#Roy's Squeeze Inn

[gotankgo]

«Roy's Squeeze Inn - Ypsilanti, MI.

Open until 10:00 pm Mon-Sat and until 9:00 pm on Sundays.

Opened in 1953.

Image via Ypsi Real.»

[sadhours]

scumbag blues: 1) first it giveth

gator tillman x f!original character

contents: 18+ minors dni, sex work, mean!gator, slow burn, enemies to lovers, smut, oral (m receiving), p in v, rough, anal play, choking, lots of dirty talk, unprotected sex, lots of spitting

The sheets are fresh, it’s the first thing Gator smells as he and Daisy walk through the doorway. She leans against the closed door, locking it and batting her lashes up at him. Big blue eyes behind false lashes and a scattering of sun sprouted freckles dusting the apples of her cheeks and bridge of her nose. Gator feels a little dizzy at the sight but his dad doesn’t approve of her, tells Gator he better stop paying for her services but he can’t help himself. Winds up at the Inn at least twice a week. Bills fresh from the ATM tucked neatly in his wallet, burning a hole in his pocket. Gator’s hands find her hips, holding her in place while his body crowds her tiny one. He’s a good seven inches taller than her. He gets off on the size difference, likes knowing he can easily throw her around.

Daisy’s fingers find the zipper of his utility vest, her pink stained lips parting as she tugs it down and smoothes her hands under it, pushing it off his shoulders. Gator lets it fall to the floor, cringing at the thud it makes as it hits the hardwood. Daisy then moves her hands to make purchase over his chest, making his skin chill with goosebumps. She gently squeezes his hips, blinking up at him with those coquettish eyes. Turns Gator to putty in her hands like that. Wills himself to stop thinking about how much dick she’s ran through today. Tells himself she don’t look at those men the way she’s looking at him. Daisy promises so, has Gator believing it like it changes anything.

Roy wouldn’t let him and even if he did, Daisy ain’t gonna stop turning tricks. Her dad thinks this is an Inn, but they make money ‘cause his little girls turned it into a brothel. Her mothers scarce, like his own. Gator doesn’t ask her personal questions like that. They keep it professional. Though he knows it ain’t, knows Daisy brings him to her personal bedroom and not one of the rooms for rent. Lets her rest her head on his chest after and tell him about her dreams. Kisses her stupid before he inevitably leaves.

“S’nice dress you got on,” he mumbles, “Put it on just for me?” It’s a white one, short with big flowy sleeves and her cleavage just about pours from it.

“Bought it just for you,” Daisy replies, fishing her manicured fingers in his pocket and retrieving his lime green vape. She holds it up, “You know the rule.”

“Dumb fuckin’ rule,” he grumbles but takes it from her, taking a deep pull from the little box and tilts his head back to exhale the smoke out towards the ceiling. He passes it back to her and Daisy side steps him to put it in her desk. Gator’s got a not so good habit about reaching for it while they’re in the throws of passion, Daisy ain’t a fan of the acidic fruity vapor in her face during sex. So she made a rule, it stays in her desk drawer until after he’s paid her.

“Gator,” she scolds, furrowing her brows as she looks at him.

“I’m just saying,” he raises his hands in defense before trailing to the bed. He sits on the foot of it, clicking his tongue and nodding to the ground before him. Daisy complies, getting on her knees and starts unlacing his boots with her French tip nails and looks up at him with those big eyes again. “Good girl,” he praises, placing his palms on the comforter.

Sometimes he makes her lick ‘em but he’s feeling sweet tonight. She looks a little too innocent for that right now. So he just watches carefully, humming in approval when she gets one boot off and massages his sweaty, socked foot. Daisy smiles, flush rising up her neck which has Gator thinking this part gets her real excited. Has half a mind to reach between her legs and find out. Daisy rubs her face against his knee, bouncing a bit where she sits before she moves onto the other boot. She doesn’t spend as much time in massaging that one before she’s reaching for the button of his cargos, Gator moves to unclip the strap on his thigh but Daisy stops him.

“Keep it on for now,” she pleads, pulling his cargos down as far as they’ll go with the strap on.

“Yeah? Got yourself a cop kink?” Gator teases.

“More like a Gator kink,” she mumbles and immediately looks like she regrets it, eyes wide and cheeks ruddy. She bites her lip and moves her hand to palm him through his underwear. He can’t dwell on what she said for long after that, hot pleasure rising up his legs as his cock twitches from the attention. A long, low groan pushes from his throat and she shushes him. Her daddy’s bedroom is next to hers.

“C’mon, stop teasing,” he hisses.

Daisy raises a brow, lips quirking into a smirk before she’s nudging her nose against his clothed cock. Gator gasps and his hips lift off the mattress for just a second. And then Daisy sniffs and Gator’s a little self conscious, knows he’s been sweating in these cargos all day. But Daisy groans softly and takes another whiff, squeezing the bottom of his thighs and lets out a moan.

“You’re nasty, ya know that?” Gator exhales shakily and Daisy rubs her face against his boner and tells him he smells so good. Pheromones or someshit, he doesn’t know but he knows it turns him on that she likes his scent. His cock fills out even more and he grabs a hold of her head, pressing her face flush against his briefs. Daisy mouths at his length through the fabric, digging her fingers into his thighs. “You fucking love that cock, don’tcha, darling? C’mon, show daddy how much you love it,” Gator groans out, loosening his grip on her head.

Daisy takes a breath as she pulls away, immediately hooking her fingers into the waistband of his briefs and pulls ‘em down to get his erection out. Gator has to bite his lip to stifle the moan rising up his throat as she grips the base of him in her hand and licks a broad stroke up the underside of his cock. Daisy’s a real pro when it comes to head. Experience, Gator knows but she acts like she needs to suck it. Like she’s hungry for his cock. Daisy delivers kitten licks to his slit, moving her head with the motion before she wraps her lips around the head, giving a hard suck before taking him as far as he’ll go, hot and wet enveloping his cock. It twitches in her mouth and Gator pathetically moans out a “Oh, dear lord.”

He can feel her smile around the mouthful of him, has his hips rolling up on their own volition. For fucks sake, it feels so good. All the stress from work and his dad just dissipates like a switch. Gator’s sure that Daisy was put here on earth to service his cock, that’s what God made her for. And fuck, if he could marry her he’d do it in a heartbeat. Daisy pulls his cock out of her mouth with a pop before slapping it against her tongue and swallows before she asks him, “S’that feel good, daddy?”

“Yeah it does, sweetheart,” Gator bumbles out, “Get your mouth back to work.”

Daisy obliges with a giggle, running her pouty lips against the tip before slipping it between them. She sucks on his head, stroking him with her hand. Keeps her eyes locked on his face, like she’s eager to watch him fall apart. Like her whole self worth depends on whether or not she can make Gator cum. And he’s a fucking asshole.

“Aw, darlin,” he laughs softly, “You can do better than that, can’tcha?”

Daisy huffs through her nose, eyes squinting at him as she squeezes his cock in her hand but she clearly can’t help herself, as stubborn as she may pretend to be, she really just wants to please him. So Daisy sinks her mouth down on his cock, takes him until the head pushes against the back of her throat. She blinks quickly and Gator can see the tears prickling the corners of her eyes, slipping out and down her cheeks. Watches with his breath held as she exhales through her nose. He scoops her blonde hair up in his hands and holds it like a pony tail at the crown of her head, using the leverage to move her mouth as he pleases. Fucks her pretty little mouth until his balls are covered in her drool. Bucks his hips with it, reveling in the gagging sounds she makes around his length.

Gator’s real close to pulling her off, feels his orgasm is inching in quicker but it’s just too good to make her stop. He ain’t leaving here without filling her pussy though, it is what he pays for anyhow.

“Slower,” he whimpers out, hating the way it sounds on his ears but Daisy complies, pulls off of him and strokes him languidly in her hand. She blinks up at him, those eyes wide like she’s never done this before. The mortgage being paid for this place says something else though.

“Such a sweet girl,” Gator coos, “Do whatever you’re told.” He pats her bicep, “Up. Show me how wet y’are.”

Daisy flushes, standing up on shaky legs and lifts her dress above her waist. Her thong is white, slick soaked through and glistening on her thighs. Gator reaches forward and presses his fingers against the damp material. He moves them firmly up and down, Daisy rolls her hips into it and Gator lets out a low chuckle.

“Reckon you’re a good whore or… it’s only my cock that gets you soaked like this,” Gator muses, tilting his head as he pushes her panties to the side and gets his fingers against her folds. “Huh? You get this wet for those other fuckers?”

Daisy gasps, fingers grasping at the bunched material of her dress as she gazes down at his face.

“Answer me,” Gator demands when Daisy’s eyes glaze over from pleasure, his fingertips moving against her aching clit.

“No,” she whines, because it’s the truth. There’s bottles of lube hidden away in every single room. It’s nothing but men her fathers age and then there’s Gator. Handsome and around her age. Fucks her like he owns her. She won’t tell him he does. That she’s looking forward to their scheduled appointments. Cleans her room for him, wears clothes bought just for him and is soaking wet in anticipation. Hell, he’s the only client who gets to fuck her raw.

“That’s right,” he purrs, pulling his hand back and leans back against the bed, “Touch yourself for me.”

Daisy puts on a show, pushes her panties down mid thigh and spreads her lips with her fingers, giving him an eyeful of glistening folds. Rubs her pretty little clit in slow circles for him. Makes these breathy, quiet moans as she does it. Gator watches with an unimpressed expression that has Daisy insecure and eager to please. She slaps her pussy and inhales sharply at the way his eyebrows raise, moving to sink her fingers into her warm core. Fucking herself all slow and exaggerated, walls clenching around the digits and the desire to have his cock stretching them starts to get unbearable.

“Taste yourself,” Gator instructs.

She obliges instantly, shoving her fingers in her mouth and humming around them. Gator grins, eyes crinkling and Daisy clambers on top of him. Smashing their lips together desperately, grabbing his face and rocking her hips against him. Gator grabs her ass, squeezes it before delivering a harsh smack to the right cheek as he licks into her mouth. Daisy has a strict no kissing rule, but most of her rules go out the window when it comes to Gator. As much as she despises who he is, she’s overwhelmingly attracted to him. It’s carnal, animalistic the way they make out and rut against each other. Gator gropes her wherever he can, pressing his cock against her dripping cunt and rolling his hips. The most delicious slide, slick coating his shaft as he drags it through her folds. Their muffled moans fill the room as they writhe against each other. Daisy’s so goddamn wet Gator can feel it dripping down to his balls. He grabs her hair and tugs her back, breaking the kiss with strings of salvia still connecting their lips.

“Take that fucking dress off,” Gator demands, “Now.”

Daisy fumbles to pull the hem up and over her head, body exposed to him and his hands take advantage, smoothing down her sides and then back up to unclasp her lacy white bra. She tosses it aside and rolls her hips into him as his hands cup her breasts, thumbs grazing against her pert nipples. Daisy elicits a loud moan and Gator’s pinches her nipple and tugs it.

“Shh,” he scolds, “Don’t want your daddy knowing what an easy slut his little girl is.”

“Fuck,” Daisy gasps, hands moving to grab Gator’s wrist and forearm. His words produce a wave of euphoria laced shame, coating the length of his cock in even more slick. He uses her secret to blackmail her all the time, get dirt on her clients and get free services from her when he gets power hungry.

Gator hums, smirking up at her and says, “Does that make you wet? Screwing for money when daddy’s in the next room? Fuck, you’re such a whore. Picked the perfect profession.”

“Shut up,” she pleads in a moan.

“Ah ah,” Gator purses his lips as he smooths his hand up to wrap around Daisy’s neck, “I know you don’t wanna spend the night behind bars again. Soliciting a deputy and all.” Gator tsks, “Better behave.”

“Yes, sir,” Daisy gasps, feeling light headed with the pressure Gator’s got on her windpipe. Tells herself it’s part of the service, that she isn’t massively turned on by the power Gator truly holds. “I’m sorry, Deputy Tillman… I’ll be a good girl.”

“Music to my ears, darlin,” Gator drawls before giving a squeeze to her throat and letting go.

“How do you want me?” Daisy asks, breathlessly as her fingertips ghost down the swell of his biceps. She ignores the dumb tattoo peeking out of his sleeve.

“Ass up, face in the pillows,” Gator instructs and Daisy moves quick to get into position, thong still draped at her knees. Gator gets up, she can hear him undo his thigh strap and carefully placing it on the dresser before she feels him peel her underwear the rest of the way down. When she feels Gator’s hips pressing the globes of her ass, she knows he’s undressed. The tip of his cock grazes her fluttering hole, causing a whine to raise out of her throat and she pushes her ass back at him, desperate to catch the head of his cock in her hole and sink down on it. But Gator has other plans, grabs handfuls of her ass and spreads her cheeks before jiggling them in his hands. Watches her asshole flex from the motion and he spits on it, moving his thumb to spread his saliva against the hole she doesn’t let any other man touch. Hasn’t told Gator he’s the only man whose fucked her ass.

Gator spits again, uses it as lube to slip his thumb inside her asshole and groans lowly as Daisy’s toes curl.

“That’s it,” he coos, “Such a good little whore for me.”

Daisy keens, grabbing onto the pillows as she pushes her ass back at him. He spanks her with his right hand, so hard she’s sure she’s got an angry, red print of Gator’s large hand on it. Then he’s grabbing the base of his cock, swirling the head of it around Daisy’s clenching, dripping hole. He slips it in, but keeps it shallow. Just the tip.

“C’mon, Daisy,” he says condescendingly, “Fuck that dirty hole on my cock.”

Daisy’s head is swimming with just the tip, the notion that this is work completely vacated her thoughts. This is pure pleasure, all play and no work. Daisy fully believes in this moment that she exists to be used by Gator and God’s a real kind son of a bitch for giving her that purpose. She rolls her hips back, sinking down on Gator’s cock and he gasps. Her eyes are rolling back as he fills her up, all the way down to his tight balls. His cockhead presses into her g-spot so deliciously Daisy cannot hold back the guttural moan punching through her lips. He’s the only client to make her cum, to make sex enjoyable.

“Fuckin’ hell,” he exhales, “Tight little cunt, no matter how many dicks you take.”

His filthy words make both her holes clench around him. Gator wiggles his thumb and then uses the grip he’s got on her to drag her up and down his cock. He’s so thick and she’s squeezing him so tight. Can’t imagine not taking Gator raw. Needs to feel him without the stinky, thin layer of latex.

“Christ,” he moans softly, “Just keep squeezing that dick. You love it so much.”

Daisy fucks back against him, her nipples brushing against the bedspread as her tits sway with the motions. The sensation spreads hotly down her spine. The wet sounds of Gator’s cock sliding in and out of her cunt fill her ears, sprouting goosebumps over her skin as desperation starts to take over her. With each thrust of their hips, their skin meets with a sweaty slap and the tip of his cock brushes against her g-spot. Gator keeps letting out these low grunts, right hand gripping her hip tight enough to leave bruises. All the marks on her skin are left from him.

“So wet,” he chokes behind clenched teeth, “My little whore, all fucking mine.” He slaps her ass, “Yeah? I own this tight fuck hole, don’t I?”

“Yes,” she cries out, the slapping sounds of their skin gaining in tempo as Gator pounds into her relentlessly.

“Say it, bitch,” Gator seethes, moving her hand between her shoulder blades and pushing her harder against the mattress, “Tell me who owns this fucking pussy.”

Daisy turns her head, though her voice is still slightly muffled as she whimpers out, “You own this pussy, Gator owns me…”

“Damn fucking right,” he grunts. And just as he slips his thumb out of her ass to grip her hips, his radio goes off.

“Gator, do you copy?” that static laced voice rings throughout the room but the deputy ignores it, drilling into Daisy at breakneck speed, pushing involuntarily little yelps from her.

“Gator, you there?” Again, the voice comes through. “Gator,” in a singing tune.

“Fucking useless pricks,” he pulls out from Daisy and climbs off the bed. She sighs as she flips onto her back, rubbing her pussy as she watches his plump ass while he walks over to his vest.

“I’m fuckin’ busy,” he says into the radio and drops the vest, turning and grinning from ear to ear as he sees Daisy laid back, running her fingers through her folds as she eyes his hard cock.

“Fuckin’ busy or busy fuckin’?” The voice replies as Gator makes it to the edge of the mattress, stroking his cock while his eyes rake over Daisy’s body. “You with that whore again, ain’t ya, Gator?”

He rolls his eyes and climbs back on the mattress, gets between Daisy’s legs and slaps the head of his cock against her pussy, “Ignore ‘em, they’ll leave us alone.”

Daisy is used to what everyone says about her. Hell, the majority of Stark County Sheriff’s Department has paid for her services. She’d be amiss to ignore the realization that Gator talks about her to them, though.

“You tell ‘em about me?” she giggles, moving her hands up to play with her nipples while Gator drags the tip of his cock through her folds.

“Sure do,” he mumbles, “Tell ‘em you let me fuck your ass for no extra charge.”

“You get a flat fee,” Daisy admits, looking up to see his gelled back hair coming undone, the longer strands flopping out. He’s so frustratingly good looking, can’t help herself to grab his arms and pull his lips to hers. As Gator kisses back, he slips his cock into her hole which makes Daisy moan against his lips. Her legs come up to wrap around his waist and her arms drape around his shoulders.

He grinds into her cunt nice and deep before snapping his hips, head of his cock hitting her cervix in a way that has her body jolting and nails dragging down his back. Tears fill her eyes at the sharp sensation but Gator doesn’t relent, pounding into her pussy with abandon. Daisy has to bite his lip to stifle her cries but the assault makes Gator growl and break the kiss, pulling back and wrapping his fingers around her neck. Not applying too much pressure, but pressing her into the bed while he hammers his hips impossibly faster and harder, face all contorted in frustration and pleasure.

“Ya wanna bite me, bitch?” he grunts out.

Daisy whimpers, eyes rolling back in her head as Gator drills into her. Euphoria radiating all over her body as Gator slams against her g-spot repeatedly, turning Daisy into a drooling, incoherent mess as her voice attempts to apologize. Gator pouts, his thumb stroking her cheekbone as he slows his thrusts.

“Poor girl, make you cockdrunk already?” his voice is just a tad shaky, like he’s struggling not to fuck her into oblivion. “We just barely started, darlin.”

That’s another thing different about Gator as a client, the sex lasts hours. They usually do it more than once. Rest of her clients can barely last five minutes. Daisy wouldn’t complain though. Four hundred bucks for five minutes of laying on her back isn’t bad. Course, Gator gets a discounted price. Half off. It started because she actually enjoyed herself, had a rough time considering it work. Until he would leave, drop the cash on her dresser and not talk to her until he showed up for their next appointment. Gator makes her remember its work.

He drags his fingers down her arms before grabbing her wrists and pinning them above her head, leaning down to connect their lips again. Daisy whimpers against it, squeezing her legs tighter around his waist and trying to chase the europhoria she felt just seconds ago. If he hadn’t slowed down she would’ve came. Gator likes to take his time, really drag it out of her. He can’t do anything without making it convoluted and difficult. Which he proves by shoving his cock as deep as it’ll go, their skin flush and then stills his hips. Pants into the kiss, moves his free hand up to squeeze her tit again. Daisy flicks her tongue against his and he wraps his lips around it, sucking on her tongue as he attempts to penetrate her even deeper. Fruitless, his cocks into the hilt, balls pressed against her ass.

The kiss quickly devolves into the pair of them moaning into open mouths, Gator thrusts but barely pulls back. And his cock is so hard and firm, Daisy’s squeezing around it with all she’s worth. Fuck, they’re libel to get stuck like this. Animals in heat. Pleasure swirling around in her stomach, bleeding down to all her nerves. They’re as connected as they’ll ever be, in the most raw and guttural way they can be. She opens her eyes as he pulls back, whimpers when his cock goes with him and she’s left feeling empty. Gator spreads her legs, looks down at her cunt and let’s a line of spit drip from his lips to her pretty, fucked bright pink pussy.

“Think it’s time you earned your money,” he pats her thigh, “Ride me, cowgirl.”

Daisy knows she’s well earned her money as is but she isn’t gonna say no to riding Gator. Gains a bit of her power back in that position. She nods enthusiastically and straddles Gator once he’s on his back, smoothes her hands through his chest hair and grazes her fingertips against his nipples. It earns her an almost pathetic moan from the man and Daisy’s giddy on it. She grinds her slicked up pussy against his hard cock, the slide easy from how soaked he gets her.

“C’mon, now,” he quirks an eyebrow, “Get on that cock and show me what you’re worth.”

Daisy licks her lips, lifts herself up and grabs hold of Gator’s erection, the head easily catches on her hole and she sinks down on him. Her puffy lips fall open as he fills her, a saccharine moan pouring out of her. He hums, eyes locked on where their bodies connect.

Then he directs her, “Slow. Wanna see it all. Need to see your pussy swallowin’ that cock.”

Holding onto his thighs, she leans back and slowly lifts her hips. Up until just the tips inside. She watches Gator’s expressions intently, his brown eyes blown wide with this hazy lust in them. Cheeks flushed and breathing heavily. His lips are swollen from the kisses.

“Take that cock, baby,” he mumbles out, sounding so delightfully dazed.

Baby. The word goes right to her head, makes her stomach fill with butterflies. Daisy complies, sinking back down on it and repeating the languid motions a few more times before she can’t take it anymore. Needs it faster and harder. Gator turns into a bumbling puddle, moaning out as he encourages her, “That’s it, yeah. Fuck yourself on my dick. Oh, yeah…”

“Gator,” she whines out, milking his cock with her tight cunt. Bouncing on his cock, squeezing his thighs for leverage. Her eyebrows pinch together and her mouth hangs open, chasing that burst of ecstasy only Gator can give her.

“Yeah, you filthy little slut,” he seethes, teeth clenched as his eyes dance around from their sexes up to her eyes and down to her tits.

Daisy huffs, moving a hand so she can rub erratic circles against her throbbing clit. Balancing herself on the one hand still plastered on Gator’s thigh. Feels the way her legs burn from exertion but she’s too focused on chasing the orgasm teasing her insides. Rides him like a woman gone mad. Gator’s moans turn breathless and border on whimpering, be it by her cunt quickly working his cock or her animalistic determination to get herself off, it’s doing something to him.

“Really workin’ for it, yeah?” Gator babbles out, “Gonna make yourself cream all over my cock, baby?”

“Feels so fucking good,” she heaves through pants.

“Mmm,” Gator’s hands snake around her hips, his own legs spreading which makes Daisy falter and she lets out a frustrated whine. “Don’t stop,” Gator tells her, fingers digging into her skin.

He begins thrusting up at her, the pair of them relentlessly humping each other. It’s a little sloppy, but the force of Gator’s hips pushes her over the edge. Intense waves of absolute heaven rippling through her, mouth open in a silent scream as she writhes against Gator. Vision gone absolutely white, riding out her orgasm blindly. Gator growls a laugh while he watches, reveling in the way her face scrunches and contorts as her body starts to buzz all over. He’s following close behind, before Daisy’s orgasm even finishes she feels his hot, thick seed filling her and leaking down the sides of his cock. Makes her cry out, body collapsing on top of him as he wraps an arm around her and fucks up into her, emptying all he’s got in her sore, used hole.

“Gator, Gator, Gator,” she chants breathlessly in his ear, tears trailing hotly down her cheeks as the aftershocks of her orgasm have her rolling her hips against him. Imagines he’s her husband. Imagines this is a marital love. That when they’re out in public they don’t hate each other.

He hums, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek before he’s pushing her off of him. Daisy lays on the mattress beside him, panting as she tries to catch her breath. Gator’s panting too, turns on his side and grabs her hip to pull her close. Drapes his arm around her as his lips find hers and they share lazy kisses.

“You let anyone else cum in ya?” he wonders aloud, lips dragging along hers. He hopes not. Can’t be too sure of her answer anyhow. She is a working girl after all. He pays her to be what he wants her to be. He still fantasizes about knocking her up, telling his dad he’s got no choice but to be with Daisy and keep filling her up with babies. She’s on birth control though, has that chip in her arm he hates so much.

“Gator,” she sighs as she presses her hand to his jaw and kisses him softly, “You’re the only one I let fuck me raw. Therefore… you’re the only man who's nut in me.”

He cringes, “Don’t talk like that. S’not ladylike.”

“Haven’t you heard? I’m not much of a lady,” she kisses him again, can’t stop kissing him.

[triscribeaucollection]

Red Scale, Black Scale

The archer kept looking at him with a strange expression.

Jay couldn’t tell if he was supposed to be an official ranger or a random hunter or some military’s scout, but he’d paid for drinks in advance and picked out a table at the back of the room big enough for several chairs. Which he proceeded to sit at, alone, nursing one ale after another, watching the room in general and Jay in particular.

His skin didn’t crawl like when certain creeps stared, but it still felt disconcerting. As soon as the bartender nudged him none too gently towards the kitchen, clearly having noticed the archer herself, Jay didn’t hesitate to slip out of view. He even went one further, heading down the short hall and out the back door to hide in the alley between tavern and inn. It opened to the street on his left, but ended to his right, the buildings connected by a covered path that got proper walls added during winter. Jay huffed out a breath and watched the mist made from it curl through the air. He just needed a few minutes to let the tension out, instead of letting it build and making something snap inside, which always forced him to clear out of whatever dinky little town he’d sought employment in.

Snow at the mouth of the alley crunched.

And just like that, the tension came racing back, making his spine stiffen and his hands clench. “Hey,” the archer called, lingering on the street as he peered into the shadowed alleyway. “Not trying to spook you, buddy, but by any chance, is your name Jason?”

JaybirdJay-ladJayJayJason-

Snarling, Jay grabbed at his head. The pain didn’t come around often anymore, not since he’d woken up alone in a field full of dead men, but when it did it HURT.

He almost didn’t notice the archer coming a few steps closer, eyes wide with alarm. “Are you alright-?”

“Fine,” Jay growled. “What do you want?”

The man paused. “...for you to answer my question.”

“I don’t know, okay?” Jay grit his teeth and pressed both palms against his forehead. “I don’t remember. People just call me Jay ‘cause of the scar.”

“What scar?”

Rolling his eyes, he tilted his head and leaned forward enough for the torchlight from the street to illuminate the brand seared into the side of his neck - just the one letter, with a bit of a curl added to the top line. He knew the archer saw it from the hiss of sympathy, and promptly curled back into himself. The pain in his head started to die down, if nothing else.

“My name’s Roy,” the man suddenly said. “And I ask, because- well. A friend of mine’s little brother disappeared a few years ago, and he’s basically gotten all of us to promise to keep our eyes open any time we travel.” Jay grunted. “You ever been to the Gotham Mountains before?”

Rather than daggers driving into his skull, those words hit Jay like a high speed punch to the gut. He wheezed faintly, eyes squeezing shut, pictures and words and voices dancing just out of reach just like always, why couldn’t he ever remember-?

A hand tentatively grasped his shoulder, and Jay seized onto the connecting wrist as tightly as he could, trembling from how much it hurt to try and keep the words in his mind. “Easy, easy,” Roy’s alarmed voice reached him, “Take it easy, buddy, I’m going to get my friend, alright? She can heal all sorts of things, I promise.”

Jay kept trembling, and didn’t argue.

Rather than leave, Roy used some sort of enchanted armband to send a message, and a little while later a woman with burnished skin and flickers of light in her hair found them. “Hello,” she greeted, crouching in front of Jay, who’d given up on standing in favor of sinking to sit at the base of the wall. “My name is Koriand'r. I’m going to see if I can make it stop hurting, yes?”

Jay could just pathetically nod his head. Roy only asked two other questions, if he knew the names Dick or Bruce or Alfred, if he could remember anything about who he was. All they’d done was make it impossible for Jay to talk, searing pain nearly splitting his head in half, suffocating pressure spreading from his gut to his chest to his throat.

Koriand’r reached up to rest her hands on his bare cheeks, and in between one gasped breath and the next, she erupted into flames.

Phoenix, a small hysterical part of Jay thought, she’s a phoenix! The rest of him focused on the fire that didn’t burn, the warmth spreading outward to cover him completely, sinking in through his skin to chase a previously unnoticed chill from his bones. And the pain-

-the pain resisted.

Frowning, Koriand’r flared her flames a little bigger, but the pain in Jay’s head and chest refused to budge. It burrowed deeper, clawing out a hole inside him and snarling mineminemine. At the same time, the familiar weight that always rested just below the dip of his collarbone went ice cold.

Jay grimaced, one hand reaching to grab it through his shirt and vest, trying to move the suddenly freezing item off his skin. Koriand’r noticed, because her hands closed over his own, and a harsh, furious green light blazed through the cloth, causing her eyes to widen as Roy gasped. “Is that what I think it is...?”

Mind still reeling from the war between warmth and pain, Jay didn’t resist as Koriand’r pulled down his clothing just enough to reveal the pendant he always wore, the one he’d woken up wearing - the scale harder than plate armor, black on one side, red on the other, with green lines like veins running across the surface.

Koriand’r glowered at it. “Lazarus magic,” she announced. “This has been cursed.”

“Do you think that’s why he can’t remember?” Roy asked, leaning a little closer. Jay could only blink slowly at the two of them. His scale, cursed? He’d never noticed anything weird about it. But he’d never taken it off, either, never even thought to, some distant voice not his own ordering, demanding- begging him to keep it on, always.

As long as you have it, I swear, Jay-lad, I will always come when you need me.

Somehow, he didn’t think the voice had been able to keep that promise.

[fluffykitty1999-blog]

Dog of the Military- Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Just this Once

"Get up, Fullmetal. Train leaves in an hour."

Roy came back into the room a little after seven, setting their train tickets down on the desk.

"Mmph." Ed mumbled something into his pillow.

"No, wake up time." Roy ruffled Ed's hair, and the boy sat up, eyes blinking open. He looked around hopefully. "Breakfast?"

Roy couldn't help the small smile on his face. "We'll get something on our way to the train. Someone left this at the front desk of the inn for you." Lieutenant Shaw, most likely.

Ed blinked sleepily, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

He instantly dug into his briefcase, thumbing through all the documents before realizing, with a small smile, that everything was as he left it. He grabbed a pair of clothes from the bottom and headed towards the bathroom.

Roy realized something, then. "Hey- Fullmetal- where is that information, anyways?"

"Somewhere safe. I'll give it to you soon." was all he said, before he was ducking into the bathroom.

Ed ducked out of the bathroom a quarter of an hour later, hair neatly braided and in a fresh set of clothes, he looked much better. Though Roy could imagine all the bandages hidden beneath his shirt.

Ed deposited several small bottles into his briefcase before shutting it carefully.

Roy blinked, surprised. "Did you just steal the hotel shampoo?"

"It's not stealing. It's included in the price of the room."

Roy smirked. "Let's get going." he headed towards the door.

"You said we can get breakfast?"

The train station was quite small, like most of the town. There was only really one small stall- an elderly woman selling sandwiches, lunches and dinners packed and ready to go.

The elderly woman seemed to think Ed was the most adorable thing, despite his blackened eye and scratches. Ed came back over with four bento boxes and a large sweetbun that was still warm, eating the entirety of the sweet roll as he sat beside Mustang on the bench and Mustang read his newspaper.

The train came pulling up later- it seemed they were the only ones on the first one. They settled into a closed compartment, before Ed went to work demolishing two of his four bento boxes in under half an hour.

Roy smiled slightly, about to make a crack about how much Ed ate for such a shorty- when he remembered Ed hadn't been fed anything for the past two days because of him. He kept his mouth shut.

Ed let out a relaxed sigh after he was done eating, before he was peering around, making sure there weren't many people up and about on the train.

He opened his briefcase, pulling out a pencil and a few blank pages, and digging around before he grabbed a screwdriver.

Ed took one last glance at the door of their train compartment before setting to work, unscrewing the first panel of his automail and then the second, the one right before the intricate innerworkings were revealed.

Mustang watched with vague interest- he'd never seen the inside of Ed's arm. Ed reached into the innermost compartment and withdrawing the small envelope, handing it over to Mustang.

"There it is. Your precious intel."

Mustang carefully slid the envelope open, examining the intel and watching from the corner of his eye as Ed re-installed the panels of his automail.

The intel was more than they needed- not only the details of troop movements, but the pictures of official documents and new weapons being issued...

Mustang swallowed. He was holding the key to his next promotion in his hand.

"It's all there?" Ed asked, looking over at him.

Mustang wordlessly nodded, sliding the envelope into his coat pocket.

Ed grabbed his pencil and papers, starting to write. The kid was starting to write his report, Roy realized.

After the first page in his report, Ed paused, setting down his pencil and resting his head in his hands for a moment. The kid looked tired.

The train jostled- it was by no means a gentle ride, bumpy and swaying a little.

"Feeling alright, Ed?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Roy reached into his other pocket, pulling out the small brown bottle of pills.

"The doctor said you might be in pain. He said to take some of these- you want some?"

Ed blinked. The train hit a rather painful bump, and Ed winced, before nodding, not bothering to open his eyes.

Roy shook two pills out of the bottle, handing them to Ed. Ed swallowed them dry, as the train swayed slightly, and Ed bumped against the wall and hissed...

"Why don't you come sit over here? It's a little less bumpy on this side." Roy was lying. But he figured if Ed sat next to him he might be able to make so the jostling wasn't so hard. And he wanted Ed to be close by for the conversation he was going to have.

Ed was sitting carefully so as to mind his injuries. He was silent for one minute, two...

"Edward. What did Colonel Banks do to you?"

Ed frowned. "Doesn't matter." he wasn't meeting Mustang's eyes.

"That's where you're wrong, Edward." Mustang gently put his fingers underneath Ed's chin, making the boy meet his eyes. "You are my subordinate, and I am your commanding officer. Which makes your health and well being my business. I care about you, Ed. And so I need to know."

His charcoal gaze met Ed's golden eyes, holding it for a minute to ensure his seriousness.

He sighed. "It started simple. He backhanded me, dragged me downstairs, slammed my face into a wall- barfight stuff. Threw me in a cage, kicked me around a little, said he wasn't letting me go until I gave him the information. I think I fell asleep for awhile."

"He hung me from the metal loops in the wall by my wrists. That sucked ass. Cigarettes. He burnt me. Shittiest part was trying to sleep. And when I finally did- still hanging from the wall- He threw a bucket of icewater over me. Threatened to... he said he was gonna take my clothes off and give me a full body search. Everywhere."

Ed couldn't hide the shudder he let out. "I lied- managed to keep him from hurting me... like that anyways. He cut me up with knives. Said he was gonna cut my fingers off if I didn't start telling the truth when he came back. But he... he never did. You showed up and got me." A smile of relief crossed his features.

"It sure took you long enough."

Roy frowned. "I wish I'd gotten there sooner, Fullmetal. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It all worked out." Ed said simply.

"You said all that he wanted was the information. Information that was of no consequence to you- he's your superior officer. Why didn't you just give it to him?" Roy asked.

"It was my information. I worked hard for it. You said it was gonna make a promotion for the next person who got it. I wasn't gonna give it to that bastard."

Roy frowned. "I never said that... to you." His eyes widened slightly. "You heard me, didn't you? On the phone with Hughes."

"So what if I did? It was my mission, and I chose who to trust the intel with. I'd rather you benefit from my results than that cocksucker Banks. At least I know you wouldn't do anything too awful with that kind of power."

Roy felt the emotions wash over him all at once. Guilt, mostly. Guilt that Ed had made sure the information came back to him and him alone, endured all of this, for Roy's sake. So the man could get his promotion. And a bit of shock- Ed swore regularly, of course, but he rarely used such vulgar terms- there was true hatred in his eyes when he spoke of Banks, though Roy understood why when he saw the treatment Ed had undergone at the man's hands.

"You might be a Bastard, Colonel. But Colonel Banks is a total shitstain." Ed hissed it with such venom, Roy was yet again surprised.

Ed blinked twice, looking a bit surprised. "Colonel- what was in those pills you gave me?"

"I'm not sure exactly. Are you in pain? Do you feel sick?" Roy fumbled to take the bottle from his coat pocket.

Ed shook his head slowly. "No- not hurting as bad, but... tired. My head feels heavy."

Roy looked at the label on the bottle and nodded. "Yes, it says here they can cause drowsiness. Small price to pay for the pain relief."

Ed looked irritated. "Yeah, but... try writing a report with a head this fuzzy." Ed squeezed both his eyes shut and blinked, as though trying to clear the fog from his mind. He looked across the train compartment at his bench, where his briefcase, pencil and paper sat waiting, along with his half-written report.

"Why don't you close your eyes for a little while, Ed?" Roy suggested. "That report can wait a little while. Besides, we don't have to switch trains- it's a straight shot back to Central."

"Alright. For a couple of minutes, I guess..." within fifteen minutes, Ed was asleep. The train ride had smoothed out some as well, and Roy felt a weight on him- Ed, fast asleep, leaning against him.

Roy sighed, scooting over and gently shifting the sleeping blond so the boy's head was in his lap. It was the best he could do at the moment in keeping the boy comfortable.

He pulled off one of his gloves, carding his fingers through Ed's straw-colored locks with affection he'd never show if the boy was awake, being careful not to brush against Ed's black eye.

"Rest up, Pipsqueak.". He couldn't keep that fond smile from his face as he looked down at the tired boy. He'd never had a son- never had a wife, even- but he vaguely wondered if this was what it felt like.

He looked over at Ed's half finished report. He'd give the boy an extension to turn it in- just this once.

Ah- I love writing Roy gently fathering Edward while trying not to stunt the boy’s fierce independence. 

Obligatory ko-fi button https://ko-fi.com/fluffykitty12 .

[fullmetalscullyy]

his protector - chapter 5

summary: “you no longer hold the status as my first knight.” that felt like a knife in her heart, but riza had expected it. harsh, but she knew the consequences of her actions and would accept them wholeheartedly, because it was for the king’s own safety. “you’re no longer a part of my court. get the hell out.”

rated: t | words: 3999

read chapter 4 | read on ao3 and ffnet

Riza returned to the inn she’d found Mr. K in. It was far enough away from the castle that she didn’t need to think about court politics or him anymore.

Apparently, even that wish didn’t come true though because the owner popped her head in with the rather nervous sounding announcement that she had a visitor.

Riza sighed, pressing her forehead onto the back of her palms.

“All right.”

She was currently lying on her stomach. The owner’s eldest daughter was training to become a healer so had looked at Riza’s back for her. Apparently, it was deeply bruised, and the woman had scolded her for not resting it immediately after it happened. She also didn’t take the announcement that she’d jumped out a window well either.

“Idiot,” she’d snorted and Riza smirked at her tone. She was inclined to agree.

They’d spent a lot of time together as she treated Riza, and they’d become quite friendly with one another. Rebecca was her name, and she regaled Riza with her dreams of making it out of the inn and into a town to treat people properly, instead of the travellers who found themselves on the doorstep of the inn. Rebecca had shot Riza a pointed look, who’d laughed and stated that was a fair point.

“However,” Rebecca had argued in favour of her home. “I wouldn’t meet so many weird and wonderful people if I moved into a boring old town,” she grinned, winking at Riza.

The door opened to her temporary hospital room and Riza geared up for the upcoming conversation.

“Al, I told you to go home.”

The room was silent as the door closed. There was no immediate response either.

“It’s not Al.”

Riza’s eyes popped open, staring down at the makeshift cot that had been her bed for the past three days. A cold sweat prickled over her entire body, coating her bare back that was open to the room. Her shirt had been removed so Rebecca could work on her entire back and help heal the muscles that had also taken damage when the blow was dealt to the lower portion.

“Did they do this?” Roy whispered.

Riza didn’t dare move. She didn’t dare breathe.

She could pick up every movement he made. Roy approached, slowly walking further into the room towards her. He paused by her side, no doubt staring at the black and blue mess that was her back. She shivered, feeling his eyes on her as if he was touching her with his hands.

“Yes.”

There was a sharp intake of breath at her admittance. It was followed by an exhale, the air let out in a rush. It caressed over the skin of her back unfairly and Riza squeezed her eyes closed and grit her teeth, her whole body tensing at the sensation.

This wasn’t good.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she managed to choke out.

“It’s safe. My men scoped it out beforehand,” he reassured her. “If it wasn’t safe, you wouldn’t be here either.”

“That’s not what I meant. After all, your safety is no longer my concern.”

It slipped out. It was the truth, but she didn’t mean for it to come out like that. She had to remember she was no longer on friendly terms with him, and he was her King. That was it.

That was a lie though. Despite it all, she still fucking cared when she felt like she shouldn’t.

“You’re right.” At least his tone was subdued. Dare she say it, he almost sounded sad about that fact. It must have been her imagination.

“Why didn’t you come to me for help?”

Riza scoffed. Surely, he wasn’t that delusional, right?

She pushed herself up painfully to her elbows. Grabbing the shirt Rebecca had draped across the chair next to her bedside, Riza swung her legs out of bed. To his credit, Roy quickly turned in place to give her some semblance of privacy. She hissed in pain as pressure was placed on her lower back as she sat up. Gripping onto the chair, Riza pulled herself off the cot to a standing position, unable to let out a sigh of relief as the pain eased from her back. Stooped over, she pulled the shirt over her head with a grunt as she stretched, and painfully made her way to a standing position.

“You don’t need to stand for me,” Roy reassured her. “Please, rest –”

“I have to stand for my King,” Riza interrupted him, unable to keep the slight mocking tone out of his title.

When he turned, his face looked pained. He was the one who cast her out. Obviously, he was regretting it now, but she’d been through hell because of his stubbornness and had almost died. She didn’t feel like playing the obeying subject right now.

Riza realised she was angry at him, and rightly so.

“Why didn’t you stay?” he asked. “We could have helped with that injury.”

Willing herself to calm down, Riza shuffled over to the wall next to her, leaning the side of her body against it. If it was anyone else, she wouldn’t want to show her weakness to them, but it was Roy. They’d been together for so long it wasn’t even something that crossed her mind.

He had been your best friend, remember. He ended it.

“I didn’t want to impose,” Riza replied.

Roy frowned at her. “You could never do that. You know that.”

“Do I?” Riza asked, her eyes sharply meeting his. “Because the last time I had a conversation with you, it didn’t end so well, and I was shunned.”

He was guilty. It was clear as day on his face, but that wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t undo the hell she’d been through for his sake. Maybe a few weeks ago, but not now.

The door to her room opened and Alphonse walked in, despite her urging for him to return home. He didn’t deserve to put up with her mess anymore, and it would be better for him if he did return to his family.

“Hey, Riza, I –” He stopped when he noticed she was no longer alone, and a disapproving look crossed his face. Riza would need to make a point to remind him that Roy was the King and while Alphonse may not approve of his actions or like him one bit, it may work in his favour if he at least pretended to be civil in his presence.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Alphonse asked, ignoring the monarch in the room, who’d turned to face the young man. Alphonse approached and from the look on his face, he was ready to turf her back onto the bed.

“I needed to stretch off.”

“I spoke to Rebecca. You shouldn’t be moving.”

“Al,” she sighed.

He was just looking out for her however it was smothering at a time she didn’t need it to be. She needed to deal with their guest first, then she’d stay in that cot until her entire body went numb with how uncomfortable it was.

“Riza, you –”

“We have a guest,” she interrupted, making a gesture towards the King and shooting Alphonse a pointed look. As she moved her arm, her back throbbed in pain and she grimaced.

“I can see that, but you’re in pain.”

She was this close to snapping at him again. He didn’t deserve it. He hadn’t deserved her earlier anger either. She was frustrated at her life and how she’d only tried to do good in this world, but it had ended up blowing up in her face. She only wanted to help people, but she ended up hurting them instead.

“I will, I promise. This won’t take long.” A different tactic, which would hopefully work.

Alphonse eyed her critically, then nodded reluctantly.

“Okay. I’ll be back in ten minutes.” It was spoken like a warning.

With the door closing and the two old friends finding themselves in privacy once more, it was Roy who spoke first.

“He’s right, you need to rest –”

“And I said I would,” she replied, quite snippily. “I don’t need to be babied.”

“We’re not trying to baby you –”

“We?” she scoffed.

Roy frowned. “I want to help, Riza. I know healing magic too. I can ease that bruising.” He swallowed after he finished his sentence, his guilt returning to his face.

“I’ll be fine, thank you.”

“Riza.” His frustration was showing. A long sigh left him, followed by a hand placed against his hip. His other rose to his forehead to rub it, then move down to rub his face.

“I’m sorry,” he apologised. “I apologise for my actions. I… I was a complete idiot, and I realise that now.”

His remorse was clear in his eyes. They shined in the light of the room as Riza watched him warily.

“Why didn’t you come to me for help?”

“You didn’t heed my warnings about the danger. Why would I come to you for help on a mission that apparently wasn’t dangerous in the slightest?” Her irritation flared.

“Not about that,” he shook his head. “That was on me, and I’m so sorry. I meant about your injury.”

“I was under the impression you wanted nothing to do with me anymore, Your Highness."

She wasn’t sure where this harshness had come from, however it was the truth. It was how she’d felt when her oldest friend and closest confidant dismissed her completely and ignored her. He’d betrayed her too.

“You’re still one of my people,” the King replied. His jaw set as he clenched his teeth. “I wouldn’t have turned you away.”

“I left because you made your feelings perfectly clear, Your Highness,” Riza replied. “I wouldn’t want to take up anymore of your precious time –”

“Riza,” the King uttered tiredly, surprising her. “Stop it. Please.” He was pleading with her.

Riza watched him for a second, noticing his posture and expression. He looked exhausted. Despite the tiredness and regret she saw on the King’s face Riza was still annoyed. He was acting as though it’d been her who’d upped and left.

“I understand your question, Your Majesty, however remember, it was you who cast me out, not the other way around.” Riza’s voice was hard and unforgiving. “I was only following your last order to me.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I also understand your frustration at my actions. However, it does baffle me at the same time. I was only trying to save your life –”

“You went behind my back,” he reminded her, a bite to his voice. He was getting angry now. Good. A shouting match might help them air out all the shit that had transpired over the past few weeks.

“To keep you safe,” Riza fired right back. “To do my job.”

“I asked you not to.” He rounded on her. There was fire in his eyes that was burning as he vented out what had happened between them. Riza understood the feeling of betrayal he harboured, but he was too damn stubborn to realise that it had been for his own good. “I asked you to let me handle it.”

“And where would we be if you had, hm?” Riza prompted. “Because I was right. The meeting was a plot to try and kill you.”

“At least I would have been there!” he yelled. It sparked Riza’s anger further. “At least I could have fought alongside you! Instead,” he spat. “You and your mage friend interrupted my court session with you bleeding out on my floor, poisoned.” Riza watched as his nostrils flared with his anger. His breath was heavy as he let out everything. “Imagine how I must have felt when you appear out of nowhere, dying on my floor?”

“I imagine the same way I felt when you exiled me for trying to save you,” she spat, not giving him an inch. “You cast me out for trying to protect you and do my job. If you won’t listen to me and you berate me for doing my fucking job, then why do you need me there? Why do you care?”

“Because I love you,” he hissed. “And I didn’t want you to deal with it all by yourself.”

Riza’s heart thudded in her chest. This was… a development, her brain thought stupidly.

“But no,” Roy continued to rage, sarcasm dripping from his tone. “You had to go off and do it yourself anyway.”

“To protect you, idiot!” The shock was gone, replaced by her irritation.

“And who was there to protect you?” he bit back.

Riza narrowed her eyes. “I don’t need protecting. That’s not your job.”

“No, but I want to,” he glared. “You just won’t let me.”

Riza laughed to herself in disbelief. “When you told me to “get the hell out” – your words, not mine – where was that sentiment? When you stripped me of my title because you were too fucking proud to accept help, when you kicked me out of your court because I “went behind your back” to try and save your fucking life, where was that same sentiment? Because I sure as shit don’t remember seeing it anywhere. Don’t pull that bullshit with me now, Roy, just because your conscious is weighing on you. Don’t use this as an attempt to try and make yourself feel better!”

He had no reply and Riza scoffed and walked back across to her cot. Her back was in agony, Rebecca’s healing spell beginning to wear off. She needed to lie down before she collapsed. As her hands hit the bed heavily, she could have sworn she heard Roy step forward, but once she caught herself and glanced over her shoulder, Roy was still. He was watching her helplessly.

“I’m done,” Riza announced quietly, turning away from him.

She’d had enough. This battle wasn’t worth it. Not anymore. It was like talking to a brick wall and there was no way through it for either of them.

Her father had always told her as a child that power sometimes went to people’s heads. It blinded them to what was really going on in the world. When in the position of a ruler, some Kings and Queens weren’t aware of the consequences their actions had on the people around them that they cared about. They had so many people to care for and worry about – a whole kingdom – that they often forgot to take care of the people closest to them. Riza was so sure Roy would never be like that. When it came down to it, he was a good King. Riza would defend that until her dying breath, because he was. He was kind to his subjects and was always open to helping with disputes and making things right in the world. But her father was right. With his power came great responsibility, and he’d lost sight of the people closest to him.

This Roy was not the same Roy she grew up with, fell in love with.

Roy’s mouth parted open in shock. He blinked at her once, then twice.

“What?” he stuttered. His anger was gone.

“I’ve tried to protect you,” Riza continued. “I did so for years without complaint. Went through hell and back for you with no thanks. I was justified in what I did, I think. Alphonse agrees with me. It turns out my word means nothing to you anymore.” Riza hated to admit it, but it was true.

Roy straightened his spine. It was like a rod had suddenly been attached to it. He looked scared, all his anger and bravado gone.

Good, Riza thought petulantly. It was childish but she wasn’t having this argument anymore. It was wearing her thin and she had work to do and people to help. If he wasn’t willing to listen to her, then her time with him was over.

“Wait –”

“I’m done waiting, Roy,” she told him. A laugh of disbelief left her. “As I said before, you made your feelings perfectly clear when you stripped me of my title and exiled me. I’m not going to stay to be a verbal punching bag for you.” She straightened and set her shoulders, her resolve resolute. It pained her back, but it was like she was shaking off the troubles of this situation.

Maybe one day, once her job was done and things had calmed down, they might work things out, but it would be nothing like what they had. That would be what Riza grieved for the most… Roy muttering under his breath to her about his true feelings towards a particularly annoying Lord, trying to get her to laugh and break her professional mask. The two of them walking through the castle gardens as they talked through his plans and worked through his thoughts. The nights she’d spent checking up on him, only to find him exhausted and asleep at his desk in the Royal Office. She would never again place a blanket over those broad shoulders and that back, one she’d sworn she’d watch until her dying breath.

That saddened her most of all.

This was not how she envisioned this conversation going, but if this was the natural course of things, then so be it. She wouldn’t put herself second for him anymore. It was time she put herself first. It would be the first time in her life that she had.

“I’m done.”

He was obviously panicking, because the King’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he could even formulate a sentence.

“Where will you go?” His voice was hoarse. He almost choked on the words.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go,” she admitted, because she didn’t. It was the truth. With Alphonse they camped or stayed at inns overnight. “But I do have work to do.” She was still committed to this job and was determined to see it through.

“Riza, please, wait –”

“I’ve waited for you for years, Roy.” She silently cursed herself at how quiet her voice had become. She cringed at how it sounded, so charged with emotion that the words themselves may make her burst into tears at any moment. “I waited for you to come to your senses and realise I was only doing my job and ensuring the goddamn King doesn’t die because of his own stubbornness.”

Riza glanced over her shoulder at him, hoping she didn’t look as defeated as she felt. He certainly looked like it. His eyes shined in the light, but it was too little too late.

“I always hoped the power wouldn’t go to your head.” Roy shook his head but Riza never gave him a chance to interrupt her. “It didn’t negatively, however, you were so focussed on bringing peace to the kingdom – and rightly so – that you didn’t stop to think how your actions affected those around you.”

Riza turned, away from the cot, to face him completely. She had one last thing to get off her chest. If he wanted her to wait for him then he was going to listen to what she had to say for once.

“Do you realise how much it stung to have you dismiss my concerns because you were so deadest on bringing peace with this shady kingdom? No one has even seen their ruler, Roy. No one knows if they even exist. In my experience, the land is full of dark mages, bandits, and thieves. They’ve tried to kill me twice.” Roy blanched. “That’s right. Twice. They tried to kill Alphonse. He’s a teenager. Please enlighten me before you go, Roy, because I’m having a really hard time trying to figure out why you’re so desperate to come to peaceful terms with people like that.”

He was silent. He had no answer for her. Probably because he was so blinded by his resolve and this “project”, he hadn’t fully realised just how bad the situation was over there. Being the King, he would have no reason to travel there on a trip to see it for himself. It was too dangerous.

“So, do you believe me now, when I ask you not to pursue it? No,” she corrected herself. “I didn’t even ask you in the end. I begged you not to go through with it. You dismissed me. You made me feel inferior. You cast out me, your oldest friend, when it was clear you were no longer listening to reason. I was only working in your best interests. For your own safety.”

Roy nodded. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

Riza swallowed. “Good. Use this as a lesson with the next person you assign as your First Knight. Fucking listen to them when they tell you it’s dangerous because you’re far too fucking stubborn to determine that for yourself.”

Alphonse entered the room at that very moment and Riza had never been so relieved. He strode over and motioned for her to lie down on the bed. His expression told her there would be no arguments, but Riza was more than happy with that.

It was a painful affair, but they managed to get her lying down between the two of them. She groaned she stacked her hands atop one another and placed her forehead against them, her body finally relaxed.

“If that’s how you feel,” Roy swallowed. “I won’t bother you any further.”

Riza froze. She thought he’d have left. She didn’t realise he was still here. He was trying to keep things under control because Alphonse was there, but she heard the quiver in his voice.

Alphonse snorted through his nose beside her as he fussed, pulling her shirt up to examine her bruised back. It was almost silent but still conveyed what he thought about that promise.

“I’m truly sorry, Riza.” She heard Roy audibly swallow, even across the distance between them. “You’ll never know how much. I hurt you deeply, I realise that now. I’ll never forgive myself for that,” he whispered. “And I don’t expect you to either.”

It felt like a blanket covered the back of her body and she sighed quietly in relief as Alphonse cast a spell over her to ease her pain. Surprisingly, this was stronger than his previous one, before he’d supposedly left to return home to his family.

“I’m sorry,” Roy whispered before he stepped out of the door.

Riza remained still, her forehead pressed against the backs of her hands. The door closed and the sound of the latch catching was like a gunshot. It caused tears to build in her eyes. It was time to let it all go.

She’d gone against his wishes, but it was for his own good. He couldn’t see that now, maybe he never would, but it would mean he would be safe. That was all that mattered right now to his First Knight.

She still cared for him. In the moment, after their argument, she hated that she did, however Riza knew that feeling would never go away.

Maybe they’d grown apart and she hadn’t realised it? Riza had to admit, she’d been caught up in her duty and loyalty to the King. Perhaps she’d been blind to it too. Now she’d been freed, her eyes had been opened and she’d seen what he’d been like all along? There was no way of knowing. What was done was done.

Riza only hoped he heeded her one last piece of advice. Because despite it all, she still loved him. She didn’t want him to die.

“Thank you, Al,” she whispered, sniffing.

“For what?” he asked, his hands pausing as he adjusted the sheet over her body.

“The spell. This is a nice one, whatever it is.”

“Riza… That wasn’t me. I haven’t cast any spell.”

The silence that blanketed them was deafening. Tears dripped down Riza’s cheeks silently. It was a time to grieve for everything she’d lost.

[some1foundme]

Repost: The Long Way Home

Chapter Four is up on AO3!

Chapter Four

She woke from the nightmare with a strangled gasp filling the otherwise quiet bedroom.  Ray was stretched out beside her, his head turned away, snoring softly. The light coming in through her window was dull and told her that dawn was approaching.

Her talk with Moira the previous afternoon had been tense and awkward.  Oliver’s mother had never truly liked her or approved of her relationship with Oliver but she’d always been civil.  It had been odd talking to her knowing that the last time they’d spoke had been the night before Felicity had left the island.  She wasn’t surprised that she’d had a nightmare about that final encounter.

With a quick glance at the clock, Felicity got out of bed.  She gathered her clothes and running shoes, leaving a note for Ray beneath his phone, and crept into the bathroom to change.

The inn was quiet, it was far too early for any sane person to be awake, and as she stepped off of the front porch, she stretched her arms over her head and stifled a yawn.  The grass was white with frost and even though the sun was beginning to rise, she could still see the moon and stars in the sky overhead.  The harbor was dark, the ocean a sheet of black ink, and Felicity tucked headphones into her ears before setting off.

The chilly air felt good on her too-warm skin as she kept a brisk pace.  She ascended Murray Hill, choosing to ignore Queen Manor as she passed, and swung right along Rose Lane, heading inland.  The further she traveled from the coast, the cooler it became.  The canopy of trees overhead blocked whatever sunlight tried to seep through and her eyes struggled to adjust to the shadows.  When the cemetery gate came into view, she slowed. Stopping at the entrance, she found herself suddenly afraid.  Why, she couldn’t explain.  Felicity had been inside the cemetery walls more times that she wished to remember. It had never been a place that frightened her.

She entered through the gates before she could talk herself out of it and made her way along the familiar path.  She counted the headstones as she went.  She had visited him here before.  She used to come whenever she needed someone to talk to, when there was no one else around to listen.  Sitting down in the damp grass, Felicity ran her fingers over the smooth granite.

“Hey, Tommy.  I know it’s been awhile.  Life sort of got in the way.”

It wasn’t a real excuse.  It was generic and that wasn’t what he deserved.  She sighed.

“I couldn’t come back here.  Not after… not after Oliver.  It was too much.  Too many painful memories, too many reminders of the life that I thought we’d have.  I was scared, Tommy, and alone and –“

She shook her head.

“I hope you know that I have never stopped thinking about you, that I’ve never stopped missing you.  You were my friend, one of the best, and after everything that happened, I’m so sorry Tommy.”

“You do know that you weren’t at fault, right? What happened to Tommy was an accident.”

She was barely able to bite back a scream at the sudden intrusion.  She whirled around.

The young woman who appeared out of the darkness was just the same as Felicity remembered.  Her warm brown hair was a little shorter but other than that, Thea hadn’t changed.  She sat down at Felicity’s side and draped an arm around her shoulders.

“Your mom mentioned you were coming home,” Thea told her, “I thought you would’ve come to see me.”

Felicity shrugged, “I planned on it today. Yesterday was a little… rough. There’s a ghost wandering around at my parents’ inn, have you heard?”

The accusation held a bit of bite but Felicity didn’t try to retract it.  Thea had been her friend since the first grade.  She loved her like a sister, was closer to her than she was to her actual sister, but she couldn’t help the feeling of betrayal that had crept into her heart.  All of the people that she loved, that she trusted, had been keeping a secret from her.

“I’m sorry, ‘Lis,” Thea sighed, “I wanted to tell you but Ollie –“

“Yeah, I know, he asked you not to.  Apparently he gave the same speech to everyone.”

“He’s my big brother.  I couldn’t go against him.  Not on this.  Can you forgive me?”

Felicity huffed out a laugh.

“You know that I can never stay mad at you, Speedy.”

Thea lay her head on Felicity’s shoulder and hugged her.  They sat together for a long moment in silence, the only sounds in the cemetery that of the birds waking up with the sun.  

“I brought Ray home with me.  If I – If I’d known he was here I –“

“You wouldn’t have brought him along?” Thea asked, “Look, Felicity, no one blames you for moving on with your life.  You deserve to be happy.  You deserve to live.”

“I thought he was gone.”

“So did I.  We all did.”

Thea stood and pulled Felicity up with her. She set a hand on Tommy’s headstone and closed her eyes for a moment.

“Love you.”

Felicity looped her arm with Thea’s and started back on the path that would lead them out of the cemetery.

“How’s Roy?”

Thea grinned at the mention of her husband.

“He’s good.  Working like crazy, but good.”

Roy and Thea had been high school sweethearts. When Thea had left the island to attend design school in the city, he’d gone with her.  He’d joined the police academy, Thea had started a successful clothing line and they’d eloped.  They’d come back to Star Island the year after Oliver went missing.

“And he’s okay just being a part of a small town sheriff’s department?”

Her friend shrugged, “He’s okay being home for dinner every night and not fearing for his life every time he walks out the door. The city is a scary place for a cop, ‘Lis.”

“I imagine it is.”

They talked about everything from Thea’s clothing line to Felicity’s newest invention for Palmer Technologies to Thea’s future baby plans.  By the time they made it back to Verdant, Felicity felt as if some of the weight that she’d been carrying had been lifted.

Ray was sitting in one of the rocking chairs as they approached and he waved to them.  Felicity noticed that he was on the phone and waved back.

“Well he’s cute, at least,” Thea whispered as they stepped inside.

Felicity rolled her eyes, “At least.”

Thea paused beside her and Felicity followed her gaze.  The photo of her and Oliver was hard to miss.

“Wow.  I haven’t been in here in a while but… wow.  When did she put that up?”

Felicity shrugged, “I’ve got no idea.”

“Has Ray seen it?”

“How could he miss it?  It’s not like she tried to be subtle or anything.”

Thea snorted, “Your mom?  Subtle?”

The screen door opened and banged closed behind them and they both winced.

“Sorry,” Ray shrugged, “Maybe you should mention that door to your mom, see if she can get Oliver to take a look at it.”

Thea nodded, “That’s not a bad idea.  That damn door’s been broken forever.”

Felicity smirked at Thea’s declaration.  The door really had been broken for forever.

“I wanted to ask you, if the Queen family founded this place, then why is the Oliver working at your parents’ inn?”

She knew that Ray’s question wasn’t meant to be a dig at Oliver or his family but Felicity felt herself bristling.

“Oh the Queen family may have once been the crowning jewel – pun intended – of Star Island, but they fell from grace a few decades ago.  There’s still money left,” Thea explained, “But Ollie would never lay claim to it.”

Ray eyed Thea curiously.

“Oh god, I really am terrible at this.  Ray Palmer, this is Thea Harper.  Thea, this is my boyfriend, Ray,” Felicity introduced them and tugged at the hem of her shirt nervously.

They shook hands.

“It’s nice to meet you, Thea.  Felicity has told me a lot about you.”

He wasn’t simply being polite this time. Her friendship with both Thea and Iris had been the one part of her past she’d been willing to share.  Not that she could’ve hidden either of them from Ray, there were photos of the three of them all over her apartment when they’d met.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, too, Ray.”

“How do you know so much about the Queens?” Ray questioned, following Thea and Felicity into the sitting room.

Thea shrugged, “I used to be one.”

Ray’s expression was comical.  It was evident that he hadn’t been expecting Thea’s response which, Felicity knew, was exactly what Thea had wanted.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t –“

“It’s okay.  It takes a lot to offend me or my family,” Thea assured him, “Trust me. We’ve been shoved in the mud a million times over.  Our last name doesn’t get us very far anymore.”

Ray clasped his hands where they hung between his knees.  He was leaning forward toward Thea.  He was curious.

“So Oliver is your…?”

“He’s my brother.”

Ray nodded and glanced over at Felicity.  She had been fighting to remain calm but she knew that her fidgeting had given her away.  Ray’s palm was warm against her knee when he gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“Felicity hasn’t really told me much about what it was like to grow up here,” he said to Thea, “And I’m the curious sort.  Think I could pick your brain?”

Thea shrugged, “It isn’t as interesting as you’re imaging it to be, believe me.  Nothing exciting ever happens here.”

Ray wasn’t dissuaded.

“But how does it all work?  There are what, two hundred people who live here year-round? Where did you go to school?  Is there one here or is it on the mainland? And what about when the weather is bad and a ferry ride isn’t possible?”

Thea’s raised brow was directed at Felicity.

“He’s… inquisitive, isn’t he?”

Felicity laughed, “One of the things we have in common.”

“And you haven’t told him any of this?”

She and Ray both shook their heads and Thea sighed. She stood up.

“Where are you going?” Felicity asked.

“Let’s take him down there,” Thea said, “It’ll be just as easy to show him as it will be to tell him.”

Felicity followed suit and got to her feet.  Ray joined them, asking, “Where exactly are we going?”

“To answer your question.”

[mustangtaisa]

An Evening With The Elrics

This is also posted on Fanfiction.Net and AO3.

Pairing: RoyxRiza, EdxWinry Genre: Humor, Romance Word Count: 1088 Written for the prompt: ‘Are you thirty five or five?’

----------

It was a beautiful evening in Resembool that found Brigadier General Roy Mustang and Captain Riza Hawkeye conversing casually with Edward and Winry Elric and their two kids. Winry was expecting their third child and Riza and Roy had been invited to the celebration that Edward insisted on hosting despite Winry saying it was unneeded since they already had baby showers for both their other children. Roy had the sneaking suspicion it was just so Ed could boast about his family in front of others, specifically him, but he couldn’t be sure.

Mustang and Hawkeye had arrived a day early and were making small talk with Ed and Winry while the kids ran around being quite loud. Ed and Winry’s son was four and their daughter was three and as long as they were together they couldn’t seem to sit still and were always yelling about something. Roy found it almost adorable. Almost. Riza seemed to have no opinion either way as she continued to talk with Winry, somehow ignoring the overly loud toddlers running around the room.

The tea kettle whistled and Winry excused herself to make tea. Riza offered to help, but Winry declined, insisting she could handle it herself and that guests shouldn’t have to help with such things. The two kids ran after their mother and suddenly the living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The sound of Ed’s voice was almost jarring after a few moments of silence.

“Aren’t they cute?” Ed said, smiling smugly, though his voice was full of adoration, belying his attempt at being haughty.

“They are,” Riza agreed politely.

“They’re awfully loud,” Roy added, smirking at how Ed was obviously annoyed by his comment.

“Well at least I have a family,” Edward retorted, glaring at Mustang. “They’re great and awesome and that’s something you’ll never have if you keep being such a bastard. Who would ever want to marry a guy like you?”

It was Roy’s turn to frown in annoyance and he nearly growled at Ed.

“Listen here you brat,” Roy said, leaning toward the former Fullmetal Alchemist with a glare. “I’ll have you know there are plenty of women that would be overjoyed to marry me. And my kids would be far more well behaved than your spawn.”

Ed jumped up and pointed at Mustang, but before he could argue further, Riza cut in with an exasperated sigh.

“Enough, both of you,” she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “General, what are you, thirty-five or five?”

Edward burst out laughing at that, flashing Roy a satisfied smirk. Roy glowered at Riza like she was some kind of traitor.

“Yeah, General Bastard,” Ed said between laughs. “You seem more like a five year old to me!”

“That goes for you too, Ed,” Winry said, standing in the kitchen doorway with her hands on her hips. “You’re both acting like children.”

Ed’s smile evaporated and he gaped at his wife. The two men were now equally grumpy and the women were equally annoyed so Riza decided she and the general should probably call it a night.

“We should probably get to the inn now,” Riza said, standing and giving Winry a small smile. “We’ll see you at the party tomorrow.”

“You sure you won’t stay here?” Winry offered. “I know we only have one room, but the couch is pretty comfortable. Ed can attest to that.”

Riza’s smile grew a little wider at that, then she glanced at Roy quickly before responding.

“No thank you, we already booked and payed for our rooms.”

They hadn’t actually payed yet, but they had booked a room, so it wasn’t a total lie. And Riza would have loved to stay with Winry and Ed, their home was so cozy and inviting, but she knew Roy would be upset that they wouldn’t be able to share a room without giving their relationship status away so she had to decline. Dealing with a grumpy and pouty Roy all weekend was something she would rather avoid.

“All right, have a good night then,” Winry replied, nudging Ed in an effort to get him to bid their guests good night.

He did so, reluctantly, then stomped off upstairs.

“Ugh, he can be such a child sometimes,” Winry groaned.

“Tell me about it,” Riza responded, eyeing Roy who was still sulking next to her. “Anyway, have a good night.”

Roy didn’t say anything as he and Riza left. The walk to the inn would take a while and the two were in no hurry. Riza was enjoying the fresh air and Roy was just thankful to be away from the annoyance of Edward and his noisy kids. After a few minutes, Roy slipped his hand into Riza’s, lacing their fingers together and squeezing gently.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Riza said, though she made no move to remove her hand from his.

“It’s dark, we’re in the middle of the countryside. Who’s going to see us?”

Riza sighed, but didn’t disagree with his logic, continuing to hold his hand until they reached the edge of town. It was a small town and no one there knew them, but it was best to be cautious. They had come so far in the journey toward their ultimate goal for it to all be spoiled because someone saw them holding hands.

They entered the room they were staying in for the weekend and they shed their jackets immediately. Roy flopped on to the bed, dragging Riza with him, and grinned at the surprised yelp she let out upon falling next to Roy. He was acting more playful and childish than usual and she wondered what had gotten into him. Edward must have had that kind of effect on him she mused as she recalled many other times in the past where they had butted heads while acting like they were five again.

“What are you doing?” she asked as he pulled her to him.

“Trying to forget about what that brat said about me,” he replied. “The nerve of that kid, saying I could never find a wife. I have you.”

“To be fair, no one knows about us,” Riza said, trying not to laugh at his pouting. “Also, he’s not a kid anymore.”

“Whatever…”

Roy snuggled up next to her, holding her tight, nuzzling her neck, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, and she decided his acting childish maybe wasn’t all that bad if it made Roy so cute and cuddly.

[myrhymesarepurer]

Three: Chapter Three

Summary  FMAB, Post-Promised Day

Roy and Riza are forced to share a room. Riza has an unfortunate dream, sparking a tireless battle to separate, resulting in an insufficient amount of sleep, requiring just a touch of blackmail.

Pairing  Royai, lil bit of LingFan

Rating M, for the most part. 

a/n and a bit after, I have returned with the main idea for this story. a lit twenty-seven paged chapter of who knows. this is my favorite one at least. but, here I am, trying to write some smut...and drowning it in reasonable plot.  and a bit of adorable humor. oh, and a lil bit of LanFan. Hmnn. Enjoy! 

READ CHAPTER ONE READ CHAPTER TWO

ff ao3

Roy very much tried to keep the knock quiet, covert. He wanted to hide, disappear even.

There were only four rooms in this small creepy tiny little inn.

But, he was biting his lip raw, willing the heat on his hands, on his lips, in the pit of his stomach, willing that burn to

well,

he was attempting to throw cold water on the situation,  without actually having to give the time or the energy, to physically retrieve the cold water

complimentary or no.

Instead, he knocked, he rushed,

and, thus, said knock turned to a bit of a bang.

He wasn’t sure who was in Room One, Lan Fan, Ling, or the luggage.

He didn’t know.

It just seemed like a logical place to start. Also, it was the farthest he could get from Room Four,

from Riza, in that shirt.

It was Lan Fan that answered the door warily, only opening it just so.

“You can put away the throwing stars.  I come in peace.”

Lan Fan’s face dropped along with the arm holding her knives tight behind her back, ready to pull, wind, and strike.

“I am ashamed you saw through me.”  

He coughed a sick laugh, “I know a woman quite like you.”

Roy locked his jaw. It was a poor choice of subject, considering. But, it was true. He knew she came prepared.

Even to Resembool.

And, Roy needed to last long enough without a knife in his jugular to get that key.

“Indeed,” Lan Fan said, steeled, lifted her chin and opened the door only an inch more.

How generous.

“I need your spare room,”   “May I inquire as to why, General?”

Roy sucked the desperation out of his voice. He went into pure diplomat mode, quick, calculating, and strong enough not to be utterly hypnotized by his Captain.

quickly, he became The General.

“Why not?” he said feigning a peek behind her, “Seems you only need this one,”

Lan Fan had been bested twice in one evening, twice in the last five minutes. Roy had never seen the bodyguard, the fighter, the survivor so deflated, vulnerable.

He knew.

The General knew Lan Fan wasn’t alone. He had sized her up, analyzed.

Roy knew now he had knocked on Ling’s door, and not her own. He knew. He was good.

She had no choice but to turn in a flash, and produce a key out of nowhere, immediately.

Leaving no time for questions, for the disclosure of any more sensitive details.

Lan Fan was quiet when she spoke, “You understand I must keep my own quarters.”

She extended his salvation to him. Her request was for appearances, he knew.

for an alibi, for emergencies.

Who was to catch any of them in this stupid, little, tiny owl-infested inn in the middle of absolutely nowhere?  

However, the General had left his captain under the same paranoia.

The same line, utterly crossed.  

This is illegal.

Yes, it was safer this way. He would be stuck with the cargo room, out of mutual understanding.

“Deal,” Roy said, snatching the key out of her hand, all too eagerly. “Room Three,” she said.

He turned, he fled.

“However-“

Roy wasn’t the only one, quick, observant, knowing.

Lan Fan knew, and she shared her most honest truth.

“Do know it will not work, good General.”

Roy lifted an eyebrow, still struggling with the lock as she spoke.

“And, why is that?” he mumbled.

“I know a man quite like you.”

She and her Emperor lived a story the slightest bit similar to his own.

Roy furrowed his brow,  focused only on his escape.

“It’s not your decision, in the end,” Lan Fan said softly. Roy locked his jaw, ripped the key through,

turned around to deny absolutely everything, but she was gone. He glanced at Room Four, only a step away.

Riza only a step away.

He resisted that step with all the strength he had.  He threw the door open.

This is illegal.

He slammed the door closed, and hid.

He hid, while Riza stood.

She did not hear anything, 

not Roy,  nor LanFan, not even the most crucial warning,

It won’t work, good General

She perhaps could have used such advice to snap her out of it, prevent her demise.

But, Riza was too long gone, lost inside her head. She only heard the yank, the rumble of the slam.

Her stomach turned to stone, felt heavy, an unbearable pit.

And, Riza listened, frozen in that exact spot, the spot she stood when she watched Roy Mustang leave.

Riza knew there was a pull, while she stood there staring at the doorway,

In her mind’s eye, she watched Roy’s face drain white and burn red at the very same time, watching Roy turn and leave, escape.

Riza did fight back, though.

Her most rational, reasonable side pieced itself back together soon enough to even force her to lean away, toward the very back of the room.

She pulled. She tightened her feet, dug her toes into the carpet.

She needed something stronger.  

For, in the battle between Riza Hawkeye and the room across the hall.   Her will to stay still was most certainly pulverized.

It was pathetic.

Riza Hawkeye surrendered, did not think, did not fight,

She wrapped her hand around the door knob one finger at a time, she breathed in,

willing not to make a sound.

She had clenched her eyes closed, thought about counting sheep, counting the fan, its spins, and its squeaks.

Granting some peace before giving into officially deliberate loss of control.

With no plan, with no reason,

Riza turned the knob, held her breath, stepped onto the carpet,

pivoted to close the door, so perfectly in synch with the room across the hall.  

Riza’s eyes widened at the sound, she spun, she held the knob behind her, gripped fingers.

She held it like some terrible secret, cursing the fact that she hadn’t stayed inside, mustered the strength to give up the fire.

But, there was Roy Mustang, still no shirt, also out and also caught,

his door wide open, also clenching the knob,  ready to step toward Room Four.  

“Captain-“ he cleared his throat. “General” she said, so much less composed than she had ever been in her entire life.

“I was going to get some w-“ “There’s an ice machine-“

“Yes, of course,” “Right, yes, Sir”

They had both picked the glass-of-water excuse.

Lovely.

Each waited for the other to move, not able to retreat, because that meant something was weird, abnormal,

There was no way they could join the other, even for the sake of their cover.

For, the probability that they would ram each other into the ice machine until Riza made that noise again,

that probability was far far too high.  

Damn him. Stupid dream.

Of all the nights.

This is certainly why they never shared rooms. Of course, it was only appropriate to separate genders.

But, it was mandatory to separate the General and the Captain, more mandatory than they had ever thought.

Decency be damned. Law aside.   It wasn’t good for their health.

They wouldn’t get any sleep, she imagined, not just this night, but for weeks.

It was quite an obvious presence in their relationship most radically when he returned, twenty, fresh out of the academy, finally confronting just how madly he cared 

for Riza Hawkeye.

Riza realized she had started suffocating the moment he left to enlist.

She was alone with her father once more, the dead land, the toxic silence

a world without Roy Mustang.

Weak. Typical.

He returned. She caught her breath.

But, she had it under control.

They had it under control, permanently so, conveniently brainwashed by so many horrible things.

They had successfully forgotten, the truths of the past were gone, finally.

So,

It is reasonable that night, both Riza and Roy were dumbfounded, as to why the universe deviously decided to turn all their years of effort

into pure, raw, sexual something or other.

It was infuriating It was inconvenient.

and it was completely unnecessary.

In the end, Riza caved. She went off to the lobby to fetch him a glass of ice cold, complimentary water.

She cursed under her breath as she pattered back to their rooms, the fresh glass in her hand she knew Roy didn’t need,

acutely aware she was still only in his shirt.  

Where was her head?

These were not the actions of a most respected and feared Captain Riza Hawkeye.

She needed to recover. It was mandatory she regain control.  

It was mandatory she return to her room, as soon as humanly possible.

Riza made quick work of a knock, the door opened. She focused on the floor, completely avoiding confronting her half naked commanding officer.  

She outstretched the cup.   “Water, si-“  

Roy grabbed her wrist.

He pulled her into the room, guided her fast, backward into the wall, lips most accidently, most unintentionally, most inevitably,

centimeters from her own.

“General-“ she warned.

This was exactly the opposite of where she should be. She needed to get back to her room.

Riza shifted. Squeezing her legs together. Subconsciously, just most automatically shutting down any ideas his or her own.

It couldn’t happen.

Roy sounded almost heartbroken when he murmured to her,  “I can’t-“

Roy sighed, dropped his head, instantly spotted her long, long fair legs, and instantly snapped back up to her eyes.

It didn’t help all that much. But, he did handle her brown eyes every day. Not those legs.

Therefore, at the moment, it was far easier to look up, regardless of the fact that he was utterly,

powerless.

He kept sighing deep and defeated. Riza was distracted by the electricity coursing through her skin,   yet still felt terribly bad for him.

Even when she shouldn’t have. For their own good.

Her eyes softened.

Roy composed himself, a true diplomat. “How often do you have those dreams?”

“Rarely,” she deadpanned, a safety mechanism, “If ever. I was just unbelievably unfortunate tonight.”

Roy blinked, oddly, briefly

disappointed, yet most modestly unconvinced.

Riza hid a swallow, a dry mouth as he stared at her. She needed to leave.

She needed her own room.

“I have an idea” a spark lit up Roy Mustang’s deep black eyes,

“You be Riza,”

“I am Riza, Sir.” “I’ll be Roy.”

“General-” she huffed. “Roy,” he breathed, “Just for right now.”

her Roy, from so long ago, that past instantly revived.

They had always been so comfortable, it was absurd how lax she was here, half dressed,

and she had certainly never been half dressed with him before, mind you

yet still it was her Roy, so familiar,

It certainly was tempting.   Riza managed to still give him a look,

“This is not a good solution.” “But, it is a solution,”  He countered,

a solution was all he needed. They just needed to get through the night. He just needed-

“Sir, the Emperor of Xing is in the other room,”  she said, coldly, sensibly, “He knows exactly who we are.

Officers of the Amestrian army. Direct superior and subordinate.   We can’t get away from that.

Not even in Resembool”

Although Riza had regretfully revealed in one treacherous, terribly timed dream, that she would certainly want to get away with it, that she had most certainly pondered the possibility.

Roy, of course, had briefly forgotten the fact that Lan Fan was also in the other room.

With the Emperor.  

Perhaps he could strike a bargain. Or even blackmail the pair,  if worse comes to worst. 

They could be different people, at least for one night.

But, with Riza, his Riza, in front of him, so close after so long. Roy completely forgot nearly everything, except the feeling of her waist beneath his fingertips.

She didn’t mean to give in when he traced every curve from the top to the bottom.

She locked her jaw and gritted her teeth, knowing Roy Mustang, himself, at the end, would do her in.

It was always so, truly.

But, she had just finally trusted herself to forget and wait, and wait, wait.

She was so good at it.

But, that night, Riza Hawkeye was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and apparently much weaker than she always posed in public.

He left them in silence, watching the gears in her head turn. He left her to silence. He left her to crumble.

“Fine then,” she itched, hands on his chest,

Roy got too close. His skin grazed hers all over. Oh yes, she was always much, much weaker when it came to Roy Mustang.

She gave in, “You can be Roy.”

She held his sides, pressed on her toes and kissed him just so,

permission.

She successfully resisted immediately attacking him.

Her General wasn’t so strong.

He responded by shoving his lips into hers, bracing her neck, tangling fingers into her hair.

Riza did not even miss one step matching his speed. She skimmed her hands down his chest, the definition was certain the reason for her dream.

He needed a shirt. He really needed a shirt.

She gasped sharply when his hand slipped up the borrowed long over shirt, only just a feathered across her breast.

Before she could shamelessly beg for him to give up the tease, and just

grab it,

he pulled away and hovered her nose, breath sucked away, checking one last time,

that this wasn’t a pleasant dream, finally so graciously saving him from those blasted owls in the lobby.

It certainly could have been a wonderful dream. He checked to make sure. He checked, he hoped.

“And, you can be Riza?”

Riza was nearly too delirious to nod, but she did, in a flurry and it was then when things got too heavy.

Then was when everything spiraled out of their hands. Then was when he lifted her up, long legs wrapped around his waist.

He gripped her ass. She moaned lightly and he went crazy, shoving his tongue in her mouth.

His fingers fanned out, sneakily skimming the middle of her spread legs. She gasped, a delicate ah,

a bit of a very uncharacteristic squeak white hot spreading from her body to his.

It was too similar, too similar to the one from her dream, too too similar.

It was too too far.

This is illegal.

They both knew it. He dropped her.

Yet, Riza shamefully, involuntarily drew him back before he could rip away,

and she was so intoxicating, and she wanted this, he didn’t stand a chance.

He forgot. They forgot.

Roy and Riza now.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, wove her fingers through his black hair and so forwardly forced him closer.

She would regret this, she knew, all of this.

This is not Riza Hawkeye. How so true.

How so utterly false.

Roy grinned stupidly, kissed her, and kissed her, while his hands skimmed down her sides, outlining each curve once more,

and then his fingers found their way once again, in between her legs again,

somehow, annoyingly, aggravatingly, insufferably just

knowing

it was precisely what she desperately itched for

from the very start.

He had forgotten. She had forgotten.

They had finally forgotten. Roy and Riza.

then he only just swept his fingers over the cotton, applied the slightest bit of pressure,

Riza actually, absolutely, fiercely gasped, squeaked, utterly choked so accidently, shamefully arching, almost crying a most fatal

“Roy-“

before she caught herself, before he truly heard her,

and their eyes snapped open, and they remembered.

This is illegal.

How humiliating. They tore apart.

Riza stood once more frozen, ice cold hatred for herself,

and her most evident Achilles Heel, when it came to anything and everything.

Him.

Roy clenched his jaw and groaned miserably, nearly slamming his fist into the wall  

That was before he thought of Ling and Lan Fan. It won’t work, good General,

And, it wouldn’t work, no matter how hard he took it out on the wall,

It’s not your decision, in the end

The other shoe had finally dropped.   They were no longer above the most fundamental part of love.

What a headache.

There were a dozen different ways they could now handle the aftermath: denial, anger, silence just to name a few.

Riza Hawkeye, as logical and rational as she was, and Roy Mustang, as chained to science he had always been, could not deny any longer the cold, hard evidence,  that they were drawn to each other.

This fact was now validated for the first time in 10 years,

and now they had to deal with it.

Riza could do silence. She was known for her astounding affinity for silence, her wise and calculated use of words.

But, in the moment, she had lost her mind, her skill, her many years of practice.

It was all wiped clean by the man in front of her, the soldier, the idealist, the key to the country’s future.  

The man she was sure she would give into if he opted to push her onto the queen sized bed and not stop until sunrise.

But, Riza had to react somehow, in someway, the energy had to go somewhere.

The soldier, the idealist, the key to the country’s future, her weakness could destroy everything.

Anger, she chose anger.

Roy could feel it from across the room, even as he climbed over boxes to get as far away from Riza as he could.

He knew it was coming. He braced for impact.

“I don’t appreciate it, General,” she started, following protocol, keeping it professional.

Well, as professional as she could be, while she stood half naked in a hotel room with her equally as undressed commanding officer

“Please don’t call me that.   It’s making it worse.”

Roy hissed off the surge through his teeth, shaking his flannel pants, trying to pull them as loose as possible,

painfully noting the combination of Riza and his rank outside of the proper setting,

turned him on far more than it should’ve.

He had to shut it down. Roy held the bridge of his nose, felt Riza’s death stare burn into his skin.

“I don’t appreciate being treated like one of your girls,” she said quite softly, yet venomously.

He responded with fury, matching her choice of anger.  

Roy Mustang was always the only one who was willing to fight Riza Hawkeye.

Roy risked a step forward to her, pointing at her, calling her bluff.

“You are not like them and you know it.”

Roy knew all the things he meant by saying that. The layers upon complex layers of significance could fill several thick volumes of text.

All of it written down would rival the alchemy books of old.

which were generally boring,   long, long and very long.

Yet, a young Riza forcefully ensured he read them all the way through, ensuring he kept up to his master’s, her father’s, unrelenting standards.

She never gave him a break. It was still so, even with this.

For not only was she so much more beautiful, captivating, bewitching, enrapturing.

She was the only good of his past, and the truest hope for his future.

No other woman held a candle to her in any facet, in any realm or universe any one man’s imagination could dream up.

but, quite obviously, she knew

she was so much more substantial, much deeper and more profound, bright and brilliant

than the silly, flitty little dates he paraded around in the name of espionage, in the name of a façade that very often came in handy, when he needed to forget his Captain.

Yet, most crucially,

She wasn’t fake. She was real.

This wasn’t an act.

She was not like them, and Roy was furious.  

because Riza was far too intelligent to be oblivious to such a glaring difference.

She knew it all, yet decisively chose to ignore it. She never gave him a break.

You’re not like them and you know it.

“Forgive me if it doesn’t appear as such, Sir.”

“I will not shoulder this alone.” In what seemed to be one impossibly swift, singular move, Roy dodged trunks and suitcases, He stepped to her. He got in her face. And, nearly growled,

“I’ve been aware of this,” he said.

Whatever this was. He motioned from him to her, throwing his arms into the air.

“I’ve been aware of the constant existence of all of this for years. I will not take the blame just because you suddenly caught up.”

“For years, Sir?”  She cut, unwavering even with his face inches from hers. She still stood firm and topped him childishly.

“I’ve been aware of it for more than a decade.”

Knowing very well it was juvenile, yet chucking her most rational analysis into the wind. She didn’t care. She wanted to win.

They had both been aware. For so long. Since the beginning. And, they had never stopped being aware,

through fire and sand,   blood and pain.

That connection, that bond,

was always there, all of it.

This piece, however. This piece they successfully made so small, broke into tiny pieces.

This physical piece, this raw, honest piece,

well, as mentioned, the other shoe had finally dropped, struck out of the blue, revived the past, and sealed their doom.

Still, she wasn’t prepared for him to start yelling. “Then why aren’t we DOING anything about it?”

Ling and Lan Fan must have heard that.

They would size up quickly that the General and his Captain were both in the wrong room, both wearing next to nothing, and pushed up against the wall, together.

They could no longer be Roy and Riza. They would always be General Mustang and Captain Hawkeye,

Riza was mortified that she even thought for a second that perhaps it was possible, possible to break free.

But, this was illegal, yet, more importantly,

it was wrong.

She bit her lip, lifted her chin, swallowed her pride, and said sternly,

“Don’t be obtuse, Sir.”  

Then she turned her back to him. No more needed to be said or explained.

“You know very well why.”

They had a goal. They had a dream. They had lost their right.

She wouldn’t be accused of ignoring all of this, when he had kept up the charade just the same all for the greater good.

He had suggested she be Riza. She had let him be Roy.

Abandon their rank, forget their responsibility, their duty,

and resurrect who they once were, how they once existed, that state, that place, together.

He knew why they buried that existence, abandoned that place, remained static. He knew why, and she would not let him pretend it was her fault.

“I’m going back to my room,” she said.

But, before she could turn the knob, Roy’s arm braced the door.

“Wait.”

She expected an apology of some sort. She expected a grave discussion, filled with pain and regret, shame and sadness,

a conclusion.

But, instead, the air shifted quickly. Roy stared at her, cleared his throat.

Her blonde hair tangled, and her cheeks red from sweating, and kissing, and yelling, and scolding. Even her trademark glare, the one reserved for when he behaved so so stupidly, foolishly.

all of that was kind of smoking hot. 

Ugh.

She deserved more than to be gawked at like “one of his girls,” real or no. Roy sighed heavily, guilty.

He looked her, up and down, and decided on the most effective solution.

“You have to put on pants.”

She scoffed. Could he not control himself? Men are so weak, she may have grumbled,

of course, knowing she shouldn’t be so quick to judge, when for every second of their conversation, Riza remained so close to utterly begging her General to lift her again, and pick right up where they left off.

“We’re in separate rooms now, Sir,” she bit back. Sir, not Roy.

It couldn’t be Roy anymore. “It doesn’t make a difference.”  

She turned the knob. He eased it back shut.

“It absolutely does.”

“How exactly?” She challenged him, gritting her teeth, her fingers itching to run through his hair again.  

He was right there. She could just grab him if she wanted.

So, she at least partially understood when he practically pleaded

“You have to put something on,” Roy tripped over his voice, “I have to know you are fully clothed before you leave this room.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, Sir All of our belongings are in the other room.” But, he was desperate, so Roy examined what seemed like hundreds of boxes cluttering the room, forcing them to stand even closer, no matter where they turned.

“Then we’ll find you something of Lan Fan’s”

“I will not break into someone’s personal luggage just so you can restrain yourself effectively,” she bit back resolutely.

Roy’s black eyes grew darker with utter despair. It was so silly, and so gravely serious all at the same time,

“I’m begging you, Riza. I can’t-“

Riza’s jaw locked.

And, of course, it was just something in Roy Mustang’s eyes and voice and face and sincerity and everything, that always got her.

She looked him up and down, and decided the most effective solution.

“If I have to get dressed, you do too.” She countered. Once again, childish. Once again, not caring in the least.  

“You mean a shirt?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, sir, I mean a shirt.”

“You mean this shirt?”

Roy tugged on the hem of his t-shirt, loose around her body. Then he had the sudden and intense fear he was going to rip it off her,

so he pulled away.

“No,” she mocked lightly, “We’ll have to find you something of Ling’s”

“He’s seventeen,” he said, hacking a laugh.

Was she serious? She couldn’t be serious.

Him without a shirt was way less problematic than her without pajamas all together.

Riza tilted her head, cold as ever, hell bent on utter revenge.

“We’ll find you something of Lan Fan’s then.” “Not funny,” he grumbled.  

He was once a scrawny, skinny kid. She would tease him when they were young, only on occasion, when his head got too big.

Perhaps he could never actually fit into a petite sixteen year old girl’s clothing,

even when he was younger, but his old silly insecurities certainly made him feel that it might have been true.

It certainly wasn’t true now.  

He was toned now, muscled, defined, strong, a soldier - Riza was choking. 

“You put on a shirt.,” she demanded, distracting herself, “Or, I will walk out of this room as I am, and you will simply have to cope. like an adult.”

Roy huffed. Riza straightened.

And, they stared each other down.

He could give her his flannel pants. But, then he would be nearly naked.

She could give him her shirt, but then she would also be almost entirely undressed.

Neither of them could handle any of that.

And, neither of them had the strength or patience to find traditional Xingese formal garb that fit well enough to sleep in and could be returned by sunrise, appearing not-slept-in, and wedding ready.

Plus, most honestly, they probably wouldn’t have made it through even one box without giving up the search, and deciding to abandon what clothes they were wearing altogether.

Every option was simply a step in the wrong direction.

Every move made it easier, simpler, to finish shedding all final, utterly unwanted barriers, that had held them back for 10 years.

They were already out of uniform. They were already half dressed.

They were stuck.

Riza Hawkeye the invincible versus Roy Mustang the indomitable.

There was no way out, so they had to cave, give in to the lesser of two unfavorable solutions.  

It would be a common assumption that whoever stripped down and handed over their respective article of clothing, would be dubbed the loser.

But, let it be known, that Riza Hawkeye, when she did rip her commanding officer’s garment over her head, and threw it at Roy’s face, both a ghostly pale, and a red hot pink,

Riza Hawkeye had most certainly won.

“Enjoy your shirt, Sir” she said curtly, turning on her heels, chin up, perfect posture,

in nothing but smooth, perfect black underwear.

Riza left. Roy nearly suffocated.

Game over.

My fav of the four. One chapter left. Reblog, tags, comments, likes. I crave attention. Share in my love for Royai. They are beautiful. 

[restate30201]

Top 10 Affordable, Kid-Friendly Suburbs That City Parents Won’t Hate

James Brey/iStock

It’s said there’s a season for everything—a time to sow and a time to reap, a time to scoop up bargains at after-holiday sales, and a time to purge that extra crap you didn’t need in the first place. And many new parents inevitably face the most transformative season of all—the one when they decide they have no choice but to leave the excitement and cramped quarters of city life and head for the bigger houses and better school systems in the suburbs.

Even if they do it kicking and screaming.

But now that many older millennials, those in their 20s to mid-30s, are finally settling down, the ’burbs are getting a boost. Last year marked the first time this decade that the nation’s suburban population grew faster than the population of cities, according to the Brookings Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. And as these younger homeowners populate America’s bedroom communities, they’re increasingly opting for places offering up some of the big-city perks they’ve grown to know and love.

So where should family folks go when they’re reluctant to say goodbye to late-night pizza delivery, freedom from needing to buy car insurance, bars that don’t have “TGIF” in their names, or honest-to-God culture? We’ve got you covered. The data team at realtor.com® found the most affordable, family-friendly suburbs outside the nation’s biggest cities that offer plenty of amenities parents will enjoy on their own.

“You’re seeing more millennials moving to the suburbs, especially as they have kids,” says realtor.com’s chief economist, Danielle Hale. “People are definitely looking for affordability, better schools, less crime… [So] more outer suburbs have really put in an effort to develop walkable town centers and other places for people to gather, to enjoy similar benefits they’d find in urban centers.”

In order to come up with our move-here-now list for America’s cool moms and dads, we started by looking at the nation’s 10 largest cities. Then we took all the surrounding ZIP codes outside the city limits to find the best ’burb for each major metro. (We excluded a second Texan city, Houston, so we could squeeze in bellwether city San Francisco, the 11th-largest metro.) We looked at*:

Affordability based on realtor.com data, defined as less than $400K ($500K for pricey SF)

Percentage of children residing in each ZIP code

Availability of child care

Number of toystores

School rankings

Number per capita of restaurants, bars, and museums

Low crime rates

Reasonable commuting time (70 minutes or less)

So get over it: Trading the city for the suburbs doesn’t have to be torture. Just check out our list!

The ’burbs

Claire Widman

1. Edison, NJ

Suburb of: New York City  ZIP code: 08817 Median home price in ZIP code: $295,050

Roosevelt Park in Edison

Sujit kumar/Wikipedia CC

Low crime, good schools, and the 217-acre Roosevelt Park make this town of just over 100,000 residents one of the more attractive suburbs in the New York metro area. It also boasts a genius connection. After all, it gets its name from Thomas Edison, who established his world-changing Menlo Park industrial research lab in 1867. Parents can bring their own young scientists to visit the newly renovated—and way interactive—Thomas Edison Center. Seriously, it’s a fascinating place, even on repeat visits.

There’s no shortage of things to do for just about every kind of kid here, from the fun Rebounderz trampoline center (yo, don’t forget those waivers!) to the Triple C Ranch and Nature Center, a wildlife refuge. And for the grownups, there are plenty of bars and restaurants—over 280 of ’em, according to TripAdvisor. Yes, you can go to the Applebee’s here, but you don’t have to.

“When people are ready to make the move from city limits, they come,” says local real estate agent Marc Rizzo of RE/MAX Diamond Realtors. “We always see a big influx of families from New York City. You get more for your money here. In fact, their [mortgage] payments are probably going to be significantly cheaper than what they’re paying for rent in the city.”

2. Seal Beach, CA

Suburb of: Los Angeles  ZIP code: 90740 Median home price in ZIP code: $355,050

Seal Beach, CA

Kelly Bourquin/iStock

You thought Southern California was out of reach, pricewise? Check out Seal Beach, the northernmost beach town in Orange County. True, downtown Los Angeles and the Silicon Beach area aren’t really within commuting distance, but the town is just down the road from Long Beach, the second-largest city in the greater L.A. metro area.

There’s a real sense of community and camaraderie in this 25,000-person township, and plenty to do, too, with a quaint/California-cool downtown and enough excellent restaurants to justify the popular Seal Beach Food Tour.

And your home is likely to be a solid investment. The local economy is stable, thanks to the presence of a major Pacific naval installation and a Boeing Co. facility that built rocket parts for NASA’s Apollo moon missions. The adjoining Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the busiest and second-busiest container ports in the nation.

Seal Beach also has some of the highest-rated schools in the nation, according to GreatSchools.org. And did we mention the beaches themselves? Nice. The near-perfect Southern California climate draws families looking to enjoy biking, hiking, surfing, kite-flying, and watching free outdoor movies in the fall at Eisenhower Park. Parents can sign the kiddies up for surf lessons. And hey, why not take one yourself? It’s (almost) never too late.

3. Plainfield, IL

Suburb of: Chicago  ZIP code: 60585 Median home price in ZIP code: $369,475

The Smirnoff bottling facility in Plainfield should help ease your transition to the suburbs.

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Families looking for a new home with a Main Street USA vibe should look toward Plainfield, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The entire downtown has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, for its commitment to various architectural styles of the last century.

“Most of our clients are families who move out to Plainfield for the schools. It’s a nice suburban destination,” says local real estate broker Keith Lang of John Greene Realtor. “We’ve got a really nice selection of newer homes—most built after 2000—and brand-new schools, shopping, and roads.”

The village stands out for its high percentage of child care providers and close proximity to parks, golf courses, and lots of other outdoor recreation. Don’t miss the 839-acre Lake Renwick Preserve, where bald eagles can be spotted, along with nesting herons, egrets, and cormorants.

For those who prefer indoor pursuits, there’s the massively popular Plainfield Lanes. It offers bowling, arcade games, and an escape room that you, um, have to escape from.

4. Keller, TX

Suburb of: Dallas ZIP code: 76244 Median home price in ZIP code: $282,525

Keller, TX

facebook.com/cityofkellergovernment/

This suburban outpost, located between fast-growing Fort Worth and Dallas, describes itself as “the premier community in which to live, work, play, and invest by balancing big-city comforts with small-town charm.” Yeah, they’re laying it on a bit thick, but the description is pretty accurate. The family vibe starts with the region’s unswerving emphasis on education: Twenty of its schools have been recognized by the Texas Education Agency, and 20 major universities are located within an hour of Keller.

The suburb “is a fabulous area for families,” says Denise Kennedy, of Kennedy & Co. Realty. “They really invest in the community to make it a good place to live.”

It’s also significantly cheaper than Dallas, where homes go for a median $420,000 within city limits.

Keller also benefits from its proximity to well-known attractions, including the 212-acre Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and AT&T Stadium, the $1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys. For more highbrow entertainment, it’s just a quick hop to some of the nation’s top museums, including the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas.

5. Swedesboro, NJ

Suburb of: Philadelphia ZIP code: 08085 Median home price in ZIP code: $273,500

Old Swedes Inn in Swedesboro, NJ

Jerrye & Roy Klotz/Wikipedia CC

Located about 25 miles southwest of Philadelphia, this tiny town of 2,600 has “a great school system, a vibrant, recently renovated and expanded library, and a downtown business district that is exploding with new restaurants and shops,” according to Swedesboro Mayor Thomas Fromm. Thanks, Mayor Tom!

So what the heck do you actually do here? Eat, for one thing: Swedesboro boasts the area’s best Asian, Italian, and pub restaurants, according to a countywide competition. Parents can rest assured that their young ones are well cared for, since the town is also is to the county’s top day care center, the Goddard School, according to the residents.

Bonus: It’s also home to the family-friendly Bridgeport Speedway, billed as the “fastest dirt track in the East.” Vroom.

6. Chesapeake Beach, MD

Suburb of: Washington, D.C. ZIP code: 20732 Median home price in ZIP code: $349,375

Chesapeake Beach, MD

Danita Delimont/Getty Images

Famed Washington, D.C., suburbs like Falls Church, Arlington, and Alexandria garner lots of attention for their high-powered residents and equally ascendant home prices. But there are other communities that attract capital worker bees in search of a more laid-back lifestyle. Chesapeake Beach, a town of 5,900, was established as a seaside resort in the early 20th century and still maintains much of its early ambience.

The town is home of the Herrington Harbor Marina, routinely voted one of the best marinas on the bay. Combine that with better-than-average schools, affordable homes, and a low crime rate, and the 35-mile drive into Washington seems a lot more palatable.

7. Coral Springs, FL

Suburb of: Miami ZIP code: 33065 Median home price in ZIP code: $376,175

Aerial view of Coral Springs, FL

traiansum/iStock

This master-planned community of 126,300 has long been an attractive destination for families fleeing lousy schools and high crime in inner-city Miami. While a rush-hour drive to the sun-washed metro can take more than hour, there’s no need to make the trip for entertainment options. Coral Springs boasts an arts museum, theater, golf course, and the annual OurTownAmerica arts and entertainment festival, which has been held every March for nearly 40 years.

Appearances are important in Coral Springs. The city is spending roughly $700 million on a downtown revitalization plan. Unlike other Florida municipalities, it keeps a tight rein on commercial development, so much so that it was the first U.S. city to have a McDonald’s that didn’t have the chain’s signature golden arches. Fight the man!

“[It’s] a welcoming place,” says Lynn Pineda, of Keller Williams Realty. “There are so many activities to keep kids active—and happy.”

8. Dacula, GA

Suburb of: Atlanta ZIP code: 30019 Median home price in ZIP code: $312,915

Dacula, GA

theodysseyonline.com

Dacula may only be about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta, but this small town might as well be on the other side of the planet. The town’s centerpiece is a 76-acre city park regularly used by more than more than 2,000 families, boasting a pool, sports fields, playgrounds, and even an outdoor classroom.

It also has the advantage of being close to family activities that don’t require a trek into Hotlanta. It’s less than 10 miles from the Mall of Georgia, the largest shopping center in the Southeast, and a scant 20 miles from Lake Lanier, a 38,000-acre reservoir that draws about 7.5 million visitors annually.

9. North Chelmsford, MA

Suburb of: Boston ZIP code: 01863 Median home price in ZIP code: $294,275

Barely 30 miles northwest of Boston, this village is within an easy drive of some of the most monumental sites in U.S. history. They range from the North Bridge in Concord, site of the first battle in the American Revolution, to Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau famously contemplated the meaning of life.

Not all of the Merrimack River Valley village’s attractions are in the past, though—neighboring Lowell is home to more than a dozen seasonal festivals, and Chelmsford itself hosts one of the nation’s better small-town Independence Day celebrations.

Besides history and festivals, families can also enjoy an increasingly diverse dining scene. Restaurants offering tapas and top-notch sushi sit next to more classic New England joints pushing chowdah and lobster rolls. And for the outdoor-minded, the 24.5-mile Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from Lowell to Framingham is a work in progress for runners and cyclists, with the bulk of what’s been completed so far passing through Chelmsford.

10. Walnut Creek, CA

Suburb of: San Francisco ZIP code: 94595 Median home price in ZIP code: $485,025

Walnut Creek, CA

City of Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek may not be as affordable as the other suburbs on our list. But given that it’s barely 25 miles from San Francisco, where the median home price is a whopping $1.3 million, half a mil is a steal. Plus, Walnut Creek boasts good schools, low crime, and a burgeoning foodie scene.

“It has everything that you would be looking for in terms of food and activities that most major cities have, without the hassle of traffic and parking,” says Shauna Springer, a psychologist who has lived in Walnut Creek for 10 years and has two children, ages 4 and 6.

Springer also loves the access to nature. Walnut Creek claims 16 parks and 3,000 acres of undeveloped space. One of them is Heather Farms, a 102-acre park that features a sprawling, all-abilities playground, a lake, and botanical gardens.

“If you’ve got kids, you can get them on their bikes and get them on the Iron Horse [bike] trail, and just go from one park to another park to downtown,” Springer says.

And to groom your little culture vultures, the Lesher Center for the Arts offers kid-friendly theatrical productions like “The Little Mermaid.” Parents might be able to catch big-name speakers like Jill Biden, while the resident theater company, which just turned 50, puts on an array of new and classic plays. The city even has its own ballet and symphony.

*Data sources: realtor.com, Census Bureau, 2011-16 American Community Survey, Statistics of U.S. Businesses, Greatschools.org, FBI Uniform Crime Report, Google Maps. 

The post Top 10 Affordable, Kid-Friendly Suburbs That City Parents Won’t Hate appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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Top 10 Affordable, Kid-Friendly Suburbs That City Parents Won’t Hate

James Brey/iStock

It’s said there’s a season for everything—a time to sow and a time to reap, a time to scoop up bargains at after-holiday sales, and a time to purge that extra crap you didn’t need in the first place. And many new parents inevitably face the most transformative season of all—the one when they decide they have no choice but to leave the excitement and cramped quarters of city life and head for the bigger houses and better school systems in the suburbs.

Even if they do it kicking and screaming.

But now that many older millennials, those in their 20s to mid-30s, are finally settling down, the ’burbs are getting a boost. Last year marked the first time this decade that the nation’s suburban population grew faster than the population of cities, according to the Brookings Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. And as these younger homeowners populate America’s bedroom communities, they’re increasingly opting for places offering up some of the big-city perks they’ve grown to know and love.

So where should family folks go when they’re reluctant to say goodbye to late-night pizza delivery, freedom from needing to buy car insurance, bars that don’t have “TGIF” in their names, or honest-to-God culture? We’ve got you covered. The data team at realtor.com® found the most affordable, family-friendly suburbs outside the nation’s biggest cities that offer plenty of amenities parents will enjoy on their own.

“You’re seeing more millennials moving to the suburbs, especially as they have kids,” says realtor.com’s chief economist, Danielle Hale. “People are definitely looking for affordability, better schools, less crime… [So] more outer suburbs have really put in an effort to develop walkable town centers and other places for people to gather, to enjoy similar benefits they’d find in urban centers.”

In order to come up with our move-here-now list for America’s cool moms and dads, we started by looking at the nation’s 10 largest cities. Then we took all the surrounding ZIP codes outside the city limits to find the best ’burb for each major metro. (We excluded a second Texan city, Houston, so we could squeeze in bellwether city San Francisco, the 11th-largest metro.) We looked at*:

Affordability based on realtor.com data, defined as less than $400K ($500K for pricey SF)

Percentage of children residing in each ZIP code

Availability of child care

Number of toystores

School rankings

Number per capita of restaurants, bars, and museums

Low crime rates

Reasonable commuting time (70 minutes or less)

So get over it: Trading the city for the suburbs doesn’t have to be torture. Just check out our list!

The ’burbs

Claire Widman

1. Edison, NJ

Suburb of: New York City  ZIP code: 08817 Median home price in ZIP code: $295,050

Roosevelt Park in Edison

Sujit kumar/Wikipedia CC

Low crime, good schools, and the 217-acre Roosevelt Park make this town of just over 100,000 residents one of the more attractive suburbs in the New York metro area. It also boasts a genius connection. After all, it gets its name from Thomas Edison, who established his world-changing Menlo Park industrial research lab in 1867. Parents can bring their own young scientists to visit the newly renovated—and way interactive—Thomas Edison Center. Seriously, it’s a fascinating place, even on repeat visits.

There’s no shortage of things to do for just about every kind of kid here, from the fun Rebounderz trampoline center (yo, don’t forget those waivers!) to the Triple C Ranch and Nature Center, a wildlife refuge. And for the grownups, there are plenty of bars and restaurants—over 280 of ’em, according to TripAdvisor. Yes, you can go to the Applebee’s here, but you don’t have to.

“When people are ready to make the move from city limits, they come,” says local real estate agent Marc Rizzo of RE/MAX Diamond Realtors. “We always see a big influx of families from New York City. You get more for your money here. In fact, their [mortgage] payments are probably going to be significantly cheaper than what they’re paying for rent in the city.”

2. Seal Beach, CA

Suburb of: Los Angeles  ZIP code: 90740 Median home price in ZIP code: $355,050

Seal Beach, CA

Kelly Bourquin/iStock

You thought Southern California was out of reach, pricewise? Check out Seal Beach, the northernmost beach town in Orange County. True, downtown Los Angeles and the Silicon Beach area aren’t really within commuting distance, but the town is just down the road from Long Beach, the second-largest city in the greater L.A. metro area.

There’s a real sense of community and camaraderie in this 25,000-person township, and plenty to do, too, with a quaint/California-cool downtown and enough excellent restaurants to justify the popular Seal Beach Food Tour.

And your home is likely to be a solid investment. The local economy is stable, thanks to the presence of a major Pacific naval installation and a Boeing Co. facility that built rocket parts for NASA’s Apollo moon missions. The adjoining Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the busiest and second-busiest container ports in the nation.

Seal Beach also has some of the highest-rated schools in the nation, according to GreatSchools.org. And did we mention the beaches themselves? Nice. The near-perfect Southern California climate draws families looking to enjoy biking, hiking, surfing, kite-flying, and watching free outdoor movies in the fall at Eisenhower Park. Parents can sign the kiddies up for surf lessons. And hey, why not take one yourself? It’s (almost) never too late.

3. Plainfield, IL

Suburb of: Chicago  ZIP code: 60585 Median home price in ZIP code: $369,475

The Smirnoff bottling facility in Plainfield should help ease your transition to the suburbs.

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Families looking for a new home with a Main Street USA vibe should look toward Plainfield, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The entire downtown has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, for its commitment to various architectural styles of the last century.

“Most of our clients are families who move out to Plainfield for the schools. It’s a nice suburban destination,” says local real estate broker Keith Lang of John Greene Realtor. “We’ve got a really nice selection of newer homes—most built after 2000—and brand-new schools, shopping, and roads.”

The village stands out for its high percentage of child care providers and close proximity to parks, golf courses, and lots of other outdoor recreation. Don’t miss the 839-acre Lake Renwick Preserve, where bald eagles can be spotted, along with nesting herons, egrets, and cormorants.

For those who prefer indoor pursuits, there’s the massively popular Plainfield Lanes. It offers bowling, arcade games, and an escape room that you, um, have to escape from.

4. Keller, TX

Suburb of: Dallas ZIP code: 76244 Median home price in ZIP code: $282,525

Keller, TX

facebook.com/cityofkellergovernment/

This suburban outpost, located between fast-growing Fort Worth and Dallas, describes itself as “the premier community in which to live, work, play, and invest by balancing big-city comforts with small-town charm.” Yeah, they’re laying it on a bit thick, but the description is pretty accurate. The family vibe starts with the region’s unswerving emphasis on education: Twenty of its schools have been recognized by the Texas Education Agency, and 20 major universities are located within an hour of Keller.

The suburb “is a fabulous area for families,” says Denise Kennedy, of Kennedy & Co. Realty. “They really invest in the community to make it a good place to live.”

It’s also significantly cheaper than Dallas, where homes go for a median $420,000 within city limits.

Keller also benefits from its proximity to well-known attractions, including the 212-acre Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and AT&T Stadium, the $1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys. For more highbrow entertainment, it’s just a quick hop to some of the nation’s top museums, including the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas.

5. Swedesboro, NJ

Suburb of: Philadelphia ZIP code: 08085 Median home price in ZIP code: $273,500

Old Swedes Inn in Swedesboro, NJ

Jerrye & Roy Klotz/Wikipedia CC

Located about 25 miles southwest of Philadelphia, this tiny town of 2,600 has “a great school system, a vibrant, recently renovated and expanded library, and a downtown business district that is exploding with new restaurants and shops,” according to Swedesboro Mayor Thomas Fromm. Thanks, Mayor Tom!

So what the heck do you actually do here? Eat, for one thing: Swedesboro boasts the area’s best Asian, Italian, and pub restaurants, according to a countywide competition. Parents can rest assured that their young ones are well cared for, since the town is also is to the county’s top day care center, the Goddard School, according to the residents.

Bonus: It’s also home to the family-friendly Bridgeport Speedway, billed as the “fastest dirt track in the East.” Vroom.

6. Chesapeake Beach, MD

Suburb of: Washington, D.C. ZIP code: 20732 Median home price in ZIP code: $349,375

Chesapeake Beach, MD

Danita Delimont/Getty Images

Famed Washington, D.C., suburbs like Falls Church, Arlington, and Alexandria garner lots of attention for their high-powered residents and equally ascendant home prices. But there are other communities that attract capital worker bees in search of a more laid-back lifestyle. Chesapeake Beach, a town of 5,900, was established as a seaside resort in the early 20th century and still maintains much of its early ambience.

The town is home of the Herrington Harbor Marina, routinely voted one of the best marinas on the bay. Combine that with better-than-average schools, affordable homes, and a low crime rate, and the 35-mile drive into Washington seems a lot more palatable.

7. Coral Springs, FL

Suburb of: Miami ZIP code: 33065 Median home price in ZIP code: $376,175

Aerial view of Coral Springs, FL

traiansum/iStock

This master-planned community of 126,300 has long been an attractive destination for families fleeing lousy schools and high crime in inner-city Miami. While a rush-hour drive to the sun-washed metro can take more than hour, there’s no need to make the trip for entertainment options. Coral Springs boasts an arts museum, theater, golf course, and the annual OurTownAmerica arts and entertainment festival, which has been held every March for nearly 40 years.

Appearances are important in Coral Springs. The city is spending roughly $700 million on a downtown revitalization plan. Unlike other Florida municipalities, it keeps a tight rein on commercial development, so much so that it was the first U.S. city to have a McDonald’s that didn’t have the chain’s signature golden arches. Fight the man!

“[It’s] a welcoming place,” says Lynn Pineda, of Keller Williams Realty. “There are so many activities to keep kids active—and happy.”

8. Dacula, GA

Suburb of: Atlanta ZIP code: 30019 Median home price in ZIP code: $312,915

Dacula, GA

theodysseyonline.com

Dacula may only be about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta, but this small town might as well be on the other side of the planet. The town’s centerpiece is a 76-acre city park regularly used by more than more than 2,000 families, boasting a pool, sports fields, playgrounds, and even an outdoor classroom.

It also has the advantage of being close to family activities that don’t require a trek into Hotlanta. It’s less than 10 miles from the Mall of Georgia, the largest shopping center in the Southeast, and a scant 20 miles from Lake Lanier, a 38,000-acre reservoir that draws about 7.5 million visitors annually.

9. North Chelmsford, MA

Suburb of: Boston ZIP code: 01863 Median home price in ZIP code: $294,275

Barely 30 miles northwest of Boston, this village is within an easy drive of some of the most monumental sites in U.S. history. They range from the North Bridge in Concord, site of the first battle in the American Revolution, to Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau famously contemplated the meaning of life.

Not all of the Merrimack River Valley village’s attractions are in the past, though—neighboring Lowell is home to more than a dozen seasonal festivals, and Chelmsford itself hosts one of the nation’s better small-town Independence Day celebrations.

Besides history and festivals, families can also enjoy an increasingly diverse dining scene. Restaurants offering tapas and top-notch sushi sit next to more classic New England joints pushing chowdah and lobster rolls. And for the outdoor-minded, the 24.5-mile Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from Lowell to Framingham is a work in progress for runners and cyclists, with the bulk of what’s been completed so far passing through Chelmsford.

10. Walnut Creek, CA

Suburb of: San Francisco ZIP code: 94595 Median home price in ZIP code: $485,025

Walnut Creek, CA

City of Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek may not be as affordable as the other suburbs on our list. But given that it’s barely 25 miles from San Francisco, where the median home price is a whopping $1.3 million, half a mil is a steal. Plus, Walnut Creek boasts good schools, low crime, and a burgeoning foodie scene.

“It has everything that you would be looking for in terms of food and activities that most major cities have, without the hassle of traffic and parking,” says Shauna Springer, a psychologist who has lived in Walnut Creek for 10 years and has two children, ages 4 and 6.

Springer also loves the access to nature. Walnut Creek claims 16 parks and 3,000 acres of undeveloped space. One of them is Heather Farms, a 102-acre park that features a sprawling, all-abilities playground, a lake, and botanical gardens.

“If you’ve got kids, you can get them on their bikes and get them on the Iron Horse [bike] trail, and just go from one park to another park to downtown,” Springer says.

And to groom your little culture vultures, the Lesher Center for the Arts offers kid-friendly theatrical productions like “The Little Mermaid.” Parents might be able to catch big-name speakers like Jill Biden, while the resident theater company, which just turned 50, puts on an array of new and classic plays. The city even has its own ballet and symphony.

*Data sources: realtor.com, Census Bureau, 2011-16 American Community Survey, Statistics of U.S. Businesses, Greatschools.org, FBI Uniform Crime Report, Google Maps. 

The post Top 10 Affordable, Kid-Friendly Suburbs That City Parents Won’t Hate appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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[realestateagent532]

Top 10 Affordable, Kid-Friendly Suburbs That City Parents Won’t Hate

James Brey/iStock

It’s said there’s a season for everything—a time to sow and a time to reap, a time to scoop up bargains at after-holiday sales, and a time to purge that extra crap you didn’t need in the first place. And many new parents inevitably face the most transformative season of all—the one when they decide they have no choice but to leave the excitement and cramped quarters of city life and head for the bigger houses and better school systems in the suburbs.

Even if they do it kicking and screaming.

But now that many older millennials, those in their 20s to mid-30s, are finally settling down, the ’burbs are getting a boost. Last year marked the first time this decade that the nation’s suburban population grew faster than the population of cities, according to the Brookings Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. And as these younger homeowners populate America’s bedroom communities, they’re increasingly opting for places offering up some of the big-city perks they’ve grown to know and love.

So where should family folks go when they’re reluctant to say goodbye to late-night pizza delivery, freedom from needing to buy car insurance, bars that don’t have “TGIF” in their names, or honest-to-God culture? We’ve got you covered. The data team at realtor.com® found the most affordable, family-friendly suburbs outside the nation’s biggest cities that offer plenty of amenities parents will enjoy on their own.

“You’re seeing more millennials moving to the suburbs, especially as they have kids,” says realtor.com’s chief economist, Danielle Hale. “People are definitely looking for affordability, better schools, less crime… [So] more outer suburbs have really put in an effort to develop walkable town centers and other places for people to gather, to enjoy similar benefits they’d find in urban centers.”

In order to come up with our move-here-now list for America’s cool moms and dads, we started by looking at the nation’s 10 largest cities. Then we took all the surrounding ZIP codes outside the city limits to find the best ’burb for each major metro. (We excluded a second Texan city, Houston, so we could squeeze in bellwether city San Francisco, the 11th-largest metro.) We looked at*:

Affordability based on realtor.com data, defined as less than $400K ($500K for pricey SF)

Percentage of children residing in each ZIP code

Availability of child care

Number of toystores

School rankings

Number per capita of restaurants, bars, and museums

Low crime rates

Reasonable commuting time (70 minutes or less)

So get over it: Trading the city for the suburbs doesn’t have to be torture. Just check out our list!

The ’burbs

Claire Widman

1. Edison, NJ

Suburb of: New York City  ZIP code: 08817 Median home price in ZIP code: $295,050

Roosevelt Park in Edison

Sujit kumar/Wikipedia CC

Low crime, good schools, and the 217-acre Roosevelt Park make this town of just over 100,000 residents one of the more attractive suburbs in the New York metro area. It also boasts a genius connection. After all, it gets its name from Thomas Edison, who established his world-changing Menlo Park industrial research lab in 1867. Parents can bring their own young scientists to visit the newly renovated—and way interactive—Thomas Edison Center. Seriously, it’s a fascinating place, even on repeat visits.

There’s no shortage of things to do for just about every kind of kid here, from the fun Rebounderz trampoline center (yo, don’t forget those waivers!) to the Triple C Ranch and Nature Center, a wildlife refuge. And for the grownups, there are plenty of bars and restaurants—over 280 of ’em, according to TripAdvisor. Yes, you can go to the Applebee’s here, but you don’t have to.

“When people are ready to make the move from city limits, they come,” says local real estate agent Marc Rizzo of RE/MAX Diamond Realtors. “We always see a big influx of families from New York City. You get more for your money here. In fact, their [mortgage] payments are probably going to be significantly cheaper than what they’re paying for rent in the city.”

2. Seal Beach, CA

Suburb of: Los Angeles  ZIP code: 90740 Median home price in ZIP code: $355,050

Seal Beach, CA

Kelly Bourquin/iStock

You thought Southern California was out of reach, pricewise? Check out Seal Beach, the northernmost beach town in Orange County. True, downtown Los Angeles and the Silicon Beach area aren’t really within commuting distance, but the town is just down the road from Long Beach, the second-largest city in the greater L.A. metro area.

There’s a real sense of community and camaraderie in this 25,000-person township, and plenty to do, too, with a quaint/California-cool downtown and enough excellent restaurants to justify the popular Seal Beach Food Tour.

And your home is likely to be a solid investment. The local economy is stable, thanks to the presence of a major Pacific naval installation and a Boeing Co. facility that built rocket parts for NASA’s Apollo moon missions. The adjoining Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the busiest and second-busiest container ports in the nation.

Seal Beach also has some of the highest-rated schools in the nation, according to GreatSchools.org. And did we mention the beaches themselves? Nice. The near-perfect Southern California climate draws families looking to enjoy biking, hiking, surfing, kite-flying, and watching free outdoor movies in the fall at Eisenhower Park. Parents can sign the kiddies up for surf lessons. And hey, why not take one yourself? It’s (almost) never too late.

3. Plainfield, IL

Suburb of: Chicago  ZIP code: 60585 Median home price in ZIP code: $369,475

The Smirnoff bottling facility in Plainfield should help ease your transition to the suburbs.

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Families looking for a new home with a Main Street USA vibe should look toward Plainfield, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The entire downtown has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, for its commitment to various architectural styles of the last century.

“Most of our clients are families who move out to Plainfield for the schools. It’s a nice suburban destination,” says local real estate broker Keith Lang of John Greene Realtor. “We’ve got a really nice selection of newer homes—most built after 2000—and brand-new schools, shopping, and roads.”

The village stands out for its high percentage of child care providers and close proximity to parks, golf courses, and lots of other outdoor recreation. Don’t miss the 839-acre Lake Renwick Preserve, where bald eagles can be spotted, along with nesting herons, egrets, and cormorants.

For those who prefer indoor pursuits, there’s the massively popular Plainfield Lanes. It offers bowling, arcade games, and an escape room that you, um, have to escape from.

4. Keller, TX

Suburb of: Dallas ZIP code: 76244 Median home price in ZIP code: $282,525

Keller, TX

facebook.com/cityofkellergovernment/

This suburban outpost, located between fast-growing Fort Worth and Dallas, describes itself as “the premier community in which to live, work, play, and invest by balancing big-city comforts with small-town charm.” Yeah, they’re laying it on a bit thick, but the description is pretty accurate. The family vibe starts with the region’s unswerving emphasis on education: Twenty of its schools have been recognized by the Texas Education Agency, and 20 major universities are located within an hour of Keller.

The suburb “is a fabulous area for families,” says Denise Kennedy, of Kennedy & Co. Realty. “They really invest in the community to make it a good place to live.”

It’s also significantly cheaper than Dallas, where homes go for a median $420,000 within city limits.

Keller also benefits from its proximity to well-known attractions, including the 212-acre Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and AT&T Stadium, the $1.2 billion home of the Dallas Cowboys. For more highbrow entertainment, it’s just a quick hop to some of the nation’s top museums, including the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas.

5. Swedesboro, NJ

Suburb of: Philadelphia ZIP code: 08085 Median home price in ZIP code: $273,500

Old Swedes Inn in Swedesboro, NJ

Jerrye & Roy Klotz/Wikipedia CC

Located about 25 miles southwest of Philadelphia, this tiny town of 2,600 has “a great school system, a vibrant, recently renovated and expanded library, and a downtown business district that is exploding with new restaurants and shops,” according to Swedesboro Mayor Thomas Fromm. Thanks, Mayor Tom!

So what the heck do you actually do here? Eat, for one thing: Swedesboro boasts the area’s best Asian, Italian, and pub restaurants, according to a countywide competition. Parents can rest assured that their young ones are well cared for, since the town is also is to the county’s top day care center, the Goddard School, according to the residents.

Bonus: It’s also home to the family-friendly Bridgeport Speedway, billed as the “fastest dirt track in the East.” Vroom.

6. Chesapeake Beach, MD

Suburb of: Washington, D.C. ZIP code: 20732 Median home price in ZIP code: $349,375

Chesapeake Beach, MD

Danita Delimont/Getty Images

Famed Washington, D.C., suburbs like Falls Church, Arlington, and Alexandria garner lots of attention for their high-powered residents and equally ascendant home prices. But there are other communities that attract capital worker bees in search of a more laid-back lifestyle. Chesapeake Beach, a town of 5,900, was established as a seaside resort in the early 20th century and still maintains much of its early ambience.

The town is home of the Herrington Harbor Marina, routinely voted one of the best marinas on the bay. Combine that with better-than-average schools, affordable homes, and a low crime rate, and the 35-mile drive into Washington seems a lot more palatable.

7. Coral Springs, FL

Suburb of: Miami ZIP code: 33065 Median home price in ZIP code: $376,175

Aerial view of Coral Springs, FL

traiansum/iStock

This master-planned community of 126,300 has long been an attractive destination for families fleeing lousy schools and high crime in inner-city Miami. While a rush-hour drive to the sun-washed metro can take more than hour, there’s no need to make the trip for entertainment options. Coral Springs boasts an arts museum, theater, golf course, and the annual OurTownAmerica arts and entertainment festival, which has been held every March for nearly 40 years.

Appearances are important in Coral Springs. The city is spending roughly $700 million on a downtown revitalization plan. Unlike other Florida municipalities, it keeps a tight rein on commercial development, so much so that it was the first U.S. city to have a McDonald’s that didn’t have the chain’s signature golden arches. Fight the man!

“[It’s] a welcoming place,” says Lynn Pineda, of Keller Williams Realty. “There are so many activities to keep kids active—and happy.”

8. Dacula, GA

Suburb of: Atlanta ZIP code: 30019 Median home price in ZIP code: $312,915

Dacula, GA

theodysseyonline.com

Dacula may only be about 40 miles northeast of Atlanta, but this small town might as well be on the other side of the planet. The town’s centerpiece is a 76-acre city park regularly used by more than more than 2,000 families, boasting a pool, sports fields, playgrounds, and even an outdoor classroom.

It also has the advantage of being close to family activities that don’t require a trek into Hotlanta. It’s less than 10 miles from the Mall of Georgia, the largest shopping center in the Southeast, and a scant 20 miles from Lake Lanier, a 38,000-acre reservoir that draws about 7.5 million visitors annually.

9. North Chelmsford, MA

Suburb of: Boston ZIP code: 01863 Median home price in ZIP code: $294,275

Barely 30 miles northwest of Boston, this village is within an easy drive of some of the most monumental sites in U.S. history. They range from the North Bridge in Concord, site of the first battle in the American Revolution, to Walden Pond, where Henry David Thoreau famously contemplated the meaning of life.

Not all of the Merrimack River Valley village’s attractions are in the past, though—neighboring Lowell is home to more than a dozen seasonal festivals, and Chelmsford itself hosts one of the nation’s better small-town Independence Day celebrations.

Besides history and festivals, families can also enjoy an increasingly diverse dining scene. Restaurants offering tapas and top-notch sushi sit next to more classic New England joints pushing chowdah and lobster rolls. And for the outdoor-minded, the 24.5-mile Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from Lowell to Framingham is a work in progress for runners and cyclists, with the bulk of what’s been completed so far passing through Chelmsford.

10. Walnut Creek, CA

Suburb of: San Francisco ZIP code: 94595 Median home price in ZIP code: $485,025

Walnut Creek, CA

City of Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek may not be as affordable as the other suburbs on our list. But given that it’s barely 25 miles from San Francisco, where the median home price is a whopping $1.3 million, half a mil is a steal. Plus, Walnut Creek boasts good schools, low crime, and a burgeoning foodie scene.

“It has everything that you would be looking for in terms of food and activities that most major cities have, without the hassle of traffic and parking,” says Shauna Springer, a psychologist who has lived in Walnut Creek for 10 years and has two children, ages 4 and 6.

Springer also loves the access to nature. Walnut Creek claims 16 parks and 3,000 acres of undeveloped space. One of them is Heather Farms, a 102-acre park that features a sprawling, all-abilities playground, a lake, and botanical gardens.

“If you’ve got kids, you can get them on their bikes and get them on the Iron Horse [bike] trail, and just go from one park to another park to downtown,” Springer says.

And to groom your little culture vultures, the Lesher Center for the Arts offers kid-friendly theatrical productions like “The Little Mermaid.” Parents might be able to catch big-name speakers like Jill Biden, while the resident theater company, which just turned 50, puts on an array of new and classic plays. The city even has its own ballet and symphony.

*Data sources: realtor.com, Census Bureau, 2011-16 American Community Survey, Statistics of U.S. Businesses, Greatschools.org, FBI Uniform Crime Report, Google Maps. 

The post Top 10 Affordable, Kid-Friendly Suburbs That City Parents Won’t Hate appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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[sadhours]

scumbag blues • regular john

gator tillman x f!oc

previous chapter • masterlist

cw: 18+ minors dni, drug use, sex work, smut, p in v, angst, Gator is mean but so is Daisy

Gator hates going to the sheriff’s department since his date with Faye went awry. She looks at him differently. But Roy’s insistent he keeps on courting her. And with him being banned by Daisy, Faye’s looking prettier and prettier every day. Though, Gator’s banned, he drives by the inn twice a day. Checking for cars. Daisy’s busy. Always a car he don't recognize or Daphne’s beat up pick up truck. Can only imagine what Daphne says about him. He tried to get with her back in school. Before Daisy was selling herself. Daphne was someone his dad liked and Gator liked how Daphne looked, along with the reasons his dad liked her. Roy encouraged Gator pursuing Daphne and they went on a couple of dates. But then Gator asked a little too much about her best friend, Daisy and Daphne seemed disinterested. Then Daisy started talking to Gator during gym class which embarrassed Gator so he was rude to her. He knew Daphne had gossiped about their dates and felt like Daisy talked to him out of pity.

But Daisy was persistent and well, she was a cheerleader. They winded up at the same parties after games. She’d find her way to Gator and gush about how well he played. Then he got tackled by a motherfucker twice his size and broke his ankle. Daphne signed his cast in big letters that took up a whole half of it. Next thing he knew, Daisy was scribbling all pretty over it, looking up at him with these eyes and he couldn’t get the image out of his head. Jerked off to the thought of Daisy on her knees many, many times. But he was rude to her the whole time, told her to fuck off.

After graduation, Gator was two months into his training for deputy. His dad was hardcore about it. Gator slept four hours a night at most. Chores and training left him little room for anything. But he got away for a bonfire one night on his birthday. He remembers it well. Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor” playing loud on someone’s speaker when it was whispered to him that you could fuck Daisy Way for two hundred bucks. And he’d just got five hundred for graduating from his grandad. Seemed like a good investment, so he set his sights on Daisy and drunkenly waddled over to her.

She was curled up with Daphne at the fire, wearing these low rise, boot cut jeans and a flowy white top. Her hair, bleached blonde in tangles from the harsh North Dakota wind. Stumbled in her boots when Gator extended his hand towards her. They held hands as they walked to his truck, silent after Gator said to her, “Heard a rumor ‘bout ya.”

“What’s the rumor?” Daisy slurred as Gator opened the backseat door of his truck and she settled inside. He stood between her knees, wrapped his fingers around her knees as he gazed up at her. Her eyeliner was smeared, eyes looking as drunk as he felt.

“Heard you’d let me do what I want for two hundred bucks,” Gator slurred back, “That true?”

“Rooster crow in the mornin’?” She hiccuped, face shifted something sultry.

“What?” Gator giggled, not expecting that response.

Daisy giggled in return, hands clutching his flannel, “Yes, Gator, give me two hundred bucks and you can do whatever you want to me.”

“Can I fuck you?” he wondered, hand moving to hold her jaw, brown eyes boring into her blue ones.

“If that’s what you want,” she whispered, “Is that what you want, Gator?”

He shuffled to pull his wallet out, pulls out two crisp hundred dollar bills and offered them to Daisy. She slipped them from his fingers and shoved them in her front pocket, “Fuck me, Gator.”

He moved quickly, getting in the truck between her legs and pushed he on her back. Kissed her filthy while his hands found purchase on her chest, squeezing at the swell of her tits through her bra and shirt. Daisy’s legs wrapped around his waist, hands grabbing the back of head while she kissed him back just as desperately. Writhed underneath him like a pig in mud, grunting and humming like she ain’t ever been happier. Gator believed it, dead set on losing his damned virginity to her. With the doors of the truck wide open, a sight for anyone walking by as he rutted into her, erection straining against his boxers. Daisy’s thighs were as warm as asphalt on a summer day, clenching around him with a vice grip. Gator had to cut the foreplay short ‘cause he damned near blew his load just kissing and dry humping her. It was race between them, shoving jeans and underwear low enough to get the pair of ‘em exposed.

Gator swore he saw her slick coating her thighs. Had to get his hand on her cunt, had to make sure she was just as soaked as she looked, and she was. She gripped his cock, pointed it to her entrance as she whispered about his size against his lips. Gave Gator this ego boost that had his hips jerking forward, sheathing his cock fully inside her in one swift motion. The pair of them moaned in pleasure, Gator was overwhelmed with the sensation. Daisy’s cunt squeezing him so tight and warm and wet, his hips stilled as his face nuzzled against her neck.

“Goddamn, Daisy,” he cursed, face all scrunched up.

“Fuck me,” she whined, rolling her hips as she scratched at the back of his head, “Gator! Your cocks fucking huge, oh my god!”

He bit her neck, trying to restrain his orgasm but it was edging closer and closer, way too quickly. Her fucked out voice made it so hard not to bust. Being inside Daisy weren’t nothing like fucking his own fist. His eyes rolled back in his eyes as he made sounds against her neck that sounded foreign on his intoxicated ears. Her thighs squeezed him something fierce as she tightened her grip on him, fucking herself on his cock. He pulled back, wrapped his hand around her throat as he demanded, “Don’t fucking move, slut. Lay still.”

Daisy whimpered, looking at him with goddamned stars in her eyes as her jaw dropped. She panted, whined, made beautiful sounds Gator could never forget. He was embarrassed by how quick he was about to cum, sure Daisy would run off and tell everyone she just took his virginity for a measly $200. But Daisy kept babbling. Wouldn’t fucking shut up.

“God, Gator! It’s so fucking big, holy fuck—“ she gasped, “feel it in my guts.”

Blew his load then, bare ass clenching as he emptied inside of her. Making a pathetic sound he ain’t ever made before. And Gator couldn’t help but make noise when he came but it wasn’t ever like this. This was the most pathetic he ever sounded in his life, hand gripping Daisy’s throat so tight her voice cut off. Her eyes rolled back in her head but the bitch had the nerve to thrust her hips up at him, milking even more from him and pulling yet another weak moan from him.

“Fuck—“ he let go of her throat as he pulled back. His cock was softening as he slipped it back into his jeans. Daisy didn’t even look disappointed, looked at him like he hung the moon and stars. Sat up as Gator zipped his pants up, grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss.

“Come to the Inn tomorrow,” she begged, licking his lower lip, “Wanna do that again with ya.”

Gator spent all his graduation money on Daisy.

“Good morning, Deputy Tillman,” Faye’s voice shocks him back to reality, pulls him out of the memory that has his dick filling out.

“Mornin’, Faye,” he greeted her, “I gotta check out some evidence, mind handing me the key?”

“Sure,” she replied, turning in her chair to grab it and from this angle, Gator can imagine she’s Daisy. Can imagine her turning around and having them plump lips and bright blue eyes. He’d bend her over the desk, that’s how pent up he is. Wishes he could fuck Daisy in front of every man in Stark County and show them who really owns her. Free of charge. But he sees Faye’s soft brown eyes and the fantasy is shattered.

“Thanks,” he grabs the keys and rushes past her and down the stairs. Makes his way to the evidence room, goes to the narcotics section and files through. Grabs a couple of bags of coke. The lotto ones. A couple of grams nobody’ll miss. Tucks them into his pocket but not after opening one and taking a quick bump, another bump. And then one more. He doesn’t say bye to Faye when he leaves. Finds himself in the cruiser, spills one of the baggies onto the center console. Cuts himself a line and snorts it with a hundred dollar bill, tries not to think about how the Benjamin would’ve winded up in Daisy’s pocket if she hadn’t “banned” him.

Coke fueled, he’s angry. Thinks, how could she fucking ban him. He’s the law. That’s how Gator finds himself at the Inn. No cars outside. Earl ain’t even home. But Daisy is.

“Daisy Tellulah Way,” he calls as he enters the door, “Come out with your hands up, got a warrant for your arrest.”

“Gator, that ain’t funny,” she seethes when she walks out of the kitchen. Gator’s fucked her in there. On the counter while she attempted to prepare breakfast for her pops. Thinks about it vividly as he gazes at her. She’s wearing a simple white dress, satin with lace at the bodice. Could marry her in that dress, he thinks as he looks at her. Kinda wants to drop to his knees and ask, but he ain’t gotta ring and she banned him. She fucking banned him.

“You look good,” he says instead, “Missed you.”

Her face softens at that. Makes Gator’s stomach flip. Makes him think he loves her. Almost drops to his knees again. Then her face hardens.

“I banned you from this place,” she exhales, looks exhausted.

“I don’t like her,” Gator admits, the coke working as a fucking truth serum. “She’s boring and she ain’t as pretty as you.”

Daisy wipes her face with her hand, narrows her eyes at Gator, “You ain’t banned ‘cause you got a girlfriend. You’re banned because you’re attached.”

“How am I attached if I have a girlfriend?” Gator argues.

“You’re here, telling me you don’t like your girlfriend. Gator, seriously, I need you to leave,” Daisy replies.

“Can’t leave,” Gator responds, “Gimme me an hour. I’ll pay whatever you want.”

Daisy scans his face, chuckles condensing as she announces, “You’re high.”

“High on how bad I need ya.”

“High on evidence that’s too easily accessible,” she mutters, “Go home. Jerk off. Forget about me, Gator.”

“‘Member the first time we hooked up?” Gator asks, palms bracing the desk as he edges closer to it.

“The first time you paid me to fuck you, you mean,” she argues and Gator waves his hand.

“I remember the way you looked at me,” he licks his lips, “You liked it. You ain’t ever liked sex before.”

“Sex is my job, Gator. I’m great at looking like I enjoy it,” Daisy retorts, “Leave.”

Gator doesn’t get it. In his recollection of their first sexual encounter, Daisy seemed to like it. He struggles to believe she’s been faking it this whole time. “I’ve made you squirt, hard to fake that.”

“Gator, seriously. Get the fuck out,” she replies, looking demure suddenly. Can’t hold his eye contact.

“Tell me you don’t want me.”

Daisy licks her lips, takes a deep breath before she leans over the desk, “I don’t want you. I never have and I never will. I’m a fucking prostitute, Gator.”

“You didn’t make me pay so many times,” he tries to argue.

Daisy smiles then purses her lips before she speaks again, “Felt bad for you. You’re fucking pathetic. Every god damn penny you make goes to me and I felt bad. But I don’t have any feelings for you. Except disdain. Please, leave.”

Gator sucks on his teeth, digs in his pocket for one of the grams of coke, tosses it on the desk. “Well, you’re good at your job. ‘Cause you had me convinced I fucking meant something to ya,” he swallows, “And yeah, maybe I got attached, maybe I fell for ya. Which makes me a big fat fucking loser. ‘Cause I do better than your fucking, tainted pussy. Can find a girl who hasn’t had every pathetic fuck in this town between her legs. Fuck you, Daisy. Hope you get fucking syphilus and die.”

Gator slams his door on the way out.

[jeantparks]

Small Craft Route to Killarney and North Channel

Open water of Georgian Bay vs. Small Craft Route through the narrow Collins Inlet?  With increasing winds and waves, we opted for the small craft route.   The channel is well marked- one spot we squeeze between the red and green markers then take a 90 degree left turn into the channel.   Breathtaking view of falls tumbling down the face of a high cliff make the route worthwhile! The next feature to keep an eye out for is a rock formation called the ” Crabby Indian”.    The guide book put it a mile marker 50 so all eyes were focused on the rocks to make sure we didn’t miss it.  Can you see it? 

 One night at Killarney.

Sportmans Marina was my second choice , glad they had openings.   First choice would have been the Killarney Mountain Lodge.     It has been upgraded and had great reviews.  They charge the same slip fee but the lodge had no slips available..

We were stacked two deep across the channel from the office.  The shower facility was only on the office side.    A taxi boat (actually a pontoon) named Tinkerbelle was available to shuttle boaters back and forth across the channel.

An unique feature at the Sportsman marina is the outdoor movie screen!

  Tonight’s feature is an Adam Sandler movie, viewed from the fly bridge, and sound streamed through our boat radio! 

We attempted to restock at the local grocery store, but after milk and eggs cost 12$, we opted to provision at a later date.  

One of the most popular anchorages in the area is Covered Portage, so we made plans for a night at anchor.   The bay is surrounded by high cliffs, and a trail -marked by a ribbon- leads to the top of the cliff.     What a great view of the boat from above.

There were several other boats as we expected, but it was fun to exchange boat stories up on the mountain.

About 9 miles brought us to the entrance of Baie Fine. This is a  beautiful fiord – with rocks and mountainous terrain lining both sides Fiord- and leads to a bay about 8 miles long with a pool at the far end perfect for anchoring.      Several creeks are off shoot from the pool with rapids and water lilies along the shore- perfect spot for our inflatable kayaks early in the morning!

    This was a perfect spot to use our inflatable kayaks.   The creek could be kayaked up to the rapids.

We all hiked a trail up to a inland lake named Lake Topaz.    Beautiful views from the tall rock ledges.  After spending over a year on a boat, its fitting to finally go ashore and have a campfire in Canada.   Complete with s’mores, lots of laughs and silliness.

 A highlight in this bay was meeting several local boaters who recognized our boat!   They had been boating with the previous owner over several years and were happy to see it back in the North Channel. 

We exchanged names and boat cards- I don’t think it will take long for word to get back to the previous owner that we were spotted in Baie Fine!

   Little Current

We lead the way to Little Current.   The swing bridge is scheduled to open at the top of the hour on the hour.    Why would fast boats feel the need to speed by us causing a wake that throws cupboard doors open, only to be stopped at the bridge to wait with the rest of us?    Go figure.       Almost a dozen boats of various sizes begin to line up and hover in the basin by the swing bridge-   if the current and wind weren’t an issue, it wouldn’t be so hard; as it is the boats nearly collide as they vie for first spot through the bridge.   We could hear people yelling behind us – its not easy to wait for your turn, even for adults. 

CRUISERS NET 

  A traditional method of communication for boaters in remote areas is via the VHS radio.   Often hosted as a Cruisers Net, and scheduled each morning to provide the weather updates, events and boater check in.    The North Channel net broadcasts from the Anchor Inn in Little Current and has been hosted by Roy for 14 years.        He welcomes boaters to the area , so we went to the “studio” along with Southern Cross, Sanctuary and several others to listen in to the broadcast.    Roy gave us each a welcome bag, and mentioned our looper status as well as congratulations to the Lashers on their 42nd anniversary!

  CLAPPERTON ANCHORAGE

 With clouds gathering on the horizon, we pulled out of Little Current to make a short run to Clapperton Harbor.   The clouds let loose just as we had dropped the anchor and zipped up our enclosures.  Good timing, and as the rain passed by, we heard a  loon family just outside our boat.  This made for good photo shots as they played ,and called to each other around our boats.     To help celebrate Steve and Teresa’s 42nd anniversary, we asked them to meet us on the water in their dingy.  We floated around and enjoyed the sunset.

   Filed under: Moon Shadow Log, North Channel Lake Huron Tagged: Cruisersnet, Killarney, North Channel, Ontario Read More Here ….

The post Small Craft Route to Killarney and North Channel appeared first on YachtAweigh.

source http://yachtaweigh.com/small-craft-route-to-killarney-and-north-channel/ from http://yatchaweigh.blogspot.com/2017/08/small-craft-route-to-killarney-and.html

[janetgannon]

Small Craft Route to Killarney and North Channel

Open water of Georgian Bay vs. Small Craft Route through the narrow Collins Inlet?  With increasing winds and waves, we opted for the small craft route.   The channel is well marked- one spot we squeeze between the red and green markers then take a 90 degree left turn into the channel.   Breathtaking view of falls tumbling down the face of a high cliff make the route worthwhile! The next feature to keep an eye out for is a rock formation called the ” Crabby Indian”.    The guide book put it a mile marker 50 so all eyes were focused on the rocks to make sure we didn’t miss it.  Can you see it? 

One night at Killarney.

Sportmans Marina was my second choice , glad they had openings.   First choice would have been the Killarney Mountain Lodge.     It has been upgraded and had great reviews.  They charge the same slip fee but the lodge had no slips available..

We were stacked two deep across the channel from the office.  The shower facility was only on the office side.    A taxi boat (actually a pontoon) named Tinkerbelle was available to shuttle boaters back and forth across the channel.

An unique feature at the Sportsman marina is the outdoor movie screen!

  Tonight’s feature is an Adam Sandler movie, viewed from the fly bridge, and sound streamed through our boat radio! 

We attempted to restock at the local grocery store, but after milk and eggs cost 12$, we opted to provision at a later date.  

One of the most popular anchorages in the area is Covered Portage, so we made plans for a night at anchor.   The bay is surrounded by high cliffs, and a trail -marked by a ribbon- leads to the top of the cliff.     What a great view of the boat from above.

There were several other boats as we expected, but it was fun to exchange boat stories up on the mountain.

About 9 miles brought us to the entrance of Baie Fine. This is a  beautiful fiord – with rocks and mountainous terrain lining both sides Fiord- and leads to a bay about 8 miles long with a pool at the far end perfect for anchoring.      Several creeks are off shoot from the pool with rapids and water lilies along the shore- perfect spot for our inflatable kayaks early in the morning!

     This was a perfect spot to use our inflatable kayaks.   The creek could be kayaked up to the rapids.

We all hiked a trail up to a inland lake named Lake Topaz.    Beautiful views from the tall rock ledges.  After spending over a year on a boat, its fitting to finally go ashore and have a campfire in Canada.   Complete with s’mores, lots of laughs and silliness.

  A highlight in this bay was meeting several local boaters who recognized our boat!   They had been boating with the previous owner over several years and were happy to see it back in the North Channel. 

We exchanged names and boat cards- I don’t think it will take long for word to get back to the previous owner that we were spotted in Baie Fine!

   Little Current

We lead the way to Little Current.   The swing bridge is scheduled to open at the top of the hour on the hour.    Why would fast boats feel the need to speed by us causing a wake that throws cupboard doors open, only to be stopped at the bridge to wait with the rest of us?    Go figure.       Almost a dozen boats of various sizes begin to line up and hover in the basin by the swing bridge-   if the current and wind weren’t an issue, it wouldn’t be so hard; as it is the boats nearly collide as they vie for first spot through the bridge.   We could hear people yelling behind us – its not easy to wait for your turn, even for adults. 

CRUISERS NET 

A traditional method of communication for boaters in remote areas is via the VHS radio.   Often hosted as a Cruisers Net, and scheduled each morning to provide the weather updates, events and boater check in.    The North Channel net broadcasts from the Anchor Inn in Little Current and has been hosted by Roy for 14 years.        He welcomes boaters to the area , so we went to the “studio” along with Southern Cross, Sanctuary and several others to listen in to the broadcast.    Roy gave us each a welcome bag, and mentioned our looper status as well as congratulations to the Lashers on their 42nd anniversary!

  CLAPPERTON ANCHORAGE

 With clouds gathering on the horizon, we pulled out of Little Current to make a short run to Clapperton Harbor.   The clouds let loose just as we had dropped the anchor and zipped up our enclosures.  Good timing, and as the rain passed by, we heard a  loon family just outside our boat.  This made for good photo shots as they played ,and called to each other around our boats.     To help celebrate Steve and Teresa’s 42nd anniversary, we asked them to meet us on the water in their dingy.  We floated around and enjoyed the sunset.

    Filed under: Moon Shadow Log, North Channel Lake Huron Tagged: Cruisersnet, Killarney, North Channel, Ontario Read More Here ….

The post Small Craft Route to Killarney and North Channel appeared first on YachtAweigh.

from http://yachtaweigh.com/small-craft-route-to-killarney-and-north-channel/ from https://yachtaweigh.tumblr.com/post/163993136571

[fullmetalscullyy]

his protector - chapter 6

summary: “you no longer hold the status as my first knight.” that felt like a knife in her heart, but riza had expected it. harsh, but she knew the consequences of her actions and would accept them wholeheartedly, because it was for the king’s own safety. “you’re no longer a part of my court. get the hell out.”

rated: t | words: 4133

read chapter 5 | read on ao3 and ffnet

Riza returned to the inn she’d found Mr. K in. It

“I don’t like it,” Alphonse interrupted immediately. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Al,” Riza sighed tiredly. “It will get me on the inside.”

“No,” he barked fiercely.

“I agree with Alphonse on this one,” Mr. K – who they learned his last name was Knox – chipped in. “It’s far too risky.”

“Have you two got any better ideas?” Riza countered.

“No, but anything is better than offering yourself up to the enemy,” Alphonse retorted.

Sighing, Riza brought her fingers to her temples to try and massage her headache away. Knox stood from his chair and approached the bar, ordering another round for them. It was going to be a long night, Riza could tell.

“Al –”

“You promised me you wouldn’t leave my like my mother did,” Alphonse added. His eyes were beginning to well with tears. “You promised. I almost watched you die –” He choked on the word. “Die once before. Please don’t make me do it again.” The fight was gone from him. His voice was broken as he begged her to stay with him.

He’s still just a teenager. He was too young to have witnessed all he had.

“Al.” Riza softened her voice. “I have to finish this.”

Knox returned and placed the three ales down on the table.

“I can’t let them get away with what they’ve done. That men we caught; they were just puppets. There’s someone else out there pulling the strings,” she stressed. “I know I promised to always be by your side, but…” She sighed helplessly.

Riza was torn. The conversation she’d shared with Roy echoed inside her head. She was heeding their advice. They’d changed their plan based on the information Knox had been able to give them and Riza was ensuring that Alphonse and herself would remain safe. She just had to get Al on board with it first.

“While I agree with Alphonse – it is risky – I get it,” Knox offered in the silence that had fallen over the trio. “I want this finished too. For my family,” he added, his tone determined. His hand formed a fist on the table.

“I hate to do this to you Al…” Riza turned to face the young mage. “And if you want to walk away now, I won’t blame you for it. You should’ve walked away from this mess at the start. But…” Riza hated herself for the request, but she had to try. “We could really use your help, Alphonse.”

“What if it doesn’t turn out the way you hoped?” he asked, voice quiet. He’d broken the brief silence that had fallen over them. “What if you… die.”

“That’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”

“Why?” His tone suggested he couldn’t understand it.

“Because it will help so many people in the long run. It will bring peace to our kingdom, Al. It will prevent what happened to your family from happening to anyone else’s.”

Al’s shoulders sagged in defeat and Riza gripped his hand in response, hoping to offer some comfort to him.

“I know it’s hard,” Riza added. “I wouldn’t ask this of you unless I had no other choice but… It’s literally just the three of us left. We’re the only ones who can put a stop to it, because we’re the only ones who know what’s going on.”

Alphonse was quiet. His eyes were on the table between them as he contemplated what she’d said. Every word of it was the truth. She used to want to stop these bastards because of her duty to the King, and because she felt like she owed him it. Now, that had all turned to ash. She was done with it all. It was time to take her life and her actions into her own hands, and for the first time in a long time, she was doing something because she simply wanted to help people. There was no underlying duty or mission behind it. These people needed to be stopped so there wouldn’t be any more children who experienced what Alphonse and his brother had gone through. No families would be left in mourning like Knox had been.

“I don’t like it,” he whispered, eyes still on the table. When he lifted his head, his eyes were sad, but he nodded. “But I do understand. I…” He sighed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. “I feel the same way.” Alphonse shrugged helplessly. “I want to help, but don’t want to put you at risk.”

“You won’t be.” Riza gave his hand a squeeze, as if forcing her reassurance through his hand as well as through her speech. “Your spells are extremely valuable to this operation, and you’ll be masking me and protecting me. You’ll be helping. I can guarantee it.”

Alphonse eyed her, then turned his gaze to Knox, who shrugged.

“I can’t make the decision for you kid,” he stated before he took a large swig of his ale.

“All right.”

Riza smiled warmly at him. “Thank you, Al. Truly. This means so much to me.”

“Just…” He huffed. “Don’t die. Please.”

“You know I can only offer my best effort not to,” she reminded him gently. “But with a great mage like you beside me, I won’t be beaten so easily.”

*          *          *

“Ready?” Riza whispered.

Knox nodded to her right. Alphonse did the same, then closed his eyes in concentration. The familiar feeling of his magic washed over Riza, wrapping around her like a blanket, soothing the slight tweak she felt in her lower back as she shifted her weight. It was comforting. It was a reminder she wasn’t alone.

The spell the King had placed over her worked incredible wonders. Her bruising had gone within the day and she’d no longer had any agonising pain by the time she fell asleep that night.

She was still mad at him, but now Riza was in doubt. Damn him. Her mind’s eye kept showing her the image of his broken face as they’d talked. He was clearly guilty about it all. He apologised profusely and felt bad about how he’d acted, and rightly so. But the addition of that spell… He still cared. The man she’d fallen in love with was still in there somewhere, even if he had disappeared in recent weeks.

Riza was conflicted, but there was no time to deal with it now. This would be her final mission on this job, and after that… Well, if she wasn’t dead, she’d deal with it all then.

“Now remember…” Alphonse visibly swallowed. “This spell will paralyse you. You’ll be able to listen, but you won’t be able to move anything. It will slow your pulse right down to be almost undetectable. Underneath the mask of it all, you will breathe properly and your heart will beat as normal, but you won’t be able to open your eyes or speak.”

Alphonse swallowed again and lifted a shaking hand to her forehead. He swiped his thumb across it, creating a mirage of an open wound. Her skin there appeared to become sticky, but there was no pain and the mage assured her everything was still intact. He did it again. This time, across her stomach, creating a vision of a large stab wound across her abdomen. If she was going to play dead, she may as well look the part.

“Only you can end the effects of the spell. Whisper the incantation I told you and it will break you free.”

His jaw clenched as he finished his handiwork, examining her “wounds”.

“They look real.” And he looked like he was going to vomit.

“Al, I’ll be fine.”

His eyes shot back up to meet hers. “You’re playing dead and we’re handing you over to the enemy. How will you be fine?”

“No, I’m handing myself over. Once I’m in and behind enemy lines, we’ll strike. All of us, together.” She met both of her companion’s gazes. “It will only be for a moment. The traps are set. All you need to do is activate them.”

Alphonse nodded, his expression grim, then stepped out of the way so Knox could approach.

Extending his arms out, Knox stood waiting for Riza. She climbed carefully into his hold, wincing as her back tweaked again slightly.

“Let’s finish this.”

“Right,” both Knox and Alphonse agreed at the same time, the latter looking more unhappy about the situation.

Despite what the men had done to Knox’s family, he’d reached out to the mysterious ruler of this kingdom. He was still a “friend” and had brought the ruler a “prize”. Her.

They walked out into the road, beginning phase one of their plan.

“That kid has a spell for everything,” Knox muttered under his breath as they walked. “You weigh absolutely nothing.”

Riza let out a quiet breath from her nose in amusement. He was right. Alphonse was a true gem and she would never forget all he’d helped her with through this difficult time.

Knox walked for about ten minutes before finally stopping.

“Halt,” a voice called out. “State your name.”

“It’s Knox,” he shouted back. Riza detected a hint of a snarl in his tone.

“Come forward.”

With an irritated scoff, Knox obeyed.

“State your reasons for being here,” the same voice ordered.

“Your men killed my family,” Knox snarled for definite this time. His grip on Riza’s body tightened, his fingertips digging into her flesh as his anger reared its head.

Silence ensued and Riza held her breath, waiting to see if there would be retaliation, but there was none.

A different voice spoke this time. A male voice. It was smooth, almost calming and reassuring, but it still made Riza’s skin crawl.

“It’s him,” Knox breathed to her.

“That wasn’t my order,” the man spoke.

The rich voice made Riza want to shiver, but her body was frozen in place.

The spell itself made her look like a corpse, but it kept her alive. It was like a mask over her entire being, hiding a very much alive and breathing Riza behind it. She took a slow breath, easing it out as quietly as she could, but heard no sound leaving her. Riza realised she truly was hidden behind this image Alphonse had created.

“I don’t care. I brought you your prize,” Knox ground out. She was tossed to the ground as was planned, and Knox certainly wasn’t gentle. Of course, it had to be real, so Riza didn’t mind. In fact, she noticed no pain whatsoever. What she did notice, was the sudden warmth that wrapped around her body as she fell.

Alphonse’s magic.

He was watching and softened her blow.

“Now, you will leave me alone.”

Silence ensued, but on the ground Riza could hear gravel crunching underneath someone’s boots as they approached. A shadow was cast over her body, blocking out the bright sunshine above and darkening her already pitch-black existence.

If she wasn’t paralysed because of Alphonse’s spell, Riza would have flinched as she felt breath on her skin. Rough fingers were placed on her cheek and she felt herself tense. Of course, to whoever this was invading her personal space, it would appear as though she was still a limp body. The fingers gently turned her head to examine her face, then they disappeared, along with the smell of sandalwood.

“You brought me the King’s First Knight,” the man above her announced. He was suddenly so much closer than Riza expected. Her scalp and forehead tingled with the awareness of him. She was ready to break the enchantment at a moment’s notice.

“That’s right. Would I lie when I told you I would?” Knox spat.

“You’ve done me a service,” the ruler purred. Riza was desperate to see his features, to finally put a face to the invisible enemy she’d been fighting for weeks. She wanted to look into the eyes of the person who’d cost her almost everything. “As promised, we will leave you alone, along with the entire kingdom.”

Riza heard more gravel crunching as Knox turned on his heel and walked away, like was planned.

“And Knox?” the ruler called casually. “I am truly sorry about your family. I did not give that order and can only apologise profusely.”

“That won’t bring them back,” Knox muttered angrily, sorrow clouding his words.

“I know. That’s why I extend the protection to the whole kingdom as well.”

Riza heard Knox scoff and walk away, only to skid to a stop.

Silence descended over the meeting and Riza was left in limbo, unable to see the cause and if she needed to break the spell.

Suddenly, her hearing disappeared. There was a muted pop, then a sudden and very apparent pressure over her ears. Not heavy or painful, but more like the earmuffs she’d once worn over her ears in the winter months as a child. Trying to sit up, she couldn’t. She was paralysed.

Heart rate picking up, Riza was at a loss of what to do. If she couldn’t hear, she didn’t know what was going on. She didn’t know the best of most effective time to break the spell. If she did it now, not only could she die, but Alphonse and Knox could too.

Arms gripped her roughly underneath her own and spun her in place. Disorientated and not paying attention because of her loss of hearing, Riza was unsure what direction she was headed. Was this the enemy, moving her body to the place where she’d expected to go? Once she stopped, she’d be able to break the spell and would awaken to signal Al to set off the traps. With the element of surprise, she’d be able to take out the ruler’s escort and hopefully take him down.

And from that conversation, he had been intent on harming her and the kingdom. That was enough of a confession in order to stop him. Riza didn’t know how far the desire to hurt them ran, so didn’t need to kill them. She just needed to capture the enemy at the very least.

Her body thumped down heavily, her head hitting the ground painfully. Al hadn’t protected her that time. Fear gripped her heart. Was he okay?

She almost broke the spell, but another set of arms began to drag her again after hearing a muted thump very close to her ear. This person’s movements were move hurried, hauling her body none too gently along the gravel.

Finally, she came to a stop and there was a shadow over her body again. She couldn’t feel much, just the vibration of the ground and the pressure on her ears.

There was a distant thundering sound. The ground trembled harder underneath her body and fingers. It shook and the air felt slightly different. It was charged… Like there was a lot of magical energy in the air.

Unable to take it anymore, she broke the spell –

Only to come face to face with a distraught and tearful Roy.

His hands were running down her cheeks, smoothing down her hair as he sobbed. He froze, his hand falling from brushing her fringe off her face. His hand fell limp on the grass beside her head. His expression was one of shock as he blinked down at her, disbelieving what he was seeing. The next thing Riza knew she was bundled tightly into his arms. A hand rose to the back of her head, holding it in place as he pressed his face into the crook of her neck.

Her hearing returned, and Riza heard shouts and blasts of magical energy. Looking over his shoulder, Riza saw a battle raging on where she should have been lying, “captured” by the enemy.

“You’re alive,” he whispered in relief, hugging her body tighter against his.

Relishing in the comfort he brought and momentarily forgetting their argument in the heat of the moment, Riza clutched at his back, securing him tighter against her.

“What –”

An explosion ripped through the air and Riza had to close her eyes to protect them from the light of the blast. The force of it knocked them both backwards. Instead of falling and crushing her, Roy caught himself on the grass beneath them, but used his body to shield her from anything incoming.  His chest covered her face, his elbows down by her ears as he took the brunt of the blast.

He was protecting her.

That was her job…

Lifting up carefully, Roy spun in place to see what had happened. Riza knew she should do the same, but only one thought dominated her mind as she stared at him instead.

He used his body to shield you from the blast.

He was crying. He thought you were dead.

He cares.

“Are…”

Roy stuttered to a stop, still disbelieving that she was all right.

Riza swallowed. “I’m all right. We’ve got work to do.”

It was true, but also an attempt to try and run away. Riza recognised that, but while a battle raged on behind them, she was justified. After all, she wouldn’t leave a job half done, nor would she allow others to fight her battles for her.

It was time to finish this.

As Riza stood and took a shaky step forward, her body adjusting to being mobile again, a hand on her wrist arrested her movements. Turning back, Roy’s eyes were boring into hers with an intensity she didn’t want to see right now.

“Are you truly all right?”

Riza nodded, gripping her sword tightly. “I promise. It was a spell Al cast. Do you know where he is.”

“Over there,” Roy nodded and Riza whipped around to search for the young mage.

He was about ten feet away, face a picture of concentration as his hands waved in expert patterns in front of him. Sparks and various elements flew from his fingers as attacks. Knox was the same, except he was lowered in a crouch, one hand placed on the ground. The ground shook beneath the enemy’s feet, shifting and alternating shape as Knox manipulated the ground they walked on. It stopped anyone from progressing any further forward.

Stepping forward to approach them, she was stopped once more by Roy’s hand. Turning back to face him, she saw the remorseful look on his face. The tracks his tears had made were a tell-tale sign he’d been upset over her “death” and was still reeling from it.

Shifting her stance, Riza shook free of his grip to grab his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze.

“I promise I’m all right,” she stressed softly. “Now, I need to help my friends and finish this once and for all.”

Roy nodded, giving her hand a squeeze in return.

“Right behind you,” he promised.

Riza wasn’t sure how Roy had ended up here at the same time they had, but she couldn’t deny that the added manpower was their saving grace. Riza hadn’t been in the fray ten minutes before the ruler surrendered as she cut down his soldiers.

He kneeled in the centre of the road between the two kingdoms.

“I surrender,” he announced, his voice carrying clearly across the makeshift battlefield.

Eyes zeroing in on the man who’d been an invisible enemy for so long. His hair was white, falling past his shoulders. A beard of the same colour framed his mouth and chin, trailing down to his chest. His armour matched the colour of his hair, although was now spattered in blood stains at various points, marring the perfection of the still glistening armour.

“Please, stop killing my men.”

Riza eased her stance but didn’t lower her sword. She nodded at the man, who looked away as soon as she agreed with his request.

Roy called for his men to round up the prisoners while Riza approached him cautiously.

“I didn’t intend for things to escalate this way, but it did.”

Riza paused as he began to talk. Readying her stance and her sword, she was silent as he continued.

“I should’ve finished the job with you though, years ago,” he muttered, almost too low for Riza to make out. It took her a second to process and realise what he’d said.

A spear of light left his fingers as the man’s face twisted in anger. Riza tensed, expecting the blow to be aimed for her, but it shot right past her, faster than her eyes could keep up with, and hit a target to her right.

Slowly, Riza’s head turned, and found the spear of light poking out of Alphonse’s stomach.

Her whole world shuddered to a halt. All sound was blocked out at she stared at the entry wound. The spear of magic was covered in blood…

Alphonse’s blood.

“Al!”

The cry was ripped from her lips as she lunged for the young mage. He sputtered, blood spitting from his mouth as his hands gripped the spear of magic embedded inside of him. It was almost too bright too look at, but Riza didn’t care. Not now.

There was a flutter of activity behind her as well, however Riza didn’t care what the verdict was with that bastard. Not right now and not anymore. None of this was worth it if Alphonse died here today.

She was supposed to help people. Riza was supposed to protect him.

Failure. Once more, she’d failed the people she cared about.

His knees buckled as Knox caught him. Riza followed them both down to the ground, her knees crashing painfully down and jarring her still tender back.

“Al, talk to me,” she begged, taking his hands in hers. Knox waved his hands over the light and it blinked away in an instant, leaving a gaping hole, and blood… So much blood.

“Al!” she cried, letting her emotions run away with her.

Knox shifted and Roy was by her side in the blink of an eye. Alphonse looked back and forth between them both, terrified. His breathing was shallow as he panicked, blood bubbling from his lips.

“Alphonse,” Roy stepped in, his voice calm as his hands moved in a pattern over his abdomen. “I need you to listen to me, all right?” Roy stopped his movements, hovering his hand over Al’s body as his eyes closed in concentration. Riza watched, on the verge of hysteria, because her nightmare was becoming a reality. If Roy wasn’t so focussed on the casualty, he would have seen her begging him  with her eyes to help Alphonse and save his life.

“I need you to remain calm, all right?” Roy commanded. His eyes were still closed as his eyes furrowed, his fingers tensing and forming a claw in the air as Al began to choke.

Riza tore her gaze away from Roy’s work, shifting so she could rest Al’s head on her lap. She never let go of his hand though. She couldn’t. Smoothing down his golden hair, she shushed him as tears fell down her cheeks. Al’s eyes were torn away from Roy’s face, meeting her own. They were begging her to make it right, but she wasn’t gifted with magic. She could do nothing but put his life in Roy’s hands. If Alphonse died, it would’ve been because of her…

No! He won’t die!

“Easy,” Roy soothed as Alphonse’s body jerked. His eyes opened, meeting Al’s with determination. “I won’t let you die. I know this is easier said than done, but I need you to remain as calm and as still as you can. Are you able to do that for me?”

Both adults waited for his response, but there was none.

“Al?” Riza prompted desperately, giving his hand a squeeze.

Alphonse’s head rolled and his eyes closed, his grip slacking in Riza’s hand.

“No!”

Roy burst into action. He was no longer gentle as he worked. Although it looked frantic, his movements were controlled as he cast spell after spell to try and repair whatever damage the spear had done.

Riza sobbed above Alphonse, bending her head so their foreheads met. She pressed hers against the young mage’s begging him to wake up and be all right.

“Don’t you dare, Alphonse. That’s an order,” she whispered. “You…” She hiccupped. “You can’t leave me.”

Now she knew how Alphonse felt.

It felt like she was losing a son. They’d worked so closely over the last few months and she had come to care for him as if she was his parent. She hadn’t intended to, but it was inevitable…

That bright, sweet light that resided inside his soul couldn’t be put out. Not because of her.

You did this. You brought this on him by involving him.

“Please be okay,” she begged, praying to everything that was in the heavens above that Alphonse would survive this.

[yachtaweigh]

Small Craft Route to Killarney and North Channel

Open water of Georgian Bay vs. Small Craft Route through the narrow Collins Inlet?  With increasing winds and waves, we opted for the small craft route.   The channel is well marked- one spot we squeeze between the red and green markers then take a 90 degree left turn into the channel.   Breathtaking view of falls tumbling down the face of a high cliff make the route worthwhile! The next feature to keep an eye out for is a rock formation called the ” Crabby Indian”.    The guide book put it a mile marker 50 so all eyes were focused on the rocks to make sure we didn’t miss it.  Can you see it? 

  One night at Killarney.

Sportmans Marina was my second choice , glad they had openings.   First choice would have been the Killarney Mountain Lodge.     It has been upgraded and had great reviews.  They charge the same slip fee but the lodge had no slips available..

We were stacked two deep across the channel from the office.  The shower facility was only on the office side.    A taxi boat (actually a pontoon) named Tinkerbelle was available to shuttle boaters back and forth across the channel.

An unique feature at the Sportsman marina is the outdoor movie screen!

  Tonight’s feature is an Adam Sandler movie, viewed from the fly bridge, and sound streamed through our boat radio! 

We attempted to restock at the local grocery store, but after milk and eggs cost 12$, we opted to provision at a later date.  

One of the most popular anchorages in the area is Covered Portage, so we made plans for a night at anchor.   The bay is surrounded by high cliffs, and a trail -marked by a ribbon- leads to the top of the cliff.     What a great view of the boat from above.

There were several other boats as we expected, but it was fun to exchange boat stories up on the mountain.

About 9 miles brought us to the entrance of Baie Fine. This is a  beautiful fiord – with rocks and mountainous terrain lining both sides Fiord- and leads to a bay about 8 miles long with a pool at the far end perfect for anchoring.      Several creeks are off shoot from the pool with rapids and water lilies along the shore- perfect spot for our inflatable kayaks early in the morning!

     This was a perfect spot to use our inflatable kayaks.   The creek could be kayaked up to the rapids.

We all hiked a trail up to a inland lake named Lake Topaz.    Beautiful views from the tall rock ledges.  After spending over a year on a boat, its fitting to finally go ashore and have a campfire in Canada.   Complete with s’mores, lots of laughs and silliness.

  A highlight in this bay was meeting several local boaters who recognized our boat!   They had been boating with the previous owner over several years and were happy to see it back in the North Channel. 

We exchanged names and boat cards- I don’t think it will take long for word to get back to the previous owner that we were spotted in Baie Fine!

   Little Current

We lead the way to Little Current.   The swing bridge is scheduled to open at the top of the hour on the hour.    Why would fast boats feel the need to speed by us causing a wake that throws cupboard doors open, only to be stopped at the bridge to wait with the rest of us?    Go figure.       Almost a dozen boats of various sizes begin to line up and hover in the basin by the swing bridge-   if the current and wind weren’t an issue, it wouldn’t be so hard; as it is the boats nearly collide as they vie for first spot through the bridge.   We could hear people yelling behind us – its not easy to wait for your turn, even for adults. 

CRUISERS NET 

  A traditional method of communication for boaters in remote areas is via the VHS radio.   Often hosted as a Cruisers Net, and scheduled each morning to provide the weather updates, events and boater check in.    The North Channel net broadcasts from the Anchor Inn in Little Current and has been hosted by Roy for 14 years.        He welcomes boaters to the area , so we went to the “studio” along with Southern Cross, Sanctuary and several others to listen in to the broadcast.    Roy gave us each a welcome bag, and mentioned our looper status as well as congratulations to the Lashers on their 42nd anniversary!

  CLAPPERTON ANCHORAGE

 With clouds gathering on the horizon, we pulled out of Little Current to make a short run to Clapperton Harbor.   The clouds let loose just as we had dropped the anchor and zipped up our enclosures.  Good timing, and as the rain passed by, we heard a  loon family just outside our boat.  This made for good photo shots as they played ,and called to each other around our boats.     To help celebrate Steve and Teresa’s 42nd anniversary, we asked them to meet us on the water in their dingy.  We floated around and enjoyed the sunset.

    Filed under: Moon Shadow Log, North Channel Lake Huron Tagged: Cruisersnet, Killarney, North Channel, Ontario Read More Here ….

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