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seldomscilence16 · 8 months

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Whumptober Day 3:

"Like crying out in empty rooms, with no one there except the moon."

Journal | solitary confinement | "make it stop."

Fandom: Voltron

Prompt used: All

Soooo this ones a little intense- at least to me as I write this. Its never specified but Lance is alone for awhile, so tread carefully just in case. I think I may do a continuation on one of the other days for this one so keep a look out if you like this one.

TW for self harm, and Torture

...

There was little light in the room. He'd tried to figure out where it was coming from, scratched at the lips in the walls until his nails were broken and bleeding. He'd decided they simply glowed.

There was no window, and the door disapeared- no it blended in, it had to be there still it had to, it could just be gone that made no sense- after that first day. That first day when he'd woken up, confused and in pain, and had a strange alien come in and speak to him. He couldnt tell you everything they said, broken translator glitching every couple words or other sentence. But it was an experiment, and a punishment.

Lance wanted to go home.

"Journal entry uh… whatever. The water and bread like stuff appeared when I passed out again, I dont remember falling asleep… It tastes weird, but they got angry when I didnt consume it before… the walls are still glowing… or maybe it is dark and Im going crazy… how many days has it been journal? Why… what did I… its not like your gonna answer anyway…"

His head hits the wall with a solid thump, the sound better than when all he can hear is bodily functions, so he does it again. And again, until his ears ring and his head aches, and the noise has blended in too much to be different and he stops. His heart and head beat to the same toon, he holds his breath to stop hearing the inflation of his lungs only for the beating to get louder. Frustrated tears come to his eyes as he releases the breath in a shout, which turns into an angry yell as he turns and pounds his tender fists into the wall.

Its not the first time, there are smears of blood- old and new- from his many little moments. He thinks hes allowed such moments after all, locked up for who knows how long with no interaction. He cant even talk to Blue, the thin connection in his soul the only thing telling him shes okay. In the beginning, he equated his moments to Keith, when he went ham on the training gladiatiors. But now… staring at his ruined fists, and wall still intact besides the smears, he feels as pathetic as ever.

He knows for a fact the rest of the team would have found a way out by now. Pidge's curiousity and spite always leads her to solutions of some kind. Hunk would have found out how this box worked and rebuilt it ten times over. Keith would have samuraied his way out of course, and Shiro would probably find this childs play. But really the main difference… is they arent him. Lance did something wrong. Lance was stupid and weak and easily caught. Lance hasnt been able to find a way out. Lance- is referring to himself in third person. Again.

He deserves to be here. The team hasnt found him yet, blue is out of range, and Lance is being punished for something. He wouldnt want any of them in his situation anyway, theyre probably off saving the universe still, probably relieved hes gone. He… he hopes theyre getting enough sleep. That Pidge isnt stuck with her face in a screen, refusing to sleep. That Hunk isnt spreading himself thin, and bottling things up. That Allura is recharging her quintessence, and taking care of herself and not pushing too hard on her own mind and the teams. That Coran isnt lonely and doing everything by himself. That Shiro is remembering to laugh and relax and chill. That Keith isnt isolating himself and training to death and…

He misses them.

Lance thought that… even if he never saw Earth again, never saw his parents again, thatd at least, the last thing he saw would be his friends- his space family- safe and alive. Not some creepy alien, or the four same walls, but the people he cares about. He knows… he knows he wasnt their first choice. That Blue deserves better, the team deserves better. But… he still loves them so much. He just wanted to know they were okay.

A stinging sensation disrupts the static ache hes fallen into, his motions drag like paper through water and he looks down at his arms. His nails, brittle and broken and cracked, have still managed to drag angry red lines across his arms. Blood and that watery fluid have bubbled to the surface in some areas, and he feels a detached sort of dissapointment. His nose whistles.

The not bread and the ucky water have appeared again. Hes on his side, he doesnt remember falling asleep, from how tired he feels, hes not even sure he can call it that. He knows they get mad when he ignores the susstenance, but he can only stare at it blankly. What was the point anyway? If he was just gonna keep waking up here, he didnt want to anymore.

He thinks he counts for moment, to determine how long it takes them to get mad, but when he tunes back in to his own brain hes simply repeated the same line of lyrics over and over. He cant recall the song, or any other lyrics, and all its really doing is annoying him, but he cant find the energy to yell at his brain to stop.

'One. I can count to one. Two. I can count to two. Three. I can count to three. Four. I cant count no more. I can only count to four, I can only count to four, I can only count fooouuuurrrr-'

The room brightens and Lance tenses as a noise fills the room. But the noise was always there, a ringing in his ears, but it grows louder and higher until everything is screaming. He hold his hands over his ears, finds a warm wetness with undertones of crusty, his mouth is open his throat feels shredded, hes curled up as much as his ribs will allow- they poke out, he can see where theyre wrong, they warp as the noise increases. His heart pounds wildly in his chest, tears streak his face, he cant see anything, theres red in his blurred vision before it whites out completely, a warmth below his nose. Shivers wrack his tense body as the cold he'd been trying to ignore sets in bone deep.

"P'ease…m…m-make it… st…stop…"

He doesnt know when he went limp, eyes open but seeing nothing, the ringing is everywhere, the feeling of liquid drying on his skin makes him itch, but he cant even twitch.

"M'ke it st…stop. Make eh stop… make it stop." A sob from deep in his chest, voice hoarse, everything hurts. "Make it stop please."

He couldnt even tell you if he'd actually spoken, or if wordless noise escaped a ruined throat. The pounding of his heart, the ringing of his ears, nothing seemed to exist past that.

Warmth on his cheek, he must be crying again…

Pressure on his back, his shoulder thanks him for rolling over, he cant recall doing it.

Something touches his neck.

He flinches violently, surprising himself and whoevers touching him. He throws his arms up, his back now against the stupidly familiar walls.

"Make it stop! I dont want to anymore! Just kill me already, Make it stopmakeitstopmaKEITSTOP!!"

Something rumbles in his mind, loud enough to block all the stupid noises, filled instead with crashing waves and warm sand, foreign yet familair.

"Lance." He flinches, he can only half hear what was said, head in a fishbowl of water and one ear clogged, but it was definetly his name…

"Leandro, please look at me hermano."

Tears bubble in his eyes as he realizes what this is.

Hes lost it completely.

Hes halucinating now. Maybe it really is finally the end-

"Lance please." It sounds so broken, she should never sound like that-

He looks up.

The door. It did exist, lying in sparking pieces as it is. Shiro is in the doorway, face drawn in concern, galra arm still smoking from whatever he used it for. Behind him Keith is glaring down his sword at something Lance cant see. Infront of him however, curled up in the too small room, knees an inch from his own, back bowed so his head wont hit the ceiling, arm brushing the smaller one next to him. Two sets of warm eyes, wet with tears and dark with bags, look at him with mournful sadness and yet, tentative hope, relief.

The tears spill over, his lips wobble as he sobs,

"Make it stop please. I cant handle it if youre not really here. Please."

"We're here buddy. Hermano, we're here. Give me your hand Lance, I promise we're real." Hunks voice wavers with emotion, Lance knows he's seconds from breaking down.

"We're late, but we're here Lance. Please." Pidges voice is small, hand held out beside Hunks, both tremble.

Lance is going to regret it. He is. He's gonna regret it.

His hands- cold, achey, maybe broken, filthy- meet the warm calloused palms of his friends. He slumps forward like his string have been cut, but the two dutifully catch him. Warmth. Not from blood or tears, but from real people. Lances eyes slipped closed, feeling safe for a moment, if he wakes up alone… at least he got to see their faces one last time…

>>next

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cold-heart-warm-writings · 2 years

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To celebrate the end of my social isolation and quarantine week with COVID, here are 6 characters I think would do just fine during a week of isolation and 5 characters that you should be Concerned ™ for:

Survivin’ and Thrivin’:

Chifuyu - We all know this kid loves his manga, and Imma bet he’d love anime too. I could see him binge reading everything he can get his hands on, having an anime marathon, and then watching, like... Transformers. Regardless, he’d be fine.

Pah - Pah seems like an actually pretty chill guy to me. He would probably watch a lot of TV, use an at home gym set if he was feeling well enough, and sleep... a LOT. The one who would really struggle though? Peh. It’s the end of day 4, and Peh is throwing rocks at Pah’s window, blasting music from a boom box, and apologizing for what? He doesn’t know, he just wants Pah to come back out and play. “I’m not mad, you idiot! I’m sick!” “Sick of me?! I’m sorry!” “NO!!!”

Koko - Honestly, his life does not change much. The only difference he notes is that people are finally leaving him the fuck alone, and he’s actually able to get some work done without someone barging in every few minutes. Inui, come get your man and give him some Vitamin D. He needs to be out in the sun with some fresh air.

Takemitchy - I don’t remember how long he was told to stay at home after that first fight took him out, but he was a Good Boy, and stayed home, read manga, worked on puzzles.. he was doing all the beginning of COVID activities before they were ~cool~. He would be fine.

Souya (Angry) - Souya also seems pretty chill to me, and like the kind of person who needs to recharge his social battery. So a week of being at home, trying out new recipes, watching TV, and laying about actually helps him to relax and get pumped up for when he can go back out and beat someone up again.

BAJI - YES, I STAND BY THIS ONE! We know Baji loves watching dramas with his mom. Like every dedicated drama watcher, he has a “to watch” list a mile long, and he and his mom make incredible headway on it. The make or break moment will come on day 3, when Baji is starting to get antsy and hasn’t fully succumbed to the lazy life style. Fortunately at him, the FIRST phone call his mother made when finding out they would both need to stay at home for the next week was not to her job, but actually to the local animal shelter. She begged them to please call if they had any animals come in that needed extra attention, or better yet, an animal that was hurt and needed nursing back to full health. Right as Baji was about to lose it, the call came. A mother cat had just given birth to 7 kittens, and the shelter simply did not have enough people to look after the kittens and the mother, who was not doing too great. Baji immediately took full ownership of the little family’s health, and nursed every kitten and the mother back to health, even cancelling his plans the following week. He didn’t even realize all of the time that was passing between making sure everyone was fed and watching more dramas. :)

Those Who are Ready to Ask Wakui to Put them Out of their Misery Already:

Nahoya (Smiley) - Unlike his brother, Nahoya is not one with the “kicking it home for a few days” type of lifestyle. His ramen recipes have become even more toxically hot - some to the point where he literally lit the bowls on fire just to feel something. He is a danger to himself and those around him, even more so than COVID. Release him.

Draken - More specifically ~ the Draken that still lives at the Brothel. I could see an older Draken being chill at the shop, but the Draken that still lives at the brothel would mostly snap by the end of day 4. He would need his “bros”... or the women working would need him to go see his “bros”, because even though they all care about each other... he needs to go. Draken is sick of the perfume, they’re sick of his belching, he’s G2G!

Kazutora - Do not leave him at home with only his thoughts and his parents for a full week. Someone will not be making it out alive. My bet is that Baji does him a solid when he gets the call about the kittens, and invites Tora over to help out. Tora is out the window before Baji’s even finished the situation.

Hanma - Hanma just doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would do well locked in an apartment for a week straight. He might start breaking shit just for something to clean up and do, but then he’d get annoyed because hey! Who was the dumbass that broke all my plates! Oh wait... By the end of day 2 (yeah... 2), he’d be sneaking out to go ride around on his bike. If it’s only him and the open road, no harm no foul, right?

Hina - This girl is a social butterfly. She would be dying to go see Emma or Takemitchy or hell, maybe even Kisaki, she doesn’t fucking care, as long as it’s someone that’s not her parents and not Naoto. She would be great for the first 4 days, don’t get me wrong. She would finish all of her homework, study for upcoming tests, get a head start on projects and papers... and then at 1:37pm on day 5 she would lose her shit. Ngl, I’d love to see her start a fire, a SMALL one, a “harmless” one, just to trigger the apartment fire alarm system so she has an excuse to go out and see people and maybe make a new friend. This girl slapped Mikey the first time she met him, you’re telling me she’s not brimming with GirlBoss chaos? I love to see it.

BONUS: THE ONE WHO COULD ABSOLUTELY GO EITHER WAY:

*** Emma - If she was able to self isolate away from her family, this girl would thrive. Yes, she is also quite social, but getting a genuine break from cleaning after the slobs in her family who don’t help with shit? Once she starts feeling like a person, she might do some general cleaning and laundry because she feels guilty for not doing anything the past few days (baby girl, it’s fine, you were sick, let the men step up please, you’re not their maid), but then, I would hope that she would eventually let herself relax and pamper the fuck out of herself. Full facial, manicure, pedicure, watching romance movies, planning dates for her and Draken, everything she’s been wanting to do, but has been too busy for. ON THE OTHERHAND... if she had to self isolate and be forced to look after Mikey, her grandpa, and Shinichiro... poor girl wouldn’t even last as long as Hanma, I don’t care that she has the patience of a saint, someone put her out of her misery Kisaki, I swear to god...

#this was a lot of fun #tokyo revengers #tok rev #tokyo revengers headcanons #chifuyu hcs #pah hcs #koko hcs #takemitchy hcs #souya kawata #souya hcs #baji hcs #nahoya hcs #draken hcs #kazutora hcs #hanma hcs #Hinata Tachibana #emma sano #ngl i dont think like.. half of these are actually tags :) OH WELL THATS ALL I GOT FOLKS #:)

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levisgirll · 3 years

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hi it me uWu I read your first headcanon and can I just that I am surprised that's your first headcanon?!??? Because it's honestly SO good and you sound like a pro at this!! I want to request a headcanon with Kakashi if possible please (sorry I'm not a levi girl haha). I want it to be kinda like a domestic affectionate husband role while I am like a workaholic wife who always never seems to get a break from life. I look forward to what you will write!! (lmk if you need more details)

𝐊𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧

text: Omg hey!! Thank you so much for your sweet words 🥺💙and yes it is my first headcanon post I have made and I'm so glad to hear that you found it good!! 😭✨. Well, I did say I am open to any request (but the things I post personally are usually Levi or other AOT characters but anyone is free to request a character!!) so sure thing Kakashi Hatake is it! (I really enjoyed writing this so ty for this request). now I'm simping for husbando kakashi- Also note I made it more like focusing how both y/n and kakashi are like a married couple and what they do/say to each other so hope that’s alright too ^^

synopsis: kakashi hatake is y/n’s husband, while you, as his wife, being a workaholic and how is both of your lives are like in a modern AU. (incoming some adorable headcanon-)

comedy and cute fluff ♡—

First off, you and I mean Y/N is the ONLY one who can see Kakashi without his mask. He feels that his wife is the only person in the world who is only allowed to see him without his mask and cause he loves and trusts you a lot. He feels only comfortable showing it to his amazing wife and no one else, not even Guy sensei (even though they were buddies since they were kids). His love for you is strong.

He would send you random messages during your work saying “Yo! make sure to take care of yourself alright?....Also, do you wanna order food tonight?”

You both work and I definitely see Kakashi in a modern AU with a job as a teacher and he would brag to you about his students. Especially Naruto (won’t shut the fuck up in the class) and Sasuke and how they always fight, making him slowly gonna lose it with them one day.

Also, he would talk to you about Shikamaru being such a rascal that gets on his nerves whenever he corrects him in class, or sleeps and whenever he says “Sensei, going to your lessons is such a drag..” and his friend Choji eats a lot of snacks at the back of the class but Kakashi secretly takes one of his snacks without him knowing.

Whenever he mentions them to you during dinner time, you feel at ease and even chuckle and start to relax. And he knows that cause he has seen you been so busy lately with work and he wants to always see you laugh and not tense up.

You both have the same timing of your break time so, you being such a workaholic, you try to even work during the breaks but someone stops you by doing that. Your awesome husband. Kakashi literally rings you even 5 minutes before your break from a video call.

You guys would defiantly match clothes and he loves that so much.

Kakashi catches you sometimes wearing his mask and he finds that so cute, it melts his heart. “Haha, you are so adorable!” and he would give you his happy face smile and hug you as you blush. You always get embarrassed and shy whenever he throws in comments such as “you look hot”, “you are my sweetheart” and etc.. and he knows that! but does it on purpose cause he likes to see how you get all red and especially in public ;)

During the weekends, he knows you wake up early to work and so he decided to change that and make the weekends to bake! Every morning in the weekend you guys would bake cookies and muffins and they smell and taste so good. (you eventually forget the load of work you had to do and Kakashi notices that and he gets happy lowkey-)

Okay, he is a big fan of reading, and so he loves reading comics and fanboys about it to you!

During your work, as you wait for the next customer you would get a random message from him and he would send screenshots of the comic and he’s like “Omg dear, did you read the latest chapter?!”. You know he is all excited so you texted him back. “Hm, No why?”. “Quick!! Go read it before I spoil it!”

Would chill and vibe with you for sure whenever you play some music and both of you are sitting at the balcony, stargazing.

He is in charge of cooking most of the time cause he knows you have more work than him and whenever he cooks, oh...it’s amazing and that’s one of the best things when you get back home after a long day.

He would brush your hair every time whenever you go out to work which is usually earlier than him

Whenever you sleep together, he would cover you up with the comforter while you sleep and would later hug you around your shoulders, he does that to hold you and also to shield you (it’s a habit of his and its cute)

He would give you also a thumbs up all the time before you leave and say “Good luck dear with work!” (it’s now your lucky charm before you leave work). Oh, and he would always remind you to take your lunch that he packs for you every early morning and he would usually put a cute little note there saying ‘Don't overwork yourself!’

I feel like he would get another small tattoo on his wrist after marrying Y/N.

During breaks if your work place is near his, you guys would have cafe break dates and he would literally recharge even if he sees a glimpse of you.

You guys have his pet dog, Pakkun, one of his smallest cute dogs who is usually grumpy but ever since Pakkun met you, they loved you instantly and listens to you instead of Kakashi. Ha....This damn dog. He would think and twitch his eyes as Pakkun is all over you. (The dog is doing that on purpose to piss Kakashi off).

Makes you stay up with him late at night reading comics and the stories you both like to spazz about it and he loves doing that with you.

All his students thought he is a lonely sad man who lives alone with his dog and reads comics.

He once caught Naruto using his phone in class and he was going to give him detention but....he was shocked to find him reading the comic that Kakashi and his wife liked the most.

Kakashi: “Naruto! I told you not to use your......Oh.” Damn he is in chapter 34 already?! I need to caught up, this little kid is fast.

“Hm...Sensei?...WAIT! YOU READ IT TOO!” Naruto would scream and get up from his seat. “Naruto, shut up you are being loud.” Shit.

He would text you immediately after that. “Omg...Y/N! Naruto reads our favorite comic!!”

Y/N: “NO WAY! Bond with this kid, he seems cool.”

After that, his favorite student is Naruto and they become pretty close but still finds him annoying, although Kakashi finds him as a good kid. And when they have parent teacher conference, Kakashi wouldn’t mention to Minato and Kushina that he uses his phone during class or skipping some classes.

Alright! I hope you enjoy this and you liked it :,) And if anyone else did do leave a like and reblog ♡ (I really had fun with this-)

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1234-angelika · 3 years

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Hospital Visits

an:Hey y'all! This ones coming out a little late, I meant it to be out yesterday but here we are. Still super excited for this week even though we're nearing the end. Still have some content coming out in the next few days for the series as a whole. This is the second installment in the Happily Ever After series for Luke. As always, enjoy!

words:1.2 k

warnings:canon-typical injury, mentions of canon-typical violence, hospital setting

summary:"There's a difference in living and living well. You can't have it all, all by yourself. Something's always missing, 'til you share it with someone else."-George Strait

masterpost|taglist|have an idea

Over the next two months, you often found yourself in the company of Luke and Roxy, who had both become good friends during that time.

It had become a routine to walk through the park whenever you were on your way home in hopes of running into the two of them. In those two months, it had happened just over a handful of times, but when it did, the three of you would hang out until the sun went down. You hadn't seen him for a couple of days, so you assumed he was just busy. He hadn't shared what he did for work. All you knew was that he was a former US Army Ranger.

You had started today bright and early. You were up and 'ate before the sun was even fully up. Being self-employed meant doing tasks that you wouldn't do in a typical 9-5 job. Monday meant payday so, after a hard gym session and a soothing shower, you set to work. First was balancing the books and determining final costs. Next was making the list of people to be paid, and last was sending out the payments. After all, was said and done, you felt like you could relax a little bit. You ordered yourself breakfast from your favourite restaurant and just chilled for the morning, with the occasional Instagram shot, of course.

Around noon, you began to get ready to actually do some work. You were filming another unboxing video, with packages leftover and some new from your PO box, and reviewing some clothing brands that had been sent to you. You got ready quickly but precisely, remembering that you were going to be on camera for hours and under the lights for just as long. After getting prepared, you set to work.

You worked for hours until finally, you took a short break to recharge. With some water, a snack and a bathroom break, you were ready to work again. As you set up for your next video, your phone rang. Startling you out of your concentrated state. The blocked number on the screen was enough to encourage you not to answer the phone but, your curiosity got the better of you.

"Hello?" You said, answering your phone.

"Is this Y/N Y/L/N?" Asked a cheery voice on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah. Sorry, who is this?"

"Darling, my name is Penelope Garcia. I work for the FBI—"

"FBI? Did I do something wrong?" You asked, panicked, trying to rack your brain for any reason the FBI would be calling you.

"—No, not at all. I understand that you know Supervisory Special Agent Luke Alvez," She answered in a soothing tone, helping you to calm down a bit but still not entirely sure why the FBI would call you, even if it was for Luke.

"I met him a few months ago but, I just know him as Luke. We usually hang out at the park with his dog…."

"Okay well, darling, he's been shot." She said, getting straight to the point.

"What?!"

"He was shot in the arm, he had surgery but the doctors said he will make a full recovery and he kept mumbling your name as he was coming out of the sedation. I'll send you the address of the hospital."

"Thanks Penelope…" You said, kind of numbly. Mostly just trying to absorb the information you had just been given.

"Good luck Y/N!"

You quickly changed out of the sample clothes and into a comfy outfit. Slipping on shoes hurriedly, you grabbed your purse and rushed out the door. After locking the door behind you, you went down to your car. Clicking on the location pin Penelope had sent you, you started up the GPS and set on the way to the hospital. You quickly got frustrated trying to find parking in the parking lot and decided to park on the street instead. You all but jogged into the hospital, looking for anyone who could provide you with an update. The head nurse just pointed you to an official-looking woman who was in the waiting room. You walked up to her and took some deep breaths before introducing yourself.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes?"

Pointing to the nurse's station, you said, "They told me you could give me an update on Luke Alvez."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Y/N Y/L/N, a friend of Lukes. Who are you?"

You didn't even finish your sentence before a look you couldn't quite make out made its way onto her face.

"I'm supervisory special agent Emily Prentiss. I'm Lukes boss, I can take you to him."

The two of you set off walking through the never-ending corridors. In the silence, questions just kept swarming your head. In an attempt to keep them at bay, you asked, "What happened to him?"

She turned, briefly looking at you before she said, "Officially, I can't say too much. In the course of apprehending our UnSub, he got shot. The bullet knicked his subclavian artery, which is basically the shoulder area. He'll have to stay at the hospital 3 days but the doctor said he will make a full recovery."

You knew you were the one who asked, and she was just answering your question, but, at that moment, you had never wanted to yell at someone more. Where was his partner—assuming he has one? How did this happen? You only noticed you arrived at his room when Emily stopped walking. She opened the door and led you into the room before walking back out. Leaving you alone, with a sleeping Luke, to wait. After a couple hours in the hospital and you began to get hungry. You were reaching out for the Jell-O on his tray table when a hand grabbed your wrist.

"Don't take the jell-o please," a groggy voice startled you the same way the hand had.

You turned to see if the voice had come from Luke, and to your surprise, you found his warm brown eyes looking back at you. Jumping up to hug him, you shrieked, "Luke!"

A little confused, he asked, "Y/N, when did you get here?"

"You kept muttering my name to the doctors when you were coming off of the anesthesia."

"Well, I've been thinking about you while I'm working."

"What about me?"

He took a deep breath, and you noticed his heart sped up as the monitor beeped faster.

"Y/N Y/L/N, will you go on a date with me?"

A smile blossomed on your cheeks, and a warmth spread throughout your body, and you said jokingly, "well, with you on your deathbed, how could I say no?"

taglist:@multixfandomwriter @myescapefromthislife

#criminal minds #criminal minds x reader #luke alvez #luke alvez x reader #happilyeverafter #hea

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amayawolfe · 3 years

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It's Good to be Home (Hisoka x Fem.Reader)

(Warning: some harsh language, mild fluff, mild angst, and just a touch of NSFW mostly towards the end)

Word Count: 5616 (wwaaayyyy longer than I intended for a first short story...)

(Summary: You're a Hunter who's been Hisoka Amorou's beloved and trusted life partner for the better part of six years. After being together just past two years, the two of you found yourselves expecting a child. Maybe it was a slip up, or maybe one/both of you planned it; either way, nine months later you two have a baby girl.

This short story is a "slice of life" type of story. You finally had enough of being the "stay at home mom" and get away to go on a mission leaving Hisoka at home to watch your daughter. What you find when you return is not what you expected...)

~ ~ ~

You pulled up next to your life partner's car in your own driveway. A small, tired smile touched your lips. You loosed a sigh and rubbed your face and eyes with your gloved hands. It had been a long drive home from the airport, but it was the last leg of your return trip. Moving your hands to your neck you rub it a bit and tilt your head from side to side. Feeling, as well as hearing it, crack and pop as you did so.

Your phone suddenly vibrated and pinged at you from the passenger seat where you had tossed it at the beginning of the drive. Reaching over you picked it up and turned the screen towards you; it's a text from your long time friend/associate and business partner for the mission you had just finished, Illumi Zoldyck.

Illu: Did you make it home?

You partially removed your gloves so that only your thumbs were exposed and texted a reply.

You: Yeah, I literally just pulled into the driveway. Haven't even gotten out of the car yet.

Illu: Okay, good.

Illu: Next mission I should contact Hisoka, correct?

You: Unless my skills are more suited for the mission, other than that, I would say "yes".

Illu: Very well, good night, (y/n).

You: Take care, Illu, and thanks again.

Up until just now, you had not gone on a single mission since your pregnancy and the following birth of your daughter just over three years ago. It was your life partner, Hisoka, that took off for weeks at a time either for missions on his own or with Illumi.

This hadn't bother you one bit when it was just the two of you. While he was away, you would take a mission as well or travel until about the time he would usually return. Not to mention you really did treasure your alone time playing video games, watching movies or shows, working on your hobbies, or simply relaxing in the silence of an empty apartment.

Then there was the fact that after a while you would need a recharge from Hisoka himself. You truly loved and adored your life partner and wouldn't trade him for anyone or anything in the world, and you were relatively sure it was the same for him with you. However, Hisoka was, well, Hisoka; he had a tendency to become mentally, not to mention physically, exhausting from time to time.

Ironically, it was the love and need of your own independence and alone time that made you and a person like Hisoka work so well. That and a truck load of patience.

He had stayed home during most of your pregnancy, only leaving when you were on the verge of literally killing him. But he would be sure to stay close to home, traveling no more than a few hours away in case something came up and you needed him. Hisoka was actually there for the birth of his daughter and stayed home for the first few months. But once you and (d/n) were settled into a good routine on your own, he started taking missions once more.

Hisoka was a surprisingly good father when he was home and constantly spoiled her with gifts he collected while he was out. He made sure to give (d/n) lots of love and attention, watching and playing with her whenever you needed a nap, shower, some alone time or went out for training. And, of course, he would make sure to give you attention and affection as well. Attention and affection you more than enjoyed returning just as much as receiving.

Well, most of the time.

For the last few months you had started to become extremely restless and moody. You were a Hunter, damnit. Not to mention a powerful and skilled nen user. You missed going out on missions. You were also concerned with how little training you were able to get now a days. Both you and Hisoka had your fair share of enemies, and you wanted to keep your skills and senses keen for as long as your possibly could.

You had tried more than once in having a serious, yet calm, sit down with Hisoka over the matter while your daughter was down for her nap. But, as usual, when your life partner didn't like what was being talked about he would poke and tease you or change the subject entirely. This usually lead into a heated argument that was comically kept to shouted whispers so as to not wake (d/n). The argument would usually end with the both of you laying in bed hot, sweaty, and spent. This always seemed to be your daughters cue to wake up, ending any further discussion of the matter for the time being.

So, having gotten no where on the subject, you had decided to take matters into your own hands. You contacted Illumi, asking him to not contact Hisoka for the next mission and that you would like to go instead. Illumi seemed more than willing to work with you. You guessed that he needed a little change up as well when it came to his business partner.

Your travel bag was packed and hidden in the bedroom closet before Hisoka had even returned home. All you needed was Illumi to tell you where to meet him and you could bolt out the door. Of course, you felt a little guilty. And you knew Hisoka was going to be very annoyed, if not angry, but this was for your own mental well being.

You had tried to imitate the same mood you had been showing the last few months. But Hisoka's keen intuition was telling him something was up, and he watched you with curious interest over the course of a few days.

"You've been checking your phone more than usual, love~ ♣" he had finally commented from the kitchen where he was leaning against the counter drinking his morning coffee, "Is there something I should know about?~ ♠"

You had shook your head and had set your phone back down on the table.

"Not really, just expecting a text from a friend," you had answered honestly. Hisoka only hummed into his coffee cup in response, eyes still upon you as you where now horribly failing in defending your waffles from your ravenous toddler.

When you had finally gotten the text from Illumi, your mind switched to "Hunter Mode". Quickly and quietly, you grabbed your travel back and set it by the door. You then entered the living room and scooped up your daughter, giving her kisses all over her little face as you headed in your life partner's direction.

He had been sitting on the couch reading something on his phone when you caught him by surprise in leaning down and giving him a deep, loving kiss while passing (d/n) into his protective arms.

"I'm heading out," you had told him, "I'll be back in a while." The look on Hisoka's face was surprised and curious. You usually told him ahead of time when you where planning on going out for errands or training.

You gave him another quick kiss on the forehead and turned for the door.

"(y/n), wait, where are you going? ♠" Hisoka tried to grab your wrist but you dodged him easily. (d/n) was now clinging to him and becoming fussy, thinking it was Hisoka who was about to leave. She would get that way sometimes. Something you had hoped she would do to take Hisoka's main focus away from you just long enough for you to slip away.

You heard Hisoka call your name again as you grabbed your bag and practically ran out the door. Not wasting a single precious second, you were in your car on your way to the airport. You breathed a sigh of relief then giggled with excitement. That had gone smoother than you could possibly hope it would.

But then your phone began to ring, playing the ringtone Hisoka had picked out himself. Your heart picked up it's pace a little as you answered it and put it on speaker.

"Yes, love?"

"(y/n), darling, what's going on... ♠" A chill ran down your spine. It wasn't a question, it was a demand. And even though it was worded nicely, the tone spoke volumes. Hisoka was not happy.

"Easy love~," you stated calmly, "I'm just going on a mission with Illumi. I'll be back in a few days. A week at most. I promise."

There was silence on the phone for a moment. You could almost feel Hisoka's blood lust starting to come through the phone.

"What... ♠" Yeah, he was pissed. But you were never one to back down to Hisoka's rage. Your own anger flared up in response and you put your game face on. You had mentally prepared yourself for this.

"Amorou," you said sternly, only ever using his last name when you were serious and/or angry, "Before (d/n) was born we agreed we would take parenting duties on equally. That we would still be equal partners in this relationship. It hasn't been that way for quite some time and I feel like I am trapped and stagnating. I need to take this mission or else I feel like I am going to go fucking crazy!"

You could now hear the tv in the background signaling he had moved back into or near the living room. Hisoka remained was quiet. You knew he was listening, thinking. So you took a calming breath and continued.

"I'm a Hunter, just like you. And just like you I have... needs. And as amazing a sex god you are, those needs can't always be satisfied in the bedroom, love." You heard Hisoka smirk. Picking up on his thoughts you spoke again before he could.

"Or the shower, or the kitchen counter, or the back seat of the car, or the couch... Am I missing any where?"

"~Yes. ♥ In fact, you're missing several places.~ ♥" Now you could hear the smirk in his voice causing you to smirk as well. Hisoka was still annoyed, at the very least, but you knew he was calming down.

"I guess you'll have to refresh my memory when I get back."

"Mmm, I think I can handle that.~ ♦"

You chuckled. Oh, I know you can.

"Since this is your first time watching (d/n) on your own for more than a few hours, I left you some notes underneath the cereal on top of the fridge to help you out. Call me if you need anything and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

"Very well,~ ♠" Hisoka said with a pouty sigh, "You said you may be gone for a week at most, right?~ ♣"

"Yes, and I promise to be sure and update you as I go along." It was only fair seeing as it was the only thing you really asked of him while he was out on missions. To simply let you know he was alive.

"Alright, but don't think we're done talking about the way you went about this,~ ♠" he almost cooed, "We're going to have a long, serious discussion when you get back.~ ♦"

Tingles went up your spine and you felt a slight knot form in your stomach, causing you to squeeze your thighs together a little. You knew exactly what he was saying, and it had little to do with actual talking.

"Sounds fair to me," you smirked.

"Take care, kitten. Be safe.~ ♥"

"I will, love." And with that you hung up the phone.

And it seemed that was that. It had gone easier than you thought it would over all; and oddly enough, that gave you a feeling of unease. Hisoka was not one to give up easily. But in truth, there wasn't much he could have done. There was no one he trusted enough to watch (d/n) on such short notice, and it's not like leaving her home alone was an option. Quickly packing her up into the car to chase after you wasn't exactly the wisest of ideas either.

You held your word about keeping in touch. Letting him know when you reached the airport, landed at your destination, met up with Illumi, and so on and so forth. You had put your phone on silent during the mission, as was protocol, but checked it and checked in when the two of you had completed the mission and were safe.

Hisoka would sometimes reply, but kept it short. Nothing abnormal for him. He also sent pictures like how you did for him while he was away. Some were cute, like the one where he made spaghetti for dinner and sent a picture of (d/n) happily enjoying her food with sauce all over her face. And some were more private, like the one he sent of himself standing in front of the full body mirror completely naked and at "full mast" with the message, "wut ur missin 2night 💕😜💞😘 💓"

The last message you had sent him was after you had landed at the airport, telling him you would be driving home shortly. He had simply replied with "i'll be waiting 😍💕🥰💓😘 " The man really did love his emojis...

You really didn't know what to think of this with it coming from Hisoka. As it sounded both sweet and foreboding...

Sitting in your car that was rapidly cooling down from the cold wintery night air outside, you mentally prepared yourself for what ever your life partner may have awaiting you.

The chill of the night immediately nipped at your nose as you got out of your car. You collected your travel bag from the back and turned to walk up the pathway to your front door, hitting the lock button on your car remote as you did so.

Your house windows were dark, making you wonder if Hisoka hadn't managed to stay up in waiting for you after all. Upon reaching your front door you quickly looked about out of sheer habit, making sure that no one was waiting to rush in on you as you opened the door.

Feeling that it was safe, you unlocked your door and walked across the threshold. Not even two steps in you nearly tripped and fell over something, barely catching yourself on your front door handle in time. Righting yourself, you took a step back and looked to see what you had tripped on.

It was one of your daughter's large stuffed animals. A stuffed dog, to be precise. (d/n) would put it there saying that it was guarding the house, despite you telling her not to leave her toys on the floor like that.

With a sigh you shoved the toy aside with your foot, making a mental note to pick it up later. You finished entering the house with closing and locking the door behind you. But when you turned and took no more than five steps into your dark home you trip over another toy and nearly fell again. It was your daughters toy car for her dollies this time.

"What the hell?" you whispered to yourself. Reaching over you flipped on the light to the foyer and your heart clenched. From what you could see, the house was a complete mess.

Toys and clothes were littered all over the floor. There were even some dirty dishes here and there. There were sloppy, childish drawings all over the walls. You took immediate notice of the drawings that were most definitely to high for your child to reach on her own. Your jaw and fists clenched in rage.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." you spat through clenched teeth.

Setting your bag down you started to slowly make your way through the house, taking care in where you stepped so as to not trip and break your neck. As you started to pass the kitchen you dared to look in. Your blood started to boil.

It looked like every dish you owned was dirty, piled high in and around a filthy sink. There was food and sticky dried drink all over the counters, splattered over the floor, what looked like burnt marshmallow on the stove top and you didn't even want to know what was on the ceiling!

It wouldn't surprise you if there was a blood vessel now protruding from your forehead at this point. You had to look away from your once beautiful kitchen to take a deep breath and focus on In so as to not leak to much blood lust and risk harming your daughter.

"(y/n)? ♠" a familiar voice called out quietly from the living room down the hall.

"Amorou," you snarled and turned in the direction you heard the voice come from. Your strides were swift and determined as you stepped around the mine field of toys in the hall.

The glowing, shifting light that was spilling from the living room into the hall told you the tv was on. You turned and upon entering the living room you quickly noticed that it was in just as bad of condition. You turned again to face your so called life partner, fully prepared to chew him out for what he allowed to happen to the family home. Hell, you were actually mad enough to fight him and do some serious damage at this point.

But the moment you looked down at him and saw the sight that was laying on the couch, nearly all your rage evaporated.

Hisoka was laying on his back, head slightly turned upward as he looked over at you with tired eyes. His hair was an absolute mess. And not the sexy, messy way he would have it when he wore it down. No, it was an actual mess mess. There were a few stains on his shirt and his sweat pants like he had worn them for more than a day or two. You nearly laughed when you noticed his mismatched socks. It was then you suddenly remembered that in your haste and excitement over finally going out on a mission you had forgotten to do the laundry before you left. He had probably run low or out of clothes.

His ultimate saving grace from the tongue lashing you had been so ready to give him was the form of your daughter sleeping tummy side down on top of Hisoka's chest. She had her favorite blanket draped over her and one of Hisoka's hands was resting lightly on the middle of her back to make sure she didn't roll off him onto the floor.

As cute as the scene was, you couldn't help but think Hisoka looked a little... pathetic. A little defeated even.

You stifled a laugh and tried to keep a stern face, but the corners of your mouth kept twitching as your lips betrayed you, wanting to smile. Sure that he had sensed your blood lust a moment ago, you were ever so slightly hoping that he thought you were still furious. You moved closer to the couch and squat down so that the two of you were eye level.

"Amorou," you feigned a quiet, angry voice. A voice you usually had just before you lost it and tore someone to pieces. "What did you allow to happen to our home?"

Hisoka tried to shift into a better position but cringed when it caused (d/n) to stir. It was obvious he did not want her to wake up. You glanced at her then looked back to him.

"Did she just get to sleep?" Hisoka nodded.

"She wanted to wait up for you with me. ♠" You raised an eyebrow at this and he continued, "I was going to straighten up a bit before you got home." You rolled your eyes, not really believing him on that one. "But (d/n) started to throw a tantrum and would not stop until I laid down with her... ♠"

You felt your face soften a bit, Hisoka's voice sounded so tired. But despite his defeated condition, you couldn't help but poke fun. After all, he had done so many a time to you.

"Hisoka Amorou," you jeered softly, "Hisoka the Magician, The Grim Reaper of Heaven's Arena, defeated by a three year old." You looked at your sleeping daughter again. "I'd say it was a flawless victory."

Hisoka glared at you, lips pressed tightly together into scowl. A sly grin raced across your own lips when you saw the look on his face.

"Keep looking at me like that and I'll just leave you here for the night and have the bed all to myself."

He pressed his lips together even more tightly and looked away.

"You can be so cruel... ♠" he mumbled. You chuckled softly, leaned forward, and kissed his cheek.

"I've learned from the best, love."

Turned your full attention to your daughter, you signaled for Hisoka to slowly move his hand as you laid your own in it's place. You started to hum a soft lullaby as you began to gently rub (d/n)'s back; doing this for a couple minutes until your daughter took a deep breath and let out a sigh of pure relaxed contentment. Her breathing slowed even more, signaling she had slipped into a deeper state of sleep.

Now it was safe to move her. Slowly. Carefully. Gently. You slid your daughter's head to your shoulder and moved the rest of her body to your chest. Still humming the lullaby, you freed your life partner and started to move towards (d/n)'s room. Having to carefully step over toys and other random objects, the time getting her into her bed was taking longer than you would have liked.

Making it to your daughter's room you nearly stopped humming upon seeing the state of it. It was in a much worse condition than what it normally was and her bed was covered in toys.

This child has way to many toys...

Thankfully Hisoka had been following you and noticed why you had stopped. Slipping past you with the stealth and grace of a cat, he quietly cleared (d/n)'s bed of all but her blankets, pillows, and favorite stuffed animals.

Giving him an approving nod, you laid (d/n) down in the same manner you had picked her up and continued rubbing her back while humming for a few minutes. Once you were sure she was settled in you slowly stood up and, while still humming, made your way out of the room with Hisoka close behind you.

The two of you tiptoed down the hall and into your shared bedroom. Before you even had a chance to speak a single word your life partner turned you around, slipped his arms around your waist, pulled you tightly into himself, and buried his face into the crook of your neck. You wrapped your arms around him and buried your face into his neck in return.

"Did somebody miss me?" you teased. He only hummed a response and continued to hold you close.

After a couple minutes, Hisoka broke the hug and pulled back a little. You looked up into his eyes as he took you chin into his hand. Some of his energy seemed to have returned. It gleamed in those beautiful amber eyes you loved so much. He leaned in and kissed you softly on the lips.

It started off sweet, with multiple little kisses on your lips. Then his hands moved down to your bottom and he gave a firm squeeze, pulling your hips tighter against him. He started to kiss you more deeply and you felt his tongue start to push against your lips, begging to be let into your mouth.

"Mmnn!!" you noised suddenly and pushed away from him. Hisoka gave you a look of surprise at your sudden action. You pointed at him sternly.

"Despite how calm you may think I am, Amorou, I am still mad at you and you are not getting any sex from me until you help me clean this house to my satisfaction tomorrow."

You turned away from him towards the bed and froze in mid-step.

"Are you fucking serious?!?!?!" you hissed.

Sure, the bed wasn't made, but that wasn't what angered you. What angered you was the half eaten plate of spaghetti on the bed, what looked to be cookie crumbs all over the sheets, more of (d/n)'s toys, and a spilled juice cup.

You snapped your head in Hisoka's direction and glared daggers at him. You swore you could feel your eye twitching.

"I'll help strip and make the bed.~ ♣" he stated with a smirk while he held up his hands defensively.

"Damn right you will, " you growled through gritted teeth.

His smirk widened. He went to the closet to get the fresh sheets and blankets as you removed the dishes and toys, setting them aside to be cleaned up tomorrow. As the two of you stripped the bed Hisoka decided to say his piece.

"You know,~" he started, "the list you left me never did say anything about cleaning up.~ ♦"

You stopped in middle of tossing one of the dirty blankets aside and blinked.

Is.. Is he seriously messing with me right now?!

Feeling your blood lust starting to rise to the surface once again, you slowly turned your head in his direction. But as you opened your mouth to say something he held up a single finger.

"However, I must say I do commend you.~♣ I never really realized how much you did until I had to take care of (d/n) on my own for the week.~ ♠"

You turned your body towards him fully and crossed your arms under your chest. "Go on."

Your life partner smirked then shrugged. "You're an amazing mother to our little girl, (y/n); and this house would not be a home with out your touch. But most importantly of all, you love and put up with me.~ ♥"

You smirked and narrowed your eyes at Hisoka. "Who told you I loved you? I'm sorry to say this, Amorou, but someone has been lying to you."

Hisoka placed the back of one of his hands to his forehead and the other hand went over his heart in a dramatic like fashion. He emitted a small noise like he had been wounded

"Ugh, Queen of my heart, how could you be so cold? ~ ♠"

You snickered and whipped a pillow at him that he easily batted away back to your side.

"I would have shown you some of my routines in how I do things had you listened to me in the first place," you stated as you finished brushing crumbs off the now bare mattress.

"I suppose you have a point. ~ ♣" Hisoka spread the fitted sheet across the mattress as you started to but fresh pillow cases on the pillows. "Do you plan on taking more missions from now on? ~ ♣"

"I told Illumi to contact you for the next one unless my skills are better suited for it." You picked up the flat sheet and spread it across the bed with Hisoka catching his side and shaking it out to lay it down evenly. "I would like to take every other mission or so. I never intended to pick it back up full time like you and I used to before we had (d/n). I just need to get out into the field and keep my senses and skills sharp. I'm not as out of shape as I thought I was, but I definitely could use some more training."

Hisoka tossed the comforter over onto the bed and the two of your started spreading it out together. He was silent in thought for a moment, then sighed

"That's fair. ~ ♣" he admitted. "Are you still willing to show me how you do things here? ~ ♦"

"Of course," you smiled, "as long as you're willing to learn that is. Did that list I left you help at all?"

"Ah, it probably would have had (d/n) not scribbled all over it after I left it on the table. ~ ♠"

You dropped the last pillow into place and quickly covered your mouth to keep from laughing to loud.

"If that was the case," you said behind your hand between laughter, "Why didn't you just text me asking for new notes? I could have done so while I was waiting for my airship to depart." He looked away from you to hide the sheepish expression that was now on his face.

Ah, I see, he was to prideful to admit he had let something go wrong already and have to ask for help. Typical...

Knowing not to push the matter you simply stripped out of all but your underwear and put on a clean sleeping shirt. As you slid into bed Hisoka stripped down to his boxers and turned off the lights, leaving a small night light on near the bedroom door. When he was climbing into bed you thought you heard a noise come from the hall.

You looked in the direction of the bedroom door and started to sit up when Hisoka suddenly climbed on top of and pushed you back down into the freshly made bed.

"Hiso-" your voice was interrupted when his lips came down onto yours roughly and his tongue took full advantage of your mouth that had been opened with words.

For a few seconds, you gave into his physical demands and kissed him back with just as much vigor. Your tongues wrestled each other for dominance and your fingers went up into his tangled hair. Lifting your hips you pressed your pelvis against his and could feel his rapidly hardening member through the thin layers of cloth that separated the two of you. Your action caused a moan to slip from his throat.

Another noise from the hall caught your sharp ear. It was closer to the door this time. You pushed Hisoka away from you just enough to break the kiss. He smirked down at you with lust dancing in his eyes.

"I thought I told you no sex until after you help me clean the house tomorrow," you panted. Your own rising desires made you a little short of breath. Hisoka's smirk grew wider as he lightly grinded his pelvis against yours causing your breath to hitch.

"Hmmmm.~ ♥ And what makes you think I won't be able to convince you otherwise?~ ♦" he purred. It was your turn to smirk.

"Because, three..." Hisoka blinked in confusion.

"Two..." Hisoka now raised an eyebrow, wondering why on earth you were counting down.

"One." You pointed over to the bedroom door just as (d/n) stuck her little head into the room.

"Daddy? Mommy home?" she called out sleepily. Hisoka let out a defeated groan and dropped down on top of you, knocking the wind out of you a bit and he buried his face into the pillow beside your head. You couldn't help but laugh at his reaction.

"Yes, (d/n), I'm here," you gently called out to your daughter. She started to make her way over to you and her father. It was obvious she was intending to climb into bed with you just as she had so many a time before.

You gently but firmly pushed your life partner off of you and to the side. As you did so you whispered to him, "Help me clean the house tomorrow and you can have your fill of me in what ever way you desire tomorrow night."

Hisoka let out a frustrated growl in response causing you to laugh out loud again. You turned to your side so that he was now behind you. You held your arms open as (d/n) climbed into the bed and snuggled up against your chest. Wrapping your arms around her you hugged her closely to you and nuzzled your face into her hair. Her silky red locks were so much like her fathers. In fact, she was nearly a perfect replica of Hisoka, minus the eyes that is. She had your fierce yet beautiful eyes.

"Did you miss me, munchkin?" you asked into (d/n)'s hair. She nodded a little.

"Mmhmm, and daddy missed you." You felt Hisoka tense behind you and you chuckled.

"Did he now?"

"Yeah, he said he missed you lots." Busted, Hisoka sighed and rolled over so that his chest was against your back and his face was in your hair. He then reached his arm over you and (d/n), hugging you both closer to him.

"I missed you and daddy, too," you said as you placed a kiss atop her head.

"Mommy?"

"Mmm?"

"Happy your home."

You hugged (d/n) again as you gently leaned into Hisoka's warm embrace.

"It's good to be home, munchkin."

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sablelab · 4 years

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Covert Operations - Chapter 128

SYNOPSIS: Jamie has whisked Claire away to a romantic getaway where she can recover from her incarceration at the hands of Jonathon Randall and the Rising Dragons.

Chapter 127 and all other chapters can be found at … https://sablelab.tumblr.com/covertoperations

THANK YOU all for taking the time to read my story and the last chapter where Murtagh took no prisoners at his interrogation. Operations and Madeline should have known better. This man was loyal to Section and even insinuating that he may have been the mole was offensive. Murtagh protects those he loves and his idea will protect his buddy Fergus when he too faces an inquisition in the next chapter that I will post on TUESDAY. I hope you enjoy this chapter that is setting the mood for forthcoming Jamie and Claire chapters.

CHAPTER 128

From the moment Claire walked into the villa she was astounded. Sleek and stylish with laid-back luxury, the white interior gave the dwelling an elegant vibe with touches of rustic wood, ocean-inspired art and sleek, sculptural furnishings. The room was bright and modern, with a free-flowing layout that meandered from living room to dining room to fully equipped kitchen. Claire could just imagine her and Jamie waking up early to watch the swimmers catch their morning waves, have a quick breakfast on the terrace then take a few steps off the decking to the warm sand of the private beach below. It would be heaven, and she couldn’t wait to settle in to this beautiful accommodation … Jamie’s home. From the amazing view to the beautiful soothing music playing in the background, the smell of freshly baked bread and the aroma of coffee to tempt the taste buds which the Heughan’s had kindly organised after their long trip, this house was perfect and a place where she and Jamie could recuperate and recharge their batteries. They both needed such a place of beauty to erase the memories of the past mission and what they both had experienced at the monastery.

Claire also noticed the floor to ceiling windows that framed the magnificent view every which way she looked. However, she noted that the windows were actually fold-away glass walls that enclosed the vista of the water. When opened they would create one seamless indoor-outdoor living space, where the terrace flowed into the open-concept living room. Her initial reaction to the setting of the house was one of wonder but the view from the windows was even more beautiful. As far as the eye could see they had a picture-perfect uninterrupted view of the hinterland and ocean. It took her breath away. It was so scenic and very picturesque and every area of the property appeared to take advantage of the view. Whether it was through the big glass panels of the room she was standing in, or out on the relaxing terrace where they could watch the world go by … this place was their very own utopia for the surroundings looked so peaceful and welcoming.

A sweeping wrap around private deck hugged the outside area and framed a panoramic view of the emerald clear water. In the distance she could see mountains of the various islands that dotted the Whitsundays and marvelled at how different the view was here to her apartment in Hong Kong and the landscape of Victoria Harbour. There was an openness to the vista here that was missing there. All she could see as far as the eye could see was beautiful tranquil water for there were no high-rise buildings hugging the water’s shore. It was remote and had an openness that made her feel one with nature and the surroundings.

The view in the daytime was already incredible, but under the stars in the night sky it would be absolutely brilliant, a truly spectacular and relaxing million-dollar view and one of pure tranquillity as they watched the setting sun sparkling on the water. Just the thought of opening the curtains every morning would be a blessing waking up to the breathtaking wonders. They would have their own private lookout of several islands dotted in between the emerald waters of this hypnotic panorama. This was truly a breathtaking vista; it had the solitude they needed, but it was also everything they required and more. This place was the welcome balm they needed before they would need to return to Section One and the mission to finally capture Sun Yee Lok. They would relish every moment spent in this paradise so far away from Section that they could forget everything and live, laugh, love and heal.

Claire was sure she would absolutely adore this perfect little escape from reality and would never want to leave the house. She could picture her and Jamie becoming domesticated in his home and the thought of making love under the stars or on the private beach certainly conjured up memories of their time spent on Lamma Island. But being here was totally different. The colours of the water, and the vivid greenery coupled with the fresh air and openness was already making her feel at home. This place made her feel safe and Claire was lost for words about the beauty. She just knew this was the place, for it had a serenity and calming space conducive to lull them into relaxation, while the spectacular beauty of the Whitsundays made her feel a million miles away from the reality of Section One.

This setting had a wonderful ambience to it that made her feel as if she really belonged here with Jamie and Claire could picture her time in this location as being memorable. Together they could watch the world go by in their very own Shangri-La. The absolute privacy with a special brand of quiet and serenity was just the medicine they both needed. This setting was as far away from the memories of their incarceration and life at Section as they could get and Claire was overcome with emotion at the thought that Jamie had brought her to Australia but more importantly that he owned this property and had brought them both here to convalescence. Her heart burst with the love she felt for this wonderful man who had pulled out all stops to bring her to this magical paradise.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The main living room was bright and cheery with a modern design that was fresh and indicative of a dwelling that was low maintenance. The room was open plan and the floor to ceiling windows that covered one wall accentuated the open spaciousness of the room by providing all the natural light the filtered into the room. Modern furniture was spaced around the room to take advantage of the view and there were large rugs on the floor under the coffee table and in front of a stylish, contemporary wood fireplace. Claire loved everything about it and could certainly visualize herself staying here for the next fourteen days and shutting out the world they inhabited at Section One.

The free-standing fireplace situated in the corner of the room would provide a powerful, efficient heating solution for those nights when it turned chilly because even in the sub tropics the weather could turn cold. Claire could picture the two of them making love before the hearth as the heat of the fire burned while their bodies burned for each other with the heat of seduction. It would certainly be very cozy in here when the wood was ablaze. She wondered if they would cuddle up on the couch sipping whisky by the fire as the twinkling stars sparkled in the night sky. That thought brought a smile to her face as she knew that they would indeed experience that scenario.

Claire couldn’t hide her excitement and glancing over at Jamie she noticed the broad smile that bowed his mouth. He gave her a piercing look realising that he had made the right decision coming here. He was glad that he had brought his Sassenach here to this sanctuary as far away from Section as possible. However, the smouldering look in his eyes as they caressed her face sent chills of anticipation racing through Claire’s body. She felt a rush of blood to her cheeks and she couldn’t look away as James Fraser’s stare seemed to burn through her very flesh. Biting her lip, butterflies suddenly fluttered in the pit of her stomach at the thought of the two of making love in every room of this house. Piercing blue eyes were caressing and undressing her at the same time as if he too had imagined the scenarios that had danced through her mind. Jamie had that look that said … Be patient Sassenach … It will happen … and she couldn’t stop the thumping of her heart pounding in her chest

His thoughts too were of a similar vein.

And now, here they were in this house he had purchased from the Heughans. They would live a normal life as a couple if only for two weeks but in that time, he knew that his Claire would recover her strength and with his help be able to eradicate her memories of what had happened to her. He knew too that he would heal as well and together they would gain back the lightness in each other’s psyche that had been damaged at the monastery. They would make memories here to last them forever; they’d unwind, relax and recover in body, mind and soul and … they would make love where and whenever they wanted.

Suddenly feeling a little shy, Claire averted her gaze hoping that Jamie hadn’t seen her reaction for she was having thumping palpitations all of a sudden and was feeling decidedly nervous but excited at the same time. Apprehensive feelings of actually being alone with this sexy man suddenly surfaced. It was silly to feel this way but this would be their first opportunity of freedom from the world of Section One where every move was monitored and every glance between them was interpreted by their superiors. In this place they could be free to express their emotions without the fear of forever looking over their shoulder.

Trying to calm her nerves and runaway feelings Claire moved over to the panoramic wall of glass windows and peered outside but was suddenly overwhelmed with what she was seeing. The living space had been perfectly designed but as she approached the windows, she noticed the Jacuzzi and infinity pool that seemed to merge in to the horizon. A breath suddenly wedged in her throat as Jamie’s arms unexpectedly wrapped around her waist and drew Claire back against his body. Resting his chin on her head they stood there together admiring the view.

“Are ye happy Sassenach?” he asked as his warm breath caressed her cheek and the warmth of his body seeped into her skin.

“More that I can say … Oh Jamie, thank you my love,” Claire replied as she leaned her head back into the crook of his neck.

Jamie kissed the top of her head as his arms tightened across her stomach. “I’m glad.”

“This is the most wonderful surprise and I just know that we are going to never want to leave this magical place.”

“They have a saying about here Sassenach. Beautiful one day … perfect the next.”

“How true. It must be so lovely here in the summer with the sunshine glistening on the water and the sunset’s magical colours in the night sky,” she replied voicing her opinions.

“Well I’m sure ‘tis like that all year-round mo ghràidh. We have fourteen days to see if that is so.”

“Have you ever been here before on your downtime Jamie?” She asked a little apprehensively in two minds as to what his reply might be despite his previous answer.

There were so many questions and feelings that ran through her mind. She wanted to know, but wasn’t sure if she would want to hear the answers just in case, she didn’t like Jamie’s replies. How long had he owned this property? Had he purchased it before she had been recruited to Section One? Had he ever taken others to this place of tranquillity? Why had he decided to come here of all places? And why bring her?

The likelihood of getting downtime away from Section was rare, but even their top operative James Fraser needed somewhere to ease the burden of their lifestyle. The outside world couldn’t hazard a guess as to the life they led and they wouldn’t want to know about the danger he and other operatives constantly faced on missions. Perhaps this place was his refuge … his safe haven but one that he’d never utilised … until now. Perhaps he’d never had a reason to come here before and now he did. Oh, dear god, she hoped that was the answer!

“No Sassenach … this is the first time.”

Claire gave him a shy glance over her shoulder as her secret thoughts had just materialised. “Oh … I’m glad,” was her spontaneous reply that held a multitude of meaning behind those few words.

Ever so gently Jamie turned Claire into his arms until she was facing him. Placing his finger under her chin he lovingly lifted it up so that he could see her face but more importantly her eyes. Claire Beauchamp had a glass face so much so that he could read her every countenance. He watched his love’s facial expressions crisscross her face as she looked up at him and he knew exactly what his love was thinking. A little satisfied smirk rose in the corner of his mouth as he observed his Sassenach and the answer she had elicited.

“I’m glad ye’re glad.” His smile was enigmatic but it warmed her heart so very much.

At Jamie’s reply, Claire shyly lowered her head as a blush deepened the colour on her cheeks for his gaze seemed to bore holes into her eyes.

He smiled seeing the rosy blush rise and gave her some respite from his intense scrutiny. “How would ye like to help with something to eat? Ye must be starving mo nighean donn because I am ye ken. The Heughans said in their note that the pantry and the refrigerator have been well stocked, so there is no need for us to get any other supplies for a while.”

However, Jamie’s words had the opposite effect. He had just exacerbated her wayward thoughts with his reply. Claire knew she was in trouble being around this virile man.

Big trouble.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jamie noticed her reticence at his proposal to help in the kitchen so suggested that Claire take a look around the home instead. “Why don’t ye go and unpack mo ghràidh and I’ll get us a bite to eat. Oh, and Sassenach, ye should find some suitable warm weather items that ye may like in the wardrobe too.”

His words conjured up what they had said on the Lear jet not knowing of their destination and Claire felt her rosy cheeks turn decidedly redder at his inference to their conversation. However, it was more the clothing optional option that registered in her mind that set her thoughts to picturing that very scenario happening here. However, she gathered her composure and replied to his first statement.

“Yes, I think that would be a good plan Jamie. There is no need for both of us to be in the kitchen and besides I’m not the best of cooks and I might cramp your style.”

Claire gave a little gasp. The only explanation was that she was flustered because of her own wayward thoughts about being naked with Jamie. She suddenly regretted those last couple of words that had left her mouth before she had completed her sentence knowing that he would jump on the inuendo of what she had said.

And he did.

Never taking his eyes from her flushed face and with a gleam in his eye Jamie replied, “Never Sassenach. Ye could never cramp my style.”

His Claire was adorable. He loved teasing her and tipping her off kilter because she had a glass face and he couldn’t resist mocking her as he did. Claire could never disappoint him. She was brave and fearless and this was proven tenfold with her incarceration at the monastery. Claire Beauchamp had a steel rod backbone and she had endurance to withstand the torture she was subjected to by Jonathon Randall. Seeing what she had gone through just broke his heart and made him more determined than ever to find those responsible and atone for what they had done to his Sassenach.

However, at times she did baffle and frustrate him but Claire could always emote the reasons for why she did what she did. It had taken him a while to completely understand her mindset and the sympathy and kindness that filled her heart for those who were persecuted and downtrodden. Claire was fierce in the way she loved and even to this day, he could not fully comprehend why she loved the man he was. He was so grateful that she had seen beyond the veneer and had looked into his soul until she held his heart in the palm of her hand.

Claire allowed him to be whole and encouraged him to express those feelings he had suppressed for so long. He’d thought he was incapable of love until she had shown him how to love and that he was worthy of her love. This remarkable woman gave him permission to surrender to the feelings he had for her, to let go and lose himself in her arms. She had made him a better man despite the life they lived in Section One. She had made him more human but at the same time vulnerable. Although Claire Beauchamp was his weakness, she was also his strength and he would help her to heal in this place of tranquillity. He planned to bring his Sassenach back from the brink of despair and he vowed to see that sparkle in her eyes once more.

On the contrary, his Claire could never cramp his style because she was innate good and he was under her spell and happy to be there.

While these thoughts crossed his mind, Jamie replied, “I’ll let ye off the hook this time Beauchamp. Go unpack and freshen up. I’ll let ye know when dinner is ready.”

“Okay, that sounds like a good plan. I just might do that.”

James Fraser smiled at her retreating back as his love made a hasty retreat from the kitchen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It seemed hard to fathom that they had been discharged from Med Lab and now they were here in Australia of all places and as far away from the memories that Hong Kong held. Here in this place they would be able to let the world go by, enjoy each other’s company, relish the privacy of their environment and forget everything and everyone that had hurt them. These two weeks in paradise would be the place where they would live, laugh and love without fear or worry for what had happened to them. They would never forget but they would find themselves again and emerge stronger for going through this together. She felt relaxed and safe here and was so thankful that Jamie had brought her here. This dwelling really was the perfect place for the two of them to be to recover from their past ordeals and to escape the watchful eye of Section One. It was as if Section didn’t exist.

It had been a long day of travelling and both of them were exhausted. Claire was glad that Jamie was preparing a meal because she didn’t think she would have the strength to do so. She was dead on her feet and all she really wanted to do was to curl up and go to sleep on the inviting giant king size bed in the master bedroom. Having placed all of their belongings away and examined the items of summer clothing in the wardrobe including an array of miniscule bikinis, Claire propped up the pillows and lay on the bed. She couldn’t take her eyes off the setting sun that was disappearing behind the mountains. The sight was even more spectacular than she thought it would be and she suddenly felt as one with nature. The warm red and golden rays kissed the water as she watched the sun disappear completely over the horizon until all that was left was the beautiful colours of the sunset that would herald another beautiful day on the morrow. How wonderful it would be to wake up each morning to a new day knowing that it would be the start of a day of healing for both her and Jamie. Claire closed her eyes and soon succumbed to exhaustion.

And that is how James Fraser found his Sleeping Beauty.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Claire looked so peaceful and free of worries as she lay on the bed curled up like a little butterfly in a chrysalis. Jamie stood by the bed and looked his fill at the woman who had been to hell and back over the past few weeks. His piercing blue gaze swept his Claire from head to toe in the space of a heartbeat. She really was a Sleeping Beauty and all he needed to do was waken her with a lover’s kiss. Resting his hands over her body he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead then trailed another down her nose until his tender lips caressed her mouth. Claire stirred at the touch of Jamie’s kiss and slowly opened her eyes to see her love peering down at her with such devotion in his eyes that her heart did a little somersault.

“Wake up my sleepy head … dinner is ready.”

Jamie’s gaze sent delicious shudders down her spine. Claire had to look away and gain some composure for his look always sent her heart a fluttering and this one was particularly poignant. Stretching her hands above her head as well as elongating her legs, she wriggled her toes before replying to Jamie’s wake up call. Still avoiding his eyes, she closed them for a moment then swallowing quickly she softly answered.

“Okay … I’ll … get … up.”

She stumbled over her words and couldn’t really make a coherent sentence for fear that her voice would give her away and allude to the emotions that had fluttered through her brain at Jamie having found her asleep in the master bedroom. She tried to get up but he had her trapped between his arms. Claire managed to cast a look his way only to see that Jamie was quite enjoying seeing her lying on the bed. Passion filled eyes avoided his as she spoke again.

“Have I been asleep long?”

He noticed the darkening pupils in Claire’s eyes but he didn’t tease her although he was sorely tempted to do so just to see his love on the back foot. “Not long Sassenach, but when ye didn’t appear when I called out, I came in search of ye only to find a Sleeping Beauty on the bed.”

Sparkling blue eyes watched her like a hawk waiting for Claire’s reaction and more importantly her answer.

“So, Prince Charming … What’s for dinner?”

Jamie’s voice softened and his words cut to the quick. He held her gaze with a look that curled her toes. “That’s for me to ken and ye to find out. I hope yer hungry Sassenach because I’m feeling quite ravenous.”

“Oh?” Claire replied not quite sure if it was for sustenance or something altogether completely different for his euphemism was telling.

James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser merely smiled enigmatically.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ to be continued on TUESDAY 23rd June with one last Section chapter for a bit, then continuing where we left off here with Jamie and Claire on FRIDAY 26th June

#Jamieandclairefanfic #jamieandclairecrossover #the lallybroch library #outlander fanfic #covert operations #crossover outlander/lfn spies modernau #LFNoutlander #jamieandclaireau #sablelab

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aforrestofstuff · 4 years

Text

I’ve been looking at your posts for a while now and I love your Headcanons so much! I only made an acc today just to thank you for making these! Also I’ve also seen your A03 acc and read your fanfics there and I think you’re a great writer! I wrote a huge comment on one of your stories just rambling about how much I like your tumblr and works but I don’t think it sent cause I don’t have an A03 :( today I’m 15 and I was wondering if you’d make Headcanons for how you think S Class heroes would celebrate their birthdays (if that’s alright of course I don’t wanna make you do anything you don’t wanna) and also just a question, why don’t you do PPP headcanons at all? He’s an S Class Hero and I think he’s the only hero you skip out on. Other then that, keep making these headcanons cause they are great and inspire me for my own OPM crack storie book I created (Random One Punch Man Crack Fanfictions on Wattpad i only wrote one story there and only said it if you’re interested)

Thank you thank you thank you so much. I’ve already sent you a dm but I just wanted to say it again because I’m literally vibrating with happiness. Happy birthday <3.

Birthday Headcanons:

Terrible Tornado: Sticks a candle in a store-bought cupcake and calls it a day. She’ll go get her nails and hair done, buy herself a new dress, and just spend the entire time relaxing. Fubuki used to throw her parties when they were kids but she doesn’t really expect that from her anymore.

Silverfang: His disciples used to get together and throw him a surprise party every year. However, ever since the Garou Incident, Charanko will take it upon himself to fill the void somewhat and scrape together enough money to buy a cake (or the ingredients to make one) and a small gift. Silverfang can go both ways: he likes people but he can also be quiet and reflective. So, he has a great time regardless of whether or not he has a party and spends the day enjoying nature, meditating, and being thankful for living as long as he has.

Atomic Samurai: He’s not antisocial by any stretch of the word but he prefers to celebrate this day only with those closest to him. He and his disciples do something new every year and it’s always grounded and casual. Sometimes they’ll all go out to drink, sometimes Okama and Iaian will prepare a feast, sometimes they’ll have lighthearted competitions on who’s the best swordsmaster (with weird contests like who can balance their sheaths on their head the longest and who can catch the hilt of their blade after doing a backflip 3 consecutive times). Good times all around. However, if someone mentions Atomic Samurai’s age, he will sass them to oblivion.

Child Emperor: He doesn’t really plan to do anything out of the ordinary. It’s mostly just business as usual on his birthday. But after meeting Zombieman, however, he practically gets dragged out of the lab and into something special each year. Whether it’s a horror movie marathon, a late-night drive to catch a glittering view of the city, or just chilling and stuffing themselves on sweets, it makes Zombieman a little sad to see wasted youth knowing his life (and age) is as fucked up as it is so he tries to make the kid have at least a little fun the best he can. Child Emperor always has a great time and he now sees the importance of valuing youth and no longer shows shame in pausing his work and enjoying himself every once and a while.

Metal Knight: When he wakes up on his birthday, his alarm clock plays a little tune. That’s about it. He sees no real importance behind age or youth or seniority because as long as he’s at his height of intellect, nothing else matters. Gotta build them robots. It’s business as usual.

King: Holy shit. Shut the blinds. Lock the doors. Silence the phones. It’s game time, baby. Twenty-four hours of blue screen madness. He pigs out on chips, soda, buys himself a cake, and absolutely revels in solitude. He calls his mom each year and they talk for hours on end. She tells him how proud she is of him being a kickass hero and killing monsters and he dies a little inside each time but he loves her nonetheless and keeps up the facade for her sake. She sends him a card with a few coupons and a love-filled note about how much she adores him. He nearly cries each year upon receiving it.

Zombieman: He buys the best cigars he can find, cooks himself a massive T-bone, drinks an entire six-pack of beer, and reclines while watching crime movies. He wears sweatpants, polishes his weaponry, plays Mötley Crüe loud enough for his neighbors to yell at him for it, and just has a great time all by himself. He doesn’t really like parties or get-togethers and even sometimes has to take a break from Child Emperor. This is his day to recharge his social battery and sleep for seventeen hours. This is his day to get absolutely wasted on expensive alcohol and accidentally hotbox his own house. This is his day.

Drive Knight: Pretty much the same as Metal Knight. Whenever the clock strikes midnight on his birthday, a little tune plays in his processing unit and that’s about the end of it.

Pig God: Every restaurant in the damn country has a special on his birthday. He just goes around collecting free food, taking pictures with fans, and eats until he can’t eat anymore (which is a lot). The restaurants he visits have pictures of him eating their food on the walls; he’s become a bit of a indication that if he visits a somewhere to eat, the food’s gotta be bomb as hell. He doesn’t really do anything other than that. He doesn’t really strike up conversation or anything, he just eats in silent contentment and that’s enough for everyone to have a good time.

Superalloy Darkshine: He’s a fan favorite as well. Social media will be blowing up with birthday messages, he’ll be trending on whatever the OPM universe equivalent of Twitter is, and he’ll waste no time going out to meet his fans and spreading birthday happiness. He’ll eat cake, drink with strangers, share laughs and smile without stopping. People will give him little gifts and free food and he accepts it all graciously. Everyone’s invited. Good times all around.

Watchdog Man: This is one of the few days of the year in which he takes the day off from protecting City Q. He’ll just sleep a full twenty-four hours and resume his duty the next day like clockwork each year. Sometimes passerby will leave him little gifts on his podium like meats and dog treats but he doesn’t really take any of it since he’s really particular about what he eats.

Flashy Flash: On this day, he spends time reflecting on how much he’s improved since last year and adopts an extra-vigorous training regimen for the next twenty-four hours. One year, he climbed a mountain in sub-zero temperatures. Another, he ran across a saltwater lake without breaking the surface tension of the water. He spends it alone, occasionally has a drink, and that’s about it. Sometimes he’ll go out to have a nice dinner but that’s only on years he believes he’s deserved it.

Demon Cyborg: He doesn’t really care about his birthday. This makes Doctor Kuseno kind of sad because he believes that Genos is still a kid who deserves to enjoy his birthday like one. So, he does what he can to make the day somewhat special while also pertaining to what Genos could want. This is very hard because Genos never outright says he wishes for anything and that means Kuseno has to do a lot of guesswork. It varies year to year, but the best gift he’s ever given Genos was the sense of taste so the kid could eat birthday cake and enjoy it. Genos isn’t too fond of sweets, he much prefers fruits over cakes, but nevertheless, he was so happy to get one step closer to humanity that something malfunctioned in his head and his hands wouldn’t stop shaking for a whole week.

Metal Bat: Go hard or go home. This fuckin kid pulls an all-nighter with Zenko on the weekend of his birthday to stay inside, build a pillow fort, and play video games. They order pizza, do prank calls, play fighting games, and when the sun comes out they get a couple hours of sleep before riding out again at the height of a sugar high to go to the local carnival (he’s a summer baby) and spend a paycheck’s worth of cash. Once they come home, they collapse in Bad’s bed together, curl up, and fall asleep to some movies.

Tanktop Master: He and the Tanktop Gang have an all-out birthday bash. Everyone and their grandma is invited. There’s food, alcohol, and sports playing on the television in the host’s house (each of them take turns every year). The first few hours of partying, everyone’s having lighthearted fun and watching sports and drinking lightly (Tanktoppers drink responsibly). After that, everyone kind of calms down and they all gather around in the living room and sit on the floor together and just talk about what a great year it is to be alive. They catch up, share stories, eat snacks, and wish Tanktop Master the happiest of birthdays. He absolutely adores spending time with his friends and gives a toast to everyone and their hard work. After that, he goes home and calls his mom before going to bed.

Puri-Puri Prisoner: He and his boyfriend share a slice of birthday cake from the prison cafeteria with a single candle stuck into it. His boyfriend gives him crochet and knitting lessons, they and the other prisoners dance to some music, and the guards give him a pat on the back along with some birthday wishes. That’s about it. There’s only so much he can do in prison, but he makes it work with what he has and has the time of his life nevertheless. Angel Hugs all around.

And to answer your question about PPP, I straight up just forgot he existed akshshshs. I’ll be brainstorming some stuff about him soon. Love you lots 💞💞💞💕

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because-of-a-friend · 5 years

Text

Adopting a Dog With Seokmin

MASTERLIST

Again, sorry this took so long! Thanks for the sweet words and the request anon! I hope you like it!

Your apartment has become somewhat of a second home for Seokmin

Once you two start dating, he spends a lot of time at your place

It’s a nice break from being cramped in a dorm with twelve other guys 24/7

It’s also nice for the other boys because they no longer find week old gummies lying around in random places

That’s your problem now lol

But he does like the nice and quiet of your apartment

Even when you’re not there, he enjoys relaxing there

He can gather his thoughts and recharge

He does, however, tend to get super bored when he’s there alone

So when you casually mention you’ve been thinking about adopting a dog from the shelter down the street

He can’t help the excited “YES” that he yells out

You literally drop the spoon you’re holding in surprise

“Ok so, we need to get a leash, and some toys, and a bed... and oh! We have to figure out what kind of dog we’re looking for! I’m thinking a poodle... or a shih tzu-”

“Dokyeom, I literally just suggested getting a dog, calm down”

“Oh... right, but like... when are we going?”

You can’t help but laugh

“We can go shopping today and go to the shelter tomorrow”

DK practically pushes you out the door

He is literally vibrating with happiness when you two walk into the pet store

He tells you he’s going to look for toys while you go to get a leash

You sit for a moment in front of the leashes, considering length and if you should get a harness

A sales associate comes up to help you

You start talking to them about adopting and your plans, you talk about living in an apartment and the best options for a dog in that situation

“Hey babe, how about these!”

DK comes around the corner with an assortment of at least twenty dog toys in his arms

The sales associate bursts into laughter

“Seokmin, please, we don’t have the dog yet, how would we know what kind of toys it likes...”

But with the help of the worker, you two get through the store pretty easily and get everything you need

DK only narrows his toy selection down to ten

The employee throws another one in for free

“For the lovely couple, you guys made me smile today”

DK’s grin is insanely big at that

He puts his arm around your shoulder and squeezes you firmly

When you get back to the apartment, you lay everything out and start to organize everything

You set ground rules for the dog’s schedule, what you need to do every day to make sure the dog is as happy as possible, what rooms the dog is not allowed in, etc

DK stays over so you can go together to the shelter as soon as it opens

He, of course, is so excited that he doesn’t sleep

He keeps waking you up to talk to you about your future dog

“[Y/N]”

“What?”

“How do you feel about the name Seungcheol?”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Hmmmmm... ya maybe not”

...

“[Y/N]”

“DK, it’s 3am, I want to sleep, go bother someone else about the dog for a little while”

You drift back to sleep

Only for a few minutes

Because you get a call

You stare at your phone confused as to why Lee Jihoon is calling you at 3:12am

“Hello?”

“Don’t tell your boyfriend to ‘bother someone else for a little while’ at 3am, because that someone else is me, and I’m tired”

“Jihooooooooooooooon, just talk to him for a minute”

“No”

“And then we pass it off to Coups”

“No”

“And eventually everyone takes a shift”

“Nope, your boyfriend, your 3am conversation”

And then he promptly hangs up

And DK slides back into the room with a guilty smile

“Ok babe, we can talk about dog names for ten minutes, JUST TEN”

He leaps onto you and cuddles you to death while you talk about names

He finally dozes off as he says “Maybe something from Greek mythology...”

You had been complaining about wanting to sleep

But it’s hard not to take a couple minutes to watch him sleep with that ridiculous grin on his face

When you wake up, Seokmin is already in the kitchen making breakfast

Cue incredibly rushed pancakes and a million stares from Seokmin implying he can’t wait for you to say it’s time to go

“Ok you ready to-”

DK leaps up from his chair and grabs your bag and both of your jackets and shoves you out the door again

Seokmin CANNOT sit still when you walk in

He is ready to find a dog and ready for it to be at your apartment

When you two finally go in, Seokmin runs like a kid to look at all the dogs

You’re obviously excited too

I mean, you wouldn’t be getting a dog if you weren’t

But you weren’t expecting to fall completely in love with one certain dog immediately

By the time you reach Seokmin, he already has like three different dogs he’s telling you about

And you’re walking to see the one he’s pointing at

But there’s a tiny “yip” from one of the cages you pass

You turn for just a second and immediately stop

It’s a tiny, little corgi

And it waddles right up to you

Bleps its tongue out

And you’re sold

You kneel down to greet it through the gate

DK turns to see where you are

And he sees you looking down at the puppy with sparkling eyes

Then he hears you whisper

“Seokminnie”

And he feels his heart clench in his chest

Because this is possibly the cutest thing he’s ever seen

And he sees Woozi yawn like every day

So he comes over to see who you’re looking at

But he doesn’t really look at the dog

He’s just soaking in the sight of you staring so lovingly at the little puppy

“I see you guys are looking at Daisy!”

You and DK give each other a look as the volunteer comes to speak to you, silently agreeing that Daisy’s name will not be Daisy for long

“Uh ya, she’s real cute, what do we need to do to take her home?”

So you and DK sign the paper work and bring Artemis home (or maybe Athena... Calypso? “Something cute,” DK finally says, “Bella, or Biscuit...Bagel?” “Ok, now you’re just hungry aren’t you?”)

The first thing you do is just let Sunny (or maybe Maya) sniff around the apartment

You follow after her closely, just watching in fascination at everything she does

Then you take her on a tour, showing her around and telling her everything, even though she’s a dog

After a day of beginning to ease her into living in the apartment

You just can’t help it anymore and pick her up and cuddle her for awhile

DK just has his arms around you and and is staring at her over your shoulder

“Mabel” you quietly whisper staring down at her

“Ya,” DK smiles, “Mabel”

You’re both quiet for a minute just staring down at her

Then Mabel yawns and you both squeal

You let her curl up in her bed, it’s been a long day and you want her to rest

You’re also about to suggest that you both also go to sleep

But there’s a knock on the door

You open the door and twelve boys poor in

“We’re here to meet Cookie!” Mingyu exclaims

Jun whacks him, “Her name is Sunflower!”

“It’s Mabel,” you laugh

They all gather around and coo at your little corgi

She’s just sleeping in the bed that’s five times her size

A bunch of them come over for the following days to help watch the puppy

DK is really happy to chill with Mabel alone

Now his days at the apartment are filled with playing with Mabel and talking to Mabel and taking care of Mabel

It’s a great way for him to think out his issues and recharge without getting bored

Having Mabel around is great, and a positive change in all of your lives

You spend a lot of nights just cuddled up on the couch with DK and Mabel, just happy that they’re both in your life

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fangirling-throughlife · 5 years

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Sant Jordi (World's Book Day)

Summary: Shawn falls for a Valencian girl who's an enormous bookworm.

A/N: as today (well, it's past 12, so technically it was yesterday) is Sant Jordi (a festivity in Spain, specially in Aragón and Catalonia), a day commemorating the World Book Day (because of the anniversary of the death of Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Garcilaso de la Vega), I thought of this little idea. I'm from Valencia (where the girl is from), so it's just almost 2k of publicity for my city and my language (Catalan). So, if anybody is going to visit or would like to visit the city, I'll be happy to answer any questions. Also, I'm a big bookworm, which is why it's about books and St. Jordi. Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

Word count: 1795 words

One of the first things Shawn learned about Anna was her unending love for books. She didn’t mind when it happened, where she was or in whose company, she always had a book between her hands. She couldn’t leave the house without something to read, and Shawn had learned that the hard way. During Christmas he had flown out to Valencia, her hometown, to spend some time with her, as he would be starting tour soon, so he wouldn’t have the time to see his girl, who was busy with her classes. One night, between Christmas and New Year, he took her out to have dinner and watch a movie. They arrived late to the restaurant, because she realised she didn't have her book with her when they were on their way for 10 minutes.

It isn't surprising, though, considering where he met her. She spent the summer in Toronto, studying English, and she went to a little book shop next to Shawn's building two or three times a week. Shawn saw her one day, roaming the aisles full of shelves and talking to Leonard, the owner, as if she were an old friend, and was intrigued immediately. He noticed she usually was there between 18 and 20, so he went outside around those hours, hoping to see her.

He looked at her black hair, her dark-brown eyes hidden behind considerably thick glasses and her tanned skin. He knew her features so well that he saw her when he closed his eyes. At one point, he started feeling like a stalker, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. He noticed that she wasn't Canadian three weeks after he saw her for the first time, when she left the shop one day talking on her phone. He didn't recognize the language, though he was sure it wasn't French (he surely would've recognized some words). All he knew was that it was beautiful and melodic, so it had to be something between French, Italian and Spanish. He realised that she would be leaving soon (he asked Brian when college started generally, as she was giving off some big nerdy college girl vibes), so he decided he had to talk to her before she did. One day, after he checked she was inside, he entered and talked to her, pretending to be looking for a gift for Aaliyah. He asked for her advice, which she gave very excitedly, and, after 30 minutes, he found the courage to ask her out to have a drink.

If Shawn loved the idea of her, after “stalking” her for three weeks, he fell for her the moment she talked to him. He was surprised when she admitted she knew his music, because she was completely cool with the fact that Shawn Mendes himself asked her out. She talked about her dream to become a writer, or, at least, an editor, and he talked about how much he loved writing music. They kept on seeing each other every night after her classes for the last 10 days she spent in the city.

By the time she had to go back to Valencia, the both of them were deeply in love with each other. The only thing stopping him from buying a ticket to go see her were the multiple commitments he had for the next months. The first time he could go see her was end-October, for her birthday. When he got to Valencia and she showed the city to him, he understood her personality. She mirrored the beauty of her city perfectly. He quickly noticed the duality of it: it's got the characteristics of a big city as well as of a small provincial town. It combines century-old history in the centre with a modern and vibrant side more outside. Just like he expected (just by knowing her) the people were nice and welcoming. For the first time in ages, he could enjoy some time without being “the Rockstar” all the time, as people seemed to be very chill about him being there.

As tour started in Amsterdam in March (she didn't have so much work around that time), he made sure she was there for the two first shows. She didn't have any classes for a whole week afterwards, but as she quickly explained to him, “It's Fallas, I can't miss that. Plus, I've already said yes to a billion plans, I won't even be free.” So, from the 15th till the 20th of March, he would find after every single show pictures of his bookworm girlfriend at parties, in front of statues that, according to her, were “a form of art, and satire” (he would have to see them with his own eyes, and maybe actually understand her language to conceive that very deep meaning she was trying to explain). She sent him awfully long videos of fireworks displays, every night longer than the previous one. Through her camera and his screen he was dragged into the festivities of Fallas, something he definitely needed to experience by himself.

His favourite moment of March, though, was the show in Barcelona. She didn't answer the phone for hours, making him anxious, but she appeared out of thin air backstage, sharing a mischievous smile with Brian. Later, he found out that they had been plotting against his sanity for the past hours. That day he saw her really get into the show and the atmosphere. She was fluent in both French and English, but in Barcelona she could speak her native languages, Spanish and Catalan. She surely didn't notice, but he did: she opened up, she chatted with fans and won them over with her charming personality. After all, she was talking to her people. She freaked out when Aitana came backstage and asked for a picture with her “please, please, please” . That day, he knew that the love for her culture would always be enormous.

She couldn't make it to the final show in London, because she had an exam on Thursday and the combination of trains, flights and busses was simply impossible, so she just watched it from a video call with Brian. She saw her boy be sick and told him to stay hydrated, she told him how proud she was, but she couldn't help but feel awful because she wasn't there, with all his family and loved ones. When he announced, after the show, that he was going back to Toronto in the morning, she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. One part of her understood him completely. He had been away for such a long time that he needed to be in his own bed to recharge. He had studio sessions and SNL coming up, so she shouldn't be surprised that he wasn't coming. He still called her every single day and night, he asked about her classes (didn't she tell him they had 2 weeks of Easter Holiday?) and about the city (the weather was awful, so she didn't leave the house).

The one subject he seemed to avoid was the most pressing one considering the time of the year. To Anna, the most important festivity (even though it wasn't a national holiday, it should be, in her opinion) was St. Jordi. She remembered with a smile the story she heard every year at school. And, even though there were two official days to celebrate love in Valencia (the historical one, Sant Dionís, on October 9th, and the globalised one, Saint Valentine, on February 14th), she considered Sant Jordi, on April 23rd, the one true lover's day. The traditional gifting of a rose and a book was, in her opinion, the most romantic gesture in a relationship. Well, she didn't really care about the rose (although she couldn't deny the fact that she was a hopeless romantic and she loved to get a rose), she was always eager to know what the book would be. It was also the first Sant Jordi since she started dating Shawn, so she was terrified. Hadn't she made it clear how important the day was to her? He didn't have to fly over, he could just ship a book, or even send her a gift card so she could buy the books herself.

When midday passed on the 23rd, she decided she wouldn't be waiting for him to call alone sitting on her couch. Even though it was raining (surprise, “En abril, aigües mil” (in April, it rains a lot)), she took her umbrella and raincoat and walked to the book fair. All the stress she had been building for the past weeks vanished when she saw the thousands of books in front of her. She quickly started to look (not buy, that's her strategy: first looking and then deciding on the purchase), and she almost forgot about her boyfriend who'd forgotten about this special day.

But, the same way she kept quiet for the entire day when she went to see him in Barcelona, he didn't talk to her while he was getting to Valencia. Even though he didn't think she'd be at home, he tried, and his suspicions were confirmed by her sister. So, he immediately left for the book fair. With the help of her sister, he found her without attracting too much attention to himself. She was reading the first chapter of a book she seemed to be considering, a second one in her hand to check up on later. He slightly chuckled, because she's the only person who would stop to read the first chapter of a book before deciding on buying or not. He immediately froze, but relaxed rapidly, as his chuckle didn't give away his presence. When she finally was done, she returned one of the books to its place and turned to take her wallet. That moment, she was met with the view of Shawn Mendes with a red rose, her favourite, and a copy of her favourite author's new book. At first, she couldn't believe it, until he walked up to her and whispered in her ear, “it's not that funny to be kept in the dark for so long, isn't it?” She laughed, knowing he was talking about her's and Brian's stunt in Barcelona, promising herself she would never do it again. “It's not. I thought you didn't remember.” She confessed. “That was my whole idea.” She couldn't help but glare at him, but he quickly pressed his lips onto hers, smiling in the kiss. “Feliç dia del Llibre, amor”. (Happy Book Day, love) Shawn said, proud of himself for remembering the phrase completely. She chuckled (he didn't understand why, though, his pronunciation had been excellent), and answered. “Feliç dia de Sant Jordi, amor.” (Happy St. George day, love).

#shawn mendes #shawn mendes fluff #shawn mendes imagine #sant jordi #book world day #bookworm #valencia #spain

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segara-asa · 2 years

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Nusa Dua, 14 January, 2022

---Sometimes when the people you love, hurt you the most, it's better to stay quiet because...if your love wasn't enough....do you think your words matter ?---

Hey Mor.. Got something in your mind ?

"Uh hey.. Sort of.. Why'd you here ?"

Aku menarik sebuah kursi untuk duduk di sebelahnya. Pelayan datang membawakan gelas blueberry squash ku.

Saw your Insta Story, I'm just off from work and I think you got a nice place there to chill and relax. So here I am, I didn't expect you still here.

"Yes, it's quiet in here. I like to come here when it's too boring at home. Are you still working on your day off ?"

Mind if I join ?

"No, of course not."

Been a rough day for me... Don't you know Greg could never get enough of me?

Btw, It's Sunday why did you get bored staying at home? If I could, I would sleep all day long.

"Talk it yourself, you are so devoted to him. I.. I can't stay home when my heart and mind are somewhere else."

I am not that devoted. It's just, I don't have any choice else than to get myself busy. I've been crying for hours last night and I know I can't stand myself for crying another hours during the day as well.

"You cried ?"

Mor, I'm human after all. Greg will also cry when he is in pain when no one understands him. That's why I stay whenever he wants me to.

"I heard from the Delegates team how you get close to Greg within 2 days you started working. Ary even said to me it's not common for Greg to laugh every day at the office."

The staff used to whisper to each other during office hours on my first day. I don't know why or how, but let's just say Greg needs someone to listen to him. And I somehow have the ability.

"Yeah, you did. You amazingly understand people from the very first time. As you are very blunt, your very sharp words sometimes makes us uneasy."

LOL. Pardon me. Speaking the truth has always been my style. It's normal for me to be blunt around people I comfortably with. Beware when I started to kept all the opinions just to myself.

"I guess I am a good listener like you. But not with my girlfriend."

You can tell me if you want...

"She is a pretty cool person. She never bugs me with those girl-thingy-thing like checking me every hour, putting restrictions, she is always been so independent on her own. Most of the time I felt left alone."

We've talked about this before a few days ago, remember? That's just like a curse, for us to deeply feel everything and also need extra attention. Not that we're attention seekers. But it's just happened to be like that. Your girlfriend also happened to be a cold person somehow. Perhaps she didn't even know she hurt you with her indifference...

"No, she didn't understand it at all. She is fine, she is good.. I just hate feeling left alone."

Dear, last night I cried for hours till dawn for the same reasons. The last time I felt left alone was like a month ago or so. I maintained great control over my emotions using so many ways. But sometimes this monthly hormonal problem kicks in. I got very sensitive and needed more love than the other days. I felt like I'd been working so hard understanding people for the whole month and needed only enough amount of love to recharge. The thing is, I borrowed someone's love. I love someone who's not mine. I don't even know if he loves me or not. Being comfortable with someone is different from being in love... But despite it all, I am thankful for everything and I live it all anyway.

"You can't complain on that."

Like you can't complain about your girlfriend's cold heart. You chose her anyway. It doesn't matter if the options are between good or bad if it's sin or not. But you made your decisions and you gotta be ready for the risk, the up and down. Everything.

"I can't complain about that. There are two sides of the story, the good and the bad."

Air mata menetes seiring dengan sedihnya hatiku. Aku menghapus tetesan pertama yang jatuh, namun terlanjur disusul tetesan berikutnya.

I'm in pain too. But we got nothing to complain about unless we walk away..it would change everything. And somehow we didn't want that. Somehow we knew we gotta keep a hold on for maybe a miracle to happen?

"If you hate to talk about this, let's pick another topic."

Aku menghapus tetesan air mata yang lain lalu tertawa.

That's okay, I get used to it. I've been living like this for a very long time. There's no difference in the pain. But I've learned how not to think much of it. The storm will pass so does the pain and everything. We shall be forgotten and forgotten somehow. I am better now at handling my emotions.

"I don't think I like the thoughts of being getting used to heartbreak."

Emotions are emotions. We can't complain about that too. That's what made us human, not a hybrid, not a demon, not an alien. Perhaps. But what I kept telling myself is that...

---All the love that you gave to people, all the care and sincere feelings, through good and bad, whether they understand it or not, and all the broken hearts you got there... All those sins you made. Karma did work. Someone that unintentionally hurt you, might also get hurt by others. So don't whine...despite it all, keep it going. The only matters are, for you to live this life sincerely.---

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lilreesenerd · 7 years

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Guardian Archangel

Summary: Turns out your best friend from childhood is really the archangel Gabriel, of all things.

Insp by Imagine from @nothing-but-spn

Warnings: I'm not a good writer

You had never been the extroverted type. I mean, you weren't captain of the sports team extroverted, but you also weren't the kid in the back of the class that said all of 2 words in a week. You kept to yourself because that's what made you feel most content: not the gossiping, fake friends you saw everyone else had. Out of the entire school, there was one guy who wasn't terrible: Gabe.

You two had been best friends for as long as you could remember. You always stuck up for him (being a theater kid wasn't easy for him), and he kept your life interesting. Gabe was always dragging you to a carnival or some obscure coffee shop. The best part about Gabe, though, was that he gave you your space. He knew you needed alone time to recharge. And that was okay with him.

You were smart, but not as smart as you realized. You had been accepted into a private college not far from your hometown on a ridiculous amount of scholarship money, but you weren't quite sure that was the path you wanted. It was the only path you knew, though. Well, besides working at McDonald's or being in your parents' house forever.

"Ms. (Y/L/N)," the professor called on you, knowing you weren't paying any attention.

"Uh," you knew you were in Calculus, but other than that, you hadn't been listening. Your mind scrambled to figure out what the question was as you scanned the room for clues. A question on the board asked to find the derivative of the equation below. Suddenly, you remembered the answer, "5x - 3."

Your professor was unimpressed. "Please pay attention, Ms. (Y/L/N). Finals are approaching, and you need to maintain your grades if you still plan to attend that school." She returned to scribbling derivatives on the blackboard and droning about their importance.

You nodded your head to her back and caught Gabe suppressing a laugh across the room. You stuck your tongue out, an old habit from your younger years that you just couldn’t kick. Gabe always brought out your fun side.

With the professor turned around, Gabe flicked a paper football at you. It landed perfectly on top of your green notebook. Opening it, you read his sprawling yet elegant handwriting, "Since you're so tired, let’s get coffee after class. I found a new spot downtown ;P."

You tried to look annoyed, but those big goofy green eyes of his made you give in, tucking the note into your pocket with a nod.

-------------------------

"No way. Frost was a genius!"

"Definitely not. Everything he wrote was either too obvious or too cryptic to be poetry." You took a slow sip of your scalding coffee with 3 sugars, happily goading Gabe into an all-out frenzy.

"Seriously?!" Gabe is livid. Hair awry, face red, and fists clenched. "You're like the smartest person I know, and now I think you're quite possibly the most uncultured!" He slammed his fist on the table, nearly over-turning his double chocolate chip iced mocha with extra chocolate syrup.

You laughed. "Gabe, you're going to need to control your temper if you want to win the debate next week. You have to metaphorically smash the competition, not literally." You remembered the time someone had pushed you over in the hallway while still in middle school, which resulted in Gabe being suspended for a week and the other kid being in the hospital for just as long.

"Hmm," Gabe sat down and took a long drink of his sugary concoction. "Oh," he straightened himself as if remembering something, "bacteria is the only culture some people have." He liked memes and knew you would appreciate the science-related joke.

You choked on your coffee in an attempt to keep it from flying across the table and onto your friend who is practically rolling on the floor with laughter.

While you're recovering from the near-death experience and hacking up a lung in the process, the cute barista smiles at you two from behind the counter. "Hey you should ask her out," you said to your friend who was known to flirt with any breathing female. "She seems nice," you wiggled your eyebrows, "and I'll bet she's domesticated."

"Yeah," Gabe shot the barista a smolder and a wink, nearly causing the woman to swoon right then and there, and said, "she's definitely more domestic than you are."

"Hey now, watch it." You threatened playfully.

The two of you returned to your coffee, reminiscing about your childhood. Catching bugs, wrestling in mud holes, skateboarding down the middle of the street, and eventually graduating to four-wheeling through the woods behind the neighborhood, were some of your most treasured memories. For many years, the two of you would always come home covered in mud, grass, or some odd mixture of the two. By the seventh grade, Gabe was starting to discover a love for theater. He wanted to write, produce, direct, and star in his very own works. You decided on almost the complete opposite. A quiet life on a farm, an honest life, sounded perfect. You had worked on friends' and family's cars for practice whenever you got your own car. You preferred domestic brands like Ford and Chevrolet, and eventually wound up with a pickup truck made the year before you were born. You enjoyed fishing and shooting competitions (you didn't hunt because you had a soft spot for animals, fishing was different, though). The oddity of your person was that you wanted a simple life, but you were so smart that your school advisor kept telling you to be a doctor. Interrupting your thoughts, the barista crept over, refilling your coffee and sliding Gabe a napkin with her number on it.

She left, and Gabe chuckled, bringing you the rest of the way back from memory lane, "There's nothing wrong with you not being totally domestic like cook, sew, have babies kinda thing. You're just...you. And there's no one else like you, so embrace that part of yourself."

"Aw, Gabe, you're making me blush," you mocked and made a pouty face at him.

"Watch it, princess, or I might turn my charm on and render you helpless." He smiled and put on his most suave air. Standing and extending his arm he added, "May I?"

Shaking your head in disbelief, you took one long gulp of your now-too-strong coffee (you hated getting your cup topped-off. It ruined the proportion of sugar to bean) and took his arm. "Where to?"

"Wherever you want to go, (Y\N)."

You laughed. He always knew how to get you to go along with his adventures. "Hmm," you thought a moment, "Fishing." You knew he hated fishing, but you wanted to see if he would go anyway.

"We went fishing last weekend," he whined.

You raised an eyebrow. Your big brown puppy-dog eyes ready to make him give in.

"Fine, fine, I did say wherever you wanted, just put away those weapons of mass destruction,” he teased, referring to your doe eyes, “but I get to pack the cooler."

"Just pack something non-diabetes-inducing for me, Hansel." Gabe had a real sweet-tooth. It was a miracle he didn't have a mouth full of fillings or diabetes.

----------------

That weekend, the lake was smooth as glass, the perfect sunset reflected as if another world lay beneath its surface. The fish were biting and the mosquitoes weren't: it was destined to be a great day. Until Gabe started snoring, leaned up against the cooler. Snoring is putting it lightly. He was sawing logs with chocolate on the corners of his wide-open mouth, clutching the small cooler with both arms.

You sighed, pushing him off the cooler and onto his stomach, noticing something shiny in his waistband. You cocked your head, wondering what it could be. Maybe a flashlight? Oh well, none of my business.

You fished for two more hours before waking Gabe. "Come on, man. Its not very gentlemanly to leave a girl unattended on an outing," you poked his ribs.

He swatted at your hand, murmuring and mostly asleep.

Unable to wake him conventionally, you went to grab his flashlight, planning to shine it in his eyes. As your fingers brushed the cold metal object, Gabe twisted around, grabbing your wrist, his eyes fully alert.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked harshly and accusingly.

"Chill. I was just trying to wake you up." You raised your hands more nervously than defensively, flexing your calf to make sure the knife was still sheathed at your ankle. Gabe would sometimes do this super-aggressive thing, and honestly? It worried you. You weren't scared, just prepared for the worst, and keeping your breathing level.

"Sorry, (Y/N)," Gabe rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, "you must've woke me up during a bad dream." You tossed him a candy bar, and he started to relax a bit, eyes shifting around the bank.

"That's bologna." You crossed your arms across your chest. "Why are you really on edge? And what's that?" You pointed to the silver object behind Gabe.

He sighed. "Flashlight."

"Show me," you challenged. You had known him as long as you could remember, and right now, he was lying. And he never lied to you. Ever. The one time he did, it was to keep you from seeing your dog that had just been hit by a speeding car.

"Let's go somewhere else," he said and touched your forehead with two fingers.

One second, you're at the lake, the next, you're back in the coffee shop from before. Before Gabe can start explaining, you have the hunting knife unsheathed and in his face.

"What. The. Heck, Gabe?!" Snarling through bared teeth, you are barely holding it together. How am I in the coffee shop? We were just at the lake.

He scoffed. "Sit down, (Y/N). I have a lot to explain, and you have a lot to learn." He seemed irritated with you and oblivious to the knife in his face.

With your brow creased, you slowly sit down in the booth. Gabe snaps his fingers and a coffee, hot with 3 sugars, is in front of you, and his favorite sugary drink is in front of him. He takes a sip and a faint smile flickers across his face.

"My name is Gabriel, and I'm an angel." He quickly clarified, "An angel of the Lord. No. Not the harp-on-a-cloud type."

You are pretty sure your mouth is hanging open. He just answered the question you were thinking. Thinking. You managed, "Excuse me?"

Gabriela's mouth turns down, "Huh. I figured you'd take that worse than you did. Good job." He took another drink, gesturing for you to do the same.

You do so. It’s actually a really good blend. "Why are you here? I mean, are you on a secret mission or something?"

Gabriel smiles. "Oh, you don't know how right you are, kiddo."

Your head cocked to one side, asking the question for you.

"I'm your guardian angel. Well, I'm a lot of people's guardian angel, I just happen to really like you."

"Me?" You figured you must have fallen asleep at the lake, hit your head, and are now having trauma-induced visions. "I'm not special. Or interesting. Why are you really here?"

Gabe stood and gestured you walk with him. As the two of you wandered down the streets of the small town, he explained everything: Heaven, Hell, monsters, demons, angels, and even God, his dad. Turns out Gabe is really an archangel.

Everything starts to make sense to you: the perfect days when Gabe is with you, how you can remember things when he's around, and so much more. Like getting into your first choice college on a full scholarship.

"So," Gabe was approaching the reason why he was here, "you have a father."

“Well yeah, he died when I was little."

Gabe raises an eyebrow and smiles.

You are exasperated. “Oh come on, Gabe, that’s not funny.”

"Have I ever lied to you?" You didn't answer. He never had, not when it mattered. He always had your best interests at heart. "Exactly. Now listen, you have a father and two brothers who don't know you. Technically, there's a third, but no one knows about him yet either. They hunt these monsters and things, and they could use your help."

#supernatural #gabriel x reader #fluff #spn fic #supernatural fic #gabriel #sam #dean #Sam Winchester #dean winchester

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readingontheedge · 5 years

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The Rose

The Redemption Duet Book 1

by Sheritta Bitikofer

Genre: Sweet Paranormal Romance

Belle lives her life from day to day, nearly crippled by her social anxiety. But if you ask anyone in Levi about it, they'd say she's a sweet, quiet girl who works hard to keep up her family's small ranch while holding down a job at the bookstore. No one knows that beneath her smiles lay a shy introvert who wants nothing more than to stay at home. It was easier to stay alone, stay isolated. That's when she was the happiest. But during one thunderstorm, all of that changed and she met the first man she ever actually wanted to spend time with. Leo made a habit of avoiding people when at all possible. Getting tied down, making friends, having a life only meant suffering. The darkness that followed him since his adolescent years never left, not really. It'd show up and ruin any hint of happiness that came his way. Running from his past and the brother that cursed him with this demon, Leo never expected to find something like home in the little country town of Levi. And he didn't expect one storm to bring him to the barn of a girl with fire in her eyes and a face as beautiful as a sunrise. A sunrise that could chase away all the shadows.

Goodreads * Amazon

For the first time all day, Belle could finally breathe. As she curled up her feet on the sofa, a steaming cup of lemon jasmine tea between her hands, she basked in the comfortable silence. The rain outside had picked up and she had already spotted a few flashes of lightning through the speckled windowpanes, but that didn’t bother her. The thunderstorm added just the right ambience to help her relax. The last hour had been spent actively trying not to go over the events of the day. She didn’t want to rehearse every word, every action, or overanalyze all that had happened to her in the bookstore. All she wanted to do was let her mind go blank. With the christening sip of her tea, its aroma soothing her anxious mind, she resolved to do just that. On the coffee table sat her laptop and a lit lavender candle that added to the whole calming atmosphere she strived to create. She glanced to the screen and watched the four security camera windows with the black and lime-colored images of her animals in the barn. Three horses and a small flock of sheep all rested peacefully through the storm. There was the occasional stirring from an ewe or head toss from one of her mares, but nothing alarming. Just how she preferred it. A quiet night recuperating from the chaotic, stressful day. Belle sunk lower against the mass of pillows and let the tea take effect on her rattled nerves. This was just another end to a long day that, to anyone else’s eyes, went off without a hitch. But to Belle, clad in her soft pajama bottoms and baggy Longhorn shirt, it was one of many that left her tired, drained, and in need of recharging. All day, every day, she put on the mask. The one that gave a friendly smile to everyone, the one that spoke the right words every time, and never showed how truly terrified she was to be facing a perfect stranger. She spent so much energy keeping that mask firmly in place to hide her true self that at the end of the day, all she could do was crash on the couch with her tea and wonder if this would ever get easier. Here, in her home, she was safe to be herself. It was her haven, her port of call. Her nearest neighbors were at least half a mile away on either side of her expansive farm, the one that had been passed down through her family for generations. Everything in the barn and her two-story little farmhouse whispered the cherished memories of her childhood and a dozen childhoods before her. From the dining table in the kitchen that was made by her great-grandfather, to the wall of bookshelves in the living room packed with novels that had been collected over decades. Not to mention the three upstairs bedrooms that stored precious heirlooms dating back to her great-grandfather’s time when the house was first built. All of it embraced her and welcomed her into a safe place she would never trade for the world. She might have been alone here, but she was happy. Here, she was able to let down her long brown hair, freeing the waves and curls she tamed back every day in a ponytail. Here, she could let loose and be who she wanted to be and not have to fake her own existence for the sake of being polite and normal. Once she had drained her first cup, Belle begrudgingly stood from the sofa and made her way into the adjoining kitchen to pour herself another. Two more and she’d be ready for bed soon, the pacifying effects of the brew thoroughly cleansing away her anxiety. Her socked feet strode across the black and white checkered tiles, the ones her grandfather had laid when he first brought his new bride home. Her father once told the story of how she took one look at the patterned vinyl and demanded it be replaced. The project was completed in just two days before her grandmother made some comment about the cabinets, and they were replaced too. Now, dark wood offset the green countertops, giving the rustic kitchen a mis-matched look that Belle couldn’t bring herself to remodel. There was too much character here, and even the thought of replacing the old appliances made her feel a little sad. So, she tolerated the dryer that had a mind of its own in the corner with the washer, and the gas stove that didn’t always want to start, and the refrigerator whose icemaker broke when she was ten years old. No, she wouldn’t change a single thing about any of it. As she poured hot water from her overused kettle over a fresh teabag, she heard a loud crash followed by a peel of thunder. Belle glanced over her shoulder to the darkened window but saw nothing except the pattering of raindrops against the glass. She went straight to her laptop table and peered at the surveillance videos. She couldn’t see anything obviously wrong until one of the feeds showed that the barn door had come unlatched and banged furiously against the outer wall. This startled the horses and though there was no sound on the footage, she could hear all three mares knicker and the loud cries of the ewes over the pouring rain. With a sigh, she knew she’d have to wait to start on that second cup of tea until she fixed the door. But just when she was about to turn away, Belle caught sight of something in the camera. For just a moment, she thought she saw something moving outside of the animal pens. It was too big to be a sheep and stood upright like a person. She stared at the screen longer, her pulse racing as she tried to make sense of what she saw. Nothing moved again, but that didn’t keep her from spiraling into a panic. Maybe someone had broken into her barn. Her entire body went ice cold at the thought. Another clash of lightning made the power flicker and she could see the bright green glow of the string lights flicker and die in the live video feed. Belle had convinced her father years ago to rig the barn with electricity so they didn’t have to take a lantern or flashlight with them if they had to check on the animals at night. However, that power had always been glitchy and unreliable at best. She had left the lights on to give some comfort to the animals during the storm, but who knew if they would turn back on. Donning her rubber boots and raincoat, she grabbed a flashlight from the hook on the wall and dove out into the storm as she tried to ignore every instinct to stay inside where it was safe and dry. Mud sloshed all around her pant legs, soaking them through until she felt the water chill her ankles and seep into her socks. Not even her boots could keep out the torrential downpour. Plump, cool drops splashed on her face, thoroughly dampening it despite the hood that concealed much of her head. The rain fell across the yellow beam of light, almost obscuring her view. Somehow through the darkness and haze of rain, she saw the barn door slapping against the front side of the barn with every gust of wind. Belle stopped to examine the damage, her shoes sinking into the deep puddles that had already formed on the ground. She knew for a fact that she had locked up the barn before going back inside that night. The padlock couldn’t have been knocked off by the wind and the key was still sitting on the kitchen counter. It had to have been broken by something. Or someone. Fear rose up in her throat, but she tread softly toward the barn doors. Belle swallowed hard as she inspected the lock and found that it, along with the latch, had been ripped completely off, and lay in the mud just in front of the entrance. Whoever had gotten in was either incredibly strong or had a tool sturdy enough to rip off the lock. When she shined her flashlight around the opening, she saw what the intruder must have used. An iron crowbar lay in the dirt just inside the threshold. It hadn’t been there before, but Belle recognized it as her father’s. His initials had been etched into the handle when he forged it himself for a school project. Belle picked up the crowbar and swung the door shut behind her. She pushed back her raincoat hood and shined her flashlight around inside of the barn, willing for the beam to stop bouncing as her hands continued to shake. She swept it along the horse stalls, then to the sheep’s pen to the far back right corner, then to the old run-down Volkswagen opposite from them. There was a thickness in the cool air that confirmed her suspicions that something wasn’t right. Whoever had broken into her barn must have still been there, lurking in the shadows where her flashlight couldn’t penetrate. After another quick check with her light, she roamed to more closely inspect the barn. Nothing appeared to be missing in the way of supplies or animals. Yet, there was still an unease that filled her spirit. It just didn’t feel right, and she hated the way her heart pounded against her ribs with painful urgency. Thinking that it might have been the storm making both herself and her animals nervous, Belle turned to leave, willing to dismiss what she saw on the camera feed as a moth or bug that got in the way of the lens. Maybe the wind had picked up a sturdy piece of lumber and knocked it against the lock to make it fly off instead of the crowbar she found. The wood of the barn door wasn’t new by any means and probably bore the beginnings of dry rot anyway. She couldn’t remember the last time the latch had been replaced, so it was possible that there was no intruder after all. That’s what she wanted to believe. Then, she heard a sneeze. It wasn’t an animal sneeze, as she knew them all too well. This was a human sneeze and it sounded distinctly male. Belle whipped around, crowbar poised and ready to throw or beat down whoever came near her. Her flashlight darted to all the corners, but still found nothing. Finally, she called out in the strongest voice she could muster, “Show yourself now or I’m calling the cops!” It took a moment, but there came some movement from the stack of hay bales near the back wall. Belle, as shaky as she was, stood her ground and gripped her weapon tighter. Though her teeth were clamped tight, her ragged breaths came sputtering out from her nostrils. There was no hiding her fear, no matter how she tried. A man came forward with his arms raised in submission. He was shirtless, only clothed in a pair of battered jeans, torn and stained. His body made the air in Belle’s lungs freeze. Residual rainwater dripped from his barrel-chest down his toned, rippling abs and curving along his narrowing waist. He had broad shoulders and beefy arms as thick around as her thighs, all muscle and power. Her flashlight stopped at his neck, but her eyes continued to roam upward. A pair of pure blue eyes sparkled from beneath dark brows. A beard covered his jaw and around his mouth, as black as the night sky. His equally dark, damp hair was slightly flattened and tangled by the storm, its tips grazing against the bare skin of his collarbone. But it wasn’t the striking contrast of his hair and eyes that stunned her. It was the way he looked directly at her, ignoring the weapon she held, and the harsh light shining on his torso. He wasn’t afraid, but neither was he on the offensive. There wasn’t a hint of malice anywhere in his expression. There wasn’t a hint of anything. He met her stern gaze with a steady, gentle one that both intrigued and unnerved her even further. Yet, somehow, she couldn’t look away, even if she wanted to. She would have given anything to drop her eyes in submission. Her mask wanted to come up, to protect her from this man and his hypnotic gaze. But, it couldn’t. Why couldn’t it? Maybe it was the long day or the tea she had drank earlier. It put her at a disadvantage, and she wasn’t prepared to face another person that evening. Exposed, caught off-guard, and terribly vulnerable. Anything could go wrong here, and she needed to be brave and detached. But the mask wouldn’t stick as long as this man was looking at her like that. They stood there, in a stalemate for what seemed like several minutes before he spoke in a deep voice that rattled her bones. “Are you still going to call the police?”

The Lion

The Redemption Duet Book 2

Belle Clearwater’s prayers had been answered, but there was still so much left to discover. Now determined to reject her mental illness, she’s decided to be brave and not let her anxiety disorder take her away from what matters. With the help of her friends and her faith, she’s sure that she can finally have her life back. Something greater is stirring in her heart and the man that had served as her solid ground might just send her world off kilter again. All it takes is one moment of honesty.

Against every bit of common sense, Leo Thompsons has chosen to stay in Levi. The Darkness and his murderous brother are closing in, but he believed that as long as he has Belle, he can find a way to break the curse upon his soul. With the power of love and prayer, he’s finally fighting for his life and the chance to share that life with the beautiful farm girl. Fate brought them together, but is he strong enough to rebel against the forces of evil that have hounded him for so long? Can he, once and for all, defeat his demons?

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The heaviness continued to drop onto his chest as Leo drove further and further away from Levi. Further away from Belle. It always happened every time he distanced himself from her or the farm. The only way he could reason it was that it must have had something to do with all that praying she did.

Ever since that night when she first dispelled the darkness with one small, impromptu prayer, Leo began to see the pattern. On those days she prayed, the darkness stayed away. His nights weren’t tormented by dreams of fire and death. His soul didn’t feel as weighted and burdened. So, each morning, he asked if she prayed and if she said she hadn’t yet, he would slyly drop a hint that she should. Of course, she didn’t complain. Why should she? It was nothing to her. Just a string of words sent up to God to protect them and the farm from evil.

But to Leo, it was everything.

It meant the difference between walking around with an easy smile, because he had finally settled where he wanted to stay, or looking over his shoulder and starting at every loud noise, thinking it might be the demon coming to collect his payment.

It took a great deal of courage to mount his motorcycle and head south toward Little Rock, far away from Belle’s protection and deeper into the world he had tried to leave behind. It was all for her, though. If he didn’t do this, it’d take that much longer for Belle to achieve her dreams.

One call to an old acquaintance – the only one he had left that would still speak to him – sealed his plans for the evening and with a little money in his pocket and a change of clothes in his duffle bag, he left in the late afternoon.

The two-and-a-half-hour drive did little to settle his nerves or clear his head. He used to love riding on the highway. Of all the vehicles he had ever driven, the maneuverability of a motorcycle appealed to him the most. He could weave in and out of traffic, zoom on and off exits and effectively lose whoever might happen to be chasing him. On those drives when he could relax, let the wind pound his face and feel the grind of the wheels on the blacktop, Leo could zone out and not think so much. He didn’t have to think about his past or his future. Just this moment with only him, the road, and the deafening rumble of the engine beneath him.

He could do anything but relax now, because he knew exactly where he was going and what he’d be doing that night. Something he thought he’d never have to do again after he arrived in Levi.

It didn’t take long to find the place. Mack gave detailed directions that a toddler could follow. Even over the roar of his bike, he could hear the multitude of voices and music booming out of the warehouse just outside of town. The parking lot was packed, but he managed to find a cramped spot on the side closest to the river.

Leo didn’t make eye contact with the people he passed as he made his way toward the entrance. Smokers, groups of men with beer bottles in hand, couples displaying their affection in obscene ways, bookies, dealers, and thugs. It wasn’t so long ago that he knew this scene by heart. Being in Levi had cleansed him somehow and as he approached the bouncers at the door, he began to question himself again. The darkness practically lived here, and in places like it where sin went unchecked. He could feel its pull, like a black hole that Leo had once dangerously skirted the edges of not so long ago. And here he was again.

Did he really want to do this? He was capable of it. He was completely capable of winning the money for Belle’s stallion. But there was no turning back now. He had already called the man in Fayetteville and made the deal. He was expecting the money first thing in the morning.

“Mack called me in,” he told the two bouncers who were just a hair bigger than him.

The bald one flipped through his clipboard while the other sized Leo up, taking in his jeans and leather jacket. Leo could admit that he didn’t look like he was ready for a fight, but he never needed a fancy rig to pound another man into the dirt. He learned bareknuckle boxing when he was just a teen in Brooklyn. Most who did this for a living couldn’t say that.

The bouncer made it to the final page and tapped at the bottom of the sheet. “He penned you in.”

“Realized he couldn’t leave out his best guy.” Leo gave them both a cocky smile and they reluctantly let him through. In a place like this, arrogance was the common language.

The stench of cigarette smoke and beer hit him, making his eyes water a bit before he could adjust. The bass from the speakers beat against his ears and made the fabric of his clothes vibrate, once more dazing him before he could get a handle on his senses. He squinted against the flashing strobe lights as he pushed his way past the throngs.

The tip of his boot hit something on the floor and sent it rolling. He didn’t have to look to know it was a syringe. His arms reflexively jerked away from the seductive touches of the women who tried to grab his attention as he looked for Mack in the crowd. The fight was still a quarter of an hour away. If he guessed right, the man would be near the bar, taking more bets and organizing the tournament tree one last time.

Leo felt something brush at his pockets and he turned just in time to seize the hand that tried to make off with his keys. What he didn’t expect was for his fingers to connect around a small wrist. The boy looked up at him, the colorful lights like a kaleidoscope across his youthful face. He couldn’t have been more than ten years old.

He snatched away what was his and set the boy free, knowing he would just steal again from someone else. As much as he hated it, the boy wasn’t his responsibility and it wasn’t his place to correct him. With a sigh, he skimmed the crowd again and found the Red Socks ball cap bobbing lively across the sea of strangers.

Leo pushed through a cluster of drunken college students and edged past a tight grouping of ladies in leather skirts dancing with martini glasses before he could put his hand on Mack’s shoulder.

The manager jumped and spun around, wide eyes looking through a pair of tinted glasses. When he saw who had grabbed him, he let out an exaggerated breath.

“Scared me, man!” he shouted over the trap music. “Lookin’ good!” Mack reached out and squeezed Leo’s bicep in the kind of way that reminded him of a man who looked to buy a piece of livestock and wanted to test its sturdiness.

Leo smacked his hand away, effectively startling the manager. “I need a place to put my stuff,” he said, jerking his chin toward the duffle bag slung across his chest. Mack recovered and offered out his hand to take it there for himself. “Someplace no one will get to it,” he clarified, unafraid to sneer at him. It didn’t pay to be friendly in a place like this.

Mack’s throat worked when Leo dropped into that serious tone and then nodded. “All right. All right. I’ve got a locker in the backroom. You can put it there.” He handed Leo the tiny padlock key and gave him his usual thorough directions.

“When’s my fight?” Leo asked, making the key disappear in his fist, so no one would try to pinch it.

“You’re my first matchup!” Mack announced proudly, his one gold tooth blinking in the club lights. As if to prove that he wasn’t lying, he took the dry erase board he had been working on at the bar and showed him. The column of names on one side of the tree didn’t matter to him. The one blank spot where the winner’s name would be written did.

“Rules?”

Mack began to list out the scant regulations set down for the tournament. The only restriction appeared to be the usual. No eye gouging and no groin shots. Everything else was permitted until his opponent tapped out or passed out.

“Kicks and grappling?” Leo asked.

The manager grinned. “All fair game.”

“Payout?”

“Six Gs.”

More than enough. Leo nodded in approval and pulled out his wallet to count out the bills.

“Buy-in’s five hundred.”

He froze in the middle of his count and shot Mack a glare that could peel paint. “You told me it was four.”

The wanker only shrugged. “Must have misspoke.”

Leo feigned a smile. “Must have.” He stacked what bills were needed to get him into the fight and held them out for Mack between his two fingers. Before the manager could take them, Leo grabbed for his shirt collar and pulled him in close. “You better not cross me on this,” he growled in warning. “If I find out you skimmed my winnings again, I will find you.”

And Mack knew Leo could. He didn’t have connections, but he had his demon who loved a good fight. The bookie’s hairy brows shot up and he nodded quickly, hands raised as if he had already been caught in the act.

“We’re clear,” he assured. “But I didn’t cross you that time, you know. It was – “

Leo shoved him against the bar counter, knocking over a few beer bottles in the process as Mack’s feet were nearly lifted off the floor. He could have easily snapped this weasel’s spine if he wanted to. Good thing for him, Leo still needed the money.

“I know it was you,” he snarled, getting close enough, so only Mack could hear him. “Be grateful I’m in a forgiving mood tonight. Otherwise, you’d be in the river by now.”

Before Mack had a chance to open his mouth and dig himself a deeper grave, Leo tucked the wad of bills in his front shirt pocket. Under the watch of several patrons to the bar, he let Mack nearly crumble in a heap and strode away to find the locker room.

He regretted nothing. Mack was a snake, no different than any of the other managers and bookies he had met across the country. They would sooner double-cross someone they thought wouldn’t notice and take a bigger portion of the payout. Leo wouldn’t be fooled. Not tonight. Not ever again.

Once more, he had to maneuver his way through the crowd, upsetting plenty and spilling drinks along the way. The long hallway to the locker room might have been the only empty place in the club. Can lights lit the path that stretched in a straight line toward the back of the complex, but shadows lined the walls and spaces between.

Leo gave himself permission to breathe again, but the darkness was close. He could tell in the subtle drop in temperature and the way the lights flickered and dimmed. It didn’t surprise him that the demon would show up here. Away from Levi, away from his lighthouse of calm, Leo was vulnerable again. But this was what the darkness wanted. Pain, fear, blood.

“I almost thought we’d never be here again.”

The voice scratched at the corners of his mind, slinking with him along the corridor. He knew, if he cared to look, what he would see. Either a floating immaterial orb of black mist, or a form that appeared much less sinister, like a swindling gambler or underhanded dealer ready to make bargains on souls. By the more substantial presence in his peripheral vision, he knew it was the latter.

“Don’t get excited,” Leo said. “I’m not staying.”

The demon edged closer in the form of a man wearing a neatly pressed suit and jacket, jet black hair and coals for eyes gleaming in the fluorescent light. “Oh, come on. You know you miss this.”

Leo scoffed. “Yeah, I totally miss the smell of piss, alcohol, and weed. Such a pleasant smell.”

A disturbing laugh bubbled up from the demon’s throat. “There’s that humor I missed. See, we’re so much better off here than in that little town in the middle of nowhere.”

He slid a scathing glare to the darkness, but wouldn’t slow or protest. “Here to collect payment?”

“You’ve had a week off, Leo. Thanks to that little – “

“If you call her anything but a lady, I’ll – “

“What?” he snapped. “Punch me? Strangle me? You forget that you can’t do anything, Leo. You’re powerless and always will be.”

He didn’t need to be reminded. Whatever the darkness wanted to do, he could do it. Except when Belle prayed. That was his only saving grace, but there was no way her prayers could reach this far. Could they?

“Just pay attention during the fight and you’ll get all the payment you need,” Leo directed, slamming the door in the demon’s face as he walked into the locker room.

It did little good. The darkness rematerialized beside him as he worked the padlock with the key he had been given.

“I know why you’re doing this,” the demon said, grinning to show his perfectly straight white teeth. “You’re trying to make your girl happy. It won’t work.”

“Watch me,” he dared.

“I’ll make you throw the fight. Take you out of the first round before you can get anywhere close to the semi-finals.”

“You won’t do shi-“ Leo stopped himself and bit back the word he wanted to use. “You won’t do anything. Think of all the lads I’ll beat into the floor tonight. You need that payment. Remember our deal?”

Leo stripped off his shirt and wadded it up before zipping open his bag to shove it inside. He then set to taking off his shoes and socks to join his shirt.

“And you remember what I told you? I need more than the typical payment, especially since your brother is getting closer.”

One thing about demons, he had learned, was that they didn’t have an ounce of loyalty in them, not even for the man who had tethered them to a victim. Twelve years he had lived with this curse, the darkness serving as the constant thorn in his side. But he did have one useful thing going for him. He told Leo when Matthew was catching up.

Leo shot a look to the demon to see if he was lying just to get a bigger blood payment. That was the agreement they had made months ago. If he did his part and gave the darkness what he wanted, Leo and Belle would be left alone. Of course, the game changed when Leo decided to pursue her. Now that they were living together in a hotspot that the darkness didn’t care to be in, the cost of their protection went up.

“How close?” he asked, hoping for an honest answer.

“Very. And I would rather not be around when he does come. Think of how mad he’ll be when he finds out I’ve been masking your trail for the sake of an extra fix.”

That was laughable. “You poor wee thing,” he mocked. He crammed his duffle bag in the locker, thoughtless to how the luggage would damage Mack’s package of cigarettes or the tiny bundle of cocaine tucked away in the back. Leo hoped he busted the plastic bag.

“Why don’t we stay in Little Rock? It’s such a fun town,” the darkness suggested as Leo began the methodical process of wrapping his hands in the gauze and athletic tape to protect his knuckles. By the end of the night, they would be stained red with blood.

“After this is over, I’m going to Fayetteville.”

The demon came around to face Leo. “There’s nothing in Fayetteville worth seeing.”

“And then I’m going back to Levi,” Leo stated impatiently, as if he had been saying it all night in one way or another. He wouldn’t leave Belle, no matter how much the darkness wanted him to. Like she said that day when he almost skipped town without telling her, he needed to take control of his life, one choice at a time. This choice, though made for odd purposes, was what he wanted, and the darkness would not pressure him into returning to this way of living – if it could even be called that.

“Why not stay a few days?” he said, almost whining like a child who was denied candy and was one refusal away from throwing a tantrum. “We could use some of the winnings to get a hotel, order room service, order some girls and – “

Leo shot daggers with his eyes that instantly made the vile mouth shut tight. He would have threatened to leave Little Rock right then if he thought it would do him any good. The darkness was smart enough to know that Leo needed this money just as badly as he needed the blood payment.

He finished wrapping his hands and left the locker room just as he heard the music dim for a minute to allow the presenter to publicize the first match. He didn’t care if the darkness followed or not. He’d be in the crowd, watching, absorbing the pain and misery of Leo’s opponents. It’d be just like old times.

Unceremoniously, Leo entered the main hall where the fighting would take place. His bare feet slapped against the cold concrete floor, wetted by the spilled beer and liquor from earlier that night. Mack was by his side as if he were a personal sponsor and hyped up the crowd when his name blared over the intercom. Men roared and cheered while women let out whistles and offers that were lost in the din.

He was led to the center of the room where one bright light hovered over the space sectioned off for the tournament.

Spectators leaned on the rope partitions to get a look at Leo as he swaggered forward to meet his first opponent. As always, his stomach tangled, but then he reminded himself that as long as his brother’s curse tarnished his soul, there was little man could do to him. He was kept alive to suffer and cause suffering for others. He’d get hurt, but death wasn’t in his near future. Not yet.

The ropes were closed behind him and he raised his fists, keeping his stance easy and light. The other man, leaner and an obvious novice, blew air past his protective mouthpiece and hopped about like an eager boxer.

Don’t waste your energy, he told himself. You’ve got a long night to go.

When the bell sounded, and the crowd shouted for their favorites, the thinner man came charging forward with a wild hook. Leo dodged and sent an uppercut into his ribs. The guy recoiled and put a hand to his side, eyes wide like he had never expected to be hit.

Leo shook out his hands and flexed his unpracticed knuckles. His fight with Drake was the last time he’d ever hit bone that hard. He readied himself again for the next assault, but was disappointed when the man came at him again with a similar greenhorn move.

He left himself open and Leo took the opportunity. He ducked and wrapped him in a chokehold from behind. One kick to the back of his leg buckled him to the ground. For a minute or two, they grappled with one another. Leo saw stars each time a punch connected with his head, but he willed himself to stay conscious during every reversal. Limbs twisted as they rolled across the concrete, scraping the skin of their arms and backs along the way.

Each time he thought the guy would tap out, he kept coming at him with more desperate jabs and kicks. Leo felt a bit of blood trickle from his nose after an elbow slammed into his face. He could taste its metallic essence on his lips.

He was kicked off and stumbled backward, giving his opponent time to jump to his unsteady feet. Leo wouldn’t give him the chance. He landed one solid punch to the jaw. He heard the crack, but didn’t care. The man finally crumbled to the floor and he waited for a hand to smack the pavement.

When it did, Leo spat a bit of the blood from his mouth and looked up. His eyes instantly met the devilish stare of the darkness in the crowd. The black pits that bore through him told enough. This tournament wouldn’t be a walk in the park for him like it used to be. The demon would drag this out and make the poor boys he fought think they had a chance against him.

The darkness wasn’t just in the business of making Leo’s life a living hell. He’d also drag along any other susceptible soul with him. That was why he needed to protect Belle, the only thing he cared about anymore.

An author of paranormal and urban fantasy fiction, Sheritta Bitikofer lives for the deep, engaging stories that enthrall readers from cover to cover. As a wife and fur-mama of eclectic tastes, she can be found roaming Civil War battlefields, perusing the romance section of the bookstore, or relaxing with a plate of chili cheese fries. Take a look at the books she has available and stay tuned for new releases.

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malibootie · 6 years

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14 Common Misconceptions about Man Caves

To go with my list of 5 Man Cave Clichés to avoid, I want to clear up some serious misunderstandings about man caves. Many people out there hate man caves for seemingly legitimate reasons. Nearly every point on this list argues against the necessity or presence of man caves in the home, and each one of them has merit. But are they true, and do they even apply? Let’s go through these 14 common misconceptions about man caves and identify the true pros and cons of man caves…and why one belongs in every household!

With this much stigma surrounding our mantuaries, it’s no wonder that only a few of us gain the privilege to build one of our own. Each numbered topic represents a common myth or misconception about man caves and explains the truth of the matter. I put them in no particular order—different people will stick to different misconceptions depending on their own priorities. If you need help convincing someone about the greatness of man caves, just refer to the misconception’s specific bullet point (or, of course, read the whole thing).

1) Only Hermits Use Man Caves

When people learn of man caves for the first time, they imagine a sanctuary for a man to spend all of their time in alone. While the man cave does create a sanctuary for men, that hardly relegates us to a life of solitude in our caves. Many man caves exist to accommodate guests along with its main focus. Man caves with bars, entertainment systems, and amazing designs work better with more people in them to enjoy everything. In other words, man caves represent a social hotspot for many of us, rather than a fortress of solitude.

2) Man Caves are for Sports Fans Only

Contrary to popular opinion, man cave themes expand far beyond the sports scene. While lots of men love to decorate their room with sports-related paraphernalia, video game fans also make up a huge chunk of cave men. Steampunk lovers, car fanatics, artists, wine aficionados, and even musicians benefit from their own mantuary. The rest of the house also benefits from containing these hobbies into one space, rather than accumulating different pieces in rooms that don’t match.

3) Women are Not Allowed in the Man Cave

I write this one tentatively, as man caves represent the epitome of male freedom. When a man walks in his cave, he makes all of the rules in it. No exception. However, no one requires the ‘no women are not allowed’ rule. That’s all up to your own discretion! As long as drama stays at the door, ladies can usually chill in the cave and enjoy all the amenities you put in there. Just make sure everyone who walks through the threshold stays aware of all the other rules (no chick flicks, no chores, farting allowed, etc.) to keep the peace.

4) Man Caves are Macho

Similarly, a lot of people think that man caves represent manliness as a whole. These uninformed ladies gift men with deer antlers, workout equipment, and—worst of all—the infamous singing bass. Why do they even make those? While many men use them as a macho status symbol, that doesn’t mean they need to leak with masculine stereotypes. A man cave matches its man—and that is the only part of it that needs to be manly!

5) No Crafts or Art Allowed

Plenty of craftsmen enjoy their trade in the man cave. In fact, many caves center around creative occupations! Whether you tinker with your car or blast your music, working in the comfort of your cave helps you relax and get in the zone. The difference between a craft-oriented cave and a study is that a cave provides other forms of entertainment (such as couches, television, books, etc.) without anything reminiscent of work. The cave is for doing what you love!

6) It Exists to Escape from Family

Some people think that man caves imply we can’t cope with family. By setting up a ‘safe space’ for ourselves in a hard-to-reach area of the house and forbidding other family members from entering, it gives off the impression that we want to leave our responsibilities at the door. In some ways, this rings true. We want a place to relax without worrying about all the stress life throws at us.

However, such a place is crucial to recuperate and tackle the sources of stress. Without a place to mull over things or take a step back, men make hasty and horrible decisions. The best remedy to a bad course of action is a good night’s rest and a relaxing gaming session—hardly what you could call an escape! Rather than think of it as an ‘escape’ from family, think of it as a ‘sanctuary,’ ‘recharge station,’ or ‘brainstorming room.’ Everyone deserves a place of their own to think of what they will, but that doesn’t mean such a room only exists as an escape.

7) It is the Best Room in the House

While the man cave probably ranks at the top of the ‘most expensive’ room in the house, that does not make it the best room in the house. Like all other rooms, it serves a function. Bedrooms, studies, guest rooms, living rooms, kid rooms, entrance rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms all deserve just as much attention and care as the man cave. You’re entitled to your own opinion, of course, but I would personally pick a bathroom over a man cave if I needed to choose one.

To prevent your man cave from becoming the only maintained room in the house, never rank your rooms from best to worst. Instead, consider them on an individual basis—do they serve their function? How can they be improved? What sort of problems hinder the room? This keeps your man cave on par with the rest of the house and vice versa.

8) Men Only Live in their Man Caves

Once you give a man some place to stay, they will never leave, right? Wrong. This common myth about man caves posits that men have everything they need to live in their man cave and that they use it as their main living quarters. Certainly some men might do that, but it isn’t healthy and isn’t the norm!

Man caves work like entertainment rooms or living rooms—they offer a place of sanctuary and relaxation for a few hours of the day. They still eat at the dining room table, hang out in the living room, and use the same bathroom as everyone else. If you know a man who spends too much time in his cave, let him know. Just having a cave doesn’t excuse reclusive behavior.

9) There is No Reason to Have a Man Cave

If a man cave works just like any other room in the house, then men should be able to just use the living room for what they need, right? Nope. Wrong again, on two accounts. First, the man cave serves a unique function in the house (creating a sanctuary for a specific person). No other room performs the same function, so it works differently than every other room. Second, and similarly, no other room compares to what a man cave can offer us. There is no room for substitution.

In other words, men need a man cave. We need a place to hang out on our own, enjoy our hobbies without cluttering up the rest of the house, and fart wherever we want without judgment. It helps both us and the rest of the family when we have a place to call our own. I wrote a whole post on all the reasons you would want to own a man cave, so check that out if you’re not convinced.

10) Sports and Video Games only Belong in the Man Cave

Lots of people skip on man caves because they think it only provides a space for gamers or sports-lovers. Certainly, everyone with their own football cave used the hell out of it this Superbowl weekend. Since these two topics feature in almost every man cave, lots of people forget the other types of man cave themes. However, simple themes and functions work just as well. You can create man caves just for reading, writing, drawing, playing the guitar, drilling, tinkering, and every other hobby under the sun. The only limit on your man cave’s purpose is your own creativity.

To distinguish a regular room from a man cave, simply provide a few amenities unique to the man that will inhabit the room. Along with that, remove anything that reminds you of actual work or something stressful in life. This room is for men to relax in. A simple bar becomes a man cave the moment you purpose it as such, while an industrial workshop becomes a mantuary.

11) Man Caves are Messy

Many ladies draw the line at man caves because they seem like they invite filth and roaches. That all depends on individuals, of course, but you’d be surprised what a well-placed trash can prevents. After using your cave for a week, identify the main sources of trash and clutter and put measures in place to prevent them. After that, fifteen minutes once per week keeps the room in top condition.

Although it may not compare to the hyper-organized kitchen or pristine living room, as long as everything has a spot and looks nice, it’s clean. If your lady still dislikes the concept of a room you’re in charge of cleaning, talk with her about all the ways you maintain it. And yes, you need to maintain it, not her. That way, it’s fairer on her and you know where everything is when you need it. Unlike many rooms, you decide exactly what goes in the man cave, so it’s easy to throw out clutter before it creates a mess.

12) Men are Just Selfish for Wanting Their Own Cave

Why can’t men just use the rest of the house? Why do we need our own room, all to ourselves? Isn’t the living room enough? People who think men are selfish for wanting their own cave usually don’t understand the purpose of a cave. Refer them to my post that focuses on reasons to own a man cave. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll go over a little bit here.

Man caves serve as a sanctuary and split from the rest of a man’s life. It certainly benefits us more than anyone else, but wanting a place of our own is not selfish. It’s necessary for us to relax, and the living room doesn’t cut it when soap operas and Animal Planet blare out of the TV constantly. If anything, everyone deserves their own room in the house! If your lady gets jealous, simply offer her an equivalent ‘she-shed’ down the road. Then she’ll understand just how much you need your cave!

13) Women Own the Rest of the House

Just because men want a space to call their own, that doesn’t mean the rest of the house belongs to the woman of the house. A home is a shared space, and even the man cave is only permitted to exist because of a shared decision with their lady. Just as a lady gives input on whether or not to put in a man cave, men still take part in all the shared house decisions. If your lady wants to claim the rest of the house, then she should claim a proportionate amount of the mortgage and repair costs. Sound hellish? That’s because it is.

Of course, it’s unfair if only you get a space that only you own. If your lady expresses concern about that, offer her a space of her own. If there’s not enough room in the house, build her a she-shed. The bonus of putting her space outside is that she gets her own garden to accompany the shed. Ultimately, the house as a whole is shared, regardless of whether an individual room belongs to only one person.

14) Only Crappy Rooms are Allowed for Man Caves

Most men end up building their man caves in unused rooms like garages, sheds, basements, attics, and so on. It really sucks for men to navigate the problems associated with each room. Forcing men to only use these inferior rooms limits their ability to create the best room possible. If a better room is available to use, let men build their cave there!

Of course, many men consider building in these unwanted rooms a welcome challenge. If you’re one of those men, more power to you! Just understand that extra custom plumbing, electrical work, air ventilation, and safety considerations go with it. Lots of this specialty work should only be handled by professionals, so take that into account when you budget for the room.

Using these 14 Common Misconceptions about Man Caves

If you believed in any of these common myths, don’t feel bad. We live and we learn. Now that you know about these 14 common misconceptions about man caves, you can go about educating others on the pros and cons of caves! The man cave provides a huge benefit not just to men, but to everyone else in the household! Keeping your clutter consigned into one space cleans up the rest of the house. Creating a mantuary allows you to return to the ‘real world’ rejuvenated and ready to tackle your problems. Honestly, the only downside to a man cave is the cost, and even that can be mitigated with a bit of DIY work!

Ultimately, a mancave represents just one highlight of the house, and creating one is almost as essential as creating a dining room or guest room. It’s a shared decision and an endeavor you should not take alone. I wish you all the best of luck in spreading the correct information about the necessity of man caves and their real pros and cons. Until next time!

The post 14 Common Misconceptions about Man Caves appeared first on True Man Cave.

from True Man Cave https://www.truemancave.com/14-common-misconceptions-about-man-caves/

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themusicenthusiast · 7 years

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Saturday, March 25th, 2017 - A Near Flawless Kacey Musgraves Concludes a Memorable 21st Annual Toyota Texas Music Revolution

For its twenty-first year, the forces behind the Toyota Texas Music Revolution went bigger than ever before, even trumping last year’s impressive lineup, all the while keeping things (mostly) regional and local. To headline the main night of the two-day festival they had tapped Kacey Musgraves. And while she may have scored a couple prestigious awards over the last few years and has become one of the most notable acts currently in country music, most Texans still view her as a homegrown talent that managed to find her way out of Mineola and onto the world’s stage. That was sure how things were perceived this day as what looked to be a thousand or so people ultimately made their way into Oak Point Park in Plano, Texas, some camping out in front of the main stage in the field, while most made the trek back and forth between it and the amphitheater stage, making certain they got the most out of their festival experience. By the time night rolled around everyone was ready to see Musgraves take the stage, that excitement and anticipation trumping the chill in the air that had set in once the sun went down. Coupled with a significant breeze it was downright cold out there, though that wasn’t going to stop anyone from watching at least a portion of Musgraves’ set, the songstress and her band finally hitting the stage at 9:40. They kicked things off with something from the acclaimed Same Trailer, Different Park, "Stupid” seeming somewhat ironic now considering Musgraves’ recent engagement. However, the song about how futile love can seem will always be relevant to someone, and it was oh so catchy, its numerous hooks ensuring it was a spellbinding opener that had everyone captivated.

“One, two, three, four,” the singer counted, barely allowing enough time for applause before they launched into “Biscuits”. That lead single from 2015��s Pageant Material earned some rave applause from the spectators, its cheery demeanor helping to cultivate some joyous vibes. “...The holiest of holies even slip from time to time. We've all got dirty laundry hanging on the line,” sang Musgraves, taking advantage of the brief break before the second chorus to add, "Except anyone from Texas,” smiling at the onlookers as she said it. “How y'all doing?! Are y'all turnt up?!” she asked afterwards, conversing with everyone a little while stating how good it felt to be back in her home state, especially since the blue bonnets were blooming. “How many of you are from small towns?” she then asked, several people shouting or applauding to indicate they were. They bonded over the shared experience of growing up with “shit to do” as Musgraves put it, noting what a big deal it was when her hometown finally voted to allow the sale of alcohol just a few years ago. Laughable to some, "This Town" isn’t nearly as tongue-in-cheek as some may believe it to be, and actually, depicts the close-knit small town mentality extremely well. Upon finishing that one Musgraves mentioned her grandparents were in attendance. (”My grandpa’s gonna get lit!” she quipped.) That acted as a nice segue into their next number, one about the relatives you may not always want to claim, but their family nonetheless, "Family is Family” being another engaging song in what everyone viewed as a string of hits thus far. "It Is What It Is" slowed things down a bit, the pedal steel being highlighted more prominently, while the cello gave it a sense of refined elegance and made it sound even more striking. From the final song on her major label debut they then went to the lead cut, “Silver Lining". It felt like an apt follow up, as if it was a continuation of the story in a way, still having a bit of a melancholy feel, though slightly more upbeat than the previous one. That brought them to a cover, and an unexpected one at that, the cello launching them in to a countrified rendition of Gnarls Barkley’s "Crazy”. It’s a song that any routine listener has probably forgotten about, while others in this predominantly older crowd almost certainly had never heard the song before; Musgraves keeping it fairly true to form while also injecting her own flare into it. The tune’s catchy aspect made it fit right in line with her music. Nathaniel Smith earned some well-deserved fanfare for his impeccable work on the cello; "Good Ol' Boys Club” getting them back to the pure country music spirit. “Damn! It's a little cold out here for Texas!” Musgraves commented, the weather seeming to have chipped away at her enough that she was feeling it. Cold, but still normal for an unpredictable Texas climate; and a brief remark about it was the extent of how much it seemed to bother her. One of the few love songs in her arsenal, "Late To The Party” was dedicated to all the lovers that were watching, and apparently, more may be on the way. Musgraves treated everyone to a new song she has cooked up, and while acknowledging that she was uncertain how her fan base would react to it, she prepared them to expect more love songs down the line. ″...I’ve never had that before,” she remarked, seeming bewildered by the fact that it was happening, but again, given recent events in her personal life, it makes sense that something a little more sentimental and perhaps even sappy would come from it. "Butterfly" was the name of the new tune they dished out, essentially being about a person who was fine making their own way through life, at least until they unexpectedly crossed paths with someone that made them think they didn’t have to be alone. Most everyone seemed to like it, and it was a good song. Fairly relaxed (in a vein similar to the previous song they had played), and while unquestionably a love song, it was far from sappy. More sweet with a deep personal sentiment behind it, and that was what made it so powerful. If anyone was desperate for something they were familiar with than "Follow Your Arrow” was sure to do the trick, the kick drum bridging them right into it, while Musgraves encouraged everyone to sing along on it. Sparse at first, she did turn one of the final choruses over to the fans, and while they needed some assistance from her here and there, their collective voice was also quite audible as they sang, “So make lots of noise, kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls, If that's what you're into...”. “Miserable” perfectly showcased what a ravishing voice Musgraves has, her set of pipes sounding gorgeous as she nailed every note; while an odd little song about plastic proceeded it. She admitted as much, though said she quite enjoyed the song, apparently enough to do a cover of it, and it was rather thought provoking in a way, part of it focusing on the kids in China who make plastic toys for kids in America and elsewhere to play with. Afterwards, she briefly took to the wings of the stage, allowing her band to take charge as they served up a quick jam. The guitarist truly got to shine during what essentially acted as an intro to the rich and smooth "High Time”. With just a few songs left in this 73-minute long set, she and her band treated everyone to a song she helped write that Miranda Lambert made into a hit, "Mama's Broken Heart”. Those who hadn’t let the continuously dropping temperatures get to them seemed to be recharged by the splendid rendition; and while her band left once it was in the bag, it was only going to get better from there. Musgraves shared a little backstory to the following song, saying it was inspired by her “little town”, but after achieving the success she did and getting to travel more she realized it was about every town. It might have been nice to have heard "Merry Go 'Round” done in the fashion of the recording, however, being stripped down like it was gave it more of an honest feel that caused one to really reflect on what she was singing. At least a portion of that song is applicable to everyone, the words stinging as she crooned out the hit. As her band mates returned to the stage, she expressed her gratitude to everyone for braving the weather with them. “Y’all have been such bad assess...” she declared in advance of wrapping things up with a fiery rendition of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” that acted as a sort of homage to some of the country greats while also seeming to represent the persona Musgraves had exuded this night. Confident and assured of herself, she was there to make sure everyone was entertained while also serving as a purveyor of true country music. The gradual trickle of fans heading out the gate turned into a mass exodus as the hundreds of people that had stuck around headed for their cars, a little tired after a long day out in the elements, but feeling extremely satisfied after having seen a ton of excellent talent from all around the Lone Star State and beyond. Musgraves had capped the 21st annual TTMR off perfectly, fitting the mold the event has cast for itself and appeasing the musical palates’ of everyone who attended this year. The station and this festival are all about playing and promoting authentic country/Americana music, and while there may not be much of that when it comes to artists that have made it to Nashville, Musgraves is one who has stayed true to her roots. The weather did seem to play a part in keeping the audience slightly disconnected from her set, ‘cause while she tried to reel everyone in, some were content with being mere spectators instead of immersing themselves into the experience and genuinely getting caught up in the moment. Regardless of what it was, that can’t be blamed on Musgraves as she gave this show her all, sounding pristine and in near flawless form for the duration of her set. The chemistry she and her band have was something special, leading to a captivating performance to watch, while vocally she sounded more impressive than even her two albums lead one to believe. Twangy and distinct, it’s something to marvel at; and having never gotten the opportunity to see her prior to this night, I must say, she surpassed my expectations. Worthy of all the accolades she’s received so far, it’s safe to assume Musgraves will only continue her ascent in the country music world until she stands as one of its queens. She has a few shows scheduled up through the summer, including a two-night stand at White Water Amphitheater inNew Braunfels, TX on April 21st and 22nd supporting Willie Nelson. On June 4th she’ll be in Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and in August she’ll be making a couple of appearances at some festivals in Canada. More details and her complete calendar of events can be found HERE; and check out her records in iTUNES or GOOGLE PLAY.

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