#its always like 100 degrees and sunny
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#in my art brain#its always like 100 degrees and sunny#the characters i draw are always fighting heat stroke lol#fmab#fanart#digital art#fullmetal alchemist#artists on tumblr#ling yao#edward fma#edward elric#edward elric fanart#ling fma#edling
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☼MISSING YOU☼
A/N: i know i just disappeared but I'm back I've just been really busy and i've been helping my sister with the writing part of her comic but i thought id come back with some angst/no comfort. after this ill post some fluff promise!
Anyways here's a bandaid to help with the wounds this'll inflict.
(:̲̅:̲̅:[̲̅:★:]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅ )
Fiance Tanjiro X Gender Neutral Reader
"My life is incomplete,
its missing you" -missing you (btob)
it was a beautiful day when he met you, it was sunny and a rainstorm had just passed the day before leaving a clear sky. it was nearing the end of october and winter was right around the corner maki9ng this the perfect day to sell charcoal before it got to cold.
tanjiro hiked down the mountain with his basket filled to the brim with charcoal ready to be sold. he was busy trying not to trip when heading down the creek until a overwhelming sweet scent entered his nose and he felt himself being toppled over into the water.
"oh crap i'm sososorry!" you said standing from the deep water to offer him a hand.
"are you hurt?" you asked as he just stared up at you in a daze.
to tanjiro it felt like a angel had fallen out of the sky rather than a clumsy teen who got lost in a forest, got scared, and accidentaly ran into a poor helpless boy.
"uh, are you good?" you asked again as he realized he was staring and snapped out of it. "i apologize i not hurt, thank you!" he said as he took your hand to stand. "don't apologize this is 100% my fault, i should've been watching where i was going" you said bowing at a perfect 50 degree angle as he sweat dropped.
"really its fine im not hurt at all" he said letting out a reassuring laugh as the tips of your ears turned red. "if there's anything i can do to apologize please let me know!" you yelled in embarrassment your entire face red.
"then can you tell me your name?" he asked offering his hand.
"huh? thats it? youre not gonna sell me to the cartel or anything right" you said exclaiming with your hands as he let out a laugh. "no i wouldnt" he said giving you a bright beaming smile.
"okay! ____ ______, im pleased to meet you!" you said taking his hand in yours. "tanjiro kamado, its nice to meet you too" he said a small blush spreading to his cheeks.
from that day forward a relationship like no other had blossomed.
tanjiro couldn't explain it but every time he was around you he got this fuzzy feeling in his stomach, he felt as if he was in complete and utter safety around you.
from the way you smiled, to the way you joked. he loved everything, he loved how your ears turned red when you were embarrassed. or how when you were angry you would turn a light shade of pink, the jokes you told.
he couldn't understand most of them but the way you would mutter them again to yourself and laugh had him smiling in pure joy.
he almost felt free around you.
sure he loved his family, but sometimes the pressure of being the oldest and breadwinner really put a lot on his shoulders. yet up until this point, he couldn't do much.
but when you came into his life you would pat him on the head, tell him good job when he completed something, always asking him how his day was going. tanjiro was so used to just bottling everything down that when he had someone who was constantly think of him, and only him he began to cry.
"tan tan, i don't know you get this alot but im really proud of you" you said as you played with his hair as you two sat on a tree trunk on the edge of the creek you two first met.
you continued even as you felt his shoulders stiffen a bit. "the way you're always there for your siblings and how you're always so kind is something i don't think i'd be able to do." you giggled. "sometimes i wonder if people ever let you know how much you mean to them, so i'm letting you know right now" you smiled as you wrapped your arms around his waist and placed your chin on his shoulder.
your eyes softened as the small tears trailed down his cheeks as you brought a hand to wipe them away.
"tanjiro kamado thank you for being such a bright star in this cruel world"
that was the night he confessed, where he told you how much he loved you, and to his shock, you loved him too.
the two of you were official, he had spent a small fortune on finding you the perfect ring, the best ring. and that's what he confessed with.
and finally it was the day for you to meet his family.
he had told you stories. on how takeo would get angry when he wasn't included in things. how shigeru and hanako would get into fights but forget about them within a minute. how rokuta was just now taking his first few steps and how his speech was increasing. and how nezuko was always helping out but also being a sense of comfort to all. and how even tho she was all alone his mother took care of most of the household even while sick.
from everything you had heard his family was absolutely lovely. and you hoped they would find you the same way.
and luckily, they adored you.
as soon as you walked through the door shigeru and hanako ran up to you and grabbed you by the legs excitedly asking if you were the person tanjiro was going to marry.
the entire day had gone by smoothly up until dinner time.
you sat next to tanjiro with baby rokuta in your lap after he refused to be let go, he weirdly grew fond of you quickly; not that you were complaining he was absolutely adorable. his mother was at your other side and nezuko, takeo, shigeru, and hanako where infront of you four.
"so ____" kie called out causing you to look up from baby rokuta who was babbling words you were trying to understand. "yes okasan?" you asked as she turned to face you. "do you like kids?" she asked with a smile as rokuta continued to play with your un occupied hand.
"uh huh! in the village i was from before i came here i helped out at a nursery so i gained a bit of experience in caring and bonding with children" you said as baby rokuta looked up to you with a innocent baby look before breaking out into a fit of giggles.
a chorus of 'aww's went around the room as the baby happily babbled away.
"i hope you and tanjiro give me some grandbabies soon seeing as this one is already growing to fast" kei said out loud causing a angry red blush to spread to both you and tanjiros cheeks as both kei and nezuko laughed leaving the other two children confused.
"m-mom!" tanjiro stuttered the blush deepening as she continued laughing.
oh such happy memories.
sadly, you and tanjiro wouldn't be able to make more.
that night you had stayed over and were going to leave 3 days from then, sadly that would never happen.
the day after returning home from selling charcoal tanjiro sped up at the smell of blood.
the smell of blood, coming from his home.
a massacre had happened.
kei and hanako laid against the door frame to the kitchen eyes closed, pale faces covered in blood.
shigeru and takeo lying motionless on the floor eyes stuck open in terror. and in the entrance door frame layed nezuko, rokuta, and you.
all presumably dead.
the only one who lived was nezuko, yet his sister became a demon. the very thing that had killed his family and the love of his life.
"Muzan Kibutsuji! No matter where you go, you're not getting away! I'll follow you to the ends of Hell, and I swear I'll slice your head with my blade! I'll never forgive you no matter what!"
and he never will.
muzan kibutsujii will pay, for taking his past and present. but also for taking his future.
that night before he left he remembered the conversation you two had.
"hey tantan" you said sitting on the futon beside his, his mother had provided you with as you ran the brush through your hair.
"yes ____?" he asked with that sweet and kind voice looking up at you with his soft red eyes full of love and adoration.
"have you ever heard of demons?" you asked pressing your finger against your lips as if you were telling a secret. "demons?" he was confused why were you bringing this up?
"yeah like scary man eaters" you said emphasizing your point by putting your fingers against your head like devil horns,
with a laugh he grabbed your hands and pulled them down to hold them in his.
"no i haven't, why?" he asked curious as to why you would ask.
"no reason, i just heard they're sUper scary" you said emphasizing on the u in super.
"well you don't have to worry because demons arent real, and even if they were..." he trailed off a small blush covering his cheeks as he looked up into your eyes. "..i would make sure to protect you and make sure you didn't get hurt.: he mumbled shyly as you stared at him in awa before you smiled.
"i know!"
"god ____, i'm so sorry" he whispered small tears falling, yet this time there was no one to wipe them.
A/N Am i sorry? idk anyways goodnight i have classes in 3 hours and i have been procrastinating school work so until next week! Bye Bye!
#tanjiro kamado#kny tanjirou#kimetsu no yaiba#kny fluff#kny angst#hurt/no comfort#tw death#tanjiro x reader#demon slayer tanjiro#gender neutral reader#no use of y/n#angst no happy ending#sad fic#demon slayer
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About Damn Time
This fucking thing was meant to be my contribution for @elucienweekofficial day 7 Prompt: AU. Did I get it complete in time? No. Life got in my way. Oh Well.
So here's a smutty, more plot than I meant it to have, really long Elucien one-shot. Which I am completely dedicating to @separatist-apologist for being a wonderful human and inspiring me and so many others out there.
Title: About Damn Time
Rating: Explicit
Summary:
Elain planned to have a quiet, cool day off. The universe took one look at her plans and said "bet."
Elain Archeron was convinced that a good cup of coffee could stop wars.
She was equally convinced it was a lack of a good cup of coffee that caused them.
It was 7:30 in the morning, and she was struggling. Summer was in full swing. As a landscaper, she preferred to do her work as early as possible. It was both better for the plants and for her employees’ disposition, as working conditions from eleven on in the summer were the stuff of nightmares.
The sun would be relentless. The heat would climb well into the nineties and the “feels like” would push it into triple digits. Most people would retreat to the air conditioning or find some body of water and stay there.
If the heat weren’t bad enough, average eighty percent humidity meant that even standing outside for five minutes kept her entire body soaking wet without her consent and her hair threatening to mutiny even in its braid.
The heat wouldn’t stop the bugs, though. They’d swarm, getting stuck in her sweat and biting any skin left exposed.
Elain loved it. She loved the messiness of it. The way the dirt was always cool beneath her fingers, the way the right plants flourished under the burning sun. She was made for sunny days and warm weather and mess.
She wasn’t crazy, though. Even she had her limits. Like the fact that it was 90% humidity and 90 degrees at seven-thirty with the weatherman calling for over 100 degrees by noon when she’d meant to be up and at the jobsite by six. She’d had three of her five employees call in, taking advantage of her high temps’ policy.
She usually wouldn’t mind. Had even decided last night to call it, herself. She texted all clients on the books for the day to let them know her crew would get to them the following business day and turned off her alarm.
Until her favorite client called that morning.
The director of the public library was in a panic, begging her to get the landscaping done before the summer reading program finale. Tomorrow. It was their biggest program of the year and auditors from the state were coming in.
“We have the potential to bring massive grants if everything goes off without a hitch. We could finally start the renovations we need. I know the weather is bad, Elain, but please I’ll pay double. Out of my own damn pocket,” Helion begged, his usually rich, smoky voice taking on a whine.
“It’s not just that, Helion,” she sighed into the receiver. “I’m down three guys today due to heat. You know my temps’ policy; I can’t make them come in. It takes four of us total to do a job that big in a day.”
“How many do you have?” he responded quickly. Elain could hear shuffling in the background and a woman’s voice murmuring. Likely his wife, who has hired Elain on several occasions to spruce up her gardens.
“Including myself, three.”
“Great! I have a meeting this morning and then I’ll be out to help. Sylva is grabbing Aodhan. He’ll meet you in, what? Thirty?” Helion was determined. She’d give him that.
“Aodhan Vanserra?” Elain questioned. She started to gather her things for the day. She knew the moment she answered the phone she was going to go. “Is he back in town?”
“He likes to get his hands dirty, and he’s strong. Put him to work wherever you need him,” Helion said loudly. She heard more scuffling, doors being shut and then her friend was back in a whisper, “Beron kicked him out, cut him off, and nearly killed the poor guy. Do not say anything about his ear.”
“What’s wrong with his ear?” Elain whispered as well. Even though she was in a room by herself and presumably no one could hear her.
“Later,” Helion hissed, then louder, “and you’re not paying him, dear. I am. As a thank you for this. Truly.”
“I didn’t say I’d do it,” Elain lied sweetly. Of course, she had already shoved the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could pull on her brown work boots.
“E-laain,” Helion whined, drawing her name out ridiculously, “but you love me.”
She sighed theatrically. “You know I do. You don’t have to pay extra. Just take care of your step-son and provide us with lunch and hydration.”
“Deal!” Helion’s shout was nothing short of triumphant. “Love you, too. See you soon.”
He hung up the phone, leaving Elain standing in her living room shaking her head.
Elain couldn’t bring herself to say no to Helion.
She’d spent most of her days in that library. Helion had become one of her closest friends over the years. Before he was director of the library, he was a high school history teacher and headed up the gardening club. He was probably Elain’s most favorite person outside of her family.
So, she threw her hair in a rough ponytail and rushed out the door. Between the two employees who agreed to work the heat and Aodhan, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad day. She’d be starting later than she wanted but with any luck, she’d been done before they all melted into plant food.
She’d do just about anything for her clients, especially Helion.
Well, except give up her morning large, iced coffee. He could wait another ten minutes. She was feeling chocolate peanut butter and whipped cream this morning.
“Elain?”
Every muscle in her body tensed. She squeezed her eyes tight, counting to three before she turned around.
Standing in line just behind Elain was her ex-boyfriend, Graysen Lorde and a very petite, beautiful woman she’d never seen before. She had beautiful ebony skin and sleek, black hair down to her shoulders. They were both dressed for work, Graysen in the gray slacks and a white button-down that indicated it was Thursday, the woman in a sleek, black pantsuit and heels.
“Graysen?”
What was he doing here? Last she’d heard he moved, took a high paying position at a new bank out west. Not to mention, he hated coffee.
“I thought that was you,” he said with a nervous smile. “You look…good.”
Elain glanced down at her clothes. She was rushed this morning, grabbing the first set of anything she could find. Which meant wearing a pair of canvas shorts with tears from work, a white tank top with a dirt stain along the bottom hem where she’d undoubtedly rubbed her hands without thinking, and an oversized green flannel one of her little sister’s friends had left behind years ago, in an attempt to hide the stains and tears of her work clothes.
“Thanks, just heading into the office,” she joked lamely. Graysen was never a fan of her “blue-collar” job. When they met, she was a bank teller working through community college. She spent her days in business casual clothing, hair always curled, and her makeup flawless.
No dirt under her nails. No sweat. No mess. No fun.
Graysen looked as he always had. Handsome face, sandy brown hair cut close, clothes tailored perfectly to his body. He looked like he’d put on some muscle, and maybe gotten a little tan somewhere.
“You’re Elain Archeron?” the beautiful woman said smiling, her voice deeper than she expected. It was almost musical. Graysen coughed a little and seemed to give her some kind of a look from the side.
Elain tried to brush it off. They had split over a year now, halfway agreeable, but she knew her ex to twist everything to his advantage. There was no telling what he’d told this woman.
She collected herself, standing a little straighter. She brushed her hands off on her shirt. “Uh, yeah…yes. I’m Elain Archeron.”
“Oh wow! You did the floral arrangements for my sister’s wedding this past February! The Rosenbluth/Cress wedding,” the woman smiled brilliantly, her pearly white teeth shining. She seemed…genuine. She even reached out her hand to shake Elain’s.
Elain remembered the wedding. It was a Valentine’s wedding. The bride wanted every pink, red, and white flower in existence. If that wasn’t a tall enough order, she’d waited until a week before the wedding to order anything at all. A week before Valentine’s Day. Every shop in a fifty-mile radius was booked up, and no florist would take her on.
Then someone had given Elain’s name to the bride’s mother.
“I remember her,” Elain mused. She took the woman’s offered hand in a firm shake. It was surprisingly calloused – just like her own. “I’d done some floral arranging before, but nothing to that scale. It was a nice challenge.”
They moved up a bit in line. She snuck a glance at Graysen. His face was quickly losing color.
“Oh, don’t be modest! She asked for the moon, and you gave it to her. You pulled an absolute miracle out of thin air,” the still nameless woman gushed. Elain was starting to blush. There was something so kind and sincere about this woman that it put her at ease. She just had one of those sunny personalities that drew people in. Elain couldn’t help but like this woman. “I honestly wish I would’ve known about you sooner, and I wouldn’t have wasted my money on the hack who did our wedding.”
Wait, what? Elain’s brain stuttered. She prayed the shock didn’t show on her face. Our wedding?
“Cora…” Graysen started, a hint of warning in his voice. He had a thin line of sweat beading up on his hairline now, his face completely pallid. The woman paid him no attention.
“Don’t you remember, babe? The flowers were half wilted before the ceremony was even over. It was a disaster,” Cora – his wife, apparently – went on seemingly oblivious to the sudden tension in the atmosphere. “They were sunflowers, even. Hardy things, right? Perfect for a fall wedding, but no…the guy had cut them too early, didn’t care for them properly and they were dead before nightfall.”
In that moment, three things became absolutely certain to Elain.
First, Graysen had lied to her when they broke up. He’d said they’d drifted apart, and it just wasn’t working out anymore.
Second, he had to get married within weeks of breaking up with her. Which meant either the man who took six months deciding on which tie to wear to a Christmas banquet suddenly decided to add some serious spontaneity to his life, or ...
Elain didn’t want to think about or, because the last thing that was very clear in that moment was that this woman – Cora, Graysen’s wife – had no idea who the hell Elain really was.
Cora kept talking, but Elain couldn’t hear. Her heartbeat was thumping so loud in her ears she couldn’t hear anything besides her own panic and rising anger. She was vaguely aware of the line jostling her forward. Cora was still smiling, going on about the wedding and flowers and what a wonderful job Elain did for her friend.
Bile was rising in her throat. She had to get out of here. She’d send Helion out for coffee. He owed her, but she had to leave.
“I couldn’t remember if you wanted Lemon or Raspberry, so I got one of each,” a confident, low voice broke through her panic. Elain turned to the source and looked up…and up.
A very tall, very handsome man in a black t-shirt and jeans was standing beside her holding out parchment wrapped scones in one of his massive hands. The other hand held two coffees by the bottom, impressively long fingers keeping them steady. She looked farther up at the curve of his nose, those full, full lips and the familiar cut of jawline. At the rich, auburn hair pulled into a tight bun. At the long scar running along the side of his face.
Oh thank God, she knew this man.
“Babe?” he said it as a question, head quirked slightly. Elain could have kissed him. Might have, had she not been frozen in place.
“Lemon,” she blurted more forcefully than she’d meant. She grabbed the correct scone from his hand and one of the coffees, as if he’d gotten it for her. She smiled gratefully at him. “I’m feeling lemon today. Thank you, Lucien.”
His name rolled off her tongue with ease.
Lucien grinned. “A little sour today, sweet-tart?”
“Don’t you mean sweetheart?” she teased back, trying to appear effortless. Graysen and his wife were still standing there, after all, watching with interest. Though by now color had started to return to Graysen’s face.
“I said what I said,” Lucien smirked proudly. He turned to the other two. “Good to see you again, Gray.” He nodded. “Cora.”
“That explains it!” Cora exclaimed, clapping her hands cheerfully. She turned to her husband. “That’s how you knew to recommend Elain! She’s Lucien’s girl.”
Graysen’s eyes hardened imperceptibly. His ears were turning red, a sign of rising temper. Elain held her smile as Lucien stepped a bit closer to her, claiming her space. At least now she knew how Mrs. Rosenbluth got her number.
“Yes ma’am,” Lucien answered for Graysen, still grinning like a fool. “Graysen mentioned how difficult a time your friend was having around the office one day, and I kindly offered my girl’s assistance.”
Graysen’s left eye twitched. “Yep.” He said, lips popping hard on the ‘p’. “That’s exactly right.”
Elain had to fight down a nervous laugh. This all felt so absurd.
“It was good seeing you again Cora, Graysen, but I’ve got to get my lady to Pops. You know how he panics,” Lucien laughed. He gestured to the door, arms encircling Elain and ushering her toward it. “I’ll see you around, Lorde.”
Graysen nodded curtly, Cora giving an enthusiastic wave.
“It was nice to meet you, Elain!” Cora called sweetly. Elain smiled back, raising her coffee in the air as if in a wave.
“You too, Cora!”
When they were outside the doors, Elain turned to Lucien. “Glass doors, Elain. He’s still watching,” Lucien said, smiling widely. Elain chanced a glance through the windows and sure enough, Graysen’s eyes hadn’t left her.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, staying close to Lucien so as not to break the illusion. She looked down into her cup. “What is it?”
“It’s a Reese’s Iced Coffee, extra whip,” Lucien answered as he swirled the cup in his hand. “Which sounds absolutely atrocious with a lemon scone, by the way.”
Elain narrowed her eyes. “How?”
“Pops,” Lucien shrugged in response. He took a sip from his cup. “The coffee is amazing, though. I’ll give you that. Come on.” He motioned down the sidewalk, towards the parking lot a few buildings down.
“Helion told you my drink order?” Elain questioned as they started walking down the street.
“Apparently you have him and mom both hooked on it,” Lucien explained. His russet eyes twinkled. “Though the scones were a guess.”
“Oh,” Elain said softly. She eyed her scone for a minute, replaying the interaction in her head. She didn’t even know Graysen was back in town. Lucien seemed to, though. “Do you work with him?”
“Who? Lorde?” Lucien asked.
She gave a small nod.
“Not exactly,” Lucien shook his head. He wiped his mouth with the back of the hand holding the other pastry. “Different departments. Different floors. I really only see him at functions or in the gym.”
“When did he get back?” she asked. Elain didn’t want to seem like she was digging for information about an ex, but she was so thrown off by everything that she couldn’t help herself. She wanted answers. Lucien seemed to have some, at least.
“About two months ago, but I know he interviewed with Jurian back in February,” Lucien answered honestly.
“He works for Jurian?”
“Fuck no,” Lucien spat, his head whipping back and forth. He was smiling. “Jurian hates that guy.”
Elain giggled. They walked for a beat in silence before she was brave enough to ask.
“So … did you know about…?”
“Only recently. He brought her a luncheon with my boss. He’s trying to switch out of accounting,” Lucien answered when she trailed off. “Until then, I didn’t know a damn thing.”
Elain and Graysen had dated on and off all through college. Lucien had been around for the entire disastrous thing.
She wasn’t as close to Lucien as Feyre was, but Lucien had always been an important part of Elain’s life. He’d always bought her flower seeds and pastries when she was down. He would drive her to the library on rainy days. He was at every party in college, living it up and chasing unwanted idiots off her and her sisters.
He walked with her in Feyre’s wedding, being both friends to the bride and groom. She was at the hospital with him the night of his wreck senior year. His father was her first client when she opened her business. His mother her second.
But life took them in separate directions, Elain and Graysen got back together for the last time and Lucien just kind of…stopped coming around.
“He’s a bastard,” Lucien uttered as they arrived at their vehicles. “And he can’t hit his squats.”
Elain laughed. “Can’t all have thighs like yours Dump Truck,” she said with a smile, using his old high school nickname.
Lucien threw his head back and laughed uproariously.
“You know, I always did wonder where that shirt went,” he said, pointing to the flannel she currently had on. “Though how the hell you’re wearing that thing in this heat, I don’t understand.”
Elain looked down at it and grinned. “You don’t remember? You gave it to me after Jurian threw me in the pool at that kegger freshman year of college,” she said, ignoring his last comment. He didn’t need to know how it comforted her to wear it.
“You were in a white dress. Seemed like the right thing to do,” he shrugged. He had a lazy smirk still plastered to his face as he leaned against the side of his sedan.
“So, you do remember,” Elain narrowed her eyes at him.
“Guess so.”
“Then why’d you say you wondered where it went?” she asked exasperated. She sat her drinks down on the hood of her red truck.
“Something to say, I guess.”
Elain shook her head. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he was flirting with her. She did though. Lucien had only ever seen her as he saw Feyre, a silly little sister he had to take care of.
“Thank you, Lucien,” Elain said genuinely as she unlocked her truck door.
“What for?” he teased. He didn’t move, just stayed against his sedan, watching her with those rich reddish-brown eyes.
“The coffee, the scone, helping me out of an awkward situation.” She paused and gestured to her chest. “The shirt.”
He shrugged. “It was the right thing to do. You looked like you were gonna throw up or stab him.”
Elain giggled. “Which time?”
“Both,” Lucien chuckled. “Same look, different guy.”
“Well, I appreciate it,” Elain said softly. “Both times.”
“No problem, sweet-tart.”
She couldn’t help smiling at him. Lucien was kind. Fun. “My hero,” she said rolling her eyes dramatically. He chuckled.
She needed to leave. She needed to get in her truck, back out, and get to the library before the heat got any worse. She couldn’t make herself do it. Not with him smiling like that.
“I’m not getting my shirt back am I?”
“It’s been six years, Dump Truck. Give up.” He laughed again. Big and bold. She liked it. “I’ll see you around?” she asked, turning to get into her truck. She had to force herself to move.
“Yep, in about ten minutes,” Lucien said with a smile. Her hand stalled on the silver door handle.
Elain cocked her head in confusion. Lucien’s smile only widened.
“Pops said you needed help,” he said, voice low and dangerously close to making her swoon. “Looks like I get to be your hero a little longer.”
**
“Two weeks! Two fucking weeks after you broke up?”
An older woman on the treadmill three machines down shot the three of them a dirty look. Elain mouthed “I’m sorry” before turning back to her sister. “Nesta, keep it down.”
“Like hell,” Nesta spat, flicking her long brown hair over her shoulder. “I own the place. I’ll talk however I want to.”
After leaving the coffee shop, Elain went straight to the library, followed closely by Lucien’s silver sedan. Her two guys were already there, shovels and rakes in hand. So was another man, who she could vaguely remember as being Lucien’s older half-brother Aodhan. He was shorter than Lucien, with brown hair not red. He was also missing the top part of his left ear. Per Helion’s instructions, she said nothing about it.
She’d shaken the cobwebs from her head and began to bark orders. She put her guys doing technical work, like trimming the hedges, weed eating and edging the property. When Helion came out ten minutes later, she made him get out the old zero turn he let her borrow and mow the entire lawn. The two brothers she put on hauling mulch, bags of topsoil, and garden stones.
All in all, they managed to get done in record time. Every one of them were drenched in sweat and red as a beet. Elain had never been so thankful for the heat. Her face had been scarlet for hours, ever since Lucien whipped his black top off ten minutes into the job, exposing a massive expanse of golden-brown muscle. When he commented on her flush, she brushed it off as the sun disagreeing with her pale skin.
She went home after, to shower and eat and maybe nap. Anything to get her mind off the sweat dripping down Lucien’s spine as he hauled a bag of topsoil across the lawn and the surprisingly dirty thought she had of tracing its path with her tongue.
Predictably, her mind bounced from one extreme to the other. She drifted back to that morning, and her interaction with Graysen. She couldn’t believe she did know that he’d gotten married.
So, she did what any woman in shoes would do. She wound up in a social media deep dive that was borderline stalking.
Graysen’s page turned out to be an information desert. Cora’s was also surprisingly sparse. There were lots of photos of cheerleading competitions, a few of her family – all beautiful – and a ton dedicated to a dachshund named Buttercup. Nothing actually personal.
Finally, after a good hour of deep diving into her ex’s life – something she’d swore she wouldn’t do after the breakup – Elain hit paydirt.
An obscure friend of a friend of a friend, who Elain didn’t even bother to remember their name, had posted a photo of a Graysen and Cora’s wedding, two weeks to the day that he broke up with Elain.
She read every single comment under the post. Then she put on her gym clothes – an adorable neon pink matching shorts and bra set, with a baggy band shirt – and left to find Nesta.
“You sure you can trust whoever posted it?” Gwyneth Berdara – her sister’s best friend — huffed out on the stair climber beside her. Elain liked the redhead. She was quiet and friendly, but a firecracker when pushed. She was a good foil for her sister’s outright bitchiness.
“Yeah, I knew he moved out west,” Elain managed out as she worked through her exhaustion. “Apparently, she’s from out there. I found the engagement announcement online.”
“Why bother with an announcement at all with how fast they got married?” Nesta spat. Her anger was rising, Elain could tell by the silver sheen crossing her sisters blue-grey eyes.
“They got engaged on Christmas,” Elain stated. She waited for it to sink in.
“You broke up in September,” Nesta said finally, voice cold as ice. She slowed to a stop on her machine.
“We did,” Elain nodded, trudging on the stairs.
A beat.
“That motherfucker!” Gwyn shouted.
The old woman on the treadmill threw her hands up and stalked off mumbling. She’d likely left to find the owner, Cassian, who would likely tell her he had as much control over his wife and her friends as he did the weather.
“Language, Berdara!” the deep voice of their trainer barked as Azriel turned the corner into the room. He stopped by Gwyn’s machine and leaned his tall frame around it, facing Elain. “Who are we calling a motherfucker?”
“Why do you get to say it?” Gwyn complained, shoving at him while still keeping pace. Azriel stepped back and ran an olive-colored hand into his black curls.
“I’m not yelling,” he stated drily. He pointed to the logo on his shirt. “And I work here.”
“Shouldn’t that make you less able to curse?” Gwyn asked, teal eyes narrowing as she glared at their trainer.
“Elain’s ex,” Nesta interrupted from the other side, still seething.
“Why do we care?” Azriel asked, ignoring Gwyn’s question. One dark eyebrow disappeared behind the black curls twisting over his face like shadows as he faced Elain. “You guys broke up over a year ago.”
“Because he lied to me,” Elain grunted, stomping at the machine, as if it were the cause of all of her problems. She was struggling now. It was one thing to think they’d broken up amicably. It was another to admit that he’d lied to her. He’d cheated on her. “He got engaged at Christmas.”
Azriel shrugged, “he moves fast I guess.” Gwyn groaned and slapped the emergency stop on her machine.
“The fucking useless douchecanoe shit stain on the underwear of existence was cheating on Elain the whole time they were together, you thick, beautiful fucking dumbass,” Gwyn snapped, shoving her index finger into Azriel’s chest to emphasize each word.
Elain slowed to a stop; eyes opened impossibly wide. She’d never known anyone outside Cassian or Rhysand to speak to Azriel that way.
Azriel was slack jawed. Gwyn was breathing heavy, finger still shoved into his chest.
“I…” he started. His voice was breathy, low, as if the words were stuck. Hazel eyes bored holes into Gwyn’s baby blues, “am so sorry Elain.”
She did not believe for a single second that he gave any thought to her. His tongue came out to swipe at his lower lip. Gwyn’s hand slowly fisted into the top he was wearing, right over the logo he’d pointed out earlier.
Elain whipped her head around to her sister and mouthed the word “when?” She discretely pointed between the the red head and the bodybuilder.
Nesta shrugged, a wide grin on her face, and shook her head. “Now?” she mouthed back.
“I feel like I’m interrupting something.”
Elain knew that voice. Had heard it all day long.
She looked away from her sister to where Lucien had walked up beside her machine.
Holy fuck.
She’d thought he looked nice earlier, shirtless and in jeans. But now…Lucien in athletic shorts was…almost better than coffee.
“No, we’re good,” Azriel said, not breaking eye contact with Gwyn. “I’ll meet you by the squat rack, Vanserra.” He grabbed Gwyn’s hand on his chest and leaned in. He whispered something in her ear and the red head actually wobbled.
“You good, Gwyn?” Nesta asked slyly.
The woman in question nodded. “Uh yeah, I just…forgot to eat lunch. Gonna go…fix that now,” she said before hopping off the stair climber. “I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah, catch you later Gwyn,” Nesta waved her off.
Elain couldn’t help but notice that while she was talking to Nesta, she kept glancing back to Azriel. She also noticed the slight tilt of his head as he walked off.
“Okay then,” Lucien stared for a moment before shrugging.
“How are you not exhausted?” Elain asked him before she could stop herself.
Lucien grinned, rubbing his shoulder. “I’ve always had really high endurance,” he remarked, then winked at her. “Can’t help but notice you’re here, too.”
“I bounce back quick,” she quipped, unable to hide the little grin tugging at her lips.
“Hurry up, Vanserra!” Azriel called out. Lucien shrugged, nodded acknowledgement at Nesta and sauntered off to the weight racks with the visibly agitated trainer.
“When the fuck did that happen?” Nesta hissed, pointing at Lucien’s back.
Elain followed her finger to where Lucien had started to cool off at Azriel’s instruction.
Elain laughed brightly. “That has never happened. He just helped me out today at the library job. Well, and with Graysen.” She added as an afterthought.
“Helped you with Graysen?” Nesta quirked a brow.
The sisters resumed their climb. Elain wasn’t sure how long they’d be going today, she always just followed Nesta’s lead. Some days it was quick. Some days she couldn’t move when she got home.
“Yeah, he saved me from the whole encounter. Pretended to be with me, bought me a coffee and scone. Gray was starting to look like a tomato before we got out of there,” Elain smiled. Nesta gave her a side-eye.
“Pretended huh?”
“Don’t you start,” Elain warned. She hated her sisters’ meddling. From their attempts to set her up with moody Azriel, to dragging her clubbing all over the tri-county area, to one horrible incident involving a bag of flaming dog shit on an ex’s porch, she was done with letting them get involved in her love life.
“Whatever you say, Elain,” Nesta murmured unconvinced.
They continued their steps in easy quiet, the silence broken only by huffing and groaning. It was shaping up to be an ice bath kind of day, the rate they were going.
Elain tried to get her mind off the burn in her calves or the way her sweaty hair kept clinging to her face. She kept glancing around the gym, watching the television in the corner playing basketball or trying to look out the windows at the sunset. Her eyes were traitors though. They kept going back to the weights. Where Lucien and Azriel were warming up, directly in front of them.
Lucien had already taken his shirt off, the blue fabric flung across one of the chairs lining the back wall. His wine-red hair was braided away from his face and knotted at the top. He was wearing gray shorts.
Short, gray, athletic shorts that left nothing to the imagination. His thighs were on full display and Elain, for the first time since she’d heard her sister start calling him it, fullyunderstood why he was called Dump Truck. They were sculpted, thick and led up to an ass she wanted desperately to sink her teeth into.
She didn’t want to look at the front. She was scared to look at the front. The man had to have a shortcoming somewhere.
Nesta whistled. “You think Feyre ever tapped that?” she stage whispered, breaking the very comfortable silence in the most awkward way possible.
“What? No!” Elain exclaimed. Lucien glanced up. He tossed her a grin and a little wave before readying himself for a pullup. She hoped like hell he couldn’t hear them.
“Oh, come on, they used to spend all that time together. They were practically inseparable,” Nesta drawled out. Had Elain been paying attention, maybe she would’ve seen the sly smirk gracing her otherwise elegant sister’s face.
“She was with Tamlin,” Elain pointed out. Her face twisted into a scowl. “Lucien would’ve never havedone that to Tamlin.”
“She wasn’t always with Tamlin,” Nesta sing-songed. “Remember when he keyed up her car? He told Jurian it was because he caught them in bed together.”
Elain tripped again. She hadn’t heard that. She’d never heard that. “Lucien admitted that?”
“No. Tamlin told Jurian he walked in on the two of them,” Nesta explained slowly. She waved a hand dismissively. “But that is just rumor.”
It better be, she caught herself thinking. She wasn’t sure where the possessiveness came from. Wasn’t sure she didn’t like it though.
“It better be, huh?” Nesta teased, answering her thoughts. Or, what she apparently had let slip through.
Lucien was breaking her concentration. It was his fault. Yes. His fault.
“What is he even doing here?” Elain tried to divert her sister’s attention. She did not want to talk about whatever feelings she may or may not have for Lucien Vanserra.
“Cass swiped him,” Nesta sighed, allowing herself to take the bait. Elain quirked a brow. Her sister pointed to Lucien. “Cassian wanted him on as an investor in the beginning. I put my foot down. Didn’t want Vanserra money if it meant being tied to Eris in any way.”
“Oh.” Elain understood that. Eris and Nesta had a … thing, once before. It didn’t end well. It was just another one of the many ways Lucien had been around forever.
“Yeah, anyway we ran into Lucien the other night at the movies. He was busy telling Feyre about how he couldn’t work out at the office gym anymore and Cass swooped in. Got a new client and Lucien agreed to a small investment in the business.”
“He…couldn’t work out at the office gym?” Elain asked quietly.
Nesta shook her head. “Didn’t ask why. I just overhead him say he’d kill something or someone if he went back.”
He’d mentioned something earlier, but it would entirely too self-absorbed of her to think he couldn’t work out there anymore because of Graysen.
“Are you ok? Honestly?” Nesta asked, her soft voice barely heard over the whirring of the machine.
Elain sighed. “No. I’m angry,” she admitted, for the first time out loud. “He lied to me. For a very long time, apparently. And he did such a good job of it I never questioned it.”
She could feel the tightness in her chest building. She was angry. At Graysen for lying, at herself for falling for it. Strangely, there was no jealousy. She’d let that part go. Let him go. She wasn’t sure how easy it would be to let the anger go, though.
“He’s just…such a douchecanoe,” she hissed, using Gwyn’s earlier term.
“Do you want me to stab him?” Nesta asked seriously beside her. “We’ll call Rhys to hide the body.”
Elain blinked at her big sister. Nesta slowly cracked a smile, and they both erupted into a fit of giggles. Tears of some twisted mirth sprung to Elain’s eyes.
“Thank you, Nes,” she smiled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “You know Rhys isn’t mafia.”
“We don’t know that,” Nesta said conspiratorially. She winked one blue-grey eye. “And besides, even if he wasn’t –“
“Which he’s not.”
“—he’d do it anyway. He loves us,” Nesta paused for a second, smirking, “well he loves you. And he loves Feyre and Cassian both enough not to fuck with me.”
“You know one day we’re going to walk in on the two of you in matching pjs, wearing face masks and watching ‘Mean Girls’ together,” Elain sighed out rolling her eyes. She’d never understand her sister’s relationship with their brother-in-law.
“Elain, honey, you know that wouldn’t happen. Rhys and I are far more ‘The Devil Wear’s Prada’ type,” Nesta said in a faux-haughty tone that had Elain laughing again.
This was why she sought out her sister. Nesta was her rock. They lapsed back into a companionable silence, working out beside each other while watching Azriel correct Lucien’s pull up form. She knew Nesta never missed an opportunity to ogle Azriel when he was training – and unfortunately was aware of how good a night Cassian would have. Typically, Elain would be right there watching the tall, dark trainer in utter appreciation as well.
Today though, she took the opportunity to watch the muscles in Lucien’s back work.
She’d spent a large portion of her workday dreaming about those muscles. The way sweat traveled over the striations. The way she imagined they might feel under her fingers. Her core started to ache as she watched his face, reddened from the exertion, twist into a determined grimace. She could easily imagine that same face over her, working hard to keep his own orgasm at bay as he pounded into her –
“Well, you know the best way to get over someone is get under someone else,” her sister interjected, breaking Elain of her reverie.
Oh God, please don’t let her have said something else out loud.
“What?” Elain asked in a daze. Nesta said nothing, just arched one flawless brow and inclined her head towards where Elain had been focused. “I’m already over Graysen! I’m mad at the lies, Nesta!”
“So? Sex is a fantastic way to work off frustration,” Nesta crooned, reaching up to shut off her machine. “Come on, we’re done for the night. Let’s go cool down.”
**
Elain walked down the hall of her sister’s gym rubbing her neck. Nesta had turned their cool down into a thirty-minute yoga session. She had adopted her husband’s obsession with stretching, and Elain often had to suffer for it.
Nesta had deposited Elain in her own personal office, pointing out a small wardrobe with a handful of spare clothes. She had said that Cassian had a late meeting with an athletic director from the college looking for a better outfit for conditioning and weight training. As soon as Nesta made her appearance and went over the financials, she’d be free to take her sister out for drinks.
“And hopefully find you a rebound,” Nesta had added with a wink.
Elain had passably cleaned up. Nesta’s clothes always fit a little loose in the chest, but this dress was a wrap, thankfully.
“The place is really lovely,” a low, melodic voice drifted around the corner up ahead of her.
Elain blinked for a moment. She vaguely recognized that voice, but she couldn’t quite remember where from.
It had been a long day.
“You said the locker rooms are this way, right?”
“Yes ma’am, let me show you Mrs. Lorde,” Cassian’s booming voice carried, maybe a little louder than necessary. As if he wanted to be heard.
Realization dawned on Elain just as the shadows of two people, one tall and bulky the other petite and lithe, became visible.
Nesta’s office was in the same hall, right past the locker rooms. Nesta had been in a meeting with Cassian and some athletic director.
Elain had been in Nesta’s office.
Oh shit, Cassian was trying to warn her.
Oh fuck…Mrs. Lorde.
Elain had glossed over it in the woman’s bio, the little tidbit of information irrelevant as she was too busy hunting for evidence of Graysen’s infidelity. But it was coming back to her now
All the photographs of smiling cheerleaders – smiling college cheerleaders.
Cora Lorde was the athletic director of the cheer department at the local college.
Cora was Graysen’s wife who seemingly had no idea her husband had been leading a double life.
Cora was walking down the hallway that very second to look at the locker rooms.
She saw a foot round in the corner and ducked into the nearest door.
Straight into said locker room.
Someone else was in there, too. She was vaguely aware of hearing the shower running as panic overtook her hearing.
She squeaked for just a moment and survey the room for the best hiding spot. As she wasn’t flexible enough to fold herself into the lockers, the shower stalls were really the only place available. Surely the woman wouldn’t want to check the conditions of the stalls.
She ran to the closest shower stall door, shoved it open just enough to slide into and quickly closed it, throwing the lock into place. She released a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She was in the clear.
She kept her eyes on the door and threw her hands out behind her. She intended to back into the corner of the stall, hug the wall and wait for trouble to pass.
Only, her hands didn’t hit the cold tile she was expecting. Confused, Elain spread her fingers along the surface. It was hard and wet and warm…and hairy.
“Fuck me,” she moaned. This was not her fucking day.
“If you insist,” the fleshy, hairy wall behind her murmured in a familiar, smoky voice.
Great. She’d ran into the wrong locker room.
Elain twisted around, coming face to chest with Lucien, again. She meant to tell him to keep his hands to himself, or to scream, or do something. Instead, she stared.
And stared.
Lucien was naked. Completely naked, all that glorious golden skin on display and so close if she stuck out her tongue she could trail it along his chest like she’d been dreaming about all day. He was also wet, water droplets running the length of that powerful body. His broad shoulders blocked the spray from hitting her directly. His hair was loose and drenched.
Elain was in danger.
“As fascinating as this is, I don’t think for one second you’re in here to actually fuck me, Elain,” Lucien said. This close she could see his chest vibrate with his words.
It caused a small stream of water to dislodge from the dip of his collarbone. Elain’s brain, which was already working at half capacity, had finally short circuited the second she realized she was standing in the stall with a naked Lucien fucking Vanserra.
She didn’t hear what he said. Couldn’t hear anything. All of her senses, all of her focus was on that single stream of water flowing down, over his chest into the dips and ridges of his abs, down further until it got lost in the line of red hair trailing down to the edge of what could only be described as the most beautiful dick she’d ever seen.
Lucien’s dick.
Lucien’s very erect dick.
Lucien Vanserra’s very erect, very large dick that was an inch from touching her hand.
“Holy shit,” she breathed. Elain’s legs chose that moment to finally give out, too.
Strong hands shot out to grab her arms, steadying her. He immediately angled his hips backwards to put space between them. Not that it did much good in such a small stall.
“Never had that reaction before,” Lucien chuckled nervously. He cocked his head. “Are you good?”
No, she wasn’t good. Right now she couldn’t decide if she was doing great or she was delusional. How is it that someone that handsome, that kind, that…fucking wonderful also had a dick like that. The universe was not fair.
She couldn’t look away from it. Even though Lucien was trying to angle it away. She felt like a creep, a drooling pathetic creep but … hot damn.
“You’re going to give me a complex, Elain,” Lucien joked shyly. Elain nodded.
“A god-complex,” she whispered reverently. How long had it been since she’d been with anyone? It was Graysen she remembered, at least two months before the breakup.
“Did you just call my cock a god, Elain?” Lucien said astonished. His large hands shook her shoulders gently, breaking her line of sight with his member. Her brown eyes immediately snapped to his. He looked equal parts amused and concerned.
Elain parted her lips, she meant to reply. Honestly, she did. But she heard those familiar voices carrying into the locker room. She jerked around, out of Lucien’s hands and peered down. The shower door would hide their bodies…but not their feet. There was a gap about a foot wide, and this was the first stall in the locker room. If anyone looked, they’d see two sets of feet.
“What is going—”
Elain cut Lucien off by jumping him. Literally.
She scrambled up his tall body, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and locking her feet together behind his waist. Lucien’s hands darted to thighs to keep her steady. He opened his mouth again and Elain began to shake her head viciously.
“COVER YOUR JUNK!” Cassian bellowed. “LADY COMING IN.”
Both of them whipped their heads to the door. Lucien angled his body, trying to keep the water from hitting Elain too badly.
“You sure you want to see in here? We try to keep it looking decent, but the guys can be animals. As you can see both rooms are roughly the same set up,” Cassian’s voice, back to a normal level, still carried as he spoke.
“You said this room had an extra ice bath?” Cora’s voice floated in. Their footsteps were louder, closer. They were standing just a few feet away.
Lucien’s eyes went wide in understanding. He adjusted his grip on her, keeping her flush against him. She dug her fingers into his shoulders.
“Yes ma’am, right this way,” Cassian continued, footsteps carrying him right past the shower stall.
Elain trembled, burying her head in Lucien’s neck. A large, strong hand came up to rub soothingly on her back.
“I don’t have too much longer,” Cora said. Cassian’s footsteps halted. “But I wanted to see, you said this room had a sauna but the women’s doesn’t?”
“Not exactly. It’s a co-ed sauna,” Cassian explained. “Both locker rooms exit into a short hall that leads either to the sauna or the pool.”
“Oh! I understand now! How fantastic!” Cora exclaimed. Elain heard her clap her hands again. “I hate to rush you, Mr. Marcellus but I do need to get out of here.”
“Of course! This way, please.”
Elain held her breath as their footsteps retreated, their voices getting quieter.
“You good?” Lucien whispered in her ear. She shook her head, finally releasing her breath but not raising from his neck. “Want to get down?” A pause. Then she shook her head again. He smelled good. She wanted to stay there.
If she got down, she’d have to face the fact he was naked. That she very much liked that he was naked. That for some reason the universe decided she would be the pincushion they’d poke today, and all she wanted was to be held.
Then preferably held down and fucked by that big, beautiful cock nestled under her ass right now.
So, no. She didn’t want to get down.
“To be honest,” Lucien began to murmur, one hand still running the length of her spine while the other was wrapped around her lower back for support, “I thought I’d have to at least take you on a date before I got you to shower with me.”
Elain looked up cautiously from his neck. Chocolate brown eyes met deep russet. He was smiling. “Y…you thought about taking me on a date?” she asked. Her brain was still mush, still struggling to catch up.
“Elain,” he said her name slowly, reverently. She liked the way his lips moved with the syllables, the way his tongue flicked his teeth on the ‘l’. “I’ve wanted you since the day Jurian threw you in that pool.”
Wait…what?
“Wait…what?” she whispered. Lucien’s responding grin was nothing short of foxlike.
“I’ve been crazy about you, Elain Archeron, since the moment I wrapped my shirt around you. It was the first time you smiled at me. Just me. I’ve been a goner since. And when I saw you in it again today…” he groaned. She felt it as it bubbled up his chest.
“I smiled at you before that,” she whispered again, afraid if she spoke any louder, she’d wake up from this dream.
“Not like that. Not like I was something…special. The only goddamn man in the room. Not like I was your hero,” he rasped out. He was struggling with something. Elain realized she’d been subconsciously rocking her hips against him in the tiniest motion.
“I already told you that you were,” she smiled, rocking her hips gently once again. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Lucien shut his eyes, a muscle in his jaw feathering. He was barely hanging on. “You kept getting back with Lorde.”
Elain’s heart skipped. She brought her small, calloused hand to his chin and tilted it down until he opened his eyes. She hoped to convey everything in her look because words were beyond her. “I’m not with him now.”
“No…you’re not.” Lucien’s eyes fell to her lips, barely a breath separating them.
Elain held his chin, her thumb coming up to caress his bottom lip. “I would’ve chose you,” she breathed against his lips. “Had you said something, Lucien, I would’ve been yours.”
“Elain…” he breathed her name against her lips, the feel of it somehow more erotic than if he had kissed her. His chest was heaving with his breaths, so deep and uneven.
She leaned in, as close as she could without touching. “What are you going to do now?”
Lucien answered by kissing her softly, barely a brush against her lips. It sent lightning down her spine all the same. “I’m going to do exactly what you asked…if you’ll let me.”
“What I asked?” She was breathless, delirious. Her hips still rocked gently into him, his hands now guiding the movement. When had they gotten there?
“When you ran in here…now sweet thing, can you remember what you said?” Lucien teased, voice barely more than a rasp. A smile tugged at the corners of those lips.
She nodded. Oh, she remembered.
Lucien tsked, tapping her thigh with one hand in warning. “Words, please.”
“Fuck me,” Elain demanded, loudly.
“With pleasure,” he growled.
It was an unleashing. Lucien turned, slamming her against the back wall, water now spraying down on the both of them. His mouth slanted over hers, full lips sucking her bottom between the two. She opened for him, letting him deepen the kiss, his tongue claiming her mouth for its own.
He pinned her against the wall with his hips as his hands roamed her bare skin, pulling and tugging her dress open to give him more to touch. One hand ran the length of her body, skimming the side of her breast, her neck, her ear before delving into her golden brown locks and yanking her head back so his lips could wrap around her pulse and bite. One calloused hand slipped under the fabric of her dress, sliding up and up her thigh until it rested on the curve of her ass, kneading the the flesh there.
“Sweetheart…where are your panties?” He breathed against her neck, tongue slipping out to lick a long stripe up to her ear.
Her giggle turned to a moan. “I…I don’t wear them to the gym.”
Lucien’s answering groan was nothing short of pornographic. He wrapped his large hand around the sweep of her ass cheek, squeezing and spreading while his pelvis ground into her. She could feel that cock, now somehow sandwiched between them. She’d been too delirious to know how it had gotten there. Until that moment her hands had barely left his shoulders or left the tangle of his long red hair.
She had to feel him. Had to touch him. The urge was overwhelming.
She reached down, fingertips skimming the top of the rounded head of his cock. He was weeping at the slit. She gathered the liquid with her index finger and used it as lubrication, rubbing it around the sensitive head. The tip alone was large, the length of him thick and long. She was fascinated with the silky, hard feel of him.
Elain relished in the strangled cry Lucien gave into her neck as his mouth worked her pulse there. She wrapped him in her hand and began to pump. He jerked, once, twice in her hand. She squeezed a bit tighter, made another pass around the top when his larger hand snaked between them and stopped her. He gently pried her hand off him.
“I’m not going to last,” he breathed heavily next to her temple, “all day…all my fucking life I’ve been dreaming of this. There’s no way … I won’t last if you keep on.” He began to lower her feet to the tiled floor.
One calloused hand came up to cradle her cheek, running his thumb along her jaw. The other ripped the last tie holding her dress together. The dress finally fluttered open, revealing her sun kissed skin and total lack of undergarments.
Lucien groaned. “You’re so fucking perfect,” he growled. He bent down under the spray, taking one peaked nipple in his mouth, nipping and sucking. The other he took in his hand, kneading and pulling at the flesh until Elain whimpered.
She reached for him, but he angled his hips away again. “Nuh-uh,” he mouthed around her breast. He took one long, biting suck before pulling off with a pop. “Give him some time to cool off before I embarrass myself, sweetheart.” He moved his head to her other breast. “Give me some time to appreciate these gorgeous tits, huh?”
She nodded, bringing her hands up to tangle in his hair, nudging his head back towards his intended goal.
Taking her lead, Lucien’s mouth descended on her previously neglected breast and went to work keying her up. He alternated between flicking the nipple with his tongue, nibbling at the soft flesh, or downright sucking it. His hands stroked down her sides, skimming her curves, nails grazing as he worked up and down. The sensations were intense, overwhelming. She’d never come from nipple stimulation alone, but…fuck.
One hand slipped between her legs, long fingers slipping between her folds. The second his finger hit the slick of her his head pulled away from her chest and came to rest against her forehead.
“You are so fucking wet,” he moaned, eyes shut tight. “Is that for me?”
“No,” she lied breathlessly. “Watching Azriel work out got me all hot and bothered.”
“Yeah?” he asked, cracking open his eyes. His fingers didn’t stop their slow movements. Up and down the seam of her, not once touching her clit or her opening, carefully avoiding where she wanted him most. “You’re such a pretty little liar.”
“What makes you think I’m lying?” she tried to sound offended, but his teasing fingers stole her resolve.
“Azriel wasn’t at the library, Elain,” he chuckled darkly, his eyes boring into hers. “I saw how you kept looking at me when I was working.”
“How…how was I looking at you?” Her breath hitched. She tried to move, twist her hips or grind or do anything to get him to touch her where she wanted. She pulled his hair, raked her nails along his skin, but he was steady. Undeterred.
He dipped his head down to the curve of her ear and whispered. “Like you were in that weight room. Like I was a piece of fresh meat.”
“Felt…objectified, did you?” she whined. He pinned her hips back against the tiled wall with his free hand. Lucien nodded sardonically, parting his lips to no doubt give some asshole response. “Want to know a secret?” she interrupted him, voice shaking.
She leaned up as close as he allowed her, her lips grazing his jaw. She’d never been good at dirty talk. Graysen had hated it. She had no idea if Lucien would find this hot or tell her to shut up. “I had to take my panties off in my car after the coffee shop.” He went still, breath frozen in his chest. “I’ve been so wet for you all day, Lucien, that it’s been rubbing me raw,” she moaned, laying it on a little thick but he seemed too far gone to notice.
She took a deep breath and nipped at his jaw. “So won’t you please stop with the teasing and just fuck me already?”
Lucien said nothing. He trembled in her arms for a moment, as if to collect himself. He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes again. She could’ve sworn there was literal fire staring back at her. In one swift movement, with no warning, Lucien filled her with his long middle finger. His pointer and ring finger held her open while he twisted slightly, crooking that middle finger and dragging it down inside her.
Elain nearly screamed. He quickly covered her mouth with his own, swallowing the sound. His tongue swept in, licking the length of her mouth while his finger pistoned in and out, dragging down with each thrust. It was incredible, but she needed more. Felt so selfish that she needed more.
She wiggled her butt and Lucien obliged, adding another finger, stretching her deliciously. She could feel how tight she was around his fingers; how great the stretch was. She knotted her fingers in his hair, tugging, keeping him against her.
He'd moved in closer, no longer angling himself away. He ground his cock against her hip for just a bit of his own relief as his fingers dragged her closer and closer to orgasm. She reached again for him, and he grabbed her hand, pinning it over her head, lacing their fingers together. Lucien shook his head against her, a clear no. He delved his tongue back in her mouth.
Elain moaned obscenely as he began to fuck her mouth in time with the fingers fucking her cunt. He devoured it, drinking in her sounds like a dying man. Just as she began to tremble, that weight in her core building and building, Lucien thrust in a third finger, scissoring the three a bit, stretching her beyond anything any man had ever done. He was readying her for his cock, she realized. She was almost a goner right then with that thought.
Then Lucien ground the heel of his hand against her swollen clit as he thrust those fingers one last time. Her released slammed into her harder than she’d ever felt before. She saw stars. Every muscle in her body contracted, her abs caving in on themselves, her legs shaking uncontrollably. She may have screamed. She’d opened her mouth but either no sound come out, or the pounding of her heart in her ears was so loud she could hear nothing else.
Lucien hauled her against him, holding her tight between him and the wall, stroking her sides in soothing gestures as she started to come down.
“You with me?” he laughed shit-eating grin spread across that handsome face.
Elain nodded deliriously. “H-holy shit. Holy fucking shit. I’ve never … never…” she trailed off, head shaking, legs still trembling. Lucien laughed again, the sound the sweetest thing she’d ever heard.
“Should I stop?” he murmured before he kissed her gently one more time.
Elain shook her head viciously. “I’ll kill you,” she hissed, nails digging into his shoulders. “If you fucking stop now, Lucien Vanserra, I will kill you.”
Lucien erupted in laughter beside her, his whole body shaking. The movement rocked through her as well, and Elain was acutely aware of him still holding her up and open. He had been lining up his cock against her entrance, the tip she had been playing with gliding through her slick. Now, he was holding back. She tilted forward a bit, dragging her still quivering cunt over the head.
“I don’t have a condom, Elain,” he whispered tightly, moving his hips so his cock ground into her slickness broadside, giving her delicious friction. “I am clean though. Haven’t…haven’t in a while, and I’ve been checked since.”
“I’m on birth control,” she said quickly. “I get checked once a year. I’m good.” She was going to die if he didn’t get inside her.
Lucien grinned, lining them up, leaning down to take her mouth in his as he slammed home with one powerful stroke.
Oh fuck…
Oh fuck…
“OH MY FUCKING GOD, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY FUCKING IN MY LOCKER ROOM RIGHT NOW?” Cassian voice thundered through the locker room.
Elain froze up, her pussy clamping down so hard on Lucien’s cock they both had to bite the other to keep from screaming. One hand shot passed her head to steady them as Lucien’s legs began to shake.
What did she do to the universe? Was she a puppy killer in a past life? Did she burn down a village full of orphans? Had she stepped on too many cracks and her dead mother was torturing her from beyond the grave?
“I’m running a gym, not a goddamn whorehouse, Azriel Singer!” Cassian swore, walking passed their stall. “Vanserra’s showering in here for fuck’s sake.”
“LUCIEN WAS LISTENING?” a high-pitched voice squealed from somewhere further down.
No…no way. There was no fucking way that this was actually happening.
Elain knew that voice.
She bit Lucien’s shoulder harder to keep from making noise. Her body trembled with silent laughter, sending vibrations through her core, which felt so…fucking…good. She just couldn’t enjoy it. Lucien made a small, strangled sound as his hips seemed to involuntarily jerk forward. She felt his cock jump, his body tense and his release fill her.
That fucker just orgasmed.
She tried to look at him, but he was hiding his face in her neck. She shoved at him. He raised up sheepishly, golden skin nearly as red as his hair. A rush of fluid escaped her as he gently pulled out but didn’t set her down. I am so sorry, he mouthed.
“I didn’t know shit!” he yelled, voice cracking. Elain held on tight, trying her hardest to fight off a grin. Lucien looked like he was slowly losing it.
“Get out Cassian,” she heard Azriel growl. “No one’s going anywhere with you standing in here.”
A low huff. “Works for me, just stop fucking in my gym!”
“We’ll stop when you stop,” she heard Azriel yell as footsteps retreated out of the locker room. Elain sighed, slumping against Lucien. Poor Lucien, who was still trying to avoid eye contact.
“You’re welcome, by the way,” Azriel called out again.
She froze again, inadvertently clawing Lucien once more. His eyes finally met hers. “The fuck you mean?” Lucien asked for her, just as freaked as she was.
“You’re pretty loud, Elain,” the woman said with a laugh.
Elain and Lucien untangled from each other. Lucien wrapped a towel around his waist, his still flagging cock still large enough to tent the fabric. Elain wrapped her wet dress back around her, long enough she figured until she could reach the towel rack.
They stepped out of the stall.
Azriel and Gwyn were standing there, both with mussed hair and angry red marks, sharing satisfied smiles. Azriel still had the rope of one of the spa robes tied around his wrist. “Looks like you had fun,” Lucien remarked, no sign of the embarrassed man from a moment before.
Azriel’s grin threatened to split his face. Gwyn just brushed her leggings off, a little self-satisfied smirk playing on her own face.
Elain couldn’t say anything.
She was suddenly hyperaware of everything that had happened in the last fifteen minutes. Lucien being quick off the mark. Her own powerful orgasm – which apparently, she was screaming—and the fact she used Azriel’s name while Lucien had his fingers on her pussy.
Yup. She had to have been a puppy killer in a past life. She wondered if she passed out right now, if everyone would forget they heard anything at all.
“It’s totally cool, Elain,” Gwyn laughed, laying a delicate hand on her partner’s shoulder. “Azriel makes me horny all the time.”
“I’m going to die now,” she moaned. Lucien wrapped an arm around her, possessively, pulling her into his side. It was comforting.
“Nah, don’t be embarrassed,” Azriel said in a near sickly sweet tone. He was such an ass when he wanted to be. “It was a good line.”
“How come we didn’t hear you?” Lucien asked, trying to throw attention off of them. His face was slowly returning to its normal hue.
“I gagged him,” Gwyn stated, matter of fact, shrugging her thin shoulders. “And having a twin sister constantly around means you learn to be quiet.”
Elain and Lucien just stared in confusion. She couldn’t speak for Lucien, but Elain just had so many questions. She opened and closed her mouth a few times. She felt like a fish gasping for air, but she just couldn’t make the words come out.
“We were fucking in front of the security cameras,” Azriel answered their silent question. He pointed to the other end of the locker room. “There’s a camera on the storage room on the other side of the lockers. We’ve got equipment in there there Cass wants surveilled, so no…we aren’t pervs with cameras in the showers. It’s not even really in the locker room.”
Elain cocked her head. Honest to God that thought hadn’t even crossed her mind. “Why in front of the cameras?” Lucien asked for her, pulling her in a little closer.
“He ate your sister out on my desk last week,” Azriel stated plainly, turning to point at Gwyn. “She just fucked me on a new machine he has to assemble.”
“You’re evil,” Lucien chuckled. “But we owe you one.”
Azriel nodded. “I want Eris’s address.”
All three heads turned to Azriel. Even Gwyn looked at him skeptically. “Why for?” she was the one who asked. Lucien quirked a brow, awaiting the answer as well.
Azriel shrugged. “He pisses me off.”
Elain and Gwyn traded incredulous looks. Gwyn opened her mouth, no doubt to tell her partner how stupid he sounded, when Lucien began to nod. “Totally reasonable,” he muttered approvingly. “I’ll text it to you.”
“Good man,” Azriel tugged at Gwyn’s hand. “Round two?” Gwyn’s answer was a smirk that could only be described as devious.
“Cassian and Nesta are going out for drinks,” Elain offered as she wrapped her arm around Lucien’s waist.
“Fuck yes,” Az said laughing, dragging a giggling Gwyn out of the locker room.
Elain turned to Lucien, “so…”
“I was already so hyped up, and you were so tight – oh my god Elain I’ve never in my life … and then you laughed. Do you have any idea what that feels like when you laugh?” Lucien began rambling. His eyes were wild, and the pink began to creep up his neck. “I’ve never done that before…I swear I –”
“Lucien!” Elain finally shouted, grabbing him by his chin once again. She gently urged him to look at her. “It’s ok. Just…what now?”
Lucien stepped closer, until she had to tilt her head back to see him. He smiled sheepishly. “I meant what I said. I’m crazy about you, Elain.”
“And I meant what I said,” she said breathlessly. “I really do think you’re my hero.”
“Come home with me?” Lucien urged, hugging her to his mostly naked body. “Let me make it up to you.”
“For the night?”
“Forever.”
#acotar#elain archeron#elucien#lucien vanserra#modern au#azriel#gwyneth berdara#nesta archeron#cassian acotar#elucienweek2023#prompt: au
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giant meme clean out: ***YURI PLISETSKY***
these are all the honesty hour and headcanon memes i never bothered to answer for yuri in the past two years so-- boom. this is probably the stupidest thing i’ve ever done but the inbox is being CLEANED.
anonymous asked: yuri, are you content with your life that way it is now?
“No,” he responds frankly. “I want to be able to leave.”
anonymous asked: yuri, what's your ultimate career goal now that you're limited to dc?
He rolls his eyes. “Thank you for reminding me.” As though it doesn’t annoy him daily already. “I still want to win the grand prix and be the top male figure skater in the world.” Yuri refuses to let that dream go just because he’s trapped here for now-- and as long as he can get out of the city in the next few years before his physical peak is over, he’s sure he’ll be able to attain it.
@papcrrings asked: Cassiopeia: What is a song that your muse can't stand to hear when it comes on the radio? - For Yuri
I can see Yuri becoming enraged by the stupidest songs. Like, probably anything that went viral on TikTok, he’ll shout about when it shows up on the radio. Or the “songs of the summer” that always get repeat plays 100+ times per day, he’ll get progressively more annoyed each time. I can’t give any specific examples because I, on the other hand, am too chill about music 😂 but I can guarantee that’s not the case for Yuri
@drvcxrys asked: 📿: Have they ever had a supernatural experience? (yuri)
Not until he’d gotten to this city! There were always rumors that certain parts of his home ice rink were haunted, I think, but he would have paid that very little attention. He is not the type to be particularly superstitious, unless it comes to sporting rituals. But here in D.C., he’s run into a couple supernatural creatures at least.
@papcrrings asked: Yuri [ 🪀 ] (what was your muse’s childhood like? how did their upbringing affect them?
One of the interesting things about Yuri is that he acts very much like a spoiled brat sometimes, but he comes from a working class background. His skating ability was the breadwinner for his family, and he literally couldn’t afford not to be good at it. And his family didn’t outright tell him that he had to succeed, but he definitely picked up on it and internalized it, so that drive to win and be the best is what he feels like is his duty as well as his passion.
[deleted blog????] asked: Cancer: What is your muse sensitive about? Would they cry over it? Do they mind talking about it? ( for yuri!)
He’s sensitive about not measuring up to expectations. He won’t show that sensitivity, because it comes out outwardly as stubbornness and determination to prove people wrong, but when he gets bad reviews from his coaches or if they express even the minutest bit of disappointment, you can bet that as soon as he gets home, he’ll bury his face in the side of his cat Potya and ruminate on feeling really bad. I can’t imagine him crying about it, necessarily? He typically cries more out of anger than being sad. But he’d definitely feel it internally
@irresistiibles asked: 3, 14, and 50 for yuri
3-- ever done any drugs?
No way. He wouldn’t risk his health & physical performance.
14-- how would you spend a million dollars?
A new private skating rink for just himself, and then whatever’s left over, he’d use to buy cat toys for Potya
50-- what’s your favorite kind of weather?
Anything that’s sunny and relatively mild but chilly. He doesn’t like when its a million degrees or when there’s 7 inches of snow, but anything in between is mostly alright.
@irresistiibles asked: tight space and noise for yuri plisetsky!
tight space: does your muse ever feel that they’re not living up to their own potential?
He’s doing his best to live up to his potential, so... that’s a sore spot, actually, when he takes the time to reflect inward on his own faults. He knows he can do better in a lot of arenas, and it stresses him out a little bit to think about that, so he tries to just stay focused on ONE thing at a time.
noise: name one sound your muse finds absolutely unbearable.
When dumbass children during free skate time bump into the sides of the rink and it makes that floppy plonk sort of sound
@dcpravities asked: 14 & 18 for yuri! (@ cherry this is from.... like a year ago.... before you left and came back..... in case you were like..... what)
What’s their biggest secret?
That he’s really insecure about not having friends, actually.
If they were a superhero, what powers would they have?
Well, we know now that he would hate having laser eyes. 😂 Truly, he would actually enjoy having compulsion, if only so he could force people to shut up and listen to him.
@drvcxrys asked: 5 & 6 (yuri)
5 - What’s their favourite food?
Hmmmm this one’s tough. I think he’s expanding his palate here. For some reason I think he would be really attracted by pineapple salsa.
6 - If they were to be represented by a seven deadly sin, which would it be?
Pride
@youllalwaysbemyporcelain asked: ✘: Who do they detest the most? Do they typically avoid this person or antagonize them? For Yuri
for the second half of the question-- if yuri doesn’t like someone, he WILL antagonize them if it’s the last thing he’ll do. he’ll verbally poke and prod and generally be a nuisance just for the sake of being a nuisance because to give up would be admitting DEFEAT and he refuses to LOSE. for who he detests the most, it depends on who he’s talking to. he’ll usually forget how much he dislikes people until he runs into them again later 😂
#;; yp ;;#;; headcanons ;;#;; honesty hour ;;#food mention tw#drugs mention tw#long post tw#;; meme answers ;;#;; headcanons: yuri plisetsky ;;
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The Weather in Fort Lauderdale, FL
No surprises here that the weather is one of the top reasons for living in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Most days are sunny, 246 days per year; in fact, nights are breezy and warm. The year-round average temperature is a perfect 77 degrees Fahrenheit. May through October is hot and sunny, with highs in the 80s. November, March, and April are a little more temperate, with nighttime temperatures dipping into the 60s. December through February is what this city calls “winter” and what New Englanders and New Yorkers might call tropical paradise, with highs in the mid-70s and lows hitting 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s not hard to see why Fort Lauderdale weather is considered heaven on earth. If you prefer to try living in Fort Lauderdale, consider the EON Squared, the best apartment home in Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale offers affordable rent compared to other major cities.
Flagler Village Fort Lauderdale Restaurants
The EON Squared has the best Flagler Village Fort Lauderdale restaurant. You'll love the luxurious features of this apartment, including elegant finishes, high ceilings, and terraces that offer stunning views. With keyless entry and contemporary lighting, you'll experience convenience and style like never before. The modern chef-inspired kitchens, complete with self-closing cabinets, are perfect for those who love to cook. And for those seeking the ultimate in luxury, our exclusive upper-level penthouse units are sure to impress. The EON Squared is the ultimate choice for anyone seeking a truly luxurious and comfortable living experience in the vibrant city of Fort Lauderdale. For any inquiries or questions, please don't hesitate to call 954-329-1891. They'll be more than happy to assist you and provide any information you need.
History Fort Lauderdale
The History Fort Lauderdale is a museum to visit while in Fort Lauderdale. This offers group tours and individual and family memberships for businesses. The museum operates 24/7, offering ticket prices and guided tours. By donating, the museum ensures the conservation, maintenance, and preservation of Fort Lauderdale's rich cultural history. History Fort Lauderdale has been a destination for over 100 years, focusing on the importance of the diverse community and its events. It's a must-visit if you want to learn more about the history of Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has a history dating back over 4,000 years, with the first settlement abandoned during the Second Seminole War. The area's first major development began in the 1920s, but economic dislocation was caused by the 1926 Miami Hurricane and Great Depression. Fort Lauderdale became a significant US Navy base, a tourist destination, and the center of a metropolitan division of 1.8 million people.
A Woman from Fort Lauderdale Celebrates her 103rd Birthday
A Fort Lauderdale woman celebrated her 103rd birthday early with family and friends. Theodora Walters, a Fort Lauderdale resident, was surrounded by loved ones at a home near Southwest 38th Terrace. Walters' family members praised her for being good to people, always helping out, and giving love. She will turn 103 on July 30 and is encouraged to wish her a happy birthday. I'm really happy that Ms. Walters is alive and long living. It's great to know that there are still people who have lived for over a century. It's really amazing, and how I wish I would also have a long life ahead and be able to take on my birthday for over 100 age. Read more.
Link to maps
History Fort Lauderdale
231 SW 2nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, United States
Head west on N New River Dr W toward SW 3rd Ave/Nugent Ave
197 ft
Turn right onto SW 3rd Ave/Nugent Ave
0.2 mi
Turn right onto W Broward Blvd
0.4 mi
Turn left onto NE 3rd Ave
0.6 mi
Turn right onto NE 7th St
Destination will be on the right
486 ft
EON Squared
444 NE 7th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, United States
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10.
***credits to the original creator***
Look out of the nearest window. What do you see? Details, please.
I see the sky and some clouds, a bunch of really tall trees from the nearby park, several apartment buildings on the other side of the park, kids playing on the playground, my building’s parking lot and the neighbours’ cars.
When you think of the word "posh", what springs to mind?
A really fancy British person sitting near a golf course and sipping tea as they laugh in rich. I know posh people aren’t always British, but it can’t be helped.
When you have chocolate, do you eat it room temperature?
Normally yes.
Or are you like me and stick the bar into the fridge first?
Not always, unless the chocolate’s melted already to a degree. Then I have to put it in the fridge for a bit.
What's the most shocking thing that's happened in your part of town?
Well, I don’t know about here, but in my hometown the most shocking thing recently was that a guy shot his ex-wife in the middle of the street at like 9 AM in the morning. That’s super unusual since my hometown is pretty small and uneventful.
Which brand are your headphones/earbuds?
Idk honestly, they’re just some random ones my sister got me.
Do you see planes fly over your house at all?
Oh yeah, I see and hear them a lot.
Are there any constellations you recognize just by looking at them?
My dad showed me a few so I think I would recognize some. That is, if I could see the stars here.
Which room of your house/apartment do you spend the most time in?
The living room.
Which insect do you find the most beautiful?
Butterflies are so pretty.
Did you have crafts/woodwork at school growing up?
Kinda, only we did woodwork only like once or twice, so it wasn’t a class solely dedicated to that.
If so, what was the best assignment you did for it?
I honestly can’t remember what we did, and I’m pretty sure we all made the same generic things.
Do you have a friend who likes to tell you everything?
Yup, a little too much sometimes.
What was the last thing you got very excited about?
Princess Mononoke viewing in an open-air cinema. A friend was supposed to go with me, and I haven’t seen her in a few months so I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, she had to cancel, but I went anyway on my own. It was still pretty cool, but not as cool as it would’ve been if she’d come.
You can go to any city in any country you want. Which city do you go to?
Tokyo. Take me there right away pleaaaase T.T
Do you like gardening? If so, what do you grow?
I don’t, but I have a theory that most people start gardening the moment they turn 50 or so. That happened to my mum and to a bunch of her friends -- they all love gardening and share tips on it all the time. So, maybe my time will come in like 30ish years.
Do you enjoy puzzle games? If so, which one's your favourite?
Yeees, but I like puzzles in video games the most. Especially horror games with puzzles. Because then you’re stressed, but you also gotta think, so it’s exciting.
Is there a substance you avoid at all costs? If so, what is it and why?
I mean, most drugs? Buut one I would 100% stay away from always is heroin. No thanks.
What would you love to live next door to?
A lake, river, or some kind of water. Water just brings me peace.
What gives you nostalgia?
Music, cartoons, and TV shows I used to watch when I was a kid usually. Also, inexplicably, Spring Day by BTS, even though I heard it for the first time last year.
What's the best thing about fall?
The nature is probably at its prettiest in the fall.
What's the worst thing about fall?
Tbh, can’t think of anything in particular. Especially since we barely even have proper fall here anymore and it’s usually still sunny and warm.
Do you get cold easily? Or are you constantly hot?
Neither, actually.
When you think of a classy drink, what comes to mind first?
Some fancy whiskey.
Do you prefer eating out or cooking your own meals?
I don’t cook, so eating out.
Which language do you think is the most complicated to learn?
Okay, so clearly there’s no right answer here, but for me personally, French always seemed impossible to learn. It’s not that the grammar is very difficult or anything, it’s just that they shorten literally everything and it’s quite a task to understand wtf the French are saying. Like the language sounds really pretty, but... yeah, I’ll stick to my harsh German.
Is there a place that you might call your second home?
Sure.
How do you imagine your later life to look like?
Just me travelling around the world, working from various cool places... now that would be the dream.
What is a job you would never in a million years want to do?
Hmmmm, only sex work comes to mind. No hate to those who do, but I’d be waaaaaay out of my comfort zone.
Is there a piece of jewelry that you feel naked without?
My earrings.
Do you ever "go commando"?
Nope.
Do you ever try to make words out of number sequences you see?
Sometimes it happens, but it’s not something I actively try to do.
What's the sweetest thing someone's done for you?
Once when I was visiting my friends and relatives in Germany, one of the friends organized a surprise day of activities for my birthday. Each of them began with a little riddle that was supposed to give me a hint where we were going, and once we made it there, I’d receive a little wish for my birthday. We were unfortunately late for several activities so had to skip them, but nevertheless, it was a super cute thing to do and tbh, I probably don’t deserve that.
Which wild animals are a common sight in your area?
Crows.
What's the weirdest building in your city?
Not sure.
How do you keep in touch with friends usually?
Messaging apps, I meet with some fairly frequently.
Do you get a lot of visitors?
Nah, I live kinda far. Plus, I prefer to meet people in the city, there’s just more to do.
Do you recognize friends'/family's vehicles by sound?
Hmm, I think I can recognize our family car when it drives into the driveway.
Which Disney villain is your favourite?
I think most Disney villains are so cool, but maybe Scar if I had to choose?
On a regular day, what do you usually do at 3 o'clock in the afternoon?
Either work or eat.
What's something new you've just recently learned?
How to cut my bangs so they actually look decent.
Which possession would you not want to inherit from a relative?
Probably a business or something like that. That would just put pressure on me.
What is something you would never dare to do in public?
Oh, lots of things. I don’t particularly like when people look at me (hello, social anxiety)
Would you/ did you have a hen night/bachelorette party?
I don’t plan on ever getting married, but if I did, maybe something small with close friends.
Has anyone taken you on holiday somewhere? If so, where?
Sure, my mum and dad have. We went to Greece, Turkey and several other countries with seasides.
Have you taken somebody on holiday? If so, where did you taken them?
If taking includes paying for their tickets and all, no.
Who do you see as an iconic star?
Maybe someone like Lady Gaga or so.
Have you ever been to a vineyard?
Yup.
Are there any swans near the area you live in?
Not very close, but yes.
Does anyone in your inner circle struggle with addiction?
Does nicotine addiction count? If so, loads of people.
Has anyone told you lately that you have a nice smile?
I don’t think anyone’s ever told me that ;-;
How did you spend your last birthday?
First I went shopping for purple dye with mum and then got my hair dyed for the first time. It didn’t really show much on my very dark hair, but I was just happy and excited that I did it. Then in the evening, my parents and uncle and aunt went to a restaurant. It wasn’t really a big birthday, but I usually don’t do much or only celebrate with friends a few days/weeks later.
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Exploring San Diego By Sailing: Is It The Place Of Your Dreams?
Introduction
San Diego is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. It’s home to an array of different activities and attractions, from exploring the San Diego Zoo to soaking up the sun along its stunning beaches. But what if you want to take your experience to the next level? Exploring San Diego by sailing could be just the thing for you. In this blog post, we will explore all of the advantages that come with sailing in San Diego and how you can make sure it’s a truly unforgettable experience. Read on to learn more about why sailing in San Diego should be on your bucket list!
What Is San Diego Like?
San Diego is an incredible place with a lot to offer. The weather is great year-round, the people are friendly, and there’s always something to do.
The city has a laid-back vibe, but there’s still plenty to keep you busy. There are museums, art galleries, and historical sites to explore. You can also enjoy the many parks and beaches, or go for a hike or bike ride in the nearby mountains.
If you love the outdoors, you’ll definitely want to spend some time in San Diego. But even if you’re not an outdoor person, there’s still plenty to do in this vibrant city.
Sailing in San Diego
San Diego is a sailing mecca with over 100 miles of coastline and year-round sunny weather. It’s no wonder that sailing is one of the most popular activities in San Diego.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sailor, there are plenty of options for exploring San Diego by sail. There are several companies that offer charter services, and many marinas that offer transient slips and moorings.
San Diego Bay is a great place to start your sailing adventure. The bay is well-protected from the open ocean, making it ideal for beginners. Plus, there’s plenty to see and do in the bay itself. Once you’re comfortable sailing in San Diego Bay, you can head out into the open ocean for some truly breathtaking views.
Whether you want to spend a day sailing or a week cruising, San Diego has something to offer to everyone who loves the water. The Convair Sailing San Diego Marina Memberships allow you to sail in San Diego Bay, one of the world's most picturesque cities. You won't be disappointed.
The Cost of Living in San Diego
San Diego is an expensive place to live, but it's also one of the most beautiful places in the world. The cost of living in San Diego is high, but it's worth it because of the incredible weather and beautiful scenery. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in San Diego is $2,000, and the average price for a gallon of gas is $4.00. If you're looking for a place to retire, San Diego is the perfect place. The cost of living may be high, but the quality of life is unbeatable.
Pros and Cons of Living in San Diego
There are many reasons to love living in San Diego. The weather is beautiful year-round, the city is filled with friendly people, and there are endless activities to keep you busy. However, like any city, San Diego has its downsides. Here are some pros and cons of living in America’s Finest City:
Pros:
Beautiful weather: With an average temperature of 70 degrees and 340 sunny days per year, it’s no wonder why so many people flock to San Diego.
Beaches: With over 70 miles of coastline, there’s a beach for everyone in San Diego. Whether you want to surf, sunbathe, or build sandcastles with your kids, you can do it all here.
Family-friendly: From LEGOLAND to the San Diego Zoo, there are tons of things to do with kids in this city. And if you need a break from the little ones, there are plenty of adult-only activities as well.
Cons:
Traffic: Anyone who has ever tried to drive in downtown San Diego during rush hour knows that traffic can be a nightmare. If you don’t have a car, be prepared to spend a lot of time waiting for buses or taxis.
Cost of living: San Diego is one of the most expensive cities in the country. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to blow your budget on housing, food,
Conclusion
In conclusion, exploring San Diego by sailing is an adventure of a lifetime. From the stunning coastal views to the unique culture and vibrant food scene, San Diego has something for everyone. Whether you're looking to relax on the beach or get involved in some exciting water sports activities, there's truly no better way to experience this beautiful city than by boat. Book your sailing trip today and explore all that San Diego has to offer!
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I finally figured out why it feels like Supernatural murdered a unicorn (AKA why you need to STOP telling me to watch Black Sails)
I’ll start by saying, everything everyone else has been saying CERTAINLY bothers me:
- the queer-baiting
- the bury your queers
- the undermining of Dean’s character arc
- the wasted opportunity for a certain kind of overall narrative closure
- the flat out disrespect to Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles
All of that bothers me tremendously.
But there has been something else rather ineffable about this that has left a horrible taste in my mouth that I couldn’t quite pin down until last night. Bear with me, if you will, because this will require some set-up.
***
This is not the first show to ever disappoint me in a spectacular fashion, nor will it be the last, I suspect. And one of the ways I’ve always coped with that disappointment was to remind myself that there will be other stories, other characters, other chances to get it right. (”It” being any number of things from just pure narrative emotional coherence to not burying your queers to not stringing along your queer audience and then yelling fuck you to them on the way out)
But somehow that assurance -- that there will be other stories, other characters, other chances to get it right -- has rung particularly hollow in this instance, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on why until yesterday.
I kept asking myself, why do I still have this feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach, like something was lost here that can never be recovered?
Because something was lost here that I am doubtful can ever be recovered, and I don’t think I’ve seen anyone else talking about this aspect of it at all.
***
A few months ago, TV critic Maureen Ryan did a great interview piece with Mike Schur (of Parks & Rec/The Good Place) discussing the death of long-form TV in the streaming era. They explore how the longer seasons and longer runs of traditional broadcast/cable TV provided an opportunity to tell particular kinds of stories that you simply can’t when seasons are 8-10 episodes and series typically run 2-4 seasons (thanks Netflix).
One key thing we’ve all lost in this new era of highly condensed TV storytelling (and of prestige TV narrative styles)? The traditional (several season’s long) slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance. Not only is there simply no longer the time or space to write such romances, it has also come to be seen as hacky, manipulative, cheap, artistically impoverished, low-brow, a embarrassing vestige of the era before TV became art™.
Everybody is trying to be Fleabag now. No one wants to be Frasier. (”It’s really more like a 10 hour movie” they all like to brag)
Obviously TV still has romances, even ‘drawn out’ romances. But ‘drawn out’ in 2020 is like 2-3 seasons, maybe. More commonly it’s like half a season. Take Schitt’s Creek. The number of episodes between when David and Patrick first meet and when they first kiss? Seven. Seven episodes. Half a season. If you watched it live, it took less than 2 months for them to move from introducing that dynamic to consummating it. And I’m not bagging on Schitt’s Creek; I think the David/Patrick’s story is very lovely and well-written.
But Niles & Daphne (Fraiser) had to wait 7 years and over 150 episodes before they finally got there. Josh & Donna (The West Wing) had to wait 6+ years, and 145 episodes. Mulder & Scully (The X-Files) had to wait 7 seasons and 143 episodes. Booth & Bones had to wait...you see where I am going with this.
And my point is (and I can’t believe I never realized this explicitly until now): there has NEVER been a queer slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance of that type on TV ever. EVER.
I’m going to say that again, because I think it bares repeating:
There has never been a queer, slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance that fits the 100-150 episode paradigm of delayed gratification on TV.
Not ever.
I can’t think of ONE example Not a single, solitary one. And I know queer TV pretty well. Arguably the closest we’ve ever come is Legend of Korra, and that ran 50 episodes, a THIRD of the length of old school will-they-won’t-theys like Booth & Bones or Josh & Donna.
Queer people have had a fair number of canonical romances on TV by now, even fairly long running ones. But we never got a primary/front-and-center romance that you had to root for for 100+ episodes before you got any kind of canonical consummation.
That is a particular kind of TV experience that queer people and queer characters were just 100% shut out of until it was too late. And because of how the TV landscape has changed in the last 10 years, I don’t know that that opportunity will ever come back around in our lifetimes.
***
Dean and Castiel are/were a legacy of an earlier era of TV, an era that still contained the possibility for a will-they-won’t-they of that particular mold. There were other shows that could have also filled this gap at one time - Rizzoli & Isles, OUAT, House MD, etc. But one by one all of them were killed off, their queer romances unrequited, until Supernatural was the only one of its’ generation left standing.
And they should have acknowledged that they were a species about to become extinct.
There are plenty of other valid and compelling reasons Supernatural should have gone full Destiel, don’t get me wrong.
A) It would have been the most emotionally satisfying ending to the series and to those characters (and that would have been reason enough).
B) It would have stopped the manipulative queer-baiting of the (disproportionately queer) fanbase (and that would have been reason enough).
C) It would have been queer representation of middle-aged men, of bi men, of queers who came to their queerness later in life (and any/all of those would have been reason enough).
D) It could have been a glorious subversion of the bury your queers trope, considering how often they’ve died and been resurrected (and that would have been reason enough).
But point E) on this list is the reason this one hurts in a singular way that no one even appears to be acknowledging.
Almost all of the other wrongs and missed opportunities contained in this Supernatural debacle have the possibility of being rectified (at least to a degree) elsewhere. I can and I likely will get more bi male characters from TV as time goes on. I can and likely will get more middle-aged queer characters. I can and likely will get more queer characters coming to their queerness later in life, and starting queer romances later in life. I can and likely will get more queer characters who aren’t killed cheaply and prematurely. I can and likely will get more genre TV shows with sprawling myth arc plots that are resolved in a coherent, satisfying way. I can and likely will get Misha Collins and Jensen Ackles involved in other projects that value their work and their talents.
All of those other things are at the very least POSSIBLE, and many are even likely.
But a queer 100-150 episode slow-burn romance a la Mulder & Scully or Niles & Daphne or Booth & Bones? That is the one baton Supernatural dropped spectacularly that no one else even has the possibility of picking up again for the foreseeable future. (They don’t even write those types of romances for heterosexuals anymore!)
Seriously. It was a TV unicorn. And rather than letting it run wild and free, they stabbed it with a rusty nail.
***
Given the monumental shifts in the TV landscape that have occurred in the last decade, I don’t know that TV will ever go back to the slow-burn/will-they-won’t-they romance spanning 100-150 episodes. Today it is a miracle if you can get ANY show to last longer than 50 episodes in the first place.
And that is the piece of this that makes it feel (to me) like they murdered a unicorn.
Because queer people have gotten a lot of things from TV, and they will get a lot more as time goes on. But that one? That one could very well be a totally extinct species.
That is the larger missed opportunity here that has left this feeling especially hollow and destructive. That is the thing that makes me balk when people tell me to go watch Black Sails or Pose or whatever other prestige TV show is doing this representation ‘better.’ Because that’s not really the loss I am mourning here. I KNOW there is ‘better’ representation elsewhere.
But the will-they-won’t-they/slow-burn romance is a qualitatively unique thing that queer people literally just never got. Ever. There is no substitute, no alternate, no other show I can turn to with that kind of build-up and pay-off for a queer couple, and there probably won’t be in my lifetime. Not unless the TV industry undergoes another monumental evolution similar to the streaming revolution that shifts the incentives back to telling those types of stories again.
All those shows you want me to displace Supernatural with? None of them can give me the one thing I uniquely wanted (and could have gotten) from Supernatural. THAT ALTERNATE SHOW DOESN’T EXIST. It doesn’t exist. And I have no reason to hope it will ever exist in my lifetime.
So stop telling me to look somewhere else; you don’t understand what made this one a unicorn.
***
Addendum: The only other possible show that could perhaps fill this gap is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (re: Mac/Dennis). But I’m hesitant to say it exactly meets that criteria, for a number of reasons:
1 - It’s far less serialized relative to Supernatural and (except for a handful of stand-alone episodes) very little of the story is grounded specifically in Dennis/Mac’s romantic dynamic (unlike SPN, where it is absolutely central to much of the narrative)
2 - IASIP is fundamentally satirically in nature/tone which makes it much harder to have genuine romantic pathos (not impossible, but harder)
3 - All the characters on IASIP are fundamentally crummy people who you aren’t exactly supposed to root for. Which doesn’t mean a romance between two of them can’t have its value/charm/worth but it’s not the same as when it is between characters who unequivocally deserve nice things/happy endings
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as someone who lives in the Midwest United States (and only a state over from where Amity Park canonly is) i’ve created a list of things that are inaccurate/overlooked in Danny Phantom:
first of all, at least 75% of the student body should be lit af, and 50% of the teachers. just a lot of weed.
no one mentions meth even once, which is like the biggest problem out here, and everyone is always talking about it. from meth lab explosions, to cousins on meth, to neighbors with a meth lab in their basement.
i’ve had the neighbors call the cops on us because our grass is too long, the Fenton’s would literally be fined out the ass and taken to court, but i’ll let you have it because suspension of belief
the weather is unpredictable at best. not even the weather boy knows until the day of. it could be mid 40s and storming monday, 77 and sunny tuesday, and snowing wednesday day. just look up the indiana weather, you’ll see what i mean.
“it wouldn’t be bad if it wasn’t for the wind.” most said midwestern phrase. always check the windchill, otherwise suffer.
small towns usually have like 100 year old houses that are literally falling apart. like, can’t turn your living room light on because it rains down sparks, or there’s holes in your roof. lots of roof leaking. and usually no central air.
window air conditioners. kids sleep in the living room cause the stairs doesn’t have one and its 95 degrees out.
portable heaters in every room. the bathroom one is the most important.
bats somehow always get into your house. everyone experiences it at least once. it’s traumatizing.
there’s literally three things to do in a small town: go to walmart a town over, go to steak ‘n shake cause they’re the only place open, or the park.
literally so many parks. small town kids know how to find the best parks, even when somewhere else, and will most likely visit at least one park on vacation.
there’s always that one park that goes back into the woods. there’s always a bench. at least one of your friends has, or knows someone who has, sucked dick on that bench.
yee-haw boys. they have lifted trucks with american flags and wear cow-boy boots. they pretend they’re tuff and are most likely to bully people. Dash should actually be a yee-haw boy.
sweatshirt and shorts. everyone has worn this outfit at least once. add a baseball cap turned forward and you have the frat boy uniform. some frat boys will even wear this while it is actively snowing.
cornfields. everywhere. so much corn.
we never go into the cornfields. ever.
everyone is related to someone somehow. aunt, cousin, great aunts ex-husbands kid, there’s always someone.
so. many. churchs. one every 10 blocks. maybe more. they’re everywhere.
cops will pull you over for everything. they have nothing else to do. one told my friend, “i pulled out over because you were making too many turns.” she made three.
the fear of racoons and opossums. my mom one had a stick she kept by the door to hit on the porch before she went out at night. because of the opossum she saw. it was bigger than out house cat.
1 out of 5 adults are functioning alcoholics, or were alcoholics.
everyone has that one family member who’s been in and out of jail, probably for drugs, but they’re always the family gossip.
you also have that one gay/lesbian cousin. there may be more, but this is the one that came out first. they start shit for fun.
we all hate ohio. with a burning passion. all of us.
anyways, here’s some insight into the midwest, the became me rambling a bit so thanks for sticking with me. feel free to ask any questions.
#for those not in the midwest#if you were wondering about midwest things#yeehaw!Dash#Danny Phantom#danny fenton#dp#kate rambles
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I need a distraction so here, have some Winx Club headcanons:
Bloom
100% fireproof, but her skin is extremely fragile to most everything else, especially scrapes and cuts, and she scars very easily.
Her skin is always warm, the temperature varying according to her emotions - the more emotional, the warmer. This applies to all emotions, but anger is the one she has least control over and most likely to give you third-degree burns if you touch her.
She gets her first tattoo one her eighteenth birthday, a black dragon encircling her right wrist up towards her elbow, with a pink flower in its mouth. Her second one is a few months later, a sun for Stella on her middle finger, then Daphne’s name on her clavicle. She gets more over the years, and all of them usually refer to something or someone dear to her.
She has an anxiety disorder, and has had both anxiety attacks and panic attacks in the past (most frequently the former).
All of her notes and workbooks are filled with doodles and little sketches at the margins. She used to do this for tests/exams too, but her teachers on Earth discouraged it and she got out of the habit by the time she got to Alfea.
She asks Musa to give her guitar lessons and ends up getting really into rock music.
Stella
Best singer in the club after Musa.
Will fight you for a cappuccino in the morning. Will fight you in general if you wake her up before she wants you to.
Gets cold easily since she’s so used to the ever-warm and sunny Solaria. When the weather gets even a smidge cold, she will either pile on the warm clothing or cuddle up to her personal human heater, aka Bloom. Bloom finds it cute, if a little exasperating.
She gets a heart tattooed on her middle finger to match Bloom’s sun for her, and that’s the only tattoo she ever gets.
She does have ear piercings, two on each ear, and a collection of gorgeous earrings to go with it.
She has ADHD.
She eventually gets into designing jewelry too and makes each of the Winx a customized accessory (a necklace for Bloom and Flora, a bracelet for Tecna, earrings for Musa and an anklet for Aisha) for an anniversary or something. I was going to say graduation, but I think she gets into it later than that.
She’s the best at making parents like her. The only one who can rival her in this is Flora.
Flora
Used to be extremely shy as a child, even more than she is as a teenager. She started to come out of her shell in middle school.
Though she’s perfectly at ease with giving comforting hugs to her friends and family when they ask/she thinks they need them, Flora is much more hesitant to ask for physical comfort when she’s distressed over something.
She helped her parents decide on the name Miele for her sister.
She manages to get all of the rest of the club (sans Stella) into teas and infusions, in Tecna and Bloom’s case to the point that they start drinking tea instead of coffee.
Horrible at sports. Just awful. God help this girl.
She learned to cook from having to take care of Miele when their parents weren’t around. Eventually, it became a passion and hobby of hers.
She gives personal names to all of her plants and experiments. To give you an idea, if you didn’t know the situation, it’d be understandable to think Mirta was one such experiment.
Musa
It is one of Musa’s goals in life to be able to play all musical instruments. She’s determined enough that she just might achieve this before she’s thirty.
After the fire incident in the library, she keeps in touch with Galatea at least until the princess graduates from Alfea, acting as a sort of mentor for her.
She’s very good at sports and physical activity in general, but she excels in dance and has an incredible stamina for running.
Though she doesn’t shy away from (and in fact quite likes) miniskirts and dresses, she will never feel as comfortable in them as she does in a pair of jeans.
She likes tattoos just as much as Bloom, and has a complete sleeve by the time she’s 22.
The least picky eater in the club, Musa will eat anything and everything, but she also doesn’t eat all that much. Just enough to be healthy, and carefully not enough that she could ever have reason to think herself wasteful.
She’s also the best at handling alcohol, and the loudest drunk in existence when she does manage to drink enough to get wasted. Nobody knew this until the graduation party at Alfea.
Aisha
She doesn’t like sweets and generally has many foods she’s not a fan of, but she will eat them when they’re offered to her out of politeness.
She’s the complete opposite of Stella in her weather preferences, in that she loves rain.
The best place to relax for her is someplace warm and humid, preferably by the water, but a nice field and freshly watered grass are a close second.
She gets an eyebrow piercing specifically as an act of rebellion, but grows to quite like it outside of aggravating her parents.
She’s the earliest riser of the group, and likes to exercise in the morning. She would go for an early swim back on Andros, but a good run is just as good.
She used to skip breakfast a lot before Flora decided to Mom Friend that habit right out of her, and now she has to eat something or she won’t feel good all morning.
Tecna
She’s the one who sends memes in the group chat most often. Half of them are specific coding ones that the other girls don’t really get, but the other half get smiles, and that’s enough for her.
Nobody holds a grudge quite like Tecna. And she never forgets, even if she forgives.
She likes the snow.
For one of her birthdays, Bloom gives her a bunch of Earth videogames and Tecna spends hours reprogramming them all to fit the magic dimension’s advanced technology. It’s a good day.
She eventually gets a total of three tattoos, all of them dates. One of them is a double date, being the day she met the other Winx, with an annotation underneath for the day Aisha joined the group. It’s on the inside of her arm.
Tecna is surprisingly strong, capable of lifting at least one person with relative ease.
She dislikes not having anything to do with her hands and fiddles a lot when she’s not typing something on any of her devices.
A lot of her time as Musa’s roommate is spent wearing noise-canceling headphones. She loves Musa, and she doesn’t dislike music, but too much of it ends up bothering her.
#winx#winx club#winx bloom#winx stella#winx flora#winx musa#winx tecna#winx aisha#winx headcanons#headcanons#writing#thoughts#put a read more because this got long
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i definitely think clarke is an example of a villain protagonist, and fandom’s need to see her as a hero is due to the need to see protagonists as heroes. my only stipulation is that i do think fandom is capable of acknowledging that certain protagonists are villains, but only under certain conditions. like fandom can only acknowledge a character is a villain if the story really really really explicitly frames them that way. like people are willing to acknowledge that characters like (1/2)
(a few of these seem to have been lost to this hellsite’s void, sorry :/)
walter white, don draper, tony soprano, dexter morgan, the “it’s always sunny in philadelphia” protagonists ect are horrible evil people. (although even with them, there stans who engage in ridiculous apologism, ie the “walter white did nothing wrong” crowd, but i do feel like most of the audience gets that these characters are evil? maybe i’m being to optimistic, or maybe it’s just because i avoid r*ddit lol) but i think in these cases it’s mostly because the framing is so blatant, like (2/3)
like the writers basically have to beat you over the head with the fact that the main character is a horrible person for them to get it. but with characters like dean winchester, elena gilbert, and clarke griffin, the fandom largely sees them as good people, (who may be morally ambiguous sometimes, but only because they CAAARRRE SO MUCHHH) and i think it’s because the narrative framing is different than what it is with a character like walt. that’s not to say that the narrative always (3/?)
frames characters like elena, clarke, dean, ect as good people. i think the narrative sometimes engages in apologism for dean/elena/clarke, and sometimes it acknowledges how terrible they are. i think that for characters like dean/elena/clarke the framing is often much subtler than for characters like walt/don/dexter/tony soprano. i also think sexism/white female fragility plays a role in how fandom perceives elena, clarke, and jessica jones are perceived by fandom (4/?).
This is all true, but I also think there are other factors at play. On is the kind of people these two groups are -I’m less familiar with some of the others mentioned above than I am with The Triumvirate of Doom LOL, but I’d say that (maybe with the exception of Don Draper? I really need to watch Mad Men one day. I remember liking the pilot) they are fundamentally different TYPES of ~bad people. Dean, Elena, and Clarke are empaths, subconcious manipulators; to different degrees of efficiency, and Dean and Clarke use hard power more than Elena, but they’re specifically people who are difficult to parse, and difficult to accuse. They’re the kind of people who trade in social graces and do it well, often coming out of shit smelling like fucking roses. The others are excused by fandom, but Walter White, Tony Soprano and Dexter Morgan’s whole deal is different.
On top of that, there’s a matter of distance. Those you mention are all from mundane worlds, worlds like out, commiting violence in a mundane way. Dean kills monsters, Clarke commits large scale genocide by levers in a distant sci-fi post apocalyptic ‘verse, Elena even has other supernatural beings commiting supernatural violence for her. I know I myself react worse to more “realistic” violence.
And regarding the ‘verses, I think we run into an issue of the perception each of these gets, the depth people are willing to assign to each of them. Nevermind that The Vampire Diaries or Supernatural have been the two most cynically honest shows about the worst of human nature I’ve yet to encounte;, for a lot of people they’re just ~silly genre shows, the first a ~silly girly show, even. The acts committed in those universe is horrifying to the extreme, heightened forms from real-world equivalents, but easy to dismiss for a lot of people because of its source. Which annoys me, ngl, because I don’t think without characters like Elena we’d get some of the female antiheroes we have now, for better or worse; or without shows like Angel for the male ones; Angel was definitely a precursor to the Tony Sopranos of tv, IMO.
There are issues with framing in each of the shows and it matters, but there have also been moments where they have been absolutely ruthless about who Dean, Elena, Clarke, etc. were at their core, and the audience insists on keeping their eyes closed to it anyway. So framing can’t be the only issue.
fandom NEEDS to see white female protagonists as good people. i think this is because of the notion of white female innocence and purity, how white cis women are seen as inherently good and kind, and needing and deserving of protection from white men. of course fandom woobifies the shit out of white male characters too, just look at dean winchester and dean winchester. however i genuinely can’t think of a example of a white female protagonist who was explicitly framed as terrible person, (5/?)
and where most of fandom fully acknowledged her shittyness. the only real example i can think of is dee reynolds, and like that doesn’t really count because iasip is a deliberately absurd bizare sitcom where you really aren’t meant to take the characters actions seriously. the show isn’t grounded in reality and it’s not meant to be. also dee is nothing like elena or clarke, and iasip is nothing like the 100 or tvd so i’m comparing apples to oranges. (6/?)
maybe blair waldorf from gossip girl? i actually think she has a lot in common with elena and clarke, it’s just expressed in different ways. but maybe that’s due to the fact that serena was technically the female protagonist (even if the writers blatantly favored blair), and blair was introduced to the show as an antagonist for serena. although there was a fuck ton of blair apologism in the gossip girl fandom so who knows. (8/?)
i have seen daenerys targaryen referred to as a villain (even before the second last episode), but in her case i actually feel it’s somewhat unfair. i mean obviously burning down kings landing was a villainous act, but on the whole i see her as more of a mix of an anti-hero and an anti-villain. like of course she has done many horrible things, but she isn’t terrible in the same way elena and clarke are, like she is a different type of character than them. (10/?)
i also feel like the got fandom wasn’t as pro daenerys as the tvd fandom and the 100 fandom were of elena and clarke respectively. (maybe because daenerys shared protagonist status with the stark family?). (omg i am so sorry this ask was so long! i seriously thought this was going to be two parts, maybe three tops lol) (11/11)
I’m not too familiar with Blair and only half-familiar with GOT and its fandom, although yes, I would consider them slightly different cases than Clarke or Elena, on first sight.
White female fragility definitely plays an ENOURMOUS part in these characters’ perception. A lot of the Clarke vs. Bellamy discourse was profoundly racist, for example. And do not get me started on Jessica Jones and how the show portrayed, and the fandom received, her dynamics with black men.
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𝖘𝖚𝖓𝖓𝖎 𝖉𝖆𝖊 𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖈𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 . . .
Not everyone can say they’ve been to the Big Apple, but [SUNNI DAE], a [FORTY] year-old [CIS WOMAN] has lived in [FLATIRON DISTRICT, MANHATTAN] for [TWENTY-TWO YEARS]. This is the city of dreams and [SHE/HER] knows it, because they came to NYC to be an [ACTRESS]. Living in the city means they meet all kinds of people, but everyone always seems to think they look like [SON YE-JIN]. They even got away with free cab fare once because of it!
hey, everyone ! here’s sunni. her about is listed here, her statistics are listed here, and her plotting page is listed here. if you’d like to claim any of the plots on that page or do some other plotting, shoot me a message ! i prefer discord, but i’m open to messaging on tumblr. my discord is limes#6826. give this a like and i will come to you for plots !
TRIGGER WARNING — child abuse ( mental ), mention of bullying, drug dependency issues ( namely alcoholism ), infidelity, abusive marriage, terminal illness
sunni born under the name dae eun-ha to an aspiring artist and a mother suffering from depression. sunni’s parents met in songpa-gu, seoul, south korea, where sunni would later be born, and quickly fell into a whirlwind romance. they would eventually marry a year before sunni’s birth.
her father’s family had money thanks to his father’s possession of a chain business for restaurants and not long after the birth of sunni, her father was pressured by his wife to get a gig with the help of his own father. he landed in marketing after some training and the promise of an eventual degree. this pretty much drained the life out of him and he stopped painting, deteriorating into a shell of a man.
( tw mental child abuse ) growing up was difficult for sunni, as her mother blamed her depression on the birth of sunni. she was a stay at home mother who was perpetually disappointed in anything sunni did and was neglectful due to her own dysfunctional marriage, mental illness, and trauma from an abusive childhood. as for her father, he never acted poorly toward her, but he simply wasn’t around. on the off chance that he did speak to sunni, he would spew hateful speech at her about society and the steady destruction of his life force. ( end tw )
by the time sunni was four, the family was set up to move to los angeles, california, with the prospect of a higher paying job. this ended up being for naught as sunni’s father never really obtained a super successful job, only managing a small pay bump after years of working in los angeles.
childhood was rough for sunni as her parents would fight constantly over their class difference, financial issues, her mother’s general dissatisfaction with how their lives turned out, and her father’s infidelities. as a means of escaping her home troubles, sunni dove straight into the world of cinema. she found it easy to idolize specific actors and viewed a couple of them as her rightful parental figures.
in school, sunni felt out of place. her parents had spent their money on tutors for a couple years ensuring sunni could skate by with her english, but she had difficulty communicating with others after a long summer with little practice or when it came to more difficult concepts. it wasn’t until junior high that sunni felt 100% confident in her english speaking abilities.
( tw mention of bullying ) sunni was timid and had extremely low confidence, and this caused her to be preyed on at times. the only time sunni was outspoken was in her theater club, where she landed relatively large roles within the production thanks to her passion for acting and persistent practice. as she grew into her adolescence, she finally began to see the flaws in her substitute parental figures. scandal after scandal followed the celebrities she idolized, and sunni couldn’t help but feel betrayed. ( end tw )
when sunni was sixteen, she began waitressing to save money for when she was able to move out. this paid off, and she moved into a small studio apartment in tribeca, manhattan, when she was eighteen. when sunni wasn’t working, she was performing in local theater productions. her confidence grew as she avoided exposure to a toxic environment and made a small group of likeminded friends. by the time she turned 21, she began bartending and made enough money to move into a two bedroom with a friend.
sunni’s life as a young adult was relatively uneventful until she was discovered by an agent at a show when she turned 23. in 2004, under the stage name “sunni dae”, she scored an audition for a pg family sitcom named the campbells. it wasn’t mean to be a big project, and after a couple auditions, sunni scored the lead role.
( tw drug addiction ) not long after its introduction to television, it completely blew up. the show is likened to full house both in popularity and general vibe. though she started as a humble actress, the fame quickly got to sunni. her drug dependency issues began quickly after exposure to various substances at a party.
her drug of choice was alcohol, much like her father, and she began frequently drinking on set. sunni’s ego grew to be massive and she began treating others poorly because of it, unable to understand the woes of others if they didn’t pertain to her own life. ( end tw )
moving out of her two bedroom in 2005, sunni moved from tribeca to the flatiron district and top ( seventeenth ) floor luxury penthouse. this penthouse would later be what sunni calls the best thing she got from the campbells. in 2006, sunni officially changed her name from dae eun-ha to sunni dae.
( tw depression, drug addiction ) sunni saw her celebrity idols smiling and happy in their fame, and wondered why she didn’t feel that same happiness. in fact, she felt isolated, bitter, and cynical; these feelings fed into her drug addiction. it didn’t help that her friendships began to fall apart thanks to her selfish behaviors and narcissistic tendencies. her parents were unresponsive to her fame, with her mother even expressing disappointment in the fact that she was a part of a show with cheap comedy and simple plot lines. ( end tw )
her career took a turn for the worse in 2007. toward the end of 2006, sunni began a relationship that would later turn into a highly publicized toxic marriage a little over half a year later. the marriage had multiple scandals and each news story plagued sunni’s reputation. this stain would follow her even into her forties, as she was considered a high risk individual to act as the face of a project.
it was also released at one point that sunni allegedly gave drugs to a younger cast member, though it wasn’t publicized which one it was. however, sunni wasn’t the only cast member who had public controversies. by 2011, the cast had racked up so many controversies that the show was cancelled, though it was given a proper ( rushed ) finale. in the same year, sunni got divorced, and thanked her lucky stars for the prenup.
after the campbells, sunni hired an skilled freelance investor to expertly invest her money for her; she would later be thankful for this as the few projects she did take after the campbells completely flopped. a frustrated agent would watch as looper’s inevitable “what happened to sunni dae?” video popped up after years of inactivity, though they did choose to stick by her side, as they had confidence in her potential.
( tw drug addiction ) others did not see her potential, however, as she was simply “the lady from that old sitcom” in the acting world. to those who knew sunni, she was viewed as a destructive force with drug dependency issues and horrible interpersonal skills. she has had a couple relationships, but nothing serious as sunni’s partners eventually grow to acknowledge her toxic behaviors. ( end tw )
( tw terminal illness ) at the age of thirty-seven, sunni’s father passed away from acute liver failure. sunni thought she would feel something from this inevitability, but no out of place feelings came to her. ( end tw )
( tw assumed depression ) now forty, sunni spends most of her time inebriated and getting into shenanigans with new york locals. occasionally, she’ll still have a scandal that hits the news. she takes part in small projects, such as being the face of a bourbon or starring in commercials, but she’s actively looking for something to revitalize her career and give her life meaning again ( at least, that’s what she thinks ). ( end tw )
in the interest of learning more about things i may have cut out, feel free to check out her about page, listed above. you can also find more about her personality there.
#sorry for the length i tried to cut it down !#ENYC.INTRO#sorry for any issues in the statistics / plots#didn't proofread them too closely tbh
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Tutorial: How to Dry Herbs
While the aesthetic of hanging herbs to dry in a sunny window is romantic and cute, sometimes you’re frantically trying to dry herbs just before the first frost kills off your crops and there’s not a lot of sunlight left in a day. And sometimes, in the humid heat of summer, it doesn’t matter what kind of sunny window you have, the humidity will mold your herbs before they have the chance to dry all the way.
Never fear, I’ve got a foolproof way to dry herbs!
You’re gonna need:
Herbs!
A cookie sheet
Some parchment paper
Containers to store your herbs in (glass works best but use what you’ve got!)
An oven
Got your stuff? Let’s dry herbs!
Preheat your oven to its lowest setting. (Most ovens should allow you to heat it to just 100 degrees.)
On a baking pan or cookie sheet, lay out your parchment paper, and lay your herbs out in a single layer. (Or, as close as you can get to a single layer.)
You can see here that we’re drying thyme, oregano, and sage.
Once your oven is warm, put your herbs on the top rack of the oven, and close the oven door so that it’s hanging open about an inch. Bake your herbs for 2 minutes, checking them when time is up. Your herbs should be dry and brittle, and lose a little of their bright green color. If your herbs still feel like they have some moisture in them, or they’re still very green, turn the pan and bake them for another two minutes. (As a general rule, thin-leaved herbs like thyme, parsley, basil, and cilantro will take less time than thicker-leaved herbs like oregano, mint, and sage. Sage takes the longest, and will always be a little hard to grind, even when completely dry.)
Once they’re done, allow the pan to cool and grind herbs between your fingers and onto the parchment. Discard any stems from the ground leaves, and use the parchment as a funnel to pour them into your glass jars.
Keep your herbs in a cool, dark place, and they’ll stay good for about 10 months!
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[SEPTEMBER ‘21] - THE LIFE/WRITING UPDATE NO ONE ASKED FOR (AND SOME QUICK LINKS)
well, hello hello, welcome, it is september first and hogwarts is back in session, haha! where’s your letter, did you get it? i hope so!
in true gryffindor fashion, i’m a summer person. i like parties, the beach and hot weather, so i’m currently working hard, trying to delay the inevitable return of autumn and the dreaded back-to-school mood by staying in sunny southern france for a few more days. i’ll be back in dublin on saturday where, as per usual, rain has been scheduled to occur upon my return lol.
Anyway, before diving into more life/writing updates, here are some quick links to different blog pages you might not see on mobile :
to read my fics [updated]
to read my original work
fic recs
to read my tumblr rants about stuff
[NOTE: i am currently not accepting prompts. i already have a backlog, folks.]
Castles (chap 9) ETA: optimistic? 19 September. realistic? october.
links extended a/n-s: chapter v ; chapter vi & vii ; chapter viii
[more life/writing updates under the cut]
what i’m reading:
i’m actually quite happy with my book reading this month. i read a friend’s short-ish (27k) story, as well as two full books, and started a third. i wanted my holidays to be a time of catching up with missed reading opportunities, and it definitely was.
first, i read three rooms by jo hamya. i picked this one up because it was recommended by my bookshop, was written by a BAME author, marketed as a ‘millenial’ literary fiction novel which i’m always a sucker for, and the cover looked intriguing. the story is that of an unnamed narrator in her early/mid-twenties, navigating the end of her masters degree and her first job in london. to be honest, as i previously said in another post, i don’t particularly fancy myself as a book critic so i don’t really like to say negative things about the books i read. as an author, i know how hard things can hurt when people are talking about your writing sort-of behind your back and i’m always paranoid that the author might one day see what i’ve written, lol. this being said, what i will say about this book is that while not bad, it wasn’t really a fit for me. the writing is very good, crisp and quick just the way i like it (though if you get irritated by the current trend of not using quotation marks for dialogue, you might get irritated by this), but i just found it hard to relate to the characters. i think you will like this if you like books that are more about their setting and their world rather than plot or character. the author is really good at describing current britain, life in london, the book is brilliant at describing the millennial ‘world’ of social media, politics, etc. but its main character seems to just aimlessly float through her life without any sense of self or purpose, which i personally found very frustrating. the book addresses issues of class, poverty, temp contracts, housing prices, discrimination but it feels very much like a matter-of-fact statement rather than an actual argument to change things. the other characters are mildly more purposeful but very single-purpose and while the novel is interesting but it didn’t really make me feel anything beyond an intense desire to grab the narrator by the shoulders and scream: do something! three stars.
then, i read incendiary by chris cleave. full review here. this book is just unreal and the best fiction i’ve read in close to a year. if i could give ten stars i would.
i’ve now started an american marriage by tayari jones. unless you’ve been living under a rock, this has probably been recommended to you a billion times already, but what can i say, i’m always late lol. i’m only about 100 pages in but seems promising.
in terms of fanfic, i honestly haven’t read much bar this one fantastic spooks au of which i really wish there was more of. i have trolled all of livejournal and dreamwidth to find the rest and came up empty. tragic.
what i’m writing:
funny how the girl on a writing break still managed to put out circ. 9,000 words in a month, lol. granted, pick me choose me love me was written in july, but still.
this being said, i do feel like i took time off and i do feel way better than i did back in july. looking back, i was exhausted and burnt out and felt like i was mostly writing to fulfill people’s expectations, rather than to make me happy. i’m now feeling much more confident with my words. the story that i did write this month was a self-indulgent bit of fun because it was written for a fandom no one cares about, and rather liberating, if i’m honest. i think i needed to write something for me and my audience of three again, and it was great. i genuinely love that story. i do think that if you want to give it a try, it might be one of those that can be read without having watched the show in question because it’s about a side character so a lot of what’s in there is original rather than show-related. if you do want to read it, it’s here: listening to that angel choir.
in terms of upcoming projects, i’m happy to announce that i’m actually excited to get back to castles, which is exactly what i wanted this break to achieve. i’m waiting until i get back to dublin to get back to work but i’m ready to dive back in and honestly can’t wait. as i said above the cut, i would love to put it on the 19th September but i’m not sure that i’ll manage to whip out next chapter this quickly. it’s not unheard of, so we shall see. also, castles is turning a year old on 16 sep, which is absolutely fucking insane. i certainly did not think it would be this massive of a project when i undertook it, lol. the numbers on it both in terms of wordcount and appreciation/hits give me vertigo so i try not to look at them but honestly, i can’t thank you all enough. i know i always say this but i come from very small audiences and fandoms and the amount of love i’ve been getting this past year thanks to all of you has meant the world. thank you.
in terms of one shots, i’ll be mostly focusing on castles this month, so i probably won’t write anything else. this being said, for those of your on tumblr, just be aware that you might see me repost some of the tumblr ficlets that i posted on tumblr these past few months on ao3 soon-ish. i initially decided to keep them on tumblr alone because they were too short but i’ve been having anxiety about tumblr collapsing and these things disappearing into the ether. so, don’t be alarmed, they should be the same, just reposted.
what i’m doing:
honestly, this month has been amazing, especially the past three weeks. i’ve been able to relax, see family & friends, went hiking, had my birthday, hired a boat - it’s been fab. as alluded to before, i’ve also been having fun rewatching spooks, which is definitely a series worth watching, even ten years after it ended. i find it even more fascinating in light of what is going on in afghanistan at the moment, and of course the presence in the show of rupert penry-jones whom i think every straight woman with a pulse fancies, is an added bonus.
anyway, i hope you’re all doing well. see you next month for pumpkin spice lattes (yeah, look, i’m a basic white girl) and the beginning of my seasonal depression.
lots of love,
pebblysand.
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No yess! I love rainy weather but it’s always so sunny and hot here 😤
NO DUDE REALLY? IVE HAD FIFTEEN IN MY HEAD TODAY SO I KEE HEARNINF ‘when all you wanted was to be wanted’
YES I LOVE NICKNAMES LEMME THINK OF MORE UHH HSMTMTS NINI- HEH
Yeah I’m not sure it’s only three letters 🤔
Yeah ik I’d hate to live in like over 100 degree weather jeez that must be tough I’m sorry for you 😔
OMG YESS my head is just YOU don’t have to Calll anymoreee don’t pick up the ohoneeee this is the last strAW AND JUST THE WHOLE SONG BUT ITS SO GOOD IM NOT MAD
OMG IM NIT CAUGHT UP ON HSMTMTS YET IVE WATCHED TWO EPISODES OF THE SECOND SEASON FEELING LIKE A FAKE FAN RN
I HAVE IT I HAVE IT I HAVE IT YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT RHYMES WITH RIA???????
DRUM ROLLLLLLL……… 🥁💥🥁💥🥁
TORTILLA!!!
Cause ya know like ria and tortilla rhyme
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Several Methods Of Charging Solar Ground Spotlights
The ability to store the Sun’s energy for use at night is something our ancestors must have dreamed about. Fortunately for us, this dream is not only real, but it’s become the norm for humans everywhere. Solar panels have revolutionized light technology and have quite literally brought us out of darkness.
solar ground spotlights are a simple solution for most homeowners. It’s easy to pop them in a place with plenty of sun and wait until the battery is fully charged. However, depending on your geographical location, the season, or the weather, sunlight levels may vary. In this case, you may need to be a bit resourceful when charging your Biling lights.
In this article, we’ll explore how to charge your solar ground spotlights without sunlight so that you can get more use out of them. There are three main ways to approach the problem: using electricity, artificial light or indirect sunlight.
How do solar ground spotlights work?
Before we dive into how to charge solar ground spotlights without the Sun, it’s important to first discuss how they work. Essentially, a solar light consists of a photovoltaic cell, a battery and a light all fixed together. There are several steps involved in the process of harvesting energy, converting it and then emitting it for use in a garden, emergency situation or pathway.
Step 1: Light enters the photovoltaic cell and energy is collected in by the wiring of the mini solar panel. This electricity is then fed to the solar light’s battery.
Step 2: The battery stores this energy as chemical energy during the daytime. The battery will then begin to provide it to the light when the battery is no longer being directly charged by the Sun.
Step 3: The system lights up the LED bulbs which draw energy from the battery until it’s exhausted or daylight hours resume. LED is an obvious choice for solar ground spotlights due to their ultra-low energy usage.
The Basics of Solar Cells
The photovoltaic cells and amorphous cells used in solar panels can turn solar radiation into electricity. These cells are only able to effectively convert specific types of visible light into electrical energy. For example, infrared and ultraviolet (UV) light don’t contribute much to power production.
The most efficient form of visible light for power production is within the spectrum of violet to red, or the wavelengths of 380nm to 750nm. You can either harvest this light naturally (using the Sun), or artificially (using other electric lights).
1. ELECTRICITY
This option is often the easiest as many solar ground spotlights come equipped with a power plug or USB connector. You can simply plug the light into the wall or an external power source and charge the battery, completely circumventing the solar panels altogether. In this way, the solar light functions just the same as a normal wired or battery-powered lamp.
Camping solar ground spotlights also often feature a DC car charger adapter. If you’re out in nature and don’t have access to a mainframe electrical system, this can be a real-life saver. However, if you’re planning on using solar ground spotlights while hiking or camping, always charge them beforehand. All it takes is one longer-than-expected hike or placing the light in a shaded spot to drain your battery.
2. ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
Solar panels are specifically designed to capture sunlight. However, the panels can still charge using other forms of visible light. Artificial light comes from many different sources, but on average, it is usually far less intense and effective when compared to natural sunlight.
While it may seem counterintuitive to charge an electric light with another electric light, there are some situations where this may be a benefit. For example, you can conserve energy by charging your solar ground spotlights inside your house while you go about your daily activities. Once the sun sets, you can simply place them back outside. Alternatively, you could charge your lights in a well-lit public place if you don’t have access to an electricity port or the Sun.
As far as ordinary household lighting goes, incandescent bulbs emit wavelengths that are the most similar to sunlight. Unfortunately, incandescent lights are becoming more and more uncommon as homeowners switch to more efficient LED bulbs. If you have an incandescent light in your home, try to place your solar panel as close to the light as you can.
The Importance of Lumens
Lumens are the measure of brightness. When charging a solar panel, you’ll want to pick an artificial light source that has the highest number of lumens as it will be the most intense. This intensity will ‘mimic’ the power of the Sun, helping to charge your solar panel as quickly and efficiently as possible
A rough way to estimate how many lumens a household bulb produces is to look at the wattage. Basically, a higher wattage equals more lumens. For reference, sunlight on a summer’s day measures out to about 10,000 lumens per square foot. The closer you can get to this number, the faster your solar ground spotlights will charge under your artificial light.
Incandescent bulbs Fluorescent bulbs LED bulbs
Lumens Watts Watts Watts
250 25 4-9 3
450 40 9-13 4-5
800 60 13-15 6-8
1,100 75 18-25 9-13
1,600 100 23-30 16-20
2,000 125 28-40 20-25
2,600 150 30-55 25-28
LED’s are amazingly energy efficient close to 1/10 the watt usage of Incandescent
3. Indirect Sunlight
It may come as a surprise to learn that solar ground spotlights don’t actually need direct sunlight to charge. An indirect source can still provide some level of charge using your solar panels. If direct sunlight isn’t an option, a bright but shaded spot can work in a pinch.
One way to maximize efficiency with indirect sunlight is to place reflective surfaces or mirrors around your solar panels. These will help to direct more sunlight into your panels without having to physically move them. A mirror is the best choice, but a large, flat and white object can also work.
When using mirrors, pick some that are at least twice the size of your solar panels. This will ensure the panel is receiving as much sunlight as possible. It’s also recommended that you reposition the mirrors as the sun moves throughout the day.
Charging your solar ground spotlights in Cloudy Weather
It’s a cloudy and miserable day- there’s no way any sunlight is reaching your solar panels, right? No, not really. Regardless of the weather, quite a bit of sunlight can still manage to find its way to Earth’s surface.
When it’s cloudy outside, you can still get a decent or full charge for your solar ground spotlights depending on the size. On a particularly overcast day, solar panels are only around 20% as effective as they would be on sunny days. However, this is assuming there are no cloud breaks during the day, which is rare.
In inclement weather conditions, it’s recommended that you regularly dry your solar panels with a soft cloth. Precipitation can affect how much light your panels are receiving and may damage them if they aren’t fully sealed.
You should also angle your solar ground spotlights to face the sun directly as this will maximize your charging capabilities.
3 Ways to Make Sure you are Getting as Much Charge as Possible
If you’re using your solar panels in sub-optimal conditions, like cloudy weather or with artificial light, you need to make sure that you’re harvesting every ounce of power available to you. After all, if you might be cutting it close on whether you’ll have light tonight, it’s best to do what you can to maximize your chances of a good charge.
1. Angle your lights
Angling your solar ground spotlights directly at the sun or artificial light source may give you that little bit extra to maximize your charge. While you may not always be able to move a fixed solar light that’s mounted to a wall or installed on a fence post, you should try to get creative as possible.
It’s important to note that the sun is at its strongest during midday. Keep this in mind when moving your solar panels as this can greatly affect how much your battery charges. If you put out your panels in the morning, don’t forget to reposition them in the afternoon and evening as well.
2. Keep your Lights at an Ambient Temperature
Temperature is another factor that affects the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Extremely high temperatures are something that should be avoided at all costs as they can damage or decrease the efficiency of your solar panels.
Anything higher than 87 degrees Fahrenheit will result in a decrease in production of electricity. When installing your solar ground spotlights, avoid placing them on a dark surface as it will make the lights hotter during the day. If you’re using an indoor electric light to charge the panels, don’t place the solar light too close to the bulb as it will get too hot or pose a fire risk.
3. Keep your Solar Panels Clean
Removing any dirt or dust from your panels will help to ensure that light isn’t being blocked. A simple wipe with a bit of gentle soap, window cleaner, or some water will go a long way in terms of keeping your solar ground spotlights in good working condition.
Can you charge a solar light with a flashlight?
Yes, you can – artificial light (eg flashlight) is capable of charging your solar ground spotlights. The speed that the flashlight will charge the solar light depends on the brightness.
An average flashlight emits 100 lumens, so it will take much longer to charge your solar light as compared to being outside. As a comparison (in lumens), the average flashlight is 6.7% as powerful as a cloudy day and .1% as powerful as a sunny day!
So you don’t need sunlight for solar ground spotlights, but it definitely helps.
According to Philips (you know the lightbulb manufacturers):
Typical room illumination is 300-500 lumens, whereas outdoor light varies from 1500 lumens on a cloudy day to 100,000 lumens on a sunny day.
https://www.biling1.com/
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