#to be EXTRA SURE. then drive back out to the plant like an hour and a half away from the workshop the next day.

[cantankerouscatfish]

my brother and I are big 'talk with our hands' people more than our parents. sometimes you can follow exactly what he's talking about even if you don't quite understand the terminology bc he acts out reconnecting components and using tools, and draws wire layouts in the air. tracing them on a board only he can see. very detailed movements.

mostly I just wave my arms around a lot lmao

[nadvs]

we need a second part of imperfect strangers where he actually comes and visits her for the weekends🤭 (random but i can so see them at chipotle being all cutesy)

aw tysm 💘 wrote a blurb and rly leaned into the goofy fluff but it’s NEEDED with zach imo!!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

continuation of this fic

Zach acts like a four-hour drive to your college is nothing.

You know he’s tired every time he pulls up in front of your dorm. You can see it in the bags under his eyes and the yawns he tries to hide from you.

But matter how many times you tell him he doesn’t have to come visit you every weekend, he won’t hear it. He’s determined to show you how badly he wants to see you, refusing to take the risk of hurting you again.

When you mention to Zach that you’re craving Chipotle the night before his visit, he finds the closest one to your campus while still on the phone with you.

The second you get into his car the next day, he kisses you before you can even get a chance to put on your seatbelt.

“Missed you, too,” you laugh when he pulls back.

After he buys lunch, you sit in a booth by a window in the restaurant, feet bumping beneath the table. He always wants to find a way to touch you, no matter how minor.

“This is a masterpiece,” he says, holding out his bowl, ridiculously competitive as usual. “I don’t know what that is.”

You gasp as he points at your meal.

“What makes yours so perfect?” you ask. He loves how you always play along with him, that you’re as much of a goofball as he is.

“Look,” Zach says, his delivery deadpan but his motive silly like usual, “I got the protein - the steak, of course…”

“Of course,” you echo amusedly.

“And brown rice, great for lowering cholesterol,” he says.

“You take one nutrition course and suddenly you’re a genius,” you sigh, recalling how he told you about one of his elective classes on the phone a few nights ago.

“Babe, I’m being serious here,” Zach says, the smile curling on his lips telling you he’s not being serious at all.

“Continue.” You take a bite of your lunch.

“Corn, a vegetable,” he says, raising his eyebrows, “salsa, extra cheese-”

“I think you’re cheesy enough,” you interrupt, putting a palm up. Zach laughs and nudges your knee with his.

“You love it,” he says. You smile, confirming it.

“Is this who you are now that you’re a local celebrity?” you tease. “All ego?”

A few days ago, a photo of him playing soccer in a home game was posted on his college’s Instagram account, celebrating the team’s most recent win.

As you expected, the top comment was by a girl who wrote what’s his @ i’m asking for a friend (i’m the friend).

“Afraid so,” he responds.

“I noticed you changed your profile picture on Instagram,” you say. It used to be his athletic headshot, but now his profile boasts an image of the two of you smiling outside of a café.

“Yeah,” he says plainly.

“Why?”

“What do you mean? Am I not cute in it?” he jokes.

“Zach,” you laugh. “Was it because girls were messaging you?”

His cheeks flush pink. He pulls out his phone and sets it in front of you.

“Yeah. I changed it so they know I have a girlfriend,” he says, gaze fluttering away. You know him so well. “And I didn’t message any of them back. You can check.”

“You’re so sweet,” you giggle. “I trust you, but I kind of want to look just out of curiosity to see what they’re saying.”

Sure enough, he has a few messages from pretty girls sitting in his inbox, some simple hi’s, others much more flirty.

“Can’t blame them,” you reply, sliding his phone back to his side of the table. “You’re hot.”

“Are you only in this for my looks?”

“I thought you knew that,” you say. “This is awkward now.”

Zach grins, bumping your knee again before sliding out of his side of the booth and settling beside you. You can smell his cologne, clean and gentle.

“Yeah, we’re the kind of couple that sits on the same side of the table, so what?” he mumbles, planting a kiss on your temple. You smirk, kneeling against his shoulder before sitting straight again.

“I’m sorry if that made you jealous, babe,” Zach says after a beat. At times, it’s hard to believe how sensitive he is. “I can ask them to take the photo down.”

“Oh,” you say with a laugh. He has a bit of a jealous streak stemming from insecurities, but you never felt it yourself, knowing how loyal he is. “I have a cute boyfriend. I can accept that it comes with a little competition sometimes.”

“There’s no competition,” he says resolutely, blue eyes hard on you. You squeeze his bicep and smile at him and he dips to kiss your fingers, right above the promise ring he gave you.

“You know that goes both ways, right?” you tell him softly. “You’ve ruined all other men for me, MacLaren.”

Your words send butterflies swirling in his stomach.

“Good thing we’ll be together forever then,” Zach says, a glint in his eyes.

“Good thing,” you agree.

(continuation blurb)

[theemporium]

Steve wasn’t exactly sure how he ended up here, but he wasn’t mad about it.

It wasn’t that he didn’t get along with his colleagues, it was just the simple fact that most of them were his father’s age or older, and there was only so much they had in common before the conversation hit a wall. But the job at the firm was flashy and prestigious and exactly the thing Mr Harrington expected of his son, and it was where Steve found himself straight after college. 

The days blurred into one as time passed. He would wake up, get dressed in the three piece suit that was laid out for him, grab his briefcase, drive to work, spend the day staring at documents until his eyes were dry, and then he would come home for dinner. It was like he was stuck on a loop, living the same day, one after the other until Steve could have sworn he was running on muscle memory alone.

He knew what the other men at the firm thought of him. A young, hot-shot who was just there on daddy’s merit and nothing else. Maybe that’s why Steve never really expected to have a relationship with any of his colleagues. Maybe that’s why he was surprised that after a year of working with them, they were inviting him on one of their fancy work nights out. 

It was everything he expected. From the three hundred dollar steaks to the whiskey from a date long before he was born, from the talks of business deals to details about their personal lives he very much wished he didn’t know. 

But what Steve wasn’t expecting was for the night to end at a fucking strip club. 

“Enjoy it, kid,” one of the older men in the group said as he clapped him on the back, jostling him from his spot by the entrance. “Nobody is gonna say shit in here. We tip well.” 

Steve could only nod in response. 

He was tense and awkward but it was hard not to be. The men at the firm were pigs, cheering and hollering as they threw one dollar bills at the dancers like they were objects for their entertainment. 

Steve guessed in an odd way they were. 

But they were also people.

He had planted himself firmly by the bar, sipping on the same drink he had bought when they first entered the club over an hour ago. He tried to keep his eyes everywhere but the dancers on the stage, or even the workers in little-to-no clothing walking around the establishment. 

He tried to remain respectful. 

Then, you walked out onto the stage. 

Steve didn’t even realise he was staring until your eyes caught his in the crowd. He had been enraptured by you, by the way you moved and the way you held yourself on stage. There were at least forty odd men loitered around the establishment, and yet, you were the one in control. 

Your lips twitched when you noticed him staring. It wasn’t like the other patrons. He wasn’t ogling or leering at you like you were a piece of meat. He was looking at you like you were art. 

His eyes stayed on you for your whole set. You watched some of your colleagues approach him as they weaved their way through the crowd for extra tips, but his eyes stayed firmly on you. You tried not to think about the way your stomach dipped in response. 

Steve almost felt gutted when you walked off the stage. He felt a pang in his chest, his eyes eagerly trying to find where you went but you were gone. His eyes fell back to his half-drunken whiskey, thinking if he should just throw in the towel and call it a night, and head back home before the firm dragged him to another club. 

Until the hair of the back of his neck rose when he felt a warm hand on his arm, his head turning to find you saddled up beside him. 

Smiling at him. 

“Hey, stranger,” you greeted, but all he could think was that you were there and you were even prettier up close, and fuck, you smelt so good. 

“Hey, hi,” Steve cleared his throat, his cheeks tinted pink. 

You tucked your bottom lip between your teeth, watching the way Steve’s eyes fixated on the movement. He was sweet and he wasn’t like the other men here. He almost seemed innocent. 

And you wanted to be the one who corrupted him. 

“Would you like to go somewhere more private?” 

The question lingered between you for a whole three seconds before he was quickly nodding his head, happily taking your hand as you began to guide him towards the rooms in the back. You never went there with any patrons from the club, but Steve was different. 

The first thing Steve noted was how dark the room was. There were a few coloured lights dotted around, the red hue shining and engulfing every inch of your skin. It shouldn’t have made his cock stir in his pants the way it did, it shouldn’t have made his mouth dry.

“Champagne?” 

The words had left his brain, leaving Steve to only nod in response. 

You passed him the flute of champagne, the bubbles tinted red and the drink a little pink. It almost matched the colour of your lips. He let you take his other hand and guide him to the leather couch that took up the whole back wall of the room. He let you push his chest until he fell back, the liquid in his glass sloshing but neither of you caring.

“What do you do back here?” He asked, his voice low and rough. He almost felt like he should be whispering.

“Whatever you want,” you replied, a dark promise on your lips, and Steve realised he wanted all of them. 

“Anything,” he breathed out. 

His eyes were glued to you as you leaned over him, straddling his lap until you were pressed up against him and your faces were mere inches apart. The glass in his hand was long gone, clanking as it rolled off the couch and landed on the floor—but neither of you cared. His hands moved to your waist, large and warm and holding onto you like a fucking lifeline.

“Is this your first time here, baby?” You asked, your nose gently nudging his as you bit back your grin when you saw his eyes fluttering shut.

Steve nodded slightly.

Your smile became a little more dangerous. “You want me to make it memorable?”

“Please,” he rasped. 

“Just relax,” you murmured, your lips brushing against his and a pained noise left his lips as you ground your hips against his. “Be a good boy f’me, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he whined before you finally pressed your lips against his, muffling the noises that he made. 

The rooms were sound-proof and the music out on the main stage was loud enough to drown everything out, but a selfish part of you wanted to keep his noises all to yourself. You didn’t even know his name, you didn’t know anything about him. 

But maybe that just made you want him more.

You tore your lips away from his, tracing a line of kisses along his cheek and down his jaw. You dipped your head to the junction of his neck, teeth scraping against his sensitive skin as his hips rutted up into you. The noises he was making were pathetic and needy and made the coil in the pit of your stomach tighten. 

“Fuck, I—” Steve’s head rolled back, resting against the back of the couch as he squeezed your hips. “I’m gonna come.”

“Yeah?” You hummed in his ear, nipping his lobe as you rocked back and forth on his lap. You could feel his cock straining beneath the fabric of his slacks, could feel the way he was pulsing and desperate to come. “You gonna come for me? Gonna make a mess for me, baby boy?”

“Shit,” he hissed as his eyes fell shut, his mouth slack.

“That’s it, baby, that’s my boy,” you murmured, placing soft kisses along his cheek as he let out a pitiful whine when your grinding became too much.

You took pity on the boy, your fingers gripping his chin as you pulled him into one last kiss, your tongue lazily stroking against his before you pulled yourself off his lap. “You did good, baby.”

Steve blinked, a slight dazed look in his eyes as he stared up at you. “Wait, you didn’t—”

“You can make it up to me,” you said with a knowing smile on your face. “I’ll see you around, baby boy.”

And Steve could only watch as you walked out the room, jaw slack and hands itching to touch you once again. He wanted to know what you looked like, what you sounded like, what you tasted like when you came. Fuck, he wanted to know everything about you. 

Even if he didn’t know your name.

.

[longing-for-the-past-times]

Late night driving headcanons

task force 141 x reader

synopsis: late night drives with members of task force 141

notes: Ghost's part is inspired by this request; also wrote big parts of this during a night ride (going back to college). Hope you enjoy

warnings: none?

masterlist

Captain 'John' Price

He knows it the moment he steps out of the base, around midnight, and finds you parked next to his car, mindlessly scrolling through your phone in the driver's seat. You don't have to tell him anything, he just throws his duffel bag in the back and climbs into the passenger seat, putting his seatbelt on.

You do not meet his eyes as you turn on the engine and leave the parking lot with one hand on the steering wheel while the other one is resting on the gear knob, your fingers impatiently drumming against the hard plastic

Resting his head on the headrest, Price turns to look at you, his eyes filled with silent adoration as he rests his left hand atop yours and starts to rub circles into your skin. He does not miss the satisfied sighs that leave your lips.

The night is dark and the car is silent, yet his touch is loving and reassuring, his quiet presence being a constant you always can rely on. The city lights filter through the windows of the car, casting your concentrated figure in a fluorescent glow. Price wouldn't admit it in front of you, but in moments like these, you take his breath away, both figuratively and literally

It is when you are stopped at a traffic light that you eventually let out a deep sigh and start talking. At first, you have a hard time finding your words, as you usually do when trying to open up, but John's presence has a soothing effect on you, his soft, yet approving smile helping you to keep going

Like usual, Price keeps stroking your skin and listens to you carefully, nodding along to what you are telling him. Whether you had a bad day at work, the printer broke again or your professor at the university did not grant you an extension for the final assignment - he will pay utmost attention to the details that ruined your day and try to find the best words (and potentially actions) that will make you feel better

Is someone bothering you at work? He might swing by during lunch break with his full tactical gear on. Has the printer stopped working? He will carry the new one on his shoulders and lay it at your feet. And the professor? If he cannot change his mind regarding your due date, he will help you himself write that essay (and tear the local library apart in the process)

After you make your usual stop at the gas station for fuel and snacks, you roll the windows down to the cool and refreshing night air, one hand casually resting on the window's edge while the other is holding the steering wheel

You can't help but smile at the familiar scent of Price's cigar and you let out another sigh, yet this time it is a content one.

"Remember, things always work out, little one!", he eventually says when you park into the driveway, ruffling your hair and planting a kiss on your forehead. You place your hands on his shoulders and kiss him on the lips, closing your eyes when you feel his fingers in your hair.

"As long as we are together, we will both be fine!"

Lieutenant Simon 'Ghost' Riley

Ghost knows something is wrong when your messages stop containing emojis. While he is not an emoji person himself, he secretly enjoys the creative and suggestive ways you find to insert them in any of your messages.

But what makes him leave work earlier than usual (and spend only one extra hour on base instead of the usual three) is your clipped reply of "I'm spending the night in. I'm not feeling really well." which is devoid of any bed, sleep or whatever weird emoji he could think of.

And before heading to your place, he makes an extra stop at his, switching his pickup truck for his beloved motorcycle. It doesn't take him long to get changed into the black protective gear and make sure the spare, smaller-sized matching piece is stored in the top case, alongside a matching helmet.

Five minutes later he's at your door, his brows furrowing at the sight of your tired figure. Instead of giving him your usual reassuring smile, you just gesture him to come in and he has to place a hand on your shoulder to stop you from turning your back to him.

'You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to. But we're not spending the night in either.'

It's your turn to frown at his cryptic words, and he gently takes your hands and leads you out of the house until his motorcycle comes into view. He keeps his eyes glued on you and his heart skips a beat when he notices the faint grin that appears on your face, your hands still clasped tightly to his.

'And before you ask, yes, I took your protective gear to the dry cleaners. And you can borrow one of my balaclavas...'

He does not miss the mischievous spark in your eyes and he has to fight the butterflies in his stomach as he knows exactly what you are going to say.

'Can I have the one with the skull on it?'

Playing hard to get is his speciality, so he resorts to rolling his eyes dramatically, blinking rapidly for effect.

'I am wearing it right now-'

'That's why I asked.'

He takes off his balaclava with a loud sigh and gently pulls it over your head until only your smiling eyes are visible. The corners of his mouth quirk up at the innocent, yet grateful look you are giving him and he shakes his head in defeat as he reaches for an identical balaclava in his pocket

Eventually, Ghost can't help but beam at your wide-eyed expression, before helping you get into the protective suit and ensuring the helmet is firmly placed on your head. You do not miss the tender looks he gives you when he thinks you're not watching and you start blushing when he is busying himself with the strap of your helmet, his warm breath fanning over your face

Once his helmet is back on his head, he gets on the motorcycle and gestures for you to join him. It's not the first time you're doing this, but you still get lightheaded at the thought of being so close to him. Yet, as usual, you do not miss the way his body relaxes as you slide your arms around his waist and press yourself against his back, resting your head on his shoulder

The hum of the engine is a distant buzz in your ears as you relish in the friction of the protective costumes and the warmth the body-to-body contact has caused to course through your veins.

The city lights come and go so fast they turn into a blur, and the usual hustle and bustle of the city become a distant sensation as the cool night air embraces your figure the same way your arms encircle Simon's waist.

In that moment, his presence is what keeps you grounded and safe, your hands tightening their grip around his waist as you let out a sigh of relief. No day can be completely ruined as long as you have Ghost by your side.

Sergeant John 'Soap' MacTavish

He does not need a pretext or excuse for a car ride; he'll simply text you or show up at your door with car keys in hand

And you'll only smile at him, rolling your eyes at his sheepish expression and mechanically putting on your shoes as you ask him:

'Who's driving?'

If he had a long or exhausting day at work, he'll simply hand you over the keys, placing both of his hands on your shoulders and guiding you to the car.

But other times he would swing the keys around his fingers and extend his hand as an invitation, gallantly leading you to the passenger's seat where he would fuss over you triple-checking the safety belt and trying to sneak as many kisses as possible

'Not my fault your face looks so kissable!', he'd manage to articulate the words between pecks and your childish chuckles

There were a couple of times when the 'innocent' pecks turned into something more and you had to call it a night and move into the house.

But he usually manages to stop in time, both to yours and his dismay and get in the driver's seat without causing any more distractions

Soap's the kind of guy who would sing his heart out so you two have several shared playlists prepared for the occasion. Depending on who's driving, you or he would choose one of them, put it on shuffle, and let the chaos begin.

You like to sing along as well, but that does not mean that either of your voices actually match the rhythm of the music. If asked, you would both argue that your renditions are decent, but in reality...

There was this one time where you were stopped at a red light and Unchained Melody was the next song to be played. You two had a great time trying to hit the high notes that the original duo did, singing your hearts out in the car, with both windows rolled down.

Let's just say the group of bikers that were stopped on the other lane were not fans - neither of the song nor of your performance.

But the small altercation did not stop you from spending another hour just cruising around the city, and enjoying the overwhelming amount of neon signs and streetlights that filtered through the tinted windows of the car

Sergeant Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick

It is a tradition that casually started the first time he came back from a mission. You were both lying on the couch, cuddling and watching some random sitcom

All was good and fair until you realized you had run out of snacks. And since it was one in the morning, ordering in was not an option.

So you hopped in the car and let Gaz drive around to the nearest gas station to see what you can get

Gaz is definitely the type of guy to say 'I know a place' and proceed to drive you to some hard-to-get, yet breathtaking place. That is what he did that first night, driving you to a quiet place from where you could see the entire city.

You opened the trunk and ate the snacks in there, resting your head on Gaz's shoulder and he on top of yours.

Since that night, every time he comes home from a mission, you go on a hunt for snacks and end up in your snacking spot, as you like to call it

'A snack with a view', you would often joke to Gaz as you huddled in his warm embrace

'Wait- I think the view's missing something...'

He would place his hands on your shoulders, turning you so you were face to face with him and against the nocturnal landscape of city lights

'Yes, it's better now!'

His grin would be impossibly huge, his chuckles eventually missing with yours as you would try to lean forward and steal a kiss from his lips

After the second time you did that, you decided to keep a couple of pillows and blankets in the back of the car

He will always be the one to drive - there's no point in arguing about that

'You do know I'm not a Sunday driver!'

'It's a male instinct, darling! You know, like the primal need to hunt down a bear, cook it and serve it to you!'

If you fall asleep in the passenger seat, he'll carry you inside and tuck you in against his naked torso, pulling you as close as possible to him

[acesandocs]

Finally a fic that includes a cannon character. In this case Viktor, its an exploration of what Viktor thinks of Ace and is written from his perspective. It also discusses his reaction to Ace's gender identity which he has a somewhat reductive view of. I wrote what i think would be the most likely reaction from him considering his age and the environment he grew up in. The story takes place after Ace started working for Atlas but before Atlas died. Ace presented exclusively masculine at this point.

Also thanks so much to @ahhhh-118 for beta reading for me and helping me come up with some ideas for the title card!

Content Warning: mentions of gun violence, serious injury, blood and drugs (medical painkillers)

What the hell was he thinking! Just running in like that, stupid kid. Viktor spared quick glances over to Ace in the passenger seat. He’d slumped to the side and was leaning on the car door window now. Don’t worry just drive. Why was he worried in the first place. He was just some idiot kid he’d been saddled with for the night. It was initially just supposed to be him and Mordecai, but the tuxedo cat had gotten caught up in some other business he had to finish. So the kid had been sent with him as a replacement. He just needed some extra muscle anyway so this would be easy, but apparently not. They'd been ambushed on the side of the road. He’d just let the him out of his sight for a second but suddenly he was right in the middle of all the gunfire. The kid was lucky one bullet was the worst he got. He even tried to wave it off like it wasn't a big deal

‘’Jus’ drop me off at the cafe, I’ll be fine’’ Is what he said.

It was almost tempting. This isn't how Viktor wanted to spend the rest of his afternoon. But if he couldn't trust the kid not to run into open gunfire he knew he probably wouldn't be able to get medical help on his own. Viktor pulled up to what he thought was Ace’s apartment building.

‘’Which is- ‘’

Viktor said as he looked over just to see Ace fiddling with the door handle. He managed to grab the back of his shirt before he could face plant out the door. Once the Slovak managed to get the boy safely back in his seat, he grabbed a coat from the back and got out muttering a foreign curse ot two while quickly making his way to the other side of the car.

‘’Apartment number’’ he said sporting one of his infamous glares.

‘’…407‘’ Ace coughed out.

Viktor offered him a shoulder to lean on but he refused. Why was he so stubborn about this. Ace was usually overly familiar him. He sighed and handed Ace the coat. The kid wrapped it around himself, making sure to cover any signs of his injury. It was almost comical how big it looked on him. Hopefully his neighbors would just think he was drunk, the way he stumbled up to the elevator. With the push of some buttons and a metallic whine they were on their way up. By now Viktor could see the kid was struggling to stand up. As the doors opened he hooked his arm under the smaller cats shoulder.

‘’I said I can-‘’

‘’Now is not time for whining.‘’

The kid grumbled but relented. They made it into the apartment without much trouble. Viktor let Ace down the nearest chair.

‘’Keep pressure on it. I will go call doktor.’’

Ace only nodded. Viktor supposed he was to tired to refuse the help at this point.

A quick call and half an hour later Ace was being seen to by one of Atlas’ on-call medics. They tended to work odd hours usually having to be available to tend to his personnel at any time. Viktor stayed in the kitchen as the older woman worked. It were three rooms in total a bedroom a bathroom and the main entrance room that was also a kitchen. The apartment was competently furnished albeit almost everything was miss-matched. Just the plates sitting in the sink were different colors and materials. The only unusual piece of furniture in the apartment was a almost pristine sewing machine and table. A few shelves hung on the wall in front of it with a robust selection of threads, ribbons and other textile accessories Viktor couldn't name. And a bigger box of fabrics sat underneath the table next to a small stool, that was presumably pulled out when the machine was in use.

Viktors ears twitch as he heard the doctors footsteps exit the bedroom ‘’I removed the bullet, dressed up the wound and gave her some pain killers. I’m about 83% sure the bullet didn't hit anything vital but if she starts spitting blood call me back up.’’ She said with a huff wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve.

‘’She?’’

‘’Yeah you know, in there‘’ gesturing to the room behind them with her thumb.

Viktor blinked a few times brown furrowing in confusion, he opened his mouth about to counter her but the doctor interrupted him seeming to be in a hurry.

‘’She’s stable for now but you should still monitor her. I have a few more stops to make tonight but if she gets worse ill probably be able to make time to come back… probably’’ And with that she was out the door

Viktor stood in the kitchen for a moment contemplating the medic's words. He peaked into the bedroom and he saw Ace lying on the bed near the window wearing a pair of pajamas while his old bloody clothes slung over a the back of a chair, along with what looked some old bandages. It was much clearer to see now that the medic had not been lying.

He retreated back to the kitchen slumping down on by the table as he furrowed his brows. He had always thought there was something off about the kid. He looked remarkably young for a man of 20 and his voice was light and raspy. He could have just been lying about his age. Viktor had raised the the thought to Atlas once but was assured he didn't need to worry about it. He tried not to think about it, he wouldn't be the only teenager in this line of work thats for sure and besides he or she? Had always done their job well for the most part. And it wasn't really any of his business. He had enough to worry about. But he couldn't stop wondering why. why was she here, doing this job. why was she pretending to be a man. Didn't she have a family or something.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a loud thump. Like someone had dropped a sack of potatoes on the ground. Peeking back into the bed room there he was sprawled out on the floor the tip of his tail swishing quickly back and forth in frustration. H-she was trying to push herself up from the ground but couldn't quite manage before it became to painful. Lying on her side holding her ribs, her eyes looked bleary as she noticed Vikor reaching down for her. Viktor gently lifted her up and placed her on her bed. He was about to stand up and leave when a weak hand gripped his forearm.

‘’Jeg vil ikke være alene… jeg er redd’’

He gently tried to shake her off but she was persistent

‘’Nei … morfar…’’

She was completely out of it. Slurring her words and sniffling? He’d never seen her cry. He’d never really seen her show any other strong emotion than erratic glee.

‘’Kan du lukke vinduet?’’

She limply gestured towards the open window to the left. He looked back at her and she seemed almost scared of it. He slowly made his way over and closed it, it seemed to make her more at ease. Victor slowly made his way to the door but was interrupted again

‘’Ikke dra fra meg!’’

She was openly crying now and reaching for him. He sighed and pulled up a chair and sat beside her. She relaxed back into bed.

‘’Kan du synge noe?’’

He thinks she was asking a question by the tone.

‘’Sleep naov, ask later.’’

She looked at him for moment but eventually responded

‘’Det går fint. Så lenge du ikke drar.’’

She closed her eyes and rested her hands between the pillow and her head. She almost looked like a child. Sighing as he looked out the window he though he’d keep an eye on her for a few hours before leaving, and maybe he could confront her about I tomorrow. Then again he didn't wasn't to deal with whatever drama that might cause. He should probably just act like it didn't happen. Maybe he could push her to quit, she had to just have run away from home right. He’d just have to get her to run back. But what if hse didnt have anywhere to run back to, he tried not to dwell on it. This wasn't a place fro her. Åse grunted as she shifted on the bed, her wound clearly bothering her. She looked pitiful.

‘’No place…’’ he muttered softly

A translation of Ace's dialoug at the end:

‘’Jeg vil ikke være alene… jeg er redd’’ - ''I don't want to be alone… I'm scared.''

‘’Nei … morfar…’’ - ''No… Grandpa…''

‘’Kan du lukke vinduet?’’ - ''Can you close the window?''

‘’Ikke dra fra meg!’’ - ''Don't leave me!''

‘’Kan du synge noe?’’ - ''Can you sing something?''

‘’Det går fint. Så lenge du ikke drar.’’ - ''It's fine. As long as you don't leave.''

Authors note: Ive mentioned before that Viktor reminds Ace of his grandpa. They have the have the same body type and bright red fur. And while being very sweet to his family, Ace's grandpa could be similarly grumpy and quiet to other people. In Ace's pain killer addled mind he probably remembered some time in his childhood when his grandpa took care of him when he was sick and confused Viktor for him. Aces grandpa was also liked to sing, which is why Ace makes that request.

I imagine Aces grandpa sounding like Alf Prøysen who is a Norwegian musician among other things. He is probably best remeberd today for the children's music and books he wrote. There are some reference's to his songs and stories in the title card.

I hope i managed to catch all the spelling mistakes and fix up any weird wording lol.

[smok3r7]

One Door Closes & Another One Opens

Joel x OFC!Divorce Lawyer

Explicit, 18+

Patience Is Key

Main MasterList & Series Masterlist - My AO3

Summary: She’s a divorce attorney and he’s a husband looking for help to save his daughter, and himself, from his gambling addict wife. Renae Russo is a woman who fights for her clients and wins. She’s satisfied with her life and what she does - but she wishes she could have a little more. What happens when Joel Miller becomes her client and an old flame of Renae’s reignites in the same breath?

Chapter Summary: Sometimes love is a waiting game.

Word count: 3.9k

-Here’s the finale babes…I can’t believe it’s here! I hope this lives up to everyone’s wishes…I know I’m very happy with the outcome.

Maybe there will be an extra chap for these two in the near future … who knows?

But I wanna say thank you to everyone who’s been here for this story, I’ll love these two forever. And I think this will be my last Joel series … but I hope you guys stay for what I have in the future<3

—

“Sarah!” Joel yells up the staircase, “Ya’ ready to go?”

“Coming, dad!” Sarah yells from her bedroom, causing Joel to chuckle as he grabs his bags from the bottom of the steps. Suddenly he hears the stomping of Sarah’s shoes descending the staircase, and he looks up with bags on both his shoulders to see her eyes sparkle with excitement. Joel can’t help but smile at the sight of her. She deserves this more than she knows, he thinks to himself.

They’re about to embark on an adventure that has been months in the making. Their destination is Joel’s cabin, a couple hours out of the city, a place where they can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life - for the week of the Fourth of July.

“You ready for the trip of your dreams, Renae?” Sarah giggles as she passes her in the driveway, now skipping backwards towards the truck.

Renae grins, excitement bubbling inside her, “I sure am!”

This road trip has been a long time coming, and she can’t wait to hit the open road with her boyfriend and step-daughter - Frankie coming along as well.

As Joel flies on the highway, the wind tousles the girl's hair and the music blares through the speakers, creating the perfect soundtrack for their adventure. With each passing mile, Renae leaves her worries behind and embraces the freedom of this week.

Because of their late start, the sun starts to set while they drive, casting a golden glow over the horizon. Renae can’t contain her excitement when she sees the sun descending in the distance. Joel can’t help but notice the radiant smile on her face as she gazes at the golden painting in the sky.

Her love for sunsets is infectious, so much so that Joel finds himself captivated by the beauty that illuminates her features. Her red hair shines, her blue eyes glimmer, and her cheeks are a bright gold.

The delayed start to their journey seems insignificant now, as they both bask in the mesmerizing sight before them. In the silence of the car, besides the sounds of Frankie smelling out the back window, a shared moment of appreciation for the simple joys of life bonds them in a way words can’t express.

"Dad," Sarah asks eagerly, "When we get there, can I start the fire?" Joel's eyes meet hers in the rearview mirror, his own smile mirroring Sarah's contagious excitement. "You most definitely can, dear," he replies warmly.

Renae marveles at the scene unfolding before her. Sarah's enthusiasm is a reflection of Joel's adventurous spirit, and as she playfully mimics his smile, Renae can’t help but notice the striking resemblance between father and daughter. They share the same twinkling eyes and infectious grins, a sight that never fails to melt Renae's heart.

"She's just like you, you know," Renae murmurs, planting her hand on Joel’s that rests on the center console. She smiles up at him, feeling a warmth spread through him at her words, Thank you, is all he chokes out and she feels his hand squeeze hers just a bit tighter.

—

Renae stands in awe as she gazes upon the cabin that Joel promised would be their sanctuary for the week. Its worn wooden exterior blends seamlessly with the serene forest surroundings, and a sense of peace washes over her. This is exactly what she needs - a break from the chaos of everyday life, especially work.

Her forest eyes sparkle with wonder as she stands at the edge of the lake, completely captivated by its simple beauty. The sun’s setting, casting a golden hue over the water, making it shimmer like a thousand diamonds. She inhales deeply, taking in the scent of pine trees and freshwater.

Feeling a presence behind her, she turns to see Joel, a soft smile tugs at the corners of his lips. Renae can’t help but smile back. "Wow," she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is just... beautiful."

"I knew you'd love it," Joel whispers, his eyes reflecting the same awe that Renae feels. Together, they stand in silence, letting the tranquility of the moment wash over them, taking in each and every second they can.

As the last rays of sunlight dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange, Renae knows that this moment will be etched in her memory forever. It’s such a special moment, shared between two people in the presence of nature's breathtaking beauty, but in that simplicity, she finds a profound sense of joy and gratitude.

“Can I get some help back here, please!” Sarah hollers from behind them, back at Joel’s truck with a couple bags in hand, “I wanna start this fire, guys!”

Hand in hand, Renae and Joel chuckle to themselves before walking back towards the vehicle to unload their luggage, their hearts full and their spirits uplifted.

Walking into the cabin with bags in each hand, Renae's heart swells with anticipation. She can’t quite pinpoint why, but there’s an inexplicable electricity in the air that makes her pulse quicken. Perhaps it’s the way the trees whisper ancient secrets or the way the sunset casts a beautiful glow over the water.

A couple hours later, everything is set up to everyone’s liking, and Renae feels like she has stepped into a fairytale. In her leggings and loose sweater, she glides towards the living room area and is finally able to appreciate the work that Joel put into this space. The interior is cozy and inviting, with plush couches, a dark fireplace that crackles, filling the room with a warm, earthy scent that envelopes her.

Joel has truly outdone himself, and she can’t wait to spend the week here with him and Sarah.

Renae sinks into one of the plush couches, feeling utterly content in this environment, something she could get more than comfortable with.

Then, Joel and Sarah emerge from the kitchen, carrying steaming mugs of hot cocoa and laughter in their eyes. As darkness settles over the land, a canopy of stars emerges in the sky, twinkling like diamonds against the velvet backdrop.

As the night passes, they sit by the fire, just listening to the pops and cracks every few seconds. Renae feels a sense of serenity wash over her as Joel’s arm wraps around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side, leaning her head against his shoulder and chest. While Sarah lays over Renae’s lap on her side with Frankie curled up to her, as she lets Renae softly run her fingers up and down the side of her torso and arm.

She’s not sure when she falls asleep, but between Joel holding her and Sarah’s love, she does.

—

Renae sits on the porch of the cabin early the next morning, cradling her steaming cup of coffee, she feels a sense of tranquility wash over her. The early sunlight filters through the dense foliage surrounding the cabin, casting dappled patterns of light on the wooden floor.

The gentle rustling of the leaves in the nearby forest provides a soothing soundtrack to the peaceful moment. It’s as if the trees are whispering ancient secrets, their branches swaying in a synchronized dance to an unheard melody.

She takes a deep breath, inhaling the crisp, pine-scented air. With her legs folded to her chest, she closes her eyes, allowing herself to be fully present in the moment, soaking in the sights and sounds of the wilderness around her. Even after her numerous hiking trips around the state of Texas, she had never encountered a place quite like this.

The cabin sits nestled among towering trees, their thick trunks reaching towards the sky like sentinels guarding a hidden realm. The earthy scent of the forest mingles with the aroma of her coffee, creating a sensory symphony that fills her with a sense of profound peace.

As Renae sips her coffee, she watches a pair of squirrels playfully chase each other through the underbrush, their chittering laughter adding to the magical atmosphere. She can’t help but marvel at the beauty of the natural world and the sense of harmony that seems to permeate every aspect of the forest.

Lost in contemplation, Renae feels a deep connection to the wilderness around her. It’s a place of serenity and wonder, a sanctuary far removed from the business of everyday life. A place she can most definitely get used to enjoying, with Joel and Sarah… and maybe one day, a little one of their own.

“Mornin’ darlin’,” his sleepy voice emerges from the front door, “Thank you for makin’ coffee.” A soft chuckle follows as she turns to see him approaching with a steaming cup in hand.

“Thanks for puttin’ me to bed last night,” she chuckles as she slides over for him to sit next to her, “That couch is comfy, but I would’ve felt like shit this mornin’.”

The corners of his eyes crinkle with amusement as he settles down beside her, his presence brings a sense of comfort and familiarity. He takes a sip of his coffee, the steam rising in the crisp morning air, and then, as if on cue, lifts his left arm behind the back of the swing. She knows that’s her invitation to nestle into her spot against him, the spot where their bodies fit together effortlessly as if they’re two pieces of a puzzle.

The peaceful moment lingers between them, the soft sounds of nature providing a soothing melody and their breathing synchronized into one. In that simple gesture of leaning on him, she finds a sense of belonging and contentment that words can never fully capture. It’s a quiet intimacy shared between two souls who have found solace in each other's company.

And as they sit there, savoring the warmth of the morning sun and the comfort of each other's presence, they know that no matter the things they’ve been through for the past two years, they have found a safe haven in the embrace of their love and they both are comfortable in knowing their love it true.

—

Renae hums to herself as she chops vegetables in the cozy kitchen, the aroma of a delicious stir-fry filling the room. Joel and Sarah’s laughter float in from the beach, where they’re engrossed in a friendly game of volleyball. Surrounded by the sounds of the beach and the sizzle of the pan, Renae can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing from her life.

As she stirs the vegetables in the pan, her thoughts drift to motherhood. Watching Sarah grow up has been a joy, but lately, Renae finds herself yearning for a child of her own. Someone she can raise from infancy, pass on her wisdom to, and watch grow into a remarkable individual. The desire for motherhood tugs at her heartstrings, making her question her own path in life.

But Renae knows that bringing up the topic of having a child with Joel is a delicate matter. She’s not sure if he’s ready to start a family all over again, especially considering that Sarah’s already a teenager. The uncertainty of Joel's feelings about marriage and starting a new family weigh heavily on Renae's mind, causing a mix of hope and apprehension to swirl within her. But she refuses to bring it up to him, it’s just not the right timing.

Each rhythmic slice of the knife brings a sense of calm, allowing her mind to wander freely. As she continues cutting, the thought of expanding their little family lingers at the forefront of her thoughts - it won’t stop replaying on loop in her head. She imagines Joel's laughter blending with the innocent giggles of a child, filling their home with more joy and love.

Lost in her daydreams, Renae's focus wavers, and she winces as the blade nicks her finger. It’s a small cut, but enough to startle her. "Fuck," she mutters under her breath, unaware that Joel heard her from outside.

In a swift motion, Joel enters the cozy cabin, a look of concern flashes across his face. "Are you okay?" he asks, his voice laced with worry as he approaches Renae at the sink.

Renae plasters on a smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yeah, just a tiny cut. Nothin’ serious," she replies, her attempt at reassurance tinged with a hint of uncertainty.

Joel reaches for her hand, inspecting the minor injury with furrowed brows. "Ya’ know you don't have to pretend with me, right?" he says softly, his gaze searching hers for any hint of what she’s truly feeling. “What’s really goin’ on?” He sincerely asks as he wraps her pointer finger in a piece of paper towel.

“Nothing-“

“N’ don’t lie,” he cuts her off, not rudely but stern enough to tell her to just tell the truth.

Tears well up in her eyes as Joel's warm touch envelopes her hand, the paper towel absorbing the blood from her wounded finger. The vulnerability of the moment makes her voice tremble, "I just… I don't wanna pressure you… but I want a baby of our own."

Joel's deep, chocolate eyes met hers with understanding. "One of our own?" he says at the same time, his voice full of compassion and love.

Her breath catches in her throat as she nods in response, her lip quivering as tears stream down her cheeks. The weight of her confession hangs heavy in the air, but she feels a glimmer of hope as Joel speaks, his words filling her with shock and disbelief.

“I do too,” he reassures her, in fact he gladly embraces the idea of starting anew, “You’ll be an amazin’ mother, just from the way you are with Sarah, I can tell you’ll rock it. I haven’t brought it up cause I didn’t think you’d want to have a child with me. So I left it alone, but darlin’…it’s what I want more than anythin’.”

She can sense a longing evident in his words as he expresses his desire for another child. The notion that Sarah would relish the role of an older sister brings a wave of comfort over Renae, her heart swells with gratitude for Joel's unexpected acceptance.

Renae throws herself into Joel's arms, their embrace is a sanctuary of understanding and unspoken promises. As they stand together in that peaceful silence, a newfound sense of togetherness and possibility enveloped them, igniting a flame of hope for a future filled with love and the pitter-patter of tiny feet.

“I love you so much,” she whispers into his neck, “you’re my world and I’d be so lost without you. Thank you for loving me.”

“I love you too, mama.”

—

Ouh baby, I'm a love man

That’s what they call me, I’m a love man

I’m six feet one, weigh two hundred and ten

Long hair, and pretty fair skin

Long legs and I’m a-out a sight

Hey, little girl, I’m gonna take you out

‘Cause I’m a love man

Renae softly sings to herself, her voice blending with the gentle lapping of the water against the pontoon. As the sun's warm rays kiss her skin, she closes her eyes, feeling utterly at peace. Sarah's laughter and splashing adds to the symphony of summer sounds, creating a harmonious atmosphere that seems to encapsulate the essence of happiness.

Joel had expertly maneuvered the boat to a sandbar near their cabin, a secluded oasis where time seems to stand still. The sky stretched endlessly above them, a canvas of blue punctuated by fluffy white clouds. The whole day had been a lazy blur of swimming, sunbathing, and endless laughter - and it’s only three in the afternoon.

Since the Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday, the whole week Joel says the lake will be busy. And just like he said, the sandbar is buzzing with kids and families all enjoying the summer heat. Children play in the shallow waters, their giggles echoing across the lake. Families picnicking on the shore, the smell of barbecue lingers in the air. It’s a scene straight out of a postcard, a snapshot of summertime bliss.

Renae's voice carries across the water, the melody weaving through the chatter and laughter. Next thing she knows Sarah joins in, her voice blending seamlessly with Renae's. Joel sits by the steering wheel, a content smile playing on his lips as he just watches the two girls sing, now to one another.

Which one of you girls want me to hold you?

A-which one of you girls wants me to kiss you?

A-which one of you girls want me to take you out?

Go on, I got you, gonna knock you all night

‘Cause, baby, I’m a love man

Both Renae and Sarah instinctively splash the water to the beat of the song and both end up laughing at the fact they did the same thing. “This is why I love you, Renae!” Sarah admits with a huge smile across her lips and Renae freezes.

It’s the first time she’s said it and it’s genuine, not forced by any means. It sounds so natural coming from her but it means the world to Renae. “Love you too, Sarah,” she chokes, still with a smile on her face.

Ottis Redding fades from the speaker and Elton John takes over, Your Song. The very song that Renae branded as her and Joel’s song, because it was the first song to play after Joel officially asked her out almost five months ago.

Without a second thought Renae turns her head behind her to look for Joel, “Baby, It’s our song-“ she stops her sentence as she sees Joel already standing in front of her with his right hand reaching for her to stand up. She pushes herself up from the pontoon floor and reaches for his hand for support, adjusting the strap of her bikini top so it’s not digging into her neck.

“May I have this dance?” He purrs softly with a smirk.

“Of course,” she feels her cheeks heat up from his words, her heart fluttering with excitement. The gentle melody floats through the air, creating a magical atmosphere around them.

Joel pulls her closer, and they sway to the music, their bodies moving in perfect harmony, the boat rocking just enough to feel like a dream.

Oh, I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do

My gift is my song and this one’s for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song

It may be quite simple but now that’s it’s done

I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind

That I put down into words

How wonderful life is while you’re in this world

The world fades away, leaving only the two of them lost in the moment. Renae looks into Joel’s shiny orbs, seeing nothing but love and adoration reflecting back at her. She finally feels like she’s where she’s supposed to be in life - she’s finally found her happiness.

You see, I’ve forgotten if they’re green or they’re blue

Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean

Yours are the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen

And you can tell everyone that this is your song

The song slowly comes to an end and Joel dips her slightly, causing her to let out a laugh of pure joy. He brings her back up, his arms wrapping around her in a tight embrace. “I love you,” he whispers, his voice filled with sincerity.

Tears gather in Renae’s eyes as she leans in to kiss him, her heart overflowing with happiness. The kiss is passionate but also sweet, short lived even. But the next thing she knows, Joel’s on one knee as he holds both her hands.

“Joel…”

“Renae,” he starts, “You are the love of my life. Your heart is so pure and full of joy, the way you’re passionate about your job is liberating. I find it incredibly attractive that you are your own woman and always have been. You don’t let others sway you, you stand on what you believe in.” He takes a breath to stop himself from crying.

“The way you treat Sarah, like she’s your own, is something that I love about you. N’ I know she loves you and would love to have you in her life as a mother figure. Then we can eventually have a little one of our own, to make you n’ me complete.” His words start to crack from the emotions he’s trying to hide, “Renae Russo, will you make me the happiest man n’ marry me?”

She's starstruck, she can’t believe he’s really asking her to marry him. Renae never thought he’d be open to the thought of marriage again, “Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you!” She practically sobs between laughs of disbelief.

He stands up and wraps his arms tightly around her body as she latches hers around his torso, then quickly lifts her face to kiss him with love. Their love story has been a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups and downs, but through it all, they have grown closer and stronger together.

Joel, a man who had sworn off marriage after a painful divorce, that she had officiated, is so in love with her that he broke that promise to himself. He feels like Renae’s worth breaking his own rules, because of the way she treats him and his daughter.

Then just like that, Sarah comes from behind Renae and pulls out a small black velvet box and hands it to Renae with a large smile with happy tears. Renae’s heart flutters at the act of Sarah giving her the engagement ring.

Renae's heart skips a beat as she opens the box to reveal a stunning engagement ring glistening in the light of the sun. Tears of joy well up in her eyes as she gazes between the ring, Joel, and then Sarah. With shaky fingers she takes the glistening diamond in her hands and she slides it on her ring finger, and she finally loses her composure.

“I love you both so much,” she chokes out as she reaches for both Joel and Sarah.

As the rest of the evening unfolds, Renae finds herself unable to take her eyes off the exquisite ring adorning her finger. Every glance at the diamond fills her with a sense of gratitude and wonder, reminding her of the love that transcends boundaries and embraces all possibilities.

Joel, unable to contain his own happiness, showers Renae with affection, his touch a constant reassurance of their shared journey ahead. With every caress and whisper promise, he silently vows to be the rock on which their unconventional love story can always thrive.

Renae knows that with Joel by her side, she has the unwavering support to pursue her dreams and create the life she has always envisioned. Their love was a testament to the beauty of breaking free from societal constraints and embracing a connection that defied all odds.

And as Renae drifts off to sleep that night, the tears of joy that had welled up in her eyes earlier now sparkles with a newfound hope and determination. She knows that with Joel and Sarah standing beside her, anything is possible, and her heart brimmed with excitement for the adventure that lay ahead.

[abbott976]

Summer Nights

It was the week before senior year was set to begin and Tammy and Josselyn decided to throw a party. Tammy's parents were out of town on a cruise, which meant the small party for the senior class had quickly turned into a full rager.

There was a make-shift dance floor in the living room, people playing drinking games, and some people had even gotten into the pool out back.

When Zeke walked in with Tina, he immediately knew they wouldn't be staying long. It was too loud and way too crowded, but neither of them wanted to deal with the hassle of hearing Tammy and Josselyn complain that they hadn't come to their party. Which was why they had agreed they'd stay for an hour or so and if they weren't having fun, they'd bail and do their own thing. Easy enough.

Frankly, Zeke was looking forward to taking his girl to watch the sunset at the beach. He had been pulling extra hours at his uncle's shop lately and he wasn't necessarily looking forward to sharing her on his first night off all week. But he knew Tina would want to dance, and as much as he wanted some time alone, he couldn't resist getting to dance with Tina when she was wearing those little denim shorts of hers.

She had been driving him crazy from the moment he picked her up. She had came down the stairs in those shorts that were cut just right to where they hugged her curved and showed off her legs. She had paired them with a simple black v-neck that had left Zeke speechless.

He couldn't keep his eyes or his hands off of her the entire drive to Tammy's place. Every few moments, Zeke would catch himself sneaking a peek over at her in the passenger seat, smiling as she listened to a playlist he had made of all their favorite songs. He had one hand on the steering wheel and kept the other planted firmly on Tina's thigh, tracing circles and patterns as they drove along.

By the time they'd gotten to the party Tina was fidgety and he could tell he'd gotten under her skin. So he grabbed her hand and wove his way through the party to lead her through the dance floor.

-----‐---‐--‐------‐------

Tina hated the crowds but always loved to dance. Especially when she got to dance with Zeke. He'd hold her close as close as humanly possible, moving them to the beat, keeping one hand in her back pocket and the other on her waist. He always had a way of making her feel as if they were the only people in the room. She loved the way his t-shirt stretched over his broad shoulders and how she was close enough to grab his butt as much as she wanted.

The two continued to sway and spin in time with the beat of the playlist Tammy's cousin had put together. Tina was so caught up in staring in Zeke's eyes that she barely registered the other dancing bodies around them, focusing only on the way Zeke held her close, leaning down to touch his forehead to hers. His hands slid down her back, stopping to squeeze her hips and pull her against him.

"Are ya havin' fun T?"

"Yeah," her reply came out breathy but she wasn't sure if it was from the dancing or the way he was holding her. Maybe a bit of both if she was being honest.

"Good," Zeke smirked down at her. "I know neither of us are big party people, but I gotta say it's hard for me to have any complaints when I get to hold you like this."

As he spoke, his hands traveled downward, one firmly cupping her backside while the other played with the fraying edge of her denim shorts. Tina could feel the blush bloom across her face as Zeke leaned in to brush his lips against hers.

The sounds of the party fell away as Tina became lost in Zeke. His lips moved slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. She shivered as she reached up to cup his jaw. His hand moved to her hair, pulling her closer to him. His tongue starting to tease between her lips as he deepened the kiss, shamelessly showing the world exactly who he belonged to.

All of a sudden, Zeke was pushed forward as the music picked up and someone bumped into him from behind. Tina was left to catch her breath as he instinctively pulled her closer, making sure to keep her from stumbling.

"You okay?" he asked, his fingers brushed a stray hair off of her forehead.

"More than okay. You wanna get out of here?"

"I'm happy to go anywhere as long as I can kiss you again."

Zeke grinned as Tina began to pull him off of the dance floor and out of the party.

-----‐-------------------

Pulling up to the seculded beach, Zeke shifted his truck into park and turned to face Tina. Her gaze was already settled on him, a small smile on her face.

"What are we doing out here Zeke?"

"I figured we could watch the sunset and maybe just hang out for a little while before I have to drop you off for your curfew. Does that sound okay T?"

Tina unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned in to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Sounds perfect. Let's go!"

They climbed out of the cab, making their way to the truck bed where Zeke had stashed a blanket, some pillows, and a cooler with snacks and drinks. The pair watched the sky turn orange and pink, talking about everything and nothing.

When the last rays of light started to dip beneath the horizon, Zeke could feel Tina's eyes on him.

"Hey Zeke?"

"Yeah T?"

"I love you."

She had said the words so fast he almost thought he'd imagined it. He turned to meet her gaze, eyes wide and jaw slightly slacked. He couldn't believe she'd said she loved him.

She bit her lip as she stared into his eyes, clearly nervous for what he'd say or do next. In an attempt to recover, she stumbled over her words.

"I mean...I've known for a while...and I was waiting to say so and it seemed like a good moment to-"

Before she could finish her anxious rambling, Zeke cut her off with his lips crashing into hers. His passion consumed her, erasing all lingering doubts and unanswered questions. She felt herself sink into his embrace as his hands pulled her into his lap, deepening their kiss.

Zeke sighed with pleasure as Tina reciprocated, wrapping her arms around his neck. He kissed her like a man starved, desperately trying to enjoy every single second of her lips against his.

When he finally pulled away, he didn't think he'd ever seen her more beautiful than the way she looked at him with her skin flushed and her eyes wide, still breathless from his touch.

"I love you too, Tina."

He pulled her in for a bone crushing hug, Tina nuzzling her face into his neck. They sat like that as the sky got dark with shy smiles on their faces, neither willing to break the spell they'd found themselves in. Zeke pulled Tina closer, content to watch the stars begin appearing in the early night sky as he held his girl, knowing he'd never love anyone as much as he loved her.

[goodlucktai]

run, boy, run

chapter five

natsume yuujinchou pairing: one-sided kitanishi word count: 2k summary: Nishimura has a cursed mark on his arm, a crush on Natsume’s famous idol friend, and a whole lot of brand new problems that start and end with the taboo circle he found. full circle au

read on ao3

x

Satoru keeps looking over his shoulder at Hiiragi, just to make sure she’s still there.

“Watch where you’re walking or you’ll fall, Nishimura,” she says after the third backwards glance, voice low and monotone and still, somehow, entirely reassuring. She’s looking at him, talking to him, and he can hear her.

“No, I won’t,” Satoru argues cheerfully. Natori’s hand on his shoulder steers him around a crack in the pavement before he can prove himself wrong. And he’s still holding a sleeping Nyanko-sensei, so he definitely would have eaten dirt.

They’re south of town, much farther down the highway than Satoru ever has reason to go on his own. Matoba must have had his yokai chauffeur drive them for longer than Satoru realized. He’s pretty sure there’s a gas station nearby, and he thinks this is the road his old elementary school is on, but other than that he’s got nothing.  

Natori’s rental car is parked in a tiny lot outside a Western-style building with a rustic cottage vibe. Satoru expects to be sheparded into the car, but instead Natori leads the way up the brick steps and through the lattice-patterned front door.

The inside is cluttered and cozy, warmed by potted plants on every available surface. A smiling young woman behind the pastry counter encourages them to pick any table they’d like.

There’s an older couple seated in the back corner booth, and a grizzled man reading the paper in a squashy armchair shoved next to a bookshelf overrun with paperbacks and waving cats. Natori guides Satoru to a table by the window, points him into a chair, and then slides over the laminate menu. Satoru remembers, abruptly, that he skipped breakfast and missed lunch.

“Order whatever you like,” Natori says, sounding distracted. “I need to make a few calls. I will be right outside. Okay?”

“Do you want something?” Satoru asks. He settles Natsume’s cat in his lap, relieved when the lucky cat actually stirs a bit and grumbles before tucking himself into a comfortable-looking loaf and going back to sleep.

“No, but Hiiragi has a sweet tooth. Pick her out something with strawberries.”

The shiki makes a noise that could, by generous definition, be considered a scoff. Natori leaves, and the cheerful woman who greeted them by the door takes Satoru’s order for hamburger steak and an ice cream parfait with all the extras. She looks indulgent when he tacks on the dessert and he can’t exactly explain it’s for a ghost.

The ghost in question sinks into the chair across from him only after the employee has dropped off a glass of melon soda and gone again.

“Your friends were very scared for you,” Hiiragi says without preamble. “They’ll be relieved to know that you’re safe.”

Satoru’s heart makes a sudden glad leap. “You saw them?”

“I did. Natsume called Natori-dono this morning when you didn’t arrive at school on time. And your little bird warned them you weren’t safe. You were missed immediately.”

It seems like she’s making a point, and Satoru can’t say he knows why, but he’s grateful all the same. It’s good to know that the whole time he was in Matoba’s dubious clutches, rescue was imminent. It’s really, really good to know that Fish didn’t just fly away in a panic, she flew away to the rescue. 

“Do you know if they told anyone else?” Satoru thinks to ask after a moment.

“Just your brother,” the shiki replies. “Kitamoto informed Natori-dono that he had two hours to find you, after which time he would  also be telling his mother.” If she considers it strange that Satoru’s own mother wasn’t a part of the equation, she keeps it to herself. Yokai probably don’t have strong feelings on humans and their relationships with each other anyway. She does add, “It took Natori-dono an hour and a half. …He was stressed.”

“I bet.”

Kitamoto can be kind of intense. Sure, Natori deals with curses and ghosts and what have you, but that’s nothing on Acchan when he’s in a mood.

Natori doesn’t come back to the table until after Satoru has started eating. He orders a cup of coffee and seems content to sit there for an indeterminate amount of time. Even though he’s busy—living a double-life, with double the work—he makes pleasant conversation with Satoru and teases Hiiragi about her ice cream and does nothing to rush either of them out of the restaurant.

Digging the tines of his fork through the sauce left on his plate, Satoru carefully doesn’t look at anyone in particular when he says, “Um. I didn’t say earlier. Thanks.”

Natori doesn’t speak up right away, and the silence is excruciating, even though it’s only like two seconds long. Satoru rushes to fill it.

“For—you know. You didn’t have to. I know you don’t really—uh, I just meant, thank you.”

Please stop talking! he begs himself.

The coffee cup lands against its saucer with a solid click and Natori’s hand comes to rest on the table between them. Satoru catches the little dart of a lizard tail disappearing up his arm, beneath his sleeve. It’s distracting enough that he almost forgets to be mortified that Natori Shuuichi is giving him his undivided attention. Almost.

“You’re a good kid,” Natori finally says, sounding, somehow, as if he means it. “And you have nothing to thank me for.”

Nyanko-sensei wakes up for real in time to finish the rest of Satoru’s hamburger steak. Natori gives sensei a dirty look, but Satoru is so relieved that he lets him have the fried potatoes and broccoli florets, too.

———

Less than an hour later, Satoru is delivered to the temple doorstep like he’s a Lotteria burger and Natori-san is a very stylish, very single-minded Demae-Can driver.

At around two in the afternoon, anyone who might be happy to see Satoru turn up out of the blue is almost definitely still at school. Satoru is opening his mouth to explain as much when the door rattles open hard enough that it crashes into the wall, and half a dozen voices yell, “Nishimura!”

It's a little funny. The sudden chaos settles something jangly and jittery in his chest that the quiet ride back into town couldn’t. Natori’s hands on his shoulders propel him gently forward and Satoru is folded into the crowd. Nyanko-sensei is lifted from his arms. Kitamoto is there.

He looks paler than he should. His eyes are dry, but red-rimmed, and while he usually greets Natori with a glare for whatever reason, this time he doesn’t seem to see the man at all. He’s staring right at Satoru from the second the door opens. He yanks Satoru into a hug that feels like it could go on for years and years, warm and tight and safe.

For the first time since he left his house that morning, Satoru relaxes fully. He can’t move his arms enough to get them around Kitamoto in turn, so he clutches fistfuls of his best friend’s shirt and sinks against him. He could probably fall asleep standing up right there if they’d just give him about five minutes.

“Come in, please,” Tanuma is saying, his tone equal parts gentle and stressed out. “I’ll make tea.”

Natori helps shuffle the Kitamoto-and-Satoru package into the genkan. The door rattles closed, and Satoru floats through the motions of exchanging sneakers for house slippers, peeling out of his sweaty school jacket and pulling a hoodie over his head instead.

“I know for a fact that you should be in English right now,” is the first thing he says, to Natsume, who looks like he doesn’t know if he wants to hug Satoru or shake him like a terrier would a rat.

“If anyone should have been anywhere, ” Taki says, and lets the statement hang there ominously.

“Shibata will be here by dinner,” is what Natsume settles on saying. He has Nyanko-sensei nestled in one arm, petting him gently with the opposite hand. Sensei’s eyes are slitted, his purr a quiet, rumbly thing. “He’s getting on a train after school.”

“Ogata’s volleyball team is away at a tournament right now, but she’s going to be livid she missed all this when she checks the group chat,” Taki adds.

Tanuma returns to the crowded hall with a tray of tea and glasses, and since he looks like he’s seconds away from a nervous breakdown if he can’t host them properly, everyone finds a place in the living room to sit. There’s one too many cups on Tanuma’s tray, but after the day they’ve had, Satoru doesn't blame him for miscounting. 

Kitamoto doesn’t even pretend like he’s about to let Satoru go anytime in the immediate future, keeping an arm wrapped around him like it belongs there. Satoru, for his part, doesn’t pretend like that’s anything but a comfort. 

A clatter on the engawa is the only warning any of them get before a frantic magpie bursts inside, silent except for the noisy scrabbling of her talons against the floor, wings half-spread, beak ajar.

“There’s my best girl,” Satoru says brightly. “Fish, you’re a hero, you know that? Hiiragi told me what you did. They should write songs about you.”

“satoru,” she cries, hopping across the room with gusto. “the scary human took you.”

“That he did.” Satoru puts the cup down and offers his hands to his bird instead. “But thanks to you, he gave me back.”

With Fish nestled under his ear where she belongs, her warm, slightly oily feathers and rapid little heartbeat against his cheek both a touchstone, Satoru accepts the cup of tea that’s pressed into his hands. He opts to just hold it for a while, breathing in the fragrant steam, shaking off those last, clinging fingers of anxiety.

“Wait,” Taki blurts. “Hiiragi told you?”

Oh, yeah. “There’s been a new development,” Satoru tells the room at large. “I can see yokai without the circle now.”

For a beat, no one moves except to stare at him blankly. Then all heads swivel toward Natori, who only says, with feeling, “It has been a very long day.”

“And it’s only halfway over,” Hiiragi comments plainly. 

Since unpacking the yokai thing is going to be a conversation and a half, Satoru interjects quickly, “Before we get into all that, can we talk about how much trouble I’m in at school really fast?”

Natsume and Taki look too frustrated to speak for the moment, so Tanuma says, “You’re not in trouble, Nishimura. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Refusing to let Tanuma’s whole soft-spoken, gentle self get to him—he was kidnapped today and didn’t cry about it, he’s not going to cry just because his friend is being nice —Satoru replies, “Okay, we know that, but Nomiya-sensei doesn’t.”

“He does,” Tanuma insists.

It turns out that Satoru won’t have after-school suspension after all—because Kiyoshi, in a bizarre, uncharacteristic turn of events, covered for him.  

“Sorry, I forgot to let his homeroom teacher know this morning,” was his brother’s story. He had called the school and lied directly to the principal herself, according to an impressed Taki’s eyewitness account. “He has a stomach bug. Can one of his friends bring by his homework later?”

“We had to call Kiyoshi-niisan when you didn’t show up,” Kitamoto says doggedly. It’s the first thing he’s said since Satoru got here. “I didn’t tell him everything, but I had to tell him something.”

Fish tugs on a piece of his hair with her beak. Satoru leans his head on Kitamoto’s shoulder.

“Acchan knows best,” Satoru says, because that was true even when it wasn’t. Of course, this meant that Satoru owed Kiyoshi the truth, whether he was ready to have that conversation or not, but at worst, he would just think Satoru and his friends were crazy. And he kind of already thought that, so no harm done. “At least that’s future-me’s problem,” he goes on, smiling around at his friends. “He’s taking a mock entrance exam for Kyushu University today, up in Fukuoka. That’ll keep him busy and give me time to spin a story.”

They frown back at him. Even Natori looks over, a crease in his brow.

“You think he still went to Fukuoka?” Taki says slowly.

“Nishimura, you were missing, ” Natsume adds, bemused. “Someone took you right off the street.”

“It sounds bad when you say it that way.” Satoru can feel the twinge in his arm that means the cursed bruises are coming back. His heart rate picks up a little, too, for good measure. “But it’s his mock exam. Mom’s been hounding him about this school for ages. He wouldn’t do anything to mess this one up.”

He wouldn’t let me mess this up for him, is what Satoru doesn’t say out loud. He digs his fingers into the overlarge hoodie he’s wearing, twisting the cuffs all out of shape.

Natsume glances at Natori quickly, concerned. The man sets his tea aside and stands up, moving around the table and then settling tailor-style in front of Satoru and Kitamoto. 

“I think there is a reason your brother studies so hard,” Natori says. “And I think it has very little to do with your mother.” 

“You haven’t met my mom,” Satoru says. It makes Natori crack a smile. 

“I haven’t had the pleasure. But Kiyoshi told me plenty. And while you might think he’s doing everything he can to please her, from where I’m standing, it looks a lot more like he’s doing his best to spite her.”

Natori Shuuichi spoke to Satoru’s brother. They talked about personal stuff. Satoru wants to bury himself under a rock. 

It doesn’t sound like Kiyoshi at all to trash-talk mom in any capacity. He’s her shining up-and-coming med student, bringing home perfect scores and skipping weekend trips and holidays to study. She doesn’t really care about Satoru, but she loves Kiyoshi. He has no reason not to love her back. 

But if his friends are to be believed—and of course they are—then Kiyoshi covered for him today, even without understanding what, exactly, he was covering for. Why would he do that?

Footsteps from further in the temple draw nearer, along with a voice that Satoru would know anywhere. He whips around, spilling tea over his fingers, because that’s his brother’s pissed-off tone, here, in Tanuma’s house, where Satoru and his friends and Natori and the ghosts all are. 

As he gets closer, his words get clearer, until Satoru can make out, “…my problem, remember? Not yours. Please don’t trouble yourself.”

“Nii-san has always had the best timing,” Kitamoto mutters. 

“Kyushu was a compromise, ” Kiyoshi is saying, his voice making it easy to trace his progress down the engawa. “Fukuoka is three hours away, I didn’t want to go to school there in the first place. Kumamoto University is much closer, and it’s a good school. My friends are applying there, too. It’s where I want to go.”

Fish is poking insistently at Satoru’s ear and chin, so he lifts his hands mechanically and moves her down into his lap instead. She busies herself with snapping at the drawstring of his hoodie instead, unbothered by the force of nature headed their way. 

“Um, so he knows some stuff,” Satoru hears himself say weakly. “How much exactly is that?”

“Enough,” Kitamoto says, which explains nothing. 

The porch doors rattle the rest of the way open from where they were cracked, presumably to let nosy spirit birds in and out, and Kiyoshi stands there backlit by afternoon sunlight. It’s impossible to make out his expression. Satoru thinks he’s more nervous now than he was with Matoba. 

“Bye, mom,” Kiyoshi says, and hangs up without waiting for a reply. 

“You wanted to go to Fukuoka,” Satoru blurts before anyone can say anything else. “You made me memorize the train line.”

“That was just in case, brat,” Kiyoshi replies, crossing the room in long strides. Natori moves and Kiyoshi takes his place, looking over first Satoru, then Kitamoto carefully. “I was probably going to throw the mock exam anyway. I was just going today to make mom happy. I’ve been accepted at Kumamoto Uni already. An hour-long commute will be annoying, but it’s better than the alternative. Heaven only knows the kind of trouble you’d get into on your own.” 

“And us,” Taki pipes up. “We know.”

“Right,” Kiyoshi says, sitting back. His expression is no-nonsense, gaze level and boring into Satoru’s. “And now me. Start talking, or I’ll make your life miserable.”

Now that, Satoru thinks, is the first believable thing anyone has said all day.

[beth--b]

Rest my head against your shoulder

Jaskier shuffled his way out of the bedroom he shared with Geralt and into the lounge room. He set the kettle to boil and then made his way over to the lounge and practically collapsed onto it, burying his face into the cushions and groaning.

Geralt was on a hunt, because of course he was, and Jaskier had woken up feeling like hot garbage. His chest was tight and he couldn’t breathe through his nose, a headache pounding behind his eyes.

He wished that Geralt were home, even if he couldn’t do anything to alleviate his misery other than cuddle him. Though the witcher’s warmth would be more than welcome, the chill that had settled in his bones during the night hadn’t gone away no matter how many blankets he burrowed under.

He heard the kettle finish boiling and groaned again. Getting up felt like far too much hard work. Though the tea would feel glorious on his scratchy throat.

He finally heaved himself upright and shuffled back to the kitchen, slowly making himself a cup of tea with extra honey to try to soothe his sore throat, and maybe help warm him up at least for a little while.

Read it on ao3 here

Tea made, he shuffled back to bed, setting the tea on the bedside table and pulling out his phone. He scrolled aimlessly through various social media apps before sending a message to Geralt, telling him to stay safe on the hunt and let him know when he was on the way back.

Geralt had left late the night before after getting a call from Eskel about a contract that sounded fairly urgent. Jaskier had not felt quite so rotten at that point, simply feeling a little stuffy he had headed to bed early, he had woken briefly when Geralt had come to let him know he was leaving and then promptly passed back out, only to wake around 3am feeling absolutely awful. He had contemplated letting Geralt know his stuffy nose had turned into something much more, but he didn’t want to bother him on the hunt. Eskel wouldn’t have called Geralt to come with him at 11 at night if he wasn’t needed.

Sipping at his tea Jaskier tried to read on his phone but quickly gave that up when he was unable to concentrate, instead settling for aimless scrolling.

When his tea was finished he burrowed back beneath the covers and closed his eyes, letting himself give into the temptation to sleep.

**********

Jaskier wasn’t sure what woke him up, eyes still heavy with sleep and body exhausted he became aware of his surroundings slowly.

Judging but the shadows in the room he’d been asleep for several hours, his chest was sore and he could tell he’d been coughing in his sleep.

Maybe that was what woke him. He sighed and rolled over, trying to get back to sleep where he didn’t have to feel quite so shitty.

He frowned to himself as he finally took note of just how hard he seemed to be working just to breathe while laying down in bed. He sat up, hoping the change would help him to get his breath back but only felt sick and dizzy at the movement. His breathing was shallow and he could hear himself wheezing. He was starting to think he might need to visit a doctor after all, maybe this wasn’t just a cold.

He pushed the blankets off, shivering a little at the loss of warmth, and swung around to the side of the bed, planting his feet on the floor and standing shakily. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when he noted that his chest was tighter than before, his breaths coming out in a harsh gasping wheeze.

“Fuck,” he gasped out, hand to his chest.

By this point he was fairly confident he shouldn’t, and couldn’t drive himself to get help.

He fumbled for his phone on the bedside table and gave up on standing up when he began to feel lightheaded.

Unlocking his phone he paused at Geralt’s name before deciding there was no use worrying him when he couldn’t help. He stopped at Lambert instead and hit the call button. He only hoped that Lambert hadn’t been roped into the hunt as well.

After several rings Jaskier was ready to hang up and try someone else when the call was answered.

“What’s up Jaskier?” came Lambert’s voice.

Jaskier sighed heavily with relief before trying to speak.

“Hey Lam,” he gasped out, having to pause for breath. “I think - I think I need some help.”

“Jaskier? What’s wrong?” Lambert asked, sounding much more alert. Jaskier could hear the sound of keys and a door opening and closing. “You at home?”

Jaskier tried to answer but had to stop short as he began to cough. Finally the fit passed, leaving him gasping and almost in tears

“Ye-yeah, home,” he finally managed.

“I’ll be there in a few. Just hold tight alright.”

The call ended just as Jaskier heard the engine to Lambert’s truck start up. He leaned back against the pillow, propping himself up and focused on trying to breathe as evenly as he could. He quickly found that shallow breathing, while not ideal, at least stopped the worst of the coughing fits from overtaking him. He lay there feeling dizzy and like there was something sitting on his chest, waiting for Lambert to arrive. The youngest of the wolf witchers had a key, he’d let himself in if he found the door locked. Knowing this he closed his eyes and waited.

Jaskier drifted somewhere between awake and asleep, he was aware that his chest hurt, he knew he wasn’t breathing right but he was so tired.

“Jaskier?” he was roused from his half asleep state by the sound of someone calling his name.

“In the-” he paused to get his breath back, “bedroom.”

Lambert was there moments later, looking Jaskier over before helping him to sit up.

“Alright, we’re going to the hospital,” he was already getting Jaskier his dressing gown off the end of the bed, followed by his worn converse.

It took longer than it should have to get Jaskier into his shoes and out the door to Lambert’s truck, taking frequent pauses so he could cough or catch his breath.

It wasn’t a long drive to the hospital but Jaskier was starting to think he’d need to tell Geralt. Seemingly reading his mind Lambert spoke up as they approached the hospital.

“Have you spoken to Geralt? Or send him a text if talking is too hard?”

Jaskier looked out the window, shaking his head.

“Don’t want to…worry him,” he eventually said, before breaking out into a fresh coughing fit.

Lambert glanced at him, concern evident in his creased brow, before nodding and focusing back on the road.

They arrived at the hospital shortly after, Lambert parking across from the entrance to emergency. He helped Jaskier out of the car, letting the blue-eyed musician lean on him as they walked across to the emergency department.

Lambert led Jaskier to reception, explaining quickly what he knew, Jaskier interjecting more details about how he’d been feeling unwell all day before waking from a nap struggling to breathe.

They had hardly sat down in the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room before Jaskier was called to triage by a nurse. Lambert helped him over before returning to wait.

More questions were asked, Jaskier answering as best he could before he was given a spacer with more puffs of ventolin than he could count.

Rather than being sent back to the waiting room the nurse led him to a chair where he was poked and prodded at, cannula inserted, blood drawn and then monitored by the nurses.

Lambert had been left in the waiting room and finally when the nurse was satisfied and he had been taken through to a bed the nurse went and called the youngest wolf through.

“How you doing Jaskier,” Lambert asked quietly, taking a seat beside the bed.

Jaskier, who was currently hooked up to a machine to monitor his oxygen level, arm held awkwardly on the bed with wires coming off his finger and a cannula in the crook of his elbow, quirked an eyebrow at the red head.

Lambert let out a low chuckle and nodded his head. “Alright dumb question. Next question though, any idea what’s going on? Do I need to get in touch with Geralt and tell him to get his pasty ass here?”

Jaskier rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“No, don’t call him. They just want to monitor me for a few hours I think. They mentioned a chest x-ray and maybe some antibiotics. Hopefully I’ll get to go home in a few hours though.”

Jaskier stopped to catch his breath, he was no longer gasping and struggling to get enough air but he was still getting breathless after speaking a few sentences.

“We’ll see what happens. I don’t want to leave you alone with Geralt gone while you’re sick like this Jaskier,” Lambert said, eyes flicking from Jaskier’s face to the monitor.

Jaskier just leaned back onto the bed with a sigh, focusing on breathing as deeply as he could manage without triggering another coughing fit.

Two hours after they arrived at the hospital Jaskier got a message from Geralt to say he and Eskel were on their way back and were about three hours away.

“Geralt’s coming home Lambert. You can stop your mother henning about me being alone at home,” he got out before stopping to focus on his breathing once more.

Before Lambert could reply the nurse came over to check the readings on the monitor and gave him a dose of medication to help open his airways. The meds were followed by a kind looking doctor coming towards them.

“Hi I’m Doctor Sharma, what brings you in tonight Mr Pankratz?”

Jaskier sat up as much as he could before running the doctor through the events of the day, finally ending with their trip to the hospital.

The doctor nodded along, asking a few more questions and listening to his chest.

“Alright, well we will get a chest x-ray but you don’t sound too bad now. Did the ventolin help?” she asked, putting the stethoscope back around her neck.

Jaskier brushed his hair away from his eyes and nodded slowly.

“I don't feel…quite normal. Better than I was though.”

The doctor seemed to accept that answer as she moved onto a few more questions before finally telling him she’d be back after the x-ray.

Jaskier had just sat back on the bed when a young man came to lead him through to x-ray, telling Lambert he needed to stay behind and wait.

Jaskier followed the young man, who introduced himself as Matt, through to x-ray. Thankfully it didn’t take long and Jaskier was back with Lambert within fifteen minutes.

The nurses came to do their obs and he was plied with more ventolin.

Jaskier lay back against the pillow and closed his eyes, he was so fucking tired, his head hurt, his chest hurt. He just wanted Geralt but he knew his boyfriend was still another hour away at least.

Jaskier startled when a hand was pressed against his leg and he opened his eyes to see Lambert leaning forward in the chair, hand pressed heavily to Jaskier’s blanketed knee.

“How are you holding up there Jaskier? After the doc comes back we’re calling Geralt regardless of whether you are heading home or not. No arguments.”

“I do feel better than before. I just want to go home and sleep,” he answered, exhaustion clear in his voice as he stifled a yawn before breaking out into another coughing fit.

Lambert squeezed his knee before withdrawing his hand and they sat in silence once more.

It was another half an hour before the doctor reappeared and Jaskier just prayed to Melitele that he could go home to his own bed. It was nearing midnight by this stage and he knew he’d never sleep well if he had to stay overnight.

“So the good news is your chest is clear, I’m going to send you home with antibiotics and some steroids to help your airways open up over the next few days. You can expect to feel tired for a few days and you will need to follow up with your regular doctor within the next 48 hours,” she explained with a small smile. “You can get some rest in your own bed tonight Mr Pankratz. The nurse will be by soon to get you sorted and then you are free to leave. If you feel worse again or breathing becomes difficult please don’t hesitate to come back in.”

She nodded to Lambert and then took her leave heading over to the next patient.

“Alright then Buttercup, let’s get the fuck out of here as soon as the nurse sees you. I’m gonna go call Geralt and move the car closer, and then we can get you home and into your own bed,” Lambert stood up and headed outside, phone already to his ear as he called his brother.

Jaskier didn’t have to wait long before the nurse came to remove the cannula from his arm and handed him his discharge papers. Jaskier got up from the bed and slowly shuffled his way back to the main entrance, finding Lambert waiting for him at the door. Lambert wrapped an arm around Jaskier and led him over to the black pick up truck parked just near the doors.

Once he had Jaskier situated, Lambert went around to the drivers side and got in, starting the engine before he started to talk.

“So I called Geralt. He’s worried about you, obviously, but I told him you were doing alright and we were heading back to your place. He and Eskel should be back in about half an hour so I’ll wait with you until they get there.”

Jaskier knew there would be no arguing with Lambert so he simply agreed and settled in for the drive home.

They made it back to Geralt and Jaskier’s place quickly, hardly any cars on the road so late at night.

Lambert helped him out of the car and led Jaskier up to the door, taking the keys from him and opening up the door.

Jaskier felt a wave or relief wash over him upon being back home. No more harsh hospital lighting, no antiseptic smell, no nurses coming to check on him constantly. Geralt would be home soon, and though he was sure to mother hen him, Jaskier couldn’t find it in himself to mind.

He went to collapse onto the couch but Lambert stopped him with a hand on his arm, motioning towards the bedroom instead.

Jaskier rolled his eyes but changed direction to head up the hall to the bedroom, gratefully collapsing face first onto the bed when he made it. He heard Lambert chuckle from the doorway and sat up with a groan.

“Don’t laugh at me, I’m sick don’t you know,” he said with a tired grin. Jaskier took off his dressing gown and leaned forward enough to untie his shoes before taking them off and throwing them into a corner of the room to be dealt with later.

“Need anything?” Lambert asked, leaning against the door frame.

“Water? Otherwise I think I’m fine for now.”

“One water coming up,” Lambert said, turning and heading back down the hall towards the kitchen.

Jaskier heard the tap running and then Lambert's footsteps approaching once more. He gratefully took the glass of water when it was handed to him, taking a few small sips and then placing it on the bedside table where his abandoned mug from earlier that day still sat.

He had just placed the glass down when both men heard the front door opening once more.

“Jaskier?” came Geralt’s deep voice, calling from the front entrance.

“Bedroom,” Lambert answered before Jaskier could even attempt to call out.

Geralt was there moments later and Lambert retreated to the living room.

The white haired witcher knelt beside the bed, his clothes still dirty from the hunt. Geralt reached out and took Jaskier’s hand, threading their fingers together before pressing a gentle kiss to the back of his hand.

“You were at the hospital, why didn’t you call me?”

Jaskier just shrugged before quietly answering. “I didn’t want to worry you…Didn’t want to distract you. Can’t have you getting hurt on me.”

Geralt frowned at the way Jaskier had to keep pausing to catch his breath before addressing his words. “Jask, I understand why you didn’t tell me but you should have let me know what was going on as soon as you heard we were on our way back. Please don’t leave me in the dark if anything like this happens again.”

“Ok, I’m sorry my dear, I’m just happy you’re home,” Jaskier stopped and tried to stifle a cough before giving up and letting it loose, his chest aching with the motion.

Geralt for his part just rubbed Jaskier’s back until the fit had passed. Once it was over he moved to sit beside the brunette on the bed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, Jaskier gratefully sagged against him, closing his eyes.

“Want me to go kick my brothers out?” Geralt asked after a few moments.

Jaskier nodded then paused and shook his head.

“Is that a yes or a no Jask?”

“Yes they can go, but first can I see them?”

“Of course,” Geralt answered, standing back up and leaving the room to get Lambert and Eskel.

Moments later Eskel appeared in the doorway to the bedroom.

“Hey Jaskier, how are you doing now? Feeling any better than earlier?” Eskel asked softly.

Jaskier gave him a tired smile and nodded, “Better than earlier, yes. Thank you for staying to check in on me. I think I’m just going to try and sleep.”

“Of course, let me know if you need anything in the next few days so Geralt can stay here with you.”

“Thank you Eskel.”

At that Eskel moved closer and wrapped Jaskier in a brief hug.

“Take care of yourself, and let Geralt help you.”

Jaskier laughed and nodded in agreement.

Eskel moved away and left the room, calling for Lambert to go in.

Lambert traded places with Eskel in the bedroom and sat beside Jaskier on the bed.

“Hey, what did you need Buttercup?”

“Nothing Lambert. Just wanted to say thanks. I- I don’t know what I’d have done without you today.”

Looking a little uncomfortable at Jaskier’s gratitude the redhead just shrugged and ducked his head down.

“Was nothing. You’d do the same for me. Just rest up ya hear?”

Before Jaskier could respond Lambert stood and strode out of the room.

Alone again Jaskier shuffled back fully onto the bed and lay down, closing his eyes and listening to the muffled sounds of Geralt saying goodbye to the other wolves and the front door opening and closing.

Jaskier was half asleep when he heard Geralt come in and tell him he was going to shower before coming to bed, Jaskier mumbled an incoherent reply and gave into the pull of sleep.

Sometime later Jaskier woke up as Geralt pulled the covers back and climbed into bed beside him. It was dark in the room and Geralt was a welcome presence in the bed after the last 24 hours. Jaskier rolled over and snuggled into Geralt’s chest, relishing the warmth that he was giving off as well as the comfort he offered when he wrapped an arm around Jaskier.

Soft kisses were pressed into Jaskier’s hair and Geralt tightened his hold for a moment.

“Need anything Jask?” Geralt asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace.

“Just you,” Jaskier answered sleepily.

Morning would come soon enough and with it more doctors and medication and hopefully, a lot of rest until he felt back to his usual self again. For now he was content not to think of anything and just rest here, Geralt beside him, letting himself feel safe and loved.

[pbandjesse]

I'm working a wedding tonight and I'm already having so much fun. This is such a nice group. They're super fun and super funny. And they are absolutely willing to buy into being a little silly. Like I just found a couple of people wearing the gas station costumes and pretending to wash the car. Hilarious.

Honestly everyone I've interacted with today has been so good. I had a very long day at camp and I'm very tired right now. Like my eyes hurt but it was really good and I just feel like we accomplished so much.

I do wish I got to sleep a little bit longer. I slept an extra 15 minutes but I had to get up. That was not thrilled. But I got washed and dressed and I felt good and excited. Today was going to be a really nice day.

James sent me off to work with an egg salad sandwich. That I ate while driving because traffic was horrible. And I ended up getting to work at like 8:15. Still beat everyone else. I went to the girls latrine's first to drop off cleaning material. And then I texted Heather to check in because I needed a few things. Gloves and tape and stuff like that. But she had already texted me asking me to create sign up sheets. Can do.

I would stop at the art building first. Collected some stuff I wanted to bring home. Put some stuff in the building I needed to put away. And went back to the office to do my little tasks before the volunteers came.

It was a very busy day at camp though. With three different rentals. Which I didnt even think we did. But whatever. Everyone seemed really nice.

And it was a lot of fun. After I finished printing everything and checking in with Heather and getting some material from her car. I would go outside and see that a couple are volunteers were over at the office. So I collected them up and walked with them to the lodge. And oh no we had like 30 40 people there. And they were so nice.

There was some confusion because of the other groups. And I was standing outside kind of directing people who were parking inside and a guy comes up to me and he was like hey we're from BGE. Do you know where supposed to be here. I'm like yeah and he's like oh where is everyone I was like oh my god they're inside he was so relieved. I don't know what was going on but he seems so worried. And then everyone just did so good. We got everyone to sign up for different areas and we had a little safety talk and no one signed up for painting the latrine with me so instead I would join Joe's group at the pool.

I was not thrilled. Because I thought that I was just going to overheat and get sunburned but I did remember to put on sunscreen and bug spray and it ended up being really really fun.

I led my group over after stopping to take a group picture for them. I actually almost dropped a phone and caught it and it was very impressive. But I took multiple pictures on multiple phones and then we broke up into our groups and got over to the pool to meet Joe.

The plan was to have a few of them work on skimming. A few of them work on moving The plants. And then we would have another guy using a leaf blower to blow out all of the debris in the gutters. I was very surprised when we got to the pool to see how many tadpoles were in there. Thousands of that. They were everywhere. And I felt so bad because we had to skim out the leaves and they were coming with it and thankfully they were mostly on the edges so I tried my best to avoid them but there was no way. I'm sure so many of them died and I felt horrible about it. Like they were in the book it's with the leaves but those leaves were going to get dumped out into the yard and they're just going to dry out and I felt like a monster.

So after a while of me standing in the shallow end with the tiny pool skimmer while the guys had the deep end ones, I told Joe how the tadpoles were upsetting me and he said that he would get me a bucket so I could start trying to at least collect them. And so that's what I spent the next hour and a half doing.

I was standing in the water and walking back and forth on the stairs collecting as many tadpoles as I could. And I got a good amount. A couple hundred if not a couple thousand. They were just so small. But I did my best. And honestly I was having a good time being in the sun. I was surprised. It wasn't too hot out. The sun was bright but it wasn't oppressive. I was having nice conversation with the guys. And alexie was working hard too with that big skimmer and we were just making really good progress.

I had to stop collecting tadpoles when the water truck came. And I had a nice conversation with that guy because I was curious how much the water level would change. Cuz this was a huge truck. But it ended up only being like 2 in. He said he would come back about four times. And then it would fill the rest of the pool. Surprised me. Very neat.

Around 12:00 I realize that I could not collect anymore tadpoles. I was trying but I was only getting a few on each pass and my bucket was getting pretty full. So I told the guys I was going to walk it over to the pond. And all of them wanted to go see the pond so we carried the bucket ( we found that the bucket was actually cracked in the bottom so we put the bucket in another bucket but then that bucket had a hole in it. So we did our best not to lose any tadpoles ) and walked up to frog hollow.

And it was so pretty over there. I wish I had brought a net because I really would have liked to catch a frog to show the guys. But we did see a few frogs. One of the guys also said he saw a water snake but I don't know if I believe him. And we spent some time just flipping logs and rocks and looking for things but it was too dry out to really see any salamanders. So a bunch of worms but it was not a great creature day. Just tadpoles and frogs. To be fair of the real lot of those. We got to see other types of tadpoles as well. One of the guys had their two sons with them so I was glad we could show the kids something cool as well.

We spend some time just chilling by the frog pond but then I was like you know we should probably go back to the pool before I get in trouble. So we went back and checked in to see if there was anything else that we could do at the pool. But we were basically done everything that was going to get accomplished today. And so I walked them to the lodge for lunch.

Alexi would spend a little time telling them about rentals and a bunch of them were super excited about the idea of having birthday parties at the pool. And having corporate parties as well. But mostly the birthday party. And the woman who organized the whole event and me had a really lovely conversation. She told me that she came to camp when she was a child and in foster care and that when she was in foster care they weren't allowed to hug her. But when she came to camp she got those hugs that she needed and doing these volunteer days are like her giving a hug back. And that was just so sweet. Just made me want to cry. I'm so glad that camp is so important to her too.

They did not really order enough pizza I think. But everyone got a couple slices and I really enjoyed the pasta salad they got. And I was really just grateful that they shared with us. We hung out and talked and Alexi and Heather and Elizabeth would give some closing words and invitations to the music festival next weekend and just a lot of really nice stuff was said today. This was a really good group of volunteers and I really hope that you come back and become more involved. It was just really good.

Though. I waited for a little bit walking around the lodge seeing if anyone wanted to walk to the barn to see the horses but most people just wanted to go home. Couple people stayed to do the climbing tower with Sarah and Nick but most people left. And I didn't blame them. So I walked with Elizabeth and Heather to see the fire pit that got moved for the new wedding venue. And then I went to the office to get the gator so I could go and put things away.

But on my walkover Margaret called me. And she officially offered me the job. It's going to be pretty part-time for a while which is totally fine. But they're going to be paying me like double my rate. And I'm just very thrilled about that. So I'm really excited even though I'm a little nervous about having to be very decisive and be in charge. But I think Jesse's going to do a really good job telling me what I can and cannot do and giving me the tools to go into this new role and not just feels really awesome. So she's going to send me more official stuff and we'll see when everything moves forward.

I would go grab the gator and drove up to the barn to collect all of the tools that Heather had used and all of the materials I had left at the latrine this morning. I went to the salt mines and put them away and just kind of bopped around camp putting things backwards they belonged. While I was over at Joe's building I finally found the lamp that Alexi said I could have. He had put it in the scrap metal pile. So I collected that. I also found two broken trombones. So I took those as well. And went back to the office.

I would stay for a little while. Chatting and checking in about stuff but there wasn't much else for me to do and I was very tired from the sun. I decided that it would be really nice to go to Rita's before I went home. So I said goodbye to everyone and I left.

I went to the Rita's in Hunt Valley. I got a mango misto which was very good. I was having an honing for a second because last year I remembered I got a fruit mistow and it wasn't very good.. like it was really boring. And I couldn't remember if it was peach or mango. So I decided to go with mango and I was correct in my choice and it was great. The only thing that would have improved it would have been a pretzel but I did not want to stop at the Dutch market again because I wanted to go home and take a shower. I was covered in pool juices and dirt.

And I had to deal with some traffic. And I was not happy because I was so tired. And I was hoping that I could have a few minutes of just sitting down. But I would get home a little after 4:00 and everything would be okay. Even though I was pretty upset.

I had brought home one of the fake grass mats that I had in the art building and I thought I got all the dirt off of it but I apparently did a terrible job because the back of the car was covered in dust and then we picked it up I was covered in dust and then everything was covered in dust and it was horrible. I had to quickly run it into the house and to the backyard so I can throw it on the ground but then sweepy came out and I didn't know and I threw it and he came out and he was under it because I threw it on top of him and he was so upset and dirty. It was a mess.

So I let James know when they said that they would help vacuum when they got back. And I went to go take a shower.

In the shower helped. I also did my hair nice. Brushed it and put oils in it. And just wanted to feel pretty. I got changed and then I sat in front of my mirror to do my makeup and do my cuticles trying to make my fingers look pretty. I did break one of my nails pretty severely but it's fine. And then James was home. And they came and gave me a kiss and then they vacuumed and tried to make everything better again. I love them so much.

I'm pretty soon after that I have to go. I sat with them downstairs for a few minutes but they had a lot of chores to get done before they were recording and I had to go to work. So we said goodbye and I went to the museum.

And man was it a nice night. I had trouble finding Jesse at first but I walked around the museum chatting with the caterers that I knew and meeting the wedding planners and this couple was so nice. Their friends were excellent. Everyone I've talked to this evening was so good. I was out on the pier with Jesse for a bit though once I found him. And he has such funny nervous energy when it comes to issues. Like the department of national resources police were there and they were going to walk through the wedding and he was like oh my God we have to stop them. And then just random people coming off of the street to walk to the water and he was so worried about them being near the wedding and it was interesting to see the problems with I might have to deal with and thinking about different ways I might deal with them. But our security guard is great and took over a lot of the interacting with the public part so everything was okay and the wedding was beautiful. Like I was crying because it was so sweet. And it was just such a beautiful day for it. They really lucked out with weather. It was sunny and a little breezy but not cool and everyone was beautiful It was just so nice.

Before it was time to go inside for the guests I ran inside to make sure that the doors to the exhibits that were not open were actually locked. And I was very annoyed to find that they were a mess. Like whoever was the educator is today did not put away any of the materials and it looked terrible. And my tray that says please do not touch four events was out. Rude. That is not yours It says don't touch it. So it was a little pissed off about that but it was fine. I cleaned up a little and let James know and it was just annoying to come into that. But we move on.

And I have an excellent night. This was probably the most people I've ever had come up into the exhibit but people are so excited to see the machines get turned on or have great conversations with people and I was just having a blast. We did have one issue with caterers kept coming back with trays of drinks into the exhibit and they're not supposed to do that. And one of them dropped a tray and ice went everywhere. Thankfully it was an empty cup but still ice all over the ground was not ideal. And so I had to let Jesse know and that was embarrassing. But I handled it everything was okay. And I gave lots of really good talks and I had a lot of fun. My throat hurt a lot by the end and I drank all my water but that's all good.

I stayed a little bit later because I was enjoying talking with Jesse about different procedures and how to turn lights off and all those things and I also was telling him about this project. How I've been documenting for so long and how important it is to me. And he thought that was really cool and he was like I mentioned it I was like oh my God yes you are because I mentioned everybody. And then the caterers brought us dinner and he didn't know that I don't eat meat so he felt really bad that I only had mashed potatoes but I honestly wasn't hungry anyway and was only eating some to not be rude. Because my stomach hurts and I really just want to drink water and juice and not eat actual foodstuffs right now. I am trying my best to hold it together. Thankfully today I am not as nauseous and not as quick to run to throw up. So I think we're doing good.

But I just pulled up to the house and I am very excited to go to bed. I might take another shower even. And I hope about tomorrow is really good. Jess is going to come a little early and Callie's going to meet us at the house and then we're going to go to the flower Mart! I'm so excited I haven't gone to the flower bar in forever! Cuz we missed it last year we were on our honeymoon. So I'm really looking forward to that and then in the evening is our housewarming. And we have a couple friends coming over and James is going to make interesting food things and I'm really excited to just show people our little house.

I hope that you guys all have a great night and you take care of yourselves. I love you all. Good night.

[bu1410]

Good morning TUMBLR - March 6th - 2024

''Mr. Plant has owed me a shoe since July 5, 1971."

Ch. VII - 1984-1985 - Milan, Italy - New York - Mexico

Milan, Italy - Navigli area

Milan, Italy - Via Lodovico il Moro. Housing complex

New York - March '84

Twin Towers, Manhattan - March 1984

Mexico City - Zocalo square and Cathedral of Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Mexico City - Chapultepec castle

Teotihuacan - March 1984

Cancun - March 1984

Contoy Island - Mexico

Isla Mujeres . Mexico - March 1984

The years after Iraq represented for me the return to work in Italy. I responded to an advert in the ''Corriere della Sera'' newpaperwhere a local Company was looking for Site Engineer to follow the construction of an housing complex in Ludovico il Moro avenue, Milan. I had an interview with the Construction company's owner and I got the the job. The project consisted of the construction of a housing complex of 90 apartments. It was the month of June, and I think that was one of the hottest month in a century. Inside the deep excavation foundations the heat was unbearable, it felt like being in the Middle East. Within couple of days I met our Sub Contractor, some artisans from Brescia, professional people and tireless workers.

FORD TRANSIT VAN It was an early morning of July when our Subcontractor's personnel arrived at site with a new van: a brand new legendary light blue Ford Transit. They invited me to the bar in front of the site to ''wet'' the newly purchase van. Once returned to site entrence we had an unwelcome surprise: the van had disappeared!!

Where is the van??? One of the two owners asked.

Well....I parked it here......

Yes but in my opinion…

Oh damn God....where is it gone???

Come on - said the second owner…- good joke but now let's sort it out.....- he almost laughin........... After wandering around for a while, we called the traffic police to ask if they had noticed a brand new blue Transit van taken away: nothing, they knew nothing about it! At this point we were forced to admit that the van had disappeared. All we had to do was walking back to site, take the second van (which fortunately was still in place) and go to the nearest police station, in San Gottardo street. Here began the usual ping pong of questions and answers that always characterizes the relationship with the police in Italy.

The cop repeats the same question for the umpteenth time:

'Are we sure someone stole a van from there? ''

Sh******t yesssss … how many times do we have to repeat it? We parked it, went into the bar, took a hoodie and when we came out the van has vanished…… (then in a low voice to his partner: if he ask one more time I'll punch him in the nose.....

and his mater: stay calm Gino …stay calm please.....…

Okkay okkay...... – the cop finally seemed convinced – let's write the damn report ! (and here the usual description of the facts began with that kind Italian language that only police know and practice. That writing between the courtly and the doubtful, always with verbs in remote past tense, even if the facts described only happened a few hours earlier. We left the police station at noon, but at least the guys had the theft report in their hands.

The van was never found again - after a week or so Subcontractor's people arrived with a new minibus, but they used parking it inside the site yard.

A112 I had bought a red and black A112 car. Nothing better to drive around the narrow and always busy streets of Milan. That year Rome football team reached the final of the then Champions League Cup and match was against the English side Liverpool. That evening I reached home a little late so I left the car parked in front of the house, intending to put it in the garage after the game. Regular time ended 1 – 1 (Pruzzo's equalizer after Neal's initial lead). After extra time Roma lost the match on penalties!! Disappointed with the result and it being late, I went to bed leaving the A112 on the road. The next morning, I left for work very early. At a traffic light on Jenner avanue a driver pulls alongside and says to me:

But where do you have the license plates?

Mmmm… (7.00 am) Well . ...supposingly one in front and the other in back of the car......I answered.

No look… there's neither the one in front nor the one in the back!!!

WTF......I pulled over and immediately got out to realize that yes! The license plates were both missing!! What to do? I riched the construction site to warn my colleagues about what happened, and then I continued and went to the very same Police Station in Via San Gottardo, in order to file a report of license plates theft!

The Seargent recognized me:

Ah yes, you are the one from the van that disappeared ten days ago….

No, look agant… I only accompanied the people who work for my company….

Yes…yes…and in any case tell me why…you come from your place till here to report the licence plates disappearance?

Sorry agant but.....I this morning I didn't pay attention the plates were not longer in position, a driver at traffic light warned me… it's not like someone does it the first thing at 6.00 in the morning to check whether the license plates are there or not …I hop you understands me……

Yes…yes…oh well……but you should have gone to the nearest police station ....why you didn't?

This is the nearest police station, after I realised plates numbers desapperead, agent......And what do I know… without license plates you can't drive around....Can I replace the license plates temporarily with two pieces of cardboard while waiting for the regular ones?

Do what you want… but by law you cannot circulate without original plates numbers.

So it was like that I had two temporary sheet metal plates made on site, with which I drove around ''illegaly'' for a couple of weeks, until the regular plates arrived.

WEDDING In the meantime, me and my tha fiancee Rosalba had decided it was the time to get married. The ceremony took place in the Town Hall of Meda, a city about 25 km from Milan, hometown of my ex. It was very hastily officiated by a short-sighted councilor who had forgotten his glasses at home, so that he began to read the ritual sentences with the documents stuck to his eyes, and he try his best to short cut everything by saying etc. etcetera.....etcetera. We had a reception dinner in a cozy rastaurant called ''La Casupola, nested in a large countryside park.

On our honeymoon we went first to New York, then to Mexico City and finally to Isla Mujeres, in the Mexican Caribbean. To tell the truth, we had chosen Cozumel or Cancun, but the travel agency had advised us against the two destinations because - she said - 'too filthy' places.....''. To tell the truth, in order to reach Isla Mujeres we passed through Cancun, and at first glance it didn't seem "too filty" at all.

NEW YORK The flight Milan – New York was pleasant, and we had the opportunity to meet the Grand Master Pavarotti, an exquisite person. On the plane there were also members of the Italian national ski team, who were going to participate in competitions in North America. Great impression from my first visit to New York: on VI Avenue the wind slipped between two rows of very high skyscrapers, and cut our faces as if we were in the Alps. Another - disappointing - impression of the city was that NY was not at all ''all new and shiny'' as we were shown in films and TV series. I saw a lot of ''new used'' (or used new) in the sense of buildings, subways, streets, sidewalks and benches that were not old but already ruined by use. All this left me with a sense of dismay, making me realize that the "American dream" was perhaps just a dream, and the reality was much more down to earth. A beautiful memory was the climb to the terrace-restaurant of the West Tower of the Twin Towers, even though we were not allowed to go out on the open terrace because the wind was too strong up there. The small museum at the top of the tower was very beautiful with photos and videos of the phases of the tower's construction. The video of the antenna installation on the East Tower was amazing: the workers involved were all members of that particular tribe of Native Redskins who - due to a congenital defect of the hearing system - do not suffer from vertigo.

MEXICO CITY

Two days later we were on a flight to Mexico City, and when the captain of the plane announced to fasten seat belts while aircraft started the descent, we spent another half looking to the endless metropolitan area of Mexico city. The city was immense, and neighborhoods could be seen touching the sides of the surrounding mountains. We stayed at the Hotel Casablanca, on Paseo Reforma, a modern 30-story skyscraper. The following year - on Sept. 19th, 1985 - the hotel collapsed during the disastrous earthquake which claimed more than 10,000 victims. We visited Theotihuacan, the floating gardens of Xochimilco, Chapultepec park and the National Museum of Anthropology – and than Piazza Garibaldi, the Zocalo, and finally the famous ''Zona Rosa''.

QUINTANA ROO We than left for Quintana Roo, the state bordering Yucatan, to reach Cancun. Having landed at Cancun airport, at the time little more than a warehouse, we took a taxi to Puerto Juarez, from where the ferry to Isla Mujeres left. At that time, without the Internet, trips were much more difficult to plan and uncertainty reigned supreme. Today, with all the information available online, we would never have gone to Puerto Juarez to wait for a rusty ship, while there was a fast hydrofoil service that connected Cancun with Isla Mujeres in 35 minutes. The weather had worsened, low black clouds threatened rain, which arrived promptly: torrential rain and wind caused rough seas and a further delay to our ferry. Finally the ship arrived, and after unloading a few passengers and vehicles, we boarded and set off immediately. The crossing was quite troubled, with the sea becoming increasingly rough - we reached the pier of Isla Mujeres late in the evening, the rain had stopped, and a taxi took us to the Posada del Mar, the hotel we had booked through the agency in Italy. The hotel was right on the sea front, the room was good, and the bed was huge, an anticipation of what American call ''California King'' I guess. The next morning we had a typical rich Mexican breakfast: tropical fruit, huevos ranchero with bacon, juices of all colors. Than we set off to explore the island, renting bicycles from a lady who, instead of a guard dog, in the enclosure where she was keeping her bicycles, she had a crocodile that she used to release at night. The lady told us that she had never suffered a theft.

Isla Mujeres, with the elongated shape of a barracuda, is about 15 km long. Very beautiful from a naturalistic point of view, with fantastic sea and beaches on the West coast. We spent pleasant days at the beaches, especially in the lagoon that separates Isla Mujeres with its appendix, an islet that housed the Mia Reef hotel. We visited Garrafon Reef Park, where we could familiarize ourselves with nurse sharks and huge turtles. In the shallow water of the sea a multitude of colorful fish. We witnessed a beautiful show of orcas and seals, and during the show we exchanged a few words with a retired American couple, who invited us to have coffee in their mobile home parked nearby.

How long are you staying? The kind lady asked us

About ten days – I replied

Nooo… we're doing a tour of 3 or 4 months… then we'll see – replied the husband.

CONTOY ISLAND Once we decided to go on an excursion to Contoy, a small archipelago that is a Marine Natural Reserve in Mexico. We took our seats on a motor boat where there were already a dozen foreigners, who later revealed themselves to be a group of Canadians from a commercial TV. Halfway through the cruise - which would have lasted about 3 hours - the sailors made a stop to allow us to do some snorkeling in a shoal. The sea was wonderful, lots of fish and coral – then suddenly, while I was swimming, I looked up from the water and realized that they were leaving me there, alone in the middle of the sea!! It was a prank organized by the Mexican sailors to liven up the day, and when the boat turned around to fish me out everyone laughed out loud looking at my face....... At the time, however, I fell for it, and it wasn't one of the best memories of that holiday. One of the sailors, before arriving in Contoy, had caught half a dozen fish, trevally and barracuda, and once we moored at the small pier he got busy preparing the grill. The place was heavenly, the only building on the island was the guardian's house - a multitude of exotic birds and land iguanas populated the dense coconut palm forest. The fish cooked on the grill with peppers and other veggies was fantastic, the beers were fresh: simply a daay to remember! In the meantime, several boats had docked at the small pier on the island, including a yacht owned by couples of young Americans. They began to harass the numerous iguanas that roamed the surrounding rocks. I noticed that the park rangers were already in alert. At a certain point one of the American boys took an iguana by the tail, and, while swinging it, threw it into the sea. Immediately one of the guardians, still dressed, dived into the water and after a few seconds recovered the animal. The land iguana cannot swim and would certainly have died without the intervention of the park ranger.

Cabrones yanqui, hijo de puta mama que vajas antes que te golpeé!! (American goat son of a bitch go away before I beat you) The Americans untied the ropes, without saying a word, and under the reproachful gazes of all those present, they started the engine of the yacht and left accompanied by insults from all those present. We returned to Isla Mujeres while the sea was colored in sunset's pink-red.

FLIGHT BACK TO ITALY After Rosalba had gotten yet another sunburn, the holiday ended. The hydrofoil took us back to the ''filthy'' Cancun. It was very early and so we spent the day on the hotel beach.

At the beach chiringuito I ate the spiciest bocadillo of my life, and then we went to the airport to board the plane to Miami. Once we arrived in Florida, a local black policeman questioned me in Spanish, saying he was surprised that I wasn't Cuban (I wore a mustache at the time, maybe for that?) and then they accompanied us to the International Transit area. Miami had a very colorful airport at the time: pink and purple carpets everywhere. Later we took our seats on the Mexicana de Aviacion plane that would take us to Madrid. The take-off/landing runways at Miami airport are of the X-shaped type and require accurate control by ground radars. Which evidently did not happen that afternoon, where we had a very dangerous near miss. Our Boeing 707 was already launched for take-off, when at the crossroads of the runways another plane appeared landing: the Captain of our plane applied the brakes, many of the bags fell from the overhead bins, the oxygen masks made their appearance, several passengers screamed loudly but luckily the seat belts held us in place, and no one was hurt. The plane had stopped in time to avoid a collision that would have been fatal to the passengers of both aircraft. We returned to the airport, they let us off, some ladies felt ill and medical intervention was necessary. After about an hour, a second plane was ready: we boarded and took off safely. The following morning, after a stopover in Madrid, an IBERIA flight took us to Linate.

Autobianchi A112

[macamadamia]

Crime & Punishment Chapter 1: The Crime

https://archiveofourown.org/works/46826485/chapters/117948307

Ship: Dom Castiel/Sub Dean Winchester

Rating: Mature

Total Word Count: 3,587

AO3 Tags: Collars, Dom/sub, Total Power Exchange, 24/7 Dom/sub, Punishment, Discipline, Caning

Dean knew he was in trouble when he opened the door and saw Cas in the small entrance way, arms folded, leaning against the door frame. He looked far from happy.

Cas may be his partner and husband, the man he stood beside in front of their families and friends and made vows with, but right then he was simmering with badly concealed irritation, and all Dean saw was the Dom who was not only angry with him, but disappointed.

That hurt.

He wasn’t even sure what he’d done wrong this time. He wracked his brains trying to figure it out. He hadn’t fucked up that much lately.

Staying in the garage office for an extra few hours to finish the paperwork Bobby didn’t get around to doing wasn’t enough to incite this reaction. Sure, he was late, but he’d texted to tell Cas he wasn’t going to be home in time for dinner, and he’d grab a snack at work. Bobby’s wife Ellen always kept the office fridge stocked with snacks for the times they worked late. There were times when he first started working for the old man that those meals were the only decent food he ate for days.

But he’d definitely texted him. This time. He resisted the urge to reach for his phone to double-check, he doubted Cas would appreciate it.

Cas doesn’t have many rules, but “if I’m talking to you, I will have your full attention” is near the top of the list. Right above “text me if you’ll be late” and right below “no shoes on the coffee table” (and didn’t he remember the bruises he carried the first time he forgot that particular rule.)

Although he didn’t know exactly why he was in trouble, Dean had known something was up the moment he stepped up to the small porch at the front of their single-storey home and seen what was waiting for him.

On the small table next to the front door, sitting innocuously next to the potted money tree plant, Dean’s eyes had zeroed in on his collar and leash.

It wasn’t the nice collar, either. It wasn’t the soft, supple brown leather collar he always wore when he wasn’t at work (because who the fuck wanted to have that conversation with their boss). This was the heavy leather collar, the black one that pressed a little too hard into his jaw when he turned his head. The one that was rough on the inside, and irritated his skin.

He knew he was in trouble right at that moment, and he briefly contemplated getting in the car and driving back to work. Maybe hiding under his desk. Or changing his name and crossing the border into Mexico.

But he didn’t. Instead, with a sigh he’d picked up the collar and leash, and opened the front door to find Cas. In the face of his righteous fury, he’d dropped to his knees in the doorway. Never minding the open front door or the tile underneath him.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Heya Cas, how’s it hanging?”

Cas tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes.

Quickly regretting his little show of bravado, Dean made eye contact with Cas’ sock-clad feet and tried not to fidget.

“You know, I don’t have many rules.”

He risked a glance at Cas’ face to assess just how mad he was. When their eyes met, his Dom raised an eyebrow, and Dean quickly returned his focus to his socks. They were bee themed, today, with the text “bee-lieve in honey” in yellow and black. Dean had teased him about them this morning.

Now he stared at them like his salvation lay in cute cartoon insects and bubbly bee puns.

“What rule did you break, Dean?” Cas shifted, his feet crossing at the ankles, while Dean’s bad knee started to protest at holding this position.

“I don’t know, Sir.”

“Try again.”

Dean was silent, his mind working overtime trying to think of an answer that would please Cas and maybe (although he wasn’t very hopeful) mitigate the punishment that was coming his way.

Above him, Cas sighed.

Staring at the bee socks, something in Dean’s head clicked. Oh shit.

“I wasn’t home for the grocery delivery.”

“Right. So why am I going to punish you, Dean?”

Because you’re a controlling asshole. He swallowed the words down. Now was not the time to snark at Cas, now was the time to answer his Dom. Who was currently watching him, eyebrow raised, head titled, like he knew exactly what Dean was thinking.

“Dean. Why are you going to be punished for not being home for the grocery delivery?”

Dean risked another glance upwards.

Cas wasn’t just mad, he was stressed out. Then Dean remembered the conversation they’d had that morning while he was getting ready for work. When Cas had mentioned he was going to be late home from work that afternoon, and Dean needed to be home for the delivery.

Because Cas’ brother Michael (Michael the Maniac, Dean’s mind unhelpfully supplied) and his family was coming for dinner.

Oh shit. The conversation played out in Dean’s head – the groceries, Michael’s visit, and the plan for Dean to cook dinner.

Dean deflated. He’d fucked up.

“I’m sorry sir.” His voice, contrite, sounded small in the face of just how much he’d screwed up.

Cas finally, finally, straightened up and stepped forward. He put his hand on Dean’s face, and Dean nuzzled into it, closing his eyes as he felt tears gathering. The hand left his face and began carding gently through his hair. Dean felt Cas pick up the collar and leash from his hands.

He tilted his head back, eyes shut tight against Cas’ disappointment and disapproval, and swallowed as the collar was buckled in place around his throat. He felt a gentle pull at the collar and heard the click as the leash was attached.

The fingers in his hair tightened, and he opened his eyes and whimpered as Cas titled his head back until he was face to face with Dean, the leash held taut in his hand.

“You’re not sorry, Dean.

He leaned in. Dean could feel his breath on his face.

“Not yet.”

[jzixuans]

hello i'm here to wish you a very Jin Zixuan day 🤸🏻‍♂️ whats a favorite moment or thought or headcanon about the birthday boy that you have tucked in the back of your mind at all times?

GOOD MORNING ABBY HAPPY JIN ZIXUAN DAY WE ARE POPPING SO MANY BOTTLES FOR THE ONLY MAN IN THE WORLD

ohhhhhhh i have so many thoughts about him you are getting many more than you asked for and i wish i was more articulate today but i am mostly filled with coffee right now and i have to finish a midterm later

1) he's a family man!!! obviously there's jiang yanli and jin ling and he loved them SO much but also i think it's kind of canon that he's a bit of a mama's boy and i think a lot about how between the betrothal and other social/political obligations he was largely adhering to what his parents wanted for him. also i will eternally thank cql for the extra bits we got of him (im like 90% sure they were added but i haven't finished the novel) of him trying to get jin guangshan to back off of jin guangyao. i think in his perfect world he really would have liked to have jin guangyao treated well in the family and would have wanted his parents to be able to reconcile jin guangyao's presence but i also think he wasn't willing to transgress those boundaries in order for that to happen because of filial piety and also class and also because symbolically that would have fractured his image of family more than repaired it :(

2) follow up to this a scene cql gave us that i think about sooooo sosososoososo often is "a-yao, you always avoid eye contact when you're hiding something." like yes cql had jgy play him like a fiddle and so this quirk was obviously artificial but it's the fact that not only did they spend enough time together for jgy to fib and plant this habit, but that jin zixuan NOTICED and he REMEMBERED. he's not as socially inept as people make him out to be! he's just awkward!!

3) this one is my most close to heart headcanon that's probably not canon but i like to think that jgy is actually older than jzx. either by a year or two but born on the same day, or (sexier) by just a number of hours. it kind of rubs a little more salt in the wound for jzx to be the recognized heir and jgy nothing more than a glorified attendant. more simply though it's endearing to think about little big brother a-yao and his big little brother :'))

4) the jin zixuan honour code thesis is REAL and THRIVING and i kiss xuanwu cave every morning on the mouth with TONGUE. him defending mianmian in the cave when no one else but lan wangji (hi xuanjimian friendship agenda) does is so good all the time in every adaptation and then you add to the mix cql's "is there any shortage of corpses lately?" (god he's so respectful even to wen corpses) and him honouring the girl he Thought was giving him soup by raising her rank and then him feeling so Bad about yelling at jiang yanli for the soup incident that he kind of just lay down and took the consequence is like!! in my mind there's (to oversimplify): lan wangji being the novel's most upright unwavering moral compass, there's wei wuxian being the novel's drive for justice, and then there's jin zixuan with his heart full of integrity and honour. my thoughts on this are summed up in "and so my heart beats wildly" by lily_winterwood during the scene where jin zixuan forces su she (?) to forfeit because he attacked mianmian and then forfeits himself because he also technically broke the rules. it's similar to nie mingjue's "after i kill him, i'll kill myself" but less out of some moral give and take but more because it's the right thing to do

5) xuanjimian friendship agenda :) and it is soooooo important to me that mianmian has her own #girlloser moments. she is not there to be their cool distinguished completely rational girl best friend. she is there because she looked at these two and said I Can Make Them Worse. they're all three a little bit mean and bitchy and incredibly self-righteous. too busy joining three sports teams and nine clubs to do any normal person hang out activities. my only crumbs are xuanwu cave, cql putting mianmian in the jin sect, and mianmian's (2) interactions with lan wangji but. they are best friends and they are all three jock prep nerds hope this helps <3

6) secret other friendship agenda: jzx lwj and nhz being xiao 3zun. they're like 3zun if 3zun was a little bit more cringe and had to sit at the kiddie table with their juice boxes while their brothers were being a cool political power throuple

[olliethescribe]

Well, I’m sick as hell. Don’t go to conventions, they aren’t worth it. (It’s not Covid, thankfully).

Because of this, I’ve been working on chapter two of TFTH:ACA all day. Here’s a sneak peek! Chapter two should be out by Friday, probably sooner. The artist this one’s dedicated to will be tagged the day the chapter is completed.

———

Chapter Two: Yeah, That’s To Be Expected

Donatello, in his own special way, had evaded the repercussions of his actions and decided to relax at home. There’d be no story time this week, not like he were particularly invested in more petty crime recounting after pulling off one of the most insane heists in New York’s history. No, he was fine by himself, thank you. 

But the feeling of loneliness he wouldn’t admit crept up on him, and the desire to hear other people talking won in the end. Wordlessly, Dee flicked a switch on his headphones and listened in on his uncles via bug planted in their kitchen.

—

Now the proud owners of the largest diamond in the United States, Hypno and Warren settled back into mundane life in their apartment. 

A massive rock didn’t change much. Not like there was anyone they could sell it to without being caught or getting immediately sent to ultra prison. Instead, it was simply a shiny centerpiece, held in a small glass display case in the center of their dining room table. Warren enjoyed tapping the glass while they ate, almost as if he expected the geological wonder to do a trick. The only thing it seemed to be good at was blinding him if the light caught it a certain way.

Dinner that particular night was takeout from a popular Australian spot in the Lower East Side, the couple taking to using a dart board to decide where to order from. 

“So,” Warren started, “I’ll admit it. I shouldn’t have told Donnie about the boat arson.”

Hypno hummed back in acknowledgement, forking at his salad. “We’re terrible influences.”

“Now I wouldn’t say that. He was gonna rob that place with or without us. We’re enablers,” Stone corrected.

“That isn’t much better.” 

“At least we didn’t tell him about the car we stole the day after the yacht fire.”

“And we never will. But that was a spectacular  road-trip, I will admit. Extra grateful for you.” The magician snapped his fingers, their two empty plates picking themselves up and landing in the sink. 

“Why? It was one car.” Warren shrugged. 

“It’s more than that. You didn’t just steal a car, it’s all that came after that.”

“I know you would’ve done the same for me.”

_____

One Thursday in Late October, 4:56AM NZT

“Darling, are you sure you’ve done this before?”

“They don’t call me Warren ‘Bad Boy’ Stone for nothing. Of course I have.” 

The Queen Anne factory was in Christchurch, an exceptionally long car ride away from Gisborne. A distance of that magnitude, roughly fifteen hour drive, wasn’t an issue. The only problem was neither had a car, nor had they any desire to rent one. So it was time for ol’ reliable: theft! Again.

Cars were, no pun intended, not in Hypno’s wheelhouse. This task was relegated to Warren. 

Stone cracked his knuckles after selecting his victim - a flashy as hell, 1967 electric blue Chevy Corvette. Where he’d found it was a mystery that’d remain unsolved, not a care in the world as he jimmied the lock and got in without much resistance. Anyone that happened to walk by, if at all, simply ignored the news anchor while he pulled wires from under the steering wheel and taped them together. 

[rickie-the-storyteller]

Incorrect Quotes - Stephanie Edition

I've been having WAY too much fun with this generator, man...

I thought I'd post some more of the fun quotes I've been making for each of my OCs. Starting with Steph!

Here's a link to the website:

And here we go!

Stephanie: The only thing I'm guilty of is being adorable… …and also assault with a deadly weapon.

Stephanie: Sometimes I wonder if I’m hearing voices. Stephanie: Then I remember that’s the last bit of sanity I have trying to get me to fall asleep at a reasonable time.

Stephanie: If karma doesn't hit you, I fucking will.

Stephanie: I like to play this game called nap roulette. I take a nap and don’t set an alarm. Will it be 20 min or 4 hours? Nobody knows. It’s risky and I like it.

Stephanie: I’m sorry, I really flew off the handle back there. It was like the handle was a bald guy going really fast, and I was his toupee.

Stephanie: BEHOLD, the field in which I grow my fucks! Lay thine eyes upon it, and thou shalt see that it is barren!

Stephanie: And I’d love to be sorry for that, but we all know I’ve done much, much worse.

Stephanie: You can take away my rights, but can you take away my lefts?

Stephanie: I think I mostly want to see what happens when this whole place breaks apart.

Stephanie: Remember, when burying a body, make sure to cover it with endangered plants so it’s illegal to dig up! Stephanie: Make sure to follow me for more gardening tips!

Stephanie: Fruits that do not live up to their names; passionfruit, grapefruit, honeydew and dragonfruit. Stephanie: Fruits that do live up to their names? Stephanie: Orange.

Stephanie: You seem familiar… have I threatened you before?

Stephanie: I have a philosophy in life; if the seat is open, the job is open. That’s how I came to briefly drive a Formula 1 car.

Stephanie: If I'm extra sarcastic with you it probably means I'm flirting with you or you really annoy me and I can't handle your crap… have fun figuring out which one.

Stephanie: I’m a bad person, I’m a very bad person, I’m a horrible person. The Squad: Stephanie: No, you’re not, Stephanie! We still love you, Stephanie!

Stephanie: Real life should have a fucking search function or something. Stephanie: I need my socks!

Stephanie: Hello friends! The Squad: Stephanie: You might be wondering why I’m taped to the ceiling...

Stephanie: I was born for politics. I have great hair and I love lying.

Stephanie: I just found out that humans are capable of fitting a light bulb into their mouth with ease but can’t take it out without shattering it, and now I have to physically restrain myself from putting a light bulb in my mouth.

Stephanie: I just wanted to say that over the years, I have come to regard you as… people I met.

[nancypullen]

Sunday Evening

I'm stretching out the last minutes of this day because I don't want to face another work week. Not because it's horrible, but because this weekend was so much fun. We drove up to Lancaster, stayed in a gorgeous hotel on Penn Square, spoiled ourselves with room service, and just had the best, most relaxing time. On the morning of day one we roamed around the city of Lancaster, spending a good amount of time at Central Market - sort of a huge farmer's market inside a historic brick building. It was hoppin'. Think of any tasty treat, from freshly churned butter to exotic spices and you can find it there. Amish bakeries rubbing shoulders with Cuban spiced meats, Irish stew served up in a booth next to Polish pierogies - you get the idea. Several local dairies offering raw milk, tempting cheeses of all sorts, logs of flavored butter,and so on. The aroma of the baked goods made Mickey weak at the knees. It was so crowded that we didn't even stay for lunch. We wanted to, but decided we'd keep exploring. So we did. I was surprised that Lancaster had such a young, hip vibe. I'm not sure why I expected it to be more staid and full of white-haired folks like us. It's a beautiful city of gorgeous old buildings housing cool new stuff. I loved it. This is a view of Central Market from our hotel room.

Anywho... We hopped in the car and headed out for Intercourse. Get your mind out of the gutter. Intercourse, Pennsylvania along with Bird-in-Hand, and Strasburg are all towns east of Lancaster that offer a peek into Amish life and lots of wonderful garden centers, farm stands, quilt shops, etc. I'm waiting for some of Mickey's photos of the beautiful Amish farms (every one neat as a pin), buggies traveling up and down the roads, and the stunning countryside. I spent a lot of time exclaiming, "I want to live here" Think Tyler and Jamie would drive an extra hour to see us? It's so beautiful. I did snap a few photos. We pulled in to take a peek at the library in Intercourse and I enjoyed the parking lot...

Reserved parking for library patrons...please clean up after your horses. I'll take their horse poop over our bedbug books any day.

We traveled through covered bridges that led us to pretty towns,

and it seemed like we bought a snack at every stop. There is no shortage of tempting treats in Amish country.

ON day two we explored Lititz, Ephrata, and the surrounding area. Mickey wanted to pop into the nation's oldest commercial pretzel factory - it's in an old stone building in the middle of Lititz.

So we had lunch on this street...

and then walked right around the corner and found the Julius Sturgis pretzel place.

Mickey chowed down on a fresh hot pretzel and I picked up some snacks to take home. I mean, how often can you buy dark chocolate dipped pretzels shaped like a horse and buggy?

I'm barely scraping the surface of the fun that we had. We made numerous stops at garden centers and greenhouses because my husband is nice enough to hit the brakes every time I gasp, "Plants!" My favorite stop was a big Amish operation named Reiff's. They had the healthiest plants I've ever seen, all grown in their greenhouses that looked like showrooms. The prices were rock bottom. I filled the back of the SUV for $21. Herb plants were just 99 cents! I also picked up some extra bee balm (always trying to lure more hummingbirds and butterflies) and odds and ends. Their displays were so unique. Check out the succulents growing out of this old sofa.

It's kind of equal parts pretty and creepy, isn't it? Like you might see it in an a creaky old mansion occupied by a witch. This chair is less creepy.

I could have spent hours at Reiff's. While I walked through the greenhouses, Mickey was inside their store buying sauerkraut. He knows the way to my heart. He also bought a big ol' jar of their peaches. The orchards are right there and they boast acres and acres of peaches, plums, and apples. We brought home last summer's peaches and they taste like they were picked yesterday. Heaven! No heavy syrup, just delicious fruit. Does is sound like all we did was eat? I swear that's not how it went. We had a ball going town to town and admiring the picturesque countryside between them. I'd love to see it in every season. Did I mention I could live there? Real estate is quite affordable, just sayin'. Okay, I'm shutting up. I still need to paint my nails and get a few things ready for work tomorrow. I'll be back to share more when I can get my hands on some of Mickey's pretty photos. I'll close by saying that Lititz was my favorite town, the Amish have no fear of carbs, there is a peaceful magic afoot in that corner of Pennsylvania, and my husband is still my favorite travel buddy. It was a perfect weekend. More soon. I have a few long days ahead, but I'll meet you back here for a chat. Sending you lots of love and a sincere wish that the week ahead is a good one for you. Treat yourself kindly. Stay safe, stay well. XOXO, Nancy