#plus nooks should have some good stuff

[writingonjorvik]

Did it.

Was this ideal? Absolutely not, but the first week of every event is always rough. I know a lot of folks will contest the 18k, but under the assumption that SSE is going to follow their methods of increased gathering from (almost) every prior event, Hollow Woods was almost 33k before the price change and plenty of folks did that in a week. Is that overlooking the other methods of gathering from the Summer Camp and Hollow Woods? A little, but under the assumption that those things will be added as the event goes on. Is this still the best way to encourage people to play? Eh, you need like 500 a day which is a half hour of play time if you get a good loop, and that time will go down. I hold that judgement until later in the event personally, they may add a wisp and/or cache equivalent Wednesday and that would make progress feel a lot better.

The bigger issue I think with this track was the filter. I never personally had issues with the color filter, but it did make the map feel oppressive. Which, if you lean into the spooky ghost stories part of the season, is a vibe. But I know a lot of folks did have an issue with the filter, either with headaches and migraines or with making it feel like the event was depressing due to the lack of color. I think the markers for change to the filter are way too high. There is no noticeable change at the first quest (6k) other than some crystals lighting up, and the filter only drops to 50% at the second (12k).

I think there are far better ways to indicate lack of life in the village than the color filter that would have had less of an impact on the game, like the animals slowly returning or there being less visitors or some vendors (like the retro shop or cafe) being closed. The filter should have been dropped at like, the first reward, which should have been a boosted tutorial for free players who haven't played the Hollow Woods content yet. I think also instead of as many XP or shillings rewards, there should have been more quests to indicate this progress throughout, because the rewards as are made the whole thing feel slower for me as someone with all maxed horses.

If you want to make things a little more bearable, looking over any mechanics that may be added in future updates or big rewards in the Advent presents, here are my recommendations for getting through it:

Listen to something. I say this about training too. I was super behind on CR campaign 3 when the event started and I got through like 3 months of episodes in the process.

Avoid the ice as much as possible. The drift will only add time trying to catch singles. Do a pass for the piles, any singles on the way, and then do a circuit on solid ground.

Nooks are not worth it. You will get more mounds to respawn by running around the edge of the lake and then through the lake than you will going off into nooks for maybe a mound and more likely singles.

My circuit was to start by the small pond with penguins at the bottom of the ramp and circle clockwise until I reached the other side of the lake, and then I would counterclockwise on the lake to get back to the pond. Repeat.

Something I didn't notice at first, but EACH of the ice carvings reward 20 snowflakes, do all 4.

If you're saving the Advent for horse XP, day 7 is 500 snowflakes.

Have someone to share progress with. @centeris2 helped me with this, particularly today doing the last 4k.

The bar at the end is looping rewards for, as far as I can tell, just more HXP. Now, I've got a text RP and my new project to get back to because I couldn't just do this but also had to dive 10k + worldbuilding doc into a new project plus my home game's downtime stuff to do.

#star stable #star stable online #sso #woj analysis #starstableonline #starstable #ssoblr

[quiet-compassion]

OFMD Fluffvember Day 4: Sharing a Bed

(I'm still playing a bit of catch up with these prompts. Bear with me!)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/51441946

“More to the right, do you reckon? Or, should we try it on the other wall?”

“Ed, we’ve tried every wall in the room. It has to go here for flow! Plus, we’ll have a nice view out to the water from bed.”

“You’ll have a nice view, you mean. The window’s on your side,” Ed huffs.

Stede doesn’t meet his eyes at that. “Hmm, is it? Well, funny how things shake out.”

“Bitch,” Ed mutters affectionately, grabbing the corner of their newly built bedframe and shoving it into place. Stede rolls his eyes with a smirk, sliding the stool they have designated as an end table for the time being next to the bed. 

“That’s the furniture sorted then,” he says, rubbing his hands together. “Now for the fun bit!” He makes his way over to the other end of the room to the large trunk against the wall.

When they’d decided to leave The Revenge and stay on land they’d packed two trunks worth of stuff to take with them. The first was filled with supplies for the intensive reno work their ramshackle cabin was in desperate need of along with some basic necessities, like food, first-aid, and marmalade. The second trunk was full of what Stede had designated “comforts”—candlesticks, silk bedding, a porcelain teapot, and so on. Pulled from the remains of the plunder in Ed’s guilt room as well as a few little hideyholes around the ship that he hadn’t known to ransack, it was a collection of things intended to make their new life a bit more homey.

When they’d first arrived and set about making a plan for fixing things up, their bedroom had been near the very top on the list, behind only patching the roof and finding and removing whatever was causing the god-awful smell. It seemed only fitting; if you’re going to try to nurse a place with good bones back to health, better start with the heart.

Stede opens the comfort trunk now and begins rummaging through. “Bed linens first, I think. Eventually, we’ll need more pillows, but for now, we’ll have to share.”

Ed walks over to stand behind Stede as he pulls things out. “That’s fine, mate. You’re my pillow anyway.”

Stede shoots him an affectionate smile over his shoulder then pulls out a big bunch of fabric, turning to present it to Ed. It’s the sheer gold curtains from Stede’s bed nook onboard. “What do you think? They won’t be much help for keeping out sunlight really. But I thought they might help elevate the space.”

“Very fancy,” Ed agrees with a nod, reaching out for the curtains. “Give ‘em here and I’ll get to work hanging them.”

After passing them over, Stede resumes digging through the trunk. “There was a candelabra I stuck in here that I thought would be good for in here. I mean, it’s no chandelier but—”

From over by the window, Ed waits for Stede to finish his thought. When the silence lingers, he turns back around to find Stede staring down, mouth open, at something in the box. “Stede? Babe, you okay?”

“You kept this?”

“Kept what? What is it?”

Stede shakes his head slightly as if to clear it before reaching into the trunk and pulling out a framed painting of a lighthouse.

“Oh. That. Um, I did, yeah.” Ed clears his throat and shoves his hands in his pockets. He’s aiming for a casual posture, but probably missing it by a mile.

“How come?” Voice small, Stede stands, still clutching the painting, and takes a tentative step towards Ed. He seems so timid that any plans to deflect or play this situation off with a joke quickly evaporate from Ed’s mind. Instead, he closes the remaining distance between the two of them and reaches out to grab the other end of the frame. They hold it between them, with one hand each, Ed staring down at the painting, Stede staring up at Ed.

“It reminded me of you. Well, everything did, that’s why I,” he mimes chucking something over his shoulder with his free hand and barrels on. “I guess, this reminded me of us. Of that first night, and evading the Spanish, and sleeping up in the crow’s nest. And at first, honestly, I kept it to torture myself. To—to punish myself for letting someone in, for letting myself crack up on the rocks.”

Stede exhales sharply at that. “But then,” Ed continues, “you know, you found me. Not just found the ship I was on but…it was like you called out to my soul. I told you about the merman thing. So, when we were packing up shit to take with us, I thought, I better bring it because—” He has to steal himself to say the next part, it’s so painfully sincere. 

“Because you’re my guiding light.” 

He finally chances a glance at Stede to find him smiling gently back at him. They hold each other’s gaze for a moment before Ed finally lets go of his end of the painting and pulls Stede into a hug. He rests his head gently against Ed’s chest. 

“Oh Ed, that was beautiful.”

“Yeah, well. I try.” Stede chuckles lightly at that. 

“So,” Ed says after a moment, hand rubbing small circles on Stede’s back, “should we find a spot for it on the wall?” To his surprise, Stede gives a hum of uncertainty and pulls back to look at him.

“Well…look, Ed, it was an incredibly sweet gesture to bring it along—and I’m so glad you kept it!—but…I don’t really fancy having an anniversary present painted by my ex-wife in our bedroom. Not sure it inspires the right mood.”

Right. Ed almost forgot that part. He glances down at the painting in question with that slight twinge of distaste and jealousy that he can’t help but feel anytime Mary comes up in conversation. “Yeah, no. You’re right.”

Still though, lots of meaning attached to it. Seems a shame to get rid of the painting after all this.

“Perhaps in the front room?” Stede offers, seeing his dilemma. “A more neutral space. Out there it can be just a painting that fits our inn’s nautical theme and has special meaning to us.”

“That sounds perfect, love.”

#ofmd #ofmd fluffvember #blackbonnet #gentlebeard #stuff i write

[greycoffee]

Take My Hand, Give Me Your Soul and Fire

Pairing: Zack Addy/Seeley Booth

Summary: A rewrite based on 1x09 The Man in the Fallout Shelter where Zack finds it odd that he keeps bumping into Booth at every turn even though they're locked down in the lab. He discovers something about himself while observing him.

Part: 1/3

Word count: 4.5k

Song: Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol

My bones ache, my skin feels cold 

And I’m getting so tired and so old 

Zack winces as the needle pricks his buttock. He isn’t the biggest fan of getting shots but, if it means not dying of Valley fever, then he can set aside his feelings for the pointed instrument momentarily. He slides his pants back up, not that he had lowered them much, and glances awkwardly between his colleagues and the floor as they talk about what to do next now that they’re aware of side effects or symptoms they should look out for. 

For now, they’re told to get some rest. Hal, the head of the hazmat team, bids them a good night and reasures them not to be too worried before packing up the equipment. Once they leave the medico-legal lab, it’s his team’s turn to complain about their ruined holiday plans. Well, everyone except for one person. 

“You know what?” Booth says humorously. “I’ve never realized how pretty all this shiny stuff is.” 

The others watch him with mixed feelings of awe and jealousy solely for the fact that Booth is the only one with the preferable side effects. There’s not much that they can do other than discuss how they should get some sleep and then regroup in the morning to examine the unidentified remains now that they have the time to do so. Once the sleeping bags are brought in, everyone grabs a sleeping bag before dispersing to their little nooks. 

Hodgins claps the back of Zack’s shoulder. “I’m calling our workstation if you want to bunk with me.” 

Zack doesn’t say anything but nods as he considers taking Hodgins’ offer, it’s the most logical seeing as they’re closer and more accustomed to each other’s presence. Plus, they’ve shared the same sleeping area before after having a few too many drinks while watching anticipated basketball games. There was no other reason as to why he shouldn’t. 

He’s ready to follow Hodgins and grab a sleeping bag from the lone pile when his eyes latch on to the only other person who’s been quietly staring at the lab’s light fixtures. Booth turns away from the twinkling lights and locks eyes with him, the doltish smile still plastered across his face. Panic shoots up Zack’s chest and bubbles at the cusp of his throat as he looks for something to say. 

Booth is acknowledging him, and although he might not be saying anything he’s maintaining eye contact, which is something he isn’t used to. He feels like he’s under some kind of spotlight. 

“You see this?” Booth asks him as glances back at the lights, his eyes speckled with their reflection. “Wow, I mean these are… beautiful.” 

Zack’s fingers twitch from where they hang uselessly by his side. His eyes flit from one side of the lab to the other in a last-ditch effort at shifting Booth’s attention from him onto something else. There’s no one else in the lab other than the two of them. 

“Uh, Agent Booth?” 

All he receives is a noncommittal, “Yeah?” 

“Shouldn’t you be with Dr. Brennan?” 

At the mention of the anthropologist’s name, Booth turns, his brown eyes on him once more. 

“Bones?” he asks. Zack nods. “Should I be?” 

“I suppose not, but you always accompany her wherever she goes.” 

Booth lightly scoffs. “No, I don’t.” 

“Yes, you do,” he refutes. He’s not sure where his sudden burst of dissent is coming from but it doesn’t burrow itself back down immediately. “You tend to seek her out whenever you’re assigned to a case that requires the Jeffersonian’s resources.” 

“Because the FBI and the Jeffersonian have an agreement.” 

Zack shakes his head. “Although that’s true you never seek the others. You always seek out Dr. Brennan specifically.” 

Booth’s eyes shift and there’s an odd emotion in them Zack can’t quite identify (not that he can recognize most of the looks people give him anyway). All he knows is Booth would never give him this type of look during their regular, albeit limited, interactions. 

“Yeah well,” Booth scratches at the corner of his mouth and sniffs, “Dr. Goodman assigned her as the leader of your squint team, she’s the most qualified to be in and out of the field when it comes to our joint forces… we work well together.” 

“We as in?” 

“The FBI and the Jeffersonian,” Booth says quickly with an awkward smile. 

Zack doesn’t know what to make of that so he agrees. “Right.” 

“Right.” 

Booth goes back to staring at the lights. Zack sighs and makes up his mind to get the man’s attention again. He carefully makes his way over and lays a hand on Booth’s arm. It works and he earns a mildly confused Booth staring at the sudden touch. 

“Let’s go find Dr.Brennan,” he says with much effort. Zack feels like his heart’s going to shoot out of his chest; he’s sure Booth would be able to pinpoint his location with the sound alone if he had a gun trained on him in a dark room. “She’ll know what to do with you and I’ll get to keep all of my fingers.” 

“Why wouldn’t you keep all of your fingers?” he asks, genuinely confused. 

“Because I’m laying them on you?” 

Booth’s eyes soften.“You know I don’t mean it when I threaten you and Hodgins, right? I’d never hurt you.” 

Zack almost wishes the agent would threaten to shoot him and stuff his lanky body somewhere obscure where no one would find him. However, something inside of him grows fond of this side of Booth he’s never let him see and he learns why. It isn’t difficult to develop some kind of soft spot for him. 

The corners of his lips twitch upward. “Of course I do.” 

Booth returns his attention to look ahead of them, his eyes following the lights from time to time as they make their way to Brennan’s office. Zack’s sure he hears the FBI agent mutter some things under his breath but pays no attention to his hallucinogenic ramblings; he’s focused on getting Booth to Brennan in one piece and bruiseless… if only Booth could stop looking up at the lights every five seconds. 

*

“Where are you going?” 

“To the restroom,” Zack answers, showing Hodgins the packaged toothbrush and toothpaste they were provided with. “I just remembered that I haven’t brushed my teeth.” 

Hodgins made a sound of acknowledgment before settling comfortably into his sleeping bag and tucking the fabric beneath his arms. 

“If you find any eggnog that managed to survive the bone dust, bring it over.” 

Zack gives a short laugh. “No promises.” 

He can practically hear Hodgins roll his eyes and takes that as his cue to leave before he gets something thrown at the back of his head. 

The bathroom’s empty like it typically is even in hours of service. Still, Zack waits a few seconds to see if anyone’s inside before walking over to a sink and running his toothbrush under the faucet. The bristles are harsh on his gums but he powers through it finding that he’ll find it considerably worse if he doesn’t brush at all. 

He rests a palm on the cold counter and leans into it, humming to himself as he gets into every crevice that he can. Zack rolls his head onto his shoulder and eases into the peaceful quiet especially after the commotion where everyone had been so quick to point the finger at one another. The quiet felt duly needed and he’s grateful for it. 

However, as if a testament to his dwindling luck, the door to the restroom opens and Zack looks up at the mirror to see a quiet and mild-tempered Booth waltzing in. Well, the mild-tempered part doesn’t last for long as the man’s entire demeanor changes the second he realizes he isn’t alone inside the men’s restroom. Zack almost finds it endearing actually. The sudden change in conduct reminds him of his sister’s golden retriever when he returns home for the holidays: bright, captivating eyes, perked ears, and a wagging tail that smacks him when she begs for pets. 

No, he reminds himself. Booth isn’t a dog and he doesn’t have a tail — but if he did, it would definitely be wagging, he concludes. 

“Zack,” the man breathes out a sigh of… relief? 

Zack quickly looks away from the mirror to spit in the sink. “Booth, what are you doing here?” 

“I was looking for —” he stops to look for the right words to say “— the restroom.” 

Zack cups a hand of water and rinses out the toothpaste before using the sleeve of his graphic tee to wipe away the remaining water that clung to the corners of his mouth. 

“Well, I just finished up here.” He finds that he can’t keep the eye contact Booth’s been so insistent on holding with him anymore and he looks down at the wet sink. “Restroom’s all yours.” 

“No, it’s okay. I’m not rushing you.” 

He rinses his brush and taps it against the edge of the basin all the while stealing a glance at Booth; he finds it odd that the man hasn’t moved. Zack decides to crack a little joke with Booth and see where he is in terms of reality while putting his toiletries away. No one really knows how long it’ll take for the effects to wear off. 

“So, did you finally wear Dr. Brennan’s patience down or did Angela kick you out?” 

No response. 

Okay, maybe Booth’s back to ignoring him. That’s fine with him, he knows what to do when Booth isn’t acknowledging him anyway. It’s clockwork. 

“I’m sorry by the way,” he muses. “I didn’t mean to blame you for keeping us here at the lab, I was just annoyed that you brought something for Brennan to —” 

The sound of footsteps causes him to look up at the mirror and see Booth approaching him. There’s something off about him, an indecipherable look in his eyes. It’s quick, like the snap of a rubber band tenfold, but noticeable all the same. Zack barely has any time to turn around and face him by the time Booth’s standing directly in front of him, the proximity of his broad chest making him take a step back until he’s met with the cold countertop digging into his lower back. His eyes snap up to meet Booth’s own, who are watching him curiously. 

“Why do you keep bringing up Bones?” 

Zack feels like prey being stared down by a predator, save for the fear that would usually be instilled in the prey, he feels small. There was something else deep within him. The sensation roiling in his abdomen wasn’t dread he knew that much, but it was disquieting nonetheless. He swallows anxiously and the motion triggers something in the man in front of him. 

Booth leans in closer and Zack feels his chest press against his own. It’s warm unlike the room they’re in, the dichotomy between his warmth and the cold marble drove him crazy, like a circuit on the fritz. He quickly shot his hands up and put them between them to stop the sensation. His palms pressed against Booth’s shirt while the pads of his fingers connected with exposed skin just above the seams. The feeling crackles and burns his fingers like exposed wire. 

It did nothing to calm the feeling. 

“Dr. Brennan this. Dr. Brennan that.” Booth’s breath fans over his cheek as he leans down, his arms caging Zack in. “You’re driving me crazy.” 

Zack finds it odd that Booth’s breath is fresh and minty. He assumed Booth had also forgotten to brush his teeth, like he had, and had therefore entered the restroom to do so but now he isn’t sure. 

“I’m sorry,” he pushes through a single breath and squeezes his eyes shut. “I just thought that, since the two of you work together, you’d appreciate spending more time with her. I’m surprised you’ve even acknowledged me for this long.” 

“I already spend enough time with her during work, Zack.” His body trembles at the way his name sounds coming from Booth’s lips. “Ever thought that maybe I felt intimidated by you? All that knowledge stored inside that pretty little head of yours and I don’t know what to say without making a fool out of myself in front of you?” 

Zack blinks. Huh? 

Before he can ask what he meant, ask for some type of clarification, Booth withdraws his arms and takes a step back. Zack feels his skin prickle at the cold that rushes over him and finds that he misses the warmth, the way his body felt pressed against Booth’s, he craves its comfort and pulls closer — he snaps himself out of his thoughts and looks up to see that Booth is still standing close, brown eyes dark and piercing. His body betrays him and he shivers. 

They stand there, looking at each other for a few moments, when Zack finally gains the ability to speak.

“It’s late,” he whispers. Booth nods. “I told Hodgins I was only going to go brush my teeth. He’s probably taken my sleeping bag hostage by now.” 

Booth blinks and his gaze softens. “You were getting ready for bed?” 

Zack nods, not fully trusting his voice. 

“Sorry for keeping you up.” 

Heat rushes up Zack’s face, he’s unsure why. He wants to jump off of the Jeffersonian’s roof. 

“It’s okay.” 

* 

“What’s he doing here?” 

Hodgins is no longer inside his sleeping bag by the time the two of them get back to the shared sleeping space. It looks as though his friend had been ready to go looking for him if he hadn’t come back the moment he had… he isn’t even sure how he’d attempt to explain why Booth had pinned him against the bathroom counter if he had found them. In all honesty, he still isn’t sure how to explain it to himself. 

Some sort of display of dominance? Zack’s already seen Booth do that on a few occasions but he’s proven his dominance over him on multiple occasions through a multitude of ways. This time it felt different. 

Ugh, he really — really — wants to jump off of the Jeffersonian’s roof. Lucky, or rather unlucky for him, they’re in quarantine and he didn’t have access to it. 

“He followed me here,” he whispers to Hodgins as he makes his way over to his sleeping bag. 

“You know I’m just high, not deaf, right?” 

“Shut it, Shrooms.” Hodgins points at him and then shoots a mildly annoyed look at Zack. “I can’t believe out of all of us he’s the one who gets to be blissfully stoned out of his mind.” 

So far, from how he’s seen Booth act, Zack’s not sure he wants to be blissed out of his mind. He’d rather be in control of himself, thank you very much. 

Booth walks over to a shelf stocked full of all sorts of equipment and pulls something out of its proper place. He turns it over in his hands, reading the label if it has one before putting it back to grab something else. If it doesn’t have a label he proceeds to ask Hodgins, who only has so much patience before he’s itching at the band on his wrist, what it is. Zack steps in and answers a few of Booth’s questions to diffuse the situation. 

Booth grows quiet for a few moments… before moving onto the next shelf and pulling something else to examine. Zack goes to take it out of his hand and shush him before he can ask but he’s too late. 

“So what does this –” 

“Alright, out.” Hodgins shoots up into a seated position. “Both of you need to go find somewhere else to sleep.” 

Zack scrunches his brow in confusion. “Both of us? C’mon —” 

“Yes, both of you. You brought your little friend here and he’s worn my patience down enough.” 

Zack groans and, not wanting to put up a fight, pulls both his sleeping bag and pillow off of the observation table. He doesn’t even attempt to roll it back up and lets it drag across the floor as he makes his way to the door. When he doesn’t hear footsteps behind him, Zack turns to look at Booth and glares at him. 

“You heard him.” 

Booth falls into step with him. “Where are we going?” 

“We’re going to my office.” 

“You have an office?” 

“Kinf of… not really,” he says as he tries to find the right words to use. “I call it my office but it’s more of a workstation than an actual office. There’s a couch thrown in there by the Jeffersonian but it’s nothing like Dr. Brennan’s.” 

“Huh. For some reason, I never entertained the idea that you'd have an office.” 

Zack spares him a glance. “Not sure why you’d waste a second of your day wondering if I had an office or not.” 

Booth hums as if reminding himself of something. “Right.” 

Zack looks up to see him staring straight ahead, a pensive notch carved on his brow. He decides not to question what that look meant, it’s far too late and Booth’s been enough of a pain in the ass as of tonight. He just wants to sleep and hopes that somehow they will all be given the green light to go home when they wake in the morning. 

Zack smiles at the sight of his ‘office’ door and pushes it. Thankfully, it’s a part of the quarantine zone and it opens without much resistance. Booth follows close behind and gives a quick look around, not that there’s much to look at. 

He doesn’t have much in there, not many personal things at least. He keeps most of his belongings in his apartment, of course, but a few things are scattered throughout his workspace like his favorite books mixed in with research texts and trinkets from shows or comics he enjoys. Besides that, he has a throw pillow his little brother made him a few years back when he first moved out to DC. It was one of the first sewing projects he made in his art class that had sturdy enough stitches in it to have not fallen apart during the move. He makes his way over to the couch and fluffs the pillow before returning it to its rightful spot. 

Right, they still need to figure sleeping arrangements out. There’s enough room for Booth to set up his sleeping bag parallel to the couch if he moves the cart of tools closer to the shelf. Zack turns to instruct him to do as such when he realizes a crucial detail. 

“Where’s your sleeping bag?” 

“My what?” Booth’s confusion only serves to raise Zack’s eyebrows… until he remembers and snaps his fingers. “Oh right, I left it with your boss.” 

“You left it with Dr. Brennan?” 

He shakes his head. “Your boss’ boss.” 

Was that who Booth was with prior to finding him in the restroom? He hadn’t spoken much with the others after they had all gone their separate ways but it wasn’t too far of an assumption that Booth would’ve bunked with Dr. Goodman; Booth never did fit the type of person that likes being alone. 

“If you left it with Dr. Goodman, then why aren’t you with him?” 

“I – good question – I don’t know.” 

“You don’t know?” 

“Eh.” 

Zack smacks a hand over his face. “Okay well you can either return to Goodman so you can sleep in your own sleeping bag, or –” he raises the sleeping bag “– you can stay here and take mine.” 

The gesture surprises both him and Booth. He’s not sure why he’s giving Booth an option; knowing Booth, he would take the option to spend as little time with the socially awkward assistant anthropologist. But this new side of Booth? Zack isn’t sure what he’d do now… and he’s a little curious as to what he’ll do. Besides he would feel bad for kicking him out after Hodgins had done the same. 

“You’re letting me bunk with you?” 

Zack shrugs and furthers the man into making a decision by motioning Booth to take the lump of fabric in his hand. “I’m being nice and letting you take this rather than the cramped couch.” 

Booth smiles in that dopey way he’s been doing since receiving the shot. Even his eyes have this odd attentiveness to Zack in a way he’s still not used to… he’s not quite sure what to make of it or how it’s related to the side effects of the shot. 

“You are nice.”

Zack’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “That’s what I just said?” 

“I –” Booth sighs and fails to continue his thought before taking the sleeping bag. “Never mind.” 

Silence falls over them as they tend to their sleeping arrangements. Zack plops the pillow on one end before dropping himself onto the couch and hugging his brother’s throw pillow to his chest. He stares up at the ceiling and listens as Booth zips himself into the sleeping bag, the rustling fading as he settles into it. 

“These are far more comfortable than the army–mandated ones we got in Kosovo.” 

Zack stays quiet for a good second before something in him prompts him to blurt out: “Army–mandated?” 

“Yeah —” he hears Booth take a deep breath “— we never got much sleep but when we did, and if we were lucky, we’d get a few hours of sleep in these really thin sleeping bags. We were extremely lucky to even get them sometimes.” 

“That sounds terrible.” 

“It was terrible,” he chuckles quietly. “You wouldn’t believe the places we used to get some shut-eye.” 

“Try me. I’ll listen,” Zack says quietly when he doesn’t say anything else. Booth looks up and they lock eyes, curious eyes chipping at his to find some answer. “Where else did you sleep?” 

A faint smile graces Booth’s lips. 

“Anywhere we could. We’d sleep inside our operation vehicles, sometimes on or under them. Depending on where we were, sometimes we’d dig a trench and bunk there. And sometimes, if you wanted some space away from the others, you would go look for an isolated spot in some shrubbery or other foliage.” 

“What if you overslept? Wouldn’t you be left behind?” 

“Yeah, well… it happened to me once.” 

Zack turns on his side and peers over the edge with an alarmed look on his face. “What?” 

Booth snorts, entertained by his outrage. “I mean yeah, but they found me not long after. I woke up to see the OV gone and none of my teammates there.” 

“Weren’t you terrified?” 

Booth’s eyes flit to the ceiling above them. “Of course I was. We were close to enemy territory and we had been very close to being spotted a few times but we toughed up, we pulled through. We were trained for those kinds of situations.” 

“I’m assuming you found each other again.” 

“Maybe half an hour later they realized I wasn’t in the vehicle and they hauled ass to turn around and find me.” 

Zack feels the need to lighten up the mood a bit. He’s sure that what Booth just told him is something extremely personal that’s probably left him feeling vulnerable, so telling him a story from his own past might be helpful. From what Angela’s told him about interacting with other people, replicating conversation or body language is beneficial to forming a connection with someone. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot. 

“One time when I was twelve, my brother thought it would be funny to prank me by taking me out of our shared tent and leaving me out on an open field in the middle of January.” 

Booth does this sound like he doesn’t know if he should laugh but does anyway. “Older brother?” 

“Third oldest, just by three years.” 

“Sounds about right. Older brothers can be a pain in the ass like that.” The smile on Booth’s face turns mischievous. “So what happened?” 

“Luckily we were only camping in the woods behind our house, but he pulled out the air mattress I was on and packed everything up just before breakfast was called,” he explains and stops for a second to brace himself. He’s not sure why he feels embarrassed telling him now and curls into the pillow. “I woke up buried in a pile of blankets and snow with a deer licking my face.” 

Booth breaks out into a fit of laughter and Zack feels his face burn hot. He presses his face against the pillow in a poor attempt to hide it. Rarely does he see Booth this talkative and unabashedly open so hearing his boisterous laughter tugs at something in his chest. 

“I just thought of the perfect nickname for you and it’s better than Mini Bones,” he says between gasps of air. “It’s perfect.” 

Zack’s aware of that nickname, Booth’s called him as such before and he found no offense to it. If anything, it was an honor, he is her assistant after all. (Even if the name was at the expense of Dr. Brennan.) Still, he’s intrigued as to what Booth could’ve come up with so quickly. 

“You did?” 

Booth tilts his head away, stifling (poorly, may he add) more laughter. It’s an odd gesture to do, seeing as he’s already laughed a couple of times inside the enclosed space, but Zack says nothing and studies his features. The stretch of his neck, the slight crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes, the lightly scarred tissue stretched over his knuckles and forearm as he hides his laughs behind his hand, the scrunching of his nose. He takes it all in. 

He knows this won’t last. The effects of the shot will wear off by morning and everything will go back to normal. Booth will go back to ignoring him and Zack will go back to stealing little glances when they share the den during cases. 

“You ready for it?” Booth regains enough breath and turns to look at him with teary eyes. “Bambi!” 

Zack groans and rolls onto his back. He takes it back, he really hopes it goes back to normal after tonight so Booth wouldn’t have to call him that. 

“Oh, c’mon it’s great!” 

“I should’ve taken you back to Dr. Goodman. Let him deal with you.” 

“Don’t be mean, Bambi.” 

“Do not call me Bambi, it’s demeaning. I’m a Ph.D. student and deserve the utmost respect.” 

“But you look just like him: lanky, fluffy hair, big brown eyes, long eyelashes… all the reason to call you Bambi,” he teases with a stupidly charming grin. “Y’know, you’re cute when you’re annoyed.” 

Zack freezes, astounded by the comment, and unsure how to respond to something like that. Booth just said he’s cute — scratch that — he said he’s cute when he’s annoyed. He’s merely saying this to get a rise out of him. Zack opens his mouth to tell him just that but finds that Booth has already closed his eyes and is humming to himself, the notes later replaced with soft breathing within a matter of seconds. 

“Booth?” Zack asks and receives a soft grunt. He can’t help but smile softly. You only have tonight, he reminds himself. And that’s fine. “Goodnight.” 

“Night, Bambi.” 

#bones tv #zack addy #seeley booth #forced proximity #literal sleeping together #light angst #like its barely there #getting together #getting to know each other #zack addy x seeley booth

[heedra]

I'm trying to get into caves of qud after seeing you post about it but i'm finding it so hard! Do you have any tips for a new player pls? ty

oh man, yeah, the starting curve can be really really difficult! here's my tips for how i get a run off the ground! 1. Avoid min-maxing on a build while you're still getting a feel for what different stats can do for you. Even if you have a very specific idea in mind, it's way more important to have a strong core than idealized stats at game start. Dipping very low on any stat will be punishing in different ways so plan carefully 2. Start in Joppa if you're new to the game. Even a procgen village that's still in the marshes is a way less controlled starting environment.

3. The chests in Joppa that are in rooms with closeable doors can be opened as long as you are in the room, alone, with the door closed. You can often find enough artifacts in there to complete Argyve's first two initial fetchquests right away, which brings you up to level 2 immediately. Even if you don't, you will find stuff to help round out your starting gear! I don’t always do this, and it’s not like, a necessary step, but its good to know about. 4. The chests in Argyve's hut can also be safely opened in his presence as soon as you complete these first two quests and get made his apprentice, if you're looking for more gear with less theft involved. 5. OBTAIN A MISSILE WEAPON AND AMMO FOR IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Cannot stress how many runs I've lost very early because I think to myself 'maybe this time I'll be fine leaving town without a ranged weapon'. There are a lot of enemies that are easy later who you really do not want to touch you at low levels. Even if it's just a shortbow, you want something you can kite and run with. If I start with a bow, I generally pick up all the ammo the merchant has, so that if I pick up a better missile weapon with different ammo requirements later, I'm prepared. 6. Don't do the starting quests straight away! I generally try to spend my first levels exploring the salt marshes and hunting crocs and then only try hitting up Red Rock around level 5 unless I'm really confident I've got a tough build for close-range melee going. There are some valuable things in the marshes that you can stumble across to make your starting game easier, such as a very high-tier merchant and a set of mechanical wings that you can repair post-Red Rock to get in and out of the Rustwells fast. Plus, exploring is fun! 7. If you do just want a big glob of xp that you can obtain relatively safely you can also get the zealot's quest and high-tail it to the Six-Day-Stilt immediately. The desert is pretty safe to traverse if you only do so during daylight, bc you can see the whole tile at once and avoid tiles with enemies. (And if you are traveling to the Stilt at a low level you will want to avoid every hostile creature you see). Completing this quest awards you a big packet of xp, and the Stilt has further opportunities to get xp. (You should honestly always go get this quest first thing even if you don’t intend to complete it for a while, because the zealot doesn’t stick around forever).

8. If you're playing a truekin, you can find at least one guaranteed Becoming Nook and credits to use it at the Rusted Archway, but be warned that this is definitely something you want to do after your starting stuff, it's a little tougher than Red Rock. If you haven't found any cybernetics stuff before this point tho its a really good resource.

9. There is nothing wrong with cutting and running from situations. In fact, even at higher levels, the biggest tool in your arsenal is knowing when you need to bail on a situation and having the means to do so.

10. Do still be prepared to die. A lot. Starting out in Caves of Qud means learning through your own death quite often. I'm still occasionally finding novel new ways the world around me can kill me! It's part of the experience!

#caves of qud #long post #also try out roleplay mode if you haven't #its a great way to learn with less punishment if you die #my first big runs were roleplay runs and those let me fuck around and find out enough to feel confident doing classic mode runs

[acepalindrome]

Plans for my OFMD/pirate island in Animal Crossing:

- the entry from the airport leads into a dock area with most of the villager houses floating on the docks, plus resident services surrounded by castle walls to turn it into a pirate-y fort. Mostly completed, just needs more decorations (I constantly need more barrels.)

- north of the docks is the shopping district with Nooks and Able’s, plus Spanish Jackie’s bar and some stalls with various pirate stuff for sale (ranging from cannonballs and cannons to art supplies and fine fabrics.) Very much a wip right now.

- Past the shopping district is a land bridge leading to the Revenge! Very heavily based on this build because it’s huge and perfect and great for customizing with your own designs to make the ship unique. Highly recommend it if you’ve got the room for a big ship on your island, it takes a while to put together but it looks great. I’ve got the basic build but still working on decorations.

- Left of the docks is Blackbeard’s Bar and Grill (aka Ed’s house,) featuring outdoor dining on the beach. The main room of his house is the bar to order from, then a room for the main kitchen, a separate kitchen for the bakery and desserts because Edward ‘Sweet-tooth’ Teach needs a whole room just for sugary goodness, a gift shop, a bar in the basement (don’t tell Spanish Jackie she’s got a rival) and Ed’s living space upstairs which is a mix of Ed’s goth aesthetics and his new found appreciation of fine things. And jars of marmalade for a midnight snack.

- North of Ed’s house is Izzy’s, cluttered with a lot of barrels and boxes to store the extra supplies from the restaurant, and lots of books and stacks of papers for the guy who’s managing the bookkeeping (he’s got to have a job around here to keep him busy or he gets unsettled and cranky.) His house is mostly devoted to keeping Ed’s business running smoothly, but he does have a nice little room for his pet snake that’s all decorated like a jungle so his little noodle buddy has lots of enrichment (and a few hamster cages for food, because he’s a brutal realist.) He’s also got a surprisingly cozy bedroom, if you can find your way there past all the clutter.

- Next to Izzy’s house is a small farm to supply Blackbeard’s Bar and Grill with fresh produce. Does Izzy manage the farm? Do Ed and Izzy care for the farm together and are working through their decades of issues through the very therapeutic act of growing things together? Maybe! Also don’t ask why there are milk cans. You don’t need to know where the milk came from.

- Right from the docks is an orange grove and little collection of stands to buy oranges, orange juice, and all manner of foods made with oranges. Also a little informational sign about the dangers of scurvy and why you should eat more oranges. And a little medical area in case you already have scurvy.

- North of the orange grove is Stede’s house, featuring a very ornate and very gay rainbow garden out front. His house is also on a little island with a dock outback overlooking a lighthouse. Surely nothing dramatic will happen on that dock. Inside of his house is Stede’s library, auxiliary wardrobe, a nice comfy bathroom in case anyone needs to cry in the tub, and a very comfy bedroom with the framed lighthouse picture. The whole house is loaded with all his weird little nicknacks.

- And at the top of the island, west of the Revenge, is a whole lot of insane foliage! Just a big tropical jungle to explore with lots of natural beauty and hidden treasure (and a petrified orange, if you search hard enough. It’s just a rock I buried at the base of an orange tree, but yknow.)

- There’s also a small beach that’s Frenchie and Wee John’s hangout spot with lots of fire and musical instruments, plus Wee John’s doll, a nice picnic blanket for them to chill on, and plenty of gyroids to sing along with Frenchie.

- There’s a hidden beach north of the natural area where Lucius comes to hang out and sketch people. There are lots of art supplies, books and an art easel featuring an eggplant. There are also eggplant and cucumber items around. For no particular reason. Nothing to do with Lucius’ subject matter at all.

- I haven’t started it at all but I want to use another beach to make a fish market and some other stalls to represent other characters. A food stall with lots of meat for Roach, a bunch of knives for sale for Jim…a stall selling crocs for Olu? Still figuring that one out.

- Also near Blackbeard’s Bar and Grill is a turtle and a crab facing each other as if in combat. Calico Jack has been here.

#ofmd #each of the houses only has about one decorated room a piece #and everything else on the list is like 25% finished #got a lot of basic layouts for builds

[yukihime242]

The last time I talked about Animal Crossing, I was guilty restarting my island countless times. But I can reassure you that I have not attempted any restart since.

(GIF Source: GIPHY on Pinterest thru’ Google Image Search)

I think I last left off trying to catch insects to donate to Blathers? I can’t remember... Anyway, I think I have made good progress in the game. 

Firstly, scouting out villagers in the random islands.

(Picture Source: Game Boy World thru’ Google Image Search)

I came to the point where I had to furnish three housing plots. I figured that before I complete the furnishing, I could try to scout some villagers in the random islands. 

I mean, everyone has preferences, right? I went ahead to grind for Nook Miles daily to save up enough to redeem a Nook Miles ticket and make my way to the random island in hopes of catching a decent villager.

I do have my own wish list of villagers but since I am starting out, I decided to be not picky about who should come to my island. At the end of weeks of hunting and grinding, I finally got an octopus, a deer, and a peacock. 

After they moved in, Tom Nooks shut the gates on the Residential Services Tent for renovation.

(Picture Source: Animal Crossing Wiki Fandom thru’ Google Image Search)

It was a good one day break from the game since there isn’t much for me to do. When I went back into the game, the new Residential Services building was up and running.

Here comes the second thing. I had to build a campsite. I wasn’t very keen on putting many buildings on the grassy area because eventually, I am going to transform the island. The only place I know that is untouchable are the sandy areas.

Hence, the campsite went on to the beach and it took a couple of days for someone to set up tent at the campsite.

(Picture Source: Animal Crossing Wiki Fandom thru’ Google Image Search)

This time, it was an eagle. So, I invited him to stay on the island and Tom Nook was very impressed with my fast work. I set up a housing plot on the beach and the eagle most likely will move in the next day.

Story wise, that was the progression. Island wise, it is another tale.

For now, I have decided to remove all trees in the area, including those on the cliffs. That’s because I need a clean space for me to do terraforming in future once I get the terraforming kit. It seems like I am deforesting the areas faster than I hoped but I guess it is for the best.

Most of the things I do on my island were based on the Nook Miles dailies. But it is in good progression and plus, I have managed to rack up a hell lot of Nook Miles. Moreover, I have expanded my house twice and it now has an extra room at the back. Of course, each expansion comes with debts, but I am also clearing them really fast. The current one I am clearing, I only left 200,000 bells to clear.

(Picture Source: Reddit thru’ Google Image Search)

I guess it is thanks to the constant daily grinding and selling of stuff that I managed to rack up so much bells. 

Right now, my goal is to try and get K.K. to come to the island so that I could get my hands on the terraforming kit. I have a couple of ideas regarding my island and I am very eager to start working on it. But for now, since I just started building the campsite, I probably need to stick to grinding and racking up bells and miles.

I also hoped to quickly expand my house as much as I could so that I could finally do a proper decoration. My house is now a cluster of things thrown inside the living room.

#yukihime's gaming updates #animal crossing new horizon #animal crossing #acnh

[gayfink]

Looking for Decor Advice? Look At This Report

A lot of people will not understand how simple and quick property interior design can be. nội thất kiến trúc could allow you to commit a weekend doing work around the home and have something stunning prior to the new few days will begin. Use a few of the concepts that comply with as creativity for your residence and beautify your house to match your persona. Decor is produced less difficult having a software package. There are lots of programs that will help you to have a photo of your own present place and create your personal style inside of that image. This really is a great way to envision the changes within the space prior to making them happen. For those who have little house windows and wish to cause them to seem greater, hang drapery on top of the ceiling to elongate your windows. By dangling the rods near to the ceiling and getting the drapes dangle on the ground it allows the windowpane the result that it is actually greater than what it is. Don't hesitate of color! So many people continue to keep white colored wall space with their house since they are unclear what hues would work on their behalf. You don't have to go insane with shade--even piece of art 1 wall structure a vibrant coloration changes the feel of the place. Should you be hesitant to color, begin with toss special pillows in dazzling hues to see your opinion. If you're sensing uninspired, select a one part you like and build your living space close to that. Do you have a household heirloom lamp you're thrilled to present? A attractively framed picture of all your family members? If you use a part, you cherish as a place to start, it'll be easy to create a whole space that feels unique. Use numerous degrees of illumination. By utilizing illumination in your layout you may attain multiple appears in a space. An over head gentle is normally essential, but try out setting up a dimmer change so that you can fluctuate the level and produce ambiance later in the day. Mount emphasize lighting effects to create concentration to craft pieces. Task lights are also essential for studying nooks or home prep locations. Multiple-degree illumination will enable you to create a lot of vibes with a single style. When hanging pictures, try to team like subject matter and structures collectively. The series should be the focal point in the place and organized in the bounds of any imaginary greater framework including each piece on the inside together with the objective of complementing the other and all of them working in artistic equilibrium. When undertaking an interior decorating project, it can be smarter to choose parts which are incredible rather than trendy. Stuff in the newest fad is going to be outdated inside of a few years therefore you are better off beautifying your room with items which will stand the test of your time. In this way you won't must consistently maintain modernizing your living space. A good interior-layout suggestion is just not to acquire too carried apart with colour. There were numerous research created on coloration and how they may impact you. Although you may adore robust shades, and they fit with your persona, the subsequent family or couple that moves in may be put off by them. Always maintain functionality in your mind when you're designing an area. You should take into account your day to day usage of your room. Consider if certain characteristics will prevent your everyday usage. Will it come to be hard to maneuver all around? Will it become annoying and impede you? Your room should be efficient most of all. You should now see that it can be rather an easy task to develop decor modifications to your house. Some understanding plus some creativity can significantly help inside the transformation of your property. Use what you discovered in this article as inspiration to get a place to start towards the inside improvement of your residence.

#thiết kế nội thất #mẫu cầu thang gỗ #t

[lindgaardvfsfernandez]

Solar Air Conditioning (SAC) - Guilt-Free Ease and comfort for Summers

Early summers usually bring the pleasant respite from the particular bone chilling winters, but come The spring & May, the particular summer heat starts taking its cost, both physically and also mentally. And any time that is a tropical weather, as in most pieces of India, typically the hot days may be all together stressful. The power levels associated with individuals decrease in addition to so does their own productivity.

This is definitely when the present day working day Air conditioning provides a God Present. A very huge no . of Offices, laboratories, hotels, general public buildings are today fitted with air health systems. Centralized Atmosphere Conditioning Systems guarantee cooling in just about every nook and corner with the working room.

While this all good hunky dory, their not. Extensive surroundings conditioning is synonymous to heavy electric power consumption (and wastage) leading to not merely heavy electricity charges and also the dreaded frequent power outages. The next step is - associated with course - DG sets, to bring the desired comfort inside your home, while puffing outside clouds of dark smoke with very high levels associated with sound pollution for the outside planet and the atmosphere to endure.

In the middle of saving ourselves from your fury of the nature, we are inadvertently attacking the particular nature more in addition to more, which keeps coming back even more intensely every now and then. One associated with the biggest parts of concern thus will be the impending danger because of the rising world temperature ranges (Global warming!! ). So what should we do in order to survive and endure with comfort?

Let's take a not forget we now have an immense source of power in the quite Sun that we're shielding ourselves coming from. One answer is Generation of power using sun's vitality. It's free in addition to for now many of us can safely believe, unlimited. Yes, solar power can light upwards our homes and even cook our foodstuff. But can it also cool our own houses? The solution again is yes. Solar air conditioning, a revolutionary and upcoming technological innovation, provides the solution.

Solar air conditioningrefers to the air health and fitness (cooling) system that will uses solar powered energy. A new liquid or possibly a gaseous substance either grows on the area of your solid, porous substance (adsorption) or even is taken upwards by a liquefied or a sound substance (absorption with regard to providing the essential cooling). In certain processes supply air will be directly conditioned, we. e. treated inside of terms of temp and humidity

This kind of thermally driven chilling and air-conditioning process is at the heart of every sun cooling system. Typically the main principle of Sorption Assisted Atmosphere Conditioning is demonstrated in the graphical here. The solar power energy is utilized to dehumidify the sorbent.

Open plus Closed cycle Air flow Conditioning Systems:

Open-cycle systems are more beneficial in buildings with good humidity loads and high surroundings exchange rates. Typically the installation of ductwork for the supply air and typically the return air, simply because well as some sort of heat recovery product is required. In this, the outside weather is dehumidified by means of sorption and is definitely then taken to the desired temperature by heat recovery and also direct and indirect evaporative cooling. Usually dehumidifying is reached in a brake disc containing the desiccant material silica solution or lithium chloride, but increasingly liquid desiccants (desiccant stuff: lithium chloride) are tried. In these types of systems the solar heat is necessary for the regeneration of the absorption/adsorption unit.

Closed-cycle desiccant evaporative cooling devices are based on the processes of Adsorption (based on sound desiccants like silica gel or Zeolites with water while refrigerant) or Consumption (where desiccants are liquid ex. substance pairs of li (symbol) bromide as desiccant and water since refrigerant, or water as desiccant and ammonia as refrigerant, where sub 0 % temperatures may end up being required).

For cooling and acclimatizing of buildings, only solar-thermally driven processes will be used.

In real practice, solar enthusiasts are used to convert solar rays to heat that will is then fed into a thermally driven cooling process or into some sort of direct air-conditioning method. Particularly in specific applications, for example with regard to cooling medicines in remote areas that are not linked to the main grid, a photovoltaic generator transforms solar the radiation to solar electrical power that then hard drives a refrigeration procedure - usually throughout the form regarding a compression refrigerator.

There have been considerable developments in neuro-scientific solar-assisted warming and cooling plus world over this specific technology is staying rapidly tried in addition to adopted.

Recently Solar power thermal World Magazine reported that India's latest and almost certainly largest solar thermal based air-conditioning technique went operational in Muni Seva Ashram (MSA) in Goraj, located in the Vadodara district of Gujarat state in western India. A complete of 100 parabolic dishes (Scheffler type) by the American indian company Gadhia Solar powered energy Systems (GSES) -- each 12. your five m2 in dimension - now supply the already existing 100-ton air-conditioning system of typically the 160-bed hospital with Muni Seva Ashram. [i]

Functionality of Solar Atmosphere Conditioning

While designing a SAC system and for judging its performance the key points to watch are the Fill Profile, Outside conditions & humidity.

The decision whether solar cooling is sensible with all is affected strongly with the weight profile. Solar irradiation and cooling demand must be correlated, since the use of fossil fuels intended for the operation with the chiller is unimportant from a primary energy point involving view and need to be avoided.

In buy to achieve the particular highest possible level of utilization, applications of which also require temperature for heating water or for the particular home heating outside the particular cooling season should be explored. As a result residential buildings plus small office complexes are most suited. If cooling will be required throughout the particular year (process frosty, server rooms) the solar cooling can be used basically being a fuel-saver intended for conventional air-conditioning. On such a situation free cooling immediately through the heat rejection unit might be an option in the cooler seasons.

Temperature rejection rate considerably affects the performance and efficiency with the chiller. In the majority of systems the waste products heat is introduced in the environment by dry coolers or perhaps wet cooling towers. The previous are suitable for moderate climate areas that only from time to time have high outdoors temperatures (> 30�C). Click for more info cooling rises have the benefits that cooling drinking water temperatures below background temperature can be obtained. However, it only works if typically the relative high humidness enables evaporative air conditioning. In regions along with a deficit of water it is also improper. In addition, many countries have enforced strict hygiene rules on wet chilling towers which help make the operation of small systems financially unviable.

You have to end up being aware of the particular fact that boundary conditions other as compared to the nominal problems, can negatively have an effect on the performance of the cooling machine. If the system is not made for the nominal operation point, the relevant operating data should be requested from the manufacturer. Then, with regard to example, a dry reverse cycle chiller can also end up being used in warm climates in the event the photo voltaic thermal system is definitely adapted accordingly.

Usage of efficient EC motors within the SAC set up helps you to reduce the power consumption. To further reduce electricity intake, these needs to be managed according to functioning conditions and cooling down demand. Depending on the respective area conditions waste warmth can also get rejected of in other ways, elizabeth. g. through boreholes, swimming pools or perhaps ground water. Ultimately the heat can certainly be used consist of places.

The Advantages of Solar Air Conditioning

In comparability to conventional, electrically driven compression cooling down technology, solar chilling has a number of advantages. These methods are most valuable when the sun lights the strongest : in summers. The particular machines generally employ environmentally friendly refrigerants, primary to lower environment friendly house gas emissions. In most cases water is utilized which, compared to chemicals used in data compresion cooling machines, does not have greenhouse potential. Substantial power savings can result from the truth that these systems merely require auxiliary energy for that operation of pumps, high temperature rejection, and so forth in the event that the systems are created correctly. In inclusion to cooling, the solar collector technique can also supply thermal energy with regard to domestic hot drinking water preparation and heating support that leads to a further decrease of emissions. SACs are also ideal for hotels, grocery stores, schools, factories, and even large office premises etc. Furthermore, noises emissions are considerably lower since typically the machines work with out compressors.

Solar structured AC systems therefore can provide a sensible alternative to the typical ACs. In inclusion to drastically decreasing or even reducing current air health and fitness bill, in a lot of regions, you can obtain a huge money rebate as well as a taxes credit by powering his air moisturizing hair product with solar air conditioning systems. Since of now, typically the capital investments usually are high nevertheless the technique can justify its worth in the end. It is just some sort of matter of period when this technological innovation would be size produced, decreasing fees to affordable level for the popular man. And then simply, the periods that offer the utmost cooling requirements will be the extremely same days whenever maximum energy might be extracted from sun while pocketing every one of the resulting benefits. The decision would really be ours!

#air conditioning

[janahusmannrealestate]

Fall In Love With Where You Live

Love where you live... Sounds like a dream? It doesn't have to be! Life is busy and we often forget how to relax and the small things in life that can make a huge difference! Most of us find something about their homes they don't like and that we would like to change. But how? Most of people are on a budget, can't move due to circumstances or can't or don't want to remodel, paint or upgrade because they are renting. But there is a few things you can do to convert your home into a place you love!

Flowers make a big difference, they bring in color and create a fresh look and make rooms look better and brighter.

Doing a deep clean will not just help you to change your perception of your place, it will also make you feel good when everything is tidy and clean. Plan a day, buy your favorite cake, have a glass of wine, put some music on and make a fun day out of your probably last favorite activity:-) Don't forget to clean the windows! It will make your place much brighter.

Change your window coverings! If you are still living with the same old vinyl blinds that were included in your house purchase, it is probably time to get something new. Bright shine through drapes make the room brighter and give it a stylish look.

Rearrange your artwork or hang new art. If you don't have any artwork, it it time to buy something new, it doesn't have to be an expensive piece, but it should be something that you really love, check local artists, farmers markets or art fairs, you'll be surprised how many great artists there are in your community. Plus that way you support local artists and businesses. If you already have artwork that you love, consider moving a couple of things to different positions, a change will create a new look and help you to look at your place differently.

Clutter can bring your space down, therefore it is a good idea to minimize clutter as much as possible. You can make this a fun day, too. Put on your favorite music or podcast, enjoy a Baileys coffee and a tasty snack. Make three different piles of things. The first one should be things you don't want/need anymore. Put them on a pile for a garage sale or to be donated. The second pile would be things you still need, but not on a daily basis. Get nice storage bins or baskets for these items and store them away. The third pile is things you need daily, keep them and arrange the items nicely.

Another thing you can add to your home and that makes a huge difference is a scent. Find a scent that you really love, this can be a candle, an aroma diffuser or air freshener. You will love your home and enjoy the time you spend there way more when it smells really good.

People tend to stuff their homes with a lot of furniture they don't even use very often or not at all. Get rid of one bulky piece of furniture, you won't believe how open and spacious your home will feel and how much brighter it is.

Create your favorite spot. With our busy lifestyles we forget how important it is to relax. Pick a spot in your home that you really like, it could be by the windows, the fireplace or a nook and make it your personal Zen zone. You can either put pillows and/or a sheep skin on the floor to sit on or use your comfy armchair, there is no limit to your creativity. Sit down every day for 10 - 15 minutes and enjoy a cup of tea, coffee, wine, whatever you like. Put your phone away and make this a personal little celebration, it will help you to relax and you will learn to appreciate your home much more and enjoy spending time in it.

Not loving where you live doesn't necessarily mean that you have to make a huge change. Focus on small changes and see what huge impact they have. Have a "date" with your home and learn loving it again.

#lovewhereyoulive #movetochochrane #housegoals #cochranerealestate #firsttimehomebuyer #realtor #dreamhome #realestateagent

[demircarlson3]

Chloé Replica Tasche Vintage Geldbörse Vintage Chloe

The mice were euthanized, mentioned Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, whose workplace assisted federal agents within the case."This stuff is simply really weird," he mentioned. Attorney Susan Roe mentioned Friday, "I anticipate there could have been other individuals visiting the property."Spink has not been charged with any bestiality or youngster porn costs at this point, solely with violating the phrases of his supervised launch. In 2008, Feld acquired a wide range of motor sports activities properties, including monster truck shows, motocross and the International Hot Rod Association, which promotes drag races and different events. In 2010, it created a theatrical bike stunt present referred to as Nuclear Cowboyz. Roughly 30 million individuals attend considered one of Feld 5,000 reside entertainment exhibits every year.. The design of the brand new shoulder strap is also very unique and fascinating. 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物の哀れ ( ‘the sadness of things’.)

Alpha Jungkook x Omega Oc!

Genre : Angst , Hurt/ Comfort.

    Chapter 1  ⋆  Chapter 2  ⋆  Chapter 3     Chapter 4  ⋆  Chapter 5   ⋆   

    Chapter 6   Chapter 7     Chapter 8

Summary : Nine months after her marriage ends, Kim Heejin is a reclusive artist, who works out of a renovated warehouse in Busan, her days and nights spent with canvas and paint. Its exactly what she’s ever wanted, to be left alone. And yet, that nagging feeling of incompletion keeps her on her toes. And perhaps, it is that longing for something substantial, something real that pushes her to give her flawed but lovable ex-husband another chance.

Chapter 9

 “I… No. Just… please tell him I’ll be down…I’ll come down to the lobby to meet him.” I said quickly, panicking at the idea of having him here. I’d barely been here a day but this was still my space. And if I had him here then his scent would just seep into every nook and corner. 

The room would smell like him then… And what would I do after he left?

God, what was I even thinking? Head swimming, I crawled to the edge of the bed and breathed shakily. 

It felt surreal, climbing out of the bed and moving to the vanity . I stared at myself in the mirror as I grabbed the makeup bag I kept with me all the time. Wide eyes and parted lips, creamy gold skin turning lily white because of how the blood had just drained after that phone call. 

I looked petrified .

Jungkook… I thought numbly. Jungkook’s waiting downstairs and I’m going to see him. 

What is he thinking.... What is he feeling... why is he even here? 

You’re not responsible for his emotions, Taehyung’s soothing voice in my head helped a bit but not a whole lot. What about my emotions, I though desperately, grabbing the tube of gloss and slowly uncapping it. I ran the end of it over my lips and felt my fingers tremble because I didn’t know why I felt this need …to look beautiful.

I didn’t need to, I though miserably. Everyone knew omegas were beautiful. Beta supermodels were beautiful yes but they couldn’t hold a candle to me, at least for someone like  Jungkook. He was an alpha, his brain was built to find me attractive. I had evolutionary genetics on my side, which mean that if I ever actually wanted to seduce Jungkook , he wouldn’t really stand a chance .

But I didn’t want that.

I had had enough of that. Enough of seeing handsome, rich alphas being reluctantly attracted to me. They made it obvious too. Most of the hate mail I got stemmed from angry wives or girlfriends accusing me of seducing their men , even though  I’d never so much as laid my eyes on them. It was so unfair. 

I didn’t enjoy watching them lose their minds at the sight and scent of me, because i knew that deep down,  they thought that all omegas were scum. 

Manipulative, sex driven , greedy and selfish . Those were the labels I got plastered with , on the media and on the streets. 

And Jungkook wasn’t different, I reminded myself firmly, pulling away from the mirror and grabbing the loose powder and dusting down some of it on the apple of my cheeks and down the length of my nose. 

He didn’t think any different than the others. Jungkook’s views on omegas were just as archaic and bigoted as everyone else’s .

He just didn’t act on them .

Sighing, I dropped the lipgloss back in the back and brushed my hair off my face. On a whim , I pulled off the hair tie holding the thick strands together, letting the wavy tresses fall over my shoulder. I hadn’t cut my hair in a long time and it felt to my hips now. My stylist was adamant that it added to my aesthetic.

  A primal siren, she had said staring at me in awe, like something eternal and beautifully dangerous. We’re lucky you seem incapable of hate, Heejin ...because I think you could bring grown men to their knees with that body and that face. 

I felt nauseous at the thought of it.   

Walking to the elevator felt like walking the plank and I had stop a couple of times, just to breathe deeply. I had to be smart about this. I was in therapy. Taehyung had taught me how to handle situations like this and while my heart was pounding too hard and my brain was too scrambled to use any of his therapy techniques, I still had some of my cognitive abilities intact. 

He came here, i thought desperately. 

He came looking for you and that means he isn’t nervous or worried or overthinking this because he doesn’t have feelings for you. If you want to come out of this  unscathed, you need to get your head on straight. You need to pretend that you didn’t just have a minor mental breakdown at the thought of him dating someone else. 

I took a deep breath, exhaling sharply before stepping into the elevator. The ride down to the lobby was barely a few seconds and when I stepped out, I realized the place was way too crowded for such an exclusive Hotel. And then I remembered that people were here for the Art Festival. I glanced at the reception desk, covertly, noting a conspicuous lack of Jeon Jungkook. The lady behind the desk held her hand up when she spotted me .

“Ms. Kim? Mr. Jeon just went to get you a drink...He’s over by the breakfast counter over there.” She pointed out the dining space where people were walking about getting breakfast and I swallowed, feeling hot and cold as I cautiously stepped into the crowd, trying to find a that familiar head of thick dark hair. 

I felt the apprehension build as I tugged on my bottom lip between my teeth, trying to reign in the chaos in my mind but it was impossible, everything too loud and too messy. I looked around and then, it hit me. 

His scent. 

I felt my lips part in surprise, and it felt like someone had turned the volume down , noises fading into a dull hum at the back of my mind as I stared at him. He hadn’t spotted me yet and I took a second to just....look.

He looked incredible.

There was really no other word for it. Incredibly handsome, Incredibly beautiful and so incredibly perfect as the late morning sun lit up the room, picking out the shine on his white silk shirt. I breathed in deep, my mindeasily picking out the musky pine scent of him and I stepped closer, moving straight towards him and I caught the exact moment my scent his senses.

He jerked a bit, nostrils flaring and eyes going wide before he turned, lips parted and gaze a bit unfocused as he looked around.

When he caught sight of me, he just blinked. 

I smiled weakly, body going limp with relief because.... because this was Jungkook. Not some monster I had to run from. This was Jungkook....even at his worst he had been better than some of the other people I’d met in life. 

I looked down at the drink in his hand and smiled a bit as he made his way over. 

“ This isn’t the same as buying me a coffee.” I said shakily as he finally stepped upto me.

His eyes danced with warmth. 

“What makes you think I can afford one? Besides, aren’t you the hotshot artist? Shouldn’t you be the one buying me stuff?” He said softly. 

“Just saw you on the front cover of a magazine. We both know you’re far from destitute..” Even through the smile, I felt the tug of emotion as I stared at him, felt the difference in him like night and day, the light and joy and ...contentment that seemed to radiate off him .

He smiled and held the drink out to me gently.

“ Heejin-ah.” He whispered. 

And somehow it was the sound of his voice, wrapping around the syllables of my name that finally did it. 

I felt the tears brim over, my lips parting in choked laughter as I stepped close and wrapped both my arms around him, burying my face in his neck and breathing him in. I felt him hold me, infinitely gentle and I exhaled sharply.

“I didn’t miss you,  at all.” I said shakily. He laughed lightly. 

“I missed you , too.” He stroked the back of my head gently and I sighed, fingers curling on the silk of his shirt. The fabric felt like liquid in my fingers and I played with it for a second, intensely aware that people were starting to stare. That this embrace had gone on for longer than social norms dictated but I couldn’t bring myself to care, letting my chin rest against his shoulder blades. 

And it was almost frightening.....how easy it was to pretend we weren’t broken at all. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“She was so small when I last held her... I can’t believe she’s running around.” I said, awed, listening to Jungkook tell me about how Mina liked to climb everywhere. He laughed, shaking his head. 

"She’s growing bigger everyday. I can barely keep up.” Jungkook smiled, holding a hand out for me to step over the wooden slats that lined the tiny archway that led to the door to his building. I hesitated before lightly gripping his hand in mine, the gesture somehow feeling more intimate that it was. 

“You’re not staying at the Firenze?” I asked curiously, resisting the urge to reach for his hand again when he let go.

it was such a ridiculous thing but I’d never held hands with him. And It felt ridiculously nice, to slot my fingers with his, feel them in between mine. His palm against mine, calloused but somehow so comforting. 

 I’d forgotten how warm he was.

 Don’t. Don’t fall down this rabbit hole again, Heejin. We talked about this. He doesn’t think of you that way. He doesn’t. And neither should you. its unfair to him. He doesn’t deserve that. 

“No... As you can see my apartment is barely ten minutes away and Soeun has her exams so its easier for her to watch over Mina here at the apartment.

“Soeun?” I asked curiously.

“Park Soeun? She’s a University student who lives with me. She’s doing a correspondence course in fashion . So she’s home all the time and she helps out with Mina. And she speaks Italian so that’s a huge plus... ” He smiled. “ you’ll like her. She’s a good kid.” 

 Don’t make that face. Don’t fucking make that face, Heejin.

I struggled to keep my face straight , like I wasn’t feeling the weight of a dozen bricks at the base of my stomach. 

“A roommate...then..?” I asked quietly and he shrugged.

“Something like that. But mostly she helps take care of Mina when I’m out on an assignment.” He smiled and led me past two flight of stairs up to the studio apartment. 

I wrapped my arms around myself as he stopped in front of a wrought iron grill, gripping one end and sliding it open with ease. And then he rang the small bell n the side. I shuffled back and forth on my foot, heart racing. 

The door opened and I blinked because of how young the girl who opened the door was. A second later she was beaming, moving forward and wrapping both her arms around me.

“Unnie!” She squealed, hugging me so close that I almost choked. Completely thrown I could only gape at Jungkook who was laughing . 

“Oh, I forgot to mention..she’s a bit of a fan. “ He teased lightly and I smiled awkwardly, watching as she pulled back to stare at me, her gaze trained on my face unblinkingly. 

“Whoa...” She reached out and lightly touched my cheek with her forefinger making me jump. She flinched as well, flushing red.

“Shit..sorry...I just... I’ve never... I’ve never met an omega before.” She said softly. “ You’re absolutely breathtaking.”

I felt my heart pound, steeping back instinctively, an overwhelming urge to hide , anxiety pooling in my stomach as she continued to stare at me. I hated the attention and I wrapped my arms around myself. 

“Soeun, enough. Don’t make it weird.” Jungkook said sternly, voice hard and the girl immediately flushed, bowing apologetically. 

“Sorry...I.. sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable ... You’re pretty.” She said again before turning to Jungkook.

“I have to get some stuff for my exhibit, Jungkook oppa... Mina’s asleep. i’ll be staying over at Vince’s place for the night though. Is that okay?”

“Sure..have fun.” Jungkook smiled, “ Vince is her boyfriend.” He explained and Soeun nodded happily. 

“Italian men are absolutely amazing unnie...you should try some.” She winked and I laughed despite myself.

“I just might...” I said with a grin, watching as she walked over to slip on a pair of sneakers from the small shoe closet near the door. She waved enthusiastically all but bouncing away and I blinked at him , shaking my head.

“I feel a hundred years old right now.” I said softly, still stunned by the girl’s exorbitant energy. Jungkook laughed at that

“She definitely has that effect on people... Come on, I’ll show you around.” He held his hand out and I smiled , taking his fingers mine and letting him tug me further into the studio apartment. 

I looked around, taking in the full blown prints of Mina and Jungkook , caught in adorable poses in front of different tourist spots in Florence. I saw how much she looked like Jungkook now, and how openly affectionate they looked together, the love evident even in the still photos. 

And then my eyes fell on a familiar painting , my stomach lurching. 

“You... “ i turned to him in a rush and he was staring at me with a small smile.

“I had to bring that. It pretty much saved me, that painting.” He said casually, stepping close and running his fingers all over the print. 

“When you told me this is how Sooah saw me...” He traced the picture carefully before glancing at me,” it made me realize that Sooah didn’t just want a baby.....she wanted a baby with  me. She saw me as a father. As someone who could raise and nurture a tiny human  and that... that’s amazing isn’t it?” He sighed, staring at me.  

He looked beautiful, I thought with an ache deep inside me. The most beautiful man I’d ever seen in my life and it seemed almost too good to be true. That he was here, at reach. So close. I wondered if this was it. This had to be a sign. A sign that we’d come full circle. That it was over. That we could finally break free from all that we’d been through, and look back at Jungkook’s past with fondness instead of pain.

And perhaps, just perhaps I could reach out and touch him with something more than just the love you have for a friend. . Perhaps I could reach out and touch him, without feeling guilt and foreboding.

I exhaled shakily stepping up and running my fingers over the canvas. It was nothing fancy... Just a painting a painting of Jungkook holding Mina up by her waist, high over his head, staring up into her face with all the love and adoration in the world, The child in the painting doesn’t look exactly like Mina, of course, but I’d had no idea , seeing as Sooah had commissioned the painting when she was pregnant. But Jungkook.... Jungkook looked exactly like he did now : Happy and at peace. 

“You’re alright, then?” I asked quietly , a wealth of meaning behind the words and he smiled , nodding gently. 

“I’m fine…” He whispered , “ And I’m so glad I can tell you that, like this. Thank you for coming , Heejin-ah . I know you owe me nothing but.. I wanted to show you that… it wasn’t all bad you know. What we went through… Something good did come out of it.” He whispered.

I choked out a sob.

“I lied.” I whispered. “ I did miss you. Even when I knew I shouldn’t.”

Jungkook’s gaze softened.

“I have a lot to be sorry for. But I don’t want to remind you of those things. I just want you to know that… I understand what you went through…those six months. I understand that it was difficult and painful and i… I’m grateful that you didn’t give up on me. And I’m grateful that you stayed in my life.  Because I know I didn’t deserve that.”

“You deserve to be loved Jungkook.” I said quietly. “ Its not wrong to move on. You deserve to… find happiness again.”

He stared at me, his gaze soft and gentle.

“I can almost believe it, when you say it that way.” He laughed. “ And… you know… I’m not sure if its love. But there’s someone I’ve been…. Well, I can sort of see myself with her. .” He grinned a little, smile boyish as he ran his fingers through his hair. He glanced at me and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Wait… was he going to?....

“ I met her at Taehyung’s practice, a year ago. Her name is Lee Hyorin.” Jungkook looked at me, doe eyes shining with excitement.

And just like that the world ended.

Or so it felt.

It was like being dipped in icy cold water, the shock of it rendering me speechless, lips parted and breath catching in lungs.

Blood rushed through my ears, so fast that I felt lightheaded, my legs nearly giving out. White noise filled my skull, pain lancing sharp through my heart like a thousand paper cuts, and I couldn’t really breathe. It took a few seconds…. For my heart to catch up with what my mind had just processed. And when it finally did, the pain was so excruciating, I had to clench my fists, nails digging into the flesh of my palm to ground myself.

“She’s an alpha…and she lost her husband around the same time Sooah passed..” Jungkook gave me a soft smile. “ She’s actually a curator at one of the museums here. She’s the one who made all the arrangements for me to move here to Florence. ”

“Wow… That’s…” devastating,. “ That’s good news. Jungkook.. I.. How long…” My voice cracked, and I had to swallow. “ How long have you guys been dating?”

“About three months now. We’re taking it very slow, because we aren’t really ready. She has a son too. He’s three years old. Mina loves him so that’s a plus.” He laughed.

My lungs constricted, breathing difficult and my head swam because ….. what. Realization set in so quickly, I was left reeling. I was in love with this bastard, I thought miserably. So in love with him that it felt like he was shredding my heart into ribbons. Every word of his mouth felt like a sharp deep stab, straight through the center of my heart and the pulsing, beating organ was on the verge of giving out.

“She’s going to be there at the dinner tonight at the Festival. She’s one of the organizers by the way. She’s kind of the reason I got in, I think.” He laughed , looking abashed and what a load of bull that was. Jungkook was successful and well known. Superbly talented at his chosen field. She was lucky to have him.

How can she have him when I’m the one who fixed him? How is that fucking fair?

“She really understands the things I’ve been going through, the past few months and because we both still attend therapy with Taehyung, we’re able to talk about a lot of stuff. Stuff I can’t share with others…” Jungkook was saying and I tuned him out, not wanting to hear another word.

I swallowed, choking on bile. I could feel sweat gathering on my scalp, my skin clammy and damp , the air between us shifting into something poisonous and filled with so much dismay, it was a miracle he hadn’t picked up on it.

Couldn’t he sense how distressed I was? Couldn’t he see how his words were hurting? Couldn’t he fucking see that I couldn’t live without him? Why on earth couldn’t he see me the way he apparently saw every other woman on the damn planet…..

Because he’s a shitty Alpha, I thought miserably, willing myself not to burst into tears. He was a shitty excuse for an alpha back then and he’s the same now.

A low, distressed cry began somewhere behind him and he jumped.

“Oh, shit she’s up… come on, Heejin.” He said with a bright smile, turning around and rushing down a small hallway and I willed myself to breathe in deeply, reminding myself that this wasn’t the end of the world. I could get through this. Besides, it was Mina.

Beautiful, perfect Mina who had been there for me. She would see me and she would give me that sweet gummy smile of hers, does eyes twinkling and I would get through this. Because her smile was what was important. Her smile and her joy and her happiness.

The sobbing had slowed down to small hiccups and I stepped past the threshold cautiously, watching as Jungkook bent over the large crib, carefully lifting her out and into his arms. She looked breathtaking, an absolutely gorgeous little girl . I stared, mesmerized as I stepped closer. My arms ached, and my chest tightened. Lips wobbling, I exhaled sharply, moving to reach for her.

She turned to glance at me and just as my fingers brushed her cheek, she recoiled.

Hard.

A loud wail tore through her tiny body and I felt my eyes go wide. Her casual little cry had turned into a sobbing , loud wail and I could smell the distress in her , the fear and distrust as she curled away from me.  Jungkook looked stunned as well, instinctively drawing her close and embracing her, moving away from me because….

Because I was the reason, she was distressed.  

My skin went ice cold at the revelation and I stumbled back, stunned.

“I… I’m sorry.” I choked out, confused and disoriented. Jungkook looked stricken, gently rocking her back and forth and she clung to him, gripping his shirt and I bit my lips, moving further back and I glanced at him, my heart shattering.

“She’s …She’s still sleepy… She doesn’t do well with strangers…” He said softly, looking upset, “ Maybe you could…wait outside…”

Stranger…. Was that what I was?

“I… I’ll go. I’ll just go.” I turned on my heel, rushing out of the door and struggling to breathe in air, my heart clenching so hard I was sure I was going to pass out. I felt my knees give out when I reached the couch, dropping down and drawing my knees up , wrapping my arms around my legs . I didn’t know how long I sat there, fighting sobs and choking on air…and when I finally came to myself, the sobs from the room had died out.

“She’s fallen asleep again.” Jungkook’s voice cut through the silence and I couldn’t bring myself to look up. I felt him move closer, felt his scent hit me as he stepped right up to me, kneeling on the floor in front of me.

I looked up at him, lips wobbling as I took in his handsome face.  A face that was so deeply carved into my heart and my soul, I couldn’t imagine living without it. Without him. The tears came then, helpless and endless and so painful.

He pressed in closer, cupping my face in his palms, thumb brushing the tears that spilled over so relentlessly.

“Heejin…” He whispered and I let my fingers curl around his wrist as his thumb kept brushing the curve of my cheeks. I took a deep , shaky breath .

“She doesn’t remember me….  “ I whispered, “ She doesn’t recognize me at all…She hates me……” I choked out , despair filling every last crevice of my insides, gut twisting as I remembered how Mina had twisted away from me, how her scent had soured in distress at the sight of me, at the touch of my fingers.

 And I wondered if it was different with this other woman..Hyorin, wasn’t it? Did Mina climb into her arms with ease? Did she curl into her chest and sleep? The way she used to with me,  when she was a month old and missing the warmth of a mother.. ….

All those nights spent in that tiny nursery, lying on the cold unforgiving floor, watching the rise and fall of Mina’s chest through the dark room…telling myself it was worth it… it was worth being touched against my will, worth being treated like filth by a man driven mad with grief and anger….all because of this baby…this tiny little baby who had needed me….

And now…she didn’t even know who I was…..worse…she was repulsed by the very sight of me… I couldn’t cope.

“Look at me…” Jungkook rasped, voice raw and cracking. “she doesn’t hate you, Heejin… she just … you feel new to her… different…” 

I shook my head, unable to think about anything beyond the sheer devastation that filled me, the way his daughter had pulled away and run, had refused to come anywhere near me. I realized with lancing pain that I’d wanted to see her, way more than I’d wanted to see Jungkook .

Because she was the reason I’d hung on for so long in that marriage which had been the biggest fucking mistake of my life…. the only reason I’d stuck around . Mina …Having her in my arms, her scent against my face, that had been the only genuine happiness I’d experienced  in a marriage filled with sheer , unending misery. 

“I… she… Why doesn’t she remember? “ I breathed, sagging into his arms, tears soaking his shoulders and his palm ran up and down my back.

“Because she was a baby. Heejin…. I left when she was a baby…”

“Why did you?” I snapped. “ Did it hurt you so much? The thought of living under the same sky as me ? Why you did you go?” I demanded.

Jungkook pulled back, hands coming up to grip my shoulder, holding me at arms length.

“Look at me.” He whispered. “ I had to … You know I had to go….I was hurting you. I was… I was draining you of life. Destroying you… “

Jungkook’s words reminded me of who he was. Of who I was… Of who I was to him.

I choked out, sobbing.

“I hate you. You treated me like scum. Like a crutch….. Like some sort of tool to get better and you just left… you…”

You found someone better. You broke me down and now you’ve gone and found someone better….because I was never good enough for you… I was never someone you could love….

“I had to let you go. I had to end that relationship because it was tainted with so much grief and anger and selfishness and greed. I knew that anything I did afterwards would be tainted by my actions… I… I had to make amends, Heejin. And do you think for a second, that it wasn’t the hardest thing I ever did? That walking out on you wasn’t one of the most devastating things I’ve ever experienced? But I did it for us… for this…” 

I stared at him.

“And what is this?” I asked brokenly.

“This is me, being able to touch you like this.” Jungkook pressed a palm to my cheek, “ And not feeling guilt or sadness or grief or loss.  I did it so we could have this…this… This thing where I can look at you and hold you and see that you’re healing. That you’re doing better… That you’re living the life you want…. That you’re happy. This is me standing here , in front of you and smiling because I’m happy too. Happy that you’re here.  ” He exhaled, “ I’m happy that despite all the hurt we’ve been through for and because of each other, I can look at you now and tell you, honestly, that I’m glad to see you.” 

What a joke.. What a fucking joke.

I smiled shakily.

“Well… “ I said softly, my stomach churning because I was done. Done with him and mostly with myself. “ Isn’t that absolutely wonderful.”

His gaze softened and he smiled.

“I want us to be friends, Heejinah. Even though we don’t see or talk to each other, I think of you often. And when Mina’s old enough to understand , I’ll tell her all about you… I want you in our lives. You’re a friend. ”

I stared at him , feeling the words echo in my skull . It left an acrid taste on my senses, the way he put me into this neat little box, friend. So ….insignificant. Everyone had hundreds of friends. There was nothing even remotely special about being someone’s friend.

Friend just meant replaceable and forgettable. And just like Mina didn’t remember me…. Someday Jungkook wouldn’t either. The knowledge filled my veins spreading all over my body and leaving a fierce, heavy ache in my chest.

It was my fault, I thought despondently. My fault because I had been an idiot.

Jungkook was the sane one here , I thought miserably. These nine months, while I’d been dwelling on him and worrying for him…he had done the healthy thing , by moving on with someone he could actually envision a future with….

What had I done, these past nine months? Dreamt up a fantasy world where somehow we found our way back to each other and built a life together… It seemed so foolish now, in the light of Jungkook’s words and his confession….

Jungkook had done all of this, not for me…but for himself. For his daughter whom he loved and for his wife , whose memory he wanted to honor. And perhaps it was my own delusion that made me think that I’d played some stellar role in his healing…. Maybe if I hadn’t been there, he would have gotten better just the same…. Maybe I hadn’t been a tool …as much as a hindrance …to his healing.

I shook my head, bitterness coating my tongue.

“I should get going.” I whispered , voice shaking.

This is it, I told myself. This is the last time you look at him with that heaviness in your heart. You deserve better. You deserve… a lot of things. And just because people don’t give it to you doesn’t mean you have to settle for less……

“So soon? Hyorin will be back in a couple of hours… I could show you some of my work, and we could get lunch ….”

I shook my head quickly. I didn’t want to meet her in his home. Didn’t want to see him being domestic and affectionate and …normal with her when all I’d ever seen was Jungkook in his anger and grief, either yelling abuses or gripping me with a lust that was tainted with violence and rage. I stared at his hands, the ones I’d liked holding….

How did I forget? That those were the same hands that had held me down and done things that should, rightfully have landed him in prison?

I shook my head, to clear the images out of my head. Looking at him now,  Jungkook looked eager, happy and healed. And I realized that he’d just pushed all of his own actions out of his mind. Forgotten all about it. And that was fair. He probably didn’t even remember any of it. He had been drunk out of his mind, lost in his head and surely, forgetting must’ve been easy… A relief.

I didn’t begrudge him that.

But…

I hadn’t been drunk. I’d been stone cold sober under him on that bed and so, maybe forgetting didn’t come that easily for me. And I was glad that Jungkook could move on and be happy but….

But I couldn’t stay here and pretend that it was the same for me. I wasn’t happy or healed, I thought miserably. And maybe , maybe the sight of him moving on was a sign that I had to stop thinking that healing meant going back to him and his daughter.

“Heejin… What’s wrong? Is it because of Mina.. she’s just not used to…” He began but I quickly pressed a palm to his chest, smiling.

“Strangers.” I said softly. “ I know. That’s not it… You know I have to introduce my exhibit at dinner tonight. I don’t know what the itinerary is or what I’m supposed to say…. None of it.. I need to meet my agent and prep myself a bit. Its alright…I’ll see you tonight.” I said softly.

“I’m sorry… I can’t walk you back because Mina-“

“Of course. Don’t worry about it…. I’ll just…”

The doorbell rang, startling me.

“Jungkook!” A strong voice called out and I went still.

“Hyorin?” Jungkook’s face lit up and I felt my stomach churn. God, the universe really was against me wasn’t it? Sighing in defeat, I wrapped my arms around myself, sitting back down on the couch and waiting.

Behind me , I could hear hushed whispers, soft laughter and shuffling feet. My mouth went dry.

“Ms. Kim….”

I turned around, greeted by the sight of a tall, strapping young woman, pretty by any standards. She was dressed in a pant suit , her hair long and straight, hitting the top of her shoulders. She looked smart… Important.

“Ms. Lee… Its nice to meet you.”

She held her hand out and I shook it gently.  Jungkook smiled at her fondly and his phone rang from somewhere inside the studio.

“Hang on that’s probably Soeun…” He smiled at me and moved away and I watched him leave before shifting my gaze to Hyorin, who was staring down at me with a small smile.

“Are you here in Italy by yourself? Or with one of your many …uh… patrons ?” She smirked.

I blinked.

“Patrons?” I asked softly. “ Excuse me?”

“Jungkook and I’ve been following all the stories about you, back in Korea. You get around quite a lot… don’t you? Every alpha within a 100 mile radius wants a piece of the lovely Kim Heejin… And honestly, could anyone blame them? You look exquisite.”

I stared at her, stunned. The implication was so obvious that I would be an idiot not to realize what she was hinting at. So this was the woman , Jungkook chose? Yet another prejudiced bigot?

I laughed a bit, feeling my heart sink.

“I’m not seeing anyone. If that’s what you’re asking.” I said quietly.

Hyorin smirked at that.

“Of course you aren’t… We all know that isn’t really something your kind does… monogamy, right?”

“Do you have a problem with me Hyorin ssi?” I asked roughly and she laughed.

“Oh come on.. we’re all adults, here. And Heejin, you  agreed to be a part of this festival, knowing full well, that’s what we think . Its because deep down you know I’m right….. Omegas can’t stay with one alpha. They need sex to survive and they are usually open to it with anyone. Not that I’m blaming you or judging you for it. It’s just how you’re built.”

I smiled wide, ignoring the urge to claw at her face. .

“Well, you’ve definitely got me all figured out haven’t you? “ I shook my head, glancing at Jungkook who was making his way over.

“What are you talking about?” He asked curiously and I smiled, glancing at her.

“ Hyorin ssi was just telling me how my sub gender makes it impossible for me to not go around whoring with every alpha I see…….” I glanced at him and Jungkook straightened, looking stunned, “ Well, I hope you two enjoy your beautiful monogamous relationship with each other something an omega like me can only fantasize about…. Right Jungkook?” I smiled and he looked completely lost.

“Wait…What? Hyorin what did you say?” He demanded and she was glaring at me now.

“Please don’t take it personally, I was only talking about omegas in general. “ Hyorin frowned, before bowing and moving away to stalk off in the direction of the bedrooms and I watched her, feeling dirty and terrible.

“Heejin, ignore her.. she’s just old fashioned and-“

“Is that what you’re going to call it?” I snapped and Jungkook froze.

“Heejin…”

I shook my head in disbelief.

“I’m not upset about what she said. I’m upset that she feels comfortable enough, spouting that bullshit to me , in your house. Makes me wonder what else she’s told you about omegas, and how much of it you probably agreed with.”

Jungkook stared at me , lips parted.

“I… I don’t feel that way. You know that.” He said stiltedly.

“Do I? All I know is that she knows about me, about who I am and apparently, she can call me a slut…. In front of you, without worrying about it upsetting you. And that tells me you’re as much of a bigot as she is.”

“Heejin… You know that’s not it. We all grow up being fed certain things and –“

“But you did grow up right?” I snapped. “ you grew up and you can think and act for yourself. As can she. Once you’re an adult, you don’t have a single fucking excuse for being racist or homophobic or bigoted because being an adult means having the ability to unlearn the toxic things you’ve been taught and relearn how to be a decent fucking human.”

I shook my head as he stared at me.

“And you know what…please just… just don’t call me or consider me as a friend.” I laughed. “ Because I don’t think I can consider you one. Not anymore. You can’t…...You can’t just love certain parts of me and be disgusted by others you know? I don’t need a friend who can care about me and love me and help me as long as he can forget that I’m an omega….. I need a friend who can love every jagged, broken , part of me. Who can call out people who talk bullshit at me , who can look someone in the eye and tell them they’re wrong when they’re calling me names  and that’s not who you are……. You’re not it.” I snapped.

Jungkook looked stricken, reaching out to hold me and I stepped away, annoyed.

“I’m sorry, Heejin, you’re right … I’ll talk to her… I’ll…” He began but I shook my head.

“Whatever.  Just don’t call me a friend. We can’t be friends. Let’s just be what we always were , yeah? A big fucking mistake that never should have happened.”

I stormed out of the door, shaking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What do you mean, there are no flights available for today?” I snapped. “Tell them money isn’t an issue. I need to get out of this place right now.”

Minho looked incredibly stricken, hair messy from how often he’d run his fingers through.

“ We just arrived seven hours ago, Hee. Of course there’s no flight yet…. We can stay another day…attend the dinner and-“

“No.” I snapped. “ Absolutely not. I’m not here because they find my art good  or worth putting up. I’m here because they know the alphas around here will want to pay more , to pour in more cash for a chance with me.” I held the embossed booklet up, waving it in his face.

“Heejin…” He protested but I shook my head.

“ Did you see the cost to get into my pane ?. Extra ….for alphas? And yet…apparently they had to pre book it and its filled? You think any of the lecherous bastards who paid money to see me , gives a shit about my art?  And apparently, there’s a meet and greet, for alphas only if they purchase seven or more paintings worth over 10000 Euros. Do you think, that’s what I’m worth?”

Minho looked down at his shoes, ashamed.

“I .. I’m sorry, Hee. You’re right. Its offensive . And an insult to your art and talent. We shouldn’t have come here, you’re right. And I regret it… But just… give me a few hours, yeah? I’ll find a way to get us out of here….”

I exhaled sharply, exhaustion weighing heavy on my head. I felt like I’d taken a pounding, physically and mentally and I wondered how a day that had started so well, could go so wrong, so fast…

Shaking my head, I trudged wearily to the elevator, knocking on the buttons before sagging against the wall, letting my eyes flutter shut.

Jungkook was dating.

Jungkook was dating. His girlfriend thought I was a slut and here I was about to prove her right.

I wanted to slit someone’s throat.

Sighing, I watched the door slide open, grabbing my keys out of my bag,  and moving to the suite. I opened the door before making a beeline for the bed. I collapsed on the soft duvet, groaning. I was torn between wanting to call Taehyung to yell at him about Jungkook and calling Minho to demand an update on the flights.

I was spared the dilemma when the phone in the room rang. Groaning, I moved to swat at the phone, turning on the speaker.

“Ms. Kim? There’s a Mr. Jeon here to see you?”

I blinked, feeling disbelief swell inside me. Did he not get the hint?

Annoyed, I sat up.

“Send him up.” I said, in no mood to go all the way down to see him.

“Up?” She sounded surprised, “ To your room?”

“Yes. To my room. Is that a fucking problem?” I growled, annoyed.

“Not at all Ms. Kim. He’ll be right up.”

I got out of bed, shrugging off my jacket and taking off my dress as well. It was a little damp because I’d sweated through the fabric. I grabbed one of my oversized t shirts , slipping it on and moving to open the door before retreating back to the inner room. Feeling annoyed, I walked up to the vanity and grabbed the hair brush, running the bristles through my locks. I heard his footsteps outside and stiffened.

“If you’re here to defend your shitty girlfriend, you can just leave Jungkook. I swear to God, I’ve had enough of this.” I shouted. He didn’t reply and my hackles rose.

“Listen, I’m sorry if I said something harsh-“ I froze when I reached the doorway, staring at the man in front of me. He had a large , almost humongous bouquet of wild orchids and roses in his hand and I stared at his face.  

This was definitely not Jungkook.

“Umm… hi.” The man bowed awkwardly, his gaze going straight to my legs, where my t shirt ended, just a couple of inches past my waist. I felt the blood rush to my face.

“Who are you…Get out !!!” I shouted, horrified, diving for my jacket and holding it up against my bare thighs. The man held both his hands up, eyes wide..

“I’m sorry… I… you said I could come up to your room….” He protested and I scowled, confused.

“What? “ I stared, stunned… “ Who…what?”

“I’m Wonwoo. Jeon Wonwoo. I’m uh….one of the sponsors for this festival. And a fan. Huge fan.” He was staring at me beseechingly and I felt my head begin to throb.

The sheer relentlessness of this day…..

“I… Mr. Jeon…” So weird, God, “ There’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not…. I thought you were someone else.”

“Jungkook yes…your ex husband, right? You were married to him for six months after he lost his wife….. He’s also one of the artists exhibiting their work here.” He nodded quickly, running long fingers through thick glossy hair, lips parting in a hesitant smile and I stared at him.

“How do you know all that? ” I demanded, heart pounding. He immediately held his hands up again.

“I’m sorry… I sound like a stalker, shit. But Trust me I’m not. I just am a huge fan.. I looked up some stuff about you….before.” He shuffled a bit awkwardly, finally looking up at me.

I tried to catch his scent. No scent to speak of. A beta then. Relaxing just a bit, I swallowed. At least I wasn’t in any immediate danger. But still, I had no intention of letting him see me in nothing but a t shirt. Embarrassed, I gripped the jacket tighter.

“Why are you here?” I demanded angrily, taking in his appearance. He didn’t look like a hoodlum or someone dangerous. He was good looking, dressed in a white t shirt and black Jacket over plain black slacks. His shoes looked expensive and I didn’t miss the shiny Rolex on his wrist either,.

“Well, for one thing I own the Hotel.” He chuckled and that made my stomach turn. “And also like I said, I’m one of the main sponsors for the Festival itself.”

“Right.” I was too disoriented to process this, head throbbing. “Of course. Is there a reason why you wanted to see me?”

“I was downstairs…just now… I couldn’t help but overhear you with your agent. You wanted to leave as soon as possible. To pull out of the event and I’m just here to try and change your mind, Ms. Kim.” He smiled earnestly and I realized he was really quite young.

I sighed.

“Could you… Could you wait outside? I want to put some clothes on before we talk any further.” I said tiredly and he bowed quickly.

“Uh… These…I’ll just leave these here.” He placed the large bunch of flowers on the table before quickly leaving the room and I swore, racing to the suitcase in the corner. I quickly grabbed a pair of jeans, slipping them on hastily and zipping myself up before glancing at the mirror again. This would have to do.

I moved to the door and opened it, finding him right there, looking lost.

“I… come in, please.” I said hesitantly and he bowed again, moving in and waiting for me to close the door and take a seat on the couch, before sinking into an arm chair across from me.

“Did you see the itinerary? It doesn’t get more sexualized than this.” I waved the booklet and he flushed.

“I understand you’re upset about … certain things. I’m sorry that you feel objectified , in the festival. It wasn’t the intention I had when I first told Hyorin and the others that I wanted them to invite you. But , I’ve been busy the past month, and I didn’t go over the complete agenda. If I did, I definitely would have made sure that you were treated with just as much respect as the others. Unfortunately, there’s not much I can do now, but I’ve had a word with all of the panelists and also the hosts. We won’t entertain any question or comments of a sexual nature and if anyone tries to insinuate anything , I’ll have them removed from the panel myself. “ He said firmly.

“I’m only here because you told me you would exhibit my mother’s works too.” I said sharply and he bowed.

“ Your mother’s works are just as exquisite and I’ve arranged for them to be displayed right at the center of the arena, with a running slide show of her childhood , her art technique and the great love she had for her daughter.” He said firmly.

I could only stare. He sounded incredibly sincere and there was no mistaking the earnestness in his tone.

“I’m….” I bit my lips, “  Listen, Mr. Jeon, I’m flattered but honestly, I never wanted to be here. I… there was … something else that made me want to come and well, that turned out to be a huge mistake. To be honest, I’m not sure if I have it in me to suffer through days of people treating me like I’m some kind of sex crazed bimbo.” I shook my head.

“how about this.? You let me be your date for tonight and you let me display your work, today at the dinner itself. I’ll be right by your side. And then, I’ll have my private jet on standby and we can fly back to Korea. You deserve the spotlight, Heejin and I want people to see how good you are at what you do. I don’t care if I lose money over this… As long as you’re comfortable. ”

I gawked at him, stunned.

“Private Jet?” I choked out. “ Okay, now I’m genuinely concerned.”

He laughed.

“I’m a Hotelier, and I have properties all over the world and I like to inspect them personally most of the time. Its more practical to have a private jet than to try and align my schedules with everyone else.” He smiled.

“Right. Convenient.” I shook my head. “ I’m no stranger to excessive wealth, Mr. Jeon and trust me, it’s always left a  sour taste in my mouth.”

“I don’t flaunt my wealth, Ms. Kim. These clothes? Got them on the streets of Florence. I drive a Mazda. Wealth has no meaning to me. People do. People like you, who bring beauty into the world with their craft. You’ve made my world beautiful and I just want to repay , in some way.” He smiled,  “ Also,  You’re very  beautiful.” He added and then immediately looked away. “ I’m sorry. That was… dumb . I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

Endeared against my own wishes, I found myself fighting a small smile.

“Just tonight’s dinner?” I asked quietly.

“Just the dinner party.” He assured me quickly.

“Alright. But I’m not getting into any private Jet. My agent will book me tickets and I’ll find my way back to Korea.”

“As you wish. I’ll pick you up at seven. What color is your dress?” He asked casually and I blinked.

“Uh… Wine red? I guess? Why?”

He grinned, looking boyishly handsome.

“I’ll see you at seven, Ms. Kim.”

He bowed, before pausing by the bouquet. He grabbed a couple of  flowers, holding them up for me to see.  

“Daffodils and Lilacs.” He grinned, “ To finding something new to love. And to new beginnings.”

Wow.

Subtle.

I shook my head, momentarily forgetting all about Jungkook as I grinned all the way back to the bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I told you… coming with me will earn you major points.” Wonwoo smirked as he pulled me in by my waist , holding my dress up for me as I stared at the sleek black limousine at the Hotel entrance. I watched as he held my wrist gently, latching a string of sterling silver and red rubies around the delicate curve of it.

“This is too lavish…I don’t want this…Who are you?” I demanded, flushing because of the way the flashes went off in every direction, reporters scrambling when they caught sight of him. He was clearly popular, if the number of photos being clicked were any indication. I regretted everything.

Wonwoo pressed a kiss to my wrists, right near the bracelet and gently placed my palm on the curve of his elbow, leading me over to the car and I watched the chauffeur open the door for us.  

“ Someone who can get anyone here fired. Be careful , sweetheart.” I watched in mute horror as he bent low, picking up the hem of my skirt so I wouldn’t trip, while climbing into the limousine. The reporters began whispering excitedly and more flashes went off . My face completely red, I hastened to climb in.

“These people look at you like you’re some kind of King.” I stared out of the tinted windows seeing the sheer multitude of people and Wonwoo chuckled.

“ That’s because I am. At least for tonight. And that’s why I’m the perfect guy to protect you Heejin. They’re all terrified of me.” He winked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jungkook found me, fifteen minutes into the event. I hung by the large archway, near an alcove, sipping champagne and nibbling on some hors d’oeuvre as people threw glances at me. I noticed the conspicuous lack of a date on his arm and straightened, sighing and bracing myself for more unpleasantness as he picked his way through the crowd, eyes trained on me.

“Can we talk?” He said, the minute he was at hearing distance and I exhaled.

“No.” I said casually and he made a noise of impatience.

“Fucking, hell Heejin..just…” He swore again, looking upset. “ Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me huh?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“What do I want from you? Oh, fuck off Jungkook. I want nothing from you.” I snapped, turning on my heel, ready to leave but his hand shot out, gripping me right above my elbow, fingers curling in hard.

“Fuck.. listen. I don’t know what she said to you. I .. I’m sorry if she offended you…. Alright? She’s an alpha… I can’t change the way she thinks…”

“I didn’t ask you to. I merely said that if you associate yourself with people who think I’m scum, I won’t let you into my life. Because I respect myself too much for that.” I said firmly.

“She doesn’t think you’re scum, Heejin come on. She just has some misconceptions about certain things.”

“God, Jungkook…just stop. Alright? Stop. Because I’m not asking you do anything. I’m leaving on a flight tomorrow morning and you’ll never see me again. That’s all there is to it.”

He froze at that, fingers curling harder around my arm and it hurt, the skin turning red. Stupid fucker, never knew his own strength.

“Ow, Jungkook let go.” I whispered, and he did, albeit reluctantly.

I rubbed at the bruised skin, furious. I watched as the redness healed over, the pain fading to a throb and then into a pleasant heat and I hated it. Hated that being an omega meant that Jungkook’s rough touch turned to pleasure on my skin.

“What do you mean you’re leaving tomorrow? The Festival is for two weeks.”

I sighed.

“I didn’t come here for the festival. I came here to see you. To see if you were as hung up on me as I was on you…but apparently not.” I snapped.

Jungkook went perfectly still at that.

“What the fuck does that mean?” He said softly and I laughed, shaking my head.

“Wow. You really never even considered it huh? Us? Together.?” It wasn’t funny at all, but I could only laugh. Probably because I’d been so sure.. So certain that there was something there.

He opened his mouth to answer but I felt a warm solidness behind me, an arm wrapping around my waist and a second later, Wonwoo was there pressing up against me.

“Jungkook-ssi… Such a pleasure to meet you.” He held his hand out, and Jungkook frowned, his eyes trained on where wonwoo’s fingers curled around my waist.

“Get your hands off her.” He said shortly and Wonwoo blinked, pulling away from me and stepping back .

“What the-? No. Fuck you.” I snapped, glaring at Jungkook before grabbing Wonwoo’s hand and bringing it back around me. “Don’t you fucking dare take your hands off.” I held my finger up at his face and Wonwoo looked momentarily stunned.

“Really, Heejin? You’re doing this?” Jungkook glared at me. “ We need to talk.”

“So talk.” I snapped. “ Tell me why you think a bigoted bitch is the best you can do in terms of dating. Tell me why she’s the only one who can ‘ understand’ “ I made air quotes, shaking my head, “ You think you and your shitty have monopoly on grief Jungkook? I’ve lost people too. Just because I haven’t screwed other people over because of it, doesn’t make my grief invalid….yeah.”

Ringing silence followed and I regretted everything.

“Fuck.” I whispered, shaking my head. “ I .. Shit. I need to get out of here.”

I pulled away from Wonwoo, moving out of the huge ballroom and Jungkook was right behind me, of course he was.

“Heejin…fuck. Wait. You’re right. I didn’t mean to imply that you didn’t understand me. Of course you did. Its why you stuck around… I know that. And you’re right, she had no business talking about you like that. I’ll have a word with her… But…”

I sped up, wanting to get away but he grabbed me again, tugging me closer out of the hall way and into a darkened alcove and I flinched when he pushed me up against the wall, caging me in, as he pressed in closer.

“What did you mean by that?” He demanded, hands coming up to grip my waist, curling gently and my chest heaved at the touch of him, the enclosed space making his scent turn potent, strong and impossible to avoid. My nostril flared as I breathed him in, familiar and yet so foreign, comforting and yet so fucking dangerous.

“By what?” I snapped and his hands moved up, shaping the curves of my body , thumb grazing the tip of my breast and making me jump, before moving up, gripping my face, gently. He pressed his thumb into my lower lip, rubbing back and forth, face impossibly close and I swallowed, throat sandpaper dry.

“About us? Together….” He breathed and I exhaled shakily.

“You know what I meant.” I whispered. “ If you don’t then I can’t explain it.” I whispered and he swore, head dropping against mine, forehead resting against mine, and lips less than a hairsbreadth away.

We’ve never kissed, I thought suddenly. I licked my lips, turning my face away but his fingers gripped my chin at once, yanking me around to stare at him again.

“Look at me, baby. Tell me… You thought about us together?” He whispered .

I breathed shakily.

“Of course I did…. “ I snapped.

“Then clearly therapy isn’t working for you.” He snapped right back and I flinched.

“What-“

Jungkook pulled away staring at me.

“ Do you even remember all the shit I did to you?” He asked quietly. My stomach dropped.

“Jungkook.”

“I broke your ribs.” He said calmly. I swallowed.

“That.. That was an accident. You didn’t mean to.” I protested. “ And we’re past all that… I don’t… I don’t blame you for it.” I said, which was honest enough.

“And what about the nights I got drunk, Heejin….” He said softly and my skin went cold.

“That… That was just… It was just an outlet for your grief… “ I looked away and he scoffed.

“You’re calling it an outlet for grief. I believe the world calls it rape.”

I felt my entire body shiver at the word , moving up to wrap my arms around his neck, trying to pull him close but he was stiff as a board.

“ Don’t” I snapped. “ Don’t …. Its over…it’s in the past.”

“It was still me. I was the one who did it and I can’t… I can’t pretend it didn’t happen.”

I pulled away to glare at him.

“So , what? You won’t give us a chance because of something I’ve already forgiven you for?”

“Yes.” He said shortly. “ Because you may have forgiven me, but I haven’t forgiven myself.”

I felt my body sag in disbelief.

“Jungkook that’s-“

“You deserve better. You always have. I’m not… I don’t deserve someone like you Heejin. You’re kind and breathtaking and I’m just… a broken mess of a man who’s barely getting by.”

“Oh, right… So broken.” I scoffed. “ You’re on the front page of magazines, you have a successful career and a beautiful girlfriend,,,,forgive me if I’m not breaking my heart over your failures.”

Jungkook exhaled shakily before looking up at me.

“  You wanna know the truth about me, Heejin-ah?” He swallowed. “ I just got out of rehab last week.”

I went still.

“What?” I was sure I’d misheard.

“I… I came here and about a month or so in…I started drinking again…” He glanced away and my heart turned over inside me.

“Jungkook, what?” I demanded, horrified.

“I got drunk and got into an argument with a cop. I hit him. They found out I was a single father and-“ He shook his head, “ I got arrested for disorderly conduct , Public intoxication and assault.”

I stared at him in disbelief, unable to keep the disappointment out of my tone.

“ Arrested for assault... Jungkook why?” I breathed and he flushed.

“I know…. It was stupid.. I… I was stupid.” He said softly.  “Soeun isn’t a baby sitter. She’s a social worker. She’s here to keep an eye on me because they want to make sure I’m not a threat to Mina. If I slip up, they’ll deport me back home and then the state will likely take her away from me. Soeun likes me….so she agreed to lie to you ……And as for the girlfriend…” He laughed, shaking his head, “ Hyorin broke up with me after I got arrested. We’re not… We’re not dating. She was only there to get some prints for the panel tomorrow.” He finished shakily.

I stared at him.

“Why?” I demanded . “ Why would you lie to me… Jungkook ….”

“Because I didn’t want you to think I was a screw up.” He said shakily. “ I know I’m supposed to be getting better and I have but… But sometimes I just…I miss…. I miss home. “ He shuddered. “ And you.”  He looked up at me. “ I miss you a lot, Heejin and it hurts and I feel like the only way I can forget about you…about us together is if I drink. And I’m sorry. I know I don’t have the right to miss you, not after everything I put you through but I… it’s how I feel. ” He glanced away, trembling a little.

I wrapped my arms around myself, stepping away, feeling myself go cold.

We stayed quiet for a few seconds, both of us staring at the floor lost in our own thoughts. I felt drained. Miserably so. Like someone had sucked all the strength out of me. I realized how badly I had wanted Jungkook to be okay. To heal and be himself again. And I’d spent the last nine months, fully convinced that he was. That he was doing what he loved, bonding with his daughter building a life for himself.

But apparently, he was also spiraling back into addiction as well.

It was like we were back in that apartment, both of us miserable  but desperate to be something we clearly were not : Okay.

“Does Taehyung know?” I asked finally and Jungkook hesitated before nodding.

“He was at my court hearing three weeks ago. He’s the reason I haven’t already lost her.” Jungkook whispered.

“What did he say?”

“He thinks I should come back to Korea.” Jungkook said quietly. “ He wants me to start therapy again with him. Every week. “

I nodded.

“Fair enough. And what do you think?”

“I think I will. My probation ends in three days. I’ll… I’ll start making arrangements afterwards. I’ll probably be back in a few weeks time. ”

I stared at him, finally seeing the things I hadn’t noticed this morning. The shadows beneath his eyes, the worry lines on his brow. I wondered if he would have ever told me the truth, if not for this little confrontation between us.

Silence descended again and I bit my lips, a million thoughts running through my head. I felt the pull of his scent through it all, an instinctive urge to reach out and touch and draw him close and I wondered if this was it. That for the rest of our lives we would just be drawn to each other, reluctant and hurt but unable to stay away.

“You’re leaving tomorrow then?” He asked quietly breaking through the fog in my head.  

“Well obviously not.” I snapped. “ I’m not leaving you. I’ll tell Minho, we’ll be staying here for a few weeks. Do you actually have a possible job back home? If you don’t I can ask my agent to find one for you….”

Jungkook was staring at me like I’d grown an extra head.

“ What?” I asked roughly.

He swallowed.

“No.. I .. I don’t have a job there.”

“We’ll get you one. And my apartment is big enough so you can stay with me till we find you a place of your own. And I think it’ll actually be good for you, because there’s a Fine Art photographer, pretty well know guy who stays just a few blocks away and e can probably- “

“You haven’t really changed have you?” Jungkook cut me off in the middle of my rambling .

I flushed, looking away.

“What do you mean?”

“Back when we were married… it was just like this.. I’d fuck up and do something awful and you’d just take it all in stride, get ready to help me out of it….”

“I don’t know what you mean…” I said quickly, “ Let’s go back to the party we’ll talk later-“

He grabbed both my arms, pulling me back to face him when I tried to get past him and I yelped, staring up at him in surprise.

“What?” I demanded. “ What is it now?”

“How do you do this thing, Heejin ?” He asked roughly. “ How do you just get ready to clean up every fucking mess I make like it doesn’t hurt you? Like I don’t hurt you?”

“What are you talking about?” I tried to wriggle out of his hold but he tugged me closer.

“How do you just…” He shook his head, “ accept me so unconditionally? Like… Its like no matter what I do, you’re just willing to look past it and I don’t fucking understand Heejin… why do you put up with me, damn it?”

I stared right at him. Caught his gaze and held it, refusing to look away.

“You know why.” I whispered, licking my lips, throat dry,  “ And if you don’t…. I’m not going to tell you.”

His eyes widened , lips parting and he exhaled sharply, before letting me go and stepping away.

He looked away, shaking a little and I sighed.

“Let’s just get this night over with, yeah?” I said quietly. “ and then we’ll talk.”

He didn’t reply, merely standing aside and motioning for me to leave first.

I shook my head, moving to grip his arm instead.

“Together.” I said firmly. “ We’ll get this night over with, together.”

 Author’s Note : i love these two. i’ve never wanted two people to be together so much. 

@taeshuworld  .@girlinthemikrokosmos  @xius-exos  @sugainfireslex  @yunkichiee@kpopstudybee @ephyraaaa  @peachoney9795 @ggukkieland  @veronawrites  @blr1004   @tinyhoagiepartylover @btsis7okay @squishyjk  @itsdingdong @emmmui  @honeeybunneey  @yeonkiminnie @just-me-and-myselfs  @delicate-snow-flake  @kpop-lore  @beautifulvirgobutterfly @sumzysworld  @btsmylife21  @teresaisla .@melrosaeparker @taestannie @dchimminie  @ meraki–life  @somewhereinthestates  @mawwnsterr  @kookiesbreaky  @chimchoom  

@namjooningelsewhere  @itsdingdong  @ungodlyjoon  @caratarmy131  

@ladyartemesia  @hardggukk @iliveforjin  @loveemariee

@unicornbabylover  @dchimminie  @nope2214   @landl7xoxo

@mrcleanheichou  @kayteekat @wassup-haeyadwae   @natgba   @nikkiordonez12    @neverthefirstchoice  @btsssssfiction  

@mylittlestrangeandsweetworld   @kookiesxbananamilk     @lovra974   @supernoonanyc  @kokoandkookie​  

#bts smut #bts smut fic #bts fics #bts fanfic #friends to lovers bts au #jungkook abo #jungkook smut

[childishfluff]

Mister Nook- Little!Tommy/CG!Awesamdude (DSMP Agere)

Summary: 

When Tommy gets himself into trouble while regressed, and Sam has to be stern with him for the first time ever, and the new caregiver finds out some of the ways Tommy's past caretakers have affected him.

But everything turns out fine, because Mister Nook knows just how to cheer him up and exactly what to say to help him feel better. -- This is non-sexual, sfw age regression, dni if you're nsfw/abdl/ageplay/cgl/ect. If any of the creators included in this work say *anything* about being uncomfy with fan fiction/of agere content including them, I will take this down and/or modify it appropriately. If they have already said something that I'm unaware of, please let me know.

A/N: Okay so I wanted to write something cute bc the familial dynamic here?? is so?? cute?? anyways- also, here, tommy deals with anxiety/has a sort of panic attack, sorry I'm projecting onto c!tommy and no one can stop me. It's also really fluffy near the end, but I wanted to put the appropriate warnings. Warnings: Talk of slightly abusive past-cgs (only mentioned/you can see the after effects of it), little breaking down/having a short panic attack but Sam helps him through it, attempting to hide fidgeting (idk if that needs a warning?), and Tommy thinking badly about himself.

--

His tear-filled eyes were casted down, staring at his own feet as he switched his weight between them, waiting to be yelled at by the adult man in front of him. He held his hands behind his back, attempting to hide the fact that he was fidgeting.

"You could've hurt yourself, Tommy," Sam spoke softly, crouching down to meet his height. "I need you to stick with me, and not climb anything, I don't know how many times I have to tell you." He sounded disappointed, but not quite mad. Tommy waited, expecting more scolding or punishment.

He had regressed while on a trip for supplies with Sam Nook (the teenager didn't need to know that it was just Sam acting for his sake), the creeper hybrid immediately offering to care for him. And Tommy, instead of being thankful for Sam's kindness, ignored every rule he set in place. No wandering off, no climbing things because 'you're just a kid and I don't want you to get hurt', he didn't listen to any of it.

Sam had been patient, too, stopping his collecting and calmly reminding the kid that he wasn't supposed to do that, before ruffling his hair or kissing his forehead and returning to his work. All of that, only for Tommy to immediately go back to the thing he wasn't supposed to do.

Tommy heart had dropped and melted into a pool of anxiety the moment Sam snapped in frustration and pulled him down from where he hung on a tree, telling him that he shouldn't try and climb when he's so small and clumsy. The moment Sam got to stern with him, Tommy was prepared for yelling and some sort of punishment.

A time out? Ten minutes of no-talking-time, no matter how emotional he was or how much comfort he needed? Maybe his stuffed animals would be taken away once they headed home, or possible his favorite toy would be banished to a cabinet he couldn't reach for a bit. Or he wouldn't be allowed to have his favorite dessert, chocolate chip cookies, for a little while. He didn't know, it was always a surprise with his past caregivers.

"M' sorry," Tommy mumbled, not looking up at him. He blinked away tears, sniffling already.

"Hey," Sam realized that he made him cry, frowning, "I'm sorry I snapped at you, Toms. I just got frustrated, no one's upset with you, or angry," he said, trying to get a glance at his face, only for Tommy to duck his head farther down. "Hey, hey, look up at me." he still spoke softly, calmly as ever, which only scared Tommy more.

It felt like he was watching a ticking bomb, and that Sam would hit a certain point and just burst, and the bomb explosion would bring the overly-harsh disciplinary behaviors he was used to.

He had broke the rules, where was the yelling?

Tommy felt fingers under his chin, gently guiding him to look up. He was a bit confused when he saw nothing but the face of a concerned friend. "Sorry, sorry, should've listened," he mumbled, backing away from Sam. "P'ease don' be mad."

"I'm not mad! Not at all," Sam didn't know how to help, or why the boy was so scared. All it took was him getting a little frustrated for Tommy to become an anxious mess, crying and begging for him not to be mad. What had his past caregivers done to make him expect anger so bad it made him cry, when he broke the rules?

He was simply a child being ordered to just follow an adult around with nothing to do while said adult worked, it wasn't fun and it should almost be expected for him to get into a little trouble, Sam knew that. That's why he was being so lenient and calm, trying to find ways to entertain Tommy as he worked, he was trying to be understanding. But apparently, past caregivers didn't think the same way.

"No, no, m' sorry," Tommy continued to fidget behind his back, still feeling the need to hide his anxious habit, not listening to Sam's attempts at reassuring him as he panicked. He finally finds an adult that cares about him, and he messes it up by being a brat (As Wilbur so kindly put it constantly back in Pogtopia)? Sam hated him, there's no way he didn't. He had messed up already and he hated himself for it.

"Come here," Sam ordered, opening his arms. "If you want to," he added, realizing that the boy might not want to hug him. He didn't know how else to comfort a crying child, though.

Tommy only stepped forward, wiping at his face and going quiet. Sam sighed, "Okay," he lowered his arms, figuring he wasn't getting anywhere with that. Plus, the creeper didn't want to make him uncomfortable. He'd just figure out another way to help him.

"What's wrong, Toms?" He wanted to figure this out, he just wanted to help him.

"When are you gonna yell at me, Mister Nook?" he tilted his head as he looked up at Sam with curious and innocent eyes, genuinely confused with the situation. Sam was still being nice to him, even though he wasn't being good. He didn't get it.

"Why would I yell at you?" Sam seemed confused, and all the more concerned.

"Cause I was bad," Tommy mumbled, dropping his hands to his sides when Sam seemed to noticed that his arms were moving.

Sam took a second to process the little's words, feeling anger bubble in his chest when he put together what that meant. He couched down a bit more, giving Tommy a serious look.

"Tommy, did your other caregivers yell when you broke the rules or got in trouble?" He questioned carefully, feeling himself get unreasonably angry as he thought about what his next interactions with Philza or Technoblade would look like. He pushed that aside, looking to Tommy. For now, he needed to focus on the regressor, and help him calm down. He had an anxious little to care for, he'd get revenge on the assholes that made him anxious at a later date.

\He watched as Tommy nodded nervously. "And yelling scares you?" he asked, sympathetic tone in his voice. Another nod, paired with Tommy looking down at his feet again, as if he was embarrassed. Sam lifted his chin again, "So, your old caregivers, they got mad at you when you misbehaved?"

He sounded shocked, like the behavior was unreasonable. Of course, it really was, but Tommy didn't quite understand that. He didn't deserve to be yelled at just because he wasn't perfectly behaved all the time. He didn't deserve to be treated this badly, especially when he was turning to his safe place.

Tommy nodded a bit, wiping a tear from under his eye, "Don' like it when people are mad at me. Makes me feel bad." he explained in his childlike voice. He was calming down a bit, listening to Sam's non-angry not-loud voice, almost ready to believe that he wasn't gonna be screamed at.

"Oh, sweet thing," Sam sighed, feeling his heart melt in his chest, "I'm never gonna get mad at you for breaking the rules, okay? I might get a little upset, or frustrated, but never mad, and I won't yell at you unless I absolutely have to, which I'm sure I won't." he explained. Tommy seemed to feel a bit better hearing that, slipping younger as he listened to Sam's calm and soft and reassuring voice.

"You sure? m' not in twouble?" Tommy fiddled with his hands behind his back again, a little sad that he did have any of his comfort items with him. All of his fidget toys and stuffed animals were tucked in a chest in his shack. He hadn't planned to regress today, so all that stuff was back at home.

"No, I don't like punishments anyway! Just try to listen better next time, okay? I'm also really sorry that I snapped at you." Sam held out his pinky, promising that Tommy was okay. Tommy took it in his own, seeming relieved when Sam didn't take back his words in any way. "We'll work on rules and rewards, and getting you to listen better, and how to deal with it when you don't without scaring you. We can talk about it when you're big."

Sam wasn't lying. He preferred the idea reinforcing positive behaviors and softly correcting negative ones, and only using simple, quick punishments that connected directly to whatever was done whenever they were really needed.

Sam ruffled his hair, glad that he wasn't crying anymore, happy he had found a way to comfort him without crossing any of his boundaries. Tommy leaned into the touch as he processed his words. "Rewards?" he seemed like an excited little puppy. Was he not rewarded for good behavior before? Did none of his previous caregivers know what positive reinforcement was?

"Yeah, if you're a good baby and follow the rules well, we can get you new toys and stuff. How does that sound?" Sam paused, thinking it over. "Actually, you can earn a reward if you stick by me and don't climb anything for the rest of the trip."

Tommy's eyes widened as he gasped, bouncing on his feet. "Really?"

"Yep!" Sam said, popping the 'p', "If you're on you're very best behavior, I'll pay Eret to make you a new stuffie, okay? It can be anything you want!" Sam spoke in an overly-excited voice, matching Tommy's 'excited toddler' energy. He'd rather a hyper little than an anxious one.

"Even even ev-" Tommy took a breath, his excitement causing him to stumble over his words, "Even a cow? Wanna a cow stuffie!"

"If that's what you want, I'll just have to ask Eret what she can do," Sam nodded, standing up straight. "C'mon kiddo, I'm gonna get the last of what we need so that we can head home."

Immediately, Tommy followed Sam, sticking by his side the rest of the trip. Not because he was scared of getting in trouble, but because he wanted his reward. He wanted to make 'Mister Nook' proud of him. That's what being a softer caregiver did, it made him want to behave.

Little did anyone know, a softer caregiver is exactly what he needed. Yelling didn't work, it only sent him into panic attacks and break downs. And Sam picked up on that quicker then any of his previous caregivers ever did.

Instead of wandering off and causing trouble, he fiddled with his hands (not behind his back, or because he was anxious, but because he was excited and hopeful) as he followed Sam around like a little helper, rambling on about whatever he wanted, temporarily forgetting about his previous tears or anxious thoughts as Sam was nothing but kind and gentle with him. Eventually they headed home, Sam offering to stay with Tommy for the night, not wanting him to be this little alone.

"Good job today, kiddo. I'll ask Eret about that cow stuffie when I see them next, yeah?" Tommy led Sam to his bedroom once the caregiver told him it was getting late and he wanted him to get to bed soon.

Tommy smiled, "I really did good?" he asked, looking up at Sam hopefully. "Be- beca-" he huffed, frustrated with himself for struggling with the word, "Cause' I tried really hard!" he eventually settled on shortening the word, a little shocked when Sam didn't try to correct him, or get annoyed because he 'wasn't speaking properly'.

"I know, sweetheart. And that's all I ask for, is that you try," Sam ruffled his hair. Just like earlier, Tommy leaned into the touch. After this, Sam lead him through the process of getting ready for bed, laying down with him when the little claimed he absolute needed to cuddle both the creeper hybrid and every single one of his stuffies.

"T'ank you, Mister Nook," Tommy mumbled, cuddling into his chest sleepily.

"For what, Toms?" Sam smiled at his use of 'Mister Nook', glad he found an endearing term he was comfortable with using. This was Sam's first time officially caring for Tommy, though he had agreed that he would when Tommy opened up about wanting to start regressing again a few weeks prior. He just didn't think it'd happen on a trip for supplies.

"Helpin' me when I was sad. Makin' me feel better," he explained his thought process the best he could in his childlike headspace, "Make me happy." He was obviously half asleep, but he was telling the truth. He meant every word he said, even if it didn't make complete sense.

Sam felt his heart warm as Tommy nuzzled his way further into Sam's chest, somehow cuddling even closer. Big Tommy would surely be embarrassed in response to this whole situation, but the new caregiver just found it adorable. "Awe, you're welcome, buddy. I'm glad I could help." he smiled softly, hold him close.

This kid just had him wrapped around his finger, huh? He came in, with his anxiety and trauma, obviously needing help, that Sam was quick to offer. And he was glad he did so, he wanted to do everything he could to help this annoying blonde kid, even if it'd be the end of him.

Tommy seemed to be getting closer and closer to falling asleep by the second, his eyes fluttering shut as he started to give up on staying awake. "Mhm, love yous Mister Nook." His voice was barely audible, mumbled out softly and quietly.

Sam was a little shocked when he processed his words, but he smiled wide, happy that the little cared about him too. He had grown to care about this kid, a lot, and in a very short amount of time. "I-i love you too, kiddo."

But Tommy was already fast asleep, safe in his caregivers arms as he dreamt of playful adventures and fun games, no worries in his mind about loud yelling or anxious tears. Because he was just a kid, and he shouldn't have to worry about those things.

And Sam wanted to do everything he could to help him live a fun and worry free life, the kind of one he'd see in his dreams. He just wanted to protect him. From overly harsh carers or anxiety, no matter what it took.

Because he was Little Tommy's 'Mister Nook'.

--

A/N: I hope y'all liked that! if you're reading this, then you get some exciting news! I'm doing a joint writing project (a short, multi-part dsmp agere fic) that I should be posting the first chapter of soon! It's been really cool see our writing styles and headcannons clash as we work on this, and I really hope you guys like it! I am very excited about it!

anyways, please reply/reblog with/send asks with feedback on this chapter. Can you relate to Tommy? Do you like how I portrayed Tommy and Sam's new cglre dynamic? You can say literally anything, I still appreciate it. Criticism, your favorite scene or bit, or literally heart emojis to say 'hey! I enjoyed this but I'm awkward and this is how I show my support!!!'. 

And, feel free to request something, either in this universe, a completely different one, or one of my others. The worst that can happen is that I say no/take a while to get to it! have a good day, everyone! thanks for reading! 

#tommyinnit #awesamdude #agere #age regression #dream smp #dream smp agere #dream smp age regression #little!tommyinnit #cg!sam nook #cg!awesamdude #awesamdad