#project roomkey

[bighermie]

LA Hotel Converted to Federally Sponsored Homeless Shelter Had Over $11 Million in Damages | The Gateway Pundit | by Margaret Flavin

[sheliesshattered]

I've made some good progress on my Batuu vest sewing project in the last couple of days since I posted about finishing the Jyn Erso sweatshirt project. Like I mentioned in that post, working on the sweatshirt helped me realize that I needed to add fabric to the front shoulder of the vest rather than removing it. Once I got the shoulder seam sitting where I wanted it, the bust seam fit perfectly and didn't require any adjustments at all, woot.

With that and a few other small changes made to the lining, I went ahead and transferred all the changes to the paper pattern (including actually taping on extra paper to the front shoulder section) and then cut out the exterior fabric out of scraps of that same blue linen I used for the lining/mock-up.

All the work I did on fitting the lining and adjusting the paper pattern made the whole thing come together quickly and easily. I still had to do a slash-and-spread technique to ease the bust panels together, but it was sort of ridiculously easy compared to how much I struggled with that seam with the lining before realizing that the problem was with the markings on the pattern itself.

So now I've got two layers of the vest all sewn together, exterior on the left and interior lining on the right:

When they're layered together, the raw edges are all sandwiched between the exterior and the lining. This linen already has a good amount of body on its own, but layered together it's nearly as rigid as the duck cloth I made my original vest for The Moment out of. Which honestly I'm glad to see, since the torso section will be so fitted once the zipper is in, and actually under a bit of tension.

Last night while I was trying to fall asleep, I realized that any pockets I want to have in this vest need to be put in before I attach the exterior to the lining, so that the stitch lines don't show through. I haven't decided yet if I want to have any pockets visible from the outside (flaps or otherwise), but I knew I definitely wanted to have hidden interior pockets that I can access when the zipper is zipped all the way up (to mid-bust or so). This morning I measured and cut two little square pockets that live in the overbust area of the lining, below my collarbone but above the largest part of the bust -- visible on the right in the pic below where one of the front panels is opened up to show the lining:

I sized both pockets to fit my in-character pilot's license such that the license would stick out just a tiny amount (making it easier to retrieve without digging around in a too-deep pocket). My pilot's license is just slightly bigger than my real-world ID, so the pockets would also work for carrying practical items like ID, credit card, roomkey, etc. The pic below shows the pilot's license on the left and my driver's license on the right, with the lining turned completely inside out so that both pockets can be seen.

The next step, which I'm hoping to get to tonight, will be ironing all the new seams I've sewn in the last few days -- the pockets, the new shoulder panels in the lining, and all the seams in the exterior. While I'm at it, I want to cut out and iron a couple of pocket flap mock-ups so that I can pin the flaps to the outside and see if I like the look, and if so where I want the pockets to be.

The Moment vest has a pair of zipper pockets set on a diagonal, based on the screen-used vest Billy Piper wore in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode. Originally my plan for my Batuu outfit was to wear that vest as is, and then I started thinking about covering up the zippers (to follow the No Visible Closures In Star Wars rule) and figured I would just hand-sew some flaps over those zipper pockets.

But now that I'm doing the vest as a completely new scratch-build, I have the option to do whatever I want with the pockets. Pockets are lovely, but I do have the two interior pockets, my brown leather bag, and my belt (potentially with pouches) to help carry stuff around -- and even if I did have pockets on the lower torso of this vest, I probably wouldn't put much in there anyway, since the whole thing is so fitted.

I know for certain that I don't want to do patch pockets that stand away from the body of the vest, like the ones on Han Solo's vest. Side seam pockets are also out, because I think the tension of the fit would pull on those weird. Which leaves various types of welt pockets, with or without a flap, carefully angled so that tension doesn't make them pull and gap.

A lot of the vests in Star Wars have visible pockets, often multiple visible pockets, but those vests also tend to hang open rather than closed and snugly fitted. One exception that I've been looking to for inspiration is Bix Caleen from the Andor show on Disney+. She has a longer coat that's fitted through the torso with princess seams, just like my vest, and while it has pockets they're much lower down, on the hips. She also has something more properly called a vest, worn over a long-sleeved shirt, that is similarly fitted with princess seams -- and again, no visible exterior pockets at all.

The more I look at pictures of Bix, the more I'm leaning away from doing any sort of external pocket at all, and just stick with the two small internal pockets. I might need to do some top stitching along the seams to give it some visual texture (another thing that Bix's coat and vest both have), but that could be a good way to secure the lining to the exterior, too. Hmm. Definitely something I'll have to think on.

[justiceheartwatcher]

LA Hotel Converted to Federally Sponsored Homeless Shelter Had Over $11 Million in Damages

[radicalurbanista]

December 19, 2030. Los Angeles

BLM LA leads “Black Xmas” to protest Amazon and Capitalism. Even though LA hospital ICUs are at 0% capacity and it is now the global epicenter of COVID infections and deaths, Marina Del Rey mall (and other malls) is still open for shoppers. The government’s pandemic response continues to prioritize capitalism over human lives.

The city has continued street sweeps (displacing houseless residents), parking fines (financially burdening houseless residents), and over 12,000 promised rooms remain empty to over 45,000 houseless people.

[ashlynnicoleramirez]

Starving for affordable housing in the shadows of Orange County’s wealthy

Starving for affordable housing in the shadows of Orange County’s wealthy

Taken during the 2017 Point In Time Count outside of Downtown Fullerton. By Ashlyn Ramirez Fullerton Mayor Bruce Whitaker tries to walk a fine line on the city’s housing crisis. He acknowledges the growing problem of homelessness but then throws up his hands and says he’s powerless to do anything about it.  “I think it’s very important that people can find adequate living space without…

[jimbotimes]

On the Soul of Echo Park: Looking at primary results from June for the neighborhood and beyond

On the Soul of Echo Park: Looking at primary results from June for the neighborhood and beyond

This article is from the June 7th, 2022 edition of our new Making a Neighborhood Newsletter. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber today to get more stories like it, plus work from our colleagues Samanta Helou Hernandez (@Samanta_Helou) and Ali Rachel Pearl (@alirachelpearl). Nearly a year-and-a-half ago in one of L.A.’s most popular hangouts, at the direction of L.A. City councilmember…

[buddylistsocial]

OC Board Votes to Buy Hotels for Homeless

OC Board Votes to Buy Hotels for Homeless

SANTA ANA, Calif.—The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 25 unanimously approved the purchase of up to eight hotel properties as part of California’s Project Homekey program to provide housing for transients affected by COVID-19.

The county is currently leasing five hotelsas part of Project Roomkey, which provides temporary housing for homeless people with COVID-19. The action will allow…

[focusonthegoodnews]

Coronavirus: More than 14,000 homeless Californians now in hotels Good News Notes: "In an effort to get people off the streets and out of shelters during the coronavirus pandemic, the state has moved an estimated 14,200 homeless Californians into hotels and motels since April, Gov.

[fatehbaz]

Homelessness in Southern California during pandemic, from 15 May 2020. And I would note that this ruling specifically requires authorities to house only those living near freeways, with the ruling referencing the danger of being hit by a vehicle and breathing in lead and other exhaust. What of the other tens of thousands of homeless people in LA County? (And the others of Anaheim, Orange, Riverside, etc?) The state governor’s Project Roomkey ostensibly means to provide hotel rooms for California’s homeless people (1) over 65 years of age, and (2) with medical conditions that leave them more vulnerable to the virus. But there are still more empty rooms, to provide shelter for those that the state doesn’t consider “most vulnerable.” So, again: What of the other tens of thousands of homeless people in LA? Excerpt: ‘The city and county of Los Angeles must find shelter for thousands of homeless people who are living near freeways, a federal judge ordered Friday, saying their health is at risk from pollution, earthquakes and the novel coronavirus. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter issued a preliminary injunction requiring relocation of an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 people camping near freeway ramps and under overpasses and bridges. He gave officials one week — until May 22 — to come up with a plan for providing humane housing. [...] A 2019 count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported that there were close to 60,000 homeless people living in L.A. County, including 36,000 within the city limits. Both figures were up more than 10% from the previous year.’

Excerpt:

‘Carter said alternatives to shelters could include “safe parking sites” to camp, or hotel and motel rooms that the county is renting under a state program known as Project Roomkey,  which was established during the pandemic to get thousands of homeless off the streets temporarily to avoid transmission of COVID-19. The injunction was issued in a lawsuit filed by the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, which accused officials in greater Los Angeles of failing to comprehensively address the homelessness crisis. [...]’

‘Project Roomkey was created in April by Gov. Gavin Newsom and uses mainly federal money to acquire hotel and motel rooms for the homeless to shield them from the virus. Los Angeles County has by far the largest number of homeless in California, and officials there set a goal of obtaining 15,000 rooms through the program. But so far only about 2,200 rooms have been leased in the county and homeless advocates have criticized the slow pace. There are 2,067 people sheltered with an additional 375 rooms available, said Christopher Yee, spokesman for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

There are hundreds of other rooms under contract, but they haven’t been certified as ready to receive people. Some Project Roomkey rooms would conceivably be available to house some homeless people covered by the judge’s order, although Yee noted that the rooms are specifically reserved for those considered most vulnerable to the virus: those 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions.’

---

Meanwhile, another headline from the LA Times, from the same week:

[”Mass unemployment could grow homelessness by 45%” across the US within the next year. Report from 13/14 May 2020.]

[radicalurbanista]

3.25.21. Los Angeles

Last night LAPD set up what residents have called "an open air concentration camp" and likened to an outdoor prison, by fencing in a tent community in Echo Park Lake. Councilman O'Farrell has deployed LAPD to enclose unhoused people in Echo Lake Park with the intention of evicting them tonight, despite massive resistance to the evictions earlier in the day. The councilman gave only a few days notice about the evictions and lied about offering housing to every person living in the park.

Los Angeles county has promised over 48,000 rooms for temporarily house unhoused residents. Over the past few months, it's housed people in only 1,724 rooms. This number has decreased this year despite FEMA now reimbursing 100% of the city's costs.

[appleseedhumanity]

'Project Room Key' is a H.U.D. program to put homeless folks in Motels to avoid #Covid_19, then into housing. It ends on Sept 30th and 1,000's won't get a home.

They're not pleased...

[sheliesshattered]

Over the last couple of days I’ve been working on the paper mock-up and the flat patterning for the wedge-shaped pouch I talked about in my last cosplay post. The goal is to replicate the oddly shaped thing on Oswin’s belt, and turn it into a way to carry my phone, roomkey, ID, cash, and chapstick on me when I’m in costume -- planning for the eventual return of conventions and costuming events, someday. The screen-used version is almost certainly a toy that the prop department repainted, but since this costume has no other pockets or bags, this seemed like a good way to carry the essentials with me.

I’m making my version out of scraps of stuff left over from previous projects that have been taking up room in my stash. The inner-most pouch will be black wool -- left over from the Jorah Mormont costume I made for Jack in 2011 -- with an open upper pocket for my phone and a lower pocket accessed by zipper for everything else. The pattern pieces for the wool bits are the three on the right of the last image, the only ones with seam allowance as they’re the only ones that’ll actually be sewn. The divider between the pockets will be reinforced with some horsehair boning I have lying around, and even the zipper is something I’ve had in my stash for so long I have no idea what I originally bought it for.

To the exterior of the wool I’m going to glue pieces of black suede cut to size -- the three pattern pieces in the middle of the photo. The suede is left over from an Aragorn-inspired vest I sewed for Jack waaay back in 2002, though I’ve used the scraps for that for several other projects over the years, too. The back panel will also have belt loops attached to the suede, and then continue as one piece into a flap that covers the top and front of the pouch -- that’s the largest piece there in the center of the last photo.

Then on the exterior of that flap, on the top and the outward face of the wedge, I’ll glue craft foam cut to size -- the two pattern pieces farthest to the left -- that will be decorated up and painted to look like the wedge from the original costume. The foam is left over from a cosplay prop I made for Supernatural costumes back in 2012 (I think?), and I’ve collected a bunch of bits and bobs to build out the face. The flap will then be closed with magnet snaps along the lower edge, so when I’m walking around in costume, the only thing that should be visible is the wedge itself, but I’ll easily be able to get to all my essentials stashed inside.

I may decide to also glue a layer of suede to the wool front panel even though it’ll be under the flap, just to give more strength to the pouch, but I’m going to wait and see how it comes together, it may not need it. My goal is to have this costume completely finished for Halloween two weeks from now. I don’t actually need this pouch to be done for Halloween, since I won’t be leaving the house. But I’d rather just build this weird wedge thing once and get it right the first time, and then this costume will be really finished, ready to be packed up for whatever my next costume event ends up being.

I did the paper mock-up yesterday and started drafting the pattern based on what I learned from that, then finished drafting the pattern today, and this evening actually got all the wool and suede pieces cut out, so tomorrow I should be able to start by sewing the welt zipper for the lower pocket and then the pocket structure, and hopefully get to the glue phase pretty quickly.

Funny story to go with all this: when I finished the paper mock-up, Jack was in a zoom call for work, so I showed it to him silently, standing just off camera, since I was feeling pretty proud that the weird 3D shapes in my head had actually worked out in real life. He took the paper wedge from me, turned it over in his hands, nodded in a “not bad, not bad” sort of way -- and then promptly put it on his head like a jaunty hat.

“Aren’t you on camera??” I mouthed at him, juuust as all his coworkers started laughing at him. Apparently he’d completely forgotten that his camera was on, lol. Luckily he works for a very laid-back company and everyone there has known him long enough that no one even questioned what he was up to. xD

[citymaus]

“The initial statewide stay-at-home order, which was issued after the Bay Area's, excluded homeless people.

Then, in April, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a statewide initiative, Project Roomkey, which aimed to open up 15,000 hotel rooms to the state's homeless population. As part of the initiative, the state would receive a 75 percent reimbursement rate from The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in which California county leaders were supposed to use to work on housing the vulnerable, unsheltered population. As part of Newsom's emergency action, $150 million was set aside for local California governments to purchase trailers and lease rooms in motels, hotels, and other facilities, prioritizing counties with high homeless populations. Kushel was part of shaping this plan.

It was the first initiative of its kind in the nation, hailed as a "win-win," and aimed to prioritize homeless people from the following categories: people over 65 and/or who have certain underlying health conditions, homeless people who have been exposed to COVID-19, and those who are COVID-19 positive, but didn't need hospitalization.

hemlock street, san francisco. flickr/sirgious

“But in Alameda County, only a small percentage of its homeless population have actually been housed as part of the two countywide programs that are part of Project Roomkey: Operation Comfort and Operation Safer Ground.  According to numbers provided by Alameda County, at least 641 rooms have been leased, but the county itself has at least 8,022 homeless people; 14% of whom are over the age of 60, which means that there isn't enough housing for even the most vulnerable of the vulnerable to self-isolate. More than half of Alameda County's homeless people are in Oakland. 

As of June 19th, 390 homeless individuals in Alameda County have been housed in hotels as part of Operation Safer Ground, which is meant for people over the age of 65 or those with underlying conditions to shelter-in-place. Sixty-three unsheltered people have been transferred as part of Operation Comfort, which is for homeless people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms. At least 83 homeless people have been diagnosed with COVID-19. 

fulton street, san francisco. flickr/sirgious

“In San Francisco, Board Supervisor Matt Haney told Salon he believes that some of the eligibility criteria became a bottleneck for the program in San Francisco, limiting its efficiency, adding that it has been interpreted "very narrowly." In San Francisco, homeless people have to be on a list that deems them eligible for a hotel, which is sorted by people over the age of 60 or those who have documented underlying conditions.

"They get a list of names of people that they're looking for, and then they go out and spend all day trying to find those people . . . . and then pass nine people trying to find John when most of those nine people should qualify," Haney said.

read more: salon, 21.06.2020. 

[staticscreenwriting]

Take my hand, take my whole life too // Angel Reyes

Synopsis: Angel doesn’t think he’s deserving of love. (Y/N) loves him anyway, danger and bulletholes and all.

A/N: This was requested by @badasseddy, I hope you like it :)

Shall I stay? Would it be a sin If I can't help falling in love with you?

Rain is softly falling from the sky creating a pitter patter of sounds on the concrete of the parking lot.

Angel is leaned against the wall next to the red metal door in the back of the bar. It’s a little routine he’s been holding up for the last few months. Every night that the club didn’t need him, he’d end up here.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be fun, casual, no strings attached kind of shit. It wasn’t anymore, no matter how hard he was trying to convince himself of that.

So he’d end up here, waiting for her to finish her shift so they could get on his bike or in her car and drive to her place  and fuck. At least that’s how it started.

In the beginning, he left right after. Then slowly but surely, his visits  got longer, he held her tighter. He even fucking cuddled. And now, now they don’t even have sex all the time. Sometimes they watch movies or get takeout. Sometimes all the do is talk. On nights when things are real shit. When the club business is getting too much. When his family shit gets over his head.

She’s there and she cares and that’s something Angel isn’t used to. He knows hookups don’t do that. Knows that this goes way beyond casual. He’s well aware that there are a shit-ton of strings attached at this point. He’s basically all tangled up in them.

But acknowledging that would make him vulnerable. And vulnerable is the last thing Angel ever wants to be.

So he ignores it and pretends like this doesn’t mean anything. Like she doesn’t mean everything to him.

“ You know you can come in right ? You don’t have to wait outside all the time. Especially in the rain “ (Y/N) speaks up as she walks through the heavy metal door.

Angel takes a last puff of his cigarette before stomping it out on the wet floor.

“ Your boss doesn’t like me very much. Don’t want you to get in trouble for getting in bed with the bad guy “

She lets out a little chuckle that Angel things is the cutest fucking thing in the world. He likes when she’s laughing, when she’s happy. It makes his world feel a little lighter. If he can make her laugh he can’t be that horrible of a person can he ? Of course making a pretty girl smile doesn’t atone for all his sins. But it’s a start, right ?

“ Ah if only they knew who the bad one is here “ (Y/N) jokes and greets Angel with a soft kiss on the lips and gently bites his lower lips as she pulls away.

Usually, Angel would have her on his bike in the matter of a second and in his bed soon after. She’s in a playful mood and that’s something he wholeheartedly enjoys. Not today though.

Something catches his eye. There’s a man watching them. He’s been there for a while but Angel assumed he was just some drunk, trying to walk off his buzz. But now that guy is intensely focusing on them and it’s making all the alarm bells ring.

Whoever this guy is, whatever he wants, it has something to do with him. With (Y/N).

“ Babe, listen to me. Don’t turn around. There’s some dude watching us, I don’t think he’s got good intentions. You’re gonna do what I say now. Get in your car, passenger seat. Lock the doors. Wait for me. Don’t get out. “

He can see a look of fear crossing her face and it pains him. All he wants is to keep her safe. Keep her away from all the bad shit that’s haunting his life. She’s the one pure, good, light thing. The sliver of hope and joy that he has. He doesn’t want anything to taint it. To ruin it. He doesn’t want her to ever feel scared and yet that’s exactly what is happening.

“ Go “ he says, places a kiss on her head and nudges her in the direction of her car.

When he’s sure she’s there and the doors are locked, he strolls over towards the guy. Shoulders squared and snarl on his face he wants to make sure that the guy understands. This is no game. There’s not gonna be a discussion here. It’s Angel making the rules and this guy better listen.

“ Ay, you got a problem, man ? “

As he gets closer, Angel can make out the guys face. He’s a mean looking fella. There’s scars all over his skin and his salt and pepper hair falls in messy strands down the sides of his face. Angel has never seen him before but even so, he can tell this guy is trouble.

“ Pretty lady you got there, Angel ? “

“ Who the fuck are you ? “

“ That’s not of importance. But I would advise you to chose your words more wisely. You don’t want us as your enemy, hermano “

“ I’m not your fucking brother! Answer the goddamn question ! Who the hell are you ? “

“ We know that you and your club of merry men are transporting drugs for the cartel. That is unacceptable. Times are changing, Angel. There’s new players in this game now. New drugs. “

“ Why are you stalking (Y/N) ? She’s not involved in this ? “

“ No “ the guy says “ but you are and by association, so is your lady friend. We’re not gonna start dismantling this organisation by immediately going for the strongest player. It’s gonna be a piece for piece project. Starting from the bottom. Patience is a virtue after all “

Angel has heard enough. This is all he ever wanted to avoid. (Y/N) getting mixed up in his mess is the worst case scenario. Now it is too late though. He should’ve ended it as soon as feeling got involved. Now there is no way back. If he ends it now, she’ll end up dead. From now on, it is all about protecting her. About eliminating the threat. There is no way he’ll let her out of his sight.

Pulling out the gun, Angel points it at the man’s head. The bar is still full of patrons, there’s no way he can get away with just shooting this guy right here right now. Doesn’t mean he can’t try to intimidate him.

“ Listen, I don’t care about your beef with the cartel. That’s your issue. But if you threaten me or her, ever again. I’m gonna put a bullet right between those big ass eyebrows of yours. “

“ We are everywhere, Mr. Reyes. Consider yourself warned. Good evening. “

With those words, and an extremely unsettling smile, the man turns around and walks away.

As soon as he’s out of sight, Angel hurries towards the car and gets into the driver’s seat. Immediately locking the doors again once he’s inside.

“ Who was that guy ? “ a concerned looking (Y/N) asks, softly taking Angel’s hand in his and placing a kiss on his knuckles.

Usually, her kisses, her kindness and affection calms him down. Lets him unwind. Lets him let go.

Not this time. This time it only makes him realize that he’s fucked up. Fucked up for getting her involved in a life that’s riddled with death and destruction and chaos.

“ Not a good guy, that’s for sure. “

He wants to tell her but honestly, he doesn’t know where to begin. Sure, (Y/N) isn’t stupid. She is well aware of the life he’s living. Doesn’t mean she knows any specifics or any details. And this, this is a genuine threat specifically to Angel and, in association, her.  How is he going to ever explain that her life is in danger because he was being selfish. Because he just had to fall in love with her.

Angel starts the car and drives along the neighbourhood. He’s well aware of the black car falling behind them. Far enough to not seem suspicious if he hadn’t been expecting it yet.

He goes in circles, takes side roads and short-cuts. There’s no way he’s going to either of their places now. Not when there’s someone following them.

“ Where are we going Angel ? “

“ There’s a car following us. As soon as I’ve lost them we’re going to a motel. Stay there for the night. I’ll have the guys come meet us there in the morning. “

“ Are we — are we in danger ? “

Yes. That’s the truth and Angel assumes she knows it. There’s fear written all over her face. Her beautiful eyes are filled with pure concern.

Yes. Because of him.

“ I’m sorry “

“ For wha — “

The car shakes as the loud sound of something hitting the metal fills the air.

“ What the fuck was that ? “

Angel realizes that she’s not used to this. She’s never heard the sound of a bullet hitting a car. He wishes she never had to.

This was a warning shot. Not meant to kill or harm but to scare. To inform.

“ They’re shooting at us “

“ What ? “

Angel pushes the gas pedal as far as only possible, racing along the streets narrowly avoiding streets signs. They take more circles more shortcuts more backroads. Only much faster this time.

It takes about 20 minutes of driving around for Angel to finally lose the black car. Though he doesn’t dare to stop. Not with her in the car.

“ I think we lost them “ (Y/N) speaks up after a few more minutes.

“ I know. Do you know any motels around here ? “

“ Uh — I uh — no sorry “

“ Okay, we’ll just drive until we find one “ Angel doesn’t take his eyes off the streets for even a second. One hand is so tightly gripping the steering wheel, the knuckles are turning white. The other is placed on  his thigh, wiping his sweaty palm on his jeans every few seconds.

Softly, like the whisper of a touch, he feels (Y/N)’s hand hold onto the one that isn’t steering. He doesn’t deserve her kindness. He never did. He wants to struggle, wants to tell her to hate him. To hate him just as much as he hates himself in that moment.

But he doesn’t. Because he is selfish. Because he needs her. Because he’s not strong enough to deprive himself of the comfort she is giving.

The sunset motel is located in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by desert it sticks out with it’s bright pink neon signs advertising cable tv and a pool.

Paint is chipping off the walls and the windows look like they haven’t been cleaned in decades.

None of that matters now though. It’s a place to stay for the night. It’s as safe as they can be at the moment.

So they park the car around the back and get a roomkey.

There’s a big bed in the middle of the room with obnoxious pink bedding and ruffle trim pillows.

The walls are pink. The floor is pastel pink linoleum.

“ We’re sleeping inside of a vagina tonight “ (Y/N) says, voicing Angel’s exact thought.

Any other day he would’ve laughed. Then tell her how how he think she is. Then love her on the motel bed.

But this isn’t any other day. This is today when his fucked up life has finally caught up with the one thing he wanted so badly to keep seperate from it all.

“ Angel ? “ (Y/N) approaches him, softly touching his back as he looks out the window through the dirty pink (of course) curtains.

“ I’m okay. Go to bed baby, you’ve been working all day “ he places a kiss on her head. And, as he pulls away, he’s once again faced with the concert that laces her eyes.

“ You coming too ? “

“ I’ll be right there “

From the corner of his eyes he can see her slip out of her jeans and it’s agonizing. He wants to touch her so badly. Wants to hold her. Never let go and shelter her from all bad things. Only he can’t have it both. The bad things, all bad things, come with him.

He wants to smoke but his cigarettes are all the way back in the car and he doesn’t want to risk anyone driving by and noticing him walking around outside. For once he has to be the smart one. The reasonable one.

(Y/N)’s arms curling around his middle shake him from his daydream. Her fingers interlace in front of his stomach and she softly kisses his shoulder blade.

“ Talk to me baby, please “

“ ‘bout what ? “ he mumbles, biting down on his lips. “ About how you were shot at because of me ? How you could’ve died because of me ? Talk about that ? “

“ Angel I — you also saved me, didn’t you ? “

“ If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t have needed any saving in the first place “ he steps out of her arms and paces around the room, nervously combing his fingers through his hair.

“ You shouldn’t be here with me. You should — you should be with some guy who can offer you something. In a nice house with a bunch of kids and a dog or two. Someone safe. I’m only causing problems for you. For everyone “

Angel slides down the wall to sit on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest and head in his hands. This is all too much.He can deal with himself being in danger but (Y/N) ? No.

She’s his weakness.

She’s his whole entire heart.

“ Hey, look at me “ she takes his hand off of his face and replaces them with hers. Cradling his face in her palms.

“ You’re a real silly silly guy, Angel Reyes “

“  Huh ?”

“ I don’t want any other guy. I just want you. I’ve wanted you since the first time we hooked up. And yeah maybe thing were less serious then but things change, feelings develop. I love you Angel. I just want you. Whatever comes with it, I’ll take it. “

“ Why ? “

“ Because I know you’ll do everything in your power to keep me safe. Angel, I knew what I was getting myself into with you. This is a small town people talk. I might not know all the gritty details but I am not blind or dumb either. I take it because I love you, Angel. I love you so much “

She doesn’t give him time to react as she covers his face in kisses. They start gently and get more urgent the closer she gets to his lips.

Her kisses, Angel thinks, are the closest to magic anything will ever get.

He places one hand on her hip and the other on her face as he kisses back, lips soft and warm and comforting. Slowly he lowers (Y/N) towards the ground. Her skin is warm and smooth as he places kisses all up and down her neck, towards her cleavage, then on her stomach as he pulls up her shirt slightly. Then all the way back up.

His hands roam her legs, her sides. Every inch of her body is his to worship. His to love.

Because she loves him too.

This feels right. So right. Like he was always meant to be here. With her. Like a part of him was missing for so long and now he’s finally found it again.

“ You love me “ Angel murmures and kisses the corner of her mouth.

Angel pulls away slightly and for a moment they just look at each other. He gets lost in her eyes. They’re so fucking gorgeous but above all, they’re filled with an adoration he’s not used to receiving. So much love is directed at him.

He could drown in her eyes and he’d die a happy man.

“ Yeah I do, do you uh — do you love me ? “

And it’s then, that he remembers that he hasn’t said it. He’s kept her waiting without even realising it.

“ Baby. My life has been absolute shit for the last few years. I lost my mother, my brother went to jail and my pa ? He completely distanced himself from everyone and turned into an emotional ice block. I felt so goddamn alone for so long. Then I found Coco and the guys and they’re my family sure but you. God (Y/N) you are the absolute light of my life. My heart. I love you more than anyone else. That’s why I’m so afraid to lose you “

“ You’re not gonna lose me, baby “ she says, chasing her words with another kiss “ I’m not going anywhere “.

They kiss a little more. Touch a little more. Love a little more.

“ Hey Angel ? “ (Y/N) chimes up.

“ Hmm ? “

“ Can we maybe move off of the floor ? I don’t think it’s very clean down here “

And this time, he laughs. Because despite how scary their situation is, despite how much he hates himself, she’s still here. She chose to be here. With him. Because she loves him.

“ Yeah, I think that’s a good idea “

Later that night, as they lay in bed, naked bodies intertwined and skin on skin, Angel feels like his life is a little lighter. A little happier. So much better.

“ You were right “

“ Huh ? “ she asks.

“ This room really does look like a vagina “

“ Pff you’re an idiot, Angel “ she laughs and like alway, it makes his heart beat a little faster.

“ Yeah but you love me “

“ I do “

Things are far from okay. Far from good or safe. But she is here in his arms and she loves him.

All the other shit, he’d figure out tomorrow. But now, in this pink nightmare with the neon lights illuminating the room and a rerun of friends playing on the tv.

For now he’ll just let himself love and be loved in return.