#meaning i can finally get on some flat redecorations and stuff

[tjerra14]

The bliss of waking up on a fine Saturday morning only to realise a few seconds later that it is, in fact, barely Thursday

[anxiouslyfred]

Blackberry Delivery Service

Summary: Where soulmates get plants that reflect what is done to each of them at unpredictable time of their lives, schools teach it’s about maturity. Virgil has known this is wrong since he got his plant at the young age of 8.

Remus never learns this before the night everything goes wrong gets followed by a day out of Roman’s daydreams.

/\/\

Nobody had figured out yet how the delivery service worked. There were classes in schools covering the history of soulmates and the plants connected to them which could go over how when people roamed the lands or lived in small villages and tribes they'd be drawn to the plants when they were ready for it. That still happened in a lot of the indigenous cultures, where spending time among nature was a larger part of their way of life.

For the people in cities though a delivery service had opened with the advent of a postal service. When a person became ready to care for their plant it would be delivered at a time they were alone at home and then the van would disappear for somewhere else. No base was known of for the Soulmate plants delivery, nor any greenhouses and plenty of legends surrounded the vans but nothing could get confirmed.

Virgil had read everything he could about them regardless. Originally it was dreaming that he'd get his plant one day and learn how he can find his soulmate with it. Receiving it when he was just 8 years old had grown the interest into the reasons people claimed they got their plants.

What schools taught was that if you are mature enough to care for someone, or something, living other than yourself and put their needs on the same level as your own then the plant would be delivered. The forums and multitudes of orphanages and care homes gave out different lessons, leaflets filled with personal stories about people getting their plant so they had something to look forward to, a reassurance there was somebody out their for them.

That was why Virgil received his plant. His parents had busy jobs and rarely spared a thought for their son, so long as he was fed, clean and his clothes were the good quality expected of reasonably wealthy parents. He'd gotten lonely and used to being ignored, or a second thought to everyone but the blackberry bust he received was a promise that wouldn't continue forever.

And that was how he continued on, looking after the plant and trying its best to help it grow. The thorns were longer than a normal blackberry bush and grew in a higher number but the berries were a wonderful balanced of sweet and tangy. It was soon Virgil's favourite treat, as long as the berries came from his soulmate plant. If only he could tell his soulmate was looking after theirs as well, but nothing changed except what Virgil did to the plant.

/Years Later for Remus\

It had taken far too long for Remus to save up the money for his own flat. Still, 10 times fired is 20 people he knows can't accept who he is, and he could finally move out from Roman's apartment.

He'd thought there could be a celebration, him and his brother having a game night or something to mark the achievement. Sure Remus would have liked to do more than that, go to a bar, or maybe bowling and see how many innuendos and dirty jokes he could make around it, but with Roman back in rehearsals a night in, getting him settled into the flat would have been nice.

Instead they argued, Remus hurt over the dismissal Roman gave. “I can't just fritter away hours with you. This could be a big break for me if it gets the presses attention so I have to be responsible for my time.”

“It's one night, Ro. One night to get that stick out of your arse, loosen up and just be silly again. Fuck, we could find an adventure on a hike and play dragons and princes again like we used to. Toast the fact I'm making it on my own now.” Remus had pleaded, just needing something to mark the change.

“Yeah and then in a month, possibly two, you'll be asking for an adventure or night out to celebrate you moving straight back in.” Roman scoffed, dismissing the idea and Remus's long standing dream of independence in one sentence.

Remus had slammed the door to his flat open then. He'd made the offer when they finished moving all his stuff over to the apartment and there was something darkly satisfying that he could now actually kick Roman out now. “Fuck you, Get the hell out of here! You've watched how fucking hard I've worked to get this and now you think I'm going to throw it all away for what?” He made no attempt to keep his voice down, too hurt and angry to care.

“Yeah, cause you're so mature. You haven't even received a plant to look after yet.” Roman had started to protest but as soon as Remus's missing plant was mentioned he was getting manhandled out of the door.

“I'm blocking you everywhere. I fucking trusted you!” Remus screamed, throwing cushions from the sofa at the door as soon as he'd slammed it shut, locking it behind Roman.

Remus had tried. He'd done everything he could think of to be mature enough to get that soulmate plant, but it still hadn't been delivered. Every day he hoped that perhaps finally it would come; that whatever spirits created and delivered the plants would finally realise he was ready for the soulmate plant.

He'd even kept a garden on the balcony at Roman's house. That was Remus's space and he'd kept it alive, thriving even. Every plant he'd had there had now found a place on window sills around the apartment, as specified to their requirements as Remus could manage.

For Roman to have thrown his missing soulmate plant back at him was too far, and his brother should have known that. It had turned the first night in his apartment which Remus had been so excited to finally afford from being a celebration to one of near destruction.

Remus had agreed with fix and redecorate the apartment for a reduced rent so he decided to move the screaming in his brain to chipping the cracked tiling away from the walls of the bathroom. The landlord had offered it when learning he was a joiner after his most recent building course. With every strike he wished it was a stem he could yank away from Roman's lavender bush, make him realise just how it felt to be missing something everyone insisted was important.

Mud, plants and carpentry could only get Remus so far until he was collapsing onto his new bed, and the tears came.

A new home, but an even lonelier life than before now he couldn't face the last person to try and stick with him again.

/A New Day Comes\

Remus thought the knock on his door must be Roman, trying to apologise or just explain himself. There were always more explanations from Roman than spoken apologies. The apology was shown in his behaviour and the time he cut himself off.

He definitely didn't expect the knock to be a blackberry bush and a van driving out of sight.

An apartment with no balcony or attached garden was probably the worst possible place Remus could try to grow blackberries, but he didn't have much choice, not over what his soulmate plant was, or where it could grow. There was at least a large window in his bedroom that he could find space for it in.

Remus gave it a small smile as he carried it through, leaving it at the foot of his bed for a moment. “Well I guess you were finally ready to come to me then. You just wait here while I shift some of your new friends around to give you a nice spot to rest in.” He says, stroking the leaves lightly before turning away.

“This isn't the ideal space for you, I know, but it's what I have and what's mine is yours, Buddy. Well for you and all my other plant friends of course. I don't care if your connected to my soulmate, these guys get all my love just as much as you do.” Remus was rambling, still mostly talking to the blackberry bush but nuzzling into the other plants he had as they were moved, some closer together and a couple taken to one of the other windowsills.

“I'm no more mature than I was yesterday so it seems like the teachers were just saying more bullshit to us all. Wonder why you're actually here though. Unless it's because I'm completely alone in the world now, and this is all just a complete scam. What makes me being completely alone the trigger when Roman got his years ago after a night moping that he's never be someone's hero?” They'd still been living with their parents when that happened, but now Remus was focused on being lied to by schools.

He shook his head, moving the bush to the new spot. “Maybe I should have tried mixing those chemicals in science labs given everything else they've lied over. I bet it wouldn't have caused anything fun to happen anyway. Now Buddy, you need a frame or some support to hook onto and then I want to start checking online if there are any people around caring for blackberry bushes. If my soulmate already has you then I'm gonna be telling them off for not caring for you properly. Lack of gardening knowledge does not mean you're unable to research a singular plant.”

Remus fell to humming as he started rooting through the boxes that hadn't yet been unpacked for his gardening supplies. He'd need to trim the bush a bit and get it tied onto a frame. There was plenty of time before he had work to get that done.

/Over to Virgil\

After growing up with his blackberry bush, Virgil never expected anything to change with it. He wasn't sure if that was because his soulmate was content to let him look after it or if they just hadn't received their plant yet.

This morning was proving they probably hadn't received it until now and were very knowledgable about how to look after their plants. Virgil had watched as the canes were cut, thorns trimmed away in the busier areas of the bush and then as a frame appeared in the pot, stalks being tied to it from the bottom upwards.

It had been a relaxing if confusing scene to watch but Virgil hadn't wanted to look away. There was evidence he had a soulmate and apparently one who's a very avid gardener.

Part of him wanted to cheer, to dance around his home screaming for joy. He had a soulmate out there, and now their plants were more identifiable than the wild growth that was all Virgil understood enough to achieve. There was a chance he could one day find someone who wouldn't just be talking to him for his family name, or in the hopes of getting a higher role in his mother's business.

It just made Virgil want to go out and start actually trying to find whomever they were, but what if they were annoyed that he hadn't taken better care of their plant? What if they had their life all put together and only cared about the plant because soulmates were meant to be important to them and he'd just disappoint them?

There were hundreds of what if questions that Virgil was now coming up with, stilling his hands as he went to search the 'match my plant' websites there were.

Instead he just double checked his Blackberry bush was watered enough and drew a V in the soil, washing his hands before finally heading into the restaurant his parents wanted checking on today. They'd decided Virgil should have a role as site inspector for the restaurants while they were refurbished or put together for a new site opening at some point and Virgil didn't mind the role. It gave him the chance to meet normal people in the builders, electricians and other skilled jobs as well as avoid special treatment from the restaurants staff since most of the time they'd never meet him officially.

Today the site was having fitted counters installed as well as the tables secured for the private booths. Virgil would really just be checking everything looked right and hoping to avoid chatting to the joiner for too long.

“Hey there, Are you the boss man for the site?” There was a man in fluorescent overalls trying to peer through the windows of the restaurant, knocking on them as Virgil walked up to it.

Most of the builders had been given the morning off so they didn't get in the way but the actions of the man had Virgil checking the time and realising he'd set off late after watching his plant get looked after. “Yep, that's me. Sorry I ran a little late. It seems like my soulmate has gotten their plant and was doing a lot of gardening for it this morning. I got distracted watching it.” The explanation was far more than the joiner needed to know, but it felt deserved given Virgil was late.

“Cool thing, Patches. I got mine this morning too. Must be a busy day for the delivery guys. You planning on letting us in or should I break a window and replace it on my way out?” The man had walked back to the van that was parked on the pavement in front of the restaurant as he spoke, but leaned back to wink at Virgil when he suggested the vandalism.

Virgil shook his head, snorting a little at the idea. It didn't seem serious so he wasn't going to treat it as such. “First, I'm gonna need to see some ID, preferably your traders license. Can't just trust people who ask if I run the building without introducing themselves at all.” He did pull the keys out of his pocket though, waiting beside the door as the other bounced back over.

“Well, I'm Remus, here's my card, call me whenever for whatever cause a body like yours I ain't gonna refuse.” Remus definitely checked Virgil out as he spoke but still handed over his license, a business card behind it that Virgil pocketed.

Unlocking the door, he shook his head again. “I'm Virgil and will need to call the company doing the rest of this place to complain about the state they've left it in. Sorry it seems to be chaos. I did order them to leave it clear yesterday but apparently my instructions were ignored.”

Remus didn't seem to care, already carrying various boards and his toolkit, just making large steps over any equipment or items left in his way. “I got a blackberry bush this morning. You said you thought your soulmate had got theirs today too so what's yours?”

“Oh, yeah, same. It's blackberries too. I've been scared that I'll hurt it if I do anything though so have mostly left it to grow its own way once I got a mini greenhouse to look after it in.” Virgil agreed, pulling his phone out, and falling into mumbles over how to make the call.

It was only moments later when Virgil looked up to actually double check the number, ever doubting his phone had saved it correctly, that he realised Remus had frozen and started watching him, large siding board still balanced on his shoulder. “Did I say something wrong? Is there something I need to raise as a big issue to like health and safety that I've missed?” He asked.

Remus bounced between his feet for a moment, almost falling before he remembered the siding and leant it against the wall. “No Dude, but like, does your plant look something like this now?” He pulled his phone out while speaking, flicking through a few screens before showing a picture of Virgil's blackberry bush, except it was surrounded by dozens of other plants on a windowsill that was in dire need of fresh paint and probably new frames all together.

“That's – That is my plant! Even down to the frame that appeared!” Virgil exclaimed, almost snatching the phone away to look closer at the picture. “I watched everything getting trimmed and tied onto the frame this morning.” He muttered, all thoughts of scolding the builders leaving his mind in the moment.

“So you're my soulmate then?” Remus asked after a minute of waiting for that connection to be made.

Virgil didn't think his eyes could get any wider or that he could be any more shocked than he already was, but that sentence would have managed it. “Well, must be, this is my plant so yeah.” He nodded frantically through the explanation.

He was a bit confused when Remus's expression darkened to a scowl. “This entire soulmate thing is fucked up. Nothing against you but is this stupid damnable universe telling me I had to go through losing or falling out with everyone I know only to get my plant and meet my soulmate on the same fucking day? It's ridiculous and stupid. If it wanted to pull this fairytale bullshit with anyone it should have been with Roman. This feels like he's fucking writing the story of my day just to spite me after throwing everything I've been trying to do back in my face yesterday.” The rant had Virgil backing away a little, sitting down on one of the benches as Remus carried on.

“I did every fucking thing I could to be whatever stupid ideal of mature this world wants before letting people have their plants for years! I scraped through course after course, job after job just trying to find one which I could make a career out of, earn enough to get even a ratty apartment I need to fix up for the landlord and then have the universe fucking telling me to speed run the entire process. Not just, hey Remus, you can finally have the soulmate plant to look after since you've been looking after your hundred plant babies so well, but hey Remus, you brother is a fucking bastard so you're all alone but here's a plant and hey, here's your entire fucking soulmate too.” Remus was screaming at the walls, the ceiling, anywhere that wasn't Virgil, looking like he was two steps from destroying the next thing he looked at closer to ground level.

Virgil usually felt panicked by watching displays of anger like this in real people. He'd usually do everything he can to get out of that situation but instead he just listened and waited, learning more from the rant than he'd expected to.

The yelling must have been audible from outside or something because there was soon a knock on the window of the restaurant, although Remus didn't seem to hear it. He did notice when Virgil stood though, falling quiet to watch him as though expecting him to say something.

With a gesture to the door Virgil went to open it, only to blink as someone almost identical to Remus stood on the opposite side, holding what he guessed might have been a peppermint plant. “Hi, um, sorry if I can't do this, but Remus hasn't been answering my calls and had mentioned doing some work here today. Is he still around?” The man asked, shifting to try and see further into the store.

“Who are you, first? And what's with the plant?” Virgil held a hand up to keep them outside, raising an eyebrow at their discomfort.

“His brother, Roman. I said something I really shouldn't have and have come to beg for forgiveness. The plant is part of my apology.” With that explanation, especially following the rant he'd just heard Virgil held one finger up before shutting the door in his face.

Remus seemed to have started getting his work tools out now his rant had been cut off when Virgil sat down again. “So that was some rant you had there and given I've had my blackberry bush since I was 8, I might be able to explain what actually seems to be the time the plants come to us. Before that though, are you going to start screaming again if I say there's someone at the door holding a plant and asking if you're here so they can beg for forgiveness?” He explained, watching as Remus turned to him and then deflated.

“He literally said I wouldn't last more than a couple months in my new apartment before having to live with him again, threw the fact I hadn't got my plant yet in my face last night and is now trying to apologise with a fucking plant?” Remus muttered, but sighed as he stood up.

Roman was let in silently and he seemed to watch Remus as if expecting something to be said first. Remus was watching his brother just as carefully, before glancing over to Virgil.

“Seriously. Are we sure the universe hasn't stolen one of Roman's stories and decided to dump me into it?” He asked, taking the peppermint from Roman and placing it in front of the window.

“I have literally known Roman for all of 2 seconds so have no clue what those stories might be like to say.” Virgil pointed out, knowing his expression was probably reflecting how crazy he found the question to be.

Remus rolled his eye, “I see no prostrating yourself on the floor to beg for forgiveness. This apology so far sucks worse than Mrs PeePee's apple sorbet.” He glanced over to Roman who was looking between them confused.

“Yes, of course dear Brother, except there isn't exactly space on the floor for that to be possible. I spoke entirely out of turn yesterday and should have never even considered speaking to you the way I have done. You have my deepest apologies and I swear that I will do everything I can to help make it up to you. In fact I would be honoured if tonight you'd accompany to the indoor mini golf course that's opening on the edge of town. It's rainforest themed and I hear rumours they've included a swamp area.” Roman bowed as he was speaking, actually glancing around to see if it was safe for him to kneel.

Virgil couldn't help snickering at it though, and Remus was soon to join in the laughter. “Let's all go actually. I need to know if this idiot is entertaining beyond cheap jokes and loud rants to tell the universe off.” Virgil agreed, before glancing at the sideboard and the time. There was still a couple of hours before the rest of the builders should arrive, hopefully enough time for Remus to do some of the work he was actually here for.

“Sure, you're forgiven and I think the universe has done pretty much everything I would have asked you to do or try to do already.” Remus agreed, jumping over a few things back to where he would be fitting the counters. “By the way, this is my soulmate and I got a blackberry bush this morning. Only figured that it was the same as his like 10 minutes before you got here.”

“Was that what the screaming was about? I thought someone was injured?” Roman asked, moving to the bench when Virgil shrugged and patted it.

Virgil snorted. “Yeah, Remus has a few things to say to whatever does soulmates about how today has gone for him. Not sure the universe listens to people screaming in restaurants-to-be though.”

Eventually Virgil would get Roman to share one of the stories Remus had kept referencing and had to agree: The day they met really did seem to come out of Roman's imagination.

[justkending]

Just Roommates. Chapter 24.

Series Summary: These two college friends have had years to grow together. Each being the others support system, adventure buddy, movie night partner, and dorky roommates. That is until things start coming to a new light in their relationship. At least for him… Is there something else there? Is it possible? Were these feelings always there?

Pairing: (Modern) Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warning: Fluff, Adulting, sexy-times mentions, language.

Word Count: 2000+

A/N: A little short and fluffy chapter for you all as I bring together the future of this series:) Hope you enjoy my dream world!

Chapter 24:

Sure enough... It wasn't much of a quicky. Bucky and Y/N ended up at their friends house a good 30 minutes later than everyone else, and it did NOT go unnoticed.

After coming out to the crowd at the gala about their relationship, they figured it was time to confess to their friend group as well.

But after Nat said, "Good God, it took you long enough. I've been waiting close to a month for you guys to finally say something." They realized that their little secret wasn't much of a secret at all.

Bucky had moaned and groaned as the boys hassled him for waiting so damn long, and Y/N and the girls immediately started talking details as they sat around the fire in Wanda and Visions back yard. The night was simple, intimate, and a great memory compared to the annoyance that happened at the ball.

All of that was quickly left in the back of their minds after they had their sweet friend group gathering. Time together like that always gave them a little reboot when the world seemed to be going too fast. Who better to slow down with than your best friends?

3 Months later.

"Babe?" Y/N shouted from the front door as she came home from work.

"In my room!" he shouted back.

Bucky had been working at home more often because things had calmed down in the business. He never REALLY had to go in as much as he had to before, but being the good boss he was, he made sure to be present. Now, he was trying to find things to help with the No Soldier Left Behind center more, so it was easier to just set up shop in his room where he had a mini office to the side, and not have to worry about people distracting him.

"Hey," Y/N smiled as she leaned her head into the room.

Bucky looked up from his computer and sent her the same grin she was giving him.

"Hey gorgeous," he chuckled when she didn't come in fully. "You just going to hang out by the door, or are you going to come in and give me a 'Honey, I'm home' kiss?" he teased.

"I actually have a surprise for you," she said with a wider grin, but one that showed she was up to something. Bucky knew that smile a little too well.

"What did you do?" he questioned slowly pushing his chair back going to stand.

"Wait! Stay right there!" she shook her head, but her hands were behind her showing whatever the surprise was was behind her back. "First, I got flowers for the week," she said, bringing a bouquet of her weekly flowers out. "One of your favorites. Baby breath, lavender, and daisies."

"Thanks sweetheart. That's sweet, but why do I feel like another boot is about to drop?" he probed, tilting his head as he put his hands on the arms rest and leaned back. He wanted to stand and go to her, but she told him to not move, so here he was.

"Well, that's the second part of the surprise..." she said tilting her head more and scrunching her nose.

Damn that nose scrunch! She knew what that did to him.

"Y/N..." he drug out.

"Just close your eyes real quick-"

"Y/N."

"Please! Please! I promise it's a good thing!"

"You said that last time and I ended up with a face mask on and my hair in two french braids."

"Don't act like you didn't like it," she scoffed with a small rolling of her eyes. "You love spa night."

"Sam found out and said I lost a piece of my man card," he crossed his arms.

"No, you gained a piece because you're secure in your masculinity unlike 99% of men out there," she countered. "Forget that for now though! Close your eyes."

"I don't know what I'm getting myself into-"

"That's the best part!" she shouted with a loud sigh, "Close your eyes or else Buck." The last part was said with a hint of a threatening tone was all it took Bucky to surrender. He put his hands up before crossing them again and doing as she asked.

He wanted to peak and he was so close to doing it, but right when he was about to break she giggled.

"Ok, open 'em!"

Bucky wouldn't have even come close to guessing what was sitting in front of him. Outstretched in her arms was a white cat with even bluer eyes than him. His hair wasn't long, but it wasn't short, and he had a big bushy tail. He looked as if he was kinda small for a cat given he wasn't a kitten.

"You got a c-"

"A cat!" she jumped pulling the white furball back into her arms and cradling it as he purred to her.

Bucky didn't know how to react. He never had a pet growing up, and even if he were to, he imagined it would've been a dog. Not a cat. Cats always seemed so temperamental and angsty. But the way this one was looking at him made him second guess his quick judgement.

"Don't be mad. There was a girl trying to get rid of him by the shop where I usually get my flowers. She said it was either someone buy him from her, or she would have to take him to the shelter," Y/N was quick to explain. "I knew we would treat him right compared to another stranger on the street, and if someone didn't get him at the shelter they would probably put him down." The small pout on her lips and the longing look of the cat was all it took Bucky to let out his breath he was holding in and lean back in his chair.

"Ok."

"Wait... You're not mad?" she asked, turning her head to the side.

"No. You were just being you," he chuckled standing up and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said furrowing her eyebrows.

"All good things Sassy. I mean you being you because you constantly are trying to help people, and apparently," he looked down at the cat who gave a loud purr where she was rubbing his tummy. "Animals too."

"Awe, Buck!" she smiled putting the cat down and jumping to hug him around the neck. "You're the best!"

"I know, I know," he laughed as he pulled her into him. "Hey, how about pasta for dinner tonight? I already have the meatballs ready to go."

"Oh, yeah. I've been craving Italian all day. It's like you know me really well or something."

"I know it's crazy, right?" he said looking down at her with a joking grin. "Come on you loon," he said, giving her a quick squeeze to the hip before walking toward the kitchen.

"I'm not a loon," she mumbled following him. "Wait!" she said jumping and bouncing on his back. He was quick to catch her and let out a laugh as he piggy backed her to the kitchen.

"A loon," he chuckled squeezing her calves.

______

Halfway through their meal, Bucky caught Y/N looking around as if inspecting the apartment.

The cat had curled up in the chair next to him having already taken a liking to the man of the house. Bucky every once in a while giving him a scratch on his ear, but still not really sure about the pet just yet.

"Ok, what in the world are you doing?" he finally asked as she furrowed her eyebrows in concentration for the 100th time in the past 15 minutes.

"Nothing, nothing," she shook her head with a light chuckle before snagging a piece of garlic bread.

"That's not nothing. You've been in one of your dream worlds for the past 5 minutes. I can see it in your eyes," he jestered, filling their wine glasses again. "Are you redecorating the house in your head again?"

"Well..."

"Y/N you literally changed the entire layout of the living room just 2 days ago." He couldn't hold back that laugh.

"Ok, but hear me out!" she shouted forgetting her meal and leaning forward with her leg propped up next to her. "How long do you plan on living here?"

"You mean the flat?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Uh, I mean I don't know. I haven't really thought about it," he shrugged, grabbing his wine and relaxing in his chair. "I own it now, so I could sell it anytime."

"Have you ever wanted to live somewhere else?" she questioned propping her chin in her hand as she watched him intently.

"Uh," he paused really thinking about it. I guess if he had a choice he did have a place he always imagined. "Upstate New York actually. I always imagined still being close to friends, but far enough out of the city it would be quite at night. No city lights making the night sky disappear, but instead being able to point out constellations and star gaze. I would have some land, a nice big house, and hell, maybe even a place I can build on and landscape some. I've always wanted to look into that stuff."

He hadn't even realized he was rambling about his dream world, until he finally looked up at Y/N who had a soft smile painted on her lips and admiration in her eyes.

"That sounds beautiful B," was all she said.

Bucky smiled before taking a big sip of his wine. "It's all a dream though. That would be a lot of work to get there, and I'm not sure something like what I want even exist."

"Who says you can't make it exist?"

He looked up at the comment and Y/N was gingerly taking a sip of her own wine as she kept eye contact with him.

"What else do you have up your sleeve today, doll?" he said with a challenging look.

"Oh Buck. It's funny you think it's just today," she stood grabbing her finished plate and his. "I always have something up my sleeve. Every. Day." With that, she sashayed her hips to the sink with a smirk on her lips.

But Bucky was two steps behind, and as soon as the dishes were no longer in her hands, he was already picking her up.

"Tell me what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours Y/N!" he said fake biting at her shoulder, neck, and ear getting a laughing fit out of her.

"B, put me down!" she shouted as she tried to stop laughing, but his hands were already working their way under her shirt and tickling her stomach too. "Bucky!"

"Tell me!"

"Ok, ok! Put me down!'

He relented, sorta. He placed her to sit on the island, and then put his hands on either side of her thighs as he trapped her in. She wasn't leaving anytime soon if he had a say. Gently and ever so lovingly she leaned forward placing her forehead on his and smiled. Bucky loved when she did this cause it was intimate in a whole other way. It was like she was opening that mind of hers and letting him peak inside it.

"How do you feel about moving in together?" she whispered.

Bucky chuckled a little, but didn't move. "I'd say we seem to have already've done that."

"What about into your dream home? Our dream home?"

"What are you getting at Y/N/N?" he said, finally pulling back enough to see her face. He sweetly pulled some stray hair behind her ears as he kept eye contact with her.

"I mean... What if we moved in with each other for REAL, and got our dream house together? How would you feel about that?" Her big doe eyes were captivating and practically asking Bucky to give them the world.

All he could do was let that lopsided grin he only gave to her, grow on his face.

"I would say that sounds like an even better dream than I could imagine."

Just Roommates:

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Marvel Tags:

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[breakingsomething]

the fall part nine - the truth about magic

basic summary: henrik meets some old friends, a LOT of worldbuilding happens, and the world falls apart

trigger warnings: vomit, kidnapping, violence

tagslist: @synonymsforzombie @spicydanhowell @skyewardlight @dreaming-of-stories-and-stars @cest-mellow

henrik was hurting. his phone was dead. and he had not realized how far away the golf club was.

fuck, maybe he was going to need help.

he wasn't far from one of his coworker's houses, and they were on... decent terms, so henrik figured he'd be able to rest a bit there and maybe ask him for a lift. just the thought spurred him on, giving him the energy to walk just the little bit further to the expensive houses two streets away.

this was one of the much nicer areas of brighton. of course, henrik and his coworker worked as surgeons. that was a high paying job. but henrik lived in a small flat with his brothers (because it was in a safe area to practice magic in, and because staying together had always helped keep anti at bay), and he couldn't help but feel slightly insecure as he limped up to the white doorway surrounded by green shrubs in a well kept garden and rung the bell. christ, even the doorbell sounded posh. henrik winced in pain as he shifted from foot to foot, trying to find a comfortable position to stand in while he waited.

after maybe ten seconds, he heard sounds from the other side. shuffling, footsteps, a loud barking. when the door opened, henrik was immediately greeted by two tiny dogs leaping up his legs, and he cried out, grabbing at the door so his legs wouldn't give out.

"down, bacon, down, hash!" a sharp voice yelled, and henrik's head snapped up from the yipping puppies to the man in the doorway. brown hair shaved at the sides, skin orange from fake tan, wearing plaid pajamas like a cartoon character. nevertheless, he grinned when he saw henrik, bright white teeth practically glowing in his mouth. "schneeplestein!" he boomed, throwing out his arms for a hug that henrik wasn't sure he wanted but felt obliged to accept. "haven't seen you at work in yonks! where've you been, friend? come inside!" he clapped henrik's back, to which he began coughing wildly. the other man didn't appear to notice. "i have another friend inside you may want to see - she also visited unexpectedly, haha! is this a surprise party or something?"

henrik couldn't answer. his head was suddenly spinning, and without warning, he grabbed at the man's shoulder as he collapsed to the floor.

"oh - oh, jeez! schneep, are you alright?" the man asked, yanking him back to his feet. "son of a monkey - what did you do to your leg and your back?"

"parker - don't - i -" henrik ran out of words and simply let parker drag him inside, hardly able to stand up himself. the man rambled on and on as henrik stared, awe struck, at all the intricate decorations and paintings on the walls. "nice place," he managed to say. "it's… changed a bit, since since i was last here."

"it sure has!" parker laughed loudly, guiding him towards what henrik remembered to be the kitchen, if it hadn't been renovated into a ballroom. "me and molly got pay rises, her especially - don't know what i'd do without that woman, by the way - and we redecorated! i like it much better. what do you think, schneep?"

"yeah," henrik agreed weakly. "lovely. also, i've mentioned that i'm not fond of the nickname -"

"and these are our dogs, bacon and hashbrown!" parker interrupted, gesturing towards the fluffy white dogs that were padding behind their owner, tongues hanging out. "very clever names, molly chose them. do you have a cat?"

"my brother has one -"

"ah, so that explains why they're so enthusiastic. they love cat smells. ellie, schneep's here!"

henrik paled as they entered the kitchen and he saw who it was that was sitting at the table.

a woman. long brown hair, a pale, heart shaped face, dark painted lips forming the shape of an "o". henrik didn't blame her; he was doing the same thing. "el - why are you here?"

"i could ask you the same thing," she snapped, scraping her chair back and standing. "nathan, what is henrik doing here?"

parker held up both hands beside his head - not that henrik was looking at him. his eyes were pinned on the furious looking woman at the table, her yellow-brown eyes stormy. she hadn't changed a bit in the six months it had been since he'd last seen her. he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting.

"i didn't invite anyone!" parker cried. "i'm still in my damn nightclothes!"

ellie and henrik simply stared at each other for a long moment, until henrik cried out in sudden pain and grasped one of the kitchen chairs. parker helped him sit, propping his leg up on another chair in front of him.

"what happened?" ellie asked, concern darkening her face despite everything. she shuffled over as parker rolled up his trouser leg, hissing through his teeth in sympathy.

"jeez louise, schneep, these are some bad burns," parker commented. "what the heck did you do? did someone hurt you? should we call a hospital?"

henrik shook his head rapidly. "no, no, no," he babbled desperately. this had so been a bad idea. "i - i need a lift, if that's ok. to the golf club a little ways away. i would have walked, but -"

"oh no, you can't walk like this!" parker exclaimed. "especially not - you could get an infection - what burned you, tell me th-"

he suddenly cut off, eyes glazing over unnaturally. he stood up straight almost robotically before turning and leaving the room. henrik watched him go, confused, before turning to ellie.

"what was that?" he laughed awkwardly, before his face fell. her expression, too, was completely blank for a moment before returning to its previous rage.

"why did you never call?" she asked angrily, as though having forgotten everything they'd just been saying. henrik blinked, wondering how to reply.

"i - well, i…" he trailed off, looking away. "i don't know."

he could feel ellie's eyes on him. the guilt burned underneath his skin.

"six months, henrik," she said softly. "are you that much of a coward? do you always date women then leave them on read for months?"

henrik wanted to argue that he couldn't have left her on read because he'd only ever read her messages from the notification bar, never clicking them, but decided that was maybe a bad thing to bring up at this moment in time. "i didn't mean to," he mumbled. "i got overwhelmed. i'm so sorry, ellie. you deserve better than that."

she paused, staring down. "you're a douchebag," she told her clasped hands.

"i know," henrik agreed miserably. he tapped his fingers on his thighs. "i, uh, hope you have been doing ok. i should have checked up on you. i… haven't exact been very social with anyone recently. things have been happening, which i know is not an excuse for what i did, but… yeah."

she nodded. "i've been doing ok, i guess. nathan's been good to me. he was the only one who kept in touch after i left work."

henrik bobbed his head, guilt eating him up. they sat in awkward silence for a couple minutes until parker came back into the room. "found my keys!" he announced cheerfully, waving them in the air. he had also changed clothes to a pale blue button up and black dress trousers. he looked like he was going to a job interview. "now let's take you…" his blue eyes clouded over again. "where was i taking you?"

"um… hecate golf club." henrik glanced back and forth between parker and ellie, confused. "are you two ok?"

ellie got to her feet suddenly, not looking directly at henrik. "i'll leave too," she said loudly. "i should probably be getting home too. i'll drive myself. thank you, nathan, for your hospitality."

"anytime," he said with a smile. "see you, els. come on, schneeplestein, i gotta get you there before molly gets home. i'm not supposed to leave the dogs home alone for too long."

had they completely forgot about the injuries on his leg and back? henrik stood on shaky legs and limped to the door and outside, where two cars were in the driveway. parker walked over to his car (a mercades benz) and threw open the door casually. "hurry up! i'll get her started, let's just…"

"henrik?" ellie asked quickly, lowering her voice so parker couldn't hear. she turned to face him fully, eyes large. "your whole not talking to me thing… was that because of… the reason i left work? i know people were gossiping, and -"

"mein gott, no!" henrik exclaimed. he shook his head rapidly, rushing to explain. "ellie, i understand - if the whole gossip bullshit is true, then i completely understand. mental health is - it's much more important than work, ok? i get that."

ellie hummed softly, seemingly unconvinced. henrik softened. "perle," he murmured. "did you - did you ever wonder why i took so many breaks from work myself?"

she blinked, but before she could say a word, parker called him over again. "come on, we don't have all day!" he cried, and henrik finally ducked into the car, watching ellie step back.

"i'll call you this time," henrik promised. "i swear."

she said nothing, but the corner of her mouth twitched. henrik sat back in his seat, breathing deeply.

"hecate golf club, here we come," parker told him. henrik craned round to see ellie out the window. she was standing in the driveway still, but she was smiling softly.

-

the drive to hecate was rather awkward, especially given that lucas was their driver.

"are you like, the official chauffeur of hecate?" marvin asked sarcastically from the back seat. chase had called shotgun, and was awkwardly tapping his seat with his nails as lucas drove.

"kinda, actually!" lucas said cheerfully. "my main magic specialty is shields and protection, after all. i make a good chauffer."

"really?" chase said, looking up at lucas with wide eyes. "marvin can do protection spells and stuff, is that what you do?"

"kinda," lucas said again. "marvin here is a very skilled magician - one of the best i've seen. he can probably do the spells better than me, not gonna lie." he laughed, and marvin sunk lower in his seat, glaring out the window and listening to the other two chatter on and on.

he wasn't sure how chase was so calm, given what they'd just heard. everything was falling apart and jackie was partially responsible - marvin refused to believe it. a few people acting odd and a strange magic smell wasn't exactly the end of the world. not only that, but the possibility that henrik could be in danger made marvin feel sick, and anti had fucking drained his phone before he could finish the call. god, he hoped he was ok. "are we nearly there?" marvin interrupted. "i can barely see out the bloody windows, and i'm tired of having anti on my shoulder."

marvin shoved anti off to accentuate his point. anti, half conscious, groaned and weakly batted at marvin's legs before slumping against the car door.

"nearly there, yeah," lucas told him. "miss kamata asked me personally to take you there. it must be big stuff. is it about your brother?"

marvin hesitated. "yeah," he mumbled. "i guess."

when they drove up to the parking lot, chase peered through the window curiously. "so many cars," he noticed. "and people. i thought this wasn't a real golf club?"

"it's not," lucas said, parking the car in an empty space. "a bunch of this is all illusions, to keep up the pretense of this being an active organization. well, it is an active organization, but not… a normal, active golf club. that's it. yeah."

"while do you act as a golf club?" chase asked. "like, out of everything you could choose…"

"because it's easier to hide," lucas said. the car stopped fully, the locks on the doors clicking open. "no one important notices an expensive golfing place. that's why they chose this area to base it in too, i think. not only is this one of the more magical areas of the city, but it's subtle. blends in with all the other rich people shit."

"so some parts of the city are more magical than others?" chase asked. he and lucas stepped out of the car, leaving marvin and anti in the backseat. marvin frowned - chase knew all this stuff, why was he asking?

"yep!" lucas said, flashing chase a grin. "especially in brighton. brighton is one of the more magical places of the world. mostly cause there was a resurgence of magic here in the last few years. no one knows why, but it's good for us. our branch of hecate is pretty powerful, considering."

marvin rolled his eyes. "hey, can someone help with anti, please?" he called. the two men startled, like they'd forgotten he was there.

"oh - oh, shit, sorry!" chase spluttered, turning bright red. he and lucas helped marvin to get anti out the car, and together they dragged him inside.

two magicians were waiting for them at the door. "mcloughlin?" one woman asked, and marvin nodded. anti moaned softly, stirring and attempting to straighten himself.

"miss kamata asked us to take the sick one to our medbay," said a man with purple hair. "she'll speak with him later. you're to come upstairs to her office so she can fill you in on the current situation."

"my brother's coming here," marvin said. "his name is henrik von schneeplestein. looks just like us but - shorter hair than all of us, uh, with a streak of grey. glasses. he's hurt, i think. will you keep a lookout for him?"

the magicians exchanged glances. "we'll see what we can do," the woman told him. she gestured for him to follow. "come on, we'll take you to her."

some other magicians took anti from marvin's arms to help him along to the medbay while they walked through the halls. marvin had seen it all before, but chase was in awe, craning his head back to look. "woah!" he cried, spinning on the spot. "this place is epic!"

"it's under an illusion," the male magician told him. "to all those without magic blood, it's just a normal place. it's a risk to mask it that way, as those with evil intent could theoretically discover us through that, but we have other ways of hiding such things. besides, we help those with magic. do you have magic, young man?"

chase shook his head sadly. "i wish," he said longingly. "i've always wanted to do magic."

"but you can see through our illusions," the woman said, perplexed. "you have magic blood."

"just from my brothers," chase said casually. "marvin does a lot of miscellaneous spells, stuff he discovers, and jackie has photokinesis. henrik can heal minor injuries as well, i'm pretty sure."

"a healer?" the magicians look at each other again. "we don't have many of those. i think your brother could be a useful asset to hecate."

"wait, wait, wait," marvin interrupted. he moved between the magicians and his younger brother, holding his hands up. "you're not here to fucking recruit my brothers, especially not the ones who aren't here." he shot chase a look, and chase shrank under his gaze. "we probably shouldn't talk about that stuff right now anyway."

they continued up the stairs in silence.

"sorry, marvin," chase mumbled to him. "didn't mean to say too much. i'm not used to all this."

marvin just sighed. "don't mention jamie," was all he said in response.

they were taken to kazuki's door and the man went to knock, but the door swung open almost as soon as his knuckles graced the wood. "thank you alana, zack," came kazuki's voice from inside, and the doors quickly shut behind them.

"kazuki," marvin said cooly, standing straight. "explain what's going on, please. what's happening to the people?"

"hello to you too, marvin," kazuki said. she was standing in front of her desk, wearing a red suit with her hair loose around her shoulders. she nodded at the other two men with him. "chase brody. lucas. good to see you two. lucas, thank you for driving them here."

"my pleasure, miss kamata," lucas said with a smile and an awkward hand twirl. "shall i go?"

kazuki considered. "do you wish for him to stay?" she asked. the question was directed at marvin, but chase answered.

"yes, please," he said, giving lucas a smile. lucas smiled back, surprised, and chase turned back to kazuki confidently. "i like this guy."

kazuki's lips upturned, and suddenly the four of them were sitting in an odd circle next to her desk. there were no seats under them, just what felt like solid air. "cool," chase breathed, and he giggled. kazuki tittered softly at his amazed reaction before turning serious again.

"so let's talk about your brother," she started. "we know he stole your magic - the black magic spells you discovered."

"i never performed them," marvin said quickly. "i just found them and never would have -"

"yes, we've been through this," kazuki sighed. she shifted in her invisible air chair, possibly using magic to make it more comfortable. "but here's the thing. we... know of the organization he sold it to."

marvin turned to look at chase and lucas, who both looked surprised. "we do?" lucas said uncertainly.

"let me rephrase that. the higher ups of hecate know," kazuki said. she leaned back onto the desk behind her, blue eyes scrutinizing their reactions. "the leaders of each branch around the world."

"this is a worldwide problem?" marvin said. rage suddenly rose in his chest like boiling water. "why did i never know? i was practically top of hecate when i was with you!"

kazuki raised an eyebrow. "were you?" she said flatly. "even your ex boyfriend was higher ranking than you."

chase piped up while marvin spluttered indignantly. "there are rankings in hecate?"

"in a way," hecate told him. "but that's a conversation for another day. this other organization…" she sighed. "they were once part of hecate."

no one said anything. marvin blinked rapidly, mouth hanging open, but couldn't summon any words. kazuki continued. "hecate was originally a rebel organization founded by british magicians in 1735, when the witchcraft act was passed by parliament. you don't need all the history, though. magic was highly disliked by many back then, is all you need. we named ourselves "restitutio", latin for "restoration." our cause spread. we took in magicians and everyone who did magic and trained them. we hid. but some of us did not want to hide. some of us… turned to darker ways of life."

there was a dramatic pause. chase cleared his throat and opened his mouth, but didn't say anything. lucas sniffed loudly. marvin tapped his foot against the floor.

kazuki twirled her hand absentmindedly. a few trinkets floated off her desk and round her hand. "some of them wanted to fight. didn't want to keep our magic hidden. they… did many horrible things. people died. many of them. this was near the end of the 1700s, and many of the original values of restitutio had been lost." she took a breath, glancing up at her hands. "eventually, we, the hecate side of restitutio, took as much dark magic as we could and the others left. it was more recently that things began to change."

"what was the change?" lucas asked.

"there were a few," kazuki said. "all happening within a few years. first off, we discovered that the darker half of us had been hiding for years, cultivating dark magic by infiltrating our ranks. then, around the same time, magic itself changed. it seemed it learned to hide itself, through a barrier we called the veil."

"i didn't know all this," marvin muttered. then he raised his voice. "is this another thing only higher ups know?"

"you should know about the veil," kazuki said. "it hides our magic from nonmag eyes. it was discovered a few years before the dark organization."

"and.. when were these discovered?" chase said, voice low. he had a strange look on his face, and didn't turn to look at marvin.

"well, the veil was discovered on, i believe, october 10th of 2014," kazuki said, seemingly not noticing how marvin and chase jolted. "and we found the first traces of the black magic on october 31st of 2016. we thought it was a halloween prank of sorts, at first - are you two ok?"

chase shook his head rapidly, bouncing on his air seat and waving his hands, slapping his thighs lightly. "we're fine," he said firmly. "fuck, we're fine - what does jackie have to do with this? where does he tie in?"

kazuki frowned, though didn't comment. "his magic… is unnatural. you say he's a user of photokinesis?" the brothers nodded, and kazuki took a breath. "that's not good. photokinesis is a branch of light magic. whatever magic the organization gave him - i'm sorry for always calling it that, it doesn't have a name that we know of - we don't know what that magic is. it's dark, and it's corrupting him."

"it comes from a necklace," chase said. "does that mean anything?"

kazuki swore under her breath. "it could be… we'll talk about that later. here's the important point."

she leaned forward, eyes cold. "the magic in him is fighting for power. and he clearly has never been trained in controlling either branch of magic. and ever since the explosion in that motel in new romney, the veil has been… breaking."

the silence was deafening. marvin felt like it was crushing him, his breaths coming quicker with the effort of staying upright. "could be a coincidence," he said, but his voice was very small. "it can't be… breaking, what do you mean -"

"the two worlds are trying to collide and for some reason they're physically unable to now," kazuki said. "he's tearing a hole in the veil, in the barrier between magic and… normality, i suppose."

marvin was about to finally say something - he wasn't sure what, just something - when a man burst into the room. zack, the purple haired magician from earlier, was gasping and panting for breath, trying to force out words.

"zack," kazuki said, narrowing her eyes and standing. the air chairs under marvin and the others lifted them up onto their feet and promptly dissolved underneath them. "this better be important."

"it - it is, miss kamata," he wheezed. "we've been breached. one of our own has been taken."

-

it all happened so fast.

parker dropped henrik off at the gates of hecate, not even heading into the car park. "see you soon, schneeplestein! come visit, i'm sure molly would love to see you," he said with a dazed grin, eyes unfocused. henrik stepped out of the car and closed the door, smiling nervously at the doctor's strange expression.

"are you alright, parker?" he asked with a small laugh. "you are acting very strange."

"what? just - just fine!" parker exclaimed. he didn't look at henrik. "go do your… golf. i'll be seeing you."

henrik swallowed, straightening as much as he could with his injured leg. "yes," he mumbled. "i'm sure you will."

parker's grin was far too wide. he turned the car, preparing to drive off down the road, when the car glitched and disappeared.

henrik stood in absolute shook for a moment.

the car glitched. and disappeared. it had glitched in a burst of static and vanished completely, leaving nothing behind. not parker. not anything.

ok, so henrik was hallucinating. the magic aaron had hit him with was making him hallucinate. he blinked and turned away, suddenly aware of his head pounding, feeling slightly sick. there was a strange smell in the air. something wrong. he sniffed, realizing it was a very specific scent. like… smoke. like smoke through an open window.

"henrik?"

he jumped, eyes focusing on the man in front of him. as soon as they did, he soured. "raymond," he said with slight disdain. "fancy seeing you here."

raymond snorted. "i work here, friend," he said, sarcasm in the last word. "what are -" his brown eyes widened as he took in henrik's wounds. "oh, bloody hell!"

henrik grabbed the man's arms for support. "don't feel well," he managed. "ich glaube, ich könnte krank sein…"

he stumbled back and promptly threw up on the concrete. raymond's noises of disgust reached his ears through his retching, and as he wiped his mouth he just managed to decipher "fuck, dude, you got vom on my fuckin' suit!"

"sorry," henrik said weakly. his vision was beginning to blur, blackness creeping into the corners of his eyes. "g'hit… car, it glitch…"

"i am not looking after my ex's sick brother," raymond said disgustedly. he reached up and tapped a device behind his ear. "hey, some guy down here is sick. probably a bad hex or something. i dunno, man, it doesn't look good. physical too. leg, back. should i send him to the medbay?"

the more the man spoke, the dizzier henrik felt. someone else was talking to him. he thought he couldn't hear what they were saying.

" - here, come inside," raymond was saying. "we'll check you over. alana, open the spell for a sec so i can get him in."

henrik passed out then. but later, people filled him in on what had happened.

the spells on the gates to the car park has briefly been lowered to let henrik inside. but the second they were down was all that was needed. two men had burst in, ripping through the air with magic that reeked of smoke and something else, something unplaceable. the attack hadn't even really been an attack; it had lasted maybe a minute. when henrik woke in the medbay, he was informed that raymond had been taken, kidnapped, captured, and that was that.

it all happened so fast. so fast.

not only that, but the magicians didn't know what the magic in henrik's body was. dark stuff, they said. incurable, at least by them, they said. it must have come from the same two men who had broken into hecate, they said. they thought black magic didn't exist anymore, they said.

henrik was numb to it all.

"i'm sorry i wasn't there!" marvin had said when he came to see him, chase and another blonde man in tow. "i tried to contact you, anti drained my phone - henny, i'm so sorry, i shouldn't have left you alone!"

henrik hurt. jackie was truly gone. hecate had been breached. a man had beem captured. henrik didn't say a word.

fuck, it had all happened so fast.

-

"you did it, babe!"

"we did it! fuck, it was far easier than i expected. i can say this now, but i was pretty certain we weren't going to manage it."

jackie laughed at aaron's words, kissing him before drawing back with a grin on his face. "honestly? me neither," he giggled. "but look at what we got! far, far better than i could have hoped - oh, he doesn't like that, does he?"

the man chained to the chair in front of them narrowed his eyes, rage burning in them. jackie bent down in front of him, grinning wide. "been a while since i last saw you, raymond! when was it? god, i can't remember. was it the time that you came round demanding marvin paid back your money? was it the time marvin caught you in bed with some fucking nomag twink and you and him had that screaming match? was it the time we saw you in the street with your new boyfriend and marvin started crying so i nearly hit you?" jackie flicked raymond's nose, still giggling like a child. "god, every day since then i've wished i'd beaten the fucking shit out of you. i used to be disgusted with myself for thinking that kind of stuff too, you know? but now… i think i've embraced it."

he tapped a sleek black dagger on raymond's face, just on top of the gag shoved in his mouth. "you like my knife? my boyfriend got it for me. this is him, by the way. say hi, aaron!"

aaron waved from the corner where he was leaning, resting on a blue baseball bat. raymond's eyes were wild with fear and anger, and he shook his head to try and get the blade away.

"what's that?" jackie said, pretending to listen like a kid playing with a doll. "you want to talk? certainly!" he slashed the knife down the man's face, cutting through the gag but the skin underneath as well. raymond screamed in pain, but cut himself off as quickly as he could, biting down on his lip and panting.

"bitch," raymond spat. "what are you? a demon? what type of magic is this?" blood dribbled down his chin. "and - ha, why did you break in? idiot, i would have left anyway - do you not understand how high security hecate is? you got in, and all you did was, what, knock out your sick brother and kidnap me?"

jackie leaned back, sticking out his lip and looking upset. then his smirk returned like it had never left, and he threw back his head to roar with laughter. aaron giggled from the corner before coming to stand next to his boyfriend.

"oh - oh, raymond, no," jackie giggled, wiping at his eyes. "oh, you think we - you think we just grabbed you and left? nooo, no no no. time is an illusion, my bastard friend!"

"we got so much done!" aaron said joyfully. "all thanks to jackie's wonderful brother -"

"oh, stop it, mo chroí, we couldn't have done anything without your lovely magic!" jackie elbowed aaron and the two dissolved into peals of laughter while raymond watched with a forced neutral expression.

"what do you want with me?" he said, trying to keep his voice flat. "i don't know what information you think i know, but it's nothing good. i'm not as high ranked as you might think, i swear, i -"

"shut up now, ok?" aaron suddenly interrupted. "we were having a moment there and you ruined it. fuck, they're never polite, are they, jackson?"

"i don't know, this is only my second prisoner!" jackie joked. then he rolled his eyes. "and we don't fucking care what rank you are, we just snatched the first guy we saw. it just so happened to be my brother's filthy, cheating whore ex." he leaned forward, right into raymond's face. "you're my ticket to a better life, bitch. look at that. you have a fucking use after all."

jackie turned to aaron, gripping his arm and turning him to face him. "they're really gonna love him, aren't they?" he cooed. "will he be good enough?"

"course he will, babe," aaron said. "he's hecate, he - what does he do, teleport? he teleports. that's interesting, they might like that."

"'they?'" raymond shouted angrily. he struggled against his chains, grunting. "who is 'they?' why can't i teleport? is this - is this about what i did to marvin? i never meant to hurt him!"

without warning, jackie slapped raymond right across the face. "i already fucking told you that it's nothing to do with you," he snapped, dropping the soft tone from before. "i saw you and took you. we kind of had other priorities at that moment. you fucking got it? jesus shit, dude, not everything's about you - although, i know you think it is, huh?" he hit raymond again, sending him reeling. "do you know how many nights i spent holding marvin while he cried, feeling worthless, depressed - you meant so much to him but you are nothing but a repulsive -"

"jackson, calm," aaron soothed, taking his face in hand. "you can't hurt him too bad. they'll get upset, it'll show a lack of control. that's something they look for. do you want to be accepted or not?"

"accepted?" raymond cried, voice high in pitch. "are you selling me to a cult or something?"

"nope," aaron said cheerfully. "much worse."

jackie growled in raymond's direction. "fucking bastard. the organization better see self control from me if it means i can't beat the living daylights outta this guy."

"they will," aaron reassured. "they will. then we can properly be together, and you can't -"

jackie suddenly screamed, a howl of complete agony that made raymond throw his head back like it would save him. jackie clawed at his chest, doubling over as his whole form… his form, his body… raymond cringed. the man's form was flickering, like a glitching computer screen. and as he watched, raymond started to smell something. a stinking, magical smell so thick it almost made him choke. it smelled like smoke. like smoke creeping through an open window.

"jackson, jackson - fuck, let's get out of here," aaron said, pushing jackie out the door of the small room raymond was being kept in. aaron whipped back round to look at him as he left, glaring. "get comfortable," he said. "you might be in here a while."

the door shut behind them, leaving raymond cold with the taste of copper and smoke on his tongue.

[bestkindofbeehive]

Smile for Me Week Day 2: Happiness Fakt!

(I’m only a few hours late in my timezone!! it still counts somewhere, probably. anyways I love boris and I love him healing and I love girls so FK is nonbinary lesbian cause i make all the rules)

One of the best and worst parts of reforming the Habitat was the redecorating.

Best because of the sheer potential every little accessory or color of paint or colored light or safety-necessitated railing could have, once it was all put into place. Some yellow can open this space right up! More trees over here will mean more time spent outside enjoying the shade! An actual pond in the courtyard, with a cute little stone rim! Sunflowers and daylillies out in the carnival, pansies and chrysanthemums in the courtyard, snapdragons and more climbing roses for the terrace (Kamal had mentioned how much he liked them, despite the... circumstances, so how could he not?), bundles and bundles of flowers to plant everywhere, he even had new seeds being mailed in next week and not to mention the hydrangea starts that would look so—

A large folder nearby tilted over, spilling its contents of posters out onto the floor. Ah, right.

Worst because Habit had to sift through every little mistake he’d made and pick out what was salvageable. Flowery fantasy thoroughly put on hold, Habit leaned over with a sigh to begin gathering up the papers littering the ground. In hindsight, so many of these things were so... embarrassing. Physical, in-full-color proof of how unhinged he’d managed to become so quickly, spouting out nonsense onto paper and plastering it all over the walls for the world to see. It was no wonder distrust of the doctor spread so easily around the Habitat, how could it not when—

“Ah! Oh, lemme help,” a small voice called out across the room, smooth and heavy like a round stone. Habit heard the rapid pat-pat-pat of short legs rushing over beside him, and looked down with a grateful smile to see Flower Kid, already gathering up the posters he’d missed. They had offered to come and help sort through everything, which was a boon Habit hadn’t been aware he would so severely need. He never would have predicted that seeing everything with clear eyes would be so... shame-inducing. Hopefully they would have some advice on how to navigate these feelings??

At the moment, though, they were busy sifting through the posters that once decorated the Habitat. With a... smile on their face? That didn’t seem right. A tiny, happy exclamation rang out as they came to a particular pink poster. “Look, it’s my favorite one!” Flower Kid cheered, holding up a poster adorned with a big black beetle and the words “GIRLS ARE COOL” emboldened in a thick font across the bottom.

“...Wait. What do you meen, “favorite”? You acktually liked these?” Habit asked, genuinely confused at FK’s cheery reaction. He’d used every opportunity to antagonize and discourage them throughout their stay, so surely these posters would only remind them of that horrible time, yes? Was he misunderstanding something??

Now it was FK’s turn to be confused. With their brows crinkled, they gave a quick and decisive nod. “Mhm! I liked reading them even if they were a lil’ odd... and this one is about girls and has a big beetle on it so it’s perfect,” they explained, waving the poster a bit for emphasis.

It took him a moment to realize why they had such attachment towards it, but once he made the connection, Habit laughed and patted Flower Kid’s head. “Ah, because you are little lesbiab, hm?”

Flower Kid let out a short, sharp giggle and reached up to pat down their hair where it’d been ruffled. “Mhm!” they replied, then looked up at Habit with such unrestrained, simple joy in their eyes he felt a bit dizzy. So many intense feelings at once... like an emotional conga line. Though he felt a bit guilty for not matching Flower Kid’s happy mood, it made the question thrum ever harder in his mind: how on earth were they finding joy out of these ominous things?

In the meantime, FK had gone back to flipping through the posters, mumbling bits of phrases to themselves as they went. “Th’ vole... ocean blood... uh... ooh! Yappy dog! I like this one too,” they said. None of them seemed to cause anything worse than a confused tilt of their head.

Habit couldn’t help himself. He knew he’d just end up bringing the mood back down again, but the little Flower next to him seemed to know something he didn’t, some answer that would make all of this clear enough to move past. That’s what they seemed to do best, so maybe...!

“These are— Flower, eye— ...Why don’t these make yu upset?” Habit finally blurted out, unconsciously crinkling the edges of the few posters in his hand.

Flower Kid’s attention veered back to Habit, their face slowly filling in with worry and confusion. Then, after a moment of studying the acutely miserable expression looking back down at them, they seemed to understand what was going on. They reached out and grabbed hold of Habit’s big green hand and tugged him down to sit on the floor beside them. With their legs criss-cross-applesauce, they gently laid out the Happiness Fakt posters across the floor in front of them.

“...I know that looking at a lot of this stuff probably makes you sad, cause you wish it didn’t happen,” they began softly. “But I think— I think that even if you did it for a bad reason, it doesn’t mean that everything that happened because of it was bad too. You didn’t make these when you were in a very good place, but when I saw them I would smile.”

Habit stared at the pictures littering the ground and let himself mull over his thoughts. He’d wanted to make people happy. He’d built this place with that intention, and found himself so sorely lacking in making-people-happy abilities that everything began to muddle together. Puppet shows. Cheerful attendants. Colorful signs. Teeth. By the end of it, he was so sure that unless he had a Big Enough Smile, everything he touched would turn to misery. It made sense at the time, but now...

At some point Flower Kid had leaned up against him, effortlessly settled in his space. They continued. “And even with... everything, I think I was still happy. I got to meet everyone and help them and be friends with them, and I think that’s all I wanted, really.”

“I think I get what you meen.”

He still wasn’t so sure if he understood how happiness could come from the mess he’d made. In spite of it, maybe, but because of? So many unhappy memories clogged his place, but if what Flower Kid said was true... Maybe he didn’t have to write all of it off as One Big Mistake. Maybe the time for squashing things flat and burying them deep had past. Maybe it was time to pick out what was salvageable, and keep moving forward.

The room was quiet with a comfortable silence. Next to him, Flower Kid stirred, pointing at a different poster lying just ahead of them. “Actually, I think this one’s my favorite,” they murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. This one was a sparkly blue, with a bright red strawberry in the middle.

“If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

[eddie-boii]

Never Let You Go (part 14/14)

Fic info: Both Eddie and Stan live because I do what I want. Multichapter.

Rating: Mature.

Pairings: Reddie, Benverly.

Ao3 link: here

Summary: The Losers prepare for a wedding. 

This is it, guys. I’m gonna miss writing this :’)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14

*

Sunlight streamed through the screen doors illuminating thousands of specks of dust as they swirled in the air in a gentle dance. Eddie let out a low groan as the light shone through his closed eyelids, rolling over in the bed and burying his face in Richie’s bare shoulder to shield himself from the harsh light. Richie shifted slightly in his sleep, his arms tightening around Eddie’s waist and pulling him close against his warm body. Richie may have complained his body wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as Eddie’s, but in Eddie’s mind, it was the perfect body type for warm hugs.

He smiled against Richie’s shoulder, relishing this feeling of warm bodies tucked together beneath cosy sheets while outside, frost crept up the windows searching in vain for a way to get in. Eddie could get used to this.

He cracked his eyes open a little to check the clock on the bedside table and let out another groan.

“We should get up, Rich,” he said, pressing a kiss to Richie’s shoulder to wake him. Richie let out a whine and only pulled Eddie closer. “Come on, Trashmouth, we’ve gotta say bye to Ben and Bev before they go off on their honeymoon.”

“We can text them,” Richie mumbled. His face was pressed to Eddie’s neck so his voice came out muffled. “They’ll understand.”

“Come on, dickwad, you know you want to see them off,” Eddie laughed, prodding Richie’s chest. “And we need to fucking shower.” Richie groaned but released his death grip on Eddie slightly, instead moving to kiss him, but Eddie clamped a hand over his mouth before he could. “Ew, no, your breath smells like ass. Brush your teeth first.”

Richie kissed Eddie’s palm before tugging his hand away from his mouth. “Effort,” he whined. Still holding Eddie’s hand, he pressed kisses down his arm. “I can kiss everywhere but your mouth, right?” he said, moving to kiss Eddie’s forehead, his cheeks, his nose, his jaw…

“You’re such a fucking sap,” Eddie laughed. 

Richie hummed softly against his skin. “But you love me.”

“You’re never gonna fucking let that go, are you?”

“Never,” said Richie, his mouth trailing down to Eddie’s neck.

“Don’t leave any marks, remember,” Eddie warned him.

“I have a huge hickey on my hip that says you’re a fucking hypocrite.”

“No one’s gonna see that.”

“You never know,” said Richie, making his way down Eddie’s torso, his lips brushing tenderly over the scar. 

“Come on, Trashmouth,” said Eddie, pushing Richie away before he went any lower and they really did end up never leaving the bed. “We need to shower.”

Richie whined once more. “Don’t wanna.”

“We both need to shower,” said Eddie, looking at Richie pointedly until he finally got the message.

“Oh! Yes, we need to shower right away!” said Richie, practically leaping from the bed before shivering violently from the sudden cold. “Quick, before I freeze to death.” He grabbed both of Eddie’s hands and pulled up him, tugging him in the direction of the bathroom.

Eddie didn’t make it easy for him. He flopped down like a dead weight in Richie’s arms, and Richie huffed, told Eddie he was a bastard, then picked him up and carried him giggling over to the bathroom.

Yes, Eddie could really get used to this.

*

Eddie and Richie tried not to let their change in relationship status show when they went downstairs to meet the other Losers who had all gathered around the fire in the lobby once more, even going as far as to arrive at different times. They didn’t act overly friendly, didn’t touch each other too much aside from ‘accidental’ hand brushing, didn’t even glance at each other lest they accidentally gaze too long. But even so, Stanley took one look at them and -

“You two boned.”

“What the fuck, Stan?” said Eddie instantly. “No, we didn’t fucking bone.”

“Yeah, Stan,” said Richie. “We didn’t ‘bone’, we made love.”

“Richie!” Eddie squawked as Stan’s expression turned into one of triumph.

Richie only shrugged. “What? They were gonna find out anyway.”

He had a point, but Eddie scowled at him and turned away in a huff.

“Are you serious?” cried Bev not bothering to suppress her squeal. “Oh my god! I’m so happy for you two!”

“Fucking f-ff-finally,” said Bill.

“Congratulations, guys!” said Ben excitedly, leaping from his seat to pull them both into a tight hug.

“Woah, Haystack, watch the ribs,” Richie wheezed. “Don’t forget you’ve got huge-ass muscles now.”

Ben let them go with an apologetic smile and Mike pulled them into a hug in his stead, thankfully not as tight as Ben’s hug, although Mike did have some considerable muscles on him too.

“Wait,” said Mike after he’d released them. “Important question: did you two hook up before or after midnight?”

Eddie and Richie exchanged looks.

“You know, it was all kind of a blur,” said Eddie, his mouth twitching as he tried to hide his smirk.

“We really have no idea,” said Richie, not bothering to hide his.

“But then who wins the bet?” said Stan.

“Guess none of you assholes do,” said Eddie smugly. “Which serves you fucking right.”

“You mean to say we get no compensation for having to watch you two pine for thirty years?” said Stan.

“None at all,” said Richie. “And shut up, you only had to watch us pine for like three years.”

“Felt like thirty,” Stan grumbled.

“Oh, who cares about the bet? My favourite gays are finally together!” Beverly squealed. “I better be your maid of honour, Rich.”

“We literally just got together,” said Eddie at the same time Richie said, “Duh.”

“I mean-” Richie coughed, his face getting a little red. “Yeah, calm down Bev. We aren’t about to start picking out china patterns already.”

Eddie only smiled slightly, watching as his friends teased Richie for his little slip-up. He couldn’t really blame him for it; they had some catching up to do, after all.

Ben and Bev set off not long after, not wanting to miss their flight. Richie tried to persuade them to let him have Ember while they were gone, but Bev was adamant that the dog stay with her aunt who actually knew what she was doing and didn’t have trouble remembering to feed herself let alone another creature.

Bags were piled into the trunk of the cab, hugs were exchanged, goodbyes said. Mike insisted they send him a whole bunch of postcards and Stan gave them a list of birds to keep an eye out for.

“Take care of Rich for me,” said Beverly as she hugged Eddie tightly.

“I’ll try my best,” he replied. “But I can’t promise not to kill him myself if he refers to my mom one more time in bed.”

Bev laughed then kissed his cheek before going to hug Richie, and Ben moved to hug Eddie in her place.

“Don’t let him go,” he whispered as he pulled Eddie in. “He loves you so much, man.”

“You are such a fucking romantic loser,” said Eddie.

“I know,” said Ben. He smiled as he pulled away and opened the cab door for Bev.

“It’s been fun,” said Bev, grinning at them all as she hovered in the cab doorway. “I love you guys.”

“Love you too,” said Bill. “Have a ss-safe flight.”

“See you all at the next wedding if not sooner,” said Ben, winking at Eddie who scowled back at him.

“We won’t have long to wait,” Stan said, smirking at Eddie’s glare.

“See you soon, then, Losers,” said Bev, and with that, they were off, and the remaining Losers waved until the yellow cab faded into the distance.

The others headed back into the hotel to warm up and pack for their own flights home, but Eddie and Richie stayed outside for a little while longer watching the still steadily falling snow cover the tire tracks on the road.

“So,” said Richie after a moment. “You going home today, or…?”

“That was the plan,” said Eddie. 

He hadn’t been looking forward to going back to his cold lonely flat, sparse and empty after Myra had gotten the house in the divorce. He’d never liked it there - it was always a temporary thing until he figured out what he wanted to do - and he despised the loud upstairs neighbours and the landlord who looked like he never washed his hands. He remembered Richie’s house, alive with his merry friends as they got up to drunken shenanigans, full of good memories. It was a nice place after Eddie had thoroughly cleaned it, but, he thought, far too big for just Richie.

“Coz,” said Richie who was fidgeting with the zipper of his coat agitatedly and quite obviously avoiding eye contact, “if you wanted, I could get an extra ticket to LA… I mean- Unless you-” he added quickly, fumbling over his words now. “Unless that’s too fast. Yeah, fuck, that’s way too fast. Forget I said anything.”

“No,” said Eddie. He reached out and took Richie’s hand, his fingers like ice in the January air, and Richie finally looked at him, eyes wide and lips ever so slightly parted. “No, I’d like that. We’re catching up, right? Let’s fucking commit.”

Richie’s mouth split into a grin. “Hell yeah, spaghetti!”

“I’d have to actually go get my stuff at some point, though,” Eddie added.

“Well, yeah. And we should redecorate,” said Richie. “Make it a proper reddie home.”

“‘Reddie’?”

“Richie and Eddie, keep up,” said Richie. “It’s what the kids call a ‘ship name’.”

“Thanks, I hate it,” said Eddie. “Redecorate how?”

“Oh, you know, making it more artsy,” said Richie casually, though that shit-eating grin was still on his face. “Add a few black lights, and if we get a move on, we could have our own Jackson Pollock-themed digs.”

“I’ve changed my mind,” said Eddie immediately, turning and walking back towards the hotel. “I’m going to live with Mike or something. Bye.”

“No, wait!” Richie cried, grabbing Eddie’s hand before he could move any further and falling to his knees at Eddie’s feet. “Oh, Eddie spaghetti, love of my life! Angel from the heavens! Please oh please move in with me, Eddie my love.”

“I hate that song,” Eddie grumbled, trying and failing to hide his smile at Richie’s theatrics. “Get the fuck up, dumbass, your pants are getting soaked.”

“Not until you say yes.”

Eddie heaved a great sigh even though there wasn’t really any question about it. Of course he wanted to move in with Richie. He wanted to wake up next to him every morning and receive those lazy kisses. He wanted them to cook together and sing along loudly to the cheesy eighties rock they both secretly loved, slipping on the kitchen tiles as they danced around in their socks. He wanted to fall asleep next to him on the couch in the evenings, wanted to adopt a dog with him, maybe adopt other things too. He wanted every sickeningly domestic thing he’d been dreaming about since he was twelve.

“Fine,” he said. He tried to sound exasperated but was unable to hide the smile fighting its way onto his face. “Yes, I’ll move in with you, Trashmouth.”

Richie leapt to his feet and grinned before sweeping Eddie off his feet and kissing him like some sort of Disney princess.

“Don’t you dare fucking drop me, asshole!” Eddie shrieked, clinging to Richie until he pulled him back upright.

“Couldn’t resist,” Richie shrugged, still grinning. “Now, our flight’s not until this evening, can we at least turn our hotel room into a Jackson Pollock painting before we go?”

“You are fucking disgusting,” said Eddie.

“But you love me.”

“Yeah,” said Eddie softly, lacing his fingers through Richie’s as they made their way back to the hotel. “Yeah, I do.”

*

Previous

[newscheckz]

12 QUESTIONS TO ASK A LANDLORD BEFORE RENTING A PROPERTY

New Post has been published on https://newscheckz.com/12-questions-to-ask-a-landlord-before-renting-a-property/

12 QUESTIONS TO ASK A LANDLORD BEFORE RENTING A PROPERTY

We know what it’s like, once you’ve spotted your ideal flat or house you love and can afford, it’s easy to get carried away in excitement when you are viewing it.

The market moves fast and you want to be sure you secure it. But wait just a moment, it’s only after you’ve moved in that you may realize things aren’t quite what they seem and start to wish you had asked more questions.

We are here to help you get the questions you need, so you can then focus on securing that space!

Primarily, start by making a list of features which you would consider as ‘must haves’, these are going to be the absolute essentials that you can’t live without, for example the location, commutes to work or schools, number of rooms, access to public transport, a secure garden, a dog friendly landlord or agent etc.

Then think about the ‘would likes’, these are the things you would prefer, but if push came to shove, you would compromise on.

Such as parking, yes you would ideally like a drive or garage but if the property was perfect in all other aspects, would you consider parking on road, or would you prefer to compromise on the kitchen or garden?

Once you have put your lists together, it’s time to think about the questions you may forget to ask.  Below are key examples of questions to ask:

Who is responsible for what?

If you are in a flat, there could be common areas, such as kitchens, gardens, courtyards or hallways. If you are in a shared house this is even more important.

We have all heard those stories of housemates who make Monica from Friends look like a slob, cleaning everything that doesn’t move, or hoovering until 3am in the morning or perhaps the opposite and housemates who simply have no interest in hygiene.

Understanding who is responsible for what, and when is key to handling any future conversations you may have with your housemates.  We are sure it will be fine, but it’s always a good idea to be prepared.

If you are in a house or a ground floor flat, you might also have a garden to enjoy.

However, it’s worth asking whose responsibility these areas are to maintain and whether the upkeep will cost you any extra money.

Does your tenancy agreement commit you to maintaining the garden, by cutting the grass, the plants and how frequently (or perhaps your landlord simply asks you to allow a gardener to attend) either way, you need to know what’s what.

Who lives next door?

Although your landlord or letting agent might not know, it’s still a good idea to ask if they have any idea of who the neighbours are, are they noisy, quiet, a family, young or elderly? Do they have pets? Have past tenants had any run-ins with them?  Do you feel they will be compatible with your lifestyle?

Particularly if the property you are preparing to rent is a flat or attached to the neighbouring property, say a terraced or semi-detached, it’s key to understand how the lifestyle habits of your closest humans could impact on you.  For example, do they work unsociable hours?

What’s it like at night?

Find out if the area is well lit at night and whether you would feel safe walking around alone. Are there any popular bars, pubs or clubs nearby and can you hear the resulting noise from the property?

Processed with VSCOcam with f3 preset

If the area is well lit, this is great for safety, but it can be a nightmare if your blinds aren’t good quality.

There’s nothing like a brightly lit bedroom to ruin a night’s sleep, ask whether you will receive black-out blinds or, if not, whether you can put some up yourself.

Sick and tired black woman lying in the bed

What’s public transport like at night?  What time does it stop for example? You may have a car but on those occasions when you don’t, it’s being repaired or you’ve fancied popping out for a drink or two, it’s good to know whether you’ll be able to get home or not have to face a $ 50 taxi ride (if it’s particularly rural you may even struggle to get taxis, it’s always best to check).

What’s included?

Whether your potential new place is furnished or unfurnished, what you see on a viewing may not be what you get.

Furniture may belong to the previous tenant who is in the process or moving out for example.  Make sure you ask what’s included, so you know what you’ll need to bring with you.

This doesn’t just include furniture; make sure to ask about washing machines, fridges, curtains, light fittings, shower curtains and blinds.

If you already own something that’s included with the property, ask if you can replace theirs with your own.

Most landlords won’t have a problem with you using your own stuff, but they will have a problem if you throw out anything that belongs to them, so it’s always best to check.

Can I decorate?

Many tenancy agreements state that you can’t paint the walls, erect shelves, put up pictures or change any of the decor.

If this bothers you, it’s always worth asking if there’s a possibility it won’t be included in your contract.

If the landlord won’t agree to you decorating, ask them if they can put some picture hooks up for you or check out our blog post to get some ideas around what you can do to make it feel more like home.

For example there’s many great solutions that allow you to hang pictures without actually damaging the wall.

It’s worth investigating your local DIY store to find out what’s available.  Another great idea if your landlord isn’t into the idea of you redecorating is ‘wallpaper pictures’.

Simply create large ‘canvases’ with your favourite wallpaper and hang (with the aforementioned no nail solution) onto your walls, and hey presto, you’ve stamped your personality into your surroundings without saying goodbye to part of your deposit.

What’s the TV & internet like?

Possibly one of the most important considerations, in a survey of students, internet speed rated higher in their considerations than the price of rent. Let’s consider that for a moment. But their logic does make sense.

Often, even if you’re prepared to pay more for the subscription of your internet or TV provider, due to your location, you may not be able to get the full speed/channels promised.

So if internet speed is important to you (and if you watch smart TV, subscribe to any entertainment channels, stream music or are an avid gamer, you should be) best to be safe than sorry and check.

Not forgetting the equipment you intend to use.  Yes, you may just plan to watch your weekly TV solely on your laptop but realistically, you’ll need to know whether or not your landlord provides a TV.

If unfurnished it’s unlikely but even if you’re renting furnished, your landlord may not consider a TV part of something they should provide.

Another consideration is how you receive the signal. Again, you may be planning on entirely using internet TV services but, if like most of us you are partial to a bit of terrestrial or satellite based services once in a while, you’ll need to know the status of your aerial / satellite dish too.

For example, a new landlord may not allow you to put up a Sky dish, Virgin Media cables may not be in place or you may have to change the phone line if you want to sign up to BT (which the landlord may not be too happy about unless you ask first).  All things to check, before you sign.

How much is it going to cost?

You’ll probably already know what the rent will cost (and if not, why not), but there could be other fees too.

Rent Spelled Out in Tiles

You’ll need to know how much deposit you’ll be paying, how much rent up front, any and whether any bills are included with the rent.

You’ll then be able to decide how much you can afford and whether the property is worth the cost.

Don’t forget to check out Council Tax bands and energy ratings too!  A property rated A or B could make you considerable savings throughout the year than one rated D or E.

Money saving tip: Your tenancy agreement should detail if you or your landlord are responsible for paying for the gas or electricity. You don’t necessarily have stick with your landlord’s choice of energy supplier, as a tenant can shop around to get yourself the best deals on you.

Using a comparison tool that looks at the whole of the market could help you save money.

How’s the heating & water?

Check what kind of boiler there is and ask to see whether hot water comes out of the taps and the radiators work.

If it’s a combi boiler, great you’ll have hot water literally ‘on tap’ but if it fails for any reason, you’ll have no hot water.

Is there a back-up for example an immersion heater?  Don’t discount a property if the boiler isn’t a ‘combi’, a standard boiler will be just fine for most people provided you’ve set it up to heat up your water on a daily basis.

If there isn’t adequate heating, it’s also a good idea to ask if any space heaters are provided (but be aware these can cost more in electricity).

Does your landlord have a service agreement in place for your boiler / other services?  What happens if it breaks? How quickly can you expect it to be sorted?

Ask if there’s a 24 hour phone number you’ll be able to call in an emergency. Hopefully you’re not going to need to use it but, if a pipe bursts in the middle of the night, it’s nice to know it’ll be sorted out as soon as possible.

Look out for double glazing, which will keep the place much warmer than older style single glazed windows.  Check for any draughty places, from doors and windows, again these will increase your heating bills.

Finally, check the water pressure in the shower, you’ll be glad you did. There’s nothing worse than finding out afterwards that the water flow in your shower can’t even rinse the shampoo from your hair.

Is the shower thermostatic? (Which means it will balance out the temperature so you don’t scald/freeze yourself if someone turns on a tap elsewhere)  It’s good to know if you need to make sure someone doesn’t turn on other appliances during your shower or not.

What happens in an emergency?

Who can you call?  If your main contact is through a letting agent, what support can they offer you out of hours in case a pipe bursts, you (hopefully not) have a break in, or something else immediate and critical happens.

What are my transport options?

If you drive, make sure to ask about parking. You may be given an allocated space or you might need to get a permit from the council, which could cost you more money.

If there’s more than one of you moving in, ask how many parking spaces you’ll get – you don’t want to be fighting over one space.

Are there any conditions with the parking, is it allocated, or shared.  Is there a driveway, is it shared, and so on.

If you don’t drive, enquire into local public transport. How far away is it? Is it regular? The novelty of walking four miles to work will soon wear off and you’ll wish you’d asked before moving in.

Can you fix this?

Make sure you look carefully for any damage or broken items and raise them before you commit to moving.

Your landlord will more than likely be willing to fix them before you move in and it’ll save you any hassle later on if the problems escalate.

If they can’t or won’t fix it before you move, make sure to take a picture of the damage on moving day and ensure it’s logged in your inventory.

Where can I put my stuff?

Think realistically about how much you own and look carefully at the storage solutions in the property. If there isn’t enough, ask whether more can be provided or whether you can put up shelves or rails.

If you’re bringing your own storage, i.e. drawers or free-standing wardrobes, check they’ll fit where you’re planning to put them and don’t forget access routes such as doors, stairs or even from outside.

Are external (and internal) doors wide enough to fit through your lovely 4 seater sofa?  Can you get your wardrobe up the winding staircase.  Don’t assume.

Now you’re prepared with all the information, it’s time go forth and find your new rental place!

[jaeminlore]

Youth // Jung Hoseok

-

the prompt: could you make a Prince Hoseok fanfic? It’d be nice if it were fluffy (Hobie’s been getting all up in my feels as of late) but I have nothing specific in mind. the au i based this scenario off of: i’m in an arranged marriage but i’m in love with the sibling help

words: 3056

category: fluff + minimal angst

author note: hobi is always in my feels ngl. he’s just so happy and handsome and can we talk about the fact that hobi is the definition of husband material? my sister and i talk about that a lot. anyway, enjoy!

- destinee

-

“You coming, Prince Hoseok?”

The tall prince groaned and hurried to match the stride of his guard. “Honestly, Yoongi, I don’t know why I have to do this.”

“We’ve been through this, Your Highness,” Yoongi glanced at him. “An arranged marriage is a great way to merge two kingdoms for years.”

“But what if she’s really rude or something?”

“Then I guess you’ll have just to marry a rude princess.”

“Thanks, Yoongi,” he said sarcastically.

Yoongi opened the door to the main hall and bowed over dramatically, “That’s what I’m here for, Your Highness. Now she’s already arrived with her staff, so please try to pretend that you like this idea, alright?”

“Fine,” the usually happy prince rolled his eyes and passed Yoongi. He strode across the room, towards the crowd of people waiting for him.

He could already see the princess he was going to marry. He took in her face. While attractive, the sneer upon her lips turned Hoseok off. What could she possibly sneer about in his castle? Everything was absolutely perfect to him.

The first thing out of the princess’ mouth begged to differ, “We’ll have to change the drapes. Write that down.”

Her advisor followed her around as she already had begun to make interior design plans. “My chaise can go over there, in place of that ugly upholstered stool.”

“Hey,” Hoseok made himself known. “That’s my grandmother’s ugly upholstered stool and there is no way you are going to get rid of it. Who said you could redecorate my castle anyway?”

As he crossed his arms over his chest, the princess walked towards him and smiled slyly, “We’ll be husband and wife, soon. You’ll have to make room for sharing.”

How did she make it sound like he was the unreasonable one?

Just as Hoseok was about to comment what a disaster this was, the doors to the hall burst open, and you ran in, the bottom of your skirts caked in mud. “Sis, there’s a lake out there with geese and everything!”

Hoseok couldn’t help but quirk a smile at your small, happy figure. “Who’s this?”

Y/s/n rolled her eyes. “This is my little sister, Y/n. She’s supposed to be measuring the layout of the land for the landscaper I’ll have come in after the wedding.”

“Yeah, about that.” You walked up to the pair, ignoring the protests of both staffs as you trailed mid behind you. “I like the landscape already. All the colors really blend well so I was thinking you wouldn’t have to redo the gardens at all.”

Hoseok stepped closer to you and faced your sister, “I like her idea.”

You smiled up at Hoseok, admiring the handsome prince. He was much taller than you, but that didn’t stop you from getting on your tiptoes and attempting to match his height.

“What are you doing now, Y/n?” Your sister asked, obviously annoyed at your constant bout of energy.

“I’m trying to be as tall as the prince,” you answered, struggling to stay on your tiptoes for a long amount of time.

Hoseok reached for you elbow to help steady you, “Watch yourself, Princess.”

“Right,” you stumbled back onto your flat feet, feeling your cheeks heat up at the older boy’s words.

“Well,” Yoongi said in his droning sort of voice. “I suppose we’ll need to start the engagement ceremony.”

-

The next day, Hoseok asked Y/s/n if she wanted to go ride horses with him down one of his favorite trails.

“I suppose,” she answered haughtily. “I could use a leisurely stroll.”

“Horse riding isn’t for leisurely strolls,” you chided her as you followed her and Hoseok into the stables. “Horse riding is for racing and jumping and all that fun stuff.”

Hoseok turned around and held out his palm. “I like the way you think.”

You clapped his hand, a smile filling up your face.

Y/s/n crinkled her nose. “Then why don’t the two of you go race for some in-law bonding. I have a book to read and a parlor to remodel anyway.”

“Really?” You asked her. “I can go?”

“I don’t care,” she said. “Do whatever you want.”

You turned to Hoseok, “Do you mind if I come with you?”

-

Somewhere in his mind, Hoseok had let out a long sigh of relief. Perhaps it was your youth, being a few years younger than him, but it was much easier to talk to you than it was to talk to your sister.

That was probably going to be a problem in the near future.

“I don’t mind.” He sent you a soft smile. “We better go ahead and tack up if we want to get out and home before dark.”

“Okay. Bye Y/s/n! Have fun reading your boring book!”

She waved you away and left.

Hoseok addressed you as the two of you walked into the tack shed. “You don’t like books?”

“Of course I do,” you answered. “I like adventure and fantasy novels. Science fiction and dramatic tales of retold history. I’m not into the heavy romance she reads.”

“Aren’t you at that age?” Hoseok wondered aloud. “Don’t most girls began thinking about boys at nineteen years old?”

You shrugged, sending him a mischievous smile, “I’m not like most girls, Hoseok.”

For some reason, that playful smirk made his heart race.

He blamed it on your energy. Perhaps you were just too energetic that it upped his cardio levels. That had to be the case.

Once the horses were all tacked up and warmed up, Hoseok and you sat upon your horses in front of the long trail Hoseok had first mentioned.

“This isn’t really fair,” you began.

Hoseok glanced at you from the corner of his eye, “How so?”

“You said yourself that this was one of your favorite trails. You must know the turns in your sleep. Give me a thirty second head start.”

“No, way.” Hoseok said.

“Please?” You clasped your hands under your chin and gave him your best puppy-dog eyes and pouty lip.

“No,” he spoke, though he wavered a bit.

“Fine,” you sat up straighter as your horse shifted beneath you. “I guess you’re just afraid I’ll beat you.”

“I am not,” he scoffed.

“Then give me the head start.”

“Fine. I’m counting now.”

You kicked your horse and he sensed your cue to begin galloping.

The trail wasn’t too hard to maneuver about. Luckily, you and your horse were so in tune with each other that he knew your commands before you enforced them.

You could hear Hoseok’s horse gaining on you, but your horse was already going his maximum speed. If Hoseok caught up, he caught up.

Throughout this, you failed to see the large bullfrog hopping across the road. Your horse saw it, however, and stopped abruptly in his startled form, throwing you over his head and onto the road.

“Y/n!” Hoseok slowed his horse and jumped off, running to you: a pathetic lump in the road. “Are you hurt?”

“Nothing but my pride,” you answered, pushing yourself into a sitting position and giving him an assuring smile.

Hoseok grabbed your cheek and turned it this way and that, looking for any cuts or bruises. Then he ran his hand down your arms to do the same.

Everywhere he touched he left a buzzing sensation running behind him. You felt heat rush to your cheeks when you finally looked at the prince.

“You’re a bit flustered, probably from surprise,” he murmured, “But other than that I don’t see any injuries.”

You bit your lip nervously. There was no reason to be so flustered around this boy. Especially when he’s your sister’s fiancé. “Thanks, Hoseok.”

“Call me Hobi,” he said, patting you lightly on the head before standing up and offering you his hand.

You placed your small, smooth hand in his large, touch ones and allowed him to pull you up. “Thanks, Hobi.”

“No problem. Now I’d say I won that one, didn’t I?” He asked, a twinkle in his eye. “Since you broke the rules and dismounted.”

“First of all, that was never against the rules. Second of all, I was thrown off my horse!”

Hoseok sent you a wide smile, “Than you wouldn’t mind starting again?”

“You’re on.”

-

You were happy to spend the next few months with your sister at the palace. While she got ready for her big day, you were able to explore the grounds as you pleased. You even made friends with many of the guards and servants there.

It felt like you had gained a whole new family. You were going to be sad when the wedding was over and you had to return to your home.

Today, you felt like going to the garden and helping the landscaper pull weeds. It was a fun job, and you were able to step out of your dress and into pants for once.

The landscapers name was Jin, and he loved the help you offered him. The two of you gossiped a lot while you worked, mostly about your sister and how annoying she was.

“Hoseok told me she had him change his suit color five times,” Jin complained.

You rolled your eyes, “Poor Hobi. He’s going to be in for a horrible ride.”

Jin scrutinized you, “What did you call him?”

“Hobi?” You furrowed your eyebrows. “He told me I could call him that.”

“Wow,” Jin grunted, pulling at a particularly tough weed. “Hoseok only lets his close friends call him that. You must’ve made a good impression on him.”

“I have that charm,” you agreed, jokingly flipping your hair off your shoulder.

“Jin, if she makes me go to the tailor one more time I am going to- Oh hello, Y/n.” Hoseok walked into the garden, feigning a smile. “What I was saying was I am going to rejoice because I too think the suit should be bright pink.”

You giggled, “Don’t worry about it, Hobi. I know my sister is a tyrant.”

At that, Hobi dropped on his back to the grassy floor, “I don’t want to get married to her. She’s so mean to me. What did I even do?”

“She’s mean to everyone,” you tried to console him.

“Not me,” Jin piped up, not noticing your looks of warning. “She told me I was handsome and laughed at all my jokes.”

Hoseok turned to look at the gardener, “She flirted with you? Wait, does that mean she is upset because she thinks I’m not handsome enough?”

“That can’t be true,” you said without thinking.

A smirk grew on the prince’s face and he looked at you, “Why’s that, Princess?”

You averted your eyes, feeling your cheeks get hot. “Because you’re really handsome. If my sister can’t see that then she’s blind.”

Hoseok sighed and looked back at the sky, “I’m glad you think so. I think I care about your opinion more than her’s anyway.”

Jin, the only one sensing the obvious tension between you two, cleared his throat, “Wow, look at the time. Y/n, can you finish this up for me while I go water the queen’s gardenias?”

“Of course,” you said, smiling.

Only when he left did you realize you were alone with Hoseok. You attempted to reassure him, “She’s not that bad once you get to know her. I’m sure you’ll be happy with her.”

Hoseok moved beside you to help with the weeds, getting the knees of his pants dirty as they pressed into the soil. “She’s the complete opposite of me and what I’m looking for.”

He said the next sentence under his breath, “I wish I could just marry you.”

Your breath caught in your throat and you turned to look at him, “What?”

“I wish I could marry you instead, Y/n,” he said. “It’s just a thought, but I think about it a lot, I suppose.”

You felt like choking. Did this boy just admit to thinking about you in his free time? “Actually, I think about you a lot, too. If you want to know.”

Hoseok and you made eye contact, both of you smiling softly at the other.

You studied his face, and the way his golden skin seemed to outshine the sun. How pretty the slope of his nose and the bow of his lip seemed to you.

His gaze trailed down your face, landing on your lips. He suddenly licked his own, blinked and looked away.

“I should probably go see what Y/s/n is up to,” he spoke, ears red.

“Good idea.”

-

Even though you knew it would probably a good idea to avoid Hoseok, you couldn’t find it in yourself to do.

Over the many weeks in preparation for the wedding, the two of you had gotten closer.

So close, that Hoseok often came to you with his worries.

“The wedding is in a week, Y/n,” said Hoseok.

“You’ll do great, okay?” You reached out and rubbed his arm for assurance.

He exhaled in frustration and ran his hand through his hair. “Why are you the one comforting me?”

“Sorry?” You looked at him, confused.

“You’re always there for me and Y/s/n always ignores me. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. Y'know, I think I meant it the other day. I really wish I was marrying you.”

He had gotten closer with every word, so that now he was towered over your short form. “Y/n, I think I want to marry you.”

His eyes flitted you your lips and he swallowed thickly. “But I know I want to kiss you.”

He dipped his head to match your gaze. You could feel the warmth of his breath as it fanned your lips, “I just want to know if that’s okay.”

A slight nod to confirm that it was indeed, okay to kiss you was all Hoseok needed to capture your lips in his own.

He gripped your waist, holding you in place while he kissed you. You could feel his tongue graze your bottom lip as he tried to deepen the kiss. Eventually, you allowed it, opening your mouth slightly for his tongue to enter.

It was back and forth, push and pull, passionate and messy, until a door slammed. Hoseok pulled away slowly, watching your expression through hooded eyes as he licked his own lips. They were swollen and red, and you were sure yours were the same.

Neither of you even noticed that someone had entered the room, for the action of catching your breath was first and foremost.

“What did I just witness?” Yoongi said, rubbing his eyes before giving you a stank face. “If you guys are going to sneak around, at least don’t do it in one of the main halls.”

“I need your help,” Hoseok said, grabbing your hand and squeezing it gently. “I need to get out of my marriage with Y/s/n.”

Yoongi looked at your interlocked hands and sighed, “Can’t the two of you just tell the queen? I mean, you’d still be marrying a princess.”

“But my parents would never agree to it,” you said. “They want my sister to be married first and take the throne, since she’s older.”

Hoseok looked at you, a wave of determination in his eyes. “I won’t get married to your sister. I promise.”

-

You knew Hoseok had every intention to keep his promise, but on the day of the wedding you began to doubt his word.

What if he did marry Y/s/n? What if you had to watch them grow old together while you pined after your brother-in-law?

You sat on one of the thrones beside the queen, Hoseok’s mom. You bit your nails nervously, only to have Her Majesty slap your hand away. “Have some class, Dear.”

“Sorry,” you whispered, folding your hands in your lap.

Soon, Hoseok walked down the aisle and stood in front of the minister. His fancy prince attire made your heart swell in pride as you thought of his bright future.

If only you could be in it with him.

When your sister appeared, you felt tears behind your eyes. She looked beautiful, but the gaze she gave Hoseok was not a loving gaze. Not even a friendly gaze. It was a gaze Hoseok shouldn’t have to live with the rest of his life. You could see tears of resentment in her eyes, and you suddenly felt sorry for your sibling.

She didn’t want this any more than Hoseok did. Maybe all her annoyances were to try and get Hoseok to call off the wedding. Maybe all she really wanted was to flirt with the gardener and be a normal girl.

You missed the vows while thinking of the couple’s misfortune.

The minister smiled at your sister, “Do you, Y/l/n Y/s/n, take Jung Hoseok as your husband: to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Your sisters voice cracked. Her resolution was breaking.

“And do you, Jung Hoseok, take Y/l/n Y/s/n as your wife: to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

Hoseok stilled. He glanced at your sister before uttering the clear words you longed to hear, “I don’t.”

The crowd gasped, but the queen beside you pushed you into a standing position. “He told me everything last night. Go to him.”

You couldn’t disobey the queen, so you hesitantly walked through the crowd.

Hoseok, who had been looking for you, suddenly smiled and ran towards you. “I told you I wouldn’t marry her. I’ll marry you instead.”

You slapped his chest playfully as happy tears began to leak from your eyes, “I thought you were going to go through with it!”

Hoseok pulled you into his chest and kissed your forehead, “I had to clear it with everyone first. I’m sorry I scared you, but look.”

He turned to around, where you saw your sister talking to Jin with a relieved smile on her face.

“I think everything turned out okay.”

~the end~

[wallythayer]

7 Self-Care Strategies at Work

If it feels like you spend more time working than ever, you probably do — and you’re not alone.

A 2014 Gallup poll notes that American full-time workers logged an average of 47 hours per week; those connected digitally to their offices often worked even longer. A report commissioned by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2012 found that public-school teachers typically work 53 hours per week. And factory workers frequently put in 12-hour days.

Another study indicates that 52 percent of U.S. workers didn’t take all their paid vacation days in the previous year, leaving an average of more than a week unused; 23 percent did not take a vacation at all.

Meanwhile, inflation-adjusted wages have remained essentially flat since 1978, while the portion of workers with employer-provided health insurance (from their own job or a family member’s) fell from 77 percent in 1980 to 69 percent in 2013.

“Productivity increases have only led to average hours worked per week creeping up and up,” says workplace-trends analyst John de Graaf, editor of Take Back Your Time. This suggests that real wages — in terms of hourly remuneration — are declining.

It’s not surprising, then, that many employees feel burned out. A 2017 Gallup poll reveals that more than half of the full-time workers surveyed admitted they were “not engaged” at work, paying only partial attention in the place where they spend the most time, while 16 percent reported being “actively disengaged.”

What’s going on?

“There are a couple of issues here, and one of them is money pressure,” says financial educator and advocate Ruth Hayden. “Worrying about money makes work so much more stressful and unhealthy.

“The other is the work itself — the pressure on people to perform. I keep hearing how hard everyone is working, how they’re feeling like they have a job and a half.”

Most of us are familiar with the increasing pressure of the always-on workplace, where the workday and workweek never really end. This skewed balance often leaves us frazzled and unfulfilled.

“If you were to design a workplace reflecting all the stuff we know about how the brain works, it wouldn’t look anything like today’s open-plan, distraction-amplifying spaces,” says Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.

As for the hours we work, Pang says this: “Americans have a long history of valuing overwork. One of the ways to get ahead is to simply outwork everybody else.”

While none of us can single-handedly change the rules or the culture, we can revise how we relate to them. The following strategies can help you take care of your health and spirit on the job.

Bring Your Body to Work

When a workplace culture encourages long hours and competition, taking breaks to move and eat quality food throughout the day may not feel like a priority. Yet meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness at Work, stresses the importance of listening to our bodies, whether we’re loading boxes or spending long hours at a desk.

“The human body is not designed to expend energy continuously,” explains ­Salzberg. “Our bodies regularly tell us to take a break, but we often override these signals and counter our fatigue with stimulants, including coffee, sugar, and so on.”

“People assume that being ‘knowledge workers’ means we have to interact with a screen all day, and that our bodies don’t matter, and that every moment of the day is like every other,” adds Pang. “None of this is true. There are biological rhythms to attention and creativity, and we are more productive if we recognize and work with them.”

To increase your focus at work, pay attention to those rhythms. If you’re sharpest in the morning, aim to schedule important meetings before noon and save repetitive tasks for the late-afternoon lull. This can increase your productivity — and leave you with more energy at day’s end.

And try to take a brief break every 90 minutes or so throughout the workday; this gives your brain a chance to recharge. Just standing outside and feeling the breeze for a moment can be restorative. (For more on why, read Take a Break.)

Finally, while scarfing down lunch at the desk as you frantically check email can now seem nor­mal, our bodies usually disagree: They often rebel with digestive distress or poor sleep.

Even if all your coworkers eat quickly or skip lunch altogether, try reclaiming your meal break anyway. If you habitually eat in a rush, take a walk outside for some fresh air before lunch. Bring food from home and eat somewhere without a screen in front of you.

Personalize Your Work Environment

Unless you work strictly from home, your workplace likely reflects someone else’s design tastes. Yet research shows that empowering workers to decorate their environments can improve energy, mood, and even efficiency.

In his book Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives, economist Tim Harford describes a 2010 study in England that observed how recruits performed tasks in differently decorated environments, some that were spare and sterile, others that they could arrange themselves. Not surprisingly, the participants preferred spending time in the spaces they’d been invited to design. They also completed more work in the “empowered” spaces than in those decorated without their input.

“In a modern office environment, there can be good reasons why people aren’t in full control of their work — say they have to respond to their customers and boss,” Harford says. This demand for responsiveness, however, requires energized and engaged workers, and that’s all the more reason to give them control of their environments where possible.

A personalized environment will mean different things to different people: It could be a special stone on the desk or a full cubicle redecoration, complete with rug and designer lamp. If your employer doesn’t allow this, bring a framed photo or two to set up and take down each day. The objects matter less than the act of exercising some influence over your surroundings.

Set Clear Boundaries

Digital communication offers several benefits; it allows many of us to work remotely, for example. But it comes with a major caveat: Work follows us everywhere. Setting boundaries is crucial for our well-being and the health of our relationships, as anyone who’s ever interrupted a conversation to respond to a work email knows.

Good boundaries are also important for productivity.

“When we attempt to focus on multiple tasks simultaneously, what happens is that we switch back and forth between tasks, paying less attention to both,” explains Salzberg. This often means tasks take longer and we make more mistakes.

Working only during business hours protects the quality of your attention, both on the job and off. Set a firm end to your workday. If you’re tempted to check email after hours, try setting limits on devices. Shut off your phone during family time. Use an app, such as Freedom, to freeze your online access for up to eight hours. And above all, take all your vacation days — and leave work behind.

Manage Your Meetings

Meetings have become a huge time-eater in today’s workplace. More than half of the office workers surveyed in a 2017 poll labeled “wasteful meetings” as the biggest obstacle to getting their primary work done. A few simple measures can help:

Conduct your next meeting while standing up. People tend to be sharper when they’re not sitting. They’ll often make their points more efficiently, perhaps because no one wants to stand around all day.

Try scheduling your next meeting for half the time you’d normally take; see if it helps improve focus and efficiency.

Set a clear agenda, and check items off the list as you proceed.

Be selective about invitations. If someone’s presence isn’t crucial to a project, assume his or her time is better spent elsewhere.

Make it acceptable (and shame-free) to call out those who go off point, repeat something already noted, or process out loud.

End on time.

Communicate Compassionately

Most of us have a colleague we find challenging. While we usually can’t control who gets hired, we can control how we communicate — including with those who trip our triggers.

One useful approach for both work­place and personal relationships is called Nonviolent Communication (NVC). Developed in the 1960s by the late psychologist and mediator Marshall Rosenberg, PhD, NVC is based on the premise that all human behavior stems from universal needs and that a compassionate approach can free up energy wasted in conflict.

The process has four steps:

Observe a conflict without generalization or judgment.

Identify feelings without attaching blame.

Locate the universal human need at play.

Request — rather than demand —a positive outcome.

Instead of demanding a distracted colleague’s attention, for example, try expressing a need for shared focus in that moment. Or rather than complaining to a coworker because he’s always late for meetings, tell him that when he’s late it feels as if he’s not prioritizing the project.

This approach leaves room for mutual problem-solving. Perhaps someone who’s late is having trans­portation issues; someone whose attention wanders may be overloaded with tasks.

“Reframing in this way helps us to move from a victim position to an empowered position that increases our choices and our compassion,” says psychologist and leadership coach Yvette Erasmus, PsyD, LP. “And we rehumanize people we’d previously seen as ‘difficult.’”

Salzberg points out that good communication at work also includes how we talk to ourselves.

“We often lie to ourselves about our true feelings,” she explains. “We believe that if we tell ourselves the scary truth, we’ll be forced to explode our lives. This paranoia about being fully honest fosters unhappiness in the workplace.”

Still, Salzberg believes that honesty will lead to more peace at work, not less.

“I have a friend who described herself as someone who could never say no,” she says. When the friend spent time in meditation reflecting on times she wanted to say no but didn’t, “she would feel this near-panic rise up in her — and she learned that was her signal to say, ‘I’ll have to get back to you on that later.’ Then, once she had some space, she could say no when she needed to.”

Honor Your Values

Finding purpose at work is crucial to avoiding burnout, yet many workplaces restrict how employees dress, act, even communicate. It can be tough to find a sense of meaning when it feels as if your every move is being managed.

Still, according to some experts, finding purpose can be as simple as paying attention to your breath.

“There’s a saying: Live short moments many times,” says Salzberg.

“Don’t pick up the phone on the first ring. Let it ring three times and breathe. These purposeful pauses are just a way of returning to yourself and the moment, of stepping away from the pressure and the chaos, and of reuniting with yourself and your values.”

Salzberg also recommends reframing how we view our jobs, which is more than making the best of a bad situation. When we decide what makes our work meaningful, we’re better able to express our deep values, even within the job’s constraints.

“I understand that one of the greatest sources of happiness at work is a sense of meaning, but sometimes the meaning isn’t going to be in the job description,” she says. “Take someone who works in a call center fielding complaints. It may not be the job of her dreams, and on many levels might be really difficult, but she can find meaning in helping someone have a better day and treating them with love and respect.”

Know Your Exit Strategy

Human dignity depends on feeling some agency and control, and a healthy relationship with work means overcoming the sense of being trapped in a job. Hayden works with clients to reframe their careers, designing a résumé that focuses on their entire professional self rather than a dry biography.

“Rather than thinking they’re stuck — they don’t get paid enough and they can’t stand it — we talk about how to use their current position as leverage for the next one,” Hayden says. “I have them make a résumé that lists what they know how to do and what they’ve done, rather than what companies they’ve worked for.”

She recommends splitting your résumé into sections, such as “software and technology” or “education and literacy,” with bullets under each section enumerating your skills and experience in that area.

“People start to realize how smart they are,” she notes, “and where they can head as they think bigger.”

De Graaf suggests a similar process of taking stock of your resources and deciding what’s most important to you. He uses the metaphor of packing for a backpacking journey.

“The backpacker has to ask what’s essential,” he explains. “Usually, the big problem is that the person tries to bring too much stuff. America has a huge backpack right now — it’s struggling under it; it’s falling over. And it’s thinking that the answer is to put more stuff into the backpack, which also means we’re working longer and harder.”

In other words, if you’re holding on to a miserable job strictly because it pays a lot and then spending a lot to soothe your shattered soul, you might consider lightening your load.

Ultimately, the workplace is a meeting ground for humans where all our failings, idiosyncrasies, and blind spots are played out for 40-plus hours every week. Practicing self-care in how we conduct ourselves and communicate with others allows us to find more positive, constructive ways of interacting with our jobs — which is to say, our lives. And what could be more valuable than that?

Self-Care for the Self-Employed

Carving out an independent path as a freelancer, consultant, or entrepreneur can be an exhilarating journey toward self-realization. But self-employment comes with its own sources of stress and worry. These are a few best practices for maintaining your balance.

Create a routine. Self-employed people can get sucked into long hours that turn into cycles of burnout. When possible, set regular hours and create a dedicated workspace in your home or elsewhere (see below) that you can leave when you need to recharge.

Build in rest and exercise. You’re writing your own calendar, so schedule daily exercise, regular meals, and the occasional nap to restore your creativity.

Make a budget. Income can be erratic: Create a monthly budget reflecting how much you absolutely need to earn to cover housing, food, recreation, healthcare, and other basic expenses. Hayden recommends setting aside several months’ worth of these costs so you feel more room to breathe. If you suspect you’re falling short, devote some time each week to reaching out to new business prospects or clients.

Get out of the house. Working only at home can be distracting. Locate the best coffee shops and libraries where you can put in productive hours. And look into coworking spaces — many have flexible leasing plans and can be great places for finding new clients and cultivating the social benefits of the traditional workplace.

This originally appeared as “On the Clock” in the March 2019 print issue of Experience Life.

Get the full story at https://experiencelife.com/article/7-self-care-strategies-at-work/

[itsdennc-blog]

One of the most persistent questions I have gotten over the past two years is what I think about Alessandro Michele’s Gucci. I’ve been asked this so many times that I decided to put something in writing, if only to put my thoughts in order on this subject and answer the question properly.

Simply put, I find Gucci infantile. Of course its infantilism is the crux of its popularity, because much of the fashion audience today consists of adult-children who have zero interest in anything beyond its cloying surface. The glory days of, relatively speaking, serious fashion that lent itself to analysis has been left in the last decade when Helmut Lang and Margiela stopped designing, and Raf Simons began spreading himself thin. The new audience for fashion is a mass audience, and mass audience is not interested in the subtleties of a designer’s thought process. Just look at the poor Hussein Chalayan, who was the intellectual darling of fashion in the late 90s and early aughts, and whom that same scene has rendered irrelevant by now. Today, fashion is a big market, in which few people are genuinely interested in design, and no fashion business executive in his right mind, especially in a conglomerate like Kering, which Gucci is part of, would want them to be. It’s go mass, or go home. So, in a way, Gucci has captured the zeitgeist perfectly – they are shallow clothes for our shallow age.

Michele wears his infantilism on his puffy sleeve (and front, back, and any other place where he can stick a glittery snake or a rose or any other number of banalities). His clothes are not beautiful – true beauty requires a certain degree of sweep – but cute, pretty. Its surface is sickly sweet, like coffee with too much sugar in it. It hides lack of design in the overload of ornamentation. It’s supposed to be “fun,” the way I assume Disney Land or Las Vegas must be fun for the hordes of people who go in for such things.

Besides the fashion victims, Gucci taps well into the prevailing mode of the fashion cognoscenti, who consume fashion with campy irony (the fact that it appeals to both the casual consumers and the insiders is some new level of meta-irony). Much of Michele’s output is calculatedly inelegant, which plays very well with the in-club, whose prevailing modus operandi is “it’s cool because we say so,” since they don’t need to back up their opinion in the postmodern world that has demolished all markers of merit when it comes to taste, thereby rendering any argument about taste meaningless. You can look no further than Michele himself, who came out to take the final bow at the end of last show in Seinfeld-jeans and a reissue of a retro Gucci tee (retro is integral to camp). When Obama wore such stylish denim he was roundly ridiculed for wearing “Mom jeans,” but no one would dare say that of Michele, the fashion insider par excellence, for fear of seeming to not “get it.”

What’s left when you cannot talk about the clothes in any meaningful way is shopping. And the amount of product Gucci puts out under Michele is staggering. The last Gucci show – granted it combined men’s and women’s – featured one hundred and twenty over-styled looks. The everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to styling is another trick in obfuscating Michele’s lack of ideas. The pressure to put out product must be enormous – according to Marco Bizzarri, the new Gucci CEO, Kering has invested “billions – not millions – of euros” into overhauling the company’s image, including redecorating its 500 stores. Bizzarri, a former executive at Accenture, a management consulting firm, also let it be known in his recent interview with the Financial Times that he ensures that product sales data flows from stores straight to his and Michele’s desk, which means that product dictates design, and not the other way around. The pricing on this stuff reflects no discernible rhyme or reason. Last week I checked the Gucci rack at Bergdorf Goodman – a disheveled looking cotton hoodie with a retro Gucci logo retailed for $1,290. The profit margin on a piece like that must be staggering.

Some say that Gucci is breathing fresh energy into fashion. And it may seem new, though it owes an obvious debt to Prada and Miu Miu (nothing wrong with being influenced, by the way.) But I am not convinced that newness is a value in itself. Newness is, of course, important for fashion business and its relentless pursuit of selling us stuff we don’t need. But in critical terms, newness has to come accompanied by something else, namely good design. Make it new only works so long as it merits examination and lets a train of thought depart from station A.

The contrary is true about Michele’s work, which is Warhollian in its flatness, all surface and no substance. One of Warhol’s dubious achievements was that his work was so lowest-common-denominator bland that its very emptiness allowed the so-called critics to fill it with whatever meaning they wanted, aiding and abetting the said critics to satisfy their own ego in producing obscurantist verbal diarrhea (despite Warhol telling them straight up that he is not interested in anything but surface – they never bothered to take him at his word).

Still, Gucci remains relevant, only if it serves as a mirror of the sad state of affairs in today’s fashion industry. It’s just not a mirror I want to look in.

https://www.sz-mag.com/news/