#night walks and stray cats and 'we were here' signs and rainy nights and the prismatic reflection of traffic lights off wet asphalt

[erudit0]

theres something inexpliably alluring about the night

#it satisfies my heart in a way that few other things do #night walks and stray cats and 'we were here' signs and rainy nights and the prismatic reflection of traffic lights off wet asphalt

[alexis-vaughn]

💘 + Shane & Alexis

Headcanons meme dating edition from here

Long Post incoming!

where they first met and how

They first met in Highschool on a party where friends of Alex sneaked her in. She had heard a lot about him or watched him on the football field, but at that night they first met properly.

how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved

Alex fell head over heels for him but it took a few weeks of knowing each other until they first had a date. Feelings were involved for her from the start, while Shane developed them during their dating time and as he realized how attached she was, he backed off cause he got scared he couldn’t give it back to her the way she deserved it.

who fell for who first ( if applicable )

Alex for Shane

where their first date was and what it was like

They went to grab some Icecream at a lake and took a long walk until they jumped into the water laughing, knowing they weren’t allowed to swim there. Before some cops could approach them, they swam to the other side of the lake and ran away holding each other’s hands.

who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? )

Shane asked Alex out after he noticed her interest and he simply asked her if she wants to spend some time together after school (a Thursday to be concrete cause his football games were on Friday’s )

who proposes first

Didn’t happen yet but I’m very sure it will be Shane after their reunion, cause Alex is always too scared to be turnt down from him again so she leaves everything up to him: the first kiss, the first sex, the first “I love you” and of course the proposal. After he broke her heart in the past, she simply doesn’t dare to make a step again to not ruin it.

if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away

In Highschool they were very open about it cause Alex was so proud to be with him and Shane simply didn’t care about anyone’s opinion. After their reunion, they keep it more or less to themselves at first cause they don’t want anyone to intervene or talk about their connection since they want no attention drawn to them or know about their weakness. But many around them guess it, even if they don’t show it openly.

where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? )

Since it will happen during the apocalypse, I guess it will be pretty simple, cause Alex isn’t the girl needing all the romantic shit to be convinced. Judging their short temper it could also happen during emotional sex when Shane simply says “marry me” cause he hopes she won’t say no when they are both highly emotional aroused. Alex would probably think he’s just making a joke and tease him for it but when they lay in each other’s arms in exhaustion she will probably ask him if he was serious before and he would say yes, then she would say yes too but then they wouldn’t talk about it for a while, making Alex think he forgot about it and not bring it up again. Shane would probably search for rings on a raid or find some at the CRM or craft something when they get Trixie back and then make it official with a knee fall.

if they adopt any pets together

Alex absolutely adores pets, especially cats and dogs but it’s probably very difficult to adopt pets in an apocalypse, so they rather enjoy to have stray cats or dogs around which get attached and maybe stay with them.

who’s more dominant

They both are, especially in fights and during sex, but Shane is actually the only person making it able for Alex to let her walls down and then she can get very subduing for him, if he allows it and she trusts him enough again.

where their first kiss was and what it was like

It was beneath the bleachers after Shane’s football training one day after their first date. They were talking about how they ran away last night, how much they enjoyed it and then Shane used the chance to kiss her with his hand on her chin to break their embarrassed silence. Alex said “We should do that again. You know, swimming. Spending time together.” but wasn’t able to look at him properly with her shy smile while he only responded “I’d like that. Do you want that?” And Alex nodded and said “I’d like that.” staring at him with her big brown eyes and somehow it was like a sign for Shane to kiss her so her insecurities about his interest stop. Alex hold onto his shirt and raised on her toes, feeling like a prom queen cause everyone around them was looking at them. She loved how he simply didn’t care about the talking around them, while she just felt endlessly proud that he was kissing her so openly. Since then she always loved the smell of his sports clothes and the dressing rooms cause it reminded her of this moment. It also was the beginning of her growing confidence after she felt invisible for such a long time.

if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? )

Alex tried to give him matching keychains in the past, but back then it didn’t seem like he enjoyed these things and that’s why she stopped. Nowadays they both don’t need such things cause they consider their relationship as something sacred they wanna protect and keep to themselves so they don’t like these couple things. As long as they know they are together, no one else has to know and they rather show it each other with affection, not with things usual couples do.

how into pda they are

In Highschool they were very open about it cause it was connected with pride for both of them to let everyone know. Now they keep their affection to themselves, but since they both have a high sexual chemistry, it happens often enough that they have sex outside or in more or less risky situations where they could be caught. They like this kind of danger and wouldn’t be able to hold back anyways, but they aren’t openly holding hands or kissing each other in front of others.

who holds the umbrella when it rains

Shane cause he is taller

where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable )

In Highschool it was the lake where their first date was and the forest which had a kissing booth station on “the lovers rock” on a hill where you could watch the city. In the apocalypse everywhere is a possible date spot, but they usually prefer to be just at their house in front of a fireplace where they could be alone and together.

who’s more protective

Shane, because he still feels like he has to make something up for the past.

how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ )

They shared a bed pretty early after first meeting, cause whenever there was a party back then, most of the guests slept all in one house cause they got drunk or didn’t have a drivers license. Shane told Alex and her girls back then to take the bed of the boy who offered the house of his parents cause he didn’t want the girls to sleep on the floor and Alex didn’t notice that Shane stared at her from the floor the whole night while she slept safe and sound at the edge of the bed with four others girls next to her. The first sex happened a few weeks after they started dating in the back of Shane’s car.

if they argue about anything

They argue a lot cause they both are short tempered and stubborn. Somehow they need to let some steam off and know they can do it best with each other without the other taking it too personally and secretly they like the fire that often leads them into rough sex. Sometimes one of them goes too far and brings up old mistakes, but mostly it’s not very serious and more a habit.

who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. )

Alex (she wants everyone to see he’s taken and likes to mark her territory), but just because Shane respects her too much and is too scared to do something wrong that he holds himself back. But if she tells him it’s okay, he would leave marks as well.

who steals whose clothes and how often

Alex steals Shane’s clothes cause hers are way too feminine and small 😂 but Shane would surely keep a Negligé or pantie from her to have her smell around 👀

how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? )

However they wish. Sometimes they playfully tackle each other and Alex curls herself together on his chest like a cat. Sometimes they just stare at each other in admiration or after a fight without saying a word and when they want to sleep, Shane either cradles her head under his chin or spoons her.

what their favourite nonsexual activity is

Alex likes to read to him when they cuddle on a rainy day but they also love to share a wine or whiskey in front of the fire place and talk about the past or how everyone in this world is stupid besides them. They laugh together a lot ♥︎ and of course they like swimming, like back then on their first date.

how long they stay mad at each other

Well, Alex was mad at him for years for leaving her, but after their reunion they don’t stay mad for longer than a day cause they are very conscious about the fact that they could die every day and don’t wanna separate in a fight. Never again.

what their usual coffee / tea orders are

They both like coffee “black like their soul” and often order it exactly with saying that simultaneously. But Alex learnt to craft tea from herbs in the wild and that’s why she has a favor for homemade herbal teas she forces Shane to try.

if they ever have any children together

Alex already has a daughter called Trixie and after finding her Shane loves her like his own. They probably always claimed that they don’t want children together especially in the apocalypse, but if they manage to settle down somewhere safe and Alex sees how lovely Shane is with Trixie, I guess she would bring it up one day. Or maybe Shane will because he’s jealous of not being the father and wants to experience how it feels, since he wants many things with Alex he never imagined before.

if they have any special pet names for each other

Alex calls him teasingly “asshole” a lot, but she also uses the word “babe” and “darling”. Shane uses “baby”, “sweetheart” or darling, but sometimes teases her with saying “princess” when she acts bossy around him.

if they ever split up and / or get back together

They split up after Highschool already so when they decide to be together again, they will definitely not go through that another time and stay together whatever it costs.

what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? )

They both are kinda messy when it comes to clothes, which often happens when they start jumping each other and leave trails of clothes everywhere. Decor is not really a thing in the apocalypse and they both don’t care about that much anyways after living on the road for so long. Alex is only very clean in the kitchen cause she leaves a mess when she crafts tea and doesn’t want it to interfere with the normal cooking supplies which are rare in the apocalypse.

what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like

Their first Christmas as a secret couple was in Alexandria. No one knew they are together, they were only known as the lone wolfs who didn’t attend the Christmas celebrations in the little chapel or the family dinners in their houses, so no one wondered that they stayed together in their house the whole day. They ate self made cookies from Carol, gossiped about how silly these Christmas celebrations were and in the end had a classic Christmas dinner, self made presents and cuddled in front of the chimney chatting about the past and Trixie until Alex read a Christmas story to him. After all they celebrated Christmas like a real family, exactly like everyone they gossiped about before.

what their names are in each other’s phones

Shane saved her under “Lex” while Alex saved him under “S the Ass” 👀 but they don’t have phones anymore in the apocalypse anyways.

if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year? baking every friday evening? )

They always go on raids together and swim in the lake at night when everyone else is asleep. Also Shane watches Alex crafting her tea and makes fun of the mess she leaves behind. And whenever they find the time she reads to him before they go to sleep. There are no daily structures in the apocalypse, these traditions are more a habit they share as a couple.

who falls asleep first and who wakes up first

Shane waits for Alex to fall asleep cause he feels protective about her but Alex will always wake first to prepare breakfast or wake Shane by sexual favors, unless she is still too exhausted from the last night.

who’s the big spoon / little spoon

Shane is definitely the big spoon cause he wants to protect her and he’s way taller than Alex.

who hogs the bathroom

Alex because of her long hair which needs a lot of treatment. Before the apocalypse she collected perfumes and all kind of scented oils, make up, candles and body lotions, but now the bathroom is rather empty, besides Shane finds enough perfumes on raids to stock up her non existent collection 👀 she loved to spend hours in the bathroom in the past for her make up and long baths, but since the fall of the world that’s rarely possible.

who kills the spiders / takes them outside

Shane kills them and Alex would take them out cause she loves all kind of animals too much.

@wexarethewalkingxdead

#wexarethewalkingxdead #Alexis x Shane #answered meme #shipping meme #long post #((i loved this! found out so much about our babies and hope you like it 👀)) #((now I want a baby for them and the proposal and the Christmas scene and EVERYTHING))

[maatryoshkaa]

Stray Kids as Roommates | Thread

some roommates-to-lovers fluff coming at you!

Bang Chan

You guys are the pair that n e v e r sleep

Turned his room into a home studio; probably would have thrown out his bed and turned his room into an office if you hadn’t stopped him

You often fall asleep to the sound of his humming and tracks muffled through your bedroom wall

You see the most of him during exam season, while pulling all nighters

He’s always in the kitchen making his 14th cup of coffee when you get up to go to the bathroom at 3 am

Lots of deep, meaningful conversations over late night snacks

You swear you’ve heard him talking to his Goku figurines during the unearthly hours of the morning

You’re the only one Chan lets ruffle his fluffy dandelion bedhead in the morning

Takes care of you more than he takes care of himself

Always asks you how your day went when you get home and insists on listening even when he’s been awake for over 48 hours

Always there to give you advice and comfort you when you’re feeling down! A living breathing mental health hotline

Walked into your room when you were studying for finals at 2am

You were in your pajamas, hair a mess and eyes barely open

And that was when Bang Chan decided he was in love with you

Ah, the couple with matching bags under their eyes.

☽ Read the rest of the boys under this cut! 

Woojin

Fried chicken takeout for dinner is a big Friday night thing

Kind of like a big moral support teddy bear, his hugs are the greatest

You steal half his closet in the winter because his hoodies are the comfiest

Literally the dad of your household

Checks up on your health and how you’re doing every now and then

Pushes you to finish your work and makes sure you’re not procrastinating

Honestly, your grades are soaring thanks to him

Helps you with homework

Your parents love him

Always saves and brings you good things to eat

Tucks you in at night when you can’t sleep nyahh i’m soft

And a couple times, when you wake up shaking from nightmares, homesickness or stress, he’s always there to comfort you, lying there until you fall asleep again.

“Woojin?”

“Yeah? Shh, don’t worry, I’m here.”

You always sit outside the bathroom and listen to him sing in the shower

Until he suddenly opened the door in nothing but a towel and you couldn’t face him for weeks

He thought your furiously blushing face was the cutest thing he’d ever seen and teased you about it, 

Until you finally kissed him to make him shut up

Hint: it worked wonders.

Minho

Saturday night dance battles are a t h i n g

Doesn’t do any chores unless he notices you’re feeling tired

Tried to cook once and probably accidentally gave the both of you food poisoning

Remember when he cooked rice cakes in the unwashed metal pan I’m--

Likes you a lot more than he lets on

Like, you’d mention craving a certain food or not having saved up enough money for something, and voila, the next day it’d be sitting on the kitchen table.

“What? It was on sale, just lying around. Don’t think too much of it.”

Clowns you for every little thing, but the moment he hears someone make fun of you, it’s on sight

Bicker like an old married couple, lots of back and forth catfights

Evenings falling asleep on the sofa, both tipsy and giggling while his two cats snuggle up around you

Arguing over who the cats love more

Endless crackhead antics; the neighbours probably hate you

Insists on walking his cats around the apartment complex, when in reality he just wants to spend more time with you

Everyone already knows you’re basically dating but you’re both too stubborn to admit it

Probably hooked up once or twice, or more than once or twice ;)

Changbin

Honestly when you first got him as your roommate, you were terrified

Because this 5’6 ball of dark is intimidating as frick

Realized how soft he really was when he whipped out his Munchlax plushie

Petty arguments with him are impossible because he speaks so fast

So you just let him win

Makes you kill the spider

Always manages to convince you to watch horror movies at 1 am

Probably as an excuse to have you in his arms if you get scared ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) he thinks he’s slick

Perfected the “stretch and put his arm around your shoulder” move

Made a special playlist for everything you do together: good vibes for breakfast, upbeat jams when doing the chores together, chill indie mixes for cozy evenings in doing work

Insists on helping you around the house

Bringing you fresh ice coffee, cookies, and convenience store hauls whenever he gets off work

“B-but the Peperos were on a buy one get one free sale 👉👈”

Suggests playing the pocky/pepero kiss game to which you smack him in response

But you end up giving him a quick peck anyways, and he freezes, stunned

You run off, face red, Changbin chasing after to you with a wicked grin

“What was that? Is that buy one get one, too, because I want another oneeee!”

Hyunjin

The chillest roommate, but when he gets hyper oh m y

I ain’t gettin no sleep cos of y’all, y’all not gettin sleep cos of me

You have to wake him on the weekends because this boy would sleep until the evening

You want to let him rest, though, since he’s always out and working so late ;(

Secretly takes so many candid, soft pictures of you and saves them as his wallpaper

Loves to take you shopping and dress the both of you in matching #OOTDs

Hypes you the heck up

“She’s sister snatched today! Skin glowing, outfit on point -- oh look at that SMILE! Do the thing again -- oh my gosh. You’re killing it, y/n!”

Gives you fashion advice and beauty tips, although you keep bugging him for his skincare routine cuz damn

Probably share skincare products

Always do face masks together but fail at keeping them on because the two of you keep laughing at the stupidest things

Sometimes he has to put you to bed when he comes home late, and you’ve fallen asleep on the couch waiting for him to get back

Can’t resist kissing your forehead sometimes when tucking you in

At moments like these, he finds himself wishing for a sliver of a chance that you might feel the same way he has

He’s honestly so damn obvious though, getting you matching “roommate” things when he goes out -- plushies that remind him of you, little snacks when you’re down, cute accessories, you name it

This boy also forgets that he talks in his sleep -- and is very hard to wake up

So one morning, you’re leaning over his bed, about to shake him awake, and hear him mumble

“y/n, y/n, y/n...i like you sooo much...what do i do?”

You nearly choke on your toast, effectively waking the boy up, and he stares at you, half-awake and mortified.

“What? Did I--did I say something in my sleep?”

The smug, blushing smile spreading over your face is enough to send him diving back under the covers as you begin to tease him

Jisung

So comfortable to be around, he’s basically your best friend from day 1

Except for the fact that he’s so. Damn. LOUD

Noise complaints filed from the neighbours, the landlord, the neighbour’s dog, you name it

Another soft bean whose bedhead you love to ruffle

I mean have you seen My Pace dance practice? That boys mane has a mind of its own--

Brings you lots of cakes and pastries from cute bakeries when you’re stressed

A responsible boi™ ! always helps you out around the house.

Grocery shopping together? What a concept

Except he piles the cart with chips and snacks when he thinks you’re not looking

Lots of late nights binging movies on Netflix

This boy loves moves

But he loves them even more when he watches them with you ;D

Afterwards, you’re both too lazy and comfortable to move, so you end up falling asleep cuddled up against each other

Always runs away and hides when you ask to see his songs

You find scraps of hastily scribbled lyrics and ideas strewn around the house all the time

Little phrases like “i think i love you” and “my heart beats impossibly fast when i’m with you”

So you manage to collect enough to bring them to him and tease him about it

Jisung gets all quiet, though, instead of whining like he usually does, and you quickly apologise, thinking you’ve gone too far

You reassure him his writing is amazing

“It’s not that.”

He finally looks you in the eye, the intensity of his stare making your heart stop for a moment.

“They’re about you.”

Oh, how the turn tables.

Felix

i hate him sm, blease

Why did you even agree to room with him

Rooming with Felix is a one way trip to insanity -- we going ✈️✈️ acid trip

You can hear him yelling yeets and yeehaws when he plays Fortnite while you do your homework, and you swear you’re t h i s close to putting his head straight through his screen

Video game marathons when you’re not busy though, you have to admit, are the bomb

Probably convinced you to make TikToks with him

Makes you do all the viral challenges, including the couple trends

Honestly the most fun guy to be around ever

Your daily dose of memes and sugar

Knows when to be down to earth and serious, though!

Gives the best massages when you’re overworked and runs you a bath, promptly ordering your favourite takeout and making sure to feed you

Building pillow forts together on rainy days and snow days, and having sleepovers!

Binging vine compilations together during said sleepovers

Sending each other memes at 1 am when you’re both simultaneously procrastinating on homework

You basically became a couple without really going through the confession stage; it just sort of happened

“Hey, ‘lix?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I think I kinda like you.”

A sideways smirk. “Well, yeah, you’ve dealt with me for this long.”

The best-friends couple: soulmates, and, more importantly, partners in crime vine

Seungmin

Sweetest roommate!! Honestly you feel bad for even asking him to do chores

Has a bit of an evil side, though

One second he’s flashing you an angelic smile, the next he’s roasting you for your selfie skills on your recent Instagram post

You make one (1) complaint about the living room being messy, next thing you know you wake up and it’s spick and span

Cooks?? Really hecking well?

Sometimes you wonder if you signed up for a roommate or a housekeeper

Your apartment is so clean

Taking evening strolls together after dinner and taking pictures at the park

Walks you to and from work/school like a little puppy, and gets anxious if you’re late coming home

Doesn’t know how to show how much he cares about you and gets frustrated with himself

So he indulges in the little things, like packing you cute little lunches with sticky notes on the containers

Little notes around the house on days he stays out working late, like make sure you’re eating! And don’t sleep too late!

Honestly, you fell for him the moment he first smiled at you

Once, he was working overtime nonstop, and you didn’t get to see him for over two weeks

When he finally came home on time, you couldn’t help tackling him in a big bear hug

After he got over his initial heartbeat racing a thousand miles per hour, he dropped his head into the crook of your neck, hugging you back tightly

No words were needed, you missed each other’s presence so much, it seemed to say itself

I love you, and I missed you.

Jeongin

Is this boy even old enough to rent out a room? He is babie

So incredibly shy when he first meets you, but warms up quickly

Owns animal-printed pajamas and onesies

You both had a mini celebration when he got his braces off, complete with banana milk and animal crackers

You are both babie

An early bird, always wakes up before you

You wake up to him shaking you and laughing at your scrunched up face

“Wake uuppp, y/n, you’re going to be so late!”

“Ergghhhh.”

Can’t clean to save his life; always ends up breaking something or knocking things over

So he’s in charge of doing the laundry

Had a fat mental breakdown when he realised that meant your underwear

Your apartment is littered with figurines and plushies that both of you collect and don’t have the heart to clean out

“Jeongin, where are y----” you stop. “Why are you lying face down on the ground?”

“...we’re out of banana milk.”

Another hidden evil bean who clowns you for everything you do once he warms up to you

Baby boy!Jeongin switches to Savage!Jeongin in a matter of seconds

Also makes you kill the spider

Helps you cook, but only if you tell him how to do everything or he’ll freak out

Putting mukbang channels on the TV while eating together and watching in comfortable silence

Loves watching you eat and has a million derpy pictures of you saved on his phone

Poor boy has no idea how to tell you he’s falling head over heels with you

Accidentally blurts out “I like you” during a screaming contest

Lots, I mean LOTS of awkward laughing as Jeongin feels his face heat up, watching yours do the same

The longest moment passes, and Jeongin is getting ready to disassociate when you’re finally able to open your mouth and scream back,

“I like you, too!”

Baby boy found his soulmate.

#on today's episode #of things ryu did #instead of her homework #i'd love to have them as roommates thoughㅠㅠ #enjoy this soft thread! #stray kids #stray kids soft #stray kids roommate #roommate au #bang chan #stray kids chan #stray kids bang chan #lee know #stray kids minho #woojin #stray kids woojin #hwang hyunjin #han jisung #felix stray kids #stray kids jeongin #seungmin stray kids #stray kids changbin #stray kids boyfriend #stray kids imagine #stray kids thread

[ceealaina]

Put a Spell on You

Title: Put a Spell on You Author: ceealaina Rating: T Square Filled: Free [Iron Husbands Bingo] Pairing: IronHusbands Summary: When Tony adopts a stray cat right before Halloween, Rhodey just figures it’s his roommate being his roommate. But after the cat scratches him, he starts feeling a little weird...

It started on a Wednesday, which was typical, because Wednesdays were Rhodey’s least favourite day. Everything bad happened on a Wednesday. On that particular morning, he woke up to cold Chinese on the counter, day-old coffee in the coffeemaker and no sign of his roommate. 

He’d last seen Tony around eight o’clock the night before, when he’d popped into the campus lab on his way home to ask if he should order enough Chinese for him too. Tony had given him a distracted affirmative, telling him that Chinese sounded awesome, and that he had about half an hour of work left and then he’d be heading home too. Rhodey had known he should have waited, made sure Tony actually wrapped things up, but it had been cold and rainy, and he’d had a pair of sweatpants and a baseball game calling to him at home. 

But if Tony’s bed was empty now, then he’d absolutely pulled another all-nighter at the lab. Had probably got caught up in an idea and hadn’t even realized how much time had passed. 

Again. 

And sure, it wasn’t technically Rhodey’s responsibility -- Tony was even a legal adult now, old enough to vote, and drink if they hadn’t just increased the age limit (as he wouldn’t stop complaining about), and take care of himself. But Rhodey’d been looking out for the twerp since he had shown up at MIT with braces and two-inch thick glasses and that ridiculously terrible haircut, and he wasn’t about to stop now. So he headed back to his bedroom, giving his still-warm bed a last, longing look as he got dressed for the trudge back to campus. He should have just enough time to collect Tony and get him home before he had to make his own way to class. 

Tony, just as he’d suspected, was about twelve coffees in, wild-eyed and a little manic over his new idea. Rhodey had faked interest (it was too early in the morning to follow what Tony was even saying) and it hadn’t been as difficult as he’d expected to herd Tony out the door. The sky had cleared overnight, but the wind was cold, and Rhodey shoved his hands in his pockets as they shuffled towards home, kicking at dead leaves and yawning while Tony continued raving, gesticulating wildly to express points that went entirely over Rhodey’s head. 

They were cutting through the park when Tony stopped talking mid-sentence. Rhodey turned to look at him only to find Tony staring at the bushes with wide eyes. 

“What?” he managed to ask before Tony shushed him and then dropped to all fours, peering into the bushes in question. Rhodey considered kicking him in the ass (it’s what a good best friend would do) and then got distracted by said ass. Tony was filling out more, no longer the short, skinny teenager that Rhodey had first met. Well, he was still short — Rhodey would lord those two-and-three-eighths-inches over him until the day he died — but not as short. And apparently he’d started doing squats at some point, because that ass was nice . Rhodey should tell him sometime, that he was looking good. 

Which was when he realized that it was butt o’clock in the morning and he was standing in a cold park ogling his best friend’s ass. He needed more sleep. 

“Tony,” he grumbled. It was definitely not a whine. “Come on, man. I’m freezing my ass off out here. What are you even doing?”

“Shhh,” Tony insisted, voice low and just above a whisper. “I thought I saw—,” He cut himself off with a noise that could almost be considered a squeal. “There, look. Hi baby,” he added, voice shifting into a soft coo. “Hello, aren’t you just beautiful?” 

Rhodey stared at him wide-eyed, wondering if he had finally lost it, before following Tony’s gaze. He didn’t see it at first, the lighting in the shade of the trees too dim, but then he noticed the pair of big, yellow eyes blinking out at them. Tony continued cooing, rubbing his fingers together in a way that was apparently supposed to be tempting, and Rhodey rolled his eyes. 

“Tones, come on. It’s just a cat. Leave it.” 

“I think it’s a baby,” Tony hummed, ignoring him entirely. “Come on, sweetheart. Look at you, aren’t you so pretty?” 

He continued talking to it until slowly the small black form crawled out from the shrubs. It craned its neck out to sniff at Tony’s fingers and then darted back, not quite as far as before. 

“Oh no, it’s okay,” Tony soothed. “I’m not going to hurt you. Come on out, it’s okay.” 

Rhodey kicked at Tony’s ankle. “Come on, let’s go home. It’s a black cat. It’s bad luck, and you’ve got enough of that already.” 

Tony shot him a look over his shoulder. “I happen to like black cats, okay?” 

“That’s your white guilt talking,” Rhodey informed him, getting a soft huff of laughter in return. “Tony. I’m going to be late for class.”

“So go,” Tony told him. “I just want to see if it has a collar or something. I promise, I remember where our apartment is.” 

Rhodey considered staying, but they were close to home, and he’d never been a cat person; he really didn’t want to be late to class because of some stray. It wasn’t like it was hurt or anything, it was fine , it was just Tony being Tony. And while most of Tony’s manic energy looked to have worn off, he still seemed alert enough that he probably wouldn’t just conk out and fall asleep right there in the park. 

Again . 

“Fine,” Rhodey huffed out. “Don’t spend all day here, yeah? Go and get some sleep.”

Tony waved him off still murmuring sweet nothings to the cat, and Rhodey set off for home, jogging now because he really was going to be late. 

***

He’d mostly forgotten about it by the time he was heading back to the apartment that evening. It was midterm season, and he was exhausted. His attention span for anything that wasn’t studying was pretty much zero. He’d swung by the lab on his way out, to make sure Tony was fed and watered, but to his surprise, he wasn’t there. Still, he’d pulled a lot of all nighters in the past couple weeks; he’d probably gone home, crashed, and hadn’t pulled himself out of bed yet. Consistent sleep hours wasn’t a concept that Tony Stark was familiar with. 

When he walked into their apartment, though, the lights were on and the whole place smelled like his favourite kind of pizza. “Aw yes,” he moaned to himself, dropping his bag and jacket right to the floor and beelining for the kitchen. He groaned loudly as he shoved half a slice in his mouth at once, favour bursting on his tongue. “This is so good,” he mumbled. “Tony?” he called, grabbing a couple more slices to take with him.

“In here!” 

He followed the sound of his voice into the living room. “Have I told you lately that you’re my favourite?” 

Tony was sitting on the floor, fiddling with a cardboard box. “Uhh, not lately,” he admitted. “But that’s good to know.”   

There was something off about the way he said it, eyes not quite meeting Rhodey’s and Rhodey stilled, slowly lowering the pizza to the table. “Tony…?”

Tony beamed at him a minute and then, clearly realizing that Rhodey wasn’t buying it, he reached into the box to hold up something small and black. “Surprise!” 

Rhodey stared for a minute, not fully comprehending what he was looking at until the black lump mewed at him. “Oh no,” he said, sitting down heavily on the couch. “Oh no. I knew I shouldn’t have left you there.” 

“His name is Michael,” Tony informed him, like Rhodey hadn’t said anything. 

“ Michael ?” 

“Yeah! Like Myers? Cause he’s a black cat, and it’s almost Halloween?”

“Oh my god,” Rhodey muttered, shaking his head. “Tony we can’t keep a cat.” 

“Rhodey, come on,” Tony pleaded. “He’s just a baby, look at how tiny he is. He won’t last outside once it gets much colder. And look how friendly he is!” 

Rhodey had to admit, the cat did seem to like Tony. He was stomping all over his lap, tiny frame stretching, digging his nails into Tony’s thighs and kneading in the process. Rhodey could hear the faint rumblings of what promised to be an impressive purr too. And Tony looked so thrilled, his attention back on the cat as he scratched behind his ear and the cat almost melted and then proceeded to somersault off his lap in delight. Rhodey fought back a fond smile before Tony could see it and know he’d won. 

“Michael, huh?” he asked instead, trying not to cave when Tony turned the puppy dog eyes on him. 

He moved closer, squatting down to look at him more closely. Michael blinked curious eyes at Rhodey, and, following Tony’s movements from earlier, he held out his fingers. Michael stepped across Tony’s lap to get closer, and then —

“Motherfucker!” Rhodey tipped back on his ass, startling the cat into hiding under the couch, but he wasn’t much paying attention to that. He shook out his hand and frowned at the large scratch that had appeared under his knuckles. Blood was welling from it, and it stung like a bitch, and he sucked at the skin, trying to soothe the pain. 

Grumbling, he got to his feet, heading for the bathroom to clean it off. “That cat’s a menace, Tones,” he informed him. 

The cat stayed. 

***

Really, Rhodey should have known it was a lost cause. He could never resist those puppy dog eyes of Tony’s, and he’d had them out in full force when he’d been pleading Michael’s case. So he probably shouldn’t have been so surprised when he got up the next morning to find Tony sprawled across the length of the couch, still fully dressed and snoring loudly, Michael a small black lump on his stomach. 

At least he’d slept. 

Rhodey eyed him a minute. Tony’s face was softened in sleep, the faint crinkles around his eyes disappearing, along with slightly manic expression he often wore. He looked downright peaceful, calm and content, lips curling up into a faint smile, soft and plush and tempting. It was a good look for him. His shirt had ridden up a little, exposing sharp hipbones and his soft, pale stomach, and Rhodey was struck by the urge to press a kiss against his skin. Which -- what the fuck . 

As if sensing Rhodey’s less-than-savoury thoughts, Michael opened one yellow eye and a low growl started deep in his chest. Rhodey held his hands up, taking a couple steps back. “Okay, okay,” he said. “I don’t know either.” 

He headed for the kitchen and got a pot of coffee started, downing a full cup himself before he headed back into the living room. Michael’s eyes were firmly closed again, and Rhodey flicked Tony’s ear, hard. His eyes slid open, and he blinked up at Rhodey. 

(Tony had the uncanny ability to go from dead asleep to wide awake without moving a single muscle in his body. Rhodey didn’t like to think about how and why he might have developed that particular skill.)

“Your cat is growling at me.” 

“He is not,” Tony protested automatically, relaxing now that he knew where he was. He stretched out on the couch further, one hand scratching at Michael’s neck, and the cat nuzzled into it. “He’s purring.” 

“He hates me,” Rhodey informed him, watching as Tony struggled to sit up without dislodging the cat. He looked ridiculous, flailing at the back of the couch, and Rhodey didn’t bother to hide the way he was laughing at him. Tony gave him a dirty look, and Rhodey made a face at him in return before taking pity and passing him a mug of coffee. Tony moaned appreciatively, shoving his face in the steam before taking a huge gulp. 

“Mmm,” he mumbled into the cup, blinking sweetly at Rhodey over the rim. “God, I love you, baby.” 

Feeling suddenly hot all over, Rhodey headed over to the thermostat to see if Tony had messed with the settings again, boosting it up to his preferred temperature of ninety million degrees. “Don’t change the subject,” Rhodey told him, frowning when he found it set normally. “You gave him a warm spot for the night, but he can’t stay. If you don’t want to put him back outside, then we can take him to the shelter.” 

“The shelter??” Tony gasped audibly, and Rhodey rolled his eyes when he looked over to find Tony covering Michael’s ears. “We can’t take him to a shelter. Black cats are the least adoptable of all cats. They’ll end up putting him down!” 

Rhodey wrinkled his nose at him, rubbing at the cut Michael had left on his hand. It itched like crazy. “How do you even know that?” 

“And if they do adopt him,” Tony continued, as if he hadn’t even spoken, “Who knows what’ll happen to him. It’s almost Halloween, honeybear. Do you know what kind of weird things people do to black cats on Halloween?” 

“Pretty sure that’s an urban legend,” Rhodey grumbled. Then he made the mistake of looking at Tony, who was staring at him with hopeful eyes. 

“ Please Rhodey?” he asked softly, in a voice that made Rhodey melt and shiver at the same time. He sighed; he’d already lost and he knew it. 

***

When he made it home that night, Tony was gone, back at the lab to work on his final project, but a litter box and food and water dishes had magically appeared in the apartment, along with about fifty thousand cat toys and six different beds. Rhodey felt like shit, exhausted and shivery, and just shook his head. He had about three hours worth of studying to do for his final midterm the next day, and couldn’t care enough to even look for where the damn cat was holed up. There was food and water in his dish. He’d come out if he was hungry. 

Of course, when he dragged himself to bed hours later, it was to find Michael sound asleep in the centre of his bed. Rhodey hesitated a moment, considering. He thought about trying to climb into the bed anyway, but no sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Michael started growling again, his eyes not even open. 

“Fuck it,” Rhodey declared. The last thing he wanted was to wake up with his eyes clawed out; he needed them for his test tomorrow. So he shuffled into Tony’s room instead, crawling under his blankets. He was asleep almost before he hit the pillow, but retained just enough consciousness to notice how the sheets smelled like Tony. Taking a deep breath and snuggling in deeper, he drifted off.  

It was still dark when something pulled him back into consciousness. He blinked blearily a few times, eyes burning and taking too long to adjust to the dim light. It took him a long moment to realize it was Tony who had woken him up, standing over him with an arched brow and a crooked grin. “Whatcha doin, Buttercup?” 

Rhodey grunted and rolled over, hugging Tony’s pillow tighter. “Mmph. Cat,” he managed to say. There was a moment of silence as Tony deciphered that, long enough for Rhodey to almost fall asleep again, and then Tony was pushing gently at his shoulder. 

“C’mon, Rhodeybear. Budge up, huh?” 

Rhodey was too tired to even think twice when Tony crawled into bed beside him. And when he snuggled up close to Rhodey’s side, he just pressed right back into him. 

***

Rhodey was pretty sure he was half dead by the time he made it home the next day. There was a storm rolling in, the air cold and windy, and he’d just missed the rain that was now lashing at their windows. He dropped his bag inside the door and then blinked when he found Tony sitting on the couch. He was scribbling equations on a notepad, tongue sticking out as he frowned in concentration, and Rhodey had the brief thought that he was adorable, followed by the thought that he’d really like to feel that tongue on his body. 

Which was when Tony looked up, beaming at the sight of him. “Hey honeybear! How was the midterm?” 

Rhodey blinked, shaking his head like he could Etch-a-Sketch the weird thoughts out of his brain, and flopped onto the couch beside Tony. He misjudged where he sat, ending up a little too close, but was too tired to be bothered shifting over. He leaned into Tony’s side instead, letting him keep him upright. “You remembered?” he asked, scratching at his hand again. Tony could barely remember to eat most days, Rhodey certainly didn’t expect him to remember his schedule. 

But Tony just huffed out a laugh. “Of course I remembered. Did it go okay?”

Rhodey shrugged. “Don’t even know,” he admitted. “Just glad it’s done.” 

Tony laughed again. “I ordered celebratory Chinese.” He bumped his shoulder against Rhodey’s, turning his head to grin at him. “Figured I owed you payback from Tuesday.”  

“You’re the best,” Rhodey told him, making no move to stand up. He found himself lulled by the steady in and out of Tony’s breathing, where his side was pressed into Rhodey’s. A minute later, Tony’s left hand came up, scratching at the short hair on the back of his scalp before rubbing at his neck. Rhodey shuddered at the feeling. 

“You want a nap first?” Tony asked, voice amused but pitched soft and low as he rubbed the tension away. 

“Yeah,” Rhodey sighed, still making no move to stand up. He kind of wanted to stay here forever. 

He really had intended to go to his own bed to sleep, but the next thing he knew he was waking up, stretched out on the couch. It took him a second to get his bearings, to realize that there was a fleece blanket draped over him, that his head was half pillowed on Tony’s thigh, and that long fingers were still scratching absently over his scalp, sending pleasant shivers up his spine. He shifted, looking up at Tony, who grinned down at him when he realized Rhodey was awake. 

“Oh hey,” he teased, eyes sparkling. “It lives!”

And there was something wrong with Rhodey, because all he could do was stare at Tony’s lips, and think about how much he wanted him to lean down and kiss him. Tony met his eyes, when he didn’t answer, chewing at his lower lip, and for a minute Rhodey thought he really was going to lean down and do exactly that. 

Which was when Michael came flying out of nowhere, bouncing off the back of the couch and onto Rhodey’s stomach, startling a yelp out of him. The cat’s nails dug into his stomach in response, and Rhodey jerked in pain, nearly smacking his head against Tony’s chin in the process. By the time Michael had untangled himself, and Rhodey had stopped flailing long enough to manage to sit upright, Tony was bent in half laughing at the noise that Rhodey had made. Rhodey shoved him, and Tony shoved him back. There was no awkwardness, no hint of the moment that had passed between him, and Rhodey told himself that it hadn’t happened at all, had just been his imagination playing tricks on him, a symptom of his nap hangover. 

“That cat’s evil,” he told Tony, though he made no further mention of getting rid of him. 

Tony beamed at him. “I think he likes you,” he teased, still giggling. He pressed a sloppy kiss to Rhodey’s cheek, making him swat at Tony’s face, and then he shoved Rhodey off the couch. “Go get your Chinese, I left it in the oven so it would be warm for you.” He reached over to the side table, holding up a video cassette with a gleeful expression. “I got beer and every slasher film I could find. You and me? Were gonna spend the entire weekend holed up in here, getting drunk and making fun of dumb teenagers. Real life can wait until Monday.” Tony beamed at him, and something in Rhodey’s stomach fluttered at the sight.

“You are a dumb teenager,” he told Tony, because it was expected of him. He couldn’t help grinning back at him though, because that sounded like everything he wanted right now. 

He brought extra food when he came back, knowing that Tony would steal half of Rhodey’s off his plate. Tony already had a movie queued up and Rhodey flopped onto the far end of the couch, depositing his feet into Tony’s lap. Tony made a show of poking at the hole in his big toe, grumbling about how his feet smelled, but his hand settled comfortably over Rhodey’s ankles as he leaned back to watch the movie, occasionally reaching over to steal spare ribs and baby corn from Rhodey. Eventually Michael came to join them, shoving himself between Rhodey’s feet and Tony’s stomach and curling into a little ball. Rhodey eyed him suspiciously, concerned for his toes, but Michael seemed to go right to sleep. He was purring, and the rumbling sensation against his foot was oddly soothing. 

But by the time Tony had shoved his feet away to get up and pop in the next movie, Rhodey was sniffling, eyes feeling blurry again. He leaned back against the couch, letting his eyes fall closed as he listened to Tony pad into the kitchen, feeding Michael and opening the fridge. He jolted when something icy cold pressed against his side, and looked up to see Tony smirking at him, beer in hand. 

“Thanks,” he mumbled, taking it and knocking back a large swallow. Tony’s brow furrowed as he settled back on the couch beside him. 

“You okay?” he asked. 

Rhodey shrugged. “Think I’m coming down with something,” he grumped. “Figures, just when I finished midterms.”

Tony scrunched his nose at him sympathetically. “Could be worse?” he offered. “At least you didn’t get sick during midterms.” He grabbed Rhodey’s legs, hauling them back into his lap, and Rhodey arched an eyebrow at him. “What?” he asked defensively, although he was laughing. “You’re warm!” 

Rhodey didn’t bother pointing out the blanket draped across the back of the couch. 

He spent the next movie alternating between dozing and bitching about how much he hated being sick. It didn’t feel like a normal cold, no sore throat, no irritating itch, just a sniffly nose and burning eyes, but it was still enough to make him cranky. He knew he was probably being really irritating, but Tony didn’t complain, just laughed at him and made sympathetic noises in turn, occasionally rubbing his thumb over Rhodey’s ankle bone when his complaints got particularly pathetic. 

Sick or not, fair was fair, so when the second movie was over, Rhodey hauled his sorry ass off the couch to grab the next round of beer. He picked up a bag of chips while he was out there, and was headed back into the living room when Michael came out of nowhere, winding his way through Rhodey’s feet. Trying not to step on him, Rhodey lost his balance. He managed to catch himself before he face planted, but dropped one of the bottles of beer. It didn’t break, at least, but the beer spilled all over the floor, and Rhodey stared at it forlornly. 

“Come on,” he whined. Tony was snickering -- although he moved to grab a towel and throw it on the mess -- and Rhodey glared at him. “Stop laughing,” he protested, “This is your fault. Your cat cursed me.” 

This just made Tony laugh harder. “What??” he asked, tossing the wet towel in the sink. He sprayed cleaner on the floor and let it sit, dropping back onto the couch in favour of wiping it down. “What do you mean the cat cursed you?” 

“Hey, I’m serious,” Rhodey told him, pointing at him before rubbing at his watery eyes with the back of his hand. “He’s evil, and he cursed me! I’ve got cat scratch fever. He showed up here, and all of a sudden I’m sniffling and my eyes are burning. This fucking cut won’t heal--,”

“It’s been two days, honeybear.” 

Rhodey glared at him, scratching at his hand and moving to wipe up the cleaning solution before the floor got all sticky. “Cursed,” he repeated, scrubbing at the floor. Tony was laughing behind him. “I’m tired, I’m stupid, I’m uncoordinated. My head hurts, my hand’s itchy, and I keep having these crazy thoughts about how I should kiss my roommate.” 

He didn’t even realize what he’d said at first, but Tony’s laughter stopped, going suddenly quiet. Rhodey played back what he’d said, and felt his heart stop. That was definitely not something he had planned on sharing. There wasn’t a sound from Tony though, and not knowing what he was thinking right now was killing Rhodey. Drawing in a deep breath, he forced himself to stand up and look at Tony.

Tony was staring back at him, lips parted and eyes wide. He ducked his head and licked his lips before peering back up at Rhodey. 

“That… That’s not crazy,” he said, voice quiet, soft. Hopeful. 

Rhodey stared at him for a moment, trying to process what had just happened. And of course, because it was Tony, he immediately panicked. 

“I mean, unless you meant a different roommate,” he added quickly with a tense laugh. “In which case forget I said anything. The cat, or the person you’re hiding in the closet. Do we have a secret third roommate? Are you renting out my room when I pull all nighters at the lab?” 

He was rambling, couldn’t get stopped, and Rhodey had no idea how he hadn’t realized until right now how much he loved this man. Figuring ‘fuck it’ he stepped forward, pulled Tony to his feet, cupped his face in his hands, and kissed him. Tony had been mid sentence, and he cut himself off with a startled noise, eyes still open. His lips were warm and dry against Rhodey’s, but he wasn’t kissing him back. Rhodey was just beginning to wonder if he’d misread everything when Tony abruptly got with the program. With a startled noise he was surging forward, pressing against Rhodey and kissing him in return. Rhodey couldn’t help grinning against his lips, laughing a little, but then Tony was sliding his tongue along his lips, hand shifting to curl around his neck, and shit, he was good at this. Rhodey moaned into his mouth, hands sliding down to grip at Tony’s waist, and then, because he could now, lower still. He squeezed his ass, using his grip to yank Tony right up against him. Tony made another surprised noise at that, breaking the kiss with a delighted giggle. 

“Um.” He looked at Rhodey with a pleased smile and flushed cheeks. “Hi.” 

Rhodey beamed at him. “Hi,” he said back. He couldn’t resist giving Tony’s ass another squeeze, grinning wide at the little squeak he made in response. Tony wrinkled his nose at him but he was grinning too, his hands still curled around Rhodey’s neck. 

“That was… That was good,” Tony said, licking his lips as he looked at Rhodey. “Right?” 

“Good?” Rhodey repeated incredulously. He darted forward, giving Tony another quick kiss. “Fuck Tones, you’re a good kisser. Guess all those those dates you’ve been going on have paid off, huh?” 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Shut up,” he mumbled. 

Rhodey arched an eyebrow at him. “Make me.” 

So Tony did. 

They ended up sprawled across the couch, Rhodey on his back, Tony half draped on top of him, legs tangled together as they made out lazily. It was a tight fit, and Rhodey had one foot on the floor, but it was more than worth it. Tony’s hands were under his t-shirt, running over his chest, and Rhodey was teasing over Tony’s back, just above the waist of his jeans. It was good, slow and easy, instantly in sync with each other the way they’d always been. They were rocking against each other occasionally, but there was no real urge to take things any further yet. 

Rhodey pulled away to catch his breath, and Tony immediately shifted to kiss his neck instead. Rhodey grinned up at the ceiling, shivering when Tony’s teeth scraped over just the right spot. He shifted his hand to comb through Tony’s soft curls and felt him smile against his skin. 

“I’ve been thinking about it too,” Tony admitted, voice muffled. He lifted his head, grinning at Rhodey with heavy eyes. “Kissing my roommate, I mean.” 

“Yeah?” Rhodey rubbed the back of his neck. “You mean me, or the one hiding in the closet?” 

Tony rolled his eyes at him. “Been thinking about other things too,” he added. 

Rhodey rocked his hips pointedly up against him. “God, I hope so.”

“Shut up,” Tony protested, although he was laughing. “I’m trying to be serious here. I know I’ve got a reputation…”

“Oh, for being the king of one-night stands? That reputation?” 

Tony pouted at him, and Rhodey couldn’t resist kissing it away. “Sorry,” he whispered against his lips. “Sorry, go on.” 

“I just… I wanted you to know that this wasn’t that. I mean, obviously it’s that too, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot. Not just sex, just… This.” He was getting flustered, nose turning pink in a blush, and Rhodey had to kiss it away. 

“Are you trying to ask me out?” 

“Something like that,” Tony admitted, eyes wide and hopeful. Rhodey thought about how many times Tony had broken up with someone after a weekend, every time he’d told him that he just wasn’t meant for relationships, and warmth pooled low in his stomach. He curled his hand around the back of Tony’s neck, pulling him down for another long, needy kiss. 

Which was when there was a sudden high pitched meow. Michael jumped down onto Tony’s back, giving Rhodey a dirty look, and Rhodey promptly sneezed three times in a row, just managing to turn his head before he sneezed directly in Tony’s face. The sound startled Michael, who scampered off again, and Rhodey leaned his head back against the arm rest with a groan as his eyes watered again. 

“See?” he huffed. “Ugh, I hate being sick. Oh shit!” HIs eyes went wide as he realized they’d been making out for the better part of the past half hour, and he brushed his fingers through Tony’s hair again. “Baby, I’m gonna get you sick too.”

To his surprise, Tony burst out laughing, turning his head to kiss Rhodey’s palm. “Oh god honey, I love you,” he told him, not even flinching from the words. “You’re not sick, you doofus. You’ve got allergies.” 

Rhodey stared at him blankly. “... What?” 

Tony grinned at him. “You got allergies. To the cat,” he added. “Think about it. The watery eyes, the sniffles, the sneezing. It’s an allergy.” His face fell a little. “Guess we can’t keep Michael after all.”

Rhodey shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense. We had a cat, when I was a kid. He didn’t like me, but I wasn’t allergic.”

Tony considered this. “Some dander allergies disappear after exposure,” he offered. “Allergic at first, but after a couple weeks, your body’ll adjust.” 

Rhodey squinted at him. “How do you know that?” 

He got a shrug in return. “I don’t know. Read it in a book once. Does this mean we can keep Michael?” 

“Yeah,” Rhodey admitted, mostly because he’d do anything to make Tony smile. He sniffled again. “I hope you’re prepared for how gross I’ll be for the next few weeks though.” 

Tony grinned, hopping off the couch, laughing at that distraught sound that Rhodey made at the loss of his body weight. “Hold that thought, handsome.” 

Rhodey rolled his head on the armrest, watching as he jammed his feet into his sneakers and grabbed the first jacket he could find, which happened to be Rhodey’s. “Wait, where are you going?”

Tony waggled his eyebrows at him. “Twenty-four hour pharmacy three blocks away. Gonna grab some allergy pills so we can make out in the meantime.” He winked and was out the door without another word. Rhodey stretched out on the couch, grinning up at the ceiling a little giddily. God, he really loved that man. 

Michael appeared from nowhere, curled up on Rhodey’s stomach, and went to sleep. 

#ironhusbands #ironhusbandsbingo #tony stark #james rhodes #schmoop #fluff #autumn vibes #MIT era #getting together #domestic #fic #my fic

[empresskatariah]

Prologue

Fomorians were sea-folk, though they hadn’t always been, and those that took to land were often weakened by the absence of water. There was enough of their previous form left to give them proper legs and a means of breathing, but not even their tremendous reserves of magic could keep their skins from drying out. Containing one was simply a matter of waiting until dehydration set in and slowed it up.

But tonight the stars were hidden behind a thick layer of clouds that kept dumping torrents of rain. The air was heavy and humid, dank with the stench of wet asphalt that had been dry for too long. Oz surveyed the cityscape from his perch atop a high-rise for some bank or another, one hand stuffed in the pocket of his raincoat while the other held onto a small radio. His slitted pupils dilated as he scanned the streets for any sign of activity, then narrowed slightly as the radio crackled.

“Do you see anything?” came the query, a masculine but youthful tone.

“Nah. Sky’s still pissin’. Don’t bode well if it’s the Fomoire about.”

Oz’s voice was a stark contrast to the one from the radio. He spoke quietly but gruffly, with the barest hint of a lilting Scots’ brogue. Baritone with a growl, someone had said once; Oz didn’t disagree with that assessment.

“You never know, maybe it’s just another Kelpie and someone overreacted. It wouldn’t be the first time. I mean, how many years has it been since one of the Deep Ones came ashore?”

Oz’s face scrunched into a scowl and he opened his mouth to retort, but then his jaw clicked shut without a word. It was moments like this one that made him feel tired, or perhaps old was a better word for it.

“Three decades, give or take a couple years. Doesn’t feel that long to me, though.”

“Cheer up, old man.” A laugh came through the speaker. “Odds are we get to finish up here soon and then we’ll go to Waffle House, my treat.”

Oz’s eyes widened. Suddenly the promise of Waffle House shone like a flaming beacon in the midst of this dismal murk, beckoning him onward. He leaned forward, peering out at the desolate vista with renewed interest.

“Better be ready to pay dearly, then,” he said slyly, one corner of his mouth pulling upward in a toothy grin, “because I haven’t had waffles in–”

A scream cut him off. It was a man’s shriek of terror, a raw and desperate sound that cut through the muggy air like a knife. As if on cue, lightning lit up the sky and a clap of thunder followed merely half a second behind.

“What was that?” the radio demanded.

“I’m on it,” Oz grunted, stuffing the radio into his pocket as he lunged.

The ground was many stories down, at least twenty floors, but Oz hurled himself over the edge with no hesitation. For a moment he was flying, in the next he was falling – he plummeted carelessly as the air roared past him, his raincoat flapping noisily as he went.

He closed his eyes. Wondered how big of a splat he’d make if he just stayed like this and hit the ground. Wondered how long it would take to come back from a mess like that.

I always land on my feet, he thought absently, and dissipated into a cloud of black smoke.

When he reformed he was standing where he’d envisioned going splat, on a curb surrounded by loose litter and dead leaves. A large plastic bag full of waste lay nearby with several stray cats helping themselves to its contents. When Oz passed them by they stared at him, heads turning in unison as their eyes tracked him.

“It’s the King,” one of them murmured in cat-speech, amazed.

“Not anymore,” Oz growled, continuing on his way without pause.

He was glad for the lack of human presence on a night like this. It meant he could move faster than any human should without attracting unwanted attention. A man of his appearance had no business sprinting up Seventh Street at the speed of a cruising car, and yet he did so with ease. When he came to a large puddle he cleared it in a single leap, never losing his balance for an instant.

It should be around here, I know I heard it coming from this direction…

He skidded to a halt as another scream sounded. It echoed from the dark recess of a nearby alleyway, where a single electric light flickered intermittently. Immediately Oz felt an oppressive aura emanating from the shadows, a force of sheer wrongness permeating the rainy haze and causing his skin to prickle into gooseflesh. He only realized he was clenching his teeth when his jaw began to ache. Slowly, carefully he took the radio from his pocket and pressed the button.

“I know this stench,” he said quietly. “It’s one of Them. Put everyone on high alert.”

“A Deep One? A real Fomorian?” Oz could tell his comrade was truly afraid. “Are you absolutely certain?”

“Aye.” Oz drew in a deep breath, then let it out in a weary sigh. “Listen. Perce. You’re a good kid. A brave one. But I’m tellin’ you, you need to sit this one out. Let me handle it. I’ve been at this a lot longer than you and believe me, you’re better off stayin’ where you are.”

“Like hell I am,” Percy scoffed. “I’m your handler, Oz. You’re my responsibility. As if I’d just let you face something like that on your own. I’m coming and I’m bringing backup, all right? You just wait for–”

Oz turned the radio off. Tossed it aside. It skittered over the pavement and clanged against a metal trash can.

“Backup,” he spat, shaking his head as if the notion was ludicrous. “Guess I’m to hurry, then.”

Advancing into the alley was like pushing through a series of disgusting membranes. It was completely invisible, even to fey sight, but Oz could feel the presence trying to ward him off with a field of pure thought meant to dredge up his every fear. To a human it might have been overwhelming, perhaps enough to induce insanity, but to Oz it was an annoyance.

The closer he got, however, the worse it became. When he looked down at his hands he was greeted with the illusion of being covered in a horde of slimy things that pulsed and quivered like disembodied intestines. When he breathed it felt like swallowing bile. His sanity remained intact, his intellect coolly refuting the falsehoods, but it was still monumentally unpleasant.

So distracted was he by the psychic onslaught that he failed to realize he had found the crime scene until his foot stepped on something soft instead of pavement. When he looked down he saw a hand. Just a hand. The blood leaking out of its stump of a wrist was still fresh.

“Oh,” he said aloud, and dared to lift his gaze.

The sight that assaulted him was something not meant to exist. It was a creature whose composition had been dictated by mankind’s fear of the unknown, specifically man’s fear of what lay hidden beneath the ocean. It was vaguely humanoid but obscenely inhuman, a conglomeration of gills and eyes and tentacles that inflicted itself upon reality with malevolent iron will.

It was a Fomorian. And it was still eating what appeared to be a homeless man.

Oz considered his options. Ending this quickly meant going all-out, but going all-out meant his compatriots would have… difficulties dealing with the aftermath. The rain was still falling in copious amounts, meaning this beast wouldn’t run out of hydration anytime soon. It would be a long and ultimately costly fight that would likely decimate this part of the city.

You are afraid to give in to your true nature?

Oz hissed and covered his ears with his hands, though he knew it was a futile gesture. The question had been projected directly into his mind.

“I’m not afraid,” he snapped, unwilling to give the Fomorian the satisfaction of conversing as it wished to. “I’m just pissed off. Why are you here? There’s nothin’ for you here on land.”

I could say the same for you, the entity replied. Its tone was flat and emotionless, much like the text-to-speech voices human devices produced. Why do you continue to play human, Irusan?

“Don’t call me that,” Oz snarled. “It’s complicated. And you’re avoidin’ the question. Why. Are. You. Here?”

He awakens soon. No longer will we be imprisoned Below in the ruined depths of Atlantis. We shall walk the Earth again as we did in the days of mighty Balor. We shall shed these cursed forms and reclaim our land from the Usurpers.

At the mention of Balor Oz’s glare deepened and he clenched his hands into fists. Tufts of black fur were beginning to emerge from beneath his sleeves. As he bared his teeth at the enemy, he could feel that his canines had elongated.

“Fuck Balor,” he declared, “and fuck you. I’m giving you one chance to go crawlin’ back into the depths and that’s it. One. Or I’ll tear you apart and turn you into pâté.”

The Deep One tossed aside what was left of its dinner and regarded Oz with what could be presumed as contempt, since its features were unsuited for expressing emotion. It was a smaller variant compared to others of its kind, but it still filled the entire alleyway and towered at least two stories.

You should be our ally, it complained. Your behavior is illogical.

“I’ve never been much good at doing what’s expected of me,” Oz growled, stooping down like a coiled spring ready to unleash, sharp claws emerging from the tips of his gloves.

“OZ!”

A shot rang out and the Fomorian recoiled as it was struck by an iron bullet. Vile vapors billowed from the wound and it loosed a psychic scream that brought Oz to his knees. He could hear cries of anguish behind him as the human personnel who had come to aid him were assailed by mental violence they had no way of fighting against. Despite his own pain, he managed to turn and saw Percy still upright, albeit on one knee.

“Percy, you fool,” he managed.

The man whose face was still that of a boy scowled and raised his handgun. Blood was trickling from his nose and ears but he stubbornly persisted, firing off another shot at the eldritch being.

“I called for more backup,” Percy yelled, his teeth stained red. “I told them to bring everyone. I–”

His eyes bulged and rolled up, showing only their whites, as his body began to tremble. The hand holding his gun swayed left, then right, then planted the weapon’s barrel firmly against Percy’s temple.

Human puppet, the Deep One rumbled. Die.

Oz reached out toward Percy, fingers spreading in vain as Percy’s life ended in a bang and a spray of red mist.

A memory flashed through Oz’s mind unbidden, a crystal-clear remembrance of the day they had first shaken hands.

Hi, I’m Percival Ainsley. You must be Oz! I’ve heard so much about you. I think we’ll work well together, you and I.

As he watched the young man’s body crumple to the ground, Oz felt the last tether that had been holding him back snap.

“I’ll kill you,” he bellowed, his voice deepening into a roar as he turned to face the enemy. “I’ll kill you, I’ll kill...”

The sound of meat being skewered cut him off. The realization didn’t set in until Oz’s eyes followed the tentacles that had extended into his own torso, one shoved directly beneath his heart while the other had stabbed through his right side. The pain was oddly distant, save the immediate annoyance of his left lung collapsing.

“Kill you,” he wheezed, grabbing hold of one protrusion with both hands. It was strong but so was he; rage fueled him as he twisted the tentacle in an effort to remove it.

You have become weak, the Fomorian noted dispassionately. And with that it lifted him and slammed him into a brick wall with enough force to break through, sending up a cloud of dust as debris scattered.

The next few minutes seemed to last for hours. Oz slowly became aware of many things: the bitter taste of blood in his mouth, the pain of several broken ribs, a burning sensation that might be a punctured organ or two, and the fact that his right arm had become completely dislocated. His head felt wrong, as if his skull had cracked open like a walnut’s shell. Instead of getting to his feet as he wished to do, he could only struggle as his body refused to do more than thrash around feebly. A killing rage still burned in his chest, but it burned in vain.

“Dammit,” he swore, coughing violently. “Damn you.”

He’d been too slow. Too indecisive. Too willing to give a monster a chance to stand down, too attached to old allegiances that meant nothing now…

Percy. Lad. I’m sorry.

His left hand reached out, trembling, but grasped nothing. Then it fell and hit the floor with a dull thud.

Sounds of battle drifted to him from what seemed a far distance, though he knew they were mere meters away. Reinforcements had arrived. Oz had no doubt they would be able to kill the Fomorian, or at least harass it until it decided to flee back to the sea. But he could no longer muster the energy to care about victory or defeat. Simply breathing was a Herculean labor now.

Not again. Not again...

His last thought, as his heart ceased to beat and one last breath passed through his lips, was of waffles.

#a redux of what i posted yesterday bc i remembered the ending i wanted #my writing #reck/less #oz tag #this has bad language and violence y'all

[backpackersdiary]

Costa Rica 10.05 - 01.06.2017

Susi and I decided to catch the slower but cheaper public Transport to cross the border and head to “La Fortuna” Costa Rica. And it was easier as we thought. First we took a Shuttle from the Hotel to San Juan del Sur and then from there we could make a very good deal with a taxi driver because we had some time pressure and saved about 2 hours this way. It only took us about 1 hour to cross the border and the customs. From there we could easily take a local bus driving us to “Liberia” where we had to take another bus to “Cañas” and from there we changed to a bus to “Tilarán” where we finally could grab a very cheap and delicious “tico” lunch only to hop on our final bus for that day to ‘La Fortuna”. I think that last drive through the hilly side of Costa Rica left me in awe. I felt like I found myself in “Jurassic Park” again and only waited to see something big jumping out the wet Jungle. After about two hours of driving, the majestic “Volcán Arenal” finally showed himself in its most beautiful side just decovering from the mist and rainy clouds. Situated at the edge of a man-made lake “Volcán Arenal” may be a sleeping Giant but plenty of adventures awaits you here. First thing we did was booking a hiking Tour for the next day before checking out our lovely “Howler Monkey Hostel” which was found up the road about 10 min drive away from the village and surrounded by the jungle! My favorite place in whole Costa Rica.

The next morning, we got picked up by the awesome hiking guide “David” who took us to the first base of the volcano and from where we started our little hike. I really enjoyed walking through the jungle even when it was raining cats and dogs. Visiting a little pond, I could see my first little “blue Jeans” frog and also plenty of the famous “Red eyed tree Frog”. After that very wet hike we went to have a dip in a “wild” hot spring which was the perfect end to our little tour. Later that day we went out to get some Pizza’s with David.

Our next adventure was a bit more turbulent as the hike. Again, we got picked up early in the morning by a bus from “Arenal Rafting”. It took us to the “Toro River” just 15km away from La Fortuna where our Class 4 White River Rafting began. Packed with adrenalin and scare we got washed away by waves and rapids within the Costa Rican Jungle. We stopped along the way for a little fruit break before the adventure continued. Our Guide even thought we are fit enough for a surprise roll over!! I will never forget that moment of panic! But after all I really enjoyed that day. On our last day we hiked all the way to the “Fortuna River” and the spectacular Waterfall. It was nice cooling down from the hike and get some nice photos. We then took a bus/ferry/bus to Monte Verde.

The tiny Monteverde has its name from the just next door “Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve”. It is a lot cooler up here than at the coast of Costa Rica and I found myself wearing a hoodie and some long pants since a long while. There are trails to hike, birds to spot and adventures to be had everywhere you turn. We bravely signed in for at “Monteverde Extremo Park” for Zip lining. Everyone who knows me knows that I am super afraid of heights! Although, it was a great experience to see the Jungle from the perspective of a bird. The next day we went to the Reserve for doing the very famous “Bridge Walk”. For the night we planned a 2 hour long “Night walk” to explore the jungle and its animals most vivid moments. And we were very lucky, we could spot our first wild “Sloth”!

I really enjoyed travelling with Susi but that was our last stop together as she was heading to South America. I still smile thinking back of everything we experienced together! Thank you Susi for being such a wonderful Travel companion. After saying our goodbyes early morning, I caught the bus slowly driving downhill to Puntarenas and the heat of the Costa Rican Sun finally had me back! The next bus took me all the way to Manuel Antonio.

I convinced myself that it was a brilliant idea to stay for a whole week at the brand-new and resort like Hipster Hostel “Selinas” on top of a hill just a short drive to the entrance of the smallest but most popular national park “Manuel Antonio”. And I wasn’t disappointed at all when I spotted the big Pool on the roof and enjoyed the picturesque view down to the lagoon! As this was my second last week I started to slow down and relax more and more. But a good hike shouldn’t be missed so I went with 2 other people from the hostel to explore the national Park and I am glad we did it! Besides of seeing wild Howler Monkeys and other kinds of Monkeys we could also spot some Sloths and even a Racoon. Another day I’ve met with a friend from Basel who lived in MA for a couple of months. To soon I had to pack my bag again and leave great friends and head back to San Jose for a one night Stop over before arriving in Puerto Viejo back on the East Coast and the Caribbean Sea.

This little Caribbean seaside settlement is more or less a sweet party town with many tourist activities: street vendors ply Rasta trinkets and Bob Marley T-Shirts, stylish eateries serve global fusion everything and intentionally rustic bamboo bars pump Dancehall and Reggaetón. Despite that reputation, Puerto Viejo nonetheless manages to hold on to an easy charm. Straying a couple of block off the main commercial strip I found myself a nice a calm little Hostel “Playa 506”. Spending most of the days at the beach trying to get a nice tan before my final flight back home I also walked to the nearby “Jaguar Recue Centre”. Named in honor of its original resident, this well-run wildlife-rescue center in Playa Chiquita now focuses mostly on other animals, including raptors, sloths and monkeys. Founded by a zoologist and a herpetologist, the center rehabilitates orphaned, injured and rescued animals for reintroduction into the wild whenever possible. The next day I headed north for my last hike in a national Park.

The small but beautiful national Park “Cahuita” is one of the more frequently visited national parks in Costa Rica. The reasons are simple: a wonderful white-sand beach, coral reef and a coastal rainforest are bursting with wildlife. I walked about one hour in the bush along the coast without seeing any other guests so started to feel worried because of wild snakes. And just when I wanted to turn around and head back to the entrance I’ve met the Australian hiking addict Rob and I was glad to notice that I wasn’t the only one getting nervous all alone – so we had a silent agreement to walk together. We even spotted 4 of the 5 national and venomous snakes of Costa Rica. It was really nice to have someone like Rob as a hiking buddy for my last hike. Before leaving the park we had a nice little cool down in the Sea and I was sad that our meeting was only half a day. Rob was continuing his trip the next morning to Panama.

After one week of living on the beach, I left the seaside for good and drove my third and last time back to San Jose. Before coming home, I spent 2 nights in my favorite Hostel and went shopping on my last day in Paradise. Costa Rica left me in awe and I am more than looking forward to come back to this Wonderland.

[veronicainvanuatu]

The Animals of Vanuatu Want to Say “Hi”

I have officially made it through training and am now a bonafide Peace Corps Volunteer here in Vanuatu. There is a lot that I have experienced in the  nearly three months I have lived in this country, and many of these experiences involve various animals. Every island is different, but some animals are found almost everywhere - and they all have their ways of saying hello.

SPIDERS

Spiders are EVERYWHERE. Anyone with arachnophobia should stay far away, or get used to the idea of always being scared. The upside of these, often ginormous, spiders is that none of them are venomous. The chant I like to use when I unexpectedly come across one is “it can’t kill me, it can’t kill me.” All the locals swear that the spiders cannot even bit you, and children love finding the largest ones and chasing frightened Volunteers with them (all in good fun).

The worst place I have found them is in my toilets. During Wokabaot Week in Paama I accidentally killed a tarantula that was chilling on the toilet lid. As I lifted the lid it ran from underneath the lid to behind it. Once I was done with my business I tried to slowly close the lid again, but the poor guy ran around and scared me so I dropped the lid. His poor guts were everywhere...

In Pele I had a spider that liked to call the inside of my toilet home and would often be just chilling in the bowl, just above the water, when I would come in. I would often kick the toilet to scare it into hiding. I’m getting better with the spiders, but I’m not quite to the point of being comfortable with them being there while I take care of things.

LIZARDS

                                  (Photo: lizard chilling on my shoulder in Worasiviu)

There are so many lizards here! They are all harmless, but a lot of people here have an aversion to them. They often find them creepy, and some people react to them the way many people in the states stereotypically react to spiders.

Seeing them run around always makes me feel good. The worst situation I have had with a lizard was taking a drowned one out of a bucket of water. In Worasiviu I had a water-seal toilet, meaning in order to flush it I had to dump water into the bowl from a large bucket of water. I found this poor lizard while grabbing water.

The very next day I found another lizard hanging out just above the water land, so I took him out not wanting another dead lizard to deal with. This guy jumped away as soon as I got him away from the bucket. The day after I got this guy out safely, I found yet another one chilling in the same place. When I took him out he ran up my arm and into my hair. I got him to chill out on my shoulder for a bit, which made my day.

DOGS

Oh, the dogs. There are a lot of strays here, and even those with a human family roam free. Often, the only way you can tell the difference between a stray and claimed dog is by the amount of fat on its body. Families will often tell you if they have taken in one dog. Often times claimed dogs will not have names, and sometimes strays will. It all depends on the dog and the people around them. Three dogs have stood out above the rest so far; one in Epau, one on Paama, and one in Worasiviu.

                                                           (Photo: Chocolate chilling in the yard)

My Host Family in Epau has a dog they adopted from a RPCV. His name is Chocolate, and he is a well-behaved, protective dog. He very much claims his human family and tries to keep other dogs away from them. When you sing out his name he gets very excited - his tail wags and he tries to jump on you.

                           (Photo: Blacky chilling just outside of my door on Paama)

On Paama I met the last Peace Corps Volunteer’s dog, Blacky. The last PCV took him in after all of Blacky’s siblings and mom died. He decided we needed to be friends as I entered village. During my week in the village I often found him waiting for me in the morning. He’s fairly small and not quite fully grown, so many of the other dogs would show their dominance over him. My favorite memory of him so far is of a very rainy day when the two of us hung out in my house. We both took naps inside while the rain poured out of the sky. Blacky is definitely a village favorite among the children and adults alike.

 (Watchman trying to eat the inside of a coconut - Photo Credit: Frances Loeb)

In Worasiviu, Watchman was definitely the star of the show. He likes to lead everyone from village to village on Pele. I do not know how he did it, but he always seemed to know when any of the trainees were about to walk from Worasiviu to Piliura or vice versa, and made sure to lead the way. The family that claims him is in Worasiviu, but he is definitely a dog of the entire island.

CATS

                                                        (Photo: Julie, my Worasiviu family’s cat)

I absolutely love cats, and Vanuatu is full of them.  Some families have them living close to their homes, and many use them as rat controls. Many are claimed by families, but like the dogs here they move around as they wish. Kittens are often carried around by children, or a cat will randomly decide they want your attention and jump into your lap (cats don’t really change anywhere you go in this regard). 

Cockroaches

People freak out over cockroaches in the United States, but here in Vanuatu they are often a very gross looking, important part of life if you have a VIP (drop) toilet. As freaked out by them we tend to be, they love eating excrement, which helps keep those toilets from filling up too quickly. They are also rarely out during the day, so if you get all your business done earlier, and you are lucky, you very well may not have to see them too much.

Flying Foxes (Bats)

The first time someone used "flying fox" in reference to a bat I was very confused. I was picturing some unknown animal, not all of the bats I had seen in a cave in Epau Village. In the right areas, at the right times, on the three main islands I have been to (Efate, Paama, and Pele) you can see flying foxes flying around. If you want to see a lot of cute baby ones find your way to a cave!

Foul (Chickens)

There tends to be a lot of foul everywhere walking around and eating any scraps they can find. You can often witness many rooster (often referred to as "cranky manfoul") fights throughout the day. The worst sound that you commonly come across is the sound of a rooster trying to have sex with a hen (the hen is never happy).

Chickens do play a very important role in Vanuatu life (though, not nearly as important as the pig). They are often the morning alarm for people in the village. This can initially be really annoying, but you eventually adjust to it, and I tend to sleep through it now. Aside from being an alarm, they are often killed and eaten for birthdays or other celebrations.

Bullock (Cows)

                                                             (Photo: Grazing bullock on Paama)

While you can sleep through the sound of a rooster crow, I do not think it is possible to learn to sleep through the angry moos of a cow. There are a lot of bullock in my village on Paama. During my wokabaot week one was tied to the pasture near my house and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. I quickly got the impression that the bullock did not appreciate being that close to the church. Every morning around 6am the church held services, with the announcement bell being hit at 5:30am. The cow immediately responded by angrily mooing for two hours.

Nakato (Hermit Crabs)

                                            (Photo: A Nakato crossing Epau’s Bigfala Road)

Being made of a group of tropical islands, Vanuatu is full of hermit crabs (nakato). Many of us during training agreed that they are very cute, and would love watching them as they made their way around. The Ni-Vanuatu way of thinking of nakato is very different from the way many Americans view them as cute pets. Here they are seen as great fish bait. People often go out at night and collect them for their next fishing trip. When it comes time to fish they break the shell, rip off the legs, put them on a hook, and toss them into the water.

Crabs

                             (Photo: Crab crawling in my kastom ceiling in Worasiviu)

Sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night because something is making noise in your room. Usually that something is a rat, so you automatically assume rat every time. This time you grab your broom to try to chase it out of the room, but when you look up in the direction of the sound you find a crab crawling in your kastom ceiling. When this happened to me I had to decide whether to try to get it out of the ceiling (risking it falling and hitting the ground hard, or freaking out and attacking me) or to crawl back into my bed and try to ignore the sound of it. This night I chose the latter. The next day I saw no sign of the crab, but a few days later I did find the empty shell of its remains with ants carrying out the last of its meat. 

Pigs

             (Photo: Piglets running around Piliura. Photo Credit: Frances Loeb)

The pig is the most sacred animal in Vanuatu. Several people have them, and different areas have different practices and beliefs when it comes to pigs. In some villages the number of pigs you kill can determine your rank in the community; and in many communities pigs are part of the bride price. One belief that tends to extend across most, if not all, communities in Vanuatu is that the size and circular-ness of the tusk determines the pig’s value. Tusks were even used as a kastom form of money!

Pigs are often killed for traditional ceremonies (i.e. weddings, funerals, etc.). In many villages only the chief can kill a pig, but there are some where the chief cannot kill the pig. Instead, he gives another person permission to kill the pig for the kastom ceremony. 

I have another two years to meet even more animals here in the happiest place on Earth, and I cannot wait. 

#pig #pigs #tusk #kastom #south pacific #vanuatu #veronicainvanuatu #veronica in vanuatu #peace corps #peacecorps #peacecorpsvanuatu #peace corps vanuatu #nakato #hermit crab #hermitcrabs #spider #tarantula #lizard #dogs #dog #drop toilet #vip toilet #waterseal toilet #water seal toilet #island dogs #aelan dog #epau #efate #pele #worasiviu