#energy bills set to stay at £2

[wiseballoonlover]

UK Energy Crisis - Reduce energy bills

I recently received a complimentary grant for home upgrades that could potentially save you approximately £580 per year. This grant is available to both homeowners and tenants receiving benefits, including those on Universal Credit. The installed boiler is a Worcester Bosch, which typically retails at £1,580, making it an excellent choice for those with boilers that are over 10-15 years old. The best part is that it won't cost you anything! If you're interested, you can apply for the grant via the link provided. Additionally, there are many other energy upgrades available for free, including insulation, which I also opted for. You can check which type of boiler you prefer on which.com, but I highly recommend Worcester Bosch.

https://eco4energysaving.co.uk/old-boiler-upgrade-scheme

Please like and share ❤️ love to all members

[pyro-chaos]

Mike Schmidt x Reader

Sometimes

Pt. 2. to This Series

Summary: How life’s going with the new roomie!! Smutttyyy, kinda smutty

Tropes: And they were roommates. Smut fluff, and a smidge of angst

Word count: 2317

A/N: Yooo, this is my first attempt at writing something… saucy. Lol, what do you think??

At first, Mike had reservations about moving in with you.

He thought it would… change the relationship dynamic.

It does, but not in the way he expects.

“Morning, Abby’s brushing her teeth,” you hand Mike a plate of toast with jam and scrambled eggs, “I have to stay late today. Our department has a project due.”

Mike nods, “Okay,” he swallows a mouthful of eggs, “what time should I go for you?”

You put the egg pan in the sink, on top of two other plates.

“Actually, I’m going out tonight. So I think you’re good until tomorrow morning”

Honestly, it surprised him a bit, when he found out you had other friends.

Well, that sounds bad, he’s just surprised by the activity within your social life. It makes him crave something he didn’t know he cared about.

“Will you be home tonight?” He asks.

You gulp down the last of your coffee like a shot. Then you shrug, “I wouldn’t count on it, but maybe.”

Mike swallows his last bite and takes his plate to the sink, “Okay, be safe.”

You smile and finish getting ready for the day. Mike does the dishes.

To be honest, Mike loves having a roommate.

You split the bills evenly. Mike takes half the rent, you take the water bill. Mike gets electric, but you have the insurance.

It’s nice. It feels like he found an island after struggling to keep afloat.

He can afford to go way down in hours. Rather than carry the weight of two full-time jobs, Mike only has to manage one, with the odd double shift.

There’s a park within walking distance from your house. It has a tire swing. Mike has the time to walk Abby there on weekends, and the energy to give her a boost.

Sometimes, You come home smelling like booze.

Sometimes, Mike stays up past Abby’s bedtime to make lunches for the next day. Or to catch up on forgotten chores.

Sometimes, he stays up just ‘cause he can do that now; without feeling mind-crushing guilt.

Sometimes, you run into each other on those nights.

It’s Friday night, a week after you successfully completed the work project, and you stumble into the house at an odd hour.

You smell like a mix of someone else’s cologne and cheap alcohol. Your lipstick is smudged and your clothes look ruffled.

Mike watches you wobble to the sink after kicking off your shoes.

He pretends not to notice the hickeys littering your neck while you chug a glass of water.

“Rough day?” He means it as a joke, but Mike doubts the concerned tilt of his eyebrows makes it seem like one.

“MMmm nuh uh” you answer; slightly out of breath, “S-sorry, just a lil’ thirsty.”

Mike chuckles. He puts a bowl of leftover pasta in the microwave.

If anyone ever asked, he’d deny it until his tongue fell out. But Mike thinks you're cute drunk, and he likes how the curve of your breasts peek out of that top.

Nights like this make him feel kind of gross. He goes to bed soaked with guilt because he knows he shouldn’t ogle anyone like he’s ogling you.

If you ever found out about how he stared at you after you slumped into a kitchen stool, he’d kill himself.

You’re wearing a skirt, and he can see… he can see the inside of your thighs. You’re slouching too. He can see the trail of purple outline your collar bones, and lead into - No.

He sets the bowl of pasta in front of you and then sits down across from you. He’s praying you didn’t see him twitch under his pants.

You slowly eat the pasta, like you’re having trouble feeling your mouth.

Mike stirs his tea.

He tries not to think about your mouth.

When you’re finished, you look a little less, unbothered. Your eyes go a little dark, and you’re holding your head up awkwardly.

“Ready for bed?” Mike questions. He hopes you don’t hear the desperation hidden in the softness of his voice.

You nod.

He leaves an old pot by your bed before heading to his own room.

Nights like this, Mike feels how long it’s been since he’s gotten pussy.

His dick is throbbing. It’s begging, and it hurts, but he fucking refuses to give in.

Mike tries to clench his legs and think about anything, other than how you might’ve looked riding someone else’s dick.

His hips buck up into nothing.

Your tits would bounce. The other guy probably loved it. Mike bets the other guy couldn’t resist popping your nipples into his mouth. Or maybe he used his hands. Maybe he gripped your tits so hard that you saw stars.

Mike rolls over - face down - his pelvis squishes his boner into the bed at this angle. He’s glad for the pillow that swallows his groan.

He thought the new position would help, but it doesn’t, the friction just makes everything worse.

Mike can’t get those damn hickies out of his head. They’ve seared into his mind like a brand that just keeps bleeding. He wants to lick them. He wants to know what you’d do if he licked them.

Oh god, and your thighs.

It takes him a moment to realize that he’s grinding against his sheets.

He huffs, practically ripping off his boxers and gripping the base of his dick.

He gives in.

He thinks about how you’d look sprawled on his bed.

What would you do? - Mike wonders - if you woke up to him between your thighs?

Mike would go slow, he’d go so slow, and he’d make it feel good. He wouldn’t leave until you shake.

He’d spread you open first; let your legs rest open like a monument. He might indulge himself with a kitten lick along your clit.

Then, he’d slide a finger through your slit.

Would you want to sit on his face?

Mike's balls go tight, his dick jumping as he imagines your weight on his tongue.

He licks his lips, hoping to taste something he’s never had.

He finishes all over his stomach, and tries not to imagine how you’d look licking it up.

He doesn’t know how he’s gonna look into your eyes tomorrow.

It's Saturday, and Mike said he’d give you a ride to a car that you found on Craigslist.

“What happened to your car?” Abby asks at the beginning of the drive.

Mike glares at his sister through the mirror, but he can’t shush her without revealing that he’s already figured out what happened to your car.

“It’s not mine anymore” you respond. Your tone isn’t sad, or forlorn, but the mood shifts anyway.

Mike fills the awkwardness by asking what Abby wants for lunch.

You don’t end up buying the car.

The guy on Craigslist listed the car under Used, Like New but the car was definitely not, Like New.

You apologize to Mike so many times he stops keeping count, but he really doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal.

He had to look for months before he found a reliable car for an affordable price.

He’s sure to tell you as much, but he still finds extra cash in his glove compartment the next day.

Sometimes it feels like you don’t think of him as a friend, just someone you’re living with.

It bothers him.

You go out again on Sunday night, you come home smelling even worse.

Mike’s in the living room when he hears something fumble with the locks. At first, he thinks nothing of it, but then he hears a thump against the door.

Mike peeks through the peephole, and rolls his eyes after he watches you almost eat shit when you lose your footing.

You’re too drunk to stand on your own. Mike doesn’t even bother to ask if you’re okay, he just helps you to your room and puts the old pot near your bed, again.

Abby sleeps across the house, so she doesn’t hear you puke your guts out at 3a.m.

Mike does, and it makes him feel something bad. It’s a feeling he’s not used to associating with you. Disappointment? Disgust?

Something like that - there’s a bit of anger in there too - but it’s also mixed with worry. You’re not the type of person to get black-out drunk on a Sunday night.

But still, that’s two nights this week you’ve come home drunk.

In literally any other circumstance, Mike would mind his own business, but you live with Abby now.

He remembers the little furrow of Abby’s brow when he told her that you got sick. How worried would Abby get if she heard you puking in the middle of the night? How the fuck could he even begin to explain that to her?

Mike doesn’t want her to be around someone who’s drinking themselves stupid; It’s dysfunctional. Didn’t you have enough respect for Abby to understand that?

He’ll talk to you about it tomorrow night, but tonight, he checks the medicine cabinet. Just to make sure you have enough aspirin for tomorrow morning.

The next morning goes normally. You make breakfast. Abby gets ready. Mike does the dishes.

He doesn’t want to deal with the aftermath of the upcoming conflict quite yet.

Mike just picked you up from work. You applied extra makeup this morning to cover up the dark circles under your eyes, but Mike knows they’re there.

“So, wanna talk about what happened last night?” He doesn’t even bother hiding the judgment from his tone.

“What happened last night?”

Mike feels a flame of anger roll through his body. He has to take a breath before responding, “Don’t play dumb”

You stop sipping on your coffee and lean against the back of the seat. You look out the window for a moment, like you’re thinking really hard about something.

Mike’s thumbs lightly tap the steering wheel. He can feel his temper simmer under his vertebrae.

You lick your lips, and fiddle with the hem of your shirt, “Okay, but first I want to apologize.”

He stays silent, but he’s a little surprised.

“I’ve been irresponsible, and inconsiderate, and I’m really sorry. It’s not fair for you to have to deal with the fallout of my bullshit.”

Mike agrees, but he’s not sure what he could say without expressing that agreement. So, he stays silent.

You rub your eyes, “Oliver and I broke up.”

Mike knows this. You didn’t tell him, but he lives with you, it’s not that hard to put two and two together. Why does it matter?

“I thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with him, you know?”

Oh. No. He didn’t.

“I just… I’ve been taking it kind of hard,” you sit up, and your voice gains a bit of confidence, “it’s not an excuse, though. I promise it won’t happen again.”

Mike hears your promise, and releases a long breath he didn’t know he was holding.

You wanted to spend the rest of your life with Oliver. That’s… it makes sense that you’ve been getting drunk a lot.

“It’s okay,” he adjusts his hold on the steering wheel, and keeps his tone soft; like he’s trying to caress you with words, “it’s just with Abby - you know?” he shrugs and allows his sentence to hang in the air.

“No, yeah absolutely, I get it. I’m sorry I put you both in that position.”

Your words sound genuine.

Mike literally feels the fight flood out of his nervous system. The emptiness leftover makes him want to go to sleep.

The thought of the conversation tugged on his brain all day, like he was unconsciously gearing up for a fight, and now that it’s over he feels drained.

The drive stays silent until he arrives at Abby’s school. But it’s not submissive or uncomfortable silence. Mike doesn’t feel suffocated by the lack of conversation.

He’s parked at the front of the school when you talk again.

“Are we okay?” you ask, and the softness of your tone makes Mike melt.

“Yeah,” for the first time in the entire conversation - Mike looks at you - and he’s kind of surprised to find you already looking at him, “Yeah, we’re okay.”

Mike did not expect the apology, but he’s glad he got it.

If he’s being honest, he expected you to justify why you’ve been drinking, but your willingness to take accountability came completely out of left field.

That’s not to say Mike feels the apology was unnecessary. It’s more like, he wanted a justification for your behavior; he wanted to understand why you did what you did before getting truly upset with you, but he didn’t expect you to acknowledge how your crisis affected him. But you did.

It’s like, he went into a restaurant expecting his favorite meal, but instead he gets his favorite meal plus an ingredient that he didn’t know would make the entire meal better.

It makes him feel seen.

It makes him like you more.

After that, you seem more comfortable around Mike, and you don’t go out as often.

If you do, you’re home before midnight, and you’re sober.

If you’re not sober, you call, and let Mike know you’re staying at a friend’s for the night.

You act a bit differently too.

It’s kind of strange, because Mike thought you felt comfortable around him before that conversation, but apparently he underestimated how often you try to keep a professional facade around him and Abby.

But now, you allow him to see you in pajamas.

He didn’t even know you owned pajamas.

They’re cute and baggy; fluffy sweats that pool around your ankles, and a matching sweater.

You buy a shelf for Abby’s art supplies. You put it in the living room, in case she wants to draw while she watches TV.

Mike starts to wear sweats too.

Abby’s drawings start to fill up the empty space on the refrigerator

[literaryfandomangel]

The Promise - Chapter Fourteen

After a week had passed, the worst of the pain was gone. It had faded, leaving a slight discomfort or stiffness in the joint when moving in specific ways. The bruise was fading, the edges a sickening yellow/green color. After several days of icing the injury, the swelling had gone down, which was a relief. It took about six days to be able to walk up and down the stairs without excruciating pain. 

"I'm leaving," Mom yelled, walking out the front door. I sat on the porch, realizing it was nearly five in the afternoon. I felt stir-crazy after being cooped up for so long; therefore, I sat upright.

"Can I come with you?" I asked Mom, eyes wide and pleading. She hesitated for a moment, but she couldn't deny my request. Mom was working the late shift at the video store, which closed at midnight. She didn't want me to regress in my recovery. Since being in Santa Carla, I had elected to speak more, and my weight was progressing slowly. 

"Alright," Mom conceded. "Will your friends bring you home?"

I shrugged, walking into the house to grab my bag. I put in a few books, primarily classics, but I had finished Anna Karenina. Depending on what the mood was tonight, I might start North and South. I decided that I could lose myself in the bookstore. 

"Hurry up!" Mom yelled into the house. I hesitated momentarily, sprayed perfume on my wrists, and left my bedroom. When I walked outside, Mom was already in the driver's seat. 

"If I don't find them, I'll meet you after your shift," I promised Mom during the drive. She hummed, accepting that answer. 

"Make sure that if you meet up with your friends, they have you back by 2 AM!" Mom shouted before going in the opposite direction on the Boardwalk. 

I gaped at the figure of my Mom, quickly losing her in the teeming crowd. She set my curfew at 2 AM? She never agreed that I could stay out that late - usually never. I wondered what made her change her mind, but I wouldn't argue with Mom. I tucked the $10.00 bill Mom handed me in the car into my back pocket and started to peruse the Boardwalk. 

The sun's rays were still hot. Therefore, I ducked into the bookstore. I felt relief at the air-conditioned space. Even though I'm always cold, the sun in Santa Carla felt like it would burn through your clothing. 

I started looking around the bookstore, realizing this was an adventure, not a bookstore. Apparently, the owner just shelved the books in any open slot. Therefore, the store was not organized. One might find a bodice-ripper beside a textbook. It was exciting and definitely a way to keep bookworms occupied. 

I grinned as I started to make my way through the shelves, picking out a book with an exciting title. I read the back and would make my determination. I was so lost in the world of books that I didn't realize how late it was or that the sun had long since been hidden behind the horizon. 

"Hey!" I whined when suddenly a hand took the book I was interested in right from my hands. I was upset until I looked at the culprit - Paul. He had a wide grin as he dangled the book before me. 

"Hey, baby," Marko whispered, voice smooth and deeper than usual. His breath was right on the tip of my ear. I could feel the ghost of his lips and the faint touch of his teeth on my earlobe. I gasped, jumping backward into a solid body. Gloved hands came to rest on my elbows. 

"We've missed you, princess," Dwayne said, leaning down to pick up the large stack of used books by my feet. It was a mess of about ten or so books that I was planning on purchasing. He looked down, reading the spines, giving hums of interest every so often. 

"You've been away, girl," Paul smirked, his usual bundle of energy. I wondered if Paul ever was still. Probably not, even when he was sleeping. I imagined Paul to kick and roll over. "And then you ditch us to come here? I'm hurt!"

"Paul," I sighed, rolling my eyes at his dramatics. I tried to grab the book back from his hands. I took a few steps forward, away from David's body heat. My movement exposed the slight limp from my previous injuries. To the human eye, it would be imperceivable, but they were vampires and could see it. Paul's fist clenched in fury as he remembered the fear they all felt coming upon that scene. 

None of the Lost Boys ever thought they would find their mate. A mate to have, to hold, to protect, to cherish. In the vampire world, mates were the most precious thing to find. Not everyone found their mates - some wandered for centuries looking for the scent that linked their nest to their mate. Therefore, seeing their mate in any type of danger was difficult. Worse still, when the worst threat came from their mate's volition. 

Paul's eyes softened enough to cease his teasing behavior. He slowly lowered his hands, the book just out of reach of my fingers. Paul had a smirk on his face while I was getting frustrated. Every time my fingers reached out and touched the book's paper, Paul would pull it out of reach. Finally, I just stood, a pout on my lips. 

Paul stood no chance, looking at my widened, sad eyes and pouty lips. He stood awestruck for a moment before lowering his hand. I clutched the book, holding it to my chest. I hesitated for a moment before I rose onto my toes. I kissed his cheek, feeling the slight roughness of his stubble, before sinking back onto the balls of my feet. Silence surrounded the five of us. 

It was like my spur-of-the-moment action had caused a ripple in the otherwise still lake. Initiating the contact would solidify the tentative situation between the four of us. I was also nervous because I had just kissed one of the four guys, showing an apparent interest in me. I hoped this wasn't going to cause a fight or any type of rift between the four guys. 

Chapter Fifteen

[btsgotjams27]

this is us ~ jjk | 15

let's have that baby, shall we?

✨ title: this is us | (sequel to all grown up) ✨ pairing: jungkook x f!reader | ✨ rating: m/18+ | minors dni ✨ genre/au: drama, romance, angst, fluff, smut | est!relationship, age gap, bff's younger brother ✨ playlist | AO3 & Wattpad ✨ a/n: if you haven’t read the prequel to this, please do so here! :) ✨ a/n 2: wowieeee! tumblr has caught up and now readers here will have to wait for my sporadic updates 🙃 i apologize in advance lol. we only have a few more chapters left before their journey ends :'( but i have some fun things planned for when it's over. stay tuned.

[ SERIES MASTERLIST ] | next ✨ drabble ~ it'll be okay (jk pov)

chapter fifteen - here comes baby | wc: 5.4k warnings: language, alcohol consumption, depressing thoughts, self deprecation (oc has hit rock bottom, okay?), tears + angst (obvs)

~ three weeks since the breakup ~

Work was work, and it distracted you about everything Jeon Jungkook. After everyone had left, you sat in the writer's room, realizing it was the first time in a long time that you felt truly alone. You jumped from relationship to relationship to fill the void left by loneliness, but each breakup made it worse, and this one was the worst of them all.

You even avoided Yuna and Namjoon's because you wanted to avoid seeing Jungkook's face in family photos. Along with avoiding the newlyweds, Hyunie and Tae would just give you pitiful stares and pouts. You didn't dare to cross Jin because you were afraid he'd tell you how Jungkook was doing in LA and maybe even mention Alex.

But alas, you could only bury yourself in work for so long until it was time to head home.

Lights didn't exist in your life for the past two weeks, convincing yourself you were trying to save money on your energy bill, but you knew the real reason–the darkness on the outside reflected what you were feeling on the inside.

The brown box sat in the corner of your entryway, greeting you as you entered and exited. You considered throwing it away without looking at it, but something inside you wasn't ready to let go. If you'd thrown it away, you'd have contemplated its contents for far too long, berating yourself because what if there was something important in there? So leaving it in the corner until you were ready to look through it was a better option.

You blame the half-empty bottle of wine sitting next to the box on your coffee table. The alcohol coursing through your veins causes you to become sentimental and unable to think clearly. It's just a stupid box, but why were you so afraid to look through it?

It wasn't heavy or anything; it was pretty light. Perhaps Jungkook had thrown away a lot of things he didn't want to bring to LA. You understood, though, because you'd want to start over, fresh, new, with no baggage. Who would want to bring bad memories to a new place?

The wine glass was calling your name again, so you took another sip, finished it, and set it down. You closed your eyes and sighed as you ran your hand through your hair. It's now, or never, you reasoned. 'Never' sounded better, but you knew it couldn't be true.

Come on, you said to yourself, it's just a box. It's not that fucking hard.

You averted your gaze, your hand digging around for what appeared to be a pair of glasses. And you were correct when you examined it. They were your favorite pair, and you had been looking for them for a long time. That's where you left them, then.

You set them down and continued rummaging through the box, this time paying attention to the mementos. There was a dried peony from your first official date when he decorated Jin's rooftop, a mug the two of you painted together, with the tasteful side being Jungkook's and the not-so-pretty side being yours, and a few books and items of clothing.

A black binder clip held the last thing you took out together. You cocked your head, unsure what it could be, and it snapped as you unclipped it, causing you to yelp as it flew across the table, rattling against the mug. Fortunately, it did not break.

The couple in the polaroid was almost unrecognizable. They appeared younger, happier, and full of life and joy—all of which you lacked at the time. Your attention was drawn to the neat handwriting on the bottom–1 month.

You moved on to the next polaroid–two months. The next one was labeled three months, and so on, until you got to the last one, which was labeled nine months with a question mark. Except you weren't in the picture; only Jungkook was. You had to recall your relationship timeline and remember when you proposed a break. You could only imagine how Jungkook felt throughout it all, and you admitted to yourself that you put him through a lot. It wasn't fair to keep him at bay, but you couldn't figure out what you wanted if he were there to persuade you.

He didn't appear happy in the photo, rather tired. But you couldn't stand looking at it any longer. It was too painful to look at that last polaroid of him by himself, so you flipped it over, along with the rest of the polaroids, unsure what to do with them.

After going through the rest of the box containing small trinkets, you could probably throw them away. You half-expected to find your boudoir session photo album in there. But he might have burned it, as you would. Although a small voice in your head told you, he kept it. Your heart fluttered at the thought of him pulling it out to look at it now and then—heck, you even did it when you needed an ego boost. However, he'd be looking at it for different reasons. Regardless, you'll never know what happened to it, and you wouldn't dare to ask if he still had it.

Picking up the wine bottle, you didn't bother to pour it into your glass. The percentage of the wine didn't hit double digits, but you were a weak bitch tonight and grabbed a Moscato, which was practically a sweet and sugary drink packaged in a pretty wine bottle and label. Maybe your emotions were heightened because you sucked at holding your liquor, but you wanted to drown yourself in whatever was left remaining in the bottle.

You wiped the dribble of wine from your chin and grimaced as you inhaled the alcohol. Maybe you shouldn't have done it, but you were sick of feeling anything and desire to be numb.

You stood, leaving everything as it was, and shuffled to the bedroom, not bothering to clean it up. As you crawled beneath the covers, the duvet felt cool. Nighttime became the worst part of the day for you; during the day, you could keep yourself busy, but at night, there was nothing to do but race your mind like there was no end as if your mind would never shut down and just let there be silence.

You rolled onto your side, staring at the space that Jungkook used to occupy, only to find it empty. Emptiness is taking up a lot of space in your life these days, and you've thought, what if you weren't meant to be happy? There were happy memories in your life, but the bad had recently outweighed the good, and there wasn't enough good to offset the gloomy feelings.

Friday night rolled around, another week gone, another weekend to endure. Your apartment was supposed to be a place of solace and rest. Still, everywhere you looked, memories of you and Jungkook were scattered–imprinted with happy moments, flashbacks of back hugs, peppered kisses, and instances of magnetic, lust-filled encounters after long days of not seeing each other. Goosebumps trickled across your skin, thinking about Jungkook's touch and how much you missed it.

The last sexual encounter with him replayed in your mind for days on end, and you found yourself charging your vibrator more than your phone these days.

Stupid, you know. But it was hard not letting your mind wander off. You broke it off, but why were you still trying to hold onto him? Healing takes time, and you just want to hurry and try to find the light at the end of the tunnel. You didn't want to wallow in the darkness anymore.

You didn't bother to try and see if anyone was available to hang out, you were sure they were all busy with their significant others, and you were somewhat becoming accustomed to this routine of sitting at home and doing nothing. It was like clockwork–wake up, eat, work, eat, come home, eat, and sleep. You became lost in the same routine, your body, and mind on autopilot once you came home.

You had dozed off, mindlessly staring at your phone, not realizing it had rung a few times before you finally picked up the call. "Hey, Yuna." You only heard labored breathing from the other end. 

"Yuna? Are you okay?"

"I think–I think the baby's coming."

You heard shallow gasps before she groaned. Your eyes widened. "What? It's too early, isn't it?"

"I know, that's what I thought too, but I really think the baby's coming, and Namjoon left on a last-minute work trip because we didn't think the baby would be here."

"Okay–" you paused, putting your thinking hat on. "Do you have everything packed for the hospital?"

Yuna groaned louder before she answered, "Yeah, yeah. I've had it ready for weeks."

"Good. I will call the ambulance and send them over to your place. I'll call Namjoon and tell him what's happening, and then I'll meet you at the hospital. Okay?"

Yuna couldn't get any words out. She only hummed before hanging up.

You rushed to your room, grabbed a change of clothes and a few toiletries, stuffing everything into an overnight bag. Slipping on your shoes, you paused to pat down your pockets to ensure you had the essentials–wallet and phone.

Once the door slammed shut, you ordered a taxi on an app, then placed a call to Namjoon, which went straight to voicemail. Fuck, you thought. He was going to hate himself if he missed the arrival of his baby, and also, who goes on a trip so close to their baby's birth? But then again, Yuna was only thirty-six weeks.

"Hey, Namjoon. It's me. Yuna's going into labor right now, and I'm meeting her at the hospital. Call me when you get this."

It was the best you could do at the moment. You hoped he would see your call and get back to you soon.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, your taxi finally shows up. You called Yuna again, but there was no answer. You figured she could already be at the hospital, so she wasn't picking up.

There wasn't much you could do but wait. Per hospital rules, no one was allowed to go into the room. It was a dumb rule, you thought. How was a person supposed to go through something like this alone?

You were constantly checking your phone, double-tapping the screen to find no notifications from Namjoon. Should you call again? But what good would that do if he had not heard your first voicemail? You ran your hand through your hair, sighing and hating that you couldn't do anything but wait.

Once again, you were stuck in a hospital. You didn't want to wander off in case someone came looking. Maybe you could try to sleep since you didn't know how long birthing a baby could take. You looked around, but there were no comfortable spots to lie down. Slouching in your seat, you pulled out your phone again, swiping to unlock the screen, then opened Instagram, aimlessly scrolling through your feed.

Hyunie and Tae, the happy newlyweds, appeared before you, all cozy and lovey-dovey on their last-minute honeymoon getaway. They were love shacking it up in Phuket for the weekend. Lucky rascals, you thought. You wished you could leave on a whim and have no responsibilities. You double-tapped, leaving a heart on their photo.

You looked up from your phone when you saw someone sprinting into the waiting room and coming to a halt. Jin stood before you, out of breath, leaning over with his hands on his knees.

"I'm–" He looked up, giving a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm fine."

You chuckled, searching for a water bottle in your bag. You held it out for him as he sat beside you, and he mumbled thanks before taking a few large gulps.

"Well–fancy seeing you here," Jin said as he was hunched over, his forearms resting on his thighs, swiping the water running down his chin.

You nudged his arm. "Don't be a smartass."

"I can't help it," he shrugged. "It's in my nature." Jin nudged you back, trying to lighten the mood, and you smiled in return.

"Wait–how did you know I was here?"

"Namjoon called me. Told me about Yuna."

You blinked profusely. Namjoon called Jin before he called you? Well, at least you knew Namjoon had heard your voicemail.

"I think he was going to call you back, but his phone must've died. He's trying to get a flight out right now."

Whew. You were relieved to hear that, and maybe he would get back in time for the baby's birth.

"How, uh, how are you? I haven't seen you in a while." He straightened his posture, peering at you.

The last time you saw Jin was when you made a fool of yourself by slapping Alex and causing a scene in front of his colleagues and Jungkook. "I'm okay," you reply, not wanting to dive into further details of how you are really doing. Honestly, these last few months have sucked big time, and you weren't just going to spill everything onto him. It wasn't the time or place, nor did you want to burden Jin with your emotions.

"I'm fabulous, by the way. Couldn't be better. I renovated my kitchen–the layout is much better than before, and the island is bigger, so feel free to come over and cook whenever you want."

Your lips thinned in an attempt to smile, but you understood that Jin was trying to be friendly and make small talk, which you were grateful for because you didn't feel like chatting too much. "I'm not the best cook, but apparently, the pasta you made for Jungkook and me was delicious." The mention of Jungkook made you suck in your lips for fear of wanting to bring up his name again.

Jin nodded. "It's all thanks to YouTube and TikTok. Sometimes I think I could do that, you know, make cooking content. I'd love to quit my job."

"Oh, really? You should–or I mean, at least, you could do it on the side as a hobby. It'll give you a nice break from your job, doing something you enjoy. And I'm sure you'd have a lot of followers."

"Hmm. I might consider that. Thanks."

"Anytime."

Both of you avoided each other's gaze, searching around the waiting room for something to look at, only to look at each other and give awkward smiles and chuckles.

"This is weird, isn't it?"

"I don't know what you mean," Jin tries to play it off, and you're thankful for it. "I'm not weird. You're not weird. I don't know how this is weird."

"Okay, now you're making it weird," you both laugh. Jin apologizes, but you shrug it off. "You don't have to say anything if you don't have anything to say. I don't mind the silence."

Jin nodded in agreement, but of course, he was never one to be good with silence. He waited a few minutes before speaking again. 

"Where do baby fish sleep?" You turned and gave him an expressionless face, blinking at the worldwide handsome man before you. "A bass-inet. Get it?" He let out a fake laugh, then apologized again.

"I bet you weren't good at the quiet game when you were a kid."

He shook his head. "Nope. My mom still loved me, though." You smiled and shook your head, and Jin's knee nudged yours. "Come on, that was a good joke!"

You hummed, but you wouldn't give him the satisfaction of verbalizing it. Even though Jin wasn't good at the quiet game, you didn't want to chat further because you could sense the giant elephant in the room. And in your mind, the flashing neon sign blinked, 'Jungkook.'

Jin stayed quiet for as long as he could before he broke the silence again. You could see him from your peripheral view, gazing at you, and yes, you would ignore it.

"Just ask me about him. I know you want to."

You sighed, shifting in your seat. "I don't know what you're talking about." You looked up at the digital sign in the waiting room, and you could've sworn it read, 'Jungkook.'

"It's written all over your face."

You fiddled with your thumbs, tilting your head to the side. Of course, you wanted to know how Jungkook was doing, and it has been on your mind every minute of every day since he left. But the thing was, you didn't know if you wanted to know the details of his new life in LA.

"Well, since you won't ask. I'll just tell you." You turned to him, about to ask him to stop, but he continued, "He's doing okay. He's settling into his new place and the new role at the company, and in case you're wondering," he paused, "Alex has been away on vacation, so he hasn't had to deal with her."

Your heart leaped at the name. You knew her name would come up sooner or later, but it still hurt to hear it. Many scenarios were running through your head. Would he go back to her? Would she manipulate him somehow? Make him feel guilty so he would run back to her?

Regardless of what would happen between them, it wasn't your place to say anything. Jungkook's a big boy, and he chose to leave. No one forced or convinced him otherwise. It was out of the blue because he never spoke to you about the job opportunity. Well–you guess you weren't the only one keeping secrets.

"You're too nice to ask. That's why I told you."

Jin was correct because, in your mind, it would've been easier to come up with a million possible situations than to know the truth. A part of you was relieved, and the other was riddled with anxiety. Truthfully, you just wanted to see if he was okay, so you were at least grateful to know that he was.

You smiled thinly at him, mumbling thanks before standing up and walking to the receptionist's desk. You wanted to focus on your best friend, not your ex-boyfriend.

Four hours since you arrived.

And there was no word about how Yuna was doing. You guessed no news was good news, right? Otherwise, you would've heard something by now.

Jin continued being his friendly self–making small talk and cracking jokes, trying to keep the situation light. You were appreciative because it was able to take your mind off the Jeon family.

But tiredness began to kick in. You walked over to the coffee vending machine, finding it wasn't working—just your luck. So you strolled back to the waiting room and heard someone softly call your name. You looked up to see a familiar face.

"Hi, sweetheart."

It became a familiar greeting from Jungkook's mom. She walked up to you and pulled you in for a hug. She held you a lot longer than you anticipated, and simply put; it was exactly what you needed right now. Your body crumbled into her frame, your head leaning on her shoulder, turning away from her, your eyes starting to pool with tears. You withdrew from her embrace, giving her the best smile you could when your eyes met hers. Immediately, you responded with, "I'm sorry."

She knitted her brows in confusion, tilting her head. "What are you apologizing for, sweetheart?" Her right hand cupped your cheek, her thumb gently wiping the tear that fell.

You were apologetic about Jungkook. Yuna not only lost her younger sibling, but his mother also lost her son. It was impossible not to feel responsible, and your glistening eyes and glum smile were enough for her to understand what you meant.

She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "You do not need to apologize for Jungkookie. It's not your fault, do you hear me?" She cupped your face again, her eyes intently staring into yours, and you nodded in agreement. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

You bit the inside of your cheek, unsure how to answer this question whenever someone asked. Should you smile through the pain and say you're fine? But you shook your head no.

"C'mere."

She drew you in for another embrace, gently caressing your hair and assuring you that everything would be fine and that you had nothing to worry about. Your small sniffles and silent weeping persisted as you reflected on your mother. How can someone unrelated to you adore you more than your so-called family? You had practically driven away this woman's son, but she told you it wasn't your fault. Yuna and Jungkook were so lucky to have someone who loved them as much as she did.

Growing up the way you did with your family, it was always hard to express your emotions, so you kept them bottled up and pushed them away like they didn't exist because you felt like you couldn't be your true self around those who were supposed to love you. It took a long time for you to open up to Yuna before you finally let yourself trust her–trust that she would be your person.

But with Yuna and Jungkook's mother, it was different. It felt like home, and it felt right–a place where you were welcomed and not judged. She had always made you feel that way.

You broke away from her hug, wiping your tears. God, you hated crying, and these last few months had been nothing but constant tears. You wondered how much you could bottle up before you erupted, spilling out years of suppressed emotions. Everything you had been carrying since you were a child until now weighed heavily. The deep ache in your heart was waiting for its final release.

"I wish I had left instead of him." 

Yuna's mother raised your chin with her index finger, her warm eyes meeting yours. "Jungkookie will come back. I know he will, but if you left," she paused, "I don't know if you would, sweetheart. We need you here–"

"No one needs–"

"We need you here," she repeated sternly. "Stop telling yourself otherwise." She gently patted your cheek before walking off to the receptionist.

You knew she was right. You knew how easy it would be for you to disappear off the face of the earth, start over and pretend like you didn't have a former life. But you loved your friends and your job, and those were the few things you could hold onto.

Jin set his phone down when you strolled back into the waiting room. He scanned your face before asking, "You good?"

You nodded yes. "I'm just tired," you explained, slouching beside him.

He patted his shoulder. "I hear these broad shoulders make for a great pillow," he smirked.

"I'll be fine, Jin."

"Oh, come on. Don't be so stubborn."

"I'm not stubborn."

"You are."

"I'm–"

Jin glared before using his chin to gesture to his shoulder. You rolled your eyes at the handsome man, sliding over to lay your head against him.

"See, it wasn't that hard, was it?" You were going to speak again, but he held his finger up. "Bup-bup-bup. It's sleepy time."

Eight hours since you arrived.

It felt like you were caught in a transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep, a feeling you hated because you didn't feel as well-rested when you awoke. Your mind wanders to the untapped subconscious abyss, along with ceaseless thoughts of the weirdest things.

You hummed when a light tap of your leg disrupted the stream of never-ending thoughts. Your eyelids, heavy from sleep, fluttered open to see the dad-to-be kneeling before you.

"Hey, you're here," you mutter, your voice still groggy as you sit up, nudging Jin awake.

"Do you guys wanna see the baby?"

Your eyes widened at his remark. Have you been asleep for that long? You could've sworn you were waiting forever while awake, but once you closed your eyes, Yuna and baby were here instantly.

Clearing your throat, you grabbed your belongings and kicked Jin one last time because he was taking his sweet time waking up. You followed Namjoon down the hall and through the secured doors. Faint crying from newborn babies echoed in your ears as you turned the corner into Yuna's room.

Your best friend was fast asleep in the hospital bed while her mother was holding her granddaughter, quietly humming a lullaby you so faintly remember her singing occasionally. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile as she handed the baby off to Namjoon.

He walked over, cradling the sweet newborn in his arms. She was adorned in a knitted lavender hat with a large bow while swaddled in a muslin blanket. She looked so warm and cozy, all bundled up. Your heart swelled, staring at this precious little human.

"Do you wanna hold her?" Namjoon asked, looking at the pair of you, and you nodded. Who wouldn't want to hold this sweet girl? He carefully handed her off to you. Soft grunts left her tiny mouth as she was placed into your arms.

"What name did you guys decide on?"

Namjoon smiled. "Indie. It's a bit unconventional, but she just looked like an Indie when we saw her."

You uttered her name before looking at Namjoon. "I love it."

Yuna's mother called out to Namjoon, asking him to help her prepare some food for Yuna.

You turned to Jin, bringing Indie closer to him. "Do you wanna hold her?"

He shook his head no. "Nah–I don't really like babies. They're not my thing."

You chuckled. "Don't say that, or you won't be her favorite uncle," you teased, returning your gaze to the sleeping baby.

"I have her whole life to win her over," Jin smirked, folding his arms across his chest. He tiptoed away, pretending to be distracted by something.

Indie grunted again, trying to stretch and wiggle in your arms. With her eyes still closed, she smiled briefly before resting her expression. You continued gazing at this perfect little person who just entered the world, who knew nothing of hurt, pain, or loss, and you wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible–keep her innocence and purity. You wanted to protect her at all costs, love her so she would never doubt herself. Support her in everything she wanted to try, make every dream of hers come true. How could you want all of this for someone you'd just met? How could you love this little one so much when you knew nothing about her, and she wasn't even yours?

By extension, she was family. She'll call you Auntie, come to you for advice when she can't go to her mom or dad, ask you to take her shopping, and you'd do everything and more–you'd spoil her like she was your own.

Your lips quivered, eyes welling up with tears as you brought baby Indie closer, your cheek nuzzled against her head. This could've been you holding your baby, but it wouldn't have been the right situation to bring a baby into the world. Even though you were sure you'd love your baby, you wanted to be in a better place. A baby deserves a family that would love them and go to great lengths for them, and you didn't have that at the time with U-jin.

But with Jungkook, it would've been different if you were pregnant. You sat with daydreams too often about what kind of father he'd be. You imagined he'd play with them all day until it wore them out, and they were too tired to play. He would sneak them snacks and candies when you weren't looking. And like you, he'd fight to build the best life for them. However, these 

daydreams were nothing but that–reveries of things never coming true.

"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?" Namjoon asked with knitted brows.

You exhaled deeply, hugging her again before returning her to Namjoon. "Yeah–yeah, I'm okay. I'm just so happy for the three of you." You turned away to wipe your tears, catching a glimpse of Jin trying not to catch you at this moment, but it was too late.

Namjoon took Indie, sitting on his makeshift bed, quietly shushing her and rocking in place to keep her asleep. He and Yuna have come a long way, and you couldn't be more ecstatic to go on this new journey and see them become parents.

You walked over to sit in the chair next to Yuna's. She was beginning to stir awake, still groggy from labor. Her eyes fluttered open, her lips curving into a smile. "Hey," she muttered, trying to shift into a sitting position.

"Hey. How are you feeling, mama?"

Yuna chuckled. "Mama. I'm going to have to get used to that." You smiled and nodded yes. "I'm tired. I just pushed a seven-pound bowling ball out of a tiny opening."

You laughed. "You did great." You looked over at Namjoon, then back to Yuna. "Are you ready for another one?" You couldn't help but tease.

"Oh god–if Namjoon goes anywhere near me, I will murder him. I can't do this again."

"I'm sure you'll change your mind," Namjoon chirped, standing to rock Indie in his arms.

You rolled your eyes and shook your head at your favorite couple. You were sure they would have more kids in the future, and you could see them with at least one more.

Turning to Yuna, you held her hand. "Do you need anything before I go?"

She shook her head, looking at her mom, who finished preparing her meal. She placed her hand on top of yours, squeezing it.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being here. I couldn't have done this without you."

You chuckled. "That's what best friends are for, right? We do everything together, even have babies." You stood, leaning to kiss the top of her head. "Get some rest, okay? Let me know when you get home, so I can visit and hold baby Indie while you and Namjoon sleep."

She hummed, pressing her lips together, squeezing your hand one last time. "Love you."

"Love you too."

Jin offered to take you home, and you couldn't help but laugh a little because he probably wanted an excuse to leave and not have to be around the new parents-to-be and their baby. You understood it, though not everyone is comfortable around babies and children.

The ride home was quiet, which was surprising. You thought he'd at least have one more dad joke in his pocket, ready to go. He pulled to a stop in front of your place. You turned to thank him for the ride, but the desolate expression on his face made you pause.

"Everything okay?"

He cleared his throat. "Can I ask why you were upset at the hospital?"

The reasons could go on for hours, but you wouldn't subject Jin to listening to you rattle on about your problems. "I'm just going through a lot right now."

"Is it because I mentioned Jungkook? I realized now that it was insensitive of me to tell you even though you didn't ask to hear about him."

"It's fine, Jin. Don't worry about–"

"No, please let me apologize." Your lips thinned into a straight line, nodding to let him continue. "I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't ask about him, and I can only imagine what you're going through. Just to let you know, I'm also mad at him for leaving like that. You didn't deserve that, and you at least deserved a goodbye in person."

"We both hurt each other, so I understand why he did what he did, and I'm not mad at him for leaving like he did. I'd be gone if I wasn't working on this new TV show.

"You can't leave. You're not allowed to."

You laughed. "And what do you need me for?"

Jin shrugged. "I don't know. I have to think about it." You smiled, hanging your head down, and he nudged your arm, making you peer at him. "Don't be a stranger. Call me if you need anything–a midnight snack, someone to watch a movie with, whatever, it doesn't matter. I'll be there. We're friends, okay?"

When you didn't respond, he gave you a threatening look. "Okay, okay. Yes, I'll call if I need anything." You grabbed your things, ready to open the door.

Jin grabbed your wrist. "Hey, you're gonna be fine."

You forced a smile and hummed. You knew how you were feeling, and where you are right now was not where you'd always be. It could take days, weeks, or months to be genuinely okay. But you would be, eventually.

✨ next ~ drabble ~ it'll be okay (jk pov)

[scarletsaphire]

Here's chapter 2 of Guide Dog, my EI for @skarlettskwrl. You can find all of the art here, go show her some love! And a huge thank you to @redactedgoose for betaing!

Now that she knew that Danny was safe- or at least as safe as he could be- Jazz finally allowed herself to take a nap. 

She had intended for it to be a quick one, but when she woke up the sky was dark again, the moon well on its way to rising. She wasn't worried too much; Danny was safely nestled against her on the living room carpet, and Maddie and Jack were still downstairs. She doubted that anyone would come looking for them for a while. Most people would assume they'd have their hands full after catching Phantom, and no one wanted to stumble in on that.

Still, she couldn't stay there forever. Eventually someone would get curious, or worried- or, if nothing else, come to collect unpaid bills. They couldn't be anywhere near here when they did. 

Jazz left Danny resting on the soft carpet and made her way to her room. She had work to do.

First things first, she needed to figure out how to carry Danny reliably. While carrying Danny in her mouth was ok to bring him upstairs, if they wanted to cover any kind of distance she would need something a bit safer. She made her way up to her old bedroom, where she'd left the vast majority of her stuff before leaving for college. Her door was shut tight. That was not ideal.

She tried to open the door with her paw, and was, for the first time in her life, grateful that Fentonworks had door handles and not doorknobs. It opened easily enough, letting her into the room. 

It was sparse; she had taken a lot of her stuff with her- all but a small pile of clothes, all either deemed too childish, too fancy, too small, or too Amity to bring with her. The pile was folded neatly on her bed, right where she'd left it. Wonderful. 

All she had to do was get on top of the bed, and then she'd be able to find that old, ectoplasm stained hoodie she'd purposefully left behind. Jazz reached up to try and climb up, only for her back to twinge in complaint. Jazz frowned, or at least tried to. She couldn't quite get her face to cooperate.

Jazz had been putting off dealing with her... situation. Over the years she'd ended up very good at compartmentalizing, and she knew herself well enough to recognize that she was doing it now, and had been doing it since her arrival, if not since her departure from her dorm. 

It seemed like she wasn't going to be afforded that luxury anymore. Clearly, she wouldn't be able to just climb onto the bed with no thought.

Her first idea was to try and change back. This probably wasn't a permanent change. Something had triggered it, so hopefully something could trigger it back. But when she thought back to try and figure out what, exactly, had triggered it, she was met with nothing. Not just that she couldn't think of what had triggered it, but that she couldn't think of the situation around it. 

She knew what had happened logically. Of course she did. But she couldn't remember anything in detail after arriving at the doorstep to Fentonworks. She must've blocked it out completely. Severe trauma could do that to a person, as a defense mechanism. She hadn't expected it to set in so quickly.

Trying to break down her mental barriers and figure out what had triggered this transformation would take a lot of time and energy that she couldn't spare right now. She couldn't afford to reveal something and have the barriers come crashing down, rendering her useless. There was work to do. Instead, she'd just have to figure out how to manage with the cards she'd been dealt. 

She was different now, however temporary she hoped it might be, and she needed to adapt. Adjust.

She spent a couple of minutes flexing what used to have been her fingers and hands, but were now her front paws. It was an odd sensation; she knew how her hands were supposed to react when she tried to move them in this way or that, and she could feel the muscles and tendons stretching in the same way it always had, and yet it didn't work like it should have. When she squeezed her hand into a fist, the paw flexed, pointing sharp claws out in front of her. When she flexed her hand, trying to stretch her fingers apart, she was met with a twinge of pain and her paw flexing forward. It wasn't quite the same with her feet, since she hadn't ever tried to move her feet like hands before, but her back paws responded in basically the same way.

Jazz moved to her arms and legs. Like her hands and feet, they largely moved the same way now, which was awkward to get used to when she'd never even thought of using her elbows like knees before. She quickly discovered that she could walk and run perfectly fine when she didn't focus on it, but the moment she put thought into her movements she was stumbling around like a newborn deer. It took her a solid couple of minutes of walking around the perimeter of her bedroom before she could walk in a straight line, moving her front and back legs in tandem to keep her balance.

She moved on to her neck and her back, which were the most different, and the most difficult. She couldn't really look up like she was used to, couldn't bend her back like she normally did. It made sense; humans were naturally vertical creatures, and whatever she'd been turned into was certainly more horizontal. 

She tested the limits of her new body, craning to try and see things until the pain in her neck told her she needed to stop. She intended to twist around on herself until her back did the same thing, only to find that she could twist until her nose was against her body without any pain, and only with the mildest of discomforts. She moved to trying to go up and down, and that was where she encountered trouble. It was probably also why she couldn't climb onto her bed easily.

She figured it out, in the end. She'd been arching her back a bit too much, bending her back legs too little. Now, Jazz was able to lift herself onto the bed without any pain. It took her a solid minute of remembering how to move a limb in the way that she wanted, or trying to gain traction on her surprisingly slippery bed sheets, but she managed. Hopefully it would get easier with time. 

That is, if she ended up staying like this for any extended period of time. She hoped she wouldn't.

Her clothes remained on her bed, neatly folded into the same piles she'd left them in. Before Jazz left, she'd made the decision to leave the clothes out, that way if she visited for a holiday she would be able to separate clothes she wanted to take back with her and clothes she wanted to keep her out easily, and still be able to unpack to her heart’s content. She was grateful for that now.

She obviously couldn't go through the piles with her hands, seeing as she currently lacked any opposable thumbs, so she made due with her nose. It wasn't as unnatural as moving her back had been, but it did make her very aware of scents she hadn't bothered to notice. She was able to place most of them, oddly enough, even though they were so much stronger. She could smell the dust that had accumulated over her absence, the metal and wood that Fentonworks was largely made out of, herself on the clothes- even if the smell was a little bit faint- and the acrid scent of ectoplasm permeating the air, drowning out nearly everything else. It was a miracle she'd managed to ignore it for so long, and a miracle that she continued to ignore it now.

She grabbed the hoodie she'd been looking for, pulling it out from the middle of the no longer neat stacks of clothes. It had been white, when she'd first gotten it, but now it was stained green in enough places that it could pass as tie dyed. One of the pull strings to adjust the size of the hoodie was torn at the end, making it uneven with the other one, which was almost coated with a layer of ectoplasm that Jazz had never been able to get off. It was certainly not something she would want to bring with her anywhere, but it had a nice, soft pocket that she could snap closed at either end, and she wouldn't miss it when it inevitably got dirty.

It was actually pretty easy to get her head into the hoodie. It wasn’t much different than it ever had been, though she did have to turn it around to get it on the right way. The arm holes were a much more difficult challenge. They were longer than her arms currently were, and didn't bend in the right places, making wearing them nearly impossible. But if she didn't wear them, she wouldn't be able to make sure that Danny was-

Jazz blinked slowly as what Danny currently was settled over her. 

She remembered, distantly, him retreating into his core the day previously, but she hadn't actually, fully processed it yet. He wasn't even recognizable as a person right now. 

What was she doing up here? She was supposed to be protecting him, watching over him, taking care of him while he healed. 

She jumped off of the bed, hoodie clutched in her mouth, and started downstairs. She could figure out the whole arm hole thing later.

Danny was exactly where she had left him when she woke up, his core propped amidst a pile of pillows and cushions that had been pulled off the couch and chairs. Jazz did the closest thing to sighing in relief that she could manage. 

It was a mistake. She had to inhale to get the displaced air back into her lungs, and with it brought a coppery scent that she wished she couldn't place, and even more wished she couldn't taste, still stuck in her teeth. She'd left the door open to the basement. Of course she had, how was she supposed to close them? The door was open, and she couldn't see down the stairs from where she was standing, but she didn't need to see because she could remember everything, the fragile barriers of her mind giving way to show her what she had done.

Maddie and Jack Fenton were dead, lying gutted on the floor of the lab, and Jazz could still taste their flesh in her teeth, their blood coating her tongue, their protests echoing in her ears. 

She stumbled into the side of the mostly stripped couch, sliding down the side of it until she fell to the floor. 

She had killed her parents. Butchered them like an animal, and she hadn't even hesitated. Even now, she couldn't bring herself to regret it, not when she could see her baby brother, barely the size of an apple, pulsating with a soft, weak light.

Jazz swallowed hard, which did nothing to erase the taste of blood in her mouth. She needed to move quickly. She'd woken up with a goal, and she needed to stick to it. She could break down later. She needed to get Danny into the hoodie so that they could get to somewhere safe.

She dropped the hoodie to the floor, spreading it out as best as she could. She had planned to use the pocket, but looking at it now, it didn't seem secure enough. Sure, it had additional snaps that she'd sewn on herself, but they were spaced out far too much, and the pocket might end up dragging on the ground if she wasn't careful. It would be a better idea to have him in the hood, where she could keep an eye on him. That didn't solve the issue with the sleeves.

Jazz's gaze moved to her paw, which was resting only a few inches below the seam. Rather, it focused on her claws, sharp and precise. 

It wouldn't be pretty, but it would get the job done. That's what mattered now. Just get the job done. 

Jazz held one side of the hoodie in her mouth, and carefully dug her claws in the seam, pulling the fabric apart. Just as she thought, it was nowhere near a clean tear, but when she tried to fit her leg through it, it worked. She repeated the process with the other arm, and was soon wearing the hoodie upside down, so that the hood hung beneath her chin. Jazz rolled Danny into the pocket, making sure that he was as secure as he was going to get, and straightened.

She didn't know where to go. She knew it had to be somewhere, anywhere that wasn't here, but there weren’t many good options. 

Tucker and Sam were out of the question; Jazz couldn't explain the situation, and she didn't trust them to not try and separate her from Danny. She wouldn't leave his side again. 

Nowhere else in Amity Park would be safe, not with the Guys in White still wandering around. She didn't want to know what they would do once they found Maddie and Jack dead. Even if it wasn't for them, the number of ghosts Danny fought regularly was too high. Most of them would probably leave him alone, once they realized the state he was in, but Jazz couldn't bet on that. The Ghost Zone was out for a similar reason. Anywhere outside of Amity Park probably wouldn't have the ambient ectoplasm Danny needed to heal.

She needed somewhere secluded in Amity Park, where nobody, ghost or human alike, would come looking for them. The woods surrounding Amity Park Park were not her favorite option, but when the list consisted of one choice, you took it.

Jazz was lucky she had woken up when she had; by the time she made her way out of Fenton Works, it was too early in the morning to be considered night, and too late at night to be considered morning. Amity Park didn't have much of a night life, but even what little it did have was asleep at this hour. There was no one to raise questions as she walked through the streets. 

It was brighter than it should've been; Jazz assumed her eyes were different too, letting her see more clearly. She was grateful for it. She may have been able to navigate to the park just fine, but being able to see could only make her journey faster.

Her plan was simple. Not because she wanted it to be, but because there wasn't much that she could plan. 

Danny had told her a while ago about how the woods of Amity Park were bigger than most people thought it was, but only if you could find your way. He'd explained it as some innate ghost compass, guiding him to places that humans could only access through sheer luck, or lack of it. 

Jazz didn't have luck, but she did have time and enough determination to find the entrance to some secret ghost woods a thousand times over if she needed to. She'd find a nice spot to lay down, make Danny a cozy little nest to rest in, and wait. She'd worry about food and water later; there wasn't much about it that she could do right now.

The park was completely deserted when she arrived, just like she expected it to be. The dirt path to the woods was cold and ever so slightly damp, not quite enough to be muddy but enough that she could feel it give ever so slightly with every step she took. Maybe it was a good thing this had happened to her. No one would be looking to follow a dog's footprints.  

The woods stretched in front of Jazz, towering higher above her than they had since she was a little kid. They were ominous, carrying with them an omen, but she didn't have any other options. 

She entered, preparing herself for a long search. 

She needn't have bothered. 

It was near instantaneous, the feeling in her gut, guiding her feet off the beaten path and under a fallen log, around a blackberry bush, and over a small group of rocks that were just shy as being called boulders. She could feel the switch in the air when she entered the secret part of the woods, could taste the way that the trees seemed to age hundreds of years with her step over the threshold, and could see the light dim. 

Jazz wondered if that feeling was the same one Danny got when he tried to find this place. 

She wondered what that meant for her.

Finding a place to rest was almost as easy as finding the secret woods had been. It wasn't quite as strong a pull as it had been to find the place, but it still seemed to guide her in the way the trees bent and the wind blew. 

It was not a large clearing by any means, just slightly larger than Jazz was when she laid out straight, but the ground was covered in a spongy layer of moss, and a thin ray of moonlight fell upon it. The stars glittered in that empty space, far brighter than they should have considering how close they were to the city. Danny would have loved it. Danny would love it, as soon as he woke up.

Jazz built Danny a little nest out of the hoodie so that he was settled perfectly in that little patch of light. She curled herself around him, and settled down to wait. It was all that was left to do.

[starandsims]

Book 1: Normal Type | Chapter 7: Sleepover (1/2)

Book 1: Normal Type | Chapter 7: Sleepover (1/2)

Teddy was getting quickly burnt out after a few months of school. He enjoyed his classes well enough but he still felt like they weren’t related much to administration in a school setting. He had two jobs now, and sometimes it was really difficult to wake up in the mornings to go straight to work. Then as soon as he got home he would have just enough time to feed Samson and feed himself before his first class. Then after classes were over he would go straight to his job at the retail store. When he finally got home he didn’t have the energy to do much other than shower and sleep. He felt the most bad for little Samson, who wasn’t getting enough attention and ate through his food so quickly it was hard to keep up. 

He couldn’t quit either of his jobs though because that was the only way he could pay the bills, and he couldn't quit university either obviously. Once he was finished with his four year degree he could relax, then he would be bringing in some more money and he wouldn’t be busy as much. What upset him the most about his busy days wasn’t the exhaustion or the hunger, but he was missing his family. His siblings would often call him during the day or try to come by the house, but he always had to tell them he was busy and couldn’t talk. He’d never done that before - he’d always put his family before himself. He knew it was right, because he needed to take care of himself and his siblings were all grown and capable of taking care of themselves now - but at the same time he missed spending time with them and doing things for them. 

One day, his sister Lilli came by and before he could tell her he was too tired to hang out, she told him that a storm had hit San Myshuno the night before. All of the fixtures in her and Bliss’s apartment were leaking water and it was unlivable right now. She pleaded with him to come and see if he could do anything. That sad look in her eyes and his own disappointment in himself for not spending enough time with his sisters quickly diverted his attention and he agreed to take a look. Not being handy at all didn’t help, and all he could really do was call a proper repair man and get them an appointment scheduled for the next day. 

“Tomorrow?’ Lilli asked with worry. “But what about tonight? We can’t sleep here with all of this going on.”

“Not a big deal,” Bliss shrugged, already packing some things into a bag. “There’s a nice courtyard here, we can just sleep out there.”

“Sleep outside? You can’t be serious, right?” Lilli asked. 

“Of course I am, I’ve actually been wanting to do it anyway, now I have an excuse!” Indeed the older twin had a certain sparkle of excitement in her eyes. 

“You can always come stay with me,” Teddy offered, suddenly realizing how much he would love to have his sister around even if just for a night. “You can sleep in my bed and I’ll manage on the couch.”

Lilli eagerly accepted and packed her things, while Bliss was determined to sleep under the stars. Plus, and she would never have said this out loud, but weren’t sleepovers for little kids or something? (1/2)

[gerard-ways-gremlin]

✮matching tattoos?✮

Bill x gn!reader

✮a suggested song for the fic from me!✮

You and Bill were sitting at home, eating some fast food, and talking about random things when you brought up the idea of:

"matching tattoos?" Bill questioned

"Yeah, I think it'd be cool, I mean, you already have some, and I have some, maybe we can match, like bff tattoos! what do you think?" You said, seeming kind of excited to do matching tattoos

"Sounds nice, but what would it be exactly, i mean, it should mean something, like a date or a specific object."

He was right, it shouldn't be just anything it should mean something to you two, and you thought the same, all your tattoos had a meaning, the butterfly on your forarm, the heartbeat tattoo on you chest, and the semicolon on your wrist.

You thought for a bit, then spoke

"I got it, bill what time of day did we meet?"

"It was when the sunrise just started. Why?" Bill said, kind of confused

"Would you say that our personalities are kind of like the 'black cat' and 'golden retriever' duo, or sun and moon as people?" You said

"Yeah, I would. Where are you going with this?" Bill asked

"We could get a tattoo like this," You moved your phone up to show the picture of the tattoo

"But instead of hands holding it, it could be with a black cat or a golden retriever holding it!" You said, sounding excited

"I mean, it looks good as it is, but if you want to, then yeah." he said with a smile

You smiled back, only downside ro this was: one, you had to wait since you were about to go to bed, and two, tattoos hurt.

[✮°•TIME SKIP•°✮]

It's the next day. You just woke up and didn't bother to change into anything yet, so you stayed in your oversized t-shirt and shorts that couldn't be seen.

You walked into the kitchen to see Tom sitting at the counter, eating. Bill was making himself some toast, while you just went to the fridge and grabbed your fruit bowl mix, like usual.

"Morning guys," you said while opening the container and grabbing a fork

"Morning," you heard them both say, almost at the same time.

You sat down and ate your fruit, and really quickly, too. You couldn't wait to get this done

"Woah, slow down there. You'll either get the hiccups or sick," Bill said, chuckling at the end of the sentence

"I know, just excited," you smile, starting to slow down on eating

"I am too, but don't rush yourself,"

"The fuck are you talking about?" Tom asked

"We're getting matching tattoos today" you said with a smile

"And you two still aren't dating? Damn." Tom said

"No, Tom, we're just friends." You said

Tom snorts "really now? You have kissed, and you've cuddled. You have even slept next to each other, now matching tattoos. How are you two 'just friends'?"

"Well, we- shut up." You say then look down

Tom just laughs, bill wasn't paying attention and just continued making his toast

[✮°•TIME SKIP #2•°✮]

You were in the car, in the front seat sitting next to Bill. You looked like a big ball of energy, and as soon as you saw the tattoo parlor, it got worse. Bill thought it was the cutest thing.

Tom did too, but it was starting to get annoying for him. You did this the first, second, and third time getting tattoos he and Bill were there all three times, he was used to it, and he'd always get annoyed after a bit of you doing it.

"We're here," Bill says

"Yay!" You had a big smile on your face while you talked

"Finally, your excited ass was starting to get annoying," Tom said with a chuckle.

You walked in the parlor and got everything set to start. You wanted to go first, so obviously, you did.

Bill just sat next to you, having to hold on to your hand every now and then since you forgot how bad it hurt to get one, Tom stared when he did so.

"That's just cute," Tom said with a smirk

"What's cute?" You asked

"They're holding your hand," Tom said

"So?" Bill asked. "Tattoos hurt, and they're literally squeezing me right now," Bill said with a small chuckle

Soon enough, it was time for him to get his tattoo. You did the exact same as he did. After doing a little happy dance of course, you didn't have to hold his hand much, but you still did.

After yall were done, you, bill, and tom went put to get McDonald's

✮I hope you liked it! It Took me forever, and i wanted to make a longer one!✮

[jafndaegur]

Of Jade and Claw

ZhongittoZhong Week | Day 3 | Horn & Competition

Genshin Impact

Rating: T

Day 1: Visions | Day 2: Confession | x

Once again I'm writing about two rocks in love.

Zhongli paced impatiently. 

It was late. Itto was late.

In fact, Itto was about three days late. The oni had left earlier in the week on a mining expedition, saying if anything it would be an overnight stay. The headman had needed someone with brute force and preferably a resonance with geo in order to find weak walls of an ore deposit. 

Before leaving, Itto had declared he fit the bill to a T. And at the time, Zhongli couldn’t help but agree. Afterall, Arataki Itto had managed to stay in Liyue for over a month now, taking on odd jobs every day. But a rare opportunity with something the young man specialized had yet to pop up.

There’s no point in worrying, he’s a free spirit… The former archon reassured himself over and over. 

But after the second night of a missing oni, he began his way to Wangshu Inn.

If there was anyone who could find a rampant oni in the wilderness, it was a yaksha. Xiao had not been overly pleased with such a menial task, but as Zhongli pressed the importance of finding his companion, the adeptus eventually acquiesced.

“Why is a demon from Inazuma so important?” Xiao had asked. “You try to remain uninvolved most times.”

It dawned upon Zhongli then, that he didn’t know why. The two of them, over the past several weeks, had built a life around one another. 

Greeting each other in the mornings before work. Whoever arrived at the domicile first during the end of day would cook dinner. The downtimes often resulted in Itto “training” or searching for insects outdoors while Zhongli would join outside and read or write. Nighttime was a quiet affair. 

Both of them set their clothes out meticulously for the morrow to come. And every now and then, Zhongli would stay up later than usual, regaling tales of Rex Lapis to a wide-eyed Itto all too willing to listen. Itto too would sometimes tell stories, of the onis long past or life beneath the shogun’s heel. They’d find comfort in one another within the darkness of night. 

“Because I need him,” Zhongli had finally decided, “And I believe he needs me too.”

The anemo yaksha had not anticipated such an earnest answer—he left with a thoughtful nod and wave goodbye. 

Which is how Zhongli now found himself storming west through the countryside. Xiao had reported multiple farmers had seen a group of miners accompanied by a strange person with horns.The unexpected party had traveled south of Lisha more than a few days ago. 

A bad feeling had weighed heavily in Zhongli’s stomach. Lisha was open and empty land—and a cesspool for Treasure Hoarders. While he trusted Itto could take care of his own, he did not trust the integrity of the local bandits to adhere to the oni’s moral code of battle.

The mines in Lisha were dangerous, few mining teams ever came this far south due to the fragility of the rock. With every footstep, the adeptus could feel the earth crying gently beneath the soles of his heels. Here the earth felt hollow and torn asunder. Guilt tugged at his gut like a hook in a fish. This was how Azhdaha had been rendered mindless and fading. Humans digging and digging and digging at the leylines until there was hardly anything left. 

He swallowed back the ill remembrance, telling himself it was all in the past. 

Sweeping his hands outwards with a wave of geo energy in its wake, Zhongli searched for any sort of resonance. If Itto was nearby, then he’d find him. 

A remote voice, unlike any other, came from a crack in the earth…

His heart clenched and his body followed—the old archon chased after the feeling of geo, knowing the strong and confident flow of Itto’s Vision anywhere. It was loud and boisterous, almost larger than life, just like the young oni. 

The lord of Geo searched here and there…

The maw of a mining tunnel stretched like a starved animal. Zhongli did not hesitate to enter, drawing his spear forth. Down the corridor that eventually began to open up into a cave, he could see the flickers of a fire and hear the noisy din of talking. What infuriated him the most, was that of all the voices, he did not recognize Itto’s. 

Before finally…

A mob of treasure hoarders all sat around a fire, laughing and drinking merrily. Their spoils littered the floor, as did food debris and spilled liquor. And there at the front of the cave…

He unearthed a strange stone from the bedrock.

Itto was slumped back against the supporting wall of the cave, a horn broken and his face battered. Other miners had been tied up beside him, most if not all of them also unconscious. 

Zhongli’s sight narrowed and he felt his blood boil. His vision went red. 

The world blinked out of existence, and when he suddenly returned to, Itto was standing before him, ruby eyes open and wide—well, only one, the other was swollen shut with a bruise. The oni’s large hand restrained Zhongli’s arm with a surprising amount of tenderness, and the other arm wrapped firmly around Zhongli’s waist. 

“Hey, you got them, it’s okay.” Itto said as if he’d been repeating the same phrase over and over again. 

Zhongli stared at his spear and then the petrified bodies that littered the floor of the cave.

His gaze softened and flickered to anywhere except at Itto’s all-too earnest glance. The embarrassment at losing control welled up in him. It was another block of shame that stacked onto the already tall order of guilt. Zhongli’s jaw clenched. Afterall, he wasn’t some young god that waltzed idly into any fight—he could’ve done things far more tactfully…and with a far greater punishment than just meager death. 

“Not that it was a competition, or anything,” Itto said, releasing Zhongli’s spear-arm but still keeping a firm hold on his waist. “But I trashed at least fifty of those dudes before you showed up.” 

Only then did he snap his attention back to the oni. Their gazes met and he found that he couldn’t look away this time. 

“Hey there.” Itto smiled in the most roguish of fashions. Or well he would have, had his face not been so swollen. 

Zhongli huffed with pained amusement. Before he couldn’t make any more mistakes, he leaned forward and offered just the quickest of embraces. Or at least that was the plan. However Itto quickly returned it, and the warmth of the oni sent Zhongli reeling at the staggering amount of sincerity. 

 “Next time you don’t return home, I'll find you immediately.” Zhongli vowed somberly, hands gripping Itto’s outer layer. “No waiting like this time.”

Itto’s nose buried itself in the crown of Zhongli’s hair. “Look…Zhongli…”

The adeptus waited.

“Thank you,” the oni finally whispered. “I don’t think anyone would have cared to—”

“That’s enough.” Zhongli interrupted. “I care. I’ve probably cared since the moment I found you flouncing around in the lotus ponds at Yujing Terrace.” 

Itto said nothing and instead held Zhongli tighter.

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. 

Welcome to Too Much Information Tuesday.

Lobsters urinate out of their faces.

In the 1930s, the USA printed $100,000 bills.

The average person listens to 25 songs a day.

Obesity is now a bigger killer than malnutrition.

Mild hearing loss between the ages of 40 and 69 triples the risk of falling over.

LiFi is 100 times faster than WiFi and uses light instead of radio frequencies.

Not being able to control your negative thoughts is also a warning sign of depression.

‘Tom and Jerry’ was British slang term in the 1800s, meaning ‘to fight and cause trouble.’

Before sleeping, 90% of your mind begins to imagine stuff you'd like to happen.  (So true!!)

The world’s deserts receive enough solar energy in six hours to power the world for a year.

Legalising same sex marriage in the US decreased the number of men enrolling in the Catholic priesthood.

Anhedonia is the word for that feeling when you cannot find joy in the things that usually bring you joy.

Human muscles are limited by our brain.  We actually have the strength to move cars and boulders.

During the reign of Edward III (1327-77), the citizens of Norwich had to pay the king 24 herring pies a year.

In ‘Terminator 2’, Schwarzenegger was paid $15 million.  It means, for each word he spoke, he earned $21,429!

Not a single engineer survived off the Titanic; they stayed on board to keep the power on so others could escape.

Introversion is strongly associated with creativity and intelligence.  75% of people with IQs over 160 are introverts.

The sons of Hitler's nephew all agreed that they would never marry or have children in order to kill Hitler's bloodline.

80% of people keep their feelings to themselves because they believe it's hard for others to understand their pain.

"They call me ‘stupid’ for smoking marijuana, but they call the creator of the atomic bomb ‘intelligent’." (Bob Marley)

Michael Caine first saw Shakira Beikish on television in a coffee ad back in 1977.  They have now been married for over 46 years.

The best friendships tend to be those in which you can be openly weird and/or sarcastic without the other person taking offense.

Depression is the most common disability in women.  About 25% of all women will experience severe depression at some point in their lives.

In the Philippines, the common greeting ‘tao po’ is a shortened version of an older phrase that means ‘I am human and not a demon’.

According to a new paper, disco balls can be useful in observing the sun.  The authors even suggest that, “every observatory needs a disco ball.”

As some mammals can absorb oxygen through their intestines, scientists are considering the possibility of ‘anal ventilation’ in humans in the future.

Things unique to each person, which could be used for biometric authentication and verification include: fingerprint, voice pattern, iris and retina, toe print, ear, teeth, anus.

USA Today has hired a reporter to write exclusively about Taylor Swift.  To prove that he’s capable of being objective, he said that there are three Taylor Swift songs that “he can’t stand.”

On June 21st, 2005, a 12-year-old Ethiopian girl, who had been abducted and beaten by several men, was found being guarded by three lions who apparently had chased off her captors.

In the 1970s, North Korea ordered 1000 Volvos from Sweden in a deal worth $70 million.  After delivering the vehicles, North Korea never paid for the cars, resulting in the largest car theft in human history.

A device invented for men in the 1880s set off an alarm if an erection was detected.  It was only tried by five men, one of whom quickly gave it up because he got tired of being woken seven times in two hours.

‘Blue zones’ are areas of the world where people live a particularly long time.  They have been studied to see what lifestyles may lead to a long and healthy life.  However, new evidence suggests they are simply areas with higher levels of clerical errors and pension fraud.

At 3.00 a.m. one night in 1988, Hawaiian singer Israel Kamakawiwo'ole called a local studio and said he needed to record something immediately.  He pleaded with the engineer: "Please, can I come in?  I have an idea."  Kamakawiwo'ole recorded his iconic version of ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ in one take.  The song has been used in numerous film soundtracks, including ’50 First Dates’ and is the longest-leading No. 1 hit on any of the Billboard song charts, having spent 358 weeks on top of the World Digital Songs chart.

Okay, that’s enough information for one day.  Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday!  I love you all.

[toointojoelmiller]

please don’t go: a last of us fic

chapter 12

----

after David / Silver Lake / post-episode 8

angst, Joel & Ellie bonding, 99% canon compliant

rating: mature - content warnings re: s/a, violence, more

I'm no longer copying this over to tumblr because it got way too long and it's too much!!!! Read on ao3 for the updated chapters

ch 1 | ch 2 | ch 3 | ch 4 | ch 5 | ch 6 | ch 7 | ch 8 | ch 9 | ch 10 | ch 11 | ch 12

----

The few fleeting years that he got with Sarah were spent spread thin. Time, energy, money, sleep – never enough of any of it.

On the first night that it was just the two of them – along with some newly blank walls, empty dresser drawers, and a bathroom counter that looked alien without brushes and sponges and bottles scattered across it – he had the first panic attack of his life. In the middle of warming up a bottle, he realized couldn’t get any air into his chest - and then he was on the floor, back pressed against the cabinet under the sink - formula spilled, bottle needing to be sanitized again. When the pounding in his ears softened and the world started to leak back in, he heard what he’d been missing for however long he’d spent shrinking into ground - Sarah’s hungry little wail from the living room - calling out for him, helpless and alone in her bassinet. It felt like the start of a lifetime of letting her down.

She was colicky her first year - the sleep deprivation felt like it was breaking him apart - sometimes so exhausted he didn’t trust himself to hold her out of fear he would drop her, so she’d suffer then too, crying for comfort he was too afraid to give. There were life-giving, blissful moments that made him whole - little coos and finger grasps, the feeling of holding and snuggling and breathing her smell in - all perfect and warm - but in between he thought the impossibility of it all would smother him. When she would finally sleep he’d lay on his bed with his heart racing, palms sweating, panting his way through sheer terror - and then she’d wake, and he’d swallow it down - try to hold himself together again.

Tommy helped out where he could, but he was just a kid himself - and then he was overseas - and on minimum wage full-time didn’t even come close to cutting it so Joel needed to work more than full-time hours just to keep her fed with a roof overhead - which meant paying for more than full-time child care - and he hated that he was working for money to spend on leaving her with strangers all day - hated that so much of the time he got to be with her was spent asleep. Most nights he’d stay up too late just to have more time to look at her, watch her breathe - and, always, work away at the never ending list - laundry, dishes - look for better jobs, more jobs - decide which bills to short that month.

The hardest to live with were the weeks, in those early years before he got into some decent paying work, where an unexpected expense would pop up and he’d find - doing the math at the kitchen table at night - that they didn’t have enough money to feed them through to his next pay day. Sarah never went hungry, of course - he did sometimes - but the shame of nearly not being able to provide his baby the bare minimum she needed to grow, to live – felt like it stained him.

It felt a bit like now. He’s craning his neck and squinting to try to sharpen his vision, even though he already knows – it’s obvious from a fair distance that there’s nothing in the traps. It’s not a surprise - probably twice in 20 years has he caught something in a snare that’d been set for less than a day - but he still sags with disappointment. Hates that he went out to look in the first place - something might have been scared off by the sight or smell of him – and Jesus Christ does he smell.

And now he’s walking back empty handed – Ellie will be hungry for another night, tiny body wasting away, eating itself up to keep her going.

He starts heading back to the little building, his brain wandering on its own - he’s wishing he’d never watched those TV specials about eating disorders in girls. He hadn’t actually worried about Sarah that way - girl would clean out the whole fridge in one night if he’d let her - but the perils of teenage-hood had seemed like a terrifying threat on their horizon sometimes.

If only he fucking knew .

All any of that was good for, turns out, was the nagging worry he’s been feeling all day, unable to ignore just how thin Ellie’s become. Unable to stop imagining her little heart suddenly giving out on her.

She’s up and on her feet now - he can see the pale blur of her face peeking out the window in his direction as he makes his way back - raises a hand at her in a little wave.

Most of the day had passed by in a slow daze - Ellie curled up, sometimes sleeping but mostly uncomfortable, repositioning and shuffling with groans - Joel staying at her side, repeating their ice-pack routine a few more times when she’d ask him to.

When she was sleeping, he’d nodded off a few times - struggling to keep himself up, foggy and drained - the warmth built up under the thick sleeping bag-blanket and the sun streaming in the window making it all too easy to relax. He was getting too weak to fight it.

A bonus that he hadn’t expected - the sun was so warm he’d tried putting the first aid kit - half-slush half-water - up on the shelf to bask in it, and when he checked it after a few hours, only water remained - slightly less than absolutely freezing cold to the touch – enough to refill her thermos, and half of his, too. He’d been able to get a good amount of water into her here and there, and got her to crunch up another two glucose-tubes - but she stubbornly refused to have the other, insisting that it was for him.

She’s a bright kid, but if she thinks that he’s going to be having their last one, well -

When he opens the door, kicking the snow off his boots before he steps back in, she’s standing next to window, leaning over a bit, supporting herself with an arm braced on the shelf.

“Nothing?” She asks, not really a question.

He grunts in confirmation, then says - “Oughta get somethin’ tomorrow - mornin’, hopefully. You should lay d-”

“I know - just needed to get off my ass. Feels like it’s gonna fall off.”

He rolls his eyes at her, mainly for her amusement, as he slips the rifle off and sets it against the wall again. Shrugs out his shoulder, trying to loosen up the twinge pinching in his neck.

“I hate just sitting around,” she mumbles.

He snorts a bit at that - “No kiddin’ - think I figured that out about you on day one,” he says. When she doesn’t say anything he adds, “S’just temporary, kiddo. Won’t be for long." 

An anxious look passes over her face as she asks, “When can we leave?”

He sighs. Knows he needs to answer this carefully - not sure if she’s ready to hear what he’s going to say. No clue how much of the logistics of the situation they are in she’s really thought through yet - doesn’t want to distress her.

“Well,” he starts – trying to be cautious but feeling clumsy as he talks through it - “you gotta be able to walk, for - for a few miles, so… And - we’re both - if we run into, uh,  trouble - we need to be able to handle it. Need to get some food in us, first, before we can do much.”

He doesn’t need to say anything further - her face crumples in disappointment - there’s no way around the truth. Still, with the way she’s looking so defeated - he wishes he could take the words back.

“Hope we fucking catch something,” she mutters. She looks down at her feet.

“Yeah,” he says, “Me too.” Still too scared to ask how long it’s been since she’s eaten.

“You warm enough?” he says instead. “Want the jacket for a bit? I’m fine without.”

“Nah. I gotta sit back down in a minute. My fucking head … when astronauts are in training they go in these big spinny things – called a centrifuge -”

Joel feels a small smile tug at his lips - “Centri-fuge,” he corrects her gently - she’d said it with a hard “g”. The sound of her voice, talking in full sentences – talking about the usual shit she loves to talk about - has him feeling a bit lighter.

“Really? ‘Centrifuge’ - anyway, they practice so they don’t like, hurl and pass out when they launch for real — it kinda feels like my head is in one of those.”

Dizzy, nauseated - not unexpected - she’s still only somewhere between 12-24 hours out from whenever her head was hit – “lots”, she had said. The sad little line she’s drawn connecting her space fascination and this hell she’s living through makes the almost-smile drop from his face immediately.

She turns a little to look at the shelf under the window, and he notices for the first time that she’s got the map out spread open in front of her. “Look,” she says, and he steps over to see her finger pointing south of where they are, near Denver - a little red square, next to ‘Dinosaur Ridge’. “And - ” she slides her finger over to the left a bit, until she lands on ‘Dinosaur Journey Museum’ - “was Denver the dino-capital of the country or something?”

He hasn’t let himself think about those days in so long – Sarah always in the lead and pulling him along behind her, chattering away – had something to say in front of what seemed like nearly every exhibit, knowing things she had no business knowing - “Nerd alert,” he’d tease in a stage whisper, and she’d stick her tongue out at him over her shoulder, quipping back “Well somebody has to bring the Miller family IQ up from the depths and it sure ain’t gonna be you or Uncle Tommy” -

The list of things that Ellie deserves and will never get is endless, and this doesn’t compare to the fundamentals she’s been robbed of — family, safety, peace — but he feels a surge of anger at the cruelty of it anyway. It should be about an hour’s drive - they should be climbing in the truck on a weekend morning for a drive-thru breakfast and a fight over the radio station - he should spend way too much money on crap at an overpriced gift shop, a stupid dinosaur hat she won't take off for weeks – instead she gets to look at the names of long gone places on an old, bloody map, daydreaming about what she’ll never have.

“Earth to Joel,” Ellie’s saying in a voice that makes it clear it’s not the first time she’s tried to get his attention.

“Sorry - just thinkin’ –”

She’s looking at him expectantly. He has to work hard to keep his voice sounding light.

“I got no idea what ‘Dinosaur Ridge’ is, but – Denver’s not all that special – I’d guess there’re more than, ah – I dunno – a dozen museums about dinosaurs – nah, more. Maybe one in every state.”

Her eyes widen at that, and keeping up the trend of making her promises he’s afraid he won’t be able to keep  -

“Tell you what - we’ll go someday, find one somewhere still standin’. They have these, ah – sign things all around museums, tellin’ you about the stuff – can finally fact check you, see how much you’re just makin’ up.”

“Shut up,” she says - but her eyes are soft, and she could almost be smiling when she follows up with a quiet, “That’d be cool.”

The nice moment doesn’t last long – she sighs, looks out the window a bit forlornly, and then mumbles, “I have to pee again. Your fault for making me drink all day.”

He puts an arm across her back to help her outside. When the door opens she cringes, hard, scrunching up her face, hissing “Ugh, fuck.”

“Y’alright?” He asks, looking down at her in concern.

She nods, putting a hand up to partially cover her eyes for a few seconds. “Too bright - hurts.”

Even though it’s clearly painful for her to do so, as he helps her get down the steps he catches the way she’s glancing around them in every direction - looking for threats on the horizon.

It’s a repeat of the night before - he shouldn’t have expected anything else. She’s limping, wincing with every step - ends up just tucking around the corner of the building again - so unbalanced he wonders how she didn’t fall over standing up on her own inside. He gives her some space for a few minutes, wandering around aimlessly on the other side of the building, never going far.

When she reappears after a few minutes, steadying herself on the building with her hands, her face has gone completely flat. She looks like a different kid than the one he’d been talking to inside, minutes ago. His heart sinks.

“You alright?” he asks, knowing she’s not. She doesn’t answer – doesn’t seem to hear him at all - looking ahead, eyes distant in that wounded way he’s too familiar with.

“C’mon, you’re ok,” he says - arm back around her to hold her up, hurrying her back up to the door. It seems like she’s barely picking her boots up off the ground – toes dragging each time she steps. Back inside, he takes her straight across the room to her sleeping bag again. She doesn’t fight him on it when he helps her lower back down to the ground, sitting against his pack again.

When she’s tucked back in the sleeping bag, she tugs it up so it’s almost fully covering her head, and turns to her side. Facing the wall, her back to him.

“Ellie?” He tries softly. Feeling helpless.

She’s not asleep, but she doesn’t respond.

Doesn’t move again at all until they hear the gunshot.

----

link to whole story (work in progress) on AO3

[dansnaturepictures]

07/10/2023-Winnall Moors

Photos taken in this set: 1. One of a few ripe Red Admirals seen including enjoying ivy which was a pleasure, a wonderful butterfly which has had an amazing year. 2. Red maple leaves which looked beautiful. 3, 4, 9 and 10. Gorgeous views in the rich morning October sunlight, it was so good to be here not on a lunch break walk with time walk around to every part of the reserve at varying paces and really take in this beautiful and wild spot and see a lot. 5. A dazzling Common Darter during some amazing time by the pond which the tenth photo shows which is a dragonfly haven, it was great to see this species with female egg laying with male adjoined post mating too with this individual staying still on the wood for ages I believe. At this spot I enjoyed chatting to a couple and I believe their grandson about them and other dragons and the little boy was full of energy. He asked if I'd seen a bear (sadly extinct here) which I of course replied no, but he said he wasn't giving up and as they walked off I reminded him of that. A passion for and connection to nature I was thrilled to see in a young person. 6. The resplendent colours of a Peacock butterfly on some of the few bits of hemp agrimony still in flower, another top butterfly I enjoyed a lot today, there were seas of hemp agrimony seed heads by the reeds which was great to see. 7. Nice hedge woundwort. 8. A cheery Long-tailed Tit one I enjoyed seeing today.

The other two dragonfly species seen at the pond were Migrant and Southern Hawker, for perhaps my first time seeing them side by side which was interesting for comparison. I got smashing views of the former on the wider walk too. Speckled Wood and Small White were other good butterflies to see with possibly Green Longhorn moth, Harlequin ladybird, pretty hoverflies and white-lipped snail enjoyed too. I saw a nice variety of great birds including Snipe flying over at the start, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Meadow Pipit, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Great Tit, exhilarating Sparrowhawk views and regal Red Kite flying high in the blue sky. I really enjoyed hearing birds here today too with the eerie call of Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker alarm call, the trickling tune of Wren and smashing Cetti's Warbler heard loudly great birds I heard but didn't see, and Blue Tit heard well too. Other key plants seen here were special Michaelmas daisies, comfrey the flower of Winnall Moors for me, white deadnettle, shining water forget-me-not a key one seen, herb-Robert, buttercup, meadow crane's-bill, bramble flower, hogweed and I believe wild carrot seed heads, guelder rose berries and hawthorn berries.

[hcolleen]

So, a new post and a bit of a backstory:

I've got a lovely (*snark*) case of fibromyalgia which limits my energy (it falls under the chronic fatigue/ME family) so that if I work at home, I max out at ~10hrs/week, but if I try to work outside the home, I can only do ~4hr on a very good week, but those hours (both sets) are rather unpredictable. I can wake up one day and be fine and the next day I feed the cat and go back to bed for 4hrs because I just can't stay awake and there's no real way to predict those days. My cat, the lovely Mr Aziraphael, helps me by getting me to exercise (by games of 'you can't get me') and by companionship and snuggles (I had a dr write a script for him as a therapy cat). (also, the only people I'd wish this on are people who make it hard to get disability and want to eliminate it so they understand why it's needed....though, trying to teach them compassion is maybe a losing proposition)

That said, I do currently work for a commercial real estate agent doing data entry, email design, web updates, and the like for him. He's not had a lot of work for me (the past 2 weeks, I got about 1.5hrs) but he said he has more coming up. I've been looking for another job that I can work on a flexible schedule to fill in what I need since November, but haven't had an interview since mid-January despite applying to several things on ZipRecruiter and LinkedIn.

So, all that being said, I really am short on money right now. I have ~$12 and my bills right now come to $120 which needs to be paid by the 5th, with an additional ~$60 to get enough food and litter for ~4 months delivered. My ko-fi is linked in my bio and any help is greatly appreciated.

I hate to ask...so, here is the cat tax:

[ramservices1]

How to Improve the Cooling Efficiency of Your AC

Do you ever feel like your air conditioning unit just isn’t doing enough to cool your home? Do you find yourself constantly adjusting the thermostat to try and achieve a comfortable temperature? If so, you may be wondering how to improve the cooling efficiency of your AC.

In this article, we will explore some tips and tricks for maximizing the efficiency of your air conditioning unit, so you can stay cool and comfortable all summer long. From simple maintenance tasks to more advanced upgrades, we’ve got you covered.

The Importance of AC Efficiency

Before we dive into our tips for improving AC efficiency, let’s first discuss why it’s important. In short, an efficient air conditioning unit can save you money on your energy bills, while also reducing your carbon footprint. By consuming less energy, your AC unit is able to operate more sustainably, which is good for both your wallet and the environment.

Additionally, an efficient AC unit can help maintain a consistent temperature in your home, which can improve your overall comfort and quality of life. When your AC unit is working harder than it needs to, it can lead to uneven cooling and hot spots throughout your home.

Simple Maintenance Tasks for Improved AC Efficiency

The first step in improving the efficiency of your air conditioning unit is to perform some simple maintenance tasks. These tasks can help ensure that your AC unit is running smoothly and effectively, so it doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home.

1. Clean or Replace Your Air Filter

The air filter in your AC unit is responsible for filtering out dust, dirt, and other particles from the air before it’s circulated throughout your home. Over time, these particles can build up on the filter, restricting airflow and causing your AC unit to work harder than it needs to.

To improve the efficiency of your AC unit, make sure to clean or replace your air filter regularly. How often you should do this will depend on the type of filter you have and how often you use your AC unit. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to check your filter once a month and replace it as needed.

2. Clean Your AC Coils

The coils in your AC unit are responsible for transferring heat from the air inside your home to the outside environment. Over time, these coils can become dirty and covered in debris, which can reduce their ability to transfer heat effectively.

To clean your AC coils, you can use a soft-bristled brush to gently remove any debris or dirt buildup. Alternatively, you can use a specialized coil cleaner, which is available at most hardware stores.

3. Check Your Thermostat Settings

Make sure to check your thermostat settings to ensure that they’re set correctly for your needs. If you’re leaving your home for an extended period of time, for example, you may want to set the temperature a bit higher to conserve energy. Similarly, you may want to adjust your settings at night to ensure a comfortable sleeping temperature.

4. Clear Obstructions from Your Vents

Finally, make sure to clear any obstructions from your vents to ensure proper airflow. This can include things like furniture, curtains, or other items that may be blocking the flow of air. By keeping your vents clear and unobstructed, you can help improve the overall efficiency of your AC unit.

Read More: https://ramservicesandsales.com/2023/05/12/how-to-improve-the-cooling-efficiency-of-your-ac/

[meauxhausint]

Variety Magazine interview with CO-CEO+ CELEBRITY PUBLICIST DES DUHFAUX

VARIETY MAGAZINE INTERVIEW WITH DES DUHFAUX

Interview conducted by Francis Pulinz

The entertainment industry Has a lot of different "go-to " people When you're trying to make it in the business and or become a notable celebrity. (Talent usually helps). In past times most people who needed entertainment work hired an "agent" to find them the right gigs and in the music industry "managers" were essential for keeping potential gigs and venues interested in hiring certain acts. Then once you become famous, the next most essential thing u need is either the right pr team and or publicist to put your talent and accomplishments on display, to the world. Primarily, planet Earth.

MHI MEAUX HAUS INTERNATIONAL is a PR (public relations) agency that was founded by celebrity PUBLICISTS Suzette Feria & Des Duhfaux. The former colleagues (and Co-CEO$) started the agency from the ground up with basically a handful of celebrities as clients to begin with. Des Duhfaux , who is in charge of the business for zone 3+ 4. And suzette (who is stuck on planet Earth), manages zone 1 +2.

Since this branch of variety mag is situated in late zone 4 , we got in touch with the very private + withdrawn celebrity publicist EXTRAODINARE herself, Des Duhfaux, for a very exclusive interview.

VM: Good to have u here Des, how are things?

DD: things are ok, I'm still stuck here on another planet, after all. But I'm optimistic.

VM: SO, u came from earth, I guess. Sorry about all this.

DD: no problem, when work calls I have to answer. I'm drawn into adventure. As the witch wizard of the northeast, I'm in demand. So as long as it doesn't conflict with my family life, I can stay a little longer to assist.

VM: Let's get to the point. You're a celebrity publicist and Co-CEO of your own PR company. Was that started here or there?

DD: I completed my schooling on Earth. I intermitedley have traveled to and from here and earth to complete the remainder of my professional degrees. I have a bachelor's degree in marketing management from UCLA. A certficate in public relations from UC IRVINE + A MASTERS DEGREE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS/ IMAGE MANAGEMENT FROM CAL STATE FULLERTON. all between zones 2 and 3. Well mostly 3 on Earth.

VM: ok so the celebrity client base. Who are we dealing with here?

DD: um, what do you mean?

VM: MHIS CELEBRITY CLIENTS.

DD: Gwen Stefani, Cole Sprouse, Cameron Diaz, Margot Robbie, Diplo, The white stripes, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Carmen Electra, Pamela Anderson, Anthony Karlo, Suki Waterhouse, Bill Skarsgard+ many more. Some of our brands are Origin natural energy, Waikea water, Fenty beauty, nudestix + sapphire sky cosmetics.

VM: Are you ever "starstruck" when meeting new celebs for publicity projects. ?

DD: Barely. I'm pretty used to networking with famous people. I come from a somewhat famous family background as well as my own personal endeavors- to say the least. And client /publicist confidentiality is the MOST important tool when creating promotional packages for celebrities. If any personal info about the celeb leeks that they don't want in the press or public eye, our PR team makes sure it's avoided. Yes, it's a tough job, very hard , but somebody's gotta do it…(laughs).

VM: Let's jump to what I'm reading here about your own entertainment career. Is celebrity publicist Des Duhfaux desiring to become a celebrity herself?

DD: Is that what it says? Ok well yea I'm working on new music under my stage name "Caryn Mixx" . I don't want to give too much away. But it's set to premiere in zone 3 @some point soon.

VM: Cool, so you are a musician too?

DD: my voice is my instrument, + light keyboard as well. So it's set .

VM: Interesting, I'll make sure to check that out. And you mentioned family life, or is that too private to discuss?

DD:: no . Not private, very public actually. I've spoken about my two failed marriages, virginity after rape + being an all around reformed human being that's taking it all in stride.

VM: rape? Sorry to hear that

DD: late years of high school. A student I had home studies with violated me at our designated testing location. I was mortified. Then two days later his older brother showed up + threatened to " bash my head in" if I told anyone. I was scared stiff.

VM: Did the case ever get reported?

DD: I didn't find the courage fast enough. This interview is it's debut.

VM: SO..that's why u feel two marriages failed?

DD: look, I'm going to be quite frank. The traumatic aftermath of rape had an affect on my psyche for roughly 3 yrs. I" revirginized", generated my next set of goals and moved on with my life. Around that point I enrolled in college and met my first husband.

VM: so what was that like?

DD: well mostly emotionless looks of love, "hand holding", & watching old classic films together+ that was about it. No sex.

VM: no sex?

DD: no sex. No trust. Has to be trust, then "relationship notary", and then more trust, then family approval, then possibly another glance at the possibility of intimacy.

VM: I see, ok so then the next marriage?

DD: after the first marriage I went back to working on my public relations internship through UC IRVINE in accordance with my public relations certificate. I met him through the college systems as well. It didn't work out because for some reason men want intimacy with a person they barely know. I'm still baffled as to how holding hands and kissing? Just isn't enough? Anyway, I'm over it.

VM: and you grew up in Burbank, CA?

DD: that's slightly off subject, but, yes.

VM: well is there anything else we should know about Des Duhfaux celebrity publicist+CO- CEO of MHI?

DD: Yea, that I'm from early zone 2 most specifically. Suzette, my partner + I grew up together, same everything. So we have a deep appreciation for zone 2, but, realistically I've been set to 1 and 3 to work on projects for other personas numerous times, so I'm not just involved in the publicity process, I'm a part of the "craft work" and onset process as well, by default.

VM: That's good news, well it was lovely talking to you.

DD: Oh sure, yea, thanks, u2.

[koifrog]

Hi there! I know that this might come inappropriate to ask for a favor like this but I just wanted to ask if you could possibly share or boost the post I pinned for my cat. We're in desperate need of help right now. I hope youd consider, if not I understand dont worry. Be safe always! Btw, belated happy valentines! Pls consider sending me a msg instead of replying the ask publicly, if its fine or maybe answer it privately 🙏

Publicly answering this so anyone who might be looking into this person after receiving a similar ask can find it:

This is a scam. The donation post they asked me to signal boost is their first and only original post on this blog. All of their reblogs were made between 2/16 and 2/17, but they are not actively reblogging anything else despite sending me this ask on 2/21. Their account is set up convincingly, but this is not Real Tumblr User Behavior.

This is not a real person and they do not have a real cat with real vet bills that needs your donations. Save your money and energy for real people’s donation posts and stay alert for people like this taking advantage of Tumblr’s good will and kindness.

[beardedmrbean]

Several morning newspapers look at the lack of agreement and infighting within the Finnish coalition government, including Helsingin Sanomat (siirryt toiseen palveluun).

HS political reporter Teemu Muhonen writes that no one knows what the rules of the game are anymore.

On Thursday, the government reached a strained agreement on the bills that will still be submitted to the parliament during the present session. Most of the 15 or so controversial motions under consideration failed to get full cabinet approval. 

The end result, says Muhonen, is proof that the government is broken. Government cooperation is now so frail that under normal circumstances the government could resign.

However, due to the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis, the governing parties have decided to keep the coalition together. In this case, important decisions can certainly still be made if necessary.

At the same time, the government parties can continue to fight against each other in parliament on smaller domestic political issues.

As the HS reporter points out, government cooperation is usually based on the fact that the government agrees on the motions to be presented to the parliament and then backs them in the parliament. In Sanna Marin's (SDP) government, these rules don't seem to apply anymore.

For the rest of the term, the various government parties can try to push through issues that are important to them in the parliament with the support of opposition parties and reject anything they don't like.

The Centre Party has wanted to publicly break with the government's left-wing parties and the Greens. After the clashes of the last few weeks, it has certainly become clear that the Centre does not agree with its government partners on almost any issue.

Muhonen wraps up by writing that the remaining term of parliament doesn't look good for any of the governing parties.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled on 2 April 2023.

Record electricity price?

Tampere's Aamulehti reports (siirryt toiseen palveluun) that on Thursday the national Energy Authority, the agency which regulates and promotes operation of the electricity and gas markets in the country, revealed that pricing complaints against 14 electrical power utilities are being investigated at the moment.

One of those which operates in Aamulehti's home region, Omavoima, has customers who have been paying what the paper believes is an all-time high contract price of 63.30 cents/kWh from the beginning of October. These contracts are subject to price review at three-month intervals.

The law stipulates that an electricity seller with a significant market presence in any area of the distribution network must deliver electricity at reasonable prices and on reasonable terms. The law does not, however, currently say what is meant by a reasonable price.

The Energy Agency has now started preparing a definition of what is to be considered reasonable, reports Aamulehti.

Snow and more snow

Looking ahead at the weekend weather, Iltalehti writes (siirryt toiseen palveluun) that southern parts of the country may well see 5-15cm of snowfall before Monday rolls around.

The whole of the country has had sub-zero temperatures in recent days. A new autumn low of -25.9 Celsius was set at Enontekiö in Finnish Lapland on Thursday. Cold temperatures are forecast to continue into next week, so any snow is likely to stay with us for the time being. 

The paper also points out that driving conditions will be hazardous in many areas, so now is the last chance to change to winter tyres before the south gets its first taste of winter. 

Only light scattered snow showers are expected in southern parts of the country on Friday. On Saturday, snowfall will spread across the region, but is expected to remain light. 

On Sunday, the southwest and Uusimaa will see heavy snows and windy weather, bringing up to 10cm of snow cover. 

Central parts of the country are forecast to get a light accumulation of no more than 3cm.

Don't eat the green taters

Higher supermarket prices have made many people increasingly food conscious and focused on avoiding food waste.

However, the farmers' union paper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus warns readers (siirryt toiseen palveluun) to avoid eating any potatoes that have turned green.

A potato turns green when it is exposed to light, for example in the field or in a store. The light produces a toxic alkaloid called solanine. Potatoes that are green or showing green patches should not be eaten, the paper says.

If a potato shows dark green patches with sharp borders, this is a sign that it was exposed to light in the field. Last summer, for example, in Ostrobothnia's main potato production area rainy weather and heavy thunderstorms washed away soil cover in the fields, allowing the sun to shine directly on the crop.

A light green colour without clear edges indicates that the potato has be subjected to light in the store. This happens especially when potatoes are sold in bulk in open boxes.

MT advises that potatoes are best stored in a dark and cool place, where the temperature is five degrees Celsius. If the temperature falls below three degrees, the potatoes get watery and easily rot. In temperatures above 10 degrees, they will shrivel and start to germinate.