#how to save with bulk buying

[vaniliens]

I staked 90% of my enjoyment in school on 3 subjects; English, art, & smth science (Usually biology) so you can imagine how bad my motivation for it dropped in hs when every year the teachers teaching the subjects kept getting worse & they slowly stop coming to class. To. Teach.

[melokuu]

I trained all my life to stay calm in terrible situations and it's the only thing that keeps me from launching teeth out at their necks. HOW can people be so dumb yet so self-righteous at the same time, this is maddening !

[gaylienz]

The 7 R’s of Sustainability:

Did you know that ‘recycling’ is step 6 of the 7 Rs of sustainability? The other R’s are just as important even if they are often forgotten.

Rethink- Do I really need to buy this? The point of this step is to stop and think.

Refuse- Does this product damage the environment? If so, refuse to spend your money on it. i.e. single use plastics, harsh chemicals

Reduce- How much of this do I really need? Buy less! Buy in bulk when you can as it often equals less packaging to throw out.

Reuse- Can I use this product again? Can I fix what I have so that I don’t need to buy something new? Reuse that plastic water bottle a few times. And instead of buying new, try thrift shopping, flea markets, yard sales etc.

Repurpose- Unlimited creativity! Does this item have another use? i.e. old torn clothes can be rags or plastic cups can be planters.

Recycle- Can I recycle this? Not everything can be. There are also some important steps to making sure your recycling is done properly. If unsure, look up local recycling regulations.

Rot- Can I compost this? Food waste, yard clippings, newspapers and many other items can be composted instead of being tossed in the trash. Composting is surprisingly simple and helps reduce harmful greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere.

What is the point of the R’s? The number one benefit of the 7 R’s are the reduction of the amount of waste sent to incinerators and landfills. The EPA website provides a lot of useful information. Other benefits that we can reap from implementing these concepts in our life are (as listed on the EPA website): • Prevents pollution caused by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials • Saves energy from not making a new product • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change • Helps sustain the environment and natural resources for future generations • Saves money from processing our waste • Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials • Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States

https://www.northglenn.org/government/departments/public_works/trash/recycling.php https://www.nrdc.org/stories/composting-101 https://www.epa.gov/recycle https://www.northglenn.org/Recycling%20Article.pdf

[aprotestforyourheart]

My new job is paying for my groceries next week and they’re giving me a budget of $165 for five days of food. I have never spent that much money on food so now I have to figure out how to stretch that money as much as possible

[heartyluv]

Do the LIs enjoy period sex?

Warning: Mentions of blood, period sex (obvi), dirty talk, a little bit of smut

Rafayel - I don’t think he enjoys it, but it’s not because he thinks it’s gross.

Rafayel seems like you’ve tried it once, but he couldn’t get into it much because he kept worrying if he was hurting you or too busy trying to gauge if you were uncomfortable. You’d think with the way you were sucking him in and telling him to keep going that he would understand you felt more than good, but he couldn’t fully indulge with that thought in the back of his mind.

And you’d absolutely respect him when he says that he’d rather wait until your cycle is over to take care of all your sexual needs. In the meantime though, he finds remedies that both of you can try and could help with your cramps. Like he’d find he most natural and beneficial teas and supplements, make herbal baths for you to take together, he’d book massages for both of you, and he’d even get himself a heating pad so you’re not alone when you use one when you’re lounging around with him. And he absolutely loves it.

“Raf, babe, you shouldn’t put the pad on the highest setting with it on your bare skin!” you giggle with slight concern when he clicks the button five times before resting it on his stomach.

“Don’t worry, cutie.” He lowers his shirt down over it, ready to bask in the warmth. He winks at you as you press your lips together, looking over him and wondering how he does it. “Besides, I know you’ll save me if the time comes.”

Xavier - Yes, and he’s an uncontrollable whimpering mess when he does it. Hear me out.

Sweet Xav will only have sex with you on your period when you ask. He never offers because on a regular basis, he always tends to your needs and puts them above all else, but that sentiment is increased tenfold when you’re menstruating. With that being said, his goal is to do everything you want to help ease any pain, cravings, or heightened emotions. Everything you want from the grocery store? He’s buying it in bulk. Your back is aching and your stomach hurts? Let him run you a warm bath with some epsom salt and tend to your hair as you relax.

But the day you ask him if he’s willing to fuck your pain away, he freezes up at first. He’s wide eyed, even stuttering a little bit before he clears his throat with a gentle nod after processing your request and says, “Of course. Just tell me how I make sure I take care of you properly.”

And my love…when he slides into you for the first time with all the additional slick and what he’s certain is increased warmth, he nearly buckles on top of you. You’ve always felt good to him—always—but having you like that would make him weak. And he’s trying his best to make sure he keeps an eye on you, to make sure he’s doing okay, but when you tell him to go harder, when you beg him to keep hitting that spot he’s reached, he’s throbbing inside of you with newfound vigor.

“L—Like that?” He bites his lip before kissing on your jaw as you nod frantically, pushing your hips up to keep him deep. “Oh, you feel good…hmph…Is this what you needed from me, my pretty star…?”

“Yes, bun…” Your boyfriend breathes heavily into your neck when you squeeze him tighter. “P—Please…sogood, sogoood…”

After that first time, he never admits that he secretly hopes you come to him and ask him to take care of you with his cock. He’s absolutely okay if you don’t, though. In his eyes, there’s always next month.

Zayne - He doesn’t have too much of an opinion on it. Walk with me.

Zayne is a man who prioritizes health and comfort. So yes, if you ask him to have sex while you’re on your period, he’s more than willing to do that. He’s not foreign to blood and as a doctor, he absolutely knows that sex can help you with the pain you may be dealing with. But just like Xavier, he never offers. That’s because he will never try and assume what you need since wants and symptoms varies with every single cycle. Other than your regular cravings, he’s prepared to change up the things within his control to satisfy you.

So, he doesn’t expect or even anticipate you asking him, but please never shy away from doing so. In fact, I think he encouraged and educated you about it before the first time you did it. He wanted you to understand that you have him as an option and as your man.

None of them would, of course, but Zayne really would never shame you or make you feel gross for a natural reaction and desire. Having a period doesn’t stop you from wanting the things you’re used to, and a good partner would never make you feel as if you shouldn’t want that. There’s no such thing as messy or nasty to him.

But that doesn’t stop you from being shy, and he understands that.

When you do have period sex, he acknowledges how much wetter and sensitive you are. I think he uses those moments to actually study and to get to know your body better. Long story short—it’s more about and for you than it is him. He believes that it’s his mission to know you just as much as you do, if not better than you know yourself.

“Talk to me, darling,” he whispers, his breath fanning across your collarbone as he sucks and licks on your flesh. “Tell me how you feel. Let me hear you.”

His thrusts are just perfect. Slow, but not too slow where you need him to go faster. Strong, but not so much that it makes your pussy sting with each snap of his hips like he’s made you feel before. “I feel…s—so good. You’re…fuck, Zayne…” He knows you can’t find the right words, so he takes your hands in his hair and the squeezing of your cunt around him as his answer: That he’s doing exactly what you need him to.

Sylus - Oh, absolutely. And I think you both tease each other about it because of how much you equally enjoy it.

You were the one to tell him about the benefits and he definitely believed you were messing with him at first.

Now, I’m thinking Dragon Sylus, loves to claim and be claimed, type behavior. As soon as you mentioned his cock being in your pussy, it twitched in his pants at the mental image of him being marked with your blood. You using him to feel good and he gets to see the ruby shade on his skin? He needed it.

To say he was intrigued and on the bandwagon without hesitation was an understatement. But he doesn’t pressure you or make you feel as if you should feel obligated to let him fuck you on your menstrual. No matter how much he loves it, the decision will always be yours to make. He heeds your command.

But know that he tracks it because in the event that you do come to him, he wants to be ready and he likes the anticipation—wondering when or if you’re going to give him that privilege. He’s like a dog waiting for a treat and you playfully poke fun at him for it every timeeee.

When you walk up to him, rub down his shoulders and kiss his face, only to ask him to pleaseee get you something to eat, you giggle when he huffs out a laugh and shakes his head at your blatant suggestive behavior.

But he doesn’t let you play coy. Nine times out of ten, you’re begging him to stuff you, and you’re gonna get an earful of his taunts when he’s burying his cock deep in the beautiful red mess between your thighs.

“Look how greedy my kitten is,” he coos, your legs thrown over his shoulders as he caresses one of your breasts in his large palm, occasionally grazing your sensitive nipple. The slapping of skin does nothing but fuel him along with the way your blood smears along his thick and pulsating length. And he relishes in that.

“She weeps even more for me when you’re like this. Nothing is funny anymore when you’re so desperate to come, is it sweetie?”

“Sy…” you choke, feeling your tits jump with each relentless slam of his hip. “Hnngh…so deep…’m gonna c—come…”

Caleb - I wrote a whole thing for him already before LOLLL!!! —Click Here— to read.

♾️ Tags: @starryeyed-apple @asiatic-apple @sensual-study @sweetcalebb @asiaticapple @raemanova @awquaz @callads7 @floatinginaer @crimsonsylus @aquarianbeat

Creds to @/bbyg4rlhelps for the simple red dividers & @/cafekitsune for the MDNI banner!

[tightwadspoonies]

How to Shop at an Asian (or other ethnic) Grocery Store

Do you live in or near a city in the US?

Need to save some money on groceries?

Might I introduce you to... shopping at the local Asian grocery?

Asian grocery stores aimed at an Asian-American customer base almost always beat the prices of their western (or for-western) counterparts. Often by a significant amount, especially in categories like produce, meat, rice, and spices. Plus in addition to lower prices, you get the satisfaction of supporting a small, local business instead of a larger chain store.

(Note that a lot of this information applies to other ethnic grocery stores as well, but we're using Asian because they're common in many cities, and have particularly good prices on produce.)

But it can be a little bit of a learning curve when you first start to shop at them. This post will give you the information you need to navigate them.

So how do you find a good Asian grocery store?

First, go on google maps and search "grocery".

Note that you are NOT googling "Asian Grocery" or "Cheap Grocery". If you search "Asian Grocery" you will get results for Asian stores marketing toward a western audience, and because of this, will be neat, shiny, and very pricey. If you search "Cheap Grocery" you will get stores marketing themselves as cheap, which generally are only slightly less expensive than their "expensive" counterparts (think Aldi). Okay in a pinch, but you can do better.

Second, look at the pictures of all the stores you can easily get to.

Here's what you want: not a lot of printed ads, pictures of hand-written signs (especially in languages other than English), food in cardboard bins, and you want it to look kind of "junky". Bonus points if you can see prices listed in the pictures or the people shopping there are mostly older, ethnic women.

Third, If you couldn't find anything like this, go on your city's subreddit.

Search "cheap", "cheap grocery" and "expensive grocery". Why "expensive grocery"? Because you want to find people complaining about grocery prices, and you want to see the advice they get. Many times, that advice is Asian or ethnic grocery stores.

If you're still not getting anything, google "[city name] cheap grocery" and "[city name] expensive grocery" (see above). Scroll until you get to FORUMS discussing groceries in your city. You DO NOT want blogs or articles. Again, you're looking at the advice people are given when they complain about grocery prices.

One of the first questions people ask upon walking into an Asian grocery store of the type discussed in this post is:

"Is the food I'm getting here safe to eat?"

The answer is just as safe as anywhere else you might shop.

You're probably used to very clean, pretty, well-lit, well-organized stores. This will probably not be that, but it will be regulated by the same health department that regulates those stores. They are held to the same standards.

It's a lot of work to keep a store looking like a western consumer expects. It's a lot less work (and thus less money) to keep a store looking like an ethnic career housewife or grandmother expects. That is largely where the savings comes from.

What's a good deal at an Asian grocery?

Produce. You're probably used to things like onions and carrots being the cheapest per pound. Here it's going to be greens, apples, pears, radish, cabbage and maybe squash and sweet potatoes. Check unit prices and prepare to try some new things. Also a pound of greens is a LOT of greens. Keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that you might see a few pieces of produce that are bruised or have mold on them. That's okay. Just don't buy those pieces. The rest of the batch is probably fine. Wash produce when you get home if you're concerned, though you should be doing that anyway.

Rice and dry beans. If you like to buy in bulk, you're in luck. Don't expect to walk away with a pound or two of these. They come in 40lb packages. But if you tailor most of your meals around them, those meals will be cheap af. There are also lots of different types of specialty rice if you want to make your own sushi or mochi. Learn how to soak and sprout beans.

Tofu. Tofu is expensive when you buy it at a health food store. It is not when you buy it at an Asian grocery. It probably won't be in pretty packages, but again, cheap is not going to be super pretty.

Meat and fish. Meat is generally going to be cheaper here, though maybe not by as much as the produce is. Pork will probably be your cheapest option. You may also see cuts you don't normally see, like tongue, intestine, liver, kidneys, blood, etc... "Weird," however, does not automatically mean cheap in this context. Check unit prices and prepare to be adventurous. If you don't know what else to do with them, dried fish and animal organs make fantastic stock when boiled.

Spices. Again with the extremely large quantities here. But very inexpensive compared with their western counterparts.

Candy. This makes a great inexpensive gift if you need one, since the candy sold at these stores is fairly exotic for a western audience.

What isn't a good deal at an Asian grocery?

Dairy. This includes fresh milk, butter, cheese, etc... If they have it, it will be very expensive. Consider buying elsewhere.

Eggs. Again, this will probably be as expensive or more than the eggs you could get at a western supermarket.

Snacks. Pre-made items will be expensive in general, even though they may be tempting because they are different from what you are used to and you don't need to learn to cook a new thing. Do your best to avoid these and make your own if you can. If you can't, frozen pork or vegetable dumplings are probably your best bet for a quick meal.

Bread. It's pricey. A lot of Asian cuisines use rice, noodles, or buns for their starch instead of western-style bread. So if you can find it it will often be a novelty item.

What else do I need to know?

It's okay to be overwhelmed by new ingredients. Look up some YouTube videos on how to cook certain ingredients if you're not familiar with them.

These are not supermarkets. They sell food and sometimes the kitchenware (steamers, woks, chopsticks, etc...) needed to cook it. You will probably need to get your soap and household items somewhere else.

Pay in cash if you can. Most of these are very small businesses and paying them cash makes it so they don't need to pay credit card fees. At the very least, make the minimum purchase before paying with a card.

[unadulteratedsoulsweets]

A DC X DP IDEA #48

Grandpa

Imagine dis…

This inspired my fridge being full again, here’s a flash back

Me: Thanks for treating me at my favorite restaurant, Grandpa, but you really don't have to do this every time I visit your house.

Grandpa: Don't worry about it, kid.

Me: I'm *realage*, definitely not a kid, Grandpa...

Grandpa: As long as you're not in your 30s yet, you're still a kid. Come on, pick whatever dessert you want, it's on me.

Me: No thanks, I'm saving up for a special treat.

Grandpa: Didn't you hear me, brat? (fondly) I said it's on me. And what treat are you saving up for? Did my daughter didn’t gave you enough pocket money again?

Me: No, it's not like that, Grandpa. You and Mom give me plenty. It's just that there's this *brand* I've been dying to get ever since I first tried it, so I'm saving up to buy it.

*a few months later*

Me: MAAAAAA!

Mom: What's wrong, honey?

Me: Why is there a bunch of *brand* in the fridgeeee? These are expensive!

*I said as I look at the prices on my phone, fearing I missed some sort of discount for buying in bulk.*

Mom: Dad apparently wanted to try some ever since he saw it in a commercial and bought too many. He sent some extras here...

Me: *Takes a long inhale* AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

….…..

We all have that grandfather. The one who insists he doesn’t play favorites but then turns around and gives one grandchild a thousand dollars for Christmas, claiming it’s because, “Well, I can’t take it with me when I’m dead, might as well spend it on something cute now.” It’s a universal experience. And apparently, not even death—or undeath—exempts you from it.

For the past month, Danny's friends had been roasting him relentlessly over one singular fact: Clockwork spoils him rotten.

Danny, of course, denies it. Danny, ever the tired, oblivious little disaster of a ghost prince, insists Clockwork treats him like any other unfortunate intern-slash-trainee. If anything, he argues, Clockwork enjoys his suffering. After all, no spoiled child would be forced to sit through two-hour lectures on the political structure of the Realm of Screeching Mirrors or solve time-based equations that make mortal physics cry. And yet, somehow, every time he finishes school and is already dead tired—pun intended—he gets yeeted straight into another lesson about interdimensional algebra that makes even Jazz’s nerdy heart weep.

Sam, Tucker, and Jazz just sit there and stare at him like he’s trying to convince them the sky isn’t blue. Even Dan, actual chaotic/ genocidal menace of the Ghost Zone, released on royal bail with a community service contract (a.k.a. babysitting duty), had the gall to grimace at the blatant favoritism. Ellie just nodded and made snide bets on how long it would take before Danny noticed Clockwork had been rigging his ghost-life like a doting stage mom.

It didn’t stop there either. Apparently, somewhere along the line, Pandora decided to become the wine aunt—but instead of wine and passive-aggressive casserole recipes, she sent weaponized care packages. Need a broadsword that sings show tunes when swung? Pandora’s got it. She once gave Danny a dagger made from the crystallized screams of vanquished tyrants. When asked why, she simply said, “To keep your mortals on their toes.”

Then there was Frostbite. Calm, collected, soothing Frostbite… who also happened to be the kind of uncle who would knit you a blanket and throw a car at anyone who made you cry. He’d once paused a global summit in the Far Frozen to deliver Danny a scarf because he “looked a bit chilly” during said meeting. The scarf was bulletproof. And sentient.

Everyone saw it. Everyone. The entire inner circle of Danny's life treated it like the worst-kept secret in all of ghostdom. Sam tried reasoning with him. Tucker built a PowerPoint. Jazz made pie charts, actual pie charts, trying to explain the psychological indicators of excessive grandparental attachment. Danny? Still blissfully in denial.

Which was funny, considering Clockwork literally paused time every night so Danny could get his eight hours. And occasionally twelve. Or fourteen. There were also the little notes left in Danny’s backpack: “Don’t forget your lunch, also destroy that wraith behind locker 307, it’s giving off bad vibes. Love, C.W.” Or, you know, when certain bullies AHEM GIW agents that are more on the violent and competent side AHEM mysteriously disappeared from time itself. Not dead, not missing, just never existed in the first place. Suspiciously convenient.

Still, Danny remained oblivious. Ranting about how Clockwork just gave him more work while his friends sat in the background, watching the temporal equivalent of a dad saying “I’m not mad, just disappointed” and rewriting history to give his grandson fewer childhood traumas.

Things only got worse when Phantom officially joined the Justice League Dark. The invitation had been pending for months. After all, there was only so long the League could ignore the literal child-shaped ghost who kept single-handedly neutralizing League-level threats in a small Midwest town like it was his weekend hobby. The Dark team, especially Constantine and Zatanna, had begrudgingly accepted him after witnessing him pull obscure banishment spells from memory, casually referencing ancient ghost kings as if he had lunch with them last week. (He probably did.)

Thanks to Phantom, the League Dark's solved-case rate skyrocketed. Not that Danny bragged about it. No, he just muttered quiet “thank-yous” to Clockwork for teaching him spells like “Ecto-Spatial Reversal via Reverse-Entropy” and “Don’t Touch That You Idiot, It Bites.”

Things were going smoothly—until a group of Green Lanterns arrived with bad news: a planet eater had been spotted in their quadrant. Immediate panic, of course. Superman went into overdrive, Batman did his usual dramatic scowl, and Phantom… winced.

Hard.

He doubled over slightly, one hand pressed to his core, face pale and wide-eyed. The room turned quiet as Danny muttered something garbled, a soft, vibrating cry that made Constantine drop his cigarette and Doctor Fate slowly turn his helmeted head.

What most of the League didn’t know—what even Danny barely acknowledged—was that as a newly ascended Ancient of Space (thanks, Ghost Zone promotions), he could feel his creations. And he had just started experimenting with creating baby planets for fun. Tiny, floating ball worlds full of pink sand, purple skies, and slow-beeping space whales. He’d named one of them “Steve.”

And now? Steve was gone.

That warbled noise he let out? Not pain. Not warning.

It was a cosmic tantrum.

And the moment he wailed, the pen sitting at the edge of the conference table froze in mid-air. Time literally stuttered. The League stood frozen. Until a massive, glowing portal sliced open behind Danny with the sound of a very irritated and blood thirsty grandfather clock chiming, who knew a grandfather clock can make such ominous chime.

Out came a giant ghost cloaked in deep violet robes, staff glowing ominously, red eyes glaring holes through the League. Every hero present snapped into defense mode—Superman rose into the air, Wonder Woman readied her lasso, Batman reached for seventeen gadgets at once.

And Phantom?

Phantom flung himself at the terrifying ghost like a toddler reunited with their favorite plushie after a week of laundry day. The tears started flowing as he began incoherently babbling about Steve and planet goo and how he worked really hard on making the gravity work this time, and now it’s gone, Grandpa, it’s gone!

Clockwork, for his part, gently patted Danny on the head and offered a soft “There, there. Let’s go home. I have cookies. And cocoa. With extra marshmallows.”

Danny nodded miserably, clutching his mentor like the universe had wronged him personally—which, in fairness, it kind of had. The two vanished into the portal, and just like that, time resumed. The pen hit the floor with a sharp clack.

The Justice League stared in stunned silence.

And then, just a beat too late, the Flash burst in with a stack of nachos, four Slurpees, and a hot dog sticking out of his hair.

Flash blinked at the scattered papers, frazzled League members, and the faint, lingering smell of cinnamon cookies. Batman said nothing. Constantine just lit another cigarette.

…..

 PS: If someone out there wants to continue or make a fic about this you are free to do so, don’t forget to tag me though.

[eleu22]

just some random task force 141 headcanons

tw: drugs, dead baby jokes?

gaz

- has been approached by model scouts on nights out with the 141 and is so gassed by it but pretends not to be

- got holding onto his tactical vest straps from price because he thought it looked cool

- popular as fuck in school

- side eye king (canon)

- used to do ket when he was younger and is now paranoid price will find out somehow and be disappointed in him

- highlights during briefings and soap calls him a neek

- deleted tiktok because he got addicted to those ingrown hair removal videos

- borderline illegible handwriting

- type to laugh when hes really mad (its lowkey scary)

- has once described himself as a “thought daughter”

- paces when hes stressed

- terrys chocolate orange enjoyer

- tried to grow out a beard but it was weird and kind of patchy

soap

- will be looking at a nice view and will always say how a huge explosion would make it look so much cooler

- does that thing where he tells you to straighten your legs and then kicks the back of your knee

- cannot stay still in his sleep and has once woken up with half is body off the bed horizontally

- has a comic book collection and if you touch it he will kick you out

- goes to life drawing classes sometimes in his free time

- all of his exam papers had doodles on them

- the type of guy to draw a penis in ur notebook

- all of his socks have holes in them but refuses to buy new ones, some are literally the concept of a sock at this point

- smells his armpits unabashedly to see if he smells or not

- will ask to tell you a secret and burp in your ear

- when someone drops like a plate or a cup is the type to scream “wheey!!” and clap and he did that at a pub once and got them kicked out

- will make a fart noise and loudly blame it on you (especially in packed elevators)

-booger flicker

ghost

- makes zero noise when sneezing but still acts it out and he looks like hes bugging

- nose bridge pincher

- doesn’t clip off his fingernails he literally just bites them off and spits it into the bin

- type to say “well done.” sarcastically

- casual dead baby joke enjoyer

“how many babies does it take to paint a wall?”

“depends on how hard you throw them.”

(silence)

- really enjoys solitaire mobile is on level 177

- he once made a recruit run laps for microwaving tea

- off duty he has terrible posture

- chapped lips 24/7

- favourite takeout is chinese food and always get the vegetable spring rolls - he will buy takeout in bulk and then live off of leftovers instead of actually buying groceries

- has 3 forks one knife and one spoon

- has literally no sense of rhythm what so ever , cannot dance to save his life

- loves making social situations awkward in purpose but would never admit that so he just comes off as slightly off putting a lot of the time

price

- sneezes and coughs ridiculously loudly

- weirdly territorial about his hat (i find it so funny he has a waterproof version of it)

- has a weird mole on his back he refuses to get checked out - his reasoning is if he dies via mole it was natural selection

- has extensive knowledge on art history and hates conceptual art (has a tate membership card)

- licks his finger before turning a page

- casual moomin enjoyer

- cuts his cuticles - likes his maintenance has a beard grooming kit

- says he doesnt watch tiktoks but he watches tiktok dog video complications in youtube and they have the most npc ass audios

- is on the “cigar society” on facebook and gives reviews for them

- does the head tilt of disappointment (if its thrown at gaz he literally will not get over it for days)

- slaps his knee when laughing really hard

- also nose bridge pincher

- is the type of make those hiking comments to people who walk by

- really enjoyed the lego batman movie

- unabashedly itches himself

- takes fish oil supplements

- always puts his hand up to say thank you when cars stop for him

- flirts with baristas

- had a brief midlife crisis where he wanted to become a mystery novelist (still has the drafts hidden somewhere but you couldn’t waterboard that information out of him)

thank you

[sandersstudies]

Things to gift when somebody you know if having a hard time:

If you know an individual or family who is handling grief, illness, injury, a new child, or other extenuating circumstances and you aren’t sure how to help, here’s some thoughts. (Sincerely, somebody going through a hard time who experienced the generosity of my community in a new way.)

Food. This one is probably both traditional and obvious. Bring something that’s easy to prepare or reheat, and easy to store. (If you want to be extra kind, consider portioning out meals for easy storage and freezing, or gifting them in few extra freezer bags or Tupperware containers, if it’s appropriate.) I’ve heard other people mention it can be especially helpful to include a food that can be eaten ambient or cold over a few days, like a snack tray. Consider if the current situation has any obstacles to eating (Is the sick person on a special diet? Are the people in the household low on time, energy, and/or attention to themselves? If a parent is pregnant or breastfeeding, have they removed certain things from their usual diet? Are there small children in the house?)

Alternatives to food. Grocery, delivery, and restaurant gift cards may be appropriate depending on the situation. They can have some choices about what they eat with the ease of delivery, or stock up on essentials. (There might be a casserole for every day of the week, but do they have bread, eggs, or cereal for a simple breakfast?) One person even gifted me a year-long grocery membership.

Plates, bowls, utensils. Save them from having to do dishes by offering plastic and paper alternatives.

Household essentials. We had a family member with a CostCo card drop off bulk amounts of toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, etc. This is one less thing for the family to think about.

Children’s “busy” items. Coloring books, puzzles, or quiet toys are a boon to parents who are under the pressure of dealing with illness, injury, funeral planning, or a newborn. Children can feel confused or lost in the shuffle even under the care of good families, so a small gift both makes them feel special and buys parents a few minutes to breathe. If you’re close to the family, you can even offer to take children with you to the park, the library, or a film when parents need some time.

Favors. If you’re very close to the family and it’s appropriate to the situation, you might offer to serve as dog walker, laundress, or dishwasher for a day or two.

Something they love. If the household’s basic needs are covered, consider giving something thoughtful that they enjoy in whatever way is most appropriate.

[isthattyra]

Sweet Beginnings

terry richmond x black reader

“I’m just saying, why should I have to go to the gym when I can get my workout done here?” you say, flexing dramatically as you scooped dough onto a baking sheet. The smell of vanilla and brown sugar filled the cozy kitchen, making your argument even sweeter.

Terry leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his broad chest, his lips twitching into a grin. “Baby, I’m inviting you to the gym, not drafting you into a strongman competition. Besides I never said you had to work out. I just want to see your pretty face, it gives me motivation”

You smirked, not missing a beat. “I can do arm curls here. You see me scooping this dough, don’t you? And kneading earlier? That’s a full upper body workout.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And cardio?”

“Mixing counts. Ever tried to beat butter and sugar by hand? That’s endurance right there. And don’t you think we get enough cardio done together?” You said recalling the last few nights spent with Terry that had you sweating and out of breath like you’d just run a marathon. 

“ I guess you got me on that but I didn’t hear any complaints from that so called workout” he said shutting you right on up.

“Besides, this dough won’t scoop itself. Speaking of which…” you motioned to the oatmeal cookies on a baking sheet. “You’d never have gotten these if I hadn’t saved you at the store.”

“Saved me? That’s a stretch.”

“Oh, come on! You were ready to give up eating plain old oatmeal like the old man you are for the week until I swooped in.”

Flashback

Your banter had started over a year ago, on the day you met. You had just started selling your baked goods to people besides your family. It was the week before you planned to work the weekend farmers market and you were trying to make sure you had all your ingredients ready.

It had been an ordinary afternoon at the grocery store, you had been searching for a bulk container of oatmeal for your iced oatmeal cookie recipe which was one of your best sellers. Finally coming across in it the aisle, seeing only one container. Barely paying attention as you scrolled on your phone, you reached for it at the exact same moment a large, calloused hand did.

“Oh!” you said, startled, looking up. The hand belonged to a tall, fit man with warm greyish blue/green eyes and a teasing smile. He pulled back slightly, letting you take the container.

“Go ahead,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m not about to fight you for oatmeal.”

“That’s very gentlemanly of you,” you replied, trying to hide your embarrassment. “But are you sure? It looked like you needed it too.” 

His dedication to maintaining his beautiful body had been evident in his cart full of proteins and veggies.

He large shoulders shrugged. “It’s for my meal prep. But I’ll survive.” He paused, then added with a sly grin, “If you promise me a batch of whatever you’re making and your name,I’ll consider it even.”

You couldn’t help but to laugh as you tell him your name “Brown butter iced oatmeal cookies. And… deal.” Not wanting to have to deliver to a random stranger, no matter how fine he was, you suggested he meet you at the local farmers market that weekend. 

“Here’s my card in case you can’t make it, you can send me an email to place an order”

Not only did he show up, he was there before you were. Even going so far as to help you unload your car and set up your tables and tent. It was nice to have someone to help since your best friend had bailed on you last minute. Bonus that the help was so nice to look at. You’d never been so jealous of a table, watching as he lifted it so easily onto his back not straining even once.

Terry stayed at your table until everything sold out, helping you to pack everything up too. He was only able to buy one oatmeal cookie even though you tried to argue that he didn’t need to pay.

“Now I feel like I owe you again, I appreciate all your help today and for taking up so much of your time” you stated feeling bad. All this man wanted was some oatmeal and now he’s been put to work

“It’s no problem at all, I enjoyed the cookies and I learned a lot about the baking business too” he said smiling showing all 32 of his pearly whites

“Well before you go I have something for you” reaching in the front seat of your car grabbing the specially wrapped box. “ I knew the cookies would sell fast so I made sure to put a batch aside for you, after all that was the deal”. the smirk growing on your face 

His smirk matching yours “It definitely was. Thank you, I’ll try not to eat them all in one siting” 

“Good luck with that,” you said. “They’re addictive.”

“I don’t doubt it.” He leaned back slightly, his eyes lingering on you for a moment. “You know, I think I got the better end of this deal. A whole batch of cookies, and nice morning spent with beautiful company”

You could help to laugh, shaking your head. “Well, now you’re just showing off your charm, aren’t you?”

“Maybe,” he said, his grin widening. “But it’s working, isn’t it?”

You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest was impossible to ignore. “Drive safe, Terry. And maybe I can get you to try one of my other cookies next time you’re here.”

“Next time, huh?” He opened his truck door but paused, his eyes locking with yours . “I like the sound of that.”

With that, he climbed into the truck , leaving you standing there with a smile you couldn’t seem to shake.

True to his word, Terry showed up at the next farmers market. And the one after that. By the third week, it wasn’t just a casual visit—he was there early, carrying boxes, helping set up your booth, and sticking around to take it all down at the end of the day.

“You know,” you said one morning as you unloaded your car together, “I didn’t realize free cookies came with a labor contract.”

Terry chuckled, setting down a tablecloth. “I think I got the better end of the deal. The cookies are a bonus. You, though? You’re worth showing up for.”

You couldn’t help but to feel butterflies flutter in your stomach and somewhere else, but you just  rolled your eyes to play it off. “Flattery will only get you more cookies, you know.” He didn’t have to know you also meant another set of cookies. 

“Good,” he said, his grin crooked and confident. “I’ll take them.”

By the fifth farmers market, his presence had become so natural that when he wasn’t there for a moment—late grabbing tea for you both—you realized how much you’d come to expect him by your side.

That day, while packing up the last of your supplies, you worked up the courage to ask. “So… I was thinking. Since you’re already giving up your Saturdays to help me here, maybe I could steal another evening from you?”

Terry straightened, his eyes bright with interest. “Are you asking me out, Y/N?”

“Maybe I am,” you said, smiling as you shut the trunk. “Dinner this Friday?”

“Absolutely,” he said, his grin matching yours. 

Flashback end

Now, a year and a new bakery storefront later, you were finishing up making a batch of your still best seller. Now renamed The Terry, you had to make double sometimes triple and would still sell out fast. 

Terry still helping out but now in the shop, had seen you struggle a little to lift the big bag of flour and had suggested showing you some arm strengthening workouts.

“Well if someone didn’t have my arms in a position they’re not usually in I would have been fine lifting the flour. Besides not everyone has the strength to be out here lifting tree logs.”

Terry laughed, the deep rumble making you glance up. “Baby, when have you ever seen me lift a log? And also it was your idea to try it out”

You shrugged ignoring the second part of his comment. “Maybe it happened in a dream once.”

He shook his head, amusement clear in his eyes. “That imagination of yours…” He leaned down to kiss your cheek while swiping a cookie on his way out.

You grinned and turned back to your task, the sound of the spoon scraping against the bowl filling the space.

[assassin-artist]

Eleanor Grayson's hero outfits, part 1. I'd like to make a lineup of a handful of alternate universe variants, but for now here's her normal fits and 1 AU (:

Extra information about each of them (and her in general) under the cut:

Suit 1 - Nolan took Ellie and Mark both to Art's shop to get their first hero suits after their powers emerge, and of course them being twins means Art wanted to make them matching suits - knee high boots, fingerless gloves, the same goggle mask and everything. Considering the public knew that Omni-Man and Invincible were father and son, I think they'd also know that Invincible and Mercy were twins, so their similar suits were like marketing to their image as the duo heroes. The white line on her chest is a stylized "M" for her hero name, Mercy. Eleanor does NOT like the skintight suit, she gets self-conscious about it, but she thinks there's no avoiding it (since so many heroes wear them) so she doesn't bring up how uncomfortable it makes her. When she goes home she throws on a random jacket from her closet - it was not made to be part of a hero uniform, so it's getting torn apart like 5 seconds into any battle. Very funny mental image of Eleanor going to a normal clothing shop and bulk buying like 20 of the same exact jacket bc once she wore it for the first time she went "welp it's part of my image now, I have to keep wearing it".

Ellie and Mark at this point are inseparable. They're the typical close twins who do everything together, growing up sharing everything and doing all the same after school activities and such. Them getting their powers at roughly the same time (Ellie got hers first but only by, like, a week maybe) just made them closer, as they delve into the world of being a hero together with their loving father (:

Suit 2 - Art probably sees her jacket addition when she's on the news with Invincible, and he immediately goes "hey, wait a sec..." so she comes clean about how uncomfortable the tights make her. He wishes she'd told him the first time, but he takes it in stride and makes her a new suit right away with a skirt at her request. He thinks about adding a jacket to it too, but at that point she kind of got used to not having it (since the normal jacket broke so often) so she said it was fine actually. The skirt addition was pretty much immediate, so it wasn't too big of a shift from suit 1 to suit 2.

Ellie moves out of the house at this point (thanks to a nice GDA paycheck. She wanted to move out ASAP because she can't stand being in the house that reminds her of her father, as opposed to Mark staying to support their mother). Her and Mark's relationship is a bit strained from general hero troubles and of course the trauma of their father's leaving, but mostly they're still pretty close so they still market themselves as the twin heroes, fighting together and generally being inseparable to the public eye.

Suit 3 - her current outfit as of season 3 of the show. A lot of shit happens in between suit 2 and suit 3, and Mark and Ellie wind up separating. Firstly because of their strong disagreement about their father - Mark went to Thraxa alone (Ellie chose to stay on Earth while he left) and came back with the mentality that their father is changed man who needs their help. Ellie, however, heard that the Viltrumites took him away to be executed, and only says "Good". She can never forgive him, and it stresses out their relationship. Secondly, while both of the twins were horrified about finding D.A. and Darkwing in Cecil's payroll, Ellie decided that it wasn't a dealbreaker for her. She opposed it the same as Mark did, but she still thinks that working for Cecil is the best way for her to be where she needs to be to help people and save the world. This decision tears the twins apart almost completely. At this point, they both get outfit changes - Mark keeps his suit design but changes the colors (which are ironically black and blue like Mercy's original suit colors), while Ellie decides to completely overhaul her uniform entirely. New design, new jacket, new color scheme. Neither of them want to be associated with each other anymore, so they avoid the "twin heroes" moniker at this point. Also I like the red on the underside of her gloves and her boots because it looks like blood. Her bloody path, her bloody hands.

My friend chose this color scheme for me, and I just wanna say the colors are picked from show Cecil's outfit (: to showcase her being a loyal GDA agent at this point even after what she learns about him. The red line going down her jacket is meant to represent Cecil's red tie.. heh.... I like Cecil a lot, sorry I had to give her a suit based off of him lmfao

"Bad End" AU Suit - just want to make it clear, this is an AU and not her canon future. Ellie's love of Earth and humanity is her most defining character trait. She'll do anything she thinks is necessary to protect them - which is one of the biggest reasons that she's still willing to work with Cecil after the reveal, because she understands that sometimes you need to do bad things to save as many people as possible. In this AU, shortly after the Invincible War, she looks around at all the death and destruction and realizes there's no point in fighting against the Viltrumites. She comes to the conclusion that there's no way to win against them - that the only way to save the planet and people she loves is to join them and plead for their survival from the inside of the empire. Mark, exhausted and angry and full of the typical Viltrumite violent temper after the war, can't even bring himself to hold back against the betrayal from his own sister. They fight for a while, equally matched, before Ellie realizes their fight is just bringing more pain and destruction to the world that she's trying to save. So she leaves the planet to join the Empire, but not before Mark manages to give her a very nasty face wound that'll leave her with a permanent reminder of what she chose to do.

She's too attached to her 3rd suit because it's a reminder of what she was trying to protect, so she refuses to wear the typical Viltrumite uniform. Since there's some variation in their uniforms anyway, I think they'd be fine with the suit as long as she wore it in the Viltrum Empire colors, so she has it remade with the colors and symbol.

The next time BE!Mercy sees Cecil, he calls her a traitor to her own people - but she just frowns and says "Aren't we doing the same thing? Making a deal with the devil to save this world?"

She learned it from him, after all.

[inkz123]

Error prolly waits a week after Valentine's day so he can get the chocolate bundles on discount.

He goes to the stores to check prices before Valentine's because he HATES how crowded it gets nearing the day.

He computes how much he can save when he buys in bulk when he does go and buy em.

And the cashiers and store clerks swooning over him cuz they think he looks so handsome but also sad and jelly cuz hes probably choosing which chocolate to buy for his "honey"

but really hes planning to buy em all for himself haha

[drst]

Stock up time, Americans

OK this is not fear mongering, folks, this is for real. If you live in the US, you need to start stocking up on supplies right now, especially anything that is imported from China.

There is a major drop in freight shipping from China happening right now (late April 2025). Even if someone with two brain cells got into a room with Trump today and convinced him to back down on the tariffs against China, it's too late. There are going to be shortages and empty shelves. It's a question of how long they will last now.

It will take a few more weeks to be felt across the US, but as cargo ceases to arrive on the west coast, you have around 3-4 weeks for the effects to fully reach the east coast depending on the items. People are already reporting price hikes just on orders from China due to the tariffs, but this is going to be a void where things we normally expect to be able to buy will no longer be available.

There could also be major ripple effects from this as the trucking industry gets hit with either layoffs or firings. A lot of people could be thrown out of work, on top of the cuts to federal and government-adjacent jobs. This will push the instability in the economy even harder. And who knows what catastrophes could come up next.

So what can you do now, at the end of April 2025? All of this advice should be considered based on your financial situation. Don't put yourself in debt to do any of these things, but maybe look at your budget and your savings and see what you can afford to do right now.

Stock up on medications. As we know from 2020, a lot of components of our medicines are made in China. Buy extra supplies of anything over the counter you rely on. See if you can get bulk refills on prescriptions. I know it's tough with insurance companies but check with the pharmacy and see if you can fill early, or see what the out of pocket cost is for a refill and if you can afford it.

Personal care and hygiene products too - buy extra soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. Feminine care products (diapers if you've got little ones).

Electronics. Almost everything we use is made in China or relies on components made in China. If you've been thinking of getting a new phone or your laptop is failing, now is the time before the prices go even higher.

Same deal with cars, although that's a major expense to replace and interest rates on loans are high right now. We assemble cars here in the US but every car manufacturer makes parts overseas. Take your car to a mechanic ASAP, get it checked out, make sure it's in good working order. Replace anything that needs replacing.

Paper products like toilet paper are not imported from China. As I understand it, the shortages in 2020 were due to other factors, buuuuut, let's be real. People are going to see bare shelves and panic. They're going to start hoarding and since we all remember the TP shortages 5 years ago, it would be a good idea to stock up now so you're not fighting the panic buyers.

Tools - weirdly a large percentage of scissors sold in the US are imported from China. Make sure you have a basic set of household tools. This is a list of 15 basics for handling a house. There's also the ready.gov list of what you need for an emergency kit. Also a basic sewing kit is a very good idea to have available.

Food-wise, again, while direct imports from China may not make a huge impact, if people begin to panic, you want to be prepared to deal with other people hoarding. If you have space and your electric bill can handle it, this is a good time to pick up a chest freezer. You can get a small one for under $200. You can buy the value sized bags of frozen stuff you like to eat (particularly important if you have food issues or if you've got kids who love their chicken nuggets). Grab extras of shelf-stable things like cereal, pasta, rice, and canned goods. If this feels paranoid, you don't have to go crazy, but buy at least some extras.

Get cash from your bank just in case. This is good practice in any circumstances, but don't assume your cards or your Apple Pay are going to work in an emergency. Hit the ATM, squirrel at least $100 away at home. Try to get small bills if you can, it's easier to carry some with you and leave the rest at home.

Lastly think through things you use daily, check where they come from, resupply or replace anything coming from China ASAP. Some folks already did this at the end of last year (durable goods purchases were up over 10% above average in December because people were worried about the tariff shit back then), but if you can afford it, get replacements or new supplies right now.

I sincerely hope 6 months from now this looks like panic and overreaction, but a lot of people smarter than me are giving this advice. It feels very much like February of 2020 again, where people watching the news closely could see something really bad on the horizon, but the majority had no idea. Better to be prepared.

[lvrsturniolo]

sleep paralysis -c.s

(Mother’s Day special)

sorry for this chat 😬😬 happy Mother’s Day tho !

divider by @bernardsbendystraws

warnings; mentions of death. angst. depression. sleep paralysis. loss of a loved one.

synopsis; it’s Chris and your daughters first Mother’s Day without you.

It’s early.

The kind of early where everything is blue-tinted and quiet, except for the soft breathing of a child tucked into the crook of his arm. Chris doesn’t remember when they fell asleep on the couch, every night’s just been blending together.

Now, he can’t move. Not because he doesn’t want to wake her. Not because the weight of her tiny body is too much.

Because he physically can’t.

Sleep paralysis. He knows what it is. He’s had it non stop since you’ve been gone. He struggled with it since he was a teenager, but he soon found the only thing that could successfully tear him from it; you. But you were gone. You weren’t there to protect him anymore.

This time is different, though. This time, he doesn’t feel the usual fear or pressure. This time, he feels… you.

The air shifts.

It smells like your shampoo—the lavender one he could never find in stores after you passed. The one you kept buying in bulk online because it “made you feel soft.”

He swears he can feel the warmth of your hair brushing his jaw. Like you’re leaning over him. Like you’re right there.

And it fucking wrecks him.

He tries to cry, but his body is frozen. Tries to turn, tries to see you, but nothing works. His lips twitch with the effort.

He felt so close to you. But he couldn’t see you. His body wouldn’t let him see you. But, even if it were to, he knows it wouldn’t be real. Because you’re gone. He carried your casket. Then he watched it be lowered into the ground, six feet under. It still haunts him. He can still feel the sadness that weighed down the cemetery that day. The weight that follows him everywhere he goes, knowing that he’ll never see you again.

When he finally jolts awake—body free, lungs full—he gasps so loudly it wakes her. His daughter lifts her head, sleepy eyes blinking, curls a mess.

“Daddy?” she mumbles.

Chris swallows. “Hey, baby. Sorry. Daddy just had a dream.”

She sits up, rubbing her eyes. “Did you dream about Mommy again?”

He nods. “Yeah, I did.”

There’s a silence between them. The kind that used to live in hospital rooms and funeral homes. He hates that she knows how to carry silence like that.

“Today is the day for mommies,” she whispers.

This is their first Mother’s Day without you to celebrate. The first time they didn’t go out and shop all day to put together the first surprise for you. Because you were dead. Although Mila was only 5, she too felt the weight that Chris did. Because his wife was gone, but so was her mommy.

“I know,” he says, voice cracking.

Chris stands, carries her to the kitchen. He makes the pancakes from the recipe you wrote down on a napkin one sleepy Sunday morning. He lets her pour the sprinkles into the batter the way you used to.

“Daddy?” The small girl asks softly from across the table. “Yes baby?” He says back, voice holding something deep, too deep for the girl to understand yet.

“Can we go bring flowers to mommy’s rock?” She says, looking at him with her beautiful eyes. Your eyes.

“Of course, sweet girl. Let’s go get your coat on okay?”

At the cemetery, his daughter sets the flowers down carefully. Chris kneels beside her, one hand on her back, the other clenched around the letter he wrote and almost didn’t bring.

“I swear I could’ve felt you this morning. Right there beside me. And it killed me and saved me at the same time. Happy Mother’s Day sweetheart, I miss you more and more every day I wake up and every night I go to sleep. I hope you’re feeling okay, and I cannot wait until the day I’m with you again. Until then, love.”

He doesn’t read it aloud.

Instead, he watches their daughter pick a dandelion and hold it up to the sky.

“Mommy likes these,” she says.

“Yeah, baby. She really did.” He finally allows a single tear to fall, not being able to hold it together anymore.

And for a second, in the warmth of the spring wind, in the sunlight that hits her hair just like yours—he swears he sees you.

Smiling. Watching. Loving them from somewhere just out of reach.

God, he wishes this was just sleep paralysis. A dark nightmare that you’d shake him awake from and hold him until his breath was once again steadied. But it’s not. And it never will be.

[starshideurfics]

Thirsty Thursday - Buzzed

steddie, omegaverse, modern AU, Eddie got out of Hawkins and got famous

Most days it’s easy to pretend. Steve and Robin share a house and a workplace and most of a life in Indianapolis. He can usually forget how he and Eddie almost had something.

But that was before Eddie moved to L.A. to try doing something with his music, found his way into playing a busker in an indie film that miraculously got oscar buzz, and suddenly he’s a household name, booking tons of projects.

And Steve is happy for him!

Really!

He is.

It’s just… He misses having Eddie around. How excitable and goofy he can be, but also having a thoughtful alpha to hang out with other than Robin.

Not to mention his campfire scent and the way his callused fingers feel against Steve’s skin.

They still talk occasionally, texting mostly, little check-ins every couple months, but Steve hasn’t seen Eddie in-person in at least five years.

That’s why it’s easy to pretend. Steve’s old friend, Eddie, and Eddie Munson, alpha movie star, are two different people.

Steve’s crush can exist between the pages of magazines and on internet gossip sites.

He can moon over the pics from Eddie’s photoshoots that he has saved on his phone in private. Can keep his fantasies contained in his nest as he imagines his fingers sliding into short curls.

At least until he gets a call from Dustin on an unassuming Friday night. Steve and Robin are already nearly through a bottle of wine, kicking their feet up after a long week of teaching, when Steve’s phone rings.

“Eddie’s next movie is shooting in Chicago,” Dustin starts.

“And he’s flying out early so he can stop in Indy for a week. I may have told him he should skip the hotel and stay in your guest room.”

“Dustin!”

“What? You’ve got one of the mattresses from the podcast ads in there! It’s comfy! And that way he doesn’t have to deal with paps!”

“Can you just say paparazzi like a normal person?” Steve sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “But it should be fine. When does he get in?”

“Next weekend.”

“Dustin!”

“I only just found out! El and I are driving down in a week, and Mike and Will are only able to skype in.”

He doesn’t mention Lucas and Max, since they also live in Indy; Dustin and El are likely staying with them.

Robin elbows Steve and hisses for him to put the call on speaker, getting caught up as Steve has a private crisis at the thought of finally seeing Eddie again.

To make matters worse, his totally not stalkerish web alert for Eddie’s name pings after he hangs up with Dustin. A new photo shoot.

Eddie’s curls are gone, buzzed down to his scalp; Steve mourns for a fraction of a second.

Then he needs to squeeze his thighs together.

The wanting that he’s been squashing down for the better part of a decade comes back in full force, strong enough that Robin asks if his cycle is early and he’s going into heat.

Blushing, but knowing he can’t keep a secret from her to save his life, he shows her his phone.

“All I can see is how noticeable his ears are now,” Robin says with a judging look and a shrug. “And I am never going to buy Eddie as a tough guy, but I guess I can understand what you omegas see in him.”

“Rooooob!” Steve whines, indignant.

“Steeeeeve!” she teases back.

“I just… Fuck, I need to get laid.”

“I’m sure Eddie would if you asked him nicely.”

“Rob!”

“He looks like he could hold you down, get you to stop stressing so much.”

“Robin… I can’t think about that.”

“Sure you can.”

“I can’t.”

“You can, and you know why: The bulk of the conversations Eddie and I still have are about you. He always asks me how you are, what you’re up to, at least once a month.”

Steve’s taken aback by that. “What?”

“Yeah. He usually asks if you’re seeing anyone. Tries to sneak it in. Like I’m not going to notice.”

She raises a single eyebrow, and Steve feels intensely confused. “Then how come he doesn’t ask me? Or talk to me more?” He tips back the last of his wine and pulls his legs up tight to his chest.

“Because you’re both idiots,” Robin says, voice warm and full of love as she hugs him.

A week later, a car with dark tinted windows pulls up in Robin and Steve’s driveway.

Eddie has a baseball hat and sunglasses on as he gets out, the disguise barely enough obscure his features, but even if it were better, Steve would still recognize him by his posture.

Robin is out running errands and picking up dinner, but mostly giving Steve an hour of privacy. A chance to say something before either of them can get stuck inside their heads and fuck it up.

“Hey, Stevie,” Eddie says with a smile as he pulls off his sunglasses in the entryway.

“Hey yourself,” Steve replies, pulling Eddie in for a hug, ready to make it quick, only for Eddie to hold on tight and press his nose to Steve’s neck. A purr rumbles from his chest.

Steve reaches up and pulls the hat from Eddie’s head, letting it fall to the ground.

He rubs his fingers over the stubble of the alpha’s hair, keeping him pressed close to the bonding gland at his neck, his scent crying out for Eddie to claim him.

Soft lips ghost against Steve’s neck. “I missed you,” Eddie whispers.

“Missed you, too.”

Steve kisses the side of Eddie’s head, the only part he can reach, lips pressed to the velvet of his shorn hair. Then it’s like his brain suddenly catches up with him. “Sorry! We- I didn’t-”

Eddie presses a single finger to Steve’s lips, finally pulling back to look in his eyes.

Without his curls, Eddie’s gaze is somehow more intense, dark chocolate looking into Steve’s heart. “Don’t apologize, puppy. You have nothing to apologize for, not to me.”

“Eddie…”

“I’m the one who ran away, who’s been hiding instead of alpha-ing up and telling you.”

“Telling me what?” Steve asks, lower lip trembling.

“That even after all this time, I can’t get your scent out of my nose. That I still dream about you every night. That I work so much to keep from going insane missing you. That I sh-”

Steve cuts him off with a kiss.

Eddie doesn’t waste any more time, just picks Steve up, their lips still connected, and carries him to the nearest bedroom—fortunately Steve’s—and drops him on the bed. Getting out of their clothes doesn’t take long; they’ve both waited long enough.

And Robin will be home soon.

Part 2

Now expanded into a full fic! Read here

[natalievoncatte]

This was going to happen; it was inevitable the moment that Lena chose this course and began preparing to enact the plan. The timing was the mystery, the where and when. Thinking back on it later, she should have known better. Supergirl liked dramatic entrances, and she liked having Lena to herself when she talked. Surprisingly for someone who flew around in primary colors and smiled cheerfully for the cameras, she knew how to be discreet.

There was a double thud as the stacked heels of Supergirl’s boots touched down on the balcony behind her. Lena didn’t look up from her work. Not for the first time, she wondered if Supergirl used her super-senses to read other people. Lena’s heart sped up when she heard the landing and her breath caught, but she remained calm and smooth when she spoke.

“You may as well come in. We’re on the ninety-sixth floor. I don’t bother locking it.”

The glass door slid quietly on oiled plastic runners, and a gust of chilly night air rolled over Lena’s shoulders, causing her ponytail to slide from its place and dangle down her back. She’d changed earlier out of her power suit and exchanged her tight high ponytail for a loose, comfortable one. She was planning an an all-nighter.

“You should lock the door. There are dangerous people out there. Among other things.”

“If any of them have it in for me, they’re not going to be slowed down much by the balcony door, Supergirl.”

There was a soft sigh behind her. “We need to talk.”

Lena smirked. “Why is that? Are you worried my new car saving machine will pull all the cats out of the trees and out you out of work? I’m still working out all the kinks.”

“Miss Luthor…”

“Speaking of kinks, maybe you could help me out. I’ve got a terrible crick in my neck and could use a super-neck rub.”

“Miss Luthor,”

“Or if you’re not busy, you could run and grab us some takeout. I’m thinking Thai, how about you?”

“Lena!”

Sighing, she turned around, tearing her attention from her work. Supergirl had her arms folded, displaying those impressive muscles of hers, and was looking at Lena with an expression of stern concern, something soft and a little worried in her eyes.

“What’s the occasion, then? Let me guess, someone wants to assassinate me.”

Supergirl sighed and let her arms fall. “You need to take this seriously. Right now, I’m the only friend you’ve got.”

“And why is that?”

Supergirl edged closer, her cape swirling slightly behind her. She put a hand on Lena’s desk and leaned over her.

“Because you’re been buying up every ounce of Kryptonite you can find.”

Her pulse began to race and she fought the urge to sink back from the piercing blue eyes that stared into hers.

“That’s not possible. Your cousin destroyed it all.”

“Not all of it,” said Supergirl. “The DEO keeps some, and there’s some floating around on the black market, usually mistaken for something else.”

“What makes you think that I didn’t just stumble across some? I inherited an extensive collection of art and sculpture, Supergirl, and I’m always adding to it. Ask Kara Danvers. I’m going to display the bulk of the family collection in a new wing at the city museum.”

“Because the DEO identified and tracked dozens of pieces, including the ones you bought,” Supergirl said, quietly. “It’s a way for us to identify threats and see who’s trafficking in it. You moved them through shell companies and had them smuggled through customs. You’re hiding something.”

Lena pushed to her feet, indignant, leaning into the do confrontation. She stabbed a manicured nail into the center of Supergirl’s chest, right into her big S.

“So now you come storming into my office making accusations?”

Supergirl planted her fists on her hips and stood over Lena, glaring down at her.

“I’m on your side. I’m the only one keeping the DEO from arresting you. I want to believe that there’s a benign reason for this, Lena. But you have to give me one. People think you’re a threat.”

Lena stared back at her, studying her features, her expression.

“It won’t do any good to tell you. Your superiors won’t believe me. They’ve been trying to entrap me ever since I took over the company.”

“They’re not my superiors,” Kara snapped. “I work with them. They have resources and support I need.”

Lena crossed her arms and cocked her head. “They also have Kryptonite. You just admitted that.”

“Lena,” Supergirl snapped.

Quickly, she grabbed a random page from her notes and scribbled, are they listening?

Supergirl looked at it briefly, then at Lena, weighing her options.

Then she nodded.

Lena scrawled on the sheet.

I’m making a cure.

Supergirl started, flinching as she read the note. She blinked almost comically.

Can we talk without anyone listening in? Lena wrote.

Supergirl nodded, taking the paper. She slipped the pen out of Lena’s grasp and scrawled, give me five minutes.

“Fine,” said Lena. “Tell your people they can call a judge. I’m sure they’ll have all the proper papers and warrants and court orders and it will all be nice and legal.”

“I don’t want it to be this way,” said Supergirl. “I want to work together with you. I believe in you, Lena.”

“You have a hell of a way of showing it.”

Supergirl huffed, turned, and headed for the balcony, taking off with such force that Lena stumbled back a few steps.

Lena waited, finally moving towards the door to close it, when a folded paper airplane sailed through the opening and came to rest on her desk. She closed the balcony door and grabbed the paper, quickly unfolding it.

They can track my suit. Meet me at the Big Belly on 49th. Leave your phone. Walk. Don’t worry about your safety, I’ll be watching. I’ll be in civilian clothes.

Lena crumpled the note in her pocket. The place Suoergirl meant was a half an hour walk, and Lena was more than a little nervous about walking it at night. So, she grabbed her .357 from her desk drawer and stuffed it in the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie, and took her private elevator to the ground floor.

When she walked up on the Big Belly, it was of course closed, dark inside with the chairs up on the tables. Lena tensed when she saw a figure approaching in the dark, much like she was, in joggers and a hoodie.

She relaxed when she saw Kara Danvers hiding in that hood. When they crossed paths, Lena stopped and began walking beside her.

“Supergirl said she would meet me herself,” said Lena. “I’m kind of surprised she sent you, Kara.”

“Keep your voice down,” Kara said, softly. “Follow me.”

Kara led her on a trek through downtown, making Lena rather nervous. This part of the city emptied out after hours and it was close to three in the morning, and they were walking alone on empty streets, finally turning off down an alley between two seemingly random buildings.

There, Kara stopped, and sighed.

“Can you really do it? Can you cure Kryptonite poisoning?”

“Yes,” Lena said, excited. “I think I can. I’m very close. I needed the samples I procured so that I could perfect the process.”

Kara’s shoulders hitched a little. She faced away from Lena, and took a step towards the brick wall in front of her.

“They have a device that your brother created. It can disperse Kryptonite through the entire atmosphere in a few minutes.”

“I’m familiar with it.”

“It’s how they control me. I don’t know where they keep it, only that they have it. If I step out of line, they’ll poison the atmosphere and kill me.”

“Kill you? Kara what are you talking about? You’re not…”

“I told you I’d meet you in civilian clothes. When I wrote the note in your office.”

Lena stumbled back a step, trying to process what she just heard. Kara was talking as if…

She turned around, facing Lena, and stood to her full height, removing her glasses without sweeping back her hood, and met Lena’s gaze.

“But… you’re…”

“Hush,” Kara said, softly. “I’ll explain everything. Right now we need to move and move fast, before they figure out what I’m up to. How fast can you finish your cure?”

“I need a few days and some things from my lab.”

Kara brought her wrist up and spoke into a hidden radio. “Alex, get ready to move. We’ll need to get to Lena’s lab before the DEO does.”

Lena blinked a few times. What the hell was going on?

“I need to get you someplace safe, then I’ll get you up to speed,” said Kara. “Will you come with me?”

Lena’s heart pounded in her chest. “Where?”

“Safety. I promise, I’ll keep you safe. You’re too dangerous to the DEO, Lena. They’re going to move on you, and I had to beg to give you a chance. Tomorrow someone is going to come make you an offer you can’t refuse, and I’m not going to let that happen.”

Lena nodded.

“Alright then. I’m with you. Let’s go.”

Kara nodded.

“Good. Lena Luthor, welcome to the Justice League.”

I had a weird urge to play with the idea of a world where the DEO are a black ops unit that controls Supergirl with the threat of Kryptonite and Lena helps her take them down and save the world. Of course Kara has to be all dramatic about naming the resistance movement.