#Tysons corner body shop

[automedsolutions]

5 Essential Qualities to Look for in the Best Auto Body Shop Near You

Searching for the term “best auto body shop near me” can be daunting as there are several results that you can see online. That said, it is essential to choose the appropriate shop to ensure seamless reconditioning services. To help you identify the right choice for your car repair, we have broken down the key qualities to seek for excellent service and customer satisfaction.

Top 5 Essential Auto Cosmetics Repair Qualities

There are different qualities to look out for when looking for an auto body shop to take care of your vehicle. Many car enthusiasts and owners see them as investment pieces that deserve the best care. That said, here are the top five traits to look for when choosing repair establishments.

Reputation

A shop’s reputation significantly influences customers’ preferences. As clients, there are different ways to assess an establishment’s reputation. These include online reviews, testimonials, and word-of-mouth recommendations. Prospects no longer have to visit the shop’s physical location due to the convenience of online reviews and platforms sharing public testimonials of previous clients.

A positive reputation allows clients to rely on the service provider and their capabilities. Additionally, shops that respond to clients who voice their concerns online show them they are considering their experience. In the online space, several things are evident in how an establishment engages with its customers. However, some testimonials on the internet may not be true. It is also essential to consult with trusted individuals who have previously completed a similar auto cosmetic assistance.

Experience and Expertise

As mentioned, vehicles are investment items. Thus, owners must leave their cars to professionals and experts. Selecting a service provider with skilled technicians with extensive training and certifications is worth the price. Moreover, experience is a great contributor to a professional’s overall skillset. This aspect showcases that they have previously done these restorations and know how to optimize the process.

Additionally, there are several benefits to working with seasoned industry workers. These individuals have the best tools and equipment to deliver the best service. In line with this, they know the best ways to promptly and efficiently approach the client's desired services.

Quality of Workmanship

Another key point to look out for when looking for an auto body shop is their workmanship’s quality. Since these services typically cost a lot of money, it is essential that, as customers, you get your money’s worth. Prospective clients can evaluate the quality of work by looking at their completed projects, paying attention to detail, and using high-grade materials.

Many shops display their previous work on their websites or social media pages that customers can easily view. Additionally, body shops in Tyson’s Corner are accessible online for prospects to browse.

Customer Service

If you’re looking for the “best auto body shop near me,” customer service is a factor you should consider. Having a good outcome is ideal, but what would make the experience even better is when the service provider concisely explains the process and repairs needed. Moreover, honesty and integrity are top traits that prospects should seek when searching for a shop.

Furthermore, if you’re a car owner who doesn’t know much about cars, it’s important to partner with shops that are not pushing you into unnecessary services and educating you throughout the process. Exemplary customer service is also shown when professionals update their customers about the progress of their acquired assistance. In addition, a good auto professional listens to their customers’ concerns without judgment and offers practical solutions.

Warranty and Guarantees

Though there are numerous seasoned professionals in the industry, they are only humans who may commit minor mistakes here and there. The last of the top five qualities to seek in auto body shops is their warranty offers. Prospective clients can easily inquire about warranties for parts and labor by messaging shops virtually or visiting their physical shops.

There are a lot of benefits for customers who choose a shop that stands by their work with comprehensive warranties and guarantees. Additionally, there is a rise in repair expenses, costing customers more. In that regard, there is a sense of relief for customers when shops offer this service, and should there be any errors in the process, they can return without any added charge.

Conclusion

Many traits encompass the search for the “best body shop near me.” However, these top five should be non-negotiable for individuals seeking to restore their vehicles cosmetically. It is essential for prospects to prioritize these qualities when selecting an auto restoration establishment to partner with. By knowing these matters, you can make informed decisions based on your positive experience.

In your search for the best auto body shop in the Tyson’s Corner area, consider AutoMed Solutions. We offer extensive services and specialize in window tinting, 3M paint protection film, paintless, dent repair, paint correction, wheel repair, texture repair and refinish, and plastic welding. For more of our service, get a free estimate today!

[bravevulnerability]

ooh, season 3 or 4 halloween party?

A/N: We're going with season three. Set post 3x06, 3XK.

-

"Hey, what are you doing hiding out from your own party?"

Rick glances up in surprise at the sound of Beckett's voice. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he assesses her. "You're... a pirate?"

She shrugs and snags the exaggerated pirate's cap from her head. It's the only portion of her outfit that is a costume; her slacks, sweater, and trench coat complete the rest of her typical work attire.

"It was either this or witch hat - it's all they had left at the little pop-up shop a block over," she grins, toying with the glittering gold lining of the hat's rim. "I figured this was a bit more original."

"I applaud your efforts," he smiles back at her, watching as she moves deeper into his office. She leans her hip against his desk, arms crossed and brow arched.

"Thank you. Now, back to my question."

"I'm just... not in the mood," he murmurs, craning his neck to check the status of the party past his walls of bookshelves. "No one notices I'm gone anyway, they're fine."

"I noticed." She says it a little too quickly, and he watches her cheeks tinge pink. "Castle, you love Halloween. You start planning your yearly Halloween party in March-"

"I know, I know," he huffs, spinning away from her in his desk chair. "I'm just not feeling the spooky spirit tonight, Beckett. Give me a break."

She doesn't respond, but he can hear the quiet pierce of her heels in the soft plush of the rug. They stop in front of him.

"Castle."

He lifts his gaze to find her leaning against his window, blocking his steadfast glare of the city lights. She looks beautiful as always and he wants to stand, frame her hips in his hands, tower over her body with the cove of his.

"I'm not in the mood to celebrate. Not while Tyson is still out there."

She nods, not a hint of her surprise at the admission.

"It's not your fault, you know." Her words are soft, a balm to his rattled mind. All he sees when he closes his eyes is Jerry Tyson, the women he killed. He can't write, can't sleep, not without imagining the Triple Killer's future victims. "Rick."

"I know," he sighs automatically, pushing up from the desk. "I'll be fine, Beckett. Now, let me just change into my costume and we'll-"

She catches his arm, thin fingers curling into the crook of his elbow. Staying him.

His eyes flick down to find hers, staring back at him with concern swirling dark in the browns and greens of her irises.

"I know it's easy to focus on the bad, on the what if's and the worst case scenarios, trust me," she murmurs, her thumb moving slowly back and forth along his bicep. "But you could have died that night, Castle. We'll catch Tyson, but for now, I just want to focus on the positives. Like how you are alive."

"Until he comes back," Rick hisses, something terrible and aching rising up from the depths of his chest. "He made it personal, Kate. He's going to come back and come after me, Ryan. And what if that's not enough? What if he targets my family - my daughter, my mother, you-"

"Hey." Her hands are cold when they touch his cheeks, directing his attention to her, steadying his focus on her and her alone. The heavy pound of his heart begins to slow, to ease. "No one is coming after Alexis, or Martha, or Ryan, or-"

"You," he growls, reaching for the sharp points of her hips just like he wanted to earlier. She lets him and he doesn't even pause to relish in that. He keeps having dreams of finding her with a rope around her neck and wakes drenched in sweat and grief, his throat raw with sobs scraping at his trachea. "Kate, no one touches you-"

"Okay, okay," she whispers, one of her hands drifting into his hair, fingers curling behind his ear. "We'll protect each other, have each other's backs. No matter what Tyson does."

His eyes flutter shut and he lets his cheek fall heavy against her palm.

"I'm sorry," he sighs under his breath. "I just... I'm having these dreams and I can't stop thinking - it's killing me, Kate."

An arm hooks around his neck and she's pulling him into her, letting him bury his face in her neck, his fingers delving beneath her coat to clutch at her sweater. She rubs his back, soothing patterns up and down the bow of his spine, and cups his nape with the palm of her hand. For the first time in days, he can breathe evenly.

He's not sure how long they remain like that, his body bent over hers, arms entangled around each other's frames, the city lights glittering behind them.

The pop of a champagne bottle, the cheers of his guests, startle them apart, but only enough to have him looking down at her, foreheads nearly touching, her eyes drifting to his mouth.

A trembling hand rises between them, her fingers dusting across his bottom lip. Her eyes flutter closed and Kate exhales heavily.

"How's Gina?" she rasps, fingers tripping down his throat to rest at the neck of his sweater.

He wishes he could say he cared to even think of Gina in that second, that he thought of her at all in the last few minutes, but it would be a lie. The only thing on his mind in this moment is closing the distance between his mouth and Kate's, pressing her up against the window and slotting every piece of their bodies into place. The only thing on his mind is carrying Kate Beckett to his bed.

Rick knocks his forehead against hers.

"She's out of town, business trip," he croaks, quickly clearing his throat. "Kate-"

"I know." Her hand falls lower on his chest, lingering above his heart. Imprinting her claim there. "Go put on your costume, Castle."

He closes his eyes for a long moment, forces himself to think about his girlfriend, her boyfriend - to remember who he and Kate Beckett are. And what they are not.

"Thank you," he murmurs, squeezing her arm and pulling away from her with great effort. "For being here. For listening."

She offers him a smile that makes him ache. "Always."

He snags her hat from her desk, plops it atop her head. "And for making spirits bright."

Her smile grows and she adjusts the pirate's cap as he starts towards his bedroom.

"Oh, and Castle?" He turns, just in time to catch a piece of candy she pulls from her coat pocket, tosses his way. He glances down quizzically at orange and black wrapper, the picture of peanuts and potato chips beneath the label. "Trick or treat."

"Peanut butter chocolate and potato chip?" he grins, looking up at her with amusement building in his cheek.

She shrugs, gives him one of those rare, genuine Kate Beckett smiles. "Made me think of you."

And then she's turning on her heel, heading back into the party as the Monster Mash begins to blast through his living room.

Happy Halloween, indeed.

[darkened-storm]

Art trade with @let-it-ripperoni / @veenavalart

The comedy of errors that is Steph’s day to day life leads to an adorable Brookma meet cute

—-

“That’s disgusting,” Brooklyn exclaimed, glaring at the offending dessert in his hands. It was Thursday, and while the rest of the Bladebreakers were at their extra curricula’s, Steph was once again avoiding Grandpa’s afternoon kendo class.

She didn’t remember asking Brooklyn to join her, more like she’s bumped into him while he was gawking at the squirrels outside the classroom and she’d blurted out something about how all people like ice cream.

If she’d known about his poor taste in ice cream flavours, she might have picked a yakisoba stand instead.

“Really, Brooklyn,” she said, snatching her ice cream cup out of his hands. “What’s wrong with mint choc chip?”

“It tastes like something you should brush your teeth with,” Brooklyn answered, still looking perturbed. “Although Matt might appreciate the freshness.”

This time, it was Steph’s turn to glower at him. For someone who spent most of his time staring at the wildlife, she’d begun to discover that Brooklyn could be almost as annoyingly observant as Tala.

Speaking of Tala, Steph thought, feeling a sudden wave of alarm as she spotted a tall red head in the distance, followed closely by a mop of navy hair.

Crap, what are they doing here? she wondered.

Tala had been excuse from attending after school activities on account of his persistent brain scrambling - but Kai on the other hand, was supposed to be meeting with the student council. There was no point cursing the student council members for being lax though, she realised - she needed to find a way to not be seen doing … well, doing exactly what she was doing right now. But she couldn’t exactly bail on Brooklyn either - she was supposed to be looking out for him!

See Steph, Hilary’s know it all voice echoed inside her head. This is what happens when you try and keep every body happy.

“Tyson’s right, she is a know it all,” Steph muttered under her breath.

“Did you say something?” Brooklyn asked. Thankfully, he’d otherwise been too busy staring at the birds in the tree above them to notice the Blitzkrieg Boys arrival.

She spotted a flash of platinum blonde hair in her peripheral vision and suddenly an idea occurred to her.

She sprang from her chair. “Hey Ilma!”

The girl stopped in her tracks, her hair catching in the breeze. Stunning as ever, she was wearing her drama club blazer over a frilly pink dress and strappy heels that should make Becky green with envy.

Steph made a mental note never to allow the two blondes to ever go shopping together as she vaulted over the chair towards her friend.

“Oh - hey Steph,” the girl looked slightly perturbed at Steph’s enthusiasm, and yet she hardly protested as Steph seized her by the arm and dragged her back to their table.

“Ilma. Brooklyn,” she said, jabbing her thumb towards him. “Brooklyn;

Ilma likes wearing odd socks to keep things fresh and interesting.” She turned back to Ilma and added: “Brooklyn has a weird thing about birds. Based on these two facts, I think you two should get to know each other better.”

Without waiting for an answer, she gently shoved Ilma into the third chair at their table, ignoring the comically confused look on both their faces.

“Whatever you do, Ilma,” Steph said, snatching up her school bag. “Don’t order the mint ice cream, it makes Brooky look like he wants to puke.”

Brooklyn pulled another face, not quite akin to his nauseous face, but not far off it either.

“Wait - you’re leaving?” Ilma exclaimed, trying and failing to grab the corner of Steph’s sleeve as she darted out of reach.

“Yep, sorry - I forgot I promised to help Grandpa teach his Kendo class,” she lied tactlessly as she scooped up her bag. “Have fun you two.”

For a moment, both Brooklyn and Ilma stared after her, until Brooklyn asked:

“What’s this about socks?”

[moonflower1605]

Chapter - 18(Part-1)

(Percy's POV)

“So...” I said. “You don’t think Luke will look for us here?”

Annabeth shook her head. “We made a dozen safe houses like this. I doubt Luke even remembers where they are. Or cares.”

She threw herself down on the blankets & started going through her duffel bag. Her body language made it pretty clear she didn’t want to talk.

“Hey, Tyson?”Nora said. “Would you mind scouting around outside? Like, look for a wilderness convenience store or something?”

“Convenience store?”

“Yeah, for snacks. Powdered donuts or something. Just don’t go too far.”

“Powdered donuts,” Tyson said earnestly. “I will look for powdered donuts in the wilderness.” He headed outside & started calling, “Here, donuts!”

Once he was gone, I sat down across from Annabeth. Nora was looking out the window. “Hey, I’m sorry about, you know, seeing Luke.”

“It’s not your fault.” She unsheathed her knife & began cleaning the blade with a rag.

“He let us go too easily,” I said.

I hoped I’d been imagining it, but Annabeth nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. What we overheard him say about a gamble, & ‘they’ll take the bait’...I think he was talking about us.”

“The Fleece is the bait? Or Grover?”

She studied the edge of her knife. “I don’t know, Percy. Maybe he wants the Fleece for himself. Maybe he’s hoping we’ll do the hard work & then he can steal it from us. I just can’t believe he would poison the tree.”

“What did he mean,” I asked, “that Thalia would’ve been on his side?”

“He’s wrong.” Annabeth said.

“You don’t sound sure.”

Annabeth glared at me, & I started to wish I hadn’t asked her about this while she was holding a knife.

“Percy, you know who you remind me of most? Thalia. So does Nora. You guys are so much alike it’s scary. I mean, either you would’ve been best friends or you would’ve strangled each other.”

“Let’s go with ‘best friends." I said.

“Thalia got angry with her dad sometimes. Nora does too, & so do you. Would you turn against Olympus because of that?”

I stared at the quiver of arrows in the corner. “No.”

“Okay. Neither would she. Luke’s wrong.”

Annabeth stuck her knife blade into the dirt.

Nora looked over at us from the window & said.

"Guys..can we not talk about Thalia..please?"

"Right, Sorry." Annabeth & I said.

I wanted to ask Nora about the prophecy Luke had mentioned & what it had to do with my sixteenth birthday. But I figured she wouldn’t tell me. Chiron had made it pretty clear that I wasn’t allowed to hear it until the gods decided otherwise.

“So what did Luke mean about Cyclopes?” I asked. “He said you of all people-“

“I know what he said. He....he was talking about the real reason Thalia died.”

I waited, not sure what to say.

Annabeth drew a shaky breath. “You can never trust a Cyclops, Percy. Six years ago, on the night Grover was leading us to Half-Blood Hill-“

She was interrupted when the door of the hut creaked open. Tyson crawled in.

“Powdered donuts!” he said proudly, holding up a pastry box.

Nora stared at him. “Where did you get that? We’re in the middle of the wilderness. There’s nothing around for-“

“Fifty feet,” Tyson said. “Monster Donut shop-just over the hill!”

“This is bad,” Annabeth muttered.

We were crouching behind a tree, staring at the donut shop in the middle of the woods. It looked brand new, with brightly lit windows, a parking area, & a little road leading off into the forest, but there was nothing else around, & no cars parked in the lot. We could see one employee reading a magazine behind the cash register. That was it. On the store’s marquis, in huge black letters that even I could read, it said: MONSTER DONUT.

A cartoon ogre was taking a bite out of the O in MONSTER. The place smelled good, like fresh-baked chocolate donuts.

“This shouldn’t be here,” Annabeth whispered. “It’s wrong.”

“What?” I asked. “It’s a donut shop.”

“Shhh!”

“Why are we whispering? Tyson went in & bought a dozen. Nothing happened to him.”

“He’s a monster.” Annabeth said.

“Aw, c’mon, Annabeth. Monster Donut doesn’t mean monsters! It’s a chain. We’ve got them in New York.”

“A chain,” she agreed. “And don’t you think it’s strange that one appeared immediately after you told Tyson to get donuts? Right here in the middle of the woods?”

I thought about it. It did seem a little weird, but, I mean, donut shops weren’t real high on my list of sinister forces.

“It could be a nest,” Annabeth explained.

Tyson whimpered. I doubt he understood what Annabeth was saying any better than I did, but her tone was making him nervous. He’d plowed through half a dozen donuts from his box and was getting powdered sugar all over his face.

“A nest for what?” I asked.

“Haven’t you ever wondered how franchise stores pop up so fast?” she asked. “One day there’s nothing & then the next day-boom, there’s a new burger place or a coffee shop or whatever? First a single store, then two, then four-exact replicas spreading across the country?”

“Um, no. Never thought about it.” I said.

"Guys..." Nora said, but we didn't seem to hear her.

“Percy, some of the chains multiply so fast because all their locations are magically linked to the life force of a monster. Some children of Hermes figured out how to do it back in the 1950s. They breed-“ Annabeth was saying

"Guys!" Nora hissed.

“What?” I demanded.

“No-sudden-moves,” Nora said, like her life depended on it. “Very slowly, turn around.”

Then I heard it: a scraping noise, like something large dragging its belly through the leaves.

I turned and saw a rhino-size thing moving through the shadows of the trees. It was hissing, its front half writhing in different directions. The thing had multiple necks-at least seven, each topped with a hissing reptilian head. Its skin was leathery, & under each neck it wore a plastic bib that read: I’M A MONSTER DONUT KID! A Hydra!

Link to the next chapter is here.

Link to the prev chapter is here.

Comment, like & share.

Take care my lovely readers.❤️

Alice signing off.

XOXO.

[hookingminor]

26 & 35 w josty from the list 1 fluff prompt

35. “Kiss me better.”

already got 26 w another request :(

one / three

-

You ended up joining Tyson in Denver in early August.

He left for his summer training camps or whatever in Toronto about a week after your poolside conversation, and you were surprised to wake up one morning to a text from him only a few days after he touched down in Toronto. He said if you were still interested, he’d be back in Denver after mid-July and that you were always welcome to visit.

After a couple weeks of sporadic texting, mostly Tyson sending you articles on things you needed to see in Denver before you’d even made up your mind, you worked out a time to visit.

Tyson picked you up from the airport, all smiles and sunglasses as he basked in the Denver sunshine. He engulfed you in a friendly hug before taking your bags and throwing it into his back seat.

You expected Tyson to go about the week doing his own thing. You knew he had a strict training regimen and probably had other friends to hang out with, and you didn’t think he’d actually want to do things with you. He had offered his spare bedroom to you and you thought that would be the end of it, but you were sorely mistaken.

The first morning after you woke up in his guest bed, Tyson was waiting for you in his kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee brewing and his best hiking clothes on.

“I thought we could hit up Pike’s Peak today,” he suggested as you poured yourself a cup.

“Oh, you’re coming with me?” You asked, and the smile on Tyson’s face fell.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” you backtracked hastily. “I just don’t want to get in the way of your schedule. I’m perfectly capable of getting around by myself if you have other plans.”

“Please, I have nothing else going on,” Tyson replied, a grin tugging at his lips again. “And what kind of host would I be if I didn’t at least show you around?”

And that was that.

The first couple of days were spent doing all the outdoorsy stuff Colorado was known for. You hiked what felt like a million different trails, but you didn’t mind the strenuous work. It was no secret Tyson was in much better shape than you, but he didn’t complain any time you needed to take a break to catch your breath or snap pictures.

Hiking, sightseeing, and hitting up shops were how you spent your days, with and without Tyson. Usually he needed to slip away for a few hours to either go to the arena or do whatever workout he was instructed to, so you spent that time wandering around his neighborhood. You found a nice little cafe with, probably, the best chai latte you’ve ever had.

At night, Tyson took you out to a new restaurant, ranging from expensive sushi to the cheapest, and greasiest, burgers you’ve ever tasted. Though, you did make him dinner one night to thank him for his hospitality. You got the feeling he didn’t do a lot of cooking in his free time if his pristine kitchen was any indication.

Near the end of your trip, Tyson thought it was mandatory for you to have at least one night out on the town. He even corralled a couple of the guys who were in the city to join them and convinced them to bring their significant others so you weren’t drowning in testosterone all night.

When you emerged from your room in an outfit that accentuated all your best features, Tyson had to mentally slap himself before he started drooling. It almost felt inappropriate to check you out and let his stare linger over your figure, so he only allowed himself a once over before forcing his gaze to your face.

“Are you ready?” He managed to cough out, and you nodded.

The Uber you took to the bar didn’t last long, but the place was pretty busy when you stepped into the crowded space. It was a Saturday night after all.

Tyson led you to the corner where a few of his teammates were already seated, and let them make their own introductions while he disappeared to get you a drink. You learned the names of JT and his girlfriend Sydney along with Mikko and his girlfriend Susanna and also Cale. You recognized Cale from earlier in the week when he stopped by to ride with Tyson to the rink.

Tyson came back a few short minutes later with a round of shots for the table and a vodka sprite for you. The first round passed quickly and were soon followed by three more, one on each of the guys.

You and the other girls danced for a bit, talked for a bit, and by the time midnight was rolling around, you were more than feeling the effects of the alcohol on your body. It was nowhere near what you knew your limit was, but it was enough for you to lean a little too far into Tyson’s side and let your mind drift to other thoughts that didn’t revolve around the topic at hand.

It took a lot of convincing on Tyson’s end to get you to call it a night; all you wanted to do was sing another karaoke song with Syd, but JT and Tyson declared they couldn’t take any more terrible singing from either of you. You had nearly passed out on Tyson’s shoulder during the ride home, but he didn’t mind the comforting weight of your slumped body tucked into his side.

The waters you had before leaving and the relaxing ride back helped sober you up, and by the time Tyson unlocked his apartment door, the fatigue was threatening to take over your body at any minute. Tyson’s arm steadied you as you kicked your heels off before you made your way to the kitchen for another glass of water.

“Thank you for this week, Tyson, I had a lot of fun,” you said, both of you standing against the kitchen island and downing water.

“Any time,” Tyson blushed. “It’s been fun having you here.”

A week’s worth of sexual tension sat between you now, sizzling your body from the inside out, and you took a quick glance at Tyson from the corner of your eye. He was already looking at you.

Maybe it was the alcohol in your bloodstream or the years of pining after him finally coming to the surface, but you set your glass down and moved closer to his body. Tyson stayed leaning back against the granite, motionless as you took a step in front of him and nearly pressed your front to his. He set his own glass down but didn’t let his hands touch you, opting to grip the counter instead.

With one final burst of courage, you leaned forward, giving Tyson a brief moment to turn away before capturing his lips in a soft kiss.

It took a second for Tyson to comply, moving his lips against yours gentle as ever, like he was afraid of ruining the moment if he pushed too hard. You had to grab his hand to place it on your hip, and he squeezed it at your act of reassurance.

“Kiss me better, Tyson,” you whispered, pulling back only far enough to get the words out. “You don’t have to be so gentle.” Your hands felt their way up his chest until they reached his shoulders.

“I just don’t want you to regret this,” he said, letting his forehead rest against yours. “You had a lot to drink tonight.”

“I’m not drunk, Tys. Just a little tipsy but definitely sober enough to know what I want,” you replied. “Now kiss me.”

He searched your eyes for any sense of doubt or any indication that you weren’t going to remember this come tomorrow, but he didn’t find any of that, only a pleading look that was begging you to kiss him.

So he did.

He crashed his lips against yours with renewed energy, the force taking you a bit by surprise while his hands brought your body flush against his. You could taste the remnants of beer on his tongue, but you drank it down greedily, bringing a hand to curl around the nape of his neck.

You made out like teenagers there in his kitchen, fulfilling every fantasy sixteen year old you had, and you felt Tyson harden against your stomach. He only pulled away when your hands drifted down to dip your fingers underneath the waistband of his jeans.

“As much as I want to, we can’t tonight,” Tyson said, his expression almost pained. “I want you, but I also want us both sober.”

You could understand that. Even if you were slightly put out that you wouldn’t be able to feel him, you wouldn’t push it. Tyson was too good of a guy to go into something like this without thinking about the consequences first. You nodded your compliance and made an attempt to step back.

Tyson only let you get a few inches of space between you, but kept his hands firm on your hips. “Maybe tomorrow I can take you on a real date, though? See where it goes from there.”

His suggestion had your stomach twisting, and you matched the smile he was adorning. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

[ryangravytrain]

Can I please request another? “just to clarify: me holding your hand doesn’t, like, mean anything, by the way. not in that way, at least. unless you want it to mean something. i don’t mind. that’s cool.” And surprise me with an avs pairing please (no Sammy g)

My friend of course you can request another!! Have some JT/Josty with JT not understanding how feelings work!

"Idiots in Love Prompts"

Now JT was a pretty straightforward guy. He knew what he liked and what he didn't like. He liked hockey, his family, his friends. He liked the little coffee shop that was only two streets away from the rink, the way he felt after scoring a goal or getting in a fight. He liked a lot of stuff.

What he didn't like, and he knew for sure that he didn't like. He 100% did not like Tyson Jost. He didn't know what it was but something about Tyson just made JT feel on edge. ANd he’s tried to figure it out, he's talked to Kerfy so many times that now whenever he brings up his Tyson issue Kef just turns away and ignores him.

There was just something about Tyson. Whenever JT was near him his face got hot, his legs felt all wobbly, and he could not for the life of him put together a coherent sentence. It was becoming such an issue to the point that he would avoid Tyson at all costs. Which was hard considering he lived with the guy. It had gotten so bad that JT resorted to getting up at least three hours early if not earlier and getting to practice and on the ice way before anyone else. It was becoming a real problem, he was missing passes, not scoring easy goals, and nearly falling asleep at practice.

That was all before and JT knew that his actions led him to be where he is now, standing outside a haunted house with Tyson at his side. He sighed while the media intern put his mic on him. Out of the corner of his eye he could tell that Tyson was fidgeting nervously. They got set up and did their little introduction while being filmed. They cut the cameras and were sent inside.

The whole time JT was aware of where his and tysons body were, making sure to keep a respectable distance between them. That is until a creepy dude with a chainsaw started to chase them down the hall. They managed to make it back outside when Tyson yanked his hand hard and pulled JT into his side. Only then did JT actually notice that he was gripping Tysons hand like a vice, he loosened his grip but didn't let go, not really minding the feeling of Tysons hand in his.

When they finally got out and got de-mic'd and back into the car he reached over and grabbed Tysons hand again.

“Just to clarify: me holding your hand doesn’t, like, mean anything, by the way. not in that way, at least. unless you want it to mean something. I don't mind. That's cool.” JT stammered out.

Tyson just looked at him before smiling and turning his head to look out the window of the car. JT nodded to himself, he was killing it.

[halliewriteshockey]

In which the Kraken comes to my hometown

Some notes on the game last night, since I just really need to talk about this. There are gonna be like three people who are interested in my take so this is for you guys.

They’re not really playing as a team yet. More like discrete pieces all wearing the same uniform. However, I did see occasional flashes of brilliant teamwork (that mostly got foiled by the Oilers and their actual team chemistry) and there’s a promise of good things to come.

Their power play is uhhh sad. Penalty kill isn’t great but at least we didn’t allow any goals during them. They seemed fairly disciplined and only got a few penalties. 

We started off mostly in our zone but by the end of the game were generating some excellent chances. The Oilers’ goalie was fucking superb and he robbed us blind over and over. 

Haydn Fleury and Jamie Oleksiak are building excellent chemistry as a D-pair. Also it was fun to watch Haydn bodying random Oilers into the boards. I know he’s 6′3 but he doesn’t seem big to me somehow. But he plays a very physical game! (At one point he fell and an Oiler was trying to check him but ended up just sort of... falling on top of him. squish)

More under the cut as I ramble my thoughts.

Nathan Bastian may be separated from his soulmate but he’s playing well. He somehow managed to break two sticks on one face-off and judging from the look on his face, he had no idea how he did it either. Someone said something and he just gave the most adorably baffled shrug as he skated back for his third stick. (Also I’d love to know why people are so hard on him for his skating? He’s not fast, that’s true, but he’s agile and quick in corners and he has no problem controlling himself.)

Our defense is not strong enough yet. The Oilers’ was much better. We had a lot more shots on goal but they were the only one with a goal until literally the last minute of regulation time because they were so vigilant about defending their goalie. Also, Tyson Barrie is fuckin’ killing it. He was on the ice for most of the game, and while I’m not saying he’s the only reason, it’s true that he was off the ice both times we scored. Also, getting to see his adorable face in person made my year.

Grubi is superb. (To no one’s surprise.) He only allowed one goal and his playing was a delight to watch. Joey Daccord came in for the third period and he did great too, although he was at the far end and I didn’t get to see his adorable face, dammit.

At one point, Alexander True was too close to Grubi in his defensive position, and Grubi put a hand on his ass and just... gently scooted him over so he could see.

All the Silvertips boys were sitting right behind us but I didn’t get a picture because they were too close and I didn’t want to be creepy. My daughter meeped when we bumped into several in the gift shop though, because she has no chill.

Jordan Eberle was a standout for me, as were Fleury and Bastian, and unsurprisingly, Jared McCann was awesome. Brandon Tanev was scratched, probably just to give him a day off. I don’t think we’re gonna get super far this year but we have a good, solid foundation and it’s gonna be fun to see how it goes. 

(Also, I’m going to training camp on Monday, so I will have a ton of pictures after if anyone wants to see them!)

Bonus:

[ressyfaerie]

Request: I saw this tattoo programme where 2 lesbian friends went on and they got to pick the other's tattoo and they can't look till it's done. One picked "you mean everything" for the friend and she was so worried about her seeing in case she hated it. Then hers (from her friend) was "I love you". This had them all emotional and got them both to confess & get together. Anywaaaay, a similar idea for Tyka?

Sorry for the late response! I’m working again and still recovering! This is the LAST FIC REQUEST of this askbox being open!

Soooo likkee. Once upon a time I talked to someone about a tattoo shop AU? This gave me some serious inspiration sooooooo here we gooooo

Halfway through I remembered! I (mentally?) based a lot of this idea on @ishkajules tattoo tyka shop AU!

Oh, disclaimer, I want a tattoo but know NOTHING about them aaaahhhahaha

“You’re a great artist, but you’re scaring away your clients.”

“Why do you care, Tala?”

“I don’t. They come to me after you reject them, or make them so uncomfortable they sit in the next chair over.”

“So then, why are you telling me this?”

Kai cleaned his equipment. It was nearing the end of the day, he figured he wouldn’t have any more walk-in customers.

“I just thought I’d let you know. You’re losing us money. If you don’t fix it, I’ll change your pay to commission only.”

Kai scowled. Who did he think he was? Threatening his pay like that?

“Like I said. You’re a phenomenal artist. But you're lucky I hired you. No one else will with your personality.”

Kai gave him a glare, “I’ll try to do better, boss.”

“Good. Keep that mouth in check.” Tala gave him a ‘I’m watching you’ gesture.

As soon as he turned away Kai rolled his eyes.

The bell in the shop rang.

“Hello! Welcome, how can we help you?” Tala welcomed the new customer with his regular fake friendly greeting.

“Hey... I’m Tyson.”

The kid seemed nervous. He didn’t have any art on his body.

Blank canvas.

“Um. Is Kai here?”

“Kai? Are you looking for him specifically?”

“Yeah! I follow his stuff on instagram and I really want my first tattoo to be done by him!”

The boy’s face brightened the whole shop. Kai’s lip curled.

“Of course! Let me get him for you!”

Tala made his way to Kai in the corner, he got up in his face.

“Listen, this kid’s a newbie—”

Kai rolled his eyes, “you know I don’t ink tattoo virgins—”

“Think of it as a blank canvas. As artists we all like a good canvas, look at him! He’s perfect!”

Kai took a look at this Tyson character. He hated to admit Tala was right. He was a good blank canvas. But Kai hated working with newbie clients; always so nervous, worried about the pain. He would just rather work with a regular.

Tala got angrier, “you will tattoo him. You’ll do exactly what he wants, and above all, you will be nice.”

“Or else what?”

Tala shrugged his shoulders and smiled, “or else you’re fired.”

Kai didn’t want to admit that Tala's threat got to him. He sighed, played off as if he was slightly annoyed but obedient, “fine.”

“Good. Now go do your job.” Tala pointed to the front desk where the new client was waiting.

Kai shot Tala a glare, as he made his way to the desk. He put on his biggest fakest smile.

“Hey, I’m Kai.”

Tyson held a backpack around his shoulder, he grasped it firmly, while giving Kai the widest grin.

“I’ve been following you for a long time! I um… decided when I had enough money I wanted my first tattoo to be done by you…”

Awkward silence.

“Uh, what do you have in mind?” Kai learned how much it hurt when you kept smiling.

“I know you specialize in birds… I would love to have a red phoenix. Eventually I want a dragon. But I’d love to start with your strongest area!”

“Okay. Sounds like a plan.”

Tyson watched Kai like he was a celebrity. He had a popular art account, but that was about it. Kai just stared back at him.

“Um... I think I want it on my back…” Tyson trailed off as he grew more nervous.

“That’s a good choice. Do any designs come to mind?”

Tyson bit his lip, he looked up to the ceiling in thought, “oh!” He pulled out his phone.

He passed it to Kai showing him an old post of his. It wasn’t his best work, but he understood why he liked it.

“I can do that design easily.” Kai wondered why he was so worried—”

“I just… Don’t want it exactly like this.”

Ah right. Newbies.

“So what do you have in mind then?” Kai’s eyebrow twitched.

“I um.” Tyson rubbed the back of his head as his cheeks turned a bit red.

Kai sighed, “kid, I can’t work on you if I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Tala called to Kai, “Hey Kai! Don’t forget about your happy little tattoo gun over here!”

Kai reluctantly put on his big smile, “yeah boss, I haven't forgotten!”

He turned back to Tyson. “So what are your ideas?”

Tyson bit his lip.

“Do you have a reference I can make a design off of? Anything?”

“I… do.”

“Then show it to me.”

Tyson exhaled, then slid his backpack off his shoulder. He opened it and pulled out a sketchbook. He had it turned away from Kai making sure he wouldn’t see. He flipped through a few pages, and turned it towards Kai.

Kai grabbed it, and placed it down on the counter. He saw the sketch of the phoenix that was clearly an imitation of his style… with a twist.

Kai found himself impressed. It was a good design.

“I’ve worked on this for a few months… I’m pretty confident this is what I want… What do you think of it?”

Kai was trying to be extra nice, but he couldn't deny it was good. “It’s well done.”

“Thanks!” Tyson grinned.

The more Kai inspected the drawing the more detailed it became, it gave him new inspiration, a kind he never had before.

“Do you..” Kai cleared his throat and prodded the page with his finger. “Do you want this exact design or a design done by me?”

Tyson looked ecstatic, “would you be willing to make me an original design!?”

Kai thought for a moment. His original designs were usually reserved for regulars or people willing to drop more cash. But something about this design called to him…

He convinced himself he was inspired by his jealousy. He couldn't let this poor imitation see the world.

“I can make you a design based on this one.”

“Really!? Wow, thanks!”

“Can I borrow this sketch book?” Kai asked, while flipping the book closed.

“Um…”

“I need the design.”

“Could you take a picture?”

“I’d prefer to work with the original.” Kai’s lips hurt from smiling.

“Okay… You can borrow it.” It seemed Tyson was an extremely shy guy. “Be careful with it, okay?”

“I will.”

Kai stayed late in the shop. He worked in the studio.

“I’m locking up. Kai, I’m surprised you're still here?” Tala twirled the keys around his finger.

Kai was hunched over the small desk. He had already drawn out a few sketches. Tala inspected his work over his shoulder.

“Can you not?” Kai spat back.

“It’s a good design. I’m surprised you're putting so much effort into this kid's request. It’s not like you.”

Kai shrugged.

“He’s not loaded, you know? You’re not going to make up for it in tips.”

“I know.”

Tala felt a strange proud emotion emerge. “Alright,” he dropped the keys on the desk. “You can lock up. Have fun with your drawings.”

Kai watched the keys as they fell in front of him. He heard the door open, and close.

He sighed, then scrunched up the paper he was working with into a ball, and tossed it into the bin with the rest of the failed projects.

The sketchbook laid in front of him. He wanted to take a look at the design again. But he had lost the bookmark.

Shit.

He had to look through the book to find the right page.

There better not be anything dirty in here…

He opened it to another design.

Oh, wow.

It was a dragon, scribbled with faint watercolour. Kai grew curious, what other masterpieces did this book hold?

He began to flip through, curiously studying each design.

There were tons of dragons. Kai was interested, as he had always wanted a dragon tattoo, but he hadn’t yet met an artist who could ink scales the way he wanted.

These designs were so close to what he wanted, until—

He turned to a page with a very detailed dragon design. It took up the whole page. The colours were perfect, mixes of blues and silver. He was immediately captivated by it. His mouth hung open slightly.

It had been a long time since an art piece caught his attention.

He ran his finger down the page, careful not to smudge the drawing.

“Wow.”

Two days later Tyson came back to the shop, eagerly awaiting his tattoo.

Tala gestures to Kai from across the shop, pointing to the front desk where Tyson had just entered. He mouthed the words ‘be nice!’. Kai looked to the ceiling to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

Kai got up from his station. The night before he had pulled an all-nighter. Until finally—he came out with the perfect piece. He knew Tyson would love it. He was upset with himself for putting so much thought into it, after all, he was just a newbie.

Kai tossed a black file folder on the desk.

Tyson jumped a bit, then settled back in with his backpack on his shoulder, “good morning, Kai!”

Kai put on a smile, “good morning.”

Tyson tilted his head, it was kind of cute, “did you manage to come up with anything? I know it hasn’t been long—”

“I did, I think you’ll enjoy it.” Kai opened the folder and revealed a paper, he placed it on the desk and flipped it around to show the blue-haired boy.

“Woah! Holy shit that’s so cool!” Tyson placed both his hands on the corners, admired it with an open mouth.

“Is it what you wanted?” Kai accidentally let his smile drop as he awaited the response.

“It’s perfect!” Tyson was so happy you could see his dimples.

It made Kai perform… maybe… a real smile.

“I have a test here, do you want to see what it would look like?”

“Can I? Oh man that’s so fucking cool…”

Kai gestured behind the desk, Tyson happily pushed himself through the gate. Kai pointed to his station “that’s my chair, put your stuff anywhere out of my way. Take your shirt off.”

Tyson suddenly stopped smiling and froze, Kai almost ran into him.

“Hey!” Kai started to lose his temper, but saw Tala’s red hair in the corner of his eye, he took a deep breath. “You said you wanted it on your back didn’t you?”

“Yeah…” Tyson answered back nervously.

Kai dropped the folder on his desk near the chair, “then take off your shirt and lay on your stomach.”

Tyson swallowed a hard lump in his throat.

Kai just stared at him.

Newbies. It’s just some skin. So annoying.

Tyson let his bag slide to the floor, he kicked it to the corner of the room, then he folded his arms.

Kai turned around, ready to place the stencil, then he frowned, “why do you still have your shirt on?”

Tyson went to say something, but stopped.

Kai sighed, “it’s just bare skin. I’ve worked on way more intimate body parts. You have nothing to worry about.”

Tyson shrugged, he acted confident but Kai could tell he was nervous. He grasped the ends of his shirt and rolled it over his head, throwing it on top of his bag.

“Now lay down.” Kai gestured to the chair that was horizontal from the last client.

Tyon nodded, and laid down in front of Kai, “is it going to hurt!?”

Kai closed his eyes for a moment, it took everything in him to not retort with sass, “it’s just a sticker, so we can determine the placement. It won’t hurt.”

Tyson nodded.

Kai flicked his arm, “you need to have your arms near your sides… like this.”

Kai had grabbed his closest arm and manipulated it like a rag doll, Tyson hid his face, hoping his idol didn’t see him blush.

“Okay, I’m applying it now.”

Kai expertly placed the test paper exactly where Tyson had described he wanted it. Along his right shoulder. Tyson barely moved, but Kai wasn’t sure how he would react when the actual inking started.

“Done. Take a look in the mirror.”

Tyson jumped up, nearly running to the full length mirror in the shop, twirling his body so he could see it better.

“Wow! It’s so cool!” His voice rang through the whole shop, even Tala’s client looked up from his chair.

“Thank you, Kai!”

“No problem.” Kai sat down in his chair, he picked up his tattoo gun and started to tinker with it, he looked at Tyson. “So are you ready?”

Tyson’s eyes grew wide, “r—right now!?”

Kai gave him a genuine grin, “no better time than the present.”

Tyson made his way back to Kai’s station. He looked down at the chair, “is it going to take a while?”

Kai nodded, “I’ll do the outline today. Then you can come back tomorrow and we will ink as much as we can.”

Tyson sat on the chair, still too nervous to lay down.

“Hey kid!”

Tyson looked around the shop for the echoing voice.

It came from the client on Tala’s chair. He was covered in different tattoos, “don’t be worried! But remember it's addicting! Once you get one you can’t stop!”

Tyson laughed, “thanks man!”

The man gave Tyson a thumbs up, Tala smirked in Kai’s direction.

He must enjoy torturing me… asshole.

Tyson gave Kai a huge smile, “I’m ready!”

“Good.” Kai had reached over to his station, he placed a pair of glasses on his face.

“You wear glasses!?” Tyson was intrigued.

“Yeah? Why is that surprising?” Kai wondered why Tyson cared so much, they just met after all.

Tyson mumbled, “you just… never shared anything on your instagram I guess…”

“There’s more to me than my online persona. Get on your stomach.”

Tyson instantly obeyed. He curled in his fists.

Kai made the necessary procedures, he wiped his back with a sterile wipe, Tyson shivered.

Kai had to bite his tongue from sighing.

“Sorry… it was cold.” Tyson muttered.

“It’s fine, don’t worry.” Kai tried to reassure him but realized he had never really reassured anyone before.

Kai prepared the gun, Tyson turned his head to him, “how much… is it going to hurt?”

God damn it. Why do they always ask...

“Not as much as you’re going to love it.”

Kai impressed himself with his response.

Tyson nodded, and turned his head away from Kai.

“Alright, I’m starting.”

Kai had done it a million times before, but it was Tyson’s first. When the gun first ran along his skin he tensed up, he made a quiet high pitched noise. Kai kept going.

He kept tensing up, too much, it would ruin the work, and Kai’s concentration. Kai stopped for a moment, “you have to untense. It hurts now but it’ll go numb soon, then it won’t be so bad.”

Kai just saw the back of Tyson’s head as he nodded.

Kai grasped his shoulder, “good, now untense.”

Tyson tried to loosen up, but his muscles were still tight.

“Breathe.”

Kai wasn’t sure what to do, but he still had his hand on his shoulder, he gave Tyson a gentle rub with the edge of his thumb.

He heard Tyson exhale, and his whole body relaxed.

“Good job.” Kai readjusted his glasses, and continued. He was leaning over Tyson’s body.

Tyson was aware just how close his idol was, he could feel his breathing as he worked. His face turned red. Over the next hour he grew used to it. He was loving the closeness. He was excited to see what it looked like done.

Tala was surprised, usually Kai put his earbuds in and avoided talking to clients. But this time, Kai kept glancing at Tyson’s hair, as if he wanted to say something, but was stalling. At just over the hour mark, Kai made his move.

“I have to admit. I looked through your sketchbook.”

Tyson jumped, “what?”

“Don’t move—”

“Sorry, but why did you do that?”

“I lost the page the design was on. Then I just kept looking.”

Tyson went silent, clearly he was upset.

Kai stopped for a second, “they’re really good.” he immediately started again.

Tyson went stone cold.

Kai continued, “your dragons are insanely intricate. I’ve never seen scale work like yours. Are they all original?”

Tyson hesitated, “yes…”

“I’m quite fond of the silver-blue dragon, the one near the end.”

“I know which one you’re talking about. It’s one of my favourites too.”

“Mhm.” Kai trailed off, still not ready to ask the question he wanted to.

A few hours later, Kai stopped, “I think that’s good for today.”

Kai put his equipment down, and laid his glasses back on his desk.

Tyson went to get up, “ow…”

“Sore?”

“Yeah, I’ve been in this position too long…”

Tyson slowly rose to a sitting position. Kai admired his shoulder.

It’s great work. I did well.

“I want to see it!” Tyson jumped to his feet making his way to the mirror. He looked in the mirror and gasped in awe.

Tala had approached, he observed the design and raised an eyebrow, “it’s really good, Kai.”

Kai crossed his arms, “come back tomorrow. I’ll colour it. But it will be a bit of work.”

Tala agreed, “it might be best to split the coloring into two appointments. Since it’s his first… How was it, Tyson?”

Tyson was still admiring his tattoo, “the pain? It was fine once I got used to it, Kai really helped.”

“Really!?” Tala looked at Kai in disbelief.

Kai shot him a glare.

Tyson put his shirt back on while Tala described how to take care of it. They made their way to the front desk and finished off some paperwork.

Tala had gone back to his desk, still within earshot.

“Thanks so much. Kai! It’s going to be awesome!” Tyson grinned, “but um… can I have my sketchbook back?”

Kai nodded, then went back to his station, and came back with the book, he slid it across the table, but held on to it when Tyson tried to take it.

Kai didn’t let go of the book, he looked into Tyson’s eyes, with his first genuine expression, “I have a question. About your design.”

“Huh?” Tyson looked up to Kai. He was positive there was nothing he could ask that he wouldn’t know himself.

“I want to buy it.”

“What?” Tyson’s voice rang with disbelief.

“Well, I don’t want to buy the rights. Just the design, so I can have it tattooed.”

“You want my design!?”

“Yes, is that a problem?”

Tala’s ear twitched, the situation tickled his interest, and he made his way back to the counter.

“I uh—um.” Tyson was lost for words.

“How much?” Kai badgered him.

Tala intervened, “Kai leave the poor kid alone, let him think on it.”

Kai looked at Tyson, Tyson stared back.

Tyson let go of the book, “keep the book till tomorrow… I’ll think about what you said…”

Tyson backed up towards the door, “b—bye! See you tomorrow!”

He had left the shop faster than either of them could say bye.

Kai still held the sketchbook, he looked down at it. Tala was immediately furious.

“Kai Hiwatari, what the hell!? Are you an ass or head over heels? You’re going to bully some rookie artist into stealing his design? What is wrong with you—”

Kai had opened the book to his favourite page. Tala’s voice changed right away.

“Shit.”

Kai held the open book close to his chest, “I know. It’s well done.”

“You’re not kidding, here let me see—”

Kai handed him the book. Tala admired the drawing for a long time. Before flipping through the book. He let out a long high pitched whistle.

“Could you do it?” Kai asked.

“Do what?”

“Could you tattoo this for me? I want it on my right shoulder—”

Tala laughed, “no. My specialty lies in fangs and fur. I’ve never done a dragon, plus these scales… this could only be done by the original artist.”

Tala looked up from the book, “if you love this design, it has to be done by the original artist. Does he know how to use a gun?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Ah, shame.”

“How come?”

Tala went back to flipping through pages, “because I'd hire him on the spot.”

Kai was dumbfounded, “for real?”

“Absolutely.”

Dude I have so many more ideas for this AU it’s INSANE. AAAH but this is all I have time for now <3 if there’s a demand for more I might write more!

[brockadoodles]

the 1 - t. jost

AN: Y’all wanted the folklore stuff back so, even though I never finished the series (i will, eventually), here’s one to start you off with :) 

Word Count: 2325

Warnings: None. 

But we were something don’t you think so? Roaring twenties, tossing pennies in the pool And if my wishes came true It would’ve been you

You grew up in the house across the street from Tyson Jost, and for years he was always just the goofy kid who you would sometimes play street hockey with after school. You would make fun of his unruly brown curls, and he would in turn tell you that your goaltending skills were terrible. As you both got older, your friendship grew. You found yourselves sneaking into each other's rooms late at night, staying up talking about anything and everything with each other. 

When you were 16, you shared an incredibly awkward first kiss. That kiss shortly became more kisses with each other. The kisses progressed into more firsts as you grew to realize that the goofy kid from across the street had become the most important person in your life. An epiphany that your families were not surprised about. 

You slowly became even more inseparable than you already were, forming an attachment to one and other that most young teenagers feel when they think they’re in love. You spent weekends going to Tyson’s hockey games, wearing his jersey proudly; he spent weekdays after practices with you, content smiles almost always on both of your faces as you lounged around each other. 

The thing about your first love is that it's an idea that is built up all around us, whether it’s in a coming of age film or a melodic song whose lyrics seem to fit so perfectly with your own story, or whether it’s the experience of someone around you. You grow up thinking about how one day you’re going to find the perfect person to share life with, and it doesn’t matter what anyone says otherwise. You grow up hearing that your first love will be wild, and crazy, and intense, but you’re taught to enjoy it while it lasts because it never does. You and Tyson were naive to think that you would be the exception.

“I love you.” You blurted out, eyes widening in shock at your admission. Your heart beating loudly in your chest, the words hanging loosely in the air as you waited for Tyson to reply. You were surprised as the three words left your mouth but you also thought that you knew how you felt, and there was something relieving about telling him. The weight of it was becoming too much, and maybe if Tyson wasn’t there yet, that would be okay. 

“You do?” He looked at you, searching your eyes for any sense of regret over the three heavy words. When he didn’t find any, he pulled you close. Tyson wrapped his arms around you securely, instantly calming your nerves. He looked at you for a moment, wondering how he could feel so much for someone else, not truly understanding the implications of his feelings.  

“I love you, too.” He sincerely spoke, leaning in to kiss you softly. 

He didn’t understand at the time that when you’re seventeen, the intensity you feel for someone isn’t usually built for longevity. Perhaps if either of you understood the evanescence of a first love, the three words wouldn’t have been spoken at all. 

-------

 The streets of downtown St. Albert were covered in a thick blanket of snow, white twinkly lights on the various trees, a glistening contrast to the dark wintery sky. You hadn’t been back for Christmas in two years. When you moved to Vancouver for a fresh start after the breakup, your parents always came to you for the holidays, making the argument that spending them in rainy Vancouver was a lot better than snowy St. Albert. You knew that it wasn’t the lack of snow, but it was them trying to spare you from reliving the last Christmas that you hadn’t been able to shake.

“I think it’s just time.” Tyson smiled sadly at you, feeling his own heart break as he spoke. 

Your eyes glassed over as you nodded in agreement. You felt like you were frantically trying to save your heart before it dropped to the floor, shattered and ruined. You knew that he was right, the distance simply not working anymore, no matter how hard you both wanted it to. 

He reached out, his thumb grazing over your cheek to wipe the tears that were now falling. The two of you sitting there in silence, as you both desperately tried to put off the finality of the conversation as long as possible. Knowing you were losing Tyson was like trying to save yourself from drowning, each gasping breath pulling your further and further down beneath the surface. 

“I wish it was different.” He whispered, wiping his own eyes as he watched you turn to leave. Fresh snow falling around the two of you as you stood on his balcony, Christmas lights being the only source of light around you. 

“Me too.” You nodded in agreement, taking one final look at him before turning back inside, making your way out of the house like you had done so many times before, this time only to most likely never come back. 

-------

You glanced at the bakery, seeing the lights in the back illuminated, a couple of employees working on what you could only assume were tomorrow’s pastries. You made note how everything looked just the same, as if no time had passed at all. A realization of just how homesick you had been the last few years while you’d been away.

For a long time you avoided St. Albert, the memories burning a hole softly in your heart, and the thought of coming back filled the hole with uneasiness at the idea of being somewhere that had so many memories of someone who meant so much for a time. You were now years removed from the breakup and you finally felt a new perspective. You were able to think of home without feeling melancholic about Tyson. When you truly allowed yourself to think about it, you missed Christmas in St. Albert. It was home, and that was exactly what you needed now. 

You continued walking down the street, carefully stepping to avoid the slick patches in the sidewalk. You shivered a bit and rubbed your gloved hands together, pulling your arms closer to your body, spotting the general store just a few feet ahead. You walked into the store, instantly feeling the warmth from the heaters on your face. You looked around, heading straight to the wine aisle to pick up what your mom had asked you to get for Christmas Eve. 

You found your way through the aisles with ease, everything in the same spots they had been in the last time you were there. A wave of nostalgia passed through you as you made your way through the store. You thought back to the summers you and Tyson spent together, always coming to the general store for what he called “the absolute lake day essential pack” each time you planned on going out to the lake. 

You smiled to yourself as you passed by the various snacks and drinks. Tyson invading your thoughts once more.  

“Tyson, we’re going to be gone for a few hours. I think you might be overdoing it.” You laughed as he tossed item after item into the shopping cart.

“I am truly offended. Babe, this is the absolute lake day essential pack. No item can be forgotten.” He wrapped an arm around you and placed a sloppy kiss to your cheek. 

The lake day essential pack became a tradition for every lake trip, even though you never actually finished everything that you bought. Instead, spending most of the day in the water, laughing with each other.      

-------

You didn’t know that he was back in town, the two of you losing touch years ago. Your thoughts used to be consumed with how it would feel to see him again. By all definitions of the term, Tyson was your first love. The kind of fleeting, youthful, wreckless, wild love that you grasped onto for as long as you could. There was a time when you thought he was the one, that all of the obstacles you would have to face to be together would work out in the end. You spent those years imagining what it would be like to marry him, picturing how you’d feel walking down the aisle, seeing him there. 

“Do you think it’ll be this beautiful when we get married?” Tyson squeezed your hand, looking at you softly. You felt butterflies erupt in your stomach, looking toward the archway where in just a few moments your cousin would be getting married. White lilies and pastel pink dahlias framing the light stained wooden archway. 

You looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity in them. His hand holding yours firmly. You didn’t get the chance to answer his question, instead hearing the beginnings of the wedding march. As you watched your cousin walk down the aisle, you couldn’t help but make subtle glances at the groom. He was watching your cousin, eyes watering as he took in her beauty. You subconsciously leaned into Tyson more and he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head. You didn’t know how to describe the feeling, but you knew that one day that would be him up there, waiting for you. 

--------

You walked out of the general store and braced yourself for the cold once more, reasoning with yourself that it was only a few blocks to your parents house and once you were there you could spend the rest of the evening watching old Christmas movies and sipping on the extra wine you just bought. 

You started making your way back down the path you came in from, taking in your surroundings as you passed by the various shops. You rounded the corner, passing by the old diner. You thought back to all of the times you and Tyson would be found there, late at night in the same corner booth you always sat in, the faux leather seats probably even more frayed with holes than they were all those years ago.

“Who’s going to come sit in this ugly booth with me now that you’re leaving?” You asked, feeling the weight of Tyson leaving the following day for his first training camp in Colorado. You were incredibly proud of him for accomplishing his dream, but that didn’t stop the worries of what the future would hold for the two of you now that the reality of it all was setting in. 

Tyson smiled sadly at you, wishing he could stop the hurt that he was causing. His whole life he had dreamed of playing in the NHL, spending years training and practicing. He didn’t expect to be sad about leaving St. Albert, until he fell in love with you. 

“It’s not forever, I’ll be back for Christmas.” He said, feeling certain in that moment that his words were true, that he would be back for Christmas with you. If only he knew that the next time he was home, your relationship would have fallen apart in just a matter of months, the young love forced to confront the truth that what you had wasn’t going to be the same after this moment. 

---------

You could see him clearly, standing outside the diner the two of you once called “your place.” He was laughing wholeheartedly at what the beautiful girl he was with was saying, his arm wrapped loosely around her as they talked. Time felt like it was slowing down, and you were stuck in a moment, feeling something about your relationship with him that you didn’t realize you needed. You felt an eerie sense of calm, knowing that he was happy. That was all you ever wanted for him, and while it used to hurt knowing it wouldn’t be with you, you were looking at him and the past so clearly. Tyson wasn’t meant to be your forever, and that was okay. He was a memory, a moment in time, that you could look back on adoringly. 

You had been living in Vancouver for just under a year, finally finding a core group of friends and settling into your new life. The wounds from your breakup still felt fresh, and you knew Tyson was out in Colorado, having adventures on his own. 

You desperately wanted to move on, find your own place in the world without waking up everyday, mind racing with thoughts of him. Your friends tried to help you move on, even going as far as to set you up with various other boys. You went on a few dates here and there, never feeling like you could fully open up to someone the way you had with Tyson.

You compared every boy you ever met to Tyson, he was a country away but he still had a grasp on your heart that you didn’t know how to get back. You often wondered if he thought of you still. Maybe if you knew that he did, and if one of you made an attempt at reconciliation, things would turn out dramatically different for you both. 

Tyson turned, spotting you from where he was standing. He smiled, nodding slightly at you before turning back to the woman he was with. His expression was comforting, familiar and kind. You knew in that moment he experienced the same feelings you just had, recognizing the slight realization he had as he looked at you briefly. You were strangers who happened to love a past version of each other. 

But that’s the thing about a first love right? The transitory feeling, ignoring just how naive you were to think it would last. If one thing had been different, things might have been different today. It could have been you by his side. 

[hockey-fics]

Soy Lattes and Red Wine ~ Tyson Jost and Andre Burakovsky (Part One)

Summary: There was nothing for you in Denver when you decided to move there except a studio apartment and a longing for a fresh start. But the fresh start you’re looking for comes with a number of complications, primarily two. 

Warnings (for the whole fic are listed, those in bold are in this part): language, implied sex/light smut, smut, alcohol, cheating.

Word Count: ~1500

A/N: I wasn’t lying in the title, Burky does show up in this fic. Just not till the second part. 

It had been something you had been thinking about, fantasizing about for years now. Just packing all your things up and taking off. Somewhere new, somewhere you could have a fresh start. 

And then you got the email. The email that told you this year's classes were all going to be online and suddenly you had no reason not to just leave. You had no school holding you back. You could finish your last year online anywhere you wanted. 

So you started looking, your computer’s history filled with listings from your apartment search. And after a while you started to question whether you were making a mistake. None of the apartments you looked at seemed like the one. None of them seemed like a place you could call home. 

You had all but given up, talking yourself into thinking that spending one more year with your family and finishing your degree at home might not be so bad when you found it. 

A tiny bachelor apartment in Denver. You had no reason to move there. There was nothing in Denver for you, nobody you knew. But something about that apartment made you feel like you simply needed to be there. 

It was below your budget despite having far more than you ever wanted in an apartment. It was a new building, on the fourth floor. Not too high and not too close to the ground. It was bright yet cozy. It was perfect. And when you sent in an application the property manager offered a virtual tour and the next thing you knew you were sending in a damage deposit to hold the place and beginning to pack up all your belongings. 

The excitement of a new city wore off quickly once you got there. And the first few months were filled with more loneliness and anxiety than you would have ever imagined. Instead of meeting tons of new friends and exploring new places you found yourself locked away in your little apartment working on school assignments most of the days. 

It was like the universe was listening to you though because just as soon as you started to wonder if you had made a mistake in moving to Denver something changed.

It was a Monday and just like Monday’s reputation would predict, it was going terribly. 

You woke up to the sound of the fire alarms blaring through the building at five in the morning. You had fumbled a sweater over top of your outfit of pink giraffe pyjama shorts and an old stained t-shirt. A false alarm was what the building manager said before everyone shuffled tiredly back to their apartments. The startling way to wake up left you unable to fall back asleep, so with four hours of sleep you began to get ready for the day. 

You found that your coffee maker was no longer functioning and the bagel you were going to have for breakfast was mouldy. 

You received an assignment back from your professor that you had felt pretty confident about, finding that you had only barely passed. 

By the time you left your apartment that morning to go buy yourself a cup of coffee and something to boost your blood sugar you couldn’t think of anything else that could possibly go wrong. But of course that wouldn’t be the case as you tipped your cup of coffee on the condiment stand, just trying to get a lid on it so you could go back to your apartment and wallow in the awful day. 

You had reacted quickly, tipping it back upright. But not quick enough, the majority of your coffee no longer in your cup, now dripping along the countertop towards the man standing beside you. 

“I’m sorry,” you mutter to him, your head down as you reach around him to grab some napkins. 

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckles, grabbing a few napkins a moment after you, soaking some of the coffee up with them. 

Glancing over as he begins to help you feel tears forming in your eyes. It had been months since anyone had helped you...with anything. Sure, it was because the people who normally would were all back in your hometown and you had only made a couple friends that you had done things with only on a handful of occasions. “Thank you, but you really don’t have to help.”

“It’s just a little coffee,” he replies with a casual shrug even though you hadn’t dared to look at him to notice his body language. You were too worried about the watery appearance of your eyes to look at him. “What was it anyway?”

“Um,” you hum, tossing a handful of wet napkins into the garbage can. “A soy latte.”

Suddenly the man walks away and you let out a breath, relieved that you could just deal with your embarrassment and frustration alone as the tears begin to fill your eyes a little quicker now. If all of this was happening back at home, maybe you could laugh about it, could have gone to your parent’s house for coffee and breakfast or met your friends at a coffee shop to whine about the terrible day. But not here. Here you were alone. 

Finally you get the whole mess cleared up and turn around, debating whether you should buy another coffee or just write the whole place off and leave before things could get worse. 

“I asked them to put a lid on it for you.”

Looking over you see the man who had helped you clean up the coffee, a cup in his hand that he was extending towards you. 

You look from the cup and back up to him, quickly bringing your hand up to your eyes and trying your best to discreetly wipe the tears that had pooled under them. “It that…?”

“A soy latte,” he tells you, a soft smile on his lips. His brown eyes were warm and welcoming, like the fact that he was a couple inches away from being covered in a soy latte instead of holding one didn’t phase him in the slightest. You watch as his eyebrows furrow, clearly noticing you were upset, beyond what a spilled coffee would typically warrant. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” Your voice breaks as you say it, voice half a whisper. Reaching over you take the coffee from him. “You really didn’t have to, I can pay you back for this.” 

“No, don’t worry about it,” he tells you quickly, stopping you as you begin reaching for your wallet in your purse. “Seems like you’ve had a rough day.”

A soft laugh escapes your lips as you nod. “Yeah, it definitely hasn’t been great,” you tell him. “But this,” you say, lifting your coffee a little higher. “Made it a bit better.”

“I’m glad,” he says, glancing around the coffee shop, eyes landing on an empty table in the back corner. “Were you on your way anywhere? Or do you have some time to tell me about your rough day?”

And it was just that quick that your friendship with Tyson developed. And with that friendship Denver stopped feeling like such a lonely place. 

A couple nights after you met you two went out for dinner. Then a couple days later you went to his apartment to watch a movie. Then he was bringing coffee to your apartment when you told him about big assignments you were working on or when you were staying up late cramming for exams. You would go to his apartment after games, watching TV or just talking for hours before you would fall asleep on his couch.

When he had days off he would come over and hang out at your apartment while you did school work. He would quiz you from your flashcards or let you explain concepts to him that he would never remember but knew that letting you explain it would help you remember it. 

After a few months you came to the realization that Tyson had become your best friend. You still talked to your friends from back home frequently but distance made it difficult to stay as close. And you had made a couple new friends in Denver including the woman who lived across the hall from you and someone you met at the gym. But you didn’t see or talk to anyone as much as you talked to Tyson. And when he left Denver for away games you missed him more than you thought it was possible to miss someone you had only known for a few months. But you were so, so grateful for Tyson. For making Denver so much better for you than he would ever be able to understand. 

Part Two

[automedsolutions]

Scratch, Dent, Glow: Transform Your Car with Local Cosmetic Auto Repairs

Car owners face numerous cosmetic issues like scratches, dents, and more. Owners and enthusiasts typically look for the term “auto cosmetic repair near me” in search of a reputable and reliable shop from which they can avail of vehicle cosmetic services. Local auto repair shops offer valuable services that can improve your car’s overall appearance and aesthetics, increasing its resale value.

The Impact of Cosmetic Discrepancies on Vehicle Appearance

Even minor cosmetic imperfections like scratches and dents on a vehicle can significantly impact its appearance. Although these damages do not affect your vehicle’s running conditions, they still significantly impact its overall value. However, unattended cosmetic issues like oxidation can lead to heavy consequences like rusting and dents in the vehicle’s wheels, affecting its alignment and how it turns.

Local Cosmetic Auto Repair Shops Around You

Local auto reconditioning services near you offer numerous benefits and allow car owners and enthusiasts to support their local businesses and professionals. These benefits include cost-effectiveness, convenience, the privilege of utilizing aftermarket parts, a flexible schedule, and more.

Understanding Scratch and Dent Repair Techniques

If you look up “auto cosmetic repair near me,” you might also wonder about the scratch and dent repair techniques professionals intend to use in your vehicle’s cosmetic repairs. Two common techniques in these refurbishments include paintless dent repair (PDR) and traditional dent repair.

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR)

There are many reasons why a vehicle sustains a dent. However, no matter the reason, it can most likely be repaired with a paintless dent. The majority of minor dents can be repaired with PDR since it is a more cost-efficient and timely solution.

This new approach to dent repair requires less time since it does not require any body filler additions. Moreover, it doesn’t affect the vehicle’s original paint and doesn’t need repainting. It is a much more timely option for owners in a time crunch since it is quicker than traditional repairs.

Traditional Dent Repair

On the other hand, this repair process involves removing the affected car panel and utilizing a specific tool to heat and reshape the area to restore its former shape. Traditional dent repairs are better options for more significant damages. Although there are numerous dents that a PDR can fix, there are still some damages that only traditional methods can address.

The Art of Paint Correction

This auto cosmetics repair is restoring the vehicle’s original paintwork with the right techniques. A car experiences natural wear and tear due to regular use as time passes. Over time, vehicles show signs of swirl marks, scratches, water spots, and other imperfections like oxidation. Paint correction aims to address these auto-cosmetic issues.

Tips for Choosing the Right Local Repair Shop.

If you’re searching “auto cosmetic repair near me,” there are numerous factors to consider. This article section aims to break down the essential points to consider in choosing the appropriate repair shop.

Certification

There are numerous certifications that repair shops can add to their list of qualifications. These certifications ensure clients partner with a repair shop that went through the necessary processes to deliver the best results. Customers can also verify the shop’s listed qualifications since these are usually made accessible by the institutions issuing these.

Location

Customers looking for repair shops in their area must also consider the service provider’s location and distance from the owner’s area. However, clients must also consider convenient places, like body shops in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Services

Different shops offer various services. Choosing a repair shop that can cater to your vehicle’s refurbishment needs is essential. In searching “auto cosmetic repair near me,” it is essential to research their services. Moreover, this is especially vital in vehicles needing major fixes where a reputable professional gives you the appropriate services for the right cost.

Cost

Cost is a vital factor to consider when choosing an auto repair shop. There is no denying that these vehicles are costly investments. However, working with establishments that appropriately price their services for their quality, labor, and materials is essential. Commercialized cosmetic workshops tend to cost more than local ones you can find in your area due to their size and popularity.

Warranties

Though local shops do not offer warranties as much and extended as commercialized ones, it is still ideal to ask if the shops offer these. Warranties offer clients a different sense of security in that they are financially secure if problems occur after the shop has returned the vehicle to the owner.

Recommendations and Reviews

Client testimonials significantly affect a shop’s reputation and future clientele. In fact, the recommendations and reviews hold a lot of weight. A reputable car repair shop has numerous positive reviews from former clients. Moreover, it is also ideal to ask around about the shop you intend to work from friends and colleagues. You can also ask if they have any previous experience or knowledge about the service provider.

Conclusion

In looking for the “auto cosmetic repair near me” term, it is important to consider numerous factors before deciding on a shop. Moreover, it is essential to understand the specific repairs your car needs since these typically cost a significant amount of money. Thus, it would help if you remembered that even though auto cosmetic repairs do not affect the vehicle’s running conditions, they can have greater consequences on the car’s appearance.

Partnering with a respectable auto body shop like us is the best way. We are Automed Solutions, your trusted shop at the heart of Tysons Corner in Virginia.

[whumpingcrow]

Pt.4 "Shopping Trip"

CW: Tourettes/ticcing, pain description, injury description, brief memory loss, drug use, intimate/creepy whumper, August is his own warning, alcohol mention, public humiliation (?? sort of, very light), emotional manipulation (let me know if I missed anything!)

Elias stared up at the ceiling when he woke up, his vision blurred and his head spinning. He couldn’t remember where he was, but the bed beneath him was warm and solid, the only thing making him feel sturdy. He could hear faint classical music right outside, and it only made the growing discomfort and feeling of insanity swell. Where was he? Where was Tyson?

“Ty?’ He called out. His voice was raw and raspy, it hurt to yell. Maybe he’d had a bad tic attack and hurt himself again. He tried to sit up, but his stomach was sore and he could only make it about half an inch before he was groaning and laying back down. Then he tried to push himself upright instead, gasping at the sharp jolt that tore through his hand and up his wrist. He held his hand out in front of him, looking at the neat gauze wrapped around it. Did he do this to himself? Why couldn’t he remember? Typically if he had accidentally hurt himself while he was ticcing, it wasn't this bad. He'd maybe have sore muscles, a few scratches, at the very most a small bruise or two. Finally, he forced himself upright, biting down hard so that he wouldn’t cry out, and once he was sitting up he looked around. The room wasn’t immediately familiar, but it was almost like he could remember it from a dream. Or a nightmare.

As he stood up, his legs wobbled and he reached out to hold the wall, dragging himself along it to walk out of the room. The music was louder now, accompanied by quiet humming and the stench of weed. He recognized the smell from being around Tyson when he smoked, and he was comforted by it. Maybe he was ok, despite the awful, twisting pain that soaked through all his muscles, every inch of his skin.

As he turned the corner into the kitchen, he saw August sitting at the table, head tipped back in bliss and a joint dangling from in between his lips. Elias remembered the night before all at once, the pain, the pool, the hammer, and the weight of it pushed him into the wall next to him hard.

“Ah, shit,” he ticced, closing his eyes tight.

August turned toward him, smiling brightly. “Good morning, sleepy head. How are you feeling?”

Elias didn’t answer, his breathing shallow like he was trying not to cry. No one had rescued him, he was stuck here with this psycho. And his body was aching and heavy, he could hardly stand on his own. He flinched as August grabbed his shoulders, then looked up at him.

“I asked you a question, sweetheart. How do you feel?”

“I...everything hurts. I wanna go home.” He fought the tears in his eyes, frightened by the sour look August gave him. Only then did he remember how August threw him to the floor and kicked him when he mentioned home, and his lips parted in a fearful apology. Before he could get it out though, August began to speak again.

“Come sit. We can smoke, it’ll help the pain.” He led him to the table, lowering him gently into one of the chairs. He stroked his hair possessively, inspecting his face. “You’re so adorable, all tired like this.”

Elias sighed, timidly taking the joint from August when it was handed to him. It was the first and only time he'd accepted any drugs from anyone, and it was only because after remembering all that August had done to him he was too scared to refuse. He coughed on the smoke, which hurt his chest even more, a hazy flashback of August landing kick after agonizing kick against his ribs popped into his head and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and make it go away. Once he was able to hold the coughs off, he leaned back in the chair with an exasperated groan. “That’s disgusting,” he whined, handing it back to August, “I don’t like that at all.”

“It’ll feel good in a minute, trust me.” He sat on the table, watching him with a smile. “I have to go to the store in a bit.”

Elias was rubbing his eyes with a wince, then shrugged. “So?”

“So, you’re gonna come with me. It’ll be good to get you some fresh air.” He watched Elias’s eyes light up with muddled hope, hope of the outside, of being around people, and he laughed. “Don’t get too excited. If you misbehave, your punishment will be much worse than last night. And not just for you.”

“What?” Elias suppressed a cough, knowing it would hurt again if he let it out.

“Your precious Ty. You care about him, for whatever reason, and if you fuck up, he’ll pay for it just as much as you.” After he said it, he took another drag off the joint and looked down his nose arrogantly, with an air of cockiness, at Elias.

Elias looked up at him, the words bouncing around in his head uselessly. He was hearing them, but not entirely listening. He was suddenly feeling light and airy, his chest bubbly and his limbs seemingly vibrating. When August saw the blank look on his face, the way he was hardly absorbing what he was being told, he grinned widely at him. He looked so dumb, all wide eyed and confused gaze focused on him. But before he could make a teasing comment about it, Elias ticced hard, whimpering at the pain. Then again. And again. It hurt so bad, but he couldn’t stop. He wondered if it was from the weed. “August,” he whined helplessly, “fucking piss! Ah...August please hold me.” He was ashamed and embarrassed to be asking for it, after what he had done to him, but if he wasn’t held tight he would keep hurting himself worse, so he swallowed back his stubborn pride and asked, pleading, for this monster's help.

“What?” August asked, surprised at the request, at the timing of it. He had just threatened to fuck up his boyfriend, and Elias was asking for a hug? Was he even more stupid than the look on his face was letting on?

“I need you to-bitch!- hold me cause I’m hurting myself.” His hand, the broken one, jerked outward hard and he cried out from the insane jolt of pain it caused. “Please. Please, it hurts.”

August sighed, as if it took a lot out of him, pulled Elias to his feet, and wrapped his arms around him tight to hold his arms to his sides. Elias was trembling and twitching hard every few seconds, his breath catching in pain.

“It’s ok, love,” August whispered, rubbing against his shoulders softly, “you’re alright.”

“Ow...fucking slut...Ahhh it hurts so bad.” His voice was watery now, and August began to feel bad for him. He had made sure to really hurt him, made sure he would feel it the next day, but he wasn’t necessarily planning on it being like this. All of the injuries had to be reigniting with every tic, the way Elias whined at each one. It wasn't as much fun to watch him hurt this way, when it was out of his control. August wanted to be the only one to control his pain, to decide when he was whining or screaming, he alone wanted to have control over whether Elias would be carefree and smiling or a mess of tears and blood.

“Lemme give you some pills, it seemed to help last night.” He pulled away from Elias and opened the cabinet where he had a few bottles of not entirely legally owned drugs that did not entirely belong to him, then returned to Elias with a few tiny pills in his hand. Elias was absolutely shaking as he took them gratefully, tears streaming down his face, and August reached out to swipe them away.

“It hurts that bad?” He mumbled.

“Obviously, you cunt!” He looked at August, his face suddenly pale, shaking his head quickly. “I’m sorry! I’m-”

August pulled him back into his arms, swaying him slightly. “It’s ok angel. It’s ok.” He stroked up and down his back to comfort him, waiting for the tics to stop. After about 15 minutes, Elias slowly relaxed, melting into August’s touch instead of being rigid against him, purely out of exhaustion. But now that he had him in his arms, August didn’t want to let go.

“I do not like weed,” Elias stated, his voice faraway. “Don’t ever let me do that again.”

“Noted,” August answered. “You ready to go, then?”

Elias nodded, pulling away from him an inch at a time. “Can I get some new clothes?”

“Of course.” He pulled Elias to his room, getting out a pair of shorts and a shirt, setting them aside to help Elias pull his sweatshirt off. He looked at his ribs, where he saw the blossoming bruises that spread out to his stomach and chest as well. Before he pulled his new shirt on, he knelt down and grabbed his waist, kissing gently on the bruises.

Elias chuckled a little, his hand clutching onto August’s shoulder to hold himself steady, the mixture of weed and painkillers making him sway a tad. “Are you kissing it better?” He teased. His voice was trembling and his words were slurring together a bit. August looked up at him with a smile.

“I am.” He stood up, hands still on his waist, and kissed at his neck. Then his nose. Everywhere he’d hurt him last night received a soft kiss. Elias held his breath when he grabbed his wrist, worried he would re-injure his broken hand all over again, but August was gentle and careful. He kissed softly over the gauze, holding eye contact with Elias and watching in amusement as he blushed.

“Thank you.” Elias squeaked out, confused by the affection, confused by how it made him feel. August grinned at him, pulling him even closer. He kissed Elias feather soft, right on his slightly open mouth, catching him completely off guard. When he pulled away, he was pleased to see Elias’s eyes closed, his face a lovely pink.

“You’re welcome,” he finally replied, “now let’s get you dressed.”

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

As August pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, he glanced at Elias, who looked rather tired and agitated. His eyes were red and droopy, his lip caught in his teeth. “You remember what I said, right?”

“Huh?” Elias didn’t look at him, too enthralled by the people walking around them just outside the car. The people who could help him.

“You fuck up and I’ll make sure Tyson never sees the light of day. Ring a bell?"

Now, Elias looked at him with a deep frown, growing more nervous. “I won’t do anything. I promise, I’ll...I’ll be good.”

August smiled, reaching out to pet his hair. “Good. Stay nice and quiet, ok? Don’t speak to strangers.”

Elias nodded, then opened the door. He stumbled a little as he got out, the dizziness he remembered from the night before returning. August walked up to him, looping an arm around his waist. “You alright?”

“Dizzy,” Elias replied, “Don’t let me fall and look stupid.”

“I won’t, love.” He led Elias inside, giving him control of the cart so he had something to lean on. As they walked around, Elias looked on at all the clueless people around him. He hoped the worried look on his face was enough to get them to help, but nobody gave him a second glance. It was painful, to watch them all simply pass by him completely clueless, not offering a second glance or even a kind smile. He was all alone, no one would save him, they didn't even know that he wanted to be saved.

“Eli,” August said, calling his attention to where he stood in front of the alcohol. Elias pushed the cart forward to meet him, looking at him expectantly. “You’re not old enough to drink, are you?” Elias shook his head. “You've never been drunk, then, huh? I’ll get some tequila, we’ll have some drinks when we get home. Kay?”

Elias nodded at him, keeping his mouth shut. August smiled at him warmly, setting the bottle in the basket and petting his hair. “Want something special? You’re behaving so well.”

A proud grin spread across his face, but he wasn’t sure what he was so proud of. Allowing himself to stay stuck with August? Not asking for help? Still, the words of praise sounded so good coming from August, they were so much better than the cruel things he had said before. The contrast between the gruesome insults and the softness to his voice when he was kind was jarring, made him feel like he wanted to lay down and compose himself. “Uh...can we get strawberries?”

“Strawberries?” August laughed. “You’re adorable.”

They went over to the produce, Elias watched from a safe distance as August picked up a few boxes of strawberries. As he set them in the basket, he leaned toward Elias with a smile on his face. “You have no idea how fuckable you look wearing my shirt.”

Elias blushed, eyes wide. “Oh my god.” He choked out, ticcing at how flustered it made him. It didn’t hurt so bad this time because of the drugs, but August pulled away with concern written on his face. It looked misplaced there, a foreign emotion that he wasn't quite naturally good at pulling off.

“You alright?”

He could only nod in response, still reeling from the comment. August smirked at him before turning away and making his way onto the next item. Elias followed close by, now not even trying to silently beg the strangers for help.

Once they were at the register, Elias watched how he interacted with the cashier. He was confident, cocky, even, like he wasn’t actively a fugitive. Elias helped put the groceries on the counter with his good hand, fumbling a few times. He heard the cashier, a woman much older than him, joking about getting August’s number, and he dropped a carton of eggs on the ground.

When August turned to look at what happened, Elias looked up from the mess he made and up at him with wide eyes. “What happened?” He asked, voice firm.

“I’m sorry!” Elias was begging quietly. “I didn’t mean to, they just slipped!”

The cashier sighed heavily, calling for another employee to come clean up the mess. He could hear the irritation in her voice, and August looked at him disdainfully. “Go get another one.” He instructed. Elias gawked at him.

“Alone?”

“Yes, alone, Eli. Go on.”

He turned away from him, hurrying back across the store to fetch another carton. He was limping, holding back grunts of pain.

“You alright, son?” Someone asked. An older man was staring at him, watching him limp along. Elias looked at him with fear in every detail of his face. He should tell him. He should tell him to call the police and not let him go back with August.

“I uh...uh…” He ticced, looking down at his hands. The gauze on his hands. He remembered the hammer, the pain. He remembered August threatening Tyson. He didn't want anymore pain, he really really just wanted to go home, but he couldn't stand the idea of Tyson hurting. Even with every horrible thing August told him, that he had gotten rid of him, never wanted him in the first place, he still couldn't stand the idea of Tyson hurting. “Can you tell me where the eggs are? I’m a little lost.”

The man nodded, pointing him toward the opposite wall. “Just over there.”

“Thank you.” The man nodded and turned on his heel to leave, and Elias’s heart sank as he watched him walk away.

“Finally,” August sighed as Elias came back, “what took you so long?”

He was leaning against the counter, the woman still staring at him with a smile. Elias frowned at him, hating that he felt jealous looking at them. He didn’t say anything and handed August the eggs, turning away from him. He waited for August to pay, then pushed the cart of groceries after him and outside. He tried to help with putting bags into the trunk, but August moved him aside with a huff.

“Go get in the car,” he grumbled, “don’t want you dropping anything.”

Elias obeyed, shuffling miserably to the front of the car, sinking into the front seat with his knees pulled up to his chest. He didn’t want to go home, he could already tell from August’s attitude that he was going to get it once they got back to the house, and he was dreading it. It was only an accident, but that didn’t matter to August. He would jump at the chance to hurt him. He flinched as August got back into the car and shut the door. He began to drive in silence, and Elias found himself itching at it.

“Are you angry with me?” He whispered.

August pulled out his pack of cigarettes and handed one to Elias, lighting it for him. He didn’t want to smoke, but he was too scared of August to deny it. Besides, he could be doing more to hurt him than just giving him a cigarette.

“You embarrassed me, Elias.” He said. “You made us both look like idiots.”

Elias frowned at him. “You liked that girl, didn’t you? That’s why you're embarrassed?”

August laughed, glancing away from the road to look at his face. The look of hurt jealousy there was delicious, and August was absolutely delighted at the conflict Elias was feeling because of it. “She was hot, yeah.”

“Why would you say that to me?” He breathed. Now he was thankful for the cigarette, the way it took the edge off.

“Why? are you jealous?” Now August’s voice was teasing. At least it wasn’t stern and mean.

“It’s just rude to tell someone they’re beautiful and all that shit and then flirt with someone in front of them. Makes me feel like you were lying.” Even as he said it, his throat felt tight with confusion. Why did he even care? He didn't like August, he didn't want to be around him anyway, so why did he care if August was checking out some girl? His chest burned in self-hatred as he thought it over. He was so desperate for affection, for compliments, that he was angry at the idea that his captor was lying to him and didn't think he was actually attractive.

“I wasn't lying, sweetheart. You are beautiful. You’re heavenly and perfect and gorgeous. I said she was hot.”

Elias looked away from him, shaking his head. He felt August’s hand wrap around his thigh and he wanted to groan. “You never answered me,” he mumbled. “Are you angry with me?”

“No, angel. I know it was an accident, and you did so well otherwise. Even when you went off alone.” He squeezed his thigh with a soft smile. “I’m proud of you.”

Elias dared to glance at him, to try and tell if he was lying. He felt a little relief at the pleased look August wore, and he relaxed in his seat. He had done good. He would be ok, Tyson would be ok.

[pollylynn]

Title: Proclivity WC: 900

“You know what part I liked best?”  — Jerry Tyson, Reckoning (7 x 15)

She doesn’t want to hear the long story about the assault charges, whatever her stupid tongue might say. She wants to un-hear everything Gates says—threatened, unarmed, gun. She does not want to hear this. She may never want to. 

That thought unsettles her. It sends a snaking, unpleasant sensation all through her, because what does that say? She looks at her own split fingernails, the raw, wrecked tips of her fingers. Her palm, her wrist, her whole arm, right up to the shoulder, aches from clamping her fingers around Kelly Nieman’s, from gripping the scalpel, from swinging the blade in the ruthless arc that ended Kelly Nieman’s life. What does it say about her that she might never want to hear about him pulling a gun on Jerry Tyson, all in the name of finding her—of saving her life?

She can’t think about that right now, and mercifully, no one is asking her to. They are asking her literally every other question under the sun, but no one is making a hypocrisy check as they go over and over the abduction, Kelly Nieman’s gruesome plans for her, Kelly Nieman’s even more gruesome death. No one seems worried about whatever mental tap dancing she might be doing about the things he’s done in her absence. 

He is not asking her to think about it. When they are at liberty at last, when they can go home, it strikes her that he might be the second-to-last person in the world who wants to talk about the assault charges, about the sound of breaking glass in the instant before the bullet entered Jerry Tyson’s chest. They might be jostling and hip-checking one another to the be very last person on earth who wants to talk about any of that. 

The subject, though, worms its way in between them. He has to call Martha and Alexis. He should have called them before now. 

“I texted,” he says as he raises his hands in defense. “While you were cleaning up back—“ He falters. He looks at her as though he’s shocked find himself suddenly knee-deep in quicksand. “While you were cleaning up, I texted.” His eyes drop to the floor. 

“You should call.” She goes to him. She tugs his phone from his the back pocket and places it in his hand. She folds his fingers around it. “They won’t really believe it until they hear your voice.” 

“And you’re going to . . .?” He trails off, torn. He needs to hear their voices just as much as they need to hear his, but he’s having trouble letting her out of his sight. She’s having the same trouble, but the throbbing pain from her fingertips to her shoulder blades might be enough to tempt her away, for a little while at least. 

“Shower.” She rolls her neck, wincing as she finds the edge of pain. It’s only partly a performance. “I need our shower.” 

“Oh, but if you need our shower, then surely you need me.“ He’s teasing now. He’s pretending to put the phone away, but that’s a performance, too.

“Call,” she says simply, quietly, and he nods. 

She can hear him hovering just outside the bathroom door she has pointedly closed. At first, she can hear him, though he’s one to roam as he talks, anyway, and if ever a phone call called for roaming, it’s this one. His voice fades and she’s left to confront the pointedly closed bathroom door. She’s left to wonder if it represents all the things she doesn’t want to hear. 

There’s too much of Paris in this for her not to wonder. She stares at the pointedly closed bathroom door and half expects to hear Douglas Stevens’ screams through it. She pictures his face, blank and cold, his voice, absolutely chilling—When it comes to the people I love, I do. 

She cries in the shower. It’s to be expected. That’s the dispassionate diagnosis her mind offers up. The tears simply come, stinging the corners of her eyes and disappearing into the scalding stream. They’re tears for what he had to do, what they both had to do in the face of such evil. They’re tears for how much it must have hurt him—how it will go on hurting him—to have done all he must have done. They’re tears that decide her. 

She cranks the shower off with no little regret. She can feel, more than hear, the rise and fall of his voice somewhere in the loft. She dries herself and re-bandages the worst of the wounds on her hands. She dresses and slides into their bed. She waits for him. 

He’s not long, once he realizes she’s already out of the shower. He makes a joke about shopping, about the loft to themselves for a few day so they can regroup. They have their quiet exchange about how they do this—how they keep on living through this and everything else the fates have thrown at them these last few months. They settle their bodies together. 

She’d like to leave the quiet alone. She’d like to dedicate the foreseeable future to pressing her ear to the the blessed thump-thump of his heart, but what does that say about her? What does it say. 

So, she doesn’t leave the quiet alone. “Castle, tell me. Tell me everything.” 

A/N: Willingness to do violence. This is a thing. Up close and personal scalpel killing, also a thing. But this? Totes not a thing. 

images via homeofthenutty

[sadpoemsandsteverogers]

cornelia’s ↬ auston matthews

A/N: hey all, it’s been a while. here’s an imagine about toronto maple leafs player auston matthews. this is unedited so please forgive me for any mistakes. thanks for sticking with me as i work through writer’s block and a whole bunch of other things. love you. 

Warnings: swearing, mature-ish themes, reader is a bit hard on themselves cause #feelings. 

Word count: 2.8k words

___________________________

Looking up at the flashing neon sign, you mentally cursed yourself out, a soft sigh and a few utterances of the word “fuck” following. 

You should have told Mitch no, you should have told Mitch no.

Your conscience repeated the words until you felt like smashing your head against the wall of the club. When Mitch invited you to go out with some old friends, you knew Auston would be there. It was what deterred you at first, but you quickly came to the realization that they were your friends, too. You had just as much of a right to see them. Besides, you needed to get them to stop asking why you didn’t hang around as much anymore. 

They didn’t need to know why, and you hated being reminded every time they asked. 

You hated being reminded of the way Auston’s lips would trail along the shell of your ear, the edge of your jaw, the swell of your breast, the curve of your hip, and... 

Stop thinking about him.

Your fling with Auston was a well-kept secret. That’s all it was after all, a fling. Just two people sleeping with each other, nothing more. Two people, who didn’t sleep with other people, but made each other jealous just for the intense, rough outcome. Two people who were good friends, sleeping together because it was convenient for the both of them. 

It was a fling, nothing more. 

Well, it was, until you noticed the way your gaze began to linger on him. Your hugs became longer, your hands trailed slower, and your thoughts were completely consumed by him. When you received good news, he was the first one you wanted to tell. Your promotion at work? He was the first person that popped into your head. Seeing two cute dogs on your walk back from the coffee shop? Auston’s name came to mind. 

That worried you. There was absolutely no way you could develop feelings for him. He was him and you were you and that was enough, at least in your mind. You stopped it while you still had control, while you still had restraint. 

It was three months since you had told Auston you wanted to end your arrangement- if you could even call it that. The rules and boundaries were unspoken but understood, which left you both even more confused. Your liaison, affair of the heart, involvement- whatever the fuck it was, was over. Auston agreed with no arguments. He respected you and agreed to end it, no questions asked. 

No questions, specifically because you gave him no chance to ask any. It left him confused, and hurt. One night you were in his arms, your head resting on one of his pillows with drool seeping out of your slightly-parted lips, and the next, you were cold and closed off. He rarely saw you after your last night together. He saw you at two events, but you had left before he could approach you. You avoided him and it hurt. But, he knew that you had wanted to move on. You wanted something else, someone else. Auston respected that. He wanted you to be happy and if your late night rendezvous were not making you happy, he had no qualms with ending them. 

No qualms, right? After all, you were just two friends, who sometimes slept together. Nothing serious, nothing bound, nothing set-in-stone.

So why did it hurt so much? 

Entering the club, you felt the heat wash over you like a wave. Bodies were moving and heat came off of each one in waves, drowning every person in the building. Maneuvering your way through the crowd, you worked towards the area of the club Mitch said the group was at. Each step towards the large corner booth was accompanied by a fearful cry from your heart.

Please don’t!

Turn around!

I’m not ready!

Not Auston, not yet!

Get the hell out of here!

What are you doing, you dumb bitch! Turn around! 

But you ignored every single one. There was no use in running away like the other two times. Auston is still a person, you still have the same friend group, and avoiding both like the plague was not the answer. 

Hoping to slip into the conversation without drawing attention to yourself, you shied behind some of the other wives and girlfriends. But it could not hide you from the eagle eyes of William Nylander.

“Y/N!” he exclaimed, sliding out of the booth and pulling you into a hug. Your wrapped your arms around the slightly-tipsy right wing, a chuckle leaving your lips as his weight crashed into you. 

“Hey, Nylander.” 

“Long time no see, stranger,” Morgan quipped, pushing Will away and pulling you in for a side hug. 

You smiled up at him, “Getting that tooth replaced anytime soon?”

Mo shook his head, “Not until I lose one or two more. Season’s just started.” 

You laughed, greeting the rest of the group with hugs and playful jabs. 

Your eyes locked with Auston’s, and your heartbeat instantly sped up. He raised his glass towards you and nodded, and you nodded in return. A soft smile crossed his lips and you couldn’t help but mirror his actions. 

“C’mon, Y/N, we need to get you out on that dance floor!” Kasperi grabbed one hand while Steph grabbed the other, practically dragging you to the dance floor. Your dancing with the large group remained humorous, your intentions far from sexy. There was no one to impress, no one to seduce, no one you intended on teasing. Just a night out with some friends, with no plan of playing games. 

As an upbeat song ended, you announced to the group, “I need to get a drink!” 

Walking off of the dance floor and making your way towards the bar, your eyes found Auston, who had already been watching you. Noticing how long you had been staring at one another, you offered a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of your neck, turning away. Your eyes widened and you exhale deeply, still continuing towards the bar. 

Your conscience kept trying to nag you about how your body was reacting, especially at the fact you were so nervous over Auston’s mere gaze. You were all sorts of nervous, the feelings you had for him surfaced each time you thought about the way he looked at you. There was something so sweet in his eyes, yet it was mixed with what looked like hurt. 

The look in his eyes haunted you as you ordered your drink of choice and perched upon a barstool. You made conversation with Freddie when he came up to the bar to get another beer, and you did the same with Mitch and Tyson when they tried dragging you back out on the dance floor. You gave in for a few songs, but made your way back to your barstool to get a water. Sweat was already pooling at the base of your neck from the dancing and the closeness of the crowd. It had been a long time since you had let your body just move the way it felt lead to. No hands holding onto your hips, no one behind you to push your ass into, just you and the rhythm. 

Auston found himself jealous of the rhythm. He watched from his spot in the booth as you moved to the music. He laughed as you busted out the sprinkler, used the lasso on Freddie, and even the running man. He smiled as you slow danced with Steph to a Bruno Mars song, watching as you and her sang animatedly. His smile grew wider when he saw you headbanging to a Good Charlotte song along, and laughed again when you and Trevor smacked into each other.

The loving gaze and light air around him was stripped when you returned to the dance floor after your first drink. Your moves were a bit different. You were a little bit more in tune with your Cuban motion this time around, hips rolling to the beat in perfect time. Your feet move in a pattern you had picked up a long time ago at a dance class, performing a basic rumba with nobody but the cadence of the music. It held you in frame, keeping you close. The cadence did what any good lead would do: it showed off the follow. Auston felt like an onlooker at a dancing competition and found himself wishing to be your invisible partner.

As he watched you exit the dance floor and go back to your seat at the bar, an idea popped into his head. He was not sure it was a good one, but back when you were together- no, back when you were sleeping together, it always caught your attention. It was cruel and tantalizing and somewhat masochistic but you and Auston liked to play that game. It was nothing serious, except for when your eyes locked and the challenge was made aware. 

Who would break first? Who would cast aside the body they were using and signal that it was time to go? Who would get the last laugh before the two were engaged in a bruising kiss? 

Sliding out of the booth, Auston asked the first girl he saw to dance. She accepted, and he led her onto the dance floor. It was a slower song, but the beat was sensual and Auston almost felt intimidated by what could happen. He wished the girl pressed against him was you, but he didn’t think he could ask you to dance. He knew what it would lead to: a two person tango that lasted for hours, with you leaving in the morning and him wishing you would stay. 

Finishing your water, you were about to go back out onto the dance floor when you decided to cast a glance over to the corner booth. Your eyes widened a bit when you saw that Auston wasn’t there. For some damned reason, you did a sweep of the club, wanting to find him. 

When you found him, you regretted it.

His hips were moving in time with that of a stranger’s; and your heart was shattering on the ground. 

He felt your gaze and locked eyes with you, sending you the same smirk he always did when he was trying to make you crack. He had almost convinced himself you were going to send a smirk back, and that you would be grabbing the first person who walked past to start playing the game you once were so good at.

But you didn’t want games. You didn’t want childish jealousy and unspoken words; and a part of you knew that Auston’s intentions weren’t hurtful. 

But it still hurt.

To see him move so easily with another person’s body, a person who wasn’t you, caused your lungs to feel like they were filling up with water. 

You broke his gaze and darted for the exit, weaving through bodies and casting out apologies when you bumped harshly into someone. Your hands grasped the cool handle of the door and pushed it open, stumbling out onto the sidewalk and letting out ragged breaths as the fresh oxygen entered your system. 

Turning to your right, you noticed the sign of a familiar diner, Cornelia’s, a few blocks down, and decided that food sounded really good right now.

Waiting at stoplights and walking through crosswalks, you thought about what just happened inside the club. 

What just happened? You realized you want something real with someone who wants a warm body. 

You mentally barked at yourself to shut up. The last thing you needed was a lecture from yourself, especially this late at night and especially after all that dancing. 

Entering the diner, you settled into the baby blue booth with a sigh, slipping your heels off and setting them next to you. You pulled your legs up underneath you, grabbing a menu and beginning to flip through it. The action was pointless, as you already knew what you were going to get. You used to frequent this diner with Auston, because why wouldn’t you? Of course it was the first place you ran. 

Your internal beat down was halted when a waitress came to take your order. Coffee, pancakes, and some bacon sounded like heaven while you yourself felt like you were in hell. 

Waiting for your food, you let your eyes trail over the diner’s interior. Memories with your friends flashed through your mind as you recalled late nights, early mornings, and mid-afternoon breakfasts with them at this place. Sometimes you and Auston would come here the morning after one of your nights together, getting breakfast with the both of you in the clothes from the night before- but a sweater or jacket of his would be around your shoulders. You would talk and laugh and debate about everything, and the more you thought about it the more you realized how easily you had fallen in love with him.

Love.

So that’s what it was?

All the times you felt fuzzy when he pressed a kiss to your forehead post-sex, or when he would pull you closer in his sleep and nuzzle his head into the crook of your neck, or the way your stomach would flutter when he would throw his head back and laugh, or how airy you felt when he would just look at you.

As you ate your pancakes in an oddly melancholic silence, the bell hanging above the diner door went off and a new customer entered. You paid no mind until you felt someone’s presence in front of you. 

Looking up, you saw Auston with a guilty expression on his face. 

“Can I sit down?” he asked.

You nodded, grabbing your napkin and wiping the edges of your mouth as you finished chewing the pieces of pancake in your mouth. 

“What I did back there was... stupid. We don’t... we don’t do that anymore. I don’t know what came over me.” Auston spoke softly, “I’m sorry. I overstepped.”

You nodded, “Yeah.” 

You didn’t say anymore; you couldn’t. You were not entirely confident with yourself and the words that could fly out at any moment. Words you might regret, or might not. But the coin could land on either side and you did not even want to toss it in the air. 

“How have you been?” he asked.

It was a simple question that threw you off of a ledge you didn’t even know you were standing on.

“Please don’t do that.” you said softly.

“Do what?” 

You shook your head, scoffing slightly, “Care. Please don’t.”

Auston’s eyebrows furrowed, “What do you mean? I care about you, Y/N. I just wanna know how you’ve been. We’re friends, after all.” 

Saying the word ‘friends’ hurt him as much as it hurt you. 

“Friends who used to fuck.” The sentence fell bluntly from your lips.

“Is that what this is about? Are you uncomfortable with us being friends after our... thing?” 

You sighed in frustration, shaking your head, “No, Auston, not because of our thing. We never had a thing.”

“Okay, we never had a thing. So what’s wrong?” he asked, leaning forward and looking into your eyes deeply.

You leaned, back, moving your eyes to the condiment holder perched on the wall.

“Y/N, please talk to me. Please.” he asked.

Letting out a sigh, you straightened your posture, meeting his eyes.

“I’m upset because we never had a thing, Auston. A real thing,” you started, “like a relationship. A romance. It was more than just fucking for me. And when I realized that, I stopped it while I still could because it would hurt less than getting myself in too deep. I knew that what you did tonight wasn’t with malicious intent, I do. But I don’t want games anymore, Auston. I just want you. That’s it.” 

He was silent for a few moments, which set off the alarms in your head. 

Maybe that was a bad idea, you thought.

“I want you too.” 

The panic went away at those four words. 

Four simple words, that when pushed together, made you the happiest person alive. 

“No more games,” he continued, “no more hurting each other because of the outcome. We can have crazy, hot sex without the games.” His words made you both laugh, because you both knew it was true, “So, let’s avoid beating around the bush,” he paused briefly and looked around at the diner’s interior, admiring the 1950′s style decor, “be my girl?” 

You played along, “Auston Matthews, are you asking me to go steady with you?” 

“I’ll buy you a milkshake, give you my class ring, the whole shebang, baby.” 

You laughed at his cheesy lines, “Alright, I’ll be your girlfriend. Now, how about that milkshake?” 

[hookingminor]

Congrats on 2k love 🥳🥳🥳 Could I get number 16 from list 4 wth Tyson Jost? 🥰

16. Over and over again, till it’s nothing but a senseless babble

-

Tyson knew you were upset about not being able to go home for Thanksgiving despite your many efforts to try and convince him you were fine. Money was tight, especially with school and rent and other various expenses, so you decided to save up to go home for the holidays in December rather than try and make the trip twice. Tyson had offered to pay for your flights, but you wouldn’t allow it.

Thanksgiving wasn’t a holiday Tyson grew up celebrating, being Canadian and all, but he understood your sadness at not being able to see your family. Even if the holiday was problematic itself, it was an excuse for your family to gather and spend quality time together, watching football and gorging on pumpkin ciders and mashed potatoes.

You put on a brave face for him, though. You were sad, of course, but it was a few more days you got to spend with your boyfriend during his busy hockey season. So you chose to look on the bright side of things. A cozy few days in would have to suffice, and you could order some fancy takeout and still watch football though you’d miss the shouting voices of your parents and siblings whenever there was a bad call.

Tyson didn’t really understand football as well as you did, nor did he really care for the sport all that much, but he’d try his hardest for you.

It was only when your mother called the night before to check in with you that the sadness came back at full force. She called to catch up like normal, but with the chaos of your distant family members coming into town, the house was full of noise. Small kids shouted in the background, and a few of your cousins popped in the call to say hello and that they missed you.

Tyson wasn’t eavesdropping, per se, he was in the kitchen making sandwiches at the time, but he could see the deflation of your shoulders when you ended the call. He set a plate in front of you after you hung up, not wanting to intrude while you were talking to your family, and he swore he could see a slight sheen of tears in your eyes. He didn’t bring it up.

Instead, he concocted a plan in his head.

Everyone was busy with their own families, so Tyson sent you on a couple errands the next day. Black Friday deals seemed to only start earlier on Thursdays with each following year, so you didn’t mind doing some light shopping that afternoon before you and Tyson had a chill night in.

Meanwhile, Tyson did a week’s worth of grocery shopping in an hour. Normally, you didn’t let him grocery shop alone since he never knew what he needed until he’d racked up a near two-hundred dollar cart when all he wanted were a couple items to get through the week, but after much training (shopping with you), he picked up a few tricks. He spent all night googling staple Thanksgiving dishes and recipes he could make without much fuss.

He managed to get a ham, since you didn’t like turkey, a bag of potatoes and gravy mixes, ingredients to make stuffing, some yams, and various materials to make casseroles. And he bought a pre-made pumpkin pie since he didn’t think he had time to make one, and he really didn’t want to fuck up your favorite dish.

By the time you arrived back home with a couple bags in tow, you were slapped in the face with incredible smells coming from the kitchen. It was just before three in the afternoon, and you were immediately confused as to what Tyson could be making considering he almost never cooked.

“Tyson?” You asked, turning the corner to find your boyfriend hunched over the oven with an apron draped over his body. “What are you doing? I thought we were eating out tonight?”

“We were,” he said, standing back to his full height. The oven mitts on his hands complimented the apron well, and he looked so adorable standing there with a grin on his face. “But I thought we could have a Thanksgiving here since you couldn’t go back home.”

You took in the entire kitchen, noticing vegetables and seasonings all over the countertops, and a well of tears pooled in your eyes instantly. “You did all this for me?”

Tyson shucked off the mitts and took you into his arms. “Of course I did. You were really sad, and I don’t like seeing you sad.”

The soft look in his eyes almost made the tears spill out, but you couldn’t stop yourself from throwing your arms around his shoulders to lunge at him with your whole body. You tucked your face into his neck, letting a few tears fall in the process.

“I love you,” you mumbled into his shirt. “Seriously, I love you so much. I love you more than anything.”

One of his hands lifted to stroke the back of your neck. “Hey, I love you too.”

“No, like, I love you,” you repeated with more emphasis, pulling back to place a kiss on his cheek. “You’re the best boyfriend ever, I love you.” Kiss. “I love you.” Kiss. “I love you.” Kiss.

Your kisses landed sporadically on his face, hitting his cheeks and nose and jaw as the tickles sent Tyson into a fit of laughter and he tried to turn his head away to avoid your kissing attack.

“And I love you,” he said again. Halting your movements by holding your face in both of his hands. “Now come on, a couple of the guys are coming by later to help us eat all this, so you need to help me finish cooking.”

As if your heart couldn’t take any more niceties, it damn near bursted at his statement. He even invited people over so you wouldn’t have to celebrate alone.

You couldn’t help but plant one last sloppy kiss right on his lips this time. “I love you.”

[strongsassysexysloane]

Take me for a Ride, Jack...7

Wow, this part was written so long ago.. I didnt realise it took me this long to get to the part that inspired this whole story. Time to get greasy. 

. . . . 

You eventually turn around and head back to the market, Jack tugs you back to the cheese stall, not before she stops in at a stall full of scarves and hats. You drop her hand and watch her hands run over a few scarves she likes and purchases just one before you move next door to the cheese stall.

"Pick your favourites and we'll find a spot to go eat." She rests her hand on your lower back as you scan the selection

"I love that you think I'm sharing this cheese with you." She laughs and you buy  almost double what you would usually get because you have a hard time sharing food. The man prepares it on a platter for you.

"You really have a problem sharing food?" She laughs sitting beside you at the beach side table.

"Oh, J. You have so much to learn." You smirk and dig into your platter. The meal is spent in mostly silence and a few moans of pleasure from the food on your end and you can see the affect it's having on Jack which only spurs you on more before she grabs your thigh tightly.

"Stop, now." She purrs into your ear and just like that you're undone. "Thank you." She clearly saw your resolve change and loosens her grip on your thigh, moving it slightly higher before going back down again.

"And im the tease?" You scoff and finish off the last of the cheese.

"You started it. I just finished it." She smirks, packing up the platter and picking it up before walking over to place it in the trash can. "Want to see anything else?"

"Not really." You smile, watching Jack walk back over to you and she reaches out to take you hand. You take another walk around the markets. Happy to just hold her hand in yours and look over the stalls closing up. Then you cross the road and stroll down the shop fronts, looking in a few shops. The second hand book store takes Jack's attention. She picks out a few books and buys them.

"I need a few more for my collection." She smiles swinging her shopping bags by her side. "Ready to start heading home?" The sun was slowly setting, the cool breeze brushing your faces. The small walk back to the bike was too short for your liking but you slid onto the bike behind Jack and held onto her waist all the way back to DC.

There was a bit of DC traffic heading back into the city. Everyone coming back into DC from their day out on the coast. You laughed when Jack took the back roads to your place, prolonging the ride. But it still wasn't long enough. She pulled up to your curb and you both hopped off.

"That was a lovely day. Almost perfect." You smiled, hooking up your helmet to the back of the bike.

"Almost?" Jack huffed, hooking her pinkie in yours and tugging you close.

"Yeah.." You smirked, resting your hand on her waist, while her other hand and pinkie was still hooked with yours.

"Ah so what Torres mentioned is true." Her smirk growing more smug by the second. "You like to drive but me driving seems to be a loophole."

"You are a loophole in my brain, Jack." You both chuckle. You shake your head at the way those silly words came out. Hoping to god it somehow sounded cute.

"Smooth." Jack leans in and her lips graze the corner of your mouth on the way to dropping a kiss on your cheek.

You close you eyes, enjoying the lingering touch of her lips against your skin before it's gone too soon.

"Today was almost perfect for me too." She whispers and you open your eyes, to see hers teasing you.

You huff out a laugh and squeeze her hand before dropping it and watch her walk back and slide onto her bike. "Maybe it'll be perfect next time."

"Next time? You think I'll let you ride this girl?" She winks, sliding her hips slowly back and forth causing you to drop your head back and laugh. "I left that one wide open."

"So wide." You laugh and look back at Jack. "I'm sure I can convince you." You wink.

Jack laughs. "I'll chat with you later and see you at work tomorrow."

"Drive safe." You just get a wink in return and watch Jack ride off down the street.  Smiling all the way up to your apartment, running through the events of the day. It was perfect and you can't stop smiling. Jack does text you when she gets home, it feels so couplely for you and for once that doesn't frighten you. With Jack you feel light, like you can float and nothing can hold you down. Even Jamie's pokes and jokes don't break your mood. The days events finally catch up with you and sleep finds you easy for once.

You catch a case on Tuesday that get's all your attention but Jack is unfortunately held up with helping Vance and another team with a case for the next week so you hardly see each other. The case drags on and you don't end up catching the bad guy until the following Monday. Gibbs thankfully gives the team a few days off but Jack is still held up with other team's cases that you don't see each other, even texting is minimal. Thursday and Friday is just catching up on reports. Thankfully no new case which means the team goes for drinks Friday evening after work, only Nick, Ellie and you end up staying the longest, Kasie and Jimmy too tired to carry on, before you head home around 2200.

Before you leave Ellie suggests joining her in her kick boxing class on Sunday. You give her a tentative yes unsure if you'll remember in the morning. Also leaving it open to see if Jack wants to do something. Ellie smiles, holding a hand over Nick's teasing lips.

"Have a good weekend, chat on Monday in the gym." Ellie waves goodbye and you see her release Nick's mouth once you are out of the bar.

Saturday morning rolls around and you lay in bed longer than you should. Over thinking about texting Jack, asking if she wants to go out. You had coffee with her twice during the week, nice chats, more hand holding and another kiss on the cheek. She even came into the bullpen before she left Friday afternoon to say goodbye to everyone and gave you an obvious extra smile.

You make yourself a coffee, fiddling with your phone in your fingers. Jamie notices. You check your phone for the tenth time in probably an hour. You bite the bullet and send her a good morning text to which you get a reply a few minutes later.

'G'morning to you too. I'm working on my girl (bike) if I don't reply straight away.' You laugh at her clarification.

'I'm sure she appreciates the attention.' You can't help it, she brings out the sass in you.

You manage to make a cup of coffee and slightly burn some toast before you get a reply. Making yourself comfortable on the couch across from Jamie who's watching some medical show on tv.

'You jealous? ;)'

"How's Jack?" Jamie asks tearing her eyes away from the tv and sipping her cup of tea. You notice she has bags under her eyes, decent ones and she's wearing scrubs.

"You going in for over time?" You look slightly concerned, it's meant to be her day off, she didn't come home until 0300 last night and it's only just hit 0800.

"Yeah, Patricia called in sick. So i'm doing her shift and Tyson is taking mine this evening."

You nod accepting that at least she got someone to take her shift and not have to pull a double.

"So how's Jack?"

You smile and look back down at your phone, still trying to find the right reply but you know anything would be fine. "She's good, cheeky as hell." You take a bite of toast.

"So what's the situation?" You look at Jamie wide eyed at the question she just asked.

"Ummm.." You look at the tv then down at your phone, not really sure how to answer but wanting an answer yourself, hell you hadn't even kissed on the lips yet.  

"Haven't talked about it?" You shake your head and Jamie accepts your wordless answer. She turns her attention back to the tv. One thing you love about your sister is she stops asking when you need her too, most of the time.

'You're welcome to come and watch.' You smile and hop up from the couch, finishing off your toast on the way to the kitchen.

'I might just do that.' You hit send and nurse the cup of coffee as you go to your bedroom to get changed.

You turn down Jack's street and pull your car up out from of her building. You notice the bike down the side of the driveway and smile as you see Jack lying beside her. Walking up the driveway you stop for a second when Jack stands up seeing you. Your breath falters seeing her in front of you in long sleeved overalls, they're dark denim in colour and she has the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, the cuffs turned up at her ankles. Your eyes are drawn to the deep v at her breasts where she's clearly undone a few too many buttons but you aren't complaining as the v dips deep between her breasts.

Jack smirks at your pause and you kick your brain back into gear walking up to her. "Hi."

"That didn't take you too long." She leans in and you hold your breath but she kisses your cheek.

"No traffic." You shrug, dragging your eyes down her body again, not ashamed that she can see you looking.

"You like?" She does a twirl and you laugh.

"You get all the grease from the bike on you?"

Jack is covered in grease. It's sexy as hell but also funny. She's got some splotched across her face, neck, arms, hands and even a smudge on her left ankle.

"She's a tough girl." Jack turns slightly, looking at her bike.

You follow her gaze to the subject of conversation. There's a mechanic trolly on the ground that Jack was lying on when you pulled up, a large red tool box (is there another colour for a tool box?) and a bunch of dirty rags scattered around.

"What's her problem today?" You walk over to take a closer inspection and Jack goes into detail of what she's been doing but you only understand half of it. As she gets back down onto her back on the trolley you find a spot on the garden wall beside her work area, giving you a good angle to watch Jack. You happily watch as she works on her bike for almost an hour, she chats with you in between grunts and swears. You find that her swearing is kind of a turn on, well this whole situation of her in those overalls, grease and her hair tied up in a bun with a dark blue and white poker-dot scarf wrapped around her head is making you hot.

You wonder what it's like to kiss her as she works under her bike, it's definitely crossed your mind several times since the markets but the moments seemed to fly by. Would she be gentle and slow or deep and fast. You bite your lower lip between your teeth and Jack looks over at you.

"You're making it very hard for me to concentrate on my task." She slides to the side and sits up, rubbing the back of her hand across her forehead and you smirk at the new line of grease across her brow, understanding now how easily she got into this mess. "I just smudged more grease didn't I?" You nod and she stands up walking over to where you are perched on her garden wall. You watch her eyes darken and a mischievous smile begins to grow across her lips but it's too late for you to escape (not that you wanted to), she closes the gap between you, placing her hands on the wall either side of your hips. Your knees bumping into her lower belly, at least that's what you're telling yourself is where they are touching and you open your legs for her to slide in closer.

"You like me betw-" Her smart ass comment is cut off by your lips meeting her smug smile and she moans, she's kissing you back. Your hands wrapping around her neck and the tips of your fingers playing with the hairs at the base of her neck that have come loose from her working.

She swipes her tongue across your bottom lip and you make a whimpering sound parting your lips to give her the access she asked for. Your mind goes blank and all you can think and feel is her. You feel her tongue glide along yours, teeth clash, her hands grip at your hips and her left hand goes around to cup the side of your butt. It's too soon but she snaps back heaving for air but you don't let her go too far, your hands still tangled in her hair. elbows resting on her shoulders.

"Been wanting to do that for a while." You let out between breaths and Jack smiles, leaning in to peck your lips but you hold her close, dragging the kiss out longer, sucking her bottom lip between yours and releasing it with a pop.

"Me too." Jack breathes and kisses your cheek with a laugh.

"You've transferred the grease to me, haven't you?" You let one hand fall from it's spot tangled in the back of her hair and run it along your cheek where Jack was looking but you think it only made it worse because Jack just laughs harder. "How about helping a girl out?"

"Why would I do that?" She closes the small gap between you again and kisses you with more passion than the first time, she brings out sounds you don't think you've ever made before. Something between a whimper, mew and sigh which only spurs her on and she nips at your bottom lip before pulling away. "If I look half as sexy as you with a little grease on your face, I'd have kissed you hours ago."

You smile, your cheeks going a slight pink and run your thumb across Jack's cheek, smearing the grease a little more but bringing your thumb back to your face, dotting it on your nose. "Trust me, I'm shocked with my self control. Although I wanted to kiss you when you picked me up for breakfast."

"I wanted to kiss you when we spent three hours instead of one searching through profiles." She squeezes your hip and goes to step out of your embrace but your legs come up and slightly hook behind her knees and she slightly stumbles into you. "Let me finish this one last thing, I promise it will only take ten minutes and then we can kiss, cuddle or go for a ride, whatever you want." Jack smiles and you bring your hand up to your chin pretending to think about an answer but then realise you've smudged more grease onto your face in the process.  

"Might want to shower first." You add, dropping your legs to let her go and you see her huge smirk. "I didn't-"

"I know." She pecks your lips and you see her smile, it melts all your nerves away. "Ten minutes."

You squeeze her hand before dropping it. You watch her work, she bugs you again for chewing your bottom lip but you cant help it, she's dam attractive working on her bike and thankfully she sticks to her ten minute promise. You follow her up to her apartment, quickly realising this is the first time you've actually been inside her place and your heart skips a beat stepping through the threshold. It's very minimal, she has a beach style vibe as you guessed there might be as she misses the ocean so much. She offers you a seat in her lounge room and tells you to get comfortable while she takes a quick shower.

You take the opportunity of being alone in her space to wander around instead. Her living area is simple, a two seater tan linen couch with a huge circle armchair to match. There's a small oval glass coffee table with a few files spread across it and a few large shells scattered across. It's an open style area and you walk into the middle section where the four seater dining table is tucked into the corner behind the couch then onto the kitchen, its small but you can see dishes and utensils taking up most of the bench space. Taking a turn you go through the doorway into the hallway, to your left you hear the shower and see into Jack's bedroom which she's left the door open to but you turn right deciding you'll hopefully get the opportunity to see that another time.

There's four photo-frames equally spaced along the wall, all with pictures of a desert landscape. It isn't until you walk up to the last one at the end of the hall and near the front door that you see a much younger Jack with her Wingo's and you reach up and trace your fingers down the side of the frame with a sad smile. After you spoke to Jack about your time in Afghanistan you did take the liberty and did a search, asked an old friend in the Army if he recognised the name and he didn't share much but said a mission went horribly wrong with her and her team. You didn't want to know anything else even if he did want to tell you. You wanted Jack to tell you when she was ready.

"That was my team." Jack said softly beside you and you almost jumped out of your skin. "Sorry, saw you were deep in thought and couldn't resist." She smiles and wraps her arm around your waist. "Come with me." She tugs you down the hall and into the bathroom. "Sit." She motions to the side of the bath. You look at her confused and she just nods in the direction of the bath again.

"Wha-" You stop when you see her squeeze the wash cloth, water dripping out and brings it to your face and you laugh. "Thank you." She wipes away the grease you'd forgotten about.

"Might get certain looks if you go out like this.." She smiles, you feel the nice cold cloth travel down your neck and you close your eyes enjoying the feeling although you sweat there was no grease there.

"Gave up caring what people thought a long time ago." The cloth leaves your skin and you open your eyes to a questioning looking Jack. "Well mostly."

Jack turns away to wash the cloth in the sink but you happily stay seated, watching her. She catches you in the mirror and just smiles at you.

"So we are going out?" You try to not sound disappointed but you could happily spend the day wrapped in her arms, biting your lip bottom lip.

"I'd call us 'Going Out'" She raises her hands in the bunny ears formation to make her point.

Rolling your eyes at her. "Not what I meant and you know it.." But you blush anyway, her eyes havent left yours, looking at your through the mirror. You subconsciously bring your bottom lip between your teeth.

"I want to give her a test run to see how she goes then we can cuddle the day away." She winks at you. "If you keep biting that lip..." She doesn't finish what she was thinking, instead she shows you, turning around to you again, cupping your face with her hands and sucking you lip into her mouth, drawing a moan from deep within you and she kisses you. No one has kissed you with so much passion, ferocity and tenderness before. You surrender to her and she tugs you up, standing, you wrap your arms around her neck, never breaking the kiss.

The kiss ends and you can't not look at her, her eyes glaze over and you assume yours are as well. "So ..umm .. that ride." You breathe, the words no louder than a whisper.

Jack just nods, softly pecking your lips again before dropping her hands. "Yeah." She breaths

"Come on, baby." You smile, liking the name flowing from your lips. You grab her hand and lead her out of the bathroom and down the hall. She grabs her keys along the way and you walk out of the apartment.

. . . . 

Well? I kept re reading, adding, subtracting, knew i needed to post it before i re wrote it completely. Hope its ok.. 7 is my lucky number, funny how that worked out.