#siding renovations

[halifaxwebdesign]

Best Kind Siding Renovations Halifax NS

Best Kind Exterior Renovations is the number one siding contractor serving homeowners and businesses in Lower Sackville and Halifax.

We provide safe, beautiful, energy-efficient siding for homeowners thanks to many years of experience and unmatched skills.

From your home’s foundation to the siding and more, our professional team of exterior renovations services in Halifax and Sackville NS will give your space the beauty and durability it truly deserves.

Exterior Siding Renovations

Contact Best Kind Siding Renovation Services in Halifax and Sackville, Nova Scotia today!

In Halifax or Sackville Nova Scotia, your home’s siding is a very important part of it’s overall construction, mostly for it’s ability to protect your home from the elements as well as it aesthetic value.

Thankfully these days there are many varieties of siding to choose from. So when it comes to choosing the right siding, no one size fits all homeowners.

Budget is usually the deciding factor when it comes down to the final decision on which type of exterior siding to use for your home. So our suggestion is to speak to one of our siding professionals to narrow your choices.

Vinyl siding is the pretty much the number one residential siding choice in Canada. It is affordable, easy to install, and lasts from 25-30 years on average.

Other types of siding would be wood siding, Stucco & EIFS Siding, Masonry Exterior Siding, Metal Siding, and Fiber Cement Exterior Siding to name a few.

Soffit and fascia

Our team of Soffit and Fascia installers provides home owners in Halifax with professional, reliable, and affordable Soffit and Fascia installs.

We also do eaves-trough repair, replacement and installation services of any siding needs.

The soffit and fascia components play an important role in the integrity of a home.

Get a Quote!

Call to have our qualified siding installers  in Halifax come to your location and give you an in-person quote for any soffit and fascia installation or repair work 902-292-7616.

Best Kind Home Exterior Renovations in Halifax NS bring you quality workmanship, amazing customer support, and on-time services, all at affordable prices.

Owner Mark Labrie has over 40+ years of exterior product experience. His focus is on your utmost needs, quality services, efficiency, and open communication.

Free Consultation

To schedule a FREE Consultation for your siding replacement or exterior maintenance services in Lower Sackville or Halifax, contact us now 902-292-7616.

[sforzesco]

decimus wanted to wind cassius up a bit just to see how he would snap

uhhh. what else. you know!! caesar was collecting (and discarding) a new generation of romans, operating a new kind of roman imperium. political manipulation. "good" governance. conspiracies are forming in reply.

the collage art is all public domain/open access stuff from the met collections!

[toyastales]

A kitchen embedded in a rocky cliff

[ghoul-foolery]

Dirty Windows | 25

Hancock x Nora - A Fallout 4 Soulmate AU

//

Fic Summary:

Hancock never thought he would find his soulmate. Once a common occurrence, soulmates turned into a bit of a rarity after the bombs dropped. It was to be expected when there was an influx of people getting shot in the face on a daily basis. So when Hancock discovered that he had a soulmate he was ecstatic; all of the people in the Commonwealth, and he was one of the lucky few.

Too bad his soulmate didn't want anything to do with him.

// TW: Mentions of sex trafficking

[ 1 ] <- [ 20 ] [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] [ 24 ] - [ 26 ]

//

Hunting down this piece of shit trafficker guy involved too much cloak and dagger shit, and Hancock was getting borderline sick of it. It was the waiting that got him. Every day he was forced to sit and wait was another day these fucking degenerates had the chance to hurt someone in too many terrible ways. While he wanted to tackle this thing shotgun first it would mean nothing if he couldn’t stop the shit from happening again. Cut the head off of the snake and the body would follow. 

So he’d force himself to wait around for things to fall into place. 

MacCready knocked his job and got to Nora far faster than he’d anticipated, which was a damn gift. While he wanted to head to Bunker Hill immediately, he forced himself to wait a couple days. It was a little bit of time for Nora and MacCready to get to know one another, a little time to steel his nerves and make what he hoped would be his final move against Cecil the skin trader. Nora having an expert gun at her side gave him the comfort he needed to push forward with his plan.

Two whole days after MacCready arrived at the Slog Hancock got Fahrenheit to agree to babysit Goodneighbor, and he set out for Bunker Hill. 

The Hancock clothes were swapped out for something more inconspicuous; casual, relaxed clothes layered with carefully placed pieces of armor. The tricorn hat was replaced with a threadbare ski cap. Without the fancy colonial duds, Hancock was just another ghoul. Just another ugly fucker who might go feral at any second. 

After getting to Bunker Hill, Hancock spent an hour or two milling about, observing and listening. Discretion was key, and he didn’t want to scare off his mark before he even got eyes on him. It didn’t take long to find the guy. His contact, the guy the now-dead secret seller called Gerard, was a big guy. Bear-like in stature. Big, muscly, hefty. And pretty fucking disgusting. He looked sloppy. His chest-length beard looked matted; grossly tangled. The clothes were stained, threadbare, most clothing in the Commonwealth was but Gerard’s were exceptionally so. 

At first glance he looked pretty deep in his cups. His whole upper body was slumped down at one of the tables in the settlement’s main building. It was littered with empty bottles. Hancock wondered if anyone ever assumed he was dead — when Hancock got closer, he certainly smelled dead. But when he placed a fresh bottle of beer on the table, Gerard stirred. He lifted his head, peering up at Hancock with bleary eyes.

"Mind if I have a seat, brother?"

Gerard reached for the bottle, and went to take a swig. The bottle didn't make it to his lips before the liquid was sloshing down over his chin and neck, wetting his beard and his dirty shirt. 

Hancock took a seat, taking a drink of his own beer. He considered sloshing his own drink in solidarity then decided against it. There was a silence between the two for a handful of moments before the guy grunted, "The fuck you want?"

"Gerard, right? Friend of mine said you were someone I should find if I needed help procuring something."

There was a sudden clarity in the man's eyes, a steely hardness that took Hancock off guard. It was like he flipped a switch and turned into a totally different person. There was a sudden tension in his body, an awareness that Hancock wouldn’t have thought he was capable of. If the drunken slob thing was an act, then Gerry needed a fucking award. 

Gerard’s eyes turned appraising. He surveyed Hancock as if he was a particularly interesting science experiment — and Hancock met his gaze head on. For every second Gerard surveyed Hancock, Hancock surveyed him. If he could manage it, he decided that he’d pick Gerard off at a distance. While Hancock could take a hit, he knew that Gerard would fold him like a napkin with little effort.

There was a show of rubbing his too big palms over his disgusting pants, then Gerard held out his hand. Hancock took it, and damn near regretted it. Ol’ Gerry’s grip was tight, just past the point of painful where it seemed like the bastard was deliberately trying to crush his bones. But there was something being pressed into his palm—

"Ya found me. Now get the fuck outta m'face, y'ugly piece’uh shit," he growled, then tossed Hancock's hand from his grip.

"Sure brother, sure," Hancock drawled, fingers curling around the item that had dug so securely into his palm. He stood, rapping his throbbing knuckles on the table, before he pivoted on his heel and left.

Hancock made sure that he was clear of the building before he chanced a look at what had been given him. 

It was a crumpled note, and written in faded pencil were the words: midnight - front gate. 

Hancock groused, glaring at the handwriting before wedging the note into his pocket. He was getting tired of this waiting bullshit. But without a whole lot of choices in the situation, Hancock loitered, he explored, he checked in on Nora.

When his girl wasn’t elbows deep in grease and gears, she was with MacCready. The little shit had listened to Hancock’s request and showed Nora around working a rifle — but the lessons had been brief, and more often than not, MacCready was trying to get his hands on the Pop-Boy. 

"Aw, come on. Just let me see it for a minute."

"RJ, I'm using it right now."

"Come on, I know you have at least one game on there."

"You can play with it when I am finished with it." 

"You swear?"

"Yes, RJ. I swear."

Though he could feel Nora's irritation starting to manifest itself, her voice remained calm, and gentle. The woman must have had the patience of a saint. Hancock sat and watched for several minutes, smiling to himself as he listened to them chat. Arlen would pipe in on occasion to help Nora with some of her work. They all seemed so relaxed, enjoying one another’s company.

When MacCready asked about the Pip-Boy for the millionth time, he couldn't stay quiet.

"Tell him that if he asks about it again yer gonna send him to bed without dinner."

The dregs of irritation vanished, and he felt Nora's emotions shift. A warmth flooded him, bright and welcoming. Goddamn he wanted to be at the Slog with her so fucking bad.

"John says that if you keep asking about the Pip-Boy, you will be sent to bed without dinner."

There was a scoff in response, some kind of joking comment about how Hancock wasn’t his real dad, then Nora stood from her work. She tugged the Pip-Boy from her wrist and passed it to MacCready, "You can use it until I get back."

"Finally!"

Hancock watched as she left the workshop and stepped outside. She loitered away from the Slog, not terribly far, but far enough to get a little bit of privacy. 

"You've been busy today," he said softly, still basking in that pleasant warmth that radiated from her half of the bond. Fuck, it felt like home. Like greeting the sun after a long winter. He wanted to live in it.

"Yeah, sorry. We've been working on the purifier. Almost done with it, actually."

"I'm proud of ya," he said, allowing his focus to settle on her perspective, on the fencing around the pool house, on the surrounding trees and greenery. "You're kicking ass over there."

"Thank you. I feel like I'm accomplishing something - something big, that people can benefit from, you know?"

They chatted about the purifier for a few more moments, then MacCready. Nora didn't seem to mind him, even going so far as comparing MacCready to a brother that she never wanted. 

"I know it's gotta seem like I gave you a babysitter, or maybe a babysitting gig," he started slowly, grimacing when he silently admitted to himself that that had been exactly what he did. She wouldn’t accept his help, so he sent someone in his stead.  "But hopefully after tonight-"

"Tonight? What's happening tonight?"

"I, uh, got a meeting... with our buddy, Cecil. Hopefully."

"How did you find him?"

"Everything is for sale if ya know the right person, and you got the right amount of caps," he rasped. "I... I just wanted to give you a heads up so ya don't come calling and see somethin' you don't want to be seein'."

"Is anyone going with you?" Her voice was steeped in worry, growing a little tight, a little airy. Then came the flood of emotion that took away all that magnificent warmth. It was a bitterness that coated his tongue. It was a rampant heartbeat fluttering next to his own steady calm. 

"Nah, flyin' solo on this one." The worry was immediately accompanied by hair-raising, gut-twisting anxiety. "I'll be fine." No answer, just wave after wave of emotions that almost made him feel ill. He focused his efforts on blocking that part of their bond. "Nora..."

There was a sniffle, "Promise you'll be careful..."

His heart ached. Fuck, was she crying for him? Slowly, he grasped one of his hands, giving it a gentle squeeze as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the knuckle. He hoped she felt what bit of comfort he tried to give her. "Baby, yer breakin' my heart..."

"Please promise me."

"I'll promise to be careful on one condition..."

"John-"

"I promise to be careful, Nora. But now I want you to promise me something..."

A soft sigh, a mere sliver of that anxiety lifted away. He felt smooth skin at his fingertips, felt their tickling touch on the back of his hand. It was a surreal feeling, as if he was touching and being touched. He could feel the caress at the back of his hand, feel it in every wandering digit.

"Okay..."

"I know you don't need a babysitter, and I know that you probably don't like bein' saddled with one. But... if you can keep MacCready with you for another week or two..." He tickled his own fingers over his palm, feeling the softness of her skin under his touch. He pretended that she was there with him, their hands entwined. "Let him show ya the ropes, just for a couple of weeks. Then, when he heads back this way... maybe consider coming with him. You don't have to stay, I won't keep you here but... Promise that you'll consider it."

A gentle touch to his cheek, the barest caress, had him sighing softly. He leaned in to pursue the phantom touch, finding nothing but empty air. He opened his eyes, staring at the space he imagined Nora being and he fucking ached. "In two weeks, when RJ heads back to Goodneighbor... I'll be with him."

"Don't say that unless you're sure."

"I'm sure."

//

Tags: @takottai / @a-little-pebbl  / @yamatra

[sonichedgeblog]

'Sonic 2: West-Side Renovation' (S2 Decomp) by ZachmanAwesomeness Reimagining all the stages from Sonic 2, with a few more! https://shc.zone/entries/contest2023/862

[vole-mon-amour]

me: is sick.

also me from 7 to 8 pm: time to move the couch to another room.

another of my toxic treats is that if I need something, I need it IMMEDIATELY. being neurodivergent is weird. my brain is weird.

and of course I couldn't move the couch before destroying drywall. I had to make the couch dusty af before moving it. 🙄

[merriblu]

It go time!!

We are having our Thanksgiving celebration on Saturday and I’ve got my little kitchen wine ready as I slowly begin prepping.

Tonight’s tasks:

1. make the turkey brine and start the process

2. Pre-chop veggies

3. Get the seasonings/spices laid out and ready

4. Make the grocery list for what I need to buy tomorrow

Tomorrows task:

1. After a 24 hour brine, set the bird to dry in the fridge

2. Cook the red cabbage (tastes great when heated up again because it’s sits in that red wine broth over night)

3. Be restless

4. Prep Rouladen so all I have to do is fry and smother them in the sauce on Saturday

5. Is it a bad idea to pre-make Mac n cheese? I’m debating. I’ve always cooked it fresh.

The menu:

Turkey, vegan Rouladen (with a vegan red wine sauce), Mac n cheese, roasted (homegrown) carrots, red cabbage

Friends are in charge of:

The lovey dovy vegans: Mashed potatoes and some chickpea dish

Sweet baby Angel friend and her giant polish man: pumpkin pie

Nerdy dude who I adore: salad

I’m thinking about making a garlic bread to go with the salad… I’ll have to see how my time management is holding up on Saturday.

[journeyman-tier-fibercraft]

Shawl 11 | Yarn 1 | Yarn 2 | Pattern

I kinda forgot this project existed for a bit. But it's a lot easier on my injury than my other, larger projects so I'm happy to have found it again.

This is more of a Process Knit than a Product Knit so I wasn't really fussed about how I couldn't figure out a good way to make clean edges on brioche. However I kinda stumbled into a much better way than what I was doing before (which was like, slipping the first stitch purlwise and then immediately jumping into brioching even when it meant knitting/purling into the same stitch under it).

Instead! I'm always slipping the first stitch purlwise. Then the next two stitches are treated like kinda like double knitting (if it's a colour A dominate row, I'd slip the first stitch [colour A] purlwise, bring my yarn to the front and slip the second stitch [colour B] with yarn in front, then bring the yarn to the back and knit the third stitch before bringing it forward again to s1yo. For colour B on that row I would slip the first stitch [A] purlwise, slip the second stitch [B] purlwise like another selvedge stitch, keep the yarn behind and slip the third stitch [A] before bringing the yarn to the front to being briocheing with brp1). Probably not the most efficient way but I could NOT get my tension to work for those first couple stitches, this instantly looks better (the red marks on the second and third images point to about where I started doing this method instead of winging it).

[decidentia]

Just a note to say thanks for bearing with me. ♡

[love-fireflysong]

'man I'm so tired from that Metallica concert on Sunday I really should rest to try and recover both physically and mentally' I say as though I'm not practically vibrating in excitement cause I can't wait to build the Ikea wardrobe that was just delivered only this morning fhdjskshs

[sparklehoard]

Fighting for my life trying to cook in my parents kitchen last night.

Got in a fight when I blocked my mother from putting a can of corn in the butter chicken I had been cooking for 2 hours

[halifaxwebdesign]

Home Renovation Contractor Halifax NS | Sackville NS

Best Kind Exterior Renovations is the number one siding contractor serving homeowners and businesses in Lower Sackville and Halifax.

We provide safe, beautiful, energy-efficient siding for homeowners thanks to many years of experience and unmatched skills.

From your home’s foundation to the siding and more, our professional team of exterior renovations services in Halifax and Sackville NS will give your space the beauty and durability it truly deserves.

Exterior Siding Renovations

Contact Best Kind Siding renovations in Halifax. We will do any Upgrades or Replacement Services in Halifax and Sackville, Nova Scotia today!

In Halifax or Sackville Nova Scotia, your home’s siding is a very important part of it’s overall construction, mostly for it’s ability to protect your home from the elements as well as it aesthetic value.

Thankfully these days there are many varieties of siding to choose from. So when it comes to choosing the right siding, no one size fits all homeowners. Budget is usually the deciding factor when it comes down to the final decision on which type of exterior siding to use for your home.

So our suggestion is to speak to one of our siding professionals to narrow your choices. Vinyl siding is the pretty much the number one residential siding choice in Canada. It is affordable, easy to install, and lasts from 25-30 years on average.

Other types of siding would be wood siding, Stucco & EIFS Siding, Masonry Exterior Siding, Metal Siding, and Fiber Cement Exterior Siding to name a few.

Soffit and fascia

Our team of Soffit and Fascia installers provides home owners in Halifax with professional, reliable, and affordable Soffit and Fascia installs.

We also do eaves-trough repair, replacement and installation services of any siding needs. The soffit and fascia components play an important role in the integrity of a home.

Together, as they keep the home properly ventilated and which allow moisture to evaporate preventing mould and other issues like critters such as bats, birds and squirrels from entering its attic interior. Although soffit and fascia usually come in aluminum and wood, other popular options are synthetic, UPVC and vinyl.

Our experienced siding installers offer soffit and fascia in many colour and style options so it makes it easy for the home or business owner to choose what’s right for them.

Get a Quote!

Call to have our qualified siding installers in Halifax NS come to your location and give you an in-person quote for any soffit and fascia installation or repair work 902-292-7616.

Best Kind Home Exterior Renovations in Halifax NS bring you quality workmanship, amazing customer support, and on-time services, all at affordable prices.

Owner Mark Labrie has over 40+ years of exterior product experience. His focus is on your utmost needs, quality services, efficiency, and open communication.

Free Consultation

To schedule a FREE Consultation for your siding replacement or exterior maintenance services in Lower Sackville or Halifax, contact us now 902-292-7616.

[constructionestimatingservice]

[ghoul-foolery]

Dirty Windows | 24

Hancock x Nora - A Fallout 4 Soulmate AU

//

Fic Summary:

Hancock never thought he would find his soulmate. Once a common occurrence, soulmates turned into a bit of a rarity after the bombs dropped. It was to be expected when there was an influx of people getting shot in the face on a daily basis. So when Hancock discovered that he had a soulmate he was ecstatic; all of the people in the Commonwealth, and he was one of the lucky few.

Too bad his soulmate didn't want anything to do with him.

//

[ 1 ] <- [ 19 ] [ 20 ] [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] - [ 25 ]

//

Two weeks had come and gone since Nora had taken up residence at the Slog, and she was sure that if she ever had it her way she’d never leave. The people were so willing to accept her into their social circles, and that in itself was borderline mind blowing. Striking up conversation with the Sanctuary crew felt so stilted, so forced. Perhaps it was because the expectations for her in Sanctuary were so high. The ghouls in the Slog didn’t expect anything out of her, but they were more than willing to teach valuable post-war life skills and Nora was an incredibly eager student. In the midst of it all, under Arlen’s gentle guidance, Nora was learning how to build a water purifier. 

All it took was a passing complaint about Sanctuary and the water purifier debacle; about how they seemed to assume she just had that sort of mechanical knowledge, or would be able to magically procure one. It was just some idle venting as she visited with the older ghoul in his workshop; nothing more, nothing less. Arlen had hummed thoughtfully, then promptly guided her out of his workshop, telling Nora to go offer Jones and Holly some help in the garden. It was a couple hours later, as she was chopping tatos for dinner, when Arlen emerged from his workshop. He called her name, and once she reached him, he passed her a slip of ancient notebook paper. It was a schematic, a blueprint. In clean writing off to the side, he listed the required components, and what sort of machinery she could dig around to find them. 

“If you want to get the parts, we can work on it together,” he had told her. His gentle smile was so fatherly, so caring. Nora couldn’t help it, she pulled the man into a tight hug. 

It felt as if Nora had cashed in every ounce of good karma she had saved up. No one in the Slog would accept any compensation for their time, and tutelage. No one would accept caps as a thanks. It didn’t feel like it was nearly enough, but all they would take from her was her gratitude and on some days they made that seem as if it were too much. Or, Holly would just get a little fed up with all the thank yous, and would tell Nora to stop saying it…

Though Nora still experienced moments of extreme guilt when she realized how little progress she had made when it came to finding her boy, it was quickly quelled when she reminded herself that she didn’t know how to survive on her own. If she managed to find Shaun, she wouldn’t know how to take care of him, she barely knew how to take care of herself. Nora didn’t want to be the reason why her son fell ill, or went hungry. So she learned what plants were acceptable to eat. She learned how to harvest vegetables, and razor grain. She learned how they stored their meat, and how to keep it properly preserved. And with Arlen Glass’ help, she would learn how to create a source of clean drinking water. Baby steps were still steps.

After accepting the blueprint from Arlen, Nora finally ventured away from the Slog to hunt down the supplies that she needed to build the water purifier. Every morning, after helping with breakfast, Nora would set out to scrounge up whatever scraps and machinery that she could. She siphoned gasoline, she hoarded fan belts, screws, and bolts. She would haul bags of gear back to the Slog, depositing them on Arlen’s workbench before setting out again. In the evenings, after she got back, Nora would help with dinner and then take a shift at evening watch. In the midst of it all, as she worked, as she traveled, her and John got to know each other.

They would go through daily idle chatter (”How was your day, dear?”), then continue on with any number of things. They covered a vast spectrum of topics, from favorite colors and foods, to more philosophical things. John divulged childhood memories, and awkward teenage experiences, and Nora would follow suit. As the days went on, Nora found herself becoming incredibly fond of the man. He was charismatic, and he was a whole lot smarter than he gave himself credit for. He was loyal to the people he considered his, and as loyal as he was he was even more protective. Nate would have loved him. The more Nora got to know John Hancock of Goodneighbor, the more certain she was that Nate and John would have been fast friends. They were both stubborn and loyal to a fault. They were both strong, and capable men, and even though she had only known John for a short while, she knew without a doubt that both men would bend over backwards to make her happy. John had helped her with so many things. She owed him so much. 

Bit by bit, she gathered the things on Arlen’s list and, after days of meticulous searching, she had everything that they needed. She stopped her daily wandering, and took up a spot in Arlen’s workshop where, together, they started constructing the water purifier. 

“Sounds like all he wants from you is a chance,” Arlen said, passing her a pair of needle nose pliers. “When you’re ready, I think you should give that to him.”

Arlen Glass had become her best friend, her confidant. After giving her tea on her first night he had somehow become a post-apocalypse father figure. His guidance helped Nora rediscover her confidence.

“Nate would want me to be happy, but – Ouch!” she recoiled, eyeballing a small bleeding cut on her finger. Nora leaned in close to the chassis of the under-construction water purifier. She nearly stuck her head inside as she searched for what had done the damage. “But I’m… afraid, I guess?”

“Afraid of being happy, when you think you shouldn’t be allowed to?”

Nora’s eyes shot to Arlen’s in surprise. Arlen was usually a little more gentle with his advice. He would pass her the seeds, but he would let her plant and sow things on her own. He wasn’t typically so blunt, but having heard Arlen’s story, she understood where he was coming from. He’d had a family, a beautiful one; but he had sacrificed happiness for work, and then he lost everything.

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds dumb,” she grumbled almost petulantly. She turned her attention back to their project.

Arlen chuckled in that airy way of his as he said, “You smile when you talk about Nate and John, you know. I don’t know if you’ve noticed.

Nora’s gaze tore away from her project yet again. Arlen had settled back in the old chair in his workshop. It was his typical sitting place whenever he read his morning paper. Instead of reclining back in the chair he was leaning forward, knees on his elbows, with a small, knowing smile. 

“You’re a smart woman, Eleanor. You should know that you wouldn’t be betraying Nathan by finding happiness again. If he was anything like you’ve said, he would want you safe, and happy. He’d want you to love and be loved.”

There was a sudden tightness in Nora’s throat. She did her best to swallow it down, and turn her attention back to the purifier but Arlen was suddenly at her side, cupping her face in his hands. They were hearty, weathered and overly textured, but they were also warm and grounding. 

“It’s okay for you to be happy, Eleanor,” he said it slowly, deliberately. “It’s okay.”

Nora’s hands rested over Arlen’s as she warbled, dangerously close to crying, “What if I fall in love with him and—“

“Honey, I think you might have already. Even if only a little bit.” The statement was like a kick to the gut, delivered with a smile. It knocked Nora’s world off its axis. Arlen continued, “If there is anything that can be learned from loss, it’s that you need to love the people in your life as strongly, and as fiercely as you can, because we never know when those special people will be taken away. Just remember, he will never replace Nate. You have a big heart, Eleanor. There is space for John in there, too.”

“Okay,” she said, her voice tight. That’s all she said because that’s all she could muster. 

“I’m not saying that you need to hurry up and stop mourning; and I’m not saying that you need to hurry up and fall in love.” The old ghoul placed a kiss to the crown of her head before leveling his eyes with hers. “But you need to know that it’s okay when you do. Grief doesn’t have an expiration date. If you wait for it to go away naturally, you’ll be waiting for forever and a day.”

“So it never goes away? It’s… This? Forever?” The guilt for growing fond of another man, the feeling of replacing someone she loved, the lingering dredges of hurt that hung around in her chest.

Arlen withdrew, turning his eyes to the in-progress water purifier, and then the pieces of an old Giddyup Buttercup. “They say that time heals all wounds, but it doesn’t. It just makes it easier to deal with.”

“Hey, smoothskin!” It was Wiseman’s voice, calling her from the front of the pool house.

Nora closed her eyes, swallowing at the lump in her throat, “Yeah?” She called out as Arlen picked up the needle nose pliers, and took over the task at hand.

“You got a visitor!”

The frown that had been marring Nora’s features deepened. Damn near every single person she knew who would want to visit her already lived in the Slog. Unless it was Preston for some reason. Or John. She was too aware of the way her heart leapt. Slowly, she peaked out of one of the broken windows to get eyes on the visitor. From a glance, it wasn’t anyone that she recognized from Sanctuary, and it most definitely wasn’t John. Nora’s hand immediately began to drift down to the pistol holstered at her thigh. 

“Go on,” Arlen said. “I’ll finish up this bit, and we can pick it up later.”

“Arlen?” 

“Mm?” He hummed, haltingly. 

She placed a hand on his forearm, leaning in to kiss the older man’s cheek. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

He tossed his head and said again, “Go on.”

With no small amount of hesitance, she left Arlen’s shop, stepping out into the early evening air. It had been a warm day, enough so that Nora had unzipped the top half of her vault suit in favor of adorning an oversized t-shirt. The arms of the suit were tied securely around her waist, and her hair was tied back into a ponytail. Her hands were greasy, scraped, and she could make out the dark smear of oil across her nose. She wasn’t really dressed for company, but she supposed that she never would be. 

Stepping around the building, Nora cleared her throat. The newcomer turned to face her. A smoothskin, like her. He wore an old conductor styled hat, a long coat, and he had a rifle hanging off his shoulder from a makeshift sling that looked to be fastened from an old belt. As she grew closer, she noted that he was handsome. Cheekbones that she could cut herself on, a proud, straight nose. Tanned, blue eyes, and a confident smile. 

“Well,” he said at length, “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

Nora held her distance, fishing an old rag from her pocket so she could start cleaning her hands. The tenuous grasp on her emotions turned steely as she stared the stranger down. No one would know that she had been on the brink of crying (ugh, again) thirty seconds ago. She eyed him warily, “Do I know you?”

His smile grew, “No. But I know you.”

The man’s eyes followed her hand as it dropped down to her side, resting casually by her pistol. Off to the side, she could see Wiseman tense and reach for her own weapon. 

Suddenly, the man laughed, “Calm down, girl! Shi-oot, I’m a friendly.” He’d almost said ‘shit’ but he had redirected. She didn’t know why, but that seemed important. She’d stow that away for later.

“You’ll have to forgive me, but I don’t believe you.”

“Why don’t you, uh…” his index finger tapped his temple. 

At this point, the Slog ghouls knew that Nora had a soulmate. It was hard to keep things secret when the space was so open, and communal. Especially when they noticed just how much she seemed to talk to herself. She couldn’t find the ability to look any of them in the eye and just insist that she was a touch crazy.

Without breaking eye contact with the stranger, Nora opened her end of the bond and reached. “John?”

The answer was immediate, ”What’s crackin’, doll fa – shit, is that MacCready? Fuck, he works fast…”

“You know him?” she asked, feeling the tension drain from her shoulders. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath. Wiseman waved his hand, catching her attention. He made a gesture, indicating that he was going to be inside. She nodded, mouthing a silent ‘thank you’.

”Yeah, I know him. He’s out that way runnin’ an errand or two for me. I didn’t expect for him to get to you for another week or so.”

“Wh-why didn’t you tell me that he was coming? I… God, I was getting freaked out.” It could have been another one of those sickos from the drive-in. It could have been someone much, more worse.

“Easy, angel,” the man known as MacCready drawled. “I told you, I’m a friendly.”

”Don’t you call her that, you little shit.”

Nora snorted, then immediately covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. She wanted to be irritated, dang it. The second he had made arrangements for someone to come meet her, she should have known about it. She composed herself, dropping her hand. “He said your name was MacCready?”

“Yep! RJ MacCready, and you must be Nora,” he held out his hand, and Nora reached to shake it. Only for her hand to be lifted, she watched with almost wide eyes as he pursed his thin lips to plant a kiss to her skin. 

”Goddammit, MacCready!”

MacCready stopped, a mere centimeter from making contact, and then he snickered, giving her hand a firm shake. He was laughing, eyes glittering with his amusement. He seemed to be banking on John seeing the interaction, and had been aiming to irritate Nora’s soulmate for fun.

”Tell that little fucker that he ain’t gettin’ paid for shit!”

It didn’t matter how much she wanted to be angry, she couldn’t even manage a bit of irritation to shoot in John’s direction. 

“He mad?” MacCready asked, his smile stretched from ear-to-ear..

Maybe it was the total relief that she felt, but Nora couldn’t help but laugh as she replied, “He seems to be a little annoyed, yeah.”

“Awesome.”

\\

Tag List: @takottai / @a-little-pebbl  / @yamatra

[neonphoenix]

Thinking about how my high school was consistently one of the top three schools in the state the entire time I was attending it and yet we still had plaster regularly falling from the ceiling.

[vole-mon-amour]

Dark Side of The Moon was made in 1974 and how the hell does it have such a clear sound of their voices, of every instrument.

Plus, if you listen to the entire album, it has such a clear transition into the next song that you often can't tell it's another song. I mean, you can if you know, but again, such a flawless transition. The entire album like a really long song.

Pink Floyd will be one of my favourite bands until the day I die.