#takeout mixup

[kertneyk]

Cute Delivery Boys

When you finally make it home, you are exhausted.  Another long day, the paperwork for the academy took ages.  Then you had to talk to everyone who had the monster route ahead of you and get the lowdown and map it out.  Then the chief had you running all sorts of other in-office errands.  Just because he knew you hated it.  But the worst part of it was, you didn’t get to eat properly.  You looked at the clock. 7:00.   It wasn’t too late to make something, but you didn’t have any meat thawed out.  And with as hungry as you were, you needed to induldge your carnivorous side tonight.  Which would mean a trip to the store.

Or you could order in.  You went to your wallet and took out the coupons Muffet gave you.  One was buy one get one coupons for a burger and fry combo, the other was a free meal, delivery fee included; just pay tip. You look in your wallet folds, you had enough a good sized tip. And Chief Johnson did give you the weekend to integrate yourself in the monster community.  What better way than by spending money?  You try to talk yourself into the extravagence, you were supposed to be on a ramen diet afterall.  But it isn’t nearly as difficult as you pretended it was.  You are already pulling out your phone and dialing the phone number.  

You really were not great with money.  

You go down to the hallway closet and start pulling out some boxes while the phone rings.  A very bored sounding man answers.

“This is Grillbys.  Wha’ya want?”  Ok....

“Um, you do delivery right?”

“Ya.”

“Ok, uh.”  You think about what you actually want for a moment.  “Triple cheese burger, extra onions, no mustard and a large order of chili fries. And load those babies up with cheese.”

“Tha it?”

“Yeah, I got a coupon for a free meal.  You want me to read the code off the back, or just give it to the driver?”

“Read the code.”  You read off your numbers.

“Ok, that’s it.”

“Sure. The address?” You rattle off your address for the guy.

“Oh! I’ll need to buzz the delivery guy in, but intercom is busted, so you’ll need to give them my number.”

“You gonna to be one of those pain’n tha ass people ar��ncha?”  You laugh at his boldness.  You really weren’t trying to make his night difficult.  

“Not trying to I swear!  But since you are gonna call me out like that, I better live up to it. Make sure to send your cutest delivery boy.  Only cute guys get my number.”

“Sure thing sweetheart.”  He chuckles and you hear the line click.  You shake your head.  Yeah, monsters were going to give you a hard time starting Monday.  Until then, might as well enjoy it.  You wonder mildly if they were really going to send a cute monster to you.  And if so, would you find them cute?  Do monsters have a standard of beauty comparable to humans?  Guess you’ll find out.  You go grab a shower and change into some comfier clothes.  Going for a pair of shorts and tank top.  You then gather up your boxes and take them to the living room.

your cell phone starts ringing.  You smirk when you see the unknown number.  Must be your cute delivery boy!

“Yello, this is y/n.”

“Yah, got’a delivery from Grillbys fer ya.”  You are surprised by how deep the voice is on the line.  You said cute delivery boy, not ‘biker gang, don’t bring him home to meet your mama’ delivery boy.  Oh well, you buzz him in.

“K, I buzzed you. See you in a sec.” Click.  When you hear him finally knock on your door, you grab your wallet.  You only had a twenty in there, but that was fine.  It was a little excessive for a delivery tip on a burger and some fries, but since monsters couldn’t drive yet he probably had to take the bus.  That would have sucked.  

What greeted you when you opened your door was defintely not what you were expecting.  

The monster in front of you was short.  Like shorter than you short.  He stood at about 4’6”.  He was a skeleton, like GTP; but that was where the similarities stopped.  Besides being short, the guy had a row of sharp, shark-like teeth with a golden fang on one side.  His dark eye sockets glowed with the light of two pin pricks of red that made up his pupils.  His head was round where GTP’s what more square and sharp.  And the guy liked his red.  His coat, a fur-lined hooded thing was black and red, he wore a red turtle-neck and his shorts were black with a single red stripe down the side.  

The thing you noticed most about the delivery boy, however, had little to do with his appearance.  His magic was blinding in its power.  Out of all the monsters you’d met so far, this guy was easily the strongest!  

Your shock must have shown on your face because he coughed to get your attention.  

“see sometin ya like sweetheart?” His flirt was half-hearted and obviously not meant.  In fact, he seemed almost disgusted with himself for even attempting it.  

Ok, he was pretty cute.  

“Heh, well yeah. I said ‘cute delivery boy.’ Glad to see Grillby is a man of his word.”  You wink at him and watch his face erupt in a crimson blush. Blushing bones are totally a thing you guess.  Two out of two skeletons can do it.  

“W-wha! Wha ta fuck is wrong witcha? Don’t fuckin say shit like that.” He growls at you and shoves a bag between you two.  “Here, take yer fuckin food so I can go.”  

“But what if I don’t want you to go?  Not every day a handsome stranger knocks on my door.” You say as you dodge the bag.  

“Not my problem yer an ugly human.  Can’t even attract yer own kind.” He tries again, and again you manage to not take it.  

“Dude, that’s so harsh!” You clutch at your heart, “You gotta be nicer to ladies. We are delicate.”

“Yer a pain in the ass is whatcha are.  Take yer damn food.”  He growls at you, getting extremely frustrated.  

“Not until you go back to calling me sweetheart.  You’re really hurting my ego.”

“I don’t give a shit, sweetheart.” The word dripping in sarcasm.  Obviously, he finds you less than sweet. He finally manages to shove the bag into your hand.  

“Alright, alright.  You win.” You chuckle a bit and he relaxes, seeing an end to his ordeal. “Here, hold this so I can get your tip.”  You wave your wallet and hand the bag back to him.  It takes him a second before he realizes what just happened.

“Fuck!”  You cackle, picking on poor delivery boys should be beneath you.  But no one ever said you were a mature adult.

“Oh come on, don’t be sore.  That was good.  And I really did need an extra hand to take out the cash.”  You laugh some and take the bag, handing over the twenty after.  You notice in his other hand he has another bag.  Must be his next stop.  His face is still red as he shoves the bill in his coat pocket and stomps off. You lean out your door and wave goodbye to his back.

“Farewell oh adorable stranger.  May our paths cross again!”  He flips you off then vanishes down the stairs.  He was cute.  But really rude.  And definitely a more accurate representation of the troubles you will be having interacting with monsters in the future.  Of course, he might have been more receptive to your charms if you hadn’t looked at him like that.  He was probably sick of people looking at him like a sideshow attraction.  You decide that if you ever see him again, you would definitely be nicer.  And look at him less.  

Sans POV

Oh Sans was going to let Grillby have it next time he went in!  Who sends Sans the Skeleton to play delivery boy with a fuckin pervert human?  Cute! She said he was cute!  Lying shit bag human!  Skeletons weren’t fuckin cute.  

And so fucking bold too!  Most people avert their eyes when they are caught staring at him.  Oh no! Not this bitch.  When he called you out, he just made it worse! He fumes as he thinks about it.  

He takes the turn around your apartment building and then shortcuts back home.  He kicks his shoes off in the entryway and slams the bag on the table.  

He should have known Grillby was up to no good when he brought Sans a bag of free food.  He had been nursing a bottle of mustard, unable to afford his usual tonight.  Boss had cracked down on what money Sans was allowed to carry, and Grillz had closed out his tab when they all came up to the surface.  So when Grillz said all Sans had to do was deliver a burger to a dumb human, and he would even get to keep the tip, Sans said sure.  It was just one human.  Well, never again.  He was never do any more shitty fucking deliveries for shitty fucking humans.  He is interupted from his thoughts by his phone.  That was odd, Boss was havin another cooking competition at Undyne’s.  Hopefully they weren’t asking him to come and judge.  He shudders as he checks the message.  

Unknown: Hey, this is the girl you just delivered to.  I was rude, sorry.  

BZZT

Unknown: Question though?  Did I insult your boss when I ordered my burger no mustard?  Cause.... it looks like I did.

BZZT

Unknown: Seriously, it looks like I have a hit out on me from a mustard loving monster mafia.

The next text is a picture of his regular.  A burger and fries, everything absolutely covered in mustard.  Shit! He grabs the bag on the table and rips it open.  The fries in this bag coated in chili and cheese.  He gave her the wrong bag! Tch, not his problem.  He could always scrap off the chili and he has mustard here he could put on his own burger.  

BZZT

Unknown: It’s everywhere! Oh god, the poor burger, it’s bleeding mustard.

BZZT

Unknown: This is downright disrespectful.

Another picture of the burger, but with a little handwritten RIP sign held above it.  He can’t help but snicker a little.  

Sans: wrong bag. deal with it

BZZT

Unknown: Oh good, you can get texts.  I was worried for a second that I was texting the void.

BZZT

Unknown: I did see you had another bag in your hand.  Could I meet you somewhere to swap?  I was really excited about the chili on my fries.

Sans: no learn 2 like mustard

BZZT

Unknown: Dude, that is cold.  

BZZT

Unknown: Cold like the corpse of this mustard burger.  Is it even a burger?  All I see is mustard.

BZZT

Unknown: Please save me from condiment hell!  

Sans: why should i

BZZT

Unknown: Besides the fact that you would be helping a beautiful stranger?

BZZT

Unknown: Kidding! Don’t answer that.  My ego probably couldn’t take whatever terrible response you were writing.

BZZT

Unknown: I am officially out of cash now, but I would owe you one.  I really don’t want to have to call  back to the restaruant.  

Sans palms his face, sighing loudly.  It wouldn’t take much to go back and exchange the bags.  And Grillby would probably charge him for the burger if he had to make another. He reads the last message again, smirking as he does.  You said you would ‘owe him one’ it would be nice to have a human owe him something for a change.  Make you do something embarrassing.  Or maybe just make you go to Grillbys yourself.  See how you like it when everyone stares at you.

Sans: fine. U owe me. ur place couple min

BZZT

Unknown: YAS! I shall await your return!

[strxnged]

Hey bae I work at a ice cream/takeout place and I was making a milkshake today and I poked a hole in the cup with a mixup thing and it went everywhere🤧 #soembarassing

OH NO LMKSDKM IM SORRY THAT MUST HAVE BEEN AGITATING but also why does working at an ice cream place suit you omg

[super-btstrash-posts]

You dye your hair to match theirs

*sorry in advance to mobile readers. I typed this on my phone but I plan on adding a read more tab asap.

*Seokjin*

You giggled nervously when the hair dresser started to add the bleach into your hair. You had decided to dye your hair purple to match Jin’s latest act of rebellion. You knew that it didn’t turn out exactly how he wanted it to and he was kind of sad about it so you decided that you should match.

“Are you sure that you want this? I can stop after we get it bleached. I don’t have to add in the purple. Besides the blonde isn’t going to take long.”

She says.

You shook your head.

“No. I want to do this. I’m just a bit nervous. I don’t know if I will like it but I want to try something new. I’ve only had my hair normal colors I want something different for once.”

You say.

She nods and continues what she is doing.

————————————

Jin knew that you had a hair appointment but he didn’t think that it would take this long. He thought you were only going for a quick trim as you always do around this time every month. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled his phone out to begin to text you. As soon as he pulled messages up a message from you popped up.

‘Something came up and there was a mixup with my appointment so it’s going to take longer than I thought it would. I’ll be home as soon as I can. I’ll bring some takeout on my way back. I know you are stressed, don’t worry about dinner. It’s on me tonight.’

Jin smiled and placed his phone to the side deciding to take a nap until you got home.

——————————

You played with your hair nervously as you waited for the elevator to come down. You could only hope that Jin liked your hair. You loved it. The bright purple shade making you feel fearless and happy. You unlocked the door to the apartment and took the food to the kitchen. You then walked to the living room where Jin was sitting. He looked up and his phone dropped into his lap.

“Jagiya?! Oh my goodness you look to cute. Why didn’t you just tell me that you were going to dye your hair?!”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I knew you felt a little sad about your hair not turning out so I decided that maybe if we matched then it wouldn’t be so bad. Besides I think I like it.”

You say, smiling.

He grins.

“Well color me impressed. I never knew that purple could look good on anyone besides myself. Now, where’s that takeout that you promised me?”

He says.

You giggle and lead him to the kitchen where you get started organizing out all of the food you had ordered.

*Yoongi*

You nervously fiddled with the rings on your hands as one of the boy’s stylist blow dried your hair. You had decided in light of your boyfriend’s new mixtape dropping to bleach your hair to his signature Agust D color that he was now supporting. You had decided to steal one of his leather jackets and pair it with one of your own black tshirts and a pair of ripped skinny jeans and black doc martens. He was shooting a music video today and you were going to go and surprise him while he was on set.

“Thank you Unnie.”

You say when she finishes off curling the ends of your hair and helping you carefully place the black cap over your head.

“It’s no problem. Now go and knock your boyfriend off his feet because you are looking good.”

She jokes.

You giggle and playfully knock your shoulder against hers which she returned with her own playfull shove.

“Seriously go. You haven’t seen him in months and I didn’t do all of this work for nothing.”

She says.

You yelp when she lightly pushes you towards the door. You walk onto set and hide behind some of the staff as you waited for the scene to be called to an end. You couldn’t help but to smile as you watched Yoongi on set. He looked truly happy and his happiness was contagious. The music stopped and Yoongi went over to the table to grab a snack and some coffee. You carefully snuck up behind him and covered his eyes.

“Guess who.”

You whisper in his ear.

He gasps and quickly turns around. His eyes widen when he takes in your appearance.

“Holy shit babe! You look amazing. When did you get this done and is that my jacket. Not that I care because I mean what’s mine is yours and however that statement goes.”

You giggle at his rambling and placed a soft kiss on his lips. He quieted down and stared at you with a dazed look in his eyes.

“You really do look good. I can’t believe that you dyed your hair. I’m just so glad that you are here. I love you so much.”

He says, finally pulling you in for a tight hug.

*Hoseok*

Hoseok has recently added some blonde highlights into his dark hair and you loved it. You had always wanted to try something different and you were always dying your hair some new color. So that’s what lead to this, the weird rubber cap on your head with small strands of hair pulled through and you slathering it with the bleach that you had gotten. You had decided to do it at your apartment so that Hoseok wouldn’t see you when he came home for his break to take a shower. It wasn’t unusual for you to go back to your apartment sometimes because after all you couldn’t stay holed up in the dorms all the time. You had other things that you had to do and apparently today that was give your highlights. You waited and watched as your hair slowly became lighter. Once it got to the color you wanted you pulled off the cap and rinsed out the bleach. Then you went to toning it. Once you were finished you blow dried your hair and then decided to get some takeout to carry to the boys at practice since it was getting close to dinner and you knew that they hadn’t stopped to eat yet. You got all of their favorites and yours and a couple of sodas and made your way to BigHit. You walked into the practice room and placed all of the food down before turning the music off. The boys looked up and then they all raced to you. Hoseok was the first one to reach you.

“Oh my goodness! Your hair. Baby you look amazing. Did you really do this because my hair inspired you?”

He asks, cheeks turning pink.

“Yes, your hair always looks so good and I really like the blonde highlights. I couldn’t help myself. I just wanted to match with my favorite person. Besides, we both know that I have a bad habit of dying my hair whenever the inspiration strikes.”

You say, smiling.

“Okay enough with the mushy stuff. Let’s eat before all of this can get cold and go to waste.”

Yoongi grumbles.

“You’re just mad because you don’t have a girlfriend that would dye their hair to match yours.”

Hoseok says.

Yoongi grumbles again and walks away with his plate of food. You giggle and Hoseok quickly pecks your lips before starting to fix himself a plate.

*Namjoon*

Namjoon has been keeping his hair blonde for a while now and you had never really wanted to dye your hair before now and you knew that you wanted it to be blonde like your boyfriends. That’s what lead you to be sitting on your best friends bathroom at three in the morning.

“Are you sure you know what you are doing?”

You asked nervously as your friend mixes the hair dye.

“Of course I know what I am doing? Who do you think I am? I’ve literally been dying my hair since high school. I think I am perfectly capable to dying someone else’s. Now sit still.”

She says, starting to section off and clip up your hair.

An hour later your friend had you facing away from the mirror blow drying your hair.

“Why can’t I see it yet?”

You whine.

“Because I’m not finished yet. I still have to tone it.”

She says.

You sigh and slump down in the chair that you were sitting in. You just want to FaceTime Namjoon. He’s on tour and you don’t get to talk to him much.

——————————————

Your hair is finally finished and you have to admit that you actually look pretty hot. You squealed happily when you saw that Namjoon was requesting to FaceTime you. You flung yourself onto your bed and quickly answered. He stops mid sentence when he sees your face on the screen.

“Your hair. Damn baby girl. I didn’t know that you could get any hotter but I guess I was wrong. From now own you are only allowed to keep your hair blonde. I’m just kidding, seriously though baby you look amazing. What made you decide to dye it?”

“You. You just look so good with blonde hair. I just thought maybe I could give it a try. Not going to lie, I kind of really like it so you might have to get used to it for a while.”

You say, smiling.

He chuckles.

“I’m more than okay with you keeping blonde hair. Maybe I like it a little too much.”

He says, cheeks heating with embarrassment.

“Oh my god!”

You squealed, hiding your face behind your hands.

*Jimin*

You smiled softly as you watched your boyfriend perform his comeback stage. His peachy pink hair kept grabbing your attention. You looked down at your blonde hair and smirked. You knew that the stylist usually kept the dye on hand in case the boys decided that they wanted to dye their hair. You get one of the them to find the dye and another to help you. They had just wrapped the tinfoil around your head as Jimin and the boys came off stage for an outfit change. You walked over and helped Jimin out of his jacket and shirt to change into the new one. He looked at your hair confused.

“I didn’t think that you needed a touch up babe. Especially in the middle of a show.”

He says.

“Nah, not a touch up but a change. It will be finished by the time that you get off stage though.”

You say.

“Am I allowed to know the color?”

He asks.

“Nope. It’s a surprise. Now, get your handsome self back out there on the stage and give your fans a good show.”

You say, swatting at his butt.

He giggled but jogged to catch up with the boys. You watched them until the stylist said it was time to wash out your hair. You quickly did and she blowdried it and styled it. You smiled as gently fixed your hair behind your shoulders. It was perfect and you knew that Jimin would love it. You finished watching the concert and the boys walked offstage. Yoongi was the first to notice your hair and gave you a gummy smile. You heard Jimin squeal and then you felt him tackle you onto the couch.

“Jagiya! I can’t believe you dyed your hair to match mine! You’re too cute!”

He squeals, playing gently with your curls.

“Well, it was time for a change and I really wanted to match you. Maybe I wanted to be one of those cliche couples that you see on Instagram.”

You say.

He hugs you tightly.

“I still can’t believe that you are all mine.”

He says, burying his face into your neck.

*Taehyung*

You knew that the fans love Taehyung’s bright blue hair, you on the other hand not so much. That’s why you were appalled when you lost the bet against your best friend and she demanded that you dyed your hair the same bright blue. That’s what brought you too your favorite stylist and the bleach burning your scalp.

—————————

You sighed to yourself as you looked in the mirror in you and Taehyung’s shared bathroom. The bright blue in your hair now meaning twice the stained pillow case and twice the stained towels that would never quite be the same no matter how many times that you wash them. You decided to go to the studio to go ahead and get the initial shock of your brightly colored hair over with. You walked inside and as soon as Taehyung caught sight of you his jaw dropped.

“Jagiya! We match!”

He says, clapping happily.

“I know. I didn’t like it for the first few hours but I think that I could get used to it. I’m just going to have to buy new pillow cases and towels once we both go back to normal colors.”

You say.

“But why did you dye it? You said that you hated how it stained everything.”

He says.

“I was playing cards with Y/B/F/N and I lost and this was my consequence. So enjoy it while it lasts because I’m never going to be bleaching my hair again. My scalp is fried.”

You say pouting.

“Well, I for one like it baby.”

He says, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

*Jeongguk*

You smiled at the picture that you had been tagged in by a fan. It was of Jeongguk with his hair dyed. He had gotten blonde tips a few days ago and had mentioned that he was going to dye them for the concert but didn’t mention the color. You smiled fondly at the orange that was now in his hair. It was your favorite color (just pretend if it’s not). You hadn’t been dating but for about eight months but you knew that Jeongguk was it for you. He was the one. That’s what lead you to your rash decision to dye your hair. You booked an appointment and now you have bright orange tips to your hair just like your boyfriend who would be getting home any minute now. You run to the door when you hear it open and tackle him into a hug before he could even get through the door. You looked up at him while he stared at your hair in confusion.

“When did you dye your hair?”

He asks.

“Today. It was kind of a rash decision after fans kept tagging me in a picture of you. Next thing I know I have matching orange hair.”

You say, biting your lip nervously.

He smiled and then crashes his lips onto yours.

“I think it’s hot that you dyed your hair the same color as mine.”

He says when he pulls away.

You smile.

“Well, I guess we are going to be matching until one of us decides to dye their hair.”

You say.

“If I dye mine first will you dye yours too?”

He asks, giving you his best Bambi eyes.

You smile.

“Okay! No need to bring out the Bambi eyes. You know that I will give you anything that you want when you do that.”

You say.

“Anything?”

He asks, excited.

“What do you want Guk?”

“Play Overwatch with me?”

He asks, Bambi eyes coming back out to play.

You groan and find yourself nodding your head.

“Go and get everything set up.”

“Thank you Jagiya! I love you!”

He says, pressing a caste kiss to your lips.

You smile and shake your head. You couldn’t help but fall in love all over again.

[gripefroot]

Mix Up

“This isn’t right.” 

A furrow of the brows, a gnawing of a lip as you push the white filmy cover aside - instead of your silky black dress, fresh and clean in preparation for an event next Saturday, this is something else entirely: a bomber jacket in a blue so dark it’s almost black, (and likely to blame for the mixup), with a silver zipper and some European brand on the tag. The leather is buttery smooth. But it’s someone else’s.

Great. 

Lips pursed now in annoyance, you dig in the pockets for some indicator of who it might belong to, but nothing. Or, better idea: take it back to the dry cleaners. Right now.  

And you’d just gotten home, too.  

Ignoring the cooling takeout in the kitchen, and the mess of books and binders you’d brought home to continue working on, you grab shoes and a purse, and dart out the door. Then back inside, for a scarf and coat: frigid November evenings in Brooklyn are no joke.  

“Well, shoot.”  

A quick check at your watch only flares your irritation higher: watch reads 6:58, and yet despite the sign bearing the shop hours reads determinedly until 7 p.m., the lights are off, and the doors locked.  

The jacket gets dragged back up to your apartment, seemingly oblivious to its handlers’ fuming.  

You eat the cold takeout but don’t really taste it - something about the day being ruined, and the idea of more work to look forward to the rest of the night making your stomach curl. And even with the heater at full blast, the apartment is a measy 62℉.  

Next idea? Call the name tucked in the cover.  

James Barnes, the tag reads. An apartment on the same street as yours, but a different building. Frowning, a tingling rush of recognition, a sensory clue of the strong, looped handwriting. Almost old-fashioned. It couldn’t be.  

Could it? 

What are the chances that this almost-black jacket, taunting you with all its mystery, belongs to that dark-haired, exquisite specimen of a man you’d passed on your way into the dry cleaners’ a few days earlier? No, it really couldn’t be - even if a lingering reminder of how pretty his blue eyes had been when he’d held the door open for you; the little shivers as his deep voice had said something along the lines of, “Have a good day, ma’am.” Who even says ma’am, anymore?  

If this jacket is his, you’ll eat it. Zipper and all.  

The takeout remains go straight into the garbage, and you punch the number into your phone.  

No answer.  

You curl under a minimum of three blankets on the your threadbare couch, already hating the sight of highlighted figures and facts and graphs in the binders. Wind is rattling the creaky window in the kitchen, and it’s distracting in all its threat to break through and fill the apartment with freezing chill. More freezing chill, you should clarify, and a hollow smile tugs at your lips.  

Even with the blankets, it’s cold. And you’d worn your thickest sweater that day, too.  

You try calling the number again - but still nothing. Only a generic voicemail greeting, which you aren’t brave enough to power through to leave an actual message. Frowning as you drop your phone to the ground, a finger taps impatiently on the rim of the binder, and your eyes land on the plastic-covered jacket, hung up by the front door.  

Well… 

It’s thinner than your winter coat, less bulky, but somehow warmer. Whatever brand it is, you need to buy your own jacket. It glides on over your arms and shoulders like silk; settling lightly, and immediately blocking the chill. Amazing. The zipper is quiet, too. Is this what luxury feels like? A few rolls of the sleeves expose your hands, and you wander back to the couch and snuggle in.  

The graphs aren’t any more exciting, but your annoyance seeps away.  

It’s a magic jacket. 

The scant lamplight over your shoulder grows less helpful as the skies blacken outside. Figures to calculate, projections to predict, contingencies to manage. Lip gnawed raw, fingers smudged with marker and pen, lines of focus and worry on your forehead. 

And, of course, someone knocks on the door.  

Throwing back the blankets, you stand and stretch out some stiffness of sitting for so long - it’s probably the neighbor. The mail seems to get mixed up an awful lot, and he’s a sweetheart about passing on your unopened letters.  

A preparatory smile, a yank on the door handle -  

No, that’s not the neighbor. It’s...a cold pit in your stomach as your smile falters. It’s him.  

That’s James Barnes, you wager.  

He’s holding a plastic clothing cover in one hand, a baseball cap on his head. The heady moment holds strong in the whiffy hallway, about a million thoughts crowding into your head in panic, the foremost circulating about how handsome this stranger is, that you’d seen in the shop last week.  

Your heart stops. You’re wearing his jacket.  

His blue eyes flicker across your face for a startled moment, and then down to your shoulders. Shoot.  

“I got cold,” you admit ruefully, babbling on as you hurry to tug down the silver zipper. “Stupid of me.”  

“Not at all.” His deep voice is not as irked as you’d expected - but pleasant. You try not to think about that, and turn around to shove the sleeves back onto the hanger in the plastic. Your face burns in embarrassment.  

“Sorry our things got mixed up,” you mumble. “I was in such a rush today I didn’t even think to check - they’ve never gotten my order wrong before.” 

“Nor mine.”  

Back at the doorway, a little stutter in your heart has you frozen again: he’s smiling. It’s a gorgeous smile. Typical. There’s no flaw visible in the man. You hold out the packaged jacket with a wince, meant to be a smile, and he lifts the other plastic bag. The exchange lasts a hundred years; eyes meeting eyes in a near-trance, and a prickle of sweat breaks out on the back of your neck. 

Guess I have to eat the jacket now, huh. 

Your dress is much lighter. How had you not noticed? Extra shame shoots through your veins, and the stranger gives a clipped nod.  

“Thank you,” he says strangely. “Um - I’m tempted to let you keep my jacket. You look better in it than I do.” 

“Doubt it,” you say without thinking. 

“Huh?” 

“Nothing.”  

“I’m Bucky.”  

Oh, he’s not leaving - in fact, he’s holding out his hand now, and without thinking you take it, and return his introduction with one of your own. Even if he’d read your address card on your dress, and probably knows it already. But Bucky repeats your name back to you, and you try not to focus too long on how wonderful it sounds in his deep, gravelly voice.  

“Not James?” you ask curiously, as the plastic wrinkles unnaturally loudly.  

His lips twist into a pained smile. “Only on paper,” he says. “Um - I have a reputation. Keeps things neater, not to drop it around.” 

Okay. Whatever that means.  

“Um, anyway,” Bucky rushes on to say. “Sorry to bother you so late - I just...I figured that isn’t something you’d want to miss.” A nervous chuckle and a jerk of his head towards the dress in your limp hands - your eyes widen slightly - oh, no -  

So you’d included the matching underwear and garter set to be cleaned with the dress. And Bucky “I have a reputation” James Barnes had seen it. The awkward guilt is written all over his face. It’s in the shift of his weight, his clear regret of still standing in the doorway when he should’ve booked it when he had his chance. 

But this makes you brave. If a man this attractive was nervous, why should you be?  

“My work is holding a fundraiser next weekend for their summer program,” you blurt. “If you’d like - I mean, it’s open to the public. I’d - we’d love to have more people there. So this can be a personal invitation, if you want.”  

“Wha - really?” His expression brightens - surprisingly so, and way too eager to actually understand how boring and stuffing a fundraiser can be. But you don’t care correct him. You just smile nervously.  

“Yeah! There are refreshments and such - I mean, it’s no party, but it can be fun.” Twiddling with the hanger between your fingers, you almost regret offering - but Bucky’s returning smile is so dazzling, so darn sweet and just a little bit shy, that you can’t regret it at all.  

“Thank you,” he says, and it seems like he means it. “It’s kind of you to offer. I’d love to attend.” 

It’s your turn to be taken aback. “Uh, really?” 

“Really. Sounds like a good community thing to do; go out and support a fundraiser.” 

“Uh huh.” It’s such a strange way for him to phrase it, but you don’t dare question it. “Um - thank you for returning this.” You lift the dress, and try not to think of the lingerie. Bucky smiles back, his lips pressed close together - he’s probably trying not to think of it either. Great. This encounter is going swimmingly.  

“No problem. Thank you.” And the jacket shakes in his hand. Two more awkward smiles exchanged, and he takes off down the hall; left hand shoved in his coat pocket, and his shoulders slightly slumped. You watch as he disappears down the stairwell - to make sure he’s safe, not for any other reason - and then retreat back inside your apartment.  

As uncomfortable as the encounter had been, it doesn’t stop you from being nervous the night of the fundraiser.  

~

“What are we doing here, again?” 

Sam’s brusque question raises the hackles on the back of Bucky’s neck - but Bucky doesn’t flinch; keeping an elbow on the bar, and his eyes on the crowd.  

“Charity,” Bucky supplies.  

“Oh, right. What’s her name, again?” 

Bucky sends Sam his darkest scowl. Sam doesn’t flinch, either, but grins and tugs on the open collar of his shirt. He hadn’t told Sam about the dry-cleaning mix up, or even about you - but Sam’s uncanny knack for sniffing out those sorts of detail could almost be impressive.  

He looks back at the crowd.  

Between figures of faceless people, he spots with a shameful burn of recognition, the black dress. The one he’d opened without thinking; the one that had slipped through his fingers like water when he’d picked it up like confusion. Even though it had been a pure accident, his face still feels like it’s on fire - or, that could be so stunning the dress looks on you. Either way.  

Bucky tries very hard not to think of the underwear he’d seen, too.  

You must be working; the smile on your face has very little tilt of the genuine, and your actions are eager to engage with people. He doesn’t envy you that - though he does envy the people you’re talking to.  

Bucky makes a snap decision, and straightens his jacket as he makes his way through the crowd, leaving Sam behind.  

“Hi,” he says, drawing your attention. The woman you’d been talking to has made a graceful exit, and you’ve made a graceful turn towards him - those pretty eyes widen, and Bucky sees a hint of pink as you wet your lips. 

“Bucky! Hi!”  

“Thanks for inviting me.” It’s the least he can say. As you blink, clearly taken aback, he adds, “That dress looks a lot better on you than it did me.” 

Another blink. Then a startled laugh that sounds like music - gone is the plastered smile, and your eyes are sparkling. It makes him feel fantastic, and not just because Bucky is relieved he hasn’t lost all of his charm.  

“Thank you,” you tell him, and your smile doesn’t fade. “The jacket looks better on you, thought.” Your eyes flicker to his chest, and a spark of self-consciousness has him shifting his weight. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Bucky says.  

Silence.  

“Um,” he tries again. “Sorry, I just - ” 

“Are you - ” you say at the same time. Words overlap, and stall. More silence. Bucky grimaces to himself.  

“Can I take you to dinner sometime?” he blurts. “Um - to say sorry for accidentally stealing your clothes.” 

A hint of crease furrows your brows. “You don’t have to apologize for that. It was a mistake.” 

“Then - ” Bucky takes a deep breath. “Can I take you out for dinner, because I want to? If you want to, too, I mean.” Nope - his charm is definitely all gone. Confidence, too. But before he can make a lame excuse and high-tail it outta there, your responding smile nearly blows him away.  

“I want to,” you say in a rush. “Thank you.”  

An exchange of numbers; shy smiles and finally awkward goodbyes - Bucky practically struts away, buoyed by his delight in you and his success - and Sam had thought he could never get a date.  

Bucky sure showed him. 

~

Two Years Later.

The fundraiser had fallen on a Saturday night again; and again - the monetary goal had surpassed all expectations. Thanks to a certain guest you had once invited awkwardly on your doorstep, the friends he had bought and attention it had garnered for your company, and the fact that he kept coming year after year. But the next time - he’d been your date. 

Which is why, at one in the morning in a dark apartment where the heating actually works, you find yourself fumbling with the front of that jacket - that wonderful, smooth and slightly musky jacket, (it’s been a while since it has been cleaned), and Bucky’s hands are all up in your skirt to discover how you feel beneath the silky waves of your own dress.  

It’s hard not to laugh, even when his lips are searing hot and breathless against yours, to remember how red in the face Bucky had been that first night. When he’d seen you in that black dress he’d accidently taken home - and later, when he knew you well enough, he’d admitted shocked and embarrassed he’d been to see the unmentionable underthings of a woman he’d never met.  

He has no problems with them now.  

A silent ‘thank you’ to the dry cleaning shop lady who’d messed up your orders. 

“What was that?” Bucky’s bemused face lifts from your throat where he’d been peppering hot kisses - you blink stupidly in the dark at his blue eyes, lost for words. 

“Oh - I don’t remember.” 

His lips curl into a sinister sort of smile, and slowly his head lowers again - shivers race across the skin, and the jacket falls on the floor.  

It looks better there, anyway.  

[jovialsoulinfluencer]

Renovation Stress? 8 Tips to Stay Sane

My husband and I are knee-deep in bathroom renovations and I’d be lying if I said it’s been smooth sailing. We’ve been plagued with scheduling delays and tile issues and our two-week reno has turned into a six-weeker. We’re finally wrapping it up now, but it’s been a stressful time in our homeowner history.

Renovations are famously stressful, thanks to the disruption to your normal routine. While we haven’t loved sharing a bathroom with our 13-year-old, undertaking this together has taught us a thing or two about managing renovation stress. Did we have our fair share of bickering? Sure. Renovations have a way of increasing tension. Still, we made it out (relatively) unscathed, thanks to these tips on staying sane.

Make sure you nail down a budget before you start renovating. Image: hanohiki/Shutterstock

Be clear on the budget

Renovation budget issues are probably one of the biggest complaints between couples. Your budget (and being clear on how you’ll pay for things) will color your entire experience, so make sure it’s your first discussion. How much do you have saved and how much will you use other funds (e.g., credit cards, home equity loan or other methods). Nothing is more stressful than seeing your funds dwindle faster than they should. It’s not always the most pleasant conversation, but setting a budget and creating a contingency fund will help you keep your calm when other reno issues arise.

Get choosy with your arguments

In your quest for your dream space, it can be easy to get fixated on the details. How will you love your kitchen if you don’t pick the perfect paint color? But nitpicking every detail might be one of the biggest factors in renovation stress. At the very start of our renovation, I pinpointed the one thing that I wouldn’t budge on: countertops. Identifying my one must-have has made it easy to defer and compromise on other details. When our shower contractor couldn’t get my first-choice finish in on time, changing it for something more accessible was no big deal.

Choose your top three renovation must-haves and then be flexible on the rest. You’ll get what you want without going completely crazy in the process.

Taking your kitchen out of commission can cause major stress. Image: ungvar/Shutterstock

Compartmentalize the process

When your renovation is eating up so much of your time and budget, it’s easy to start letting it color all of your interactions. Who can think about date night when your kitchen is in shambles? But compartmentalizing the renovation helps you leave the stress of cost, materials and contractors behind when you spend time with your family. I like to look at it as a work day: I can put in ‘x’ amount of hours but when I’m done for the day, I focus on other things. That way, when I’m spending my time with family, I’m not focusing on fixtures or paint samples. That means no browsing for home stuff online or talking about the reno after certain hours — and keeping my sanity.

Use up vacation time

If you or your spouse are lucky enough to have vacation time, now would be a great time to use it. Sure, you might need a beach and a drink after your reno, but chances are that your time will be better served at your house. Whether it’s supervising a cabinet install or getting your paintbrush wet, working on a renovation is less stressful if you can do it during daylight hours. Working a full day and trying to schedule around your hours or heading home to work on the house after a full day at the office eats up your energy and gives you zero downtime. You don’t need to use up all of your vacation time, but budgeting for a few hours or days can seriously reduce your renovation stress.

Get your family to do a low-stress project with you. Image: Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock

Work together

Let’s face it: sometimes, it’s easier to just work solo and get the job done. But renovations can be an awesome time to reconnect with your family if you’re willing to slow down a bit. Choose a project that is easy and fairly inconsequential — creating art for the wall or painting a small space, for example — and tackle it as a family. Not only will you create memories and connection to your home, but it serves as a great reminder as to why you’re working on improving your space. If it’s not for your family, who is it for? Slowing down and laughing a little can help relieve some of the built-up tension and see you through to the finish line.

Get away from the house

When you just want something done, it’s easy to let it consume your life. Spending every waking, free moment on your renovation is a recipe for stress central, though. Reduce your anxiety by planning some time away from your house. After all, being there is just a reminder of everything you need to get done. A staycation for a night or two at a local hotel or just getting out of the house on a Saturday afternoon recharges your batteries and gives you the energy you need to keep working. Hey, there’s no award for most consecutive hours working on your home. Take a break and get away from the project for a bit.

Keep your timelines flexible to keep your sanity. Image: Jaruwan Jaiyangyuen/Shutterstock

Stick to your routine

Part of the reason renovations are so stressful is that they can really do a number on your daily routine. Whether it’s putting your kitchen out of commission or pushing you to sleep in the guest room, the added stress of being out of your regular groove is enough to seriously raise your blood pressure. Whenever possible, stick closely to your regular routine. While you might be eating more takeout than usual or showering in your kids’ bathroom (guilty!), it can definitely help to continue getting up at the same time and eating meals at home — even if they’re the fast food variety. Renovations are hard enough as it is. Sticking with your regular routine makes them feel less disruptive.

Stay flexible

There’s no such thing as a perfect renovation. There will be material mixups and timing issues along the way. Accepting that from day one can help you stay flexible and less stressed. A rigid timeline and unrealistic expectations will only cause anxiety. Make sure your renovation includes plenty of contingencies, from a padded timeline to backup material choices. Staying flexible and knowing that it’ll be finished — eventually — makes the process infinitely more pleasant.

For a mere six weeks’ worth of drywall dust and paint chips, we scored more functional bathrooms in a house we love even more than before. Renovations mean change, and change can mean upending your life for a few weeks — or months. But if you plan your reno well and keep a good attitude, the change is well worth it.

The post Renovation Stress? 8 Tips to Stay Sane appeared first on Freshome.com.

from https://freshome.com/8-tips-for-renovation-stress/ via Renovation Stress? 8 Tips to Stay Sane

[cessanderson]

Renovation Stress? 8 Tips to Stay Sane http://bit.ly/2ENTp6V

My husband and I are knee-deep in bathroom renovations and I’d be lying if I said it’s been smooth sailing. We’ve been plagued with scheduling delays and tile issues and our two-week reno has turned into a six-weeker. We’re finally wrapping it up now, but it’s been a stressful time in our homeowner history.

Renovations are famously stressful, thanks to the disruption to your normal routine. While we haven’t loved sharing a bathroom with our 13-year-old, undertaking this together has taught us a thing or two about managing renovation stress. Did we have our fair share of bickering? Sure. Renovations have a way of increasing tension. Still, we made it out (relatively) unscathed, thanks to these tips on staying sane.

Make sure you nail down a budget before you start renovating. Image: hanohiki/Shutterstock

Be clear on the budget

Renovation budget issues are probably one of the biggest complaints between couples. Your budget (and being clear on how you’ll pay for things) will color your entire experience, so make sure it’s your first discussion. How much do you have saved and how much will you use other funds (e.g., credit cards, home equity loan or other methods). Nothing is more stressful than seeing your funds dwindle faster than they should. It’s not always the most pleasant conversation, but setting a budget and creating a contingency fund will help you keep your calm when other reno issues arise.

Get choosy with your arguments

In your quest for your dream space, it can be easy to get fixated on the details. How will you love your kitchen if you don’t pick the perfect paint color? But nitpicking every detail might be one of the biggest factors in renovation stress. At the very start of our renovation, I pinpointed the one thing that I wouldn’t budge on: countertops. Identifying my one must-have has made it easy to defer and compromise on other details. When our shower contractor couldn’t get my first-choice finish in on time, changing it for something more accessible was no big deal.

Choose your top three renovation must-haves and then be flexible on the rest. You’ll get what you want without going completely crazy in the process.

Taking your kitchen out of commission can cause major stress. Image: ungvar/Shutterstock

Compartmentalize the process

When your renovation is eating up so much of your time and budget, it’s easy to start letting it color all of your interactions. Who can think about date night when your kitchen is in shambles? But compartmentalizing the renovation helps you leave the stress of cost, materials and contractors behind when you spend time with your family. I like to look at it as a work day: I can put in ‘x’ amount of hours but when I’m done for the day, I focus on other things. That way, when I’m spending my time with family, I’m not focusing on fixtures or paint samples. That means no browsing for home stuff online or talking about the reno after certain hours — and keeping my sanity.

Use up vacation time

If you or your spouse are lucky enough to have vacation time, now would be a great time to use it. Sure, you might need a beach and a drink after your reno, but chances are that your time will be better served at your house. Whether it’s supervising a cabinet install or getting your paintbrush wet, working on a renovation is less stressful if you can do it during daylight hours. Working a full day and trying to schedule around your hours or heading home to work on the house after a full day at the office eats up your energy and gives you zero downtime. You don’t need to use up all of your vacation time, but budgeting for a few hours or days can seriously reduce your renovation stress.

Get your family to do a low-stress project with you. Image: Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock

Work together

Let’s face it: sometimes, it’s easier to just work solo and get the job done. But renovations can be an awesome time to reconnect with your family if you’re willing to slow down a bit. Choose a project that is easy and fairly inconsequential — creating art for the wall or painting a small space, for example — and tackle it as a family. Not only will you create memories and connection to your home, but it serves as a great reminder as to why you’re working on improving your space. If it’s not for your family, who is it for? Slowing down and laughing a little can help relieve some of the built-up tension and see you through to the finish line.

Get away from the house

When you just want something done, it’s easy to let it consume your life. Spending every waking, free moment on your renovation is a recipe for stress central, though. Reduce your anxiety by planning some time away from your house. After all, being there is just a reminder of everything you need to get done. A staycation for a night or two at a local hotel or just getting out of the house on a Saturday afternoon recharges your batteries and gives you the energy you need to keep working. Hey, there’s no award for most consecutive hours working on your home. Take a break and get away from the project for a bit.

Keep your timelines flexible to keep your sanity. Image: Jaruwan Jaiyangyuen/Shutterstock

Stick to your routine

Part of the reason renovations are so stressful is that they can really do a number on your daily routine. Whether it’s putting your kitchen out of commission or pushing you to sleep in the guest room, the added stress of being out of your regular groove is enough to seriously raise your blood pressure. Whenever possible, stick closely to your regular routine. While you might be eating more takeout than usual or showering in your kids’ bathroom (guilty!), it can definitely help to continue getting up at the same time and eating meals at home — even if they’re the fast food variety. Renovations are hard enough as it is. Sticking with your regular routine makes them feel less disruptive.

Stay flexible

There’s no such thing as a perfect renovation. There will be material mixups and timing issues along the way. Accepting that from day one can help you stay flexible and less stressed. A rigid timeline and unrealistic expectations will only cause anxiety. Make sure your renovation includes plenty of contingencies, from a padded timeline to backup material choices. Staying flexible and knowing that it’ll be finished — eventually — makes the process infinitely more pleasant.

For a mere six weeks’ worth of drywall dust and paint chips, we scored more functional bathrooms in a house we love even more than before. Renovations mean change, and change can mean upending your life for a few weeks — or months. But if you plan your reno well and keep a good attitude, the change is well worth it.

The post Renovation Stress? 8 Tips to Stay Sane appeared first on Freshome.com.

Jae Curtis

[nechamaelle]

Yes, this is a repost of an older photo, but I didn't take a photo yesterday and desperately needed to share... Yesterday I placed an order on seamless at @thepocketful - a salad bowl, without the salad, requested with tomato + cucumber instead (yup, that's how I eat salad...minus the lettuce!) . The salad arrived pretty fast, but with tons and tons of lettuce, and no tomato + cucumber either. I called @thepocketful and let them know, without skipping a beat they offered to remake the salad and send it right over.... it came super fast and with a side of extra falafel for #free ! Oh wait... the owner also called me back later to ensure I got the new salad and confirm that it came correctly and to my liking! Incase you've never ordered from @seamless , the likelihood of orders coming correct are at about 2%, and the chance of the resturant you've ordered from caring in the slightest about the mixup is at about .05%. So @thepocketful you win in my book, huge! #problemsolved #winner #nylunch #problemsfixed #nylunchproblems #takeout #mixups #falafel #thepocketful #kosher #kosherfood #kosherfoodie #kosherfoodies #kosherfoodny #nykosher #nykosherfood #thankyou #nomnomnom #eatingfortheinsta #heathyeats #healthyeating #foodtruck #foodtruckeats #foodtrucknyc #foodtruckny #falafelsalad #falafel #guacamole #avocado #salsa #vegan #veganfoodie #veganeats #veganfood (at The Pocketful)