#nothing to add this is perf

[whorediaries-09]

I’ve been thinking alotttt about rivals! Remy where him and r have been hooking up but the r starts gaining feelings for rem and distants herself but rem is just like “what the hell?” And then they like admit their feelings when rem corners her one day curious😩

i'm sorry this took so long, but i hope you like this!!

friends;

pairing- remus lupin x reader warning(s)- cigarettes, alludes to sex, hurt/comfort. (let me know if i should add more) a/n- academic rivals to lovers is so precious to me you don't understand.

little train

' girl, I'm not with it, I'm way too far gone i'm not ready, eyes heavy now,'

'i can't believe i've to work with your pathetic ass,' he rolled his eyes, running his fingers through his hair. your eyes wandered over to the burn marks on them, probably from all the joints he smoked. you could hear his friends laughing behind his back. even peter, the quietest and the most tolerable of the lot, was laughing. you scowled, tilting your head to meet his eyes,

'i don't remember you saying that last night. you said i've a perfect ass. maybe you have a problem of short term memory loss?' in an instant, you saw his cheeks reddening and eyes widening comically when he registered your words. his hand slapped upon your mouth, trying to shut you up.

he received a flying paper ball on his head. he turned his head around to find sirius waving his index finger at him

'not in class, moony.' he said, as peter tried not to laugh. he was measuring the ingredients written on the blackboard.

'hello my lovely students!' slughorn's overly cheery voice rang throughout the classroom. the class sang him a dull good morning. it was winter after all, most of the students wanted nothing but to snuggle up in bed within the folds of their cozy blankets drinking hot chocolate. the only energetic person was sirius, and he sang,

'good morning sluggy!' slughorn knitted his eyebrows together at the nickname but didn't say anything.

'good morning, mr. black. i see you've preferred to follow the rules for once and sit on the desk assigned to you.' sirius shrugged his shoulders, batting his eyelashes.

'you and i, we're the best matchmakers, mr. slughorn. we're a team,' what he meant, the saints knew. perhaps that would be taking a step too far, because by the slight smirk on slughorn's face, he knew what sirius meant.

'mr. black, i prefer the student and professor dynamics between us better,' he replied, scratching his eyebrow with his fingernail. sirius groaned mockingly.

'okay class, settle down. we're making amortentia today.' raising your hand, you questioned,

'the love potion?'

'yes, exactly the love potion. of course no magic is as powerful to be able to imitate real love. however, it does create a powerful infatuation, with the person who gave it to the drinker. the scent varies based on what the person likes. it's a very complicated potion to make, but anyone who makes the perf-'

his speech was interrupted by a famished lily evans who was as red as her hair and a grinning james potter. her tie was loose, dangling off her collar and his hair was ruffled. lily's usually nicely ironed uniform was full of wrinkles.

'oh wow! head boy and head girl late to class!' slughorn scowled. by the look on his face, however, he was regretting his choice to let the ever infatuated james potter and the stubborn lily evans sit together.

'just sit down the both of you!' he scolded and they entered the classroom, lily's bag almost spilling parchment and ink bottles. slughorn coughed and continued,

'so as i was saying, who ever makes the perfect love potion gets-' he put his hand into his pocket, pulling out a little bottle full of a clear liquid. '-this. can anyone tell me what this is?'

'felix felicis.' sirius said. further words conversation wasn't recorded by your mind when remus bent down, whispering in your ear,

'do you think they hooked up?' you eyes widened as you looked at him. your eyes unconsciously travelled down to his chapped lips. the taste still remained on your tongue.

'do you like- actually think before speaking? james potter and lily evans hooking up! lily would rather die, he hates the guy.' remus shrugged his shoulder, a small smirk on his lips.

'i mean, look at us, we hate each other but the other day you wouldn't let me stop eating you out-'

'oh please shut up! just get the fucking ingredients!' he smiled, as you try to hide your face with you hair, suddenly very intrigued by your book.

'okay madam,' he said, mock saluting.

*-

after a lot of banter and distractions you ended up with a potion which only looked seconds away from an explosion. there was certainly no 'mother of pearl' sheen or any rising steam in a characteristic spiral. even pearl dust couldn't save the disaster of a potion.

'oh god why did i have to work with you!' you gripped your hair with your fingers, almost pulling them off as you sat down on the chair, chewing on your lip.

'my grades will go down!' you snapped. he turned around, a wince on his face.

'so will mine. this shit is team work and if your grades go down, so will mine.' he stated. you rolled your eyes as he sat down beside you, his palm on your shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze.

'i shouldn't be comforting my academic rival but guess if you low, i go lower.' your ears perked up at the term. 'academic rival.' he didn't even consider you a friend. that's all you were to him, an academic rival, a benchmark to cross, a quick fuck when he was tired. you gulped slowly. suddenly, your throat felt very dry. you stared into his eyes, trying to decipher something, but trust god to give remus lupin the most dead eyes known to mankind.

'ohhh! we have a winner!' slughorn's voice pulled you from your thoughts. your head snapped to the source of commotion, expecting to find lily to be the winner- but it was sirius.

'mr. black, this felix felicis is yours,' he threw a charming grin to all the flushed young ladies and lads as his fingers wrapped around the little bottle. most of the girls and boys almost swooned at his antics, and some could be found a few seconds from fainting when he winked.

'get it padfoot!' james cheered. lily disapprovingly hit james' head with her book. james scowled.

'i want everybody to come and tell me what they smell in here. let's start with mr. black,' he smiled, staring at the eager faces of the young ladies and lads who surrounded him as if he was a trophy.

'i smell petrol, rain and my favorite tea. i can also smell..uh cherry flavored shampoo, and my cologne.' it was nothing very interesting. neither of them used cherry shampoo. and it wasn't just a flying rumor that sirius black rode a motorcycle.

'ah, good, good.' slughorn praised, patting his back. his eyes wandered about in the room before they stopped at your direction.

'okay yes, now you,' he said, instructing you to smell the potion. internally you called him an old cow. externally you smiled, a little more than actually required, and too fake to be a real smile. no comments were passed when you walked up to the front of the classroom, smelling the potion.

'ah- so i smell parchment, ink, coffee, vanilla....cigarettes and dark chocolate.' you stumbled upon your words when you found remus looking at you intently. you tried to ignore the burning gaze and how the blood rushed into your cheeks. slughorn coughed slightly,

'okay, now next student!' he clapped his hands together, trying to cut through the sudden tension in the room. you moved away from the smoking cauldron, walking towards your chair. sitting down, you pondered.

cigarettes? damn you, you hated cigarettes! you'd been reluctant to try one for the first time, but trust remus to roll you the perfect blunt and manipulate you to try it in the best way possible. you remembered coughing up the smoke onto his face.

dark chocolate? sure you enjoyed it here and there but it wasn't certainly something you loved. you wanted to rip out your hair.

the realization had been lingering upon your head from the last few weeks, but you didn't want to act upon it. a lot of people mistake lust for love. you were a teenager high on hormones, hooking up with remus lupin, your biggest academic rival- of course you were bound to mistake lust for life.

perhaps the heated kisses within the shadows of dark nights, the way his hands lingered upon your body, making you feel alive as he touched you down to your core, the heat crawling under your skin, dizzying your mind, the way he begged to touch you, to feel you meant more than just lust. perhaps it was closeted love. but it didn't mean good news. having a crush was fine, but falling for remus john lupin was bad news. it meant heartbreak, a new rumor for the nosy students of hogwarts.

so you did the best thing that came in your mind to maintain your feelings and keep your heart in control. it wouldn't be very effective, considering remus was your partner in potions for the year, but you'd try your best. no hooking up, just necessary conversations. all you had to do was ignore him. the less you saw him, the better.

*-

remus looked up to your face, his sweaty strands of hair sticking onto his forehead. his calloused hands gripped your waist as he thrust his hips upwards. you bent down, brushing his lips against yours. you held down his hands, pinning them above his head. he tried to crane his neck to kiss your lips, but you didn't allow him holding his hands tighter.

slowly, torturously slow you started rotating your hips. he arched his back, moaning your name, his fingers trying to grasp the fabric of the head board.

'god, you feel so fucking good,' he moaned. you smirked, your tongue swiping over your teeth.

'i know,'

suddenly, his face started to distort, and he started laughing at you. weird, that is not how you remembered that night. he was jerking you, before everything went hazy and your vision started blackening and you saw a tunnel of light. you tried to grasp onto the light, escaping the booming sound of his laughter.

it was a fucking dream. you rubbed your eyes, pushing your face into the pillow, silencing your scream, so as to not wake up the others. you hated how pathetic it made you feel. how did it happen?

within the spills of ink on parchment paper and a constant comparison, how could have your feelings changed like this. perhaps you thought of him too much. you were supposed to ignore him. in the typical sense you were, but your mind or heart wasn't ready to go.

you were standing on the edge of a fucking knife, wondering if remus lupin even considered you to be a friend. you hated yourself for falling for him. it wasn't supposed to be more than sex, a quick relief from the constant shambles of your lives, yet here you were, in the middle of the night thinking of the one you were supposed to hate.

slipping your feet into the cozy bunny slippers, you grabbed your thickest jumper. you couldn't sleep, so you might as well take a walk. james and lily were on duty, but you were sure they weren't being as responsible as they were supposed to be.

*-

it was cold. the snow that settled on the grounds was thick and milky white. the cold wind bit your skin, prickling it with goosebumps. you felt a lump in your throat thicken, and your eyes burn. you felt your heart drop. you blamed yourself for the situation you were in. it was your fault, utterly. you weren't supposed to fall for him.

even the stars couldn't calm you down with their serene rays. you dropped your head into your palms, letting the tears fall down your cheeks, sobbing silently.

'talking a walk alone at night now are we?' a voice quietly creeped up behind your back. you wiped your cheeks quickly, mentally preparing yourself to being caught by a prefect and getting your house points deducted. when you turned around, however, you were met with the amber eyes of the one you'd been thinking about. your tongue was tied in knots as you watched him drop james' invisibility cloak on the floor and walk towards you. you backed away, until your back hit the wall and there was nowhere to go.

'r-remus-' he raised an eyebrow, capturing you against the wall, his hand pressed against the wall. he leaned down, his finger crawling under your jaw and tilting your head to meet his burning amber like gaze.

'have you been crying?' he asked. you stared at him, tongue twisted in knots. but you knew it was no use lying to him. he could read you like a book.

'yes,' you nodded. he tilted an eyebrow.

'why?'

'why does it fucking matter remus? leave me alone- i'm not even your fucking friend.'

'then what are we? you've been ignoring me for the past few days, and now you're running away when i've finally got you alone.'

'nice try, lupin. you don't give a shit, so just let me go.'

'oh so you're going to decide whether i give a shit about you or not? what if i tell you i do?'

'you won't mean it.'

'i will. i've never lied to you,' he said. there was a bitter sadness in his eyes. you could see the darkness in his gaze, and even if he naturally had dead eyes, you could see a tiny ray of warmth in his gaze.

'please.' he said, letting you go. 'just tell me what's wrong. tell me what i've done. tell me how i can fix it. just...please don't ignore me.' he begged. slowly gulping, you pondered whether it was the correct moment to speak out your heart. perhaps it wasn't, but he could right through the lies. and while you had a lot of explanations hidden in your head, you could only whisper one line,

'i'm in love with you, remus,' he stared at you intently, letting your words hang before he could act upon them. you expected screaming, cussing...laughter. you didn't expect a soft gaze as he smiled at you. he slipped his finger under you jaw, tilting your head.

'i don't think you ignore the one's you're in love with,' you screwed your eyes shut, biting your lip. the blood warmly travelled to your cheeks,

'you don't feel the same, i was scared.'

'and how exactly do you know that?' you opened your eyes, to find him staring at you in utter glee.

'i've been yours before you touched me. all it took was spilled ink on my essay, sweetheart.'

********************************

taglist - @reggieisfit @siriuslycaptainofthedawntreader @jamespottergf @eternallybipanicking @fictional-magic @iamgayforyourmom1510

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[seaemberthesecond]

PLEASE tell me all about your textual support for Aurora/Declan, i am LISTENING 👀🙏🏻

This is heinously late and I'm so sorry for that 😭 but this is one of my FAVOURITE things to think about.

Aurora is such an interesting character to me, particularly in relation to Declan. For all that Ronan spends all of TRC furious that Declan has denied Aurora personhood ("She's nothing without Dad") and trying to keep her awake, it's actually through Declan's eyes that she really comes alive. Ronan's version of his mother is more one-dimensional than Declan's, ironically enough, even though he's the one who supposedly 'loves her more.' It's Declan who's spent his life grappling with the philosophical implications of her dreamt-ness and her replacement of his actual mother (which, in a stunning parenting move by Niall, only he seems to remember) and as a result, his feelings toward her are considerably more complicated than his brothers' and he's the only one who really seems to think deeply about her.

The mystery Aurora is shrouded in for Declan turns her into almost this... sinister figure in his mind. It's like - Niall is this known entity for Declan right? He doesn't think of him in nearly the same lionizing light Ronan does, because he actually knew Niall. He doesn't need to create a mythology around him the way Ronan has. His "hatred" for Niall is not only comparitively straightforward, it's self-aware. He knows exactly what his grievances with his father are and he knows that he doesn't even really hate him.

But with Aurora, he skirts around the thought of her. He can't even look his complicated feelings for her head-on. She's inscrutable to him, and that's kind of terrifying in a psych-thriller kind of way.

There's this unease that he associates with her in the text, that's just not there when he thinks about Niall. He's constantly second-guessing himself when it comes to Aurora re: how much did she know, how real she was etc. In Greywaren, there's this part where he's thinking about when he was sick as a child. And it's fascinating to me because there's this implication there that he didn't feel safe in the house with Aurora until Niall came back. He only relaxes and goes to sleep when Niall comes home. And it adds to this general malaise that Declan associates with Aurora.

I've talked before about how the secrets Declan is forced to keep are an allegory of sexual abuse, and in that light it's kind of damning when you consider that in the Lynch household, the arbiter of secrets is Aurora, not Niall. Throughout the Declan Christmas short, it's Aurora who's reinforcing the importance of secrets, who makes him help her hide them. She's the one who tells Declan that he has to keep Matthew's origin a secret. And in MI, it's Aurora who first tells Ronan that he needs to hide his dreaming and never show his dreams to anyone. So if we're looking at the text through the lens of allegory-for-csa, Aurora's position in the household becomes much more sinister because a lot of the harm that's been done to the kids and particularly Declan is attributable directly to her.

And then there's the fact that all the Ashleys' looked like her - there's something Freudian going on there for sure.

tl;dr while the textual evidence is slim lol it is there if you wanna see it and I am looking with a magnifying glass. Was any of this done with authorial intent? Probably not, but who cares?

And this is where stuff diverts from the text itself and veers more into my spin on things, but everything about Aurora/Declan becomes insanely compelling to me when you think about it in relation to Mor. Mor is the hole inside Aurora. Imagine you're a young woman who was molested her whole life by a family member and now you're out-of-touch with your own emotions and you have this kid and you think you love him with this man and you think you love him too. But you know you're fucking them up, so you and your husband dream a version of you that's perfect. She's the perfect wife and the perfect mother and you've sanded down all the edges and sharp, spiky parts that make you you because you think that's the version of yourself your family deserves and then you leave. But you can't dream anything without putting your pain inside it. So you have this hollow half-woman walking around with a pain inside her she doesn't know how she got and a life she doesn't remember and the only person who seems to have any answers is this kid that she think is her own but is he really? And in her attempt to feel the shape of the hole in her she re-enacts your trauma on your kid.

I am EATING GLASS. The cycles are CYCLING. NO ONE talk to me.

[thebigbadbatswife]

Date Night

Pairing - Oliver Queen x F!Reader

Summary - “Dinner’s going to get cold,” he said between pants, but made no actual effort to stop you. “Then we’ll eat it cold,” you muttered, pressing kisses down his muscular chest. Only stopping briefly to bite and suck at his skin, leaving lovebites all over his torso..." You and Oliver have a date night, but end up skipping straight to dessert.

Warnings - 18+ content, Smut, Oral Sex (male and female receiving), Multiple Orgasms, Vaginal Sex, Fluff

Word Count - 2.2k

You gripped the railing of the fire escape, swinging over the edge and landing on one of the lower levels. Your heart was still hammering against your chest, blood rushing through your veins. The adrenaline from tonight had yet to wear off. While plenty of criminals had been taken off of the streets tonight, thanks to you, you had cut your usual patrol short for it was finally date night. Something that you were very excited for.

Between your watch over Star City and Oliver saving the world with his Justice League friends, neither of you had had much time for each other. It was frustrating at times. Barely having time to say good morning, good night or even share a quick kiss before one of you was off again. Though, it had allowed you to discover what they say is true. Absence certainly did make the heart grow fonder.

Sitting on the fire escape, outside of the window of your shared apartment, was a big black cat. His face was scarred up from the many fights he had gotten from living on the streets for the majority of his life. You still thought he was a completely handsome cat though.

“Hey, big boy,” you greeted him as he got up and started to rub his body around your legs, tail held high and already purring like a truck. You reached down and scratched the top of his head. “Did your dad not hear you and left you out here all cold and hungry?” you coed as you scooped him up into your arms. “How about we get you something to eat, hmmm?”

The window was opened just enough that you could slid the fingers of your free hand into the gap and open it. As you climbed into the apartment, you were greeted with the delicious smell of food cooking. It had your mouth watering and your stomach grumbling. You hadn’t realised just how hungry you were. Of course, nothing worked up an appetite quite like crime fighting and no one cooked like your Ollie did.

“What are you cooking?” you called out. “It smells amazing!” Now that you were inside your cat leapt from your arms and took off toward the kitchen.

“My world’s famous chilli!” Oliver replied. Your stomach grumbled at the thought of it. It sounded divine.

As you rounded the corner and entered the kitchen, your jaw dropped at the sight of Oliver. He was wearing nothing, but a pair of grey sweats that were riding rather low on his hips. All of a sudden, you were hungry for something else entirely.

“You’re drooling,” he said, looking at you over his shoulder. Green eyes sparkling with amusement. You were positive he had done it on purpose to get this sort of reaction out of you. You immediately shut your mouth and rolled your eyes at him. 

“You’re such a dick.”

You walked passed him, returning your focus on getting your cat some dinner. You could always jump Oliver afterwards.

“How long till dinner’s ready?” you asked, reentering the kitchen after you had set down a bowl of wet food on the cat tree. You walked over to him and wrapped your arms around his waist, resting your chin on his shoulder and letting your eyes close for a moment.

“A couple more minutes,” he replied. You hummed in response.

You loved this. This almost domestic bliss that the two of you were currently living. To think that there was a time where you believed that you would never find a love like this. Your eyes snapped opened when a spoon was suddenly pushed into your mouth. You groaned at the taste. “Damn, that’s good. Though I would add some more spice next time.”

You heard Oliver scoff. “More spice? It’s damn perfect the way it is!” He feined hurt over your comment.

“Is it though?” you teased, laughing softly as he scowled at you. You pressed a kiss to his cheek.

With the stove now off and the apartment not in danger of burning down, you pushed him up against the kitchen counter and kissed him deeply. Oliver moaned into the kiss, his arms wrapping around you, holding you closer. Your tongues explored each other’s mouths as your hand appreciated his muscular body, sliding down to where you could already feel him starting to press against you.

“Dinner’s going to get cold,” he said between pants, but made no actual effort to stop you.

“Then we’ll eat it cold,” you muttered, pressing kisses down his muscular chest. Only stopping briefly to bite and suck at his skin, leaving lovebites all of his torso.

You dropped down onto your knees, hooking your fingers into the waistband of his sweats and pulled them down, freeing his half hard cock. With your hand wrapped around him, stroking him, it didn’t take him long to become fully hard. You licked him from base to tip before pressing a kiss to the tip, drawing a shudder from him.

Looking up at him through your eyelashes, meeting and holding his gaze, you took the head of his cock into your mouth. You swirled your tongue around the head before starting to suck on it, your hand stroking what wasn’t inside of your mouth. He moaned deeply, resisting the urge to thrust deeper in your mouth. Slowly, inch by inch, you started to take more of him, stopping when he was about halfway in. You flattened your tongue against the underside of his cock as you pulled him out and flicked the tip with your tongue.

Oliver moaned deeply as you repeated your motions, taking him deeper and deeper each time until he hit the back of your throat. You swallowed around him, using your throat muscles to massage his cock. His breathing stuttered as he shivered.

“Fuck, beautiful,” he panted, his fingers gripping the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white. Your mouth wrapped around his cock felt amazing. Especially after it had been so long. It was impossible for him to be mad that dinner was going to be cold by the time the two of you sat down to ate.

You hollowed your cheeks as you started to bob up and down his cock. Your hand came up to cup his balls and massage them, thoroughly enjoying the deep, guttural moan that left him. While your other hand slipped between your legs, pressing up against yourself through your suit, to ease the ache there.

Oliver groaned and occasionally muttered little curses and words of praise as you bobbed up and down his cock. You loved how loud he got during a blow job. Not only was there nothing sexier than hearing a man moan, but it made you feel good. And the fact that you could reduce him into a moaning, whimpering mess with just your mouth made you feel powerful.

“Oh, God,” he gasped your name. His head falling backwards, eyes closing. “Don’t stop.”

His breathing was fast and ragged, the muscles in his stomach tensing. Cock growing harder and balls tightening. He was getting close. So you doubled up on your efforts. You wanted to feel him coming down your throat. It didn’t take much longer before he was moaning your name as he came down your throat. You did your best to swallow every last drop, swirling your tongue around the slit before finally letting him go.

Oliver was panting hard, body shaking from the intensity of his orgasm. You removed your hand from between your thighs and climbed back up onto your feet. The ache there was becoming unbearable. You desperately wanted, needed, his mouth on your pussy. You pressed your body up against his, capturing his lips with yours. He groaned at the taste of himself still lingering on your tongue.

His hands were greedy, as they roamed and grabbed at your breasts and ass. You grabbed the hand that was currently groping your ass and directed him to your pussy. He immediately applied pressure there, rubbing you through your suit. You moaned, hips bucking. It wasn’t enough. He caught on quickly and removed his hand. Deft fingers made quick work of the various buckles and straps of your suit and boots. Discarding the pieces to the side, along with your underwear and sports bra, before he lifted you up onto the counter.

You spread your legs for him, letting him get a clear view of just how wet you were. Slick dripped from you and onto the counter. The green of his eyes were almost completely swallowed by his pupils as he drank in the sight of you, swallowing thickly. He didn’t waste another second as he dove between your legs. He lapped up your arousal before sweeping his tongue through your lower lips and latching his lips around your engorged clitoris.

Relief was the first thing you felt. Your pussy finally getting the attention from the man you had been agonisingly waiting for to relieve that ache that your hands and toys just couldn’t. The relief didn’t last long as it was replaced by an intense wave of pleasure.

“Ollie!” you mewled, your fingers buried in his hair, keeping his head there. His hands were keeping your legs spread so you couldn’t wrap them around his head. You already knew that you weren’t going to last very long. You were too wound up for that. 

He released your clit and before you could complain or whine, he pushed his tongue inside of you. You murmured and moaned his name as he made love to you with his mouth. As he fucked you with his tongue, he nuzzled your clit with his nose. 

Your orgasm came quickly and you gushed into his mouth as you came with a cry. Your hips bucked and you grinded against his face as you rode the waves of your climax. Much like you earlier, he did his best to lap up every last drop.

As you came down from your high, Oliver pulled away, chuckling deeply. He kissed up your body before kissing your lips, letting you taste yourself on his own lips and tongue.

“Well that was certainly good for my ego,” he said, grinning.

You rolled your eyes for the second time that night and playfully hit at him. “Fuck you,” you replied.

“I’d much rather fuck you, beautiful.” He kissed you again. This time harder and more demanding. You could feel his cock, already rock hard again, rubbing up against the inside of your thigh. You moaned into the kiss and wrapped your legs around his hips, pulling him closer.

He entered you in a single thrust, immediately bottoming out. The sudden intrusion had you gasping against his lips. You loved the feeling of Oliver inside of you. In both length and girth he was the perfect fit. Like the two of you were made for each other. 

Your walls fluttered and squeezed around his cock as he started to thrust. He dragged his cock out of you, making sure you could feel every inch and vein as he pulled out until only the head was left inside before roughly thrusting back inside of you. Your nails dug into his shoulders as you moaned wantonly, the noise complaints be damned. 

Your first orgasm had left you extremely sensitive, a fact that Oliver was quick to pick up on. He smirked against the skin of your neck, where he had been kissing and gently biting you. He trailed his lips up to your ear and nibbled on your earlobe.

“Let’s see how quickly I can make you cum this time,” he whispered in your ear. His breath sent goosebumps across your skin.

You weren’t given a chance to respond before he was thrusting into you harder than before, stealing the air out of your lungs with each one. He pressed his thumb against your clitoris and started rubbing. The amount of pleasure you were feeling made you felt like you were going to go insane from it. You were really digging your nails into his shoulders now, likely hard enough to end up drawing blood. Not that he seemed to notice or care. 

When you came, you came hard, gushing around his cock. You swore you saw stars as you voiced turned hoarse crying his name. The squeezing of your cunt around Oliver’s cock was too much and he quickly followed you over the edge, burying himself to the hilt as he emptied himself deep inside of you. 

Slowly, the two of you came down from your delirious highs. You hissed as he pulled out of you, your overly sensitive cunt protesting at the movement. He grabbed a dish towel, using it to clean the both of you up.

“Welcome home sex is definitely at the top of the list,” he said after kissing you. 

“Definitely,” you agreed. You hopped off of the counter and his hands immediately found their way to your waist, steadying you when you stumbled slightly. “We should probably shower, put on some clean clothes and have dinner.”

He hummed. “Or we could just eat dinner naked. After all what’s the point of getting clean and wearing more clothes when I’m going to want desert straight afterwards?”

You had a very long night ahead of you and you could not wait.

[dalkyum]

EVERY MONTH OF 2023 IN CONTENT! I was tagged by @taegyunie and @dazzlingkai, thank you for thinking of me!! 💕

rules: link your favorite and/or most popular post from each month this year <3 (it’s totally fine to skip months!) and tag some CCs you love!

I know this is late so no pressure to do this at all but I'll tag @tamburins @hwangelbaby @jae-bums @jftk if you'd like to do it!

this is literally going to be emi reviews all of her gifs of yugyeom but like. let's go skfjdkjf

JANUARY most popular: yugjae from youngjae best friend radio (deserved) my favorites: this yugyeom instalive set!! also I think this set from the ponytail mv came out really pretty

FEBRUARY most popular: jinyoung album shoot (I think this is literally my most popular gifset jdjkfj) my favorites: ok I love this set from one of the aomg tour stops because well. wet. also he's cute. and this markjingyeom set that I did for the ahgase admirer event is the most like. technical gifset I've ever done and I think the colors came out so good

MARCH most popular: youngjae errr day behind (I need to do another set with this formatting I think it's so fun) my favorites: yugyeom aomg online concert cuteness, this youngjae performance set is soso pretty, and these dyeary gifs of yugyeom bc I always wanted to make big gifs of this clip even before I taught myself how to gif so they are special to mee

APRIL most popular + my favorite: another big gif yugyeom dyeary set as is my right

MAY most popular: yugyeom falling in love radio perf (apparently I was not giffing in april or may skjdkdf but I do like this set a lot of people said it was pretty)

JUNE most popular: YUGYEOM @ SEOUL WATERBOMB (DESERVED!!) also my most popular yugyeom set in general. also one of my faves 💕 my favorites: I think this set is cute too:) and!! this yugyeom w korea edit, I think I colored this so well. just absolutely killed that evil green filter

JULY most popular: yugyeom from it's live's tiktok (also a fave tbh) my favorites: this lolo performance set! and this one too, I think the coloring came out really nice

AUGUST most popular: just some guy for my isa's birthday (love this set, the clips go together so well it's so satisfying kfdkjd) my favorites: apparently I like everything I made in august so these are my most favorite posts. yugyeom dazed korea photoshoot is my best edit to date I love these sm. this yugyeom it's live set came out so hd looking and the colors are pretty:) I also love this lolo ending fairy set the coloring came out so good. AND no one cared abt this one but I love this set of yugyeom on monstop he's so prettie

SEPTEMBER most popular: yugyeom daebak show set (also a fave!! amazing. glad we all agree) my favorites: this yugyeom ig live set I think he looks so good in the blue 💙 I really need to make more ig live/vlive gifs they're truly my calling and yet I never make them skldfk

OCTOBER most popular: yugyeom lolo curv live my favorites: I love both of these sets of yugyeom at octopop he looked so amazing incredible this is one of my fav looks on him ever (yes I know it's just a tank top don't worry about me I can't be saved)

NOVEMBER most popular: my fancam set of yugyeom performing lights in berlin (screaming crying throwing up. nothing to add. obviously also one of my favorites, the lighting is so pretty and warm 🥹) my favorites: apparently I also like everything from november asdklf this youngjae suit dance set came out exactly the way I wanted 🩷 also yugyeom's birthday post of course. and yugyeom x buzzfeed uk just bc I didn't stop staring at this set for like a week. the first gif alone gave me enough serotonin to survive for a month

DECEMBER most popular: yugyeom take you down perf 220331 (this set came out so good. deserved) my favorites: I love this youngjae mencert set, this also came out exactly how I wanted skfjd youngjae has the best performance videos I swear. and this gifset of yugyeom performing take you down is so beautiful to mee I redid it a lot of times and I like what I ended up with!!

my goals for 2024 are to post more gifs and keep being normal about that man 🩷 I can literally see my improvement from the beginning of the year to now and I think that's really cool:)

if u have ever reblogged my gifs I love u. I'm literally over here just doing my thing and u are all so kind. kiss kiss

[fox-flux]

physics problems 2: still player on a slope

(crossposting from cohost)

you have a player actor. great. heres one. it's lexy

[lexy sprite omitted because tumblr completely fucks it up]

she is standing on a slope. you are savvy at physics and understand that:

gravity will attempt to pull her downwards

she will immediately collide with the slope itself

her remaining motion will be projected onto the slope (roughly equivalent to subtracting the normal force)

she will then slide down the slope.

this is bad, because lexy is not trying to move. neither she nor the ground are made of ice, so surely she can hold herself in place.

but again, you are savvy at physics, so you know what holds her there: friction. so you say, ok, add a bunch of friction.

now you have a problem. the good news is that your physics engine is completely homegrown, so you can explain the problem in excruciating detail. the bad news is that it is your problem to solve for the same reasons. and the problem is that your movement code integrates everything upfront, then performs a motion.

that means you have your current velocity (presumably zero), gravity (pointing downwards), and friction (pointing up along the slope). you add them together in some fashion, and the result can never be zero, even with friction's natural capping behavior — this is just how vector addition works. so lexy will definitely try to accelerate in some direction, and the best you can hope for is that she will try to accelerate exactly towards the ground. but working out how to make that happen requires essentially working backwards from gravity (non-trivial because various effects can interact with gravity) and also just feels real dumb to be doing.

so where did you go wrong?

(an aside: the reason this doesn't happen in the demo is that i also have a cutoff on very small movement, so that little rounding-error levels of velocity don't make things shift a pixel at a time over the course of seconds. but that cutoff is too coarse, and in particular it makes some slow objects just not move on monitors with high refresh rates, so i've reduced it dramatically, and that has caused lexy to slide downhill. i thought i'd fixed this before but apparently i was just masking it by accident!)

i think the problem,

conceptually, is that friction happens at the wrong time. it's integrated with velocity and acceleration accumulated over the course of the last tic before movement is attempted, but friction isn't something that happens in a vacuum. i mean, literally, it won't happen if there's nothing else around. friction is an interaction with another object we're touching, and before we start moving, there aren't any of those!

so it seems like friction should only apply between steps 3 and 4 — after colliding with the ground, before actually moving along it. this is the point at which we know we are, in fact, sliding against the ground. and now we even have the ground available, so we don't need friction itself to be a vector at all, which is kinda convenient.

but that's in the guts of basic motion i... hesitate... to put something like friction in the middle of that. also, what happens if you collide and slide again? does friction apply again? probably not. so it only applies specifically the second time through a loop? that's rather weird. maybe it's okay that it's weird? it does add complexity for "out-of-turn" motion though, like being pushed or climbing a ladder, which probably won't have a big perf impact but does feel inappropriate.

other solutions

skip gravity

i could simply not apply gravity to a player on the ground. i've seen mention of that being done before. but that just feels goofy?? they are trying to move downwards, and on a slippery slope they even should move downwards.

also i have a bunch of objects that care about things landing on them, and this implies some weird special cases (in who knows how many places) for detecting that a player is walking on top of them without actually moving into them. and i have enough special cases as it is man. expressing a physics condition is so goddamn hard. i have the unsettling feeling that this would have other unforeseen consequences as well

a possible upside of this is that it could very well skip an entire movement iteration every tic — currently, a walking player tries to move sideways (for walking) + downwards (for gravity), immediately hits the ground, projects along the ground, and then tries to move a second time. without gravity in there, they'd skip the first collision and move exactly sideways from the beginning.

remember the ground

i do in fact remember the ground (tile or actor or whatever) for each actor, so i could use that to get the friction right upfront.

but what does that mean in practice? i guess it means that the motion vector would be projected along the ground before even attempting to move at all (and then that would be shortened by friction). so it's kind of like skipping gravity — if lexy is standing on flat ground, her attempted motion (straight down) will be projected along the ground (horizontal) and always come out zero.

i guess essentially this combines the other two options — it applies friction to the movement vector, but it skips ahead one attempt by making use of knowledge from the previous frame. it would get the friction stuff out of the movement core, which i like, but it would still make objects not push against the ground, which i don't like.

ah, all the options seem nebulously Not Great, which is always a sign of a fun problem. and don't worry, this gets even more complicated with physics problems part 3

[yeahthatswhatimtolkienabout]

I've returned! I'm listening to Hozier rn and bc my brain is Good Omens now, I've been thinking about a lot of his songs in context of the show and they fit soo painfully well.

In this essay (not really) I'd like to point out some songs that you can add to your GO playlists as well as just talk about Hozier and his lyrics for a bit bc outside of the context of GO bc they are gorgeous and this is my post goddammit.

- Unkown/Nth - this is first in my list bc it is calling to me rn and fits the best with the emotional beats of season 2. It discusses the fear of being unknown in a relationship, for the one you love to not see you for who you are.

Let's not forget to mention that this song is representative of the 9th circle of hell - the Treachery Circle - circle of betrayal. Getting into an elevator to go to heaven and leaving your demon bf is a bit treacherous Az, sry.

GO aside this song is beautiful, it is so earnest and wonderfully captures the feeling of not being seen in a relationship, having the other person just completely unaware of who you really are. And of course, stabbing you in the back too.

Just listen to it, its great.

- Of course we have the gem: From Eden - Crown of the collection. This song is about the snake that tempted Eve in the garden of Eden (and many other things besides). The lyrics are perf for GO, given the context and the chorus "Honey, you're familiar, like my mirror years ago" invokes nostalgia, perhaps of being an angel? And the line about going "to the strand, a picnic planned for you and me" just gives me feels bc we know our boys love a good picnic. "I slithered here from eden just to sit outside your door" okay Crowley.

- Take Me To Church - I feel the need to include this as I feel people will ask if I don't. I don't get A/C feels per se from this, but I understand why it is brought up a lot (other than being on Crowleys playlist), as it does discuss the hypocrisy of the Church and how they use your sins against you for their own gain.

- All Things End - sounds like "nothing lasts forever" 😭 I see the lyrics to this being about a relationship not working out, despite those partaking in it wanting it to and trying to give it another shot. It also talks about everything ending, and despite changing this - this should not change our plans - sounds v 2nd coming-y to meee.

- Francesca: Love the lyrics to this one, it explores themes of love, its endurance and power in the midst of challenges that would most likely shake others devotion. The very last paragraph speaks to me - it sounds light compared to the rest of the songs and I'll let the lyrics speak for themselves:

I would not change it each time

Heaven is not fit to house a love

Like you and I

Wah.

There are some honourable mentions here: To Be Alone, Like Real People Do, De Selby (part 2), Sunlight- to name a few!

Right. I'll shut up now and will get on with my fic.

[hijinxensues]

The Cloaking Brooch Dilemma - Part 11

RotTMNT Donatello x OC!AFAB 

Synopsis: Donatello considered himself, nay, deemed himself the greatest mind of his generation. He was known for his skills as a scientist, inventor, engineer and was a technological genius. Dare he throw in that he was a damn good brother and held the title of being ¼th ‘Protector of New York City’.

He could barely fathom that he didn’t piece together that the pretty barista he was falling for was simultaneously his gaming buddy (might I add, for the last eight years) and was working for Big Mama.

At this very moment, Donatello was sure of two things in his life. One of them being his life was a joke and the second being that he was fraternizing with the enemy.

All because he decided to run errands whilst donning his cloaking brooch.

Warnings: Aged-Up turtles, fluff, Half-Yokai OC, AFAB OC (does use she/her/they pronouns in writing), swearing

FIRST

PREV

NEXT

Ch 11 – Iris

“Perf, pick me up at 6pm.” Violet leans against the door frame, one hand on the doorknob.

“That is amenable. It’s a date.” Donatello nods and pulls at his sleeves to adjust them, there were too many seams touching his skin.

“It’s a date! Bye, Donnie!” She waves at him then closes the door behind her leaving him staring at the paint chipped door.  

“Angelo, there was nothing out of ordinary within the interaction, I insist.” Recalling the very last moments with Violet before being very rudely interrupted, all I’s were dotted and all T’s were crossed. Donatello knew Violet like the back of his hand. The way she tugged on a strand of hair near her face when she was nervous, the way she scowled when gave her attitude, there was a certain guffaw she did that was reserved only for Usagi’s memes- Donatello knew there was not a single thing out of place during that interaction. Not an eyebrow raise, a twitch of a finger or tilt of her head to indicate anything out of place when he said the dreaded phase that’s gotten Michelangelo up in arms.

“You can’t seriously believe that Dee! You asked her out! Like on a date.” The orange terrapin sat in a rolling chair across from him using it to spin in circles.

Donatello sighs, “Yes, a date. A hang out, an outing, an activity, to fraternize, to ‘kill time’, to socialize- Mikey, there are many different names that are associated with ‘a date’. I merely asked my friend to go to Albearto’s with me, to spend time together. There isn’t a need to read into this as deeply as you have.”

“Wait, is this the same ‘friend’ you were feeling guilty over? I knew you had a crush on them! Have you told them the truth?”

“I do not have a ‘crush’, I’m not a prepubescent turtle. I was in the middle of the reveal but then I was rudely interrupted!” He glares at his brother who shrugs sheepishly “I’m sorry! We really needed you; it was an emergency!”

“Michael, I say this with the utmost confidence that Raph getting his whole fist stuck in his mouth was something that you and Leo could have dealt with on your own.”

“You say that but you were also the one to get his fist unstuck. And we were trying! Really trying! For like, fifteen minutes.” Michelangelo whined then turned into jelly bones in the chair, “Sorry, Dee.”

Donatello waves his hand and furrows his brow, “It’s okay, Angelo. I’ll get another chance at it.”

Michelangelo nods with a smile, “You could always text them now just to get it over with, but I think it’d probably be best in person. It’s kind of a big reveal, yenno?” Donatello nods in agreeance before reaching for a small remote inside a desk drawer.

Michelangelo’s eyes sparkled as he perked up in his seat, “Hell yeah, baby! Fashion show!”

A bookshelf rotated to reveal a seemingly empty large room. Donatello pushes a button on his remote and the floor opens to reveal a stage which emerges from the floor with a metallic pole in the middle that connected itself into the ceiling. The stage is accompanied by multiple revolving clothes rack controlled by a remote. The lights for the stage and clothing rack automatically turn on to provide optimal lighting for impromptu fashion shows.

“Alright, Dee, let’s see what we’re working with!”

Donatello struts up to his stage and reaches for the stripper pole in the middle before swinging himself around, one foot perched and one hand holding on, “We’re playing it casual and comfortable!”  

“Boo! Boring! What about this?”

“Fashion is cyclical and while the shoulder landing pads are most definitely in at the very moment, I’m not going as new and improved Dynamite Don.”

“Valid, it’s a bit busy for Albeartos, even though the original Dynamite Don outfit was debuted there. Ok, ok, this?”

Golden flare bell bottoms with a purple floral-patterned shirt, tucked in with the first three buttons undone. Donatello struck a pose, akin to a disco dancer and nodded his head downwards so his shades covered his eyes. “Great choice, I do look fabulous in florals- but not what we’re going for. Maybe a roller-skating slash disco themed date?” He rips the outfit off himself and holds a new top and a bottom on his person, “What about this?”

“So, it is a date?” Michelangelo waggles his brows at him completely ignoring his follow up question.

Donatello pinches the bridge of his nose, “Angelo, ‘a date’ can mean many things as I said earlier. This is closer to a social interaction and gathering of two individuals than a romantic endeavor.” Donatello turns to face himself in the mirror holding up the next outfit choice, a collared shirt paired with a purple pullover sweater and slacks. He struck a pose and shook his head, “Too formal.” He put the fit to the side to hang up later.

“Google would say otherwise.”

“I doubt Google would have anything to say about my exemplary wardrobe.”

His younger brother clears his throat and begins to recite off his phone, “‘What is a date?’, the first answer doesn’t count because it’s ‘the day of the month or year as specified by a number’ but the second result on Google is ‘a social or romantic appointment or engagement.’” Michelangelo puts heavy emphasis on the word ‘romantic’ then turns the phone around so Donatello can read the words himself.

Donatello stumbles over his feet in a dash to get to his younger brother and snatches the phone out of his hand. His eyes scan the Google results page rapidly as his thumb scrolls down the page.

Dating is a stage of romantic relationships in which two individuals engage in an activity together, most often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the category of courtship, consisting of social events carried out by the couple either alone or with others. 

go out with (someone in whom one is romantically or sexually interested)

Dating is fun and physical intimacy is definitely achievable during those kinds of casual relationships, however in a certified relationship, it is easier to maintain physical and emotional intimacy. 

A date is where two people get together to get to know each other, to see if they’re compatible, often with the hopes of getting into a romantic-sexual relationship with each other.

Donatello’s brain goes full blue screen.

Donnie.exe no longer functioning.

“Uh….Dee? Are you feeling ok?” Michelangelo approaches his brother slowly, his hand gripping the phone so tight he was surprised it didn’t snap in half. Donatellos form hunched over and staring intently as his eye followed the text on the screen over and over again.

“Perchance is Dr.Feelings available for an appointment?”

Donatello is sitting stiff as a board in front of a projector that materializes suddenly in the lab. His younger brother suddenly in round frame glasses (they reminded him of Violet, but what didn’t remind him of her these days?) and a mustard-colored turtleneck, he stands next to the projector, the screen reading: ‘Dating for Dum-Dum Turtles 101’.

“Can we skip to the chapter about lying about your physical appearance due to a mystic artifact?”

“Nope! But there’s an easy answer to that and you already know it, which is…” the smaller turtles points to him to finish the answer.

‘To….ignore them for as long as I breathe so I never have to admit that I’ve made a mistake in regards to not being forthcoming about who I am physically because I’m deeply insecure about not only what I look like as a mutant, but also about who I am personally because what if she’s disappointed upon finding out who I am.’

“To tell them the truth.” Donatello settled on this for his answer. Michelangelo nods encouragingly, “Exactly! Didn’t you say your friend already knew everything about you except your physical appearance? I get that it’s scary, especially after all this time, but I’m sure she’ll love you the way you are!”

His heart jumps at the choice words Michelangelo uses, love, has he ever loved anyone that wasn’t family or considered family? Did he even know what that felt like? How is an emotion as visceral as that quantified when everyone had a different meaning for it? He tucked those questions very far away under some mind cabinets to maybe unpack with Dr.Feelings at a different time.

Donatello played it cool and shrugs, looking over his cuticles, “Thanks Angelo, can we move on to ‘Dating for Dum-Dums’?”

Nodding, he changes the slide again, “What I originally wanted to ask was, did you want to take her on a date?”

It’s not that he was adverse by the idea of…. potentially exploring romantic advances toward Violet, it just didn’t seem morally just given the circumstances. Ironically, he was the most morally ambiguous amongst his brothers regarding most things, but Donatello was a generally honest person. He was also aware that starting romantic relations with them while not being forthright was very problematic. April always said he was horrible at lying but here he was, head barely over the water line, drowning in his so-called ‘little white lie’.

Did Violet think he was taking her on a romantic escapade? He’d be offended if that is, in fact, what she thought. He had such better taste than a first date at Albearto’s.

Donatello chewed at his bottom lip, “No, I don’t want to take her on a date.” Speaking it out loud felt like a lie.

“Okay, so you don’t have feelings for her?”

“….No…?”

Michelangelo facepalms and sighs, “Okay. I’m not going to meddle with that big brain of yours because I know what you’re like when you’re in denial and there probably isn’t anything I can say to change your mind.”

“Denial!?” his hands grip the side of the armchair he’s in. Donatello Hamato was not in denial.

Dr.Feelings pulls at the bottom of the projector screen and lets go letting the screen roll up and into itself and the set up magically disappears. “I know you don’t like being under prepared and whether you want to recognize this is a romantic-date or not is on you, but what I suggest is that you get her flowers! That way you’re prepared for any circumstance! If anything, she’ll perceive it as a nice gesture from a friend.”

Were ‘friend bouquets’ a real concept? There were instances where friends would send each other flowers, but normally for special occasions.

“You are right, I do like being prepared for any and all circumstances.” He mused thoughtfully, he could take a visit to his greenhouse and pick out a personalized arrangement just for them.

“Perfect, I’ll pick out your outfit for tonight and you go make an arrangement for her. You need to leave,” Michelangelo looks at his empty wrist, “in an hour.”

Donatello bolts out of the lab to leave Michael with his selection of fine clothing for any occasion. The doors to his greenhouse were attached to his lab, the doors making a whoosh sound as they open then closed behind him once he fully entered.

The greenhouse was Donatello’s safe space, his brothers knew not to come in here (unless explicitly invited) and he often lost himself in tilling and pruning when he needed a moment away. He didn’t use the space for fresh produce and mostly focused on flowers, shrubs, and fruit trees.

He took a gander checking the temperatures for the day, adjusted a few and moved around a few grow lights to optimize space and growth for a few of his lemon trees before moving onto rows and rows of flowers organized by annual versus perennials, where they were in growth, hybrids (flowers he’d grafted together) size and temperature needed to thrive.

Picking up shears he gravitated towards the Asters, a perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. He gently thumbed over the thin purple petals and cut a few of the stems at an angle before setting them aside. Dainty blue flowers catch his eye next, Forget-Me-Not’s, genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, he takes extra care into handling and setting them down the flower so much smaller than his hands. Followed up with a larger white petaled flower with a yellow centre, Gardenias, genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. Flower language could vary widely, but he knew the most common iterations of it for most, if not all, of the specimens he carried in the greenhouse.

Asters, love and patience.

Forget-Me-Nots, fidelity and loyalty in a relationship, despite challenges. (He pretends to not know that the classic tiny blue flower also represented ‘growing affection between two people’.)

Gardenias, Trust, respect and clarity. (He also pretends to not know that the alternative meaning is ‘secret crush’. He has his emotionally unavailable bad boy image to uphold.)

He barely had to think about the flowers he wanted in the arrangement. Donatello added in a few leafy steams to fill it out, placed it perfectly in the middle of a brown papered square, bundled it then tied it off with a purple ribbon. He holds the bouquet at an arms length and gingerly inspects his work looking for imperfections- the bouquet had to be perfect. It wasn’t the prettiest arrangement he’s put together given the variance in shapes and colors, but it would have to do. What did April tell him? It’s the thought that counts? He nods as he recounts the memory, he liked being calculated. He brings the flowers to his chest careful to not squish any and makes his way out of the greenhouse.

“Donnie! I thought you’d gotten lost,” his little brother jokes and lays out an outfit on the desk, “Here, you have to dress for the occasion.”

Donatello sets the arrangement down on a chair and rubs the fabric of the button down between his fingers, “Thank you Mikey, I shan’t ruin tonight!”

There’s a hand on his wrist to halt him as he picks up the button down, “You know, I think you owe me, Dee. I’ve been helping you out with this mystery person….and I think I deserve to know my new best friends name that I have yet to meet, but will be meeting soon.”

Donatello rolls his eyes; he supposed his brother did deserve to know. “Violet.”  

“Violet,” Michelangelo softly repeats, “Oooo, I can’t wait to meet her! Dee, you gotta bring them around when you’ve told her the truth!” He claps excitedly and throws himself onto his older brother to engulf him in a hug, “I’m so glad you found someone.”

Donatello chokes on his spit in the most inelegant way, “Mikey, she’s just a friend.” He shrugs him off and puts his focus towards the clothes laid out in front of him as his younger brother giggles around him.

“A ‘just a friend’ that you made a personalized bouquet for?” He wiggled his brows suggestively. The purple terrapins’ cheeks glow, “You’ve been banned from the lab starting now.” Mechanical arms pop out of his battle shell to hoist him up and carry him towards the door.

“Have fun on your date, I’ll keep Raph busy, hurry up and sneak through the garage,” his voice sounds far away before he yells out, “Love you, Dee!” The mechanical doors whoosh shut and Donatello makes quick work of clipping the brooch on, getting dressed in slacks, a button down (the top three buttons undone to be scandalous, a tip he learned from Warren Stone) and a coat. He does a double take at his mask, wraps and tech bo before shrugging, ‘they’ll be safe in the lab’, he didn’t need them tonight.

He checks the clock, ‘perfect timing’, and hustles towards the garage and zips away before anyone can notice.

--

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, the sensation no longer unfamiliar considering how often he was in his brooch form. Given all the video chats and in person time he has with Violet, he’d argue that he actively wore his brooch around fifty percent of the time. He’s never gotten so much use out of the mystic artifact.

The car slows to a step as he parks next to the curb in front of her apartment. Anxiety crept up his spine and made itself home in his throat.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

He steadied his breathing then squeezed his fists together tightly to help ground him. There was barely a reason to be nervous, even though he had yet to decide if he was going with tonights ‘date’. Donatello’s stares at the flowers gently set down with car in the passenger seat. He could just put them in the trunk and forget about them, pretend they didn’t exist.

He sighs, that didn’t feel right.

He checks the digital clock in the car, T-minus three minutes to pick up. He had three minutes to decide where he was going with this. Frustration threatens to boil over as he smacks the steering wheel, “Okay, if she doesn’t ask, it’s not a date- easy! We will be just two people ‘hanging out’.”

“But if she does ask…..pull over, do the reveal? And then say yes?”

He tapped into his tech gauntlet and ran his Genuis Built, trademark pending, dialogue simulator, typed into it and waited for the results. The gauntlet glows purple and holographic results begin to filter through for every possible way the conversation could go.

Donatello scowls as he reaches the end of the page, it was a 50/50 chance that Violet would get upset about him omitting the truth, the alternate being she wouldn’t be upset at all, albeit surprised. That didn’t help him at all! That gave him even less to work with given the percentage chance of them getting mad, and never forgiving him effectively erasing her from his life. It could swing either way and it was too risky to do the reveal now before Albeartos. Pulling down the visor in the front seat he fluffs his hair out with a hand then gives himself a once over in the small mirror.

He steels himself, cursing under his breath he presses the ‘call’ button to alert Violet of his presence. It goes to voicemail and he pockets the phone. Donatello exits the vehicle with bouquet in hand and leans against the passenger door facing the apartment building.

The tight feeling in his chest returns tenfold but he doesn’t have time to log it on his spreadsheet before Violet flounces downstairs, a bounce to her step as she nears him. She looked as close to perfection as humanly possible. Violet stops in front of him, her hands clasped behind her back as she rocks on the balls of her feet, “Lookit you, wow!” she tucks a few stray hairs behind her ear, the same thing she did when she first met him at the coffee shop, “You look amazing, Don. Maybe a bit over dressed for an amusement park?” She winks then giggles with a doe eyed look. Her pupils dilate as she holds his eye contact, a physical tell of the oxytocin and dopamine, the ‘love hormones’, running through her system. The disguised turtle is stunned into silence at his friends flushed cheeks and pushes the bouquet into her hands. He catalogues the way her face is framed by flowers he picked for her and squirrels it away to look at later.  

‘Say something. Anything!’

“Michael insisted I dress for the occasion.”

‘Oh gods, anything but that!’

Donatello catches a slight quirk to her brow out of curiosity then rapidly bends at the waist hiding a wince, “After you!” He felt like he was going to combust. If he wasn’t careful steam would go flying out of his ears and nose at his own blunder. 

“So, ‘for the occasion’, huh?” Violet has a leading tone to her voice but avoids his gaze. The bouquet resting on its rightful owners’ lap as she fingers the ribbon holding the arrangement together. He almost misses the way she tugs on a lock of hair as he pulls the seatbelt taut over himself.

This was it. He was never so unprepared in his entire life; he would like to think he was better than this but the way his mind went blank as everything around him constricted said otherwise. Donatello set his mouth in a thin line and started to slow the car down to park it, he would tell her now even if he wasn’t ready to lose his best friend.

“Just kidding! I know we’re just going as friends, relax.”

“Right!” he chimes in mechanically, “You and me? A couple?” a forced laugh rips from his throat, “What a laughable notion.” Saving face never hurt so bad before.

Perfect. Having Violet confirm they were only friends took the pressure off him immensely. This is exactly what he wanted, so why was it so hard for him to breath. He even admitted to Mikey that he didn’t want to go on a date with them. He felt his tech gauntlet vibrate against his arm, most likely to tell him he’s lightheaded and to take his blood pressure.

“That’s me, a joker! Super hilarious.” Violet says steadily, keeping herself occupied as she looks out the window.  

Deep breaths, nothing could possibly go wrong after this. Everything was sorted (mostly) and tonight would be like any other time he’d been with Violet. It would be easy smiles and banter the rest of the night.

Donatello reaches for the volume button on the dashboard and turns the volume up slightly, the silence in the car beginning to feel like suffocation.

“Gigachad Theme – Phonk House Version? Exquisite taste, good sir.” Violet remarks playfully. The thrum of the bass washes over them both, it was an instrumental piece he often put on in the background when tinkering and even had it on ambiently while playing Minecraft.

“I’m not a fan of the song title being ‘Gigachad’ but it is a groovy beat. The beat is addictive.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve had a nightcore phase.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut then.”

She laughs, and Donatello loosens the grip on the steering wheel for the first time since he’s started driving. He turns his head to smile at his companion, relieved at the mood turning around. Violet averts her gaze quickly as the traffic light turns green and he starts driving again. The knot in his stomach was slowly leaving him the closer he got to Albeartos.

“I’m a musical theatre connoisseur.” He pitches to bring back the conversation.

“You? Donatello ‘knows all the words to Hamilton’ Hamato? Who would’ve thought.” Violet jokes as he pulls into a parking spot. Donatello hurriedly steps out of the car to open the door for her and as he reaches for the handle, she lets herself out of the vehicle. “It’s not a date, Don. No need to play the part.” The pat on his shoulder burns like rejection and all he can do is nod as he follows her to the entrance to Albeartos.

“Okay, well where do we start?” Violet twirls, her hair whipping around her face, she adjusts her curly hair, so they don’t get stuck on her glasses frames. This was going to be the best not-date he’d ever taken anyone on. Violet’s friends would be so jealous to hear about it afterwards.

“Based on our previous conversation, you’re the one who seems to love amusement parks. I figured this would be best suited for your discretion!” he folds at the waist and outstretches his arm in grandeur, as if to offer the whole park to her. He banishes the thought of offering the world on a silver platter to her if she’d only ask.

“Letting me take the wheel, huh? Alright! Rides first!” Violets hands nearly brush against his palms before wrapping around his wrist to pull him along.

There was a system to the madness, his Violet was so clever, they started off with the most intense rides, only taking small breaks in between for some sips of water to avoid any ‘TummyTello’ incidents. He begrudgingly had to indulge her in a less exaggerated ‘TummyTello’ story to get her off his back about needing smaller breaks in between rides as his stomach was doing somersaults in between the low gravity and merely glancing at his friend (more data for the spreadsheet). Donatello didn’t have much of a sweet tooth but did indulge in sharing some popcorn in line, their fingers brushing against each other occasionally sending a shock to his senses. Violet catches herself on the bars after one of the more extreme coasters, her cheeks flushed, and the sound of her laugh causes him to break into a grin himself as he watches her adjust her glasses before reaching for him to ground herself as she leaves the steel bars.  

He stares at Violet fondly and adjusts her grip to his bicep to keep moving, “Are the animatronics ruining it for you yet?”

Violet shakes her head before giving his bicep a light squeeze, “Nah, the animatronics I guess give the park a bit of flare. I think it’s time for some churros though! You promised.”

Donatello’s eyes catch something off in the distance on a coaster across the way. He glances at Violet to ensure she isn’t paying attention and turns back around to look harder at the coaster, squinting his eyes. He wished he had his goggles with him to see farther away. Holding in a groan he recognizes the mechanical bug wings and flat top fade. It was the fake Youtuber and wannabe Twitch streamer, Baxter Stockboy, online alias Stockboii. Whatever he’s up to, it isn’t good.

Turning his attention back to Violet, he moves slightly to obscure her vision, “Churros! That’s right, absolutely. I’ll go get them for us!”

“Sure thing, bud. You alright?”

“Yes! I am simply ecstatic to retrieve a churro. The churro I promised to get you.” Hands on her shoulders, he spins her around and gently pushes her in the opposite direction, “You’ll have to wait all the way over here though, okay?” he gives her a pat, pat and then a firm squeeze to her shoulders, “And face this way! There’s a lovely view of the pier!” risking a glance he notices Baxter attach himself to the tracks, “I’ll be right back!”

Violet tries to turn her head to face him and, in an effort, to stop her from catching on, his hands find both sides of her head and rights her to look forward. Donatello’s face is dangerously close to hers, the smell of vanilla clouding his senses as he lowers his voice, “You don’t want to miss the pretty lights at the pier, right?”

She stiffens as her breath catches in her throat and nods.

Spirits, he’d do that to her forever if it meant getting that reaction.

Donatello takes a few walking steps while watching over his shoulder to ensure Violet doesn’t turn around, then moves into a light jog and starts scanning the area for a bathroom or a booth to hide behind.

‘Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom, c’mon….bathroom!’

“Yes!” he exclaims and makes a dive to reach the door before someone else does, “Occupado!” Donatello slams the door in front of the next person in line, “My sincerest apologies! I’d recommend using a different bathroom.” He listens to the disgruntled person slam on the door and take their leave.

All he needed was ten minutes to sort this and get back to Violet.

7:00pm, Grimacing at the tiles of the public bathroom he delicately strips out of his slack being very careful to ensure none of it touches the floor. He hangs them over a stall door and makes quick work out of his button up before hanging it over the door as well leaving him in his compression shorts and socks and shoes. Pulling his feet out he takes his socks off and steps on his shoes before taking the brooch off.

Reprimanding himself for being grossly underprepared for something like this to happen as he was sans mask, goggles, wrappings and tech-bo currently, but not for long as he uses his gauntlet to summon his battle shell. He luckily had back ups stored in something akin to safe houses around New York for emergencies. He shoves the brooch in his pants pocket and steps outside the bathroom, luckily no one is outside. By some miracle he finds a spare ‘closed for maintenance’ sign nearby and he sticks it on the door.

Hearing the telltale whir of his battle shell, he leaps up in the air as it attaches itself to his soft shell. A spare tech-bo sprouts out of a smaller compartment along with a mask with already drawn on brows.

7:03pm, opening his tech gauntlet he goes through his contacts as he makes his way towards the coaster. The first five people that pop up are his brothers and April, he decides against this, he didn’t have time to entertain or create a congruent story, even with Mikeys help, to why he was here ‘by himself’. He scrolls further down quickly to the Joneses’ and rings Junior instead.

“Pick up, pick up.”

“Donatello?”

“Junior!” the relief he feels when he picks up on the first ring is almost enough to forget the stress he’s under.

“What’s up? You don’t normally call me.”

“Baxter Stockboy is interfering with one of the coasters at Albeartos, how fast can you get here?”

“Five minutes, but why did you call me? I’m sure Leo can make a portal and get there immediately to help.” There’s shuffling on Casey’s end of the call signaling Donatello that he’s getting ready anyways to come out.

“Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite nephew slash friend slash family member who is capable of keeping a secret and who travelled back in time to save the world?”

“…No..but thank you? What’s the secret?”

“I’m accompanying a friend here on a casual excursion and I’d rather not let my brothers know.”

“Master Donatello, are you on a date?” The suggestive tone to his voice is hard to miss and he facepalms.

“You have three minutes left to get here, it’s the coaster at the far end of the park, not near the pier, the other direction. I’ll apprehend Stockboy and you take him to the station for me. Don’t tell my brothers.”

“Already on the way!”

“You’re the best, Junior!”

There’s a crowd gathering around the coaster as Baxter seems to be hovering over the tracks dismantling portions of it. The workers try their best to disperse the crowd and evacuate the ride as his battle shell whirs to life lifting him up face Stockboy.

“Stockboy.”

Donatello’s mechanical arms spring forth and grab Stockboys wings and pulls him off the coaster. His other two mechanical arms start to piece together the tracks at rapid speed.

“My rival! Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?! I’m going to film the greatest clickbait video you’ve ever seen! I’ll hit a million views on Youtube!” Baxter wriggles to get lose with no avail, “It’ll be called ‘not clickbait: crazy rollercoaster goes off the tracks’!” his hands move farther apart from one another as he says the title.

The last bolt goes in and Donatello quickly descends and looks for Casey in the crowd. “While I most definitely would love to school you on the way algorithm and clickbait works, I do not have the time nor the energy. Insert clever monologue here.” Baxter clutches at his chest and gasps for air in dramatic fanfare as he’s lowered directly into Casey’s grip.

Catching Casey in the crowd he dives directly to him, Baxter swinging in the wind being held by the wings by his mech arm.

“I got it from here, Donatello. Go on and enjoy your date!” Casey dismantles Baxter’s wings and cuffs his wrists behind his back.

“Not a date! And consider your hockey stick upgraded by next week, Junior!” Donatello speeds off to the bathroom and flings himself into the stall.

7:08pm, he had two minutes left.

Exiting the building he ensures the signage remains outside and uses a lockpick to lock the doors just as a precaution and to keep his battle shell safe while in his brooch form.

7:10pm, ‘right on time’, rounding the corner he deftly weaves through the crowds and slows his steps down to maintain the air of ease. Running a hand through his hair to tussle he speaks up, “I’m back, my sincerest apology for the intermission on our evening.” Donatello feels the slight flush up his neck and cheeks.

“Did you eat the churro on the way back, or?”

“The churro!” he exclaims, “I knew I was forgetting something.” How could he forget the one thing he was meant to retrieve!? Even if Stockboy served as a mid evening distraction, he should’ve known better. It was one of two conditions that needed to be met in order for Violet to go to Albeartos’ in the first place. Internally he scolded himself to be more mindful of the requirements set for a successful evening.

He counts himself lucky as Violet waves him off dismissively, “Hey, it’s not problem. Were you having like a, TummyTello moment?”

His face burns with embarrassment, “Yes. I was most definitely having a TummyTello moment, I was using the…. lavatory and just…. forgot.” He wanted the ground to swallow him whole, maybe Stockboy could dismantle the ride with him on it so he’d plummet to his death.

The lightness of Violet’s laugh brings him back, “Gross, I hope you washed your hands after. All good, lets just go get a churro now.”

Violet stops abruptly and reaches into her fanny pack, “Here, it’s an Imodium.” She presses the tiny white pill into his palm, “It’ll help so you don’t have any more TummyTello moments. Happens to the best of us.” Nodding dutifully, he thanks her and takes a swig of water pretending to take the pill before tossing it discreetly over his shoulder as Violet makes her way to the nearest churro booth.

“It’s ok Don, when we need to go, we need to go! I’m not judging you.” A mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she teases him.

“That’s enough.”

“Donnie,” she turns to face him and uses her hands to make a funnel around her mouth as if to whisper something, Donatello leans much farther forward than he needs to meet her face, “everybody poops, it’s okay, buddy.”

“I am begging you to release me from the chains of my mortal body.”

Violet bursts into giggles while leaning her weight into the space unoccupied where his arm and body meets. Was she always this warm? Warmth flows from his chest up to his neck as his hand hesitantly finds purchase by her waist. Had she always fit so nicely into his arms? This is casual, he reminds himself. Friends did indulge in physical affection; he can’t count the number of times he and April cuddled. Even himself and Cassandra had shared an occasional cuddle, their shoulder pressed against each other during a movie marathon or while reading comics. There’s a distinct mood change as Violet sighs and pulls away, his hand now cold and a bitter taste in his mouth he ignored from the rejection.

After a short wait, Donatello says a quick ‘thank you’ and hands his friend the sugary snack. Violet lights up and squeals before taking a first bite, “Thanks, Don!” He returns her thanks with a smile, mentally checking off ‘Acquire Churro’ in his mental list. One out of two done. A bit of a hiccup with Stockboy, but he was back on track and nothing else could possibly ruin this….excursion. Donatello only needed to complete one more task, winning a carnival prize, to ensure victory for the best not-date slash friend-excursion Violet ever had.

“Bite.” She offers the stick to him and he plays into his disinterest to earn a pout and a glare before encasing her hand gently with his own to steady it before taking a smaller bite. Violet’s hands were small compared to his human ones; he could barely imagine how petite they’d be against his mutant ones. The thought alone makes him bite down on his lip to conceal a groan while a flush dances up his neck. He does a double take at his own reaction and stamps that down quickly. Friends didn’t think about other friends like that, he’d have to reference the friendship to romantic interest pipeline later to confirm.

“The sugar granules sticking to everything really makes this a treat.” He busies himself looking anywhere but Violet and willing his mind to clear itself.

“Oh, fuck off, more for me then! Wouldn’t want you to have another TummyTello moment anyways.” His brain is still rebooting and fails to produce a witty remark.

Gathering his wits, he trails after you to a standing table occupied by none other than Foot Brute and Foot Lieutenant, sharing…. a candy apple and a soda? Immediately his senses are sharpened as he takes in his surroundings and the nearest exist as well as the restroom he had used for his battle shell if needed.

“C’mere. There’s some room.” A hand pulls his sleeve to place him beside her and he makes an effort to set himself between her and the table instead, his gaze not leaving the two Foot clan members. Violet furrows her brows trying to catch why there was such a distinct shift in his mood but finds nothing. Who does he call if it goes south? Mikey? He already knew where he was and it’d be an easy cover if Raph or Leo found out. Call Casey again? He’d most likely be close by and would most likely have his hands free if he passed Stockboy off to someone else.

In his peripheral he sees the churro and takes a bite wordlessly while glaring, the two didn’t seem to recognize him (why would they?), and he wasn’t the most intimidating either as his human self but he was steadfast. Feeling a jab in his ribs he shifts his attention to his counterpart, “Dude. Knock it off. Sorry about him, he has no manners!” Violet scowls at him before laughing sheepishly to cover up for his ‘poor manners’. Foot Lieutenant quirks an eyebrow at him before taking a bite of his apple slice menacingly.

Donatello puts an arm protectively around Violet’s shoulder without breaking his gaze, “Lets pick another table.”

“Donatello!” Violet scolds him and it feels like his knuckles have been thwacked with a ruler. His grip loosens but doesn’t leave, he tries a different way to prompt an escape by pushing into Violet to get her to walk. Violet angerly shrugs his hand off her shoulder and glares up at him with a fire in her eyes, “It’s fine! You’re worked up over nothing.”

Foot Brute shrugs nonchalantly, “We look a lil funny, we get it.” He wants to scoff, as if they didn’t nearly cause the end of the world a few years back. He bites his tongue so he doesn’t chime in with a ‘yeah, you do!’ to upset Violet further. Foot Lieutenant pipes up, “Yes, we’re an odd sight to see indeed.” He waves his hand in the air dismissively and continues eating.

“There are weirder things in New York.” Violet responds politely with a smile.

Discreetly, Donatello pulls his phone from his pocket and opens a text thread to Michelangelo.

‘Foot Brute and Foot Lieutenant @ Albeartos. Churro booth, west side, by pirate ship. ASAP. No shell. Brooch on.’  

‘OTW, hang tight!’

The cold shoulder and blatant dismissal of his concern makes him flustered with anger more than it stings with rejection. Did she not trust him?

He scowls and keeps his eye out for Michael, his body still in front of hers but turned away with his arms over his chest. There’s light conversation at the table he doesn’t pay attention to.

His acts on instinct.

“Don’t touch her.” He latches onto the offending wrist so tight his knuckles turn white. His thoughts spiral, Violet was going to get hurt, if he let his guard down for a moment longer, she would’ve gotten hurt. His chest is tight and he wills his breathing to even out and taking slower breaths lest he gasp for air. How dare this cretin who was almost responsible for the apocalypse reach for his Violet? How dare he, how dare he, how dare he-

“Donnie!”                                                                                                                  

He’s brought back to reality; his grip loosens immediately at her voice. Liquid drips off the table and churro long forgotten on the ground. “Violet, I-“ Frantically he reaches for spare napkins on the table realizing the mess he’s gotten himself into.

“Save it, Don.” The napkins are snatched out of his hands and he curls in on himself, dejected. Your hands touch briefly but it isn’t warm this time. “Apologize to them if you’re going to apologize to anyone.” Violet didn’t understand, they were going to harm her. That’s what the Foot Clan did, they harmed. She didn’t know what they were capable of, what they’d done. If he could just explain himself-

“I’ll be right back.” Violet glares icily in his direction, pools of hazel brimming with tears.

Violet disappears from view and a flash of orange and red make their appearance. He knew his brothers ninpos like the back of his hand. There’s no time to dawdle, reflect on his thoughts or chase after his friend.

The youngest brother swoops down beside him and Donatello makes a b-line to the washroom he’d used last, fingers already working on his buttons. He’d help his brothers to take the Foot down and then run after Violet. There was only two of them, so it’d be quick.

He changes into his gear, pockets his brooch on his person for easy access before storming out of the bathroom and catching up to Raphael and Michelangelo.

“Why’d you bring Raph?” whispering through his teeth to the orange terrapin.

“Sorry, Dee! He caught me sneaking out and came with. I said you were taking a ‘self care day’.”

Foot Brute and Lieutenant raise their hands palms facing up, “We can’t have a single day off without you turtles harassing us?”

“Day off? Crime doesn’t take a day off!” Raphael does a Superman pose.

“Why aren’t you in uniform?” Michelangelo interjects and points at their winter clothes.

“We’re doing a staycation!”

Donatello checks the time on his tech gauntlet, “You don’t expect us to seriously believe that do you?”

Raph scratches his chin uncertainly, “Well, they are bundled up in regular clothes. Maybe they’re telling the truth?”  

Michelangelo lowers his weapon, “Dee…”

Donatello scoffs, he didn’t just “ruin” the entire evening for two criminals on a ‘staycation’. “Even if they were on a ‘staycation’,” he makes air quotes, “they had rudely interrupted my da-“ Michelangelos’ hand slaps over his mouth, the words hanging in the air.

“Interrupted his day!” Michelangelo covers for him. “Remember? I told you Raph, he’s having a self care day. His day has been ruined.” Donatello nods tight lipped. Spirits, he was so stupid. The eldest brother nods slowly and shrugs then turns back around, “We can’t fight them over nothing though, they haven’t technically done anything.”

Foot Lieutenant moves around the table slowly with his hands up, “Are we good to go, folks? You heard the big guy we haven’t done anything.”

Raphael eyes them cautiously but side steps to let them pass, Michelangelo following suit casting a furrowed browed look at Donatello. Donatello clenches his fists as he begrudgingly side-steps, but not fast enough as Lieutenant trips over a table leg and stumbles into him before righting himself and walking off with Foot Brute in tow.

Donatello lets a ‘tsk’ fall from his lips as he glares holes into the pair walking away. All this trouble for what? For nothing? He wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He must look crestfallen since a large hand rests itself on his shoulder, “Don’t worry Donnie! Your self care day isn’t ruined with us around! Let Miguel and Rapharoni take care of ya!”

He needed to find Violet.

Michelangelo is on it before Donatello even needs to spare him a glance, “Raph, a self care day is usually done by yourself! Dr.Feelings prescribed it. I’m sure Donnie-boy can continue on with his day in peace.”

Raphael strokes his chin thoughtfully, “You sure you don’t want us to stick around?”

Donatello’s already making steps away from them, “Ah, yeah I think so Raph.” His hand makes a move for his pants pocket and feels the flat expanse of his thigh instead of a telltale feeling of the brooch underneath fabric. Immediately his eyes are searching for the perpetrators frantically as he pats himself down to ensure he didn’t just place the brooch in a different area. “Mikey, they took my cloaking brooch.” He feels as though his head been dunked under ice water. Raphael’s voice is warbly and he can’t make out quite what he’s saying.

“Mikey, I need the brooch. They must’ve grabbed it when they bumped into me. We have to get it back, I can’t- Violet, she-“  

Donatello feels Raphael’s squeeze around him firmly while dragging his hands along his battle shell, “I don’t know what’s going on, but Raph’s got you, ‘right? We’ll get it back.” Donatello presses his snout against the comforting presence of his brother and inhales deeply, feeling himself relax head to toe.

Michelangelo’s gives an affectionate head bump and nuzzles his snout into his forehead, “We got you, Dee.”

Inhale. Exhale.

His family has him.

Raphael slowly releases his arms around the smaller frame, “Okay, we know they went vaguely that way, so they can’t be far. Mad Dogz, lets roll out and get that brooch!”

If he was in a better frame of mind, he’d let the warm fuzzies wash over him. However, right now, he doesn’t let that distract him. Checking his tech gauntlet, 7:50pm, which meant it had roughly been ten minutes since Violet stormed off. If she was cleaning herself off, it probably gave them another ten, fifteen at most, to get the brooch, change and then meet her back here at this table.

The three of them split up, Donatello taking an aerial approach, scouring the nearby areas. Pulling his goggles down he let them do the work to finding the culprits.

“Gottem!” Michelangelo’s voice rings in his ears, his voice projecting from an internal speaker attached to his goggles. His tech gauntlet glows to life, and he follows the moving dot on the interface to his brother. He zips down and joins the fray with his brothers.

Golden chains whiz by him and encircle Lieutenant of the pair while Raphael battles Foot Brute off to the side, his sais equipped and swinging. Lieutenant manages to origami and summon a few origami foot ninjas that all pounce towards Donatello at alarming speeds. Goggles still equipped he lets his scanners run over Lieutenant to pick out the mystic energy of his brooch and his screen hones in on his front pocket in his coat. Found it.

Deftly he moves from one foot to the other dodging the ninjas dust kicking up from every step as he approaches the struggling Lieutenant in Michelangelo’s chains. His hand reaches forward and grazes the fabric of the jacket, and he goes flying as a large body collides with his side throwing him a few feet from the action as he tumble rolls in the ground.

Donatello coughs as his battle shell takes most of the brunt landing on his back then glares at Raphael who’s already spewing sheepish apologies while he strides over to come help him to his feet. Using his tech-bo he swipes at Foot Brute to launch him farther from him and Raphael helps him up.

“Donnie, catch!”

His hand flies up and he grasps around the tiny artifact with a grin, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Flappy hands ensue for only a moment before he faces his oldest brother, “I’m guessing you guys got this?”

Raphael salutes, “We got it, Donnie.” A comforting hand on his shoulder, “And whenever you’re ready, Raph is ready to listen. We’ll keep this a secret for now.” He winks with his signature snaggle toothed grin and Donatello isn’t sure what he did in his past life to deserve his brothers in this life.

Donatello knocks his head against Raphael’s and tosses an up-nod to Michelangelo and darts off tripping over his feet on his way to the bathroom for what felt like the hundredth time.

8:20pm, he slams the door behind him and curses his luck for tonight. He chants a mantra of ‘don’t panic’ in his head as he pulls his legs through leg holes and arms through sleeves along with everything else then bypassing a mirror and running out.

Violet is oh so conveniently not by the churro stand he curses under his breath as he runs down the path to the exit, weaving through the thinning crowd. He wished he had his goggles and battle shell equipped to fly; it would be so much easier.

He sees curly hair and an oversized coat in a purposeful stride to the exit and the anxiety comes back full force. “Wait! Letty!”

He knows that she hears him as she stops abruptly and turns around to face him with her shoulder back and her chin held high with glossy eyes and a scowl, “What is it now, Donatello? You ditch me and-“ her breathing is ragged as she stops mid-sentence and gestures wildly at him. His hand flies to his chest, no, the brooch is on. That’s not what she’s staring at. “What the fuck is going on!?” She all but shrieks at him.

He looks down and does a double take as the humiliation hits him like a truck. It sinks into his skin and holds him his chest and throat in a vice. Shirt rumpled, inside out and with the buttons were mismatched to the wrong hole which led to the bottom of his shirt being wildly uneven. His pants equipped but backwards. He remembered his socks, but not his shoes. Of course, he remembers the socks. But not the shoes. Mutant turtles did not wear shoes.

“Ha ha, I can totally explain this!”

He can totally explain this.

His hand is still hovering over his chest, all he needs to do is pull the brooch off.

Violet stares holes into him and waits for his explanation.

The Violet of his mind yells at him for lying and he never hears from her again, and so his hand finds his buttons to fumble with instead to buy him time. “Okay, listen. I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while and-“

“And?”

Just like it did the other night, his tech gauntlet glows underneath his sleeve and he knows she can see it to. He catches the slight exhale she does as she tries not to deflate, and he tries to start over but his phone buzzes in his now front pocket.

He opens his mouth to start over but closes it as his phone starts to ring. His brothers needed him. They wouldn’t call him if they didn’t.

Was it too much of an assumption to think Violet needed him too? Wanted him? Even as a mutant turtle? Was it too far-fetched? Was the danger associated with his hero duties ‘too much’ for Violet? Was it safer for her if they just parted ways here instead?

The thought makes him breathless, and he decides he can’t bare with that idea. He needed her too.

He memorizes the way his favorite strand of curly hair fell between her eyes, the way she always needed to brush it out of the way because it was too long and a nuisance to you, but you also never wanted to cut. The soft curve of the apple of her cheeks and the arch of her cupids bow when she smiles for him. The scent of lilacs and vanilla swarmed him, encircled and held him close. Her gaze was hardened and targeted at him, but Spirits, her eyes were his favorite. They reminded him of lightning, even as they shone with unshed tears (that he caused, and it makes him ill to think about too long). He liked to think he could recognize her gaze anywhere.

“I’m really sorry, I have to take this.” He hopes she can hear the regret laced in his tone as he sprints in the other direction.

The Violet of his mind smiles at him and tells him to go, says that she’ll wait for him and that it’s okay with a wave and a lighthearted grin.

Not bothering with undressing his backwards pants (the texture was driving him insane now they he knew the seams were all wrong), he pulls the brooch off and summons his battle shell, equips his goggles and abandons his shirt on the way and quickly reaches his brothers and unleashes the rage.

The Foot had called for reinforcements in the time he’d gone and come back. He assisted with the fight, clearing his mind of everything but using his skills to ensure his and his brothers’ safety. Zipping around the battlefield he shares space with Michelangelo who swings a foot ninja in the sky for Raphael to smack down mid-air.

“Didn’t go too well, huh?”

Donatello hated how easy he was to read.

He dodges and flips a ninja over his shoulder, “I think that’s the understatement of the century.”

“It’ll work itself out, Dee!” Ah. The optimist of the family. “You just gotta hope!”

Donatello rolls his eyes so far back into his head he’s surprised he still has the ability to see once he’s blinked.

Raphael sends Foot Brute into a nearby stand, stuffed toys that were meant for prizes scatter amongst the ground, a stuffed corduroy frog with a tiny crown sewn atop his head hits him in the shoulder.  “Hope hasn’t failed us yet, Donnie!” He clocks that Raphael really doesn’t know what’s going on but is just as supportive.

“Just win me something at one of those rigged carnival games.”

“You’re a genius, Raph!”

He picks up the stuffed frog with a mechanical arm and it’s tucked safely away in a compartment in his battle shell. He didn’t really win it, but it still counted if he shifted the requirements mildly. Winning against the Foot Clan warranted a prize and the stuffed frog that laid in his mechanical shell was prize enough for him.

Hope.

He could still turn this around.

A grandeur apology, from the heart, with the second half of the requirement. Followed up by the truth.

Donatello effortlessly dodges and parries his way through enemies, and on the third call to Violet she finally picks up.

“What?” Her voice feeds clear in his ears from the goggles. She’s mad. Noted and very reasonable.

“There are not enough words to express how deeply apologetic I am for how tonight went. Let me make it up to you.” From the heart, that part is important. Something Dr.Feelings had told him long ago. The silence on the other end is weighted and he’s mildly distracted as he ducks and uses his tech-bo to block with a grunt.

“….Okay, where are you?” He couldn’t believe that she’d be willing to meet with him still, after everything and the thought makes him feel fuzzy. He’d go up to her in his mutant form, just rip the band aid off.

His attention is needed elsewhere for but a moment and he swings down, his ninpo materializing at the end of his tech-bo in the form of a three-digit hand and slams down on the opposing forces coming closer to Raphael, “Phalange sandwich!”

How many of these stupid little origami ninjas were there!? He felt like he’d been fighting for a lifetime.

“I-….is there… like, a finger sandwich place at Albeartos? Do you want me to turn around and meet you there?”

He facepalms hard forgetting Violet could hear him and yells in frustration to himself, “No!”  

“Ok! I won’t turn around then.” She huffs annoyed.

Frustration was building quickly, and he was running out of patience for this, “Er, yes! Turn around! I was…speaking to someone else!” Can’t he do anything right?

“Who’re you talking to? Who else is there?”

There’s a looming presence behind him that takes Donatello by surprise as Foot Lieutenant tries to take a peak at his tech gauntlet over his shoulder while simultaneously throwing a punch he narrowly dodges, “Trouble in paradise?”  

“It’s none of your business!” He yells and promptly slaps a hand over his mouth realizing his mistake.

“Excuse me!?”

Scratch that, he could not turn this around.

The ringing in his ears is sudden and incessant. Chest constricting uncomfortably, time slows down as he watches his brothers continue to dwindle the Foot Clans numbers, the park guests long gone from the area.

“Listen, if this is your weird way of doubling down that you don’t have feelings for me, this is in crazy bad taste.”

Why was he breathing so fast? The rhythmic thumping in his ears was too loud. Everything was too loud, so why did Violet sound so far away? He’s in an out of focus but he manages to fight the breathlessness for a moment, “No! No, of course not.” What was the question again? Feelings? Bad taste? He can’t remember.

In the peripheral, Foot Lieutenant and Foot Brute tied back-to-back on a large pole to hold them there. Good riddance. The rumble of Raphael’s footsteps is what he grounds himself to first, then Michaels concerned expression comes into view. His tech-bo is gently taken from his hand as he gently shoves Michael backwards, he’s too close. He could barely make out the words Michael was saying to him, their eyes wide and pupils dilated. Raphael’s mouth moves but he can’t hear him either over the thumping in his ears.

“Can you just tell me what’s going on!?” Her voice is clear and concise. She’s upset with him, but he’s thankful as it’s the only voice that brings him out of it.

“Galileo, Newton and the stars above, just shut up for two seconds! I can’t even think!”

Raphaels’ and Michelangelos’ hands retract from him as he catches his breath.

“‘Shut up’? ‘Shut up’!? You literally called me! Fuck you Donatello!”

The line goes dead.

He indistinctly hears Raphael ask what was going on. Asks if he’s okay. Is he? He doesn’t think he is. He needed to get to Violet. Raphael urges gently for him to talk to them. He can’t, words still escape his dry mouth.

His hand hangs limply beside him, tech gauntlet still on the screen for Violet’s contact. Michelangelo’s hand finds his elbow, calloused fingers rub on the inside of his elbow in an attempt to soothe him.

There’s more mumbling and he can’t quite remember how he got to his car, but Michael loads him into the back seat. The younger brother buckles himself in and turns to him, “Raph is just going to take care of the Foot clan guys, okay Donnie?” His voice is soft, the way an adult speaks to a child after a nightmare.

He concludes he must’ve nodded since Michael smiles and adds on, “I’m going to take you home, ok?”

Home.

His mind goes to his lab, then to the couch in the living room, well loved from numerous turtle piles and movie nights. There was a purple beanbag for him with a bundle of fleece blankets folded for him- the perfect texture against his shell. It quickly pans over to the kitchen cabinet where all the teas and coffees are stored. Leo would always go for hibiscus, something sweet for a tea. Raphael liked herbal teas and Michael would drink anything given he could put too much sugar in it. He kept the coffee pods in there, he loved the convenience.

Donatello’s startled at how quickly the visage morphs into coasters placed on top of the fridge, fluffy slippers (just for him) and the sound of a Keurig as background noise paired with the soft citrus smell of a Clementine. The TV is running, there’s a gentle breeze from the balcony door accompanied by the soft yellow glow of fairy lights. There are too many trinkets everywhere, too messy for his taste to leave everything out, but showed that the space was well lived in. Everything is cozy.

His hand brushes against paper and he straightens up, startled out of his thoughts, before glancing down.

Asters, Forget-me-nots and Gardenias. Wrapped in paper and fastened together in a bouquet with a purple ribbon.

His vision is blurry, his eyes glassy but he doesn’t let the tears fall.

He’s never felt so homesick.

TBC

A/N okay, good god this took me AGES to write and mainly because i dont think i characterize donnie very well and it puts me in my head alot. SIGH. but anyways this turned out alright, i suppose. LOL i hope yall enjoy it atleast! 

If you read this chapter and the last one back to back, you’ll notice I’ve written the way Letty and Donnie see eachother different. There are portions where in the last chapter it’ll say that Violet chuckles and from Donnies POV, he views it as her giggling. It’s kind of a play on how you see people with rose colored glasses when you have a crush on them lmao. I pepper these in the chapter and I’ve also peppered in the same verbage Letty uses in Donnies POV too to display how they’re vaguely thinking the same things as well. 

I’m not sure if anyone has ever been in such much denial with being in-like or in-love with someone but I have and I’m drawing directly from the experience (dw i got there lmao my person and I are together not for two years and counting haha). But being in denial of your feelings the way Donnie is makes him a horrible narrator (thus all the crossed out dialogue he perceives as intrusive thoughts he should not even entertain) and makes him extremely inconsistent in terms of referring to him hanging out with Letty as romantic or not. So I hope that makes sense on why he’s so all over the place. He literally can’t keep it together LMAO I hope Donnie isn’t becoming to repetitive but HES GOING TO RESOLVE IT SOON. You know our boy needs to think really hard. 

I’d also like to say Violet is also conflicted in terms of coming clean, but I feel like it doesn’t hit her as hard as she’s practically pretty much always had a soft spot for him. Her reveal also isn’t as “large” in terms of the fact that she physically still has the same face etc and her rose colored glasses just aren’t as pink because she can admit that she does /like/ him. Donnie is literally changing into a completely different person and species whenever he uses his cloak and this ilicits a much larger concern for him. He also can’t quite pin down /why/ he continues to lie (obvi bc he likes her but lmfao hes getting there), which adds onto his stress. 

If this “date” had gone well, they would have made the reveal this night but I still want to write these two fucking idiots so I needed to make this horrible for both of them so I can continue to write them. (: LOL 

@maribatshipper @goldenpanda16 @moonlightmarauder​ @samilucas67​

[candidlifephotography]

Enchanting Pre Wedding in Jaipur: A Journey with Candid Life Photography

Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, often referred to as the Pink City, is an epitome of romance and grandeur. Its regal charm, historical monuments, and vibrant streets make it an idyllic location for a pre wedding shoot. For couples looking to capture their love story in a setting that is both majestic and picturesque, Candid Life Photography offers an unparalleled experience. Specializing in pre wedding shoots, our team ensures that your pre wedding in Jaipur is nothing short of magical.

Why Choose Jaipur for Your Pre Wedding Shoot?

Jaipur's allure lies in its ability to transport you to a bygone era of royalty and romance. The city's stunning architecture, colorful bazaars, and serene landscapes provide a diverse range of backdrops, each telling its own story. Here are some of the top reasons why Jaipur is the perfect destination for your pre wedding shoot:

Architectural Marvels

Jaipur is home to some of the most exquisite palaces and forts in India. Locations like Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, and City Palace offer a glimpse into the rich heritage and opulent lifestyle of Rajasthan's royalty. These architectural wonders provide a regal backdrop, perfect for capturing timeless moments.

Vibrant Culture

The city's vibrant culture is reflected in its bustling markets, traditional attire, and lively festivals. Incorporating these elements into your pre wedding shoot can add a unique and colorful dimension to your photos, making them stand out.

Natural Beauty

Beyond its historical monuments, Jaipur is also blessed with natural beauty. The tranquil waters of Jal Mahal, the lush greenery of Sisodia Rani Garden, and the panoramic views from Nahargarh Fort offer serene and picturesque settings for your shoot.

The Candid Life Photography Difference

At Candid Life Photography, we understand that a pre wedding shoot is more than just a series of photographs; it's about capturing the essence of your relationship. Our approach is tailored to ensure that your pre wedding in Jaipur is a memorable and enjoyable experience. Here's what sets us apart:

Tailored Experiences

Every couple has a unique love story, and our aim is to capture it in a way that feels personal and intimate. We take the time to get to know you, understand your preferences, and plan the shoot accordingly. This personalized approach ensures that your photos reflect your personality and relationship.

Creative Excellence

Our team of photographers brings a blend of creativity and technical expertise to every shoot. Whether it's experimenting with light and shadows, playing with angles, or incorporating the vibrant colors of Jaipur, we strive to create visually stunning images that tell your story beautifully.

Comfort and Ease

We believe that the best photos are taken when you are at ease and enjoying the moment. Our friendly and professional photographers create a relaxed atmosphere, allowing you to be yourself in front of the camera. This natural comfort translates into candid and genuine moments captured on film.

Iconic Locations for a Pre Wedding Shoot in Jaipur

Jaipur offers a plethora of locations that are perfect for a pre wedding shoot. Here are some of the most popular spots where we love to capture the magic of your love story:

Amber Fort

The majestic Amber Fort, with its grandeur and intricate architecture, provides a stunning backdrop for your photos. The fort's sprawling courtyards, beautiful gardens, and serene water bodies offer multiple scenic spots for capturing timeless moments.

Hawa Mahal

The iconic Hawa Mahal, with its unique façade and latticed windows, is a favorite among couples. The palace's striking architecture, especially when bathed in the golden hues of sunset, creates a breathtaking setting for your pre wedding shoot in Jaipur.

City Palace

The City Palace is a blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture. Its ornate gateways, courtyards, and museums offer a regal backdrop, perfect for couples who want their pre wedding photos to reflect royal elegance.

Jal Mahal

Situated in the middle of Man Sagar Lake, Jal Mahal is a mesmerizing sight. The reflection of this beautiful palace on the water creates a dreamy ambiance, ideal for romantic and ethereal pre wedding photos.

Nahargarh Fort

Overlooking the entire city, Nahargarh Fort offers breathtaking views and a tranquil environment. The fort’s rustic charm and panoramic vistas make it a fantastic location for capturing candid moments against the backdrop of Jaipur’s skyline.

Tips for a Successful Pre Wedding Shoot in Jaipur

To make the most of your pre wedding shoot in Jaipur, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Plan Ahead

Jaipur is a popular tourist destination, so it's essential to plan your shoot well in advance. Early mornings or late afternoons are ideal times to avoid crowds and capture the best light.

Choose the Right Outfits

Select outfits that complement each other and the location. Traditional attire works wonderfully with Jaipur’s historical sites, while modern outfits can add a contemporary flair.

Incorporate Local Culture

Incorporate elements of Rajasthani culture into your shoot. From traditional props like colorful turbans and dupattas to vibrant local markets, these cultural touches can add a unique charm to your photos.

Stay Natural

The best photos are often the candid ones. Focus on enjoying the moment and let your emotions shine through. Trust your photographers to capture these genuine interactions.

Be Open to Suggestions

While it’s good to have a vision, be open to suggestions from your photographers. Their experience and creative insights can help enhance the overall outcome of your shoot.

Creating Lasting Memories

A pre wedding shoot in Jaipur is an opportunity to create lasting memories in one of the most romantic cities in the world. With its enchanting locations and rich cultural heritage, Jaipur provides the perfect canvas for your love story. At Candid Life Photography, we are dedicated to capturing these moments in the most beautiful and authentic way possible.

Whether you dream of a royal shoot at Amber Fort, a serene session at Jal Mahal, or a vibrant capture in the bustling markets, Jaipur offers endless possibilities. Let Candid Life Photography be a part of your journey, ensuring that your pre wedding shoot is a seamless and unforgettable experience.

For the best pre wedding shoot in Jaipur, trust Candid Life Photography to capture your love story with creativity, passion, and precision. Visit Candid Life Photography to start planning your dream pre wedding shoot in Jaipur today!

Also See;

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[bbqbills2]

BBQ Bill's features outdoor fireplaces, vent free fireplaces, fireplace inserts are ideal solutions for those that love to entertain, a perfect cetrepiece for relaxation and a functional piece for added patio convenience. Nothing beats the cozy ambiance an outdoor brick or stone fireplace can bring to your outdoor kitchen, patio or deck. https://bbqbills.com/outdoor-fireplaces

25 Outdoor Fireplace Ideas to Light Up Your Backyard by Architectual Digest https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/outdoor-fireplace-ideas

Humans have convened around outdoor fires since…too long ago to count. The allure of flickering flames is timeless and there are plenty of outdoor fireplace ideas to fit your needs and wants.

For a truly bewitching experience, consider echoing your architecture or juxtaposing against it. “I love to use masonry—such as stone or brick—that matches the exterior of the home, or something totally different, like a sculptural metal that matches any accessories for fences and really becomes a focal point in the landscape,” says Robert Bell, landscape architect behind the Washington, DC, firm Bell Design.

We got intel from top designers to suss out everything you need to know for your backyard fireplace, whether you’re hoping to create an outdoor living area or a Tuscan fire feature. Just add marshmallows.

Is it expensive to build an outdoor fireplace?

We get it: Not everyone has the money to install a covered patio with a woodburning brick fireplace, or a Mediterranean-inspired outdoor kitchen complete with a pizza oven. But there are plenty of more affordable options, especially if you’re willing to DIY or opt for a fire pit instead. Fire is fire—and can supply instant ambiance.

Although it’s (hopefully) obvious, safety is paramount. Whatever outdoor fireplace ideas you end up going with, it’s vital to ensure proper placement, Bell says. You’ll want an outdoor fireplace or fire pit “far enough from the house so sparks won't catch anything on fire, but not so far they're inconvenient to get to,” he says. Typically that means 20 feet minimum to 60 feet maximum from your home itself. “Consider maintenance: gas fireplaces are far easier to deal with than wood, but less charming, as nothing beats the smell of wood!” Bell says. And there are other aesthetic considerations, like lighting—especially to create a focal point al fresco. “Usually you want the fire to be the center of attention, so low-level lighting is key,” he says. “You shouldn't put anything bright at eye level to compete with the flames. Movable lanterns or subtle uplighting around the fireplace is usually best.”

What is the best material to use for an outdoor fireplace?

If you ever read “The Three Little Pigs” fable as a child, you know sometimes it’s worth it to splurge on materials that will last. A stone fireplace or brick fireplace may cost more upfront than a fire pit, but if you’re planning on making this your forever home, try to think of it as an investment that will reap benefits al fresco for decades to come. “The best materials for an outdoor fireplace ultimately depend on the architecture and materiality of the house itself, and this also drives the cost,” says designer Benjamin Johnston of Houston’s Benjamin Johnston Design. One major factor in what you choose is if you’re going for woodburning or gas, Johnston says. “Do you want to generate heat or is your outdoor fireplace going to serve as simply a focal point, like most do in Houston?”

How much does it cost to build an outdoor fireplace?

As with anything, you can go high or low when it comes to outdoor fireplace ideas. Some landscaping would benefit from a gas fireplace flickering beside intricate pavers, but even a small patio can get summer-ready with an outdoor fire pit that doubles as a BBQ. “It depends on the specifics,” says Eddie Maestri, principal architect, creative director, and owner of Maestri Studio in Dallas. “A general estimate is about $12,000.”

What is the most cost effective outdoor fireplace?

For an outdoor fireplace, “the most cost-effective option would be a prefab insert,” Maestri says. But if you’re hoping to save even more money, consider a fire pit or even DIY—it will be well worth the effort. “If you want to create a cozy, year-round gathering space, fire pits are a low-cost way to add functionality and comfort to your outdoor entertaining space,” says Kevin Lenhart, Design Director at Yardzen, an online landscape company who says fire pits and fireplaces are included in 70% of their designs.

How do you make outdoor fireplace seating comfortable?

Design ideas are one thing; creating an outdoor furniture set up that’s actually comfortable is another. “Our experience has been to get the seating as close around the fireplace as possible [within safe parameters] since it doesn’t project heat very far,” says Montecito, California–based landscape design wizard William Hefner, founder of Studio William Hefner. “It’s also nice to have light furniture that’s easy to pull up around the fire.”

Los Angeles designer Jaqui Seerman works hard to ensure there’s a variety of seating distances (and lightweight, easily portable outdoor furniture). “While some guests may prefer closer warmth, others may enjoy a bit of distance,” Seerman says of crafting a landscape design that works for the cold-blooded and always-hot alike. “Offering adjustable seating ensures everyone can find their comfort zone, making fireside evenings enjoyable and memorable for all.” Just add cocktails, mocktails, and music (a few throw blankets can be a prescient addition for keeping guests warm, too.)

How do you maintain an outdoor fireplace?

“I’ve found outdoor fireplaces to be very low-maintenance,” Hefner says. “We scoop out the ashes every now and then, and we’re good.” He adds that you may want to occasionally enlist the help of a professional chimney sweep like any other fireplace to professionally remove the soot that naturally accumulates over time. To make sure that an outdoor fireplace develops an even patina through the seasons and over time, Seerman suggests regular removal of leaves and other debris, which can easily pile up outdoors. “Once a year I would remove the fire rock and clean the burners,” says Stephen Block of Inner Gardens, who designs his own custom outdoor fire pits out of antique French limestone. “Make sure your fire pit has drainage so water from rain can drain out, and holes around the sides to allow for air movement around the gas line.” Safety first, always.

How long do outdoor fireplaces last?

When you buy or build quality, you can expect your outdoor fireplace to look hot (pun intended) for decades and beyond. Best case, your fire pit becomes a family heirloom your heirs like enough to argue over. “If you build an outdoor fireplace with a masonry firebox, and proper flue system, it should last forever,” Hefner says. One thing to note for safety purposes: “It’s crucial to maintain adequate ventilation in the surrounding area and ensure trees are trimmed appropriately before use,” Seerman says. Here, how designers and landscape architects combined both style and functional substance with their outdoor fireplaces.

Photo: Lauren Pressey1/25Put a little prep in your step Preppy makes perfect for this outdoor fireplace design by Noelle Interiors, with its striped throw cushions, woven natural fiber touches, and towering stone fireplace. We particularly love the handcrafted pendants in three eye-catching sizes over the seating area, which provide a dazzling touch of summer overhead.

Photo: Venjhamin Reyes 2/25Consider a gas option “A warm, modern aesthetic that uses organic colors and textures can balance, clean contemporary lines,” says Dominique Coffman, Vice President of Design at Design West. Coffman favors a gas fireplace over a woodburning fireplace: “They are easy to light and turn off with the flip of a switch or remote control. Another benefit of gas fireplaces is that they do not produce smoke, which makes them a cleaner option.”

Photo: Courtesy of Kern & Co. 3/25Tap into your inner coastal grandma Paging Nancy Meyers. “For this space, antique firebricks take center stage against a simple, pared-back exterior,” says Susan Spath, principal of San Diego firm Kern & Co. “The modern style mixed with classic elements creates a space that is eye-catching. When designing this outdoor space, the client wanted an area that was simply beautiful, yet cozy. The plentiful U-shaped seating arrangement allows for intimate conversation while facing the warmth and crackle of the fire.” Consider us there.

BBQ BILL'S STORY

Outdoor Living Store in Las Vegas

For more than 30 years, outdoor barbecues and kitchen solutions have been the name of the game at BBQ Bill’s. We are your premier barbecue store in Las Vegas, NV, that can help you create the ideal outdoor cooking and living space based on your style and budget.

We design and install custom outdoor kitchens, BBQ island kitchen, fire features, fire bars, fireplaces, fire pits, fire grills, fire rings, pizza ovens, BBQ grills, griddles, smokers, cookers, rotisserie, refrigerators, heaters, sinks, patio covers, outdoor accessories and build as construction contractors.

Our experienced barbecue experts will create a masterpiece that perfectly matches your vision for function and beauty. We have access to thousands of quality items and install only superior-quality products from some of the best names in the business, including Alfa, Alfresco, Amore, Aspire, Blaze, Bonfire, Coyote, DCS, Delta Heat, Fontana Forni, Gozney, Green Mountain, Hestan, Lynx, Memphis, Pit Boss, Summerset, Twin Eagle, Viking, Wolf.  

We service Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite, North Las Vegas, Blue Diamond, Enterprise, Goodsprings, Moapa Valley, Mount Charleston, Nelson, Paradise, Spring Valley, Summerlin South, Sunrise Manor, Whitney, Winchester, Arden, Jean, Logandale, Overton, Primm, Sloan, Vegas Creek, Boulder City, and Pahrump. Contact us today to let us help you build the outdoor barbecue and kitchen space of your dreams.

[fabdia]

The Elegance of Sharara Dress: Why Every Woman Should Own One

Fashion is all about embracing uniqueness and personal style. As women, we always strive to look our best and feel confident in whatever we wear. While Western attire has been ruling the fashion industry for decades, there's nothing quite like the elegance and beauty of traditional Indian clothing. And when it comes to traditional Indian wear, nothing screams elegance and sophistication more than a Sharara dress. Sharara dresses have been a part of Indian culture for centuries and continue to be a popular choice for women all over the world.

In this blog post, we will explore the elegance of the Sharara dress and why every woman should have one in her wardrobe. We will delve into the history of the Sharara dress, its cultural significance, and how it has evolved over the years. We will also highlight some of the best ways to style a Sharara dress, suitable for different occasions and body types.

Whether you're attending a formal event, a wedding, or just a casual get-together, the Sharara dress is a versatile outfit that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Its unique style and flowy silhouette add a touch of grace and sophistication to any outfit, making it a must-have in every woman's wardrobe. So, whether you're a fashion enthusiast or someone who wants to add a touch of traditional elegance to their wardrobe, read on to discover the beauty and charm of the Sharara dress.

1. Embrace timeless style with Sharara.

The Sharara dress is an absolute wardrobe staple that every woman should own, and I'm here to tell you why. The elegance of the Sharara is unmatched, with its timeless style that has been adored for generations. It's perfect for any occasion, whether it's a wedding, a party, or a casual day out. The Sharara dress has a unique silhouette that flatters every body type, with a high waist and flared pants that create a beautiful flowy effect. And the best part? You don't have to search everywhere to buy a Sharara dress for women or a Sharara suit for a wedding, because fabdia.com has got you covered. Their collection of Sharara dresses is unmatched, with a variety of colors, designs, and fabrics to choose from. So, don't wait any longer, buy a Sharara dress for yourself and experience the elegance and beauty of this timeless piece.

2. Sharara: the epitome of elegance.

Ladies, let's talk about fashion for a moment. Have you heard of the latest trend that's taking the fashion world by storm? It's none other than the Sharara dress- the epitome of elegance. The Sharara dress is a traditional Indian outfit that has been around for centuries. It's a combination of a long flowing skirt and a pair of loose pants, which creates a unique and stylish look. This outfit is perfect for any occasion and can be worn by women of all ages and sizes. Whether you're looking to buy a Sharara suit for a wedding, or simply want to add a touch of elegance to your wardrobe, the Sharara dress is the perfect choice. And the best part? You can easily buy Sharara dress for women online at fabdia.com. Trust us, once you slip into this magnificent garment, you'll feel like a queen!

3. Celebrate femininity with Sharara dresses.

If you're looking for a way to celebrate your femininity, then look no further than the Sharara dress. This elegant and timeless dress has been a staple in South Asian fashion for centuries. And now, thanks to fabdia.com, you can easily buy a Sharara dress for women online and add it to your wardrobe. Whether you're attending a wedding or a special event, a Sharara suit is the perfect way to make a statement and show off your unique style. With its flowing fabric and intricate designs, you'll feel like a true princess as you twirl around in this beautiful dress. So why not treat yourself and buy a Sharara suit for a wedding or any other occasion? You deserve to feel beautiful and confident, and a Sharara dress will help you do just that.

4. Shararas: Perfect for any occasion.

Looking for an outfit that is both elegant and comfortable? Look no further than the sharara dress! This versatile piece of clothing is perfect for any occasion, from formal events to casual outings. Whether you're attending a wedding or just hanging out with friends, a sharara dress will make you look and feel your best. And the best part? You can easily buy a sharara dress for women online at fabdia.com! With a wide range of designs and styles to choose from, you're sure to find the perfect sharara suit for a wedding or any other occasion. So why wait? Elevate your wardrobe with a beautiful and timeless sharara dress today!

5. A Sharara is a must-have.

Ladies, let's talk about something that's been missing from your wardrobe: a beautiful sharara dress. If you haven't yet indulged in the elegance of this stunning outfit, then you're missing out on something truly special. Every woman should own one, and there's no better time to buy than now! Whether you're attending a traditional wedding or just want to add some glamour to your wardrobe, a sharara suit is the perfect choice. Don't wait any longer to add this essential piece to your collection - head over to fabdia.com and find the perfect sharara dress for women today!

So, ladies, now you know why every woman should own a sharara dress! Whether you are attending a wedding, a festive celebration, or just want to feel glamorous, a sharara dress will never let you down. Its flowing silhouette, intricate embroidery, and elegant design are just a few of the reasons why this dress has been a favorite of women for generations. So, what are you waiting for? Go out and get yourself a beautiful sharara dress and twirl around like a princess, because every woman deserves to feel elegant and stunning!

[grillsadvisor]

Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Review & Test

The Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker is known for its versatility, allowing users to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ their favorite meals to perfection.  But how well does it truly live up to this reputation? Can the precision of its temperature control, sturdiness, durability, and its large cooking capacity set it apart in the bustling world of barbecue? And perhaps, most importantly, does cooking with wood truly make a difference in taste?  Join us as we peel back the layers of this bronze beauty, armed with real user experiences and technical understanding, to help you decide if this grill can truly take your grilling game to new heights. Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Features Superior Flavor with Wood Pellets One thing that sets the Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 apart from the traditional gas and charcoal grills I've used in the past is its use of 100% all-natural hardwood pellets. Over the years, I've experimented with a variety of grilling methods, but there's something about the unique, smoky flavor that only wood can impart to the food. I remember this one summer afternoon when I invited my friends over for a barbecue. The pork ribs I prepared were an absolute hit - their taste was elevated by the natural wood flavor. The consensus was unanimous: Cooking with wood pellets does make a considerable difference. Versatility: From Low and Slow to Hot and Fast Not all grills can handle the range of cooking methods that the Pro Series 22 can. The 6-in-1 versatility feature allows me to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and even barbecue food to juicy perfection. I recall one day I decided to challenge the grill to a culinary duel. I started by smoking a large cut of brisket low and slow. Then I turned up the heat to grill some veggies and finish with a high-heat sear on a pair of prime steaks. The results were nothing short of amazing, with every dish cooked just right. Precision Temperature Control What's remarkable about the Traeger Pro Series 22 is its Digital Pro Controller which uses Advanced Grilling Logic. This feature ensures a +/- 15-degree F temperature control, allowing for precision grilling. On one particular occasion, I was grilling a couple of salmon fillets - a dish that requires accurate temperature control to get right. I was able to maintain the grill at a steady 350°F, resulting in perfectly grilled salmon with a slightly smoky flavor and a delicious, flaky interior. Sturdy Construction and Large Cooking Capacity The sturdy steel construction and durable powder coat finish ensure the Pro Series 22 can withstand the rigors of regular use. Additionally, its large cooking capacity of 572 square inches allowed me to grill large batches of food at once. I remember hosting a large family gathering where I needed to grill burgers for 20 people. The generous grilling space of the Pro Series 22 made the task seem effortless, and I was able to serve everyone simultaneously. Effortless Maintenance Cleaning grills can be a daunting task, but the Pro Series 22's easy-to-clean porcelain grill grates make the task a breeze. After a big cookout, I was dreading the cleanup. But, with a quick scrub, the grates were looking brand new. The all-terrain wheels also add to the grill's convenience, making it easy to move around my patio. The Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker delivers on all fronts. With its reliable performance, robust construction, and the unique flavor it imparts to the food, it’s an excellent investment for any grilling enthusiast. Final Thoughts In this section, you'll find our curated lists of the best grills across different categories. Our aim is to assist you in making a well-informed decision on which grill suits your requirements and preferences: - Best Value Natural Gas Grill: For those seeking high-quality performance at an affordable price, our compilation of the best value natural gas grills should be your go-to resource. We've carefully reviewed and ranked these grills to ensure you get the most bang for your buck. - Best Rated Electric Grill: If you're on the lookout for an electric grill, be sure to check our list of the best-rated electric grills. These grills have earned top marks from users and experts alike, ensuring a fantastic grilling experience. - Best Value Pellet Grill: Pellet grills offer a unique mix of convenience and smoky flavor. Our list of the best value pellet grills provides you with top-tier options that won't empty your wallet. - Best LP Gas Grills: For those who prefer grilling with propane, our curated list of the best LP gas grills covers a wide range of options. Whether you're after a small, portable grill or a larger, more sophisticated model, we've got you covered. Our aim is to provide you with reliable, in-depth information that simplifies your grill-shopping process. Happy grilling! Read the full article

[signcompany12]

Transform your space with creative window perf designs

When it comes to transforming your space, there's nothing quite like window perf to liven things up! Window perf is a great way to add color and texture to the interior of any space without taking away from the architecture. Not only do they create dimension and play with natural light sources in an eye-pleasing manner, but they also offer many practical benefits. In addition to blocking out UV rays from damaging furniture or heat entering through windows, custom window perf can also help reduce outside noise levels; making them perfect for creating peaceful environments in busy cities. Window perf designs come in endless creative permutations - you could opt for minimalistic geometric shapes when trying to achieve balance and atmosphere within a modern space or intricate floral designs that will bring nature into urban settings. To ensure your design is cohesive with existing décor elements in your home, consider looking at neutrals like white or beige overlaid on textured patterns that pair well with wood accents indoors. The trick is finding pieces that fit the scale of your surroundings while still being striking enough to capture attention!

[ajentmm]

Tier 4 Skill Theorycrafting: Armor Edition

Alright, it’s time to talk theorycrafting for new tier four skills. With a new tier 4 slot B skills coming out seeming every banner, I figured I try posting some What are tier four skills? The highest ranked skill above tier three skills, which are standard at 5 star. They have the highest SP cost giving you the higher score in arena, and have neat bonuses slapped on top to make them more over tuned. To see the jump, we when from Death Blow 4 to Surge Sparrow. So for these blogs, I’m gonna theme them with a group of unit’s that will benefit the most from these skills.

And I am starting with Armored units. What are armored unit’s purpose? Obviously, tanking. They bait out foe’s with higher movement, hopefully killing them and preventing your other allies from taking the hit in enemy phase. You use your large defensive stats to not die and prolongated the fight.

However, elongating a fight, can result in the foe trigger their Special, and theses will break tanks. There is a remedy for this, and its Special Fighter and Crafty Fighter, two skills featured on the new Winter Holiday Banner.

Special Fighter 4: At start of combat, if unit's HP ≥ 40%, grants Special cooldown charge +1 to unit and inflicts Special cooldown charge -1 on foe per attack (only highest value applied; does not stack), reduces the effect of [Deep Wounds] by 50% during combat, and also, if unit deals damage to foe using a Special, restores HP = 30% of damage dealt (excluding area-of-effect Specials).

[Deep Wounds] Unit's HP cannot be healed through its next action.

Now I, like many others, would have thought that Special Fighter would have Tempo (The ability to neutralize foe’s skills that give extra special charge or prevent unit’s special charge). Instead, they left that ability to infantry units so they could bust the unbreakable tanks. Instead, Special Fighter 4 grants the tank more longevity. Seeing as this was the best skill for an armor unit with average stats and perf skills that let them follow-up or give more movement, they lacked the survivability that armors with damage reduction had. A unit with Sol could survive, but that might not kill, and Aether has a longer cool down. Plus, Deep Wounds just cancels it, as well as other abilities to heal (Arcane Downfall, Healing Towers, Staff). So yeah, here’s a skill that not only protects from Specials, give fast Specials, adds Noontime to your Specials, it restores 15% of damage dealt if under the effects of Deep Wounds (along with 50% of other sources).

So now that the fihgter skills are getting upgrades, let’s look at the first one and apply what we know.

Wary Fighter 3: If unit's HP ≥ 50%, unit and foe cannot make a follow-up attack.

The obvious fix is to make it ≥ 25%, but do we also remove the self-inflicted follow-up prevention? I say no. While we have TONS of other sources of follow-up prevention, having one in the B slot as other armored units, one that can be easily inherited by 3-4 stars, with one HP condition, is too strong. We have them on weapons, and we also have guarantee follow-up on weapons too. Players have already combined Wary Fighter with guaranteed follow-up skills, making it so a speed check is required to double. This is a tradition that players have done, it’s fine. Really, I just want to give other effects to make this good.

Wary Fighter 4: If unit's HP ≥ 25%, neither unit of foe can make a follow-up attack, neutralizes effects that guarantee foe's follow-up attacks, and disables unit's and foe's skills that change attack priority.

Yep, I’m adding Defensive NFU and Hardy Baring. These are great defensive tools to ensure no shenanigans occur, namely forms of Lysthia’s SA Guaranteed Desperation or Ninja Camilia’s SA Brave Vantage tome. The downside is that all these effects are behind an HP threshold, and these is nothing offensive about this skill that the other fighter skills do provide.

Speaking of which, allow me to go on a tangent about player-phase Armored units. The reason the Edelgards are the only Armored unit to be considered the only player phased units is because she can act multiple times and kill multiple targets.

What I didn’t realize is that all armor units have the capability of killing multiple targets. It’s just only an enemy phase. We can have movement boosting skills and player phase focus skills, but nothing beats killing multiple foes. And the Save skills make it even more likely that a foe will attack you and die.

So then, where are all the mixed phased options? Where’s the idea of a big stat ball charging in, killing a foe, and taking out more with counter attacks? With infantry units. Infantry units are just Armored units with 2 movement. They function almost better than armored units because of null follow-up, tempo, dodge, and now bulwark. The days of player phased armor units, at least through inheritable skills, are over. We don’t need a skill like . . .

Bold Fighter 3: If unit initiates combat, grants Special cooldown charge +1 per unit's attack, and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack. (Does not stack.)

Bold Fighter was the player phase counterpart to Vengeful Fighter. Units with this skill are expected to defeat their target and then survive the enemy phase, baiting a bunch of foes. With 1 movement and limited ways to get moving, it’s best paired with skills that indicate damage or increase your offences in player phase to bust tanks. Something like “If unit's HP ≥ 25% and unit initiates combat grants Special cooldown charge +1 per all attacks, and a guaranteed follow-up attack,” would work, but it doesn’t crept enough power, you know what I mean. If I change it to remove the “Unit initiate combat,” part, it would be too power creepy, as numerous new Fighter skills that only work when “Foe initiate combat,” will outdated too soon, as they don’t provide that flexibility. And so I made compromise.

Bold Fighter 4: If unit HP ≥ 40%; if unit initiates combat or foe’s HP ≥ 75%, grant Special Cooldown charge +1 to unit per attack, grant unit a guaranteed follow-up attack, and when Special triggers, reduces the percentage of foe's "reduce damage by X%" skills by 50% and reduces foe’s Def or Res by 20% (whichever unit targeted, excluding area-of-effect Specials, Example: a foe with a "reduce damage by 45%" skill would reduce damage by 23% instead.)

First, I made it so the foe needs to by healthy when they initiated combat. I could have made it “if unit is within 2 tile radius of an ally, but not only are armors rarely away from their allies due to their low movement (unless all the other allies left them behind), but the Save skills trigger the same way. Second, as special fighter has Noontime, Bold Fighter will have Moonbow added to the skill. This makes it a very offensive skill and the add “Breath” effect makes taking excessive damage worth with a Ignis + Moonbow combo. They can breeze through the biggest of stat balls, but can be counted by NFU, Tempo, Vantage or Desperation, or just nuking you.

And I could have just given a full neutralization of damage reduction, but like the counter to Deep Wounds, I have made just 50% the effect. This was because I wanted the benefit of facing a foe that’s not prepared, to outweigh the risk of the foe countering that skill. Plus, Armor units can inherit Special Spiral 3. If you want pure effective special damage, you don’t get to follow-up or Moonbow.

Vengeful Fighter 3: If unit's HP ≥ 50% and foe initiates combat, grants Special cooldown charge +1 per unit's attack, and unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack. (Does not stack.)

This was the best Fighter skill in the early years, before we got OG Special Fighter, and Crafty Fighter. This was how you ensured that your opponent, if they attack, doesn’t leave combat alive. Their easy counter play was just to stand next to them and get attacked. They don’t have the effects of the skills so they would either die, or have their HP lowered passed 50%. So, do I just lower the HP threshold or make it mixed phased like I did with Bold Fighter.

Vengeful Fighter 4: If unit HP ≥ 40%, if foe initiates combat or foe’s HP ≥ 75%, grants unit a guaranteed follow-up attack, grant Special Cooldown charge +1 per attack, and, when Special triggers, when Special triggers, deals damage = 50% damage dealt to unit.

Get it! Vengeance! Yep, this uses the high HP of armor units to increase the damage. And while this doesn’t have the damage reduction neutralization, the damage can be high and you still have the “Breath” power, which can charge a 2 cooldown special for your first hit, 4 cooldown special for the follow-up. This means, if the foe gets 1 or 2 hits, 50% of their damage is going to your retaliation. You might also notice something odd about this skill. If you are below 40%, you don’t get the effects, even thou that would give you the most damage. And if you are above 75%, you get all the effects, but the bonus damage would be a drop in the bucket. So it’s a balancing act. Be full health, take enough damage in combat, and proc your special to nuke your aggressor, then . . . heal back up with a staff unit or heal tower? Oh wait, Sol. Just use Sol. Or Noontime. Or Aether. You would be an Awakening Dark Mage with Nosferatu.

Daring Fighter 3: If unit initiates combat, neutralizes effects that prevent unit's follow-up attacks during combat. If unit's HP ≤ 80% and unit initiates combat, unit can make a follow-up attack before foe can counterattack.

Ha, this skill was dead on arrival. It’s just a marginally better Desperation for Armor units, who we have established, rarely ever initiate combat. This is only for the fast armor units, usually ranged ones. I’m surprised we didn’t get this skill on a 4-5 star special, like we did with Winter! Hilda or Winter! Annette. Instead, it’s only on Winter Dou Marth. I would love if Meg from Radiant Dawn got this skill, as the instant demote, with high Spd but terrible Atk. It’s a joke skill for a joke character. So, let’s fix that.

Daring Fighter 4: Neutralizes effects that prevent unit's follow-up attacks. If unit's HP ≤ 90% grant the following effects: if unit initiate combat, follow-up attacks occurs before foe’s counterattack; if foe initiates combat, follow-up attacks occurs before foe's follow-up attack.

There, enemy phase Desperation, just like L!Seliph. I’m surprised we haven't gotten this yet. Yes, this effect is on Winter Marth’s new refined bow, and it came with Spd Preempt. Thankfully, we have no inheritable weapons with vantage built in, only [Vantage] status effect. If we got Vantage as a Seal, this skill would be busted, but we’re fine. This skill can be paired with Flashing Blade for quicker charged specials, including Galeforce, an advantage the other skills don’t have.

Now to change things up, we will discuss C slot skills. The best C slot skills are of course save skills, and player phase armor aren’t worth having. So, let’s make armor units a bit more appealing to use with player phase, when using these new mixed phased fighter skills, and with new enemy phase only fighter skills.

Armored March 3: At start of turn, if unit is adjacent to an armored ally, unit and adjacent armored allies can move 1 extra space. (That turn only. Does not stack.)

Armored March 4: At the start of turn, if unit is adjacent to an armored ally, or unit's HP = 100% and unit is within 2 tile radius of an armored ally, grant unit +1 movement and the following status for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack." At the start of turn, grant adjacent armored allies and armored allies who are 2 spaces away from unit and have HP = 100%, +1 movement and the following status for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack."

In a nutshell, this skill is Armored March 3 + Joint Drive Armored Boots + grants “guaranteed follow-up in player phase”. This is the skill for all armor teams, but it’s also good for teams with just 2-3 armor units, one with this skill, and the other with save skills. The Armored Boots effect helps armored units move up to the middle of the map, and when they are in a scuffle, they need to huddle up again.

The status effect is redundant with the new skills we made, but they can help. For Bold and Vengeful, if you’re below 40%, you can still have a follow-up. For Daring, a slow armor unit can get follow-ups that can’t be stopped by follow-up prevention (can be stopped with NFU).

Armored Stride 3: At start of turn, if unit is not adjacent to an ally, unit can move 1 extra space. (That turn only. Does not stack.)

Armored Stride 4: At the start of turn, if unit is not adjacent to an ally, or if unit's HP=100% and the number of allies adjacent to unit ≤ 1, grant unit +1 movement and the following status for 1 turn: "If unit initiates combat, unit makes a guaranteed follow-up attack."

For this skill, you have the normal effect but if they are at 100%, at the start of a match, you can be near only 1 other ally. This is to help when you are forced to deploy next to another ally. This is really only good with Galeforce builds, as well as the Edelgards. It can give Legendary Edelgard follow-ups on more than just Dragons and Beasts. Fallen Edelgard can be next to a beast unit to transform. Summer Edelgard is still better with Assault Troops because her weapon is a conditional Brave sword and don’t need follow-ups. And . . . just ignore normal and Brave Edelgard.

Now, what if you don’t want a solo armor unit or a full armour team? What if you want a save skill and +1 movement? Well, here is the best option for you.

Arm. Def Tactic: At start of turn, grants Def+6 to allies within 2 spaces for 1 turn and +1 movement to armored allies within 2 spaces. Granted only if number of that ally's movement type on current team ≤ 2.

As you should know, Tactic skills can be inherited by anyone meaning your other allies can give your armors +1 movement, so long as you have 1 or 2 of them. Two armors, 1 near save, 1 far save. This is the most likely skill they could make, and they don’t even need the other two movement-based C skills.

That’s all the ideas I have for you right now, as they relate to armored units. Another skill theory craft might come soon, but first will be January’s refines. Also, Arcane weapons are on the docked too.

[wishbaez]

The baddie captions

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[lizzibennet]

to anon asking about retinol + salicylic acid cleansers, because I cannot help myself lmao. if you have any concerns you should absolutely consult a doctor (and an esthetician if you want but we are not as qualified as derms obviously), but yes even though for many people using OTC retinol and exfoliating cleansers are no problem, you might be doing a bit of over exfoliation and could potentially make things worse by doing too much. try switching up your cleanser to something more gentle (a good otc cleanser is the cerave hydrating cleanser) and save the exfoliating cleanser for a couple times a week to start. build up to using your retinol every night, and always use a good moisturizer to help prevent irritation. yes, retinol is not the same as tretinoin but it is just different because tretinoin and other retinoic acids like differin gel don't need to be converted to retinoic acid like retinol does (let's just say your loreal retinol will likely work as effectively as a prescription, but not as fast.) overexfoliation is so common and very counterproductive. been there many times myself both as an esthetician and not, and let me say it is hard having skin that you can't even put like aloe on because your skin's moisture barrier is fucked. also wear spf.

!!

[ushidoux]

Ushijima slow dances with you every chance he gets.

In the parking lot of a fast food restaurant that you convinced him he should try. After a training session when he’s still sweaty and sticky. At 1:00am on a deserted side walk as you stumble home from a night out drinking (you’re not sure if those nights count mostly because there’s barely any co-ordination). During a sunset on a chilly afternoon under a fading orange sky. On a rainy mornings right before work, steaming cups of coffee filling your kitchen with the scent of the roasted bean.

And there’s never any music unless you count the chorus of crickets and cicadas when you’re outdoors and the rustle of leaves as they’re ruffled by a gentle breeze. Or the steady thumping of his heart under your ear when you press your face to his chest or the roaring of your own as you get lost in the forest brimming with love in his eyes.

And he doesn’t care if there’s an audience. To him there is no one else. Not when you’re wrapped up in his arms swaying to something only you two can hear and feel.

When you ask him why he shows you a screenshot of a search he did before you started dating. How do I make someone fall in love with me? The picture is of two people wrapped in each other’s arms. The caption says: ‘Slow dance your way into their heart.’

This made me so warm in the afternoon, thank you for sharing ❤️