#woodlands swimming Lessons

[orcasoul]

The swimming lesson

Summary: The reader is friends with Joel and Ellie. During a trek one day the reader embarrassingly admits she can't swim and Ellie suggests that Joel could teach her. Her and Joel arrange a day for her first lesson and they both end up getting more than they bargained for!

Warnings: Smut, under 18's DNI, swearing, use of Y/N.

Italics indicate inward thinking.

This is my first ever attempt at writing smut, so I apologise if it's not that good. Please go easy on me :)

The stifling Wyoming summer sunshine rained it's searing rays down on the three of you as you made your way through the coniferous woodland. Slivers of golden light trickle lazily through the swaying leaves, bathing the trees, the ground and your companions in a luminous glow. The soft breeze blows loose strands from your braid across your face, tickling your nose and cheeks. "Uh, sweating my "balls" off out here," Ellie groaned for the thousandth time. "Hey you wanted to go for a hike, kiddo," Joel blithely reminded her. "Didn't think we'd be out this long," she replied in a teasing tone. "I thought you'd be used to all this walking after coming all the way from Boston," You countered with a smirk and raised eyebrow. "Touche," she answered amusedly. "You're right though, it is scorching out here," you agree as you lethargically drag your feet, kicking up lose rocks and twigs. Joel on the other hand seems to be taking everything in his stride. After journeying across country and the endless smuggling ventures in Boston, a stroll in the wilderness was a piece of cake for him. Over the summer you, Joel and Ellie had taken up trekking for fun, and even though Ellie complained about the heat she actually loved these little adventures, often being the one to arrange these trips.

You loved them too. For years you'd explored the woodland alone after one of your closest friends' had decided the outdoors wasn't for her. Apart from her patrol shifts she rarely left Jackson. But for you a walk in the wild yonder was rejuvenating, a peaceful solace when you could pretend that the world hadn't changed, that people still went about their normal lives, shops were open, cars were running and children could play outdoors and just be children. Maybe this is why Ellie loved these excursions. She had the chance to be a carefree child for a while. After doing this alone for so long it was a welcome change to have company. Joel and Ellie's arrival several months ago was the talk of the town, even if they only stayed for one night. But their return a short while after and their decision to call Jackson home sent a buzz through the community. It's a rare thing for new people to join the town and a lot of the women fawned over Joel the second they saw him return. You couldn't blame them, really. A woman would have to be blind to not find Joel incredibly handsome, but some of them seemed to be all too eager to catch his attention, flirting shamelessly, constantly offering him drinks at the Tipsy Bison and generally making desperate, doe eyed fools of themselves.

You'd noticed over recent months how those women gave you death glares across the bar and the mess hall as you and Joel began to spend more time together. It was inevitable, really. Maria and you were good friends and Joel being Tommy's brother meant you'd unintentionally spent a lot of time with him and his adopted daughter and things just naturally progressed from there, to the point that you'd go to the Tipsy Bison together, have meals at each other's houses and take these leisurely walks. If you were being honest with yourself, you'd been harbouring a crush on the grouchy man from the moment you'd met him and over time those feelings had grown into something much deeper. But you felt it was best if you kept those feelings hidden, seeing as Joel didn't seem all that interested in the whole dating scene. Plenty of times you'd seen him rebuff the not so subtle advances of horny women, mumbling something and walking away from their attempts at seduction to join you, Tommy and Maria at your table. You couldn't resist the urge to smirk at their annoyed expressions and you couldn't deny the relief you felt every time he rejected them. It would have been heartbreaking to watch him take a woman home. But you're not stupid. He's a man with needs after all, and you'd overheard a few of the single women tell their friends that they'd spent the night with Joel. But by the sound of it, that's all it seemed to be; a one night stand.

And that was before the two of you had become friends, which made that bitter pill a little easier to swallow. But in recent months you'd noticed how he couldn't seem to get away from these vultures quick enough when they tried their luck. A part of you hoped, maybe foolishly, that he rebuffed them because maybe, just maybe, he had feelings for you too. But the logical part of your mind kept telling you that was wishful thinking and to not look too much into it. If only your yearning heart would listen to your sensible mind, alas it's never that simple. So you tried your best to ignore your feelings, even though sometimes you could swear you'd caught the odd lingering stare from him, subtle touches lasting longer than necessary, such as when he'd pull you up a steep incline and not immediately release your hand, or when he opened a door for you to walk through and his hand would nestle at the small of your back. Of course it could just be his way of being friendly and polite and maybe you're only seeing what you want to see. So it was for the best to try and suppress any fanciful thoughts and just focus on being his friend. After all, you'd rather have Joel as a friend than not at all.

And now here you are, traipsing through the picturesque landscape with your two favourite people. It's nearing late afternoon now and you swear the sun's heat has spiked just to torture you, sweat rolling down your neck and soaking the top of your tank top. The breeze seems to have vanished too, making the woodland feel like an unforgiving inferno. You watched as Joel led the way along the trail, the broad expanse of his back capturing your attention in a mesmerising allure. You noticed how his sweaty black T-shirt stuck to the planes and muscles of his physique and if you hadn't pretty much sweated all of the water from your body already, you're certain you'd be drooling now. God, does this man even know how beautiful he is? An unexpected outburst from Ellie snapped you out of your momentary ogling. "Oh hell yeah!" She exclaimed, excitedly as she darted off down a trail to the right. "Ellie," Joel shouted as he ran after her, glancing over his shoulder to make sure you were following. As you descend the slight incline you gasp at the sight before you. A small and placid lake with a small jetty (probably built for fishing before the outbreak), surrounded by low lying vegetation and trees sat hidden away as if it's beauty is to sacred for just anyone to see it.

The colour of the water seemed almost unnatural, the dazzling azure of the shore giving way to cobalt blue the further out you looked. The mostly still water rippled now and then as fish came to the surface to devour unsuspecting bugs, while the sunlight glistened and shimmered off the glass like surface. Birds warbled to each other in the trees and you found yourself lost in the moment. A moment to appreciate the radiance and serenity this post apocalyptic world has managed to retain. Beauty, simplicity, harmony; It can all still be found if you take the time to look for it, and with that comes the joy of knowing that not everything had been destroyed. These moments should be cherished, maybe now more than ever. "Wow it's stunning!" you breathed out in awe, eyes fixated on the scene gracing you. "Bombs away!" Ellie yelled as she dropped her pack and ran to the end of the jetty. Her cannonball entrance startled the birds feeding on the shore close by, forcing them to take to the air. After a few moments she breaks the surface with the goofiest grin on her face, while pushing loose, soaked strands out of her eyes.

"You two gotta try this!" she beamed. Joel rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, as he always did when she got carried away. "I don't think so, kiddo," he replied, folding his arms. Ellie huffed, "Fine, you old grouch. You have no idea what you're missing." "I'm sure I don't," Joel smirked. "What about you Y/N?" Ellie asked hopefully. "Um....," you began. "Go on in if you want," Joel insisted with a soft smile that almost made you knees buckle, "I'll keep an eye out." "I...um...," you falter, cheeks turning redder than the heat already made them. Joel raised his eyebrows, puzzled by your awkward response. "Come on," Ellie pressed, almost impatiently, kicking her legs up in front of her. "Don't make me swim alone." You look to Ellie, then to Joel sheepishly. "I can't swim," you confess with a shrug. "Really?" Joel seemed genuinely surprised. You shake your head, embarrassment creeping over you at your lack of knowledge of a skill that could one day save your life.

"Joel can teach you. He taught me," Ellie offered while twirling in the water. "Would you Joel?" you ask, unable to hide the excitement in your voice. "Sure thing, darling," Joel replied, his southern drawl becoming more prominent on the last word. "And don't worry about drowning. Joel will give you the kiss of life," Ellie interjected with a wink and a smirk at you, that suggested she knew something you didn't. "Ellie!" Joel snapped, his flushed cheeks matching your own. "What?" Ellie shrugged nonchalantly, "Just saying is all." Joel looked at you and smiled shyly. You've never seen Joel look so flustered the whole time you've known him and you couldn't help but find him suddenly endearing, provoking a shy smile of your own to break out across your face. "So when can we do this?" you asked quickly, before Joel can change his mind. "Guess we could do it tomorrow?" he suggested. "Cool, tomorrow it is!" You confirmed with a big grin. Your mind was racing with excitement and nerves on the walk back to Jackson. You and Joel would be alone in the water, physically closer than you've ever been before. Just the thought of his big, strong hands holding you in the water was enough to dampen your panties with desire. Stop it! you chastised yourself. He doesn't like you like that. But then why did Ellie wink? And why did Joel seem so awkward? Maybe... nope, nope he doesn't, you try to convince your overly hopeful mind.

*******

Joel could kill Ellie sometimes. That girl is too smart and too perceptive for her own good. For months Joel was convinced he'd successfully concealed his feelings for you, but all this time Ellie could see straight through his facade. His heart thumped nervously in his chest as a thought crossed his mind. If Ellie saw it the whole time, could Y/N? His mouth became dry at the thought that you might have known all along, and for the sake of your friendship had decided to not acknowledge it. But now Ellie had let the cat out of the bag and there's no going back. The last thing he would want is to ruin the friendship the three of you had built over the months. Joel know's he's not the type to easily make friends but the more time he'd unintentionally spent around you, the more he realised he enjoyed your company. Your cheery disposition seemed to balance out his gruff and often grumpy demeanour and in no time at all he'd found himself falling hard for you. So much so that he no longer sought out meaningless one night stands with Jackson's women. He only wanted you. He'd often lie awake at night fantasising about taking you in his arms and worshipping your body as you deserve.

How he'd take his time exploring every inch of you, caressing your smooth skin and bringing you over the edge with his tongue again and again until you were begging him to fuck you. But every time he dared to hope that you could feel the same way he had to remind himself that a young, beautiful, graceful woman like you, who could have any man she wanted, wouldn't look twice at an man two decades older than her. And if the most he could get from you is your friendship, he'd gladly take that any day. He just hopes that Ellie's ill timed but well intended faux pas hasn't now caused irreparable damage. He noticed you'd been unusually quiet for most of the walk back, but then again so had he. Ellie of course filled the, what would have been, uncomfortable silence with her shitty puns and random comments about anything and everything that entered her mind. For once Joel was glad of Ellie's non stop blabber as it eased the air of awkwardness between you both as the two of you fell into conversation with her and eventually each other once again.

The three of you arrive home as the sun coats the evening sky in gold and pink hues, casting long shadows over the town, the calm air cooling to a more bearable temperature. "So.....," you turned to Joel before having to break away to make your way to your own house, "See you bright and early tomorrow?" "Yep, see you then, Y/N," he responded with a light pat on your shoulder, looking directly into your eyes. Just the slightest touch from Joel set your body buzzing. You don't think you've craved anyone so much in your entire life. Feeling a bit bashful under the gaze of his caramel brown eyes, you try your best to compose yourself and, looking between Joel and Ellie you bid them both a good night with a warm smile, then begin to walk away. "Night," Ellie chirps at you while waving, ".....and enjoy your lesson tomorrow!" she calls over her shoulder in an obvious teasing tone. You look back and chuckle when you see Joel gently shove her forward and mumble something at her in exasperation.

********

The lake sparkled in the early morning sunshine. The flawless surface, reflecting the world above the shoreline in a perfect mirror image resonated deep within you, reminding you once again of why you love to be out in the middle of nature. "Okay, ready for your first lesson?" Joel spoke in his authoritative dad voice as if he was addressing Ellie, which made you stifle a giggle. He dropped his backpack on the ground and pulled out a pair of knee length shorts. "Ready as I'll ever be," you reply enthusiastically. "Be right back," Joel said as he walked off behind a tree to change into the shorts. As he returned he noticed you trying to suppress a smile. Trying and failing. He cocks an eyebrow. "What?" "Nothing, you..... I just never thought I'd see grumpy Joel Miller looking so casual in a pair of shorts," you chuckled behind your hand. "Shut up," Joel playfully scolded you with a hint of discomfiture in his voice. "Aren't you going to change?" Joel inquired while looking over your jeans and T shirt. "You wont be able to swim in them." "One step ahead of you Miller," you grinned while removing your boots and socks, then taking off your top and Jeans to reveal a shocking pink bikini. Joel's jaw had never hit the floor so fast in his life! Heat spread through his cheeks and down south at the sight the sight of you in a bikini. Suddenly he felt like a teenager who'd seen boobs for the first time. You were mesmerising!

His gaze quickly trailed over your exposed body, from the curve of your hips to the valley between your pert breasts, supported perfectly by the thin materiel of your bikini top and finally up to your face. He cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly as you looked at him a little bashfully and he realised he'd been caught staring just a little too long. "Shall we?" you gestured to the lake then turned to disguise the slight smirk that had broken out across your face. You are so glad you'd decided to check the old suitcases during a patrol to the ski lodge a few weeks ago, and found this little gem. You were initially hesitant about wearing it in front of Joel. It's been so long since you'd worn a bikini and the though of being so exposed felt quite foreign now, but judging by Joel face you couldn't have looked too bad in it. His reaction had set something off in your brain. Maybe he is attracted to me, after all? Maybe he's always wanted me as much as I want him..... or maybe it's just been a while since he's seen an (almost) naked woman, well... he's a man at the end of the day.

You're rational mind decided it was best to settle on that last reason and not dwell on it. You follow Joel into the water, nervously stepping further out until the surface is lapping at your waist. "It's effing freezing!" you shrieked cheerfully, while holding your hands above the water. "Wimp," Joel teased as he looked back at you, instantly noticing how your nipples poked through your bikini top. He spun his head back around, trying to gather his thoughts. "Just a little further," he coaxed, "It's not too deep." You swallow apprehensively and wade out a bit further until the water is level with your chest. You close the gap between you and Joel, suddenly feeling a warmth spread through you despite the frigid water. How can he have such an effect on me?... Focus, idiot! You look up into Joel's mahogany eyes and for a moment neither of you say anything or even move. Forget the fear of drowning in the lake, you're already drowning in those big, expressive, puppy dog eyes! Joel looks as nervous as you feel, the air so thick with sexual tension that you'd forgotten to breath.

You slowly release the breath you'd been unknowingly holding, your chest shuddering slightly as it escaped. It didn't go unnoticed by Joel, who was trying his best to keep it together when all he wanted to do was take you in his arms, taste you, feel you..... His jaw ticked as he cleared his throat again. "So," Joel begins, awkwardly, "The first thing ya need to learn is how to stay afloat in an emergency." Joel's head begins to clear a little as he focuses on the lesson. "If you're in deep water and getting tired just lay on your back with your arms and legs spread out like a starfish." He demonstrated the position briefly, then stood back up and walked back over to you. Your eyes lustfully trailed over his torso as he made his way back. His soaked T-shirt clung to every inch of his chest and you suppressed the urge to bit your bottom lip. "Okay, you try." "But I'll sink," you protested timorously. "No you won't. I won't let ya," he reassured you with a small smile. "I'll keep my hand under your back and only let go when you're feeling confident, Okay?"

His soft and reassuring gaze helped to settle your unease. You've always trusted Joel and if he says he won't let you sink, then you're perfectly safe. "Okay..." you agree with a bit more confidence. As you begin to lean back you feel his hand lightly press against your back. What you weren't expecting was for his other hand to sweep across the back of your thighs to bring your legs to the surface with the rest of your body. A shot of arousal shot straight to your sex at the contact, your pussy clenching around nothing, while trying to keep your breathing steady. While floating you make sure to focus on the clear blue sky above you and not on Joel. Damn it, if you make eye contact now, you'll lose the last bit of composure you're just about clinging to. "There you go Y/N, you got it. Doing so well," Joel praised, softly.

Maybe it was just your heightened state of arousal but Joel's low, smooth voice sent a shudder rippling through you, exciting every inch of your body. It's enough to drive you to distraction! If he felt you shudder you could at least blame it on the cold water and hide the fact that he's so easily making you feel like a horny schoolgirl. You're so preoccupied with keeping your waning composure in check that you don't notice that Joel is having just as hard a time focusing as you are. Seeing your entire body laid out before him, (and almost naked for God sake), is the sweetest torture he's ever had to endure. He can't help it but his eyes momentarily drift to your chest, relishing the sight of your pebbled nipples poking through the thin fabric of your bathing suit, the way the water runs down each breast. God, how he longs to run his fingers over your silky looking skin and gently pinch your nipple until you moan..... Fuck, he groaned inwardly. He shouldn't be looking at you and thinking about you like this. You're his friend for crying out loud, his much younger friend too! He shakes his head as though it would erase every sinful thought invading his mind.

"Okay," he breathed, "I'm gonna let go now, darling." He slowly removes his hands, much to your disappointment, and your body begins to float. You're amazed at how easily you bob on the surface and can't hold back an elated squeal. "Joel, I'm actually floating. I'm doing it, look!" Joel's heart felt like it just grew in size at your carefree and childlike happiness. Seeing you smile, hearing you laugh reminds him that there is still beauty in this world. "Good job, sweetheart," Joel commended with a grin, "knew you could do it." After a few moments of savouring the sensation of almost weightlessness you lowered your feet to the bottom and decided your are brave enough to try again, without assistance. You beam with excitement as the movements come to you so effortlessly. "You're a natural," Joel crooned. Giggling you place your feet back down and turn to face Joel, who looked like a proud dad at his kids' school play. With exhilaration still buzzing through your veins you look up into Joel's eyes with a broad grin, "Thank you for- Arrrrgh!!!".....

Joel felt as though he was going to have a heart attack as a sudden burst of adrenaline ripped through him. Before he could even fully register what was happening you had gripped onto his neck, wrapped your legs tightly around his stomach and tried to crawl higher up his torso. The sheer, unexpected force of your body slamming into his knocked him off balance. He stumbled back while instinctively wrapping his arms around you, just managing to steady himself before falling back and taking you under with him. "What the fuck?!" Joel yelled, his face matching the panic on your own. "Something's down there! It touched me! It fucking touched me!" You screamed while while still trying to crawl up him. Joel sighed a breath of relief. "It's just a fish. There's plenty of them in here. They ain't gonna hurt you," He reassured you while trying to suppress a smirk. However his voice betrayed the fact that he now found your reaction amusing. "Hey, it's not fucking funny, okay!" you smiled as you slapped his shoulder. "It scared the shit out of me!" "And you scared the shit outta me! Can't do that to an old man!" Joel retorted lightheartedly.

You chuckled while nervously looking around for a few moments, not that you can see anything under the water, then turn your attention fully to Joel. You've never been this close to him before and you find yourself transfixed by his eyes. You notice the varying shades of brown and how they blend so intricately together, as if nature itself is an artist and Joel is the masterpiece. Those beautiful, expressive orbs could tell a thousand stories and you wish to know every one of them, the good and the bad. But the story they seem to be conveying now is one of nervousness and..... want? It feels as though he's looking past your own eyes and into your very soul, discovering secrets and desires deep within. You feel vulnerable and exposed and you like it. You're not sure how long you've both been staring at one another, when suddenly you are acutely aware that Joel's hands are cupping your ass, on big palm on each cheek, holding you tightly against him. You feel your tits press into his chest with every inhale you take, but you don't want to move.

Joel's brain is still trying to catch up with what exactly just transpired here. With what led you both to being in such an intimate embrace. All he knows for certain is that he owes that fish a huge debt! He never imagined he would eve get to hold you so close and now he never wants to let go. He could be wrong, he could be seeing what he wants to see but he's been around long enough to recognise the look you're giving him in this moment; The look of longing and desire. That, coupled with the fact that your soft and supple ass is currently in his hands has his cock rock hard in his shorts. Thank god you climbed up his body or this would have been really awkward. "Joel," you whisper in a sultry tone, "You can..... you can let go now." You know your expression belies your words. Truthfully you could stay this way forever. Joel notices the contradiction, and it may be foolish of him but he has to know. He has to try or he'll regret it for the rest of his days. "Do you want me to let go?" he asked slowly, chest heaving in anticipation. He's sure you can feel the vibrations of his frantic heartbeat. You almost say yes but your body yearns for his touch, his warmth, and it's obvious now that he doesn't want to let go. You stare into his eyes for a few moments before shaking your head, "No,... I don't" you exhale in relief, feeling a weight lifted from you now that you've made it clear you want him. He know's now and there's no going back.

Your gaze leaves his eyes and travels to his plush lips, then return to his eyes, looking for any indication that he's uncomfortable. But all you find is a quiet confirmation that he wants this as much as you do in the way he also looks at your mouth, then to your eyes. Slowly, you lean in, giving him the chance to back away if he changes his mind. But before you can think too much on that Joel closes the gap between you both, pressing his lips to yours. His lips feel as soft as they look, a feather-light touch that sends jolts of electricity down your spine. You slide a hand up into his hair, gently gripping onto his wavy locks. Joel deepens the kiss while sliding his tongue across your bottom lip. You gladly grant him access, savouring the taste and feel of his warm tongue for the first time. What began as a delicate, soft kiss has now become a passionate entanglement of tongues and teeth. You grip his hair harder with both hands to hold his head as you both lick into each other. Joel's fingers dig into your ass cheeks, pushing your already throbbing core to rub against his stomach. You gasp as you involuntarily grind your pussy against him, which causes Joel to grip you tighter and moan into your mouth. A deep, reverberating moan that travels through his chest and into yours, igniting and insatiable need for him to be inside you. Joel breaks away to look into your eyes, his own dark with need.

"Jesus Christ Y/N, you got no idea how badly I want you," Joel rasped while running one hand up the curve of your bare back. A small smile tugs at the corner of your mouth as you playfully run your nose along the curved tip of his. "Show me," you purred against his lips, while running a hand down his stomach, to the hem of his shorts. Joel's brain almost short circuited right then and there. He's pray's, no begs this isn't all a dream. Here you are, the woman he's fallen hopelessly in love with, whom he craves more than oxygen, is asking him to discover her in the most intimate sense. He can't hold back anymore. He's like a man possessed! Grabbing the back of your neck, he crashes his mouth onto yours, his tongue parting your lips and finding your tongue once again. You moan into his mouth as his fingers find the hem of your bikini bottoms, covering your soft lips. He slowly slides a finger underneath the fabric, resulting in your back arching of it's own accord. His tender stroking is enough to send jolts of pleasure throughout your clenching pussy. You run your hand further down and into his shorts, finding his already throbbing cock. Fuck, he's huge! You use your fingers to map out the image, feeling each vein along his length and the sheer width.

You feel a smug sense of satisfaction knowing you are the reason he's so hard right now. You feel his cock twitch as you wrap your hand around him and slowly begin to pump up and down, rubbing your thumb over the sensitive head. The groan you pull from him is primal and only serves to fuel your own arousal more. Joel's now holding you by one ass cheek as his thick and agile fingers tease your entrance. Your grip tightens around his dick as he lightly traces along your folds until he settles on your clit. A high pitched gasp escapes from your throat as Joel begins to rub small circles over the little bundle of nerves, sending tingles all along your cunt and into your lower stomach, the sensitivity causing your whole body to shudder as his strokes become faster and more determined. Unable to focus on anything but the intense pleasure anymore, your moans turns into cries as your face falls to his shoulder and your hand stills on his cock. Joel holds you tight as waves of euphoria radiate across your shuddering frame, seizing your muscles and stealing the air from your lungs. "That's it, good girl. So good for me," Joel purrs in your ear as you come down from your high. "Joel....," you wheeze, breathlessly. "Hmm?" He hums as he nips at your earlobe while squeezing your ass tighter. "I need.... need you inside me....now," you rasp through your delirious haze.

Just hearing you say those words (words he never thought he'd hear from you) has Joel's mind whirling. "I'll give ya what you need sweetheart. I'll take good care of ya, but not in this dirty water. Don't want ya getting an infection, do we?" And with that he grips your plush ass with both hands, pulling you up to wrap your legs tighter around his waist, the unexpected manhandling turning you on even more than you thought possible. He walks you both out of the water and onto the shoreline as if you weigh nothing to him. Joel kisses you again while slowly sliding you down his body until one foot reaches the ground, the other leg is hiked up to his hip, his calloused hand smoothing the soft flesh at the back of your thigh. With a deep groan he releases your leg and walks over to the backpacks, pulling two towels out and laying them on the mossy ground. Joel walks back over to you, wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you off your feet, causing you to giggle, which in turn brings out of him that smile you adore. It's a good thing he has a firm hold of you right now or your knees would give out at such a beautiful sight. He brings you to the towels to lay you down. The cool, mossy ground is almost as soft as a mattress and the thought of having Joel out here in the beauty of the natural world is both freeing and exhilarating! As Joel settles between your legs you sit up and grab the bottom of his T-shirt.

He lifts his arms, allowing you to pull his wet shirt off. His body is a sight to behold! Broad shoulders leading to a toned chest with a scattering of greying chest hair, thick arms almost three times the size of your own, perfectly bronzed and sun kissed skin littered with several scars; A testament of his will and ability to survive in a dangerous and unpredictable world. You suddenly feel like no-one and nothing on this Earth could touch you with this powerhouse of a man at your side. You bite your lower lip and lean in, planting kisses all along his collarbone and move down his chest, running your hands up and down his soft stomach. As you indulge in enjoying Joel's body with your lips and tongue, he reaches around to unclasp your bikini top, letting it fall to the ground. He pulls back to admire the sight gracing his eyes. The image of your bare breasts before him has Joel salivating. His eyes turn dark with lust. He lifts a hand to caress the soft swell of your tit, rolling a pebbled nipple between his thumb and forefinger, just as he'd imagined. Christ, you feel heavenly!

The sound of your sultry sigh only increases the intensity of Joel's burning desire to claim every bit of you. He lowers his head and takes your tit into his mouth, swirling his tongue around your hardened nipple, while palming the other one. Your arms wrap around his head and your head falls back as you arch your back, pushing your chest further into his face. The sounds he's pulling from you only seem to spur him on. After a few more moments he releases your nipple with a satisfying 'Pop' and smirks. "God baby girl, you're perfect," Joel croons, "Tell me what you want." " I want to taste you, Joel." You didn't mean for your voice to sound like a whiny beg but that's all you can muster in your lust filled state. You look down to admire the tent in his shorts. "S'all yours, darling," he grins, his honeyed Texan drawl making you swoon. You eagerly pull his shorts down and his cock springs free, hitting his lower belly and smearing a smattering of precum over his 'treasure trial'. Your eyes widen at the size of him. Your sense of touch didn't deceive you; He really is fucking huge!

Your eyes trail up his thick and veiny member to the purplish tip and without realising you bite your bottom lip again. Joel chuckles, softly, "Like what you see?" "Mmmhmm....," is the only sentence you can articulate in return, your eyes wide in lust as you take in the glorious sight of him. You look up to Joel's face and silently tell him to stand, while you get up on your knees. You delicately take his dick in your hand, your fingers and thumb not even meeting around the girth of it. Slowly and firmly you pump while looking up at Joel, whose eyes are in the process of rolling back into his skull! "Fuck, Y/N, just like that. Feel's so good," he whines. Before he knows it he feels the wet warmth of your mouth enveloping him, your tongue swirling languidly around the head, almost making his knees buckle. He feels himself sink further into your throat, eliciting deep, sensual moans from your chest that vibrate through his cock, making him shudder. He feels close, too close as you continuously hollow out your cheeks and suck with a vengeance again and again. He has to stop you know or he won't last long enough to fuck you. "Okay, that's enough, sweetheart," he gushes as he gently pulls himself from your mouth, "or I'm not gonna last much longer and I wanna feel all of you," he says with a wink.

He carefully lays you back down on the ground as if you're made of fine china, and removes your bikini bottoms. "Whew...," Joel whistles, staring at your pussy with look of a starved animal. "Beautiful!" His reaction to your naked cunt stirs a feeling of desperation to have him inside you right now. "Joel.... I need you, need to feel you-" "Patience darling," he soothed while teasing your moist folds. "Just gonna loosen you up a bit for me. I don't wanna hurt you." He slowly sinks two thick fingers inside you, dragging along your velvety walls. You gasp in pleasure, your hips bucking in response to the welcome intrusion. After a few moments he hooks his fingers, pressing over and over onto that sweet spot that now has you reduced to a squirming, panting mess. "So wet," Joel marvels, his voice dripping with seedy desire. Your walls start to flutter as a burst of pleasure grips you for the second time. "Oh shit, Joel," you mewl as you recover from yet another orgasm, leaving you breathless. Joel smiled, his eyes crinkling at the sides. "I know, baby. Ready for me now?" "Yes, please, just fuck me!" you beg, unashamedly. "I've got ya, gorgeous," Joel whispered. He notches the tip of his cock at your entrance, looks into your eyes and steadily and gently pushes into you, parting your velvety walls around his thickness. The beautiful sting of the stretch has you gasping and rolling your head back, overwhelmed with the sensations of pain and pleasure, both complimenting one another and setting your nerves, your cells, every part of you ablaze.

Joel can't help but grunt as he bottoms out completely. You both still for a moment, just to enjoy the feel of each other. You've never felt so deliciously full in all your life and wish it would never end. He then begins to thrust in and out, one hand gripping your hip while the other kneads hungrily at your breast. As Joel picks up the pace you feel him hitting your G spot over and over. You arch your back, wrap your arms and legs around him and spread your thighs wider, clamping your calves around his waist and digging your feet into his ass to push him as deep as possible. You just can't get enough of him! The tingling sensation returns, heat building in your belly at the blissful feeling of Joel's hard and throbbing cock hitting every part of your silky tunnel, bringing your orgasm dangerously closer by the second. Joel continues to pound into you like his life depends on it, battering your cervix. You've never experienced this level of rapture with any previous sexual partners. Joel certainly puts them to shame today. The familiar coil begins to tighten in your lower belly, causing your walls to contract harder around his length.

"Fuck," Joel gushes, sounding awed. "So tight!..... fucking.... fucking made for me sweet girl!" Joel's relentless pounding has you crying out his name as you soak his cock with you slick juices. "You're doing so good. Takin' me so good. I think you can give me one more, what ya say?" Your eyes feel heavy, chest heaving as you are still recovering from your third high. "I... can't...." you pant desperately. "Yes you can , baby." Joel's gentle coax seeps into your shaking body, making you completely compliant to his wishes. Hell, you'll do anything he wants right now. He kisses you, deep and hungry with passion while moving his fingers to your aching core. You're already to overstimulated that it takes mere seconds before you feel another orgasm building as he rubs faster and faster at your swollen bud. Your hands grip onto his shoulders, digging your nails in so deep you know you're leaving little crescent indents in his soft flesh. Something about that excites you even more, as if you're marking him as yours. You tremble, uncontrollably as a sudden surge of white hot bliss sweeps through your anatomy, your voice horse from screaming in ecstasy, you're ears ringing through yet another intoxicating peak.

You can tell Joel is close as his thrusts become sloppy. The sweet sound of your blissed out moans leaving your soft lips is music to Joel's ears. He's sure even the heavenly hosts could not sounds as enchanting as you do right now in his arms. He grabs your hand from his shoulder and lays it beside your head, interlacing his fingers with yours. He buries his face into your neck as he feels about ready to erupt. The warmth, the wetness, how you fit so perfectly around him, squeezing his pulsating erection is too much. "Where do you want me, sweetheart?" Joel asks in a low shuddering voice in your ear. "Inside please!" you implore. "I want all of you." Joel growls lewdly at the thought of laying complete claim to you by coating your insides in himself. A few more deep snaps of his hips brings his balls to tighten and throb as he bursts within you, painting your fluttering walls with thick ropes of his pearly white cum. His thrusts slowly cease as your legs fall limp from his sides. You kiss him leisurely, both groaning into each other's mouths. "That was...," Joel begins, still catching his breath, cheeks flushed red. "Wow..." You finish his sentence with a lazy smile. "Yeah," Joel chuckles as he slides out of you onto his back on the towel. You already miss the feeling of him being inside you.

He wraps an arm under your neck and around your shoulder, pulling you into his side. You lay your head on his chest and rest a hand on his soft tummy. He lovingly lays his hand on top of yours and you notice just how much his large hand dwarfs yours. Basking in the afterglow, you both just lay together, revelling in this new found intimacy between you. For so long you've wanted Joel to know exactly how you feel but the fear of rejection kept your confession at bay. Even though there were times when you suspected that he might want more than friendship, you didn't want to push the boundary and potentially ruin the close friendship you'd both built. But knowing now that he's wanted you all along in the same way you want him leaves no doubt in your mind; You're his and he's yours. You can't keep the smile off your face, knowing you've both crossed into new territory and what this means going forward. It may be a little soon and some might even call you downright foolish as your next words flow from the heart with such conviction. "Joel....," you breathed quietly. "Hmmm," he answered in a low rumble. "I love you." A moment of silence passes and an anxious knot begins to from in your stomach, fearing you've ruined this moment by coming on too strong. But before your mind can spiral any further with doubts, Joel pulls you into him even tighter, tucking you under his chin and kisses the crown of your head. He sighs contentedly and whispers "I love you too Y/N.

[forever-fixating]

Some Sentences Monday?

Tagged by the ever-awesome @priincebutt

Okay, so I know this is meant for Sundays, but ya boi was destroyed from work and completely overstimulated so I had nothing in the tank. But after hibernating most of today, I am emerging ready to share a new project I have in the works. Getting such amazing response for Love on the Menu has really invigorated my desire to work, and now my mind is running with ideas. I've been toying with the idea of writing a historical AU for a while now, so allow me to introduce:

I don't have an official summary for it yet, but to overhype myself, this story has everything: childhood sweethearts separated by tragedy, rivaling nations full of political intrigue, magick because I've been dying to write a fantasy AU as well so por que no los dos, a tournament where the grand prize of the joust is the hand in marriage of our sweet Henry, a cliffhanger that I am so excited to write but that I know will enrage everyone that reads it...get ready, yall!

Below the cut is a massively long teaser. Forgive the roughness of it. I am just so geeked to share it, but just know I'll be working on it until it's ready. Enjoy! (If you'd like a soundtrack for this, might I suggest Surrender by Natalie Taylor?)

The air was perfumed with the scent of springtime blossoms. Beneath the shade of a great willow tree were two young lovers. One was flaxen-haired, his ivory skin rosy from the sun and littered with constellations of freckles. His body and limbs were slender and knobbly, still in that awkward phase between boy and man. His light blue eyes studied his companion with unguarded adoration. The other young man was shorter in stature, but rigorous exercise had already defined his physique. Atop his head was an untamed mass of sable curls, still wet from swimming. His unblemished skin gleamed a rich russet shade that his fairer companion couldn't stop touching. The pair had completed their lessons for the day and decided to take a refreshing dip in the lake near their school. They were naked, hidden among the willow branches, like two woodland nymphs from a fable and not two princes from separate nations. The dark-haired boy Alex lifted his lover Henry's hand and kissed the signet ring on his pinkie finger. The ring's face held not a family crest but their initials. A promise.

"When we are married-"

"You mustn't say such things!" Henry laughed even as his stomach fluttered at the very prospect. "It isn't proper."

Alex leaned down to press a kiss against rose-petal lips. "A man must state his intentions plainly, and mine are to marry you, cariño."

"You are not yet seventeen, cariad," Henry said as Alex trailed kisses along his jaw and neck. In this sacred space, it was easy to get lost in the rose-tinted fantasy of their future together. He tangled his fingers in Alex's curls, tugging at the roots. "Our parents would say it is unwise to speak of such things at our age."

"Why," Alex hissed as he climbed over Henry's body, "are you mentioning our parents when I am trying to ravish you?"

Henry arched his body into that of his beloved, gasping, "You have ravished me twice already this afternoon. Is that not enough?"

"Never."

As the twin suns began their steady descents into the horizons, the young lovers got dressed and made their way back to the school. Fireflies glowed in hues of pink, orange, and yellow as the pair discussed their plans for the following day. Given their disheveled states of dress, they were wary of running into Headmistress Beaufort or one of their professors as they made their way back to their dormitory. Unfortunately, fate was not on their side, and they rounded a corner and nearly crashed into Professor Wagner. He was a squat toad of a man who taught history and hated Alex for his frequent interruptions during lessons. His face held a perpetual bitter expression, as though he had just sucked on an unripen lemon. He berated them for looking and acting beneath their station and gave them detention for the following fortnight working in the stables with Gerald the groundskeeper. (It wasn't the punishment the man thought it was. They enjoyed Gerald's company, especially when he was joined by Julian, the music professor. Henry was convinced they were in love, but Alex said he was delusional.)

They scrambled upstairs to their shared dorm room to change. Dinner was already in progress when they joined their social set in the dining hall. Alex's older sister June was discussing a novel with Henry's twin sister Beatrice while their best friends Percy and Nora played cards. As Henry took his spot between Bea and Pez, his sister poked at the poorly concealed love mark Alex had gifted him earlier and teased, "My dear brother, it would appear you have been mauled by pixies. Should we alert Gerald of a possible infestation?"

Alex, seated across from him between June and Nora, snorted into his goblet, and Henry kicked his skin beneath the table. Giving his sister a tight smile that told her he knew exactly at what she was playing, he said defensively, "It was only a single, annoying pixie. Hardly cause for alarm."

"Annoying?" Henry's stomach filled with regret the moment the words left his mouth at Alex's fallen expression. He looked away from Henry. "Perhaps the pixie will direct their attention elsewhere if they are such a nuisance."

Alex would not meet his eye for the remainder of the meal. Once Headmistress Beaufort dismissed the students for the evening, Alex was up like a shot. Henry felt the disapproval of their friends and loved ones as he stood and trailed after Alex like a lovesick puppy. When Henry reached the common room of their dormitory, he found Alex chatting with Liam, the son of a nobleman from his home country. While he knew there was no danger of them forming an attachment, jealousy sparked in his chest, hot and ugly. He strode over to them and said, "Alex, I wish to speak with you."

Alex's expression was that of cool indifference. "Yes?"

Ignoring Liam and tugging on Alex's arm, Henry insisted, "In private."

Alex rolled his eyes but stood, shoving past Henry to their dorm room. Henry didn't look at Liam but hurried after Alex. He passed some of their classmates roughhousing in the hallway. Alex's ire was quick to be provoked, but Henry hoped he could dampen it with gentle words of apology and a gift. Their dorm room was on the far end of the hallway to the right. When Henry entered, Alex was sitting on the window seal. Henry closed the door.

"Cariad-"

"You would be wise not to call me that right now," Alex snapped, not looking at him.

Henry bit his bottom lip. Pushing away from the door, he crossed the cross to retrieve a parcel he received earlier that day from his bedside table. Though he protested Alex's pure words down by the lake, Henry's heart ached at the very thought that Alex thought himself alone in this affection. Henry was naturally cautious when it came to matters of the heart. While his parents had a romance for the bards to write neverending songs about and supported his inclinations, his grandmother Queen Mary still held final sway over who her grandchildren would marry. While Alex's country was a rising power, full of untapped resources and potential, Mary looked down her nose at their progressive politics and rising status among the nations. But despite the perceived impossibility of their future together, Henry found himself desperately in love with Alex all the time.

Henry knelt in front of his wounded lover and placed the parcel in his lap. Alex finally looked at him before glancing down and asking, "What is this?"

"An apology and response."

Alex picked it up and tore away the plain brown paper. Revealed was a red velvet bag. Henry's heart raced as Alex opened the bag and pulled out a small golden key on a silver chain. The bow of the key, intertwined in delicate filigree, was their initials, much like the ring that rested on Henry's hand.

As Alex studied it, Henry said, "My words earlier were foolish and hurtful. The truth is that I am afraid of the end of term. Things as they are now seem too perfect and golden. I...I fear once we are parted, reality will make you realize I am not worthy, that you will find someone more suitable for-"

"You believe me to be easily swayed?" Alex snapped. Henry looked up to see frustration and sadness in his eyes. He reached down to yank Henry's hand that held the signet ring to eye level. "Is this not proof enough of my love for you? Is it not enough that I say I love you? If this is an apology, it is a very poor one, Henry."

Henry climbed on the window seal with Alex, desperate to be understood, tears in his eyes. "It is an explanation. I am scared, Alex. I know we are young, but I know in my heart I will never feel for another what I feel for you. But when my grandmother finds out about us, she will stop at nothing to keep us apart. Does that challenge not give you pause?"

"Cariño," Alex whispered, cupping Henry's face, the necklace dangling from his fingers, "I would slay a thousand dragons, cross the Great Salt Desert, and brave the bitterest frozen peaks if that's what it took to make you mine. You may fear your grandmother, but I do not. There is no one else for me but you."

Henry took the chain from Alex's hand and placed it around his neck. Pressing his hand over the key, Henry said, "As you are for me. I want to be brave like you. I want you to know you are not alone. This key is a symbolic gesture, the key to my heart. My promise to be true."

Two young lovers, bathed in moonlight and their love for one another, making a vow as true as the gods had ever heard. Perhaps it was their youth that gave them pause, or the sincerity in which the vows were given. Whatever it was, the gods took note and, in their mercurial way, decided to put that devotion to the test.

The skies were clear that night as Alex and Henry clung to each other, but they could not see the storm brewing on the distant horizon. A challenge.

Tagging @dragonflylady77 @onthewaytosomewhere @theplayfulfairy and anyone else who scribbles and is interested.

[axewchao]

Decided to turn a couple of my OCs into Zelda races!

Why? Because I know for a fact that I can't just draw Dal n' Rev all day. One day I'll branch out, and that means I need more practice with everything else Hyrule has to offer =w=

'Specially the Zoras. Those damn fish... head... tail... things =_="

I'll be sticking their mini-bios under a readmore :3

Makani

A Gerudo journeying across Hyrule. Blessed with fire magic, she left Gerudo Town to learn how to properly control said power, mainly via fighting as many monsters as she can. She hopes to one day return to the desert and challenge the legendary Molduking. Has an affinity for baking, and has considered establishing her own bakery somewhere pleasant and pretty.

While Makani has a number of goals on her mind, one she struggles with revolves around her eventually finding a voe. She doesn't want to just... have a kid for the sake of adding to the next generation, then waltz off to continue pursuing her own desires like her mother did. She wants to find a husband and start a loving family, but still has dreams, and only has so much time to do either. Subconsciously, she feels like she's being rushed to pick one thing and stick with it forever, which stresses her out.

Dusty

A Goron traveling with Makani. He considers Makani his sworn sister because of the matching heart-shaped marks (okay Dusty's is a rock) on their necks. Like his name implies, he's known for leaving large trails of dust clouds whenever he rolls around. He uses this to his advantage when fighting monsters; blocking their vision with dust, then striking from behind. He can also use the spikes on his back to scale up various walls.

Dusty is particularly fond of crashing into things. Monsters, large rocks, ore deposits, you name it, he'll crash it. Like most other Gorons, he doesn't like the taste of gems, but still collects them to make easy rupees. After hearing about the powers each gem can hold, he's kept one of each type for himself, as he's now debating over whether he should just attach them to his weapons and call it a day or keep more and have them converted into jewelry later. That "diamond circlet" thing sounds pretty badass, after all...

Tuno

A young Zora that was found washed up on the shores of Hateno Beach by Symin some time prior to the events of BotW. Rather than let the child swim back out to the unknowns of the sea, Tuno was instead brought to the Domain, where he was taken in by Laflat. Much like Link, Tuno never says a word, but can communicate with other Zoras by wiggling his fins.

Tuno has abilities similar to that of a puffer fish, in that he can puff up his tail and raise a set of spines to stab/scare any would-be assailants or threats. However, unlike puffer fish, he isn't poisonous in any way. He rarely puffs up, both because he's difficult to scare, and because it looks embarrassingly silly. The one thing that does scare him, however, is Octoroks. It's possible that some kind of Octorok had terrified Tuno in the past, maybe even drove him away from the sea entirely.

Tuna

A Hylian boy who lives at the Woodland Stable. He's Tuno's best friend, and the two are as close as siblings. Tuna often wonders if it's possible for a person to turn into a Zora, and likes to daydream about what his "Zora form" would look like. Prefers playing with the horses rather than actually tending to them, and is often begging his parents to let him start his riding lessons.

For reasons unknown, Tuna is prone to falling ill on the night of a blood moon, often left bedridden by sunset. He's become a sort of alarm at the stable because of this, where if anyone is wondering when a blood moon will rise, they just check on him. If he's feeling dizzy, that means one's coming. He'll recover the following morning without fail, but this doesn't stop his parents and fish bro from worrying about him.

[outofangband]

@orcinusorca2236 asked me for some more Teleri world building! I am so sorry for how delayed this is

I have my first set here and there is more in the Teleri tag! All headcanons about language or words are mine!

-Tattoos and body paint are a semi common form of art and expression! Most are temporary and even more permanent tattoos will not last forever. Pigments come from a variety of sources but rocks and shells make up an large percentage. Symbols range from abstract patterns, sometimes meant to represent the ocean, wind or other natural phenomena to detailed landscapes painted right across the face or arms of an individual. I have my partial guide to Telerin symbols here

-Long hair is common for Telerin elves. One style involves simple twisting rather than braids, usually tied with a stretch of cloth or even grass. Complex styles that take time are usually for celebratory occasions. Pearls are often woven into the hair during weddings. These are from a custom shared with the Noldor and are primarily meant to play upon the light

-The weather of Alqualondë is mild with colder air sometimes coming from the ocean. Lizards and snakes can be seen basking upon the lower walls throughout most of the year. Tortoises live in gardens as a popular companion. They are sourced from the nearby countryside. The Telerin word for tortoise translates to rock turtle. A later word used by some translates to sun rock turtle.

-The Coast around Alqualondë and the surrounding lands is long. It spreads through whatever Rayati of different climates and ecosystems. In the harbors around the city, the weather is mild but the water is cool, but there are grooves, including mangroves with warmer weather and even warmer climate. There reach a little ways inland and are home to complex ecosystems. At least one is home to manatees. This grove is named for Úinen.

-There are also places on the coast with warmer water and there is another small population of Teleri who live here. The waters around Tol Eressëa are also much warmer and are home to dugongs, more reefs and other tropical and subtropical life

-The lands between the Pelóri and Alqualondë are full of open woodlands, orchards and fields and groves, and salt marshes. There are hundreds of little springs, some coming down from the mountains, some originating inland. Many trickle down to the sea.

-The walls that surround Alqualondë are covered in shells and even fossils. There are three watch towers and a number of lighthouses. Prior to the Darkening, these towers primarily functioned for observation, astronomy and cartography study, rather than defense

-Casual nudity is common among the Teleri who frequently swim and walk along the beaches with little to no clothing. There are saltwater and freshwater springs in and around Alqualondë where people go to bathe, relax and enjoy companionship. These often have simple sandstone shelters built around them

- Instruction is common with mixed age groups. Natural materials and outdoor lessons make up a lot of the learning. Lessons are conveyed through stories both real and folkloric. Telerin children are also taught swimming, boats, and water safety from a young age.

-There are many families and individuals who live on their boats on the water.

-The Teleri have an extensive collection of knowledge on toxins, secretions and substances, both potent and subtle, found in mollusks, crustaceans, fish, aquatic flora, and other marine and water creatures. These are sometimes used in medicine and even crafts.

-Fishing is usually done with woven nets and handmade spears. The malicious killing of sea birds is forbidden. Telerin fishers often find strong religious significance in their trade.

[neonponders]

Nobody expects Steve Harrington to join the military. Least of all the Harringtons, Steve included.

But he does. Because divers use the lake in the quarry for classes and master diver certifications. Steve discovers that he likes diving - a bit unsurprising considering he had always enjoyed swimming and lifeguarding.

The instructor is a retired Navy Diver. One of the other students is a retired Navy pilot. Steve didn’t even know the Navy had pilots. He thought the Navy was water and Air Force was for the sky. Zeus and Poseidon, one could say. But he enjoys the pilot and the diver’s conversation and benign competition.

Perhaps it helps that the pilot is a woman, and both veterans have polar opposite spouses. For being hardened, disciplined veterans, their spouses are practically woodland, cottage hippies in comparison. In short, Steve gets a very clean and pretty window to see inside veteran life.

So when they approach Steve, whom they’ve noticed is lost and isn’t really acquiring the right skills fast enough to qualify for Harrington expectations, they give him an out, but not without a lot of helpful information.

Recruiters are insidious parasites. They lie. Don’t sign anything until you’re ready, no matter what they tell you.

There’s nothing glamorous about war or labor. Research military jobs and apply for them. Don’t let the military just put you anywhere, or else you’ll get put on a ship with the sole purpose of pumping nuclear waste into the ocean. If you let them, they’ll give you the worst job.

Steve thinks he wants to be a diver. He’s good at swimming, even in low water visibility, and he enjoys it.

Then he learns about deep sea diving. He learns about pressure chambers and the very real danger of going too deep too fast, and rising to the surface too fast. How a terrifying, pitch-black dive can end with him sitting for eight hours in a pressurized chamber, for the purpose of making sure his blood doesn’t have bubbles that will kill him.

He looks into being a pilot. That comes with its own pros and cons, and the danger of pressure on the body and blood is still there. Steve honestly thinks he would enjoy flying...

But he doesn’t want to fight anybody. Best case scenario, he’s doing air shows every few months and living on an aircraft carrier for the rest of the year. Worst case scenario...he doesn’t want to think about that.

So he doesn’t think about it. He goes to boot camp to get that out of the way. And it’s easy. Easy in how it’s physically taxing. Black coffee because they wake up too early to give a shit about the taste. Exercise beyond the point of conscious thought because they don’t have the calories to spare on thinking.

Easy friendships. Fast friendships. Faster and kinder and less maintenance than Steve has ever known. Nobody knows who the Harringtons are, or what is bank account says. His hair was the first thing to go, and it’s kind of mind boggling how much he looks like everyone else once that defining feature is negated. He can have laughter and smiles and conversation delivered right to his dorm room just by knocking on the walls.

Eventually he has to decide: water or air.

His fear says to fly. Whispers, make me untouchable.

His heart begs, don’t make me fight.

He starts Navy Dive school, and he’s good at it. Good enough that he wonders if he’s broken, because one of the first tests is comfort in the water. Watching kids have panic attacks in the pools because they get their gear wrenched off their bodies and they don’t know how to stay calm breaks Steve’s heart.

One of the higher ups, some once-upon-a-lieutenant takes Steve aside and gives him the lesson: It’s good that you want to see them succeed. Teachers want students to succeed. But when you’re in the water, hope isn’t enough. Your diving buddy needs to be able to save your life.

There are plenty of other lessons and hurtles. The military’s bizarre hazing ritual of tear gasing recruits was a highlight that Steve is certain his father would lobby to get out of practice if he knew about it. Steve has a new spice tolerance, at least, which comes in handy when he starts getting stationed somewhere new every three years.

It’s some kind of irony, having one of the most dangerous military jobs that doesn’t involve fighting at all. Ten years go by, and Steve’s done a little of everything between salvage and underwater demolition. When people ask what he does, he never says the same thing twice.

I’m a military snorkeler.

I’m an underwater engineer.

He gets deployed for a few months in South East Asia, and it’s possibly the best gig of his life. The water visibility is unreal. Work is easy and beautiful. He looks forward to it. The locals treat the military like tourists, ie. stiffly and tolerated, but Steve supposes that’s their right. A lot of the work of the military is just flaunting USA blah blah blah. A passive aggressive fear tactic of keeping military bases all over the place. Remember we’re here.

And then a job goes wrong. It’s common knowledge that militaries all over the world - but especially American - places mines underground and underwater...and just leaves them there. The war ends and they can’t be bothered to clean up after themselves.

Enter: Steve.

Half of this deployment was working with EODs (explosive ordnance disposal) to clean up the waters. The work wasn’t that deep, so it was mostly chaperoning EODs underwater.

Turns out, just because a guy can safely negate a bomb threat, doesn’t mean he can hang out underwater.

Steve’s come a long way since scraping by in high school. He paid attention in their EOD crash course. In the time span of what feels like a minute and a year simultaneously, he sees his EOD buddy lose his cool, and the mistake happen.

Steve isn’t proud of his choice. It was so subtle that he doesn’t know if anyone else even knows what he did. He isn’t sure, himself, if he made a conscious decision, or if the water current just pushed them into the corresponding places.

Either way, there are casualties. Steve gets honorably discharged for his injuries. Awarded for saving lives. It’s all a blur. The military washed him out and replaced him like a well oiled machine. The connections he made to individual people was still there, but it was a strange dichotomy, being attached and thrown away at the same time.

As they say, a military resume will get somebody anywhere, and Steve has his pick of where to go and what to do. Part of him wants dark waters after being injured in topaz seas. To go home to Hawkins and just hide in the depths.

But Hawkins is too quiet. Steve wants noise.

So he goes to Mexico. Kind of a stereotypical gig, catering to tourists and snorkeling and whatever, but it’s the medicine he needs at the time. Because coral reefs are loud. Nobody tells you that, how fish are loud, and their neighborhoods are riots of color and eel drama.

A year of cleaning up the reefs after tourism and general ocean flotsam and jetsam gets him noticed by some ocean conservationists. They’re recruiting and talking to Steve makes their eyes glow. A diver and a leader? Perfect.

But Steve was warned of recruiters long ago...

“They’ve been heckling me for weeks. Skip town for a week if you really mean no.”

Steve looks into eyes the color of hot, tropical water. Familiar waters. Sunlit hair. And a shark smile.

“I’m used to being underwater. What about you?”

“Oh, I’m a seagull. Surfing, wind surfing, sailing. But being a California bilingual has its charm.”

“I never saw it back in Hawkins.”

“You can see it now, if you want.”

“I think I just might.”

[stephensmithuk]

The Three Gables

The lack of posts on this one is a clear demonstration of the clear rejection of the racism running through this story.

I can't say that I'm particularly enthusiastic about doing this one, but I can't pretend this one doesn't exist.

Here we go then:

First published in 1926, the Americans again got this one first.

Boxing for money was heavily regulated to the point of outright bans in much of the United States; illegal fights would frequently end as "no contest" when the police turned up.

The Bull Ring in Birmingham is a major shopping area that goes back to a market established in 1154 under royal approval. The area is named for a ring of iron that bulls were tied to for the purposes of bull-baiting, a 'sport' banned in 1835.

The area was redeveloped in the 1960s into an enclosed shopping centre considered an epitome of Brutalist architecture and which became more unpopular over time. It was replaced in 2003 by a more modern centre, branded "Bullring" that is just as controversial.

Harrow Weald is a suburban area of what is now Greater London. It still contains a large amount of ancient woodland despite major development in the early 1930s, such as Harrow Weald Common.

One highly notable resident of the area was W.S. Gilbert of operetta fame, who lived at a house called Grim's Dyke and died of a heart attack in the lake in 1911 while saving a 17-year-old girl from drowning during a swimming lesson. The lake was mostly drained after that and what is left was filled with algae during my visit to the area early this year - the London Loop footpath goes through the area.

The "Weald Station" is probably, as per Bernard Davies, Harrow & Wealdstone station. This is today the northern terminus of the Bakerloo Line, which reached there in 1917 when services were extended on the newly electrified lines to Watford Junction; London Overground services call there on their way to the latter destination. LNWR and Southern services also are available, while Avanti West Coast and Caledonian Sleeper trains go through without stopping on platforms generally closed unless a train is calling there.

The station was also the site of the worst peacetime rail disaster in British history in 1952 (only the 1915 Quintinshill rail disaster has a higher death toll) - an express train collided with the rear of a local train in fog and then another express train hit the wreckage. 112 people died and 340 were injured. Since the crew of the express train died in the crash, the precise reason why they failed to respond to two signals was impossible to establish. The result of the report was a faster introduction into service of the Automatic Warning System or AWS that gives a driver an in-cab indication of the state of a signal by visual and auditory means.

A two-station branch line to Stanmore Village closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts.

Paregoric is a 4% tincture of opium, then available over the counter without prescription. Its main uses would be for treating diarrhoea, treating teething pains in children and as a cough medicine. It is today a Schedule III controlled substance in the US i.e. prescription only.

Crown Derby refers to Royal Crown Derby, a porcelain company founded c.1750 and still going today; it may be the oldest still active company in that field in England.

Langdale Pike is clearly a pseudonym, referring to a series of peaks in the Lake District.

This is, fortunately, the only time we have the n-word being used in the canon. It was considered a crude term even then.

Pernambuco is a state in NE Brazil, then a centre of sugarcane cultivation, still a major part of its economy. It was historically Portuguese, not Spanish.

Yes, let's stereotype Latina women, shall we, Mr. Doyle? I'm not calling you Sir Arthur in this discussion; you're not acting like a knight.

This whole thing leaves a rather ugly taste and if I could strike a story from the canon, I would do it for this one.

[pbandjesse]

Today was long and I am very tired. But I am home and I will hopefully sleep great and tomorrow can be a reset. A redo. And the first day of camp won't leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Last night ended up being kind of a nightmare clean up wise. The 10 or so guys that has set up didn't come back to break down. I was moving carts and stacking chairs until midnight. And they were barely half way done. But Jesse has decided that my hard stop was midnight since I'm not paid by the hour yet.

So I said goodbye and left for the evening. I got home at 1230 and was really happy to see my husband. Who, while half asleep, welcomed me home and we chatted for a bit. I took a shower and got myself ready for sleep.

And while I didnt sleep enough I got good sleep still. And woke up only sort of unhappy at 650.

When I got up I was already dealing with some anxiety that would only get worse. James would try to encourage me. They had moved a bunch of my stuff in and out of the car. The market stuff in the house. The camp stuff in the car. And tired to cheer me up. But I just wanted to go and deal with anything that came up.

I had a good drive in, once I got my phone to stop disconnecting. And I would get to camp at 750.

I went and cleaned up arts and crafts and set up for the day and it went smoothly. I went to the office to print an updated schedule for Callie. And after I chatted with Alexi and got that printed I went and got a little breakfast. Embarrassed myself with the cooks. But they were kind and also said that even if I might not be at different meals they will always make me a special plate. I was worried about wasting food but they assured me that that didn't matter.

I realized I could take a little hammock swing and try to calm down my very strong emotions. And it was working until I texted Avery to make sure she felt like she was prepared to run EAC. But she hits me with that 'i did not know I was running that' and I freak. What do you mean? So I check in with Willa who is covering Homestead. And she at least knew she was covering but there was a lot of confusion beyond that. Very frustrating.

So I ran to the office. Where I was very very very upset. Like this was just like a final straw. And as soon as I got in the office and was asked a different question, a mistake in the schedule question, I lost it. I was hysterical crying. And just went to my desk to do the schedule change while everyone felt weird. Elizabeth shushed people from trying to asking me anything and I was like no I am okay. I am just very very stressed. And I threatened to go home I was so upset. But I calmed down. The cry made me feel like some of the weight lessoned.

I was able to give the two schedules to Elizabeth. And get my question answered. And I would just do with what I had, best I could. And went back to arts to calm myself all the way before my group came in.

And honestly the kids saved the day. Literally all the kids were so sweet and it was just so nice to have returning faces on taller bodies. It made my program back to where it's supposed to be. Where arts and crafts is a dream. It's just everywhere else that's hard as hell.

I would show them the program and we talked about collage and I felt really good about it. And their little houses. Oh they were just so sweet. Lots of creativity and understanding about collage and how to use different techniques. from my very littlest day campers to my woodland boys. It was awesome.

Lunch would come pretty fast. After chatting with Tony about the harbor swim and how I can fit into his pants he has given me to use as a scrap fabric last year. But laughs about that. I would go to lunch.

And it was a very good lunch. Of a baked potato and broccoli. I would check with Callie about specialty staff getting food before the children. Because we have to run to our programs ECT ECT. And her and Hannah said we can serve ourselves if we get gloves. Stellar. So we got our food and went outside to eat together as a little group. Talked about all the confusion and nonsense. How weird and sometimes discombobulated camp has been this year. I just hope that by next week we have a much better handle on everything.

I would depart from the group. Stopping to say hi to Callie. And then you to arts. To spend a few minutes alone. Texting Jess, my very best friend, to wish he many happy birthdays. Especially after the crazy week she just had being in and out of the ER. She deserves a quiet and nice birthday.

My afternoon groups were so sweet. Struggled a bit more to clean up but that's because they didn't want to go. I don't blame them my space is great. But I was also getting a little nervous about leaving for my appointment.

I would let Mirren know and she would let Eva know. But still I was nervous. I got out bracelet string and some other crafts that I thought they would enjoy. And once they got to me I very quickly told them what was available and told them I was sad I couldn't stay and hang out. But I knew I could trust Yukon and said goodbye and headed out.

I would hit some traffic but I still got to my appointment with time to spare. The new girl at the desk remember my name and I would have a fun chat with her later. And my injection went really well. Just bled a little more then normal but it's fine. The medical assistant is really nice and I like talking to her. Though I was left in the room for a half hour with no word. Thought they forgot about me.

But she would eventually come back and the shots went smoothly and I was on my way home.

Which was a half hour because I got stuck in traffic on mulberry. What else is new, that street is always backed up in a stupid way. But I still still home by 5.

I would have to park on the main street because there was no spot. Annoying. But I parked and brought stuff inside. But my ankle a little. Was just really happy to go inside. See James. Take a shower. And go out.

We were going to Charlotte's apartment to check on her cat. But first. Shower. And it made me feel so much better. I would get changed and we would head to the Fulwilers.

Only Tucker was there when we got there. It was nice to see him. They finally donated my bags of clothes. Good. It's good they are gone finally.

We would leave there and go to the apartment. Made sure little boy, her very sweet cat, was fed and happy. Played with him for a bit. And hung out on her couch while we decided on dinner.

I wasn't thrilled with our options. But we land on grano in Hamden.

James loves this place. But we sat outside at first and I took it as long as I could but it was to hot. So we got moved inside. And while the barrata was incredible my pasta was wrong. And I had to send it back twice which I have never done before. I ordered the cheese ravioli. But what came out tasted wrong to me. I ate one and was like maybe it's a weird flavor cheese. But then it hit me. This isn't cheese. It's fish?? Specifically salmon. Our first waitress was not understanding what was wrong. She still took it back and eventually brought me something new. She claimed it was cheese ravioli. No! It was still the fish one?? So we flagged a different waitress. And she was horrified and recognized it right away as their special for the evening.

She would personally go back and cut one open and the bins seemed to have been switched? It was wild. And I'm not like crazy upset I accidently ate a bit of fish. But the texture and bits left jn mouth did upset me for a bit.

Thankfully once the actual cheese ravioli came out it was so wildly good it made up for it. I got a fizzy lemon Italian soda. It was great.

We decided to go to Rita's. But the first one didn't have the flavors I wanted and I got sad. James would offer to take us to a different one. So we would get back in the car and went to Canton crossing. Where we had much better luck.

We stopped in the target bathrooms first. And then walked to Rita's. James got a twist cone and I got a cherry gelato. And we ate at the picnic benches. Just being happy together.

We would come home after that. And I was really glad for it. I felt so tired.

We would gather my print making stuff for my workshop this weekend. And eventually went and took a bath. This was mostly for my pains and agonies. And also because it just felt nice.

But now I am so sleepy. James just went to get me ice water and I'm going to lotion my face and hopefully fall asleep quick.

I am hoping tomorrow is better. More normal. It would make me really happy if this is just are calmer.

I hope you all have a calm day. Stay cool. I love you all. Goodnight!

[artistcaptainbendy]

Running from termination

chapter 1- The beginning....with snacks

It was a dark and cold night, the only light was from the moon and stars as the trees towered above. Lumberjack Krupp was walking down the same path he's always been down multiple times before, with his axe to his side. He wipes some sweat from the day's work from his head.

‘’ Ah, I love me some late night tree chopping, nothing’s better. Well, some homemade cheesecake from my sweet logroll is definitely a close second.’’ He said, slightly chuckling to himself.

He continues deeper into the wood and soon hears a sound, but not the usual woodland noise, it was the sound of someone calling his name. He stopped in his tracks and looked around to see who could be calling. The soft, calming voice spoke again ‘’ Benjamin….Benjamin….Benjamin…’’

“ Agh, not again!” he exclaimed “ I told you ghost children this before! I’m not joining your party! I’m sure that cake is a lie!’’ 

The voice kept calling to him and after a while, he noticed that this voice wasn’t the same as the ghost children from before, it almost sounded like his own voice, but different. He begins to follow where the voice is coming from, walking though some bushes and trees, going deeper and deeper into woods until he reaches a blue light and in front of him was a glowing portal to who knows where. He looked at it confused.

“What in the world is this?” he said with confusion. He looked at it for a moment , almost trying to study it and after studying it for a bit he started to turn around. “ Well, I should probably just leave it be, might just be my mind playing tricks on me again and if it is real, who knows where it goes. It could lead to some ghost ready to haunt me or maybe send me back in time to when the space aliens had control of the world or even worse…..my parents house…..’’ he shivers at the thought. ‘’ Nope! Not gonna do it, I’m just going to go home” he then proceeds to start walking away from the portal, but then stops and thinks out loud. ‘’ Then again…this could be the doorway to bigfoot and my apple peeler!” quickly turning back around he ran right into the portal, a bit of bright light hits him but quickly fades to reveal a hallway.

The hallway was darkly lit with flickering lights being the only light source.The walls were cracked and aged with webs on the corners and what seemed to be some black goo on the tile floor. 

“Umm, I think i should be going now” but as he turned around to leave, lumberjack krupp saw that the portal was now gone leaving him to only go one way….down the hall. He waited a moment and started to walk down the way, step after step until he approached a room. The room was in just as much disarray as the hall, it had a big screen on the wall and two pathways to each side of it. It seems to have been some type of waiting room with some chairs tipped over and more of that goo. The goo was what really got his attention and as he started to get closer to it, suddenly the tv turned on. There was some static, but then a clear image came though and the video started to play.   

‘’ Welcome and hello my fellow Krupps! I’m SP! Krupp! Your bestest buddy, your all around pal, and the founder of Krupptopia!! It’s a working in progress title hehe, here you can experience all the fun and thrills a Krupp can enjoy. We have a fully stocked kitchen with all kinds of food including guacamole, a massive swimming pool with swimming lessons on wednesdays, reading room, lounge, game room, ball pit, manatee viewing, venting zone and so much more!! I hope you enjoy your stay here and if you have any questions just come see me, I’ll be around bye!” The video turns off and lumberjack is just more confused than before.

‘’....ok? At least I know now this place has a game room…oh and who to talk to about getting out of here. Hmm odd, that guy looked familiar, but i just don’t know where I’ve seen him” He pondered a bit but decided to think about it later. Looking down the two paths, he chose to go right.

Walking down the hall, he could tell the withering had worsened and even more goo on the walls. LJ takes a closer look at the goo and sees that it wasn’t completely black, but had faded colors of space and stars. Before he could even question what this stuff is, a loud thund could be heard farther down the hall. He slowly walked to where the sound came from, coming across an opened door. Looking inside the room it looked as if a tornado went through, chairs thrown around, tables flipped over, and vending machines broken into. In the middle of the room someone was led over and eating some of the snacks from the vending machines.

“ Oh! Hey it’s great to see another person around here. I was worried I would be alone here, you don’t mind sharing some of those snacks do you?” he asked with joy in his voice.

The man stayed silent and slowly stood up, the same goo that covered the walls was on his arms, legs, and face. The only thing visible was his teeth as he started to make gasly noises as if it was hard for him to breathe. He took a step closer to LJ leaving a trail behind him. LJ, shocked at what’s looking at, slowly takes steps back out of the room.  

With fear in his voice he said “ I’m actually not hungry anymore, y-you can keep the snacks and I’ll just get going” He tried to reach for his axe, but the creature let’s out a rawr and charges at him causing him to run out the room and farther down the hall. Turning multiple corners and down different paths, every few seconds looking behind him to see the creature is still behind him. LJ tried to run faster to lose his pursuer, he was able to get ahead far enough and hide behind a wall. He could hear the creature run past and down another hall, he could feel his heart racing and took some deep breaths trying to put together what he just saw. He just needed a moment to relax, but then the intercom above him started to play loud static and cut to a familiar voice.

“Hello everyone! It seems we have a new krupp to join that party! Now why don’t we all give him a big welcome! I’ll even sing the welcome song!” he then processed to sing “ Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! To our fun place! Come and take a seat and have a little break! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! it ‘s great to have you here! Where everyone is happy and spreads a little cheer!” The song goes on and on. LJ starts to panic, knowing that all the noise will attract the creature to him “ shut up, shut up, shut up” he starts looking around to find a way to turn the intercom off and remembers he has an axe, quickly throwing it at the intercom and breaking it into pieces. 

He picks up the axe from the floor “ hehe, looks like I stopped it just in ti-” suddenly a giant goo fist comes at his head and he quickly ducks down as the fist hits the wall.

“ RAWR!!” The creature let out about to strike at LJ again. 

LJ runs under its arm and down the hall and it gives chase again, many twists and turns, hallways starting to all look the same, doors that won’t open, the creature getting closer and closer, he was starting to feel his heart racing faster and faster, any turn could lead to a dead end. 

“ Game room or not! I hate this place!” he screamed out, running down every turn of the halls till he reached a hallway with a single door at the end, seeing it as the only way he ran to the door, the creature not far behind him. What feels like a mile long run, he makes it to the door and is able to open it with only seconds before it could get him, he gets in the room and closes the door behind him, pushing his body against the door, banging could be heard on the other side. Looking around the room he sees boxes and other objects near him and pulls it in front of the door blocking it. 

After a moment, the banging stops and the sound of goopy steps could be heard walking away. “....HA! Can’t get me now! The power of a door and random items have saved the day again!” LJ lets out as he catches his breath, but suddenly some boxes in the corner of the room fall over to reveal someone in the shadows. Taking his axe out and pointing at the mysterious figure he asked “ Who’s there?! I’m ready this time you freak and I’ll be taking the snacks because I am hungry!” 

There was silence as the figure slowly came from behind the boxes.

“You’re…..you’re not infected?” The hooded man said, almost shocked.

“Infected? What are you talking about? And who are you?!” he stated now with more anger in his voice. 

The hooded man takes his hood off to show a face similar to LJ just without a beard and scar over his left eye.

“I’m….GP.”

[swimteamprakashsg]

Woodlands Swimming Complex: Swim, Learn, and Have Fun

Woodlands Swimming Complex offers a fantastic facility for swimmers of all ages and abilities. Whether you're learning to swim or looking to improve your technique, the complex provides a safe and enjoyable environment with various pools to suit your needs. From casual swims to structured lessons, Woodlands Swimming Complex is the perfect place to dive into fitness, fun, and aquatic learning.

[drahdoutcosmeticdentistry]

Woodland Hills Recreation Center: The Hub of Community Life in Woodland Hills, CA

The Woodland Hills Recreation Center in Woodland Hills, California, stands as a lively center for community activities, offering a wide array of recreational and leisure options for people of all ages. Positioned centrally in Woodland Hills, this expansive facility provides numerous amenities and programs aimed at fostering health, wellness, and community connection.

A key feature of the Woodland Hills Recreation Center is its comprehensive sports facilities, which include basketball and tennis courts, as well as soccer fields. These spaces cater to both organized leagues and informal play, making the center a popular choice for sports enthusiasts of various skill levels. Additionally, the recreation center boasts a swimming pool that provides opportunities for swim lessons and leisurely swims, ideal for cooling off on warm days.

Beyond its sports amenities, the Woodland Hills Recreation Center also offers a range of visitor-friendly features. There is a playground for children, along with picnic areas and barbecue grills, making it an excellent venue for family outings or gatherings with friends. The center also organizes a variety of events throughout the year, such as movie nights, concerts, and holiday celebrations, ensuring entertainment for visitors of all ages.

The center places a strong emphasis on health and wellness, offering a variety of fitness programs and classes, including yoga, aerobics, and dance. It also houses a fitness center equipped with cardio and strength training machines, making it easy for visitors to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle while having fun.

Moreover, the Woodland Hills Recreation Center acts as a community hub, offering a range of programs and classes for all ages, such as art and cooking classes, and programs tailored for seniors. These opportunities help residents connect with one another and engage in their interests.

Conveniently located in the center of Woodland Hills, the Woodland Hills Recreation Center is easily accessible to local residents. Whether you’re aiming to stay active, engage with the community, or enjoy some outdoor time, the Recreation Center offers a variety of activities and amenities for everyone in Woodland Hills, CA.

[campnorthstarmaineme]

Summer Camps For Kids

**Unleashing the Magic of Summer: A Look at Camp North Star for Kids**

Summer is a time for exploration, adventure, and making lifelong memories. At Camp North Star, kids experience all this and more. Nestled in the scenic woodlands, this camp is not just a getaway but a place where friendships are forged, new skills are learned, and children grow in ways that only a summer under the sun can offer.

Camp North Star is situated in beautiful Poland Spring, Maine, surrounded by many beautiful and natural landscapes that we get to share and enjoy with our campers. Trips are offered every session and happen on the days we are not on our normal activity schedule. Trip days are a time to relax and enjoy time with friends and bunkmates.

### The Spirit of Camp North Star

Camp North Star is more than just a summer camp—it's a tradition. With its deep-rooted history, the camp has been a beloved destination for generations of children. Here, the focus is on creating an inclusive, supportive environment where every child feels valued. The camp's philosophy centers on fostering independence, building self-confidence, and encouraging kids to step outside their comfort zones, all while having the time of their lives.

### Activities That Spark Joy

One of the hallmarks of Camp North Star is its wide array of activities that cater to every interest. Whether a child is a budding athlete, a creative artist, or an aspiring scientist, there’s something for everyone. The camp offers:

- **Outdoor Adventures**: From hiking through lush forests to kayaking on serene lakes, the camp’s outdoor activities are designed to immerse kids in nature. The thrill of the ropes course and the challenge of rock climbing provide both fun and a sense of accomplishment.

- **Sports Galore**: For the sports enthusiasts, the camp offers everything from soccer and basketball to tennis and swimming. These activities are not just about competition but about teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

- **Creative Arts**: Camp North Star understands the importance of nurturing creativity. Kids can dive into painting, pottery, theater, and music, allowing their imaginations to soar. The camp’s arts program helps children express themselves and discover hidden talents.

- **STEM Exploration**: Science, technology, engineering, and math aren’t just subjects—they’re adventures at Camp North Star. Through hands-on experiments and projects, kids learn about the world around them in exciting and innovative ways.

### Building Lifelong Skills

Beyond the fun and games, Camp North Star is a place where kids develop essential life skills. The camp’s emphasis on leadership, communication, and problem-solving prepares children for the future. Through activities like team-building exercises and group challenges, campers learn the value of cooperation and the importance of supporting one another.

The camp also encourages kids to take on responsibilities, whether it’s leading a group activity, helping out with camp chores, or mentoring younger campers. These experiences foster a sense of accountability and help children grow into confident, capable individuals.

### A Safe and Nurturing Environment

Safety is a top priority at Camp North Star. The camp’s highly trained staff ensures that every child is well-supervised and cared for. Parents can rest easy knowing that their children are in a safe, nurturing environment where they are encouraged to be themselves and try new things.

### Memories That Last a Lifetime

Ask any Camp North Star alum, and they’ll tell you that their summers at camp were some of the best times of their lives. The friendships formed, the lessons learned, and the adventures experienced at Camp North Star stay with campers long after the summer ends.

### Conclusion

Camp North Star is more than just a place to spend the summer—it's a place where kids can grow, explore, and discover who they are. With its diverse range of activities, dedicated staff, and emphasis on personal development, the camp offers an unforgettable experience that shapes children for the better. For any child looking to make the most of their summer, Camp North Star is the perfect destination.

Camp North Star is the top premier Maine sleepaway camp for boys & girls. We offer the best overnight summer camps for kids & teens in New England. Call Now: (207)998-4777

We give Different types of camp north star like-

Sleep away Camp

 Summer Camp

 Sports Camp

 Boys & Girls Camp

Thank You, For More Service’s Please Visit Our Websites.

[brendonbroad254]

Are you looking for the Best Swimming School in Woodlands? then contact Swimfun 123. They offer a wide range of swimming classes and lessons taught by their expert instructors, who are dedicated to helping you improve your skills and achieve your aquatic goals.

[davisroofingrestorationllc]

What to Do In And Near Highbanks Metro Park

Highbanks Metro Park is a popular 1,200-acre swath of wooded land that extends along the north bank of the Olentangy River. The park has some hiking trails, but they are not well marked. You can get lost easily in this park so be sure to stay on the trail and keep an eye out for poison ivy!

The park is a 1,200-acre swath of wooded land that extends along the north bank of the Olentangy River in Lewis Center. The park features more than 14 miles of trails and there are several overlooks for you to enjoy. At Highbanks Metro Park you can walk around its 1,200 acres of forested nature trails, ride your bike on one of many bike paths or relax at an overlook. Visitors can also spend time enjoying the woodlands by hiking various nature trails or by kayaking down the river on a calm day.

Activities

Walk the trails

Ride a bike

Hike

Play disc golf or volleyball on the lawns of Highbanks Metro Park. The park has two soccer fields, one tennis court, and basketball courts for those who want to play sports in the summertime. There are also picnic areas where you can sit and enjoy nature! If you want to swim in the river then head over to one of the many beaches nearby such as Rocky River State Park (just outside Cleveland) or down by Lake Erie itself near Peninsula State Park (also not too far away).

Nature Center

The Great Lakes Nature Center is a great place to learn about the environment and wildlife of the Highbanks Metro Park area, as well as to find out how you can help conserve it. They offer fun, hands-on programs for kids and adults alike that are great for all ages. The Nature Center also has exhibits on display, including live animals like snakes, frogs and turtles!

You can get there by driving or biking along Harshman Road to the main parking lot near the entrance of Highbanks Metro Park. The Nature Center is open every day except Mondays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM during spring through fall (in winter months they are only open Saturdays). For more information on what's happening at this nature center and what's coming up next visit their website at www.greatlakesnaturecenter.com

We Rock the Spectrum - Columbus

If you’re looking for a local nonprofit that is dedicated to offering children with special needs a chance to learn music, We Rock the Spectrum may be the organization for you. They offer lessons in a variety of instruments and styles, including rock guitar and piano. Children can also learn arts and crafts, acting, dance and more!

Trails, Trails and More Trails

Highbanks Metro Park is a wonderful place to get lost in the woods. The park offers over 20 miles of trails, varying from easy to strenuous. As you weave your way through the forested areas and meadows on one of these trails, there are plenty of signs along the way that help guide you through. They also have maps available for purchase at their information center so that if you wish to revisit a favorite spot or try something new, you can easily navigate your way there using those maps and trail markers as guides instead of carrying around your phone or GPS device (although they do have those too).

The park is kept up very well with little littering occurring thanks in part to volunteers who work hard each year during clean-up days in April and September before winter sets in with its snow cover which tends to make cleanup efforts more difficult due to limited accessibility but nonetheless adds beauty throughout all seasons!

No matter what route you take within Highbanks Metro Park or whether it's walking alone or with friends...there will always be something beautiful waiting just around any corner!

Momilani Land Polaris

Momilani Land Polaris is a miniature golf course, arcade and restaurant all in one. It’s a wonderland for the entire family, even if you're not much of a golfer. The course offers three unique 18-hole courses—Desert Storm, Tropical Paradise and Hollywood Scene—so there are plenty of ways to play mini-golf at Momilani Land Polaris with hours upon hours of entertainment options.

In addition to its fun activities on the green, Momilani Land Polaris is also great for birthday parties. Give your child an unforgettable experience by throwing them their own birthday party at this fun spot!

The best part about Momilani Land Polaris is that it's indoors during the winter months. That way you don't have to worry about bad weather interfering with your plans!

There are lots of things to do at Highbanks Metro Park.

Whether you're looking to explore nature or get out of the house, Highbanks Metro Park is a great place to spend an afternoon. Here are some of our favorite things to do there:

Go on a hike. There are over 20 miles of trails at Highbanks Metro Park that wind through forests and fields and along rivers. The trail map can help you find your way (or ask for directions at the nature center).

Visit the nature center. As part of this world-class park, there's also a wildlife education center where kids can learn about animals in their habitats with hands-on activities like bird feedings, animal encounters and more!

Play at momilani land polaris - one of Ohio's best indoor playgrounds! We offer bounce houses, slides, obstacle courses and much more!

Highbanks Metro Park is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you want to get some exercise on the trails or just sit back and relax, this park has something for everyone.

Roofing Highbanks Metro Park is the process of covering a roof with material such as asphalt shingles, timber shakes or tin. The modern roofs are generally covered with a layer of heat-insulating and weatherproofing material, such as asphalt shingles, clay tiles or slate tiles.

Roofs are built to provide a waterproof barrier over the uppermost level of the building. The construction materials used in roofs vary greatly and can be broadly classified into two types - solid roofing materials and sheet roofing materials. Solid roofs are generally made of stone slabs or concrete masonry units (CMU) that are laid in cement mortar on top of support beams known as purlins which are fixed to the rafters or trusses by nails or tie rods. Alternatively, it can also be built on top of a flat deck called platform decking for example at a mine site. Sheet roofs have numerous advantages over solid roofs including lower cost, ease of installation and more design flexibility.

Davis Roofing & Restoration, LLC Highbanks Metro Park (614) 706-7003 https://davisroofingohio.com/

[oyouguaquatics]

Oyougu Aquatics- the best place for Kids!

Our programme is the number one location for swimming lessons for kids in Bishan because it provides a specialised child and junior aquatic programme in a compact and personalised setting. Our newly constructed facility is clear, tidy, and equipped with soft, double-sanitized water and the best facility at Woodland for swimming lessons.

Infants can begin their water exploration as early as six weeks of age in a specialised parent and baby class. Our instructors are well trained and skilled in teaching early life skills such as safety and swimming. They are the best at providing swimming lessons for kids in Bishan.

Swimmers aged 3 and up can opt for Woodland swimming lessons in small groups that concentrate on fitness, ability progression, and cultivating a love of the water without the presence of a parent in the water. Our certified instructors have several years of collective experience to help both students achieve their potential. Oyougu Aquatics is known for its emphasis on technique excellence

[mylovewillneverdie-if]

Hi! Could you share 4 facts about each ro?

Kalyn:

Gets embarrassed super easily. Especially in situations where you wouldn't expect to embarrass him, but then he's excellent in cases you'd fully expect to see him turn red.

One of his favorite hobbies is going horseback riding through the forest. It's something that makes him feel closer to you because it's something you'd both commonly do together.

Is extremely protective of the people that he cares about a great deal. It's something that will never change.

Loves animals a great deal. You'll constantly see him interacting with the castle hounds when he's able to do so.

Isabelle:

Can speak a multitude of languages, which comes in handy whenever she needs to speak with various diplomats from outside countries.

Is mainly found in her study on any given day. As work has become one of the most important things in her life.

Didn't always see herself as becoming a diplomat, but now that she is one she couldn't imagine being anything else.

Likes to go swimming whenever she can find the time.

Spencer:

Didn't wish to be the heir at first. In fact, they tried to pass the honor onto their younger sibling, but that didn't end up working that well.

Always has a dagger somewhere on their person. It's a hard habit to break after years of self-defense lessons.

Doesn't look at the scar on their collarbone that much because it reminds them of a time they'd rather not revisit.

Absolutely detests visiting the capital of Beruvia, because they know that you won't be there too.

Nathan/Natasha:

Has a whole collection of various woodland creatures that adore them. They're partial to cute bunnies that like to follow them around at times.

They're not close with many people, but they'd help you with anything because they know that you're someone they can trust.

Gathered that you were the lost heir fairly quickly, but wasn't about to stick their nose into business that didn't have anything to do with them.

Is an amazing archer of some repute, but they don't show off their skill that much. Rarely, in fact.

[tookishrogue]

rest

y’all, I am on a roll! enjoy <3

pairing: none! 

warnings: mention of death, wine, weapons, grief

A/N: this was more angsty than I intended (it’s supposed to be fluff oops), but I wanted to incorporate familial love, loss, and comfortable solitude into one fic! interpret the end any way you want lol.

taglist: @blueberryrock​, @scyllas-revenge​, @zalie, @to-be-frank-i-dont-care, @justmemyselfandthefridge​, @heckin-music-dork​, @frodo-with-glasses​! to be added to my taglist, send me an ask over on @starryeyedrogue​ or here! I check both often:) 

translations of Elvish words (SPOILERS): 

Ni blodren tye, mime yondo. Tye ehtelë. Ni mel tye. - roughly translated as “I am so proud of you, my son. You have done well. I love you.”

 Parf Edhellen - term of endearment for young child (male)

     Finally, a day off. No meetings with his father, no lessons, nothing. A full day to himself; a rare occasion for the Woodland Prince. Of course, he had caught wind of some trouble brewing outside of Mirkwood, but until further notice, the day would be spent on his own, enjoying his limited freedom to the fullest. Legolas had planned the day’s activities weeks before, his father approving them beforehand. With a brief nod of greeting to the guard, the Elf slung his bow and arrows over his shoulder, heading off into the surrounding forest. The stream below the bridge gurgled and bubbled as usual, splashing the stones on either side. After a few minutes of brisk walking, the Prince pulled a small bag from within his cloak. He had been careful to hide it on his way out, an inspection would only take up more time. An apple and a wineskin hardly qualified as dangerous. He smirked to himself, taking a swig of his father’s finest wine. It was potent, as always, but years of secretly drinking it had made him immune to its effects. It was sweet; a delicate bouquet of apples, spices, and the finest grapes in the kingdom could easily fool any newcomer; it was designed to make the consumer doubt both its potency and origins; one could never tell it was even alcoholic if it hadn’t been so strongly labeled.

     As he reached the clearing, he set down his bag and readied the bow, the worn, nearly destroyed target from his childhood still resting against a large boulder. The poorly-drawn Orc he had scribbled as an Elfling still remained, hundreds of years later -- an enchantment from the paint. Even from childhood, his father had taught him to be an expert archer. Chips of the boulder were missing from stray arrows hitting it; he could count the times he had missed on one hand, but even as a child he was powerful, deadly. He smiled to himself, tracing the marks with his fingers. This place had been his favorite place from before he could even remember. His mother had helped him paint the Orc, taught him to swim in the nearby creek, to climb the tall trees, to identify the wildlife and foliage. After her death, he could hardly bring himself to come back; it took him a full year to return. He had felt a strange calling, a gentle suggestion to return. The flowers here were his mother’s favorites; they only grew in this clearing. His parents had met there; it was a sacred place for both father and son. Legolas could still feel her presence here.

     After a few moments of taking in the beauty of the clearing, he walked several paces away, far enough that the large stone was barely visible to his Elven vision. Legolas took a deep, steadying breath before shooting. He hadn’t aimed; he trusted the bow and his own skill to guide the arrow into its proper place. After several seconds of the arrow slicing through the air, it thunked into the target, piercing the exact center of the Orc’s face, the deep dip from thousands of arrows past hitting the same place over time. 

     Another arrow. Another bullseye. Another steadying breath. Legolas closed his eyes this time, truly testing his skill. He performed a quick turn, a twirl, almost, before shooting randomly. Seconds passed. Thunk. Crack. He opened his eyes; the familiar sound of an arrow piercing and snapping the other as it hit the target in the same exact spot as the other greeted him. Another arrow broken. Father will be proud; I’m improving. He hummed his mother’s lullaby as he plucked the victorious arrow from the splintered pieces of its predecessor, carefully tightening the sharpened arrowhead, a precautionary measure. He shot a few more arrows, never missing the bullseye. 

     Eventually, he grew tired of this -- perfection can’t be improved upon -- and finished off the last of the wine and apple. He lay back in the grass, watching the clouds float by. As he watched, his mind wandered to his mother. She had died when he was but a child; his memories of her were nearly indistinguishable from his dreams of her; which were real, his dreams or reality? Could it be possible that both were real? He shook his head, banishing the thought. The wine must be going to his head, as unlikely as it was. He drifted off to sleep, the tall grass gently caressing his cheek as he rolled over onto his side. A tear slid down his face as he slipped into a deep sleep, the soft, subtle scent of his mother’s perfume floating from an unknown source.

     Legolas slowly awoke. As he rubbed his eyes, he realized he had been crying in his sleep. Odd, he thought. He dismissed the beginnings of a thought, not wanting to even entertain it. He stood slowly, stretching. He glanced up at the sky, checking the position of the sun. A few hours had passed. Clearly he had needed the sleep. The river nearby -- the same as the one by the entrance of the palace -- seemed to call to him with its endless babbling. Without a second thought, he removed his boots and rolled up his pantlegs, walking towards it. The grass was warmer than expected; the temperature was warmer than he had planned for. He waded into it, glanced around, and began splashing about, delighting in the cool water. He allowed himself to play, to frolic, for the first time since he was a child. He laughed aloud, surprised at himself for even doing this. 

     The familiar sound of a woman’s laughter -- his mother’s! -- joined in with his own, though it seemed far away, echoing down the stream. Legolas froze, alarmed. He scanned the area, looking for the source. Once again, it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere, all at once. A slight splash from the river hit him in the face, followed by the scent of his mother’s perfume and her light, teasing giggle. Through a misty-eyed smile, he kicked back, the water passing through the air as usual. More laughter, this time delighted. He spent the rest of the day playing in the river, ignoring the numbing cold from the water. His mother’s last words came to him, echoing in his memory. “Take care of your father. We both know how he can be. I love you, parf edhellen.” Tears filled his eyes, his heart aching from the loss, despite it being hundreds of years later. 

     He suddenly felt a soft hand cupping his cheek, the scent of his mother’s perfume became stronger as a cold breeze blew through the space around him. New words came to him: “Ni blodren-o tye, mime yondo. Tye ehtelë. Ni mel tye.”