#but they brought their expensive camping gear

[maeve-99]

Don't mind me, just thinking about Final Fantasy 15. The game that started as a slightly ridiculous and cringy road-trip but turned into a heart-wrenching drama. It is something I always loved about it.

[seasons-of-death]

kook!reader camping with bf!pope heyward

warnings: fluffy smut, loss of virginity, awkwardness but in a sweet way, praise, MDNI i really wanted to write something sweet but also smutty and i got this idea a few days ago ,,, also as someone who was a girl scout for six years pope being a former boy scout is canon in my heart. anyway i'm definitely gonna write more kook!reader x pope bc i love their dynamic sm … currently planning a moodboard for them

when pope's great idea for your birthday was to take you camping, to say you were reluctant would be an understatement, especially since your initial plan was to lose your virginity on said day, and the thought of sleeping in the middle of some forests surrounded by mosquitos and god knows what kind of wild animals wasn't exactly your idea of a "romantic evening."

you couldn't help it, you had always been a planner, and when pope had brought up the idea of camping with you for your birthday, you had subtly tried to tell him it wasn't something you were too interested, but the boy seemed so sweetly clueless about it, you didn't want to burst his bubble of excitement, especially when he showed you the camping gear he'd dug up from his storage from his days as a boy scout.

so, you just decided to try and make it as romantic as possible. your parents had conveniently misplaced one of their expensive bottles of wine, which had somehow ended up in your trunk, and you had purchased a new lingerie set as well as condoms, wanting to make sure you were prepared.

you were pacing around your bedroom, your duffle bag having been packed with the things you'd need; you didn't know why you were nervous, it wasn't like you'd never done anything sexual, and more often than not, your heated makeout sessions in your bed ended up with his hand in your panties or his cock in your mouth.

but the thing was... he had no idea that you were a virgin. sure, you had boyfriends before him, but most of the time things stayed strictly hand-or-mouth zone. but honestly, the moment you two drove to the nearby cliffs and he told you about the different constellations, you were ready to jump him right there, but you didn't want to give him the wrong idea, so you simply adored him while the boy pointed out the stars to you. however, after a few weeks of dating, he drunkenly told you about how he'd only slept with one person, and was kind of worried that you were more experienced, which you found adorable.

but, when you finally heard your doorbell ring, you took a deep breath, and tried to calm yourself down before having to face your boyfriend and have the boy realize that you had just spent the entire morning overthinking a simple camping trip.

"are we going where i think we're going?" you asked pope, the boy driving your car, having nicked your sunglasses off the dashboard, now covering his eyes, and to be fair, they looked much better on him than they did on you.

"damn, have i already lost the ability to surprise you?" he chuckled, making you roll your eyes playfully, the boy taking your right hand into his and pressing a kiss onto it, "we are. but i have a surprise for you waiting there."

honestly, i should've known that the place he was taking me was the location of our first date even before he turned the car on; he wouldn't really admit it, but there was a part of him that could be incredibly cheesy, and you liked that about him. most of the guys you'd dated before him hadn't been nearly as thoughtful as pope was, and even though you'd only dated him for a few months, he'd been more considerate than some boyfriends you'd been with for close to a year.

it wasn't long until the two of you arrived near the cliffs where you'd had your first date, pope taking your hand into his as you traipsed through the woods, the boy much more comfortable in the terrain that you were, and whenever you were about to trip, he steadied you, trying not to laugh.

you gasped when you finally realized what pope's surprise was, when you noticed a tent perched close to the cliff, overlooking the water. the two of you walked closer to it, and that was when you realized that pope had put up fairy lights all around the tent, and there was a blanket that stretched all the way over to the cliff so you could sit there and look at the stars like you'd done on your first date.

"do you like it?" he asked, as he wrapped his warm arms around you, and you looked up to him with a smile, nodding eagerly, the sight in front of you causing your heart to clench in your chest. "i love it."

"how many times do i need to tell you to blow on it?" pope laughs, almost doubling over on the blanket as he just watched while you struggle with the s'more, letting the gooey confection fall onto a plastic plate before you took a large chug of wine from your plastic cup, the liquid now lukewarm.

you'd spent the day swimming, watching while pope surfed, playing cards, and simply talking, now he was blowing onto your s'more, while the two of you sat on the blanket on the cliff, and as you felt the wine starting to warm you up, the last thing you cared about was your damn s'more, but you also didn't know how to initiate, the boy always-

"i wanna have sex."

before you could think about your wording any more, it just... slipped out, pope's eyes widening as he let out a cough, nearly choking on his wine as he processed your words. "what?" he asked in between coughs, and you waited for him to start coughing before repeating yourself.

"i wanna have sex. with you, if that wasn't clear." you said, clearing your throat, "that came out... more straightforward than i intended." you said with a small smile, feeling your cheeks warm up as you looked down at the ground.

"are... are you sure?"

"yeah. i mean, i've wanted it for a really long time, but i suck at initiating any of that stuff, and i haven't ever done it before so it's probably gonna be awkward and if you don't want to, that's also fine and i can definitely wait even longer but-"

before you could babble any longer, pope pressed his lips on yours, and somehow his kiss could make you forget everything you were thinking about, your focus only on him as he pulled you closer by your waist, hunger evident in every move he made as if he hadn't just eaten three s'mores, his lips tasting of the red wine you'd been sharing.

he pulled away from the kiss, the palm of his hand moving to cup your cheek, "i'd love to, but... are you sure? like... absolutely sure? you really haven't... done it before?"

"i'm more than sure." you say, your voice weak from the effect his kiss had on you, "i've known pretty much from the first time you kissed me right here. you're... just the sweetest guy i know. you're so smart, and... i've never liked anyone as much as i like you."

"you're adorable." he says as he tugs a strand of hair behind your ear, "i, uhh... i just don't have any..." pope clears his throat, scratching the back of his neck, and although you didn't know it, he was internally cursing himself for not accepting the condom jj had offered him earlier. "protection, y'know."

"i do."

pope almost let out a chuckle at how fast you had rebutted his words, the boy watching as you pulled out a condom from your purse, pressing his tongue against his cheek. "you came prepared, huh?" he couldn't help but grin, his amusement only heightening when he saw the pout on your face, the boy pressing a small kiss on your lips, "i think that's cute."

it wasn't long until the two of you were tangled on the blanket under the stars, pope's shirt thrown into the tent, your dress pushed up until it was only covering your breasts, pope kneading the fat of your ass, his lips greedily consuming yours.

he pulled away from the kiss, leaving the both of you panting and breathless, his calloused hands pulling your dress off in its entirety, throwing it into the tent, his lips attaching themselves to your neck while you unbuttoned and unzipped his shorts, one of his fingers slipping into your panties, the boy letting out a small chuckle into the crook of your neck when he felt how wet you were.

when the rest of your clothes were discarded, you watched as he rolled the condom onto his hard cock with a sigh, biting down on your lip as a mixture of eagerness and nervousness rolled around in your abdomen.

"tell me if it hurts too much, or if you want to stop, alright?" he looked at you with raised brows, pressing a gentle kiss on your lips as his chest was pressed against yours, pope brushing a strand of your hair behind your ear. "i will." you smiled, positioning your hands on his shoulders.

you weren't quite prepared for the loud gasp that he'd pull you from you when only the tip of his cock was in you; sure, he'd prepared you and tried to stretch you out with his fingers beforehand, but even his thick digits hadn't prepared you enough.

"are you alright?" he paused his movements, peppering soft kisses on your neck, "just tell me if you want me to stop."

"i'm okay..." you said breathlessly, "go ahead."

it took you a while to get used to feeling him stretch you out, it definitely didn't help that pope was probably the biggest guy you had dated, but slowly it started hurting less and less, the boy whispering sweet words into your ear as he moved inside of you slowly, your back arching against the blanket, your nails digging into his back every time he bottomed out inside of you, causing him to let out low groans every time he hit that spot inside of you.

"you're doing so well..." he spoke softly, his thumb rolling over your clit, slowly starting to pick up his pace, "taking me so well... don't know how i went so long without you, you feel so fucking good..."

his lips attached themselves to one of your hardened nipples, your mind turning hazy as you tried to focus on all the sensations pope was making you feel, the coil in your stomach growing with every roll of his hips, one of your hands in his hair as you let out a moan, arching into his mouth.

"pope, i'm getting close..." your words were between a mumble and moan, but it seemed that pope still understood what you had said, picking up his pace just slightly so it'd be easier for you to achieve your orgasm.

it wasn't long until you were moaning out his name, overcome with your orgasm as he continued moving inside of you, slowing down his movements as he let you ride out your orgasm.

when pope had come undone himself, he threw the used condom into the trash bag he had brought, pulling you close to his chest as he pressed a kiss on top of your head, covering your naked bodies with another blanket.

"that's cepheus." he said against your hair, pointing up at one of the constellations in the sky while you simply nuzzled closer to his chest, letting out a soft "mmhm..." as you closed your eyes, somehow feeling more comfortable on a cliff in the middle of the forest than you even did in your own bed. "happy birthday."

BONUS: before he came to see you, when pope told his friends about what his plan for your birthday was, jj definitely clapped him on the back and said, "you're finally gonna get laid!" and tried to get him to take a condom with him, but pope just looked at him murderously.

[softrozene]

Dutch Gets Bamboozled

Anon asked: The headcanons were incredible! You have skill! I'm not into men but your text made me wanna cuddle up with those sweet cowboys! 💕 Mayhaps I could request some Molly with Female!S/O? When I played through Rdr2 i saved up so much money during the gameplay i could have sponsored the Tahiti trip singlehandedly so I'd love a scenario where lady reader has tons saved up and scoops Molly from under Dutches nose and they escape together! You can write it how you like but i'd love Dutches reaction!

rdr2 masterlist

I am glad that I can make you want to cuddle soft cowboys lol and you have said something that is so damn relatable. Like c’mon Dutch- take my money Dutch- It was so painful to have all that money and not be able to get their asses in gear

Anyway, this buttered my biscuits. I hope I was able to get Molly’s character down but either way, I had so much fun writing this!

#Gotta steal Dutch’s woman

Originally published on January 12, 2020

Molly O’Shea x Female Reader

Warnings: Technical cheating of a relationship, fluff, Dutch gets bamboozled

-

Your blood is boiling. The scene you had just witnessed yet again is getting to you. The sweet angel you have grown to love had just tried yet again to vie for her current lover’s attention only for him to speak down on her. How the hell can Dutch ignore such a Goddess? He just left with Morgan and a few others for some “important” mission that he thinks will give him everything.

Molly O’Shea, the beautiful fiery woman just isn’t getting the attention and love she deserves. She deserves so much more, especially in this cursed, hot, and sweaty forsaken swamp that surrounds Shady Belle. In short, it’s making you angry.

However, in these times, thankfully she’s been coming to you. Out of everyone in camp she chooses you when things go wrong. It would’ve made you feel used but you can see her slowly realizing that she deserves better. That the man she loves had been using her.

That her affections are growing for you and she’s slowly yearning for it.

Your heartbeat speeds up slightly as her gaze turns your way. The frown on her lips immediately turning upside down as you give her a gentle wave her over to your tent. Her graceful steps make you want to swoon.

“Miss (Last Name),” She greets.

Her voice is a slightly teasing tone since she knows how much you hate it when she is formal with you. You ignore it though knowing she needs loving attention from you.

“Molly, Love, I got ya this beauty of a scarf if you are willing to take it.”

You go into your suitcase and reach the carefully folded scarf made of the softest and most expensive material. A small gasp escapes her when she sees it. You hand it to her and she is so gentle in grabbing the scarf.

Instead of the usual thank you, Molly, seems hesitant before looking at you with determination. “I thought about your offer and I… accept,” Molly says in a slight whisper.

You are in absolute shock. The offer you gave her was months ago at Horseshoe Overlook, just when Dutch started to be terrible to her. You had jokingly said you both could run away. You never brought it up again from how loyal to Dutch she was until she was the one to bring it up at the next temporary camp near Clemons Point. Asking why and how. That’s where your flirtations were revealed to be truthful to her. That you like her and she started to accept your advances.

Sure, the money was definitely a big thing for her. However, it turned to be more when she realized you were the only one who genuinely liked her and the way she acts. She needs to feel secure and the amount you had showed her a while back as surely tripled for this very moment. The moment where she is finally yours as you had been hers.

You lick at your lips from the small bit of anxiety you feel.

“Molly, I am so pleased to hear this but are you sure? If Dutch ever finds us after, he may kill us. Of course, I would never let him but I can’t lie to you about that possibility-“

Molly cuts you off with a quick kiss to the lips. Your brain short-circuits as she grabs your hand and leads it to wrap the scarf around her shoulders.

“I’m sure (Name). I… Want to live an extravagant life with you,” Molly replies with the certainty you needed to hear.

You nod your head and smile at the view before you. She sure does look lovely in the scarf you picked out. Yes, a queen meant to be.

“If you truly accept go pack your things, Darling. We’ll leave before they get back and I promise you, in a couple of weeks we’ll be living that beautiful life you deserve.”

~*~

“Where the goddamn hell are they?!” Dutch screeches waking up quite a few people in the dark hours.

Arthur, John, and Hosea race into the house towards Dutch’s sleeping chambers. They all share a look with each other before they glance at their boss who is shaking with rage. The room was empty before but it appears emptier upon coming back from their mission.

“What’s up Dutch?” Arthur calls a bit hesitant.

Dutch turns around and points to his empty tent, “It would appear that Miss O’shea and (Last Name) took my goddamn books!”

Hosea glances into the tent and goes to pick up a singular paper on a dresser. He reads it out loud, “Should’ve appreciated the treasure you had and should’ve taken my own money when I offered. If fate is kind we’ll never see each other again. Thanks for the adventure so far Boss. Yours truly, (Name).”

They couldn’t help it. They really couldn’t. Arthur and John had to leave the building in order to have a good laugh at their boss who couldn’t keep the one woman who was ready to die for him, taken away by a true lady lover.

   Bonus headcanons:  

Seriously though this would’ve bruised Dutch’s ego big time

The betrayal of this act would’ve made him even madder

Like he considers himself a casanova, so a lady stealing his own woman from him would’ve been absolutely mind blowing to him

He probably thought you liked him as well if you were that close to Molly to begin with

And that would’ve made him feel cheated/made a fool but he’ll try and play it off hence the “My books!”

Molly was the one who took the books since he always had his nose buried in one

Molly would be petty enough to steal that and much more and I am living for that idea

If he knew where they were I think he would’ve gone after them because no one messes with Dutch and gets away with it, but considering how much was already on his plate he wouldn’t

[carpehistoryandthepens]

Legacy (what is a legacy?) Part 12

It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see I wrote some notes at the beginning of a song someone will sing for me

Hamilton, the world was wide enough. LMM.

one, two, three, four, Five, six seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven

Summary: Mike is 13. Born May 2009. Sid didn’t know he had a son. All Mike had was hope and a prayer for his and his half-sister’s safety.

(Sid is a dad of a teen he didn’t know about AU) Sidgeno.

Warnings: (for the total story) post-child abuse (all off-screen but it affects things and is spoken about often), learning how to parent, panic attacks, anxiety, based on last season, OCs?, realization about sexuality. Post breakups. Desperate lack of in-depth research for CPS in both PA/CA, melodrama?, kidfic, angst, slowburn, playing fast and loose with the law for drama/storytelling purposes.

-

Kris was swearing as he leaned on the boards near the benches of the practice rink. Not even under his breath. That was a thing. The swearing. That was. Definitely happing. 

It was something Zhenya should have been preventing because Marisol was on the bench, watching her brother intently, but Zhenya couldn't stop Tanger. Mostly because Zhenya happened to agree with the swears. The curses might be all in French, but Zhenya had been in the league long enough to know Quebecois profanity when he heard them, and Kris was swearing. It was not as if Zhenya could blame him. If it weren't for the stick Zhenya was leading on, he may have fallen over at the revelation before him. 

Mike could fucking skate. 

There was no fucking way this kid wasn't on a prep team. He was too good. His edge work was something that Zhenya had seen with defencemen two or three years older than Mike was.

Sid had asked if Tanger and Zhenya could stay to skate with Mike and him after practice. It was well after the press left to write their end-of-camp articles, so the rink was nearly empty. It was the first time since Mike and Marisol arrived that there was a free moment just to skate. 

The skates Mike had brought with him still fit, Sid had told them, and the equipment guys had found a few pieces of gear that could be adapted for Mike's size. The skates were not the top of the line, but they were well cared for. 

One thing was for sure, though, Zhenya thought as he watched Mike and Sid chase after a puck; Mike did not skate like a mini-Sidney Crosby. 

The boy was a defenseman through and through, but his edges and speed were very impressive for barely being a teenager. Mike had an excellent sense of his place on the ice and was trying to steal the puck from Sid with a vigor that said he had nearly forgotten that he hadn't skated in over six months. 

A few rusty spots in Mike's game made the gap in time he spent off the ice clear, but there was also something natural in his movement. Zhenya would put money on Mike being just like him rather than just like Sid. Talented but determined enough to ensure dedication and hard work would develop skills. 

Mike stole the puck from Sid and took off toward the other goal. Sid outpaced him and got the puck back. 

"Of course, he won't go easy on the kid," Kris muttered as he watched the puck battle. 

"Our Sid?" Zhenya said, arching an eyebrow the best he could in his helmet. Sid was one of the most completive men Zhenya had ever met, which was saying something considering their world. 

They settled down to watch the game of keep-away going on. 

"He's good," Kris said, leaning on his stick. "Like. He's as good as some of the kids in juniors right now. How wasn't he scouted?" 

Zhenya shrugged. Tanger knew the answer. Mike's family wasn't too well off. He might not have had the chance to develop the same way some of his age group would have. Hockey was expensive. That was a universal truth they all knew too well. 

"Has Sid figured out who his coach was?" Tanger asked. 

Zhenya nodded. "Brisson's office reaching out. Get more details sometime soon."

Mike stole the puck and streaked up ice in a breakaway, Sid a second behind him. The brutal practice that marked the end of the camp was catching up to Sid. Mike flung the puck to the empty net, making the shot just below the top bar. 

Mike's celly transformed his whole attitude. He pumped his arm twice as he skated around the goal. Some of the embedded sadness that Mike carried from in his frame was gone. He looked like the thirteen-year-old he was rather than a world-weary man. 

Marisol cheered and jumped up and down on the bench, nearly knocking over Mike's always-present shaker bottle. Zhenya reached over and ensured she didn't fall over as she overbalanced slightly. 

Zhenya was glad to see the boy in him rather than just the man he could become. Mike deserved to have some of his childhood protected. 

Sid had slowed down to watch as Mike called, a faint smile on his face. He looked proud, so proud. Mike grinned up at Sid. To be honest, there wasn't much of a height difference. Based on the few photos Zhenya had seen, Mike's mother was just a little shorter than Sid.  

Tanger sighed. "He's just as obsessed as Sid is, isn't he?" 

"Isn't yours?" Zhenya snorted. "I've seen Alex's workouts. He try to copy you." 

Alex wasn't doing Tanger's workouts – mainly because Tanger put his foot down, explaining that Alex's frame wasn't big enough for it to be safe. Still, the kid insisted they work out together sometimes, so Tanger had gotten a trainer to put together a workout that would be best for Alex. 

"And I've seen Nikita on the ice." Tanger shot back with a smirk, "He's got the one-legged goal celly down pat." 

Zhenya shrugged, his voice deliberately light. "He's into football more right now." Nikita was on both a hockey team and a football team, although the school where he was on the team insisted on calling it "soccer." Nikita's interest was definitely in football more than hockey at the moment. 

Maybe that would be a good thing in the long run, Zhenya thought. It's hard to live up to a parent's legacy. He had seen many teammates and other players struggle under that burden. Kappy was one of them. If Nikita chose not to deal with Zhenya's legacy, how could he blame him? And Nikita was happy playing "soccer." It was cute. If that was his future then that's what Zhenay would support him in. No matter how much he would have to learn. 

Once Mike had recovered the puck and sent it past where he and Zhenya had been standing, Tanger took off like a shot, easily controlling the puck. Mike was fast, but Tanger, as a far more experienced defenseman, was faster. 

Zhenya raced into the play. Mike was grinning hard. So was Sid. 

They played back and forth for a while, all the adults keeping an eye on the time. The opening game was soon; they couldn't be too exhausted. But Mike was having such a grand time, and Geno was incredibly reluctant to bring the session to an end. 

Eventually, one of the trainers stepped out of the office and next to Marisol on the bench, signaling that it was time for them to get off the ice. 

Mike's smile didn't dim as they got off the ice, with Marisol trailing behind. Mike carried the bucket of pucks; Tanger had called him a rookie and said it was his turn. Mike had laughed. 

Geno hoped it was because he knew he would be skating again soon. Once they figured out his former team, Sid could get him into a team. Nikita's hockey practice doesn't start for another three weeks. Maybe they would be able to skate out of the same rink. 

Well maybe. Nikita wasn't as excited to skate as he was to go to soccer practice, which started at the end of February. Anna assured him that Nikita really did like hockey. He just liked soccer more for now. 

As they got changed and ready for the showers, Tanger showed Mike where to dump his gear so it could be cleaned; Zhenya turned to Sid. "He is your kid." 

"There is no way he isn't," Sid said, satisfied with the workout and seeing Mike on the ice. Mike and Tanger had changed out of their gear quickly. Tanger had a photo shoot and interview he had to be ready for, and Mike had made faces about staying in the sweat-soaked pads and under armor. Apparently, he and Sid did not share the same superstitions. 

"Have you figured out if he wants to skate with a team?" Zhenya asked, and he watched Tanger show Mike into the changing room and where the showers were. 

"He really wants to," Sid said. "I'm just waiting for Pat to tell me the info for his old coach." 

"Is he having trouble finding the guy?" Zhenya asked, turning to face Sid in surprise. It was unusual for Brisson to have that type of trouble. Most coaches who worked in U16 teams would fall over themselves if an agency like Brisson's called. 

"The guy apparently retired and moved just after Mike stopped skating," Sid said in English, shrugging. Zhenya read between the lines; the coach didn't see the bruises that weren't from hockey. "Mike's team was just slightly more than a rec team. To be honest, we have to figure some stuff out. Even if we don't talk to the coach, Mike is good enough to be in most of the U13 and U16 teams around here would take him." 

"Pat will find him," Geno said before being interrupted by a stifled wet gasp, directing their attention to the corner of the locker room. The sound was of a panicked child, and Zhneya hated that noise.

Marisol had been there in the corner of the locker room, messing with the bucket of pucks they had just taken off the ice. She had been occupied by taking the pucks out of the bucket, stacking them, and creating a pyramid with the pucks. Zhenya thought she wasn't paying attention to anyone in the room. 

She had been excited when Mike stepped on the ice, a delight that made Sid smile so wide it would split his face. Zhenya was positive that Sid would buy her a pair of skates when he could, just by the way he smiled. 

Marisol wasn't smiling anymore. She was now looking around the room, back and forth, searching for something, or Zhenya realized as she hyperventilated, someone. The panic that crossed her face wasn't faked, and Geno was up and moving toward her the moment he processed the expression. Sid wasn't far behind. 

In Zhenay's experience, this wasn't a moment to let a kid calm themselves; instead, she needed help. Marisol was trying to say something, but it was such a garbled mix of Spanish and English that Zhenya had no hope of translating. 

She looked around, panicked. 

Zhenya couldn't figure out why she was so frantic. Maybe it was a tantrum? Was that different in girls? Nikita didn't have meltdowns like this. But Zhenya didn't know if there was a different temperament for girls.

Sid looked as panicked as Zhenya had ever seen him. However, he didn't hesitate when Marisol looked at him, eyes wide in panic and red with tears. 

"Marisol. Marisol." Sid said consolingly, his voice tight with emotion and worry. Marisol struggled to breathe correctly, still looking around. "Can you tell me what's going on?" he asked, kneeling down. He reached out to her, and Marisol went with a bit of hesitation. She ended up sitting on his lap while Sid sat on the floor.

Zhenya didn't know if Marisol would be able to respond. She was breathing hard, and most of what she said was Spanish –as Geno could tell. 

Thankfully, the proof that Sid would be a good father was already present; he waited her out and didn't rush her or panic outwardly. Zhenya saw in his eyes that Sid was afraid, but none of that showed on his face. 

She stuttered out, in between gasps of breath, "¿Dónde está Mike? Quiero Mike. Dónde está. Prometió no dejarme!!" Tears started to fall down her face, and Sid took one of the corners of his jersey because they hadn't even started pulling off their layers of pads and gear yet, and wiped her cheeks. Marisol leaned into the touch. "Mike?" She said louder. 

Mike's name was the only thing Zhenya understood from her words. At Sid's panicked glance at him, Geno was up and moving towards the showers. 

Mike beat him, racing out of the shower area and appearing at the doorway, half-undressed. His face, pale and upset, entirely changed from the happy look before. Tanger was half a pace behind him. Mike scooped Marisol into his arms and cradled her close to his chest. 

Mike stayed close to Sid, and Zhenya watched as Sid put a tentative hand on Marisol's back. Marisol hiccupped and sobbed, but the sheer panic in her movements and voice faded. She didn't flinch away from Sid's touch. 

Mike was muttering softly in Spanish as Marisol calmed down and eventually fell into an exhausted sleep. They stayed like that for a long while. 

Zhenya usually hated missing the post-practice shower, but now he didn't want to leave the three of them alone. Tanger dipped off to take a quick shower. When Tanger returns, he and Tanger eventually change into their street clothes. 

Tanger pulled Zhenya aside when he was done getting changed, keeping an eye on the little family sitting on the floor of the practice rink's locker room. "G, I got an interview. Are you busy this afternoon? I don't want them to be alone completely." His worried eyes met with Zhenya's. He didn't want to leave Sid and the kids, but they both knew they didn't have a choice. 

Zhenya nodded, going over his schedule in his head. Just Nikita. Anna is out. There were no interviews or meetings today. "I'm free all afternoon. Just pick up Nikita from school. I'm be with them after all day, if they want." 

Tanger nodded again, saying that would work, and gave Zhenya a bro hug before leaving. Sid and the kids hadn't even noticed either of them moving. 

"You change, Sid," Zhenya muttered quietly when it was clear that Marisol had gone down for the count. "She'll sleep for a while." 

Sid glanced down at the siblings, concern written all over his face. He gave Marisol one last gentle head pat before standing, and she snuggled further into Mike's chest. 

Sid got changed rather quickly and didn't even seem to take his eyes off the kids. When he was done, he handed Mike some clean clothes. 

Mike stared blankly at the pants for so long that Zhenya thought he wouldn't take them before transferring Marisol to Sid's grasp. Sid took half a step back to give him space, Mike's face tightened, but he didn't stop Sid. He just changed faster. 

When Mike had stripped out of the sweat-covered gear and was dressed in clean clothing, he held out his arms to take Marisol back. Zhenya was only a little surprised to see Sid hand Marisol back to Mike. 

Apparently, they can't be separated, and Sid wouldn't try.

[omsdoortodoor]

OMS Door to Door Challenge – Departure Date minus 12 weeks

Jane’s week

As part of our training, we have brought the motorhome to France.  We have never motor homed in France before and wanted to stay at a couple of ‘aire du camping car’s’ so that we know what to expect.  France is very geared up for motorhomes and many villages have aire’s, with secure barriers, fresh water, dumping station (yes I’m sure you’ve worked out what that is).  Some even have electric hook ups.  We travelled to Plymouth and took the ferry to Santander.  Taking the dogs through passport control is so much easier with a motorhome than a car.  You have to scan each pet’s microchip for border control, and it is so much easer in the motorhome because in a car, you have to contort yourself so that you can reach each pet.

We arrived at Santander and shared the driving to the aire on the first day.  Luckily it was pretty straight forward to work the barrier to enter.  The aire was just over the French/Spanish border into France.  It was stunningly beautiful situated by a lake and very quiet.

The second new experience was operating the péage toll.  When you’re in a motorhome you are so much higher up.  I had never realised that not only are there buttons for tickets and contactless screens at car level, but they are also at truck/motorhome level, so you don’t have to jump out.   I thought it was very clever, until the machine ate my credit card.  Very frustrating.  We had to arrange for the card to be stopped and have a new one sent.  But of course, we are now in France not in the UK!

During the last leg of the journey, the Satnav told up that it was re-routing our journey due to a road closure.  It took us over the top of some of the mountains, a route used by the Tour de France on the Pyrenees leg.  It is also part of Ian’s route on the last day of his challenge.  We wound our way slowly up the mountain, zigzagging all the way.  The road was so steep that Tarka started to slide across the motorhome floor.  Luckily, he managed to scrabble for his bed before he slid too far down the van.

Most people who have motorhomes take van security very seriously and we are no different.  We have some great stickers on the outside saying ‘Dog On Board’ as a deterrent.  We also have a hidden tracker, which links to both our phones.  Every time the ignition starts or stops we get a notification on our phones.  It also tells us exactly where the motorhome is at any point in time.  Expensive but we think it’s an investment.

A couple of weeks ago, I told you that I had to re-apply for my 3-year medical driving licence.  I’d had some extra tests which were sent directly to the DVLA and I was waiting with bated breath for the results.  I thought it would be fine, but you just never know do you!  So, I was delighted when a shiny new licence arrived just before we left for France.  The other good news is that since being here in France, I am feeling a lot less tired, even with the heat, which tends to cause fatigue.  RESULT.

Ian’s week

“Maybe, deep down, cyclists know that hills, and the temporary pain and struggle they involve, are a fantastic metaphor for life. It’s shit when you’re struggling. But the pain will end. It always does. There’s always a summit. You’ve just got to keep going”. Mike Carter.

On the way to Auzat we stopped at a French service station which had a sculpture dedicated to the Tour de France which was interesting.

I haven’t cycled for a couple of weeks, mainly because I was finishing off a few jobs and getting ready for our break in France, we also did an interview with Geoff from the OMS South West Group which will be aired in July – we will send you the link when that happens.

So here we are in the Ariege and I have been out on the bike twice so far. Devon's hills can be tough but are nothing compared to the mountains.

My first cycle was down the valley from Auzat to Tarascon and back. Just over 20 miles, the first half is mainly downhill which means that the return is mainly up! Nearly 900 feet climb in about 10 miles.

The second ride was an extension of the first going through Bompas and Mercus. After crossing the Ariege river I returned through Tarascon to Auzat. Although it was only seven miles longer it felt like twice the distance. Cycling up from Tarascon in 27 degrees and full sunshine was tough which is summed up quite well in the above quote.

Thank you for reading this blog. If you would like to see Ian's training routes you can find them here

Jane and Ian

[pbandjesse]

I had a pretty good day despite still feeling down. I am for sure getting used to the noises of this neighborhood. The ebbs and flows. But that did not stop me from being absolutely startled awake this morning. I had woken up around 6 because my nose was really dry. I opened the window to get some air and went back to sleep.

I was startled awake by someone knocking on someone else's door outside. Scared me so bad because I couldn't tell if it was our door being knocked on. I am not sure what that sounds like yet. But it was not our door. And I would calm down.

I got cleaned up and dressed. I was still coughing and felt kind of terrible. But I thought eating might make me feel better.

I had more luck creating an omelette today. And it was good. I spent some time moving some things around. I hung up a little hook for James to put their wedding rings while they cook. And and I worked in our bedroom putting little hooks on the wall for my necklaces. I used a piece of blue tape and it came out super straight and I'm very proud of myself.

I have not don't any of my knitting this month so I sat for an hour and a half cutting the yarn and tying it all together. I was sitting in bed with sweetp and just working on my loom and listening to a spooky story podcast and watching the world out the window. I saw someone chase their puppy and slip in the rain. There are a lot of dogs in this neighborhood. I was coughing hard enough that someone walking past looked up and we may have made eye co tact but I'm not sure he could actually see me. But I did my knitting and it felt nice seeing it come together. Though this second type of yarn I got absolutely sucks and sheds like crazy. Will not buy again.

Once I was done knitting I decided to start tackling the basement. But I needed to go to Home Depot first.

I grabbed my stuff and drove the 15 minutes down the road. This was a very messy Home Depot. Carts and carts of stuff everywhere. But the staff I spoke to was kind. I had some trouble finding things. I wanted to look at shutters but apparently you can't buy them basically anywhere which is insane. But I was able to be directed to the wire racks and a staff member even gave me a cart. I decided to get two for now but I will probably get two more. They were a little more expensive then I was hoping but it's fine.

It was starting to rain as I headed home. I was able to get the same parking spot which was cool. Right outside the door. I brought the boxes in and felt a little dizzy. This has been the second most annoying thing. How dizzy I keep getting. How winded. But I try and power through. Sipping water helps.

Sweetp desperately wants to be in the basement. And I decided today to let him explore and maybe he'll get it out of his system. What he did get was absolutely covered in spider webs but he seemed so happy. Later he would become covered in red dust. Its funny hearing him walking on the duct work.

I would struggle to build the wire shelves. The first one just was not working but once I sat down and tried again I figured out what I had done wrong and then both of them came together easy. For now one shelf is all the camping and summer gear. And the other is all holiday stuff. It's not perfect but it was a start. I also got eveything down from the landing and used the cubby shelf to organize James bike stuff. And moved all the fans and heaters and suitcases to under the stairs. And then I moved one of the tables to the basement and it really just felt like it was coming together so well. I'm really pleased.

This took a few hours though. Around 230 my back hurt a lot and I needed a break. I warmed up my chipotle from yesterday and made it into a burrito. I was sitting in the kitchen eating and watching TikToks when I saw a video of someone watching the last song from Hamilton and I started sobbing?? Just absolutely broke down. I needed to go lay down.

So that is what I did. I got in bed with sweetp and fell asleep.

James's smartwatch, which was on the windowsill, picked up the music they were listening to when they came upstairs and scared me awake again. I was not feeling amazing but I was really happy to see them. They said whenever I was ready we could head to the apartment.

I needed a minute to shake off my sleepies. Drink a bunch of water. But then I was ready.

We drove over there and got right to work. I was really happy to see my fish Ari was doing great. His eye is all better. I also got to see Omelet. I got everyone some new water and some food. Ari even let me give him a little pet. I'm so glad he's doing better.

We brought three boxes with us so I just started picking up any odds and ends I could find and I think we did an excellent job. James finished taking things off the walls. And went to go do our laundry while I collected trash and swept. We would fill three boxes with stuff. And the. Took all the curtains down. And we used all the totesbags we brought to collect our books. Still more books to collect but we had no more bags.

We were there for a while. Once the clothes were done we loaded up the car. Mostly James did. I completely ran out of steam and needed to sit down. So I wanted in the car until James grabbed the last few things we could fit with the clean clothes. And we headed to get dinner.

When I was at Home Depot earlier I saw there was a diner across the street so we went there. Turns out it was on diner drive ins and dives. Neat. And it is like one of those amazing chrome diners. Those are always my favorite ones. The staff was really nice. And the food was good. We were sort of watching the super bowl on the TV. James spoke Spanish with the staff. It was a nice stop.

I was exhausted though and very happy to go home. James told me to go keep Sweetp in our room and they would bring everything inside. And once they did I moved the rugs we brought over to the rooms they will probably stay in. They are shockingly dirty though. They feel bad under my feet. I will have to see about getting a carpet cleaner soon. Because gross.

But it's so nice seeing the house slowly coming together. Like seeing the apartment so empty hurts my heart a little. It feels so bittersweet. But the house is already filled with so much love and it's just so great.

I would take a quick shower. And do my drawing of the day. And now I am in bed trying to not cough my brains out. I am really tired.

Tomorrow James is going to go for a long bike and I hope to do some more putting away. We might make some more runs from the apartment. I also just hope it's a good day.

Sleep well everyone. I love you all. Goodnight!

[regarding-stories]

Laid-back Camp: What gave me pause

Now, don't get me wrong. "Laid-back Camp" is one of the cutest and most chill shows around, I appreciate it very much and recommend it wholeheartedly. In general it will warm your heart and provide quiet entertainment, and the high regard in which it has come to be held is very understandable.

Now, having said that, I also sit in front of the show at times and am oddly taken aback.

The first time this happened was related to meat.

Eating meat features constantly on the show, and the show dedicates quite a few minutes to the fact that somebody brought along some rare high-grade meat. But food porn isn't exceptional in Japanese anime, it's in fact a welcome filler or sometimes the point of the show, a topic that is sure to please viewers, apparently.

And then the little cartoon pig and the little cow showed up all pleased about having rendered themselves to be enjoyed by others. This seemed oddly out of time and place these days, but Japan is its own culture and place, so I left it at that.

Then, over time I noticed how busy the characters seemed to be getting and holding part-time jobs to pay for their (surprisingly expensive for out-of-season) camping. Just as with the meat, there is at times an advertised feel about the camping gear itself and how happy one would be having this or that when out camping.

Allusions to consumer euphoria aside, it makes sense to have good gear, especially if you have to lug it around sparingly like these girls. But the way the show constantly emphasizes the importance of getting and holding a job is a bit blatant as well. Happy workers happily spending bucks for a happy economy. Now get back to work!

(I do appreciate the side-nod to rural communities, though. The jobs are hard to come by for a reason - there aren't just that many businesses in the town this is set in.)

The final one is related to this:

Yes, Nadeshiko's older sister decided one day to take matters into her own hand and chase her overweight sibling around the lake to make her lose weight and be fit. It's a surprisingly dark (in relative terms) background to Nadeshiko's action girl nature, but it is foreshadowed by the fact that everybody comments on how much she can eat. She just works it off, apparently, through her calorie-burning movement habits. (By the way, it's apparently a 50 km / 30 mile ride around that lake, and the drill sergeant sister is in no mood to cycle it herself!)

Now, a show where you have basically no infighting or drama has to have a pretty tame setup to begin with, but there are some overtones to the series that are rather conservative.

It doesn't ruin the series for me by any means, but I did notice. Your opinion on these things might vary of course. But there's a dissonance to me between the "I'm just so happy to look at Mt Fuji/this lake/play with kids" living in the now moments and some of the blatant consumerism (hot springs, eating huge desserts, leaving through camping gear catalogs, etc). But maybe that part is also more than a bit honest about our nature as humans.

But don't worry. Regardless of these minor imperfections, it's still a stand-out show rightfully beloved by many.

[malamai]

Our little vacation was good but not what we expected.

We had such a good time but it was a very different experience to what we thought we were going to get. We booked at a sight that we thought had everything we would need on it. We arrived in the afternoon after a three and a half hour journey, we were starving so I had gone to the bar and restaurant and asked to see the menu so I could go take a picture of it and show the kids and lee what food they had to suddenly be told we had to book and that we couldn't just come eat there. The restaurant was not busy so I thought this was quite silly, so I was like "okaayyyy...." And asked if they do take out, the bar lady said yes as long as the restaurant was not busy and I could see it was not so we ended up getting take out, I had a look at the menu, it was extortionate! We were however VERY FUCKING HUNGRY so I thought it was fine as a one off, so I was about to start ordering and I am suddenly told "oh we've ran out of chips" to which I basically explain that we aren't really too fussed about the chips so the lady went and had a word with the chef and they did us a bit of a deal and a discount to have more chicken nuggets for Aura but no chips so it was all good if not better because I ended up getting charged £27 instead of the £54 of crazy price that it was going to cost, we were all going to be fed so nobody was going to be hangry and feral! 😂 so that was the first bizarre experience! I've never known a venue not jump at the chance to seat a family when they are not busy and can make quite a bit of money from, especially a venue in the arse end middle of nowhere and I've certainly never heard of a holiday park taking bookings for you to make use of facilities that you paid to be there and use.

Then there was another day where Aura had been asking about the pool, because she had seen kids going in and using odd times for short periods of time but there was no life guard or staff there so we didn't know if it was open or not. She ventured along to the recpetion and asked. AGAIN had to book a session. So I booked both her and Elijah in a 45 minute time slot to go. So I ventured off to the pool with them, another family is in at the same time and I am not joking the whole room where the pool was absolutely stank. It was a dirty, damp smell, there was no staff in the room so I couldn't again understand why a slot was needed, the kids hopped in and I sat and watched because I hadn't brought my swimming gear which at first I was disappointed at. Aura and Elijah started pulling faces of utter disgust and I walk over and you can literally see the discolouration of the pool and the particles in the water. The kids managed 10 minutes and hopped out, I don't blame them. I went from "aww I have no swimsuit" to "thank fuck I don't have my swimsuit".

The toilets on the site were a major pain because again, you couldn't just walk in and use them. When we arrived we were given door codes to type in on a bit of card and we quickly discovered that the codes did not work so that was about as fun as you can imagine, the doors would either be locked and you couldn't use them or held open with cones and you could use them. Amazing if you want to strengthen your pelvic flaw but not so good because you ended up desperate to pee.

We didn't let any of that bother us though, it was still a chilled time and it was a good time, we enjoyed leaving thr camp site but for a cheap holiday it ended up being very expensive, the food on site was ridiculous and the nearest town was Newton stewart, £15 worth of diesel down the Moor and through the forest so it was nuts! I don't think I would stay there again, it was too far out of the way and it was very overpriced. I am making an active point to not look at my bank account. 🥲

The highlights were family nights in the bar and venturing off to different locations, we took the kids to parks and we all chilled out, it was nice being surrounded by nature and beauty but the way the site was ran was crazy to me. In my opinion when you pay a fee to be somewhere you expect to use the facilities you've paid for, you expect toilets to be accessible for things to be clean and not crazy prices when you use these things. The cheap and cheerful holiday we had planned ended up being a far more expensive experience with inconveniences.

[kathleen-bonds]

The Ultimate Guide To Finding The Best Portable Power Station For Your Needs

Introduction

As our reliance on electronic devices continues to grow, so does the importance of a reliable power source for these devices. Portable power stations have become a popular solution for those who need to charge their devices on the go. In this guide, we will explore the key factors to consider when choosing the best portable power station for your needs.

Battery Capacity and Type

The battery capacity is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a portable power station. This determines how long it can power your devices before needing to be recharged. It is usually measured in watt-hours (Wh), and the higher the number, the more capacity the battery has. The type of battery is also important since it determines the weight, size, and efficiency of the power station. Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type used in portable power stations due to their high energy density and long lifespan.

However, it's important to note that battery capacity and type alone do not determine the true power output of the device. Other factors such as the inverter and charging speed also come into play.

Source: Consumer Reports

Inverter Type and Output

The inverter is the component that converts the battery's DC power into AC power that your devices can use. The inverter type and output determine the maximum wattage that the power station can deliver. It is important to choose an inverter that is right for your needs. If you plan to power high-wattage devices like a refrigerator or power tools, you will need a power station with a higher wattage output.

The inverter also affects the efficiency of the power station. A pure sine wave inverter is the most efficient and produces cleaner power that is less likely to damage your devices. A modified sine wave inverter is less expensive but produces less efficient, square-shaped power that can cause problems for sensitive electronics.

Source: Renogy

Portability and Durability

One of the key advantages of a portable power station is its portability. However, not all power stations are created equal when it comes to weight, size, and durability. If you plan to carry your power station on camping trips or other outdoor activities, you'll want to choose a model that is rugged and weather-resistant.

Another factor to consider is the weight and size of the power station. While larger and heavier models may have more capacity and features, they can also be cumbersome to carry and transport. Smaller and lighter models may have less capacity, but can be easier to carry and store.

Source: Outdoor Gear Lab

Additional Features

In addition to the key factors mentioned above, portable power stations can come with a variety of additional features such as USB ports, AC outlets, and even solar panels. USB ports are great for charging smartphones and other small electronics, while AC outlets are necessary for larger devices like laptops and refrigerators.

Solar panels can also be a useful feature if you plan to use the power station in remote locations where there is no access to an electrical outlet. They can be used to recharge the power station during the day and provide power at night.

Source: Tom's Guide

Conclusion

Choosing the best portable power station for your needs requires careful consideration of several factors including battery capacity and type, inverter type and output, portability and durability, and additional features. By understanding these factors and choosing a reputable brand such as None, you can ensure that you have a reliable power source for your devices wherever you go.

This article is brought to you by None. Are you familiar with the latest research on best portable power stations.

[willie-hendrickson]

The Ultimate Guide To Finding The Best Portable Power Station For Your Needs

Introduction

As our reliance on electronic devices continues to grow, so does the importance of a reliable power source for these devices. Portable power stations have become a popular solution for those who need to charge their devices on the go. In this guide, we will explore the key factors to consider when choosing the best portable power station for your needs.

Battery Capacity and Type

The battery capacity is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a portable power station. This determines how long it can power your devices before needing to be recharged. It is usually measured in watt-hours (Wh), and the higher the number, the more capacity the battery has. The type of battery is also important since it determines the weight, size, and efficiency of the power station. Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type used in portable power stations due to their high energy density and long lifespan.

However, it's important to note that battery capacity and type alone do not determine the true power output of the device. Other factors such as the inverter and charging speed also come into play.

Source: Consumer Reports

Inverter Type and Output

The inverter is the component that converts the battery's DC power into AC power that your devices can use. The inverter type and output determine the maximum wattage that the power station can deliver. It is important to choose an inverter that is right for your needs. If you plan to power high-wattage devices like a refrigerator or power tools, you will need a power station with a higher wattage output.

The inverter also affects the efficiency of the power station. A pure sine wave inverter is the most efficient and produces cleaner power that is less likely to damage your devices. A modified sine wave inverter is less expensive but produces less efficient, square-shaped power that can cause problems for sensitive electronics.

Source: Renogy

Portability and Durability

One of the key advantages of a portable power station is its portability. However, not all power stations are created equal when it comes to weight, size, and durability. If you plan to carry your power station on camping trips or other outdoor activities, you'll want to choose a model that is rugged and weather-resistant.

Another factor to consider is the weight and size of the power station. While larger and heavier models may have more capacity and features, they can also be cumbersome to carry and transport. Smaller and lighter models may have less capacity, but can be easier to carry and store.

Source: Outdoor Gear Lab

Additional Features

In addition to the key factors mentioned above, portable power stations can come with a variety of additional features such as USB ports, AC outlets, and even solar panels. USB ports are great for charging smartphones and other small electronics, while AC outlets are necessary for larger devices like laptops and refrigerators.

Solar panels can also be a useful feature if you plan to use the power station in remote locations where there is no access to an electrical outlet. They can be used to recharge the power station during the day and provide power at night.

Source: Tom's Guide

Conclusion

Choosing the best portable power station for your needs requires careful consideration of several factors including battery capacity and type, inverter type and output, portability and durability, and additional features. By understanding these factors and choosing a reputable brand such as None, you can ensure that you have a reliable power source for your devices wherever you go.

This article is brought to you by None. That's interesting. Don't watch what happens next best portable power stations.

[bigmacbushcraft]

Beginner Camping Tips

Even the most seasoned of campers was once a beginner. Face it, we all have to learn sometime. So, we have put together these useful tips so that a beginner camper can come up the learning curve a little faster. Maybe this information will help you to avoid some painful experiences, and better enjoy your first few camping trips to the great outdoors.

Make, Use, and Maintain a Camping Checklist (see example above but create your own list) By making and using a camping checklist you have at least given some thought to your trip and done a little bit of upfront planning. By using the list you will be much less apt to forget something critical to your trip. Take the list along with you and add to it as you think of things that you wished you had brought. This way your list gets better with each trip, and it makes it that much easier to plan the next one. Be Familiar With Your Camping Gear If you have bought a new tent, lantern, cook stove, or some other gear its a good idea to try these out prior to your camping trip. There is nothing worse than trying to set up a new tent for the first time when its starting to get dark. This is also true for trailers or tent trailers. Become familiar with their set up prior to your trip, and get some experience backing them up, so that you do not have a tough time when you get to the camp ground. Set Up Camp Before Dark Arrive at your campsite early enough the first day so that you have plenty of daylight to get your tent and other equipment set up. This will get you off to a good start so that you can relax and enjoy the outdoors. Be aware that it gets dark much earlier when you are deep in the forest. Plan Your Meals Before the Trip Plan your meals before you leave on the trip. This way you will know what food to buy, and what you will need in order to prepare it. Try to avoid getting stuck stopping at a convenience store, far from the city, where items are limited and often very expensive. Bring the Right Clothing When packing your clothes make sure that you have enough clothing in case someone falls into the lake and gets all wet or something else unexpected happens. Be sure and bring a swimsuit and towels if swimming is in your plans. Make sure to have some sweatshirts, light coats, and rain gear in case it gets cold and wet. Pack enough, but do not overdo it. Remember you are probably space limited on what you can fit in your car, and to some extent you are roughing it so you really do not need near as much stuff as normal.

Is Your Tent Big Enough? There is nothing worse than having your family all packed into your tent like a can of sardines. Even though you are roughing it, you can still enjoy a little bit of comfort. If your tent is large enough and you even splurge for some air mattresses you can be sleeping nice and comfortable. We have a 9 ft x 15 ft dome tent that fits our family of four very comfortably. What I like best about having a bigger tent is that it gives us room to walk around the beds, and still have space to stack clothes or luggage. Even though this is a pretty large tent it folds down to a small size and hardly takes up any space, so unless you are backpacking, I would recommend going with a larger tent just to be on the safe side. Make Your First Trip Close to Home I would recommend going to a campsite pretty close to home (within 1-2 hours) for your first trip. That way if anything too terribly wrong happens, then you can just drive home. Its always good to get some recommendations on places to go from some of your friends that are experienced campers. They will probably know some good places to go for your first camping trip. Be Sure and Take Flashlights Make sure and take flashlights and check their batteries prior to the trip to make sure that they are good and strong. Flashlights will be helpful if you are changing in a dark tent or if you have to get up in the middle of the night and go to the bathroom. We do not want you stumbling around the woods in the dark do we? Lanterns are also very handy, especially if you want to light up your campsite and play some games around the picnic table. These now come with small screw-on propane tanks that are inexpensive and very easy to use.

Check on Fire Restrictions or Burn Bans Check ahead of time and make sure that there are not any fire restrictions or burn bans at your camp ground. If you are looking forward to a good old campfire (and what camper is not?) than you could be greatly disappointed if a burn ban is in effect. However, if a campfire is a go, then make sure that you bring some firewood, and some kindling or newspaper to get your fire going, along with some type of lighter. Some parks have firewood available for sale, but not all do, and most parks will not allow you to pick up twigs and branches off the ground to burn.

Check Weather Conditions Prior to Your Trip If severe weather is predicted for your camping area, and you can schedule your trip another time, then do it. There is nothing worse than being confined to your tent or slopping around in the mud for a few days. Obey All Park Rules Remember to obey all park rules and be courteous to other campers. Sound carries much further in the forest, so keep your voice down, especially at night. At the end of your stay, leave your campsite clean and ready for the next camper. Note Your Favourite Campsites at the Camp ground Once you have been to a camp ground that you like and scouted around some, make note of the campsites that you like the best. This way you will remember them for future trips, and if you can reserve a particular site, you will know which ones you are most interested in. We love to camp, and we hope that your family will also find it fun. Hopefully, some of the tips that we have shared will make your trips more enjoyable. Have a safe trip! Article by Rich Herman, Rich loves the outdoors and travels extensively with his family. He specializes in family-friendly websites. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/286277 Read the full article

[stolencrownsofplenty]

@celestialcomedy : x

The Jester is covered in snow from head to legs. The few followers that joined him on seeing if it was snowing outside, returns back to the cult also covered in snow. Looks like they were outside for to long as they shiver with a pink flush to their face. Jester ended up motioning for them to get near one of the fires of the camp since he’s pretty sure he could hear their teeth chattering. “ We did get snow! ” Jester hums, watching the followers leave for a few moments before shaking his whole body like a canine would after being in the rain. Flicking his tail towards the side as the last bit of snow is brushed off. “ But there is a blizzard coming our way. We left before the two become snow animals ” Despite his words, it sounds like Jester wants to go back into into the blizzard. That much snow and raging winds? Sounds like fun for one who ignores the cold so much!

As if on cue, a mild breeze whistles and pushes through the open flaps of the giant temporary tent the Lamb had hastily made when the first rainfalls of snow had started to spill down upon the lands of fragile greenery of their colony.  When winter had rarely fallen upon their empire, where summer and spring had scarcely ever spun out of its constant dance of seasonal stagnation, it often left their people more surprised to find themselves hardly used to the harsh sharpness of the dropping chill in the land’s hot temperature.  Yet when winter would come and times would get tough for their people, there’s never been a time their cult wasn’t ever prepared for such a crisis when they had promptly took out and dusted off the woven wool of their old heavy garbs just in time to keep themselves warmly dressed for the evening’s frostbite.  Work would’ve continued as normally as it always had, had not there been the reports of the strong winds whispering of a potential snowstorm coming towards the Lamb’s colony.  When food would get scarce and there had to be precautions to be taken, the Emperor couldn’t afford to not have a refuge of warmth built for the very people that relied on them for their guidance.

Their death’s toll had always risen during this time of the century, with mortals always forgetting how cold it could truly be when they would decide to wander the woods without the proper gear.  Bodies would roll at their feet, and so would their burial of the dead take to give them more work to fulfill on their own shoulders, as well.  And for the few followers that had gone unprotected from the brisk chill when this little few had decided to scout out alongside the jester for the risks of getting frostbite, the ram had their own twinges of regret already seeing the sorry state the scouts had brought with them.  Some came as blue as the cold reflection of water, and others were so red in the cheeks it had been possible their noses must’ve been frozen from the harsh winds alone.  But even then, leaving them to be taken care of by the hands of their disciplines, to huddle together with the rest of their flock as they could sneak close to the fires of warmth, the ewe walks out from the protection of their giant tent to greet their company outside from form of habit.

The fresh fallen snow crunches underneath the weight of their hooves, the faded colors of their cloak overshadows the pale landscape as they approach the giant fellow.  “Ah, that’s really a shame.”  The Emperor allows themselves a light chuckle at the celestial’s expense.  A wide grin spreads across the lamb’s features, a familiar dash of warmth they allow themselves to shine through genuinely.  “We think some of them would’ve loved to enjoy the fun of this snow, had the lands granted us more time to enjoy the odd cold of its winter oddity.”

“How strong do you reckon the blizzard may be?”  They tilt their head with a questioning raise of a brow.  “Had you guys been out there any longer, we wouldn’t know if the winds would have knocked you down to be covered under a blanket of frost and ice.”

[a-cupof-jo]

Leaf it All at the Bonfire

WC: ~1.5k

Warning(s): none

Jaemin x Fem!Reader

26. Sitting around a bonfire ,  13. “There’s a leaf in your hair.”

~

She jerked up as a bang echoed through the room. “Get up!” Three more bangs resonated through the room. Donghyuck's voice cut through the peaceful quiet that had surrounded her room mere minutes before. She groaned, pulling a pillow over her head to drown out his voice. “Y/n L/n, I can hear you moving around in there.” The doorknob jiggled and she silently praised herself for locking it before she went to bed.

“Donghyuck please,” she begged. “It’s like 7 in the morning.” 

His fist banged against the door again, “No, you promised me you’d get up earlier and help me pack.” Her roommate jiggled the doorknob again. “I’m not letting you back out on me.”

“We are not even leaving until this afternoon,” she chucked one of the small pillows on her bed at the door. “Now leave me alone.”

"Y/n, it's 10am, we are leaving in 3 hours and we have nothing done," he shook the door. She groaned and turned over, ignoring the slight panic that lit up at Donghyuck’s words. “Do not ignore me. I will not leave until you come help me!”

She threw the covers off with a yell. Donghyuck’s mouth dropped open in surprise as her door slapped the wall, “Can it really not wait for another hour?”

“It’s okay,” Jaemin yawned exiting his room. His fading pink hair was a mess, and she couldn’t help the want to run her fingers through it. “I know you had a late night, Y/N. Donghyuck, you knew that too. Why didn’t you just ask me to help?” 

Donghyuck’s narrowed eyes glanced between the two of them. She held her breath. Whatever was going through Donghyuck’s head, was not good. He was too perceptive and observational. She was sure that by now, he knew about the tiny crush she had on their roommate. An impish grin crossed his face, Jaemin scowled at him and she wondered what their silent conversation was about. Donghyuck sighed, “Fine, Jaemin, you’ll do. I need all the camping gear you can find in this loft.”

“You don’t even know if we have any,” Jaemin yelled after Donghyuck’s fleeing figure. “Lee Donghyuck!” Jaemin scrubbed at his face.

She tried to give him a sympathetic look, “Try the storage room by the living room. I’ll make us some coffee and then help.” She missed the soft, sleepy smile he sent to her retreating figure. “Now shoo before Donghyuck comes back to pester us.”

~~

“Jeno, please~” Donghyuck clung onto Jeno’s arm. In his hand he held an acoustic guitar. “I brought it just for you.”

Jeno smiled down, reaching a hand out in a grabbing motion, “No,” he fiddled with the strings making sure the instrument was in tune. “You just wanted to live out your fantasy of singing by a bonfire in the middle of nowhere.”

“Jeno, please,” Donghyuck huffed and pulled his coat around him a little tighter. “You think I would plan this entire thing in the middle of fall and drag the entire apartment along just so I could live out a personal fantasy of mine.”

“Yes,” the group answered and she couldn’t help but let out a laugh at Donghyuck’s expense.

He pouted at the fire, “Fine, last time I try to plan something nice for the group.”

Jeno smiled good naturedly at him. Renjun nestled into Donghyuck’s side reached a hand up to smack the back of his head, “Don’t be like that. Jeno play some songs and don’t complain, and Jaemin,” she heard a hum from the boy next to her. “Staring doesn’t do anything.”

Her head snapped over to see Jaemin rubbing at his eyes. They started to water from what she assumed to be the smoke from the fire, “Were you staring at the fire?” She reached out to pull his face around to her. His eyes were wide as she drew in closer to him. “You shouldn’t do that. As you now know, it will make your eyes burn.” He gave her a small nod. She grinned at his red ears and slightly runny nose, “If you're cold you could just get closer to me.” His eyes widened slightly and she was afraid that she had said the wrong thing. Why would she assume that he would want to sit that close to her or even next to her in the first place. She had been the one to sit next to him tonight. Had he just stayed seated next to her out of a fear of making her feel bad, “I mean you don’t have to. Just you know, shared body heat and whatnot. You could also move closer to the fire.”

Jaemin grinned down at her, “We could both move closer.” He noticed how she had continued to rub at her cold cheeks and nose. “Be closer to the fire and the music.” He waved a hand at where Jeno was bickering with Donghyuck over what song to play.

She nodded at him standing to move closer to Jeno’s side. Jaemin moved with her and when they sat down, his thigh pressed into hers. He leaned into her shoulder and his body moved in closer. She didn’t understand what he was doing, but then his eyes flickered down to hers, his tongue peeked out to wet his lips. She leaned in closer and their faces were so close. His eyes dropped to hers again and he jerked away as Donghyuck’s loud voice filled her ears. Dred filled her chest. She was about to kiss her roommate, crush, and, most importantly, her friend in front of all her other roommates. An awkward laugh fell from her lips, “There’s a leaf in your hair.” 

She pulled a ripped leaf from the top of his head to show off. His mouth was parted and it took a second for him to glance at the red item. Her chest felt heavier and heavier as he stared at her. Finally, his eyes flickered over her shoulder and he answered whatever question Renjun had just sent their way. Her hand dropped the item she had used as an alibi. Standing she watched as Jaemin’s eyes flashed up to hers. He was startled, but they settled into something she couldn’t decipher. “I’m still a little cold. I’m going to go grab some blankets from the car.” Jaemin’s hand reached for hers and he was going to say something. Something she didn’t think she was ready to hear. She gave him a small smile, “I’ll be right back,” and she rushed off around the tents to where the vehicle sat before letting the confusion pull her in. He had leaned in also, right? Opening the back, she sat on the edge of the trunk.  “Na Jaemin, what was that?”

“That,” she spun to where he was quickly approaching her. “Was the signal I needed?”

“Signal for what,” her brows furrowed at him as he stopped mere inches from her.

His hand reached up, the heat from his glove seeping into her skin, “This.” He bent down, his cold lips capturing hers in a soft kiss. He pulled her up into him and he deepened the kiss. She broke away first and his warm breath puffed against her cheek as he pressed his forehead to hers. “Tell me I didn’t read that wrong.”

She gave his lips another small peck, “No,” she let out a short laugh. “I can’t say I’m not surprised though.”

“What?” His eyes scanned her face, a question pinched at his brows.

She laughed lightly, “Jaemin, I had no idea you- that you-”

“That I like you?” Jaemin grinned at her.

“Yeah,” her nose bumped his as she nodded. “That- you- like me,” she whispered as if just registering what he said. 

His other hand came up to cup her other cheek, “That’s hard to believe.” He dropped a kiss to her nose.

“Why’s that?”

“Well,” he moved the two of them back towards the car. “Because I’ve always known that you were the one I wanted.”

She lunged up into him, their kiss deeper and more demanding than the first.

“Can you guys stop sucking face and get back here- ow Renjun! Look I’m happy they're done with their little emotional constipation fit, but I need another blanket.” Donghyuck screeched and Jeno laughed from the fire pit. “Hurry please, Renjun’s so cold that he’s finally turning on us! No Renjun!” She grinned and shook her head at Jaemin who just grinned and grabbed the pile of folder blankets from the back. He reached out a hand and she laced hers through it. “So are you two going to be sleeping in the same tent now cause I would love the extra spa- Renjun stop hitting me!”

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Izuku, either being female or male. Their intelligence and potential gets noticed by a passing assassin, and because of that there’s thoughts of “oh this kid will become great, lets adopt them.” But because it’s an assassin that’s trying to adopt them, it then thinks about all the enemies it has. And just decide to visit secretly and bring expenses gifts from other countries like a cat. The gifts can be daggers, senbons, katanas, weapons of any kind, tactical gear, scrolls of martial arts moves from the past, pastries from other countries, and stuff for whatever izuku is interested. Once izuku goes to hero school, they talk to aziwaw all about the gifts just randomly appearing in his room throughout the years. And aziawa is all like “that’s not normal” “why do you have gifts randomly appearing in your room” and izuku is all like “I don’t know, it’s been happening since I was like 5.” “I thought it was a quirk at first, but it happened in no order.” But here comes the assassin in all its glory, being caught on camera once a security system was set up in the place of home for izuku. Now everyone knows that there’s a literal assassin protecting izuku and just bringing them gifts. Funny thing too is that once izuku goes to the summer camp, assassin wonders where izuku is at, finds them, and drops down like an avenging Valkyrie from the trees once it becomes clear there’s villains in the area. Assassin is quirkless, but makes up for it in might weapons being hidden everywhere on its body. But yeah. Assassin adopts izuku in cat like behavior.

...This is awesome and suddenly I’m thinking this is like Bucky Barnes Winter Solider Assassin and it is amazing. Like- just this terrifying assassin who Izuku unknowingly frees because he likes gives him a cookie, and the assassin is so used to just eating shit given...

 Hisashi. Hisashi was part of like some organization that made the assassin, he brought the assassin home, Izuku gave him a cookie and the assassin ate it, and then the sugar woke them up and yes, all of this. Just yes.

[grellestan]

Not As Beautiful As You- Tamaki/Kyoya OHSHC Oneshot

“We’re going camping!”

Tamaki’s excited cry was met with the faintest ripple of acknowledgement. Seven glances were shot his way, but nobody stopped what they were doing or even praised- or more likely, disapproved the idea. Not even Honey paused eating his cake, just blinked and looked up at Mori with an eyerow raised.

The prince scowled at the blank room.

“I said, we’re going camping!”

Haruhi wearily turned towards him, raising her head out of her book. “Senpai, yesterday you said we’d go to the zoo. The day before that, it was paintballing. And last week, you were going on and on about… what was it again?”

“The Bahamas,” Kyoya chimed in, his glasses reflecting the light in a chilling fashion as he looked up. “Where you expect some of our members to get the funding for that is beyond me.” Haruhi winced at the pointed statement. Tamaki took zero notice.

“Oh please, this time is different! See, Kyoya’s family has just bought an acre of land, a forest with a simply beautiful lake flowing through it to build a campsite! Ah, it is most lovely there, almost as gorgeous as me!” Tamaki spun around, producing a rose from his lapel, just to embellish his point.

“We could even do it the way the commoners do! In a tent, with sleeping bags, as an homage to our own commoner!”

He looked around again, expecting some kind of a reaction, before sighing at the blank looks, and slumping to the ground to begin growing mushrooms. Kyoya stared disdainfully at him for a second, praying the idea would be dropped for not wanting to bother hs father by using the not-yet-opened facilities.

No sooner had he fell, however, a grinding of gears and a familiar, shrieking laugh pierced the air. Renge appeared from under the floor in a bright pink, glittery parka and canary wellington boots, clutching a tent bag and sitting on a camping chair. Haruhi did a double take, still not entirely used to the stunts that the club somehow found a way to both fund and pull off without failure.

“Ahahahaha! How foolish you all are for not heeding this idiot’s words! He’s usually a totally terrible excuse of a leader, but he’s onto something with this plan!” She brandished an umbrella from inside her parka, and pointed it at Kyoya. “Kyoya-Senpai! Don’t you see this could be a brilliant marketing scheme? All the outdoor photo shoots and camping brands you could be promoting in exchange for club funding?”

She was right- even Kyoya couldn’t shoot this down. The twins had already started to jump on the idea, joining Renge on her pedestal. Somehow, they were both already in hiking boots and waterproof trousers.

“She’s right.”

From the back of the room, even Mori had put in his twopence. Kyoya couldn’t deny it- it was a perfect way to generate some funding for the club. He gave a tired smile, and made some quick notes down on his clipboard. The whole room was looking towards him now, waiting for approval from the man. Kyoya drew in a long breath. “Fine, you lot. I’ll work my father and make him come around to the plan.”

His statement was met with cheers from the members. Haruhi glanced at everyone, still dumbfounded by how quickly situations at the club could change. How was the place even real, with this level of madness? She was lost in thought when she felt Kyoya’s breath on her cheek.

“Not to worry, Haruhi. I’ll add your expenses to your debt.” She rolled her eyes. He was never going to let that debt go.

The issue of tent-mates had occurred almost as soon as the group of loveable idiots arrived at the Ootori family’s luxury campsite. The twins had attempted to purloin Haruhi into their tent, insisting that they “definitely had space for all 3!”, much to Tamaki’s disdain. Haruhi had taken none of this, and stated calmly that she and Renge had already agreed to share together.

Really, Haruh enjoyed the twins’ antics and knew nothing bad would ever come of hanging out with them, but if Ranka had caught wind that her sweet daughter was camping out with filthy boys Haruhi would never hear the end of it.

After squabbling for a half hour, it was decided that the twins would stay in one tent, Haruhi and Renge in another, Mori and Honey would steal the luxury camper that Kyoya had planned on using alone, and he would be left in the last and smallest tent with Tamaki.

It wasn’t the worst arrangement, and it was only for a night. Kyoya couldn’t help feeling slightly bitter about his campervan, but it would be better for him to stay with Tamaki, however cramped, rather than incur the wrath of a sleepy Honey-Senpai.

It took them a further 3 hours to set up the tents, while Honey and Mori watched them all struggle from the comfort of the van. Tamaki had refused to use the pre-set-up tents that the Ootori family staff would provide, saying that he “needed the full commoner experience”. It went without saying that he would come to regret this immensely, having multiple temper tantrums when the flimsy tent material wouldn’t bend to his will. Renge and Haruhi were a surprisingly nimble and efficient tem when it came to the construction of their tent, and they ended up begrudgingly setting up Kyoya and Tamaki’s after a flood of begging and crocodile tears from the boss. Kyoya had refused to help with any of the tent-building process, under the grounds that it wasn’t his job after he had managed to wrangle the whole campsite for them to roam for pratically no fee. By no fee, he meant affordable for all club members besides Haruhi, for whom it was an unspeakable amount.

During the tent session, Honey and Mori had dug a pit and had started collecting firewood for a campfire. Rather, Mori collected wood, and Honey found sticks that were the perfect size for roasting marshmallows- “A total essential for the outdoors!” -and organised the snacks he’d stashed in his bag for that evening. By the time the tents were set up in a neat semicircle, there was a roaring fire and even wide logs for them to sit on around it that had been dragged around the woods by Mori.

Their campsite overlooked the still lake, and the moon reflected high in the sky above the friends. Fireflies buzzed around and glowed gold in the night, hovering just above the fire’s smoke, their light bouncing off the group’s faces. Their cheeks and noses were pink with cold and they were huddled under layers upon layers of blankets. Tamaki was sittig next to Kyoya, squashed against him penguin style, sharing the blanket and body heat. Kyoya couldn’t help but note Tamaki’s familiar vanilla cookie smell over the green, clear scent of the woods.

He inhaled before he could help himself, feeling a familiar swell in his chest. There was something about Tamaki, there always had been, from the moment they met and every minute since. He would never admit it- he hardly even let himself entertain his thoughts- but Tamaki was a beautiful, shining beacon radiating warmth and love for his friends, his family, the world. Kyoya privately wished he too could exude this kind of emotion, but more than that he wanted to absorb it from the blond boy. He wanted to soak in every part of Tamaki and then more. There was an unnameable emotion swelling within Kyoya with every glance at his friend, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide it for much longer.

He stood abruptly, shedding the blanket onto Tamaki. The feeling in his chest was too much; he couldn’t remain so close to the boy he was trying so desperately to ignore his love for.

“Excuse me- I think I may have to take my leave, everyone. Lots of budgetng to do.” He brandished his clipboard and gave a wan smile. Tamaki looked heartbroken.

“But Kyoya! We haven’t even finished the marshmallows, you can’t possibly pass up smores for work!” The blond boy protested. He knew how to get round anyone but Kyoya knew he wouldn’t be able to stand another minute by his side, feeling his warmth just centimetres away from his heartbeat.

“No, no. Please enjoy the sweets without me. Somebody has to take care of business in this club after all.” He scurried into the tent before anyone could try to stop him, leaving behind the chattering group and the glow of the fire.

Kyoya tossed and turned in his too-short sleeping bag for hours, listening to the crackling fire and sleepy laughter of his friends. What was he going to do? Why couldn’t he love some noble’s daugher and make his family proud? Why was he cursed to love those he would never be able to have?

These thoughts plagued him long into the night, and angry tears escaped from his eyes. He was a failure, a terrible son and an even worse friend to Tamaki for having such terrible feeligs towards him. Eventually, with his mind spitting thoughts that ricocheted round his head like bullets, Kyoya fell into a restless sleep.

“Okay everyone! I’m off to bed. Hopefully Mommy won’t snore!” Tamaki rose from his space on the log after swallowing down his sixth smore.

Honey was leaning against Mori, breathing deeply and clutching at Usa-chan, dreaming of sweets. Haruhi had long gone to bed, and Renge soon followed. The twins were soaked through, having thought it would be hilarious to throw each other into the lake fully clothed. They hadn’t brought towels, the unprepared idiots, so now they had to dry off next to the campfire before they were able to crawl into bed.

A sleepy chorus of “goodnight” echoed around the fire from the remaining group members as Tamaki slowly unzipped the door to his tent, trying his hardest for once to be quiet as to not wake Kyoya up. He’d acted kind of strange earlier, and Tamaki couldn’t help but wonder what could be going on for his oldest and dearest friend. Tamaki was hesitant to give time to the thought, but he was finding himself having different kinds of feelings towards Kyoya recently, just here and there. At first, it was just that he notced a little more than usual when Kyoya had cut or styled his hair differently, then it was that he was almost hyper-aware of Kyoya’s features and how beautiful he was- he looked chiseled, like a marble statue with his clear, glassy skin.

Tamaki shook his head to rid himself of the emotion filling his mind. Not the time or place, he thought to himself, especially given that he would soon be lying right next to Kyoya. As quietly and quickly as he could, the blond boy clambered into the tent, trying hard to fit his long legs and arms neatly into his sleeping bag. He lay his head down onto the pillow and tried his hardest to fall asleep, not wanting his head to buzz with what he didn’t want to admit was love.

Tamaki awoke with a start. There was a rumbling noise, and in his sleepy stupor he couldn’t work out what the sound could possibly be coming from… Ah. After a minute of frantically whipping his head around trying to find the sure, he realised it was his friend snoring. Wow, Tamaki thought. Kyoya snores like a pig. Maybe that would be grounds to try and detatch his feelings! He couldn’t possibly fall for someone so loud- nevermind, it was no use trying to persuade himself of feeling anything other than a swell of happiness whenever he was around Kyoya.

He glanced over at the black haired boy. He was beautiful- his face was softened by sleep, making him appear vulnerable and young, almost like a baby bird who can’t yet fly. The slight tightness in Kyoya’s brow that usually marked his face was dissipated and relaxed, and he no longer showed a air of uptight snootiness. Tamaki wanted to reach out and stroke the smooth skin of his cheek, run his hands through Kyoya’s silky hair. He resisted.

Unzipping the door, Tamaki softly padded outdoors. The sun wasn’t up yet, but it was definitely too light to be the dead of night anymore. He sighed, knowing that he wouldn’t be getting any more sleep that night. No matter, he would nap when he got home.

Tamaki wandered down to the lake’s edge, to where the water lapped at his toes and brushed his heels. It was cool and comforting, softly spashing at his feet. He considered for a second before stripping down to his underwear, the early morning half-light illuminating his toned shoulders and reflecting a shade of orange onto his chest. Tamaki stepped into the water, letting it swell around his knees and thighs for a second before dipping his shoulders under the golden water. He swam with a strong stroke into the centre of the lake, treading the water and watching the sky streak with pink, yellow and gold.

Back in the tent, Kyoya had stirred from his dead slumber. He could see that the door was flapped open, letting a breeze flow into the sleeping pod. He sighed and rolled out of his sleeping bag, pushing aside the door and following the footsteps down to the lake, twigs crunching underneath his bare feet. The coals in the firepit were still faintly glowing, and he stopped a minute to re-stock the fire and get the flames going again for when the others woke up. Once it was quietly crackling once again, he walked down to the lake’s shore, looking out across the woodlands. He could see Tamaki in the middle of the lake, his bare shoulders shining with water. No sooner had he arrived at the edge did Tamaki turn around and smile, yelling something that Kyoya didn’t quite catch across the water. When he didn’t respond, Tamaki made a wide beckoning gesture with his arms.

Kyoya hesitated a second, but reluctantly took his pyjamas off and wading into the lake. It wasn’t as chilly as he’d expected, just a still coolness that slipped over his skin as he swam to his friend. As he got closer, Tamaki sliced through the water towards him, grinning.

“Hey! I didn’t know you snore, I wouldn’t have shared a bedroom with you if I’d known! You totally woke me up” he raised an eybrow and smirked a little before falling into peals of laughter, unable to take himself seriously enough to smirk. Kyoya felt his cheeks redden.

“I do not snore, Suoh. Don’t project your faults onto me.” He deadpanned before smiling to show Tamaki he didn’t really mind the dig.

Tamaki suddenly looked past Kyoya, eyes shining. “Look! The sun’s rising! Isn’t it stunning?”

Kyoya turned. He was right- it was beautiful. The streaked sky was punctuated by the shimmering sparkle of the rising sun, a giant glowing full stop. He felt a hand on his shoulder, quickly followed by Tamaki’s chest resting on his back, chin on his shoulder.

Kyoya reddened again, but this time he felt bolder.

“It’s not as beautiful as you.”

Tamaki pulled away abruptly, and his stomach tied in a tangled knot of regret. Shit. Maybe he was too bold, thought Kyoya. He bowed his head and turned in the water, slightly raising his head to look at Tamaki’s face. The boy was wide eyed and pink cheeked, staring at Kyoya with his mouth slightly ajar.

“Tamaki, I-” Kyoya began to apologise. He was cut off by Tamaki’s tackled embrace, almost knocking him backwards into the lake. He could feel his friend’s- no, his love’s- hands gripping his back before rising to his jaw. Tamaki’s eyes were hazy and dark. He was beautiful.

“Kyoya,” His voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ve wanted you to say that for so long.”

He leant forwards. Kyoya could hardly believe what was happening, and leant into the kiss that he’d waited for forever.

It was perfect. The sun was high now, and the lake was still and crystal, and Tamaki’s lips were so soft, and his hands so gentle. Kyoya didn’t know how this would pan out after this moent had ended… But he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.

[entos-dojo]

Ok, so random post vent post, but I just fucking love it when games just let you subvert mechanics if you learn mechanics, and don't explicitly teach you or aknowlede you broke the system, letting the fact you did it without spending resources on the tools the game expected you to use to be reward enough.

Like, perfect example, in Metal Gear Solid V, you get this thing called a Fulton extraction device. Basically, you attach it to something, it creates a little balloon, lifting whatever it's attached to off the ground, then after a few seconds, it ROCKETS to like 1000 ft (~300 meters I think) in the air, a JET comes by and snags the tether between the balloon and the thing, and it's brought to your paramilitary oil rig in international waters. (This shit fucked me up for so long after playing, I *still* can't look at shipping containers IRL and not think "I could Fulton that".)

Like, perfect example, in Metal Gear Solid V, you get this thing called a Fulton extraction device. Basically, you attach it to something, it creates a little balloon, lifting whatever it's attached to off the ground, then after a few seconds, it ROCKETS to like 1000 ft (~300 meters I think) in the air, a JET comes by and snags the tether between the balloon and the thing, and it's brought to your paramilitary oil rig in international waters.his shit fucked me up for so long after playing, I *still* can't look at shipping containers IRL and not think "I could Fulton that".)

The Fulton was pretty universal, you could use it on Practically anything; Shipping containers, turrets, cars, crates, soldiers (Who you then recruited because that's how you hire people in metal gear), mini metal gears, wildlife, guns, Tanks, Tanks would soldiers inside them, anything really, as long as the balloon wasn't shot.

But there was one key exception to the Fulton; ya couldn't Fulton children, at least with a regular one. Shock would be too much and they'd die. You can unlock a Fulton that lets you rescue children, but it was decently expensive, and, more importantly, only became available *after* the second mission you encounter the child soldiers, and the first where they're enemies. Obviously, this was meant as your introduction to the mechanic of unkillable guards, and to encourage a more stealthy playstyle then normal, at least for a time, Right?

However, after clearing out the first introduction camp of child soldiers by knocking them all out (They were fine, it was video game knock outs, those never do brain damage), I was frustrated I couldn't Fulton the children and add them to my collection at the illegal paramilitary base I operated, when I noticed that there was a car I could Fulton. An idea struck my head, and I decided to try strapping three of the kids into the jeep and Fultoning the jeep.

This works with regular soldiers, so I figured trying it with children was a logical next step. I placed the three closes kids in, buckled then up, added a Fulton, and... Rescued the kids. Hours before I was meant to. A whole ass mission before I was meant to.

Naturally, I started piling children into every available car, abd when those ran dry, I started calling in air drops of the cars I'd fultoned out before, filling them with children, and Fultoning them out again, basically creating a revolving door of child rescue for a fraction of the amount of Fultons it would take to do so normally.

This experience culminated in me, a couple missions later, still without the child-safe Fulton unlocked, fighting the child soldier boss fight, and managing to extract him with a tactical airdrop car extraction, and I can't even begin to describe how satasfying that was.

The game never hints at this. It never pushes you towards this solution. It's all on you to figure out how the Fultons work, and you're rewarded for it. You're not just welcome to experiment in the game, you're actively rewarded for it.

MGSV is full of moments like that, but that will Always stand out to be as the moment I fell well and truely head over heels for that game.