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vancouverkitchenrenovation · 1 year

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Creating a Bathroom Organization System

Do you want to turn your bathroom into an ordered and productive space? Here’s how to do it!

Organizing your bathroom starts with disassembling and sorting items in the room. Assign a spot for everything and make sure each item is easily accessible. Designate cabinets, shelves, and drawers for specific categories of products like towels, toiletries, medications, etc. Label the different storage areas clearly so everyone in the home knows where things go. Let’s get that bathroom of yours organized!

The simple steps you can take to create a beautifully organized bathroom in record time.

My quest begins with a mission to organize my bathroom in record time. To create a clean, bright, and inviting space that I look forward to using without putting in hours of hard labour.

After reading countless home improvement articles and watching countless videos, I realized something was missing – a series of simple steps anyone can follow to organize quickly.

So I developed my plan and decided to share it! If you’ve ever wanted a beautifully organized bathroom without the frustration or confusion of where to start, then you’re about to be thrilled.

To make it easy for you, let me walk you through the three key steps for creating an organized bathroom: declutter, designate areas, and do regular maintenance.

First up is decluttering – this means getting rid of all the clutter built up over time. Piles of toiletries, stacks of towels and washcloths that have accumulated dust… It all needs to go! Start by taking out one item at a time, asking yourself if it’s necessary or brings value into your life before deciding whether or not to keep it.

Once your bathroom is cleared out, begin designating areas within the room where you intend to store items so they’ll be easy to find when needed. Place all like items together, such as makeup products with makeup products, tools with tools etc. It’ll be much easier this way when looking for an item becomes necessary in the future.

Finally comes maintenance; A simple habit such as wiping down surfaces every night will help prevent germs from spreading throughout the bathroom and reduce cleaning duties down the line significantly. This can take place during your evening routine before bedtime for maximum convenience! Mindful restocking also helps maintain order over long periods; As soon as something runs out, replace it with another clean-cut container or use whatever space-saving organizing container(s) best suits your needs!

These three steps are incredibly straightforward but worth following nonetheless; Once applied correctly, maintaining your newly organized bathroom becomes effortless in no time at all!

Dedicating five minutes here and there doesn’t have to be a struggle until everything is back on track. You can finally have dreamy order in practically no time compared to what used to be years ago!

Now, Let’s explore some more clever ideas for you:

Clear plastic storage bins

Using clear plastic storage bins in the bathroom can help you organize your bathroom clutter. The storage bin is an excellent place to store all your shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and other bathroom essentials. You can keep it on the vanity, or place it in the shower, or even place it in the refrigerator.

You can purchase storage containers in many different sizes and styles. Some are specifically designed for the bathroom. Some of them are lightweight and portable. If you have a lot of bathroom clutter to organize, you can purchase a large storage bin. Some of these bins are dishwasher safe. They also come with built-in handles, making carrying the bins around the house easy.

You should consider using clear plastic storage bins if you’re looking for the most functional and stylish bathroom storage solution. These containers are made of food-grade plastic and come in all sizes. They are also BPA-free, making them the smart choice for any household.

Bamboo drawer organizers

Bamboo drawer organizers are available in various sizes, shapes, and colours. These types of organizers are also stain resistant and easy to clean. If you have a small space, you can use this type of drawer organizer for your bathroom or vanity drawers. They are also great for storing random workstation items like vitamins and cosmetics.

The bamboo drawer organizer with five compartments, a divider and slip-resistant tabs is a great way to organize utensils. It also has an adjustable base and sides to help you find the perfect fit. The dividers are also spring-loaded, so you don’t have to worry about getting them stuck.

Over-the-door shelf

Using an over-the-door shelf for bathroom organization can save you a lot of space. You can keep your towels, toilet paper, soap, cosmetics and hair tools. You can even dress it to fit your decor.

You can choose from many options to find one that suits your needs. You can opt for an over-the-door shelf that fits over your toilet or a shelf that fits the back of your bathroom door. It’s a good solution for small bathrooms, especially if you don’t have a lot of space.

You can find an over-the-door shelf that is made of chrome-plated iron. It has six double hooks. You can hang towels, robes, bath mats, and other items from it. It also has an anti-toppling device.

Another option is a bathroom etagere with extended legs that fit over your toilet. These shelves are ideal for storing decorative items or toilet supplies. These shelves are available in medium-density fiberboard wood, painted steel, and bronze-coated steel.

Toilet paper baskets

Having toilet paper baskets in the bathroom is an excellent way to add extra storage. Toilet paper is a staple item in the bathroom but can be pretty bulky. Keeping it stored decoratively will keep it out of sight but still close at hand.

A toilet paper basket is a great way to add storage without compromising space. They come in many different styles, sizes and materials. Some are freestanding, while others are wall-mounted. They are also available in a variety of finishes.

Some freestanding toilet paper holders are slender and sleek. Others are wider and narrow. You can choose a style that suits your bathroom’s decor. There are even models that have storage sleeves at the base.

The smallest toilet paper baskets are wall-mounted. They are easy to install. They attach to the wall with screws or adhesive. However, they do not offer the additional storage that freestanding models do.

Sliding basket

Keeping a bathroom organized can be a challenge. You must eliminate clutter and sort out products to keep your bathroom clean and tidy. One way to do this is using a sliding basket for bathroom organization. A sliding basket allows you to maximize your storage space in hard-to-reach places.

You can install a sliding basket on the side of your bathroom vanity or mount one on your wall. Regardless of how you store your bathroom products, you need to ensure they are accessible. You can also use an over-the-toilet storage cabinet to maximize your bathroom storage.

Sliding baskets are also great for organizing under the sink. They make it easy to sort through toiletries. They come in different sizes, so you can find one to fit your needs. These containers also make it easy to see what is inside.

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Whether planning a bathroom renovation or simply looking to update your existing space, Vancouver Kitchen Renovation is the place to turn. We’re Vancouver’s premier bathroom design and renovation specialists, and we pride ourselves on being able to create spaces that fit perfectly within your budget. Whether you’re renovating a small guest room or transforming a whole house, we’ll guide you through each step so you can enjoy your finished product for years to come. As a locally owned and operated business, we know what it takes to build lasting relationships with our clients. We’re committed to providing quality products and services and always strive to exceed expectations.

We understand that to be successful is to stay ahead of the curve. That means staying current with the latest technology and design trends. We always want to improve our products or services without breaking the bank. That’s why we stay connected to the latest technologies of NKBA, National Kitchen and Bath Association. In addition, at Vancouver Kitchen renovation, our primary focus is providing sustainable bathroom design and renovation packages, and we believe in sustainable living. Sustainable living is a way of life in harmony with nature. It is a lifestyle which focuses on the preservation of our environment. Sustainable living is a philosophy emphasizing respect for the environment and concern for its well-being. This means we should take care of the planet and treat it as our own home. We should try to preserve what we have and protect it from destruction. If we do this, we will benefit from the earth’s resources for many generations. Whether you’re planning a major remodel or adding finishing touches to your current bathroom, we’d love to discuss your project. Book your showroom consultation online.

Main Areas of Service in British Columbia:

Vancouver

North Vancouver

West Vancouver

Burnaby

Coquitlam

Squamish

Whistler

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you make a bathroom look new?

In today’s world, most bathroom renovations require little more than a fresh coat of paint and a few new fixtures. Sometimes, however, even these simple updates may not be enough.

An investment in a complete bathroom renovation might be worthwhile. This is especially true for homes built prior to 1980. Old plumbing systems can often cause water damage and leakage.

While a complete renovation may seem overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. With some planning and preparation you can make your home a beautiful place. This is how you tackle a project this large.

Create a plan. It doesn’t matter whether you hire professionals, or handle the entire project yourself.

You should also consider whether you want to renovate existing spaces or make a new layout. To ensure proper drainage, you will need to knock down walls if the former option is chosen.

Once you’ve chosen the direction, draw rough floor plans. Also measure each room.

Next, choose a colour scheme. While neutral tones like black, white, gray, and brown are all popular options, they won’t always suit your home’s decor. You should choose colours that are complementary to your existing decor. For example, if your house features lots of wood, you could incorporate warm shades like red, orange, yellow, and gold.

It can be hard to choose a palette, but it is possible. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time when shopping for furniture, appliances, or accessories.

Also, ensure you check your local building codes. You may need permits depending on where you live. In some cases, you may need to get a permit from your city hall. If you’re not sure what code applies to you, call your local Building Inspection Division, or contact the Building Inspection Division, British Columbia.

You can get help from a reputable bathroom contractor to determine the best path of action. They can help you determine the right permits and guide you through each step. Also, don’t forget tax deductions. An eligible credit for tax credit is available for investments in substantial renovations, particularly those that are energy-efficient.

What is a complete bathroom remodel package?

A complete bathroom remodeling package can include a variety of services, depending on what the customer needs are. These services are common and may include:

Bathroom design and consultation

3D rendering bathroom design

Waterproofing services through the Schluter system

Services for tile setting

Delivery and supply of tiles

Install and Supply in-floor heating systems

Supply and delivery of all plumbing and lighting fixtures.

All plumbing and electric work carried out by our licensed, certified electricians

Supply, delivery, and installation of the vanity

The countertop is supplied, manufactured and installed.

Tub or shower glass fabrication and installation

Demolition and removal all existing fixtures and material

Painting and wallpaper services

How do you beautify your bathroom?

You can do a few things to beautify your bathroom without spending a lot of money. Below, we give you some tips:

Paint Your Bathroom walls – Choose a bright color such as yellow or green. This will make your bathroom feel clean and fresh.

Add some Mirrors – A bathroom can be enhanced with mirrors. Mirrors can also reflect light into dark areas. If you’re looking for a cheap way to improve your bathroom, consider adding mirrors.

Simple accessories are best – These accessories can be used to give your home a chic look. You can, for example, place a basket containing towels over the tub. Add a few candles to the mirror for a decorative touch.

Hang a Picture. – You can change the decor in your bathroom by hanging a picture. You should choose one with a bathroom theme. For instance, choose a mountain landscape photo if you live by nature.

Stenciling Gives Your Bathroom An Artistic Look. Use stencils to create shapes and then paint them on the walls. Be sure to paint the shapes several times before you move on to the next one.

Buy a New Toilet Seat Cushion – Many people overlook toilet seats when thinking about changing their bathroom. Toilet seats are inexpensive and can be easily replaced.

Change the Color of Your Sink Faucet- It is possible to change the color of your faucets. By changing the colours of your faucets, you can create a unique bathroom design.

Install a laundry hook – A laundry rack can transform your bathroom. You can hang clothes and shoes from the ceiling, instead of storing them in drawers.

Add plants – Plants can be used to clean the air in your home. They can hide unwanted objects and they are easy to maintain. Plant plants near windows so you can take in the view.

Towels that have been used up should be replaced by baskets. You won’t have the mess to clean up when guests visit.

Add Storage Space – Storage space can help keep your bathroom tidy. You might consider installing shelves above and under the counter, as well as along the wall.

Enhance Your Lighting – A bathroom’s lighting can make it appear larger. If possible, install recessed lights under the vanity rather than track lighting.

You can get creative with tile designs – A tile design can create a unique bathroom design. You can incorporate different patterns and textures using this technique.

Create A Quiet Bathroom – Create a quiet bathroom by removing all clutter. Take everything off the countertops and cabinets. Get rid of any traces of water and clean up surfaces.

Upgrading Lighting – Replace your lighting fixtures and bulbs with modern ones. This will make your bathroom look new.

Paint Walls: A white bathroom can feel brighter and cleaner with the help of paint walls. They can also serve as an elegant backdrop to artwork.

Mirrors on Cabinets – Mirrors can add light to your bathroom without taking up too much space. Mirrors can reflect natural light into dark areas in your bathroom.

Hang Photos and Artwork – Hanging pictures or artwork in your bathroom adds beauty. Find pieces that go together and compliment each other.

What does it cost to replace a bathroom vanity in your home?

You can expect to pay between $2,000 and $5,000. It all depends on the type of bathroom vanity you choose. This includes installation costs, materials, labour, and other related costs.

A custom-built vanity is more expensive than a stock or pre-fabricated vanity. You can update your bathroom vanity with new hardware or paint if you are on a tight budget. If you want to make a bigger change, you can also replace the countertop and sink.

How can my bathroom feel tranquil?

A great bathroom can be a place for reflection and relaxation. It’s where we go to unwind after an intense day of activity. Why would anyone choose to unwind in a place where they feel stressed?

It is easy to answer: bathrooms are places where you can relax. When we shower, our stress is washed away. We wash ourselves, then we clean our teeth.

There are several ways to create a tranquil and serene bathroom, while still offering all the necessary amenities.

For example, white paint on the walls makes a room seem brighter and cleaner. White walls reflect light better, which can make rooms appear larger.

A large mirror allows you to see your reflection without moving.

Consider adding candles to your bathroom to create a tranquil environment. Candles provide warmth and a feeling of security. Scented candles can increase feelings of calmness.

The bathroom can be made more peaceful and serene by adding plants. Plants are known to reduce stress levels and increase focus.

Lighting can also be used to set the mood. Lighting can either create a warm atmosphere. Warm light, such candlelight, may create a calm environment.

Next time you go to the bathroom, take some time to unwind. This is where we can be totally free of all outside influences.

What is the cost of replacing a shower?

A complete shower remodel in Vancouver, British Columbia can run up to $10,000. This is for an entire project that would include the following:

Shower base (including drain)

Tiles (floor and wall)

Glass shower door or shower curtain

Fixtures (shower head, taps, soap dish, etc.)

Plumbing work

Waterproofing and tiling work

Ventilation

Permits

Which color looks best in a bathroom

This question has no definitive answer. People have different preferences, and what may look good in one bathroom may not necessarily look good in another. The most popular colors for bathrooms are white and light blue. These colours create a calming and serene atmosphere often desired in a bathroom. The individual can choose which colour they prefer for their bathroom.

White is the best choice for bathrooms because it makes the space appear bigger and more spacious. It is also versatile, and can easily be paired up with other colours or decor. Another popular choice is cream, which creates an inviting and warm feeling. Because it promotes relaxation, light blue is often used for bathrooms. It can also give the space a spa-like feeling. A bathroom with a pale green color is a good choice. It has a soothing effect and can create a relaxing atmosphere. Bathrooms should be a place where people feel comfortable and relaxed.

Statistics

2023 bathroom design trends: 82% of those surveyed preferred low-maintenance, nonporous surfaces for their bathroom. (https://nkba.org)

WaterSense-labeled bathroom sink faucets use a maximum of 1.5 gallons per minute, reducing water use by 30 percent or more from the standard flow of 2.2 gallons per minute – without sacrificing performance. (elemental.green)

2023 bathroom design trends: Floating vanities were favoured by 71% of those surveyed. (https://nkba.org)

2023 bathroom design trends: Large format tiles were favoured by 59% of those surveyed.mSlab surfaces were favoured by 40% of those surveyed. (https://nkba.org)

Outdoor showers can dramatically increase the value of your home—according to a 2018 report from Realtor.com, homes with outdoor showers tend to list for nearly double the asking price of other homes! (housebeautiful.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Heated floors were favoured by a substantial 75% of those who responded to the survey.(https://nkba.org)

Other sustainability instruments developed by Noken include an ‘Eco cartridge’ (its two-position switch makes it possible to use 50% less water and energy), and a water ‘flow rate limiter’ (that uses jets and air to reduce water consumption). (decoist.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: Digital showering allows users to program their preferred flow rate, and the temperature was a 23% preference. 44% wanted the ability to start their showers with their phones. (https://nkba.org)

Glass tile is one of the greenest bathroom flooring options because it can be 100% recycled. (caddetailsblog.com)

The average midrange bathroom remodels costs $27,164, according to the latest Remodeling Cost versus Value report, and it’s projected that you will recoup 58.9% of that cost when reselling your home. (architecturaldigest.com)

2023 bathroom design trends: 82% of those surveyed revealed bathrooms are now designed for two-person use. (https://nkba.org)

2023 bathroom design trends: Bathroom faucet designs reflected wellness concerns, with 61% choosing accessible lever handles, 48% choosing motion and 36% going for the touch or tap options. (https://nkba.org)

External Links

bhg.com

How to Paint Bathroom Cabinets For An Easy Vanity Upgrade

thespruce.com

How to Buy a Toilet For Your Home

How To

How to design your own bathroom

Choose a Color Scheme That Works With Your Home

Be sure to consider how your chosen colour scheme will match the rest of your house before you make a decision. You may not want bright colours, such as orange, yellow, or green, in older homes. Instead, choose soft colours like blue, grays, white, or cream.

You have more options when it comes to bathroom colors if you live in a newly constructed home. You can use brighter colors if you like, but not too often. You might only need one accent wall or a brightly-coloured towel rail to bring personality to your space.

Make sure there’s plenty of storage space

Make sure you have plenty of storage space for your bathroom. You need enough storage space to hold towels, soap, makeup brush, and other items in your bathroom.

A floating shelf or medicine cabinet can be an option if space is limited. These will give you extra storage space without taking up too much room.

Add mirrors to your home

Mirrors can be a wonderful addition to any bathroom. They let you see your reflections in the powder room. Mirrors come in various sizes and shapes. Some mirrors are rectangular, while others are round. Mirrors can be shaped to look like animals or flowers.

Get the best lighting

Lighting is vital and should be treated with care. You should consider many factors when lighting your bathroom.

The first thing you need to think about is what type of light bulbs you want to use. You have several options, including LED, halogen, and fluorescent.

Next, determine where you want to put your light fixtures. You can put them on the ceiling, on the walls.It would be best if you also considered your natural lighting. Your bathroom should have enough windows to let in natural sunlight. You might consider installing a skylight if your bathroom does not have enough windows.

Your personal preferences will determine the type of lighting that you choose. But, make sure you choose light fixtures that are approved for use in bathrooms. This will ensure that they can withstand the humidity and moisture in this room.

Select the Best Flooring

It is important to choose slip-resistant flooring and make it easy to clean. For bathroom flooring, you can choose from porcelain tiles, natural stone or luxury vinyl.

If you have a small bathroom, avoid using dark-coloured flooring. This will make the space appear smaller and more cramped. Instead, opt for lighter colours such as white, cream, or beige.

Choose your Layout Carefully

Your bathroom layout is as important as the fixtures and colours you choose. It is important to consider how you’ll use the space while planning your layout.

For example, if you have a small bathroom, you may want to avoid putting in a bathtub. This will let you move more freely.

In a larger bathroom, you might want to install a second sink. This will give you more counter space and make it easier for two people to get ready simultaneously.

Once you have an idea of the layout you want, you can start planning. Use a tape measure to determine the dimensions of your room. Next, draw a few layout ideas on graph paper.

Once you have seen several layouts, pick the one that suits your space best.

Remember to ventilate

Proper ventilation is necessary to keep mildew and mould from growing in bathrooms. This is especially important if you live in a humid climate.

Before installing the fan, make sure you read all instructions. Make sure the fan vents well to the outside of your house.

Use high-quality materials

When remodelling your bathroom, choose quality materials. High-quality materials will last longer and resist damage better. They may cost more upfront but will save you money in the long run.

Ask for help from professionals

Remodelling your bathroom doesn’t have to be complicated. It is possible to hire professional contractors to handle the job. A contractor is trained to deal with different aspects. They can install heating/cooling systems and plumbing wiring. Hiring professional contractors will save you money and headaches. Professional contractors know how to properly complete each step of every project.

Enjoy Your New bathroom

After all the hard work and planning, it’s now time to get into your new bathroom. You can finish the bathroom with some finishing touches like scented candles, fluffy towels and a plant. These little touches will make your bathroom feel like home.

Now you’re ready to begin remodeling your bathroom. These are the tips you need to make your bathroom the dream it is.

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sisterspooky1013 · 3 years

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Damsels, Chapter Five: Work That Gameboy

By SisterSpooky1013 / Tagging @today-in-fic

Rated E / Read previous chapters here

Mulder arrives at work early, looking longingly at Scully’s car in the parking lot. Approaching it, he peers in the windows looking for…he isn’t sure what. Her car is, as usual, neat as a pin with no indication of where she went or why.

In his restlessness the night before, he’d thought a lot about why it bothers him so much not to know where she is or what she’s doing. If the roles were reversed, he would expect her to wait it out and trust him to take care of himself, but for some reason he’s struggling to do the same for her. He thought at first that it was her tendency to get hurt or need help, but by comparison he needs her help just as often as she needs his, so that doesn’t track. Then he thought maybe it’s that he doesn’t trust Skinner to do what’s in her best interest, but Skinner has shown a tendency to be protective of Scully on numerous occasions (and in fact Mulder strongly suspects his feelings for her go beyond the bounds of strict professionalism), so that isn’t entirely logical either. Skinner may have left him out to dry with the New Spartans, but he doesn’t believe the man would stoop low enough to treat Scully in the same manner.

In the end, he realized that it’s pretty simple; he’s just crazy about her. His protectiveness doesn’t have anything to do with how capable she is, or the situations other people might put her in, or even situations she might put herself in. He misses her, and cares so much about her that not even knowing where she is feels wrong. It feels like a piece of him is missing, and he’s not allowed to know where it is or when he’ll get it back.

After pretending to work for an hour, he sulks up to Skinner’s office and asks for a few minutes of his time. Skinner is immediately irritated, though Mulder doesn’t realize that it’s in response to him and not a preexisting condition. He stands in front of Skinner’s desk, looming over him.

“What do you want, Agent Mulder?” Skinner grumbles, not looking up from the document he’s reading.

“I’d like to know where Agent Scully is, sir.”

Skinner sighs heavily, dropping his head to his chest.

“Get out of my office, Agent Mulder,” he says in a low, menacing tone.

“Sir, I’m not asking to contact her, I would never compromise her case, I just need to at least know where she is. What if something happens and I need to find her?”

Skinner stands, looking Mulder in the eye with an intensity he’s seen on very few occasions, none of them fond memories. “Agent Mulder, Agent Scully explicitly asked me not to tell you where she is, or what she’s doing. Even if she hadn’t, I STILL would not tell you, however I hope that if you don't respect the direct orders of your superior, you might, at the very least, respect Agent Scully’s wishes. Now get the hell out of my office and do not bring this up again, understood?”

Mulder glances down and notices Scully’s keys on the desk near Skinner’s nameplate, her Apollo 11 keychain easily identifiable. He leans forward, putting his hands on the desktop, one covering the keys.

“Sir, if anything happens to her, I’ll-“

“You’ll what, Agent Mulder?” Skinner challenges him, stuffing his hands in his pockets in a show of bravado.

Mulder straightens, palming the keys as he stands, and leaves without another word.

Scully arrives at the club just before 2 pm, wearing shorts and a tank top as Angel had instructed. After stuffing her purse into a locker, she finds Angel and Tibet on the floor, which has returned to its daylight state of clean and quiet. Queenie restocks the bar while Ben fiddles with the sound system.

Tibet is up on the stage while Angel sits at the tip rail, offering pointers on a new dance Tibet is working out. Scully immediately notices that Tibet’s hair is cropped short and worn in its natural curls, and realizes she’d been wearing a wig the night before.

“So I was thinking that I could either take my top off just before or just after the first chorus, tell me which looks better, okay?” Tibet says to Angel as Scully enters and takes a seat beside her.

“Benny! Hit me with the music!” Tibet shouts, and then repeats her performance twice, revealing her breasts at a different point in the song each time. When she’s finished, she sits down on the edge of the stage in front of them and asks for their thoughts, her breasts still uncovered.

“I think the sooner the better,” Angel says. “They come here to see your body, so show it to em!”

Tibet nods. “What do you think, Desi?” She asks, stretching a smooth brown leg out to her side and leaning into it.

Scully suddenly feels entirely out of her league in terms of providing an opinion. “Uh, well, generally speaking I guess I’d say wait. You want to build some suspense, right? Make them work for it?”

Angel looks at her suspiciously out of the corner of her eye. “You don’t fuck on the first date, do you?” She asks with a haughty grin, and Scully’s eyes go big at the question. “I’m just messing with you, let’s get to your training!”

“Alright,” Tibet begins as though she’s done this dozens of times, tugging the straps of her shirt back over her shoulders. “So, have you ever given a lap dance before?” she asks plainly, and Scully’s cheeks flush.

“Well, kind of I guess. In college, though more as a joke than anything else. I would definitely consider myself a beginner.”

“Got it, got it,” Tibet responds. “Well, for the most part dancing is about creating a sense of intimacy. It’s fake, obviously, but the more your customer feels like you actually care about him, want him to look at you, like that he’s appreciating your body, the better you’ll do. Your stage set is just about showing yourself off and getting them curious about you. The real money comes from lap dances and VIP, and the more you can draw attention with a really great stage set, the more customers will want to spend time with you afterward. Angel is a beast on the pole and she can teach you all those tricks, but I consider myself the lap dance expert around here, so I’m gonna teach you that part.” She smiles and jumps down from the stage, pulling a chair away from one of the tables and gesturing for Scully to sit in it.

“Oh,” Scully says, and sits as instructed.

“Sometimes, when you’re on the floor, customers will flag you down or ask for you, and that’s great. But you also have to approach people, because they’ll be too shy to ask. So you might come up and do this.”

Tibet saunters towards Scully with a secretive smile on her lips, stepping so close that her thighs thread between Scully’s knees. Next she leans down, placing her hands on Scully’s shoulders and bringing her mouth to Scully’s ear.

“Would you like a dance, Baby?” she asks in a syrupy voice, and Scully feels a shiver run down her spine. Tibet backs up. “Okay, now you try.”

“You want ME to do that?” Scully clarifies, and while just asking someone if they want a lap dance should be the easiest hurdle to clear, she’s finding that it’s still an uncomfortably high one.

Angel turns her head toward the bar and calls out, “Queenie! We need some liquid courage over here!”

Queenie walks over with a bottle of tequila and three shot glasses, pouring them wordlessly before returning to her task.

Angel holds her glass up, Tibet and Scully following suit. “To new career paths,” Angel says, and Scully smiles thinly, clinking her glass with theirs and throwing back the shot with a grimace.

Three weeks. She’s been gone three weeks, and not a word from Skinner. No update, no information, though he’s stopped by a couple times and asked, drawing increasing amounts of rage from his boss. He’s finished all the paperwork, re-organized the files, cleaned and rearranged the office (only to immediately change it back) and spent hours upon hours imagining where Scully might be right now.

He kept her keys, just in case, but knows she’d be unhappy with him invading her privacy by snooping around her apartment. That’s why he waits three whole weeks before he finally does it. He has a key to her apartment and could have gone there at any point, but her personal keyring also holds the keys for her gun safe and her mailbox, which may prove helpful. After work on a Thursday, he drives by and lets himself in, the warm vanilla smell of her immediately invading his nostrils as he opens the door. He sighs deeply, pulling her into his lungs; it feels like coming home.

First he waters her plants, which are looking half dead, and makes a mental note to use watering them as the reason he came here if asked. Next he opens her gun safe, and is struck to find her service weapon holstered and tucked neatly inside with the safety on. She doesn’t have her gun? What the hell kind of assignment is this? He brings in her mail, which is no help at all, and leaves it stacked on the counter. Next he lays down on her bed, shoving his face into her pillow and breathing the smell of her shampoo for a few minutes before he has the thought to look for her overnight bag.

Scully has a go bag in the trunk of her car for emergencies, but given the opportunity she’ll use her overnight bag and pack for the weather, situation, etc. Opening her closet, he finds it on the floor near her laundry hamper, empty save for a travel size can of hairspray tucked into a side pocket. In her bathroom, he finds all her toiletries accounted for, including her toothbrush. The more he sees, the more confused he is. Even when he’d spent time undercover with dangerous individuals, he’d been allowed to bring his own toothbrush.

Moving to the hallway, he picks up her landline and dials.

“Dana?” Maggie Scully’s voice answers on the second ring.

“No, sorry, Mrs. Scully, it’s Fox Mulder.”

“I saw Dana’s name on the caller ID, is she with you?” Her voice carries worry.

“No, I’m just here at her apartment watering her plants, sorry to confuse you. Have you been in touch with Dana, Mrs. Scully?”

“No, Fox, I haven’t heard from her in weeks. She told me she had an assignment that would take her away for a while and that she’d be unreachable, but I’m a little concerned that she hasn’t contacted me yet.”

Mulder closes his eyes. “I wish I had anything to share, Mrs. Scully, but I’m in somewhat of the same boat. A.D. Skinner isn’t concerned and it does sound like he’s in touch with her, but I was hoping she might have called you.”

“I’m afraid not,” Maggie replies sadly.

“What did she tell you when she left? Did she share any information at all?” he asks hopefully.

“Um, let me think. She said she was going on an assignment and that she’d be out of touch for a few weeks. And she said she’d bring me some Tastykakes when she comes home,” she adds.

“Tastykakes, what are those?” Mulder asks, his investigative senses tingling.

“They’re a treat we always get when we go to Philadelphia; little packaged snack cakes. The kids always loved them.”

“Are they only available in Philadelphia?” he asks, heart pumping.

“I’m not sure, but that’s where we always get them,” Maggie says hopefully.

“Thank you, Mrs. Scully. That’s really helpful. I’ll let you know if I track her down, okay?”

“Thank you, Fox. Take care.”

Setting the phone back on its cradle, he does a little victory dance. It isn’t much, but it’s something. Scully is just a few hours away in the city of brotherly love.

Three weeks. It’s been three weeks of practicing stage sets and lap dances in the afternoon, serving drinks in the evening and well into the middle of the night, and then sleeping until noon. Her arms and legs bear fading bruises from her acclimation to Paul the Pole, the crooks of her elbows and knees sporting slight calluses that help her get a good grip (with an assist from the grip powder Angel has instructed her to use). She’s given Tibet and Angel dozens of lap dances each, the other standing by to coach her on making sure one foot stays on the floor. After three weeks, she found that her barriers were mostly in her head. Once she was able to let go and just move, she’s actually pretty good at it.

That day she arrives in pink cotton shorts and a white tank top, now so used to being scantily clad that it no longer makes her self-conscious, and prepares to do a full dress rehearsal of the routine she worked up with Angel’s help. Queenie and Ricky sit down to observe what is more or less a test of her readiness, and one she intends to pass. Where she would have expected to feel nervous, she’s excited, ever the eager student motivated to impress and exceed expectations. Ben kills the daytime lights to make it look and feel like it would if they were open, and her set begins.

Moving onto the stage, she can barely see her audience with the bright lights trained on her. She quickly gets lost in the movements she rehearsed, feeling graceful as she circles the pole and hitches an arm around it, spinning in a feathery arc. When the point in the dance comes to remove her shirt, she does so as a well practiced step in a strategy, without any feelings of exposure. Soon enough her bra follows suit and she is left with only her tiny pink shorts, nipples hardening as they graze the pole. The undulation of her hips, the pop of her booty out towards the audience, the slip of a hand down the inside of her thigh; they’re each a part of the method. Precisely planned and executed in much the same way as she might dismantle and clean her gun, or prepare a slide for the microscope. It isn’t much different than performing an autopsy, she had reasoned. Except instead of: Y incision, open rib cage, remove organs, examine stomach contents, collect specimens, examine brain, it’s: arch back, grasp breasts, spread legs, thrust pelvis, rub thighs, grind on the pole. She’s always found her strength in taking a clinical, detached approach to difficult tasks, and that turns out to be just as effective on the stage as it is in the lab.

As she finishes, her small audience erupts into applause, standing in ovation as Ben brings the house lights up halfway. Scully smiles shyly, stepping down to join them on the floor as Ricky approaches her and slings an arm around her bare shoulders.

“That was fucking fantastic, Desi. Sexy as fuck. Let me see you do a lap dance now.”

#the x files #txf #dana scully #fox mulder #gillovny #msr #sculder #x files #case file #case fic #x files fanfic

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kaywinchester · 3 years

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Mistakes Were Made

anon said: How's it going, Kay? Good, I hope ;). Got an angst-y little request for you, if interested. S, D, & Sis are on a hunt( you can decide what... Banshee, Were), S is fatally injured, as in on-the-brink of death as a result of Sis being distracted. D, infuriated, and in anguish, blames sis, & beats her to a bloody pulp. Sis sells soul and dies instantly. When D finally finds her, hes in agony, distraught over what shes done- "Come back to me/ There ain't no me, if there ain't no you". Thxs, Kay!!

Word Count: 3,504

Warnings: swearing and angstttttt

A/N: Decided to add the fact that Dean had the mark bc I can't picture him beating one of his siblings over something like that without it, ya know? Hope you enjoy!

It all happened so fast.

I had Sam covered, or.... I thought I did.

Dean had just gotten comfortable with me going on hunts, and I now knew I had ruined that for myself.

I knew he wasn't going to take this well, especially with the mark. Sam and I had been cautious not to trigger him in any way, knowing what danger he could cause to himself or anyone else. That’s why I’ve been so on edge with hunts, because I knew he wasn't himself. I knew he would kill anything and everything if it rubbed him the wrong way.

This hunt was wendigo. We had finally located it’s spot and had it tracked down. It finally had enough and came at us with a high pitched shriek. I was so scared on trying to not fuck up, I did not want to piss off Dean, or Sam. In that process, I ended up missing my swing and that's when it hit Sam unexpectedly.

It’s long scrawny arm reached down and with one swing, clawed Sam’s back. Dean, being the way he was- immediately witnessed what happened and retorted with such anger and violence, killing the wendigo in just a few hits. I didn’t even have time to process what had happened. I rushed to Sam and saw the deep claw marks that took up the majority of his body.

“Sam?” was all I could say. He just laid there in pain, trying to move but not being able to.

“Back up! Don’t touch him!” Dean’s voice boomed at me, along with his death glare. That’s when I saw that look, and knew he was not going to forgive me.

Sam groaned in pain and Dean hoisted him up onto his shoulder. “Help me get him to the car!” Dean shouted. Not even hesitating, I took the other side of Sam to help him. All I could think in that moment was how it was all my fault. I didn’t know the extent of Sam’s injuries, I didn’t know if he was going to be okay, I didn’t know what Dean was going to do with me.

Sitting in the back with Sam, I tried to keep him talking.

“Sam, please keep you're eyes open.... I’m so sorry.” I said, choking up with tears in my eyes.

“I’ll be f-fine, Y/N.” He whispered.

Looking up at Dean who was stone cold focused on the road ahead. “Is he gonna be okay?” Was all I could say, breaking the silence.

“Y/N, be quiet.” Dean firmly said. I knew he was raging inside with anger that he was waiting to take out on me later. But right now I was focused on Sam.

We finally got to the hospital and helped Sam inside. Once we had handed him off to the doctors, Dean talked to the nurse and told her some made up story, how he had gotten in the middle of a grizzly bear while deer hunting or something along those lines. Once he was done giving all the information they needed, he went a sat down in one of the waiting room chairs. Putting his face in his hands, I looked over at him as I was stuck frozen in the middle of the room. I didn't know whether to go try and talk to Dean or just keep my distance.

It was about three hours later when a nurse came out to talk to us. All she said was that Sam lost a lot of blood but they got his wounds clean and stitched up. She mentioned that his body was having a hard time pumping new blood and that he would be in the hospital, hooked up to machines until he was able to get a blood transfusion. With that news, she walked away. Dean turned and looked at me for the first time since everything happened.

“I’m gonna go see Sam, then we’re gonna stop at home and get a few things for him.” was all he said before walking away. I followed behind when Dean turned around again and had much more anger burning through his pores.

“You stay here.” He stated.

As much as I wanted to see Sam, I didn’t want to further anger Dean. The car ride home felt like the longest ride ever. It was probably the most silent I’ve ever been. When we got to the bunker, Dean swiftly walked inside and started packing a bag. I fled to my room and just sat down on my bed, I didn’t know what to do. My chest felt so heavy with guilt, I just wanted to wrap myself in my blankets and disappear. I walked out to the war room when I heard metal clinking. Dean had clothes and toiletries in one bag, and was shoving different knives, machetes, and rifles in another.

“What’s that bag for?” You questioned with fear.

“Restocking weapons for the trunk of the impala. Hopefully we’ll be better prepared for our next hunt.” Dean said sarcastically.

Part of me was mad that he said that, already knowing it was my fault. Another part of me wanted to tell him off, but I didn't want to fight fire with fire. Did that mean I could still go on hunts? I finally spoke up.

“Dean.... I didn’t expect to miss....” I said timidly.

“Expect? You shouldn’t expect anything except for hitting your target!”

“It was a mistake-”

“Mistake?! Don’t even start, Y/N.

“Dean, I don’t know what you want me to say, I can’t take back what happened to Sam.” I tried to reason with him.

“Damn right. And you know what? If you keep making mistakes like that during hunts, you won’t be able to take back a lot more things.” Dean said with so much sarcasm that angered me even more.

“Well you haven’t had the best track record with hunts either! You used to tell me all the time that you’d screw up little things here and there with Dad.” I said, hoping it would make some sense to Dean on how ridiculous he was being.

“That was when I was learning, and now, I don’t fuck up anymore.” He stated.

“BULLSHIT!” I screamed. Just about having enough with him. Dean turned to me so fast with such a livid expression.

“Yeah, I’ve fucked up a few times, but obviously I’m learning and getting better. And even before this, we haven't had a screw up in months!” I argued.

“Welp, guess who broke our record, none other than you! I should've never let you start hunting with us in the first place.” Dean shook his head.

“Maybe you should've never agreed to take the mark...” I muttered. Dean looked up, I knew he was about to say something like how he heard what I said, so before he could do that I spoke up again.

“I know you heard me, and you know it too. You’re a different person with this mark. You’re not even my brother anymore, it’s like I barely know you.” I said, starting to open up about how I felt about this. Dean was silent for a moment.

“What are you gonna do about it? There’s nothing I can do to fix this, unless I give it to someone else. Hell, no one would want this thing.”

“We will find a way.” I said with hope.

“Who’s we? You and Sam? Sam’s hurt, and no matter how long you guys look, I doubt you’ll ever find anything. Just accept what it is.” Dean said.

“No, I’m not gonna accept it. I’m not gonna accept the fact that you’ve completely changed, and that you’re acting like an asshole about this whole situation. Look at you! You’ve given up! You could care less about everything that’s going on right now.... All you do nowadays is just go after people that rub you the wrong way. And now to top it, you’re gonna dwell on this Sam thing and treat me like shit just because you’re mad?” I ranted.

Dean had clearly had enough of what I had to say, as I was talking, he walked over and slapped his hand clean across my face before I could even blink.

“Bet, you’ve wanted to do that for a while now.” I said, trying to ignore the fact that my brother just hit me. Dean had never hit me before, I knew it was the mark but the look in his eyes was so harsh, I had never seen him like this.

“Stop, just stop talking!” Dean shouted.

“Or what? You’re gonna hit me again?”

And he did.

This time he punched me in the face. I guess that was my fault for agitating him like that. I grazed my hand across my cheek as I felt all the blood rushing to my nose. Before I could even look up at Dean he shoved me to the floor.

I propped myself up, that’s when I saw him kneel to the ground. Then it clicked in my head what was happening. I unleashed the inner beast he had within the mark.

Hit after hit to the face made blood stream out of my nose. I was surprised I was still conscious. Dean then put his hands on my throat and squeezed as hard as he could. I tried fighting him and coughing to give myself air.

He had a weird look on his face for a second. Almost like he realized what he was doing but didn’t want me to know. He took his hands off my neck and stood up.

“If you ever, and I mean EVER, pull some shit like that again, it will be the last hunt you ever go on!” Dean’s voice boomed, as he took his bags and left.

I laid there on the hard floor in so much pain. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know how to feel. My own brother just did that. I wanted to believe that it was the mark, but he had held his self control with me and Sam, until now. I finally passed out after a few minutes, not being able to bear the pain.

...................

Dean had headed back to the hospital to check on Sam. Dean was not himself at all. He wasn’t even thinking about what he did to you. He wasn’t even thinking about what Sam was gonna do when he found out.

When Dean entered the hospital room, Sam was siting up with a cup of water.

“Hey, where’s Y/N?” Sam asked.

“Oh, she’s uh, back at the bunker.” Dean lied. Sam could tell something was off.

“She didn’t want to come?” He pried.

“No, she said she was tired.” Dean hoped Sam wouldn’t ask more questions.

“Okay, uh.... Doctor said I should be getting a transfusion tomorrow, and then I should be good to go sometime this week.” Sam said.

“Cool.... the sooner the better. I hate being stuck in hospitals. The chairs are not comfortable for sleeping.” Dean trailed off.

“Y’know, Dean.... you don’t have to stay here with me. I’m fine on my own.” Sam explained.

“I know, but you’re my baby brother. Thought I’d keep an eye on you, and give you some company.”

“Did you lay into Y/N about the hunt? Is that why she’s not here, and you’re insisting on sleeping here?” Sam was suspicious.

“Well, we did talk about it, but....”

“But, what?”

“She’s just a little upset, that’s all.” Dean said.

“You could’ve explained to her that I’m not mad..... I know she’s her own boss and how hard she is on herself but, it was a mistake.” Sam said.

“Right. A mistake.” Dean was now thinking about how he was going to tell Sam what had happened. Even with the mark, realizing what he did to his sister and how he had stepped over the line.

“I’m gonna go check on her, actually.” Dean grabbed his bag, leaving Sam’s on the chair.

“I thought you were gonna leave her alone for the night....” Sam questioned.

“Yeah, but, I think I should apologize.” Dean lied.

“You apologizing?” Sam scoffed. “What did you say to her?” Sam started to worry.

“Nothing, I’ll be back!” Dean said as he left the room.

...................

Dean fled through the bunker doors and walked straight to my room. He knocked and waited for some movement or noise.

“Y/N?” He knocked again. Dean opened the door to my room and found no sign of his little sister.

“Y/N? C’mon, I know I’m the last person you wanna see right now but where are you?” Dean shouted as he searched through the bunker.

Dean had no idea where I was, or what I did. I don’t even think I know what I did. It was a spur of the moment decision that might have dumb. But.... I sold my soul. Not only that, but the demon I made a deal with fucked me over, and now I was somehow in hell.

Dean picked up his phone to try calling me a few times, but no answer. Now he was really afraid of what Sam would say or do. Not having a clue in the world where I was. My location didn’t even show up either.

That was when a demon popped into the bunker to Dean’s surprise.

“Hello Dean.” Said a flashy woman demon with short black hair and silver eyes.

“Who the hell are you?” Dean snarked.

“The names Stela.”

“Okay, what do you want?” He asked, realizing she might have something to do with why you weren’t there.

“Oooh. Once the whole world know’s what Dean Winchester did to his poor little sis..... its pretty tragic, isn’t it?” Stela said with attitude.

“I know what I did, this isn’t about that. Where is she?” Dean demanded.

“Oh, well if it isn’t about you almost beating Y/N to death, why’d she sell her soul?” She raised her eyebrows in question.

“What? Y/N would never do that.....” Dean tried to convince himself.

“Oh but she would, and she did...... See, when she called me, she meant it. No hesitation or question she just went right ahead and gave it to me. I mean, I love an easy deal, but from a Winchester it was surprising.” Stela explained.

“Where is she, I need her back.” Dean started to boil with anger.

“Hell. But I’m afraid that’s not gonna happen. No interfering with our deal.”

“We’re making a new one. Here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna get my sister the hell out of hell, and you’re gonna take me instead.” Dean insisted.

“I don’t think so. I mean even if you didn't have the mark...... We all kind of want to see where it takes you. I mean, you’ve already drove Y/N away, now were just waiting for Sam. Then maybe we’ll consider something with you.”

Before Dean could even reply, the demon smiled and waved, and vanished before his eyes. He picked up the phone and dialed Cas....

...................

Two days passed and Sam had gotten the medical attention he needed to go home. Dean had come to pick him up from the hospital. He had talked to Cas about what had happened with you, and that Sam didn’t know yet. He said he would see what he could do, but it had been two days and he hadn’t heard anything from him.

The car ride home was silent, until Sam spoke up.

“So, how’s Y/N?” Sam asked. Dean huffed, preparing himself to explain what happened.

“Here’s the thing. Y/N sold her soul and she’s in hell.”

Sam couldn’t believe what he was hearing. In a million years, he never thought his little sister would do something like that, and he wasn’t there to stop her.

“Dean, are you fucking serious? Is this why she didn’t come to see me? What happened between you two and why aren’t you still trying to get her back?” Sam yelled.

“We had a little argument over the hunt. When I left, she took matters into her own hands. I called Cas for help, but I haven't heard anything back yet.” Dean sighed.

“I can’t believe you Dean. And I know you’re dealing with a lot right now with the mark and everything, but you can’t keep acting like dad about hunting. She might be a Winchester but she’s still a person with feelings. She’s still learning and you have to have patience. This life is hard, you can’t just blame her for mistakes like this and put that much pressure on her. Living this life is a lot to handle already.” Sam explains.

“I know, Sammy. I can’t blame the mark on this one, I know I really fucked up. But we’ll find her.” Dean hoped he was right.

...................

Hell was an experience, and not a good one. I didn’t really regret my decision until Cas found me. The way he looked at me with such worry made me think about what I did. It was stupid. But again, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. But when I saw Cas, I knew I didn't belong there. I had messed up, but Cas was as forgiving as ever and was just worried about getting me home.

Once I was home, I told him what had happened. He sat with me and just listened, which was what I needed, and I am very thankful for that.

Sam and Dean walked through the doors, once they saw me, they rushed down the stairs like there was free burgers or something.

“Y/N!” Sam exhaled in relief. He came over and gently hugged me which led to me tensing up a little. Sam backed up and apologized. He saw my bloody and bruised face, thinking it was from hell.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Sam asked, saddened by my appearance.

I glared back at Dean, still unsure of how I felt, and not knowing what he had told Sam. He looked back at me with a surprising look of guilt on his face.

“Cas, how’d you get her out of there?” Dean asked.

“I believe that is a story for another time.” Cas said.

“Well I can’t thank you enough.” Dean said.

I passed both boys and walked back to my room. I was exhausted. I didn’t really feel like talking to Dean, or anyone for that matter. Sam went to follow me but Cas pulled his arm back. I gave Cas permission to explain everything to Sam, and he did. Sam wasn’t surprised that Dean finally overstepped and laid into me, but he was just angry that he left out that part.

Sam talked to Dean after Cas left. “You really need to apologize to her.”

“I think I’m the last person she wants to see right now.” Dean sighed.

“You don’t have to sit down with her and talk about stuff, just let her know you’re sorry for what you did..... You are sorry, right?” Sam questioned.

“Yeah, I’ll uh be right back.” Dean said. Normally he wasn’t the one to admit he was wrong about things, but that was younger Dean. He needed to push past his guilt and focus on you.

“Y/N/N.....” Dean knocked.

The majority of me did not want to open that door, but I knew that tone of voice, even through any spell or mark. Dean wanted to talk. I sat there for a moment and then walked over to open the door a creak. I saw Dean standing there, leaning against the door frame with his head down. He barely wanted to look at me.

“Can I come in for a moment? I won't be long....” He said. I opened the door wider to allow him to enter. He barely walked in, I stood at the edge of my bed.

“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. And, I know from what happened, sorry probably doesn’t mean shit. I know this has been a lot for you, with me having the mark and you getting used to going on all these hunts and dealing with demons now...... You might be a Winchester but you are my little sister too. I should’ve been there to make sure you were okay, and I wasn't. I’m sorry.” Dean confessed.

“We both messed up with things. I know it hasn’t been easy on you either. What I did was kind of stupid, I just wasn’t thinking.” I said.

“You weren’t..... but I’m glad you’re safe.” Dean said as he turned around to leave.

“Thanks.” I spoke up.

“For what?”

“Calling Cas. And for the apology. I know it’s gonna take some time for me but I appreciate it.” I smiled.

Even though times were weird and tough, that didn't change the fact that you still loved your brother. You two would do anything for each other. You both understood the life, and wouldn’t change anything if you could.

Requests Are Closed

Taglist:

@jackjackljaqui @hunting-the-grievers @susan-is-in-the-house@flirtyonsie @mersuperwholocked-lowlife @justsomedreaming

#sister!winchester #sister winchester #winsister #winsis #dean winchester #Sam Winchester #castiel #sam x reader #cas x reader #dean x reader #supernatural #spn #Supernatural Fan Fiction #supernatural fanfiction #spn fanfic #supernatural one shot #supernatural one shots #spn one shot #spn one shots

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theycallmebeccawrites · 5 years

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Chris & Ellie Series: Episode 19

Hello lovelies! I hope you are all doing well! This episode has been a long time coming and I had hoped to have it done back in July... but hey, it’s not October yet! 👍 I hope to get the next episode out sooner than later (it’s a half episode, so that shouldn’t be too hard 🤞).

Thanks to @nomadicpixel @heather-lynn @alievans007 and @mrs-captain-evans for their support on this chapter.

Pairing: Chris Evans x Ellie Spencer (OFC)

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: angst, broken heart

Episode Summary: Ellie dealing with the aftermath of Chris leaving in the middle of the night.

Disclaimer: This work of fiction is not to be reposted, used or translated without my permission.

This episode can also be read on AO3.

The Chris and Ellie series is primarily chronological. It begins with a flash forward to 2016 and has a few other scenes in the future. However, the majority of their story is told in chronological order starting in 2013 and going through 2017. Each episode starts with a date to help you place it within the story.

The Chris & Ellie Series Masterlist | Chris & Ellie Masterlist

Episode 18

Episode 19: The Aftermath

April 2014

A cold, wet noise to the ear forced Ellie out of her dream world into the world of consciousness. Groaning, she brushed Daisy away from her, but that only made the dog whimper pathetically.

"Chris will let you out," Ellie told the dog. When there was no response from Chris's side of the bed, she opened an eye and glanced at the clock on her side of the bed. Not believing that it was 8:30, like the clock displayed, she opened her second eye and blinked. But the numbers didn't change.

Pushing herself up, Ellie looked at Chris's side of the bed and noticed that the blankets were thrown haphazardly, like he'd sprung out of bed in a hurry. She tried to recall if he'd said he had a meeting that morning, but nothing came to mind. Then again, it was possible he had forgotten about his meeting too and had decided not to wake her up to tell her he was leaving.

Daisy whimpered again and Ellie sighed. "Ok, let me grab some clothes," she told the dog. Climbing out of bed, she went to the dresser where her stuff was in one of the drawers and grabbed a shirt and a pair of sweats. If she were in the guesthouse, she would have just let Daisy out without bothering to put clothes on, but she didn't want to risk giving anyone a show if Chris brought someone home with him.

Once dressed, she led Daisy down the stairs and out the patio door off the living room since it was the closest. Chris had spoiled her the last couple weeks, letting her sleep in a bit by taking Daisy out in the morning when he got up to do his first work out of the day.

Leaving the door open for Daisy to return, Ellie went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Then she filled Daisy's water and food bowls before she made her own breakfast. She couldn't help but wonder what Chris's early morning errand could be and thought about texting him, but decided not to. She had a feeling that if he had left in a hurry, as it appeared, it was likely he'd also forgotten to silence his phone and the last thing she wanted to do was interrupt a meeting.

After eating, Ellie went back upstairs to take a shower and get dressed for the day. She figured she'd get as much done as possible while Chris was gone so she could spend time with him when he got back. Assuming he hadn't slipped back into his fog again. She shook the thought and the negative feelings associated with it off, choosing to focus on the good instead of the bad. Hoping to remain positive, Ellie went through her mental to do list while she showered and by the time she was finished, she knew how she was going to tackle the day.

Twenty minutes later, she left Chris's bedroom dressed for the day in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Knowing that he would likely need to do laundry before he packed, she started her day in the laundry room, folding a load of towels she'd done the day before and starting a new load. Then she put the guest bathroom towels in there before she carried the ones for Chris's bathroom into his room.

It was as she was putting the towels away under the sink, in Chris's bathroom, that she got the feeling that something was different, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She tried to shake it off as nothing as she cleaned the bathroom, but it kept nagging her until she gave in and opened the cabinet again. The towels, hand towels and washcloths were all where they were supposed to be. The bin where Chris's travel stuff went was there, too.

But it was empty, she realized.

It wasn't supposed to be empty. She had just restocked the stuff herself the other day per Chris's request.

Her breakfast felt like lead in her stomach as she moved to Chris's drawers. She hadn't invaded his privacy previously, but she knew where he kept his toiletry bag because she had watched him pack back in February. She opened the bottom drawer and let out a shaky breath when her fear was confirmed. It was gone, too.

Leaving from the bathroom, she made a beeline for his closet and threw open the door, only to freeze in the doorway when she saw the state of it. Hangers were tossed haphazardly on the floor and his laundry hamper had been tipped upside down to take his favorite things with him. His suitcase, that was usually housed on the top shelf of the closet, was gone, too.

He had left.

And he hadn't said goodbye.

Part of her wanted there to be a simple explanation, like Marvel needing him on set early or a family emergency. Her gut, however, told her that he would have said goodbye to her in either of those situations.

The truth of the matter was that he had been acting weird since he'd returned from his two weeks away in February. They'd had great moments together since then, but they had been few and far between, especially during the last couple of weeks.

He'd warned her that he got stuck in his own head sometimes and she'd given him the benefit of the doubt that he would snap out of it. That they'd get passed this rough spot and be stronger for it. But now it seemed like he had abandoned ship and left her high, dry and all by herself.

As the emotional toll of the last few weeks started to catch up with her, a tear rolled down her cheek and she brushed it off, but didn't bother with the ones that followed. Almost blindly, she left Chris's room, slamming the door shut with more force than necessary. She picked up Daisy, who had been laying down on her dog bed in the living room, and carried her out to the guest house.

After setting the dog on the bed, Ellie pulled off her jeans and then laid down. It was only there, in the safety of her room that she let herself breakdown completely. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore and then she fell asleep from pure exhaustion.

It wasn't until later that Ellie woke up with Daisy snuggled up against her. She wasn't sure what had woken her up until her phone dinged again with the custom text alert tone she'd assigned to Scott's number.

Suddenly, a new theory crossed her mind, that he was with Chris and they had rushed back to Massachusetts for a family emergency. But Scott's messages, one telling her that he wasn't coming home that night as previously planned, and the second, telling her to have fun tonight, shot that theory to hell. But raised an interesting fact: Scott didn't know that Chris was gone.

Ellie laid in her bed wondering what that meant for herself and Chris until Daisy starting whining. Glancing at the clock, Ellie saw that it was practically dinner time. She let Daisy out to do her business and then pulled on a pair of ratty sweatpants she found in the back of her dresser. Her favorite clothes were still in Chris's room or in the laundry room, she'd have to get them eventually, but not tonight.

While Daisy ate her kibble, Ellie made herself a sandwich and ate it in the nearly silent house. It was eerily similar to how she and Daisy had spent the last few nights even when Chris had been home. He'd been so lost in his own head, but he had been there with her despite that. Now it was just her and Daisy and the house felt sad and empty.

Before returning to the guesthouse for the night, Ellie made sure the house was locked up and then she grabbed a pint of ice cream from the freezer. A pint of Chris's special ice cream that he had shipped from Massachusetts. It wasn't as good as the Tillamook ice cream she'd been raised on, but it wasn't bad and she'd enjoy every single bite.

Not in the mood to watch drama or comedy, Ellie chose a cooking competition show on TV and watched it while she ate her ice cream. Daisy curled up at her side and was fast asleep before the end of the first episode.

Eventually, Ellie turned off the TV and tried to go back to sleep, but her mind wouldn't shut up. She wondered if she should text Chris, but decided no. He was the one who'd left, after all. Then there was the fact that he hadn't told his brother he was leaving either. Maybe he really did just need time to work through whatever had been plaguing his mind. With her own mind settled on that positive thought, Ellie was finally able to fall asleep.

Choosing, however naively, to believe that Chris would contact her soon, Ellie didn't say anything to Scott about the situation when he returned the next day and attempted to act like nothing was wrong. The fact that Scott was working and she'd picked up extra shifts at the bookstore meant that they were sometimes two ships passing in the night during the days that followed. There were times, however, that she felt him watching her, but he always looked away when she glanced in his direction.

Scott had known something wasn't right the moment he'd walked into the house, but it had taken him a few days to figure out what was bothering him. Then he figured it out one day when he through the kitchen and found Ellie making herself lunch: she wasn't happy. Sure, she acted happy and smiled, but it never reached her eyes. The few times he saw a genuine smile from her was when she was playing with Daisy, but even then, he saw her gather the dog up and bury her face in her pet's fur, hugging her like a child would hold a teddy bear.

Not wanting to stir up a bee’s nest, Scott didn't text Ellie's sister Izzy to find out if she knew what was going on. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Ellie more than she already was or face her wrath for talking to her sister about her and Chris.

For the first two weeks that Chris was gone, Scott just assumed that Ellie was sad because she missed his dope of a brother. All that changed, however, when he got a text from Chris asking him if Ellie was ok. Scott's first instinct was to reply to Chris and assure him that Ellie was fine, but he stopped himself from sending the message as his brain caught up with what his subconscious had picked up on from the start. Something had happened between Chris and Ellie before his brother had left town.

Wanting to get to the bottom of what was going on, Scott went in search of Ellie and was surprised when he found her in the living room reading. As of late, if she wasn't in the kitchen, she was in the guesthouse. He'd even noticed that she had vacated Chris's office completely. He'd ignored both facts before, but now everything was coming together in his brain and the realizations were starting to worry him.

“Hey,” he greeted her casually as he entered the room. “Is everything ok?”

“I think so,” Ellie replied just as casually. Too casually, in his opinion.

“Are you sure? Because you’ve been acting oddly,” he said, watching her face closely and noticing for the first time, that she didn't meet his eye when she spoke to him. That wasn't normal.

“It’s nothing, Scott,” Ellie lied, her face a blank slate which told him more than she probably meant to.

“It’s not nothing, because Chris has noticed, too,” Scott stated. The instant he said his brother’s name, Ellie’s whole demeanor changed and she went stiff. “Ok. What’s going on?”

Silence fell between them and it wasn't broken until he said, "Ellie, come on. Talk to me."

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Ellie finally answered in a tone that was frighteningly calm. “And it’s impossible for your brother to know anything when I haven’t heard from him since before he left.”

“Wait,” Scott said, dumbfounded. When he'd left to give them some time alone, everything had been fine. Or so he'd thought. Chris had been in training mode, but they'd both seemed happy-ish. “What do you mean you haven’t heard from him?”

“Your brother left early,” Ellie replied and held up a hand when Scott made to interject. “And no, I don’t think he was called in because he left in the middle of the night.”

In a state of disbelief, Scott sank down into one of the arm chairs as he tried to process what Ellie was telling him. “What happened?” He asked. “Did you guys have a fight?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Ellie told him and it was only as she spoke again that her emotions began to crack through the wall she had put up. “We had sex, fell asleep and then I woke up alone in his bed.”

“Did he leave a note? A text? Anything?”

Ellie shook her head.

Scott couldn't wrap his head around the information as he glanced in her direction and his felt his heart start to break at what he saw. The stoic Ellie that had been walking around the house for the last two weeks was crumbling before his very eyes. She was blinking back tears and he could see her jaw quivering.

“Oh, Ellie,” he said, standing up and holding his arms out to her. She came to him as the first tears rolled down her cheeks and she buried her head in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

They stood there in silence for several minutes until she seemed to gain control of her tears enough to talk some more.

“Have you talked to anyone about this?” He asked her. “Your sisters? Phoenix?”

Ellie shook her head. She sniffed and said, “I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t want to make a big deal out of things if...” She stopped talking as her body shook with emotion again.

“I’ll talk to Chris,” Scott told her. “I’ll figure -”

“No!” Ellie said firmly and shook her head. “I’m not putting you in the middle of this.”

“He already did,” Scott pointed out.

Ellie shook her head again and said, “I was mad at Sydney before this whole thing went down and I haven’t talked to her in nearly a month. And as much as I don’t want to admit it, it’s killing me.” She shook her head a third time. “So no, I won’t get between you and your brother.”

“But -"

“No buts,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks as she took a deep breath, steadying herself, but her words still came out broken every now and then with attempts to control her emotions. “Your brother is the o-one that left. And h-he texted you, not m-me. So clearly h-he has made his decision th-that he and I are f-finished. We have t-to honor th-that.”

Scott wanted to argue that she was the best thing that had ever happened to his brother, but he could tell that there was nothing he could say or do to change her mind. “What do you want me to tell him?” He asked.

“Tell him I’m fine, good, better than ever,” Ellie suggested, summoning her inner strength to keep from losing it again. She felt emotionally and physically drained. “I think I’m going to go bed. Come on, Daisy.”

Scott watched them leave the room before he slumped back into the chair he had abandoned earlier. He couldn't even begin to imagine what Ellie was going through right now because even his heart was breaking over this and he had just been a bystander.

A part of him wanted to jump on a plane and go kick his brother’s ass for making Ellie cry, but the rational part of him knew that it wouldn’t help matters. If he wanted to do something to fix whatever had gone wrong, he needed to know what had happened on Chris’s end.

Instead of texting his brother back, Scott went up to his bedroom and called him, but it went straight to voicemail. Instead of leaving a message, he hung up and sent Chris a text asking him to call when he could.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Scott knew that Chris and Ellie belonged together. He’d spent enough time with them together and separately to know that Ellie was the woman his brother had been waiting for. Ellie might be willing to let it all go, but Scott wasn’t.

Episode 19.5

Want to find me off tumblr? I'm @beccatheycallme on twitter. I also post my stories on AO3.

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#chris evans #chris evans fanfic #chris and ellie series #beccaheartschrisevans #theycallmebecca #chris and ellie #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans x ofc #chris evans fan fiction #chris evas x original character #friends to lovers #theycallmebeccawrites

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robertemeryofficial · 5 years

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Angsana Velavaru - the Maldives island masquerading as a Steinway

A piano is a bit like a car. You can spend one hundred thousand hard to counterfeit pieces of paper on a Rolls Royce or a Steinway grand piano, or you can spend one thousand on an old Chappell upright or Nissan Sunny. Both should do the job, but both offer the user a very different experience. Holidaying in the Maldives is the same, with the difference that you can usually test drive the car or piano before you give away your hard earned cash. A holiday is a leap of faith, trusting in the myriad of reviews on Trip Advisor and online photos. So after much debate in the Emery household, we decided Angsana Velavaru was the chosen one.

I’ve been to the Maldives three times in the past eight years, and each time I needed something different. The first time I was a Maldives virgin, so I didn’t know what I wanted. The second time I’m told by Mrs E that we were on a ‘Baby Moon’ (and if you don’t know what that is, nor do I…), and this time was our much-needed family holiday with three-year-old Master T.

Most peoples reaction when I mention a toddler visiting this set of 100-or-so islands in the Indian Ocean is ‘what about all that water, isn’t it dangerous?’, ‘there is nothing to do, you’ll all be bored!’ or ‘isn’t the journey to long?’ Yes, the journey is long from London’s ever-glamorous Gatwick airport, but the other two points are just stupid. I’ve yet to meet a toddler who is silly enough to wade into the sea of their own accord and keep walking until their parents finally notice and scream. As for boredom, imagine a place with no cars to be careful of, actually no vehicles whatsoever - so your little one can roam as free as a bird, safe and relaxed. A place where wild Stingrays visit for a little food once in a while. A place where you can walk from your villa, outside in the sand and heat, to breakfast, lunch and dinner, knowing you don’t need to keep quiet in any corridors. A beach which is so empty you don’t need to send a flair to find little Jonny amongst the thousand other sun-tanners. Yes, if you find the right island, the Maldives is the perfect family holiday. My only issue was that Angsana Velavaru was far less than perfect.

A two-week stay (excluding flights) in a Deluxe Beachfront Pool Villa at this five-star resort will set you back around $16,000 (USD). You could own a whole fleet of the wonderful Nissan Sunny for that amount. And sometimes, unfortunately, it felt a similar standard. It was usual for the public washrooms to have no hand towels. The minibar was restocked with the same regularity of the trains in the UK, and the same goes for the toiletries in the villa. You go into a bar or restaurant, and for some reason, the staff only ever gave me a menu; either it seems that a man should order for his wife, or they have not printed enough menus - neither of which are good reasons, especially as we are not in the 19th century. Talking about the bars, you go in as a family, order a bottle of water, and for some reason which I just cannot figure out, the staff never, ever provided Master T with a glass to drink from; and if you order a cocktail expect it to arrive anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes, again a bit like our trains. If you booked an activity, it’s not unusual for the real time of the activity to differ from the one advertised. Book a table in the over-water restaurant Azzurro, and although the food is absolutely delicious, your toddler will have to eat sitting on your lap, as they have a rarity of high-chairs. And be careful, although I’m not anti-smoking, there are no dedicated areas for smokers to enjoy themselves without inflicting their habit onto others; even in the restaurant whilst you’re eating with a three-year-old at your table.

If you are a keen snorkeler like I am, I’d advise you to find another island unless you’re happy to take a daily boat trip; admittedly this isn’t the fault of the resort, but the coral around the island was particularly affected by the bleaching of 2016 and as a result, it looks a little more like an underwater graveyard than a bustin’-with-wildlife underwater oasis. And although the island is nicknamed ‘Turtle Island’ - don’t let this fool you; none of the staff have ever seen a turtle actually nest on the island.

And then there’s the Chinese. Now, I have nothing against one of the most successful races on earth; but as this is an Asian company, and the island is heavily marketed to the Chinese, there are a lot of them on the island. Again, not an issue. But remember the Chinese are culturally different to Westerners. On the first dinner, a waiter apologised to me because of the one set of cutlery laid out, instead of a starter, main, dessert etc. He said, “it’s what the Chinese prefer so that’s what we do”. And if you make the mistake of asking a Chinese member of staff, like I did, for some sugar to sweeten me and my coffee cup, you’ll be given an ashtray.

You may think this illustrious list of bad service means I wouldn’t recommend Angsana, and that I was permanently in the bad books of Mrs E and Master T for choosing this resort, and you’d be totally wrong. We had a fabulous time. The island is stunning, one of the most beautiful places in the world; and the grounds-staff work hard to keep it that way. Despite the service in the restaurant on the water, the service in the buffet restaurant was wonderful (and a name drop to Hathim for that), and the food at both locations was superb. The variety of activities offered were wide and at a reasonable price. The cleanliness of the whole island, something so basic but so important, was flawless, and the accommodation of the 207 sqm Deluxe Beachfront Pool is great; with a garden and pool so private you can sunbathe all day with your tackle out, and no one will attempt to use it for fishing.

As for the free kids club (check the age eligibility; we were told in advance it was three and up, and got to the island to be told four and up!), I have a mixed feeling. It should have been a child’s paradise playground; with the leaflet offering ‘Movie Time’, ‘Story Time’, ‘Sea Life Discovery’, ‘Kiddies Aerobics’, ‘Sand Sculpture Building’, ‘Treasure Hunts’, and even ‘Mini Olympic Games’; sadly none of these things happened. Having said that, the lady who runs this, Tini, has been there many years and Master T liked her very much and did ask to visit quite regularly; so she must have done something right!

"If you want to book this hotel, my advice is to book directly with the resort and contact their reservations manager. The staff are usually happy to match prices and can tailor your package much more; and feel free to mention my name and I'm sure they'll work hard to provide you with extras..." -- RDCE

Within a week of being on the island, we noticed some big changes happen. Full cutlery services started to appear at dinner. Mrs E was given a menu, and Master T a water glass. Drinks arrived within the time it took me to learn the spelling of Angsana Velavaru, and the activities board has new, accurate timings. Something miraculous was happening, and now I know how they felt on the 25th December in the year naught. New management had been installed, and a new General Manager had been on the job for three days and was already turning things around. This island had been unloved for too long, and now it was like the baby Jesus being born; excitement was in the air and people started to follow their new leader.

I’d easily place a bet that if I’m invited back to visit nine months from now, all of the above will be history, and the elements that’ll shine will be the beauty of the island. The feeling of being looked after and receiving great service won’t be noticed, because it’ll just be there as standard - from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave; like driving a Roller, or playing a Steinway; like all five-star experiences in life should be.

#Maldives #Angsana Velavaru #Holiday with toddler

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mochenle · 6 years

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Hidden Gems | Renjun

genre: angst; apocalypse au

word count: 3,894

the old floorboards creaked under your feet. every step you took was a call and response, the rickety wood screeching like that of a cry for help. step. creak. step. creak. a continuous cycle of sounds and actions that once was neglected, but was now all you could hear. the redundant creaks and thuds were sonorous, booming, ringing in your ears. that was all that was in your mind at the moment. the only thing that could distract you. any current thoughts, feelings, anything, blocked off by a step, a thud, and a creak.

he always knew how to calm you down when you were like this. pacing what was left of this living room like a madman, hands clammy and trembling, eyes frantically zipping to everything in your field of vision. even in situations like these, he remained calm and kept his composure. his serenity was contagious, slowing your breaths, and calming your nerves. as soon as his soothing voice made its way to your ears, you felt so safe and secure no matter where you were. he managed to bring peace to your world, no matter how much it’s been damaged at the moment. how you wish he was here.

him being Renjun of course. Huang Renjun. he sure was something. you always thought of him as a hidden gem since the very first time you met. you were actually in quite a similar state as you were at the moment during your first encounter with him. and of course, under all the wreckage, you found Renjun. you would never be able to express the gratitude you felt toward him.

~~~

the first time you met was at an abandoned convenience store about seven months ago, though, almost all business places were deserted by now. you were unaware of the undead presence behind you until its reflection was visible in the glass door of the fridge that sheltered a variety of long expired foods. clearly panicked at the unwelcomed company, you grab hold of the revolver hooked to your belt. you were about to pull the trigger, but it was closer than you thought. its grubby, rotted hands had made their way to grip your shoulders, causing you to drop your weapon and extend your arms to prevent the creature from getting any closer. it’s soulless eyes were boring into you and it’s decayed teeth snapped and chattered in your direction in attempts to finally catch a meal after lord knows how long. the miasma of decayed and torn flesh was even more putrid at this distance.

those things were pretty weak in general, but when they were hungry and there were enough of them, they never hesitated to put up a fight. it took all your might to slam its skull into the refrigerator door, ultimately resulting in a mess of broken glass and a heap of rotting flesh and blood scattered on the floor and wall. your breaths were shaky and hands were trembling as you slowly reached for the gun you had previously dropped beside the now motionless carcass. you’ve seen it happen before, people have done it thousands of times, but doing it yourself always left an uneasy feeling at the pit of your stomach. those things were once human. they were once like you. once like the curious stranger who was watching you from behind the aisle to your right.

you had just about regained your composure, when a certain someone made you lose it all over again in just a matter of seconds. you whipped your head towards the sound of a can of soup coming in contact with the cold tiles of the floor. as soon as you saw a glimpse of his shadow, you were beyond terrified. tightly shutting your eyes, you blindly fired shots until you ran out of ammo. the resounding gunshots that echoed throughout the area were replaced with empty clicks of the trigger. then, you heard a voice. a human voice. his voice. that was something you hadn’t heard in a long time.

“hey, hey! stop! i’m not one of them, please stop shooting. you might attract more of them like that!”

though the weapon in your hand was no longer a threat to anyone, your sweaty palms kept their grip on it and continued to point it up in front of you, hopefully aiming at something. you were quivering and panting, clearly not succeeding in intimidating anyone. still, the stranger kept his distance. your ears perked up at the voice, slowly opening one eye and seeing his figure standing in front of you. you finally faced him, but you still kept the gun pointed at the defenseless boy.

finally getting a good look at the boy, you saw that he wore a frightened expression and his hands remained frozen in the air, evidently shocked he was still alive after your sudden outburst. his clothes were tattered, shoes that had to be taped to keep the soles from falling apart, but whose weren’t at this point? though his face was slightly scuffed you saw his soft features perfectly, round, brown eyes, dry, pale lips, and a narrow nose that fit perfectly with the rest of his visage. quite the beauty to be seen amidst all of the dread, but you knew better than to trust him.

“it was kinda dumb of you to waste all that ammo. you know that won’t be able to hurt me without any bullets right?”

hearing this, you immediately pulled the switchblade out from it’s spot tucked securely in your left combat boot. although he was correct, your mind remained in a panicked state, so the thought of protecting yourself was all that ran through your mind. still, it did take a while to find more ammo for that gun.

“i guess you can hurt me without bullets.” “don’t come any closer! i won’t h-hesitate to use this.”

that was a lie. it was blatantly obvious. you weren’t bullshitting anyone. and even though he could see right through your bluff, he continued his attempts to calm you.

“okay, please keep your voice down though. if not, you might end up coming across another one of those.”

he gestured to the now fully deceased stranger that laid dormant on the floor of the abandoned store. you did not want to be near another one of those things. just thinking of that made your breathing even more rugged than it already was.

“you saw that? how long have you been here? w-why were you just standing there?” “i’m sorry i didn’t help you, but i thought you were going to hurt me. you could’ve killed me just now, but i can help you now okay?” “i-i don’t… i d-don’t trust y-you…” “hey, it’s okay, calm down. just breathe okay? you’ll be fine just listen to my voice. my name’s Renjun. you wanna tell me your name?”

it took you a minute to steady your breathing and keep your knees from wobbling, but you eventually gained self-control. Renjun was surprisingly patient with you, still keeping his distance and hands up in defense, but shuffling closer to you every now and then.

“y-y/n. y/n’s my name.” “alright y/n, nice name. now do you mind putting down that knife? slowly please?”

it was obvious that you still didn’t trust him, but nonetheless, you complied to his request and slowly retracted the weapon. however, when you heard several low moans and growls outside the building, you quickly flicked the blade back out. your eyes widened and you took a few steps back when Renjun strided towards you, hands gripping your arms, face just inches apart from yours.

“they heard us, we have to go. we can go through the back door so grab what you need and let’s get out.”

eyes still wide, your gaze flickered from his face to the oncoming sounds of the herd at the front of the store. your parents never told you what to do in this type of situation, but then again, who would’ve seen this coming?

“i get it, you don’t completely trust me right now. we just met, but if you stay here you’ll be one of them. i want to help you, but you have to let me. i know what i’m doing, i promise. do you trust me?”

your eyes were trailing all over his face at this point, scanning to see even the slightest sign of bluffing. you were definitely conflicted, he was a stranger after all, but this was a life or death situation, and the look on his face was the most sincere expression you’ve seen.

“y/n please, we don’t have much time. will you come with me or not?” “...” “y/n!” “...o-okay.”

and with that he quickly grabbed a bag and hastily filled it with various toiletries, gadgets, and snacks that seemed needed from the store. as soon as he heard the window shatter at the front of the store, he immediately grabbed your wrist and sprinted to the back door avoiding the oncoming herd.

from there, the two of you had stuck together for the rest of your journeys. you’ve learned a lot about each other during the time you spent and the many miles you’ve trekked. after the world was left in shambles and the walking corpses infested every square inch of land, the two of you learned that you’ve have had the same experiences of loss. families, friends, loved ones, all taken away by the plague that crawled around every corner. it hurt both of you to know that among the crowds of those pests, there were people you once knew, but were not the same anymore.

after many, many, close encounters, you came upon this deserted neighborhood and were lucky to find an empty house. it was the most home any of you have seen in a while. comfort grew between the both of you in your new home and have stayed there ever since. what was left of the world now made it difficult to stay at one place for an extended amount of time. either a not so friendly stranger finds the place and plunders it, or the walking corpses find a way through the thresholds, but the two of you have grown quite accustomed to the place and decided to make the most of your stay. even if it did take a while to find supplies to restock and keep away from trouble. this was a place to cherish.

~~~

there were memories attached to almost every corner of the house. in the pantry, you’d find the empty cereal boxes of your favorite cereal that you two would end up eating almost every meal of every day since it was the easiest food to find, but you didn’t mind living off of it. on the fridge, you’d find the tiny tops of cream soda bottles that you and Renjun glued magnets to for fun. if you guys were lucky, you’d find a few bottles of the carbonated drink and sit on the rooftop to watch the sunset if the streets were clear. slowly sipping and softly starting little conversations that had you relishing in each others presence at the moment. on the kitchen table, you’d see the soft red and white checkered tablecloth covered with a few stains of late night messes from very competitive games of go fish. in the closet you’d see the fluffy sweaters and blankets you two stored there for when it got too cold and the fireplace wasn’t enough to keep you warm, so you’d have to huddle together at one corner of the couch in a heap of linens. in the bedroom, you’d find the creaky mattress where you and Renjun laid, holding each other as close as possible and hiding under the sheets, when you couldn’t sleep because of the herd right outside the neighborhood. he would always trace tiny circles along your back and sing soft lullabies to get you to calm down. god, you really needed to hear that voice of his right now.

as your boots paced along the dingy hardwood floors, taking you to no particular location, you came to an abrupt halt when your footsteps came across an object. you looked up and the large, mahogany armoire came into your field of vision. like everything else in this house, it stuck little memories shared with Renjun in the back of your mind. the mirror attached to it had little polaroid pictures of the two of you taped to the corners. though they weren’t the best pictures you have taken, you loved them dearly. it was the last of the film you had, and they were the only photos you had of each other. there were lots of other little trinkets and gadgets that you two left for fun or decoration, and although you did cherish every single one of those items, your hand was already drifting over to the handle of one of the drawers.

gently sliding the drawer to your left, it revealed the precious contents it held. something that you would treasure forever.

though they were done on just a few pieces of scrap paper, you held them so dearly. you picked up the first paper you saw and studied every corner of it. it was the latest picture he drew for you. if there was one thing that soothed you more than his voice, it was watching him draw.

this picture specifically was your favorite. it was a picture of the tree right in the center of the neighborhood. the same tree you two climbed as high as you could to get a view of the world around you. the view you rarely see, but when you do it’s ten times better than the rooftop. next to the image, he left a tiny footnote for you. you surely remember the day he drew it for you. it was just a few days ago, the freshest memory in mind.

~~~

you two were sitting at the kitchen table, Renjun working on his artwork while you observed from the seat next to him. though it was therapeutic to see the artist at work, curiosity burned within you. you’ve been meaning to ask him about this for a long time.

“why’d you help me that day at the convenience store?”

he stopped and put down the pencil. turning to face you, he looked at you with those soft, brown eyes and responded with utmost sincerity.

“we’ve both seen a lot. this whole world we live in now, we’ve seen it become how it is, we’ve seen it fall apart. the people we cared about, we saw them get taken away right in front of our very eyes. i just- i couldn’t see it happen to another person. not again.”

after hearing this, you became lost in thought. before you two met at that store, neither of you had seen actual living people in months. you suppose the loneliness had gotten to your brain when you agreed to stick together. that was probably the best agreement you’ve ever come upon. without it, without Renjun, you probably wouldn’t even be alive right now. to say you grateful for him was an understatement. you were indebted to him. you owed him you life.

he turned to face his drawing once again before speaking.

“besides, if you saw the way you looked that day, you’d see how much you needed me. if only you could see your face. you looked like you were about to shit your pants.” “shut up. i could’ve shot you, you know?”

you said as you punched him in the shoulder. you two sure knew how to test each other, but always ended up in a fit of giggles in the end.

“hey! no hitting! you’ll ruin the masterpiece.” “are you almost done? this one’s taking forever.” “just about, i just need to sign it. and…done!”

taking the piece of paper, you observed what he had in store this time. one thing you knew for certain about Renjun was that he never disappointed you with his art. or anything really. he always made sure to get down the best details, even down to the shading it was impressive. as your eyes scanned the rest of the piece, they trailed down to the bottom right corner where you found his signature.

“to y/n, a masterpiece for a true gem, from Renjun hulk”

you couldn’t help but let out a giggle. his handwriting wasn’t the best compared to his artistic ability. you both had established this. Renjun always called it shitty, but you found it quite cute and admirable.

“Renjun hulk? really?” “hey, you know me. i’m actually surprised you’re one of the people who can decipher my chicken scratch.”

it was one of the little stories he told you about. his little group of friends from school called him hulk all the time. apparently, he was quite aggressive, which you find understandable sometimes. the reason being his short temper. you were an eyewitness of the little mishaps that ticked him off enough to let a string of curses fall from his mouth. sure he had a temper and a foul mouth, but whenever he turned to you, he was a different person. soft and tender, a comfortable shoulder to lean on. a diamond in the rough, one might perceive, but a diamond nonetheless.

“okay, well what’s the gem part about? do you have a crush on me or something?” “no, shut up! i’m a linguist, i live for figurative language. i was just lucky to find you, you know?” “okay, whatever you say.”

the pink shade that crept its way to his cheeks were clearly visible, causing you to chuckle. he did have his moments with teasing you, but now it was your time to shine. at least by now, you finally realized he saw you the same way you saw him. a hidden gem. after a few moments of getting lost in thought, he managed to control the color of his face and spoke up again.

“so the picture, is it anything like the others? do you like it?” “i love it.”

and the smile on his face was enough to brighten the whole day. almost.

~~~

two tiny water droplets soaked through the paper. you peered through the mirror again wiping at the tears that trickled down your cheeks. you were a mess. eyes bloodshot and puffy from all the tears shed, hair disheveled with several loose strands strayed elsewhere from running your hands through your locks, nose and cheeks dusted pink from the sobs that emitted from you.

taking the tear-stained picture, you folded it neatly, and tucked it safely inside your pocket. your now empty hands reached for the handle of the drawer on your right and plucked the revolver from its rightful place. the same one from when you first met. the same one from that day.

suddenly, you felt claustrophobic being cooped up in that house. you felt the need to leave. seeing those pictures and the rest of the house you two called home, you knew what you had to do. there was only one thing left to do. you couldn’t just leave him out there. you had to go back.

you hooked the gun to the side of your belt once again and packed a bag and filled it with you don’t even know what. they must’ve been things you thought were important at the time, but you only had one thing on your mind.

moving unconsciously, your feet took your body elsewhere, almost like an instinct. your mind wasn’t telling you where to go, but your body thoughtlessly trudged along the cracks on the pavement, past all the other neighborhood houses and their once thriving lawns. you only had one destination in mind. you only had Renjun in mind.

he was pulling you to him. he pulled you around a few corners and across a few lawns. hell, he would’ve pulled you across the whole neighborhood if that’s what it took to find him, but you knew just the place. you just had to go wherever your feet took you.

and there it was. just like you remember it. just like the day you left it. the day everything left you. there was no avoiding it. not anymore.

just like everything at that house, you remember it. you remember it well. too well, actually. well enough that it kept you up more than you wanted it to. what could you do though? it was impossible to forget about it.

that day where you two were a little too careless when coming to that same special spot. that day where neither of you saw it coming. that day where you saw where its teeth punctured the skin in of his arm. the day its corpse hit the ground after your switchblade came in contact with its skull. the day he said he ‘didn’t have much time left’ and hooked himself to that damn tree. the day you barely made it out alive. the day he didn’t. the day he smiled at you for the last time and you took the gun from his hands. the day you couldn’t do it. the same damned day. where everything fell apart all over again.

~~~

“y/n. it’s okay. i promise. you do remember how to shoot right?”

everything was all too familiar. the feeling of tears streaming down your cheeks, the feeling of the gun in your hand, the feeling of losing another one. all too familiar.

“no i-i can’t do it.” “you have to. there isn’t much time, please… y/n…” “...” “...” “...Renjun…”

~~~

fuck. it hurt. it hurt like hell.

looking at him now, looking at what was left of him, left your heart aching, your eyes stinging, throat burning. seeing him like this was torture. the guilt was eating you alive. seeing those once gentle eyes now soulless, hearing that beautiful soothing voice turn into gruff growls and groans, witnessing all of the beauty that once was, now gone. that hurt like hell. your precious gem, gone. this wasn’t Renjun anymore.

“i’m the worst aren’t i? i should’ve never let this happen to you. you don’t deserve this, you never did. this is all my fault.”

the world came tumbling down for you once again. you had lost everything you had. it was back to just you and the desolation of the world and was left of it. it was back to being wandering all alone again. it was back to just you. no more you and Renjun, and that left you feeling even less alive than the corpse before you.

hands drifting and picking up the revolver hooked to your belt, you point it up slowly. grip tightening around the weapon, you let out a few choked sobs before saying your last goodbye. no waterfall could compare to the amount of emotion pouring from you at the moment. every ounce of sorrow, guilt, and regret, welling up and seeping through your eyes. you were bawling and shaking, barely able to stand on your own two feet. this was like doing the impossible, but you knew you needed to move on. you had to. for Renjun.

“i’m so sorry.”

…

bang.

fin

23 notes · View notes

xtruss · 3 years

Text

Air Force Captain Honored For Cleaning Aircraft Toilet

'Normally I’ll hate on officers for getting praised for simple normal people shit, but this is kind of cool.'

— By David Roza | August 10, 2021

U.S. Air Force Capt. Erin Walsh, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron officer in charge of the KC-10 Extenders, poses for a photo in front of an Extender at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, Aug 6, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf).

The Air Force lauded an aircraft maintenance officer who took it upon herself to service the lavatory (also known as sucking the poop out) aboard an aircraft in her charge last month, a task typically performed by enlisted airmen.

Capt. Erin Walsh, of the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, was praised for being “willing to step out and lead from the front,” by learning how to service the lavatory aboard a KC-10 Extender, an aerial refueling tanker that can also carry cargo and passengers.

Walsh had almost eight years of maintenance experience before coming to Al Dhafra. However, those were exclusively on fighter jets, such as the F-35A Lightning IIs, F-22A Raptors, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16C/D Fighting Falcons, which do not have bathrooms on board. The KC-10 is the first aircraft Walsh has worked on that actually has a toilet.

“Servicing the lavatory was a first time experience for me,” she said. “You have to experience some of the dirtier jobs to be able to relate to and respect what the airmen go through every day.”

I’m no expert, but it sounds like what Walsh did checks off the “job proficiency,” “initiative,” and “teamwork” boxes on the airman leadership qualities which were published in February. Still, it’s hard not to chuckle when the Air Force honors an officer for doing something enlisted airmen do every day. It’s almost like different thanks for different ranks.

“So an officer does something that everybody else has to do anyways and they write an article on it?” wrote one commenter on the popular Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco.

But believe it or not, most commenters applauded Walsh for what she did.

“When’s the last time anyone has heard or seen an officer go out and help with maintenance or say hello to the maintainers?” wrote one. “Let alone do something like this. Kudos to Captain Walsh.”

“Normally I’ll hate on [officers] for getting praised for simple normal people shit, but this is kind of cool,” wrote another.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Erin Walsh, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron officer in charge of the KC-10 Extenders, services the lavatory of an Extender at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, July 9, 2021. Walsh, whose experience previously was limited to fighter aircraft, is learning to service the Extender’s lavatory as a means to understand and appreciate what her maintainers go through to accomplish the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf)

It’s even cooler considering how gross servicing a toilet on an aircraft can be. Air Force photos show Walsh gearing up in a protective suit and a face mask before doing the dirty task. What you don’t get from the photos is how hot it must have been on a flight line in the UAE in July, and how smelly the lavatory is.

“The lavatory does get exceptionally bad after a long flight,” said retired Col. David LeRoy, who flew KC-10s for 20 years during his Air Force career and once commanded a KC-10 squadron at Al Dhafra. “It’s like a porta-john: the more you use it, the worse it gets.”

The KC-10 extender is essentially a regular civilian airliner converted to refuel other airplanes or carry cargo, LeRoy explained. That means the lavatory smells the same after a long flight, and adding desert heat makes the odor a little more pungent.

“As you can imagine, anything heated up is worse,” LeRoy said, and others agreed with him.

“I sucked shit out of every aircraft in the Air Force for six months in Qatar as a 2T2X1 [air transportation specialist],” Senior Airman Austin Harsh, a former air transportation specialist said. “Worst job in the Air Force.”

Servicing the aircraft lavatory is one of many unseen tasks that are essential to keeping aircraft safe and airworthy, but which often go unrecognized. It’s a task that often falls to fleet services airmen, whose jobs fall into two categories: clean fleet and dirty fleet. Clean fleet means restocking the toiletries, water coolers, pillows, blankets, supply coffee, meals or anything else that passengers or crew may need, according to one press release. Dirty fleet, meanwhile, is responsible for taking out the trash.

“The first thing we do is take care of the international garbage,” said Jeffrey Zook, 732nd Air Mobility Squadron vehicle operator for fleet services at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska in a 2016 press release.

Fleet services airmen take out the trash from international flights and burn it within 72 hours, since it could carry invasive species. Like its name suggests, dirty fleet also services the lavatory.

“When that call comes in — regardless of time or temperature — they quickly don their personal protective equipment and head out to the flight line with one of the latrine servicing trucks,” the 2016 press release said.

A U.S Air Force KC-10 Extender with the 76th Air Refueling Squadron, 514th Air Mobility Wing, moves away after being refueled by a KC-10 crewed by Reserve Citizen Airmen with the 78th Air Refueling Squadron, 514th Air Mobility Wing, over the Atlantic Ocean, Feb. 14, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen)

To clean the lavatory out safely, airmen gear up in a full body suit with boot covers, face-shield, double-layered gloves and sometimes a hood if the work requires reaching overhead, Harsh explained. Next, they back a specialized truck up to a port at the rear of the aircraft that connects to the lav system. Then the airmen open the hatch and hook up two hoses leading from the truck: one for waste and the other for water and “blue juice” a concoction of deodorizer, water and anti-ice solution which keeps the latrines clean.

Airmen cycle water through the first hose to clean the system out, then they suck the waste out through the waste hose. Finally, they go into the aircraft with a bucket of blue juice and dump it into the toilet, then clean the lav and flush to make sure everything works.

“It’s a disgusting experience,” he said, but it was not without its perks.

“We would get so bored sometimes so we’d come up with stupid ideas like servicing a plane in full MOPP gear [the bulky gear troops wear in event of a chemical attack], which was pretty fun when there isn’t anything else to do,” he said. “The job’s terrible but the people I worked with made it fun.”

The job is also essential. Otherwise, everyone on board is stuck on a flying porta-potty.

“Picture flying 15 hours and smelling the toilet the whole way,” Staff Sgt. Nicholas Jensen, 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron Fleet Services supervisor said in 2017. “You can tell if an aircraft needs to be serviced before even stepping onboard.”

Knowing how gross it is to service a lavatory, several observers praised the captain for trying her hand at it.

“Best people I’ve worked for were ‘servant leaders,’” said one Facebook commenter. “Sadly, these people never make it to the top.”

LeRoy also praised the captain, calling her an example of the “servant leadership standard.”

“My hat would be off to the officer to get out there and see what her people are dealing with on a regular basis,” he said.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Erin Walsh, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron officer in charge of the KC-10 Extenders, receives on-the-job training from Staff Sgt. Cody Dillon, 380th EAMXS, while servicing the lavatory of an Extender at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, July 9, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Wolfram M. Stumpf)

There is the chance that it was just for show. For example, Harsh pointed out that during his time as an air transportation specialist, officers learned to service the lavatory “all the time to try and bump up morale,” he said. “But it’s just annoying to teach someone something just for them to make themselves look good.”

Sometimes it’s genuine though. For example, former Marine Capt. Nate Fick told Business Insider about a time in 2001 he saw Gen. James Mattis chatting with junior enlisted Marines in their foxholes in the middle of the night in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

“Nobody would’ve criticized Mattis if he had a lieutenant like me heating up his MREs and if he stayed inside to sleep on a cot,” Fick said. “But Mattis understood that it all comes down to personal leadership. He’s the classic fighter leader. He’s the player coach. He’s out there with his troops.”

It sounds like Captain Walsh is cut from the same cloth, at least according to the press release.

“The best way to lead a team is to gain an understanding and appreciation of what they do, and then do what you can in a leadership role to make their job easier,” she said.

At least one of the captain’s airmen seemed to have appreciated it.

“If she was my troop, and she was confident, I would have no problem signing her off,” said Staff Sgt. Cody Dillon, an aerospace maintenance craftsman who showed Walsh how to suck the poop out of the KC-10. “It shows me she has interest in the real goings-on outside of what she hears from the troops and her office!”

— David Roza covers the Air Force and anything Star Wars-related. He joined Task & Purpose in 2019, after covering local news in Maine and then FDA policy in Washington D.C. He loves hearing the stories of individual airmen and their families, and he also holds the unpopular opinion that Imperial stormtroopers are actually excellent marksmen. [email protected]

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trbl-will-find-me · 7 years

Text

Every Exit, An Entrance 5/?

There are two (and only two) possibilities: either she led XCOM to victory and they are now engaged in a clean up operation of alien forces, or XCOM was overrun, clearing the way for an alien-controlled puppet government to seize control of the planet.

She’d really like to figure out which it is, but asking hardly seems the prudent option. Chapter CW: Explicit mention of suicide, no character death

She’s on her way to Mission Control when Royston flags her down with a piece of paper reading “HELP.” With the operative on the phone, she can only manage to shrug and mouth “What’s wrong?”

Royston rests the phone on her shoulder, jots down a note on the reverse of the page, and holds it up again: Parents.

The Commander motions for the paper and pencil, scribbling down her own response: Not happy w/ news?

Again, a transference of supplies.

Understatement, written in thick letters and underlined.

Why?

B/c “can’t marry someone you’ve only known since March.”

The Commander grimaces. She can appreciate Royston’s parents’ concern, but they have no idea what their daughter’s relationship has already endured. Oh brother, she writes back.

End me. Please.

Think Martin might be upset.

What makes you think his parents took it any better?

The Commander’s eyebrows shoot up and the other woman nods. There was shouting, she writes. A lot of it.

Nine months. Not French. Where live. Etc. You could mercy kill us both.

And then Central would kill me. Very bloody.

Royston shrugs, then nods.

Tell her you have to go, your CO needs you.

“Mom, mom, mom,” Royston says. “Mom, I love you, but we gotta table this. Mom, yes, I hear you. Mom, I gotta … Mom, duty … Mom, I love --- Mom, I’ll call you back. We’ve got a meeting. Yeah, the Commander is right here. She’s literally standing right here. Tapping her foot. You want me to put her on? No? Okay, good. Love you.” She sets down the phone and shakes her head. “Eloping is starting to look like a viable option,” she says, turning her attention to the Commander. “Skip all the bullshit.”

“You’d really want to cut them out?”

Royston shrugs. “I want to get married to the person I want to get married to where and how I want. We want,” she corrects herself. “If that means cutting them out, then, well. We’ll have a nice reception breakfast or something to make it up to them.”

“You’re resourceful people,” the Commander offers. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Part of me just wants to say fuck it and just do it here.”

“The base? It’s not exactly a scenic venue, Royston.”

“Yeah, but it’s one where we can’t invite anyone. Besides, everyone’s already here.“

“No friends on the outside?”

“I mean, yeah, but … “ She’s quiet for a minute. “These are the people we went through hell with. They’re the ones who watched this all happen, who,” she laughs. “Facilitated when we couldn’t get it together. They’re the ones who matter.”

The Commander considers this for a moment. “Well, think about it. If that’s really what you want, you’ve got my support.”

“Really?”

She shrugs. “I don’t totally endorse giant metal bunker as a wedding venue, but it’s not my wedding. If this is really where you want to have it, we’ll find a way.”

A crazy grin breaks out across Royston’s face. “Can I get back to you?”

“Yeah. It’s an open offer.”

“Thanks, Commander,” the sniper says, standing, “Let’s go see if I can sell him on this.”

“Good luck,” she grins. “I’ll be upstairs.”

Watching the operative head towards quarters, it finally dawns on her that she’ll need to explain this to Central. She laughs, and buries her face in her hands. It’s not the worst problem to have.

-- Kelly aims her shotgun at the Sectoid and pulls the trigger, splattering its blood across the ground.

“Good job, Menace. Looks like you’re clear on hostiles for the moment. Finish tagging those crates and let’s get you home,” the Commander says.

“Yes, ma’am!” Gunda calls cheerfully.

On the whole, it’s been a clean op. They’ve netted badly needed medical and construction supplies as well as, she hopes, additional intel from two datapads lifted from corpses. She doesn’t necessarily bear any confidence in her skills, but she’s at least comforted by the slow improvement in her men’s aim.

The air lifts in from Firebrand continue through the afternoon, and the unboxing well into the evening. Lily’s workshop slowly wills with new components and datapads to be reformatted, scrubbed clean of ADVENT programming. Tygan seems pleased to have his cabinets restocked, and everyone is grateful for new clothing, the abundance of toiletries, and the not insignificant ammo cache. The Armory looks more like a warehouse than Christmas morning, but the sentiment remains the same.

They’re eating dinner in the Situation Room, data on the energy spikes from the past week spread out in front of them. Each spike is pinpointed on the screen, along with a time, date, and amplitude. Save for the common link of alien incursions, there is no commonality. No consistent interval. While she has no doubt that there is a pattern, the more she stares, the more random it appears.

“Ugh,” she groans, burying her head in her hands. “What am I missing?”

“Commander,” Central says, voice gentle.

“There has to be something.”

“Commander.”

“We can’t get caught off guard again.”

“Commander.”

“We can’t afford a repeat of that site recon incident.”

“Elizabeth.”

“I hate to use the phrase ‘we got lucky’ when we lost an entire town, a Coast Guard team, and half of our squad –because that feels gauche– but ---“

“Lizzie.”

It’s enough to jar her from her train of thought. ”John?”

“You couldn’t have seen it coming. None of us could have. Chryssalids in a whale carcass on a fishing vessel? Come on. It ran counter to all the data we had.”

“There had to have been something I missed. We knew they could incubate in human hosts; it wasn’t a stretch to think they could take root in other mammals.”

“But we didn’t have evidence for it. You’re a good strategist, but even you’re not omniscient.”

She pinches the bridge of her nose. “We’ve had too many close calls. I’d like to get out in front before we have another.”

“If there’s a pattern, you’ll figure it out. And that’s a big if.”

“And what if I can’t?” She asks, voice tinged with worry. “What if I can’t put it together and they come barging down our door again?”

“It’s not gonna happen.”

“You seem awfully certain of that.”

“Molchetti knocked the ship out of existence. The clean up ops we’ve run have been a few stray craft, or a cell that’s broken cover. They’ve been small.”

“What if they’re just biding their time, trying to lull us into a sense of security?”

“We’ll push them back again. We always find a way.”

“I wish I had your faith.”

“Not faith. Evidence. You’ve got a track record now.”

She tips her head against his shoulder. “Well, you may start doubting that track record pretty soon.”

“Doubtful.”

She takes a deep breath, as if she were preparing to rip off a bandaid. “I volunteered the base as a wedding venue.”

He looks down at her with the same face he’d made when she’d jumped in the pool outside of Rome, that same mix of profound amusement and utter bewilderment. “We’re not exactly a chapel. And we can’t allow non-XCOM personnel on the premises.”

“That was a large part of the appeal, I think.”

“Royston and Martin?”

She nods. “Between them, they’ve got four very angry parents.”

“Expected that from Martin’s family, not Royston’s.”

“Royston’s mother went to town on her on the phone this afternoon. Martin apparently got a tongue lashing via video chat. “

Central rolls his eyes. “It’s not like they’re kids.”

“The nine months thing seems to be a sticking point. Along with the whole where will you live, where will you raise our grandchildren, and Royston’s not French debacles.”

“In short, everything.”

She shrugs. “Just about. Royston joked about having the wedding here as a solution, but the more she talked, the more she seemed to sell herself on the idea. I couldn’t tell her no. We’ll see how well it goes over with Martin.”

“And if he says yes?”

“Guess we’ll have to requisition an awful lot of crepe paper.” She settles her head back against his shoulder. “We’re not gonna make any progress on this tonight, are we?”

He shakes his head. “No, but it’s okay. It’ll look better when you stop chewing on it.”

They stay like that a few minutes, comfortable in the silence.

“Hey,” he finally says. “When all of this is over, you wanna get dinner sometime?”

She grins. “There’s a laundry list of things I’d like to do, but yeah, dinner sounds like a good start.”

“Good. It’s a date.”

She leans into him. “Yeah, it’s a date.”

If her time in the tank dulled anything, it is her ability to estimate the risk of interpersonal disaster. They had both been in the bar, fine. They’d had buffers, people who’d kept them engaged and occupied and otherwise uninterested in one another. She should have followed them out, should have gone up to her quarters, and taken a hot shower and gone to bed. She should not have sat across the bar from Central, nursing a beer while she reviewed the contents of the day’s grab. It was asking for trouble; this, of all things, she knows.

She doesn’t know what she expected. More silence? An attempt at conversation, maybe?

It’s not like her to miss the mark this badly.

“How could you do it, Lizzie? How could you help those things?” He asks, cracking open another bottle.

The accusation cuts deeper than she’s willing to let show. “You really think I said ‘sure, stick some chip in my head, throw me in a suit, and then stick the suit in a tank’? You think I didn’t try fighting?”

“Sure as hell doesn’t seem like it.”

She can feel tears welling behind her eyes, and she rubs at one, hoping to pass it off as an itch. “I didn’t have a whole lot of chances, Central. Any time I was awake and had any control over my own body, it was pretty well restrained. No one was exactly dumb enough to leave a scalpel in my reach. If I could have ended it or them, I would have. In a heartbeat.”

“You wouldn’t have,” he takes a sip. “You didn’t.”

“You can’t will yourself to death, not without some kind of help.”

“Even if you had the means, you wouldn’t have done it.”

“You think, if I knew what was coming, you honestly think I wouldn’t have turned the gun on myself when they went for me?

“Twenty years, you never made a go of it.”

“What, you want me to go slit my wrists in the shower to atone for it? Or, hell, you’ve got at least two pistols on you. Put your money where your mouth is.”

“No, that’s what they want. You’re a traitor, but you’re a useful traitor.”

“They used my own memories against me!”

“Twenty years! You know how much blood you have on your hands?”

“You’re not the only one who lost everybody!”

“Yeah, but I’m the one who had to watch as you helped kill them!”

It’s only then that she realizes it’s escalated into shouting. Loud voices. Metal ship. It’s really no surprise that most of the crew is crowded near the entrance to the bar. She can make out Shen and Herlihy, Kelly and Wallace, Royston and Krieger. She can almost see Thomas’s ridiculous braid over Wallace’s head, and she’s almost certain that’s Gunda next to him, with Tygan to his other side.

“Alright,” she says, turning her attention to the gathered crowd. “Everybody in. We’re gonna get this all out on the table. I’d rather it not feed the gossip mill.” She can feel Central’s eyes on her, but she won’t meet his gaze. She needs to keep her composure.

The assembled mass files in, taking positions along the wall and on the floor. It’s more than she realized, nearly the whole crew by her count. She wants nothing more than to disappear into the ether, crawl into bed and ignore the storm that’s broken over the ship.

“Everybody here? Good. Let’s get the record straight. When the XCOM base was overrun, I was taken. I had a Muton with a plasma rifle surprise me with a blow to the head that, yes, probably should have killed me and, yes, I do ask myself how and why it didn’t. I don’t have a coherent set of memories from the time I was captive. What I’ve got is fragmented and messy and … not pleasant to think about. “ She heaves a sigh.

“That being said, if you have questions about it, I’d rather you just asked me. What’s important to know is that, over the course of my time with the aliens, they implanted me with a chip, and passed tactical data through me. I was, quite literally, wetware. You can ask Doctor Tygan for the specifics --- he’ll be able to give you a more coherent explanation.” She pauses, pinching at the bridge of her nose.

“For me, once I was sedated, I had no idea what I was experiencing wasn’t real. They were able to pull from my own memories of the invasion and first iteration of XCOM. The closest thing I can compare it to is a dream where everything makes sense, where there aren’t weird loopholes.” She swallows.

“Yes, the data they passed through me was used in their military ops against earth and later resistance forces. Yes, I am profoundly disturbed by that fact. No, I didn’t have a conscious say in the matter. The chip has since been removed, there is no additional ADVENT hardware in me, and I will put a bullet in my own head before I let them recapture me.” She runs a hand through her hair.

“I welcome any comments, questions, concerns, what have you. This is standing policy You have a question you want answered, I’d rather you come to me. If I can’t answer it, I’ll direct you to whoever can. Anything immediate?”

“How’d they get it out?” Gunda asks.

“Same way it went in: incision in the soft palette and then cranial intrusion and extraction.”

“That sounds awful.”

“I don’t really recommend it.”

“Are you sure everything’s out?” Krieger chimes in. “You said you don’t remember it all.”

“Our contact in the Resistance was able to secure a technical schematic, and ensure its accuracy. It shows only one chip.”

“ADVENT tech gives off a recognizable signal,” Lily adds. “There’s nothing coming from the Commander.”

“Is there anything else that’s pressing?”

Silence.

“Fine. As I’ve said, if you have questions, it’s an open door policy. Dismissed.”

She watches the men and women under her command stand, and file out, grateful that the looks they offer her are more sympathetic than suspicious. ROV-R bobs nearby, offering a sad chirp as she joins the procession.

“Shen, Tygan, a minute?” She asks, gesturing them off to the side of the small corridor.

“First,” she begins, quietly. “I’d like to apologize for dragging you both into this mess. This was something Central and I should have kept between ourselves and we didn’t. In doing so, we flagged the whole damn crew, and the damage control has ballooned appropriately.”

“Second, I’d like to reassure you both that Central and I will … get our shit together, for want of a better term, and learn to behave like professionals. This won’t happen again.”

Over Tygan’s shoulder, she watches Royston turn, as if to go back into the bar, but be stopped by a shake of Kelly’s head, and thanks whatever powers that be. No one needs an encore of shouting.

“It’s not a problem, Commander,” Tygan says. “I anticipated there would be questions when the news broke outside of the senior staff.”

“It’s fine,” Lily says. “Just … if you two are gonna shout each other down, maybe not at 1:30 in the morning?”

The Commander nods. “You have my word.”

She mounts the ladder and climbs, then crosses through the bridge, and up to her quarters. She wants to scream, or throw something, or down too much liquor. She wants to do something stupid and reckless. Idly, the idea of just venturing back to the bar and settling things the old fashioned way, with blood and skin and broken bones, floats through her mind. She chases it away, knowing full well it won’t help – and it’s hardly the sort of professional coexistence she’s promised.

Besides, she doesn’t relish the idea of a broken nose.

#xcom #fic #commander/central #every exit an entrance

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genogenocrazycatman · 5 years

Text

Stillwater - Chapter 7

Stillwater [Archive of Our Own, FanFiction.Net, Mibba]

Characters: Original Female Character, Monkey D. Luffy, Rorona Zoro, Vinsmoke Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Tony Tony Chopper, Nefeltari Vivi

***

"We build as only children know to build

We made a way where there's a will

No slowing down or standing still

Innocent and reckless

"How did we get so old and never notice

How did we gain the world and lose the moment

Rise and fall, the tide surrounds us

And drowns us all"

-Hands Like Houses

***

Little Garden was a whole lot harsher than it looked like from the sea. It was hot and humid. The jungle was dense, so much so that your visibility was only about ten feet. In addition, its name betrayed its nature.

So far, nothing about this island had been little. The trees and other plants were fully grown, leaves and branches spread as far as they could mange in the dense jungle, taking over other plants.

The air here was purer. Well maybe not purer exactly. There were volcanoes pumping smoke and ash into the air, but the oxygen levels were higher. I could feel it every time I took a breath. It felt like the island that my father resided on and I knew for a fact that the air there had a higher concentration of oxygen.

That explained why the bugs were so large. A dragon fly had flown over the Merry. It had to be at least a foot and a half in length, and its wings spanned over two feet. Nami and Usopp had screamed, while I had looked on in awe. Bugs hadn’t been that big, since the days of the dinosaur, way before my time.

That caused me to take a closer look at the plants. They were tropical plants, most of which had been a around for millions of years. I couldn’t be positive. I wasn’t close enough to get a good look, but I could’ve sworn that some of them shouldn’t have been there, having gone extinct. They sure looked like the plants, I had read about in my lessons with my aunt, Persie, and Cal.

As we sailed inland, a massive rodent that resembled a capybara stood at the edge of the tributary river, drinking from the banks. It was a strangely peaceful scene. That is until a monstrous saber-toothed cat pounced on it from out of the jungle, sinking its lengthy canines into the rodent and wrenching its neck. Once the creature was dead, the feline dragged the carcass back into the depths of the jungle.

It was amazing really.

Of course, what was amazing to me was absolutely terrifying to Nami and Usopp who were convinced that the island was going to be the death of us all.

I shook my head. For as smart and as innovated as those two were, they were just as cowardly it seemed. I had figured that they were both fairly easily frightened, having seen their behavior during the storm, but they had managed to deal with that fairly well, all things considered. They weren’t cool calm nor collected, but they hadn’t been near tears, jumping or screaming at every little thing, like they were now.

Luffy was practically vibrating with excitement, the new environment and prospect of an adventure fueling his desire to go out and explore.

I wanted to go out as well, to get a better look and confirm some of my suspicions, but opted not to, because of my leg. It wasn’t terribly painful, and I wasn’t too concerned about pulling my stitches. I was pretty sure that I would’ve been fine. Even if I wasn’t, I could always fix them. I was honestly more concerned about my pants. I hadn’t brought much with me, so until I could get the stain out of the pair from the night before and stitch up the hole, I was going to have to work to preserve the clothes I did have.

I settled for hearing all about the island from Luffy and Vivi, who had chosen to accompany him, along with Carue. I was happy to see Vivi taking the time to explore, and enjoy the moment. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do. We were stuck here until the log set.

Zoro had left after that, deciding to take a walk. That plan lasted about all of five seconds, before he and Sanji somehow found themselves in the middle of a pissing match- I’m sorry. A hunting competition.

That left me with Nami and Usopp. They were too afraid to go out. That was fine with me. This crew attracted trouble. I knew that the others could handle themselves if something went wrong, but it was 50/50 with Usopp and Nami. At least with me around, I knew that they wouldn’t die.

I didn’t want to sit around and do nothing though, so I decided to do an inventory of the ship to see what I could do to help out. That way, when my leg was fully healed I could get to it.

I let Usopp and Nami know. “Hey guys, I’m gonna head below deck and see what needs cleaned and organized down there, start making a list.”

“What?!” the two echoed each other.

“You’re just gonna leave us up here?” Nami cried.

“What if some giant bird tries to take off with us?” Usopp asked.

“What if a lion pounces onto the deck?”

“What if we get surrounded by a bunch of ship eating piranhas?”

I rolled my eyes at how dramatic that they were being. “Oh for goodness sake. I’m below deck, if something tries to kill you scream, and I’ll come up and save you.”

Usopp looked at me skeptically. “What about your leg?”

“It’s fine. I can climb up and down with my arms. If I need any help, I’ll holler.”

“You’ll holler, but what if…” I tuned the two out, heading inside to start my work. I started with the kitchen/helm. I had honestly meant to make a list at the start, but as I was writing things down, I realized I could just do them. After all, the pain in my leg wasn’t that bad. As long I didn’t pull my stitches I would be fine.

The crew had a fairly decent stock of cleaning supplies. I went to work. I tidied up everyone’s things, dusted, polished furniture, disinfected the surfaces that needed it. I found comfort in the task. Everyone in my house shared chores, but cleaning tended to fall on me the most. I wasn’t bothered by the mess, but Cal was. With everything she had done for me, I felt that the least I could do was make sure that the house was in order.

I finished up the helm and headed to the bathroom. It was fairly clean, but only because Nami made sure it was, and she only did that because she also used it. I sanitized all of the surfaces, threw any dirty towels into the hamper to be laundered, sorted through the various toiletries just strewn about. As I worked, I kept note of what needed restocked.

I gave the cannon deck/anchor room similar treatment. I went through all of our, weapons, munitions and equipment tucked away in there, keeping an inventory and making a shopping list, before heading to the bedrooms.

The room I shared with Nami and now Vivi wasn’t so bad, because again Nami cleaned, and I made it a point to keep things neat. It looked better once I was done, but it hadn’t been too drastic of a transformation.

The boys’ room on the other hand was like night and day. I had raised boys before. I knew how they were, and the state of their room didn’t surprise me. After all there were four teenagers living in it. I would’ve been more concerned if it didn’t look like a war zone.

I gathered up all the laundry, picked up everyone’s belongings, which were scattered about. I tried to put them back in their places, but ended up giving many of them new homes, when I couldn’t figure out where they went. I mopped the floors, dusted, and polished furniture.

I was extremely proud of myself, when I looked around the finished room.

By that point, I was really starting to feel the ache in my leg, so I took a break. I returned up to the deck, but Usopp and Nami were no longer there. I found them in the girls’ room. Nami was tossing books off the shelf over her shoulder, Usopp behind her dodging them.

“Nami, what are you doing? You’re gonna hit me,” Usopp whined.

“I just cleaned in here,” I said from the doorway.

“I’ll put them back, when I’m done,” she said. “I could’ve sworn I read something about this place before.”

A mysterious island with lots of crazy creatures and plants sounded like the basis of a number of fairytales to me, but I let her go, deciding that it was time to finally sit down. I headed up to the deck, grabbing myself a glass of water and dragging out one of the chairs with me, so that I could relax in the sun.

I flopped onto the lounge chair and stretched my legs out in front of me. I leaned back, folding my hands under my head.

I wanted to power wash the deck, but didn’t want to waste our fresh water. We weren’t far enough up the tributary for the water to be pure. Here the river was tainted by the salty sea, making it absolutely useless to me at the moment.

I couldn’t say that it was quiet, but the sounds of the jungle seemed to lull me towards sleep rather than keep it from me. A mid day nap seemed like a pretty solid idea. Plus, it would probably help my leg loads. I settled further into my chair and closed my eyes.

My peace didn’t last long. It took less than ten minutes for Usopp to scramble out on to the deck, worriedly pacing and muttering about the dangers that lurked past the river’s banks.

“Are you looking for something to be afraid of?” I asked, cracking an eye open to look at Usopp, who was staring into the woods intently. “Why don’t you just hide inside until we leave? I can practically feel you shaking from here.”

“THE GREAT CAPTAIN USOPP NEVER HIDES!” he declared loudly, his shaking limbs and quivering voice giving away him away.

A bird flew above the Merry, letting out a terrified cry as a much larger bird chased after it. Usopp whimpered and darted behind my chair.

“Uh huh. Never.” I tried not to chuckle. There was no need to insult the kid. I patted his head, affectionately. “Relax, I’m not gonna let anything get you.”

My amusement was cut short, when I felt the water in my glass begin to move. I stared down at the glass. Normally, I would attribute the effect to the movement of the ship, but this was different. It was rhythmic. With each pulse the water was a little more active.

“Mira?” Usopp asked, looking between the glass and I.

“Something’s coming,” I said, standing up.

“What?!”

I hushed Usopp, before he could start panicking, heading over to the railing.

Nami ran on out deck, book in hand. “Guys this is bad, really bad!”

“No, it’s big,” I corrected, realizing the pattern was that of footsteps. “Really big.”

The tremors got stronger, shaking the land and the water we were in. I could hear the trees falling in the distance, branched cracking, leaves rustling, and the thump of trunks hitting the soft earth.

Something that powerful and that large would be visible soon.

I prepared myself for a fight, just in case. I didn’t have the advantage of freshwater, so I was gonna have to rely on strength and skill if it came to a fight. Durability if it got bad.

“Either be ready to get the Merry out of here, or be ready to run,” I warned the two.

It was pointless. They were frozen in fear, whimpering, eyes full of tears that just waiting for the right incentive to brim over.

The trees cleared, revealing none other than a giant.

Usopp and Nami screamed bloody murder, while I relaxed a bit. I was still wary of our visitor, never having met him before, but at least it wasn’t some mindless killing machine.

The giant let out a loud laugh. “Gababababababa! Why hello there,” he greeted, smiling down at us. “I thought I saw a ship come in. Any chance you guys have alcohol? I drank all mine.”

I allowed my tense muscles to loosen. “Hi,” I returned his greeting. “We do, but it’s the crap for cleaning and cooking. I’m sure, you could probably stomach it, but it’s not all that great. You��re welcome to it, if you’d like.”

“Good thinking, Mira. Give him what he wants and maybe he won’t eat us,” Usopp whispered in my ear.

I had forgotten how little humans really knew about creatures other than themselves. They dismissed truths as myths and accepted myths as fact. Giants were horrible man eating beasts, mermaids were beautiful maidens, and dwarves only went after your socks.

“He’s not going to eat us regardless,” I hissed back at him, not that there weren’t man eating giants out there. There were man eating humans out there too. It was clear that this giant wasn’t after our flesh.

The giant cried out in pain. The sudden shout startled me. It terrified the other two.

The giant turned to glare at a t-rex, which had bitten his back.

“That is… a surprise,” I said, looking at the reptile. I don’t know why I was so surprised. If the plants were anything to go buy, the existence of a dinosaur should’ve been a very real possibility in my brain.

The giant pulled out his weapon, an axe fit for a man of his size, slicing the head clean off the animal.

Usopp and Nami were huddled together, bawling their eyes out. “Will you two stop it?” I snapped. Their behavior was ridiculous and insulting.

The giant lifted the head of the creature, raising it high in the air. “I’m Broggy. Elbaf’s strongest warrior, the invincible!”

‘Just like I thought.’ “I’m Zale Mira Kai,” I introduced myself. “These two crybabies are Nami and Usopp.”

“Now I have dinner, and you three are invited as my guests.”

Nami and Usopp fell back onto the deck. They held perfectly still. I could hear that they were whispering to one another but couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, creating a mental reminder to smack them later. Clearly they weren’t going to calm down any time soon. “My friends have never seen a giant before. It’s seems that they’re a bit overwhelmed. We would love to, but I’m in no shape to carry them. I’m still recovering from a bullet wound, and I can’t just leave them here alone.”

“No worries, little lady. I’ll gladly carry both you and your friends. I’m sure some food and drink will help break the ice.”

I glanced at the pair on the deck, deciding that if they would come around eventually. Broggy was nice enough, and now that I knew giants resided on this island I was a lot more curious.

“Sure. Let me go grab that alcohol for you.”

I headed down and grabbed a barrel of alcohol. There were other things we could use as a disinfectant until then. I hoisted it up on my shoulder, returning the deck.

Broggy took the barrel from me, tucking into a pouch he had been carrying. He grabbed the tail of the dinosaur with one hand and scooped the other two into the palm of the opposite hand. He set it down on the deck, so that I could get on.

It had been decades, since I had been carried around by a giant. The thrill was the same as it had been. Being up that high was like nothing else. There was just so much to see, to take in. There were volcanoes and dinosaurs and weird looking rock formation that looked like bone. It was beautiful. I would say that it was ironic considering how dangerous the island was proving to be, but that tended to be the case. The most beautiful things in life were usually the most dangerous.

I glanced at Usopp and Nami. They still hadn’t moved. Unsure of what their plan was, I decided not to bother them. Again, they would come around.

“This is gorgeous.”

Broggy laughed once more. “I guess it is a lot different to someone tiny like you. So Kai was it?

“Yep, but I prefer Mira.”

“Mira. Pretty name. You know there’s legend of a sea witch of that name?” he teased.

I chuckled, ignoring the way my heart seemed to stop beating. “No, I haven’t heard that one before.”

“Just a story I heard years ago, they say she was stranded on an island all by her lonesome and that she sinks the ships of anyone, who sails to close stranding them there with her.”

“Interesting. Well let me assure you that I am no witch, just a pirate.”

“A pirate? I guess that explains the wound.”

“I got a little distracted.”

“Rookie mistake.”

I nodded. “Yeah, but if you knew my crew, you’d get how easy it is to become distracted.”

Broggy was a very upbeat individual. He hummed and sang as he walked back to his camp, pointing things out to me as we passed and answering my questions about the island. Apparently, Little Garden was so isolated that it just stopped evolving, which was why it was still stuck in the dinosaur days.

Once, we got to his camp, he set Usopp and Nami down on a bed of hay, and me on a large stone, so that I could continue our conversation, while he broke the dinosaur down and roasted it.

“I think you’re the first human that I’ve ever met, who hasn’t been surprised by a giant,” he said, sitting down and turning the meat.

Human. If he only knew.

“Actually, I’ve met a few giants in my life. Some lived on the same island as me. Other’s just passed through as part of pirate crews.”

“You don’t say. Where are you from?”

“There’s no translation of it for me to give you.”

“Oh well then.”

“How’d you end up a pirate?”

“I ended up in the East Blue and needed a lift back. Luffy, my captain, offered me a spot on the crew, said he’d take me home after we’d sailed the Grand Line. I’m the newest member, though we do have a guest at the moment.”

“The other two are on your crew as well?”

“Yeah, they-“I stopped, having glanced over Broggy’s shoulder to check on them. “-Are missing. Damn it,” I swore.

A pair of terrified screams came from the jungle nearby.

“They’re easy to find,” I said, moving to stand.

“Sit. I’ll get them,” Broggy offered.

“Thank you.”

He returned with the two cowards in tow, sitting them on a log that I had brought over for a bench and dropping a large piece of meat in front of the three of us.

“Mira, you’re alive!” Usopp had cried, when he saw me sitting there.

“I was never in danger of losing my life. You two are just obnoxious, and even if I was in danger, you just left me. Next time I might let whatever’s after you have you.”

“You told us you weren’t going to let anything get us. He got us,” Nami snapped.

“We were invited to dinner, and I accepted on your behalf. No one took you. I agreed in your proxy.”

“Go on. Eat hearty my friends. It tastes delicious.”

We were further up the river, the water here fresh. I pulled it over, through the flames, until it boiled and then used it to slice off, three pieces of meat.

“I think I’ve lost my appetite,” Nami said, sounded dejected.

“Don’t be shy now. Dig in.”

I took a bite and was surprise by how good it was. Sanji would definitely have had fun with this. I thought about him and Zoro, wondering how their hunting was going. I had no clue, where Sanji was, but I could very faintly feel, Sandai Kitetsu. I could feel Luffy as well. He must’ve been a good ways away, because it wasn’t as strong as usual.

I couldn’t pin point either of them, but knew their general vicinity.

It would probably be handy if I could feel them better, but it had been so long since I opened up to that. I didn’t even know if I could. I had spent long closing off my mind to the world around me, its energy, I didn’t even know if I could open it back up again. I didn’t know if I wanted to. I had spent so long created that dam in my head, just to stay sane. The idea of loosening that hold was terrifying.

“Mira,” Broggy said, catching my attention.

“I’m sorry. I spaced out. What?”

“Do you like it?”

“It’s really good.” I emphasized my statement by taking another bite. “It’s sweet. I didn’t see you put anything on it.”

“Nope. Natural sweetness.”

Usopp and Nami were still crying.

“For the love of- He’s not going to eat you,” I said, sternly. “Now, quit your crying, pick up your dinner and thank Broggy for such a nice meal.”

“Eat you?” Broggy asked, before laughing. “I’m not going to eat you.”

“See. I pushed food into their hands. Eat.”

Both looked between each other, and then bit into their food.

“Sorry about them. Like I said. They’ve never met a giant before.”

“Like you have,” Usopp scoffed.

“A few of them,” I elaborated, taking another bite. “Enough to know that the whole, giants are man eating barbarian things is a stereotype, spread through ignorance and pure stupidity.”

Usopp and Nami winced at my sharp words.

“Not to say there aren’t some bad ones out there, but not all of them.”

The two cowards looked ashamed.

“Apologize.”

“We’re sorry, Mr. Broggy,” they chorused.

“And?”

“Thank you for the meal.”

I grinned, satisfied.

“No problem, young lady, young sir.”

Nami and Usopp were still nervous, but that was to be expected. After all this was a giant. He could easily kill them. They didn’t know him. They had settled considerably, which was enough for me.

“Mr. Broggy, sir? Can I ask you something?” Nami asked.

“Sure, what’s on your mind, young lady?”

“How long will it take until the log resets?”

“One whole year,” Broggy answered.

I cringed. Nami and Usopp both fell over backwards in shock.

“Yeah… That’s… Bad.” We didn’t have a year. Alabasta’s people could go to war any day now. Not only that a year on this island was sure to completely fry Usopp and Nami’s nerves, and by extension mine.

“A BIT OF AN UNDERSTATEMENT DON’T YOU THINK?!” Nami yelled at me. “WE’RE GOING TO DIE HERE!”

I forced her to sit back down. “Screaming about it doesn’t help the situation.” I looked up at Broggy. “Do you have-“

I was cut off by the eruption of a volcano.

Broggy rose to his feet, throwing the remainder of his meat in the fire. He features shifted. The easy going smile replaced by fierce determination.

“Broggy?”

“Please forgive me, but there is something that I must attend to.

“What? You’re leaving?”

“No choice. That’s the signal my opponent and I use to mark the beginning of our fight,” he explained. I had earlier inquired as to why he was on the island, so I knew the story, but to the others, it really didn’t explain anything, leading to more questions than answers.

“A fight?”

“With who? Where? And more importantly why?” Usopp asked.

“Why? I don’t remember.”

I laughed with Broggy. Oh what time does to the memory.

“Why are you laughing?” Nami snapped at you.

“I don’t remember,” I said, cracking myself up further, Broggy seeming to also find my joke funny.

“You’re a funny girl, Mira. I look forward to finishing our meal, when I return.”

“Confidence is good, but don’t get too cocky.”

“My opponent and I have been fighting for over a hundred years. I am aware of and respect his skill.” With that, he charged into the jungle towards his opponent, another giant, who had risen from his hiding place.

“A hundred years?!”

“Giants’ lifespans are three times that of humans,” I explained. “A hundred years doesn’t mean much to them. The giants of Elbaf believe that their god chooses, who wins and who loses. A loss means that they have fallen out of their god’s favor. In this case they’re fighting to see, who their god deems worthy enough to return to their home land.”

“Still a fight to the death? Why doesn’t one of them just go somewhere else? Surely someone could lose without dying.”

“Death before dishonor,” I said, watching the two behemoths go at it. The force of their blows sent shockwaves through the air, pushing us away from the epicenter of the fight. Their steps rocked the island to its core, shaking the dirt beneath our feet. Trees were torn from the ground like nothing.

A fight between giants. I had heard stories of their epic battles, but had never gotten to experience one for myself. It was a sight to behold.

“What an incredible fight! Every one of those attacks is aimed at a vital spot, just one slip from either of them and that’s it, they’re dead.”

I nodded in agreement. It was clear that these two knew each other well. That was expected after a hundred years. Each move was precise and deliberate. There was no wasted motion, no wasted effort.

“You’d think this would get old,” Nami said. “This is a good thing. This is our chance to get away.”

“You’re not still convinced he’s going to eat you are you?” I asked.

“You may trust him, but I’m not taking my chances.”

‘Ridiculous,’ I thought, turning to watch the giants again.

Unlike Nami, who was walking away from the camp, Usopp was frozen in place. I thought he was scared at first. I was fully prepared to defend Broggy once more, but then I saw his face. He wasn’t afraid, he was in awe. His eyes were wide, his jaw practically dragging on the floor.

“Usopp!” Nami called, when she realized that he wasn’t following.

“Amazing. They fight so seriously, and they don’t even know why.”

“This fight is getting annoying,” Nami whined.

“Don’t you see?” Usopp asked. “This is an example of a real battle, between real men.”

“Say what?”

“Maybe an analogy will help. It’s as if they each planted a flag in their hearts that says ‘I am a warrior.’ This flag is more important than anything, more than their lives even. They will never allow the flag to be destroyed by someone else. That’s why they’ve both continued this fight for a hundred years. Do you see it now? This is a proud duel, a legendary fight between two dedicated warriors!”

“Yeah. Whatever. That warrior stuff doesn’t really interest me in the slightest,” Nami said, dismissively.

“That’s because you can’t put a price tag on honor,” I shot.

She ignored me. “You coming?”

“No. I’m still watching this. This is my ultimate goal, this right here, to be a brave warrior, like each of these titans. Really though one day, I’ll be a proud warrior of the sea.”

I smiled at Usopp. “A proud warrior of the sea, a perfect companion for the king of the pirates.”

“So what you’re saying is you want to be a giant?”

I snorted at Nami’s interpretation. Usopp stomped over to her, yelling about her missing the point, before returning his attention to the fight.

The pair both managed to disarm each other, leaving them with only their shields and fists to fight with. They each went for a finishing blow, the punches landing at the same time, knocking them both down.

Broggy returned from his battle, battered and bloody, but alive.

Usopp began to fawn over the giant, as soon as he was near, explaining his admiration and ambition to Broggy. Broggy was surprised by Usopp at first, but seemed to accept his new found title as master well.

I idly wondered what Luffy and Vivi were doing. According to Broggy, they had befriended the other giant, Dorry. Luffy was probably just as enthralled with the epic nature of their battle of Usopp was.

The volcano they used as a signal erupted once more. “Well, there’s the signal. It’s really been active today.”

“You’re really going? But your wounds from the last battle haven’t healed.”

“Please,” Broggy scoffed. “Dorry can’t be doing any better than me. A few scratches won’t take me out of a duel. That surely would be a poor excuse for a brave warrior.”

It was a fair point.

“I guess so,” Usopp conceded.

“Alright then.”

“Now, Master Broggy, go and show this guy!” Usopp cheered.

“You bet, Usopp! I’m gonna beat him for sure this time. He hasn’t got a chance.”

“Go get him, you great warrior of Elbaf! The mighty Broggy always defeats his opponent! You can do it Broggy! You’re the mightiest warrior in the world! You can destroy him any day! Go Broggy!”

“Why does he continue this pointless fight?” Nami asked.

Usopp turned and exploded on her.

Nami was unfazed. “Well now we can get back to the ship. Waiting for a year. No freaking’ way it’s completely unacceptable. We need to get everyone on the ship and come up with a plan.”

I was in agreement as much as I wanted to watch this play out, we didn’t have time. There was never going to be a clear victor. They were too evenly matched. Plus, we had to make sure that the others were alright, and figure out how we were going to get to Alabasta.

“Now hold on a second. I for one don’t think that we stand a chance against dinosaurs. Cutting through the jungle to get back to the Merry won’t so us much good if we get killed on the way, will it?”

“Such bravado from our brave warrior of the sea, afraid of a big lizard,” I teased, standing up.

“I said that come day I’ll be a brave warrior of the sea. Besides even a brave warrior has to have enough sense not to get himself killed. Mira, Nami, listen. Even if I should lose everything someday and have to face a horribly tragic death, along on a deserted island, I will proudly say this about how I have lived, “I am Captain Usopp and know that I have been a great brave warrior of the sea!””

Usopp hit the ground with a hard thud, his fear causing him to go stiff as a board.

“Yeah. Yeah. For now can you just settle for being a dependable warrior?” Nami asked, dragging him by his satchel.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

I shook my head, following the two. “Well then I guess I’ll be on dinosaur duty. I expect you to return the favor, when you’re a brave warrior of the sea.”

***

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#teroin writes #stillwater #one piece #fanfiction

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zell-dincht · 7 years

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It’s High-namura Noon

Chapter 2 Words: 2648 Rating: Still pretty vanilla. There will be smut eventually, tho. Of course. Summary: Hanzo is LOST. Notes: Please go to AO3 and read the comments. They might actually be more entertaining than the fic itself. Plz. (People yelling at me about involving China when there are 0 mentions of China and Hanamura is literally in the title) (HERE IS THE LINK TO AO3)

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The encounter with the bandits had left Hanzo more exhausted than he realized. He had only meant to take an afternoon nap, but it was already fairly late in the evening, so he managed to sleep throughout the night and into the next morning.

The bus jerked to a stop, finally rousing Hanzo from his sleep. They had reached another waystation someplace in Arkansas, according to the driver. This was a different driver from the previous day, but Hanzo thought nothing of it. This was a long trip, and drivers and passengers would sometimes swap at the various Greyhound stations along the way.

As the passengers shuffled around, some disembarking for good, others simply taking a break, Hanzo remained in his seat and checked his phone for messages. Just as he had feared, there was nothing from Genji. He tried calling his brother again, but the phone went straight to voicemail. Hanzo didn’t bother leaving another message, but instead called their father to keep him up-to-date, conveniently leaving out the part where he fought highway robbers.

The bus ride continued once again for several hours, and there was more of the same nothing to see out the window. They eventually crossed the border into Oklahoma, but being unfamiliar with American geography, Hanzo didn’t notice anything was amiss until he left the bus to buy some snacks from a rest stop.

As he exited the gas station and found the bus, he saw in bright red letters just above the door: “Carson City, Nevada.”

As he thought back, Hanzo recalled his pursuit through the cornfield, then returning to the rest stop. He didn’t check the sign above the doors because it hadn’t occurred to him that there would be another bus there. His driver must have departed while Hanzo chased that cowboy, only for another Greyhound to arrive in the meantime. It was the only possibility.

Whatever happened, there was no use dwelling on the past. The fact remained that he was stuck here and would very much prefer not to get on that bus and continue further away from his destination.

Once again, Hanzo felt regret in his travel decisions. He should have taken a plane, and he should have brought his smartphone. But there was no way he could have ever thought this would happen. This was never meant to be a complicated trip. Just fly to Boston, pick up Genji, and return to Japan. Simple. Yet here he was, stranded in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely nothing but his wallet and a flip phone.

He made his way back into the gas station and spoke to the man behind the register. “Pardon me. My plans have changed, and I no longer need to ride this bus,” he lied, embarrassed to tell the truth. “Is there a phone number I might call to hire a taxi?”

“Sorry, buddy,” the man replied. “Ain’t no taxis ‘round here. Not much o’ anything, ‘less you wanna try hitchin’.”

Hanzo fell into a thoughtful silence as he pondered his situation, but before he could come up with a solution, the man behind the counter spoke up again.

“Know what? My cousin’s got an ol’ beater he’s been tryin’ to sell.” The clerk spoke loudly and slowly, which Hanzo suspected was because he was a foreigner. He narrowed his eyes a little, unhappy with the assumption, but still remained politely silent and allowed the man to continue. “If you want, I can give ‘im a call and have ‘im bring it down here. You can buy it and take yourself wherever it is you’re goin’.”

“Thank you for the offer. I’ll need a moment to consider,” Hanzo replied and stepped back outside.

The bus to Nevada looked like it was ready to leave any second. He supposed he could try his luck and ride the bus to a more populated town where he could rent a car or buy another bus ticket, but he didn’t know how much further out of the way that would take him. He had already wasted enough time on this trip. A car of his own would be much more efficient, but that would be a lot of money to spend on something he only needed for a couple days.

Hanzo called his father for guidance, this time admitting the truth to what he had done. Of course, that earned him a harsh scolding, but thankfully, his father offered a simple solution. He would transfer money to Hanzo’s account for the car, and once his trip was complete, he could get the money back by selling the car again.

Once that was settled, Hanzo returned to the clerk and agreed to look at this car. He waited outside the gas station for a few minutes until a man drove up in an old, beat-up Chevrolet. Hanzo cringed as he looked over the car, but reminded himself that as long as it would get him to Padre Island, he didn’t need anything fancy.

After a bit of negotiating, the man agreed to sell the car for $2000. Hanzo purchased a money order from the clerk, which he then gave in exchange for the car. Before driving away, Hanzo asked for directions to Texas, and the two men gave a quick description of which roads to take. With business settled, Hanzo started the car and set out alone.

Driving on the right side of the road felt a bit odd to Hanzo, but he quickly adjusted and maneuvered the vehicle perfectly well as he continued to follow the instructions he had been given.

As he drove on and on, he began to zone out and succumb to highway hypnosis. His eyes were so fixed on the road itself, that Hanzo almost missed the man walking along the shoulder with his thumb sticking out. At the sight of an approaching car, the man frantically waved his arms and jumped out into the road, finally catching Hanzo’s attention.

Hanzo slammed on the breaks, staring wide-eyed at this man who impulsively threw himself into traffic. Of all the people in this vast stretch of country, the hitchhiker just happened to be the very same cowboy from the Greyhound robbery.

“You again!” Hanzo shouted as he immediately shifted the car into park and jumped out of the driver’s seat.

“Well if it ain’t the little ninja that threw a wrench in my little scheme,” Jesse grinned.

Hanzo ignored the part where the man called him a “ninja” and simply lunged forward, roughly gripping the cowboy by the front of his shirt. “You shot that man.”

“Now, hang on there, I didn’t shoot anybody!” Jesse protested. “That was all Wilson. New guy, bit of a wild card. Never liked him.”

“He was one of your men - your responsibility,” Hanzo insisted.

“Ain’t my men no more,” the cowboy sighed. “They ditched me. Took the money and left me in the middle o’ nowhere.”

Hanzo paused thoughtfully, then shoved Jesse away, back towards the shoulder of the road. He wanted this man to pay for his crimes, but it seemed karma had already bit him in the ass.

“It’s the least you deserve,” Hanzo replied as he made his way back to the car.

“C’mon, man, you can’t just leave me here,” Jesse pleaded.

“Watch me,” Hanzo countered as he sat down behind the wheel.

But before the door was shut, the cowboy called out, “Thought you was goin’ to San Antonio?”

Hanzo paused. “That isn’t your concern.”

“Maybe not, but you oughtta know this is the wrong way.”

“The man at the gas station told me Texas is this way.”

“He ain’t wrong, if you wanna go to the panhandle,” Jesse explained. “San Antonio’s on the other end of the state. See? You’re fixin’ to get yourself lost. You need me.”

Hanzo gave an irritated scowl. He did not like this man one bit, but he couldn’t deny the outlaw had a much better lay of the land. “Fine. Which way is San Antonio?”

“Take this road ‘til ya see signs for 270. Make a right,” Jesse explained. “That’ll turn into 412. Stay on it, and it’ll take you straight there.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“Thank you,” Hanzo tersely replied as he slammed the door shut. He could hear the cowboy’s muffled shouts as he shifted back into drive, but ignored the cries as he rode off, leaving Jesse stranded.

He easily followed the roads that the other man pointed out, but after hours and hours of driving, Hanzo found no sign that he was getting anywhere near Texas. However, later in the evening, he did pass a sign welcoming visitors to New Mexico.

Though he was out of his element, Hanzo was certain that the next border he crossed should have been from Oklahoma into Texas. He had followed Jesse’s instructions perfectly, yet he still managed to get lost. Unless…

That scoundrel gave him bad directions. Hanzo was a fool to think he could have trusted that man. However, it was getting late, and he was exhausted from driving most of the day. He decided to call it quits for the night and continue the drive in the morning.

When Hanzo reached something resembling civilization, he found a motel off the highway and booked a room for the night. After spending so much time on that awful bus, he relished the opportunity for a warm bath and a real bed.

Though, after his bath, Hanzo decided to wait a little longer before settling into bed. All of his belongings were still on that first Greyhound bus, so he needed to restock on a few supplies first. There wasn’t much in this town, but at least Hanzo was able to locate a large chain store that sold a little bit of everything. The clothing selection wasn’t much to his liking, but he managed to find a few suitable outfits and enough toiletries to hold him over until he could find Genji.

As he paid for his supplies, Hanzo realized he had barely eaten all day. There weren’t many places open this late, but on his way back to the motel, he spotted a small restaurant that still seemed to be serving customers.

He parked the old Chevy and made his way inside to find that although the place did advertise barbecue, the inside looked more like a bar. Hanzo felt so out of place, yet the rumbling in his stomach urged him to stay and order some food.

His eyes glanced over the crowd for an open seat, but he suddenly stood frozen in place, jaw dropped in shock as he noticed that once again, his path seemed to miraculously lead him to Jesse. Part of him wanted to leave before the cowboy could notice him, but deep down, he still felt an anger for this man and the fact that he had not properly atoned for his crimes.

In that brief moment of hesitation, the decision was made for him. Jesse glanced up and met Hanzo’s gaze. The cowboy grinned widely, seeming much less surprised to see the other man.

Hanzo quickly approached his table, glaring angrily. “I followed your instructions perfectly. This isn’t Texas.”

“Sure isn’t,” Jesse chuckled.

“You misled me on purpose?!”

“Hey, now, you left me for the buzzards,” the cowboy pointed out.

“Clearly you have not suffered the appropriate penance for your crimes. I will notify the local authorities that they harbor a criminal in their town.” Hanzo turned to leave, but Jesse suddenly reached out and grabbed him by the arm.

“Hey, now, don’t go do anything rash.”

“Like rob a bus?!” Hanzo loudly countered, despite the other man’s attempts at shushing him. “Hardly.”

“C’mon, sit down, have a drink, and let’s talk this over.” Jesse tried to give his arm a tug.

Hanzo, however, roughly pulled his arm away, and in the process, accidentally threw his elbow into a nearby biker who was carrying a full mug of beer back to his table. As the man stumbled forward, the drink sloshed over the edge of the cup, soaking the front of his shirt and his long, gray beard. He immediately turned on his assailant, glaring furiously as the rest of his gang slowly rose from their seats.

It was just an honest mistake, but Hanzo panicked and pointed towards Jesse, who had clapped a hand over his mouth and slid lower in his chair. “He did it.”

Naturally, none of the bikers believed the lie. There was no possible way Jesse could have been the culprit. The man who spilled his beer immediately launched a punch in Hanzo’s direction, but the attack was easily dodged. The biker had momentum, though, and his punch continued past his target and collided into the jaw of a different customer. Nobody cared to explain the mishap, or even listen to an explanation, so an all-out-brawl broke out in the bar.

The bikers split their attention between Hanzo and the second man who had been accidentally punched, while other patrons jumped in to defend against the bikers. Though Hanzo was very skilled in combat, he was still outnumbered. One of his opponents managed to grab hold of him and launch him several feet back, causing him to land flat on Jesse’s table.

Before the cowboy could say anything, Hanzo immediately shot him a furious glare and shouted, “This is entirely your fault!”

He remained sitting on the table and swung his legs around and planted a rough kick to Jesse’s chest, knocking him backwards onto the floor. But before he could follow up, somebody gripped the back of Hanzo’s shirt, yanking him away. Two of the bikers managed to hold him down and pin him to the wall. Just as Hanzo feared he couldn’t escape before sustaining a serious injury, a wooden chair swept across both his attacker’s heads. The bikers crumpled to the ground, bringing Hanzo face-to-face with Jesse, who stood there panting heavily, rubbing his chest.

Hanzo had absolutely no idea why the cowboy would come to his rescue, but this wasn’t the time for questioning it. He simply acknowledged Jesse with a grateful nod, then pushed past him to knock out another man who looked to be winding up to hit the cowboy.

As badly as Hanzo hated this man, it seemed he had no choice but to team up with him. This brawl was too out of control and there were too many combatants to go at it alone. Jesse’s fighting style was clunky and untrained, but he managed to hold his own surprisingly well.

Just as the two men were falling in sync, finding their rhythm, a sudden shotgun blast rang over the noise of the brawl. Everyone froze in place and looked to the door, where the local sheriff stood with his weapon pointed at the ceiling, wooden dust sprinkling down from where the bullets had lodged themselves. He was flanked by his deputy and two officers, who were all clearly ready to react if anyone so much as stepped a toe out of line.

“Who started this mess?” the sheriff demanded.

Although Hanzo had just been fighting alongside Jesse, he suddenly remembered the hatred he felt for the man and immediately pointed an accusing finger at the cowboy, who, likewise, pointed his finger at Hanzo.

“Good ‘nuff for me.” The sheriff nodded to the two men as he addressed the other officers. “Cuff ‘em.”

Knowing better than to fight a lawman, Hanzo simply stood in stunned silence as he felt the cold metal of the handcuffs as they clamped down on his wrists.

#hanzo shimada #jesse mccree #mchanzo #overwatch #my writing

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mykatesingh-blog · 5 years

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Well, I’m finally back to my old self. Some of you know that we were about to purchase some land and old mobile home and it fell through. We should have stopped there but we had our house on the market and had committed to our realtor for six months. We tried our hand at another home, a loan, and lots of drives in the country to explore. We were disappointed over and over and the loan was not sufficient or the owner carry situations didn’t work out.

It was the confusion and vagueness of life that really took me down to the dark end of the street. It was that desire to have a new challenge and live somewhere better and not having a clear answer. It was that raggedy hope that limped along to the next carnival booth to try at winning a prize only to lose big again and again.

But today I had a clear answer. NO. Not now. Or for a lonnnnnggg time. Get over it and get back to tending to this world lady! So, no decent loan, no deal, no new home or land. Then other things happened to back it up. Bali’s only two employees are going to India for two months leaving him and the big boss to deal with the store alone leaving no time for a future move or home restore. And then the realtor for the last hope house never called back. Things have literally stopped moving forward.

I feel better. I do. I was getting downright depressed. I wanted to cry with frustration. Now I feel grounded and sanity is returning. Even the answer no is comforting sometimes.

I spent today cleaning a filthy house. I washed and scrubbed, I swept floors by hand, I turned up the music and brewed the coffee. Nothing like that coffee smell to signal the brain to start being productive. I put away piles of laundry. I feel so good right now that you would never know I was so wilted. I even laughed during a conversation on the phone.

Now I’m back to a plan. If we can’t get a good loan we will have to save cash. And I can save like a rock star. I love to get that notebook and pen out and write out our budget and then list all the ways we can save. Out comes the envelope for groceries.

Bali manages a gas station down the street but it doesn’t pay much so we are considering selling the old car, getting something younger and hybrid and he can work Uber, Lyft or even delivery of some kind part-time in the city.

I can manage our money better by finding ways to take care of what we have, mend holes in our clothes, hand wash the stains out to preserve clothing better. I will work with a much smaller food budget. I can shop at WinCo, have us go back to a plant-based/whole food diet (I usually still feed the boys’ goats milk, fish, eggs…I’m not into them being veganish).

I have learned new tricks from Homestead Tessie on YouTube with going to food pantries after hours when they throw away the leftover food and produce and I would can and dehydrate all of it to stock my pantry. I would only take what was about to meet the garbage bin and not be taking from anyone in true need. I’m not ready to dumpster dive although I am glad others are doing it and helping curb that waste of good food.

We ate from our garden well this summer but not for long. I did put up 13 quarts of spaghetti sauce and may have more soon to put up. I have two bushels of butternut squash. The eggplant and zucchini are still producing but we went through the potatoes and onions fast. The melons didn’t do well and my corn is not coming up. We didn’t plant that smart and the viny plants took over not leaving much room for other foods. I also stopped gardening in my quest to move to greener pastures.

Now that my house is clean and organized I will work in the garden the next few days. I need to see what I can plant in August, harvest the old stuff, start seeds in my greenhouse, get back to my mini-farm. Eating from our neighbors’ nectarine tree (just what grew on our side) and our garden allowed me to have plenty of fresh, organic produce for a few weeks all free.

The Dollar Tree can even help stock the pantry. Oh, and I have a new homemade laundry soap recipe…all from Homestead Tessie. I don’t have many original ideas, I learn from others. I do the research. When I get into this mode I have so much fun learning new tricks and finding creative ways to make do or do without!

There are a few things you should know about me; first of all, I really want to live in a mobile home on some land. I love the forest and mountains and small, charming towns. I like everything lush and lovely but I have the obsession for an old mobile home that I can fix up like my very own dollhouse. I like challenges and old things. I like fixing things up. I enjoy being on a budget and I love nothing more than finding a fun vlog or blog about living a cozy life on pennies. I don’t know why. I shan’t ever be rich with this fascination. I would rather follow someone making a great life on a fixed income than someone finding riches.

I can’t speak for my family, but I don’t need much. I would like to travel later on when the boys are bigger and don’t act like feral puppies when we go out. I would surely lose them in some foreign country now with how they ran about.

I can’t get into coupons. Tried and never works for me. We eat simply and I cook from scratch. What the coupons are offered for are things we don’t use.

I love making everything from scratch and stocking my pantry. It’s becoming a hobby. Canning is a new thing for me as well and I love doing it.

I love all things homesteading as long as I don’t have to deal with animal husbandry (not that I don’t love animals but it’s a messy, poopy job) and I’m not the skilled woman with the knitting needles and sewer. I’m far from crafty but I have found you can transform an old piece of junk furniture with a can of spray paint. I like to browse Pinterest and find those simple crafty things an eight-year-old can do…then I know I might be up for the task. The smart way to find ways to use odd and old things…yes, Pinterest and see what others have done with say a broken metal rake or all the things you can do with old jars or shipping flats.

Since starting the writing of this blog yesterday, my husband gave me $179 in cash for groceries. I’ll get into the budget later but anything over $1000 paycheck is for groceries, dog food, and toiletries.

The family and I traveled over to WinCo and did some shopping. I hadn’t done a grocery shop in over a month. At the beginning of July, some generous soul sent us a $300 Winco card and I completely stocked my pantry with bulk ingredients. I have cooked from that supply, the garden, and maybe a few items from the store once a week such as a watermelon, baked chicken, milk…

I spent $125 on 6 bags of groceries last night. I have restocked my freezer with frozen veggies, my pantry with 10lb bags of rice, potatoes, rice, and plenty of fresh produce and extras to make good, healthy meals for 10 days plus extra supplies for the month. The trick is cutting out the meat and dairy. We did get a little yogurt for the boys but I can easily and inexpensively make homemade yogurt from now on.

The magic formula for feeding your family well on a small alotment is simply this:

All scratch cooking, buying bulk (check the price per pound because it doesn’t always save), stick to produce, grains, beans, potatoes, whole foods, everything in season, limit meat and dairy or cut it out, and no junk food.

So, off I go to look on Farmer’s Almanac to see what is ready to plant mid-August. I’ll go work out in the garden all day today since we are being blessed with the 80-degree weather after days of triple digits. Planting your own produce section is another great money saver as well.

Have a great week!

Time to buckle down and get creative with saving money. Well, I'm finally back to my old self. Some of you know that we were about to purchase some land and old mobile home and it fell through.

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