#it wouldn't take so long to set up my queues

[gamebunny-advance]

Looks Like I've Got No Choice...

I neglected my main blog queue for too long, so I'm gonna let some of it bleed over here, to make the rest of it easier to manage.

That means I'm gonna be reblogging most of my fandom backlog here.

If you're only here for original content, then you can block the "not mine" tag. Otherwise, my queues typically run for 50 posts a day. It won't be so bad since they're spaced out across a 6-hour period, but if you're not used to that kind of mass posting, you might wanna mute me for a bit. I'll come back with the post total later.

[your-fave-is-christian]

not a request but how's the askbox looking?

Kinda full 😂 127 asks not counting this one right now. I did not expect this blog to get NEARLY this much interaction when I made it, but I'm so glad it's making people happy!!

[loveforquanrui]

hii!! can i please req how zb1 would act when you sleep on the couch after an argument 💓

hi nonnie!! sorry i took a while to get to your request school was starting so my attention was on that! but here you go I hope you like it. also i didn't feel comfortable writing yujin since I wrote this in the sense of ZB1 being in romantic relationships so I did not want to include yujin.

-Jiwoong-

if that's what you want he would understand

he would be so sad though :((

he wouldn't annoy you by begging you to go back to bed

instead he stays up all night hoping you're gonna go back to him

but no you are stubborn and strong willed so you sleep on the couch

when you wake up to your surprise he is fast asleep next to you

-Hanbin-

oh hanbin :')

the moment you said you would sleep on the couch, hanbin was ALERT

he would not even let you make contact with the couch

"please let's just talk it out"

in the case that you don't want to talk to him though..

he would just hold your hand all night until you talk to him

and then he would talk through the argument and try to find a solution right away

hanbin just doesn't want you to go to sleep feeling sad or angry :(

so ofc our little hamster is going to do anything to make you feel better and to make up for the argument

-Hao-

Hao is an introvert

his first instinct is to give you space, since it's what he would want

so he would go to your shared bedroom thinking you would join him later

but when night time hit and you still weren't there he got worried

despite his begging you were adamant that you would sleep on the couch

so while you went to shower, he prepared anything you may need

blankets? check. comfy slippers? check?

but before you could even see him prepare all that for you

as quickly as he set that up, he quickly left to your shared bedroom

once you were fast asleep

hao would occasionally wake up to go check up on you

yes he understands that you're upset but that doesn't mean he's gonna stop being the amazing boyfriend he is

-Matthew-

the way this man would feel SO BAD (queue stayc)

the idea that you rather sleep on the uncomfy couch instead of the comfy bed in his arms..

yeah that was enough for him to run to you and apologize

matthew is sooo persistent

he would be apologizing all night and try to convince you to go back to bed

when you don't budge and are set on staying on the uncomfy couch

he takes matters into his own hand ;)

after an hour he has enough and flings you over his shoulder, takes you to the big bed, tucks you in and gives you a longing kiss

after doing so he is off the sleep in the couch

FORGIVE HIM PLS :(

-Taerae-

the way this man is so stubborn and petty

his pride is HIGH

he wouldn't even bat an eye when he sees you sleeping on the couch (BRO IS THAT PETTY)

he goes to bed in your shared bedroom not caring and giving you the cold shoulder

until 2 hours pass and he starts missing your warmth

that's when he gets up and looks at your sleeping figure from the hallway

he just stands there and contemplates whether he should wake you up

he does.

"i can't sleep please come back. im sorry i promise i won't do it again"

-Ricky-

this man is lucky he has such a face

at first he wouldn't tell you anything, his stare seems cold and blank when he sees you

he doesn't care, atleast on the outside

on the inside we know Ricky is literally crying

it hurts him so much seeing you rather be on the couch instead of with him

he lets you be and you fall asleep on the couch

to your surprise though when you wake up, you're met with the familiar morning light and the familiar blankets hugging your body

throughout the night, ricky watched until you fell asleep and when you he knew you were out, he carried you back to bed and slept next to you

when you turn around to see if ricky is in his usual spot, instead of your boyfriend you see a note

"im sorry please forgive me come to the kitchen"

when you get up and get to the kitchen you see multiple gifts and breakfast on the counter

a shy ricky holding the back of his neck saying "good morning"

-Gyuvin-

if you left the couch expecting to be alone, you are wrong.

the moment you leave to the couch, he is trailing behind you

gyuvin loves you too much he wouldn't let you be alone

lets alone would he let you go to sleep angry and alone

despite you not talking to him and giving him the cold shoulder

this man is cuddling up to you saying...

"i know you're upset but I love you and I don't want you feel like I don't"

you both end up making up but still sleep on the couch cuddled up together

when you wake up, gyuvin delivers breakfast in bed (the couch)

all day he is doing some sweet acts of service (THIS MAN IS SORRY FOR WHAT HE DID)

-Gunwook-

gunwook like hanbin would not let you fall asleep on the couch when you are upset

he understands what you are feeling and he wants you to know that

he insists that you guys fix the argument

when you refuse to (cause sometimes we be petty like that)

gunwookie sits on the floor next to the couch, holding your hand until you are willing to talk

when you can't take it anymore (he literally will not let go) you decide to give in and talk about the argument

you both talk and both apologize and come to an understanding

after communicating the problem you guys go to your shared bedroom holding each other

guys gunwook would be such an amazing boyfi

[boba-beom]

ೃ⁀➷ airport crush pt 2 | CHOI YEONJUN NSFW

pairing: brother's best friend!yeonjun x fem!reader

genre: smut, fluff, kinda angsty

wc: 3.4k

warning: angstier than I thought oops, smut with plot, arguing, yeonjun pining for reader, jealousy, possessive yj at some point, but also lowkey sub!yeonjun ngl, reader confesses about the past but yj does for the present, heavy petting, oral (fem!receiving), fingering, just the tip tease, piv but yj doesn't cum— mile high club ;) , toilet sex again, pet names (baby, good girl, good boy), praises (both), yj calls reader mommy ONCE, light marking, let me know if I've missed anything!

summary: after spending some time with your airport crush, yeonjun's pissed you were spending your time 'efficiently' with someone who isn't him. but you agreed to do anything so he wouldn't snitch to your brother about the marks on your neck.

a/n: the long-awaited next part is here, there is one more main part after this. I hope you enjoy this part just as much as yeonjun did hehe what better way to save this than for @majestyjun's 24 days with yeonjun for our jjunie's birthday! ♥

airport crush part 1 (beomgyu)

boarding the plane was no problem, beomgyu had made you laugh in the queue–maybe even flirted–despite the slight delay, but it didn't go unnoticed by the people around you. you heard yeonjun subtly bickering with your brother, but soobin wasn't having any of it—he was too jet-lagged to even give two shits at this point. you knew this was going to be a long flight ahead of you and yet all you could think about was beomgyu and his fingers, and how bad you want him to—

you heard a ping and looked down at your phone to see beomgyu had airdropped you a note as your way of messaging each other before the plane had set off. he sent you a few memes and your scoffs would turn into chuckles until you both decided to rest and talk when you reach the airport.

it was a given that yeonjun isn't keen on whatever is going on between you and your newfound fuck buddy. yeonjun may be two years older than you, but there's something about him that you weren't aware of.

"yn? are you even listening to me?" yeonjun fakes a heartache with his palm flat on his chest while you give him a deadpan glare. "and what's happened to your 'stranger danger' policy?"

"yeonjun, I can't lie, I've developed this talent to block you out. now you're like white noise to me." you force a smile until it immediately dropped. "also, YJ, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm literally in my early twenties, chill out."

he scoffs, an annoyed smile crawling on his lips. "and I'm literally just looking out for you, how do you not see that?"

"I don't need you to look after me, m'kay? I have soobin for that. even still, just let me make my own choices." turning your body slightly, facing the window.

you couldn't care less with what he had to say. you were just pissed that it was him, and not beomgyu, sitting next to you. beomgyu was sitting a few rows down from you on the opposite site of the plane, you could just about spot the plum tinge of his hair. soobin, on the other hand, was sitting between random people in the middle section of the plane, a couple of rows in front of you and yeonjun. you weren't in their line of sight, and vice versa.

that's going to be a problem.

"you know what annoys me actually? the fact that you're so smug about this whole thing. you meet a stranger and now you feel like you've met the love of your life." you roll your eyes and take a deep breath before exhaling your frustration.

"oh boo you, is it because I managed to find someone to hook up and have fun with before this holiday even started?" you retort, refusing to look at him, bearing in mind that there are a few people sleeping around you.

"oh for fucks sake, yn, grow up." you hear him exhale.

you scoff. "me? no, yeonjun. you, grow the fuck up. I'm sick and tired of whatever problem it is you have with me."

raking his hands through his hair, he looks up before placing a hand on your knee, “listen here, little miss princess, stop being a fucking brat, you’re so annoying like that.” but what you don’t know is that it's slightly turning him on, knowing how hot-headed you can be, he secretly loves how argumentative you two are and he sort of thrives off of that. he had no intention for it to take a turn like this though.

you stare at him, eyes steady, narrowing and not wavering even a little bit. “and you’re starting to piss me off, choi.” you unbuckle the seatbelt over your hips, your hand pushing off his from your thigh before passing his legs to scoot yourself to the aisle, catching soobin's sleeping form and making your way to the toilet at the end of the plane.

from beomgyu’s peripheral vision, he turns his body to look back, watching you make your way to the toilet and noting the dull look on your face. his eyes trailed behind you to find yeonjun who looked like he was chasing after you. he sits back comfortably, sighing and rolling his eyes from the thought of what yeonjun must have done to piss you off this time.

yeonjun knocks on the door and calls your name softly a couple of times, “let me in. come on, talk to me.”

you sigh, not wanting people to continue watching him knocking on the door, and for all they know you two look like you’re in some sort of lovers quarrel. he quickly enters as soon as you open the door, and you scoot aside as an attempt to make space for his six foot figure.

“and you couldn’t just leave me alone? how embarrassing.” you huff, crossing your arms against your chest, but due to the close proximity, you can feel his breath fanning by your neck.

“you want to talk about embarrassing? how about hooking up with a stranger at the airport? hmm?” he retorts, slightly raising his voice at you.

you cover his mouth to remind him to keep his voice down.

“what the fuck is this obsession about me hooking up with beomgyu. just say you’re jealous and go, oh my god, yeonjun." you aggressively whisper.

your chest heaves from the anger gradually coming out, and if you weren't in a plane right this moment then yeonjun would definitely get a taste of your wrath. it was silent for a moment with the both of you holding this intense eye contact with a hint of something unspoken. yeonjun breaks away first, turning around as much as he can with his hand back to running through his teal strands.

"I am." is all he mutters.

"you are what?" you exasperatedly rub at your temples with your eyes shut in the hopes that he'd just be straight with you.

"I am jealous." he starts. "god, all this time I tried to avoid the littlest thoughts about you, and now that you've grown up to be such a confident, intelligent and beautiful woman it's kind of hard not to be around you."

your head shoots up, almost breaking your neck at his confession. a million things were going on in your head but not a single thought was stable enough to comprehend that your crush throughout your childhood and teenage years had liked you all this time.

it took you so long to get over him, and after being completely over him for two long years, he's thrown away all your efforts.

"I... hate you." your voice breaks, tears threatening to run down your cheek, tired of his stupid games.

the warmth of his body starts radiating even more, feeling him lean closer than you already were. your eye contact lasts for less than a second until he crashes his lips on yours with his hands desperately fumbling with your arms and throwing it over his shoulders before finding purchase on your waist.

the kiss was messy. nothing but teeth clashing and heavy breaths until yeonjun swiftly swaps places with you and hits your back against the door, hard enough for it to just rattle gently.

"you don't hate me." yeonjun whispers before diving in to capture your lips again.

the pace of the kiss was starting to pick up; his hands gradually lifting your shirt until his hands were massaging and roaming over the mounds of your breasts through your bra, whining from the contact, and your fingers tangling themselves in his dishevelled hair.

you let out soft whimpers as soon as his plush lips peppers along the column of your neck, a heated trail over the hickeys that beomgyu had left before.

"I hate you so much," you whine.

"you look so hot marked up, too bad this area's been marked by someone else." he growls in your ear, while his hands busy themselves by tugging down your sweatpants.

the material of your sweatpants fell just above your knees and that was enough for yeonjun to slide his fingers into your panties, roughly circling your clit with his middle finger, making your core twitch with every circle he drew.

"oh fuck, jjun—" a moan got stuck in your throat while yeonjun went back to attacking your lips with soft nibbles on your bottom lip.

his lips descended down your body, from your neck, littering kisses over your breasts, down your navel and straight to your plush thighs. his finger stopped working on you and instead, grabbing ahold of one of your thighs to prop over his shoulder so he could kiss and suck on your inner thighs.

"you should be marked more often, only where I can see them." after leaving a mark on your skin, he sensually flicks his tongue on the surface, giving you a preview on what his tongue could be used for.

"shut up and eat me out already." you lace your fingers in his hair, tugging on them to inflict minor pain.

yeonjun's dick throbbed from the way you explicitly said that aloud, never thinking he'd hear you say that.

his hands steadied your hips, holding on tightly and kitten licking at your clit. the wet muscle twirling around your bundle of nerves had you holding in your moans, letting out airy grunts as an attempt.

"so sweet." yeonjun draws back before diving his face straight into your core, sticking his tongue out and lapping up at your entrance. you could feel the vibrations from his moans as soon as he sticks his tongue into your slick cunny. it was difficult to not get so wet when yeonjun's lips felt like heaven on yours, and you felt like your soul was ascending when they were all over your body.

"YJ— fuck, did you know I— mmh, liked you back then?" you struggle getting your sentence out when yeonjun's basically tongue fucking your pussy.

he ignores your question and groans against your core, his tongue reaching as far as it can inside you, but every time his nose bumped your clit you'd curl in a little. annoyed, you tug his hair back so he's looking up at you, the dim light in the toilet reflecting the sheen layer of spit and your arousal on his lips and dripping down his chin.

"I asked you a question."

he grabs your wrist, shaking off your hold on his roots and brought the back of your fingers to his lips. "I knew." and then he inserted your index and middle fingers past his lips, feeling his tongue dancing between and around your digits.

you could moan at the sight, knowing that he probably knows those are the two fingers you used to fuck yourself to the thought of him.

"then why didn't you say anything? do you know how hard I wanted you to notice me?" you almost whine.

"oh trust me, I always noticed you." he guides your fingers at your dripping entrance. "I didn't want to make a move because you're my best friend's little sister. Soobin would fucking kill me if I thought about you like that, hell, he'd kill me if he finds out I'm eating you out several rows away from him."

you wince at his choice of words, but more so when he flat tongues your clit while controlling your fingers pumping in and out of you. but it wasn't enough.

"jjun, I need more." you quietly cry behind the palm of your hand, trying to keep your cries at bay.

he sucks at your bead until a quick yelp slipped past your lips, grabbing him by the collar of his quarter-zip and pulling him up to kiss you. the taste of your arousal lingered on your tongue as he plays around with yours.

this was something you had wet dreams about. something that you desperately wanted every time you saw him come over. the things you would think about when he'd bring his then-girlfriends around when he was hanging out with soobin.

"please, I want to feel a little more." you hate to beg, but you were thinking, you're already in this situation, why not go the extra mile?

"of course, baby. anything for you." he switches up so easily now that he's confessed to you, wondering that all this time he could have been bearable if he had just told you, even if you were to keep it between yourselves, he would have been so much easier to deal with.

yeonjun spreads his wet kisses along your jaw and behind your ear, imitating your quiet moans as you continue to unzip his loose jeans, pulling them down just below his balls.

as he strokes his length, you lean your head against his shoulder, looking down and observing how pretty his dick is; the pink tip that's a similar tone to his lips with a clear bead of pre-cum dribbling out slowly. not to mention his girth was perfect to the point you could feel yourself aching to have him inside you.

"should I just put the tip in?" yeonjun mumbles by your temples.

he aligns the head of his cock at your entrance, feeling the faint stretch as it dips inside. you sigh, wanting more but he purposely slides it against your folds an swiping over your clit. the motion had you exhaling your breath that you had been subconsciously holding in ever since he was stroking himself.

"yeonjun, please. I want you inside of me." you beg so prettily that yeonjun could feel his dick twitch in his hand, his eyes tightly shut briefly.

"want you to feel good." his sentences have now reduced to wanting to please you, he didn't care about himself, though you're about to wet his dick, he was still doing whatever you wanted.

you hold onto his shoulders, one leg wrapped around his hip as he pushes in, feeling the delicious stretch against your walls. "gonna. fuck. you. so. good." he grunts in between shallow thrusts.

his hands are glued to your hips and under your thigh, holding you in place for him to fuck in this small compartment. but that doesn't stop him from eagerly reaching as deep as he can inside you. his thrusts get deeper after every other kiss you leave on his neck and collar bone, loving the way your lips makes his skin tingle.

the speed of yeonjun's thrusts get faster, and the hold your pussy has on his cock gets tighter. he has his eyes trained on your face, watching your brows knit and your mouth parting.

"mmhh yeah, that's it baby, right there." you moan by his ear and his pace picks up gradually. he loves the way you want more of his dick, not beomgyu's, but his.

the corners of his lips quirked up at the thought of you forgetting about beomgyu and wanting him at that moment. yeonjun wanted to take this chance to show you he could fuck you better than whatever beomgyu did.

"like that?" he whispers, pulling up your shirt and bra so your boobs were on full display.

he gawked at the sight of your bare chest in front of him, his hips not faltering a single bit; still aiming to make you cum on his dick. it took him no second thoughts to latch his mouth onto one of your nipples, sucking and releasing with 'pop' sounds and repeating as he hears more of your mixture of moans and whimpers.

you loved the sensation of yeonjun's tongue and pillowy lips on your boobs, but his dick was starting to drill into you, feeling your mind going hazy with every stroke against your gummy walls.

"I'm close." you whimper above him, his lips still suckling at your aroused nipple and the other massaging it in the palm of his hand.

"wan' you to cum around me mommy." his words were muffled from his occupied mouth, but the slight rasp in the way he said it was ticking your orgasm closer by the millisecond.

yeonjun lets go of your boob and starts playing with your clit again, his thrusts doesn't falter even when you clench around him like a vice, your walls convulsing around him. your moans were becoming dangerously loud, and if it wasn't for yeonjun swallowing your moans by helplessly kissing you, then you were sure you would have a flight attendant knocking at the door.

your thighs start shaking under his hold as you leak down your legs but yeonjun pulls out, his cock still standing strong as reaches for the tissues to clean up your mess.

"feel better?" he wipes down the remaining droplets by your knees, before throwing the tissue away and tucking his hard dick into his baggy jeans.

you cock your head to the side, "you didn't cum?"

"it's okay, just wanted to make you feel good, remember? you were about to transform into a dragon out there with all your huffing and puffing. and even though I got my dick wet, at least it was by you." you slap his shoulder light-heartedly, scoffing at his comment before you both bursted into a shared laugh.

"you were irritating me that's why." you reply. "and you really are just that obsessed with me huh? that why your temper went down too?"

you watch him check up on himself through the mirror, relaying a slow nod to you. noting the faint couple of hickeys you left just under his collar, it's as if he knew what you were thinking and he zipped up his quarter-zip a little higher than before. he seemed more peaceful now, and you found it cute that the tip of his ears were blushing pink.

"I am obsessed with you. literally can't stop thinking about you." his hand reaches for your waist and brings you closer until your chests collide.

"okay, lover boy. take it easy on the simp talk." he scoffs, but the smile he has on his face seems like he's satisfied even when you haven't said how you currently feel towards him.

"can I have another kiss? literally miss your lips already." he kisses your shoulder slowly, maybe leaving two or three. something about that gesture made your heart drop.

you were selfish. you just met beomgyu who you have a good feeling about. but that isn't enough for you apparently. you have yeonjun wrapped around your finger and the fact that he's obsessed with you just as much as you were for him just feeds that emptiness you'd been feeling for so long.

"yn? you know you can say no." you snapped out of your thoughts and didn't realise there was a gap, as much as there can be, between you and yeonjun.

"kiss me." your hands are splayed flat on his chest, caressing the area with your thumb as he cups your cheek with one hand and pulls you in by the hip with the other.

your lips have only kissed three people in your lifetime. your first kiss in freshman year college, beomgyu and now yeonjun. but you seem just as in need of his lips as he is with yours. they were perfect and pouty. soft but also dangerously addictive. and the way he lets you lightly trap his bottom lip between your teeth just makes you want him even more.

you both pull away, a short string of saliva fallen from your lips which has yeonjun's eyes filled with lust for you.

"I- I think we should head out. we're lucky it isn't a full plane." you stutter from the gaze he had on you just a second before.

"it's fine. we'll never see these people again." yeonjun chuckles at you for your attempt at discretion. "and I don't think they cared enough to stop us."

you shrugg at his response, adjusting your shirt even though it still wasn't going to miraculously cover the hickeys beomgyu left.

as soon as you open the door, you step out first and yeonjun stepping out after with him faking a cover up conversation for the people you would walk past to hear, "are you feeling better now?"

you find your row and take your seat, nudging him, "oh shut up." and he laughs at your response.

you genuinely did feel better after the released tension, but now you just don't know how you're going about this sticky situation you were in. you see beomgyu slowly turn his head and you keep an eye on his purple hair until he looks at you, shooting you a smile.

and you still felt your heart skip a beat for him.

taglist: @ahnneyong @prodsh00ky @wccycc @lizdevorak @fairybin @laylasbunbunny @acaiasahi @ttyunz @cha0thicpisces @fairybinie @vatterie @hyuntaena @ja4hyvn @yunkiwii @aprilisque @bb-eilish @ericyjun @luvsoobs @yeonyeonyeonjun @junniieesbby @kyrkitten @day6andetcetera @dainsleif-when-playable @txt-yaomi @soobinsman @hallaween23 @run2min @clayballss @kijasite @nikimeows @tara324253 @robin-obsessed (because I thought you'd like to read ^^) send an ask, reference here

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[axelsagewrites]

Hello. Could I request a fic with f reader working at Richmond and Jan Maas faling in love with reader. Just fluff. ❤️

Jan Maas*Sweet As You

Pairing: Jan Maas x f!reader

Word count: 1134

Warnings: pure fluff

Masterlist here

There were definite perks and draw backs of working at Richmond. On one hand as a receptionist, you got paid to do honestly not very much. However, on the other hand you had to deal with a weird amount of prank calls from football fans.

One recently developing perk was the free coffee you received every morning. No, it wasn't a company thing or from your boss or other colleagues. Every morning this week Jan Maas walked in with a black coffee in one hand and an iced caramel mocha latte with an extra shot of expresso in the other.

It all started when you happened to walk into work at the same time and he noticed the Starbucks cup in your hand. "Is that even coffee at this point?" He half teased half seriously wondered.

"It is coffee," you said, drawing out the words as you defended yourself as Jan opened the front door for you, "caffeine not enough for me. I need that sugar high to deal with you lot,"

Jan chuckled at you, walking you over to the desk where your coworker pretended not to be listening in. "Funny. I thought you were sweet enough. See you later," he said, walking away to leave you a blushing mess.

However as soon as he got out of sight Jan became equally as flustered as he realised what he'd said. What was worse was Sam hearing him muttering under his breath about it resulting in Sam telling all the guys who then set up a plan to teach Jan how to flirt.

The issue was he wasn't very good at it. Instead, every morning without fail he got your coffee for you. "Hey Jan," you called, rolling down your car window as you slowed down. It was 7am and he was walking to Richmond with two coffees in hand, "need a lift?"

Jan preferred to walk. He'd never really seen the big deal around cars. However, he was quick to accept your offer. "My coffees will bankrupt you," you joked as you accepted the drink before resuming your drive.

"Don’t worry about it," he laughed, "your worth the money,"

"Think you can buy my affection? “you teased as you were pulling into Richmond.

"Maybe," he said it quietly, his eyes darting away before back to yours. "Is it working?" He asked.

You turned the car off, taking a long sip out your coffee while pretending to think about it, "I think it might be," you finally said, a smile on your lips and a large grin on his. "Throw in a pastry next time and I'm yours,"

When people saw you get out the same car there were some rumours to say the least. Another drawback of the job. However, another perk was walking in right now with a coffee and a suspiciously sweet-smelling brown bag.

"I wasn't sure which to get so I picked whichever looked the sweetest," he said as he placed the bag down.

"You know me so well," you grinned, "thanks though. Take it you don't have time to have one before practise?" You asked despite knowing he didn’t, but you couldn't help but try.

Your smile plus the way your eyelashes batted had Jan Maas willing to pay the late fee. "I suppose one wouldn't hurt," he said as he moved to sit on the edge of the reception desk as you offered him a pastry, "You should make Stroopkoeken with me one day. You'd like them,"

"What are they?" You asked, not realising how adorable Jan thought your head tilt was in your confusion.

"They're like a Carmel biscuit. My mum would make them for me growing up. Better than any Starbucks pastry," he joked, “But you have to make them from scratch to get the best experience,”

“You’ll have to teach me some time,” you smiled back and is if on queue his phone began ringing.

Jan deflated when he saw his teammates call, “I’ll need to go now. I’ll see you later,”

As he began to walk away you cringed before taking a deep breath, “Wait!” you called making him stop in his tracks. “Are you free tomorrow night? Maybe we could try making those biscuits,” you offered with an awkward smile that he found insanely endearing.

A wide grin broke onto his face, “I’d love to. It’s a date,” he said before actually turning to go to practise, leaving you a grinning mess.

-

“A baking date is perfect!”

“Nah man you should go out to a restaurant for the first date,”

“Oh, what if you take her to Sam’s place for dinner first?”

“There’s a new bar up the street you could go to after,”

“What you gonna wear bruv?”

“Make sure you actually clean up. Chicks notice that kinda stuff,”

“Oh, you should get her flowers. Birds dig flowers,”

“And make sure when you go to kiss her- “

“Woah woah guys!” Jan said, standing up from the bench and pushing past his teammates who’d essentially jumped on him after practise when they found out why he was late, “It’s just a first date. Well, I think it’s a date. I said it’s a date, but people here don’t always mean date, oh god what if she doesn’t realise it’s a date?” Jan began to panic, turning to his equally clueless mates.

They were all panicking till a loud, “Oi,” stopped them, “Don’t listen to these pricks,” Roy told him after pretending not to care the whole time, “Shower, shave, tidy up, and calm down. She’ll know it’s a date since all you two do is flirt like some snot nosed teens,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Roy’s right,” Sam said, standing to put a hand on Jan’s shoulder, “You’ve got nothing to worry about,”

“Not what I said but alright,” Roy shrugged but this time he got ignored.

Well apart from Jamie who rolled his eyes before adding his own words of wisdom. “Yeah, mate just be yourself,”

-

The kitchen was now a mess, sugar spilt everywhere, and a pot that looked like it would never be clean again and of course a plate of perfectly made biscuits. “I don’t know how my mum made it look so easy,” Jan said.

You laughed as you reached up to wipe the flour off his forehead, “Yeah but they taste good so who cares,” you said, noticing the way his cheeks tinged pink whenever you touched him.

“They’re almost as sweet as you,” he smiled softly, brushing your hair out of your face making your own skin flush.

Enough was enough you thought, “So tell me something,” you said, Jan humming as he waited for you to ask, “Why haven’t you kissed me yet?” you nearly whispered.

“I thought you’d never ask,”

Pairing: Jan Maas x f!reader

Word count: 1134

Warnings: pure fluff

There were definite perks and draw backs of working at Richmond. On one hand as a receptionist, you got paid to do honestly not very much. However, on the other hand you had to deal with a weird amount of prank calls from football fans.

One recently developing perk was the free coffee you received every morning. No, it wasn't a company thing or from your boss or other colleagues. Every morning this week Jan Maas walked in with a black coffee in one hand and an iced caramel mocha latte with an extra shot of expresso in the other.

It all started when you happened to walk into work at the same time and he noticed the Starbucks cup in your hand. "Is that even coffee at this point?" He half teased half seriously wondered.

"It is coffee," you said, drawing out the words as you defended yourself as Jan opened the front door for you, "caffeine not enough for me. I need that sugar high to deal with you lot,"

Jan chuckled at you, walking you over to the desk where your coworker pretended not to be listening in. "Funny. I thought you were sweet enough. See you later," he said, walking away to leave you a blushing mess.

However as soon as he got out of sight Jan became equally as flustered as he realised what he'd said. What was worse was Sam hearing him muttering under his breath about it resulting in Sam telling all the guys who then set up a plan to teach Jan how to flirt.

The issue was he wasn't very good at it. Instead, every morning without fail he got your coffee for you. "Hey Jan," you called, rolling down your car window as you slowed down. It was 7am and he was walking to Richmond with two coffees in hand, "need a lift?"

Jan preferred to walk. He'd never really seen the big deal around cars. However, he was quick to accept your offer. "My coffees will bankrupt you," you joked as you accepted the drink before resuming your drive.

"Don’t worry about it," he laughed, "your worth the money,"

"Think you can buy my affection? “you teased as you were pulling into Richmond.

"Maybe," he said it quietly, his eyes darting away before back to yours. "Is it working?" He asked.

You turned the car off, taking a long sip out your coffee while pretending to think about it, "I think it might be," you finally said, a smile on your lips and a large grin on his. "Throw in a pastry next time and I'm yours,"

When people saw you get out the same car there were some rumours to say the least. Another drawback of the job. However, another perk was walking in right now with a coffee and a suspiciously sweet-smelling brown bag.

"I wasn't sure which to get so I picked whichever looked the sweetest," he said as he placed the bag down.

"You know me so well," you grinned, "thanks though. Take it you don't have time to have one before practise?" You asked despite knowing he didn’t, but you couldn't help but try.

Your smile plus the way your eyelashes batted had Jan Maas willing to pay the late fee. "I suppose one wouldn't hurt," he said as he moved to sit on the edge of the reception desk as you offered him a pastry, "You should make Stroopkoeken with me one day. You'd like them,"

"What are they?" You asked, not realising how adorable Jan thought your head tilt was in your confusion.

"They're like a Carmel biscuit. My mum would make them for me growing up. Better than any Starbucks pastry," he joked, “But you have to make them from scratch to get the best experience,”

“You’ll have to teach me some time,” you smiled back and is if on queue his phone began ringing.

Jan deflated when he saw his teammates call, “I’ll need to go now. I’ll see you later,”

As he began to walk away you cringed before taking a deep breath, “Wait!” you called making him stop in his tracks. “Are you free tomorrow night? Maybe we could try making those biscuits,” you offered with an awkward smile that he found insanely endearing.

A wide grin broke onto his face, “I’d love to. It’s a date,” he said before actually turning to go to practise, leaving you a grinning mess.

-

“A baking date is perfect!”

“Nah man you should go out to a restaurant for the first date,”

“Oh, what if you take her to Sam’s place for dinner first?”

“There’s a new bar up the street you could go to after,”

“What you gonna wear bruv?”

“Make sure you actually clean up. Chicks notice that kinda stuff,”

“Oh, you should get her flowers. Birds dig flowers,”

“And make sure when you go to kiss her- “

“Woah woah guys!” Jan said, standing up from the bench and pushing past his teammates who’d essentially jumped on him after practise when they found out why he was late, “It’s just a first date. Well, I think it’s a date. I said it’s a date, but people here don’t always mean date, oh god what if she doesn’t realise it’s a date?” Jan began to panic, turning to his equally clueless mates.

They were all panicking till a loud, “Oi,” stopped them, “Don’t listen to these pricks,” Roy told him after pretending not to care the whole time, “Shower, shave, tidy up, and calm down. She’ll know it’s a date since all you two do is flirt like some snot nosed teens,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Roy’s right,” Sam said, standing to put a hand on Jan’s shoulder, “You’ve got nothing to worry about,”

“Not what I said but alright,” Roy shrugged but this time he got ignored.

Well apart from Jamie who rolled his eyes before adding his own words of wisdom. “Yeah, mate just be yourself,”

-

The kitchen was now a mess, sugar spilt everywhere, and a pot that looked like it would never be clean again and of course a plate of perfectly made biscuits. “I don’t know how my mum made it look so easy,” Jan said.

You laughed as you reached up to wipe the flour off his forehead, “Yeah but they taste good so who cares,” you said, noticing the way his cheeks tinged pink whenever you touched him.

“They’re almost as sweet as you,” he smiled softly, brushing your hair out of your face making your own skin flush.

Enough was enough you thought, “So tell me something,” you said, Jan humming as he waited for you to ask, “Why haven’t you kissed me yet?” you nearly whispered.

“I thought you’d never ask,”

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[whitenoisefanfiction]

Interview with a Preacher Boy (An IWTV/Sinners crossover fic)

Got a brainworm after seeing Sinners in theatre the other day and then worked on a new chapter of my current IWTV Fic and it wouldn't leave me alone. So, I quickly wrote down the start of it because I could. Enjoy.

Warning. This is set after the mid-credit scene so possible spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.

-------

Chicago, 1996

Night had long since set as Daniel Molloy drove his car down the street and towards the old building. 

He had been in Chicago for the last few days, conducting a few interviews and generally trying to ignore the divorce papers Alice had served on him before he left New York last. 

Alice was leaving and taking the girls with her. 

Daniel knew he should be depressed, irate or even suicidal. And yet, all he could feel was relief. 

It was disturbing, the feeling and one Daniel didn’t want to face just yet. Why, in the face of losing everything he had worked for, did he feel so happy? Like he was being set free?

So, when his agent had called, asking if he wanted to go to Chicago for a few assignments, Daniel had jumped at the chance. 

Alice would leave, whether he was home or not and if he was there, there were more chances for them to fall into fights. Daniel didn’t want his daughters to remember the last days their family was whole being nothing but fights. They were still so young, still willing to see the good in their father, even if he didn’t believe it was there himself. 

Besides, he was a Pulitzer winner. Which meant he could go just about anywhere he wanted. And he had wanted a quick out. 

Chicago, so far, had been quiet. A few interviews with a few prominent politicians, a few sports stars. Nothing special but enough to keep his mind busy. 

He had been ready to pack up and leave, his hotel bill settled, and flight booked, when he had received a call. 

A famous Blues singer had announced he was ready to give his final interview, and he had called, asking Daniel to be the one to do it. 

Daniel didn’t know much about Sammie Moore but an extra night away from home was enough of a draw for him to dive into research. 

As far as he could tell from his not really thorough searching, this Sammie Moore was a very prominent figure in the music scene, famous for his soulful voice and mastery of lyrics. One of his songs, called ‘I lied to You’ had put him on the map and Daniel had managed to secure a CD of his music, playing it on repeat as he drafted his questions and primed his tape recorder. 

Technology was advancing fast, but Daniel was still a fan of the old, reliable technology. It had gotten him through many difficult situations, recording his talks with doctors and the dying, Dictators and cult leaders, good and bad people. He tried not to think of one specific interview, where his tapes and recorder had not survived. That thought would only make him edgy, feeling like eyes were on him and make his neck tense, the scar tissue burning with phantom pain. 

So, at the designated time, Daniel packed a small satchel of his things, placed them in his rental car and drove through the bustling streets of Chicago to a club called Pearline. 

The place was buzzing, people lining out the door as Daniel parked and exited his vehicle. Music washed out into the streets, the patrons waiting to get in, swaying with the beat and spelling excitedly. 

Walking into the sidewalk, Daniel hesitated briefly. He didn’t know if he should join the queue and hope to be let in unchallenged or approach the doorman, cutting in line and possibly upsetting the crowd. Despite being invited here, he had learnt that some artists got very upset if he didn’t at least pretend to be a fan. 

His musing was cut short as a voice called behind him. 

“Daniel Molloy?” It asked. 

Daniel turned and saw a heavy-set man, the black t-shirt stamped with the word ‘Security’ across his chest. 

“Yes.” He replied.

“Nice to meet ya. Sammie said you was coming tonight and to look out for ya.” The man said, thrusting his hand out to shake.  

Daniel shook the man's hand. 

“Come on in. The sets almost over but you can watch the rest of it before you talk with him.” The man continued. 

Releasing his hand, the security guard turned and pushed through the crowd and towards the door. The door man nodded and stood aside, ushering him in as Daniel followed in his wake, trying to ignore the envious eyes on his back. 

Inside, the club was homely, lit with soft yellow lights. A stage was at one end, a bar at the other. 

A crowd of people swayed and danced on what Daniel could only guess was the dance floor as on the stage, an elderly African American man played guitar with considerable skill.

Daniel glanced at the musician. This must be Sammie Moore. 

The man looked good for someone pushing 80 but in the soft light, Daniel could see four jagged scars on the side of his face. They looked old. And nasty. It must have been a hell of an injury. 

Daniel had not read anything about these injuries during his hurried research of the musician, but he was man enough to admit, he may have missed something. Oh well, Sammie had asked he be here, not the other way around. Hopefully the older man would be willing to open up about them when asked or this interview was going to be very awkward. 

“Here.” The security guard said, indicating an empty seat at the bar.

Daniel sat as bidden as the security guard flagged down a bartender.

“This is Sammie’s guest. The boss said to give him whatever he asks for. On the house.”

Daniel’s eyebrows shot up at that. 

“Generous of him.” He commented.

The guard turned to glance at him.

“Boss is a fan of your work. He’s been hoping to get an interview with you for a while now, I think.” The guard replied. “Anyway, I gotta go. He will be with you soon.”

Daniel couldn’t think of anything else to say as the big man turned his back and disappeared into the crowd again, going off to do whatever the hell he was employed to do. 

“What will you have?” the bartender asked, raising his voice to speak over the music.

“A martini.” Daniel replied absentmindedly as the song ended, and loud applause filled the room. 

The bartender nodded and stepped away. On stage, Sammie announced he was about to play his last song. The crowd groaned in disappointment, but it soon turned to cheering as the man strummed the guitar. 

Daniel didn’t know many songs but even he recognised ‘This Little Light of Mine’.

The reporter couldn't help but stare as the music filled the room once again. The man’s voice was truly impressive. Daniel had interviewed a few rock stars in his time, but no one had ever had a voice close to this one. 

Finally, as the last notes played and the musician stepped off the stage and disappeared out the back, Daniel pulled his attention back to his work. Opening his bag, he pulled out his tape recorder and notebook, trying to make space for them on the bar counter. Opening the book to a blank page, he jotted down the time, date and place. Although he would record the conversation, it still paid to write notes. 

The bartender appeared again, placing a martini down on the bar, careful of Daniel’s property. Then he placed a plate down next to it. Daniel looked up from his writing and frowned at the scent of hot garlic bread filling his nose. 

“I didn’t order this.” He said as the bartender placed down some napkins beside the plate. 

“On the house. Boss’s compliments.” The bartender replied before bustling off, leaving Daniel no room to argue. 

Daniel glanced at the plate for a moment. This whole night was turning stranger and stranger by the moment. After a few seconds, he shrugged to himself and picked up a piece of bread. He wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth and a free meal was a free meal after all. 

Around him, the crowd was dispersing, some of them choosing to remain and continue drinking but a vast majority making their way to the exit, humming or even singing as they went. The atmosphere of the crowd was light, joyful. 

Daniel continued to work, writing a few more details down as he worked his way through the garlic bread and martini. 

Finally, the room was almost empty, the bartender quietly cleaning away some of his tools as the last stranglers left. 

Footsteps approached and Daniel glanced up from his book as the subject of this interview finally approached. 

“Sammie Moore, I presume?” He asked, rising from the bar seat, holding out his hand in greeting. 

Sammie glanced down at the bar, ignoring the offered hand and for a moment, Daniel swore, his dark eyes were fixated on the almost completely devoured plate of garlic bread. Then he looked up and smiled. 

“Daniel Molloy.” He replied in a warm voice, reaching up and accepting the handshake. “I am a fan of your writing,”

Daniel knew he shouldn’t poke the bear. He had been invited here after all. But still….

“A fan of geo-political scandals? Since that’s mostly what I cover these days.”

Sammie laughed. It was a warm, amused laugh. 

“My lord no.” He replied. “That is far too depressing for me.”

Daniel frowned. He felt on the backfoot here. Unsure why he had been invited. 

“I think I should warn you; I don’t write puff pieces. I write what I hear and it's not always flattering so if you are looking for something fluffy, some legacy piece, you may want to reconsider this interview.”

Sammie laughed again. 

“Please sit.” He said, indicating the vacated seat. 

Daniel did. Well, he had warned him, and the man seemed keen to continue. Hopefully that won't change. He sat down and pressed a button on his tape recorder. 

“So…” He said, flipping through the book until he landed on the pages of questions he had prepared. “Tell me about how you got into Blues.”

Sammie smiled and pulled out the seat next to him, sitting down.

“Mr. Molloy, can I call you Daniel?” He asked. 

Daniel nodded. He knew when people tried to take control of the interview. Knew when people tried to deflect and avoid. He was good at working with unreceptive people. He could allow this man to control the interview for the first few minutes. Let him feel comfortable before he got into the meat of the story. 

“Daniel. I feel I must tell you; I am not looking for a ‘puff piece’ as you put it. Rather, I wanted to talk to you because I think you are one of the few people alive who can understand my story. Since I have reason to believe you have danced with the devil just as I have. After all, like me, you wear his mark.”

Daniel started, taken aback at the comment. Then he realised Sammie’s dark eyes were not fixed on his face like most people, but on his neck. Specifically, where the collar of his shirt failed to hide the bite scar. 

Sammie knew what it was. 

Daniel stared at the man for a long moment, his eyes drawn to the scars on the man's face. Belatedly, he realised that the spacing between cuts was odd. Jagged in a way that a blade could not make and yet, Daniel could not think of any animal which could leave a mark like that. The spacing was wide, almost…. human.

A thought crossed his mind. A memory of strong, human-like hands with razor sharp nails. Strong enough to tear through flesh and muscle. As strong as teeth….

Daniel tore his eyes away from the marks.

Sammie was no longer staring at the scar on his neck. Instead, he was looking at Daniel, black eyes meeting blue. 

“Yes Daniel. I think you now understand the story I wish to tell.”

-------

Welp, there you go. I know Sammie is probably completely OOC since I have only seen the movie once, but I thought it would be cool if Daniel interviewed him, so I had to write it. I do have more planned, but I needed to get this out before I exploded and finding the time in RL to write is hard.

[accidentally-in-fictional-love]

4 Minute Changes - Lester Billings/Reader

Warnings: Gender neutral reader, no use of Y/N, tiny bits of angst, talk of thoughts of self harm, friends to finally dating, bit of making out.

Wordcount: 9026

Summary: Christmas, the time of year for family and friends and getting together, but a surprise statement finally kicks things into gear when it has unintended reactions.

Notes: The unexpected sequel to these! (1 & 2) So, this was supposed to be a request, but with how long it was getting just from these scenes and the prompt not really getting to show, I decided at the last second to instead make this its own post so you guys wouldn't be waiting for another 25k reader that would delay the queue even more, and make the request part 4 in the series instead of part 3 hehe so here's a little extra Lester while I rearrange my queue just a tad, and I hope you enjoy the technical first half of your request, anon 💗💗💗

It had felt like he'd never reach this point, but here it was, and he was naming you as the main reason for it. You waved it off, you wouldn't make this toast all about you when he'd been working so hard, but Lester Billings was a more determined man than ever before thanks to the divorce, and he thanked you for that as well as he raised his glass even higher. It was movie night again, but not just any movie night, he was hosting his first Christmas party in his new home, which you'd helped decorate alongside his kids when they visited. It was all decked out, Rita had kept everything back at the house she’d already lightly done with the kids, so once again you'd been dragged along by him to go shopping since your own few things were still in boxes in your closet.

You didn't really decorate around this time of the year, there was no time to even with the holidays, but spending what felt like an easy 3 hours buying everything and then spending even more hours hanging the lights, setting up the tree, even preparing this delicious meal with him while his kids watched Christmas movies on the TV between attempting to steal samples, you didn't know, but it felt… right.

Who were you kidding, he'd felt right from the moment you met him, but he'd been married then, and he was very much single now, as well as focused entirely on you despite the extended table being full of people, minus one ex-wife; of course she’d decided not to come, which everyone was fine with since it meant no fighting and more presents for the kids, but she also wasn't much of a party hoster it turned out, so the mantle now fell entirely to him. His kids chimed in with him, glasses of juice and soda raised in your honour by Shaun and Deni while baby Annie smacked her plate of mashed foods without a care in the world. He kissed the top of her head and she calmed with a giggle, the toast interrupted by such innocent cuteness, but then it was back to you, and you had no choice but to accept just so he'd stop looking at you that way in front of everyone.

‘Okay, okay fine, to me, for doing all the hard work around here, good job, Me,’ you teased him and got a laugh in return, but while his friends chuckled and agreed that he'd probably still be living out of that hotel room without you, the look he was now giving was nothing short of love. It made you need to look away, it was still too close to the separation being finalized, his kids had half their things moved in and their rooms furnished but you wanted to give them more time together to be a family again after that scare. It couldn't be love, and you turned it on him by raising your glass again after everyone took a drink. ‘And to Lester, for never giving up on his family, even when the whole world was against him,’ you added, and there was a smaller chorus of sadder agreements all around.

His friends still felt guilty for taking Rita's side without ever once going to him, and now that they all knew this was entirely her doing - whether he was watching you the whole time or not - they'd put some distance between themselves and her for it. They didn't cut her out entirely, but their own trust had been broken you'd learned once they started talking again, and while he and Rita were done outside of their kids, she now had a lot of work to do to mend those relationships. You didn't feel bad for her, she'd nearly ruined his life over her own jealousy instead of talking to her husband, and then had him followed as well as you until the paranoia of missing his presence every single time he took pictures of you sank in deep and refused to leave.

You still felt like Harley was out there, watching and waiting to skew your friendship to gain Rita all the advantages, but that was over, he was gone, all that was left was the way Lester's eyes welled up at your words.

He received more teasing at being so emotional again but he ignored them, his glass set down as he then proceeded to round the table to approach you. ‘C’mon, it's not that big of a toast,’ you tried to dismiss but then he was there, his hands touching your face and keeping you from pulling away as he leaned in; your heart pounded when he kissed your cheek in front of everyone, his friends all exchanging a knowing but not unkind look while Shaun tugged at his ugly Christmas sweater picked especially for today and the day itself.

‘Daddy, you're making it gross, you're too old for kisses,’ he whined while Deni nearly choked on her drink in response, Lester sputtering when he pulled away but not letting go.

‘I'm too old for kisses?’ he asked in overplayed disbelief, his hands still on you and warming every inch he touched. ‘Does that mean I get no more kisses goodnight from you?’

‘I'm too old for them,’ he announced to everyone, which his friend agreed with to his own parents’ shock.

‘And what about Deni?’

‘She's never liked them!’

‘I never said that,’ she smirked while her own friends giggled beside her, one of them receiving a big kiss from her own dad right on the top of her head to her dismay.

‘And Annie?’ he asked next, Annie looking around at the sound of her name before reaching up for her dad.

‘She pleads the Fifth,’ you answered on her behalf, Lester laughing again but still not letting go.

‘What about you? Are you too old for kisses?’ he almost whispered when the argument spread between the kids and their attending parents, Annie laughing at the energy around her; instantly your face lit up, the distance between you suddenly registering in your mind when you had to look away from those eyes.

‘I- I must be, since I don't get any goodnight kisses, it's very lonely being this old,’ you acted dramatically, putting on a show and gaining Shaun's attention before food could be thrown. His face fell at the thought, you'd won him over, and he pouted a little and looked around before playing with his fork.

‘I guess I could get a few more, just until I turn 10, double digits mean I'm all grown up,’ he decided confidently, and finally Lester let you go in order to kiss the top of his head and mess up his hair. ‘But only at bedtime! You're gunna embarrass me in front of my friends!’ he was quick to hiss when said friend laughed at him, which made Lester laugh again; it was clear he missed this so much, he was so full of life again that he practically glowed, the bags under his eyes gone and the colour returned to his cheeks despite his busy job and now living as a single parent. It was a good look on him, and this time you were the one staring until you caught yourself and sat back down.

‘To Lester, for not giving up,’ one of his friends continued for you, the toast resuming after the momentary distraction, and his cheeks glowed as bright as yours when everyone drank to him.

The party went on until midnight, the kids allowed to stay up since he was hosting a sleepover, their parents talking and drinking and playing whatever game the kids left behind while they ran around, be it a board game or something on the console they got to unwrap early just for tonight. Every time he sat next to you, his energy wild and contagious as he played to win, no doubt inherited from his kids and not vice versa. It made you just as wild, the two of you yelling and screaming whenever something was in your favour, the other parents teaming up on you just in order to bring you down a notch. You were unstoppable together, so naturally the only way they could figure to beat you was to separate you.

‘I call Lester this time,’ Mr. Himura called when you two once again came out on top, ‘clearly he has the most practice.’

‘Then I call my new best friend,’ his wife declared, her arm linking with yours and lifting you away from him and over to her end of the couch. Lester looked ready to object but couldn't when his friend got up and forced himself between you, a new game started with the new pair forged. Suddenly it became the two of you as enemies, sworn to come out as the best with your lawyer stubbornness versus his fatherly sore loserness. It made for a much more interesting match when the poor Himuras were then left in the dust, your digital cars speeding up and bumping into each other and you then becoming determined to take each other out.

‘Oh, you're going down,’ you sneered at the screen, your eyes never leaving it when you smashed box after box of goodies to use against only him.

‘I've learned to race against the best, you only won before because you were with me,’ he spat back, the other adults in the room forgotten to you when he hit a turbo line and sped ahead in a flash of colours.

‘If you even think of winning I'll sue you, and I will be winning that case,’ you threatened when he bumped you into the secondary path, knocking precious seconds off of your time.

‘I'll hire Gwen again, she's pretty good,’ he already planned even though he was in the lead, but not for long.

‘You still need to pay her for the first time, good luck getting her to go pro bono against me,’ you shouted triumphantly when you managed to hit him and make him spin out, now you were in the lead.

‘Then I'll hire that blonde guy, the one you hate? He'll be glad to see you lose,’ he teased, but that one struck a chord you didn't even know he could strike; your thumbs fumbled over the controller until your car slowed, and when he took the finish line first he cheered along with his partner, who in the end had stopped racing in order to watch. You stared at the screen, completely dumbfounded that he'd say that, and he knew he'd screwed up when he looked over to ask for a rematch and saw your face. ‘Hey, I'm sorry, did I say-’

‘Just need some air,’ you cut in, your body suddenly too hot and your breath not coming as easy as it should, the Himuras giving you space so you could stand and head for the sliding back door; Lester called after you when you shut the door, your body instantly freezing in the December air and forcing you to huddle on the couch swing he still hadn't packed in for the winter. You shivered and rubbed your arms, it'd been so lovely and warm inside but the thought of him using Matt against you after everything you both went through, even as a joke, it had enticed out a reaction you hadn't expected, and when the door opened again you didn't need to look up to know who was standing there.

‘I went too far again,’ he didn't need to ask, but you shook your head, this reaction was on you.

‘No, I joked about Gwen's bill even though I shouldn't have said it in front of them, you had every right,’ you insisted not just to him, and he sat down next to you and shared a bit of his warmth even if your bodies weren't exactly touching.

‘It was the heat of the game, we all say things we don't mean,’ he sighed, he was more used to trash talking than you were thanks to raising kids and having friends with kids on top of that; you were only used to business friends, and not many at that, were still getting used to hanging out with him more, of having non-business friends and relaxing in your off hours, but the very mention of Matt had soured all of it. ‘You know I'd never bring him back into our lives like that, right? He tried to take my kids away from me, if I ever see him again I don't know what I'd do.’

‘Careful, he'd be more prone to fight back than sue first, it's one of the big reasons he hasn't gotten that promotion, I swear the guy's got a temper like I've never seen,’ you muttered in response, but the thought of Lester possibly kicking his ass did bring a small smile back to your lips. ‘Sorry, I shouldn't have walked off, I'm not mad or anything I just- the thought of him, using you against me again, I think it awakened this fear in me that I'd…’ You couldn't finish your sentence, couldn't admit to him that you didn't want to lose him now that he had everything, so you masked your sadness over the thought by shivering and letting your teeth chatter. 

He didn't let it fester, his arm coming around you to warm you up, your body pulled to his chest until all you felt was heat. ‘You saved my life by standing by me when no one else would, you know that too, right? I lost my home, my friends, my family, I had nothing, and each night I went back to that hotel room I kept staring at the wall and wondering if my kids would mourn me if I…’ It was his turn to trail off, he couldn't finish his sentence either, and you shifted closer to him and resisted the urge to grab hold. ‘And then I saw you at Walkers again, and you stayed with me, invited me home so I wouldn't be alone, helped with Gwen and the house, made everything I thought I lost possible again.

‘I nearly did it that night, I was thinking about just leaving my cart there in the aisles and finding the nearest place to string myself up, sorry for the graphic talk but I was, but seeing you again, hearing the way you refused to let her win, it brought me back.’ He held you a little tighter, his face nesting against your head, and when he shivered you weren't sure if it was because of the cold. ‘I'm here today because of you.’

‘You're here because you didn't give up,’ you corrected him but he sat you up, made you look at him in the porch light deflected by the swings awning.

‘You never let me, why don't you ever want to accept my thanks?’ he blurted out now that you were eye to eye, yours widening and the cold seeping back into you once you were apart again.

‘Because I caused all of this,’ you reminded him, Lester shaking his head no. ‘If I'd never met you at Walkers you'd still be with your family, you wouldn't have had to go through any of this, you wouldn't have reached that point, I nearly ruined your fucking life just by talking to you, why haven't you thrown me away yet for everything I've done to you?’ you demanded brokenly, every painful thought coming out all at once, but he didn't confirm your fears, didn't get annoyed at you for thinking so little of him. He just stared, took it all in, and when he was done he leaned forward and kissed you.

Warmth spread through you so fast you forgot what being cold felt like, Lester's hands still holding your arm and back from earlier and only making it spread even faster. His eyes were shut, and this close you could see that the bags were still under his eyes, he was just better at hiding them behind his smile. When you didn't react he tried again, taking a small breath before kissing you with a little more passion, his lips moving against yours and making you let out a sigh. You felt him smile at that, but you couldn't even think to hit him over it when your hands were too busy holding onto his face so he couldn't move away when you took your own breath.

‘Do you get it now?’ he whispered against your mouth when you tried to lean back in, all the emotion over your feelings for him suddenly bubbling to the surface at how in love he sounded in that single sentence, and you choked out a sob and nodded, your forehead bumping softly against his.

‘I didn't want to hope, I didn't want to ruin everything, I tried so hard to stay away,’ you confessed to him, Lester grabbing your hand so he could kiss it.

‘I haven't loved anyone else since the day I started dating Rita,’ he told you so quietly, your lip quivering enough for him to press another quick kiss to it. ‘But when you brought me back to your house, and we spent more time together, I knew that I was the one who ruined everything.’ He met your eye again, and while he did look sad, and a tear rolled down his cheek, the sadness didn't reach his smile as he reached up to brush his thumb along your jaw the way you always imagined he would.

‘Why?’ you asked even though you were sure you knew the answer, your heart pounding in a way that wasn't painful for the first time in half a year.

‘Because she was right.’

You were the one to kiss him this time, his mouth opening for you to deepen it as his smile grew, and a longing swam through you to mix in with the warmth. You were practically on his lap out there in the freezing cold, desperate to be close to him not just because he was still warm, and you were about to shift your leg over his to straddle him when the swing gave a rather concerning groan. You both had a moment to stop and stare before it gave out on you, too much weight collected in one area for the thrifted swing you'd picked out together, the old metal bending in a bad way and sending him right on his ass. Your knee hit the pavement and you both cried out, the door sliding open immediately and giving away that his friends were all listening, but then his kids poked their heads as well, they weren't immune to their dad sharing a moment with you.

You both looked at the group, you were really straddling him now thanks to the fall, and everyone fell silent as the story told itself until Deni broke it with another snicker. ‘Guess they're not too old for kisses,’ she simply said, she was perfectly fine with Lester finding love again after what had happened, and you all started laughing so loud the neighbours shouted for you to shut up, they had work in the morning.

As the night went on, you mutually decided that you wouldn't start dating right away, rushed confessions right before Christmas were just Step 1, and Step 2 was to actually talk when everyone he knew wasn't listening on the other side of the glass. You ended up going home that night with the others, did a bit of designated driving along with him so he wouldn't have to rent out his couch between the two couples. You stopped by one last time before going home to grab your own car, all the kids long asleep by that point, his driveway empty once more thanks to the both of you taking turns driving their cars and then taking the other back.

‘I had fun tonight,’ you smiled from his doorway, and you didn't feel the paranoia creep up again when he slid his hands around your waist to keep you close.

‘You sure you don't wanna sleepover too? I could use an extra set of hands for breakfast,’ he tried to tempt you, but you didn't want to rush things, jump in when you still needed that talk.

‘I think it's about time Shaun learns how to not burn the eggs,’ you refuted, which he wasn't a huge fan of, so you kissed his cheek to bring his smile back. ‘We can meet up at my place for lunch when they go back to their mom, maybe order the usual, watch a movie, finally talk about all of this, okay?’

‘Okay, but if you get a text tonight about how I can't sleep I'll expect you to come right back, deal?’ was his compromise, and this time the kiss had you standing on your tiptoes so you could be more on his level.

‘Deal, but next time you come to me though, gas is expensive,’ you grinned before kissing him again, this one going on for so long that you had to force yourself away from him now that you had him. He whined in protest, clearly that was something he learned from raising three spoiled children, and you chuckled and waved goodnight on the way to your car. He watched you for as long as he could, Lester rubbing his arms and jumping foot to foot until he couldn't stand in the cold without you any longer, and you laughed again at how cute he looked when he shut the door in your rearview mirror.

‘He likes me,’ you confirmed to your reflection, more tears welling up again at being able to say it. ‘She was right, and he still chose me. He lo- he likes me.’

The confirmation of the second half would have to come later, no getting ahead of yourself you internally insisted, but that didn't stop your grin the whole drive home.

He didn't text you to come back that night, but you almost texted him, your bed feeling especially empty now that you knew how it felt to kiss him, not just be held by him. You ended up holding onto your pillow and replaying the kiss over and over in your head, your fingers finding your lips in the dark and grinning again when your head supplied the way he'd tasted. You'd never been this giddy before, lawyer life had knocked it out of you for damn sure, or so you'd thought, because you were clearly on Cloud 9. You fell asleep thinking of him, how you'd have to go shopping again to get a brand new and not thrifted swing for the spring, how nice it'd be to sit with him on it while the kids swam or played in the yard.

Domestic bliss, the kind you'd helped him find again, the thing you told yourself you could never have because he wasn't yours, but now he was, and it was in reach. The thoughts followed you into your dreams, made you picture bright and fun things, of warm hands and soft kisses that were even better than you imagined. It was so lovely you didn't want to wake up, your alarm going off and startling you so rudely from them before you could kiss him again, and you grumbled in the morning light before realizing that it didn't have to be just a dream anymore, the nightmare was over and you could wake up to something even better than what you had before.

You knew you still had to talk first, but that thought propelled you right out of bed and for your bathroom, a quick shower waking you up the rest of the way so you could get dressed without falling asleep on your feet. You were on holiday yourself, as was he, thanks to Christmas being right around the corner, and you were glad you'd gone shopping as you loaded up a grocery bag with food and got back into your car already. You sped back to his place, your mind racing already at the thought of what you were doing, but once you pulled into his driveway you finally stopped and realized what you were doing; in your excitement to be with him you were already starting to insert yourself into his life without his opinion, the logical side of your brain that won you cases and thought up strategies completely shut off because of one single thought that rested at the forefront of your brain: ‘I want to have breakfast with him, there's too many kids to cook for, he'll need help.’

You chose to go home, so you shouldn't have come back, and you were about to back out again when your phone buzzed in your pocket. ‘Hello?’ you asked into the receiver without even looking at the caller ID, force of habit since you mostly just got calls from work, and you were surprised to hear a tired Lester on the other end.

‘Hey, you're up early,’ he mumbled sleepily on his end, and you could hear him shift in bed through the speaker, the sound making you blush because you were his first thought waking up. 

‘You know I'm used to it, you should be enjoying your morning while the kids are still asleep,’ you replied sheepishly, and he let out a breathy laugh in response.

‘They were up hours ago, been trying to sleep all morning.’ He yawned in your ear, the bed shifting again with his big stretch to wake himself up. ‘This bed really isn't as comfortable without you in it, y'know.’

You banged your hand as silently as you could on the wheel, he was going to be the death of your logical side forever at this rate. ‘Sounds like you might have to invite me for a sleepover next time, unless you want to try my bed out again?’ you flirted without thinking, your eyes widening when you heard him laugh again. ‘Sorry, oh my god, that just came out, I didn't mean-’

‘Don't, I told you how I feel because I want to be able to talk with you like this, not for us to go back to ignoring it.’ He must've sat up then because the bed gave a great groan under his weight. ‘I really like you, I've been waiting months to be able to say it, so if you want to joke about sleepovers and sharing beds then I'm right there with you, because I'm probably about to say the same, you just beat me to it.’ You could hear his smile in his voice and you melted under it, your own growing as you looked at the bag of food you'd tossed into your passenger seat.

‘Okay, then… I nearly texted you last night,’ you admitted softly, your foot pressing on the break even though the car was off. ‘I didn't want to come home last night, but I don't want to rush things, so I did and I… I got so close to texting you.’

‘I hope you didn't spend all night in my driveway,’ he said next, your head snapping up in shock just in time to see him wave from his bedroom window. Your face turned beet red and must've looked a fright because he laughed so loud he held the phone away from his face, his slightly obscured figure throwing back his head on the other side of the glass; this was embarrassing as all hell, but his laugh was so contagious you had no choice but to join in, and he motioned for you to come in. ‘C'mon, I've got five kids of varying ages and a very cranky baby to feed, I could use the extra set of hands.’

You nodded since he could see you before hanging up, and you made sure you looked presentable before grabbing the bag and heading for the front door. He greeted you as soon as he could get it open, looking just as disheveled as he had the last and only time you'd slept here, and welcomed you in with a hug to the chaos, Shaun and his friend already playing games now that the adults weren't hogging the console. Deni sat with the twins at the table, all three of them on their phones and ignoring the noise while clearly waiting for breakfast, Annie sitting on the couch with Shaun and laughing at the flashing colours and wanting to play too, she was getting big.

The thought made you feel domestic again, and you held up your bag of food as you followed him to the kitchen to get started, neither of his older kids saying a thing to your early return after last night. That was good, you didn't want to even think about that kind of talk when you still had to talk to their father, but you couldn't help the way your hand still shook a little nervously when you placed your full carton of eggs beside the packs of bacon you bought and kept forgetting to actually make up. His hand found yours, calmed you just from his touch, and he leaned in close to knock his shoulder against yours when he felt how high the trembles went up your arm.

‘Hey, it's alright, baby steps,’ he whispered directly in your ear this time, no phone to separate his voice from you, and you nodded, you could do this, you could date the hot dad you met in Walkers months ago now that he was a very single hot dad.

‘I've never been a parent before,’ you mumbled nervously back, which made him chuckle not unkindly back before giving you another nudge. 

‘You don't have to be, not after one night,’ he smiled lovingly, his kids whispering to their friends over your closeness, but you couldn't feel their stares when he was this close. ‘Let's figure things out first, see where we want this to go, it's still early, I'm just impatient.’

The last part made you laugh, his own eyes shining as he watched you, and you nodded again and felt a little better, lighter. ‘I want to see where this goes, too,’ you agreed, your other hand playing with the corner of the topmost bacon package, your words coming easier. ‘It's just been a while since I've done anything like this, my last partner was years ago, so I'm a bit rusty at… y’know, being with anyone.’

‘The last time Rita and I went on a date was before Annie was born, and that was when things were still good,’ Lester chuckled not exactly bitterly, like he also missed those days but it didn't hurt anymore. ‘I think I'm ready to have some real dates with you, not just us sitting around eating takeout, because I do like that, but getting to take you places without us worrying about who's watching, not having to hide how I feel about you, I really like that, too.’

‘You must've stolen all the hearts in highschool,’ you joked just to get a second to make sure you weren't blushing too hard, so much for the lawyer's heart of stone, and he chuckled again before kissing your cheek.

‘So far I'm two for two,’ he joked right back before starting on breakfast. ‘Good thing you brought eggs, we only have two left after making all those cookies yesterday, which I hope are all still in the microwave, seeing as they're for Santa.’ He announced the second part loudly to the rest of the people in the house, hushed voices coming from behind the two of you when he opened the door and saw that the plastic wrap had been disturbed. ‘Just as I thought, we might have a cookie thief on our hands here.’

‘Maybe Santa came early, Mr. Billings,’ one of the twins offered only to have her sister snicker for her to shut up, Deni not offering a word while she kept on scrolling.

‘Uh huh, and maybe I'll have to find a place to hide these so they last til Christmas, otherwise we'll just have to eat them and make more,’ he sighed like it was a real chore, but Shaun and his friend sure liked the sound of that based on the way they failed to stifle their shouts of excitement. You chuckled to yourself and opened up the packs of bacon and sausage, Lester not giving anything away as he brought out the big bag of potatoes he kept in the pantry to start washing. ‘Help me with these once they're in their pans, the stove can handle the rest,’ he asked of you once your search for big enough pans was over, you needed to make a ton of food for everyone, and you nodded and made quick work of the meats so the potatoes could be chopped into bite-sized pieces once he washed them. 

He joined you when all of them were waiting for the knife, his hands very well practiced in the way of breakfast making, cooking with you seemingly sharpening those skills because he worked even faster in this kind of environment. It was so endearing to see him concentrate like this, his line of sight only broken when Shaun came over to see if anything was ready to steal despite just getting started. Lester quickly shoved him away from the hot grease already starting to splash, and you gave him a small smack when he reached for the microwave to tempt him away with a cookie.

‘It's not even 10,’ you hissed under your breath, and he thought about it before grabbing two.

‘A little pick-me-up, since you're the only non-cookie thief in this house,’ he whispered when Shaun ran back to the couch, and when you protested again he stuck the cookie right between your lips mid-sentence. ‘Shhshhshh, it's better than coffee, which I still need to make when these are done,’ he told you with a grin and a wink, and you wiped off your hand so you could bite off the top of the cookie with a false grumble without getting potatoes juice all over it; it was pretty good, you hadn't stolen even a tiny nibble of dough when you all made them the day before, although you had stolen a bit of icing, and you almost regretted not having one sooner at how well they'd turned out. ‘How is it?’

You held it out for him to take a bite, which he did, just narrowly avoiding your fingers in order to make you react, and you both laughed over cookie crumbs as you finished up with the potatoes and got out some seasoning. He had a trick for this, he could've used another pan, but instead he tossed them all into the largest zip lock bag he could find with some oil and seasoning, shook it up - until Shaun and his friend wanted to take over for a bit when it looked fun - and then dumped it all into his air fryer, an early Christmas gift from you when he nearly set his new kitchen on fire after leaving the stove unattended to run when Annie started crying when she should've been napping. It'd been nothing, but the burnt food had set off the smoke detectors, which hadn't helped her crying in the least while the other two panicked.

He'd ended up having to throw out the pan entirely when the food had fused to it, how he'd messed up that bad in such a short time you'd never know, but he certainly moved on fast once Deni had taught him how to use the new appliance, that was for damn sure.

With the potatoes taken care of, you stood hip to hip and watched over the meats, you turning the sausages every now and then to keep the sides evenly cooked, while he braved the dangers of splashing grease from the bacon; he still had yet to master the time and temperature to not destroy whatever meat he tossed into the fryer to avoid said dangers. It ended up getting so bad he bulked up, putting on his puffiest winter coat as well as oven mitts, and when you turned and saw his outfit you laughed so loud it drew his kid's attention.

‘Dad, what're you doing?’ Deni asked incredulously, she couldn't be silent at this one, and he held up the greasy spatula in ultimate safety. 

‘Making breakfast,’ he answered with a flourish that dripped grease onto the floor, which you quickly cleaned up before he could spread it. ‘What, you guys don't like my chef's outfit? Doesn't it make me look professional?’

‘Absolutely not.’

‘You look like you're cooking in the snow!’

‘It might be a bit much,’ you agreed with a horribly hidden smirk, Lester thinking about it before lowering the zipper.

‘But it's so protective, look-’ You had zero time to react before the jacket was opened, Lester's body pressed against your back in one big step, and then the jacket closed as far around you as he could manage, the bulky form of you two making everyone laugh when you tried to struggle free. You couldn't, he was too warm and it admittedly felt too nice, so you felt dramatically limp for show with a sign.

‘Fine, you win, it's very protective,’ you mumbled a bit too softly to finish the act, but your softness was enough for him, and he kissed the side of your head and waddled you back to the stove.

‘Told you.’

You opened your mouth to say this all felt too fast, he'd fallen back into the role of loving husband too easily, but that could come later, for now you just wanted to move around the sausages while he fumbled with the bacon until a few got a bit too crispy.

Breakfast came and went after that before you knew it, Deni helping set the table while Shaun reluctantly cleaned up, Lester taking a quick break to change Annie and get her own breakfast out, since she was still too young to enjoy bacon and eggs. Even their friends helped a bit, they weren't rude guests, and before long everyone was sitting, then eating, and then you were free while the dishes were set in the dishwasher and sink to be cleaned up by those who didn't cook. You collapsed into the couch and let your back rest, cooking for seven was tougher than you thought, but he was very much used to it and made that fact known when he sat down next to you.

‘Just wait til summer when you're helping me with pool parties,’ he warned with a smile, but it fell again when he noticed your expression. ‘Hey guys, it snowed last night, why don't you go build a fort while everyone's still here, we'll be out in a bit,’ he told everyone before they could return to their rooms, and thankfully they were all more focused on who could build the better fort than the fact that your smile was now a bit forced. He waited until the sliding door closed and left you alone, the yard small enough that everyone was in sight and clear of the covered pool while they enjoyed the fresh powder that looked perfect for building, but while you knew he'd prefer to stay there so he could watch over them, you didn't want to do this where they could see.

‘Can we close the curtains a bit, I feel a little too… seen,’ you asked of him, and he frowned as well before doing as you asked. ‘Sorry for the tone, this is all just hard to process, I mean, this is so nice, being here and feeling like… I'm a part of something bigger than just you and me now; but it feels so soon, we've still only known each other for just over half a year, I feel like I'm intruding on you all still.’

He turned sideways on his cushion and took your hands, ever gentle and not giving away if your words had hurt him at all. ‘It does, I know I'm guilty of it too, I guess I've been so excited to get my family back, start moving on with you, that I forgot how this whole courtship thing works. The last time I dated I was 18, now here I am in my 40s and it feels like I'm starting over from scratch, and everything is so new; we rushed through everything those months I was staying with you, we, uh, we speedran it as I've heard Shaun say, since we lived together and slept in the same bed before I could even tell you how I feel, or realized how I felt.’ He laughed a little and looked away, his cheeks lightly dusted again in his silence. ‘We never did talk about it, did we? What she said at the hearing?’

‘No, no we did not,’ you smiled with your own gaze to the floor, not a single word said between you of what she'd said about how he was always watching you, since you had stopped yourself from watching him. ‘Did you really do all those things? Watch me during the parties, talk about me when you got home?’

‘Ha, you know, I honestly didn't realize I was doing it myself, if you'd believe it. Everyone else would say how their day was and my mind would just go to you, something you said when we were shopping, and then that would remind me about how you talked about being too busy to go out,’ he admitted to you sheepishly, his hands never leaving yours. ‘I suppose I really was using every opportunity to invite you over, just so you could have a little fun and I could see you more than once a week, but she was still wrong about the rest, because I never once considered I might have feelings for you until you found me at Walkers and brought me out to your car.

‘I fell in love with you for the first time when you sat beside me that night, just a whisper of it that grew to a roar the more time we spent together and I realized that I could love anyone other than her, that I was capable of it,’ he told you seriously, his eyes finally meeting your eyes so strongly that you couldn't look away again. ‘I never lied to you, not even to sort my feelings out, I really did have trouble sleeping alone after all that time, there were no ulterior motives. But the more we did it, it hit me that I couldn't sleep alone not because I missed her, or the company, but because it was so easy to fall asleep with my arm around you, and I didn't want to give that up.’

Your lip gave a small quiver, you'd always noticed how fast he passed out when you slipped under the covers and felt his arm rest over your side and stomach, but to know it wasn't your generic presence that did it when she couldn't, but because he found that much comfort in you, it was enough to make your heart skip a beat. ‘Gwen told me so many times to keep my distance, just in case anyone was watching us, because she didn't want anything to be taken out of context and used against us, which they did, I'm still so sorry for that,’ you moaned sadly, the feeling of facing everyone and having them hate him more because you weren't strong enough to stay away still haunting you. ‘But I've liked you from the moment I saw you, just some guy looking for food in a busy grocery store, and it was all so unfair what they were doing to you when all I'd ever seen was you being the most wonderful person I'd ever met, you… you don't know… how fucking long it's been since I've met anyone like you, not since I got this job.’

It was true, you were so used to business coldness and people like Matt, of horrible people trying to use you to fake innocence for their own gain, too many kind people taken advantage of and left out to dry when the system failed them. You had refused to let that happen to him, for him to lose the smile you fell in love with, and when he suddenly gasped you realized that you'd said it all out loud without meaning to.

‘I fell in love with your smile, too,’ he whispered gently, ‘that's why I wanted to keep seeing it, even back then.’

You weren't sure who moved first but suddenly you were meeting in the middle, your arms thrown around each other in one big hug. He nuzzled hard into the crook of your neck, your face pressed into his shoulder, your hands clutching at warm clothes until they found their way up to hold onto necks and heads to keep each other close. ‘I'm not ready to be a parent, not like you,’ you choked out into his ear, your hands shaking against him, ‘but I'm ready to be with you, even if it takes a while for me to move the rest of my things here, not just my couch.’ He laughed once and it sounded like he was trying not to cry, but in a good way. ‘And no matter what, we can still do movies and takeout at my place until then, and you can always sleepover like old times, you said my bed was better anyway.’

‘It's so much better, we'll have to stack them when you move in,’ he agreed happily, your bodies moving even closer in the hug.

‘It'll be so tall you'll need to help me climb up there,’ you joked at the mental image of it, which made him laugh again at his own.

‘Good thing I'm so strong, and you're so fun to pick up.’ Again, you had zero time for reactions when he suddenly grabbed you around the waist; he lifted you back onto his lap, and this time, the seat underneath him wouldn't give out with a little extra weight, it was a sturdy couch. Your eyes widened at the new closeness, even more than last night outside, your shoulder jammed into his chest and your faces dangerously close together.

‘The curtains are still a bit transparent,’ you warned him, but it came out so breathlessly that he bit his lip at the sound.

‘They're busy playing, you really need to learn the first rule of parenting,’ he whispered back, and together you maneuvered until you were straddling him properly, your waists nearly pressed together, his feet braced firmly on the floor as his legs started to part and give him a bit of relief, to your thumping heart's surprise.

‘And what's that?’

‘Never take a second of distraction for granted.’

Your lips crashed together with months of built up tension, your body moving on instinct before his hands could settle on your hips and guide you. He really knew what he was doing, this was a man who'd gone for what was a parent's eternity without being able to satisfy any of his needs under all the stress, and he let you know it with a groan when your fingers tangled in his hair. It was enough to drag out a sound of your own, a thrill rushing down your spine because he really was yours, he really did want you, and you opened your mouth to let him in when a couple knocks came to the glass.

You separated in a youthful panic as the door slid open, the yells of Shaun and his friend drifting in along with the cold air that Deni didn’t entire block. ‘Hey dad, just letting you know that it’s pretty easy to see inside with the lights on, even with the curtains closed,’ she informed the both of you, your face instantly going to his shoulder to hide your horrified embarrassment.

‘Shit- I mean shoot, I’m sorry honey, we were just-’

‘You don’t have to explain anything to me, I’m a big girl,’ she smirked knowingly, her friends trying and failing to stifle their laughter at old Mr. Billings being caught making out with his new partner. ‘And I’m not weirded out by this, no matter what Shaun might say; we’ve been talking too, y’know.’

‘He thinks it's weird?’ he frowned sadly, and she gave her friends a glance and motioned for them to distract the boys by upping their snowball fight, just for a little while. She stepped back inside, the snow flaking off onto the mat and melting fast in the heat now that the door was closed, but she didn’t move any closer.

‘He thinks it’s gross, but he’s still just a kid, he never liked you kissing mom in front of us, either,’ she clarified, which thankfully made him relax. ‘We know you and mom aren’t getting back together after what happened, and… that’s still kinda sad, it actually kinda sucks, if I’m honest, going from one house to two, and everything else that’s gunna change going forward. But… we both know you never cheated on her, or wanted to hurt any of us, so you don’t have to worry about that anymore.

‘And I can also see that you’re happy like this, and with them, so if you wanna start dating, then I’m cool with it.’ It was an honest relief to hear, one so strong that you both started to laugh in relief after all the hiding you’d had to do even as friends, but before you could hug again she cleared her throat to get your attention. ‘However, if you are gunna date, please at least wait until we’re with mom before making out in the living room again, alright?’

It was a good tease, and Lester clapped his hands over his thighs with a fatherly laugh. ‘Alright, alright, you got us,’ he agreed to her terms with a stand and stretch, his growing problem now solved thanks to how bad she’d scared him with those warning knocks. ‘Speaking of got, how’s Shaun holding up out there?’

Deni looked over her shoulder at the war, one of her friends on his side, but his fort was suffering damage now that the twins were pitted against each other. ‘Battle damage is pretty high, he might want some backup,’ she reported, Lester now twisting his back to limber himself up.

‘Whattaya say? Should we help him?’ he asked her, and she looked at her phone for any remaining notifications before setting it down on the nearest safe surface and doing up her coat a little tighter. ‘That’s my girl, go alert the troops that help is on the way.’ She saluted and raced out, more active than you’d ever seen her in her teenage years of waning childness, Shaun calling for her as soon as she let her presence be known. Their voices were muted again with the door shut, and you watched the war pick up with her help before standing as well, although you didn’t follow him towards the back where he’d left his boots from last night’s talk. ‘Are you coming? They could use all the help they can get out there,’ he offered, but it wasn't a demand, this was your choice to stay away, or be with him.

‘I don’t want to impose,’ you tried to say, your feet carrying you back another step.

‘You don’t have to be their parent to play in the snow,’ he reminded you with all the gentle love you’d come to care about. ‘But if you’d rather sit this one out, we’ll save you some snowballs for the next war.’

‘I’d like that,’ you smiled smally, and it felt lonely when he nodded understandingly and got ready; he raced outside and Shaun called him over, but the teams would be uneven, so Lester was forced to pair with the enemy to his kids’ dismay, and it looked like so much fun, albeit cold. You hadn’t done anything like that since you were a kid yourself, just played and enjoyed life instead of working and focusing on all the monsters of the world tearing you down one case at a time.

Maybe you could use a little party.

Maybe you could enjoy a slice of Caramel Pecan when it was offered to you.

You quickly got dressed as the twin on Shaun’s team went down dramatically, a death worthy of Valhalla by the looks of it, the battlefield was uneven again, and when you raced outside to take her place you didn’t miss the way Lester watched you run over with the biggest smile you’d ever seen on his face. You didn’t have time to cherish it though when he chucked the next snowball directly at you for arriving late, the fallen twin recovering from death thanks to your presence, and the war resumed with his kids helping you gang up on him without mercy until the victor was called. Your yells mixed with theirs until car horns alerted their guests to their own awaiting parents, but even then you didn’t leave, Shaun tugging on your sleeve to keep you from running off so he could rebuild his fort even better than what Lester and Deni could do.

Now, this was a case you could win, and even with him being the big loser of the day when he and Deni let Shaun’s frozen structure be the winner, no one felt any sadness when you all then came together to build the biggest fort Shaun had ever seen to play in until the sun set.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Noncanon what if scenario for Slow Boiled egg au but...

A lot of people were present during the Rino Demon battle. The one where Wukogn had to fight in single combat... while pregnant. I'm pretty sure both Nez Ha and Erlang were there. What if they discovered the egg then? Like... from what I know about the situation, the battle was rough with the Rino Bull Demon. It's entirely possible Wukong might have gotten hurt because he is working with a handicap, and Erlang would probably notice because he's fought Wukong before. Both he and Nez Ha have!

Nezha can be excused for having the brain of a teenager, but Erlang?

He knew.

Third eye.

He looks at Wukong in the slow boiled au during the Rhino King debacle, the less-than-5ft monkey screaming at General Li Jing's face, and goes through a few eye settings

Erlang: *sees whats certainly either an unborn baby or a undetonated bomb in Wukong's stomach.* Erlang: "Damn. Who he smash?"

Because the God of War and Mercy has zero context for how the egg got there, and his background thoughts are that of a fratboy.

He at first just assumes Wukong hooked up with someone recently (maybe him and his old mate got back together?) and is rightfully angry that he's forced to be the voice of reason among all the squabbling celestial soldiers.

Erlang quickly gets his men back in line for a siege, weapons or no weapons. He'll send the monkey a congrats card later.

Then queue the Nine-Headed Monster incident a few years later.

And Wukong is... still pregnant? With the same mass of energy?

Erlang gets concerned and asks Lao Tzu what could cause a super-long demon pregnancy, but doesn't get far until Lao Tzu starts asking him weird probbing questions. ("Have you drank from a strange river recently?" "What??"). And Erlang just goes "ah screw it. I'll research it in my own time." And he promptly forgets until him and Wukong interact again over a thousand years later. Give him a break he's busy as a Heavenly General.

Nezha in the Slow Boiled Au inronically finds out the true context behind Wukong's condition long before Erlang figures it out for himself. DBK accidentally tells him when he and Wukong went to Nezha for the Map to the Rings of Samadhi.

Nezha, noticing Wukong's body: "Wait... how long have you been... like that?" DBK: "Since before the Journey!" Wukong: "BRO!?" DBK: "Sorry xiandi. I'm still so excited for my god-calf!" Nezha, look of horror on his face as he realises: "I just thought you got fat back then..."

And ofc Nezha wants to know immediately whats up with Stone Eggs and why it happened without another parent. Wukong takes the Map (and gets chewed out by DBK for setting off the ward on it), and books it before Nezha can get a few questions out.

Now Nezha is trying to track down the gang with a million questions - the Rings of Samadhi can wait for a second if he gets some answers!

Nezha: "Sun Wukong... WERE WITH CHILD DURING THE RITUAL!?"

Because if Nezha knew back then, he wouldn't have let Wukong be anywhere near the ritual. He a protective momma's boy deep down. Thats why PIF wasn't there for it.

[blasphemous-lies-and-deceit]

Flufftober Day 16. Yes, No, Maybe

"What is the gothest fruit?"

"Besides me?" Gerry quipped, and laughed as he dodged a playful elbow from Michael. The queue at the juice bar was ridiculously long, but Michael had raved about the green smoothie he'd gotten there a week before, so they were waiting no-longer patiently. Michael tucked his arm around Gerry's, pulling him back as he gestured towards the menu board that was just within view.

"Seriously though. Surely you can't have something pink, that would ruin your aesthetic‒" 

"So does having you on my arm, but you don't hear me complaining," Gerry pointed out, pressing closer to Michael so he wouldn't take the teasing negatively. It was true, standing next to Michael‒ with his riot of bright clothes and headbands‒ was a jarring contrast next to his all-black outfit and silver accessories. But it was a contrast that they both loved, so there were no complaints to be had. "I'll drink a pink drink if I want to."

"You can't tell me a strawberry is a goth fruit, though," Michael asserted, side-eying him skeptically. Gerry gave it a moment of consideration, then nodded agreement. 

"No, a strawberry isn't a goth fruit."

"Blueberry?"

"Ye- yes," Gerry decided. "It usually makes things purple, right? That's goth."

"Mango?"

"No."

"Raspberry?"

"Hmm…maybe. Darker red is pretty goth."

"What about apple?" Michael asked, pulling them forward as the queue finally budged a bit. "Lots of apples in fairy tales and mythology."

"Sure, but only red apples. You can have the green ones." Gerry looked over to see Michael beam at the reminder of one of his favorite flavors. "Bananas aren't goth though."

"Bananas are something else," Michael agreed with a lewd wink that said exactly what he thought they could be. Laughing, Gerry nudged into his shoulder, nearly knocking Michael out of the line. He quickly rebounded with a giggle and knocked back into Gerry, the two of them swaying together as they shared a laugh. 

"Now, a pineapple‒"

"A pineapple is definitely goth," Gerry cut him off, earning an incredulous look from Michael. 

"How is a pineapple goth?"

"Its spiky and its enzymes can dissolve meat, how is that not goth?" Gerry gestured towards the board again, where a picture of fruit included a pineapple in the back. "Compared to a strawberry, that's goth as fuck."

"You're ridiculous," Michael giggled, tilting his head down to rest on top of Gerry's. "But I agree with you. Will you be having a pineapple smoothie, then?"

"That actually does sound really good," Gerry decided. Michael shook his and kissed the top of his head affectionately, and Gerry grinned as another thought occurred to him. "And you should have strawberry, since its sweet and pink, just like you."

As he expected, that set Michael off completely, dissolving into giggles and nearly collapsing to the floor. Gerry held him up and urged him forward as the queue inched along, closer to their treats. Michael's delight was as sweet as any fruit, and Gerry craved it just as much. Luckily for him, Michael's laughter was much easier to come by than the smoothies they were queuing for.

[piillow]

xdinary heroes as your younger sibling

(7-8 year age gap)

wc : ??? | genre : short imagines, silly stuff really | a/n : NO i did NOT take things me and my very much older sibling do irl and assigned them to xdh members NOOOO...

(∩^o^)⊃━☆

GUNIL 건일

he'll pretend to not care about you when you're both at home

but will praise you like his life depended on it if he was talking to his friends or at school

SO SWEETTTT i could cry

gives you silly gifts for your birthday so he can see you smile :')

especially if you've been out of it for a while

moving out for college.......

he's definitely gonna shed a few tears on the car ride home

i can picture it tbh

LOVES when you play videogames with him too

and if he sleeps in your room overnight he'll call them "sleepovers" LMAOO

he'd be so cute omfg

JUNGSU 정수

will cling to you 24/7. oh my goodness he's like the most adorable leech you've ever seen

at home? probably sitting next to you. in public? holding your hand and swinging your arms.

so cute tho like cmon 😭

he would also defo ask you to help him with his homework

"you're gonna teach it to me better :(" WHAT IF I CRIED

omg GRADUATIONS?

he's gonna scream his whole lungs out when your name is called, and will not gaf if anyone stares at him

AND WILL SPRINT TO YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE THE CEREMONY (and cling to you while probably crying LMAO)

oh he'd also pretend to out you to your parents but... your parents aren't actually gonna yell at you

they're gonna pretend to, but they don't mean anything lol

GAON 가온

LMAOO he's gonna take one look at your [whatever highschool level subject] homework and say

"oh! let me help you!" in the CUTEST voice ever 😭

but then he'll actually look at it and say "ummm this is too hard... nevermind... sorry.. :(" queue my sobs

BUT he will beg you to help him with his homework LMAOO

... then you end up doing all of it for him (。_。)

anyways, you got a school event? sports game/competition? musical performance?

he'll be there! every single one.

and will also cheer for you the loudest :)

ohhh and also if your parents aren't home and it's almost your dinner time he will set the table and wait for you to come eat with him

what if i cry in a hole 😭

ODE 오드

the most adorable leech you've ever seen number two

also yaps about you to his friends a lot LMAOO

literally about almost anything you do

"omg guys guess what y/n got a 100 on their test!" "... okay?"

will lowkey (high key) get defensive if someone starts saying something barely negative about you

he can also not talk to you at home

like... he can't go a few hours without doing it

he'll talk to you about his day at school, practices, etc. and give you every little detail he remembers

and when he gets a phone, he'll spam you texts when he's free and hope you reply

but like... who wouldn't tho?

he also buys lots of things that remind him of you, and eventually a tattoo when he's older (like how he did with his family <3)

JUNHAN 준한

likes spending time with you a lot, even if you two aren't talking to each other

just working on your homework with him there is nice for the both of you

a very comforting silence :)

LMAO he also will sometimes hide from you when you come home so you have to play hide and seek with him

... and then you two will end up playing it outside for like two hours

omg NOOO if you get sick he will be so sad :(

"y/n... who will i play hide and seek with now?" OHHH MY GOD 😭

and if you're crying for whatever reason...

he'll feel his heart break a little too :(

(why did i end this one so sadly im so sorry??)

JOOYEON 주연

teasing MACHINE 9000 oh my god

will tease you for everything you do

you dropped your hairbrush?

"HAHAHAAA y/n remember that one time you dropped your hairbrush"

yeah... that.

he'll also bang on the bathroom door if you take too long

"Y/NNNN HURRY UPPP I NEED TO BRUSH MY TEETH" 😭

spam texter number two, except his goal is to piss you off

if you send him a dry af response he will know because he'll hear your attitude through the screen

but if he's out with friends he'll send you random pictures of things that remind him of you

(and he'll keep them in a folder in his camera roll <3)

send requests........ please....... rules are here!

[kittyplushy]

Soul Touch [1/2]

Author's note: Happy House Guest Monthsary!!! My mind has been flooded with the sappiness of deep infatuation before the Horrors barge in!! I wanted to write something pre-relationship, something soft and nice and pretentiously sweet like the little town that homes them. Happy House Guest Monthsary!!

P.S. Yes Penderverse Knuckles reference. I love you She Loves You arc.

December 2nd, 1987

I might be slowly slipping out of the motivation to continue such a project. Maybe it's the weather. The temperature has been dropping each day and my body clock compels me to commit less these days. It even prevents me from committing emotionally some days. To my favorite side project or to this untitled goose chase. I could not promise myself that my props would be ready by Christmastime. I think I'll have to endure all the queries and invitations. No, no, but maybe I'll have something ready by Valentine's. But my body now is focused on getting me home and running a long bath. It might be easy to catch a fish in this weather, but God knows a body isn't as satisfying when it's colder and limper. The stream doesn't flow like a fall with most of my catches in this season. But it's the most I can do for myself today. My hands are almost frigid from the frost. I have to get back now.

Passing through the boulevard bound back to Woodbrook, a line of people formed from the sidewalk as they all appear to be hailing taxis. Most of them holding boxes and bags, carrying children, or sharing a moment with another, shopping bag between them. Then there's a person in a bright pink parka. I slowed the truck to get a better look at the familiar sight. Well wouldn't you know it, Julianne was in the city today. Her eyes were focused on how long the queue was getting. I blew the horn immediately to catch the feline's attention. Her tail jumped up from shock, and looked around before noticing my car, squinting to make out my silhouette.

"Hey Julianne!" I smiled after quickly rolling down my window. Her expression changes from confused to shocked, a weak smile curling from her lips.

"Oh my god- hi Sam!" Julianne's voice was shrill with an excitement or nervousness "Just waiting for a cab."

"I'm headed back. Want a ride?" I shut myself up realizing what I just offered. The seats back there looked clean. I cleaned my apron and goggles. Nothing here smells like blood. I return my attention to Julianne. She nods, picking up a carboard box she was trudging along. I got myself out and carried the box into the back seat. She only gets inside when I give her a nod. She sighs in relief entering the truck, enjoying the warmth yet that nervousness doesn't wash off her face. I playfully nudge her shoulder before starting the engine.

"You can relax now. I'm not your boss...Now, what do you say?"

"Thank you." Julianne says with a sincere smile. Her eyes only meet mine for a second then she looks down at her feet.

"What brings you here? I thought you said you hated the city."

Julianne leans into the door looking out into the passing world. I chuckle to myself how obvious she's being. I've seen the signs and the symptoms of people with crushes. I'd rather they not act that way towards me. It looks endearing on her though. Maybe it's a waste if I wait this project out til Spring. The trap is ready and set. She composes herself before softly replying.

"It's a free day. I just wanna...get in a crowd and disappear in a crowd. Do you know what I mean? As much as I like being..a new face in Woodbrook going back to a place like this puts me back in perspective."

Her voice dreamy with a fond cynicism. Speaking of disappearing...

"You're not worried a...bear is gonna come and get you then you do disappear, do you?" I joked.

"Hey, where are you taking me?" Julianne snapped back, her smile growing as she laughed with me. Her expression mellows down again playing with her thumbs as we drive through the winding road to home.

"Don't get so quiet now, we still have 30 minutes together."

"Well, what do you do in the city?"

"I meet with a few business associates there. They supply me the paint and other stock that sells well. There's 3 I go to. Then if I feel like it, I walk to Com-Foods' commissary to pick up some goodies before going home." I half lied.

"Com-Foods! I..I did go to the commissary today. I got...let's see..those chocolate marshmallows, ice gems, and chocolate chip cookies." She lit up. "What do you usually get?"

"Chocolate chip and butter cookies. Are you stocking up for a project..?"

She shook her head looking a little offended.

"Sure, but Christmas is almost here. Do the children go carolling around? And to serve as..quick gifts to some of the kind friends I've made so far.." The nervousness in her voice returns.

"Hopefully a lot more this year. After last year, lots of parents didn't want to take that risk right away. Only saw maybe 3 kids with their parents. Hey, you could give some to my friend's kids. I think they'll appreciate it."

She nods as she thinks of a reply. Nothing comes out. Her expression is confused trying to make up a story or a follow up but I hold her hand down.

"I was just teasing you. Do you want me to turn the heater up a bit?"

Those last 15 minutes were painfully dull. The radio could only slur out spasms of melodies as the weather got worse. Julianne filled those gaps with humming or thinking out loud. We parked behind her apartment building and walked in to everyone huddled in the common space. A few eyes followed us upstairs with suspecting glances. I settled her box down next to a shoe rack.

She whispered me thank you again before quickly running off to the kitchen. She came back a minute later holding a pair of scissors.

"Hey, don't run with that in your hand."

She ignored me scolding her to rip a line through the tape on the cardboard. She pulled out a bag of chocolate chip cookies and wordlessly placed it in my hands. She smiled at me again.

I grinned back. I don't know how I felt at that moment but it probably was not as intense as it was for her. I came home that night spending a longer time in the water wondering what that girl was doing to me.

Click.

.

.

.

December 5th, 1987

Yes, I am well aware of the fact people have crushes on me. It's mostly innocent- but I'm usually uninterested. I don't do relationships like that until I consider it necessary. This is necessary. I can't stand being an object of pity. It isn't completely selfish either. She'll reap all the benefits of dating me in the end. I just want the attention away from my hands.

Yet if she's just a means to my end, why do I picture her smiling when open up the cookie jar? I try and redirect my mind somewhere else, and believe me, I nearly got it. I just nearly broke the jar. It is a sweet gesture though. My other suitors have done nothing other than talk. I can be bribed with a bag of Com-Foods chocolate chip though. Some people can just read me better.

My mind wanders back to the truck in those 15 minutes to the apartment building. The signals shift from Golden Apple's broadcast to the Woodbrook radio playing underground music. Julianne rambles quickly about an emerging art band that started a telephone service from their home studio. Each hour or so a new song plays through their answeing machine. One of their debut songs play between static and she softly sings to complete the puzzle. She tells me I should call it and I think of the telephone bill.

I'm transferring important numbers, dates, addresses, and sticky notes into this new journal. I can't help but preserve the last few pages though as they detail all the close encounters I've had with that cat: The day she moved into town, the first time she came into the shop, photos of the bare apartment, and information I've pulled out of her that might be important later on. Everything else is going into an open fire. Julianne begins to consume every thought  and decision I had and will have moving forward. In a desperation march to move my mind away from more petty violence or saintly canonization, it feels like I'm reaching out to take her, and flow her body down through a stream with mine. I could not figure out how to do it naturally though. I don't do well with romance. The last time I attempted it nineteen years ago blew up on my face and even up to now that relationship further rottens under the rug. Julianne is just so easy to please though. She's so young. Maybe it's her first shot at anything at all. She likes me. It's stupidly obvious.

I haven't been flattered to be liked like that in a long while.

She has this affection for almost anything she will lay her eyes on. I leave my heart blank or neutral to anything particularly sappy. Keep myself agreeable enough to be liked. It's just that excitement for everything that's slowly infecting my senses. The library has this gigantic poster with the names of stars and constellations. I find myself staring and reading it for seconds, maybe minutes more, memorizing the shapes and the titles. Imagine the look on her face when I could properly point to her where the hunter's belt is.

I'm not anchoring myself to her in any way. I promise.

387-6962.

The phone brrs for a moment until the click of a button is heard on the opposite side. A chalky sounding, music box-like melody plays gently.

Stormy pinkness

Human weakness

Fills my Johnny Cup with gloom

I smile a bit. It sounds like something she would say. The charm of such an unessential service shines like a golden ring amongst every other 800-number I've seen on TV.

Your progression

My digression

Forty days this afternoon

The things we cherish are small indeed

So much the larger the need

Stormy pinkness

Let me thanklessly free

Such is the sound of young love. It sounds like a night of slam poetry. A young man's voice on the other end thanks me for calling up their quirky service. In the stillness of the closed shop I listen on, hang up, and call again. It sounded nice. Like a tune you hear during a dance scene in a movie. Or the track you skip over in your favorite album. I don't consider looking at things I don't already like for other people. Julianne does have an interesting taste in music though. I don't mind it. At least that's another thing we can talk about next time.

Click.

.

.

.

December 7th, 1987

Who am I kidding walking straight to Julianne's apartment building first thing in the morning today? I look suspicious to a lot of the residents there. I mean, they know me. They buy from me. The landlady sends me a basket every Easter. But the mere fact I was here yesterday for one thing and then again is enough to raise a brow at my intentions. Julianne left yesterday and hasn't returned. I don't know why I felt offended, maybe even sad at the thought of her gone. I was excited to tell her I called up that phone number she rambled on about.

I wish I had her number. There would be no middle ground or lobby to pass through to get to her. I was already making a spectacle of myself coming so often to the space.

I could not focus today. I was feigning between closing early and waiting outside the apartment or just giving up and going home. I was just begging to see her at this point. A glimpse of anything at all. My eyes out the window waiting for a taxi or someone wearing pink. I must be slipping out of it again. It's starting to get desperate. It's beginning to get dark.

I've been standing at the door for almost two hours now. My eyes are wide open. The silence begins to sound like static. I wait painfully, unable to move to show my face again to that lobby. I've been hoping..and hoping..and hoping..

Someone in white passes by.

They look up the sign and at the door and she yells.

"OH MY GOD! Oh, oh it's..hi Sam." She looks at me like I've been playing dead. I push the door open finally as the cold wind welcomes me outside.

"Crap, you..I mean, you look so pale. How long have you been like that?" She laughs at the absurdity of the situation.

"I just closed the store. I didn't mean to look so frozen in thought, it's just been happening to me a lot lately."

"Sounds like a lot's on your mind. Do you wanna talk about it?"

I shake my head. I could barely get myself to focus. My eyes looks all over her form. The white dress with roses. It's a lot more formal than the spaghetti straps or frilly shirts. She looks lovelier this way. I don't know.

"Well..I'll take that as a no. Sorry. I'm just going home now."

"Do you want me to drive you back?" I urgently asked. My chest feels heavy. She purses her lips.

"Your house..I mean, the residential area is on the other end of town, you don't have to.."

"It's late, isn't it? Now get inside." My tone sounded almost like a command. Maybe I've secretly anticipated this to happen. Like a dream coming true. She comes to sit next to me again and we drive off to the red building at the edge of town.

"I..called that Dial A Song number two days ago." That sentence instantly lit her eyes up. She excitedly looks to me.

"Really? What song were they playing then?"

"I'm not sure. Stormy Pinkness. It sounded cute. Do they have other songs?"

Her hands toyed with each other with this bursting enthusiasm. She could not stop giggling all of a sudden.

"Oh I like that one..I've heard it maybe once on the phone and I do hope they put it on their new project..and..yes, they are working on a new album. But! Their debut album is still in circulation. You might find it in the kids' section though. Most of their songs have a bit of a morbid undertone that I really like."

"Okay. Did they change the song again like John promised today?"

"I haven't called. I didn't call. I met up with Marigold in Washington yesterday...it's my birthday today. We just had a catch up trip there.. Marigold is a work friend from..my old uh..office job."

I parked the truck a block away from the building to avoid being seen again.

"You should have told me earlier. Happy birthday, kitty."

"I'm 25 already. I'm not a kitty anymore." She hesitates before opening the door. She looks back and opens her mouth, mumbling out a question.

"Do you wanna.."

"Yes?"

"..Do you wanna call Dial A Song with me..right now? I-I also brought home some..sticky rice treats from my.."

And the moment after that, my body felt like it was acting out of its system. It followed her upstairs and into her room. I think I looked stupid to the women hanging around the lobby coming in with her at 9:28 pm but I just could not care less when I sat down on the floor with the receiver on my ear. I couldn't tell if that was an accordion or a trumpet. But her face is so close to mine as we shared the phone listening to it for the first time.

Hi this is John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants. You're tuning into Dial A Song, your one way ticket to Brooklyn. Call back for another song tomorrow.

"What..what's your..telephone number?"

"Oh, it's 387-6962"

"No, your telephone." My embarrassment was resurfacing "I..I don't want them to get the wrong idea being with you all the time here."

Julianne's face softened with sadness. She carefully puts the phone down.

"I..I mean we..aren't that though. Yeah..It does look weird but I don't see it as weird at all." She whispers "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"

"No. I'm not. I don't know though because you do seem to lean towards a certain type. Woodbrook's safe and all but maybe you don't want to be seen with me and have it be interpreted another way."

She blushes. We lay down on the floor for a while until she reaches for a pad and scribbles down something.

"Thanks though. I don't mind being seen with you. Here's my number. You can take home as much malagkit as you like."

She slides the pad between my fingers and rests her palm on my knuckles.

"I could tell you like me though. You're a bit obvious."

"What?"

I pocket the paper as I walk away. I look back to her before I close the door.

"I'll call them again tomorrow. Goodnight, Julianne."

What is that woman doing to me...

Click.

.

.

.

December 11th, 1987

The Bijou Theatre hasn't received any new blockbusters to premiere. Most of whatever is out at the moment in the cities is being reserved for Christmas week. They're bringing out their collection from earlier in the decade. Annie is playing from today until December 22nd. I've seen the movie once. I couldn't tell you anything other than it's a musical and it takes your mind off of work. I could also tell you Julianne is obsessed with the film. She has a tape of the movie displayed on her work shelf. She said it was her favorite movie during college and comforted her when she came to America. We could watch the movie on her TV set any time but I think I owe it to her as a birthday gift or a pacifier after making her feel bad nights ago. It's like the perfect excuse fell right into my lap. Right before walking to work, I called her telephone hoping she'd be awake by now. Thankfully someone picked up.

"Mmh..Julianne Lucky here, good morning."

"Hi, Julianne."

.

"Oh, ah..hiya Sam. How are you?" I could almost see her flushed face from here.

.

"Just about to go to work. I heard Bijou Theatre is gonna screen Annie tomorrow."

.

"A-Annie? The..the John Huston adaptation?"

.

"Think that's it. The little orphan poodle."

.

"Oh man, I guess I have to go then. It's been a bit rough lately, I need to watch it again." She overshares.

.

"I know. Would the lady of the house be busy tomorrow evening?"

.

"Ah..uhm..oh gosh..I don't think so. Sam, are you?"

.

"No, I can close the store early. Will you come watch it with me?"

.

"Well..if you don't mind then. Yes! Yes I will. If you aren't embarrassed to see me."

.

"I'm not, I promise I'm not. If it'd help I can pick you up at the apartment, or--"

.

"Let's just meet in front of Bijou, okay?" Her voice was breathy with excitement. "Thank you. I..I'll see you."

She hangs up the phone. The contagious feeling of young love streams from the telephone cord. I lean back on the door silently after putting the phone down. Oh. She said yes. I'm doing it. I'm running headfirst into the forest and not looking back. She said yes. The invitation alone was already so dizzying. It feels different inviting a stranger to a movie. For a moment I lost sight of why I was even persuing it in the first place. Maybe after tomorrow I'll be back to how I usually feel about big romantic gestures like these but I stood there for a moment with my forehead in my hand. Imagining. Dreaming of it.

She likes me.

And that's enough for the lamb to curiously look into the trap.

Click.

[butmakeitgayblog]

My Spotify 90’s pop playlist decided to queue up Candy by Mandy Moore.

You know where this is going…

Did AWTR Lexa ever have a pop-princess moment?

Dancing alone in her bedroom?

Imagining herself dating someone popular (Clarke 👀)?

Being the ‘It Girl’?

Any embarrassing moments all of us millennials would’ve had if someone had caught us alone in our rooms pretending we lived a different life with a hairbrush microphone in our hands??

Lexa never dreamed of being an It Girl. Not in high school anyway. She was happy sticking to the shadows because it meant not having to sacrifice pieces of herself as she saw so many of her classmates do over the years in the name of popularity and fitting in. Lexa was just Lexa, in all her nerdy glasses and too-big-for-her-little-framed overalled glory, and she liked that.

Her dreams were always for a bigger town. A bigger audience. A bigger stage.

But... it would be a lie if she were to say she ever truly completely kicked her crush from childhood. Despite how often she'd think that she didn't need anything or anyone in her crappy small town to complete her, she never completely forgot what it'd felt like being the center of Clarke's world for one hour every day in elementary school.

Yes it'd just been a stupid science project and god knows Clarke probably doesn't even remember it at all... right? But. For that week, for that one hour every day when they'd work together...

Lexa never forgot how it felt when Clarke would look at her and smile.

Just because it hadn't happened a single time since, well that was beside the point.

So, yeah. There were moments. Sometimes in her room with her headphones turned up (only ever to a reasonable volume. Obviously), listening to sappy early 2000s love songs instead of doing her homework two days early like she should've. Sometimes when she'd borrow her dad's car with an excuse that they needed milk, just to sing along to every bright pop song that'd come on the radio about how alive being young and in love made you feel.

She couldn't exactly relate. Not entirely. But it was as close as she thought she'd ever get. Riding down the highway and imagining the one girl who'd ever made her feel special by her side. Tapping her fingers against the steering wheel and wondering how good it would feel to look over and see those blue eyes looking back. To see phantom blonde tussled in the wind.

But then the song would end and reality would set back in, and Lexa would remember she wasn't the kind of girl who gets the girl.

Maybe one day. Maybe she could become that girl when she's out of this place and she can be more than just the nerd who is happy keeping to herself. Maybe one day she wouldn't even remember her childhood crush, the one who tries too hard to act like she doesn't care about anything for it to be convincing, but who still didn't even know she existed.

But she was patient. She could wait for that day. It takes as long as it takes.

She'd just keep singing songs until then...

[scummy-writes]

Another Blog For Fanfics Only: @scummy-backup

Hello 👋

Back in May, this writing blog was temporarily nuked along with my main/other side accounts for a few hours. At the time, I didn't know how long the account would be gone, so in a panic I made @scummy-backup to get in contact with friends I didn't chat with elsewhere, so they could know I didn't block them or similar, and that something was wrong with my account.

Well, it obviously got fixed! ahaha. I wasn't sure what to do with the backup account and left it alone, and promptly forgot I owned it, until I saw some people have their posts randomly gone. That scared me a lot- while 99% of the posts on here are backed up on my computer, the comments are not. I remembered the backup account and how friends suggested I should turn it into an account where it is *just* my fanfics and nothing else, an Actual backup account. And now I am doing so!

Currently, I don't have the spoons, time, or lack of mercy to reblog everything I've ever written onto that blog at once. It's set up on a queue to post four times a day - and with the Isaac masterlist alone, I think this is a good thing:

The blog @scummy-backup will not have personal posts on it, so if you want to see only my fanfics and nothing else, then I encourage you to follow it. Currently, there are a few that were there to give some warning to the folks who had followed it, so they wouldn't be slammed with an onslaught of fanfics off-guard, but once the queue starts going out for a few days, those posts will be deleted, and later on there will be a pinned post explaining the blog and the tags used for it.

My ikevamp and ikepri works will be reblogged onto there, possibly the few ikesen ones I have posted, but my mysme works will not be reblogged onto there.

To be blunt, I'm not entirely for the idea of having a separate blog like this dedicated to nothing but my fanfics. This is only due to the nuking in may, and then me seeing people have their hard work nuked. There are chances the blog may take a while to update if i forget about it again.

As a side note, if you know someone personally who strongly dislikes me or the things I write, please privately encourage them to also block that blog for sanity's sake.

That's that. Thank you!

[birdnamedenza]

Where the down bit starts

OCs: Ketan, Hunter

Not me casually being back after almost two years.

I had already started to write this story and basically had an entire plot arch all layed out in my head... and then life happened. It didn't help that this was quite the challenging story to write with all of the plot and action going on besides the actual sickness part. We have a crossover between Tiago's arch nemesis Hunter and Ketan, the one who got away so far. Ketan's scenario had to be special and Hunter is just fun to make sick with all the casual perfection going on around him. I hope I kind of succeeded, thank you for everyone who's still enjoying my writing after that long hiatus.

TW: Vomit

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

Ketan was stressed out, and that rarely happened. Usually, his restless energy and exuberant imagination helped him to channel every adrenaline rush into something creative. He had already come up with a perfect plan: There was a funfair in town, the ultimate setting for an interactive live stream. It was a cold and cloudy monday morning. Occasional downpours were expected, so there wouldn't be a lot of visitors, certainly not around the opening hour at 10 a.m.

The only trouble was that none of his friends were available to join him. Calvin was studying for an upcoming examn – in fact, he had just pulled an all-nighter and sounded dead tired when Ketan called him. Zena spent the entire weekend out of town for a job and wouldn't return before the late evening hours. Much to Ketan's surprise, Cassandra was the one who picked up Ezra's phone. Apparently, he had been busy barfing up his guts for the last 24 hours, thanks to a nasty stomach flu. Cassandra stayed at his apartment to take care of him and keep him hydrated. And Natalia… Natalia would have never been down for a trip to the funfair, even if she hadn't been avoiding Ketan like the plague after her drunken meltdown.

Of course, Ketan could have gone on his own or postponed the stream, but he had already announced the date to his followers. The whole thing was supposed to be a competition-style setup with challenges and matches. To fire up the engagement, the viewers could vote for the next ride and who handled it better. Short queues were expected at those perfect conditions, but whatever waiting time would occur could be passed with asking each other embarrassing questions. It was all layed out in Ketan's head and it absolutely needed to happen.

When Ketan was at the verge of despair, Calvin proved once again to be the best friend ever. He had contacted some of his fellow students if someone was, quite literally, up for the ride. A classmate named Hunter had actually agreed to join in on the fun. His health and fitness content was popular, albeit mostly among young women who weren't exactly there for the educational part. Ketan couldn't blame them – that Hunter guy was just the right eye candy he needed to attract the masses.

All giddy and hyped up, Ketan arrived almost half an hour early at the fairground. The colorful rides, stalls and games lay dormant under a dull grey sky. Only a handful of visitors strolled among the whimsical attractions that just started their work for the day. Ketan used the waiting time to map out the area and plan a route. Here and there, a whiff of sugary, oily goods hit his nose. In the near distance, the first ride began blaring out 90's electronica. It was hard to suppress a maniacal grin.

Finally, Ketan rushed back to the entrance to welcome his guest star. Just like he remembered, Hunter was ridiculously handsome with his bronze skin, sensual lips and defined curls, but his smile and his posture gave away his nervousness. Determined to break the ice, Ketan put on his most charming expression and greeted Hunter with a warm hug.

"My savior has arrived!"

"Uhm, sure thing, no big deal", Hunter replied, still a tad shy. "I haven't been to the fair in ages. Sounds fun."

"Yeah, right? It's nostalgia on steroids." Ketan had his equipment all set up and ready to go. The countdown for his viewers was ticking and quite a few were waiting for the stream to begin. "Cal has told you that we're doing this live, right? No cuts, no editing."

"Eh… yes, that's fine, it's just… I've never done this before."

"Oh, don't worry, I have." With a pat on Hunter‘s strong back, Ketan subtely directed him towards the designated starting point. "Just be yourself, they're gonna love you. It might feel a little weird at first, but you'll get used to it in no time. I promise I'm gonna make this easy for you."

"Okay, uhm… thanks." Hunter's bashful smile was thoroughly endearing. Ketan hoped that his heterochromia would show up well on camera – the light blue spot in one of his brown eyes was almost mesmerizing. The obvious fact that the guy had no idea how attractive he was only made it better.

"Take a deep breath and enjoy the adventure", Ketan reassured him. "You're gonna be great. Just don't take anything I say personal, we gotta give the audience a bit of a fake rivalry thing. Pretend that it's a sport competition and we're both taking this super seriously."

"Yeah. I think I can do that." Hunter hesitated for a moment, then scratched the back of his head. "Ah, yes… I guess I should mention that heights make me a bit nervous. I won't back out, just wanna let you know."

Ketan could barely contain a triumphant roar. He had ended up with the perfect filming partner after all.

"That's okay, don't try to hide it. I'm sure many viewers can relate", he encouraged Hunter. "They want to see real people with real emotions. Can you tell them a few things about yourself first? I'll jump in if you ever feel stuck. You'll see – before you know it, you’re an absolute pro."

-

After Hunter had successfully tackled the first obstacle of introducing himself, he slowly began to calm down. Ketan made sure to start out nice and easy with some classic games. The tin can alley, the shooting gallery, the unclimbable ladder and the strongman test all gave Hunter a chance to excel with his physical skills to gently ease him into the challenge.

To keep things exciting, Ketan had already put up a vote for the first ride they had to go on. The drop tower won by a landslide – much to Hunter's dismay. It wasn't even a big tower, 130 ft at best. A young girl barely passed the height requirement, grinning from ear to ear, while Hunter nervously looked around like he was considering a last minute escape.

"It's a bit early to regret your life choices", Ketan teased with a friendly dig in Hunter's ribs. "You can always skip the ride if you're too scared, you know?"

"No way!", Hunter attempted to join in on the banter. "I'm in the lead, remember? And I never go down without a fight."

"We're both going down in a minute, but first it's all the way up, up, up to the top." Filled to the brim with anticipation, Ketan took a seat and secured the restraints. He adjusted his 360° cam to a nice angle that showed both their faces and a good bit of the surroundings.

"Oh boy", Hunter exhaled sharply as the operator performed the final safety check. "I'm not so sure about this."

"Too late to wimp out now." Chuckling like a madman, Ketan captured their slow ascenct. The camera did a great job at conveying the height, even added to it with the warped perspective. Hunter, of course, couldn't appreciate any of it since his eyes were shut tight. He was humming a slightly distorted tune while his hands held on to the restraints. Surprisingly, it didn't even sound half bad. Besides his stunning looks and athletic skills, Hunter was also gifted with a deep and silky voice.

"You're missing out on the view, bud!" Ketan reached over with his free hand and pinched Hunter's impressive bizeps. Hunter flinched and looked up for a moment, visibly startled.

"Oh God, I hate this", he moaned and turned his eyes towards the gloomy clouds. Better than looking down, Ketan assumed. Meanwhile, the ride had come to a halt, leaving his brave three riders suspended in anticipation.

"Got a message for the crowds?", Ketan grinned.

"It was nice to meet yo-uuuaaaaaaah!" Hunter's words were ripped into a breathless scream as the platform plunged towards the ground. Weightlessness washed over Ketan's body, the sinking and exhilarating feeling of a free fall. It was like his stomach was floating in his chest, tingling and fluttering and almost unbearable, but in the best way possible. And then, before his nerves could even make sense of it, the brakes set in and it was all over.

"That was amazing!" Ketan couldn't stop laughing and after a few seconds of a horrified blank stare, Hunter joined in. Nervously, but still.

"I was right", he said with a crooked smile while fixing his hair, "I hated it."

"Well, you didn't spoil your pants, that's a plus. Should be an easy win for me, though."

"Uhm… yeah, I guess so", Hunter nodded, still out of breath. Then he remembered the whole competition aspect and forced out a: "Unless our viewers appreciate me overcoming my fear."

Ketan could barely stop himself from pinching Hunter's cheek. The man just wasn't made for bragging and taunting. His feeble attempt was so wholesome that Ketan almost broke character, and he was sure his followers noticed.

"You deserve a pat on the shoulder. Now let's check the results."

The results were anything but clear. Ketan came out on top, but only by a few percent. And the lifechat made it perfectly clear that the audience was smitten by his first time companion.

"I want to hold his sweaty hand so badly", Ketan read out loud. "Still hot, even when he's about to pee himself."

"Stop it", Hunter protested, pretending to reach for the phone. "How 'bout your embarrassing comments?"

"Later. Maybe. First, you guys gotta pick the starter, main course and appetizer for our eating contest."

"Like… who's gonna eat the most?" Hunter's eyes widened. Maybe the drop had left a lasting impression on his stomach or he feared the ride following their meal.

"What, do I look like a sadist to you?" Ketan put on his best serial killer impersonation before breaking into a smile again. "No way, I gotta do the same thing, remember? It's all about speed, baby. The winner finishes first."

"Big mistake. I'm a fast eater." Hunter pounded his shredded abs that, even under his shirt, looked like he lived on nothing but broccoli and lean chicken breast.

"Never underestimate my power!" With a last ominous glare, Ketan checked his phone for the jury's votes. Unsurprisingly, corn dog and chocolate churros were the clear favorites – phallic-shaped food always came in first, pun intended. The third pick was a bit of a wild card: chocolate covered bacon. It probably sounded too weird to give it a pass. While casually chatting some more, Ketan went to the food trucks to gather their democratically elected meal.

"You guys are the referees", he declared to his viewers. "Just in case it's a close race, which it's totally not going to be."

"Keep telling yourself that", Hunter gave back with newfound confidence.

"Look who's getting cocky", Ketan sneered and grabbed his corn dog. "Alrighty then… get ready… set… go!"

As fast as he possibly could, Ketan munched away at the crispy cornbread and the plump, meaty hotdog. He felt pretty confident until he shot a glance at his opponent. Somehow, Hunter had managed to shove almost the entire thing into his mouth at once and chewed at lightning speed. Damn it, he was a fast eater indeed. Determined not to lose, Ketan took bigger bites, then swiftly reached for the churros.

The deep fried crispiness, soft inside and intense cocoa flavor made it easy to get down bite after bite. Ketan stared at the horizon beyond the stalls and rides, focusing on nothing but pushing in the strands of pastry, chewing once or twice, then gulping forcefully. Finally, he grapped the long strip of chocolate covered bacon and chewed it off the stick before he could think about it. The smokey note hit harder than expected – the sweetness of the chocolate tried, but failed to overpower it. It wasn't horrible, just not entirely to his taste, and it left a greasy mouthfeel. That didn't stop Ketan from nibbling away every last bit, then swallowing once more.

He looked up to find Hunter already taking a sip of his water. An unfamiliar grin parted his rival's lips as he probably felt that adrenaline rush for the first time. He had finally stopped pretending – now he was taking this seriously. Ketan frowned and wiped his lips.

"Told you so", Hunter declared unabashedly triumphant.

"Just because I'm not as good at deepthroating corn dogs", Ketan growled.

"You're not mad, aren't ya?" Genuine worry clouded Hunter's smile.

"A little." Ketan gave his guest star a wink to assure him that his concern was unfounded. "Better enjoy that victory while it lasts. You might not like what's in store for you."

-

The next stop was a historically themed photo booth, just to give their stomachs some time to settle. Meanwhile, Ketan had already put up the poll for their following ride, which was going to be one of the main attractions. One that would make even him a tiny bit nervous. He knew perfectly well that the audience wanted to see them suffer and he was ready to ham it up for the camera.

Of course the viewers went for the fair’s most intimidating ride – a huge inverted coaster that started off with a steep drop, followed by a tight loop and a maze of zero-g rolls, corkscrews, hills and helixes. It was hard to imagine that this monster was actually portable. Hunter's face fell as he saw the massive steel skeleton.

"I – I don't think I can do that", he mumbled, lowering his head towards Ketan's ear. Maybe he was hoping the camera wouldn't pick up his voice.

"Come on, it's a little late to tap out", Ketan encouraged him, even though his own smile felt rather forced. He knew that this beast was assembled by pros and safety tested, his brain just couldn't get over that whole too big to be portable thing. The park management had agreed to him filming on-ride, he reminded himself, which they wouldn't have done if they weren't confident in their attractions. The uneasy feeling in his stomach was probably caused by a severe neglect of proper chewing during their eating contest. It was not like he was actually scared. "Unless… you want to give up. Double points for the winner, what do you think?"

"Uhm… I… I mean…" Hunter was biting his lip, hands fidgeting nervously, eyes staring intensly at the coaster towering over them. Then his chest heaved with a deep breath and his brows furrowed in nervous determination. "Alright. Let's do this."

"That's the spirit, big guy!" With some enthusiastic slaps on the back, Ketan steered Hunter towards the measly queue. There were five other people in front of them, waiting for the train to return. As soon as the gates opened, Ketan grabbed Hunter's hand and rushed towards the front car, ignoring the protest of a middle-aged woman. His heart was pounding, more out of excitement than anxiety. They were going to get a lovely video out of this. His followers were in for a treat.

"I… I think I made a mistake", Hunter whispered, wide-eyed. His caramel skin barely hid the fact that he had turned pale around the cheeks. As much as the restraints allowed it, Ketan reached over to pat his shoulder.

"Trust me, these things are never as bad as they look."

"No, oh no." Hunter sounded desperate as the train set in motion. Slowly, the chain lift pulled them up the first hill with the familiar click-clack. Ketan looked down towards his dangling feet while holding his camera as stable as possible. His trusty cam had this insane ability to make the selfie stick disappear on video, creating an effect of it floating in mid-air. Ketan gave his viewers a big grin while Hunter looked like he was about to burst into tears. In a futile attempt of reassurance, Ketan kept on rubbing his rival’s impressive biceps.

Finally, the train shifted into an upright position and for a moment, the entire funfair was below them. They followed one last bend towards the inevitable drop.

"I don't feel so good", Hunter rasped, his muscles tensing under Ketan's palm.

"This is the scariest part", Ketan tried to calm him down. "It's all gonna be fun from here!"

Hunter faintly shook his head, then pressed his eyes shut again and attempted to disappear into the shoulder restraints. The very next second, they went over the edge and gravity set things in motion. Ketan began to scream, but the train accelerated so quickly that the air was knocked out of his lungs. Then ground and sky changed places and all of a sudden, his feet were up in the clouds. It was amazing.

Until he heard that sound right next to him.

It was a deep, guttural retch. In one horrible moment, everything clicked. Hunter wasn't just scared. He was feeling sick. No wonder he had looked like he was about to wiggle out of his seat and jump off the ride. And to make things worse, the 360° twist of the zero-gravity roll made Ketan painfully aware of the unrest in his own stomach.

A series of dry heaves assaulted Ketan’s ear, loud enough to overpower even the wind’s roar. It was incredible that such a beautiful person could produce such revolting noises. They sent a wave of nausea through Ketan's body and made him shiver in his clammy skin. Like the rollercoaster, things were going downhill fast.

"Try to breathe", Ketan screamed, barely able to follow his own advice.

"Hu-hhhhhhrrrrrrrRRRRrrRRRrrrrrrr", was Hunter's response, and it sounded awfully wet. If only he could keep it down a little bit longer! The guy didn't even cup his mouth. He held on to the restraints like his life depended on it while his body was shaken by violent gags. Every single time, his head jolted forwards, lips wide open, tounge sticking out, like he was already in mid-puke. At this point, everyone behind them was probably terrified.

"Hold it in!", Ketan pleaded, just before the train twisted into a corkscrew. The last thing he saw were Hunter's eyes flying wide open and his cheeks bulging out. Ketan quickly turned away his head, preparing for a foul smelling flood to hit him any second. Once again, the world spun out of control and the greasy food he had scoffed down swirled in sync with their cart. It was only when they had made it through the inversion that Ketan dared to look up again.

Big mistake – another one in a whole string of unfortunate decisions. As Ketan anxiously glanced towards Hunter, he found him with his cheeks still puffed, lips pursed, eyes widened. Just a second later, vomit sprayed out of him like a fountain. With only a small gap to escape from, it came out with quite some pressure, but it didn't stand a chance against the airstream. A good bit of puke splattered right back into Hunter's face. Some disgustingly warm droplets and mushy pieces hit Ketan's cheek and his upper arm. Someone behind them screamed in terror and Ketan had the strong suspicion that it wasn't because of the wild ride.

With an instant gag, Ketan's body arched against the restraints. His nose was hit hard with the sour stench of sick, mixed with a fermented sweetness. He felt something sliding up his esophagus, like it was still well-greased from all the fried snacks. Desperate to keep his hasty meal down, Ketan swallowed several times and cupped his mouth with his free hand. The train descended into a downward helix and Ketan's stomach immediately sank, forcing another retch out of him.

Maybe it were those wet gurgles that set a chain reaction in motion, maybe it had been inevitable all along. Hunter's shoulders tensed as another gush of undigested food spilled out of his mouth and all over his front. At least now he tilted his head forward and fully parted his lips to prevent another explosion. With a horribly moist, gargling retch, the impossibly gorgeous hunk puked up large chunks of sausage and soggy dough that splattered heavily on his thighs.

Ketan's eyes watered as he fought against the mass that kept on pushing up his throat. The forceful movement of the rollercoaster, the rancid smell and the sickening noises Hunter produced all became too much for him. But the station was close, so very close. Another turn and Ketan already felt the brakes setting in. He pushed against his lips like with the force of sheer determination while his abdominal muscles clenched painfully.

"I'm so sorry", Hunter moaned weakly. Somehow, he still looked ridiculously handsome, even with strands of vomit dripping from his lips. Tiny droplets of tears had been caught in his long lashes as he looked at Ketan with pleading eyes. Ketan just nodded, mouth clutched, frantically taking in rapid, shallow breaths through his nose. The train slowed down as they entered the final stretch. He could do it. He had to do it.

Hunter, however, could not. A spasmodic hiccup shook his buff frame and without any resistance, another massive wave of beige liquid spilled from his lips. His face went blank as he immediately threw up again. Mushy bits of bacon and hotdog and cornbread plopped wetly onto the restraints. The sound was enough to send Ketan into a violent heave. Acrid liquid bubbled up from his stomach. It burned like hell and brought up bigger lumps that slid over Ketan's uvula, forcing him to gag even harder. With every fiber of his body, he tried to swallow the soggy mass back down.

Just as it all seemed lost, the train came to a halt. They had made it to the station. Unable to stop retching, his cheeks bulging against his palm, Ketan pleaded silently for the restraints to open. He saw a fairground worker approaching them hastily – a young guy, probably an undergrad like himself who  just wanted to make a bit of extra money. And then, in a cruel twist of fate, Ketan's stomach forcefully ejected another surge of puke. Hot, creamy liquid shot out of the small crack between his tightly closed lips. It poured out over and under his hand, between his fingers, down his arm, all over his cheeks and chin.

The worker stared in horror, his face one substantial "Oh no!", as he saw Ketan lose his battle in such a spectacular way. Finally, the shoulder restraints lifted themselves, like they wanted to mock his futile attempt. Their fellow riders frantically rushed out of the train. The woman that had snapped at them before was now giving them a death glare. Her hair, her face and a good part of her blouse were stained with Hunter's stomach contents.

Before she could break out into a tirade, Ketan's insides went for another loop and he projectile vomited all over himself. It spurted out of him in such a big arch that some droplets even hit the camera. The camera? A cascade of silent curses popped up in Ketan's fuzzy mind. Their entire barf‑a‑thon had been livestreamed to all of his followers, and thanks to the superior image stabilization, they probably hadn't missed a single chunk.

"Are… you guys okay?", the operator asked cautiously. Ketan looked at him and broke into a laugh. He just couldn't help himself. The entire situation was so utterly absurd.

"Sorry", he gasped, unable to calm himself down. "It just sorta… happened. I tried to hold it in, I really did, but… but…“

The laughter overwhelmed Ketan's bubbling stomach and he was shaken by another retch. A greasy brownish mush splattered onto his lap. Ketan's clothes were pretty much soaked with puke at this point and clung to his damp skin. The fresh breeze made him tremble, but he kept on chuckling as he expelled poorly chewed corndog bits. Hunter awkwardly patted Ketan's back to help him through the violent bout. After what seemed like an eternity, both the wet heaves and the hysterical giggles finally subsided.

"We can clean it all up", Hunter rasped. "I… I really didn't mean to ruin your, you know, ride."

"Uhm, no, it happens", the young man reassured him. He sounded more nervous than comforting, probably expecting either one of them to blow chunks again any seconds. "We’ll just hose it down. You guys look like you better go home."

"Yeah… you're right... sorry." Hunter sounded horribly guilty. Defeated. Ketan pressed his co-star‘s shoulder before they finally got up from their stained seats. Soggy lumps, now cooled down, slid down Ketan‘s legs. With a stiff gait, he walked down the platform – still nauseated, but doing his best to pull off a smile. At this point, he had no chance but to play it off and act unaffected.

Ketan's eyes did widen just a little as he looked at his phone. The viewer count had, in fact, almost trippled during their disastrous ride. And why was he even surprised? People were sadists after all. There was a reason the most popular challenges were always the one that made someone puke. It was the perfect blend of schadenfreude and childish humor.

"Okay, guys, this is going to be a tough one", he picked up the chitchat with his audience like nothing had happened. "I can proudly state that we gave it our all – all of our stomach contents, that is. Will you reward the spectacular human fountain or the last one barfing? The choice is yours while we're… trying to clean ourselves up a little. Stay tuned!"

Hunter hesitated to step closer. He looked helpless, lost, so Ketan grabbed his hand and pulled him along to a more quiet place behind the stalls.

"Feeling a little better?", Ketan asked in a much softer voice than his usual hyped up persona. He did feel bad for dragging Hunter into this mess. Nobody wanted to have a vomiting fit immortalized on the internet, especially not during their very first live stream.

"Yeah, I… I think so." Hunter gave him a crooked smile and a thumbs up.

Good thing Ketan’s philosophy was to be prepared for anything. Among his many technical gadgets, he also brought a large water bottle that turned out to be a life saver. First, he helped Hunter clean the worst mess from his skin and clothes before giving himself the same treatment. Quite a bit of puke had splashed back onto Hunter‘s own face. There were chunks and strands in his hair, heck, even in his ears. Ketan brought out some much-needed backup in the form of paper towels. Even then, they could only do so much – the stench of sick still lingered around them, their clothes were soaking wet and the stains easily visible. Ketan shivered and the goosebumps on Hunter's arms showed that he was freezing as well.

"Things are getting a tad uncomfortable for us and I don't think they're gonna welcome us on another ride", Ketan declared with a somewhat sheepish grin. The stream had definitely been cut short, but at least they were going out with a bang. "Let's see what you guys have to say… 'Blergh. Puke emoji, puke emoji, puke emoji' – relatable. 'Ketan, I would totally rub your back.' – aw, thank you. 'I wanna clean Hunter up with my tongue.' – interesting."

"I don't think that's a good idea", Hunter replied in such an sincere tone that Ketan could barely hold back a chuckle. Or a hug. He handed over the almost emptied bottle instead. Hunter took a deep sip, swished the water around in his mouth and politely turned away from the camera before spitting it all back out on the grass.

"Probably not, but thanks for the kind offer.“ Ketan waited until Hunter was done before he poorly imitated drumrolls. „Now let's determine the winner, shall we? It's the moment we've all been waiting for. Remember, we got double points for the last ride. So the winner of our final competition and the entire day is…" With a dramatic pause, Ketan looked at the poll. Took a deep breath. Then broke into a smile and raised his rival‘s arm. "Hunter!"

Countless hearts flooded the chat. It probably helped that Hunter's drenched clothes stuck to his chiseled body and that his face lit up in such an endearing way.

"Thank  you, everyone! Honestly, thank you.“ A tinge of red brought back some life into his cheeks that were still far from the usual golden-brown tan. „I know you guys weren't even here for me and I'm glad I didn't ruin the whole thing for you. Guess my stomach isn't used to deep-fried food anymore."

"Don't worry, it happens to the best of us.“ Ketan stretched himself to ruffle Hunter’s soft locks. „Case in point, it even happenend to me.“

„Yeah… sorry… that kinda feels like it was my fault as well. I made you… you know… I started the whole vomiting thing and then… sorry. It’s a little embarrassing.“

„My idea, my responsibility, okay?“ The shame-fueled puppy dog expression on Hunter’s face was utterly adorable and, weird enough, it sparked Ketan’s protective instinct for the significantly taller hunk. „Now before we ride home towards the sunset, let’s read some last comments to cheer you up. ‚Hottest. Thing. EVER!‘ – ‚Marry me, Hunter! Heart emoji times a bijillion‘ – ‚More streams together plllzzzz‘ – You’d like that, huh? You dirty little weirdos. Any last words to the audience, Hunt?“

„Uhm… I’m already taken, so I have to decline the marriage proposal. But thanks for the votes and everything! I really appreciate it!“

„You heard him! And you will never know what we’re gonna do next… in private. Kay thanx bye!“ After his signature abrupt last wave, Ketan bumped the phone against his forehead, then quickly turned off the camera. His grin instantly fell into an expression of pure guilt. „Hit me. Like, hard. Fist and all. I deserve it. That’s not how things were supposed to go down. I mean, it was my most successful stream ever and I’m eternally grateful for that, but I’m also honestly sorry.“

„No, it’s okay.“ Hunter waved a hand, visibly confused by Ketan’s sudden change in demeanor. „I should have said that I wasn’t feeling well. It kind of, you know, got to me with the whole contest thing and all and then it was too late. I’m just glad it all turned out fine in the end.“

„You’re too good to be true“, Ketan sighed. „And probably cold as hell, so how about a detour to my place for a hot shower and some tea? I owe you one, more than one, and it’s the least I can do.“

„Sounds great. My stomach’s still a little angry at me, I guess.“ Hunter’s hand drew a circle over the perfectly defined muscles of his abdomen. He seemed worn out, but mostly relieved. That was because he couldn’t possibly know at this moment that nothing was fine and that the steepest drop was only about to begin.

He found out soon enough when his phone started ringing.

[two-reflections]

how you feel about your current WIP

Which one, hahahahaaa...

Thanks for asking, it's always good to do a WIP audit. Let's do it as a numbered list. Only going for the multi-chapter stories here. I also have a lot of oneshots in varying states of completion.

Non Warhammer 40k stories are under the Read More.

Carrion's Heir - Technically not a WIP, but not fully uploaded yet. It would have been a better story if I hadn't had to follow a set of prompts, but that was how the challenge I wrote it for worked. Still, I love the main character and his story arc. May come back to it in the future.

Of Steel and Flesh - Started off as a quick series of campaign-inspired drabbles, but became its own thing. I kind of love it and kind of hate it sometimes. Maybe I should have just left it as a bunch of tiny vignettes. I am committed to finishing it, though. Again, I care a lot about the main characters, and I REALLY like the Dark Mechanicum sect in it.

Even in Death - MY BELOVED. MY DARLING. MY SWEET, SELF-INDULGENT DREADNOUGHT-BASED BABY. Putting this one off to finish other projects hurts so bad. I want to write the rest of this ASAP.

[Unnamed Techmarine Story] - This is about my character Bai'keti's 30 years on Mars. It's less about his training and more about what being so far from his brothers and culture is like, the difficulty of adopting a new culture, and his intense friendship with another techmarine in training from the Dragonspears chapter. I'll probably never upload this one because I'm not too familiar with what Mars in 40k is like beyond "Admech and the Void Dragon live here." Plus, it's based on my own time as an International student at a particularly weird British University. It makes me feel nostalgic for the rare good times, and also SO freaking glad I survived my time and am not there any more. Hated my Uni so much. This WIP is also on the back burner at like 12k words, will probably pick it back up in the autumn.

[Unnamed Salamander Story] - The story of Val'ten's first year in the Salamanders' 6th company. Includes a romance between him and his brander priest, but it's mostly about various missions and adventures, how he settles to life as a Salamander brother, and his attempt to grow a little garden in his downtime. This one is my most long-term wh40k project since I came up with Val'ten in 2017 for a completely different (and much worse) fic. His story has been stuck at around 60k words for months because it's on the back burner while I finish other things, but this is the story I think about in the shower, when I'm waiting in a queue, when I'm on the train. It's so important to me.

Other fandoms and Original Work

The Name Within - A leftover from my Kingdom Hearts Days. It's about Isa straightening out his head after everything that happened in KH3, and coming to terms with perhaps never functioning like a normal human after experiencing literal dehumanization at a pivotal age. I've linked it because it's on Ao3, but I wouldn't bother checking it out, it's probably not worth reading unless you really like this one particular dude. It's been missing around two paragraphs to finish for years. I should just bash those out and finish it, but it's hard to find the keen for it now.

Big Name on Campus/The Dream He Was Given - Temporary names for two fanfics based on a very old Sci-Fi manga. One is a weird fix-it-fic, the other is based on the University career of my favourite character, the chronically ill director of a medical center. I know, another university story, but I swear this one's not primarily based on my experience; rather, on watching my parents' students over the years. Decent chance I will never finish these two, there's no English-speaking audience for this comic so they're only for me. I love BNOC, though. The other, I could take or leave.

Twisted Links - Original story. After a series of international incidents and corporate takeovers, HR Agent Marley from the Pan-Martian Corporation ends up as temporary site director for a radio telescope in the Caribbean with secret instructions to ensure the Corp's permanent control of the site. Unbeknownst to Marley, local engineer and anti-colonialism activist Victor is struggling to hide a rogue Pan-Martian AI which caused a major international incident several decades before. Will Victor be able to keep the AI secret, or will Marley find out that there's a second being living inside Victor's head? Whose vision for the future of the telescope will become reality, or will the whole place shut down? The first 20k words of this story secured me a first-class Master's degree, but just as I was gearing up to write the rest, the catastrophic demise of the telescope where I grew up happened. I miss this story and want to go back to it but... Trauma...

[sirserpentine]

Thread Tracker:

Drafts:18 Queue:3 Inbox:5

Mainverse:

Before the Hotel:

@circus-frog

Ow. Between them, they have two arms, one voice and zero legs.

Prototypes. Sir Pentious invents new arms and legs for Fizzarolli.

@angelichooves

Purchases. Pentious and Carmilla talk business.

During the Hotel

@hazbinned:

The Stage is Set. Alastor and Sir Pentious have decided to put on a play in the hotel and the rehearsals have started. Shenanigans ensue. (Part 2 of The Partner Directors.)

At the Blood Ball. Sir Pentious accompanies Alastor and Angel Dust to Rosie's ( @cannibalxroses ) Ball. Waltzing, food and drinks. And a lot of complicated emotions. /MY TURN

Distraction. Pentious wants to offer his friend ( @angie-long-legs ) a chance to have some fun. It requires him to avert Valentino's attention.

You're gonna need a bigger boat. Husk and Sir Pentious try to make the best of a forced fun day on the beach, but some disturbing freaks of nature do everything in their power to ruin it for them.

The Road Trip of Hell. The Hotel Gang decides to go on a week-long road trip to the edges of Pentagram City and beyond. What could go wrong?

@radioiaci:

Human Holiday. Two demons go on a very unusual vacation to the living world. /MY TURN

Eggcellent company. Fitzgerald becomes a special guest on Alastor's radio program.

Let's try this again... Sir Pentious is determined to get Alastor a good night's sleep. NSFW /MY TURN

@rradiio

The Hellanovela. Pentious meets Arackniss in a dark alleyway after some long decades.

Afternoon stroll. Sir Pentious makes acquaintance with Rosie, the charming Overlord of Cannibal Town. /MY TURN

The Naughty Stool. Kuwako doesn't take kindly to Pentious' disrespect./MY TURN

@poisonedspider Is it true that snakes have two...? Angel Dust is curious about some rumours he heard. Oh boy- Beautiful. Angel and Sir Pentious apologise for past grievances. /MY TURN

Pole Dance. Angel gives a very hot performance at the club.

Ledge. Pentious tries to prevent something horrible from happening. (Trigger Warning.) /MY TURN

Gala. Pentious decides to surprise Angel with an elegant night out./MY TURN

First time. NSFW/MY TURN

Sneak-in. NSFW/MY TURN

Father's Day. Angel has big news for Pentious. /MY TURN

One, two, three. Pentious and Angel are in for a surprise. /MY TURN

@angie-long-legs

The flood. Pentious helps and cares for Angel when he is amid some traumatic memories.

Sobriety. The heartwarming story about how a spider and a snake learn that they have so much more in common than they thought. :) /MY TURN

Breakfast Buddies. Fat nuggets and Fred go on an adventure together. /MY TURN

The truth. Angel wants to know where the egg boiz come from.

Spa day. Sir Pentious and Angel have a much deserved girl's night.

@aracniss

Mending. Arackniss arrives to the hotel, worse for the wear and in desperate need of Pentious' help. /MY TURN

In Heaven:

@hazbinned Reunion. Emily and Sir Pentious infiltrate Hell to say hello to their friends.

Crepes. Alastor brings Pentious breakfast. Honeymoon phase times 1000.

The one. Big truths are revealed during Alastor and Pentious' first Valentine's day as a couple. @poisonedspider

We meet again. Angel redeems and ascends to Heaven. He has an old friend waiting for him there!

AUs:

Verse: Probation @hazbinned An alternate reality where Sir Pentious and Alastor both perish in the battle against the exorcists. They end up in Heaven together, as Angels on probation, which wouldn't be too bad if Pentious could still remember something... Emily tries her best to guide their lost souls. Overture. The first redeemed Sinners arrive in Heaven.

Verse: Swapped @hazbinned Alastor makes a well-intentioned wish that has terrible consequences.

Swapped. Alastor descends into a new reality. /MY TURN Verse: Everlasting Sun @veneror in the 1970s, Cyrus Pendrous, a sheltered vampire born in the Victorian era follows the guidance of a self-help book and travels to New York in search of new experiences. He meets a dazzling and sweet drag performer named Angel Dust. They are whisked away on an adventure that takes them all the way to Europe.

Sunrise. A vampire and a drag queen walk into a bar... Verse: You Are the Light After Our Storm @radiiosugars Alternate reality. Rosie sees a potential match between two sewing widows and sets them up on a blind date. Maybe it isn't too late to dream of a family?

The blind date. The two Victorian single pringles are set up.

Verse: The Flying Serpent Sir Pentious is an elusive Overlord who oversees a community that resides high in the air.

@top-shelf-tender

Up and away. Pentious finds an injured Sinner out on a patrol after an Extermination.

Verse: Hallmarkisms. Alastor is a jaded businessman in town for just a short visit. Pentious runs his own bakery by his lonesome. You know how it goes.

Meet cute. Alastor literally bumps into an eccentric baker. Bah Humbug.

Verse:

Archived:

@hazbinned

The Partner Directors. Alastor and Sir Pentious can't bear the sight of cheap television programs any longer. Out of mutual agreement, they decide to burn it to crisp and make more civilised entertainment themselves. Angel joins their pitch party.

We're trapped due to Madam Trainor! Angel's night-time prank ends up with him and Pentious getting locked up in Pentious' room. Time for a sleepover!

@radioiaci

Dadalastor. Alastor is tasked with looking after the Egg Boiz for a night. Are there some things that are too much even for The Radio Demon?

Bite. Some simple wound mending takes an interesting turn. Fangs are involved.

Stitches. It's been two weeks since Pentious and Alastor's last encounter...

Blood Pancakes. Pentious surprises Alastor with a peculiar dinner. Things are rather GAY. Then, a horrible accident happens. NSFW

The Dawn. Pentious recovers from his injuries and gets used to a new reality with Alastor's help.

@angie-long-legs

The princess was sitting there, barbeque sauce on his titties... Pentious notices Angel alone at the Blood Ball. This won't do!

Verse: The Unholy Crusade

@hells-sirenqueen

Comfort. There cannot be enough in the Unholy Crusade.

/MY TURN