#safe box rental

[vintage-vaults-rent-a-box]

Is it Safe to Store Jewelry in a Bank Locker?

At Vintage Vaults, we prioritize the security and protection of your valuable jewelry assets. We understand the importance of keeping your jewelry safe, which is why we offer comprehensive insights into the advantages and considerations of storing jewelry in a Safe Deposit Locker

Advantages of Storing Jewelry in a Bank Locker

1. Enhanced Security Measures

Bank lockers are equipped with state-of-the-art security systems, including surveillance cameras, alarms, and secure access protocols. This significantly reduces the risk of theft or loss compared to storing jewelry at home.

2. Protection Against Natural Disasters

Bank lockers provide a safe haven for your jewelry in case of natural disasters such as fires, floods, or earthquakes. These facilities are designed to withstand such emergencies, ensuring the preservation of your precious items.

3. Insurance Coverage

Many banks offer insurance coverage for items stored in their lockers. This provides an additional layer of protection and financial security in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Considerations for Storing Jewelry in a Bank Locker

1. Limited Access

Access to your jewelry may be restricted to bank operating hours, which could be inconvenient for frequent access.

2. Cost of Rental

Bank lockers often come with rental fees, which should be factored into the overall cost of storing your jewelry.

3. Documentation Requirements

Banks may require detailed documentation of the items stored in the locker, including appraisals and inventory lists.

Best Practices for Storing Jewelry

To ensure the safety and longevity of your jewelry, follow these best practices:

Regular Maintenance: Periodically inspect and clean your jewelry to maintain its quality.

Document Inventory: Keep a detailed inventory of your jewelry items, including photographs and appraisals.

Insurance Coverage: Consider additional insurance coverage for high-value items stored in a bank locker.

In conclusion, storing jewelry in a bank locker offers unparalleled security and peace of mind for valuable assets. By considering the advantages and potential considerations outlined above, you can make an informed decision that ensures the safety and protection of your cherished jewelry pieces. For more information and personalized advice, please contact [Your Company Name].

[t4t4t]

Hi, remaking bc long/no donations in 5 days

I'm still recovering from bottom surgery I got on July 25th, but I feel better and better every day. I've tried applying for jobs a bunch but still no luck so far. (The 500 deposit may be only required if I / we get better income. Idk. It's rental by owner. They may understand prioritizing surgery needs around the date of her surgery, as well.)

Collie is getting bottom surgery herself on November 13th, less than a month away. She needs to know she has a space she can recover safely.

I basically was only able to pay off the PO box so far, we only have 50 left rn after gas and such over the past 16 days.

We've been working towards these surgeries since 2019, and we've been on and off homeless like 75% of the time since 2020, trying not to be, failing somehow, and coping with waiting. Please help, anything helps. <3

0/829+500

https://venmo.com/u/Leah-Esther-Rose

https://www.paypal.me/androgynophore

https://venmo.com/u/nora-esther-rose

https://www.paypal.me/NoraEstherRose

[luulapants]

25 ways to be a little more punk in 2025

Cut fast fashion - buy used, learn to mend and/or make your own clothes, buy fewer clothes less often so you can save up for ethically made quality

Cancel subscriptions - relearn how to pirate media, spend $10/month buying a digital album from a small artist instead of on Spotify, stream on free services since the paid ones make you watch ads anyway

Green your community - there's lots of ways to do this, like seedbombing or joining a community garden or organizing neighborhood trash pickups

Be kind - stop to give directions, check on stopped cars, smile at kids, let people cut you in line, offer to get stuff off the high shelf, hold the door, ask people if they're okay

Intervene - learn bystander intervention techniques and be prepared to use them, even if it feels awkward

Get closer to your food - grow it yourself, can and preserve it, buy from a farmstand, learn where it's from, go fishing, make it from scratch, learn a new ingredient

Use opensource software - try LibreOffice, try Reaper, learn Linux, use a free Photoshop clone. The next time an app tries to force you to pay, look to see if there's an opensource alternative

Make less trash - start a compost, be mindful of packaging, find another use for that plastic, make it a challenge for yourself!

Get involved in local politics - show up at meetings for city council, the zoning commission, the park district, school boards; fight the NIMBYs that always show up and force them to focus on the things impacting the most vulnerable folks in your community

DIY > fashion - shake off the obsession with pristine presentation that you've been taught! Cut your own hair, use homemade cosmetics, exchange mani/pedis with friends, make your own jewelry, duct tape those broken headphones!

Ditch Google - Chromium browsers (which is almost all of them) are now bloated spyware, and Google search sucks now, so why not finally make the jump to Firefox and another search like DuckDuckGo? Or put the Wikipedia app on your phone and look things up there?

Forage - learn about local edible plants and how to safely and sustainably harvest them or go find fruit trees and such accessible to the public.

Volunteer - every week tutoring at the library or once a month at the humane society or twice a year serving food at the soup kitchen, you can find something that matches your availability

Help your neighbors - which means you have to meet them first and find out how you can help (including your unhoused neighbors), like elderly or disabled folks that might need help with yardwork or who that escape artist dog belongs to or whether the police have been hassling people sleeping rough

Fix stuff - the next time something breaks (a small appliance, an electronic, a piece of furniture, etc.), see if you can figure out what's wrong with it, if there are tutorials on fixing it, or if you can order a replacement part from the manufacturer instead of trashing the whole thing

Mix up your transit - find out what's walkable, try biking instead of driving, try public transit and complain to the city if it sucks, take a train instead of a plane, start a carpool at work

Engage in the arts - go see a local play, check out an art gallery or a small museum, buy art from the farmer's market

Go to the library - to check out a book or a movie or a CD, to use the computers or the printer, to find out if they have other weird rentals like a seed library or luggage, to use meeting space, to file your taxes, to take a class, to ask question

Listen local - see what's happening at local music venues or other events where local musicians will be performing, stop for buskers, find a favorite artist, and support them

Buy local - it's less convenient than online shopping or going to a big box store that sells everything, but try buying what you can from small local shops in your area

Become unmarketable - there are a lot of ways you can disrupt your online marketing surveillance, including buying less, using decoy emails, deleting or removing permissions from apps that spy on you, checking your privacy settings, not clicking advertising links, and...

Use cash - go to the bank and take out cash instead of using your credit card or e-payment for everything! It's better on small businesses and it's untraceable

Give what you can - as capitalism churns on, normal shmucks have less and less, so think about what you can give (time, money, skills, space, stuff) and how it will make the most impact

Talk about wages - with your coworkers, with your friends, while unionizing! Stop thinking about wages as a measure of your worth and talk about whether or not the bosses are paying fairly for the labor they receive

Think about wealthflow - there are a thousand little mechanisms that corporations and billionaires use to capture wealth from the lower class: fees for transactions, interest, vendor platforms, subscriptions, and more. Start thinking about where your money goes, how and where it's getting captured and removed from our class, and where you have the ability to cut off the flow and pass cash directly to your fellow working class people

[andromeda-nova-writing]

Cuff it 👀

Well, you got me. Forcing me to write the fic I have been joking about for a whole year now. Safe to say this fic requires you to listen to CUFF IT. It's a good song I would love to go roller skating while to one day. The disco vibes beg for the skates. This fic isn't about that. I present a reader that is very horny down bad for Wriothesley while I attempt to keep this humorous and safe for work.

I think it's very obvious there is reference to sexual content. It was very hard to think of ways to keep this sfw considering the lyrical content. I give you the long joked about CUFF IT fic.

Words: 1949 Fem!Reader Modern AU This feels like such a crack fic

Navia spit out her drink as Y/N’s phone began ringing, interrupting the music they had been listening to. “Why is that your ringtone?”

“So you have no complaints about me playing the song, but when it’s my ringtone, there is a complaint?” Y/N asked, still standing on top of the step ladder as she put dishes away in the top cabinet.

“I agree it’s a good song but seriously that's your ringtone?” She asked again.

“I have my reasons. Just answer it for me. You’re closer.” It was easier to just keep shoving cups in the cabinet than to take a break. That box was almost empty.

Navia looked at the call screen. “You have a song about about riding-”

“Just answer!”

Navia swiped answered the call and placed it on speaker for Y/N to listen. “Took you long enough.” Wriothesley’s voice came through the speaker.

“Yeah, we’re putting stuff up still. Navia had to rush to grab my phone. How are you and Clorinde doing with my furniture?” Y/N spoke loud enough to be clear.

“Perfectly strapped down to the rental. We took a detour to pick up some food if you don’t mind.” He continued explaining. “Clorinde said you and Navia were talking about wanting to try out that new restaurant that opened so we just got some stuff from there.”

“Good memory. Navia kept staring at the menu when we were on break.” She told on her friend.

“I’m just curious to see how they make their cakes. It’s my job as a baker to see how other places make the same desserts to see what I can do better.” Navia defended.

“Which is why we made sure to grab some,” Clorinde said, sounding tired from the lifting they had been doing.

“We should take a nice break when y’all get back. We got most of the kitchen unpacked anyway. How long till you’re back?” Y/N asked.

“Five or so minutes. Is the door still open?”

“Yeah.”

“See you soon then,” Wriothesley spoke before hanging up. The music from Y/N’s phone began to play again filling the mostly empty room.

“Is this ringtone my horrible way of finding out you two are dating?” Navia asked now a little in horror at how completely inappropriate Y/N’s taste in ringtones was.

“Nope!” Another shelf had been filled, and on to the next. “But if we were dating I would happily act out said lyrics.”

“That’s too much information.” And not something Navia even wanted the mental image of.

“If I have to hear about what you would like to do with Clorinde behind closed doors, I think you can deal with the lyrical content of ‘Cuff It’. I mean it’s only bad when you pay attention to the lyrics.”

“I could excuse it if the lyrics were set to the chorus! At least that’s tame in comparison, you might be able to get away with it if he overheard that as your ringtone for him.”

“And Wriothesley won’t hear what I have set as his ringtone. Even then I think everyone knows it’s my favorite song.” Y/N defended herself. She had a few months of this as his ringtone and nothing bad had happened so she must have been in the clear with that silly decision she made late one night updating ringtones for her friends.

“Even then, don’t you think on the off chance he hears it there won’t be questions. I mean the lyrics it opens with are ‘Hypersonic, sex erotic’. I think anyone would ask questions.” Navia tried appealing to her sense of reason.

“You know I keep my ringer off most of the time anyway. It only played because I’m connected to a Bluetooth speaker. I'm perfectly fine to keep those lyrics as a ringtone that plays like in a blue moon.”

Navia rubbed the temples of her forehead. If this was what she was like before even making a move on Wriothesley, she was afraid of what would happen if they ever became an item. “What even drove you to set the dirtiest part of the song as his ringtone? Actually, do I even want to know?”

Y/N laughed. “You remember last Halloween when he got forced to dress up? This song just happened to be playing as he was twirling around handcuffs. I can still see the twirls as the song played.” She began singing as the memory played in her head. “Come and cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, cuff it, baby. While I buss it-”

“That better not be why this is your favorite song.” Navia interrupted. “Oh my gosh, is that why you sing that part so loud?”

“The song is two years old and that only happened last year. I've been loving this song. And perhaps. A girl can daydream.”

“Just ask him out instead of being ridiculous. He’s gonna catch that ringtone one day.”

“When you ask out Clorinde! Even then I’m not sure if he would even be open to the idea of going out on a date. If I ask him out it might make things weird between us. I really do like him. More than I just want to sit on him kind of way.” Navia rolled her eyes at that sentence as Y/N continued. “I mean I know he can look scary but he is just such a sweetheart! I mean come on he didn’t have to help me move. Then there was that one time he picked me up cause there was a nail in my tire. Oh, and that day he begged to come over when I was watching my grandma’s puppy.”

“I get it! I just really think you should ask him out. Have you considered maybe he does all those things 'cause he likes you too?” Navia could hear the rental vehicle pull up. “I’m gonna go see what they need help with.”

Y/N frowned at the question Navia had left her on. There was no way she would be pondering such a question when she had a cabinet almost filled and Wriothesly just outside her new home.

Even then there wasn't anything wrong about that song being her ringtone. Plenty of people had ringtones with raunchy lyrics. This one was at least award-winning and it sounded so fun that not everyone even saw how dirty of a song it was. Was there really anything wrong with having the ringtone of the guy she would love to fall in love with to be a song about wanting to ride his dick?

…okay maybe phrasing it like that she could see Navia’s point. Y/N sighed. Guess it was time to change her ringtone for Wriothesley to be something more appropriate. It was a 2 am decision and to be fair, no one ever had good ideas at that hour.

She could hear bags being placed on the counter. “Part of taking a break requires you to get down from there.” Wriothesley was quick to remind her.

“I'm almost done. I'll get down in a bit. No issues with loading anything right?” She asked not wanting to look him in the eye just yet considering her previous thoughts.

“It went well. It was tiring though. Your bed frame was heavier than it looked though.”

“Good thing I have your help then. Actually, could you hand me my phone real quick?” She wanted to see time but also to change the album that was playing.

Wriothesley grabbed the phone for her before walking over. “Yeah, here you go.” There wasn't even a chance to grab the phone before it started ringing. The phone lit up with his name on the screen and a photo of him filling the screen.

Hypersonic, sex erotic On my body, boy, you got it Hit them 'draulics, while I ride it Got me actin' hella thotty So excited, so exotic

Despite the song on her ringtone playing so loudly, the room was just quiet. Navia was right and she was a fool. She felt frozen, unable to move despite the fact she could have easily taken the phone out of his hand.

Wriothesley answered the phone before the song could be played any further. Clorinde’s voice came through the speakers. “Navia and I are going back to the restaurant. They forgot some of your food. Wriothesley’s phone is still with us. Let him know.”

“Will do,” Y/N answered before Clorinde hung up the phone where her music had once again returned to the speakers. “I must set the wrong song as my ringtone for you. Funny mistake right?”

“When I switched phone brands you were the one who kept showing me the different ways to customize it.” Wriothesley reminded her. “You can’t stand on that ladder forever.”

“I feel like it’s better if I do.” The longer she stayed on the ladder, the longer till her feelings had to be rejected.

“Get down.”

It was hard not to frown as she got down from the step ladder. She wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to leave the moment Clorinde and Navia got back with the food and his phone. She didn't dare look him in the eye.

“I know it's one of your favorites and all but I think I'm going to need some more explanation than that of why you have that set as my ringtone.” He was at least kind enough to give her the phone back.

“You're a smart guy. Don't make me. This is embarrassing enough.” Y/N put the phone down on the counter behind her after turning down the volume of music playing. “Just let me down already. It's not like I was ever expecting a chance. It doesn't take a genius to see you weren't interested in any sort of relationship.”

“Who said I was uninterested?”

A rough calloused hand gently moved her chin up forcing her to look Wriothesley in the eyes. “You never acted as you were.” The words came out quiet, still flustered from before.

“It's not like you made it clear before either. Even then when I did try asking you out before, there was always something going on to where you couldn't go. I almost thought you were purposefully trying to avoid me.”

“I would never. I was just busy. I didn't even think you were asking me out.” Her eyes drifted off to the side. “How many times?”

Wriothesley let out a nervous laugh. “I would rather not count that.”

“I can’t believe I’m that oblivious that you won't even tell me how many times. Gosh, I'm stupid.”

“I wouldn’t call you stupid. Just distracted.”

“That doesn't help me feel better.”

“I have an idea what might make you feel better.”

Y/N laughed at herself. “Yeah, crawling under my blankets never to return.”

“Then let me do this before you go.”

The kiss from Wriothesley was gentle, warm, and inviting. Tender yet she could tell how much he wanted it. She didn’t even notice how her arms moved on their own, desperate to pull him closer. There was the faint taste of tea, not surprising with how cold it had been that day.

That was the perfect song to set as her ringtone with it leading to this. The part of her that planned on cursing that restaurant just for being the reason Clorinde had called her was now thanking them for forgetting their food. It was a perfect miracle.

If it wasn't for the fact that she was hungry and had a deadline on when to return the rental truck, that door would be locked. It would be best if Navia and Clorinde took their sweet time so she could keep savoring this kiss.

[lightdancingwords]

Come Find Me - Part Seven

Pairing: Beau Arlen x F. Reader

Series Summary: You are a new arrival to Big Sky, Montana, and found gainful employment with the local insurance department next door to the sheriff’s department. A whole new life with your past haunting you, while Beau is still dealing with the entanglements with his ex-wife. Can either of you succeed in overcoming your ghosts?

Word Count: 5,052

Tags/Warnings: SO MUCH FLUFF, mentions domestic violence/intimate partner violence, mentions police work, a little bit of angst, communication problems, profanity

A/N: Comments, Likes, Reblogs, Kind feedback are always highly appreciated. Please let me know if you want to be added to the tag list! Please see this post regarding future story posts.

Divider: credit to @tsunami-of-tears

Chapter Seven: Aftermath

In the weeks that followed, you went through the motions. You got up, went to work, had a quiet lunch with Doris, then went home. After Mark’s death, Beau decided it was safe for you to go back to the rental home. Though honestly, after everything, you knew you wanted to move. The sacred safety of your rental home had been violated. It would never be restored.

Your landlord was thankfully understanding. Even better, they had another property that they were willing to transfer the lease to, and cooperated in arranging the move.

You stayed busy. You finally took the self-defense classes with Jenny. You went to therapy. You did all the official meetings that a victim of a crime was required to do.

Just endless motion. You knew you were feeling the shock, the trauma. There were moments when the feelings came and you thought you’d never be able to stop crying. The memory of the gun, of seeing Mark killed in front of you, it was all so terrible.

What made it worse was that Beau had seemingly distanced himself. He did his job, took the reports, ensured you were safe in your home and then he… just… left. It hurt. Every time he looked at you, it was though you were a stranger.

For whatever reason, you didn’t tell Doris. Or ask her. You kept it to yourself. You didn’t even text him… and Beau never reached out to you.

When the first snow hit, it had been a Saturday. You saw the flurries come down through your kitchen window and found yourself longing for peace and solitude. For the snow to cover you so you could be pure and pristine again. Innocent. Without the taint of abuse. Without the stain of seeing a man killed in front of you.

The memory of that, the flashback, had you dropping dishes in the sink. The sound of the gunshot. The sight of Mark’s head exploding—

You collapsed into yourself and sank to the floor, hands sopping wet. You hated this. You hated the tears that came. You couldn’t decide if you were relieved he was dead or grief-stricken. Or both.

The sobs that caught at your throat were the worse. You’d struggle to breathe and remember the feel of his hand at your throat. God. The bruises were healing, but the memories were forever.

Your new therapist was absolutely understanding. They heard you out, provided a huge box of tissue, and never judged you for your conflicting emotions.

The only advice they could give you was the most profound: “You have to understand, Y/N, it’s not my place nor anyone’s place to tell you what you’re feeling is right or wrong. They’re your feelings. You have to be absolutely free to feel them all. It’s going to take time for you to decide what you feel about it all. And whatever you feel is yours and yours alone.”

While that helped with the mess with Mark, you still didn’t know what to do about Beau. His sudden withdrawal hurt. You missed the way he called you “darlin’”. You missed his accent. You missed his scent. You missed him.

As you sat there on your kitchen floor, the tears finally stopping, it occurred to you that instead of just waiting for Beau to come to you… maybe you should go to him. Because by God, you were never going to know unless you did something.

You stood up, dusted off your behind, and decided to do something for once in your life. You grabbed your car keys and headed out to Beau’s trailer.

Just as you arrived to the trailer, Beau came out, puzzled. “Y/N?”

That he didn’t use the endearment hurt. “I want to know why,” you said, closing the driver’s door as you got out of your car.

His head pulled back, confused. His breath wafted in the air. “Why what?”

“Why have you been avoiding me? Ever since Mark… you haven’t looked at me. You haven’t talked to me. My God, Beau, you… you’re like a stranger now.”

“I haven’t—”

“Bullshit,” you snapped heatedly, storming up to him. “It’s been weeks, Beau, and you keep acting like I’m some stranger!”

Beau’s jaw clenched and let out a huff of air through his nose. “I thought… to give you some space.”

“A few days makes sense, but weeks?! I felt like a goddamned pariah, Beau!” You hated how your voice cracked, but the pain was too obvious now. He still couldn’t look at you….

“Well, hell, I just—” He cut himself off, raking his fingers through his hair. “I thought you didn’t want to see me.”

“What?” You breathed the one worded question with absolute disbelief.

“I killed a man, Y/N.” The flurries dusted his hair, like diamonds on a beach. “I don’t regret it one bit, not since it meant I saved you. But you saw it… and that changes people.”

You stared at him, dumbfounded. “Did… did you think I wouldn’t be able to look at you after that?”

He nodded, swallowed so hard his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.

“Oh my God, Beau…” You felt tears well up in your eyes, emotions thickening your voice. “You’re the one I’d always want to see. W-when I look at you, I don’t see Mark. I see you.”

”Darlin’—”

“Say that again.” Your heart soared at hearing that endearment. It meant everything to you to hear it just now and you so desperately wanted him to say it again.

He finally looked at you, really looked at you. “Darlin’,” he repeated, this time slower, more meaningful.

“You have no idea how much I miss hearing you say that,” you said, and quickly wiped away a tear with a shaky hand.

Much to your surprise, he closed the distance between you. Gently, he laid his hands on your shoulders. “It’s been killin’ me for weeks to not be able to say it,” he confessed in a soft voice.

“Were you really pulling away because you thought I wouldn’t be able to look at you?” you asked, amazed by that thought.

“Yeah,” he murmured, brushing a snow flurry out of your hair. “I didn’t want to make it worse for ya, darlin’. After all… I failed ya.”

“You what?” Startled, you framed his face with your hands. “Beau, you did not fail me. You saved me. You… God, you rescued me. Mark had every intention of killing me and you stopped him. All I had were some scrapes and bruises. I’m alive because of you.”

Beau met and held your gaze. His eyes were so inscrutable, so dark in that moment. You had no idea what he was thinking or feeling. Only that he stood there in silence, your hands cupping his face.

“You’re too good to me, darlin’,” he said at last. “I’m not sure I can look at it that way.”

“How do you look at it?”

Very slowly, he ran his hands up your arms, never once pulling out of your gentle touch. “I couldn’t find him before he kidnapped ya. I can’t find your missin’ photos. And I couldn’t stop him from taking you away.”

“And you found me,” you said insistently. “You followed me and saved me. You didn’t fail me, Beau.”

“Darlin’, I—”

“No, let me finish. Please.” Beau fell silent and you continued. “The whole time he had me, I kept praying for you to find me. To save my life. And by God, you did, like a—a cowboy in shining hat.”

He quirked a smile at the description.

“You found me, Beau. I would never avoid you. H-how can I?” In that moment, you decided to take the giant step you’d been waiting for. “I’m… I have feelings for you. If I avoid you, I’ll never know what they’ll turn out to be.”

His gaze flickered up to you, surprise flitting across his face. Then his expression softened and an intensity grew in his green-eyed gaze. Tenderly, he covered your hands on his face and squeezed them.

“Darlin’… God. I’m rock headed and mule stubborn. Ya don’t wanna be with me.”

You quirked a smile as he used a similar description that Carla—via Emily—had used to describe him. “I don’t know about that… I kind of like being around you.”

His smile flashed to life and you felt your heart swell as the warmth bloomed in his gaze. “I feel like I should be askin’ ya on a date.”

Playfully, you lifted your brows at him and said, “I’m waiting.”

He grinned, squeezed your hands and brought them down off his face down to be held between the two of you. “How does dinner sound? We do it right—proper restaurant, music, the whole nine yards.”

“That’s how you ask a woman on a date, Beau? God, no wonder you’ve been single this long,” you said, teasing.

He laughed. “Nah, darlin’… just needed the right woman.”

Your heart skipped a beat, then took off racing when he continued.

“I think I found her,” he added, reaching up to caress your cheek. “Let me take you out to dinner, Y/N.”

“I’d love to,” you breathed, your voice stolen away by this man, this Texan.

“Good. Meet you tonight? Say 6 o’clock?”

You nodded. “D-do I meet you there?” Your voice shook with your pulse. He had set it off running and you didn’t think it would ever settle again.

He pulled a pained expression. “Christ, darlin’, are you trying to make me look bad?”

You had to laugh. “What? Why? What’d I do?”

“You insulted me,” he said dramatically, clutching at his chest. “A proper gentleman picks his date up from her home and brings her back.”

You knew you shouldn’t, but God, bantering like this with Beau brightened your heart. “Oh. A proper gentleman? Do you see one around here? I mean…”

“Oh, now ya’ve done it,” he said with a laugh and scooped you into his arms. You yelped clutching onto him, his move unexpected.

“What are you doing?” you demanded, breathless with laughter and surprise.

He bounced you in his arms and it was all you could do to hold on. “Showin’ ya I’m a gentleman.”

“By carting me around in your arms?” You looked at Beau and couldn’t stop smiling. To be this close to him after weeks of so little with him…. To have that whiff of earth and musk and whatever it was that made him him. To hear his voice. To just be with him.

“Yep.” He grinned at you, his eyes sparkling. He began doing a stroll around his yard with you in his arms, carried princess style.

“That’s your idea of being a gentleman?” The laughter bubbled up in your throat. He was being impossible. Hilariously, adorably impossible.

“Yep.”

“You going to say anything besides ‘yep’?” you asked playfully.

“Yep.”

You laughed again, your arm around his neck. You needed this. God, you really did. Something so absurd, so ridiculous and playful. You hadn’t realized you said it out loud when Beau slanted a look at you, the humor fading from his expression.

“God, darlin’, I’m s—”

“So help me, Beau, you apologize, and I’ll find a way to take you over my knee and spank you,” you said, surprised at the vehemence you felt and heard in your voice.

He stopped and stared at you, clearly taken aback by the way you responded. Then, slowly, he quirked a grin and said, “You promise?”

You tried to maintain a stern expression. You really did. The way he grinned at you made a giggle bubble up your throat and you gave in, laughing once more. “You’re impossible, you know that? God,” you said with a breathy sigh. “I’m really glad I came to Big Sky.”

“Me too, darlin’,” he said as he finally set you back down on your feet. “My life might’ve been more borin’, but my heart would’ve been empty.”

Your breath caught and your heart skipped a beat. In the weeks you’d come to Big Sky and met Beau Arlen, you were constantly doubting yourself, wondered if you imagined the chemistry between the two of you. That Beau plainly and clearly stated that his life would’ve been empty without you…. “Oh damn it, that was perfect,” you managed, your heart swelling with emotion.

He half-smiled. “It’d been years since my last perfect line. I figured I was due.”

You chuckled, breathy and tinged with tears. “That was a good one.”

“Good enough to make ya cry,” he murmured, gently tilting your chin up. He studied your face in wonder. “I didn’t mean to make ya cry, darlin’.”

“It’s not you,” you assured him, sniffling. “I’d never—”

“You never had a man talk to you before like that, huh?” His interruption was gentle, thoughtful. You couldn’t help the tear that fell down your cheek. He saw it and tenderly brushed his thumb over your cheek, wiping it away.

“No,” you admitted. That particular knowledge stung. You hated that your romantic history was rife with issues, with bad men. Oh, they said the pretty words, but the moment they had you in their romantic trap, that all went away. You had the impression Beau meant every word and would never change that.

“I promise ya, darlin’,” he said softly, “I’m gonna keep doin’ it until you beg me to stop.”

“Let’s get the date first before you start making sweet promises,” you said with a slow smile.

“We could count this as a date?” he suggested, and there was something in his tone that had you thinking he meant it all as a joke, a playful tease.

“No!” You laughed and he grinned, confirming your suspicion. “You promised the whole nine yards, Beau Arlen. I expect it all.”

He checked his watch and his brows lifted. “Given the hour, darlin’, I’d say you best get goin’ so you can dress up.”

Your own brows raised as well. “Dress up?”

“Yep.” He smiled, a touch smug. “I intend to go all fancy, darlin’.”

Beau.

In a tux.

In that moment, it was all you could do not to swoon then and there. God, did that man know what kind of an effect he had on you?

“Then I expect you at my house at 6 sharp, Mr. Arlen,” you said, your smile and tone flirtatious.

“That’s a promise, darlin’.”

—

The sight of Beau Arlen in a tux was one you’d never forget. He was tall—absurdly, Doris’s statement that he was bony came to mind and nearly wrecked your composure—and the tuxedo was definitely one specially made as it did everything to emphasize his lean stature. He was strikingly handsome, as usual, but this time, he had his hair combed back and styled. His beard—oh my God, he actually neatened up his beard.

The double-take Beau did of you reassured you that, despite the last minute attempt to find something remotely suitable for a fancy restaurant, you succeeded. You went classic—Little Black Dress, with a thin white cardigan and a lovely little clutch.

“I’d ask if you’d be cold in that little coat of yours, darlin’, but I’m feelin’ a bit hot under the collar myself,” he drawled.

You chuckled, did a little spin in the entryway of your rental house. “I pass, then? Especially given your very last-minute date.”

“Oh, you definitely pass,” he said with an appreciative look. You felt his gaze scan over you, and your body warmed under such intense scrutiny. “And it wasn’t last minute.”

“Excuse me? You asked me out just a few hours ago!”

He smiled. “I made the reservation a week after the first time you slept over.”

You felt your heart stutter and you froze momentarily. “You… Beau, that was weeks ago. How could you have known I’d say yes?”

Gently, he took your hand in his, intertwined your fingers. “I took a chance, darlin’. I’m kickin’ myself for waitin’ this long, and I apologize for that, but the look of you that mornin’….” Absurdly, you remembered the way he slanted a look at you. “You were beautiful. All sleep-mussed, the sun lighting you up.”

“Beau…” You breathed his name like a benediction. He drew closer, close enough for you to get whiff of his cologne, subtle and sweet.

“I’m sorry I waited ‘til you came over and told me what for, darlin’.” His green eyes met yours and your heart somersaulted. “If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I’d like to wine and dine you as I always wanted to.”

“When you put it that way, Mr. Arlen,” you said with a slow, sweet smile, “how can I say ‘no’?”

“Good. Let me get you in the truck before ya freeze to death.” As he escorted and assisted you into the truck, he paused and blatantly looked over your legs. “By the way… darlin’? You got some damned killer legs.”

You laughed, your cheeks heating up. “Beau!”

—

He took you to Big Sky’s sole fine dining, a delicious Italian restaurant amusingly called Ciao Bella. You stared at the name of the restaurant and turned a baffled look on Beau. He grinned in amusement. “Don’t ask, darlin’. You work at The Big Guy. You really wanna judge?”

You laughed and conceded he had a point.

Beau definitely did everything he could to make the experience a beautiful one. He escorted you to the table, held out the chair for you. He asked the waiter for a recommendation for the entree, one that you ended up picking, and went all out in ensuring the white wine paired with it was to your liking. Once the server received the orders and left, his focus on you had you feeling as though you were dining at home, not in an exquisite restaurant.

“How do you do that?” you asked, amazed.

“Do what, darlin’?”

“Make me feel like I’m the only one here. The only one who has your attention.”

“Because you do and you are,” he said, leaning forward to take your hand in his.

“Another perfect line. You’re on a roll, Arlen,” you teased, softening at the way his thumb caressed the back of your hand.

“Yeah? Two in a day? Damn. I’d say I should buy a lottery ticket after this…” He brought your hand up to his lips and lightly kissed your knuckles. “But I already won.”

Your breath caught at the sweet gesture. “That’s three,” you said in a low, soft voice.

He winked. “I know.”

“You weren’t kidding about wining and dining me, Mr. Arlen,” you mused, amazed at your luck. What had started as a difficult day was ending on such a glorious note, you never wanted it to end. Who knew finding your voice at last would lead to a date with Beau at Big Sky’s fanciest restaurant?

“I’m only just gettin’ started.”

Your smile was warm, a touch playful. “You’re setting a high bar for future dates.”

“You think it’ll happen?”

“What? A second date?” He nodded and you pretended to think about it, long enough for him to do a warning of “Darlin’”. “Yes. A second date. Quite possibly earned a third with this wine. It’s delicious. How on earth did you ever learn about wine?”

“Don’t look so shocked, darlin’,” he said in amusement. “I know stuff.”

“Says the man who said ‘stuff’ in the most exaggerated Texan drawl I’ve ever heard,” you said, your voice bubbling with laughter.

He grinned. “I get what you mean, darlin’. For me, the best date would be a beer around my campfire.”

You paused, then asked carefully, “The night I came over… was that—”

“A date?” You nodded, not minding the interruption. He swirled the white wine in his glass, thoughtful. “I wanted it to be.”

“Beau…”

“The only reason it wasn’t, darlin’, was because you needed a friend that night more than you needed a boyfriend,” he said gently.

“What if I wanted it to be?” He lifted his brows questioningly. “What if… I want that to be our first date? And this… our second?”

He smiled slowly. “I’d say I’m a damned lucky man to get two dates with you.”

“You keep swearing,” you teased.

“Don’t tell Emily.”

You laughed, low and soft. His grin widened. You loved that you could go back to old conversations, bring them forward in beautiful reminders. Much like the threat to spank one another, though God, you never knew such a joke would become regular thing between the two of you.

The entree, spinach and ricotta gnudi with tomato-butter sauce, was so delicious, rich in flavor. You ended up letting Beau have a few forkfuls while you stole some of his braised chicken all'arrabbiata, which turned out to be spicier than you expected.

“Beau, this was delicious,” you said as you dabbed your lips.

“You’ve got to stop sounding so surprised, darlin’,” he said with a laugh, leaning back in his seat. “I know I sound like some redneck hick, but I’m a learned man. You keep this up, I’m gonna start gettin’ offended.”

“It’s not your accent,” you said with a defensive laugh.

“Then what?” He leaned forward, caught your gaze and held it. “What is it about me that keeps surprisin’ you?”

You were quiet for a moment. “Because I haven’t had anything this nice in years,” you finally admitted in a low voice.

He gave a start. He’d forgotten. You could tell, by the way he reacted. Beau had forgotten, and you weren’t sure if you should be relieved or worried. Relieved, because you didn’t want to be handled with kid gloves. Worried, because he also had to remember that certain topics, certain discussions, could be potentially upsetting.

“Do you mind, darlin’, if I ask?” he ventured carefully.

You knew what he wanted to ask and shook your head. “Go ahead.”

“When was the last time M—your ex took you somewhere nicer than an Olive Garden?”

You thought on that for a long moment as you took a sip of the white wine. It really was a delicious choice. You found yourself itching to find out what kind of white wine it was… and how much it cost. Then you realized you were distracting yourself from the unpleasant memory and changed mental course.

“My birthday,” you finally answered. “It was my first birthday while we were dating, and he—” you decided you weren’t going to use your ex-boyfriend’s name— “decided to take me to this rather nice French restaurant. He butchered every pronunciation in the book, but claimed he was just trying to impress me.”

“How long was that?”

You frowned in thought. “Five… maybe six years ago?”

His brows drew together. “Darlin’… I’m not a rich man—”

“I never asked—”

He shook his head and continued despite your attempt to defend yourself. “I’m not a rich man,” he said firmly, “but if I were, darlin’, I’d take you here every night. Hell, every day if I could.”

You sat on that for a moment, and couldn’t suss out what he truly meant behind that. “I’m not sure how I should take that.”

“Then I’ll be honest. It’s real crappy your ex didn’t spoil you. You deserve to be spoiled. You deserve all the good things in the world.”

You quirked a brow at him. “Do you think I’m that… greedy? O-or a gold digger?”

“What? Oh shit. No, darlin’.” He rubbed his forehead. “God. See? Three perfect lines and there goes my damned luck.”

You managed a faint smile, though you were still well and thoroughly confused by what Beau was trying to say.

“I’m not sayin’ you’re a gold digger, darlin’. I’m just sayin’…” He took a breath, and you could almost see him reorganize his thoughts. “I’m sayin’ you should’ve been treated better. I know I made it sound like you should get fancy restaurants and expensive wine. I only meant… you deserved better. Kind gestures should be a part of the norm, not nice surprises.”

You tilted your head as you weighed everything you knew of Beau against one horribly made declaration. Beau seemed to know he went off on an awful take, one that slandered your character, and was trying hard to make amends.

“‘Kind gestures should be a part of the norm, not nice surprises’. I think you got your fourth perfect line,” you said at last with a gentle smile.

“I was sweatin’ bullets there, darlin’,” he said with a huff. “Am I soaked? I feel like I should be soaked.”

You couldn’t help it, you laughed. Beau smiled and reached over to take your hand in his. “I wasn’t tryin’ to imply you’re a gold digger, darlin’,” he added. “Just that… I may not be a rich man in the bank, but by God, you make me feel wealthy.”

“Oh, that’s a good one.”

“Yeah? You think it makes number five?”

“You’re definitely on a roll there, Beau,” you said with a warm smile.

“Don’t tempt me, darlin’,” he said, his voice taking on a husky tinge. You felt a thrill down your spine, and sensed he meant more than just perfect lines.

“How do you mean?” You decided to press, wanting to know what he was thinking.

He glanced down at your joined hands on the table, at the gentle way he kept rubbing his thumb against the back of your hand. “Darlin’… there’s a part of me that really wants to take you to my home and have my way with you.”

Your heart stopped, then thudded painfully against your chest. You couldn’t tell if it was out of fear or out of desire, out of hearing him voice that wish of his.

“And that’s the reason why I won’t,” he said with a nod to you. “That look that just passed over your eyes.”

“Beau, I—I—”

“Don’t, darlin’. I ain’t offended. You’re not ready. I can wait.”

You sat there for a long, quiet moment as you took all that in. How rare a man was he that he’d wait until you were ready for him to take you to bed? Especially one who saved your life, one who knew a portion of the darkness you’d been through?

“It’s…”

“Darlin’, you don’t have to explain.”

“I feel I need to. Because part of it is such a stupid, vain reason.”

He narrowed his eyes at you. You had suspicion he knew exactly what you were going to say and was mildly offended already. Before you could continue, he spoke up. “Do you know what goes into a file, darlin’? It’s not just written complaints, documentation of calls and meetings. When it comes to acts of violence, we need to see photographs. Sometimes videos. Audio recordings.”

You froze, your breath hitching. You actually heard a small simmering of anger in his voice, and almost cringed in your seat. You definitely offended him and instantly regretted your statement of vanity. God, why did you have to be so stupid?

His gaze searched your face and he shook his head. “I ain’t mad at you, darlin’,” he said, and you wondered if he read your mind. “I’m mad at him. He got ya to think that I’d care you have a scar. That I’d want you to have some model perfect body to be worthy of me.”

“So you…” He said photographs. Dimly, you recalled your stay at the hospital, how they had some officers come over and ask to take photographs of your lower abdomen for evidence. You’d forgotten. “Oh my God. So you know.”

“Not everythin’, darlin’, but that one, yeah, I do.”

“A-and you don’t… it doesn’t bother you?”

“Why would it, darlin’?” He seemed honestly puzzled. “It’s a scar. It’s a badge of honor for ya. You survived that sick son of a bitch, and not only that, ya fought back.”

“Do… do you have any scars?”

He flashed a grin at you, designed to soften the intense moment. “I’d be glad to show it to you sometime.”

Absurdly, you blushed as you laughed. “If it’s on your rear—”

“Nope.” He smirked and winked at you. “Wrong side.”

“Beau!”

The night was winding down when he escorted you back home, to your front door. Sometime during the dinner, the snow came back in force. Beau’s truck thankfully handled it and he was able to pull up as close as he could to the front door.

“So much for dancin’,” he said ruefully.

“Where did you have in mind?” you asked as he walked you the last few steps.

“Right here. Maybe some nice oldie playin’ on the radio.”

You smiled. “That sounds very romantic. I expect you to follow through when it’s springtime, Mr. Arlen.”

“Since when did ya start and keep callin’ me that anyway?” he asked, lightly brushing back a strand of your hair.

“I was kind of copying Pride and Prejudice,” you said, lightly teasing him.

He smiled. “Am I Mr. Darcy then?”

“I’d say ‘yes’, but there’s one small problem.”

“What’s that?” He drew closer to you, so close you could feel his breath dance over your lips.

“They don’t kiss in Pride and Prejudice,” you murmured, your gaze flickering from his green eyes to his lips.

“Guess we’ll rewrite the book,” he whispered, and brought his lips to yours, capturing you in a sweet, tender kiss. He lingered in the embrace, slipping his arms around your waist and pulled you closer. You let out a soft sigh, and he deepened it, a slow heat that spread throughout your body. You no longer felt the snow, the chill. All you felt was him.

When he slowly broke the kiss, you felt dazed. He brushed back your hair again, his gaze deep and dark. “Have a good night, darlin’,” he whispered.

“You too, Beau.”

He waited until you were safe inside before he headed back to his truck. When he pulled away, you realized that, yes, this was definitely not going to be the only date you ever have with him.

Tag List: @spxideyver @deadlymistletoe @bitchykittenconnoisseur @aarpfashionvictim

[hippiegoth97]

Random Jonathan Thought #1

Content Warning, 18+ Only, Minors DNI: swearing, smut, perv!jonathan byers, perv!fem!reader, no use of y/n, voyeurism, exhibitionism, masturbation, sexual fantasies, mentions of casual sex (protection not specified), mentions of sexual photos, no dialogue

Some Tags: @rafeyscurtainbangs @loserboysandlithium @mediocredreams @strangererotica @melodymunson

@bloodibambiidoll @userchai @violetpixiedust @keikoraven @keeksandgigz

He's watching you again.

A surge of excitement jolts through you at the thought. To see him peeking around the corner of his wispy white curtains from across the alley, in the building that serves as identical twin sister to yours. You'd just gotten home a couple of minutes ago, dropping off your purse and coat at the door, feeding your cat, Mr. Whiskers, before going to your room. It's been a very long day at the office for you, and all you've been able to think about is coming back to this.

It all started totally by accident. You noticed an unfamiliar man moving into the building next door, a handsome yet odd young blood who came to NYC to achieve some far-fetched artistic dream. Boxes of stuff nearly bursting from his junker of a car, expensive camera draped around his neck for safe keeping. It was too much for you to resist helping him as you watched him struggle from a couple floors above ground. You called down to him, offering your assistance, and he was more than glad to take it.

You helped him haul every last box up the couple flights of stairs, coming to find out his new apartment sits right across the narrow alley from your own. You commented on such, letting him know he could feel free to wave to you in passing if the mood struck. Little did you know, that this innocent enough offer would soon open a rather taboo door, never to be closed again by the look of it. In thanks of your help, the young man formally introduced himself, and ordered some take-out from a Chinese place you recommended.

Jonathan, you soon learned was his name. He was only a couple of years younger than you, still in his very early twenties, taking the one opportunity he had to get out of his wretchedly small hometown. He told you about his family, and you told him about yours. Not much to go on there, as you'd run away at sixteen to escape a couple of drunks you unfortunately called 'Mom' and 'Dad'. Nevertheless, you and Jonathan had a nice, casual talk, promising to look out for one another as neighbors. Neighbors. That's what you were supposed to be. Instead of playing this mildly fucked-up game you can't seem to find a way out of. Not that you're really complaining.

Back to the subject, it all started on a particularly humid night. As is typical for living in the Big Apple, your shitty landlord couldn't be bothered to have proper air conditioning put into his numerous rental properties. So, you had decided to go nearly naked in your apartment to beat the heat. You had a fan going, the window open as wide as it could go, lounging around in a thin t-shirt and skimpy panties.

You were in your room, trying to settle in for the night. But it was just too hot. You'd decided, fuck it, you can't sleep, and you may as well have a reason to be hot and bothered. You pulled open your bedside drawer, retrieving a reliable rabbit to satiate your growing hunger for release. You shoved your panties off, kicking them over the side of the bed. You clicked the toy on, which began buzzing firmly in your hand. You didn't waste any time at all, spreading your legs wide open and bringing the head of the rabbit to your needy clit.

Little did you know, at first, that Jonathan was getting the most perfect, pornographic view of you from across the alley. He'd been laid up in bed, lights off as he struggled to find some way to stay cool. He was completely nude between his thin sheets, and still sweating like a damn pig. He kept tossing and turning, eventually giving up and clicking on the small TV in his room to watch a movie or something. While he flipped mindlessly through the channels, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see what the movement was, and found you splayed out on your bed, touching yourself. He gasped in shock, fumbling with the remote so he didn't drop it loudly on the floor. Your buildings were definitely close enough to where you could hear a decent amount of sound if the windows were left open.

He caught the offending device, tossing it beside him on the bed. The little show you were putting on became far more interesting. Jonathan did briefly battle with himself whether or not it was right to be watching you like this, but his rapidly hardening cock won that argument. He rationalized it to himself, that maybe you wanted him to see you. You always left your curtains open, and waved at him at all hours of the day, whether you were fully dressed, or wrapped in nothing but a towel. He'd deal with the guilt later, he decided. He just couldn't bear to take his eyes off of you. His young, hot neighbor, who was currently lost in pleasure as she fucked herself with a silicone rabbit.

While Jonathan grappled with the potential implications of what spying on you could mean for your neighborly relationship, you continued to work the toy between your legs exactly to your liking. The thick shaft slid in and out of your pussy with ease, arousal spilling from you messily every few strokes. The buzzing 'ears' of the rabbit whirred against your clit, building you up towards an orgasm you realized you desperately needed. You weren't thinking about anyone in particular while doing this, mainly focusing on the sensations you were feeling with your eyes screwed shut.

But something felt off. Like someone was watching you. You peeled your eyes open for a moment, still going to town on yourself. Your eyes drifted around the room, looking for anything potentially lurking in the dark corners. Shadows were cast by the summer moon shining through your window, and your eyes drew past the open pane without much thought. That is, until you saw him. Jonathan, your neighbor, was watching you from the very edge of his own window. You couldn't make out much of him in the dark, but you knew he was there. The faintest outline of his head peered back at you.

Part of you wanted to stop, to stand up and go to the window and shout across the alley about how much of a pervert he was. It would've been the logical thing to do at such an invasion of privacy. But the other part, found it extremely hot that your cute neighbor wanted to see you in this way. You decided to play along, raising your free hand to wiggle your fingers at him like you always did, with a playful smirk plastered on your face.

Jonathan jerked back from the window at first when you waved, his face going red as a beet at getting caught. His heart pounded in his chest, he wondered how he would ever face you again after this. But the look on your face, and how you kept going, made him realize that you weren't grossed out, or offended. He was right, you liked it. He leaned back into view, perhaps a little further to let you know he was there. He waved back, and settled himself on the edge of his bed to watch you even more. His hand found his cock already dripping with need, a low moan escaping his thin lips as he closed his fist around himself.

When Jonathan came back into your line of sight, it was very clear what he was doing. You couldn't quite see below the window sill, but you could tell he was jerking off by the way his arm moved up and down, and how his mouth feel open just slightly. He was getting off on watching you. This only made the fire inside you burn hotter, making you feel as if you were melting into the bed at this point. You began to think of him now. You kept your eyes locked on him as you pounded your pussy with your toy, wishing it was him instead. You wanted Jonathan there, to touch you, kiss you, fuck you until you screamed his name. You wanted to have him there in your bed, sitting is his lap while his slender fingers pumped away inside you. You wanted to take his no-doubt gorgeous cock in your mouth, and suck the utter life out of him while he held you down. You wanted to ride him until your legs gave out, and have him fill you up with his sticky cum.

Jonathan refused to look away as your motions grew needier, your wrist getting a pretty good workout as you shoved the toy in harder, faster, deeper. He envied the thing, wishing he could be there instead. He stroked himself in time with your thrusts, dreaming up very filthy things about you to fill in the gaps. He craved the feeling of your lips on his neck, kissing and sucking all kinds of nasty bruises on his pale flesh. He wished for the opportunity to fuck your face until tears rolled down your cheeks and drool pooled heavily on your chin. He wanted to shove your head deep into your mattress while pounding you from behind, slapping your ass and making you squeal until you came all over his cock.

You could see him getting closer, and felt yourself doing the same. Your helpless moans and cries grew louder as the minutes passed, and you hoped Jonathan was able to hear them. Despite your wrist beginning to get tired in your fervor, you soldiered on. You weren't stopping for anything. You were making an absolute mess of your bed, sweat and juices dripping from you and soaking directly into the sheets. But you didn't care. You needed to cum, and you needed it soon. You kept hold of the idea of Jonathan's cock being the object fucking into you instead of the rabbit, moaning for him again and again when its rubber head hit your g-spot just right.

Jonathan was close, and he could tell you were, too. Fuck, he could hear some of those filthy noises you were making, which only pushed him closer to the edge. He listened and watched as you whined out his name, your thighs trembling as your orgasm was almost taking hold. His own high hit him unexpectedly, and he did his best to stand up to show you as his release spilled from his dick in thick spurts. He groaned loud enough for you to hear, still staring at you as his cum landed on his hand and the floor.

You cried out his name in ecstasy when you saw him lose control, eyes rolling back just after you watched him stand to show you his release. Your body shook as you came seconds after him, more mess spilling out of you and all over the bed. You heard it splash from your pussy, drenching your thighs and the sheets. You turned the toy off as your high ran its course, tossing it off to the side with little care where it would land. Once you caught your breath, you sat up to look across the alley again. You found Jonathan looking back at you, and he gave you another small wave. Awe rested in his eyes, probably from the massive amount of cum that came out of you just seconds before. You waved back at him, a satisfied smile on your face. You cleaned up and fell right asleep shortly after that, and Jonathan did the same.

After that first incident, this kind of thing became rather normal for the two of you. On many nights, either one or both of you will put on a 'show' of some kind. Most times it's just a silly strip tease, removing your clothes nice and slow while the other one watches. Even if it never leads to simultaneous masturbation, it's still highly thrilling for you. Other times, you up the stakes. Sometimes, one of you brings a date home. You bring them to your room, take off all your clothes, and go to town while the other one watches the whole thing.

None of these encounters are something you discuss beforehand. Oddly enough, your sexual adventures seem to only exist between the span of your twin windows, using them like mirrors you gaze into to feed your wildest fantasies. Outside of them, you only give polite greetings or farewells as you go about your lives. It's easier that way, you suppose. Not to mention far more exciting.

During the times when either of you bring a partner home, it's borderline intoxicating. You can't begin to count the number of times you've looked out the window to see Jonathan roughly fisting himself as you're getting absolutely railed. It heightens every sensation to know he's watching you, wishing he was the man to make you scream. Hell, sometimes he even has his camera out, snapping photos of you in every compromising position imaginable. Photos he later develops and slips underneath your door for you, sometimes with suggestive notes, or photos of himself to compliment them.

You, on the other hand, like to play with yourself in bed when Jonathan brings a girl to his place. You copy the positions he puts her in, fucking yourself on the rubber rabbit while he steals greedy glances over at you. You cum at the same time every time he does this, due to him timing his thrusts and speed to what he knows gets you off. And he hasn't even been on the other side of your window to figure that out.

It's been going on for months now, and you swear you'll never get enough. This little unspoken arrangement you have is probably the healthiest relationship you've ever been in, and you aren't even actually dating. You barely ever even say a word to each other, and you're unbelievably happy. You get everything you want, without having to deal with the dramatic bullshit that comes from typical relationships. And tonight, it looks like you little voyeur friend has brought a pretty blonde home. All that's left to do now is get in position, and enjoy the show.

[luci4theminorannoyance]

how the 141 boys would propose:

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

a/n: hey everyone!! Sorry for not posting for two days- I got busy with end of semester work! And of course per usual my writing is gender neutral since I wrote this w/o a request

Gaz:

-he would wait till your anniversary when he has off duty, taking to you someplace calm and quiet like a cafe or a pretty sight like a lake

-THIS MAN LOVES BEING ROMANTIC. He literally dropped on one knee with the black ring box in his hand in a smooth (and most definitely rehearsed for hours) motion

-his hands were secretly shaking out of nervousness the whole time, even when you said yes and he only calmed down when you kissed him and pulled him to his feet

ghost:

-not planned at all, as soon as he got off from a very tiring and almost failed mission he dashed to you off the plane back home. Back where he was safe in your arms.

-dropped down to his knees in front of the whole airport, not caring who saw or what people thought

-as soon as you said yes he hugged you tightly, kissing with lip’s crashing against yours: the adrenaline from everything not yet leaving his body

Price:

-he had lived with you and been with you for quite a while before proposing, he truly wanted it to be as warm and Casual as possible.

-he proposed at a slow dance that was for a celebration for one of his completed missions, it wasn’t a large party and it was mostly the task-force as well as friends and such

-he stopped the music silently, pulling you slightly away from the dance floor and slipping the ring onto your finger and watching your eyes go wide in surprise

-for the rest of the party he was smiling like a child who just got a new gift, and nobody knew but you and of course laswell because she’s the one who walked him through it beforehand

soap:

-most casual out of all of them, a simple getting down on one knee and proposing to you at home. Where he’s safe. Where he truly can express his love for you in full.

-of course he planned it, he’s a demolition expert after all! Although price almost hit soap with a book when soap explained his original idea of proposing

-the idea of course being to ask you with one of those rental add planes…

[tanglepelt]

Dc x dp idea 53

Jazz leaves amity for college. She did all the application and stuff via tuckers computer. For some reason nothing was going through on hers.

Due to majority of her extracurricular activists not being sent thought she didn’t get accepted to her top choices. Ended up going to Gotham u.

Things don’t add up. Leaving was a big deal. Like she ended up just going in the middle of night. The roads were closed for “construction”. They were absolutely fine when she ignored the signs and drove.

It took her less then a 6 hours to figure out amity couldn’t be contacted. She tried calling Danny upon getting to Gotham. Nothing. Research, nothing. It’s like the town didn’t exist.

She does have a communicator from tucker. One of the multi dimensional ones. She gets ahold of them just to hear the chaos. There is a hunt for her. Lockdowns. The whole town is shutdown.

She didn’t inform her parents where she was going. They only insisted she goes to the university in town and nowhere else. That could be the issue. She is 18 but they are extra special.

Obviously she’s gonna head back. What else’s is she supposed to do. She had to go get her brother and his friends. Do something. Authorities in amity never cared why would any outside force care. To bad her car suddenly doesn’t work.

Leads to her walking at night. Her goal is to find a rental car place or bus that maybe would be open late.

She doesn’t find a car or anything. But does punch a would be mugger. That punch back home would have not knocked a person back 5 feet into a wall. Were people here just that weak.

This leads to some guy in cosplay called Batman. Which come on that name is just as bad as box ghost. Telling her it’s not safe in Gotham for metas.

Jazz just lectures him on how that not his decision. She is going to be attending college here after she figures out why her home town completely shut down. All when she left for college. Besides she’s not whatever a meta is.

Long story short. Batman now has to deal with two not-metas in Gotham. Plus a whole town that didn’t exist. Multiple arrest. Then a possibility of pissing off the afterlife.

[moonrkgk]

♡moving fundraiser!♡

HI HI it's me, moon!!

I'm moving!! (very far, much travel) and im starting a little fundraiser for it!

I'll be streaming more frequently the coming weeks to prepare, so consider coming and giving moral support! Or maybe picking up a commission. I want to ensure that i can still finish my work while also having ENOUGH work to meet my goals!

Goal A is just having enough to support myself while im there. I plan on renting a room (hey if youre a furry that doesnt mind a super quiet roommate with no pets/kids/spouse let me know! Lol). This loosely translates to i want at least 2 months of the average rent ive found for myself under this condition (since i will still be able to work and i will start looking for a job immediately.)

Goal B is ensuring i have funds for a moving truck or car rental. I don't own much, so i can keep travel light! Unfortunately not light enough to take a flight, but enough that i wont have to rent a box truck which cuts down on costs! Goal C is making sure i can afford at least one overnight stay along the way. Since i will be making the trip alone, i will likely need to stop to sleep at least once. Ive driven quite a ways before, but never a full 20 hours.

My total goal is $2,000. This should cover all my costs and needs as well as a little padding in case of emergency.

If you'd like to send me a tip to help out, you can throw some into my buymeacoffee!

If youd like to commission me instead and get some sweeet art in return, keep an eye on my twitter! (Most of my art is NSFW so thats the only place i can safely and reliably post it! Sorry about that.)

You can message me on discord for any inquiries! @ MOONRKGK

Hopefully everything can fall into place smoothly and there isnt anything im not forseeing. Moving means work, walkability, and general stability that i cant find here. I havent been able to find work in several years, the minimum wage is low, and its a multiple hours walk to the nearest store. ( Brutal when its 110 outside or below freezing like it often is here! ) I have to make change happen in my life if i expect anything to get better, so im putting my all into this one!

Thank you for reading, and thank you for any support tossed my way.

[ultramarine-spirit]

Ultramarine's Ridibooks Guide

A (hopefully) simple guide to how to use Ridibooks!

What is Ridibooks? Ridibooks is a website where you can read all kinds of webtoons, novels, and books in Korean. It also has an app (for mobile and PC)! Ridibooks has the advange compared to other similar platforms such as Kakao and Naver of not being region-locked, so it might be your only option to read some manhwas in Korean.

Is the site safe? Yep! It's one of the major manhwa platforms, and I've used it many times.

How do I use it? Firstly, you have to make an account (top-right corner of your screen, 👤 icon). I recommend using Chrome or other browsers with a MTL function, so the page is easier for you to navigate.

Buying manhwas and novels. I'll use WMMAP as an example! Search 어느 날 공주가 되어버렸다 (WMMAP in Korean). You'll see you have 4 options. Buying the manhwa per chapter (200 won for rental, 500 won for purchase), buying the manhwa per volume (7,500 won each), buying the novel per volume (2,310 won for rental, 3,300 won for purchase), and buying the novel per chapter (100 won each).

Let's say we want to buy the manhwa per chapter.

Once you click on that option for purchase, you'll see that the site gives you two options, renting a chapter (200 won) or purchasing a chapter (500 won). Choose accordingly to what you want, but be aware that the site checks the rental option by default! So you have to go to the "keep it" tab if you want to buy it.

Also, consider that WMMAP's chapters can be unlocked for free (1 each day, available to read for 3 days), excluding the last 10 chapters.

Ridi Cash. As most manhwa platforms, Ridibooks has its own currency, Ridi Cash (much like Tapas' ink or Tappytoon's points), that you need to buy to then purchase manhwas or novels. It's worth almost the same as won, but with a 3% accumulation rate. Selecting the "Ridi Cash" option in your user profile will allow you to recharge the currency.

There, you can choose how much you want to charge. It's likely that the only payment method available to you is an overseas credit card (any should work), so you'll have to check that box (also remember to check the purchase confirmation!).

After that, you just write your credit card information, and you should be ready to buy your favorite manhwa or novel! They'll be available for you to read in your library (top-right corner of your screen, 📚 icon).

[vintage-vaults-rent-a-box]

What is the best way to store a Rolex watch?

Ways to Store Your Rolex Watch

Introduction

In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the best practices for storing your precious Rolex watch to maintain its condition and value over time. Proper storage is essential for preserving the longevity and aesthetics of luxury timepieces like Rolex.

Choosing the Right Storage Method

Watch Box or Case

Investing in a high-quality watch box or case is paramount. Ensure it is specifically designed for luxury watches and features soft, non-abrasive interiors such as velvet or suede to prevent scratching.

Avoid Moisture and Humidity

Humidity can be detrimental to the internal mechanisms of your Rolex. Use desiccants like silica gel packs inside the storage box to absorb moisture and maintain ideal humidity levels.

Shield from Direct Sunlight

Prolonged exposure to sunlight can fade the dial and damage the materials of your Rolex. Store your watch in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight to preserve its original luster.

Regular Maintenance

Don't neglect regular maintenance. Periodically wind automatic watches to keep the movement lubricated and running smoothly. Consider servicing your Rolex every few years by a certified watchmaker.

Additional Tips for Storage

Store Separately

Avoid storing your Rolex alongside other jewelry or watches to prevent potential scratching or damage from contact.

Temperature Control

Maintain a consistent room temperature for storage, ideally between 50°F to 80°F (10°C to 27°C), to prevent thermal shock that can affect the watch's delicate components.

Use Protective Wraps

For additional protection during storage or travel, wrap your Rolex in a soft, lint-free cloth to prevent dust accumulation and minor abrasions. Lastly the Best way for your Rolex Storage is keep it in a safe Deposit Box

Conclusion

By following these meticulous storage practices, you can safeguard the pristine condition and value of your Rolex watch for years to come. Remember, proper storage is key to preserving the beauty and functionality of your cherished timepiece.

This comprehensive guide provides the essential steps to ensure your Rolex remains in optimal condition, surpassing the competition with expert advice on watch care and storage. Optimize your watch's longevity and value by implementing these best practices today.

[eliteseven]

I saw that you haven't figured out yet how baby Jen will be conceived. Given that in the DnD world you can change your sex with a spell and there are probably other ways like through magical means, I personally was thinking of something similar to the astral romance scene with Gale, but instead of multiple Serena's it would be something else that comes to light through magic if you catch my drift. The problem with this is they would need help with this kind of magic or maybe through Selûne...

There are multiple Gales in his romance scene!!? We were STIFFED!!!!

I see what you mean!! Selûne blessing them with the rental equipment 😭 she’s so generous

🤔 Well, given that Serena first learns of this baby’s (potential) existence in her Shar-induced terrors (Shar probes Serena’s memories and unfortunately…they did discuss wanting a child right before she was taken💀), it’s safe to say Shar & Selûne are involved in this baby’s extent to a certain degree. And…probably fighting over her, later on.

It makes sense Selûne would sponsor this baby 😅 she’ll put that moon magic to good use, I’m sure.

Now, we have options. I *think* I want her conception to be intentional, via a special Selûnite strap™️ , or a spell like you mentioned!!! It would be a good mix of comical (Serena would need a sec to…adjust lol) and then…well, hot.

BUT there’s also good novelty in Shadowheart just…kinda realizing she might be with child one day lmao. I haven’t decided- we could put it to a vote, but if the copious smut requests in the suggestion box are any indication, it’ll probably be the former.

[flashphotograph]

Can I Keep It?

@spicycinnabun and I's contribution to steddiebang 2023! ❤️️ | Chapters: 2/12 | Rating: M | Read, kudos or comment on ao3 | We have a playlist. ❤️️ | Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Chapter 2: Stupid Hunk

The early afternoon at Family Video was so boring. No one was coming in to rent or return movies. Steve had finished all the grunt work. Rentals that came back that morning were rewound if the customer hadn’t done it already. Everything had been put back in its place, and he had straightened up the store.

Usually, Steve enjoyed the free time getting paid to do nothing, but he was feeling listless about work and his love life.

Now, he was just leaning against the counter, playing with Eddie’s skull ring. He had been keeping it under the counter for when Eddie came back to return A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge or if he saw Dustin.

Steve found it fit perfectly on his ring finger and considered not giving it back.

He had a date tonight. He was taking Brenda to the basketball game. He wasn’t sure about her. She was gorgeous but even denser than him. Maybe it was the blonde box dye that had fried her brain.

The game was almost more exciting than the prospect of getting laid. He’d totally fucked up the year before and had lost state for Hawkins. It had been the cherry on top of not getting into college. Steve was looking forward to redemption for the team and a win for Sinclair.

When the phone rang, Steve answered it within a few rings. It was Dustin wanting him to come play D&D. Yeah, right. He would never socially recover from that.

Steve looked at the ring, spinning it around with his thumb. It chafed a little that Dustin thought he was jealous of Eddie. He absolutely was not. “I’m not cancelling my date with Bombshell Brenda. Sorry, Dustin. You and the freak can have fun without me.”

Steve was relieved when two hot customers walked in, giving him a reason to hang up.

Eddie sat on the bus. It was the last one running, and nobody else was on it except himself and the bus driver. He’d abandoned his van back at the trailer—too conspicuous. What happened was fucked. It was so fucked.

He made a noise of distress, picking his feet up off the ground and curling up into as small a ball as possible on the dirty carpeted seat. His eyes went glassy, locked wide in fright. The driver gave him a wary glance from his rearview mirror.

Twenty minutes later, Eddie had barely moved. The bus lurched to a stop, and the driver cleared his throat. “End of the line,” he said.

A few seconds passed. There was no motion from the back.

“Hey!” he said louder. “I said end of the line. You gotta get off, kid.”

That jolted Eddie. He stood on wooden legs and stumbled to the side door, pushing it open and stepping outside. The doors hissed closed, and the bus chugged away and turned around the corner, leaving him alone on the barren road.

There were no streetlights here. Nobody was around.

Eddie started walking briskly, glancing over his shoulder constantly.

When he reached a fork in the road, he stopped and stared into the depths of the woods. Cutting through it was the closest way to his dealer’s house. It was the only place he could go that he knew would be safe from the cops, who would no doubt be coming after him for the fucking death of Chrissy Cunningham. He didn’t know if it would be safe from whatever the fuck had attacked Chrissy.

Eddie stepped off the road and onto the dirt with a trembling breath.

The branches of the trees were long, spindly, and black. He should have heard the rustle of animals scurrying around and insects buzzing. He should have heard the wind off the lake. It was too quiet and too still. He could only hear his breath and the soft whimpers rising from his throat that he couldn’t control.

He started to run. He ran faster than he ever had before. He ran like somebody was chasing him because it felt that way. It felt like he was being watched, hunted.

His lungs gave out long before he did. Eddie was dripping sweat and heaving when he finally reached Rick’s place. The security light was on and casting a cold glow on the ground that wasn’t very welcoming, but at least he was out of the dark.

Eddie didn’t have a key to Rick’s house, and he didn’t want to break in and leave evidence that he was there or risk someone seeing him. A key to the boathouse was hidden in a flowerpot on the back windowsill. Eddie went around, grabbed it and jammed it in the door, having to try three times before he unlocked it because his hands were shaking so badly.

There was no light inside, except for the scant amount coming from the windows and the moon off the lake. Eddie whimpered again, every creak in the floor and every shadow on the walls making him jump.

“Fucking relax, you coward,” he said hoarsely. The volume of his voice almost made him jump, too.

Miracle of all miracles, he found a case of beer on one of the shelves. He drank two of them. It didn’t do much to calm him. Mostly, it just made him feel nauseous and dizzy.

He still saw Chrissy’s body levitating in the air, her bones cracking to unnatural angles, her eyes sucking back into the caverns of her skull.

Eddie climbed into the boat and curled up under the blue tarp, scrunching his eyes shut as he tried to force the images away. The tarp made crinkling noises as he continued to shake, but eventually, his breath slowed. The adrenaline crash hit him, and he passed out.

But he wasn’t out for long, plagued by nightmares that made him toss and turn in the boat, getting twisted up in the tarp. The third time he woke up screaming, he stopped trying to sleep.

Eddie didn’t do much of anything when morning came. He tried to calm himself by going outside and sitting on the dock. It was a sweet relief to feel the warmth and safety of the daylight, but since it was the weekend, there were people out boating, and he had to retreat to the darkness.

He looked through Rick’s things and took an inventory of everything there. Most of it was junk and fishing gear, but there was a first aid kit and some old food in a cooler he could survive on. He couldn’t risk going to a store. He should have packed a backpack, but he hadn’t prepared anything. All he did was run. All he did was leave Chrissy.

Eddie hacked open a can of expired SpaghettiOs when his stomach started cramping, scarfing them down ravenously and cutting his tongue on the jagged tin. He devoured a Big Hunk bar, saving the other two for later like they were precious gems.

Looking at them reminded him of the video store and Steve. To think, he had been worried about finishing his trig homework. When now… now , look where he was. Eddie buried his face in his hands with a hysterical laugh.

That night, Eddie started hallucinating. The isolation was getting to him.

Chrissy’s deformed body kept manifesting in different places. Once on the ceiling, another time in the boat with him under the tarp, and another time while he was outside taking a piss. She tried to talk to him, but her jaw was broken, so it came out like a long, guttural groan. Eddie had never started sobbing with his dick in his hand before. That was a first he wished never to repeat.

When the sun went down and the darkness hit yet again, Eddie was so delirious he could barely differentiate the floor from the ceiling. He heard voices yelling outside.

They sounded, strangely, like his Hellfire Club gang. That sounded like Dustin’s voice. But that couldn’t be. It was a trick. It wasn't real.

Eddie broke one of his empty beer bottles on the side of the boat and then jumped into it, hiding under the tarp.

So, not only had Steve’s date been a total flop, but he’d been roped into going to Lover’s Lake and aiding in the search and rescue mission of Eddie Munson.

He wasn’t sure that Eddie was innocent in all of this. Of course, Steve believed in all that constitutional shit—innocent until proven guilty—but the freak thing he couldn’t shake despite Eddie’s sweetness and sweet tooth he had witnessed the other night in the store.

Still, he didn’t put up too much of a fight. He’d help. He always helped.

When they arrived at the boat house on Lover’s Lake, Dustin rang the doorbell in quick succession. Steve was more than willing to walk away when they didn't get an answer—mainly because it was super spooky, and it felt like they shouldn’t be there.

Dustin wasn’t willing to give up that easily.

Something was trying to get Eddie. Poking, prodding—one smack would have landed right on the family jewels had it been just an inch to the left. Eddie remained silent as the voices continued. They changed to a buzzing drone that grew louder and louder in his ears.

The poking stopped.

Mustering a burst of courage, Eddie sprang out of the boat and backed his attacker up against the wall, shoving him there and pressing the jagged glass to his throat.

Steve couldn’t feel the pain. He was too frightened. He tried not to breathe because the broken glass was too close. His eyes were wide as he watched Eddie. Eddie tightened his grip, which scared him more, and it got harder for him to breathe. He couldn’t believe Eddie was about to stab him in the throat.

One second, Eddie was holding what seemed to be a normal person, then it was Chrissy and her black hole eyes, and then some indiscernible creature barring its teeth at him. He pressed the edges of the bottle harder against its neck until Dustin convinced him they were who they said they were.

A scent invaded Eddie’s nose. He smelled… coconut?

Everything came into better focus, along with the frightened expression on Steve’s face. Chrissy and the monster temporarily vanished. Eddie could feel the frantic pulse beating away in Steve’s neck under his fingers, but he was still suspicious and let them all know it.

It took some more convincing from Dustin, Robin, Steve, and the redhead, Max, whom Eddie recognized as Billy Hargrove’s sister, who had moved in next to them with her mom after Billy died in the mall fire.

Finally, Eddie let go.

He slowly slid down the wall. His hands were trembling again. Dustin reached out to take the bottle from him, face morphing into something sinister. Eddie flinched as it quickly disappeared, and he was just Dustin again, the goofy, smartass little sheep Eddie had herded into his D&D club.

Steve stuck his hand in his jacket pocket and gently thumbed Eddie’s ring, trying to calm down after all that. He didn’t feel like giving the ring back anymore. If Eddie knew he had it, there was a possibility he could think Steve had stolen it. Then maybe he actually would kill him.

Eventually, Steve calmed as the others got Eddie to tell them what had happened.

Eddie tried not to cry as he attempted to keep his fragile hold on reality. There was no way they'd believe him if he told them the truth. They would probably pretend they did, and then, as soon as they had his guard down, they would knock him out and take him straight to the police station.

His eyes went glassy again as he started telling them everything. Even the part where he was a fucking coward who ran.

Then he learned about the Upside Down.

Monsters were real. Monsters were actually real, and they were way less cool than they should have been. Eddie was still trying to wrap his head around it while the three questioned him.

Robin was watching him closely, and Eddie felt exposed. He had a real-life encounter with something otherworldly, and “run” had been his final choice. He’d failed, and the princess had died.

Nearly getting his throat slashed had shaken Steve up. After a little while, he felt grounded again. Especially once he heard what happened to Chrissy. He kept his arms crossed as he watched Eddie and listened to him tell them what happened.

It was harder to hear than he expected. What Eddie witnessed was brutal. There was literally nothing he could’ve done about it. He knew if it sounded this awful, seeing it in person must have been terrifying. Steve didn’t understand why Eddie was beating himself up for leaving her there. He didn’t know what it was, what it was capable of or if it was coming for him next.

That didn’t change the fact that he was suspect number one. Steve was glad they didn’t bring the police into this, even though he had suggested it earlier.

The sting of Dustin favoring Eddie over him lingered from earlier, but Steve chilled out. While it seemed like and felt like Eddie was going to kill him, he hadn’t, and he wouldn’t have killed Chrissy. He had been scared and was too sweet… like the candy he’d bought at the video store the other night. It was clear the Upside Down had gotten to her somehow in the form of a killer monster.

Now that they had found Eddie and figured out what had happened to Chrissy, they could make a plan. Unfortunately for Steve, the first plan involved babysitting, and this time, it wasn’t the kids.

They were leaving when Dustin asked Steve to stay with Eddie. “If I can’t stay, you should. Seriously though, fuck this. Mom will be fine. She won’t worry if I don’t come home for one measly night.”

That was a lie, and his shifty eyes said it all.

“Dustin, look, man… Eddie is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He has a weapon that he almost slit my throat with, remember? You think he needs a babysitter?” Steve shook his head. Technically, he was already babysitting Dustin and Max. He had to make sure they got home safe with this Vecna creep going around breaking people’s bones and killing them. “We can come back tomorrow. We’ll bring him some stuff he needs, like food and water. He can’t live off beer for long. Plus, we’re the only ones that know he’s here. He’s safe for now.”

Dustin accepted his no since Steve promised they’d come back. Part of Steve did feel bad for Eddie.

Eddie’s cheeks burnt as he overheard their conversation through the open door.

While he appreciated that Steve had saved face for him, it was humiliating for Dustin to suggest it. For a kid to think someone younger than him needed to keep watch over him. Babysitter? Fuck. Even worse, Eddie’s heart was pounding again, and his breath quickened because he was about to be alone again.

Robin was still watching him with her observant owl eyes. When he looked at her, she handed him her flashlight with a sympathetic smile before joining the group outside. Eddie clutched it too tightly and gave her a half-hearted salute, grateful for the small comfort.

After the door shut, he heard the engine rumble as the car started and the quiet as the noise moved further and further away.

“Don’t,” he told his tear ducts fiercely because they were welling up again. “Don’t you fucking dare.”

This was all just… way too fucking much.

Eddie returned to the boat with the flashlight, sitting cross-legged with it in his lap for a few long minutes as he got his sniffles under control. The flashlight flickered, making his heart flutter, but it stayed on after he smacked the base violently with his palm.

Steve seemed like a brave dude. Braver than him, at least, to have been dealing with this other world for so long, these real-life fucking monsters, all while he lived his everyday life and worked at the video store. He was more than just the vain bully of a jock Eddie had pegged him as. Maybe. He bet Steve wouldn’t have let Chrissy get put under a curse. He would have done something to stop that from happening to her.

Eddie picked up a Big Hunk bar and opened it, drowning his feelings in corn syrup and peanuts. “Stupid hunk,” he muttered, taking a big bite, “being all hunky and brave.”

Eddie finished the bar, throwing the wrapper overboard. His head suddenly dipped as exhaustion hit him. He was close to tipping over when he caught himself and cursed, forcing his eyes back open as the boat swayed on its chains.

He wondered if Steve would have stayed and kept him company if Eddie hadn’t almost killed him. It had been an accident, but he hadn’t apologized. Shit.

The next time Eddie’s head dipped, he fell back and let sleep take him.

Eddie jerked awake to noise from outside. He vaulted out of the boat, bottleneck clutched in his fist as he peered out the window, panting with adrenaline. It was light out again, so he had actually gotten some sleep, but he wasn’t focused on that. Someone or some thing was there. The floorboards creaked.

Or not.

His heart had barely slowed before the door clanged open, revealing Dustin, Steve, Robin and Max.

Eddie’s shoulders slumped. He glared balefully at them, but it didn’t last long because he was glad to see them. “Knock next time, or I won’t be tipping,” he told Dustin.

“Uh, I’ve earned a tip for stellar customer service with a smile, thank you. No take-backsies.”

Eddie cleared his throat as the munchkins started unloading the grocery bags and making themselves comfortable. He set down the broken bottle. Robin leaned against a steel shelf and looked out at the water, which was peacefully still without any wind.

Max opened a bag of chips, and Dustin scolded her as she shoved a handful in her mouth. “Those are for Eddie ,” he said, way too overprotectively if everyone’s expressions were anything to go by.

Max shrugged. “Eddie can share.”

“Course I can. I’m not a chip hog. Unless those are Bugles,” said Eddie. Putting Bugles on his fingers like claws was always a tasty and perfectly on-theme accessory for Hellfire nights.

Fuck, was he ever going to have one of those again?

"We got Buges!" Dustin said. He was already helping himself to the chips, arm stuck in the bag, while Max rolled her eyes at him.

Eddie was hungry, but there was something he had to do first. He reached into his pocket, sweaty hand wrapping around the wrapper of his last Big Hunk bar. It turned out the information he’d filed away about Steve liking them would come in handy now. Hopefully.

He nodded at Steve, stepping towards him while everyone was all distracted. He held the bar out as a peace offering. “Hey, dude, um. I’m sorry about last night. You know, the whole…” he trailed off, motioning towards Steve’s throat with his other hand.

Steve wasn’t expecting an apology from Eddie. Nearly getting attacked had left him full of adrenaline after he’d gotten home. It had taken a while to wind down and fall asleep, especially after Eddie had horrifyingly recalled what had happened to Chrissy. Steve hadn’t known what Eddie was capable of until he had been in the thick of it. Eddie was strong and very threatening. Getting an apology made Steve confident that Eddie didn’t have it in him to physically harm him or anyone else. He was probably all bark and no bite.

As Steve listened, he smiled a bit, remembering it almost fondly as he lightly touched his throat. He looked down as the apology hit him and made him bashful that he was even getting one.

“I was kinda worked up. Hadn’t slept much since Friday. Which is still not really an excuse, I know,” Eddie rambled, “So, just—”

This was going swell.

Steve gave a casual shrug of his shoulders and then looked back up to catch Eddie’s eyes.

“Sorry,” Eddie repeated, clapping Steve on the shoulder and giving it a warm squeeze.

It felt like Eddie was looking directly into his soul. Their eyes connected for an abnormally long beat. The intensity made Steve’s eyes drop to Eddie’s lips, and he immediately felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise just like they had when Eddie had the bottle to his throat.

Eddie’s stomach stole the show by rumbling like an angry bear, interrupting Steve’s weird physical reaction to the apology and touch. Steve nodded, understanding. “It’s cool,” he said, brushing it off. He had been over it after Eddie told them about Chrissy, anyway.

Eddie nodded, annoyed at his stomach for no discernable reason. Steve had accepted his Big Hunk and his apology.

Moving away, Eddie sat down and started ripping open the bag of cereal. The smell of the Honeycombs invaded his nose. He was shovelling them into his mouth between sips of sugary sweet Yoo-hoo when Dustin told him the bad news. He always went with the bad news first.

It didn’t surprise him that the police were looking for him and that he was the only suspect, but his lips still trembled, and his appetite vanished, a nauseous feeling replacing it.

The entire town would be lighting their torches and sharpening their pitchforks. Many people already had a problem with him, especially the members of the church, so hunting him down was going to be like Christmas morning for them. He didn’t see any way this could end well for him.

That was until Robin informed him that this wasn’t their first otherworldly rodeo. They had been through this kind of shit before.

Eddie glanced at everyone in the room, lingering on Steve until he nodded in confirmation.

Eddie's eyes bulged as they tried unsuccessfully to reassure him, and his eyebrows lifted. Jesus Christ. Right, there was nothing to worry about. Nothing whatsoever. And a girl with superpowers, so what? That was totally normal.

Sirens sounded nearby, making them all go on high alert.

“Tarp!” said Robin urgently. “Tarp, tarp!”

Eddie ducked under it, pulling it over himself. He clenched his eyes shut as they waited and whispered the chorus of Leper Messiah to calm his racing heart. “Time for lust, time for lie. Time to kiss your life goodbye...”

Fuck, this was it. He was going straight to the big house. He would be reunited with his dear old man, who would be thrilled to see him, especially after their last conversation where Eddie told him about his big plans. About how he was really going to buckle down, graduate school this year, and get his diploma. Hell, maybe even get into a college.

Dad had laughed his ass off, sporting a wide grin through the plexiglass. " You really think you can get into one of those smarty-pants schools?"

It was said with affection, which made it hurt even more.

Steve followed the others to the window as soon as Eddie was out of sight. He hung back slightly. They watched the cops speed right past the boathouse.

Once the sirens dissipated, Steve felt a slight sense of relief. Eddie was still wanted, but at least they wouldn’t have the police snooping around with him only hidden under a tarp. It was the most obvious hiding place. When Steve originally started poking around with the oar, it was clear to him then. Not only that, but Eddie’s broken bottle was no match for a policeman’s gun.

It was only a matter of time before someone else figured out he was hiding here at Reefer Rick’s. They had to prove Eddie’s innocence sooner rather than later. While Dustin made it sound totally plausible, they had a lot of work to do.

“They’re gone. For now,” Steve said, grabbing the top of the tarp. He pulled it back just enough to free Eddie’s face. He still looked terrified. That made him feel bad. Steve didn’t want to leave him here all alone again, so he thought quickly.

“We need to get you out of here,” he told Eddie. Steve’s house was in the direction of where the police were going. No one would expect Eddie to be there. “We’re going to take you to my house. My room is in the basement. My dad is out of town, and my mom is probably passed out on the couch. It’ll be easy to sneak you in. I do it all the time with my dates. What do you say?” Steve thought it was a pretty good idea.

Robin’s eyebrows slowly climbed into her hair. She gave Steve a peculiar look, unseen by Eddie.

Eddie’s brain was now short-circuiting from a completely different reason other than fear. Not even in his wildest dreams would he think he would be offered shelter from Steve Harrington. At the very most, he should have been offering Eddie a hiding place in his dusty pool shed or something—not in his very own, very personal bedroom in his basement.

Eddie’s stomach was unexpectedly flipping the fuck out as he looked up into Steve’s, also unexpectedly, kind brown eyes. “Um…I…are you—”

—really sure you want me there? He didn’t get to say because Dustin interrupted him, slapping Steve on the shoulder. “Great idea, Steve! Then we won’t have to ride out so long to bring him things.”

Robin’s eyebrows said it all. What was Steve thinking? She was surprised. Steve was, too. He had just invited Eddie to stay at his house… in his room.

Whatever, it wasn’t that big of a deal. And there was no taking it back now.

“Can we leave now?” Max asked. She was rubbing her temple, her forehead creasing like she was in pain.

Steve looked at Max. She had really been worrying him. It sounded like whatever had gotten Chrissy was after her now, too.

Eddie sat up quickly, moving the tarp off himself and jumping out of the boat so he didn’t miss his ride out of there. “Well, I’m not going to miss that thing one bit,” he said honestly. Anything would be an upgrade from the boat.

His mind was already off to the races. What would Steve’s bed be like? Hard? Pillowy soft? Would Eddie be sleeping on the floor? Maybe Steve had a couch in his bedroom. Rich people had other furniture in their bedrooms, right? Why would Steve’s mom be passed out in the middle of the day? How many dates did Steve sneak into his bedroom on a weekly basis? Why was Steve doing this for him?

Steve nodded, “Alright, let’s go. The quicker we get Eddie to my house, the quicker we can find out what the police are after.”

Steve led the way out of the boathouse. He got in the car first and waited for everyone else to pile in before starting it. As he backed up, he caught a glimpse of Eddie in his rearview mirror. He seemed less rattled, which made Steve feel better about his decision

[creations-by-chaosfay]

OMG SO, I might get a little emotional and ramble with this but it's all good things to say about @creations-by-chaosfay

So this piece is in my home now. This picture is by chaosfay, mostly since she has better lighting than I do aaaaaaand I moved and this piece is with the precious decorations in a box that I won't risk in this shorter term for my life rental unit.

I knew I wanted to honor with pieces by fellow crafter/artist/artisans when my big parrot, Boris, reached the end of his life with me. He was a goofy football sized bird, bigger than most jardines (the owner of the local bird store where I voluniand adopted this old boy from and I theorized he was of the "greater jardine" subtype of the three jar subtypes, less often seen in the pet trade around here, the other two subtypes being smaller, the "lesser Jardine" and the "blackwing Jardine" but that's just me being bird nerdy XD) and very much my big boy feather kiddo.

Chaosfay did such an amazing job working with his image, his colors, his energy in general! And I adore this piece and am keeping it safe till I settle into a longer term home for myself. Then this piece will be a prominent part of his shrine area along with his dropped feather jar, the jar of his ashes, a custom hand spun, hand crocheted piece I made in his colors and rotating offerings of what were his favorite types in life. Chaosfay was utterly wonderful to work with and her work is stellar as always. She has such an eye for color and detail that I, as a fellow artist/crafter suuuuuper appreciate seeing! Especially since my sewing and quilting skills are nowhere near as precise as hers, I'm just starting my quilting journey and honestly I wouldn't have undertaken my current quilt project without her words of advice and what information I've learned by following her work over the years I've known her. This is not the only piece I have from her but it is the biggest and what my amazed eyes see as the furthest from my own technical skills and abilities so I'm always amazed. I've also gotten some adorable mug rugs in a few different sizes and the cutest quilted magnets. One of the mug rugs even got a corner chewed up by a certain mischief filled pup I used to live with and as soon as I sewed the little hole that the dog made closed again? It still works great as a mug rug and I never stopped using it XD

Even when I can't purchase anything from her, chaosfay's Tumblr blog and everything she posts are beautiful to behold. I've always loved and been impressed by her eye for color and color pairing and how to make the gorgeous fabrics and delightful prints she finds work beautifully together. Myself? I'm a chaos gremlin when it comes to fabric pairing and matching, which is why my quilt coming along is VERY scrappy and pieced with utter chaos. If you want something quilted that is polished and beautiful or purposefully whimsical and fun you should definitely go to chaosfay. Her skill in all areas of quilting is unlike anything I've seen elsewhere and her art is a joy to own.

[alpineshift]

Hello! My end of week plans have been ruined by non-stop rain & localised flooding 😭 (everyone is safe, the dog is mad I won’t let him out to splash in the newly formed lake in our yard) if you are still doing the prompts, please could I request number 17 - dewy meadow perfect for a picnic, but much like here, it’s pouring with rain & we have some very wet, bedraggled, throughly unhappy hockeys?

Thanks for all the stories so far!

oh no I'm sorry to hear about your plans 😢 I hope the rain lets up! I'm glad you're all safe!

#17 is yours ❤️

[17] a dewy meadow perfect for a picnic (except it's not anymore)

"Well. I don't think we can do a picnic anymore."

It's worse than the weather forecast had predicted. Nico had been particularly agitated by the storm overnight, pacing back and forth until Jack had called him to bed. And now, he's standing under the awning of the porch outside, expression faintly devastated by the ongoing inclement weather.

Jack walked up behind his boyfriend and rubs his back soothingly; Nico had been so excited about this trip, eager to organize their picnic after Jack had looked through the rental property photos and mentioned how beautiful the nearby meadow was. Now, he's looking like someone's just canceled the hockey season again.

"It's okay, babe, I'm sure there's other things we could do--"

Of course, that's when they hear the short bark, a bang as the screen door flies open, and see Rosie shooting off into the rain, paws splashing through the puddles and mud as she makes a break for it.

Jack has never run faster in his life.

Two soaked outfits, a very zoomie'd out dog, and a long, hot shower later, Jack's finally plodding back into the main area of the cottage, drying his damp hair, dressed down comfortably in sweat pants and Nico's long sleeve.

He feels awful; he's the one who didn't latch the door shut properly and they'd returned looking like drowned rats, but Nico hadn't even gotten mad--just sighed fondly at their mischievous dog after they'd washed and dried her, pecked Jack on the lips and let him take a shower in the master suite while he used the downstairs bathroom.

"Neeks?" Jack calls. "Babe? Are you done showering?"

"Yeah--over here, Jack."

He's in the den, and Jack happily heads that way, a suggestion for a movie and popcorn on his lips, only for the words to vanish and his jaw to drop when he enters the sitting area.

Nico's rearranged the entire place, clearing the floor for their picnic blanket, sitting cushions, and all the food, including two bubbling glasses of champagne. The lamps are dimmed and there are fairy lights strung up, glowing warmly. Rosie is sitting dutifully on one of the cushions, her tongue lolling happily as she smiles up at Jack, wearing a very cute red ribbon around her neck.

Nico's at the edge of the picnic blanket, and he's down on one knee with a little velvet box in hand.

Jack drops the towel. "Oh my god," he says faintly.

"Surprise," Nico manages, a grinning shyly up at him. "So, uh, this isn't a picnic in the meadow that you liked, but I figured we could make the most of it. I had a whole speech planned and it was very cliched and you would've called me cheesy, but I think the universe has a different plan for us."

"Oh my god," Jack repeats. "Is this why you were so upset about the rain?"

"Partly," Nico admits. "But honestly--I don't think it matters anymore. Life is kind of crazy and things can go sideways so fast and dogs can just run outside before you can stop them, but if anything, today's just proved that being with you makes it all easier, rain or shine. And I hope that we'll have that with each other forever."

He takes a deep breath and cracks open the lid; the ring inside is so handsome, so elegant, so perfect. "I love you so much, Jack," Nico starts, a faint tremble in his voice. "Will you--"

He doesn't even get to finish. Jack is already tackling him into the cushions, shouting his yes in delight, feeling Nico exhale in relief and hug him back and laugh happily into the curve of his neck. Rosie immediately leaps over them, wriggling excitedly into their arms, and Jack can't think of a better surprise to turn the gloomy grey day around.

"I love you, babe," he whispers back, curling into Nico's warm, adoring hold. "I love you so much too."

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

We have car chase QUESTIONS!🧐

Meghan SMOLLETT's security team flagged down a random taxi cab outside of a Hertz Rental Car storefront.

The driver picked up the 3 Meghans and 1 security guy, drove them around the block for 10 minutes, then dropped them off---- back at the same Hertz storefront where he was flagged down for the pickup. $50 for a 10 minute chase.

1-What disappointing news were they reading on Doria's phone BEFORE the hoax?

2-Maybe they saw The Princess of Wales was (still) TRENDING while The Meghans were the laughing stock in a Hertz dress?

3-Do they look worried about SECURITY? The Meghans arranged for the paparazzi to gather outside of the Hertz storefront and the photographers were planning to follow them out for dinner.

4-Why did they irresponsibly walk through the photographers via the street level exit instead of the Hertz garage?

They have been teasing the public with a car crash scene since megflix.

4-At what point during this enjoyable paparazzi frenzy did they initiate the Operation Paparazzi Chase Hoax?

5-What security team would irresponsibly assign his charges to some random bright yellow NYC taxi cab in an attempt to shake off the paparazzi?

In Megflix Meghan said "safety first." She mentioned driving into a garage to avoid the invisible paparazzi.

6-So why did they seek safety in a strange vehicle instead of the Heartz garage?

The Meghans used their histrionic press release to shut down the distribution of the taxi cab photos and video footage. They claimed the photos were obtained under duress yet the driver disputes those claims.

7-So what is the real reason?

8-If they are comfortable riding in random NYC taxi cabs (with the window rolled down) then why on earth should ANY government fund the cost of their security?

9-The freelance photographers told Backgrid that 1 SUV in their convoy was recklessly driving. Was that before or after the taxi cab ride?

10-In megflix, the Meghans used video footage that violated Diana's privacy, Catherine's privacy and others. Their law suits resurrected footage that violates Chelsey Davey's privacy. It has even opened the floodgates for their suckit squad to harass Chesley online.

They dont really care about privacy rights, they care about manipulating facts to manufacture THEIR TRUTH.

No way would they give a random driver their lodging location.

11-What was the point of the 10 min trip around the block? Were they strategizing next steps?

12-What happened in 10 min around the block that made it "safe" to transfer from a strange taxi back to their SUV?

13-Where were their dinner reservations and for what time?

14-We know Meghan is capable of falling apart with tears from 1 or both eyes, so what's with her post-taxi cab facial expression?

The actress is not frightened or upset. She looks like someone searching for a rock that she can crawl underneath.

A walk of shame before an alleged 15 minute pit stop at a local NYPD station where no police report was filed. They basically stopped to get directions🤡

This seems like a psychological operation gone wrong. It reminds me of the day Meghan arranged for paparazzi to snap photos of her sitting with Ralph Lauren models (talking to the air) amongst Cressida and other members of the "glossy posse" at Wimbledon. The same week in 2016 that they want us to believe she was first introduced to Harry by Violet.

Unfortunately for her, she was assigned to the wrong seat but because she had arranged to be photographed, we were gifted with photos of her showing her complimentary ticket and angrily playing musical chairs because she was in the wrong seat.

We watched Meghan contact Serena's team (Jill Smoller) who allowed her to join them in the family box with Anna Wintour who offered her a sweater (she appeared cold wearing black SUEDE in July to advertise the off season RL dress).

My point---The Meghans arranged for the paparazzi frenzy but it backfired. The taxi cab photos and video footage expose them as liars and hoaxers.

They didn't file a police report or press charges against the big bad paparazzi.

15-Did they stop by the police precinct for damage control?

Was it a way to temporarily legitimize their hoax, thereby affording them enough time to make the front pages of the UK papers they claim to loathe?

The digital imprint and permanent digital search engines will be VICTIM Meghan in the ugly Hertz dress. Any criticism of her appearance, participation trophies or hoax is harassment because the papers were bullied (using of the "Diana Card") into printing the 1st side of the story.

"The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him." // "The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him." Proverbs 18:17

Let's see how they spin themselves out of this web of lies.

By the way, Sunshine Sachs represents Jussie Smollett and Tyler Perry bailed him out of jail and flew him out of Chicago to LA. Just sayin'.