#What brands of dog food are made by Diamond?

[blondiest]

Questions for fic writers, number 41!

HELLO FRIEND!! <3 i love this question ty :3

41. Link a fic that made you think, “Wow, I want to write like that.”

okay so i am going to blatantly openly cheat and link 2 fics that have really, really stuck with me for similar reasons despite being quite different (the reasons being "great atmospheric descriptions" "environmental storytelling" "characterization" and "dialogue")

FIC 1: alignment by @lightyaoigami. fucking god-tier characterization imqho (this can be said for everything monica has posted frankly). incredible level of attention to detail imo but done in a way that makes it look almost effortless. specifically the way monica goes about conveying little bits of info about the characters... idk, she has a way of doing it in such a superbly natural way that it makes the characters feel quite vivid & real. the characters feel like they have a life outside of the story (<- paraphrased but stolen from @quicktimeeventfull bc xie articulated it better than i can). also, her dialogue makes me certifiably bonkers.

because i am insane i will be including textual examples. i would apologize for my long-windedness but in truth i am not sorry at all <3

example 1: dialogue [context: Light at the end of a relatively terrible date with a woman named Naomi]

“Just look at yourself,” she said, gesturing to his whole body with her vape. “People who eat pussy don't stand like that.”  “Like what?”  “I can't describe it,” she replied matter-of-factly. “You just don't carry yourself in a pussy-eating fashion.” She blew another plume downwind, the mango scent floating towards the harbor.  “Okay,” Light said, making a mental note to stop standing the way that he was standing. “Well. I understand. Sorry. I hope you liked the food at least. Can I call you a car?”

^ I WILL LITERALLY NEVER BE THIS FUNNY IN MY LIFE.

example 2: environmental storytelling / characterization [context: Light looking around L's apartment. obsessed w/ the amount of atmospheric storytelling here.]

A desk with a tiny chair buttressed the window, through which shone rays of post-storm sun. Piles of Criterion Collection Blu-Rays and dog-eared thrillers likely sourced from Little Free Libraries nearly obscured the sunflower-printed desk mat below. Light fingered the spines of the books, split between fiction and instructional; among them, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, 1Q84, A People's History of the United States, and, hidden under several broken-spined Gillian Flynn novels, a brand new copy of Playing Well With Others: Your Field Guide to the BDSM Community with a crisp receipt from Greenlight Books still sticking out of the closed cover.

i just. i'm on my knees.

FIC 2: puppy dog by @quicktimeeventfull . BIG into the atmospheric descriptions in kyo's writing as well frankly & this is i think my favorite of xirs, though i am very enamored w/ xir writing in general as well <3 i'll mention that it's probably a smart idea to read the warnings for this one in the notes if you're squeamish!

example: environmental storytelling [this feels so vivid to me and i am deeply obsessed with the phrasing and word choices here]

There is an eeriness to hotels at night. The hallways are always so bright and the doors seem to extend farther than they do in the day. Here, the walls are beige and are carpets criss-crossed with a pattern of diamonds. L rubs his eyes beneath the fluorescent lights, then shakes his head and pads to the end of the hall, through and down the stairwell. He gives a little nod to the concierge, then walks outside into the black night. Outside there is a parking lot which looks vast in the dark, and stars above, spilling a dull grey across the sky. Past the parking lot he can see only the highway which bleeds into the overpass, but he knows the city is there, further on, its lights leaking into the sky. It doesn’t matter which city, really. After a while they all become the same. His mind gets so fuzzy with the miasma of them.

AUGH!!!

since this is a oneshot i am actually going to avoid including another excerpt as i don't want to just like. wholesale post spoilers of the whole damn thing hgdsfsdf but i really love the dialogue in this one too <3

ANYHOW thank you for this ask, and for bearing with my lengthy answer gdhsfsdhfjs <3

fic writer asks

[statewideservicecenter]

Diamond Dog Food: the Best Dog Food for the Largest Dogs in the World

Diamond Dog Food is a premium dog food brand that provides the best nutrition for dogs. It is made with fresh, natural ingredients and contains no fillers or preservatives. Diamond Dog Foods are made with high-quality ingredients like salmon, chicken, and beef sourced from sustainable farms. They have a variety of flavors to choose from, such as beef and salmon, chicken and salmon, beef and lamb, or chicken and lamb. Diamond Dog Food is an excellent option for dogs of all sizes.

Statewide service center offers a wide variety of diamond dog food retailers, the best brands at the lowest prices. Get your dog and your budget back on track.

Diamond Dog Food Ingredients to Look For

Diamond dog food is a specialized type of dog food made with the best ingredients to provide your pup with all the nutrition and energy they need. The best part about diamond foods is that they are made with natural ingredients, so you know what your pup is getting. Here are a few things to look for in good diamond dog food. 

First, it should be high-quality protein like chicken or salmon. 

Second, it should contain some fruits and vegetables like broccoli and carrots. 

Third, it should be grain-free and low in carbohydrates. 

Fourth, it should not contain any preservatives or artificial colours or flavours.

 Fifth, you should make it from 100% natural ingredients without artificial additives like corn syrup or wheat gluten which can cause allergies in dogs.

Why Diamond Dog Food Works So Well for Your Pups

Diamond is an excellent brand of dog food that works well for any type of dog. It is made with the best ingredients and has a high quality of protein, antioxidants, and omega-6 fatty acids. Diamond’s ingredients are carefully chosen to ensure that your pup gets the best nutritional support possible. This is why Diamond has maintained its position as one of the top three brands in the U.S. market for over 40 years. Diamond is the number one diet food for the top-selling brand of premium dog foods.

Diamond is excellent for high-quality, all-natural, grain-free, premium dog food. It would help if you always supplemented this whole-food-based diet with fresh water and kibble daily. So, if you’re looking to feed your pup all-natural food and don’t have time to make it yourself, this may be a good option.

What are the Benefits of Using Diamond Dog Food?

Diamond Dog Food is a brand of dog food developed by a company called Diamond Pet Foods. It is a high-quality food made with natural ingredients and designed to provide your dog with the healthiest diet possible.

Diamond Dog Food was created to provide healthy, natural ingredients for your dog’s diet. The food contains antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids that can help reduce dog inflammation. The food also contains vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, D3 and E, which are essential for your dog’s skin and coat health. The benefits of using diamond dog food include the

following:

Reduced inflammation in dogs.

Healthy skin and coat.

Beneficial antioxidants.

High-quality ingredients.

Omega-3 fatty acids.

Vitamins and minerals.

Diamond Dog Food is grain-free, which means dogs with grain allergies should not have to worry about a reaction after eating the food. The food is also a low-protein diet, so older dogs or those recovering from surgery can have this food without worrying about their nutritional needs being met. Diamond Dog Food contains no artificial colours or flavours and has no added sugar. With all of these safety features in the dog’s diet, you can be confident that your pet is getting a healthy meal.

Diamond dog foods are designed with premium ingredients to support your dog’s health and active lifestyle. Every Diamond recipe has precisely measured amounts of protein, fat, and other components necessary to maintain a good body condition. Diamond pet meals provide your dog with all the nutrition they require daily, along with fibre, guaranteed probiotics, and vitamins to help their immune and digestive systems. 

Source URL: http://bit.ly/3YmbDDy

[tshatshke]

Artist Interviews: Sisterfriend Jewelry

Welcome to the second edition of our Artist Interview series. We send the same interview questions to each of our featured artists as an optional part of their feature and each artist gets to choose which questions they answer. Our aim for this project to uplift community and highlight the people behind the work. If you know a little bit about the person who made your new jewelry, we believe it can become a little bit more precious. 

Lisa Maita and Kelli Mercado are Sisterfriends with over a decade's experience each in the jewelry industry and fashion/retail industry. You can read their bio here. They are part of our October-December 2022 artist rotation.

Interview questions written by Madison Hirsch.

What’s your favorite metal to work with? Why? 

We love working with yellow gold. It has a lot to do with growing up and seeing our elders rocking it in an era where it was so abundant. Reason 2 is the value and the lack of upkeep with actual gold. They’re pieces that will last you the rest of your life and it’s worth saving up for.

When and how did you start making jewelry?

Lisa grew up here in Philly and attended Hallahan, an all girls Catholic School in Center City. One of the nuns, Sister Francis, would help girls find after-school jobs and got her a job as a delivery person with D’Antonio & Klein on Jewelers Row in 2004. Her boss John, one of the top jewelers on the street, saw Lisa’s art portfolio and liked it. He took her on as a runner and would give her side projects when she had free time. The rest, as they say, is history.

Sisterfriend came to be when Kelli wanted to design a custom alien signet ring made by Lisa. When they realized once they got the mold other people might be interested, they very organically started creating a collection together that was based on their childhood loves of minis, food, and cute items! 

 Why did you keep making jewelry?

Lisa : Best part about working in a jewelry repair/store is that you always see something new. It could be a rare vintage elephant hair ring or a 10ct yellow diamond that needs to be sized. It’s never boring and you never stop learning. 

How did you come up with your brand name/alias?

Sisterfriend is exactly us. We had a laundry list of other names but when we thought about our friendship through the years, it made total sense the second we threw it up. A Sisterfriend to us is that homie in your life who is family, there’s an unspoken closeness and understanding in our friendship that really translate to how we work together as a brand.

 What do you hope people will take away from seeing your work? What do you hope people will take away from wearing your work?

We’ve always loved miniatures and every time we design something we’re laughing at the thought of whatever it is being made of solid gold… like a corn dog. We hope people laugh along with us. We also hope that they understand that we value quality and heritage pieces, which is why we primarily work in solid gold. You can still have something adorable and have it last forever :) 

Do you like cooking? (if you do) What’s your go-to meal right now?

Lisa: I love to cook!! At the moment I’m  watching Cooking with Dog, a Japanese YouTube show where Francis, the host also, the dog, makes meals with his human who has no name. My newest culinary triumph is that I made the perfect omurice shape :)

Kelli: I honestly haven’t been cooking a ton and eat pretty boring simple meals at home, but one thing I really like making and teaching other people to make is Spam musubi :) I like using my little musubi mold and making perfect sushi rice. And also proving that Spam is yum as hell. 

 Tell us about your family! Born or chosen, live with them or not, human or furry. How do they affect your bench practice or business decisions? 

We’re both from really loud families, LOL. Lisa is half Filipino half Italian and Kelli is Filipino on both sides. It’s a major part of what bonded us initially; our cultures are all about getting everyone together for a meal, shoving a huge group into a tiny room and laughing and eating together. Our designs are heavily influenced by our shared culture. 

 Favorite things to listen to while you work: (be specific! I want audio books, podcasts, artists, albums, songs, and/or dj’s)

 Kelli: my day job is as a stills stylist and I often play DJ in the photo studio I work in. I can’t stop listening to Hum right now but will just as quickly switch the vibe to an early 2000s dance club mix. Me + U by Cassie is the hottest song ever written and I will punish everyone with it forever. Also anything that rips for karaoke. 

Lisa: I’m at the bench all day trying not to spell anything wrong SO I always opt for chill vibes to help me concentrate:

Air, Radiohead, Aphex Twin, Brian Ferry, Dire Straits, Sade.

When I need to wake up I’ll put the Descendants on LOL.

 *At Tshatshke, we aim to uplift jewelers who align with one or more of our values of holistic sustainability as we define it to relate to the planet, the economy, social issues, community building, and craftsmanship. In what ways do you hope to uphold an ideal of holistic sustainability within your practice and your business?

As a brand creating new things it’s always tricky to really call yourself truly “waste-free”, but our process really is sustainable to its core. Everything we create is made to order, we don’t pump out things just for the sake of it. We really try to advocate for investing in solid gold so that what we make is with you forever, and can be handed down for decades or recycled. Creating pieces that last a lifetime instead of mass producing lesser quality items is a huge value for us.

Check out the Sisterfriend Jewelry website!

[ghostlypoetrywerewolf]

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[petanimalscare01]

Who makes Kirkland healthy weight dog food?

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[starfirette]

hc: you & helena go to the mall together

A Trip To The Mall Would Include...

Helena Bertinelli x Reader

masterlist | requests are closed until I can clear my inbox ❤️

It starts with Cassie getting invited to Bruce Wayne's birthday ball. She told Harley she could bring a guest, but Harley told everyone else Cassie was allowed to bring whoever the hell she wanted.

You wanted a new dress anyway, so Helena took you immediately to some high end brand stores. She seemed to know all the managers and designers. You didn't like most of the things you tried on, all of them being a little too out there or not there enough.

It took a while to convince Helena to try shopping like a regular civilian would: at the mall.

It was a girls day! Everyone tagged along in Baby (Harley's vintage Oldsmobile Starfire) and drove to uptown Star City. They had the best mall in the area, so why not go there?

First, you all tried Forever 21. Helena was flabbergasted at the brand and wanted to leave.

Harley didn't leave without buying Cassie a pair of sunglasses and a cheap set of perfume.

Next, Macy's. Reneé found her outfit there, a deep purple suit with flared pants. She bought one her in size.

Helena didn't like anything there, so you all moved along.

Dinah found her dream dress at a local boutique that you immediately followed her into. Dinah chose a plunging black dress with two slits for her thighs. Helena did NOT like the way your eyes glittered at the sight of Dinah posing.

Harley told Cassie to shop at Justice, which made Cassie throw a fit. So Cassie and Harley both took off to try another shop. You and Helena went in the opposite direction, finding a dress shop. You fell in love with a mini, fit and flare dress with long sleeves and dark blue sequins on the black bodice. Helena funded this choice, as well as a pair of new platform shoes and a tiny, but expensive diamond encrusted necklace.

But Helena still wasn't sure what she even wanted to wear.

Meeting back up with Harley and Cass, as well as the others, you saw Harley had chosen a glittering mass of fabric and gems.

Cassie chose something much more formal, a knee length burgundy dress with cap sleeves.

As for Helena, she'd given up officially on shopping, claiming she'd just find something from her mom's old wardrobe. (She ends up wearing a vintage white dress draped down to her ankles, wrapped up in black fur. She was honestly the sexiest one there.)

Harley dragged everyone to the carousel. You and the Birds rode it a couple times in a row.

Dinah and Cass wanted to go to Build-A-Bear, so everyone headed that way next. You made this one for Helena:

And what would a mall trip be without a visit to the food court?! Helena had apparently never been to a Johnny Rockets, so you all gleefully ate there. Even Reneé enjoyed herself, though she wouldn't admit it. Helena was surprised when the workers got on the counters and performed musical numbers. But she enjoyed her hot dog and milkshake!

Before leaving Harley wanted to stock up on Auntie Anne's. Even though you'd all just eaten, you and Helena split a pretzel with cheese and god is was delicious.

So the mall trip was a success. Helena didn't beat anyone up, not even the woman that tried to sell you cuticle gel remover from a "sketchy looking stall."

"It's the mall," Harley said through a mouthful of pretzel. "There's sketchy stalls everywhere. Look, that one is selling iPhone 17s. There aren't even any iPhone 17s on the market!"

Though the trip was a success, Bruce Wayne was still surprised to see a few extra guests then he invited. Harley helped herself to the shrimp cocktails, and got so drunk that she started picking the olives out of an elderly couple's martinis. You and Helena got caught making out in the small art gallery by Bruce Wayne's butler. But Cass still left with an official invitation to be a Robin! All in all, an good day.

[shoezuki]

What are some of your favorite au ideas/headcanons about the arctic anarchists?

anon this ask made me realize i have done Nothing like. headcanon related in terms a mcyt shit and. wow. thats shocking that used to be my Brand in other fandom circles lkhsl;hsg anyways uh heres randomass hc’s

technoblade is avoiding home. he gave the go-ahead to let ranboo stay and he Likes ranboo but the last time some kid was in his house.... it didnt go well. hes Avoiding that all over again. also confrontation scary

ranboo is also Very Horrified for when techno goes back to the commune like. philza is great, he’s a friend. technoblade is a ‘friend’ but holy SHIT he’s terrifying. that guy is a force to be reckoned with and like. what if ranboo does something Wrong? also. confrontation scary. 

basically; both ranboo and technoblade are socially awkward messes. philza is tired of them but doesnt step in (yet)

technoblade goes home. he sees none of his things have been touched. his house is intact. theres no ugly cobblestone towers. thats all good signs

philza points to the lil nook in the mountain where he wants to make a dog pen and technoblade sees some makeshift shack already constructed

the cow farm causes him to recoil for just a split second but he ignores that

when ranboo first meets technoblade he stutters and basically shoves the New axe of peace he made for techno in his hands, rambles on about getting them more emeralds and how he Swears he didnt touch anything ever

technoblade shows affection through Giving. when ranboo gifts him a new axe to make up for the one that tommy took he is like. he has to take a few moments ok . he leaves ranboo suddenly

from ranboo’s perspective technoblade like. goes completely silent, back straight, doesnt say a word, and then skulks off. ranboo is writing his will out after that

technoblade Cant like. rationalize this right now hes losing his mind so ofc he goes to phil

“philza he gave me an axe. its netherite.” “Oh yeah, he’s been sayi--” “what is he planning he’s plotting something.” “WHAT”

Philza has to convince techno that, no, ranboo isnt using some extreme manipulation tactics against him. and then he has to convince ranboo that No he isnt going to get killed. bonding times :)

no matter how much philza insists that ranboo can take whatever he wants, ranboo Refuses to take any a their things or use anything unless philza basically Shoves it right in his hands. so philza does. constantly

technoblade is trying to Keep Some Distance but like. he’s gotta be nice yknow? so he gifts ranboo things by leaving them in his ‘house’ when he’s away

its always smaller things, like dyes ranboo was talking about getting or food. 

ranboo doesnt even realize its from technoblade he just assumes that he forgot he got it and moves on. technoblade doesnt ever bring it up

phil catches technoblade trying to sneak in and leave something while ranboo is sleeping and he (quietly) yells at him

ranboo tries explaining how eyecontact Feels to him to the both of them Really Anxiously and that it’s like ‘physically uncomfortable’ but technoblade interupts 

‘wait but isnt that normal’

theres a very long awkward silence before technoblade changes the subject completely

philza is Very used to technoblade’s not so human traits (hiding ‘valuables’ away from them, talking to the voices under his breath, distracted by gold easily, a sort of ‘bloodlust’ if hurt, snorts and squeals when he forgets to repress them) but he is Not used to ranboo’s habits

the first one noticed is that ranboo is... not exactly stealing. but he Always seems to want some block in his hand. he doesnt seem to realize it, picking up things, walkin around, fiddling with it, and then putting it down somewhere random

leads to some arguments with techno before they find their enchanting table in the nearby village

Ranboo is Always Aware of when someone looks at him. philza will glance at him from inside techno’s house through the window, and then suddenly ranboo bolts upright and stares directly at him. philza Always jumps out of his skin

once techno watched as ranboo yawned, his entire jaw cracking and stretching open wide to show rows of thin teeth. techno hasnt been the same since

technoblade berates ranboo’s little ‘shack’, sayings its lame and ‘philza probably thinks its ugly’ ranboo just shrugs but one day he returns home late at night to see technoblade Attempting to build an Actual House for him

ranboo clears his throat and technoblade attacks on instinct. philza patches him up and techno says sorry really briefly then leaves. ranboo keeps finding diamonds and golden apples in his house now

sometimes ranboo finds technoblade just laying in the middle of his cow pen. he doesnt question it

ranboo starts writing little things that like. he wouldnt usually write in his memory book. ‘unimportant’ things

moments like times he spent brushing all the dogs in the kennel, brewing potions with phil and techno in near silence together, weird little ‘catchphrases’ techno says, that time he watched technoblade trip over his own cape. little things

it takes a while for technoblade to be Really and truly comfortable around ranboo. and frankly ranboo doesnt even notice any change. philza does

technoblade makes ranboo clothing to match the aesthetics and actually gives it to him, even specifically making it extra warm since ranboo never lived somewhere so cold

philza instantly notices when he stops carrying Any sort of weapon when ranboo is around at home. 

at some point ranboo calls it home for the first time and like. techno’s ears flick in his direction. he’s perked up for the entire walk home. shifting his eyes in ranboo’s direction but not quite

philza cooes over it and pokes fun of techno later that day and technoblade huffs at him but doesnt say anything

[foodieforthoughts]

Journey through time - Part 3

Summary: Your relationship with Syverson over the years.

Warning: a little bit of angst and a lot of fluff. If you blink you might also see some smut.

A/N: Continuation to Part 2 of the photo series. Here's a link to Part 1 too. Thank you all for reading. I love you guys 😘♥️

Staying alone in Sy's house gave you an opportunity to find out more about your man. You were cleaning his study when you found a box shoved at the very back of a drawer with pictures inside. The first picture was a black and white photo of young Sy, probably in his early twenties. It looked like a candid picture, clicked by someone who must have attentively watched him while he read through some papers. As you rummaged through the box, you found a couple more candid pictures and a hand written letter addressed to Sy.

The box also contained polaroid pictures of a much older Sy. You picked up the one which looked fairly recent, maybe from only a couple of years ago. He had his signature beard, dressed in his suit with his smoldering eyes staring back at you. Behind were the words, "I count myself as extremely fortunate to have accompanied you on your big night, my love." Signed only as "M". You got the sinking gut feeling that it was from an ex-girlfriend, but what affected you more was that Sy had kept her things still.

Opening the letter and finding another picture inside, you took a moment to look at your man. You had no clue who were those people with him in the picture which only made you realise how little you knew about Sy. The letter mentioned how the person felt like they weren't a part of Sy's life anymore. "I invested too many years to be with you and yet I am here, all alone. I can't take it anymore." It read, continuing to jot down ways in which the person felt lonely while Sy was away and that is why she was deciding to break off their relationship. Your hear sank as you read it over and over again, noting how the edges of the paper was crumbled from being opened too many times. Keeping the box back in its place, you couldn't help but think back on everything that was mentioned as the silence in the big house seemed to envelope you.

You stared at your computer screen showing that you were online, waiting for the green dot to appear on Sy's image signifying that he was online on Skype too. It was your birthday tonight and before leaving, Sy had promised he would have long distance birthday dinner with you over video call. You had cooked his favorite recipe of Sloppy Joe's and got his favorite beer brand, even if you hated the taste of it. Your wait for a few minutes turned to hours with your food gone cold and beer turned warm. You looked at the screen, noting that it was past midnight now and your birthday was over. You couldn't help but cry when you shut down your computer, leaving your food on the table untouched and crawling into bed while thinking back on the letter and imagining if this is exactly how the other girl might have felt.

You sucked in a deep breath before receiving the video call from Sy. It was unexpected and unplanned, but it made your heart swell when his face appeared on the screen. Sy did not smile, he looked lost and deep in thought. Even with the awful quality of the call, you noticed the new scars on his face and how he looked like he had aged over a decade. Your talks were formal, mostly asking about how the other had been, general talk about health and wellbeing. But then you couldn't help but blurt out, "You missed my birthday." Sy sighed, rubbing his hands over his face, "I'm sorry but I had a rough week." You wanted to be understanding but the letter kept repeating its words in your mind and when you looked around, you only saw the emptiness. "But you had promised about dinner on my birthday." In an instant, Sy's voice came out like rumbling thunder. "If you want someone to be at your beck and call, maybe you should think what the hell are you doing with me. I can't be there all the time, I have a job to do here." His roaring voice came out loud from your speakers, bringing tears in your eyes. Anger and sadness mixed together and with a trembling voice, you said, "Maybe I really should think what I'm doing with you. Goodbye, Sy." You disconnected the call with painful heaviness in your heart.

Over the next weeks, you got several calls from Sy but you only spoke to him asking him about his health. The moment he would try to talk about what happened over the video call, you would change the subject. Then one day you got a video message sent to you by Sy. It was being filmed by someone else while Sy stood with a spray painted green German Shepherd. You watched as Sy instructed the dog called "Aika" to fetch a writing pad with papers stuck to it from the steps of the building and turn it around to face the camera. Sy crouched down next to Aika and the first paper read, "I'm very sorry about missing your birthday." He turned the sheet of paper over and the next one had "I'm sorry about acting like a dick the other night." When he turned the paper again, it read in bold letters, "I love you and I don't want to lose you." You felt the stinging feel of tears in your eyes as Sy came forward and spoke directly into the camera, "Dinner with me tonight? I'll make up for everything, I promise." Before the video cut, you heard men laughing in the background with someone shouting, "Captain's so whipped!" and imitating the sound of a whip slashing through the air.

That night, dinner was less about eating and more about sharing your feelings. Sy listened to how you felt about him missing your birthday, apologising profusely about it and telling you he'll make up for it when he gets back. But you felt like a bitch when he told you about his week and how he had lost two of his men during an attack on them. It was now your turn to apologize with tears in your eyes as you imagined losing Sy. You didn't want to ruin the mood but you had to ask about the box. "Who's M, Sy?" You watched as his expression had turned solemn and he had sighed heavily. "I take that you found the box? She was my girlfriend before you. We had been together since college and I won't lie, I really wanted to marry her. But, I couldn't give her the kind of life she wanted." You could hear the sadness in his voice while he spoke. "Do you still love her?" he answered in an instant, "Of course not! I love you, babe. I want no one but you. You can even throw away the box if you want, I just never got back to it and throw it away myself." He then proceeded to tell you he wanted to make you feel his love and explained what he had planned, which made you blush but reluctantly you obliged. Even with the distance of many, many miles between the two of you, you pleasured one another over the call while repeatedly professing how much you loved each other.

You had bounced on your feet nervously while watching the arriving flights displayed on the screen. Sy was coming home and your excitement knew no bounds. His tour had been extended by four more weeks which meant you hadn't seen him in person for almost half a year. But family came first so when he had asked if he could go directly to Austin to meet his folks, you hadn't objected. "What's one more week until I meet you?" You had joked although deep down you craved to be in his arms again. When newly arrived passengers started filing out through the doors, your heart drummed in your chest with anticipation. You nearly skipped a beat when Sy walked out the door with his bags, thinking about the time when many months ago you had bumped into him at this very airport, searching through the crowd for you. His bearded face broke out into a huge smile when he spotted you and you almost made a run for him, launching yourself into his arms while planting kisses all over his face. "God, I missed you so much." He said, hugging you tightly to his chest and not letting go of you for a long time.

The very next day, Sy had taken you out for dinner at the most fancy restaurant in town. You noticed how he was fidgety and nervous, looking at his watch several times. It worried you even more when for the third time that night, he excused himself and left the table. You wondered if he was sick but then were left confused when all of a sudden the speakers started playing the familiar tune of your favorite romantic song. You looked around puzzled but was taken by surprise when Sy walked to you and dropped down on one knee. With a tender smile on his lips he said, "I never knew what I really wanted from my life until I met you. Countless times I have prayed to the heavens for making you bump into me on that day. I was at the right place at the right time, for I met the most amazing and beautiful woman on this planet." You felt you heart pick up a pace knowing exactly what Sy was going to do. Fishing out a blue velvet box from his pocket and opening it to reveal a magnificent diamond ring, Sy continued, "Darlin' will you marry me and make me the luckiest man alive?" There was no hesitation in your voice when you nodded fervently and repeated "yes" several times, hugging and kissing Sy before he placed the ring on your finger while everyone around clapped for the two of you.

Continued to Part 4

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #427

“don’t pray for me when you’re the one enslaved”

Your ex taps you on the shoulder and says, “I still love you.” You say? I wouldn't say anything, I'm pretty sure I'd just break down. Do you play video games? Not really anymore. :/ I probably would, though, if I had the appropriate consoles for games I want. You can only replay PS2 games but so many times before you're tired of them. Do you spend a lot of time with family? No, honestly. Is your house more than two stories tall? It only has one floor. Have you ever hit your significant other? Has he/she ever hit you? I'm not in a relationship, but I have most certainly never hit an s/o, and they've never hit me. I wouldn't tolerate that shit. What makes you an attractive person? (Talk about your personality too!) I'm not. What color is your hairbrush/comb? White. What snacks do you have available in your household atm? Hm. Just some fruity grain and oats bars, as well as cashew ones. We try to keep sweets out of the house. Has anyone recently told you that they like you, or find you attractive? No. Are you attracted to the last person you Facebook messaged? Holy fuck yes, she's drop-dead gorgeous. Do you care about anyone that doesn’t care about you? Ha, I'm sure. Was your last Facebook friend requests from a male or female? Some random middle-aged man, like who are you sir. Which one of your relatives is most likely to embarrass you? My dad. He can be so rude to people sometimes. When was the last time you ate a bar of chocolate? Not sure. It's been quite a while. Do you play any games on Facebook? No. What would you like to get a degree in? It'd be nice to get a degree in Arts, but yeah... I'm never going back to school. Do you wake up a lot in the middle of the night? Pretty much every night. Would you prefer to read a book, watch a movie or TV show, or play a video game? Play a video game. Do you usually get popcorn or soda at the movie theater? Almost without fail. You've got to, it's part of the experience. What genre of films do you like the best? Horror. How many bank accounts do you have? None, actually. Have you ever had the flu? No, thankfully. What is your goal for the next few months? To start getting in shape/losing weight. I seriously hope this gym routine works out. Have you ever had some kind of sleep-disorder? How did it affect your life? I have seveeeere sleep apnea. It's shocking, I never would've guessed it, though, so the diagnosis (I had a sleep study, so yes, it's legit) was an extreme surprise. I don't snore at all, nor do I like pass out in the middle of something, but I stop breathing A LOT. For a year or two (no, that is not an exaggeration), it caused consistent, horrible, and violent nightmares/terrors. It made sleep frightening to me, and I was never getting a truly restful sleep. Now, I have an APAP mask (like a less extreme version of a CPAP mask) that helps me greatly. I only very rarely am surprised by a more subtle nightmare now. Have you ever had food poisoning before? Describe the experience. No, thankfully. What are two things that you have no problem paying full price for? Quality tattoos, for one. And maybe uhhh... idk. We're the kind of family that buys off-brand foods and drinks all the time because it's cheaper, so I can't say that. Maybe health care? Like I wouldn't want service from a sketchy dentist or something. Funny, charming, cute, romantic, smart - choose only 2 for the opposite sex. Charming and romantic. Have you ever let somebody use you? Why did you do it? No. You can go back in time & change something in your mom’s past - what is it? That's hard for me to say. She doesn't seem to like talking about her past very much, because I know it's turbulent with her mother. I would say her being disowned, but I don't know how that *actually* affected her. Maybe it was for the better she wasn't under her mom's authority anymore. Do you know anybody who is around the exact same size as you? Who? I guess my mom, but she's actually smaller than me now. She's lost a lot of weight and is still going at it. Ever been to a haunted house? How scared were you? Not a house, but rather hay rides and those places you just walk through and experience different stuff. They don't scare me at all; I love 'em. Been on any websites today you wouldn’t want your parents to see? No. Which is worse: dusting or mopping? Ugh, mopping. I don't mind dusting. Would you marry somebody who was intensely religious? No. Did you pull a senior prank? No. That shit is so dumb. Did you graduate? High school, yes. Have you ever been unfaithful in a serious relationship? No, and I never would. What was the last song you listened to? I'm listening to Lauren Babic and Halocene's cover of "Bleed It Out" by Linkin Park right now. It's great. Are you one of those lucky people with 20/20 vision? Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell no. Is fashion one of your interests? No. Do you think you’ll eventually find that special someone? Hell if I know. Do you care what people think? Way, way more than I should. Is acting something you enjoy? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I feel so stupid. What was the last thing you broke/sprained? I tore a ligament badly in my foot maybe a year and a half ago. I was SO sure it was broken. My mom had to help me walk everywhere, and even when she did, I'd be whimpering and seething. Have you ever fought with a friend because of their boyfriend/girlfriend? Because of yours? No. Has a stranger ever yelled at you for your language? No. Whose house, other than yours and your families', are you most comfortable at? If we're excluding all family, I suppose Sara's? Has any of your friends’ family ever yelled at you? Probably at some point as a kid. Did you ever play a sport as a little kid? Did you enjoy it? I played a lot. The only two I really didn't like were soccer and cheerleading. Did you ever watch the show Full House? Hell yeah, I loved it as a kid. Is there a celebrity you are just DETERMINED to marry? Ha ha y'all know I joke about it, but no, not legitimately. It's not like I know him personally at all, and I'm not chasing him to California either. Just let me dream still lmao. Have you ever burned someone’s picture? No, but I've actually heard it's truly therapeutic and not just for dramatic effect, so I wouldn't be opposed to doing so if you handed me a picture of him and a lighter. What’s the longest hike you’ve ever been on? I've never hiked before. Would you ever get a lip tattoo? Uh, no. Who is the first person of the opposite sex that pops into your head? Jason. Do your parents smoke cigarettes? My dad smokes like a chimney and is 100% going to end up with cancer because of it. You should hear his cough. Mom smoked for a very, very brief period before I was born. What does one of your T-shirts have written on it? "Equal in our bones" is on my favorite shirt. Name a pet you definitely wouldn’t want. Certain inverts people are wild enough to get, like giant African centipedes in particular. Would you prefer your partner smaller or taller? Can't say I care. do you enjoy going through old pictures? Sometimes. Other times, it's too painful. It also depends on the era of the pictures. Do you believe people when they say they don’t judge people? Ha, no. We all have natural first impressions and things like that that just... happen. What did you love the most about the town you grew up in? Nothing, really... besides just childhood memories that inevitably came. My hometown was dangerous. What’s a movie that you laughed the hardest during? I'm not sure. What’s a movie you cried the hardest during? I want to say Old Yeller, but I'm not sure. What’s your favorite restaurant? Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory. Is there a dessert you don’t like? Yeah; I don't like pie, strawberry shortcake, and I know there're others. Favorite album? Ozzy's Black Rain. It was my introduction to metal, so there's nostalgic value there, but I also just LOVE every single song. What’s a book that you read because everyone else was reading it? None. I don't read books for that reason. Underwater or outer space? Both kinda frighten me to a degree, but I find outer space to be way cooler. So many colorrrrrrs. Dogs or cats? Cats. Kittens or puppies? Ugh, both are so cute, but I gotta hand it to kittens. Bird watching or whale watching? Whale watching would blow me away. Whales are such magnificent, awe-inspiring animals. What is your spirit animal? Probably a deer. Skittish, shy, and quiet. What was your best subject in school? English. What was your worst subject in school? Math. What is one thing you wish you knew in high school? You and Jason aren't going to last, hunty. Who is your fashion icon? I don't have one. I wear what I want/what's comfortable. Diamonds or pearls? I think diamonds are a lot prettier. What color dress did you wear to prom? First one was maroon, last one was black. What’s your favorite plot-twist? Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. My jaw actually dropped. Honestly, are you jealous of someone right now? Yes. Honestly, what’s the worst thing you’ve done when you were mad? Said things I shouldn't. Honestly, ever made anyone cry when you were mad? Yes. Honestly, when was the last time you REALLY cried your heart out? Two weeks ago or something like that. Ever pop someone else’s pimple? OH MY GOD NO alskdfa;wekrwer; Do you need to return anyone’s phone call? No. Who are you closest to? My mom. Have you ever had a bad concert experience? No. Are you currently sad about anything? A number of things. Have you had any form of exercise today? No, but tomorrow is day #2 at the gym! Can you handle blood? Yeah, np. Has any place hired you underage for a job? No. Have you ever carried a concealed weapon? No sir=ee. Are you currently searching for a job? Not anymore, at least not actively. I was going to after TMS, but I'm just... still not ready. Right now, I'm focusing on the gym and getting healthy again, but if the seemingly perfect job comes along, I'm not opposed to taking it up. Does eating breakfast make you sick? No, I've got to have breakfast or else THEN I feel awful.

[just-a-writing-fan]

Stark Contrast Ch2

Warnings: abuse, drug use, drug selling, sexual abuse, underaged girl making drinks, drinking, cursing, fire

Pairing: none yet

"Y/N, stay here or walk around just do whatever and leave me alone," your mom walks away into the crowd at the party. "Mommy, I was telling you what happened." "Okay, okay, what happened Honey?" She tries to sound as though she cares. "Dakota-" "Yeah, yeah, that's nice," she rushes off once she spots what she came here for. It was the white powdered stuff she liked.

You looked around, this place, this party was filled with glamorous people, gowns and heels and diamond tennis bracelet and Chanel watches with gold bands and diamonds inside, perfectly personally tailored suits. You were nine but you knew things. Like you knew how to make a mean mixed drink or two, you knew this stuff wasn't Goody powder like she said because when you asked her if you could have some for a headache she said no, and you knew how to play piano, you knew how to fix things and you knew brands. Brands that you would never wear, although you did dream of it. You looked around, several women were decked out in Versace, some in Louis Vuitton, some Dolce & Gabanna, Chanel, the men were as well; thier wrists choked in Rolexs and shoes shined to perfection. You had to let your eyes wander in admiration. You hoped someday you might wear a dress that pretty or wear rings like those on your fingers. You and Essie had a dream wedding journal with cutouts from magazine adds and you promised each other someday you would go to each other's weddings. You must have been very distracted noticing those things because the next thing you knew you had fallen and landed on your butt.

"Hey kid, I'm sorry," a man was above you and offering you a hand. You glance up, your eyes stretch. It was him. The man in the polaroid picture. Dolce & Gabanna, red and floral; black velvet lace rose print paired with shiny black shoes. Did he choose that? You noticed his hair and his eyes, bark brown hair spiked to perfection and big brown eyes, thick lashes. "Need help up?" You nod and accept his hand, "Thankyou," you smile. "Sure thing, who are you here with?" "My mommy" "Okay, be careful," he smiles and someone must have called him over. "Ey! Tony! Come show us what you' got man!" "Coming," he goes to the man with a hearty chuckle.

You don't know why you took out your flip phone and started recording a video. Maybe it was excitement that this was your first phone Dakota had gotten you and your sister, or maybe it's just that you think this Tony might be something to you. You start recording him at a table, his smile literally was lighting the room, his laughter seemed contagious to everyone around him. He was so happy from the outside, from what anyone here would assume. Did your mom know he was here? Is that why she came? No, she didn't even know your dad's name, it was the "Goody Powder" she wanted.

"BECAUSE IM WANTED! WAAANTEEDD! DEAD OR ALIVE!! IM A COWBOY!" Tony sang at the top of his lungs after he bent over and snorted some of that white stuff. "ON A STEEL HORSE I RIDE!!"

"Come on," your mom comes up behind you and grabs your shoulder, "let's go. Mommy, it's him." "Ahuh, yeah," she wipes the cocaine off of her nose. "Mommy, can I tell you what Dakota d-" "Y/N, just please shut up."

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

"Esmeralda, you are my favorite you know that?" You watch Dakota whisper into her ear, again, as the three of you made dinner. "What about me?" You butt in. "Oh, you are my Babygirl," he comes over to place a kiss on your lips. "What's that?" You point with your head to the test tubes and things he had scattered all over the table. There were needles as well, giant rubber bands.

"oh, those are your mom's," he replied shortly. "No, those are hers," Essie points to some pills and a few needles in the living room on the coffee table.

"Alright, it is a science project. I'm making something that not only will pay rent this month, but, it will be revolutionary! I'll be loaded," his face is taken over by a giant toothy smile as he speaks through his teeth so as to not wake your mother who was passed out on the sofa again. He holds a test tube up and clanked his finger onto the glass and swishes the liquid in it around then kisses the bottle. That smile still there among the thick stubble on his face. "Go wash up and put on something pretty ladies, I'll finish up dinner then I will take care of you two and wake your mom up so we can eat."

"What should we wear?" "The little numbers I bout you last week," Esmeralda grabs your arm and pulls you to the bedroom. Your attention was watching Dakota while he put corks onto the test tubes and put them into his tool box for work.

"Girls! It's been 15 minutes! I'm ready and if we don't hurry the food will get cold!! Let me see my pretty girls!!"

Your sister stepped out first, wearing the skirt he bought her, "pull it up some, turn around," she does as told and he smiles, "you young lady are going to school wherever you want. Sit on my lap," he says as he finishes cooking.

"What?" Your mom sat up, holding her forehead. "I need a smoke," she lights a cigarette and let's her arm fall limp over the side of the couch.

"Y/N, come help me season this," you nod and join him by the stove. He moves you in front of him, "you aren't wearing what I bought you," he whispers near your ear through gritted teeth as he pulls your hips tight and presses your backside against him, "I'll take care of you later-," you knew that tone. "Wait, what is that?" You hear him sniff the air so you do the same. "Shit! Essie, run!! Get out, go!!! Lana!!" He forgot all about what was going on. The room was in flames.

You turn to find the living room to be the source, "Essie, get out!!" "Not without you!!" "I'll be right behind you!!" Dakota had woken your mother and gone downstairs. "What happened!?" "Mommy's cigarette started a fire! Get out!!" You ran downstairs coughing just as all the neighbors were.

"Girls alright?" "Yeah, yeah we're fine. Y/N, are you okay?" "I have to go get him," you find yourself remembering something you had forgotten. "Who!?"

"A dog! Really!? You ran into a burning building for a dog!!!?" Your sister scolds you. You said nothing and placed the dog down and watched it run back to your neighbor.

"Thankyou, thankyou," you can only nod and the local paper reporter surrounded you for photos. "How old are you!?" "12?" You cover your eyes from the flashes. "Why did you go back in!?" "I had to get him."

[ohwereusingourmadeupnames]

Shining Just Like Diamonds Do

Pairing: Peter Parker/Tony Stark (Starker) Rating: General (G) Word Count: 5k Notes: This gem started after I saw this post here. The idea of Peter being the person who hid an engagement ring in plain sight was too hard to pass up. Thanks to @goindownshipping & @starkerscoop for the final push in the right direction.  Warnings: There aren’t any - this madness is pure fluffy goodness. Summary: 

Peter buys an engagement ring on a whim - he’s ready for the next step, but lacks a plan. Instead of wasting brain bytes worrying about it, Peter makes a challenge out of it instead. The ‘how many ways can I hide a ring in plain sight’ game becomes a thing. 

Or - Tony is oblivious and Peter takes advantage of it to be the cutest sneak out there. 

Check out more of my writing here and read this story on AO3 here

---- 

They met at a conference.

Peter loved getting to shed his professor title and get into the nitty gritty of engineering and the technological advances being made. In another life, he took a different route and didn’t end up in a classroom – but in this life, Peter got to escape from it to play with all of the cool tech in the name of continuing education.

That year, however, Peter was tasked as a keynote speaker for the nanobyte technology research he started to work on when Wakanda opened up its borders a few years prior. Being in direct contact with the brilliant Princess Shuri gave him lots of insight and many tangible examples of the technology – her brother’s Black Panther suit design amongst them. He loved his research and felt more than prepared to present upon it. Especially at such a big wig conference like the International Conference on Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering – all of the monumental names in the industry would be there.

It wasn’t often that Peter got to leave New York during the school year, so he relished the train ride into Boston without pulling his work laptop out once during the journey. He practiced his talk so many times that he’d been doing it in his sleep for the past few nights. Any more rehearsal seemed like overkill. Relaxing into the 1st class seat he splurged for instead, Peter took a long sip of the complimentary red wine. The welcome banquet started right around the time his train got in – so the harder stuff would need to wait.

When he got to the hotel, Peter made a quick pit-stop in his room to drop off his bag and change out of the suit trousers he started the day in. He bought a brand-new pair of black slacks for the occasion and planned to wear them to their fullest. Splashing some water on his face and undoing the first couple of buttons of his shirt, Peter slung his badge around his neck and headed down to the meeting room the banquet was in.

His sensitivity to crowds never seemed to dull over the years – as a 29-year-old, Peter should’ve been able to control the way too much stimulus affected him. That was not a success he could claim, however. It took several minutes to blend into the crowd and by the time he calmed down enough to fit into it, the line for the bar wasn’t even worth standing in.

He looked around to see if any of his fellow academics were in attendance and was stopped by a soft touch to his elbow. “Dr. Parker, it’s nice to see you here.” Natasha Romanov, the beautiful red head with a mouth like poison and wit so sharp, stood before him, a soft smile on her face. Peter shot her a swift look of gratitude, his own smile shaping his lips.

“We were research partners for 3 years, Nat – you can call me Peter,” he replied easily, his hand finding hers for a brisk shake. They did great work together during their time at Columbia – she specialized in Aeronautical and him in Mechanical – they were the perfect team when GE Aviation came knocking with an idea of how to minimize fuel costs down to the creation of the plane – parts and pieces included. The journey to his doctoral degree was a fun one, the many hours of work made tolerable by the woman in front of him.

“You’re right. The title never does get old, though – the blood, sweat, and tears to get it were pretty memorable, too.” Natasha smirked at him, her blood-red lips enhancing the look. “I saw your name on the itinerary – nanobyte technology, right?”

Not a single bit surprised by her knowledge, Peter nodded excitedly. “Correct. They even gave me the prime-time spot tomorrow night.” He grinned widely, his eyes lighting up at the look of excitement that crossed her face.

“You’re on your way up, Peter. I’m actually glad I caught you, there’s someone I’d like for you to meet,” Natasha said, her eyes moving past his face and over his shoulder. Trying not to look too stupid doing it, Peter turned slightly, his eyes settling on the beautiful brain that was Tony Stark. He turned back around and suddenly berated his choice of no tie – what kind of professional came to a dinner without a tie? The mini freak out ate up his time to make up an excuse, Nat was already calling the man over.

Slipping his hands into his pockets, Peter kept his eyes down until he felt Nat’s elbow press against his arm. “Tony, I want you to meet a former colleague of mine, Peter Parker. Peter, this is Tony Stark,” Natasha announced, her eyes burning into his.

Peter took a quick breath in, his hand slipping out between them in what he hoped was a casual manner. “Tony, it’s great to meet you,” Peter decided on, his eyes finally focusing on the other man. As expected, the tech guru was dressed in a fine 3-piece suit – the shirt and waistcoat both black to enhance the darkness of the ensemble. His pale skin balanced everything out – the well-kept facial hair adding a new and admittedly sexy element to the whole thing. It wasn’t enough to be incredibly intelligent, Tony Stark got to own the obnoxiously sexy title, too.

Tony grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake – the callouses on his fingers way more developed than Peter expected them to be. He knew that Tony was the brain behind everything that Stark Industries created – Peter wasn’t aware that carried over to creation, too. It made sense, though – what sort of brain didn’t want to have their hands all over the thing stuck in their head? They locked eyes and something just clicked. Whatever it was, Peter couldn’t keep his mind off of it from that second on.

“Nice to meet you, Peter Parker. I saw your name in the keynote spot tomorrow night. I can’t wait to hear more about the nanobyte tech. I’ve been trying to get face time with King T’chala for years – he’s been surprisingly fussy,” Tony said in reply, his mouth moving gracefully through some of the petulant words coming out of his mouth.

It took everything in him to stop the spread of an amused smile – the only evidence of his true feelings reflected in the glow of his eyes. The similar look in Tony’s made him want to laugh even more. “He’s particular, that’s all. I flew out there last summer and met with Princess Shuri, the king’s sister – she’s smarter than you and I put together.”

As if those were the magic words, Peter and Tony spent most of the next couple of hours talking about Wakanda and it’s many attributes, the nanobytes and the technological advancements they could make, and most importantly – how much they were looking forward to playing with the new tech at the booths the next day. Peter was surprised by how nerdy Tony truly was, the man completely enraptured by the topic of particle physics and the latest coding programs being taught to the up and coming engineers of the future.

When the end of the function was upon them, Peter didn’t think twice about accepting the offer of a drink at the bar in the hotel. He felt a certain way and didn’t want it to end – whatever it actually was. A few of the others had the same idea and soon, there were many groups scattered around the bar – the conversation going like there was never a break in it to transfer venues.

A warm hand on his knee when they sat down behind the bar had Peter looking up, a shy smile overtaking his face. Tony looked at him for a moment, then returned the look – the darkness in his eyes highlighted by the low light they were sitting in. “What’s your poison?” Tony asked, his hand staying exactly where it was, the long fingers now cupping his patella.

“I’ll have a whiskey neat,” Peter answered immediately, his own hand landing on top of Tony’s. It wasn’t normal, the freedom he was giving himself in that moment. At the same time, it felt good to be a little reckless – he genuinely liked the things he was learning and wanted to at least see where getting to know Tony went. The fact that the older man turned his hand over and let their fingers slide together sent a tingle down his spine – the warmth of it sitting in his lower back, starting the pool of heat there with a jolt.

Shooting him a smile, Tony flagged down the bar tender and order their drinks – the efficiency in which he did it more than impressive. Tony pulled his credit card out to start the tab, the sharpness of the look sent in Peter’s direction enough for him to put his hand down and stop the reach for his own wallet.

“Tell me more about you, Pete – there’s got to be stuff outside the nanobytes,” Tony said, breaking the comfortable silence they found themselves in.

“There is a lot of stuff outside of nanobytes. I have a beautiful golden retriever named Marla – she’s an agility dog, so we spend a lot of time at the training complex. I’m a New York native, so I spend a lot of time heading to the little hidden gems I’ve found over the years – food spots and little record stores. My most hidden talent, though – is caricature.” Peter paused then, his eyes turning to take in Tony’s reaction.

It was well worth it, too – Tony’s eyes bulged, his cheeks crinkled at the corners – his smile wide. “Caricature? There’s got to be a story behind that,” Tony muttered through a laugh, the free hand that was fiddling with the rim of his glass coming up to swipe at the rogue laugh-tear threatening to spill from his eyes.

“I spent every summer of my undergraduate college years working at Coney Island. The research assistant job I had on campus didn’t pay enough to make rent – so I rode out to the island on the days I didn’t work in the lab to draw families and couples in the silliest fashion I could.” Peter smiled at the memory, his chest warm from the recollection and the alcohol settling in his system. “What about you? Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist – that’s quite the resume.”

A swift feeling of satisfaction rolled over him when the skin of Tony’s cheeks and neck colored, the pale skin there taking on a reddish hue – the blush absolutely divine. “And exaggerated. I’m a pretty big nerd that gets to tinker for a living. The playboy lifestyle went out the window a long time ago,” Tony replied, his eyes moving down to the lock of their hands still resting lightly against Peter’s leg. “I would’ve taken you to bed by now if it hadn’t.”

Though Peter didn’t comment on Tony’s admission, the fact remained between them for the rest of the night. He couldn’t deny that the very thought passed across his own mind a time or two throughout the conversation, and when they headed back to their rooms, Peter gave Tony the go ahead. Yet, he wasn’t surprised by the fact that Tony didn’t take it – his denial seemed to be more about the principal of it than anything else.

Not wanting to leave himself hanging, Peter let his hands linger on Tony’s sides when the older man pulled him in for a hug. Peter dug his fingers into Tony’s trim flanks, the grip just enough to keep Tony exactly where he was. Leaning in, Peter was not disappointed when Tony took the remaining space and met him in the briefest of kisses. The remnants of expensive whiskey and something that could only be classified as Tony sat on his lip, the taste a constant reminder of what a little more time and effort possibly held for him.

----

4 years later, Peter still liked to remember the hurried blow job Tony gave him five minutes after his speech the next night, the obscenity of 2 highly sought-after professionals locked in a bathroom stall together making the moment even more powerful. Tony wasn’t subtle in the way he practically dragged Peter with him towards the men’s room, his eyes were completely overtaken by dark pupils, a sharp look of lust there for anyone to see. Tony muttered endlessly about Peter’s brain and sucked him down with a skill that he still couldn’t describe.

The last night of the conference was spent in the confines of Tony’s room and the next day in the back of the private car that Tony ushered him into without asking about the train tickets that Peter willingly let go to waste. Happy, who took his bag with a knowing look and a stiff nod, turned up the music and made no noise for the rest of the drive from Boston back into the city.

It was easy to get lost in Tony after that. He appreciated Peter’s work and genuinely wanted to help in whatever way he could. Peter tested that theory out and prompted Tony to come and talk with all 5 sections of his coding class – he not only showed up but put on an amazing presentation for the kids that were already looking up at him with dreamy eyes. By the end of the 5th one, Peter was pretty over the moon, too. Tony’s comment about Peter’s brain made a lot of sense after seeing his lover in action – there was something about a handsome man with expertise that really got him going.

In the same way their brains were compatible, their interests lined up, too. Tony was adamant that they take a weekly trip to Coney Island when it was possible and joined Peter for his random walks around the city – the new food places all of the sudden taking on a different look after introducing his favorite person to them. Peter found himself making room for Tony in his life without much of a thought – there wasn’t any reason not to. Since the day they met, they were inseparable.

Which quickly became apparent when Tony asked him to move in before they were together a whole year. Peter was flipping his famous candied bacon with a pair of tongs when Tony saddled up next to him, a peculiar look on his face. “Why don’t you move in? I like having you here, you look good exactly where you are – you’re always over. I can get a key made right now,” Tony babbled, his affinity for speaking while all the words were ripe on his tongue a thing Peter loved the most about him.

The grin that overtook his face hurt a little, the muscles in his cheeks not ready for the intensity of it. “I could get behind that.” Peter spoke nonchalantly, but his hands were shaking, the move obvious in the quake of the tongs in his hands. It would be the perfect time to admit that he was thinking the same thing – he craved the coziness of Tony’s penthouse when he wasn’t around, the man’s presence engrained in every inch of the place.

Peter spent most of his adult years on his own with very little interest in accumulating things, so the transition into the penthouse was pretty seamless – it took them 2 trips across the city to get all of his stuff and another few hours to get it all adjusted into the nooks and crannies that seemed to be there waiting for Peter. Christening every square inch of the place was the best part – Tony took great joy in introducing him to all the different surfaces that Peter looked absolutely divine bent over and pressed against.

Happiness that flowed so easily between them made the rest of that 1st year together fly by. As did their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years together – May always told him not to blink; and now he understood why. Without really knowing it, or giving time his permission to do so, life with Tony sped by. There was so much contentment and ease in their relationship that dates didn’t seem to matter – being with Tony every day felt like something to celebrate. The thought might be cheesy, but the genuine nature of it reigned supreme – Peter didn’t mind the fluff when it came with a Tony attached.

Which is why Peter didn’t feel a single bit odd wandering into a a jewelry store after a rare afternoon without his other half. Despite loving Peter for everything he was, Tony still didn’t like to spend an abundance of time with May and sent him on his own to the bi-weekly lunches his aunt still insisted upon. Though telling Tony was out of the question, Peter cherished the separation – it was nice to have a reason to miss his partner in crime. Shaking his head of the thought, Peter sucked in a deep breath when he was immediately tracked down by one of the workers in the store – his presence a possible commission for whoever got to him first.

Like all things with Tony, Peter didn’t struggle to find the perfect ring for his boyfriend. In the years of knowing him, Peter knew that Tony wore lots of black to contrast his pale complexion. The rich darkness of the tungsten of the simple band would look so good against the creamy white porcelain of Tony’s skin. Despite the dagger of a price, Peter instinctually knew it was the marker Tony deserved – the ring a simplistic, yet complex beauty; not unlike the man himself.

And though he found the perfect ring, Peter never actually meant to slap down the black credit card he carried in his pocket for impulse purchases such as that very one. His eyes bulged with reluctant acceptance at the price, long fingers wrapped delicately around the bag the woman behind the counter slipped the box into, and when he walked into the street, Peter smiled to himself – he didn’t walk into that building with a plan, and still didn’t have one; but, he was one step closer to having Tony Stark as a permanent fixture in his life for all the years to come.

Peter assumed an idea of how to propose to Tony would just pop into his head. When it didn’t in the 20-minute walk back to the office, Peter felt a little miffed. Most things were so simple, especially where Tony was concerned. Yet, a suitable idea didn’t come to him, no matter how hard he thought and willed it into existence. Tony deserved absolute perfection – Peter knew that from the second they met. Striving for anything less in this situation just wouldn’t do.

In an attempt to jumpstart his brain, Peter started carrying the ring box in his pocket. If pre-planning didn’t work, maybe spontaneity would. Trying to force himself into a bubble never worked before – why he ever thought it could for something so important seemed a little silly. Peter worked the best when he was relaxed and stress-free. Proposing felt stressful enough, tacking on a precise plan of attack only added to it.

For the first few days of his plan, Peter worried that Tony might catch on. Not every pair of pants let the box rest peacefully against his leg – the very first day he decided to start carrying it with him, Tony tried to feel him up in the elevator and almost palmed the velvet box instead of his rapidly stiffening erection. A swift move of his hips into Tony’s was the only thing that saved him.

As the days went by, Peter found it easier to keep the secret and quietly delighted at the fact that Tony genuinely didn’t have a clue. The damn thing was right under his nose most of the time – so much so that Peter found himself wanting to test fate even further. If Tony really wasn’t paying attention, Peter wondered how many times he could set the ring out in front of the man without him noticing. Blinking, Peter pulled in a deep breath and let the rightness of that plan settle over him. He wanted creativity and perfection – a little game seemed like the perfect way to achieve both of those things.

His first attempt at it was very minimal. They were sitting in the kitchen preparing dinner together – the whole scene insanely domestic. A rush of want crept up into Peter’s chest and sat there, taunting him to pull the ring box out. He stuffed his hand into his pocket as quietly as he could, the top of the box making the slightest bit of sound when he pulled it open. Looking up, he smiled to himself; Tony was completely occupied, carried away by the oldies rock on the radio and the sizzling warmth on the stove. In the picture, Tony’s hips were swaying, the movement tangible in the blur of his figure.

From there, Peter got a little friskier about it. He took one when they were sitting together on the couch, his back against Tony’s chest, the man’s hair spread out on Peter’s shoulder as they watched TV. The next was in bed later that night, the ring between their bodies while Tony snored obliviously. Peter saved each of the new snaps into their own folder and spent several minutes after taking each one cooing over the cuteness of Tony’s naivety. There weren’t many moments when Tony didn’t know exactly what was going on. Peter allowed himself to revel on the few he crafted.

There were several more encounters of oblivious Tony over the next couple of weeks. Peter planned a picnic and let the box sit in the collection of goodies on the blanket for what seemed like hours before picking it up and storing it in his pocket again. He pulled it out when they were sitting in the drive-thru line at McDonald’s and shared a laugh with the young girl behind the window when Tony went about his business, despite the open box showcasing a shiny black ring right by his face. Peter shot her a wink, the girl’s smile in the photo one of the best mementos of the experience yet.

Just as Peter figured, the perfect opportunity came during one of their many treks out to Coney Island. In the span of the last week, Peter put the actual ring in Tony’s hand while he was sleeping, left the box open on his lab table, and let it sit in Tony’s briefcase all the way from their office into the house. The idea of getting away with his ploy made that finale that much more important. He played with fire enough – it was finally time to make Tony his.

Getting out of Happy’s car, Peter pulled them towards the teacups – Tony’s favorite ride on the island, despite the dizziness it brought them both for the rest of their trip. He wanted Tony disoriented – it was an important part of Peter’s plan finally coming to fruition. Since they were a little earlier than usual, the lines weren’t long, so they were able to ride the cups twice before the idea of waiting became a thing.

Antsy now, Peter pushed through the spin in his head and led Tony over towards his old station. Despite the fact that more than 10 years passed since his job there, artist alley was in the same place – the easels there the same ones he spent hot summer days behind. His eyes met MJ, who made a guest appearance in her old spot for the occasion. Tony knew enough about her to know about their connection, but not enough to put all of the pieces together.

Peter took his seat first, his part of the picture already complete – the rough draft of it sitting on his art counter at home, the design one he sent to MJ that very morning. He sketched himself kneeling on one knee in the mirror twice before it was exactly how he wanted it. 

She went through the motions, however – Tony’s nosiness needed to be assuaged while he stood there, waiting impatiently for his turn. Wiggling his eyebrows, Peter relaxed into the chair and let the anticipation build – the ending of his game was quickly spiraling towards them. 

It took another 20 minutes for MJ to finish up whatever she drew of Peter and the two of them to switch chairs – Tony’s excited smile making it super difficult not to just drop down on one knee right then and there. Instead, he watched with a huge smile as MJ went about finishing the actual picture she’d be presenting at the end of their little modeling session. Peter crouched down and let his eyes move with the brush of her hand – the sight of the art becoming exactly what he pictured exhilarating, better than the game of chase the last few weeks provided.

With the last flick of her wrist, MJ finished their portrait, her eyes narrowing into the smoothest wink – her immense coolness still a thing after so many years. Grinning in her direction, Peter got up, his heart slamming against his chest. The distraction of MJ’s “do you want to see it?” proved to be enough for Peter to get into position on one knee – Tony’s attention was on the end result completely, his ability to focus so singularly such a gift in that moment.  

The soft inhale of air was the only sign Peter got before Tony was looking in his direction, whiskey-smooth eyes glued to him. “Pete?” Tony whispered, his head tilting ever so slightly. The expression never ceased to drive Peter crazy, Tony’s cuteness pulling a soft smile across his own lips.

“I bought this thing weeks ago. When I saw the jeweler on my way home from lunch with May and couldn’t stop myself. It didn’t have any intention of actually getting anything – but here we are. I spent way too many brain bytes wondering how the hell I’d pull off this insane proposal – you’re the personification of all things good and perfect, our first step towards forever needed to be exactly that,” Peter stopped a second, his fingers readjusting the box in his hand. “I finally figured out that there would never be a perfect way, because the perfection is you and the promise of forever, not the proposal or even the question itself.”

As he spoke, Tony moved a little closer to him, his face split into the biggest grin Peter recalled ever seeing. Reaching out, Peter grabbed his hand, their fingers tangling together. “There’s not a better person in this world to spend the rest of my days with. Your brain is marvelous and gives way to the biggest heart I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. Time with you flashes by like the recollection of beautiful memories. It’s exquisite, really – the consuming way love resides in us. There’s no forever without you. Not when my heart beats for you and my thoughts exist in hopes of melding with yours.” Peter looked up; his eyes wet with unshed tears. “Marry me, Tony.”

----

Hours later, Peter spent the entire drive back into the city with his hand covering Tony’s possessively, the coolness of the ring on his finger the best reminder of what just happened. After Tony mumbled a soft ‘yes’, he pulled Peter onto his feet, strong arms wrapping around his neck to pull him into a hard kiss. A soft throat clearing pulled them away from each other a few moments later, MJ’s smiling face meeting them when reality came crashing back. “You two are so sickeningly cute. Congrats, guys,” MJ said, the smile on her face a smooth juxtaposition to her sassy words. Peter shot her a wink, his hands already moving to pull Tony close again.

Between getting the ring on Tony’s finger and making sure their caricature made it off the island with them, Peter got lost in the next couple of hours. They wandered around for a little while before Tony’s demanding hands and tantalizing ideas whispered against Peter’s ear were a little too much. Peter led them back to the Bentley before the idea of the dirty boardwalk underneath them became a good one.

In their fumbling to get to the car, Peter started to describe the whole proposal process to Tony – the whole thing a desperate attempt to distract himself from the boiling attraction that always threatened to consume him. He talked about all of the different places he hid the ring, all the obvious times he let the damn thing rest right under Tony’s nose – each description of the past month’s events making it easier to lean into his fiancé’s warmth without the sizzle of arousal consuming him.

Settling into the back seat of the car, Peter took out his phone, the file of photos opening easily after weeks of navigating to that very spot time and time again. Going through them with Tony made each one feel a bit more special, the other’s reaction and surprise bringing the memory to the forefront, crystalizing its beauty with a whole new coat of affection.

“I can’t believe I didn’t notice. The ring is sitting in the palm of my hand in this one,” Tony remarked, his eyes flashing with amusement as he made the picture bigger, his fingers toggling on the screen. “Oblivious was never a word I’d use to describe myself.” He turned then, his hand finding Peter’s cheek. “Until now. Thank you for this, Pete. The whole thing – it’s gorgeous.”

Their lips met in a soft kiss – the genuine nature of Tony’s words alive in his warmth and attention. Tony’s singular focus on Peter felt like a rainstorm – intense and all consuming, rowdy in the eye of it. The subtle press and pull went on the rest of the drive, Tony’s lips only leaving Peter’s when oxygen became a necessity – they shared breaths when they could and separated mere inches when they couldn’t.

Both knew they didn’t need to rush – that seconds and minutes were no longer a factor.

Forever was an awfully long time.

[moonlightstars16]

Needy Snuggles

30 Days Connverse Challenge

Day 5 ~ Nighttime Routine

College dorm life is like entering another dimension. One student is going to class, passing by another who is crashing down the hallway. People were having a party while others studied. The stench of anxiety, desperation and alcohol looked over every inch.

Connie had a different experience. Her dorm room was off to a more secluded area of the building. The main window in her apartment like living area overlooked the entire campus. The sunshine flooded through the glass like a warm blanket. She kept her area as clean as she could. Her study area overflowing with papers, folders and a mix of caffeine with beer. Only on important test days was that beverage needed.

She was visited by her sweet boyfriend who crashed there from time to time. They practically lived together since she moved into her single dorm room. Just the two of them being together. Steven has given her a promise ring months ago and that is where it all started. After talking about the proposal from long ago and officially conversing about what they wanted to do together in the future.

It was a hard topic to think about, but they overcame it. They were already inseparable before, now they were fused without actually fusing into Stevonnie. While he was there, he helped her focus on her studies, cooked her food and made sure she was relaxed.

One evening as they finished their dinner, Connie stood up to get back to studying. Only to be caught by her loving boyfriend, hand grasping her upper arm whilst his other setting down the dishes.

“No studying. Not on your spring break.”

“But-“

“No buts.” He pulled her in his arms, entrapping her inside. So tight that Connie could barely move an inch let alone break free, even with all her training from long ago. Eyes widened before a disapproving expression appeared.

“Cheater! Using diamond powers against me?! Traitor!” Her lips pouted as he stood his ground with a smirk.

“It’s for your own good. Now you promised me that by tonight you will not go off studying and getting lost in your work. Besides you have already completed a few extra assignments for post spring break. Take it easy. Don’t you want to visit beach city with me?”

His puppy dog eyes went wild as guilt slowly crept in. Gulping as she remembered the promise to him. Heck the reason why she completed extra assignments was to spend more time with him. So he was justified in doing this. Sighing in defeat she let her head droop, bouncing it slightly up and down in agreement.

“I remember. .... I’m sorry sweetie.” Placing a kiss on her forehead he loosened his grip.

“Please don’t be sad my sweet knight. Let’s go watch a movie to kick things off for your break.”

“Whatever you want.”

An hour later they were laying beside each other on the couch. Steven laying right behind Connie as a blanket wrapped them up together. He enjoyed the scent of her freshly washed air, strawberries and cinnamon per usual of her favorite brand.

Before settling in on the couch, they had prepared for bed. Wanting to be extra cozy for cuddling and such. While she took a warm shower, Steven washed his face in the sink. Swapping after they were done. Connie rubbed lotion on her body then changed into fresh pajamas. Letting her hair air dry.

Then walking out she prepped an ice cream dessert for the movie along with popcorn. A can in whipped cream in hand as she made a mountain of it. On each of their bowls filled with delicious cold treats. Placing a strawberry, chocolate syrup and sprinkles(not in that order) on top and a spoon inside. Two glasses of water as well to wash it all down with napkins just in case.

Setting it down on the coffee table before selecting a film they both liked. Just as Steven stepped out in fresh clothes as well. Looking more like sweats than pajamas but nobody complained.

“Looks beautiful miss Knight. But there is something missing.”

“What?”

“You”

“Huh?- STEVEN!” He wrapped his arm under her legs and lifted her bridal style to the couch. Jumping backwards and slowly floating down into the cushions. The blanket pulled over both of them. “You’re such a drama queen.”

“All hail queen Steven Universe!!!” He whisper yelled as she tried(and failed) repressing a giggle. After a couple movies, teeth brushed and more cuddling, a yawn escaped the both of them. However once again he didn’t let Connie go.

“We need to sleep.” She groaned as he held his arm around her middle tighter. The other wrapped around her upper arms and shoulders.

“I agree so close your eyes and do so like me.” Placing a kiss on the top of her head, pulling her close as the sounds of soft snoring came from behind. Or more like fake snoring.

“You really don’t trust me that I won’t study.”

“No...I trust you....but me taking no chances.” He mumbled burying his face in her hair. His childlike tendency’s taking hold whilst she rolled her eyes.

“Geeze, you’re more needier than lion.”

“Shhhh, sleep. By the order of your queen it shall be so!” He whispered a tad louder than before. Giggling she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“I love you my queen.”

“I love you too my knight.”

Both bursted into giggles. Connie’s hands gently grasped his arms, resting as he ran a thumb over her bare skin on her shoulder. Enjoying the silence and being in each other’s arms before falling into a deep sleep. Deciding to ignore the huge pink sphere entrapping them inside together while the night passed on.

[himbowelsh]

for the love of god joe toye valentines alphabet pls

valentines day alphabet  ( accepting! )

A   :   AFFECTION.   how does your muse show affection?

Joe’s more verbally expressive than you’d expect, actually. He’s got no problem with physical affection, but he’s also not above outright saying it. He’s a straightforward guy who sometimes struggles with his own tender emotions, so hearing them out loud helps   ---   and he thrives on verbal affirmation from his partner, too, so it’s a give-and-get thing. “You looked great today,” or “nobody can sing like you”, things like that. Joe’s also...   aggressively generous with his free time. He’ll do favors for the people he cares about before they even realize they need to be done. He’ll just do things, which is honestly easier than saying his feelings out loud, but speaks just as loudly. Any way he can take some of the burdens off his loved ones’ shoulders is good enough for him.

B   :   BOUQUET.   does your muse like flowers? which ones are their favourite?

He doesn’t know the first thing about flowers, but he likes them, and he tries. Always brings his Ma a real nice bouquet for special occasions, and once when his sister was in the hospital he got the most gorgeous yellow roses...  Joe’s not about to grow ‘em himself, but he knows how to pick up a good flower arrangement.

C   :   CHOCOLATE.   does your muse like chocolate? which one is their favourite?

Nah, bro. Joe’s got a weird thing about junk food. He doesn’t love it. While absolutely willing to buy it for other people, he won’t indulge himself. (He is the uncle who lets the kids run a little wild on his watch, so sometimes after spending time with Uncle Joe, his nephews come back with their faces covered in chocolate. Joe’s sisters just sideeye him.)

D   :   DATE.   what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

Not a complicated guy. Go out drinking with him, have a good time, maybe dance a little...  so long as his partner knows how to have a good time, and he’s in a place he’s comfortable in, Joe couldn’t be happier.

E   :   EMBRACE.   does your muse like hugs? what are their hugs like?

His arms, man. Just...  his arms. If he tried, Joe Toye could probably lift a tank. What do you think his hugs are like?   (Correct answer:  a religious experience.) He passionately doesn’t enjoy being hugged, especially out of the blue  ----  but on rare occasions, he deals ‘em out, and they’re very worthwhile.

F   :   FLIRT.   is your muse good at flirting? how do they flirt?

He’s not bad at it. Doesn’t try especially hard, but you know when he’s trying. Joe’s a forthright guy. When he’s into someone, his voice will get lower; he’ll make excuses to get closer to them, studying them with a dark, intense gaze. If they’re out somewhere, his first move is usually to buy them a drink; while he’s not into small talk or pick-up lines, he’s good at bantering if the other person wants to play.

G   :   GIFT.   is your muse good at gift - giving or do they struggle to get it right?

Joe doesn’t give gifts. He gives...  favors. Like, he’ll do shit for other people. He’ll fix a broken cabinet, but new tires on their car, or even pay someone to fix that leaky spot in their roof. If it’s something he can do himself, he’ll do it; otherwise, he’ll find someone who can. Joe’s hired plumbers for people. (The one time he tried to do his sister’s plumbing as a favor was a disaster no one’s allowed to talk about.) It’s easier than trying to figure out what someone wants, and he feels useful at the same time.

H   :   HEART.   is your muse quick or slow to give their heart away?

He doesn’t give it away easily. Joe’s cautious in relationships, not rushing into anything too fast; he’s constantly wondering how his partner feels about him, and has his own undercurrents of insecurity that make giving himself to a relationship...  difficult. He’s got to find someone who gets him. Joe would gradually give his heart away over the course of a long-term relationship  ---   but once someone’s got it, it’s theirs forever.

I    :   I LOVE YOU.   does your muse find ‘i love you’ easy or hard to say?

He... fails at it a few times. Legitimately chokes on the words. He has to take a sip of water, cause he starts coughing. It’s not that Joe isn’t confident of his own feelings, but he’s not great at saying how he feels, and second-guesses himself at the last second...  he’d need to hear his partner say it first. He needs that reassurance before he can feel comfortable declaring it himself.

J   :   JEALOUSY.   does your muse get jealous in a relationship?

Not super jealous, no. When he does have those feelings on occasion, he keeps them inside. Joe won’t bring it up with them, because he’s all about internalizing those negative emotions; at worst, he might watch his partner intently across the room, brooding to himself. The only time he’ll intervene when his partner is with other people is if they’re clearly making his partner uncomfortable, or crossing lines that shouldn’t be crossed. Joe doesn’t put up with that.

K   :   KISS.   is your muse a good kisser? why / why not?

He’s a surprisingly handsy kisser. Joe loves to be touching his partner, whether it’s a hand on the side of their face or a grip on their shoulder, pulling them closer. His favorite sort of kiss is one where he's sitting, pulling his partner down into his lap. Holding them anchors him, giving him a sense of purpose; it keeps him working hard, to feel their tiny moans of pleasure muffled against his lips. Isn’t afraid to get a little rough, but can also be heartrendingly tender. If he can cup their ass while kissing them? Fan-fucking-tastic.

L   :   LOVE.   who does your muse love?

He’s very devoted to his mother; his sisters and their families have their own things going on, but Joe would drop anything for them in a heartbeat; he enjoys the company of the fellas at work, and cares for a lot of them; and, of course, his Easy Company friends are the ones who understand him best, and occupy the foremost place in his heart.

M   :   MOONLIGHT.   is morning or night a more romantic setting?

He’s not picky. Literally no preference here. Anytime is a good time for kissing, if they’re both in the right mood.

N   :   NAUGHTY.   what is your muse like in bed?

He’s got a lot of passion, and channels it into his every movement. While he doesn’t mean to be rough, it sometimes happens; his partner wakes up with bruises on their thighs and very fond memories of how they got there. Lots of stamina, and can keep up a consistent rhythm throughout. Heavy breathing, and occasional dirty talk in that low, raspy voice. He’s not loud, but loves a partner who is. Willing to try every position at least once, but has a real thing for feeling his partner on top of him, while he guides them along. When he reaches his peak, he tends to bury his face against his partner’s skin to muffle his groan.

O   :   ODE.   does your muse have a way with words?

He’s very straightforward. Not super eloquent  ---  it’s actually something he’s very self-conscious about   ---   but with Joe, he says what he means, and you know what you’re getting. When Joe wants to speak his heart, he manages.

P   :   PARTNER.   what does your muse look for in a partner? looks / personality?

Someone who keeps him on his toes. Someone...  sexy, and energetic, with an inner warmth that reels him in and refuses to let go. Someone who looks past the surface and understands people. A non-judgemental person; a hard worker, who puts their all into everything they do; someone who takes responsibility to their family very seriously, and who’d set everything else aside to help someone in need. Not to mention, someone with a killer set of hips.

Q   :   QUESTION.   would your muse ask the big question or expect their partner to?

(go down and read WEDDING first!)  Okay, so he’s hesitant when it comes to marriage. Once he’s made up his mind, though? Joe Toye is all in. He’s no diamond expert, but he knows the guy at the jewelry shop, who gets him a good deal.  He’s the sort of sentimental to get the inside of the band engraved with their initials, or something equally gushy; it’s a gorgeous rock, and it’ll look even better on the love of his life’s finger.  Joe actually fantasizes about seeing his partner wearing his ring in the days leading up to the proposal...  which he does outside of the restaurant right before their date, with a light flurry of snow beginning to fall from the sky. He wanted to propose at dinner, but it occurred to him that his partner might not want all those people around and watching, so he panicked in the doorway and dropped to his knee right there. His actual proposal is a little breathless, but so fervent, and his puppy dog eyes are in full force. If they turned him down there, his heart would definitely break. 

R   :   ROMANCE.   is your muse a romantic or a cynic?

He’s got a sensitive heart underneath that tough coal miner’s exterior. Joe’s the sort of guy to adore a partner once he’s got one...  but he’s definitely not inclined to daydreams. Joe doesn’t pretend to be anybody’s Prince Charming. His brand of romance is very down-to earth, but he definitely wants to fall in love at some point.

S   :   SWEETHEART.   did your muse have a childhood sweetheart?

Little Joe wanted a truck, not a girlfriend. He just... wanted to drive a big truck. He had a truck phase.

T   :   TRUE LOVE.   does your muse believe in true love?

He doesn’t know. Legit couldn’t answer that question if he tried. What’s the difference between true love and...  just regular love? Is there a special sort of love you’re supposed to try for? How do you know if you got it, or...  nope. Too much to think about, don’t bother him with it.

U   :   UNREQUITED.   has your muse had their heart broken?

...  yeah. He was young then. Stupid. You won’t get him to talk about it, unless he’s well past the point of reasonably drunk.

V   :   VALENTINE.   how does your muse feel about valentine’s day?

Slight panic. He doesn’t know what to do. Does his partner want something? Should he get them something? What? Before getting into a relationship he wasted exactly none of his energy on Valentine’s Day, and now, god help him, has no idea what to do with it.

W  :   WEDDING.   would your muse get married? why / why not?

It ain’t something he’s gonna rush into. Joe comes from a religious Irish family, divorce is not an option for him  ---  if he’s anchoring himself to one person, it’s gotta be for life. Finding the right person’s the tricky part. He tells himself he’d be find if he never ended up married (keep lying to yourself, you love-starved fool)  but when he does meet someone, he’s got to give it a lot of consideration before popping the question. He’s got about a dozen fears, rejection being the biggest one, so he kind of has to talk himself into it.

X   :   XOXO.   does your muse use / like pet names?

He’s actually fond of them! Playing on somebody’s name is his favorite (he calls Luz “Georgie”, for example, and has an arsenal of nicknames for his nieces and nephews)  but when it comes to his partner, his favorites are “sweetheart”, “baby”, or even “darling”, muttered just low enough for them to hear.

Y   :   YOURS.   does your muse get protective easily?

Abso-freakin-lutely. The biggest misconception about Joe Toye is that he’s a violent guy. He’s not. He won’t swing unless someone gives him a damn good reason  ---  and seeing somebody threatening the people he cares about is the biggest reason in the book. Joe won’t start a fight. He’ll end it.

Z   :   ZZZ.   how many people has your muse slept with?

He’s...  not the Virgin Mary, by any means. If he’s out somewhere, and somebody’s being friendly...  Joe’s gonna be friendly back. He’s not ashamed about it. He’s had maybe...  6 - 7 partners, but most of them have been casual flings.

[rwbyremnants]

WARNINGS: kink club, petplay, exhibitionism, nyotaimori, hot tub, anal fingering, anal plug, safeword use, fantasizing, fingering, female ejaculation.

=Chapter 5

"And that is why there was a Snap in my story of a very flustered me with a cop car in the background."

Ruby had just been telling Winter the tale of the unfortunate interruption in her last venture with Penny on their way to the club, from start to finish. For a few days, Winter had been eager to find out just what it was all about, but Ruby insisted on keeping the story secret until they next met up at The Clamp. With Ruby's agreement, she set up for a session in public on the upper floor, a scene in public viewing. They opted for her comfort zone, petplay, and nothing all too extreme. Either way, it was a good stepping stone to become more confident in sessions, as they both thought.

And a great way to pick up tips by watching others. Looking around on the ground floor while everyone had their drinks, she was somewhat pleased with the atmosphere again. She never got to truly appreciate it last time, once her uncle had ruined the memory.

"Ahhh," Winter chuckled as they strode past the relatively mundane surroundings of the downstairs bar. "That's good to hear, though; given what you've told me about Penny, I'm glad she's pushing outside her comfort zone. Even if she decides at the end of this that she's still asexual."

"Well, even if it’s not gonna be a regular thing, I'm happy. When it happens, she's really good."

As they approached the stairwell toward the back, Ruby was beginning to grow nervous. Yet again, she would be back among all the strange and wonderful scenes happening above; the various kink plays and displays out for public to see. Who knew what she was going to find – and what she would be, for that matter?

Except that Winter did know what she would be. They both did.

"Glad to hear it. Now, just a reminder… once we enter pass through the door at the top of these stairs, only our safe word will stop me from treating you as Lady. Otherwise, you're my bitch and that's that. Anyone else is entitled to treat you however they want, and you have to respond to them; it's my duty as your owner to keep them from going too far. However, if I can't get to you and they make you feel too unsafe, the universal safe word for the club is 'Red Light' - which you will use in emergencies only. Is that clear?"

"Okay… 'Strawberry' to stop Lady, 'Red Light' to stop everything else; got it. So… I just drop the coat and get started?"

Tonight, Ruby had been wearing her attire all along underneath a long, baggy coat. It was at Winter's request before they attended, to make for a quick entrance in their play and for ease when she was to get out. But up until that point, she hadn't revealed it to Winter just yet.

"You do. We have to sign in, of course." She looked toward the woman, clad in both dark skin and dark smile, sitting behind the desk. "Princess and Lady."

"Very good; I thought we might not see the little one again. She seemed pretty unsure of herself the last time she was here." The smile might have been dark, but it wasn't malicious or mocking. "And do you need to use our coat check for that?"

"U-um… I'm in the gear under this. D-do I need to be upstairs first?" Clearly, she was nervous. Even with the woman's nod of reassurance, it took her swallowing and taking a few breaths in before she finally took of the coat.

And revealed the brand new outfit Winter had got for her. Unlike the old one, this suit was made from better quality material, that felt softer and more natural to the touch; comfortable. Its colour matched that of her hair, with the occasional red striping just like her streaks. But there was another feature that no doubt would have a use later: between the legs, hidden within the fur, was a long zipper that went from below Ruby's belly right to the top of her rear the other side.

"Very nice," the bouncer-slash-registrar observed with a nod of approval. "If you were in character already, I'd pet you myself. And I'll take your coats."

"My Lady's a good girl," Winter said softly as they passed the coat over, a gentle smile on her mouth as she began to remove her own. Winter was decked out in harsher Dom gear this time, complete with dulled metal spikes, shining black leather everywhere, buckles and studs and metal loops, and just enough cleavage so that it couldn't be ignored entirely. She was also wearing stiletto-heeled, open-toed boots that stretched all the way up to mid-thigh, and leather gloves that came up to mid-bicep with the index fingers cut out, so that they vaguely matched the boots after a fashion. The glimpses of flesh were milky-white and inviting, even if in small quantities. The look was completed by silver earrings, bracelets, and a ring with a small diamond in it on the exposed right finger.

"So, how does it start this time? Usually you just say 'begin play'." Ruby slid the last detail she had pulled from her pocket around her neck: a black leather collar made to fit her measurements, a silvery tag dangling from it – with the name “Lady” embedded in it with tiny diamonds, sparkling like stardust. Attached to that, a long chain lead with a leather strap on the end of it for Winter to hold.

"Not necessary," Winter said as she took the leash in her grip. "This time, it's walking in the door that begins play. Though I will want you down on all fours before we go through it, to make for a seamless beginning to the scene. Knee pads on? Oh, and… don't forget your shoes."

"Right… 'Shoes'." But these 'shoes' weren't to wear on her feet. Winter had again provided a pair of gloves for the evening. Padded mittens that matched the outfit, with no thumbs or anything to help hold items. Once they were on, she would be completely helpless to do nothing but obey each command. If she needed something pictured up, she would do it with her mouth. Sliding the knee pads on and the gloves later, she assumed the position on all fours, sitting as politely as possible next to Winter as she waited for her commands.

"Silly pup," Winter laughed as she knelt down. "I actually did mean 'shoes'; I was going to put the gloves on for you." With a quick flick, she took off Ruby's simple boat shoes, revealing toe socks that matched the patterns on the gloves.

"Oh… Heh, sorry." Ruby couldn't help but wriggle her toes once they were free; both to enjoy the freedom from the shoes, and for a small show for Winter. On cue, the Dom cleared her throat and stood up to avoid bothering about that subject at present.

"R-right," she sighed, shouldering the small leather backpack that had their additional supplies. "I care about you very much as a person; I want you to remember that before we go up these stairs and I start treating you like a mutt."

"Okay, right… but…" As Winter laid her hand on the door handle, about to open it, Ruby piped up just before she could go out, still sat patiently. "Is it okay if, like, once we have a room to ourselves, if I mess up… you forgive me?"

That caused Winter to turn and kneel down by her side, cupping her face in the hand not holding her leash. "No, I'm afraid not; unless you use the safe word, we won't be ending the scene until we come back down here. I will scold you if ‘Lady’ needs scolding. But keep in mind, if you do start to feel like you can't continue, we can end the scene. I want you to really get the full experience, fully-committed petplay, but not so much that you feel tortured. Let me know you need a break, and we'll either go upstairs to the private rooms, or to the recovery lounge in the basement." Then she kissed her forehead. "And either way, I'm definitely not going to hold a few mistakes against you once play has ended."

Unable to help herself, Ruby leant forward into the kiss, smiling contentedly. That was a relief, that Winter cared enough to let her know how intense the session would be before it went on, and how deep they were diving. It was going to be her first real session.

And the first taste of what it would be like with another Dom. As much as Ruby didn't want to, that was a step she was thinking of taking as of late; moving on to someone else in order to disregard her romantic feelings for Winter. It would be far easier than telling her the truth, especially when there would be so many consequences or ways it would make their arrangement weird. Just because Penny had given her the green light to date two women didn’t mean she was sure it was the best option; she owed it to herself and to Penny to explore all others before making a decision.

"Okay," Winter breathed, straightening again. "Are you ready to go into 'Lady mode'?"

Rather than answer, she returned her paws to the ground, and instead looked up with her tongue out, imitating a pant. "Arf!"

"Good girl," she whispered. Then, without further ado, she pushed the door open.

The scene room was just as varied and enticing as the last time Ruby had been there. So many things to see! Immediately noticeable was a tan-skinned woman with a blonde ponytail laid out on a table in the center of a room with a multitude of types of sushi arranged artfully all over her nude body, lying perfectly still so as not to disturb a single one. Even as they walked in, a man wearing very sparse leather straps was taking a piece, talking briefly to the girl before popping it in his mouth.

Ruby couldn't explore these many sights as herself; she had to do it as Lady, a dog. If she wanted to walk over to the various scenes, she would have to pull in that that direction and wait until Winter headed there first. Sniffing at the air, she played into the roll straight away, crawling forward toward the tanned woman, like a dog begging for food.

"Lady, behave," Winter warned, not yanking the leash but simply holding it fast when Ruby pulled against it. "Do you want to see the sushi woman? Do you, girl?" She was certainly curious of it, and knew too well that dogs went straight for food. Nodding, she yipped yet again. Winter couldn't help but smile. She was doing so well! "Alright, alright, let's go."

Following along, holding the leash just taut enough that Ruby couldn't dash ahead, she approached. "Do you mind if Lady has one?" she asked the woman.

"Not at all! Take one from my shoulders. They're, uh, about to fall off." It seemed this was probably her first session as well, given how nervous she was, even if she looked like a strong woman. She just managed to look down toward Ruby, who was sniffing around that area, and gave another smile. "Cute suit she's wearing!"

"Lady, down!" Winter hissed, tugging the leash. She never pulled too harshly, much less jerked the chain; only gentle corrections. The correction soon brought Ruby back in line. "Thank you. She's so excitable, I haven't brought her here before." Then she selected one of the small bits, a more Western sushi without fish, looked at Ruby with the bit held aloft, and said, "Open?"

Seeing the piece of sushi Winter held, Lady looked up intently and sat up on her knees, bringing her arms up into a begging stance.

"Open!" Winter repeated in a baby-talk voice, twitching the piece back and forth as she would for a real dog, to make sure she held her attention. As asked, she opened her mouth wide, waiting for Winter. Grinning, she popped it in and cooed, "Good girl!" as she scratched the hair behind her ear, trying her best to avoid disturbing the headband with her ears attached. Then to the "plate" next to her, she asked, "Do you have any pets?"

Chuckling as the pet happily chewed her food, she looked back up to Winter. "Just a Macaw. She's a great alarm clock, but gets super defensive over me if I bring anyone back home. Makes finding a boyfriend very difficult when she keeps biting them!"

"Well, someone's obviously taking good care of you, even if it's not a boyfriend," she observed, looking over the array of perfectly-balanced sushi. "The Macaw didn't do all this!"

Still laughing, she just managed to stop herself before the sushi moved too much. "Afraid not by a boy, though! I had some help from one of the girls. She said she had some time to kill while her boyfriend was getting ready so she helped me out. Long black hair, I think she called herself 'Kitten'?"

Winter's lips pursed as she glanced over the selection, walking slowly alongside the table. "Hmm, I think I'm familiar with 'Kitten', yes. Lady might chase her if we run into her tonight, though." Then she selected one of the nigiri bits balanced on the girl's ankle. "May I?"

"Sure! The sooner it's gone, the sooner I can wander around again. There was a stud around here I might chase when this is over. I got a thing for bears, even if most of the ones here wouldn’t have a thing for me."

But as their conversation continued, Ruby was looking toward the other scenes in the room. There was no sign of Torchwick, the Dom whom her uncle warded away when she first attended. That was a relief – even moreso than Qrow himself being absent.

However, there were a couple toward the back that had caught her eye. A woman with long, black hair, a swath of it swooping in front of one of her eyes. She was currently teasing a silver haired gentleman, who was bound to the shackles on the wall. Running her hands down his body, teasing the well toned abs with one hand, and holding a cat-o-ninetails in the other. That was a much more intense session, Ruby wagered.

"…Dom who could do the job for you," Winter was saying to the plate-woman. "I'll… well, I'll give you the information later; I'm dog-sitting at present." When she turned back to Lady, she said, "Isn't that right?" before noticing that she was distracted. "What is it, girl?"

She was still watching the woman with whom she had just established eye contact. The Dom sent a wink in her direction, seeming to revel in the fact that Ruby was blushing so much in response to it. So much that she barely noticed Winter calling her.

Until the lead was tugged lightly, and she looked up toward Winter again, immediately letting out an "Arf!"

"NOT her," Winter said shortly, glaring across the room herself. She seemed to spend a moment trying to decide something, then smiled down at Ruby and said, "Mommy doesn't like that woman. Does Lady want more sushi?"

That was very odd. Ruby understood her dislike for Torchwick, but not for anyone else in the club. Did she dislike this Dom just because of how much more intensive her play was? Or just because she was looking at Ruby? It seemed like a petty reason, if so. But she could ask about that later, when she wasn't Lady. Finally turning to face Winter properly, she nodded, assuming the begging position again.

"Does Lady like fish?" she asked next; this was at least a yes-or-no question, one that she could answer as a dog. Ruby nodded, continuing the begging position for longer and letting her tongue hang from her mouth. Which the tanned girl also understood, and smiled.

"The tuna rolls are on my stomach. Give her an extra one from me!"

"Of course," Winter laughed, already forgetting her recent displeasure about the Dom across the room in favour of fetching a tuna roll for her pup. Again, she held it just inches from Ruby's face and said, "Open!"

And Ruby did obediently, eagerly accepting the morsel when it was placed into her mouth, and then the second piece. It really was a unique treat to have in the middle of a scene. Of course, Ruby knew all too well, the more intense treats could come later.

Deciding a little praise wouldn't be remiss, Winter knelt down, scrubbing at Ruby's hair and neck with all of her fingertips as she gushed, "My Lady's such a good girl! Yes she is, yes she is!"

From the distance, Ruby could just make out the other Dom rolling her eyes before she returned to the man in the shackles. Their dislike for each other was mutual? What exactly happened between the two to provoke that?

Play now, ask later, she reminded herself, looking to Winter's attentions. Now… what does Zwei do when you do this to him? Remembering quite easily, she squinted her eyes to show her enjoyment, and began to thump one of her feet against the floor. She had no tail to wag, so it was as good as she could get.

That brought about a delighted laugh from both Winter and the plate-woman. Leaning down, she kissed Ruby's cheek and whispered, "Good Lady" so softly that it was a more private praise than the louder words from before. And in another attempt to seem more doglike, she smiled back at her, before leaning in toward her cheek. She couldn't return the favour as a kiss, but could do a dog kiss just as easily. And so let her tongue out slightly, licking her cheek.

This prompted an instant giggle, one both mildly surprised and pleased. "That tickles, Lady!" Then she pinched her cheeks between her thumb and fingers, squishing slightly as a real dog owner would do. "Such a pretty puppy!"

All the while, Ruby could just grin back in response. It was reassuring to hear she was doing a good job, even if her cheeks were being pinched rather firmly in her grip. Once she let go she crawled back slightly, gesturing to explore the rest of the club.

"Alright, alright, we're off. It was nice chatting with you, Robyn," she told the sushi-woman, taking one last California Roll off her left breast for herself.

"You, too! See you around!"

That was the last thing she could call out before they walked away toward the back of the room. The main events seemed to be the sushi woman and the shackled people toward the back, but that left the question; what was happening in the hot tub area? Ruby definitely remembered seeing it before, and when she spotted it again she wandered toward it happily, trying not to pull too hard.

"Alright, alright, be patient," her owner chuckled - and after a particularly strong pull against the lead, she commanded, "Stay!" Such a pull prompted a rather quick yelp from her pet, but she did as commanded, waiting on her hands and knees perfectly still. "You have to let Mommy catch up," she scolded very mildly as she walked up beside her. Then they continued to the hot tub together, only to find…

"Ah, Glynda!" Winter called out with a gentle smile. "Fancy meeting you here!"

Sure enough, there she was in the hot tub. Wearing extremely little, and the vague parts she was wearing were leather; she grinned back toward Winter immediately, distracted from the other few ladies in the tub. "Princess! I didn't think you were coming tonight. Rooster not here with you?"

Winter glanced nervously at Ruby, glad to see her "pet" wasn't looking at her at the moment. The last thing she wanted was to have a discussion about Rooster – especially if she had caught on to who that was the last time they met in the club. "Not tonight. I've brought Lady along for an outing; she needs to stretch her legs, play with others a little. Don't you, Lady?"

"Arf Arf!" Ruby said gleefully, sitting herself down for a moment as she looked up toward Glynda. Who looked down at her startled for a moment, with rather wide eyes, and then back up to Winter. It looked as though she was about to comment on just who Ruby was in relation to Rooster, but smiled instead. "I see. Well, is that all you have planned for the evening, or will you be headed upstairs in a while?"

"We might, if she wants to play up there." Then she patted the side of the hot tub, which had quite a bit of purchase to lean upon. "Up, Lady! I want you to meet Glynda!"

Having to blink for a moment while the command registered, Ruby finally hopped up at the tub, trying her best to maintain the dog like posture as she put her 'paws' on the side of it to support her upright position. And as she leant in, Glynda fussed just under her chin, and then behind the ears very carefully.

"She's doing very well! Is this her first session?"

"Her first in public," Winter said, as if Ruby weren't even there. As if she were a dog who could barely understand a few spare English words. "We've practiced off and on at home, but thought it was time for a true session. And what better place than here?"

"Well, there's not exactly anywhere else you can do it in public. Laws and all that." Glynda was mirroring the attitude as she continued to fuss over her, seeming used to this. It was second nature. Giving a little kiss on the top of her head, she added, "Well the outfit is adorable, and so well made!"

"Isn't it? Much better than the last one I bought her." As she might have with a real dog, Winter bent down and eased Ruby up until all four limbs were perched on the side of the hot tub, a hand remaining on her side to help her keep balance. It seemed she was slightly startled by those actions as she frantically looked back to what Winter was doing, managing to just balance on the edge as she looked between her master and Glynda. "Care to inspect further? Pet elsewhere?"

"Well, I am somewhat curious of a few things… she doesn't mind being petted anywhere, does she? Has a safety word and all that?"

Those words were slightly worrying to Ruby. If she had to check that, what was she going to do?

"I'm not Torchwick," she muttered, and she and Glynda shared a bitter laugh. "No, no, she knows she's expected to play with others. Within reason," she warned the other woman very mildly.

"Oh of course! I just want to explore what this suit is like more than anything."

And with that, there were a pair of hands beginning to fuss over Ruby's body. At first, it was just over her back, where she scratched between her shoulder blades and the down her spine, both actions prompting her foot to lightly thump once again. But the fuss didn't stop there.

"It's such good quality fur…" Glynda complimented, fussing underneath, against Ruby's front. In truth, she really was doing as she stated, inspecting and admiring the suits features, but when that involved petting a few areas over her chest to inspect the fit, it certainly had the 'pooch' blushing rather intensely.

And that intensified when she felt a hand dip a little lower. "Oh! The zip goes from front to back. Clever. There's even space for if she wanted a proper plug tail. That's cute."

To help offset the more intimate petting, Winter's hand went into Ruby's hair, caressing her scalp with gentle fingertips. "I did notice that. Thought it would be a sound investment. Also…" She reached down and wormed a finger under the leg hole just below Ruby's buttcheek and tugged. "The material has some elasticity, which you don't typically see when there's fur involved."

"Firm fit and leaves room for things to get a little rough, exciting… You'll have to give me the maker's number; I've been wanting to get back into petplay for a little while."

Much to Ruby's relief, the hands finally left Ruby's body. Breathing quietly to herself, she looked over to Winter, before innocently pawing at her arm to get her attention.

"Of course, of course." But Winter ignored the pawing, at first. Much like any pet owner would when in conversation with another human. "If you and Lady continue to get along, perhaps I'll take you both for a walk in the future. You and I have been meaning to arrange another session for some time now, haven't we?"

"I do like your sessions, you're a good Dom. And… I hate to admit this, but I also rather enjoy it when Rooster is involved. I have a slight weakness for seeing a Dom get overpowered."

The pawing only continued. Whilst it was a reassuring way of showing Ruby was oblivious to the conversation, it seemed to grow all the more needy.

"Everyone has their kinks," she laughed. "At least, everyone here does." Then she bent slightly to look into Ruby's eyes directly. "What is it, Lady? Do you need to do your business? Need a drink of water?"

"Strawberry."

It was whispered very quietly, as though she was ashamed of herself for needing to say it; but that was their safety word. It seemed the intimate petting from Glynda and overall display to the rest of the club was finally taking its toll on her, making her too nervous to continue.

"What is it?" Winter asked in obvious concern.

"N-no, just… I wanna go upstairs now. Not stop completely. Sorry, I just didn’t… know how to…"

Winter's face had gone white when she first heard the word, but after Ruby followed up, she began to breathe again. "Alright. We can go." Trying to suppress her worry, she smiled at Glynda. "Another time? Enjoy your soak, Snowmane."

"Oh, I'm sure these two will help me enjoy it." She looked back toward the other two women in the tub, both of which held up their thumbs in approval.

Now that it was clear they were going to be heading out of view, Ruby hopped back down again, waiting patiently by her side to begin. Even if she had said the word, she would continue up until they were out of sight.

"Come along, Lady," she said, making a couple of kissy noises as she began to walk toward the stairwell to take her up to the private rooms. Soon enough, they were ascending, and Winter was glancing through the windows to see which ones were free.

"Here we are," she sighed, opening one of the doors. "In you go, girl, come on!"

Right away, Ruby 'ran' inside, sparing a couple of stray yips for effect before she was in the room. Once there, she sat herself on the ground, and waited for Winter to close the door…

Before she let out a long, shaky sigh. Sitting herself in a regular, much more human position, she tried to run her hands over her face; only to find they were still in the large plush gloves. So much for that.

"I'm so sorry," she uttered, continuing to take a few breaths. "It just got to be too much, after a while, I mean. Kinda needed a break."

But what Winter said when she turned around wasn't what Ruby had expected. Rather than scolding her outright, or reassuring her, she asked a simple question, delivered in a flat tone. "Don't you trust me?"

"I… what?" For some reason, that struck more fear into her than any scolding could. If those ears were real, they'd be pinned right back. Had she disappointed Winter? "Y-yes… Of course I do."

"I wouldn't have let anything to happen to you down there. You could have just hopped down and tugged me toward the stairs if… I mean, when you used the safeword, I was really scared that you were hurt, okay? Or that I messed up, or…"

"No no, you were doing great!" she reassured, scooting herself toward where Winter stood instead. She had overcompensated for her slight discomfort by the hot tub, and worried her too much. Why was this whole situation so awkward with the addition of her feelings? She would never feel this bad if it was anyone else she let down! Sighing, she looked to the ground. "I didn't know how to do it in character, not without getting scolded; I just needed to get outta there."

Winter took a breath, running her fingers through her own bangs as she allowed her haunted eyes to close. "You're fine… it's fine. Sorry about that, I just, I thought you were really upset down there or something, and I felt worried all the way back up here."

"And I'm really, really sorry," she stressed, still staring toward the ground. This was getting them nowhere; her own feelings for Winter truly were getting in the way of them having a good session, ruining their chances of doing what she intended when they started this whole thing; preparing her for sessions of play. Maybe it was about time she found another Dom. It would certainly make it all a lot easier.

"I'll leave if you want me to," she whispered, about to try and shuffle the gloves off. "I get if you don't wanna finish this session anymore."

"What? Why on earth would I want that? I was just worried that you…" She fell to her knees, sliding her arms around Ruby's back and bringing her in close. "I was just worried about you. But if you're alright, then that's what matters."

The sudden hug stopped Ruby's actions completely. Instead, she froze up, staying perfectly still in Winter's grip. Oh but how good it felt to be there, in a loving, genuine embrace by her. It was something else entirely… Finally she allowed herself the pleasure of hugging her back, snuggling against her rather closely as she did so, trying to clutch with the paws.

After another minute or so, Winter kissed the side of Ruby's head and whispered, "This was a good first session. But you have to learn to put your full trust in your Dom a little more than that, whether it's me or another Dom. During petplay, what they say goes; you can resist as much as a dog would, of course, but in the end you have to remember they are your master." Another brief kiss. "And if you were worried about Glynda… well, I know you don't know her, but you have to trust that I do. Otherwise, I'd never have let her lay a finger on you."

"Okay… I guess I'm still just a newbie to all this." She managed to giggle nervously, finally looking back up to Winter with a brighter expression again. That's what these types of relationships and sessions were all about in the end. Trust. And that trust was something Ruby needed to work on more.

"The goal," Winter went on, in a more businesslike tone and without any of the raw emotion from before, "is for you really to be able to play with others. Obviously, I would not have let Glynda do anything more than she did today; not on your first day out. But, in the future… it wouldn't be uncommon for several other patrons of the Clamp to want to pet you there, at least through your suit. It's expected and seen as part of the game."

"Well, I mean, I could handle petting fine! Normal petting! But then she was suddenly poking around the zipper and mentioning plugs…" Unfortunately she looked down again, and lightly shuddered at the thought. "The nerves just… kinda ganged up on me, y’know? I didn't think anybody would be going that deep but you."

"I understand. So long as you try to learn what will be expected of you in the scene room. Other Doms would be more cross with you for not performing; I'm not cross at all, but I am worried about how they'll scold you if you don't get more comfortable in this role, that's all." However, she was smirking. "As for me going deep… I can definitely handle that."

There was that smirk again. That mischievous smirk that usually meant something exciting was going to be happening very soon. "Go on?"

Still wearing the same expression, she slowly took off the backpack and lowered it to the ground. "You didn't think we'd come up here to shoot the breeze, did you?"

"Oh boy…" Unable to help herself, she bit her lip and flushed red again. This would be the first time they had a session without a drink beforehand, and their first somewhat in public. That was assuming that Winter had left the viewing window open for people to freely glance if they wished. But she told herself that if she let Penny get her off in the car, then this shouldn’t be much worse. Watching patiently as Winter rummaged through the contents, she asked, "What are we trying this evening, then?"

Rather than answer with words, Winter raised her hand to display something Ruby had seen very early on in their time together: a black anal plug with a fluffy black-and-red tail hanging down from it. Yet again, Ruby's eyes snapped open wide. The matching tail, right there. She had managed to escape it their first time together, but this second session…

"Okay, this is gonna be new-new," Ruby felt the need to say, continuing to blush. "I've never even tried a finger up there before…"

"Well, you're not going to be new-new after today." When Ruby winced again, Winter smiled. "In one way or another. I'm going to try working you up to the plug, but if it doesn't happen, that's okay. Still want to try, though; at least get you used to the idea."

"Okay… okay, this is happening." There were a few deep breaths from Ruby as she composed herself again. This was going to be intense! Multiple people had told her anything in that region would feel very different, and far tighter than what she was used to. "Just, one thing. I know you want me to get used to it as a normal session, but…" Nervously, she looked down again. "F-for this, can I, um, drop the dog act? Cause I'll be very… distracted."

"Yeah, I think that's understandable." Then she asked very mildly, not wanting to sway Ruby in either direction, "Would you like a brief cuddle session first, so you're a little more relaxed, or do you want to get right to it?"

Ruby wanted to say “yes”. In fact, if there was the offer to just cuddle for the rest of the evening with Winter rather than continue, she would feel tempted to repeat that beautiful, intimate session between them both, cuddling in bed, falling asleep in each other's arms…

No no no, what are you thinking about that for? she chided herself internally, having to shake her head. You know that'll make things awkward. Winter doesn't do relationships, get that into your head. And with that, she shook her head, smiling briefly.

"Let’s get right into it."

"Good. Now, then… do you want to keep your paws on? I'd like you to, so we can get straight back to play if you get the tail squared away in there." Even as she asked, her hand was trailing down Ruby's stomach, heading toward the zipper.

For a moment, Ruby looked to the paws again. Sure enough with a small flex, she smiled to herself. "They're too cute to take off."

That prompted a genuine grin from the Dom. "They really are cute, and you're cute wearing them." The sound of the zipper cut her off from saying anymore, and she kept it going all the way underneath and back to the suit’s clip-on tail. "Still doing alright?"

Wriggling to part the material slightly where it was now unzipped, she nodded. There wasn't much else she could do other than settle in a comfortable position against her Dom, trusting in her to handle all the details.

"Okay, hmm… settle on your back. I think that would be easier." Winter began to help her ease backward, one hand between her shoulder blades. Eventually she was resting on the ground while raising both her paws yet again into the begging position. It seemed the easiest while Winter was about to prepare her body.

"What does it feel like?" she couldn't help but ask. "If you've ever tried it, I mean."

"Oh, I have, believe me," she chuckled lightly, edging the material open wide as she settled in to tease her. "It's… I don't know how to describe it. More powerful, more… I don't know. Your mind will try to tell you it's hurting, because it's a feeling it's not used to, but if you really focus you'll realize it's not pain you're feeling. Discomfort at its worst, but more typically pleasure."

"Okay, that sounds strange…" As she felt Winter's fingers beginning to touch her skin, she wriggled back and forth again, before settling with her feet against the ground, spread right apart. "Like, I know that for people with dicks, they have a prostate… I just never got what people like us get out of it."

"You'll see." Then she reached into the bag again. "I'm going to get some gloves; it'll make cleanup easier, since I'm also going to use a little flavoured lube. Your butt is going to smell like cherries – literally."

"Flavoured lube? I thought that was just for dildos and stuff! Why would you…" Seemed her sub was going to learn all sorts of things today. Not just what it would feel like to have fingers poking where the sun don't shine. Keeping her legs apart, she tried to look down between them to watch as Winter slid the gloves on. Once her hands were prepared, Winter pulled out the tiny tube of lubricant and smiled over at her.

"Now, this will be cold, of course, but I can hold it between my legs for a minute for you." Which she did immediately, pressing the bottle in between her thighs. "Might not make much difference, but it's worth a shot, right?"

"You just want to put things between your legs or something." But as soon as that came out, Ruby slapped her paws across her mouth, face flushing red yet again. "I'm sorry! When I’m nervous, I don't exactly think before words come out my mouth!"

The smirk was bemused, at least. "I do, but not at the moment. Right now, I want to focus on what's going between your legs." To drive her point home, she began stroking over Ruby's hindcheeks with one hand.

"Eeee-oh…" Beginning to relax, she couldn't help but shudder lightly when hands went over her skin, gliding softly to stimulate her. Allowing her hands to fall again, she returned them to the same begging position. Seemed that aspect of play was going to remain.

"Good… you like that?" Then she took the tube out from her thighs, feeling it had grown very slightly warmer. "Alright, I think we may be ready."

Displaying some dexterity, she managed to unscrew the cap of the lube with the one hand alone, fingers twisting in order to dislodge it. Slowly nodding in agreement, Ruby smiled rather happily to herself, biting her lip to stop any stray moans or faint calls of joy. She watched as Winter slowly prepared two of her fingers, coating them in the dense fluid. It smelled nice even from this distance, just like Winter said.

"Okay…" Again, the hand returned, but this time only a thumb brushed one cheek, in the general area. "I won't begin until you say 'tickle my ass'. It's a silly phrase, I know - but this way, it's only happening when you tell me to do it."

"'Tickle my ass'… wow, really?" she asked jokingly. But in truth, she was already prepared for such actions. Winter was taking such good care to relax and calm her down, why wouldn't she be? With a small smile, she leant back, and repeated the phrase again. "Tickle my ass."

"Your wish is my pleasure, Lady." And without any further delay, Winter pushed one lube-coated fingertip up against Ruby's tightly-puckered opening.

"Hoo! Ohhh, it’s so weird," she panted, letting out a small series of moans in response to the finger attempting to enter her. It really was tight, even though she felt Winter circling the muscle over and over again to try and loosen it.

"Just relax," her Dom said in a low, calming voice as she continued to tease in a slow, lazy circle. "Mmm, I haven't played with an ass this tight in a long time. But I can open it… just you wait and see."

"Mmmfff! Y-you're pretty confident of that, huh?"

But the efforts were working. Gradually, the muscle of her sub was beginning to twitch against the finger trying to make its way inside it, trying to resist opening itself completely to her, but it was somewhat useless. Each twitch was causing it to become even looser.

"Oh… oh that's so…" Strange. Winter was barely penetrating her, but she could feel the tingles going through her body. The barest hints of both pain and pleasure mixed into one, leaving an equally confusing sensation. But one that was rather enjoyable. Keeping back a moan, she asked, "W-was it like this f-for you?"

"Not like this precisely; my backdoor was given a more… sudden and unexpected lesson." Her smile was lopsided now. "Though I did come to appreciate it once I got over the shock."

"O-oh… Right…" When the finger began to press in harder, Ruby found herself wincing. She was still unsure what to make of the whole ordeal. Did she enjoy it? Or was she just putting up with it for Winter's sake? The possibility was both, that she was enjoying it because it was Winter. Had it been anyone else poking there, she probably wouldn't be as accommodating.

But Winter was determined to make this as pleasurable as she could for her sub. Leaning down, she left a soft kiss on the inner thigh, humming loud enough so it could be heard as she did so. Anything to help her accept the finger more readily.

"Y-yeah… Definitely glad I d-dropped the dog act for this," she mused quietly, continuing to bear the treatment of her rear end as it loosened all the more. Again, she was still confused, still unable to comprehend the feeling.

Until the tip slid in further, and she gasped.

"Ooohhh," Winter cooed, letting the finger come to a halt when she heard the little gasp. "I'm inside your ass, Lady. How is it?"

"I-it's…" Eyes shutting rather firmly, she shuddered at the sensation, feeling her muscles spasm against the finger again. "I-it's… so weird."

"In a good way?" Another long, lingering kiss on her thigh, one in which the lips began to knead upon the flesh gratefully, beyond happy to be doing what she was doing.

"In a… I dunno just yet." Yet again there were a few more twitches of her leg, all while she was trying to understand what she was feeling down below. Even as Winter pushed in that bit further, she was still unsure, still quivering.

Glancing down, Winter let out a soft chuckle. "Your body doesn't seem to mind in the slightest. Maybe it's ahead of your brain."

"M-mayb- aaaah!" Even further inside, she felt the fingers prying, opening her up. Winter certainly was patient, given how long it was taking her to grow accustomed to it. And this was just one finger! How much more intense was this going to get with something larger?

But Winter didn't seem to need to progress to anything larger - not just yet. Once the finger was a little deeper in, she began to wiggle it very slightly, just to see what Ruby's reaction might be.

"Mmmfff! H-hah!" That was even stranger than before! Feeling the tip of Winter's finger press against different sections of her inside was really taking its toll, sending yet more tingles through her skin. How could she bear this as often as she claimed? Did Weiss do this? Did Yang?

"Oh, just you wait until we work up to the plug," Winter teased her very mildly. "But… wow, you look like you're really loving this." When Ruby stared at her with wide eyes, she shrugged. "Not in a way you expected; I can see that, too. But I can usually tell who's going to be a butt-slut and who isn't during their first time playing back there. And you, Lady…" Her finger writhed and pushed deeper. "You're just getting started."

Yet another shaky release of breath. A butt-slut? Her? She could never imagine herself asking Penny for this, or any other Dom in the future; but it seemed almost like a requirement for the club. After all, it was something Glynda commented on straight away without even thinking, and likely something everyone took part in no matter what the gender. But was it really what she wanted and enjoyed?

The breathing was so shaky that Winter paused, finger nearly all the way in, and kissed Ruby's leg again. "Relax. Breathe deeper. Let yourself accept it. I promise you, I've had this done to me more times than I can count, and it's all about not fighting it."

"Okay… O-okay…" But she couldn't stop herself! No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop the quivering in her breath, the spasming of her muscle against the finger that was invading. Everything felt so unusual, so tight. Even after five minutes of weathering the treatment, Winter's sub was still unsure if she liked this or not.

"Still so tight," Winter observed, biting her lip as she began to slide the finger in and out a little. Clearly, she was surprised that Ruby hadn't loosened up as much as she had been expecting, but was no less determined to make it happen.

"W-winter…" She couldn't help herself. When the finger began to move back and forth inside her, the moan just slid out. Still confused, still concerned of what was happening to her body. There was just so much for her to handle.

Okay, try not to think about it, she attempted to think to herself, biting her lip. If you're still this worried when it's the plug, THEN use the word. For now, just relax, will you?!

In a sing-song voice, Winter began to coo, "Lady, Lady, my little butt-slut…" Then she giggled as she wriggled the finger. It really wasn't moving all that much when it came down to it, but definitely enough that it could not be ignored.

"Hnnn!" Gritting her teeth, she felt her muscles twitch yet again. It truly was too intense for her to ignore, and the teasing was only making it worse. Toes curling in her socks, she asked, "H-how long… Does this take? U-until you try t-the…"

"I could try it now," she assured her. "You've opened up enough, but I didn't think you were ready yet. You're so nervous!" Another kiss on the thigh, this one longer, very tender. "Don't you want to open up for Princess?"

"I-I…" She was still unsure. Although… trying the plug would certainly prove if she really did like it or not, if she were to take something far bigger. Closing her eyes, she nodded gently. "L-let's try now."

Smiling down at her, she whispered, "Okay. Just remember your safe word." Then she eased back, holding the finger inside of her as she reached back to the bag, nipping out the tail.

"Now, this is going to be very sudden, but I'm going to pull my finger out and replace it with the plug, up to the finger's width. See how it's tapered?" She held it up so Ruby could see how it went from a thinner point to a wider bulge. "I'll stop it there for a minute, and then we'll work it further in, widening your ass as we go."

Cheeks flushing red once again, Ruby looked at the plug in her hand. Compared to a finger, it seemed huge. How on earth was she expected to take all of that and leave it there?! How could anyone, even? But she had to try. Even if she didn't end up liking it, she had to try for her partner. Giving a small nod, she held her legs right back for Winter to work her magic.

Nodding to herself, Winter laid the plug on Ruby's thigh. "Hold this for me a moment."

Then she brought up the tube of lube and drizzled just a tiny bit more onto its surface, some drips landing on her leg instead. Having to try and curl the paw around the tail, she secured it in place as best she could. Though yet again, she shuddered when feeling the liquid hitting her inner thigh. It had gotten slightly colder since it was first pressed there. But still, she did as best she could, holding the tail firm.

"There we are," Winter said, using her free hand to lube up the silicon length once she had put the tube back down. "Want to make sure this has as easy a time as possible." Then she picked it up by the base and brought it right up beside the buried finger. "Alright… three, two… one!"

And within just a few quick seconds, the finger was gone, and the tip was pressing against the already-loosened opening.

"H-haaaah!!!" Once more, Ruby's toes were curling in the paw print socks Winter had got for her. It was so much bigger than her finger already, and it had barely even entered her! And it was only going to get bigger, and delve deeper, widening her poor back door. Biting her lip once more, she tried to hold on while Winter pushed it that bit further, paws curling against the ground in an attempt to hang onto something.

"You're okay," she encouraged very gently, pausing when she saw how starkly Ruby was reacting. "I promise your body can take much bigger than this; it's very elastic back there. Especially at your age."

"I-it's so… S-so…" One of her legs was quivering. While the first finger had been bearable, just, this was so much more intense. But Winter wasn't stopping, and continued to push more of it into her body, widening her all the more. And again her breath was continuing to shake, continuing to get nervous. How did people do this on a regular basis?!

Again, Winter paused in the inward advance to turn it very slightly from side to side instead. "Relax your body completely, Lady. We're more than halfway there, just another inch and it will be in, and able to sit comfortably inside you."

But alas, Ruby couldn't. With those few turns, and a tiny bit more widening, she had enough. "S-strawberry!"

Winter spoke in exactly the same tone, as if she were still encouraging Ruby to take more - but what she said was, "Stop right where we are, or take it all the way out?"

Judging by how shaky her breath still was, and by how she was twitching in both her legs and the tight muscle around the object, the answer would come as no surprise. Still, she had to tell Winter herself, so shook her head lightly. "O-out…"

"Alright, taking it out now." Smoothly but quickly, she slid the object free of Ruby's behind.

Finally, she felt herself gradually begin to close back up again. Taking a deep breath, she took a moment to slow her breathing right down to calm herself. While disappointed she couldn't continue further, she could tell her body wasn't ready for such a feat.

"Sorry," she whispered once catching her breath. "I tried. I really tried…"

"You did wonderfully," Winter told her seriously, removing her gloves and laying them by her bag. "I told you I wanted us to try, and that's what we did. You didn't take it all, but you took most of it; that's really good, you know, and nothing to be ashamed of or to apologise for."

"Isn't this like a requirement though? Like a common thing?" she asked, letting her legs down at last as she looked back toward Winter. "Like, aren't pets supposed to have a tail or something? If I can't even do that, how can I-"

"Shhhh," Winter soothed her, petting the insides of her thighs again and pressing her lips against one of Ruby's fleshy cheeks. "We'll try again; it's over for tonight, but not over forever. But you're right, it's typical for pets to use plugs. However, if you tell your Doms you can't do it, they'll respect that - well, if they're a Dom worth a damn." Then she chanced a small smile. "Do you mind if we talk about it for a minute, though?"

For a moment, Ruby just looked in her direction. Either Winter was one in a million, or Ruby had fiercely misjudged the community she was getting involved in. She was so kind, so caring for her needs, and reassured her every step of the way. It was almost beautiful.

She was beautiful.

No, she wouldn't keep thinking about that. Not this evening. Tonight, her goal was to try and find another Dom after their play to avoid such feelings, so she could avoid hurting Winter and Penny. That didn't mean that they couldn't chat though. Nodding, she shuffled herself over instead, leaning against Winter as she sat with her. Sliding an arm around her shoulders, Winter accepted her head under her own, leaning her ear down against her crown.

"You liked that. I could tell. That's not saying you have to do it just because you liked it, or that you were ready for anything more. You're not on an 'anal schedule', so you can't fall behind, now, can you? I'm just telling you what I observed from your physical reactions."

Shuffling back and forth for a moment, Ruby found herself flexing her hind muscles again on instinct. It was strange to have something absent after the time Winter took to open her up, but still just as much a relief. Leaning back further into her, she let one of her hands drop on top of Winter's.

"I still don't know if I liked it," she confessed, shuffling lightly again. "It was so weird. Kinda uncomfortable, kinda hot? But like, I don't know if I could go any further than this."

"You can, I'm sure of it; it's just not something you're used to liking." Winter sighed. "I know I'm going to sound argumentative, and I'm sorry for that, but… chances are that if I don't say anything, you're going to go home, and you're going to drive yourself crazy worrying about whether you liked it or not, and wind up talking yourself out of trying it again for a long time. That's not what I want for my sub. So I'm hoping…" She took a breath, contemplating her words. "I'm hoping that if I can gently encourage you to think about it positively, that you will at least be open to trying it again soon."

"Maybe…" She bit her lip again nervously, looking off into the corner. "I guess that's me with a lot of my kinks. I'm just too scared of exploring them because they’re weird things to like, even if some are probably things I'll never try, anyway."

"I'll never judge you, or your reactions." She smiled pleasantly. "Remember what happened when you squirted on me? Did anything bad happen, anything at all? No. We're both still fine."

For a moment, Ruby was smiling mischievously. While they were talking, they could at least have some fun. "I'll bet I can surprise you with at least one of my kinks."

"I'll bet you can," Winter answered easily enough, rubbing along her arm consolingly. Then she drew back a few inches. "Wait, was that meant to be some kind of challenge?"

Looking up toward her instead, the mischievous smirk only continued. "It can be, if you want me to try and surprise you?"

"Alright, but…" She glanced back at Ruby's behind, then leaned forward. "Let's make the stakes something non-sexual. If I'm surprised, you win. If I'm not, I win. The winner…" Her lips pulled into a wicked little grin. "The winner gets to buy two ice creams of whatever flavor they want, and the loser HAS to eat theirs. No exceptions."

"Wait, so the loser can’t back out of eating the winner’s choice? So like, if you wanted to buy mint, I have to eat it?" It didn't seem a particularly major bet, but enough to pose some sort of a threat, if it meant eating a disgusting flavour. Nodding, she grinned. "Deal."

"See, you made a fatal mistake; you told me which flavor to make you eat. But to even the odds, I'm not particularly fond of anything with nuts." But she was chuckling, sitting back from Ruby. "Alright, what's this fetish you have?"

For a moment, Ruby paused. Was she really about to do this? This was something that Penny didn't even know, and she was about to tell a Dom that wouldn't be her Dom for too much longer. But what did she have to lose? Besides, Winter had proven time and time again she could be trusted.

"Okay, so it has a story to it," she began, making sure she was facing Winter. "So once in school, I got detention from my art teacher. It was nothing major, I just forgot my homework, and I had to stay behind. No one else was there though, just me. It was winter - um, the season, not the you - so the room was a little chilly, and she lit some candles to try and make the place feel warmer, y'know?"

“What kind of crummy school didn’t have adequate heating?” Winter laughed. But the tale wasn't done yet; Ruby continued.

"This teacher is one I kinda had a crush on anyway. She was stern, but fair, and I really, really liked that. I was somewhat distracted anyways, so when she came over to help me…" She shuffled once again, clearly preparing herself for the last part. "She accidentally knocked one of the candles over, and the wax went all over my hand and arms. I dunno why, like it hurt, but it also felt really really good. But that and the fact she did it, was just… yeah."

Winter blinked a few times. "Oh, hot wax? Wow, I… did not figure you for the pain-kink type. Even if wax isn't very high on the-" Then she slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing what she had just admitted.

And Ruby simply grinned intensely. "HAH! Knew that'd surprise you!"

"Damn, really put my foot in it this time," Winter grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. "Very well, I won't back out of our bet; you win."

But in return, Ruby only giggled. The least she could do now that Winter admitted defeat was lean in, giving a small kiss on her cheek. "Well, I think the teacher thing ties into it, too, just to let you know. Then again, I said from the beginning that was a thing of mine."

"Tell me more about this teacher," Winter said as she began to pet Ruby's belly in small, lazy circles. "There's always a specific 'type'. What did she look like? Tall, short, young, old?"

Oh… that feels nice, Ruby thought to herself when her belly was petted, biting her lip very slightly at the sensation. Maybe they weren't going to finish with the plug like she first assumed, but maybe they could still have some fun.

"Well…" She looked toward Winter, eyes half closing. "She was young-ish… wore square shaped glasses. Thin build…"

"Hair colour? Eyes?" She kissed the tip of Ruby's nose. "You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious. Sounds like she really got you wound up."

Leaning in against the hand rubbing her belly, Ruby smiled. "I never really looked at her eyes, past the glasses… too intense. But she had red hair, back in a bun a lot of the time. Really looked more like a librarian than an art teacher."

Humming, Winter rubbed more vigorously, enjoying their gentler interaction now that Ruby's worry had passed. "I almost want her to step on me myself, so I can imagine how much worse you had it in school." Her voice dipped lower. "Did you ever daydream about her?"

"I might have…" The rubbing was having an effect. Each movement was sending heat to her core again. Winter was going the right way about getting her hot under the collar. Literally.

"What do you imagine? Besides the candles, I mean." Rubbing slower, she kissed the side of Ruby's head as she whispered, "Do you want her to punish you? Or just to take a very firm hand to parts of your body?"

"Hmmm…" Relaxing into the hand again, Ruby found herself trying to push up against it, attempting to push it down lower toward the open zipper. "M-maybe both… punishing me is hot, sometimes… but commanding me… Mmmfff…"

"Just telling you what to do to yourself?" Winter persisted, the hand drifting a little lower. She had no problem doing for Ruby what she desired; she had earned that much for being such a good sub and trying to put up with the newness of a plug. "I can get behind that." After a moment, she decided that since this was no longer truly a "session", she could be a little more open. "I… like that a lot, too. When I'm the sub, that is."

It was a rather pleasant treat for Ruby, to learn of the things Winter liked as a sub rather than just her needs as a Dom. She had known Winter preferred to be submissive, especially to men, but never really knew what she enjoyed most. It seemed now, she was willing to say.

"I-I noticed… Your bed…" She continued to talk while Winter was approaching her sex, curious to see if her partner would continue to talk so easily. "The beams are really strong… and there's rings at the top to secure things there?"

Winter smiled in a pleased manner, petting all the lower. "My Lady is so smart!" But she laughed to make it clear she wasn't reinitiating play. "Yes, I had that custom ordered. It's very… useful. You can make use of the rings yourself, if you'd like; I just hadn't brought them up because we've been busy with other matters."

"I think I prefer… what was it you called it? Shibari." But when she felt Winter's fingers hit home, she sighed in delight. At last, she could finally revel in the wonderful sensations, which she did so by pushing her hips up against them.

"But the idea of you there…" She tried to distract herself, even if it was by imagining something else kinky. "Is that what you like best? To be splayed out?"

"Oh yes," Winter sighed, her own voice finally sounding the tiniest bit discomfited. "It's so satisfying, hanging there and being made a spectacle. A little paddling…" Then she laughed. "I'm rambling; you don't want to hear all this."

"Actually…" As she continued to push herself up against the fingers all the more, she had to somehow suppress a moan. The more she imagined Winter in a submissive state, helpless for whoever wanted her, the wetter she was getting. "Actually I do… g-go on… what makes you the craziest?"

Ruby asking after these details was having a side effect; Winter was also sounding more and more as if she would like to have her own needs met. When she was purely in control of Ruby, she seemed to almost have no sexual appetite whatsoever; merely a detached pleasure at watching the younger woman squirm. This, however…

"Mmhhh," Winter sighed, grinding her fingers against her sub's sex even harder. "Oh, there's so many things! I like having my mouth fucked. Being spitroasted, or double-penetrated… I've had all three filled before, but that's been a while, and it was a little much for me personally. Oh, and I like being stepped on, or spat on. Chained up - as you guessed. And I love outfits, not just as a Dom but as a sub, as well."

"Hmmm!" Biting her lip for a moment to prevent her moans becoming all too loudly, Ruby took a moment to take all those mental images in. Shadow figures of men taking the woman who dominated her quite a few evenings. Not just one at a time, some even together. The idea of her being chained up while one man was at the front of her and another at the back.

She couldn't resist, she had to moan out. That mental image was all too satisfying. Why not add a little more? "O-outfits?"

"Well," Winter sighed as she continued stroking along her soft wetness, "You… have seen a few of them by now. The Hogwarts one, the one I'm wearing now. Others hanging in my secret closet. French maid, nurse, gothic lolita, naughty librarian…" She paused, then added, "Or teacher…"

"Hoooooo…" That was the shakiest breath of the evening. Seemed that was having an effect on Ruby that she didn't intend at all. Not only were the moans slightly increasing in volume, but she was quivering once again. Now she couldn't get that image out of her mind… Winter in those square glasses that she loved on that art teacher. Winter commanding her over a desk, helping her out. Winter The Teacher.

"Mmhhh," she sighed gently, her hips shifting from side to side restlessly as she listened to Ruby moaning, watched her writhe beneath her gentle encouragement. "Ohh, have I told you lately how hot you are?"

Already her poor sub was getting close. Imagining such things really did have a major effect on her. With each delicate rub over her folds, she found herself climbing further and further. It must have been what was left over from dealing with the plug.

"In fact… since you seem to like hearing about what I'm like on the bottom…" Winter leaned in, and with a voice full of need, she asked, "How about when you're finished… I let you put that tail in my ass, instead?"

"HHHAAAAAhhh!!!"

It was unexpected, but suddenly Ruby hit her limit. Quivering against the very fingers sliding up and down her folds, she let the tingles of joy travel through her body. Fast, intense waves of pleasure, brought on from all of the teasing and all the imagining of her Dom. The image of her writhing from the intrusion of the tail in her perfect ass was the last straw.

"Yes!" Winter crowed, stroking harder and harder, wringing every second of pleasure from her sub, drawing out her climax as long as she could. "That's a good Lady! Oh, come for me - I love hearing it! It's so exquisite!"

Those last few movements of fingers were enough to cause a few more twitches of her. Once more, the small amount of fluid freed itself from Ruby's sex, splashing against her mistress’s hand again and again as she pushed her climax as far as she could, torturing her poor sex. But oh how good it felt, how good to finally get that release!

There was a pronounced shudder from Winter, and she licked her lips as she felt the spurting up against her. Perfect; she always hoped for a chance to reassure Ruby in this area. In an even more obscenely sexual voice, she said, "More! I want to feel more of you running down my hand! It's… so beautiful, I'm so blessed! Bathe me, my little Lady!"

There was no more to be had. After a few spurts, Ruby's finish was over. She simply couldn't handle any further movements. But what had been done filled her with joy, left her grinning as she laid back against Winter, staring blankly at the ceiling.

GOD this was too good. How was she ever going to give this up to go Dom-hunting?

[spacesnail3000]

Brooklyn’s Sweetheart Chapter 2: Diamonds Are Forever, Those Boys Ain’t

Pairing: Stucky x Reader

Chapter Summary: They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but can diamonds keep her company all summer at Martha’s Vineyard? She didn’t think so. 

Word Count: 4,336

Warnings: Language, drinking, eventual smut

Masterlist / AO3

The next morning, Y/N sat at the kitchen table, eating the Eggs Benedict their chef, Rita, had made, when her father walked in.

Obadiah sat down at the kitchen table and stared at his daughter. “Good morning.”

“Morning, Daddy,” she greeted him, her voice light.

“What do you want?”

It was his way of apologizing for the night before. They’d been through this enough times that it was now a routine.

When he yelled at her during her celebratory end-of-eighth-grade-sleepover, she got a brand-new MacBook out of it. When he screamed at her homecoming date in sophomore year, he gave her a St. Bernard puppy. When he cursed out her coach at her state qualifiers swim meet the year before, he bought her a white gold and diamond tennis bracelet. 

She wore the bracelet now, and the dog, a Sweet Good Boy named Hermes, sat at her feet, looking warily up at her father. Hermes and Obadiah had quite the hateful relationship.

Hermes was just a good judge of character.

“I want Steve and Bucky to come with me this summer.”

She had thought about it all last night, knowing her father would come to her this morning with a peace offering—more like a way of buying her forgiveness. And she knew what she wanted, which was to spend the summer with her two closest friends since childhood.

Every summer, her father sent her off to their vacation houses. The cabin in the Adirondacks, the beach house in the Hamptons, the cottage at Martha’s Vineyard. Each time, she was accompanied by a small entourage—people to keep her safe and to keep her from being bored, because of course her parents weren’t about to spend the entire summer with their daughter.

Steve and Bucky had gone with her on several of these trips but had made no plans to be with her for this summer, which was outrageous to her because they were the perfect pair to keep her both safe and entertained. 

She was headed to the cottage in a week and she wanted her favorite boys to be there, no matter if one was not speaking to her and the other had forced a very interesting kiss on her the night before.

So maybe the kiss she shared with Bucky had prompted this whole idea, but she sure as hell couldn’t ask her father for only Bucky to come. That would be suspicious. And she did miss Steve, so she hoped this would give her the chance to smooth things over with him.

Even if he was a big dumb blond hunk of meat.

“That’s all you want?” her father asked suspiciously, expecting the other shoe to drop.

“Yes,” she nodded. 

“Really?” he stole a piece of toast from her plate, and she glared at him. As he chewed, he said, “You know, diamonds are forever, those boys ain’t.”

Simpering, she quipped, “Whoever said diamonds are a girl’s best friend hasn’t met Steve and Bucky.” Then, “A new Balenciaga bag would sweeten the deal. But mostly I just want them with me for the whole summer.”

“Sure thing, sweetie, whatever you want.”

As their weekly mob meeting later that night finished up, Obadiah broke the news to Steve and Bucky. It worked out well for Obadiah. He hadn’t known who he was going to send with his daughter to protect her until she made the decision for him. Stark had taken an interest in the Rogers kid for some reason, had big plans for him over the summer, but he had managed to talk Stark into letting him go at least for a little while.

 “You two will be accompanying Y/N this summer,” Obadiah said with an air of finality, “Your job is to keep her safe and happy.”

That had always been their job. To anybody remotely concerned, that was Bucky’s and Steve’s sole purpose for being alive.

They hadn’t been doing that good of a job of it for the last few months—at least not the “keeping her happy” part.

The boys didn’t argue—not to Obadiah’s face. They didn’t have a death wish. 

“You’re leaving in a week for Martha’s Vineyard.”

Tony sent them a look that told them he approved of this and they had no choice in the matter, before he exited behind Obadiah.

Sam waggled his eyebrows at them. “Make sure to pack your swim trunks, boys. Oh, and you’ll have to find a guard-dog-friendly beach. Pets allowed, and all that.” He snickered as Bucky flipped him off before he exited the room. 

As the last two in the meeting room, Bucky and Steve looked at each other. Bucky’s gaze was pleading—Steve had barely spoken to him the entire day, and when he had, it had been clipped statements that simmered with an angry undertone. Steve’s gaze now was even angrier.

“What the fuck, Bucky?”

That was all Steve said before leaving.

Bucky had no idea why Steve was so mad—aside from the obvious fact that he kissed Y/N. Even then, Bucky thought it was hypocritical of Steve to be mad over such a thing considering he had also kissed Y/N last year. Bucky had told Steve as much earlier, and Steve only responded by getting even angrier.

Bucky made his way into the kitchen, where everyone was gathered for the big family dinner they always had every Sunday, right after the official weekly meeting. Tonight, Tony’s chefs had prepared a variety of Indian cuisine for them.

He spotted Y/N on the other side of the kitchen. She had just come in from the backyard with Peter Parker, Tony’s boy, and she was barefoot. Bucky started to make his way over to her but Steve got there before he did. Peter scurried away when Steve made eye contact with him.

“So,” Steve said, sidling up to her right by the kitchen table, effectively trapping her between him and the table. “Martha’s Vineyard, huh?” His voice was hard, slightly annoyed.

She looked up at him with that sweet smile. Her lips were glossy with lip balm and she smelled like the sun. “Yeah, I thought it would be fun. Are you excited?” 

He sighed her name, exasperated.

“Hey,” she said before he could say anything else, “I’m wearing the necklace you got me. Thank you, it’s perfect. I love it.” She hooked her thumb around the chain and showed him the gift he got for her birthday. It was a silver locket, an engraving of the sun on the front.

His eyes softened when he saw that, and he smiled at her genuinely for the first time in a year. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I’m not sure what pictures I should put in it, yet,” she said, fingers opening and closing the latch of the locket with a little snap. “Maybe we’ll take some good photos at Martha’s Vineyard.”

He hesitated before asking, “Why did you want us there this summer?”

“I miss you guys,” she answered earnestly. “You never spend time with me anymore. And next semester, I’ll probably be at NYU, maybe. And then I’ll never be around and I’ll never see either of you.”

“Sweetheart—”

“I just want one summer with you guys. Is that too much to ask for?” Her puppy dog eyes hit him in just the right spot.

“No,” he sighed, giving her a small smile, “No, it’s not too much… It’ll be fun. We’re excited.”

Y/N parted from him then, squeezing past him to make her way into the living room to talk to Wanda and Pietro Maximoff before dinner started.

Bucky came over to Steve and Steve sighed. “I couldn’t stay mad at her.”

“You don’t really have a reason to be mad at her,” Bucky pointed out, “Not really.”

“I know…” he turned to Bucky, eyeing him. “Do I have a reason to be mad at you, Buck?”

Bucky shrugged. “I told you, the kiss was an accident. Doesn’t mean anything.”

 “Yeah… Okay… Sorry for bein’ an ass.”

“S’okay,” Bucky clapped him on the back. “I’m used to it by now.”

Steve laughed and punched at Bucky’s shoulder, and then dinner was called.

A week later, Steve and Bucky were packing their suitcases into the SUV for them to get ready to go on the six-hour trip to Martha’s Vineyard. They had gotten a late start and probably wouldn’t be there until it was dark. 

Steve drove and Bucky rode shotgun, dictating the music the entire drive—much to Steve’s and Y/N’s chagrin. She sat in the back with Hermes and chattered with them both about nothing for the first half of the drive.

They were already behind schedule, and it was only made worse when Bucky and Y/N demanded they stop for a bathroom break about three times each—Steve was seething by the last time. He calmed down when she came back from the gas station convenience store with a bag of M&M’s for him—his favorite candy.

They had stopped for a late lunch at a pizza place in Boston—and had gone 40 minutes out of their way for it. Between the three of them, they had devoured three pizzas and a whole basket of garlic knots. It had sent Y/N into a food-induced stupor. By the time they were pulling up to the Stanes’ cottage, she was fast asleep, using the dog as a pillow.

He and Steve carried all the luggage in before they contemplated waking her up. 

“Let her sleep,” Bucky said, “She’ll probably be out for the rest of the night.”

“I’ll carry her in,” Steve said as Hermes jumped out, “Can you get the dog?”

Bucky obliged. He let the dog go into the fenced-in backyard.

The cottage at Martha’s Vineyard wasn’t so much a cottage as a 6-bedroom converted-barn-turned-luxury-mansion overlooking the water, complete with a big fancy backyard and a pool and access to the beachside and a private dock. Bucky was always blown away every time they visited and this time was no different.

He stood in the backyard admiring the black waters while Hermes did his business.

“I set her on the couch,” Steve said, startling Bucky.

Bucky looked back to see Steve on the porch, taking a seat on the porch swing that faced the ocean. He walked over, taking a seat next to him. Their arms brushed together as they settled in.

“Here,” Steve said, handing him a bottle of whiskey. “They’ve got this place stocked with liquor but no food. We’ll have to make a grocery run tomorrow.”

Bucky grunted in response as he took a long drink. It had been a long day, and truthfully, all he could think of doing right now was going to bed. Instead, he stayed up with Steve, ready to relax on their vacation after the last stressful few months. 

Tony had taken Steve under his wing, mentoring him into a more important place in the mob. It was the start of something big, Steve kept saying. Bucky was excited for his friend, if not a little jealous. But Steve deserved it, he knew; Steve was always the more determined of the two of them, always the more ruthless one.

So tonight, Bucky welcomed the respite. As they chatted and ribbed each other over the bottle of whiskey, it was like nothing had changed.

The conversation had turned to Steve and Peggy, and Steve was saying, “Yeah, Peg’s great, but I dunno. She doesn’t really get it.”

“Get what?” But Bucky had a feeling he knew what Steve was talking about. He took another swig of whiskey before passing the bottle to Steve.

“The mob, the life we live. She doesn’t know the half of it, and if she did… She wouldn’t stick with me through it.”

“You need someone who already knows our life, Stevie. Someone who understands.”

Steve was quiet for a moment before saying, “Someone like Y/N?”

Bucky stiffened. That hadn’t been what he was going for, but Y/N was on the back of his mind when he said it. She had been on his mind since last week. He laughed it off. “C’mon, Stevie, you think Stane would let you have her?”

“Stane’s been thinking of who to marry her off to,” Steve said after a long drink. “Only reason he’s letting her go to NYU is ‘cause he hasn’t had any good contenders yet.”

“And you think you’re gonna put in an offer?”

Steve scoffed. “No. I’m dating Peggy, Buck. C’mon.”

“But if you weren’t?”

Steve looked beside him to find Bucky already staring at him intently. They made eye contact, the air between them tense. Finally, Steve shrugged. “I’m not sure, Buck. Maybe I should be askin’ you the same thing.”

“Does it look like I’m ready to settle down and take a bride?” he asked, giving Steve and incredulous look. Steve laughed and looked down at his lap, shaking his head, doing that bashful thing even when Bucky knew he wasn’t bashful at all. “Besides, I wouldn’t do that to her.”

Steve knew what he meant. Tying her to the mob, for as long as they both shall live. Mob wives were much more involved than the children of the mob, and they both knew Y/N was too sweet and innocent for that.

Steve’s smile fell away and he nodded, thinking it over. “Yeah. I wouldn’t want to either.”

They had both had quite a bit of whiskey by now, and Bucky was feeling brave. “Tell me about when you kissed her, Stevie.”

Steve’s eyes widened and he looked at Bucky with a shocked expression. “You know about that?”

“Yeah, she told me the other night,” Bucky answered, taking the bottle from Steve as he was about to take a drink. “’Fess up, punk. Don’t avoid the question.”

He let out a long sigh, his shoulders drooping, hands braced on his knees. “Fine. But you can’t tell anyone.”

“Who the fuck would I tell?”

Steve swatted at his knee. “I don’t fucking know, just keep your mouth shut about it. Got it?” When Bucky nodded, Steve continued. “It was the end of last summer when we were all in Southampton. She snuck out with some of her friends to a party one night, and I caught her coming back late. I was just startin’ to lay into her about it when she started crying—and not her usual crying when she’s bein’ a brat, you know?”

Bucky knew. She got real teary eyed sometimes when they caught her doing something she shouldn’t have been, specifically when Steve started yelling at her. But usually she took his scolding with a stiff upper lip, unless he was being really unfair.

“She starts sobbing, and I can tell something’s really wrong. So I hug her and coddle her and eventually she tells me that some guys at the party were makin’ fun of her because she’s a virgin.” Steve clenched his jaw, remembering the way she blushed when she told him, the way she looked down and whispered it like she was ashamed of it. “And so I’m trying to tell her there’s nothing wrong with that, and she tells me she’s never even kissed anyone, and how is any guy ever gonna like her if she doesn’t even have any experience.”

“So you kissed her?” Bucky asked, remembering Y/N had said that he had offered.

Steve shook his head, laughing a little. “I don’t know what came over me. She was just so sad, and you know I have a soft spot for girls when they cry.”

Bucky knew very well about Steve’s weakness for people when they cried—not just girls. He and Steve had experimented in bed plenty of times and if there was one thing they had found out, it was that Steve loved it when Bucky cried. It really got him going for some reason.

“I wouldn’t call it a soft spot…” Bucky muttered, earning a punch on the arm. Steve still laughed about it good-naturedly.

“She was lookin’ up at me, all doe-eyed, and red, and sad. Kinda like how you used to look at me, Buck.”

Bucky looks at him, surprised, and memories of their times together flash through Bucky’s mind. They were each other’s firsts, stumbling their way through puberty and coming-of-age and the discovery of teenaged sexuality together. It wasn’t until after he experimented thoroughly with Steve in many different ways that he became the Lothario he is today. He feels his cheeks heat up at the images his brain conjures of them together in bed, touching and kissing, dry-humping each other until Bucky came in his pants.

“Yeah, like that,” Steve said, looking at him with a fond smile, something dark gleaming in his eyes. And truly, Steve thinks Bucky looks wonderful right now, all flushed and shocked and exactly like he did when Steve fucked him for the first time when they were 16.

So maybe Steve has a type for innocent young things who blush a lot. That’s why he was trying to stay away from Y/N. Maybe that’s why Steve had always felt like Peggy was wrong for him but staying with Peggy was such a great distraction for now.

“So I couldn’t help myself,” Steve shrugged. “I asked. I didn’t just force myself on her.” Part of Bucky feels sheepish at that, because that was exactly how he kissed her the night of her birthday, forcefully, predatorily. The other part remembers how nice it was every time Steve forced himself on Bucky in the heat of the moment. “I asked if she wanted me to kiss her just to see how it felt. And she said yes. So I kissed her.”

“Did you like it?” Bucky asked. He couldn’t help it.

The blush on Steve’s cheeks surprised Bucky. “Yeah, I guess I did. But don’t you ever tell anyone that.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. As if he would. “If you liked it, why’d you ignore her afterwards?”

“What? I didn’t!”

“Don’t bullshit me, Steve. You can’t bullshit me, I see right through you, pal.”

 Steve looked down. The red hadn’t faded from his cheeks. “I dunno. I liked it too much, maybe. Stane would kill me if anything happened between us.”

Bucky got it, then. Steve liked it, and he needed to put distance between them to stop himself from taking things further.

“And then I found Peggy, and I just got too busy with Tony. So Y/N and I stopped talking as much.”

Bucky thought about this, but in his tipsiness, his dazed mind kept wandering back to how he kissed her. He kissed her like Steve used to kiss him, and he wondered if Steve kissed her the same way.

“How was it, Stevie?” he asked, a question that had been on his mind for a week now. “How was the kiss?”

Steve smirked knowingly. “Nothing like how I used to kiss you, that’s for sure.”

Bucky remembered their first few times together, sweet and tentative, innocent explorations. Steve had kissed him kindly then, but they had both quickly found out they liked it when Steve took charge. When Steve was rough with him, showed him no mercy.

But Bucky only liked it when Steve did that to him. None of the other men or women he had been with were the same in that regard. He only trusted Steve to take that power away from him, knowing Steve would never hurt him.

He supposed Steve liked the control aspect of it. As for Bucky, he needed that control whenever he was with anybody else.

“Guys?” they heard from the doorway after a brief silence. Hermes, who had been lying at their feet dozing, immediately got up and trotted over to where Y/N was standing, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“Hey, sweetie,” Steve said, “You just wake up?”

She nodded and padded over to them, Hermes following her loyally. Her feet were bare and she was still wearing her clothes from earlier, leggings and an oversized sweatshirt with her high school’s mascot on the front. Bucky thought the sweatshirt had belonged to Steve once, or maybe him—or maybe both, he couldn’t recall.

She took a seat between them and slumped down onto Bucky’s shoulder. “I’m tired,” There was a little pout on her lips, puffy and sleep-swollen.

“Then go back to bed,” Bucky told her, draping his right arm around the back of the bench, letting her rest her head on his chest.

“Can’t fall back asleep.”

“Are you hungry?” Steve asked, ever the doting mother hen. “There’s not food in the kitchen, but maybe we could go pick something up.”

She shook her head. “I’m still full from the pizza.” 

“Well, we’ll go for an early breakfast tomorrow,” Steve said, “Any place you want.”

“Okay, Stevie,” she said, smiling up at him sleepily. 

Steve couldn’t help himself when he swung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to rest on his chest instead. She went willingly, cuddling into him. Bucky sent him a look, and Steve raised an eyebrow back—a little like a challenge, one that Bucky did not accept. Instead, he yielded to Steve, resting his right hand lightly on Steve’s shoulder, feeling the need to be close. Her legs came up to rest on Bucky’s lap and she just sat there with them, enjoying the night. 

Just like old times.

“Are you guys staying with me for the whole summer?” she asked, her voice muffled into Steve’s unusually large peck.

“I dunno, doll, is that what you asked your dad for?” Steve asked knowingly.

She shrugged and buried her face deeper. “Maybe. Doesn’t mean he’ll keep his word.”

“We’re here until further notice,” Bucky said. “Steve might get called away occasionally.”

“Because of Tony?” she asked, her voice small.

“Yeah,” Steve said, pressing his lips to the crown of her head in a kiss, “But you don’t need to worry your pretty head about that.”

“Okay.”

“Now, doll,” Bucky started, placing his left hand on her calf. She glanced at him from Steve’s chest. “Are you gonna behave with us this summer?”

She blushed, but a smirk fell across her face. “Of course I will, Bucky,” she said in a tone that implied the exact opposite.

His hand slid up to her knee. “Not gonna go getting into any trouble with all the teenage hooligans on the island?”

She rolled her eyes. “Why would I want to get in trouble with them when I could get in trouble with you guys, instead?”

Steve’s arm tightened around her shoulders in a way that was just a little bit threatening. “Now, Y/N, listen to me,” he said, using his serious voice, “Your dad wanted us to keep you safe. You’re not gonna go around making trouble for us. Got it?”

“I guess,” she whined. Steve didn’t like that.

His hand came up and cupped her jaw, tilting her head up forcefully so she looked at him. “Don’t be a brat,” he said, a warning in his tone, “You’re gonna be a good girl for us or there’ll be consequences.”

“Steve,” she pouted, the whine still in her voice.

He grit his teeth, and his fingers squeezed her jaw just hard enough for her to get the message. “No complaining, baby girl. Now you say ‘Yes, Steve’, so I know you understand.”

“…Yes, Steve.”

He let her go, and she tried to pull away from him but his arm around her shoulders anchored her against him. Bucky’s hand moved from Steve’s shoulder to her head, stroking his fingers through her soft hair to sooth and reassure her.

They were all silent then, like they often were after Steve scolded her. It was a familiar dance for them. When she got bratty or if she did something wrong, Steve would reprimand her sternly, while Bucky sat by and watched. Then, both Bucky and Steve would calm her down so she knew they forgave her. It worked to correct her misbehavior every time, but it took all three of them.

With Steve rocking them gently on the porch swing and Bucky running his fingers through her hair, it didn’t take long to lull her back to sleep.

Steve carried her upstairs to put her to bed, and Bucky followed, turning down the covers and tucking her in. Hermes curled up on the bed at her feet, settling down and dozing off right next to her. 

Steve had already placed their luggage in the rooms they would be staying in, all their rooms side by side in the same hall.

Bucky followed Steve to their respective bedrooms, and they lingered in the doorways.

“Do you think I was too hard on her?” Steve asked. They spoke quietly in the mellow darkness of the night. Bucky could hear the waves crashing on the beach out back.

“Nah,” Bucky reassured him, “She can take it. Plus, it’d be nice if she didn’t act up during this trip.” He could hope she wouldn’t, at least.

Steve nodded. “She gets so ballsy on these vacations when her dad’s not here.”

“Well,” Bucky said, clapping him on the shoulder, “If she gets like that this summer, you’re here to put her in her place.”

Steve looked at him, dark eyes glinting. “Damn right,” he said, voice low. Bucky couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but Steve’s tone of voice sent a shudder through him. “We should get to bed,” Steve said finally, breaking up the tense atmosphere. “I’m waking you both up early tomorrow.”

Bucky groaned, “Ugh, c’mon Stevie. Let us sleep in.”

Steve grinned, “No chance, Buck. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Bucky said, his voice soft as he watched Steve retreat into his bedroom, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

He let out a deep breath, rubbing a hand over his face. It was going to be a long, intense summer, he could already tell.

[skamamoroma]

Sending love to @londongirl2001 for tagging ❤

1. what is the color of your hairbrush? Haha starting off random, i see. It’s a peachy colour with white bits.

2. a food you never eat? Shellfish. I’m allergic and have been since I was a kid. I haven’t a clue what it tastes like!

3. are you typically too warm or too cold? I’m a bit of both. I run quite warm but if I get properly cold I take FOREVER to warm up. 

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago? Cleaning my bathroom. THE EXCITEMENT. Contain yourselves!

5. what is your favorite candy bar? I’m guessing candy bar can relate to chocolate because, if so, Wispa. Hands down.

6. have you ever been to a professional sports event? Yes but not loads... I’ve been to a few football matches and I used to live in Wimbledon so I’ve been to the tennis before. Other than that, I’m not a bit sports person.

7. what is the last thing you said out loud? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Quarantined for 34 days alone. It was probably me singing I think!

8. what is your favorite ice cream? Pistachio al gelato! 

9. what was the last thing you had to drink? Cloudy lemonade. I’m a little addicted at the moment and have been drinking it warm when I had a really bad cough/hayfever and fatigue with honey!

10. do you like your wallet? It’s a little blue thing with a star on the zip. I’m not really one for designer stuff or fancy leather stuff... but it suits me and works. I’m kinda only ever interested in if something is cute and practical...!

11. what was the last thing you ate? A chocolate chip cookie!

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend? Oh I don’t even remember what clothes shopping is like haha. But I did treat myself for a few new bits for staying inside from Monki recently (aka the place half of my wardrobe is from)

13. the last sporting event you watched? Oh god knows. I think 6 Nations rugby in a pub in Brighton.

14. what is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Basic sweet from the cinema. I’m not a huge popcorn person.

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to? To my group of best friends.

16. ever go camping? LOADS when I was a kid, a few times when I was a teenager and at a few festivals then I genuinely can’t remember after that...

17. do you take vitamins? Hahahaha. I have a hormone condition and I’ve been taking a ridiculous amount of supplements for that so yes. Loads. 

18. do you go to church every sunday? I’m atheist so, no. 

19. do you have a tan? I’m painfully Northern so no. I’m pasty and this whole staying inside thing is meaning I’m practically translucent!

20. do you prefer chinese food or pizza? OH GOD. This is hard. I have to betray my Italian food loving soul and say chinese food. Mainly because there’s more of a mix aka veg/carbs

21. do you drink your soda with a straw? Nope, but I do drink fizzy drinks (whenever i have them at home) out of a huge goblet glass

22. what color socks do you usually wear? ALLSORTS. I have quite the ridiculous sock selection. I’m wearing some today that say “you crafty bitch” that one of my best friends bought me when we were in Brighton

23. ever drive above the speed limit? Oh definitely. Hardly ever intentionally but I’m sure I’ve done it a few times. 

24. what terrifies you? I used to have quite a few morbid fears that would impact me hugely but I taught myself to get over two of them (flying and needles) which I’m so proud of myself for doing... but I think seeing those I love suffer is right up there, spiders/bugs in general and then I have a few weird ones like trypophobia and a touch of claustrophobia. 

25. look to your left, what do you see? My kitchen!

26. what chore do you hate? I really don’t mind most chores but I hate to iron clothes so I rarely do it and also I taking the rubbish out... otherwise, I am a bit weird and I like to clean around my flat. 

27. what do you think of when you hear an australian accent? Normally TV shows!

28. what’s your favorite soda? Lemonade - all kinds!

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thru? I don’t have a car as I live in London so I can’t do a drive-thru and I don’t really go to many fast food places to be honest. I only ever really get fast food when I travel on trains or the odd home delivery

30. who’s the last person you talked to? MYSELF. 

31. favorite cut of beef? I’m not a huge meat eater in general but I do like steak every now and then. 

32. last song you listened to? Always Will from the musical Bright Star

33. last book you read? My Italian dictionary....haha

34. favorite day of the week? Friday or Saturday - or Wednesdays when I have Italian class!

35. can you say the alphabet backwards? Good lord, no. My brain gets scrambled.

36. do you like your coffee? OH GOD. I love coffee in so many ways. I’m a real iced latte fiend. I love a Cappuccino after a meal. I love mochas on the regular. I like a good milky coffee in the winter at work. TONS.

37. favorite pair of shoes? I have a pair of pink converse I love and my Birkenstocks in the summer. 

38. at what time do you normally go to bed? OH GOD MY SLEEP PATTERN IS SCREWED. Normally, around midnight when we’re not in a global pandemic!!! 

39. at what time do you normally get up? For work, around 7.30-8. Now.... christ on a bike, any time. 

40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets? Sunsets. 100%. My favourite sunsets I’ve ever seen were in Italy (I watched so many from the top deck of the boats on Lake Garda) and in Iceland at the Glacier Lagoon near Diamond Beach. Both were ridiculously beautiful.

41. how many blankets are on your bed? Only my quilt but in the Winter, I have a pink sparkly blanket I put over the bottom :)

42. describe your kitchen plates. HA. My kitchen wear is what I call ‘granny chic’. I have so many mismatched plates but all of them are either pink or pastel colours, I have citrus fruit side plates and floral crockery. Even all of my cookware like casserole dishes etc are patterned and granny-ish!

43. do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage? Gin. Hands down. I love it with allsorts. I’m a bit picky though and have my favourites. I like to drink it with garnishes though. Juniper berries, pink peppercorns etc. Also, I love a Shandy every now and then and I love certain brands of sweet sparkling Italian wine. Also cocktails. My friends always say I’ll drink anything pink.

44. do you play cards? Not really. We were never really a card playing household so I never learned but I am a board game person!

45. what color is your car? I don’t have one. I live in London and really don’t need one AND can’t afford one. I used to have a little black Micra called Daisy though!

46. can you change a tire? I could once upon a time but I’ve forgotten!

47. what is your favorite province? Province is difficult to work out for the UK... I guess it’d loosely translate to ‘region’ and that’s DIFFICULT. I guess I’d say the North East of England. 

48. favorite job you’ve ever had? I LOVED working in a bookshop when I was at Uni. I’d wanted that job for SO long and I adored it. I also love my current job a lot of the time too. 

49. how did you get your biggest scar? My old dog. He had sharp nails and scratched the back of my hand but it wasn’t his fault!

50. what did you do today that made someone else happy? I haven’t interacted with another human being today in person but, via the wonders of social media, I gave advice to once of my best friends about life etc and I THINK I helped a bit and gave her support so I’m hoping that made her happy!!!

I’m tagging : anyone who reads it - tell us things, I love reading about people! (also, feel free to ignore, of course!)