#there must be a happy medium between

[fjordfolk]

i'm sensing a GO EVERYWHERE, DO EVERYTHING approach in new breeders raising litters and i don't think i like it

[burningvelvet]

being a romantic era poet: a quick how-to guide

walk around in nature contemplating Things. start hiking, swimming, sailing, rowing, shooting, riding, etc. for inspiration

be obsessed with the french revolution and related enlightenment-era figures like rousseau, voltaire, mary wollstonecraft, and madame de staël. be more disappointed by napoleon bonaparte than you are by your own father. 

speaking of fathers, your parents and most of your other relatives are all either dying or dead or emotionally abusive. if you have any siblings (full, half, step, or adopted) who DIDN'T die tragically already, then you may choose to be close to them. you also may end up being much TOO close to them. various circumstances may also ban you from seeing them. 

be at least slightly touched by madness and/or some other severe illness(es) including but not limited to: consumption, horrors, syphilis, deformities, lameness, terrors, piles, boils, pox, allergies, coughing, sleep abnormalities, gonorrhea, etc. — for which you must take frequent bed rest and copious amounts of Laudanum (opium derivation)

consider foregoing meat and adopting a vegetable diet instead to purify the spirits. you may also abstain from alcohol for the same reasons. alternatively, you may attempt the veggie diet, end up rejecting it, and becoming a rampant alcoholic instead. in romanticism there is no healthy medium between abstinence and excess.

reject, or at least heavily criticize, christianity. refuse to get married in a church and consider becoming a fervent champion of atheism. alternatively, you may embrace catholicism, but only on an aesthetic basis. eastern religions and minority religions are also acceptable, only because they piss off the christians. 

if you’re not a self-hating member of the aristocracy and instead have to work for a living, do something that allows you to benefit society, be creative, and/or contemplate life. viable options include, but are not limited to: apothecarist, doctor, teacher, preacher, lawyer, farmer, printmaker, publisher, editor. there is also the possibility of earning a few coins from your art. if you were cursed to be born a She, no worries. we believe in equality. you may choose from these occupations: wife, nanny, housekeeper, spinster, amanuensis (copy writer for a man), lady’s companion, divorced wife, singer/actress/escort, widow, regular escort, tutor, or housewife. 

speaking of sexist institutions, try rejecting marriage entirely. Declare your eternal devotion to your lover by having sex with them on your mother’s grave instead.

if you do get married — elope, and only let it be for necessary financial reasons, or to try and save a teenage girl from her controlling family, or out of true love with someone you view as your intellectual equal, or because your life is so racked with scandals and debt that you can only clear your name by matrimony to a wealthy religious woman as your last resort before fleeing the country.

After marriage, quickly assert your belief in the powers of free love and bisexuality by taking extramarital lovers and suggesting your spouse follow suit. If they cannot keep up with your intellectual escapades then consider leaving them. Later on, propose a platonic friendship with them following the separation, or beg them for reconciliation.

If your marriage is happy, try moving in with another bohemian couple to shake things up. Alternatively, you may die before the wedding for dramatic effect.

If you beget children (whether in or out of marriage, makes no matter), do society a favor by choosing to raise them with your beliefs. Consider adopting orphan children, or even non-orphan children. If their parents are poor enough they probably won’t mind. Try kidnapp— I mean adopting — children off the side of the road if you can. 

DIE but do it creatively. ideally young. ideas: prophecy your own death, lead an army into war and then die right before your first battle and on your deathbed curse everyone and demand to see a witch, write a will leaving money to your mistresses or some random young man you have an unrequited romantic obsession with, carry a copy of your dead friend's poetry and read it right before you drown so that your washed up corpse can only be identified by his book in your pocket, die while staring at your lover's shriveled up heart that you keep wrapped up in a copy of his own poetry and then be buried with it, die of the poet's illness (consumption) while your artist friend draws you and then be buried with your lover's writing, get mysteriously poisoned (by yourself) after a series of scandals and accidents and then have your family announce that you were killed by god, die from romanticizing poverty or receiving bad reviews from literary critics, die from walking or horseback riding in the cold and the rain while poeticizing, etc.

[fiabex]

Fic In A Box 2024

Schedule

August 9-16: Nominations Pre-Gaming (participants can load tags from last year’s tagset into this tagset)

August 17: Tag Nominations Open

August 24: Tag Nominations Close

August 25-26: Nominations Cleanup

August 27: Signups Open

September 1: Swap requests open

September 7: Signups Close

September 10: Assignments Out By This Date

September 11: Swap requests close

October 20: Assignments Due

October 27: First Extension Due Date

November 3: Final Extension Due Date

November 10: Last Day To Submit Makeup Assignments

November 16: Work Reveals

November 30: Creator Reveals

All times 10pm Eastern

What is Fic In A Box

A gift exchange is an event where participants create fanworks to gift to each other. Fic In A Box is a fanwork exchange with a large minimum gifting requirement and several unique features. Gifts can include fic, art, audio, video— and much much more.

How It Works/The Nitty-Gritty:

All participants in Fic In A Box are requesting 10,000 words of fanfiction by default, but can opt in to other mediums to give their gifter options. Mediums can include writing structure things like "in-world rpf" for your gift, or include creative formats as far away from fic as different types of art, knitting patterns, logic puzzles, and so on. There were 288 mediums to choose from last year, and we add more every year.

For mediums other than the written word, pretty much any medium will be accepted, as long as it can be digitized for delivery and we can agree on a clear and easily checked equivalent to 1k of written fic. Participants who primarily work in non-writing mediums are very welcome and will get specially matched (as long as they give the mods a heads-up) so they'll have an assignment they can complete. If your art form is fannish cross-stitch? We'd love to have you join us.

Participants have the option to split the 10k words (or equivalent in an opted-into medium) that they owe between several separate works (say, one fic of 3k and a another of 7k) to reach 10k total. The minimum word count per work is 1k by default, but lower wordcount works will count if your recipient has opted into receiving them. (Drabble is a medium that can be opted into!) And initial assignments are 10k for one person, but at the start of the exchange the mods run Swaps which will give you the chance to split that 10k into multiple shorter assignments for multiple recipients!

So when it comes time to turn in gifts, you might turn in 3k worth of art, 4k in fic, and 3k in typesetting a fic (10k total), and then you receive 8k of fic and 2k of map design (10k total). Last year 265 people signed up, and we exchanged 993 gifts at the end of the creation period, everything from fic to reddit posts to logic puzzles to museum catalogues to CYOA stories to colouring pages!

If you cannot complete the full 10k (or other medium equivalent) but are still able to post one or more smaller, complete works, you can default on just the remaining wordcount. You will then be guaranteed (via finding a back up gifter-- "pinch hitting"-- if necessary) a gift equivalent to the amount you were able to submit (rounded down to the nearest 1k). There are also options to "earn back" guaranteed minimum amount by taking pinch hits or completing your original assignment.

Questions?

For more information about Medium rulesets, signing up, nominations of fandoms, relationships, or medium forms, swaps, or much more (questions about how pinch hits work? we have documentation about that), check out the dreamwidth blog!

If you have questions, feel free to ask them here, check the dreamwidth blog for much more documentation, email the mods, or join our discord server. The discord server has a lot of experienced participants happy to answer questions, and you are also welcome to join just to hang out!

Note: you must be 18 or older to join FIAB.

Links

Email: ficinaboxmod@gmail.com

Ao3 Collection (sign up here once signups open)

Tag Set

Dreamwidth Blog

Discord (includes question channel)

Current Pinch Hits

[holyfreaks]

Sam and Dean Mini Event

Hi! Welcome to the Sam and Dean Mini Event! For my birthday, I decided to make a little event where we can celebrate two of our favorite freaks! Prompts and rules can be found below <3

June 25th

- Ethel Cain

- Cycles / ouroboros

- LGBTQ+

June 26th

- First times / last times

- Motel rooms

- Love like religion / devotion

June 27th

- Growing pains / growing up

- Happy endings

- Family is hell

Rules:

ANY ship is welcomed. No hate or harassment of any kind will be tolerated.

Other characters are welcomed, as long as Sam and/or Dean are featured.

NSFW and dark content are allowed but must be tagged properly.

Please no AI. Any other medium of creation is great! Art, fanfic, edits, web weaves, fanvideos, meta, podfics, etc.

Your creation can feature one or more of the given prompts on each day! Feel free to be specific, abstract, or somewhere in between. I'd love to see your interpretations!

Late submissions are totally fine.

Please either tag me @holyfreaks and/or tag your post with #nepsbday2024 so I can see and reblog what you create!

Have fun!

[2dmax]

2dmax commissions info spring 2024

last updated april 12th

to place an order for a commission, you may PM me; if you prefer, you can also fill out this form or commission me through fiverr.

text and additional info below the readmore.

thanks for reblogging, even if you aren't interest right now!

Packages

These are excellent starting off points for most common commission types. Additional specificity and complexity can be purchased. All basic packages are artist's medium of choice, include simple backgrounds, minimal/no props. All include full color, fully finished works.

Standard Illustration - $80

Artistic and expressive "full body" illustration (roughly 75-100% of figure).

Mini Illustration - $50

Chibi, portrait, half body, icons, and the like.

Couple's Illustration - $100

A duo version of the above styles. Doesn't have to be romantic couples - friends, enemies, family, pet & owner, or other pairs and duos OK.

Multipose, Reference, and Group Lineups - $120+

For commissions that require either multiple poses of the same character, groups, more than two characters generally. Reference pages can include close-ups and detailed shots.

Experimental Commissions

18"x24" Handmade Poster - $200

artist’s choice of medium only. typically acrylic/mixed media. always on extra large poster sized paper. great way to celebrate your favorite OCs or canon characters!

paper clay figurine - $100

chibi humanoids/animals/ferals/anthros only. between 2"-3" cubed, give or take. armature wire, paper clay, paint, and varnish. these are delicate art items, not toys; not suitable for children. includes a photoset at no additional cost.

standalone comics page - $200

2-5 panels, 1-2 characters, 1 location. artist’s choice of medium only. can be OCs or canon characters.

wildcard commission - $???

submit your request and your budget; results are up to the artist.

pay what you want means get what you get!

here’s what to expect when you order:

Send me a PM with basic info; what you would like me to draw, your budget, and if you have a deadline.

I will ask a few questions to be able to build up the concept. I will also give you my e-mail, where you can send me further info and any references you’d like to share!

Your sketch is typically ready within a week; I’ll always update you on my progress. After we agree on the sketch, payment will be due. After it’s paid, I will give you an estimate for when I will be finished with your piece.

Your finished artwork will be e-mailed to you. I am also happy to mail physical art at cost!

terms and conditions:

Your commission is for personal use; icons, roleplaying, in your blog theme, as a wallpaper, or to print out and tape to your fridge. Commercial use can be negotiated.

You must credit me on the platform used if reposted. Always OK to post to ToyHouse; my username is 2dmax there. On instagram and all other platforms where I don’t have an account, please credit my instagram @/maximumgroove.

You may not use my art to promote anything hateful or illegal. You may not claim it as anyone else’s creation. You may not use it for commercial uses, or to edit, adapt, trace, or directly reference, without getting permission. I may use my art in my own promotional material.

➽ navigation desktop view ★ F.A.Q. browse my finished art ★ sketches ★ other media look at buyables & adoptables fan art ★ ttrpg art ★ flight rising art ask me a question ★ browse my archive visit my toyhou.se ★ follow me on instagram

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

One of the more interesting aspects of Stayed Gone is the implication that, prior to his disappearance, Alastor must have been producing some quality programming.

Despite it's obvious importance in the modern world, TV apparently only started outcompeting radio in Hell after Alastor vanished. Seven whole years ago. And when Al returns, Vox's first response is to freak the fuck out about whether he's gonna keep his audience.

That's fucking crazy.

And we can be pretty sure that people weren't just listening in out of fear, either. Or because Alastor was making any major effort to crush all other forms of media.

If this was purely about which Overlord was the most powerful, then Vox's verses would surely have focused on emphasising his own strength. Instead, they're all about calling radio outdated. Vox is genuinely worried— apparently based on experience— that Alastor is going to outdo him in terms of sheer entertainment value.

Which raises the obvious question: what were Al's shows actually like? (Aside from those early broadcasts guest-starting the screams of the damned, obviously.)

We get kind of a taster in the song:

“Salutations! Good to be back on the air. Yes, I know it's been a while, since someone with style treated Hell to a broadcast— Sinners, rejoice!— instead of a clout-chasing mediocre video podcast. Is Vox insecure, pursuing allure? Fitting between this fad and that, is nothing working? Every day, he's got a new format! Is Vox as strong as he purports? Or is it based on his support? He'd be powerless without the other Vees! And here's the sugar on the cream: he asked me to join his team! I said no, and now he's pissy, that's the tea!”

Obviously he's doing it to music, so there's going to be some difference in the cadence of his voice from that, but still, he's talking noticeably quicker than he does in person. And he gets right to the point.

Compare it to his commercial in episode 1. There's a big difference in terms of both how much respect he's showing his audience (“well hello there, you wayward sinner!” vs “good to be back on the air”), and how much relevant information he delivers.

Alastor is a great character to watch, but most people who interact with him directly seem to find the experience either annoying, awkward, terrifying or all three.

Mainly because Al seems to go out of his way to put people off even when he's actively trying to get them to trust him, by making condescending asides or constantly dropping references to his own power. On air, however, he greets everyone politely and even drops what is almost an apology for being gone so long (“I know it's been a while”), then immediately gets to the information that he knows they're really listening for.

Alastor may not respect Charlie, Adam or Lucifer, but he does respect his audience.

And the content he's producing makes it clear why people are still tuning in. Al has the gossip. Katie Killjoy and Tom Trench may not be unbiased exactly, but they're clearly trying to provide sources for their claims and maintain some veneer of professional news reporting.

Al, meanwhile, is quite happy to provide strong opinions and baseless speculation about public figures, content that is less fitting with the professional image that Vox seems so desperate to keep up, but that is likely to attract a bigger audience.

What gets me curious now, however, is wondering what else he used to provide.

Again, radio was apparently the medium for news and entertainment in Hell until Alastor left. Implying that a) radio was at the time fulfilling many of the function that TV now provides, and b) Alastor was involved enough in this that it collapsed/got overthrown the moment he left town.

Did Alastor have an empire similar to the Vees? Did he run a bunch of channels? Did he have DJs and sports commentators and presenters on his payroll?

Given that radio seems to have collapsed completely after he left— did they all go running to Vox when he was presumed dead? Was the Vees new empire in part built on the ruins of Alastor's old one?

Or did he do the whole thing solo and just run like, a bunch of different shows. (In which case, since radio's bread and butter has always been music, Helluva Boss fans can now have fun imagining him interviewing Verosika Mayday about ‘Vacay to Bonetown’.)

[kpopsexstories]

Hey !! Do you think you can do a male reader version of that one Jeno Missionary fic/story please?

Hey! 😄👋 You must be referring to this straight Jeno story. I was surprised to see how quickly it soared in popularity. It's not even two weeks old and already my most popular post!

So it makes perfect sense to do a gay version of it 😉 The result is largely copy/paste, but with details changed and a second dick added which makes it slightly longer. I hope you enjoy! 😘

QUICK FIX GAY #1: NCT Muscle Hunk Jeno fucks you missionary style (male reader)

Content Warning! This is a 100% gay story. Check out this post for my straight smut and this post for more gay smut. The original straight story on which this one is based can be found here.

Pairing: Top NCT Jeno x Bottom male reader

Content: Missionary

Type of Sex: MEDIUM

Word Count: 1,196

Jeno's narrow waist and big body always turns you on. There's something about his proportions that drives you wild. Now, when you see him through the mirror standing naked in the bathroom door – watching you intently with a seductive smile – you quickly turn around and let your towel fall to the floor.

“Wanna go again?” he asks and smirks.

You don't even reply. Naked and happy, you drop your toothbrush, rush toward the man and jump him like the horny boyfriend that you are.

With his strong arms and your legs tightly wrapped around him, Jeno carries you back to the bed. You plant your lips on his and feel his flexing muscles, as he gently lays you down and climbs on top. You can't wait to feel his powerful dick in your ass again.

With passionate thrusts and arms stretched out on the mattress, he rubs his cock against your stomach. You make out, full of lust, for the third time this morning.

He lifts his body and reaches down between your legs. You bend your knees toward your chest, feet and legs raised in the air, and feel the dick as it plays between your cheeks.

Jeno sits up on his shins. You observe him while he looks down, hand around his cock, and guides the head into position. Despite his impressive size he doesn't even need to expand you. He knows you can take it.

Slowly, with a big smirk on his face, he puses the head forward. “Mm, babe,” he moans when he penetrates you.

Towering above you he begins to rock his body back and forth. He leans toward you and puts his hand on your chest, and the other on the mattress beside you.

The dick goes deeper and deeper inside your hole. The big man and throbbing cock quickly fills you up, giving you enormous pleasure the way he – and it – always does.

With his legs slightly bent and the hand on your chest pressing down a little harder, Jeno begins to thrust repeatedly inside you. You smile at each other as you let your hand glide down his toned muscles and narrow waist.

When he leans down to kiss you, you reach for his ass cheek and squeeze it. You push him deeper still, while he breathes heavily into your mouth.

“Mm, babe,” he repeats. “Mm, your ass feels fucking good.”

“Ahh, Jeno,” you whisper and close your eyes. The last thing you see is his chest moving above yours.

He comes back down to kiss your neck. While his hand explores your side, he licks your skin and brushes his nose against your ear. His large palm gently caresses your face while he lovingly thrusts into you repeatedly.

His knees dig into the bed just below your ass cheeks. He picks up the pace, and you raise your legs to squeeze his hips. The muscles in his ass cheeks tighten with each loving jolt of passion and desire.

Slowly, he pulls the shaft half way out only to abruptly thrust it back in again. He repeats the erotic motion again and again, each time filling you with even greater pleasure.

Your hands are all over his strong arms and back. You occasionally kiss, only to bury your heads in each other's necks again. Your ass slides up his thighs, as he pulls you closer and bends his body to penetrate you at the perfect angle.

His touch is warm and gentle, but firm and confident. He wants you so bad, all day every day, and the love you feel when he caresses your skin is unrivaled. That's why you know the third time definitely won't be the last.

As his thrusts grow more intense, they balance out until he's fucking you fast at a steady rhythm. He pulls your hair gently while his chest brushes against yours repeatedly.

He suddenly raises his upper body, a clear sign that you've brought him to the edge and he’s ready to come. Your hands enjoy his broad shoulders until they slip out of reach, and you love the sight of his groin slamming against the insides of your thighs.

When he's ready to go all the way, he straightens his arms and towers high above you. He sits on both knees and firmly holds you around the waist. You grab your dick and stroke it, eager to align your orgasm with his.

You lift your head to glance at Jeno’s v-line while his cock slides in and out below you. “Mm, yeah!” you exclaim and stroke your dick faster. You sense Jeno’s body changing and his orgasm approaching. “Yes, fuck me, give me that cock!”

You catch his eyes taking in the full view of you. “Oh yeah, you're so hot babe!” he groans.

He suddenly closes his eyes and the hands around your waist feel stronger. He pulls you harder onto his shaft while his buff chest stretches out.

When he comes, he grimaces and lets out an audible groan. You too close your eyes while squeezing his thigh, and envision the throbbing cock inside you as you jerk off.

“Ahh, fuuck,” he exclaims. “Yeah, fuuck!”

He jolts his body hard, pushing inside you with force as he erupts. He slowly pulls out, then thrusts hard back in, emptying his load in several hot waves.

“Mm, yes!” you say just before you release your own load. “Yes, fuuck!”

Your cum shoots out across your stomach. Jeno is watching the display with great interest. “Babe, you drive me so wild. Your ass always makes me bust so hard.”

When you’re done and your body begins to relax, Jeno slowly pulls out one last time. You feel your rim grip around the shaft, then the release as the head falls out of your body.

“Mm, yeah, you're so sexy babe,” you say while panting softly.

Jeno sits down and you admire his figure. He smiles wide at you and gets out of bed. “Wanna shower with me?” he asks. He still has a hard-on between his legs.

You let out a satisfied laugh. “Damn, I just got out of the shower though! Get me a tissue.”

“Yeah, but we’ve soiled you again,” he grins. ”Your ass is full of cum.”

“I know,” you say and smile. “Just let me catch my breath.”

Jeno turns around and walks toward the bathroom. You can't take your eyes off his hourglass figure and tight butt. Without turning around, he says: “If you join me I'll wash you off. If you get horny again I’ll suck you the way you love.”

You can hear the smirk in his voice. “I’m spent,” you say and giggle. You sit up and slide yourself toward the foot of the bed, moving carefully as not to spill on the sheets.

Jeno turns in the door to face you. “I’ll let you wash me off,” he says seductively.

You glance at his abs and quickly leap up from the bed. “Now that I want to do.”

You put your arms around each other when you catch up with your boyfriend. The day has only just begun.

[eponymous-rose]

I can't find it now, which probably means it was months and months ago, but someone sent me an ask about considering adopting a cat but, as a dog person, not knowing much about adoption (e.g., whether shelter cats are good for first-time owners) and the day-to-day responsibilities of cat ownership. I can answer for my own experience, although I'm sure I'll be forgetting some important aspects!

Shelter vs Purebred:

I have a little 5-year-old shelter cat, a female domestic shorthair with a tuxedo coat! That's a big difference between cats and dogs - the vast, vast, VAST majority of cats you'll ever encounter are simply categorized as domestic shorthair/medium hair/longhair, with purebred cats being rare enough that they generally are limited to breeders - when I was an adoption counselor at a shelter, I only saw a couple of potentially purebred cats some through, and both were likely mixes. A lot of the time, cats are identified by their coat colors instead (e.g., calico, tabby, orange, tuxedo, colorpoint, dilute, etc.) with much made of the personality traits associated with those coats even though there's tragically no real science to back that up. Some coat colors are much more common with particular sexes of cats - orange cats are about 80/20 male/female, while calicos are >98% female - and that may contribute to some of the kitty stereotypes (e.g., orange cats are typically male, and neutered male cats tend to be quite calm and chill).

I'd heartily recommend shelter cats to anyone, including first-time owners. A lot of purebred cats sadly come with medical conditions (e.g., scottish folds often have significant pain due to connective tissue disorders, manx cats are prone to arthritis and spinal problems, maine coons and sphynx cats have relatively high rates of congenital heart disease, persians are brachycephalic and have breathing issues) or extra-high maintenance care requirements (e.g., sphynx cats must be bathed regularly because the lack of hair means the oils on their skin stick to any and all dirt, maine coons and ragdolls and norwegian forest cats require significant daily grooming to keep their long double coats from matting, brachycephalic cats require extra baths and grooming since they're generally unable to keep their own coats as clean, and breeds like bengals are so immensely high-energy that it's nearly a full-time job keeping up with their needs for enrichment and constant activity).

Shelter cats are almost all domestic shorthair/medium hair/longhair breeds, and tend to have the longest life expectancy of all kitties - although there are no guarantees (I sadly lost a 9-month-old kitten to a congenitally damaged heart) the lifespan numbers quoted lately for indoor-only cats tend to be around 15-25 years. And, of course, most places are overrun with stray cats - adopting from a shelter often comes with a free spay/neuter and vaccines, along with the satisfaction of having rescued a little critter that had a rough start before finding a forever home. You can visit shelters and get to know the kitties there - keep in mind that most cats are dramatically more fearful and shy in cages, and that you can often ask volunteers to point you to their favorites, especially if you're looking for an extra-chill cat as a first-time owner.

Consider adopting an adult cat! Kittens are adorable, but their energy levels are absolutely through the roof... as well as their destructive potential. Picture tiny whirlwinds with knives on their feet, the ability to jump 4-5 feet from a dead stop, zero sense of self-preservation, and the ability to keep sprinting for hours at random times of day and night. If you do get a kitten, consider adopting two - they tend to be less work since they'll keep each other entertained. Adult cats, however, tend to have more chill personalities and are more likely to settle into a routine quickly. My Clara is still pretty high-energy, but at 5 years old she's happy to have a shorter session of zoomies and intense play if it means she can then just curl up on a lap or in the sun to snooze and purr. Senior kitties are also wonderful - often cats don't have a very visible decline and remain relatively high-energy and chipper until very late in life, so it's not unusual that a 13-year-old cat will still act like a kitten and have many good years ahead, just a bit more chill.

Keep in mind that a cat is a long-term commitment. I was 7 years old when my parents brought two kittens home from the shelter - they lived another 18 years, until I was well into grad school.

Common Health Problems:

Cats that were once strays are very prone to two common diseases: FIV and FeLV. FIV (feline immundeficiency virus) essentially is a disorder of the immune system: these cats may be more prone to getting ill and may get more significantly ill when they do get sick. Luckily, FIV is far from a death sentence! These cats can live a normal quantity and quality of life with proactive health monitoring and regular trips to the vet (we're talking every 6 months instead of every year). FIV is contagious to other cats, but generally is only spread via deep bite wounds, so mixing of FIV+ and FIV- cats is possible given that you know that the cats are unlikely to get into a major fracas. FeLV (feline leukemia virus), sadly, has a worse prognosis - there's a lot of variability, but generally the best-case scenario is only a handful of years before the viral load is too high to avoid dangerous symptoms.

Another kitty disease that is sadly common among younger cats in particular is FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), which is a complication from a common kitty coronavirus that can emerge at any time and often manifests in very vague symptoms and is difficult to pin down. Until very, very recently, FIP was essentially considered to be 100% fatal within a couple of months and the recommendation was euthanasia. Now there are medications that can bring that survival rate past 90% - they're in the process of going through FDA approval, although there are groups online dedicated to getting you those medications through less official channels as needed. If anyone's familiar with Drawfee, Jacob and Julia's cat Olive was diagnosed with FIP at around 1 year old and was considered to be terminal - and, thanks to one of those online groups getting them the medication, is currently a happy and healthy 6-year-old kitty.

Nearly all shelter cats I've encountered have some level of URI (upper respiratory infection) - be prepared for a little extra sneezing and potentially having to give eyedrops the first couple weeks after getting home. URIs are SO CONTAGIOUS that it's almost impossible to keep them from spreading in a shelter setting. Also common is ringworm, although most shelters will isolate any contagious kittens and keep the infection localized.

Please spay and neuter your cats! They can have kittens incredibly young and incredibly frequently - unspayed female cats are also prone to certain cancers and unneutered male cats are prone to spraying (urinating on walls and other surfaces). The surgery is incredibly routine for both males and females (Clara had complications, but that just meant she had a few extra days of confinement) and generally the hardest part is keeping them from going after their stitches. Most shelters will provide spay/neuter services for free or on the cheap. They recover quickly and completely.

Cats also do incredibly well in a lot of different situations - deaf or half-deaf cats are quite common (nearly all blue-eyed cats with white coats are deaf) and just need some extra care to ensure they feel safe; the same goes for blind or one-eyed kitties, who can still happily play and navigate a space once they're familiar with it. Routine is key! Three-legged cats do so well that the saying is that cats are all born with a spare leg they don't actually need. If this is a recent condition, or if there are big changes in the cat's life (such as moving to a new home), just make sure to give them some extra time, support, and patience while they adjust. Amputation in cats can be really rough in the first couple of weeks, but soon enough they'll be sprinting around and jumping up on improbably high shelves.

Male cats are more prone than female cats to urinary blockages, which is one reason why I think it's important to actively clean the litter box yourself rather than using a robot. Changes in urinary output/pain while urinating/urinating outside the box can give you hints about a urinary blockage (a medical emergency in cats) or longer-term issues such as kidney disease, which can be managed with medication for quite some time as long as you know they're happening.

Cats are really good at hiding pain/illness, so it's important to be aware of signs of discomfort (sitting hunched with the neck extended can indicate difficulty breathing, whiskers extended stiffly from the face can indicate a grimace of pain, disruptions to routine such as avoiding beloved people or favorite spots, eating/drinking/litter box irregularity) and to ensure that you bring them to the vet on a regular basis to catch the stuff that might not be causing symptoms yet. Clara has a benign heart murmur and a little stiffness in one ventricle that requires her to visit a vet specialist every year or two to get an echocardiogram to check for any progression into heart disease (one in seven cats wind up with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which has a long median survival with presymptomatic treatment) - if those symptoms are ever present, we get her on medication early and it's unlikely to influence her lifespan for quite some time, whereas unmonitored and untreated, the first symptom would likely be sudden death. Knowing about this in advance also means that she has recommendations in her chart if she ever needs anesthesia for a different procedure. Having a regularly updated baseline at the vet means your cat is that much more likely to live a long, happy, healthy life.

The Day-to-Day:

Caring for cats is extremely fun, and the key is routine! Cats LOVE routine and will happily follow you around through your day-to-day. Clara is fed with an auto-feeder, which means she doesn't tend to pester me too much about food (and which means I can monitor how much she's eating and make adjustments as needed). She's prone to stress-induced stomach upset (aren't we all!) so she gets prescription food and some extra wet food with probiotics if I know something stressful is coming up soon. The auto-feeder dispenses food multiple times during the day, so she can't gorge herself and get sick.

For grooming, Clara does a pretty great job on her own, so I just have to brush her occasionally and every few weeks I will trim her claws. Do not declaw a cat! It's an amputation that is illegal in many states/countries and frequently results in chronic pain and behavioral problems such as an aversion to certain textures (a Major Problem if that texture includes litter...). If you can't trim a cat's claws on your own, try doing one or two at a time while they're sleeping - unlike with dogs, the quick is super visible on a cat's claws, so it's tough to mess up too badly. If all else fails, vets will trim claws for you, or can provide you with glue-on covers for the claws. I also brush Clara's teeth - you can get soft little toothbrushes and tasty-to-cats toothpaste, and even just them gnawing on the toothbrush can provide some benefit. Regular vet visits are also important to monitor any tooth decay that may occur. Cats can do well even with no teeth at all (the teeth are generally just for tearing pieces of prey, not chewing), but keeping those teeth healthy while they've got 'em is important, if only to avoid general anesthesia for a cleaning!

Most cats do very well without baths - so far, Clara has only needed a few little spot-cleans after minor accidents. Bathing is extremely stressful for most cats, so if necessary, I'd check out guides online to help reduce the stress levels. Many cats gradually lose the ability to keep themselves clean, so it's worth looking into, but don't expect to have to wash a cat as often as you would a dog by any means. (Unless you have a sphynx cat, of course...)

To help with scratching, provide scratchers for cats and keep them near the things you don't want the cat to scratch, as attractive alternatives (you can entice them with some catnip sprinkled on the scratchers!) - it's important to have both horizontal and vertical scratchers, since they exercise different muscles. Be aware, though, that bringing a cat into the home means that some of your furniture may be at risk. You can absolutely minimize the risk of damage, but I'd say you can almost never get rid of that risk completely.

Play is super important! I play with Clara throughout the day, but I also set aside some time every single evening to run around with her and really get her playing hard for a while (after which I clean her box, replace her water dishes, and go to bed - the importance of routine!). Cats aren't endurance hunters, but they require very little rest between bursts of energy, so hanging around for a bit with a toy even after you think they may be done is super valuable. Keep in mind that cats can get into life-threatening danger if they eat pieces of toys (strings, feathers, etc.) so it can be good to have some safe toys out all the time (e.g., foam balls) while the more dangerous ones (strings, feathers, etc.) are locked away when you're not actively playing.

Daily maintenance is pretty easy. I clean Clara's litter box at least once per day (which just involves scooping the contents into a bag that I then throw into the trash bin outside - less than 2 minutes/day) and do a deeper clean every week or two where I empty out all the litter and quickly scrub the box itself. Cats are lousy at remembering to drink, so I have three water bowls around the house - these get washed and replaced with fresh water every evening. Fountains are great for some cats (Clara had no interest) - some cats are obsessed with running water. Keeping water away from food can also help encourage cats to drink more. Apart from that, it's mostly just refilling the auto-feeder, attempting to tempt her with wet food (she's not a fan), and giving the occasional treat.

She also gets a monthly flea/tick preventative, which is just a couple drops of liquid that I apply at the base of her neck (usually while she's sleeping). She's an indoor-only cat, but bugs get inside and can transmit all sorts of bad stuff. Be warned that you should NEVER use a dog flea preventative on a cat - the dosage can be so high that it can cause a lot of harm. Make sure you have a correct dosage - ask your vet for more info.

And that's about it! In return for that minor maintenance, I get a silly little fluffy friend who follows me around and makes me laugh all day every day. She's gone from a really skittish little scaredy-cat to... well, still a skittish little scaredy-cat around most people, but around me she's affectionate and constantly looking for cuddles.

I hope this is in some way useful! I think a lot of people who don't consider themselves cat people would really enjoy having a cat - and even if you decide it's not for you, I hope you can appreciate and enjoy the other cats in your life!

[the-merry-otter]

How To Make Medieval Fabric Buttons

You will need:

• fabric (I’m using a medium weight wool)

• a sewing needle

• cotton or silk thread (it MUST be strong)

• a thimble

• dressmakers pins

Using this style of button as a fastening technique was very prevalent in 14th century Europe, on both men’s and women’s clothing. It was used for anything from sleeves and openings on the front of garments, to the iconic liripipe hoods (which is what these are gonna be for!).

They were usually made out of leftover fabric from the same material that was used for the garment they were intended for. As well as using every scrap of material possible, they also save you from having to buy metal buttons, which… aren’t cheap (both now and then).

The trade off is of course having to make them, which can be a painful process (literally - try not to get stabbed by the hedgehog ball at step 4!!). I thoroughly recommend a thimble to push the needle through as you form the ball - this is hard enough without having to pull it through.

Making buttons in my experience is 10% knowledge, 60% spite, and 30% hatred. It is a contest of wills between you (who wants a button) and the fabric (who doesn’t want to be a button). I wish you luck soldier.

To start with, cut a circle out of your fabric. How big will depend on what fabric you use - if it’s linen, you’d cut a larger circle than you would for wool. Mine is about 30mm.

Using a long long thread, bind on and then sew running stitches around the outside, about 5mm from the edge (may vary with fabric).

Pull this thread tight like a pouch, and turn the raw edges inwards in one direction. Try and tuck them inside the “bag” section. It will likely be more of a squashed oval at this point than a sphere.

Now, get your dressmakers pins and go absolutely ham. Continue to squish it “inward” (towards where the opening was) as you pin. The button should now resemble a very unfriendly little creature now (good luck with not getting stabbed, it can be a bit of a prick).

Next, basically use your needle to try and get it to stay in that shape. I usually do a bunch of stitches around the edge of the “back” end, and then spend some time criss-crossing the back. Try and put your needle in close to where it came out, so that you don’t get long pieces of visible thread.

Once you are confident that it will hold A Shape ™ (but also isn’t so stabbed that you can’t refine it further!), remove the pins. Your button will most likely resemble a little tiny messy wool brain at this point, but that’s ok!

The next step is to use your needle and thread to continue tucking the ball inwards to the centre of where the opening was. Above illustrates how I’ll flip the open part of a fold inward, by coming up through the fold and then levering it downwards so it gets tucked away. You can also just use the thread to pull errant folds inwards. Use the hand holding the button to squash it into form, and then sew it into place.

Once the button is actually a ball shape, crisscross the back of it a bit so that everything is firmly held in place. It should now (all things going well!!) actually be a sphere.

Once you’re happy with the shape and firmness, take your thread to stem out of the centre back. Bind off, and then slide the needle off the thread, leaving the long end. This can then be used to sew the button onto the garment.

The back will still be somewhat messy, but the front should be smooth, and the whole shape roughly spherical. When the button is sewn on using the remainder of the thread, you won’t be able to see the back!

I wrap the remainder of the thread around the finished button so it won’t get tangled, and then pop it in a jar with the rest while it waits to be sewn onto the garment.

Good luck with your crafting! Feel free to ask any questions in the notes, or straight into my inbox :)

[sharksandjays]

⚡ CREATIVE CHALLENGE! ⚡

I've officially hit 300 followers!! Which means it's time for a creative challenge! Thank you to everyone who has supported me and continues to support me, I hope you all will have fun with this one!

The theme of the challenge is: Flexibility of Lightning.

Basically, we all know that Jay's element is the most versatile of all the elements. It can be used in so many different ways that we are often robbed of in the show. I want you to show me your favourite headcanon about Jay's power, something unique about it.

It can be its effects on him, its effects on others, special abilities he can have with it, or even special attacks/uses. Anything is possible with electricity :).

Rules and Information:

It does NOT have to be an art piece! This is a creative challenge because I will be opening it to all forms of media. Comics, art, fanfictions, and drabbles will all be accepted! If you can find another way of doing it, then I am happy to see that as well.

Each person can only submit TWO maximum pieces. They can be of any medium, any combination. The amount you do will not put you higher than anyone else though, its just if you want to.

The deadline is TBA: I want to see how people go with this before I set a firm time limit, but expect somewhere between the next month or two.

The piece must be about Jay and his powers, or his relationship to them. (this one is self explanatory.)

When you post your work, tag me and use the hashtag #shark300challenge. I will reblog it!

Here is an example done by yours truly: This one is based on my little writing about Jay being able to sense when a storm is coming. (Though the clouds are a little telling too my dear)

In terms of winners, first place will get a free full-piece commission of anything of their choice, and second and third place will get sketch commissions.

I hope everyone has fun with this!!! I can't wait to see what everybody does!

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

( okay, I love playing resident evil 2 and 4 remake and enjoy the dynamic between Leon and Ada due to their complicated romantic history between them and thought of something)

Vil finally got a big break to be a hero, but he being a hero in a survival horror video game as main protagonist,what's more Crewle reader is there with him as acting as a partner as they both have to act and do some movement for the characters to function as the characters they are playing

And at the end product the video game became world wide as number one in best game and getting another contract to be the game protagonist again in the next game, how would Vil be even after the release of games he sees a lot of fanart of them together?

( and what is Neigen perspective when Vil get to act with Crewle reader in the video game after the release? )

I've never played or watched playthroughs of Resident Evil 2 But I guess the acting must have been really good 🖤🖤🖤🖤

Big Break w/ Crewel Daughter | Yandere Twisted Wonderland

Its natural for all sorts of media to crave the chance to capture your essence and beauty. So no doubt only the biggest studio with motion capture technology finds themselves reaching out to you, especially after Vil Schoenheit and Idia’s Shroud’s proud suggestion. But just as any medium you participate with a friend or acquaintance there’s an opportunity to make something deeper: 

Vil Schoenheit

“I’m so glad a improv’d that line.”

Totally feeds into it 

Giddy the whole time during filming and recording

So when the interviews come he loves using the opening to a flirty dialogue that prompts you naturally

“Why do you spoil them, so? I rather like seeing them gripe with what little content they create.”

“Ah but you often prefer that kind of starved creation, don’t you?”

“Oh Vil you know me too well.”

Neige Leblanche

Is fuming Is so happy for you, two

He’ll no doubt be playing the game

And cringing at your chemistry in game+

He wishes his image wasn’t so pure

He wishes there was a character more like him

“I wanted to congratulate you on you’re performance!”

“Thank you, Neige.”

“I hope we can work together in the future!”

“Perhaps.”

[guardkeywolf]

Cod boys seeing their artist male readers art when they get back from a mission and they are just relaxing and they decided to ask him to see his art book since they never saw it and male reader says yes and they look through it and Is shocked how nale reader makes things so realistic.

It's... Beautiful Y/n...

Hello @gamersansblog ! I am SO SO SORRY this took so long!

I hope you enjoy it!

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If there was anything that was needed after a tense mission, it was relaxation. When the boys got back from dealing with another terrorist, Laswell gave them so well needed time off and they used every second of it. Not only that, but a good friend of theirs also swing by as well.

Y/n was seen quite frequently at the 141's base, so just about everyone knew him.

Y/n was an artist who liked to sketch around their base sometimes.

The man loved making realistic drawings of them if he had the chance. Usually after 141 returned from their missions the man would be waiting there, doodling in his sketchbook. The others were quite interested to see it the first time they caught on to him being around and Y/n was more than happy to show them.

Inside, there were multiple pictures. Different mediums used, charcoal, pastel, water color, even some good ole' oil paintings. The man was very deserve in his style so he usually had a different instrument when he swung by.

Today, Y/n said he wanted to draw Price, the others a tad bit jealous that their Captain got the lucky honor of being Y/n's model but went with it nonetheless.

While Price finished the last of the paperwork he had, Y/n sat there on his couch sketching away with his graphite pencils he brought today. Though most would find the sound annoying, Price found it comforting as he heard Y/n's pencil rub against the multi-media paper. He could hear the difference between each stroke. Light and Hard.

He couldn't help but chuckle when he also looked up to see the others watching the man from behind as the man drew their Captain.

"Don't you boys have 'ork to do?" He hummed as he went back to doing his own.

"I don't mind them, Captain. After all, they were curious to see just how I manage to make it so realistic," Y/n chuckled to himself.

Price looked up and saw Ghost staring in awe at the paper, eyes widened at the probably nearly finished masterpiece. Gaz and Soap did the same as they watched over Y/n's shoulder, taking in each movement the man made as he worked.

It must have at least an hour that passed or so before the Captain heard Y/n's sketching come to a stop when hearing the "oos' and "aahs" of his men.

"Jesus Y/n, tha's amazing..." Soap said as he gazed at the photo.

"Agreed Johnny..." Ghost complimented as well baffled by the amount of detail that went into the sketch.

"Captain...you gotta' come see this, sir...it's.. it looks just like you," Gaz spoke as he looked upon the breathtaking piece.

"Guys please, your over exaggerating..." Y/n smiled up at them before walking over to the man.

Y/n turned the sketchbook towards the man slowly, smiling as he watched the man's eyes light up.

Price looked up to him, eyes full of curiosity making the artist chuckle again.

"That's...that's bloody beautiful Y/n... think I may frame it in 'ere."

"Thank you..." and he meant it.

"No problem, Captain..."

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If you enjoyed reading this please feel free to REBLOG with the TAGS on!

Tags make it easier to navigate yall's Tumblr pages!

Thank you for reading again!

-Guards

[rizlowwritessortof]

Remember Me - Part 5

Michaela’s mundane life takes a strange turn when she has a random encounter with a very attractive stranger in her local bar. It must be déjà vu – or maybe it isn’t.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x OC Michaela

Word Count: 4438

Warnings: There be smut here 😉

Dividers by @talesmaniac89

“Yes, Dean, I’ll pick up the pizza before I head out. Okay, and some licorice, and yes, I’ve got the popcorn,” Mikey responded to Dean’s requests with amusement. “Anything else, sir?” She laughed at the raspberry she got in return. “Okay, I’m on my way. Better have some cold beer, mister.”

She had settled into a friendly give and take with the brothers, occasionally meeting for drinks in town, and this was their second movie night at the bunker. The awkward stress between her and Dean had given way to a playful friendship with an edge of sexual tension that neither of them would acknowledge, and Sam had become the friend and confidant that she had never had before – at least not that she could remember.

Sam met her at the door and relieved her of some of the things she was carrying before they headed down the stairs. “Where’s Dean?” she asked as they dropped everything on the table.

“Oh, he’s waiting for you with a surprise – follow me,” Sam grinned, leading the way down the hall towards the bedrooms. They stopped at the room next to Dean’s bedroom, and Sam swung the door inward, stepping back to let Mikey enter.

“Surprise!” Dean shouted, his arms flung wide and a bright smile on his face. Mikey’s eyes widened as she took in the former bedroom, which had been transformed into a living room of sorts. There was a medium-sized TV on a stand next to the door, chairs, end tables and footstools salvaged from other rooms in the bunker, and a huge overstuffed sofa in a hideous shade of green against the far wall. “No more sitting on somebody’s bed when we wanna watch a movie. What do you think?”

Mikey walked over and sat down, sinking into the soft cushions with a smile. “This is the ugliest couch I’ve ever seen – and I love it!”

Dean beamed back at her like he’d won the lottery. “Well, let’s get some food and beer and get this party started.”

A couple of hours later they had laughed their way through Tommy Boy, and Dean was trying to coax them into staying for Caddy Shack. “I don’t know, I should really go home,” Mikey answered, avoiding Dean’s persuasive smile.

“Come on, Mikey – no work tomorrow, you have all weekend to do whatever you need to do. Sam, tell her.”

“It’s true,” Sam grinned. “But I’m going to bed. You two have fun.”

“Sam, seriously? Traitor.” Mikey tossed a pillow at him as he left the room, his laugh trailing behind him.

“You can’t leave now, let me watch this classic all by myself.” Dean’s tempting little smirk and the playful gleam in his eyes were too much to resist, and Mikey settled back into the cushions, shaking her head with a helpless smile.

“Fine. You’re ridiculous, but fine. Bring it on.”

Sam glanced in on his way from the shower to his room, grinning to himself at the sound of Mikey’s laughter at Dean’s imitation of the gopher dance. He continued on his way, happy with his decision to leave the two of them alone. His brother’s resistance was breaking down, and maybe – eventually – he’d actually let her in.

Mikey woke the next morning snuggled into a soft blanket, still on the ugly green couch. It took her a minute to get her bearings, remembering vaguely how Dean had convinced her to stay. “It’s late. Just stay here tonight, you can go home tomorrow. I’ll make you breakfast…” he had teased in a sing-song tone, waiting until she had finally sighed and given in. She had already fallen asleep halfway through the movie anyway, so why not?

“With bacon?” she had asked, laughing softly at his victorious grin.

“Well, yeah. That goes without saying.”

“Okay. I’ll stay. Thanks.”

“I’ll grab you a blanket.” He had gone to his room and brought her back the fluffiest blanket he could find, and she had mumbled, “Good night, Dean,” as he had headed for the door. And she was sure she had heard him respond with a soft, “G’night, sweetheart” as he had left the room.

She swung her legs over to sit up just as Sam stuck his head in the door. “Left you a spare toothbrush on the counter in the bathroom, if you want one,” he smiled, and she thanked him. “Just going for a run, see you later.”

Dean hummed to himself as he cooked, starting the bacon frying and then mixing pancake batter. He had talked Mikey into staying the night, but he was determinedly pushing away thoughts of how the night could have gone if he had just picked her up and carried her to his room the night before instead of tucking her in on the sofa.

By the time he had a short stack of pancakes done, Mikey walked into the room, sniffing the air appreciatively. “Smells great in here,” she commented, and Dean returned her smile with one of his own.

“Coffee’s ready, help yourself,” he responded. “How many pancakes?”

“A couple is fine – thank you. I can’t believe you really did this.”

“Hey, I always keep my promises.” He handed her a plate of pancakes with a large side of bacon, and then sat down at the table with his own plate. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

“I slept great, that couch is amazing,” she laughed.

They chatted while they ate, and then Dean got up, going to the stove to make up a plate for Sam. “I should probably get going,” Mikey said as she took her dishes to the sink. “Thank you, last night was really fun.”

She moved to Dean’s side, stretching up to place a kiss on his cheek at the same time he turned to look at her, and her lips landed squarely on his. They froze for a moment in surprise, but before she could pull back, his hand was on her shoulder holding her in place, his lips gently exploring hers. She leaned into him with a soft sigh, then jerked away as if she’d been burned at the sound of footsteps entering the room.

“Uh… sorry,” Sam mumbled, smothering the smile that still teased at the corners of his mouth. “Didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

“I was just – umm – heading out. Thanks for last night, I had a great time,” Mikey said in a rush and all but ran from the room.

They heard her footsteps on the stairs and then the door closing, and Sam turned back to look at his brother. “So…”

“It was an accident,” Dean snapped, shoving the plate of food across the table to Sam.

“You ‘accidentally’ kissed her?”

“Yes. Shut up. Just – eat your breakfast.” Dean turned and stalked out of the room, and Sam heard his bedroom door slam. He chuckled to himself, then dug into his stack of pancakes.

Dean paced for a minute, then sat down on the foot of the bed, closing his eyes. What the fuck was happening? He had been determined since the beginning of this whole erased-past fiasco that Mikey would continue her life free from the baggage that came from a relationship with a Winchester. And yet one touch from her and his resistance had disappeared. He had wanted so much more – to tease at the seam of her lips with his tongue until she opened to him, to pull her body close and feel her softness against him, to fit himself between her thighs and let her feel how much he wanted her. “Fuck,” he swore softly, standing to reach for his robe and head for the shower.

Mikey had raced out of there so fast that he had no idea of her reaction, other than being embarrassed by Sam’s interruption. Maybe he’d just text her later, find out if she was okay.

Mikey drove straight home, her mind racing. After all the talk of forgetting about their past, about moving on, the kiss had taken her completely off guard, and she was sure Dean was feeling the same way.

She went about her to-do list, performing her tasks mindlessly, unable to stop thinking about the way his lips had clung to hers, his hand keeping her near as if he had been afraid she’d pull away. If Sam hadn’t come in – her imagination ran wild with scenarios of Dean taking her right there on the counter top or carrying her off to his room, of her mouth on him as he desperately clutched at her hair, of him teasing her, driving her insane with his fingers or his mouth. She was a distracted mess all afternoon, finally going out to mow her lawn, working hard and fast to exhaust her body and relieve the tension.

She was sweaty and weary when she made her way back inside, hitting the shower and then dressing in her comfiest old shorts and tank top before collapsing on the sofa with a cold beer. She reached for the remote, turning on a random sitcom, leaning her head back against the cushions with a sigh. Her phone pinged, and she grabbed it to see a message from Dean. “Hey – are we okay?”

She stared at his words for several minutes, searching in vain for something witty and finally typing back, “Yeah – of course, we’re good.”

“Ok, good,” he responded. “Hey, we’re heading out on a hunt in the morning – so we’ll see you when we get back.”

“Be safe,” she answered, and blew out a relieved breath. At least he hadn’t reverted back to avoiding contact with her, so that was progress. Maybe, someday – she closed her eyes and laid her head back again.

Dean pulled up in front of Harley’s Bar a couple of weeks later, finally back in Kansas after the longer-than-expected hunting trip, and Sam shot him a curious look. “We’re not calling Mikey?”

“Yeah, I figured we’d just call her from here,” Dean answered, exiting the Impala and pulling his phone from his pocket. He called her number as they walked in and grabbed a table, looking up startled as he heard her voice nearby as she answered. She was behind the bar, and her face lit up with a bright smile as she spotted them, heading for their table.

“Home safe and in one piece, that’s what I like to see,” she greeted them. “What can I get you?”

“What – why are you working here?” Dean asked, confused.

“Oh, I’m just helping Harley out – his waitress quit. Ran off with her best friend’s husband, actually, so she won’t be coming back. Kind of left him in a bind, so I offered to help out a couple of nights a week, at least until he finds somebody else.”

“Wow. Well, I guess you won’t be having a couple beers with us, then, huh?” Sam asked, and she smiled his direction.

“If it’s not busy, Harley won’t care. He’s a teddy bear. And he likes me.”

Dean laughed. “He might be a teddy bear if he likes you – he’s a grizzly if he doesn’t.” She grinned and nodded in agreement, glancing over at her ex-biker boss behind the bar. “Couple of beers, please - and come join us if you have time later.”

Mikey dropped off their beers and stopped to chat with them a couple of times, but the bar was moderately full since it was a Friday night, and she was kept pretty busy. Dean’s eyes followed her as she worked, watching the confident, graceful way she navigated between tables, and he smiled at the sound of her voice as she joked and laughed with the customers.

“Dude, you’re staring,” Sam jabbed at his brother, and Dean shot him a glare.

“Shut up,” he said between clenched teeth as Mikey approached their table with two beers.

“On me,” she smiled, “sorry I haven’t had time to hang out.”

“Not closing time yet,” Dean answered. “We’re not in any hurry.”

The guy from the next table gestured to her, and she shrugged. “No rest for the weary.” She headed to his table, took the man’s order and was turning towards the bar when he reached out and grabbed a handful of her ass.

Dean swore under his breath, but before he was halfway out of his chair, Mikey had the side of the jerk’s face smashed against the table top with one hand, his arm twisted painfully behind his back with the other. She spoke quietly, but there was steel in her tone.

“Okay, let’s get something straight. Drinks are on the menu. Food is on the menu. My ass? Not on the menu. Touch me like that again, and you’ll find your balls somewhere up between your ears. Are we clear?” He mumbled a reply as well as he could manage, and she released him, letting him sit back up. “Good boy. Enjoy your beer,” she quipped as she walked away.

“Badass,” Dean grinned, glancing over at Sam, who was doing the same, and he nodded in agreement. Mikey had just moved behind the bar when the drunk swiped his arm across his table, sweeping his beer to the floor where the bottle shattered.

“Fucking bitch,” he spat, starting to stand, but a loud crack resounded through the room, silencing the entire bar. The barrel-chested bartender stood there glowering with his fist clenched around the blackjack he had just slammed to the bar top.

“Get the fuck out of my bar,” he growled, and the asshole scrambled for the door. Harley turned to Mikey, putting a hand on her shoulder, speaking to her softly before she came back out from behind the bar and headed for Sam and Dean’s table.

Dean looked up at her, a concerned frown on his face, reaching for her hand. “You okay?”

She smiled a little shakily. “I’m fine. I – I have no idea how I did that, but I’m fine.”

He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “Well, you kicked ass. Guess a little hunter instinct survived your years in Ohio.” She blushed a little at the admiring gleam in his eyes.

“Harley said I should take the rest of the night off. I’m just gonna make the rounds one more time, then I think I’m heading home.”

Sam turned to Dean. “Why don’t you take me to the bunker quick, then come back and give Mikey a ride home.”

She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that – I’ll be okay.”

“I think you’d feel better if someone stayed with you for a while, right?” Sam asked softly, his eyes searching.

She gnawed at her lip a little, then nodded. “I don’t want to be a pain.” She glanced up at Dean, and he shook his head as they rose to their feet.

“You’re not. Just finish up and I’ll be right back.”

Dean pulled up in front of Harley’s after dropping Sam off, but before he could go in, Mikey came out, her jacket in her hand. She climbed into the passenger seat and smiled over at him. “Thank you, Dean.”

“Any time.”

They drove to her house in silence and Dean parked in the driveway, leaving them momentarily in the dark as he shut off the headlights. “I don’t have to come in if you don’t want me to,” he said. “I mean, if you’d rather…”

“Actually – can you stay for a while? I know it’s dumb, but I really don’t want to be alone right now.”

“It’s not dumb,” he said, lowering his head to look her in the eye. “Besides, you have frozen pizza, right? Kinda hungry.” She laughed softly, nodding, and they headed inside.

They went straight to the kitchen, and Mikey turned on the oven to heat before walking to the fridge. “Want another beer? I need one.”

“Sure, why not,” Dean agreed, and she handed him one, opening hers and leaning back against the counter. Dean parked himself against the kitchen island across from her, taking a long pull from his bottle and watching Mikey as she drank from hers. “So – supreme, pepperoni…?”

“I have both, whatever you want,” she smiled. They stood there silently for a few minutes, then Mikey spoke up softly. “So – about that kiss the other day…” Dean tensed a little, but she fixed her eyes on the floor and continued. “I didn’t mean… I mean, I know you really want to get past all this,” she waved her hand between them, “and I wasn’t trying to push.”

“I know. You weren’t the one who kept it going, that was on me. If Sam wouldn’t have walked in…” She looked up at him, waiting for him to finish, the vulnerability in her eyes more than he could take in, so he averted his eyes and went on. “I didn’t want to stop. I, uh…” he paused, his teeth gnawing at his lip. “I’ve still been dreaming about you – about us. And not memories or stuff from our past. I’ve been having dreams about us like we are now.” He hesitated for a moment, then set his beer down on the counter behind him and moved closer to her, looking directly into her eyes, his hands moving to rest at her waist as he bent to touch his forehead to hers. “I can’t get you out of my head,” he said, his voice soft and desperate, his breath warm on her lips.

She tilted her head up slightly, and his restraint dissolved as he captured her lips beneath his, her fists clenching handfuls of his shirt as she pulled him closer. He stopped for a second, looking into her eyes again as she whispered, “Me, too,” and Dean groaned as he kissed her again, their hunger for each other finally set free.

He tightened his grip on her waist and lifted her to sit on the counter, and she opened her legs to bring him closer. He slanted his mouth over hers, and she moaned as he deepened their kiss, his hands drifting down to her hips to pull her in tight against him.

He finally lifted his head as they both panted for air, staring into her eyes as he began to work the buttons of her shirt free. When he pushed it from her shoulders, he finally let his gaze move down, and he swore under his breath before kissing her again. His lips left a trail of fire along her jaw line and down, nibbling just below her ear. “Bedroom?” he whispered, and she nodded, letting him step back and slipping down off the counter to her feet.

Dean reached over and shut off the oven before taking her hand, letting her lead him to her room. She turned on the little bedside lamp, washing the room in a soft glow before she let her shirt drop to the floor. “C’mere,” he rasped, taking her shoulders and turning her back to him as he undid the clasp of her bra. He slipped his fingers beneath the straps, sliding them down her arms until the garment joined her shirt on the floor.

He moved in close behind her, his hands gliding up over her ribs and cupping the underside of her breasts, his thumbs stroking over her nipples as she leaned back into his chest. “Dean,” she whined, her legs trembling, her head rolling back on his shoulder. “I gotcha,” he murmured in her ear, his hands moving to her waist, turning her to face him and pulling her with him towards the bed.

He sat down, pulling her down to perch on one thigh as he dipped his head down to tongue one hard nipple into the warmth of his mouth. A frantic little sound escaped Mikey’s lips as she jerked, the firm muscle of Dean’s thigh providing the friction her body so desperately craved. Dean moved to the other breast, sucking and nipping at her, driving her to wrap her arms around his neck and rut against him, whimpering against his shoulder as he shifted his hands to her hips to help. He bent his head to nibble at her earlobe, his voice low and seductive as he spoke. “Is that what you need, baby? Something hard and warm?” She whined, and he traced a tongue over the shell of her ear, “You get off like this, and you can have something hard and warm to fill you up inside, you want that? Because I do. I wanna be inside that sweet pussy so deep…” The rumble of his voice, the words he was breathing in her ear, the exquisite pressure from the seam of her jeans as she rode him set her off as she continued grinding into him with a loud cry of his name.

He shifted her away from his chest far enough to take her lips in a forceful kiss, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she rode out her orgasm, finally parting from him with a gasp of much-needed air and dropping her head to his shoulder again. She went limp as he wrapped his arms around her, whispering as his hands smoothed over the soft skin of her back. “That was so fucking hot.” After a moment or two, she sat up, her eyes glowing, shoving his button-down off his shoulders and reaching for the waist of his t-shirt. He laughed softly, mumbling, “Okay, okay,” as he shed himself of both, pulling her against him with a groan at the sensation of her breasts against his skin as he kissed her again.

She finally moved away with a push on his shoulders, rising to her feet and kicking off her shoes. “I believe I was promised something, and it ain’t happening with your pants on.” She smirked at him, and he stood up with a grin as they both rushed to remove the rest of their clothes. He scooped her up and tossed her onto the bed, and she giggled, shifting herself to the middle as he climbed up to join her, fitting himself between her thighs and bracing himself up on his hands. She sucked in a startled breath as his cock nudged up against her sensitive clit, his teeth dragging over his bottom lip as he watched her expression with hunger in his gaze.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, you know that?” he said softly before kissing her, sweet and seductive, gently lowering himself down. “So wet,” he moaned, thrusting against her several times before dipping down to catch at her entrance, and she wrapped her legs around his hips with a needy whimper. He pushed in slowly, drawing out every bit of pleasure from the sensation of pressing into her tight, trembling cunt, pulling back from their kiss to grit his teeth as he finally entered her completely. “Fuck, Mikey…”

“I don’t know how I could ever have forgotten this,” she said breathlessly.

“Me, either,” he panted, looking into her eyes. “You feel like fucking heaven.” He pulled back, watching her mouth drop open and her eyes drift shut as he pushed forward again, grinding a little as he bottomed out.

“Fuck, you did promise me deep,” she rasped out, hands reaching to grasp at his biceps.

“Always try to keep my promises,” he answered, pulling back and thrusting in faster, and her nails dented his skin as he reached the limit. “So hold on.”

He began to drive into her hard, ramping up speed until her head was rolling back into the pillow, her thighs gripping him tight as she met every bruising thrust. Their gasps and moans filled the room until Mikey threw her arms wide and arched her back, coming with a wordless, wavering shout as she clawed desperately at the sheets. Dean swore, fucking into her wildly, the spasms of her climax driving him on until he exploded, holding himself deep inside her, never wanting it to end.

Almost an hour later, Mikey stirred, her eyes fluttering open, a little disoriented at first. Dean hadn’t moved, his face still buried against her neck, and her lips curved in a gentle smile. She moved one hand up to softly scratch her nails through the short hair at his nape, her other hand gliding over the muscular expanse of his back. He let out a quiet little groan as he shifted, and Mikey shuddered as he pulled away and rolled to his back beside her.

“Hey,” he rasped, his voice gravelly with sleep. “Sorry, didn’t mean to fall asleep and crush you.”

“Not complaining,” she answered, accepting his wordless invitation into his arms. He pulled her close, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as she laid it on his chest, her arm clinging to his waist. “I’m really glad that you showed up in that bar in Ohio. At first I thought it was the worst thing that ever happened to me, but it turns out it was the best.”

Dean’s hand moved to her face, tilting it upward for a sweet, gentle kiss. “I doubt if getting mixed up with me is the best thing to ever happen to you – but going into that bar was one of the best decisions I ever made.” His fingers stroked over her cheek as he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry for the shit you went through, and for keeping my distance for so long. I was just – I wanted you to be safe, to be free from the shit storm that being part of my life always seems to be.”

Mikey stretched up to kiss him, her lips clinging to his for a long moment. “I hate to break it to you, Dean Winchester, but I think being a part of your life is worth any shit storm that might happen. And since I’ve actually lived through one, I think I’m entitled to my opinion.”

Dean’s chest vibrated with a low chuckle. “You think so, huh?”

She traced a finger over his chest, smiling as his muscles clenched when she brushed over his nipple. “Well, I supposed you could try proving it to me a little more, if you insist.”

He grinned, making her gasp softly as he reached over to roll her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. “You have anything in particular in mind?”

“I’ll let you use your imagination,” she teased.

“Oh, honey, I’ve got one hell of an imagination,” he growled, rolling her to her back and taking her lips in a searing kiss. “And I’ll give you all the proof you want.”

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[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Once Upon a Time 5

Warnings: non/dubcon and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

Characters: Andy Barber

Part of the Bookstore AU

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

The uneasy interaction follows you around the rest of the day and into your next. As you try to relax and forget about everything outside your apartment, your mind can't help but stray back to Andy. Not what he said, more the look on his face. You know the next time you see him will be less than pleasant.

Great. You always get anxious about work but now you have a whole new pest. You start to think you said something wrong. Gave him some idea that you were doing anything but your job. You're paid to be helpful but he's just another one of those ‘professionals’ who doesn't see your work as work.

You huff and puff as your time off comes to a pitiful close. Your stromach is squirming at the thought of walking through those doors the next morning. You brew some chamomile and retreat to bed in a futile effort to settle down.

Your sleep if fitful and unrewarding. The morning greets you, painful and gray. You get up, get washed, and get dressed.

Your eyelids droop on the train ride, prompting you to stop by the cafe for an early medium roast. As you approach the facade of the bookstore, you see a figure at the doors. Your heart flips before you recognise them. It's Mr. Pine.

He punches in the security code on the pad before slipping the key in the slot. He peers over and greets you with a smile. You could hug him. This place has been rather empty without him.

“Good morning,” he pulls open the door and steps back in his gallant way to wave you ahead of him.

“Morning,” you reply as you sweep into the store ahead of him.

The censor triggers the lights and illuminates the eerily vacant space. Pine closes the doors, locking them from the inside. He strolls forward casually, easily cafching up to you with long strides.

“Good to be back,” he preens, “and how have you been?”

“Okay,” you answer, “how about you?”

“Very fine. Some family matters,” he explains ligthly, “but much better than they were.” He walks with you up the center aisle, “why just okay?”

You shrug and hesitate. It sounds like he has a lot going on. Besides, you're only an associate, he must have much bigger issues as the owner.

“Oh, just tired. No big deal,” you assure him.

“Ah yes, I find this time of year rather draining,” he agrees as you near the back of the store, “should require support however, you know I will do my best to accommodate.”

“Thanks, Mr. Pine but I think I'll survive,” your force a smile, “better get clocked in.”

You stop and peek towards the employee lounge. You'll go that way and he'll head off to the back office. He doesn't. He lingers as if he can sense your doubt.

“Of course, but please, take some time to enjoy your coffee. It smells wonderful and I should hate for it to go cold,” he says. He's the nicest boss you've ever had, it's too bad he hasn't been around.

“Thanks, erm…” you purse your lips as you contemplate your sudden spark of boldness, “actually, I almost forgot. There's been someone asking for you. A man.”

“Oh,” he tilts his head curiously, “did you direct them to Colin?”

“I offered but they were insisting on you. I don't know if it was business or not so…”

“Did this man give a name?” He slants a brow.

You cradle your coffee with both hands and swallow. You feel like a snitch, like a child taddling. You nod, “yeah, Andy?”

He's quite as a line etches between his brows and he hums, “ah, he was here?”

“Several times,” you confirm.

“Hmm, curious,” he muses and the tension quickly slakes from his features, “well, if he should appear again, you will fetch me. I'll be certain he does not continue to ask after me.”

“Oh, yeah, thank you, sir,” you let out a breath of relief. It's a bit cowardly but you just can't deal with him again.

“Certainly, but…” he raises a long finger, “did he bother you very much?”

“Me?” You echo.

“Yes, he wasn't rude, was he?”

“Not really, just a bit… pushy.”

“He is that type,” he scoffs, “well, he shouldn't be hounding my place of work, it's wholly inappropriate and unfair to you and the other staff. It shall be dealt with.”

“Thanks again,” you say, “I'm just gonna… put my things away.”

“Yes, yes, don't let me keep you,” he feels along hia jacket and slides his phone from his pocket, “I have a call to make before opening.”

He sets off and you do the same. You feel a little less addled but not entirely relieved. Something about Mr. Pine's reaction makes you suspicious. He's usually unshakeable but you saw that fine crack in his veneer.

You're not entirely certain Andy is a fond acquaintance. It's hard for you to see the two men getting along, almost complete opposites in their demeanour. The more you think about it, the more Andy seemed ready for a confrontation each time he asked for the elusive owner.

Whatever happens, hopefully, you're not the one dealing with the fallout.

[cerisesakurainspring]

Tendō Satori x Reader

Haikyuū Husbandos Series

You hopped happily on the street, excitement bubbling in you. You were going to see your dearest husband for a dinner date. Although you were supposed to meet at the restaurant, you decided to surprise him and be the one to pick him up from work.

At the corner of the street was a chocolate shop, and you happily hopped in, the shop bell ringing in the process.

"Salut, madame." greeted the cashier with a warm smile. He already knew who you were there for, so he gestured at the back door with his thumb.

You opened the door quietly and poked your head slowly. Your eyes landed on a lone figure working his hands on a delicate rose petal made from tempered chocolate.

His eyebrows furrowed, and his mouth pulled to one side, too engrossed in the art he was creating. You leaned your body on the doorframe to admire the man before you. His tall and medium build made you sigh in wonder.

You would have been content standing there appreciating what was before you, but you heard his sing-song voice echo in the room.

"Aren't you coming in to greet your husband, ma femme?" Satori asked you teasingly.

The word "my wife" brought a blush to your face, and you walked towards the man you so dearly love.

"Bonjour, ma douce cerise!" Satori excitedly kissed your cheeks, and you giggled at the endearment.

"You are more of a cherry than I am." You gestured at his red hair. "Though I must say, your French has significantly improved."

"Well, of course. I've always excelled at things I liked."

You notice his toque is slightly tilted, so you adjust it so it sits perfectly on his head.

He pulled his lips to one side, and you found it quite adorable. "You're ruining my surprise, you know."

You giggled knowingly, "Is that rose chocolate for me?"

"I was going to give it to you during dinner, but you're a sneaky little chaton." He lightly flicked your nose, then returned to the almost finished chocolate figure. "Almost done here," he stuck his tongue to the side in concentration.

Satori loved surprising you with gifts.

Whether it'd be a pebble he picked up on his way home or a branch he broke from the 'first blossom tree to flower,' to stray feathers that you really didn't want to know if he purposefully plucked them off a poor bird. Though you know he wouldn't be that heartless.

You even had a big box specially made to contain the trinkets he found for you.

Every day is always a happy one between you two, but you were concerned that his love would fade, yet it only grew as time passed.

It reminded you of his proposal at the Seine River overlooking the Eiffel Tower years ago. He rented an entire boat for the two of you then, and it was decorated in red roses; the top deck even had a red carpet on it.

It was quite an over-the-top proposal. You would have been content with him for simply asking, but he wanted to make it an extraordinary memory for the two of you.

You go on to snake your arms around his waist, "You truly are my raison-d'être."

You said as you buried your face behind his back, blush spreading across your cheeks.

You felt him let out a content sigh.

Satori delicately put the flower-shaped chocolate on the workbench and turned to face you. His hands cupped your cheeks and rubbed his thumbs on it tenderly.

"And you, darling cherry, will always be my joie de vivre."

♡♡♡

This is part of an ongoing one-shot series that will feature most Haikyuū characters that I'm planning to upload weekly. Up next will be Oikawa, then in two weeks is Kita's!!

Available for reading on Wattpad and AO3 with the title Haikyuū Husbandos - SakuraInSpring

[ghoultrifle]

transmasc dewdrop never having used a toy before, or even having penetrative sex. he isn't sure why, maybe he's scared he'll enjoy it too much and therefore he's faking everything, maybe he's too dysphoric to even think about making self pleasure pleasurable. to make it more than a quick hand diving between his legs as a way to keep his body happy.

thinking about rain being the one to help him choose his toys. they land on a dildo and a vibrator, a chance to test the waters with all kinds of stimulation.

rain lying down with dew's back to his chest, reaching down over dew's hand to help him guide the dildo to his entrance, feeling dew's breath catch as it slides it in in one smooth motion, the silicone just grazing his g spot. dew adjusting to the feeling, there wasn't much to the dildo but this was his first time experiencing penetration, it was a completely new sensation.

dew rocking his hips up as his own hand abandons the toy in favour of steadying himself as rain continues to pump the cock into him, hitting all the right spots, making him whine high and needy. it's an incredible feeling but dew's only ever gotten off on clitoral stimulation and as hot as it is, feeling rain hard beneath him as the water ghoul fucks him by proxy, it's just not enough.

the entire evening is peppered with praise and reassurance from rain, lots of checking-in and sweet kisses to dew's neck. he'd wanted to be at least somewhat facing away from rain, because while he needed the water ghoul there, he was desperately afraid of being judged. being judged for liking it, he must be a woman if he likes being penetrated. being judged for not liking it, he's such a prude who can't get over a few self-image issues. his rational brain knew rain would think no such thing, his mate's mind incapable of thinking such crude thoughts, but that didn't stop the voice in dew's head telling him rain was going to leave him after this.

perhaps his mind was changed when rain brought the vibrator to the edges of dew's vision, questioning. dew so far gone all he can yell out is a mixture of oh, yes, need it, please. the small ghoul bellowing as rain brings it to his clit, already on a medium setting. rain letting the vibe do the work while he continues his ministrations with the dildo. he counts eight more strokes before dewdrop is falling apart, back arching as he has possibly the best orgasm of his life with the person he loves more than anything.

this is what trans joy is.

this is 100% inspired by the masterpiece that is @everybodyshusband's however fair and pure (i need you to know i think about this on the daily)