#they'll be trying to cover each other while trying to run of and transform

[dark-lord-of-awesomeness]

Shifter Stan and Shifter Ford au, but the twist is that while Stan’s from Maurice’s clan, Ford was also put in there by a rival clan who is enemies with Maurice’s clan. Neither clan knows that their spawn’s “base” they’re using is a shifter. Mainly due to long series of comedy errors preventing them from finding out.

Ford and Stan also don’t know that the other is a shifter because they think that what the other is doing is completely normal for humans.

Stan’s eating a dead rat? Well Ford’s certainly not going to judge his brother’s life choices, after all he ate a dead seagull last week.

Alas, per my own lore this is impossible. Shifters know each other on sight (which is why they don't tend to socialize with each other), and they need an actual baby to watch or they wont grow or mimic properly. They'd be newborns for months just staring at each other and waiting for the other to make a move if this was the case.

What could happen is that the Pines family isn't human to begin with, but go under the radar and blend in so well with humans Maurice didn't realize. Were-wolves seems the easiest to hide, but maybe something nautical instead. Ma Pines being a selkie Filbrick is married to maybe? Run away transformed mermaids? Maybe a different kind of shapeshifter, like kitsune?

Whatever they are, they're an off branch of some larger organization that would love to have a shapeshifter on payroll, and have targeted Maurice in the past. The Pines aren't really involved with the high level stuff, but maybe the pawn shop is a front for something else, or Ma Pines phone line is a cover for moving information around or something. Or they got out of the bigger family and just want to lay low and live peaceful lives (least likely).

So they have a baby, actually get two babies, and are none the wiser about their new highly valuable shapeshifter son (whichever one it may be). Which ever Stan is a shapeshifter has no idea his family isnt human, as they don't broadcast it and just let their sons do whatever comes natural, just sorta muttering to try and keep a low profile with their less socially acceptable habits.

So when one Stan gets the urge to eat a rat or something, the shapeshifter happily follows, glad to have a shared habit with their human counterpart. Maurice is watching them slurp up worms in horror, either realizing they made a mistake in choosing their host family, or horrified about how weird the human base they chose for their spawn is. The human is teaching their spawn horrible human life skills! Their not gonna learn how to be a normal human by following the one cutting up rats in alley ways! But its too late to try and nab them now, so all they can do is watch and grown about all the habits they'll have to fix in boot camp.

[all4seth]

pov: you find out about your boyfriend, seth and his friends being able to shift into wolves

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, you know?" Seth asked for the milionth time.

"I do want to meet your friends, seth, I know how important they are to you" I reassured him with a smile.

We were now walking through the reservation, heading towards emily and sam uley's house, where seth's friends often hung out. We had been talking about this for a while and I figured that I would have met them sometime anyway, since Seth and I had been dating for a few months.

As soon as we reached the house, a few dark haired, shirtless and tan boys ran out, their faces radiating with excitment.

"So you're the lucky girl, huh?" one of them looked me up and down.

"Seth seems to be luckier, Jared. I'm Paul Lahote" another smirked as he held out his hand.

I took it nervously and said: "Y/N Y/L/N"

They each then shook my hand and greeted me.

"Embry Call. Nice to finally meet you, Y/N."

"Seth talks about you all the time, trust me. I'm Quil"

Seth lightly punched his shoulder and the boys laughed.

And so on. After introducing themselves, they sprinted back into the house as someone called for them. Seth and I stayed behind and he softly squeezed my hand, before saying:

"Seems to be going good"

"They all seem like great friends" I smiled at him.

"They are" he smiled back. "But if you ever bring this up, I'll deny it"

We both laughed and he turned to me as we reached the doorway and placed a soft kiss on my lips.

The boys sat at the table made puking sounds and jokingly covered their eyes with their hands.

Seth and I laughed it off, right before a woman scolded them.

I hadn't even noticed her; after she turned around, she came up to us and hugged me, then introduced herself as Emily Young.

"You're Sam's wife, ri-"

"His imprint" Paul cut me off.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as the boys all snapped at him, Jared's elbow hitting Paul's side, perhaps a bit harder than he meant.

In response to Jared, Paul got up, his chair falling to the ground, and pushed Jared a few meters back. They were yelling at each other as the other boys were quick to drag them out of the house, both of their bodies shaking violently.

"Stay here with Emily" Seth whispered, then ran towards them.

She and I got out on the porch, incapable of interfering.

Jacob was holding Paul back by his arm, while Quil and Jared were trying to calm Jared down, the other boys standing in between them.

"Cool off guys, Sam's about to get here" Emily shouted.

It was no use; swiftly, Paul freed himswlf from Jacob's grip and shockingly enough, his body contorsioned into the one of a huge, ash-gray wolf. Jared was quick to jump back at him, only he had transformed as well. Paul sank his teeth somewhere around the other guy's shoulder, who howled in pain before striking back.

When I was finally able to look away from the fight, my eyes searched for my boyfriend, with fear. He was nowhere to be seen; instead, in the place he last stood was now a wolf, who was a bit shorter than the rest, eyes looking into mine.

"Seth" I whispered.

I was frightened; not really of the huge wolves, though, but rather for Seth, praying he wouldn't get hurt.

I was pulled out of my train of thought by the shouting of another man, who was fastly approaching them. His head turned to me for a moment, before his clothes all fell onto the ground, shredded, as the greatest of wolves stood next to the fighting boys. He was visibly taller with black fur, his chest pressing forward as he held his head high; "must be their leader" I thought to myself.

Suddenly, the wolves all backed up, Paul and Jared's bowing in front of Sam. After a few moments in which all looked the great wolf in the eyes, they scattered running into the forest, nowhere to be seen.

Emily grabbed my arm softly and urged me inside.

"Come on, they'll be here soon"

"Are they going to be okay?" I asked quickly, much worried for them all, tears forming in my eyes.

She looked at me and sighed, stroking my hair.

"Yes, they'll be okay, sweetheart. This happens pretty much on a daily basis around here"

I gulped, with shock.

"So this... this huge wolf thing is common around here?"

She laughed and nodded.

"They'll explain everything to you when they get here"

As soon as she said that, the tan boys came back into the house, all laughing and joking around, Paul and Jared included. All except for Seth and Sam, who stayed behind, talking in a very serious demeanor. As they reached the house, Seth stopped into the doorway while Sam came uo to Emily and kissed her tenderly. Then, he turned to me and said:

"Seth wishes to talk to you, kid."

I nervously walked outside, meeting his anxious gaze.

We sat in silence for a few moments before I bursted out loud:

"Oh Seth, are you all alright?"

I checked his arms and chest and back, searching for any sign of harm, yet he was spotless.

"Yeah, I'm fine" he laughed, still tense.

I exhaled, relieved and hugged him tight.

"Are... are you not absolutely terrified by me? Do you not want to never talk to me again?"

I giggled against his warm shoulder.

"No, of course I'm not scared of you. I mean, was I completely taken aback when all you guys turned into huge wolves? Yeah, sure. But scared of you? No, never." I shook my head as I voiced the last words.

"I love you" he said, finally relaxed.

"I love you too"

[sdroofingandchimneys]

How to Remove Old Roofing for a Fresh Start?

How do you like to stand under a roof that has already lost its shine owing to the many years that have passed and be a witness to the run of each season? Your roof is worth the full transformation and it should all begin with letting go of the roof that is so tired and old. 

Why Does Roof Removal Matter? 

Roofs are not immortal. They are like old worn-out coats that have seen many moons and have ultimately lost their protective quality.  

Flat Roofing Installation Manchester leads you to assurance and benefit. Beneath the frail roofing construct are dangers like water damage, structural vulnerability, and energy inefficiency that could dwell and you just wish to exclude this from your life. 

Preparing for the Big Remove 

Preparing for roof removal does not only involve getting the ladder and the tools. There is a need to maintain the security of not only yourself but also the property. The first step is to get the place around the house free of clutter.  

Also, you might need to move some cars, outdoor furniture, or any other fragile items around the house that might get damaged during the process. 

Safety First, Always 

Where roof tile repair Manchester professionals are concerned, safety is necessary, not a maybe. If you are still tempted to try the do-it-yourself option, think again.  

One of the main hazards to roof removal is facial drops, material hazards, and possible structural damage. Professional teams bring the right safety equipment as well as insurance. 

The Removal Process Explained 

Eliminating an old roof is not as straightforward as one may think. Each level requires certain vigilance. Contractors will first review the existing roofing for any hidden damage.  

Then, systematically, they'll start removing the materials from the top layers down to the roof deck. 

Tools of the Trade 

Specialized equipment makes roof removal smoother and safer. Expect to see tools like roofing shovels, pry bars, and industrial-strength tarps. Chimney Repairs Manchester experts often work alongside roofing teams to ensure complete structural integrity during the removal process. 

Disposal and Clean-Up 

Roof removal generates significant waste. Responsible contractors will have a plan for proper disposal. Recyclable materials get separated, while other debris gets transported to appropriate disposal sites. This approach keeps your property clean and supports environmental responsibility. 

What Comes Next? 

After removal, your roof deck gets a thorough inspection. Any damaged wood, compromised structures, or potential weak spots get addressed before new roofing goes down. This step ensures your new roof has a solid, reliable foundation. 

Final Thoughts 

Roof removal might seem daunting, but it's your gateway to home protection and improved property value. By understanding the process and working with professionals, you transform an intimidating task into a smooth, successful home improvement project. 

Your home deserves a fresh start. A new roof isn't just about covering your head—it's about protecting your most significant investment with confidence and care.

[projectlandscapeltd]

Top Landscaping Tips For Homeowners

Whether you're a gardening novice or an experienced landscaper, there are a few simple tricks to making your garden look like it belongs in a magazine. Here are my top tips for transforming your yard from drab to fab.

Lighten up your homes with the help of plants.

Plants are a great way to lighten up your home, whether you're looking for privacy or just want to add color and texture. They can also be used as windbreaks or shade, which can make a big difference in the temperature of a room.

Choose plants that have the same light requirements.

If you're planting a new garden, it's important to choose plants that have similar light requirements. If you mix plants with different types of light requirements, some of your plants will not get enough sunlight and others might get too much.

For example: if one plant needs full sun (6-8 hours per day) and another needs partial shade (3-4 hours per day), then the two won't be able to coexist peacefully in the same space without dramatically altering their environment. Similarly, mixing plants with different water requirements can cause problems as well because they may need more or less water than each other over time depending on weather conditions in your area; this could lead to stress on both types of plants when they're forced into an unnatural situation together!

Try for a water-saving garden.

One of the best ways to save water is to create a drought-tolerant garden. Drought-tolerant plants are those that don't need as much water to survive and thrive, so they're more likely to survive in areas where there's less rainfall.

You can also use rain barrels or collect rainwater from your roof with gutters and downspouts. If you don't have enough space for a full-sized rain barrel, consider purchasing an irrigation timer so you can set up drip irrigation systems in pots or small gardens instead of watering them manually every day (or even multiple times per day).

Try planting native plants instead of exotic ones--they'll require less maintenance because they're used to local conditions such as temperature fluctuations, wind speed/directionality, etc., which means they won't need extra care from homeowners like fertilizing or pruning regularly!

Go native to save water and money.

Native plants are more resistant to pests and diseases, so you won't have to spend money on pesticides. They also require less water and fertilizer than non-natives, which saves both time and money. Plus, native plants are native to your area--so they don't need as much maintenance!

Native plants may cost more than non-native ones at first (because they're less common), but over time this difference will even out as you don't have to buy new plants or pay for pest control services anymore. So if you're looking for an investment that pays off in the long run, try going with a native landscape design next time around!

Get creative with containers

The right container can make all the difference.

Planting containers is not difficult, but it's important to choose plants that are appropriate for your climate and soil type.

When caring for your container garden, remember that watering is key! Most plants need at least 1 inch of water per week (and more if conditions are hot). Make sure you know how much sun each plant needs before deciding where to place them in your yard or on your porch--some prefer full sun while others thrive in shade.

Displaying your creations is just as fun as creating them! Place some under a covered patio or on top of an outdoor table so they're protected from rain while still getting plenty of light during the day; then move them back outside once temperatures warm up again at night--or leave them out all year long if possible!

It's not that hard to make your yard look like it belongs in a magazine

You don't have to be a professional landscaper to make your yard look like it belongs in a magazine. It's not that hard or expensive, and the benefits are endless!

Project Landscape is the best landscaping calgary company that specializes in creating beautiful outdoor spaces for homeowners, businesses and communities. They focus on designing functional and sustainable landscapes that are also beautiful.

Project Landscape 3511 64 Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2C 1N3 403-257-4059 https://www.projectlandscape.ca/

[dekusheroacademia]

All Togachako moments

I will try to keep this post updated, but under cut here is all Togachako moments. The list goes through all the BNHA material (manga, novels, anime fillers, movies etc.). Keep in mind that there will be spoilers of the manga. The number is the manga chapter.

You can also check the screenshots of each moment here.

TOGACHAKO

MANGA

073: In the forest, Toga is looking for some students to attack and she finds Tsuyu and Ochako

080: After attacking Uraraka, Toga introduceses himself and announces that Tsuyu and Uraraka are very cute

080: Toga also already knowns Uraraka and Tsuyu´s names, and wishes to get more blood from the little she got out of Ochako

080: We also have a scene of Uraraka using her combat training for the first time against Toga, and which Toga replies that Ochako is a lovely one, and she has her same scent

080: Toga immediately understands that there is someone Uraraka is crushing on, and that she wants to be just like him, and Uraraka is surprised Toga basically understood her so well. Froppy ends the fight and Toga runs away.

105: Toga disguises herself as Uraraka to understand Deku better, and she finds out that Deku truly trusts Uraraka

106: Uraraka intervenes when Toga transforms back into Camie. She jumps out of the way and Uraraka is impressed by her reflexes. Before leaving, Toga/Camie comments that Deku really trusts "her".

109: Uraraka thinks back to Toga's words, to the way she was seen (how she wants to be like Deku), and decides to push aside her feelings for Deku to focus on training

156: Toga, a true wild card, decides to betray Overhaul and in the mix of it she uses Deku's blood to go check on Uraraka and call her to where she is needed

223: While talking with the LOV, Toga announces that she loves Stain, she loves Izuku and Ochako too and she wants to become them because of it

226: In true danger, against the other villains, Toga tries to escape and without even thinking she transforms into Uraraka from the remaining blood she had of her

226: Toga thinks back about Ochako, who is a girl Izuku trusts, about how much she wants to be her, like the one she loves. While escaping she is surprised to find out that she can use, for the first time, the quirk of the person she is copying: OChako's quirk. She uses it to kill the villains in pursuit and she smiles, glad to be even more like the people she loves

227: Injured and covered in blood, Toga comments that now she feels even closer to them (Uraraka and Deku)

287: During the war and after Twice's death, Toga can only think about wanting to ask Izuku and Ochako about their heroic spirits. She has saw an hero killing Twice, and she knows heroes kill people, so she wonders if heroes just didn't see Twice as a person. She is shocked by Twice's death but she knows she will be fine, depending on their answers to her question

288: Toga feels gloomy and confused, she cannot wait anymore so she needs to go ask Ochako her question. She leaves her supposed spot and her job to go look for Ochako

288: At the end of the chapter, after finding Uraraka and Tsuyu, she lures Ochako away with a transformation. She transforms back right in front of Ochako

288: Toga attacks Uraraka, who is quite confused, and asks her "What do you wanna do to me?", where the answer of course implies if Ochako considers her human or not

289: Toga explains Uraraka about how thinking about the people she loves make her emotional, but how she feels different from others, and how others have tried to kill her because of who she is

289: Toga steals the All Might's keychain, repeating that her and Ochako are the same. Ochako tells her that they are not the same because she put her feelings aside, at which Toga explains that if she bottles them up they'll get worse

289: Ochako finally answers Toga's question saying that if she chooses to live like this then she must face the consequences. Toga runs away crying, saying that her confusion is all cleared, and later Ochako thinks back on it.

324: Ochako is speaking up for her classmates, to save them, and when she talks about a future where they can smile together the image of Toga, crying, pops up into her head

341: Toga's quirk is clarified, and if the person is closer to her heart then she means she can use their quirk, as she did with Ochako

342: On the rooftop, talking with Izuku, Uraraka explains that she feels weird because she wants to save Toga. She said that she fought her and she took a lot of things for granted, in return Toga appeared sad.

345: Ochako has been sent to Toga's location as she was the one planned to fight her

347: Ochako looks at Toga attacking Deku, probably understanding that Toga attacks people actually out of genuine love and affection

348: Toga asks Izuku her question "What do you want to do to me?" and Uraraka think back about their encounter, probably realizing that that question holds the key to Toga's love

348: With Izuku rejecting Toga, Toga decides that Izuku and Ochako are just the same as everyone else and she rejectes them. Uraraka thinks back about how sad she looked.

349: Uraraka announces that she will be living her life following what is right, which is probably saving Toga

375: Toga fights against Tsuyu and Ochako, but ends up tricking them and drinking Twice blood. Ready to leave the field, Ochako tries to stop her by asking her to talk about love. That seems to make Toga hesitate, before she leaves in the portal with a sad expression, saying that she wishes she could.

376: Ochako attempts to communicate with Toga, asking her to have their chat about love, but Toga refuses and for the first time she calls her just "hero", instead of Ochako-chan.

382: We have the confirmation that Toga can only fully transforms into the people she loves. When she cannot use Twice's quirk to fully recplicate Shigaraki's, Uraraka finds her because she is crying, and thinks back about how she cannot ignore her tears.

ANIME EXTRAS AND FILLER

In season 6, the match between Toga and Ochako is enhanced, with a bit more interaction compared to the manga.

The first OP of season 6 also has a Togachako moment added, where Ochako turns around to look at Toga's handkerchief, flowing in the wind

[countrymusiclover]

14 - Dinosaurs Market

Part 15

Hybrid Trainer

@ellora-brekker @bigbendyhorns @fieryflower24 @foundationsretail

Franklin had given us information on a market that was selling dinosaurs in a black market type thing. Entering the room I grasped Owen's hand seeing multiple dinosaurs in cages being sold to whoever could afford them. I had changed into a short green shirt, dark blue jeans and brown combat boots. My hair completely loose except two strands pulled back. Claire went to ask people around carrying a picture of Maisie and Jewel. Owen and I broke away where I used my hearing trying to see if anyone was talking about our girls. I couldn't use my raptor smell since there's too many different things in this area. Sniffing into the air I spun on my feet seeing someone I recognized from the island. "Barry, what are you doing here?" I asked before he opened his arms hugging me. Wrapping my arms around his neck I smiled seeing him after years.

We break the hug smiling at each other until he grabbed my arm pulling me behind a wall with an opening to see through. There's two guys that must be the guys transporting. A woman wearing a white dress with blonde hair came around a cart with a red tarp covering whatever was inside. "What's the cargo?" One of the guys with long brown hair and a thick beard asked the woman. "Atrociraptors, thoroughbreds. Trained to kill." She simply replied when the tarp gets thrown opened causing whatever is inside to make loud noises. The dinosaurs pitch sounds a lot like a velociraptor. Leaning up on my toes I glared at the lady whispering to Barry at my side. "She has to be the person who took my girls." He didn't respond listening to her. "They are told to kill whoever they are told. The lazier marks the target. They attach to the scent and don't stop until it's dead. It's inescapable. Those idiots making hybrids had it all wrong. You can't engineer loyalty."

"Go find Owen and Claire. Warn them." I demand to him clutching my hands into fists at my sides. He raised a brow in confusion at my words. "What are you gonna do?" Baring my teeth my eyes flashed golden to him before I turned on my heels leaving him. "I'm gonna go kick a blonde's ass for taking my children." Walking around the corner the woman smirked at me before multiple guns are aimed on us. She throws a smoke bomb then the truck starts driving off. Owen called my name when I broke into a run after the blonde's scent. Closing my eyes I transformed into my raptor form cornering her. Growling in a low tone she pressed her back against the wall. "So you're the famous hybrid raptor everyone talks about. Dr. Wu was an idiot to think mixing human and dinosaurs DNA together. At least that's what I would have said until I met your daughters." Throwing my claws out I bent my knees about to kill her right then and there.

She raised her hands in the air where I noticed a lazier pointer in her hands. She turned it on immediately when I bolted in the opposite direction. If she marks me they'll kill me for sure. Jumping over a fence I collapse onto the stome ground hearing a high pitched sound from somewhere. Frantically looking around the cages they were in were surrounding me and Barry. He holds his gun up before my eyes follow the red dot on his chest. The blonde woman moved her pointer onto me before releasing the pitch. The cages opened where I scramble to my feet still in my raptor form. I counted off like seven of these dinosaurs that all bent their legs growling at us. Barry ran getting trapped inside a truck while I ran outside as fast as I could. I passed Claire who hollered back to Owen through the earpiece. "Owen they marked Y/n. You've gotta catch her!" Turning the corners one of the creatures about bite my tail. These things are the same speed as me and it's hard to believe that they aren't made from my blood.

My claws hit a metal passageway where I launched myself onto the ground hitting the stone steps. The velociraptors ran over the bridge where I think I have lost them. Transforming back into my human form I leaned against the wall catching my breath until I felt something breathing down my neck aggressively. I screamed bolting down an empty alleyway with two of them chasing after me immediately. My heart pounds against my chest while I kept running as fast as I could. A truck honked at me where I ran across the road causing one of the raptors to get hit. Whipping my head around I tripped down the stairs landing harshly on my back. The Atrociraptor launched itself over my body snarling in my face. Gulping deeply I couldn't move my arms because it's front claws were holding me down getting close to biting my head off and killing me. "Y/n!" Owen's voice shouted out to me before a motorcycle hit the Atrociraptor off of me killing it. He turned his bike around holding a hand out for me to take. "Velociraptor trainer husband to the rescue." He smirks down at me where I death gripped his hand in relief.

Comments really appreciated ❤️

Okay this whole Atrociraptor scene is so badass for Owen. I love it!!

[desmondkane-of-ao3-fame]

A hypothetical scenario where willow and Skara officially do duo tracks (plant and bard) for just a week?

While I still don't think either would ever fully duo track, there is a cute idea in them at least giving it a chance for a bit. So, here's my idea for it.

Skara and Willow are both enjoying a date together in Skara's room. Skara is showing off her windowsill plants before a promised practice session to teach Willow how to play the pan flute. During it, Willow bemoans her inability to do it well, and wishes she could practice more, and Skara gets a bolt of inspiration; Willow could duo track as a Bard, and she could duo track in Plants so she can learn how to better take care of hers (and maybe spend more time in school with her girlfriend). Willow's hesitant at the idea at first, not sure if she likes Bard magic enough to duo major in it. But, after a pair of puppy-dog eyes from Skara, she agrees to ask Bump about it with her the next day, and Skara squeals in delight as she imagines all the extra time she'll have with Willow.

The next day, both girls ask Bump if it's possible for the two to duo track. Bump is willing to permit it, but as a test run: they have a week to prove themselves good enough in their chosen second track to continue it. Otherwise, they'll both have to go back to their originals. Both girls accept the deal, and after a slight wardrobe change with both their leggings switching to their new track's colors, along with new schedules, both girls are on their way to Bardology 101.

Willow starts off the Bard class expecting it to be a simple enough endeavor: Skara's already taught her enough of the basics, the real class should be a breeze, especially with Skara sitting right next to her. Unfortunately, it's a great deal more difficult than she expects: her throat goes hoarse from trying to hit a high note for a song spell, she accidentally smashes drums during a solo, and accidentally sends a guitar pic flying into a student's eye. She quickly wonders if maybe she's gone in a bit over her head with duo tracking. But hey, it's just the first class, she can handle it after a bit. So, instead, Willow focuses on how well Skara's probably gonna do fine in Plantology 101.

Skara's time in her first Plantology class goes... poorly. She tries, but Willow's too darn cute when she's getting excited about plants, how could she not be too distracted to not get nearly swallowed by the same plant three times? Or put the wrong disgusting fertilizer into a row of flowers and caused them to transform into giant mutant monsters? It was inevitable, really! Skara's... less than thrilled about it, but hey, the next class is another Bard one with Willow! And then, another... Plant... class...

A couple days later, both girls are still doing awfully at their duo classes, and after Flyer Derby practice, they decide to ask Viney about how to do it. Viney suggests to the two the issue is that they see their tracks as separate: the point of duo tracking is to use both tracks together to cover their weaknesses and enhance their strength. So she suggests to try and find ways to combine their magic, as opposed to just keeping them separated.

Willow and Skara both try to do just that. With the other's help. they work on potential ways to combine the Bard and Plant tracks. Skara finds that her music helps to soothe aggressive plants more effectively than just regular magic, and Willow uses her vines to not only add flare to her performances but to also replace broken guitar strings and play other instruments. After a few classes, both girls are doing a great deal better, and they're a lot happier.

But when the week is over, both girls agree that, in all honesty, duo tracking isn't for them. The only reason they enjoy it at all isn't because of the second track, but because they enjoy being together and working the magic out with each other. So, both girls agree that they're fine with going back to their original tracks at Hexside, though Skara and Willow continue to practice the other's magic in small ways, like Skara's windowsill and Willow learning the pan flute.

[not-so-mundane-after-all]

Touching | 8. shielding the other one with their body, Dick & Rachel - for @wonderbatwayne

Fandom: DC Titans

Title: Safe Haven

Series: Physical Affection - Tumblr Prompts

Pairings/Relationships: Dick Grayson & Rachel Roth

Summary: "The answer is simple, Grayson. Five years ago in this very place you took what's mine away from me. Now I'm taking what's yours."

2x07 AU

Check out the prompt list | REQUESTS OPEN

____________________________________________

Safe Haven

You really wanna be back here?

Dick tried to ignore his father's voice as he marched between the rows of wooden benches.

"Where is he?"

Deathstoke led him to this church - to the place where everything went down five years ago. But now it was empty.

Bruce showed up in front of him, blocking his way.

He's feeding on your guilt. Like a spider. He's lured you away from where you need to be… who you need to protect.

"He killed my friend," Dick argued.  "Nearly killed Jason. He has to be stopped."

Very heroic of you. Except… you don't give a shit.

He scoffed, shaking his head. "You don't know."

But I do, Bruce said as he walked up to him. I know everything. That's why you brought me. Just like I know why you keep sneaking off on these solo runs, just like you did five years ago. You have blood on your hands. 

"Not just me."

But you have more, son. Blood only you and Slade know about. You're afraid of the dark. Always have been. Even as a little boy. The great chasm of silence. The coldness of isolation. You're afraid if the others know your secret they'll leave you and you'll be alone, again. And they may. 

His heart sped up in his chest, his mind forgot how to breathe for a monent.

"They don't need to know," he said finally. "What difference does it make? It's done, it's in the past. It's behind me."

But it's not. It's got to come out.

"God damn it!" he shouted, feeling his nerves snapping. He was really getting tired of all this bullshit. "Can you leave me alone?"

You know how to get rid of me. You've known the whole time.

Tears started burning behind his eyes.

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

Of course you do, son. You always have. You just have to tell the truth.

But he couldn't. It was too much. It would destroy him, destroy everything he had with his team.

"It's too hard." he whispered, dropping his head in shame. It was getting harder to keep tears at bay.

His father reached out and gently brushed his fingers down Dick's cheek. Even if he was only a prodcut of Dick's own fucked up mind the touch felt very real and it brought some sort of comfort to him. 

His gaze then fell on the altar and he froze, noticing something he hadn't before. Bruce stepped out of his way when he moved and walked up the stairs to a heavy wooden table. Upon one look at the display it showed his blood ran cold.

At least a dozen pictures were scattered among lit candles and each one of them showed Rachel. Sitting on a couch with Gar, both laughing. Talking with Kory. Eating breakfast in the kitchen with Hank, Dawn and Donna around. He saw himself in those photos too - training with her in one, walking with her on the street in the other, with coffee cups in their hands and his arm wrapped around her shoulders. But in most of these pictures she was alone, usually somewhere around the Tower, in her bedroom or the kitchen and it was clear all the shots were taken without her or any of them knowing. 

At the very centre of the table was a small black box. 

With a shaking hand and a heart hammering in his chest Dick reached for it and slowly lifted the lid. On a white satin pillow meant to hold some kind of jewelry lay a lock of dark blue hair, coated in crimson blood.

Dick's knees almost gave out under him, sending him on the floor.

"No."

He left those for you, Bruce said behind him. He turned to his father for a moment, his face twisting in shock and confusion, but quickly came back to the display, hoping it disappeared when he wasn't looking. Because it couldn't be real, just like this Bruce wasn't real. It couldn't be happening. But the pictures were still there, as well as the box and the candle flames were still burning. 

Go home, Dick, his father's voice rang in his ears. It seems like one way or another, the monster's been in the Tower all along. 

He couldn't take it anymore. The mix of fear, fury, worry, confusion and dozens of other conflicted emotions he couldn't name was about to explode, ripping him apart from within. He smashed his hand on the table sending all the pictures and candles flying, tossed it all on the floor in blinding rage and whipped around, ready to run out of the church. He needed to get back to the Tower, to find Rachel. Maybe this was all some kind of a sick joke, maybe Slade is bluffing, playing mind games on him to keep him on edge. Maybe it's all one big-

"Well, look who finally made it."

Dick stopped to a halt, his breath hitching in his throat. The front door to the church was open, revealing no other than Deathstroke standing in the door frame with his blade pressed to Rachel's neck. She was almost limp in his hold, barely awake but conscious enough to be standing on her feet. Her head was swaying dangerously like she's in a haze, the side of her face covered in blood oozing from a split on her temple. 

"Dick…" she muttered, her voice weak and faint as a whisper in the wind carried out in the acoustics of the place and his heart jumped to his throat. He instinctively moved, wanting to rush to her but Slade stopped him, tightening his grip on her and pressing the blade harder to her skin. A drop of blood trickled down the shiny steel and Rachel instantly stilled.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." the masked man said slowly, a clear warning in his deep voice.

Dick sucked in a sharp breath, his nostrils flaring. "What did you do to her?"

"Not much. Yet." he slowly tilted his head to the side. "I just gave her something to neutralize her powers. A small gift from this little group that eloquently calls themselves… The Organization?"

Dick felt his fists clenching so tight his knuckles must have turned white. He was trembling but unable to move. His eyes were locked on Rachel's pale face as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Questions were piling up under his skull, starting with how did this happen but there was no time for getting answers, first and foremost he needed to protect Rachel.

"I hope you enjoyed our little game." Slade continued, pushing Rachel onward so he could walk deeper into the church. She staggered on wobbly feet but he didn't let her fall. He wasn't gentle in holding her up either and hearing her grunt made Dick grit his teeth. "You must have had a nice ride around the city, following false leads and fake clues. Gave me enough time to get to this one while the others were busy jumping to each other's throats."

He risked one step forward, glaring at the face hidden behind the mask.

"What do you want from her?" he asked instead of giving Slade satisfaction by reacting to his words. "It's me you're after and I'm here. So let her go and let's get this over with. Rachel has nothing to do with this."

Slade let out a gurgling laugh and shook his head which only infuriated Dick more. His blade twitched in his hand and Rachel flinched, her face twisted in pain.

"Oh don't you see? She has everything to do with this." His masked face got uncomfortably close to Rachel's face and she turned her head away, cringing in fear and whimpering. Dick barely could hold himself back from lunging at Slade. "Poor kid. Snatched from the street, taken under the caring but broken wings of The Fallen Grayson just to be let down and end up dead. Funny how history loves to repeat itself but twists the ending at the last moment."

His arm gripped her tighter and Rachel's body tensed like a string that's about to snap. Her breath quickened and pupils widened up in terror. Their eyes met for the first time and Dick's heart broke seeing how scared she was, how she was silently begging him to save her.

"Rachel!"

"The answer is simple, Grayson." Slade hissed, fixing his grip on his sword and shifting the blade so the cold steel was now touching Rachel's cheek. "Five years ago in this very place you took what's mine away from me." He moved the blade slowly, making a shallow cut on her face and Rachel whimpered in pain. "Now I'm taking what's yours."

And he pulled the sword down.

"DON'T!" 

Slade stopped with the sword pressed to her carotid artery and looked at Dick who was aiming at him with the gun he was holding in his hand this whole time. His finger stilled on the trigger, grip so tight his knuckles bleached but his arm - no, his entire body - was shaking. His breath became shallow and rapid, heart trying desperately to break out of its cage.

"DON'T HURT HER!" he shouted and risked taking a few steps closer. He must have looked like a madman and he wouldn't be one bit surprised because that's exactly what he felt right now - madness. "Don't you fucking touch her or I SWEAR TO GOD-"

Deathstroke scoffed.

"We both know you're not gonna shoot." he said in a tone so light like they were discussing weather or something equally trivial. 

Dick brought his other hand up to steady his grip on the weapon but in his current state it did him no good.

"Watch me."

"Are you willing to risk your precious little girl's life, like you did with Jericho? Or have you learned from your mistakes by now?"

"Don't listen to him, Dick!" Rachel suddenly spoke. Her voice was strong and she was staring at him with terrified but focused eyes. Dick let himself quietly sigh in relief. Whatever drug Slade had given her must be wearing off.

"Shut up." the assassin growled in her face, threatening her with his weapon again. She eyed the sword and gulped down hard but remained silent.

Dick took another step closer.

"Rach, look at me." he asked gently, for a moment not caring about how Slade might react. Risky move but he needed to talk to her. She did as he told her and their eyes met. "Listen, you're gonna be okay. I promise."

"Oh, isn't it adorable." Slade scoffed again, shaking his head. Dick was almost sure the man was rolling his eyes under that hideous mask. "I see you've learned nothing. Even after all this time you lie in their faces that they're gonna be safe with you. It's pathetic."

Neither of them were listening to his little tirade. While Slade was talking they were having their own silent conversation. Rachel held Dick's gaze to make sure she had his attention, then pointed her eyes at the elbow of the arm Slade was holding her with. Then her eyes went back to Dick and she mouthed one short word.

Shoot.

He shook his head, feeling a bile of fear forming in his throat. It was a huge risk. An inch to his right and the bullet could pierce Rachel's chest. All it takes is for Slade to move or Dick's arm to tremble. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if the bullet went the wrong way.

But her eyes were full of faith and confidence when she was looking at him. A small smile appeared on her lips. She knew he was hesitating because of her and tried to encourage him as well as she could without Slade noticing. He could read what she was trying to tell him in her face.

I know you won't hurt me.

He would never. He'd rather die the most painful death than be the reason a single hair falls off her head.

He pulled the trigger.

Deathstroke's armor clinked when the bullet made contact with his elbow. It didn't do any damage, but that wasn't the point. Slade cried out, more surprised than hurt because he didn't think Dick would actually fire that gun, but the impact made him release Rachel from his hold. She was still swaying on unsteady feet but she instantly lunged herself to the side, hiding between the rows of benches and getting out of the way.

Good girl.

In the meantime a fight broke out between two men. Dick charged at Slade, fueled by hot rage burning inside of him. He didn't have his Robin suit anymore or any of his gadgets but his body was a weapon in itself due to years of training and experience. He was throwing kicks and punches, dodging and turning and moving. Slade threw away his sword and sent him falling on his back with one strong kick to his chest, but despite the hit pushing all air out his lungs Dick managed to quickly jump back to his feet. They danced around each other like it's a choreography learned a long time ago and the moves are now coming back to them with clarity after years of not using them. Every move of the assassin was full of precision and technicality, cold, strong and perfectly aimed while Dick filled his every action with images of those he was fighting for. He thought of Garth falling to the ground with bullet in his chest while connecting his foot with Slade's jaw, sending his head to the side. He thought of Jason hanging on one hand from one of the tallest buildings in the city with terror in his wide eyes as he punched Slade in the diaphragm so hard the skin on his knuckles split and started bleeding. He thought of Jericho bleeding out on the floor of this church when he jumped on the benches and swiftly moved to find himself behind Slade's back. And he thought of Rachel, pale as ghost and terrified, with blood trickling down her face when he round kicked Slade in the back, sending him to his knees.

"So emotional." the man grunted and straightened up. He reached for his baton and with one push of a button turned it into a spear. "So… attached."

Dick roared like an angry lion and attacked again.

This time Deathstroke got the upper hand, pushing Dick back towards the altar. Blocking the spear wasn't easy without any weapon in his hand and soon he was covered with smaller and bigger cuts. He fell on his back at the stairs, hitting the back of his head so hard his sight became foggy but he still managed to use his legs to cut Slade from his feet. However, the man didn't lose his balance, only jumped out of the way and pushed his heavy boot to Dick's chest, then pressed the blunt end of the spear to his Adam's apple.

"You were right," Deathstroke breathed out, turning the spear around. Dick heard his voice as if coming from underwater. His mask was a blur of color. "Let's get this over with." Then he raised his arm and stabbed.

But the blade never made it to Dick's chest.

First he saw a shadow looming over him and when his sight cleared he recognized the head of blue curly hair. He lifted himself on his elbows watching in horror while his heart screamed in agony.

No. Not again.

Please, not again.

Rachel pushed herself between him and Slade and shielded him with her own body, just like Jericho did five years ago.

She slowly looked down at the blade sticking out from her chest before Deathstroke harshly pulled it out. Her hands covered the wound, her fingers instantly turning red and then she swayed, about to fall down.

"Rachel, no!" Dick cried out and caught her, laying her down on his chest. A sob wrecked his body when he saw the waterfall of blood coating the front of her black sweater, making the warm wool stick to her body. He pressed his hand to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding while she looked up at him with those big blue eyes and he felt tears falling down his cheeks. "Oh God, Rachel. What did you do?"

"I had to- s-save you-" she choked out, a drop of blood trickling down from the corner of her mouth. She covered his hand with her own and squeezed it tight. "I cou-couldn't let you- d-die."

In the meantime Slade stepped back and hid his weapon. He was watching the scene in front of him unfold, still as a statue.

"Now you know how it feels," he said, aiming his words at Dick, who lifted his tear-stained face to glare at the man, "to have your own child bleeding out in your arms. Death would've been a mercy for you, Grayson. This… this is a lesson you will never forget."

"I will fucking kill you." Dick snarled at him, gritting his teeth. "I'm gonna hunt you down, you hear me?!"

Deathstoke chuckled and turned his back to him.

"Good luck with that." he threw over his shoulder then headed out of the church, leaving the other two alone.

Dick made some sort of a sound. A noise that he himself couldn't even describe. It sounded as if something had brutally ripped his chest open and tore out of it. He roared like an animal, venting his despair and anger.

"Dick..." a soft whisper pierced through to his consciousness, drawing his attention. "It's okay."

Another sob shook his body.

"Rachel… Rachel, my Rachel." he whispered, hugging her and frantically brushing the hair wet with blood and sweat away from her pale face.

So much blood. He was completely covered in it now, it soaked through his clothes and bit into his skin.

"It's not okay." he shook his head. "I'm supposed to be protecting you, not the other way around."

She managed to smile at him.

"We're supposed to… save each other… remember?"

"Not like this." he said, his voice breaking. "Never like this."

She squeezed his hand again. Their fingers, slick from her blood, entwined together tightly.

"You were my… save haven."

He froze, his heart hammering in his chest. Then the meaning behind her words hit him like a speeding train and he held her tighter.

"No. Don't say that." he ordered desperately. "This is not a goodbye, you hear me? You're not going anywhere."

"Dick-"

"No! Help me." he croaked, pressing their clasped hands against her bleeding heart. "Use your powers. Take my energy, absorb it."

She coughed, spitting blood. They were running out of time.

"I can't- h-heal myself."

"Yes, you can. You have to."

But she didn't seem to hear him. Her eyelids closed slowly and her head fell on his arm.

"Rachel?" Dick's voice grew louder, breaking and rising like waves away at sea. "Rachel, my baby, please, honey, open your eyes, it's me, Dick, I'm here with you, I'll always be here, please, please…"

He leaned down and pressed their foreheads together, letting out a painful cry. He howled like a wolf, his shoulders trembling, heavy tears splashing on her round cheeks. It was his fault. All of it was his fault. A part if him knew it would end like this the monent he met her. But his love was too strong and he ignored the warning. Now she was paying the price. 

"Don't go, Rach." he begged, his voice shattered. "Don't leave me alone in a world without you in it."

He closed his eyes and squeezed her hand with such force that he felt her knuckles grinding in his grip.

Rachel, please come back. We can do this. You saved my life in more ways than you can imagine. Nothing is impossible for us. I love you, okay? I love you and please come back to me.

He reached deep into his memories. Rachel at the police station in Detroit looks up and stares at him as if she saw a ghost; Rachel, curled up in the bathtub of that crappy motel, surrounded by scraps of paper with crosses drawn on it, throws herself into his arms crying; Rachel leans over him in the asylum and reminds him of his promise to never to leave her; Rachel comes out of the fog with her head held high proudly after defeating Trigon; her smile and eyes wide open when she saw the inside of the Tower for the first time. And many, many other memories he will cherish for the rest of his life.

Heal, he begged because there was nothing else left to do. Take my life, take it all. Heal.

Something changed. Rachel's hand in his hold started getting warmer. He lifted his head slightly, blinking away tears and gasped at the sight of a bright purple glow seeping through his fingers. He watched in complete awe as the wound on her chest slowly started closing until there was nothing left beside a thin pink line that was already fading as well. The color came back to her face and she took a gulp of air, almost choking on it. Then she sat up, her eyes opened wide and she pressed her hands to her chest but to no use because there was nothing there, only drying blood on her clothes. She looked down at herself then back at him.

"How?"

He smiled at her and scooted closer. 

"I told you you can heal yourself."

Her brows furrowed in confusion but then understanding flooded her face and she smiled back.

"It wasn't just me… it was you, Dick. You willed me back to life and… and my powers listened." she grabbed his hands in hers. "I didn't heal myself, you healed me."

Still holding her other hand he reached out to cup her face. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes.

"All I knew was that I couldn't lose my safe haven." he whispered softly and that's all it took for her to fall into his arms.

She clung to his shirt, buried her face in the curve of his neck and started sobbing. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her on his lap and started rocking her gently. He loved how warm and familiar she felt in his hold, how solid and safe she was. He pressed a loving, desperate kiss on the crown of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair.

"I love you so much." he mumbled into her skin. Rachel shivered and hugged him tighter.

"I love you, too."

Dick leaned away and took her face in his hands, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Let's get outta here, huh? We need to get you cleaned up."

She glanced at the blood on her clothes, then moved her gaze to his own bloody shirt and jacket.

"You don't look exactly better, you know?"

He chuckled and kissed her forehead, thanking God she was still here.

"Yeah, it was my favorite jacket. Now I have to burn it." they both laughed, happy to relax and lighten up, but looking at her face made him worried again. "You sure you're okay?"

Instead of answering Rachel stood up on her own and reached a hand out to him.

"Definitely."

He took it gratefully and got up to his feet, then immediately pulled her closer, crushing her to him.

"I am never letting you go again." he said, his voice hoarse and heavy from emotion. 

Rachel melted into him and took a deep breath.

"Please, don't."

Over her head he noticed Bruce standing by the church's door. His father smiled proudly at him and nodded, then slowly turned around and walked out, disappearing in the light of day.

[kalee60]

@larkboyd Larissa! I'm sorry you're having a really crappy, awful day! I get you, I honestly do, the last few weeks have been really... Well... trying is probably a polite way of putting it.

So therefore in response to your cry for a distraction and a little care and love - I present you with this little one-shot - I quickly threw it together in the last hour so apologies for any mistakes.

I hope your day gets better and that when you get home tonight you can relax, put your feet up and remember that even though we are all on opposite sides of the world @darter-blue @iamsherlockedondoctorwho and me (plus so many more) are always there for you 😘

Enjoy this Merthur fic made just for you!

*~*~*~*~*~*

Merlin sighed heavily as he hung his coat over the back of his chair, seeing that he was the only one in the lab's office once again. Frustration didn't even begin to cover it, especially when his phone started to ring almost immediately. 

Eyeing the most hated piece of technology on his desk critically, Merlin tried to work out telepathically if he could figure out who was calling.

A rap on the partition window between his office and the next made him jump. Gaius was staring directly at him, giving him the Eyebrow of Contempt, a phone to his ear and pointing towards Merlin's, which hadn't ceased it's relentless mating call.

"Welcome to Camelot Labs, this is -"

"- Merlin you fool, it's me."

Merlin looked up to see Gaius run a hand over his face tightly, oh right. Maybe he shouldn't have gone out the evening before.

"Were you at the tavern again last night, are you still drunk?"

Looking heavenward, Merlin finally sat down, booting his computer up and wedging the phone between his ear and shoulder.

"It's called a pub, Gaius, and what do you need, I'm extremely busy." He proceeded to place each of his three coloured pens (blue, black and red) neatly next to his blank notepad, adjusted his takeaway coffee so the pattern on the cup faced him, then picked up the red pen and wrote his name with a flourish on top of the page. The heart over the I, probably the best one he'd ever drawn.

"You're on your own today."

"What?" Merlin yelled, dropping the phone to glare at his boss who just shrugged in return, the Eyebrow suddenly looking a little more friendly in the presence of Merlin's plight. He picked up the god awful device to exclaim hotly, "You can't do that to me! I can't hold the fort down by myself, take all these calls, I'm not a wizard that can magically conjure a second Merlin."

Gaius did not look impressed at his sarcasm, Merlin grumbled some more and took a long pull off his coffee. It ceased to satisfy.

"I'm trying to get one of the boys from marketing down here to help."

"Oh no, no you don't. This is why you're calling me through the window? Isn't it? You're too scared to stand before me and tell me - I'm telling you, you can't send me one of those lunk-heads, those clotpoles who wouldn't know their arse from their -"

"- their what Merlin?"

"Gaius no!" But Merlin was speaking to nothing, Gaius had hung up and was suddenly nowhere to be seen. Gritting his teeth, Merlin spun around to watch Arthur fucking Pendragon walk over and put his bag down at the desk… the desk right. Next. To. Merlin.

He wasn't having it. Arthur was the biggest douche to walk the hallways of Camelot, always pushing Merlin's buttons in meetings, and generally acting like a Prince holding court. It didn't help that his father Uther ran the company.

"And what brings you down to the bowels of the Camelot Labs?" Merlin snarked, then opened up his emails only to see a hundred new ones. Oh god, his day was over and it hasn't even begun.

"Gaius said you needed help, so here I am. I can go if you like."

Merlin gave Arthur the side eye, "can you read reporting figures to let departments know their results?"

Arthur nodded and sat his coffee cup down, seeing that it was from the same place Merlin bought his. Huh, maybe his taste wasn't that awful.

"Can you use the online filing system for collections and batch records?"

The nod came again, while Merlin watched Arthur place two pens either side of his notepad. Rookie. He wouldn't be lending his red pen out, even if Arthur begged. And that was not an image Merlin needed to see in his mind. Arthur on his knees, walking towards him… begging and naked.

"Fuck," Merlin exclaimed, noting how Arthur raised a brow sardonically at him. "Can you use a phone?"

"Can I use a… really? Look, just tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it. And don't be a dick about it."

Scowling, Merlin quickly showed Arthur the phone, the programs and what he needed done. He ignored the crisp, woodsy scent that clung to Arthur's skin as he leant over him, and he most definitely ignored when Arthur's arm brushed against his then left it pressed there, for almost a minute. Not that Merlin was counting.

Yes, Arthur was helping, and it was much better than being there alone, but Merlin, although very vocally did not like Arthur, had always found him unfairly attractive. And that set him on edge, made him feel itchy under his skin, knowing that Arthur, who was basically royalty on the London scene wouldn't even look twice at someone like him. So it was much easier to be an arse.

Four hours into their forced working conditions, Merlin had to admit that Arthur was actually more of a help than a hindrance. And it grated his nerves.

"Maybe next time, you should write the batch into the system before you give out the results."

Arthur's brows were in his hairline as he turned to face Merlin, and he felt a flush rise up his cheeks, it honestly didn't matter the order you did it in, but he had to say something.

"You really don't like me do you?"

The retort died on his tongue when he realised Arthur was serious.

"Err, well, it's not exactly that, I actually think you're -" his phone rang, thankfully halting anything else he might blurt out unintended. 

A few minutes later he was off the phone and typing again, lost in calculations and figures when he heard the chair next to him roll over the floor, and it didn't stop.

Startled he looked up into bright blue eyes, eyes that were only a few inches away.

"You were saying?"

Merlin's cheeks filled once more and he couldn't help the small gulp, audible in the quiet lab. Oh god.

"I was saying that I think you're a complete arse, " Arthur's eyes narrowed at his words, "but if you had a red pen, and stopped taking mine, I'd actually admit you've been a huge help today."

Arthur's face transformed into a grin and Merlin couldn't help mirror it, having never been on the receiving end of it before, or had he, and he'd just blocked it out? But Arthur was still too close, within touching distance and as if realising it for the first time as well, Arthur ducked his head, before looking up again.

"Can I buy you a drink after work, Merlin?"

Startled, Merlin floundered for a moment, uncertain what was happening and why Arthur Pendragon was asking a lab tech out.

"With you?"

Arthur's laugh was deep and fond, another anomaly, "yes with me. I thought you were smart?"

"I am, thank you very much, ask anyone and they'll tell you that I can -"

"- no Merlin, I meant I've been flirting with you for months and you've completely missed it, haven't you?"

Merlin's mouth was agape, he knew it, Arthur knew it, and he snapped it shut. Arthur thought he was...? He wanted to go for drinks and...?

"I'm taking that as a yes on both counts."

"My god you're arrogant..." Merlin started but faltered when Arthur grinned broadly at him.

And feeling off balance wasn't something Merlin relished and as Arthur started to wheel his way back to his desk, he reached out, fingers tangling in the collar of Arthur's shirt and yanked him back. The wheels squealing on the floor.

Falling forward he pressed his lips against Arthur's, feeling the shock run through the other man's body, and Merlin smirked until Arthur's hand came up to cup his cheek, thumb running over the skin softly, reverently then pushed forward into the kiss. Oh. He'd not expected the feel of tongue against his, the slip of their lips as they deepened the kiss, nor hear the small unbidden moan falling from Merlin's throat.

It was the sweetest and most perfect first kiss he'd ever received.

"Well that shut you up for a minute." 

Well it was until Arthur spoke. "One drink, that's all you get Pendragon."

And with a conceited smirk that hit Merlin directly in the guts, and a push of his chair, Arthur put his headset back on and looked Merlin directly in the eye.

"Perfect, I like my coffee black in the morning, preferably before I get out of bed."

And Merlin could do nothing but snort and shake his head fondly as he answered his phone, greeting the person on the other end brightly, holding Arthur's blue sparkling eyes in his gaze. Maybe it wasn't going to be such a terrible day after all.

[minijenn]

Here is an idea for when Xehanort plunges the world into Darkness. It just might fit with the story. After our hero's are killed he uses the X-Blade to corrupt Kingdom Hearts and plunge the world into Darkness. During this scene we get dark meteors of various sizes crashing everywhere, beams of Darkness destroying everything in huge explosions, and Heartless, Nobody's, and Unversed rampaging and terrorizing to their hearts (or whatever they have's) content. We also see people running for their lives and being, attacked, captured, beaten, and killed by the creatures while the remaining defences, warriors, heroes, and solders attempt to stand their ground and fight to the bitter end.

We also see curtain characters die or get captured here. In one moment in Twilight Town we see Scrooge in front of his restaurant with his nephews running towards him and they hold each other as derby and and dark meteors crash all around them. Remy is on the top of Scrooge's hat. Eventually they see a huge dark meteor heading towards them and they brace themselves for the impact. We then cut to the meteor and beams crashing into the area where they are and it explodes.

Another is at Disney Castle were Heartless, Nobody's, and Unversed are rampaging throughout the place. Daisy suggests to Minnie that they try and bring the Corastone of Light to the Keyblade Graveyard in the hope of using it against Xehanort. On their way to the Corastone however Chip and Dale are launched into the air and eaten by that spikey balled Heartless. Latter Daisy is crushed by a swarm of Heartless with her last moments being her looking up in terror of what's coming towards her. Pluto is also eaten in one gulp by a giant version of that dog Heartless. Eventually Minnie makes it to the chamber and heads towards the Corastone of Light but suddenly a swarm of shadows appears and bury's her in a pile. Her hand briefly emerges reaching out to either the sky or the Corastone of Light but it eventually sinks beneath the Heartless pile as it's implied that they tear her apart. Immediately afterwards another swarm then appears and smashes the Corastone of Light to bits allowing the Darkness to completely swarm the town and the Castle which we then latter see get destroyed by multiple Demon Tides and Towers.

Another big one is in Radiant Garden where Ansem the Wise and the others are in that control room as they try to protect themselves and he is reflecting on everything that had led up to thing and is blaming himself when suddenly one of them warns of something heading towards them. It was one of those beams of Darkness which was heading straight towards. It then crashes into the control room and it explodes with eveyone still inside them destroying it and taking them with with it. The most tragic examples is Aerith who along with the restoration comity are trying to defend themselves against the creatures when suddenly a Soldier Heartless stabs her through the chest and kills her. Her death here is based on her original death from Final Fantasy 7. Leon runs over to her in concern but she is already dead. Now I'm not sure if Leon will bit the dust too but if he does then his death will be also be based on how he nearly died in Final Fantasy 8 as multiple spears stab him through his boby only with an addition based on urban legend about him as after a short while one spear stabs him through the face. Not sure what the other deaths will be or what they'll be like but let me know what you think about it.

Anyway Xehanort then pulls a Thanos and snaps his figures wiping out half of all people who could fight him with civilians and animals also being effected. At the end Merlin tries to hold back a burst of Darkness heading towards a group of people before teleporting them away as while still holding it back he is slowly consumed by the darkness while smiling. We latter see him use the last of his strength to destroy that burst of Darkness though it ends up killing him. The last few shots show Xehanort with his new Keyblade Armor and the other Organization members in their new suits sitting on stone thrones on the platform with Xehanort's having Terra's and Equarus's armors on it with Kingdom Hearts above them all. We then cut to there the Guardians fell with Kingdom Hearts in the dark sky and the weponds of all of the heros who fell lining the front of the entrance as a warning to those who dare attempt to fight back against Xehanort's rule to welcome them if they tired before the scene fades to black.

And so, as foretold. Darkness prevailed. And the Light Expired.

Now not everyone would have died. There are still people left. Some in poverty, some in slavery, some fighting against Xehanort, feeling to try and find a new home, and those people Merlin teleported out of there would help find allies and return to the world that's in Darkness to start a resistance against Xehanort thought that would be in another story. I still understand you don't feel comfortable writing this. I'm sorry. It was just to so how dire the situation is. See I thought of this so that it can highlight the threat of what Xehanort had planned as well as how the world will be covered in Darkness. It kind of similar to what Simon Fermin did in Transformers G2 comic series as he thought that killing off more important characters such Nightstick would show the threat of the entity known as The Swarm. He even made a comparison of it when he was asked about why he killed said character off since he was so fond of him. He made it without realizing how big a character Rattrap was however. I know you probably haven't read any information on Transformers but I just wanted to bring that up. I know how you feel about this as I also felt uneasy with what I was thinking about the characters but at the time it was the only way I could think of. Also I should bring up that I am taking inspiration from Final Fantasy 14's ending, Final Fantasy 13 2's ending, Final Fantasy 15 for then that world falls into Darkness towards the end, All of the impacts and near impacts of Evangelion, Tabula Rasa's ending, and Planetside 1's ending for when the world is plunged into Darkness. As we know Sora would end up preventing this from happening again. There is actually some more to this idea latter on so wait and you'll see what happens next. If you like it of cousre.

Er nah sorry; this isn’t what I have planned for the big climax of Keys at all. Could be an interesting fic if you wanted to write it though since you seem to have plenty of ideas in mind for it.

[afoxysunny]

Robbie as Bullock

This post will probably differ from the others in structure and be a lot longer for one big reason

When choosing Miraculous for the Lazytown characters i really wanted to only use ones that we've already seen in use in Miraculous Ladybug and know how they work from there.

For Robbie i broke that rule. I don't really remember what first made me consider it but it probably had to do with the fact that i think the Ox Miraculous, just aesthetically, would fit Robbie perfectly!

So for this one i had to start from scratch completely, no reference for a canon hero design, no idea what power or weapon he'd get, no clue what the phrase to transform could be.

Of cause i used the most references for him but here are the ten i found most important

Obviously i don't expect any of my speculations to become even remotely canon once we find out what Stompp, the Ox Miraculous, actually does but i hope it at least makes sense for now.

I like how I've drawn all the others standing head on to face the camera and Robbie just leans there. That's because you have to think he doesn't care, the little Tsundere

Concept Overview:

In the Miraculous Ladybug episode we meet all the Kwamis, including Stompp, he is the most actively concerned about Nooroo so now that the Butterfly Kwami is back I'm sure Stompp would want to stay around him. With Sportacus partnering with Nooroo, teaming up Robbie and Stompp made the most sense to them.

Design Notes Incoherent Thoughts I had to justify what I'm Drawing:

Purple and Blue - it amused me no end that with the choices i made blue Sportacus got a purple Kwami and purple Robbie got a blue kwami. I did kinda dislike at first how little blue the costume has in comparison to purple but i decided i don't have to make a decision because apparently the canon show can't make up its mind about Stompp's colour either. The blue and purple can always be swapped if i decide i don't like it

Harness - Ox' are hard working animals, mostly used to pull heavy objects. For that purpose they get strapped into a harness. Obviously i had to include that in this design, the chain hanging from the collar around his neck has a similar purpose (it only occured to me way too late how kinky it looks please ignore that)

Cape? No cape? - because of the imbalance in colours i briefly considered giving him a cape like a Matador would have but only for a second or so. I wanted to keep Robbie's iconic body shape untouched by a bunky cape, also the few times he wore a cape in the show he really struggled with it and also i think it would've clashed with the tail

Tail - speaking of which, an ox' tail has that frizzy end to it but i really liked the chain as his tail so to emulate the thicker part at the end i hung a padlock there. And that really worked. Not only bc that's just how bulls and ox are kept in check with their strength but also because the oblong shape of a combination lock makes for a fitting shape and can be used in universe. You see, Robbie is not that good with just saying what he wants or expressing how he feels. This four letter combination lock is magic and kinda betrays and helps him at the same time. It spells out any given four letter word that fits his mood best at any given moment

Miraculous Nosering - if a Lazytown character would unironically get a nosering, it'd be Robbie. I'm sorry, i don't take criticism on that

Horns - he needed horns. He just did. Look how good he looks with horns! But for real, in Miraculous Ladybug Chat Noir gets actual cat ears so he can get actual horns, also like Chat he the white parts of his eyes turn yellow like Stompp's while keeping his signature grey iris

Hair - ox' are mostly shown with like bangs covering their eyes so i couldn't resist ruffling his usually so perfectly done hair up to make it fall a little like that

Weapon - my first thought of "Miraculous takes cliché traits for animals to base their powers on so i guess bullfighting is the way to go here" made me really sad. This "Sport" is so disgusting i wanted to cry and puke while reading about it. I'll spare you the details but in addition to the Matador in the arena there's other guys too to weaken the bull before the Matador kills it, one of them throws knives. Miraculous Ladybug likes combining weapons with toys so I'm giving him darts. They are fastened to the front of his harness and i think how they can be used is along the lines of, once he zhrows them with his super strength and they pin into something they can only be removed when he allows that, also like the ladybug's jojo they can fly how long and whatever direction he wants, and probably also is able to just manifest them back to himself if ever one gets lost

Miraculous Power - again, just pure speculation here, but the powers we so far know of are all loosely based on an exaggerated cartoon trope of each animal so for the ox that is hard working and persistent and for the bull that'd be aggression and tunnel vision. While typing this i get the urge to add blinders to his mask but i digress. So i made up an exaggerated power that'd fit both but when i told my test group (two people) one said "oh, kinda like Bloodhound from Apex Legends" and the ozher said "so like hunter's mark from DnD" i play neither so i don't know but maybe you do do that's the short version of the explanation xD his power is based on the cartoonish depiction of a bull seeing something that bothers him and then charging at it for as long as he can until he gets it. Once Robbie focuses on an enemy or someone running away or someone he is following for whatever reason he can use his power to keep track of them. No matter how far away they go or where they try to hide. It sounds OP as shit but think of the Snake and Bunny who can both time travel and then say that again. The catch is he needs to use it while that person is still in clear sight for him so i think it balances a little better

Name:

Do you know the difference between a Bull and an Ox? Well, let me mansplain it to you anyway

The reason i kept switching between drawing inspiration from bulls and ox' is because it's the same animal. Those are both names for an adult male cow. The only difference being that an ox is castrated and a bull is not. Stompp is the Ox Miraculous so tough nuts Robbie, literally. But making babies isn't really on his to do list anyway with Sportacus as his partner so who cares.

Anyway, I had the design done and like always i struggled a lot with naming it

But then i learned a Bullock is not only a cool word that seems to be a mix of bull and lock like his design is but it also is the official name of a male cow too young to be castrated yet! Isn't that just perfect? I think it is

Also I'll include in this section the phrases one needs to speak to have Stompp transform them into this Ox themed Superhero and for the power to activate. If you think of something more fitting for either please let me know!

Transformation:

simple version - horns up / horns down

More detailed - time to charge / time to loaf

(charging is when a bull starts running blindly at something; loafing is the professional farmer term for a resting cow)

Power: Target Charge, Locked On, or my personal favorite option Head-On. Again going with the more in depth terminology, that's what the running style of a bull is called when he's chatging at a target

Story:

Robbie lived in Lazytown but when the kids grew louder and older and he got more annoyed wih not having his peace and quiet he just up and left. He spent a lot of time traveling around, living wherever it was comfortable and leaving when it wasn't anymore. Thanks to being an inventor and overall talanted crafty person he got by pretty easily as there was always a company running on "hire a lazy person for an important job, they'll find the easiest solution for the most complicated problems" so he never really had to worry.

Whether by coincidence or fate Robbie and Sportacus run into each other and despite Robbie being a little difficult they both immediately feel strangely drawn to one another. With time going by they meet more often, at first more or less by chance but eventually they plan to meet up regularly. They might have very different ways of doing it but they share a common lifestyle: helping out others to live a comfortable and fulfilling life.

Only after Sportacus was chosen to be the new Guardian of the Miracle Box he finally asks Robbie to join him, full time by his side traveling in his airship around the world wherever they may be needed. Of cause only for moral support and such, obviously. You see, they always enjoyed each others company and sort of over time eased into a relationship like coexistence but neither of them ever really acknowledged that. Only when Sportacus got Nooroo's power to sense other people's feelings that barrier of miscommunication fully fell. Robbie is incredibly bad with conveying his emotions but now Sportacus can sense that he has potentially the most powerful and purest emotions he ever encountered. Not only is each feeling of his powerful but when there is more than one at play they don't mix together and muddy each other but instead boost even more. He knew before that he wanted Robbie to join him but that discovery made it a necessity.

Despite not being able to actually say so Robbie is thrilled to come along. Only over time and with a lot of painfully slow conversations they manage to agree to make their relationship official.

Stompp, the sassy Ox Kwami, regularly bursts out of the Miracle Box to want to check on Nooroo and slowly he and Robbie bond over telling Sportacus and Nooroo to go easier on themselves and let a little responsibility get taken off their shoulders so eventually they team up and Bullock is created.

Thanks to Robbie's hard work to better himself with Sportacus' help, Stompp's magic transformation provides him with a tail that conveys his feelings for him.

When they hear that Lazytown has been wiped clean of grown-ups Sportacus immediately flies them over there so Robbie can check on his hometown. Finding only a few children, now teens, left there Robbie recognizes them and the two form the plan to give them Miraculous' too so they can help to find their lost family, friends and neighbors and fight together to bring them back.

Wow that was so much to read and you did it! I'm so impressed and thankful! You deserve a pat on the back (if you want one) and a cookie and/or sportscandy on your way out

[blueberryrock]

This is a short story I wrote with my week off from my main series, hope y'all enjoy, it's just a lot of bellow diamond, so enjoy <3

(Blue's first ball and blue's pov)

I nervously drum my fingers on my arm, today is a very very big day for me and the entire gem race.

Not only is today my first ball, but today White and Yellow diamond will announce that a new diamond has emerged, me, then they'll want me to walk across the ballroom and sit on a throne.

It sounds simple enough, it really is simple, but I have a feeling that something will go terribly wrong today. I pace back and forth in the hallway that connects to the ballroom.

The more I pace the more I get anxious and excited. I walk over to a full-length mirror that White diamond had put for me to look at. Both White and Yellow decided it would be a grand idea to look nice, so Yellow had her pearl brush and braid my long dark blue hair, and White helped me pick out a gorgeous gown.

The gown its self is fairly simple, but the design is gorgeous. For starters, the neckline is low enough to show my entire gem and a bit of breast, and there is a slit by my legs that goes from the bottom of my dress (covering my feet) almost to my hip, this time instead of my normal one strap robe, the straps go all the way to my wrists and the gown is a beautiful dark blue. It's also very sparkly.

But White diamond allowed me to go barefoot, because I accidentally broke the heel part of one of White diamond's heel shoe. Although Yellow wasn't too happy about that, but if White diamond allows it, I will do it.

I go back to nervously pacing down the small cold hallway, my hand starts to shake from sheer nervousness, my hand instantly stops when I get interrupted by the door opening at the end of the hallway and the older diamonds step into the cramped hallway.

My eyes get immediately pulled towards White diamond. She has almost the exact same dress, except it ends at her mid-calf, her dress only has straps instead of a full sleeve, her dress is a grayish-white, and she is wearing her normal heels/sandals.

"Ah moonlight you look so beautiful, are you ready?" White diamond asks me. I blush from a new compliment. I nod as look over at Yellow diamond.

When I first emerged a few months ago, the first thing I noticed about Yellow diamond was how gorgeous she was. With her golden eyes, her short and golden seemingly soft hair, and her beautiful skinny but muscular frame. This time, since it's supposed to be formal, Yellow diamond had her golden armor polished so well, I can see my face in the reflection.

"Blue?" Yellow diamond says to get my attention, I quickly snap back to reality.

"Wha-" I blink a few times.

"You were staring at me again" Yellow diamond crosses her arms behind her back.

"Well nothing else is worth looking, besides you" I smirk, as Yellow diamond's entire face gets darker.

"Well..I.." Flustered, Yellow diamond's face just gets darker and darker by the second, she tries to say something but White diamond interrupts.

"Hey, let's get this ball over with quickly" White diamond pulls a still blushing Yellow diamond by the arm towards the ballroom door. I follow behind them, but I move to the side when Yellow diamond walks out.

I take a shaky unneeded breath in, okay Blue, as long as you stick to what White diamond showed you you'll be fine, just like we practiced. White diamond turns and puts her hands on my shoulders.

"Relax, if you do everything I told you to do, you will do just fine" White diamond reassures me.

I nod. The ballroom doors open again and beautiful music fills the room, White diamond removes her arms from my shoulders exits the room and as soon as the doors close again, I eagerly move in front of the doors.

From what I can hear, they turned down the music and White diamond has already gotten halfway through her "speech". Anxiety starts creeping into me as White diamond almost finishes the speech.

"And now, introducing your new diamond" I feel myself deflate as I let out the breath I was holding "Blue Diamond" White diamond finishes.

The big doors in front of my open and I slowly walk into the room. All gems from each court is here, and all of them stare at me. I nervously freeze where I stand, I look up to where White and Yellow diamond are sitting, right next to Yellow diamond's throne is my similar blue one.

Yellow diamond notices that I haven't move an inch, she gives me a reassuring smile and motions with her head to come closer.

I take a shaky breath in, I break off all the ice that was on my feet, luckily my dress covers the ice, I nervously cross the cold ballroom floor. Once I get to my seat, I make sure my dress is covering my bare feet, and I put my shaky hands in my lap.

I start to relax a bit as the music starts up again, and everyone is focused on dancing and not me. Watching all the little gems dance on the floor is making me want to try and do it. I glance over at Yellow diamond, she has one knee on her leg and is resting her head on her hand.

She looks rather bored, maybe she'd like to join me. I then look up at White diamond, she is watching all the other gems dance, I wonder if she'd let me and Yellow diamond join them.

I smile and blush a little at the thought of me and Yellow diamond dancing, I don't really know how to dance very well, I look back at Yellow diamond, but I bet she knows how to.

I poke White diamond in the legs to get her attention. "What?" She says annoyed.

"I wanted to know if you would allow me and Yellow diamond to dance with the other gems" I cheerfully ask.

"I suppose so, but if you cause to much commotion, you will have to sit back on your throne" White Diamond looks back at the dancing gems.

I excitedly look back at Yellow diamond, this time she shoots a confused look. I excitedly jump out of my seat and run to Yellow diamond's throne.

"W-wait" She tries to say to stop me, but I grab her by the wrist and drag her to the ballroom floor. I shiver slightly when my bare feet hit the tiled floor.

A group of what I think is hessonites quickly move out of our way, I let go of a shocked Yellow diamond and I quickly whip around to face her so quickly, that the end of my braid hits me in the face.

I move my braid over my shoulder, and I quickly put one arm on her shoulder and one arm around Yellow diamond's slim waist. She nervously does the same.

"So, Yellow diamond" I say gently.

"Umm, y-you can just call me Yellow" Yellow answers nervously.

"Okay then, Yellow" her name gently rolls off my tongue "do you know how to dance?" I calmly ask.

Yellow shakes her head no "White, never taught me how to"

I smile "I can try to show you if you'd like" I give her a flirty smile, and she blushes "i'm not to good at it, but I asked your little pearl if she could show me some stuff"

"You do have good hand placement" I move her hand up a little "so here is something simple, take two steps forward and one step back"

"O-okay" Yellow slowly takes two steps forward and one step back.

"See, simple" I smile at her.

"Y-yeah, this is not so bad" Yellow smiles back, she decides to pick up the pace a bit. "Do you want to try a twirl?" I ask.

"Yes" she smiles.

"Here I'll do it to you" I say, I grab her hand and I start to twirl her, but midway through she grabs my dress and I accidentally release her hand. I quickly catch her and pull her to her feet.

She is so close our noses are almost touching and I can feel her warm breath on my face. She impulsively decides to give me a quick but passionate kiss on the lips. When she pulls away I can feel almost entire face heat up and turn a darker shade of blue.

I look at Yellow, she is just as shocked and flustered as me. I unwrap my arms from around her waist.

"I-I am sorry" she slowly starts to back away "I-I didn't me-" I cut her off by grabbing her waist and pulling her into a deeper kiss.

I break the kiss "Yellow, you're fine, I actually found the quite lovely" she manages to blush even harder.

"Now, I didn't invite you over here to just stand around, let's get back to dancing" I grab her hand once more and pull her into our original position.

After two songs we decide to sway around and talk. "For the record, you didn't say a word to me, all you did was grab my hand and pull me to the ballroom floor" Yellow wraps her arms around my neck and I wrap mine around her waist.

"Did I?" I tilt my head to think.

"Yes, yes you did" Yellow smiles warmly at me "I have multiple witnesses around me to prove my point"

I shrug and smile at her "guess I did, I am very glad I did it though, this is nice" I bury my face in the crook of Yellow's warm neck.

"Yeah, this is very nice" Yellow rests her head on mine. The music starts to pick up and I, unfortunately, have to remove my head from Yellow's warm neck.

"Okay, last song then we should sit down" I firmly say.

"Definitely" Yellow agrees.

We go back to two steps forward and one step back routine, since the music is a bit faster, we decide to change it to five steps forward and two steps back.

It goes great for a while, and I even got to do a perfect twirl with Yellow. My eyes were mostly focused on the sometimes blushing yellow diamond in front of me, but from out of the corners of my eyes many gems are dancing like we are.

I smile from the thought of gems already following my lead. For the rest of the fairly long song, my attention is mainly on the beautiful diamond in front of me. Stars I have just met her and I'm already in love, the way she smiles, the awesome way that her golden eyes sparkle when the light hits just right.

The way that I had to show her a very some dance, stars, I wish this moment could last forever. "Stars, how long is this song" Yellow asks.

"Do you want to stop?" I almost completely stop moving "we can stop if you like"

"What? No, no, I don't want to stop. But I'm just noticing how long this song is" Yellow warmly smiles at me, I let out a sigh of relief.

We continue to dance around until Yellow decides to try and twirl me, as soon as she lifts me hand, she accidentally steps on my shimmering dress. I clumsily trip over my own feet and I start to fall back, but before I hit the ground, the sound of a sickening rip and shattered glass cuts through the room.

A lot of little things break my fall, but my wrists and butt are very sore, I let out a small whine and I sit up, I wince as I rub my sore wrists. I look at my now ruined dress. A long tear has formed from one of the slits in my dress, the tear went from the very bottom of the dress all the way to the very bottom of my bra.

My entire face starts to heat up as all the gems that have been dancing stare at me. "Oh my stars" Yellow lends me her gloved hand. "I'm so sorry Blue...i didn't mean to...it was an accident..." Yellow nervously stammers.

Once I'm on my feet, I look down at where I landed, a small crater with a bunch of orangeish speckles has formed where I landed. I quickly dust myself off and summon a veil to wrap around my waist.

"Yellow, I think I landed and shattered bunch of hessonites" I sadly say.

"Its-" Yellow gets cut off.

"Ok, I think that's going to be all for this ball" White diamond slides herself off of her throne and walks over to us.

"You two, my chambers, now" she quietly hisses. She places her hands on our backs and leads us out of the now almost deserted ballroom.

I hang my head lowly as we walk through the crowded halls, a sense of dread builds in me as we make our way closer to White diamond's chambers.

I gulp as the big white doors close behind us. White allows me to change in my normal one strap dress before she tears into us.

"Do you know how much damage you two caused?" White diamond yells.

I look up to say something, but Yellow quickly smacks my hand as a sign to tell me not to say anything. I sadly look back down at the ground.

"Twenty hessonites" White diamond angrily paces back and forth in front of us "you two managed to shatter twenty hessonites just by landing on them, you both are lucky that I don't put you in a bubble or worse"

White stops in front of us, she angrily pinches the bridge of her nose "now go before I decide to put you in a bubble".

Yellow grabs my hand and literally drags me out of White diamonds chambers. Once the doors close, I notice tears start to form in her eyes.

"B-blue I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for you to get in trouble" Yellow quietly cries.

I gently place my hand on her shoulder "hey its okay, you're fine" I wipe away a stray tear. She looks at me with tearful eyes "I want to say something before I have to go".

"What" she wipes away her tears.

I place a quick kiss on her lips and her entire face gets a few shades darker "thanks for dancing with me, and I love you".

Before she can reply back I quickly turn around and head for my chambers. I make it at least twenty feet before Yellow calls out " and I, you".

A warm feeling creeps into me, I wonder how much she thinks I actually mean it because it's a lot more than she truly knows.

Maybe this eternal life won't be so bad after all.

Well I hope y'all enjoyed that, except a new chapter of Gemlings next Saturday, bye

[dukereviewsmovies]

Duke Reviews: The Avengers

Hello, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews Where We're Covering The Marvel Cinematic Universe...

And I'm Very Excited For Today's Show As Today We're Talking About The Avengers!

This Film Is The Event All These Films Have Been Working Up To, The Film Sees Nick Fury Recruiting Iron Man, Captain America, Thor And The Hulk To Stop Thor's Brother Loki From Taking Over The World

Will The Avengers Stop Loki Before He Brings His Army To Conquer New York?

Let's Find Out As We Watch The Avengers...

The Movie Starts When A Voice From A Being Known As The Other, Talks About The Tesseract Awakening And How An Ally Of His Along With An Army Of Their Chitauri Is Headed For Earth To Get It As The Humans Don't Know How To Control It's True Power Like The Way The Other's Mysterious Boss Or His Ally Does...

Cutting To A S.H.I.E.L.D. Base In The Middle Of Nowhere That's Been Given An Evacuation Order, Nick Fury And His Second In Command, Maria Hill (Played By Robin From How I Met Your Mother) Arrive By Helicopter To Find Out What Is Going On From Agent Phil Coulson And Dr. Erik Selvig Who Say That The Tesseract Is Misbehaving And Energy Levels Are Climbing...

Talking With Clint Barton (Who's Been Keeping An Eye On Selvig) He Tells Fury That There's Been No Tampering On This End But Remembering That The Tesseract Is A Doorway To The Other End Of Space, Barton Tells Fury That Doors Open From Both Sides...

After That The Tesseract Creates A Portal Into Space Which Brings Loki To Earth...

Firing Blasts At People And Attacking Guards, Loki Takes Control Of Barton Before Talking With Fury Who Is Trying To Take The Tesseract. Telling Fury That He Needs The Tesseract, Fury Stalls Loki As Loki Tells Fury Who He Is And That He Intends To Take Over The World As He Places Selvig Under His Control...

With Barton Explaining Fury's Methods To Loki, Loki Has Hawkeye Shoot Fury So He Can Take The Tesseract. Still Alive After Being Shot, Fury Contacts Maria Hill To Tell Her That Barton Has Been Compromised...

(Start At 0:19, End At 3:30)

A Few Days Later In Russia, We Catch Up With Natasha Romanoff Who Has Been Captured By Russian Mobsters When She's Contacted By Coulson Who Tells Her That They Need Her...

(Start At 2:04)

Meanwhile In India, A Little Girl Asks For Bruce Banner (Played Now By Mark Ruffalo) To Help Her Sick Father. Taking Bruce To Him, He Ends Up Being Ditched By By The Kid So Banner Can Talk To Natasha Who Says That S.H.I.E.L.D. Needs Him To Come In To Help Them Trace The Tesseract As It Emits A Low Radiation Gamma Signature, And There's No One Who Knows Gamma Radiation More Than Him...

As Banner Agrees To Come In, Fury Has A Meeting With The World Security Council (Which Features Powers Boothe (Who Would Later Play A Role On Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. And Voiced Gorilla Grodd On The Justice League Animated Series) And Jenny Agutter (Who Is Known For Her Role In An American Werewolf In London But Is More Known For Her Role In Logan's Run) ) Who Tell Fury To Get Phase 2 Ready As It Was Made For This Reason...

But Fury Believes That Response Team Would Work Better As Phase 2 Isn't Ready Yet But Reminding Fury That The Avengers Initiative Was Shut Down Because (As The Snooty Morons Put It) "They Don't Want To Leave The Fate Of The Human Race To A Handful Of Freaks!" And That "War Isn't Won By Sentiment"

Well, Then How Did Captain America Beat Hydra, You Asshole!

And Speaking Of Cap, That's Who Fury Goes To See After The Meeting. Giving Cap A File On The Tesseract, Fury Tells Cap About Loki Saying That If He's In There'll Be A Lot That They Have To Bring Him Up To Speed On...

Later That Night, We Catch Up With Iron Man As He Connects A Device To The New York Power Grid That Will Power The New Stark Tower. Coming Into The Tower After Doing That, Tony Spends Time With Pepper Only To Interrupted By Phil Coulson Who Asks Him To Come In Because It's Not About Personality Profiles Anymore And With Both Tony And Pepper Eventually Realizing That Phil Is Serious, Tony Decides To Come In, While Coulson Drops Off Pepper At LaGuardia...

The Next Day, Cap Arrives With Coulson On Board A Quinjet Which Lands On What Looks To Be A Navy Vessel. Once On-Board, Cap Meets Bruce Banner And Natasha Romanoff, Who Tells Cap And Banner That They May Want To Step Inside As It's Gonna Get A Little Hard To Breathe...

With Alarms Going Off We Soon See That It's No Navy Vessel But The Motherfreaking Helicarrier, Baby!...

Once Inside The Main Control Room, Fury Activates The Ship's Stealth Mode, Fury Talks With Banner, Who Tells S.H.I.E.L.D. To Have Their Spectrometers Searching For Gamma Rays While He Goes With Romanoff To S.H.I.E.L.D.'S Lab To Work On A Tracking Algorithm For The Tesseract...

However, While Banner's Doing That, S.H.I.E.L.D. Gets A Lock On Loki Who Is In Stuttgart, Germany Causing Trouble At Some Museum Gala While Barton Steals Some Iridium From Their Storage Rooms For Selvig But As Loki Adresses The People, Telling Them To Kneel Before Him (Which Kind Of Sounds Like Something Another Supervillain Would Say)...

An Old Man Stands Up To Loki...

(Start At 1:44, End At 3:23)

With Loki On Board The Quinjet, Tony And Steve Talk For A Few Second Before We Hear A Sound Of Thunder...

Which Leads To Thor Bursting In And Taking Loki From The Quinjet With Both Tony And Steve Following Him...

Discovering That Thor Got Here Not By The Bifrost By Odin's Magic, We Get A Tender Moment Between Thor And Loki Where He Tells Him That They Thought He Was Dead And That Despite Loki's True Parentage They're Still Brothers But Loki's Like "Screw You, Bro I'm Tired Of Living In Your Shadow, I'm Gonna Be King Whether It's On Asgard Or Here And I Got Friends Who'll Back Me Up If You Try To Take Me On"...

(Start At 0:06)

With Loki Locked In A Cell Made For The Hulk Inside Of The Helicarrier, Fury Talks With Loki With Thor, Cap Natasha And Banner Hearing Everything But Not Really Finding Out Anything About Loki's Plan But Yet Somehow Thor Knows It...

Telling Cap, Natasha And Banner That Loki Is Leading An Army Of Chitauri Which Loki Will Use To Conquer Earth In Return For The Tesseract, Knowing That Loki Is Using Selvig To Build A Portal To Their Realm, But Wondering What Loki Needed Iridium For, Stark Bursts In To Tell Them That Loki Needs It For A Stabilizing Agent To Keep The Portal Open...

And With The Rest Of The Materials Coming From Barton, The Only Thing They'll Need Is A Power Source Of High Energy Density To Kickstart The Tesseract

Asking Tony To Help Him In The Lab, Tony And Banner Analyze Loki's Staff But When Tony Zaps Banner With A Small Electric Stick, Steve Enters To Tell Tony To Not Do That In Fear Of Banner Becoming The Hulk...

Telling Tony To Focus On The Problem At Hand, However, Both Tony And Banner Believe That Fury Is Hiding Something Despite Steve Just Seeing This As Loki Winding Them Up And That If They Don't Stay Focused He'll Succeed...

But Thinking That Stark And Banner May Be Right, Steve Goes Off To Investigate...

Back In The Lab, The Science Bros. (As The Fanbase Calls Bruce And Tony) Get To Know Each Other A Little Better. While We Discover Where Natalie Portman Is During This Movie And Romanoff Has A Word With Loki That Leads To Exposition About Her Relationship With Barton And Leads To Her Discovering Loki's Plan To Use The Hulk As A Distraction While He Escapes...

Talking With Banner And Tony About Why They Haven't Found The Tesseract Yet, But With The Signuture Sweeping Now, It's Just Going To Take Time...

After Having Jarvis Scan S.H.I.E.L.D.'S Computers, Tony Asks Fury What Phase 2 Is, Which Leads To Cap Telling Them That Phase 2 Is S.H.I.E.L.D. Using The Tesseract To Make Weapons Like Hydra Did (Which Cap Discovered In A Box That Was In The Underbelly Of The Helicarrier)...

With Banner Wondering Why As Thor And Natasha Enter The Room..

And Because It's Mark Ruffalo And He Just Had To Throw In A Little Bit Of His Activisim Into Bruce Banner By Talking About Weapons Of Mass Destruction...

Fury Explains That It's Because Of The Destroyer Attack In New Mexico As It Showed Not Only That They Are Not Alone In This Universe But Also That They Are Hopelessly Outgunned, And Despite Thor's People Not Being A Threat, The World's Filling Up With People Who Can't Be Matched Or Controlled...

And From There It's Argument To Argument Mainly From Steve And Tony Which Isn't What I Wanted To See From Them In This Movie...

Of All The People Who Should Be Happy To See Steve, I Expected It To Be Tony As After Learning Alot About His Father In The Last Iron Man Movie He Most Likely Would Have A Lot Of Questions About Him To Ask Steve, Like What Was My Father Like Back Then? Was He More Like Me Than I Believed He Was? And As We Saw In One Scene In First Avenger Him And Tony Were Definitely Alike In A Similar Fashion And It Pissed Me Off That We Never Got That But A Fight Over Who's Ego Is Bigger? Tony Or Steve? Instead Which I Would Have Prefered To See In A Sequel Rather Than This...

Eventually, Barton And A Bunch Of Brainwashed S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents On Board A Quinjet Prepare To Land On The Helicarrier But Before They Do, Barton Takes Out A Helicarrier Engine With An Explosive Arrow Which Tells Both Tony And Steve To Shut Up And Suit Up...

After Suiting Up, Tony And Steve Fix The Damage To The Engines While On A Lower Floor, Banner Is Transforming Into The Hulk Despite Natasha Trying To Calm Him Down, And From There It Quickly Becomes A Game Of Temple Run Until Thor Shows Up...

(Start At 0:45)

Managing To Escape His Rapidly Falling Cell, Thor Crashes On The Ground While Coulson Says "Screw You For Killing Me, Loki" By Firing The Destroyer Gun At Him...

Meanwhile, Steve Flips The Switch That Fixes The Engines So Tony Can Finish Off What's Left Of Loki's Brainwashed S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents As Loki Gets Away..

Arriving To Get Coulson, Fury Stays With His Friend Until He Dies. Sending Coulson's Body To A Magical Place Called T.A.H.I.T.I., Fury Reunites With Steve And Tony On The Bridge Where He Tells Them That They Were Going To Make An Arsenal With The Tesseract Before About What The Avenger Initiative Was And How Much Coulson Believed In It...

Meanwhile, Thor Goes To Get His Hammer While The Hulk Transforms Back Into Banner (Who Is Completely Naked) Only To Be Confronted By A Janitor (Played By Harry Dean Stanton)..

Back On The Helicarrier, Natasha Manages To Snap Barton Out Of Loki's Control So He Can Tell Nat That Loki Is Making His Move Today While On The Lower Level, Where Loki Was Jailed, Steve And Tony Talk Only For Tony To Realize Where Loki Will Be...

Telling Barton And Romanoff To Suit Up, It Leads To A Montage Of Stark Buffing The Damage Out Of His Suit So He Can Wear It, Thor Grabbing Mijonir So He Can Suit Up And Cap, Hawkeye And Black Widow Going To Steal A Quinjet So They All Can Go Fight Loki...

Heading To Stark Tower, Tony Fires Back At Selvig's Machine Only For The Machine To Fire Back So, Deciding To Take Route 2, Tony Decides To Distract Loki Until His Friends Get Here...

But Tired Of Tony's Talk, Loki Throws Him Out Of A Window Only For The New Mark 7 Suit To Launch, But While Firing A Blast At Loki, A Portal In The Sky Starts To Form...

To Which The Cliche Haters Can Kiss My Ass On!

And Chitauri Start Coming Through To Attack Earth...

Iron Man Deals With Some Of The Chitauri Coming Through The Portal While Thor Fights Loki At Stark Tower And Quinjet With Steve, Natasha And Barton Deal With More Of The Arriving Chitauri Until They're Shot Down Where Cap's Team Is Forced To Fight Them On The Ground With Thor (After Loki Escapes On One Of The Chitauri Ships)...

(Start At 0:24)

Overriding Fury's Orders, The Council Of Morons (As I'm Calling Them) Send Out A Jet With A Nuke To Blow Up All Of New York, Fury Attempts To Stop The Jet With An RPG But They Just Send Another One....

BASTARDS!

Contacting Tony, He Manages To Grab The Nuke So He Can Send It Through The Wormhole To Not Only Destroy The Chitauri Control Ship But Also Shuts Down Tony's Arc Reactor...

With Natasha Closing The Portal, Tony Manages To Fall Through Just As It Closes Only To Be Caught By The Hulk Who Saves His Life On Both Occasions, I Guess? And They Go Up To What Remains Of Stark Tower To Arrest Loki...

In The Aftermath Of The Fight With The Chitauri We See News Reports From All Over The World Including One With Stan Lee...

Stan Lee Cameo!

And Chrissy Seaver From Growing Pains, Who's Obviously A Waitress Now As The Council Of Near Murderers Asks Where The Avengers Are But With Fury Not Telling As We See Them All Go Their Separate Ways With Thor Returning To Asgard With Loki And The Tesseract, Iron Man Taking Hulk Into His Next Movie With Him, Steve Riding Off To See How Much The World Has Changed And Natasha And Barton Going Onto Their Next Mission....

Believing That Fury Has No Clue What He's Unleashed Onto The World With The Council Believing That The Avengers Are Dangerous But Fury Assures The Council That Not Only Does He Know But Every World Knows What He's Unleashed. Wondering If All Of This Was Just To Make A Damn Statement, Fury Just Says That It Wasn't To Make A Statement But A Promise...

With Hill Wondering How It'll Work Now As The Avengers Have Gone Their Separate Ways And If They Fall Into A Situation Like This Again What'll Happen? However Fury Just Tells Hill That They'll Come Back Because They'll Need Them To...

Cutting Back To Stark Tower With Tony And Pepper As They Decide To Remodel It Into A New Headquarters For The Avengers...

As The Credits Roll, We Get A Mid Credits Scene With The Other Telling His Master That He Cannot Attempt To Rule The Humans And To Attack Them Will Just Lead To His Demise And Then We See The Other's Boss Stand As We See That It's Thanos Who Is Like, Bitch, Please!

We Also Get An End Credits Scene With The Avengers Just Getting Schwarma...

Oh, I Mean...

And That's The Avengers And It's A Great Movie!

The Story Is Great, The Characters Are Great, Loki's A Fantastic Villain, I Love Captain America's Costume As It Actually Looks Like The Captain America Costume From The Comics. The Fight Scenes Are Great, The Directing By Joss Whedon Is Fantastic And I Can't Say This Enough See It!

Till Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off...

[angelcorebabyowo]

Link:

Chapter name: 5 years old

Chapters: 1/?

Tw: Child death, Somewhat restraints of a child, burning

Chapter description: Remus is five years old whenever he accidentally kills his best friend

Remus is five years old when he first meets a boy named Logan.

-------------

Remus is normally a pretty emotional kid, and even now, as he looks down upon the still and partially melted and mangled body of his once best friend he is still emotional. The world seems to be spinning around him and no matter what he does he can't seem to will his legs to move. He can't seem to do anything but scream, cry and feel things as he crumbles to the ground, shaking his friend and only making the situation worse by causing, even more, burns on the already scorched corpse. He stays like that for another few minutes before the teachers finally come over and have to drag Remus away as he still kicks and screams. As he gets dragged away he can hear some of his peers whispering but can't make out what they were saying over the noise him his ears and well the whole screaming. 

He eventually calms down by the time that he's dragged out to the front of the school, now softly crying still trying to figure out what was happening. He can hear the siren of police and ambulances and while normally he would perk up and try to see them he doesn't even bother to look up, doesn't even bother to open his eyes again instead, he winces and tries to escape again but with the teachers holding his arms in a way that it was nearly impossible for him to move around all that much.

He can hear it turn into the parking lot and stop right in front of them. He felt himself move from the teacher's arms to the backseat and get buckled in. The car started moving and Remus still didn't open his eyes but noticed that the farther from the school he got the noise of sirens seemed to leave as well. How come?

"You're in a lot of trouble bud." The voice of his dad says softly whenever the car stops at a red light he jumps completely not expecting that at all. Sure the second he got in the car he had a suspicion but he didn't think it would've been true or anything.  "Not with the law, at least not right now but with literally everyone...What happened?"

That's when Remus broke down again, he knew his dad knew and was only asking to hear his side but he couldn't take it at the moment, it was already too much and his head was hurting and everything was just Too. Much. He could feel the bubbling in his skin making him full-on scream at the feeling of it, which made his dad swerve slightly but quickly regain control of the weel. .

Remus undergoes the next 10 minutes of the car ride with his dad trying to distract him from the subject at hand, one they'll eventually have to talk about but at the moment Remus couldn't even think about his friend without his emotions spiking up and it causing the acid to leak more onto his hands causing painful blisters.

They should go to the hospital, they should go somewhere with someone who knows what to do but the next thing Remus knows is that he's in the driveway and being picked up and brought inside and laid gently on this bed. His dad is seated on the edge of it and gently applies some sort of burn cream to the area before gently wrapping it in a few gauze bandages before sighing softly and telling Remus to take a nap. And Remus happily agrees, he was tired and just needed to clear his head entirely. 

It stays that way for a while, Remus says in his room, his dad comes in to help change the bandages or to bring him something to eat, and then he goes right back to sleep as if he doesn't exist to anyone outside of the room. He can sometimes catch the news from the crack in the door and on a few rare occasions can hear his friend's name and it all comes flooding back to him at once and violently. The screaming, the pleading, the way their glassed-over eyes looked up at him as they laid still on the grass. Every time it happens he throws up a little in his mouth and can feel his hands start to burn to the point that they burn through the bedsheets. 

The door doesn't stay open much after that and the news even less. 

Somedays his older brother, Roman, will come and sit at the edge of the bed and rant about his day but will mostly just leave whenever Remus doesn't even seem to acknowledge his presence at all but instead curls more under the blanket. But somedays he stays and continues to talk despite the silence o the other end, he understood that Remus wouldn't even try to talk to someone right now but he still wanted him to know that someone was there for him. 

After a month Remus is about closer to his old self than he had been this entire time, he's talking a bit more and is even active and leaving his room daily and hanging out with the family. Roman is ecstatic as they go back to playing and while it's not the same, Remus still refuses to use his hand's so Roman fixes the stuff to his wrist or just changes the games completely, it feels as good as it ever did.

Today Roman wanted to hang out with some friends at the park and brought Remus along just to give the kid some fresh air, so that's what they did and the second they got there Remus ran over to a tree he used to climb and sat underneath it getting his lose jeans covered in dirt already despite it not even being a few minutes. His brother rolled his eyes and said a soft stranger danger warning before going off to find his friends. Remus didn't even want to be here so he was content with just making little piles in the dirt while trying to keep the bandages clean. 

"Um excuse me, that's my tree!" a soft and nasally voice says which makes Remus look up at a kid who seemed to be around his age. He was wearing a somewhat oversized dark blue sweater and black shorts with rain boots, his glasses didn't even seem to fit him seeing as every second he adjusted them. he was carrying a portable bug-catching kit in the unoccupied hand. "Please move?"

"I was here first!" Remus says quickly with a huff before looking back down and building up a small pile even more. He was still nervous around people, definitely people his age  (One of the main reasons he didn't like going outside). While his mind normally ran in circles when talking to someone, it didn't do it with this kid, it was still clear and he was able to keep control. Plus, why was this kid even talking to him, haven't they seen his face on the news a while ago? Remus was dangerous and everyone in the small town knew it, why didn't this kid seem to care?

The other kid huffed and crossed his arms before sitting right next to Remus and just stared at him for a second before shrugging and going on with his own business of searching for something in the dirt. "What doin'?" The kid asks and Remus turns to face him with a confused look before sighing softly and answering. 

"Dirt," Remus says looking back down at his dirt pile and saw Logan picking up ants that were trying to climb into it. 

"What with dirt?" 

"Pile."

"Why?"

"I really like it it's calming." 

"Have you tried to destroy the pile then put back?" Logan asks setting his kit in the dirt right at the base of the tree and starts to help make the pile bigger, still flicking the ants away but letting other insects run right in. 

Remus tilts his head in confusion again and shrugs before standing up and kicking the dirt onto the tree with a small smile and even a laugh, it was pretty fun, he'd have to give them credit there. He goes back to sit down and starts to push the dirt into the pile again "Remus, my name" he whispers thinking that it would be best to get his name out there

"I'm Logan" The kid, Logan, says helping to rebuild the pile as well "And I know, Roman talks lot about you. Look like Roman, like a lot."

"You know Roman?" Remus asks confused for the 3rd time in less than an hour.

"He's my older brother's friend...When he come over he talk a lot about you!" Logan says quickly with a nod and Remus almost feels relief flush through him for some reason. Logan stands up quickly and brushes off his shorts "Well calling for me." he says before Remus even hears someone calling for the other.

"Bye!" Remus says with a wide wave and winced slightly when Logan looked at his hand but the other boy just shrugged. 

"Bye-bye!" He says before running off. 

That wasn't the last time Remus saw Logan though, they met up at the park or at one of there houses, and each day it seemed as if they had gotten closer and closer, and while Remus was still cautious about touching Logan he was happy to at least have another friend to hand out with.

[badbitchbigtits-blog]

Improve Your Living Space And Be Happy Learn some simple home improvement projects that will allow you to change, upgrade or repair your living space. You don't need a lot of money or skills to get started. These tips are a great starting point for choosing your next home improvement project. You should gain some idea of the choices available to you. Two PVC pipes can be easily attached using primer and cement made for PVC. You need to make sure you use products designed for PVC so they'll hold and not leak. Furthermore, the pipe surfaces must be completely dry. You should put windows in the bathroom for more ventilation. You do not want to get stuck with unnecessary mold growth due to the humidity from the hot showers. Painting only covers mold up, it doesn't eliminate it. The key is to prevent the mold from growing in the first place. Add a window or some type of ventilation in order to cut down the humidity. Sitting on chair cushions flattens them over time. However, you can breathe new life into those flattened cushions with a a little sunshine. When cushions are placed in direct sunlight, they regain their bounce as moisture evaporates from the fillings inside the cushions. Be sure to flip over the cushions, and don't just leave them out in the sun because the colors can fade. Get some extra space on night tables by selecting floor lamps over table lamps. Floor lamps are free standing and can be moved around, while table lamps take up quite a bit of table space. Make sure the lamp you choose fits your decor and tastes. Think about installing motion detectors near the door that you use as the entrance. Since the light won't be on constantly, your energy bill will be lower. Motion-sensitive lights are a security asset, too, as they make it harder for burglars to approach undetected. Remember, a good door is worth its weight in gold. This item is your first chance to make a good impression on guests. If the door is not insulated properly or does not fit correctly, there will be a great loss of heat. If the locks and door frame aren't made well or are old, your security and sense of safety is lowered. If there are repairs that must be finished before moving in, focus on the heaviest repairs first. Simpler projects, such as updating your bathrooms or finishing up the basement, can be performed after moving in. Replacing your old windows for energy efficient windows will give your house a great new look, and it will also save you money on your energy costs. These windows offer quite the reward, so consider them. Do not use price as the only consideration when choosing a contractor. It may look like a bargain up front, but many contractors will bid low in order to secure the job, and tell you later about the extra money you will need to spend. Others will give poor craftsmanship that corresponds to their price. Thoroughly research what you want done, and select your contractor accordingly. Get windows that have a secondary glazing. These windows cost more, but they lower energy bills and reduce outside noise. Switch to these windows during renovations to ultimately save money and time. These windows are energy efficient, which means it will be simpler to cool and heat your house, and you will not have to worry about noise. If you want to get rid of popcorn ceiling, be sure it's first tested for asbestos. It is imperative that asbestos is removed and disposed of carefully, because it is a harmful substance. If you find asbestos in your ceiling, a professional may be needed to remove it. A new look and fresh appearance can be achieved easily with a low-cost coat of paint on your walls. You can browse through the different color options by checking out paint chips at the hardware store. Find colors you find complementary to your home. If you aren't happy with the look, repaint! When painting your walls, it is important to make sure to properly tape off the trim. Even if you exercise care when painting, you'll find that paint can still drip or run. Careful use of tape will protect your woodwork from unwanted paint drips. If paint does run onto the trim, you may have to repaint it. Shorten dryer hoses to boost energy savings and dryer power. Disconnect and vacuum your existing dryer hose. Cut the hose length down to just a few feet. It should be long enough to remove the dryer cleanly behind it. Shorter hoses run better. If you are having work done on your house before you sell it, focus on sprucing up the exterior first, before you do any interior work like plumbing or heating upgrades. The curb appeal of the home is what will drive people to come inside for a closer look. There is a easy solution to reduce power consumption when making your home improvements. Utilize a power strip instead of keeping all your home's electronics plugged in to the wall. You can turn a surge protector on and off. You can save energy by turning the strip off when you are not using it. When painting your home, use neutral colors. Neutral colors will make your rooms seem larger. Installing larger baseboards will make a room appear larger. Both options are able to be done for little money and make a home look a lot better. If you're unhappy with the work that your contractor has done, you need to be vocal. Have a meeting with the contractor in which you point out the parts of the contract you feel have not been carried out properly. If phone calls do not resolve the situation, follow through with registered mail correspondance. After that, contact your community consumer protection affairs office for assistance. Hopefully, these tips have helped you realize the potential of home improvement. You can make your home your own if you have the pertinent tools. Not only can doing your own home improvements save you money, but it can be something fun and enjoyable.

Home Improvement 101 - Read This Before Beginning

Equip yourself with the latest and greatest information on making improvements to your home. Take some advice from these time-tested approaches to improving your living space.

Sometimes, it only takes one small improvement to increase the value of a house. If you want to sell the home, think about making a few small changes. One example is giving your home a new coat of paint. This is simple and can increase the value of your home.

There are two main ways that you can make your ceiling look like it is higher than it actually is. Either use a floor lamp that is tall or paint stripes. These additions create the optical illusion of height. It makes your eyes focus on following lines and makes the room look higher.

Lampshades of simple structure and design are quite a bore. By using stencils, creativity, and paint, you will be able to transform your boring lampshade into a masterpiece. This will give your rooms some personality, taking away from the reality of how boring an ordinary lamp shade can be.

Do not allow your contractor to start unless a contract is signed. You may even be better off if the contract is looked over by an attorney before the first hammer is raised. It needs to clearly show warranty information, the amount of work that needs to be performed, total costs, and beginning and completion dates.

Organize your garage using some clear boxes made of plastic and arranging your items by type and use. Label the boxes and stack them. This is an affordable and easy way to protect belongings.

It's hard to overstate the impact that a really well-made front door can have. It's both the first, as well as last, sight of visitors to your home. Also, if you have one that is old or damaged, heat may be escaping from it. If the locks and door frame aren't made well or are old, your security and sense of safety is lowered.

Soundproofing rooms is a great investment. However, soundproofing each interior wall of your home might not be in your budget, so determine which walls are the most important. The best soundproofing areas include bathrooms, bedrooms, and media rooms. The kitchen can be a nice area to soundproof as well, unless it's a fairly open kitchen that attaches to a lot of different areas.

Don't just eyeball it. Get out the level and make sure everything is straight when you're installing your kitchen cabinets. Ensure that counter tops will be all of one height by creating a bench mark that begins at the highest point of the kitchen floor.

Pick an overall color story for your room. Selecting a complementary scheme is an excellent suggestion for your home's formal areas like your dining room. To find complementary colors, use the color wheel and find colors that are opposite of each other. For example: yellow and blue or orange and purple. Schemes based on complementary colors have a clear contrast between tones, yet they are visually appealing.

Add motion-detecting lights to your home's exterior to save money and increase security. These type of lights are only active when someone needs them, so you save money on electricity bills. Of course, if an intruder is trying to sneak onto your property, being hit with the sudden burst of light will send them running away.

Take the time to drain the water from your water heater bi-annually. A properly maintained heater will have greater longevity and efficiency. Just put a hose on the drain value and release the water.

If you don't care to do a lot of landscaping yourself and you'd prefer not to spend money on professional maintenance, one alternative is to put together a yard that requires minimal maintenance. This type of yard is made of rock beds that contain plants which require very little amounts of water. This will reduce the maintenance costs that you have to pay.

Most of the home improvements that you need done can be done on your own. Naturally, if a certain home-improvement job is extensive, you may make things worse if you don't have a professional handle it for you. You can easily work on your plumbing, painting or drywall if you do not have any previous experience. By doing the work yourself, you can save quite a bit of money.

A well-made stainless steel taping knife will doubtless be of great benefit to you if you plan on doing sheetrock taping. Not only will a high quality stainless steel taping knife last longer, it's also easier to clean after you're finished with a job. You will only ever need to buy one if you choose a knife that is stainless steel. Clean it after use, and store it carefully.

It can be inconvenient to live in a home that is undergoing a home improvement project. The best thing to do is work on the project when less people are in the home. Things will just be tense and stressful if others are home are feeling inconvenienced.

Prior to launching any home improvement project, know the cost involved by getting a precise estimate. A mistake people often make is underestimating the price tag of the project. When developing a budget, get several estimates and budget in extra money for unforeseen complications.

When planning any type of home improvement project, remember to allow room to place any debris you accumulate. A big mess results when demolition takes place, and you must put the debris somewhere. Make sure you know what to do about the debris ahead of time so that you don't end up having a huge pile when you are working.

Always be safe when you attempt any home improvement project. Make sure the gas is off if you are working around the fireplace, in your kitchen in the basement or anywhere else there may be danger. It can be dangerous if the gas leaks. You need to find out where your shut off valve is located. In addition, you want to be aware of any gas lines and their locations to avoid accidentally hitting one.

Now, with these tips in mind, you are prepared to conquer your next home improvement project. Take your pride of ownership into your own hands by initiating a new home improvement project.

End of lease cleaning melbourne

[fuckingfuckingchickentown-blog]

Improve Your Living Space And Be Happy Learn some simple home improvement projects that will allow you to change, upgrade or repair your living space. You don't need a lot of money or skills to get started. These tips are a great starting point for choosing your next home improvement project. You should gain some idea of the choices available to you. Two PVC pipes can be easily attached using primer and cement made for PVC. You need to make sure you use products designed for PVC so they'll hold and not leak. Furthermore, the pipe surfaces must be completely dry. You should put windows in the bathroom for more ventilation. You do not want to get stuck with unnecessary mold growth due to the humidity from the hot showers. Painting only covers mold up, it doesn't eliminate it. The key is to prevent the mold from growing in the first place. Add a window or some type of ventilation in order to cut down the humidity. Sitting on chair cushions flattens them over time. However, you can breathe new life into those flattened cushions with a a little sunshine. When cushions are placed in direct sunlight, they regain their bounce as moisture evaporates from the fillings inside the cushions. Be sure to flip over the cushions, and don't just leave them out in the sun because the colors can fade. Get some extra space on night tables by selecting floor lamps over table lamps. Floor lamps are free standing and can be moved around, while table lamps take up quite a bit of table space. Make sure the lamp you choose fits your decor and tastes. Think about installing motion detectors near the door that you use as the entrance. Since the light won't be on constantly, your energy bill will be lower. Motion-sensitive lights are a security asset, too, as they make it harder for burglars to approach undetected. Remember, a good door is worth its weight in gold. This item is your first chance to make a good impression on guests. If the door is not insulated properly or does not fit correctly, there will be a great loss of heat. If the locks and door frame aren't made well or are old, your security and sense of safety is lowered. If there are repairs that must be finished before moving in, focus on the heaviest repairs first. Simpler projects, such as updating your bathrooms or finishing up the basement, can be performed after moving in. Replacing your old windows for energy efficient windows will give your house a great new look, and it will also save you money on your energy costs. These windows offer quite the reward, so consider them. Do not use price as the only consideration when choosing a contractor. It may look like a bargain up front, but many contractors will bid low in order to secure the job, and tell you later about the extra money you will need to spend. Others will give poor craftsmanship that corresponds to their price. Thoroughly research what you want done, and select your contractor accordingly. Get windows that have a secondary glazing. These windows cost more, but they lower energy bills and reduce outside noise. Switch to these windows during renovations to ultimately save money and time. These windows are energy efficient, which means it will be simpler to cool and heat your house, and you will not have to worry about noise. If you want to get rid of popcorn ceiling, be sure it's first tested for asbestos. It is imperative that asbestos is removed and disposed of carefully, because it is a harmful substance. If you find asbestos in your ceiling, a professional may be needed to remove it. A new look and fresh appearance can be achieved easily with a low-cost coat of paint on your walls. You can browse through the different color options by checking out paint chips at the hardware store. Find colors you find complementary to your home. If you aren't happy with the look, repaint! When painting your walls, it is important to make sure to properly tape off the trim. Even if you exercise care when painting, you'll find that paint can still drip or run. Careful use of tape will protect your woodwork from unwanted paint drips. If paint does run onto the trim, you may have to repaint it. Shorten dryer hoses to boost energy savings and dryer power. Disconnect and vacuum your existing dryer hose. Cut the hose length down to just a few feet. It should be long enough to remove the dryer cleanly behind it. Shorter hoses run better. If you are having work done on your house before you sell it, focus on sprucing up the exterior first, before you do any interior work like plumbing or heating upgrades. The curb appeal of the home is what will drive people to come inside for a closer look. There is a easy solution to reduce power consumption when making your home improvements. Utilize a power strip instead of keeping all your home's electronics plugged in to the wall. You can turn a surge protector on and off. You can save energy by turning the strip off when you are not using it. When painting your home, use neutral colors. Neutral colors will make your rooms seem larger. Installing larger baseboards will make a room appear larger. Both options are able to be done for little money and make a home look a lot better. If you're unhappy with the work that your contractor has done, you need to be vocal. Have a meeting with the contractor in which you point out the parts of the contract you feel have not been carried out properly. If phone calls do not resolve the situation, follow through with registered mail correspondance. After that, contact your community consumer protection affairs office for assistance. Hopefully, these tips have helped you realize the potential of home improvement. You can make your home your own if you have the pertinent tools. Not only can doing your own home improvements save you money, but it can be something fun and enjoyable.

Home Improvement 101 - Read This Before Beginning

Equip yourself with the latest and greatest information on making improvements to your home. Take some advice from these time-tested approaches to improving your living space.

Sometimes, it only takes one small improvement to increase the value of a house. If you want to sell the home, think about making a few small changes. One example is giving your home a new coat of paint. This is simple and can increase the value of your home.

There are two main ways that you can make your ceiling look like it is higher than it actually is. Either use a floor lamp that is tall or paint stripes. These additions create the optical illusion of height. It makes your eyes focus on following lines and makes the room look higher.

Lampshades of simple structure and design are quite a bore. By using stencils, creativity, and paint, you will be able to transform your boring lampshade into a masterpiece. This will give your rooms some personality, taking away from the reality of how boring an ordinary lamp shade can be.

Do not allow your contractor to start unless a contract is signed. You may even be better off if the contract is looked over by an attorney before the first hammer is raised. It needs to clearly show warranty information, the amount of work that needs to be performed, total costs, and beginning and completion dates.

Organize your garage using some clear boxes made of plastic and arranging your items by type and use. Label the boxes and stack them. This is an affordable and easy way to protect belongings.

It's hard to overstate the impact that a really well-made front door can have. It's both the first, as well as last, sight of visitors to your home. Also, if you have one that is old or damaged, heat may be escaping from it. If the locks and door frame aren't made well or are old, your security and sense of safety is lowered.

Soundproofing rooms is a great investment. However, soundproofing each interior wall of your home might not be in your budget, so determine which walls are the most important. The best soundproofing areas include bathrooms, bedrooms, and media rooms. The kitchen can be a nice area to soundproof as well, unless it's a fairly open kitchen that attaches to a lot of different areas.

Don't just eyeball it. Get out the level and make sure everything is straight when you're installing your kitchen cabinets. Ensure that counter tops will be all of one height by creating a bench mark that begins at the highest point of the kitchen floor.

Pick an overall color story for your room. Selecting a complementary scheme is an excellent suggestion for your home's formal areas like your dining room. To find complementary colors, use the color wheel and find colors that are opposite of each other. For example: yellow and blue or orange and purple. Schemes based on complementary colors have a clear contrast between tones, yet they are visually appealing.

Add motion-detecting lights to your home's exterior to save money and increase security. These type of lights are only active when someone needs them, so you save money on electricity bills. Of course, if an intruder is trying to sneak onto your property, being hit with the sudden burst of light will send them running away.

Take the time to drain the water from your water heater bi-annually. A properly maintained heater will have greater longevity and efficiency. Just put a hose on the drain value and release the water.

If you don't care to do a lot of landscaping yourself and you'd prefer not to spend money on professional maintenance, one alternative is to put together a yard that requires minimal maintenance. This type of yard is made of rock beds that contain plants which require very little amounts of water. This will reduce the maintenance costs that you have to pay.

Most of the home improvements that you need done can be done on your own. Naturally, if a certain home-improvement job is extensive, you may make things worse if you don't have a professional handle it for you. You can easily work on your plumbing, painting or drywall if you do not have any previous experience. By doing the work yourself, you can save quite a bit of money.

A well-made stainless steel taping knife will doubtless be of great benefit to you if you plan on doing sheetrock taping. Not only will a high quality stainless steel taping knife last longer, it's also easier to clean after you're finished with a job. You will only ever need to buy one if you choose a knife that is stainless steel. Clean it after use, and store it carefully.

It can be inconvenient to live in a home that is undergoing a home improvement project. The best thing to do is work on the project when less people are in the home. Things will just be tense and stressful if others are home are feeling inconvenienced.

Prior to launching any home improvement project, know the cost involved by getting a precise estimate. A mistake people often make is underestimating the price tag of the project. When developing a budget, get several estimates and budget in extra money for unforeseen complications.

When planning any type of home improvement project, remember to allow room to place any debris you accumulate. A big mess results when demolition takes place, and you must put the debris somewhere. Make sure you know what to do about the debris ahead of time so that you don't end up having a huge pile when you are working.

Always be safe when you attempt any home improvement project. Make sure the gas is off if you are working around the fireplace, in your kitchen in the basement or anywhere else there may be danger. It can be dangerous if the gas leaks. You need to find out where your shut off valve is located. In addition, you want to be aware of any gas lines and their locations to avoid accidentally hitting one.

Now, with these tips in mind, you are prepared to conquer your next home improvement project. Take your pride of ownership into your own hands by initiating a new home improvement project.

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