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thefanficmonster · 1 year ago

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Heavy Metal Lover

PART 2

Colby Brock x Reader (Female)

Warnings: Smoking, Brief Choking, Mentioned Past Suicides (at the location they're exploring), Suggestive Content, Arguments, Swearing

Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Romance, Very Slight Smut, RPF (Real Person Fic)

Summary: Sam's best friend and Kat's best friend have been tangling antlers since the moment they met. So much for the couple's hopes of setting the two up.

NOTE: Sam and Kat are still together in this fic. This detail is not meant to be disrespectful to Sam's current girlfriend in any way.

"Why do we keep trying?"

Sam's question comes out as an exasperated sigh as he slouches further into the leather couch him and Kat have settled onto. Their rooms aren't ready yet, seeing as how their flight arrived way earlier than their calculations had suggested.

The hotel lobby is busy. The noise on any other day would be too much for the two to ignore and tune out but right now it's much more alike white noise. Jet-lag has really done them in this time. They'd been running away from it for long enough - hopping from plane to plane filming Hell Week is the same every year. But alas, by the fourth location they'd always shut down as has been the case since they stepped foot out of the plane and into the Las Vegas airport.

The only reason they're staying awake is so they don't get robbed blind. Well, that and to make sure the other two people on this trip don't murder one another.

"Because I still believe there's something there."

Y/N and Colby had successfully made it through the whole boarding process and flight without a single fight. Hell, Sam can't even recall them exchanging a single word until they arrived at the hotel. Maybe that's why it took them less than thirty seconds to break out in their usual bitter back-and-forth in the middle of the lobby. The only reason voices remained leveled was because they are indeed in public and they have appearances to upkeep.

The couple managed to subdue the perpetual assholes, convincing them to 'take five' which they thankfully went to take in opposite directions - Y/N headed for the parking lot to grab something she allegedly forgot in their rental car while Colby immediately clocked the patio across the lobby and quickly disappeared out of sight.

Kat watched them both, as if on cue, pluck their packs of cigarettes from their pockets on the way out.

That's what she means when she's trying to convince Sam of that something she sees. She can't explain it without the reasoning sounding like wishful thinking but she knows there is something. Something in the explosiveness in their interactions, the 'hatred' in their glares whenever they are tangling antlers over the smallest inconvenience, the way they look at each other when the other isn't looking.

Y/N and Colby are to Kat what the paranormal is to Sam. She wants to prove it to everyone, but mostly herself. Prove she didn't spend years poking holes in their apprehension for one another and pushing them together when the holy force clearly didn't want her to.

Or maybe that's what has been driving her.

Either way, she's truly grateful Sam is going along with her antics. Whether he believes what she's preaching or sees what she's seeing is up for debate, but at he's still supportive.

He'd never tell her this, but he isn't exactly trusting of the process. He more than anyone would want to see his best friend in a happy and healthy relationship. Does he believe that him and Y/N could have that? No. Not at all. Does he have faith Kat will succeed in her endeavors? Nope. Not even a tad. Even though she's stubborn and dedicated to this cause, he's never met a person more hard-headed than his best friend. Or at least he hadn't until he met Y/N.

You know the whole 'opposites attract' notion? The reason Sam and Kat's experiment subjects won't give the results they're hoping for is because they're too alike. In sync even - as the cigarettes instance that happened less than ten minutes ago would confirm. They're on the same wavelength headed in opposite directions. They're permanently heading for a collision - a fight equal to a ticking time bomb. Sam and Kat have to put out the fire the explosion of said bomb causes but that is a small price to pay to keep the two in each other's proximity.

"I don't know, babe...." Sam's shoulders slump downward, his arm automatically wrapping around Kat when she leans into his side. Hesitant as he may be, he's willing to go along with it. How is it any different from all the times Kat agreed to visit abandoned and haunted places with him. Hell, that's why she's here. She had no problem hopping on a plane to Vegas on such short notice just because she knew how much it'd mean to him. So...what's a little matchmaking in return? "But I believe your romance instincts." Looking down at her, he can't help but smile when he sees her absolutely beaming at him.

"I will not let you down."

She may try her best, but their subjects are two particularly unruly chess pieces.

Y/N, for example, is still out in the parking lot, getting antsier by the second. Anger refuses to let her stand still. Her jaw is still set, hot blood pumping through her veins. So many words she didn't get to spit out due to the public constraint are still stuck in her throat. Colby's words are replaying in her head, their edge causing her to dig her nails into her palms.

She needs to get some air, she just doesn't know where to find it. Maybe at the top of a mountain where she could scream her lungs out in peace. That's not really an option now, though, she she just settles for walking around the hotel, giving herself a couple more minutes before she rejoins Sam and Kat inside.

Eventually, she's made her way around to the side of the hotel that spreads out as an open patio, basking in the all-too-warm sun rays of this fine September day. Last year, the high temperatures were not such a problem while putting up with the fast paced dynamic of Hell Week because they actually filmed it in late October. This year, however, they chose to get it out of the wat sooner because their schedule would be packed all October. Kat's been working on a new album, Y/N has a deal with Crypt TV to make a horror movie and Sam and Colby will be doing Sam and Colby stuff. I don't think there is any other way to sum up what those two are doing.

Not that Y/N really cares what they do. The only reason she's versed into their schedules is because she lives with them. Yes, that is correct - much to her dismay, she found herself forced to live with the guys and Kat after an unexpected and unwarranted eviction from her apartment.

She exhausted all possible options long before caving and accepting Kat's offer to move in with the three. She was welcomed into the house with three different reactions: her best friend squealing with excitement; Sam offering her a warm welcome and helping hand in moving her stuff to her room; and last, and certainly least, was Colby who gave her nothing more than a 'hello' in passing.

None of them can really recall when this endless butting of heads started or how or why. Sam and Kat would equate their attempts at getting the two to get along to pushing same charges toward one another - the harder you push, the harder they push apart.

It's truly baffling where Kat found even an ounce of romance between the two.

Y/N wipes a few droplets of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand as she climbs the few stairs to reach the bar out on the patio, hoping to gulp down a glass of water after the cigarette she tossed a few minutes ago coupled with the intense heat.

"Hello there." The bartender greets her with a smile, his gaze trailing over her with zero subtlety. "What can I get ya?"

She chooses to ignore it, "Hi. Just a glass of water, please."

The man chuckles, reaching for a tall glass "You know, it's Happy Hour somewhere."

Despite his attempts at flirting - which Y/N is aware is part of his job - she finds herself letting out a small laugh, "Yeah well, not here. And not for me." She gratefully accepts the glass of ice cold water with a nod.

Before the guy can reply, a third voice butts into the conversation, "Yeah, definitely not for her. She's a raging alcoholic."

Stunned, Y/N turns to see a pair of electric blue eyes piercing her with a blank look that contradicts his extremely fake smile he's pinned on his face out of nothing more than politeness.

For a moment, due to their glaring match, they completely forget about the man they've roped into their mess. Thankfully, he speaks up, reminding them of his presence before he could witness any potential brawl, "Oh, um, I'm sorry to hear that."

Momentarily, Y/N drops the torch, tearing her gaze from Colby to acknowledge the bartender directly, "Yeah, no big deal."

Her teeth grit together in absolute rage when she hears the asshole beside her snort something alike a laugh, "Tragic, really. Can I get a vodka cran?"

Y/N busies her hand with holding the glass so she doesn't give into the idea of punching him, "Someone clearly follows that Happy Hour rule."

"I'll have you know..." Colby turns his whole body to face her now, as if challenging her, "...it's not for me." The tilt of his head directs her gaze to an attractive brunette sitting alone at a table, scrolling through her phone.

"Lovely." She spits the word like poison on her tongue, "I'll go tell her to blink twice if she needs help."

"You need help." The lack of bite to his statement stuns her more than if he were to yell it at her. It's an effective throw-off considering she doesn't immediately jump back or smack his hand away when he reaches for the pocket of her shorts, swiping her lighter, "Mine's out of juice." He explains, sticking it in his back pocket before turning to the bartender once more, handing him a ten dollar bill, "And lemon iced tea for my friend here, she's looking a little parched."

With that and a brisk nod in Y/N's direction, Colby excuses himself from the interaction and heads back to the model of a woman who's quick to flash him a bright smile when she notices him approaching.

A sickening feeling settles in her gut. She can't believe any woman gets wound around his finger so easily. She might be biased but she just simply doesn't see it. She can't understand what gets girls within a five mile radius of him swooning.

That smile so many deem charming she finds cynical and fake. His eyes, although a pretty color, are hollow apart from the twinge of evil she sees every time they glare at her. His flirty, charismatic words could make her puke if exposed to them for an extended period of time. In short, she finds him repulsive.

Had they gotten off on a better foot maybe she would've even ended up in his bed on a few occasions by now. As they stand now, she'd rather sleep with Satan himself.

Still, she takes the iced tea, mostly out of curtesy but also because she is indeed dehydrated. She spares the table Colby has now taken a seat at a brisk glance just to find her eyes met with a pair of piercing blue ones once more.

She could strangle him, theoretically, but she won't. Not with this many witnesses around. Instead, she heads inside, looking for Sam and Kat in hopes of getting the last fifteen minutes out of her head.

* * * *

"What's up guys, it's Sam and Colby! And today we'll be investigating the Oasis Motel in Las Vegas. Known for its dark and unexplainable past and the reputation that precedes it today." Sam explains as they begin filming the intro to their video.

The group is currently standing outside the aforementioned motel. The exterior they were met with upon arrival was enough for Kat and Y/N to exchange a particular look. It's in an area off the strip, the surroundings accentuating the atmosphere and amplifying the creep factor.

"Unfortunately, we won't be able to stay at the hotel. They haven't been renting rooms for close to a decade to avoid any potential casualties. And by that I mean - suicides." Colby says, reciting the notes he both wrote and memorized on the car ride here.

"Yeah, this motel is known for two specific suicides that happened here. Specifically in room 20." Sam adds, listing the sightings that have been allegedly witnessed by staff and guests alike before the motel was shut down for business.

The place now just stands ominously as a haunted attraction of sorts. It's meant to honor the memory of the two people who took their own life there but it's clear they have purposefully added to the fear factor to attract more people like Sam and Colby.

That still doesn't take away from the fact that just looking at the building settles an uneasy feeling in Y/N's gut.

She's always been curious about the paranormal but never went out of her way to seek answers. The only reason she's been joining the gang for paranormal investigations is because Kat often begs her to. And she's always had a hard time turning down her best friend, about anything.

So, here she is, sighing as she follows Sam and Kat inside the barely lit lobby of the motel where the staff member who's gonna be giving them a tour is waiting for them.

Before she can fully cross over the doorstep, she feels a finger trail over her arm, running over the very prominent goosebumps that have appeared on her skin.

"Aww, is someone scared?" The mockery in Colby's voice drains any sort of fear or uncertainty she was feeling before.

She whirls around to face him, nostrils flaring when she sees his coy smirk, "Get your fucking hands off me before I knock you the fuck out." She snarls between clenched teeth.

His smile only widens, becoming a tad more genuine now, "That's more like it. Don't be a pussy."

She's about to retaliate with a string of insults that's make a sailor blush when Sam, thankfully, interrupts her, "Guys! Come on!"

The fucker was saved by divine intervention this once, but Sam won't always be there to shield him from Y/N's wrath - he's very aware of that. Time and time again they've screamed their lungs out at one another just to storm off to fill them with nicotine for a potential round two.

In a way, that is a love language too, right? Well, if you ask Kat, that is. Though she isn't completely wrong. The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. And these two are most definitely not indifferent to one another.

Speaking of Kat, she doesn't fail to sneak a peek at the hostile interaction between the two. She nudged Sam's ribs to point it out and smacked his arm when he put a stop to it. Although that was the best course of action to prevent Colby losing any teeth tonight, curtesy of Y/N's fist.

Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration.

She may have spit a million threats his way over the many year they've known each other, but never once did she go through with them.

"Hi, guys. I'm Scott, and it's an honor to be welcoming y'all to the Oasis." The man, who they now know as Scott, introduces himself as he turns on an old tall lamp by what used to be the front desk of the motel. "I hope you're ready to capture some great footage tonight. We're giving you a time frame till 2 AM which is an exception we rarely make, but this one over here is a smooth talker." He says, smiling slyly over at Colby who was the one that placed the call to the motel before they added the place to their itenirary.

Colby, in turn, shrugs, a grin plastering itself on his face, "I mean..." He chuckles, causing Y/N to roll her eyes, "No, jokes aside, I can't thank you enough for bending the rules for us."

It baffles her how charming he can be. She can't help but wonder at times why she wasn't deemed worthy of this pleasant side of him. Not that she hasn't grown somewhat fond of their dysfunctional dynamic - not that she'd ever admit it - but she still wishes she knew.

And she hates it.

Instead of dwelling on it, she busies herself with the fear that's still lingering on the backburner. She'd much rather be scared of whatever's waiting for them in this motel than what she might find if she keeps digging in her mind.

* * * *

"What is your fucking problem?!"

The tension has been building all night, both between Y/N and Colby and from the paranormal aspect of it all.

Glares thrown in from across the room. Light, supposedly accidental touches, some even meant to startle her. Lingering behind her or always looming close to her, reminiscent of her literal shadow.

He's rarely so bold with his proximity to her. He respects her personal space and tends to keep himself at an arm's length regardless of the place they're in. But for some reason, not quite clear to him yet, he's been keeping himself close to her the whole night. Either it's from a certain need to protect her or an inherent need to annoy her into continuously acknowledging his presence, he can't tell.

But by now it's reached a boiling point.

What pushed the situation past Y/N's tolerance threshold was getting scared out of her skin by Colby who, by design of the challenge, wasn't supposed to be anywhere near her. They were less than five minutes into their solo investigations - Sam, ever the challenger, took room 20; Kat is in the restaurant, Y/N is in room 33 and Colby was supposed to take on the attic.

However, he didn't quite last long.

At the first sound of mild panic coming from room 33, which is directly underneath the attic, Colby immediately took off down the stairs, nearly taking the door off its hinges and scaring the ever-loving daylight out of Y/N.

That is what provoked this reaction from her. And now that we're up to speed...

"I thought you were in danger." He explains, quietly shutting the door behind him as he approaches the bed where she's sat.

"Jesus, Colby, you gave me a heart attack!" She groans, squeezing the bridge of her nose in frustration, suddenly antsy in her seat, "I'm not new to this shit! I've been doing this for years with you guys! I get that you may not see me but that doesn't mean I'm not there!" Her heart is still racing, her breathing shallow. Her chest is heaving despite the hand she's placed overtop it in an inefficient attempt at calming herself down.

A few steps closer on his part make her even more uneasy. She gets up to her feet to level the ground between them somewhat. There is something so vulnerable in sitting down with him standing over her. Dare I say, intimate.

"I see you." He says almost bitterly, "Oh, I fucking see you, Y/N. You're always there, always in my viewpoint. Always just a step out of arm's reach. And I hate it. Or try to. You piss me off so bad I can't even put it into words without sounding fucking insane!"

He's close, too fucking close. The chain hanging from his jeans brushes against the exposed skin of her thigh, sending chills all over her body. It makes her wish her shorts were longer. Makes her wish she could push him away, keep her guard up, keep up her mean front.

But when fingers tangle in her hair, his hand cupping the back of her head, she knows it's too late for any of that.

Their lips are barely an inch apart, the two practically sharing the same breath. Still, her pettiness dies screaming with one last whispered, "Fuck you."

With that, all barriers, both physical and metaphorical, come crashing down as their lips collide with the force of seven years worth of tension. Seven years of denial masked as aggression and annoyance. Every word spat out in anger, every glare, every passing touch, every 'flirty' moment. It's all condensed into a hostile collision of lips, biting teeth and battling tongues.

Y/N's hands intertwine at the back of his neck while his travel down to her waist, pulling her impossibly closer. Their connection is airtight, the heat between their bodies increasing the need to pull back to breathe, though that's the last thing they wanna do. It's been far too long for it to end this soon.

Her legs threaten to give out. It's all too much too fast and too unbelievable. Thankfully, Colby seems to feel the same.

He softly pushes her down on the bed, smiling in the kiss at the zero complaints he receives in response.

"You're so sweet when you wanna be." He pulls back for just a second, his hand cupping her chin.

She's quick to smack it away. He expected nothing else. "Shut the fuck up."

He chuckles almost darkly as his hand now settles around her throat, "Adorable." He's aware he's pushing his luck, but then again it's always a gamble with her. This time, he might just luck out.

Their lips have no time to reconnect though, much to their dismay.

"Colby! Y/N! Where are you guys?!"

Sam's voice reaches them from the lobby downstairs, forcing them apart instantly. A deer in headlights look flashes across both their faces as they hurry to create as much distance between them as possible.

Colby swears he sees any hope he had sink right before his eyes. He watches the realization of what just happened dawn on Y/N. Now that the heat of the moment has evaporated, it becomes all too real and all too clear to her what a mistake that was.

"Guys?!" This time it's Kat's voice bouncing off the walls, coupled with the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

He's panicking, not really sure as to exactly why. Whether it's because he'll have to explain this predicament to his friends or because he can see Y/N starting to regret said predicament in real time, he's not sure. Either way, he needs to come up with something, fast. If his brain can kick back into gear after his whole world was briefly thrown off its axis.

"Go." It comes out as a whisper but it bounces around in his head like an earthquake.

"What?" His tone mimics hers, afraid that a single note higher would ruin what little tranquility they've managed to maintain while there's full-on storms raging in their minds.

Her eyes are trained on the floor, hollow with a thousand yard stare. She can't look at him, unsure as to why. She just knows she can't. "Go. Get out. This never happened." When she finally wills herself to meet his eyes she can feel the burning of tears at the back of her throat, "Forget this ever happened."

Footsteps grow closer but they still have leeway to get away with it with just a white lie.

"Go. Now!" She repeats, a bit more fervor in her words now. She gives him no room to reply as she ushers him away but he isn't capable of stringing words together right now anyway.

So, he obliges, going against all his instincts telling him the opposite. And he does so on time as well, shutting the door behind him just as a tear rolls down Y/N's cheek.

What a fucking mistake, they once again sync up, sharing the same exact thought. Though they silently agreed to forget everything that just happened, they're both well aware it won't leave their brain for the foreseeable future.

If ever.

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3liza · 9 months ago

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grim feels very conflicted about The Mailman as a concept because of course as a dog the mailman is his greatest enemy and as a guarding breed he is incensed whenever any stranger approaches the house. but he's also a big goofball with strong socialization training so he puts his hackles up and says "urrrrrrrrr" in this basso rumble without showing his teeth or snarling, but also does a goofy little wiggle dance and anyone with any dog familiarity immediately identifies him as Not Serious and laughs at him. i keep him on a running line on the patio when he's taking the air, so that he couldnt reach anyone on the front walk if he tried, so everyone is safe.

occasionally he will take exception very strongly to a particular person. im not sure what influences this. the other night he came out to the patio with me as usual and immediately let off one singular big Bark, which he only does when he thinks it's important. and he only barks once, he's been firmly trained never to bark serially. grim's barks are like the police stars in grand theft auto. i dont think we've ever seen a 4-bark situation, much less a 5 yet. and i said what the hell man why you barking. and sure enough a Guy detached from the shadows down at the sidewalk under my front walk and started speedily walking away in that "what? i wasnt doing anything" way (if you're in the act of committing a crime, never do this btw unless you are in imminent physical danger. the best way to make the person who "caught" you confused about what they saw is to play it off as completely normal and innocent and friendly. if you cant gladhand your way out of the jam you can always do the speedwalk later). so that was interesting. grim has never barked at anyone just walking by on the sidewalk before, day or night. the sidewalk is neutral territory as far as grim is concerned. something about this dude's behavior really got his attention. maybe this guy was the one who broke my mailbox latch, mail stealing is probably the most common property crime in this area.

anyway dogs are not magic seers and have no sixth sense about people, some of them just have a strong idea about whats Normal and what's Not Normal and will let you know about it. so far grim's ideas about normalcy have been really good. it's a constant process of upkeep with dogs and good manners. you cant just train them once and then let the skills they learned decay, you have to keep reinforcing them. so i gently discourage mailman reactions and reassure grim when he's nervous and then when he makes the right call about something i tell him "you were right, that was weird. good catch".

#blog #churchgrim #dogs

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maya-serr · 3 months ago

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How to Clean and Maintain Patio Furniture Easily

Protect your investment with simple patio furniture care routines! 1) Wipe down metal frames monthly with mild soap. 2) Brush off cushions and air‑dry in shade. 3) Apply sealant to wood pieces annually. Regular upkeep keeps your patio furniture looking fresh and lasting longer.

#home decor #decor #living room #bathroom #dining room #interior design #furniture

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darksturnioloqueen · 5 months ago

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Sadistic!Matt x Cigarette

**This Fic Series will NOT be for people with triggers. This Fic Series will have very descriptive moments of Sadism.**

Sadistic (Sadism - The Act Of Being Sadistic)

Deriving (getting) pleasure from inflicting (causing) pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.

Please Read At Your Own Risk.

⚠︎Trigger Warning: talk of feelings, smoking, stress relieving, burning with you guessed it cigarettes, lots of kissing, a little handy dandy (hand job), uncomfortable during touches, (tried) manipulation, fast penetration (not very descriptive), orgasms, admitting feelings. ⚠︎

He did say you could come over if you wanted, but you were struggling with when. You didn't want to come off too clingy, but you were dying to see him. You weren't sure how the world paired you with him, but you were so glad it had. Believing in something as cliche as soulmates, especially when you have witnessed love fail so many times, wasn't on your mind until you met Matt. The more you thought of it, the more it made sense, soulmates. After he left, you did your routine clean-up, declined a few offers from your job, and since then you have sat thinking about him. He was damaged, broken, and intense, but even with all that, he was perfect. The only thing you could ask for was more. More time with him, more of him, to get to know him more. You got dressed in your little white skirt and oversized pink hoodie. You wanted to go over there comfortably this time and hope he didn't cut up your clothes again.

You drove over to his house and sat in your car for a second, staring at the exterior. His house looked a little larger than yours, but only by one room. The side paneling was made to look like real wood, even though it was plastic for easier upkeep. It was dark but not sad. It almost held a homey vibe to it. You stepped out of your car and walked around to the back patio. You had never used the front door, so doing it this time seemed odd. When you rounded the corner, you saw the back door was left slightly agape for you. You smirked, loving this. He was so subtle with his actions but you picked up on them. You knew when they were done out of kindness, or dare you say it? Love?

When you walked inside, the sight you saw completely shocked you. Matt was sitting in a chair with a cigarette in his mouth. The empty pack was on the table next to a lighter. The house was fogged up. You couldn't remember it smelling like cigarettes when you were here before.

"Matt?" You whispered, trying to let him know you were here carefully.

"Sit." He said, then took a long drag of the stick in his mouth. He blew the smoke out in a harsh cloud adding to the fogginess of the living room.

"I didn't know you smoked." You pointed out the obvious.

"I don't." He turned his head over to look at you.

"I hate to break this to you, but -"

"But what?" He snapped harshly.

"But, you are smoking." Your confidence faded. He had that effect on you. He could easily take all your sarcasm right out of your body and turn it into uncertainty.

He scoffed and sucked the cigarette while looking at you. "You wanna try?" He held it out to you already, knowing your inevitable decline was after the offer.

"No, thank you." You shifted on the couch and remembered his body suffocating yours on the cushions. You tugged your skirt down a little to try and cover your thighs. He looked at you like he wanted to say something but couldn't. It was as if the smoke was choking the words in his lungs, so he didn't have to speak up. "Why are you smoking?" You dared to ask.

"Because." He huffed a little and put the cigarette out, and dropped it in the tray with the rest of the butts from the whole pack. You couldn't believe he was a nonsmoker who just cleared an entire pack. He sat back in his chair and stuck his hands in his pockets, not breaking eye contact with you. "You." He was honest.

"Because of me? What did I do?" You were slightly angered by his blame being placed on you.

"What you said earlier." He was again honest and not evasive. You bit your lip, realizing your mention of love to him was, in fact, scaring him away. You knew there was a high chance that would be too much for him, but you had to test it. Also, at the moment when Matt is inside you, hitting every right spot, you feel yourself get weak.

"I meant it." You knew everything about your relationship, whatever type it was, and it was new for both of you, so playing silly games wasn't smart if you wanted more of him. Matt's face didn't change his expression at all.

"Why?" He asked. You had plenty of things to say, most of which you thought of today alone.

"I felt it." You shrugged. You weren't sure what side of the line you were on with him, so you wanted to be careful but still honest.

"Why?" He asked again.

"You understand what I want." You bit your lip harder. He was so good at reading you and pushing your limits the way you needed. "You listen to me, sometimes." Your hand's reflex reached up and grabbed the choppy spot of your hair. Matt smirked.

"And?" He liked you talking about him. The more you exposed how much you liked him and why, the less rejected he felt. He would never tell you about his issues with abandonment and rejection, as well as plenty of other things. The more you told him why you liked him, the more secure he felt being himself around you.

"And I like that you try for me." His eyes were locked onto yours. Nothing was making them look away. You stared directly into his blue eyes, loving the light texture they held. It was contradicting to his personality; you found it cute.

"You stress me out." He reached for the pack of cigarettes, realized it was empty, and tossed it down carelessly.

"I'm sorry." You weren't sure how to respond to that. You thought he would be relieved of stress, finally finding someone he could hurt freely for his sexual gratification, and they wouldn't be upset or run away scared.

"I don't like being stressed." Every time he thought of a sentence in his head, his heart cut out almost all the critical words. He was fighting internally with himself to say the things he wanted to say. He was choking on his own feelings around you, and it was stressing him out. He knew you weren't going to leave; you proved that. He knew you weren't going to reject him; you proved that. So what was he so afraid of?

"Take it out on me?" You whispered. This got a reaction from him. His eyes widened slightly before settling back to his typical, intense gaze. He felt his blood start flowing.

"What?" He wanted to hear you repeat it.

"Take it out on me." You said more confidently. You loved being what he needed, even if you weren't sure what that was every time. He stood up, and you felt yourself shiver. With a quick glance down, then back up, you saw his dick print through his jeans. He walked past you to the kitchen and reemerged with a brand-new pack of cigarettes. You immediately knew what was on his mind.

"Are you sure?" He asked, sitting next to you. You nodded. How bad could this even be? You thought to yourself. He stuck a cigarette on his lip and lit the tip sucking in air to make the cherry burn red. You found yourself holding your breath when he blew the smoke out in a swirling cloud. He held the cig in one hand while his other hand grabbed your neck from behind. You followed his pull and landed your mouth on his. He had never kissed anyone the way he kissed you. He couldn't shake some underlying feeling whenever your lips touched the top of his. You were pressing against him hard, craving the taste of his tobacco-flavored mouth.

"Mhhmm..." You squealed on his lips. The heat tore through your thigh. You lurched and tried to pull your face away to look at the circle burn, but it was held in place on his mouth. His fingers dug into your neck, causing you to become slightly dizzy. He continued sucking on your lip until you calmed down. He could feel it in your pulse. He let go. He reached for the lighter as you looked at the few layers of skin tunneled down to be bright pink with a few ashes left over. You realized how bad that hurt and weren't sure how many more you could do. How many more did he need?

He re-lit the tube he had just snuffed out on your leg. He sucked in a little less than the first time and blew the air away from you. You silently appreciated that. He looked over at you; his eyes weren't dark this time. He looked glossy. It's like someone slapped him silly with love. He leaned in and captured your lips again. This time, you anticipated the burning sensation, the slight anxiety starting to make you wet. Again, in the middle of the long, drawn-out kiss, you felt the butt singe into your skin. "Mhhmmm." You hummed on his lips again. He pressed harder into your mouth before sucking your bottom lip in between his teeth. He grabbed your hand and guided it into his jeans. You nodded into the kiss.

"Okay." He whispered. You weren't sure, but it almost sounded like he was convincing himself it was okay if you touched him. You opened your eyes to peek at him. His were shut tight, causing wrinkles. You pulled the kiss apart and looked at his whole picture. He was sitting tense. You retracted your hand. "What?" He opened his eyes to look at you back.

"Are you okay?" You tilted your head to the side, fully taking in his rigidness.

"It's fine."

"That's not what I asked." You looked at him harder.

"I'm fine." He sighed. He used this free moment to light up the cigarette again and suck in the toxins. He leaned back in but stopped just before touching your lips. "It's okay." He sighed before connecting with you again. You lightly pushed and pulled his mouth. You felt the burning sensation on your thigh near all the other hot circles.

"Mhmmm." You winced and closed your eyes tighter.

"It's okay." He whispered, resting his forehead on yours. You wanted to say something to him, but you were unsure of what he would react the best to. You stayed silent. He guided your hand back into his jeans. You lightly rubbed up and down on his shaft, feeling his smooth, hot skin. As much as you loved having him deep inside of you, you enjoyed this. You got to touch him in a way you never have before, and it was turning you on. Learning anything about Matt physically made you wet. You gripped harder, and he tossed his head over the edge of the couch. "Okay." He whimpered. You were surprised he was enjoying your touch so much. This was the perfect time to manipulate him.

"Do you?" You let the question slip out sensually as you re-adjusted your position on your knees to get better leverage down into his pants.

"Do I what?" His breathing was staggered from the pleasure your hand was creating for him.

"Do you love me?" You whispered into his exposed neck. You felt his erection grow in your palm.

"No." He sighed out. It wasn't convincing at all. You squeezed him hard and used your thumb to fondle his tip.

"Do you -" You shimmied his pants down. "Love -" You threw your leg over his lap and positioned yourself right above his tip. "Me?" You bit your lip and looked into his eyes. You were taking a risk but hoping it would pay off. He was studying your face. You bit your lip harder, letting the slight sharp pain turn you on. You slowly moved his hips upward, having his tip graze your slit. "No." You lifted yourself up so he wasn't able to penetrate you. "Do you love me?" You asked him again. He continued looking at you.

He grabbed your thigh and used his arm to shove you back down on the couch. Within seconds, he was on top of you, your skirt hiked up, inside of you. He couldn't handle being tempted. "Ugh." You moaned as he started thrusting deep into his favorite spot. Your hands reached up to touch his hair, and this time, you won. He let your fingers dive into the soft, fluffy brown. "Matt!" You moaned out, feeling your climax reaching its peak. You let yourself feel every inch of him as you let your juices flow naturally out. He finished pumping inside of you and looked down right into your eyes. "Matt?" Your whisper cut through the small gap from your mouth to his.

"Yes." He said.

"Can you answer the question?" You giggled slightly.

"I just did." He slipped out of you and went to his room. You sat up on the couch and smiled. Matt, the sadist, no longer liked you; he loved you.

CURRENT Sadistic!Matt poll -> Here

#sadistic!matt ⚠︎#sadistic!matt poll ⚠︎#masochistic!reader ⚠︎#sadistic!matt x masochistic!reader ⚠︎#the dark queen ⚠︎#the dark sturniolo queen ⚠︎#the dark sturniolo tumblr ⚠︎

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atevanfool · 8 months ago

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Right as Rain - A Buck/Tommy Fic

Thank you to @rowsandrowsofnothing for a prompt to help me get my mind off the shitshow that is the US right now. (If you'd like me to not tag you please let me know.)

Prompt: “cat distribution system hits Buck”

It was midafternoon when Buck checked the clock. Tommy had left for work hours ago, and seeing as he had the day off, and had been spending more time here than at his loft, Buck decided to help Tommy out by doing a few of the things on his ever growing laundry list of chores. Being a first responder himself, Buck understood just how hard upkeep could be and he lived in a loft; he couldn’t even imagine having a whole ass house to take care of.

Being just after noon, Buck decided that it was probably time to stop and eat lunch, so he finished polishing the kitchen counter he’d been working on before dumping his cleaning rag aside and setting the cleaning chemicals a safe distance from his food prep area. Going into Tommy’s fridge, he pulled out supplies for one hell of a hoagie, multiple deli meats and cheeses, pickles and black olives and who knew what else. What? He was a big boy with a big appetite and he needed to eat.

Piling the split bun high, he returned everything to the fridge and grabbed a beer, one of Tommy’s fancy craft beers that he loved so much. (And that Buck was coming to appreciate; a Coors was good but he could appreciate the nuance of… better beers.) Snorting, he used the bottle opener under the counter to pop the cap and took a swig as he sashayed his way out of the kitchen towards the back door. On the way, placing his beer in the crook of his arm, he picked up the book he’d been working on. With a grin he pushed out the back patio door and headed straight for the lounge chairs.

Tommy had a few super comfortable lounge chairs long enough to accommodate their huge bodies with a small hand carved wrought iron table between them. Setting his beer and book down, Buck cozied himself up on the chair he was beginning to think of as his, the one on the left facing the lawn, before placing his food in his lap. He tilted the chair up just right, not straight up and down but not laid out on his back either.

Not a few minutes later he had his book held out in front of him with his sandwich alternating with his beer at his mouth. It tasted just as amazing as he thought it would. The sun felt warm, not hot, against his neck, and the air was quiet except for the occasional flutter of bird wings or the chitter of a squirrel. Buck was at maximum relaxation.

That was until he heard a familiar, yet not, kind of sound from the bushes that fenced in his boyfriend's backyard. The first time he heard it, he looked up and shrugged before returning to his book - things were just heating up - when thirty seconds later he heard it again. Being a first responder, his ears had been trained to pick up on the faintest signs of life. Frowning, he snapped his book closed and set his plate down on the patio table. Slinging his legs over the side of the chair, he stood and approached the bushes slowly, straining his ears hard.

There it was again. A pitiful, mewling sound. His heart picked up speed.

“Hello?” He called out as he began pawing through the brush, wishing he’d brought his phone so he could use the flashlight to see into the shadows. There was no response and he began to think he’d misheard when he heard it again, much clearer. A plaintive, pained, mewl of an animal. “Shit.” He breathed, eyes going wide. Frantically he began to push aside the branches, not caring about the way that they scratched up his bare arms. “Here kitty, kitty. I got you.” He tried not to sound panicked. Although he was a bit more of a dog guy, he was an animal guy at heart and he would never leave one to suffer if he could help it. And this baby sounded like he was in pain. “Where are you sweetheart?” He hissed, checking every nook and cranny but coming up empty.

Until he saw them - a gleaming pair of bright green eyes attached to a void that blended in so deeply he’d have missed it if the poor thing hadn’t had them open. His pupils were blown so big that there was only a rim of green visible. When the cat spotted Buck, he howled and scrabbled for him, reaching out a paw that was covered in muck and… Blood. That was definitely blood along its claws. Buck drew in a sharp breath as he felt his heart cracking in two.

“It’s okay, buddy. I’ve got you. Okay? Just hold on. I’ve got you.” Using his broad shoulders he pushed aside the bushes until he had a clear shot before reaching out to wrap his hands around the tiny body. Immediately he knew that the poor thing was likely malnourished, and possibly even dehydrated; Buck could practically count its ribs and every knob along its itty bitty spine. Tears pricked in his eyes but he held them back by sheer force of will. With trained precision, he extracted the creature from its possible tomb, cradling it to his chest. One of his, Buck checked, paws hung at an odd angle and he had been right about the blood. It seemed that the baby had been trying to claw his way out for who knows how long, or had possibly been running from something before getting stuck in the brambles.

Buck’s heart melted when he turned his head and stared up at him, mewing quietly as his one good front paw attempted to make biscuits on his pecs. “Oh aren’t you just the cutest little thing. What the heck happened to you?” Cooing, Buck petted the creature from the tip of its nose, all the way down its spine. “What should I do with you?” He sighed. “I guess we should at least get you cleaned up and take you to the vet. See if you have a chip or anything.” The cat slow blinked at him, and Buck felt when his little engine started to roar, vibrating his entire little body. Grinning, Buck shook his head and made his way back inside, leaving his lunch out on the patio. The local wildlife could have what was left of it.

In one of Tommy’s bathrooms, he made the cat comfortable on a pile of towels as he half filled the sink with lukewarm water and some Dawn dish soap. He kept a watchful eye on his new friend, making sure he didn’t seem to be in too much pain while he waited. The pitiful thing just kept on purring and making tiny little biscuits, occasionally chirruping when he saw Buck watching. Cursing his soft heart, but not really, Buck once more picked up the cat, grabbing gently at his scruff as he lowered him into the water. To his shock, the animal didn’t fight him in the slightest. He even seemed to breathe out his own sign of relief. Buck could only assume the heat felt good on its aching front limb.

For the next forty or so minutes, Buck scrubbed and scrubbed at the cat's fur, refilling the sink innumerable times as the dirt, grime, and blood sloughed off. When the water eventually ran clear, Buck bundled him up into the fluffiest towel he could find, which wasn’t all that fluffy, as Tommy seemed to subscribe to the idea that men used sandpaper, and not clouds, to dry off. He couldn’t help but chuckle at that as he squeezed out the excess water before gently wrapping the little one up into a purrito and setting him on the counter to dry as he made some phone calls to find a vet that would be able to get him in immediately.

Once the cat was mostly dry and had been fed half a can of fresh tuna, and drank down an ocean’s worth of water, they were off to the vet. In the front seat, still bundled in a blanket, the cat fell fast asleep as if it knew it was safe. Taken care of. At every stop sign or light, Buck would reach over and scritch behind its velvety soft ears or run his finger down the bridge of its tiny baby nose. Once at the vet, the little bundle was received as well as a pallet of gold. The techs cooed at him and consoled him over his hurt little paw, lamenting how anyone could do such a thing to such a sweet baby. He lapped it up, head bunting anyone that so much as looked his way.

Once in their room, the vet came to take a look. “Well,” he was an elderly man with graying hair and kind brown eyes - his brown skin leathery and soft with sun exposure and accent think - “this little guy is lucky you found him. On its own, it’s nothing too serious, but if he had continued to struggle for much longer, I’m afraid either the damage would’ve been irreparable or he could’ve gotten an infection from all the micro cuts on, and near, his claws.” He stroked down his back, grinning. “I don’t know why they say black cats are bad luck because I’m pretty sure you’re the luckiest kitty alive.” The cat squinted at him and purred louder. Chuckling, the vet turned and grabbed a small apparatus from the counter behind him. The screen lit up as he explained, “We’ll do a quick check to see if he’s chipped and then I’ll bring him back to get a cast to set that front paw. After that, assuming he has no owner, you’ll be set to go.”

Buck nodded but for some reason his chest squeezed tight as the doctor ran the chip detector over the cat's neck area. They’d only been together for a few hours but Buck wasn’t sure if he could let the small creature go. It was the owners fault, after all, that the cat ended up this way. Not a minute later the little screen blinked red and Buck let out a relieved breath. “So…?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up but…

“No chip. He’s all yours.” The vet gave him a knowing smile as he bundled up the black cat into his arms. “Now, I’ll be borrowing your sweet little friend,” he scratched under his chin, “for a short while so my techs and I can set his arm. Sound good?” Buck nodded and slumped back into his seat.

The rest of the appointment went by in a whirlwind. While Buck waited for the doc to come back, he started doing his due diligence by making lost and found posts on Facebook and Instagram, and all of the local lost animal pages he could think of. He didn’t want to, but considering how he felt right now at just the thought of letting him go, Buck would never do that to someone else who had a pet they loved. (Even though he still thought they were bad owners for letting their cat out in the first place without supervision.)

If no one responds by midnight tonight… He thought, hitting post on the last message board. Just then a tech came back with his new furry friend, bringing a small card reader with her.

“What a sweetheart!” She exclaimed as she readied the machine. “So for the chip exam, all of his vaccines and the cast…” She laid out the cost. Buck winced a bit at the price tag but he happily paid for it anyway knowing that the innocent thing would get better.

While the machine thought Buck asked, “Do you know how old he is?”

She smiled softly at him. “The doc's best guess is about seven or so? Not elderly but definitely not a youngling either.”

He nodded again. Once he’d gotten the receipt, and they’d said their goodbye’s, they were back in his Jeep and headed for the nearest pet store to spend even more money. And Buck spent like he knew that this baby was his for good. Oh. Did he forget to mention he still hadn’t talked to Tommy about him, and that his loft didn’t allow pets? He hadn’t necessarily been ignoring his phone but his mind had been occupied by other things the last four or so hours!

Both of them exhausted, Buck pulled into Tommy’s driveway. Grabbing only the bare necessities - litter, litter box, and a few toys - both boys dragged themselves into the house. Buck set the little guy down and watched for a minute as his natural curiosity took over and he hobbled around, sniffing at everything. Then Buck grabbed up the litter and such and went to find someone unobtrusive to set it up. To his surprise, his little shadow followed along after him, chirping and meowing all the way. Grinning happily, Buck stopped every few feet to let him catch up and to give his head a pat.

When that was all said and done, Buck went to the living room and made himself comfortable, flipping on the TV as he opened a few of the toys - a crinkle ball and a wand toy. The cat went immediately for the crinkle ball and it was hilarious watching him having to bounce to balance on his back legs while using his good paw to bat it to a fro. Settling in, Buck grabbed the throw blanket that rested on the back of the couch and prepared to veg out until his wayward other half came home.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

“Evan, I’m home.” Tommy called as he dropped his keys into the dish at the door. He’d noticed Evan’s car in the driveway and had been a little surprised to find it still here. Sure, the man had been spending a lot of time at his house but he usually went home for a bit on his days off just to grab the mail and do some cursory cleaning. When there was no reply, he frowned. He could hear the TV so Evan was definitely downstairs.

On soft feet he made his way through the kitchen, past the back door where he spotted an empty plate upturned on the patio and a half full beer bottle on the table, and turned to go into the living room. He stopped cold when what he saw finally registered. His boyfriend was sprawled out on the couch, the tiny throw blanket thrown haphazardly over him, one foot dragging on the floor and the opposite arm bent against the back. But that wasn’t what took him by surprise.

No. That was the furry void curled into the tightest little black hole Tommy had ever seen, minus the neon yellow cast on the paw that stretched out in front of it. Even from where he stood Tommy could hear it as it purred, content and cool as a cucumber. “Evan.” His voice cracked. “Evan.”

“Hmm?” Evan mumbled sleepily as his eyes blinked open, confusion written on his expression before remembering where he was. “Tommy?” He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and craned his neck back so Tommy could see his baby blues. “Welcome home, babe.”

“Evan. Why is there a cat?” Looking just as confused as Tommy felt, Evan looked down at the fluffy terror on his chest and then back at Tommy.

“I saved him.” He said as though it should be obvious.

Sighing, Tommy approached and crouched down next to the man, running a hand through his curls. “I can see that but… Why is he still here?” Evan’s lips turned down into a frown and oh how his heart squeezed. The Buckley pout was absolutely no joke and Tommy would fold in seconds if he didn’t hold strong.

“Because he had nowhere else to go.” Ope. And there was the bottom lip, even quivering a little just to dig the nail even deeper. “I couldn’t just let him back into the wild.”

Sighing once more, Tommy’s lips turned into a soft smile as he leaned in to press their foreheads together. “Why not bring him to the loft?”

“Because they have a no animal policy.” Tommy felt Evan shift so he could pet the cats back.

“You realize we’re first responders, right? We don’t have time to take care of an animal. Especially not when it's healing and we’ll both be away most of the time. What if something happens when we’re not here?”

Evan stayed quiet for an exceedingly long time before he muttered, so quiet Tommy wasn’t sure he’d heard right, “What if I just… stay here. Then someone will almost always be around.”

He sucked in a sharp breath and pulled away, caught off guard by Evan’s whimper of protest. “You… want to live here?”

“At least temporarily? Or you know… For longer.”

Tommy didn’t say anything for a long… long… LONG… time before conceding, knowing he would never win. “Did you at least post some pet lost and found posts?”

“Of course!” He pet the cat more aggressively until it lifted its head and nipped at his fingers, overstimulated. “If no one claims him by midnight I’m keeping him.” His tone brokered no argument.

Sighing, Tommy stood and crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve named him already… Haven’t you?”

“Maybe.”

Grinning wryly, he asked, “Okay, let’s hear it. What’s its… his… name?”

Finally deciding to sit up, Evan stood in a less than graceful series of movements, so he could stand face to face with his boyfriend. He looked like a kid on Christmas with how happy he was. The cat clung desperately to his sweatshirt and Tommy couldn’t help himself as he reached out to pet him. His fur was downy soft, but he was most definitely too skinny. Tommy could see lots of treats in the future and a very spoiled animal. To his silent delight the cat purred louder, bumping into his hand for more pets.

“Rain.” He proclaims proudly, puffing out his chest. “Because I found him in your geranium bushes.”

Tommy snorts and throws back his head as he laughs. Evan pouts and steps back so Rain is out of Tommy’s reach, much to his displeasure. “Hey! Don’t punish the cat just because you’re mad at me.”

“No. No more pets until you admit my naming skills are awesome. Isn’t that right, Rain?” He kisses the tiny bit of white on the cat’s head and snuggles him closer.

Rocking on his heels Tommy says, though he’s not sure he totally agrees, “Okay, okay. Rain is a great name. So does this mean we’re cat dad’s now?”

Beaming, Evan says, “As long as I don’t get any messages before midnight.” Kissing his new fur child once more he says, “We’ll be the best cat dad’s ever, isn’t that right, Rain?” The kid chirps and licks the tip of Evan’s nose which sends him into another fit of laughter.

Eventually the two of them settle back onto the couch after Tommy whips something up for dinner; Evan doesn’t want to let Rain out of his sight for long enough to be safe while cooking. Once cozy, and feeding the little black void a piece of meat here and there, they flip to one streaming service or another to watch a movie.

Not one single message pings on Evan’s phone before midnight.

Everything was right as Rain.

#bucktommy #tommy kinard #evan buckley #tevan #911 abc #911 on abc #kinley #bucktommy fic #kinley fic #kinkley fic #firepilot fic #tevan fic

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should-be-sleeping · 1 year ago

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They've implemented strict rules where I live regarding when, where, and how you can decorate your porch and patio. You can only have decor up for official holidays. No potted plants or statues allowed unless it's a holiday and they're somehow relevant to it (i.e. Christmas trees).

Effectively they want nothing displayed for longer than 24 hours before or after a holiday. K.

This is a brand new rule and allegedly it's to prevent clutter from interfering with lawn maintenance, general grounds upkeep, and I guess like... emergency services (as if a fireman won't straight kick over a planted azalea to battering ram down your door and save you).

Today I received a spooky FINAL WARNING notice due to a small set of seasonal bells hanging on my door above the peep hole. First, I have gotten no first warning? How is this the final one? Second, how is this intrusive decor? They don't even jingle. How on earth is this a concern to anyone at all? You can't even see them from the parking lot. I just.

So, screw these party pooping assholes. I'm going to comply so hard. Rather than a set of small decorative bells being put out a few times per year (oh, the humanity!) I'm going to make Shabbos their problem.

Every Friday-Saturday I'm going to decorate my porch for Shabbos. Piss off, anal retentive management. Look at my decor, fuckos!

#malicious compliance

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erin-writes-ghost-fluff · 1 year ago

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Cheering up Papa

A/N: Wrote this on my old blog. Thought I’d share it here! Minors/Under the age of 18, do not interact. My fluff is not for you. Note, I wrote this way before RHRN.

Fandom: Ghost

Characters: Cirrus, Copia, Cumulus

Warnings: Tickling. Fluff. Mentions of death at first. A little angsty at the beginning.

~ ~ ~

Cirrus found him first. Nobody could find him to begin with, so of course that worried Sister but it all worked out. He had gone to the garden to water the flowers. Nobody had been caring for them, since Primo’s death and Copia wanted to change that. Next tour, he was putting a sibling of sin in charge of upkeeping the garden. It was one of the few reminders he had left of his brothers.

He sat under the gazebo, on the patio sofa, taking a break. It was a pleasant day, Copia thought. It was warm but not uncomfortably so. There was a gentle breeze occasionally making the leaves on the trees sway. Out here was a comfort. It made him feel close to Primo and made him feel he was doing something right, by trying to take care of those flowers and plants.

“Papa?” A voice was approaching him. Cirrus.

“There you are! Everyone wondered where you got off to!”

Papa. Copia repeated in his mind. He’d never be used to that title. He had been cardinal for so long. He hardly expected to be the next in line for Papa and truth be told, he wasn't sure if he wanted this. Looking back, Nihil’s comment about him not being a part of the bloodline made sense.

Unlike his older brothers, he hadn't been mentored. Primo had taught Secondo, and Secondo taught Terzo. Nobody was here to teach him. And it had left him feeling empty and hollow.

Noticing his silence and the blank look on his face, the ghoulette frowned, coming to sit next to him. Something was troubling him, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

“Everything ok?” She knew it wasn't but she wanted confirmation.

“Eh… I just have a lot on my mind. I’ll be fine. I am papa now. I do the worrying, not you ghouls and ghoulettes.”

Cirrus wasn't budging. “Copia please. You know how I am with picking up emotions. You aren't ok right now. Talk to me.”

She pulled the former cardinal against her, who heaved a sigh in response. Maybe getting it all out to a sympathetic ear would help. Someone who was grieving with him.

“I…. It just happened so quick, you know? The whole ‘becoming papa’ thing. No warnings, no nothing, one minute I’m performing, the next minute, I’m surrounded and declared papa.”

Cirrus nodded. He was right. There had been no time to process such a big, sudden change. Hell, Copia wasn't even warned. It had taken the ghouls by surprise as well. None of them had expected it.

“What else, papa? There's more. I know.”

Copia pressed his temple against hers, showing his affection and gratitude for her listening.

“I just feel that I am destined to fail. I have no-one to teach me how to be Papa.”

At this moment, Cumulus was walking out to the garden too. Seeing her bandmates- and technically newly appointed leader- she smiled, deciding to see what was going on.

“Hey ‘Lu.” Cirrus greeted, “papa’s having a venting moment.”

Cumulus’ tail and wings sagged. “Oh papa… Do you need space? Or would it be alright if I listened too?”

Copia shrugged. “If you want to stay, I don't have a problem.”

Cumulus took her seat on his opposite side, ready to be of as much comfort as she could.

Copia resumed, running a hand through his hair.

“I just feel alone, ever since my brothers died. I know I have my ghouls and I am not completely alone but…. Losing them was hard. I’ve had no time to mourn. It's just been work since we returned from tour. I know if Primo were here, he’d be teaching me. I have such big shoes to fill, you know? Except for Terzo's, his shoes were small, because his feet were tiny, heheh…”

Cirrus purred, nuzzling her nose against his temple. Cumulus had reached over, massaging his shoulder blades. He felt exceptionally tense.

“I think they’d be proud of you.” Cumulus hummed thoughtfully. “Especially Primo. He always wanted to see his younger brothers succeed.”

Would he? Copia wondered

“Do you really think so? It was hard to tell who or what gained his approval and who just got on his nerves.”

“Yes,” Cirrus agreed, “I think they’d be happy that their fratellino made it. I think Secondo would be teaching you to read the ancient grimoires, Terzo would be teaching you the Hellish or ghoulish tongue, and Primo would be more than happy to show you how to summon ghouls.”

Maybe they were right. But still…

“I just feel unsure now.”

Cirrus was now massaging and gently scratching Copia’s scalp, being mindful of her claws. He shivered before melting against her, some tension draining away.

“I think you're gonna do great. Yeah, you’re gonna be different than Terzo but that's ok. No Papa is alike. You have a lot to learn but we won't be impatient or unkind. We are you ghouls now, Copia. We will support you, when nobody else will.”

A lump formed in his throat, as he urged himself not to cry, his eyes suddenly glossy with unshed tears. His brothers may not be here to support him now or cheer him on- if they would have done such a thing- but hearing that his ghouls would be here to lift him up, made him feel relieved.

“We mourn with you, papa.” Cumulus chimed in again. “Your pain is ours.”

“Uh, i-it's not necessarily that- well, I mean it is, I just, I don't feel as bad now…”

The two ghoulettes sandwiched him in a tight hug, purring softly. Copia gave a shuddering exhale, bowing his head, bittersweet tears streaming down his cheeks.

“We’ve got you, Copia.” Cirrus murmured. “We’re here for you.”

This had been what he had needed for months. Just for someone to say they heard him and they would be there for him. All Sister wanted to do was go on and on, about his triumph as papa. Always saying how he was an improvement over Terzo. He never saw how. Terzo had won a GRAMMY after all, he had thought to himself.

Sister missed the point. And even if she hadn't, she still would be no true source of comfort. Too much false positivity. He needed to be allowed to feel these negative emotions. Not just brush them aside, because Sister said he should be happy.

Being able to vent helped immensely. Already, he felt a weight off of his shoulders and heart. His confidence wasn't there yet but it would be. He allowed himself to cry in silence, both ghoulettes rubbing his back and shoulder. After a minute or two, his tears began to subside.

“How do you feel?” Cumulus asked, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a handkerchief.

She wiped away his remaining tears, Copia allowing her to do so, almost leaning into her touch.

“Is there anything else we can do to help you feel better, papa?” Cirrus tilted her head to the side.

Come to think of it, they already had.

“I feel a little better now, grazie. Just by listening to me and letting me get it out. I appreciate it.”

They hugged him once more, glad to know he was doing a bit better. Still, Cirrus didn't like it when Copia was sad. A thought came to her, suddenly.

“I think I have an idea…”

Copia blinked. “What?”

She and Cumulus exchanged mischievous grins. They used to do this to Terzo but it was a much easier time with him, because of his height.

With no other warning, the ghoulettes began gently squeezing and pinching his sides, eliciting a shocked squeak, followed by some loud giggles.

“H-hey!” Copia cried, unable to stop giggling, “stop it!”

“Sorry, papa.” Cumulus chuckled, “we’re just trying to get you to smile.

“Ihihihi ahaham smiling!” He replied, kicking his legs out.

The ghoulettes had just started and he found it nearly unbearable. Especially when Cirrus snuck her hand up the hem of his shirt to get his belly. Every touch, every playful, gentle wisp of claws only caused him to laugh harder and louder. Rather than try to get away or fight them off, he held his hands over his mouth to muffle his giggles.

Cirrus wasn't having this, however. And she knew just how to bring his arms down.

“Ah-ah!” She playfully scolded, using her tail to get underneath one of Copia's arms.

Cumulus followed suit.

As they wanted, Copia's arms clamped down instinctively, his giggles turning frantic and squeaky, as Cirrus had not ceased torment on his belly.

“Cirrus!!” He squealed, as her other hand gently pried his own away from his mouth.

She laughed in response, “Hmm? What is it Papa?”

He shook his head, further squeaky giggles bubbling out of him, like a spring.

“Come oooon, use your words!” She teased, giving him a fanged smile.

Both sets of claws now gently digging into his ribs with the utmost care. Cumulus was teasing his neck and ears.

His blush darkened as he tried to keep himself still for them. They were only trying to help and lift his spirits again. For that, Copia was grateful. Suppose it wouldn't hurt to allow his ghoulettes to have a little fun. And while he’d never admit it aloud… he was having fun too. It felt nice to laugh like this.

He let out another squeal when Cumulus leaned forward, burying her face into his neck to playfully nibble the ticklish skin. His shoulders shrugged instinctively.

“No! Don't do that!” Copia squeaked, but Cumulus only continued.

“You know…. I don't think you mean that,” Cirrus smirked, lightly scratching underneath his arms, causing him to cackle.

Oh no… How did she know?! Though he wasn't really trying hard to get away….

“Y-you have no proof!” He challenged.

Cumulus snickered, using one claw to trace the shell of his ear, bringing out a high pitched cackle.

“I dunno, giggle rat…You’re barely trying to escape!”

His blush now spread up to his ears. “Don’t call me that!!”

“But it's true!” Cirrus giggled, “you squeak and squeal like a rat when you get tickled, sooooo that makes you a ticklish giggle rat.

Copia shook his head, denying such accusations but couldn't stop laughing to save his life. He let out a shocked shriek, when all twenty fingers skittered against his belly. He jolted as if he’d been shocked by electricity, laughter flowing unrestrained and freely from the Anti-Pope.

“THIS IS MEAN!!” He howled, kicking his legs out like an overgrown child once more.

Both ghoulettes tails wagged and swayed happily, listening to his laughter, pleased with themselves. They found themselves laughing with him as usual. His laughter was just so adorable and contagious, in Cirrus’ correct opinion.

He was beginning to tire, however and they didn't want to push him too far. It would seem a grand finale was in order. And Cirrus knew just how to go about it.

Cumulus seemed to be thinking the same thing, as she raised the hem of Copia's shirt, baring his belly just a little. He knew what was coming and began to go into a giggly, anticipatory panic. He’d been tickled by Cirrus enough times to know…

“Wait! Wait! Per favore! I’m gonna die!”

The other two giggled. Oh yes, he was definitely Terzo's little brother, alright! Copia was just as dramatic as him!

“Oh papa…” Cumulus snickered, shaking her head, “I think you’ll live!”

“No I won’t!”

With no further warning, they leaned down, claiming both sides of his belly, before blowing a loud raspberry before switching to nibbling, all while snarling playfully.

Copia let loose another shriek before howling with unbridled mirth, as they made a ‘feast’ out of him. He sputtered and squeaked, trying to talk but laughter took over within seconds. He slammed his hands on his thighs, unable to even think straight at this point. Despite the hysteria, his laughter was hearty.

Just when he thought he was going to be driven insane, his ghoulettes had a shred of mercy, stopping their playful attack, pulling his shirt back down, smoothing out his hair and clothes.

He heaved a relieved- yet giggly- sigh, going limp and slouching where he sat.

Cirrus purred, pressing her nose against his cheek with a nuzzle. “Awwww. See? Not that bad!”

Copia crossed his arms, giving a joking, angry pout.

“Yes it was!” He grouched playfully, “you two are fucking bullies!”

Cumulus laughed, giving his body a gentle squeeze, while Cirrus rubbed his back to help him calm down.

“Because we love you!”

Ok…. Copia couldn't argue with that logic. He gave them a bashful smile, pressing his temple against Cumulus’, followed by Cirrus.

“I love you too.” He chuckled softly. “....But it still wasn't nice!”

Cirrus ruffled his hair. “It got you to feel better though, I bet.”

Well, she wasn't wrong!

“Not answering that!”

Cumulus snickered. “Hey, wanna come and help me do some baking? I’m in a mood for something sweet. Probably something chocolate!”

Copia's mood lifted further. If there was one thing he loved just as much as rigatoni, it was chocolate!

“Oh yes, I’d love to! Now that you’ve said it, I wouldn't mind having some sweets too!”

The group of three stood up, stretching their limbs before walking back inside The Ministry, heading straight to the kitchen.

Being Papa wouldn't be easy. It would be stressful some days and a pain in the ass. But Copia felt just a little more confident now. His brothers may not be here, but he still had a support system.

Papa. Yes. Suppose he could get used to being called that now.

#erin's fics #ghost the band #ghost bc #nameless ghouls #cardinal copia #papa emeritus iv #popia #cirrus ghoulette #cirrus ghost #cumulus ghoulette #cumulus ghost #nameless ghoulettes

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screenmobile · 5 months ago

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How Long Does Patio Furniture Last?

Patio furniture isn't just an outdoor luxury—it's an investment. Whether you've got a cozy bistro set for morning coffee or a full-on outdoor dining setup for summer barbecues, the real question is: how long is this stuff actually going to last?

The answer? Well, that depends. Materials, climate, maintenance, and even how often you use it all play a role. Let’s break it down so you know what to expect from your outdoor furniture—and how to keep it looking good for years.

The Lifespan of Patio Furniture (By Material)

Not all patio furniture ages the same way. Some materials can take a beating from the elements, while others start looking rough after just a few seasons. Here’s a quick rundown:

Wood: Classic but Needs Love

Lifespan: 10–25 years (depends on the type of wood and upkeep)

Best Choices: Teak, cedar, eucalyptus

Weaknesses: Susceptible to moisture damage and fading

Wooden patio furniture has a certain charm—it looks natural, feels sturdy, and fits right into any backyard setting. But it’s high-maintenance. Softwoods like pine or fir can start rotting in a few years, while hardwoods like teak can last decades with proper care. That means regular sealing and oiling if you want to keep it from drying out or warping.

Metal: Durable but Not Invincible

Lifespan: 10–30 years

Best Choices: Aluminum, wrought iron, stainless steel

Weaknesses: Rust, heat retention

Metal furniture can be a solid investment, especially aluminum, which won’t rust. Wrought iron looks timeless and can last generations—but it’s heavy and prone to rust if you don’t stay on top of maintenance. Stainless steel is another great option, but it can get scorching hot in direct sunlight.

Wicker: Beautiful but Tricky

Lifespan: 5–15 years

Best Choices: Resin (synthetic) wicker

Weaknesses: Natural wicker deteriorates quickly outdoors

Traditional wicker (made from rattan or bamboo) isn’t built for the elements. A couple of seasons in the rain and sun, and it’ll start unraveling. Resin wicker, on the other hand, can last a decade or more since it’s made of weather-resistant synthetic materials.

Plastic: Surprisingly Long-Lasting

Lifespan: 5–20 years

Best Choices: High-density polyethylene (HDPE)

Weaknesses: Brittle, prone to fading

Cheap plastic chairs from the hardware store? Expect a few years before they crack or fade. But high-quality plastic furniture, like HDPE-based pieces, can hold up much longer. These are often UV-resistant, meaning they won’t get brittle under the sun.

Fabric: The Wild Card

Lifespan: 2–10 years (depending on exposure and quality)

Best Choices: Solution-dyed acrylic (Sunbrella)

Weaknesses: Mold, fading, tearing

Outdoor cushions and fabric chairs can really take a hit from sun, rain, and mildew. If they’re made with solution-dyed acrylic (like Sunbrella), they’ll last much longer. Regular cleaning and storing cushions indoors when not in use will also extend their life.

Factors That Affect Patio Furniture Longevity

Even the best materials can break down faster than expected if they’re exposed to the wrong conditions. Let’s talk about what shortens (or extends) your patio furniture’s lifespan.

Weather Exposure

South Bend weather can be unpredictable—hot summers, cold winters, and plenty of rain in between. That means moisture damage, rust, and fading are constant threats. If your furniture isn’t built for this kind of climate, it won’t last long.

Maintenance (Or Lack of It)

A little upkeep goes a long way. A few examples:

Wood: Needs regular sealing or oiling

Metal: Needs rust-proof coatings and occasional touch-ups

Wicker: Should be kept dry and dusted frequently

Fabric: Needs cleaning and waterproof sprays

If you’re not maintaining it, even high-end furniture won’t last.

Storage During Harsh Seasons

Leaving your furniture outside year-round? Expect a shorter lifespan. Storing pieces in a garage or shed (or at least covering them) can add years to their life.

Quality Matters

Big box store furniture might seem like a deal, but it often won’t last more than a few years. Investing in high-quality pieces pays off in the long run.

Signs Your Patio Furniture is Reaching the End of Its Life

Even with great care, no patio furniture lasts forever. Here’s how to know when it’s time to replace it:

Wood is splintering, cracking, or rotting

Metal is rusting beyond repair

Plastic is brittle and cracking

Wicker is unraveling

Fabric is faded, stained, or torn

If you’re seeing any of these, it might be time for an upgrade.

Extending the Life of Your Outdoor Furniture

Want to keep your patio furniture looking great for years? Here are some pro tips:

Use covers – Waterproof covers protect against rain and UV rays.

Store properly – If possible, store furniture indoors during extreme weather.

Reapply finishes – Wood and metal pieces need occasional sealing or painting.

Clean regularly – A simple wash with mild soap can prevent long-term damage.

Upgrade cushions – Swapping out old cushions can give furniture a fresh look.

With a little effort, you can make even budget-friendly patio furniture last much longer.

Final Thoughts

If your patio furniture is starting to look rough, you have two options—replace or restore.

If the structure is solid, a little sanding, staining, or repainting can bring old furniture back to life.

If it’s falling apart, it’s time to shop for new pieces.

Investing in quality materials and proper care means you won’t have to replace your outdoor setup every few years. And if you're in the South Bend area, finding patio furniture built to handle the local weather is a must.

So, how long will your patio furniture last? That’s up to you!

#patio enclosure #screenmobile

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hometoursandotherstuff · 1 year ago

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I couldn't believe that I found such a huge home for only $349,900. How could the brick 1900 home in Huntington, PA with 10bds, 7ba be $350K? Then, I looked inside and I hope it's not only me, but I am creeped out.

Maybe it's the way they opened the front doors, like "Come in," and then they slam shut.

Not exactly a entrance glamorous hall.

Did they use some sort of distorted lens? Why does the sitting room look so eerie?

I see pocket doors on the right. The wainscoting and long shelving unit are nice. I also have to mention the ceilings.

The dining room is dark even with the chandelier on.

Oh, wow. I like original kitchens, but this is so claustrophobic. I don't even know if you could brighten it up and make it cute.

Why is this home so dark? I almost miss the HGTV light gray wood.

For such a large house, why is the kitchen and this bath so tight?

Well, it's a huge room with a grand fireplace, but it's so depressing.

This house is going to need a lot of brightening and freshening up. This room opens to the patio.

Why are the baths so small and narrow? This one looks like it has an original sink and the medicine cabinet, too.

This room looks brighter.

it's a single family home, but it has a small kitchen up here.

There's also a dining room. The table is set with just ghostly white dishes and a stack of bowls.

Interesting murals. This has to be a separate apt.

A 3rd kitchen is dark, with a single lamp on the counter. How is this a single family home?

And, here's another living room.

This must be another set of stairs in another part of the huge home. What a big window seat.

This is weird. I guess the stairs only go down one floor. Interesting that the floor is different.

Where are we?

This is a larger bath, original except for the toilet, but what's up with the sink?

There's a covered deck up here.

This house goes on and on. It needs so much updating, though.

Wow, now this is a library. It's gigantic.

Reading nook looks eerie with an empty rocker.

Patio is nice.

There's another deck above the garage.

The L-shaped house is on a 1.01 acre lot, but the building takes up most of the land. It looks like the roof is in need of replacement. I don't know, the price is right, but it needs so much work, plus the upkeep, there's no a/c, heat must cost a fortune, so would furnishing it, and there's no way only 1 person could possibly clean it, alone. And, that's not even counting the maintenance of the grounds.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/770-Oneida-Hts-Huntingdon-PA-16652/2057216918_zpid/

#estates #large homes #fixer uppers #creepy homes #houses #house tours #home tour #homes under $400K

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arcadiabaytornado · 1 year ago

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Something I'm currently watching on YouTube has me wondering: what would happen if you hired Max, Chloe, Kate, Rachel and Victoria to do up your garden?

Max

Max is going to beg you to hire someone else because it's stressful enough to just keep Lisa alive. However, if you make her do it anyways, she's going to do such a good job that she'll surprise herself. She'll use of knowledge of aesthetics to make a picture perfect little garden, but please don't ask her to do upkeep.

Chloe

I don't believe in Chloe slander…BUT if she's doing this alone without Max or Rachel, then she's putting in minimal effort. She's going to put a bunch of potted plants outside and call it a garden. Or she'll plant like one thing, smoke a cigarette, and then throw the butts into the garden. Not even on purpose, just because she isn't really thinking because she doesn't really care.

Kate

Kate will make a very soft garden that will quickly become the staple of the home. She'll plant flowers that will attract bee's and fruits that will attract butterflies. She'll make a little patio area that's perfect for reading a good book and admiring the beauty of nature.

Rachel

Rachel will put in minimal effort but still come out with the best looking garden. She'll carefully pick large flowers that will fill up a lot of space, and use a patio set up to take up even more room. So her garden looks incredibly full of life even though there's only like two types of things.

Victoria

Hiring Victoria is a waste of money considering her plan is to hire someone to finish the garden for her. However, in good news, whoever she hires will be great at their job. Your garden will look like a magazine cover when it's all said and done.

#lis #life is strange #max caulfield #chloe price #rachel amber #kate marsh #victoria chase #asks #jaydude1992

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rockheadcd · 1 month ago

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OREBURGH HOUSE 'MONS (aka the Actual Zoo) —

Separated into the following categories: family 'mons, team 'mons, and foster 'mons. The Oreburgh house sits on a few acres of property that extends into the woodlands that decorate the base of Mt. Coronet. With that space, Asago has used a portion of it for berry groves and vegetables, and Byron allocated some space for a workshop to keep the noise down. For the most part, the rest of the lot is untouched aside from lawn care and tending to potentially unwanted guests. Much of the space is free game for the 'mons that spend their days at home rather than on either Roark or Volkner, and have never seen a battle in their lives. Roark continues to care for the property as the owner, happy to have inherited his mom's green thumb. Minor adjustments have been made to make the place more self sustaining now that a vast majority of the combined teams live there full-time.

Family 'mons: A significant number of the ones that stay at home are Asago's, with only Scizor and Chimecho with Byron and living on Iron Island, respectively. After her passing, Roark agreed to take care of them, given there was no real reason to move them across the west sea when they were happy in Oreburgh. Newer additions to the big family are half and half, where Roark or Volkner let them partake in training and battles if they feel like it.

Leafeon ♀️ — one of the earliest companions to Asago from when she still lived in Floaroma. She is gentle like her original trainer ( if one could call her that ), often doting over Roark ever since he was small. Her aromatherapy is her most utilized ability, especially when it comes to stress and illness. And given how both Byron and Roark are, she usually takes it upon herself to hop next to them and blast them with notes of bergamot and lavender. It usually works. As a grass type, her sustenance comes from photosynthesis, so she is often outdoors basking if not accompanying one of the other 'mons. She has added Volkner to the list of trainers that require gentle persuasion.

Lileep ♀️ — Asago's first fossil that was revived into a cute little guy. Lileep does not move much unless deciding on a place to perch. Byron had since set up an artificial pond for the rock types to soak in, with Roark taking care of the maintenence in the current day, and Lileep often sits right at the bottom, half submerged. With some berries as tax, Lileep is content to help grab things if needed. She likes to hug with her wigglers, only slightly traumatizing to a tiny Roark when he thought she was going to eat him for getting dirt in the house. She typically gets hosed down in the summer to help stay moist, but given how many Cradily and Lileep are around on land, it doesn't seem like it's required for them to be completely submerged. She's extra helpful for holding down wily fossils.

Politoed ♂️ — The resident landscaper of the groves, and perhaps the closest thing to a butler the Oreburgh house has. He's been around as long as Leafeon and Lileep have, a wee Poliwag that had found an affinity for gardening when he evolved to have hands. Politoed took the offer to evolve with King's Rock uncovered in the underground, happy to help and not keen on being much of a fighter. While Roark is out, Politoed is usually the one tending to the daily upkeep of tending to the plants, pruning, watering, and harvesting between meals. He's also typically the first line of communication between the house 'mons and even Roark's team, especially when said gym leader gets into one of his coughing fits.

Bonsly ♂️ — A screamy little boy that does not usually participate in the groves and stays away from water. Bonsly can typically be found socializing with other 'mons, especially Torkoal and Growlithe, in order to wick away excess moisture from the rest of the yard. He has yet to consider evolution, but insists on trying to help Roark whenever he's out on the patio with the grill. Maybe he'll figure it out.

Roggenrola (Agate) ♀️✨️ — Volkner's commitment to full odds shiny hunting on one of his trips to Unova when they were still Just Friends. Admittedly, while Roark was thrilled, he was just as surprised he came home with her, and lets her do her own thing. So far, she occasionally participates in skirmishes to train, but she's rather content being at home with the other 'mons, acting as part of some home security with her ability to pick up sounds far better than anyone on the property.

Geodude ♂️ — Another helper that was originally from the mines, Geodude is content staying home and helping out with more dexterous tasks than battling as well. He's been around since Roark has started actively working in the mines.

Mimikyu ✨️ — A little guy that Volkner noticed lurking by when they went to Alola for their honeymoon, further down the timeline. Maybe a little "it just like me fr" happened in that split second, and neither Volkner nor Roark would leave without this lonely creature. Roark typically takes care of it's disguises with the little bit of knowledge from his mom, even going as far as trying to make disguises that look like the 'mons that already live there to help it feel more comfortable socializing. It's shown no interest in battling and is simply happy to observe in a safe space, especially when Roark is cooking, or when Volkner is dismantling technology. The rest of the 'mons pay it no mind and are happy to include Mimikyu as it sees fit. They had no idea it was technically even shiny.

Team 'mons: Most of Roark's team is battle capable, of course, given his extensive gym rotation system and Battle Tower/Volk's battle facility days, but when the option to have a quiet day at home is right there, it can't be helped! The majority of them will listen to Volkner if he needs anything.

Salamence (Bagel) ♀️ — Roark's typical mode of transportation, since she loves flying so much. She also doesn't fit in the house, so she spends her time outside if the zoomies don't get to her first. One of Roark's longest partners after Ramses and Tybalt, she's the big sister of his main team.

Tyranitar (Tybalt) ♂️ — Another OG that he has had since he was a kid. Cheese connoisseur, very opinionated, resting bitch face. Although he is often cranky (hangry), he is very protective of both Roark and Volkner (he took awhile). He does have a temper though, one in which Roark personally experienced when he dared to mega evolve him during the events of Spear Pillar. Tybalt tends to be the first line of defense and is very much eager to battle. In adoption verse, Roark and Tybalt survive in Hisui together—Tybalt comes back with about 50 years of extra stress and a chipped up carapace.

Rampardos (Ramses) ♂️ — Roark's best friend, hatched from an egg from the Rampardos herd that occupies Iron Island. They have been together since day one. The headbonking habits started between these two. Ramses usually goes wherever Roark goes unless they're at home, where Ramses helps out with the fosters and little ones, having picked up many of his habits from mirroring the rock family. Unfortunately for him, he will remain maidenless because the ladies are not impressed with his fossil-rearing skills. Roark has trained him well, at least, an ace that only shows up when Roark is allowed to use his competition level team arrangement.

Torkoal ♂️ — Half house, half battle, Torkoal is one of Roark's non-rock types that sees more battles in the Battle Park than anywhere else. The fireplace in the living room is big enough for him to plop down and heat up the house in the winter, especially with Volkner being unused to the climate. He's a very chill 'mon that feeds on coal to keep his fire steady throughout the day, happy to keep anyone warm if needed. Torkoal was acquired on an excursion to Hoenn to Mt. Chimney.

Lunatone — Found on a full moon in Lake Verity. Roark, fascinated by the stars as he is already, took a liking to Lunatone immediately, curious about it's psychic powers as a rock type, given many of his team rely on physical prowess. Lunatone is free to roam as it pleases, and can often be found pointing at the moon with it's beak. It likes to accompany Roark when he goes out to stargaze.

Aerodactyl ♂️ — One of Roark's first properly restored fossils from the Oreburgh Museum, he was quite the bastard to tame. He took a beating trying to wrangle him, and unfortunately came to learn that it's very much a common trait among restored fossils. Once he managed to catch him, it was much easier to gain his trust and teach him to point all that energy into battling. Aerodactyl is in his gym rotation, but may also make appearances in the Battle Tower. Sometimes he'll scuffle with Bagel, as she's one of the only 'mons that can roll in with some aerial combat. Over the years, he's calmed down some, allowing Roark to show him off during museum tours.

Armaldo (Armando) ♂️ — Another fossil revival success as an Anorith, Roark has had him since around the time he started learning to take on the gym leader role for Oreburgh. Often riding along his shoulder, Armando is here for a good time and a long time. Often, Roark would dive with him due to his prowess in both aquatic and land movement, especially playing around people safe areas in Canalave and Iron Island. This also carried over to Sunyshore when Roark started to visit Volkner more often. He gets along most with other water-friendly 'mons, such as Volkner's Octillery and alpha Gyarados. Armando is one of the top picks for going underground with how effective it's mantis shrimp punches are.

Crustle ♀️ — Picked up from a trip to Unova for an international tournament, she was one of Roark's first forays into really learning about 'mons from different regions. Admittedly, she does get picked on by Braviary because she keeps distracting her with her funny movements, but she does perfectly well enough to know how to deal with birds. She tends to feature in Roark's mid-ranking teams.

Onix (Onyx) ♀️ — another OG partner, picked up from when he started working in the mines. Onix in Oreburgh take on a darker tint as they have consumed coal over centuries, long before people had moved into the area that is now Oreburgh, and Onyx is no exception. She comes with him to the jobsite as an excellent helper for excavation, and has grown up alongside his aces over the years. She doesn't seem to be interested in taking up a metal coat, and Volkner low key appreciates it.

Golem ♂️ — A long time team member when Roark was first learning how to battle and cooperate with 'mons. A local resident of the mines, much like Geodude, but this one has been a ride or die for a long time, keeping Roark company and especially enjoying the excursions to the Underground. Golem has cemented his place as a clean cut rock-type, serving as a litmus test for worthy challengers.

Probopass ♂️ — Initally found up in the wilds of Mt. Coronet, he was Roark's helpful marker in finding his way back home. He often brings him to less familiar areas as well. Unfortunately, after evolving, Probopass had to be an outdoor only 'mon if he was outside of his ball due to the high levels of magnetism that could mess with the appliances. He's one of the most sturdy 'mons in the league teams, offering a challenge for those unfamiliar with the benefits of levitating. Sometimes one of the smaller noses will follow Roark around if he's indoors.

Relicanth ♂️ — Fished up when he was on his roadtrip with Byron out in Route 226. Almost like a rite of passage, he snagged it by canoodling, leaving a funny and heartwarming memory before Roark would take on Oreburgh Gym as it's official gym leader.

Sudowoodo ♂️ — Bro adores his rock types, why wouldn't he have a groovy bonsai boi. Another capture from the wild, but hilariously enough, down the street from his house. It's common to see wild 'mons stray nearby since his house is in the outskirts of the city limits. Sudowoodo may have adopted Roark first, though, having a disdain for rain and snow since it's wet, and freely moves inside whenever he pleases. He enjoys being around the gym as well, mimicking the sparse plants, and is well liked by younger trainers for being some of their first experiences with rock types.

Archeops ♀️ – Acquired from his first trip to Unova, having gone off digging as he does. When she was restored as an Archen at the Nacrene Museum, he was, understandably, incredibly excited. This also gave him the first real foray into trying to grow berries that most closely resembled her prehistoric diet that was not native to Sinnoh—a helpful confidence boost in his rock-type rearing abilities and joys of learning about the past. Archeops sits in his high tier teams, but is often seen gliding around the tall trees back home.

Slowbro ♂️ — A resident of the Battle Tower team, Roark found him while out and about Route 205. A fellow fisherman himself as a nature kind of guy, the then-Slowpoke naturally didn't notice him for quite awhile until the third or fourth time Roark set up to fish for an afternoon. He'd offer him berries at the end of the day if he didn't catch anything, and eventually, he decided to take him along. Finally catching the Shellder was quite the experience, after eventually taking him saltwater fishing for a change of pace. Slowbro is as typical as a Slowbro gets—sure, he's trained up and a lovely balance to the team, but the Bro just wants to chill out in a river most of the time. Roark agrees.

Rockruff (Horchata) ♀️ — One of the littermates of the Rockruffs that Roark and Volkner pulled from Alola. Likely separated from their mother, or just old enough to be set out on their own, Horchata is passive, ultimately just a relaxed, lazy pupper. Ironically, she evolves into Midday Lycanroc, and naps about as much as Luxray does on a day off.

Rockruff (Jamaica) ♂️ — The littermate that can't stop being nosey, and the initial Rockruff the two met on their vacation. He nearly stole all of Roark's snacks had it not been for Growlithe thinking she struck gold finding a new playmate and barking up a storm. Eventually, Jamaica mellows out and takes a liking to Volkner with his quiet demeanor and equally prankster tendencies. He evolves into Midnight form Lycanroc.

Rockruff (Tamarind) ♂️ — Maybe the only standard issued pupper, jovial and just happy to be here. Tamarind is the most easily loyal, responding best to Roark's love and affection. Tamarindo can match Growlithe's energy the best out of the litter, coming in clutch for her infinite playtime strategy. He eventually evolves into Dusk form Lycanroc.

These are primarily Volkner's team that he's brought over, although many of them are willing to listen to Roark:

Hisuian Growlithe ♀️ — The rock daughter they fight over was initially a rescue from Volkner in his time in Hisui. Roark, understandably, immediately got attached to her and is the start of his dog collecting tendencies. Inevitably, the two of them would be able to care and raise for her, and she doesn't seem to mind the new surroundings so long as someone she recognizes is around. Very head empty but has incredible spirit. Roark takes on training her for battles to help tire her out, but ends up eventually training a demon that enjoys rough housing a lot more than he could have anticipated. Eventually, she evolves and becomes one of his aces for double battles with Volkner in his battle facility, perfect for the Hisui-type battles.

Zeraora ♂️ — A companion brought home after a world tournament hosted in Unova. Volkner's vigilante streak gave a scare over the few hours Roark didn't hear back, until Volkner returned with a few scuffs and an equally scuffed up and suspicious cat in tow. Zeraora sees the least amount of battling for his safety, living on the Oreburgh property as it has the most amount of open space away from prying eyes. Although hardly the paradise that is Alola, he is safer alongside the powerhouse teams and has slowly gotten comfortable over time. His need to absorb electricity from other 'mons on Volkner's team has been valuable in making sure no one gets shocked by accident. He begins to see more action when Volkner heads his own battle facility.

Ambipom ♂️ — tends to swap between Sunyshore and Oreburgh as he feels. He's incredibly handy but has gotten on Politoed's shit list for taking a few too many berries from the grove. It wouldn't be such a crime if there wasn't over 30 individuals to feed at a minimum. Stop stealing! Crimes aside, Ambipom has helped much when Roark struggled to keep things tidy during Volkner's absence.

Raichu (Gordito) ♂️ — Gordito is not really his assigned name, it sort of just came out of Roark's mouth enough that it stuck during the friendship era. He has quite the time trying to keep Raichu from rummaging the cabinets because he likes to eat so much. Admittedly, with Gordito's neediness, he's a constant companion to any human in the house, happy to loaf or sit on someone. Under all of that flubber is a killing machine, though, so apparently all those calories are sustaining something. Roark has come to bond with him during Volkner's absence.

Luxray (Lux) ♂️ — The one, the only. The favorite cat, and probably the only reason why Roark and Volkner were even able to remain friends at all. That's Volkner's son. He birthed him. He is wherever Volkner is, although once in awhile he will pester Roark for attention or nefarious care taking that him and his paws can't do. They all have quite a bit of history together.

Jolteon ♂️ — Jolteon is usually with Volkner as well, but he can be seen lounging at home and hanging out with Leafeon. Roark took care of him during Volkner's absence and has been able to establish a good friendship with him. Unfortunately, after a bad nightmare, Roark squished him and was promptly electrocuted thereafter, leaving him with scars from the spines that were stuck. It left him a little uneasy during the recovery, but seeing as Roark has forgiven him, life goes on as usual.

Hisuian Braviary ♀️ — A young alpha brought home by Volkner as part of the team he put together in Hisui. They've made the joint decision to let her continue acting on her hunting instincts, especially since she is primarily a carnivore and is still unfamiliar with urbanized land. While at Volkner's beck and call, they usually let her free roam since she knows where she can safely come back home. It took a little while to make sure she doesn't attack the wrong wildlife.

Rotom ♂️ — Rotom, despite all of his chaos, is a keystone in communication between trainers and 'mons alike. Roark heavily relies on him in several verses at home, as does Volkner's team. Given his boundless energy, he puts 200% into just about everything. He's more likely to be found in Volkner's phone more than anything, assuming he hasn't been asked to squad up.

Rampardos ♂️✨️ — Roark still has no idea how Volkner encountered him. Alpha. Shiny. He's still completely flabbergasted at the fact Rampardos can be as tall as the house. Interestingly enough, he's rather chill, perhaps an alpha of the herd previous to being zapped into the Hisui timeline through a space-time distortion. Rampardos is exclusively outside due to his size and wide ass rotisserie turkey shape being unable to fit through anything. He's willing to tolerate Roark's overt fascination and examination, given the sheer rarity of his existence, and despite his dominating size, many of the 'mons pay him no mind. Ramses has tried to butt heads with him, as is their nature, and it's a little terrifying to watch. Good thing their brains are tiny….?

Lucario ♂️ — Another chill companion Volkner brought over from Hisui. He takes the role of second right hand caretaker right being Lux, serving as a good sanity check for how Volkner is feeling. He makes a solid sparring parter for Roark's team, especially with the type advantages he naturally has over rock types. He was accepted the most easily and the fastest out of all the Hisui team.

Electivire ♂️ — Another typically permanent guy on Volkner's roster, he likes to get his hands involved with either trainer if they're doing something interesting. He's taken quite the liking to Roark during Volkner's absence, giving him an outlet for his shared frustrations over his missing trainer. Nowadays, Volkner can trust Electivire to seek out Roark and carry him back home if he's out too long. Very helpful in charging up Zeraora. Roark likes to call him big guy.

Zapdos — The legendary titan has some trust by proxy due to Volkner's attachment to Roark. It spends much of it's time in the high cliffs of Sunyshore, but will sometimes swing by while after it's herald moved permanently to Oreburgh. It expects offerings of homemade food and has a place to perch inside the house, but doesn't stay long unless it's necessary. During Volkner's absence, Roark would learn the different between Sunyshore's monsoon season and Zapdos' distress manifest. It does not truly get to indulge in battling until Volkner takes his position as a battle facility head. Zappy is the least likely to listen out of all of the 'mons. Mostly because it doesn't have to listen to anyone. What are you gonna do, put it on time out? Otherwise, Zapdos is much like Braviary in that Volkner lets it do as it pleases. He really only requests it for help if he absolutely needs it ( like Spear Pillar levels of emergency ). Roark doesn't get these rights as he is not an herald to Zapdos.

[Adoption AU variant team info here. This team replaces Gyarados, Braviary, Lucario, and Rampardos.]

Foster 'mons: With Roark's inability to drop one of his payrolls, he currently helps out with a program at the Oreburgh Museum in which fossil 'mons can be rehabilitated to co-exist with modern society and even participate with trainers and researchers that qualify to care for them. In that regard, Roark fosters fossils that could do well with humans, especially with his roster of rock types. Most of the time, it's often smaller fossils that are typically more placid, allowing aspiring trainers to bond with them with little ( not zero! ) danger. There are some cases in which he has to be the one to wrangle more volatile 'mons, such as Aerodactyl, and seldom does the Museum go out of their way to revive apex predators for this reason. In the scenario, it's usually Roark who has to intervene and catch them. Don't worry about the injuries, he's fiiiine.

It's likely to see these 'mons and sometimes their evolutions in the house under this program:

Omanyte

Kabuto

Cranidos

Shieldon

Anorith

Lileep

Amaura ( due to Sinnoh being a cold region, it is one of the few places that would not actively suck for this line )

Primarily, the focus is on the mainland fossils that are more likely to be excavated in the area. Once in awhile the Museum will receive another region's fossils, but since many regions already have some type of tool to revive them, it's typically not necessary.

#🌙 ━ / worldbuilding.#🗻 ━ 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍'𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝖾 𝖺 𝗋𝗈𝖼𝗄. / roark hc.#long post #lays down. it is done. now i just have steven's and adaman's in like three years.#mine boy's zoo is just vastly more fascinating because it's just such a hodge podge of a pokedex in there.#he's a rock specialist but genuinely has heavy influence with grass types due to growing up around so many of them. it's fun!

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digiexpert894 · 2 months ago

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Create Welcoming Outdoor Spaces That Feel Like Home with Vetra Furniture

A good outdoor area can make a big difference in how you feel at home or even at work. Whether it’s a balcony, garden, patio, or a quiet corner on your rooftop, adding the right furniture makes the space more relaxing and useful. That’s where Vetra Furniture comes in—it offers a wide variety of outdoor furniture that’s built to last and made to enjoy.

If you’re someone who loves spending time outside or you're looking to make your space more inviting, Vetra Furniture is worth a closer look.

Designed for Everyday Comfort

Spending time outdoors is one of life’s simplest pleasures. You might be sipping tea in the morning sun, working from your balcony, or enjoying dinner under the stars. To enjoy all of that, you need furniture that’s both comfortable and strong. Vetra Furniture offers chairs, loungers, sofas, and tables that feel great to use and are easy to maintain.

Each piece is created with your comfort in mind. Soft cushions, wide seats, and relaxing backrests are just a few features that make a big difference. With Vetra Furniture, you’ll look forward to those quiet or social moments outside.

Made for Indian Weather

Outdoor furniture in India faces strong sun, heavy rains, dust, and humidity. Cheap or indoor furniture placed outside doesn’t last long. Vetra Furniture is different—it’s built for outdoor use from the start.

Materials like UV-resistant wicker, rust-proof metals, and durable fabric cushions ensure your furniture stays strong and looks good all year round. You won’t have to worry about fading, cracking, or rust. With Vetra Furniture, you get quality that stands up to the weather.

Fits All Kinds of Spaces

Not everyone has a big lawn or terrace. Some people just have a small balcony, while others manage a large outdoor café. That’s why Vetra Furniture comes in all shapes and sizes. You’ll find two-seater sets for compact spaces, outdoor dining sets for family dinners, and lounge sofas for weekend chilling.

The flexibility in size and design means Vetra Furniture can be used anywhere—apartments, villas, commercial spots, or even at events. You can even rearrange and mix different pieces to match your setup.

Looks That Match Your Style

Outdoor furniture doesn’t have to look boring or out of place. The pieces from Vetra Furniture are modern, clean, and neutral, so they blend well with your garden, balcony, or rooftop.

Whether your space has wooden floors, artificial grass, stone tiles, or simple concrete, these furniture items adjust to the look without being too bold or too dull. You don’t have to change your whole décor—Vetra Furniture works with what you already have.

Easy to Move, Easy to Clean

One of the nicest things about Vetra Furniture is how practical it is. Many pieces are lightweight, which makes shifting them super easy. If you’re someone who likes to change your space now and then, this furniture won’t give you a hard time.

On top of that, cleaning is simple. The frames just need a quick wipe with a damp cloth. The cushions come with covers that are easy to remove and wash. This makes Vetra Furniture ideal for everyday use without the stress of high upkeep.

Smart Choice for Businesses

Restaurants, hotels, and resorts often need outdoor setups that look inviting but can also handle heavy use. Vetra Furniture is a smart choice for business owners who want lasting value without high maintenance.

From poolside loungers to outdoor café tables, you’ll find everything you need in one place. The materials are sturdy enough for regular use and the designs make guests feel welcome. With Vetra Furniture, you get style and durability, all in one package.

Grows with Your Space

As your needs grow—maybe you add more plants, extend your balcony setup, or get a new property—your furniture needs change too. The good news is, Vetra Furniture offers pieces that you can build on. Start with a small set, and later add a bench, an ottoman, or a matching table.

The brand keeps consistency in design, so you won’t feel like you’re buying from different collections. This kind of flexibility makes Vetra Furniture a long-term investment for your home or business.

No Fancy Jargon—Just Good Quality

You don’t need to be an expert to know when something is well-made. One look at Vetra Furniture, and you can tell it’s thoughtfully designed. The stitching is neat, the joints are solid, and the finish is smooth.

It’s not furniture that looks good only in photos. It looks just as good—and feels better—in real life. That’s what makes Vetra Furniture a smart pick for anyone who wants value and quality.

Plenty of Choices Online

You don’t have to go from store to store to find what fits your space. The full range of Vetra Furniture is available online. You can sit at home, browse designs, compare colors, and pick what suits you best.

The site gives clear details on size, material, and usage tips. Buying online from the official Vetra Furniture website is simple and helps you make quick decisions without guesswork.

Affordable for Everyday Use

Many people assume outdoor furniture has to be expensive or too fancy for daily life. That’s not the case with Vetra Furniture. The brand offers well-made products at prices that make sense. Whether you need one chair or a full set, the cost feels worth it because the items last long and stay useful.

You don’t have to spend a lot to get great quality. Vetra Furniture proves that good design and everyday comfort can go hand in hand.

In Closing

Your outdoor space deserves just as much care as the inside of your home. Adding thoughtful, well-designed furniture can make it more useful and enjoyable. With Vetra Furniture, you get products that are ready to use, easy to care for, and good to look at.

Whether you want a space to relax, work, or host friends, Vetra Furniture helps you make it happen. Simple designs, reliable materials, and real comfort—that’s what this brand is all about.

#vetrafurniture #indoorfurniture #patiofurniture #furniture design #garden furniture #cane furniture

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kodiakfencecompanytx · 3 months ago

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How to Choose the Right Material for Your Fence Installation

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When it comes to transforming your yard, few upgrades are as impactful—and as practical—as a brand-new fence. Whether you’re aiming for privacy, security, or curb appeal, fence installation is one of the best ways to define your space and add long-term value to your home. But before you start digging post holes or calling in a contractor like Kodiak Fence Company, there's one big question you need to answer first:

What material should you choose for your fence installation? From classic wood to sleek vinyl and tough metal options, your choice of material will affect everything—cost, durability, maintenance, and even your home’s overall style. So, let’s break it down and help you make the perfect pick for your property.

Wood Fencing: The Timeless Favorite Best for: Classic charm, privacy, customization

Wood fences are beloved for their natural beauty and timeless appeal. Whether it’s a white picket fence or a tall privacy barrier, wood offers endless design flexibility. You can stain it, paint it, or let it weather naturally for a rustic look.

Pros:

Versatile styles (picket, split rail, shadowbox, etc.)

Can be painted or stained to match your home

Great for privacy and aesthetics

Cons:

Requires regular maintenance (painting, staining, sealing)

Can be susceptible to rot, termites, and weather damage

Shorter lifespan compared to some other materials

Kodiak Fence Company Pro Tip: Opt for cedar or redwood for better durability and resistance to pests and rot.

Vinyl Fencing: Low Maintenance, High Style Best for: Homeowners who want minimal upkeep

If you want a clean look without the yearly hassle of staining or sealing, vinyl fencing is a winner. It mimics the look of wood but lasts much longer and cleans up with just a hose.

Pros:

Virtually maintenance-free

Resistant to weather, rot, and pests

Long-lasting and durable

Available in many colors and styles

Cons:

Higher upfront cost

Not as eco-friendly

Can crack in extremely cold weather

Perfect For: Busy homeowners, family homes, or anyone who values durability without the upkeep.

Chain Link Fencing: Practical and Affordable Best for: Security, pet containment, budget projects

Chain link may not win beauty contests, but it gets the job done—especially when you need a quick, functional barrier. It’s often used for backyards, schools, and commercial properties.

Pros:

Affordable and quick to install

Durable and long-lasting

Great visibility and airflow

Low maintenance

Cons:

Offers little to no privacy

Industrial appearance (though vinyl-coated options look nicer)

Limited design choices

Kodiak Fence Company Suggests: Add privacy slats or grow climbing plants for a greener, more attractive look.

Aluminum Fencing: Elegant and Durable Best for: Decorative accents, pool enclosures, and upscale homes

If you want a fence that looks like wrought iron but without the rust or maintenance, aluminum is an excellent choice. It’s both strong and stylish—perfect for framing gardens, driveways, or patios.

Pros:

Rust-proof and low maintenance

Lightweight but strong

Elegant, decorative appearance

Great for sloped landscapes

Cons:

Offers minimal privacy

Can dent or bend under impact