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[tilakjewelers]

Explore a stunning collection of gold jewellery in Dallas at our Indian jewelry stores. Find exquisite designs and authentic Indian gold jewelry, perfect for every occasion. Visit us today in Dallas, TX, to experience the beauty of traditional Indian craftsmanship.

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[preferredjewelers]

Shop designer Diamond Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands, Certified Diamonds, pendants, necklace, watches online at Jewelry Stores in Round Rock, Tyler, Texas.

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[nikkismithdesigns]

Styling Tips For Modern Jewelry

If a modern woman wants to be a fashionista, she should have some modern jewelry items in her closet. But styling a bracelet or other jewelry might be more challenging than it sounds. So many jewelry stores in Dallas Texas provide amazing collections of modern jewelry.

Modern jewelry has moved on to the next level with lightweight pieces for parties. This is more than just a new or modern style. Bracelets, unlike necklaces and earrings, show off your style, so it takes some thought to choose the right one to go with different outfits.

Here are some styling tips you can use-

Statement jewelry

It's a good idea to wear a piece that stands out with a simple or neutral outfit. This piece of jewelry finishes the look, makes a statement, stands out as unique or a little out of the ordinary, and ties the outfit together. Try adding a bold piece to your outfit to make it your own and give it a bold new style.

Mix metals

Gold and silver stud earrings, big brass and copper necklaces, and rings with different colors stacked on top of each other are all trendy. All of them can be worn with solid colors or clothes that are all the same color. Rose gold is another color that has taken over the jewelry industry and seems to never go out of style. There are many options available at Dallas, Texas, jewelry stores.

Mix and match

By wearing several bracelets together, you can make your look more unique. All over your wrist, their size and color might change. Also, you can mix and match bracelets that go with your outfit if they have similar features. Remember that you only buy the best stack at a time.

Compliment the outfit

If you want to wear a particular piece of jewelry on a date, you should match the rest of your outfit and accessories. You could also pick out the dress first and then match the jewelry and other accessories to it.

Focus on your prominent feature

Focus on your strongest suit. Smoky eyes and extra highlighter can draw attention to big, beautiful, colored eyes, making that feature stand out and giving the wearer a unique, beautiful look. It has the same effect on jewelry.

Keep it comfortable

Modern jewelry is all about design, but you should also consider how it fits and how comfortable it is. If your bracelet is too big or heavy, it might slip off your arm and get in the way, and if it's too thin, it might wrap around your waist. It is essential to keep fit and comfortable for style.

Key takeaway

Now that you've read the ultimate style guide and know how to mix and match modern jewelry to step up your fashion game, it's time to put your knowledge to the test.

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[wthbhutan-blog]

5 Reasons Why Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend

Diamonds are one of the most popular gemstones. They are the epitome of unending love. Diamonds are the purest carbon, the best known adamantine, the unbreakable, the hardest ever element on this earth... and the list goes on! If a ruby has incredible color, a pink sapphire looks flawless, and an emerald is elegantly green, a diamond is a sparkling crystal. No other gemstone can match the brilliance index of a diamond.

Though we often relate diamonds with romance and commitment, these crystals are much more than that. Allow us to illustrate why diamonds indeed are your true best friend.

Indian Diamond Ring USA | Indian Jewelry Irving | Indian Jewelry Texas

Diamonds are very old

Diamonds are one of the oldest gemstones that have been utilized since the ancient era. There’s so much history that lives inside of them. As humans, we cannot even comprehend the significance of those years. It is impossible to imagine what the stones would have been through. Isn’t it thrilling how the history of the whole universe is cocooned inside these transparent crystals?

Diamonds are indestructible

Diamonds have faced incredible an amount of pressure and heat for billions of years. If you compare diamonds with other natural substances, this solid form of pure carbon is 50 times harder than the rest. Here’s a fun fact, only a diamond can even give a scratch to any diamonds. Therefore, if you’re looking for something valuable that will never wear off, diamonds are the way to go.

Diamonds are quality controlled

There’s no doubt about the fact that diamonds are indeed exorbitant. This compels us to think a zillion times before purchasing a diamond. But hey, let me tell you that diamonds never come without quality control and estimation of the price. So, remember that these expensive diamonds are worth it. However, watch out for traders who do not provide you with a certificate that determines the quality of each diamond characteristic – carat weight, cut, color, and clarity. Also, ensure that you do not get enticed by flashy discounts on diamonds. There is no way their gemstones are real. Always keep in mind that diamonds have a steady value.

At Sakshi Jewelers, we offer an eclectic range of GIA and IGI certified Indian diamond jewelry in USA. Not only do we provide you with proof of authenticity, but we also offer a lifetime warranty, so you can wear our jewelry with sheer grace.

Diamonds are an incredible investment

We all want to secure, long-term investments, don’t we? Then why is it that the idea of investing in diamonds is always overlooked? The truth is that diamonds are one of the smartest ways to invest safely and save up for tougher times. They are rare entities that are crisis-proof and will support you at the time of inflation, market collapse, and demonization reforms.

Diamonds are a status symbol

Diamond jewelry adornments have consistently represented high class and refined taste. Women have been wearing diamond jewelry for quite a long time because they have been related to strength, power, success, and class. Every time a woman adorns herself with diamond jewelry, people are often hypnotized by the elevated charm woman.

Indian Jewellery Stores Dallas | Indian Jewelry Stores in Dallas Texas | Indian Jewellery Stores Near Me

So, are you set to take a true friend home? Check out our range of Indian diamond jewelry online or book an appointment. Our products are designed and developed to suit the preferences of Indians residing in the USA.

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[reasonsforhope]

Paywall-free version

On the outskirts of Austin, Texas, what began as a fringe experiment has quickly become central to the city’s efforts to reduce homelessness. To Justin Tyler Jr., it is home.

Mr. Tyler, 41, lives in Community First! Village, which aims to be a model of permanent affordable housing for people who are chronically homeless. In the fall of 2022, he joined nearly 400 residents of the village, moving into one of its typical digs: a 200-square-foot, one-room tiny house furnished with a kitchenette, a bed and a recliner.

The village is a self-contained, 51-acre community in a sparsely populated area just outside Austin. Stepping onto its grounds feels like entering another realm.

Eclectic tiny homes are clustered around shared outdoor kitchens, and neat rows of recreational vehicles and manufactured homes line looping cul-de-sacs.

There are chicken coops, two vegetable gardens, a convenience store, art and jewelry studios, a medical clinic and a chapel.

Roads run throughout, but residents mainly get around on foot or on an eight-passenger golf cart that makes regular stops around the property.

Mr. Tyler chose a home with a cobalt-blue door and a small patio in the oldest part of the village, where residents’ cactus and rock gardens created a “funky, hippie vibe” that appealed to him. He arrived in rough shape, struggling with alcoholism, his feet inflamed by gout, with severe back pain from nearly 10 years of sleeping in public parks, in vehicles and on street benches.

At first, he kept to himself. He locked his door and slept. He visited the clinic and started taking medication. After a month or so, he ventured out to meet his neighbors.

“For a while there, I just didn’t want to be seen and known,” he said. “Now I prefer it.”

Between communal meals and movie screenings, Mr. Tyler also works at the village, preparing homes for the dozen or more people who move there each month.

In the next few years, Community First is poised to grow to nearly 2,000 homes across three locations, which would make it by far the nation’s largest project of this kind, big enough to permanently house about half of Austin’s chronically homeless population.

Tiny-home villages for people who have been homeless have existed on a small scale for several decades, but have recently become a popular approach to addressing surging homelessness. Since 2019, the number of these villages across the country has nearly quadrupled, to 124 from 34, with dozens more coming, according to a census by Yetimoni Kpeebi, a researcher at Missouri State University.

Mandy Chapman Semple, a consultant who has helped cities like Houston transform their homelessness systems, said the growth of these villages reflects a need to replace inexpensive housing that was once widely available in the form of mobile home parks and single room occupancy units, and is rapidly being lost. But she said they are a highly imperfect solution.

“I think where we’re challenged is that ‘tiny home’ has taken on a spectrum of definitions,” said Chapman Semple. Many of those definitions fall short of housing standards, often lacking basic amenities like heat and indoor plumbing, which she said limits their ability to meet the needs of the population they intend to serve.

But Community First is pushing the tiny home model to a much larger scale. While most of its homes lack bathrooms and kitchens, its leaders see that as a necessary trade-off to be able to creatively and affordably house the growing number of people living on Austin’s streets. And unlike most other villages, many of which provide temporary emergency shelter in structures that can resemble tool sheds, Community First has been thoughtfully designed with homey spaces where people with some of the highest needs can stay for good. No other tiny home village has attempted to permanently house as many people.

Austin’s homelessness rate has been rapidly worsening, and the city’s response has whipped back and forth... In October [2023], the official estimate put the number of people living without shelter at 5,530, a 125 percent increase from two years earlier. Some of that rise is the result of better outreach, but officials acknowledged that more people have become homeless. City leaders vowed to build more housing, but that effort has been slowed by construction delays and resistance from residents.

Meanwhile, outside the city limits, Community First has been building fast. [Note from below the read more: It's outside city limits because the lack of zoning laws keeps more well-off Austin residents from blocking the project, as they did earlier attempts to build inside the city.] In a mere eight years, this once-modest project has grown into a sprawling community that the city is turning to as a desperately needed source of affordable housing. The village has now drawn hundreds of millions of dollars from public and private sources and given rise to similar initiatives across the country.

This rapid growth has come despite significant challenges. And some question whether a community on the outskirts of town with relaxed housing standards is a suitable way to meet the needs of people coming out of chronic homelessness. The next few years will be a test of whether these issues will be addressed or amplified as the village expands to five times its current size.

-via New York Times, January 8, 2024. Article continues below (at length!)

The community versus Community First

For Alan Graham, the expansion of Community First is just the latest stage in a long-evolving project. In the late 1990s, Mr. Graham, then a real estate developer, attended a Catholic men’s retreat that deepened his faith and inspired him to get more involved with his church. Soon after, he began delivering meals as a church volunteer to people living on Austin’s streets.

In 1998, Mr. Graham, now 67, became a founder of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a nonprofit that has since amassed a fleet of vehicles that make daily rounds to deliver food and clothing to Austin’s homeless...

Talking to people like Mr. Johnston [a homeless Austin resident who Graham had befriended], Mr. Graham came to feel that housing alone was not enough for people who had been chronically homeless, the official term for those who have been homeless for years or repeatedly and have physical or mental disabilities, including substance-use disorders. About a third of the homeless population fits this description, and they are often estranged from family and other networks.

In 2006, Mr. Graham pitched an idea to Austin’s mayor: Create an R.V. park for people coming out of chronic homelessness. It would have about 150 homes, supportive services and easy access to public transportation. Most importantly, it would help to replace the “profound, catastrophic loss of family” he believed was at the root of the problem with a close-knit and supportive community.

The City Council voted unanimously in 2008 to lease Mr. Graham a 17-acre plot of city-owned land to make his vision a reality. Getting the council members on board, he said, turned out to be the easy part.

When residents near the intended site learned of the plan, they were outraged. They feared the development would reduce their property values and invite crime. One meeting to discuss the plan with the neighborhood grew so heated that Mr. Graham was escorted to his car by the police. Not a single one of the 52 community members in attendance voted in favor of the project.

After plans for the city-owned lot fell apart and other proposed locations faced similar resistance, Mr. Graham gave up on trying to build the development within city limits.

In 2012, he instead acquired a plot of land in a part of Travis County just northeast of Austin. It was far from public transportation and other services, but it had one big advantage: The county’s lack of zoning laws limited the power of neighbors to stop it.

Mr. Graham raised $20 million and began to build. In late 2015, Mr. Johnston left the R.V. park he had been living in and became the second person to move into the new village. It grew rapidly. In just two years, Mr. Graham bought an adjacent property, nearly doubling the village’s size to 51 acres and making room for hundreds more residents.

And then in the fall of 2022, he broke ground on the largest expansion yet: Adding two more sites to the village, expanding it by 127 acres to include nearly 2,000 homes.

“No one ever really did what they first did, and no one’s ever done what they’re about to do,” said Mark Hilbelink, the director of Sunrise Navigation Center, Austin’s largest homeless-services provider. “So there’s a little bit of excitement but also probably a little bit of trepidation about, ‘How do we do this right?’”

What it takes to make a village

Since he moved into Community First eight years ago, Mr. Johnston has found the stability that eluded him for so long. Most mornings, he wakes up early in his R.V., feeds his scruffy adopted terrier, Amos, and walks a few minutes down a quiet road to the village garden, where neat rows of carrots, leeks, beets and arugula await his attention.

Mr. Johnston worked in fast-food restaurants for most of his life, but he learned how to garden at the village. He now works full time cultivating produce for a weekly market that is free to residents.

“Once I got here, I said, This is where I’m going to spend pretty much my entire life now,” Mr. Johnston said.

Everyone at the village pays rent, which averages about $385 a month. The tiny homes that make up two-thirds of the dwellings go for slightly lower, but have no indoor plumbing; their residents use communal bathhouses and kitchens. The rest of the units are R.V.s and manufactured homes with their own bathrooms and kitchens.

Like Mr. Johnston, many residents have jobs in the village, created to offer residents flexible opportunities to earn some income. Last year, they earned a combined $1.5 million working as gardeners, landscapers, custodians, artists, jewelry makers and more, paid out by Mobile Loaves and Fishes.

Ute Dittemer, 66, faced a daily struggle for survival during a decade on the streets before moving into Community First five years ago with her husband. Now she supports herself by painting and molding figures out of clay at the village art house, augmented by her husband’s $800 monthly retirement income. A few years ago, a clay chess set she made sold for $10,000 at an auction. She used the money to buy her first car.

“I’m glad that we are not in a low-income-housing apartment complex,” she said. “We’ve got all this green out here, air to breathe.”

A small number of residents have jobs off-site, and a city bus makes hourly stops at the village 13 times a day to help people commute into town.

But about four out of five residents live on government benefits like disability or Social Security. Their incomes average $900 a month, making even tiny homes impossible to afford without help, Mr. Graham said.

“Essentially 100 percent of the people that move into this village will have to be subsidized for the rest of their lives,” he said.

For about $25,000 a year, Mr. Graham’s organization subsidizes one person’s housing at the village. (Services like primary health care and addiction counseling are provided by other organizations.) So far, that has been paid for entirely by private donations and in small part from collecting rent.

This would not be possible, Mr. Graham said, without a highly successful fund-raising operation that taps big Austin philanthropists. To build the next two expansions, Mr. Graham set a $225 million fund-raising goal, about $150 million of which has already been obtained from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, the founder of the Patrón Spirits Company, Hill Country Bible Church and others.

Support goes beyond monetary donations. A large land grant came from the philanthropic arm of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Alamo Drafthouse, an Austin-based cinema chain, donated an outdoor amphitheater for movie screenings. Top architectural firms competed for the chance to design energy-efficient tiny homes free of charge. And every week, hundreds of volunteers come to help with landscaping and gardening or to serve free meals.

Around 55 residents, including 15 children, live in the village as “missionals” — unpaid neighbors generally motivated by their Christian faith to be part of the community.

All missionals undergo a monthslong “discernment process” before they can move in. They pay to live in R.V.s and manufactured homes distinguished by an “M” in the front window. Their presence in the community is meant to guard against the pitfalls of concentrated poverty and trauma.

“Missionals are our guardian angels,” said Blair Racine, a 69-year-old resident with a white beard that hangs to his chest. “They’re people we can always call. They’re always there for us.”

After moving into the village in 2018, Mr. Racine spent two years isolated in his R.V. because of a painful eye condition. But after an effective treatment, he became so social that he was nicknamed the Mayor. Missional residents drive him to get his medication once a week, he said. To their children he is Uncle Blair.

Though the village is open to people of any religious background, it is run by Christians, and public spaces are adorned with paintings of Jesus on the cross and other biblical scenes. The application to live in the community outlines a set of “core values” that refer to God and the Bible. But Mr. Graham said there is no proselytizing and people do not have to be sober or seek treatment to live there.

Mr. Graham lives in a 399-square-foot manufactured home in the middle of the village with his wife, Tricia Graham, who works as the community’s “head of neighbor care.” He said they do not have any illusions about solving the underlying mental-health and substance-use problems many residents live with, and that is not their goal.

“This is absolutely not nirvana,” Mr. Graham said. “And we want people to understand the beauty and the complexity of what we do. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else on the face of the planet than right here in the middle of this, but you’re not fixing these things.” ...

From an experiment to a model

Community First has already inspired spinoffs, with some tweaks. In 2018, Nate Schlueter, who previously worked with the village’s jobs program, opened Eden Village in his hometown, Springfield, Mo. Unlike in Community First, every home in Eden Village is identical and has its own bathroom and kitchen. Mr. Schlueter’s model has spread to 12 different cities with every village limited to 50 homes or fewer.

“Not every city is Austin, Texas,” Mr. Schlueter said. “We don’t want to build a large-scale village. And if the root cause of homelessness is a loss of family, and community is something that can duplicate that safety net to some extent, to have smaller villages to me seemed like a stronger community safety net. Everybody would know each other.”

The rapid growth of Community First has challenged that ideal. In recent years, some of the original missional residents and staff members have left, finding it harder to support the number of people moving into the village. Steven Hebbard, who lived and worked at the village since its inception, left in 2019 when he said it shifted from a “tiny-town dynamic” where he knew everyone’s name to something that felt more like a city, straining the supportive culture that helped people succeed.

Mobile Loaves and Fishes said more staff members had recently been hired to help new residents adjust, but Mr. Graham noted that there was a limit to what any housing provider could do without violating people’s privacy and autonomy.

Despite these concerns, the organization, which had been run entirely on private money, has recently drawn public support. In January 2023, Travis County gave Mobile Loaves and Fishes $35 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to build 640 units as part of its expansion.

Then four months later came a significant surprise: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved the use of federal housing vouchers, which subsidize part or all of a low-income resident’s rent, for the village’s tiny homes. This will make running the village much more financially sustainable, Mr. Graham said, and may make it a more replicable blueprint for other places.

“That’s a big deal for us, and it’s a big deal on a national basis,” Mr. Graham said. “It’s a recognition that this model, managed the way that this model is, has a role in the system.”

Usually, the government considers homes without indoor plumbing to be substandard, but, in this case, it made an exception by applying the housing standards it uses for single-room-occupancy units. The village still did not meet the required ratio of bathrooms per person, but at the request of Travis County and the City of Austin’s housing officials, who cited Austin’s “severe lack of affordable housing” that made it impossible for some homeless people with vouchers to find anywhere else to live, HUD waived its usual requirements.

In the waiver, a HUD staffer wrote that Mr. Graham told HUD officials over the phone that the proportion of in-unit bathrooms “has not been an issue.” But in conversations with The Times, other homeless-service providers in Austin and some village residents said the lack of in-unit bathrooms is one of the biggest problems people have with living there. It also makes the villages less accessible to people with certain disabilities and health issues that are relatively common among the chronically homeless....

Mr. Graham said that with a doctor’s note, people could secure an R.V. or manufactured home at the village, although those are in short supply and have a long waiting list. He said the village’s use of tiny homes allowed them to build at a fraction of the usual cost when few other options existed, and helps ensure residents aren’t isolated in their units, reinforcing the village’s communal ethos.

“If somebody wants to live in a tiny home they ought to have the choice,” Mr. Graham said, “and if they are poor we ought to respect their civil right to live in that place and be subsidized to live there.” But he conceded that for some people, “this might not be the model.”

“Nobody can be everything for everyone,” he said.

By the spring of 2025, Mr. Graham hopes to begin moving people into the next phase of the village, across the street from the current property. The darker visions some once predicted of an impoverished community on the outskirts of town overtaken by drugs and violence have not come to pass. Instead, the village has permanently housed hundreds of people and earned the approval and financial backing of the city, the county and the federal government. But for the model to truly meet the scale of the challenge in Austin and beyond, Chapman Semple said, the compromises that led to Community First in its current incarnation will have to be reckoned with.

“We can build smaller villages that can be fully integrated into the community, that can have access to amenities within the community that we all need to live, including jobs and groceries,” Chapman Semple said. “If it’s a wonderful model then we should be embracing and fighting for its inclusion within our community.”

-via New York Times, January 8, 2024

#housing crisis #unhoused #homelessness #homeless #housing #affordable housing #austin texas #austin #texas #texas news #united states #usa #poverty #cost of living #tiny home #tiny house #social support #community #good news #hope

[wildemaven]

fall apart, again : chapter two | joel miller

Pairing: Joel Miller x OFC!Genevieve

WC: 2763

Warnings: 18+ Blog; little bit of angst and a little bit of fluff— that’s all I’m saying, reader has a name but is a blank slate with zero description,

A/N: I was eager to get this part written and out as soon as possible. Chapter 3 might take me a minute to get out, just a heads up. Thanks so much to @gnpwdrnwhiskey for being the best and listening to me stress over this 💞

Series Masterlist / Playlist / Inspo Board

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September 22, 2003 - 4 Days until Outbreak

The summer still lingers in Texas, the air dense and muggy. 

Heat shimmering over the hood of your car as you drive, the blasting of cool air is the only saving grace you have for the time being.

“Hey, it’s me. I wanted to talk to you about something when you get here. Umm— Shit! I hate this so much. *sigh* I miss you Eve…A-and I love you so, so fucking much. I guess— I guess I’ll see you in a bit. Drive safe. Bye.”

*BEEP*

“End of messages. You have no new messages.”

A heavy sigh huffs out of your chest, you press the red ‘end call’ button and toss the small phone into your passenger seat. 

His voice still has such an effect on you after all this time, the little flutter it elicited the second it reverberated into the speaker has you almost fighting back tears. 

You blink them away quickly as you reach for the stereo volume, turning it up to a somewhat higher but bearable level, the local station plays through some hit song you haven’t heard before.

The steering wheel is rigid as you readjust your grip, a slight glint of light pulls your gaze briefly from the road ahead, the small gold band that cradles a tiny diamond shines brightly on your left hand. 

Refocusing on the road, your mind wanders to when you had both found the ring, your small income not offering a lot towards something with more extravagance, but you were the opposite of flashy so it was perfect. 

You remember the sight of him immediately dropping to one knee the minute you both stepped out of the small jewelry store, its parking lot the backdrop for the proposal you both had planned together. 

Yes! flew from your mouth instantly as you dropped down into his arms, the celebratory kiss only lasting briefly as the asphalt began to nearly burn through your jeans. 

Meeting the love of your life at 18 and planning your life together at 22 felt right, even despite the apprehension from both of your parents, convinced you were throwing your lives away. 

You wish you could say the last 14 years were nothing short of pure wedded bliss, the last few years were trying as you both worked yourselves to make ends meet, even in your 30’s trying to stay afloat was no easy feat. 

The separation wasn't an easy decision. It broke your heart to even suggest such a thing, but you needed a break from the fighting and the tears, some space to clear your head and let things settle down before reevaluating what was best for both of you. 

The love you had for him was still so strong and you held on to it fiercely, allowing time to heal the small fractures in your heart. You had hoped that your decision for this arrangement you had been living for the last 2 months, wasn't one you would regret in the long run. 

Your friends assured you it was just a rough patch, something all couples dealt with at some point in their lives, trying to alleviate any hesitancy you were having that this was the end for your relationship. You knew you didn’t want an end, you had looked into options to work on things, hoping he would be on board and this would be a start to a new beginning. 

“You know, he cries too. And he thinks I can’t tell, but I do.” A voice drifts from the back seat. 

You hadn’t even realized you were crying, hoping the music muffled your sniffling as you promptly wiped your face, knowing she can tell with you too. 

You catch her reflection in the rear view mirror, her gaze focused out the window, there's a soft but somber look on her face— you hate that you’re the cause of any sadness she is hiding from you. 

Shifting your eyes back to the road as you turn into a quiet neighborhood. The small street is lined with modest homes and memories of block party cookouts on holiday weekends, kids running the sidewalks as their popsicles melt down their small hands and families bringing home newest editions to continue adding new memories. 

The two story red brick with white trim house is nestled further down the cul de sac, it was the perfect starter home for two young adults who threw their savings and a hefty bank loan into it. 

Guilt builds in your chest the closer you get, knowing it’s a quick visit before you leave, it hasn't gotten easier and each time only adding to the pain you feel of not pulling in that driveway permanently. 

“He’s going to be bummed you won’t be here this weekend, I can already see his grumpy face.”

Parking the car along the curb in front of the house and killing the engine, you turn to look to the back seat. 

“Please don’t say anything, just let me tell him okay?” You can already see his furrowed brow line and puppy dog eyes, for as handsome as he is, he wears his grumpiness well. 

“Are you going to tell him you’re moving back home too?” 

“What? How did you—“

“I heard you talking to grandma this morning, you both aren’t the quietest people, even when you think you’re being quiet. Just tell him, please. I don’t think he can take it much longer.” 

“Yes, I’ll tell him.”

“Promise?”

“I promise— Gosh, since when did the roles reverse here? I swear, you were just 5 begging for your training wheels to come off. What the heck happened?”

“I turned 14 and wondered when my parents were going to come to their senses.” 

“Alright, get your stuff baby girl. Don’t forget your school books too.” 

“Got it!” Grabbing her overnight bag and backpack, books tucked under her arm as she exits the car. 

You grab the small package out of the glove box and take a minute to calm your nerves, the air sticking to your skin the moment you step out of the car. 

“Give me a hug.” Opening your arms to your daughter, grateful that even at 14 she still loves giving her parents hugs. “I’m gonna miss you, but I’ll call you when I get there ok?” Your cheek squished against the side of her head as you squeeze her a little tighter. 

“Did you get the gift?” She looks up at you. 

You hold up the silver box, giving a little shake, its contents knocking about slightly. You both smile at the remembrance of picking it out, the shopping trip to the mall last night week, searching every store for the perfect gift. It took 10 stores, a pretzel and a pit stop to Claire’s before you both settled on it— the perfect style and color to match his rugged look. 

“Do you want to give it to him?” You ask her. 

“No, you can. I’m going to grab something to eat before we leave for school.” 

Another round of hugs, several small kisses to the top of her head and a string of ‘I love yous’ before she leaves you on the sidewalk to head inside. 

The front door opens before she’s even made it up the driveway. 

“Hey Dad!” Throwing herself into his arms. 

Watching their embrace sends a wave of emotion through you, their bond is something you’ve always loved, only getting stronger as she’s gotten older. 

You can’t hear what they're talking about from where you’re standing, hushed giggles and smiles exchanged before she makes her way inside. 

The roar of a pickup truck grabs your attention as it parks in front of the garage, the door slamming shut before you see him round the front of the truck. 

“Eve! You finally comin’ to take my asshole brother back? He keeps mopin’ around like a lost puppy. Makes him a pain in the ass to deal with truthfully— if not for him, do it for me sweetheart!” His hands up in a praying manner, you can’t help but shake your head and laugh at how dramatic he is first thing in the morning. 

“Tommy, shut the fuck up and leave her alone will ya. Go on an’ head inside, I’ll be there in a minute. Sarah’s probably cooking up some eggs or somethin’— make sure she doesn’t burn the house down.” His voice sounds better when he’s standing 2 feet away from you, shouting at his idiot brother who is retreating to the house in search of food that was mentioned. 

“Hey.” The tension leaves his shoulders, dropping the minute he gets a good look at you, his smile on full display. 

It had been a week since you had last seen him, dropping Sarah off at your parents where you’ve been staying for the last 2 months. 

“Hi, Joel.” 

He hesitates for a moment, not sure whether to give you a hug or not, you make the decision for him and lean into his solid body wrapping your arms around him instantly, his brain taking a second to register the gesture before reciprocating earnestly. You breathe in his freshly showered scent— woodsy and warm, like a mountain forest after a raining day. 

The hug lingers on for a while, neither of you speaking a word, savoring the embrace fully before releasing each other. 

“How’s things been? Your parents good?” Hands fidgeting at his side, nerves starting to tick off as he searches for things to ask you. 

“Yeah, things are good— things are going well.” Your voice fluttering, your own nerves making you feel like a middle schooler talking to her crush for the first time between classes. “My parents are good, too— they said to tell you hello.” 

Another beat of silence, not really sure what to say next. 

“Oh— this is for you.” You hand him the box you’ve been gripping tightly since you left the car. “It’s from Sarah and I, she insisted it was something you would like— Happy Birthday, Joel.” 

Joel opens the lid to reveal a watch— a simple black watch face with matte silver casing and a green fabric band. Pulling it from the box he takes a better look at it, holding the weight of it in his large callused hand. 

“Thanks— I love it.” And you know he means it, his genuine smile lights up his face making his beautiful brown eyes shine and crinkle up on the sides. 

“Here, let me help you put it on.” Grabbing the watch from his hand. 

Sliding the watch band around his wrist, his skin is soft against your fingertips as you maneuver the buckle in place— his forearm taut, muscles and tendons flexed and firm from years of working with his hands. His broad frame, all skilled and capable of handling any kind of physical demands, taking on any task with ease— from the way he held the tools that aided in remodeling every issue the house had when you moved in, to the way he gently held your newborn in the early hours of the morning and how he would hold you every night as you slept beside him— his body built for protecting the ones he loves the most. 

You find it hard to let him go, your hands loitering over his hand, wanting nothing more than for him to pull you back against him, and you think he is going to when he grabs your left hand. His focus was first on your wedding ring, he’d spent the last 2 months worried you would remove it— his thumb smoothes over the gold band, then wrapping his hand around tenderly yours. 

His eyes move from where your hands are joined to your face, watching how you’re still looking at the way he’s holding your hand, how you meet his eyes after a brief moment and the world around you is still. 

“I was thinking we could try counseling—“

“I talked to a lawyer—“

You both speak at the same time, Joel’s face instantly morphing from hope to heartbreak at the way you mention talking to a lawyer. 

“Hey, don’t get all worried on me, it was just my mom’s friend from Bunco.” You start to explain, your hand cupping his face. “She’s a retired lawyer I should say— she proposed I start writing down my thoughts in the form of letters, writing the things I've been wanting to say to you or how I’ve been feeling— anyway, she also suggested we try counseling too. Said it can help get things back on track, that it would be good for us.” 

Joel releases the breath he was holding, relief settling into his handsome features. 

“Yeah— I think it would be good for us too. I got the number of someone who specializes in marriage counseling, they were highly recommended.” 

Your heart swells at the effort he’s putting into fighting for you, to fight for your marriage. 

“Okay. Set us up a meeting with them and send me all the details.” 

His hands settle into your hips, yours on his arms, the distance between you slowly closing. 

“Okay. I wanted to ask you, no pressure or anything— Sarah wanted to get a cake on Friday for my birthday, she insists on it actually. Would you want to join us?”

“You know I would love to—” You pause, gathering all your thoughts before letting him know you wouldn’t be able to. 

“Definitely feels like there’s a but coming.” His brows knit together as he waits for the rest of your letdown. 

“I’m heading out of town, today actually. I picked up a few shifts down in Laredo at their hospital— it’s been planned for several weeks now, so I can’t get out of it.” 

You had been working as a traveling nurse for the last 6 months, picking up shifts all over the state and working as much as possible to continue to help with the endless amount of bills. 

“But— I put in for a permanent position at St. David’s. They were looking for a new head of triage, so I applied— and it would keep me closer to home.”

“Home? Like here home?” His head nudged in the direction of the house behind him, hands gripping tighter on your hips at the prospect of you moving back in. 

“Yeah. I was thinking— I should be back early next week after my shifts are through and if it’s okay with you, I can start moving back in on Monday evening?” 

“Eve, you don’t even have to ask. I would love nothin’ more than to have my wife home with me. Should we tell Sarah now or wait ‘til you get back?”

“She already knows— teenagers and the way their hearing only picks up on the things not meant for them. Although, I think she was secretly plotting something.” 

Laughter fills the air between you, his forehead now resting against yours. 

“I love you, Eve. I promise things are going to be different.”

“I love you so much. we’ll get through this together.”

Joel’s hand moves to tilt your chin up slightly, his gaze flitting between your eyes and lips, searching for any sign of rejection from you. 

Your lashes flutter against the top of your cheeks at the sensation of Joel’s lips molding against yours, pulling you flush to him, your hands carding through the curls at the nape of his neck. 

It doesn’t take much for the kiss to deepen, weeks of pent up emotion pouring into every little detail of it. 

“Would you two get a room already?” Sarah shouts from the front door. 

“Yeah, get a fuckin’ room you animals.” Tommy always needing to add his own commentary. 

The kiss over sooner than you would have liked. 

“I should get going, I’ve got a 4 hour drive ahead of me.” 

“Will you— will you call me when you get there? Let me know you made it safe?”

“Sure. I’ll call once I get settled into my hotel room.”

He kisses you one last time before letting you go, watching as you head back to your car. 

Pulling the driver door open you pause, looking to Joel the house then to Sarah, blowing them a kiss and a final wave.

“I’ll see you all next week!” You say before getting into your car and driving back down the street towards the main road, watching their reflection in the mirror get smaller and smaller as they wave you one final goodbye.  

Next

#joel miller x ofc #joel miller x female oc #joel miller x you #fall apart again series #Joel Miller #hbo the last of us #the last of us #tlou #joel miller tlou #pedro pascal #wildemaven writes

[ruinedbylanadelrey]

Okkkk ceilings request cause the other one your did got my brain going

Readers dad meeting his grandchild ?

I thought about this while writing my previous post.

Definitely by accident since she cut off contact with her father. Joel doesn't work with him any more. Him and Tommy started their own contracting company.

WARNING: dbf!joel, pregnancy, doctors appointment, if u think of anymore lmk:)

ceilings

masterlist

—

Domestic bliss. Something you've always wanted now have to cherish. You and Joel have a beautiful girl, Gisele. She is your entire world, she has Joel wrapped around her finger. She's a spitting image of you.

At first you felt like you were a bad mom because you didn't know what to do and you didn't have your mother around to help you. Joel reassured you that you were doing everything right. He was such great support for you entering parenthood.

"Good morning beautiful girl," You kissed the top of her head as you brought her out of the crib. "We have a big day, your doctor's appointment and then the grocery store and come home and play." You never did the baby talk with her, you saw her as you. A person. Joel loved how you just talked to her like she could understand you.

The doctors appointment was just a routine appointment, seeing her weight and growth and the last round of her shots. You look at her and wonder how she is already almost one.

"I swear she is the healthiest baby I've had." The doctor cooed while taking her weight. You felt another piece of weight chip off your shoulders. "That means she is getting a lot of love," of course she was. She is just everything to you and Joel.

"Baby doll?" the voice your father called out while you were in the produce section of H-E-B (it's the best grocery store ever. Only in Texas and one in Mexico). You whipped your head towards him and felt your stomach turn. You haven't seen the man in 2 years, he looked older and seemed like a ghost.

Your daughter babbled at you and pulled on the necklace you had on. "Hi." you breathed out. "Oh my god..." His eyes danced to Gisele in the cart. "Dad, this is Gisele your granddaughter." You pick her up and hold her. Her eyes sparkle and she reaches out to her grandfather. "Can I?" he asks before you hand her off.

"Yes." You watch him hold her and you saw the look on his face. He's studying the faces she's making. "She's looks just like you but she has Joel's hair." you laugh and noticed that she does. “She’s just beautiful.” Your dad smiles at her.

“I’m sorry for everything…I don’t expect you to let me back in your life but I just wanted you to know.” You looked at your father and his face seemed genuine but you can’t trust him. Life has been easier without him. “I know…” You choked back tears, kissed his cheek, and took your daughter back in your arms.

-

“How was the appointment?” Joel asked quietly as he put Gisele down for her nap. You were debating on telling him that about your dad meeting her. He could be mad or not care.

You both walk out of her room and to your bedroom. You made sure you had the baby monitor on before you got undressed and into your house clothes. “She’s very healthy and everyone loves her at the doctors office.” You talk to through the mirror as you take off your jewelry. “Of course she’s healthy she’s a Miller.” you giggled at his pride for his family. “Joel…” you decided to tell him. He has the right to know.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Joel stood up and wrapped his arms around your waist. You melt into his touch “Don’t get mad.” you warn him, he tensed up and a worried look grew on his face. “I ran into my dad today and he met his granddaughter…” you looked into his eyes to figure out what he was thinking.

Joel let out a deep breath and shook his head. “I knew I should’ve went with you today. I had a feeling that something would happen.” Joel unwrapped himself from you and started to pace. “Joel, it was harmless.” “He could’ve hurt you, he could’ve hurt our child.” you were taken back by his thought of your father ever trying to hurt you. “He would never hurt me, and if he tried something I would protect her. God you’re unbelievable.” You grew frustrated by his outlandish comments.

“You don’t know that man anymore.” you looked at Joel like he grew a second head. To you it seemed like a harmless interaction, after all he is your father and meeting his granddaughter.

But to Joel, it was a threat to your life with him. To his family. “He never was a violent person. He never laid a hand on me. I can’t believe you would think he would hurt me or her. I’m done talking about this.” You storm out your room and went to check on the baby.

Joel knew he upset you by his hyper imaginative thoughts. He knows your father, he was his best friend for over 6 years. He knows he wasn’t that kind of person. He follows you to the nursery and you were sitting on the rocking chair next to the crib. Joel could see the tears staining your face.

“Darlin’, I just worry about the two of you whenever I’m not with you. I’m sorry.” Joel knelt down to meet your eyes. You turn your head and look at your daughter sleeping away. “Look at me, little girl.” He takes your chin into his finger and turns your head to look at him. “I’m not helpless…” you whisper, Joel chuckles at you trying to be tough. “I know, baby. You know how protective I am of you, you’re still my little girl.” Your heart just melts at him reminding you that nothing has changed between you guys.

#anon request #joel miller #tlou #joel tlou #joel miller x reader #dbf!joel #joel miller drabble #ceilings!joel

[karahalloway]

Book 1 - (Un)Common Attraction

Harper Gale - a small-town girl from Montana - takes a leap of faith and jets off to Cordonia to join Prince Christian's social season. But does she actually want to become the queen of a small European country? Or will her heart have other ideas? An AU take of TRR1 featuring my OTP - Harper & Drake.

Book 2 - (Less Than) Noble Intentions [In Progress]

The social season may be over, but Harper Gale's problems are just beginning. With everyone at court a potential suspect, can she and Drake survive the engagement tour and get to the bottom of the plot against her and clear her name? An AU take of TRR2 featuring my OTP - Harper & Drake.

Lone Star State [Coming Soon!]

A prequel series to (Un)Common Attraction detailing Drake’s escapades at the Walker Ranch in Texas during his final year of university.

Polo!

Drake gets roped into playing a charity polo match when one of the other team members doesn’t show for the game… What can possibly go wrong? One-shot set before the start of (Un)Common Attraction.

Thanksgiving [In Progress]

Harper and Drake fly to Bozeman, MT to spend their first Thanksgiving together with Harper’s family. Mini-series that takes place after the events of (Less Than) Noble Intentions.

A Winged Wish

On a special December night in the lead-up to Christmas, Harper has a tough choice to make... One-shot written for 2021 Choices Twelve Days of Fictmas.

Uncharted: Tales from the Gypsea

A collection of standalone one-shots chronicling Harper and Drake’s honeymoon adventures around the Mediterranean. Set after the events of (Less Than) Noble Intentions.

Sleepless in New York

What if Drake met Harper on the first night of Prince Christian's New York bachelor party? A standalone AU written from Drake’s POV.

A Leviathan Surprise

Maxwell unveils a larger than life surprise for Bertrand’s 30th birthday. A Maxwell Beaumont Appreciation Week 2023 one-shot.

A (Slightly Awkward) Reunion

After Bertrand discovers that he has a son, he works up the courage to see Savannah. But an important conversation is very rudely interrupted… A Smut-Tember 2021 one-shot.

Camping Was Intense

Harper organises (another) surprise birthday party for Drake that doesn’t end up going as planned… Two-parter written for Drake’s Birthday Bash 2021.

Mission: Cordonia [In Progress]

Harper's jewelry heist on the night of the Beaumont Bash goes wrong... TRR and Mission:Impossible II mash-up (that turned into a mini-series) written for @choicesprompts’ Rewrite Challenge.

The Highwayman

On one dark, windswept night, a highwayman's luck runs out... My submission for @choicesprompts' Song Rewrite Challenge that turned into a mini-series.

Mardi Gras Madness

The TRR lads celebrate Maxwell’s 21st birthday in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. What could possibly go wrong? Collaborative project written in tandem with three other writers.

One Step Ahead

Nothing is as it seems in this fast-paced thriller. A really fun round robin collaboration I participated in with several other TRR fic writers here on Tumblr in 2022.

One Night In Cordonia

It’s night of the Beaumont Bash, and there’s more than one surprise in store for the unsuspecting guests! Another fun round robin collaboration hosted by @choicesprompts in 2023.

Sex Bomb

It's the night of Leo's coronation, but the young prince has bigger worries. One-shot follow-up to my submission for One Night in Cordonia written for Smut-tember 2023.

Isle of Misfits

Bertrand starts a PR firm… for celebrities. What can possibly go wrong? A cross-fandom round robin hosted by @choicesprompts in 2024.

Take a peek inside Harper & Drake’s Scrapbook for OTP Asks, Moodboards, Edits and other fun stuff!

#harper gale #drake walker #the royal romance #kara halloway #uncommon attraction #less than noble intentions #sleepless in new york

[itookyoudown]

i want that twink obliterated: a tim gutterson gets railed fanfic rec list

howdy. this vibe is catnip to me. 

here is a specially curated list of justified fanfic in which our favorite twinky gay sniper gets some! these are mostly my personal recs, but i also used the justified discord to phone-a-justie for a few recs as well. 

will probably be updated in the future as i remember/i’m reminded of more fics.

sweetheart, it isn’t lust; it’s all the rest by sublightsleeper

Raylan takes a step forward, and he can hear Tim’s intake of breath. “No, son. I need you to tell me what you want so I can give it to you proper.” Now that was a real shiver, and the heat that had banked itself low in Raylan’s gut was starting to build back up again, breathing life into the fire with that stuttered breath.

Now it was the moment of truth.

Tim’s hands curl into loose fists at his sides, graceful long fingers that Raylan gets a glimpse of before they’re tucked up into his palms. “I want you to fuck me so hard I don’t need it again until after basic.”

save a horse, ride a cowboy by  ricciardosdaniel

Maybe things change because Tim saves Raylan's life, or maybe they change because of a drunken challenge, or maybe they change because they were always going to.

Tim and Raylan can't find it in themselves to mind.

tangled up in blue by cherlocked

Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens’ personnel jacket contains a report on the first man he ever killed in the line of duty, a Texas fugitive by the name of Cy Gutterson.

Only Raylan never shot him. But Tim sure did.

beg the bee’s forgiveness (as it’s falling from your sleeve) by gollumgollum

"Been a while?" Raylan asks, licking over the fleur-de-lis just to make Tim shiver.

"Something like that," Tim says, and Raylan is gratified by how breathless he sounds. "I ain't got any exes around here to keep me in shape, unlike some people."

waypoint by enemyfrigate

Raylan may be close to being engaged (he’s pretty sure he’s going to ask her, but jewelry stores give him hives) but on the road, out in the limbo of chasing down leads, off the leash and mostly out of touch, he gives himself a little leeway.

truth & bone by menel 

A shooting changes everything.

i won’t stop (cause we’re halfway there) by itookyoudown

Raylan doesn't often get Tim like this.

Not as much as he'd like it. Never as much as Tim needs it.

bruises by sylvanwitch  

Tim goes to work and tries to walk like a man who still belongs only to himself.

these temple-bones by empathieves

Tim meddles and gets more than he bargained on. It might be worth it.

(hold me, baby) i wanna love you like a lover should by DeadshotDiesel

And Tim is nothing if not honest with himself when it comes to his proclivities—the perverse enjoyment of finding something someone doesn’t want found mixed with the exhilaration of being caught lights a fire in his veins like no other.

#justified #justified fx #justified fanfic #justified fic #justified recs #rec list #tim gutterson #givenson #i want that twink obliterated

[demona-andariel]

A Simple Act of Kindness - 20 / ??

Fandom: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Pairing: Thomas Hewitt (Leatherface) x OFC

Summary: Elizabeth wakes up in a stranger's home. Her fate to become another victim of the Hewitt family is all but sealed till a simple act of kindness changes her life forever.

Warning: (Encompassing the whole story in no particular order) dead dove, rape/Noncon, violence, forced marriage, kidnapping, cannibalism, explicit sexual content, loss of virginity, angst

Author Note: Minors DNI!

Word Count: 4,167

Chapter 20 - To Trust, Just One Last Time

Elizabeth lay on her stomach on the bed and flipped through the pages of her photo album. The room was illuminated in a dull yellow light, the sun had gone down about a half hour ago. There was a buzzing sound from the fan overhead that circulated the night air around the room.

Thomas had it. Her album. She knew he had it. There was no way he didn’t at one point have her suitcase. When he started giving her gifts from the family’s other victims it gave her hope to see her album one day. Then there came a moment when she realized that she’d probably never see it again. Was it the third or fourth gift? She wasn’t sure. But hoping to see the album had started to become too much for her and she forced herself to abandon that hope.

She’d been doing a lot of that recently. Abandoning hope. Allowing herself to become more of a shell of who she once was. 

She ran her fingers along the hard cover, reassuring herself for the umpteenth time she actually held it in her hands.

Of all the items that she had in her suitcase, her album was what she desired the most. She could live without her clothes, jewelry and other items she’d kept that did have sentimental value. Would have been nice to get them back as well, especially another item in particular. But it was the album that held the precious photographic memories of her past. Memories that she knew would eventually become fuzzy and fade away.

She turned the album to look at the creases on the spine. It’d been new when she got it. She hadn’t broken it in. Clearly, Thomas had opened it and looked at the pictures multiple times. And yet, not a single one was missing. It still surprised her. She kept having to open and close the album to check. She had to be losing her mind. There was no way he’d leave every picture in there unmarked and unchanged.

Thomas couldn’t disguise his fear, jealousy, and anxiety any time a man entered the store while she was working. There had been a couple of times that he had not so subtly ushered her to the backroom. There was only so much she could do to reassure him. And, although the pictures in the album were of her, her brother or both of them, there were a few that included her high school friends. Even a couple with her and another guy. Yet, Thomas hadn’t removed those. They were all still there. It wasn’t her imagination.

It felt surreal, holding the album in her hands.

She raised her gaze and looked around. She was alone in their room. They’d returned a couple hours ago. Yet, to her surprise, she hadn’t seen anyone in the family. Not that she tried looking for them.

She gulped, forcing down the butterflies in her stomach to calm down. She had thought she was going to see them at dinner. Expected to see them then. See Hoyt.

Her skin crawled.

The moment they’re returned from the cabin Elizabeth had gone directly to their room. She had tried to stash her album in the cabin for safe keeping. But, Thomas refused to leave till she had it back in her hands. She had spent the entire short walk back thinking and planning on where she could hide her album so it wouldn’t be discovered.

The house did had a lot of old, useless furniture that the Hewitts kept around. Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be anywhere in her room or the bathroom that she could successfully hide her album in. She had started to grow frustrated and scared, not wanting to leave it in the room but also not wanting the family to see her have it. It was her strength and yet her greatest weakness.

To her great relief, she didn’t have to go downstairs for dinner. Thomas had brought up a tray of food for her. The two of them ended up eating in silence. When they were done, she had expected Thomas to usher her downstairs to at least wash the dishes. But he didn’t. He took the tray of empty dishes without prompt and took it back downstairs for them. He hadn’t returned yet, but she did hear the clanking of the dishes being washed a little bit ago.

Her heart thumped in her chest at the thought of seeing any other member of his family. It was going to happen soon enough, she knew that. But, she was glad that she didn’t have to see them yet. It would have been nice if the cabin was actually livable. Unfortunately, there was a lot of work that needed to be done.

Setting her feet on the ground, she stood up. The floorboards creaked from her weight and with each step that she took as she walked to the window. Her eyes searched for the small path they’d taken to get to that cabin. She couldn’t see it in the darkness, but she knew the path was there.

They had spent a good portion of the day at the cabin. Time ended up flying by much faster than she realized. Then again, after Thomas called her “wife” she’d been left in a somewhat dazed state. She vaguely remembered eating lunch and she knew they had explored the premises together.

It offered her hope. Hope for a better future. Hope for somewhere to escape so she wouldn’t be under the constant eyes of his family. It was far enough out that she couldn’t see it from the Hewitt house, but still close enough to walk to make it to dinner every night if that’s what Thomas wanted.

It’s still inside Hewitt land, she reminded herself.

It was his safe place after all. His haven. The world out there wouldn’t accept him for the way he was. Hell, even if he wasn’t a cannibal she knew that the world was unkind to those who looked different, who acted differently. He wasn’t social. He didn’t know how to be, thanks to his upbringing. Not that the locals helped in that matter either. 

It wasn’t just Handsome Jack and his group who poked at Thomas, verbally assaulting him knowing he was nearby. Even some older folks, who should have known better, managed to sneak in words here and there, calling him stupid and ugly. There had been a couple of local farmers who expressed surprise that she managed to work so calmly and unafraid around Thomas. They didn’t know. They didn’t know he was a murderer. A cannibal. How Thomas managed to keep calm and not get violent with them was beyond her. She knew what Thomas was capable of. It surprised her that the townsfolk had no clue how dangerous Thomas could really be.

She tapped on the window. He was a different person out there. Almost, helpless. But here, this was very much his safe spot. His home. In the Hewitt land he could be himself, knowing his family would accept him. His family would love him. He didn’t have to worry about being stared at or called a freak “behind his back” yet loud enough for him to hear. He didn’t have to worry about being made fun of. Or about as if he didn’t exist. 

Safe.

He was safe here, but she wasn’t. 

Her skin prickled with unease and she brought her album up to her chest to hug it.

It was a problem. Giving her back the album was a grand gesture, much like when he randomly proposed to her, clearly without his family’s consent or knowledge. But, even though she had hoped things would change, they really hadn’t. In fact, she almost felt as if his proposing made things worse for her. Would Hoyt had raped her?

Probably.

A wave of frustration rushed through her, making her clench her fists. His family tried to destroy her. Despite how hard she tried to get them to accept her. Trust her. Despite the fact that she was willing to look past the whole being a cannibal and them kidnapping her. Look past the fact that she was most likely eating human flesh as well because they weren’t going to give her special food. They were originally keeping her against her will.

God, she felt messed up. But, it didn’t matter in the end how much she adapted and tried to win them over. They tried to destroy her relationship with him. And it almost worked. It would have worked. She’d given up hope. Given up entirely, in fact. She was ready to just lie there and take it. Ready to mentally check out because she was exhausted. But, he had decided she meant more to him than even she realized.

“Wife.” His strained but determined voice echoed in her mind 

She gulped as butterflies filled her stomach at the word. He’d clearly worked hard to get the one word out. His wife. He could have called her that at home. Here in the Hewitt house. Could have done that in front of his family. And, maybe he should have. But, it held more meaning to her the way he did it. He took her out to the old cabin, clearly showing his intent on fixing it up for them to live in. Away from his family. Privacy for them. He gave her the album. His focus was completely on her and her comfort. And all that gave her hope.

Her breathing deepened at the feeling. But, was this another grand gesture that would only be torn away from her?

Her fingers tightened around the album.

There was an internal struggle inside of her. It had gotten worse the moment they got back to the Hewitt house. She’d allowed herself to relax while at the cabin. Allowed herself to believe that things could get better. Gave herself hope. But, when they got back to the Hewitt house memories and reality set in. His family didn’t want her to see herself as anything other than a babymaker.

Dropping one hand, she curled her fingers into a fist as she stared out into the darkness. She felt angry with herself for being so weak. For not being the strong young woman who didn’t give a shit about what others thought. For not fighting back like she probably would have had her brother been alive. Her nails dug into her palm, shooting pain through her arm, but she didn’t care

A whimper followed by his rough calloused hand touching her arm caused her to jump slightly. For such a large man, Thomas was incredibly quiet when he wanted to be. She tilted her head back to look at him. His eyes focused on her clenched hand. He ran his hand along her arm then gently pushed his fingers into hers, causing her to unclench her fist. 

Her protector, even from herself. As long as he was around she was safe.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his body, enjoying his presence. Her emotions battled with each other as her brain refused to settle down into any set feeling. She was angry at herself for listening to the family, and letting them bring her down as low as she’d gotten. Happy that Thomas did care about her. Ecstatic that he defended her, got revenge for her. And yet scared of what possible repercussions were to be had once things settled down again. Nothing would happen to Thomas. It would be her, in the end, who would receive the punishment.

She let out a deep sigh as her heart dropped.

He was doing his best. She knew that. Doing his best to let her know that she was safe with him. But, wasn’t he doing his best before? And his uncle still raped her. 

With a soft squeeze of his fingers, she turned to face him. She pulled her hand out from his and allowed her fingers to roam his forearms. His skin was rough and warm. He was so large in every way compared to her. It wouldn’t take much effort from his part to truly hurt her. So big and still he tried to be gentle with her. He always tried to be gentle with her, in his own way. The day after Hoyt raped her Thomas knew something was wrong. And when he had sex with her he tried to be sweet and loving. He didn’t know. She thought he knew but he didn’t. His concern, his confusion, his desperation the last couple days now made sense. He’d been clueless because his family didn’t tell him. They didn’t want to, because they were afraid of how he’d react?

“Thomas,” she said. 

His held his finger up, making her pause. Turning, he walked to the door and grabbed her suitcase. Her body froze as he set it on the bed and then opened it. From her position it looked as if everything was still safely stored inside.

Feeling a bit dazed, she slowly walked to the bed and sat down. Maybe she was dreaming. Or possibly dead. What if Hoyt had raped her and then killed her and this was all some sort of weird dream as she lay dying on the dirt road?

Her fingers tentatively ran over the rough fabric suitcase and then over her clothes. It felt real. Just like the album in her left hand. Too real. Her muscles tensed as desperation gripped her. She didn’t think. Her hands grabbed at the clothing as she threw each piece out, letting them fall onto the floor.

Thomas let out a worried grunt and placed his hand on her shoulder.

“It’s still here,” she said, shrugging him off.

She leaned forward and wrapped her right hand around the stuffed animal. Bringing it to her chest, she hugged it. She had it. Her heartbeat quickened with excitement and joy. Turning, she tilted her head up and smiled widely at him. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to dance and shout and laugh hysterically with joy. She managed to suppress the laughter into just a giggle as she held out the animal.

“Scooby Doo,” she said.

Thomas frowned.

“Oh! You’ve never seen it, probably? Huh? It’s a cartoon. My brother’s favorite. We used to watch it a lot. About a group of teens driving around the country and solving mysteries with their pet dog. He wanted a dog, but we couldn’t have one. Well, I was worried with his sensitive skin that it wouldn’t be good for him. And I didn’t want him to get attached to an animal only to have to give it away. So, I got him this stuffed animal.”

Before Thomas could react, she got off the bed and slammed into him. Wrapping her arms tightly around his chest, she hugged him. Her heart swelled with gratitude that he’d kept her things. He hadn’t thrown them away or trashed them like she thought. She felt his arms wrap around her to keep her close to him as he hugged her back.

“Thank you,” she whispered, giving him a big squeeze. She held onto him for one more moment and then let him go and leaned back.

His right hand moved up to stroke her cheek. There was some solace in the fact that he cared deeply for her. Not just deeply. He loved her. And not just because she could have his babies, he still thought of her as more than that. Maybe he always did. He just didn’t know how to express himself in the proper way. And Hoyt had, from the beginning, done his best to sabotage Thomas. Done his best to break her by using Thomas. Her memory brought up the conversation she happened to overhear that Hoyt had been giving Thomas pointers on what to do when he had sex. Things that had traumatized her more. Thomas had listened because he didn’t know any better. But, their sex life improved when Thomas started to listen to her.

That’s right! He did listen to her. And, he didn’t know what Hoyt had done. That was what really mattered the most to her. She thought he condoned Hoyt’s actions and it had devastated her. 

She rose onto her tiptoes to lightly kiss his lips. He kissed her back. It was short, sweet and simple. No demand for anything more or to push things further. Settling back onto her feet, she let out a content sigh.

“Thank you,” she whispered again. 

His rough hand caressed her face before he leaned in to give her another kiss. And then, he let her go. 

She watched him for a moment as he started getting ready for bed. That felt like a good idea. A wave of exhaustion suddenly hit her. She hadn’t been able to sleep much the last few nights. It apparently had finally caught up to her.

She picked up her clothes from the ground and set them back into the suitcase. Zipping it up, she went to pull it off the bed, but Thomas stopped her. He took the suitcase and set it in their closet. Safe, for now.

Her fingers tightened their grip on the album and stuffed animal. Honestly, she could lose the suitcase. The two most important items had been returned to her.

She crawled onto the bed and settled on her side. Laying down, she brought the album and stuffed animal to her chest. Just as quickly as her happiness and joy at have them came, doubt and fear gripped at her.

Hope. Did she really want to do it? Give hope one last chance?

The bed creaked with Thomas’s added weight. He leaned down and untied his shoes. He winced slightly and gave his left hand a quick glance before returning to his task.

Flashes of his bleeding hands from the night before entered her mind. He’d beaten up Hoyt for her. He was angry for her. She had no idea what state the old man was in. Even now that they were home, she hadn’t heard the old man. He was still alive, no doubt about that. But, judging from the state of Thomas’s knuckles, there was no way he wasn’t sporting some significant bruises. 

“You ain’t family.”

She sat up. A small smile crossed her lips at the thought of seeing a swollen-face Hoyt. Black and blue. Broken teeth? Broken nose? Probably for the first time in his life, Thomas turned against his family. And it was all because of her. Hoyt was wrong. 

“Wife.” Thomas had looked so desperate and yet determined to get the single word out.

Setting her album and the stuffed animal on her lap, she reached out and brushed her fingers along his shoulder.

He turned to look at her.

“My parents won’t approve of you,” she said.

Thomas jerked up at her words, clearly startled. His eyes moved away from hers as he stared at the wall before he nodded his head. He let out a sigh and looked away and unbuttoned his shirt.

“I guess we have that in common,” she continued, stroking his shoulder. Her eyes slowly roamed his body. “My parents would never approve of you. Your family clearly think I’m.” She had to pause and swallow back her sudden tears. “Think I’m just good for one thing.”

Thomas paused what he was doing and turned his body to look at her. He shook his head in disagreement as he leaned. His arm wrapped around her middle and he pulled her over to sit on his lap.

“Sorry,” she whispered and sniffled. “I didn’t mean to start crying.” She wrapped one arm around him to hug him and kissed his cheek. He felt so warm and strong, holding onto her. Letting her relax against his body. Safe.

She closed her eyes and listened to his steady heart beat and deep breathing.

Okay, Thomas. Okay. Just one last time, she thought. He needed to know.

It took her a moment to gain the strength and courage to talk. But, finally, she forced herself to lean back and wiped her eyes. 

“Thomas,” she said softly.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. His eyes held a softness to them. A softness few people saw. She let out a sigh and pushed his arm away, getting off his lap. The words she planned on saying were important and she needed him to know she was serious.

“I don’t,” she paused and stared at the wall. Butterflies filled her stomach from her nerves. With a sigh, she shook her head. She had to tell him.

She looked down at her hands that held the album and stuffed animal still. As much as she didn’t want to, she set them on her side of the bed and let them go.

Settling herself on the edge of the bed beside him, she reached out and grabbed his left hand. He jerked back the moment she turned his hand to look at his palm. She quickly tightened her grip on his hand as he tried to pull it away from her.

“I need to see,” she said, not looking up at him.

He closed his fingers then slowly relaxed them and revealed his palm. There were two small cuts, short in height, but long in length and deep. Hoyt’s name tag. It had to have been. From the location she could imagine the scene. She could see Thomas gripping onto Hoyt’s shirt so tightly that the name tag dug into his skin, piercing it. But, Thomas was so mad that he clearly ignored the pain.

Taking in a deep breath, she forced herself to look into his eyes. “I’ve gone through a lot over the last few months. And I’m not sure how I managed to keep myself together. Keep myself sane. Keep myself.” She let his hand go to press hers to her heart. Oddly enough, calm settled over her as she prepared herself to say her next set of words. 

“I wanna relax. I wanna be carefree. I… I don’t think I can handle any more trauma right now. I’m telling you this because I can feel it in my head. I have nothing left inside of me to cope with anything else. If… if something happens.” Her throat dried up and she fought the tears back. She felt as if she were giving up. “You won’t get me back,” she stated.

Thomas’s eyes widened and he grabbed her hand, placing it against his heart, he shook his head.  

“Wife,” he whined. 

She scooted closer and nodded in agreement. “Yes, but.”

He shook his head.

“Thomas,” she said with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I… I’m going to trust you.” Trust. She gulped at the word. “But I can feel it. Deep down in my soul. This is it,” she firmly said. “If you break my trust, nothing you say or do will be able to fix me. Do you understand?”

Thomas held her gaze then nodded his head. He leaned in then hesitated. She waited for him to kiss her lips again, only he moved closer and then pressed his forehead against hers. His hands touched her arms as he gently stroked her before he kissed her forehead. With another nod of understanding, he pulled away. He got off the bed to finish undressing. She turned her back to him and settled back onto her side of the bed and brought the album and stuffed animal to her chest.

Her eyes slowly roamed the old wall again as she thought.

She wasn’t a quitter, had always a fighter, but she could feel it. She was at the end of her rope, at least for now. What she needed was time. Rest. Calm. Hopefully, that would help her regain her mental strength back.

The bed groaned and dipped with his weight again. She closed her eyes then gasped. His arm wrapped around her and pulled her back to him to rest against his side. Her heartbeat picked up with a hint of fear as she waited for him to start to fondle her. He’d given her back her items and she was clearly grateful. He probably figured sex was on the table again.

She stared at the wall and waited. She wasn’t going to fight him, despite the fact that she wasn’t ready to have sex. Still, her body remained tense as she waited. She couldn’t look at him. His fingers gently stroked her arm. One particular deep sigh made her frown.

He’d fallen asleep? She waited a few more minutes and listened to his deep breathing. Feeling a little bit confused, she turned to face him and tilted her head up. His face was turned away in the direction of the door. But his eyes were closed. His chest moved with deep, steady breaths.

He had fallen asleep with his arm wrapped around her. He wanted her to feel safe and protected. Carefully, she set the album beside her and the stuff animal on top before settling against Thomas.

“I love you, Thomas,” she whispered, pressing her fingers against his bare chest a little. “I don’t know why, but I do.” Placing her head against his shoulder, she snuggled up to him. “Please don’t betray me. That will break me.”

Chapter 21 - Lizzy and Tommy

#thomas hewitt x oc #Smut #horror #fanfiction #Texas Chainsaw Massacre #noncon tw #tw noncon

[onbearfeet]

A thing that happened to me and is so bizarre that it will probably be a story at some point:

My 11yo nephew is sending me a belated Christmas gift. Here is what I know about it, based on a conversation with his mom:

1. He found it in an antique store in Texas.

2. He thought it was perfect for me, but wasn't sure how to ship it. (It's traveling to me with his dad and another sibling on an unrelated trip.)

3. It has been sitting "behind the dining room table" for months and is apparently VERY visible there. (It's a big table.)

4. It is not radioactive. (I had to ask; he's that kind of kid.)

5. It does not violate TSA rules, but it WILL definitely get the bag searched, so apparently it's something that looks weird on an X-ray.

6. It's "inspired" by the fact that he's seen my Amazon wishlist.

For context, I just checked my Amazon wishlist, and it's a bunch of books, a few small and relatively inexpensive items of jewelry, a couple of action figures or other small toys for my desk, some art supplies (my preferred type of sketchbook, a nice pen), a portable rice cooker, and a Dremel. Oh, and a Discworld T-shirt. I can't think of anything on that list that would be found in an antique store AND large AND of interest to the TSA.

This kid is teaching himself Russian AND Python for fun, and he seems to be a tiny copy of my uncle, who could fairly be described as a mad scientist. Oh, and he took up bartending in 2020/21 because he "liked the chemistry".

I am so very fucked, but this will make one hell of a short story.

*

UPDATE: It was a cast-iron waffle iron on a cast-iron pole, designed for cooking waffles over a fire. I'll try to get a photo. No, I do not know why.

#kat's weird family #if you think he's fun you should see uncle jim #people wonder why my writing is weird and i just point to the nearest relative #I'm a queer woman with a hole in her head and the minor ability to befriend wolves and i do not register on the family weirdness scale #writing prompt

[nikkismithdesigns]

Here’s A Guide To Match Various Jewellery Designs With Different Outfits

Jewellery is considered as one vital element that can make or break an outfit. However, styling them appropriately with any clothing is a skill that not many people have.  They come in varying shapes, sizes, and styles, from small stud earrings to heavy pendants, the complete look of a person can be elevated based on the accessory they carry. People often decide the jewellery based on their outfit's colour, but, just this one point is not enough to make you the centre of attention in every room you step in.

So, own the stage with your unique style by matching your jewellery in the perfect way ever. Follow this guide to style your jewellery and see the difference within minutes:

● Based on the occasion:

Always make sure to dress according to the occasion. Just like a single outfit can’t rock all events, similarly the same necklace and earring set won’t suit everywhere. For example, an evening formal event requires something subtly shiny to contrast the dark. Whereas, for casual day events, you can go with studs and a simple chain necklace. You can find collections of simple to extravagant pieces at many jewellery stores in Dallas Farmers Market. So, whatever the occasion, accessorise accordingly.

● Based on the outfit:

Your outfit has a huge impact on the kind of jewellery that will work with it. Like dresses with a high neckline, they always work great when wearing bold earrings. Similarly, for the look with many layers, such as winter outfits, going with a simple ear top and thin chain link is the best option. Gowns and dresses are most probably perfect to go all out with a stone necklace and bracelets. Find your perfect match based on the outfit from jewellery store in Dallas Farmers Market.

● Based on skin tone:

Anyone can rock any jewellery designs as per their comfort, but some skin tones look way better with certain designs and patterns. For example, people with brown and olive complexions look absolutely stunning wearing dark tones such as emerald studded jewellery. Whereas, people with cool skin tones should incline more towards ruby studded jewellery.

● Based On Combinations:

There are few combinations in the world that rock in any and all situations. Despite the occasion and the kind of outfit you are wearing, some combinations are meant to fit together. One such classic combination is Gold-Black-White. If you are wearing a simple black dress, then try jewellery in gold and white combination and you will see the shining effects. The similar is true for vice-versa. So, grab this combination in the accessory department from the jewellery store in Dallas Farmers Market.

These are some of the basic ideas that will help in deciding how to accessorise your outfit for different occasions.

#Jewelry Store in Dallas Farmers Market #nikkismithdesigns #dallas jewelry stores #fashion jewelry dallas #jewelry stores in dallas texas

[wthbhutan-blog]

A Guide on How To Choose A Diamond Necklace

When talking about diamonds, rings are always the center of attraction… and other types of jewelry are often sidelined. However, diamonds can add grace to anything, especially necklaces.

A diamond necklace can get you glowing with its mesmerizing sparkle. It can elevate the charm of your overall look. A diamond necklace holds a great sentimental value. And hence, it would make the best gift for your loved ones. It signifies how you are willing to go to extreme lengths for someone.

However, gifting a diamond necklace can be a tricky venture. Well, take it easy and continue reading. This article takes a deep dive into the journey of buying the right necklace.

Indian Jewellery Stores Near Me | Indian Diamond Ring USA | Indian Jewellers Irving

How to Choose a Diamond Necklace?

Yes, buying a necklace is supposed to be like love at first sight - you see it, fall for it, and buy it. But, you might want to put in extra thought to pick a quintessential one. When buying a diamond ring, your only focus is the gem. But with a diamond necklace, you need to consider the stone as well as the chain. So, let's explore the two factors in detail:

Selecting the Right Diamond

Identifying the right diamond boils down to assessing the four C's - cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.

Cut: Diamonds are styled in different shapes to highlight their material properties. Factors like polish, symmetry, and depth of a diamond are classified into different types of diamond cuts. Round cut diamonds are the most popular and brilliant. Thanks to its timeless beauty, it best complements Indian diamond necklace designs.

Carat Weight: Though the weight isn't the most important factor here, it is best to opt for a slightly larger stone for a diamond necklace.

Clarity: it is important to go for a diamond with minimal flaws. However, you need to note that the price of a diamond depends on its perfection. Lesser the imperfections, the pricier the diamond.

Color: Though a clear diamond is the best choice for engagement rings, jewelry aficionados suggest looking for a little color in your stone for necklaces; it adds a sublime contrast. Color stones blend effortlessly with crystal clear gems.

Here's How You Can Choose the Right Necklace Chain

Usually, people only consider the pendant of the necklace. However, it is imperative to factor in the chain as well, after all, that's what holds the pendant. You need to analyze the two pivotal aspects of a chain - type and length - before making a decision.

Choosing the metal completely depends on individual preferences. So, you can either plump for gold, white gold, or rose gold. Once you have that in place, gauge the length of the chain.

Shorter chains look stunning on dresses and sarees, whereas long chains are perfect for closed or turtle necks.

And that's it… You are now ready to buy a dazzling diamond necklace for yourself or for a loved one.

Indian Jewellers Texas | Indian Jewelry Texas

At Sakshi Jewelers, we offer an exquisite range of Indian diamond jewelry in the USA with a lifetime warranty. Our gems are GIA IGI certified, which speaks for our authenticity. Our designs unite Indian preferences with contemporary trends to lend a style and personality to your ensemble. Visit our jewelry store in Dallas or book a video call to explore our intricately crafted diamond jewelry from India.

#Indian Jewellery Stores Dallas #Indian Jewelry Stores in Dallas Texas #Indian Jewellery Stores Near Me #Indian Jewellers Irving

[we-are-inevitable]

welcome to small town jack angst, brought to you by:

Stick Season - Noah Kahan

this one doesn't take place in a southern small town or anything- im thinking a small town still in the state of New York.

its one of those towns where it looks pretty- it has history, it has a Main St. full of mom and pop shops, it's this postcard picture perfect place with everything on the surface and absolutely no substance.

and Jack Kelly? he loves it, but he hates being here.

it's not exciting. the same thing happens every day, everyone has a routine and no one can get out of it, and he longs for adventure- adventure that's more than just riding his bike with his pack of friends and going to the park, or the skate park, or the parking lot of the grocery store across town.

and he tells his friends all the time, i'm going to get out of here one day. he's going to make that move to the city, or maybe hop on a plane and move to Los Angeles, or Santa Fe, or maybe even San Antonio or Miami or Portland or somewhere new.

but he ends up being the friend that goes nowhere.

you see, everyone else? they go to college in great places. Davey and his brilliant mind are at Columbia, while Sarah is living it up at a fashion school in Boston. Kath got into a journalism program at Yale, Race is went off to Texas to study aerospace engineering, Charlie wound up in at a uni in Chicago, Spot is full-on pre-med at some bigwig school in Pennsylvania and Al is a mechanic in the heart of New York City now.

and Jack, he's an undecided major at the closest community college, because he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life yet. he just knows he had dreams of getting away, but he can't do that if he has no footing.

he's trapped, because everyone else is spread out. most of them come home for the holidays, but even then, Jack rarely sees them anymore; they talk about their big schools and their aspirations and how city life is treating them, but all Jack can add to the conversation is local drama he gets from the kooky grandma who works at the Walmart.

and because i'm me: seeing Davey hurts the most, because Jack doesn't recognize him.

since moving away, Davey has blossomed; he's no longer the "mom friend" who encourages the group not to take risks- no, he's reckless in the best way now, confident in his actions, strong-willed, opinionated, stubborn as hell and not willing to take no for an answer without a good reason. he's left behind big sweaters and ratty converse for skin-tight clothing, jewelry, painted nails, makeup, docs and a new air of confidence to him- something that says he's finally out of his shell. something that says he finally cares enough about how he's treated to do no harm but take no shit.

he's everything that Jack used to be, and it throws him for a loop the first time Davey comes home.

and Jack Kelly loves David Jacobs. he loves him. he would do anything for him, but it's increasingly more obvious that David has outgrown Jack. all of them have, really. he sees photos on instagram of everyone meeting up without him- Charlie and Race in Chicago during a random weekend in October; Davey, Sarah and Kath in L.A. over spring break- it's hard to see his closest friends grow up without him, while Jack is stuck in that same little town where he has nothing going for him.

Jack is supposed to be the adventurer. he's supposed to be the guy with the big ideas; that was his shtick in high school, being the dreamer, but now Jack dreams of his friends all coming home, coming back, coming to save him from the pavement he's cemented himself to.

and he dreams of Davey, the guy he loves more than his heart can say, the boy he wanted to share a life of adventure with, the person he never had in high school and will never have now.

#i fucking love this au btw if anyone wants to talk to me abt it PLEASE send an ask #bc i havent been able to hurt jack in a long time #ask a jac ! #jack kelly #davey jacobs #david jacobs #newsies #livesies #newsies musical #newsies live #racetrack higgins #crutchie #spot conlon #katherine pulitzer #albert dasilva #sarah jacobs #jac txt. #jac's headcanons #stick season au #long post

[marvelinorder]

Fantastic Four (1961) #2 recap

"The Fantastic Four Meet the Skrulls from Outer Space!" by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

In the opening to the second issue of Fantastic Four, we see our heroes committing unforgivable acts of crime. The Thing ruptures the support beam to an off-shore Texas Tower (which if you're like me, you discovered was a radar facility used during the Cold War while writing this post), toppling it. The Invisible Girl makes off with a $10 million gem by turning invisible and walking out of the jewelry store. The Human Torch melts a new monument (seen below), and Reed (gasp) switches off the power to the whole city using his absurdly long arm.

In Johnny's defense here, this monument looks suspiciously like one of those Confederate ones so maybe he did us all a favor.

But how could our heroes do such horrible things? Well it turns out that they are in fact being impersonated by Skrulls. (This is the first issue in which the Skrulls appear.) Watch "Reed" transform back into one below.

Naturally, the FF get some slack in the media for supposedly having committed these crimes, and they hole up in a cabin to talk things over. The Thing suggests a hands-on strategy:

Ben looks so sad here it breaks my heart. And he does have a point. Reed lucked out comparatively in the whole mutations game.

But they don't have time to work out a strategy before the army comes and throws them in federal prison. They're locked in separate cells and each work out ways to escape. Susan, predictably, turns invisible and makes her way past the guards. Johnny, seen below, is totally going to be able to sue the prison in a few years when he gets sick from the asbestos. Ben does what he does best and smashes his way out. And Reed? Well... See the panels I've picked out below.

Once they're out of the prison, the group decide to sabotage a rocket in order to lure the Skrulls out and convince them they're also Skrulls. Johnny and Ben fight about who will do it, and wow, didn't expect Ben to go so dark. New sadboi blorbo acquired?

Johnny manages to infiltrate the Skrulls' headquarters and shoots off a flare gun to call the others. They fight, and rather than be killed by the Thing the Skrulls end up telling them about their impending invasion of earth.

The FF decide to impersonate the Skrulls and talk to their leader, giving them "proof" that the FF are actually monsters by showing them monster drawings. Frightened, the Skrulls decide to leave Earth alone for their own safety. And the FF tell them they'll sacrifice themselves on Earth to remove evidence they were ever there.

Mission accomplished, they go back to Earth, but not before the cosmic rays hit them again, mutating Ben back into a human briefly. Sadly, though, it doesn't last.

The end of the issue has the FF proving to the authorities that they were being impersonated by Skrulls, and they also decide what to do with the Skrulls who were left on Earth.

I know I, for one, am amused by the cow thing.

The End!

#fantastic four (1961) #fantastic four #reed richards #susan storm #johnny storm #ben grimm #comics #marvel #comics recap #comics liveblog #id in alt text

[serene-quill]

On the non-fandom side of the jewelry shop, my cabochon jewelry is also now available in the Etsy store!

#jewelry design #jewelry making #cabochon #purple chalcedony #tiger eye #carnelian #fossil #my art #forte fortissimo