#I actually ran out of storage space before I could even upload everything. Goes to show how much art I've made.

[unusually-omegaverse]

Of Food Courts and Closets- Chapter 1

Remember when I said I might upload some of my writing :D

So this is a fic prompt by @omegaverse-council that got out of hand. I couldn’t figure out how to link the post so ??? Depending on how this goes I might make it an actual thing? Please provide feedback/critisicism/discussion/questions. This part may be a bit rough cause I just kind of wrote it. If it becomes a thing I’ll be cleaning it up.

The prompt was an Alpha celeberty escaping the paparazzi and finding an Omega with a fussy baby.

There was nothing quite like the crowds and smells of the mall food court. The bustle of each competing sound and scent. The greasy stink of the pizza place and the savory ginger of the Chinese style shop wafted out and about the sweet smelling Omegas who offered samples. The sour-stink of a fuming couple, the nervous buzz of teenagers on a date, the fresh scent of children and all of their loud, youthful energy. While it could be overwhelming there was also a comfort in how familiar the place could feel. "Did you find everything you wanted to get?" The question surprised Owen who quickly realized he'd been sitting around looking like an idiot while his friend had thrown away their trash and gathered his own bags. The colored logos stretched out across the plastic and hinted at the contents inside. He stood quickly, with a thank you and a nod towards the trash, "Yeah, my towels were getting old and I just wanted to get some early presents." Richard nodded along, looking up at his taller friend as they headed out the food court and towards the exit. Owen tried to keep his pace short, and not seem suspicious. His hat and jacket had seemed to do the trick in the crowd, and he hadn't been recognized yet today. But the paparazzi had been more eager than ever since he landed his new role, and even around his house it was becoming more difficult to slip by. They walked in silence for a little bit, ignoring the offers from kiosk vendors and the studiously ignoring the clearance signs hung in the store windows. "I'm glad," Rich stated. When Owen glanced over, a confused quirk to his brow he elaborated, "That you called I mean. And that we got to hang out, it's been too long and it's been good to see you." "I know. I'm glad you were free and my shoot ended early. But I promise I won't forget  about you when I'm famous." Owen grinned. They both chuckled and came to a pause outside in the parking lot. The sky overhead was a grey, and the sun struggled to peek through the dense clouds or the late November sky. It wouldn't rain today but the delicate bursts of cold wind warned them not to be outside for too long. "Are you sure you don't need a ride back? It's really no trouble." Richard insisted again. "No, it's only a few blocks, and I want to walk a little bit before I make the drive all the way back home." Rich looked over him carefully, as if considering to trust his judgment and Owen crossed his eyes to make him laugh before the other acceded. "Alright, alright, if you're sure then. Be safe and give me a call again sometime, I know you'll have a lot to do soon." With a lazy sweep of his arm, Owen started to walk back and called out, "See ya Rich!" before tugging his gloves on against the nipping wind. ___________ She felt sleep dragging down on her and curcled her back tighther against the wind. The heavy clouds seemed to be weighing down her eyelids and she struggled to keep them open. The woman glanced at her chest where an infant was tucking into a sash she'd tied under her jacket. His brown hair peeked out from the tiny baby hat and she tugged it back down over his head before continuing on her way. ____________ The city around him was vibrant despite the dull weather, street vendors were still out, hoping for lunch stranglers, and pigeons cooed about the trash for a soggy fry. Frazzled Omegas showed their in-laws the city, toting a couple of children as well. A Beta man walked briskly, chattering on his phone and clutching his briefcase. A group of older men passed out church fliers and a tired looking teenager loped across the street to the park. Today had been a simple day of friends and little goals that had slowly started to become rarer as he became more popular and Owen feared they might come to an end soon.  He did love acting, and his fans were great, but he missed being not busy. Ignoring these thoughts he looked forward to turning up the heat in his car and going through a drive-thru to grab some coffee.   It came as a shock suddenly when he felt his elbow tugged on and the tall man was turned around to catch a face full a strong cherry scent that overwhelmed him until he took another step back. "I knew it! You're Owen Childers right?" The Omega was unusually tall and he couldn't stop smiling as he talked, "I'm a big fan I'm so excited for the new movie. Could I get an autograph?" The boy was already patting himself down and before long he'd acquired a sharpie and with a furitive glance upwards, took his hat off and handed both over. "If you could just sign that toe Kev that'd be awesome." He ran his hands through his blue haired and watched Owens hands carefully. At the boy's first exclamation a few people around them had glanced and whispered among each other, and now a few had gathered on the sidewalk to look him over. Already as Owen signed the boy's hat, another person was approaching, receipt and pen in hand. "This is so cool!" The blue haired boy gushed, "I have so many questions, were you and Maggie Blacke really a thing?" He took his hat back and admired the autograph on the bill. A line had begun to form and Owen was saved from asking as he greeted the next fan. He stood there, signing and taking photos for about 20 minutes, pleased at some moments, but becoming more impatient as time dragged on and questions went from genuine and kind to inappropriate and nosy and the group surrounding him on the sidewalk didn't seem to be getting smaller. The cold was beginning to freeze his ears and he could feel it creeping through his collar to his neck. The crowd had gotten too big, and Owen felt pressed and claustrophobic, he did his best to keep his scent under control but more people were chattering and asking questions and shoving roughly against each other with annoyed growls. They were unmoved by his obvious distress. And why wouldn't they be? He was a calm, friendly [non-car] with sleepy eyes and still a rookie in the industry. "Please give me some space." Owen requested, putting his hands out for room but was ignored. He was too far from the studio still to simply run and escape, though that was quickly looking like his only option. Owen had figured the weather and being in another city would make him less recognizable. He'd explained such a thing to his manager Geona, who'd tsked and waved him off but hadn't pressed the issue. But his dark hair and tall frame had started to grace magazine covers, and his shoulders were just a little too narrow to not be recognizable. As he was closed in on Owen found himself wishing he'd taken his manager's advice or even Richard's offer of a ride back to his car. With a quick breath, he ducked and broke through the crowd and rushed down the street. _________ The cold marble stone against her cheek was the first thing she felt as she came out of her doze. A child was running and shouting outside and it carried in through the small window near the ceiling. Tucked into her jacket, and infant started to whimper. And with a sigh, the woman shifted the baby to wipe its nose and rock it back to sleep. ________ Jogging was a relaxing activity for Owen. A time that could stretch from ten minutes to an hour where he could consider and focus on one thing besides his breathing. Whether the sounds that surrounded him were the day slowly beginning with chirps and the slap of his feet on pavement or the steady pulse of a treadmill and chatter of the other people working out. Running from the paparazzi was quite different. There was no steady rhythm to fall into and his shopping bags bounced unhelpfully against his left leg as he ducked and zipped between the people. Behind him, the sound of his pursuers was fading and without looking back he pushed himself a little harder.   He quickly came upon Wilbourne Square, during the summer a bustle of activity from tourists shopping at expensive shops and office workers or dentists going to lunch to local families that bustled to the park a few more blocks down the way. The last of the tourist were straggled about Welbourne Square now, and the lunch crowd was gone, but Owen still had to be careful to make sure he didn't run anyone over as he rushed through to the other side. Breathing deeply, he slowed and glanced about, looking for a place to lose his followers and circle back to his car. The seat warmer and coffee seemed a long way off and his sniffled in the cold. Peeking down an alley he was disappointed to find there wasn't a dumpster he could duck behind. The quick sound of running feet came to his ears and he glanced around again to find a storage closet down the alley. It might be locked but he had to try at least. Owen rushed inside the closet, too quickly to actually be relieved that it had opened, and huddled down behind the door, his ear against the wood to make sure the danger had passed and his breath held. But he couldn't pay attention to the sounds outside for very long before a growling in the closet with him caught his attention.

#original abo #omegaverse #original omegaverse writing #fic prompt #a/b/o #abo #abo dynamics #my writing #of food courts and closests #omegaverse writing

[optforrvliving-blog]

Good and bad effects of RV Living

Before getting into our Airstream, we had no idea what to expect. The only things we knew about RVing was from TV or the movies. Needless to say, as excited as we were about the adventures we’d go on, we were extremely nervous to find out whether we could handle life on the road. It’s easy to romanticize what it’s like to RV or travel full time, but sometimes the reality is far less glamorous.

Dumping Your Poop

This was the thing we dreaded the most. Yes, everybody poops, but I like that in a regular toilet it can disappear, and you never have to see it again. In an RV, you poop and then the RV poops. Before our very first black dump, we would try our best to use the bathroom anywhere else but in our Airstream. Turns out, unless something goes horribly wrong, it’s a painless process (here’s Jacob’s no-poop-on-me-dance!). You never actually make contact with your poop, and the chemical you put in the toilet turns everything into an unidentifiable green liquid. rv bathroom accessories https://www.rvlivingusa.com/rv-bathroom-accessories-you-shouldnt-do-without/

Limited Space

This challenged how minimal we could live. Sure, we practiced living minimally in our home and then when we started moving into smaller and smaller apartments, but this took it to the next level. The closet could only hold so many clothes and the fridge could only hold so many groceries (or in my case, diet cokes). Ultimately, it was nice to see that we could make it work. Now, we’re going through another huge purge after seeing what we could live without for 3 months.

Needing Separate Quarters

The even bigger challenge was not getting constantly pissed off at each other. Since we work together, play together, and live together, there aren’t many days (or even minutes in a day) that we spend apart. It might seem nice getting to spend 24/7 with your spouse, but if you do, you’ll soon realize that alone time can be so precious! In San Diego, we had a pretty sweet setup with our giant monitors back to back, so that during work hours we couldn’t see each other. In the Airstream, we couldn’t quite figure out a good system, which led to lots of fights over lots of stupid little things.

Why Do the Cats Poop So Much?!

I’m sure they are probably going a normal amount, but in a smaller space, we notice everything they do! We felt like we were constantly cleaning up after them. It’s a good thing we like them. ;) If you have cats, here are some tips on easing them into RV life.

Cooking with Fewer Ingredients

We met a few full-timers who still cooked extravagant meals, but most people we met had to simplify their meals. We did a lot of one pot meals. They were easier to cook and required less ingredients. Eating easier meals also meant we were eating a lot of carbs when we cooked though. Alternatively, we loved having Soylent as a meal replacement on our busy days, especially when we’re driving to a new state or when we’re out all day hiking. I think

having the Soylents evened out our bad eating habits and kept us at a decent health. Next time we go out on the road, we need to practice making more easy, healthy meals. storage ideas for rv closets https://www.rvlivingusa.com/20-storage-ideas-for-rv-closets-with-pictures/

Always Changing Community

Living on the road means you get to meet a lot of interesting people! We had great conversations, shared meals and campfires, and heard so many amazing stories. We always thought we were on the adventurous side, but we were surprised to find so many people who were far more adventurous (and might I add, much older). That gives us hope knowing that age ain’t nothing but a number. On the other hand, because we were meeting so many new people, we also ran into a handful of people who were not so pleasant. Luckily, our encounters with people were mostly positive, and it was fun seeing our Airstream friends again down the road. Even with the Airstream or RV community, though, we still missed having a stable community of friends. You can potentially find people to caravan with, but that was a rare case from what we saw.

Internet Speeds

This was easily the most painful adjustment for us since we were working from the road and handling large photo and video files. Our last home in San Diego had on average 40-50 Mbps for internet speed. Now that we look back, it’s funny that we sometimes complained about that. On the road, we were seeing a lot of 0-3 Mbps from RV parks that claimed they had internet, which had us even missing the dial up days. One of Jacob’s videos took 18 hours to upload. We started getting excited when we could find consistent speeds over 4 Mbps, which is really sad since internet in the real world starts at 5! On our last month, we finally got another hotspot, which made working a little easier but nothing compared to what we had when we were grounded. rv lighting ideas https://www.rvlivingusa.com/15-rv-lighting-ideas-for-a-more-homey-rig/

Function AND Form

Since our home was now on wheels, we couldn’t just buy things that were pretty, we had to make sure they could be packed away easily and weren’t breakable. Say goodbye to your fine china.

Flexibility

As much as you want to plan your trip, a lot can happen on the road. You have to learn to be flexible and roll with the punches. There were many places where we went mid-June and July that we had no idea was still snowed in. On the flip side, if the weather is bad, you can always move to another place and you may find new places you completely fall in love with!

Size Restrictions and Mobility

Now that we were in a big Ford F150 and Airstream, we weren’t as mobile as we were with a regular sedan. Even our Ford F150 with the hitch could not park in a single parking spot. You can forget about drive-throughs and narrow roads in a city. You also need to watch out for signs that say no trailers, trucks, etc, because sometimes those signs come out of nowhere when you’re driving (GPS doesn’t exactly exclude those roads for you). If we wanted to stop, we had to look for larger parking spots, and you definitely didn’t want to get stuck down a small road with no space to turn around.

One day we were thinking about dropping off a trailer near our friend’s place in LA, but then realized that if someone parks in front of you, you can’t hitch it back and leave. So many things we had to think about that we’d never experienced before. It was an adjustment on how you drive and where you can stop, but luckily our size trailer still allowed us to camp at National Parks and it didn’t hold us back too much. It just requires a little more patience.

Shorter Showers and Working in the Dark

There are two kinds of camping in an RV. The first is full hookups where you can plug into electric, water, and sewage. The other is dry camping, or boondocking, where you rely on the tanks and batteries you have on board. During our trip, we never learned to be efficient boondockers. We tried to charge our laptops in the truck and work on them in the dark, but between our camera gear and everything else that needed to be charged up, we were constantly running out of juice. 90% of the time, we camped in RV parks with full hookups, but even then, you have a much smaller water heater than a house or apartment, so you can’t take long hot showers. I know it’s good to conserve water, but some days when you’re sticky because you were out hiking all day, you just want a shower that lasts longer than 10 minutes. Now, we were far from roughing it and we still had all the comforts from home that we needed, but it was just in smaller quantities. rv toothbrush holder https://www.rvlivingusa.com/best-wall-mounted-toothbrush-holder-for-rv-bathroom-that-never-fails-to-impress/

All in all, this was a great test on whether RV life was for us, and we are happy to report that despite the challenges, we loved the overall experience. We’re hoping to get one of our own in the future. P.S. if you’re thinking about getting a trailer and in the market to buy a new car, don’t forget to look at tow capacities! We never imagined ourselves as truck drivers before.

When we decide to stop moving to a new city every year, we love the idea of having a home base for half the year and exploring the US the other half. Then again, who knows what life will bring!