#OK these have been sitting and accumulating for a WHILE so there's some old and new lore but whatever

[maariigold]

qsmp doodle drop !! q!jaiden my shining star <3

[chaotic-super]

For Her Sake - Chapter 16

Read For Her Sake on AO3 here!

Lena’s starting to think that she might be in a little over her head. She’s not really spent that much one-on-one time with a child before, not when said child’s parent isn’t close by in case of an emergency anyway. It’s making her nervous to think about the fact that she’s supposed to be the responsible adult here. That’s her. She might be the CEO of a major company but taking care of a child, she’s not adult enough for that.

Lori seems to be completely unaware of the ongoing freakout happening for Lena though, just holding onto her hand and skipping happily along the path of the park. She also seems to be unaware of the slow build-up of sweat that’s accumulating between their hands, or at the very least, just doesn’t care.

It’s a beautiful day out and Lena doesn’t spend a whole lot of time outdoors so as they meander through the open space, Lena forces herself to try and enjoy it, she might be panicking and unsure of herself but she’s been working on bettering herself for a while and this is the perfect opportunity to prove to herself that she’s reaching some of the goals she’s set for herself. She’s already reached at least one by being someone another person trusts with their child, even if it was just in a moment of emergency.

The wind brushes across Lena’s face in a tender caress that eases her into taking deep breaths that help her to ground herself and remind her that Kara is a woman that is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure her daughter a life where she is happy and healthy so if she trusts Lena to take care of Lori, it’s because she’s capable of doing just that.

When the lake comes into view, Lori’s speed picks up and she tugs on Lena’s hand with more strength than Lena ever thought a four-year-old could ever pack into her tiny little body.

“Slow down, slow down, the lake isn’t going anywhere.” Lena laughs, her tone light as she keeps a steady grip on Lori’s hand so she can’t run off from her.

“But Lena, I wanna go see the duckies!” Lori keeps pulling at her hand but Lena doesn’t let up, her head twisting around to take a look around the park. She doesn’t know the area well but she has been here a few times before.

Lena stops for a moment, her eyes squinting as she peers through the trees as Lori begins bouncing on her toes beside her, all of her excited energy finding an outlet in her movements. “Hold on, Lori. Just let me see if there’s a…aha!” Lena redirects Lori away from the path that leads towards the lake and is shocked when Lori starts stamping her feet.

“Lena, no!” Lori pulls against Lena’s hand to try and either get away from her or to drag her towards the lake.

It shocks Lena, she has never seen this side of Lori before, she’s always been a mild-mannered, excitable little kid, the sweetest of the sweet just like her mother. That being said, she is a child and if there’s anything kids are known for, it’s having the occasional tantrum.

Lena’s eyes pin on a bench just off of the path and in a quick move, she scoops Lori up and takes the needed steps to get over to it and plonk her down onto it before sitting beside her. “Take a few deep breaths, Lori, and then I want you to tell me what’s got you so upset, ok?”

Lori tries to get up off the bench but Lena holds her hands, keeping her close but allowing her to climb to her feet if she doesn’t want to be sitting. Lori chooses to stay sitting when she realizes she can’t get away, frowning all the while.

“It’s perfectly ok to have big emotions, Lori, but it’s not ok to shout at people like that so can you tell me why you’re upset?”

Lori shrugs her shoulders, angling her body the opposite way to Lena, not looking her in the eyes and barely listening to her, just letting big crocodile tears stream down her face and swinging her feet since she’s too little to be able to touch the floor with her feet while sitting down.

��We can sit here as long as you need, little darling, I’ll stop pestering you to talk, we can simply sit here and enjoy the beautiful trees and the butterflies over on those wildflowers growing beside those bushes.” Lena points to the wildflowers, smiling slightly when Lori’s head snaps up to try and see the butterflies Lena is talking about.

She keeps her word though, her lips stay tightly sealed as Lori’s attention goes between watching the butterflies dance between the blooming flowers, their wings flapping in a delicate rhythm that makes Lena think back to the days when she used to fence back in college, the swift, precise movements she practised over and over, the rigidity and grace nothing short of freedom for her back then.

It’s clear that Lori isn’t too happy that she’s got to sit here rather than going to the lake but she does as she’s told, sitting nicely to the point where Lena lets go of her, sure that she’s not going to do a runner. Her arms fold across her chest in an adorable way as she pouts but after a couple of minutes, she does what Lena was hoping she would do, she speaks.

“I’m sorry, Lena.”

“Thank you for apologizing. Do you know why you got so upset?” Lena implores her to keep talking, a kind smile taking shape on her lips.

Lori pauses before speaking again. “I was mad.”

Lena nods. “It’s ok to be mad sometimes, Lori, we all get mad. What’s important is that we still behave, even when we’re mad. Next time, all you have to do is tell me you’re mad and we can talk about it and fix the problem. Do you know what won’t fix the problem?”

“Stamping my feets.” Lori looks down at her feet like they’re the ones to blame.

“That’s right. We can use our words and we can use them nicely and figure out how to make everyone happy. Now, why were you mad?”

“Wanted to go and see the duckies and you didn’t let me.”

Lena hums in acknowledgement. “I see. Well, I wish you had said something because then I could have told you that I wasn’t saying no, I was just going to make a pitstop to get us some sandwiches so we could feed the duckies out crusts. That’s ok though, little darling, now we’ve spoken, we can do better next time, huh? I could have said something earlier and you could have told me you were feeling mad. Want to make nice?” Lena holds out her arms, offering a hug, and Lori takes the bait, launching herself into her arms and nodding against her chest.

With the little bundle in her arms, Lena relaxes. She can do this. She can keep Lori alive until she takes her back to her mom later and she can handle the struggles that come with taking care of a young child.

Admittedly, she is kind of happy that Lori threw her little tantrum because she remembers being Lori’s age and being too terrified to express any kind of negative emotions like that because she would have been severely punished so taking care of Lori gently with understanding is helping her to heal her soul a little, to show herself that she will never do what her family did, she can break the cycle of abuse and be a better person than they are. She has to.

After a minute, Lori pulls herself away from Lena and Lena takes that as her cue to get up and offer her hand to Lori. She takes it and jumps down from the bench.

“Alright then, Miss Lori, are you ready to go and get some sandwiches, find somewhere nice to eat them and then go and feed the duckies the crusts?”

“We can’t eat with the duckies?” Lori asks, her voice back to its usual softness and completely lacking the fire that Lena got a taste of before.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea, we don’t want the duckies trying to take our share of the sandwiches, do we?”

Lori shakes her head. She might want to go and see the duckies but she is not one to share her food when she doesn’t have to. She’s very similar to her mother in that regard.

With that agreed, they head over to where there is a little café perched between some trees if they detour off and to the right of the lake. It’s just a tiny place, one so small there are only two tables inside of it and another three outside but that’s good enough for them. Lena was originally planning on taking the food away and maybe finding a nice tree to sit beneath but seeing the tables, they might as well stay here.

“Would you like to sit inside or outside, Miss Lori?” Lena gives Lori the choice, another thing she was never given as a child and something she wishes every child could have since she’s lived through the suffocating alternative.

Lori peers between the wooden benches and tables outside and the cool red chairs inside and makes her choice. “Inside!”

Lena is glad Lori chose the seats inside, the ones outside would have left them both in the sun and while Lori would probably be ok, she’s got very delicate pale skin that she’s fairly certain can burn just from looking at a crayon-drawn sun with a smiley face.

“Inside it is.” Lena smiles and guides Lori to the door.

They are instantly greeted by the woman behind the counter. “Hello there, ladies! What can I get for you?”

Lena scoops Lori up and props her on her hip so they can look at the menu and soon enough they are sitting at one of the two tables waiting on their meals. The woman behind the counter, Vivian, handed Lori a colouring sheet and some crayons to play with while they wait for their sandwiches.

It’s safe to say that Lori is no longer being a stroppy little madam because her feet and kicking excitedly under the table as she colours in a picture of a little cottage in the woods. When she looked up at Lena with a sweet smile and so nicely asked for a milkshake, she just couldn’t say no. When she saw the size of them though, she did have to put her foot down ad say that they would share it because there’s no way she can give Lori back to Kara after inducing a monster-sized sugar rush.

Lena thanks Vivian as she puts down the massive chocolate and caramel milkshake between them armed with two straws.

“Gee, this looks good, doesn’t it Lori?”

Lori nods happily, abandoning the crayons and going right for her straw, a curly one that makes her grin even wider.

Vivian beams at the pair. “She looks just like you.” She remarks before tucking the tray she carried the milkshake over on beneath her arm and waltzing away before Lena could process what she said, never mind actually reply to it.

Lena just shrugs, she’ll correct her if she says anything else. Her eyes grow wide seeing how far into the milkshake Lori has gotten by herself in just the few seconds she’s been distracted. She grabs Lori’s straw and guides it away from her. “Slow down there, little darling, you’re going to fill up on milkshake and not have any room left in your tummy for your sandwich if you drink it too fast.”

Lori, to Lena’s surprise, doesn’t try and argue, just nods and gets back to her colouring, pushing a couple of crayons her way so she can help, which she does happily.

Vivian heads back over a few minutes later and places their sandwiches down on the table with a smile and a flourish before heading off with the shout of “Enjoy!” over her shoulder.

Lena takes a sip of the milkshake before picking up her sandwich and cringes at the sweet taste of it. She wishes she had persuaded Lori to go for something else but she just couldn’t deny that cute face anything.

They make their way through their respective sandwiches and save their crusts at the edge of their plates. When they are just about finished, Lena gestures for Vivian so she can pay the bill and get a to-go box for their crusts.

“Here you go.” Vivian hands her the bill and the box. “Just crusts huh?”

“Yeah, we’re going to feed the duckies!” Lori answers.

“You know, bread isn’t very good for duckies. They do like peas though.” Vivian answers.

Lena tilts her head. She didn’t know that. “Really?”

“Yeah, I actually sell bags of them too so there isn’t as much bread being thrown into the lake for the ducks. It pollutes the water and isn’t very healthy for them since it fills them up and then they don’t eat as much nutritious foods.” Vivian informs her.

Lena turns to Lori. “Well, I guess we’ve learned something new today, haven’t we? What do you say? Shall we get some peas and keep the duckies healthy?”

“Yes!”

“That’s settled then. Can we have a couple of bags of peas then, please? I guess we won’t be needing the to-go box after all.”

 “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll go and grab those bags and amend your bill. I’ll just be a moment.” Vivian takes back the bill and the box.

She comes back with the amended bill and two decent-sized bags of peas. Lori grabs them and stuffs them in the pockets of her jacket so they bulge out. Only half of each bag fits into her tiny pockets so it kind of looks like she’s just burgled a house of peas.

Lena adds a good tip to the bill. Anyone that has the balls to call out random customers to better the wildlife and protect animals is someone deserving of the money. She can imagine how many people don’t come back because they don’t like to be corrected even if they have no idea what they’re talking about.

“Thank you.” Lena waves as she leaves the café and Lori follows her lead.

“Thank you!”

Together, they head towards the lake and Lena sees a bench just beside the water and decides that’s where she’s going to lead them.

Beside her, Lori holds both of the bags, not bothering to put them back into her pockets from where they fell out after she started skipping. As soon as they are at the water’s edge, she hands both to Lena. “Can you open it please?”

With a now open bag in her hands, Lori dives her hand into it and starts throwing the peas to the ducks, rejoicing when they start to take them and nibble away until they are gone, inching closer and closer to the pair of them so they can have more delicious treats.

Lena only tosses a few at a time, purposely slowing down so she can share her bag with Lori when she runs out because she’s just ecstatic to be feeding the ducks.

Sure enough, Lori’s smile disappears when she runs out of peas and then reappears when Lena presses her bag into her hands, still more than half-full. “You go ahead, my hands are a little tired and you’re so good at tossing them that I think it’s best you do the honours.”

The ducks gather at the edge of the lake and quack at them for the peas and Lori is more than happy to indulge them, even quacking back at them from time to time.

Once the peas are all gone, Lena stands up. “Let’s go find somewhere else to sit, huh? If we stay here the duckies will think we have more peas for them so we’d better head off and find somewhere to read.”

“Ok.” Lori reaches out and takes her hand again without Lena prompting her to and she’s glad for it because the fact that she’s someone Lori feels comfortable finding stability in is something so special to her. It does remind her though that there are other people looking for stability in her and she hasn’t been giving them her all. She’s not been pushing the purchase of the hospital the way she was at the beginning, rather than hurrying the process along, she’s been allowing it to slowly plod along at whatever pace it goes at and that’s not a great pace.

She’s been putting so much of her energy into thinking and worrying about Kara and her family that she’s not been fully invested in her job. She knows that a lot of it is to do with her loneliness and the fact that she’s now got people fending off those feelings for her but she’s not forgotten the words Kara said to her the first time they met in her office, the way Kara so brashly told her that what she’s doing as a privileged rich woman with an endless supply of whatever it is she needs, is not enough, nowhere near.

When she told Kara she was buying the hospital, she looked so proud of her but that’s not why Lena cherishes the memory. She cherishes the memory because she was proud of herself. Now though, as she looks back on it, she no longer feels that pride because now it feels performative. Unless she actually follows through fully and with her whole heart and does it for the people in that hospital rather than to impress a pretty woman, she’s not making anybody proud, especially not herself.

She gets Lori set up with her book beneath a tree and steps aside, keeping one eye on Lori the whole time as she gets her phone out and makes a call.

For the next twenty minutes, Lena argues quietly with both her people and the people of the old owners of the hospital, getting the ball rolling again. She can still be the person she wants to be. She’s making good steps but she’s not there yet. Maybe that’s ok, maybe it’s not but she’ll get there.

Once the call is done she sits beside Lori and sees that her book is closed. “Hey, have you had enough of reading?”

She shakes her head no.

“Then why is your book closed?”

“I finished it.”

“What about the other couple I have of yours, where are those?” Lena asks.

Lori points to the small pile beside her. “I finished those too.”

“Surely you haven’t read them all already, it’s only been twenty minutes.” Lena smiles, picking the books up and setting them on her lap.

Lori just shrugs. “I’ve read them loads of times. My mommy doesn’t have money for new books and the library is far away so we only go every few weeks.”

“Oh.” Lena’s not sure what to say to that. It’s not a shock that Lori knows Kara struggles with money because kids aren’t nearly as dumb as they’re made out to be and they are very aware of their surroundings.

“I try not to say anything in front of her because it makes her do her sad face. Mommy said that in a few months, I’ll be able to get new books but I have to be patient though.”

“I think your mommy is doing her best.”

“Me too, she’s tired all the time and she always falls asleep on the couch when we watch movies together. Auntie Alex says it’s because she works super hard and it makes her body tired so she has to sleep more.”

Lena brushes Lori’s hair back behind her ear. “I think you’re a very smart girl, Lori.”

“I don’t think my mom gets new books either and she used to read all the time. Can we get her a book instead of flowers? I think she’d like a book more.” Lori cracks a tiny smile at the compliment and proves to Lena that she might actually be the sweetest kid around.

“I think we can make that happen and I think that there’s no reason we can only get one or the other. Shall we head over to the bookstore first and then the florist to get the flowers?”

“Yes!” Lori jumps up. “Mommy will love it!”

“I think she will.”

-

Lena follows Lori up to the apartment, her arms feeling like they are going to drop off because of the weight of the bags she’s holding. She may have gone a little overboard in the bookstore. Lori is holding the bouquet of flowers and the size of it practically swallows her whole. In fact, from the front, it’s just a bouquet of flowers with arms and legs. It’s a wonder Lori can see through the stems to she can see where she’s going.

Kara texted her a while back saying they are back at the apartment so she’s got no doubt that they will be able to get into the apartment. She just opens the door, not wanting to wait because the bags are so heavy and Lori runs inside and right to Kara.

“Mommy! Mommy! We got you flowers!”

Kara’s face brightens immediately upon seeing Lori running up to her with the flowers and Lena isn’t completely sure whether it’s because of the bouquet or because it’s Lori. From the very small glance she got of Kara before she saw Lori, she looked to be in pretty high spirits anyway so Lena’s hoping for some good news for them.

“Thank you, baby. They’re beautiful.” Kara says, taking them from her so she can actually see her daughter’s face. Kara then looks up at Lena and mouths, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Lena mouths back before clearing her throat. “Hey, Alex. How are you?”

“I’m good. Had a nice day out with the little rascal?” Alex stands with her hands tucked in her back pockets.

Lena nods. “We had a great day, didn’t we, Lori? We went to the park and then the bookstore and then the florist and now we’re here.”

Kara’s eyes widen. “The bookstore? Oh no, I bet you struggled to get her out of there, trips to the library are always a whole-day affair.”

“Well, I wanted a few new books and it would have been rude of me to not get something for Miss Lori too and because she’s the sweetest little soul, she asked if we could get her favourite person one too. We couldn’t narrow it down though so you’re now the proud owner of a decent stack of books.”

“Lena, you didn’t have to do that.” Kara stands up and moves to put the flowers down on the kitchen counter before moving to Lena and wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. “You’re the sweetest, thank you for taking care of her today and for the books and the flowers. They’re all lovely.”

“No worries. We had a great time.”

“We fed the duckies peas!” Lori clutches at her mom’s shirt to get her attention.

Kara chuckles. “Peas?”

Lena nods seriously. “We got sandwiches for lunch and we were saving the crusts to feed the ducks but the owner of the café we went to informed us that it was bad for them but she sold bags of peas to feed them so we got a couple. It was very fun.”

“I see.”

“Anyways, how has your day been? Did you manage to get everything figured out?”

“You know what? We did.” Kara replies and gestures to the couch, “Want to sit down so we can tell you all about it?”

Lena accepts the offer, taking a seat and setting the bags down at her feet. She sits happily in place and listens as Kara and Alex excitedly begin recounting their afternoon with a man called Gus and the good news of the place they have signed on to rent as soon as their month here is up. There will be a tiny overlap so they can get out a few days before they formally have to be but soon enough, they’ll be in their new place, one that is much nicer than this and Lena is so very happy for them.

“I can’t believe it! I’m stoked for you guys and very very shocked that you managed to find a place in less than a day.”

“It was pure luck, really,” Kara says. “It had only just been listed on the website when we looked and then Alex called right away. We were over across town not long after that. It’s a much better area and it’s even on the first floor with access to the communal garden right behind us so Lori will have a place to play.”

“That’s so incredible. You guys deserve it.”

Lori tugs at Kara’s shirt again, sitting on her lap and resting her head against her mother’s chest. “Mama?”

“Yes, baby.”

“Are we moving to where we used to live? Am I having my own room again?”

Kara leans down to press a kiss to the top of her head. “We’re not moving to where we used to live, baby. We are moving though and you’ll get your own room again. It won’t be as big as your old one but you’ll have your own bed and dresser and we’ll make space for you somewhere else in the apartment for all of your toys. We could even put up some shelves or something so you can have all of your books in your room and from the look of those bags, you’re going to need some really big shelves.”

“As big as an elephant?” Lori grins, her arms spreading as wide as she can make them.

“Maybe not that big but still pretty big.” Kara laughs.

Lena leans down to the bags. The books are a little jumbled in the bags so I’m sorry but there’s a little bit of organizing to do.”

“It looks like you bought out the entire store.” Alex chuckles with a shake of her head.

“We may have gone a little bit overboard, I admit.” Lena shrugs. “I like giving gifts and it sort of took over while we were in there. I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable.” Lena looks between Alex and Kara.

Alex just shrugs. “I’m not uncomfortable but I’m going to be pissed if all you got was romance novels.”

“No, it’s a mixture, don’t worry.” Lena smiles, her nose scrunching as she does so.

Kara just tuts at Alex. “I don’t just read romance novels.”

Alex tilts her head, feigning ignorance. “Oh yeah, I can’t remember what the title of the last book you read was that wasn’t a romance, care to remind me, dear sister of mine?”

Kara sucks her teeth and looks away.

“That’s what I thought.”

“You’re mean,” Kara replies, her voice bratty. She sticks her tongue out at her childishly before nodding to the bags. “Can I see?”

Lena shifts the bags closer to herself and digs into them, taking a few out at a time and then piling them up on the coffee table, separating Lori’s books and the ones she got for Kara and by extension, also Alex because she’s not ready to fully admit that she only got them for Kara. Lori will probably out her on that front though. Luckily, since she got a good mixture, she can claim that some of them are for Alex too.

Kara’s jaw drops further and further as more and more books appear out of the bags. The vast majority of them are kids’ books and are for Lori and that warms her heart and breaks it at the same because while she’s super grateful that Lori is going to have the opportunity to have these books, she’s devastated that she’s in a position where she’s been denying them to her daughter because she can’t afford and then another woman has just paid for them like it’s nothing. It makes her feel like a failure to some extent, even if she does know that she’s trying her best.

She could barely even take Lori to the library because she couldn’t get the days off work and the bus fare cost more than she could afford and when she could, most of the time she was so tired that it just wasn’t something she could manage because she was terrified of falling asleep on the bus and worrying Lori even more or getting them lost and not having the money to get back home.

Lena is a special kind of woman though, that much is obvious. She clearly has a lot of love to give and a sweet soul and it makes her wonder why she spent so much time alone when she has such an obvious need for company.

It makes Kara feel guilty in a way too because she feels like she’s taking advantage of that need that is so palpable in her when in reality, she would like Lena to be around no matter whether or not she’s giving gifts or helping out with childcare of any of that stuff. She just likes being her friend. Alex might tease her about liking Lena but she’s not so sure that she can try and pursue anything with her at this stage in her life. Not when she and her family are still climbing out of the pit that is the hardest thing they have ever gone through and while they are so unevenly matched in terms of stability. She wants to wait until she can return the favour to Lena, when she can buy her a book or some flowers without it breaking the bank.

Lena watches Kara’s face closely, the unshed tears and the sparkling blue storm that is staring deeply at the books, no true decipherable emotions available to her.

“Kara? You ok?”

Kara snaps out of it. “I’m good, just trying to figure out if I’ll ever get through them all before I turn fifty.”

“I think you’ll manage.” Alex snickers, nudging Lena’s shoulder. “This woman can go through a book in a day if you let her, it’s insane how fast she can read.”

“A woman after my own heart.” Lena quips, her eyebrow raising and her voice turning to liquid silk.

She misses the look Alex throws Kara over the top of her head and it’s probably for the best because otherwise, she’d feel bad for the fact that Kara is probably going to get teased quite a lot once she’s gone.

They keep on going through the books for a few more minutes before Lena decides to bid everyone goodbye. “I’m going to leave you ladies to it. Have a lovely evening and I’ll see you all soon.”

“Are you sure you have to go now?” Lori asks.

“I have some work to get started on at home and you saw how many books I bought for myself too, I have a lot to organize on my shelves.”

“Ok,” Lori says and crawls off Kara’s lap and into Lena’s so she can wrap her arms around her neck. “Can we go feed the duckies again sometime?”

Lena hugs her back, rocking her back and forth a couple of times before releasing her. “I think that would be awesome.”

Kara stands up and pulls her into a hug next. “You really saved our asses again today, thank you for having her and for also spoiling us. Next time you want to give us gifts though, one is probably enough.”

“Noted,” Lena says, the smirk on her face giving away the fact that she’s not taking it seriously at all and will most definitely spoil them again if she wants to.

Kara just shakes her head at her and lets Alex go in for the last hug. “I guess I’ll see you at work, boss. Thank you for today.”

“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow, I’ll be swinging by in the afternoon.” Lena starts walking towards the front door but pauses. “Oh, Lori. I still have your picture in my purse.”

“You can keep it, we worked on it together and it never got finished so maybe we could finish it next time it’s game night.”

Lena barely suppresses her smile. “I think that’s a very smart idea. I’ll keep it extra safe next to your other drawings on my refrigerator.”

Kara does a double-take at those words. “I never noticed that. You have her pictures up on your fridge?”

“I was once told that all masterpieces must go on the fridge, there’s no better place for them.”

“That’s cute.” Kara giggles. “I’ll keep an eye out for that next time it’s your turn to host game night.”

“I’ll be sure to make sure they are perfectly straight and looking mighty fine.”

Alex snorts, sinking down into the couch. “So many jokes, so little time.”

For early access to the next few chapters of this fic and all of my others too, come check out my Patreon here!

[roaring-screaming-20s]

Sourdough is solar punk and communism and all the good things

Sourdough is the gift that keeps giving. It's an ancient tradition that's been shared and passed down between neighbors, friends, families, lovers, and communities. You can create the magic goo (sourdough starter) yourself from just flour and water, then spread it to others, or get a starter from someone else, often one that's decades (or even centuries!) old. Once you have starter, you don't have to buy yeast from the megacorporations that are killing the planet grocery stores. Or sandwich bread. Or dinner rolls. Or cinnamon rolls. Cookies. Tortillas. Bagels. Pie crusts. Pizza. Naans. Flatbread. Croutons. Bread crumbs. Pancakes. Waffles. Crumpets. Garlic knots... you see my point. And I'm certain there's way more.

You will still have to buy flour for feeding starter and baking ingredients for whatever you're making, and a water that's acceptable for your starter. However, you'll know what's in your food, you know how it's made- with love/care in it, as fresh as you can get it. And you will support the systems that devastate our planet and bodies and country slightly less. If you can secure a direct supply of grains (then mill them yourself) or flour, say from a farmer's market or friend, you can be completely independent for stuff that's purely bread- loafs, sandwiches, buns, etc. You can also source most baking ingredients in sustainable ways, such as farmer's markets or growing them. You can choose how deep you want to go with this. Think about how much of your diet is bread/grains, and how much that affects your wallet and health (not the carbs, but the preservatives/fake ingredients/contaminants)

What about disabled people? Busy people?

That's the beauty in sourdough. While establishing a new starter can be tricky, if you buy/are gifted and established one, it's VERY forgiving and can be flexible. You can feed it daily and make stuff multiple times a week, OR you can stick that bad girl in the fridge and feed a little flour and water every two weeks to every few months- whenever you have time to bake and are feeling excited/able! Baking takes some time, sure, but most of that time is letting the thing just sit, so it's not too bad labor wise. And the discard that you accumulate is both an ingredient AND a back up starter in the event your starter dies. Reactivate it by setting it out and feeding or simply dry it out, powder it, and store for up to, oh, a few thousand years. You can then rehydrate it and reactivate when you're ready.

It's good for your gut, great for diabetics, AND most recipes are friendly to peeps with gluten issues because the longer doughs does the big ferment, the less gluten it has!

If you're not self sufficient and homesteading or whatever the ideal solar punk communist dream is, that's ok. You will still have to buy some things. But sourdough is one of many steps you can take to make yourself less dependent on the rich jerks who own everything and poison us. Happy baking! Get involved! Talk to people about it! Trade starter/baked goods for other things! Mutual aid and mutual support!

(all pics are my baking)

[spencersawkward]

*house call // wes (Dollface)*

ssummary: when her pet cat gives her a scare, Reader decides to call the vet to make sure everything is going to be okay. 

pairing: Fem!Reader x Wes

word count: 5.4k

content warnings: discussion of cannabis/cannabis consumption, unprotected penetrative sex, use of nicknames (baby, sweetheart), SoftDom!Wes, breeding kink, creampie. 

request: can you do a wes smutty one shot if you’re down?! 

A/N: to be fair, i haven’t watched Dollface in a minute, but i’m obsessed with the domestic vibes that Matthew gives off when he plays Wes and i just thought it would be super cute. anyway, this was super fun also i wanna fuck Wes. ok enjoy!

masterlist

the absolute best part of your day is when the package arrives at your doorstep. you impulse-purchased it about two weeks ago while you were hanging out with one of your close friends, and you've been looking forward to trying it every day since. 

or, really, for your cat to try it. 

you've read reviews and been extremely diligent to make sure the stuff is completely safe, and everything you've seen or read was singing the praises of this cat weed (which isn't actually cannabis at all, but catnip made to look like it).

as you take the cardboard box to the kitchen table and pry open the top with the help of a Swiss army knife, you're grinning. Klimt comes scampering into the room to see what all the fuss is about, sitting at your feet with his tail curled around his legs. 

"no peeking." you scold him gently. your kitten, the friendliest little rescue tabby around, simply stares blankly back. when you remove the wrapping from the glass jar and stare at it up close, you're impressed by how realistic it looks. the label shows cat-friendly ingredients only, but you unscrew the top and get a whiff of catnip. 

Klimt begins to weave in between your legs, nudging them affectionately and beginning to purr. you giggle and bend down to give him a few pets. his nose twitches; he tries to sniff at the foreign object, but you put it back on the table. 

"don't be greedy, babe." you scratch between his pointed ears and he lets out a whiny meow. 

it's about his dinner time, and you were hoping to give him his treat tonight after he finishes his dry food. so you make yourself something simple with the leftovers in your fridge and do some more work on your laptop while you two eat together. 

you've had Klimt for a while, now. you call him a kitten even though he's a full-grown cat-- he's just as playful and enthusiastic as any newborn. his eyes are the color of meadow grass, and his nose is scattered with tiny freckles. it makes him look like he's just come from digging around the backyard, but it really just adds to his charm. 

not to mention his ceaselessly social tendencies: Klimt is always around when your friends come over, worming his way in between you or sitting on one of the free chair cushions to listen. you wonder if he knows what you're saying sometimes, because when you talk about the embarrassing things you've done that day or the failed interactions you've had, he always lifts his head to give you something of a judgmental stare. 

once you've settled down for the evening and turned on the TV, you decide that now is the time. Klimt is aimlessly poking at a few of his toys. he bats at a fake mouse between his paws.

"kitten," you click your tongue and get up to grab the jar. "are you ready to try this stuff?" 

as if he's going to answer. he hears your footsteps coming back his way and watches patiently. it's only when you pour out a little bit in front of him that he gets curious about the stuff. you admire his movements as he bends down and examines. 

although you keep an eye on him while watching your show, you don't notice much of a change in him. he starts to roll about on the floor, which is to be expected, but it's only when he starts to chase around his fake mouse that things get interesting. 

you laugh as Klimt goes nuts, jumping back and attacking the thing like he's ready to come in for the kill. it's really funny, but you're interrupted by your phone buzzing. you told your friend that you were doing this tonight. 

"hi!" you answer the FaceTime call right away. 

"how is he?" you can hear the smile in Andi's voice as you turn the camera. 

"he's loving it." 

"oh my god," she laughs. Klimt arches his back, leaping so highly in the air, you raise your eyebrows. "I wonder how long it'll last." she muses. 

"I'm guessing we'll get about an hour more of this before he passes out for the next two days." you joke. he gets strong bursts of energy usually, but they only last so long until he's curled up on the window sill or in your bed. 

Andi and you talk for a while as Klimt tires himself out and plays with all of his favorite toys. you dangle a string in front of him for a decent amount of time, too, just to make him get up on his hindquarters. he's a natural entertainer, a lithe little thing who lets out a few irritated meows to demonstrate his impertinence. 

after about forty-five minutes, however, you notice your cat's behavior change. he keeps raising his hackles and rolling about, and something about it makes you nervous. he doesn't usually act like this, not even when he plays with the other catnip toys he's accumulated. 

"what's wrong?" Andi notes your furrowed brow as you look past the camera of your phone and at your pet. 

"he's just acting really weird," you pat the couch cushion to call him over, but he doesn't even glance up. "I don't know why." 

"maybe it's the cat weed." she suggests. you purse your lips and try to think. 

"yeah, but nobody in the reviews ever mentioned anything like this."

"I'm sure he's fine, Y/N."  

"yeah, I know..." but you're worried. Klimt is your pal, your cuddle buddy. as he rubs his cheek against the wooden floor, you feel guilt pool in your stomach. if he's hurt because of some dumb online purchase, you're never going to forgive yourself. "I'm gonna call the vet just to be sure."  

"oh, okay," she sounds surprised, but doesn't try to stop you. "let me know what they say." 

"I will." you hang up the phone and stare at your companion for a few seconds. he leaps into the air and does a somersault before letting out some deeply disturbing whine that reminds you to call the vet. better safe than sorry.  

...

when the doorbell rings, you're practically twiddling your thumbs anxiously. Klimt hasn't settled at all, and you haven't even bothered to change out of your lounging ensemble. you're pretty sure you look a mess, but hopefully the person won't care too much. 

you don't know who to expect-- your usual vet is an older woman who is friends with your mom, but her receptionist said she was out tonight and would send over another vet to check it out. 

when you swing open the door, you immediately regret the decision to stay in sweatpants. 

"hi, I'm Wes." the guy gives you a friendly smile and holds up his bag. it's almost comically old-fashioned, something out of an old movie, and you half-expect him to be wearing a stethoscope around his neck. 

he's gorgeous, though. definitely a good amount older than you, tall with brown curls and stubble. his features stand out to you even under the porch light, and your mouth guppies idiotically. 

"hi," you manage. his eyes flicker to your hand, which is seemingly blocking him from coming inside the house, and you jolt back a little to let him in. you clear your throat. "sorry." 

as he steps inside and you close the door behind him, getting one tiny moment to yourself, your eyes widen. way to make yourself look like a bumbling fool. 

"I heard that there's a tabby who got into some catnip?" you catch him looking around the front of your house, eyes catching on the framed photos before finding yours again. you can feel the heat creeping up your cheeks, but nod confidently.  

"yeah, Klimt. he should still be in the living room." 

"Klimt? like the artist?" he chuckles and follows you into the rest of the home. his voice has a nice timbre to it, something low and gentle that fits well with his occupation.  

"yeah, exactly." you turn to smile at him. 

you hear the cat before you see him. he's climbed to the top of his cat tree and leaps down onto the ground, paws hitting the surface in a way that can't have been comfortable. he chirps and looks up at Wes, whose lips are turned up with amusement.    

"are you the man of the hour?" he asks, approaching the cat. Klimt's pupils get enormous and he prepares to pounce on the newcomer. 

"careful--" you start to warn him, but the cat launches himself right into Wes' arms. the vet turns to you, holding him to his chest, and grins. warmth spreads over your skin with embarrassment. "sorry." 

"no need to apologize," he starts to pet Klimt, who is only slightly struggling to escape. he wants to go wild again, but Wes isn't going to let go. "they call me the Cat Wrangler at the office." 

"really?" you snort. he brings your pet over to the couch and sets him on the cushions, careful to keep him in place. 

"no way." he shoots you a dazzling smile. the joke makes you giggle, and you feel yourself become even more self-conscious about the outfit you're wearing. this is just your luck, having hot guys come over when you distinctly look your worst. 

Wes scratches between Klimt's ears and glances up at you again. "is there any reason in particular you're worried about the catnip?" 

"yeah, actually," you nod, brought back to reality. "I know it's supposed to make them more playful, but he's just been acting weird and I got worried that there was something in it that messed with his head." 

"can I see the container for it?" he asks. you go to grab the jar, only to remember that it proudly announces itself as cannabis for cats. profound embarrassment causes you to hesitate with the stuff in your hands. 

it's not like he's here for you to flirt with, but you're still thinking about how stupid and young you're going to look with this stuff in front of him, a hot older guy who seems to have his life under control. you peek at him once more from the kitchen, at the way he smiles and starts to talk softly to Klimt as if he were a peer. 

he's kinda crazy, and it makes you smile. 

"it's cat weed." you hand him the glass container, and Wes breaks into a grin as he looks at the front. 

"oh my gosh, I've heard about this!" his eyes move quickly over the label. you're in shock. 

"really?"

"yeah, it's hilarious. here, can you make sure our friend here doesn't move while I read the ingredients?" he gestures. the knot of anxiety within you loosens a bit. you nod obediently, going to scoop up your pet and sit him on your lap. he's still squirmy, but he doesn't look ready to attack either of you, thankfully. 

"hey, you." you greet your pal affectionately. his tail is wagging impatiently while Wes kneels on the ground beside the couch. there's a silver ring on his finger, but you notice with relief that it's not on his fourth one. 

when he sets the jar down on the coffee table with the kind of smile that hints at some secret amusement, you frown. "what?"

"nothing," he shakes his head. "Klimt is gonna be totally fine."

"are you sure?" you pet the feline's smooth coat. 

"definitely. you know how drugs affect people differently?" he asks. you want to say no, you don't know that because why would you, but then you remember that there is quite literally a glass-blown bowl sitting on your kitchen table. 

"sure." you reply honestly. 

"it's the same with cats: some just feel the effects a little more." he shrugs. you think this over for a second. 

"that makes sense." 

"yeah, I'd estimate about an hour more of this wildcat behavior before he takes a ten-hour nap." he cracks another joke and you find yourself totally charmed by him. something about the way he talks just makes your heart beat like crazy.  

"that's a relief." 

he chuckles and stands up, grabbing the bag (which he never even had to use) and starting to walk out of the living room. you can smell his delicious cologne as he moves past you.  

"sorry for making you come out here so late." you apologize from the couch. Wes turns to look at you with an easygoing expression. his free hand is tucked into his pocket.  

"no worries. you have a lovely home." he gestures to the kitchen, and then at the bowl sitting there in the open. you have to fight the smile on your face.  

"thanks." you're smirking. right before he's about to head back out, you ask a question that's been wriggling around in your mind since he arrived. "why no title?" 

"you mean, like, Doctor or something?" he stops in the threshold. one hand leans against it while he answers your question. you still can't get over how tall he is. 

"sure. I mean, you are a doctor, right?" it comes out more dubious than you intended, but he doesn't get offended, only smiles. 

"yes, I'm a doctor. I went to Davis." he points like the school is right outside your door. you nod.  

"cool." 

there's a silence where you just look at each other, and you forget that you look like you just rolled out of bed. he clears his throat. 

"to answer your question, I just go by Wes because you're not my patient-- Klimt is." he points to the kitten, who is now chasing his own tail like a dog. you snort at the sight. 

"how humble of you." 

"I know, right?" he's joking. you find yourself not wanting him to leave, even though you've really just met. he's so sweet and funny and handsome... your stomach is flipping over and over like a schoolgirl. 

and it's stupid that you can't think of one plausible reason for him to stay, but every step he takes shortens your time to think. so you just blurt, instead. 

"would you want a beer?" 

Wes pauses and looks at you, an unreadable expression on his face. "a beer?" 

"yeah, I mean... you came all the way out here and I just feel bad for causing a fuss over nothing." you scramble slightly to justify your words. you don't ever drink beer-- do you even have any? god, this is embarrassing.  

the vet checks the watch on his wrist, then smiles at you with a halting kind of enjoyment, before nodding. "sure." 

"okay, great." you turn on your heel to hide the grin on your face. he follows you again to the kitchen area and leans against the counter while you open the fridge. the best form of flirting you can manage right now is bending over shamelessly and taking your time to poke around. 

thankfully, there are three cold bottles left towards the back. you take out two and use the tool in one of your drawers to pop the tops off. he watches patiently, takes a sip when you hand the drink to him. your eyes meet. 

"so, what prompted the cat weed purchase?" he starts the conversation effortlessly, and you try to keep your eyes from wandering over the shape of him. now that he's just standing in front of you, you're noticing the way his sweater sits against his frame, his long legs and the way his head rests on an elegantly-proportioned neck. 

"I just saw it and thought it would be fun." you shrug honestly. he smiles.  

"do you think you're gonna let him try it again another time?"  

"I don't know," you cross your arms over your chest. "I'm a little nervous, but he also was having a lot of fun until I made him sit still." 

"fair enough." you both turn your gazes to the cat. he's nudging a little toy ball with his nose and watching it roll across the floor. there are tiny bells inside that jingle. Wes turns back to you. "what do you do?"

"graphic designer." 

"an artist." he raises his brows, impressed. 

"not exactly saving animal lives, but I get by." you take another sip of your drink. 

"it's not like that, mostly." he rolls his eyes playfully. 

"then what's it like?"

"I just see and talk to people's pets all day. it's a pretty great job, even when it's not. you know?" he's optimistic about it. you're drawn to his positive energy, to the way he smiles when he speaks like he's preparing to deliver a witty joke. 

 you're hopelessly attracted to him, and the space between you is becoming unbearable. even though he's a guy you just met, you can feel in your gut that something about this is just right. you want his body against yours. 

 "you okay?" he breaks what you only now realize is a silence, and you blink to clear the dirty images from your mind. 

"yeah." only thinking about you fucking me against a countertop. it must be the fact that you haven't gotten laid in a while or something, because you usually aren't this attracted to people within the first hour. it takes longer for you to even want to kiss them.  

"what kind of stuff do you design?" he seems genuinely interested as he shifts and continues to nurse his drink.  

"I work for a tech startup downtown, so it's a lot of website work to make sure it's navigable and pretty." you try to sum up your duties, but it's hard when his hazel eyes are so intent. he listens to every word.  

"do you do personal work, too? like, just for you?" 

"actually, yeah!" this sparks your excitement. 

"can I see?" his smile widens. "only if you're comfortable, of course."  

"sure." you're beaming.  

he stays put as you start to go out of the kitchen, but then you smile. "you can come with." 

"oh." he sets his beer down on the counter and follows you, slightly surprised. but you don't care; you were nervous before, but he's stayed for this long. maybe he wants you, too. 

once you get to your bedroom, you're grateful that it's been freshly cleaned. there's even a bouquet from the flower's market sitting on your dresser, and you head over to the desk to sift through the drawers for what you want. 

"cool room." he compliments from the threshold. he's careful not to make you uncomfortable, but also can't resist the curiosity that draws his gaze from wall to wall. you find the stack of papers and smile. 

"thanks," you place the folder in his hands. "these are some printed versions of stuff I did last year." 

Wes immediately begins to flip through the art. him seeing your stuff makes you nervous, so you pretend to focus on straightening up the few items that sit on your desk. you wipe your fingertip over a nonexistent film of dust. 

"these are amazing," he says, holding a card stock copy in between his index and middle fingers. "holy shit."

"thank you." you're trying to keep from smiling too hard. you can tell that he's being genuine with his compliments, and it makes your heart swell. 

"definitely. are you showing anywhere?" 

"at an exhibit downtown a couple months back, but I've been so busy with work that personal stuff hasn't really been on the table, you know?"

he nods in understanding and continues to go through until the end. when he's finished, he looks up and sees you, his eyes concentrated. he doesn't speak at first, and an undercurrent ripples across the room. there are about three feet between you, and you have no excuse to lessen it. 

he licks his lips slowly. you purse yours, unsure of what to say. 

"I'm glad you called tonight." his voice is lower, slightly uncertain, like he's testing the boundaries. except you don't want boundaries right now. you want to go wild on him. 

"me, too." you reply. it's in your eyes, that begging for him to do what you're scared to initiate. 

your tongue is pressed to the back of your teeth in anticipation. and when he sets the art back on your desk and comes closer, you feel yourself give in. bubbles of excitement travel up your body as he grabs your face and bends down to kiss you. 

it's full, passionate, not the kind of kiss you give someone you've just met. laced with desire and longing, you respond immediately. hands immediately run to his forearms, over his shoulders as he imposes beautifully on your form. it's so hard, you lean back slightly. your torso presses against his until he pushes you against the wall. 

the slight gasp that escapes your lips causes him to smile, followed by your moan and clutching fingers. the material of his sweater, the taste of him mingled with that sophisticated, gentle smell of cologne that you want printed all over your skin. 

"come here." he murmurs against your mouth and reaches down to the back of your thigh so you can hook your leg around his waist. you whine at the easy access he has to grind against your core, both of you desperate. 

"Wes." you pant into his open mouth. he sucks on your bottom lip before finding your cheek and jaw. his fingertips tighten around your flesh. 

"this feel good, sweetheart?" he checks in. coincidentally, his jeans grind against your panties at exactly the right spot and your hips jump. you release a pleasured yelp. 

"mhmm." 

"sounds like it." he latches onto your throat with a possessive excitement. you can feel him sucking and biting at the skin until you're positive there'll be marks tomorrow. you hope there are; purpled evidence of his touch. he digs his nails into your thighs. "you like it when older men touch you, baby?" 

he blows over your tender throat before attacking it again. you sigh contentedly at the way he mingles sensations for your pleasure. "yes." 

he grunts and nips at your collarbone, sliding the strap of your top down your shoulder so that he can effortlessly flutter his lips over the skin. you grip at him and toss your head back against the wall. his weight on yours is divine. it makes you weak, but that doesn't matter. he's practically holding you up at this point. 

when his hand pushes under the hem of your shirt and dances over your stomach, you arch your back for more. he's gentle yet firm, pulling you close like he wants to breathe your oxygen. he's tracing over your ribcage, all the way up to the valley of your breasts, before cupping one and moaning into your shoulder. 

he kisses you again with an aching hunger that can't be satiated. your tongues meet and Wes finds your hardened nipples beneath the thin fabric of your bralette. you sigh while he starts to circle one with his thumb.  

"you're perfect." he breathes. 

you want to bask in this moment, to enjoy the shock across your skin when he reaches his hand back down between your bodies to dip below the waistband of your sweatpants, but you're just so greedy. he could make you cum over and over and it would never be enough. 

"what do you want me to do to you?" Wes is hovering over your lower stomach, dangerously close to where you need him most. he's teasing. the warmth of his skin drives you mad. his breath brushes over the shell of your ear. 

"fuck me." it's the only response you can fathom. every other instinct in your body flies out the window and is replaced by a craving to sink your proverbial (and literal) teeth into him.

but he loves it, apparently, because he pushes you back against the wall with a nearly bruising force. "I can do that." 

with those words, he quickly grabs your other leg and lifts you into his arms, bringing you to the bed and laying you delicately on the mattress while you giggle. you stare up at him with an almost daydreamy lust. his cheeks are flushed. 

you only get a second of that heavenly sight, though, before he dips down and pushes your shirt up to see your tits and kiss up the chasm between your ribs. his stubble tickles your skin, which causes you to smile. 

by the time he's pulled your sweatpants off and tossed them to the side, you're whining for him to strip down as well. 

"what is it, pretty girl?" he murmurs against your tummy. when you try to squeeze your thighs, he pushes them apart. 

"I wanna see you." your fingertips touch at his sweater. he chuckles and pulls the garment over his head. it messes up his perfect hair even more and you love it, tangling your fingers in it. he bites his lip. 

"do you want me to taste you first?" he keeps stroking the inside of your thighs and staring down at the skimpy lace that you're positive that you've already soaked. you're making him crazy with the way you roll your hips against air, against nothing, seeking any kind of stimulation. 

"I can't wait." you shake your head. as nice as it would be, you're going to implode if he doesn't fill you up soon. he drags his fingers down your clothed slit and groans when he feels just how ready you are for him. 

"let's take these off then, okay, sweetheart?" he hooks his fingers in the panties and waits for you to nod before tugging them down your legs. you whimper at the cool air that hits your core, soaked and needy. Wes stares at your body on display for him. 

as he gets back up from the floor to kiss you again, you both work to remove the rest of his clothes. his skin is perfect under your hands. his chest is warm, solid, and when he climbs on top of you, his arms rest on either side of your head.

one hand comes down to grab his own cock and stroke it a few times before lowering himself to rub it against your throbbing clit. you whimper at the pressure; he's mindless when he feels how easily you cover him in your essence. 

"so fucking wet..." he groans while rutting against you. 

"Wes, please--" your breath hitches. "put it in." 

"begging?" he teases your entrance with the head and smirks. "good girl." 

"mhmm." you're smiling, but your mouth drops open when he pushes himself inside. 

it's a heavy feeling, him filling you up. he's thick and the stretching of your walls makes him groan and rest his head on your shoulder. he kisses the skin there while diving deeper into your body. 

you're shaking slightly from the mixture of pain and pleasure, his size forcing your body to work quickly to accommodate. your eyes are squeezed shut, but you run your hands over his back and shoulders to stay grounded. it feels like a dream. 

he starts to pull out, coated in your wetness while you whimper below him, and he grabs your face with one hand in a dominant, soft gesture. "okay?"

"yeah." 

he pushes back in. the air in your lungs is practically gone at this point, he's so deep inside. your eyes roll back and push your hips up to take him at a new angle. Wes finds his pace easily, rocking into your body at a manageable pace to let you get used to the sensation. 

every time his hips roll down and he buries himself in you, he presses on your clit and sends a new shock through your body. he leans on his elbows to get closer and feel every undulation of your body. you love how his thrusts force your legs apart, how he moans your name and causes the headboard to repeatedly hit the wall while maintaining eye contact. hazel irises that rake over your features with lust. 

"you feel so good." he speeds up a little when he hits a certain spot. you can feel him deep and hard, causing a small bump to rise in your stomach with each stroke. his voice is husky and dark. like a man starved. 

"fuck..." you drag your nails down his back. he groans at the red marks that you will no doubt leave for him. 

"clingy thing, huh?" he sucks at your throat affectionately. "I come over for one thing and you can't help yourself." 

hearing Wes speak through his own panting is like listening to a secret, and you never want it to stop. he's reveling in the sordid crush of his own wants, and the way he shoves into you shows you that he has no intention of slowing down for a while. 

"I'm impatient." you smirk. he pulls away to admire your expression. 

"so am I." he kisses your lips and starts to pound into you. the juxtaposition of his tenderness and the sharp snap of his hips to yours fills you with butterflies. you love how much he wants to ruin you. 

"Wes-- oh my god!" you whimper. he grabs your hips and yanks them closer to him so he can go as deep as possible, so he can hit your cervix. 

"that's right, sweetheart," he pants. you can tell that he's starting to lose control. "say my name. I want everyone to know what a good little slut you are for me." 

the commanding tone makes your body shake. "I- I'm cumming, Wes, please--"

"please what, baby?" he taunts. his index finger is tracing over your jaw. 

you don't know what it is that you're wanting, except more. as your form shudders and tightens, walls fluttering around his cock, you lose the capacity to speak. you grind your hips against him and cry out pathetically while he pushes you back down and slams ruthlessly into your pussy. 

"cum inside-- please, I need it--" you writhe. he groans at the request. 

"fuck, yes..." he sheathes himself. "take it."

you gasp as he repeatedly hits your weakest point and spills hot ropes of his cum inside you, still thrusting in and out and whimpering into your shoulder at the clenching sensation you give his cock. it's warm, strangely delightful, nearly sending you into another orgasm sheerly from the sight. 

he mutters unintelligibly as he empties himself in your pussy, but you catch a growled "so needy," between deep moans. you're clinging to him like you'll never have it again. you might not. 

he slows down, giving shallower thrusts while riding out his high and shoving his cum deeper inside. it turns lazy and messy, both of you panting, before he finally pulls out and rolls over next to you. 

you press the back of your hand to your forehead. it's sweaty from all the work he just put you through, but you feel amazing at the same time. your eyes keep flickering from the ceiling above to his rising and falling chest beside you. his nose twitches; he turns his head to look at your face. 

although you expect him to say something, he doesn't. instead, you just stare at each other. the air conditioner rattles gently in the background. you're not sure how long this lasts, this soaking in, but he's the first to break it. 

"hey." 

you find the corners of your lips turning up. "hi." 

"do you mind if I go get something to clean you up?" he asks softly, his fingertips finding your forearm with ease and drifting over it.

"sure. bathroom is the first door on the left." 

he gets up and you watch him gather his clothes, eyes glued to his perfect form. you can't believe you just had sex with your veterinarian. you don't regret it at all. 

he wanders out of the room and your eyes follow, only to see Klimt sitting patiently by the door. 

"what are you doing, perv?" you tease as he comes over and leaps up onto the bed. his kitten paws pad over the blankets and settle into the crook of your arm. you smile to yourself, recalling how sweet the vet was with him. "hey, Wes?" you call out. 

"yeah?" he comes back into the room with a warm washcloth and a small smile on his face. 

"would you wanna get coffee or something sometime?" you bite your lip. maybe he doesn't want to go on a date, but it's worth a shot.

"sure." he breaks into a grin that makes you giddy. thank god, because you really were hoping to see him again. 

you can't wait.  

taglist (lmk about adding/removal or add yourself to the list here!): @jareids @reidsconverse @xoxomgg @may-b-a-u-shewritestoo @la-vie-en-amour1 @g0lden-cth @treat-winchesterswith-kindness @kisseslikecoffee @spenxerslut @slutforthegubes @spookydrreid @depressedgothgrl @flipper-kisses @multixfandomwriter​ @willowrose99​ @gingeraleluke​ @chasemoonlight​ @spencerreid9​ 

[trexrambling]

“OK. First one "you can stay here, if you like" might be intriguing with Charlie.” - @nancymcl​

*I am not the best voice for Charlie, so we talked, and I changed this one to Cas instead :) *

It’s one of those ‘misty gloom’ days, where the air is thick with fog and rain but it doesn’t really rain, just accumulates into this gross mist that collects onto your clothes and seeps in, slowly drenching everything to the point that you don’t realize you’re soaking wet until the water starts to drip from you hair.

You hate this kind of weather.

Yet here you are, out in the thick of it, duffle bag slung over your shoulder, muttering to yourself while you walk down the roadside.

“Greetings.”

You don’t scream. A scream would have been better, actually. Instead, a half choked squeal burst out of your lungs. ‘Dying cat’ would be a good comparison, or ‘terrified five year old with hiccups’. 

“Cas, how many times have we talked about this?” you ask, not looking at the angel who has materialized out of nowhere and is now walking beside you.

He doesn’t answer your question, but diverts with one of his own instead. “Why aren’t you at the motel?”

You roll your eyes. “Sam and Dean and I...we had a...disagreement.”

“Why would an argument constitute your departure?”

You readjust your bag’s strap on your shoulder. “It was a loud disagreement.”

“What did you do?”

Your head turns to stare him down, eyes narrowed. “Why the immediate assumption that I was in the wrong?”

He opens his mouth to answer, catches your eyes and snaps it shut again. Smart.

You both continue the trek down the road for a few moments in silence before he speaks again.

“Where are you going?”

You shrug. “Honestly, I have no idea. I just started walking.”

“It’s darker than usual for one of your walks.”

Your mouth turns up in a small smile. “Yeah. Guess I need to think about where I’m going to crash for the night. Get out of this-” you gesture at the air around you, nose scrunched- “thick fog soup we’re in.”

A hand gently wraps around your upper arm, and then there’s a loud whoosh of wind and your head is spinning in circles as you blink to readjust your eyes in the newfound space you’re standing in, nausea threatening to make you double over.

“You can stay here, if you like.”

You’re thankful for his hand on your arm while your body settles back down. Eyes darting around, you try to figure out where here is exactly. 

Windows line an entire wall, floor to ceiling, the night sky crystal clear as stars blink out of the black. You walk over to the glass panes, look down at the sea crashing on rocks below, illuminated by the moonlight dancing on the crests of the waves.

Turning, you see a bed in the corner of the room, a lone lamp beside it illuminating the darkness. Shelves filled with books and parchments, plant stands with vines and succulents and other indoor varieties. You go to finger some of the leaves, notice the large brown spots adorning many of them.

“I’m doing my best to learn how to cultivate these, but there are many weeks where I forget to come by and water the soil.” He’s standing beside you know, brow wrinkled with worry at the state of the plants in the room. It makes you smile.

“Cas, where are we?”

He looks around the space before quickly settling on you again. “I come here to think sometimes, to store things that the Winchesters might need for future hunts, to study texts. I may not need sleep, but I have found that having a space like this has helped me rest, in a sense.”

“So, you brought me to your hidey hole?”

He smiles softly at you. “I suppose you could phrase it that way.”

You let your bag fall to the floor, go to sit on the edge of the bed. “I really appreciate it, Cas.”

“Of course, Y/N. I would do anything to help you.”

It’s such a simple statement, one you’ve heard him say to Sam and Dean in the past. But hearing those words now, when you’re frustrated with yourself and upset with the boys and just not sure what to do next or why you even left in the first place... It’s nice. More than nice. It’s like having a foundation to stand on in the middle of your sea, safe from the water, even if it’s just for a moment.

“I can stay and watch over you, if you’d like,” Cas continues. “You can talk about what happened, what you obviously didn’t do and the injustice that Sam and Dean have placed on you.”

And that’s what you do. Wrapped up in the covers like a burrito, words spilling a mile a minute out of your mouth while Cas sits a few inches away beside you on the bed, nodding his head and just listening well into the night until sleep finally claims you. 

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

[sakura-ame-no-ai]

"bring a jacket next time."

pairings: tetsurou kuroo x reader

genre: fluff

notes: in japan, their way of checking the time is much different than america. they use 24-hour clocks. so if it was 1 in the afternoon, it would be counted as 13:00 for them.

a/n: it felt like some special holiday for me today and i don't know why... but seriously, how is my last kenma fanfic getting so much love istg- anyways, enjoy this fanfiction! i couldn't think of a good title for this on... :sob:

you sneeze suddenly when a gust of wind blows against your legs. it is indeed cold outside, but the shriveled leaves scraping their way down the street makes it seem much colder.

"why does it have to be so cold on a beautiful night like this..," you mutter to yourself, wrapping yourself with your arms.

too bad you didn't contemplate on bringing a jacket with you before bursting through the door with kuroo calling behind you.

well, now you feel a little guilty remembering that you lied to kuroo that you were going to buy some snacks at a nearby konbini. in reality, you just want to spend most of the night searching for some shooting stars.

you make a brief trip to the park, to which you find everything abandoned. that one big red slide that you always see children fighting to have their turn on is now empty and lonely. the swings seem motionless, too. however, they still rock back and forth every now and then when a chilly breeze rushes by. the seesaw is tilted down at an angle, making one side touch the ground full of woodchips.

you search for that favorite brown bench that has legs made out of an elegant black metal of some sort. soon, you discover it sitting under a big maple tree silently. it faces a metal fence that is as high as your waist, which a beautiful view of a huge lake stretches out on the other side of that fence. you don't hesitate to plop down and make yourself comfy on the bench, admiring the wavy reflection of the glittering stars and moon on the water's surface.

you could stare at such a view all day...

well, you would if you had brought a jacket though.

the cold night air wraps around you, trying to embrace you in a friendly way, but all it does is make you shiver and lift your feet onto the bench. you hug your knees and bury your mouth and nose inside your arms and knees, cursing to yourself about why you were stupid enough to not bring some warm clothing before setting out.

"just like i thought," a voice that sounds very familiar booms out from behind you, making you flinch.

you turn your head around to see a bedhair walk up to you with a cheeky grin.

"tetsu?!" you squeal, a little shocked that he actually know exactly where you were. "how did you know i'm here?"

kuroo is bundled up in a scarf and his nekoma jacket. he also has a thick piece of folded cloth draped over his right arm, making you assume that it's probably a blanket.

"i've never seen you that eager to do some shopping at the konbini, kitten," he replies, taking a seat next to you.

"you've always been a fan of sceneries outside, so that gave me an idea."

you give him a look of amazement, awed by the fact that he knows you very well like you're his child or something. however, it isn't long before kuroo bonks you on the head.

"you little rascal~ why didn't you bring a coat? it's like below 25 degrees celsius, and here you are, hanging out at the park, short-sleeved, and without a jacket or coat."

you whimper at his remarks.

"well, you know i was excited, tetsu..," you pout, puffing your cheeks out.

he chuckles, "nobody was blaming you, ok?"

kuroo takes a moment to peel off his nekoma jacket and place it over your shoulders. you gratefully hug it over your shoulders. other than the fact that it smells strongly of that lavender body soap you gave him, the jacket felt warm from kuroo's body heat, making you feel safe.

an unintentional smile slips onto your lips and you readjust your gaze to the sky.

"say... do you think there will be any shooting stars tonight?"

kuroo lifts a brow before fixing his gaze at the sky as well.

"oya? hunting for shooting stars?"

you nod eagerly, continuing to look up attentively.

"mhm! you told me that it's shooting star season!"

the branches of the maple tree above you sway gently, swishing its leaves together to create gentle rustling sounds.

kuroo smiles and points towards one of the stars.

"do you know how stars are formed, n/n?" he asks you, his finger directing your gaze towards the appointed star.

you squint to make a more intricate observation of the star while racking your brain, trying to remember your astrology lessons at school.

"well... don't stars form from accumulated gas and dust in space?" you finally conclude, remembering one fact your teacher has emphasized back then.

kuroo nods happily.

"yep. stars form when the gravity of the dust and air collapse together, which makes them heat up out of pressure."

he continues to ramble on about how stars mostly contain hydrogen and helium, the lightest elements to exist in the universe, and how stars are, in reality, exploding balls of gas.

you listen patiently as he explains. you are always interested in his nerdy science talk, as well as the way he is invested in his own world when a discussion related to a scientific topic arises.

it takes him a little bit to finish his explanation with a sneeze.

of course, he's not wearing his jacket. that's why.

you take off the jacket you were wearing and hand it to him.

"you're gonna catch a cold, so take your jacket back."

however, he pushes it back into your chest.

"no, kitten. you have it. i'm worried about you more."

you begin to pout, angry that he's always caring for your health instead of his own.

"no, kuroo," you say with an upset look. "this is not my jacket."

you two begin fighting about who should wear kuroo's jacket, exaggerating the possibilities of not wearing one and lecturing one another.

"that's it," kuroo sighs, looking troubled.

at first, you are confused by his words.

"what do you m-"

it was at this moment that kuroo covers the blanket that you forgot he had brought onto his back and then trapping you inside his arms, wrapping your body inside the blanket.

"there, now we're both warm," he smirks.

you take a while to understand the situation you're currently in before blushing madly. you look up at him, only to see that usual proud smirk on his face. he obviously did this on purpose.

"tetsu?! what the actual hell?!" you scream.

"oya? anything wrong?" he asks a little too 'innocently', pissing you off.

you growl back, "of course, you dumbass! people might see us and take this to like a million different wrong directions!"

"kitten, it's almost half-past 23:00. it's really unlikely that we'll be seen since most people are asleep."

you can't counter back, because that sly cat is right. most people are asleep at this time, so it's highly unlikely that you'd get caught like this with kuroo.

you have no idea how to react, so you decide to lean your back against kuroo, resting your head on his chest. at least, you realize that you feel much warmer than wearing his jacket. in the end, you start to relax, paying closer attention to the steady rise and fall of his chest while he breathes.

"do you ever see stars as memories when you look at them?" you ask kuroo, tilting your head upwards to meet his gaze.

"sometimes," he smiles, looks at one of the stars.

"like that one near that giant cloud reminds me of when i stole your meat from your lunchbox."

you cough.

"do you think this is a great time to bring this up??"

he only smirks at you. "you asked if i get reminded of anything when i look at a star."

you pout a little and fix your eyes to another star and point your finger towards it.

"well, this one reminds me of when yaku beat your ass for stealing meat from my lunchbox."

you two begin talking back and forth, saying which star represented which memory, laughing about the old days, and fighting about various things, like who should've gotten to eat that scrumptious piece of steak.

as you come back to argue about the lunchbox situation again, a white streak catches your eyes, snapping your attention back to the sky.

"look, tetsu! shooting stars!" you exclaim.

what kuroo turns his head to look at the sky with you.

sure enough, more streaks of white rain down like a slight drizzle.

"hurry up! make a wish!" you tell him before clasping your hands together before your face and close your eyes.

kuroo looks at you, then back at the sky. after a while, he closes his eyes and makes his wish.

i want to stay by y/n's side, even after i graduate.

however, he doesn't say it out loud. instead, he wraps his arms around your chest after you have finished making your wish.

for the first time in forever, kuroo gives you the most genuine smile that you've ever seen, which surprises you since you're so used to his cheeky smirks. it reminds you of honey and its sweet flavor.

"you know, kitty, we could do this next time," he coos in the sweetest voice you've ever heard him use.

"did you think i'd stop you?"

"ummmm..."

you look side-ways towards the tree beside you before give him your honest response.

"weeeeell, i thought you'd tell me it'd be too late into the night to do something like this and that i wouldn't be able to wake up if i stay up star-hunting."

kuroo chuckles, petting your head lightly with that big hand of his

"things like this are exceptions."

your eyes light up to his words. he has officially announced the permit to stay up searching for shooting stars that you adore a lot. it makes you very happy that you smile back warmly.

"thank you, tetsurou," you sigh, leaning into his chest comfortably.

"it's nothing, y/n."

he continues to stroke your hair in a soothing way as he maintains that genuine smile on his lips.

"just bring a jacket next time, or star-hunting will be off-limits."

[anonymous-tals]

Oops, I wrote a 5 page Mythic Quest fanfic instead of doing my homework...

I was bored so I wrote a story about if Brad helped David pack up for moving apartments.  This is definitely centered around mental illness/mental health whatnot but no specifics of anything are discussed.

TW:  Implication of eating disorders/disordered eating, implication of depression whatnot

Anyways, I hope the story is enjoyable.  I don’t know if it’s any good but I had an enjoyable time writing it.

The Move

 The week was coming to a close and Brad was finishing up his work for the day. Warm sunlight poured through the windows, indicating the sun was setting.

“Hey, Brad!” Brad turned to see David standing in his doorway. “Can’t wait for tomorrow!” Looking around cautiously, Brad stood up and walked over to David.

“Let’s keep this under wraps, ok? I can’t have anyone thinking I’m a nice person.”

“Well, I think you’re a nice person!”

“Shut up. Just keep this on the down-low. I just needed an excuse to get some activity of sorts in.”

“Packing up for a move can be quite exhausting. Make sure to have a good breakfast. Or, even better! I’ll make us breakfast! How do you feel about pancakes?” Brad rolled his eyes before walking back over to his desk.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, David.”

“I’ll take that as a yes on the pancakes.” David walked away, cheerfully while Brad sighed, going back to work.

… 

Ding dong! It was exactly 10:00 a.m. when David heard the doorbell to his apartment sound out. He rushed over to the panel and pressed the speaker button.

“Brad, is that you?”

“Who else would it be?”

“Well, sometimes it’s people trying to convince me to join their religion but I just ignore them-”

“That was a rhetorical question, David. Let me in.”

“Ok. I’m in room 203.”

It was about a minute before David heard a knock on his door. He rushed over and opened it to see Brad, looking exhausted.

“You good, man? You look like you’re going to pass out. It’s only one flight of stairs.”

“I’m fine, David. Now, let’s get started.”

“Wait just one second there, bud!”, David said, rushing off down the narrow hallway. Brad peered down the hallways as sounds of clattering echoed through the apartment. Brad then turned to the rest of the apartment that he could see. It was a mess. A fire hazard, for sure. It looked like a mess that could only accumulate after weeks upon weeks of not cleaning. Suddenly, David rushed back holding two plates. “You almost forgot about breakfast!” Brad stared at the pancakes, not moving. David gestured one of the plates towards him. “Any day now!” Brad reached out and delicately took the plate from David’s hand. “Great! Now, how about we sit over there!” David pointed towards a couch in a small living room area that was quite cluttered. Books and knick-knacks were strewn about haphazardly. “Sorry, it’s not always this messy. I’ve just been trying to sort through things so everything is all over the place.”, David laughed. Brad was still staring down at the pancakes as an awkward silence filled the room. “Ooookay, then. Let’s go!”  

They headed over to the couch and they sat down, placing the plates on a small, magazine-covered coffee table. David carelessly pushed the magazines onto the floor. He started eating while Brad poked at the pancakes with his fork and looked around the room.

“You know, for not having food in your mouth, you’re awfully quiet!”

“Mhmmm.”, Brad said, acknowledging David speaking without giving him anything to work with.

“Well…” David tried to think of something interesting to talk about but he couldn’t. “Anything fun coming up for you?” Brad didn’t respond, now staring intently at the pancakes. “You can eat them, man. They are yours for the devouring!”, David chuckled.

“You know, I’m not hungry. Where’s your kitchen?”

“You sure? I have some other stuff if you want something else.”

“No, I’m good.”

“Ok, um, it’s right down the hall. The second doorway.” Brad stood up without another word and beelined to the kitchen, disappearing out of David’s line of sight. David could hear the sound of scraping followed by thumps and crinkly plastic. “You can just put it in the fridge!” Brad didn’t respond. David sighed before going back to eating his pancakes, Brad returning not long after.

“So, when are we going to get to packing up these boxes?”, said Brad, seemingly more energized than before. He had started bouncing his leg impatiently.

“Well, look who’s eager to help!”

“That’s what I’m here for. And I’m planning on catching a movie later so I want this all to be done sooner rather than later.”

“Oh, really? What movie? I really enjoy comedies. Like this one-” Just then, Brad interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.

“It’s a documentary about cheetahs and their role in the ecosystem.” David nodded.

“Oh… Mhmm, I see. Interesting.” David sat there, unsure of how to continue commenting on that. Despite David’s clear lack of interest, Brad continued.

“It’s really interesting to see the ruthlessness of nature and the wild and how everything plays a part in keeping life evolving and growing and just existing. You know what I mean?” There was a spark in Brad’s eyes that David only saw when Brad got a good deal in a sale. David gave a small nod.

“Oh, for sure… Well, I mean, no, but that’s very interesting.”

“It really is.” Brad didn’t seem to acknowledge David’s lack of knowledge or interest in what he was saying. He was just fully lost in thought. Suddenly, he seemed to come back to reality, as if he was escaping from a trance. “Well, um, anyway, let’s get working.”

“Perfect timing, too! I just finished my pancakes. Let me just take this to the kitchen and we can get this show on the road!” David and Brad both stood up and David headed to the kitchen to put his dish in the sink. It only took him a couple of seconds but by the time he came back, he saw Brad was looking at himself in a small mirror that hung by the door. David paused before brushing it off. “Ok, let’s get this thing started!” Brad spun around, caught off guard. It was as if he’d forgotten that he wasn’t the only one here.

“Right.” Brad seemed a bit out of it, as he’d been not long before. “Where do we start?”

“I guess we can start at different sections.”, said David. You can start over there…”, said David pointing to the corner of the living space. “… and I’ll start over here!”, he said, pointing to a bookshelf next to the TV, not too far from where Brad would be working. “Let me get the boxes!” David rushed down the hall and Brad walked over to the area that he’d be covering. He noticed an odor growing stronger as he approached it. His nose crinkled as he peered around the mess. He suddenly came upon what looked to be a Chinese takeout box.

“I’m starting to wonder if he’s ever cleaned this place.”, Brad said to himself. David reappeared with two boxes.

“Ready to rock and roll?”

“Sure.”, Brad paused. “When’s the last time you cleaned?”

“Oh, very recently. As I said, I’ve just been sorting through things and-”

“Really? Because the amount of mold on this old takeout seems to indicate otherwise.” David walked over to where Brad was standing.

“Oh, uh… I must’ve, um, missed that. I’ll get a garbage bag.”

David cleaned up the rotting food and they both sat down to get to work. Brad started picking up items and placing them in the box. It was silent between the two of them. Brad would’ve spoken but he didn’t know what to say so he kept quiet. He placed things carefully in the box, using the space as efficiently as possible. He fit one last item in the box before turning to David.

“Hey, where’s the tape?” Suddenly, a puzzled expression grew on Brad’s face. David’s box was empty. He just sat there, tapping his finger on the side of the box. “David?” Suddenly, David jolted his head up.

“Huh, oh, uhh…” David picked up an item, pretending that he had been being productive the whole time. “The tape?”

“Yes, David. The tape.”

“It should be on the coffee table.” Brad scooted over to the coffee table and shuffled the items around before turning to David.

“I don’t see it.” David was quiet. His face looked tired yet he hadn’t even done anything yet. Brad sighed and moved closer to David. “You ok?” David looked at the ground and fidgeted with a coaster that had somehow made its way onto the floor.

“I’ve been trying to pack for weeks now but I just keep putting it off and putting it off. I’ve just been so tired and I can’t do anything but I’ve been trying. I want to do it but I can’t! I’ve barely had the motivation to clean, as you can see. Once I get home, I just am so drained. The thing is, I don’t even do anything at work! I just stand around. I’m useless.” David spoke quickly and his speech got shakier and shakier as he spoke. “I thought having a friend here would help me but I just can’t do it. I can’t do anything right.”, David said, flopping over and burying his head in his lap.

Brad sat there, watching his boss break down in front of him. He’d seen David have panic attacks before but nothing ever like this. Nothing this depressing. In an attempt to comfort him, Brad patted him on the back.

“Hey, man, you aren’t useless!” Brad paused. “I understand how you feel, though.”

“You do?”, David sniffled, poking his head up.

“Yes…and that’s as far as I’m going to go into it.”, Brad said quickly. They sat in silence for a moment, David sitting back up. His eyes were glazed over.

“You can just leave if you want, Brad. I wanted this to be fun but I ruined this whole thing.”

“I never expect anything I do with you to be fun so you didn’t let down my expectations.” Brad started to regret making that kind of joke but David seemed to find it funny, a small smile forming on his face. “I’d be happy to stay and help.”

“Really?”, said David.

“Really. Now, I’m going to go look for the tape and I’ll be right back.  You just relax and I’ll work on packing your stuff up.” David nodded before looking back to the box.

Brad searched around, eventually finding the tape in a drawer and grabbing another box on the way back to the living area. As he entered the room, he saw David still staring at his box except, now, there was an item in there: a book.

“Hey! Look at you go!”, Brad said, reaching out his hand for a high five. David weakly tapped his hand before going back to staring at his box. Brad walked over to his side of the room and started packing stuff up.

… 

Brad placed tape down on the last box before sitting back and sighing. He looked at the clock on the wall of David’s bedroom. 11:49 p.m. He stood himself up, placing his hand on the dresser next to him to steady himself. Yawning, he entered the living room to find David lying on the couch.

“I did it! Your stuff is all packed and ready to go.”

“Thanks, man. I owe you. Really. I can’t begin to describe how much this means to me.” Brad gave a tired smile. They were quiet for a moment. “You want anything? It’s good!”, said David, raising his plate of chicken, rice and mixed vegetables. Brad shook his head.

“No, I’m good.” David looked at him puzzled.

“Have you eaten anything today?”

“I’m just not that hungry. I’m not a very hungry person, David.”

“Yah… I know.” David looked at him, a mixture of confusion and concern was expressed on his face. Silence filled the room again.

“Well, I think I better head home.”

“Home?”, said David, turning fully towards Brad. “What about your movie?”

“Oh, it played hours ago. Sometime around 6. I thought we-… I’d be done by then.”

“What?! Why didn’t you go?”

“I don’t know. You needed help moving! … Shut up.”

“I’m sorry, Brad. If I had helped, you probably wouldn’t have missed your movie.” David flopped down onto his back. “I’m just a waste of people’s time, aren’t I?”

“Jeez, man. Calm down.”, Brad said, sitting down next to him. “You know how I am. If I wanted to leave, I would’ve left. I was happy to help, ok?”

“You sure?”, David said, propping himself up and meeting Brad’s eyes.

“Yes. I’m sure.” David smiled.

“You know, Brad, deep down, you are a nice person.”

“Don’t you dare repeat those words to anyone or else I will not hesitate to destroy you.”

“Got it.” Brad then stood up.

“Well, I’m going to go so…”

“Ah, yah. Goodbye, Brad!”

Brad walked over to and opened the door when David spoke.

“Hey, promise me you’ll eat something when you get home, ok?”, David said, with a smile.

“Sure… I promise.”, said Brad, giving a weak smile before it fell to a tired expression. “Bye.” 

The door closed and David let himself fall back down onto the couch. He looked around at all the boxes. His apartment was barren except for the furniture. Guilt from not helping still lingered but his appreciation and gratefulness topped whatever guilt was left. David thought about getting up and going to his bed but he was too tired. He reached for the remote and put on a random channel and lay his head down. Today was the last day in his apartment. The last month or so had been rough but David was just glad that the last real memory that he’d made here was not entirely horrible. As he thought, David slowly closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

[angryschnauzer]

Overnight

Summary: It may have been a mistake to get off the highway, your car breaking down on an abandoned back road. But just in time a tow truck appears, and the mechanics garage isn't far away... but when you find out the parts will be delivered overnight, you storm off towards town... and somehow find yourself where you least expect.

Pairing: AU Mechanic Chris Evans x Female Reader

Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Dubious Consent, AU, Greasy Mechanic Chris, Backroads Fic, Unprotected Sex, Thunderstorms, Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Anal Sex, unprotected anal sex, Sloppy Seconds, Kitchen Sex, Dark Chris, Slightly Creepy Fic

A/N: This is a slightly twisted story, i wouldn’t say it was ‘dark’, but it does have a slightly sinister undertone. I’m also tagging it as dub-con (dubious consent) as although reader never says no, she is never asked either. This is very much a work of fiction, and i urge the reader to take responsibility for their online consumption, so ensure you read the warnings before reading and then only proceed once you have accepted what this story may contain. It is not a light and fluffy fic.

I do not operate a tag list, but you can follow @angryschnauzerwrites​ and put that blog onto notifications, as every time i post a story i will reblog there. I have too many stories to do a masterlist, but you can find my entire back catalgoue on AO3 through THIS LINK.

A while back i also wrote a Seb AU Mechanic fic, and here is the link for that: Caught In The Storm

Overnight

You should NOT have turned off the interstate. Sure, you would be stuck in bumper to bumper tailbacks in the searing heat, but surely it would have been better than this. The further you’d driven, the worse your car had sounded, the metallic clanking sound getting louder and louder the further you drove. Something made a loud THUD and you felt the power steering go, and glancing in your rear-view mirror a large oil patch was appearing behind your car as it slowly started to cough and splutter, before coasting to a halt on the side of the cracked road. As the engine died you thumped the steering wheel, cursing and screaming at the broken piece of junk, before with heavy limbs you pulled yourself from the car. 

 Standing on the rough gravel at the side of the road, your hands on your hips, you glowered at the car, a faint hiss of steam coming from beneath the hood. The sun beat down and you could feel the heat of the day sinking into your bones, gnats and midges trying to gnaw at your skin as you slapped them angrily away. Dark clouds grew on the horizon but did little to obscure the beating sun high above you. 

 Checking your cell phone you weren’t surprised to see the no service icon, you were in the middle of nowhere, more likely to be dragged into the surrounding swamp and eaten by god knows what than to be able to call anyone. Just as you were lamenting your woes, the sound of an old diesel engine came rumbling to yours ears, and glancing down the road you saw an ancient tow truck coming into view. Standing in the road you waved your arms to flag the vehicle down; even if it couldn’t help then maybe it could take you to a working phone.

 The truck came to a stop in front of your car, and as the engine cut off and the driver’s door opened, you felt your body go tight. The man that climbed down from the cab looked like sin on a Sunday, long denim clad legs striding towards you, ball cap on backwards doing little to shade his face from the pounding sunshine, and a t-shirt that seemed to be painted onto his broad chest and wide shoulders;

 “In a spot of trouble there darlin’?”

 You let out a huff, you weren’t about to let some back roads hick try and charm his way into your panties… though said panties were suddenly becoming damper by every second he stood close to you. Shaking your head, you stood tall and puffed your chest out;

 “My car has died. If I could borrow your phone to call Triple A, I haven’t got any signal on mine…”

 The guy looked you up and down, his gaze resting on your chest as a bead of perspiration ran down your neck and between your breasts, his tongue darting out to wet his lips;

 “AAA don’t come out here, its subcontracted out to us locals. I’m on my way back to the garage now if you want a tow Sweetheart?”

 Letting out a deep sigh you nodded, returning to your car to grab your purse as the man started to unreel the towing line and called out to you;

 “Hop up into the cab Princess, this won’t take a moment”

 Rolling your eyes at the pet names you bit your tongue; the guy was after all helping you out. Gripping the handle of the tow trucks door you looked down at the old worn paintwork ‘Evans Autos’. You quickly fished your phone out of your bag and snapped a shot, setting it to upload to the iCloud once you got in range of any signal… at least that way if this greasy backroads mechanic chopped you into little pieces you had left a trail of evidence. 

 Pulling the door open you let out a small yelp when you came face to face with a big brown dog sitting on the passenger seat;

 “Scoot!”

 The dog looked at you with utter disdain, and firmly remained sat on the seat. Waving your hands a little you frowned at it;

 “C’mon, scoot over!”

 Over the sound of the towing winch whining at it pulled your car up onto the truck, you heard the mechanic call out;

 “You’ll have to climb over Dodge… he likes the window seat”

 Turning back to the big mutt you could have sworn it had a smug ‘so there’ look on its face, and as you climbed up and around the dog, you sat in the middle of the wide bench seat. Looking around you couldn’t find any seatbelts, so just sat with your hands firmly clasped in your lap. The sounds of lockers being shut hit your ears before the driver’s door opened and the mechanic climbed into the seat next to you and grinned;

 “Best hold on Babe, it’s a bumpy ride to the garage”

 “I’ll be fine, thanks” you muttered as he gunned the engine and pulled away.

 -

 He hadn’t been lying; the roads were atrocious. With each bump and pothole you were bounced closer to him, the dog the other side of you seemingly able to spread out across not only his seat but part of yours. You could have sworn the mechanic was aiming for every single bump possible just to be able to watch your breasts bounce as the truck hit each stone. 

 With each jolt and jiggle your thigh was pressed closer and closer against his, and when the truck hit a huge hole in the road you felt yourself almost  lifted from the seat, suddenly pinned back by his strong arm quickly thrown across your torso to hold you down and from slipping from the seat. The skin of his tattooed bicep was pressed against the exposed neckline and chest, his scent invading your senses; a warm spicy aftershave and motor oil and gasoline. You could feel your panties getting wetter as your legs parted so you could plant your feet on the dusty floor of the truck but it did little to alleviate the aching between your thighs. 

 Finally he slowed the truck and turned the wheel into a sharp left-hand turn, the truck bouncing along a gravel driveway until an old wooden auto shop came into view. Pulling the truck to a stop he climbed out, holding his hand out for you;

 “Dodge likes to sleep in the cab…”

 Rolling your eyes you took his hand and climbed out as gracefully as you could, your short sundress sticking to the seat before you yanked it down to retain what was left of your dignity;

 “So Babycakes, there’s a coupla’ chairs round the side if you want to take a seat whilst I look at your car, and an icebox on the counter just inside the shop, help yourself to a water”

 “Umm, thanks”

 -

 You glanced at the time on your phone. You’d been waiting three hours; the sound of your car being taken to pieces by the mechanic was all you’d heard for most of that time. The only thing that seemed to have changed in those three hours was the humidity rising and the storm clouds coming closer. Rising to your feet you stretched your limbs and turned the corner of the auto shop, glancing at the mechanic as he lay on the floor below your sorry looking car as it was raised on the hydraulic lift;

 “Sir?”

 “Chris”

 “What?”

 “It’s Chris, not Sir…”

 “Ok, Chris. Do you know how much longer it’ll be?”

 Chris pulled himself out from beneath your car, wiping his hands on a rag that was hanging from the back pocket of his jeans;

 “For today, I’ll probably be done in an hour…”

 “Great!”

 “... but I need to overnight the parts I need, so it won’t be ready until tomorrow”

 “What? When were you going to tell me that?”

 “I’ve just ordered the parts Honey”

 You let out a grunt of frustration;

 “Fine. I’ll be back tomorrow… you could have told me sooner”

 You turned on your heel and started to walk away;

 “Where ya’ goin’?”

 “To find a motel, or a guesthouse, or somewhere to stay at!”

 “On foot?!”

 “YES!”

 -

 You had stormed off, anger driving your feet as your white sneakers slowly got covered in brown dust that puffed up from the gravel driveway with every step you took towards the road. Finally you reached the cracked asphalt, taking a sharp right-hand turn and you started along the road. By now the humidity was hanging in the air and it felt like you were walking through soup. Even the midges had given up, their tiny wings not strong enough to cut through the cloying stillness. The sun was now obscured by dark clouds, but you continued on. Finally a crossroads came into view, and you willed your heat-tired muscles to push on, coming to the sign and stopping. The shortest distance was to take a right, so scrambling over the accumulated gravel you continued your journey. 

 -

 An hour later your legs were weary. Your dress clung to your skin as sweat beaded across your brow, down your chest and back. You held your arms out as you walked, hoping just by moving they would cool your skin, but having little affect.

 Finally a small house came into view, further buildings behind it mostly hidden by trees. The hair on your arms stood on end with Goosebumps and you could smell petrichor on the air, you knew the storm was about to break. Quickening your step you found the energy to trot down the rest of the way, past the worn mailbox with most of the letters worn away, the last three just spelling out ‘van’, but you were oblivious, the first raindrop hitting your skin and you sprinted towards the house. 

 By the time you reached the porch the parts of your dress that weren’t stuck to your skin due to sweat were doing so thanks to the rain. A crack of thunder boomed as a flash of lightning lit the sky, and as you cowered under the porch you heard a bark and a very wet brown dog suddenly ran for cover, shivering on the doorstep. Another crack of thunder made you jump, and the dog cowered against you, you crouching down to wrap your arms around the scared creature. Looking at the name tag that hung from its collar you read it; ‘Dodger’, and your heart plummeted to your stomach. Before you could even fathom what had happened, a familiar voice was behind you;

 “You were walking over an hour and you still manage to find your way back here?”

 Turning you looked out to the lawn where Chris stood, the rain pouring over him, his t-shirt stuck to every curve of his body and his jeans hanging low on his narrow hips. Slowly striding towards you he wiped the rain from his face as he stepped under the porch, reaching around you and opening the door to the small cabin;

 “You took a right and another right, didn’t ya?”

 “How did you…?”

 “Well, if you hadn’t stormed off in a huff, I woulda told you to turn left at the end of the driveway. Instead walked a giant triangle and found yourself back here”

 You let out a strangled noise, not quite a cry, not quite a scream, before your body sagged;

 “Can you… can you give me a ride into town?”

 “Nope”

 “No?!”

 “The town is tiny. All we got is a church, a market, and a drug store. Nearest motel ain’t for thirty miles, and you wouldn’t wanna stay there… unless you like cockroaches”

 You could feel your bottom lip quiver, trying to hold back the tears before Chris’s voice softened;

 “I got a couch you can stay on, no funny business, no obligations…”

 He was close, so close. You could feel the heat radiating from his body, and you found your mouth moving before your brain could stop it;

 “What if I wanted funny business?”

 There was no more preamble, no more hesitating, he stepped forwards, one hand cupping the back of your neck, the other on your waist as he pulled your body flush against his own, his lips meeting yours.

 The kiss was fierce, your mouth willingly opening as his tongue pushed against your own, dancing together as you tasted one another. His hand on your hip pulled at your dress, curling it up in his fingers until your skin was there to touch, his large hand gripping the soft cheek of your ass. He pushed you back, the hardness of the wooden clapperboards of his cabin rough against your skin, but you were blissfully unaware of it. He pressed one leg between yours and you ground your hips against the firm denim clad muscle of his thigh, in turn the thick hardness that was growing between your bodies he rubbed against your hip, moaning into your mouth as the friction helped release some of the tension that had built during the day. 

 Snaking a hand between your bodies, your dress had already ridden up so he was easily able to slide a hand into your panties, leaving streaks of motor oil across the pale fabric as he sought out your clit. Pushing two wide fingers down he found your soaked entrance and gathered some of your wetness, before bringing his fingers back and rubbing firm circles against your sensitive bud. His lips parted from yours, resting his forehead to your own for a moment you panted into his mouth, the air between you hot and thick, before those kiss plump lips make their way to your neck, sucking and licking at your jugular as his beard scratched against your skin. 

 Your head lolled back and rested against the wooden side of the building, the storm raging around you as you felt your orgasm starting to build. Your hands clung to Chris’s strong arms, his skin patterned with tattoos that you yearned to run your fingertips over tenderly. Your body started to shake, your orgasm growing closer as that coil in the pit of your stomach wound ever tighter, your hand finding its way to the firm bulge that was pressing against your hip, and as you squeezed the hot muscle through the denim you started to come, Chris’s mouth finding your own against as he swallowed your cries of passion. 

 He stilled his fingers as you trembled against him, quickly unfastening the buttons of his fly and pushing the garment down just enough to free his thick cock, taking hold of your thighs as he lifted you.  With strong hands he gripped at your panties before ripping them from your body, the ruined pieces of cotton falling to the floor at your feet. You felt the wide tip press against your still trembling entrance and with a grunt he thrust into you, filling you completely as you screamed out his name.

 You clung to him as he started to fuck you roughly against the wall, the wet sounds of your bodies meeting being drowned out by the storm now wild overhead. With each thrust your body was sent to heavy, the thick stretch of him inside you making your legs tremble as he held one leg over his hip, letting you try and keep the other held up as he pawed at your breasts, pulling your dress and bra down until you spilled out, your tits bouncing with each of his powerful thrusts. 

 No words were spoken, your moans the only thing that could leave your lips as Chris fucked you so hard you were sure you’d never be able to close your legs again and made roadkill of your pelvis with his powerful thrusts. You were trembling around him and you were getting closer and closer to coming again. His lips were on your neck again and muttering the dirtiest things in your ear;

 “Are you gonna cum on my cock babe? Make me fill you with my cum until its dripping down your legs… you’re squeezing me so damn tight, gonna pump you full then take you inside, make you sit on my face, would you like that? Wanna feel my tongue on your cunt?”

 “Oh fuck… Chris, yes… fuck, keep going…”

 He laughed quietly before picking up speed, the slapping sound of his heavy sac against your ass filling your ears as the wide root of his cock rubbed and dragged against your clit. With a grind of his hips you were coming, your fingernails clinging to his back as you shook with pleasure, triggering his own orgasm as he pumped hot ropes of creamy seed deep within your womb.

 Holding you against the wall, he kissed you, his tongue working against your own before he slowly pulled out of you, letting your feet fall to the floor. Your head swam from the pleasure surging through your body, only partially aware of Chris pulling his jeans up enough to keep them on his hips before he wrapped his arms around your waist and threw you over his shoulder, carrying you inside.

 Moments later you were being dropped onto a large bed, the covers messy from when the previous occupant had simply gotten up and dressed that morning, and you watched as Chris stripped his soaked clothes from his body before crawling onto the bed, his gaze feral as he pressed a line of kisses up your sternum before his lips found yours again. His fingers worked deftly against the ties of your wrap summer dress, pulling it open and helping you to wriggle out of it; all whilst his lips never left yours. 

 Finally he pulled away, his strong arms bulging as he flipped you over and pulled your hips up until you were resting on your knees. His wide tongue pulled a thick stripe through your cum soaked folds, from clit to asshole, before grinding his face against your crotch. His tongue was everywhere, sucking on your clit before moving to your well fucked entrance, then moving up and pressing against the tight ring of muscle between your asscheeks. With more insistence he pushed his tongue against your back door and you sighed into the old sheets below you, your fingers curling in the cotton as he slid two thick fingers into your soaked channel whilst his tongue worked against your asshole. When his thumb found your clit a shockwave bolted through you, your scream into the mattress from sheer pleasure as you unashamedly ground back against him, moaning his name as your legs shook. He pulled his mouth away and spat on your asshole, working a finger in up to the knuckle and you started to cum, his fingers in your cunt rubbing against that spongy spot whilst his thumb worked figure eights over your clit, and you found yourself squirting your release as you screamed with pleasure.

 You were aware of Chris pulling away, your body trembling and fluid in the prone position. You heard the quiet click of the cap of a bottle before a cool viscous liquid was slowly spread over your ass. The touch of Chris’s fingers exploring your most hidden of places had you pushing back against his touch, relaxing as he slid two oiled fingers slowly into your ass, massaging you, stretching you. By now you were drooling, your tongue working against the cotton sheet as you bore down as he pushed a third finger into your ass, the quiet squirt of more oil being applied directly inside you had you knowing what was coming, and humming a low moan as you felt his fingers pull away only to be replaced with the well-oiled fat crown of his cock. 

 Turning your head you watched as he pushed the wide mushroom into your tight ring of muscle, groaning as your secret walls gripped him so hard. His large hands pulled your cheeks apart and he spat on his dick as he started to push into you, filling you, parting your walls with his meaty girth. You could feel every vein and ridge as he pushed harder, reaching around and rubbing at your clit whilst he rocked his hips back and forth before he was finally balls deep in your ass. 

 “So fuckin’ good, feel so tight around my dick Baby, taking me so well... “

 His mouth was as dirty as you had hoped, praising you for taking his dick in your ass as he started to fuck you, pushing his legs open to widen your own and allow him in even deeper. Your hands scrambled at the covers trying to find something to grip onto, some sort of purchase, before he was suddenly pulling your arms behind your back and gripping your wrists with his massive hands. Folding your arms across your sweat drenched back he used them to anchor himself as he fucked your ass even harder, pulling orgasm after orgasm out of you as your empty cunt ached to be filled. As if reading your thoughts - or you could even have said it aloud, who knows you were so high on pleasure - he grasped your arms in one large hand before curling the other arm beneath you, pushing three fingers into your soaked pussy as he fucked your ass so hard you doubted you’d be able to sit down for a week without feeling it.

 “Fuck… gonna cum Baby, gonna fill this ass with cum so deep…”

 “Yes... Chris, FUCK, fuck my ass, I want your cum…”

 “My fucking gorgeous anal cum slut, your cunt is gorgeous, but I’m gonna fuck this ass from now on… never had an ass this good, this tight… gonna have you gaping by the time I’ve finished with you… my cum dripping down your legs, gonna make sure you never wear panties again, need you ready for me to bend you over and push my dick up this tight ass to fill you with another load…”

 Your orgasm took over, gripping Chris’s dick and fingers so hard it set his orgasm off, a second wave of your orgasm so intense that as you felt your body milking Chris, the room went dark and you blacked out.

 -

 The room was dark, the sound of rain outside soothing to your ears as you tried to figure out where you were, then snippets of your memory came back; your car, the garage, Chris… the storm… fucking him… Turning you saw him quietly asleep beside you, you winced as your muscles protested against moving, but the need for water and the bathroom was too much as you quickly slipped out of the room. 

 Having found the bathroom, you attempted to clean yourself up a little before walking through the small cabin to the kitchen, taking a glass from the counter before filling it and drinking the whole thing at the sink and filling it again. Two warm hands wrapped themselves around your naked body from behind, warm lips and a rough beard found your neck and Chris started to kiss along your shoulders, his hands finding your naked breasts as he cupped them whilst grinding his hard dick into the crease of your ass. Setting the glass down you spread your legs a little wider, and a warm hum of appreciation reverberated through Chris’s chest as he dipped his hips whilst pushing you forwards over the old porcelain sink, the smooth crown of his dick pushing against your used asshole, and you felt the pop as he sank into your cum soaked walls.

 Groaning as you leaned forwards and gripped the cool porcelain, you opened yourself up for him as he ploughed into your murky depths, his thick thighs pushing your legs wide apart before he lifted one of your knees until it was resting on the countertop, your other foot only just reaching the floor as you were stood on your toes, Chris fucking your ass harder this time, gripping your hips as he filled you again and again. His hands moved to your breasts and he pinched your nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, rolling the hardened teats until they were painfully hard. Snaking his hands up your front he wrapped his fingers over your shoulders so he could pull you back onto him harder, his thrusts increasing in speed. Your cunt was leaking juices down your inner thighs, and with each thrust his heavy sac would slap against it, reminding you of its emptiness, and you found yourself begging;

 “Chris please… fill my pussy…”

 Chuckling he pulled one hand down and spat on it before pushing three fingers into you, all whilst continuing to fill your ass with his fat cock;

 “You like that? You like having all your holes stuffed? You’re just begging to be filled, used, fucked…”

 “Oh fuck… harder… fuck me harder…”

 With a grunt he increased the speed of his thrusts, the front of your thighs pushing painfully against the sink, your leg muscles screaming at the way you were stretched wide open, but the pleasure was too intense to stop, you needed it, you needed the release.

 You came again and Chris fucked you straight through it, somehow finding the skill to fuck you even harder, sliding a fourth finger into your slick channel as he stretched you so wide. Your head swam, the sound of the storm outside closing the world in around you, and as you came again so did he, filling your ass with another load of his cum.

 Afterwards he carried you to his bed, wrapping his hard body around yours as you fell into a dreamless sleep, the reality of the world far far away.

 -

 Handing over the keys you smiled at Chris as you took them from him. Your body ached and was sore beyond belief, but it was certainly a night to remember. You had slept in until well past midday, only waking when your stomach had growled from not eating anything. Picking at some leftovers in Chris’s fridge, you’d found your soaked sundress draped over the back of a kitchen chair, pulling it on you shivered at the damp touch of the fabric before you’d stepped out of the cabin and found Chris fitting the parts he’d had on overnight delivery to your car. The bill had been more than you had expected - the parts costing more than you had in your purse - so when Chris had smirked at you and suggested an alternative payment, you had sighed with pleasure as he’d fucked you bent over the hood of your car, his dick filling your cunt as he had three fingers stretching your ass. You’d cum so hard you were left shaking, and he had pulled out just before he came only to push an inch into your ass and fill you with another load of his cum.

 With your keys in hand you kissed him, your tongues sloppy before you pulled away just as the sound of tyres could be heard on the rough gravel of his driveway, another tow truck pulling up alongside Chris’s. 

 Sitting in your car you gave him a wave as you pulled away, watching the garage disappear into the distance before you turned your attention onto the road ahead, pulling out onto the dry again asphalt, another summer storm starting to gather on the horizon.

 -

 Not thirty minutes later you were standing at the side of the road, kicking the flat tyre before screaming out at the sky in frustration. You checked your cell phone, groaning when you saw the out of service sign, before stashing it back in your purse. 

 The sound of an old diesel engine could be heard in the distance, and you looked up to the sky before closing your eyes;

 “No… it can’t be…”

 Taking a deep breath with your eyes still closed, you heard the engine get closer until it came to an idle beside you, and familiar voice greeting you;

 “Baby… you need a ride?”

 Chris hopped out of the cab, slipping his hand beneath your dress and giving your ass a squeeze;

 “Gotta watch out for that sharp gravel, it’ll blow tyres out real bad…”

 -

 Sitting in the cab you watched as Chris hooked your car back onto the tow truck, before ducking back inside the truck, this time just the two of you;

 “Where’s Dodger?”

 “Sleeping on the porch… Now, we’re gonna have to order you a new tyre Baby…”

“Let me guess, it’ll be delivered overnight?”

 He leant back and started to unbutton his jeans;

 “You never got to taste my dick last night… how about you try it now whilst I finger that ass ready for the next round? Huh Baby?”

 Settling onto your knees on the wide seat, you took him into your mouth, sucking him as he started the truck, unaware of the rusty nail that he dropped into the pocket of the door, a small piece of tyre rubber still attached to it… he’d found you, and he wasn’t about to let you drive off into the sunset...

[mspufflehuff]

Maybe Kids Aren’t So Bad

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x plus size!reader

Summary: Y/N and Bucky have been dancing around their feelings for a while now. They decide to get out of the tower and go to the store. They happen to pass by some kids who are fans of the avengers. 

Word Count: 2.3k words 

Warnings: Mentions of kidnapping, torture, nightmares, and lots of fluff.

Masterlist!! 

Author’s Note: I saw lots of people liked my first fanfic! Soon after I saw people liked the first one, I started writing this one. I hope you all enjoy it because I sure did. Have a great day everyone who reads this! (gif below is not mine!!) 

"Does someone wanna go with me to go grocery shopping?" you asked the others in the tower as you stood behind the island.  Everyone had been awake for about 15 minutes and almost all of them were eating in the kitchen.  A few of them didn't hear you as you didn't say it very loudly.  Tony told you he had things to do, just like him.  Thor and Natasha said they had to train today and go to a mission briefing.  Steve apologized and told you he had to finish and turn in  the report for the mission he got back from yesterday. 

Soon Bucky walked into the kitchen.  He looked like he hadn't been sleeping, which you knew very well since you could hear him at night through the walls.  You wanted to comfort him but you were nervous since you didn't know him all that well to begin with.  He had arrived at the tower a few months ago and was very quiet with everyone except Steve. 

You couldn't deny that he was an attractive man.  You also had a soft spot for him since you knew what it was like to be alone and scared in some type of lab that kept you against your will.  You had been abducted when you were a teen and had been taken to some type of scary lab where you were injected with chemicals.  The scientist had given you powers that allowed you to control the plants around you.  You could harness energy from them and control them by will. 

You could understand Bucky's nightmares and feel the pain in the sound of his screams at night.  You used to have those same screams and nightmares but learned to keep them from keeping you up at night.  You had started meditating, talking to people, training to release all your anger, finding hobbies that distracted you, and even simple things such as writing it down to then burn the paper you wrote it on. 

You watched as he sat down at one of the island chairs.  Most of the avengers had already left the room by the time he sat down.  You looked at him and gave him a soft smile.  "Morning, Bucky. Would you like some coffee?" you asked him in a soft voice, watching his ocean blue eyes move across your form.  "Yes, please…" he replied in a tired but sweet voice.  You grabbed the mug he used most of the time and filled it with coffee.  He watched how you got everything right about his coffee, down to how much he would naturally fill it. 

He was surprised and yet amazed you paid that much attention to him.  "Here you go."  You handed Bucky his coffee, and he grabbed it with his right hand, gently grazing your fingers as he held the handle.  He watched your eyes when your hands grazed.  He thought he saw something there sparkling in your eyes but wasn't sure as you turned away to get him something to eat.  You turned to grab him something to eat as well as to hide your light blush from your fingers grazing. 

You took another minute to turn back around so the blush could cool from your cheeks.  Handing him a protein bar, you picked up the cup of tea you had made yourself earlier.  "I wanted to ask if you wanted to get out of the tower and go to the grocery store with me?"  Bucky looked into your eyes as he thought about if he was up for it.  He had to think not because it was you, but because he was scared of people seeing him and running.  He hardly left the tower unless it was for missions or on the off chance he needed clothes to wear. 

"Sure, Y/N. I think that would be good.  It's a nice day out, and we can hang out together as we don't normally hang out."  He spoke with a soft smile on his lips, taking another drink from his coffee.  You smiled happily and nodded towards him.  "Alright then! It's a date! I'll let you eat, and I have to do a few things before we go out.  I'll meet you in the lobby around 12?" you asked, walking towards the end of the island, making your way to the hallway.  "It's a date.' Bucky agreed and smiled back, watching you walk off. 

~Time Skip~

It had been about an hour since Y/N and Bucky said they would meet up in the lobby for their 'date'.  You had been nervously pacing around your room after you heard the word date fell off of Bucky's lips. You didn't know what to do or wear. Well, you had an idea of what you would wear, but would it make you weird? Finally, you decided on a cute sundress since it was sunny and warm outside. You fixed your hair, put on light makeup (or no makeup if you don't wear any), and picked out your comfy pair of vans. Looking at yourself in the mirror, you let out a sigh and thought you were trying too hard to look cute for Bucky. "Why am I dressing like we are actually going on a date?" You asked yourself aloud and towards the mirror. 

You grabbed your phone and looked at the time, grabbing your small purse while walking out the door. Making your way to the elevator, Bucky stepped out of his room in a pair of comfy clothes. He was wearing a navy blue shirt with some light blue jeans. He tried to look nice like you did. He had brushed his hair back some and looked relaxed. He soon noticed you and gave you a smile, the one that usually melts you into a puddle. 

"Oh hey, Doll…  Wow  You look so pretty…" he tells you softly as you walk up towards him. "You look pretty handsome yourself." you replied, shyly smiling as you both walked towards the elevator.  "I have a list on my phone of what we need to get for everyone.  I was also thinking of cooking and baking tonight for everyone." you told Bucky as you turned on your phone.  "What were you planning on cooking?" he asked, pressing the button for the lobby. 

"Hmm…  I don't know just yet.  I was thinking of making something called Beef Tripe soup. It's a famous dish in Romania, and I've always wanted to travel to Romania, or well anywhere that isn't here in the United States." You rambled a little as you rode the elevator with Bucky.  "Sorry... I love to cook and bake.  I grew up baking and cooking with my mom before I was kidnapped."  You smiled as you reminisced about your memories with your mother.  "Doll, it's ok.  You can ramble to me.  I enjoy hearing from you talking about food and different recipes."  He then took in the last sentence that you were kidnapped.  Steve had briefly mentioned you had been kidnapped but never went any further than that.  "If you don't mind me asking, how were you kidnapped?"  He was curious but didn't want to bring up any painful memories the kidnapping had created for you. 

"Well, I was at home and working on homework for school, boring, I know."  You chuckled and thought back to it.  "I remember sitting at my desk and having my earbuds in.  I realized it was around maybe 10 pm, and I was hungry for a small snack.  So, I went downstairs with my earbuds still in my ears.  As I made my way to the kitchen, I felt someone or something looking at me.  I turned around to see a guy in all black.  He ran towards me before I could scream for help.  He knocked me out and took me to this disgusting lab, had me strapped on an old medical operating table."

Bucky listened to you, pissed beyond belief that someone kidnapped a random girl from her house.  Let alone the fact that you were only a teenager when you got kidnapped, which made his blood boil.  You continued, not noticing Bucky's face.  "For years, he would test on me, come up with new experiments and chemicals to put into my body.  Finally, one day after he said he found 'the perfect formula,' he tested it on me.  After hours of being in excruciating pain, I found out that I could control plants…  There was a weed growing in front of the small window he kept in his lab.  It was the only window that had access to sunlight.  I remember him beating me, and as I was begging him to stop, the plant grew larger as if it felt my pain and came to help me." 

"It kept growing as he kept beating me into submission so he could test more chemicals on me.  After what felt like an hour of beating me up, the plant managed to become this massive accumulation of weeds, flowers, leaves, and any other plant material it could find.  It made its way to the man and wrapped around him, pulling him away from me. The plants started strangling him.  He eventually lost consciousness and once the plant realized he was passed out, it started wilting slowly and soon died.  You could say my pain was what caused the plants to save me." 

Bucky was watching you in awe, though he seemed upset (at the man, never you) at your story. "Wow, Doll…  I can't believe that happened to you.  I'm so sorry." he told you, and you gently took his metal arm and held his hand, smiling softly up at him.  "Thank you, Buck.  I really appreciate it.  It took some time to get over it and the pain of the nightmares, but I'm stronger than I used to be because of it."  You let go of his hand when the elevator dinged to let you know you made it to the lobby. 

You both walked out of the elevator and to the grocery store that was around the block.  You walked in casual silence and grabbed a shopping cart once you entered the small store.  Bucky helped you get everything on the list and a few ton of other things you didn't really need but was requested by the other avengers.  After what felt like a long time, you and Bucky finally finished shopping and headed towards the checkout section. 

As you and Bucky made your way over to the checkout section, you both heard soft gasps from behind you.  You both then heard whispering that sounded like it belonged to some children.  "Is that really him, Charlie?!"  "It has to be Dante!!"  Soon, the sound of running could be heard coming from behind you and Bucky.  You looked towards Bucky to see if he heard it as well.  He had.  As you both turned around, you saw two young kids that looked to be around 6 or 7, running towards you both. 

The two kids, Charlie and Dante, you assumed, stopped in front of you.  They look up with awe on their faces at you and Bucky.  "Mr. Winter Soldier??" The little boy asks Bucky with a bright smile on his face.  "Uh.. yes?" he asks as he moves to stand on one knee before the little boy.  "Can I have your autograph??  Please, Mr. Winter Soldier!  You're my favorite superhero!!"  Bucky was taken back at the boy's words.  "O-oh sure!"  He was excited that a young child wanted his autograph after everything he's done as the winter soldier.  He grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, writing Dante a note before signing it. 

Bucky handed Dante the note with a smile. Immediately after he gave Dante the signed paper, Dante gave Bucky a big hug. "Thank you so much, Mr. Winter Soldier!!" Dante told him happily and ran over to his mom.  Charlie was talking with Y/N the whole time Bucky was with Dante.  "Ms. Y/L/N?" She shyly asked you while tugging on your dress lightly.  "Yes, hun?" you asked with a smile and moved down to her eye level.  "Are you Mr. Winter Soldier's girlfriend?"  You blushed dark, and your eyes widened at Charlie's words. 

"Uh… well, that's a complicated sweetheart.  Maybe one day." you tell Charlie, and she smiles brightly and squeals, running off to her mom and brother.  Bucky, thankfully, didn't hear you tell Charlie you hoped to be his girlfriend one day.  After you talked with the kids, you paid for all your groceries and walked back to the tower. 

"Hey, Doll?" Bucky asked, looking at you as you walked beside each other on the street.  "Yes, Bucky?" you replied, glancing at him before turning your head to look in front of you.  "What did that little girl ask you? I heard her say something, but I couldn't make it out." he asked you curiously, having wondered since they left the grocery store a few minutes ago.  "Oh yeah. She did ask me something.." you said softly as you kept walking, not telling him as you were scared he wouldn't like you back. 

"Y/N, was it something bad?  Something that made you think of past memories?"  He stopped you in the middle of the sidewalk, gently grabbed your hand.  "No, no, Bucky, I promise!  It's just… embarrassing…"  He tilted his head like a confused puppy looking at you.  You took a minute before you let out a sigh.  "She asked me… if I was your girlfriend."  You looked away for a second before looking back at him. 

"Oh... " he mumbled out softly and looked away from your gaze.  You were scared that he would reject you, but you had no time to react as he said, "Well, would you like to be?"  Your eyes widened, and you blinked a few times.  It took you a minute to come back with a response.  You soon found yourself smirking, asking him, "Why don't you take me on a date first, Barnes?"  You took your hand out of his and walked into the Avengers tower, feeling confident in yourself.  As you left Bucky on the sidewalk to walk into the tower, you heard an excited Barnes exclaim, "Finally!"  You giggled as you continued into the tower. 

[roberttchase]

helping your partner into the shower, undressing and cleaning them up when they're too upset to do it themselves + Brettsey 🙂🙂

I love this prompt so much!!! Thank you! I know I normally do angst, like...lots of angst. But I have a test today that if I don't pass will seriously hinder me, so I'm writing something a little more lighthearted and fluffy. Hope that's ok!

//

The thing is, they've been going back and forth with this seller for almost a week. There's two other couples with offers on the table, but they've really been hopeful. I mean...come on. Who wouldn't want to sell to a paramedic in charge and captain of the Chicago Fire Department? The house has everything, too. It's a modest three bedroom only a couple of miles from the firehouse, in an area that; for Chicago, is pretty safe.

The house itself is white, slightly weathered from the rain and snow that the city brings. The doors and molding are black, and it looks like something out of one of Sylvie's HGTV shows. Logically, she's aware they could paint any house, but this one's perfect. The closet in the master is big enough that both she and Matt can use it at the same time, the current owners have just put in a new, very large bathtub. One of the other bedrooms is the perfect distance away for what needs to be a nursery, if miss Adelaide plans on getting here anytime soon.

Sighing, Sylvie swallows thickly as she and Matt listen to the voice on the other side of the phone telling them that the home's just been sold to another couple. Blinking hard, Sylvie stays quiet, and while Matt thanks the man, the blonde wanders over to the window near the couch. It's not that she doesn't love the apartment they're in now- it's more spacious than her old one, and it holds wonderful memories for her and her fiance. But. It's not right for a family.

Beau, their little french bulldog, waddles over and gives a huff as he looks up, then stands on his hind legs, front paws against her leg. Slowly, much slower than she would have seven months ago, Sylvie bends down and picks their thirteen pound dog up, careful not to bonk him into her ever growing belly.

"Hey Beau, looks like you're going to have to wait a little longer on that yard," she whispers, and Sylvie can feel tears accumulating. That's one thing she's been struggling with as her pregnancy gets further along- getting more emotional. But this is a valid excuse to be emotional, she thinks, as she hugs the black and white pup tighter. That was supposed to be their home. And just like that someone else got it. A few tears fall.

She's unaware of Matt's presence until arms are sliding around her from behind, hands coming to rest on her (still small for seven months) bump.

"We'll figure it out. This just means that somewhere there's an even better place out there for us. What does your dad always say...everything has a way of working out?"

A tight nod of her head and she turns, letting Beau down before curling into Matt's arms. The mention of her father has her heart aching to see him again. "Y-Yeah."

"We'll look around tomorrow. It'll be okay. We still have plenty of time before Ads comes along. I promise Sunshine." With a kiss to her forehead, Matt tilts her head up by her jaw, and blue eyes meet blue-green. "I love you."

"I love you too." Her voice is still wobbly. "I just...that house was perfect. In the perfect area, an-"

"Let's not dwell on it, yeah? How about we go shower like you had said you wanted to, then we can order some food and watch Hocus Pocus, hmm?"

A smile starts tugging at her lips. Sylvie knows Matt's tired of watching the Disney movie, but it's one of her favorites, especially when she's upset or sick. It's been playing more often since it's become Autumn and the spooky decor has started filtering in and pushing back to school items in the stores out.

"Really?"

"I think I can manage sitting through it one more time. But only for you. Come on."

With a tug of her hand, Matt pulls her towards the bathroom right next to their bedroom. As she closes the door, she watches the firefighter squat down and grab her favorite lotion for afterwards.

"Thank you...for taking care of me and Adelaide," Sylvie says softly, as she struggles to get off her lounge shorts. Matt gives her a grin, then catches her lips in a quick kiss.

"Anytime. Here..." he trails off and steadies her as she pulls the shorts off. Lifting her arms up, Matt helps her with her shirt too, then catches another kiss. He shuffles her into the shower, making sure the water is a good temperature, then, once her hair is wet, starts lathering it up with her shampoo, the one Matt always calls stupid-expensive.

"You want to make some cookies after? We have those break apart ones, the ones with the little pumpkins on them?"

Sylvie snaps her head up to look at him from under the spray. "When did we get those?" They're her favorite.

"I may have picked them up when I went grocery shopping earlier." A sneaky little smile appears on Matt's face and Sylvie thinks there's no way she can love him more.

"Thank you, Matt Casey. You're something special."

"Nah. I just know you and our daughter, and knew we were out of sweet things. The world might have come to an end if I hadn't found something."

It's true. With the sweet tooth she has, she knows if she hadn't been able to have some kind of dessert, especially after the news, she would have probably had another good cry.

"Love you."

"Love you too bumblebee. Now lets finish you up so we can start on getting you feeling a little happier."

"I am happy...even though we got some shitty news...you always make me happy."

[cole-grey-writes]

Brown Hair Braided

Universe: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Timeline: Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Character(s): Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes

Pairing(s): Stucky x Male Reader

Warning(s): tooth rotting fluff

Request: Hi king!! Your writing is amazing! I’d love to request a cuddly stucky x boyfriend reader. Bonus points for extra snuggly long haired Bucky and Steve and the reader playing with his hair.

A/n: WOW so sorry this took me a while to get up. I was busy with online classes and homework, all that shit. and if anyone is interested to know, i finished applying to my first college (yeah cutting it suuuper short but fuck im a procrastinator). I really hope you enjoy this fic. Keep sending in your requests, i really like writing for you guys!

You sit at the desk that sits in your bedroom, doing some last minute paperwork before the weekend. You’re startled from your focus and analytical thoughts when you get a frantic text from one of your boyfriends, Steve. You smile.

It's been a couple years since you had started going out with Steve but it still feels like you two were in the honeymoon phase. Steve brings a smile to your face at even the slightest mention of him. Although, you’re a little confused as to why Steve didn’t just call you. It’s what he usually prefers to converse with you while you are away from each other, Steve having told you it had something to do with liking to hear your voice. You chose not to dig further to spare Steve’s already tomato red face from exploding.

You turn away from your computer and small stack of papers, picking up your phone just as the screen lights up with another text.

Steve [5:23 p.m.]    Y/N Y/N Y/N

Steve [5:23 p.m.]    HEY

Steve [5:24 p.m.]    ANSWER

You snort, wondering what Steve seems so excited about.

You [5:24 p.m.]    what

Steve [5:23 p.m.]    BUCK IS COMING HOME

You’re immediately sitting up straight, smile spreading even wider. You now understand why Steve had chosen to text you, probably embarrassed to start loudly squealing over their boyfriend coming home while in his place of work.

Bucky was your other boyfriend, something you wouldn’t have believed if you were to bring it up with your past self. This is mostly due to the almost palpable tension between the two of you when you and Bucky officially met about a year prior.

You, Steve, Sam, and occasionally Natasha, had been trailing after Bucky all over Europe for a few months. Bucky must have been slowly rebuilding himself during that time because he had suddenly stopped running right before you were going to hit the four (4) month mark.

You didn’t understand where all the awkwardness had been coming from. For all you knew, you were just looking for Steve’s childhood best friend, one of the only people to still remain from Steve’s old life. That was, until Sam and Natasha started making offhand comments about how deep Steve and Bucky’s friendship seemed to run (you honestly didn’t and don’t blame either of them for the new wave of insecurities that flooded your mind, you and Steve having agreed to keep the relationship, which you started only a few weeks before the reveal of HYDRA’s secret operations inside SHIELD, you started a secret until you two became more comfortable).

Everything made sense after that. It was understandable that you and Bucky had a fragile relationship in the beginning. And it really was only in the beginning. It didn’t take long before you and Bucky started bonding over your shared love for Steve and it didn’t take long after that before something started forming between the three of.

You [5:25 p.m.]    !!!!!

You [5:26 p.m.]    OMG

You [5:26 p.m.]    REALLY?!?

Steve [5:26 p.m.]    YES!

Steve [5:26 p.m.]    we need to hurry he’s on the way home rn

You [5:26 p.m.]    oH UM

You [5:27 p.m.]    i’m home rn

You [5:27 p.m.]    i can set up everything here

Steve [5:27 p.m.]    good!!

Steve [5:27 p.m.]    i can get dinner and dessert on my way home

You [5:27 p.m.]    perfect

Steve [5:28 p.m.]    ok 123 brEAK

You snort at Steve’s comedic antics as you push yourself away from your desk and away from your work. You know that you'll have to finish those at some point before monday. You’ll most likely be doing it late sunday night due to the fact that you’re going to be completely preoccupied with your boyfriends all weekend because it's been a few weeks since all three of you have been together.

This is obviously due to your hectic work schedules, Steve stuck with what was left of SHIELD, unofficially of course, doing top secret secret agent missions. Bucky had joined him in that soon after he was cleared for it. You, on the other hand, have a very typical and boring office job, a job that has become very demanding as of late with your boss giving out extra paperwork around your floor.

But, you don’t have to worry about that at the moment, you remind yourself. That thought spurs you into moving around your apartment, an apartment that you’ve been sharing with your boyfriends for a couple of months now. You note this fact with a small surge of glee inside your head as you rush to your closet where you keep all your blankets at.

You pull out the blankets you have, which is quite a lot, a fact you’re slightly embarrassed to admit. You’ve accumulated a bunch of them throughout your entire life, some as gifts from your friends and family and others from your lack of self control during the fall and winter time of the blatant holiday themes are anything to go by. You’re pretty sure your old baby blankets are boxed up somewhere, likely under your bed.

You pile the load of blankets high in your arms, so much so that you can’t see where you’re going if you don’t walk sideways as you make your way towards the living room. The living room where everything is going to happen.

Dropping the mountain of blankets on the couch unceremoniously, you immediately start to arrange them all around the couch. You bunch and ball the blankets around the back of the couch, trying to form a cocoon out of them so that you, Steve, and Bucky can remain warm no matter where or how any of you sit while you watch movie after movie throughout the rest of the night.

Which reminds you, it’s not possible to have a movie night without any movies.

turning to the small movie rack that sits next to the TV, you waste no time at all in picking out any movies that catch your eye which are quite a few movies, a good number of which are Steve and Bucky’s favorites. You set the, rather large, stack of movies next to the couch blanket fort so they’re out and ready to pick through whenever.

You’re left with a small clean up after that. You clear off the coffee table for when Steve gets home with the food, picking up leftover coffee mugs (courtesy of Steve) and rinsing them before sticking them in the dishwasher for you to deal with later. Then, you move the books lying around the living room to the miniature bookshelf in your bedroom before gathering all the drawing paper and well used pencils (also courtesy of Steve) and placing those on the left bedside table, the side Steve likes to sleep on when he’s not in the middle.

You wander around the apartment after that, looking for anything else to clean while you wait for Steve to arrive. It takes less time than you think it should have, which is surprising, so surprising that you almost think someone is politely breaking in when you hear the sound of the door clicking open and closed.

You head out of your bedroom where you were perusing a book, something you could distract yourself with, when you heard. You walk into the kitchen to see Steve already unpacking the food, clearly having rushed home.

You’re not able to hold back your smile upon seeing your boyfriend for the first time in weeks. “Need any help?” you wonder, your appearance catching Steve’s attention. He turns towards you, it being quite obvious that Steve is as excited to see you as you are to see him if the wide smile that spreads across his face in seconds is anything to go by.

Steve pauses in his unpacking to lean towards as you approach him swiftly, so he can pull you into a warm kiss. You and Steve feel each other smile during the kiss, making you two smile even harder. “Help would be great,” Steve tells you after you separate. He resumes unpacking the food from the plastic bag it was put into.

You identify the logo on the bag now that you’re so close and it’s clear that the food is from Bucky’s favorite burger place. You take note of the food as you help Steve set everything out on the counter. There’s three (3) different to-go boxes, no doubt filled with favorite menu items. You also spot three (3) medium sized milkshakes sitting in the cup container.

“Dessert?”

“It’s in the fridge,” Steve informs you.

Making a sound of interest and curiosity, you ask, “What is it?”

Steve smirks and raises his eyebrows. “Went to the store and got one of those ice cream cakes Buck likes.”

“Well,” you start, “that will certainly be a nice treat for later.”

You and Steve share a smile as you both grab the food and milkshakes so you can bring it to the living room. The living room where you plan to have dinner and a show with your two wonderful super-soldier boyfriends.

Afterwards, you and Steve resign yourselves to standing around the kitchen, catching up on the last few weeks. You and Steve are ready to happily greet Bucky once the time comes that he opens the door.

It feels like time drags on and on while you two are waiting so you’re very much thankful when you finally hear the turning of the doorknob. You and Steve separate from where you had been wrapped around each other, turning and shouting Bucky’s name in excitement. Just as he walks through the door, Bucky is all bashful as soon as he sees his two boyfriends greet him with spread arms and wide smiles.

You look him up and down for the first time in quite awhile, Bucky just as gorgeous as he always was. He clearly showered and changed beforehand if the damp hair and sweatpants are anything to go by.

Bucky drops the gym bag, obviously filled with his dirty and possibly damaged suit, on the floor. He stretches his arms out, resting each hand on the back of your and Steve’s necks so he can pull you both in close to give each of you a kiss on the lips.

“Welcome home.”

“Welcome home indeed,” Bucky rumbles back, a heart-eye look sweeping across his face. You’re one of the two people on earth that gets to receive that look, not that you mean to brag or anything.

“I’ll take your bag and put it in our room,” Steve tells Bucky. Bucky thanks him before he pulls Steve into another kiss. It’s something you feel there’s going to be a lot of for the rest of the evening, which you look forward to.

Steve takes Bucky’s gym bag from him before walking off so he can do exactly as he said, leaving you and your other boyfriend by yourselves in the kitchen. Once Steve is out of reach, you feel Bucky’s hand move from the back of your neck to your waist, which allows him to pull you in close. He presses you against his chest so he can engage in a deep reunion kiss. It’s been a long time since you’ve last felt his lips against yours which is why you allow yourself to indulge.

You have to force yourself to take a step back. “Not that I'm not enjoying this, because I 100 percent am, but…” you trail off as you take Bucky’s hand in yours, ”we should go to the living room for your first surprise.”

“First surprise?” Bucky’s tone lilts in clear interest, eyebrows raising. It’s almost as if he’s joking but you’re able to tell that Bucky’s genuinely looking forward to what you and Steve have prepared for him.

“We haven’t seen each other properly in weeks. There’s a lot to catch up on.”

“Well, I am definitely looking forward to it. Lead the way, doll,” Bucky instructs you, causing you to chuckle before you turn away from him in order for him to lead him into the living room.

You present the done up living room with wide open arms and an enthusiastic ‘ta-da’ and it seems that if Bucky’s smile could get bigger, it probably would. He surveys your and Steve’s work before he turns back towards you and also Steve, who has just rejoined you and Bucky. “What do you think, Buck?”

“You know what I think, Stevie baby,” Bucky tells him, grabbing one of each of your and Steve’s hands. “I absolutely love it.”

Changing the subject a little, you say, “Well, pick a seat because none of us are moving for anything other than changing the movie and getting dessert.”

Bucky hums, his voice lifting up high at the end. “Dessert, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Steve dismisses before his boyfriend could get any ideas. “You have to finish your dinner first.”

Bucky nods eagerly, not in any way bothered by being withheld dessert, before he takes his seat in the middle of the couch. He clearly wants to have his boyfriends cuddled up on either side of him.

“So, what do you want to watch first?” you question while you scoot the pile of movies closer to Bucky, who doesn’t take any time at all to begin picking out the movie he wants. And as it turns out, it’s a horror movie called The Apparition.

While he takes it from the pile, Bucky comments, “Been awhile since I’ve seen one fo these.”

“Horror movie, huh?” Steve jokes. “Trying to be our knight in shining armor while we cower behind you in fear?” you laugh alongside your boyfriends.

You settle back on the couch once you’ve taken the movie from Bucky and put it in the DVD player, which begins to play shortly after. You and your boyfriends snuggle into each other’s sides, feet pulled close to your bodies as you all munch on your food.

Well, it’s more like Steve and Bucky are eating their food. At the moment, you were less interested in your food and more interested in Bucky. Your boyfriend was distracting in general, both of them were. But it’s the smooth brown waves of Bucky’s hair that’s distracting you specifically. It looks so soft, especially so after Bucky’s washed it, and you just want to run your fingers through it, play with it for hours.

Your eyes wander down to your wrist as you continue to think about your boyfriend’s long hair, eyes catching on the little black band around your wrist. It’s a hair tie, one that you and Steve always have wrapped around your wrists for this precise reason. For tying up Bucky’s hair when he needs or wants to. It’s a habit to keep hair ties on your person constantly, originating right around the time Bucky was cleared to go on missions. He had decided that he wanted to keep his hair long, at least for the time being, so as the length of Bucky’s hair grew larger so did the need for hair ties at any given time.

You glance between Bucky’s hair and the hair tie, your self control wearing thin. After only a few seconds, you’re not able to help yourself from reaching your hand out to your boyfriend’s beautiful brown hair. You weave your fingers through a few strands is all it takes for your desire to skyrocket.

Tangling both of your hands to Bucky’s hair, you feel him pause in his eating but you pay it no mind as you begin to languidly braid his hair. It’s not long before another pair of hands join yours. Looking over, you spot a giddy Steve on the other side of Bucky. It appears as if your thoughts have rubbed off on him because he grabs the other half of Bucky’s hair so he can braid it alongside you.

Bucky chuckles, clearly amused. “You two are ridiculous.” Although, you wonder if Bucky can really blame you.

“Your hair is really beautiful, though,” Steve adds. Bucky doesn’t say anything in response, not that it matters. The blush that highlights his cheeks for the next five minutes is telling enough.

You and Steve share knowing looks as you both continue to braid your boyfriend’s hair, permanent smiles stretching across your faces.

(NOT MY GIF)

Main Blog // Other Side Blog

((NO ONE HAS MY PERMISSION TO REPOST MY WORK ANYWHERE EVEN WITH CREDIT))

[thithesandofferings]

Gym...Date Raian x Reader

TW: 18+ MINORS DO NOT ENTER

Semi-public sex, Rough- (but is anyone surprised-) Scent kink, spit kink - hes just nasty and we love him for it. 

It wasnt often when you would accompany Raian to workout, but today you felt a spark that you needed to. You did skip a few workout days yourself and its been awhile since you felt that satisfying soreness post workout. You and Raian both had a love for working out and thusly transformed your own gym in one of the downstairs rooms. Throwing your phone on the bed you quickly changed into some short and a sports bra and went down to meet him. When you got there Raian was already starting his routine so you decided to start on your warm ups seeing how he didnt wait for you. Simple stretches is what you decided to begin with before some cardio. 

Your eyes glanced to where Raian was, he looked so focus while he worked out. It was a side to him you hardly saw and it was actually quite refreshing. He seemed so in tuned with every raise of the dumbbell, releasing air whenever it went back down. He truly loved the sport he did, regardless of how dangerous it was. Well he might be more dangerous than the sport itself. You found yourself giggling to yourself, which caught his attention. His eyes met with yours, he smirked, knowing well you were staring at him for some time, causing you to almost choke on your own spit. 

You quickly turned and continued on with your stretches. Slowly raising your hands above your head you stretch and then just as slowly bend over to touch your toes. You repeated that process until you heard a heavy object fall to the ground. You paused mid stretch to look back and saw Raian picking up the dumb bell he apparently let dropped. You stare at him confused. 

"H-how did you manage to-" 

"Shit happens OK!" 

".....ok..." After dragging your eyes from him for at least a minute you finally get into your routine. This one was by far one of the hardest ones you could have picked. It literally worked out your arm, legs, back, glutes and thighs. You finally had a 2 minute break and you so happen to meet eyes with Raians again. He looked done with his routine so he was just sitting on the bench motioning for you to come over by him. "..huh?...but im not don-" 

He raised an eyebrow .

"...Raian please...im almost done-" 

"Y/N if I ask a third time you'll regret it" 

With that you instantly go to his side. You go to sit next to him but he grabs your waist pulling you into his lap. 

"Noooo im sweatyy" 

"So" 

"So?? I dont wanna-" your words got caught off, feeling something wet along your back. 

 "Just as i thought...you taste delicious" he said dragging another wipe across your arm now. He pinned you tightly against his lap and pulled you back even further. He then made his way to the crook of your neck, he kissed up your nape to the bottom of your ear. Slowly licking and nipping, licking and nipping at your wet skin

 "R-raian...please...atleast let me...shower first" 

His grip tightened as he growled into your ear. 

"You see...ive been watching you all that time...ive been finished with my workout from long old time and i couldnt help but observe my little kitten busy with hers." He breathed in your ear. His breath was hot...hot and dripping in want and need. His voice also seemed to crack a bit which was a sign he was really...really ready to break...or well to break you.

 "But...i...F-FUCK.." He slipped a hand between your leg. At this point you wasnt sure if it was sweat or arousal but your will to care was slowly leaving you. His thumb began running circles up and down your clothed folds, increasingly picking up speed as he continued. 

 "I bet this tastes even better huh?...you dont know how bad i wanted to bend you over this bench whiles you did your stretches...made it hard for me to concentrate on my own fucking exercise." 

He bit down on your shoulder and then licked around it. "- but you knew what you was doing...right kitty? Thats why you wanted to come work out with me here" 

"N-n...no..i..i didnt"

 "Dont lie to me kitty...what other reason did you have then?" He made use of his other hand, grabbing both breasts at once and squeezing. He always knew the exact location of your nipple and wasted no time in kneading them.

 ".....i..i..just-HHHHNNNGG_i..." 

"Speak up kitty...i cant understand a word you're saying" he smirked behind you. At this point his erection was more than visible and even more so notable as you sat on him. The heat alone coming from off of it was enough to make you whimper and try to ground down on him for some type of friction. ANYTHING! 

He stilled his hand from between your legs and grabbed your head back by your hair. Skillfully wrapping them twice around his hand in once quick fluid motion of his wrist. 

"Now now kitty, are you that fucking desperate for my cock? Tryna grind down this naughty ass on me like that...no no kitty...you gotta earn it first." You could only whimper and whine as his grip tightened in your hair. 

You struggle to even swallow the spit accumulating in your mouth, yet right now only one thing was on your mind. "What color kitty?" 

"..g-green..." 

"Good girl" he smiled before crashing his lips into yours. It took little to no time for you to allow him into your mouth. His tongue quickly taking over your senses as he literally kissed you breathless. His hand flew down into your shorts and swiped up your folds before parting them, causing you to break the kiss. He took advantage of this moment by quickly removing his fingers and placed two of his large digits into your gapping mouth. "Suck it clean kitty...and then i'll clean up the rest downstairs" 

The moan you let out around his fingers was by far the most shameful thing you ever heard but then again you didnt care much. You notice the way his eyes closed as soon as he felt your tongue wrap around his fingers. The wet lapping motion you did with his tongue was enough to drag out a throaty moan from him which even caused him twitch. 

"FUCK...you're so good with that tongue kitty...so..so fucking good" he pulled and pushed his fingers in your mouth, basically face fucking you with his hands. At the last pull you sucked on his fingers and did a small bite as he popped out of your mouth. When he opened his eyes all you saw staring back at you was dark black irises. Oh shit. Without a word he lifted you up and threw you over his shoulder and started off towards the stairs. 

"You caused this on your self kitty" he said smacking your already sore ass. 

"I just wanted to work out...its been so long since i was sore from a workout"

 "If you wanted to be sore from a workout....you only needed to ask...i'll make sure you're fucking sore alright. Really fucking sore"

-Krissy

[tanyawritesstories]

Liquid Hearts | The Mandalorian x Reader pt. 7 finale

It's the end! This is the last chapter in this series, I hope y'all have enjoyed the entire thing thus far. I hope you think this end is satisfying, sorry if this chapter is so much shorter than the other ones. I hope you enjoy! 🥰

Series Masterlist

Word count: 2.6k

Warnings: fluff, so many feelings, arguing, canon divergence, more fluff, hints at past abuse, Din is adorable when nervous

•••

Din’s jaw dropped under his helmet. The Supreme Chancellor’s daughter. How was that even possible? This entire time he’d been traveling with an extremely powerful and important person and he hadn’t even known it. “That makes sense,” he heard Cara say from behind him. Din walked over to Y/N. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She sighed. “It wasn’t important and I was trying to stay away, to be invisible,” she answered. “I left the Rebellion just before the war ended. I was tired of it. Tired of being held hostage, tired of being protected and treated like an object of power.”

“My husband was an X-Wing pilot, I married him right after my mother said it was ok if we left the rebel cause. I never turned my back on them, never betrayed them. But I hated being in the spotlight, having to give orders, having to kill, having to tell families that their loved ones had died in combat,” tears accumulated in her eyes again. “I could only live that life for so long.”

Din wasn’t mad at her, how could he be? He realized now that the past she didn’t want to tell him about had been riddled with hurt and abuse. He understood now.

“Fett should be here soon and I’ll be gone,” Fennec said. She walked to Din and Y/N. “I hope everything works out,” she said to Din. “Thank you, Fennec,” Y/N said, “for helping rescue me and my daughter.” Fennec nodded to her and left the bridge. “What now?” Koska asked. “We wait, until the New Republic arrives and we sort everything out,” Bo-Katan answered her.

~~~~

It was a tense hour and a half until the New Republic X-Wing transports showed up. Luke hopped back in his X-Wing and helped escort the light cruiser to the nearest habitable planet with a suitable secluded spot where they could land. The X-Wings landed first, their pilots exited the craft and waited.

Y/N came out of the light cruiser with Din, Cara, Koska, and Bo-Katan all behind her. Din had offered to carry Mandi for her while she did official business. Y/N greeted Carson and Trapper beside their X-Wings. “So how have you boys been?” “Getting old,” Carson replied. Y/N laughed, “it’s good to see you both again.” Carson put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry about your husband,” he said. Y/N smiled sadly and nodded. “The Chancellor is on her way here, she should arrive in a few minutes,” he said.

“She’s coming in person?” Y/N questioned. “Of course she is, she hasn’t seen her daughter in four years,” Trapper put in. Within a few minutes a large New Republic transport landed. Several armed guards and security exited the craft first and stood at attention. Then Mon Mothma herself came out of the craft. She looked at her daughter and saw the turmoil in her eyes, walking towards Y/N with her arms open. Y/N ran into her mother’s arms, hugging her tight.

“I missed you, my dear,” she said. “I missed you too, mama,” Y/N replied. They pulled away and Mon Mothma pushed Y/N’s hair out of her face. “I’m so sorry about Aogen, I heard what happened,” Mothma said. “Are you doing alright?” Y/N nodded and smiled sadly, “I’m getting there.” Mothma cupped her daughter’s cheek. “Last I heard, you were only weeks away from your due date. I haven’t seen my grandchild yet.”

Y/N smiled and turned around, motioning for Din to bring Mandi over. He hesitantly approached with Mandi in his arms and Grogu in the shoulder bag. Y/N took the baby from him and placed her in her grandmother’s arms. “This is your granddaughter, Mandi,” Y/N said. The older woman smiled and cooed over the baby. “How old is she now?” “A little under three weeks,” Y/N answered. “She seems like a healthy, happy young one,” Mothma stated. “We have this Mandalorian to thank for that,” Y/N said motioning to Din. “He delivered her, and has been helping me take care of her ever since.”

Din flushed under his helmet, not used to the attention and he wasn’t sure if he liked it. “You have my deepest thanks, for protecting both of them,” Mothma told Din. He wasn’t sure how to respond. “Um, it was my pleasure,” he managed to say. She handed Mandi back to Y/N. “I hate to have to talk business but you said you captured Moff Gideon,” she said. “Not me,” Y/N said. She turned around and faced the others that came with her. “They did, plus a couple others that couldn’t stay for the festivities.”

Mon Mothma addressed the three women and Din. “You all have my utmost thanks and the thanks of the New Republic,” she looked back at Y/N. “Where do you have him?” Y/N smiled and jerked her head towards Cara. “New Republic Marshal Dune will lead you to him.” Cara smirked as Mothma told a few guards to go with Cara to get Gideon. “I will address the situation of Mandalore with the other two later, they have been on the radar for sometime, I will work something out with them,” Mothma ensured.

Luke approached and the Chancellor greeted him. “What was your issue with Luke this time?” Mothma asked her daughter. Y/N got a determined expression on her face. “He wants to take this child away from his father,” Y/N answered. She pointed to Grogu, who looked up at the strangers with curious eyes. “He must be trained or he will continuously be at risk,” Luke said. “Fine, but can Mando at least be allowed to visit your school and see his son, you can’t take him away forever!” Y/N protested.

Luke thought for a moment. “I suppose that could be an option,” he said. “Anytime he wants, they’re extremely attached to each other, and the kid only listens to Mando anyway,” Y/N added. “I can agree with these terms,” Luke said with a nod. “Does that sound good to you, Mando?” Y/N asked Din. He looked between the three expectant faces all waiting for an answer from him. “I just want the kid to be safe,” he said. “Very well, perhaps you would like to visit when the school is finally finished,” Luke offered. “Then you could see your little one in action.”

Din nodded slowly. “I’d like that.” Luke nodded respectfully to Din. “We have one more thing to discuss,” Mothma said. “This Mandalorian hasn’t exactly had pleasant run-ins with the New Republic recently.” Din sighed, there had to be a catch. Y/N stood tall. “I will take on any lawful repercussions that he may have warranted,” Y/N announced. Din looked between Y/N and her mother. “No,” he said, putting his arm around Y/N’s back. “I can’t let you do that for me. You already let yourself get captured and tortured by the Imps.” “I know, and you saved me, so we’re even,” Y/N said. “Now I’m doing this for you, so-”

“No, I can take responsibility for my own choices,” Din said, taking her hand. “That won’t be necessary,” Mothma interrupted. She called to someone behind her who walked over. “See that this Mandalorian’s criminal record gets wiped clean.” Y/N and Din exchanged glances. “You have done a great service to the New Republic today, it’s the least we can do for you,” the Chancellor said. Y/N got excited and wrapped Din into a tight hug. He chuckled and hugged her back. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some other Mandalorians to talk to.”

~~~~

It took a couple weeks to sort everything out. The New Republic had promised to help Bo-Katan any way they could although it looked bleak. Y/N hid the Darksaber on the ship they were taking back to Trask to pick up a couple other Mandalorians. Din was given plenty of time to say goodbye to Grogu and even flew him to Luke’s Jedi school on Ach-To to drop him off. Y/N had come with and Luke took them both on a tour. They decided to stay the night and Din found Y/N away from everyone else, sitting on a rock and watching the sunset.

“Can I join you?” Y/N smiled. “Of course.” Din took a seat next to her and stared out at the water. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who I was initially,” she said. “It’s ok, I understand why you did,” Din replied. “I’m still sorry, that I was such a burden, that I dragged you into the whole New Republic mess, I know I-” “Hey,” Din put his hand on her knee. “You weren’t a burden, not at all. In fact….I enjoyed our time...together.” She smiled at him again, “As did I.” Y/N took his hand off her knee and held it in her hands. “Mando, I...I meant what you saw me say when I was taken,” She stuttered. “I know you may not feel the same way, but I have to get this out. I love you.”

She looked out at the setting sun. “I thought it was wrong at first, my husband hasn’t been gone that long but it….I’ve never felt this way before, and…” she trailed off. Din shucked off his gloves and couldn’t resist reaching over to cup her cheek and turn her head to look at him. “Y/N I….I love you too.” He sighed shakily, might as well let it all out. “I’ve tried to deny it, tell myself it wasn’t real, but I’ve never felt anything like I do when I’m around you. You’re so good with both the kids and you’re such a strong person…”

Y/N smiled and leaned over to him, pressing a kiss to the cheek of his helmet. “I know that’s as close as I’ll ever get to you, but that’s ok. I love you regardless and I always will, you’ve done more for me in a matter of weeks than anyone has in my whole life. Thank you for that.” Din's heart rate sped up as he thought of an idea. “That’s not exactly true,” he said. “Family members can see my face, I..I let Grogu see me just before I let him go with Luke. And Mandi saw me without it by accident.”

Y/N laughed, a heavenly sound that Din thought could drive away any bad weather. “What do you mean on accident?” Din sighed. “The first night on that frozen planet, while you were sleeping she woke up so I took her up into the cockpit with me and got her back to sleep, I was eating and bumped my helmet and woke her up. I picked her up to calm her down and she opened her eyes,” he explained. Y/N giggled again. “No wonder she thought you were her father, you were the first male face she saw.”

Din chuckled and took a deep breath, standing up and pulling Y/N with him. “I...I want to show you…” She shook her head. “If you don’t feel comfortable then don’t, I’m not pushing you to-” “I want to,” Din said. He slowly placed both hands on his helmet and lifted it off his head. Awe was written all over her face as she looked at him. “Stars, you...you’re beautiful…” she breathed. Din blushed and looked at the ground. She cupped his cheeks in her hands and made him look at her. “Would you look at that, I’ve fallen in love with the most stunning being in the whole galaxy.”

“You, you’re stunning too,” he said, still blushing. “Yes, most beautiful..” It was Y/N’s turn to blush now. “You’re too sweet, Mando,” she said. “Din,” he corrected. “My name is Din.” She smiled. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any better,” she mused. “What happens now?” He sighed, setting his helmet on the ground and taking both her hands in his. “I know we haven’t known each other for long but I’ve been all over the galaxy, met all kinds of people and I’ve never known anyone who makes me feel the way you do. I don’t want to pass it up and never have the chance again..”

“Neither do I,” she agreed. “What do you say? Together from here on out?” He nodded. “Yes, I’m not losing you again.” Y/N smiled up at him as happy tears welled in her eyes. “Can I kiss you, Din?” A smile came to his face, “yes.” Y/N leaned up and her lips met with his in a passionate kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he pulled her closer by her waist. They stayed connected for as long as they could go without air before reluctantly breaking apart. Their foreheads rested against each other, basking in their newfound love. Din quietly asked her a question.

“Marry me?”

Four years later…

Mandi bounded off the Razor Crest, her bare feet touching down on Ach-To’s lush grasses. She ran up the hill and searched through the groups of children in Jedi training, looking for her older brother. She spotted him with a group of other children, practicing their levitation. “Grogu!” She called out. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her over to her brother, greeting him with a hug which he returned. “Mandi!” He gurgled happily. The little girl was now taller than Grogu despite the fact that he had been growing.

“Mandi!” She looked over her shoulder to see her father walking with her mother. “Don’t disturb them while they're training, you can wait,” he called. Luke came out of a nearby hut, smiling at his visitors. “It’s quite alright, Mandi. They can have a break,” Luke assured her. Mandi took Grogu’s hand and the children wandered off together. Luke strode over to Din and Y/N. “I see a lot has happened since I last saw you both,” he remarked. “Only ever good things,” Y/N said, rocking the newborn in her arms. He looked more like Din than Mandi did. Luke placed a gloved hand on the baby’s head.

“It’s been a bit of a wild ride,” Din said with a smile, “she went into labor early again.” Luke watched as their child slowly woke up and looked around. “What’s his name?” Din and Y/N exchanged glances. “Mar’eyce,” Din answered. “It’s Mando’a for discovery, and finding a state of heaven,” Y/N added. “He’s a result of the heaven we found with each other.” Luke smiled and looked back down at the little one. “A perfect name.” He let the baby clamp onto his finger and Luke’s brow furrowed for just a moment, something Din noticed. “What is it?”

Luke chuckled. “You two are going to have your hands full,” he said. “This little one is Force sensitive as well.” Y/N’s jaw dropped and she laughed. Din was shocked. “How do you know?” “I can feel it, most likely Mandi and Grogu can as well. Mar’eyce is strong with the Force,” Luke informed. “Stars, you’re potent,” Y/N joked, slapping Din’s chest plate. “Hey, hey,” he admonished lightly. “We’re in public.” Luke smiled at them. “I’d best find where Mandi and Grogu ran off too, he will be eager to help teach her how to levitate things.”

Luke left Din and Y/N and the woman laughed. “What’s so funny, my love?” Din asked. “We are outnumbered by Force sensitive children, this’ll be fun.” Din put his arm around her and held her close to him, smoothing his hand over his biological son’s little head.

“Yes, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[orangeoctopi7]

A Negligible Price

I guess it’s becoming a tradition for me to add another chapter to A Minor Inconvenience every year for @stanuary . I swear I didn’t mean for this to happen. It’s just that the prompt “Sacrifice” got me thinking about this story and where I thought it could go, and then I got writing and I started coming up with ideas for how I could actually put a finish to this story. So yeah, hopefully it won’t be another year before I post chapter 4, but not promises!

Also, first time I’ve had to do this, but:

CONTENT WARNING: DISCUSSION OF SUICIDE/MARTYR COMPLEX AND SUIDICE ADJACENT THEMES.

* * *

Bill rushes to gather himself together again. Now that Sixer and his idiot brother have caught on, he knows they’ll probably be making a move against him soon. The time for lying in wait and keeping a low profile has passed. He’s been getting faster, better at finding the tiny flecks of gold scattered into the dark abyss below. 

Unfortunately that also means that he’s noticed that some missing pieces just never turn up. As an interdimensional being who’s existed in countless dimensions across innumerable timelines, Bill likes to think he knows himself pretty well now. What he’s made of, how much power he’s accumulated, what he’s capable of. And if he had to estimate now, which he does, he’d say he’s been reduced to maybe a third of his power. Roughly two thirds of him are missing. 

What happened to those missing pieces? Were they simply deleted by that memory eraser? Did he leave some of himself behind in that physical form he left to enter Stan’s mind in the Fearamid? Bill can only guess, but really, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. What matters is getting out of this moron’s brain and starting again on his path to a universe free of rules.

* * *

Stan recovered from his latest memory lapse quickly, despite the fact that it was the worst one he’d experienced since he sacrificed himself to the memory gun last summer. The experience had clearly put Ford on edge, and as much as he tried to bottle up his emotions and remain calm, Stan could practically feel the panic coming off him in waves. 

They were both relieved when they reached Spitsbergen. There was a hospital in Longyearbyen, where Ford insisted they stop to give Stan a check-up. Stan felt fine, but if it helped ease Ford’s nerves, then he could sit through a check-up.

Explaining Stan’s condition to the doctor was a struggle, considering English was not his strongest language. They definitely got across that Stan was experiencing memory problems, but the doctor seemed to be under the impression it had been caused by an injury to the head in an accident, rather than a purposeful exposure to a memory-erasing device. 

Eventually, Ford had lost his patience and just asked if they could use the CT or MRI machine themselves. The doctor spoke enough English to tell them that the nearest CT or MRI machine was in either Iceland or Russia.

The elder Pines twins left the hospital in low spirits. Ford kicked at little pebbles as they walked down the street.

“There’s a research facility in Ny-Ålesund. Perhaps we could sail up there and commandeer some equipment to rig up our own CT scan…”

“I think it’d be easier to just hop on a plane back to the States at this point.” Stan suggested.

“If we’re going to hop on a plane somewhere, it’ll be to Reykjavik, where we won’t have to pay an arm and a leg for any treatments.”

“Yeah, we’ll just have to wait half a year.” Stan rolled his eyes. “I don’t think they’re gonna take ‘revived demon in my head’ as an urgent need.”

“Probably not…” Ford admitted.

“And you’re sure you didn’t figure anything else out the last time you were pokin’ around in my head?”

Ford grit his teeth. The truth was, he was afraid what would happen if he tried to revisit that memory. The cold flames of the memory eraser had felt so real, even just revisiting it in Stan’s mind, and they seemed to be the trigger of his latest memory lapse. Would they have a similar effect within Ford’s own memory?

“Nothing I’ve been able to make sense of.”

Stan grit his teeth. “So what now? Just leave that jerk in my head?”

Ford sighed. “I want to do some more research into what we’ve learned so far. Perhaps a trip to the library will help me find some insight. But truthfully… I may have been too hasty with punching out Bill, when I encountered him. He’s a liar who can’t be trusted, but he’s also a braggart. If I’d just let him run his mouth a little longer, we may have learned something about what he’s up to.”

* * *

Longyearbyen’s library wasn’t any bigger than the public library in Gravity Falls, and had significantly fewer books relating to Bill and mind magic, but it did at least have access to several library databases that Ford couldn’t typically log into from the Stan’O’War II. (According to Fiddleford, these databases could be hacked into quite easily, but Ford didn’t have the time or the wherewithal to learn how) It would have to do for now. Ford took a seat at a computer, and with a little help from a librarian, he was soon scrolling through peer-reviewed articles from different archeologists and anthropologists and folklore experts and descendants of the Aztecs and Mayans debating who Xolotl was, what his role was in the Aztec religion, how much his lore changed from Pre- and Post- Colombian invasion, and so forth. 

What he’d learned so far was interesting, to say the least. The things that most people agreed upon was that Xolotl was a god of death, fire, and lightning. What caught Ford’s attention was the fact that they were also the god of twins and deformities. He glanced down at his twelve fingers, which rested awkwardly on the small keyboard meant for people with just ten. It seemed odd that Bill would call on this particular death god, when they seemed far more likely to be a patron to Stan and Ford. 

While Ford puzzled over this new information, Stan browsed the library, looking for something to entertain himself while he waited. Unsurprisingly, there weren’t a whole lot of English books in this Norwegian library. Luckily, it wasn’t long before he stumbled upon an extensive comics section. Even though he still couldn’t read most of them, the pictures were at least enough that he got the gist of what was going on.

 European comics were very different from American comics. They featured a lot less costumed superheroes punching bad guys and a lot more weird, quirky characters setting out on adventures and exploring the world. They also seemed to lean more heavily on comedy rather than drama. Stan decided he liked them.

He’d been looking at a story about some rich duck when he noticed he felt odd. He didn’t know how else to explain it other than to say that his brain felt itchy. The more he concentrated on it, the more it faded away, but when he went back to looking at the comic and got absorbed back into the story, it came back.

After almost an hour of the feeling coming and going, Stan decided he was not imagining the sensation. He stuffed a tissue into the comic as a bookmark and got up to see what Ford would have to say about it. Almost as soon as he laid eyes on his brother, a wave of anger washed over him. Just like the itchy brain feeling, it went away almost as soon as he stopped and thought about it, but it had been so strong, that he couldn’t deny it had happened.

“Hey.” Stan tapped his brother on the shoulder as the old researcher skimmed an article about why the Aztecs associated lightning with twins.

“Hmm?” Ford acknowledged him without looking away from the screen.

“Am I forgettin’ to be mad at you about somethin’?”

That got Ford to turn and look at him. “Are you having a memory lapse!?”

“I don’t think so, but just a second ago I looked over at you and I felt really mad all of a sudden. Can’t really think of a reason why, though. I’m just wondering if maybe the other day, when I had the big blank-out, maybe we missed somethin’?”

The old researcher’s face contorted with guilt. “You have ample reason to be mad at me. I didn’t stand up for you when dad kicked you out. I never reached out to you for over ten years. I expected you to drop everything and help me with my problems without any explanation. I refused to thank you for saving my life--”

“Yeah, no, none of that stuff.” Stan shook his head. “I remember all that stuff, and I’ve already forgiven you and junk. Mmmm… did you try to enchant the mop again and not let me remember it?” But even as he joked that the underlying reason must be the latest chapter in a minor argument, he knew that couldn’t be right. The sudden bloom of anger had been much more deep-seated and horrible than that. It had felt like… it had felt like Ford had ruined everything. 

To be fair, there had been a long period of Stan’s life when he had felt like Ford had ruined everything. But Stan was over that now, and this brief brush with anger had felt even more heated than that.

Ford gave him an appraising look. “Were there any other memories or emotions associated with this feeling?”

“Oh yeah, my brain was feelin’ itchy right before that.”

“Have… you been using shampoo?” Ford asked, unsure of what to do with this information.

“Not my scalp, genius, like the actual thinking part of my brain!”

“... I can’t even begin to guess what that means.”

“Ugh, I don’t know how else to describe it, ok? It’s like somethin’ was squirmin’ around in my mind!”

The brothers wore twin expressions of realization as the words left Stan’s mouth. 

“We need to get back to the boat.” Ford stood from the computer desk abruptly.

“Yep.” Stan set the comic he’d been reading down on the desk, not even bothering to remove his improvised bookmark. 

* * *

Bill throws his hands up and roars in frustration. He can’t seem to take control, even when the moron’s mind is zoning out, losing himself in some stupid comic book. He’s already in the mind! He’s been here for months! He knows his way around here. So why isn’t it working? Is it because he never made a deal with this guy? That shouldn’t matter! The last thing they did before the whole memory gun thing was shake hands! 

There's no time to waste complaining, though. Sixer will be poking around here any minute. Bill needs a plan. Before, he'd spent millions of years in the Nightmare Realm planning. Now he's making everything up as he goes.

It's clear that Bill can't just take control of Stan like he'd been counting on. But do the other two know that? He might still be able to use that to his advantage.

If Bill is going to trick these losers and get out of here, he needs to play his opponents right. Luckily, he's got years of experience fighting against Sixer. It's the Big Mackerel that he worries about. 

Before, Bill hadn't paid much attention to Stan. He thought he understood what made the simple con man tick. But then, in the end, he found he didn't understand at all. Even after months of being trapped in his mindscape, Stan is very much still a mystery to Bill.

But there is one thing about Stan that Bill does understand.

He’s willing to sacrifice himself for his family.

* * *

Once they were back aboard the Stan’O’War II, Stan allowed himself to relax, just a little. At least here his surroundings were familiar, and the only person he had to worry about was his own brother.

Under normal circumstances, “the only person he had to worry about” meant he didn’t have to look over his shoulder for law enforcement or old criminals who might recognize Stan from his drifter days. 

Today “the only person he had to worry about” meant the only person he could possibly endanger if Bill was able to take control of him. Ford was the last person Stan wanted to put in danger, but he also had to admit, his brother knew more about the demon than any other living being on the planet. 

Stan may have been able to relax a tiny fraction once they were back aboard their boat, but not Ford. Ford was in full-blown panic mode.

He frantically searched around the storage room for something, anything, that could help protect his brother from Bill. Unfortunately, they hadn’t thought to bring unicorn hair or moonstones on their voyage. He did have titanium, but he wasn’t confident enough in his emergency medical knowledge to perform cranial surgery on his own, and he doubted they’d be able to find a doctor crooked enough to do it for them. Currently, his best idea was to build an updated version of Project Mentem, but that would take time. Time he wasn’t sure Stan had.

“I can re-enter your mindscape and shatter him again.” Ford decided, pulling out the candles again. “That should at least buy you a few days.”

“Ok.” Stan nodded. He’d definitely prefer to know Bill was shattered again, and not moving around in his brain. “But it’s not like he’s doing anything right now.”

“He’s probably trying to get us to lower our guard.” Ford assumed. “I’ll need to tie you up. He usually makes his move while his victim is asleep.”

“If I need to fall asleep for your spell while tied up, we’re gonna be waitin’ a long time.” Stan warned. “I dunno if I could even fall asleep right now if I had the world’s most comfortable bed.”

“Fair point.” Ford nodded. “I may have to drug you.”

“You gotta be kidding me!” It was abundantly clear that Ford was not kidding in the slightest.

“Would you rather be used as his puppet!?” The old researcher shouted. The outburst rang in the air for a few seconds while Ford tried to steady his breathing. “Stan I… I’m sorry, I just--”

“It’s ok.” Stan pulled him into a hug and tried his best to calm his brother down. “I know you’re just scared.”

“I’m not scared for myself.” Ford explained in a small voice. “I’m scared for you. Waking up to find that you’ve hurt someone, it’s-- I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, least of all you--”

“Stanford, look at me. We’re not gonna let that happen. What if we do it while I’m awake, like we did with the memory before?”

Ford nodded meekly. “That… that could work.”

“You can still tie me up if that makes you feel better.”

The old researcher bit his lip. “...It shouldn't be necessary...”

“Ford.”

“...But it probably would ease some of my fears, yes.” he admitted.

“That’s what I thought. I’ll go get the rope.”

Still unwilling to let his brother out of his sight, Ford followed Stan up to the deck while he retrieved said rope. Once they were back below deck, he wrapped Stan tightly in a large blanket before sitting him down on a chair and tying him up, to ensure he was as comfortable as possible while still restricting his movement.

“How do you feel?” Ford asked as he lit the candles.

“Like I’m about to be shipped back to Oregon in the mail.”

“And Bill…?”

“I haven’t felt anything else from him since we left the library.”

The lack of activity should have reassured Ford, but instead it just added to his general unease. At least he was able to compose himself enough to perform the incantation.

Just as last time, after a flash of light, he found himself on the deck of Stan’s mindscape, with Stan himself standing beside him. This time, though, Bill was floating there, waiting for them.

“I KNEW YOU’D BE BACK HERE AFTER I GOT YOUR ATTENTION IN THE LIBRARY!” The demon taunted. “OH, AND LOOK. STANO HERE EVEN MADE A MENTAL CONSTRUCT OF HIMSELF WITHIN HIS OWN MIND JUST SO YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO FACE ME ALONE! HOW CUTE!” He prodded Stan in the stomach like he was the Pillsbury Doughboy.

“Back off, bucko!” Stan threatened. “We’re here to break your whole face!”

“WHAT, YOU COULDN’T WAIT UNTIL TONIGHT TO DO IT IN YOUR DREAMS LIKE YOU ALWAYS DO?” Bill asked, voice dripping with false innocence. 

“We’re not able to risk the chance of you parading about in Stanley’s body.” Ford growled.

“HA! YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN ANYONE, FORDSY, I ONLY DO THAT TO STUBBORN KNOW-IT-ALLS WHO WON’T WORK WITH ME WILLINGLY.”

“If you think I’m gonna work with you willingly, then you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought.” Stan grunted.

“HEAR ME OUT, MAC! WE BOTH WANT THE SAME THING HERE! ME, OUT OF YOUR SAD PATHETIC MIND!”

“You can’t leave!?” Ford asked in surprise.

“WHAT, YOU THINK I ENJOY SPENDING TIME IN THIS BOZO’S MIND? YOU THINK I WAS PLOTTING MY REVENGE?”

“Honestly, yes.”

Bill gave a long, mocking laugh. “AHAHAHAHAHA! YOU REALLY THINK I CARE ABOUT A COUPLE OF INSIGNIFICANT FLESH SACKS LIKE YOU?”

“We’re the insignificant flesh sacks who killed you!” Stan reminded him.

“WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY. THE BEST REVENGE IS LIVING WELL.”

The brothers exchanged a suspicious glance. They highly doubted Bill actually believed that adage.

“BUT I CAN’T EXACTLY LIVE WELL TRAPPED IN YOUR MINDSCAPE. I MIGHT GET BORED AND DECIDE THE BEST REVENGE IS KILLING YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY WITH YOUR OWN HANDS.”

Ah yes, that was more along the lines of what they expected from Bill.

“So you’re saying you’ll just let bygones be bygones if I cooperate with you?” Stan asked skeptically. 

“WE’LL GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS, NEVER TO MEET AGAIN!”

“And what are you planning on doing once you’re free?” Ford asked coldly.

“NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, SIXER.” The demon waved him off. “NOW ARE YOU GONNA HELP ME OUT OF HERE OR NOT? THE SOONER THE BETTER. YOU TWO AREN’T GETTING ANY FURTHER AWAY FROM THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A HUMAN MALE, AND FISH FACE HERE DOESN'T EXACTLY TAKE GOOD CARE OF HIS BODY.”

“Hey!” Stan shouted indignantly.

“Why should Stan’s life expectancy factor into this?” Ford asked.

“HMMM? OH, NO REASON.” Bill said evasively. “I’M JUST, Y’KNOW, IN A HURRY.”

“You’re an immortal, extradimensional being. You’ve been trying to find a way out of the nightmare realm since before multicellular life developed on this planet. If you’re so sure we’re close to the end of our lives, why not wait until we’re out of the way? You must realize we’ll try and stop you from starting Weirdmaggedon again!” Ford reasoned.

“WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT STARTING WEIRDMAGGEDON AGAIN?” Bill denied. “AND MAYBE AFTER A BILLION YEARS, I’M TIRED OF WAITING!”

“Unless you aren’t immortal any more.” the old researcher concluded.

“YOU’VE SEEN FOR YOURSELF, FORDSY, EVERY TIME YOU OR YOUR IDIOT BROTHER SHATTER ME, I PULL MYSELF BACK TOGETHER.”

“Immortal in the mind, perhaps. But what happens when the mind you’re occupying finally dies?”

“ALRIGHT, YOU FIGURED IT OUT!” Bill sneered. “I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN A GENIUS LIKE YOU WOULD. YEAH, MY LIFE’S TIED TO THE BIG MACKEREL’S NOW. SO WHAT? YOU GONNA KILL YOUR BROTHER JUST TO GET RID OF ME?”

“Of course not!” Ford barked.

“Hey, I’d be more than happy to take you down with me if it meant making sure you never hurt anyone else ever again!” Stan challenged the demon.

Ford stared at his brother with wide eyes. “Stanley, no!”

“Hey, relax, I’m not talkin’ suicide or anything.” Stan assured him. “But he’s right about one thing. I’m not gonna live forever.”

I’ll only do it if I have to. A stray thought cawed overhead.

Stan cussed under his breath as Ford gaped at him with a mix of alarm and pity.

“I’m not gonna take it back.” Stan insisted after a moment. “If that’s what it comes down to, to keep him from hurtin’ you or the kids, then I’m taking him down with me.”

Ford placed his hands firmly on Stan’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eye with all the intensity he could muster. “We won’t let that happen!” 

Bill laughed at them cruelly. “RIGHT, CUZ YOU’VE HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS STOPPING ME IN THE PAST.”

“I’ll find some other way!” Ford insisted.

“I’M SURE YOU COULD, WITH TIME.” Bill agreed. “BUT I’M GONNA STRANGLE YOU IN YOUR SLEEP BEFORE THEN!”

Not if I strangle myself first! Another one of Stan’s stray thoughts called.

Ford gave his brother a frustrated shake. “No! Stanley, I swear to you, that won’t be necessary!”

“Alright, that’s it. We’re not havin’ this conversation in my brain, where you can hear all my unprocessed thoughts.” Stan decided.

Suddenly, Ford’s form and everything around them flickered and began to fade to white. Stan and Bill were the only ones who remained solid and whole. Stan was waking up? But he’d never been asleep before the spell in the first place!

“Don’t you try any funny business!” Stan pointed an accusing finger at Bill. “I’m coming back to shatter you into a million smaller pieces as soon as I fall asleep tonight!”

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Sailor.”

Decided to take a break from the main story-line. I want to go back to working with krill for a while, allowing him to experience different kinds of people and situations, so if you have any ideas, I am open, though weather or not I will get to them is another matter entirely. 

Te chopper blades whirled overhead so deafeningly loud that Krill couldn’t hear himself think. Leave it up to the humans to create a piece of technology that got them into the air by attaching a giant fan to the top of it, or giant spinning blades of death. It actually offended him that they didn’t use some kind of hover-craft, which he was sure they had. However, Commander Vir had said that the Navy didn’t have a whole lot of “funding” anymore so their technology tended to be older than dirt.

Krill didn’t think anything would be older than dirt, but stopped short of correcting the human when he realized it was probably just some sort of saying. But now, here he was trapped inside this loud, metal container, feeling the wind buffet them back and forth as Commander Vir adjusted the pedals.

Krill had no idea that the Commander could even fly a helicopter, be here it was. 

The guy could probably fly a cardboard box if it had a big enough engine.

Beside him sat the Navy pilot surprisingly eager to learn from the more experienced man, and the two kept a light string of conversation over the headsets. The second guy was on lend from the Naval office as an assistant of sorts. The commander seemed confused, but apparently it was common for higher ranking officers to have subordinates to lick their boots and hand them things.

Commander vir hadn’t gotten that memo.

The original pilot pointed out the front and the helicopter tilted just slightly.

Krill lifted up a bit to look out the front window, but was mostly blinded by sunlight as it reflected off water.

Commander Vir flew the helicopter in low aiming for the helicopter pad on the back end of the ship.

He managed to maintain a hover just above  the circle surprised when, “It’s moving!”

“Yes sir, we are on water.”

“Its not supposed to be moving.” he said to himself trying to determine the best way to let down.

“Just get her in close commander than drop her when she comes back up.” The pilot instructed, pleased that they could teach something to a superior officer, though the way the man talked it was hard to remember all those fancy ribbons on his dress grey.

He was a pretty good listener too, and didn’t back down from a fight, lowering himself towards the deck and then timing it just so it placed when the ship swung back up.

It was a minute movement, but still could have thrown anyone off.

As soon as they touched down and the commander cut the engines, Krill could feel the light rocking.

He, and the others stepped out onto deck. 

Krill stopped in his tracks eyes staring out at a scene he had only seen through the small windows of the ship. A vast and unending horizon of water on all sides. Tiny white capped waves rolled up and down as the massive steel ship bobbed below him. He turned in a wide circle, staring off at the vast horizons and stretches of water so wide.

They were the only ones here, nothing else in sight.

He grew a bit dizzy.

“Good morning Commander.”

Krill turned to watch as the ships XO (executive officer walked forward to greet the man with a firm handshake. He was surprised at the youth of the commander, he was older than a good portion of his men, but younger than a lot fo them too. The Captain was in his early forties, this man almost young enough to  be his son.

“A pleasure captain.” At his back the Lieutenant stood stiffly waiting to be used for some reason or another.

“I heard you were coming, to what do we owe the pleasure.”

Commander Vir glanced out at the sloshing waves with some unease, “I wanted to come down to observe the operation of your ship, Captain. I am afraid to say that current UNSC protocols are still being made, and I thought Navy and UNSC vessels are similar enough I might due to take some lessons from the way things are run.”

The man smiled, “Well, sir generally the brass doesn’t sail. In the Navy you would have a cushy job somewhere on land behind a desk.”

“String me up when that day comes.”

“You and I feel the same way then. The sea is my life, Been sailing since I was a kid, and I couldn’t imagine what I’d do without her.

Commander Vir nodded, “its flying for me.”

Krill glanced around the ship, watching as men and women worked on objects that he did not know, wearing uniforms he did not recognize. They were led down onto the deck, and Commander Vir stumbled a few times, unsteady on the moving platform.

The captain grinned, easily riding the gentle rocking motion as if they weren’t moving, “Someone has yet to get their sea legs.”

Commander Vir gripped the railing, “Fun fact. I’ve never actually been on a boat, at least not larger than a canoe.

Behind him, Krill simply tried floating to avoid having to move, but found the boat deck moving below him, and a gentle sea breeze pushing him back. In panic he set down on the deck again.

“Seems strange, someone who pilots a ship,”

“No such thing as space legs.” The commander commented gingerly letting go of the railing. We have gravity mats that make it just like earth, and there is no wind or water to make us move. Steadier than riding in a car, and once the acceleration is done there is no way to know you are even moving.

The man shook his head, “Can’t imagine wanting to fly in space, being trapped inside a tin can that, if it malfunctions my eyeballs would be sucked out of their sockets.”

“Actually that doesn’t happen. You would freeze first, while your blood boiled off anyway.”

The man gave him a look, “You’re insane.”

“I’m insane! At least its better than drowning, or being eaten by sharks.”

The captain waved a hand, “I can’t remember the last time someone in the navy actually drowned.”

Commander vir eyed the edge of the ship nervously.

“Anyway, Commander, I am glad we could be of service, truth be told us sailors arent needed all that much anymore now that wars tend to take place in space and off world. Most of the stuff we do includes tracking down pirates and saving dumbass civilians who don’t know what a red sky at morning means.”

Commander Vir stared at hi blankly.

The man frowned, “You don’t know do you.”

“Can’t say I do.”

“Red sky at morning sailors take warning. Meaning there’s going to be bad weather?”

He shrugged, “Why not just use radar for that.”

“The man looked almost offended, “Thousands of years of accumulated knowledge, and you just want to use radar?” 

Krill watched in silence keeping notes in one of his cortical hemispheres as he listened. It was strange, by all rights these two men should have been similar in a lot of ways. When it came right down to it  a UNSC vessel and a Navy one were pretty much the same and included a lot of the same sort of things on board. Even the two men were similar in their almost rabid love of the place they worked. One and knew more about the ocean than krill thought there was no know, while the Commander had a handle on space that no other man in the history of humanity ever had.

To krill’s surprise it turned out there was some actual sill to floating on a large body of water. The man talked about the currents, and the weather patterns, and the way the ship liked to ride them. 

Space vs ocean, and neither man seemed to understand why the other would want to go anywhere near the other’s domain.

The Navy captain also seemed to be having a right old time watching commander vir stumble into things as he adjusted to his “sea legs.”

Krill had no idea what that meant, but he kind of doubted it was what it sounded like. The saying made hi think the human was going to spontaneously grow new legs for walking on the ship, but the more likely explanation seemed that the human body would get used to the constant moving, so the person would no longer have trouble when walking.

Krill didn’t really need sea legs, though he marveled at how the humans could seem to work so normally on a rolling surface when their balance was already unbelievable.

Around the ship, the regular Navy men were more than a bit tickled to see a member of the brass (UNSC or otherwise) wobble about like a ‘drunken’ sailor. Mostly it was funny and partially it made them feel superior to someone who would usually have that edge over them.

Eventually the Commander go the hang of it and accompanied the Captain to the bridge and around the ship to see how things worked taking occasional notes, but eventually ordering the Lt. to do it for him as, “Your fidgeting is making me nervous, so have something to do.”

Krill got stared at, a lot, but that was pretty normal for him, and, on one occasion, a call went out from one of the men on deck, and an entire group of them rushed over to one side, pointing at the water. The captain led them over just in time to watch in awe as a massive creature breached the surface of the water. Krill stepped back as the massive shape slowly tilted backwards and water erupted around it.

The captain turned to look at the commander with a smug expression, “Guess you didn't get to see that in space.”

He was a little less pleased to see the commander smirking at him, “Perhaps not…” he let it trail off there, though his grin was rather telling.

“What! You’re not telling e there are space wales.”

“I am not at liberty to discuss that, captain.”

Krill wasn’t entirely sure if their teasing was friendly or if their rivalry was something more than that.

Either way the captain did get the last laugh, as sitting inside the ship the commander didn’t touch his food head resting back against the wall, eyes closed. As a doctor, krill couldn’t help but notice the parlor that had fallen over his face. He was about to ask the commander if he was feeling ok when the captain strolled up, his turn to look smug and took a seat, “Don’t worry, a lot of people get seasick their first time. But I’m sure that’s not a problem in space.”

“Cosmic hysteria is worse.” The commander muttered.

“A bit green about the gills there. Do you want e to get you a bag.”

The commander frowned, but didn’t open his eyes.

“I thought you were a fighter pilot, shouldn’t you be immune to motion sickness.”

The human was teasing him, but commander Vir felt to sick to respond. He was very much determined to keep his lunch down, but knew that was going to be a losing battle. 

He could hear the sailors laughing as he bolted upright and sprinted to the edge of the deck mouth salivating so badly he was sure he was going to drip on his uniform.

Nothing was funnier to the crew than a member of the brass who couldn’t hold in his lunch on a ship.

Krill personally found a couple of things interesting, number one being the ardent glee that the other humans experienced upon watching the suffering of another. It seemed to be a common theme in humans, enjoying watching someone in power over you get what they deserve It seemed to make underlings feel superior in some way where they normally wouldn't. Through their ribbing was generally light-hearted and nothing worse beyond that.

Second being the human’s strange ability to become sick because of unpredictable rocking motions. He had never seen an alien with that issue, though, upon looking into it with the crew physician, he learned that humans, while having the best sense of kinesthetic awareness out of most of the species, that had to do with the placement of liquid inside the ear canal that moved with the movement of the head.

Constant movement that was in contradiction to the movement of the eyes, or caused the sloshing to become confused inside the ears could cause a reaction in the brain that simulated poisoning.

You see one of the first signs of neurotoxin is dizziness and the body responds with nausea. When movement causes the fluid in the ears to become jumbled and confused, the rain interprets this in the same way and responds with nausea.

Quite fascinating, and Krill couldn’t help feel his own sense of satisfaction knowing he couldnt get seasick.

Although he was ore than happy to get off this moving metal tube of death.

Leave it to humans to figure out a way to make metal float and then decide to spend days at a time on it.

Humans who loved large bodies of water were insane.

Though most humans were insane he supposed 

[willow-salix]

Fluffember prompt: Song

Day 15 of isolation on Tracy Island 2.0

“Oh my gods do I even want to know?” I yelled. I had walked innocently into the kitchen, as you do. You know it’s early-ish...okay it’s not the early but it's early enough in that I just woke up and haven't had my first cup of coffee yet. To me that’s as early as it gets, my day starts when I wake up and counts down from there.

 So, I walked into the kitchen where Virgil had told me he’d left me what he was calling a coconut mocha. I think he’d made it with coconut milk and he’d chopped up one of my bounty bars to sprinkle on top. I don’t honestly know but I was there for it.

“What the heck are you doing?” I continued to yell when no one stopped what they were doing, let alone answered me.

Alan was lying flat out on the table top, I mean, I’d seen worse to be honest, that boy sleeps in some strange places, but he wasn’t sleeping, oh no. That would be too simple. He was lying back with his mouth open and as I watched Gordon shook some cereal into his mouth.

“Gordon, what are you-” I started, pausing in total disbelief when he followed the cereal up by pouring milk in.

“CHEW! CHEW! CHEW! CHEW! CHEW!” he yelled, dancing around excited like a demented goblin.

Alan spluttered and choked a couple of times but he kept on chewing like his life depended on it, which it probably did, since he’d neglected to sit up.

“If he dies I’m telling Scott it was your fault,” I warned Grodon.

“Fair enough,” he shrugged, not in the least concerned as he turned to look at me. It was then that I saw the front of his shirt was soaked with milk. I raised an eyebrow at him, he grinned in return. 

“I give up with you both. Why are you doing this anyway?”

“All the bowls are in the dishwasher.”

I didn’t even reply to that, they are lazy little sods and I’d given up on them.

“I've given up on you,” I told them again, retrieving my coffee and snagging a couple of cereal bars to take with me, because today I was doing that thing with John again. 

No! Get your minds out of the gutter! I meant forcing him to video call with my Mum again.

 He hates it, she’s useless, she doesn’t move the camera so we are either looking at her chin and up her nose or the top of her head. She also has a habit of talking over you and interrupting after she’s asked you a question and you’re answering. John despairs and just sits there quietly looking cute while we chat. 

                                   ***

“I swear I am so sick of walking into a room and finding you two doing something weird!”

“You get used to it,” John sighed, his eyes taking in the sight before him. 

Both Alan and Gordon had something that looked like it had been cut from a wig, I made a mental note to check my clip in hair streaks, I recognised that colour of red, and it was currently being glued to their chins.

“This isn’t working,” Gordon complained after trying unsuccessfully to stick it on for the third time.

“I’m giving up, it’s making my chin itch,” Alan sighed, scrubbing at his chin with a wet cloth. 

“What are you doing?” John asked in that tone that tells you that he’s absolutely done with your crap and wishes he was anywhere but there. Honestly he’d been like that for an hour already, I’d even gone so far as to sneakily lock the window in case he tried to escape my mum by diving out of it. 

“Nothing much,” Gordon answered in a too casual tone that neither of us believed. 

“Hey,” Alan said, seeing me standing there. “Can we borrow your makeup?”

“Erm...sure?”

“Cool,” Alan shot off to fetch it, for what purpose I couldn’t hazard a guess.

“Need a hand with anything?” I asked when he got back, practically dragging my big makeup box. It’s not that I use a lot, I just seem to accumulate that stuff, like odd socks and hair bands, it just appears in the box and I have no recollection of ever purchasing it. I told John that it’s magic appearing makeup and that it must be the makeup fairy but for some reason he wasn’t inclined to believe me.

“Nah, we’re good,” Gordon assured me.

“You’re not gonna do anything weird with it, are you?” I asked, suddenly rather worried about my eyeliner babies. I needed those to look human.

"No," Alan said in that long, drawn out way teenagers had that told you you were being ridiculous to even suggest it. How dare I be concerned about my own things? 

"Fine, but you had better not wreck anything," I warned them. "Or you're buying replacements."

"Sure, sure, whatever," Gordon shooed us away with a wave of his hand. 

"Come on, let's leave them to it," John suggested. "I'll make lunch."

"Now that's an offer I'd be mad to refuse," I answered, following him. We didn't get a lot of time alone to chill, so a nice, quiet lunch (that I don't have to make!) would be most welcome. 

"Witchy!" Alan yelled from the lounge less than twenty minutes later. I put down the toasted sandwich I was eating with a sigh. 

"Yeah?" I called up the stairs. 

"Can you help us?" 

I looked at John with a raised eyebrow, he shrugged in return. 

Sighing deeply I grabbed my plate, dropped a kiss on his nose and climbed back up the stairs. 

"What fresh hell is this?" 

A mess greeted me, a scattered mess of makeup, discarded cloths and bits of chopped up hair which they had obviously both given up on. They looked at me so pathetically that I knew I'd help them. I knew it, they knew it, I was done for. 

"Fine," I sighed, biting into my sandwich. "What do I need to do?" 

                              ***

"OK, almost set," I told them as I arranged Gordon's phone on a tripod, ready to record. "You two ready?" 

Two hands giving the thumbs up poked up from the darkness of the stage they had constructed from a couple of chairs, old black parachute material and a couple of remote controlled flashing beacon lights and a stand rigged up for the ball. 

"Alright, starting to record…now," I hit record and then switched on the music, the familiar beat starting to echo out around the lounge. 

Their heads popped up and they bopped to the beat, keeping time. Perfectly on cue Gordon began to mime along while Alan pulled funny faces in time to the music. 

I tried very hard not to giggle or stare too hard at their eyes, because that would most definitely set me off and I didn't want to distract them. After they had told me they wanted to make a music video I'd been sceptical, I must admit but they were doing amazingly well. 

I awaited my cue and then started flicking the beacons on and off, having set them to different colours. They were perfect as disco lights, but the finishing touch was definitely the miniature disco ball they had found from parts unknown which I lowered by pushing down on the arm of the stand. 

I clicked off the recorder when the song ended and left them to their editing with a promise of rounding up their family to watch the premier later that night. 

                              ***

"What are we supposed to be watching?" Scott asked. 

"No clue," Virgil shrugged. "She just said the boys had a project." 

"She wasn't broken when she came back," John added helpfully. 

"It could be anything," Grandma sighed. 

"Let's try to have faith in them, shall we?" Jeff told them. "Whatever it is I'm sure they worked hard."

The lights dimmed and the holoprojector lit up as Alan, Gordon and I slid into the room like heroes. I stepped aside so the boys could bow in greeting. 

There was silence for the first few seconds as they watched the screen, unsure what the hell was going on, and then there was laughter, lots and lots of laughter… 

Link to their music video is here: