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#zar actually answers asks for once
zorkaya · 1 year
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❛ how badly do you want me? ❜ hi zar did you order some DOMinoes kek
@al-hazen
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The contrast between his behavior outside of the bedroom and when they were sharing a moment of passion was all too bright, all too colorful, all too addictive. Zarina ached to see more of him, learn more of him, and memorize more of him. The gleam, the sharpness, the vulnerability, the emotion. They are similar yet they are different. It’s tantalizing, the way he lets those emotions spill when he touches her, kisses her, makes her beg for him and him alone. There is happiness in that moment, there is delight in her eyes when she meets that sharp gaze and hears his voice say her name. They say he’s cold, but she’d say he's the opposite when he acts like this: territorial in the way he held her hips to not let her move as she pleased. Ah, to feel him grind against her core like that made her melt beneath him, wishing to be the canvas for his new masterpiece. It felt like an honor to be the one to see him like this, so close and so intimate. Perhaps, this sense of intimate belonging was the real reason for how they’d cling to each other. Al-Haytham could be rough with her, but she’d take it; she’d take all that he could give and reward him back tenfold. 
All your frustrations, all your stress, all your passion, all your love - use it all on me, inflict each mark on me and hold me closer. Let me see more of you, learn more of you, feel more of you. Say my name again, make me your one and only as you are mine now. 
It was a delight and an honor to see him look at her the way he did. Her chest was rising and falling with her staggered breaths from how the pressure against her damp underwear felt in combination with her exposure to the colder air of the night; her nipples felt all too sensitive to the air with how Haytham teased her before. He could be so cruel, so dominating, so passionate within this environment, with her. It made her happy, aroused her, and made her heart flutter in her chest. It’s hard not to look so lovestruck when he asks her in that low, teasing tone of voice how badly she wants him. As if arousal and her body twitching weren’t enough to answer that question. Zarina wanted to be a brat, wanted to make him work for it, wanted to make him assert dominance once again with that confident and smug smirk of his. That special ‘how cute’ in a way that tells you how you’re fucked and how you signed up the contract on being mercilessly teased (almost bullied!) into a mess, aching and yearning. 
“Aren’t you the one…” She begins, lips curled into a smirk as her hands lay on top of his that still hold onto her hips so strongly. He’ll leave a mark, but she doesn’t care. “...Who’s been so eager to have me today?” 
He is a tamer, isn’t he? It’s too easy and too boring to get to the actual action within some games and challenges. Her lipstick was smudges and traces of it could be seen on his own lips, cheeks, neck, and even his hands. Sokolova held back a gasp at the feeling of him rolling his hips against her aching core, eliciting a shiver running down her spine. It felt as he was unimpressed by her cheeky behavior and he knew all too well how weak she was for him. His warmth, his presence, his voice, his hands, his scent, his everything. It’s obvious by the way she’d let him (and constantly encourage him) go on for as long as he wanted with her. Insatiable, wanting, yearning. In these moments, the flames were burning and their emotions overflowing. This intimacy and this possession were all too addictive. It was like a drug. 
“Just look… Mhmm, at how hard you are,” she still fights, letting the snarkiness and the smugness slip off her tongue. “You know that, haha, by acting like this… Ah, y-you’re just showing you can’t discipline correctly.” 
She wants him, she wants him more than anything else. To have him fill her, to have him kiss her, to have him mark her all over, to let her nails leave marks on his back, to moan his name, to come undone, to be the prettiest and most beautiful woman in his eyes. So he will only think about how to lose himself in her, drowning in the glorious moment of passion and intimacy. So he will let it all out, so she will take it all in. So both of them could eb as desperate for each other as they could be. 
 It’s a taunt, it’s a tease, it’s a dare to be even rougher with her. Her body was getting colder where he hadn’t touched it, she longed for more from him. He could edge her, he could tease her back, but nothing would be as effective as fucking her senseless with only his name in her mind and no more coherent thoughts or words slipping off her tongue. 
“Bet you’ll come as soon as you fuck me,” she wraps her fingers around his wrists, trying to pry them away from her hips to give her some ability to move. “Is that why you’re still… you’re still stalling, Haytham?”
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mahlerwillumsen78 · 2 years
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zarla-s · 7 years
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P.P.S. Hey, I thought of an actual question! I guess there's more interesting explanations than, psh, science, (a more intriguing explanation being the ripping paper in half comic,) but you could probably diagnose sans with narcolepsy, and isn't narcolepsy genetic? I know Gaster has fainted or suddenly fallen asleep from sleep deprivation and pushing himself way too hard, but I can imagine him in his younger years just dropping off suddenly just like sans does sometimes!
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Oh no!
[index]
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coasttocoastreads · 4 years
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City of Brass//S.A. Chakraborty
★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Summary in One Gif:
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Real Summary: Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass? A city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.
In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.
After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for 
Pros:
BEAUTIFUL
INCREDIBLE
THE CHARACTERS
THE WORLD
P E R F E C T I O N 
Cons:
I’m sad.
Plot: 5 / 5
This is the book I’ve been searching for. I’ve been looking for the story to suck me in since my quarantine started in mid-March, and THIS IS IT. The beginning of Nahri messing around in Cairo, to her travels, to Daevabad. The TWISTS!! The TURNS!!! Some of it I was able to piece together, some of it I wasn’t, all of it was amazing. The difficulty of figuring out who is in the right? Which side is the right one? Which side is anyone one? Who is a traitor? Who is loyal? Is it better to be loyal or a traitor? WHAT IS THE TRUTH!!!
Pacing 5 / 5
I could not put this down. I literally sat in my backyard from about 11am to 5pm when it started to get cold-ish and I read this. The only reason I did not get sunburnt was having the good sense to put on sunscreen BEFORE I started it. I DEVOURED this book. The absolute mastery of pacing allowed us to go from Cairo Shenanigans, to A Grueling Travel, to Political Maneuvering to Climactic Action PERFECTLY. With such different settings at times, it would stand to reason that it could get choppy, but it DOES NOT. 
Worldbuilding  4 / 5
This is the only place where I felt like this book wasn’t perfect. But I think thats more of a me problem than a book problem, I definitely felt a bit lost at times with some of the cultural stuff, and it took me a bit to sort of… catch up? With some of the intricacies. But it was still pretty dang good. Daevabad was beautifully constructed, and I really did feel like I could picture what was being described. I think some of the mythology took a bit to put together, but by the end I definitely knew what was going on for the most part.
Characters: 5 / 5
Would I die for all of them? Yeah. Maybe. Nahri? Check. Ali? Check. Dara? Check. I think the best part about it, was that they are all incredibly flawed. Nahri is dragged kicking and screaming into a world she doesn’t understand, and knows nothing about, and she doesn’t just, catch on immediately like protagonists sometimes do in books like this, she struggles, a lot, but she uses the skills she has to figure it out. And she messes it up, and there were times when I was shaking the book and just sighing exasperatedly because uhg Why Would You Do That!!!?? But I think thats part of what makes a good character. Likewise, both Ali and Dara are incredibly, incredibly flawed, and they are diametrically opposed, but I somehow??? Like them both??? So much??? Both of them believe so strongly, and they both truly believe they are doing the right thing, and yet they question themselves, and we as readers question them. Is Ali really doing things for the right reasons? Has Dara been honest? Can either of them be forgiven for the things that they’ve done? Are they responsible for their actions under the circumstances? All questions both the reader, Nahri, and both Dara and Ali ask themselves. I LOVE them ALL. 
I’d recommend for:
Are you in your early 20s and only read YA and don’t know how to move on even though you no longer relate to protagonists that are 16? Have you been overwhelmed by the prospect of wading through adult fiction to find the ones that have the same feel? WELP I DID THE WORK FOR YOU! 
READ IT. 
Would I travel here?
Hell yeah, already packed my bags. 
Overall Thoughts:
I liked this book so much, that if its not available from my library literally RIGHT NOW, then I’m going to BUY the next book. I’m so upset that this has been out since 2017 and I’m only reading it now. Like literally devastated. Also, Tiff just told me that its getting a netflix series apparently and IM TRULY LIVING.
See you next week!
Katya
Spoilery Rant under the cut:
WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH? IS DARA BEING CONTROLLED BY SOMEONE? IS HE REALLY DEAD? WHAT IS ALI GOING TO DO NOW? HOW IS NAHRI PLAYING THE KING? IS SHE PLAYING THE LONG GAME? WHAT ARE THE DAEVA PLANNING? ARE THEY THE GOOD GUYS? ARE THE SHAFIT? AREN’T THEY BOTH BEING WRONGLY PERSECUTED? GIMME THE ANSWERS? WHAT HAPPENED TO DARA? IS NAHRI ACTUALLY SHAFIT OR NOT? IS HER MOTHER ALIVE? WHAT IS HAPPENING I NEED TO KNOW!!!!!!
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loveforsale-ff · 4 years
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Prelude
Don't believe the lies Look me in my eyes Please don't be scared of me Please don't be scared of me Drake- Fear
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Bliss Daniels
"Bliss c'mon!" Harmony yelled, "I'm coming!" Bliss yelled back as she pulled on her thigh high boots. Standing in her floor to wall mirror, Bliss looked her self over. Loving what stared back at her. She wasn't the thickest, but she knew how to work what she had. Shuffling out of her room, she headed down stairs. "I'm ready," "Ok I was not ready for this slay!" Heaven yelled out. Bliss chuckled, as she looked her cousin over. "Bitch you talking about me, but look at you." Bliss deflected.
Heaven struck a pose, as she showed off her outfit, that was a lime green two piece, that consisted of a halter and skirt set. Her braids were hanging, and her face had more of a natural beat.
“I'm tryna snatch somebodies daddy tonight." The girls fell out laughing at Heaven, before they each began posing for pictures, and quickly posted them to Instagram. Then headed out of Bliss' front door.
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"Where's Pialar?" Bliss asked once they slid into her white Jeep Cherokee.
"She's meeting us there." Harmony answered as she searched for a song that they could ride too. Bliss hummed as her response as she bought her car to life, and pulled off. The car ride to Pulse was quiet as the three woman bobbed their heads to Webbie's Six Twelves. Pulling up to the club, Bliss pulled up to the valet. Stepping out of her truck, Bliss took a deep breath, as her nerves began to get the best of her.
It has been seven months since she'd stepped out as a single woman, and she didn't know what to expect, she wasn't back home in New Orleans any more. She was traveling in uncharted water right now. "Look cousin just have fun tonight. I know this all new, but we wouldn't have begged you to move out here. We got you, cause we all we got." Heaven told her. And Bliss couldn't do anything but smile. Heaven may have acted like a clown ninety-five percent of the time, but she had moments where she actually gave sound advice.
"Yall ready?" Harmony asked, "yeah." Bliss answered, ready to forget about her past, ready to just live in the moment for once in her life. With that the three woman shuffled towards the door. "We skipping people." Bliss whispered to Heaven, "this her nigga club." Heaven whispered back, "oh ok." With that they walked in the packed club, and a cloud of smoke immediately engulfed them. With their heads held high, and their heels clicking on the marble flooring of the clubs floor, the trio headed straight for the bar.
Eyes fell upon them, but they paid it no mind. The only thing they was worried about was enjoying the night out with each other. It's why Harmony asked her boyfriend Zar for a VIP section on the first floor. This was a night just for girls. It was a night to lift Bliss spirits up after her nasty divorce. "Hey Harmony, hey Heaven." "Hi Jacob." They said in unison. "What can I get for you all?" He asked, but his focus was on Bliss. "I want a call the cab please." Harmony stated, "make that two." Heaven added, "and what about you pretty lady?"
"Double shot of Hennessy, and an old fashion." "Coming right up." As he began to fix their drinks, the last member to their group showed face. "Hey yall!" Pialar yelled to them over the loud music. "Hey love!" Bliss yelled back as she gave her a quick hug. After greetings and Pialar ordering her drink, the four ladies headed to the dance floor, as the DJ began to play City Girls Twerk. Bliss put a slight arch in her back as she began to make her ass shake to the beat. Her hand that held her drink in it raised above her head, as she got lost in the beat.
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Omer Beckham
Omer leaned over the rail of the vip section that he occupied in his best friend's club, people watching, when his eyes landed on a pretty brown thing doing killing it on the dance floor, her friends hyping her up, as she made her ass shake to the beat. Biting down on his bottom lip, he let his orbs roam all over her. Liking what he seen. The short dark blue denim shorts stopping right underneath her booty, the multi colored bodysuit hugged her upper body just right, but what Omer was feeling the most were the tan thigh high boots, it sent her outfit over the edge and had him fantasizing.
"Nigga what you doing?" Kaziar asked as he came and stood on side of Omer. Omer simply pointed out towards the dance floor, Kaziar bushy eye brows raised upon his head, as he followed his friends finger. A smirk graced Zar's face as he rubbed his hands together like birdman. "That's my shorty's people, I can run interference for you." Zar stated.
"Nah, I'ma get at'er when she least expect it."  Licking his lips he shook his head as he thought about all the positions he could bend her ass in. Just thinking about it had him stiffing in his jeans, as he wondered if she tasted as good as she looked. Omer had to chuckle to himself, as he thought about a conversation that him and his boys had days prior. They were all clowning on him, saying how he had a preference. He tried to deny it, but looking at the brown skin beauty he knew they were right.
He didn't know what it was, but he always migrated to the more melanated women. He continued to watch her through out the night on some creep shit, but Omer really couldn't help himself, and he wasn't the only one watching her, he'd seen a couple of niggas, and a few females watching her too. She was just that damn captivating. Seeing that she was on her six cup of Hennessy, Omer pushed himself up off the rail.
Dapping up his friend Josiah, Omer headed down the stairs and to the first level. He maneuvered quickly through the sea of bodies, that littered the dance floor. His orbs bounced around frantically, as he searched for his brown skinned beauty. Once finding her he licked his lips, as he swaggered over to her. Tapping her on the shoulder, he backed up some, as she quickly turned around.
Omer let his eyes roam her face, and for the first time in all of his twenty- five years of living he'd never been stuck, captivated by a woman's beauty, to the point where he was rendered speechless. "Can I help you?" Coming out of his daze, Omer gave his million dollar smile, "I just need your number." He stated once he grab his bearings. A soft chuckle escaped from Bliss lips. "Sorry I'm not on the market." Omer nodded his head, then turned on his heels and pushed back through the crowd. 
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coffee-at-annies · 4 years
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hockey ask: 11, 31, and 40 :D
I feel really bad since I wrote this at like 1 am 3 days ago and its been sitting in my drafts since I forgot to post it. Sorry for the late response.
11. If you were to write a biography about your favorite player, what would be the book’s title?
So the joke answer to this is @Jarry Who Does Your Brows? And Other Hockey Questions. The real answer to this questions is I don’t really have a strong favorite player, or more accurately 90% of the current Pens roster is my favorite player and I will fixate on several players and declare them my favorite on a game by game/season by season basis. This season’s faves were Jarry (of course Mouse Boy has been arbitrarily my favorite since I first got a glimpse of his eyebrows in 2017), baby boy Marino, and a rotating choice of ZAR/Rusty/Jake/Canner/Tanev/you get the idea. If I was gonna write a biography for a player tho it’d probs be about Sid and it’d be something uncreative like Oh Captain My Captain. I love Geno but I don’t think he’s ever gonna be my favorite. That being said, I did come up with the title The A to his C which sounds like the title of a romance novel or a super long angsty fanfic but I imagined it as a book about Geno and Sid’s friendship from Geno’s POV or focusing on Geno’s side of their relationship.
31. What’s your least favorite hockey tradition?
Wait I’m supposed to care about/know traditions now? Ugh. Ummmm I’m seriously blanking. I think the fan thing of wearing the same shirt/not washing your jersey or having an unlucky jersey is dumb. I know the minute I start letting myself think things like that its gonna add a level of crazy to watching hockey that I do not want to introduce into my life. Having said that it only applies to fans. The Pens’ irl third jerseys have a strong chaos aura and I do not trust them. So like players having cursed jerseys? I’d believe it. Fan jerseys? Eh. For the game itself I’m not fond of ceremonial puck drops/the anthems. I get why they’re there but I can do without them and I often end up skipping them bc I’m late to the game.
40. Give me an unpopular opinion about hockey in general.
Oh god I don’t know. I try to stay out of fandom discourse and I don’t give a shit about teams that aren’t my own which means I miss a lot and I like it that way. My unpopular opinion is I think the hype around good players like McDavid and Mathews is a little overrated. Then next one bullshit and the franchise savior media narratives are just bullshit. You can have the most talented players in the world and if you can’t build a team around them or if you don’t have the right coach then nothing is gonna come of it. I get that I got into hockey like a decade after Crosby saved hockey in Pittsburgh and he literally lived up to the media narrative and junk but that’s honestly an exception rather than the norm. McDavid and Mathews are good players. They may even be generational players and future hall of famers once they’ve had ten years in the league to develop like Sid has had. But the idea that you’re gonna get one or two high draft picks and next year you’re gonna win the cup is silly. Its possible, but not probable. The Pens were doing well this year before quarantine not because of our superstars (though they have helped) but because the team and the coaching were solid so that when one player got injured, another stepped up. This is a team sport and the media likes to build narratives around specific players and I don’t like that.
Hockey Asks (you-gotta-actually-think-about-it edition)
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ofhvney · 5 years
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he’s been here before. he’ll be here again, he’s sure, at some point in his lifetime. you can take the boy out of the mob, but you can’t take the mob out of the boy, or something like that. either way, his shoes tread the same path they have plenty of times before, skipping stairs on the way up to the police department door. he’s ten minutes late, iced coffee in hand, and he nods to the secretary at the front desk like they’re old friends. “ let ‘em know i’m here ? ” he requests, flashing her a smile, and she picks up the phone. elaine grant and michael forrester emerge not long after, greeted by the sight of a murder suspect draped haphazardly over three chairs in the waiting room. 
“ alright, ” he sighs dramatically, sitting up and snagging his coffee off the table next to him. he glances between the two officers, as if they need his approval to carry this charade out. “ let’s get this show on the road. ”
A MESS, FEATURING: @the-great-and-wonderful-oz, @bclthczcros, @ofcelesticls, @figurchead, @rosaliamorais.
part one ( you )
do you have any criminal history ? anything big or small that you want to make us aware of ?
“ y’all have a file. can’t you read ? ” he’s off to a great start, petulant look on his face as he waits for an answer. the only thing he gets in response is a prompt to answer the question, cooperate, blah blah blah. boring. he’d liked it better when he’d been able to drunkenly joke around with the beat cops back in the holding cell.
“ public drunkenness, drunk & disorderly, and assault. ” he offers them a grin, then, all sharp white teeth, the wolf greeting little red riding hood. “ but all charges have been dropped. so do with that what you will. elaine, go ahead and jot it down, i know you want to. ” he leans forward, tipping his chin as if trying to spy on her notepad. “ say, would you mind using a sharpie or something ? that pen’s too light for me to see. i kinda felt like this could be a group project, you know ? collaboration. ” he purses his lips at the silence he gets in response, then sits back once more. “ damn, never mind. solo it is. ”
how have you spent the few weeks back at college ? what have they been like ?
“ does this question ever go over well ? this feels like the kind of question that doesn’t go over well. ” he rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “ it’s been shitty. i was minding my own business, trying to start my senior year off, actually attempting to go to class for once. but daisey rutherford just had to go and get herself killed. now we’re all huddled up in our rooms from dusk ‘til dawn, trying our very best not to put targets on our foreheads. ” he raised one brow. “ ain’t college a dream ? ”
part two ( daisey )
how did you know miss. rutherford ? what was the nature of your relationship ? 
“ not good, which i’m sure is why you dragged my ass in here. ” he sighs, tipping his chair back on its two back legs. “ she stole from me freshman year. some... really important documents, things that weren’t the type of thing i’d appreciate anyone touching, much less someone i barely knew. i was pissed, obviously, since she stole from me. classic rich girl move, you know ? she’s got all the fucking money in the world— stop looking at me like that, we’re all adults here, i can fucking curse. anyway. sorry, she had all the money in the world, and she still decided to poke around and pilfer my shit. i was rightfully angry, and we’ve never gotten along since. i generally tried to avoid her, but this campus is small, so i’d still see her sometimes. i mostly just talked shit if i ever ran into her. ” honey watches elaine’s pen move across her notepad, and he can practically see MOTIVE flashing across the paper like a neon sign. which, he feels, is catastrophically unfair. even in death, daisey’s making his life harder. 
do you remember where you were the night daisey went missing ? if so, where were you ? what were you doing ? who were you with ?
honey sucks his teeth for a moment, knowing the answer but not quite wanting to admit to it. his eyes dart between the two officers, their eyebrows raised expectantly, and he lets out a sigh. “ well, i sure hope this is a no-judgement zone, ” he says dryly, folding his hands in front of him on the table. “ i was at oz lamar’s party, same as i’m sure most people were. i spent the beginning of the night chatting with some classmates, playing some drinking games, that sort of thing. i then went to the upstairs bathroom and hooked up with my boyfriend — well, he wasn’t my boyfriend at the time, but anyway — zar ros. balthazar. we came back downstairs separately, and a little while later i headed back upstairs with my best friend, kiki kibler. kiera. ” 
their gazes continue to bore into him, as if to say and what did you do up there ? 
“ i hooked up with her, too, alright ? jeez. can’t a guy get laid in peace ? ” honey rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair once more. “ we came back down about an hour later, and i spent the rest of the night with kiki. i left at around 2:30. ”
did you notice anything strange about daisey’s behavior the night she went missing ? did you notice anything suspicious about anyone else you ran into that night ? 
he’s about to answer, say some bullshit about what am i, her keeper ? when he remembers the interaction they’d had that night. though it’s been a while since the party, he can recall the look on her face as clear as day. “ yeah, actually. she was being all... paranoid and weird, ” honey says, frowning. “ i don’t know why, i mean— like i told you, we sure as hell weren’t friends. but she seemed super freaked out about something. she even asked me to switch jackets with her, which was... so fucking weird. obviously her shit didn’t fit me, so i just tied it around my waist. i looked like a fucking dork, but whatever. i didn’t even think to say no, you know ? i was kind of caught off guard by the fact that she seemed so different than usual. even when i’d talk shit to her face, she was usually pretty composed. kind of a bitch. but that night she seemed... freaked out. like she was looking over her shoulder for something. so... that was definitely strange. ” he thinks for another moment, searching his brain. “ other than that, not really. daisey was the only one i saw acting odd. ”
where were you the night daisey’s body was recovered ?
“ at home, high as a fucking kite. my roommate was probably around somewhere. otto ballantyne ? ” he stares at them for a long moment, as if he’s playing some strange game of chicken. honey’s the one to break first, laughing loudly in the small room. it echoes off the walls. “ i’m joking. jesus, can you imagine ? i don’t do drugs, officers, ” he says sweetly, and it’s clear that he’s lying, but what does he care ? “ i was at home, though. i got pizza delivered. meat lovers. you can double check me on that. ” a jab at zar, for ignoring him the entire day after he’d left that voicemail. it feels stupid, now. 
how familiar are you with the ashmont woods ? have you been there often ? have you recently ventured out here ? if so, why ?
“ familiar enough. ” he shrugs, as if the answer is obvious. until nate’s body had been found there, it’d been as innocuous a place as any to him. “ i mean, they’re right there. there’s some nice paths to take a walk or run on, if you’re into that sort of thing. i go there sometimes to clear my head, but i haven’t been there recently — other than to participate in the search party. ”
part three ( the investigation )
do you have feelings towards the investigation ? any comments ?
he shrugs again, indifference clear in the lines of his expression. “ no offense, but i don’t really care, ” he answers, reaching out for his coffee. he takes a long, slow sip, pushing the limits of the officers’ annoyance just for the sake of annoying them. “ like, i’m glad you’ve got something exciting to do for once, but i just want to, like, live my fucking life. not being able to go out past 7 makes me feel like a goddamn mormon or something. and they’re extinct. ” he shakes his head, seemingly indifferent to the matching, confused looks on their faces. “ i hope you catch the dude or whatever, but do it quick. i’m tired of this already. ”
do you have any people you feel the police should look into ? please, let us know who and why.
his first thought is: the boyfriend usually did it, but his own fucking roommate is— was— daisey’s fiancé. he doesn’t think otto’s capable of this, not even for the drama of it all. “ i have no idea, ” he says, and it rings true. “ i’d say maybe an ex of some kind, but... beyond being antagonistic toward each other, i didn’t really know daisey. i don’t want to point fingers at people in her life without really knowing what was going on. ”
part four ( weekly events — search party )
were you part of the search party in the woods on october 15th to 17th ? if yes, what did you find ? 
“ i was. ” that answer is simple. the next, not so much. what did you find. honey loses focus for a moment, his mind blurring the lines between every time he’s found something like he did that day in the woods. he snatches at wisps of bodies, some more battered than others, some more... unrecognizable than others. finally, his mind catches on the feeling of his hand on alice’s shoulder, warm and solid, and he startles back to the present. “ nate ballantyne, ” he answers, clearing his throat. “ i found nate ballantyne’s dead fucking body. i already answered questions about that. look at your goddamn file if you want more details. ”
in the week that the four students were missing, did anyone’s behaviour strike you as odd or suspicious?
he settles them with a look, impatient now that his iced coffee is gone. “ i’ve been too busy being locked up in my apartment for half the day to really interact with my classmates all that much. i didn’t notice anything amiss, but i wasn’t really spending a lot of time out and about. i was mostly at home with my boyfriend. ”
what is your connection to the four missing students ?
their faces flash through his mind: libby’s, danny’s, nate’s... one of them dead. his thoughts only stop once they reach rosa, picturing the way she rolls her eyes at him, goodnatured and usually followed by an exasperated smile. he can’t help the selfish flash of gratitude that she came out of this ordeal alive. “ i’m good friends with rosa morais. rosalia. but the other three... ” he trails off, shaking his head. “ i didn’t know them well. acquaintances at best. ”
do you know of anyone ( or anything ) that could lend to the motive of the person who killed  nathaniel ballantyne?
“ no, ” he says, and it’s the truth. daisey had much more obvious answers — she had plenty of enemies, himself included. but nate ? sure, he’d been... kind of pretentious, but honey had never gotten the impression that anyone truly disliked or hated him for it. “ sorry, i didn’t know him too well. that’s probably a better question for oz lamar. they were close. ” 
his eyes dart back and forth between them, and he waits for another question that never comes. elaine is still writing on her damn notepad.
“ are we done here ? ” he says, breaking the silence. “ i think we’re done here. ” he pushes back his chair abruptly and turns to leave, abandoning his coffee cup. they can clean up after him, for all he cares. all he wants right now is to go the fuck home.
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Drowning (2)—S. Crosby
Warning: two sentences implying an abusive relationship. Don’t worry, it’s just the neighbors. I’m so happy you guys love this series. I’m really excited for it! Check out my other imagines and master list on my blog with #hockeyimagine. This series and all questions and statements about it can be found under #drowningsc.
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Sidney hadn’t had the time to look to see if Y/N and Andy were in the box. Zach had assured him that they were coming. He was still obviously suspicious of Sidney and the whole situation. He had every right to be. That was his family.
They won 4-3 against the Rangers in overtime. Sid barely listened as Sully congratulated and berated the team and then instructed Olli, Murray, and Horny to do media. He rushed to put on his suit.
“Hey did you wanna go out with us tonight for drinks?” Kris asked Sid. “Cullen is the only one out so far.”
Sid shook his head. If this night was going to go how he hoped, he’d be out eating in a quaint diner in an hour with a beautiful woman and her son. Not that it was a date or anything, he reminded himself. He was merely treating a lovely family to a nice night that they deserved. That’s it. No romance involved at all.
“I have plans.”
“Involve pretty woman and small boy?” Geno grinned. Kris looked intrigued.
Zach patted Sid on the shoulder. “I’m going out with the guys. Walk them up to the apartment. Tell Y/N not to wait up for me. I might end up staying with Olli tonight depending on how many drinks we have. Make sure she locks the door too. Just because I have some money still doesn’t mean we live in the greatest area of Pittsburgh.”
Sid understood then. “You have plenty of money to get a nice place for yourself, and even them. You live with them to try to help but she doesn’t like charity.”
Zach nodded. “I know you like Andy and genuinely want to spend time with him because he’s a good kid. She still believes that you are on charity mode,” he explained. “You’re right, she doesn’t like charity or pity, especially when it involves Andy. That kid is her life. ‘The best accident in my life’ she says. She won’t warm up to you until she realizes a you’re there for him as a kid and for her as a woman of interest.”
Sidney wanted to speak up about that last part and argue, especially under the watching eyes and listening ears of teammates. “Don’t even deny it, Sid,” Zach interrupted. “Just don’t make me regret this.”
Zach walked out of locker room with some of the guys, leaving him, Evgeni, and Kris alone. “What am I missing?” Kris asked.
“Sid in love,” Geno told him.
Sid shook his head. “I’m not in love.”
“ZAR disagrees,” both countered.
“I explain later,” Geno whispers to Kris.
Kris nodded. “The 3 of us are going out tomorrow night in Boston to talk about this,” he informed Sidney. “You’re going to tell us about tonight. You’re going to explain all of this to us. Got it, Sid?”
Sidney nodded. “See you guys in the morning for the flight. Enjoy tonight.”
Sidney grabbed his bags and walked towards the exit. He stopped right before pushing the door open. Nerves rushed over him. He wouldn’t normally be doing this. He wouldn’t probably go to these extremes for another teammate’s family. Okay, so that thought was wrong and he probably would, but without the feelings he has right now. There was something about this situation that pulled him in. He pushed his nerves away as he pushed the door open.
Y/N and Andy sat outside the locker room on a bench. Sid smiled a waved. A small part of him feared they would have left, but that fear was gone now and replaced with excitement.
“Hi Sid,” Andy waved. “You played good tonight, and your box is really cool,” He then whispered, “I actually fell asleep during the second intermission and missed part of the third because it’s so nice up there.”
Sidney chuckled. “Did you enjoy it, Y/N?” He asked. She nodded. He took this time to glance over her. She was wearing one of ZAR’s jerseys, but it was the color of the shirt underneath her jersey that caught his attention. “Are you wearing a Rangers shirt under that?”
She smirked. “Guilty. I couldn’t help myself. Zach wanted to wear my Rangers jersey because he thought your reaction would be funny. I said I didn’t want to torture you that much.”
Sidney, smiling, shook his head. “Well, clearly since your cousin being a Penguin and your son a future one doesn’t convince you,” A large grin appeared on Andy’s face, “I suppose I must convince you to become our #1 fan. Maybe we can go get something to eat. I know a nice diner only a few blocks from here.”
Y/N blushed as Andy yanked on her arm, begging her to agree. Y/N nodded and Sid led them out of the arena. “I hope you guys don’t mind walking. It’s only a few blocks from here.”
Y/N shook her head. “Not at all. We took the Light Rail here anyway.”
Andy stood between Y/N and Sidney, holding each of their hands, as they walked to the little diner. Y/N had objected at first but Sidney didn’t mind. He didn’t say it aloud but it felt like he had a family of his own for once. Andy talked the whole way there about the game. He praised both teams but admitted he was upset when Horny hit Zuccarello and then when Kreider tripped Sid. Sidney had to keep reassuring him that he was okay.
Very few people were in the diner when they walked in. A middle aged woman waved to them from behind the counter. “Hiya Sid!”
“Hi Marnie,” Sid greeted. He led Y/N and Andy to a booth on the left and the waitress, Marnie, brought two menus.
“I suppose you want your usual,” she said. She looked at his guests and smiled. “You’ve never brought your family here before, Sid. Mama’s gonna be upset.”
“Mama?” Andy and Y/N questioned.
“She’s talking about her mom, Sue,” Sid net explained. “Everyone calls her Mama and she calls everyone Baby or some other affectionate term.”
They nodded and glanced over the menu while Sid and Marnie caught up. It had been awhile since he had been into the diner. He had been craving their fries lately though, and one of Mama’s pies.
“I want nuggets,” Andy demanded. Y/N shot him a look. “Please.”
Marnie nodded. “And for you, miss?”
“I’ll have a Pittsburgh salad.”
“And an order of pierogies for the table too, Marnie,” Sid added.
Marnie nodded and walked off. “You come here often?” Y/N asked.
Sidney chuckled. “Is it that obvious? They don’t make a big deal about me here.”
Andy gave him a strange look. “But you’re Sidney Crosby.”
Sid nodded. “And I’m also just Sidney,” He stared at Y/N as he said this. He wanted her to understand. “I’m a normal guy. I come to a little diner to pig out because it makes me feel normal. I love judging people on House Hunters. I binge watch Friends. I like cooking. I play video games. I’m normal.”
“I’m sure your girlfriend loves that,” Y/N commented.
“I don’t have one. It’s just me.”
“Do you have a dog?” Andy asked. Sid shook his head. “You should get one. Or a cat. You need a friend for when you’re home. It probably gets lonely.”
Sid didn’t respond as Marnie had brought out their appetizer, and he also didn’t know how to respond. An 8 year old kid had hit his situation head on. He was alone. He had no one. He visited his team to feel wanted. He played hockey to keep busy. He looked up at that moment to see Y/N staring at him. There was a look in her eye that said she understood him. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it quickly. Sid just nodded, and she gave him a weak smile.
He heard a shout. “Baby Sid!” Instantly a pair of arms wrapped around him. “Don’t you dare wait so long to come see me again.”
Sid chuckled. “I’m sorry, Mama. I fly to Boston tomorrow and then New Jersey. It’ll be a few days until I come back then.”
Mama Sue patted him on the back and glanced up to his company. “Baby you brought another baby Sid and a pretty woman! Why did you hide such a gorgeous family,” She pinched Andy’s cheeks. “You are a good looking boy. Look like your father.”
Sidney glanced at Y/N and saw her face pale. Andy giggled. “Sid’s not my dad. But she is my mom. Sid is our friend. I’ll still be Baby Sid Jr. though.”
Mama Sue chuckled. “And who are you, baby?”
“I’m Y/N. A friend.”
“A beautiful friend,” Mama added. Marnie brought over the tray of food. “Pittsburgh salad for beautiful friend. Chicken nuggets for Baby Jr Sid. And a basket of fries and today’s soup of Zuppa Toscana for Baby Sid. I make fresh peach-raspberry today pie too.”
“Thank you, Mama.”
They didn’t say much as they ate but the feeling was enough to keep Sid full. Andy tried playing with his food and Y/N told him to stop. He shared his fries with her after he caught her several times eyeing them. Andy would talk about his day and chomp on his food causing Sid to tell him to chew and swallow and then talk. He wiped Andy’s face when he was all done. Andy was yawning by the time Mama brought the pie out...in a box.
“Baby Jr Sid looks tired. Eat pie later. I wrote on top how to heat up,” Y/N tried to hand money to Mama for the dinner. She shook her head. “Nonsense. I put on Sid’s tab.”
Y/N pursed her lips. Sid didn’t want Y/N to be offended. “She can pay if she wants to, Mama,” Sid said.
A sharp pain radiated through Sid’s shoulder after Mama Sue hit him. “Stupid boy. You take beautiful friend on date and make pay? You’re hunky Canadien pseudo-father not teach you anything?”
“Mario taught me lots of things,” Sid answered. “Just let her pay.”
Mama huffed and turned to Y/N. “I make deal with you. This meal free as long as you and cute son come back to visit me. Then I let you pay.”
Y/N nodded. “I’ll take that deal.”
“And make sure Baby Sid shares pie with you!” Mama Sue shouted as they left the diner.
“She can be a lot,” Sid said when they were a few storefronts down. “But Mama Sue means well. I’m sorry you had to argue with her back there.”
Y/N shrugged her shoulders and pulled her coat tighter. Sidney had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around her. “It’s fine, Sidney. I know she meant well, but I like to feel that I am capable of taking care of Andy and I without any help.”
“Sometimes people want to help because they care,” Sidney blurted. He was going to apologize and then Andy started coughing hard. Sid dropped to Andy’s level. “Are you okay, bud?”
“Cold,” he muttered.
Sidney watched Y/N huff and purse her lips. “The station is another four blocks from here,” she murmured.
It was clear that Sidney was not supposed to hear that, but he did. “I can give you a ride home,” he offered. “The Rail isn’t going to be warm.”
“Sidney—“
“Take the nice man’s offer, momma,” Andy interrupted, his teeth chattering.
Y/N glared at Andy. “I was going to say yes. I’m not going to let you freeze.”
Andy blushed. “Sorry, momma. I just know how you can be.”
Y/N sighed and bent down to kiss Andy on the forehead. “I will always put you first, Andy. Always,” Y/N stood back up. “Where is your car, Sidney?”
—————————
Sidney pulled up to a mediocre brick apartment building in a shabby part of Pittsburgh. “Do you think Uncle Z will be back tonight, momma?” Andy yawned.
“Probably not bud,” Sid answered. “Your Uncle Z is out with some of the guys. He might stay with Olli tonight.”
“He’s with Olli a lot. Why aren’t you with the guys?” Andy asked.
“Because I wanted to spend the night with you and your mom,” Y/N was quiet throughout the conversation. “Shall I walk you guys up?”
“You don’t have to, Sidney. You’ve done plenty tonight. I really appreciate it.”
“I insist,” Sid leaned over and whispered, “I’ll be honest too. ZAR asked me to. Not that I wouldn’t have anyway.”
Y/N rolled her eyes and chuckled. “That sounds like him,” Y/N glanced back at her son. Sid looked back too and saw Andy slowly dozing off. “Would you mind carrying him up? It’s been a long day and I don’t want to wake him up. He might be a little heavy though.”
Sidney nodded. “I don’t mind. Maybe I can get out of lifting tomorrow,” he joked, causing Y/N to giggle. “Lead the way to your abode.”
The seven story brick apartment building opened with a simple key code—1-2-3-4 to be in fact. Sidney didn’t understand how this was safe. There was only one set of stairs in the building also, and they lived on the seventh floor.
“No wonder ZAR hates cardio workouts but is really good at them,” Sidney commented by the time they got to the fourth flight of stairs. “This is quite the workout.”
“Zach isn’t really here much any more,” Y/N told him. “He’s only here during the season when he’s on the roster. He has been spending a lot of time with Olli. I think they are thinking about getting a place together, but I know Zach doesn’t want to abandon us. He’s always been so supportive and I will always be grateful for that and liking out for us, but I just want him to live his own life. I did it before he got here. I can do it again.”
At the fifth flight Sidney heard the thump of music. At the sixth the moans of sex. Andy didn’t stir through the whole trip up. Once they reached the seventh floor, they had to go to the opposite end of the building to Y/N’s apartment. Sidney briefly stopped in front of one apartment, 7E, where he heard lots of screaming and yelling. Y/N shoved him along and stopped two doors down at 7C. Quickly she unlocked the door and shooed Sidney in.
“Andy’s room is this way,” she told him.
“Is that couple going to be okay?” Sidney asked.
She shrugged. “They fight all the time. As long as they don’t disturb apartment 7K, everyone will be fine and the cops won’t be called. I’m praying that doesn’t happen. It’s just a mess then.”
“Y/N, this isn’t safe,” Sidney whispered. He laid Andy down in his bed and walked out with Y/N. “This can’t be good for Andy.”
Y/N bit her lip and crossed her arms. Sidney watched many emotions cross her face. “I work the front desk at a downtown hotel and occasionally waitress at the hotel’s restaurant when someone can watch Andy. I can’t get a nice little townhouse and pay for the hospital bills. This isn’t where I ever pictured myself being.”
Sidney lunges forward to catch her as she collapsed in tears. He held her close and walked towards the couch. Y/N curled into his touch as he sat down. Sidney didn’t say anything; he just let her cry and rubbed her back. That’s what she needed. She was a 29 year old with an 8 year old son. Both hadn’t had the best life, but Y/N was doing her very best to make sure Andy was ahead in life, even if cancer pushed him back. She had no time for herself, Sidney realized. She had no one to vent or cry to. She put everyone ahead of her and left nothing for herself. She was alone—just like him.
Sidney glanced down and saw her tears had stopped and her breathing was even. Sidney didn’t have the heart to move her; besides, he liked the feel of someone being next to him. He could survive this one night.
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septnautical · 6 years
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Zarkie Part 2
((Recommended you read this while listening to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxvVQE1tfYk ))
Danan led Zara to a room that didn’t show the ocean outside and that the water tunnels weren’t connect to.
“You can rest here for a bit,” Danan told her gently. Zara sat on the bed towards the middle and put her face in her hands.
Danan put a hand on her shoulder for comfort, “If it helps then you should know Bunny is recovering well and can be let go in the next day.”
Zara lifts her head to give a tiny smile, “That does make me feel better.”
“I will leave you to yourself unless you wish to have someone to speak to about what happened,” Danan inquired.
Zara shook her head, “I’d rather be alone right now. Maybe...maybe later?”
Danan gave her a gentle smile, “I will be here if you ever need to talk Zara.” Danan gave her a nod and then left the room.
Immediately tears welled up in Zara’s eyes and she couldn’t hold down the sob anymore. It was painful to be attacked by someone you loved and trusted. She had loved Jackie, trusted him, had hoped he would understand where she was coming from. Turns out love wasn’t so great either.
More sobs worked their way out of Zara and she let her grief pour out. Eventually the tears stopped and Zara dug the palm of her hands into her eyes until she saw stars. She felt drained both physically and emotionally.
“A shower,” Zara decided, “a shower and then a nap.”
The shower helped loosen Zara’s muscles and she left it feeling slightly more refreshed. It was the promise of a nap that was calling Zara now and she slumped into the bed. Through the walls she began hearing singing and Zara smiled as she drifted off to Greyson’s lullaby.
Schneep was doing rounds around the base when he caught sight of Danan approaching the underwater sections used to treat creatures. “Danan!” He called out and she paused.
“Henrik,” Danan says with a slight smile. Schneep feels a giddy rush in him before Danan motions for him to come around into the flooded room she was about to enter. He rushed over only to pause when entering the room. There was Rabbit Ray, not yet fully grown, drifting through the room with burn marks down it’s side and a familiar little hop to its swimming pattern.
“Bunny?”
“Anti got her while she and her brother were protecting Zara,” Danan said from next to him, “she will live but the burns may have made her swimming more difficult.”
It did look like she was struggling to swim as easily as she did before. It was still to early to tell if it was from the burns and it would get better once they healed or not.
“Chase!” Schneep blurted out, “I must tell him!”
Danan nodded, “I know. You should go. Chase would want to be here with his daughter.”
Schneep stayed long enough to say a heartfelt thank you to Danan and he was rushing out the hatch. He knew all the fastest ways to the safe shallows with how much he did this trip. He heard the familiar roars of his kind as he passed the creepvines before he entered the safe shallows.
“Chase!” Schneep yelled, “Chase come here.” He was approaching their cave quickly when Chase’s head popped out.
“Schneep? Schneep what’s the matter?”
Schneep felt his gills working overtime to take in oxygen from the water, “It’s Bunny Chase. She got hurt by Anti and had to be taken to the base to be healed. She’s fine now but I had to tell you.”
Chase had gone paler the longer Schneep had spoken until the end where he stayed silent and pale. Schneep backed off right in time as Chase exploded in anger, “He did WHAT!?”
Schneep wasn’t given time to answer before Chase was swimming past him swiftly in the direction of the base. He would continue after Chase once he could breathe properly.
Jackie roared as drifted along the edge of the safe shallows. He was itching for a fight but there was nothing around him that wasn’t afraid of dying.
There was a blur in the distance of something approaching Jackie fast and he puffed in preparation until he made out Chase.
“Chase! Where are you going?” Jackie called out.
Chase actually bared his teeth at Jackie and for a brief second Jackie recoiled as his brother had never done that before. “Anti attacked Bunny and now she’s being looked after by white suits at the base. I’m going to be with her,” Chase growled.
“You can’t go back there,” Jackie commanded, “the white suits will just end up locking Anti up! They’re as bad as the ones down in the lava zone!”
“Maybe Anti should be locked up!” Chase shouted back.
Jackie froze.
Chase continued, “He hurt Bunny. Bunny who is basically my child. What does he care about us us at this point. That-that thing is not our brother. If things continue like this someone will get hurt worse and...and he either needs to get locked up then or put down.”
Chase had barely finished his rant before he was taking off towards the base and leaving Jackie in horrified silence.
“You do not appear to be having a good day,” Danan said from behind Jackie. He yelped and whipped around to find her sitting on the seafloor on a rock bed. She patted the ground next to her, “But then Zara also appears to be having a bad day to.”
Jackie winced and looked away but went down to lay next to Danan. They both sat in silence before Jackie hesitantly spoke up, “I did something I shouldn’t have. Something I regret. I was angry and afterwords I was angry that I got angry at her and hurt her.”
Danan stayed silent and this prompted Jackie to continue, “I-I might have taken her words wrong. I don’t know. I didn’t give her a chance to explain. I just….I just get so angry!”
Jackie wipes at his eyes as they burn, “Now I just feel guilty. I hate this.”
“How are you going to fix this,” Danan asked.
Jackie looked at her and looked away quickly, “I don’t know..she probably hates me.”
“Or she could be feeling hurt, and lonely, and worthless. Left all alone and wondering if she still has a relationship with you,” Danan replied.
“She does!” Jackie burst out, “I-I-I mean if she still wants one after what I did.”
“Why don’t you go ask her,” Danan said.
Jackie shook his head, “She won’t want to see me after what I-.”
“Go see her Jackie.”
There was something steely in Danan’s voice that had Jackie straightening out of fear. Danan made waving motions at him and hesitantly he swam towards the base. He looked back once to see Danan gone.
The entire way to the base Jackie practiced his apology in his head. He entered the hatch carefully but no one stopped him so Jackie swam through the tunnels looking for Zara. Her room was empty and she wasn’t in any of her usual spots.
“Zara?” Jackie called. He swam through a few more tunnels before an aggressive musical tone came from below him and a body knocked into his.
Greyson sang at him angrily while flaring himself up.
“Greyson I’m sorry,” Jackie started and yelped as Greyson dived at him. He couldn’t hurt Chase’s kid, this was practically his nephew.
“Greyson I’m not here to hurt Zara!” Jackie cried as Greyson went after him again. Jackie zoomed off with Greyson chased him.
Zara wasn’t in any of the rooms but he knew she was here somewhere. There was only one place she could be and that was in the rooms not connected to the tubes. Jackie shot toward a hatch and crawled out it right as Greyson came around a corner. The air hit him all at once before gravity did and dragged him down to the floor.
Laying on the ground Jackie took deep gulps of air and tried to ignore how uncomfortable it felt being out of water. Dragging himself up onto his elbows Jackie looked down the hallway where he knew there were rooms not connected to the tunnel. His tailed flopped uselessly behind him and Jackie sighed.
Using his arms he began to crawl forward down the hallway until he reached the first doorway. He peeked in but saw nothing. Jackie kept crawling until he reached the second doorway where he then heard something.
“-nd I should be finished with this beauty. It’ll be perfect for the boys in case of emergencies.”
It was Zara and Jackie happily perked up.
“Zara!” Jackie cried as he hauled himself in through the doorway.
Zara looked up in surprise, “Jackie?” Then horror overcame her features and Jackie felt his heart drop until, “Jackie what are you doing out of the water!?”
“It’s ok Zar-,” Jackie started before Zara started screaming.
“YOU ARE A FISH YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OUT OF WATER NO MATTER HOW FUNNY THAT STATEMENT IS!” Zara grabbed a device that she had been holding and began running over.
“Zara wha-”
“DON’T MOVE I’M SAVING YOUR ASS!” Zara shrieked as she skidded onto her knees next to Jackie.
“Zara I’m fin-,” Jackie tried explaining but Zara clamped the device on either side of Jackie’s neck and the next instant he was breathing better than before as water filter into his gills, “Zara?”
“It’s a aqua breather. It pumps oxygen into the water that cycles through your gills and cleans it to,” Zara happily said as she pulled up the blueprints on her PDA eager to show Jackie until she froze.
Jackie’s voice quivered as he spoke,” Zara I-”
With a huge sigh Zara put her PDA down, “I know Jackie, you get angry easy it’s ok.”
“But it’s not!” Jackie yells then flinches as he realizes he got angry again, “it’s really not Zara. I-I shouldn’t get angry at loved ones. That’s not who I want to be. So I’m going to get better.”
There’s a long silence from Zara that has Jackie slowly wilting until Zara speaks up, “So you’re going to get better.”
“I am. I’m going to get better,” Jackie declares.
Zara grins at Jackie, “You better.”
“Zara…”
Zara leans over to grab Jackie into her arms and Jackie wishes he had the ability to curl around her like he can in water but he settles for burying his face into her shoulder. They stay like that for a while until Zara mumbles and Jackie blinks the drowsiness from his eyes.
“What was that,” Jackie asks.
Zara pulls her face out of Jackie’s hair and says, “I forgive you Jackie.”
This time Jackie uses his weight to perform a somewhat tackle onto Zara who collapses onto the ground laughing. Jackie laughs to as he places his hands on her face to bring her forehead to his.
“Together,” Jackie asks.
Zara grins back at him, “For as long as we can be.”
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airis-paris14 · 6 years
Text
Redemption
Summary: One person, a secret, and and ocean tore them apart. Six years later, they find their way back together. But a rekindled love is not Redemption.
Warnings: angst
Author’s Note at the end.
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“Mommy?”Zari’s head shot up as she glanced over at her son.
“Yes baby,” she questioned her six year old as they walked down the street together. It was their traditional Friday ritual to get a snack after school on the last Friday of the month. As it was getting hotter as summer approached Zari had let her son choose an ice cream shop on the way back to their townhouse.
“Today Dion’s dad brought food for the whole class for his birthday, why don’t I have a dad?” The question was simple enough, but had a complicated answer.
How do you explain to your child that his father didn’t know he existed, that her home country had shunned her when people found out she was pregnant. How does she explain that her son’s grandfather paid for their city townhome and her to finish college, in exchange for her staying silent and away from his son.
Zari’s thoughts were shattered as her son yanked on her hand again, “mommy where’s my daddy?”
The young mother’s heart broke. She’s been able to avoid this questions for six years, and in six years time she had not been able to come up with an actual lie that would suit the questions she knew were to follow.
As he had grown Aiden had begun to look more and more like her which she was grateful for. But his face was still a mirror image of a young T’Challa. He had also inherited his father’s knowledge and charm. His curiosity knew no bounds.
“Um, that’s a long story baby. He about that be our bedtime story tonight ok?” Zari glanced at her son as he finished his ice cream. She squatted down and wiped his face clean before leading him to the trash can. After throwing away their trash they headed up to their condo.
Even though she had been forced from her home country in the night, her exile had been comfortable. The King T’Chaka purchased a three bedroom townhouse in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. The spacious townhome had a small backyard and plenty of room for the small family of two.
After she gave birth to her son, checks arrived regularly. At first Zari refused to cash them, until the king wrote her saying he wished to help his grandson live a royal life without the title. Biting back any snide remarks Zari cashed the checks and put them in a separate bank account for Aiden to go to college and have when he gets older.
After graduating Parsons School For Design in New York, Zari began working as a costume designer for major broadway shows. In her spare time she created her own fashion line and simply raided past shows wardrobes to dress herself without having to touch the King’s money.
Her jobs on broadway paid well enough and she and Aiden enjoyed an average middle class life. The trees around them rustled as they walked in silence. As their townhome loomed over them, up the street a strange sensation set every hair on Zari’s body on end.
Hurrying her son along Zari quickly walked up the steps and ushered him inside. “What’s wrong Mama?” The little boy whimpered as his mother grabbed the key from its hiding place behind the doorbell and stared at the sky.
A blue light licked the tops of the clouds and Zari’s suspicions were confirmed. “Nothing baby. I need you to listen to me very closely. I need you to go upstairs and sit on your bed until mama comes and gets you ok?” Aiden nodded as his mother rubbed his lapel. Zari kissed the kindergartener’s cheek before sending him upstairs.
Once Aiden shut his door she quickly ran around and placed all family photos of her and Aiden away in drawers. “I thought he said they would never come for him,” Zari mumbled fearing that her son’s grandfather had changed his mind and had arrived to collect his grandson. As soon as the last photo was hidden, two knocks sounded at the front door.
Zari took a deep breath before walking over to the door. She opened the door and saluted the two women who walked in. “Prove who you are,”they watched expectedly as Zari displayed her inner pinky finger and the characters printed there lit up blue.
Satisfied the woman struck their Spears into the floor and in walked a man dressed in an all black suit. His beard was perfectly trimmed and his hairline immaculately sharp.
His voice warmed her insides as he spoke. “Leave us in peace.” The two Dora Milaje bowed before standing on the front porch.
When the door clicked shut he turned back to Zari.
She broke the silence, “I was worried you were your father.” His gaze lightened.
“How come you never told me?” He turned away from the woman examining her home.
“What did I never tell you T’Challa?” Zari asked innocently determined to discover what he knew already. “Do not play dumb with me Zari,” he slammed the book he was looking at back on the bookshelf.
“It is not you who I am playing dumb for T’Challa,” She retorted crossing her arms over her chest. “Is it my father? The man you have been extorting money from for six years? Is that the man you are lying for, so you can keep your steady income rolling in?” He scoffed as he turned back to the woman.
“Extortion? So this about the money?” Zari scoffed. “Take your father’s money. Tell him to stop sending those infernal checks.”Zari stomped over to a large secretary desk and took out the check book for Aiden’s account. She pulled out her phone and begin to write down the balance.
“Zari, what are you doing,” T’Challa walked over to the woman as she ripped out the check. She thrust it into his chest. “Take it. This is all the money your father ever gave me. Down to the last cent, take it.”
“Zar I don’t want the money. I want my son,” T’Challa locked eyes with the woman.
“How did you find out? You were never supposed to find out.” The young mother whispered. “I made a promise, your father, he’s going to kill me.” Zari panicked. She turned away from T’Challa and begin putting the checkbook up. Her breathing heavy as she tried to process what was happening. “Everything we have is because of him,” she whimpered.
“Zar, my father is dead.” Zari looked up relief then sadness draping her features. “I was going through the country checkbooks when I saw money going out to an American account. Under some other papers I found a letter. To you Zari, about my son. Our son, I thought you were extorting money from my father.” T’Challa sighed going over to lean next to the woman on desk.
Zari walked over to the old oak desk and opened the bottom left drawer. She pulled out a wooden carved box and opened the beautiful lock with the glowing tattoo on her finger.
“What is this?” T’Challa asked walking up behind her as she pulled a stack of letters out of the box. “They are all the letters that accompanied the checks your father sent over the years.” The yellow worn letters crinkled softly as T’Challa’s eyes scanned the pages. After a few minutes of silence Zari plucked a letter from the bottom of the pile.
“This has the answers you are looking for I believe,” T’Challa smiled softly before grabbing the letter.
Dear Zari,
Again I apologize for the circumstances under which this has happened, but this must happen for the well-being of T’Challa and Wakanda. Our king cannot have children from his past walking around seeking a path to the throne. That is why you are receiving this letter under the cover of darkness. I know you have dreams of going to school so I am sending you to America. You will be staying in New York. Once you arrive please let my officials know which school you plan to attend and I will pay your way. I have set you up with a doctor who is a war dog and he will take care of you and the baby. Please do not write to my son or any member of my family again. T’Challa will never know you were pregnant or that this son exists. If he does then our deal will be off. You will be forever exiled from our country and left alone in America. So I believe it is in your best interest, and that of your unborn child, to follow my plan and proceed as though T’Challa never existed. In exchange I will provide all you need and your son will be free from any royal obligations and will be able to remain with you. Again I am sorry this must proceed this way, but you and my son are both too young to marry and he needs no hindrances in becoming king.
All the best,
King T’Chaka of Wakanda
T’Challa looked down I disbelief as he read his father’s words. “He kept my own son from me. He paid you to keep quiet. And you accepted it? You knew I loved you. I would have done anything for you!” T’Challa’s pain manifested itself as anger as he lashed out on the woman.
“What was I supposed to do your highness! I was taken from my bedroom. Not even my parents were allowed to go with me. Taken form the only country I’d ever known at 18. I was pregnant and alone living in a new city by myself. What could I do? What would you have had me do!” Tears ran down Zari’s cheeks as she stared at him.
“You could have told me,” he whispered back. “I was going to tell you the next day. We had a date planned. I was so nervous the next thing I knew I was in America, alone and pregnant, exiled from the only country I’d ever known.” She wiped her face as she neatly stacked the letters and placed them back in their box.
“I am sorry,” T’Challa whispered. Those three words broke the walls around Zari’s heart. Her eyes flooded with tears, she broke down and sobbed over the letters. The pages wilting with her tears.
She had made it through the last six years alone and now it seemed all she’d ever wanted to hear was I am sorry. She turned before melting into T’Challa’s arms as he pulled her into an embrace.
“Can I meet our son?” T’Challa whispered into her neck as she held him close. She pulled herself away and nodded before quietly walking up the stairs to Aiden’s bedroom. She rapped on the door before walking in. “Hey baby,” Zari sat next to her son on his bed. “Hey mommy. Does this mean I can get up I’m starving.” Zari smiled as her son hopped off the bed.
She reached out and pulled him back to her. “You remember how we talked about Dion and his dad today?” He nodded.
“Well there’s someone downstairs who wants to meet you. Would you like to go?” Zari searches the young boy’s face.
“Yes ma’am,” she smiled as he grabbed her hand. She took a deep breath before leading him down the stairs.
Taglist:
@nyneebee @hutchj @brianabreeze @tchoking @sisterwifeudaku @wikiwakanda @royallyprincesslilly @90sinspiredgirl @strictlyashley @afraiddreamingandloving @thedelightfulone @autumn242 @purple-apricots @kumkaniudaku @queertrex @kaciidubs @halfrican-heat @skysynclair19 @dramaqueenamby
A/N: Ask and you shall receive. Do y’all like the banner thing? I think I’m gonna start using these in my stories.
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sandstonesunspear · 7 years
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The Budling, Part 1
Or alternatively known as: That obligatory accidental baby acquisition fic
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Okay, it’s taken a while, but it’s finally out. I’ll post it AO3 here in a bit. Sorry it took so long.
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Sameen awoke with a start. Something was wrong. They sat up and swung their legs over the edge of their bunk. They were careful not to disturb Kessel, who lay snoring loudly in the bunk below.
An unusual sensation ran through their mind once again, almost like a shy psychic touch. Sameen’s brow furrowed. What it was specifically, they couldn’t tell. They only knew that it had made them restless for the past several nights, and tonight it was more pronounced than ever.
They sighed and quietly dropped down from their bunk. Perhaps the medbay would bring some answers.
-
Zar’ya looked up at the sound of the medbay doors hissing open to see Sameen slink in. Her eyebrows rose at the sight of a clearly worn Saurian, an unusual sight given how resilient Saurians were.
“Evening, Sameen,” she greeted, glancing over at the clock to make sure it was actually evening. It was hard to tell day from night in space without a clock.
Sameen grunted. Zay’ra’s eyebrows crawled even higher. While they weren’t the most verbal of crewmembers, Sameen had never been one for stilted verbal communication.
“What troubles you, friend?” she asked.
“Something awoke me. A feeling running along my mind. It does not come from the crew.”
Alarm bells sounded in Zar’ya’s head. Saurians were extremely sensitive to psychic phenomena and were often the first to sound the warning if a psychic attack was about to occur. It was taxing, sure, but it was also a great feature to have when one shared a ship with others who also possessed psychic abilities.
“May I?” Zar’ya asked. It was always polite to ask first before initiating a meld with anyone not Roltocon. This was especially true if the prospective partner was a Saurian, because they tended to react to violently to unwanted telepathic contact.
Sameen nodded and closed her eyes. Zar’ya pressed her lips to theirs, eyes slipping shut as she reached out with her mind. Almost immediately, a gentle, tentative, touch danced across the telepathic connection. It caused her to pull back and look at Sameen in surprise.
Sameen looked at Zar’ya worriedly, not having expected her to sever the connection so soon.
“That,” they said. “That was the feeling.”
Zar’ya’s gaze softened. “It’s nothing malicious,” she rushed to assure them.
“What do you mean? It does not come from the ship!” Sameen protested.
“Sameen, you’re budding.”
Sameen was taken aback. That couldn’t be right. They had joined with Samar almost a year ago, before everything had gone to hell, but insofar Sameen could tell, nothing had resulted from the joining. At the time, they had just thought that perhaps they had misinterpreted the signs and hadn’t quite reached that stage in the Saurian lifecycle yet. And then once they had been sent into space by Cadmus, they had chalked it up to stress at being the only Saurian on the ship.
“Sameen?”
Zar’ya’s gentle tone snapped them out of their shock.
“My apologies, Zar’ya. What did you ask?”
“Do you have anyone to help you?” she asked. If she recalled correctly, Saurians needed a partner to aid them along during their budding cycle, particularly for the latter half. Otherwise, the pain and stress could easily kill them.
Sameen placed their hand on their pouch. They looked out the window of the medbay.
“No.” They replied after several moments. “Not here. Not now.”
-
It was a well-established fact that, despite being more than willing to pull several all-nighters in a row, Alex Danvers loved sleep. Having been an agent of a semi-clandestine paramilitary organization on Earth, and now the de-facto captain of a starship, a night of uninterrupted sleep was a rare, wonderfully extraordinary gift.
So, when her comm terminal started to ping with a new message, Alex was growling even before she was fully awake. She lifted her head to see the light flashing red intermittently, signaling that the message was urgent, and resisted the urge to face-plant back into her pillow. She got up and stumbled over to her terminal, eyes squinting as its bright light illuminated the otherwise dark captain’s quarters.
‘Captain, your presence is requested in the medbay. This is a sensitive matter that must be discussed in person. –Zar’ya.’
Alex’s brows furrowed at the message. Well that was…vague. Still, Zar’ya wasn’t one for exaggeration.
She sighed and threw on her coat. So much for a quiet night.
-
Zar’ya and Sameen both looked up when the doors to the medbay hissed open. Zar’ya felt slightly guilty for having sent the message so late at night, seeing that Alex was exhausted. But this wasn’t something that could wait.
“Alright, what’s up?” Alex asked around a yawn. She blinked a few times to clear her eyes. She was surprised to see Sameen sitting on one of the tables. “Sameen?”
Sameen was silent. They were still coming to terms with the Zar’ya’s discovery. They had no idea how to explain the situation.
Zar’ya cleared her throat. “My apologies for waking you, Captain, but as you can see, I have an urgent matter to discus with you,” she said.
“I’m not seeing much of anything right now, Zar,” Alex said. “Care to clue me in?”
“I am budding,” Sameen spoke up, before Zar’ya could say anything else.
That caught Alex’s attention. “You’re what?” Was Sameen about to split in two or something?
“Budding,” they said again. Had the Captain not heard them the first time?
Alex waved her hand. “I got that part, but—”
“How much do you know about Saurian life cycles, Captain?” Zar’ya interrupted.
Alex’s brow furrowed. “Not much,” she said slowly. She gave Sameen an apologetic look. “They weren’t a species the DEO ran into often.”
Zar’ya nodded. “Understandable.” She cleared her throat again. “Do you mind if I explain your situation to the Captain, Sameen, or would you prefer to do it?”
Sameen waved their hand. “I will leave it to you. Should you require my aid, I will provide it.”
“Uh, hello?” Alex waved her hand. “The human is lost here.”
Zar’ya sighed. “Saurians have a complex life cycle, Captain,” she started. “And they can only reproduce at a certain point in their life. The term is hard to translate, but the closest thing would be ‘budding,’ hence Sameen’s use of the word.”
Alex frowned but said nothing as she processed the information.
“Sameen has reached that point in their life.”
The pieces finally clicked for Alex. “Wait,” she said. She pointed between the two. “You’re saying that Sameen is pregnant?”
“No?” It came off more as a question than a concrete answer. “Ish?” She tried again.
“Ish?!” Alex was trying incredibly hard not to lose it. Yes, she medical doctor and yes, she had extensive knowledge regarding xenobiology, but she had no idea what to do with a pregnant alien. It was bad enough that they were all stuck on a ship that was lightyears away from Earth, but they were also stuck on a ship whose medbay was not equipped to handle pregnant individuals, regardless of the species.
Sameen picked up on Alex’s panic and immediately moved to counter it.
“This medbay will serve its duty fine, Captain. The medbay is not the concern.”
Sameen’s words pulled Alex back from her panic, but only just.
“What do you mean it’s not a concern? Of course it’s a concern!” she sputtered. “We don’t have the proper equipment to handle anyone birthing anything! Not to mention, we’re in the middle of space and extremely wanted!”
Zar’ya placed her hand on Alex’s shoulder, drawing her attention. “Let Sameen explain before you completely go off the rails, Captain.”
Alex took a deep breath and motioned for Sameen to continue.
“My people do not birth as humanoids do. The subunit is not brought into the world cold, but rather into our pouch.” Sameen motioned to a region on her lower abdomen. Alex could make out a slight opening. “The ship will not require any added or unique nutritional supplements for the subunit, as the pouch will provide them.
“I’m sensing there’s just a bit more to this than you’re letting on,” Alex said.
Sameen nodded. “In order for the subunit to emerge safely, I require a kepesh-par.”
Alex’s brow furrowed. “A what?” She could speak Kryptonese, Martian, and a smattering of other alien languages, but that had just gone completely over her head.
Sameen frowned. How best to describe a term that had no proper translation outside of the Saurian language?
Zar’ya stepped in. “I believe the closest translation would be a combination of co-parent and birth coach.” She looked to Sameen for confirmation and was met with a nod.
“What exactly does a kepesh-par do, aside from help a baby Saurian emerge?” Alex asked curiously.
“They aid a budding Saurian through the pain.” Sameen replied simply. “Without a kepesh-par, we Saurians would fall in the face of the stress and pain.”
“Wait, you’re saying you could die from this?”
“Without a kepesh-par, yes.”
Alex could only stare in disbelief. Sameen was incredibly calm with divulging this information.
“Saurian births aren’t like a human’s, Captain,” Zar’ya spoke up. “They involve a great deal of psychic pain in addition to physical pain, since a telepathic connection gets formed between the main parent and the subunit.”
Alex said nothing as she took the information in. She took a deep breath.
“Alright.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled. She looked at Sameen. “What exactly would you need in a kepesh-par? Do they have to be Saurian?” If they did, then Sameen was in trouble since they were the only Saurian on board.
Sameen shook their head. “No, while preferred, a kepesh-par does not need to be Saurian. They simply must be able to handle the psychic and physical load of the emergence without their brain hemorrhaging or dying.”
Alex looked to Zar’ya. “Do we have someone on board that’s capable of that?” she asked.
Zar’ya gave a small shrug. “It would take some time, but I could probably find someone. Unfortunately, the longer we wait, the greater the danger to Sameen. There isn’t a whole lot of data on Saurians out there, but from what I’ve read, a kepesh-par needs to establish a bond with a parent and subunit pretty early on.”
Alex frowned. She folded her arms as she contemplated the options. Suddenly a thought struck her.
“What about me?” she asked suddenly, taking both Zar’ya and Sameen by surprise.
Zar’ya frowned. “What about you?”
“Would I work as a kepesh-par?” Alex clarified. “I’ve melded with Martians before and my brain didn’t turn into chunky salsa.” Zar’ya face screwed up in disgust at the image.
Sameen shook their head. “I cannot ask this of you, Captain,” they said.
Alex gave them a small smile. She placed her hand on Sameen’s shoulder.
“I’m offering, Sameen,” she said gently.
“It will bring you pain.”
“I can handle pain.” She shrugged. “Before all this happened, I was worked for a paramilitary organization and had a tendency to punch things much bigger than myself.” A thoughtful look crossed her face. “Come to think of it, I still tend to punch things much bigger than myself.”
The truth in that remark drew a laugh from Sameen and a sigh of exasperation from Zar’ya.
“You’re part of my family out here, Sameen,” Alex continued. “I’m not going to let you die from something that I can prevent. And there’s no way in hell I’d let you go through this alone.”
-
Silence reigned in the medbay following Alex’s declaration. Zar’ya scanned her data-pad, just to see if what Alex was proposing was even safe, let alone possible. Alex did have a high tolerance for pain. After all, she had returned from a planet-expedition with four broken ribs and said not a word about them. The only reason Zar’ya knew was because Kessel had brought it to her attention so she could treat Alex.
Sameen mulled over Alex’s words. Samar wasn’t here and they needed a kepesh-par, sooner rather than later. They had felt Alex’s mental fortitude and caught glimpses of her stubbornly defying a White Martian’s mental probe. They closed their eyes and felt Alex’s sincerity in her offer.
-
“Very well.” Sameen broke the silence, drawing Alex and Zar’ya from their thoughts. She looked at Alex. “Captain, I would be honored to have you as my kepesh-par.”
A wide smile broke across Alex’s face. “I’m the one honored, Sameen,” she said with a tip of her head. She glanced at Zar’ya, whose attention had returned to the data-pad.
Zar’ya looked up, having felt Alex’s gaze on her. She shot a quick look back to her data-pad before nodding.
Alex returned the nod before focusing back on Sameen. “Alright.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.” She frowned for a moment. “Is there anything in particular that I need do before…?”
Sameen shook their head. “No, Captain. Be at ease.” They placed a clawed hand on the side of Alex’s face with a gentleness one would not expect. “May our minds be one.”
Alex felt a slight twinge before things fell away.
-
Alex opened her eyes to an inky blackness. She looked around. She was alone. She opened her mouth to speak but no noise made its way out of her throat. She didn’t have time to panic before a whooshing noise caught her attention. She turned to see images rushing past her.
An image of Kara and the others during Game Night played for a moment. Her eyes widened. These were memories.
Alex felt the air shift as the memory changed from Game Night to her and Maggie dancing on Valentine’s Day. Her heart clenched at the sight of Maggie resting her head on her shoulder as they both gently swayed to the music.
The shifted again. This time, it was a foreign memory, probably Sameen’s. She saw another Saurian holding Sameen, almost like Maggie had held her. Samar. The name came unbidden to Alex’s mind. This had to have been Sameen’s original kepesh-par, she mused. She couldn’t help but feel a bit like a voyeur watching this memory play out.
The images of Sameen and Samar faded out leaving Alex in the dark once again. She felt unusually calm, despite being alone in the vastness of…well whatever this was.
A small little thrill went through her suddenly. She looked to her right and saw a dim light in the distance. Alex walked towards it. Each step saw the light grow brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding.
Alex shielded her eyes once she finally made it to the light. As if sensing Alex’s discomfort, the light dimmed down. She lowered her arm to see what exactly it was she was dealing with. She frowned at the sight of a glowing ball. It appeared to be no bigger than a softball.
She reached out to touch it and it moved to meet her halfway. She gasped when her hand connected with it, feeling a surge of emotions rush through her.
This was Sameen’s budling. Alex couldn’t hold back her laugh at the feeling of utter joy it exuded. It was playful, almost bouncy. Like Kara…
The comparison brought forth a memory of Kara laughing and smile. It played around them, the sound of Kara’s laughter making the budling bounce around.
“Hi,” Alex said quietly. “I’m Alex Danvers. Guess you probably already know that. I’m your parent’s kepesh-par and I’m going to help keep you safe.”
The budling pulsed happily in response.
Alex felt a subconscious tug. Someone, Sameen probably, was pulling her back. That meant the meld was ending.
The budling pulsed sadly as it felt Alex being pulled away.
“Hey, none of that now,” she scolded gently. “I’ll be around.”
The budling gave two short pulses, as if telling Alex that it was holding her to that.
Alex smiled and closed her eyes, feeling the air rush past her.
-
Alex opened her eyes. She was met with Zar’ya’s worried gaze.
“You alright, Captain?” she questioned, her voice full of concern.
Alex had to blink a few times to readjust to the lights of the medbay. “I think so?” It came out more as a question than a definitive answer than Alex would’ve liked it to. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You were down for a while,” Zar’ya explained. “Barely breathing or moving.” She shot a look at Sameen. “If Sameen hadn’t told me you were fine, I would’ve thought the meld had killed you.”
Sameen made a wounded noise of protest at that. “The Captain is resilient. Her mind is strong. I knew as soon as the meld began she was in no danger.”
Alex cleared her throat to catch their attention and to keep the two of them from fighting.
“Zar, I’m fine,” she reassured. “A little disoriented, sure, but it’s nothing I won’t recover from.”
She looked at Sameen, who was staring at her.
“Did it work?” she asked them.
Sameen closed their eyes. They could feel the subunit, no, budling, Sameen corrected themselves when it pulsed petulantly. Apparently, it had come to enjoy Alex’s term for it and no longer wished to be referred to as a subunit. They smiled. The budling bounced around telepathically, informing Sameen of Alex’s journey and all the fun memories it had seen and expressed its happiness with their kepesh-par.
“Yes, Captain,” they replied, opening their eyes. “It has worked. Feel for yourself.”
Alex frowned. Feel for herself? How was she supposed to do that?
On a whim, she closed her eyes. She felt a happy thrill skitter across her mind. Her eyes snapped open in shock.
“How…?” Was all she could ask.
“As the kepesh-par, you now share a link with the budling, as I do. As you can tell…”
“It’s happy.” A grin spread wide across Alex’s lips. “Wow. That’s…that’s something else.” It was different, feeling the budling’s emotions outside of the meld.
Before Alex could say anything else, a wave of exhaustion suddenly swept over her. She swayed slightly and had to brace herself against the medical bed to keep from falling over.
Zar’ya rushed to her side in alarm. Alex waved her away.
“’M fine, Zar,” she protested.
“You’re slurring your words, Captain,” Zar’ya retorted. “You are most definitely not fine.” She moved to grab the scanner, but Sameen stopped her.
“The Captain is fine, Zar’ya,” they said. “She is simply taxed from the melding. It is draining for anyone who has not undergone it.”
“Yeah, what they said,” Alex slurred. She struggled to right herself.
Despite Sameen’s assurances and Alex’s protests, Zar’ya scanned Alex anyway. She nodded when the scanner confirmed what Sameen had said.
She sighed. “I suppose it doesn’t help that you were woken up rather late, or early, I guess,” she said, closing scanner with a shut. “Best thing now is for you to get some rest, Captain. And no melding for the next few days.”
Alex looked ready to protest, but a firm glare from Zar’ya kept her silent. She settled for grumbling her dissatisfaction as she moved to leave.
“And Captain?” Zar’ya called out.
Alex glanced back over her shoulder just as she reached the doors.
“I mean it, do get some rest. Who knows when you’ll get the opportunity again?”
Alex’s frowned, slightly baffled, but said nothing. She exited the medbay, unaware of the smirk on Zar’ya’s face.
-
“That was unnecessarily cruel, Zar’ya,” Sameen remarked.
Zar’ya shrugged. “Humans. Think they’re invincible, especially that one.” She sat down and glanced out the window of the medbay. “Think you’ll be able to sleep soundly now, knowing what’s coming?”
Sameen nodded. “Yes.” A smile appeared on their face as the budling reached out, as if it knew it was being discussed.
“Good. You ought to get back to sleep then,” she said. “You’ll be needing it too.”
“I find the humour of your statement to be lacking,” they replied dryly.
Zar’ya flashed them a cheeky smile.
-
Alex face planted on to her bed. Melding with Sameen had taken a lot out of her, more than melding with J’onn or the White Martians ever had. Establishing a connection with the budling had been enjoyable experience but she couldn’t help but feel a little sad. She and Maggie had discussed having children, but only in passing. Privately, she wondered what Maggie would say if she were here.
Alex let out a sigh and closed her eyes. There was no use in thinking about it now. It would only make the ache in her heart stronger.
Her eyes snapped back open when Zar’ya’s cheeky remark finally clicked her in head. Oh Rao. She was going to be a co-parent/birth coach. There was going to be a tiny child-alien-budling roaming the ship, a ship that seemed to be a hostile raiding party magnet.
She could already hear her mother chiding her, ‘Really, Alexandra? I can’t believe you allowed a child to be born on an alien ship in outer space surrounded by hostile forces! What were you thinking?’
Alex let out a groan. As much as she missed her family, she was grateful, not for the first time, that some of them, namely her mother, hadn’t accompanied her the night Cadmus shot her into space.
She glanced at the clock. It flashed an obscenely early time at her. She buried her face in the pillow. Enough. She’d worry about all the tiny details and panic properly in the morning. Right now, she needed sleep.
After all, Zar’ya had a point: Alex was going to lose some major sleep with a tiny budling on the way.  
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thrashermaxey · 5 years
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Ramblings: Skinner needs to re-sign; ZAR back with Malkin; Winnington vs. Hamburgler – and more (Feb 18)
Ramblings: Skinner needs to re-sign; ZAR back with Malkin; Winnington vs. Hamburgler – and more (Feb 18)
***
Jeff Skinner absolutely needs to re-sign with Buffalo. The roster and the coaching style fits him like a glove and he doesn’t want to mess with that. Sure, he could make an extra $1 million per season somewhere else, and perhaps that means an extra $6 million over the length of his contract. But he risks failure, embarrassment and – in an extreme case – perhaps even a buyout five years down the line. He need look no further than teammate Kyle Okposo when determining how signing with a bad fit can take your status as a star down a few notches. And how does Milan Lucic feel when he walks down the streets of Edmonton? With the Sabres, Skinner knows he can succeed because he’s thriving right now. Don’t mess with that, his best shot at a long and storied career is right where he is now.
*
With 33 points in his last 15 games, Patrick Kane has marched his way up to second on the NHL scoring list. And, thanks to another three assists on Sunday, Sidney Crosby has slid into a tie for eighth in scoring – entering the Top 10 for the first time all season (I’d have to double check that, but I think it’s true).
And thanks to the other 30 teams figuring out how to shut down the Avalanche, Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon are fading down the scoring list. The answer, of course, is to simply shut that top line down and prey upon the defense. In the last nine games, Rantanen has just two points and zero power-play points.
I know I’m rehashing the top stats that anyone can see. I just get fascinated watching everything fall into place. Players who fall short or far exceed my expectations begin to shift closer to actual expectation.
*
If Patrick Kane notches an assist tonight, he will become the fourth player in NHL history to tally an assist in 17 consecutive team games. The other three – Wayne Gretzky (three times), Adam Oates and Paul Coffey.
*
Mark Giordano has three points in his last eight games after 52 in his first 48. That, of course, is just the market correcting itself.
*
Saturday I was asked by an Igor Shesterkin owner if he should be worried about Alexandar Georgiev, after a couple of hot games. I was pretty comfortable in saying that Georgiev will be nothing more than a backup and that Shesterkin is a future stud. Georgiev gave up six goals on Sunday.
After two periods in a close game, the Penguins removed Nick Bjugstad from the Evgeni Malkin – Phil Kessel line and replaced him with Zach Aston-Reese. ZAR proceeded to pick up a pair of assists and the Pens won by a goal. That bodes well for him sticking on that line for longer. With each time ZAR gets a shot there, as long as he stays healthy (which is another conversation), I believe his odds of success increase. His experience grows, as does his comfort level, and he inches closer to his prime.
Two games into his return and Justin Schultz has a point in each of them. Still getting secondary PP time though. One side effect to this is that the second PP unit is ten times better with him there, which helps the likes of Marcus Pettersson, Nick Bjugstad and Jake Guentzel.
Kris Letang had two points Sunday and has 12 in his last 10 games. I think the Schultz return only helps him and overall he’s up to fourth in the league among defensemen (52 points).
*
Mats Zuccarello is doing everything he can to drive his price up for the Rangers. At this rate they should retire his jersey in a decade, just for the favor he’s doing them. I mean, come on – 22 points in 14 games. Has he ever done that in his career before? And he's doing it now just when they really need him to beef up his value. It’s enough to add a good draft pick or prospect to whatever offer was being floated to GM Jeff Gorton two weeks ago.
Kevin Hayes picked up two points Sunday as well, so he has 25 points in his last 22 games. He is also apparently on the block and driving his price up. Man I wish I had players on my fantasy hockey squad driving up their prices like this for me as the deadline approaches. But no dice, I don’t have either of these players, stupidly under-selling them last year when I guess I shouldn’t have.
*
The Blues continue to cruise on the Jordan Binnington – Vladimir Tarasenko train. The Blues, of course, were so far out of it seven weeks ago that we all wrote them off. This was a team that most figured was a top three improved team last summer, but were primarily let down by Vladimir Tarasenko and Jake Allen. Now, playing the role of Allen, is Binnington. Tarasenko is playing as if the first half of his season was training camp.
Did Tarasenko come to camp out of shape and is only getting there now? With three points on Sunday he has five consecutive multi-point games. Tale of two Tarasenkos:
22 points in first 35 games
29 points in last 23 games
*
Speaking of Binnington, back-to-back shutouts for him now (and three straight shutouts for the entire team). He’s 12-1-1 already with four shutouts. The best goalie in the world doesn’t do this, so it’s obviously unsustainable. Still, this is an Andrew Hammond-like run to kick things off. The difference is, Binnington is a former third-round draft pick and is 25, which is a very common age for goalies to begin an NHL career for good. Hammond was undrafted and 27. Keep in mind that this is a contract year for Binnington and I suspect that he is earning himself a $3 million annual contract. Then again, Allen is making $4.35 for each of the next two seasons and everyone in the world other than Allen’s mother knows that Binnington is far superior. So does his agent play on that and get him $4.5? And once he gets that money, does he pull an Allen and start sucking year after year? Best guess, for me, is that he starts coming down to earth this season but is still the team’s No.1 goaltender. He leads them to the second round of the playoffs and earns a bridge contract at something like $3.5. Next year he gets something like 55 starts with numbers that place him in that 10th to 15th rank for goalies. That’s where my head’s at. Binnington has effectively pushed out the struggling (in the AHL) Ville Husso, who had been the prospect Golden Boy before all this.
Allen had a shutout himself on Saturday, which is something none of expect out of him anymore. I will say this – if the team comes together in front of him and he starts playing at an equal level to Binnington (assuming Binnington comes down to earth a bit), then the net will be Allen’s. All things being equal, follow the contract. This is just an aside, I doubt it will happen, but wanted to provide you with a just-in-case scenario.
*
Cory Schneider has allowed just one goal on his last 50 shots faced, and his first two wins of the season. It’s a good sign, and we haven’t had any of those in months.
*
With two points Sunday, rookie winger Oskar Lindblom actually has 10 points in 13 games. He’s played most of the year with Jakub Voracek, but the catalyst has been Sean Couturier being put on that line in place of Patrick Nolan. Looking at the numbers for Claude Giroux, having Couturier on his line saw the best production. Losing Couturier has seen a decline – just nine points in 12 games. Decent numbers, but nothing like what he was doing before.
*
Aleksander Barkov picked up four points on Sunday. But he’s a great player and that happens from time to time. What interests me is Keith Yandle still rolling. Two more points Sunday and eight in his last 10. His success since joining Florida has been steady across the board: 0.50, 0.68, 0.79 points-per-game in his three years there. His PP time is also rising, at 55.7%, 64.1%, 65.2% of the team’s available PP time year over year. He’s 32 and has another four years under his big contract. Despite his age, I don’t see a slowdown happening anytime soon. He’s an iron man. The older players in the league who are thriving right now – Brent Burns, Mark Giordano – are talented defensemen in peak physical shape.
*
Samuel Montembeault was recalled by the Panthers. I like him as a prospect for the long term, but his AHL numbers haven’t exemplified this (just .900 SV% in 36 games this year so far). I can’t help but consider the success of Jordan Binnington, Cal Petersen, Collin Delia, Carter Hart. I know Roberto Luongo is only gone for a game or two (personal reasons – death in the family), but I’d love to see Montembeault get into a game. He backed up James Reimer Sunday.
Reimer has won four of his last six games, including three Quality Starts in that span.
*
It took him eight games, but Corey Perry is finally on the board with his first goal of the season. He’s still playing with Ryan Getzlaf and Rickard Rakell so he’s in a position to succeed, through thick and thin.
*
It will be interesting to see the new-look Edmonton lineup Tuesday with both Sam Gagner and Andrej Sekera in the lineup. Gagner has been a prolific scorer in the AHL for the Marlies (37 points in 43 games) and he also had his eight-point game while he was with the Oilers. Sekera has two assists and was plus-6 in five games for Bakersfield on a conditioning stint.
*
Sidney Crosby has 1188 career points (920 games). Alexander Ovechkin has 1189 career points (1061 games). The last time Crosby had more career points than Ovechkin was January 5, 2011.
*
Artemi Panarin (24-43—67) enters the contest three points shy of reaching the 70-point mark in 2018-19, which would mark his fourth consecutive season with at least as many points. Only two undrafted players have started their NHL career with four or more consecutive 70-point seasons: Wayne Gretzky (13) and Peter Stastny (10).
*
I love it when someone turns negativity into a marketing opportunity. I love creativity in marketing…Check it out (start at 4:25):
{youtube}LoNN8vZf74c{/youtube}
{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We’re a bunch of jerks and we have the shirts to prove it.<br><br>Available later this week at The Eye. <a href="https://t.co/TEefqETEau">pic.twitter.com/TEefqETEau</a></p>— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLCanes/status/1097236771677573122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}
Love it.
*
See you next Monday.
      from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-skinner-needs-to-re-sign-zar-back-with-malkin-winnington-vs-hamburgler-and-more-feb-18/
0 notes
garagedoorsbrighton · 7 years
Text
Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop
I’ve gotten a few questions so far on last weeks’ big laundry room makeover reveal, and to no surprise, many of them were about the DIY wood countertop. So, I figured the first post I would put up this week should include some answers!
Note: some links to products are affiliates, which help to support the maintenance of this site. See my disclosure page for more info.
About the Plywood Counter
The laundry room’s wooden countertop is made from 3/4″ Purebond maple plywood. It’s pretty heavy, so I had a beast of a time getting it to fit on my walls, which were also wonky as hell (the back corners were just slightly wider than the width of the wall where the front of the washer and dryer are… oh, the joys of working on an old house!) :) Remember: measure twice, cut once, and hammer to fit. In my case, I also used an electric hand planer to knock off 1/16″ widths at a time until things weren’t getting stuck on the drywall anymore.
Before installing, I did a little research and spied that Mandi from Vintage Revivals uses a nifty trick to save on the cost of a thick piece of plywood by gluing a more expensive one underneath, and I love that idea! If I’d had more time than an extended weekend to finish mine (I was under a pre-Christmas deadline), I might have tried this same trick, too; I think it would have made the plywood counter even stronger and less likely to bend under any weight (it’s not doing that now either, but in time with use, that could be something I go back and try to reinforce even more). Perhaps if/when I upgrade the front piece of the counter to look more substantial (even though the supports are offset from the edge of the counter by a few inches, you can still see some of the support along the wall, which could be hidden with a longer decorative piece of lumber attached to the front), I’ll see about adding another piece underneath. The plywood is actually just wedged into place and doesn’t move, so I can easily take it back out again if I needed to with a few swings from a mallet.
Cutting Plywood to Size
I bought a full sheet of plywood, but I took my measurements to Home Depot before the purchase and asked them to cut it for me (which they’ll do for free unless you have a lot of cuts to make… I only had 2, and they also loaded the pieces for me into my SUV).
Tip: When having a big box store cut the wood for you, it’s important to inspect the full sheet of plywood and make your cuts strategically so that you can get as smooth of a cut as possible and wind up with the section of the plywood you like the most. Their saws can handle the cut with ease, but there’s a lack of control and speed that you’ll have as a customer (compared to, say, cutting it yourself with saws you’re more familiar with using at home) and it’s good to be observant when they’re cutting things down.
When the saw was cutting with the grain (along the length of the plywood), the wood had very little splintering. This was important, since this would be the cut along along the front edge, where it meets the front of the washer and dryer (as in, the most noticeable front lip of the countertop once installed). But on the pass for the crosscut (when you cut the wood perpendicular to the wood grain), I was worried that it would splinter a lot. Even though these edges would be on the left and right side walls in the laundry room (so, not as noticeable as along the front edge), the concern was that these areas would not take stain as evenly if I had to patch it up with wood filler (even when it’s a stainable filler, the texture looks different, and I wanted to prevent/minimize the obvious parts that were patched). Using the first cut as a guide, the clerk and I both noticed that the wood splintered slightly more on the front of the cut than the back on the saw. So, I used that as a way to plan which side of the plywood would be the top and bottom so I could hide the splintered side underneath.
Countertop Support
As far as installation goes, I treated the countertop similar to how I installed the floating shelves on the right side: as one large shelf in need of support along three sides. However, given the narrow space, the room’s dimensions were a little tricky to work around. For one, everything I did along the back wall had to be done around the washer and dryer; moving them out of the room through the hallway and into the kitchen would result in both units getting off balance (it’s important to keep them from knocking around), so I made the choice to keep them in the room and simply climb over them to install the supports along the three surrounding walls.
The supports were created mostly out of some inexpensive 2x2s (be sure to inspect them carefully at the store for warping). I would have used 2x4s, but the height of the lumber would have created a huge gap between the counter and washer and dryer, and I didn’t want that much clearance on top (while you do want to leave some space for air flow around the units, I wanted things to still look like a more snug fit). Measurements of the room are far from square, so it was a lot of trial and error to get things level. It helps in these situations to mark everything down on the wood itself so you know which end is up, where the studs are, etc. Given that the room is also surrounded by the garage on the left, an exterior wall with masonry along the back, and a closet and bathroom along the right, I was very careful to use a stud finder and heavy duty drywall anchors to put each support in place.
Figuring out how to support the middle between the washer and dryer was a little tougher; with the entire length a little less than 5 feet wide, I was reluctant to try to build support from the floor (I already had so little wiggle room to move the washer and dryer around, any structure in the middle would have been very snug!). So, I settled on a heavy duty shelf bracket — the largest I could find in store boasted a 600-lb weight capacity — by attaching it to the back wall.
Stain and Seal
As for the stain color, I pretreated the wood with wood conditioner for an even coat and then used a couple of coats of ZAR in Modern Walnut along with a few topcoats of poly to seal.
To hide the plywood layers along the front lip of the counter, I again used 3/4″ iron-on veneer edging like I did with my entryway closet. Again, since I can see some of the supports still, I’ll probably cover this over at a later date with a stained piece of wood instead.
To my surprise, it didn’t take much effort to get the plywood level (pictured is my 4-foot level that I inherited from my grandfather). Phew.
Once in place, I tested it out a couple of times, and it’s very sturdy. While I don’t think it would be wise to stand on top of the counter itself and put my full weight on it, I planned for it to handle at least two full laundry baskets full (though the hope would be not to leave things in the laundry room anymore!). Estimates online said a full laundry basket could be around 18 pounds, so I planned for 40 but still made sure that the anchors I used in the wall could handle twice that amount.
The depth of the counter still had a small gap in the back to allow for the cord for the washer.
There you have it! More details about other features in the laundry room makeover, along with more DIY projects, coming your way shortly!
The post Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.
Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+
from The Ugly Duckling House http://www.uglyducklinghouse.com/laundry-room-makeover-diy-wood-countertop/
0 notes
primaryideasuk · 7 years
Text
Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop
I’ve gotten a few questions so far on last weeks’ big laundry room makeover reveal, and to no surprise, many of them were about the DIY wood countertop. So, I figured the first post I would put up this week should include some answers!
Note: some links to products are affiliates, which help to support the maintenance of this site. See my disclosure page for more info.
About the Plywood Counter
The laundry room’s wooden countertop is made from 3/4″ Purebond maple plywood. It’s pretty heavy, so I had a beast of a time getting it to fit on my walls, which were also wonky as hell (the back corners were just slightly wider than the width of the wall where the front of the washer and dryer are… oh, the joys of working on an old house!) :) Remember: measure twice, cut once, and hammer to fit. In my case, I also used an electric hand planer to knock off 1/16″ widths at a time until things weren’t getting stuck on the drywall anymore.
Before installing, I did a little research and spied that Mandi from Vintage Revivals uses a nifty trick to save on the cost of a thick piece of plywood by gluing a more expensive one underneath, and I love that idea! If I’d had more time than an extended weekend to finish mine (I was under a pre-Christmas deadline), I might have tried this same trick, too; I think it would have made the plywood counter even stronger and less likely to bend under any weight (it’s not doing that now either, but in time with use, that could be something I go back and try to reinforce even more). Perhaps if/when I upgrade the front piece of the counter to look more substantial (even though the supports are offset from the edge of the counter by a few inches, you can still see some of the support along the wall, which could be hidden with a longer decorative piece of lumber attached to the front), I’ll see about adding another piece underneath. The plywood is actually just wedged into place and doesn’t move, so I can easily take it back out again if I needed to with a few swings from a mallet.
Cutting Plywood to Size
I bought a full sheet of plywood, but I took my measurements to Home Depot before the purchase and asked them to cut it for me (which they’ll do for free unless you have a lot of cuts to make… I only had 2, and they also loaded the pieces for me into my SUV).
Tip: When having a big box store cut the wood for you, it’s important to inspect the full sheet of plywood and make your cuts strategically so that you can get as smooth of a cut as possible and wind up with the section of the plywood you like the most. Their saws can handle the cut with ease, but there’s a lack of control and speed that you’ll have as a customer (compared to, say, cutting it yourself with saws you’re more familiar with using at home) and it’s good to be observant when they’re cutting things down.
When the saw was cutting with the grain (along the length of the plywood), the wood had very little splintering. This was important, since this would be the cut along along the front edge, where it meets the front of the washer and dryer (as in, the most noticeable front lip of the countertop once installed). But on the pass for the crosscut (when you cut the wood perpendicular to the wood grain), I was worried that it would splinter a lot. Even though these edges would be on the left and right side walls in the laundry room (so, not as noticeable as along the front edge), the concern was that these areas would not take stain as evenly if I had to patch it up with wood filler (even when it’s a stainable filler, the texture looks different, and I wanted to prevent/minimize the obvious parts that were patched). Using the first cut as a guide, the clerk and I both noticed that the wood splintered slightly more on the front of the cut than the back on the saw. So, I used that as a way to plan which side of the plywood would be the top and bottom so I could hide the splintered side underneath.
Countertop Support
As far as installation goes, I treated the countertop similar to how I installed the floating shelves on the right side: as one large shelf in need of support along three sides. However, given the narrow space, the room’s dimensions were a little tricky to work around. For one, everything I did along the back wall had to be done around the washer and dryer; moving them out of the room through the hallway and into the kitchen would result in both units getting off balance (it’s important to keep them from knocking around), so I made the choice to keep them in the room and simply climb over them to install the supports along the three surrounding walls.
The supports were created mostly out of some inexpensive 2x2s (be sure to inspect them carefully at the store for warping). I would have used 2x4s, but the height of the lumber would have created a huge gap between the counter and washer and dryer, and I didn’t want that much clearance on top (while you do want to leave some space for air flow around the units, I wanted things to still look like a more snug fit). Measurements of the room are far from square, so it was a lot of trial and error to get things level. It helps in these situations to mark everything down on the wood itself so you know which end is up, where the studs are, etc. Given that the room is also surrounded by the garage on the left, an exterior wall with masonry along the back, and a closet and bathroom along the right, I was very careful to use a stud finder and heavy duty drywall anchors to put each support in place.
Figuring out how to support the middle between the washer and dryer was a little tougher; with the entire length a little less than 5 feet wide, I was reluctant to try to build support from the floor (I already had so little wiggle room to move the washer and dryer around, any structure in the middle would have been very snug!). So, I settled on a heavy duty shelf bracket — the largest I could find in store boasted a 600-lb weight capacity — by attaching it to the back wall.
Stain and Seal
As for the stain color, I pretreated the wood with wood conditioner for an even coat and then used a couple of coats of ZAR in Modern Walnut along with a few topcoats of poly to seal.
To hide the plywood layers along the front lip of the counter, I again used 3/4″ iron-on veneer edging like I did with my entryway closet. Again, since I can see some of the supports still, I’ll probably cover this over at a later date with a stained piece of wood instead.
To my surprise, it didn’t take much effort to get the plywood level (pictured is my 4-foot level that I inherited from my grandfather). Phew.
Once in place, I tested it out a couple of times, and it’s very sturdy. While I don’t think it would be wise to stand on top of the counter itself and put my full weight on it, I planned for it to handle at least two full laundry baskets full (though the hope would be not to leave things in the laundry room anymore!). Estimates online said a full laundry basket could be around 18 pounds, so I planned for 40 but still made sure that the anchors I used in the wall could handle twice that amount.
The depth of the counter still had a small gap in the back to allow for the cord for the washer.
There you have it! More details about other features in the laundry room makeover, along with more DIY projects, coming your way shortly!
The post Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.
Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+
via Primary Ideas http://ift.tt/2kuP2VW
0 notes
chocdono · 7 years
Text
Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop
I’ve gotten a few questions so far on last weeks’ big laundry room makeover reveal, and to no surprise, many of them were about the DIY wood countertop. So, I figured the first post I would put up this week should include some answers!
Note: some links to products are affiliates, which help to support the maintenance of this site. See my disclosure page for more info.
About the Plywood Counter
The laundry room’s wooden countertop is made from 3/4″ Purebond maple plywood. It’s pretty heavy, so I had a beast of a time getting it to fit on my walls, which were also wonky as hell (the back corners were just slightly wider than the width of the wall where the front of the washer and dryer are… oh, the joys of working on an old house!) :) Remember: measure twice, cut once, and hammer to fit. In my case, I also used an electric hand planer to knock off 1/16″ widths at a time until things weren’t getting stuck on the drywall anymore.
Before installing, I did a little research and spied that Mandi from Vintage Revivals uses a nifty trick to save on the cost of a thick piece of plywood by gluing a more expensive one underneath, and I love that idea! If I’d had more time than an extended weekend to finish mine (I was under a pre-Christmas deadline), I might have tried this same trick, too; I think it would have made the plywood counter even stronger and less likely to bend under any weight (it’s not doing that now either, but in time with use, that could be something I go back and try to reinforce even more). Perhaps if/when I upgrade the front piece of the counter to look more substantial (even though the supports are offset from the edge of the counter by a few inches, you can still see some of the support along the wall, which could be hidden with a longer decorative piece of lumber attached to the front), I’ll see about adding another piece underneath. The plywood is actually just wedged into place and doesn’t move, so I can easily take it back out again if I needed to with a few swings from a mallet.
Cutting Plywood to Size
I bought a full sheet of plywood, but I took my measurements to Home Depot before the purchase and asked them to cut it for me (which they’ll do for free unless you have a lot of cuts to make… I only had 2, and they also loaded the pieces for me into my SUV).
Tip: When having a big box store cut the wood for you, it’s important to inspect the full sheet of plywood and make your cuts strategically so that you can get as smooth of a cut as possible and wind up with the section of the plywood you like the most. Their saws can handle the cut with ease, but there’s a lack of control and speed that you’ll have as a customer (compared to, say, cutting it yourself with saws you’re more familiar with using at home) and it’s good to be observant when they’re cutting things down.
When the saw was cutting with the grain (along the length of the plywood), the wood had very little splintering. This was important, since this would be the cut along along the front edge, where it meets the front of the washer and dryer (as in, the most noticeable front lip of the countertop once installed). But on the pass for the crosscut (when you cut the wood perpendicular to the wood grain), I was worried that it would splinter a lot. Even though these edges would be on the left and right side walls in the laundry room (so, not as noticeable as along the front edge), the concern was that these areas would not take stain as evenly if I had to patch it up with wood filler (even when it’s a stainable filler, the texture looks different, and I wanted to prevent/minimize the obvious parts that were patched). Using the first cut as a guide, the clerk and I both noticed that the wood splintered slightly more on the front of the cut than the back on the saw. So, I used that as a way to plan which side of the plywood would be the top and bottom so I could hide the splintered side underneath.
Countertop Support
As far as installation goes, I treated the countertop similar to how I installed the floating shelves on the right side: as one large shelf in need of support along three sides. However, given the narrow space, the room’s dimensions were a little tricky to work around. For one, everything I did along the back wall had to be done around the washer and dryer; moving them out of the room through the hallway and into the kitchen would result in both units getting off balance (it’s important to keep them from knocking around), so I made the choice to keep them in the room and simply climb over them to install the supports along the three surrounding walls.
The supports were created mostly out of some inexpensive 2x2s (be sure to inspect them carefully at the store for warping). I would have used 2x4s, but the height of the lumber would have created a huge gap between the counter and washer and dryer, and I didn’t want that much clearance on top (while you do want to leave some space for air flow around the units, I wanted things to still look like a more snug fit). Measurements of the room are far from square, so it was a lot of trial and error to get things level. It helps in these situations to mark everything down on the wood itself so you know which end is up, where the studs are, etc. Given that the room is also surrounded by the garage on the left, an exterior wall with masonry along the back, and a closet and bathroom along the right, I was very careful to use a stud finder and heavy duty drywall anchors to put each support in place.
Figuring out how to support the middle between the washer and dryer was a little tougher; with the entire length a little less than 5 feet wide, I was reluctant to try to build support from the floor (I already had so little wiggle room to move the washer and dryer around, any structure in the middle would have been very snug!). So, I settled on a heavy duty shelf bracket — the largest I could find in store boasted a 600-lb weight capacity — by attaching it to the back wall.
Stain and Seal
As for the stain color, I pretreated the wood with wood conditioner for an even coat and then used a couple of coats of ZAR in Modern Walnut along with a few topcoats of poly to seal.
To hide the plywood layers along the front lip of the counter, I again used 3/4″ iron-on veneer edging like I did with my entryway closet. Again, since I can see some of the supports still, I’ll probably cover this over at a later date with a stained piece of wood instead.
To my surprise, it didn’t take much effort to get the plywood level (pictured is my 4-foot level that I inherited from my grandfather). Phew.
Once in place, I tested it out a couple of times, and it’s very sturdy. While I don’t think it would be wise to stand on top of the counter itself and put my full weight on it, I planned for it to handle at least two full laundry baskets full (though the hope would be not to leave things in the laundry room anymore!). Estimates online said a full laundry basket could be around 18 pounds, so I planned for 40 but still made sure that the anchors I used in the wall could handle twice that amount.
The depth of the counter still had a small gap in the back to allow for the cord for the washer.
There you have it! More details about other features in the laundry room makeover, along with more DIY projects, coming your way shortly!
The post Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.
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from mix1 http://ift.tt/2kuP2VW via with this info
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sherlocklexa · 7 years
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Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop
I’ve gotten a few questions so far on last weeks’ big laundry room makeover reveal, and to no surprise, many of them were about the DIY wood countertop. So, I figured the first post I would put up this week should include some answers!
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About the Plywood Counter
The laundry room’s wooden countertop is made from 3/4″ Purebond maple plywood. It’s pretty heavy, so I had a beast of a time getting it to fit on my walls, which were also wonky as hell (the back corners were just slightly wider than the width of the wall where the front of the washer and dryer are… oh, the joys of working on an old house!) :) Remember: measure twice, cut once, and hammer to fit. In my case, I also used an electric hand planer to knock off 1/16″ widths at a time until things weren’t getting stuck on the drywall anymore.
Before installing, I did a little research and spied that Mandi from Vintage Revivals uses a nifty trick to save on the cost of a thick piece of plywood by gluing a more expensive one underneath, and I love that idea! If I’d had more time than an extended weekend to finish mine (I was under a pre-Christmas deadline), I might have tried this same trick, too; I think it would have made the plywood counter even stronger and less likely to bend under any weight (it’s not doing that now either, but in time with use, that could be something I go back and try to reinforce even more). Perhaps if/when I upgrade the front piece of the counter to look more substantial (even though the supports are offset from the edge of the counter by a few inches, you can still see some of the support along the wall, which could be hidden with a longer decorative piece of lumber attached to the front), I’ll see about adding another piece underneath. The plywood is actually just wedged into place and doesn’t move, so I can easily take it back out again if I needed to with a few swings from a mallet.
Cutting Plywood to Size
I bought a full sheet of plywood, but I took my measurements to Home Depot before the purchase and asked them to cut it for me (which they’ll do for free unless you have a lot of cuts to make… I only had 2, and they also loaded the pieces for me into my SUV).
Tip: When having a big box store cut the wood for you, it’s important to inspect the full sheet of plywood and make your cuts strategically so that you can get as smooth of a cut as possible and wind up with the section of the plywood you like the most. Their saws can handle the cut with ease, but there’s a lack of control and speed that you’ll have as a customer (compared to, say, cutting it yourself with saws you’re more familiar with using at home) and it’s good to be observant when they’re cutting things down.
When the saw was cutting with the grain (along the length of the plywood), the wood had very little splintering. This was important, since this would be the cut along along the front edge, where it meets the front of the washer and dryer (as in, the most noticeable front lip of the countertop once installed). But on the pass for the crosscut (when you cut the wood perpendicular to the wood grain), I was worried that it would splinter a lot. Even though these edges would be on the left and right side walls in the laundry room (so, not as noticeable as along the front edge), the concern was that these areas would not take stain as evenly if I had to patch it up with wood filler (even when it’s a stainable filler, the texture looks different, and I wanted to prevent/minimize the obvious parts that were patched). Using the first cut as a guide, the clerk and I both noticed that the wood splintered slightly more on the front of the cut than the back on the saw. So, I used that as a way to plan which side of the plywood would be the top and bottom so I could hide the splintered side underneath.
Countertop Support
As far as installation goes, I treated the countertop similar to how I installed the floating shelves on the right side: as one large shelf in need of support along three sides. However, given the narrow space, the room’s dimensions were a little tricky to work around. For one, everything I did along the back wall had to be done around the washer and dryer; moving them out of the room through the hallway and into the kitchen would result in both units getting off balance (it’s important to keep them from knocking around), so I made the choice to keep them in the room and simply climb over them to install the supports along the three surrounding walls.
The supports were created mostly out of some inexpensive 2x2s (be sure to inspect them carefully at the store for warping). I would have used 2x4s, but the height of the lumber would have created a huge gap between the counter and washer and dryer, and I didn’t want that much clearance on top (while you do want to leave some space for air flow around the units, I wanted things to still look like a more snug fit). Measurements of the room are far from square, so it was a lot of trial and error to get things level. It helps in these situations to mark everything down on the wood itself so you know which end is up, where the studs are, etc. Given that the room is also surrounded by the garage on the left, an exterior wall with masonry along the back, and a closet and bathroom along the right, I was very careful to use a stud finder and heavy duty drywall anchors to put each support in place.
Figuring out how to support the middle between the washer and dryer was a little tougher; with the entire length a little less than 5 feet wide, I was reluctant to try to build support from the floor (I already had so little wiggle room to move the washer and dryer around, any structure in the middle would have been very snug!). So, I settled on a heavy duty shelf bracket — the largest I could find in store boasted a 600-lb weight capacity — by attaching it to the back wall.
Stain and Seal
As for the stain color, I pretreated the wood with wood conditioner for an even coat and then used a couple of coats of ZAR in Modern Walnut along with a few topcoats of poly to seal.
To hide the plywood layers along the front lip of the counter, I again used 3/4″ iron-on veneer edging like I did with my entryway closet. Again, since I can see some of the supports still, I’ll probably cover this over at a later date with a stained piece of wood instead.
To my surprise, it didn’t take much effort to get the plywood level (pictured is my 4-foot level that I inherited from my grandfather). Phew.
Once in place, I tested it out a couple of times, and it’s very sturdy. While I don’t think it would be wise to stand on top of the counter itself and put my full weight on it, I planned for it to handle at least two full laundry baskets full (though the hope would be not to leave things in the laundry room anymore!). Estimates online said a full laundry basket could be around 18 pounds, so I planned for 40 but still made sure that the anchors I used in the wall could handle twice that amount.
The depth of the counter still had a small gap in the back to allow for the cord for the washer.
There you have it! More details about other features in the laundry room makeover, along with more DIY projects, coming your way shortly!
The post Laundry Room Makeover: DIY Plywood Countertop appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.
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from car2 http://ift.tt/2kuP2VW via as shown a lot
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