wipes steam off the mirror above the sink, a surface that is barely wide enough to show him his reflection.

As he slicks his hair back, Jean gets a good look at the current state of his stubble. At the moment it looks closer to a short beard than fashionable scruff. He's unsure if it's a side-effect of all the travelling he had done in the last month alone, or a sign that he's truly gotten lazy in matters of personal grooming.

It only takes a few seconds of observing the beard on his face for Jean to reach for his shaving kit. With the puck of soap and brush, he creates a suitable lather with the frigid faucet water. After applying the suds to his face, he reaches for his safety razor — a nifty contraption that he finds much preferable to a straight blade — and goes through a process he has performed dozens of time.

Though tonight Jean finds himself deviating from his usual routine, as he finds the motivation to remove the hair on his cheeks and chin, but not that above his lips. For what reasons he doesn't know, but what he does know is that it's been a while since his beard had been this long and something inside of him feels like experimenting.

When Jean finishes perfecting his new look, he rinses his face and changes into his nightclothes. Once he's dressed he leaves the bathroom with his toiletry bag in hand, a towel slung over his shoulder, and a style of facial hair he had yet to try in his twenty-something years of life.

When Jean opens the door and steps into the ship's narrow passageway, he is abruptly met with one of his fellow Ambassadors.

Suddenly Pieck is standing in front of him, clad in a white nightgown that goes beyond her knees and holding a similar toiletry bag. It's no surprise what she's doing at this time of night, unless ghostly-looking sleepwear and little nifty washkits have suddenly become the latest fashion.

Pieck looks just as startled as he is when she sees him emerge from the bathroom.

"Oh, hey," Pieck starts, then barely a second passes before she notices something rather different about her comrade. Her eyebrow quirks up. "What the hell's on your face?"

Jean frowns, but strokes his newly-trimmed moustache rather protectively. "Thought I'd try something different."

"You thought you'd tape a dying squirrel to your upper lip?" Pieck scoffs. Judging by the look on her face she's not appalled by the 'stache, but more confused. "You look like someone named Francis."

Jean sighs. "I'm experimenting, okay?"

"Experimenting with what?" Pieck laughs. Suddenly she shifts from 'mocking mode' to 'sincerity mode,' though with someone like her those two modes tend to blur the lines.

"Come on, none of us have been on active duty in years, you don't have to look like a first lieutenant in the army anymore," Pieck says in a voice that is as sweet as it is sarcastic.

Jean grumbles. In the mirror his little moustache looked alright — he hadn't been able to make the ends twirl upwards, but he was able to make it look presentable in a way that fit with his life of suits, ties, and peace talks.

But seeing Pieck so easily mock his look makes him think otherwise.

"Okay, good night, Pieck," he ends up saying in place of anything more snappy. At this point of the evening, he only has so much energy left in his system.

He walks past Pieck, wondering if his facial hair might look a lot better in the morning.

"Good night!" Pieck repeats back at him. "Hope that moustache didn't use up all the hot water."

"Ha!" Jean guffaws, then turns around to give her a sardonic look. "Bold of you to assume we even had any in the first place."

[reuinx]

Breathe (Yelena Belova x Reader)

Summary: You are completely powerless when it comes to controlling your anxiety. As soon as Yelena gets home from a long work day, she goes out of her way to make you feel better in any way she can.

Word Count: 1,500​

Translations: Malishka (Baby), Krasotka (Beautiful),  Liybimaya (My Love)

Masterlist

The feeling that something had taken control of you was unsettling; your anxiety had returned. You leaned over the sink as you stood in the bathroom, resting your hands on either side for support. Running the faucet was your attempt to drown out your throbbing heart. Rather than feeling it in your chest, you could feel it in your head. You felt as if you were spinning with every beat. Your breathing was labored. While in a state of stress, you weren't aware of how long it had been; time seemed to go by quickly. Before Yelena arrived, you were trying to control the situation. She would come home before you were able to alleviate your anxiety.

As you lifted your head, you heard an unexpected noise reverberating throughout the apartment. Upon inserting the key into the front door, the lock shifted as it opened with a beaming voice resonating throughout the apartment. Yelena. Your Yelena.

"Honey, I'm home!" Yelena shouted as you stared at yourself in the mirror. As a result of crying, you had grown pale, your eyes bloodshot. 

"Malishka?" Yelena called again, and you remained silent. You knew she would be looking for you. It was apparent you could buy yourself time if you responded. Yelena was persistent.

"I'm in the bathroom" You managed to get Yelena's attention. There was a rustling sound in the apartment until a shadow appeared over the gap at the bottom of the door. It was her.

"Can I come in?" Asking softly, she knocked on the door.

"No, no, baby! I'll be out in a minute."

"But…but I've missed you."

"I know, I know. I'm just.."

"I'm coming in; you always let me in!" When you were on the toilet or in the shower, Yelena would just walk into the bathroom without a second thought. You would often find her sitting on the floor, talking to you, or joining you in the shower.

"Hi, Krasotka! How was your da…Hey… What's happened, Liybimaya?" Her loving smile quickly faded away, and she never panicked when something went wrong. Her automatic reaction was to go into crisis mode. Whenever something went wrong, she was the first to try to fix it. She was an expert at fixing things, or at least she tried.

"I'm okay, baby. I'm okay."

"Hey.. you aren't okay. I can tell. Anxiety again? Mhm?" She knew you like the back of her hand. Her eyes oversaw you and your movements as she approached slowly. Her arms slowly encircled your waist after she got to you. Her chin resting on your shoulder blade, she smiled at you in the mirror. You were weak and powerless in her arms.

"I've got you," She whispered as she turned you around within her arms, your body moving with every adjustment she insisted you make. As you wrapped your arms around her neck, she slowly lifted you and let you wrap your legs around her waist. She held your weight with little to no ease.

"That's my girl, shhh," she hummed while holding your head close to her chest, smothering you with kisses.

"Breathe with me," she instructed; she often held you close so you could feel her chest heaving in and out. It was difficult to overcome your hitched breathing, but you eventually began to mimic hers. Finally, you felt like you could finally catch your breath.

"Good girl," She murmured, lifting you onto the counter beside the sink. Your comfort was her priority. You didn't want to admit it, but whenever you saw her, your worries disappeared. The comfort of having her at home began to ease your anxiety.

"I'll look after you now." Yelena's voice softened the harshness of the words. You had no idea what she was going to do, but she gently tucked up the sleeves of her white shirt. She walked over to the bath, plugging it in and turning the faucet on. A blast of water struck the hard plastic. As she picked up a packet, she began to sprinkle Epsom salt into the bath, the scent of lavender filling the room.

“Come here to me, my love." As she stepped between your legs, slowly removing your t-shirt from your head, she kissed your collarbone before removing your bra. She seemed to do everything so effortlessly. Your jeans were unbuttoned as she tugged your underwear with them. Even though you lay bare on the counter. Her tenderness made you feel relief. Her hand held firmly onto yours as she led you into the bath. As soon as you sat down, the comfort and Epsom salt eased your muscles.

As she sat beside the bath, she gazed into your eyes with a lingering smile on her face, leaning her head on her arm and dangling her arms over the water. The water surface was slowly traced with her fingers.

"Feel any better?"

"I do… a lot better.."

"Any triggers today that might have set it off?"

"Not sure, It was all of a sudden. I don't know why. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, my love. We will deal with this day by day; you never need to be sorry for how you feel." Inhaling the lavender that soothed your lungs, you closed your eyes and felt your mind drift away into relaxation. You did not like taking baths without Yelena; it felt odd.

"I wish you'd get in already" You murmured.

"What the lady wants, the lady will get." She went ahead and kicked off her shoes, stepping over the bath as she plopped down in the water, fully clothed. The water seeped through her clothes, making you laugh. As she grinned childlike at you, she was waiting for your response.

"You've got your clothes all wet,"

"Anything to make my girl smile."

"Oh, stop that!"

"Why? You love it," She murmured softly, closing the distance between you both as she gently kissed your cheek.

"How was work today?" It finally occurred to you to ask, and you had felt terrible about not asking her sooner.

"Awful. I spent my day missing you as I always do" She frowned and pressed her lips together, her eyes meeting yours as you tilted your head at her, wondering what she wanted to ask you. She often gave you this look that you knew was her way of mentally preparing herself.

"Instead of cooking tonight, we are ordering a takeaway." She insisted as you observed her when her eyes were beginning to flutter close; she was exhausted. It was obvious. Even in a moment such as this, you couldn’t help but admire her beauty. In response to her, you couldn't help but smile. Despite feeling tired today, she remained interested in caring for you. She never complained about being exhausted; she just wanted what was best for you. You never had someone who made you a priority.. that was until you met her. 

"You're staring" A half-smile formed on her lips.

"You're beautiful."

"Stop"

"You are"

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"I should be asking that question. You've had a long day at work, and here you are, looking after me" You felt guilty that she was spending the remaining of her energy on you. You watched as the water that had clung to her clothing began to run off. Stepping out of the tub, she left the bathroom.

"Wait… where are you going? El? The floors!" You groaned as puddles of water formed after her. She didn't say a word to you. In the comfort of your bath, you wondered where she went. She changed into a tank top and shorts within a few minutes. With her bathrobe in hand, she stood beside the bath.

"I've got you" She held up her hands to make sure you didn't fall as you carefully emerged from the bath. You slipped your arms into Yelena's bathrobe, and she closed it tightly around your naked body, ensuring it wouldn't come loose.

"I'll mop up later; let me get you sorted first."

Her grasp suddenly seized you. She carried you into the bedroom without hesitation. You were carefully placed on the bed. Despite her intention of turning away, you quickly grabbed her tank top fabric. As she looked at you, her eyebrows raised.

"Please stay"

"But I have to...-"

"Stay, El. Stay."

"Can't get enough of the greatest love machine of Russia?" As she grinned at you, you rolled your eyes at her. Slowly, she climbed down on the bed and shifted over to you. She could never be too far away from you in bed.

"I can never get enough of you," You responded weakly. She opened her arm up for you, allowing you to snuggle into her chest. You did it without a second thought. She held you close, making you feel comfortable and safe. As you leaned your head on her chest, the beat of her heart was enough to begin to put you to sleep. Whenever you fell asleep, you knew that Yelena wouldn't move. It was exactly what you wanted. Even though she desperately needed a nap, she wasn't able to take it. As she slowly sang to you, her voice was rigid and low in an effort to lull you to sleep, which you did quickly.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine..."

[sinnaminsuga]

(GIF was sent to me by a friend so i'm not sure of the owner! if it's you let me know so i can credit you!)

Title: Be Gentle With Him

Summary: just some soft geralt. he deserves the world.

Word Count: 1,130

A/N: hello! this idea just popped up in my head and the lovely @wendimydarling encouraged me to write it out! wendi i cant thank you enough for being so sweet to me and always being there for whatever dumb questions i have 😂💕

Tags: @killjoy-assbutt-1112 @infinite-shite @inlovewithhisblueeyes @october505 @hope-to-hell @littlefreya @viking-raider @the-soot-sprite @raspberrydreamclouds @thelastsock @connieisland @nuggsmum @wolvesandhoundshowltogether @foodieforthoughts @geek-eat-repeat @oddsnendsfanfics @oddduckthatgirl @feralrunaway @its--fandom--darling @madbaddic7ed

(if i missed you let me know or if you want to be removed also let me know! ☺️💛)

This hunt had been particularly grueling. I knew by the way Geralt had come limping to my front door in much worse shape than when he’d left. Seeing him in such a state threw me into nurture mode and I pulled the large man through the door of my cottage just as I had many times before. Silently Geralt slumped into a chair at my kitchen table as I began to fix him a proper meal while also collecting the things I’d need to soothe whatever ailments he most likely had brought home with him.

After he was fed and mended, I drew a bath. There was no doubt that his muscles were sore and tired, the man was a monster hunter for god's sake. Swinging a sword around and dancing with death every day took a toll on his body no matter how much Geralt wouldn't admit it. I searched through my cabinets of herbs, potions, and elixirs to find the right combination. I began adding my collection of items to a bowl, under the watchful gaze of the witcher. Almond, chamomile, and lavender oils joined dried calendula and rose petals in the bowl. After adding a dash of red clover blossoms, I made my way back to the tub to turn off the faucet. I retrieved the bowl and scattered its contents into the water, the inviting scent eventually taking over the room.

Geralt sat in the corner, still silent, but observing. Once the bath preparation was finished I made my way to him and slowly started ridding him of his clothing, and he just let me. When he was fully undressed, I removed my own clothing and stepped into the tub, motioning for him to join me. I sat with him between my legs, and began gently washing his broad body. He hummed every now and then as the cloth travelled over his skin and I found myself smiling a little, happy that he was finally letting me take care of him. I scrubbed his scalp and hair with a mixture I’d concocted, effectively stripping the dirt and grime from him.

When I'd finished cleaning Geralt I tugged him back to lay against my chest. He needed to rest and I was determined to help him. We layed there in the steaming water, my hands tracing his shoulders and digging into the muscles of his strong neck every so often, peppering soft kisses over his exposed skin and now clean hair. Suddenly his breathing became uneven and his shoulders slumped against me. I softly tilted his head so I could see his face and that's when I saw. He was crying. Geralt of Rivia, the mighty White Wolf, the Butcher of Blaviken, was crying in my arms. The offending briny liquid slipped down his cheeks in what seemed to be a constant flow and he attempted to tear his amber gaze away from my face, but I wasn't having it. “Geralt, sweetheart, speak to me.” I said landing a kiss to his forehead.

“It seems to be becoming increasingly more difficult to leave you, little dove.” He spoke quietly. “And I know I must go. I have to provide for you somehow. But my heart longs to be here, with you. And it's making me clumsy. I’m so wrapped up in thoughts of you and my desire to return home, that I miss things. I never miss things, little dove. Never. I let a monster get the drop on me because I was too busy planning my route home. I don't think I can keep doing it. But then I think “what use would she have for me if I was around all the time?”. You’ll grow tired of me dove, I know you will. And then what? What's this old witcher to do then hmm?” He finished speaking and sniffed a few times before attempting to turn away again.

Bracing my hands on both sides of his face, I forced Geralt to look at me again. “Now you listen here good sir. I will never grow tired of you. Never. Do you know how many nights I've spent laying awake, wishing you weren't out there in harm's way? How much I wished you would return home days early?” I said, fingertips brushing over his cheek. “You don't have to do this Geralt. I’d take you as a monster hunter or a farmer or a stableman. It doesn't matter to me. We’ll find a way to get by no matter what you choose to do. Your mother stole that choice from you long ago and I won't be involved in doing that to you for a second time. You can be whatever you want. As long as you're mine.” I whispered into his hair. “Come now. The water is getting cold.” I said, moving to extract us both from the now tepid water.

The conversation in the bath seemed to be cathartic for Geralt and he was in a much better mood, teasing me as I dressed and tickling me whenever I passed by him. “Would you mind doing something about this, little dove?” He asked shyly, a small smile gracing his beautiful face as he gestured to his fresh clean hair. I nodded emphatically and grabbed a brush and some small thin leather strips from my drawer, then made myself comfortable on the bed while directing Geralt to sit on the bench at the foot of the bed. He grabbed a book from my shelf and made himself comfortable. “Read to me Geralt.”

I started slowly and gently detangling his long hair. Parting it down the middle, I listened as his voice rumbled out the words from the book in his big hands. I couldn't help but marvel at his hair, it truly was beautiful. Soft and silky, it slipped through my fingers like rays of moonlight. The more I toyed with the strands, the more I could feel him leaning into my touch, happy and comfortable. I continued to part and weave his hair into two wide braids, tying off the ends with the leather strips. A few wispy pieces too short to stay anchored within the braids, framed his face and curled around his ears. I slid out from behind him and knelt between his open legs, my hands holding his cheeks. “So beautiful. Truly.” I whispered as my eyes roamed his face, meticulously committing the sight of his blushing cheeks and wide smile to my memory. Before I could do anything else, Geralt pulled me up from my kneeling position and cradled me in his lap.

“You make me want to be a softer man little dove. A kinder man. I think that is what I shall become. A better man. For you.”

THE END

[ramble-writes]

Forget-Me-Not: The Face of Death

So this story originally was called What A Mercenary Wants and I felt like I had rushed it. But here it is with a bran spankin new start and time is being taken with this! To read more or to get to my Wattpad, the story is here. Enjoy it as it is RVB.

-

Another bounty finished another paycheck. Sam let out a sigh as he slumped down in the cockpit of A'rynasea. It beeped a bit as if checking on him, and he only waved his hand to signify he was ok. Sam placed his hands back on the controls and directed the ship back to Chorus. He didn't know why but felt obligated to stay after the chaos and destruction he caused when Felix/Isaac was alive. It was an eye-opening experience after Isaac died, but knowing the damage that they caused could never be fixed. So—staying in the shadows and helping out on the battlefront when he can without being figured out.

Upon nearing Chorus, A'rynasea cloaked as she weaved between countless UNSC ships, avoiding the ones that have motion sensors. Breaking through the atmosphere, the ship glided through the sky as a shimmer to the trained eye. Piloting the alien ship carefully, Sam made A'rynasea hover above an apartment complex and switched the engines to silent mode, thus putting it into low-power mode. The top hatch opened, and Sam made his way out. With a trill of beeps, when he patted the hull, the alien ship was off to hover within the gravitational pull of Chorus.

Sam let out a sigh as he entered the apartment complex via the roof access. He went down two flights of stairs before coming to his room. He pulled out a keycard and held it up to the sensor where the door handle was. It beeped, and the door cracked open enough for him to push his way inside. Once in the comfort of his apartment, the bounty hunter started to remove his armor. He is glad he changed it up, fixed it so he's not recognized for being the horrifying mercenary Locus. Armor pieces became scattered across the dull carpet. Sam placed hidden knives on the coffee table to make things easier. All that was left for him was to remove the bodysuit.

A breath left him at the heat of the water surrounding his body, a cool towel at his neck to keep his head level and to prevent the amount of heat from making him feel lightheaded. When was the last time he had a bath? A strange thought to have. Not one that would come across his usual train of thought. But knowing who would've thought of it made him want to sink into the water. All he saw behind closed eyes was a bright smile, deep brown eyes that he would gladly get swallowed up into, soft skin that felt like bliss to his scarred hands, and Gods, the way that man's laugh brightened a room.

He didn't even realize he was starting to nod off the more his thoughts drifted. Dark pits stared at him in the dead of night with little light coming through the windows. Sam couldn't help but slowly reach up and brush the tips of his fingers to the other man's cheek. A whisper of how he isn't supposed to be in bed with him made the other chuckle. The response was how the man turned his head to brush his lips to Sam's calloused fingers. This only made him blush lightly, watching the other as he moved to tuck his head under his chin. Sam blushed more at feeling his partner gently plant kisses along the skin of his neck, from the dip where collarbones come together to that soft spot of skin where the jaw connects. Further up did the kisses travel that it made the soldier's heart pick up the pace in his chest. Inches apart were their lips now, the way their breaths mingled that it lulled them both in.

That was till Sam woke up with a yelp when he slipped and his knee banged against the faucet. A hiss of pain slipped through his teeth as he sat up to check if there was a bruise. Of course, it's not going to be immediate, but it'll be there. Sighing, he decided he was done and unplugged the tub to let the water drain out. He stood up with a grunt, reaching over to grab a towel to wrap around his waist as he got out to dry himself off. Standing in front of the mirror as he brushes his teeth and overlooks his scars, he turned around to take a look at his back, knowing he has a recent wound that is healing.

The knife wound wasn't deep, but it stung like a bitch, and any overstretching would reopen the surface, and the last thing he needs is to wash more clothing to prevent blood from staining. It's good Sam kept his hair up, made it easier for him to see old scars that scatter his shoulders. But upon looking, he caught sight of a small faded blue tattoo that stops at the base of his hairline. He takes a moment to stare before searching for a handheld mirror to get a better look. With the mirror angled correctly, it was a singular blue flower with five petals that around the center is yellow. It took him a few moments to struggle with the name, but upon remembering, Sam's breath hitched, and he set the handheld mirror down.

Thinking about it... He's alone. He could properly grieve now with no disturbances. Sam moved to sit on the lid of the toilet, resting his face in his hands as a shudder racked through him. To think after all these years from losing his partner, trying to cope via becoming a bounty hunter with Isaac, to later shit hitting the fan and becoming mercenaries. And then came the Chorus War. So many years spent on this rock, so many years spent being a hollow shell that was molded to being what he would call the "perfect soldier," but a monster to others. He was numb that he pushed all thought to the recesses of his mind, never to surface. An internal fear that the AI didn't see. The fear of letting out every emotion held back would render him vulnerable beyond compare for people to exploit.

And here he is now. Exposed. Vulnerable. Sam was, for once, letting himself go as he should have the moment he was free. Afraid for a moment that he might fall over, he moved to sit on the floor instead as he quivered as sobs came in waves. A shakey hand lifted to cup over the small flower on the back of his neck as the man slowly rocked back and forth with an arm wrapped around his stomach. This left for the tears he covered to flow freely down his scarred cheeks and drip onto the floor. All those walls he had were broken, but it was in the comfort of his home that he was free from prying eyes.

"I won't forget you... I promise..."

[flock-you]

the Frosch snuggling on my lap pic is from a few days ago when it was still in the low 40′s outside, the pic of the cat is from yesterday. I’ve got those pics side by side to show what my life is like outside and inside.

outside I have my hand raised turkey, Frosch, who demands snuggles.

inside I have Saya (better known as Furb’ll or Furb since she looked like an animated dustbunny when we got her), my almost 11 year old hand raised cat who was found by my late woofmutt in the backyard by the pond all by herself at barely 5 weeks of age who also demands snuggles. and unlike the turkey she drools like a faucet when she gets into full happy snuggle mode.

also, yesterday Lilan turned herself into a gray bird when she found the dirtiest bit if dirt in the yard to dust bathe in. she went back to it twice after those photos were taken too, making her even more gray. it’s not that there’s no cleaner spots of dirt for her to choose, it’s just she wanted to dust bathe in the dirty dirt.

there was also a bit of hilarity a few nights ago (while it was still getting chilly overnight). little Nine, the Sebright/silkie mix (and smallest bird in the flock), likes to use the Brahmas for warmth at night. they huddle together because those three hooligans are very close and Nine pushes herself right into the middle of them. well, while I was making sure everyone was in bed one of the hooligans decided they wanted to move away from the huddle. Nine would not allow that. she grabbed the hooligan by her hackles and pulled her right back into place.

that was something, seeing a bird that’s maybe 1.5lbs boss around a bird almost as big as the turkey like that. and those hooligans listen to her since she’s bossed them around since they were first introduced to the flock. I wish I had been able to get that on video.

[lovewriting-5]

Roads:

*gif credit goes to @angelshizuka*

6. Sand Castle

8. Long Road Ahead

7. Room With A View:

We walk pass the front office as the manager turns the lights off. Daniel is carrying Mushroom. He asks “Do you think it will have Netflix? Or a jacuzzi?” Sean tells him “Dude, this is a motel, not an Airbnb. If we’re lucky, it’ll have cable and a hot shower.” We trudge up the stairs and Daniel reached room 10 first. He says “Look! Room 10! I found it!” Sean says “No shit, Sherlock Diaz.”

I unlocked the door and Daniel was the first one through. He noticed the bathtub and says “Check it out! It even has a bathtub!” Sean tells him “Good! We’re gonna throw you in, cave boy!” Next thing, Daniel noticed was the TV, then he takes in the rest of the room. He places Mushroom on the left side bed. He says “We can even watch TV, too! And there’s a balcony! Whoa, this is nice! And warm!”

Sean plugs his phone into the charger. Daniel takes off his shoes and climbs on the other bed. I sit down on the left side bed and begin petting Mushroom. It feels really good to sit down on an actual bed and inside a warm room.

Danie sits down on the bed closest to the TV, “Oooh...This bed is soft...What about this one?” He gets up and moves to the bed where I was sitting with Mushroom. He says “Uuuh, not bad...But too far from the TV!” He asks Sean “Can I take...the one in front of the TV? Huh? Wanna play it over rock, paper, scissors?” Sean getting ready, says “Oh, there’s no way you can beat me, but...Ready?” Daniel says “I am sooo ready to beat you!”

Sean won, Daniel says “Aww...shoot.” Sean tells him “I told you, man.” He asks “Can we play another round? Come on!” Sean says “Sure, I mean...you’re gonna lose again, but...suit yourself!” Pretty confident, he says “Not this time!” Sean won the second game. Daniel not happy, says “Aww...Come on...Not fair...” He says “You lost, man! What’s not fair?” Daniel says “I wanted that bed.” He decided to give up “Eh...take it.” Daniel asks “For real?” He says “I don’t really care.” Daniel hugs him and says “Awesome!” Sean trying to convince him, “They’re the same, y’know?” He says “Yeah, but I like this one better!”

Daniel picks up Mushroom, moves to the bed and sets her in front of him. Then he turns on the TV. Sean says to him “All right. I’m gonna run a bath. We totally reek.” He says “Especially you! “Pig-pen!” Sean says “I wouldn’t be so sure, cave boy. I’ll call you when it’s ready.” He says “I’ll be right here!” Sean says “Course you will...” Daniel turns on Hawt Dawg Man, “Oh cool! HAWT DAWG MAN IS ON! Ooooo, I remember this episode! Weird it’s on so late...”

Daniel begins going through his new backpack. He pulls a little blue square package out. He says “Yuk, Sean! There’s a condom in my bag...Gross!” Sean yells “Hey!” I get up and walk to the bathroom door. I say “So...Sean...I see what your party plans were for tonight.” He looks at me and gives an embarrassed smile. I give him a smirk and walk back to the bed.

As Daniel and I watch Hawt Dawg Man, I noticed a little hula girl sitting on the bedside table. I point to it and ask, “What’s that?” Daniel says “It was in Brody’s car.” I ask “He gave it to you?” He says, sheepishly “Uhhh...Well...Yeah!” I ask “You stole it from him?” He says “I dunno...it looked cool and...Sean stole before, so I thought...” I tell him “Stealing is bad. We only do it if...we really need it. Okay? Plus...Brody was super nice with us...” He asks “If it’s bad, then...why did Sean do it?” Sean comes back out of the bathroom for a second, “Hey! We had to. It was different! I don’t want you stealing around, understand?” Daniel nods as the hula girl sits on the bedside table, “Yeah. Okay...”

Sean sits on the other bed next to me. He asks “So...What’s up?” I tell him “The Buns want to catch Hawt Dawg Man...and turn him into sausage meat!” He says “Oh yeah! The Giant Meatball attacks in the next episode, right?” Daniel says “Yes! And they get to meet the city Mayo!” Sean says “Man, it’s been ages...” He asks “Why don’t you watch Hawt Dawg Man with me anymore?” Sean gets up and moves next to him, “I’m too old, dude...And I’ve seen it so many times.” He says “Okay, grandpa Sean! Feels so good to sit down and watch TV!”

Sean says “True” then begins to tickle him, “Watch out for grandpa Sean!” Daniel while laughing, “Stop! Sean! No! Come on!” I begin laughing along with them. Sean says “Next time you’ll respect the old man!” After a few minutes of everyone catching their breaths, Sean says “Okay. I’m done here.” Daniel says “You’re missing the best part!” He tells him “I know. But I gotta take care of the bath. Don’t forget, you’re up soon!” Daniel says “I know!”

Sean decides to step out on the balcony for a few minutes. I pick up the towels from the bed and hang them in the bathroom. I remind Daniel “There are fresh towels in the bathroom.” He says “Yeah, yeah...”

That’s when Sean came back in from the balcony. I told him “I put the towels in the bathroom.” Sean says “Thank you, I’ll go ahead and check the tub for Prince Daniel.” Daniel was too focused on Hawt Dawg Man to hear. He walks in to the bathroom and I hear the faucet being turned off. Daniel says to me “This episode is awesome. You should sit down and watch it with me!” I sit down on the bed to watch.

After five minutes, Sean yells “HEY, DANIEL, BATH’S READY!” Daniel disappointed, yells “What?! Already? Can I finish this episode first?” He tells him “No man. You smell so bad, there’s no time to lose.” Daniel picked up Mushroom and walked to the bathroom, he says to him “Hey, you smell too!”

There were small bubbles starting to come from the bathroom. Daniel excitedly, says “Oh my God...Whoa! So many bubbles!” Sean says “Try and keep them in the bathtub.” He is now looking forward to it, says “I will! Promise! Thanks!” Sean reminds him “And no, the dog is not taking a bath with you!” A little disappointed, he says “Okay, okay! Don’t worry.”

Sean checks on Daniel quickly, then walks to pick his phone up from the charger. I walk with him out to the balcony. I say “It’s nice and peaceful out here.” He says while looking down at his phone “Yeah.” He turns it on and notices a lot of texts coming in, “Shit! Lyla’s freaking out. Should I leave her out of this? I think she’ll get in trouble.” I peered over his shoulder at the phone screen and noticed all the texts from her. I tell him “She might or she might worry ever more.” He decides to not call her.

I throw my phone, when I noticed he sat down in one of the white plastic chairs out here. I sit on his left side when he pulls up a video of him, Daniel and Esteban from Christmas. I lay my head on his left shoulder as he presses play.

The video begins with Sean making sure the camera is working, “Okay! Wait...Okay, okay...And...ACTION!” The camera is on Esteban who yells to Daniel “Daniel! Get your butt in here right now!” Daniel thinking he’s in trouble “What? What did I do?” Esteban holding up a small box wrapped in colorful paper, says “You forgot to open this present!” He opens the box and is disappointed “What is this? Socks...Underwear...That’s it?” Esteban playing it cool, says “Yeah, pretty cool, huh? That’s what I got when I was a kid...” He’s not buying it, says “Not funny...” Sean can be heard laughing from behind the camera, “Yeah it is! Dude! Check out your face!”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see him begin to tear up. He wipes the tears away on his sleeve. I place an arm around his shoulders and place my chin on his left shoulder as the video continues. Daniel notices a medium size box left under the tree. He says excitedly “What, what...Look! There’s another one here! What is it...?” Esteban moves to help him with it, “Daniel...let me help...Looks bigger than underwear...”

They both continue to tear the paper. Daniel’s face lights up “Ooooh, what? No way! Can’t believe it! The new...PlayBox! Thank you Santa!” As he looks to his dad. Denying it, he says “Hey, don’t look at me...You were a good boy this year...” Sean jokingly annoyed, says “Yeah. Lucky boy.” Esteban reminds him “Daniel. This is for the whole family too, right? So you gotta share...With me! I want to play that game where you steal cars and go on high speed pursuit...”

Sean jokingly tells him “Dad, you totally suck at games...” Esteban looking to get him back, says “Oh yeah, track star? I was the dodge-ball champ of my high school...So duck!” The ball comes toward the camera and hits Sean in the arm, “Ow! No fair!” Daniel blocking the PlayBox, “You guys, don’t crush the PlayBox! Hey! Let’s set it up! Dad, come on!” He got hit with the ball and kept it, “Ow! Okay! My ball now! Watch out!” Esteban says “Merry Christmas, kids...” The video ends with Esteban wearing a Christmas sweater. Daniel is holding the PlayBox with decorations in the background.

Sean then gets up and throws the phone toward the beach. He takes a few minutes before heading back. I heard music coming from the room. I turn around and see Daniel rocking out on top of the bed. We walk into ‘Banquet’ by Bloc Party blaring from the TV.

Sean asks “Are you kidding me?” Daniel says while dancing “Remember that song?! Come on! Dance!” We join him on the bed, Sean says “Oh man! We haven’t played Guitar Fighter for years!” He says “You never beat my score!” Sean tells him “You played on Easy Mode. I was on Hardcore, dude!” Daniel says “You’re so jealous! I’m the best guitar player!” Mushroom is barking happily while the three of us are dancing. After the songs ends, Sean steps down and turns off the TV.

I step down while Daniel jumps to sit down. Sean says “Daniel...Come here. We need to talk.” Daniel asks “Can we get a drink first? I’m thirsty...” He asks “Right now?” Daniel says “You said I could have a coke...or something...” He says “Okay. I’ll get you a soda. But when I come back...we’re going to talk. Serious.” Daniel says “Fine...What’s the big deal?” Sean leaves the room.

I sit with Daniel and check to see how he’s doing. He seems happier and more relaxed. Next, we start talking about random things. He can come up with anything to talk about. I went to use the bathroom and when I came out, Daniel had the remote in his hand. The local news was on. Everything was going fine until they mentioned Seattle.

Daniel shouts “Dad!” Objects started floating and the lights started flickering. I say “Daniel!” He managed to push the beds aside. The desk and chairs were tipped over. The lights are going haywire.

That’s when Sean runs in and sees what is happening. Daniel’s fists are clenched with tears in his eyes and there is a photo of Esteban on the TV. He says “Oh fuck! Oh my God...Daniel...?! What is happening?! Daniel, calm down!” Daniel is angry and I’m trying to comfort Mushroom who is barking. Daniel yells “YOU LIED! Dad! Our dad is dead!”

The news shows the headline BREAKING NEWS: 2 DEAD IN SEATTLE INCIDENT. Daniel yells “WHY?” Sean frighteningly tells him “It was an accident! A cop fucked up and shot him! That’s it.” He angrily, yells “No! No! IT’S NOT TRUE!” Sean says upset “I’m so sorry...” Daniel gestures to the TV and says “Why? Why did you LIE to me?!” Sean tells him upset and trying to calm him “I just wanted to protect you until I could-“ He says “Protect me from what? You?” There was a loud tearing of fabric as Sean is pushed back. He says “Daniel, I...” Daniel yells “I hate you!”

The closet door bursts open and the contents fly out. Daniel tells him “You’re not my brother!” Sean says more upset with tears in his eyes, “Don’t say that. I know I messed up everything. We’re gonna get through this...”

Sean tries to get closer to him. Daniel yells “Don’t touch me!” Sean finally reached him and pulled him in to a hug. He says “Daniel! Please!” Daniel tries to break from him but Sean hugs him tight. Daniel says “No!” Sean slowly begins to calm him down, “Shh...It’s okay...”

Everything falls to the floor as Mushroom and I step forward as Daniel begins to cry. He says “I want dad...” Sean tells him “Me too.” The lights stop flickering as the three of us look around. Daniel says “You told me, we were gonna see dad...” Sean says “I’m sorry...I just...” He says “Just don’t lie to me ever again. Ever.” Sean tells him “I promise. I won’t lie to you again. I promise.” Daniel looks at me. I nod and tell him “I promise as well.” He says while crying “I’m serious...” Sean says “I know...Me too, Daniel...” Daniel asks “What are we gonna do without him?” He says “Sssshhhh...It’s gonna be okay. It’s gonna be okay.”

[writhingcreature]

Prompt 8 - Stenbrough

“I don’t know if you are still doing drabbles or not, but can you do one with stenbrough? Maybe one using the quote “With you, I am safe?” Please? I’m in the mood for softness.” - @a-false-king​

Stan was really chill, for the most part. He liked the quiet and the stillness. Or, the slow, lowkey things about the world that often went unnoticed. He liked sitting outside on a sunny day with eyes closed, listening to the very distant sound of traffic and feeling the breeze and light on his skin. He basked in it, far away from chaos and therefore safe from danger.

Life was kind of terrifying for Stan. He was a gut driven man, often leaning towards things that felt good and taking off at full speed away from things that even remotely made him feel uncomfortable. He liked things neat and in order. He liked them to make sense. He liked making people happy and doing what he was supposed to.

Bill was kind of a mess. He wasn’t as bad as Richie, but when Richie needed a midnight friend to go and create havoc with, it was always Bill he called. He liked having fun and going out and driving a little faster than he should. He liked 2am ice cream and thriller movies and horror novels and drama plays that had lots of fighting and ridiculousness in it. He liked getting into trouble, and that never went away- even when he got older.

Things still scared Bill, but he was the kind of man that usually ignored those feelings in favor of doing what was right, or doing what he wanted to do.  On top of that, not only was he good at getting into trouble, he was good at dragging people along with him. Usually, Richie would drag him and sometimes Bev, and Bill would be left with the job of getting those of the Losers who were hesitant.

Even after years of eventually winning over each and every one of the Losers, Stan remained stubborn. It was a fight every time. A promise. A swear. A guarantee. Every time it Stan who hesitated each time, ending up enjoying it the most when it was all over. It was Stan who got them out of trouble, talking or reasoning their way out of getting caught like he was mind controlling them. And every time, it was always only ever Bill who could get him to agree to come along.

As they got older, they got into less pranks and sneaking out became less for the Losers and much more often just the two of them. Bill was talking Stan into dates rather than early morning mischief. They were falling asleep at each other’s houses and holding hands under the table and kissing int he back of the movie theater and flirting with each other when they were sure no one could hear. Soon, it was less “let’s go get food” and more “let’s go make out”.

Suddenly Bill and Stan were in a full fledged secret relationship and Stan was utterly terrified every second of it. On top of the sneaking around, Bill was very obvious and endlessly insatiable. He always wanted to stay a little bit longer. He always wanted one more kiss. Five more minutes cuddling. He flirted with Stan in public for pete’s sake! Thank god for Stan’s cleverness, otherwise everyone would have found out a long time ago.

Two boys being together? In Derry, Maine? I think not.

Yet here Stan and Bill were. Being very much together and most definitely falling in love.

They never did tell the others about them, though their friends weren’t stupid and seemed to know. It was just that no one ever said anything about it. When Stan got into a more serious business, after college, he invited Bill to go with him. To leave Derry. Bill, who fancied being a writer, was all too eager.

Bill was a little dangerous. A little wild. A little crazy. Despite everything, he never lost his touch of youth and drive for excitement. He never fully grew up, cracking jokes and rolling his eyes and winking and teasing and flirting like they were still sixteen and not-so-secretly crushing on each other.

Stan was still terrified. Life still scared him. He still had a tendency to hide behind Bill when people got a little nasty or too curious or Bill was being a tad too obvious. He still had nightmares that woke him up or kept him from sleeping all together. He still jumped when people even said the word gay or looked between Bill and Stan with That Look that hinted at them maybe knowing everything.

At the end of the day though, Bill was there to soothe him. No matter how scared he was. How unsure he was. Bill understood his fear. Hell, Bill was no less afraid than Stan was. Bill understood the clown that haunted his nightmares, and the people that haunted him every waking second of life in general as they hesitated to hold hands in public despite how much Bill wanted to kiss Stan, no matter who was around. 

Bill never judged him or teased him. And Bill wasn’t afraid of everything. He was strong and unbreakable, easy to lean on and never hesitant to support Stan if Stan so needed it. 

Then they got the call. The phone rang and Bill picked it up. “Hello?”

“Hey Bill. It’s Mike Hanlon.”

Bill’s eyebrows came together. “Who?”

“From Derry.” Bill was quiet. “Look Bill. Uh, IT’s back.”

The phone dropped. “Bill?” Stan called from the other room. There was no response. He shot up and to where Bill was, instantly a lot more nervous upon seeing Bill’s blank eyes and pale face. “Bill what’s wrong?” He heard a distant voice and looked down, eyes landing on the phone. He picked it up. “Hello?”

“Hi. This is Mike. Hanlon. Uh, is Bill there?”

“This is his-” he cut off then set his face. “This is his husband.” They’d been working on being more open about that one. Debated on it for a long time. It had gotten easier, especially as people got more and more accepting. Today, it wasn’t too big of a deal. Nothing compared to what it was when they were kids. It was even legal now. They’d gotten married a few months ago, after being together for the last thirty years or so. Give or take. Having shame about it now was just dumb.

The man on the other line was quiet for a second. Maybe a little surprised. “Uh, Stan?”

Stan froze. How did this man know who he was? “I’m sorry, who did you say you were again?”

The man sighed. “Mike Hanlon.” He seemed irritated. “Derry, Stan. I know it’s hard, but you have to remember. IT’s back. We promised, back then. You have to come back. We have to defeat it this time. For real.”

Stan’s brain was having a hard time connecting the pieces of a puzzle he didn’t know he was trying to solve. “It? What is...” And then it clicked. He felt his whole body go numb. His brain went fuzzy. His heart seemed to be beating so fast it couldn’t be felt at all. Or maybe it had just stopped beating.

No. Not this. Anything but this.

“Stan?”

“Yes.” Stan was in full business mode, surprising himself with how calm he sounded. “When should I come?”

“Immediately,” Mike answered, seeming relieved. Maybe he’d had a rough time with the others too. Others? What others? Stan’s brain was having a hard time thinking through the utter panic consuming. He looked to Bill for comfort and was even more horrified to realize this is why Bill was currently bent over, hands on the table in front of him and head dangling limply between his shoulders. Stan wouldn’t be able to look for safety this time. 

“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”

“Perfect.” Then he gave Stan some information about some restaurant. An address, time, and date. “See you there?”

“For sure.” Stan hung up, a little piece of paper with all the information on it in his hand. He looked at the paper. Then he placed the phone down very calmly, the piece of paper next to it. Bill might go.

Stan wouldn’t.

But it was Bill. Surely he’d find a way to talk Stan into going. Bill always did. What if Bill couldn’t talk him into it? What if he couldn’t be talked into doing... anything?

“I’m going to take a bath.” He looked at Bill, but the blonde man was still panicking.

Bill did look up just as Stan was about to settle for no response. “Y-yeah. That’s f...” He blinked, both of them becoming pale. Bill hadn’t stuttered in a very, very long time. Probably about ten years. Give o take. “That’s f-fine,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Stan went to the bathroom, getting undressed as the tub filled up with water. He climbed in, letting the warm water soothe the guilt that came with his decision. Just a little. He closed his eyes for a second, taking an even breath before opening them again. “I’m sorry, Bill.” The light reflected off of something in his hand. He moved the shiny thing toward his other wrist...

Bill suddenly got a terrible feeling in his gut. He’d been remembering a small boy with a red balloon and a yellow jacket. A little boy that used to mean everything to him. Someone he’d taken for granted before he’d lost him, and with him, nearly everything else. He was so trapped in those memories, he hadn’t even thought of Stan. Everything else had been too overwhelming.

Stanley never took baths. He always took showers.

Bill was running before he could even form another coherent thought. The door flung open and Stan jumped, splashing water on the floor causing him to grip the thing he was holding a little tighter. They locked eyes.

Instantly Stan started crying. Bill tripped closer, reaching over to turn the faucet off before scooping Stan into his arms, pulling them closer despite the water and how it soaked Bill, who was fully dressed. “I’ sorry, Bill,” Stan sobbed, shaking in his arms.

“I-it’s okay,” Bill stuttered weakly, trying not to think about what would have happened if he’d been even a second later. He failed. He thought about that thing, hovering just over the skin of Stan’s wrist. He thought about what this room would have looked like covered in Stan’s blood. “P-please d-d-d-” he cut off, gasping. “I can’t lo-I can’t- you can’t-” He blinked, trying to calm down. “You have to go with me. I c- I can’t lose you too. P-pl-pluh-” He grunted softly. “Please Sta- Stan.”

“I swear, Bill.” As always, Bill could talk Stan into anything.

Even staying alive.

Later, as they were packing, Stan came over and touched Bill on the shoulder. The blonde man looked over, still frowning. Eyes haunted. Stan wondered if his eyes looked the same. “I’m sorry Bill. I... I can’t imagine how it would have been for you, finding me... like that. On top of everything.”

Bill shook his head. “I d-don’t blame you.” He coughed, looking away as his eyes glazed over with tears.

For the first time, Stan pulled Bill into his arms. Bill buried his face in Stan’s chest. He hid behind Stan for the first time in their relationship. Stan had to be the one to comfort. He’d calmed down a lot. Seeing Bill had cleared his mind a little. Thinking about the consequences to his actions had made him think a little more. He was still terrified. He wasn’t shaking anymore, but he’d faced plenty of scary things. He cold handle anything with Bill by his side.

Unfortunately, Bill hadn’t reached the same conclusion. He was finally facing a fear that had toppled him completely over, and he couldn’t pull himself back up. He was beginning to worry no one could. “You know, wuh-once you asked me how nothing scared me. How I was so untouched by what people thought a-about-about us.” Bill clung to Stan. “Th-That wasn’t true, Stan. S...So much scares me. When I send a book in to a p-p-publisher. When I’m starting a new muh-movie and I’m not sure how the actors will be or h...how it’s all going to work when it comes to uh-applying the script. When someone new finds out I’m married to a muh-man.” He shook his head and Stan rubbed his back, letting him talk. Being patient through the stuttering. “Before I... always felt like nothing could touch me when I was with you, Stan.” He finally managed to not stutter, relaxing him a little more. “With you, I felt safe.” His face contorted. “I-I’m sorry I couldn’t do the same with you.”

Stan felt like he’d been slapped. He leaned close to Bill, making sure his husband could hear him. “You are enough, Bill. That was never the problem. I was an idiot to think that nothing scared you. That nothing bothered you. And it makes me so happy to know that I can help you handle this, in any way. I just...” His eyes watered as well and his grip on Bill tightened. “I’m such a coward.”

Bill sighed, then sniffed. “Let’s be cowards together, huh? Please?”

Stan smiled. “Yeah okay. This time I really do promise.”

“Forever?” Bill whispered.

“Absolutely,” Stan agreed. And suddenly he was a lot more at ease. Because he and Bill had something none of the others did. He had someone who would be by his side as long as he was allowed to be. Someone who not only loved him but understood him. Stan didn’t have to make up some lame excuse to go to Derry to Bill, because Bill would be right there with him.

And damn it all, Stan would make sure he really would always be able to, because Bill made him feel safe too. From then on, they’d have each other’s backs. IT or no.

[kellydiditagain]

Home Maintenance Monthly Checklist: December

Not sure WHY this is important? CLICK HERE for the Intro Video to get up to speed!

December Home Maintenance Checklist

Clean Gutters and Roof

WHAT: Experts recommend cleaning gutters regularly to remove leaves, pine needles and other debris. Full gutters help water easily find its way inside your home and cause damage that you may or may not be able to see, including rotting out the foundation.  When temperatures reach freezing levels, frozen water can dam up behind the leaves, increasing your chances of finding water inside your house, or between your walls.

WHEN: Twice yearly in late spring, and after fall leaves are down.  

HOW:  A leaf blower, shop vac, power washer or your hands can all be used.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here

Check Roof & Foundation for Potential Rodent Entry Points

WHAT: When temperatures drop, critters start finding ways to stay warm. If they can find a way to take advantage of your warm house, they will!  Evidence of invasion include hearing tiny footsteps in your attic, or rummaging in your crawl space.  When they enter, they will leave droppings, and tear up insulation and stored items.

WHEN: Annually

HOW:  Walk around the house with a flashlight, looking for cracks or holes around foundation that could be open doors for critters.  Check under your sinks for gaps between pipes and flooring and around your dryer vent where it exits the house.  Look around your roofline and soffits for potential entry points.  Depending on the opening size, it can be closed up with spray foam, steel wool or it might need a more substantial patch like a section of metal screen.  Here's a helpful 'how to' article on :   Click Here.

Find the Water Shutoff

WHAT:  Water pipes can freeze when temperatures get cold enough.   When they freeze, they will often then break.  When that happens to a water supply pipe, the broken pipe spews water everywhere until the water is shut off.  Make sure you know exactly how to quickly access and shut off the main water line to your house, so you can minimize water damage to your property when a pipe breaks.

WHEN: Once

HOW:   Here's a helpful video:  Click Here.

Recurring Monthly Maintenance

Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors

WHAT: A carbon monoxide detector or CO detector is a device that detects the presence of the carbon monoxide gas to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: To test a carbon monoxide detector, hold down the “test” button until you hear two beeps sound off. Once you hear these beeps, release your finger off of the test button. Recreate this event, but this time hold down the test button until you hear four beeps. If the four beeps are heard, you know that a signal was sent to your monitoring station. After 10-15 minutes the CO alarm will return from test mode back to its original setting. If for some reason the device doesn’t return to its original setting, you’ll need to perform a power cycle.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here.

Test Smoke Detectors

WHAT: A smoke detector is a device that senses smoke, typically as an indicator of fire.

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: This style of testing occurs when an operator simply clicks on the test button that is present on a smoke detecting device. Pressing this button alone will conduct a test. Once the button is pressed, a few seconds will pass before the test starts, but you’ll know the test in process whenever you begin to hear a loud, piercing siren that comes via the smoke detector.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here.

Clean Garbage Disposal

WHAT: A garbage disposal unit is a device, usually electrically powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap. The disposal unit shreds food waste into pieces small enough—generally less than 2 mm —to pass through plumbing.

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: Kosher salt is an effective abrasive cleaner that can adequately dislodge slimy residue. First, pour a large cup of ice cubes into the garbage disposal, switch it on while adding a half-cup of the salt. The ice and salt combination should grind away what remains of the odor-causing residue. This is yet another quick fix to a dirty drain using simple items that you already have in your freezer and pantry. For FULL instructions please check out this article HERE.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here.

Run Water & Flush Toilets in Unused Spaces

WHAT: Run water and flush toilets. This helps prevent the buildup of grime. You will also refill the trap which blocks sewer gas from entering the home.  

WHEN: Monthly

HOW: Run the water through unused faucets and shower/baths for 2 minutes. Also flush all unused toilets.

Need more Help? We found this article to be most helpful: Click Here.

[no-hooves]

15 IDEAS TO RENOVATE THE BATHROOM

1 CABINET WITH SINK INCLUDED

With storage capacity, the furniture of the Matty series by Tattom in Grup Gamma, has a built-in porcelain washbasin. White lacquered, this furniture combines with the two cabinets on the wall. The red tiles are a good combination for this bathroom furniture with white finishes.

2 WITH FURNITURE DESIGNED TO STORE

Practical sense reigns in this bathroom, equipped with furniture and accessories designed for comfort and use of space. The cabinet with two drawers and washbasin, the wall cabinet with a mirror, as well as the matching blue bench and shelving unit belong to the Hemnes series from Ikea.

3 FOR A BATHROOM IN RUSTIC STYLE

If you want to give your bathroom an air of the country, an oak wood cabinet with fiber baskets is a success. This is the True Oak model from Villeroy & Boch.

4 A VERY WELL COORDINATED BATHROOM

Bet on color in the bathroom. And choose furniture and accessories in matching colors, like in this one with the blue and white models from Leroy Merlin's Remix series. The cabinet around the toilet allows you to take advantage of a space that is normally underutilized. The towels were chosen in cheery mustard.

5 PERFECT FOR SMALL BATHROOMS

For bathrooms with small spaces and toilets, nothing better than a cabinet with a built-in sink, in a small size, like this one from the BBOX collection, by Bath + by Cosmic.

6 A SUPER PRACTICAL SHOWER

If you replace the bathtub with a shower, the bathroom becomes larger and safer. Here the shower tray is the new Terran model from Roca, and it offers many advantages: it can be cut to size to suit any space; and access is very easy thanks to its extra-flat design; In addition, its surface is textured and non-slip.

7 WITH SUSPENDED FURNITURE AND TOILETS

What a good combination! Dark wall tiles and furniture and sanitary ware in light colors, as in this bathroom equipped with the new Strada bathroom set by Ideal Standard. Here we have chosen a cabinet with a wall-hung washbasin and a matching mirror cabinet.

8 IN MODERN STYLE

A sophisticated bathroom, thanks to the innovation and originality of its pieces, from the Starck 1 collection, by Duravit. Its conical-shaped washbasin, freestanding bathtub and mixer taps are a contemporary classic in the bathroom world.

9 A VERY NATURAL BATHROOM

Elegant and natural, this bathroom combines teak wood and black stone. It belongs to the Simi black series, which includes furniture, bathtub, shower tray and mirror, from the Stone Series collection, by Bathco.

10 FAUCETS INSPIRED BY NATURE

The basin and bathtub taps in this environment are part of the same collection. It has a jet-rain function and saves water. Another plus: the open and close function is at the lower end; but the temperature control is up, allowing it to be kept in cold water mode to save energy.

11 A BATHROOM IN STONE AND WOOD

Natural materials always work well in a bathroom, because they give warmth. Here Echo Bathroom Renovations proposes a bathroom collection made up of sinks , furniture and a shower tray in marble and wood. 

12 WITH HYDROMASSAGE COLUMN

If you renovate your bathroom, a wise option is to incorporate a hydromassage column in the shower. This is the Look de Gala model. It has six vertical jets that massage the neck and shoulders as well as the lower back. It is equipped with a 21 cm square shower head with a raindrop effect and a hand shower.

13 A SHOWER WITH THERMOSTAT

When choosing a new shower, try to get a complete model, such as the July shower with integrated thermostat, by Jacob Delafon. It has a round 20 cm diameter shower head and a practical four position hand shower.

14 LARGE FORMAT SHOWER HEAD

With a modern appearance, the TermoKuatro shower set by Ramón Soler has a 20 cm square overhead shower, a hand shower and a thermostat to regulate the temperature.

15 WITH A RETRO AIR: TWO-HANDLE TAP

This two-handle tap has a very special retro charm, but all the advantages of modern technology: it is ecological, it has a temperature limiter. It belongs to the Grandera de Grohe collection.

If you need any kind of bathroom renovations visit  Echo Bthroom Renovations

[artificialqueens]

Attention (Scyvie) - Imposterzoe

Just a little Lesbian Au Scyvie IZ

Scarlet comes into the apartment whining. "Yvieeeeee!"

Yvie promptly rolls her eyes to the ceiling. It was going to be a long night.

You see Scarlet had many moods and Yvie could tell which mood she was in based on how she came in the door.

She slammed the door and stalked to her room when she was mad.

She shut the door and leaned against it with her eyes closed when she was sad.

She bounced in and collapsed dramatically on the couch when she had a good day.

She came in and sat on the floor when she was tired.

But when she came in whining?

Well that meant she was in her needy mood. Which meant that Yvie had to give Scarlet her full attention at all times or she'd be a bratty pain in the ass.

Yvie sighed softly and placed herself on patience mode as Scarlet walked in her room.

"Hey Scar. How was your day?" She asked because she knows Scarlet wants her to.

Scarlet leapt onto the bed, crossing her arms and pouting.

She's like a five year old, Yvie muses to herself.

"My day was awful! First-" Scarlet's probably long and whiny rant was cut off by Yvie's cell ringing. Scarlet glares at the phone like it just insulted one of her mothers.

Yvie grabs it, preparing to ignore the call when she sees it's her boss.

"I'm sorry Scarlet. I want to hear about your day, I really do. But I have to take this call."

Scarlet gives a tense smile. "No sweat. I can wait."

Yvie smiles in thanks as she slips out of the room, knowing how desperately Scarlet wants her attention.

Scarlet wanders the room, slowly getting more worked up.

After what Scarlet was sure was an eternity, (but was 15 minutes regular time), Yvie slid inside the room, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"What was that about?" Scarlet grumbles.

Yvie sighs. "My boss was being his normal idiotic self and he almost fucked up our filing system. He's a sweet boss and all but come on! If you're going to call a desk jockey instead of your fucking assistant, I say just make me the assistant."

Scarlet sighs. "You'll get a promotion soon Yvie, I'm sure of it. That place would be in ruins if it wasn't for you."

Yvie sat crossed legged on the bed, putting her attention back where it was needed.

"Thanks Scar. How was your day?"

Scarlet places her head in Yvie's lap, silently instructing Yvie to stroke her hair. Yvie obliges and sets a steady pace in her hair.

"Well today was awful. First, I was stuck in an elevator with Brooke Lynn for 30 minutes and you know how much she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Yvie murmurs, "you're just…someone people have to get to know, so they can see how much different you are than how they think."

Scarlet mumbles a soft, "You're right."

"So what else happened today?"

Scarlet almost answers before giving Yvie a weird look. "Is something burning?"

Yvie sniffs and suddenly her eyes widen in alarm. She jumps up, Scarlet's head smacking the bed as she runs out of the room. Scarlet wanders behind her, pouting as the attention was once again diverted from her.

She walks in the kitchen to see Yvie staring at what might've once been a pizza but now probably could've worked as charcoal.

"Well there goes dinner," Yvie mumbles.

Scarlet grabs a plate, scoops up the smoking pizza, and rushes it to the sink, turning on the faucet.

Once she was sure it wouldn't burn through the trash can, she dumped it in.

"We can order in," she grumbles.

The rush of trying to not burning the apartment down made Yvie momentarily forget that Scarlet was in her needy mood. Which was not good for anyone involved.

"Yvieeeee," Scarlet whines, jumping on the counter. Yvie had been staring at her phone and glanced up.

"What?"

Scarlet waved her over silently. Yvie slid over with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Look, I'm sorry about the pizza. I'll pay for the takeout ok?"

Scarlet was silently staring at her girlfriend when Yvie realized her slip up.

"Oh, right! You were stuck in an elevator with Brooke. What else happened today?"

Scarlet smiled and pulled Yvie to her, resting her head on her chest.

"Well after we got out, the bus was late, so I was late to work. Then when I get there I find Ra'jah talking shit about us."

Yvie pops an eyebrow. "Us?"

Scarlet blushes and nods. "I talk a lot about you at the office. Anyways, she took the stories I told and she got it into her head that you're a stuck up pillow princess that thinks she's all that. Obviously, she mixed us up. But anyways, I told her off in front of everyone and I was just tense all day after that. I was popping off more than you."

Yvie stroked Scarlet's back. "Aw Scar. Thanks for sticking up for me. The day's over now. You can relax."

Scarlet sighed, pouting. Yvie tried to think of a way that would help.

Then she brightens with an idea.

"Want me to run you a bath, baby?" She cooed, rubbing Scarlet's shoulders.

One thing Yvie had learned about Scarlet's needy mood? She acted like a child so it was best to treat her like a child.

Scarlet nodded, still pouting. "Yes."

Yvie smiles and leads Scarlet to her room.

"Get in your towel and I'll start your bath, ok?"

Scarlet nods and Yvie slides smoothly into their sizeable bathroom. She hums quietly as she starts the water, adding the bubble bath, and gathering Scarlet's favorite combination of essential oils.

Scarlet slips into the bathroom, wrapped in the fuzzy pink towel Yvie got her for her birthday.

Yvie peels the towel off of her girlfriend, kissing her neck softly.

Once the towel's gone, Yvie lead Scarlet to the tub, watching as she slid into the water, her body disappearing into the bubbles.

"Does it make you feel better, Baby?" Yvie whispered as she grabbed a wash cloth.

Scarlet smiles as Yvie starts to clean her. "Much better."

Yvie continued to scrub Scarlet, ringing the water out down her back, just like she liked it.

Scarlet sighed contently, her tension slowly being released.

Yvie slathered her hands in shampoo and starts to massage it into Scarlet's scalp.

Scarlet relaxes into Yvie's hands as they work their way through her hair. She sighs softly and Yvie's hands momentarily still in her hair.

"You like it baby? You like me washing your hair? It makes you feel good?" She purrs and Scarlet realizes her little sigh was very much a moan.

"Yvie...Mommy...Yvie," Scarlet stumbles over her words, always a bit hesitant to call Yvie, "Mommy."

Yvie never forced her to say it, only giving Scarlet her, "That's my good girl," smile when she said it.

Yvie had that smile on now. "You're good, baby. What's up?"

Scarlet flushed. "M-mommy can you…?" She was bright red, just uttering the name.

Yvie slowly tipped Scarlet backward, rinsing the soap out of her hair.

"Don't be scared Baby. Anything you say to me, stays with me. Mommy won't tell anyone."

"Promise?" Scarlet squeaks. Yvie leans forward and kisses Scarlet softly.

"Promise. Cross my heart." Yvie made the X over her heart, a reassuring smile on her face.

Scarlet sits up, connecting her lips to Yvie's. Yvie kisses her back, running her fingers through Scarlet's wet hair.

Scarlet pulls back and takes a deep breath.

"Mommy, can you come in with me? Please. There's enough room."

Yvie sighs. She really didn't feel like taking a bath, (she was more of a shower girl), but one look at Scarlet's pleading eyes makes her relent.

"Ok baby. I'll be right back." Yvie hurries to her room, stripping and wrapping herself in the matching blue towel she got herself for Scarlet's birthday.

She creeps to the bathroom door, deciding to just peek in first. Scarlet had her head back on the tile, her eyes shut. She shifted slightly, the light hitting her perfectly and in that moment Yvie feels like the luckiest person in the world.

She crept in, dropping her towel as she went. She slides into the warm water, laughing as Scarlet's eyes pop open when their legs touch.

"Something's wrong with this picture." Scarlet mumbles. They think on it for a minute when Yvie leans forward.

There's a bit moving and splashing but they settle in. Yvie's now in Scarlet's old spot, with Scarlet settled between her legs. They both sigh as their skin touches. Scarlet leans against Yvie chest, laying a small kiss to it.

"This is feels better. You always make me feel better, Mommy." Scarlet whispers.

Yvie presses a kiss to her forehead. "I try my best, baby girl."

And she does.

When Scarlet slammed her room door, Yvie sat outside until Scarlet was ready to talk. Scarlet sometimes opened the door to see Yvie sleeping against the wall, still waiting until Scarlet was ready.

When she leaned against the door with her eyes shut, Yvie would hold her. Scarlet would cry as soon as Yvie wrapped her arms around her and Yvie would rub her back whispering that it would be ok.

When Scarlet dramatically collapsed on the couch, Yvie would sit with her and watch her eyes light up as she spoke about her day.

When Scarlet sat on the floor, Yvie would coax her up and lead her to bed. She'd tuck her in and sit beside her. Sometimes reading to her, sometimes talking about her day, sometimes just crawling in with her because Scarlet slept best in her arms.

And when Scarlet came in whining, Yvie would sit there and give Scarlet all her attention. She'd listen to her and relax her. She'd hug Scarlet and kiss her and ask the questions that proved she cared.

They sat in the tub for the better part of an hour before Yvie made them get out.

"Get in your pj's. I'll turn on a movie." Scarlet nodded and slips into her room. Yvie throws on a tank top and flannel pants and zooms to the living room.

She slides The Princess and The Frog into the DVD player and finally orders takeout.

She's just completed the order when she hears Scarlet squeals behind her as she sees what's playing.

Yvie turns to see Scarlet on the couch in a unicorn onesie, her eyes locked on the screen as the movie turns on.

She doesn't shift her eyes, just holds her hands out, making a 'gimme' motion. Yvie obliges and sits on the couch, pulling Scarlet to her.

"I love you, Mommy." Scarlet whispers as she snuggles into Yvie.

"I love you too, baby." Yvie whispers back, turning Scarlet's face towards hers.

Yvie kisses Scarlet softly, sliding her tongue over Scarlet's.

Scarlet's sighs softly and in the back of her mind she wondered if there was anyone else in the world as attentive as Yvie.

But as Yvie pulls her to her chest, she realizes that even if there was, she wouldn't change being Yvie's center of attention for the world.

[harry-sussex]

Who’s More Likely To

In Honor of One (....er.... nearly four now, whoops) Month(s) of Archie A Little Mama or Daddy - Who’s More Likely To:

I promised an anon that I would do this after forgetting when it was posted by @harryandmeghansussex originally!  So here’s my take:

Have picked his name? Meghan definitely picked Archie.  It’s quirky, but super popular right now, and it’s regal enough without being straight from the standard list of royal baby names.  And she loves the way it sounds in Harry’s British accent.  Harry.... definitely picked Harrison lol.  He basically took one look at his newborn son, his first baby, and in between the tears, blurted out “that is my.... son.... my...... son” and then locked eyes with Meghan and had an epiphany.  Little Archie is Harry’s son and Harry made that very, very clear when naming his firstborn.

Know the difference between his cries first? Meghan.  She’s so in tune with her baby.  Imagine: Meg, taking a bath while Harry spends time with Archie.  Archie starts crying, and Harry does everything under the sun to make him calm down - changes his nappy, warms him a bottle, sings him a lullaby, turns the faucets on, rocks him, literally everything - and nothing is working.  Harry is about to call for backup when Meghan pops her head out of the bathroom, in a towel, and says “love, he needs to burp.”  So Harry burps the baby and in three seconds everything is back to normal.  Mama Meg knows her baby son.  She just knows.  Harry is learning, but Mama Meg just knows.

Really love watching the other one be a parent? I can imagine they gently argue about this on the daily.  They routinely can’t make up their minds as to who gets to give Archie his bath, because they both love watching the other in Mummy/Daddy mode.  They love to engage with their baby but they love equally watching the love of their life engage with their baby.  It’s a struggle - a daily, sweet, wonderful struggle.

Have named all of Archie’s teddies? Oh, definitely Harry.  He’s named Archie’s teddies after his favorite childhood dog, his favorite cartoons, Meghan’s favorite childhood stuffed animals.  He borrows names from George and Charlotte’s toys, too.

Have taken the most pictures? It depends on who gets to hold him more.  My guess is Meghan has more photos because Harry can’t put the baby down long enough to snap a few himself.  Harry’s argument is that Meghan gets Archie all day while he’s at work, so he gets Archie in the evenings and in the early mornings.  If he would split up holding the baby a little more evenly, the photo spread would be more even.  But Harry the Baby Hog can’t and won’t put down his first child, so Meghan takes the pictures.

Have claimed to have seen the first smile but it was probably wind? Meg, absolutely.  She’ll be downstairs with the baby while Harry is in the shower and she’ll yell for him at the top of her lungs... Harry will come flying down the stairs in a towel with shampoo still in his hair to see what’s up and Meghan will be all “Babe!!  Look!!  He’s smiling!!”  Harry would laugh at Meg’s excitement and exchange an all-too-knowing look with his baby boy - smiling, yeah, okay kiddo, Daddy understands.

Have brought things that he can’t even play with yet? Definitely Harry.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Archie has his own polo pony somewhere, even though it’ll be 8 years before he can even learn to ride.  Meghan’s all about getting age-appropriate toys that are good for his physical, mental, and emotional development while Harry comes home from the store with 15 books because he’s plain excited.  Typical Harry.

Have read ahead in the baby book for the next milestones to look for? Neither.  They’re both so satisfied with their little lovebug, they’re focusing on the here and now, rather than looking ahead.  They know these moments are so precious - first smiles, first laughs, first time he holds their hand - that they’d rather focus on what’s happening right in front of them rather than worry about what is to happen in the future.

Be in charge of filling out the baby book? Meghan.  Those things need to be read in the future and Meghan’s handwriting definitely fits the bill.  Harry’s chicken scratch leaves much to be desired.  Plus, Harry would rather cuddle Archie than worry about filling out more paperwork.  So Meghan fills out the baby book, Harry plays with the baby.

Already be thinking about Christmas presents? Can I pick Doria?  I pick Doria.  When she flew over for the christening, she brought two extra bags just filled with things for her first grandchild’s first Christmas.  Meg would roll her eyes - Ma, it’s not for another six months - while Harry would laugh and stash them in a closet until it’s time to wrap them in December.  

Just chat to Archie about anything and anyone that comes to mind? Harry.  When he’s cleaning up the kitchen while Archie bounces in his high chair, while they’re doing tummy time on the floor, during bathtime, while pushing the stroller around the gardens with the dogs... Harry can’t stop talking to his baby.  He read somewhere that babies recognize their parents’ voices even in the womb and now he can’t stop exploring the new little relationship he has developed with this incredibly tiny but oh-so-important person in his life.

Have documented every person’s first meeting with him? I would imagine that they were both so excited the first time each of their friends and family met their little bundle, that they weren’t even thinking of photographs.  They were both relishing in the warmth of the moment, in the inherent pride and joy that takes over when you get to introduce someone you love dearly to a life that you helped to create with the love of your life.  I can’t imagine they’ve taken many photos of these moments at all, actually.

Volunteered to do the night feed just for extra cuddles? Meghan.  She knows Harry is working hard and she loves taking this time to snuggle with her sweet little boy while Daddy gets his rest.  Plus, Harry hasn’t let go of Archie since he came home at 3:00pm, and it’s now 2:00 in the morning, so Meg wants to sneak in some extra cuddling before Harry steals Archie away in the morning before work.  

To hold him for just a few minutes more, which turns into an hour? Meghan.  It’s 3:30 AM and she’s tired to her bones, but Harry has to work in the morning, so she takes the feeding.  Archie’s eaten and had his nappy changed and now he’s dozing off, and Meghan just can’t tear her drooping eyes away from her beautiful baby boy.  Just a few more minutes, she smiles to herself.  Before she knows it, the sun is starting to peak over the horizon.  Archie is unconscious in his mummy’s arms, safe and warm and content, and Meghan simply cannot let him go.  Not just yet.

Have cried because of how happy they are? Both of them.  I can imagine putting Archie to sleep.  Mama feeds the baby and rocks him while Harry sings a lullaby in the nursery.  They put the baby in the bassinet and look down on him while he snores softly.  They look at each other and begin to cry - not sob, but softly cry.  They’re so grateful to their spouse, their partner, for giving half of themselves to the amazing, beautiful, innocent baby asleep in front of their very eyes.  I can imagine it happens quite often.  They’re happy to have each other and they’re happy to have their baby.

Have talked about Archie having a sibling? Henry Charles Albert David has not shut up about having multiple children for the past decade.  That man probably said “I want another one” the second they brought Archie home from the hospital because he loves lovin’ on his pregnant wife.  Meghan, likely, smacked him with a pillow once he said it, but he can’t resist.  He loves talking about his future sons and daughters with Meghan and Archie.  He knows that if Archie was an only child, he’d be happy, blessed, even - but he’s more than excited about the prospect of more little bubs in the future.

[veroticker]

The fix - Sylvie Stewart

Summary (from Sylvie Stewart’s website)

My life is a friggin’ fairytale—just not the kind any single girl would ever want to star in.

LANEY:

Like any good heroine, I’ve got a few challenges to face. Getting my son to wear pants is one; dealing with my snoozefest of a job is another. Then there’s the Beast, my freeloading brother who’s worn a permanent dent in the couch at my new place. And no fairytale would be complete without a smoking hot prince, of course. Too bad he’s a complete ass. 

Everything in me screams to steer clear of Nate Murphy. Because, if life has taught me anything, there is no such thing as happily ever after.

NATE:

I may not be a superhero, but I do my best to come to the rescue when I’m needed. And, hey, I just moved halfway across the country after a single phone call from my mom. But being back home and taking on the responsibilities involved makes me a bit cranky at times. Unfortunately, the one time I completely lose my cool is in front of the hottest girl I’ve ever met. I’ve got my work cut out for me if I’m going to fix this. But I will fix this.

I’ll be anything Laney Monroe needs me to be … a superhero, a prince, or just a guy she might take a chance on.

Blurb

“I awoke to a foot in my mouth.

No, not the old feeling of having said something horribly inappropriate that you immediately wish you could un-say, but an actual foot. In my mouth.

“Ung guh!” I spat. To say this was a disturbing way to begin one’s day would be a gross understatement—emphasis on the gross. “What in the … ugh.” My head dropped back to the pillow as comprehension dawned. Rocco’s size twelve with those cute little toes lay on the pillow next to my face, along with a small puddle of drool. I took in his sleeping form, passed out upside down in nothing but his Ninja Turtle underwear.

“We can’t keep doing this, dude,” I whispered to myself. My little exhibitionist, having contorted himself into some kind of inverted nocturnal backbend, had spent the night in my bed—yet again. Being awakened by small naked body parts was starting to mess with my head. Not to mention, who knew where those little feet had been? Oh, wait, I did. Blech.

Completely unprepared to get up for the day, I snuggled back into my favorite dogwood printed sheets and stared up at the ceiling. I was discovering that moving to a strange new house was rough on a kid. Hell, it was rough on me and I was twenty years older than him. All things considered though, Rocco had been a real trouper since leaving the only house he’d known at my parents’ and moving into the cute fixer-upper we now call home. But there were obviously still some kinks to work out—case in point, my rude wake-up call.

When my parents first brought up the possibility of their out-of-state move, I don’t think I had ever seen them so edgy. There was lots of hand-wringing and “um, well, you know” before I had demanded they just spit it out—I was halfway convinced one or both of them were dying of Ebola or something equally horrifying.

I’d been feeling increasingly uncomfortable for leaning on them so heavily since the little stick had turned blue, so it was almost a relief to have the decision to get a place of my own taken out of my hands. Turns out while I had feared our moving out would hurt my parents’ feelings, they had been afraid I’d fall to pieces without them. One come-to-Jesus conversation later and my mom was accepting a new position at the University of Richmond in Virginia while I was on the phone with a realtor.

The truth is, early on, I would never have survived a day of motherhood without the undying, and most importantly, non-judgmental support of my family and my best friend—as well as the financial, if not physical, support of Rocco’s dad. But it was past time for me to pull my big girl panties up and I knew it. All the support I’d received had allowed me to finish my associate’s degree and get a job which, while not being entirely stimulating, allowed me to take care of my kid and me. As far as single moms went, my situation was the dream, and I knew it.

Turns out there is something remarkably satisfying about holding ownership of the place where you lay your head at night, and our new house was adorable. It had bright white siding—after a power-washing from my dad—and black shutters that were mostly on straight. And it was topped off by a cheery bright red front door. The house was a ranch and it was a bit older, but it had three bedrooms, two baths, and a fenced-in backyard for Rocco and the dog I was sure we would eventually get. It was close (but not too close) to the stores and restaurants, and the street was nice and quiet. I loved it and I was proud of our new home, even if it did have some drawbacks—leaky faucets, a few uneven floors, and maybe a few more major problems. But that was okay. All of that could be fixed with time and a little help from my idiot younger brother. I hoped.

On the condition that he would help with the repairs and renovating, I had agreed to let him stay with Rocco and me. It was a win-win—my faucets wouldn’t drip, and my brother wouldn’t be homeless, considering that his previous residence had also been my parents’ house. Even he had to admit that, at twenty-two, following your parents to a new state in order to live in their basement was borderline Jay and Silent Bob. And besides, all his drinking buddies were here in Greensboro so there was that …

So now the house was ours and we were making it into a home. What I didn’t know before moving was that a new house breathes differently than your old one. It has its own voices and creaky bones to creep you right the hell out if you’re not used to them. And we were definitely not used to them—thus the previous month of waking up to Professor Underwear crowding my sleep space in an entertaining array of positions.”

(review under the cut)

Review

(audiobook) Oh did I enjoy this one! It was funny, the characters were interesting, it was a bit sexy and the narrator was perfect. 6 hours well spent.

I seriously was smiling the whole time I was listening to this one--just because laughing out loud at work for apparently no reason would have been weird. Not much happens, to be true, and the tiny conflict in the relationship is quickly resolved, but getting inside Laney’s and Nate’s head was a fun ride. And the people around them are equally quirky and charming.

The story isn’t anything original. You get your insta-love with a bit of lust thrown in. There isn’t any reason really why Laney and Nate shouldn’t be together, but still it’s kind of a slow burn with just enough sexual tension to keep you interested.

Some interesting and important points are touched upon: what a new relationship and the possibility of its ending entails for the mother of a young child, what happens when you’re forced to give up your dream, what family means. But it’s never heavy, so don’t be afraid of drama--you won’t find it here.

Definitely a must read if you need some laugh and love!

Quickie

Series: Carolina connections #1 (but they can be read as standalone)

Hashtags: #rom com #single mom

Main couple: Laney Monroe & Nate Murphy

Hotness: 3/5

Romance: 5/5

+ it was SO FUNNY! 

- a bit more of sexy times, please?

  Stalker mode

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