#outdoor antennas for homes

[netboon]

[little-diable]

Catching Stars With Racing Hearts – Tyler Owens (smut)

Some of you may know that there is nothing I love more than a starry sky. So I had to write this. Please like and reblog if you enjoyed reading this, your comments keep us writers motivated! Enjoy my loves. xxx

Summary: The reader has been storm chasing with different groups for years, and yet she always finds herself going back to her favourite tornado wrangler. The tornado wrangler who lures her away in the middle of the night to finally go stargazing with the woman he's crushing on.

Warnings: 18+, smut, piv, outdoor smut, slight spanking and choking, teasing, lots of fluff, two idiots in love

Pairing: Tyler Owens x fem!reader (3k words)

The night wrapped itself around her body, letting the soft breeze tease her limbs as (y/n) let her eyes take in the people scattered across the parking lot of the motel. It was a familiar sight, numerous storm chasers came together, forming a group of friends and rivals who were set on chasing the strongest tornadoes for a few weeks. She had been part of this ever growing group for a while, joining different teams whenever she needed a few weeks of distraction, fully focused on her friends and their search for tornadoes. 

(Y/n)’s eyes kept wandering until they spotted an all too familiar truck. Her heart skipped a beat as her gaze found his frame, watching him fumble with some of his gear as he sat on top of the truck, letting his feet dangle off the edge. Tyler Owens, the tornado wrangler she had known for longer than she could remember, a man she had instantly been drawn to from the first moment on.

He was a player, a man with a constant smile glued to his lips to woo whoever was crossing paths with him. It was nothing but a game to him, something she had been forced to watch unfold too many times to count, and yet it always felt different when they were together. He had never made a move on her, besides the flirting she craved like a drug she couldn’t stay away from, called to her death in the stormy sea by a siren who knew how to lure her to her end with its mere presence. 

Slowly, (y/n) set into motion, walking towards Tyler and his group with her arms wrapped around her middle, shielding herself from the cold. It took them a moment to notice her approaching frame, letting their eyes snap towards (y/n) the second Boone shouted her name with a grin tugging on his lips. Within seconds she was wrapped up in different hugs, drawing laughs from her as she greeted them all. 

“I was wondering when you’d grace us with your presence, pretty.” Tyler’s voice drew her eyes towards him, looking up at the handsome man. He reached his hand out, luring her closer and up the ladder to find her spot next to him. The scent of his cologne instantly wrapped itself around (y/n), a deadly mixture of rain, leather, and a hint of something reminding her of home, cozying her along as he wrapped one arm around her middle to pull her against his side. “How are you doing?”

“I’m alright, excited to see you guys.” She let her eyes flicker back to the others, who seemed to busy themselves with their tasks, offering the two of them an unfamiliar chance to focus on one another. Tyler's lips pressed a kiss to her hairline before he let go of her, letting his hand find its way back to the antenna he fumbled around with. “What have you been up to, Owens?”

“We both know you’re watching our streams, you know exactly what I’ve been doing these past weeks.” With her trembling fingers interlaced in her lap, (y/n) rolled her eyes at Tyler who studied her with a wide smirk. Heat rose up to her face, forcing her eyes away from his for a second to collect herself. 

“You’re so full of yourself, Owens. Your love for yourself keeps growing every time we meet, it's no surprise no tornado got you and your heavy ego yet.” The loud laugh that clawed through Tyler made (y/n) chuckle, relishing in the sight of the happiness he emanated, radiating off him. Her heart struggled to keep up with being around the man, struggling to stay away when he was everything she craved.

“What can I say? We both know I’m the only wrangler you’ll ever be into.” He dipped his head down to press a kiss to her warm cheek before he let go of the antenna. The spot he had touched with his lips was burning, leaving a tingling sensation that distracted her from the way he began to move around. Only as she felt him settle behind her, wrapping his arm around (y/n)’s middle to pull her against his broad chest did she snap out of it again.

Tyler held her caged against him, pulling (y/n) closer while his breath teased her neck, “This okay?”

She could only nod, could only reach for his hand to place hers on top of it, unable to use her words. It wasn’t the first time she was close to him, and yet it was so much more than whatever they had done before, sweet touches that were laced with something she had tried not to overanalyse. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand as he spoke to his team, sharing his food order before ordering for (y/n) too, knowing exactly what she’d like to have without having to ask her.

And all she did was give in, rest against his chest as if the weight of the world was no longer sitting on her shoulders, allowing Tyler to carry it all. A part of her always begged (y/n) to speak up, to confess the longing she felt whenever she was away from him, whenever she was chasing with others but was thinking of being by his side, even when she lay awake late at night with her thoughts set on him. But the stronger part always managed to hold her back, not daring to mess with what they had going on between them.

“Did you find time to go stargazing yet?” Tyler mumbled his words against her ear, making shudders buzz down her spine. Weeks ago she had told him about her wish to go stargazing around this area, needing to seize the chance when they were so far away from bigger lights.

“No, I haven't found any free time.” He only hummed before he pressed a kiss to the spot beneath her ear, leaving her shuddering once again. She wanted to ask Tyler to join her, wanted to spend some more time with him without the others near, but the sight of Lilly and Boone returning with their food stopped the words from rolling off her tongue, held back by her disappointment. 

Tyler kept his arm wrapped around her waist as he reached for the bag Lilly reached out for him to take, pulling (y/n) even closer. Her blood was singing in her ears, silencing her spiralling thoughts that begged her to run, to search the distance once again before she’d get lost in Tyler Owens and everything he was and she could never be. But the way Tyler held onto her all too tightly forced her to hold still as if he was too aware of the way she was close to running from him once again.

……

The sound of somebody knocking on the door of her motel room ripped (y/n) out of her sleep. It took her a second to adjust to the darkness she was engulfed by, looking at the time that read 03:15 while rising to her feet to stumble towards the door. 

“Tyler? What’s going on?” He was leaning against the door frame, eyes wandering down her frame to study the long sleep shirt she wore. Even in her drowsy state he managed to make her feel more alive than ever before, letting the heat of his gaze flush through her veins.

She didn’t anticipate it, didn’t pick up on the way he moved closer to cup her cheek with his big hand. Tyler seemed to give her a moment to pull away should she feel uncomfortable, but all (y/n) did was stare up at him, gasping in surprise the second he crossed the distance between them. His lips fit onto hers all too perfectly, begging hers to move in sync with his as his free hand found her waist to pull (y/n) flush against his front. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while.” His confession left her chuckling, staying glued to him while he mumbled the words against her tingling lips. 

“That’s all you woke me up for? A kiss that couldn’t wait until mornin-” his lips found hers again to interrupt (y/n)’s teasing. He squeezed her side, drawing a laugh out of her while wrapping her arms around his neck. 

“Get dressed, I’m taking you stargazing.” Tyler gave her a soft push back, trying to keep his distance while she stared at him with an almost dreamy gaze. She needed a few breaths to fully function, turning from Tyler to put on her jeans and boots before she allowed him to pull her out of the room and towards his truck. 

Since it was the middle of the night, the moment gave them just enough time to be alone together before the others would wake, set on chasing a new adrenaline high with tornadoes (y/n) would document. Her heart swelled in her chest as she watched Tyler drive them away from the motel, wearing a smile that was softer than all the others – mainly cocky ones – he had worn around her before, offering her a glimpse of the man hiding behind this perfect persona he had crafted over the past years. 

“Thank you for this, Tyler. I don't think I would have actually done this on my own.” She leaned over the middle console to press a kiss to Tyler’s cheek. He didn’t reply, simply let his smile grow into a bright grin while he drove them further through the darkness. (Y/n) had a hard time ripping her gaze from his features, trying to focus on the twinkling stars she had been aching to see. 

The truck came to a halt in the middle of a field, letting the night wrap them in her embrace as they climbed up the ladder moments later. No words were spoken between them, eyes fully focused on the sky that was covered in millions of stars. Her heart was clenching in her chest, struggling to take in this beauty she had been aching to see for a while, not finding the time away to properly sit down for a few hours and simply get lost in this sight. 

Tyler laid down on his back, arms crossed behind his head while he had his eyes focused on her awestruck features. For a moment, she let herself look down at him, unable to bite down her smile. She kept quiet as she laid down next to him, letting Tyler pull her against his chest.

“Will you kiss me again?” (Y/n)’s whispered question got no verbal reply, all Tyler did was dip his head down to capture her lips in a searing kiss, communicating the emotions he struggled to put into words. Without breaking the kiss, she shuffled around to pull herself onto his lap, needing to feel him close. 

Tyler shifted his weight onto his left forearm, while his free hand got tangled in her hair. Her body begged her to search this sensation, to dig deeper and see how far they would take it out here where nobody could see or interrupt them. Longings she had tried to swallow for a while now, unable to shake them whenever Tyler was breathing the same air as she was.

“We gotta stop, pretty, before I can’t stop myself.” His raspy words made her ache for more, needing to hear him speak sinful words she would think of whenever she was alone again and desperate for his touch. 

“Don’t stop, don’t you dare.” (Y/n) mumbled the words against his grinning lips while her hips pressed her closer to him, drawing a groan from Tyler. He stared up at her with piercing eyes, getting lost in the buzzing atmosphere that made them feel as if they were touched by a higher power. 

“You’ll be the death of me, darlin’.” Tyler pulled her in for another kiss, allowing (y/n) to toy with the buckle of his belt. But he didn’t let her get far, catching her hand before she could try to undo it. 

“Climb down.” With confusion pushing through her, (y/n) climbed down the ladder of his truck, watching Tyler follow her moments later. His lips found their way back to hers, drawing a soft moan from her as he guided (y/n) towards the front of the truck. Only as she felt the car press against her back did he pull away, staring down at (y/n) with a smirk that made her thighs tremble. 

“Keep your eyes on the sky.” Tyler turned her around to press her front down on the hood of his truck. He kicked her feet apart before one arm found its way around her waist to undo the button of her jeans. The fabric was pushed down, exposing the sight of her panties covering her ass – a sight so heavenly, Tyler found himself wondering if he had died while chasing and had been sent straight to the pearly gates. 

“Is this the full Tyler Owens experience I hear your fans talk about?” She was riling him up, very well knowing that this moment was just as special to him – and yet (y/n) was aching for more, set on teasing him until he’d snap and treat her like she knew he wanted to. Tyler’s hand squeezed her behind, letting his fingertips dig into her skin to leave marks she’d take home like a souvenir reminding her of this very trip.

“Careful, baby, I want to take my time with you, want to do this properly.” His words forced goosebumps to rise on her skin – sensations that were buzzing through her like a wildfire, unable to bite down the unfamiliar heat. Tyler’s fingertips carefully pushed her panties aside, teasing her folds while both let go of a soft groan. 

“You can take your time another day. I need you to fuck me, Owens. I’m growing bored here.” She wasn’t growing bored, hell, she was buzzing with excitement, and yet (y/n) seemed to know exactly which buttons she had to push. With the click of his tongue, Tyler pulled his hand from her aching heat, letting it come down on her ass without a warning moments later. (Y/n)’s surprised moan left him chuckling, fully aware of the power he held over her, no matter how much she tried to tease him, to drag this out even further. 

“Are you sure you can take this, sweet girl? I won’t hold back.” She only moaned his name, hyper focused on all sounds she heard, how he undid his belt, how he seemed to rip open a condom before pushing her damp panties aside once again. And then he pushed into her, forcing her walls to flutter while desperately trying to adjust. 

One of his hands settled on her waist while the other found her throat, pulling her off the hood just enough to let her eyes flicker up to the starry sky. Shaky breaths left (y/n) as she felt Tyler pull out of her, only to push back in seconds later, slowly fucking her while her gaze grew blurred. 

“Fuck, you feel like heaven.” His praises made her walls clench his cock, drawing a raspy groan out of Tyler. With every passing moment, he added more speed to his thrusts, letting his body meet hers to remind them both that this wasn’t just a trick of their brains. They fit together perfectly, in every imaginable way, and even though he’d never say it to others, Tyler knew that he had just found his new favourite adrenaline high, fucking her was everything he had always been searching for. 

“Don’t hold back, please.” (Y/n) was close to sobbing her words. She struggled to focus on the stars, struggled to focus on the sight that made her heart race from all this beauty she couldn’t take in, fully focused on Tyler and the way he fucked her hard. Their sounds bled together, forming a mass of sounds she’d never forget again, moans and groans, skin meeting skin, shaky breaths that told them both how much the other had also longed for this. 

“Who knew it’d be this easy to make you beg for something.” She didn’t need to see him to know that Tyler was wearing a bright smirk, staring down at her while fucking her towards the edge. 

“Who knew that you aren’t just a pretty face with a big ego.” Tyler’s raspy laugh vibrated through her body, pushing her even closer towards the high she could feel climbing up her body. His hand moved to the front of her wet panties, dipping inside to circle her pulsing bundle to give (y/n) the needed push to fall over the edge. 

And then she came, with a moan so powerful she needed a moment to understand it was her who had made that sound. Tyler kept snapping his hips, with just enough speed to push himself closer and closer, high on the feeling of her walls squeezing his cock. (Y/n)’s sight cleared up just in time, allowing her to take in the beautiful spectacle on the sky as Tyler followed her down the edge, letting go with one last raspy moan. 

He pressed a kiss to the spot where her neck met her shoulder before pulling out of her. (Y/n) kept her eyes focused on the sky as they redressed, not noticing how Tyler studied her with a smile. With his hand finding hers, he pulled her into his chest to dip his head down for another breathless kiss. 

“I guess I was wrong.” She furrowed her eyebrows at Tyler’s words, letting her confused gaze wander over his face. “I always thought nothing would give me a high like a tornado can, but I was wrong. This, being here with you, hearing those sweet sounds you make, fuck, it’s my new favourite thing ever, pretty.”

[revelboo]

I was rereading some of the Waspinator story and had the sudden thought that... Oh no, my body wash is honey scented...

Accidental alien wasp catnip 🤣 I honestly didn’t think of that- I use honey scented stuff too- the Mielle honey and pomegranate conditioner.

Worker Bee Pt 21

Waspinator x Reader

• After giving up and going to get the dish soap to use on him, you do end up running out of hot water well before Waspinator is no longer sticky. And while the cold water doesn’t seem to bother him, you’re shivering and miserable by the time he’s clean. While he’s still just sitting in the shower hopefully sobering up and questioning his life choices. Shutting off the water and wrapping a towel around yourself, he whines and stares up at you. “Feeling better?” You ask, trying to decide if his miserable expression is guilt or a hangover.

• Not at all, but he nods obediently and crawls out of the shower. Leaning against you when you start drying him off. Hooking his arms around you and whining when you pointedly remove them. “Waspinator sorry,” he mumbles and you sigh. But then you do that a lot. “Trying to do right. Trying to date.” And not off to a good start. You hand like the flowers or the food. Had gotten distracted patrolling by the sticky outdoor snacks and that had upset you, too. Always upsetting you without meaning to. “Try harder,” he promises and you groan like you’re in pain. You do that a lot, too.

• This again. Why is he so fixated on dating you? “About that. Sweetie, dating is for getting to know someone you want to spend time with.” He’s just staring up at you with wide, dumb optics and you know he’s going to misunderstand that. But you can’t make yourself explain sex to your ugly puppy either. It’s not like he’d understand, he’s sweet and so innocent. “Intimate time.” Hoping this isn’t a subject he latches onto and just keeps asking questions about.

• “Mates,” he says and you frown at him. “Waspinator be a good mate. Take care of little friend. Share a hive.” Watches your mouth open and close. And you just drop the towel you were using to dry him on his head before he hears you walk away. Tossing it aside, he trails after you as you head for your recharge space and start digging through your coverings. Draping himself against your back, he’s feels you stiffen when he rests his head on top of yours and wraps his arms around you. “Protect.” You fit so perfectly in his arms, like you’re meant to be there. Meant to be his.

• Nope. Squirming out of his grip, you hold up your hands, palms out. “Look, I’m flattered.” Backing away as he follows, antenna perked up. “Really, but I’m human. You’re… you.” Still haven’t figured that one out since every attempt to ask him what he is gets you ‘Waspinator’ and a blank stare. “It just wouldn’t work.” Sure, you’re not as horrified by him as when you’d first found him and he refused to leave, but he’s, well, him. Dumb, but sweet in his own way. Not ugly, but unsettlingly alien. Even if you’ve gotten used to how he looks and even think he’s adorable when he stares at you with a thought in that buggy head. You’re resigned to being stuck with him at this point, but not to having an alien, bug husband. And his antenna flatten back, looking like a kicked puppy.

• “Don’t have to love Waspinator,” he says, wings buzzing as he drops to his knees and hooks his arms around your legs. Don’t make him go. Don’t send him away from you and home. “Can yell at Waspinator. Hit Waspinator.” Just let him stay here with you. Take care of you even if you don’t want him, even if you never want him. “Waspinator doesn’t care. Happy here.” And he’s not sure that he’s ever actually been happy before you. Resting his head on you and looking up your body, he’s whines at you. Pleading.

• Why does he have to sound so pathetic? Just staring up at you with those big optics. Begging to stay with you. It’s not like you’re the least bit compatible with him that way. He’s missing the necessary equipment. And those pleading optics and his broken, fearful tone wear down your resistance. What could it hurt to play along? To just keep your giant, annoying puppy. Let him believe he’s dating you if it keeps him happy. “No one’s making you leave. This is your home,” You find yourself saying despite yourself. And he lunges, knocking you flat on the bed and the air from your lungs with his weight, wings buzzing. Staring at the ceiling as his mandibles brush your neck, you pet his antenna and wonder how this will come back to bite you.

Previous

Next

I just realized some of the minis I have are defender sized… and I’m going to be absolutely awful with this information…

[monstertreden]

✦ BE(E) MY DATE? ✦

-Reader: FEM reader -TW: none, just an adorable bee -Character: Bumblebee (Transformers movie 2018) -Summary: Bumblebee is trying to get accustomed to earth traditions in order to impress his favourite human -Word count : 1448 A/N: This was an anonymous request of a while back. I went with the Fem Pov, but this could be read with a GN reader too. What a way to open this 2025! Wish you all the best things in the world!🍀

The evening sky was starting to feel more alive as stars emerged one by one. With no light pollution ruining this view, the atmosphere felt so relaxing, a quiet peak for living in such a peaceful town. Your home garden was glowing, illuminated by tiny star-shaped lights strung around the tree branches. In the middle of it all stood a cheerful, giant yellow bot. He fumbled with his radio, playing different romantic songs as he tried to find justtt the right one to set the perfect mood. Bumblebee was buzzing with excitement, unable to wait another hour until you got home from your job and spend the rest of the night with him outdoors. Today had been a little different. It had been hours since you’d left for work and you’d insisted on taking the bus to work, much to Bumblebee’s dismay. He’d watched you wave goodbye as he beeped sadly…but once you were out of sight, his little antennas perked up and twitched like bunny ears: if he couldn’t spend all day with you then he would make that night unforgettable! The thought had driven him all afternoon as he kept carefully arranging what he had gathered, it had to be perfect because you deserve nothing less!

A jazzy love song hummed through his speakers before he quickly cut it off again, second-guessing his choice, followed by an upsetting beep.

Postponing his final decision on the special song, Bumblebee turned his attention to the messy setup he had previously sprawled on the flower-patched blanket… one he might have “borrowed” from her bedroom through the window…ops, but it was one of his favorite too, one you often shared with him while watching some movies back in the garage, other than being soft, it fitted the romantic vibe he was striving for. Smothering the blanket again, having spotted a small wrinkle,  his digits fidgeted slightly with the patch of wildflowers he had directly plucked from the ground earlier, ensuring they looked intentional rather than, well… stolen. Were there enough flowers? Or were they too many? He tilted his helm as if reconsidering his choice, before turning to the unplugged microwave, that somehow contained various cookies inside and the carefully inclined projector screen propped up against the white wall of your home. The screen’s angle had been adjusted multiple times until he was satisfied, though he still glanced at it every few moments to make sure it hadn’t shifted.

It had taken him ages to figure out how humans got their movie setups just right, and, even now, he still wasn’t sure he had nailed it. Beside it, a wicker basket was overfilled with treats he’d seen you enjoy: chips, candies, and a variety of drinks, so many you wouldn’t go hungry... though he had no idea what half of them tasted like...Would you notice the missing bags of sour candies? He might’ve… tested one or two. For science. Did you have that many treats in your kitchen cabinets though? Of course not, the truth was that some, well, most of the items inside weren’t “exactly” yours. The yellow bot had borrowed, again, okay, maybe taken a few things from the local store storage without paying, but only because he still didn’t understand how human transactions worked. Plus, wasn’t food meant to be shared? You loved snacks! And he wanted the best ones for you!

“Cool and smooth!”. He echoed the phrase to himself, with the enthusiasm of a DJ who knew what they were doing. Excitement and anxiousness coursed through his circuits, he had seen countless Earth movies and TV series with you, how your face lit up when romantic picnics were on-screen. “Aren’t they adorable, Bee?” you’d sighed, smiling softly at a scene where a couple sat under the stars, and he was determined to give her exactly that.

The wildflowers kept sprawling all over each time Bumblebee tried to grab one, he didn’t bring a vase since he was scared of accidentally breaking one, so he decided with clumsy digits to open a soda can, yes..maybe that would do.. “Careful...”  Tipping the can towards his faceplate, he fussed over not being able to open it. Shaking it, hoping it would loosen, and when it seemed he had made it, it sprayed all over his faceplate, making him stumble over with a distressed beep. A wrong footing and there was a loud crunch. Bumblebee froze. Slowly looking down, he realized his foot had landed squarely on a package of cookies, reducing them to crumbs. “Dang it!” he buzzed through the radio, frustration laced with nervousness. He frantically crouched and scooped up the squished wrapper, already berating himself.

But Bumblebee wasn’t one to back down so easily. He straightened up, the crumpled pack of cookies still in his hand. Carefully, the bit tucked it back into the end of the basket, there were so many after all. Next, he picked up the empty soda can and went to toss it in the garbage bin, only for his gaze to land on a small empty glass jar you’d had left for recycling. That was perfect! It was risky managing glass, but it was his only choice. After arranging the wildflowers in the jar, he stepped back to admire his work. The bright blooms stood proudly in their makeshift vase; A triumphant beep escaped his radio.

However, waiting for you to get home from your job was the worst part. Bee leaned on the side of the blanket staring at the darkening sky, his pedes shifting restlessly against the ground as his optics traced the constellations beginning to shine above.

ᯓ★

The distant hum of the bus made Bumblebee buzz with anticipation as he scrambled quickly to double-check the lights and blanket one last time, his excitement nearly spilled over. Tonight was truly special, and he couldn’t wait to spend it with you, just the two of you, under the stars.

When you reached the garden, Bumblebee greeted you enthusiastically, using a series of radio clips to invite you, his favourite human, to sit down. “Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder” played softly from his speakers as he immediately handled the microwave, shaking its contents inside, beeping excitedly for you to open it.

A mixture of surprise painted your face “Aww Bee” You gently lowered down his servos so he couldn’t accidentally destroy your microwave and reached for him instead, your hands lightly cradling his side faceplate. His optics blinked rapidly in surprise, and his helm tilted curiously to the side as if trying to process your gesture. “This is..nice, unexpected but not unwelcomed. Thank you” For a moment, Bumblebee froze, his circuits whirring as if he’d been short-circuited by your words. His servos twitched at his sides, unsure whether to move or stay still. His radio crackled before settling on a slightly awkward but heartfelt clip. “You’re welcome my darling!!” Bumblebee immediately winced at his choice, but you only chuckled.

Your hands slipped away, and he missed the warmth almost instantly. You took a step back to take in everything he’d prepared, from the spread blanket, the slightly crumpled flowers, and the crookedly angled projector screen. You took a mental note to maybe teach him not to pluck bunches of flowers from your garden next time

“You went through all this… for me?” you asked, to which Bumblebee gave a small nod, his frame shifting nervously. His radio played hesitantly, “-It’s no big deal-” but the way he was fidgeting said otherwise.

“No,no ! it’s a huge deal,” Your smile grew as you crouched to fix the corner of the blanket. “Heck! You even got my favorite snacks.Look!” Maybe it was best not to ask him where the hell he took all of these goods, eyes lighting up when you spotted the assortment. “Bee, this is amazing. Seriously! After an exhausting day, this is all I need”

He melted at her reaction and his optics softened. Gathering his courage, he turned on the projector with a flick of his servo.  Soon, the screen lit up, casting a warm glow against the wall.

He beeped as if to ask “Shall we?”

Your grin widened. “We shall.”

Once you finally settled onto the blanket, patting the spot beside you Bumblebee carefully maneuvered himself, trying to sit without squishing anything else. He adjusted his position until he was beside you, his large frame curling slightly to fit in the cozy space. As the movie began to play, you leaned against him, resting your head against his cool plating. He was happy to start the first days of the new year with you like this.

“Next time, we’ll organize a date together”

[matchafroggy]

vox but he's the old-timey prick (my old-timey vox redesign)

i gave him the good ol' fashioned pacman eyes for good measure !! also, forgive me i've never had any reason to draw valentino so my lil sketch of him looks horrific

small UHF and VHF rant under the cut, because drawing old TVs threw me down a long rabbit hole.

[made in procreate] [3/27/2024]

UHF & VHF rant: my understanding of them from my very brief research on how older televisions work:

UHF = higher frequency radio; shorter wavelengths. good for traveling through walls, ceilings, and concrete. great for indoor communication (like in-home TV & radio)

VHF = lower frequency radio; longer wavelengths. best suited for the great outdoors where nothing gets in the way. might be the type also found on older cars with radio antennas.

for my old-timey vox design, i made the UHF antenna longer and more prominent because vox definitely spends most of his time indoors.

[madaboutmunson]

A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening (Sweet Home Chicago Series - Part 3/4)

Summary for overview of the whole fic can be found here

For @eddiemonth (2023 - Better late than never?)

Week 3 prompts used: Committed, Curious, Tolkien, Introspective, Sci-fi/Tech, Cryptids & Folklore, Tenacious

Warnings: None that I could think of unless you dont like spaghetti?

Summary: In an attempt to help Steve achieve his dreams, Eddie offers to take some of his workload, but that involves asking Steve's Ma over dinner. Which would be fine if Eddie wasn't hiding a mass of curls under his hat, and hats at the dinner table are a no go.

Romance/Fluff Word Count : 10.2K

Ao3 Link -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eddie stares at himself in the mirror of the bathroom cabinet. He takes another quick, deep breath and holds up a chunk of his dark wavy hair. The perspiration forming on his palms contradicts his mouth's dryness, yet they are caused by the same thing.

The metallic gleam catches his eye as he brings his other hand, holding the scissors closer, letting the blades sit on either side of the antenna of hair he's made. He has to do this. He can't go back out there without doing something because, this time, he can't run. Eddie can't help feeling this is all his own stupid fault for being so impulsive. Well, that and not being able to say no to Steve Harrington.

Until now, Eddie had been living in a dream of a kind. His inspiration was back and flowing like someone had just stuck dynamite into a dam. He always said to himself that it was someone, but really, he had one specific muse, and that's his new best friend in the entire world, Steve.

Due to the temperature dropping rapidly recently, Eddie's writing table had been moved inside. It wasn't exactly warm in the store, but it was the Bahamas compared to the elements. At first, he'd elected to stay home in the apartment, but an hour or two into lack of inspiration and enough pacing and pondering to wear a path in the carpet and a hole in his head, there was a knock at the door. He'd quickly thrown on his hat to answer it.

When Eddie had opened it, he'd been met with the adorably cross face of Steve looking down the stairs, but then as soon as he turned to face him, his whole face relaxed in relief, "Jesus, Eddie, I was real worried! Not a call or nothin'?"

"Shit, I'm sorry, I just thought cus of the weather, it wasn't ideal for writing outdoors, you know? And I didn't wanna be a bother when I can write right here."

Steve's eyes had scanned him, and he leaned confidently against one side of the door frame and folded his arms, "Oh yeah? Let's see all 'dis writin' you been doin'."

Eddie had opened his mouth to say something, but when nothing came out, Steve smirked confidently, "Get your stuff. I moved ya table indoors, ya knucklehead," he laughed, and on that melody, Eddie had rushed to get his things and put his hair up properly. Leaving Steve to have a walk around the apartment.

Working inside the store was a little different. The pros were significant. Firstly, it was warmer. Steve even gave Eddie one of his knitted jumpers in case he got chilly. He and Steve could chat all day. He didn't have to wait for Steve to be on a break. They'd even draw together sometimes. And over time, he barely noticed Steve's accent anymore. His voice wasn't Chicago anymore. It was home. Because it was Steve's. Eddie had also gotten used to that charged syrupy espresso, biscotti every day, and cannoli every other day.

He caught glimpses of the other Harringtons occasionally. There were two girls, Robin and Max, and two boys he hadn't learned the names of yet, but one seemed distinctly shyer than the other.

Eddie would have introduced himself, but Steve wasn't overly enthusiastic about it, shooing them away from the store or distracting Eddie with something before he could say hello. Eddie found that very curious because, with both his mom and his friends, Steve had been very enthusiastic to introduce Eddie to them. Maybe, being an only child, there was something Eddie didn't get about the whole sibling experience or something.

There were really only two cons to this situation. One was that whilst Steve was very inspirational to be around, he was also very distracting. Eddie started counting seconds in his head to make sure he didn't stare too long at this beautiful man who just happened to want Eddie around as often as possible. But the second con was the worst. It made Eddie press his pen or pencil too hard into his paper. It made him excuse himself for smoking way too many cigarettes in a row or pulling at the fraying threads on the knees of his jeans.

Girls.

Whatever the weather, regular as clockwork, they would come. Like they had all pre-arranged at some point to create a schedule whereby they could have interrupted flirt time with Steve. Most were alone, but the younger girls were in giggling groups.

With the younger girls, obviously, Steve didn't really flirt with them. He just gave them sweet smiles, a free candy each, and called them young ladies, and that apparently was enough to set them off and have them squealing and sprinting out of the store.

The ones more around their age, however, were the problem. If he didn't know Steve and just watched these interactions with these girls, he'd swear he was head over heels for every single one, still with the baseline of sweet smiles, candy and young lady, but with the added leaning into their space, an occasional innuendo, brushing past them to reach for the thing on the top shelf that they absolutely had to have. The ladies older than them all received a kiss on the back of the hand. The ones older than that got him to run around the counter, a kiss on each cheek, before they pinched his face with glee and then he'd collect their shopping for them.

To look at him in the moment, you'd swear he was having the time of his life, but as soon as he'd waved them goodbye, he'd flop into the chair opposite Eddie, looking worn out, "Tell me something, Ed. Anythin'" he'd sigh, and Eddie with a pool of venomous jealousy simmering in his stomach would do just that. Tell him about something he wrote, an idea, something he just read about, or a story. Whatever it was would calm and recharge him, put a gentle smile back on his face.

There had been some other changes, too. Maybe because he saw these extra facets of Steve, but Eddie swapped the knight in his story for something else that had captured his imagination over the last few years. Science fiction. Extraterrestrials specifically. He found them in an odd way relatable.

In his mind, they'd travel the universe, studying the planets and other life forms to report back on, and didn't mean any harm for the most part. They were kinda strange looking and had weird ways and customs he could invent. He bet that if they did exist, their society would be so advanced it wouldn't have strange rules around what love is acceptable and what isn't. If it's all consenting adults, what did it actually matter? But apparently, on Earth, it still did.

He wished that wasn't on his mind as much as it seemed to be all the time lately. It felt dishonest to feel that way about his friend. He was trying his best not to, but it was difficult when Steve was so kind, funny, supportive, welcoming, handsome, and, even though he'd scoff or pull a face when Eddie would mention it, he was smart, too. Maybe he was not smart in the way a professor was, but he'd challenge any professor to get through any day of Steve's in one piece without struggling.

Sometimes, the register got jammed and Steve knew exactly the correct amount of leverage to use with his mom's nail file to open it without damaging it. His mental arithmetic was flawless. Pricing as he worked out percentage discounts at the drop of a hat. He was bilingual, quadrilingual if you counted the mixed language of Italian and English spoken around here as its own language, which Eddie thought it should be, and the silent hand gesture conversations he'd have with his mom. He knew the geography and history of this area better than anyone else. A cartographer in the making when anyone was lost looking for directions. 

Despite being able to list many things Steve seemed to be an expert at, one thing has illuded Eddie, and that is Steve's dream. He must have them. Eddie sometimes watches him daydream at the counter while waiting for one of the delivery guys to finish what he needs to do so Steve can sit with him again.

"Did you ever think of taking up art?" Eddie asked, without looking up, avoiding any pressure for him to answer.

"Nah, it's fun. Couldn't do it for a living, though," he said without looking up from the apple he had been drawing. Eddie was teaching him about shading techniques.

Eddie continued shading the side of an oddly shaped planet, "What about History, or I dunno, tourism? You know so much about this place, Steve. People would be interested in knowing about it. People who visit would pay hand over fist for a real tour of this part of Chicago. What with all the Al Capone stuff, Little Hell, and Death's Corner. The best time to hit the planetarium and Lincoln Park. The safe nightlife spots, the best pizza and coffee in town-" Steve's chuckle cut him off.

"Eddie," he said fondly, "You know those are things you like, not the general public. It's not sure money," Steve reminds him, and Eddie looks up with a slightly guilty smile, "I like it here. I like running this place. I've been doing it for years. I know this place and how it runs," Steve said enthusiastically.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that running this place wasn't enjoyable," Eddie apologised and attempted to take a chance, "I guess I talk to you about my dreams and ideas all the time, and I wanted to see if you wanted to do the same?" Eddie looked down quickly, afraid of the expression that might cross Steve's face.

But he heard a gentle "Oh, um," from Steve. Curiously, he sounded nervous, and in that realisation, Eddie thought this might be a mistake.

Eddie sat up and looked at him with a smile, "Hey, I was just wondering, you know? Just being my usually talkin' too much self," but Steve was just looking at him, a soft surprise showing on his face.

"I, uh, no, I wanna answer, just, uh, no one's asked me that in a real long time," Steve stumbled over his words. Eddie could see him chewing on his lip nervously, and it shouldn't, but it intrigues him. Steve hardly ever looks nervous. 

Eddie placed his pad and pencil down slowly and quietly, said nothing, just waited patiently and sipped his coffee.

"It's kinda dumb," Steve said forlornly, and Eddie absolutely cannot have that.

"Your dreams are not dumb!" Eddie said firmly, leaning across the small table.

"Well, you ain't heard it yet," a half smile twitched on Steve's lips, but Eddie knew that wasn't through amusement, not the way his eyes looked unsure. He looked between Eddie and the table a few times, "Don't worry if you wanna laugh, just laugh, okay, but don't tell anyone, alright?" Steve looked at him. Analysed his expression, and though their features differed, he recognised it from when he'd seen it on his own face. He knew the feeling that caused it. The anticipated hurt before the strike. Eddie would give anything to have reached over and clasped his hands in his own, telling him he would never laugh at his dreams, but instead, he just nodded.

Steve took a breath, looked directly at Eddie, and then wrapped his arms around himself. His hands holding his elbows. "I think I wanna, maybe, I dunno, something to do with food. Like a chef but not just shovelling out courses, ya know?"

Eddie thought he knew what he was getting at, but he wanted Steve to continue. He tilted his head and gave him a big closed-mouth smile, "Well, there isn't anything ridiculous about that, buddy. But can I ask you a question about it?"

Eddie watched Steve's arms fall gently to his lap, "Yeah, sure. Shoot," 

"Round here, there are a few restaurants already. Didn't you try getting a job there?"

"I did. I was a bus boy, helped out with prep and stuff, but then I couldn't do both and school. I gotta sleep sometime," Steve laughed.

Then suddenly, all the pieces started slotting together for Eddie. Steve has been running this place with his mom for years. He had to give up his restaurant job, and he mentioned school, so probably that, too. Eddie thinks back further. Steve gave his bike to Jonny. He never pursued any of the girls that came in here. He rarely went out. When he did, it was an errand or with him.

Steve's life was on pause. He was Eddie's age, and he was co-running a business, making sure his family had everything they needed. Through no one's fault, Steve was shouldering a burden that shouldn't have ever fallen to him to carry. But he did every day. Rain or shine. Eddie couldn't help but be reminded of one of his favourite characters, Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings books. A sweet guy plunged into the unimaginable. His life turned on its head instantly, the fate of his loved ones hanging around his neck like a weight, draining the life out of him.

This was Steve's life now. His Dad wasn't going to magically turn up and save the day.

"Ed? You okay?" Steve looked concerned.

"Yeah, yeah, good. I was just thinking." Eddie swallowed down the lump in his throat.

"I told ya it was stupid," Steve said, shrinking before he stood.

Eddie leapt out of his seat urgently and grabbed hold of his arm. At the contact, Eddie remembered his breath leaving him altogether, not just because maybe grabbing an upset Steve might land him on the wrong side of a knuckle sandwich, but because of how Steve had looked at him. Perhaps he knew Eddie's deep, dark secret. Like Steve knew how glorious it felt for Eddie to feel his warm skin under his cool fingertips. How he felt the muscles of Steve's arm in his grip and had fought desperately not to give in and run his thumb over them. Eddie quickly looked to the table to avoid his eyes and guided Steve back to his chair with a much looser grip.

"That wasn't what I was thinking. I swear. Please, let me explain," Eddie said quietly. The shame made his voice small. To his surprise, Steve hadn't yanked his arm away but let himself be led back to his seat and sat down. As Eddie sat in his own chair, he couldn't help but notice Steve had placed a hand over where Eddie had grabbed him, and he wondered if that was because he hurt him or if he just felt weird about it. But Eddie couldn't take it back. He wished that he could.

"I was just thinking, maybe I could help out here sometimes. I mean, I'm here all the time anyw-"

"No! No fuckin' way! You're writin', an-and doin' your drawin's. For your book. No, and that's final!" Steve said sternly, and Eddie recognised that, too. The absolute horror of someone doing something for you out of pity.

He finally looked into Steve's eyes as if that was enough to convince him of his truth, "I can write and draw anywhere. Whether I sit here or behind that counter, and you know, sometimes it's good for my brain to take a break, to just think for a while. So it's more hungry to get back to what I want? Don't you want that, Steve? Don't you want to feel that hunger for your dream?" Eddie felt his chest noticeably rising and falling as he inadvertently worked himself up. His words increased with passion as the thought of Steve abandoning his dreams grew in his mind, and he wouldn't have it. He respected Steve, but this felt wrong. And it felt even worse to sit there and let him walk away, not knowing that Steve should have the same chances as everyone else.

Steve blinked at him, his mouth parted slightly, and Eddie wished he would say something. Anything. But he wasn't talking, and Eddie felt the desperation take hold, as he felt his friendship possibly slipping away as he revealed a more passionate side of himself. But he was in it and might as well say it all.

"I just think you've helped me so much. I wanna help you, and now I know your dream isn't this. I can't just sit here and pretend it is," Eddie's eyebrows pinched together, eager for Steve to understand, "You deserve a chance, Steve, and it's no one's fault that it's been pulled away from you. But I could maybe pull it closer? If you let me help."

Steve's expression didn't change much other than him biting his bottom lip. The world around them seemed to disappear for Eddie until finally, Steve spoke, "I'd have to ask, Ma. I don't want her to feel bad about all of this. It's not her fault either."

"No, I know that. I know, okay," Overheated, Eddie removed the knitted jumper. He didn't want to get it all sweaty. He began pacing backwards and forwards, deep in thought, until it came to him, "What about… Yeah, what about I ask your mom for a job? I could do with the money, and it could help me get to know people around here," he sees Steve shift in his seat at that. Maybe he thought Eddie might try and muscle in on the local girls, "You know, for writing."

"You wanna ask my Ma for a job, to work in this store, just so I can cook things?" Steve said.

"No. No, Steve!" Eddie said dramatically, rounding the table and crouching beside him, "So you can shoot for the moon!"

Steve's expression looked almost afraid, so Eddie backed up a little, "What if I don't make it to the moon, huh? What if I fail?"

"Then you'll be amongst the stars, Steve. You'll have tried. You'd have given it your best shot," Eddie's eyes darted between Steve's pleading as they plunged back into silence again, and it was in that stalemate he realised two terrifying things.

He wasn't just pleading with Steve. He was pleading with himself, too, don't give up , and more than that, he realised that maybe having a sense of normalcy in his life, like a job, might actually take the pressure off of himself to create. Especially when he was stuck. He could still get a sense of achievement out of something else. He could help out more at home.

But the thing that scared him the most was because Eddie realised at that moment how delusional he actually was about this situation. The worry that entered Eddie's head before he'd gotten so passionate was he couldn't face watching the person he loved not have everything they wanted. Like he and Steve were going to be like that forever. The crushing reality was one day, Steve would get married to whichever girl he chose, and Eddie would just be there occasionally for a beer or party. What they had these last few weeks would be long gone, even if it was just friendship. It still meant so much to Eddie.

And then there was that word. Love. Like a goddess, terrifying and beautiful, antidote and poison, cruel and kind, saviour and torturer. Something Eddie thought would never enter his world finally had. He wished he was back in Hawkins to talk to Wayne about all of this. And he really wished it hadn't happened between him and another man, especially not his best friend.

Eddie backed away again, stood up, sat back in his seat, scanned his eyes along a shelf of canned produce, and was about to apologise when Steve spoke, "You'd do that? For me?"

"Well, of course I would," Eddie replied like it was the most ridiculous thing on the planet, "You're my best friend," he said. I love you, he thought. He wanted to be his Samwise or at least his eagles.

"Maybe, uh, maybe you could ask her tonight, at dinner?" Steve muttered quietly.

"Yeah. Yeah, of course, I will," Eddie reassured him.

"You ever worked in a store before?" Steve asked, and Eddie didn't miss how the corner of his mouth ticked up into almost a smile. Eddie laughed with relief but also the realisation that he was asking for a job where he had next to no idea how to do. He shook his head in a no as the chuckles spilt out of him, and to his delight, they bubbled up out of Steve, too.

"Come on, lemme show you a few things. Get you a head start with Ma," Steve beamed at him.

For the rest of the day, Steve let Eddie shadow him. He showed Eddie how he rotates the stock, how the store is divided into sections to make it easier for customers to find what they want, where the price cards and the markers are, the knack with the register, and the tidbits of information Steve had about each of the customers who came into the store. Finally, he showed Eddie the back room, where all the stock is kept.

It was dark and cramped back there. A little wooden step ladder leaned against the shelves that towered over them and lined all the walls and in between. Even with the light on, it didn't quite reach some areas back there, making him a little on edge. Something brushed past his leg, and Eddie let out a less-than-flattering yelp of surprise, but Steve only laughed and bent down to pick the unseen offender up.

It was a big old moon-faced cat with deep black fur, and light eyes save for the void in its pupil. Steve held the cat up, and its head bumped his chin, "Security," Steve laughed, "His name's Caesar."

"How come I've not seen him before?" Eddie asked. It was a large cat, and the fact he hadn't seen it in the store or out front the whole time he'd been coming here seemed strange.

"Well, there are two reasons. He generally keeps to the back or upstairs and doesn't tend to like new people that much." Steve smiled at the cat, slowly blinking up at him, and Eddie could hear how loudly it was purring from where he'd stood, "The second reason is you only know he's there when he wants you to know he's there." Steve turned to Eddie, "Did he scratch ya?"

"No, just caught me by surprise, is all. Just against my leg,"

Steve scoffed out a laugh as he frowned, "Really? Hmmm," he looked back at the cat in his arms, "You cast your judgement, did ya?" The cat pawed at his face and purred loudly again, making Steve laugh, an adorably uncurated laugh that Eddie wanted to remember forever. He placed Caeser back on the ground and turned his attention toward Eddie, "You think you can handle all this?" Steve smiled.

"I think so, yeah. Well, I'm gonna try my best, and I am a pretty quick learner," Eddie beamed back at him.

Then he'd felt something unusual as if the air around him had become charged with something, and he'd become very conscious of how close they were together in this dim lighting. Which was strange because they had been closer than this so many times that day, but none of them had felt like this. Like something was going to happen, but Eddie had no idea what.

The muted light was playing tricks and tugging at his heartstrings. Making it seem like the highlights in Steve's eyes sparkled just for him. Or shadows beneath each of his lips had Eddie's name hidden within them.

Steve broke the atmosphere by turning his eyes to a box of tins that he handed over to Eddie and then grabbed his own. "You keep your eyes on me," he said, walking toward the door. Eddie followed quickly after him and came to a clumsy stop when Steve halted in the doorway and looked over his shoulder with a smirk, "Just like you always do, Eddie." 

Even standing pale in front of the mirror now, Eddie recalled how glad he had been that Steve couldn't see him then. His face must have been as red as the can of tomatoes he was carrying.

While Steve left Eddie to restock the tomatoes, the whirlwind of the rest of the Harringtons raced through the store. Steve handed out things from a box he had already made up of fruit and candy as they tore past. Robertina, who goes by Robin, Steve told him, took pause as Eddie saw her observe his empty table in the corner of the store. Steve nodded in Eddie's direction, and Robin made direct eye contact with him, almost making him drop the cans he was holding, but he managed to make the save and smiled awkwardly.

Eddie was used to the other Harringtons blasting past him and Steve waving them on to do their homework, not acknowledging him, but in that look, it was clear he was very much noticed. As she narrowed her eyes at him playfully, it still made him feel like he might be suspected, but when she said nothing, took her apple and jogged after the others, Eddie relaxed and turned back to the shelves.

Steve guided him through a gradual close-down, explaining that he stayed open a little longer for those running late from work, as they were only picking up cigarettes, drinks, or something grab-and-go. When one such customer came in, Steve grabbed the cigarettes he knew they'd buy while they grabbed their sodas and pulled Eddie in front of the register.

He wasn't sure if it was Steve's hand wrapping around his arm tugging him towards him or the anxiety of serving his first customer making his palms sweat and the numbers on the register look like symbols from an ancient civilisation. But Eddie took a breath and plugged in the numbers.

"New staff, Stefano?" The man asked as Eddie packed the small grocery bag for him.

"Hope so, Pauly. Hope so. Whats ya verdict?" Steve smirked as Eddie looked between the two of them nervously.

The man smiled warmly, "Don't be so nervous, kid. We ain't so bad."

Eddie smiled in return and handed the guy his change.

Pauly checked the money in his hand and nodded his thanks to Eddie, "Ay, would ya look at that. It is possible not to get shortchanged 'ere," he said, grinning at Steve, who immediately rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Get outta here. You ain't never been shortchanged here, Pauly. Just you expect a discount that don't exist," Steve called after him, laughing as he left and waved him away playfully.

Steve's eyes fell on Eddie, as did that dashing smile. Suddenly, the room became hot and small again.

"You did great today, Ed," Steve said, patting him on the back. The hand of which smoothed across his shoulder blade and rested on his shoulder.

"If Ma agrees, I can let you get more practice on the register and with the customers."

Eddie nodded, "Yeah. I definitely could get more practice with people, not one of my strengths."

Steve gave a light laugh down his nose and shook his head. If anyone had dreamed of doing that to him in the past, he would have painted it as condescending and immediately got his hackles up, but when Steve did it, well, when Steve did anything, there wasn't a drop of ill intent in it, and all Eddie could see and feel, were these bonds of friendship growing bolder and tighter.

How he wished that could be something much more. 

"Everyone I like that has met you thinks you're great. The customer thing is more to show people you aren't just a member of staff. You're one-a us," Steve smiled kindly and added quickly, "Not to be fucked with, ya know?"

Eddie was incredibly glad his hip was pressed into the counter because he felt like his knees had vanished for a moment when Steve made him part of his territory.

He knew that Steve meant so people wouldn't give him a hard time as the new guy, but in Eddie's dreams later, that was going to mean so much more.

He nodded dumbly in response because speaking was not an option.

"Stefano! Mangiare," he heard Steve's mom yell from upstairs.

Eddie had heard that enough to know it was a call to food, especially combined with the way Steve hurriedly took off his apron, dumped it on the counter, pulled out the register draw and started to head upstairs.

He paused to look back, "What ya waiting' for, Ed, a handwritten invitation or somethin'?" Steve said with a light laugh.

"No, I was just gonna head home to wash up and change," Eddie replied nervously.

"You can wash up here, come on," Steve said, nodding to the stairs, and Eddie was helpless to follow.

And that was precisely what Eddie had done. Steve had directed him to a small washroom with a toilet and basin, explaining that the one upstairs would have a queue but that Eddie should come up straight after.

 Eddie had happily nodded and agreed, headed into the small room, pulled the book latch over where the bolt should have been, and stood at the basin, his world had come crashing down around him.

As he looked at his reflection, he realised he still had his hat on. The hat he always had on because this is how he hid his long hair.

A cold chill ran down Eddie's spine. He was in a no-win situation. You cannot wear a hat to a dinner table , but he also couldn't bolt home because he'd be letting Steve down. All that talk about helping Steve with his dream would be absolute horse shit if he ran home now. Maybe he'd lose Steve's trust forever and his friendship.

He slid off his hat and removed a hairpin.

And that's why Eddie was standing in front of the old medicine cabinet with scissors poised to cut his hair. His hair could grow back, but his bond with Steve could be lost forever.

But as his world dropped to slow motion, the bright gleam of scissors he'd found against the dense darkness of his hair only made the lump in his throat harder to swallow.

He steels himself, trying to convince his mind that everything would be easier after the first snip. He'd do a countdown, just snip off the end, and quickly butcher the rest.

3, 2, 1

"Eddie? Are you ok in there? We're almost ready to plate up," Steve's smooth voice came through the door's wood.

"Yeah, I'll be right out just, a bit nervous is all," Eddie thought using the truth might make his lie more convincing.

"Hey, listen, you got nothing to be nervous about. You know everyone, and we don't have to do the job thing. It doesn't matter, just come and get something to eat, ok?" Steve requests gently.

Eddie can hear the disappointment in Steve's voice, and it's enough to snip the end of his hair off.

"Eddie, what was that?"

"Nothing. I'll be right there."

"What are you doing in there?"

"I'm just freshening up, I'll be right out,"

"Eddie, why are you lying? What is going on? Let me in. Whatever it is, we can talk about it. I'm happy here. I don't need the other stuff, ok?" Steve's voice drops quieter, but Eddie can hear his concern perfectly.

Eddie doesn't reply. He just holds up a strand of hair with the scissors at the base, vibrating with emotions of all kinds, staring at himself in the mirror when the latch lifted and the door opened.

"Sorry for barging in, Ed, but you're worrying-"Steve starts to say, averting his eyes until he realises Eddie is dressed at the sink, and then he looks over him and freezes for a second before closing the door quietly behind him.

"What is this?" Steve says, gesturing to what Eddie is doing, and then his eyes are everywhere all over Eddie's hair, his pride and his shame.

Steve's mouth is making a perfect o shape, but no sound is omitted from his lips.

"Steve, I can explain. Just please don't tell anyone else. I-I can just go," Eddie stutters, realising he's still wielding the scissors as he backs away from Steve in a tiny space. He sets them down on the sink between them as his legs hit the toilet bowl behind him. He raises his hands, palms out in defence, and screws his eyes shut for the incoming insult or thump.

But neither comes, just the sound of the medicine cupboard closing and the soft fabric on the lining of his hat on his fingertips.

"Put ya hat back on, and come to dinner," Steve says quietly with a slight smile as he clears the curl of hair from the sink.

"But you're not supposedta-" Eddie starts to protest, but Steve simply turns to him and repeats himself.

"Put ya hat back on, and come to dinner, Eddie," Steve says with those kind eyes that make Eddie want to cry because they keep giving him chance after chance, "Don't worry about what ya supposed to do, and do what I ask. I'll handle the rest."

Steve leaves him, closing the door behind him, and Eddie can hear him jogging back up the stairs. He can hear the muffled rise and fall in volume of a language he doesn't understand. One voice is unmistakably Steve's, the rest a cacophony of others until his mom silences them all with a few words, and with that, he hears the scraping of chairs and the general rumble of conversation.

He looks at himself in the mirror, neatens himself up, washing his face and hands, and finally puts his hat back on as Steve requested.

His heart pounds as he leaves the bathroom. Every stair he takes pushes a new worry in his mind of what excuse he could use and how disrespectful they might think he is being. Was it an insult to Steve's mom?

Before he can talk himself out of it, he's in the open doorway and can hear all the commotion and chatter inside. He awkwardly steps in, his hands clasped in front of him, before giving a swallow and shy wave, "Hi," he manages, looking around at the faces seated at the large dining table, but can't find the one he's looking for, Steve.

"Eddie, sweet boy, come-a sit down, Stefano is ina kitchen," She says with a warm smile, walking up to Eddie and taking his arm, guiding him towards one of two empty seats next to one another.

"Wait, maybe I should go help," Eddie offers, gesturing toward the kitchen, but she shakes her head in response.

“No Stefano, wona be long. You sita down," She ushered him into the seat between the empty one and the youngest sister, Max, with the bright red hair.

The young girl turns to look at him for a moment. She squints at his hat, which almost makes him break out into a sweat if it not for the clatter of swing doors as Steve reverses into the room, arms laden with bowls of food that he dishes out around the table. 

He serves his mom first, giving her a kiss on the cheek as he does so, and Eddie's heart thumps as he thinks this might be a custom, but is relieved to see that isn't the case as Steve puts some other bowls down in front of his siblings, to a mixture of faces ranging from excitement to disgust, as Steve weaves his body, primarily directed by hips, around the dining chairs and table corners.

"Hey, you made it! That door gets stuck sometimes. Don't worry. Happens to everyone," Steve gives him a sweet half smile.

"Yeah," the curly-haired brother scoffed, "I got stuck in there a full twenty minutes the other day, and someone wouldn't help me out."

"I was accepting a delivery. You know I gotta pay attention they don't mess it up Dus'" Steve says, pushing past the kitchen saloon-type doors again.

Dus widens his eyes at Robin, "And what was your excuse?"

"I was watching Steve accept the delivery," she replies without taking her eyes off her reflection in her compact mirror as she grumbles at a pimple emerging on her face.

"You were not!" Dus slams his fist on the table. "You were outside giggling with Max!"

"Oh, I suppose Will snitched on us, did he?" Max snaps back, rolling her eyes. 

"Don't take it personally, Max, Will snitches on everyone," Robin sneers in the young quiet boy's direction.

Will shifts uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with his siblings. He takes a deep breath and finally speaks up, his voice barely above a whisper, "I didn't snitch. I just… I just said I heard someone laughing outside. I didn't know it was you. I was just trying to help Dus when he was stuck."

"Basta!" Mrs Harrington shouts, and the table falls to silence. Her expression softens, and she turns to Eddie, "Means, stop," she adds, reaching over to pat his hand.

Eddie takes a moment to look around at the food in the bowls, and his stomach sinks. He knows what this is. He saw it in a movie a few years ago. The one with all the dogs in. He's even heard his mom talk about how delicious it is, but he has never actually eaten it himself. 

Spaghetti.

He wasn't accustomed to food he couldn't shovel onto a fork or spoon and then straight into his mouth. And this was not that kind of food. Well, it could be if he cut it up. He decides to wait to see what the Harrington's do.

The kitchen saloon doors swing open again, and Steve returns with the last three bowls of spaghetti. One for Robin, and then he sits next to Eddie and puts their bowls down simultaneously, giving Eddie that smile that made the rest of the room disappear.

"Hope you like it, Eddie. It's a family recipe," he beams excitedly, and the sparkle in Steve's eyes means whatever this food tastes like, this will be his new favourite meal.

"Who's family? Not mine. There is a distinct lack of parm on the top here," Dus complains, Max hums in agreement.

"First of all, you can help yourself to as much cheese as you want, after prayer. Second, you should really think about cutting back on the cheese at your age," Steve says matter-of-factly.

Dus and Max are aghast, much to the hidden amusement behind Will's hand.

"You hear that, Ma? He called us fat!" Dus pleads his case to his mom, and she immediately leans over, strokes his cheek, and looks disappointedly at Steve.

"Stefano. Please. No talk about your brother like that. My sweet boy, look at his perfect angel face," She coos, pinching Dus' cheek.

Steve pulls an exasperated face at Dus, who is grinning back hugely, and then turns to his mom.

"Ma, I would never. I was just talking about how his body sometimes reacts after too much dairy, ya know? When you get to this age, you gotta watch that stuff. Could give him pimples."

His mom looks confused for a second. "Brufolo," Steve adds and pokes at his own face, making his mom gasp.

"No! No, my angel boy. Das it. No more for you." Mrs Harrington says with an urgency as she pats Dus' cheek.

"But Ma!" He protests.

"No, but ma, Destino, listen to your brother. Stefano always has the most beautiful skin."

Dus, Dustin, or Destino, as it appeared to be his full name, glares daggers at Steve, who easily bats them away with a pump of his eyebrows and smug smile laced with mischief.

Robin rolls her eyes, "Enough golden boy competition. The food is getting cold."

Max hums her agreement.

Eddie watches everyone bow their head and clasp their hands together. He pauses to take it in, and got a slight nudge from Max, and quickly follows suit.

He has little to no idea what Mrs Harrington says next. He recognises a few names. He is surprised to hear his own and his mom's and also makes out the words for food and thanks. He hears a few words repeated throughout, Dio and Signore. He makes a mental note to ask what they mean later.

He hears the familiar 'Amen', which the rest of the table says in unison, and Eddie mumbles on the tail end of it.

Then it is as if it's suddenly rush hour. Everyone is reaching for cutlery or grated cheese. Dus gets his hand slapped away by everyone except for Eddie whenever he goes for the cheese. Eddie notices that no one touches the salt and pepper even though it's on the table.

Steve passes Eddie a fork and stabs his own into his food, twirling it around and eating what was on the fork in one bite. He falls back in his chair and makes a noise that Eddie thinks might haunt his dreams for the rest of time as he chews his mouthful.

"Mmmmm, Ma. You've outdone yourself. Perfect. Bellisima." He gushes, kissing his bunched fingers and seemingly throws the kiss somewhere in the room.

Mrs Harrington beams proudly at Steve.

"Take it down a notch, Romeo. You already got out of doing the dishes by serving and making dessert," Robin snorts sarcastically.

Steve makes noise through his teeth at her like he's trying to shoo away a pesky stray.

"Robertina, be nice, and Stefano is no a Romeo," Mrs Harrington starts, pulling a disgusted face, "He's a good boy. No chasing strange girls or shoutin' up at de 'ouze" 

"You sure about that? He's always shouting up at this house. Ma! I'll do it once I've finished daydreaming! " Max points out, utilising an excellent impression of Steve, to Eddie's surprise.

There is a smattering of giggles from Steve's siblings, even a fond smile on Mrs Harrington's face, but all Eddie can read from Steve is worry. Was he concerned Eddie might think less of him because his family were teasing him?

"You know that's how I come up with a lot of my ideas," Eddie blurts out, and it's as much a surprise to him as anyone else, "I think we all do it a little for inspiration, whether it's poetry, comedy, science, adventure, cooking, problem-solving, music, any-anything really," Eddie started to get a lot quieter when every face at the table has turned to him.

At first, he's concerned he's talked out of turn, but every face has a gentle smile on it. He turns to Steve for direction, but he's met with a killer half smile that makes him feel like his heart might burst right through his ribs and top his spaghetti.

"Guglielmo, good day at school?"

"Mama, please, it's Will."

"I didda not spend hours in pain to call you Will under my roof," she frowns.

"Sorry, Mama," Will concedes softly and gives a quiet recollection of his day.

A gentle nudge in the other side of his ribs startles him, pulling his thoughts from their chaotic spiral. Steve's voice, low and warm, whispers into his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. "If you don't like it, I can make you something else. Ma won't mind."

Eddie shakes his head quickly, feeling a blush creeping up his neck. "No, no, it smells delicious. I just, uh..." His words fumble, faltering when his gaze met Steve's. 

There is something disarming in the way Steve's hazel eyes hold his own, but it is too much, too risky, so Eddie drops his gaze back to the bowl in front of him and grabs his fork in a desperate attempt to focus.

No matter how hard he tries, he can't get the damn spaghetti to stay on his fork. He almost gets it to his mouth a few times and fails at the last second.

Steve laughs softly, the sound vibrating through the air, wrapping around Eddie like a warm blanket. He sighs, offering an apologetic smile to the most beautiful man he's ever laid eyes on. Movie stars included.

"Like this," Steve said softly.

Eddie almost passes out because of what is happening. Steve is shuffled up next to him. Part of his chest is pressed up behind Eddie's upper arm, and it only adds to the passing out problem due to the impossible heat he can now feel where they touch. But it's about to get so much worse because Steve doesn't take Eddie's fork from him. Instead, Steve wraps his hand around Eddie's, his fingers warm and steady, guiding Eddie's trembling hand with ease.

The only safe thing to do is keep his eyes on the demonstration and whatever he does, not look up at Steve because if he does, then everyone will know. Every single person at this table will know about his gigantic crush on his best friend.

This had to be some kind of dream. Steve's breath was ghosting across Eddie's cheek now, and it took everything in him not to lean into it. The smell of Steve's cologne mixed with the faint scent of tomatoes, some kind of herbs, and the slightly sweet smell of powdered sugar. That last one he was more familiar with. That meant Steve had baked. He let a small smile break free from the knowledge that these little Steve details were neatly tucked away for himself.

But he must not look at him. Because if he did, if he saw that same warm, easy expression on Steve's face, there would be no hiding it. No hiding the fact that his heart was practically beating out of his chest, no hiding how desperately in love he is with his best friend.

His hand shook slightly in Steve's grip, and he prayed Steve didn't notice. He guessed he could blame it on nerves.

"Ed, you alright?" Steve's voice, quiet with concern, broke through his thoughts. Eddie's breath caught in his throat, and at the sound of his name wrapped in the most heavenly voice, he was met with Steve's soft, worried gaze. His honey eyes, always warm, always so full of something Eddie couldn't quite read, were locked on his. "Thought I lost you for a second there."

Then by some deity in the universe showing pity on him, he sucks in a breath and laughs weakly, "No, all the twirling. It's, uh, hypnotic."

There is a laugh from the end of the table, "He's right, with the sauce. It looks like the posters for that Vertigo movie," Will chuckles.

A small argument breaks out about how Will has even seen that poster, the blame falling on Max and Robin. Steve smiles then, slow and genuine, making the rest of the room fade away. For a moment, it's just them. The way Steve's fingers linger on Eddie's hand a second too long, the quiet intimacy of their closeness. Steve's smile, so disarming, sends a flutter through Eddie's chest, and for the briefest second, Eddie lets himself believe that maybe, just maybe, Steve isn't so unattainable after all. 

Then Eddie's fantasy world shatters as Steve releases him and gestures for him to put the spaghetti-constricted fork into his mouth, which he does without question.

At first, the textures are unusual, but the flavours are all recognisable as things he's familiar with. Everything tastes so fresh. Like they plucked the tomato straight off the vine, and it was bursting in his mouth. The cheese was saltier than he was used to, but the combination of it with the spaghetti was out of this world.

Eddie leans back in his seat, closes his eyes, and understands completely why Steve made that noise after his first mouthful earlier. This meal is delicious.

When he reopens his eyes, he is met with the smiling faces of Steve and his Mom, who quickly look back to their own food. Without eyes on him, Eddie tries again to master the spaghetti on his fork. 

The first few tries are a weak effort of a few strands of spaghetti making it to his mouth. Another time, he winds it so well he has enough on his fork to fill his entire mouth. A few unravel just before getting consumed, and he sucks them in as he'd seen Steve doing and, for his attempt, gets attacked by sauce flicking from the stray ends on the tip of his nose and on his cheek.

Eddie picks up the napkin his fork has been resting on and wipes his face and mouth as best he can. He's sure he is a complete mess, as is his shirt, but he would gladly throw this shirt into a furnace if it meant Steve turned and smiled at him like he was doing right now. Sweet, confident, maybe a little impressed?

"That was fantastic," Eddie said, rubbing his very full stomach.

"Not bad for your first time," Steve praises, and Eddie sits a little taller.

"You learn fast. That's very good, Eddie," Steve's Mom nods her praise, "Very smart. Very smart to be friends with Stefano. He's a good boy."

"Ma," Steve says with a laugh in an effort for her to stop.

"Too good for the girls in this city. They no appreciate him. He works hard, very kind, very handsome, very loyal, don't you think, Eddie?" She asks, holding Steve's chin and turning it towards Eddie.

He can see the slight rosiness on his cheeks of embarrassment and the rolling of eyes, but this is Eddie's chance to be honest, "Ma, please," Steve tries again.

"I think so, Mrs Harrington. Stev-Stefano is a really great guy," he answers fondly, and Steve gives him a bashful smile in return. his chin is let go of, and Mrs Harrington's eyes are fixed on Eddie, "My Mama thinks so too." Eddie adds quickly, "Want me to help clear the plates?"

Mrs Harrington shakes her head, "No, no, Eddie. You are a guest. Today anyway," she smiles mischievously. Eddie figures she means when he starts working there, he will be allowed to help out more, but he realises he has yet to ask her.

"Hey, Dus. Eddie has changed up his story. It's about all that space alien stuff you're into," Steve says as he starts gathering up the plates, and as he heads back into the kitchen, his Mom follows him.

"Really? You know about sci-fi? What about Cryptids? You know what they are?" Dustin quizzes Eddie, and he notices Will is also very interested in how this conversation will go. He pulls out a copy of Strange Tales from under the table and clutches it to his chest. Truthfully, it looks like it's on the verge of falling apart, but he seemed very attached to it.

"What like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and the Jersey Devil?" Eddie asks in return. The duet of gasps from the boys meant he was on the money. They quickly move around, slamming two notebooks on the table to show Eddie their theories.

Amidst the hum of conversation, two things happen, the telephone rings, and someone starts coming up the stairs.

"PINA!" A deep voice yells up the stairs, "I got ya beef, and I left the baking stuff in the store room, cus ain't no way I'm dragging that and my sorry ass all the way up these stairs, because-" 

The exquisitely suited man in the doorway stops talking as his eyes meet Eddie's. He starts talking that non-verbal language all the Harrington's do.

His eyes rapidly scan over Will and Dustin, and the assessment is the age gap is too large for them to be friends. He doesn't even bother looking at Max and raises an eyebrow at Robin, who shakes her head at him. He frowns momentarily in thought, then raises both eyebrows, and Robin rolls her eyes in response.

He extends a hand out towards Eddie, who is already getting out of his seat to shake it when suddenly he is whisked out of the room by Mrs Harrington. Eddie can hear them talking, and due to hearing the word Americano so often, he thinks he is the topic of at least part of the conversation.

Steve quickly emerges from the kitchen with a box of cannoli, "Sorry to cut our evening short, Ed. Unexpected guest," Steve says with a somewhat regretful smile.

"That's ok. It's getting late anyway. I should head back," Eddie lies. He was just getting the hang of things here, but maybe it was for the best he left before he got too comfortable around everyone, "I even forgot to ask your Mom about the job," Eddie cringes at his failure.

"Oh!" Steve exclaims in realisation, "Sorry, Ed, I got so caught up at the table. I forgot to say Robin already told her. She asked me in the kitchen, and she said yes," he says happily as he almost guides Eddie down the stairs using the baked goods as bait. Not that he needed those to lead Eddie anywhere.

"That's great news, when can I start? When can you start?" Eddie asks eagerly as they enter the store floor.

Steve stops walking, turns, looks him over with a huge smile, and shakes his head with a laugh, "Eddie Munson. You're like a dog with a bone, huh? Committed. Bet you'll make someone a great husband one day. I could always put in a word for you with the local ladies."

"Oh no!" Eddie says much too quickly, leaving him wide-eyed and terrified, "Wh-what I mean to say is, uh, is..."

Steve tilts his head at Eddie, a smirk on his face, "What you mean to say is?" he teased playfully.

"That because of my writing, I don't have the time for dating. And if I was to, you know, date someone, I'd wanna give them my entire attention, right?" he laughs nervously, "Court them properly. Dances, flowers, dinners, romantic strolls and night drives, stuff like that," Eddie's rapid flow of words is punctuated with a nervous swallow.

Steve raises an eyebrow, and his smirk morphs into a smile, "Yeah, stuff like that," he laughs as he gets to the door to hold it open for Eddie and hands him the box once he's outside.

"Well, goodnight. Thanks for everything today, and please thank your family for me, too. That was so great," Eddie says genuinely.

Steve leans in the doorway, his arms wrapped around himself, looking at the floor, "Course I will, and thank you, Ed. I never thought I'd have this chance again. All my brothers and sisters are gonna go to college. Ma's getting older, this place is still my future. But maybe, with what I've now got the chance to learn," he toes the top stair and then looks up and makes direct eye contact with Eddie, and it feels like Steve can see right into his soul, "I can make some changes. Keep the name, but change the business to suit me more."

Eddie nods supportively, "I know you will."

Then that feeling is there again, like in the storeroom, and Eddie isn't sure what it is, but it's giving him goosebumps. Steve goes to take a step down, but he's halted by his own name.

"STEFANO! TELEPHONO. IS NANCY!" Mrs Harrington shouts.

Eddie watches Steve take a deep breath and shouts up to the open window she's leaning out of, "MA! I told her I'd call her back! I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!"

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose, sighs, and mutters about patience. It confuses Eddie a little. He knew Steve and Nancy were a thing, but she was with Jonny now. Maybe things had changed. It was probably an excellent opportunity to show Steve he had his back.

"Must be tough being Little Italy's most eligible bachelor," Eddie chuckles, even though his heart is sinking.

Steve looks confused and goes to say something.

"STEFANO. NANCY!" Mrs Harrington shouts again, but this time spots Eddie, "Ah. Good night, Eddie, see you for your next shift," She smiles fondly at him and winks before retreating inside and closing the window.

Steve looks a little harassed, "Listen, Ed, I really gotta go, but uh, you got any Halloween plans? We was gonna go to a spooky old house and then my Uncle's club. Do you maybe wanna come?"

"Yeah, that sounds great," Eddie answers, nodding so enthusiastically that he thinks his head might come off.

Steve claps his hands, "Yes! I knew you'd be game. Ok, so, uh, yeah, see ya tomorrow?" 

"Of course! Maybe you can teach me why Ms Fiore always picks the pasta on the top shelf, no matter what kind you put up there."

"If I told you that, you might not wanna work here," Steve laughs, "Night, Ed. Thanks for everything."

"Night, Steve. See ya tomorrow," Eddie says with a salute and takes the short walk around the corner to his place.

It should take Eddie much less time than it does to reach the steps to the apartments, but the ingredients of the cool night air, a handful of incredible fantasifull moments, really helping Steve, even with the extra squeeze of bitter jealousy, didn't spoil the feast that filled his heart and mind.

Once indoors, he puts the cannoli in the refrigerator, leaves a note for his mama to let her know she was sent one, and heads to his room.

He hangs up his jacket and hat, heads to the bathroom to start unpinning his hair, to let it free, and chuckles at the blunt cut end, the other part of which is currently in a Harrington trash can.

After brushing his teeth, he heads to his bedroom and is just about to turn on the light when a warm glow catches his eye.

From the darkness of his room, he can see Steve's bedroom and more exciting than that, he can see Steve, who appears to be looking through a tin of papers and adding another folded piece of paper to it. Love notes, no doubt.

Eddie bites his lip. He shouldn't spy. It's wrong, maybe even creepy, but he swears if Steve removes any clothing, he'll look away.

Luckily, Steve does nothing of the sort unless you count kicking off his shoes. He flicks through a large box, produces a vinyl record, and puts it on the turntable.

Eddie observes him pull the arm over, and as the stylus must meet the groove, Steve closes his eyes and clutches the album sleeve to his chest.

He turns around a few times to a rhythm and words Eddie can't hear, but whatever it is, has Steve thinking about someone. The way he sighs deeply and flops back onto his bed, eyes closed and a gentle smile on his lips, spells out he's in love. Nancy must be really something to make a guy, who most of the area want for themselves, turn to mush.

Still out of sight, Eddie leans his chin on his hand, with his own sigh of longing. What he wouldn't give for it to be him that Steve was head over heels for.

Before Eddie can spend too long on that thought, Steve's bedroom door bursts open, and he startles but laughs when he sees it's Robin.

It takes Eddie a second, but he eventually realises from her outfit, miming and mannerisms that she's pretending to be Steve. She gets a pillow thrown at her for her efforts.

Soon, another figure joins the party. Eddie can make out the red hair crammed under a brown curly dress-up wig, her nose stuck in a book. 

Eddie recalled drawing the girls when he sat on the steps that day, and it's clear from Steve's half-annoyed, amused face that they were teasing him. Which made Max, Nancy.

Max-Nancy walks past Steve, engrossed in her book, and walks into something, sending her reeling back, only to be caught by the capable arms of Robin-Steve.

Steve waves his arms around in complaint about something, but it's too late. Robin-Steve and Max-Nancy are already waltzing around the room, only to stop on occasion when Robin-Steve pulls out a small bunch of grapes to feed to Max-Nancy.

The display should make Eddie boil with envy, but it is much too funny, especially when Steve chases them around and out of his room.

Eddie chuckles quietly in the dark and thinks about heading to bed himself. He takes one last look over at Steve, who, to his horror, appears to be looking right back at him.

Eddie freezes on the spot. The icy chill of being found out charges down his spine, but the fear is short-lived. Eddie takes one last adoring glance at Steve before he draws his curtains, and Eddie is left alone again.

[libraryofmoths]

Moth of the Week

Cecropia Moth

Hyalophora cecropia

The cecropia moth is a member of the family Saturniidae or the family of giant silk moths. This species was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. This moths gets its name from the mythological kind of Athens, Cecrops I.

Description The cecropia moth’s wings are brown or black with crescent spots which are white in the center and then fade to red then black. They are larger on the hindwings. All the wings also have a white stripe followed by a red one and then frilled white patterns and white and grey edges. The forewings have a black eyespt on the upper corners. The moth’s head and back are red with a white band and dark antennae. The body is hairy with red legs, a white upper body, and an alternating red and white abdomen.

Average wingspan: 15.24 cm (6 in)

Diet and Habitat Caterpillars eat trees and shrubs such as wild cherry, plum, maple, willow, boxelder, apple, crabapple, and lilac, to name a few. Adult moths have no mouths and do not feed. These moths can be found east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. Their range goes west to Washington and north into the majority of Canadian provinces. They prefer hardwood forests and are most commonly found on maple, cherry, and birch trees.

Mating Mating season for this moth is late May or June. The females release pheromones which the males detect with their antennae. They can detect up to a mile away but can fly up to 7 miles during their search. The mating usually begins early in the morning and lasts until the evening. These moths are univoltine, meaning they have only one generation per year.

Predators This species is parasitized by some species of wasps and flies, especially the Compsilura concinnata, who lay their eggs in or on the caterpillars. Other threats are squirrels, loss of habitat, and outdoor lights.

Fun Fact The cecropia moth is North America's largest native moth

(Source: Wikipedia; Iowa State University, Horticulture and Home Peat News; National Wildlife Federation; Prairie Haven; AZ Animals)

[would-this-pokemon-be-a-friend]

Would A Frosmoth Be A Good Pet?

Unfortunately, a frosmoth would not make a great pet for many owners.

For one, especially as a winged, flying pokémon, frosmoths are too big to comfortably live in homes that don’t have plenty of high-ceilings and open airspace. Frosmoths prefer outdoor, natural spaces (Sword, Shield). They may, in fact, be unhappy in any residential area: frosmoths are very protective of fields and mountains, mercilessly attacking any who it sees as desecrating these natural environments with blizzards (Shield). Anywhere where a lot of land development is taking place would not be the best spot for a frosmoth.

Frosmoths’ ability to generate blizzards comes from both their own bodies. Their icy wings are said to be less than -290 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature (Sword), which is, needless to say, really cold! Using their sensitive antennae, frosmoths detect air currents and scatter the freezing scales of their wings like snow to generate snowstorms (Scarlet). These frigid wings give them access to a wide range of dangerous moves capable of not only inconveniencing neighbors: they could freeze you solid! When you toss that into the equation alongside moves like Stun Spore, which can induce paralysis, it becomes clear that frosmoths can be pretty dangerous creatures if they want to. Given their defensiveness of natural spaces, it would be critical to prove yourself a friend of the environment to them to protect yourself from their icy wrath. Protecting everyone from this wrath, however, may be impossible, so one should only consider keeping a frosmoth if they live in a rural area.

Frosmoths would not make the best pets, given their threatening abilities and environmental needs, requiring just the right home and attention to be happy and healthy in a home.

[welcome-to-neighborhood-park]

Howdy Pillar

Everyone say Howdy Do to Howdy Pillar! Playfellow Engineering is ecstatic to introduce you to Neighborhood Park's jolliest salesman. His design changes are more subtle than Barnaby's, but you can't beat perfect professionalism!

Character Information Below

Howdy Pillar is the best shopkeep this side of Home! It’s not easy but with four arms and his quick-witted charisma, Howdy makes it look as easy as discount pie! Howdy’s got a knack for funny business and loves sharing jokes and stories with visitors, but they can’t top the hilarity from his most loyal customer Barnaby. Trade jokes, quips, and alike and in exchange Howdy will offer you One Limited Time Discount Coupon to be used at any Howdy’s Place sponsored stall around the neighborhood! If your humor meets the price tag that is!

Howdy’s Place is your one-stop-shop for gifts, souvenirs, and games! Business has been booming so Howdy’s Place has had a remarkable expansion! With all that extra space not only does Howdy have more room for products, but he managed to pick not one, not two, but four miniature carnival games! Visitors at Howdy’s Place can test their luck at the Spinning Wheel, or try their hand at Ring Toss, Grasshopper, or Penny Pinch. Howdy’s Place is the home of everything you need, so don’t worry if you left your sunscreen at home because Howdy has you covered!

Hungry from all that shopping? Then Caterpillar Corner is just what you need! Attached to Howdy’s Place is Home’s top-rated diner, albeit the only one. This lively eatery offers a wide range of menu items for any appetite and diet. From the Ball Park Hotdog to Howdy’s House Salad, there’s plenty to go around! Caterpillar Corner has a variety of seating arrangements with both indoor and outdoor seating. Visitors who sit outside can enjoy their meal as they watch Barnaby’s Lazy Tree Ride ease its way under the shade.

That’s not all Howdy has to offer! Take a ride on the Caterpillar Carousel as these worms inch wondrously about! These rideable caterpillars are modeled after the very the same caterpillars visitors can find in Frank and Julie’s Garden Maze, while other, special designs are inspired by some of Howdy’s family members. It’s made clear who’s who when boarding the carousel.

Last but not least, what’s with all the stalls? Scattered throughout Neighborhood Park are different food and drink stalls for any craving! Many of these popups have been graciously sponsored by Howdy’s Place. Howdy wants to make sure that every visitor gets what they need and what they want even if he’s not there! Pretzels, churros, sodas, and more on the go delights can be found all around the neighborhood.

Eye Color: Red Height: 7'6" or 90 inches Age: mid 20s Additional Details: apron pockets, assorted pins around nametag including a green apple pin, small tail with matching pattern to antennae, noticeably fluffier

Sentient. ???

[man-monsters-and-aliens]

the aliens from the show are difficult, I have a reboot in my head but I'll separate them for hopefully a more digestible read I also haven't seen the show in a long time so my memory is blahhh

General Headcanons

Coverton gives me amphibious vibes, tho I do think those cheek "flaps" are like. gills or something, not exactly. his chrysalis rejuvenation molting whatever is ?? helps keep his skin squishy soft and get rid of skin disease. human equivalent of a "birthday" but he only does it every 6¾ (earth) years, he's also 180 so you do the math for his human age

"Coverton" is not his real name, that's a title, as is "Coverlord" for leader of the interstellar conquering empire

loves a good mocha, I also think he would like boba tea. idk I like to imagine the aliens just trying earth drinks, I'm gonna project more and say he doesn't like soda, or champagne but does appreciate wine. the lemonade he had from the pilot was meh, whatever

from what I understand Sta'abi doesn't have a home anymore? she's a survivor of some horrid giant beast's rampage. at some point she left her planet to join an interspecies group of warriors that travel the stars, which has some association to the Coverlord Empire. so her position under this council of warriors is.. a monster hunter

her favourite kind of food is from the sea, enjoys shellfish & cephalopods the most (because her usual hunt is on land, seafood is fancy). she likes to dance despite not being very elegant, but her priority is "the mission" which excludes "having fun" (tho her idea of fun is tag)

Sqweep's skin is like. dry slime. or putty texture. she is like a sterilised marshmallow if that makes any sense. smells like roasted walnuts or a burnt almond cookie

Reboot Headcanons

concept art I love better than the og + sketches of inspired slight redesign from my ig (and a drawing I forgor)

Coverton's legs are pretty weak compared to even the average of his species, Earth's atmosphere & gravity doesn't help either. so while he can stand, it's only for a brief time, it also fluctuates how long depending on the weather. he'd use his hoverchair or just put the spacesuit on, especially for going outdoors

‌can't stand saltwater, lousy swimmer, afraid of Earth's ocean & easily seasick

‌unlike show canon, his telekinesis is artificial & enhanced with technology

weighs like a bunch of grapes, flexible & hypermobile, near-sighted so he may wear contact lense

he carries out his rejuvenation cycle in a secure chamber, symptoms include excessive sliming ("sweat"), bubbling skin (boils), and flaking (desquamation is just the beginning). like the rest of his species, he was grown in a lab

I honestly have no idea if that's natural hair or a wig lmao

concept art where I'd just combine the best ones imo

Sqweep is a nickname! she gets it from the "eep" sounds she makes when excited or surprised

idk why I feel like she has a hundred or more siblings, not many are close to each other. perhaps several parents too, at least 5

like her parents and grandparents and great grandparents she's a super rich adult scientist that works as part of an interstellar organisation dedicated to protecting life harbouring star systems

a field researcher therefore planetary explorer, her job is to document & study life on Earth

likes romantic comedies, and loves all animals on Earth, but she's allergic to fur, which is devastating

since she does have a face and therefore is able to emote, I think the antenna colour coded light emoting is unnecessary. I'd like to find another place for it in relation to her but not her biology itself. she sparkles instead

pretty sure no bones (therefore no teeth), light as a cloud so a gust of wind could send her off like a tumbleweed, but I feel the density of her own body can regulate itself, depending on certain conditions? covered in fine fuzz, her nubby hands (tentacles?) hold things like itty bitty hooks

can't digest foods unless in the form of fluids, probably likes bland foods tbh. anything too flavorful would make her head explode

y'know maybe her species is. delicious. their "flesh" tastes like space mango, but cotton candy weight & texture 💀

some of the concepts I refer to for the most challenging and frustrating of the alien bunch, and today's look of her as I also went through & played with various designs

this version of Sta'abi is dropped on Earth to manage her "anger issues". her peers decided she needed to chill out, which is coincidentally the same day a vornicarn is brought into the world. as a hunter, she would've killed on sight, but after helping to capture it and being held captive by Area 5X herself, she starts to empathize with and eventually befriend the creature

Coverton eventually gets her to somewhat roam free in the facility and offers her a way off world but only if she helps him with his plans. he's not completely transparent about them and Sta'abi just wants to leave, she's already familiar with the empire he works for so there's some trust in his word

the males of her species have wings? is that canon? I feel like it's canon.. but in modern days they're just for show, can't fly but can glide and catch wind to hover, though only for so long as they're mostly small

none of these concept art belong to me btw if that wasn't obvious I just took them from the wiki

came from the only egg that survived the initial meteor crash & wasn't frozen to death, laid dormant and got covered in the antartic ice until global warming exposed it millions of years later (which scientists soon discover but let the monster agents investigate as they have alien consultants)

instead of Link's nose I really hammed up the alien parody for my own indulgence haha (blood cw; initial drawings + non-canon chest bursting)

steals coverton's chocolate either when he's not looking or right in his face, probably doesn't like baths, loves chin/neck scratches & belly rubs (only from Sta'abi)

smells with the tip of his tongue, bipedal & quadrupedal, not great at hearing

skin is scaly like a snake, full of muscle

can and will survive in all extreme environments except the desert? for heat & hydration reasons mayhaps as he can't withstand both at once

some of these may change with time and I'd love to read everyone else's hcs! or how you'd rewrite them perhaps :]

since you made it to the very end you're obligated to tell me your favourite alien 🫵

[mybeingthere]

Alexander Calder, Black Sun, 1953 (top picture).

Black Sun is a rectangular, horizontally oriented work on paper that is over a metre wide. It features a bold, abstract image of the sun and its emanating rays of light, all rendered in a deep black tone. A ball at the top right corner of the composition signifies the body of the sun, from which large black zig-zags extend, starting with narrow points near the sun and broadening out to thick mid-sections in the lower-middle of the paper before tailing off in faint brushstrokes in the left of the work. There is another black circle beneath the sun, positioned between two of the zig-zagged light rays, and a thick hollow triangle hovers in the white space below it.

This work was created by the American artist Alexander Calder in 1953. To make it Calder applied two to three layers of black gouache on top of one other using a brush, resulting in a slightly shiny appearance. The artist made the work in sun-drenched Aix-en-Provence in southern France, where Calder and his family spent much of the summer of 1953. It is one of a large number of gouaches that he created between June and September of that year and is among the first group of large-scale works that the artist made outdoors (see Alley 1981, p.93; and Calder Foundation, undated, accessed 26 January 2017). Aix had been the home of French post-impressionist painter Paul Cézanne and of Calder’s great friend, the surrealist artist André Masson. Both painted the local landscape obsessively, and although Calder did not produce landscapes, Black Sun may have been a response to the intense heat and light in the region.

Calder’s mobile sculpture Antennae with Red and Blue Dots c.1953 (Tate T00541) was made at a similar time to this work and also features solid black forms that distend in the middle and radiate from small circles – in the sculpture’s case the circles are yellow, white, blue and red. The shape of this suspended sculpture resembles an orrery – a mechanical model of the solar system – and taken together the two works suggest Calder’s interest in the heliotropic movement of the solar system.

The artist favoured astronomical motifs throughout his career and Black Sun is recalled in Calder’s paintings as well as his sculptures: for instance, in the thunderous waves emanating from a yellow and red sphere in Lightning 1955 and in the small black circle surrounded by sinuous rays in Santos 1956 (both Calder Foundation, New York). In 1962 Calder repeated the black sun motif in the tapestry Black Head (artist’s collection), made for his wife Louisa Calder.

Although Calder often worked with planes of pure black, they were commonly augmented with dashes of primary colour (see, for instance, Mobile c.1932, Tate L01686). The purely monochrome nature of Black Sun not only runs counter to this trend, but also to the common association of the sun with light and colour. This indicates that the artist may have been thinking about the effect of shadow created by the large-scale outdoor mobiles he was making in the hot, bright climate of southern France.

[dondon-patapon]

Observation Log 3: 1/13, 11:12 PM

Temp: 33 deg.

Weather: Skies clear, heavy winds

Obs: Light coating of space dust accumulating outdoors

After the past few stressful nights my hands have yet to regain their strength. My injured hand still smarts, to boot - I had to change the bandage a few times yesterday. Hence it took me several tries to light the lamp tonight. The first time in a very long time I’ve struggled so much, as far as I can recall. 

Aside from that, though, I’ve finally had a bit of peace. A chance to catch my breath, if you will. Once I managed to clean up the mess downstairs to a more respectable degree, I could finally sit back and simply… reflect. 

I wonder what my family is up to right about now? Mom and dad, did they end up retiring after all, once their prodigal daughter left home for good? Or did they hand the keys to their power over to my sniveling little brother? Not that I have any love for them at this point, that died long ago when they stabbed me in the back and I let them. When I sat back and did nothing as they broke up my marriage and had my wife banished.

I couldn’t stand up to them until it was too late.

Tsuki always loved the snow. I hated having to bundle up; was never a fan of the cold, but she loved it. Something about the feeling of watching it fall in a heavy sprinkle across a dark field, the moon as the only lighting, dancing off each and every flake- It enraptured her. And when I looked at her face, the moon reflected in her eyes, I felt precisely the same.

It really was magical.

I know this isn’t the same. It’s just space dust. But when I watch it come down, the light making its rounds in the distance, I can’t help but remember those days, and wish I’d held onto them tighter.

I can’t help but to long for those days again.

A faint chuckle, and a scrape from the far side of the room, and my eyes dart away from the window.

…Nothing there. A trick of the night, perhaps? I know I’m alone here, but for a moment, I perhaps thought-

Wishful thinking, perhaps.

After the mishap a night or so ago, found myself combing the beach particularly thoroughly today. I’ll be trying to make a regular habit of this again. Can’t be caught unawares like that again, in case something else were to go wrong.

But instead, I found myself thinking about that odd disturbance that had bothered the pilot on my last supply run. Charred circuit boards, wrecked hard drives, a few antennas of note amongst other mangled trash. Like the remnants of a ship’s computer, perhaps. Not much I can salvage from this at first glance but I’ll take what I can back. We’ll see. I’m more curious about the source, though… This isn’t anything I usually see around these parts, and I’ve seen my share of wrecked ships over time.

Though again, maybe this is just the mind of a lonely soul, drawing connections where none exist. I suppose only time will tell. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

[hemanuely]

Materiais De Construção The Sims 2 (Parte 1)

1# [Raynuss] Home Comfort System

Household Objects & Clutter (forumotion.com)

2# [Lovelace]-Williams Gas Wall Heater

That Time of Year - Williams Gas Heater (NEW MESH, Fully Functional) - LOVELACING — LiveJournal

3# Outdoor TV-Antenna

Mod The Sims - Outdoor TV-Antenna

4# MLC-LivingDeadGirlEDITS

There are (were!) a couple of Living Dead Girl... (tumblr.com)

5# Wooden Fireplace Screens

The Sims Resource - Wooden Fireplace Screens

6# Brick Patio - Set

The Sims Resource - Brick Patio - Set

7# SocketsSwitchesCords

MrsReval — Fulfilled Request (tumblr.com)

8# Home Essentials - 12 Thermostat Wall Writing Recolours by 2FW

Home Essentials - 12 Thermostat Wall Writing Recolours (Advent Day Five) - Two Fingers Whiskey — LiveJournal

9# Syboulette painting

Peter Pinker (tumblr.com)

10# Hyde Fake Glass 2

I Have Made My Way Here (tumblr.com)

[jonnysinsectcatalogue]

Camel Cricket - Ceuthophilus sp.

Cottage country has been very good to the blog this year, and has given us another new specie to observe! This adult female was found behind the seat of a kayak, but was only discovered after the subsequent returning to shore after the kayak tipped over on the water. She's been through a lot, but she made it safely back to dry land. It's likely she made a home for herself inside the crawlspace along with the kayaks, deck chairs and lawnmowers. That's just the way Camel Crickets (family Rhaphidophoridae) like it: a dark, moist environment where they can hide and flourish! Depending on the specie and environment, they are also known as Cave Crickets, Spider Crickets, Humpback Crickets and Sand Treaders. As their foremost name suggests, they are primarily found inside caves or mines and can also be found crawling among sandy/desert environments. They prefer the nocturnal hours and manage navigating their environment thanks to their large antennae and (to a lesser degree) their extended legs (for the longer range of touch), short rear-leg spines, and their rear cerci. This one also has well-developed eyes, how lucky!

In a temperate climate like Canada, outdoor Camel Crickets may be drawn to hiding under leaf litter or fallen logs until nighttime arrives. When they become active, they'll feed on organic material whether they scavenge, passively hunt or consume plants. The genus Ceuthophilus are reported to be scavengers, but unless they have enlarged mandibles (like the Tree Wētās do for example) they do not bite humans. There isn't much else to do since Rhaphidophoridae specimens tend to be wingless and as such cannot make songs they way other Crickets can through stridulation. You may not ever hear their song, but their morphology grants them other benefits. Their large hind legs allow them to be astonishing jumpers! This one attempted to jump once, but may have been disoriented from the kayak trip and the sunlight. Placing her on the stones seemed to settle her down. Moreover, the spurred tibia on their hindlegs grant Camel Crickets the ability to dig; they flick their hind legs vigorously and push sand behind them. The branch within the Cricket kingdom is certainly fascinating. The only point of contention I have (aside from what happens if these insects get in the house) is that identification down to the specie isn't very easy.

Pictures were taken on Saturday 22, 2023 in Muskoka with a Google Pixel 4. I'll be taking a closer look at these pictures when I can to verify the specie. Might it be C. brevipes (the Boreal Camel Cricket), C. maculatus or something else altogether?