#beds of the 18 plus variety

[itswilliamleonard]

many such cases, it seems

[seakicker]

I’ve been writing for about ten years privately and publicly and across multiple different websites, fandoms, and eras of favorite characters. I first started writing fanfiction physically in notebooks I stashed under my bed since I didn’t own my own laptop until I was 18, lol. I had originally started writing as a means to cope with feeling like The Ugly Kid because I never had a serious relationship in my pre-teen and teenage years. I was always on the chubby side and, given fanfiction’s tendency to depict readers as extremely thin and physically much smaller than the character in question, I sought to make my own stuff that would, hopefully, alleviate some insecurities and give a place to people who felt similarly to me as a kid. Well, I also started writing because I was horny and hormonal and just wanted to fuck pixels, but that much goes without saying. 

I don’t think writing has much of a place in my current life for a variety of reasons and, despite what I said the other day, I don’t see it being a part of my future and I’m okay with that! It’s a hobby that has served me very, very well for nearly ten years (roughly half of my life now since I’m 22)— I’ve learned to like myself so much more than I ever thought I would have as a teenager, I’ve opened myself up to different ways to express myself and my sexuality, I’ve met a lot of really cool people, and I think I’ve been able to help other people out quite a bit, too. I always worry about coming off as overly pretentious or self-righteous when I talk about helping people through the power of porn fanfiction, but when I’ve received so many messages over the years about how I’ve helped other plus size people learn to feel a little more secure or how I’ve helped people feel less guilty about masturbating and enjoying sex, I think it’s a fair statement to make. I’ve had tons and tons and tons of good times as a writer, but I think reading these messages about helping other people are absolutely my favorite times to look back on. It makes me feel really good. 

I’m in a completely different stage of my life now compared to when I first started writing and I don’t think the hobby appeals to me much anymore. I do think the tumblr game of notes and numbers and interactions has stressed me out some, but it’s by no means my main motivation to hang up my hat and move on to a new era of my life. I don’t care about getting a bazillion notes or a million followers, I just like to be a slut online and help other people feel good about themselves in the process, but any person who makes content will be the first to tell you that it does hurt at least a little when you make something you’re insanely proud of and it gets an amount of likes/reblogs/kudos/comments/etc you find disproportionate to your follower count or subscriber count. Nevertheless, I try not to focus on numbers too much and, while I’m somewhat successful at that, I and many other writers and artists do feel that tumblr has a major problem with interaction, reblogs vs likes, and engagement and tumblr staff’s own decisions to introduce things like community labels certainly don’t help. 

As I said, numbers are not my main inspiration to quit. I’ve experienced near endless burnout since about January of this year where none of my ideas feel unique and original, none of them excite me, and nearly all of them make me worry that other people won’t enjoy them. It’s hard to want to write when you don’t feel like you’re making anything good, and, as I’m sure you all have noticed, I’ve taken a lot of breaks this year to hopefully get myself back in the swing of things, but I never return feeling refreshed and excited by new ideas, so that was the biggest indication to me that I’ve simply grown out of another hobby and I’m a changing person with changing interests and desires, and that’s okay! I’m emerging into a new stage of adulthood after graduating college and beginning to move out of my parents’ house, and so a shift in my hobbies and likes is to be expected. I had a conversation with another writing friend of mine who gave up writing publicly about six months ago, and my feelings sounded a lot like his, so that also suggested to me that I’m just ready to be done. 

I’m infinitely thankful to everyone who’s ever been a part of my writing journey, whether you reblogged a fic once or were a regular emoji anon who stopped in frequently. I really cherish the memories I’ve made and I was always insanely excited to see people claim new emojis, see regulars in my inbox talking to me, and read nice comments and messages. When I say that writing has been a pivotal part of my life for a decade now, I mean that in so many ways, especially in the way that it has brought so many cool and nice people to me. I’ve made mistakes and I’ve said and done things that hurt other people, and I’m grateful for the forgiveness and reconciliation others have given me just as I am thankful for all the people who have supported me throughout my online presence. 

I do feel guilty about leaving, but you guys deserve a proper goodbye instead of me putting my blog on hiatus again and just leaving it there to sit. I’d like to formally leave instead of just going dormant or disappearing, and this is that formal departure. I’ve had thoughts of quitting in the past, but those were when I was already feeling upset with other things in my life so I knew they weren’t real, but I’ve been thinking about this consistently for about four months now in clear mindsets and headspaces so I know it’s a little more real. I put myself on hiatus this last month to really think about it and, while it’s natural to go back and forth on such a decision and try to talk myself out of it, I really am ready and I don’t feel like I need to convince myself to stay when I’m not happy with my content. I owe you guys regularity and consistency, and I’ve failed to be a consistent writer or poster these past few months or so, and I’m sorry for that. I’ve talked about it a lot with my boyfriend and my close friends, and I feel it’s best for me to move on now and try some new things! I’m excited for this next stage of my life as I seek out a new career, look to move in with my boyfriend and get out of my parents’ place, and maybe get engaged too ☺️ 

My tumblr and AO3 will remain up with the same usernames and whatnot. I can’t even thank you guys enough for everything you’ve given me in the past years. I’m happy to call you guys friends and the “parasocial BAD!!!!!” debate that pops up in fandom circles needs to stfu because building a friendship with your audience and allowing yourself to be human with human feelings instead of some blank figure behind a screen is literally normal, lol. When people say nice things to you, it’s normal for it to feel good. When people say rude things to you, it’s normal for it to feel bad. 

Thank you for 10 years of love and thank you for reading! 

💛💛 Juju

ps think of me whenever you see pregnancy

[crownedtargaryen]

Modern!Bran Stark Headcanons

A/N: honestly, this is just to give context to the one shot I’m writing and I made these in my class. A lot are of him being a silly little Twitch streamer. So, enjoy!! There aren’t a lot of NSFW ones, but shrugs or whatever.

ALL NOTES ARE APPRECIATED! (REBLOGS, LIKES, COMMENTS)

CW: Semi-Publicized Sex, Slurp Slurp Under Da Desk

NSFW 18+ HEADCANONS ARE IN THIS!

Pronouns: She/Her

SFW

He’s a huge gamer, 100%. The average League and Clash Royale player. He’s a variety twitch streamer in his spare time, honestly having a large following!

He works a lot on his upper body strength, keeping himself lean but not buff. He has a tendency to overexert himself a because he’s insecure about his wheelchair, trying to prove he can still be just as strong as his brothers.

Bran is a MASSIVE nerd, holy crap. He has limited edition collectibles and loves to show you them. At cons, he will buy insanely expensive merchandise and you stand there in shock at how much money he throws into those passions of his.

To be honest, he probably wouldn’t have been your friend if you weren’t friends with his siblings. Plus, you grew up with him which is a bonus. You helped him through the emotional distress he felt being now stuck in a wheelchair, encouraging him that you’ll do anything to help him learn to walk again. A naive child, which he constantly teases you for now. When people ask why you’re friends with him, you respond “I find him endearing is all!”

He works a lot on his upper body strength, keeping himself lean but not buff. He has a tendency to overexert himself a because he’s insecure about his wheelchair, trying to prove he can still be just as strong as his brothers.

Bran is a MASSIVE nerd, holy crap. He has limited edition collectibles and loves to show you them. At cons, he will buy insanely expensive merchandise and you stand there in shock at how much money he throws into those passions of his.

To be honest, he probably wouldn’t have been your friend if you weren’t friends with his siblings. Plus, you grew up with him which is a bonus. You helped him through the emotional distress he felt being now stuck in a wheelchair, encouraging him that you’ll do anything to help him learn to walk again. A naive child, which he constantly teases you for now. When people ask why you’re friends with him, you respond “I find him endearing is all!”

He’s had the biggest crush on you since kindergarten and has dedicated his entire love life to pursuing you. But, he has terrible rejection anxiety and so he hesitates to confess his feelings.

His love languages are as follows; Giving - Gift Giving and Semi-Physical Touch ,, Receiving - Physical Touch and Quality Time

He doesn’t show it nor admit it, but he’s SUPER protective of you and sends Jock!Robb and Jock!Jon to beat the crap out of people for you.

His siblings and parents LOVVVE embarrassing him in-front of you. They’ll tell you stupid stories that you weren’t there for, unflattering pictures they take of him they’ll text you, abut what REALLY gets him all flustered and pulling you away to his room to hide is when they drop unsubtle hints about his deep rooted feelings for you

Bran has really gotten used to swallowing down his emotions and hiding them from everyone. You’d have to know everything going on in his life to know how he truly feels.

He definitely went through a cringey stage in middle school, it’s haunted him since. He may need therapy.

Uses the words Pog, Pogchamp, Rizz, Bruh, Moist, and Holly Molay ironically, and repeats them regularly. He won’t stop. Help.

Can and WILL tell you the entire FNAF lore.

Always urging you into his interests and rambles for hours in what he loves. He’ll GLADLY indulge in your likings as well.

He’s on the neurodivergent spectrum. As someone on that spectrum, he totally is. He has special interests and will never stop talking about them while laying in bed with you.

He absolutely ADORES when upon send him videos and pictures you find on Pinterest or TikTok and say “us”

When you aren’t at his house he BEGS you to call him to merely feel your presence. He has insane insomnia when you aren’t with him and needs to call you to sleep.

On ALL his socials other than his Twitch, you’re his pfp. The thing is, he doesn’t pick flattering pictures of you. No. He picks the most meme worthy goofy photos of you and him, just LOVING it. He’s VERY public about your romance.

His stream LOOOVES you and constantly begs him to have you on. He acts like it’s bothersome but he secretly adores the excuse to invite you over. Of course, there are some of his fans that ignore your existence or don’t like you, which you come to realize is because they’re romantically attracted to him and feel you are an obstacle, so they find it better to be harsh or just ignore you all together.

He’ll do a karaoke stream with you and I love to imagine it’s like this video

NSFW

He loves when his family is out and he tells them he’s streaming so you can come over and just ride the fuck out of him in the living room.

He’s a pervy mf, eyeing you up and down always and getting hard-ons CONSTANTLY when he looks at you. It makes you so flustered noticing the huge cock in his pants rock hard and insanely visible due to his size.

Sometimes he’ll plead you to suck him off when he’s streaming, tying to keep himself together as he talks to his chat. He’ll let out soft whimpers and moans, but play them off as frustration. You’re surprised no one has caught on as he pushes your head down and swallows hard to stifle himself.

He’ll suck on your tits randomly. You’ll be cuddling and he’ll move under your shirt, whining softly and peeking through the top of your shirt. You look down at him and laugh, then give him verbal consent to continue. He’ll greedily lap over the buds, feeling up your sides and slowly grinding against your leg like the wolf he is.

He suggests an OnlyFans a few times and a NSFW Twitter, jokingly at first but then genuinely growing interested in the idea. You think it’s just for money, but he wants to show everyone who he belongs to and who belongs to him.

He loves nothing more than thigh fucking you, moaning into your ear and burying his face in your neck as he marks you up.

He has a private Twitter where he posts (with your consent) photos of him with the messiest hickeys on his neck and the scratches on his back after you and him fuck around. His captions are always goofy like “Just got mauled 🤭😏”

He loves when you ride him while he plays games, moaning softly into the mic and gripping your ass, unable to focus as he messes up and swears under his breath, burying his face between your breasts to comfort himself from the frustration.

[triskhellion]

Irie

Rated: Explicit (4.4k)

Relationship: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski

Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Original Characters

Tags: POV Stiles, Getting Together, Jamaica, Gratuitous Nyammin' & Jammin', Patois/Patwah, Explicit Sexual Content, Hickeys, Song Lyrics

Summary: The one where Stiles and Derek go on an errand for Deaton and have some time to kill in Jamaica. They thoroughly enjoy themselves eating, swimming, relaxing, and exploring the island…and then each other.

Soundtrack

Super Blue Moon prompts: Joy, Grain, Red Haze & Summer (Mead Moons prompts: Aphrodisiacs, Claiming, Herbs, Hot & Revelry)

TW Anchor Down (Full Moon Round) prompts: Word - Unstoppable, Phrase - “Grab the bull by its horns," Song - "Feel Good Inc.," Trope - Roommates, Picture - Cove @tw-anchor-down

Usually when Stiles got a message from Deaton about some errand or another it ended up with him and Derek searching for an artifact buried in Back of Everywhere, North Dakota during the dead of winter or rifling through a dusty pile of old papers in a dank, foreboding basement in Romania while being stalked by a cāpcāun or something.

But not this time. For once it appeared they were being sent somewhere warm and sunny in service of the supernatural. They were headed to the Caribbean to fetch half a dozen varieties of rare and apparently invaluable live plants for the druid that needed to be transported carefully under specific conditions once the specimens were ready.

What’s more, because they were on their way back from visiting Cora in Ecuador instead of trekking all the way back to Beacon Hills and then turning around to fly south again at most a week later they were just going straight to Jamaica and would have some time to kill. 

Beverly, an Obeahwoman whose network of multidisciplinary magic practitioners they’d gotten to know during their frequent trips to the Bay Area, lit up with excitement during their video call when she heard they’d be going to the country of her birth. She not only had recommendations for them, but tips and resources as well.

“Look, the big all-inclusive hotels and the curated activities are fun, not gonna lie, but there’s a lot more to the island than what you can find in those expensive, insular spaces if you’re interested in a bit of adventure or some actual peace and quiet,” she told them, dark eyes sparkling.

He and Derek had looked at each other and grinned. On one hand, there was something to be said for lounging around and having a parade of colorful cocktails pass by — he was a year past the drinking age of 18, of course he checked — but on the other, an adventure that didn’t involve something trying to kill them for once or some secluded relaxation would be nice. Plus, he was sure there were lots of other places a bit off the beaten path where he could chill on the beach with a beverage.

And so here they were careening on some winding mountain highway in a van driven by a sprightly 30-something guy sporting sponge twists in a fade named Desmond, or Dezzy, who was apparently a cousin of Bev’s.

“More like ‘Dizzy’,” he whispered to Derek when the way too calm driver, who was currently humming along to “Getaway” by Earth, Wind and Fire, overtook a car on a longer stretch and cheerfully honked the horn, swerving back into the left lane before they could be smashed or knocked off the mountain by an oncoming semi truck. The tires hugged the edge of the road around the next curve and they all leaned to the side.

They’d flown into Montego Bay a couple days before, leaving in the wee hours and arriving in the late morning. They shared a room with two beds as usual while on a job at the guest house Bev hooked them up with. It was in Runaway Bay about a 20 minute walk to beach, which they visited as soon as they’d settled in and got their bearings. If Stiles had his way he’d be wearing one of his two pairs of swim trunks the entire trip.

The owner, Tish, sent them off with a tote bag of sandwiches made from slices of a sweet and spiced brown bread and some salty, tangy, cheddar-based cheese that apparently came from a can. There were also a couple bottles each of grapefruit Ting and D&G kola champagne. They took their bounty and beach supplies down to the white sands and ate in the shade of an almond tree, the gentle, bright blue waves beckoning them. 

Derek didn’t need sunscreen like Stiles did, but he said he found the low level burn before his body healed annoying, so they both applied the SPF 50 lotion afterward, helping with each other’s backs when done with rest of themselves. Stiles tried to distract himself from the expanse of skin and muscle underneath his roaming palms, blushing when he found himself absentmindedly tracing the triskelion between the werewolf’s shoulder blades. He then had to fight to keep from making any noises when it was his turn, deft fingers spreading the goopy substance over him. 

As soon as those warm, massaging hands were removed from his hyper aware body — his, uh, starting to react body — Stiles took off running toward the clear water in an attempt to both hide and dampen the state he was in. Derek was soon chasing after him and he felt a thrill of excitement as he crashed through the warm liquid before being tackled. He came up sputtering and shaking his head, retaliating as soon as he wiped his stinging eyes by kicking water at the smug wolf and getting into an all out splash battle until he tired out.

They floated and swam, goofed around trying to knock each other over, and just hung out semi-crouched in the sea for a while before returning to land, spreading out towels to sit or lie on and air dry in the hot sun. Stiles looked over to see Derek resting prone with his head on his forearms, eyes closed and smiling. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the Alpha so at ease and watched him fondly before turning to gaze out at the ships dotting the horizon, fingers trailing through the sand. 

We’ll run away together. We’ll spend some time forever. We’ll never feel bad anymore, flashed through his mind, a relic of summers past.

Heh, if only. Him and Derek? Maybe in another lifetime. Sighing, he pushed the thought away and stretched out on his back, gazing up at the clouds dotting the late afternoon sky.

Stiles was liable to fall asleep right there, but didn’t want to wake up a lobster once the sunscreen stopped being effective, so before he nodded off he poked Derek in the shoulder and suggested either moving back into the shade or heading back to their accommodations. Their hours in the water had worked up an appetite because before the wolf could answer his stomach growled and they both burst out laughing.

Shortly after returning they saw Tish in the side yard picking what looked like bumpy green pinecones from one of the fruit trees. She handed them one to try, a curious fruit with many names. Sweetsop, sugar apple, custard apple, and more. Derek broke it open and the creamy segments of flesh covering black seeds inside were indeed sweet and reminiscent of custard. 

Seeing that they liked it she gave them a couple more and they thanked her, finishing the first one and part of another back in their room.

It was almost dinner time, so they both used the wait to make some phone calls, Stiles to his father and then to Scott in San Diego and Derek to Isaac and Malia to check-in on the pack. If he recalled correctly international calls were around $0.30 cents a minute with his phone plan so he kept each conversation to around 15 minutes knowing he’d probably talk to at least his dad another couple of times. Derek, laconic as usual, had been done with his in a fraction of the time and was reading a novel in Spanish that he picked up in Ecuador by the time he finished.

That evening’s meal was savory brown stew chicken with rice & gungo peas cooked with coconut milk, thyme, and some flavors he enjoyed, but couldn’t quite place. They ended up chatting with Jacob, the cook, when they sat in the courtyard outside the kitchen afterward and he was happy to talk about the food that he and the other staff members prepared. Stiles found that he could mostly understand Patois, or Patwah, at least if he was paying attention and it wasn’t too fast. 

“Dere x-amount ah spice an ‘erb dem, but eff yuh haffi pick tree dat gi yuh dat tayse ah Jamaica? Den mi seh tyme, pimento — wah yuh call allspice — an scotch bonnet peppa a most important. Eff yuh waan mek it four, den skallion fah chuu,” Jacob said, holding up what seemed a cross between a spring and red onion.

That night they turned in early tired out from the long hours of travel and activity and he fell asleep replaying the happiest day he’d had in a long time.

The second morning started with a hearty breakfast of escovitch fish — whole red snapper fried until the skin was crispy and then topped with a vinegary mix of sliced onion, carrot, bell pepper, that ever present fruity and fiery scotch bonnet pepper, and spices — with boiled green banana and circular pieces of a cassava flatbread called bammy. Then it was off to see the sights in Discovery Bay and Ocho Rios. (“Yeah, I’m sending you to some busy tourist destinations tomorrow but they’re popular for a reason,” Bev told them yesterday.)

They explored the Green Grotto Caves first, entertained by the guide explaining its history and about the animals that lived there. The underground lake was really cool and swimming was allowed up above so of course they took a dip in the brilliant aquamarine water. Next came a scenic drive through Fern Gully and then they arrived at Dunn’s River Falls. 

Derek had no problem climbing up the tiers of limestone barefoot, saving Stiles from injury on multiple occasions despite him wearing the silly water shoes. Indignity and near-braining aside, it was fun and the view beautiful. Every so often they would stop to wade or sit in one of the pools, the cold water from the mountains feeling good after the exertion on the sweltering day. After reaching the top and walking down the hill they hung out on the beach where the river emptied into the warm Atlantic. 

We ready for the road!

Now it was their third day on the island and they were on the way to Portland Parish. After a couple hours the van stopped by one of the ubiquitous stands by the road with grills made from halved oil barrels. They climbed out to stretch their legs and he watched as Derek closed his eyes and inhaled the intriguing scents carried by the smoke. 

“Time fi nyam pon jerk, mi yutes,” Dezzy said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. 

He ordered for the three of them and Derek insisted on paying. A platter of jerk chicken and pork and one with long, fried cornmeal dumplings and thick slices of dense bread were soon placed on their table along with 3 chilled green coconuts with straws poking out from the chopped open tops. Each of them were lost in their own little worlds as the combinations of flavors exploding on their tongues, the doubly hot, spiced meats cut with the lightly sweet carbs and washed down with the refreshing coconut water. Dezzy recommended saving the drained fruit for scooping out later.

Then they were back on the road again, the two of them dropped off at another guest house around an hour later, this one right off a beach near Fairy Hill. It belonged to another acquaintance of Bev’s, a friend of a friend or a friend of a cousin or something. Dezzy was staying with relatives nearby and told them to give him a call when they wanted a ride somewhere. They checked in at the reception area and were shown to a cozy, standalone single room dwelling.

Once again they went swimming right away and then ended up joining an impromptu volleyball match and tossing a frisbee around with a group of local and American youths that were staying there with their folks ahead of attending a big family reunion. Afterward they went for a walk to check out the neighborhood, stopping in at an outdoor bar and restaurant called Spinnaz. 

“Siddung likkle bit, nuh,” called a server mixing up a fruit filled concoction while they were standing back reading the menu board. She gestured at a couple empty seats and they sat down at the bar to finish deciding what to try.

Bottles of Red Stripe beer in hand a few minutes later, they leaned back and watched the other patrons socialize and dance, enjoying the light breeze. A fast tempoed number backed by a drum machine and horns came on and got most of the guests on their feet, hips swinging left, right, backward and forward increasingly fast with the lyrics.

Cent, five cent, ten cent, dollar. 

When it came time for the “big money wine” the crowd went wild shaking and gyrating. 

Stiles was itching to move, but he felt too self-conscious/sober to join in, so he just worked his shoulders in his seat, swaying and tapping his fingers on the counter behind him and his feet on the footrest of the high-backed swivel stool. 

Several tracks later a distinctive cackling marked the beginning of “Feel Good, Inc.” as Derek ordered another round of drinks, this time house made ginger beer with glasses of amber Appleton Estate rum on the side. He was nodding along with the beat when a platter of garlic butter shrimp and lobster with more of those fried cornmeal dumplings, festival,  arrived for them to share.

Afterward they ambled around some more, passing by various shops and vendors. Stiles bought a green shirt shirt that said “Who cyaan ‘ear, muss feel” in white letters with a stylized donkey on it and Derek got a gorgeous mahogany leather wallet engraved on the front with an anchor in the center and ferns and hibiscus flowers around the edges. Lastly, on the way back they stopped where a man was selling cut and peeled pieces of sugar cane on the side of the road. 

“Of course you would buy a cup of straight sugar,” Derek teased as they continued on.

“Hey, it’s bi sugar because I’m eating it,” he replied, taking the stick he’d been chewing on out of his mouth. “And anyway, this is unrefined from a plant. Plants are healthy, I don’t make the rules.” 

Derek snorted and shook his head, but grabbed one of the sticks himself. 

Huh, maybe the werewolf wasn’t as immune to the sun as he thought. He looked a little red.

Back in their room he set the rest on the table for later and then flopped onto his bed, turning on the satellite tv and flipping through channels as Derek sat up on his and found where he left off in his book. They went out again in time to watch the sun start its descent over the ocean. 

A couple colorful boots were now pulled up a ways down the beach and they walked over when a person standing next to one of them called out and appeared to wave at them. There were three men who looked to be in their early 40s, two with close-cropped hair — a short, stocky guy named Joseph and a taller, leaner man called Leslie — and another tall guy, slender with fine, tied back shoulder length braids who introduced himself as Malcolm and asked if he and Derek were interested in buying dinner. They were.

The fishermen had an ancient boombox going and Leslie was tending a makeshift grill as Malcolm scaled a variety of freshly caught fish and handed them to Joseph to clean. Closer up Stiles could see the boats were held in the shallows with anchors that were hunks of metal which looked like wheels with extended spokes. He shuddered at the thought of accidentally running into one of those.

In no time at all the prepared fish were on a piece of wire fencing over the small wood fire, a pot of mysterious contents bubbling on top of stones off to one side as well. Leslie explained that this type of grilled fish was called “bun finga” because digging into it shortly after it was done as people were wont to do would indeed burn your fingers and they laughed. 

Unlike most dishes which were generously seasoned this had only the salt of the sea and the smoke and char from the fire along with the oil of the skin itself for flavor, but that alone was enough to make it taste amazing and he experienced the accuracy of the name himself. Stiles soon noticed that the men were eating something else from the pot for their own meal and inquired about it.

“Mannish Waata soup,” replied Leslie.

“Yuh waan try?” asked Joseph with raised eyebrows. A sucking, kissing sound came from the right. 

“Mi tink him cyaan handle,” Malcolm said with a mischievous grin.

Stiles huffed and grinned back, not one to back down from a challenge.  

“Yeah, I’ll try it.”

Joseph filled up a cup and then offered one to Derek as well with plastic spoons.

“How much do we owe you for these?” the curious werewolf asked, sniffing the contents.

“Nuttin,” answered Malcolm. 

“Dis wan pon wi,” added Leslie watching Stiles with anticipatory amusement.

Cautiously, he blew on a spoonful and then tasted it, his eyes widening. He took a few more bites, trying to discern what type of meat was in it. Definitely not fish or chicken or pork, but he didn’t think it was beef either. The flavors were strong and there were some odd chewy bits, but it was pretty good, the spice making him break out in a sweat. There were chunks of various root vegetables, dumplings, and what turned out to be slices of green banana with the skin on as well. 

Near the bottom he bit into a piece of hot pepper and started coughing, flapping a hand uselessly and trying to wash it down with the rest of the warm broth. Joseph handed him a cold bottle of water from a cooler and he all but ripped it open, gulping down over half the contents in seconds.

“Thanks” he croaked as Derek and the fishermen laughed.

He wasn’t the only one feeling the burn though because after finishing his portion the werewolf stripped off his shirt and dashed into the water to cool down. Stiles was content to stay on the beach with another bottle of water, enjoying listening to the men razzing each other as they started gathering up their things and also the music coming from the crackling radio. As Derek stood up and started walking out of the waves a woman’s voice sang “Laaawwwd, ‘av is mercy!” and Stiles had to agree because goddamn. 

Realizing his eyes were lingering on the Alpha’s swoon worthy form he quickly looked away and started getting their leftovers and towels together. They said goodbye to Leslie, Joseph, and Malcolm and walked back toward the guest house looking around at the red haze now making the whole sky seem to glow. Stiles suggested a detour around the property before returning to their little studio to check out some of the other buildings. They passed by a shaded lounge area with hammocks that he made a mental note to revisit another time.

Over a dozen people were in the dining room when they peeked inside, background music flowing from the speakers on stands on either side.

I’m trying to change the rules, you deserve something good in your life. We’ve waited for far too long, so come get your blessing tonight, baby.

They strolled through a tropical garden with a little bridge over a koi pond and then circled back around toward the rooms and apartments. 

Still feeling peckish they set upon their leftovers after a short blast in the microwave and washed it down with glass bottles of pineapple soda from the mini fridge. He watched Derek demolish his portion making little growly noises that managed to be adorable while also seriously turning him on.  

Stiles tried to put the kibosh on that train of thought and turned his attention back to his own food, pulling apart the savory morsels and licking his fingers clean. When he glanced up again Derek was staring at him, his eyes glowing red. Stiles swallowed and the wolf’s gaze dropped to his throat and then up again when he deliberately brought his fingers back to his mouth, maintaining eye contact. The moment stretched and grew taut. 

Feeling brave he tipped his head up and bared his throat in invitation and Derek sprang up from the other bed and stalked over. A hand burrowed into his hair as the werewolf leaned down to claim his mouth, the kiss flavored salty and sweet. It took a long time to get here, but now that the dam had broken the desire thrumming between them felt unstoppable.

When they broke apart, Stiles knew exactly what he wanted and just needed a few moments to work up the courage. It was time to grab the bull by its horns, or rather the wolf by the hips. 

With his fingers gripping the waistbands of Derek’s trunks he looked up for permission. At the sharp nod of his head Stiles tugged them down and was met with the Alpha’s swiftly rising and hardening cock. 

He’d seen Derek naked before, but this was the first time seeing him with an erection and it was both tantalizing and intimidating. A chuckle snapped him out of his mesmerized state and he grasped the thick shaft after spitting in his palm. Stiles kissed the head, licking over the slit, and then drew him into his mouth. He worked his hand at the base while he bobbed and sucked, lips straining around the hard member as Derek caressed his head and alternated between murmured words of filth and praise.

He did his best to swallow when the Alpha came, spurting copious amounts of cum onto his tongue and then pulling out to mark his face and throat as well. It was hotter than it had any right to be, even better than he’d imagined, and he felt proud to have brought the not-so-unattainable-after-all wolf off. Derek grasped Stiles by the chin and swiped his thumb across a messy cheek, sliding the coated digit past friction plumped lips for him to suck. 

“So perfect for me,” he growled. Stiles went to touch himself, but the now sharp-fanged werewolf caught his hand. “Let me.” 

At Derek’s urging, Stiles crawled backwards further up the bed and then turned over onto his stomach, all but vibrating with want. His shorts were pulled off and he felt those strong, warm hands on him again, this time palming his ass and then spreading him open for the Alpha’s viewing pleasure. 

Blushing, he looked over his shoulder to see Derek breathing heavily and staring red eyed like he couldn’t wait to devour him.

“Please…anything,” he whispered. The next thing he knew a tongue was licking over and pressing against his hole and he gripped the comforter below him, crying out . Soon he was rubbing himself on the bed and then pushing back wantonly, eliciting a pleased rumble from the wolf.

Stiles whined when Derek pulled away a minute later, but then he was being flipped onto his back, the complementary bottle of cocoa butter lotion tossed down beside him. Crawling onto the bed and taking hold of his cock, Derek mouthed at the tip before sinking down on him, tonguing the underside of his shaft on the upstroke. In between his own babbling moans Stiles heard a cap being flicked open and then cool, viscous liquid was being squeezed onto his thigh.

Derek ran his hand through the fragrant dollop and then a slippery finger began teasing his entrance. Slowly, it pressed in and starting pumping to target his prostate, joined by a second one once he relaxed at the intrusion. He’d done it himself occasionally, but it was definitely better when it was someone else, holy fuck. The twin pleasures of hand and mouth reduced him to a mewling mess and he orgasmed faster than he would’ve liked gasping Derek’s name. 

The wolf had no complaints though it seemed, cleaning his sensitive cock and then nuzzling into his belly and trailing kisses down his inner thighs. Stiles made grabby hands at him, but Derek evaded them, skipping away with a laugh. He returned a couple minutes later with warm, damp cloths and gently wiped over his face and between his legs before climbing beside him and pulling him close.

Of course Stiles couldn’t stay quiet for long.

“Sooo…that just happened.” 

The expression on Derek’s face said “No shit, Sherlock,” his eyebrows raised and scrunched together. Stiles fidgeted and looked back at him again. 

“And, um, it’s a thing we do now?” he asked hopefully.

“Mmm…yes,” Derek replied, reaching down to pinch his ass with a smirk. He did not squeak, dammit!

“Cool.” Looking away and taking a long, slow breath he attempted to quell his internal flailing. Act normal! “So, just for funsies or—“ 

“No.” 

Stiles found himself being thoroughly kissed and then manhandled until he was facing away from the Alpha, but wrapped firmly in his embrace. He’d been little spoon’d! 

Before he could lodge a formal complaint with Boyfriend Services (omg, were they boyfriends?!) a hand covered his opening mouth. 

“Go to sleep,” Derek ordered. Stiles stubbornly dropped his jaw and caught his pinky finger, sucking it and rubbing back against the other man’s crotch. A low rumbling vibrated against his back and the arms around him tightened. Warm breath tickled his ear lobe before it was nipped. “The sooner we sleep, the sooner I’ll wake up and fuck you,” Derek promised huskily. 

Stiles made a frankly ridiculous high-pitched sound. He would be more embarrassed, but apparently Derek liked his weird noises if the way the werewolf was now doing a convincing lamprey impression on his neck was any sign, so that was okay. He closed his eyes and focused on the thrilling sensation, sighing when Derek released his tender skin. 

Everything was okay. Way better than okay. 

Irie.

[missvelvetsstuff]

Low Expectations

Bucky x Reader

Reader has low self esteem when she meets Bucky. Can he convince her that she's the one he wants?

Chapter 9

Reposting this chapter because my links broke and I can't find it so here ya go.

Warnings: SMUT! swearing, fluff and did I mention SMUT.

NO ONE UNDER 18 BECAUSE SMUT.

Bucky and Y/N made sure to say goodbye to Sam and to thank Pepper for everything before they bolted to the valet, picked up the car and headed out.

It took everything Bucky had to restrain himself from pulling over and taking her in the car on the side of the road. He wasn't totally opposed to car sex but not this time. This wasn't some hook up, Y/N was special and deserved a weekend of being pampered and worshipped.

They listened to soft music and made small talk for the first 30 minutes until they hit a lull. It was quiet for a bit before she spoke up.

"So, tell me, is there anything I should know? Before we get there. Tell me one of your dirty secrets, Sarge." She drawled out.

Bucky felt himself blushing and hoped she couldn't see. "Only if you play fair and tell me one of yours."

She nodded "That's fair. You first"

He thought for a minute "Well, thanks to the serum I have major stamina and almost zero refractory period"

"OH, I uh, ok. That's not something I expected to uh yeah, cool" she stammered and stared at her hands.

Bucky looked over at her "Your turn, doll. Tell me something dirty."

Y/N coughed "Right a deal's a deal. This is kinda gross but I uh well I sometimes kinda uh...."

Bucky took her hand "It's ok. You can tell me anything."

She sighed "Sometimes when I have an orgasm I uh." She paused then whispered "I squirt"

"Wait, what do you mean you squirt?"

"It's called female ejaculation and it's disgusting and messy but I have no control over it, it just happens."

Buckys voice lowered "It doesn't sound disgusting. Actually it sounds kinda hot."

She shrugged "Alan said it was gross and got mad because I made a mess"

"Oh Doll, I'm gonna show you just how hot it is. Now I have a goal for the weekend. I mean in addition to the obvious goal of making you cum until you pass out."

"Then I guess I should warn you that I can have difficulty orgasming. Alan said there was something wrong with me" she said sadly.

"Sweetheart, I hope we never run into Alan because I'd have to beat his ass and I have an unfair advantage. It sounds like he is the one who has something wrong with him. If he couldn't make you cum that's his failure not yours. Too lazy to satisfy you. I promise that won't be a problem"

Y/N felt her face get hot and her mouth was suddenly dry "Oh, I see' was all she could get out. She took his right hand and kissed the back, then his palm, then each finger one at a time until she got to his thumb which she kissed and ran her tongue over until she sucked it into her mouth.

Bucky gasped "You're gonna cause an accident if you keep that up, doll. I know this is hard-"

She giggled "Is it?" And ran her hand over his crotch, barely touching him. She smiled "I guess it is"

"Fuck! When did you become such a tease? That's definitely something you should have warned me about." His voice lowered and she could hear a soft whine coming from him.

"It's only teasing if I don't follow through, you just have to be patient" she leaned over and blew in his ear.

Bucky shook his head "I don't know how much longer I can be patient"

"I promise it will be worth your while. Trust me."

Everything was set up in the house, Pepper had a maid stock up on food and freshen the house up. There were candles everywhere, champagne in the fridge and red roses in multiple vases in addition to rose petals all over the bed and floor of the master bedroom. Plus a variety of oils and bubble bath in the master bath which had a shower with multiple heads and a Jacuzzi bath tub that would comfortably fit 2 people.

Pepper called the maid when Bucky and Y/N left the party and 90 minutes later she lit all the candles and put the champagne in a bucket of ice with 2 glasses next to it plus a plate of chocolate covered strawberries, bananas and raspberries. She made sure everything was set up according to Peppers instructions and left shortly before Bucky and Y/N arrived.

Bucky and Y/N talked a little more about their sexual idiosyncrasies and by the time they pulled into the driveway he was achingly hard and felt like he was gonna cum just from the topic and how she held his hand. And her scent, the vanilla body spray, light berry shampoo and conditioner was intoxicating. Her natural musk and arousal was the cherry on top. He wasn't sure they would make it to a bed on the first try. Maybe up against the wall, bent over the couch, up on the kitchen counter or table. He felt himself getting distracted but tried to focus on driving.

When they pulled up into the garage Bucky quickly shut the car off, got out and raced around to open her door.

As soon as she was standing up he pulled her close and kissed her, pushing her up against the car.

"I hope you're ready for this doll because I don't think I can stop once I get started so tell me now if you don't want this." His eyes were dark with lust when looked into hers.

Y/N shook her head "No, James please don't stop." She could feel his hardness pushing into her and she felt her entire body singing for him.

"Y/N, you are so beautiful and so fucking sexy. I'm gonna make you feel so good." He put his hands around the back of her thighs "up baby. We need to find the bedroom"

Y/N shook her head "You don't have to do that. I'm too heavy, don't wanna hurt you."

"No doll, don't think like that. Picking you up is not a problem. So let's go"

Y/N jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist so that her dress was bunched around her waist and he could feel her heat against him. He could feel how soaked she was "Sweetheart, are you wearing any underwear?"

She shook her head "No. I didn't want any panty lines" even though the full skirt of her dress meant panty lines weren't a concern.

Bucky groaned as he carried her up the stairs. "If I had known I don't think I could have waited this long. You keep surprising me"

It took a few minutes for them to find the master bedroom door since he kept stopping to push her up against the walls and kissing her. His jacket and her shoes lost along the way.

He gently set her down next to the end of the bed so that she was standing.

Then he reached around her while nibbling on her neck and unzipped her dress slowly. She was bouncing nervously as he let her dress fall to the floor and tossed it to the side. He stepped back to look at her.

"Fuck. You are so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?"

She laughed and looked at the floor "Anyone can be beautiful in candlelight."

Bucky gently grabbed her chin and pulled her up so she could see his eyes "Hey, I don't want to hear you talk down about yourself anymore. Whatever it is that any one of the idiots you dated told you, you're beautiful. Inside and out. Beautiful" he kissed her "smart" and kissed her again "caring" and again "Funny" and down her neck "and so fucking sexy I've developed an intimate relationship with my right hand thinking about you" and he kissed the top of her breasts.

He knelt on the floor to unclip her stockings. Then he rolled them down her legs one at a time, kissing his way back up to the top of her thighs.

Bucky felt like he was surrounded by her scent and groaned before he stood back up.

"Turn around, doll" when she did he started unlacing her corset, kissing and biting at her neck. Once he had loosened it he pulled it down her body so she could step out of it.

Y/N turned around to face him and draped her arms around herself.

Bucky gently took her hands "Please let me see you, honey. I'm going to show you how beautiful and sexy I find you."

She giggled "I don't think it's fair that I'm completely exposed while you're fully dressed, Sarge." And reached out to start unbuttoning his shirt.

When she had it completely open and started to put her hands under he grabbed her wrists "I don't know if you want to do that. I'm not as pretty as you are."

She shook her head "There's nothing you could show me that would change how I feel about you or how badly I want you right now."

"Ok doll but don't say I didn't warn you." And he let her push his shirt off.

When his shirt fell to the floor she looked him over, her eyes fell to the scarring around where his prosthetic attached and looked concerned.

"Do they hurt?" She asked as she softly traced the lines in his skin.

Bucky shook his head "Not anymore. When King T'Challa gave me this arm his sister, Shuri, and I had been working on my pain so it's lighter and helped relieve most of it. They're just ugly." He looked down "The women I've been with since I escaped Hydra have all preferred I keep my shirt on."

She kissed every scar while rubbing her hands over his chest "I think they're beautiful, their own medals of all you endured and still survived."

She reached down to his pants and started unbuckling his belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, slowly pulling them down so he could step out of them. She went to pull his briefs down when he stopped her. "We'll get to that but I promised worshipping so-"

Bucky gently pushed her back so she was laying on the bed, then sank to his knees and spread her legs. "Beautiful" he whispered before running one finger down her slit and growling "and so wet you're dripping on the bed. All for me"

She nodded, words caught in her throat, feeling very exposed. She'd never had anyone pay so much attention to her pussy and he had barely touched her.

Bucky leaned in to scent her, then slowly licked a broad stripe from her visibly drooling hole to her swollen clit, moaning at her taste. He put her legs over his shoulders and suckled gently on her clit until she raised her hips and he draped his left arm over her them to keep her still.

"Damn doll you taste as good as you smell. I'm gonna make myself at home here" and before she could think of a response he dove in like a man starved alternating between licking and sucking, fucking her with his tongue.

She grabbed onto his hair "Jesus James I just- fuck I'm gonna" she shouted as he slid one finger in and doubled his efforts until she shouted his name and came all over his face. He slowed down until she came down from her high, feeling embarrassed because she came so quickly.

She looked at him and could only see his eyes as he continued to feast on her as she felt him add another finger "Fuck James, what did you do to me? I've never, like that, so quickly and I, I oh god wait please, JAAAMMES!" He closed his eyes and moaned into her and she came again, this time actually squirting on his face and chest.

Bucky growled "goddamn that was beautiful baby." He gave her a moment to come down, gently cleaning up her folds until her heart calmed down. "I don't think there's anything wrong with you except for the guys you used to date. I'm gonna show you how a beautiful woman like you should be treated so you forget all about them."

He pulled off his briefs, wiped his face off and climbed up her body kissing and nibbling on his way. He stopped at her breasts and took one nipple between his teeth nibbling softly before suckling it into his mouth, playing with the other breast with his left hand, the hot and cool sensations making her moan and arch her back. 

"So sweet, every bit of you is more delicious than I imagined."

When he reached her lips he kissed her with everything he had, wanting her to feel how badly he needed her, rutting his painfully hard cock against her drenched pussy.

Y/N reached down to touch him but he stopped her "This time is all about making you feel good, sweetheart and I don't know if I can wait any longer to be inside you."

"Please James, I need you" she whined as she felt him line himself up and slowly sink his cock into her heat. The stretch more than she had ever had but she loved the slight sting it caused.

When he was fully sheathed inside her she felt him shudder, his head next to hers so she could hear every grunt and groan which only made her more excited and caused her to clench around him

"You feel so good wrapped around me, like you were made for me." He sighed "Damn doll, so tight and wet I don't want to ever leave" he choked up a bit and held still for a moment.

She ran her fingers up and down his back, enjoying how close they were. Her breasts smashed up against his chest, legs tangled. It all felt so right. She trailed up his back and neck until her fingers were running through his hair, then she pulled gently on his hair so he would pick his head up and she could look in his eyes which were scrunched closed.

She kissed him softly "Are you ok there sarge?"

Bucky opened his eyes and looked at her in wonder as his tears fell onto her face "Yeah, I'm alright it's just very intense. I don't remember ever feeling like this with anyone before. Are you ok? Is it ok for me to move now?"

She smiled at him and wiped the tears from his face "Yes baby, please move. I need you to fuck me"

Bucky growled and smashed his lips into hers, tongue exploring her mouth as he slowly pulled out until just the head was in her and slid back in a little faster until he had a steady pace going, already feeling his own orgasm creeping up on him.

"Fuck baby, I dont think I'm going to last very long. It's been awhile and you feel so god damned good I can barely control myself. I need you to cum on my cock first, need to feel your sweet pussy squeezing and gushing like you did on my fingers. Please honey, I need it like I need to breathe."

He felt her clenching around his length and groaned "Yes, thats it. Let go for me doll, cum all over my cock, soak me. Please honey." He reached down to rub her clit in rhythm with his thrusts.

She felt her orgasm rushing up on her before she realized "Oh god, James I'm gonna OH FUCK PLEASE FUCK" it hit her like nothing she had ever felt, her entire body alive and buzzing with him, like the universe began and ended right here with the two of them, and she fell over that cliff screaming his name.

That's all it took and he couldn't hold back anymore "Y/N! Fuckfuckfuck YES!!" And emptied himself into her.

They held each other tight as they came down and he started kissing all over her face until they both caught their breath then he kissed her, full of passion and love.

She kissed him back then pulled away a little hesitant "Uh James?"

"Yeah sweetheart"

"Didn't you cum?"

He looked at her confused "Yeah why?"

She blushed "It felt like you did but you're uh still hard"

He kissed her and grinned mischeviously "I told you about the stamina and nonexistent refractory period, right?"

"Oh right"

He nibbled on her lower lip and grinned "You didn't think we were done, did you?"

[cityandking]

5, 18, 26, 41, 51 for minah, narayani + dai!

tyyyyy // detailed oc ask meme

5. Height and Body type

MINAH — 5'3/5'4ish, generally compact but a little round in the face, bust and hips. has the kind of physique of someone used to a lot of hard work and sometimes skipping a meal or three. great shoulders. regular rations with the wardens has been good for her, but that's kind of offset by the taint, so net zero change. quite bendy. NARAYANI — about 5'2. lithe, pointy eared, etc. very narrow and flat everywhere, all lean muscle in the sort of way that doesn't obviously show. slightly appallingly dexterous. DAI — 5'9, stocky and solid and kind of square all over. impressive thighs. perfectly hug-shaped.

18. Have any special keepsakes?

MINAH — alesso (the leader of her traveling troupe) sent her a ring that she wears regularly. besides that her only keepsakes are of the mechanically useful variety; she sold anything of value when she had to leave home NARAYANI — she didn't take anything particularly meaningful with her when she left the clan for the conclave, and there was nothing to go back to afterwards, which she regrets—she holds on to her old basic hunting gear in an uncommon show of sentiment. from the companions, she's got dorian's sending crystal necklace and varric's key to kirkwall's docks. also solas left his necklace with her when he dipped—they had a habit of apologizing to each other with gifts and actions rather than using their words, so when he left her with that she knew he wasn't coming back. DAI — not really. he's stubbornly practical in all things. he was collecting souvenirs from his travels, but those were for his dad (who has successfully received them yay). oh! wait yes he has scratch's friendship necklace

26. Guilty Pleasure

MINAH — a nice, private room at the inn with a hot, private bath she can soak in and a lock on the doors NARAYANI — this is so depressing. I don't even know what she finds joy in. I think maybe she smokes? she seems like the kind of gal who might partake of the healing properties of elfroot every now and then if ya know what I mean DAI — genuine alone time. it's rough out there.

41. What’s their morning routine like?

MINAH — one the road, it's roll out of bed, get dressed, start on whatever chores need doing or help is needed (she likes checking in with leo about breakfast when she's with the warden crew). when she's settled in somewhere, she enjoys more of a sedate morning—more time for breakfast before the day gets going, a little extra effort put into her face/hair/hygiene, that sort of thing NARAYANI — rise, breakfast (coffee + something light; usually alone or with solas), stretch/light exercise, clean up, dress. on days when josie schedules her breakfast meetings (cursed) she'll just have the coffee. DAI — rise, dress, meditate/pray, exercise, clean up, breakfast. usually he’s at the breakfast stage by the time the party is really getting going for the day; he's an early riser

51. What were some inspirations for your character (people, movies, games)?

MINAH — minah's biggest touchstone was station eleven (theater kid but make her Weird About It), but she also pulls a little from cirque du soleil and theater troupes more broadly, plus anything involving a significant degree of ghosts & masks. NARAYANI — rani was very much inspired by the DA games and other dalish quizzies and a vague smattering of dalish lore (or fanon), but she's got some touches of the magnus archives too. also just like. death in general? yeah. DAI — dai was born when I was deep in my MDZS phase so he's got some of clan lan's rigorous adherence to rules-as-honor-code. genuinely I can't remember what else might have gone into him but that covers a pretty big portion of his early-game personality and drive.

[cuveeblog]

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Bask in the Aromatic Splendor of Kona Coffee

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Imagine a freshly brewed cup of Kona coffee fright from the farm. While you can enjoy a cup of Kona coffee at home, enjoying it at the source is an experience unto itself. It’s not just about the coffee. You get to learn a bit of history, too.

Dive deeper into this history at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. The event is Hawai’i’s oldest food festival, and it’s built on the idea of showcasing the history of Kona coffee, which has been cultivated for over 200 years.

Venture Into the Universe at Mauna Kea Observatory 

Mauna Kea is the highest point in Hawai’i. On top of this dormant volcano, you’ll find the Mauna Kea Observatory, where you can enjoy some of the best stargazing in the world. It’s the perfect opportunity to get lost in the stars as you and your family. You can spend the evening, from sunset well into the night, taking it all in.

See the Birth of the World at Mauna Loa 

Hawai’i is an island of extremes, and one of those extremes is Mauna Loa. Unlike Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa is an active volcano. Although the volcano isn’t currently erupting, the surrounding Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a stark reminder of the power of Mother Nature.

Mauna Loa last erupted in 2022 and is known for its dramatic plumes of lava. Today, you can explore the park and see what you might call the birth of the world. The lava rock is some of the youngest rock on the planet.

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A round of golf on the Hualalai Golf Course, a championship course, can weave together incredible views with incredible weather on a meticulously manicured 18-hole course. The course takes you through coastal vistas to lava beds with plenty of lush greenery in between.

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Enjoy your next escape with Cuvée. They’ve curated a portfolio of extraordinary properties all over the world. From the Hawaiian Islands to the Colorado Rocky Mountains to the Tuscany Region of Italy, you can discover world-class luxury vacation house rentals. Plus, Cuvée offers more than extraordinary properties. They also have a devoted team of Experience Curators at every locale. Do you want to start your next adventure at Cuvée’s Vail luxury rentals? The Cuvée Experience Curators can work with you to craft your ideal Vail itinerary. Whether you want to go fishing in a crips mountain stream, go white water rafting, or set your arrival for winter for some epic skiing, the Cuvée team can make it happen. Awaken your sense of adventure with Cuvée.

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Original Source: https://bit.ly/47e2VfG 

[art-of-manliness]

Odds and Ends: June 21, 2024

How the Seasons Change Our Sleep. Do you feel like your sleep’s been crappier lately? Shorter and less restful? Well, the summer season may be to blame. Research published last year found that sleep is subject to seasonal variations. Study participants slept an hour longer in the winter than they did in the summer, and experienced 30 minutes less REM sleep in the summer than the winter. The human body seems to need less sleep this time of year. (The study was done with people who were already experiencing sleep disturbances, and further research will be done as to whether it holds true for people with normal sleep, but there’s a good chance it will.) Our perception of our rested-ness is a product of both the objective physiological quality of our sleep, but also our subjective expectations around sleep; if we think we slept less than we should have, we may feel more tired than we actually are. So, if you’ve been worried about your sleep recently, take heart (and adjust your expectations!). You may be getting enough sleep, for this season of the year. As the researchers postulate, we may need to change our sleeping schedules seasonally, planning (and expecting) to spend more time in bed in January than in June. Charles Bronson Japanese Mandom Cologne Commercials (1970s). Charles Bronson was a manly dude. Back in the 1970s, he did a series of extremely manly commercials for an awesomely-named Japanese cologne called Mandom. They’re amazing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t inspire the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World and the Old Spice Man You Wish Your Man Smelled Like brand icons. If someone were to ask what my ideal aesthetic was, I would show them these commercials. I want my life to look like Charles Bronson in the 1970s splashing on Mandom. The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone. AoM podcast guest Jon Tyson gifted a first edition copy of this book to me last year after our interview about “the 5 shifts of manhood.” It’s a biographical novel about the life of the Renaissance artist Michelangelo. I really enjoyed it. Not only did I learn a lot about Renaissance history from reading The Agony and the Ecstasy, but Stone’s insights about the discipline needed to develop great works in any domain were inspiring. Stone paints a picture of an artist who fused spirituality, genius, grit, and cunning to produce some of humanity’s greatest paintings and sculptures. Highly recommend.  Fage 0% Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt. If you’re looking for a low-calorie, high-protein food that can be used in a variety of ways, look no further than Fage 0% Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt. I go through two 32-ounce tubs a week. A single serving has 90 calories and 18 grams of protein. That means 72 of the 90 calories in Fage 0% come from protein. Amazing! It’s basically like a spoonable protein concentrate. Plus, you get some gut-friendly probiotics to boot. It tastes like tangy sour cream, and I use it as such, putting it on my tacos and mixing it with a splash of milk and some adobe chipotle peppers to use as a sauce in my burritos. But I also eat Fage 0% yogurt with a bowl of oatmeal and blueberries for my daily mid-morning snack. I’m still exploring all the ways I can use this versatile high-protein food. Get ya some! Quote of the Week Have no fear of change as such and, on the other hand, no liking for it merely for its own sake. —Robert Moses Help support independent publishing. Make a donation to The Art of Manliness! Thanks for the support! http://dlvr.it/T8bXsq

[thailiveabordno1]

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​

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Sun Deck

Indoor Saloon

Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly

Warm Water Showers

Outdoor Dining

Custom built for diving

Charging stations

En-Suite bathrooms

Non-Smoking Rooms

Family Cabins

Seaview Cabins

Snorkeling Equipment

Separate Rinse for u/w Camera

Dedicated Local & International Crew

Leisure Deck

BBQ Area

Available for Charter

​

Highlights

Small dive group ratios for personalized experience

Delectable curated cuisine for pampering guests

Nitrox available on board

DIVERACE E CLASS LIVEABORD Accommodation

Main Deck Double Cabin #1#2#3#4

1 double bed

Aircon with control

Ensuite Bathroom

Max 2 guests

Main Deck Twin Cabin #5#6

2 single beds (twin)

Aircon with control

Ensuite Bathroom

Max 2 guests

Lower Deck Double Cabin #7#8

1 double bed

Aircon with control

Ensuite Bathroom

Max 2 guests

Lower Deck Twin Cabin #9#10

2 single beds (twin)

Aircon with control

Ensuite Bathroom

Max 2 guests

Standard Twin L9 (port side bow). It comes with its own private bathroom. Each of the cabins is also fitted with life jackets and a safe deposit box with individual air-con controls.

DIVERACE E CLASS 5D/4N 15Dive Similan-Bon-Tachai-Richelieu-Surin NORTH ANDAMAN ITINERARY 

The DIVERACE E CLASS is

01. 4 /5 Night liveaboard to the Similan Islands, including Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock

02. 4Night Surin Island plus Southern island trips to Koh Ha, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Lipe, Phi Phi or Racha Islands.

 

Please ask for itinerary. Note: there are no Myanmar (Burma) trips scheduled in the moment.

​

ITINERARY 5D/4N 15 Dive – Similan-Koh Bon-Koh Tachai-Richelieu Rock-Surin

DEPARTURE DAY

18:00 – 20:00

Pick up from hotels in Phuket or Airport Transfer by minibus to Thap Lamu Pier 1-2 hours

19:00 – 21:00

Pick up from hotels in Khao Lak Transfer by minibus to Thap Lamu Pier 20 minutes

22:00

Dinner on Board and Departure to Similan Islands

​

DIVING DAY 1 – 3

07:00  Wake Up, Coffee, First Dive

08:30  Breakfast

11:00  Second Dive

12:30  Lunch

15:00  Third Dive

19:00  Night Dive OR

17:30  Dusk Dive

20:00  Dinner

​

DIVING DAY 4

07:00  Wake Up, Coffee, First Dive

08:30  Breakfast

10:30  Second Dive

12:00  Lunch

14:00  Third Dive

15:00  Cruising to Thap Lamu

17:00  Arrive at Thap Lamu

18:00  Arrive at Khao Lak Hotels

19:30  Arrive at Phuket Hotels

​

Note : This is an approximate itinerary. The 4 night trips include 15 dives at the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin and Richelieu Rock. Exact dive times will vary from day to day. There is time for beach visits on your liveaboard safari.

DIVERACE E CLASS 5D/4N 14Dives Southern-Lipe (Koh Haa,Hin Daeng,Muang,PhiPhi) SOUTH ANDAMAN ITINERARY 

​ITINERARY 5D4N / 14 Dives

Southern-Lipe

Koh Haa, Hin Daeng, Hin Muang, Pidda Nai, Pida Nok, King Cruiser, Hin Musung and Koh Dok Mai, Koh Lipe

DEPARTURE DAY

17:00 – 19:00

Pick up from hotels in Phuket or Airport Transfer by minibus to Phuket Pier 1-2 hours

19:00 – 21:00

Pick up from hotels in Khao Lak Transfer by minibus to Thap Lamu Pier 20 minutes

22:00

Cabin Allocation , Staff Introduction ,Boat Briefing , Welcome Dinner on Board and Departure to Southern Islands

​

DIVING DAY 2 (4Dive)

07:00 am – 07:30 am​​

General Diving Rules / Safety Briefing

​

07:30 am-09:00 am

Two dives around Koh Haa

​

10:30 am-06:30 pm

Two dives at Talung and Stonehenge

​​

DIVING DAY 3 (4Dive)

07:00 am-06:30 pm

Two day dives around Koh Lipe and 8 Miles

Two  dives  Talung and Stonehenge

​

DIVING DAY 4 (4Dive)

07:00 am-06:30 pm

Four dives around Hin Daeng Hin Muang and Koh Haa

​

DIVING DAY 5 (2Dive)

07:00 am-12:00 pm

Two dives around Pida Nok-Nai (Phi Phi)

One dive around Koh Musung, King Cruiser Wreck

12.00 pm

Leave the dive site for pier

01.00 pm

Arrival at Pier

Transfer back to Hotel in Phuket

​

Note : This is an approximate itinerary. The 4 night trips include 15 dives at the Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin and Richelieu Rock. Exact dive times will vary from day to day. There is time for beach visits on your liveaboard safari.

[survey--s]

683.

1 - What have you been up to so far today? Is that a typical thing for you to do on this particular day of the week?  I've been to work and yeah, my Mondays are always the same, pretty much. The only difference today was Mike was home so I didn't have to worry about Archie, lol. I got home just after 1pm, had a shower, had lunch, washed up and now I'm doing this.

2 - Did you get a decent night’s sleep last night? How many hours sleep do you consider a decent amount?  I slept really well actually. About seven hours is fine for me during the week, but I tend to sleep a bit longer at weekends.

3 - What is one silly thing that really gets on your nerves?  When Mike takes the lighter and doesn't bloody put it back lol.

4 - Who was the last person you saw who wasn’t family? What did you guys end up doing together?  Martin. I just talked to him when I dropped Ollie back home after his walk as he was working from home today.

5 - Do you prefer hot or cold drinks overall?  I prefer a larger variety of cold drinks, but I love my hot coffee too.

6 - Do you own a decent set of waterproofs? If so, what do you use them for the most? If not, do you think that would be something you’d find useful?  I do because I need them for work and walking the dog.

7 - Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?  Not really, just relaxing at home. The weather is bloody freezing and the wind was picking up as I finished my last walk so I'm just glad that I don't have to go back outside.

8 - How often do you get your hair cut? When hairdressers were closed due to COVID, did you try cutting it yourself at home?  I cut it myself at home even when COVID isn't a thing - normally every few months, I guess.

9 - What did you wear the last time you left the house? Is that different to what you’re wearing at the moment?  Fleece leggings, a long sleeved t-shirt, a jumper, two pairs of socks, walking boots and my winter down jacket. I'm now wearing normal leggings, a t-shirt and a hoody, plus slipper socks.

10 - Would you rather have a relaxing beach holiday or a more active holiday in the mountains?  A beach holiday just because my normal life is being active in the mountains lol.

11 - Do you know how to tie a tie?  Yeah, I wore a tie to school for about sixteen years.

12 - How old were you when you first had a sleepover at someone’s house? Did you miss home?  I don't remember, probably about seven or eight? I don't remember missing home much but it was nearly thirty years ago.

13 - How often do you spend time with your extended family? Never. They all live overseas and I haven't been over for about a decade now. My mum's sister and her husband came over a few years ago though.

14 - When you get up in the morning, do you have a set routine?  Yeah, as soon as I get out of bed my routine is the same. Get up, go downstairs, pee, light the wax burner, feed the cats, let the dog out, feed the dog, sort the litter trays, vacuum and make breakfast. After that, it depends whether I'm working or not. If I am, I'll get ready and go to work, but if not I'll have a shower and just chill out.

15 - Do you remember the last time you cried? Were they sad or happy tears?  Last week, they were just...frustration I guess as I had some horrible bug/virus thing and felt horrible.

16 - What do you have planned once you finish this survey?  Probably more surveys.

17 - What was the last thing you cooked? Did you cook from scratch or just heat something up? I had a cannelloni ready meal for lunch, lol. I don't really cook - I just don't enjoy it and our kitchen is really small too which makes it a real hassle.

18 - Are you a fan of hot chocolate? Do you like it plain or do you prefer to add things like whipped cream or marshmallows?  I'm not a huge fan of it unless it's the proper stuff, in which case I always add cream and marshmallows.

19 - What caused your last injury?  Simba scratched me when we were playing the other day.

20 - How many tattoos and piercings do you have? Do any of them have an interesting story behind them?  One tattoo, eight piercings. And no, not really.

21 - What kind of flowers do you like the best? When was the last time someone bought those for you?  Sunflowers or pink roses. And probably Valentine's Day? We have Simba now and he can't be trusted not to knock everything over so no flowers here, lol.

22 - What’s the smallest thing you’ve ended a relationship over?  I honestly don't know.

23 - Would you rather order a starter (appetiser) or a dessert? Or would you be able to manage a full three courses? I generally prefer starters. Desserts always seem really disappointing in restaurants lol. I can rarely manage all three courses.

24 - How do you get most of your news, if you pay attention to it at all?  Online - mostly via social media.

25 - Have you or a member of your family been diagnosed with COVID yet?  My parents had it but it wasn't very serious. Mike and I had something that probably was COVID back in 2022 but we never tested. We were both pretty unwell with it though.

26 - Are you a vegetarian? If so, what persuaded you to stop eating meat? If not, is it something you’d ever consider?  Not anymore. I did give it a go for a while as a teenager though.

27 - Do you prefer rice or pasta? Pasta.

28 - Is anything you’re wearing a gift? Who bought it for you?  My wedding/engagement rings and well, my husband did lol.

29 - What’s the dominant colour in the room you’re in at the moment?  Red, grey and white all feature pretty evenly.

30 - Did you do laundry yet today? If not, do you need to do any before you go to bed?  I put my towels in the dryer after my shower but otherwise no. I don't need to do any either, I did loads over the weekend.

[temporarymoods]

perpetual novice

hey blog, i've thought about you every day since i made you, and i couldn't quite settle on what to feed you next, but like, whatever!

at this moment in our arena, please welcome me and my haircut (!!) and the girls on tinder and jane: an abortion service, plus the sophie lewis book on my nightstand I could practically draw "z"s above, (that's my bad.)

blog, I'd like to take the time to say that I've been feeling vulnerable when it comes to queer dating! because obviously, but also because of perceived external judgement from within the community, ow. looked in the mirror my therapist held up for me and saw that I'm much more comfortable with my gender than my sexuality, after being asked to spell it all out. this is, not in terms of definition-- we're solid there-- but praxis. and i think this is because gender is something you can do more fully alone in your bedroom. sexuality is too, but at least people can demand more than your word for it. right? haha

yeah, been falling in love with this unreal image of a gay relationship i have in my head. eye contact and shit, you know. and more 'equal' stuff, including but not limited to a kind of greater understanding and intentional kindness. still really mad about the patriarchy, who would've guessed? bunch of guys were talking with my one man professor, who is great, in class today and i started thinking about barnard, lmao. and i think that's fair--- not that i should be concerning myself with the look of the opposite*, but worth saying, i guess. it's fair to be feeling done! rahhhh (there's obviously so much more going on here re. my anger with men but I will not [yet] divulge to my baby blog) *i.e., worrying about looking like a feminist that's "unfair"

anyway, if i could make a mood board, which i cannot without getting frustrated, for my current passionspace, it would contain the following: lots of soft pinks, purples, and dark grey-blue, the end of "parachute" by caroline polachek {starting at "closing in"} (what a mother figure), splashed puddles of water, this specific capricorn-themed mug with hot tea, 'full surrogacy now', BLÅHAJ, my noise-cancelling headphones, masculine clothing, flowers of the wild variety, tissues, PLL (got such a crush on spencer), the quote "finally there's a way to be both free and safe", 'bottoms' promo art, and other elements to ensure cohesiveness.

so it's almost sweater season, team. i've gotta take my winter stuff out from under my bed-- an event which i'm already planning catering and lighting for. figured out that i'm the type of person that needs to remind themself to light candles, etc. an entailment of the great bath bomb revelation from years past. <- solid me lore

on a similar note of control: craving leadership of late. i want to run shit so bad. god i'd be so good. the dog sits in me, unbarking and chained. looked into theatre production opportunities, ended up feeling that thing i haven't quite found the right way to express yet... degrounded? fucking sucks is what it is. when you go too far up the imagination slide; a kind of altitude sickness. so maybe i won't be doing tech exactly but soon i'll have another full-time job. lol. that'll be cool. hopefully i can make shit happen. feel myself have an effect on the world.

🎶 it's time to be a big girl now 🎶

i wish i could better articulate my current thoughts on "'girl' stuff," especially as its been coming up in the dumb discourse recently... i think i'm too online. well, now I have to go finish typing up my geometry homework in an itsy bitsy coding language I've caught onto-- for extra credit!

the door? the gate? no, just kate 9/18/2023

p.s. god i fucking love caroline polachek's music

[nakedcomedy]

#LA & #Livestream fam, y'all better buckle up for this one:

Before she heads to EdFringe with her hit show Joy's Bed and Breakfast, the one and only Isabella “Izzy” Gerasole is debuting an all new one woman show at The Crow:

On the outskirts of Hollywood, there is a style of performance that is actually considered an asset to humanity. Welcome to the weird world of medical acting. Tonight you'll learn all about Standardized Patients, the thespians who portray a variety of characters in simulated encounters with medical students. These actors teach empathy and communication techniques to the healthcare professionals of tomorrow. Featuring special guests, clinical evaluations, and one bitch who has made this her main side hustle.

Izzy is a hilarious improviser with a wholly unique story to tell in this new show. Plus, she has a formidable set of tits that, based on previous works, will most likely be featured in this new show.

Reserve your IRL or digital seat now!!

18+ / Masking Encouraged

There will be Audience Participation & Nudity

$10 for Livestream or Pre-Sales / $15 Day of or at the Door

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ncp-the-crow-tickets-591925223277

[jensownzoo]

The latest stage of replacing part of my front lawn with a garden bed has completed stages (rows) 3 & 4.

Stage 3 was easy since all I had left to do was dig up the pavers I wanted from the side yard and get them situated in row 3 so I had a walking row. Planted the Kentucky Colonel mint in the center (I’ll be rooting multiple cuttings from this and putting them between all the pavers eventually). Also planted some nasturtium seed and oregano seed here. Ordered the white Dutch clover seed that will fill everything in and make the bees ecstatic.

Stage 4 was a bitch and a half. It took 3 days of work to get done. Apparently some time in the past, a fence lived in this row and when they took out the fence, they left the concrete holding the posts behind. I had to break out the sledgehammer :-( Got 2 out of 3 completely out and enough inches knocked off the top of the last one that I called it good. But in addition to the concrete, being a former fenceline meant that the clay soil never really saw any action—so about 6 inches down it turned into very heavy very solid red clay...which I then had to crumble with my hands. My poor, sore hands. However, I did finally remember I had a whole bale of rotting straw which since I didn’t want to give it to the chickens for their run (being that it was growing unidentified mushrooms), I could use to thoroughly amend this terrible clay soil. Tilled a mineral mix and a general fertilizer into the top 4” and added plants.

Was originally going to make this row eggplants, but realized their size would work better next to the sidewalk so did a final row of tomatoes instead. Mix of varieties including Paul Robeson, a Japanese black slicer, Heinz 1350 VF, and three different cherry tomatoes (a red, a yellow, and a blue). I did a row of old mammoth dill seed mixed with orange French marigold seed that I scavenged last fall (from the green waste dumpsters in the alley). Also threw in a row of scavenged Liatris (blazing star/gayfeather) seed, but I’ll be surprised if the seed is any good. I’ve still got three homeless tomato seedlings left, but I may guerilla-plant them since I now have 24 tomato plants in front and another 18 in the back as I have planted up another one of my raised beds.

The overwintered Nicotiana went in previously, but now it’s been joined by three tomatillos (and purple cage support) and 6 tomatoes. This bed is partially shaded in the afternoon so three of the transplants are Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. Even if their production isn’t as good in part shade, it’s still going to be significant. The fluffy straw is working wonderfully for keeping the wildlife from digging up the beds (mostly after earthworms since I’ve got GOOD soil in them) and tossing seeds/seedlings about. Plus the extra insulation at night. Will probably pull it off and chop it up for a proper mulch in late May sometime since a hot dry summer is forecasted again.

I impulse-bought two rhubarb seedlings at the neighborhood grocery and have been dithering about where to put them. Got them in-ground today and have already changed my mind, but here they are presently. They’re planted too close together for the long-term, plus that spot gets too much afternoon shade.

My earthboxes are doing really well! Looks like I’ll be having salad for lunch for the next week on the thinnings. The boxes aren’t hovering, btw. I’ve got them supported on metal beams running between some cinder blocks—less bending over makes for a happier back.

I pulled out a bunch of old containers and have been giving the ones that are still sound a coat of spray paint to freshen them up throughout this past week. Most of them are over 20 years old and were pitted and faded/stained enough to show it. I had a large collection of spray paint that I’ve picked up on clearance over the years, so I picked some of the brightest shades. Here are the window boxes I did today, but I also have larger containers that I did in bright yellow, aqua/teal, and a pinky-purple.

And here’s a random picture of the hawthorn in my side yard because it looks neat right now.

Only one more row of the front yard gardening bed project to go, but I am dreading it so much right now after the last row. I am going to have to put something in as an edger or everything will end up on the sidewalk after a good rain, so maybe I’ll procrastinate by poking around in the garage a bit...

[missvelvetsstuff]

Low Expectations

Bucky x Reader

Reader has low self esteem when she meets Bucky. Can he convince her that she's the one he wants?

Chapter 9

Warnings: SMUT! swearing, fluff and did I mention SMUT.

NO ONE UNDER 18 BECAUSE SMUT.

Notes: I had a rough time writing this. I hope it came out alright. Feedback is always appreciated

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bucky and Y/N made sure to say goodbye to Sam and to thank Pepper for everything before they bolted to the valet, picked up the car and headed out.

It took everything Bucky had to restrain himself from pulling over and taking her in the car on the side of the road. He wasn't totally opposed to car sex but not this time. This wasn't some hook up, Y/N was special and deserved a weekend of being pampered and worshipped.

They listened to soft music and made small talk for the first 30 minutes until they hit a lull. It was quiet for a bit before she spoke up.

"So, tell me, is there anything I should know? Before we get there. Tell me one of your dirty secrets, Sarge." She drawled out.

Bucky felt himself blushing and hoped she couldn't see. "Only if you play fair and tell me one of yours."

She nodded "That's fair. You first"

He thought for a minute "Well, thanks to the serum I have major stamina and almost zero refractory period"

"OH, I uh, ok. That's not something I expected to uh yeah, cool" she stammered and stared at her hands.

Bucky looked over at her "Your turn, doll. Tell me something dirty."

Y/N coughed "Right a deal's a deal. This is kinda gross but I uh well I sometimes kinda uh...."

Bucky took her hand "It's ok. You can tell me anything."

She sighed "Sometimes when I have an orgasm I uh." She paused then whispered "I squirt"

"Wait, what do you mean you squirt?"

"It's called female ejaculation and it's disgusting and messy but I have no control over it, it just happens."

Buckys voice lowered "It doesn't sound disgusting. Actually it sounds kinda hot."

She shrugged "Alan said it was gross and got mad because I made a mess"

"Oh Doll, I'm gonna show you just how hot it is. Now I have a goal for the weekend. I mean in addition to the obvious goal of making you cum until you pass out."

"Then I guess I should warn you that I can have difficulty orgasming. Alan said there was something wrong with me" she said sadly.

"Sweetheart, I hope we never run into Alan because I'd have to beat his ass and I have an unfair advantage. It sounds like he is the one who has something wrong with him. If he couldn't make you cum that's his failure not yours. Too lazy to satisfy you. I promise that won't be a problem"

Y/N felt her face get hot and her mouth was suddenly dry "Oh, I see' was all she could get out. She took his right hand and kissed the back, then his palm, then each finger one at a time until she got to his thumb which she kissed and ran her tongue over until she sucked it into her mouth.

Bucky gasped "You're gonna cause an accident if you keep that up, doll. I know this is hard-"

She giggled "Is it?" And ran her hand over his crotch, barely touching him. She smiled "I guess it is"

"Fuck! When did you become such a tease? That's definitely something you should have warned me about." His voice lowered and she could hear a soft whine coming from him.

"It's only teasing if I don't follow through, you just have to be patient" she leaned over and blew in his ear.

Bucky shook his head "I don't know how much longer I can be patient"

"I promise it will be worth your while. Trust me."

Everything was set up in the house, Pepper had a maid stock up on food and freshen the house up. There were candles everywhere, champagne in the fridge and red roses in multiple vases in addition to rose petals all over the bed and floor of the master bedroom. Plus a variety of oils and bubble bath in the master bath which had a shower with multiple heads and a Jacuzzi bath tub that would comfortably fit 2 people.

Pepper called the maid when Bucky and Y/N left the party and 90 minutes later she lit all the candles and put the champagne in a bucket of ice with 2 glasses next to it plus a plate of chocolate covered strawberries, bananas and raspberries. She made sure everything was set up according to Peppers instructions and left shortly before Bucky and Y/N arrived.

Bucky and Y/N talked a little more about their sexual idiosyncrasies and by the time they pulled into the driveway he was achingly hard and felt like he was gonna cum just from the topic and how she held his hand. And her scent, the vanilla body spray, light berry shampoo and conditioner was intoxicating. Her natural musk and arousal was the cherry on top. He wasn't sure they would make it to a bed on the first try. Maybe up against the wall, bent over the couch, up on the kitchen counter or table. He felt himself getting distracted but tried to focus on driving.

When they pulled up into the garage Bucky quickly shut the car off, got out and raced around to open her door.

As soon as she was standing up he pulled her close and kissed her, pushing her up against the car.

"I hope you're ready for this doll because I don't think I can stop once I get started so tell me now if you don't want this." His eyes were dark with lust when looked into hers.

Y/N shook her head "No, James please don't stop." She could feel his hardness pushing into her and she felt her entire body singing for him.

"Y/N, you are so beautiful and so fucking sexy. I'm gonna make you feel so good." He put his hands around the back of her thighs "up baby. We need to find the bedroom"

Y/N shook her head "You don't have to do that. I'm too heavy, don't wanna hurt you."

"No doll, don't think like that. Picking you up is not a problem. So let's go"

Y/N jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist so that her dress was bunched around her waist and he could feel her heat against him. He could feel how soaked she was "Sweetheart, are you wearing any underwear?"

She shook her head "No. I didn't want any panty lines" even though the full skirt of her dress meant panty lines weren't a concern.

Bucky groaned as he carried her up the stairs. "If I had known I don't think I could have waited this long. You keep surprising me"

It took a few minutes for them to find the master bedroom door since he kept stopping to push her up against the walls and kissing her. His jacket and her shoes lost along the way.

He gently set her down next to the end of the bed so that she was standing.

Then he reached around her while nibbling on her neck and unzipped her dress slowly. She was bouncing nervously as he let her dress fall to the floor and tossed it to the side. He stepped back to look at her.

"Fuck. You are so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?"

She laughed and looked at the floor "Anyone can be beautiful in candlelight."

Bucky gently grabbed her chin and pulled her up so she could see his eyes "Hey, I don't want to hear you talk down about yourself anymore. Whatever it is that any of the idiots you dated told you, you're beautiful. Inside and out. Beautiful" he kissed her "smart" and kissed her again "caring" and again "Funny" and down her neck "and so fucking sexy I've developed an intimate relationship with my right hand thinking about you" and he kissed the top of her breasts.

He knelt on the floor to unclip her stockings. Then he rolled them down her legs one at a time, kissing his way back up to the top of her thighs.

Bucky felt like he was surrounded by her scent and groaned before he stood back up.

"Turn around, doll" when she did he started unlacing her corset, kissing and biting at her neck. Once he had loosened it he pulled it down her body so she could step out of it.

Y/N turned around to face him and draped her arms around herself.

Bucky gently took her hands "Please let me see you, honey. I'm going to show you how beautiful and sexy I find you."

She giggled "I don't think it's fair that I'm completely exposed while you're fully dressed, Sarge." And reached out to start unbuttoning his shirt.

When she had it completely open and started to put her hands under he grabbed her wrists "I don't know if you want to do that. I'm not as pretty as you are."

She shook her head "There's nothing you could show me that would change how I feel about you or how badly I want you right now."

"Ok doll but don't say I didn't warn you." And he let her push his shirt off.

When his shirt fell to the floor she looked him over, her eyes fell to the scarring around where his prosthetic attached and looked concerned.

"Do they hurt?" She asked as she softly traced the lines in his skin.

Bucky shook his head "Not anymore. When King T'Challa gave me this arm his sister, Shuri, and I had been working on my pain so it's lighter and helped relieve most of it. They're just ugly." He looked down "The women I've been with since I escaped Hydra have all preferred I keep my shirt on."

She kissed every scar while rubbing her hands over his chest "I think they're beautiful, their own medals of all you endured and still survived."

She reached down to his pants and started unbuckling his belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, slowly pulling them down so he could step out of them. She went to pull his briefs down when he stopped her. "We'll get to that but I promised worshipping so-"

Bucky gently pushed her back so she was laying on the bed, then sank to his knees and spread her legs. "Beautiful" he whispered before running one finger down her slit and growling "and so wet you're dripping on the bed. All for me"

She nodded, words caught in her throat, feeling very exposed. She'd never had anyone pay so much attention to her pussy and he had barely touched her.

Bucky leaned in to scent her, then slowly licked a broad stripe from her visibly drooling hole to her swollen clit, moaning at her taste. He put her legs over his shoulders and suckled gently on her clit until she raised her hips and he draped his left arm over her them to keep her still.

"Damn doll you taste as good as you smell. I'm gonna make myself at home here" and before she could think of a response he dove in like a man starved alternating between licking and sucking, fucking her with his tongue.

She grabbed onto his hair "Jesus James I just- fuck I'm gonna" she shouted as he slid one finger in and doubled his efforts until she shouted his name and came all over his face. He slowed down until she came down from her high, feeling embarrassed because she came so quickly.

She looked at him and could only see his eyes as he continued to feast on her as she felt him add another finger "Fuck James, what did you do to me? I've never, like that, so quickly and I, I oh god wait please, JAAAMMES!" He closed his eyes and moaned into her and she came again, this time actually squirting on his face and chest.

Bucky growled "goddamn that was beautiful baby." He gave her a moment to come down, gently cleaning up her folds until her heart calmed down. "I don't think there's anything wrong with you except for the guys you used to date. I'm gonna show you how a beautiful woman like you should be treated so you forget all about them."

He pulled off his briefs, wiped his face off and climbed up her body kissing and nibbling on his way. He stopped at her breasts and took one nipple between his teeth nibbling softly before suckling it into his mouth, playing with the other breast with his left hand, the hot and cool sensations making her moan and arch her back. 

"So sweet, every bit of you is more delicious than I imagined."

When he reached her lips he kissed her with everything he had, wanting her to feel how badly he needed her, rutting his painfully hard cock against her drenched pussy.

Y/N reached down to touch him but he stopped her "This time is all about making you feel good, sweetheart and I don't know if I can wait any longer to be inside you."

"Please James, I need you" she whined as she felt him line himself up and slowly sink his cock into her heat. The stretch more than she had ever had but she loved the slight sting it caused.

When he was fully sheathed inside her she felt him shudder, his head next to hers so she could hear every grunt and groan which only made her more excited and caused her to clench around him

"You feel so good wrapped around me, like you were made for me." He sighed "Damn doll, so tight and wet I don't want to ever leave" he choked up a bit and held still for a moment.

She ran her fingers up and down his back, enjoying how close they were. Her breasts smashed up against his chest, legs tangled. It all felt so right. She trailed up his back and neck until her fingers were running through his hair, then she pulled gently on his hair so he would pick his head up and she could look in his eyes which were scrunched closed.

She kissed him softly "Are you ok there sarge?"

Bucky opened his eyes and looked at her in wonder as his tears fell onto her face "Yeah, I'm alright it's just very intense. I don't remember ever feeling like this with anyone before. Are you ok? Is it ok for me to move now?"

She smiled at him and wiped the tears from his face "Yes baby, please move. I need you to fuck me"

Bucky growled and smashed his lips into hers, tongue exploring her mouth as he slowly pulled out until just the head was in her and slid back in a little faster until he had a steady pace going, already feeling his own orgasm creeping up on him.

"Fuck baby, I dont think I'm going to last very long. It's been awhile and you feel so god damned good I can barely control myself. I need you to cum on my cock first, need to feel your sweet pussy squeezing and gushing like you did on my fingers. Please honey, I need it like I need to breathe."

He felt her clenching around his length and groaned "Yes, thats it. Let go for me doll, cum all over my cock, soak me. Please honey." He reached down to rub her clit in rhythm with his thrusts.

She felt her orgasm rushing up on her before she realized "Oh god, James I'm gonna OH FUCK PLEASE FUCK" it hit her like nothing she had ever felt, her entire body alive and buzzing with him, like the universe began and ended right here with the two of them, and she fell over that cliff screaming his name.

That's all it took and he couldn't hold back anymore "Y/N! Fuckfuckfuck YES!!" And emptied himself into her.

They held each other tight as they came down and he started kissing all over her face until they both caught their breath then he kissed her, full of passion and love.

She kissed him back then pulled away a little hesitant "Uh James?"

"Yeah sweetheart"

"Didn't you cum?"

He looked at her confused "Yeah why?"

She blushed "It felt like you did but you're uh still hard"

He kissed her and grinned mischeviously "I told you about the stamina and nonexistent refractory period, right?"

"Oh right"

He nibbled on her lower lip and grinned "You didn't think we were done, did you?"

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[hansenhalix]

A Ford Crossroads' Guide To Buying A Used Ford F250

When transporting huge cargo over long distances, a heavy-duty pickup truck is the best option. The 2022 Ford F-250 Super Duty is a member of the same family as the most popular vehicle in the United States and is one of the most competent pickups available, with a maximum hauling capability of almost 22,900 pounds. Additionally, it can transport 4,260 pounds of load in the bed; is 't it astonishing?

Well, before you buy a used Ford F-250, you must read this comprehensive guide by Ford Crossroads.

Ford F-250: why one should buy?

The F-250 is one of the most capable big workhorse trucks on the market today. The Ford pickup needs a special chassis configuration in order to carry and tow very heavy loads. However, the ride comfort is severely compromised due to the solid rear axle and leaf springs, which contribute much to the vehicle's strength and flexibility. 

Adding weight to the bed may enhance the ride quality by spreading out the shock of road imperfections. Despite its popularity, the F-150 is not Ford's most powerful pickup. The Ford F-250, one of the company's best-selling trucks, is a member of Ford's heavy-duty Super Duty lineup.

Maintains stability

However, the truck's size is a constraint since most parking spaces are too narrow to house it. If you don't want to step on automobiles while you walk about town, you'd better keep a keen look out for them. A clear perspective of the road ahead is afforded by the elevated seating position, although the rearward vision is obstructed, particularly while towing a trailer. Although it maintains its stability when travelling on the highway, more delicate moves are next to impossible due to the car's harsh steering, which is to be expected from such a robust vehicle.

Off-roading

The Tremor Package, which includes 35-inch off-road tires and 18-inch wheels, is highly recommended for any serious off-roading adventures. No matter which engine you choose, you'll benefit from the vehicle's several driving modes and 4x4 drivetrain, both of which provide enough low-end torque.

Aesthetically pleasing

Like many other pickups, the ford comes in a wide variety of body styles and powertrain options. And if you go for the Tremor Package, it becomes a true work of art in the off-roading realm. Very few tasks are beyond the capabilities of this pickup, and it's a great plus that it manages to do so while still being aesthetically pleasing and offering a reasonable amount of technology in the cabin. 

New Boston Ford F-250: which one to buy from?

The F-250 has always been a part of the F-Series lineup, and Ford Crossroads managed to compile the series below; 

Ford F-250s from the early 2000s

The first generation F-250 was equipped with a 5.4-litre Triton V8 producing 255 horsepower as standard, with a larger 6.8-litre Triton V10 offering 310 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque as an option. 

Ford F-250 (2008) 

The production runs for the second-generation F-250 ended in 2010, only two years after it began. This F-250 was only around for a little while, but it brought a lot of upgrades, including the brand-new 6.4-liter PowerStroke diesel

Ford F-250, (3rd Generation) 2011 

The third-generation F-250 was produced from 2011 to 2016, making it the second longest-running F-250 model. If you're in the market for a pre-owned used ford pickup truck, this will help you save money while still getting many of the features and safety aids found on newer models.

Newer model Ford F-250s 2017 and present

The 2020 F-250 is mostly unchanged from the 2017 fourth-generation vehicle. All-new steel chassis and military-grade aluminium body panels are just two of the main design updates to this F-250. The F-250 now has a cabin that is similar to that of the F-150, giving it a more sophisticated appearance.

Wrap up

The 2022 Ford F-250 Super Duty pickup truck isn't just a class leader but also great for towing hefty loads. In 2020, the F-250 added the Godzilla engine to remain competitive in towing and hauling, although its rivals employ more advanced technology. Albeit its expensiveness, the Super Duty is cheaper than its Ram. Look no further; just bring it home!

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Reviews: Art Books Read in Fall 2022

How to Draw Hairstyles for Manga by Studio Hard Deluxe

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Publication Date: November 8, 2022

Synopsis:

From bed head to battle hair, the way you style your manga character’s hair can make or break their look. In this guide, discover hundreds of styles to transform your sketches into amazing illustrations. How to Draw Hairstyles for Manga includes: Detailed information on how hair influences characters and scenes, how it grows and moves, common male and female hairstyles, and more! Step-by-step instruction for sectioning and drawing hair to achieve more realistic looks. Plus, learn tips and tricks for taking styles up a notch. 600+ illustrations showing hundreds of hairstyles from multiple angles. From French braids and ponytails to defying gravity with underwater looks and epic battle scene styles, this book has it all!   With step-by-step guidance and hundreds of sample illustrations, this is your must-have guide to drawing hairstyles for your manga characters. What are you waiting for? Grab your supplies and get started drawing with style!

My Rating: ★★★★★

*My Review Below the Cut.

My Review:

This is an excellent and very useful guide to drawing various lengths and styles of hair. I learned a LOT, and found the discussion of combining hair and movement especially useful.

The book discusses accurate representation of hairstyles, shadows, combining style with movement, emotion, and personality, wet hair, windblown hair, and power stances.

It includes just about every hairstyle you could want -- if you don't want to include Black hair. While it is specifically for manga, it still seems like an oversight to not include any Black hairstyles.

Each style is clearly illustrated in black and white and has a short text explanation of what is happening and why it is drawn that way as well as a step-by step guide to guide the reader in recreating that style.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group, and Rockport Publishers for providing an e-arc for review.

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Satisfying Stitches by Hope Brasfield

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Publication Date: November 15, 2022

Synopsis:

Discover the creative satisfaction and stress-relieving benefits of embroidery while stitching fun, modern, vibrant designs such as flowers, plants, animals, landscapes, and celestial scenes. Beginning a new creative pursuit can be intimidating, but Satisfying Stitches takes all the guesswork and fear out of getting started with techniques designed to boost confidence and provide relaxation. This easy-to-follow, photo-illustrated guide includes a review of the basic and inexpensive supplies needed to get started, foundational techniques, and step-by-step instructions for creating a variety of stitches. As your skills and confidence grow, you will find that stitches that may look advanced are quite simple, and you’ll be able to easily add dimension and texture to your designs. The exclusive embroidery designs include a wide variety of motifs and patterns, such as houseplants, florals, mushrooms, butterflies, fish, landscapes, and sunsets, in a variety of color palettes. The projects are divided into three levels to match your confidence, skill level, and time. While most beginner books don’t go beyond a couple of easy stitches, Satisfying Stitches takes the opposite approach, incorporating stitches that pack a big “wow” factor but are quite easy, such as fern stitch, wheatear stitch, thistle flowers, and woven wheel roses. Author Hope Brasfield offers tons of encouragement to beginners and beyond. You’ll learn to embrace imperfection, slow down, and enjoy the process. You will also discover, as Hope did, that embroidery offers much more than a creative outlet. Focusing on something that requires imagination, handwork, and concentration can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. Satisfying Stitches features:   A wide range of attractive embroidery stitches that can be used to create any embroidery designs 18 original embroidery designs for popular motifs Detailed step-by-step instructions with clear photographs Troubleshooting tips and tricks throughout the book So much more than pretty patterns, Satisfying Stitches offers an exciting opportunity to gain new skills, become a more confident creative, ditch the smart phone, and de-stress.

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This is a really good beginner embroidery book. I found the information on different stitches incredibly useful as there were many I did not know. There are photos included with the step-by-step instructions that makes it easy to understand what to do.

I wasn't terribly interested in the designs - they're not really my style and they're a lot simpler than the designs I usually use. However, a few of the designs were cute or offered a different way to think about technique. I am excited to employ my knew knowledge in my own designs.

The beginning information was perhaps more useful for those completely new to embroidery, such as how to use basic embroidery tools and the many reminders that embroidery isn't supposed to be perfect. The designs included emphasize that principle - they are solely nature themed (plants, fruits, flowers, skies) and lead naturally to the 'nature isn't perfect so your embroidery doesn't need to be and shouldn't be perfect' theme.

I would definitely recommend it for those who are new to embroidery but want to learn or those like me who have been dabbling in creating our own designs for years but lack knowledge of some of the more useful stitches.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Quarry Books for providing an early copy for review.