#because left to my own devices it IS going to be duct tape and hot glue

[gender-trash]

hey do you think you could whip me up a little robot guy to flip over all the puzzle pieces to be right side up? I feel like that would really enhance my jigsaw puzzle experience. should probably only take a day or two right?

tbh this sounds pretty doable if you're willing to use a jigsaw puzzle table of a very consistent color and jigsaw pieces with undersides of a very consistent color and a consistent lighting setup and a robot arm with a vacuum gripper, and you stay out of the room until it's done... ACTUALLY hang on puzzle pieces are usually shiny on the top and matte on the bottom so i can just shine a bright light from the top down and ignore all the reflective pieces with color segmentation. and build a custom table that'll jiggle around until all the pieces are flat and not on top of each other, because i do NOT have a depth camera lying around with fine enough resolution to tell stacked and unstacked pieces apart. but assuming all that works out the actual grasp poses are really straightforward!

okay i got this give me an ikea table i can hack apart, some beefy fucking vibrating motors, a dozen jigsaw puzzles you don't mind getting mangled in testing, a robot arm with a vacuum gripper, and six months 👍

also the arm will cost $30k ^_^

[cauliflowercounty]

The Babysitter (Clyde Logan x Reader)

Warnings:  None

-----     

     A buzzing erupts from Clyde's pocket and he grumbles in return, putting down his beer on the coffee table in his trailer.  He hates his phone, to be honest.  The buttons are too small for his fingers and it takes him forever to respond to anyone one-handed, but Mellie insists he needs one, saying he’ll “never know when his back’ll be against the wall” or something like that.  He fumbles around in his pocket for the device and pulls it out, recognizing that Mellie is actually the one calling him now.  

     “Hey, Mel.  Is everythin’ okay?” he asks after raising the phone to his ear after accepting the call. He can hear music in the background and people cheering.  “I know you’re goin’ on a date now.  Need me to pick you up?”

     “No, Clyde.  The date is going great, actually,” Mellie insists and Clyde’s chest relaxes.  He hates the thought of his little sister on a disastrous date, but he’ll be there for her if it is.  “You know Jimmy is to have Sadie and this week since Bobbie Jo and Moody are out of town on vacation and the Chapman kids are at their aunt’s place, right?”

     “Yeah, Mel,” Clyde replies as he remembers how ecstatic Jimmy was when he got the call from Bobbie Jo saying he could have Sadie for longer than an afternoon.  

     “Jimmy had to go on an extra-long shift at the hardware store... somethin’ about them bein’ short-handed.  He left her with me for the whole day, but I had this date and I couldn’t cancel.  I did get a babysitter for Sadie, the one Sadie really likes- thank goodness she could come- but I forgot to leave her a check,” Mellie explains wearily.  “Hold on, David.  I’m talkin’ to my brother!  Sorry about that, Clyde.  Her pay is $50.  I’ll pay you back the next time I see you.  Could you do this just this once, please?”

    “O’course,” he says immediately.  “She at your place?”

     “Yeah.  Thanks, Clyde.  I’ll call y/n to tell her that you’re stoppin’ by,” Mellie says into the phone and hangs up. Clyde puts his beer into the fridge and pulls on one of his flannels.  Grabbing his car keys and his checkbook, he heads out the door and hops in his car, quickly arriving at Mellie’s.  He walks up to the door and knocks twice. Immediately, he hears some shouting coming from behind it.  The door swings open wildly and Sadie throws herself into Clyde’s arms.

     “Hey, Uncle Clyde!” Sadie exclaims.  Clyde smiles down at Sadie, immediately noticing that she’s got some eye shadow and mascara on with a little bit of eyeliner to match.  “Y/n and I are doing some makeup!  She’s helping me try out new things and then we’re gonna make a tiramisu!  It’s chocolate, and coffee... ladyfingers, and this fancy cheese called mar... marn... What is it, y/n?”

     “Marscapone,” you say to Sadie, coming into view from the other room with a tube of lip gloss in your hand, and Clyde’s heart jumpstarts and his cheeks flush a light rose.  Your smile is beautiful he can tell you like being around Sadie. “Found that lip gloss you were wanting, Sadie.  Do you think you like this color or do you think we should choose a pinker one?”

     “I like this one!  Thanks, y/n!” Sadie shouts, rushing over to take the tube from you then dashing to the bathroom for a mirror.  

     “Don’t go crazy, now!” you call as she ducks out of sight.  You turn to Clyde with a warm smile.  “Hi.  I’m y/n.  You must be Clyde.  Mellie called to say her brother was coming,” you say with a little blush.  You hadn’t expected Clyde to be this tall and handsome, then again he was related to both Mellie and Jimmy.  You reach out your hand to shake his.

     “Hi...,” Clyde trails off, enamored with you.  He shakily extends his hand, too.  Your grip is firm and confident, yet delicate.  As he’s shaking your hand he notices his heart is racing a mile a minute.  Nervous, he retracts his hand and he looks down to make eye contact as you smile to him.  “Well, I was supposed to come by and drop you off a check...”

     Clyde reaches into his pocket, taking out his checkbook and quickly scribbling on it with a nearby pen as Sadie comes back, skipping to his side.

     “What do you think, Uncle Clyde?” she says gleefully, doing a small twirl.

     “It looks great,” he says to his nice.

     “Hey, Uncle Clyde.  Guess what,” Sadie says in a sing-song voice.

     “What is it, Sadie?” 

     “Y/n is readin’ that book that you were a week ago!”  Sadie explains.  “Y/n likes readin’, too.  She’s read all the classics that you have.  And her favorite book is the same!”

     Clyde feels his cheeks get hot and there’s a small part of him that twinges in disbelief. He’d have expected you to be quite opposite him and it’s almost too good to be true, what Sadie is saying.

     “Y’know, y/n. My Uncle Clyde is a bartender.  He owns his own place of the highway.  It’s called Duck Tape.  Like duct tape, but what people say when they don’t know it’s for air ducts,” Sadie rambles.  His heart swelling, Clyde wonders why he never met you in the past and how good a match you two’d be based on what Sadie’s said.  “Y/n likes some of the same things you do, Uncle Clyde.  She likes her bacon burnt and good drinks.  I know that because I over-hear her and Daddy talkin’ sometimes after they think I’ve gone to bed.  She likes old country music classics, too, and Bob Seger.”

     “Okay, okay.  That’s enough, Sadie,” you smile to her.  “I’m going to get out the ingredients.  And Clyde?”

     Clyde’s ears perk up and his heart warms at the sound of his name coming off your lips.  He could definitely get used to that sound.  

     “Thanks for dropping off the check.  I don’t know why Mellie insisted it happen tonight and dragged you into this.  It really wasn’t a big issue I wasn’t paid tonight, but I’m thankful you’re here,” you say softly, disappearing into the kitchen.  As soon as you’re out of the room, Sadie rushes up to Clyde again.

    “What do you think, Uncle Clyde?” she whispers to him.

     “What do you mean, Sadie?”

     “Of y/n.  She likes all the stuff you like.  And she’s single,” Sadie adds, trying to get Clyde to say something about you.  “She had a boyfriend named Derek a while ago.  I didn’t like him.  He was a flake and left her for someone named Mary-Beth.  Aunt Mellie and I agree she deserves better.”

     “You can’t be implyin’ what I think you are, Sadie.”

     “I am, Uncle Clyde.  You should ask her out,” Sadie insists.

     “I just met her, Sadie,” Clyde replies, wishing he could ask you out, imagining you both sitting at a table in a nice restaurant.  He’d wear a suit and you’d look lovely.  You’d talk, laugh, eat, bond and at the end of the night, he’d drive you home, hold your hands and say he enjoyed the night and hopes you’ll do it again.  “I would be inappropriate...”

     “But-” Sadie begins to protest, but just as she starts, Mellie comes through the door.  As soon as Mellie sees Clyde, she sighs.

     “You were right, Clyde.  The date was a bust,” Mellie admits, throwing her keys down.  “Sorry I had to leave you, Sadie, but I see you and y/n are havin’ fun.”

     “We were just about to start cookin’,” Sadie smiles.  “Tiramisu!”

     “Welcome back, Mellie,” you say, coming back into the room

     “Thank you so much, y/n.  I owe you a favor,” Mellie smiles.  

     “It’s nothing.  Sadie here,” you say giving her a hug.  “... is so much fun.”

     You say your goodbyes and leave, closing the door behind you and Clyde is sad to see you go.  He watches through the window shades as you turn your lights on, back out, drive away.  A twinge of regret washes over him and his heart that was soaring only moments ago has hit rock bottom again.  Clyde guesses it’s fate.  It’s the Logan family curse.  

     “Aunt Mellie, he didn't do it!” Sadie complains.  “And we made it so easy for him!  I even laid it out for him just like you said!”

     “Clyde...!” Mellie laughs.  “Did we do all that work for nothin’?  We were tryin’ to set you up with her...”

     “You can’t be serious, Mel,” Clyde gasps, adamantly trying to deny his sister and his niece would ever try something like that.  It’s impossible that anyone would even think Clyde could be with someone like you.

     “Dead serious.  We’ve been wantin’ you and her to meet for months now.  Jimmy’s even in on this, too, Clyde” Mellie explains, crossing her arms.

     “I can’t believe he didn’t pick up on it,” Sadie says to Mellie, whose shoulders relax as she goes up to her brother, placing a hand on his shoulder, knowing partially why he didn’t make a move while it was so easy was because he’s still a little insecure about his arm and unable to believe pretty girls are even capable of liking him.

     “Do you like her, Clyde?”  Mellie asks, looking at her brother in the eyes, hoping he does.

     “Y-yeah...,” Clyde says under his breath, disappointed in himself.  Something good was within his grasp and he let you slip through.  “She seems kind-hearted and sweet.  She didn’t comment on my arm or stare at me like others do.”

     “And she likes reading!” Sadie interjects, making Clyde smile.

     “... and she likes reading,” Clyde grins, thinking of going to a coffee shop or the library with you and spending hours in their curled up with some good books and you.  Mellie exhales, but smiles, grabbing a pen and some notebook paper.

     “Here’s her number, Clyde,” Mellie says.  “Good luck.”

     “Good luck, Uncle Clyde!” Sadie calls as he folds the slip of paper and heads out the door, the excitement back in his heart.

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

     Five months later, Clyde wakes up, groggy from sleep.  He rolls over and wraps his arms around you, running his thumbs over your skin, nuzzling his nose into your neck.  You giggle as his facial hair tickles.

     “Good Morning, Clyde,” you grin, turning to face him, giving him a soft smile.  He mumbles a good morning to you, too, as he places a soft kiss on your lips.  ‘Clyde, I have morning breath!” you laugh, placing your fingertips on his lips.

     “So?” Clyde coos, going back in for another kiss.  “I love you,” he whispers.

     “I love you, too, Clyde,” you reply, wrapping your arms around him, holding him close, hoping you’ll never have to let go.  “Remember we’re meeting up with Jimmy, Mellie, and Sadie for lunch today, so we can’t dawdle.”

    “Mmhmm,” Clyde mumbles.  “Remind me to thank them again for settin’ us up.”

     “You always say that when we go to meet up with them!” you smile with a small chuckle.

     “Well, I owe ‘em a lot.  Without them, we wouldn’t be like this together and I would have missed out on the best five months of my life...,” Clyde beams, looking into your eyes and cupping your cheek tenderly.  

     “You can’t mean that, Clyde.  What about your childhood or your time with your military buddies?” you suggest.  Clyde only shakes his head.

     “No, Darlin’.  You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Clyde replies, holding you tight.  “and I swear to you.  I’m tellin’ the truth and I’m so grateful that you’re here in my life.”

     “The felling’s mutual, Clyde.  Promise me this’ll never end?” you ask, hoping that this risk you’re taking won’t be in vain.

     “Of course.  I’d rather relive the day I lost m’arm on repeat than leave you.”

[kchuarts]

Flowers in Blood

A/N: TWO IN A ROW!! I didn’t post chapter 17 when I finished it because I was tired and again, ya gurl lazy. So you guys get doubles today! Enjoy~

Summary: Justice is finally served... For now. 

Warnings: Violence and brief sexual assault 

Taglist: @lucywrites02​, @shiningloki​

Chapter 18: Bloodroot p. iii

Katie lay naked on the tatami floor; bruises, bites, dried blood and semen temporarily staining her flesh. Travis and three of his men had left her like this in the dark, damp room after violently raping her last night. She was curled in a ball to keep herself warm as she refused to get up. Not like she could anyways as her body ached from the brutal assault she endured. Her throat was raw from screaming and because of that, she was reduced to whimpering. Sleep did not come to her as she was too frightened at the things Travis could possibly do while she slept. Her mind went to thoughts of Jonathan- was he alright? Was he not hurt badly? Where was he? Was he dead?

"Rise and shine, whore." Travis slammed the sliding door open and stomped in, grabbing Katie by her hair and yanking her up. He chuckled at her yelp of pain and forced her to stand up. The Bloodroot leader scrunched his nose as he saw blood drip between Katie's legs. Using much force, he throws her to the ground and kicks her legs open. "Disgusting. You gotta be on your time of the month now?" He spat.

"I-I'm sorry." She whispered hoarsely, trying to shut her legs. Katie yelped again as Travis kicked her legs open again. She could feel him staring at her bloody genitals and felt so ashamed. "Please stop looking at me." She tried to raise her voice but grabbed her own throat, rubbing it as if it would soothe her somewhat. For once, Travis listened to her and walked out, huffing.

"She is to get food and water but no pain meds or clothes." Travis ordered his bodyguards.

At least she would be getting something to nourish herself with. Thankfully she had access to the bathroom in her dark room. Carefully, Katie stood up and winced from pain shooting down her legs. She hissed from her painful cramps and limped over to the bathroom. Travis wouldn't be giving her anything to help the pain, but Katie always had the bath and hot water to work with. She flicked the light on and looked at the vast bathroom, slightly happy to see the bathtub was a comfortable size. “Oooh..” She moaned softly from pain, her hand pressing against her abdomen. Katie made haste and filled the tub up with hot water and sank into it with no hesitation. Relief came shortly after and she let out a silent sigh, hoping that the heat of the water would last for at least an hour. It didn’t help much, but it did soothe some of the aches in her lower half. She sat in silence, staring at the floor of the bathroom as her top half leaned out of the tub. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as her mind wandered to Jonathan. She covered her mouth to stifle her sobs, not wanting to draw attention. This was all of her fault, she thought. If she only fought against Jonathan’s idea, she knew that it would end up bad but didn’t anticipate this predicament. What would Angela do now? Katie rested her head at the edge of the tub, shoulders shaking as she wept silently. Maybe she should have listened to Jonathan in the first place, and taken the first flight back to a place that was no longer a home.

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

Pine grunted from pain as Travis struck him across the face. Here he was, bound to a chair and unable to fight back at all. “I should fucking castrate you first before I kill you.” Jonathan spit blood into Travis’s face.

“That’s if you can. I don’t see any ways of you doing such a thing considering the circumstances." Travis punched Jonathan across the face again and grabbed him by his hair. He studied his prisoner for a moment and nodded. "I actually think I'll tell you where my base is since there isn't a chance in hell you'll walk out of here alive. I can say the same for little Katie too." A sick smirk cracked across his face. Travis chuckled as he saw anger flash in Pine's eyes. "Ooh I hit a nerve didn't I? Damn it's nauseating how much you actually care about her." He shoved Pine back and snapped his fingers. Two bodyguards cut the restraints on the chairs and left Jonathan still bound by his wrists on the floor. "Downtown New York in an abandoned subway station not too far from central. I've got a little surprise planned for the good ol' US of A." Travis pulled out an older cell phone. "I'm sure you know what this is." He wiggled it between two fingers.

"Of course I fucking do. You realize that the military is going to come after you once you blow up New York- UGH!" Pine was cut off by a swift kick in the gut.

Travis clicked his tongue and pulled out two more older cell phones. "Well it's a good thing I've got followers all over. I've got some in D.C. and I've got some in Cali. Oh wait-wait!" Travis put the devices away and pulled out a third. "I almost forgot Detroit! My old stomping grounds. Of course I had to pay sweet homage to the place that made me who I am today!" The deranged man began to laugh maniacally.

"You're more dense than I originally thought. It's not going to last long whatever you plan to do-" Pine's mouth was then stuffed with a pair of Katie's panties and duct tape slapped over his lips.

"I'll let you have one more taste of her before I decide how to kill you. Oh those are her panties she had on before I raped her." Travis waved his hand, dismissing his bodyguards before kneeling down to look Jonathan straight in the eyes. "The best part is that once all this that I create gets big enough, I'll be noticed and people will fear me. I will be unstoppable with all the grade A military weapons, stolen arms, and illegal arsenal I have. I can have whatever I want." the sick grin on his face remained plastered and unchanged.

Jonathan shook his head, his stomach churning from how nauseous he felt. His breathing became heavier and sweat dripped down his face. Pine didn’t care about the fact his beloved’s undergarments were in his mouth at the moment, he cared about the thousands of innocent people Travis intended to maim. There was no redemption for a man- a monster, such as he.

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

Once the water had cooled, Katie lifted herself out of the tub and sighed. Her legs still wobbled slightly as she stood, grabbing a towel. She could at least use the rough textured fabric as a pad of sorts as there were no feminine care products around. Carefully, she wiped the fresh blood running down her legs and walked out into the dark room where she was being held captive. Placing the towel in a thick, folded structure, Katie sat down on it and wrapped her arms around herself. She felt so non-human and more like a caged animal to toy and prod at. “Jonathan, please be ok.” She whispered to herself hoarsely and felt an oncoming slew of fresh tears burn her eyes again. Her arms dropped to her sides as they became tired after a bit and her hand came in contact with an envelope. “What?” She muttered and grabbed the strange parcel, getting up and going to the bathroom for light. With shaky hands, she turned the envelope over and saw that it was addressed to her. Katie looked both ways and all around before cautiously opening it. The first thing that fell out were 3 Plan B’s, which had Katie slap a hand over her mouth as she muffled a sob of relief. Almost immediately, she got up and turned the sink on to get herself some water to swallow the contraceptive down. She wouldn’t have to worry about becoming pregnant for a bit now, depending on how long she and Jonathan were doomed to stay there for.

The next item she pulled out was a letter written in slightly messy but elegant handwriting-

My dear Katelyn,

I hope that you have found this parcel I have left behind for you. I knew that you were going to be sent here at some point. I would firstly like to apologize for all the pain I have caused you and Jonathan both as I was the one to reveal your location. I am sure you understand I must do what I have to do in order to save my child. However, if you manage to make it out alive… Please, if I do not reach my son first, please save him and kill my brother. Like Travis, he is not worth redemption and deserves worse than to burn in the fiery pits of hell. I have left you three contraceptive pills to prevent Travis from impregnating you or any of his goons. Use them wisely and do not continue to sit around. If you are reading this and you are still alive, act now and do not waste anymore time. I am saying this out of concern for you and Jonathan, I have seen what this man can do and he is just as wicked as my brother. Please, take care of yourself and I hope that perhaps in another life we can be friends and meet on better terms… Farewell

Yours,

Abbadon

Katie’s hands shook as she read the auburn haired woman’s letter, tears streaming down her face from how sincere this woman was. Abbadon did not deserve the life she lived in and deserved to live out the rest of her days in the lavender fields of France with her son. It was her dream to run away from the hell she was forced to live in and start anew. She hoped that Abbadon was not dead herself as she would do her best to not only save Nikolai, but Abbadon as well. “I have to be strong. For them.” She whispered to herself and shut her eyes, brain wracking ideas as to what she could do. There was one idea that came to mind, but it would force Katie to live through the trauma she had gone through all over again. However, if it meant she and Jonathan escaping with their lives, then she would swallow her fear. She had to be strong; three people were depending on her.

Inhaling deeply, she left the bathroom and resumed her seat in the dark room. If she could distract Travis enough, then this could possibly give her the chance for true recovery. She would kill him. There was no questioning when she thought about ending the life of a monster who stole two years away from her. With her resolution set in stone, Katie entered a state of meditation and braced herself for tomorrow. She would have her vengeance.

---------

The sun rose high the next morning and Katie had walked over to the screen door, opening it and seeing two bodyguards immediately shove their guns in her face. “I’m not trying to escape you bastards. I want to speak with Travis.” she held her head high, knocking the muzzle of one of the guns out of her face.

“You’ve got some nerve, girl.” One of the bodyguards huffed and stormed off to retrieve Travis while the other stayed behind and backed Katie into her room.

It took a minute for the bodyguard to grab him, but he shortly returned with Travis in tow. The Bloodroot leader looked rather irritated at the moment. He slammed the sliding door open and glared down at Katie, but noticed that her face remained expressionless. This puzzled him and made him raise his brow, irritation fading and now intrigued. “What do you want?”

“Let me come outside. I miss the sun… You can walk with me as you don’t trust me. I am still on my period so it would be appreciated if I could have some form of feminine product.” She spoke, voice still hoarse.

Travis scoffed, shaking his head “No. You’re going to stay in here until you’re done bleeding without clothes. I know what you’re trying to do, little Katie and it’s not gonna work.”

“Is that so? Maybe I realized how stupid I truly am for leaving you the way I did…” She stood up, grabbing a clean towel and placing it over her lower half as she walked forth. “Maybe I miss the pain. The way you fucked me and not those other pigs.” She referred to his friends. Katie stopped right in front of Travis, raising her eyebrows. “I’ve got nothing to hide. I am empty handed except for this towel. I am asking you to take me back seeing as you are not satisfied with other women. I don’t ever remember there being another woman who sucked your fat cock as good as I did. Who let you fuck every hole on her body without abandon and who let you do as you wished, within reason of course.” She screamed at herself inside, knowing that she had to do this in order to save Pine. Katie stood on her toes, placing a quick kiss to Travis’s lips before pulling away and walking back into the room.

The Bloodroot leader snatched Katie’s arm, pulling her out and smashing his lips on hers, forcing her to make out with him.

Katie wanted to throw up then and there as the taste of his tongue had gotten more rank and disgusting. She wasn’t sure how long she would last, but it seemed to be working.

“You’re absolutely right. Actually, I’m gonna have you suck my cock now in my room. I’ll listen to what you have to say. I want your word, Katelyn.” He narrowed his eyes.

“And you have my word, baby.” She batted her eyes and gave a sweet smile, placing her hand on his chest for added convincing. She gasped suddenly as Travis scooped her up and forced herself to giggle as he carried her off to his room. Hook, line, and sinker. Travis was rather easy to convince and with a bit of pushing and prodding, she’d have him six feet under ground.

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

Jonathan groaned, waking up from a night of beatings. He tried to move, but his body was too sore to do such a thing, even shifting his legs-

Wait, his legs were not bound. With this new found energy, Pine hoisted himself up then best he could and stood up. Blood rushed into his limbs after two days of being unable to stand and his feet tingled. These men were more stupid than he initially thought; truly, they were. Pine walked over to a tool kit foolishly left behind and turned his back to it. His hands grabbed a pair of scissors and using his long fingers, managed to position them under the rope. Sweat rolled down his face as he began to frantically cut at the fibers, hearing heavy footsteps above.

“Man I wish I had a girl like the boss’s.” One goon spoke, coming down the stairs.

Jonathan froze for a moment but kicked back into action, almost done with cutting the restraints. His heart beat hard as the footsteps grew louder.

“Yeah, well I don’t trust her one bit. You heard her the way she screamed when we raped her- HEY!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” The other goon pointed at Jonathan, causing both of them to rush toward him.

It was now or never and Jonathan took his chance, rushing back and holding his arms back to give the illusion that he was still bound. Once he got close enough, he kicked one of the goons out of his way and stabbed the blade of the scissors into the other’s neck and effectively slit his throat. Pine turned around quickly, grabbing the other assailants wrist and stabbing the blades over and over into the goons stomach. Once he was certain he was dead, Jonathan reached up and ripped the duct tape off. He spat out the pair of panties, tossing them aside seeing as Katie probably wouldn’t want those back. “Fools.” He panted, keeping the scissors on him but grabbing their guns and ammo. Pine thought for a moment and dragged the bodies out of the way before stripping one of them and dressing in the attire of Travis’s henchmen. Next, he headed over to a convenient can of paint and smeared some of the black goop over his closed eyes. Quickly, he made his way over to the small window and shattered it. He grabbed the clothed corpse and shoved him in the small hole. The other one he shoved into the closet. He knew this would buy him some time, but not much. Pine traveled up the stairs and saw a “fellow comrade” walking by. Using an American accent, Jonathan greeted the other man “Hey.” He tilted his head upwards and waited until the goon had his back turned. That’s when Jonathan struck, covering the man’s mouth with his hand and pulling him back into the basement where he slit his throat. “That makes three.” He mumbled in his normal voice, heading back up and seeking out more henchmen to take out.

----------

Finally, Katie had a pair of panties on and comfortably sat at a Kotatsu with one of Travis’s button down shirts on. She had even managed to convince him to let her have some pain meds and give her a pad of sorts. Luckily for her, Abbadon had left some feminine care products of her own behind. Thunder roared loudly above them, causing Katie to jump a little and grab onto Travis for faux comfort.

“You’re still a little wimp, huh?” He did not reciprocate her gesture but instead slid his hand toward her backside. “That blowjob was nice, but I think I’d like to get a piece of ass…” Travis smirk, sticking his hand down her panties and slipping a finger into her back entrance.

Katie seized up as her hole was still very much sore from the abuse two nights ago. She never liked doing anal and found it gross. “T-Travis wait- Don’t you want me t-to feed you first?” She didn’t make any move to stop him as that would cause suspicion. She couldn’t do anything no matter how badly it hurt. The feeling of his finger going inside of her was mortifying and she whimpered as he tried to push a second finger in.

“SIR!! PINE HAS ESCAPED!!” One of the henchmen burst in, panting hard.

Travis removed his finger and stood up, nostrils flaring. “What the fuck do you mean he’s escaped!?” His gaze immediately turned to Katie who shrunk beneath his gaze.

Her fear was starting to get the better of her as she remembered this exact look he would give right before a beating. “N-No! It wasn’t me! I was in my room th-the entire time.” She gulped, her heart racing and hoping Pine would get there soon.

For once, Travis took her word and stormed out to investigate the scene.

Katie quickly looked around the room and saw a pair of wooden chopsticks and Travis’s pocket knife. She quietly got up, going over to them and beginning to sharpen the chopsticks as fast as she could. Her teeth ground together as her anger fueled her, fear discapating away. Once she heard Travis’s angry footsteps coming back, she walked over to the Kotatsu, putting her weapon by her seat. To make herself look inconspicuous, she began to clean all the garbage up around the area where the chopsticks were.

“The fuck you think you’re doing?” Travis growled but then stopped short as he saw her turn around with his garbage in her arms. A smirk travelled across his face and he went back to his seat, sitting down. “Being a good little slave are we? How kind of you.” He chuckled, dropping his guard.

“I just don’t think staying in such a dirty environment would be good for you, ya know?” she threw the trash away, praying he wouldn’t see the chopsticks by her seat. “I kinda feel bad that you put Pine downstairs with all that dust and gross stuff. But, I don’t care about him anymore! Truly, I don’t. I’m stupid.” She stuck her tongue out playfully, hurting herself from her own words.

“As you shouldn’t. Yeah you are really fucking stupid, but you’re fucking hot. Come here you dumb whore and sit on my lap.” He patted his legs, grinning.

The last of the henchmen that Pine was aware of dropped to the floor, gurgling on his own blood and dying slowly. He quickly made his way through the large manor, looking for Katie and Travis. Jonathan feared that he wouldn’t make it in time and she would be dead before he got there. Not having the threat of goons around, Jonathan began to run through the oncoming storm.

Sounds of lips smacking together from Katie kissing Travis filled the room. One of Katie’s arms reached back as she felt around for her weapon. She had found it by the sharp prick to her finger and snatched it up. Her arm came back up and she stabbed Travis right in the leg, being shoved off in that instant.

“YOU BITCH!!” Travis screamed, seeing Katie swing at him with another chopstick she had sharpened and grabbed her wrist. “I knew you were playing!! You’re still afraid of me!”

“NO!! I’M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!!” She kicked him quickly, holding her hand up and grabbing his wrist with her free hand. She twisted her hips and had twisted Travis’s grip off of her, scooping her other weapon back into her hand. Making a bold move, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward, stabbing the chopstick into his eye and kicking off of him. Now that he was distracted, Katie shoved a cabinet over and blocked the entrance. She hopped over it, feet landing on wet wood and slamming the screen door shut. Wind whipped in her face and rain pelted down hard. “JONATHAN!? JONATHAN!?” She cried out, starting to run for it. This place was massive .

Jonathan stopped in his tracks as he heard Katie calling for him. “HOLD ON!! I’M COMING!” He replied back, taking off and following her voice. Unfortunately, her voice stopped calling his name and instead was replaced by a scream. Pine ran faster, slamming doors open in search of her.

Lightning flashed, showing a deranged Travis with an eye missing chasing after Katie. “COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE BITCH!!” He screamed, maneuvering through the hard rain as best as he could.

Katie once again pushed furniture down, shoving the doors shut until she reached a dead end. Her feet hit rocks and she found herself staring out at the sea. “No, no, no, no!!” She began to panic as Travis pummeled through all of that and charged toward her. The familiar feeling of his hands wrapping around her slender neck returned after two and a half years. Her back hit the rocky ground as Travis was on top of her and was strangling her to kill. She knew that he knew she was vulnerable to this as this was one of his tactics to scare her.

“You took my eye-” He growled, squeezing his hands harder “I take your life!” He began to laugh, watching Katie’s eyes roll.

Air rushed back into her lungs as Travis was yanked off of her and Katie sat up, panting hard and seeing Pine throw a punch across Travis’s face. Her eyes darted toward a shining object on the ground as lightning flashed again and she made a run for it, grabbing the large knife she saw.

Travis let Jonathan have the upper hand for a moment before he retaliated, slamming his hard head into his. “COME ON OLD MAN!!” He grinned, quickly removing the gun he held on him and knocking him back wards, punching him across the face. Travis then grabbed Jonathan by the collar of his shirt, walking over to the edge of the cliff and panting hard. “You will never win. No matter what you do, she will always be mine.” He took a step closer to the crumbling edge. “Hope you ain’t scared of sharks-” Travis’s dark eyes widened as he felt a warmth in his front. He threw Jonathan aside and looked down, blood seeping through his abdomen. Slowly, he turned around and saw Katie ripping the blade out from him and stabbing him in the front again and again and again, hatred burning in her eyes.

“Go to hell.” she growled, shoving him off the cliff with the knife embedded into his chest. As she watched Travis fall into the depths, screaming out his final breaths, she felt… Calm. A weight had been lifted from her; she was finally free. Katie turned around, seeing Jonathan picking himself up and limping over to her.

When the two met, Katie’s arms wrapped tightly around Jonathan and she began to scream and cry into his chest. “It’s over, he’s gone now. He’s gone.” Pine held her just as tightly, pressing kisses into her hair while shedding tears of his own. “He will never hurt you again, Kate.”

“P-Please let’s just get the fuck away from here.” She sobbed.

Jonathan nodded, scooping her soaked form into his arms. “Hold onto me, sweetheart.” He echoed his words back from the gala and carried her away to Travis’s expensive car. “I’m going to grab a couple things so wait here and lay low.” He set her down but not before grabbing her face and kissing her lips- oh how he missed her lips against his. He would have time for that later as he pulled away, running into the manor.

True to his word, Jonathan came back with a plethora of items. Katie shucked off Travis’s shirt in favor of wearing Pine’s as she wanted to rid herself of anything remotely related to the now dead leader of Bloodroot. She hustled into the back seat of the car, watching Jonathan slam the trunk shut and getting inside.

Not looking back, Pine turned the key and kicked the car into gear. His foot slammed on the gas as he sped off into the night and finally free from that house of horrors.

A shadowy figure walked out of the brush shortly after Pine and Katie made their escape. The figure made its way over to the cliffside and looked down into the water. “He deserved worse than that.” Roper scoffed, adjusting his umbrella before flinching a little at the sound of something inside the manor exploding. He turned around and raised his eyebrows at the now billowing smoke and raging fire eating the house. “Pity. It was a nice house.” He muttered to himself and pulled his phone out, dialing a number.

“Yeah. He’s dead now

[blue---rose]

White Widow - Chapter Five

White Widow - Chapter Five

Fanfiction.net | AO3

Title: White Widow Chapter: Five Author: Blue Rose Rating: M (Hard R) Pairing: Sasuke/Sakura Summary: “Running away was easy; not knowing what to do next was the hard part.” - Sakura needed to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life, and start figuring out the one she had. [Sasu/Saku, Modern AU]

Warnings: Adult Content Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I damn sure don’t make a single red cent for this either. So please, don’t sue the Blue

Author Notes: (8/11/20 UPDATE): Chapter has been beta'd and a few edits/changes. Huge shout out to my new beta - CherryBerry12. Thank you so much for your assistance :)

Even if it's just a word or two, I really appreciate any feedback. I welcome emoji's and Lenny Faces too 💙💙💙 (づ ͡° ³ ͡°)づ . Thank you so for reading :)

Chapter Five 

Sakura's heels clicked loudly towards the elevator bank, the sound echoing against the marble flooring. As nice as they looked, she was trying her best to ignore the slight pinch the black shoes caused near her smallest toe.  

Pushing a button to recall one of the elevators, she felt a teeny bit of regret with her footwear choice today. Having spent the last few months in sneakers and hiking boots her feet didn’t appreciate being thrust constantly in heels that had been previously collecting dust in closets. But fashion was pain, as they'd like to say. And she couldn't allow the small pang to stop her strut. Most of her shoes needed to be broken into anyway. They had sat on shelves looking pretty long enough, and if she wasn’t going to wear them, then what’s the point?

When a loud ding signaled the arrival of an available lift, her mind drifted to another choice she had made today. One that she didn’t regret, she thought slyly.

Discreetly texting Sasuke during her meeting with her mentor.

She thought she'd done a good job of being sneaky. Tsunade not verbally calling her out for being distracted made for a successful mission, in her book. At least, that was until the device went off twice; back-to-back. There wouldn't be a chance for a third.

 "Do you need to get that?"

 Ok... so, maybe she hadn’t been as covert as she’d thought she’d been. It only took a few seconds to see what was written while the apology was flying out of her mouth. Maybe a few more to type out a reply before she finally switched the phone to silent mode out of respect. She tucked the plastic under her thigh and sat up straight. The last thing she wanted to be was rude.

 Another opportunity presented itself when Tsunade received a call from her desk phone. Excusing herself to answer it, her office chair spun away from the pinkette. Sakura didn't mind at all, using the time to bring her phone closer, eyes glinting as she responded to the last message she received from him.

 He was going to bring her coffee.

 She felt a flare of anticipation blossom inside at the thought of seeing him again, in the flesh. Her tongue peeked out to wet her lips before they simpered into a smile.

She had briefly mentioned yearning for the hot beverage during their exchanged texts. Usually tea would be her preferred choice, but not today. Even the Keurig machine she passed in the hall was ignored. No, she was craving something hot and fresh. A roasted brew of delight that was sure to perk her up nice and good.

 His response to the passing comment?

 Message:

"How do you take it?"

 She didn't put much thought into it at the time. It was easy to write it off as small talk or just plain curiosity. It never occurred to her where typing out a simple order could lead. And when he replied with an ETA, it became all too real that yes...

 He was in fact, on his way to see her.

 It was hard not to feel excited, but even that didn't stop her from trying to refuse him. She was more than capable of scoring her own liquid gold and tried to politely decline. Making sure to emphasize that, really... she was fine. There was no need for him to go out of his way for such a trivial thing.

 Not to mention, the last thing she wanted to be was a burden.

 What if he wasn't in the area? Was he really going to brave mid-day traffic just to bring her some coffee? Granted, the city wasn't too vast. But depending on the time of day and where you wanted to go... you could find yourself stuck behind the wheel much longer than anticipated. Sasuke’s curt reply a moment later stated that it wasn't a big deal... and that he would call when he was a few minutes away. She had no choice but to let him have it his way. If he really was this insisting, who was she to turn him down? It was such a small gesture. Really, it was only coffee...

 But…

 Contentment warmed her from within and she took a defiant joy in it all. So maybe she was crushing hard. Probably a lot harder than she originally thought.

 Tsunade chose that time to place her call on hold, warning Sakura that she was going to be tied up longer than planned. It didn't come as a surprise to either of them. A woman of her stature had a very demanding schedule, and being pregnant was not going to slow her down anytime soon. It was something she had loudly vocalized during the weeks after announcing that she and Dr. Dan were expecting.

 They would need to catch up another time it seemed.

 Completely understanding, Sakura excused herself from the office, making plans to connect later as she waved goodbye.

 Now, as she found herself inside the descending lift it was damn near impossible to suppress the giddiness she felt. Her silly little grin only broadened when she caught her reflection against the gold plated doors.

 But as she stepped outside the building and into a blooming courtyard, her mind cautioned against such distractions. Because… really, her attention should be elsewhere.

 Like concentrating on her impending schedule. Many things to worry about there. All the forms and paperwork, exams... just to name a few things. All of which would be added to her calendar, very soon.

 The pinkette sighed, bringing a hand up after wincing. It was easy to recognize the signs of an incoming stressed-related headache. Making an attempt to rub away the tingle she felt behind her eye, she willed herself to calm down.

 Sure, there was much to be done between now and the start of classes. There was plenty of studying to catch up on... not to mention moving into a new place. She could easily become overwhelmed, if she wasn’t careful.

 Luckily, Sakura considered herself to be a fairly organized person. All she needed to do was use her time wisely from there on out. And there was no time like the present to start planning, she supposed. At least, that was a phrase her mother used often.

 Part of a good work ethic is planning ahead, she would say. Don't wait until the last minute to do something, if it can be taken care of now.

 She just needed to have a little more faith in herself, she thought, feeling her confidence return as quickly as it left. Maybe start trusting that everything would work out? There was no need to start fussing so soon.

 Besides, what was a little coffee and meetup going to hurt? Surely she could handle academics and boys at the same time just fine. It's not like she hadn't before...

 Sakura brushed away the stray thought.  There really wasn't a need to go traveling down memory lane. It was probably best to stay concentrated on the task at hand. Her steps quickened on the pathway, finally making it through the garden maze and out to the main street. It was definitely noisier than the courtyard she'd just come from. Pausing to look around Sakura hoped to catch sight of the tall, dark, and handsome distraction. A distraction who should be arriving soon, actually. She almost jumped when her phone buzzed loudly in her pocket. A new message had come through.

 He was here.

 She raised her chin, watching a large SUV pull to the curb further down the block. Weaving forward when the lights flashed briefly, she forgot about the small pain on her foot. Trying her best to plaster on her best poker face, the pinch in her feet had all but disappeared when she strolled towards the waiting vehicle. She would do herself no favors if she appeared as giddy as she felt at that moment.

 The phone was raised to her ear, and cracks of a small smile kept slipping through with each step she took.

 "Is that you?"

 "No... it's a serial killer with duct tape and rope." Sasuke's rich voice answered her smoothly, dripping with sarcasm. 

Ok, so maybe that was not the best choice of words to say to her… but it did spark an amusement in him like nothing else. The look on her face changed in the span of a heartbeat, and he chuckled when she got closer. Was she always this easy to rile up?

 Sasuke ended the call while pressing the unlock button, his eyes following her through the window. She reached up to open the door, and he couldn’t help but take her in.

 Idling on the curb, their eyes met while she still grasped the door handle. Hesitant, she leaned in... eyes darting between him and the seat, calculating the distance.

 Holding his tongue, he pointed to a handlebar with a nod.

 Sakura rolled her eyes, yet her slender hand reached for it anyways. Balancing one heel on the step bar below the door, she swung the other inside.

 His eyes caught the way her curves finally settled, her opaque tights matching the black leather of the cars' seats. Sasuke adjusted the temperature on the console dash, catching a glimpse of pink on her rounded cheeks.

 "Are you sure you should be in the front seat? I could pop the trunk open… that's usually where victims are kept, right?" he continued as she shut the heavy door.

 She huffed, eyes challenging as she met his.

 "As if… I could gut you in four different ways before you ever got the chance," Sakura confidently fired back, but she did greet him with a smile. So innocent and sweet despite the threats of bodily harm just a few moments ago.

 Damn did she have a pretty smile.

 And, he had no doubt she could make good on her promise.

 Akamaru decided that now was a good time to make his presence known. Nothing but fur and wet snout as his head popped up between them. Sasuke watch her turn, instantly greeting him with a larger smile than the one she had gifted him.

 So now the mutt was going to receive more attention than him?

 'Wonderful.' Sasuke thought mockingly, observing them over the soft sounds of her coo'ing.

 Sakura busied herself by petting Akumaru's head a bit more, only her thoughts were elsewhere. The puppy sensed it was time to settle down and retreated, and Sasuke’s voice trailed behind him. The threat lingered in the air; if he pissed on anything back there, there would be hell to pay.

 Scoping him from the corner of her eyes, Sakura wanted to know what else pissed him off. Sure, it might sound a little weird, but her fascination got the best of her.

 What were his other ticks and dislikes? What made him smile? Things that he did for fun....or what was his favorite show?

 These weren't bad questions, right? Just... random, completely harmless inquiries about his favorite color or the meaning of those intricately placed tattoos.

 Maybe, a little audaciously, how he liked his eggs cooked in the morning?

 It was partially his fault, she concluded, just as Akumaru barked. She turned slightly towards Sasuke, but his focus was on eyeing the puppy through the rear-view mirror.

 That dark appeal he exuded just begged to be peeled back. Her analytical mind wondering about all the layers that made him who he was as she traced his sharp jawline. Unfocused and lost in her thoughts, her eyes lowered.

There was this urge to analyze the feelings that seemed to linger between them, and it grew the longer she found herself in his presence.

 Maybe she could shed some light on their magnetic chemistry. And why the attraction was more intense now than it had ever been before. To Sakura, it didn't make sense because it should have already peaked, especially after their rumble between the sheets. Honestly, how could either of them forget the passion from that fateful night...?

 But even now, here in the present, there was this... yearning.

 It manifested physically when her hands became itchy and needy. Her fingers tingled with the urge to reach out and touch him and she couldn't help but notice their proximity. How he was sitting close... but yet, much too far away.

 Sakura made a silent promise to not be greedy... a few touches would placate her for the time being. Hell, even holding his hand; as simple that was, would do just fine. Hands that were so much larger than her own, she noticed. And not for the first time, either. Strong fingers stemming from a large palm that was hotter than most.

 Sasuke's blood burned through his skin and seeped into your own pores when you were pressed against him. Not too blistering to be uncomfortable, but definitely noticeable. A thermogenic effect she had ignored when their bodies were cooling on the sheets months ago. She wondered briefly if it would be awkward sleeping next to him in the warmer summer months. When the nights could get humid and sticky.

 Would she try to move away?

 Or seize the opportunity to bask in the balmy heat no matter how torrid it was, because-

 Sakura mentally hit the breaks… swallowing thickly as her eyes fluttered up to catch his gaze before turning away.

 Eyes that dark, should not shine that bright.

 "Hi."

 His deep salutation sounded closer than she was prepared for and her averted eyes widened a fraction. Bonus points to her for not jumping out of her skin. Biting back nerves, she responded in turn.

 "Hi."

 And both of their delayed greetings sounded soft, even to her own ears. Damnit... she was too grown to be daydreaming about a guy, specifically if said guy was sitting right there next to her.

 Sakura could still feel his eyes on her and shifted in the seat. Her toes curled slightly as she became nervous at her own inability to keep her more... deviant thoughts in check. Trying to taper them down was becoming harder and harder these days. And that was a very dangerous thing for someone like herself who was too expressive for their own good. Besides, she still had to solidify exactly what she was looking for with wanting to spend time with him.

 Was she even looking for anything at all?

 And what about him and his intentions? She could think of one or two things he might be interested in, but...

 In the end, it left her with more questions than answers. It really drove home how careful she should be around him. At least until she figured some things out. Undoubtedly, it  did not stop her heart from picking up a beat or two in her chest. Focusing, the cadency continued with strong beats but continued on for a different reason...

 He was still looking at her.

 Sakura could feel his dark eyes lingering on her form as she kept her own averted, gazing out the windshield before looking down. She was running out of time to compose herself and a small hand came up to brush against her industrial piercing, hoping her hair was covering her ears. The cartilage must be painted with color by now with how hot she was feeling.

 'Dah fuck? Pull yourself together and at least try to act normal. And stop fidgeting!'

 Her eyes finally rose from her lap as Sasuke reached down and grabbed something from the cup holder, raising it between them.

 'Oh.'

 She was so preoccupied that she completely spaced as to why he was here in the first place. Sakura's eyes brightened in pure excitement as her own hand extended.

 It was at that moment, she realized just how quiet it was around them, in their little bubble. There currently was no music playing, and Akumaru had settled down in the back for a quick nap. So in the silence, as she reached for the coffee that was much appreciated...

 Her stomach took the opportunity to let out an angry growl.

 She winced.

 And he gave her a dirty look.

 "Have you eaten?"

 She winced again, shying from eye contact for the second time. Avoiding it, of course. The decoration on the cup looked really, really interesting all of a sudden.

 "...What?"

 "Food. Have you had anything to eat today?"

 It was supposed to be a question, but she easily picked up the accusation in his tone. Her eyes narrowed, not wanting a fight, but sure as hell ready to give one. There wasn’t a need to be so defensive, she’d think later. For now, she was not one to easily back down. Even if he was hot as fuck.

 "Yes-"

 She extended an arm to reach for the hot brew but really, she should have known better. Nothing regarding Sasuke Uchiha would ever be that easy.

 "When?"

 The beautiful dark grey iris she was always charmed by, trapped her for a second. However, she was quick to move again on principle alone...

 "This morning..." She bit out, ignoring how she managed to sway to his will and answer. It didn't matter, she thought, moving to try again.

 "......"

 He held it just out of reach without a word, and if she wasn't afraid he'd accidentally spill it everywhere, she'd deck him good.

 Or... at least nudge him in the arm for being so cruel. She could smell the sweet scent drifting towards her and he was being a big, fat jerk right now.

 "I had a smoothie for breakfast earlier, ok? Now can I please have my coffee?"

 "You mean your crack?" A smirk had spread across his face, mistaking the deep craving she had today for a caffeine addiction.

 Sakura's fist clenched, a knuckle popping.

 He brought the drink in front of her, and she would never know if it was because of mercy... or self-preservation. Taking a deep breath, she allowed the vanilla to seep into her pores as her fingers gripped the warm cup. She didn't bother to turn and sit properly before she took her first sip, still facing him when her eyes closed, and letting out a soft moan of contentment.

 Sasuke's eyes followed one swallow, then another… before finally cutting his eyes away. He grabbed his own drink from the cup holder, grateful to have something for his suddenly parched mouth. She smiled and ultimately settled back, giddy, and happy now that she'd gotten her prize.

 "So... what are you in the mood for?"

 Sakura opened her eyes and tilted her head in his direction.

 "Hmmm?"

 While he did not enjoy repeating himself, there was a lack of annoyance in his tone.

 "Where do you want to go for lunch? Pick something, or I will. And make sure it's something good too because you will eat every bite... especially if I'm paying." The smirk had returned on his face... softer this time. Hiding it behind his own cup, he took another sip.

The corner of Sakura's mouth quirked and she mirrored his expression... before reaching for her seatbelt.

 ✧･ﾟ* : * ﾟ･✧

"-and if they were going to change their minds, surely you would have shared that information by now."

 The wallpaper that stretched across the back western panel never failed to catch his attention whenever he visited. Arriving at the door to the spacious office, the man couldn't help but glance to the left at the piece he'd considered more art than décor. It was a replica of the world map with a solid black background. Slate grey lines outlined every continent and body of ocean.

 "Well, maybe you should speak with Mr. Andrew Williamson at the downtown branch. The little shit would sell his elderly mother to gutter stock if it meant getting-"

 Leaning against the door frame, he tuned out the call. Instead, his eyes followed along the surface... tracing the names of the continents and countries etched along the surface. The calligraphy was uniquely outlined in silver glittery ink, causing the reflection to sparkle like faded diamonds. Numbers lined the borders, mapping coordinates to places he'd never been…

 Places he'd probably never see.

 "-how the hell should I know? That's YOUR job. A career that should be reconsidered, if things progress the way they have-"

 Every moment spent admiring the craftsmanship reminded him that he really should take a vacation, while simultaneously mocking him for even bringing up such a thought.

 "-don't call me until it's done, understood?"

 The phone slamming down into the plastic cradle dispersed any musings or pipe dreams.

 Seems like that unfortunate phone call had wrapped up.

 The figure leaning just inside the doorway straightened slowly. He adjusted his pose, folding his arms as his booted feet shifted. Opening his mouth, he was stopped by a cutting gesture from across the room.

 Seated behind the large oak desk, the other man present raised an eccentric hand in the air, halting any dialogue. The other hand was directed towards his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. Sunlight beaming from the window glinted against the gold band of his watch when his pressed cuff pulled higher on his wrist. Grunting, he voiced the displeasure that his deep frown lines could not hide.

 "If this is more bad news, I'm afraid I have very little patience for it, at the moment."

 "Hmph. Quite the opposite, in fact."

 The dark-haired man behind the desk lowered his hands to peer at the doorway. Standing, he removed his reading glasses when the figure at the door flicked his wrist in a come hither motion.

Moving to stand at the entrance they both looked down the hall to another figure waiting at the far end. The dark-haired man turned back to his business partner with raised brows.

 "Karashi-… something or another." He answered easily, inclining his head. "But he goes by the name 'Chef'."

 "And why would I care about some kid named Chef?"

 The youth in question was unaware of the pair of eyes on him as he stood waiting at the end of the hall. His phone kept changing color as the screen flashed while loud music could be heard humming from his earpods.

 "Because he's the answer to that little problem we had. Remember the group that hacked the app? Well, Karashi here was a part of that group. Wasn't hard to find… little shits these days can't help bragging. Will tell anyone who wants to listen. So, I thought… what better person to track down exactly what happened than someone responsible for the mess in the first place?"

 The dark-haired man squared his shoulders, nostrils flaring with his disgruntlement. Pondering over the statement, hard onyx eyes looked away to regard the unsuspecting topic of conversation.

 "If what you say is true… then why shouldn't I put a bullet through his meddling skull now, and be done with it? Since he's the reason my money is missing." Their voices were kept low, but the teen was none the wiser.

 "Weren't you the one who just cautioned against more killing?" The visitor contended.

 "Yes, I did. And if I remember correctly, I'm sure that was mentioned before you… took care of Hidan." The dark-haired man deadpanned.

 "And what exactly would you have me do? Seal him in some deep hole, in the middle of a magical hidden forest? Imprisoned?"

 Sometimes the best option was to give someone a... permanent, good night’s sleep. Sometimes it was the only option. And he would swear by that, as long as it rang true. Albeit, he was willing to take into consideration the other's wisdom and refrained from rolling his eyes.

 "I would warn for more caution, regarding our future moves. That includes taking care of problems, that took care of other problems. The last thing we need is to leave any trails behind. One mess is enough to deal with."

 An eerie pause floated as a shadow cast, turning the steel gaze into something more ominous. Eyes focusing on the teen, he continued.

 "After this one... of course. But only if needed."

 Both men nodded, their gazes meeting briefly in understanding.

 The tall, dark-haired figure glanced down the hall a final time, before returning to his office.

 He needed a fucking Advil... and a shot of something strong.

 ✧･ﾟ* : * ﾟ･✧

 She could not remember the last time she'd eaten ramen.

 Funny thing was, she had not had a craving for it in ages... but something about today made her palate crave something steamy…

 Salty…

 Familiar.

 Maybe it was in the way Sasuke had fussed over her eating… or lack thereof. The concern, quickly followed by trying to shove something edible down her hatch, well... it was something that reminded her of another person...

 Of a different place and another time…

 And before she knew it, a shadowy figure came to mind, in the midst of it all. That beaming smile… so full of concern and care. Bright enough to ease the sting as he'd often berated her wacky eating habits.

 "You need to eat… Sakura-chan-"

 Sakura mentally shook herself from thoughts that made her want to cry and laugh at the same time.

 She tried clearing away the memories along with the accompanying voices as fast as they manifested. Trying to save herself from the impending heartache that line of thinking would surely bring. Now was not the time to be getting sentimental and teary-eyed.

 Especially in the presence of her current company.

 It was easy to pivot, matching the grin Sasuke threw her way. He continued on with the conversation without interruption, and she perked up to tune in and listen once again. There wasn't a valid reason she should be distracted, not when he was here. The corner of her eyes crinkled as her smile widened and she found herself lost in his eyes.

 So piercing...

 Mesmerizing... stealing away her attention and she actively gave in, wanting to lean forward just a bit, if only to get closer.

 This was nice.

 Just being here at that moment with him. So carefree and chill... it was everything she needed right now. Like a balm on a wound she wasn't aware of.

 So...

 Soothing... and peaceful.

 Like a warm blanket you wanted to snuggle under during a chilly night. A feeling she had not felt in a very long time, and she wished this moment would last just a bit longer. But she needed to come back down to earth at some point.

 "Thank you for the food, I haven't had ramen in forever."

 She drew a palm across her full tummy, her fingers running across her wool houndstooth mini skirt.

 Sasuke's chest rose and fell with a snicker, recounting that this was the cheapest date he'd ever been on. Admittedly, the ramen food truck was the most delicious either had in a while, though.

 Wait… this was a date?

 The question slipped out and he turned towards her… his mouth twitching in amusement.

 "I don't know, is it?"

 Sakura released an unladylike snort, folding her arms.

 "You never asked me out… so no." She could be very stubborn when she wanted to be. A certified brat, if left unchecked.

 The hand resting on the steering wheel moved so he could rest his forearm on the midrest between them. Several glossy strands of ink fell into one eye as he turned towards her. “… ’s that so…?” He trailed off.

 Sakura felt compelled to lick her lips and his greedy eyes followed the movement. Her forearm brushed closer to his when she slackened her folded arms, tilting her head. Meeting his gaze she felt an amorous heat underneath her that had nothing to do with the heated seats.

 Dark lashes broke eye contact as he moved forward, but her own eyes stayed stubbornly open in surprise as his nose bumped against hers, her pupils dilating with the soft brush.

 He inhaled her sharp gasp when their lips finally touched. A small sweep of sweltering heat that was barely anything crept between their lips. Shallow but still so real. Lascivious need prompted her to deepen it, but he leaned away to open his eyes. Sending her a teasing glance, draped in want… he licked his lips. Tasting the 'hardly-a-kiss' around an imp of a smile.

 It made her feel daring, knowing her earlier thoughts were not so crazy after all. Daring enough to lock gazes with him before she took his bottom lip between her teeth, taking advantage of the reduced distance to scrape the soft flesh between ivory. A hint of tongue was meant to dampen the sting after the fact… but, oh... it just made things worse.

 It was her turn to swallow his gasp as her onslaught brought them closer together. The intimate press was everything she'd been craving since at least this morning…

 And she wasn't talking about the coffee.

 He appeased her, tilting his head in just the right angle to take over. Her hand came to touch his angular jaw as he pressed his tongue to her lips, sighing when she let him in.

 His kisses were as sweet as she remembered them, with just the right amount of recklessness to make her fingers curl up into his hair, moaning into every savory caress. Receiving another taste she wondered what his reaction would be if she slid into the seat with him to remove all distance and smiled. Her inner self was always more daring than she'd ever cared to be in reality. It didn’t often make an appearance but seemed to be completely on board with the impromptu makeout session. And dammit... she knew she promised not to be greedy but he was the one pushing closer to her now, completely dominating the heated lip lock. She followed his lead, softening against him at every point of contact.

 A small whine curled up between them and Sasuke broke away first, eyes peeking open to study her. Their sharp breaths sounded around them as they gasped for air, heat slowly clearing. It took awhile for her to gather her wits, breathing harshly along with him. She shook her head as her voice spoke up, scratchy and low but-

 "That wasn't me."

 Another second went by long enough for their minds to clear from the sensual fog and to mutually place the sound as they drifted further apart, eyes darting to the back seat of the warm interior.

 "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"

 The driver's door was opened and closed faster then she could fully process just what the hell was going on.

 Sasuke circled around the back, before coming beside the rear passenger door. The heavy metal was whipped open so rapidly her hair stirred around her head, even though she was sitting in the front seat. A jingle of chains and another curse before the door was closed firmly.

 Sakura turned in her seat to look out the dark tinted window as Sasuke stood a short distance away, Akamaru squatting next to a tree to do his business.

 A tinkering laugh sprung free before her hand could cover her mouth. She hoped he was too far away to hear anything... the windows were up after all.

 But the sharp glare Sasuke threw over his shoulder let her know that she'd failed.

End Chapter ✧･ﾟ* : * ﾟ･✧

 PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

- ﾟ･*･ﾟ-  Chap 1 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ-  Chap 2 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ- Chap 3 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ- Chap 4 - ﾟ･*･ﾟ-

[serensama]

To Date #6

EMO CUPCAKE IT’S GONNA BE OK! JUST BREATHE SAERAN… The date will be over soon O_O

*Also in my universe V is always around. Always. Because… it’s V.

Saeran:

 -       What do you mean he had to take MC out on a date?

-       Weren’t they already a couple? Why did they need to go out and prove it to the world?

-       HAS LITERALLY NEVER HAD A PARTNER BEFORE HOW WAS HE SUPPOSED TO KNOW?

-       He chose MC, she chose him = end of story

-       End of story + ice cream = super happy ending?

-       NO?

-       NO

-       Damn it.

-       Gathering what little pride he had, he dragged himself to his brother’s room where he and Yoosung were raiding in LOLOL, Saeyoung laughing maniacally and Yoosung swearing like a drunken sailor

-       “Yo! Baby brother what can I do for you? Wha-Yoosung! What the hell?! We’re on the same team!”

        “It was friendly fire”

        “You came up and decapitated me”

        “… But I did it as nicely as possible”

-       Saeran rolled his eyes and went to walk back out, not understanding why he thought it was a good idea to come to them for advice in the first place.

-       Saeyoung quit the game much to the horror of Yoosung and the rest of his group to chase after his brother. Yoosung begrudgingly apologised to the guild saying something important had come up and that they’d be back later.

-       “Forget it,” Saeran barked to a hovering Saeyoung, “-it’s not important! I just came in to see you guys.”

-       Saeyoung knew he was lying because he refused to meet his eyes.

-       Then Yoosung started in on “Come on let us help!” and between the two of them Saeran couldn’t get a word in edgewise before he screamed out “FINE! WHAT DO I DO FOR MY FIRST DATE WITH MC?”

-       Yoosung and Saeyoung suddenly grew hearts within their eyes as they rubbed their cheeks together and clasped hands

        “Oh my baby has grown up”

        “Shut up”

        “Hyung Saeran has become a man”

        “…Like you’re one to talk”

        “Do you know where babies come from?”

        “Seriously?”

        “I don’t.”

        “That’s no surprise Yoosung”

        “Wait…  so, no one is going to tell me!?”

-       Sitting down the boys try to tell Saeran how most girls like to go out to eat and perhaps watch a movie or a show… seeing as MC was from the same social circles as Jumin and V she probably enjoyed 5 star restaurants and operas… fancy things fit for a Princess… and she was his Princess right?

-       Growling as he skimmed his hand over his face he allowed the boys to tell him where the best restaurants in town were, what he should wear and how he should act: i.e.… be everything that wasn’t him. He didn’t do polite conversation. He barely did conversation. Grunts. Grunts and psychotic laughter was kind of his thing.

-       MC liked it anyways.

-       He called her and asked her out which surprised her to no end, feeling like an idiot he ended up snarling, “Well didja wanna go or not?” which resulted in her chuckling and agreeing. Of course, she would love to go out with him!

-       Borrowing one of his brother’s babies (“If there’s so much as one scratch or one suspect stain in her leather Saeran!!!”) he sped off to pick up MC.

-       She was already waiting on the street looking ridiculously ravishing in a light pink dress that matched his hair… did she wear that to match him? That would be… really sweet actually

-       Leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek and wiping off the lipstick that marked him (not that he minded) MC happily greeted her boyfriend

-       It took a minute before she really saw the effort he went to. Hair quaffed to perfection (thanks to Zen rushing over to make sure he wasn’t going to attack MC during the date- who was then horrified to see the state of his hair as he was about to step out the door), his dark blue suit courtesy of Jumin who had one of his tailors bring something suitable for the date… not one buckle in sight, not one choker…

-       It wasn’t that she didn’t like the new look, MC thought he looked incredibly dapper and handsome… but she always thought that about him no matter what he wore, still, she smiled and tried to ease his obvious discomfort by saying how amazing he looked.

-       Some tension leaving his countenance Saeran drove off to get to the most exclusive restaurant that needed MONTHS to get a booking- though thanks to V they got one at the last minute (he provided the photography that graced their walls as décor, he always got a seat whenever he wanted).

-       He may or may not have accidentally threatened the valet driver instead of tipping him… old habits die hard

-       Offering his arm to MC who looked utterly shocked at his showing of manners he didn’t know whether to be offended or amused (definitely… amused, he wasn’t always the most courteous of people and often came off as brusque even to the woman he loved).

-       Sitting down he looked around at the place. It was pretty- he guessed. The place looked nice, the staff looked nice, the food looked nice… god even the air smelt nice.

-       He hated it.

-       He was ridiculously uncomfortable there. People bowing and calling him “Sir”, people pulling out chairs for him like he was an idiot… people looking at him knowing that he didn’t belong in a place like this with a girl like MC. Like he was trash… he’d felt that way all his life he didn’t need to be reminded of it in a place where he was paying for everything.

-       The waiter handed them the menu and Saeran opened up the menu and saw that it was all in French… because of course it was… and inwardly groaned.

-       The waiter came back and started speaking with MC who gave her order succinctly and then realised that Saeran may have had no idea what he was looking at… with a hand over her mouth denoting her shame she asked if needed a few more minutes to choose…

-       “We have the menu in Korean if that would assist you… Sir”

-       Bitch. No, you didn’t.

-       Squinting his cerulean eyes at the arrogant penguin order taker, Saeran proceeded to order his entire meal and the proper accompanying wine in fluent French. Saeyoung wasn’t the only Choi with a penchant for learning languages.

-       Blushing before bowing, the waiter left the two to their own devices.

-       MC could see that Saeran was putting on a front for her sake, (not that he had to she loved him for being him- not what he thought she wanted him to be)… she just didn’t want to waste all the effort he had obviously gone through for her sake.

-       Their meal came along and it was the tiniest effing thing he had ever seen in his life. Like seriously. He was paying $100 for a piece of meat that was half the size of his palm. What the hell was wrong with rich people?

-       As they were about to order dessert he overheard a couple to the far right of them making snooty comments about him and how far had MC fallen to be with someone like him- and oooooh god normally he’d let them have it, but it was their first date and everyone explicitly told him to be on his best behaviour and not embarrass MC by getting into any fights…

-       “Who the hell do you think you are? Do you know him? Do you know what he means to me? Do you even know who I am apart from what my bank account says? You all disgust me!” MC spat her face contorted with rage.

-       She was making a scene; the entire restaurant was paralysed and shocked.

-       “Come on Saeran, let’s leave this shit hole, their steak was over cooked anyways and the clientele here leave much to be desired for.”

-       His mouth was a little dry from drooling at how hot his girlfriend was when she defended him.

-       Wiping his mouth with his napkin before folding it neatly on the table, he sat up and offered his arm to her again. As they turned to leave, just before they stepped off the dining floor, he flipped them all off from behind him and yelled out, “Later jackasses!”

-       He finally tipped the valet driver, the only nice person in the restaurant.

-       MC was silent throughout the car ride home, her anger palpable. Saeran was disappointed that it couldn’t be like the dates she was used to; he’d have to try harder next time… maybe if he dyed his hair back to its normal red he wouldn’t look like such a punk…

-       About ¾ of the way home MC perked up and slapped at his arm for him to pull over.

-       It was just a typical run of the mill 24-hour diner where they served the greasiest food perfect after a night on the town… or after an overpriced meal that left them starving.

-       They ran into the diner and it was dive, the leather of the booths torn and patched up with duct tape, the floor tiles were streaked with sneaker marks and chipped and the décor so mismatched and hideous he didn’t know what their theme was.

-       He loved it.

-       Even if it was a shonky looking place it was clean and it was busy so it mustn’t be a terrible place to eat.

-       Sliding (squeaking) along the last empty booth in the corner the regulars of the diner looked at MC as if she was the outsider but she didn’t seem to notice or care, her eyes only focused on Saeran. She was doing this for him, he might not know everything about dating or wines or suits but he knew MC- she was a good person and this was her way of salvaging their date.

-       They laughed and poked fun at their disaster of an evening, mimicking the confounded expressions of the people as MC insulted them causing them to burst out in breathless laughter- the others in the diner smiling at the cute couple… they were so dressed up surely they came from a Prom or something?

-       When Saeran’s order of a chocolate sundae came out along with MC’s giant order of fries, they both sat and ate in silence- Saeran not protesting whenever MC would dip her salty fries into his sweet dessert.

-       Really… why did he even bother asking those idiots in the first place? He knew MC better than anyone… and they had already chosen each other… the first date was just an excuse for ice cream.

[anja-mittags]

tell me about manu and his boyfriends when you wake up!

Yall are the best for indulging me.I'll start with an ot3 I don't think I've talked about? At least I dont think ive extensively hc-ed them.(As a wiseman said on tfln there's perks to polyamory and birthday orgies are one of them)Mats as always is someone you can't dangle a forbidden-frowned upon-fruit and makes casual interloping in social settings a hobby. He's the kind of guy who vehemently denies he's fucked up over something until you catch him awake in the dead of night with contraband comfort food, looking at you like the world is going to end and all his secrets will die with him.He is not chill and unruffled AT ALL. Benedikt did not sign up for this lug no sirree. Roommates at the u21? Why would you do that to him. They're defenders, martha, of course we can stick them in a room and expect them to get along for the good of the NT or ELSE. Consequently, Mats finds out about Benni and Manu (and why Manu tends to hover when they start bickering--which to be fair he just kinda gently pushes them away from each other until they get over their cereal argument or why you shouldnt take naps right after practice argument whatever)Well he finds out about the NOTHING going on between that still somehow makes Mesut's ears go red bc it is definitely A Thing. Manu and Benni stare soulfully into each other's eyes and you sort of get used to it. Fondness they call it. Mats calls it bullshit.M: so do you and manu have anything going on? (Tact, he can have it on occasion) Mats exits stage left into the bathroom to take care of his shiny teeth.B: [spluttered choking noises as he brings out the duct tape and steals another pillow for his side.]B: why would you-i have a girlfriend!M: no judgement. (Severe judging actually) Mats looks in the mirror admiring himself even with the lingering babyfat and an unholy idea begins to brew.M: he is cute if you're into that sort of thing. (What sort of thing, you ding dong, way to go Hummels)B: [grumbling] Bene turns off the lights passive aggressively and hopes Mats stubs his toe. He does not bring up the topic in the morning but grumbles even more when Mats sidles up to Manu by the breakfast spread.Our sweet little blonde Manu is flattered but not (really) interested.Manu: Mats, what are you doing. Do you have something in your eye. (Young Manu has mastered the deadpan)Mats: No I don't. I--would you come up to my room later?Manu: I'm not getting involved in your room war with Benni.Aside: Mats lamenting to Mesut who clearly wants the ground to swallow him up. "I'm hot guy catnip, mes. Why isn't this working."Manu is not naive and not an idiot. He's pretty good at predicting his defender's moves you know. Mats all in all is a predictable idiot. Mesut actually laughs (hysterically haha or funny haha the world will never know)Benni goes to Boa for his guy advice, er his problems that need an actual non-judgement ear. B: So I don't know what to do about Mats.J: just go make out already.B:He's been-wait what.J: [unflappable even at the tender age of 19] what.B: why does everyone think I'm going to make out with someone!!!J: statistically bound to happen, we've been left to our own devices and we're kicking ass. Hormones and victory high [shrug]B: I have a girlfriend.J: is that a protest or an excuse. Either way, you should talk to her about it. Not me.Aside: Boa buys Mesut a drink. They share tough day at the job solidarity head nods. No one asks them if they want to make out with anybody. It is a blessing.We come full circle to Mats being up in the middle of the night because he heard a conversation he shouldnt have between Lisa and Bene and he may have regret, is this what regret feels like.( no, haha, it's actually disappointment. But who is actually counting.)Bene wakes up with a clear conscience and his bisexual thoughts in order. Mats wakes up with bedhead (his hair is full of secrets!!) And a sugar crash headache.Cue We are the Champions, they win the Cup (Sami is captain!!!) Victory party shenanigans! Mats is confused by feelings! Manu in a drinking competition with Boa! Mesut congratulates Sami like five times in an hour! Benni makes out with someone!TBC?

[mgmks]

Self-indulgent Gay Bullshit ft. Destroya’s Decaying Corpse

(P.S: Missile Kid changes pronouns for no apparent reason)

The sun is brutal.

Is brutal, has been brutal, will be brutal until they start getting closer to their final destination. When. If. It’s like chasing a dream every time they try to find it, a literal mirage. The closest thing MG’s had to a home since he stumbled blind out of that nightmare white room.

The two of them walk arm in arm towards the angel’s resting place, through the haze of heat blurring above the cracked earth. A sight, for sure, MK’s face is totally obscured by a hot pink gas mask she doesn’t even need. MG is covered up by his ski goggles and the ratty green scarf that’s pulled over his mouth and nose to keep the fumes out. 

His face and wrists are still raw with the removal of the duct tape the crows they’d killed earlier had deployed. Stung like a bitch to get off, as per. But those buggers are gone now, blown straight off the map. In the outer rim without a helmet. All that’s left of them after that pretty little clockwork device MK had cooked up last time they’d stumbled into civilization was a splatter of blood on her dusty boots and a tacky black tie pulled tight around MG’s neck. Over his t-shirt, over the black marker scrawl. 

WHOS AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF???    

MG’s throat is raw, from screaming as they forced him down in the chair, from talking all through the process of MK picking bits of ‘crow skull out of his hair. From the noxious gas residue of whatever grisly battle had taken place in this god-forsaken zone a million lifetimes ago, when the wars were still raging. The scarf is a good look, but it’s a piss-poor method of keeping shit out of MG’s lungs. 

Long term health detriments be damned, that’s his motto! The two of them had barely made it out alive today- he doesn’t have forty years for this fuckery to really start digging into his system and bending him clean out of shape. Might not have five. Probably won’t even have one, at the rate they’re going, they could very well be cannibal-fodder by the end of the week. It’s not a scary thought anymore, just an inevitability. Life’s a lot easier when you embrace death as more of a casual fishing buddy than a rogue trick-or-treater who won’t stop screaming at your front door until she’s gotten what she wants.  

MK’s humming a tune as they go, something the two of them came up with together the other night as they were sprawled out under the stars. MK’s more in tune with this stuff, sees music like the stars intended, solar winds crashing into the atmosphere and running along the magnetic field. Patterns in the sky, alignments that MG will never be able to pick out. She says the cosmos whispered the bassline to her just as she was powering down. Stars. Sirius, in particular, because you can always count on the dog star to churn out the sickest fuckin’ basslines on this side of the universe. 

“What’s this?” They’re drumming the bassline out on MG’s arm, voice muffled by the mask. 

Four? Four. Four run-ins. Four jives. Four times they’ve almost gotten curb-stomped by Dracs. In how long? He can’t say. Since they saw another living soul last. That’s how they measure time. It’s been a long time.  

Would life be easier in the long run if there was more than two of them to run around with? Probably. But Mad Gear doesn’t fuckin’ roll with anyone else, under any circumstances. It went to fuckin’ Antarctica last time, and he doesn’t repeat bad songs. He smashes those records and moves on with his life, so here they are, the two of them. Two of them, four near death experiences. MG holds up four fingers to the sun, closing one eye as he looks up. 

“And where’s this?” MK looks up with him. Nothing to see but the sinking sun. Not a toxic fuckin’ cloud in the sky. 

“The path to righteousness,” he says, laughing when they growl and hit his arm. “The road to the Angel’s Graveyard, honeybee.”  

So it is. The sun is sinking low soon as the sheet metal spires stab through the horizon, and they thank whatever invisible god that’s out there that they went the right way. Getting lost in the desert this far out is a one way ticket to death’s door, and as cool with that as MG’s become, he’s got some things he wouldn’t mind completing before he kicks the bucket.

It’s only confirmed when MK sighs in relief, because MG can’t trust his own eyes sometimes. Some things are mirages, some things are the direct result of too much gas getting into your head. This isn’t his favourite place to go, the resting place of his only friend’s greatest heroes.Great for shelter, though. Great for stories. Not many people can say they slept in the eye of the hollowed corpse of the destroyer of worlds.  

Sweet, huh?      

The giant robot’s hand sticks out of the dirt and they stand there on its palm, squinting up at its rusted ruined face. MK presses a kiss to the pillar of its thumb and they stand in silent remembrance for one who could have set them free. One of the originals who walked out here long before anyone thought of raising a gun to Better Living’s head.

MG pulls his scarf tighter and pushes his goggles up off his face, and they approach.

“This feels wrong,” MK says quietly, lowering her voice as if she might wake the sleeping giant. They always do this, and MG has no idea why. The dead don’t hear, he can confirm that.  

Instead of spouting nonsense about the dead not having ears, MG just hikes his bag further up his shoulder and presses on. “My continued existence feels wrong, but you don’t see me complainin’.” 

“You complain all the time.” MK sits down, rooting through xeir bag. “You complained seven times today.”

“That’s not a lot for me.” 

“You think people are around here?”

“I think the ghosts keep them away.” MG sits himself down, pulling his scarf off and fanning it out. It’s sort of dusty in here, but it’s safe. No noxious gas- the giant doesn’t breathe anymore. Nothing to harm them. Just the dust and the air. Sand trickles down through cracks in the metal like an hourglass, but time doesn’t exist in this place.  

There’s explosions from somewhere far away. Or maybe it’s fireworks, or firecrackers. Or bombs. The thought makes MG feel bad, somewhere in the pit of his stomach, a feeling he usually ignores. He shakes his head to clear it and sighs, brushing off the memories of people and places he’d rather forget off him like dust. “You ever wonder why they want us dead so bad?” 

MK looks creepy in the light of the flare, perfect teeth gleaming as her face stretches up into a grin. “I wonder why you want them dead so bad.” 

“Circle of life, baby.” He’s not sure when things became this way, but he’s not sad about it. If he’s rotten to the core, that’s fine with him, he’s always been that way, just now he screams when things go bang.

There’s work to be done now.  

Far as MG is concerned, no Scarecrow deserves a proper funeral. They shouldn’t be touched once they’ve been dispatched, no matter who they were in their life. They’ve taken a lot away from the community, every single one of them, but desecrating holy ground won’t stand. 

Someone left a mess in here, a couple of ‘crows a hothead greenhorn must’ve killed. Honest mistake, thinking their holy savior is a hunk of metal for hoarding dead ‘crows. MG won’t hold it against anyone but if this happens again someone’s getting stuck with a switch.  

The two drag the bodies out of the robot and sit them in discarded lawn chairs to rot in the sun for a while, or maybe to serve as a reminder to the next ‘crows who come by that this isn’t their property, that the ghosts will chew them up and spit them out if they trifle with forces they don’t fuckin’ understand. Forces they misunderstand. Not that MG’s more than a man, not that MK stopped being a nurse droid soon as they got out here, just that there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about Killjoys that gets the fuckin’ job done. 

“Marco,” MG calls, his voice echoing through the robot’s hollow insides. the sunlight is dying, slipping through cracks in his chest. MK is standing, looking up through closed eyes. Angel’s graveyard has a profound effect on those who can still believe in something, as much as MG wants to believe this giant robot is going to rise from the sand and storm the city in a blaze of glory he can’t forget everything he’s seen, the things that flash behind his eyes when he closes them. 

Being realistic isn’t a bad thing, Tommy told him once, probably the only smart thing he’s ever said. Because that’s where you get when you’re too realistic, you’re Tommy Chow Mein in your fancy suit, a hollow shell of the person you used to be. 

MG stood by and watched all the fight leak out of him like a balloon there in the trenches all those years ago, watched a(n admittedly decent) man become a case for a dead brain and some bad attitude. That’s what you become after all of that, if you’re not crafty. You’re this robot. Everyone thinks you exist but you’re empty on the inside and your eyes are vacant. MG hasn’t seen himself in years, but he’s almost certain he’s still kickin’ somewhere in his own head.   

“I’m sleepy, bunny, let’s go say goodnight.” MG holds out a hand, breaking MK out of her trance. He never touches them unless he’s sure that’s what they want, so he hangs back, and they look from him to the sky again.  

MG believes in things that exist, and the universe is out there. The stars were something to hang on to all the time he’s been out here, since the wars. Even when they were covered in angry clouds of smoke and spitting bombs down from the clouds, they were still up there, waiting. Watching. Ready to get his messages to where they needed to be. 

It’s a tradition now. He used to whisper messages to the stars to send to MK, but now they’re here with him, so he closes his eyes and tries to think of people who might need it. 

“Got anything you wanna say?” She tucks herself into his side, looking up. “I wanna say thanks for the bassline.” 

“I’m sure you’ll be getting more in your dreams tonight.” 

MK smiles. It’s something that still catches MG off guard, makes his chest tight in a way that tells him he’ll never love anything else in the entire universe this much. It’s scary. Sort of comforting. “I’m sure. What are you gonna say?” 

“Good luck, I guess.” He shrugs, because there’s not a lot more you can say to someone. “Sionara? May the witch help you home?”

“Be serious?” 

“Be safe,” he tells the stars- no, he tells some sorry sucker sleeping on the ground out there somewhere, someone who’s praying that they’ll make it through tomorrow, who doesn’t know the world yet. Who can’t see the strings holding them all upright. “I’ll see you soon.”

MK tilts his head back for just one more moment, mouthing something at the sky above before turning back to his companion. “What a great way to make friends.” 

It worked with her, MG thinks, as MK tugs his hair and heads back into the corpse of her forefather. “Hey,” he calls back, “I love you!” 

Because he’s waited a long time to say that, crawled through trenches and run through gunfire to say that face to face. Some meaning not even the cosmos can convey. Something that still sets off the butterflies in his stomach, puts a smile on his face.

“That’s GAY,” they yell back. It makes more sense, these moments, how people can believe in immortality. Maybe if this feeling will never die, there’s a chance this robot will pick itself out of the sand and save them all. 

Until then, Mad Gear will try his best. 

[orchidsheep4-blog]

Simple Headphone Storage Solutions

Headphone storage, particularly in the classroom when you can have up to 40 sets or more, can be challenging.  Finding a storage bag or case that not only fits everything in, but also is easily accessible to students is always a task.

Whether you have traditional large ear headphones for listening centers or computers or instead have small earbuds that have never-ending tangled cords, here are some of the best storage solutions for classroom teachers everywhere!

DIY Headphone Storage Racks

PVC Pipe Solutions!:  Have a low to nonexistent classroom budget left?  No worries!  You can make your own headphone storage stand with some simple supplies from the hardware store.

Hang Your Headphones Anywhere with Two Binder Clips:  Love this idea because it can easily be moved anywhere in the room you need it to be throughout the school year.

Use a box for storage:  This solution is easy!  Grab a box with a lid and  cardboard tube (I would suggest something sturdy like a cardboard mailer).  Cut some hole in the box and slide in your tube.  Toss your headphones along the rod and done!

Command hooks to the rescue every time!:  Keep the headphones right at the computer station by attaching a command hook on the side of the monitor.  Cords will stay put and no reason for students to mess around with the plugs or adapters either!

Mesh Wall Hanger:  Perfect for smaller headphones.  You can also label each student’s name on the pocket for easy retrieval too!

Hanging crates:  How perfect is this?  Grab some file crates and stack them.  Hint:  use zip ties to connect them together.  Make sure to add some heavy textbooks to the crates to keep them grounded.  Then, add some baskets on the side with book rings.  Use the baskets for storing your headphone stash!

Drying rack:  This has to be one of my faves!  Grab a clothing dry rack at the local big box store and place it along a wall in the classroom where the technology is conveniently located.  Pop your headphones on the bars and you’re good to go!

Ribbon and name tag clips:  A great solution for a listening center when you only have a handful of headphones to store.  Hot glue the ribbon to the wall and then add name tag clips on the phones and the ribbon to connect.  The radio unit on the floor makes it a perfect spot for listening skill centers all week long.

Towel bars:  Oh yeah – very clever for sure.  Get as many as you need for your class.  They can be stacked horizontally or vertically – and the best part?  You can display them at student height for super simple student access.

Repurpose a coat tree:  Get crafty and add in some extra “hangers” with long screws covered with pool noodles.

Over the door shoe organizer:  You can even store this behind the classroom door which makes it “hidden” until the materials are needed.

Another example of a shoe organizer:  This one has the headphones sitting inside in a different orientation.

Fabric basket:  Cute and super functional!

Home decor display rack:  Normally I display candles or baskets with handles on my racks like this at home, but I adore how this teacher chose to place headphones on the pegs instead.  Another tip?  These are BROKEN sets that are used for kids who need a sensory break from extra noise in the room.  #love

Mega shoe organizer:  By having the pockets face horizontally, this particular organizer is able to hold far more sets of materials.

Quilt racks:  Also another genius idea from a fellow educator!  This particular example is great because it appears it is made of a heavy iron rod too, which means no buckling and tipping over on any students.

Best Storage Units for Earbuds

Now, if you have ear buds to contend with in the classroom, you also understand the frustrating hours of unraveling them after students toss them all in one big pile as they rush out to recess.

Ear buds might be compact and take up less space, but they certainly have organizational challenges of their own. ��Let’s take a look at a few great tips for containing these corded wonders.

Tackle box:  Fishing lures?  Nope.  A bunch of wiring ear buds?  You bet.  Love this idea because it easily travels to the computer lab if needed as well.  No sharing here.  Everyone has their own sanitary set.

Rolling cart organization:  This idea is handy for moving around the classroom for various needs.  Each student has their own device, headphones, jump drive, and/or peripherals.  The cart makes it a snap to get from place to place in the room where it’s needed.

Plastic containers for the win:  These little containers are super cheap at the dollar store!  Use them for individual earphone storage cases.  Label with student names and drop them all in a basket for easy travel.

Shower rods aren’t just for bathrooms anymore:  What a super idea!  Grab a shower curtain and some rod hooks.  Then, duct tape the edges of large baggies, pop the hook through, and label them with student names.  They are even clear to see through.

Crafting supply box:  This storage case creates the perfect sized spot for ear bud sets for each student in the classroom.  Take it a step further and add in student numbers to be able to use from year to year without needing to change out names.

There you have it!   Oodles of ideas for storing headphones and earbuds in your classroom!

Do you have another idea not shown above?  Or do you have a favorite from above?  We would love to hear about it!  Please leave a comment below and have a chat!

Talk to you soon,

~Charity

Source: https://organizedclassroom.com/simple-headphone-storage-solutions/

[josephkitchen0]

Cannibalism And Chickens Pecking Each Other

A Polish hen’s crest taped with painter’s tape.  I usually take the tape down for a day then put it back up every two weeks.

By Cynthia Smith – It’s happened to all of us who raise poultry: chickens pecking each other and feather picking. One day you look at the chicks in the brooder or the hens in the coop and notice that one or more of them are sporting wounds or bald spots, courtesy of their pen mates. This is especially common in the crested varieties and in Araucanas, where they always go for those precious tufts, and, if that pedicle is damaged, the tuft is gone forever.

Do you know how to stop chickens from pecking each other?

Here are some of my thoughts on how I like to handle this issue as a breeder, and what factors can lead to cannibalism and chickens pecking each other.

A Bullying Temperament

You can see it in the brooder — one chick that just pick-pick-picks at all the others. Usually, I will immediately cull such a chick. I found that I did this a lot in my early years of breeding and now I rarely need to — I think because some of that behavior is genetic and I have removed it from my gene pool. If I really need to keep a certain bully chick because it looks like one of the best I’ve bred, I’ll try moving it to a brooder with older chicks, so it gets a little taste of bullying itself. Same thing if I have an adult bird that is a bully. I’ll sell it, cull it or try to move it to another pen with tougher inmates.

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In crested birds like Polish and Silkies, crest picking also happens in a non-bullying situation where it is part of sexual grooming. The female who loves her mate shows this devotion by plucking him bald. The boy just sits next to her on the roost, gazing at her with adoration, and lets her pluck him bloody. (Numerous similar situations in human relationships occur to me, but I digress.) I will tape these boys immediately. Using the blue painter’s tape from the hardware store, gather the crest up in one handful and tape it into an up-do. Usually this works. Sometimes the girl is relentless, starting in below the tape until there are no feathers left to tape to. These females will never stop. They must be housed separately from males or sold to a pet household where there are no males.

Overcrowding

Put too many chicks or adults in too small an area and chickens pecking each other is bound to occur. (Think of your last Thanksgiving dinner where all the family came over. Whoops, I’m digressing again.) You have two choices here. Build more pens — a lot more pens. This is a solution that appeals to me and I envy those of you who can pursue it. My husband says the place already looks like we should be on one of those shows about hoarders and has put a moratorium on my building. Second choice: downsize so that you can give more space to fewer birds. It seems that all of us start wanting two of these and three of those and eventually your chicken math will overwhelm your space, time and, probably, money. If you have money to build more barns and hire staff, more power to you. For those of us who haven’t made a killing in the stock market, our choices may look more like this: On my day off, shall I cook a nutritious meal, walk for two miles and do the laundry, or shall I clean the barn, knowing that the latter involves wearing my last pair of clean socks and feeding the family at the Golden Arches?

I’m down to two varieties of Polish and two of Araucanas. I’d like to talk myself into going lower. One of the most crucial things you can give a bird to help it develop to its full potential is space, which is every bit as important as feed and water. Space helps our birds develop in a way that crowded, stressed birds cannot. If you are breeding chickens, make it your goal to cull vigorously and raise only the best, giving them the lion’s share of food, water, space, and attention. I am often tempted to grow out a “cute,” weird-colored chick in the brooder, but I try to restrain myself. I have to cull only a few Polish chicks because of defects in crest coloration, but my Araucanas are something else. I estimate that I have to hatch 50 to 80 Araucana chicks to get one I can show, so I give away a lot of chicks to pet homes just wanting blue egg layers. The extra Polish chicks are much harder to place. Because of their limited vision, they are a poor choice for most pet/layer homes. This is something every poultry breeder faces eventually, as there just aren’t enough homes with your friends or in your area for all those extra males. If you’re going to breed, you’ll need to learn to cull. That’s just a fact. The point is that making space for the top quality birds you are going to keep by eliminating (one way or the other) the extras will make a huge difference in a number of chickens pecking each other and other condition problems that you will see if you persist in overcrowding your birds. If this whole paragraph on culling makes you shudder, it’s probably best for you not to breed chickens. Stick to buying females that are already sexed and, again, don’t get too many for the space you have available.

Boredom

Chickens are meant to get up at the crack of dawn and spend the day foraging for their food. If they eat their fill quickly and have nothing else to peck at, is it any surprise that they go for their neighbor? Add roosts, throw in a head of cabbage or lettuce to peck at, consider getting the flock blocks that make them work a bit for their food, put them in tractors or let them free range on grass if there is a safe area. As soon as I see any chickens pecking each other in my chick brooders, I start scattering grass for them to peck at. It makes a big difference. Adding roosts can help too. It makes their space 3-D.

This Polish had a full lovely crest before she was cooped with a group of Rhode Island Red hens that picked her to pieces.

Habit

Once a chicken — chick or adult — starts pecking at its neighbor, it quickly becomes an established behavior. Pin feathers with a splash of blood taste yummy and our tiny T-rexes are still cannibals at heart. For crested birds, I like to tape up males with a soft masking or paper tape when they’re in with the girls. For crested chicks, as soon as I see pecking start, on go the little dunce caps. I like to use a stronger more adhesive tape with them, as I won’t be taking them off. They’ll fall off when the chick fuzz molts off. I use a medical tape but duct tape will work too. Wrap it around the crest above the eyes and stick it together in a little triangle. You can use a similar area for non-crested chicks to cover anywhere fuzz is disappearing or you saw a wound from chickens pecking each other.

Look for the aggressor to cull or move. If you can’t find it, wrap all the crested chicks in the brooder. This will make pecking them unrewarding and hopefully stop the behavior from becoming habitual. If there isn’t enough feather or fuzz for the tape to stick to because the chick is completely scalped, make up a thick paste of flour and water. Use it to stick a cotton ball on the pecked area. You will have to hold it there until the paste dries. It takes a while but stays really well, especially if you haven’t messed it up by putting a bunch of goo like Neosporin on it first.

Lights

See if your chicks are too hot or have too much light. Red lights instead of white will dramatically decrease picking. Often, the only red lamps you can find are the 250-watt bulbs from the feed store. These may be too hot for your brooder. I buy the red Exo-Terra reptile 50-100- or 150-watt bulbs on Amazon.

It always amazes me how well chicks raised under one of my Silkie or Araucana broodies do. They almost never pick at each other, feather out faster, and have a much lower illness and death rate. I think this is attributable at least partially to the fact that they have a nice long sleep under mom during the night hours where they neither eat nor drink. Even under the red lamps, the chicks in the brooder munch all night and don’t give their intestines a rest like chicks under a hen do. It’s much worse under a white light. Mom also serves as a jungle gym; watch them jump all over her. When they’re under her for heat, it’s dark, so they won’t pick at each other like they will if they can see each other. True, chicks that are hen-raised are not as tame, but there is a real benefit to raising them this way if you have willing hens and a secure area for them to raise their kids.

Beyond crowding and too much light or heat, consider trying a higher protein food and adding grass and a roost or other enrichment to their environments. I have had my best success with tape, but others use no-pick sprays, or trim an offender’s beak really close, or try the no-pick devices sold for pheasants. I can’t really speak regarding these, but they might be worth a try.

Clear medical tape can help on chicks when picking begins in the brooder.  The tape is sealed at the top so chicks cannot peck at the bloodied area.

Treatment

We’re all imperfect. We’re all busy. Sometimes, it just gets away from us and chicken injuries happen. I once moved an Araucana casually into the Polish pen, as I’ve done many times when I’m trying to break up a broody or keep a show bird in condition. By morning, one of my Polish girls was dying, her crest ripped away down to her scalp and she was crouching in a corner in shock and pain. I moved the offender out and went to euthanize the victim, but she showed more spirit than I expected, eating food when I put her in a temporary cage. I coated the exposed scalp and bloody remains of skin with a thin coat of honey (it wasn’t fly season and honey has been used since the Middle Ages for its antibacterial properties), then with tape, ruthlessly pulled the remaining skin together by taping the crest tightly. I gave her antibiotics and time. When the tape came off in a few weeks, she had a bald spot in the center and the skin over her crest was tight but she had skin covering her skull. Darned if that bird didn’t win Ch AOCCL twice after that and one judge complimented her tight dense crest.

A friend called me to look at her layer pen because almost every girl was bald along her back and tail area. In a breeding pen, I’d have suspected damage from mating, but these were all females. We covered their backs with a blanket of duct tape — covering the exposed areas (it came off naturally with the next molt) and made soup out of the one girl who was fully feathered, suspecting that she was the aggressor. Last time I visited, all the girls were in beautiful feather again.

Be especially careful about introducing new birds to your flock; these can be badly picked, or even killed, as a new chicken pecking order is being established. New birds should be caged in the flock area for at least a week to allow birds to get used to each other, and then they should be watched very closely when allowed out. You may have to intervene and move a bird that isn’t integrating well. Preventing picking from ever starting is always easier that stopping it.

Have you dealt with chickens pecking each other? Let us know in the comments

This is the same bird in the picture above before she was picked. Note the dramatic difference.

Originally published in Backyard Poultry August/September 2015 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Cannibalism And Chickens Pecking Each Other was originally posted by All About Chickens

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: Another article from Konrad Vinson to The Prepper Journal. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share then enter into the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies!

Preppers are problem solvers, disaster planners before the fact. Potential situations are things we know may come to pass. Most preppers are ready for the curve balls Mother Nature can throw. Most natural events only cause a brief hiccup in our lives and infrastructure. (Notable exceptions: Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria) However, for preppers, identifying risks, is an intellectual pursuit, a thought exercise to solve for our family and community well being. What is the likelihood a natural event will occur? How likely am I to be dealing with a dirty bomb fallout at the end of the day? Except for earthquakes, most natural events are predicted and tracked with reasonably quick communication from the government, usually with time enough to prepare, flee, or shelter.

But anticipating basic human needs as a priority is the most versatile preparation. Most preparations for less exotic scenarios such as after a hurricane, long-term loss of electricity, loss of tap water are just as needed for those big sexy scenarios we build to challenge our minds and planning. Before we purchase exotic preps for complex super-sexy scenes, let’s review the essentials for clean air, clean water, nutrition, clothing, hygiene, first aid, and basic security.

The Big Scenarios We Love To Solve

We all have an existential curiosity about these possible events, they are reasonable, and nobody doubts they could occur. The prepping/survival communities discuss, share ideas, share theories, and otherwise consider what might happen in these situations. These have different problems to solve beyond the essentials. They also have on-ramps into politics and conspiracy—definitely the sexy end of prepping.

Will the event be nuclear attack by a foreign government?

Dirty Bomb (radioactivity) introduced by a hostile entity?

A Biological agent introduced by some hostile entity?

A Chemical agent introduced by some hostile entity?

Toxicity, some under-regulated producer, spills or intentionally dumps substance into water supplies or residential areas?

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) or Air-Burst Nuclear detonation from some unknown government?

A natural pandemic arising from degraded sanitation across the region or nation?

Mr. Robot Cyber hack which creates global financial and social chaos

Any other scenario I haven’t mentioned which could reasonably happen. (I do not prep for zombies or supernatural events, but if this figures for you—I’m pulling for you.)

All of these events are viable in theories, but none have come to pass in any substantial way. YET. In my state, every so often, toxicity is an issue. Hog producers are caught dumping slurry in streams or rivers. Other times, swine sewage lagoons fail and rupture without any malice. The resulting fish kill in the waterways is not a big “Who Dun It” for the State Department of Natural Resources. Follow dead fish till you find the source toxin. Fines made, fines paid.

But preppers are trying to solve for problems ahead of time. We seek to solve these problems. We talk about, review, share and discuss our ideas every day. We love to talk about the BIG scenarios. The Big Scenarios are fun and intellectually tantalizing. However, reviewing one’s essential preps should account for most of the critical problems for nearly all events, big and small. Maybe we will find room for improvement in our foundational preparations. But before I go purchasing Geiger counters, expensive hazmat suits, or build a pressurized airlock to my porch, the essentials remain the priority. I prep for the basics in an ongoing process of testing, getting the optimal working gear and supplies for sustained events in my situation. There may come a day when I build that airlock, but I have a ways to go.

We cannot escape the basics we need as humans.

What We All Need:

Clean air: Respirators with various levels of filtration available at the outset of an event. One needs to remove the old filters and put on fresh ones from an unopened package. Generally, manufacturers of respirator filters rate them at six months of use. Then the disposable filters are changed out, the old ones discarded.

My shop respirators are NIOSH-approved P-95 types and used strictly for particulate matter and paint or lacquer fumes. P-95 masks can protect from a lot of bad stuff. The cartridges are available in paint stores, home improvement stores, and over the internet. I prefer a full face for prepping so I can wear prescription glasses inside the mask, my eyes protected. Half face masks are available too.

Sheet rock dust, because it is so fine-grained, can be challenging to filter using a cheap emergency respirator. Don’t underestimate it. There are 9/11 victims still suffering due to sheet rock dust from collapsed the buildings. Respirators for everyone in a party stowed in a Pelican Box, ammo can, large freezer bags in a plastic tub or anything with a gasket seal is a great prep. And is essential protection for any scenario, garden variety or exotic.

Acquire compatible respirators and filters with a variety of filtration capabilities for everyone in your family or group. Understand, once deployed filter media on most makes of respirator is rated at six months. A three-year-old mask with the original filter may leave you exposed. Purchase extra filter-media for different pollutants. Keep them in their original plastic wrapper. You may want to prep for a worst of the worst scenario and lay in gas masks which have different filtration abilities by all means. If purchasing for family or a group, try to acquire compatible respirators. Also, buy “in date” non-expired filter canisters.

Whichever the product you choose; respirators or gas masks, throw a generous amount of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly in the kit. Vaseline can make up for gaps in a device’s fit on a child, person with facial hair, or otherwise ill fit. Vaseline and Duct Tape can help out in a pinch! (Any petroleum jelly will work.)

Consider the utility of an Arab style shemagh scarf. Some military personnel use these simple scarves in adapting to the various Arabian climates. Conveniently it’s around your neck, in your rucksack, or a pocket. A shemagh is versatile in how it is worn and could pre-filter your respirator, or in a pinch, filter out fine sand-like particulate matter until you reach your cache of more robust filtration.

In bunker scenarios, one prep is to have an air intake and exhaust. DC or solar power supplies often power these. Consider taking an old squirrel cage blower, sans motor, and weld a hand crank on it. Size a flexible rubber connector for emergency connection. If your vent has a standard “China Hat” consider an old air cleaner and automotive filter media to reduce pollution in the bunker or shelter.

Water about 1-2 gallons a day: In shelters larger storage containers can be supplied. Or pallets and cartons of water bottles can be stored. Maybe some combination.

Locate a water test kit and learn how to use it. Also learn what common contaminants are in your area. The water supply can filter organic matter, for taste, and otherwise prepared for storage by inline filters before storing water. Purification methods like tablets or large boiling pots may be needed while pump filters and life straws are useful for mobile survivalists, or preppers in transit to a shelter, or get home plans.

Some of the water quotas in various disaster planning guidelines will be for drinking and cooking. Some of each water quota is for equally important sanitation and hygiene. 1-2 gallons is not a lot of water. It’s a lot to drink. But add cooking, bathing, and health and there is little to spare. At home don’t forget your hot water tank. You can access from 40 gallons to 80 gallons of clean water using the drain cock and a garden hose.

Nutrition of around 2000-4000 calories: These calorie values need to factor in activity and any disease or dietary requirements by team members. When you are physically moving toward your destination: use the upper end of the scale. When riding out the wake of an event: use the middle or lower end of the scale. Save back some food, so when you are actively moving toward your destination again, you have enough calories to support this movement.

If you are trapped, or otherwise confined: You may need to ration below the low end of the scale. Of course fresh food is best. Convenience foods have plenty of calories so if you pass a grocery store or convenience store with any product left to grab the longest-keeping items. MREs have a long shelf life, can be warmed with their heating system, are relatively light, and require no pots, pans or clean up.

You want to bury or securely dispose of the wrappers and trash. Food, especially MREs, will be highly prized. Nobody need know your special magic, lest they want it for themselves, or at the least beg for rations, you hadn’t counted on giving away. Unless, of course, you anticipated the value of an MRE in an event or scenario and had extra meals on hand for barter purposes. Also look for pre-packaged meals. There are a lot of good options out there.

Appropriate Clothing, and shelter the elements.

Outerwear:

Winter coat with a hood and which covers the wearers posterior. (Rothco N-3B Snorkel Parka)

Snow pants or cotton duck coveralls

Desert jacket- lightweight but protective from the sun and modest protection when desert suddenly cools off at night. Nicely matched for use with a shemagh. (Rothco Shemagh Tactical Desert Scarf – 8537)

Layers:

A tee shirt

Long sleeve shirt or Pendleton

A vest or light sweatshirt is a versatile layer

Headgear:

Winter stocking hat with a face mask

Ball hat

Boonie hat, or wide-brimmed hat for sun protection

Sunglasses

In winter conditions, consider tinted ski goggles

A shemagh scarf.

Footwear:

Footwear is a matter of taste: some folks like tennis or oxford style shoes. I like work or hiking boots without steel toes. I test out a pair, when satisfied, I buy another. Two pairs of boots last about three times as long

I have been well-served for 50 years with boots priced under $100.00

Leather Uppers

A good tread pattern

Replace the original shoestrings for heavy duty ones. Save the old ones in the ruck for a quick fix

You can waterproof after purchase

You should waterproof about ever 3-4 months depending on use

2 or 3 pairs of socks if marching all day. Toss a new plastic bag of twenty socks from your discount retailer.

Rucksack:

Think carefully through the bag itself.

Can you carry it for a day of strenuous marching toward your objective?

Can you even carry what you need to get home?

Is it worth investigating a cache of supplies or gear along the path I am traveling?

Are the straps comfortable and adjustable?

Is there a hip or chest strap? Does it help or feel weird?

Tent:

Can you carry it on your rucksack? Is it the minimally sized bag you need?

Ground cloth or tarp to go beneath it?

Or no tent and use a tarp for shelter?

Sleeping Pad/Air mattress. Sounds like a luxury, but without sleep, you will make poor time, or worse, poor judgments. Look, Tough Guy, even Marines use these sleeping pads

A sleeping bag rated for the worst weather you expect to encounter. Maybe simple blankets if you expect fair weather.

Hygiene:

Hand washing is king. Any nurse will tell you, “Wash your hands more and keep your fingers away from your face!” Keeping your hands clean during an emergency helps prevent the spread of germs.

If your tap water is not safe to use, wash your hands with boiled or disinfected water and soap

Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap

Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to get the backs of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your nails

Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Wash your hands long enough to sing or hum along to “Happy Birthday” from start to completion twice.

Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water

Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them

A temporary hand washing station can be made using a large water jug containing clean water. Recapture this grey water with a bucket and use it for making flush toilets flush. How to Put a Garden Hose Spigot on a Five-gallon Pail | 

Washing hands with soap and water are the best way to reduce the number of germs on them

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer which contains at least 60% alcohol

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of microbes or bacteria.

Hand sanitizers are not effective when hands are visibly dirty

Avoid contact with flood waters whenever possible. Avoiding flood water seems obvious, yet every flood produces victims–further clogging the medical systems. Not only are flood waters often contaminated with raw sewage, but they regularly contain industrial waste or agricultural chemicals at levels which may exceed your ability to treat with your first aid supplies. A trip to the hospital may not be an option depending during an event. If you must enter flood waters, try to clean yourself off, and ESPECIALLY any open wounds as soon as possible. Monitor exposed areas for rashes, redness, lesions.

Educate children as to why flood waters are dangerous

Keep pets leashed and away from flood waters.

Bathing:

Check the safety of shower or bathing water when bathing or showering after a water-related emergency one should use safe water.

Sometimes water which is not safe to drink can be used for bathing or showering–but do not swallow any of this sort of water or get it in your eyes.

If you have a drinking water well, listen to your local health authorities for advice on using your well water for showering and bathing.

If extensive flooding has occurred or you suspect your well may be contaminated, contact your local health department for well testing and disinfection information.

Brushing your teeth after a water-related emergency should only be done with clean, safe water

Keeping wounds clean and covered is crucial during an emergency

Open wounds, sores, or rashes exposed to flood waters can become infected. To protect yourself and your family

Avoid contact with flood waters if you have an open wound

Cover clean, open wounds with a waterproof bandage to reduce the chance of infection

Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing well with soap and clean water

If a wound develops redness, swelling, or oozing, seek immediate medical care

Vibrios are naturally occurring bacteria which live in certain coastal waters. They can cause a skin infection if an open wound exposed to salt water or a mix of salt and fresh water, which can occur during floods

Tetanus, other bacterial infections, and fungal infections are potential health threats for persons who have open wounds.

Health:

Take into account everyone’s medications, even the pets?

What alternative pharmacies can I use if my usual one is knocked out and I need medicine?

What needs will any elderly or special-needs members of the family or team require? (Ramps, wheelchairs, particular vehicle, pets for comfort, items of comfort) If you make a list now, it may save distress in the future

What are my options for healthcare if my primary physician’s facilities are knocked out?

Do I have digital copies of family health records? If not how might I get them? If so, how best to archive them?

First aid:

The Duquesne University School of Nursing has excellent resources here for First Aid Kits in Disaster Preparedness. Think about stretchers. You may need one for a neighbor or team member. Stretchers, like seat belts, are not something you want to think about but darn glad you thought it through.

Security:

Having a plan of where to meet up is good advice. Cell phones and landlines may either be instantly jammed or nonfunctional in an event

Having some code word, code phrase, or shared memory only your family would know isn’t a bad idea

If on foot, you might consider not wearing apparel which looks military or makes you look “like a prepper.” You want to blend in, go unnoticed.

I think you will agree, for all the big sexy scenarios we imagine, there is always room for improvement in our preps for essential human needs. We have constant work to do improving or maintaining gear, or if not, then widening available supplies, or adding depth and longevity to them. I work to “bug-in” at home. We want to get home to great neighbors and tend to think there is safety in numbers, especially when it comes to our elderly and special needs neighbors.

In my case prepping is more of stewardship to my family and neighbors. I buy extra food; when it gets close to the use by date, it goes to the food pantry. If the event happens and we are all in the soup together, I have some food to spare. If the electricity goes out for a few days, we pull all the grills together in the street and have a BBQ party cooking meat and frozen goods before they go bad.

One civilian experience which informs my thinking is that where I live has a long-honored rural tradition of neighbors helping each other. In the aftermath of the 2008 Parkersburg, Iowa tornado, I witnessed, less than an hour after the natural event, neighbors helping neighbors, the sounds of chainsaws clearing roadways before first responders or FEMA was on the scene. SHTF. For many in Parkersburg, it was TEOTWAWKI.  There was no societal breakdown. No shootouts. No looting. People were more in need of a charger for their cellphone than .357 ammo, so I generally do not focus much on weapons.

I don’t don’t want you to misunderstand me—I have weapons—but I feel no need to advertise what I have or where I have it. One further security consideration: If you have Second Amendment or NRA membership stickers on your vehicle, get a scraper. Proud as you may be of the political or cultural statement on your back window or the bumper, you might have placed a target on your car or truck. It tells people exactly where they can acquire a weapon.

During an event, a once harmless sticker might come to read “follow me home and wait for a chance.” Don Corleone in the Godfather is a great model for individual preppers, “Never tell anyone outside the Family what you are thinking again.” You could educate children not to discuss this aspect of family life. Not out of shame, rather just good security. The less even your beloved neighbors know about your prepper-life, the better. You want to help others on your terms. You do not want to create a situation like “The Shelter” on the old show The Twilight Zone.

As I write this on a Monday, over this last weekend, six hunters got shot in Iowa. One young man died at the hands of a person in his hunting party. Good preppers should practice the most stringent gun safety. Take a refresher hunter safety or gun safety course. A competent firearms owner needs to practice putting rounds downrange and exercising gun safety regularly. Tenderfoot civilians with guns are pure chaos. I am more likely to get shot in a public hunting reserve during deer season than in the roughest neighborhood in the nearby metro area. Maybe you, too, have seen people in sporting goods stores sweeping the muzzle of a weapon across the backs of other customer’s heads or even faces of sales staff nearby when handling a firearm.

We all have to start somewhere, but let preppers be good, vocal examples of safety. Be part of the solution and not a part of the problem for your neighbors, your community, local LEO and First Responders.

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[azworkingdogs]

Muzzles: the Why, the How and the Why Not

Ahhhh muzzles!

Muzzles are probably one of the most misunderstood tools in dog training.

The majority of society think that they are cruel.

Even when aggressive dogs come into the veterinary clinic where I work 98% of people don’t want their dog muzzled.

Certain European countries demand muzzles be worn by certain breeds of dogs while they are out of their house.

The truth is that muzzles keep people safe.

The other truth is that muzzles keep DOGS safe!

Dogs that bite are often deemed dangerous and euthanized.

I would much rather walk my aggressive dog in a muzzle than risk that he would bite someone and have his life cut short.

I also don’t mind him being muzzled at the vet or when he has his nails trimmed.

I actually think that having a muzzle on his face keeps him preoccupied and he is thinking less about anything else that is going on around him!

I have spent a good part of my career working with protection and police dogs and part of our training is to acclimate dogs to doing obedience in muzzles and even agitating them in muzzles.  Muzzle work is very important.

I have learned to love muzzles.

Let me tell you why.

WHY

Muzzles Keep Your Dog Safe

If your dog is in a muzzle, he can’t bite another person or another dog or animal.  This keeps him from being deemed a dangerous dog!

Muzzles Keep Me Safe

Muzzles keep me from being bitten.

I don’t want to be bitten, whether I am working with an aggression case or whether I am trimming a Chihuahua’s nails at the vet.

Muzzles Keep Other Dog’s Safe

If a dog is dog aggressive, it makes training and socializing with other dogs (which is essential for a normal life) safe.

I don’t want to take my own dog, who is my demonstration dog to help dog aggressive dogs to learn if the aggressor is not on leash and muzzled.  It is not worth it to me if she gets bitten or mauled.

She trusts in me to keep her safe when I work on rehabilitation with these kinds of dogs and I will always ensure that she is safe, even if the leash were to get dropped.

Muzzles Keep Other Animals Safe

I have worked with dogs that also have aggression or severe prey drive issues with chickens, ducks, sheep, horses, cows, cats, etc.

Keeping a muzzle on the dog that is learning and then working on obedience keeps the distraction animal safe.

Just like I don’t want my own dog mauled.

I also don’t want a chicken killed or a horse tormented (especially because horses kick and kill dogs)

Muzzles and leashes with obedience and focus are key to working with animals that suffer from this kind of aggression.

Muzzles Give Your Dog Something Else to Think About

I mentioned this earlier, but it also deserves more elaboration.

It is absolutely true, that if your dog is stressed or slightly fearful or aggressive at places like the vet, the introduction of a muzzle allows for negative or stressful things to happen more quickly and with less trauma.

Because the dog is focused on what is on his face, he is less fearful of the needles and the nail trimmers.  Sometimes it is amazing.

I even admit I have muzzled overly excited dogs in an attempt to just get them to sit still long enough for me to get nails trimmed.

This same phenomenon can happen with training; the muzzle gives them something else to focus on rather than overt aggression and their trigger.

It is kind of the same theory of the “Thunder Shirt”,  it places focus somewhere else and can, in some ways, take some of the aggression out of the dog’s “sails”.

Some dogs realize there is no way they can bite and they acquiesce to the situation, which makes training easier for the owner and more tolerable for the dog.

Want To Learn How To Train Basic Obedience?

Check out our Hands Off Dog Training Program, where you can train obedience WITHOUT having to resort to hitting, yelling, or using nasty training devices on your dog (which I personally think are abusive!) like electric shock collars, prong collars, or choke collars.

Click here to learn this “Hands Off” training process

Muzzles Give Us Space

I used to HATE how people would judge me and my dog, when my dog had a muzzle on his face.

I felt bad.

I felt guilty.

I felt that the dog and I were being judged harshly.

Then I realized, that I didn’t have to care.

People judge people, dogs and things all of the time.  Often our actions have little to do with other people’s judgement anyway.

I have gotten used to the dirty looks and the snide comments and I have lived to realize that it actually keeps people away from me and my dog when I am training.

I often put a muzzle on a perfectly social dog just to escape screaming children and explicit conversations about all things “dog” when I am out training.  Sometimes I don’t want to be social, I just want to train.

But the nice thing is that a muzzle keeps people and dogs out of yours and your dog’s bubble.

It doesn’t matter if your dog is dog aggressive, or if he doesn’t like people, a basket muzzle is a universal sign to give you space and therefore it allows you to train without stress.

If I have to worry that a toddler will sneak up behind me and my aggressive dog and he might bite the child in the face, it creates an immense amount of stress for us both; because my stress travels down the leash to my dog.

If I have to have my head on a swivel and am constantly on the look out for dogs that are off leash because my dog is dog aggressive; it also creates undue stress on the two of us while we are training.

I like to train my dogs with a calm demeanor, always, so that they too will feed off of my aura.  I can’t do that nearly as well, if I am afraid my dog will have an aggressive moment.

HOW

Make the Muzzle Fun

I feed my dogs out of their muzzle WAY before I ever strap the muzzle on their face.

I use duct tape to tape the end of the muzzle shut (sticky to sticky so that the inside is not sticky) and then I pour food into the muzzle and let the dog come and eat out of it like a feeding bag.

I can also use hot dogs or great treats in there.

After they have been acclimated to shoving their face in there, I take the tape off and being to slather peanut butter or liverwurst into the muzzle and allow the dog to lick this out.

Sometimes, at this point I barely hang the muzzle on their face.

Then I can click for keeping the muzzle on, while I insert great treats through the gap of the muzzle.

The important thing is to get them used to it before ever strapping it on and leaving it on their face.

They should be excited to shove their face in the muzzle!

From there you can add obedience, click and reward through the muzzle. For a great video series that shows how to teach basic obedience, click here.

As always, make it fun!!!!

WHY NOT

Why I Hate Muzzles

Over Use

I will agree that in some instances, people over use them.

They are not to be used all of the time in your home if you have dogs that don’t get along.

I think this is a cruel and unacceptable way to live.

Sure, they can be used to training for these situations too, but they are not meant to be a constant piece of clothing or a band aid without the use of any training.

Cloth Muzzles

I hate cloth muzzles, unless they are going to be on for less that 2-5 minutes.

Cloth muzzles restrict breathing and the ability for your dog to pant.

These muzzles should only be used by vets, vet hospitals or other people who just simply need to get a quick treatment done.

If you leave a muzzle like this on a dog for extended period, they will die.

I once knew a client whose neighbor left on of these muzzles on their collie because the dog barked outside in the back yard during the day.  Their solution was to muzzle the dog and put it outside.  The dog died of heat exhaustion within the day.

Muzzles are not an excuse not to train!

Muzzles are only a tool to help the dog and owner relax and a way to control the dog and environment to the best of the owners ability.

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