#complete plumbing inspections

[aptplumbingsblog]

Embrace the Spring Season: Complete Plumbing Overhaul in Sydney

Sydney is not an exception to the notion that springtime is a time for renewal, rebirth, and refreshment. As the chill of winter starts to recede, and blossoms start to adorn the trees, it’s time to give your plumbing system a much-needed overhaul. Prepare your plumbing for the new season with Plumbing Services Sydney to ensure it functions optimally throughout the spring and beyond. This article intends to walk you through the necessary actions to maintain a plumbing system in peak condition.

Identifying Potential Leakages

The onset of spring calls for a comprehensive check for leaks around your home. Even the tiniest of leaks can lead to an enormous waste of water, resulting in inflated water bills. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Begin with a thorough examination of all taps in your home, both inside and outside. Look for any signs of dripping or leaks and promptly address any issues.

Next, scrutinise all visible pipes, particularly under sinks and in the basement. Look for water stains or dampness around the pipes, indicating potential leaks.

Finally, keep an eye out for discoloured spots on walls and ceilings, which could suggest hidden leaks.

Outdoor Plumbing Inspection

The cold winter months can wreak havoc on external plumbing elements such as garden hoses, sprinkler systems, and outdoor taps. To avoid any surprises when you start using these outdoor fixtures in the spring, a detailed inspection is crucial.

Start by disconnecting garden hoses from outdoor taps and thoroughly draining them to avoid damage from frost.

Look for any breaks or leaks in the hoses, and replace them if required. Additionally, look for any broken or damaged sprinkler system components and make the necessary repairs.

Finally, check the outdoor taps for leaks and ensure they are in good working condition. Address any issues before you start using water outdoors regularly.

Keeping Gutters and Downspouts Clean

The accumulation of leaves, dirt, and other things in your gutters and downspouts over the winter months can result in potential clogs. Clogged gutters can result in water overflow, damaging your roof or even causing leaks inside your home.

To prevent these issues, clean out the gutters and downspouts thoroughly. You can use a gutter scoop or a garden trowel to remove the debris.

After the debris removal, use a hose to flush out any remaining dirt and check for proper water flow.

Water Heater Maintenance

Your water heater works relentlessly throughout the year, and spring is an excellent time to service it. At the base of the water heater tank,mineral deposits can build up over time, decreasing performance and even resulting in corrosion. To service your water heater, start by shutting off the power or gas supply.

Then, connect a hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and direct it to a drain or outside area.

Open the drain valve and flush out the sediment.

Once the tank is empty, close the valve, remove the hose, and refill the tank.

Checking Toilet Functionality

A leaking or malfunctioning toilet can waste a significant amount of water and impact your water bill.

To check for leaks, perform a simple dye test. Add a few drops of food colouring to the toilet tank and wait for about 30 minutes. If the colour appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak that needs fixing.

Additionally, check the flushing mechanism to ensure it works smoothly. If you notice any issues with flushing, it’s best to address them promptly to avoid further problems.

Testing the Sump Pump

Spring showers can bring excess water, and a properly functioning sump pump is essential to prevent flooding in your basement.

To test your sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the pit. The pump should automatically turn on and start pumping water out. If it doesn’t, or if it’s making strange noises, you may need to have it serviced or replaced.

For added protection during power outages, consider installing a battery backup system for your sump pump. This makes sure that everything keeps working even if there is a storm and the electricity goes off.

Insulating Exposed Pipes

While Sydney’s climate is relatively mild, occasional chilly spring nights can still pose a risk of frozen pipes. To prevent this, insulate any exposed pipes in unheated areas of your home, such as the basement, attic, or crawl spaces. Insulation sleeves or heat tape can help protect your pipes and prevent them from bursting due to freezing temperatures.

Upgrading Water Fixtures

Older water fixtures can be inefficient and wasteful. Consider upgrading to more water-efficient models to save water and reduce your utility bills. Low-flow toilets, aerated taps, and water-saving showerheads are great options to consider. Low-flow toilets use less water per flush, and aerated taps mix air with water to maintain water pressure while using less water. Water-saving showerheads offer a similar experience to regular showerheads but use less water per minute.

Preventing Drain Clogs

Spring cleaning often involves disposing of various items. However, it’s essential to be mindful of what you put down your drains to prevent a drain blockage.

Avoid disposing of grease, food scraps, or non-flushable items in the sink or toilet, as they can cause clogs and damage your plumbing system.

Use sink strainers to catch food particles and hair in the bathroom, and never pour grease or oil down the drain. Put grease in a container and throw it away in the garbage.

Preparing for Storms

Spring in Sydney can bring heavy rain and storms. To avoid water buildup around your property, ensure that your stormwater drains are clear of debris and functioning correctly. Regularly inspect and clean the stormwater drains to ensure smooth water flow and prevent potential flooding.

Professional Plumbing Inspection

If you’re uncertain about the condition of your plumbing system or seeking expert guidance, it’s advisable to engage a licenced plumber for a comprehensive inspection. A professional plumber is well-versed in plumbing codes and can identify any potential issues while ensuring compliance with the relevant regulations. They can offer valuable recommendations on maintenance or repairs to keep your plumbing system in excellent condition, adhering to the highest plumbing code standards.

Conclusion

As the season of renewal and growth, spring is the perfect time to give your plumbing the attention it deserves. You may avoid expensive repairs by performing routine maintenance and taking preventative actions to maintain your plumbing in good working order all year long. Get ahead of any potential plumbing issues this spring and enjoy the season worry-free! Contact Plumbing Services Sydney today and ensure your plumbing is in top-notch shape for a refreshing spring ahead.

#plumbing service provider #sydney plumbing solutions #complete plumbing inspections

[satrs]

#partnerlook @toji.fushiguro

A/N; HEY HEY HELLO HEY LOVES! I’m BACK! Well, partially. I’ll update some time when I manage to so, I BEG you to be patient with me this will probably suck ass but whateva, I'm a bit rusted from the long break

Plus, DIDN’T AND COULD NEVAAAAA FORGET ABOUT U GUYSSS MUCH MUCH LOVE AND KISSES MWAH <3

TAGS; NSFW CONTENT. petnames: baby, ma, my girl. naaaastyyyyy. Kinda hand kink? doggy. pwp.

WK; 1.1K.

The whole idea of the whole partner look thing started off innocent, with small little changes.

At first, it would be just for fun, successfully convincing Toji to match the color of your outfits when you would go out on dates.

Those things would slowly progress into more - same shoes, jewelry, head-to-toe almost identical outfits and at last - tattoos.

Of course, couple tattoos are quite controversial with all the ‘what if’s’ surrounding them, with many people having their eyes knitted, uncertain about the whole ordeal, with Toji being one of them.

It took him some, well, a lot of convincing, but all it took were a couple of pleading puppy eyes and pouty lips to drag his feet right into the trap he never excepted to fall into.

“You serious about this, ma?” His question was rather rhetorical, giving his position, seated in the chair in front of the tattoo artist, buzzing machine in hand.

You only hum in return, agreeing with an excited glint in your eyes, adrenaline rushing through every inch of your body as you inspect the pre-written masterpiece at your lower back in the mirror. “So serious.” You could barely bite back your grin, thinking of the finished product and how your boyfriend would react.

And it sure was a reaction.

You wouldn’t even make it out of the car, his eagerness impossible to tame as he guides you to the backseats, throwing you onto his lap with your back facing him, the raging boner in his pants hurting to be buried into your welcoming cunt.

“Fuckkkk, baby. Shoulda’ knocked this into me sooner.” A deep groan echoed through the room, causing you to clench down onto his shaft.

You whine in return at the way he was stretching your walls in an almost ridiculous way, followed by a high-pitched gasp as you feel his rough hands caress the dark ink adoring your sweaty skin, the letters forming the name ‘Toji’ in the most beautiful font imaginable.

This alone had him snap his hips up into you, robbing a loud cry from you in the process. “C-careful, Toji!”, you babble, hand trying to hold onto his, accidentally grabbing the arm where the dark, vibrant ink adored his skin.

He slapped your hand way, clicking his tongue at the process. “Huh, want me to kiss it better?” He snickers, an inked arm snaking its way around your body to play with your plumb clit, giving it a teasing smack.

Your eyes wander down, a moan flying past your lips at the sight of your name on his lower arm, lightly ranking its way down to his beefy hand.

You feel his sharp fangs attack your neck, soon replaced by apologetic wet kisses.

Your head was spinning, unable to make out on what to focus - his girthy cock bumping into your sweet spot repeatedly, or the way your name so perfectly fitted onto his beefy arm.

“Nah. Gotta get a clear view on this.” His other hand forced your upper body to the front so nothing hindered him from obsessively gawking over the piece of art on your lower back.

Oh, he couldn’t wait till it healed completely, so he could finally get a little rougher on you.

“T-tojiiii” you protest to his antics, only to be caught in surprise by him throwing you on all fours, swiftly aligning his angry red tip to your gasping hole.

A bright smirk adores his face, scar crinkling in the process as he pushes your head into the leather seats, the different angle now providing him with the best view imaginable.

His hand comes down, ripping your flesh at impact, leaving a bright red print of his hand on your rear, earning a scream from you in return. "Hm, why not tattoo that shit-" His hand made contact with your skin again, your upper body slumping down into the seats with a cry, "-Whaddya' say?"

You nod eagerly, mind drunken in the pleasure you're receiving. The only thing that you could think about was the ringing in your ears with each smack of his hips against your ass. His balls slap against you aching clit, adding to the pleasure, causing your mouth to hang open, eyes rolling to the far back of your skull.

"Fuck, gonna cum, huh? Can fell your slutty cunt tryna suck me dry", he grunts, increasing the speed of his hips, hissing from your continuous clenching.

His hand reached for your throat, pushing you up against his back, careful not to hit your head against the roof. You moan, eyes flickering down to the hand around your throat, big orbs staying glued to the black shade on his skin, humping your hips against his to chase your incoming high.

"Mhm- fuck! m' so close, Toji! sososo close!", you mewl, earning a sharp thrust, followed by a deep grunt from the raven haired man. "Tatt s' gettin' my girl so worked up?" He slowed down his thrust to let his eyes trail down your back, orbs latching back onto the body art that decorated your shiny skin. "Can't lie, that shit s' gonna make me burst too." With one more thrust, your cunt clenches down onto him, robbing a groan from his lips. Your juices splash onto his pelvis as your legs gave out on you, the hand around your neck holding your back from falling flat onto your stomach.

"jusss' like that, baby, shittttt- gonna cum too. Gonna bust all over that pretty tattoo, yeah?" His hand loosened around your neck, causing your upper body to fall down. Both hands back on your hips, drilling his throbbing cock into your abused cunt, threatening to burst any second.

"Yeahhh, gonna paint it all over, fuckkk." He swiftly pulled out, causing you to softly whine at the loss. Impatiently pumping his cock in fast motion before spurting his cum all over your back, white semen covering up most of the black tint on your lower back.

A chuckle rang your ear as you took deep breaths, turning your head to come face to face with his menacing grin, eyes glued to your back. "Look at that."

You propped yourself onto your arms, adoring the view on your back with your lower lip between your teeth, shacking your behind in a teasing manner.

A giggle rang through the air at the harsh smack against your ass, your eyes following the inked arm up to the culprits face. The man grinned down at you, canines showing, teasingly tapping his cock head onto your ass, before spreading your cheeks with his length, retrieving it right after.

"m' still sensitive, Toji-" but before you could finish your sentence, he already threw you onto his lap, fingers teasing your gasping hole, ignoring the sticky fluid against his pelvic and his already hard cock.

"Nuh uh. Gotta match mine with yours now."

©︎SATRS. all rights reserved. Do NOT plagiarize, copy, modify, republish, or translate my work in any way!

#◛⑅·˚ ᵂᴼᴿᴷ #♡˳ᴶᴶᴷ #jjk smut #toji smut #toji fushiguro smut #back! #jujutsu kaisen smut #toji #ma man :( #sighhhh #brainrot too real rn #I’m so stupid for this man #SIGHHHHH #fushiguro toji #toji fic #jujutsu toji #toji x reader #toji fushiguro #shibuya jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen s2 #jjk toji #toji x you #fushiguro #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu sorcerer

[bomberqueen17]

inspections

in terms of the kitchen remodel we are still waiting on like five pieces of trim and the door of one cabinet. so we're to the final details phase. which means the electrical and plumbing inspectors from the town have to come by.

the plumbing inspector came by and was super friendly and funny and was like "i guess i gotta run some water, i'll feel silly if i don't and there was a problem, but mostly i mean, if there was a problem you'd probably have noticed right?" and i was like yeah fair enough, wanna look at the gas lines they moved? and he was like oh i guess i will, sure. Super low-key.

The electrical inspector was similarly chill but he looked grimly up at the smoke detector they'd put up in not the place I'd expected them to, and said "that's. not where that goes." I said "it goes off all the time" and he was like "yeah it's way too close to the stove, I would not have put it there. But the problem is, you need there to be a carbon monoxide sensor within fifteen feet of your bedrooms, and the closer bedroom is seventeen feet that way."

Sure enough. It's the right kind of smoke detector but it's in the wrong place.

I looked up the manufacturer's instructions and they say to put it 20 feet from the main cooking appliance. Ten if that's not possible, but preferably 20. I measured, and it's eight feet from the stove. I can't get emojis to insert but this is the upside-down smiley, right here.

So the hallway location would have been completely fine for that, and in fact better. And that's where I had pointed out that they should put it, and that's where Jim had said they'd put it, and it's where I fully believed they were putting it until they finished the job.

So I'm displeased and have to psych myself up to call Jim and break the news to him, that it's not just that I could put another sensor up and be good-- the one they put in is just plain in the wrong place. I don't know if they can properly move it, they hard-wired the communication wire to the basement alarm, and I don't know if they can fish that through the ceiling that direction. (They can't, I'm one thousand percent sure the joists go the other way.)

But the alarm they installed, which cost me extra outside of the five figures of work done on the kitchen, is incorrectly located, and meets neither the manufacturer's guidelines nor town building codes. So I gotta put my big girl panties on and complain about that. I'd been preparing myself to just suck it up and set the smoke detector off every time I cooked but realizing that it's absolutely not supposed to be there has removed my last shred of putting up with that shit.

Hell fucking no. Now, how to say that nicely???? *deep breath* I can do it. Polite but firm.

On another note-- I went out of town for the weekend and got stuck there because of the snow, and finally made it back Monday morning, and when I texted the family groupchat that I'd made it home my mom was like "great!" and then literally one minute later was like "so what color are you painting your kitchen" so understand that y'all are not the only ones waiting to find out.

LOL any color would workkkkkk so I gotta pick one and do it. But probably not this week, as today's the last break in the weather and then we're supposed to get absolutely slammed with snow.

#about the author #kitchen remodel

[jessicanjpa]

cottage

An excerpt from this chapter of 2003. The Cullens have just moved to Forks and Edward is exploring the woods behind the house.

I was surprised to find the remnants of an old trail not far from the river. It hadn't been used in a long time; for most of its length, the only sign was a winding track of evergreens that were significantly shorter than their neighbors. A rusted tin can was the only other evidence that a human had ever passed this way. Maybe this path led to an old deer stand or something like that.

I explored here and there, finally taking to the treetops so I could follow the "path" more easily. I was finally rewarded with the sight of a big rectangle so regular that it had to be manmade. It was partially obscured by the overgrowth and the rotted branches that had fallen on it in recent years, but it was definitely a building. I swung back down to the forest floor, surprised to see not a deer stand or a spartan hunting shack, but an adorable little stone cottage.

It was like stepping into a fairy tale. I had landed just far enough away to use the little path of flat stones that led the way home to the front door. The decaying, broken roof was an eyesore, but everything else was perfect... in a crumbling, half-reclaimed-by-nature sort of way. Wild, meandering honeysuckle had completely taken over one wall. Nearly every stone was outlined and softened with moss. The arched door wasn't in the best shape, but it was made of sturdy oak that had easily outlived the roof.

I walked a wide circle around the whole thing. A stone chimney crowned the southern corner, and there was a little door in the back that opened directly into what probably used to be a garden. Now, it was just a little outline of rotted miniature fencing, completely overrun by natural growth. Only a single climbing rose plant had survived to tell the story of the former inhabitants, clinging to the mossy stones as if to escape the encroaching wilderness.

I reached out and gently touched its petals. Stubborn rose, I thought with a smile. It was a good omen; Rosalie and Emmett were going to love it out here. It'd been a while since they'd really needed four walls of their own to knock down as they pleased, but it wasn't every day we found a house that came complete with a fairy tale cottage, either. I was almost jealous.

I carefully inspected the rest of the exterior before easing the door open. Esme would want to know every detail, though of course she would soon be out here to see it for herself. I stretched my gift back toward the main house to her mind abuzz with renovation plans. She might not be able to get to the cottage right away. I grimaced around the tiny living room. The beehive fireplace was in good enough condition, but the wallpaper was an affront to all that was good and holy. Hopefully the smell would get thrown out with it.

The kitchen was little more than a camper's stove and a sink, which was just as well. Two rickety chairs crowded up to a tiny breakfast table that had seen better days. I was far more interested in the old piano that took up the wall across from the fireplace. I didn't expect much, what with the exposure and the humidity it must have suffered over the years, but I still let out a disappointed sigh when the keys refused to be pushed, much less make any sound. I took a peek inside; the strings actually didn't look too bad. I already had the Steinway baby grand anyway, but it would be a shame to send it to a junkyard. Maybe I could find a local piano repair shop that enjoyed restoring hard luck cases.

Just like the main house, the cottage seemed bigger inside than out. I followed a little hallway—it was arched like the front door, as though I had wandered into a tiny castle—and found a generous bedroom matched against two smaller rooms. No signs of plumbing ever having been installed: that would give Esme a pleasant challenge.

The whole thing was perfect. Maybe if Rosalie and Emmett spent enough time out here, they would even agree to switch bedrooms with me. I didn't exactly need a full suite, but I wouldn't say no to my own shower and enough room for all my books to come out of their boxes. They were getting the better deal by far; this place was a jewel. And it felt right, somehow; it had been a shame to see the hunting cottage back at our old Hoquiam place fall into disrepair. Having this little find on our new property seemed to make up for it.

I headed back to the main house, wondering who had lived out at the cottage once upon a time, and why. I supposed it might be as old as the house, or even older; there could have been a whole line of occupants. The cottage had its own little story to tell. Perhaps it had been used as a mother-in-law unit once: a whimsical grandmother with plenty of cats and plenty of time to tend her roses. Then a little honeymoon retreat for a blushing couple who had set up house with a second-hand breakfast table, then a brooding pianist who needed solitude to work on his compositions.

And now it would house a pair of lovesick vampires who would hopefully leave it in one piece and pass it on to continue the story. The older we all got, the more distanced we felt from stories like these, no matter how picturesque the setting or how vivid an imprint our renovations left behind. But I supposed we were just stewards like the rest: here for a day, then nothing more than a fading memory.

#Edward #Cottage #Tale of Years Teasers #2003 stuff #Fanfiction #Foreboding

[growing-yet-into-magic]

Hello. I will be grateful for your reply. Do you think there is a magical reason for my condition? The fact is that I was attacked by laziness. It so happens that there is quite a lot of free time now, but I put everything off for later - not only runes and rituals, but also certain household chores, self-care, the same fitness, cosmetology. As for the runes, if they used to always work for me with a bang, now I approach the launch of any formula for a very long time - then there is no desire, then there is time)In general, the question is - what could be the reason for such a situation and what to do about it in your opinion? With respect to you, your admirer.❤️

There's no reason to assume magic first and foremost. The world moves in mysterious ways, but something like....95% of it is predictable.

You could just be bored. That happens. You lose interest in something and then the attention is gone. The larger option may be to change up your schedule or add something new to your routine or otherwise give into the lack of motivation. It's happened to me before and will again, but that's largely symptomatic. Speaking of symptoms...

If it bothers you enough to ask advice from strangers online, make an appointment with a mental health professional. I'd recommend a seeing a therapist, but dial up your insurance and see who's in your area and in your personal pay bracket. The higher likelihood of the nature of your problem is that you're in a mental health downswing. Anhedonia's a common symptom in a variety of different possible flavors of the unable-to-attend-to-own-needs variety, so the best way to identify what's up is to get a professional to take a look and start a plan up with you.

It's very easy to romanticize what's going on in our lives, but I've often found that identification of a root cause works most effectively when you start off grounded in practicality. Magic can be great for symptom management when new things pop up, but a witch is in charge of your own craft, and often leaves gaps where one isn't an expert. If the man at the head of the ship isn't a captain, they shouldn't be steering. If the man is inspecting the plumbing, they should be a plumber. You're not a doctor. I'm not a doctor. Ask someone who knows what they're doing, make a plan with them, then try to see what spells and sympathetic rituals help you stick to what you learn. If you want to find a possible magical reason you feel unwilling to complete self care and enrichment tasks afterwards, just hit the problem from both ends rather than just magically.

Laziness doesn't exist, but barriers to completing tasks do. Best of luck,

#growing-yet

[vintagecamping]

Plumbing inspection complete on the new outhouse!

Covelo, California

1981

#vintage camping #campfire light #covelo #california #80s #camping #family #daughters #outdoors #explore #1980s

[thatgoldentrickle]

The Golden Key, Part One

Four friends all get stuck in a magic room that won't let them out unless they pee their pants. How long will it take them to figure out how to escape?

My three friends and I were on a road trip and it was getting late, so we pulled over, looking for a place to stay the night. We found a small town motel, but when we walked into the lobby, no one was there. We rang the bell for service, and still nobody.

I squirmed impatiently. I had needed the bathroom for awhile now, but I was too embarrassed to make my friends pull over. When Luisa had suggested finding a place, I jumped on the chance to find a bathroom without looking too desperate. But it was just my luck that we'd have to wait for whoever was on duty to wake up and help us.

The seconds stretched into minutes, and Darcy yawned, not bothering to cover her mouth. Piper paced around the lobby, then rang the bell again.

Maybe there was a public bathroom in the lobby? I walked around looking for one, but every depression in the wall that I had thought might be a hallway was actually a dead end. Who built rooms like this?

"Should we leave and try somewhere else?" asked Darcy.

The rest of us agreed, but when we tried to leave the way we came, we couldn't find a door. "This can't be right," said Luisa. "We came in from the east side. There was a door right here." She pointed to a blank wall painted yellow.

"You must have remembered wrong," said Piper. "Maybe we came through here." She walked into one of the crevasses I had thought was a hallway and walked right back out, shaking her head.

We followed every inch of wall all the way around the room, but we seemed to be completely closed in. Were we in some kind of escape room? Were we being pranked?

I was too exhausted to deal with this. If I kept standing, I would start potty dancing. I collapsed onto an armchair, hoping I could hide how badly I had to pee. But my prospects for finding a bathroom were looking pretty bleak. I crossed my legs, hoping it looked casual and not like I was holding back a waterfall of piss.

Darcy pulled out her phone and announced that she had no service. Nor did any of the rest of us. Piper and Luisa started rummaging through the front desk, looking for anything that might help us. When they picked up the landline phone, it made the blaring tone of a dead line.

"Do you think this is, like, some kind of government experiment?" I asked. I had heard stories of remote towns with fake buildings before, cover up for a secret base.

"What would they be testing for?" Darcy replied. She opened the fridge and pulled out a Coke zero. "Want one?"

As if I needed to fill my bladder even more! I shook my head. "Won't they make you pay for that anyway?"

"Nobody's here. And if they were, I'd say they owed us free drinks after putting us through this." She handed me one despite my protests.

When Darcy opened her bottle, I couldn't help it. A trickle of pee leaked out of me. Fuck. I could not piss myself in the middle of this weird lobby, possibly on camera if this was some kind of prank show.

"Hey, I could use a Coke," said Piper. "Maybe it'll help me clear my head." I handed mine off to her.

"Do they have anything else?" asked Luisa. She ended up settling on a lemonade.

Okay, there were way too many yellow things in this room. The paint on the walls, the lemonade, the flowers on the desk. It definitely didn't help that I could hear plumbing in the walls flowing intermittently enough that I couldn't just tune it out. It was like this room was designed to make me pee.

Another leak escaped me, as did an internal string of curses.

Piper started inspecting her bottle. "If this is an escape room, do you think there might be a code, or a puzzle or something on these drinks?"

"Hang on, I think you might be onto something," said Darcy. She opened the fridge again and started rearranging bottles. When she stepped back, the top row had the labels rotated so that they read "PUSSY."

Piper shoved Darcy playfully. "Shut up." Darcy shoved her back, causing her to spill her drink.

When the Coke splattered on the ground, that was it for me. I started peeing again and this time I couldn't stop. My urine shot out of me with the intensity of a fire hose. I felt the warm piss soak my butt, the backs of my thighs, and into the seat cushion. I could feel the padding beneath me expand as it absorbed the liquid pouring out of me.

I couldn't help but sigh with relief even as my heart raced and my face heated up from embarrassment. I hadn't wet myself since I was five, yet here I was, a full grown adult, pissing helplessly where I sat.

"Ah fuck, where are the paper towels?" asked Piper, which made me jump slightly in my seat. Then I relaxed when I realized she wanted the paper towels to clean up her drink and not my piss. The last bit of pee trickled out of me with a quiet psssh. None of my friends were even looking at me. They didn't seem to have noticed my accident.

That was when I saw it. "Guys!" I said. "The door's back!"

"What?"

"It's back?"

"Where?"

"Right where Luisa said it was, the way we came in." I pointed.

"Cass, there's nothing there," said Piper.

"But I can see it," I insisted.

Luisa started running her hands along the wall. She passed over the doorjamb three times, but she didn't seem to feel anything. "Maybe you should try opening it," she told me.

I could feel the blood drain out of me. "I can't," I said.

"Why not?"

Because if I get up, you'll all see that I've wet myself, I thought but didn't say. What could I say? I had to come up with an excuse, and fast. My mind started racing . . .

#omorashi #female omorashi #omocute #pee pants #pants wetting #my pisst

[zuppizup]

And They Were Zoom-mates… Chapter 45

Summary: Callum thought being a graphic designer for a large, multi-national company would be a boring, if safe, career choice Callum thought wrong.

Threatened with a lawsuit over copyright infringement, he has no choice but to rely on renowned ‘Ice Queen’ Rayla from legal to get him out of a nightmare scenario.

This is really the last thing he needs in isolation.

Pairing: Rayla/Callum

Rating: Mature

AO3 Link: And They Were Zoom-mates

“Okay, so…what do you think?” Harrow opened the door to the bathroom in the shack, looking a strange mixture of pleased and anxious.

Peering around the door, Rayla blinked in surprise. While still clearly unfinished, it looked a whole lot better than the last time she had seen it.

Once all the leaks and drafts were repaired, Harrow had set himself the task of fixing the small bathroom, reasoning that up-dated plumbing was very much the next thing on the agenda for the little place. On their last visit, the room had been completely gutted, with even parts of the concrete floor missing, so that Harrow could rearrange the layout as he saw fit.

Now, a new slab had been laid, the bones of a large shower was taking shape and, best of all, there appeared to be a working toilet.

“Wow.” Rayla stepped into the space, closely followed by Callum. “Did you do all this by yourself?”

“Oh no, not at all.” Harrow waved her off. “I can do most of the building stuff myself but I called in some favours from a plumber friend to do most of this.”

“It looks amazing, Dad.” Callum began to wander around the small space, inspecting the walls.

“I took your advice too, Callum.” Harrow gestured to the shower and stood proudly beside what looked to be a low shelf.

“Oh?” Callum sounded puzzled as he stood before the shelf, Rayla peering around him.

“A seat!” Harrow proudly proclaimed. “After a long day hiking, it would definitely be nice to sit in the shower and relax. Fantastic suggestion, Callum.”

“Oh… oh yeah.” Callum’s face went bright red as he glanced in a not unsubtle manner at Rayla.

Read More On AO3: And They Were Zoom-mates Chapter 45: The Trend

#the dragon prince #tdp #tdp fanfic #the dragon prince fanfic #rayllum fanfic #rayllum #rayla #callum #rayla x callum #callum x rayla #zuppi fanfic #fic: and they were zoom mates

[junebugwriter]

Fortress Cathedral Theology

Conservatism as a thought process is inherently reactionary, by which I mean, it is done in reaction to perceived changes or threats. I like to call it “Fortress Cathedral” theology. Imagine, for the sake of argument, that there is a city in which there is a cathedral, and around the city is a fortress wall. Within the city are the only true believers in the world, and their cathedral is the only true church in the world. The cathedral has always been there for as long as anyone in the city remembers. Outside the city are other people who worship the same God—or at least they claim to. However, there are some differences between how people outside the cathedral worship, and how people who regularly go to the city cathedral worship. The people outside, well, they have some different ideas about how God works, and who is authorized to come and worship God, and how they worship God. Instead of learning from or communicating with the people outside the city, the people inside the city grow angry—how dare those people mock our God! How dare they worship differently, or just let any person worship God in whatever way they want to! There are rules that need to be enforced. There are boundaries that need to be maintained. Because of that, they see the solution not in understanding but in building up the other thing that the city is famous for: the wall. The wall needs to be secured! We must protect the sanctity and holiness of our God! Whereas the people outside the city see no need for such walls, and are surprised at the negative reaction that the city-dwellers are displaying. And so it goes, the solution is to cut the problem out entirely: seclude the city away from those who would threaten our way of life, and build the wall. 

Now, this is an imperfect metaphor, and perhaps I’m building a strawman—completely valid critique. However, the approach and methodology is the most important part of the analogy. The conservative-evangelical theological landscape is one that is defined by its need to protect and defend—in a word, conserve—the tradition of the church, to the exclusion of any and all alternative approaches or methodologies. The tradition is perfect, and we need to change ourselves to fit the mold that was cast long before we were born so that people long after we die can do exactly the same thing.  

Don’t get me wrong, tradition absolutely has its place in theology and religion. I’m a Methodist after all, apostate as I might be currently. Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience are essential aspects of how I do theology currently, and that won’t change anytime soon. However, there is a delicate balance to the big four. Scripture and tradition are the foundations, to be sure, but always interpreted with our reason and experience, and through the reason and experience of others.  

I’m a constructive theologian by nature. It's the methodology by which I’m most comfortable with, and that’s the approach that makes the most sense to me. I’ll explain with another metaphor. Imagine that you have a building, one that is very, very old. You have been tasked with upkeep and maintenance of the building. However, because of the age of the building, there are going to be some issues with it; any person who has been tasked with maintaining an old building will tell you this. The building, if it is going to last into the future, will need repair. As you investigate further and deeper into the structure, you find that not only will it need repair, it will need actual renovation. You'll need some analysis on the foundations. You'll need some inspection of the walls, the building materials inside and out, the roofing, the flooring, the plumbing, the wiring, the HVAC system, and so forth. The more you investigate, the more you realize that though the foundation is mostly good and needs relatively little updating, there are some rotten walls, warped floorboards, holes in the roof and all the plumbing, wiring and HVAC are in desperate need of replacement. However, there is still some good material in there. The bones of the house are good! But there’s going to need some major updating if it’s going to last another ten years, let alone another hundred. So, you take out or address that which needs addressing, reinforce it with things that need some updating, do your best to make sure that the structure is more solid, if not perhaps any more outwardly different than before.  

That is theology, to me. You take out the rotten wood and broken bricks, and you replace it with better materials. It might be costly in some ways, but better and longer lasting in the long term.  

--excerpted from my substack:

#theology #church #religion #progressive christianity #constructive theology

[takearisk-x]

I’m asking for you to copy and paste the scene!!! 🤪🤪🤪

YOU ASKED FOR IT

Ginny was supposed to be finding salvageable materials in the ground floor dining room. At least, that’s what she’d volunteered to do. There was hardly anything salvageable to find, but at least she was alone. 

Harry was one floor above, supposedly working on the full bath attached to the guest suite. Any other time she would’ve paid a sack load of galleons to watch him try and fix the plumbing, but after the previous evening, she couldn’t stomach being in the same room as him for longer than a few minutes.

The problem, she found, was that denial was only possible through awareness, and her refusal to accept the things staring her in the face meant they had to exist in the first place. 

Ginny would rather do anything than admit they existed in the first place, but botched Amortentia schemes aside, her nightmare from the night before would have been enough to confirm the very obvious conclusion that she still had feelings for Harry. Feelings seemed a good enough descriptor since she was actively avoiding the L-word.

Which was a real inconvenience seeing how she had to share a half-destroyed house with him for the foreseeable future.

Said house seemed to mock her as Ginny spun in a slow circle. The dining room looked even worse in the light of day. Haphazard stacks of lumber sat in disorganized piles along one wall, while torn wallpaper hung from where Harry had apparently attempted to strip it away. Both the floor and the ceiling had chunks missing, and the chandelier in the corner looked more cracked than whole. 

In short, the place was a disaster. Much like the current state of her well-being: ragged, frayed, coming loose at the seams.

However, unlike her own internal anguish, when she sent a Reparo! in the direction of the light fixture, the twisted metal straightened and gleamed, the crystals mending in an instant to reflect tiny rainbows of sunlight in all directions. 

Ginny felt a small sense of accomplishment, until she inspected her handiwork a little closer. 

Her minute achievement turned to ash in her mouth. The restored brackets revealed each candle fitting to be an open-mouthed snake head, their carved intertwined bodies linking together to make up the frame, and a multifaceted crystalline ouroboros dangling from the center.

She wished she would’ve left it broken. 

Giving into the impulse pounding through her skull, Ginny battered the chandelier with hex after hex until it was nothing but a knot of pulverized bronze and shattered glass.

She felt much more than an errant sting of pride at her destruction. She felt vindicated. Chest heaving from the exertion, she sent another Reparo! at it, thinking this time it was surely destroyed for good. Her spell hit, and shards of crystal soared from all over the room, fusing together as if never parted while the disfigured serpents curled and bent back to their original shape. 

Whole. The damn thing was whole again. Not an adornment or fang out of place.

Ginny felt it like a punch to the gut. It was supposed to stay mangled. Scratched, gashed and dented. It was supposed to stay unrecognizable. 

Like her. 

She started in with her hexing once more, shooting off every version of Diffindo, Confringo, and Reducto she knew. Because Ginny wasn’t about to be the only thing in this house broken beyond repair. 

As instinct took over, her thoughts turned unwillingly inward. To the parts of herself that were splintered and ripped just like the wainscoting and wallpaper surrounding her. 

How could she have let this happen?

No, scratch that. How could he have let this happen?

Because this was all his fault. 

A couple of months ago, Ginny had been perfectly, completely, and utterly fine. All the shite she’d gone through had been effectively tucked away. All her unresolved feelings had been disregarded.  All her nightmares had been a distant, albeit unpleasant, memory. 

Now look at her, wrecking a chandelier as some sort of violent remedy for her own discontent.

All it took was one look. One sodding look from him on one sodding dance floor and she was undone. Absolutely doomed. Ravaged.  

Ruined.

#tpfy spoilers #tpfy sneak peek #the path from you #anon #answered #i'm not giving you everything because you know what? i do have some self control after all

[aptplumbingsblog]

Know the Most Common Australian Plumbing Problems and How to Resolve Them

Whether a property is used for residential or commercial purposes, plumbing concerns are a necessary component of ownership. A country such as Australia is prone to plumbing issues as it has many different types of landscapes and climates as well as common reasons, such as weather conditions, the plumbing system’s age, and ordinary wear and tear. You may save time, money, and the annoyance of dealing with unforeseen inconveniences by being aware of these common plumbing issues and learning how to handle them.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the most frequent plumbing problems Australians have and provide practical solutions.

We’ll also go over Sydney plumbing solutions and how critical it is to choose trustworthy service providers that offer reasonably cost plumbing services in Sydney, including commercial plumbing services.

1. Blocked Drains and Toilets: A Common Nuisance

Blocked drains and toilets are perhaps the most frustrating plumbing problems encountered by Australians. Hair, grease, and foreign objects are just a few of the things that can clog your pipes and cause unpleasant effects. In bustling cities like Sydney, where plumbing systems are under constant strain, dealing with blocked drains is a regular challenge.

Be careful about what you put down your drains to avoid obstructions. Use drain guards to catch debris and avoid flushing non-biodegradable items down the toilet. If you find yourself contending with a blockage, a plunger or drain snake might provide a quick fix. However, for more stubborn cases, engaging professional plumbing service providers is recommended. These professionals have the knowledge to remove even the most stubborn clogs and provide inexpensive plumbing services in Sydney.

2. Leaky Faucets: A Silent Culprit

Leaky faucets not only create an annoying drip-drip sound but also contribute to water wastage. Given Australia’s varying water availability, addressing leaky faucets promptly is essential.

Most leaky faucets result from worn-out washers, O-rings, or seals. Replacing these components can put an end to the incessant dripping. Reach out to a reputable plumbing service provider if you’re not confident performing DIY repairs. These professionals, familiar with both residential and commercial plumbing services, can restore your faucet to perfect working order.

3. Burst Pipes: A Winter Worry

In regions prone to freezing temperatures or possessing ageing plumbing systems, burst pipes are a recurring concern. A burst pipe can result in property damage, water waste, and increased utility costs.

If you suspect a burst pipe, turn off the main water supply immediately to minimise damage. Next, contact an emergency plumbing service provider promptly. In a fast-paced city like Sydney, where quick responses are vital, having access to reliable commercial plumbing services can save the day.

4. Low Water Pressure: The Irritating Intruder

Low water pressure can make routine activities like taking a shower difficult. Mineral accumulation, pipe corrosion, or undetected water leaks can all cause this problem.

Check to see if the low water pressure is present across your entire property to start. If so, the issue can be more complicated and call for expert help. Reputable plumbing service providers in Sydney, possess the skills to identify and resolve the underlying issue, restoring optimal water pressure.

5. Water Heater Hiccups: Chilly Challenges

An inconsistent water temperature or a complete lack of hot water can be traced back to water heater issues. This is particularly unwelcome, especially during the colder months.

Start by checking your water heater’s thermostat settings. If that doesn’t solve the problem, a malfunctioning heating element or sediment accumulation might be the culprits. Trust the situation to experts that provide both residential and commercial plumbing services for complicated water heater problems. Your comfort depends on a working water heater, and these experts can make sure it runs efficiently.

6. Running Toilets: A Quiet Drain

Running toilets are notorious for silently hiking up your water bill. A continuously running toilet is a leak that shouldn’t be ignored.

A damaged flapper valve frequently contributes to a running toilet. This component can be replaced with ease, and hardware stores usually carry replacements. But if the issue continues, don’t be afraid to get in touch with a plumbing service provider for a full analysis.

You are better able to preserve the balance of your house if you are knowledgeable about typical plumbing issues and practical fixes. Remember, while DIY fixes can work wonders for minor issues, professional plumbing service providers are your allies when it comes to tackling complex problems or plumbing emergencies. Seek out trusted experts who offer affordable plumbing services in Sydney to ensure your plumbing system remains reliable and efficient.

Contact us to schedule a consultation. Discover how we can work with you to maintain the comfort and functionality of your property by exploring our extensive selection of services. With us by your side, plumbing problems will become a thing of the past, allowing you to enjoy peace of mind and uninterrupted daily routines.

#plumbing service provider #affordable plumbing company #complete plumbing inspections

[headcanonsandmore]

'Glad All Over (Cake By The Ocean)', Chapter Two

Summary: Nyssa is slowly growing used to life in the charming Cornish town of Tregonnereth, although her attraction to a certain Australian continues to grow stronger with each passing day. Luckily, an arrival from London may just give Nyssa the impetus she needs to get out of her shell.

~~~~~~~~~~

I told myself I was going to take this fic slowly and update it at a more casual pace.

I then proceeded to write 6.5k over the span of one week.

I am my own worst enemy when it comes to these things, it seems. 🤣

~~~~~~~~~~

Read on AO3.

~~~~~~~~~~

Nyssa Traken laced up her shoes, and headed out of her hotel room.

It had been a few days since she had decided to move to Cornwall. She was slowly becoming used to the slower pace of life. London was a very intense, hyper-charged place, full of busy people living busy lives. But Cornwall? The pace of life was slowed to a gentle crawl, like a bike ride on a soft summer day. It was… charming, to say the least. Nyssa had already noticed that her stress levels had dropped, despite having to move her things down from London. Her heartrate had also dropped slightly.

Well, most of the time.

The time that she wasn’t around a certain Australian woman.

Tegan had offered to show Nyssa different properties that she could rent in the town. After all, she couldn’t live in the hotel forever. Tregonnereth had implemented rent controls way back in the seventies that were still in effect now, meaning that -unlike the extortionate London rental prices Nyssa was used to- she was looking at a very affordable rent on whichever place she decided to move into.

And she needed to move into somewhere soon. She was in the midst of having her belongings brought down from her flat in London, and she couldn’t well keep them all in the practice or the hotel for any length of time.

Tegan was waiting for her outside the hotel. The Australian -her hair shorted and cropped as ever- was wearing a pair of loose dungarees over an old collarless grandad shirt. The dungarees -patched and careworn- were tucked into a pair of scuffed-up walking boots. The entire ensemble was covered in splodges of paint; Tegan had been working on getting the practice looking nice for the past couple of days, doing everything from the plumbing to fitting new doors to new coats of paint on the walls (both inside and out).

In essence, she looked utterly beautiful. 

Nyssa sighed. It wasn’t fair.

‘Heya!’ Tegan said, grinning as Nyssa approached.

‘Hello; sorry I’m late.’

‘What?’- Tegan inspected her watch- ‘Nah, it’s ten past.’

‘You said nine!’

‘I said nine-ish. Completely different.’

‘Nine… ish?’

Tegan chuckled.

‘Sorry; I keep forgetting London runs on a different time. This is Cornwall; nothing has to be on-the-dot, especially not meeting up with someone.’

‘Oh,’ Nyssa said, before smiling. ‘I see.’

Tegan smiled, cheeks dimpling.

‘Anyway, I’ve got a few different places I think you might like; all ready to start looking?’

Nyssa nodded.

‘Thanks again for agreeing to help me look for somewhere.’

‘No worries,’ the Australian replied, as they headed up the road. ‘Technically, I’m qualified as an estate agent, but I never tell people that; y’know the stereotype.’

‘Tegan, I don’t think many people would assume you to be a fast-talking con-artist.’

‘I should bloody hope not,’ Tegan cheeked, flashing dimples. ‘The first one’s just along this side street…’

About four hours later, Nyssa had decided on a flat. It was decent-sized place, on a small side-road just off the main high street. There was a small garden in the back, and even had a second bedroom that Nyssa was considering turning into a study or library. When she’d mentioned this to Tegan, the Australian had chuckled, grinning knowingly before cheeking that she wasn’t remotely surprised.

‘Well, what would you turn it into?’ Nyssa asked, chuckling in response, as they left the estate agents.

‘Hobby room,’ Tegan said. ‘Put all my boards in there, plus my bike.’

‘I’ll stick with the books, thank you.’

‘Ah, c’mon; live a little!’ Tegan exclaimed, grinning. ‘Listen, the estate agents won’t have your paperwork ready until at least 4pm today; I’ll lend you one of my boards, and you can get a feel for it.’

‘Me? Surfing?’

‘Sure,’ the Australian replied, cheerfully. ‘Cornwall’s known for its surfing. And, living as close as we are to the sea, we’ve always got tons of opportunities. C’mon; I’ve got the afternoon off, let me give you a lesson.’

Nyssa stared into those large brown eyes, and found herself unable to do anything but nod.

‘Great!’ Tegan said, grabbing Nyssa by the arm and practically pulling her along the high street back to the hotel. ‘Before we start, you’re probably gonna want to take your clothes off, though.’

Nyssa felt her stomach flip over.

*

Nyssa had accomplished much in her life. Achieving a first class degree in Dentistry, working full-time for many years, trying to deal with living in a city of several million people despite being very introverted, realising she was attracted to women and subsequently coming out to her father…

And, while this wasn’t nearly as difficult as those last two things, what she faced now was still quite possibly one of her most daunting challenges yet.

Getting a wetsuit on.

It had started off promising. Tegan had hurried back to her own place to grab one of her spare wetsuits for Nyssa, and handed it over. The Australian had referred to it as her “summer spare”; the legs were roughly three-quarter-length and the arms reached Nyssa’s elbows. Nyssa had first put on a one-piece swimming costume that she had bought in the village shop, and then began to climb into the wetsuit.

The legs weren’t an issue; she slipped into them without much difficulty, although it was definitely a little snug. Nyssa guessed that was due to her being a couple of inches taller than Tegan.

She then pulled the wetsuit up, and slotted her arms in. She then reached round and began to pull at the long zipper.

It only came halfway up her back.

‘Drat!’ Nyssa exclaimed.

‘Nyssa?’

There was a knock. Tegan had politely stepped into Nyssa’s bathroom while she changed.

‘You alright?’

‘F-fine,’ Nyssa replied, quickly. ‘Just having a bit of trouble with the zip.’

‘I forgot about that,’ Tegan replied, through the door. ‘Hang on, let me give you a hand.’

‘Oh, it’s fine, you don’t need to-’

The door opened, and Nyssa froze, her arm awkwardly reached around to pull up the zipper currently stuck halfway up her back. She was immensely conscious of the fact that her hair was coming out of its tight bun, and she wasn’t wearing make-up.

Seemingly not noticing Nyssa’s awkwardness, Tegan crossed the room.

‘It’s always difficult doing these things up if you aren’t used to them,’ the Australian said, kindly. ‘Don’t worry; a second pair of hands will sort this out.’

As Tegan took hold of the zipper, her other hand came to rest on Nyssa’s back. The Londoner gave a small squeak.

‘Whoops, sorry; cold hands,’ Tegan said. ‘You okay?’

Nyssa nodded, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. She didn’t trust herself to speak, just in case what her mouth might end up saying with Tegan’s gentle fingers pressed softly to the skin of her upper back.

‘That’s weird,’ Tegan said, voice a little perplexed. ‘You’re only a little bit taller than me; I thought this would fit you no problem.’

‘Maybe it’s the swimming costume underneath?’ Nyssa suggested. ‘It is a one-piece, after all.’

‘Nah,’ Tegan replied, giving the zipper another pull. ‘Strange. It’s almost as if the material is too tight around your…’

Tegan trailed off, and Nyssa felt her face burn. Oh, no…

‘Huh,’ Tegan said, after a moment. ‘I suppose I am pretty skinny, but I didn’t that extended to my-’

‘Oh, stop it!’ Nyssa moaned.

‘It’s fine,’ Tegan said, with a chuckle. ‘I’ll grab you a rash-top and some bottoms instead; don’t worry about it. Everyone’s got their body type; I should have remembered.’

 ‘T-thank you,’ Nyssa mumbled, utterly mortified. ‘Sorry about the hassle.’

‘Yes, you’re definitely hassling me with your ample-’

‘Tegan!’

The Australian let out a bark of laughter.

‘Just take the wetsuit off; I’ll be back in a mo.’

The door clicked behind the Australian. Nyssa slowly managed to remove the wetsuit, but she could still feel her face burning. Although… Tegan didn’t seem to have minded.

Darn it, Nyssa thought, I really am hopeless, aren’t I?

*

Nyssa headed out onto the beach, feeling self-conscious. She had never really been a very outdoorsy person, so she felt rather awkward as she walked across the sands. The sun was out, and the small beach was basking in the warm light of early summer. She had to admit, it felt good on her skin. Although she did appreciate that the beach was virtually deserted, possibly due to the tourists not arriving this early in the summer and the locals having other things to do.

‘Tegan?’

Tegan turned, from where she was standing, and waved.

The Australian was wearing her wetsuit, and had clearly already been in for a quick dip, because her damp hair was pushed up and outwards away from her face, sticking up slightly with the salty water. Her brown eyes sparkled in the sunshine, and her cheeks dimpled as she smiled at Nyssa.

Nyssa ignored the spike in her heartrate. She couldn’t just get flustered every time she saw Tegan like this; given the close proximity to the sea, she’d end up with a dodgy heart within two months.

‘There we go,’ Tegan said, grinning. ‘Now you’re in the right gear, we can get started.’ 

‘Given the weather being so nice, I’m surprised you suggested I try the wetsuit first,’ Nyssa said. ‘Unless you just wanted to embarrass me.’

‘In my defence,’ Tegan said, putting out her hands in a gesture of innocence. ‘I thought the water might be too cold for you, since you aren’t used to it.’

Nyssa smiled, feeling her own cheeks dimple.

‘Anyway,’ Tegan elaborated. ‘If it means so much to you, you can walk in on me half-dressed later on and see how embarrassed I get.’

Nyssa giggled.

‘And how do I know you wouldn’t just take advantage of the situation?’

‘Impossible, Nys,’ Tegan said, with a quick wink as she bent down to pick up the surfboards. ‘I’m not exactly pin-up material.’

‘Debateable,’ Nyssa said, trying and failing not to stare at how close-fitting the Australian’s wetsuit was. ‘And I thought you weren’t looking?’

Tegan gave a guilty look as she stood back up.

‘Well, I am a lesbian,’ she said. ‘Sorry; I swear I didn’t mean to look.’

‘O-oh,’ Nyssa replied, blinking quickly. Had she been that obvious in her attraction? ‘I-I didn’t-’

‘You might as well know,’ Tegan said, rubbing the back of her neck with her hand. ‘I mean, some straight women find it a little…’

‘Having never been heterosexual, I wouldn’t know,’ Nyssa said. ‘And I don’t mind you looking.’

‘As long as you don’t think I’m ogling-’

‘You’re not. And, well, you’re not the only one who’s been looking.’

Tegan stared at her for a moment. Their eyes met, and Nyssa felt a shiver go up her spine.

‘Er… so, surfing?’

‘Y-yeah!’

Tegan instructed Nyssa to climb onto one of the boards and then kneel down. Nyssa did so.

‘Surfing’s all about balance,’ Tegan said. ‘Once you’re able to stand up, it’ll get a lot easier, so we’re gonna practice now, before you get into the water…’

Tegan moved, and Nyssa felt her breath catch in her throat, as she realised just how close the Australian was to her. Certain parts of Tegan were pressing up against her back, and she was immensely conscious of Tegan’s two arms wrapped around her middle.

‘Now…’ Tegan said, very softly. ‘When I say go, you jump to your feet, ‘kay?’

Nyssa nodded, hoping against hope that Tegan couldn’t tell how fast her heart was suddenly beating.

‘Okay… now!’

As Nyssa moved, she felt Tegan’s hands close around her middle. She gave a squeak, and lost her footing.

There was a crash, as the two women tumbled down onto the sands in a tangle of limbs. As they came to a stop, Nyssa realised -in shock- that she had somehow ended up straddling Tegan’s waist and was now staring down at the Australian, their faces barely a few inches apart. Her hands were planted into the sand on either side of Tegan’s head.

‘S-sorry, Tegan!’ she exclaimed, feeling her face flush. Her own hair was coming out of its bun and was hanging down past her face. ‘Are you alright?’

Tegan stared up at her, her more closely cropped hair hanging loosely against the sand, the light brown locks contrasting with the yellow grains. She seemed to freeze slightly, as if unsure of how to react. Nyssa could practically hear the Australians heart beat -was it accelerating?- through her own body. With mounting horror, Nyssa realised that Tegan’s pulse wasn’t the only thing she could now feeling through the wetsuits.

‘Y-yeah,’ Tegan said, looking dazed. ‘Fine. You… you okay?’

Nyssa nodded.

‘Sorry, let me just…’

Nyssa climbed off the Australian and got to her feet, before giving Tegan a hand to stand up.

‘Er…’ -Tegan awkwardly climbed to her feet, before letting go off Nyssa’s hand- ‘Shall… shall we try that again? I think it best if I don’t squeeze your middle this time…’

Nyssa felt her face burn as she remembered the feel of Tegan pressing gently against her skin, in various different places. Places that she definitely did not want to think about, for fear of going round the bend. Hopefully, Nyssa thought, she’d get the hang of surfing because she lost her mind completely.

*

By noon the next day, Nyssa had moved into her new flat. Tegan and a few of the other locals -including Barbara the schoolteacher- had helped carry her things across from the hotel. And, now that she had a permanent address, she had started sending for the remainder of her things back in London.

Nyssa was just placing the last of the cardboard boxes away in a cupboard, when the doorbell rang. Assuming it was another delivery, she headed through the flat and towards the door. However, the sight that greeted her when she opened the door was not a delivery person, but-

‘Mel?’

‘Hi!’ exclaimed the redhead, a wide smile on her face as she hurried forward and pulled Nyssa into a tight hug. A wheely-suitcase was stood on the side of the open door. ‘Nyssa; how are you?’

‘I-Fine- Mel, what are you doing here?’

‘Oh, please,’ Mel said, fixing Nyssa with a knowing gaze as she pulled away, leaving her hands on Nyssa’s shoulders. ‘I can’t just let you relocate somewhere on your own. Nyssa, I remember how introverted you were at uni. I know you’re a bit better nowadays, but still…’

‘I…’ Nyssa stared at her friend. ‘But, what about London?’

Mel waved a hand dismissively.

‘Nyssa; you’re my best friend. And, like you said on the phone yesterday, things in London are just getting worse. I was planning on moving somewhere less stressful at some point, so why not now? And I get to stay here with my favourite person.’ -Mel’s face suddenly became a little unsure- ‘If… if you’ll have me, that is. I probably should have called you first-’

Nyssa pulled Mel into a hug.

‘Of course you’re welcome here,’ she said, clutching her friend closely. ‘You are fantastic, Melanie Bush.’

Mel wrapped her arms around Nyssa, and swayed slightly as they hugged.

‘Thank you,’ the redhead said, smiling as she let go. ‘You’re fantastic too, Nyssa. I really appreciate it. Wait, does this mean you’re my boss now?’

‘I suppose!’ Nyssa chuckled. ‘But I think… business partners would be more appropriate.’

‘Oh, thank you,’ Mel replied, as she pulled her suitcase inside. ‘I take it Tregonnereth doesn’t have another dental practice.’

‘Not a one. Tegan says that the town’s got a really close-knit community here, but she thinks our dental practice should fit in quite nicely.’

Mel nodded.

‘That’s good. Speaking of the town… may I have a tour?’

Nyssa smiled, before slipping on a pair of trainers.

The weather had clouded over somewhat, but it was still fine weather, all things considered. Nyssa had already noticed that, while Cornwall did have a warmer climate than most of the rest of southern Britain, it was also a lot more humid. A microclimate, as it were.

‘That’s the harbour,’ she said, as Mel followed her down through the high street towards the sea. ‘And just over there is the beach.’

‘Lovely!’ Mel replied, staring at the crystal-blue waters that seemed to shine even in the scant sunshine. ‘I never would have imagined you’d start being more outdoorsy.’

‘Debatable,’ Nyssa said, chuckling to herself. ‘I tried surfing earlier; good grief, Tegan had her work cut out trying to get me upright. Good thing the beach was otherwise deserted.’

She smiled at the memory from the previous day. For more reasons that she felt able to admit.

‘Nyssa?’

‘Hmm?’

Mel fixed her with an all-too-knowing look.

‘Who’s… Tegan?’

‘O-oh, Tegan?’ Nyssa said, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. ‘She lives here too. She’s been very helpful; she’s shown me the practice, as well as my flat. Why? Did I mention her at some point?’

‘About half a dozen times so far, yes,’ said Mel, grinning in a horribly knowing way. ‘I’m sure she’s been very helpful.’

‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Nyssa said, primly.

‘Oh, obviously,’ Mel cheeked. ‘I mean, I’m sure you mentioning her that many times without realising it means absolutely nothing.’

Nyssa didn’t reply. She instead turned and headed back up the high street. After a moment of giggling, Mel followed.

‘Here’s the practice,’ Nyssa said, gesturing down the side street to where the premises were. ‘I’ll show you it all later; which reminds me, I need to get copies of the key made. I should ask…’

 She trailed off.

‘Let me guess,’ Mel giggled. ‘Perhaps the mysterious Tegan?’

‘Shut up. Come on; I need to get some things down in the pharmacy.’

The two women headed across the road, and into the local pharmacists. Like many chain pharmacies, the inside was much the same as any other; all plastic shelving and bright artificial lights. Although this one was slightly unique in that the section for suncream was a lot bigger than the ones back in London normally were.

The woman at the counter was dressed in a white coat. She was roughly ten years older than Nyssa. Her soft auburn hair was tied into a bun. And, of course, she was rather pretty.

‘Can I help?’

‘Er…’ Nyssa said, momentarily a little tongue-tied. ‘Y-yes, I’m come to have my prescriptions moved to this pharmacy, I’ve just moved to the town, you see-’

‘Oh, you must be Nyssa!’ replied the woman, smiling. ‘Yes, Tegan’s mentioned you a fair few times.’

Nyssa didn’t even bother looking at Mel; she could practically hear her suppressing another set of the giggles.

‘I’m Liz, by the way,’ said the auburn-haired pharmacist. ‘I’m the lead pharmacist here. Nice to have a fellow scientific mind in the town.’

‘Thank you,’ Nyssa said.

Liz handed Nyssa some forms attached to a clipboard to fill out, and Nyssa sat down on a chair nearby. Mel continued to standing, but moved to be in front to her. She then bent down.

‘So, “Tegan’s mentioned you a fair few-”’

‘Mel, stop it,’ Nyssa said, focusing on the forms. ‘It’s a small town; people tell each other things. Besides, I’m the current novelty; you probably will be too for the next couple of weeks.’

Mel chuckled.

Presently, Nyssa finished the forms and handed them back to Liz, who smiled at her as she took the clipboard back.

‘I hear you’re opening up the dental practice again,’ the pharmacist said. ‘It’ll do the place some good, especially for the pensioners who can’t easily get to other places.’

‘Exactly,’ Nyssa said. She had always felt a little awkward around talking to people in shops; possibly due to living in London for so long. ‘Er, this is Mel, by the way. She’s my dental assistant.’

‘Pleasure,’ Mel said, exchanging a smile with Liz. ‘Nice pride flag, by the way.’

‘Thank you,’ Liz said, and Nyssa saw that she had a small rainbow flag attached to her lanyard. ‘Tregonnereth Pride is happening a bit later on this summer; it’s going to be wonderful.’

‘Oh, lovely! We’ll have to go to that, won’t we, Nyssa?’

Nyssa nodded, feeling rather self-conscious. She’d never been quite so easy to talk about these things in public as Mel was. Especially when a pretty pharmacist was smiling at her.

‘We’ll see you there, then,’ Liz replied. ‘Bye; see you dreckly!’

‘Dreckly?’ Mel said, giving a confused glance at Nyssa, who shrugged in bewilderment.

Liz gave a laugh.

‘Sorry; I forget you’re from up-country,’ the auburn-haired woman chuckled, good-naturedly. ‘That’s a Cornish phrase. It means “at some time in the future”.’

‘Gosh,’ Mel replied, with a laugh. ‘It’s like a different world here. Bye, Liz; see you dreckly, then!’

‘Well, Cornwall is a Celtic nation,’ Nyssa said, as they walked back to the entrance. ‘It’s no small wonder that the language is different, even when speaking English-’

Nyssa promptly bumped into someone as they rounded the corner of an aisle.

‘Oh, my apologies,’ Nyssa said, awkwardly. ‘I should have looked where I was-’

‘Hi!’ exclaimed the young woman Nyssa had just collided with. She looked a couple of years younger than Nyssa and Mel. She was grinning cheerfully from ear-to-ear, and seemed completely unbothered by Nyssa’s awkwardness. Her hair was tied into a long braid that extended down her back, over the jacket (covered in badges and patches) that she wore. ‘You’re Nyssa, right? The posh Londoner Tegan has been going on about?’

‘I… I am,’ Nyssa said, feeling her face flush at the mention of the Australian and promptly ignoring Mel’s look of amusement. ‘Nice to meet you, er…’

‘Ace McShane.’

Nyssa found her hand roughly shook. It was rather like meeting a chipmunk that had been given several dozen espressos.

Ace promptly turned her attention to Mel.

‘So…’ she said, taking Mel’s hand in a far softer way than she had done with Nyssa. ‘Big city girl too?’

‘Yes,’ Mel said, with a giggle. ‘I’m Mel. Pleasure to meet you’

‘Pleasure’s all mine,’ Ace replied, grinning lopsidedly as she let go of Mel’s hand. ‘Wicked hair, by the way.’

Mel giggled again, her mane of bushy red hair shaking over her shoulders.

‘Oh, you like it?’

‘It’s gorgeous; are you a model, or something?’

‘Stop it-’

Nyssa looked inbetween the two women, feeling more and more like they’d both entirely forgotten that she was standing with them.

‘I’m serious,’ Ace continued, grinning widely as she looked Mel up and down. ‘Proper gorgeous, you are. I hope your personality’s as lovely.’

‘Flattery will get you nowhere,’ replied Mel, with a tone of voice that implied the exact opposite. ‘I’m a dental technician; how about you?’

‘Oh, bit of this, bit of that,’ Ace said, before giving another wink. ‘Quite a bit of that, actually.’

Mel’s cheeks flushed, and she laughed again.

‘I can imagine,’ she said. ‘You’re a local, then?’

‘Born and bred in Kernow. Speaking of which, I’ve got places to be. But see you around, Mel.’

‘Yeah,’ Mel breathed, a slight flush on her cheeks. ‘See you around… Ace.’

Ace gave the redhead one last quick wink, before walking away, her long braided hair dancing as she walked. Mel stared after her, a soft smile still etched into her face. Absentmindedly, she twirled a finger through her ginger hair.

Nyssa gave a cough. Mel startled, as if suddenly realising that Nyssa had been stood beside her the entire time.

‘Not. A. Word.’

‘Of course,’ Nyssa said, with a knowing chuckle. ‘I’m sure that conversation definitely didn’t mean anything-’

‘Nyssa!’

The two women laughed, before leaving the pharmacy.

*

A few hours later, Mel had properly moved into the spare room. Nyssa was a little put out that she couldn’t convert it into a library, but having her best friend around was a good trade-off. Mel had brought a few things with her, but -aside from her clothes and laptop- it was mainly basic stuff. Mel said she would be having the rest of the things down from London over the next few weeks, although it would mainly be things like duvets and soft furnishings.

The doorbell rang again, and Nyssa headed to the door, expecting another delivery. However, it was apparently her day to meet people, because Tegan Jovanka was stood on the doorstep, wearing a pair of cut-off-shorts and a t-shirt, with a plaid shirt wrapped around her waist.

‘Thought you might like a personal delivery,’ the Australian said, grinning, as she handed over two sets of keys. ‘For the practice premises; I got a bunch of texts saying you’ve now got a dental assistant?’

‘Er, yes,’ Nyssa said, quickly, trying to half-close the door and leaning against it. ‘Yeah, she’s a bit busy unpacking, so-’

‘Oh, this is Tegan!’ Mel exclaimed, bounding up behind Nyssa, and pulling open the door, giving a wide smile. ‘Nice to meet you; Nyssa’s told me so much about you.’

‘Really?’ Tegan said, smiling at Nyssa as she shook Mel’s hand. ‘My reputation proceeds me, it seems-’

‘Oh, stop it!’ Nyssa moaned, but without any real venom. ‘Look, this is Mel Bush, my best friend.’

‘Ahh,’ Tegan said, with an expression of dawning understanding. ‘You moved down to make sure this one doesn’t keep herself isolated down here, eh?’

‘Something like that,’ Mel chuckled, as Nyssa rolled her eyes. ‘Nyssa’s lovely but she can be very shy. You should have seen what she was like at uni; hang on, I’ve got photos…’

‘Mel, you don’t need to-’ Nyssa began, but Mel was already pulling out her phone. She turned to stand next to Tegan on the doorstep. Tegan leaned over, and her eyes widened.

‘Is that… a black choker?’

‘Mel!’ Nyssa exclaimed. ‘Do you have to show her that photo?’

‘What? I thought you looked nice in this one!’ Mel said, looking slightly affronted before turning back to Tegan and continued scrolling. ‘Now, there was a Rocky Horror night at the student union in second year; Nyssa had this gorgeous black corset on… oh, where is that photo-’

Nyssa grabbed the phone out of Mel’s hand.

‘What did you do that for?’ Mel said, trying to grab her phone back. ‘It’s not a bad photo; very classy. It really showed off your-’

‘Nope,’ Nyssa said, refusing to look Tegan in the eye. ‘I don’t think Tegan would appreciate that photo.’

Mel gave a smirk that implied she thought otherwise.

‘To be fair,’ Tegan said, chuckling with an air of polite bewilderment. ‘I have already seen you half-dressed, Nys. But I’m sure the black corset looked very fetching on you.’

Mel looked at Nyssa with an expression that plainly said we will be having a conversation about this later.

‘So,’ Nyssa said, frowning, as she turned back to Tegan. ‘Are you here to just listen to Mel tell embarrassing stories? Or can I invite you in for a cuppa?’

‘Actually, we have a meeting this evening for local business owners,’ Tegan said. ‘And, since you are our newest business owner, I thought it might be a good opportunity for you to introduce yourself to everyone.’

‘Oh,’ said Nyssa, quickly. ‘That’s very kind of you, but I’m going to be very busy this evening getting everything unpacked and now Mel’s here-’

‘What Nyssa is trying to say,’ Mel said, interrupting. ‘Is that she’d love to come and, because I’m here as well, the things she needs to do will take half as long, meaning she will definitely be able to attend.’

‘Great!’ replied Tegan, before Nyssa could say anything. ‘The meeting’s at six in the town hall; we normally have snacks during, and then a meal in the pub afterwards. Just as long as Ace doesn’t get into an argument with the bar-staff again.’

Mel’s cheeks turned slightly pink as she stepped back into the flat.

‘Oh, is… is Ace going to be there too?’

‘Ah, you’ve met her already, I see,’ Tegan said, with a smirk. ‘Yeah; she’ll be there. Technically, she shouldn’t, but no-one around here is gonna tell Ace McShane she can’t go to something. Normally, I have to keep her scoffing all the snacks before the meeting starts.’

‘That’s good,’ Mel said, smiling. ‘Tell you what; if you help Nyssa get introduced to everyone, I’ll keep Ace talking so she won’t eat everything.’

‘Done!’

‘Sorry to interrupt, Tegan,’ Nyssa said, hand already on the door. ‘but Mel and I really have things to get on with; urgent… dentist stuff.’

‘Uh huh,’ Tegan replied, clearly not believing a word of it. ‘Well, it was nice to meet you, Mel; I’ll see you both at the meeting.’

Tegan walked away, and Nyssa closed the door.

‘Stop. It.’

‘What?’ Mel asked, looking as if she already knew the answer. ‘I was just chatting to Tegan-who seems lovely, by the way- and you act like I’m being super obnoxious-’

‘You know fully well why I stopped that conversation in its tracks,’ Nyssa hissed.

‘Let’s pretend I don’t,’ Mel said, smiling knowingly. ‘What possible reason could I have for making sure you spend time with Tegan Jovanka?’

Nyssa felt the heat rise in her cheeks, as they headed back into the sitting room.

‘I like it here!’ Nyssa said. ‘Tegan’s been very sweet to me, and I won’t have you making things complicated between us!’

‘By the looks of things, it was already complicated to begin with. Didn’t you say she was helping you learn to surf?’

‘So?’

‘So she had her arms around you and probably was very up-close-and-personal with you? Let me guess, she probably had to help you put the wetsuit on as well, which is pretty homoerotic regardless of anything else.’

‘Wetsuits; homoerotic?’

‘Anything and everything can be homoerotic,’ Mel explained, as if stating the obvious. ‘Depending on how you look at it.’

‘I’m not anything erotic!’ Nyssa exclaimed. ‘Especially not in a borrowed wetsuit that didn’t even fit me around the chest!’

Mel stared at her, grin widening as Nyssa slowly realised what she had just admitted.

‘Sounds pretty homoerotic to me,’ she said, with a chuckle. ‘Why does it bother you so much that you and Tegan Jovanka might have… subtext going on?’

‘Because!’ Nyssa exclaimed. ‘I… I don’t make friends easily, Mel! I like Tegan but… what if I ruin something lovely because I misinterpret something?’

Mel smiled at her.

‘You won’t, Nyssa. Honestly, this is like what happened with Romana all over again-’

‘That was completely different!’ Nyssa said, face now burning. ‘For the last time, Romana was my senior; I did not -and never have had- a crush on her!’

‘Oh, so that is different than it is with Tegan, then?’

Nyssa closed her mouth, and fixed it into a pout, glaring at her friend.

‘Oh, Nyssa,’ Mel said, putting a hand on her friends shoulder. ‘You really are your worst enemy when it comes to these things. Look, regardless of what your feelings may be towards a certain Ms Jovanka, is it really so bad that you’ll meet other business owners? Small dental practices are for the local community, after all; you’ll need to get your face out there.’

‘But…’ Nyssa said. ‘I’m… I’m not good with people.’

‘Yes, you are,’ Mel said. ‘You just get over-worried thinking about things. Listen, Tegan knows everyone here, by the sounds of it, so you won’t need to worry about introducing yourself to everyone by yourself. No-one will be expecting you to memorise everyone’s names immediately, so just take it slowly. I’ll be here to step in if you get overwhelmed, so don’t worry.’

Nyssa sighed, before smiling softly.

‘You are a good friend, Mel.’

‘As are you,’ the redhead replied, smiling. ‘So, what are you going to wear?’

Nyssa looked down at her clothes.

‘What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?’

‘Nothing; I just think you might feel more at ease if you wear less formal attire for the meeting. People will find you more approachable if you’re not dressed up to the nines.’

A twinkle appeared in Mel’s eyes.

‘Besides,’ she added. ‘I think Tegan may appreciate seeing you in that cute summer dress with the plunging-’

‘Mel!’

*

Nyssa had point-blank refused to wear the dress Mel had suggested, and instead had settled on a stripey top and long summer skirt. Although she had let Mel ease her hair out of it’s up-do, leaving it down in a relaxed style that Nyssa normally only had when she was relaxing by herself. Mel had spent twenty minutes fussing over her hair, before noticing Nyssa’s knowing look and swatting her lightly on the arm. The redhead had eventually settled on a blue-and-white striped top with pink dungarees to wear.

The town hall was like many town halls; slightly cold, and with lots of plastic chairs that were designed not for comfort but for the ability to be stacked away easily. As Nyssa and Mel entered, Barbara -who was stood by the snack table- waved at them.

‘Thank you for having us,’ Mel said, as Barbara poured them both cups of blackcurrant juice. ‘You must be Barbara, I take it?’

‘My pleasure,’ said the teacher, smiling warmly. ‘Yes, I am; and you must the mysterious Mel that Ace couldn’t stop mentioning in conversation.’

Mel gave a tittering laugh, her cheeks slightly flushed.

‘O-oh, yes; that’s me. Er… w-where is Ace, anyway?’

Barbara pointed towards a circle of chairs. Sure enough, the younger woman was sat, her jacket -covered in patches- draped over the back of her chair.

With one quick nervous grin at Nyssa, Mel promptly headed across the room and plonked herself down in the seat next to Ace, who immediately dropped the packet of crisps she was holding.

Giggling, Mel titled her head, letting her long mane of curly red hair dangle over her shoulder. Ace seemed dazzled for a moment, before flashing a grin.

‘She works fast.’

Nyssa startled. Tegan had appeared through the doorway, and had come to stand beside her. She was wearing what she had worn earlier, except that the plaid shirt was now hung loosely unbuttoned and was rolled up to her sleeves. Barbara, perhaps sensing Nyssa’s flusteredness, gave her a knowing smile before silently moving away.

‘Mel’s always been very… straightforward,’ Nyssa said, taking a sip of her drink. ‘Sometimes I wonder how many people at our university secretly held a torch for her without her realising.’

‘Really?’ Tegan said, turning to Nyssa. ‘I would have thought that…’

‘What?’

‘Oh, come off it, Nys,’ the Australian said, chuckling. ‘I bet half the people at your uni were fancying you the whole time.’

Nyssa’s mouth fell open.

‘You’re not serious.’

‘Course I bloody am,’ Tegan said, taking a sip from her own glass. ‘Thought it was obvious…’

‘Er… thank you?’

Tegan shrugged.

‘Sorry; I wasn’t trying to confuse you,’ the Australian said. ‘People often say that I’m not good with words.’

‘No,’ Nyssa said. ‘I… I appreciate it, Tegan.’

The two women stood in silence for a moment, before more people entered the hall, and the meeting began to properly get underway.

Nyssa found herself bombarded with new names and faces. And, while she was sure no-one would expect her to memorise them all, Nyssa wanted to learn each of them off by heart as quickly as she could. People in small communities were held together by those bonds, after all; the least she could do was to try, especially after all the warmth they had shown her in the last few days. So, she tried to remember that Jo Grant worked at the school as a teaching assistant, and that Mike Yates was on the committee for the local Pride, and that Jamie McCrimmon worked as a porter in the nearest hospital.

‘And I heard that you’ve already met our other resident boffin,’ Tegan said, finally gesturing to Liz the pharmacist. ‘Elisabeth Shaw, allow me to formally introduce Nyssa Traken.’

‘Charmed,’ Liz said, cheeks dimpling as she shook Nyssa’s hand. She was still wearing her uniform, but had let her auburn hair down; it framed her face very prettily. ‘This is normally when I’d introduce my wife, but Patsy’s working late today. She said not to wait for her; she probably won’t make it. Lovely to meet you again, Nyssa.’

‘Patsy and Liz had been together since they were at uni together,’ Tegan said, to Nyssa, after Liz had gone to get herself a drink. There were so many people in the room that Tegan had to lean in close to Nyssa’s face. ‘I think they were the first same-sex couple married in the church, actually.’

Nyssa nodded, mutely.

‘Ohhh,’ Tegan said, a wry grin appearing on her face. ‘I should have guessed you’d have a thing for a woman in a lab-coat-’

‘Tegan!’ Nyssa hissed, feeling her face burn.

‘Let me guess; Barbara as well, right? She’s most teenagers first crush around here…’

‘Can we just stop talking about how I develop aesthetic attraction to every other woman I seem to meet around here?’

Tegan laughed, eyes twinkling at Nyssa, who found herself unable to stay irritated with the Australian.

‘Don’t worry,’ Tegan chuckled. ‘At least you won’t end up falling for me. You’re a woman of taste, after all.’

Nyssa stared at her for a moment, before Barbara raised her voice, requesting that everyone take their seats. As Nyssa sat down next to Tegan, she couldn’t help but let out a small sigh.

Of course Tegan wouldn’t see her in that way. Mel had clearly been mistaken. Nyssa was just a woman with a crush on a kind, sweet person who obviously didn’t see Nyssa in the same way. Granted, yes, Tegan did seem to think Nyssa was attractive, but that was purely from an objective standpoint. After all, gay women didn’t automatically fancy every attractive woman they met. Now, Nyssa didn’t think she was especially attractive, and -anyway- Nyssa clearly wasn’t Tegan’s type at all. Tegan would doubtless be attracted to someone who was cool, outdoorsy and really quick with a witty retort; someone she could banter with whilst surfing. Nyssa, on the other hand, was a somewhat-uptight and introverted city girl, who didn’t seem to go five minutes without lapsing into severe social awkwardness. She could barely stand on a surfboard, and went bright red if Tegan so much as made a mildly rude remark. It just wasn’t going to happen.

It wasn’t Tegan’s fault. Nyssa would just have to deal with her unreciprocated feelings. It was… better, this way, Nyssa told herself. Tegan would never know, and Nyssa would be able to let her feelings slowly subside, until she could happily have a platonic friendship with Tegan. Was that really so bad? It wasn’t as if an amazing friendship was something to be scoffed at.

As the meeting started, Nyssa ignored the sad thump of her heart, and tried to ignore how Tegan smelled of the ocean salt and how her easy smile made Nyssa’s stomach flip over.

This was going to be difficult.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks for reading, everyone; hope you enjoyed the second chapter! I wasn't expecting it to be this long, but writing has a habit of running away with itself! Not sure when I'll update next, so stay tuned!

#'glad all over (cake by the ocean)' #doctor who fanfiction #nyssa/tegan #tegan/nyssa #nyssa x tegan #tegan x nyssa #nyssa #nyssa of traken #tegan jovanka #indestructible #heathrow scientific #tyssa #ace/mel #mel/ace #mel bush #ace mcshane #liz shaw

[angeldrawsstuffs]

Discovery (and Jay Screaming)

So I wrote a snippet for the SPBNR Mer AU!

Summary: After being sent to FSM-knows where by the Megaweapon, the team has found shelter and agreed to split up: Kai and Cole looking after Lloyd while Jay, Nya, and Zane try to fix the plumbing of the building they’ve set up camp in. Unfortunately, they find out that sending them to a new place isn’t the only thing the Megaweapon did to them...

Nya was being as careful as she could as she descended down the stairs of the rickety old apartment building with Jay and Zane. The three of them were sent down to try and fix the pipes, the other three’s logic having been how the three of them (Nya, Jay, and Zane) are the tech savvy ones, meanwhile Kai couldn’t open up a phone properly.

Normally she would agree with this sentiment, however, the three of them build mechs and cars and motorbikes, not fix plumbing.

But, nevertheless they were the most qualified, so off they went.

”It’s just like coolant tubes.” she reassures herself, ”This’ll be a piece of cake!”

Well, maybe not cake, since if it were that, Cole would inhale it in a heartbeat.

Whatever metaphor it is, this’ll be simple. Get in, get out, hopefully not be completely soaked because these are the only pair of clothes she has aside from her Samurai X uniform.

Although, the sound emanating from the boiler room did not give high hopes.

“Perhaps we should turn back.” Zane stated, hand hovering over the doorknob, “I sense the sound coming from the room is worrisome, and may bring us trouble.”

“Come on, Zane, it’s just nerves.” Jay jokingly rebuttals.

“But I do not have nerves. I have sensors that mimic the purpose of-”

“Metaphorical sense, Zane.” Nya clarified for the now confused nindroid.

“Oh- I see. Thank you for the clarification, Nya.” Zane smiles at his friend.

“No problem. And anyway, it’s either we do this or we babysit Lloyd so Kai and Cole have to.” A silence befalls the trio.

Jay opens the door.

Inside, the boiler room looks how one would expect an old, abandoned boiler room to look. Rusty, shaking pipes, lines the walls, the boiler itself seemed to hold up well, but was still completely covered in rust. Instead of feeling hot, you know, like a boiler room should feel, it was instead chilly like the rest of the basement.

“Well, there goes our night.” Nya sighs as she walks into the room with her two teammates.

The floor is wet from leaky pipes all around, the ninja and samurai being grateful they changed out of their tabi and into some… borrowed shoes. Having to walk around in wet socks and shoes from all the puddles would just make this already unpleasant experience downright *unbearable*.

Nya watches as Zane attempts to turn on the lights, but finds only a few bulbs to be working, so he instead elects to activate what Jay had previously dubbed “lightbulb mode” after finding out about it during the Darkley’s incident.

“We will need to repair the lights as well.” Zane comments while removing a broken bulb for inspection.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” Jay remarks as he pulls out the old pipe wrench he found in the building earlier, “Now, watch the master at work.”

Jay confidently approached a large pipe shaking more than Kai on Venomari venom, and leaking like one of the trible’s teeth too. Nya shuttered at the memory of having to watch her brother yell about “Santa” (whoever that is), elves, and gingerbread men.

Her brother being high aside, Nya looks skeptically at her boyfriend. She knows for a damn good fact he abides by the “do first, ask questions later” philosophy way too often, and that…

Well, it’s probably not a good mentality to have when around pressurized water.

“Jay, are you certain this is a good idea?” Zane nervously asks as he watches his brother bring the wrench down over the pipe.

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing! My parents showed me how to do this stuff when I was a kid!” Jay replied, a smug look on his face.

Nya still didn’t have a good feeling about this.

Something in her gut was screaming at her, it had been since the Megaweapon sent them here… wherever “here” is. It was telling her that something was different, something changed.

But what is it? What changed?

Nya’s thoughts were interrupted by Jay’s strained grunts as one foot is against the wall while the other is keeping his loose footing on the ground.

To say it looked unsafe would be an understatement.

“Jay…” Nya says hesitantly, “Put your leg down.”

“Don’t- worry- Nya!” he replies with a grin clearly trying to impress her, “I- can- do- thIS- AOIUGUYVOFGYTFJHYFYJVG-”

The pipe bursts on Jay, sending water flying everywhere, particularly directly into the unfortunate blue ninja’s face. A sight Nya would find funny had the water not also diverted to her direction as well, completely soaking her from head to toe.

First Master the water must be nasty, since she can already feel horrible, aching rashes forming on her torso and arms. And her neck… it feels like someone slit it on both sides, multiple times.

Needless to say, it ducking hurts.

Ignoring the aches, Nya runs over and helps her boyfriend stop the pipe to where it’s only a small, yet steady leak

“I told you so.” she says sarcastically, narrowing her eyes at Jay.

“Yes Nya, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again-”

She knows he’s just saying it because he’s flustered and this absolutely will happen again. But, hey, it’s the thought, right?

“Are both of you alright?” Zane asks from his place in the small room, clutching his head as he does.

“I’m fine. ‘Can’t speak for Jay though.” Nya replies, quickly turning her attention to wringing out her hair, which doesn’t feel as short as he remembers it being…

But she just got a haircut from Kai a week ago. It shouldn’t be back to her shoulders already.

Her thoughts are, once again, interrupted by Jay, who currently has his mouth agape, almost seeming to do an impression of a feeding fish, opening and closing it, trying to form words, but all that comes out are confused squeaks.

“Jay?” She tries waving a hand over his face.

“Z-Zane-” He stutters out. “Zane? Zane what?”

“WHY THE DUCK DOES ZANE HAVE SCALES-” Jay suddenly shouts, Nya and Zane needing to cover their ears to avoid the piercing banshee screech that is his voice.

Nya’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion until she actually looked over at the nindroid herself

What.

The.

Duck. 

Zane’s face-

Holy FSM Jay wasn’t kidding-

The unprecedentedly calm Zane’s face was just… covered in silvery scales from his forehead and reaching down the sides of his face. Even his ears-

Well, his ears looked more like fins, if you could even call them ears anymore.

“What is it? Scales you said? Where?” Zane asked in his usual calm demeanor.

It’s so hard to feel any kind of negative things when Zane’s talking like that, but oh First Master how does this boy not realize-

Jay begins frantically gesturing to his brother’s face, while simultaneously continuing to yell:

“SCALES, LIKE, ACTUAL DUCKING FISH SCALES!”

Zane cocks his head in innocent confusion, “Are you referring to the rash? I wasn’t even aware I could get one, however-“

“NO!” Jay interrupts, newfound freckles seeming lighter than freckles should be, almost white and…

And glowing?

“YOU! HAVE! FISH-“ Jay tries to continue, but is quickly cut off by the sudden presence of familiar golden sparks around the floor of the room.

The sparks of the Megaweapon.

The two ninja and samurai ready themselves for combat, although, for Nya, that feeling in her gut increased tenfold. Something was about to happen. That change she felt… it’s going to make itself known, isn’t it?

It better, because she’s tired of being on edge all the time. Seriously, she trusts her gut, but the feeling was starting to get really annoying after an hour or so, especially since she has no idea where it came from.

Suddenly, those golden sparks start becoming more concentrated, more focused on specific areas. And Nya’s eyes fly wide open when she realizes those areas are them.

Well, ‘guess they’re about to find out-

The three can only watch and stumble back as the golden light trickles its way up their bodies, stopping just around the waist. Nya’s knows the appropriate reaction is absolutely more akin to an extremely toned down version of her boyfriend (which is to say fear with a bit of yelling), but that isn’t what she felt.

No, something about this felt… comforting, it felt…

Right.

Ok, that’s a really weird thing to say in the current situation, but she’s not lying! And she’s not crazy either! That’s really how it feels.

Maybe everything will be fine! Maybe, contrary to what Jay is currently hollering about, things will be fine and-

Nope.

No.

DEFINITELY NOT FINE.

Nya screams out as agonizing pain covers the lower half of her body. Her knees buckles as she slams to the ground, squeezing her eyes shut in white, hot pain, what little of her instincts are left being the only thing saving her from slamming her head into the concrete floor. Her mouth and gums ache, her legs slam themselves together, feeling like pins and needles are poking into her all over.

What came next can only be described as melting, like her lower half was wet clay being molded  and stretched by some unseen hand into something different, something new. All feelings of comfort and rightness were gone like a ship to a violent storm, all that remind was terror and agony.

She can hear the other two’s shouts and groans as well.

Seems like she’s not the only one.

But then, just as quickly as it came, it all stops, leaving aching worse than even the most intense training days in its wake.

Suddenly, Nya feels her legs(?) fall onto something thin and slimy, and something that feels almost like a fish’s fin falls on top of her legs(?).

FSM, speaking of- she can barely even feel her legs anymore. The only good news is that the melting feeling and pins and needles have gone away.

After all that, she just feels so tired, so exhausted.

Maybe a little nap… maybe it wouldn’t kill anyo-

“WHAT! THE! DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK-!!” Jay screeches at what has to be the top of his lungs.

Seriously, Nya didn’t think he could reach a higher decibel, but here they are.

Nya slowly pulls herself up, but not without some difficulty as her legs refuse to respond to her.

Are they asleep?

“What is it now, Jay??” Nya asks, a bit more concerned after his last shriek of panic turned out to be something that was actually happening.

“What’s happening? What’s happening?? Oh ho ho- what isn’t happening?? Maybe it’s the weird golden light that LOOKED LIKE THE MEGAWEAPON. Or- Or maybe it’s that burst of pain that STILL HURTS. Or, and hear me out here, MAYBE NONE OF US HAVE DUCKING LEGS ANYMORE!”

Don’t have legs??

What in the great First Master’s name did he me-

Ok, maybe looking was a mistake.

Why was it a mistake?

Because Jay was right he was ducking right.

None of them have legs.

They have tails.

Ducking fish tails. Like from storybooks and movies.

“What in Ninjago-” Is all Nya could whisper out as she ran a hand along the tail in a panic. This has to be some kind of a prank, right? There has to be some kind of a seam line that’ll reveal this whole thing is fake and not at all actually attached to their bodies, right?

Right?

Well, any hopes of that being the case are quickly dashed when a slow hand along her torso reveals a smooth and seamless transition from skin to scales.

The tail itself was brown, although thankfully not a similar shade to her actual skin, with several long fins on the bottom, and one short fin on top.

A look towards the end of her tail (oh FSM that’s a weird sentence) reveals that the slimy things she felt on herself were the ends of Jay and Zane’s… tails.

Jay’s is a deep black with what look almost like white freckles all over, and a long, dark fin running down the middle. Zane’s, on the other hand, looks to be a shining silver, fitting for a nindroid, with three stripes of a darker gray along the sides.

“SEE? I TOLD YOU!” Jay shouted as a burst of static electricity came bolting through Nya’s body.

“Yeah, we get it!” she shouts exasperatedly, still inspecting her weird new appendage, “Zane, how are you holding up?”

She looks up to her friend, who is… surprisingly calm given the circumstances.

His face is one very familiar to the team, eyebrows turned up with just the most clueless look on his face, as if there weren’t a single thought going through his head. But Nya knows him better than that, he’s almost definitely looking things up on the internet.

“I am doing alright.” He responds, pulling his end fin off of Nya’s, carefully inspecting it.

“Zane, buddy-” Jay puts his hands together and takes a deep breath in.

“Yes, Jay? What do you-” “How in the ducking world ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS?? DID’JA NOT REALIZE THAT WE’RE GOSH-GOLLY-DARN FISH- MRF!” 

Jay’s shouts are cut off by Nya maneuvering herself over to him and slamming a hand over his mouth, another jolt of electricity pulsing through her as she does.

“Jay. Cram it.” she whispers urgently, “Do you want someone from the street to hear you and come find us like this??”

She knows the likelihood of that happening is slim, but knowing their luck, it just might happen.

Jay shakes his head.

“Good. Then shut your mouth before we have to explain why we’re fish people!” Nya removes her hand from Jay’s mouth, “Now, we just need to figure out-”

“NYA??”

Nya’s head snaps around to see her brother and Cole in the doorway, their mouths all wide open at the strange sight before them.

“Kai, thank the First Master! We-” she starts, but is cut off by her panicking brother.

“What in Lloyd’s grandpa’s name happened? Where are your legs? What is… that? Am I dreaming? Please say I’m dreaming-” Kai enters the room warily, tabi splashing on the wet floor as he makes his way over to Nya.

“I would be wary of the water, Kai, I believe it may have played a role in whatever has happened to us.” Zane explains as he sets his end fin down.

“Zane? That’s you? You look… different.” Kai remarks.

Zane looking “different” is an undeniable statement, especially given how his typical hairstyle has been lengthened and swept back. It just makes him look so… not-Zane-yet-also-still-Zane. It’s uncanny.

“I am aware, and I would advise you to leave the room for now.” Zane states firmly, yet still gently.

“Uh, my little sister is here with a tail, I’m not leaving her.” Kai retorts as the others watch as all too familiar golden sparks star to take form around him.

“Kai, listen to Zane.” Nya tries to shove her brother away, “He’s never wrong.”

“Well he could be this time! Nya, I’m not about to just leave you behind!”

A golden light starts to envelop the red ninja’s lower half.

“You’re not leaving me behind!” Nya fires back.

“JUST LISTEN TA’ ZANE!” Jay shouts, accent now in full force.

Nya looks behind her brother to Cole for help backing her up.

Cole, making the smart choice, picks up on Nya’s look, looking rather concerned himself.

“Blazey, buddy, I know you care about Nya, but she says she’s fine, so maybe-”

“Not you too, Cole! Seriously guys, why are you all acting like some wet socks are the end of the w-wORLD-”

Much like the other three before him, Kai falls to the ground, writing in pain as a bright, golden light completely covers the lower half of his body. 

“K-Kai?? What’s happening??” Lloyd asks nervously, needing to be held back by Cole.

“As I tried to tell Kai earlier, I believe the water has something to do with whatever has happened and I would recommend staying away from it.” Zane explains, eyes solely focused on his pain-stricken brother.

Nya, meanwhile, pulls herself over to where her brother is and pulls him into as big a hug as she can manage. She just felt that pain on her own, so like hell she’ll leave her brother to face the same. In a shockingly short amount of time, the light dissipates and Kai is left in his sister’s arms with an identical tail. A bit unsurprising given that they *are* blood related.

“Nya..?” Kai wearily looks up at his sister, “What- What happened-?”

“Welcome to the fish club.” she responds sarcastically.

“Wha-” Kai turns on his side to look down at his newly formed tail, eyes going wide, “I…I’m hallucinating, right? This isn’t *actually* happening, is it?”

“If I had to go through ALL THAT just for this to not be real, I’M GONNA BITE SOMEONE!” Jay declares, tail thrashing in his anger before his rambles become distant background noise once more as Cole laughs at Jay’s indignance.

“I can help with the biting!” Lloyd proudly grins, showing off his fangs.

“No.” Both Smith siblings say in unison, shuttering at the idea of what could happen if Lloyd is allowed free range to *bite* someone.

“Awwwww, dang it.” Lloyd kicks up some water as he enters the room, sneakers thankfully preventing him from getting wet by the floor, “So, why are you a fish?” “No clue.” Nya replies while helping her still shocked brother up into a seated position, “But Zane’s probably onto something about the water.”

Right. Those weird freckles on Jay and the scales on her and Zane only showed up after the pipe burst, and the same applies to the tails. And after that, Kai’s refusal to take off his tabi, a shoe with a thin base, led to him getting wet by the floor.

“Water. Great, just great. Because water couldn’t get any worse.” Kai groans, slamming a hand against the ground with a splash.

Nya sighs as she looks around the room, surveying how the other three are doing.

Jay is, to absolutely no one’s surprise, still ranting about the situation, impressing Nya with how he hasn’t seemed to need to take a breath for air.

If there’s anything to be impressed by Jay about, it’s his lungs.

And next to him, Cole has picked up Zane into a bridal carry, much to the blushing of the latter.

“You know, Zane,” Nya overhears Cole speaking, “I think there’s a bright side to all this!” ���And what might that be?” Zane asks through red cheeks.

“You make a really hot merman.”

Nya softly laughed at the flustered expression the befalls the poor nindroid’s face.

Cole always seems to know how to calm people down in a tough situation, it’s what makes him the team’s rock.

“EWWWWWWWWWWW-” Lloyd blocks his eyes with his hand and turns around, “GROSS!”

Cole smugly looks at the pipsqueak and kisses his boyfriend.

“Oh. Wow. I’m so happy for you two, but could you PLEASE STOP MAKING OUT AND HELP THE REST OF US?!” Jay throws up his arms in protest.

Nya watches as Cole smirks at Jay, shrugs, and just walks away with his boyfriend, causing Jay to yell even more. Honestly, it was understandable at first, but now it’s just gotten annoying…

Suddenly, Nya finds herself being lifted into the air by Lloyd, along with her brother in the kid’s other arm.

It’s easy to forget just how strong he is. Hell, not even a month ago he was practicing balance with the other four guys, plus Sensei Wu on top of him.

“Don’t worry guys, I’ve got you.” The kid reassures, seemingly now over the trauma of having to witness Cole and Zane’s relationship.

“Thanks, Greenie…” Kai groans, probably still aching from his… transformation.

“WHAT ABOUT ME??” Jay cries out as Lloyd carries the siblings out of the room.

Lloyd turns his head back, sticks his tongue out, and walks away to the stairs, where Cole has set down Zane.

Nya feels bad for Jay, this situation is weird and scary as is, Jay doesn’t deserve to be left alone.

“Lloyd, go back and get Jay.” Nya firmly orders.

“But he was yelling and being annoying.” Lloyd folds his arms and looks away from his sister.

“I won’t get you that Starfarer comic.”

“Going-!”

For all the toughness Lloyd acts like he has, the team’s learned how easily he can be bribed with candy and comics, Kai being the biggest offender of such. Something Nya can’t blame her brother for, especially given how happy it makes Lloyd.

Within a minute, Lloyd returns with a squirming Jay, who is sat a few steps below the two Smiths, much to his disappointment.

From there, the team was left to discuss.

This went about as well as one would expect.

At some point Nya ends up checking out of the conversation and focusing on her tail once more.

The initial comfort of the golden light is back again.

Something about this new form… she felt a connection with it, some sort of strange kinship. And really, just soaking in the water in the boiler room felt… good, relaxing even!

She shakes her head.

Now she’s sounding crazy.

But she isn’t crazy.

She sighs.

Now isn’t the time for this, now’s the time for finding out how to get all of their legs back.

“Nya?”

Her head shoots up, realizing the attention is on her now.

“Huh? Yeah?” She asks, looking around at the others.

“Did you hear my proposition?” Zane questions with a glint of concern in his eye.

“Of course I did!” she lies, “But maybe you could say it one more time? Just to let it really sink in.”

Zane sighs, obviously not buying his friend’s story. But, much to Nya’s internal thanks, he mentions nothing of it. 

“I said, given that water seems to be inherently tied to what has happened to us, I believe we should find a way to dry off.” he explains.

“And I asked where we’re even going to get towels.” Kai responds frustratedly

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Jay butts in, “We can just air dry, or ANYTHING to get this DUCKING THING OFF OF ME!”

“Language around the kid!” Kai pointedly glares at Jay, “But I still agree, get it off.”

And so, Nya finds herself once again being carried by Lloyd, but this time, the feeling of moving away from the water isn’t as pleasant. Maybe it’s just some weird fish thing since fish kinda need the water to live, but still, in hindsight,  something about just being there and taking it all in felt so inexplicably… right.

She needs to get to the bottom of this, something inside her won’t be satisfied until she does.

But for now, she needs to focus on the others.

Weird feelings can wait…

Probably.

#mild body horror #nya smith #kai smith #zane julien #jay walker #cole brookstone #lloyd garmadon #mer au #spbnr aus #ninjago #kai ninjago #nya ninjago #zane ninjago #jay ninjago #ninjago au

[revvywevvy]

I finished redesigning my Mario S/I!!!! She's gonna go by Basil now! ^^

[Her full name being Basil Chervil Clemens. Only Peach is allowed to call her Chervil though-]

More info abt how she gets to the Mushroom Kingdom under the cut plus a sketchy comic <3

Okay so- after seeing stuff abt the Mario Movie and how they're going the isekai route, I thought it'd be a fun route for Basil! So, Basil's a bit of a paranoid loner who lives alone, making a living off of graphic design for companies, as well as commissions for fun on the side. She's just chilling at home one day, drawing, when out of nowhere a loud commotion occurs.

She goes to investigate it, and upon entering the bathroom, her jaw just fuckin drops.

Lo and behold, there's a whole-ass warp pipe in her bathroom. Thing demolished her toilet and water pipes and has her left completely confused, mind-boggled, angry and extremely anxious. In a panic she runs to her phone book, flipping through it trying to find a number for emergency plumbing services while also searching on google for advice. Eventually she finds a number for 'Mario Bros. Plumbing Service' and seeing as they are listed as sometimes being available for emergency appointments, she takes a shot and calls them.

Upon connecting with one of the brothers, Luigi, she explains her situation in a panic, rambling and almost in tears because 'holy fuck the bathroom's completely ruined and I have no idea what to do help-'. Luigi is sympathetic to her situation and gets his brother, and they go to her home to check out the damages. Basil scrambles to get dressed and be presentable for the company, all the while having a bit of a breakdown over this giant pipe in her flooding bathroom. She lives in an apartment complex in New Donk City, on the bottom floor, so luckily she's the only one effected by the warp pipe's presence.

When Mario and Luigi get there, they're let in by a frazzled Basil, who's fiddling with her tablet pen. She leads them to the bathroom, and they're both baffled and confused at the presence of this pipe, as well as the destruction caused by it. Neither brother knows where that pipe could have come from, or what it was for. All they knew was it was causing major problems for her plumbing and water. They got to work inspecting the damages, asking for Basil's input every once in a while since, well, it was her bathroom after all. She knew the layout best. At one point, Basil put her pen back in the pocket of her top, before approaching the pipe as the brothers inspected it.

She asked a few questions about their theories about the pipes, but the three of them hadn't a clue what this pipe's purpose could've been. Curiously she propped herself up on some of the rubble of her bathroom, peeking into the pipe. She waved the brothers over, pointing out how spick and span it was... it was spotless! Shiny, spotless, no imperfections in sight. They were all confused, but that confusion quickly turned to panic and terror when Basil leaned just a little too far forward. Suddenly, the pipe sucked her arm in. She shrieked, horrified, but before she could further react, the pipe pulled her entire body into it. Mario and Luigi freaked out as well. Mario was quick to grab hold of Basil's ankle before she was fully taken by it, and Luigi held onto Mario for dear life, trying to keep him steady so they could try to get her out safely. It was for nothing, though, because not only was Basil sucked into the pipe; but Mario and Luigi were yanked inside of it as well!

After what felt like forever of them all screaming in panic whilst being warped through the green pipe, they were finally spat out on the other side. The brothers helped Basil up, and they all looked around. They had no idea where they were, and they were all a panicked mess. Well, okay, just Basil and Luigi. Mario seemed a bit more composed, at least. He began to investigate the place, Luigi and Basil quickly following behind him lest they be left behind. They would soon discover what strange new land was upon them now: The Mushroom Kingdom. At first they just wanted to try and get home. Instead, an adventure would await them, hindering their ability to get home. There were much more important things that would happen soon.

One thing after another happened, and before they knew it, Luigi was kidnapped by some giant beast of a man, who called himself Bowser, King of the Koopas. He initially attempted to take the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach, but she fought him off. Bowser opted to take Luigi instead, planning to blackmail the Princess with his safety. The Power Stars would be handed over, or the green man would get it.

At that point, one thing was certain: he needed to be stopped. So, Mario, Basil, Princess Peach, and one of the many Toads from the kingdom who'd offered to assist, all departed to rescue Luigi from King Bowser.

Quickly in, Basil realized her tablet pen was still in her pocket. Upon pulling it out, she realized that the warp had changed it. It had become some sort of wand. She could draw on the air with it, creating strokes with different textures, elements, and powers. All of which could be effected by a number of Power-Ups scattered about the Mushroom Kingdom. Basil didn't see herself as the heroic type, but with this new realization, she decided to give herself a chance. She'd use this newfound ability to help Mario, Peach, and Toad. All four of them together would save Luigi, they were certain of it.

#913's art #cw fire #ok to rb #digital art #medibang paint pro #♡ princess peach #Princess Peach #f/o art #romantic f/o #wlw selfship #self shipping community #super mario oc #self insert #self insert community #//oh yeah and this tag is a very important add-on to everything i've written but: this adventure'll end with bowluigi stuff thats for sure #//i've been sucked into the bowluigi bandwagon and I LOVE IT. anyways yeah that's all i've got for now #//mario yelling 'wahoo gay rights!' after its all said and done with peasil and bowluigi kissing in the background BAHAHA-

[anniesocsandgeneralstore]

"Turn on the heat." // "Oh, I will." // "No, I literally mean the heat! It's like ten degrees in here!" With our au?

yes kee our precious au 🥹

|| prompt list ||

prompt: "Turn on the heat." // "Oh, I will." // "No, I literally mean the heat! It's like ten degrees in here!"

au: farmhouse

word count: 920

warnings: fluff to the max, a secret other au

“It looks beautiful, Jay,” Ronnie said on a sigh as they stood in front of the farmhouse, frozen ground crunching beneath their feet. 

On the outside, it looked complete. White siding with a wrap around porch and green shudders. But Ronnie knew that the inside still needed some work. The plumbing finished and floors installed. That didn’t matter though. Jake had worked so hard for the past year to build her her dream house, putting in every last detail she wanted no matter how small, and it was nearly finished. Just a few more weeks. And it really did look beautiful. 

“Wanna go inside?” Jake suggested, “I mean, we drove all the way out here.” 

“Sure,” she shrugged with a laugh. 

Then he bent to pick her up, bridal style. Ronnie could do nothing but stare at him, wide-eyed, as he swept her off her feet with a knowing grin. Jake made a promise, when they started making up the plans for the farmhouse, that when it was done he would carry her over the threshold. An arguably outdated and traditional thing, but it felt right. As they sat and looked at blueprints all those nights ago.

But now he was carrying her up the porch steps and through the front door. A reality. A complete surprise as he carried her past the threshold into a completely finished, furnished, and decorated farmhouse. It was as beautiful and as complete as the outside. Everything exactly as Ronnie said she wanted it. 

“Jake…” she whispered breathlessly as she stared around at everything. 

“Had the boys come help me move everything while you were at work. Wanted it to be a surprise.” He set her back gently on her feet. “You like it?”

“God, baby, I…I love it,” she breathed, happy tears brimming her brown eyes as she turned to face him. “I love you. So much. Thank you.”

Ronnie lept into his arms and he caught her easily with a laugh, arms curling around her waist and holding her to him tight. They were going to build their lives in this house. Their future was here. When spring came she would start a garden out back while he worked on the landscaping. His nieces and nephews could come over and have plenty of room to run around. They would grow old sitting on that porch and watching the sunrises. It was perfect and it was all their’s.

“Welcome home, baby girl,” Jake whispered.

When she pulled away from him, she took him by the hand with a grin and walked him around the entire house. They both knew it like the backs of their hands after pouring over the details for months. But still, it was comforting to familiarize with the actual, physical space instead of just crude drawings on graph paper. Ronnie inspected every room, wide smile never leaving her face. And Jake watched her the entire time. 

They eventually made their way back to the living room. Ronnie dropped down onto the couch with a sigh, pulling the fuzzy blanket that was once in their apartment around her shoulders. Jake flopped down next to her in his usual way, legs spread and one arm draped across her shoulders, pulling her into his side instantly. She shuddered despite the blanket and Jake’s usual warmth. 

“Can you turn on the heat?” she asked. 

Jake looked down at her, wiggling his brows as he leaned in. “Oh, I will.” 

��No!” she laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. “I literally mean the heat! It’s like ten degrees in here.” 

“Oh.” He looked slightly disappointed before he got up to check the thermostat, then he cursed with his hands on his hips. “Well, it’s not ten degrees but it’s pretty damn close. Says the heat’s on…I don’t know what the problem is.” 

“Think you can fix it?” 

“Not before dark.” Jake sighed as he turned back to face her. “M’sorry babe, I thought everything was ready…”

“S’okay!” she insisted as she pulled the blanket tighter, then her eyes caught on the fireplace right across from the couch. “Is the fireplace good to go?”

“Great idea, baby girl! Lemme go chop some wood.”

While he went outside, Ronnie continued to take in their new home. Built with Jake’s own two hands. She could picture it perfectly. The meals she would cook in the kitchen, with Jake coming home from a day at work to wrap his arms around her waist. The parties they would host with all their friends, with no special occasion in mind, just because they could. The laughter and joy and love that would permeate the walls and make the house into a home. She was ready for that. God, she was so ready. 

The front door opened on it’s own, and Ronnie watched with a smile as the chopped logs floated into the house first. Jake followed soon after, a light sweat broken out across his brow. Closing the door, he set the logs down neatly into the holder by the fireplace — while directing a few to go into the fireplace itself, all without lifting a finger.

With the fire crackling, Jake sat back on the couch with his bride. Perfectly content. With his arm around her shoulders and her head against his chest. This was how it was always meant to be. And how it would be for the rest of the time they had left on this earth. Snuggled up by this warm fire, with a love so strong.

#kee my love #oc: ronnie bradshaw #farmhouse au #fd: top gun #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #hangman #jake hangman seresin x oc #jake seresin x oc #hangman x oc #jake hangman seresin imagine #jake seresin imagine #hangman imagine #jake seresin x ronnie bradshaw

[bmdplumberluton]

BMD Gas Engineer and Plumber Luton

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Plumbing emergencies can happen at any time, and when they do, you need an emergency plumber Luton can trust. Our emergency plumbing services are available 24/7 to respond to your urgent needs. Whether it's a burst pipe, a blocked drain, or a failing heating system, our emergency luton plumbers are equipped with the latest tools and knowledge to address the situation swiftly and efficiently. With BMD's emergency services, you can rest assured that help is just a phone call away, no matter the time or day.

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Reach Out for Exceptional Service

Don't wait to address your concerns or embark on that project you've been contemplating. Contact our dedicated team today, and let's discuss how we can bring your visions to life or solve any challenges you're facing. We're here to listen, advise, and most importantly, deliver. Whatever your needs, big or small, we're just a call or message away.

For more details, visit https://bmdgasengineerandplumber.com/plumber-luton/

Contact BMD Gas Engineer and Plumber Luton Address: 94 Dunsmore road, Luton, LU1 5JZ, United Kingdom Phone: [phone] Email: [email protected] Working Hours: Monday to Saturday 7 AM to 8 PM

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#Youtube