#but simon is just another trash bag human <3

[star-of-waterdeep]

all my other f/os have corresponding self inserts, but simon just gets stuck with Actual Me, bc i feel like he’s the only one who’d ever be legitimately attracted to me the way that i am

[imogengotdrunk]

Sooo I've been lurking around your blog for a while and your Love, Simon post has finally given me courage to ask about Gavin and RK's wedding (because honestly, I've been wondering for a while). Please tell me it would be incredibly sappy and induce a lot of happy tears.

Hello, Anon! Never be shy to ask! I’m normally slow to get around to answering, but I will answer eventually. And this is definitely something that I’ve thought about, as well!

Short version: Gavin would be in a gay panic for the entire time leading up to the ceremony, Tina would be on ‘keep-everyone-in-line’ duty, Hank would probably spend at least some time at the open bar, and the whole day would run smoother than clockwork because R.K is painstaking when it comes to having a schedule of any kind.

I’ll put the more detailed version under the cut, because I may as well have written a fucking fic – and I still might, at that. But I hope this answers your question for now, Anon!

(I warn you and apologise – this is seriously fucking long because I like weddings. Sue me. And I wanted to include a few headcanons that I don’t think I’ve mentioned before, and this seemed like a good opportunity)

THE VENUEThey probably wouldn’t get married in a church. I know that loads of churches offer services to same-sex couples nowadays, and I hope that by the 2030s-40s, this has only expanded. But human/android weddings might still be a touchy subject in a lot of places, even years after the revolution. Plus, I’m not sure whether Gavin or any of his family are religious or not (I HC his mother as being quite traditionalist and conservative, but not for any religious reasons I don’t think).

So I think they’d get married somewhere relatively familiar and probably understated. Gavin wouldn’t really give a shit at the end of the day, though, let’s be honest; he’s getting fucking married, who cares where, right? And as long as they’re not eloping to Las Vegas or anything too spontaneous, R.K’s content with whatever venue Gavin decides on.

And they don’t need anywhere huge, because they’re both pretty private and tight-knit people – guests would be family and close friends only.

-

THE GUESTSGavin’s dad is the first person to be invited. The poor guy’s had to stand back and watch his only son get his gay heart broken time and time again. But now Gavin’s finally bagged himself a fiancé – a 6ft tall, well-spoken, model-handsome, police officer fiancé, who looks ready to straight-up murder anything that might pose even the slightest threat to Gavin Reed. So, naturally, Mr. Reed’s the one who gives Gavin away on the big day, and is very, very happy to do so.

Tina Chen’s the maid of honour, of course. They don’t even ask her – she just immediately assumes the position and drags R.K away to begin the wedding preparations.Every cake-maker, florist, and bespoke tailor in Detroit are now terrified of the two of them. While Tina and R.K are quite different people, when it comes to Gavin Reed’s happiness, they’re similarly and meticulously ruthless. On the actual day, Fowler’s tie clashes with the colour of the roses, and he only needs to glance at the expression on Tina and R.K’s faces before he’s subtly tugging it off and hiding it away in his pocket, where it will not make an appearance again today, so help him God.

Connor is ringbearer (he’s the only one R.K trusts not to lose them), and Hank is R.K’s best man. Everyone expected it to be Connor seeing as they’re practically brothers, but R.K asked Hank specifically. When asked, spluttering and incredulously, ‘why in hell d’you want me to do it’, R.K simply replies, ‘because you’re the best man I know, Lieutenant.’Hank spends the rest of the day in a stupor before making a silent vow to be the best goddamn best man in wedding history. He even gets a hair cut when the big day comes around – and Connor can confirm that he looks very dashing in formal attire.

The Jericho crew – Markus, North, Simon and Josh.Something I haven’t touched upon yet in any of my trash – I headcanon R.K and North to be very good friends. R.K has a rocky relationship with Markus (Markus overrode his programming to make him deviant, and R.K punched him in the face in response), but he absolutely adores North. They’re both candid, no-nonsense, and have the same kind of dry humour.In-game, North’s always been the most forthright of Markus’ companions – she wants to get the job done in the most straightforward and efficient way possible, and this is definitely something that she and R.K have in common. So R.K wants her at the wedding, but he knows that by extension, he has to invite Markus, Simon and Josh as well, because they’re kind of a package deal (I HC something polyamory going on between Markus, North and Simon, and Josh is Markus’ right-hand man in almost everything). R.K likes Josh and Simon well enough, and can be civil with Markus when the situation calls for it.

Kara, Alice and Luther – Another thing I don’t think I’ve mentioned before, I also HC Connor staying in touch with Kara following the revolution, since he seemed to genuinely care about her and Alice after he became deviant.They’re still living in Canada, since I can’t see them moving back to Detroit after everything they went through to get across the border. But I think Connor would have wanted to check up on them somehow, to make sure they were all right, and I can see them becoming friends over time through various calls and visits. This of course means that Connor introduces R.K, and eventually Gavin, to them.R.K and Kara get on strangely well considering how different they both are, Alice learns her first curse word from Gavin because the man can’t control his mouth around anyone, and Luther is possibly the only android who can intimidate R.K just by standing in the same room with him (that gentle giant is very tol).

Their close colleagues at the DPD would probably be invited, too. These include Fowler, Ben Collins, Chris Miller and his family, and probably Wilson as well.

Gavin’s mom is NOT invited, but she brings that on herself. When Gavin and R.K get engaged, Gavin tries to get back in contact with her over the phone, and after some polite and uncomfortable small talk, Gavin tells her that he has a male android fiancé. A lot of old wounds are opened up (they argue about Gavin’s sexuality, about it meaning that there would be no “proper grandchildren”, that adoption doesn’t count, etc, etc, all stuff that Gavin’s had to hear before when he was much younger and cared much more about her opinion of him).It goes on for a while, and eventually Gavin just hangs up. He’s not too bummed out about it – he pretty much expected that reaction – and least he tried. But sometimes trying just doesn’t get you any new results, especially with someone so set in their own views.

-

THE WEDDING

Yes, to finally answer the question, it would indeed be the sappiest wedding to have ever sapped. For Gavin, anyway. He’s never let himself think too much about marriage, because he’s a realist (or a cynic) and he just always assumed that it would never happen for him. But suddenly here he is, at his fucking wedding, and R’s waiting for him all dressed up in a nice suit and he’s smiling and looking at Gavin like he’s the whole world, and they’re getting fucking married.

Gavin’s a nervous wreck when the ceremony actually starts; they might be surrounded by friends, but it’s still a public fucking thing and he could trip over or say something wrong and embarrass himself, and his hands are shaking the entire way there. But the second he and his dad reach R.K, the android reaches for one of his hands, and squeezes, and Gavin stops giving as much of a shit about anything else in the room.

He’d probably be able to hold it together, through sheer nerves, until the vows. Words are something that R.K’s very good with, so of course he’s written the most perfect vows ever, and Gavin would be a choked-up mess afterwards trying to get through his own. It makes him feel better to know his dad, Tina and Josh are emotional messes by the end of it as well, though. And he does see Hank getting teary-eyed, even of the old man tries to hide it behind a fucking cough.

Although, I’m tempted to have some kind of crime happen during the wedding, or at least during the after-party. If anyone’s ever watched the 3rd season of BBC’s Sherlock, then you know how problematic it is to have a hyperfocused detective solving crimes at a wedding. Imagine Gav and R off on their first murder investigation as a married couple, five fucking minutes after they’re actually married. Classic.

 -

I think that’s enough for now, though. Let me know If you want any more in the future, I’d be happy to include some other HCs in another post, but this has gotten seriously long and I need to be stopped somewhere.

[vizhi0n]

Sawney - Part 7

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

If u wanna be tagged or untagged lemme know, loves!

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Well....here we go lol.

Updates r gonna be pretty consistent now, because I’ve gotten ahead. This chapter, as usual, contains some FUCKED content.

Desa scavenged the rest of the day, returning before the sun could set. She had a duffel bag full of supplies, still a bit tingly from her departure from Negan. In her mind, he was alive and well and had forgotten about her. She knew that reality and her mind were separate entities, and one tended to always contradict the other.

Monster. Loon.

You killed people.

Are you going insane?

When she returned to the Estate, the guards were eerily quiet. They let her through, and Desa feinted surprise.

Her surprise morphed into horror.

The infamous semi circle had gathered in the courtyard. Father was in the center, and the moment the gate swung shut his eyes darted to Desa and her duffel bag of supplies.

It was when she saw Mother that she stopped.

She was eating candy.

Jack’s candy. His birthday candy. She knew it was his because he loved strawberry mints, and Mother hated them. Yet she was standing, stoic like a statue, with a handful of those bright pink mints. Almost as if to mock —

Desa dropped the duffel bag.

“Do you want to know what your brother did while you were gone?” Father called, beckoning with two fingers for Desa to approach. She did, walking slowly towards the semi circle. “Amy caught him shimmying through the hole in the gate — which we just finished patching, by the way. You know the rules about trying to leave without informing Amy, or Mother, or myself, correct?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good. But that isn’t why I’m upset,” Father raised a finger, pausing as he tried to keep his composure. “He had a backpack on. And in that backpack I found a knife, some canned foods, and I map. An identical map to the one I possess, however mine does not have foreign writing. Jack’s map had been marked with a circle around what you told me was the Sanctuary.”

“I have that map for precautionary reasons—”

“Do not speak. Be quiet,” Father snarled, raising a finger. Desa clamped her mouth shut as he circled her, like a shark. “I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and simply punish Jack for attempting to escape, but then I received news that a vehicle down at the fire station had been taken, and never returned, and that your catch had somehow escaped amongst the biter chaos. All while you were away and Jack was attempting to smuggle his way out.”

“Father,” Desa said firmly. “I’m not sure what this has to do with anything.”

“I just couldn’t help but think,” Father stopped pacing. “That this was somehow connected. It just seemed peculiar.”

Desa let out a sigh. Mother was still eating that candy, and Desa felt her fingers twitch.

Mother smiled.

“I’d like to see Jack, Father.”

“No. Answer first — did you help Negan escape?”

“No. I was out scavenging all day, and I brought back a bag full of supplies,” Desa said. “This is all speculation, Father, and coincidence. Now I’d like to see Jack.”

“No. Don’t ask me again, or I’ll kill the child.”

He’s alive. Good.

Desa remained silent while Father continued pacing. He circled her twice, lips pressed into a thin line.

“You’re right on the line, Desa. If I didn’t care for you, I would kill you. Your insubordination has gone on long enough,” Father stopped. “I always discipline my children.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good. Now come and give your a Father a kiss.”

Desa tilted her head back, closing her eyes and stepping forward. Bile rose in the back of her throat as she felt those thin fingers caress her side. He placed a gentle, chaste kiss against her mouth, and the touch alone was enough to make her squeeze her fists together.

Then Father tugged his small knife loose from his belt and drove it, hard, right beneath Desa’s left breast. Desa’s gasp caused a ripple to go through the watching crowd, several bystanders flinching and turning away as Desa dropped like a heavy sack of potatoes.

Her legs twitched wildly as she clutched at the wound, eyes desperately searching the crowd. She needed Jack — she needed to see him. He had to be alive. Had too—

“Get her up,” Father instructed, gesturing to Amy. She and another man, Todd, stepped forward. Desa was dragged, and as she bypassed Father she heard him say, “Take her to the master bath and dump her in the tub. Make sure she doesn’t stain my carpet. I’ll be up in a minute.”

A chorus of “Yes, Father,” and Desa was lifted, carried like she was nothing more than a fancy package being delivered to Father’s room. A glance behind her confirmed that Mother was following, keeping her distance, while Father continued to address the crowd.

She was still eating that goddamn candy.

With each bump against the stairs Des hissed, pained and barely able to keep her eyes open. She couldn’t tell whether or not the blade had pierced a lung — she wasn’t coughing up blood, yet, so that had to be a good sign. It just really, really, really hurt, her body in a state of shock. She was, per Father’s instructions, unceremoniously dumped into the ornate bathtub and left there, unable to move, only able to bleed. Mother entered the room. She set down the bag of candy, coming to take a seat on the edge of the tub. There was a disturbing calmness about the way she moved, unbothered by the bleeding girl in her bathtub. Desa could only watch, keeping her mouth shut as Mother reached down to stroke her thigh.

“I am so disappointed. But we can fix you.”

“Where’s Jack? Is he alive?”

“He is.”

“Where?”

“Telling you would ruin the fun. For now, I will leave you to speculate.”

Desa grit her teeth, lurching forward before a sharp pain in her abdomen stopped her. One hand reached for Mother while the other stayed pressed against her wound, drenched with blood. “You cruel, sadistic bitch!”

Mother’s eyebrows drew together and her face went from relatively neutral, to hostile. She rose, smoothing out her dress.

“Father will decide what to do with you. I don’t believe you have the temperament to be cattle. Unlike your brother.”

“Is Jack in the cellar?” Desa croaked. “Is he? Where’s Jack—”

She was gone. Desa was left kicking, trying to grab the slippery edge of the bathtub and hoist herself up. Jack was the only thing in her brain. His cherub face. That time they went camping together. That time he’d skied for the first time. That time he’d—

“You aren’t going anywhere,” Father came to a stop before the tub, staring down at Desa, scolding her as if he were scolding a child. “Not until I give you permission.”

“Fuck you.”

“Cursing won’t save you. And such crude behavior makes me consider putting you in the cellar even more. You won’t be able to talk, won’t be able to curse…” Father tilted his head to the side. “I think I’ve made my decision. You will join your brother.”

I knew it.

Desa tilted her head back, neck straining as she let out a sob. There was a sudden emptiness in her that she’d never felt before.

I failed you. Jack. Mom.

I failed you.

A strange comfort, however, was brewing in her belly. She’d be with Jack. She’d be tossed into dank, horrible, awful cellar to have her body used. Even if he couldn’t comprehend or even recognize her, it was still better than being six feet under or one of the biters. She’d still be human.

Father called for Mother. Desa closed her eyes, finger twitching against her wound. She heard Mother enter, Amy behind her.

Mother had her tools. The metal ice pick, the hammer. The towel to stop the bleeding. The scalpel. Desa clutched her wound, scooting away.

No, no, no —

One tiny prick, and it’ll be over.

“Amy, hold her down,” Father instructed. He stepped back, letting his wife do the work. Mother bent over as Amy’s strong arms wrapped around Desa’s wrists, forcing them above her head. She shrieked, kicked, and cursed. All the while Father’s scrutinizing, disappointed gaze was on her.

Mother hadn’t even picked up the tool before a barrage of heavy gunfire sounded from outside. Father spun and Mother stopped, hand hovering over the scalpel. She met Desa’s gaze from beneath longs locks of flowing brown hair, pupils dilated.

Todd burst in, panting. His gun was drawn and he struggled to speak.

“They’re here. Negan and his people. They’re here.”

Desa went to move, but Amy held her down. Mother gathered her tools while Father peered out the window with bewilderment. Desa was struggling, fingers grappling for purchase against the bloody edge of the tub. The gunfire grew louder, and Desa heard shouts from the lower level of the house.

“Father, Mother,” Todd said gravely. “We have to go!”

“Amy, leave her,” Mother said. “She will die from her wounds. Too much blood. Fate has other plans.”

Amy looked sullen, but obeyed. Desa, barely able to move, watched as they hurried out the bathroom, following behind Todd.

Just like that, she was alone, having to listen to the pounding footsteps of the Saviors as they ransacked the home.

Stay awake. Stay awake.

Stay alive.

“Hey, I got something!”

A slender man with stringy blonde hair, who Desa recognized, peered down at her. Dave - Duncan - Dwight! Yes, Dwight. She remembered, now. She’d met him briefly. And now he was here, toting a gun while the others thundered up.

“It’s her,” Dwight called. “Simon, get over here!”

Simon, a face Desa knew all to well, appeared. He, too, had a gun slung over his shoulder.

“Shit,” Simon murmured. “Okay, Dwight, grab her. Let’s get her out of here.”

“Got it.”

Desa protested weakly as she was lifted from the tub. Her feet touched the ground and she nearly buckled, relying on Simon’s grip to keep her upright and steady. Droplets of blood oozed past her fingers.

“Here,” Dwight tore a strip of cloth from his jacket, stopping to deftly tie it around Desa’s waist.

“Is there an armory?” Simon asked briskly. When Desa didn’t reply, he lightly squeezed her shoulder and said, “Hey. Armory. Where is it?”

“U-uh in a l-locked room in the cellar,” Desa stammered. They made their way down the stairs, bypassing the bodies of Saviors and Estate resident alike. Desa recognized several. She didn’t care. “I-I need t-to go there.”

Dwight and Simon exchanged looks. The finally reached the first floor, stepping over bodies. Desa steered Simon towards the cellar door, nearly tripping over a corpse as she attempted to dart towards the door. She wrenched it open, shrugging away Simon when he reached to grab her.

The cellar was dark, damp, walls dripping with moisture. The smell hit her first— urine, feces, and sweat. Grabbing the railing, she descended the stairs without hesitation. The wooden boards creaked, and she heard shuffling. Her hands struggled to find the light, and when she did, she switched it on. Three bulbs illuminated the vast room before her.

Over a dozen, blank faces stared back at her. Familiar, gaunt and underfed faces. None of the people were strangers, and none of them spoke a word, for their minds…tranquilized.

Jack.

He was sitting in a chair, staring blankly at the wall. The bandages on his head were fresh, his mind poked and prodded until it turned into mush.

Desa picked her way across the room, stepping over sleeping bags and toys. She didn’t dare enter the waste room — someone would have to come and grab the buckets. Whatever excrement they produced, the gardens used as fertilizer.

“What the hell?” Simon breathed, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. Desa ignored him, shuffling to her brother.

He just sat, but his eyes followed Desa as she moved. There was no acknowledgement, however. No recognition. He kind of just, sat.

One of them made a noise, an intelligible sound that was more hostile than welcoming. Simon raised his gun but Dwight stopped him.

“The armory is on the left. It’s a wooden door. A few kicks shoulder do the trick,” Desa said.

“We’ll send Arat for them,” Simon said. “She and the others can round them up in one go. I want to get the hell out of this place.”

Desa reached out to stroke Jack’s hair. His reaction was a bit delayed, and he didn’t speak. Desa didn’t know if he remembered how to speak. Mother’s tools had cut deep, and despite being a former neurosurgeon, she’d never been tactful with her lobotomies. It was intentional, the carelessness. Motor skills were preferred, but not necessary. They could still eat the slop thrown down the stairs everyday.

Cattle.

Desa wasn’t crying because she knew what she had to do.

You’ve always been a monster.

She placed a kiss on Jack’s head, smoothing out his hair and giving him a smile that he didn’t know how to return. Then she stood, limping her way over to Simon. She bypassed him, and he and Dwight did not follow.

She grabbed the first gun she saw, checking the heavy assault rifle. The clip was full, and she tugged the weapon from beneath the deceased corpse of Savior that had been shot down at the top of the stairs.

“Hey, whoa,” Dwight went to reach for the gun, but Desa shouldered him away. Simon’s firm hand stopped Dwight from retaliating. “We can bring them back with us,” Dwight croaked. “There’s a place for them, at the Sanctuary—”

Liar.

Desa shrugged. She stood a good distance away, the emotionless face of her brother in the crosshairs. The sound of her unloading didn’t even reach her ears. The soft cries, the impact of a body falling against the floor, did. The sight of her brother slumping forward, the plywood around him shattered with bullets almost sent her into a frenzy, but she held her ground and gunned down the entire room in what felt like a nanosecond.

The overwhelming stench of blood clogged her nostrils. She dropped the gun, sinking abruptly to her knees. Simon’s words of concern did not jolt her from her haze. It wasn’t until her face slammed against the floor did she feel anything.

I’m home.

[buckyscrystalqueen]

Taking The Shot: Part 7

Pairings: Negan x Reader

Warnings: Swearing, angst, fluff, typical Walking Dead stuff, attempted murder

Word Count: 5,244

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6

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

“Is that everything?” Negan asked that night as you carried your record player into his bedroom. You shook your head as he shoved a tote box of baby clothes under his bed.

“Just have my box of albums I didn’t want to drop or break.” You looked around the room at the collection of stuff; your two bags of clothes and not much else, his things already in their proper place and the three other large tote boxes that hadn’t been stored away yet. “How do we have so much shit?” You asked with a laugh and Negan groaned as he stood up and glared at you.

“Why? Because SOMEONE fucking decided to clear out half of a fucking baby store of clothes into my Goddamn truck.” He chuckled as he grabbed your hips around the black travel turntable you had found. You feigned innocence and scoffed with a knowing smile.

“God, Negan why would you do something like that?” He swatted his hand on your ass and you squeaked and laughed.

“Pain in my fucking ass.” He grumbled as he kissed your forehead, shaking his head back and forth before taking the record player out of your hands. “Go fucking get your shit. I wanna go to fuckin’ bed baby girl.” With a nod you turned around and headed back to your room for the very last time with a small smile on your face.

As you strolled through the empty, poorly lit halls you bit your lip and giggled slightly as you thought about the way your life had turned out, coming from being alone to having a family in the course of three months. If someone had told you that this is what your life would look like when you dropped out of the tree that night, you would have shot them under the assumption that they were insane. As you walked past the wives room, you didn’t even notice that the door was closed but the sound of someone tapping on the door caught your attention. You walked over to it and listened for a moment.

“Sherry?” you called out slightly, wondering if she had decided to make the poor choice of trying to go back to Dwight. When she didn’t respond, you pulled the door open. You expected to find one of the wives but instead you came face to face with reanimated, glassy eyed Amber. “Fuck!” You shouted as you tried to slam the door closed but before the latch found its home, she managed to lunge for you, wedging part of her body against the door frame. You spun out of her grasp and slammed your back against the door, trying to stay out of her reach and use your body weight to keep her in the room unsuccessfully.

“Negan!” You screamed as you fought the opposing force, compelling yourself to remain calm. You felt an unexpected bang against the door behind your back, causing you to slide on the floor a bit and you grunted at the impact. “Fucking fuck… NEGAN! FUCKING SOMEONE!” You could feel your boots sliding slowly across the floor as the sound of Amber’s guttural hiss filled your mind, fear began to choke the life from you. Panic flooded your body and your stomach turned. You couldn’t help but think of your child as tears began rolling down your cheeks. “NEGAN!” You were just about to give up and run when the sound of boots rounded the corner. “There’s at least two! I can’t…” You told Negan, Simon and another two crew members as your boots slid another half an inch on the tile floor, allowing Amber’s corpse out a little bit more.

“Count of three, run to your fucking room.” Negan said as he closed the distance between you and the corner he just came around. “1… 2… 3!” He raised Lucille above his head and you bolted away from the door. You heard the crack of the bat connecting with Amber’s skull as you ripped open the door and ran into your old room. You slammed the door behind you and had just enough time to grab the small trash can by your dresser before you hurled. You collapsed on the floor and your body trembled as the thought that that could have been how you died; how your child could have died flashed through your mind causing you to be sick once more. After a few minutes, the door flew open, causing you to yelp as Negan stormed in.

“Hey, it’s just me. Fuck, you’re ok, sweetheart.” He said as he crossed the room in a couple long strides before falling to his knees in front of you. You threw yourself into him as sobs wracked your body. He pulled your legs around his waist, wrapped his arms around your hips and with a slight grunt, stood up. 

“Keep your face in my shoulder.” He said protectively as he hiked you up on his hips a bit more and headed for his room, closing your door behind him. You squeezed your eyes closed and tucked your face into his neck not wanting to see what happened to the wives.

“Take them the fuck outside and fucking burn ‘em.” He said to someone as he carried you down the hall grabbing Lucille from Simon as he went. Other than your sobs, the two of you remained quiet the rest of the way to the room. When he finally kicked the door closed behind him, he laid you on the bed, giving you the once over as he took off your boots and jeans.

“I heard tapping….” You said as you pulled off your bra and scooted across the bed, shaking your head in an attempt to get Amber’s eyes out of your head. “I thought…”

“Baby, it’s over. It’s all fucking over.” As he was about to get into bed, there was a knock at the door. “Not now.” He called out, lifting the covers so the two of you could get under them.

“Boss, you’ll want to see this.” With an aggravated groan, he walked over to the door, not caring that he was in just his boxers and pulled it open. Simon handed him a folded piece of paper and nodded, then turned on his heel and left without another word. Negan closed the door and came back over to the bed, got under the covers with you and unfolded the paper. You laid your head on his chest to see what the paper was.

With her moving in, we didn’t want to face Lucille. God forgive us.

“Fuck.” He grumbled and you turned into his chest as guilt washed over you.

“This is all my fault.” You cried as he dropped the note on the floor and pulled you into his side.

“Listen to me, baby girl. This is not your fucking fault. Those fucking dipshits did this to their Goddamn selves because their fucking feelings got hurt because I don’t fucking love them the way I fucking love you. Boo-fucking-hoo. If they honestly fucking thought that I would fucking kill them because I fucking love you then that’s their fucking problem. They would have been just fucking fine but THEY made the fucking choice to drink the fucking Kool-Aid. None of this fucking shit is on you.”

“Baby they were your wives!” you said as you looked up at him and he shrugged.

“Fucking and? They were fucking warm bodies until I fucking found you. The only fucking woman… fuck the only two Goddamn people that mean fucking anything to me in the fucking world are in this fucking bed with me. I fucking fight for this fucking place now for you and for our fucking kid. I fucking do this for our crazy, fucking insane, definitely narcissistic, slightly fucking sociopathic family that I wouldn’t trade the fucking world for. Everybody else can suck my fucking dick.”

“I am not a narcissist or a sociopath.” You grumbled as you wiped the tears off your face. “I’m a Goddamn angel.”

“The fuck you are!” He chuckled as he flipped off the light and scooted down onto his pillow more. “If you’re a fucking angel then I’m Goddamn fucking Mother Teresa.”

“You know what I just realized? We are like the real life versions of fucking Harley Quinn and the Joker.” Negan laughed as he wrapped his limbs around you and pulled you close.

“Yea, I can fuckin’ see it. You’d look fucking hot as fuck in those fucking shorts, too.” You laughed as he kissed your forehead and you buried your face in his chest.

“It would make it a lot fucking easier for you to kiss my fucking ass, too.”

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

After the incident with the wives mass suicide, it took almost a month before the community got over the loss of the 5 women. The truth behind their death was made known the day after and though it took some time, the community stopped pointing fingers at you and Negan behind your backs and realized it was just the wives making a rash decision in the heat of the moment.

Life at the Sanctuary slid into a normal routine for you. Mornings were spent, for the most part, on runs and collecting supplies from Alexandria, the Hilltop and the self-proclaimed Kingdom. Afternoons found you in the gun range with Arat, giving her every ounce of knowledge you knew about long distance shooting. She was a natural as you had been, understanding the mathematics of it easily. By the time you hit your fifth month of pregnancy, (and Negan’s limit of taking you on runs) she was as good as you were.

Evenings were spent with Negan; the two of you spending time together away from the rest of the community as he had when the other wives had been present. Only with there only being one wife and said wife being pregnant, you both could feel the slight shift in the community and their feelings on it. They were still afraid of him; following the rules to the letter, kneeling when both of you walked into the room and cowering in fear when they saw Lucille but there was a new higher level of respect at seeing the more ‘human’ side of him; a side they hadn’t seen before you and the baby came around. Before you knew it, you were only weeks away from meeting your bundle of joy.

“Would you ever… fuckin’ like… want to fucking leave here?” Negan asked hesitantly one evening just after curfew while you lay between his legs in bed watching a movie. You looked over your shoulder at him as his finger’s danced across your bump. His eyes were trained on your stomach, and his brow was slightly furrowed in concentration as his wheels spun.

“Well… fuck I don’t know. Why?” He sighed as he laid his hands flat on your round stomach and your child rotated in the tiny space towards his touch. He shrugged slightly as he dragged his eyes up to you and you saw a slight fear in his eyes.

“I think the fucking prick is planning on fucking staging a fucking coup.” You turned as best as you could and your heart skipped a beat.

“How do you know that?”

“I fucking felt it when I fucking went out there today; his fucking defiance. I can fucking shut it down but then I fucking wondered if getting you and the baby the fuck out of here would be the better fucking option.” Your eyes fell from his and your brows wrinkled at the bridge of your nose as you thought, weighing the options for only a moment before you looked back up at him.

“Do we have a couple weeks or is this a pack up and get the fuck out of dodge thing?” He sighed, shrugged and shook his head.

“Best bet? Get the fuck out of fucking dodge.” You nodded slowly.

“I want Simon and Arat to go, best of the best. Carson too just until the baby is born.” Before Negan answered there was a knock at the door.

“Yea?” Negan said without moving to get up; knowing how difficult it was to get you up quickly. Simon walked in holding a walkie out in front of him as he stepped into the room.

“Boss, fucker from Gavin’s community wants to fucking talk to (Y/N).” You looked up at Negan as he reached out and grabbed the antenna of the walkie-talkie.

“Shut the fucking door but fucking stay in here.” Negan said as he tossed the box higher in his hand, pausing for a moment as Simon shut the door before he responded. “Fuck do you want?” he demanded angrily. You heard the radio crackle slightly before the man answered.

“I wish to extend an offer of asylum for your wife until the child is born. Guarantee the child’s safety in such a cruel world.” You and Negan looked at each other for a moment.

“Time to get out of dodge.” You took the radio from Negan’s hand and cleared your throat. “Can you give me a day to decide? Leaving my husband is something I would never do without taking a little time to decide.”

“I will give you one day.” The man responded immediately and you pushed yourself off Negan’s legs with his help. “I will need an answer by sundown tomorrow however the offer will be removed from the table at that time.”

“Thank you for your generous offer. I will be in touch.” You turned off the walkie-talkie as you swung your legs over the bed while Negan got up and started pulling the four totes of baby stuff from under the bed.

“Simon, we are fucking leaving tonight. Prick is fucking planning a fucking ambush and I want my fucking family safe. I want the fucking pick-up gassed, packed with fucking guns, ammo and every extra gas can we have in the bed and fucking parked out back now… fucking quietly. Pack your fucking shit, you’re fucking coming too and we are leaving within fucking 20 minutes.” Simon nodded and ran out the door.

“I got our stuff.” You said as you got up. Negan tossed you a large army green duffle and nodded.

“I got fuckin’ Arat and she can fucking grab water and food. I’ll fucking help Carson with emptying the fucking infirmary.” He walked forward, put his hand around the back of your neck and kissed your forehead. “You stay in this fucking room until I fucking come back, do you fucking understand me?” You nodded and leaned up to give him a chaste kiss.

“Be quick baby. They could be out there waiting for us now.”

“I fucking expect it.” He said as he turned and headed toward the door; grabbing Lucille and your hand gun on the way. “I love you.” He said when he got to the door, pausing for a moment to look back at you.

“I love you too, baby. Be careful.” He nodded and ducked out the door. You spun in place and started ripping open dresser drawers, shoving every article of clothing the two of you owned into the large duffle bag. You focused on your breathing to keep calm, not wanting to forget something that could be essential down the road as you stripped the room of hidden weapons, bathroom products, and the four cat statues and your two cat stuffed animals that you and Negan had collected on runs; essentially removing most of the evidence that either of you existed other than your record player, albums and the small DVD collection you had built in the past year.

“You ready, baby girl? Negan asked 15 minutes later as you were pulling the strings of the bag tight and you nodded at him and Simon.

“I just need help with my boots.” Negan nodded as he pointed Simon to the boxes on the bed.

“Those are fucking essential.” He growled as he grabbed your boots off the floor and tossed the strap of the duffle over his shoulder. “Send Arat up to grab one and I’ll fucking get the other two. Keep your fucking eyes on Carson. I don’t fucking trust him as far as I can throw him but we fucking need him until the baby is born.” Simon nodded as you sat down on the bed and Negan quickly tugged your socks and boots on over your jeans.

“Babe, we are gunna be fine.” You reassured as Arat came in and grabbed a tote, her own rifle slung over her shoulder. The two of you nodded at each other in appreciation.

“I’m fucking allowed to be fucking worried, princess.” He grumbled as he finished tying your boot. He stood up and took your hands, pulling you off the bed and into his arms. “You’re my fucking wife and this is our fucking child.” You pulled back away from him and smiled with a slight tilt of your head.

“And you are doing what needs to be done to protect us. We have a slight upper hand right now, the two best snipers in the world, a doctor, our best fighter and a fucking crazy protective daddy with his mistress, Lucille.” He chuckled slightly before he pulled away and grabbed the last two boxes. You grabbed your rifle and tossed it over your shoulder, taking one last look around the room before grabbing two pillows, and the blanket. With one final glance, you turned off the lights; leaving your home behind with a few tears shed. 

The two of you walked the short distance to the back door silently, doing your best to not alert the community to your abandonment. When you got outside, you went straight to the passenger door of the dual cab pick-up and climbed in while Negan, Simon and Arat finished packing the truck bed, covering it securely with a tarp before wordlessly getting in the truck with Dr. Carson. 

“Be fucking ready for fucking anything.” Negan said as he handed you your hand gun, laying one across his own lap before starting the truck. “You stay the fuck down.” He demanded as he glanced at you and put the truck into gear. With a quick nod, you lay down sideways awkwardly on the front seat, your body shaking with your nervousness.

The gun shots began nearly immediately as Negan headed for the back fence. You squeezed your eyes closed and covered your stomach as he gunned it. You could hear the engine roar as metal pings and gun shots rang out followed by the crash of the metal fence. Negan whipped down the road, dodging walkers and people alike as he fought to keep his family safe. Time seemed to slow as you curled into yourself and waited for the commotion to stop. 

You heard Simon yelp from the back seat in pain but you couldn’t turn to look at him out of fear as a few loud bangs against the front of the truck startled you. What seemed like hours later but was only realistically a few minutes, the gun fire died away but Negan continued to race away, heading east away from the communities toward the highway. You jumped slightly when he put his hand on your head and you looked up at him with tear filled eyes.

“It’s over.” He said softly with a nod. You nodded back and forced your shaky body up right. “Everyone good?” He asked with a glance in the rearview mirror to the three people in the back seat.

“Simon has a shoulder wound but it isn’t serious. I’m fine.” Carson responded.

“Arm got grazed pretty good but I’m alright.” Arat said as she ripped off the sleeve of her shirt to tie it around the lower part of her arm. You nodded at Negan when he looked over at you and you leaned forward to look him over.

“You alright baby?” He nodded as a smile crossed his face and he reached across the seat and took your hand with a sigh of relief.

“I don’t know how the fuck we just pulled that fucking shit off without much damage but we fucking did it. I fucking thought that fucking wall of them would be an issue.” You squeezed his hand in response.

“Well I don’t know about you two but fucking thank you guys for gettin’ me the hell out of there too.” Arat said and Carson and Simon stated their gratitude as well as the interstate came into view.

“So where are we going?” You asked as Negan traversed the car littered on-ramp. He shook his head and sighed.

“No fucking idea. Southwest into the fucking mountains for sure; find a fucking house or maybe a fucking hotel or a fucking ski lodge somewhere. We’ll fucking figure it out as we fucking go.” The three people in the back mumbled their approval and you grabbed Negan’s pillow off the floor, propping it against the window and laying your head down.

“Just wake me when we get there.” You yawned. Negan chuckled and squeezed your hand.

“You ass will be up in like an hour to fucking pee so shut the fuck up.” You let go of his hand and whacked his arm as Simon laughed from the back seat.

“You shut the fuck up. Simon don’t fucking encourage him.” You looked over at your husband and he smiled at you. “Shut up.” You said, returning his smile before childishly sticking your tongue out at him. He took your hand once more, his fingers lacing with yours and you lay back against the pillow, falling asleep almost immediately.

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

None of you realized how difficult it would be to leave in the middle of the night the way you did with no preparation at all but with only a little bickering and some hormonal tears you found the perfect house that was at one point a bed and breakfast in the mountains. It was surrounded by a 7 foot tall thick wood fence and it had a fancy iron gate somewhere outside of a town called Boone, North Carolina.

It was the perfect place- two stories with five bedrooms, running water and solar panels on the roof. Off the master bedroom on the second floor, there was a little balcony that made the perfect perch for a sniper. It also had a gorgeous wrap around porch, an untaken care of garden, and a storm cellar that had quite a few jars of canned fruits and vegetables in mason jars left behind from owners that had long since abandoned their property. It had taken three days to find but it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The five of you had stopped at every single grocery store, Walmart, pharmacy, baby and gun store you could find between the Sanctuary and the new house; collecting enough supplies to last your little group at least a year so you would be covered for a long time so you could get completely settled in turning this new house into the best functioning home it could possibly be.

A week after you arrived, you went into labor and after a day of hell, you gave Negan the little girl he always wanted. He held her for the first two days straight; refusing to give her up for anything other than to be fed. You were amazed at how he had taken to parenthood and it suited him. On day three, you had to nearly pry her from his hands to let her honorary aunt and uncle and the doc hold her but he hovered by and watched like a hawk. It warmed your heart that there could be something so precious and good in the world that seemed so bleak most of the time.

“I told you it was a fucking girl.” He beamed as he sat next to you on your bed holding his precious two week old little princess in his arms. “Are you abso-fucking-lutely sure you like Hope?” He asked for the hundredth time about the name he chose as he looked up at you and you giggled.

“Yea, baby. I’m ‘abso-fucking-lutely’ sure I like Hope. It’s fitting.” He nodded and looked back down at his sleeping daughter.

“Fuck, I don’t want to have to fucking leave her to fucking reinforce this Goddamn fence.” He complained.

“Love, you have to. I can’t help just yet other than being on the damn roof and we need it done so we have one less thing we have to fucking worry about.” With a groan he forced himself off the bed and laid Hope down in the bassinet you had picked up on your way here. Once he was completely satisfied that she was ok in the middle of the bed on her back, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head before kneeling on the bed to do the same with you. He rested his forehead against yours and sighed with a smile on his face.

“God, you’re fucking amazing, mama. I love you so fucking much.” You rested your hand on his cheek for a moment with a hummed laugh.

“I love you, too, baby.” You gave him a chaste kiss before he pushed himself off the bed to head out and get to work. When you had first moved in, Negan and Simon agreed that the wood fence wouldn’t stand a chance if a herd of any size came through and with a newborn, simply paying attention to your sound level wasn’t much of an option to prevent that from happening.

There was a company roughly 20 minutes away that made steel storm shutters for hurricanes and the first day you had moved in, the two men and Arat had gone and cleared the place out of every sheet, screw and power tool they had while you and Carson cleaned the house. With a sigh, you got up off the bed, closed the windows and your bedroom door, grabbed your rifle and the baby monitor and headed out onto the porch to watch the group work while Hope slept. You shivered slightly against the cool autumn air and exchanged the baby monitor for one of Negan’s cigarettes on the balcony rail.

With you keeping watch and four people working, it only took four hours to wrap both sides of the wood in the large sheet metal and with a whole lot of ‘fucks,’ and growls of aggravation, the iron gate that was at the front of the driveway was wrapped with the same material. Pleased with himself, Negan stood in the front yard long after the other three had gone inside and surveyed his work. With a small chuckle, you headed down with your happily fed and changed daughter to bring him some water.

“Looks good, daddy.” You called out to him and he turned and looked at you with a shrug.

“I think I may take a fucking page out of Alexandria’s book and put up those fucking wood beams. There’s a fucking lumber yard in town so I’ll fucking go check that shit out tomorrow. Thanks baby girl.” He said as he plopped down next to you on one of the other rocking chairs and took the water from your hand. The two of you sat in silence for a while, looking at the improved fence.

“You’re doing good, baby.” You looked over at him and smiled. He chuckled and nodded.

“Had you fucking asked me a fucking year ago if I fucking thought this shit is where we would fucking end up I’d’ve fucking punched you.”

“Well aren’t you fucking glad we have it now?” You asked as you rocked and he hummed.

“Yea baby. You fucking make me one fucking happy, lucky man.” Movement out of the corner of your eye caught your attention and you turned to look to see what it was. Your stomach dropped as a man walked up your driveway with a crossbow.

“Negan…” Your hand flew out and grabbed his arm and when his eyes found what you were looking at he lurched from the chair and grabbed Lucille from where she was leaning by the door.

“Hey, neighbors.” The younger man called out cheerily as you slowly got up from the chair, covering your daughter as best as you could with your arm while you headed for the front door. Negan stormed down the porch steps.

“Stop right fucking there!” He called out as he pointed the bat at the man while you nervously called into the house for Simon. “The fuck do you want?” You watched the man freeze, put one hand in the air, and lower the crossbow down.

“Whoa! Look man, I don’t want any trouble, OK? I just heard the drills all morning and decided to check it out. I’m the only one who has lived in a 30 mile radius since this started.” Simon came out with his gun drawn and took a quick look at the situation before he side stepped in front of you and Hope. “How fucking many of you fucks are there?” Negan asked and the man took a hesitant step back from your very intimidating husband.

“Just me and my girl; that’s all.”

“Alright, you stay the fuck away from my girls. If you need fucking help with the dead pricks, we’ll fucking help out. Other than that, for right fucking now I don’t fucking know you therefore I don’t fucking trust you.” You looked at the man, who was absolutely petrified, shook your head and concocted a plan almost instantly.

“Go fucking tell his ass to be nice and to remember how the fuck we got in this situation in the first fucking place with his fucking attitude.” You hissed at Simon. He nodded, ran down the porch over to Negan and passed your message on. You could almost hear your husband’s eyes roll as he looked over his shoulder at you and you pointed at your daughter. He narrowed his eyes before turning back to the man.

“My wife would fucking like you to know that she fucking intends on being civil.” He said as he turned to glare at you once more. You nodded in approval and looked at the stranger who bobbed his head towards you quickly as he began to walk backwards.

“Yea, you got it. Shit, if you need me, I’m down the road half a mile. Mailbox says Cane.” Without another word, he spun on his heel and took off. The men turned around to walk back to the house and you shook your head.

“You’re an asshole.” You told Negan who simply shrugged.

“Don’t fucking want him near my fucking girls.” He rested Lucille by the door once more, took Hope from your arms and sat down casually on the rocker.

“Yea, you may not but you have no fucking idea if he just lied to you on how many people are with him nor do you know how many weapons he has. He’s obviously from around here so he could be useful to us.” Negan huffed and shrugged.

“Still don’t fucking want him near my girls.”

Part 8

[sharethelove-ly]

Eco Wedding Tips - Save Money, The Environment and Look and Be Beautiful

Eco-Friendly Sustainable Wedding Resources - Save Money, The Environment, Beautifully!

    Looking for eco-friendly wedding ideas? Planning a green wedding doesn’t have to be hard.  Reduce wedding waste, find second-hand wedding dresses, and look for other easy ways to have a sustainable wedding.  The environmental impact of weddings is huge and we should all do our part to help.  Here are a few ethical, eco-friendly, zero waste ways to say ‘I do’. Consider this as a guide to spend less, giving more and getting more in the end.  Don’t get sucked into the idea that ‘bigger is better’.  The cost of your wedding does not do anything to make your marriage last longer. But it CAN destroy your budget and have a huge carbon footprint. 

  The Rising cost of weddings

Did you know that the average cost of a wedding has risen to almost $30,000 in the United States?  Considering the pressure many couples are under to throw an elaborate wedding, many people are left wondering how they can afford to tie the knot. However, there are many ways you can save money and still have a beautiful, luxurious wedding. I've been to a few weddings that went "all-out". Those weddings were actually less beautiful and the experience less appealing than weddings that were mindful. I much rather have a tree planted in my name than a bag of chocolate-covered almonds initialed in gold lettering.

  Check Out Our Favorites Ways Below!

You don’t have to be a hardcore Greenie to appreciate the allure of a wedding in the midst of rolling meadows, botanical gardens or forested hillsides. You can double your venue's green quotient by selecting a site managed by a non-profit organization that protects the land—or sea! In Florida, Tampa Bay Watch is doing invaluable work through their restoration of wildlife habitats, education programs, and cleanup efforts. Your rental fee goes directly towards ensuring they can continue to preserve and protect these waters for future generations.

  Eco-Friendly Wedding Tips

Planning an eco-friendly wedding can be fun and leave you with a feeling of satisfaction for your minimal impact living. It won’t be quite as easy as calling your local wedding planner, unfortunately. Here are a few tips to get you started on your road to your low carbon footprint married life!

Purchase Eco-friendly Wedding Rings

  The amount of money and human labor that goes into supporting the precious metals and diamond industries is immense. Many diamond-mining organizations have come under fire for the mistreatment of their workers. Natural resources are slowly becoming depleted as more people want to own precious stones.

Promote sustainability and the proper treatment of workers by purchasing wedding jewelry made from recycled materials. This jewelry is often more affordable than other diamonds and wedding bands.  Check out the sustainable wedding bands from AU-Rate. They use only 100% recycled gold and all pearls and gems are purchased only from ethical sources.  From family-run pearl farms to strict working conditions in gem mines, they focus on producing beautiful jewelry with strong ethics.  

Another sustainable jewelry idea is to upcycle an old family heirloom. Have an old piece of jewelry that has been passed down your family for generations? Reuse parts of old heirlooms, including gems, diamonds, and metals, to create a piece of jewelry with a unique family history.

Resources: 

Taylor & Hart

Aurate

Noemie

James Allen

Catbird

Fair Trade Jewelry

  Plan a Recycled Wedding

Thanks to many eco-conscious and economical brides, there has been a recent boom in websites that allow brides to “recycle” parts, or all of their wedding. Brides who have just recently said ‘I do’ often sell their gently used decorations, wedding invitations, and even their wedding dresses. Second-hand clothing is the cornerstone of eco-friendly fashion!

Browse through the offerings on places like eBay and Craigslist and find huge savings on everything you need for your wedding. Thanks to the internet, you can incorporate beautiful secondhand pieces into your own wedding. This saves you money and prevents these good-as-new items from simply becoming trash.  Check out Bride2Bride.com for second-hand wedding dresses! 

Eco-Friendly Wedding Planners:

Greater Good Events

Green Wedding Professionals

Eco Cult Directory

  Select an Eco-friendly Wedding Venue

An eco-friendly wedding venue saves you a great deal of money. It also drastically reduces the carbon footprint of your wedding. Many large venues, including hotels, banquet halls, and reception areas, require a large amount of electricity. All the lighting, sound systems, heating, and cooling are not a great choice for the environment. Host your reception outdoors to reduce the need for constant lighting and energy usage.

You can also host your ceremony and reception at the same venue. This way,  guests don’t have to waste gas traveling from one location to another. This is not only on my list of green wedding tips but also on my list of ‘make everyone’s life easier’ tips!

If you must host the ceremony and reception in two different places, consider renting a shuttle or other form of eco-friendly transportation to take people between the venues. This will mean fewer vehicles on the road and a decrease in harmful emissions.

  Eco-friendly Wedding Venue Resources:

Eco-Friendly Venues

Sustainable Wedding Venues

Green Building Information Gateway

Ceremony and Reception Sites

  Consider Registering for Donations

Simplest of all the eco-friendly wedding tips I want to share is to ask for money for a green cause! Committed to making a difference in the environment? Have guests make donations in your name, instead of purchasing gifts for you through a registry. Many charities offer donation cards that you can fill out and send to wedding guests, which indicates that you would like them to make a donation in lieu of giving a gift.

There are plenty of great eco-friendly charities that focus on protecting the environment and the earth’s species. Some of my favorites are the World Wildlife Foundation, Rain Forest Action Network, Conservation Fund, American Forests, and Greenpeace.

  Donate Leftover Wedding Food

When it comes to weddings, the mentality is often that it is better to have too much food than too little. With hors d’oeuvres, cocktails,  appetizers, entrees and desserts, there is often a large quantity of food leftover after the reception. Choose local food and donate leftovers instead of simply wasting it.

    As food decomposes it releases methane gas, a toxin that is 20 percent more harmful than carbon dioxide. Help cut down on methane release by donating food to organizations such as America’s Second Harvest Food Bank, City Harvest or other local food kitchens. Food waste is a huge problem in this country, however, there are many ways to reduce your garbage output and prevent your wedding from contributing to it.

  5 Things You Need for a Green Wedding

Many green wedding supplies will be bought second hand or borrowed from friends and family. There are, however, a few items that you might want to buy new. Choosing eco-friendly wedding items will seriously reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few of my favorite suggestions:

Biodegradable confetti. Don’t throw things on the ground that won't biodegrade, even if you ARE getting married!

Paper straws are a great alternative to plastic for your beverages. No straw is great too, but, some people really do love those things!

Eco-friendly paper lanterns. You can find ones that are 100% biodegradable which I think is totally cool.

Disposable Wedding Plates made from sustainable materials. Find compostable tableware free of dyes, bleaches, or other harsh additives. A great alternative to single-use plastic.

  Eco-Friendly Wedding Dress Ideas to Consider

If an earth-conscious wedding dress brings to mind an ill-fitting hemp garment, you couldn't be more wrong. Whether vintage, or made of organic materials, eco-friendly dresses take on many styles and couldn't be more beautiful. And in an increasingly green environment, there certainly isn't a shortage of options. Where to start? Consider the following:

1. Re-wear a gown, such as your mother's — even better because it has sentimental value. If you're not a fan of her '80s-style sleeves, take it to a seamstress to redesign the look. Or, you can buy or rent a pre-worn gown.

2. Take re-wearing a gown to a new level and go vintage. Check out consignment shops or vintage boutiques. You might get lucky and find something one-of-a-kind.

3. Look for a dress made of organic fabrics, such as organic cotton, organic silk, or peace silk. A dress made out of recyclable materials can also do the trick.

4. Choose a designer that creates sustainable gowns, whether it's by hand-making the dress or supporting women in developing countries. Need some options? Try any of these designers...

  Organic Wedding Dress Designer Resources:

Daughter of Simone

Indie Bride

Leila Hafzi

Deborah Lindquist

The Cotton Bride

  Sustainable Wedding Shopper-Stylist Resources

Sustainable Brides

Ethical Weddings

Green Wedding Designs

  Is a Green Wedding Right for You?

Plan a green wedding to save money and the environment. You can promote sustainability by finding innovative ways to reduce the carbon footprint of your big event. It is easy to incorporate eco-friendly elements into your wedding. That way, you and your soulmate can start off on an eco-friendly life together. I hope these eco-friendly wedding tips will help you in planning your own special day!  Check out Bridal Guide for more wedding planning tips!  Have any other green wedding tips to share?

[cosimaballettithomas-blog]

Blog No. 11

The topic of this week’s readings was environmental hazards and their effects on humans. Miller’s Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health describes the different kinds of hazards we face and the ways in which we can assess them. Riskaccording to Miller is “the probability of suffering harm from a hazard that can cause injury, disease, death, economic loss, or damage” while a risk assessment is “the process of using statistical methods to estimate how much harm a particular hazard can cause to human health, or to the environment” and lastly, risk management “involves deciding whether or how to reduce a particular risk to a certain level and at what cost” (Miller 2012, 437). Miller makes the point that risk damage is complicated by factors like media hype that causes people to obsess over unlikely risks such as plane crashes and ignore actual common risks, such as car accidents and heart attacks (437). Another example of this is cancer, which, according to the 2009 President’s Cancer Panel Report, affects 41% of Americans (President’s Cancer Panel 2009). I had no idea that number was so high and I must admit I am very surprised because I don’t directly know anyone who has suffered from cancer, which only serves to speak to my point that cancer is another common danger that people don’t actively think about like they do plane crashes, unless of course they have a strong family history of it, know people with cancer, etc.

There are many different kinds of hazards. A pathogen is a biological hazard and “an organism that can cause disease in another organism,” such as bacteria and viruses (Miller 2012, 438). Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens that invade cells or tissues and multiply, e.g. malaria and measles (438). A bacterial disease “such as tuberculosis spreads as the bacteria multiple” whereas a viral disease“such as flu or HIV spreads as viruses take over a cell’s genetic mechanisms to copy themselves.” Lastly, a transmissible or contagious disease is transmitted between people such as the flu and measles whereas a non-transmissible disease is not caused by living organisms and cannot be spread, e.g. cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes (Miller 2012, 438). Geography has a lot to do with the prevalence, origin, and spread of diseases. Malaria, for example and as aforementioned is an infectious disease caused by a parasite and spread by a specific kind of mosquito bite effectively killing red blood cells of the and leading to fever like symptoms and the deaths of almost 3000 people per day (Miller 2012, 444). These mosquitoes reside mostly in the southern hemisphere in Africa and East Asia, as well as northern Latin America (see image below). Miller explains that “during the 1950’s and 1960’s, the spread of malaria was sharply curtailed when swamplands and marches where mosquitoes breed were drained or sprayed with insecticides;” however, it has made a comeback largely due to tropical forest clearing and development (Miller 2012, 444).

                                                                                                          (Treated UK)

In addition to biological hazards, chemical hazards also have harmful effects such as cancer and birth defects (Miller 2012, 446). Toxic chemicals are a kind of hazard that can severely harm human and animal health, e.g. arsenic and lead. Carcinogens are cancer causing chemicals that can cause malignant, cancerous cells to multiply rapidly leading to the development of tumors (446). Another chemical hazard are PCBs which “are a class of more than 200-chlorine containing organic compounds” that can become vaporized when they enter the air and were for a long time used in products such as lubricants, paints, and pesticides (Miller 2012, 446). PCBs were banned in 1977 in response to a litany of studies showing evidence of their cancer-causing capacity. However, because PCBs are so stable, nonflammable and have slow break-down times, they will remain in the environment for a long time (447). This just goes to show how important the role of science is in informing us about how our processes and habits are affecting not only the environment but our health, as explicated by the video, “Body Pollution, Chemical Toxicity” which shows old NBC footage reporting on research that discovered evidence of chemicals known to exist in air and water that were now accumulating in human bodies, i.e. body pollution (Body Pollution, Chemical Toxicity 2007). This was shocking news at the time and likely caused quite a stir in people who up until then likely could not have conceived that chemicals from products such as perfume and hairspray could possibly harm their bodies.

Miller suggests we apply the principles of sustainability to our endeavor to eliminate environmental hazards such as by shifting to renewable energy and resources in order to reduce pollution produced by coal manufacturing (Miller 2012, 462). I realize that biomass at a large scale is environmentally adverse; however, outdoor household biomass use has so much potential and is more efficient than charcoal. I think people are skeptical of biomass because it often involves clear cutting; however, small scale biomass can be created simply from animal and wood waste. An Environmental News Network article titled “New Biomass Plant to Cut Simon Fraser University Greenhouse Gases by Two-Thirds” describes a recent project conducted by the university a few years ago to “divert wood waste from the landfill and help reduce greenhouse gasses at the University by implementing the biomass into the heating plant (ENN 2017). Biomass from wood waste not only creates no new waste, but it also reduces existing waste. In addition, it is completely reliable, renewable, and free and should be implemented more in our strive for carbon neutrality.

Miller’s Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste discusses what solid and hazardous waste are, their effects, and how we should address and manage them (Miller 2012, 558). Solid waste includes anything solid that we throw away such as industrial solid waste from mining, farming, and manufacturing processes (558). The PowerPoint explains how, despite the ways in which the “industrial, medical, and green revolutions” have vastly improved human life, they have also created new humanly caused/influenced waste pollution, environmental hazards, and public health issues through their linear-high output systems” which are highly polluting and devoid of any biomimicry methodology, to be discussed later (Prof’s PowerPoint). Another example is municipal solid waste or, general household trash. Lastly, hazardous waste such as medical waste and pesticides is harmful to health. There are two major kinds of hazardous waste, organic compounds like PCBs and pesticides and non-degradable toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury (Miller 2012, 559). The UN Environmental Program estimates that more-developed countries output approximately 85% of hazardous waste, with the United States as the greatest producer due to its military and chemical/mining industries, followed by China (Miller 2012, 559).

We essentially have two options when it comes to addressing solid waste, the first is waste management that involves the controlling of waste to reduce environmental impacts without significantly reducing the waste being produced (561). The second option is waste reduction which generally involves a significant reduction accompanied by more intense reusing, recycling, and/or composing methods (Miller 2012, 561). In response to Miller’s Critical Thinking Question #9 on page 579, if I had to select the three most important components to deal with solid waste it would be (1) Significant waste reduction accomplished through methods such as biodegradable packaging, (2) Banning all unnecessary single use products such as Styrofoam cups and plastic bags accompanied by taxation on paper bags to encourage reusable bag use, (3) Imitation of Curitiba, Brazil’s trash collecting program, Camibo Verde which compensates people for collecting and bringing trash to one of the many collection sites throughout the city in exchange for things like fresh produce and bus tokens. With respect to hazardous waste, I would implement taxes on excessive hazardous waste such as PCB’s. I would also ban pesticides that are not made out of wholesome and environmentally conscious materials and provide monetary incentives for farms that adopt natural pesticide methods such as bio-solarization which uses solar energy to manage pests by laying a tarp over soil to trap heat which effectively makes the soil inhospitable for most pests thus eliminating the need for harmful pesticides.

In Chapter 21 Miller defines biomimicry as the heart of the three principles of sustainability and “the science and art of discovering and using natural principles to help solve human problems” (Miller 2012, 581). It consists of two actions, (1) Observation of environmental changes and ”how natural systems have responded to such changing conditions over many millions of years,” (2) Mimicry of these responses and implementing them into human systems to aid us in addressing current environmental issues (581). A relevant case of this is the food web which “serves as a natural model for responding to the growing problem of these wastes” (581). Janine Benyus elaborates on this in her Ted Talk titled “biomimicry in action” where she discusses how important it is that we look to nature for answers to our design issues. She uses the example of spring and the deeply intricate timing and coordination involved in how it is designed (Benyus 2009). Another example she relies on are wasps’ nests which are so architecturally sound that they seem almost human-made. Moreover, Cradle to Cradle Design “is a biomimetic approach to the design of products and systems that models human industry on nature’s processes viewing materials as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms” (Wikipedia 2019). This approach tasks industry with the responsibility of preserving ecosystems and simultaneously managing the circulation of organic nutrients in a productive and sustainable way. The article suggests that Cradle to Cradle design can be implemented by virtually any industrial system, big or small, such as the Chinese Government’s construction of Huangbaiyu City that was rooted in Cradle to Cradle design methodology such as by converting rooftops into locations for small, vertical farms (Wikipedia 2019).

Word Count: 1837

Discussion Question: What do you think we have yet to find a sustainable waste management system, given what we know about the effects of landfills, mostly having to do with methane emissions?

Work Cited

Miller, Tyler G., and Scott Spoolman. "Chapter 17: Environmental Hazards and Human Health." Edited by Scott Spoolman. InLiving in the Environment. 17th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2012.

Van Buren, Edward. “Prof’s PowerPoint Notes.” https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzKbjVLpnX0RMjVGYUwwZlBXa28/view

Miller, Tyler G., and Scott Spoolman. "Chapter 21: Solid and Hazardous Waste." Edited by Scott Spoolman. In Living in the Environment. 17th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2012.

Benyus, Janine. "Biomimicry in Action." TED. July 2009. Accessed April 23, 2019. https://www.ted.com/talks/janine_benyus_biomimicry_in_action#t-29010.

"Cradle-to-Cradle Design." Wikipedia. April 03, 2019. Accessed April 02, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle-to-cradle_design.

Body Pollution, Chemical Toxicity. Body Pollution, Chemical Toxicity. June 12, 2007. Accessed April 2, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JZPNmkV3zE.

United States. Executive Office. President's Cancer Panel, 2008-2009 Annual Report. 2009. Accessed April 2, 2019. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzKbjVLpnX0RelBIVmVUOTl2SUU/view.

"New Biomass Plant to Cut Simon Fraser University's Greenhouse Gases by Two-thirds." Environmental News Network. October 17, 2017. Accessed April 02, 2019. https://www.enn.com/component/content/article?id=52858:new-biomass-plant-to-cut-simon-fraser-university&Itemid=151#39;s-greenhouse-gases-by-two-thirds&catid=8.

"Our Malaria World Map of Estimated Risk." Treated.com UK. Accessed May 02, 2019. https://www.treated.com/malaria/world-map-risk.