#step 2) while waiting for microwave get the honey from the cabinet

[chilewithcarnage]

got mildly injured in the stupidest way this morning

[makbarnes]

Endless Love

Chapter 2

It had been a few days since the escapade in the laundry room with Bucky and you were avoiding him any way you could. You heard screaming coming from his apartment and the door slammed. Looking out of your peephole, a man in a blue cap and a leather jacket was walking away and Bucky was watching your door. Flicking his hand back he shut the door behind him. You kicked one of Tatum’s toys and went back to what you were doing.

__________________________________________________________________________

Setting Tatum down for her nap and grabbed a cup of coffee while opening the file on your counter. Grabbing a pen and making a few notes. Hearing your doorbell you sit down your pen and open your front door.

“Delivery for {Y/L/N}.”

“That's me.” The guy handed you a clipboard and you scribbled your name on the dotted line. They then handed you a long box with a pink bow on it.

“Thanks…” Shutting the door behind you, you take the box over to your counter and open it. Revealing a huge bouquet of flowers you picked up the small note.

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…

~James.

Bucky had sent you flowers as an apology for kissing you the other night. The beautiful red roses popped against the cream tissue behind them. Grabbing a vase from a cabinet nearby you filled them with water and set them as a centerpiece on your small table. Chewing your bottom lip you opened your door again and glanced back in the direction of Tatum’s room. Stepping out into the hallway you left your door open and knocked on Bucky’s. Listening you could hear your heart racing about a thousand miles a minute. After a few minutes of waiting you knocked again but there was no answer. Hanging your head down you walked back into your apartment and admired the roses. Pushing them out of your mind for a little you decided to fix something for Tatum when she woke up. Taking some tortillas you spread out some peanut butter and strawberry jelly. Rolling them up into a small burrito you took a knife, chopping them into little rolls. Setting them in a line on a plate, you put away the jars and got another small bowl out. Getting a mix of fruit out of your fridge, along with some leftovers from the other day for you. Sticking the bowl into the microwave, you pressed a button, and put a mix of grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and some shredded coconut. Running them under the water, to get the chemicals off of them you laid them out in an orderly fashion. Grabbing a knife you cut the strawberries in half, along with the grapes and tossed the blueberries into the bowl, tossing them with some coconut. Hearing the microwave go off you set your leftovers on the stove as you heard Tatum waking up, and you went to her room, helping her out of the bed.

“Did you have a good nap?” Tatum shook her head and moved past you, to her small bathroom. Still being fairly new to the bathroom you always checked to make sure she knew, call it mother’s worrying. Waiting for her at the door Tatum tugged on your hand and you went with her to the main room.

“Are you hungry?” Picking Tatum up you set her in the yellow high chair that you kept in the kitchen, and set down the little table that connected.

“Apple, Orange, Grape, or Milk?” Setting down Tatum’s disney sippy cup on the counter you smiled as you could see her trying to decide.

“Apple.” You nod your head and got out the quart of juice you kept in the fridge, filling the cup. You secured the pink lid, and set it in the corner of the little table while you grabbed the plate and small bowl, setting them in front of her. You kissed Tatum’s forehead, before pouring yourself a glass of water, you moved one of the chairs from the table and sat it in front of her. Tatum grabbed a piece of a grape ,sticking it in her mouth and chewing it. Taking a bite from your food you felt something hit the side of your face. Instantly hearing Tatum start laughing you saw a blueberry roll into your view. Leaning over, you grabbed the piece of fruit and threw it in the trash can.

“Tatum, You don’t play with your food. You eat it like this.” Eating a grape from her bowl you booped her nose as she picked up one of her PB and J pinwheels, eating it quietly. Humming quietly while you two ate Tatum’s eyes locked on the flowers Bucky had sent you.

“Pretty red plant.”

“Bucky sent them to me.”

“Is he gonna be my Daddy?” Your face went pale and sent shivers down your spine . Tatum had asked about her dad a little before but you found a quick way around it. “Mommy?”

“Uh, no honey. Bucky just likes us, that’s all. He is just being nice.” Tatum’s smile faded a bit and you rushed over to the sink to clean your dishes while Tatum still ate.

“Hey, I have an idea. You wanna go to the park?” You asked her kneeled down beside her highchair. “Park, Park!”

“Then you better finish eating.” While Tatum ate the remainder of her food, you packed a small bag with a jacket for Tatum, along with your small first aid kit you kept and a change of socks.

You glanced around you and Tatum was eating her last bit of fruit, picking up the two empty bowls, sticking them in the sink, washing them quickly as Tatum finished her juice.

“Alright little missy, let’s go get you dressed.” Helping Tatum out of the high chair you walked with her to her closet and held her up on your hip.

“What do you want to wear?” Tatum tapped her chin. Copying what you did when you worked on the files and she pointed to her orange striped shirt that was paired with a pair of jean shorts. Sitting her off of your hip you grabbed her small orange clasp shoes. Moving Tatum toward the bathroom you grabbed a cloth and wet it with water. Going over her skin and face you wiped away any dirt and grime that was built up. Also wetting her hair and taking a comb to it. Pulling the shirt over Tatum’s head, you pulled her hair out from under the shirt and helped her into her shorts. Sitting her up on the counter you combed her hair back and scrunched it a little. Sticking an orange headband you pushed back her bangs and pushed a few strands behind her ears. Picking up her shoes you clasped them on her feet and she smiled happily at you. Getting her off the counter, Tatum grabbed your hand leading you out of the house.

____________________________________________________________________________

Arriving at the park Tatum rushed toward the swings and you helped her into the swing.

“Push me Mommy!”

“Okay, let me set the bag down.” Sitting the bag next to the swing’s post you pushed the back of the seat gently. Tatum swung forward slowly and you pushed her up as she swung back toward you. Tatum giggled as she went higher in the air, Swinging her legs along with her movements. After a few moments of pushing her Tatum turned her head back to you and pointed over at the track.

“Mommy! Look, it’s the man with the shiny hand.” You stopped pushing Tatum to see Bucky jogging around the track with his headphones plugged in his ears.

“Do you want to go say hi?” Tatum nodded at you and you helped her out of the swing. Grabbing the bag Tatum rushed a bit ahead of you and you followed after her. Tatum hopped in front of Bucky’s way and he stopped, looking down at her. Bucky kneeled down and pulled out his headphones.

“Hi.”

“Hey Doll, Where’d you come from?”

“Tatum...Don’t run off like that again. Sorry, she wanted to say hi.” Bucky stood up to meet your gaze.

“No problem, you two are welcome anytime, even just to say hi.” Bucky rubbed Tatum’s head and you picked at your nails a little.

“Thanks for the roses.” You played with your hair while Tatum glanced at the swings again. Tugging on your jeans Tatum pointed over at the swingset.

“Mommy?”

“What is it sweetie?”

“Can he push me on the swings.”

“I’m sure Bucky’s busy, why don’t you let me?” You took Tatum’s hand while she looked at Bucky with puppy dog eyes.

“Oh, why I’d be glad to.” Bucky reached out his hand to Tatum and you nodded at her giving her the go ahead. She took Bucky’s outstretched hand while he led her over to the swings. Picking her up he placed her in the same swing she was in before. You set down your bag in the same place and leaned against the pole while you watched Bucky push Tatum lightly.

“Wee!”

“Careful, sweetie. Hold onto the ropes.” Tatum’s hands wrapped around the ropes while Bucky pushed her higher. Seeing the way Tatum was with Bucky made you more interested in him, than you should have been. Normally you wouldn’t let your child be a matchmaker but Bucky was great with her. Sweet, caring and cautious, answered every question and listened to everything she said. Smiling at Tatum you pulled out a bottle of water that you packed and took a sip from it.

“Do you want any Bucky? Tatum, are you thirsty?” Bucky shook his head while Tatum said the exact opposite. Grabbing her small sippy cup that you kept cold, Bucky stopped Tatum from swinging, and you handed her the cup. Tatum took a few sips before handing it back to you, tucking it back into the side bag Tatum gripped her hands together for you, wanting out of the swing.

“Can I go play on that?” You nodded your head while going over to a close bench with Bucky, sitting down next to you. Your eyes didn’t keep off Tatum for long while you chatted with Bucky.

“Ya know, I don’t send roses to most women.” Your face flushed a little, knowing where he was heading with this.

“Oh so you have a type?.” Bucky laughed a little at your sarcasm.

“Something like that. To be honest I haven’t seen anyone as beautiful as you in seventy years or more.” Blushing heavily you moved your hair a little to cover your cheeks.

“And I was hoping that you would go out on a date with me tomorrow night around seven?” You made direct eye contact with him, probably looking like a crazy person you were smiling so much.

“If I can find a babysitter in time.” Bucky took your hand in his own.

“She can come too.”

“Past her bedtime.” You waved your free hand over to Tatum who was starting to go down the slide and smiled the whole way down. Running over to you Tatum saw Bucky’s hand and your own.

“Mommy! Did you see that?”

“I did sweetie.” You picked Tatum up, placing her in your lap. Bucky stood up and said goodbye to you two before jogging off.

____________________________________________________________________________

Fixing the black sleeve on your blouse you pulled your hair back into a ponytail and curled the ends with a comb. Rolling your eyelashes over your index finger, you walked out of the bathroom to see the babysitter, Natalie rocking Tatum in her arms.

“I think someone is up past her bedtime.”

“I’m sorry, I tried to get her to rest but she wouldn’t” You took Tatum from her arms and bounced her a little.

“How do I look?” You tugged the skirt down a bit and smiled.

“Beautiful” Natalie cleaned up a little while you bounced Tatum around and started singing to her.

“Where are you going Mommy?”

“Well, Mommy is going to hang out with Bucky.” Kissing her head, some of her hairs got stuck to the lip gloss you were wearing. Humming a little tune you heard a knock at the door and motioned for Natalie to open it. Seeing Bucky in dark jeans with a light blue button up you smiled.

“Okay, let me just put Tatum to bed and I will be right out. Make yourself comfy.” Bucky came in and stood near the door not wanting to disrupt anything.

“But Mommy I want to go with you.” Tatum begged, clinging onto your black top.

“Sweetheart, It’s past your bedtime...How about I sing you a song before I go?” Tatum settled for that and you carried her off into her room. Pulling down the cover on her bed, you laid her on her back and handed her the small puppy she had left last night.

{Heaven’s gift to me just the way you are, A new aged child from a distant star. It feels so good just to be, So close to your love. You are heaven’s gift to me...You are so sweet and pure, just the way you are. Mama’s precious jewel, and Mama’s rising star. There’s so much in life for you to see. And so much to be, you are heaven’s gift to me.}

Tatum’s eyes closed and you kissed her forehead before sliding up the gate, locking her safely in bed. You closed her door and carefully walked into the main room, where Bucky was leaning against the wall, close to the hallway and Natalie was sitting on the couch.

“Okay, she should sleep till I at least get back...if she wakes up play number three off of this CD. You tapped a case on top of a small stack and smiled at Bucky.

“Okay, I’ll be back around...when?”

“Actually we will be right across the hall. I figured we would stay close just in case something happened. Not that it will.” Bucky took your hand and led you across the hall into his apartment. Seeing two black sleek candles in between two place mats and two glasses with champagne. Shutting the door behind you as he led you over to the table, pulling out the chair you slid into it gently.

“You look beautiful as always.” Bucky complimented while he brought over two plates, sitting one in front of you and one in front of his seat. Popping the champagne bottle, he filled your glass half full and did the same with his own. Sitting the bottle down in the middle of you two and sat across from you.

“Bucky, this is…wow. Did you make this?”

“Yes, it’s vegan lemon asparagus pasta. I didn’t know what you liked or if you are a vegan or a vegetarian so I didn’t take any chances.”

“Oh no, I don’t have any reservations about food.” Bucky smiled as he watched you take a bite and smile at the taste.

“I heard you singing to Tatum. You’re a beautiful singer.”

“Thank you, I um, had a plan to go into singing but then I met Loki then Tatum happened and I went with my backup plan. Can’t raise a child if I became a nationwide star.” Bucky cleared his throat while you drank some champagne.

“Did Loki steer you away from your path of becoming a singer.”

“He was the type of guy who wanted to keep you under wraps all the time. Always wanting to know where I was, what I was doing, and who I was with. I was branching off, becoming a star and I guess Loki hated that he had to share me. But then when we found out about Tatum he started distancing himself from us, being away in Asgard more and it just wasn’t good.” You felt a few tears filling your eyes, and brushed them away while eating some more of the pasta. Bucky stayed silent for a few minutes and just ate.

“So Tatum has never met her dad?”

“Well he held her once right after she was born, but then left and I have never seen him since.” Finishing off your glass of champagne Bucky poured some more into your glass.

“Enough about heartbreaking...I hope you don’t mind me asking this but can you tell me about the forties?” Bucky’s face lit up and he patted his mouth with a small cloth, cleaning it off.

“Oh you would have adored it. I lived with Steve for most of my time before we went off to the war, but not to worry I didn’t leave any girl behind waiting. I hadn’t found the right one.” Bucky winked at you and a blush was rising to your face again.

“Now if we had gone out on a date back then. It would have been dancing, dinner and a movie. I would have taken you to my favorite club along with the most famous restaurant we had back then. Then I would end the evening with either a movie or a stroll down the street, walking you back to your house and maybe a kiss to end it. If I liked you enough.”

“Sounds amazing. Bet you were a heartbreaker.”

“No, I didn’t date much, couldn’t find anyone.” Giggling, you finished off your plate and Bucky jumped up instantly. Sitting the plates on his counters and clicking the radio, hearing smooth jazz starting to play Bucky held out his hand and you stood up, letting him bring you close to his chest.

“Bucky, I can’t dance.”

“Everybody can dance, Angel. Most people are horrible and don’t have me as a dance partner.”

“Do I sense bragging, Barnes?” Bucky swayed slowly with the music and you relaxed against him. Bucky followed the beat of the music and you smiled. You could feel the warmth coming off of his body. Spinning outwards from him you went back into his hold and smiled a little.

“So this is what dancing with James Barnes is like?”

“Hehe, Why, you bored already?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Mhm.” Bucky continued swaying with you and kissed the top of your head.

“Anything else I should know about the forties?”

“Well the food now is much better than then, also there are lots of more choices with clothes.”

“Sounds fun, when can we go?”

“If I could go back right now. I wouldn’t. I want to stay right here with you and Tatum and the Avengers.” Your breath got caught in your throat for a little bit before ignoring it. This was the best date you had been on since Loki left. The music stopped and Bucky twirled you out once more before offering you more champagne or something else.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?”

“Not at all.” Smiling at him you kissed his cheek and sat down on his couch, patting the pillow next to you.

“Can I ask you another thing? Why me? Out of any woman that you could have, you chose a single mother with a heartbreaking past.” Bucky wrapped his arm around you and sighed deeply.

“Well One, You are a beautiful woman who has a job and still can raise her own beautiful daughter. Two, After everything you smile and act like it is no big deal, You are standing proud and strong on your own little rock. Three, I can empathize with you, about what seems like anything in the world. Four, You’re awesome sense of style and five. Eh, you’re hot.” You ended up laughing at the last two and leaned closer into him. Feeling a force moving your lips closer and closer till you heard a small knock at Bucky’s door. You hung your head down and stood up to see who was out in the hallway. Natalie was standing outside with Tatum on her hip and her face was in that I’m sorry don’t be mad I ruined your date look. You walked over to the door and grabbed Tatum from her.

“What is it baby?”

“She has a temperature of one hundred and two so I thought she needed her mom. I’m so sorry.” Natalie yawned a little and you sent her home before she got sick. Bucky blew out the two candles and you bounced Tatum a little.

“The date was perfect, Bucky. Thank you.”

“Is there anything you need or that I can help with?”

“No, I’m just gonna take her home and keep a watchful eye on her.” Tatum coughed near your face and laid her head on your shoulder. Bucky walked across the hall and opened your door for you.

“You feel better and you keep your nights open.” Bucky kissed you on your cheek lightly, shutting the door behind him.

“No offense kid but you couldn’t have let us kiss?” You took Tatum into her bedroom and rushed to get her some medicine and the thermometer. Taking it again, seeing it was the same you fed her the dosage of some medicine before kicking off your shoes and standing in the kitchen. Hearing a knock on your door you sighed hoping it wasn’t anything important. You opened the door and Bucky was standing there with a can of tomato soup in his hand.

“Bucky, I have soup for…” You were cut off by Bucky slamming his lips into your own. He shut the door behind him and moved you up against the wall. Your lips in a hot synchronizing motion. Bucky dropped the can of soup on the small table without looking and felt your tongue teasing his own. Pushing back your own he felt every curve and indentation in your mouth before stopping.

“Goodnight.” Bucky winked at you before quickly leaving your apartment and heading back to his own. In shock of what just unfolded you pulled your hair down and licked your lips.

“Damn.” You muttered before heading off to take care of Tatum and hopefully get some rest after that.

NEXT CHAPTER

MASTERLIST

[mxndoscyarika]

Honeydew (Marcus Pike/Moreno x OC) | Chapter 4

Summary: Erin He moves to DC after working for the FBI in Texas and runs into a hero in disguise; Marcus Moreno. Something about him is familiar, too familiar, yet different in a way that she can’t quite place. Although confused, she can’t deny her feelings for him; perhaps, after years of regret, she finally found the one.

Warnings: snow/icy roads, food/drink, smut/masturbation (after last line break), two (2) swear words

Ao3

Honeydew masterlist

Like my writing? Here’s my masterlist.

Author’s Note: I did it! I managed to write while also getting flooded with homework! I’m not completely sure when I’ll be able to get the next chapter out, but I’m super excited for you all to see what happens this chapter. Enjoy!

The lights flickered in the office, making Erin pause her work. Looking out the window, she was met with snow falling from the sky, flakes small enough that even the building next door wasn’t much more than a faint silhouette. It wasn’t anything atypical for that time of year, but she was not looking forward to driving through the snow. There was always someone who started sliding or ended up blocking a road.

She picked up her phone tiredly when it started ringing, not even looking at the contact. “This is Agent He.”

A warm voice came through the speaker. “Hi, honey.”

Hearing Marcus’s voice, even through a phone, was enough to get her to sit a little taller. “Hi, Marcus. What do you need?”

He let out a soft sigh. “Sorry, I know you’re probably busy, but Missy gets out of school soon and I was wondering if you could give her a drive home?” There was the sound of a crash nearby, followed by the scuffing of shoes against pavement. “I’m a bit busy right now and the school just called to say they’re closing early.”

Erin glanced through her schedule for the rest of the day. No meetings, just paperwork and some emails. Closing it with a click, she answered, “Yeah. Yeah, I can go pick her up. I’m just about done for the day and was thinking of heading out anyways.”

Marcus let out a sigh of relief. “You’re the best, Erin. I’ll text you the address and let Missy know you’re coming.”

“No problem,” she replied, tucking her phone between her shoulder and ear so she could pack up. “Stay safe out there, Marcus.”

He chuckled softly. “Of course, honeydew. I’ll talk to you later, alright?”

The call ended before she could respond. Shrugging to herself, she tucked her phone away and kept packing.

Due to the slower workday, people had time to kill. Erin tried to ignore the stares of her coworkers as she strode out of the office with her bag and a stack of folders. Some stopped her along the way to ask questions, and she sighed as their single question turned into what constituted a half-hour meeting that they could have scheduled. As much as she hated to seem dismissive, she had to cut them off and ask them to send an email with their concerns.

“Wait, where are you going?”

Glancing back over her shoulder, she answered, “Had something important come up, I’m heading out for the day.”

---

“Are you my dad’s special friend?”

Erin’s eyes widened. Words were lost on her as she tried to formulate an answer. They were certainly friends, and more than friends, but how far beyond that? “W-what do you mean by ‘special’, Missy?”

The young girl shrugged, playing with the zipper of her jacket. “Dad talks about you a lot. Well, he talks to you a lot. He told me that you’re the one he calls at night.”

She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned pale. He talked about her with Missy? “Oh. Yeah, that’s me, then.” Turning on the blinker to make a left, she said, “Your dad told me he’ll finish work as soon as he can, so we’ll head to my place, ok?”

In just a few minutes, she pulled into the garage of her apartment, trailing in slush and clumps of snow. Her tires had left compacted snow on the driveway, which meant the snow was planning to stick around for a while. Hopefully someone would add salt by the morning. Having a four-wheel-drive was great, but she couldn’t alter physics.

“Get warmed up by the fireplace and I’ll text your dad, ok?” She said, unlocking the apartment door and holding it open for Missy to enter. The little girl bounded in, taking off her shoes by the door so she wouldn’t leave tracks on the floor. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Do you have hot cocoa?” Missy asked, setting down her backpack by the dining table. She looked up at Erin curiously, her brown eyes sparkling.

Erin placed her folders on the table and nodded. “Yes I do, sweetie. Do you want to help? I have marshmallows somewhere….”

“Yes!!!” Missy cheered. She followed Erin to the spacious kitchen, her eyes growing wide when she saw the array of pots by the sink. “Are these all real plants?”

The greenery was one of Erin’s favorite parts about the apartment; a higher position at the FBI meant a bigger paycheck, and a bigger paycheck and relocation meant a bigger apartment. It still wasn’t large enough for a party of more than two or three people, but it did have more counter space and windows. Adorned with plants ranging from orchids to airplants to fiddle-leaf fig bushes, her living space was slowly turning into a nursery. Some would’ve said she had too many plants, but she wanted her home to be just a little more than plain walls and pretty lights.

“They are,” she answered, smiling. “I need to water them today, so I left them out on the counter this morning. Do you and your dad have plants at home?” Missy shook her head, marveling at the circular leaves of the pilea plant. Touching a leaf gently, she answered, “Dad always forgets to water them, so we only have fake ones.”

A chuckle left Erin’s lips as she placed the mug of milk into the microwave. “Remind me to never buy him plants as a present, then.”

When the milk was steaming, she took the mug out of the microwave and added a large scoop of powdery mixture. The liquid quickly turned to a silky dark brown, which was quickly topped off with a handful of marshmallows per Missy’s request.

While Missy started on her homework–who gave out homework on a snow day?–Erin took out a few ingredients to make cookies. Thankfully, she still had some flour and dark chocolate in the cabinet. If there was anything that could’ve warmed up the chilly apartment, it was the heat of the oven and the scent of freshly baked cookies.

Surprisingly, Missy was pretty well-behaved. In her experience, children around Missy’s age tended to be riddled with questions, almost overly excited. But Missy, on the other hand, seemed to fare well on her own. Perhaps it was a testament to her upbringing, or maybe she was just independent like her father. Either way, Erin appreciated the politeness and relaxation.

Once the cookies were baked, Erin took a seat across from  Missy and started sorting through the reports. Some had urgent deadlines, but others could wait. And then there was the rat’s nest that was her inbox.

It was at that point when Missy finished her homework and started growing bored. She couldn’t blame her; her apartment could be cozy, but it definitely wasn’t arranged for a child.

“Do you want to do something together?” Erin asked, smiling a little. Setting down the file she was reading she mused, “If you want, we could find a movie. Or not, whatever you want. Just tell me.”

Missy’s request wasn’t surprising–she wanted to watch TV. So that’s what they did. They snuggled up on the sofa with a blanket tossed over their legs. Erin handed her the remote so she could pick a show or movie.

Before long, the warmth of the fireplace along with the soft haze of noise from the TV had lulled Missy to sleep, the head of brown waves resting against her arm. At first, Erin tensed. But once she realized it was just Missy, she forced herself to relax.

Smiling softly, she turned down the volume of the TV and slid her arm out from underneath her, catching Missy when she started falling over. She wondered if that was what parenting was; if it was just a series of questions and answers until the little one fell asleep.

But as she tried to get up, she found Missy’s hands scrunched in her shirt, keeping her in place. Not even a tug on her shirt could detach her.

Sighing, she sat back down and looked down at the little girl. The half-sitting position couldn’t be good for her back, and so far she hadn’t had any success in getting free. So, she did what anyone would do. Well, what she thought Marcus would do.

She leaned over and lifted Missy with ease, holding her close so they could both lie down.

Missy quickly settled herself into a more comfortable position, her cheek resting against Erin’s shoulder. The hands that once clung to her shirt came up to wrap around her neck, keeping her secured to Erin.

The FBI agent tried to ignore the warmth in her chest as Missy’s fingers wrapped around the collar of her shirt. Until then, she hadn’t realized how...small she was. How precious and warm and completely adorable. Sure, there was the cuteness that came with youth, but for a moment she let herself bask in the embrace of Missy Moreno.

As her eyelids grew heavy, Erin pulled the blanket up and let herself drift off.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed before Marcus knocked on her door. The sharp rapping on wood brought her out of her slumber. When she glanced at her watch, it was late into the evening.

Rather than making him wait an extra minute so she could wake Missy up, Erin stood from the couch and answered the door with the little girl on her hip.

Marcus looked tired, his beard a bit longer than usual and his hair mussed. But nevertheless, those beautiful brown eyes of his lit up at the sight of Erin and his daughter. Speaking softly, he said, “It looks like you two got along, huh?”

“I guess we did,” she replied, smiling. She stepped aside. “Why don’t you come in? Stay for dinner, Marcus.”

“I really shouldn’t,” he said bashfully, laughing softly. Seeing her with his kid all cuddled up sparked something in him that he hadn’t felt in a long time. And it terrified him.

He always wanted kids; it was no secret. And along with kids, he dreamt of getting married, and coming home to a family. The world let him have that for fewer than five years. It had been a long time since he’d come home to see Missy so content and at peace with life.

“You had a long day, sweetie,” she insisted, reaching for his wrist and pulling him in. “Just let me set her down and I can get started.”

Before he could offer to take Missy, she was already laying the girl back onto the couch. As he watched her, he remembered the way his wife used to cradle their baby, tucking her into blankets and placing little kisses on her forehead.

His heartstrings tugged painfully as Erin covered Missy with the blanket and smoothed down the hairs on the crown of her head fondly. Although he didn’t regret a moment of his previous marriage, part of him still wished he’d taken the plunge instead of redirecting his feelings towards Lisbon. Maybe if he did, they’d be in a completely different place in life.

Erin came up to him, tying back her hair. “I can make us some fried rice, how does that sound?”

“Perfect,” he replied, smiling. “Can I help you prep anything, honey?” There it was again. Fighting the rush of heat at the nickname, she walked with him to the kitchen and said, “Yes, I’d love some help.”

She and Marcus fell into a rhythm, music playing softly from the bluetooth speaker on her counter. While the rice cooker was puffing out steam (she didn’t have enough leftover rice), they both worked on preparing the other ingredients: spam, onions, egg, and garlic. Some things never changed.

“You’re very lucky,” she commented, leaning forward on the counter to watch him dice the onion. His movements were smooth and confident, fingers curled just slightly. “Missy’s a great kid.”

“She didn’t give you any trouble?” he asked, brows shooting up. When she shook her head, he chuckled softly. “You must have magic powers, then. She can be a little shit if she wants to be.”

Erin scoffed. “She’s the most well-behaved child I’ve ever met. You did a good job with her, Marcus.”

“I did my best,” he responded, cheeks warm. “I don’t think I could’ve survived without my mom helping out, though.” She smirked. “Well isn’t that what grandparents are for? Babysitting so that the parents can have some fun?”

The corner of his lip curved up. He finished cutting the onions and washed his hands. Stepping closer, he asked lowly, “What kind of fun do you think they have?”

Chills ran down her spine as he touched her arm, his hands large and warm. Her eyes flickered down to his lips. “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

“Do you want me to show you, honey?”

Mere centimeters separated them when a high pitched voice exclaimed from the sofa, “Daddy!”

Erin pulled away quickly, her cheeks turning pink as Missy ran over to give Marcus a hug. They were almost caught. She was almost caught kissing Missy’s dad. That would’ve been an interesting situation to explain.

But if the nerves were real, why was her heart beating with excitement? Not to mention, why did she feel so warm when he touched her? They weren’t together. No, they were friends. More than friends, but friends.

Dinner was cooked and demolished in no time, the Morenos praising her for something as simple as rice with canned meat.

“This is really good, honey,” he moaned, spooning more into his bowl. Licking his lips, he asked, “Could you teach me how to make this sometime?”

She tried not to focus on the way his lips shined from the oil and his tongue. “I could, but why do that when you and Missy could come visit more often?”

“I can’t ask that of you, honey-” “You’re not asking, I’m offering,” Erin interrupted, smiling triumphantly at Missy’s agreement. “Besides, Missy likes the plants. She says they’re nice.” “Like abuelita’s house!” Marcus chuckled. “Like abuelita’s house.” Meeting Erin’s eyes, he said, “I’d like that. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

---

“Dad, Erin’s really cool.”

He smiled fondly, pulling out of the visitor’s parking spot. “Yeah, she is, isn’t she?”

A pause. Then, “Are you going to ask her out?”

Normally, he would be more caught off guard. But after a long day of work and an amazing dinner with his girls, he couldn’t have been happier. “I already did, kiddo.”

Another pause. He knew Missy was going to grow up to be a smart girl; he just knew it. And with Erin in the picture, he had even less reason to doubt it. “Do you like-like her? My friends say that their parents go on dates sometimes.”

Marcus smiled to himself. “Yeah, yeah I do.”

Being in the kitchen with her again felt like coming home. To her, it might’ve felt like a stranger seeing her for the first time, but everything fell together perfectly.

“Well, I think she like-likes you, too.”

---

Erin sat on the edge of her bed, wrapped in a fluffy towel after her shower. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way Marcus’s voice had dropped when he asked her that question, and the way his touch felt electric against her even through the clothes.

The heat in her belly grew more unbearable the more she thought of him. Seeing him in the kitchen, waltzing around her as if it was second nature, only made her want him more. His fingers were beautiful and thick, gentle yet confident. His smile was sweet yet knowing. He was everything she ever wanted, but different from what she used to dream about.

She lifted her gaze to the full mirror leaning against the wall.

The towel dropped to the carpet once she stood in front of it, leaving her bare to the warm air of her apartment. She bit her lip as her fingers rubbed along the silver shaft of the toy in her hand. It was a new one that came in the mail just a couple weeks ago.

Clicking the button at the base of the vibrator made it come to life, buzzing in her hand.

The first touch against her swollen clit made her gasp and retract her hand. It was stronger than the others she used, more pulsing than constant.

Her fingertips slid between her legs easily as she prepared herself for the toy, her arousal shining on her skin. She closed her eyes and imagined they were Marcus’s fingers, but let out a frustrated sigh. Her fingers were too small, to fill her in the way that she knew Marcus could.

Sitting down on the floor, she rubbed the toy along her folds, whimpering as she clenched around nothing.

A moan escaped her lips as she pushed the vibrator into herself, letting it fill her as much as possible. She immediately clamped down on it, sucking it deeper in until it sat snugly against her walls.

Leaning back on an arm, she used her free hand to tug at a hardened nipple, sending electricity down to her glistening pearl. When she let go, the soft flesh bounced, skin still glowing from her shower. If only it were Marcus’s hands touching her, caressing her skin.

Her orgasm struck her faster than expected, making her arch her back and let out a faint cry. As ecstasy coursed through her veins, her legs started shaking and her cunt began dripping around the toy, as if it were folding back a flood.

Each clench of her walls only brought her more pleasure, the vibrations becoming too much for her to take.

She reached down and pulled out the toy, gasping as a stream of liquid squirted onto the mirror. Her chest heaved as she watched her pussy gape and clench through droplets of her release.

“Fuck,” she whispered to herself, lying back on the floor. The taste of her cum coated her tongue as she licked the toy clean. “Fuck.”

< previous chapter | next chapter >

TAGLISTS: (please let me know if you’d like to be added/removed!)

PERMANENT: 

@cinewhore @randomness501 @theghostwiththemost-babe​ @ahopelessromanticwritersworld​  @miraclemoreno @halfwaythereroyal @fioccodineveautunnale @talesfromtheguild​ @tortles @ladamari68 @theokatcov @snivellusim @starryluce @inked-poet @browneyes-djarin @shedobewritingalittle @chews-erotically @thefandomimagines @emesispo @bitchin-beskar @phoenixhalliwell @nerdypinupcrystal @dishonouringmycow

HONEYDEW: 

@leemorrigan @houseofthirst @meshlamando @engineeredfiction @inkyzinky @thedazeinmylife @theoutsidelandhere @parkjammys

[too-much-sunshine]

Fangs for the Hospitality

Chapter 6

Summary: After Roman leaves his family reunion mad at Remus, his car breaks down. The huge snow storm forces him into the forest hes always been told to stay away from. Who will he meet? And why are they being so nice? Most importantly, why are his teeth so sharp?

A/N: I’m so very sorry this chapter took so long to come out...and its so short. Uni has picked up and I’m so very far behind. I’ll try and get better at updates and making them longer lol. Anyway enjoy!

Relationship: Familial DAM, Eventual Roceit, Eventual Intrulogical

Warnings (per chapter): Roman has social anxiety, he is awkward, food and eating, vague talk of Romans family, let me know if anything else!

Catch up!:  Master list, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

Word Count: 1822

Read on AO3!

Roman stumbled after the man who walked down the halfway. For someone who was quite short, he had quick strides. Roman caught up to him and thought about how to do this like a normal person. He didn't think it would be appropriate to walk next to Janus, since it was his house. And he certainly couldn't walk in front of him, he doesn't know where to go. And he also thought that would be dumb. So Roman just walked a few feet behind him, trying to keep in step with him so he wouldn't accidentally kick his heel.

Roman wondered if he should be making conversation. Like, should he compliment the house? It really did look nice now that Roman thought about it. Looking around the halls everything felt old, yet well taken care of. There were old pictures on the wall of children and Janus and people he had never seen. There were some accent tables with yellow, non-wilted flowers. Everything felt nice and clean.

The walls were made of dark wood slats. The dark color would make the place feel small if not for the yellow accents and white flowers with green vines painted on certain slats. Stunned, Roman tried to get a better look at painted flowers. They looked old and hand painted. The lights on the ceiling hung down a bit were a dim yellow which matched the age of the house. It was probably the original electrical of the house Roman thought.

Roman was so lost in thought about how beautifully comfy the house seemed, that he didn't realize they had made it to the kitchen until he ran face first into Janus’ back. He stumbled back and almost fell flat on his ass. Be looked up to Janus and raised his hands in a placating gesture. 

“Oh my gods I’m so sorry! I was just looking around and was lost in thought! I’m so sorry your house is so pretty I just...I mean...I-” Roman was starting to get tongue-tied. His breathing was starting to pick up too, face reddening.

“Honey it's okay take a breath. I’m not mad. Thank you for the compliment! I’ve had this house for quite a long time and I try hard to keep it clean. Thorough that can be hard with these two running around.” Janus said relatively nonchalantly. He was pointing to the two little boys in the corner of the kitchen together, both watching intently as Patton tried very carefully to pour juice into a plastic cup for Virgil.

Both adults took to watching the children. Janus, to make sure he didn't actually spill it, and Roman because the quiet concentration of the two boys was a good time to take a few calming deep breaths. He should really try and get those reactions under control. He understood it was probably weird and he should be able to control his reactions to things.

Finally after the boys had poured a successful cup of juice, Janus walked over to them quietly praising Patton. Roman continued to think less than helpful thoughts as he looked round the kitchen and dining room. It matched the rest of the house as well, if not more updated. There was a fridge, dishwasher and microwave as well. Each was a dark color matching the color of the cabinets and tiled wall.

The dining room was attached to the kitchen making the space quite long. In the center, next to a large window, was the circular table. It had four chairs around it with a circular doily in the center. Over the dark wood table there was a small gilded chandelier.

“Take a seat Roman. Same with you boys. Breakfast will just be a moment. Do you have any allergies Roman?” Janus said, taking a pan out of a bottom cabinet.

“No. Nothing to worry about! Anything is great by me!” Roman said nervously, taking the seat in front of the window. 

Patton took the seat closest to Roman, then Virgil next to him. Roman folded his hands into his lap and looked down at the table. Maybe if he memorized the grooves in the table, he would be able to make it through the next few interactions with people. Yes, there's only one adult and two children who he could take to but those are still people and those are hard to talk too.

Roman was specifically worried about this whole situation. He didn't much want to go home, cause then he would have to deal with his brother. That was a conversion he wasn't really willing to have at the moment. He felt like he still needed time to really princess his whole feelings on that.

But on the other hand, it wasn't like he could just...Impose on this stranger. He already greeted him with this stranger's kind hospitality, he couldn't nor should, ask for anything more. But...maybe this Janus would like a friend? No no no that probably wouldn't work out. They didn't know each other and it would be weird if Roman stayed. Mayb-

“You are very quiet for a prince..” A voice from his left startled him. “In every book I've read the prince likes to tell stories and talk a lot. You're different huh?” 

Roman came back into reality because of the voice. Time must have passed because the air smelled fantastic. Roman was silent as he processed the question. Patton placed his elbows on the table and laid his head on his hand. He looked at Roman waiting for a response.

“Well of course I’m a different kind of prince.” Roman agreed, side eyeing Janus as the stove. “I forgot to tell you about how my magic was taken away for a while! It makes me sad sometimes and so I always think about how to get it back!” Roman solemnly smiled at Patton. A small shift next to Patton caught his eye. 

Roman looked over and saw little Virgil look up from his booster chair to Roman. He had big eyes while looking at Roman, but he didn't speak. But Patton didn't leave the room in silence for too long.

“That's so sad!! That's why you didn't show me any of your magic in the room right? Cause you don't have it! I didn't know someone could take away magic. Did you know that dad?” Patton turned around in his chair to watch his dad while he finished up cooking.

“Of course I knew that sweetheart. But its very looked down upon in the magic community. You should never take somebody's magic away unless they are a very, very dangerous person.” Janus turned, first looking pointedly at Roman, then looking at Patton.

Patton looked back to Roman with round, sad eyes.

“Were you very, very bad?” He asked.

“No! But remember the evil women that tried to take my princeship away? Well she did give me the choice of what I would be able to keep. My princehood or my magic. And while I loved my magic, I loved my people more! I chose for him to take my magic away as long as my people were sad and I could continue to rule and help them. So she took my magic.” Roman pause for dramatic effect, letting out a long sigh. “She lied to me though. While my kingdom is still out there, she teleported me here. I don't where they are, or where I am for that fact. With the last of my magic I remember casting a protection spell on my people. I’m not sure if it worked though. All I know now is that she's the new ruler of my kingdom.” He finished.

Janus placed a plate of food in front of each of their seats, but nobody was really paying much attention. Patton looked up to Roman looking like he was about to cry. Even Virgil seemed to not like the finishing of the tale. Thinking quickly Roman added to his story.

“I know for a fact though not all hope is lost! I had a friend in the castle. She was my best friend and familiar. She is so kind and powerful too!  Her name is..” Roman tried to think quick of names he knew. Without much of a second thought he blurted, “Glinda! She's an amazing...owl! And I know that she will find me and we will fight for my kingdom back! And we will win!!!” Roman said, shining brightly. This ending seemed to please the children a lot more. Janus seemed to be trying to hold in his laughter.

“Her name is Glinda? Like the Good Witch?” Janus smirked.

Romans whole face started turning bright red. He stuttered a bit of false starts before finally speaking up. 

“Yep! That's the name she told me when we first met when I was young.” He said, nervously looking between the kids and Janus. Luckily Patton didn't seem to catch Roman embarrassment and Janus’ smug look.

“I didn't know someone could cast spells like that dad! And I didn't know about familiars either! Why don't I have a familiar? Do vampires have familiars too?” Patton asked excitedly, finally picking up the fork in front of him to eat while listening. Janus, who happened to be sipping from a glass, choked slightly. 

“W-well honey usually witches don't meet their familiars until they are around 10. And you being 8 would be too early. Maybe one of these days we can go on a walk through the woods and see if anything hangs around you.” Smiling nervously he placed his glass on the table.

Roman thought it was weird to see Janus actually stumble on his words. So far this man was so put together that Roman was sure that he picked his words very carefully each time he spoke. ‘How odd…’ Roman thought, looking away from him.

Looking down, Roman finally noticed that he too should be eating what was placed in front of him. He picked up his fork as Patton was still excitedly babbling while eating. Something about being excited about getting a pet, as Janus was explaining that a familiar wasn't technically a pet.

Roman took a nervous breath as he scooped up some of the, what looked to be, eggs off his plate. He wasn't typically a fan of eating around people. It was just another opportunity to be criticized, but he only just realized how hungry he actually was. He released the fork to his mouth and took a bite.

Immediately Roman looked around the table to see if anyone was looking at him. The food was delicious, but he wasn't really surprised anymore. Of course this man was basically perfect. He got his whole life together here and Roman has basically nothing. 

Nobody was actively looking at Roman so he continued on with his meal not chiming in unless directly talked too.

Next Chapter!

Taglist:

@primaveradoodles @bluerosesbleedred

[zach-the-fox]

Furiends Episode 2: By Your Side

The gang approaches upon a wide, two-story brick building, grey in color and long. The entire structure appears as if it’s an old, nineteenth-century psychological ward for the mentally ill. Zach stands still as the entire dwelling looms over him with his new friends beside him, waiting for his further actions.

“You okay, Zach?” asks Niji.

“Y-yeah,” Zach responds. “Just a bit nervous…”

“Don’t worry,” Emmy tells him. “We’re here with you.”

“Thank you.” The fox takes a deep breath with his eyes closed. Opening them once letting out air, he proceeds inside the building with the others by his side. He approaches the counter where the receptionist is, wearing hooded robes to mask their identity. “Hello?” The animal turns to Zach’s attention. “I’m here to claim my birth certificate, high school diploma, and card. My name is Zach the Fox.”

“Oh, aren’t you that flawed fox who got evicted yesterday?” asks the receptionist. Zach nods with ears drooping. “One moment, please.” The receptionist stands and ambles to the doorway, where another hooded figure appears. They exchange words in a low tone before the figure beside the receptionist disappears. The receptionist walks back to the fox. “The headmaster will bring them out to you. Please wait while they do.”

“I’m not sure I can…” His entire body trembles. “I’m not comfortable…”

“Zach?” Carly moves in closer to him, as does Emmy. “What’s wrong?”

“This place… I-It brings back so many painful memories…” His shaky paws find their way to his temples. “I… I can still hear the kids taunting me… belittling me… I can still see them standing over… throwing food and other things… I don’t want to be here much longer…”

“Don’t worry…” Emmy rubs her hoof against his back. “We’re not going to be here much longer. As soon as you get your things, we’ll be out, right?”

Zach looks to her, lowering his paws, and nodding. “Y-yes… Not much longer…”

“Zach the Fox.” The hooded figure reappears before the group. In their grip are two eight-by-eleven paper with writings and designs on them, as well as a card with Zach’s picture. “Here’s your papers. Now, I don’t ever want to see you after this. You’ve got it?”

Zach stares at the figure before giving them a single nod and taking the documents. “Yes, Headmaster… You don’t need to worry… I will be gone…”

“Well, if it isn’t the flawed fox?!” utters a voice. Zach and his friends turn to where the source had come from; a grey wolf with a red bandana on his left arm. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Oh… hello, Jay.”

“Jay?” Navy repeats. She looks to the wolf. “Hey wait, you’re Jay the Wolf from Team Rescuers.”

Jay turns to her and smiles. “At your service.” He shifts back to the fox. “You come to whine your way back into the orphanage? Doubt they will accept you back considering all the trouble you’ve caused!”

“He’s not here for that,” the headmaster points out. “He was just collecting his possessions before walking out the door. Isn’t that right, Flawed Fox?”

“What possessions?” Jay asks. “All he owns is that stupid bandana that your worker gave to him. He owns nothing, Mom! He is nothing!”

“I will talk to you later, Jay. I am busy! As for you, Fox, don’t stick around any longer. I expect you to be out of here by the time I’m finished with the other children.” The figure turns and leaves the room.

Jay continues to taunt Zach. “Hear that? You’re unwanted. You always were. Nothing but a flawed fox!”

Emmy, agitated with clenching fists and eyes, steps in front of the fox and into Jay’s gaze. “I wouldn’t pester him if I were you. He’s suffered through a lot, and now he’s left on his own no thanks to you and every one of Heroto!”

“Y-yeah,” Eren adds, on the other side of them. “That’s no way to treat the citizens you save!”

“Emmy, Eren, please…” Carly steps near them, worried of the conflict. Silus moves closer as well, preventing any injuries that may occur to his love.

“You’re defending him?” Jay queries. “A little pipsqueak warthog and a deer with no antlers? Ha! How very interesting for you to defend a flawed fox; very fitting.”

“Hey,” Silus utters. “Don’t talk about my husband that way. That isn’t nice.”

Navy stands beside the group, as does Niji. “Yeah! How dare you talk about our friends that way!”

“Friends?!” Jay chuckles at the idea and crosses his arms. “The flawed fox has no one! He’s been alone his whole life, and always will be. He’s nothing but trouble. You all sound like crazy people saying that.”

“Us crazy?” spurts Niji. “You sound like a big jerk. Nothing but a bully and a pushover. How on Earth did you become a protector of Heroto? You don’t seem like one. You’re probably a fraud!”

Jay clenches his paw into a fist as his expression changes. “What the hell did you just say, Wolf? You want to run that by me again?”

Carly gets beside him. “He said that we were just leaving now. Come on guys, let’s get out of here.”

“Wise choice.” Jay watches as the animals exit the building, giving a mean glare at them.

As the group distances themselves from the structure, they head for the park as a means of escaping. Zach sits on the park bench, hunched over with drooping ears, while Emmy sits beside him, rubbing his back to comfort him.

Carly has her arms crossed as she stands about, looking at the orphanage from the entrance. “Well, they were quite nice,” she says sarcastically. “I thought orphanages were a place to make kids happy until they get adopted… And to think the leader of Team Rescuers was actually a caring kind of person.”

“What a salt bag!” exclaims Navy. She looks to the fox. “We’re so sorry about everything you struggled through, Zach. We had no idea what you’ve been through.”

“You know what, it’s actually okay…” Zach straightens his ears and his position to meet the eyes on his friends. “I’m actually a bit happy that I don’t have to suffer within that place anymore. I may not have anywhere to go or anything to do, but I’m thankful to be free. I am also grateful to have you guys as my new friends.”

“It’s no worries,” Niji says. “I can’t believe that wolf is so sour.”

“We’re here for you, Zach,” Eren tells the fox. “We’ve got your back.”

Zach manages a small smile. “Thank you…” He looks at his newly-obtained items. “Well, now that I have my documents, I can start looking for a job. That’s not going to be so easy, though… It may be a long time until I can support myself and find a place of my own…”

Silus places two hands on his shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about that. Like Eren and I said, we’ll take good care of you. In fact, we have a spare room at our townhouse, so you’ll have plenty of room. We’ll make sure you get set up.”

“I guess that means we should call it a day then?” Niji asks. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Everyone exchanges farewells as they all split and part. Zach follows Eren and Silus as they head for home.

 ***

 The three animals walk through a door and enter into the living room area. A set of stairs against the wall lead up to a balcony with three doors appearing. Under the balcony is a modern-style kitchen complete with a stove, microwave, and pristine countertops. A square dining table with four chairs rests behind the sofa and television set.

Zach stares it amazement as his mouth is in the shape of a small ‘o’. “Whoa…”

“Nice place, right?” Silus asks. “We’ve just moved in not so long ago. We came from the town over.”

“Deersburg?” Zach guesses. Silus nods. “I remember going with Team Rescuers there. The citizens were not very friendly towards me… They saw me just the same like Heroto. Did they treat you guys fairly there?”

“Zach,” Eren begins. “You are me in Deersburg.”

Zach’s ears stick up as high as they can be, while he looks at him with surprise. “W-what?”

“I’m going to start making dinner while this conversation drags on,” says Silus. “It’ll be some time.” The newt drops his stuff on the couch and ventures into the kitchen. Using his four arms, he searches cabinets and takes out essential tools and ingredients needed for tonight’s dinner.

“Let’s sit down and talk,” suggests Eren. Zach follows the deer to the table and sits across from him.

“So, what do you mean by that, Eren? Are you saying that you were the same way in Deersburg as I am here?”

Eren nods. “The other deer don’t like me… They think I’m an abomination...”

“W-why?” Zach gets his answer when the young deer removes his cap. On the top of his head are small humps sticking out where the antlers would be. “Uh, I’m sorry, but what am I looking at…?”

“My antlers… They’re just small, I know… I’ve had them since birth, though…”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Everyone thinks it’s funny… All the other deer have beautiful, pointy antlers and meanwhile all I have are these nubs! They all made fun of me for it; they thought I was a freak… I was constantly bullied and picked on for it… I never made a single friend…”

“Oh… I’m very sorry, Eren… I don’t see anything wrong with your antlers. They’re actually quite cute-looking on you. I like them.”

Eren manages to cope a small smile. “Gee, thank you, Zach… You know, it’s funny because Silus said the same thing when we met…”

“Really?” Zach asks. “How did you two meet?”

“Come on,” Silus cuts in. “Don’t tell him the story, Babe.” He lets out a chuckle.

Eren shifts to Silus. “You know I have to, Honey.” The deer then turns back to the fox. “So, Silus was a big adventurer before he met me. He came to my hometown not too long ago and saw me there. And from the moment he laid eyes on me, it was love at first sight.”

“Aw, sounds romantic!” Zach comments.

“It wasn’t immediate,” Silus adds. “Eren always played hard to get; I was trying to woo him, but every time I tried to, I didn’t succeed.”

“Why is that, Eren?”

“Because I felt he was stubborn and distrusted people,” Eren explains. “I saw him as a thick-skinned newt. He wouldn’t leave me alone without trying to step it up. Silus really wanted me, but I wasn’t so sure of him.”

“How did you guys end up together, then?” asks Zach.

Eren continues with the story. “One day, I was walking in town when this group of deer began pushing me around and took my hat… Everyone could see my tiny nubs, and they all laughed at me for it… I couldn’t take it, so I ran into the alleyway, saddened by my appearance… Then, Silus came and found me… He asked what was wrong, so I told him everything…”

“I eventually found the deer and dealt with them,” Silus butts in. “I retrieved Eren’s hat back and returned it to him. After that, he decided to give me another chance. After that day, we’ve become a beloved couple.” A slight “aw” sounds from the fox. “Of course, I would always get into trouble when I would defend Eren, so we decided to move.”

“We’ve traveled quite a bit before settling here,” Eren finishes. He looks to Zach. “But after learning about your story, I’m not sure I feel comfortable with Team Rescuers blaming you for everything, as well as the town of Heroto. Yet, I share the same experiences with you.”

“I’ve lived with being singled-out all my life,” says Zach. “It’s rough, and I struggled… I envy you, however… I wish I could have someone to love… Someone who would love me for me, and not hate me for every little flaw…” His head droops, along with his ears. “If only I had my own “Silus”, then I’d actually feel like I’d have a reason to live… A reason be happy…”

Silus walks over and places two hands on his shoulder for comfort. “You’ll find someone eventually… It took a while for me with Eren, but you’ll manage. And you don’t have to worry about anyone bullying you. We’re your friends; we’ll take care of you.”

The fox looks up to the newt and manages a small smile. “Thank you… I also want to give my thanks for accepting me. You both, Carly, Emmy, Niji, and Navy… Thank you, guys.”

Eren reflects the fox’s expression. His look changes quickly upon noticing the dark smoking billowing from the pot on the stove. “Whoa!”

Silus turns and sees what the deer had. “Oh no!” He rushes over and makes haste with his arms. “Not again…”

The deer faces Zach again. “Don’t worry about that. Silus sometimes screws up on dinner. However, this is the third time he’s done this.”

“Does this mean we’re bringing in food?” Zach asks. The couple laughs. @carlycmarathecat​ @emmy-the-absolute-goof​ @rainbow-strike​ @pink-unicorn-boi​ @ask-choro-mama​

[fisherbuildingco]

How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets: 11 Expert Steps Anyone Can Follow

How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets: 11 Expert Steps Anyone Can Follow

You can learn how to paint kitchen cabinets in 11 steps. They include choosing the right paint, cleaning and repairing the kitchen cabinets, priming them, and then painting the kitchen cabinets. You’ll also have to reassemble them at the end. This article can show you the 11 steps so your kitchen cabinets can look as amazing as you want them to.

It would have been easier had they known how to paint kitchen cabinets before the holidays.

Lisa waves goodbye as her family drives back home after Christmas. As soon as they are out of sight, her hand drops to the bridge of her nose and holds it. All the tension she’s been holding back is finally releasing. 

It’s been a hard couple of days.

Her mother is a wonderful woman except for when it comes to critiquing. Then, she can be relentless. She took immediate notice of every mark and ding in the house, especially in the kitchen. Their open concept kitchen makes it one of the best places to socialize, especially when the cooking food makes it smell amazing.

The kitchen cabinets took the brunt of the commentary. “Well,” Lisa thinks to herself, “they do look old and sort of dingey. I guess they could use some work…”

Robert (her husband) sees this play out on her face and carefully says “Guess I’d better look up how to paint kitchen cabinets, right honey?” Lisa only nods in response. He squeezes her hand and walks inside.

She’ll come in to help when she’s ready. In the meantime, he’s going to look up the steps on how to paint kitchen cabinets.

General Steps To Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Choose The Right Paint

Setup A Temporary Kitchen (If Desired)

Determine State Of Current Kitchen Cabinet Paint

Cover Areas Not To Be Painted

Take Apart Kitchen Cabinets

Clean & Repair Kitchen Cabinets

Sand Cabinets Smooth & Even

Prime Kitchen Cabinets

Paint Doors & Drawers

Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Reassemble Kitchen Cabinets

Tools & Materials

Dust Mask/Safety Mask

Glasses/Safety Goggles

Gloves (Work & Rubber)

High Quality Paint

Drop Cloths/Tarps

Stripping Product & Plastic Scraper (only if removing paint)

Wood Filler & Putty Knife (if repairing damages)

TSP (trisoduim phosphate)

Sponges

Buckets

Screwdrivers

Sealable Bags

Painter’s Tape

Pen/Sharpie

Sandpaper

Shop Vacuum (trust me, it’s worth it)

Painter’s Tripods

Primer

Paint Brushes

Paint Rollers (mini and normal size) With Foam Covers

1. Choose The Right Paint

Robert reads first about what type of paint to choose for painting kitchen cabinets.

The best jobs require the best paints. Higher quality paints tend to look better and last longer than low quality. After all, you get what you pay for. Choose an acrylic paint. It is durable, easy to clean, and low maintenance.

Semi-gloss and satin finishes are popular choices for painting kitchen cabinets. They are easy to clean and don’t show dings and mistakes easily.

Ensure the paint you are using is appropriate for the cabinet material.

Robert can do that. It’s as easy as asking a team member at the local hardware store or reading the labels. But wait, what will they do for a kitchen while it’s being painted?

2. Setup A Temporary Kitchen (If Desired)

Lisa comes in and sits next to Robert.

“Honey, do you want to set up a temporary kitchen or just eat out a lot?” asks Robert. “Let’s just make enough food so we can microwave leftovers for a few days,” replies Lisa. 

Now they need to see the state of their current kitchen cabinets.

3. Determine State Of Current Kitchen Cabinet Paint

Their kitchen cabinets have seen better days.

They can see the wear and tear now that they are looking for it. “No wonder mom kept talking about how much better their new kitchen is,” Lisa mutters.

If the paint is in good condition you won’t have to scrape it off (thankfully). If it is, apply a stripping product with a brush, wait for the reaction, and then peel it off with a plastic scraper. You can remove the rest of it with sandpaper once it dries.

They decide to go on to the next step.

4. Cover Areas Not To Be Painted

Paint can be difficult to work with.

If you don’t take this precaution you could be finding paint flecks all over your kitchen: floors, backsplash, appliances, and other areas. You’ll be doing a good amount of sanding too. Coverings make it easier to clean off the dust it creates and keeps it from getting into any and everywhere.

“We still have drop cloths from our last paint job, right Robbie?” Lisa asks. “Yeah hon, we have enough for the entire kitchen actually.” Robert responds.

They continue reading the instructions on how to paint kitchen cabinets.

5. Clean & Repair Kitchen Cabinets

Before the painting starts, the couple still have a few more steps.

First, repair any damage (dings, dents, or scratches) if you’d like. Wood filler and a putty knife should do nicely. Follow the instructions that come with the wood filler. Then, clean the cabinets with TSP. Paint doesn’t stick well to dirty surfaces.

6. Take Apart Kitchen Cabinets

“Do we have to take apart our cabinets?” Lisa questions.

Taking them apart ensures you can do the best job possible. This means not missing any areas for the family to point out next time they come over (right, Lisa?)

Remove the doors and drawers. Label everything with painter’s tape and a pen so you know where it goes for reinstallation. This includes the screws and smaller parts. You can put these in labeled, sealable bags so they don’t end up lost.

“That is a great idea! I wish I’d thought of that sooner”, Robert reflects, “would have made my life so much easier.”

7. Sand Cabinets Smooth & Even

Use medium-grit sandpaper (150 grit or so).

Sanding helps the paint stick to the surface, well, as long as you clean up the dust afterward. Sandpaper is great because you can fold it up to reach in corners and other detail areas.

It’s finally time to start using the painting tools.

8. Prime Kitchen Cabinets

But it isn’t time to paint just yet.

“Do we even need to prime?” Lisa asks. “If we want a great, longer lasting paint job then yes.” Robert replies. Primer helps paint bond to the surface even more tightly. This means it will be a longer period of time before it needs painting again, which can save time, money, and effort in the long run.

Start at the back of the cabinets and work forward using even strokes. Make sure your final stroke finishes back into the wet primer (all the pro painters do this.) After finishing, take your now dry roller and “lay off” the primer, i.e. remove any buildup by collecting it on the dry roller.

“Now we can finally start painting!” exclaims Lisa.

9. Paint Doors & Drawers

Start by painting the backs of the doors and letting them dry. As they do, paint the fronts (and only the fronts) of the drawers. Painting the sides and such can cause them to stick to the rollers.

Then paint the fronts and let them dry. After the first coat completely dries add on your second coat and let it dry.

Then you can paint the actual cabinet parts.

10. How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets (The Actual Painting Part)

Start by painting the frames. Brushes are ideal for detail areas and mini rollers for the larger ones. Use even strokes, always finishing back into the wet paint. Then move to the backs of the cabinets and paint from the top down. Take your now dry roller and roll it over the paint to even it out so there aren’t any lumpy areas. Let it dry completely .

11. Reassemble Kitchen Cabinets

“This is like putting together a puzzle. Good thing we like puzzles, right Robbie?” Lisa teases. Robert’s never been great with puzzles.

Follow the labels you made at the beginning and put everything back where it should be. Then you can step back and admire your handiwork.

Let’s Start!

Lisa and Robert now know how to paint kitchen cabinets. They can transform their kitchen with a brand new look or refresh the old so it looks good as new. Next time the family won’t have anything to complain about. Now they should probably move to cleaning the hardwood floors…

The post How To Paint Kitchen Cabinets: 11 Expert Steps Anyone Can Follow appeared first on Fisher Building Co..

[shzboxtoday]

Because the winter is approaching absolutely speedily, many people  worry about their scaly and dry elbows. It’s a not unusual and actually stressful hassle. If the dryness is extreme, the area can also even turn out to be very itchy.

  The pores and skin around the elbows is an awful lot thicker than at the other parts of the body and has fewer oil glands to maintain skin moisture. The cool, dry wintry weather climate sucks the moisture not just out of the air however also from your skin. Aside from weather, there can be many other reasons why your elbows have come to be dry and scaly.

  Frequent motion when bending your fingers makes the pores and skin across the elbows at risk of turning into dry, scaly (crusty) and tough.

  Other causes encompass spending a number of time in a pool, using chemical-enriched skin care products, taking warm baths or showers, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun, and relevant heating structures and fireplaces that dry out the indoor air.

  In a few instances, dry skin can be a symptom of an underlying clinical situation like diabetes, eczema, scleroderma, dermatitis or psoriasis.

  Regardless of what causes your elbows to end up dry and scaly, you could take steps to help take back your elbows to their natural soft and easy state.

  1. Exfoliate

Exfoliating your elbows is the first and most vital step for getting rid of dry and scaly skin. Exfoliating eliminates the dead skin cells and reveals the healthy skin under. It will additionally enhance the skin tone.

It’s most advocated to exfoliate whilst taking a tub or bathe, when your skin is wet and heated. You can use a loofah, hard washcloth, exfoliating glove or even a pumice stone to exfoliate the hard skin.[Read: How to Care for Your Sensitive Skin]

  Regardless of what you use for exfoliating, do it gently. Difficult dealing with will best exacerbate the hassle.

After exfoliating, wash the vicinity nicely with cool water, pat your elbows dry after which rub in some drops of olive oil or a few moisturizing lotion to restore moisture.

Exfoliate your skin a couple of times every week handiest, and not more than that.

  2. Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly, a common object in almost every medicinal drug cabinet, is another very effective agent to cope with dry, itchy elbows. Its moisturizing property can help fight the dry scales of skin.

  Also, this thick emollient acts as a barrier on the skin and seals in moisture to help rehydrate your skin.

  Before going to bed, wash your elbows thoroughly with lukewarm water and lightly pat dry your skin.

Follow a thick layer of petroleum jelly to your elbows.

Cowl your elbows with stretchy tennis wristbands and fall asleep.

The next morning, use warm water to scrub off any petroleum jelly that stays on your elbows.

Repeat each day.

  3. Coconut oil

Coconut oil is noticeably moisturizing in nature, and consequently very powerful for treating dry and scaly elbows.

It has Vitamin E that may help lighten the skin tone together with reducing dryness. The oil is also powerful at repairing dark and broken skin.[Read: Skin Type: How To Pick The Perfect Body Wash]

  Slightly warm up some coconut oil in a microwave.

Liberally rub the nice and cozy oil for your elbows.

Lightly massage your elbows, so the oil penetrates deep into the pores and skin.

Do that after having a shower and again before going to mattress.

Try this every day until your dry elbows come to be smooth.

Instead of coconut oil, you may also use olive or almond oil.

  4. Olive Oil and Brown Sugar

The gritty texture of brown sugar and the moisturizing property of olive oil make an excellent aggregate to prepare a self-made scrub. At the same time as the brown sugar will help exfoliate the dry skin from the elbows, olive oil will deeply moisturize the pores and skin.[Read: 6 Bad Habits that Causes Clogged Skin Pores]

  In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup of brown sugar with approximately ¼ cup of olive oil.

Mix the 2 components very well till you get a uniform consistency.

Optionally, include a little honey.

Rubdown the scrub into your elbows in for some minutes

Let it be on for 10 minutes.

Rinse the scrub off with lukewarm water.

Use this homemade scrub a couple of times a week.

  5. Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a superb natural moisturizer which could assist address dry and scaly elbows. It is able to hold the pores and skin moisturized in addition to deal with damaged pores and skin cells, if the problem is due to excessive sun exposure. It additionally facilitates even skin tone.

  Extract the gel from a fleshy Aloe Vera leaf.

Apply the gel to your elbows.

Allow it sit down for 20 mins, then wash it off with warm water.

Repeat 1 or 2 instances day by day for a few weeks.

  6. Honey

Honey is an incredible natural moisturizer in your  scaly and dry elbows. It penetrates deep inside the skin to keep it moisturized. Additionally, being a herbal humectant, it helps your pores and skin preserve moisture.

Apply  raw, organic honey on your elbows. Leave it on for 20 mins. Wash it off with heated water. Repeat this remedy 1 or 2 times daily to treatment dry elbows rapidly.

  Alternatively, mix collectively identical amounts of honey and whole milk. Apply it to your dry skin. Wait 10 minutes, then take a bath. Repeat every day, or as wanted.

  7. Oatmeal

The soothing and nourishing properties of oatmeal can assist deal with dry elbows. It  not only best exfoliates to remove accumulated dead pores and skin but also softens and moisturizes the skin.

Similarly, it is very helpful in reducing itching associated with extremely dry skin.

  Mix 1 cup of powdered oats into your warm bathwater. Soak your body and elbows in it for 10 mins. Rinse your body with clean water and pat dry with a towel. Apply an excellent  moisturizer afterward. Do this once daily.

Rather, mix 2 tablespoons of finely ground oatmeal with sufficient milk to make a paste. Practice the pa milk to make a paste. Apply the paste for your elbows and allow it to dry on its very own. Scrub off the paste with cold water and pat dry your skin. Repeat as soon as day by day.[Read: 6 Top Foods To Prevent Wrinkles From Your Skin]

  8. Shea butter

Shea butter works as a high-quality moisturizer for the skin, and can put off flaky or dry skin from your elbows. It consists of vitamins A and E in addition to essential fatty acids that help keep the skin hydrated.

  Shea butter additionally is easily absorbed into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.

  Placed a small amount of shea butter for your palm, and rub it among your arms to soften it.

Apply it on your dry elbows.

Massage your skin with it for a few minutes so that it is absorbed into the pores and skin.

Leave it on in a single day.

The following morning, wash it off.

Repeat every day, or as wanted.

  Additional guidelines

Use an emollient cream to help preserve your skin hydrated and provide a barrier that seals inside the moisture. In fact, emollients contribute to the reduction of transepidermal water loss.

Drink lots of water to preserve your body and skin hydrated, but keep away from sugary sodas, juices and caffeine, which might also make skin conditions worse.

Include wholesome fats on your diet to help maintain moisture in your kin, keeping it supple and smooth.

Use most effective lukewarm water whilst getting showered or tub, as hot water will dry out your pores and skin even more.

Avoid the usage of an excessive amount of warm water and chemical-based totally soaps to wash your elbows.

Soon after having a shower or bathtub, gently pat yourself dry with a smooth towel and follow a very good moisturizer to seal in moisture and assist save you the skin from drying out.

Sporting suitable clothing can even help prevent your elbows from drying out due to cold weather. Herbal fibers like cotton are advocated to assist keep away from nerve-racking the skin.

Do not use harsh soaps and skin care products that could irritate the skin and cause dryness.

Don’t over-exfoliate or scrub your skin too much or less. It’s going to handiest strip your skin of crucial herbal moisturizing oils.

Pick out your moisturizer cautiously, checking the component list. Steer clean of those containing chemicals.

Before going to bed, apply moisturizer on your elbows and cover them with soft tube socks to let it work in your skin overnight.

In case you’re experiencing a whole lot of trouble with dry skin, keep the temperature in your own home slightly cooler.

Use a humidifier to add moisture to dry indoor air.

Keep away from swimming for a long term in chlorinated water and make certain to take a short shower in a while.

When you have significantly cracked skin on your elbows, it’s critical to consult your physician.

How To Get Rid OF Scaly And Dry Elbows Because the winter is approaching absolutely speedily, many people  worry about their scaly and dry elbows. It’s a not unusual and actually stressful hassle.