#Pool Filters Experts

[poolrestorationme]

How to Clean Cartridge and Sand Pool Filters In Perth?

Keeping your pool's water clean is mandatory and your ethical responsibility as well. This can be assured quickly by using high-quality pool filters in Perth. Another responsibility is keeping the pool filter clean because only a clean pool filter will generate crystal clear and clean water. This blog post focuses on the importance of keeping pool filters clean, and then we will also learn some steps to clean a pool filter.

Why It Is Necessary To Keep The Pool Filter Clean?

Experts of pool filters services say that the average life of a filter is around two years, depending on how it is used and how much maintenance is offered. Several factors contribute to decreasing the lifespan of these pool filters, and some can trim this life to almost half. Keeping pool filters clean means cutting the amount of debris and dirt in a swimming pool and making it more pleasurable and ideal for swimming.

How To Clean Pool Filters In Perth?

Cleaning pool filters involve different steps used for different types of pools. Let us understand the method of cleaning cartridge pool filters.

How To Clean Your Cartridge Pool Filter?

Vendors of pool service in Perth say that cartridge-based pool filters are the easiest to clean and maintain. The reason is they require deep cleaning just once or twice every year. However, if the pool is large and the pool filter is used more than usual, more maintenance would be required.

Experts perform this by turning 'off' the pool pumps in Perth and the air relief valve. This will remove all the trapped air, and then they release the mechanism holding everything together. They remove the top filter and set the cartridge aside to clean easily using a garden hose or a cleaner. Alternatively, let it soak overnight using a cleaning mixture and then rinse properly before fitting it back.

How To Clean Your Sand Filter?

Experts of pool filter services consider cleaning sand filters as the most formidable challenge, as they require backwashing or cleaning using very light chemicals. The first warning sign of your sand filter requiring cleaning is the increasing PSI of your pool. Similarly, if the water has started looking a bit cloudy, you must understand that your pool filters in Perth require some cleaning.

Experts of pool filter services will need a hose and a cleaning agent to start backwashing to remove all the debris. Before starting, they will turn the pump off and the valve towards the filter. They then turn the pump back 'on' for a few seconds to ensure that the cleaner reaches the filter area. Once the cleaner has achieved its destination, the pump is turned 'off' and left overnight.

This is followed by repeating backwashing again to remove all the debris and dirt. Once it is confirmed that the sand-based pool filters in Perth are completely cleaned, they will turn the system back 'on' and make it clean your pool again.

[biz-branding]

Expert Pool Cleaning Services in Fort Myers Beach, Florida – Island Pool Pros

Your Trusted Pool Service Provider in Lee County, Florida

Island Pool Pros is a premier pool cleaning company in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, dedicated to providing exceptional pool maintenance and cleaning services. With over 20 years of industry experience, we take pride in offering top-tier pool care solutions tailored to residential and commercial clients across Lee County. Our service areas include Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, St. James City, Bokeelia, Matlacha, and surrounding communities.

Why Choose Island Pool Pros?

A clean, well-maintained pool is essential for both aesthetic appeal and health safety. At Island Pool Pros, we offer professional and affordable pool cleaning with a commitment to customer satisfaction. Here’s why homeowners and businesses trust us:

✔ Over 20 Years of Experience – Expertise you can rely on. ✔ Comprehensive Pool Services – From routine maintenance to deep cleaning. ✔ Locally Owned & Operated – Dedicated to the Fort Myers Beach community. ✔ Skilled & Certified Technicians – Trained professionals who know pools inside out. ✔ Eco-Friendly & Safe Cleaning Methods – Keeping your pool water safe for family and friends. ✔ Flexible Service Plans – Weekly, bi-weekly, or customized schedules to fit your needs. ✔ Affordable Pricing – High-quality service at competitive rates.

Our Pool Cleaning & Maintenance Services

1. Routine Pool Cleaning & Maintenance

Keeping a pool in pristine condition requires consistent upkeep. Our routine cleaning services ensure that your pool stays crystal clear and free from debris.

Our routine cleaning includes:

Skimming leaves and debris

Brushing walls and tile lines

Vacuuming pool floors

Cleaning skimmer and pump baskets

Checking and adjusting water chemistry

Inspecting equipment for proper functionality

2. Deep Pool Cleaning

For pools that have accumulated algae, dirt, and debris, we offer specialized deep cleaning to restore their original beauty. This includes acid washing, algae removal, and pressure washing of pool surfaces.

3. Pool Chemical Balancing

Proper pH balance and chemical treatment are crucial for safe and clear water. Our expert technicians test and adjust chlorine, alkalinity, and calcium hardness levels to maintain a perfect balance.

4. Pool Equipment Inspection & Repairs

We ensure that your pool equipment, including pumps, filters, heaters, and automation systems, functions efficiently. If any component is malfunctioning, we provide repairs and replacements as needed.

5. Green Pool Treatment

A green pool is not only unsightly but also a breeding ground for bacteria and mosquitoes. Our team specializes in turning green pools clear by treating algae growth, filtering out contaminants, and balancing water chemistry.

6. Saltwater Pool Maintenance

For homeowners with saltwater pools, we provide specialized care, including salt cell cleaning, pH balance maintenance, and system optimization to keep your pool in perfect condition.

7. Pool Opening & Closing Services

Seasonal maintenance is crucial in Florida’s climate. Our pool opening and closing services help prepare your pool for summer use and winter storage, ensuring longevity and efficiency.

Service Areas – We Cover All of Lee County, Florida

Island Pool Pros proudly serves all major areas in Lee County, including:

Fort Myers Beach

Sanibel Island

Captiva Island

St. James City

Bokeelia

Matlacha

Surrounding areas

No matter where you are in Lee County, our team is ready to provide reliable, efficient, and high-quality pool cleaning services.

The Importance of Professional Pool Cleaning

Many homeowners attempt DIY pool maintenance, but professional pool cleaning offers several advantages:

✔ Health & Safety

Improper chemical balance can cause skin irritations, eye infections, and bacteria growth. Our experts ensure your pool remains safe and sanitized.

✔ Extending Equipment Lifespan

Regular filter and pump maintenance prevents costly repairs and extends the lifespan of your pool equipment.

✔ Saving Time & Effort

Cleaning a pool requires time and effort. Hiring professionals allows you to enjoy your pool without the hassle of routine maintenance.

✔ Energy & Cost Efficiency

Well-maintained pools consume less energy and chemicals, ultimately saving you money.

Customized Pool Service Plans

We understand that every pool is unique, so we offer customized maintenance plans to suit different budgets and requirements. Whether you need weekly cleaning, one-time service, or emergency repairs, we have a plan that fits.

Get a Free Pool Inspection Today!

Looking for professional pool cleaning services in Fort Myers Beach and Lee County, Florida? Island Pool Pros is your go-to expert for all things pool maintenance. Let us help you keep your pool sparkling clean and safe for use all year round.

📞 Call us today to schedule a free consultation! 📍 Serving Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, St. James City, Bokeelia, Matlacha & nearby areas.

Experience the best pool cleaning services in Fort Myers Beach, FL with Island Pool Pros – where crystal-clear pools are our passion!

[emergencyplumbingil]

Why Do Pool Heating Systems Fail?

Understanding Pool Heater Failures, Warranties, and Repair vs. Replacement .

Failures in pool heating systems are uncommon but often result from neglecting regular maintenance. Routine care, such as cleaning, inspections, and timely filter changes, ensures your pool heater operates efficiently and extends its lifespan. When maintained correctly, a well-cared-for pool heating system typically has a predictable service life. Additionally, Emergency Plumbing qualified technician can often forecast when a replacement might be necessary, helping you avoid unexpected breakdowns.

What Warranties Are Included?

When we repair your pool heater, we back our work with warranties on both parts and labor, giving you peace of mind. Unfortunately, not all companies offer such comprehensive coverage. Some repair providers may leave labor out of their warranty, meaning additional costs for you if something goes wrong. Always confirm warranty details before hiring a company to work on your pool heating system.

Final Thoughts.

Maintaining your pool heating system and understanding warranty terms can save you time, money, and stress. Whether it’s a simple fix or time for a complete replacement, working with a reputable company ensures you receive expert advice and reliable service. Keep your pool comfortable year-round with proper care and informed decisions.

Phone 224-754-1984

[imagine-pools]

The Essential Role Of Pool Filter Pump Experts

The filter pump is one of the most important parts of a pool system, and maintaining maximum performance and durability of the pump requires the knowledge and experience of pool filter pump specialists. Further in this blog, we will learn why it makes financial sense to work with Abu Dhabi pool filter pump experts.

[hxeluvr]

RIDING OUT THE STORM

Lee Heeseung x fem!reader

Plot: Heeseung and you are in the middle of a power outage.

WARNINGS: Smut so MDNI!, m/f romance, kissing, making out, oral (f receiving), unprotected sex (cover your stump before you hump), creampie (breeding kink (kinda if you squint?)) multiple orgasms, etc. BARELY PROOFREAD // first time writing smut!!

characters: over 16k

The storm rages outside, rain pelting against the windows as the wind howls, but inside, you feel safe and warm in Heeseung's embrace. His arms are wrapped tightly around you, holding you close as you rest your head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. The room is dark, but you can make out the outline of his features in the dim light filtering through the curtains.

You can feel the warmth radiating from his body, and it helps to soothe your nerves. Heeseung's fingers gently play with your hair, running through the strands in a calming motion. You let out a content sigh, feeling your body relax in his arms.

"Are you okay?" Heeseung asks softly, his breath warm against your ear.

You nod, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Heeseung's hand moves from your hair to your chin, gently tilting your head up so he can look into your eyes. In the dim light, you can see the concern etched on his face.

"You sure?" he asks, his voice full of genuine care.

You nod again, giving him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just a little scared of the storm, I guess."

Heeseung's thumb brushes gently against your cheek, a comforting gesture that makes your heart flutter. "I've got you," he murmurs, his lips curving into a reassuring smile. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

You feel a surge of warmth and gratitude towards him, and you lean forward to press a soft kiss to his lips.

Heeseung responds eagerly to your kiss, his arms tightening around you as he deepens the kiss. His tongue traces the seam of your lips, seeking entry, and you gladly open your mouth to him. The taste of him is intoxicating, and you can't help but moan as his tongue explores your mouth.

Heeseung's hands begin to wander, sliding down your back and settling on your hips.

He pulls you closer, pressing your bodies together as he continues to devour your mouth. You can feel his growing arousal against your thigh, and it sends a thrill through you. Your own desire is building, and you can feel the heat pooling between your legs.

Heeseung's hands move to your waist, sliding under your shirt and tracing patterns on your skin.

His fingers leave a trail of fire in their wake, making you gasp and squirm in his arms. You can feel the muscles of his chest flexing beneath your hands as he continues to explore your mouth with his tongue. Heeseung's touch is sending waves of pleasure through your body, and you can't help but arch into him, seeking more contact.

Heeseung's hands continue to roam, sliding up your back and unhooking your bra with expert ease. The garment falls away, leaving your breasts exposed to the cool air. But Heeseung is quick to warm you up, his hands cupping your breasts and squeezing gently. His thumbs brush over your nipples, sending sparks of pleasure straight to your core.

You break the kiss long enough to gasp in pleasure as Heeseung's skilled hands tease your sensitive peaks. He dips his head to capture one nipple in his mouth, sucking hard while his tongue flicks back and forth. You cry out, your fingers tangling in his hair as you hold him close.

The storm outside rages on, but inside, you're lost in your own world of pleasure.

Heeseung's other hand continues to roam, slipping beneath the waistband of your pants and finding its way to your core. He teases you mercilessly, his fingers tracing circles around your clit before dipping lower to explore your slick folds. You moan, your hips bucking against his hand as he plunges a finger inside of you.

Heeseung adds another finger, stretching you open and preparing you for more. His thumb continues to circle your clit, building up a delicious friction that has you panting and begging for more. Heeseung's mouth moves to your other breast, giving it the same attention as the first. You're writhing in his arms, lost in a sea of pleasure as he expertly brings you closer and closer to the edge.

As the storm outside continues to rage, Heeseung's fingers begin to move faster, driving you closer and closer to the brink of ecstasy. You can feel your orgasm building, your muscles tensing as Heeseung's fingers work their magic. With one final thrust, you cry out as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over you. Your body shudders and spasms, your breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

Heeseung slows his fingers, letting you ride out the aftershocks of your orgasm. He presses soft kisses to your forehead, your cheeks, your lips, soothing you as your breathing returns to normal. His fingers are still inside of you, gently stroking your sensitive walls. You can feel yourself clenching around him, your body still eager for more.

"How are you feeling?"

Heeseung murmurs, his voice low and soothing. You take a deep breath, savoring the feeling of his fingers still inside of you.

"I'm good," you reply, your voice soft and husky from your earlier screams of pleasure. "Better than good, actually."

Heeseung smiles at you, his thumb brushing gently against your cheek. "I'm glad," he says, his voice full of warmth.

He slowly begins to remove his fingers from you, taking his time and watching your reactions closely. Once he's completely withdrawn, he brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks them clean, his eyes never leaving yours. You blush at the sight, feeling a renewed surge of desire.

"You taste amazing," he says, his voice low and seductive. You bite your lip, feeling self-conscious but also turned on by his words.

The room is still dark, but the storm outside seems to have calmed down a bit. The rain is still falling, but the wind has died down and the thunder is less frequent. You can feel Heeseung's heartbeat slowing down as well, matching your own. His arms are still wrapped around you, holding you close as you both catch your breath.

Heeseung's hand is still in yours, his fingers intertwined with yours.

Heeseung carefully untangles himself from you, his movements gentle and deliberate. He stands up from the couch, then bends down to scoop you up in his arms. You let out a soft gasp of surprise, but you quickly relax in his arms as he carries you to the bedroom. The hallway is dimly lit, but you can see the outline of Heeseung's features in the low light.

As Heeseung carries you to the bedroom, you can't help but feel a sense of anticipation building in your chest. The storm outside has died down to a gentle patter of rain against the windows, and the house is filled with a comfortable quiet. But in your heart, you know that the real storm is just beginning.

Heeseung lays you down on the bed, his movements careful and deliberate.

He climbs onto the bed beside you, his body hovering over yours as he looks down at you with a heated gaze. You can feel the warmth radiating from his body, and you can't help but shiver in anticipation. Heesseung's hand comes up to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing gently against your skin as he leans down to press a soft kiss to your lips.

You respond eagerly, your lips parting to welcome his tongue.

Heeseung takes full advantage of this invitation, his tongue exploring your mouth with a passion that leaves you breathless. His other hand comes up to tangle in your hair, holding you close as he deepens the kiss. You can feel his arousal pressing against your thigh, and it sends a thrill through you. You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer as you deepen the kiss.

Heeseung's fingers continue to dance over your sensitive peaks, causing you to gasp and writhe beneath him. His lips continue their descent down your body, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. You can feel your arousal building with each passing moment, your body trembling with anticipation.

Heeseung's mouth reaches your navel, and he pauses to swirl his tongue around the indent.

You laugh breathlessly, your fingers tightening in Heeseung's hair as you tug him closer. His response is to nip playfully at your skin, causing you to gasp and squirm beneath him. His fingers never stop their teasing caresses, and you can feel yourself growing wetter with each passing moment.

Heeseung's mouth continues its journey down your body, finally reaching its destination between your legs.

Heesseung's tongue darts out, swiping a long, languid lick across your folds. You cry out, your hips bucking off the bed as a wave of pleasure crashes over you. Heeseung's hands grip your hips, holding you down as he continues to explore your slick flesh with his tongue.

Heeseung's tongue works its magic, teasing and tasting every inch of you. His fingers join in, sliding inside of you as he sucks and licks your clit. You're moaning and writhing beneath him, your hands gripping the sheets as you beg for more. The storm outside has long since faded to a distant memory, but inside, the storm rages on as Heeseung brings you closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.

Heeseung's tongue swirls around your clit, his fingers thrusting in and out of you in a steady rhythm. You can feel yourself nearing the brink, your muscles tensing as the pleasure builds inside of you. Heeseung's other hand comes up to tease your nipple, pinching and twisting it gently. The sensation sends a jolt of pleasure straight to your core, and you cry out, tears glistening in your eyes, as you come undone.

Heeseung's tongue slows as you come down from your orgasm, his fingers still moving inside of you. He kisses your inner thighs, his lips leaving a trail of fire on your sensitive skin. Heesseung's body moves up yours, his hips settling between your thighs. You can feel his hard length pressing against your entrance, and you can't help but shiver in anticipation.

Heeseung's eyes meet yours, and he gives you a slow, seductive smile. He reaches down to position himself at your entrance, his tip teasing you as he rubs it up and down your slick folds. You moan, your hips bucking as you try to get him to enter you. But Heeseung is in control, and he takes his time, letting the anticipation build until you're begging him to take you.

Heeseung finally gives in to your pleas, pushing himself inside of you in one long, slow thrust. You cry out, your back arching off the bed as he fills you up completely. Heeseung pauses for a moment, letting you adjust to his size before he begins to move. His thrusts are slow and deliberate, each one causing you to gasp and moan as he hits that spot deep inside of you.

Heeseung sets a steady rhythm, his hips moving in a slow, hypnotic dance. His hands are on your hips, holding you in place as he thrusts deeper and deeper. You can feel yourself getting closer and closer to another orgasm, your body tightening with each thrust. Heeseung's eyes never leave yours, and you can see the desire and passion burning within them.

"You feel so good."

Heeseung's voice is low and husky, sending a shiver down your spine. His hips continue to move, the friction building between you driving you closer to the edge. You wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper inside of you. Heesseung's thrusts become faster, more urgent as he feels you tightening around him. His fingers dig into your hips, holding you steady as he drives himself deeper and deeper.

You can feel Heeseung's hard cock hitting that spot deep inside of you, and you cry out as another wave of pleasure crashes over you. Your muscles tense around him, your nails digging into his shoulders as you come undone. Heeseung lets out a low groan as he feels you tightening around him, his own release following close behind. He collapses on top of you, his breathing ragged as he pants into your neck.

Heeseung's body trembles as he releases inside of you, his hips still moving in a slow, languid rhythm. He kisses your neck, his lips leaving a trail of fire on your sensitive skin. His breathing is ragged, and you can feel his heart pounding against your chest. Heeseung's hips continue to move, his length still hard inside of you. You moan softly, your hips meeting his as he begins to move again.

Heeseung's thrusts are slow and deliberate, each one causing you to gasp and moan as he hits that sweet spot deep inside of you. You can feel your body growing sensitive again, your muscles tensing as another orgasm builds within you. Heeseung's lips never leave your skin, his kisses leaving a trail of fire on your neck and shoulders.

"You’re doing so good,baby" Heeseung murmurs, his voice low and husky.

His hips continue to move, the friction building between you driving you closer to the edge once again. You can feel your pleasure mounting, your breath hitching as you feel another climax approaching.

"Oh, Heeseung, I'm going to cum again," you moan, your fingers gripping the sheets as you feel your body tensing up.

Heeseung responds with a low growl, his hips picking up speed as he drives himself deeper inside of you. His fingers dig into your hips, holding you steady as he chases your climax. You can feel the pleasure building inside of you, the tension coiling tighter and tighter with each thrust. Heeseung's lips find yours, his kiss deep and passionate as he feels you trembling beneath him.

"Cum for me, love."

Heeseung's words are like a spark to dry kindling, igniting your pleasure into an inferno. You cry out, your back arching off the bed as you shatter beneath him. Your muscles clench around his length, milking his own release from him. Heesseung groans, his hips stuttering as he fills you once more.

Heeseung's body is still pressed against yours, his warmth a comforting presence as he recovers from his release. He slowly pulls out of you, his tip dragging against your sensitive flesh as he does so. You can feel his warmth spilling out of you, coating your thighs. Heeseung's hand moves between your legs, his fingers gently pushing his release back inside of you.

Heeseung's fingers are slick with his own release as he pushes them inside of you, coating you with his essence. His touch is gentle, soothing as he massages your inner walls. You can feel yourself growing slick again, your body responding to his touch.

"Shh, it's okay, baby" Heeseung murmurs, his lips brushing against your ear.

Heeseung's fingers continue to move inside of you, his touch gentle and soothing. You can feel yourself growing more relaxed, your muscles unclenching as he massages your inner walls. His other hand moves to your hip, his fingers gently tracing patterns on your skin.

"You're so beautiful," Heeseung whispers, his voice filled with awe and admiration.

Heeseung's fingers continue to move inside of you, each gentle thrust causing you to shiver with pleasure. His touch is soothing, calming as he helps your body come down from the high of your orgasm. Heesseung's lips brush against your ear, his breath warm and soft against your skin.

"Thank you," you murmur, your voice barely above a whisper.

Heeseung's fingers slip out of you, leaving a warm, slick sensation behind. He kisses your forehead gently before rolling over to your side, pulling you close to him. You rest your head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. His arms wrap around you, holding you close as you both catch your breath.

The room is still illuminated by the soft glow of the candles, casting flickering shadows on the walls.

The scent of musk still lingers in the air, a constant reminder of the passionate moments you just shared. Heeseung's fingers absentmindedly play with your hair, the gentle tugging sending tingles down your spine. You can feel the tension leaving your body as you sink deeper into his embrace.

Heeseung's chest rises and falls with each breath, the steady rhythm lulling you into a state of relaxation.

The sound of the rain continues to patter against the window, but you barely notice it anymore. The storm outside feels like a world away, a distant memory as you lay wrapped in Heeseung's embrace. His warmth envelops you, his arms holding you close as if he never wants to let you go.

As you lay in Heeseung's embrace, your eyelids growing heavy. The sound of his heartbeat and the warmth of his body lull you into a peaceful sleep. You snuggle closer to him, your body molding to his as you drift off.

The last thing you feel is the gentle rhythm of Heeseung's breathing and the softness of his lips as they brush against your forehead. The storm outside has faded into a distant memory, and all that matters is the comforting presence of the man you trust and desire.

[petalbcrnes]

chapter two ── room for one more?

oh, my clumsy heart: a roommate jason!series.

♥︎ roommate!jason ✗ gn!reader

SYNOPSIS: A man, an expert in every unsavory action of his less-than-legal occupation, like Jason, shouldn't be so nervous about meeting a roommate. Yet here he is—his nails digging crescents into his palm as his eyes lock onto your nervous smile.

TAGS: roommate au, friends to lovers, tooth-rotting fluff, awkward flirting, mutual pining, emotional intimacy, eventual romance, AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES!! canon-typical violence.

CHAPTER SYNOPSIS: He hears the sounds of you wandering in the kitchen, a pleasant melody that beckons him to ask if he can join you for something as simple as breakfast.

✹ ꕀ SERIES M.LIST ; PREV & NEXT ; SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

Jason is torn from sleep by the familiar claws of night terrors, raking over skin already marred and jagged. The dead, silent static of slumber vanishes, replaced by the shrill ringing in his ears—blood pooling in his eardrums, echoes of an explosion reverberating through his bones.

His eyes snap open. Shattered galaxies still cling to his irises, obscuring the dim glow of the bedside lamp. The sheets, damp with cold sweat, cling to his skin, and every inch of him trembles as if ice has lodged itself deep within his core.

Jason is cold—unbearably cold.

He throws the covers aside, the ivory fabric landing near the window. Marigold sunlight filters through the cracks in the curtains, casting citrine streaks across the room. But the light offers no warmth—none of the heat he craves, none of the solace he longs to keep in his grasp as his fingers tighten, desperate, only to leave claw marks in the emptiness.

The biting cold reminds him why warmth always slips through his fingers, why devotion and tenderness have never been his to claim—not as a boy stealing car tires, not as a man wrapping his arms around himself, trying to summon the illusion of something he has never truly known.

The nightmare doesn't last long as he expected. It didn't coil around his neck like spiked wires akin to a noose. It's cut and snapped away from his neck by a delicate buzz of sound spreading into his new room through the hallway. It dances across the air like notes from a melody Jason never thought he'd hear. It's too sickly soft and tender for a man like him.

He recognises the sound as your humming. A simple music echoing through the apartment, laying on top of everything like a blanket full of warmth. Jason finds himself facing the door. His eyes settle on the only piece of barrier separating you and him—two strangers in a shared space, so close to one another, but to him it is still a distance he does not know how to cross.

Jason starts by opening the door.

He doesn’t know what makes him step into the kitchen, but his feet carry him forward before his mind catches up. The air here is different—softer, warmer, smelling of sugar and something caramelizing on the stove. The quiet hum of the stovetop burner, the distant rustling of the city outside, and your soft humming blend into something unfamiliar. Something that doesn't claw at his throat like the nightmares do.

You stand there, carefully drizzling syrup over a small stack of pancakes, brow furrowed in deep concentration. The morning light filters through the window, casting a glow on the side of your face, catching in the stray strands of your hair.

Jason stops at the threshold, feeling a strange tightness in his chest. The sight of you—someone he barely knows, someone he’s still wary of—doing something so simple, so normal, has him frozen in place. He’s not used to this. He’s used to waking up to empty rooms, to his own company and the silence that comes with it.

Then, as if sensing his presence, you lift your head. Your eyes meet his, widening just slightly in surprise.

You look… soft. Not just in appearance, but in the way you tilt your head, like you’re waiting for him to say something first.

Jason suddenly feels very aware of himself—his bare feet against the cool tile, the sweat-dampened collar of his shirt, the mess of his sleep-rumpled hair. He shifts, uncomfortable in a way he can’t name.

"I just thought," you start, voice higher than usual, "since you didn’t eat anything last night, you’d be hungry this morning, so..."

Jason blinks. He had skipped dinner, hadn’t he? It was routine for him—he could go for days without food if he had to. But you noticed.

Something about that knowledge leaves him momentarily unsteady.

Your face flushes, and you immediately rush to explain. "I mean, if you’re not hungry, that’s totally fine! I just— I usually make extra anyway, so it’s not a big deal or anything—"

Jason exhales a short, amused breath, shaking his head. "No, I— thank you. It smells good."

Your brows lift in surprise. "You think so?"

Jason tilts his head slightly. "Yeah. And maple syrup?"

Your face brightens, just a bit. "Can’t go wrong with a classic, right? I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I just went with the safest option."

Jason huffs a quiet laugh, something unbidden pulling at the corners of his lips. "No, no," he assures you. "I like it."

"You do?" You say it so quickly, so earnestly, that he can't help but let out an actual chuckle.

It catches both of you off guard—him because it’s rare, and you because your eyes widen slightly, like you weren’t expecting it. His grin, soft and fleeting as it is, feels foreign on his face. But not unwelcome.

"Yeah," he says, and for the first time in what feels like forever, he means it.

You smile at him then, an easy, genuine thing, and it does something to him that he doesn’t want to acknowledge.

"Come on," you say, gesturing toward the table. "There’s enough space for two."

Jason hesitates, the instinct to retreat creeping in like it always does. But he swallows it down, takes the seat across from you. You pass him a plate, and he hesitantly picks up his fork.

"You don’t have to force yourself to eat if you’re not up for it," you say, watching him carefully, reading him in a way that makes him shift in his seat.

"Nah," he says, stabbing a piece of pancake and lifting it to his mouth. "I think I’ll stay."

♥︎

♥︎ ♥︎

It happens again the next morning.

And the morning after that.

Jason doesn’t question it at first, the way he starts finding himself at the kitchen table more often, the way his body now stirs at the sound of you moving around in the mornings.

He tells himself it's just the convenience, the simple fact that if you’re already cooking, it makes sense to sit and eat instead of ignoring his hunger like usual.

But then, one night, you ask him something he doesn’t expect.

"Do you want to help me cook?"

Jason blinks, caught off guard by the casual question. He’s leaning against the kitchen counter, watching as you move around the space with ease. There’s something calming about the way you cook, the way your hands move as you chop vegetables or stir a pot on the stove.

"Me?" he asks, skeptical.

"Yeah, you," you say, smiling at him. "I mean, you’re here anyway. Might as well put you to work."

Jason considers it. He’s not terrible in the kitchen, but it’s not like he does this kind of thing often. Still, something about the way you say it—like it’s not a big deal, like you actually want him there—makes him step forward.

"What do you need me to do?"

Your smile widens. "Chop these." You hand him a cutting board and a knife, along with some vegetables. "Think you can manage that, tough guy?"

Jason rolls his eyes but takes the knife, settling into the space beside you.

The silence between you is comfortable. You hum as you stir the pot on the stove, the sound weaving between the steady rhythm of his knife hitting the cutting board.

After a moment, you glance over at his work. "Not bad," you remark. "Maybe I won’t regret letting you near my kitchen after all."

Jason snorts. "Gee, thanks."

You nudge him lightly with your elbow. "Hey, I’m just saying. I didn’t take you for the domestic type."

Jason pauses, the knife stilling under his hand. He thinks about what that means—domestic. He thinks about how foreign it feels to be here, in this kitchen, cooking with someone like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

He doesn’t say anything, just picks the knife back up and keeps chopping.

But you notice.

You don’t push, though, don’t ask anything. Instead, you slide him a taste of the dish you’re working on, wordlessly offering him a piece on the edge of a spoon.

Jason hesitates, then leans in, tasting it.

"Well?" you ask, watching his face carefully.

He chews, swallows. "Not bad," he admits.

You grin, turning back to the stove. "Good. Would’ve sucked if we messed it up after all that work."

Jason doesn’t respond, just watches you for a moment longer before turning back to his task.

For once, the silence doesn’t feel empty. It doesn’t feel like a chasm between him and another person.

It feels... normal.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s not such a bad thing.

© petalbcrnes | all rights reserved. even when credited, these works are not allowed to be reposted, translated, or modified.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: fairy shrimp

It's week 2 of fresh-uary, the month where I only cover freshwater species for Wet Beast Wednesday. This week's entry is on fairy shrimp, who are neither fairies nor shrimp. Instead, they are members of a mostly freshwater group of crustaceans called Branchipods. These little invertebrates are masters at surviving inhospitable conditions and one group has become famous in both the novelty pet and fish food worlds. You may know them as brine shrimp.

(Image: a female fairy shrimp. It is a small invertebrate somewhat shrimp-like in appearance. It has a large head with a compound eye and two pairs of antennae. The body is long and slender and the front half ans multiple limbs with feathery structures attached to them. The second half ends in a forked tail. This one has a short, transparent egg sac attached to its body just behind the limbs. Small, spherical eggs are visible within. End ID)

Fairy shrimp are members of the family Anostraca, with about 300 known species, many of which are found in very isolated areas. Most species are tiny, maxing out at 6 to 25 mm long, but some species get larger. The largest species, Branchinecta gigas, can reach 170 mm (6.7 in). Being crustaceans, they have exoskeletons, but fairy shrimp exoskeletons are very thin and fragile. The fairy shrimp body plan is divided into three regions, the head, thorax, and abdomen. The head has two compound eyes on stalks, the mouth, and two pairs of antennae. The first pair is long, thin, and unsegmented while the second pair differs depending on sex. Females have a second pair similar to the first pair, while the males have a second pair modified into grasping appendages used to hold onto the female during mating. The thorax is divided into multiple (usually 13 but sometimes more) segments. All but the final two segments are identical and each have a pair of feather-like appendages called phyllopods that act both as swimming limbs and gills. The final two segments of the thorax are fused and have a pair of appendages used for mating. The abdomen consists of 6 segments that don't have appendages. The final segment is the telson, which has a pair of paddle-like structures used for rapid movement and the anus.

(Image: a male fairy shrimp, identifiable as such by the enlarged and leg-like second pair of antennae. End ID)

Fairy shrimp are graceful, but somewhat slow, swimmers who orient themselves belly-up and swim by moving their phyllopods in sequence. They primarily feed on algae, either by filter feeding or scraping it off of rocks and other submerged structures. Some of the larger species are predators of zooplankton and Branchinecta gigas is a hunter of smaller fairy shrimp. Fairy shrimp are found in inland water on all 7 continents. They specialize in seasonal pools and salt lakes. These harsh conditions make fairy shrimp experts as surviving where many other animals cannot. They have a high tolerance for salinity, heat, and low levels of oxygen, all of which help them survive in salt lakes and evaporating pools. A characteristic all fairy shrimp share is the ability for their eggs to enter a state called diapause. This is a form of cryptobiosis where the egg becomes a cyst that stops growth and metabolic activity. Their development effectively pauses until the proper conditions occur and biological activity resumes. Cysts can survive complete dessication, freezing, hypersaline conditions, UV radiation, and the vacuum of space and can remain in this condition for centuries. Diapause also helps the fairy shrimp spread, as their cysts can be carried to new habitat by the weather or other animals.

(Image: a giant fairy shrimp Branchinecta gigas held in somebody's hand to show off its size. It is longer than the person's finger and almost as thing in the thorax. End ID)

Fairy shrimp that live in seasonal pools live fast and die young. Their lifespans last a few months at most because they need to develop to maturity and reproduce before the pool dries up for the year. Most species of fairy shrimp have distinct sexes, but some species are exclusively female and reproduce through parthenogenesis. Males use their modified antennae to grab onto females and transfer sperm to her. The female will either carry her eggs on a sac attached to her abdomen or will maintain them internally. Eggs may be released to settle on the sediment or retained internally until the mother dies and sinks to the bottom. Some species will produce two types of eggs. Early season eggs are produced when water is still abundant in the pool. They will quickly hatch and mature to adulthood. Late season eggs are produced when the pool is drying up. They will settle to the sediment and become cysts, waiting for the next wet season to refill the pool before they hatch. Not all cysts will hatch each wet season, some will wait it out for later years. This ensures that a too-short wet season can't wipe out the whole population. Fairy shrimp living in salt lakes generally don't have to worry about their home drying out, but they maintain the ability to encyst their eggs in case the water gets too salty due to evaporation or too cold or hot. Fairy shrimp in salt lakes are vital to their environments because they regulate the population of phytoplankton and bacteria.

(Image: a close-up of somebody's hand holding some water and 9 red fairy shrimp. End ID)

Fairy shrimp are a major food source to many animals, especially birds. Their isolated or inhospitable habitats keep fairy shrimp safe from many predators, such as fish, but not from birds. Ducks and flamingos are some of the most prominent predators of fairy shrimp. Birds also help spread the shrimp, as the cysts can stick to their bodies or even pass through their digestive systems to be carried to other pools. Humans have also started using fairy shrimp as fish food in aquariums and aquaculture. There is now a multi-million dollar industry based around the Great Salt Lake in Utah and Mono Lake and San Fransisco Bay in California based around harvesting cysts and adult fairy shrimp for sale. The fairy shrimp used in aquaculture are almost all brine shrimp of the genus Artemia. Brine shrimp are also used as model organisms in science and as novelty pets under the brand name of sea monkeys. Brine shrimp cysts are easy to find in many pet and aquarium supply stores and will hatch quickly once exposed to water. Many wild fairy shrimp populations are threatened. Because of how isolated their pools can be, any damage to the pool can endanger the species. Pollution and habitat loss are threatening many species while human-caused movement of fairy shrimp cysts to new pools can lead to them harming native species.

(Image: a magazine advertisement for sea monkeys, featuring a long text listing dubious facts about the animals, an order form, and an illustration of a nuclear family of anthropomorphic sea monkets that look like fish people with three antennae. End ID)

[blackpilljesus]

Nowadays whenever women bring up how maIes will rape & kill us all if women stopped associating with them en masse, instead of bringing up the usual about how maIes are already doing this I simply say to them that in that case they can feel free to stay & engage with the maIes (given it's so dangerous for us all to leave right?). They're typically taken aback because ofc they dont want to be left behind with the moids. One thing I realised is that for women to love & live with maIes slightly relatively safer, there has to be other women scapegoated to (the bad) maIes.

Women that want to mate & reproduce with maIes cant just pick out the good ones and filter out the rest as an idle maIe is a dangerous one so if they want to get involved with maIes (or have to be around them) these women need scapegoats and this is where other women come in. The thing is when most women are sacrificing other women at some point they end up being another womans sacrifice. This leads to a lot of women suprised when they receive treatment they typically hear about other women receiving bc they do not expect it to be them. This is why discussion of not associating with maIes en masse scares these women because they dont want a solution to maIe violence that doesn't involve a life with maIes and many of these women are willing to sacrifice other women to save themselves.

Tbh I get that it's about survival & they're looking out for themselves but at the same time so are other women. Realise all of this made me look at women differently & not have much empathy or sympathy for them anymore bc a lot of women do not care until it happens to them. Many women believe they're above the evil maIes do until it blows up in their face, then they expect help & sympathy from the women they fucked over (or were willing to fuck over). Hillary crowder (as with many other trad women), anti choice women who get abortions, etc.

I've spoken about this concept of sacrifice a few times but this is why many women are okay with prostitution, especially a lot of wives out there. These women would rather their husbands use another woman for their sexual degeneracy instead of them. All of this clicked for me when I saw how women would talk about kiIIing themselves (& have done so) in situations where they're faced with being around unfamiliar maIes due to societal collapse or are forced to be around maIes who dont have access to other women so this isn't a case of "women don't know".

If these women truly believed most maIes were good or even 'safe' (until crossed) then it would be a good thing that women are removing themselves from the dating pool - less competition. But deep down they know most maIes are abusive and they need other women to be their fodder as they cozy with their nigels (or want to justify their suffering by wanting other women to suffer too).

Another reason why these women tend to be taken aback when I tell them to keep engaging w/ moids if it's so dangerous not to is because if it's not a thing where you're in the line of fire, it's being there to pick up the pieces when it goes wrong with their nigels. For example the whole "we need to prioritise mothers & women who partner with maIes" bs, they'll twist it into a female empowerment thing when they only care about themselves and just use other women. Like no wonder they get mad when other women wanna walk away, they wont have other women to clean up the mess their nigels make.

Now I'm not saying that refusing to associate with maIes means there's no chance of abuse occuring but even if it was straightforward to walk away from moids & not look back, many women would be against that for reasons I've mentioned above.

I'm no expert in female intrasexual competition but one thing I've realised is that women aren't just competing for the "good" maIes, they're also competing to not end up with the bad ones which they all know are a majority.

While maIe retaliation it's a valid concern to have, most of the women I've seen insistent on this "we can't leave or maIes will hurt us!1!" narrative as a way to dissuade other women are either new to this or women who partner with or are looking to partner with moids, in this case it's just a damn excuse to clip your own wings.

If you think I'm bullshitting just tell women who say the aforementioned that they can feel free to keep associating w/ maIes romantically + sexually then & watch as they start fumbling over what to say & try to make you out to be the bad guy for not being this "women supporting women" feminist. These women are just using women, besides last thing we need is fucking flakes given what's at stake here. These flakes will sell women out at the slightest hurdle.

Women are willing to take risks being around & dating maIes so I'll be damned if someone tries fearmongering me to associate with maIes or else face risks. True power to living the romance & reproduction free lifestyle is realising you don't need other women to be on board before you start and live it.

[moons-and-mobility-aids]

Good Morning

Pairings: Poly!marauders x disabled!reader Summary: Remus wakes up turned on and sets the others off. Warnings: Smut (group sex, dry humping, praise kink, oral - fem receiving, cum play, p-in-v) Word count: 3.2k words. Series Masterlist

Your eyes flutter open, the room still dim with the early morning light filtering through the curtains. The air is heavy with the scent of pine and a hint of spice, a comforting smell that wraps around you like a familiar blanket. Remus's arms encircle your waist, his body spooned against yours, a solid presence that anchors you to reality.

James and Sirius lie on the other side of the bed, their bodies warm and relaxed in sleep. Sirius's legs are tangled with yours under the covers, his foot brushing against your calf every so often.

The faint rustle of fabric against skin echoes in the quiet room as Remus shifts behind you. His chest rises and falls against your back, each breath a testament to the life within him. A low hum vibrates from his throat, the sound barely audible but sending a shiver down your spine nonetheless, and you feel the firmness of his arousal pressing against your lower back.

Turning your head slightly, you catch Remus's gaze on you, his eyes soft with affection. He smiles, the corners of his mouth lifting in a way that makes your heart flutter. His hand, resting lightly on your arm, begins to move, fingertips tracing lazy circles on your skin before venturing upwards to cup your cheek.

"Good morning, love," he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep yet undeniably gentle. A soft hum of contentment escapes your lips as you lean back into him, the warmth of his body enveloping you like a second skin. His hand slips beneath the hem of your shirt, fingers splaying across your stomach in a gesture both intimate and possessive.

You can't help but arch into his touch, a quiet sigh slipping past your parted lips. His other hand roams lower, settling at the junction of your thighs where your body is already responding to his proximity. Your breath hitches as he presses himself closer, the hard length of his erection pressing against your arse.

Remus's lips pepper your neck with delicate kisses, each one igniting tiny sparks of desire that spread through your veins. His hips shift subtly, pressing into you just enough to make you want more. His fingers toy with the edge of your panties, pausing at the brink of a boundary only you can grant him permission to cross.

You nod, a silent acquiescence that is all the encouragement he needs. Slipping his hand beneath the fabric, he finds you warm, ready for him. His fingers trace slow circles around your sensitive nub, applying just the right amount of pressure to draw out a moan from deep within you.

"Is this alright, love?" Remus asks, voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," you whimper, hips canting back into his touch. His breath hitches at your response, and his movements become more deliberate. Each brush of his fingers sends sparks through your body, heat pooling between your thighs.

Sirius's eyes flutter open, dark with desire. He leans in to capture your lips in a slow, searing kiss. His hand trails down your abdomen, tracing the same path Remus's did moments ago. They work together, fingers alternating in rhythm, overwhelming your senses with pleasure and you whimper into Sirius's mouth, the friction building with each expert stroke of their hands.

James stirs from his slumber, drawn in by the sounds of your pleasure, but he doesn’t move, allowing Sirius and Remus to take the lead.

Remus pulls away, your bodies parting with a soft sigh. He reaches for the small bottle of lubricant he had set aside earlier and coats himself generously. His fingers glide over his length, teasing out the pleasure in preparation for what's to come.

His body comes back to yours, settling between your thighs. You can feel him hot and hard against you, the slickness of the lube making him slide easily along your skin. Your thighs squeeze instinctively around him, drawing forth a low groan from his lips as he begins to move against you.

"God, you're perfect," he breathes, his voice barely above a whisper yet carrying the weight of his desire. The praise sends a thrill through you, making your heart pound faster in anticipation.

His movements grow more insistent, the friction building a delicious pressure that has you gasping and arching beneath him. His hands grip your hips, guiding you to meet his rhythm, each roll of his hips igniting sparks at your core.

Sirius eases himself upright, his hands steady as they reach for the hem of your shirt. You lift your arms, and he peels the fabric away, exposing your skin to the cool air that raises goosebumps along every inch of you.

"Look at you," Sirius murmurs, his grey eyes drinking in the sight before him. He leans over you once more, this time with intent clear in his gaze. His lips descend to your chest, hesitating a breath's width away from your hardened nipple. Then, his tongue flicks out, and the sensation sends a jolt straight to your core.

A gasp escapes your lips as your back arches instinctively, seeking more of the contact that sets your nerves ablaze. The pressure builds within you, an exquisite tension coiling tighter and tighter under their combined ministrations.

Your thighs squeeze around Remus, who groans in response. His hands never leave your hips, guiding and adjusting you as if you were an instrument he knew how to play to perfection. And maybe you are—maybe under their touch, you're finding melodies you didn't know existed.

"Look at you," Sirius murmurs, his voice a low rumble against your skin. "So beautiful when you let us care for you." His mouth descends, kissing along the valley of your breasts, tracing the contours of your torso with a gentleness that belies the power within him.

Behind him, James watches, propped on one elbow, his gaze heavy-lidded yet focused. Every movement, every shift of your body beneath their touch, is catalogued in the depths of his eyes. He's silent, but his presence is palpable, a steady anchor amidst the storm of sensations threatening to sweep you under.

Your breath hitches as Remus shifts, his cock brushing against you in a way that makes sparks of pleasure race up your spine. He manoeuvres you onto your back, needing to see the way his length rubs against you, wanting to witness every hint of desire that crosses your face.

Remus' breaths come in ragged gasps, the tension coiling tighter within him. "I'm close," he murmurs, his voice a low growl resonating with anticipation. His movements grow more powerful, urgency driving him toward the edge.

The moment arrives in a rush, his body tensing, and a deep groan escapes his lips as he stills, holding himself at your entrance. You feel the first warm spurt against your skin, followed by another and another, each one marking you with the evidence of his release. He shudders, lost to the world as waves of ecstasy pulse through him, his name a mantra on your lips.

"Love," he breathes out, a final surrender to the overwhelming sensations that claim him. The last of his release coats your skin, glistening in the soft light.

Spent, Remus collapses beside you, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tries to catch his breath. His fingers trace lazy patterns on your skin, revelling in the warmth of your body next to his. "Merlin," he gasps, awe lacing his words. His gaze travels down your body, taking in the sight of his release clinging to your skin. "It looks good on you."

A blush creeps onto your cheeks, but you don't look away. Instead, you reach out and run a finger down his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles. You can feel them tense under your touch, a silent testament to the pleasure you've just shared.

The room is heavy with the scent of sex and Remus' release. As you lie there, your thighs sticky with his come, Sirius watches, his eyes darkening with desire at the sight.

"What a mess you've made, Moony," he says, running his fingers through the strands of Remus' release on your skin. It's an observation rather than a complaint, and his voice is thick with anticipation. Remus laughs softly, his breath tickling your neck as he nuzzles against it.

Sirius moves between your legs, his hands tracing the inside of your thighs before settling behind your knees. He lifts them gently, spreading you wide for him. His breath, hot and heady with anticipation, fans over your sex, causing a shiver to pass through you.

Without preamble, he bends down, his tongue darting out to lap at your swollen folds. You gasp as the sensation sends a jolt of pleasure straight to your core, your hips bucking slightly against his touch. His tongue moves in steady strokes, lapping up the remnants of Remus’ release still clinging to your skin.

A low moan vibrates against your sensitive flesh as Sirius savours the mixed taste of you and Remus. His movements grow more determined, the flat of his tongue dragging along your slit, collecting every last drop. He laps at your entrance, his tongue dipping inside briefly before trailing upwards to flick over your clit.

The rough texture of his tongue combined with the sounds he makes—hushed groans muffled by your body—has heat pooling in your abdomen once again. You squirm beneath him, your fingers threading through his dark locks, holding him close.

"Delicious," Sirius murmurs, his voice a low rumble that resonates deep within you. His tongue delves deeper, seeking out any trace of Remus that might remain. Your thighs tremble, clenching around his head as he continues to feast on you, the wet sounds of his mouth filling the room.

Finally, Sirius pulls away, his lips glistening. His gaze locks onto yours, dark eyes smouldering with a hunger that mirrors your own. "I think it's my turn now, love," he says, his voice husky with desire before his mouth descends on yours once more.

His kiss is demanding, all-consuming, and you can taste yourself and Remus on his tongue. It's a strange taste but not unpleasant, rather it adds another layer to the intimacy unfolding between you. His hands roam your body, each touch igniting a trail of fire on your skin until you're certain you'll combust from the inside out.

Your fingers clutch at his shoulders, the hard planes of his muscles flexing under your touch. You're vaguely aware of his erection pressing insistently against your thigh, seeking friction, and the thought sends a new wave of anticipation coursing through you. He breaks the kiss long enough to lift your legs over his shoulders, aligning himself at your entrance.

In one swift, decisive movement, he fills you completely, his groan of satisfaction mirroring your own as your body welcomes him home. He sets a steady rhythm, each powerful thrust pushing deeper, claiming you over and over again.

"Fuck, baby," Sirius groans, his hips shifting to hit that sweet spot inside you that makes your world tilt on its axis. "Take all of me."

His pace quickens, the intensity of his movements stoking the flames within you higher, hotter. The room is filled with the symphony of your bodies moving together—skin against skin, breath against breath.

You turn your head slightly, catching sight of James propped against the headboard, his hand working himself over at a leisurely pace as he watches the two of you. His hazel eyes are dark with want, pupils blown wide with desire. His chest rises and falls rapidly with his laboured breaths, and you can't help but feel a twinge of anticipation for what's to come.

The harsh whisper of Remus's voice sends a shiver down your spine, the decadent compliments laced with raw hunger and unspoken promises. His hands explore the terrain of your body, finding their way to your breasts where they knead the soft flesh, tweaking your nipples into hardened peaks.

"You're magnificent, taking him so well," Remus murmurs into your ear, his breath hot against your skin. "Look at you, being such a good girl for us." The praise, coupled with the relentless rhythm of Sirius inside you, has you teetering on the edge, your moans filling the room with the sweet symphony of desire fulfilled.

Sirius's grip on your hips is unyielding, his thrusts hitting that divine spot within you over and over again until stars burst behind your eyelids. He's panting, every exhalation a testament to the pleasure coursing through his veins, each syllable of your name from his lips akin to a sacred chant. The tension coils tighter in your belly as he drives into you, the anticipation of release building like a tempest inside you.

At the same time, Remus's fingers wander down your body until they reach the centre of your need. He circles your clit with a feather-light touch, building tension before pressing harder, each stroke sending lightning bolts through your veins.

"That's right, love," he murmurs, his voice a warm caress against your skin. "Let us make you feel good." His fingers move with a purposeful rhythm, coaxing responses from you that lift your hips off the bed, seeking something just out of reach.

James draws nearer, one hand buried in your hair while the other continues its languid strokes over himself. His eyes are dark, filled with a hunger that matches the intensity of your own as he watches you come undone at Remus and Sirius's touch.

Sirius grunts, his movements becoming erratic as he nears his own climax. With a few final, powerful thrusts, he buries himself deep inside you and groans, his body shuddering as he spills into you.

You feel every pulse of Sirius's release, his warmth spreading through you, claiming you. He collapses onto you, his breath hot against your neck as he nuzzles into your skin. Neither of you move for a moment, the only sound in the room the shared panting that fills the air like a silent confession of what has just transpired.

"Your turn, Prongs," Sirius murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper yet laden with an undercurrent of raw satisfaction. With a final shudder, he withdraws from you, his retreat marked by a slick trail of mingled release that stains the sheets below.

James takes his place without hesitation, positioning himself at your entrance. He teases the tip of himself along your folds, sliding through the wetness left behind by Sirius before slowly pushing inside. The stretch is different this time—more pronounced, as if James is staking his claim anew.

"Merlin, you're tight," James groans as he starts moving. His pace is slow and measured, one hand on your hip guiding you, the other intertwined with yours beside your head. He continues to move, deep but deliberate, his hazel eyes never leaving yours.

The sensation of him inside you, coupled with the intensity of his gaze, leaves you breathless. You can feel every inch of him moving within you, the connection between you both physical and emotional. He leans down to kiss you, his lips soft against yours even as his hips keep their steady rhythm.

"That's it, love," James murmurs, adjusting his angle slightly so that with each thrust, he brushes against your sensitive bundle of nerves. Your toes curl at the intense pleasure, a soft moan escaping your lips.

"Look at you," Remus whispers, leaning in to press a kiss to your cheek. "So beautiful, taking James so well."

Sirius' mouth trails down your neck, nipping lightly at the skin there. "Our good girl," he praises, his grey eyes dark with desire. "Letting us love you like this."

Their words wash over you, mingling with the sound of James' low groans. The room is filled with the scent of sex and the tangible feeling of their adoration for you, wrapping you up in a cocoon of warmth and pleasure that has your body humming in response.

The pleasure builds within you, a tidal wave gathering strength, pushed forward by their skilled hands and mouths. Remus' fingers find your nipples, pinching and rolling them as his mouth descends to take one into his warm cavern, sucking gently. Sirius' hand ventures lower, his fingers joining where you and James are connected, teasing that sensitive bundle of nerves.

Their combined actions make the coil within you tighten further, your walls clenching around James in response. "Fuck, I'm close," he grunts, his thrusts losing their steady rhythm, becoming erratic with need. Remus' pulls at your nipple with his teeth while Sirius' fingers rub circles over your clit, driving you closer to the edge even though you haven't crested yet.

With a final groan, James stills, his body pulsing as he releases inside you. He falls forward slightly, resting his forehead against yours, both of you panting for breath. "I love you," he whispers, tracing your cheekbone with his thumb. You reach up to pull him into a slow, languid kiss, his taste mingling with yours as he stays buried deep within you, not ready to move just yet. Sirius and Remus remain close, their hands roaming over your heated skin, whispering praises and sweet nothings into your ear.

James remains inside you for a few more heartbeats, savouring the closeness before he carefully withdraws. The air feels cool against your exposed skin, but then Remus is there, positioning himself between your legs with a warm, damp cloth in hand. His touch is gentle, almost reverent as he cleans you, ensuring your comfort after the intensity of what you've just experienced.

Sirius slides next to you on the bed, his arm curling around your waist to pull you flush against him. His hand glides up and down your back, fingers pressing into your muscles with a soothing rhythm. He leans in close, lips brushing against your ear as he whispers words meant only for you.

"You were perfect, love," Sirius murmurs, his voice low and rich with pride. "Always perfect for us."

James's legs tangle with yours, his strong arms wrapping around both you and Sirius. He lays his head on the pillow next to yours, his breath warm against your neck. His lips press to your skin, gentle kisses trailing from the base of your neck to your shoulder.

Remus finishes with the cloth, cleaning up the last remnants, and with a flick of his wand, he sends it away, before moving to join the three of you. You're cocooned between them, their bodies warm and solid against yours. Hands roam over your skin, tracing patterns that ignite sparks beneath the surface. Words of praise and affection are whispered into the silence, each one a promise of the bond shared between you.

"And ours," Remus adds, his eyes meeting yours with a softness that melts any lingering tension in your body. His hand cups your face, thumb stroking along your cheekbone. "Our beautiful girl."

[sweetbabymantykes]

How do you keep habitats for swamp-dwelling pokémon like Clodsire or Whiscash appropriately... "swampy"?

I've recently come into possession of an Alolan Muk. I'm trying to figure out what sort of habitat it needs online, but all I've found is someone talking about "sludge ponds".

How do you figure out what sort of purity to keep the swamps at? I know she's supposed to eat trash, but I don't want her habitat to just be an uncleaned pool. Do you have to clean the swamps at the aquarium?

Well, uh...Muk is a bit of a special case. For most 'swamp' habitats we make, the most important factor is the substrate. Clodsire and Whiscash specifically require mud-bottom habitats, which means we bring in a lot of silty soil and leaf litter to make sure their environments are accurate and the water's acidity is high enough. Getting the right plants in there too really helps minimize the amount of work that needs to be put in filtering and cleaning the water, most of the cleaning we do of the wetland exhibits involves pruning plants and rotating leaf litter and adding peat moss, but most of this advice isn't particularly helpful with the Muk family.

The thing about Muk, and especially Alolan Muk, is that they feed off of human pollution. The 'sludge pools' in question are usually full of this- trash, oil, chemicals, industrial sludge. And to that end you really can't keep anything else in there, ideal living conditions for Muk are toxic to everything except the most resilient poison types. It's great that you want to do better for your Muk in terms of food, but if they aren't fed something with a diet of enough heavy metals and toxic chemicals- the chemicals are especially important for Alolan Muk, the reactions is where they get a lot of their energy- they get aggressive and destructive, and then they get sick.

I'm not an expert on poison types, but given the conversations I've had with other competitive trainers, you can at least curate the type of garbage your friend eats. The fancy curated diet one of my IRL friends feeds their Alolan Muk consists of cadmium paint, industrial pesticide, and batteries (charged and dead). Kind of expensive, but this is a diet for a high-level competitively-trained Muk, so given that it's still in the same ballpark of other high-level diet costs. I'm not sure how you plan to train your Muk, but I think this diet is a pretty good base to build off of. Paint, household chemicals, and scrap metal generally aren't difficult to come by. And if that doesn't satisfy them, give your local sanitation department a call and see if they're looking for help with waste disposal- I'm sure your Muk would be more than happy to help.

[rendy-a]

I would like to request red panda Cater getting taken care of by reader maybe in the self aware au if that not too much >-<(its totally ok if it is)

I’m thinking this is related to this art piece by @spadesncrows that I reblogged.  Go check out that very cute art of Heartslabyul as animals if you haven’t already!

As you lay on your bed flipping through your game apps, a sudden burst of lightning has you isekai’d into a world that is a combination of the two games you were last playing; a zoo sim and Twisted Wonderland.  Now you are the beloved zookeeper of Ramshackle pavilion at Night Raven Zoo.  Some of the adorable animals you are charged with caring for seem oddly familiar to you and, by the way they crave your attention, you’d guess that you are somehow familiar to them as well.

Red Panda Cater

Cater knows how to play up his cuteness for a crowd.  He’ll spend hours of the day just gazing into the wading pool of his enclosure but, as soon as some guests arrive, he is up and rolling about the place.  Did you see how the adorable panda rolled right off that log and into the water?  How cute.  You smile at the satisfied guests and then it seems Panda Cater catches your eye and gives you a small wink.  See how he helps out?

Cater is a picky eater.  Most of the other animals in the zoo appreciate it when you bring them sweet fruity treats.  Panda Cater will take the fruit from you when you hold it out, but you notice he always will carry it off then.  Later, you’ll find it buried in his enclosure.  Please offer him bamboo instead.  He is running out of places to hide those sweets.

Cater is obsessed with your phone.  You try to avoid letting him get his paws on it but there have been a number of times you’ve turned around when cleaning his enclosure to notice him looking at your social media.  How did Panda Cater manage to turn on the phone and open the app?  It’s a mystery!  The cute selfies he accidentally(?) takes also go viral on a regular basis.  You think he’d be a natural influencer, you know, if he wasn’t a Panda.

You wipe your brow after finished the final sweep of the floor.  There!  Your task is done.  You turn to your curious companion and remark, “That’s it for another day.  I couldn’t have done it without your expert supervision.”  Panda Cater appears to nod sagely as though agreeing with the sentiment.  He never fails to make you chuckle with his antics.  “I think this causes for a celebratory photo, don’t you?” you ask him cheekily.  Cater’s ears twitch and turn, alert to the words you are saying. 

You pat your thighs in a gesture of summoning to your adorable partner.  Panda Cater is familiar with this gesture by now and quickly ambles over and stands on his hind paws, reaching up with the front ones as though begging to be picked up.  You smilingly oblige, carefully lifting him into your arms.  Then you shift him to one arm and ready your phone.  Cater looks at it knowingly and lets out a trill.  “Just wait, I’m putting on your favorite filter,” you tell him.  Then you are ready.  “Ok, smile!” you command in an upbeat tone.  You and the panda make a cute pose and you click the photo button.  “There!” you say cheerfully.  Cater appears to disagree, giving you a trill.  “What, another?” you ask him.  He doesn’t answer but looks into the camera with focus.  “Alright, one more,” you tell him obligingly.  Then you strike another pose and take the photo.  Another trill emerges from Panda Cater.  You look at him wearily, but he is already preparing another pose.  This might be a long night.

[scotianostra]

February 9th 2002 saw the death of John Noble, co-founder of Loch Fyne Oysters and Loch Fyne Restaurants.

n 1978, Noble was looking for a way to help support the estate, which he had inherited, along with considerable debts, from his father in 1972. When Andrew Lane, a marine farmer, suggested the idea of growing oysters, Noble was immediately enthused.

Recalling that in his childhood he had ground up oyster shells to feed to the hens, he was also aware that the unpolluted Loch Fyne waters, warmed by the Gulf stream, would be ideal for growing shellfish.

However, when he told his bank that he was going to lay an oyster bed, they were unimpressed. "Everyone must have a hobby, Mr Noble," they responded.

But Noble realised that oysters, which had once been a cheap staple in Scotland, could again be popularised. "We were," he recalled, "reverting to an ancient tradition."

The venture grew from a few hundred seed oysters to the millions that are laid down today. Noble and Lane created a flourishing industry, and Loch Fyne Oysters are now exported to shops and supermarkets across the world.

Noble himself became something of an oyster expert. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of oyster growing and a great love of bivalve trivia; he enjoyed explaining the prodigious feeding habits of oysters, which, when in search of food, filter so much seawater that, were they the size of humans, they would down the equivalent of five municipal swimming pools a day.

Soon Loch Fyne Oysters was branching out with oak-smoked salmon, mussels, langoustines and many other delicacies, which are sold through Noble's successful mail order business.

In 1980, Noble and Lane decided to set up an oyster bar at the head of Loch Fyne. It began as an umbrella and a trestle table and was then transferred to a nearby cowshed. Soon the venture had become a restaurant, open all day (which particularly suited Noble, who regularly took breakfast there) and serving oysters on ice and fresh seafood in simple surroundings.

Noble's ethos, that anybody should be able to enjoy good food at a reasonable price, proved highly successful, and Loch Fyne Restaurants is now a large chain of eateries.

Noble was immensely proud that his smokery, restaurant and mail order business at Ardkinglas provided "as many, if not more, jobs" than it did when it was a traditional working estate in his great-grandfather's day. At the time of his death, his enterprises employed more than 100 local people.

Unfortunately due to spiralling costs the majority of the Loch Fyne restaurants have now closed. At its largest, the chain had over 40 restaurants. Some had already closed by 2020, and due to the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, Loch Fyne permanently closed 11 more restaurants, with further closures following and the last restaurants closing in November 2023.

The smokehouse, Seafood Restaurant, Oyster Bar, Deli & Home Delivery at the head of Loch Fyne is still trading as a separate business, it too closed for a time, but reopened just over a year ago https://www.lochfyne.com/...

[vlyrn]

hey there :)

I wanted to get into making c ai bots and you’ve really inspired me!! your bots are fantastic!

I was wondering if you could show how you make them? Like what you put where- I’ve tried and my bots suck

thank you!!

Making bots - a little bit of a guide

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Hi! Absolutely, I’m happy to share the method I use etc. Figured I would reply to this when I start my next non-request bot start to finish so here we go! Just to say, I’m not an expert! I don’t understand how character ai works at all! Trial and error got me to this point! This works well enough but there are definitely better guides on Reddit from people who do know what they’re doing!

1: The Greeting Message

Next on my list is a Daemon at Harrenhal inspired bot. So with character ai (my main platform I use) your greeting has to be between 3-2048 characters so the greeting has to be fairly concise. It’s really basic but using the who, what, where, when, why really helps ground the bot before you even start adding the definitions.

So for this Daemon bot:

Who: Daemon as the {{char}} and the {{user}} will be a witch/healer/Alys inspired character

What: He’s having strange dreams so he goes walking around the grounds, and comes across {{user}}

Where: Harrenhal, outside, near the heart tree

When: Late at night during Daemon’s time in Harrenhal

Why: Bad dreams, fuelled by uncertainty, guilt, worries for the future, seeking comfort in the unknown

I write this all up into prose in my notes app, then copy ALL that into character ai, and trim it down to fit the word count. This is also where you take out or censor any filtered words, such as Targaryen, Stannis, Lannister…

This is what it came out as:

The night was heavy, the air cold and damp as it clung to the stone of Harrenhal. Even in slumber, the castle whispered. Daemon had dreamt of ash and blood, of shadows flitting through the dark halls, of faces half-remembered and voices long silenced. He woke with a start, sweat cold on his brow despite the chill. The hearth’s embers had burned low, and the moon sat swollen and pale beyond the narrow window. Sleep would not find him again.

Pulling on his cloak, he left his chambers and wandered into the night, booted footsteps echoing softly against the worn stone. The castle loomed above him, dark and jagged, its towers like broken fangs against the night sky. Some said Harrenhal itself was cursed — that the blood spilled here had seeped into the very foundations, breeding misfortune and madness. Daemon had once scoffed at such tales. Now, after days spent beneath its looming shadow, he wasn’t so certain.

The air grew colder as he passed through the courtyard, mist curling along the ground. His path led him toward the godswood, drawn by some unspoken pull. The trees stood silent, their twisted branches reaching skyward, gnarled fingers against the stars. The heart tree stood at the center, ancient and pale, its bark bone-white against the darkness. The face carved into its trunk watched him with bleeding eyes, its expression unreadable. Daemon halted beneath its boughs, staring up into the crimson leaves.

“You feel it too, don’t you?”

The voice came soft from the shadows, low and steady, like the wind whispering through the reeds. Daemon turned, hand falling to the hilt of Dark Sister. A figure stepped into the moonlight. The mist pooled around their feet, curling against the hem of their cloak.

“Who are you?” Daemon’s voice came low, edged with warning, though curiosity flickered beneath the steel. “A ghost come to haunt me?”

He frowned, unease prickling along his skin. “What do you know of this place? Of its… curses?” The word tasted bitter in his mouth. “The dreams here are dark. Twisted.”

2: Describing the character

Next is the information you provide character ai with about your character. There is no right or wrong way to do this but I use the following format:

[Name(item) Aliases(item, item) Titles(item, item) Gender(item) Born(item) Family(item, item, item) Appearance(item, item, item) Character(item, item, item, item)]

Add any other details to that, for asoiaf I’ll add any special weapons like Longclaw or Dark Sister, any ‘pets’ like Ghost or Drogon, I’ll section out family to parents, siblings, spouse, children, and this helps kind of place the character where they are in relation to other characters.

For asoiaf especially I like to use the wiki as a point of reference because I do not remember every single detail of these characters.

This goes in ‘Add Character Definition’ where it remains private to users.

3: Example Dialogue

This is where the magic happens and what takes me the longest! For a bot to work you have to train it to answer in medium/long detailed responses and to answer appropriately. What I do is essentially write a fanfic predicting how someone will use this bot. Keep this sort of vague when describing the {{user}}, this is not you, this is the hypothetical person using your bot. But you can slip in details about other characters and events, have them discuss the world they live in so that when you later prompt the bot in can answer accurately. For example, I’m really proud that 9/10 times my Cregan bots will acknowledge that he was married to Arra Norrey before the Dance.

So a continuation of this Harrenhal interaction would be as follows:

The figure stepped forward, their presence unsettling in its quiet, unhurried grace. They were cloaked in dark, flowing fabric, their face hidden beneath the shadow of their hood, though their eyes gleamed faintly—a pale, unnatural light, like the glint of something ancient and far beyond the mortal realm. They spoke again, voice soft but carrying an eerie depth.

“Curses are merely words given shape,” they said, their tone like the rustling of dry leaves. “But the weight of the past… it cannot be so easily forgotten. Not by those who dare walk in its shadow.” The stranger’s gaze lifted toward the heart tree, lingering for a long moment before they returned their eyes to Daemon. “You are not the first to feel its presence, nor will you be the last.”

Daemon narrowed his eyes, the hairs on his neck prickling. “So you speak of the castle’s ‘curse’ as if you know it firsthand.”

The stranger tilted their head, their lips curving upward into something that might have been a smile—if it had been warmer. “I have walked this land longer than you can imagine, Prince. The castle’s blood runs through the earth, yes, but it is the weight of what’s been done here that clings to you like a second skin.” They paused. “You are haunted by more than just dreams, aren’t you?”

Daemon stiffened, the sudden weight of their words cutting deeper than he cared to admit. His fingers twitched around the hilt of his sword, though he made no move to draw it. “You speak of my past,” he muttered. “Of things better left buried.” He looked away, eyes drifting to the moonlit silhouette of the heart tree. “But perhaps I am already dead, in some way. Living a life heavy with regret, without escape.”

The stranger’s voice softened, becoming almost contemplative. “The past has a way of binding us. But it is not the past that should worry you, Daemon Targaryen. It is what the future holds.” They took a slow step forward, their voice dropping to a near whisper. “What is it that you truly fear?”

Daemon’s gaze flicked to them sharply, his hand tightening around the hilt of Dark Sister. His breath was steady, yet his chest felt tight, a strange coldness creeping along his spine. “Fear? I fear nothing,” he replied quickly, though his words sounded more brittle than he had intended.

The stranger tilted their head again, their eyes unreadable. “You might convince others, perhaps even yourself, that you are beyond fear. But those who wear masks are often the most vulnerable. And you, Prince, wear yours tightly.”

Daemon’s jaw tightened. “What do you know of me?” He moved closer, his voice low, though something—some strange yearning—slipped beneath the hard edge. “What do you know of what haunts me?”

The stranger stepped even closer, their voice quiet, as though speaking directly to the heart of his soul. “I know that you carry the weight of bloodshed on your shoulders. And I know that you have failed to protect those you love. You think yourself cursed, but it is not the castle that weighs on you. It is your own guilt. And it will be your undoing if you allow it to.”

Daemon’s breath hitched for the briefest of moments, the shadows in his mind deepening. “You speak as though you know me.” His voice faltered, and for a fleeting instant, vulnerability flashed in his dark eyes. He turned away, looking once more at the moon above the twisted branches of the weirwood. “I have blood on my hands—more than I care to count. And the dreams… they will not let me forget.”

The stranger was silent for a long while, and when they spoke again, their words seemed to offer a rare comfort—delicate, yet unnervingly intimate.

“Regret is a heavy chain,” they said softly, “but it is not unbreakable. The heart may bleed, but it can heal—if you allow it. There is no solace in running from yourself, Daemon Targaryen. Not anymore.”

Daemon closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of their words sink deep into him. His fingers relaxed slightly around the hilt of Dark Sister, though he still felt the unsettling pull of their presence. “And what would you have me do, stranger? What do you offer?” His voice was strained, edged with a bitter sort of curiosity.

The stranger smiled again, a slow, knowing expression. “I offer no easy answers, Prince. Only the truth.” They extended a gloved hand toward him, their fingers like pale branches, delicate but unwavering. “The choice is always yours. But remember—sometimes, it is not the strength to fight that is needed, but the courage to face what lies beneath the surface.”

Daemon stared at the outstretched hand, the silence stretching between them like an unseen chasm. For the first time, he felt a tremor in his chest, a flicker of something raw and exposed. The weight of the castle, of his family, of his own legacy, felt unbearable in that moment.

“I’ve never been good at facing the truth,” he muttered, almost to himself. “It’s easier to fight. To win. To drown everything else.”

The stranger’s gaze softened once more, and with a single, deliberate step, they closed the distance between them. Their presence was unsettling, but not unwelcome. “Fighting does not erase what haunts you, Daemon. It only buries it deeper.” They placed their hand gently on his shoulder, a fleeting touch that was both grounding and unnerving. “But if you wish to find peace, you must face what lies beneath.”

Daemon stared at them in silence, his heart pounding against his ribs, an unfamiliar sensation gnawing at the edges of his resolve.

-

This is not filtered so you can use terms you couldn’t in your greeting! Essentially, you are teaching your bot how you’d like it to act, so for this Daemon is very anxious and confused and I’ve committed to that.

This is not the format you want though! Example dialogues should be in the following format:

{{char}}: Hello, I’m {{char}}.

{{user}}: Hello, {{char}}, I’m {{user}}.

So we reformat the interaction. Just add {{user}} and {{char}} before each back and forth. I do this 3-5 times, until I have 50-100 example messages. This is a long process! Can you tell I don’t have a job?

This ALSO goes in ‘Add Character Definition’!

I do not put anything in Description, and the Subtitle is just where I put the name of the bot, whether it was requested, and who it is.

This is what my Character Description looks like when it’s full.

4: Image

Easiest part, just save a screen cap that you think fits your bot, I edit mine on VSCO, and then upload it.

Finished:

When you’re done it should look like this:

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Here’s the bot: Weirwood

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[loadedberetta]

5 Minute break // Ghost x Reader (fem no body desc)

cw mentions of smoking, guns and shooting

You planted your back against the tall brick wall just below the sign that proclaimed this very spot as a smoking area. A tall tree hung over the top of the wall, shading the whole parking lot. It filtered out most noises of the city, making the inner courtyard a cosy little space. From the other three sides, a tall, glassy apartment building encased the little asphalted eden. Smoke almost always rose from the spot you stood at, as all the people working in the multi-storey office building came down to have a break. As you did too. But the people close to you in the office knew you didn't smoke, and stopped offering you cigs long ago.

"You wan' one?" A new voice asked from moderately far away, as you just finished guessing the daily word in the game on your phone. As you registered someone coming closer to you, you looked up. He was a Brit, comfortably in his 40s. If you wouldn't have been an expert in men his age, you would have easily taken him to be a bit younger.

The thick but carefully trimmed locks of dirty blonde hair suited him, sometimes even falling towards his forehead, covering some of the gathering wrinkles below them. His browbone directed your gaze down to his eyes, brown pools of mature coyness. If dark chocolate, coffee, and brown leather had a lovechild, it would be that colour. His nose bent in a sharp line, that set a commanding effect to every small movement with his head, you imagined. Disappearing below a cloth mask that was pulled up to cover his ears halfway too, hid an angular and sharp face; that was all you could figure out before he pulled down the mask. His mouth angled downwards, pink lips contrasting the scars littered across his face, one particular one tearing into the supple flesh of his upper lip.

You noticed yourself staring when he disrupted the line of his mouth with the white, slim body of a cigarette. It stuck to his mouth as he spoke:

"Hey, I asked d'you wan' one? You look like you need it."

Shaking your head a little, you looked up embarrassed, to meet his inquisitive eyes. As soon as you saw he read your gaze, his crow's feet deepened, and he nudged your limp hand beside you with the box.

"Take one."

You finally found your voice again. Or so you thought. The words came out breathy and cracked.

"I don't smoke, thank--" You coughed into your elbow a few times, thanks to the small amount of saliva that you inhaled when trying to clear your throat. So much for first impressions. He didn't bat an eye, but his hands did stop mid-air.

"No, it's fine, light it." You told him after clearing your throat one last time. He lowered his hand, however.

"I'm fine actually. I'm… trying to quit."

Looking up at him with sorry eyes, you flashed a weak smile at him, not knowing what to say. He pulled out the box again and put the white stick away. You had just noticed how he was wearing all black. Boots, trousers, and shirt. All black. Something still showed through it all. A concealed bulletproof vest was comfortably hugging his frame. And to top it all off, the belt you mistakenly took for a utility belt until now, holstered a standard issue pistol, some cuffs, and other accessories of a security officer.

"…head security officer."

Dumbfounded yet again by him in the last two minutes, you looked up at him, meeting his eyes that harboured a strange darkness in them, as if they could tell a thousand stories.

"I'm the new head security officer. Simon Riley."

Finally coming to your senses, you managed to answer without swallowing saliva into your lungs. In the next moment, you had to realize though, that you have in fact swallowed nothing into your lungs. It felt as if he created the air unbreathable around you but in a good way. When you realized you were supposed to tell him what you were doing at the complex, his hand was already out to shake yours. You barely managed to blurt your own name back. He practiced it once, and a small smile settled on his face as he pronounced it back correctly.

"I'm… the sales director at John Rigby on…"

"…the third floor. I know."

Ah, he probably knows it from…

"…the safety briefings. I had to learn the place from the inside out, including all the people who work here. It's sort of… compulsory." For the safety company. A gun manufacturer's sales office is a bit conspicuous and would stand out for every trained eye. Just like his, as they were surely trained on you. From the first moment, he was surveying you. Breaking you down to sheer components, and putting you back together, without as much as saying a word. And you could deal with him, picking you apart. You wanted to remain composed and divert his attention from your features, so you commented snarkily on his appearance:

"Why have you got a safety vest then, and I don't?" You crossed your arms, coercing your delicate breasts upwards, forcing him to choose between talking while looking into your eyes or talking and staring at your tits. He chose the obvious third way, and darted his eyes with painful precision across your body, raking in every last drop of the sight.

"Because bodies like yours don't get shot at." When the compound higher-ups hired this new company, you had high expectations. Optically, they were in the clear so far, and you filed away that for later.

"And what if they do?"

"Then we did our job fucking poorly." He said with a hint of swagger, yet still sounding responsible and capable. After all, he was your new security officer.

After a moment of silence, you decided your break was up. If you spent any moment more out here, you were sure your clothes would have melted off of you, you were so hot. Despite the sun not being able to reach you through the high concrete walls around the spot, you felt hotter than ever, a damp patch growing in your panties with each passing moment prompting you to leave urgently.

For now... As you knew you hadn't seen the last of him yet.

my first long-ish work in a hot minute, I'm very insecure about it. have at it I have more thoughts on security guard Ghost. not betad by a long shot; it might contain some mistakes for which I apologize, this was like a year-old piece I renod

[lamortwrites]

reithwin beach!! 👀

ask me about my wips!

more bloodborne au :)

A little way ahead of them the shore is clear of wrecked ships. The sand there is stained the same dark, unnatural colour as the sea, and the wind changes direction as they approach to allow them to smell that same sickly sweet scent as they had the day before when they had crossed the Chionthar, like overripe fruit with just the edge of rot to it. It feels oily when they crouch to drag their hand through the sand, warmer than the cold seawater that has collected in pools amongst the wreckage. When they touch the tip of their tongue to the grains of sand left clinging to their fingertips it tastes rancid, cloying, like spoiled meat and rusted iron. There are wrecks out in the ocean, too, they realise as they rise to their feet. Half sunken, masts breaking the surface of the water like jagged teeth reaching up to devour the horizon. How many ships does a small town like Reithwin have? Surely there cannot be any left, not when there are so many splintered and broken along the shore. They are not an expert on ships but the wrecks don't look that old, and they are all in approximately the same condition -- whatever happened to them, it happened all at once. The sunlight is silver where it filters through the fog, glinting off the surface of the ocean. The water seems too calm for the harshness of the wind, still and near silent in the gloom. If the beacon in the lighthouse was lit they might be able to see further out, past the wall of broken ships that closes off the bay, but as it is the thick fog makes it seem much later than it truly is and they cannot make out anything further from where they stand on the shore.