#though i suppose it would be 6 days today technically

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

ONE WEEK TILL THE DAAYYYYYY!!!!!

[fairytaleendingss]

Room for One More?

Chapter 11

Summary: James has had time to think during the days he'd been away and through this, has come to a shocking revelation.

CW: Swearing, creepy man being unnerving (nothing inappropriate happens though).

Pairing: Poly!Marauders x fem!reader

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10

This is a shorter one but I just wanted to get something out. I have more of a solid plan now of what I want to happen next to stay tuned for some more updates soon!

--

You started to feel better over the next few days. Remus checked on you periodically to make sure you were making progress while Sirius hovered awkwardly, not quite sure what he was supposed to do whenever the two of you happened to be in the same vicinity.

You weren't sure what had come over him recently, but things between the two of you had been stilted to say the least.

By Wednesday you were back on your feet and back at work, meaning Remus' job was done, however, you desperately hoped that things between the two of you would continue to be civil in the aftermath. Who knows? Maybe you'd even become friends.

James was also getting home from his trip today and you were bubbling with a combination of nerves and excitement. You'd found yourself missing him while he was away. Everything had been strange, to say the least and James was the person out of all your roommates who you were the most comfortable around by far. He just had this light energy about him that was able to balance everything out around your house and without it, things had just felt off. You couldn't quite place your finger on what it was but James Potter just had a way of putting you at ease.

Although, you couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for wanting him there for your own selfish purposes. You knew things had been particularly rough for him after the revelation at New Years and you knew he needed this time to get away from everything and clear his head.

You pondered this concept as you sat back in your desk chair, pen pressed into your cheek and eyes gazing off to nowhere. When did things become so complicated? you thought to yourself.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Mary sang, sliding across the linoleum office floor on her own chair. Mary was always pretty but you took note of it today in particular. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head in a tidy bun and she had a burgundy lipstick on, one that was a departure from the usual neutral tones she went for at work.

You raised a brow at her, choosing to pass by her question.

"You look lovely. Got plans tonight?"

Mary bit her lip as she often did when she was excited.

"It's Lily and I's four month anniversary tonight! I know it sounds silly to celebrate it but if I'm being honest, it's kind of a big deal! Today marks the longest official relationship I've been in!"

"Oh my gosh! Mary, that's wonderful!" you chirped. Then you paused. "Hold on, what do you mean 'official relationship'?"

Mary sighed. "Well, technically there was this guy in high school that I talked to for like a year over Snapchat but he lived in America and we never met in person so it doesn't really count."

You rolled your eyes at her fondly. "You had an internet boyfriend?"

She gave you a gentle slap on the shoulder. "What? I was like fourteen!"

"Okay, fine. Whatever. Congratulations anyway," you replied.

"Thanks girl! Now tell me," she scooted forward slightly on her chair, leaning in as if to share a secret. "What's going on with you and Sirius?"

You sighed thickly. "Unfortunately, there's nothing to tell."

"Really?" she looked surprised. "So you still haven't talked about anything that happened on New Years... or you know, before that?"

You shook your head. "Nope. In fact, honestly, we've barely talked at all recently. It's like he's avoiding me or something."

"That's is odd," Mary muttered. "I mean Sirius isn't usually known for being subtle. For some reason I had it in my head that maybe he would've gone all prince charming and come to your aid while you were ill," she chuckled.

"Ha! No, none of that. Every time we were in the same room, he'd just stare at me like I had two heads and then stutter out some excuse to rush away."

Mary let out a genuine laugh at this. "Yeah, actually that does sound like him. He's uh, not really much of a caretaker."

"No. Well, actually, it was... um, Remus who ended up doing most of the caretaking," you muttered bashfully.

Her eyebrows shot up like rockets. "I'm sorry, WHAT? Did I just hear you say Remus, the man that supposedly can't stand you, looked after you while you were unwell this last week?"

You shrugged but you couldn't deny the way your cheeks warmed at the thought. "He was quite wonderful actually."

A playful smirk overtook her. "Yeah, I bet he was. What? Did he like, bring you soup, and stroke your hair until you fell asleep?"

"Shut up," you joked. "You read too many romance novels."

"Hey! It's not my fault that you're living out the plot of New Girl!"

"You know, it actually kind of is, right?"

She shrugged. "Well, maybe that was the plan all along. I think Remus would definitely be Nick-"

"Anyway," you stated pointedly, before her comparison could get too deep. "You should probably get going. It's after 5 and you don't want to be late for your special date tonight!"

"Oh, shit! You're right," she exclaimed, jumping from her chair and racing to grab her coat.

You chuckled to yourself as you watcher her scramble for her things, calling out a hurried "goodbye" as she headed for the exit.

You took your time packing up that night, both having nowhere to be and also not looking forward to going home. You wondered if maybe Sirius would be out working tonight but you doubted it since James was supposed to have arrived home today and you suspected they'd want to spend some time together.

"Are you heading off now then?"

You abruptly turned on your heel, eyes wide as you noticed Glenn standing closely behind you. You hated when he did that. He was always creeping up on you when you were distracted.

You gave him an awkward smile, hoping he would say a quick goodbye and then leave you be.

He returned the gesture broadly, flashing his perfectly pearly white teeth in a way that you could tell usually worked to make girls swoon. It didn't, however, work so well on you.

"Yeah. Just finishing up now."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Ah. Well I see that Mary has made an early exit. Do you need some company walking out?"

You cringed internally. There was something just so artificial about him. Like he was constantly putting on an act, displaying qualities that he thought people liked to see. But you could see right through it and honestly, it left a bad taste in your mouth.

"That's very kind but I'm okay by myself."

He shook his head stubbornly. "Nonsense! What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you go alone in the cold?"

You restrained yourself from rolling your eyes. Clearly it wasn't going to be so easy to shake him off.

"Okay, then," you relented unwittingly. "Lets go."

The walk from your office on the seventh floor down to the front exit was particularly awkward. Glenn hovered at your side, not saying much but just sending you that unnerving smile of his every so often. As you approached the front steps, you were more then relieved to see a familiar figure waiting by the door.

"James! What are you doing here?"

He looked up from his phone, flashing you a genuine grin, one that made your heart feel warm, instead of causing bile to want to rise in your throat the way Glenn's did.

"Hey!"

He approached with rapid footsteps, engulfing you in his warm arms. You relaxed into his hold for a moment, savoring the feeling.

You pulled away at the sound of a throat clearing beside you. Glenn was looking between the two of you with an unreadable expression.

"Oh! Sorry," James corrected himself, only then noticing the other man. "I'm James, Y/n's roommate. Nice to meet you."

He stuck a hand out towards Glenn, which the latter man shook with a reluctant hesitation.

"Glenn Mulciber. We work together."

You didn't like the way the man was looking at James, something akin to jealously flashing across his eyes in a way that made your skin crawl.

"Well, thanks for walking me out, Glenn but James and I'd better be going. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, right. Okay," was all he said before he turned on his heel and stalked away, his demeanor suddenly very cold.

"Well, he's an odd sort of person," James observed as the two of you began the journey home.

"I'm not a fan of his, to tell you the truth," you responded. "He's weird. He kind of creeps me out."

"Hmm," James muttered thoughtfully, although you could tell his mind was elsewhere.

"You don't have to keep coming to pick me up from work, you know? I'm perfectly capable of making it home myself."

James shrugged. "I know, I just like spending time with you."

You felt your heart swim at his words and had to turn your gaze away from him in the hopes that he wouldn't see the embarrassment on your face.

"Well, um... how was your trip?"

"Good. Yeah. It was good."

He was fiddling with the hem of his coat, looking vaguely off into the distance as he spoke to you. Something seemed off about him. You furrowed your eyebrows, wondering what was going on.

"Is everything okay?" you questioned. "You seem nervous or something."

"Um, well," he hesitated for a moment before turning to face you. "Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

You felt your heart sink into your stomach as a slew of worst case scenarios began to run through your mind. You did your best to keep composed.

"Okay, what's up?"

James released a heavy breath as if he was preparing himself for the words to follow.

"So, while I was away, I had a lot of time to think about things,"

"What kinds of things?"

"Well, you know, just everything that's been going on. When I found out about Lily and Mary back on New Years Eve, I was heartbroken..."

You sighed feeling a rush of sympathy. "Yeah, James about that, I'm really sorry. You shouldn't have had to find out that way, I-"

"No! No, it's okay!" he interrupted. "What I was going to say was actually that I was heartbroken at first. But then the more I thought about it, the more I realised, I've been in love with Lily for so long that I think at some point I just started to like the idea of us together more than I actually liked her, if that makes sense."

You sent him a look of confusion.

"That's not to say I don't like her of course," he rushed to amend. "She's a great friend and obviously she's beautiful and a wonderful person and all that but I think that I just got so comfortable with wanting her that I didn't realise when I didn't really want her anymore..."

You couldn't help but chuckle at the boy’s rambling. "James, what are you trying to say?"

Then he stopped walking suddenly and you followed suit. He turned to look at you then, his face serious and eyes ablaze with an unfamiliar friction.

"I think what I'm trying to say is... that night made me realise that I have feelings for someone else."

In that moment, despite the cold of the street, heat began to swirl around you. You felt energy of an unknown source drawing you together in a magnetic pull as James gazed down at you with a look of yearning clouding his dark eyes. Your heart stuttered in your chest as you looked up at him. Your eyes raked over every inch of his face; his sweet smile, the dimples in his cheeks, the stupid curls that he couldn't contain no matter how hard he tried. He was beautiful.

Then, without warning, he leaned in and your lips connected.

It was like the world faded around you. The noise of the cars and the crowds and the hustle and bustle of London in the evening, all just melted away. You didn't care that you were standing in the middle of the street, with icy tendrils of wind piercing your skin. You didn't care that you had a rock in your shoe or that your hair was blowing in your face. In that moment, all you cared about was him and the feeling of his soft lips against yours.

It wasn't desperate and passionate the way it had been with Sirius. No, James' kiss was sweeter, gentler, filled with warmth and comfort just like he was.

When you pulled back, James had a playful smirk on his face. He licked his lips, looking down at you affectionately as he used a finger to push his glasses up on his nose.

"So," he muttered. "Will you go out with me, then?"

You rolled your eyes. "Of course I will, you idiot."

He laughed a little and intertwined your fingers with his own.

"Okay good. I just wanted to make sure."

You scoffed as you began to walk once more, hand in hand and smiles painted on your swollen lips.

--

Taglist:

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[yunhoszn]

steamed milk

pairing choi san x f!reader word count 2.5k genres fluff﹒smut warnings 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, mature language, not proofread, all lowercase bc i wrote this at 2 am… a week ago <3, barista!reader, barista!san, clumsy reader, mentions of burn scars?, mutual pining, little bit of power imbalance but it doesn’t play into the plot, escalates pretty fast, public sex, unprotected sex, cute fluffy moment at the end, may we get f’s in the chat for kim hongjoong’s desk chair

summary a closing shift with san is… interesting… to say the least.

more alright alright alright, i know i have a billion wips and a billion reqs to work on,,, but @bro-atz needed something to read on a flight and i needed an excuse to write with no plot in mind, solely based on vibes and this is what came out of it… i ALSO KNOW i’ve been withholding for a week but that’s bc i wasn’t sure if i wanted to keep this locked in the dungeon for a rainy day or not, until i remembered i should post something in honor of chellateez 🥳

@atzhouse @san-network

“did you burn yourself on the steam wand again, y/n?”

you bite your lip and turn away from hongjoong bashfully. so what if you’re a little clumsy, it’s not like you completely sucked at your job. maybe there were a few milk spills here and there. at least you knew what you were doing most of the time. 

“um, what would you do if i said no?” you scratch the back of your neck with the hand that wasn’t burned. hongjoong sighs, leaning back in his rolling chair. as the manager of a coffee shop, he did not get paid enough to babysit and coddle his employees like he usually did. 

between you almost always making a mess and then yunho and mingi goofing around whenever they were on shift together, he felt like he was starting to grow grey hairs. he shakes his head with a tsk, pulling out the first aid kit from one of the drawers in his desk. “let’s put some burn cream and a bandaid on it so you can hop back out. the dessert rush is about to begin.”

you nod and rock on the balls of your feet as you wait patiently. your manager dresses your burn and sends you on your way. the dessert rush, aside from the morning rush, was arguably the worst part of the day. shifts at the coffee shop were divided into thirds— open to mid, mid to evening, evening to close. while opens were the most busy, you at least got out early and could enjoy the rest of your day. mids were the slowest, but they took place midday so you couldn’t do much after you clocked off. 

closes were the worst, because they were so unpredictable. you weren’t ever sure if it was going to be busy, apart from the usual dessert rush, and that uncertainty bothered you. the beginning of your closing shift was staffed pretty well. there was yeosang, who was probably the best barista out of the lot of you, and seonghwa, a seasoned veteran in this game. he was your assistant manager. 

however, yeosang and seonghwa were off at 6 PM and the shop closed at 9 PM, leaving you and your lead for the night to close all by yourselves. and your lead? choi san. 

closing with san wouldn’t be such a problem if it weren’t for your massive crush on him. out of the other leads, san was the kindest. he didn’t lose his cool if your clumsy nature got the best of you during a hectic shift. in fact, he took his time to ensure everything was okay. he didn’t care if there were angry customers demanding that their drinks be made. his baristas were his number one priority. 

and well, with his appearance today, it would be more difficult than usual. donned in a white button up and some black slacks, his brown apron over, you think you’re going to faint. on a regular basis, san wore simple things like the occasional sweater or t-shirts and jeans, but this new look was making you all sorts of dizzy. you felt inferior beside him. (though technically, you were.)

with hongjoong, seonghwa, and yeosang leaving all at the same time, you were in a crisis. how were you supposed to survive this shift? it’s like the universe meticulously crafted this moment so it could laugh at you. and it all started with you burning yourself on that goddamn steam wand, while you were on bar with san of all people. 

“are you sure you don’t want me to send you home?” san asks lowly, making sure only you heard him. the two of you were finishing an order when he asked the question. 

“i couldn’t let you close by yourself.” you pout. as hard as it’s going to be working with him alone for three hours, you’d feel awful leaving him to fend for himself. 

“i can ask yeo or hwa to stay,” he shrugs, putting a lid on the iced vanilla latte in front of you. “i don’t want you to hurt yourself again.”

“i’ll be fine, san,” you reassure. “besides, seonghwa would probably kill me if i was the reason he had to stay later than he had to.”

san laughs a little, eyes scrunching up in the cute way they do when he smiles. your heart rate spikes and you have to take a deep breath to compose yourself. he nods as he turns to hand out the order. 

“if you insist.”

maybe you should’ve taken him up on that offer to go home. 

you’re too distracted by the way his rolled up sleeves strain against his muscular arms, staring a little too much. hongjoong just so happens to walk out of the back at that exact moment. he thinks your (very obvious) crush on san is funny, but not when the line is wrapped and you’re about to be down two men. 

“y/n, there’s five drinks waiting to be made,” he calls out, tapping on seonghwa and yeosang’s shoulders to let them know they can go. “what’s more important that has you standing there doing nothing?”

“sorry…” you apologize sheepishly, avoiding his gaze as you start on the next order; a dry cappuccino with cinnamon. great. another drink that required you using that godforsaken steam wand. a truly evil contraption. 

“i can be milk if you’d like?” san suggests suddenly, noticing your hesitation to steam the 2%. 

“if it’s not too much of an ask,” you frown. “i just don’t want to hold us back in the middle of a rush.”

“you don’t need to explain yourself to me, y/n,” he quickly swaps places with you. “i think you’re pretty damn good with a portafilter anyway.”

it’s a stupid compliment. only another barista would even know what that meant, but you take it to heart. your body flushes with warmth as you tamp the espresso grounds and pull a shot viable enough to use for the cappuccino. you’re a little shaky as you pour it into the paper cup and wait for san to pour the milk. 

this was the closest you’d get to flirting with san, and it was him telling you that you were actually good at your job. what a sad life you lived. 

thankfully, you manage to bulldoze through the line with just the two of you. in times like these, your solution is to go nonverbal and lock in. if you talk while you’re making drinks, you get distracted too easily and you find it’s harder to multitask. after the rush, things are slow for the most part and then it’s just you, san, and the sound of cafe music playing quietly over the speakers at 9 PM. 

“y/n, can i ask you a question?” san inquires, counting the till as you wipe down the espresso machine and the bar around it. 

“what’s up?” you hum, refolding your rag. he shuts the register and walks over to you, leaning on the bar adjacent to the one you were at. 

“i’m curious, and you don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable, but i’ve heard that you like me. is that true?” it comes out so politely, you’re not even sure you heard him correctly. you blink as the words process in your brain. this was the end. now you really wished you went home early. 

“well— um— i don’t know how to answer that…” you fiddle with your fingers, looking everywhere but at san. 

“all i want is a yes or no, because truth is,” he walks closer and closer until he’s directly in front of you. “i have a little crush on you myself.”

“you what?!” you don’t mean to sound so shocked, so appalled even, because he takes a step back, eyes widened by your outburst. you’re just so confused. choi san liked you? like, liked you?

“i’ll take that as a—“

“no!” you stand upright, grabbing his wrist. when you realize what you’ve done, you immediately let go. “i mean, no, as in yes. i do like you, san. i was just… embarrassed… that you found out from elsewhere instead of me. and i’m a little in disbelief that you feel the same.”

“why’s that?” his head tilts to the side a bit. “what’s not to like about you?”

“for starters, i’m the biggest klutz on the planet.” you huff, but that makes his smile grow wider. 

“i think that’s your charming point,” he admits, hands stuffed into the pockets of his slacks. “while i don’t enjoy seeing you hurt, like when you burned yourself earlier, i do think it’s kinda cute when you accidentally knock over a drink.”

“are you okay in the head? were you dropped on it as a baby?” you ask with a raised eyebrow. he laughs, this time a full on laugh that has him bringing a fist up to his mouth. you think you just shed a tear. and not from your eyes. 

“i don’t believe so. i guess i’m just attracted to people who aren’t afraid of being themselves,” he shrugs, reaching out to take your hand into his. “and you check all the boxes.”

remember the whole fainting thing? that’s about to come true. you manifested it. 

san brings your knuckles up to his lips, first kissing over the bandaid where your burn was and then all over the back of your hand. you stand there like a fish out of water, mouth opening and closing but no words escaping you. was the universe… rewarding you somehow?

“how often does joong check the cameras?” you gasp when his kisses have moved from your hand to your neck. he doesn’t break contact, speaking into your skin as he unties your apron. 

“almost never, but you have a point.”

this is how you end up on san’s lap in hongjoong’s office chair, fingers tangled in each other’s hair, lips locked like no tomorrow. he was a fantastic kisser, which just further proved your theory that he was the perfect human being. along with the subtle flirting, and the obvious knack for respecting boundaries, it’s almost like the universe had hand crafted choi san to be the ideal man. and they say chivalry is dead. pft, san’s existence dispels that notion undoubtedly. 

“he won’t know, right?” you pant, arching into him when he sucks at a particular part on the base of your throat. he hums. 

“you’re worrying too much,” san’s fingers slip under your top, digging into your waist. “i promise, he won’t find out. but we’ve gotta be quick since he’ll know what time we left.”

“m’kay,” you sigh, grinding down on his lap to help speed things along. the undressing process is a blur. you wish you could spend more time admiring his bare chest and arms, especially because you’d been fantasizing about this moment for almost an entire year now. 

“god, you’re so gorgeous, y/n,” he murmurs, reconnecting your lips sweetly. his hands massage the sides of your thighs as you hover over him, preparing to sink down on his cock. “i finally have you all to myself.”

you whine when you do, his words encouraging your arousal. the intrusion has you moaning softly, eyes squeezing shut from the sheer pleasure streaming through your veins. your nails scrape his shoulders and back, toes curling. the tip of his dick grazes that sensitive spot deep in your cunt with ease, as if he was made to be inside of you. 

“feels— fuck— feels so good, san,” you whimper, head falling to the crook of his neck. san chuckles, albeit a little strained. his hands remain in your hips, aiding your movement so you don’t get too tired. 

“is that right, sweetheart?” he says into your ear, nipping the lobe gently. “you’re taking me so well.” 

his praise shoots straight to your core, punching another moan out of you. you really shouldn’t be surprised that he’s inching you towards the edge of that familiar tide so fast. it’s san, and like you’ve stated before, he’s damn near perfect. but holy shit, the way he’s fucking you has you thinking that there is such a thing as heaven. 

you have to bite down on his collarbone to stop yourself from screaming like a fucking pornstar, leaving a myriad of marks on his skin to restrain the ferality threatening to jump out of you. every drag of his cock on your velvety walls drives you just a little more insane each time. 

he’s moving so slow, but so deep all at once, and it’s just the right combination to decorate the backs of your eyelids in stars and colored spots. his ring and middle fingers meet your swollen clit, circling with practiced pressure. the office chair squeaks awfully with each of your bounces on his lap, but you’re too close to pay it any mind. instead, you drown it out with your own noises— warnings of your impending orgasm. 

“gonna cum— my god, san, i’m—!” you don’t even finish your sentence, the tide finally reaching the shore. your orgasm washes over you hard and unlike any other you’ve ever experienced before. you aren’t sure if he’s just that good, or if it’s because it’s san. (most likely a combination of both.) 

san coos, guiding you through the peak of your climax. once you’ve calmed considerably, you slide him out of you and stroke his cock until he’s painting the inside of your thighs with milky white and a groan. his face screws up in pleasure, eyes fluttered shut and brows knit together. his lashes kiss the tops of his cheeks and you think you’ve just fallen in love, for real. 

his chest rises and falls as he attempts to catch his breath. you can’t help placing a hand over the left side to feel the rapidity of his heartbeat, smiling to yourself. he mirrors your expression after a moment, leaning up to press a sensual kiss to your lips. 

“as fun as this was, and as much as i like the view right now, it’d be better if i could actually take you out after this… and if i could fuck you somewhere nicer than on our manager’s desk chair.” san bites at the inside of his lip, glancing down at the rolling chair beneath you. 

“i agree,” you giggle, brushing his hair from his face. “hongjoong’s office isn’t the ideal location for a first date or first time sleeping together. but at least we’ll have a fun story to tell our kids.”

san bursts into laughter at that. “our kids, huh? you’ve thought that far ahead?”

“i’ve had a crush on you since i got hired, choi san, what do you think?” you raise an eyebrow, booping his nose with your index finger. he scrunches it up with a grin. 

“i think that i’ve had a crush on you just as long. and if we’re having kids, it’s best to omit some details when we retell this story.” 

© yunhoszn. do not steal, claim, or repost.

[pan-kojiwa]

✮⋆˙ 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮? ˙⋆✮

[𝘊𝘞] ➻ 𝘕𝘰𝘯𝘦.

You hum cheerfully as you open the café. It’s actually 6am— way too early too be this cheerful— the café normally opens at 7:30, but you don’t mind coming a bit early. In fact you absolutely love working in the morning. At first, not so much because you like sleeping in, but now? Absolutely. A little squeal escapes you as you glance at your watch— he’s coming soon. You cover your face with both your hands to hide the dumb excited smile creeping on your lips.

Okay, first, you need to tidy up a bit. You put your things away in the staff room and start sorting out the supplies. Normally, you're supposed to have a coworker who opens with you, but for about a month and a half now, he's always late. Well to be fair you do open way too early but by 6:30 you guys have to be there to open and tidy a bit and then open anyway. Yet for some reason he keeps saying that the boss personally changed his schedule so he starts at 7:30 instead. Of course you know that’s bullshit. But for now you put up with it— only because it benefits you though. Otherwise you would already have reported his lazy ass to your manager by now.

Anyway let’s not think about that. Plus there’s not much stuff to do besides putting stuff where there’re supposed to go.

Crouching down in front of the drawer where the straws where stored, you suddenly shot up when you heard the doorbell ring. You knew it couldn't be your coworker yet— it was only 7:00. Meaning— it’s him!! The one you were waiting for since earlier!

Oh my GOOOD!! You squeal inside.

He is here!!

This man was probably the most handsome— the most gorgeous— the most beautiful human being that you’ve ever seen. His figure is slender yet fit, you can definitely see his defined muscle under his shirt. His auburn hair was a bit messy, with a flattened fringe on top of the rest. Somehow it suits him very well— still, you could actually die to see him with his bang down— and his jawline— Oh. My. God. His razor sharp jawline. This man is so fucking hand—

“- Hello?” His impassive voice brings you back from your fantasy.

“ - Oh...” You lower your head, slightly embarrassed.

Fuck— I stared for too long, god I’m so dumb!

It’s actually been a month and a half that you’ve been secretly drooling over this man. He comes here every day to order the same thing— and that before the official opening too, which he technically isn’t allowed to do, but at this point you don’t even care anymore.

Okay— it was the first time that you embarrass yourself like that— but damn who can blame you? He’s so fine…

“ - Hello, what can I get for you?” You say trying to save face with your best customer service smile.

He raise an eyebrow giving you a skeptical look. From the first day that you served him, he would only take an espresso. And you’ve memorized this long ago, to the point where he didn’t even have to ask anything anymore. Usually this transaction is a silent one. Yet now you were trying to pretend. You couldn’t possibly have forgotten— he was literally the only one coming this early.

Fuck… Another mistake.

He sighed softly before quickly putting a hand on the counter in front of you.

Oh my god, he has veiny hands—ugh, how perfect can he get??

“ - Look at me.”

There’s one thing about him that you really, really find attractive, and it’s his eyes. His eyes… Beautiful, sumptuous turquoise orbs.

Your heart hammering inside your chest, you finally locks your eyes into his gaze.

A shiver instantly run through your spine as he stares you down with so much intensity that you can almost feel your legs give out. However, you always loved his cold gaze on you… it’s fascinating. Today though, is the first time you get lost into it, to the point where you never wanna leave. You feel vulnerable— naked under his gaze— but you don’t care at this point. It feels right. Like he could see through your very soul, like an open book. And the more he stares, the more you wants him to never stop looking at you.

His cold eyes which usually show little to no emotion… for some reason, feel different. You can’t quite explain it but you sense a shift in his gaze when another shiver runs through you.

“ - You seem distracted today” He says slowly blinking his eyes, pulling you out of your trance.

“ - S-Sorry… I’ll get you order right away!” Your breath hitch as you see the shadow of a smirk on the man’s lips.

When you finish preparing his order, you turn toward him and he looks at you searching for your eyes. You even catch a playful look in his eyes, but with your heart already racing in your chest, you can’t afford to get lost in his turquoise orbs again. You won’t survive. Dramatic, but true.

As you shyly hand him his order, your fingers brush against his, sending a shock electric through you.

With a sudden burst of confidence you speak stuttering a little.

“ - Hu— how…!”

“ - Yes?”

“ - I… Can I have your name?”

You squeak flustered, yet he chuckles, immediately reaching inside of his pocket’s shirt with his free hand— pulling a business card out of it.

He hands it to you.

𝐈𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐞… You read out loud.

The name rolls off your tongue, and goosebumps run from your head to your toes. He gives you a soft smile before heading to the door with his coffee. And at the same time the door bell rings. It’s your coworker, he’s finally here. Your glance at the clock. 7:38. Yeah he usually comes at this time.

“ - Oh hello boss!” He says cheerfully greeting Sae as he leaves.

Your eyes widen, and you quickly flip the card over. Sae’s personal number is written on the other side, along with the name of the café and his position inside the company.

Café owner.

Oh— oh.

Waffle’s note ➻ This idea randomly popped in my mind. I wasn’t supposed to do this but oh well. His eyes damn it— this man has me in a chokehold i swear 😩 anyway. It’s actually 4am here 🫠 still not sleeping but it was worth it. Tho I wish i could have described what his stare does to you better but mhh… guess I’ll have to go with that. Not proofread btw. To tired. I mean yes I did a little bit— but not as much as I would have liked.

(Edit: I edited everything the next day. Didn’t touch the story tho)

(Edit 2 : i change the title)

[tune-on-in-folks]

Day 6! Wow, I've almost been doing this for a week. My writing should be improving...Right?

Tags/Warnings: technically phone sex, mutual masturbation, fem!reader, use of toys, fem!receiving with said toys, masturbation, soft Vox, mention of murder, confession of feelings Word Count: 1,278

Two days. It had been two days since Vox had last seen you. For whatever reason, the investors he was meeting couldn’t come to him. Which meant he was two cities away from Pentagram City, two cities away from you.

And he was going insane.

The investors he was supposed to meet on the first day, couldn’t make it until his second day into the trip. Which extended his stay another day. On top of that, they were bumbling fools who were tripping over themselves to impress him. Which, coincidentally, meant that they were not impressing him. One bit. Vox was missing you badly. Somehow you managed to be his rock in the hellscape that was Hell, and without you by his side…Well, he was certain this trip would end with no investors, just two dead sinners.

He finally managed to get back to his hotel room at about eleven that night. Finally free from those idiots. Vox pulled off his suit jacket, kicked off his shoes, and pulled his bowtie free before face-planting onto the bed. You had offered to come with him on the trip, but he had- regrettably- declined. This was a business trip after all and what type of message would it send if he showed up with you by his side? He rolls onto his back, searching his pocket for his phone. He pulled it out, calling you. He didn’t expect you to pick up, with it being so late. But on the second ring, you did.

“Hey babydoll.” He greets idly, transferring the call over to the room’s TV.

He can hear the smile in your voice, “Hi, Vox. Long day?”

He chuckles, sitting up as your face appears on the TV. Video call, it was then. “You could tell?”

Seeing you smile, even though video, had his heart doing flips.

“I can always tell, Vox.” You say softly, casting your own phone screen to your computer monitor to see him closer.

He sighs, “I wish I had let you come with me. I’m exhausted, stressed. These sinners are complete idiots.”

You laugh softly, shaking your head. “Oh, whatever should you do?” Your tone was teasing, but remained soft.

He quirked an eyebrow, evidently not amused by your teasing. “Watch it, doll. I’ve already considered killing these two. I don’t need your sass today.”

You roll your eyes, giving Vox a slight pout. “Well then, what do you need?”

He fell back against the bed with a loud groan. “I need you.” Came his muttered reply.

“Ah, well. I’m sorry, but someone barred me from coming with you.” You say pointedly. “But perhaps we can do something over video?”

He sat back up slowly, intrigued despite his annoyance with you sassing him. “What do you have in mind, babydoll?”

You give him a soft smile, bordering on playful. “Well you did get me that new toy…”

He smirked, you definitely had his attention now. “I did…are you going to use it for me?”

A nod, followed by you pulling your shirt off over your head. You made sure to stay in the line of sight of your camera, shimmying off your pants. You sat back down at your desk, reaching for your drawer where you kept your arsenal of toys.

You still remember Vox being insulted you had so many at the start of, whatever your relationship was. But now, on the occasion he treated you to the best that money could buy. Or in this case, to whatever toy you wanted. You flash the new toy on camera for him, watching as he reaches to undo his own pants.

“I don’t think we’ve done this before.” You comment, slowly taking off your bra.

The movement catches Vox’s eye and he watches intently as your breasts spill free from their confines. “Done what before?”

“Mutual masturbation.” You state simply, slipping your panties off before spreading your legs for the camera, for him.

He hums, freeing his hardening length from his boxers. “Phone sex too, technically.”

“Technically.” You shrug, slipping the dildo between your legs, gasping at the cold feeling.

Vox’s eyes never leave your body, following your every move. You swirl the tip of the dildo around your clit before sliding it lower. You bite back another gasp at how cold the glass is.

“Oh doll, I wish you were here.” Vox moaned, slowly beginning to pump his cock, watching you.

You raise an eyebrow but keep your quips to yourself, teasing your entrance. You pull back, swirling the toy around your clit, then back again. Finally you slip it inside you, moaning at the sensation of being filled. Vox bites his bottom lip, holding back a groan at the sight. You pull it out to the tip then slowly push it back inside.

“Fuck you’re so wet.” He comments, his hand moving faster.

“Well I may have been ‘prepared’ shall we say, when you called.”

His eyes widened before he smirked. “You dirty, dirty girl. You were playing with yourself before I called?”

“I answered the call-” A sharp intake of breath as you sped up your movements, trying to keep in time with Vox’s hand pumping his length. “With my hand still down my pants.”

“Shit.” He curses, his eyes closing as he imagined it. “I miss you.”

Your eyes widened at his words, your pace faltering slightly. Sometimes your relationship with him borders into something softer. Something you were terrified to acknowledge in case doing so caused it to end.

“I… miss you too.” You admit softly, tentatively, speeding back up.

Your hips roll down against the dildo, meeting every thrust of your hand. Your arm was growing tired but you refused to stop, you were so close to your edge. Vox sped up even more, fucking up into his fist, his groans loud and unashamed. He had you blushing despite the lewd sounds spilling from your own lips.

“Fuccck.” He groaned, his eyes opening again to watch you.

You swallowed hard, shivering underneath his gaze, you moaned his name. “I’m so close.”

He sucks in a breath, “I am too. Cum for me baby, let me see you come undone for me.”

“Shit.” You gasped, your body tensing as an orgasm rolled through you.

You tried your best to fuck yourself through it, your pace faltering. Your release dampened the chair beneath you, your breathing ragged. Vox groaned again, slowing his hand as he came. His release splashed against his hand and dress shirt, staining it. He took a moment to catch his breath, his eyes meeting yours.

“When I get home I’m fucking you senseless, got it babydoll?” He asks, reaching for tissues to clean himself up.

You laugh softly, smiling again. “I’m looking forward to it, my love. When are you home?”

He groaned in annoyance, flopping back onto the bed, his cock softening. “I’m here for two more fucking days. But then I’ll be home and I’ll be all yours.”

“You better be. I’m going to get cleaned up, I’ll see you soon.” You say, shifting to grab your phone and end the call. “I love you.”

You freeze, your eyes widening as you realize you just told Vox you loved him. Something that neither of you had ever done, or discussed for that matter.

“Love you too.” He replied, ending the call before you could.

Vox, much like you, froze in realization of the words exchanged- the feeling behind them. He ran a hand down his face, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. That was new. After a moment he laughed, the sound filling the small hotel room.

New, indeed. But not unwelcome.

[yenqa]

lucky day

in which jake freaks out and sells you coffee for 90% off for “wear a blue shirt” day.

warnings — profanity, umm theyre awkward

pairing — jake x gn!reader

wordcount — 612

a/n — happy jake day!! technically its tmrw for me but who cares!!

You push the door open, smiling at the ring of the bell when you walk in, standing still, you scan the menu, praying they have your order.

Spotting it, you let out a smile walking up to the counter, hearing the familiar greeting.

“Hi! What can I get for you?” Jake cringes at his shaky voice, but you just smile sweetly at him, saying your order. He nods, quietly repeating your order to himself, hands slightly jittery at the pretty person in front of him.

Realizing he’s taking way too long to punch in your order, he looks up at you with wide eyes, letting out an awkward apology before finishing the order.

You chuckle, saying, “No worries, I probably would take awhile to punch in an order too.”

Jake straightens himself, now looking down slightly at you, “Third day on the job.” He jokes. You laugh along with him, noticing his slight accent.

“Where’s your accent from?”

“Sorry?”

“Your accent, did you live abroad for a while?”

He’s slightly shocked that you even noticed it, he’s tried to keep it hidden but he soon realized it was harder than it seemed. He nods, “I used to live in Australia,” He says, finished inputting your order.

You let your mouth open slightly, “That’s pretty far from here! Must’ve been a pretty big change for you to move.”

“I wouldn’t mind doing it again to see a pretty face like yours.”

Giving him a slightly shocked stare, it’s quickly transferred to a flustered smile, trying to look at anything with him. Though he seems entirely flustered too, looking down at the till trying to distract himself.

Quickly getting rid of your smile you look back at him, “So..?”

“So what?”

“What’s my total, pretty boy?”

He chokes on his saliva, barely letting out a “60 cents.”

“What? Isn’t my coffee supposed to be 6 dollars?”

Fuck, maybe hiring him for the job wasn’t the best idea management had considering he couldn’t read when someone gorgeous was infront of him. Though, his mistake was already out and he was too embarrassed to take it back, instead, he says the first thing to come to mind.

“It’s “Wear a blue shirt day”, you get 90% off!”

He thinks he’s officially done for.

“I’m not wearing blue?” You look down at your very obviously, white shirt. Looking back up you see him with a dumbfounded expression.

“I guess today’s your lucky day!” He answers, you let out a weirded our expression paired with a smile. Handing him some coins you chuckle at the few coins falling into his hands, giving him your name and walking to an empty place.

He hastily makes your drink, adding the correct mixture before calling out your name, patiently waiting for you to walk up to him.

“Thank you, pretty boy,” You grab the drink, letting your hands ever so lightly brush his hands.

“I’ll see you around, right?”

You laugh, nodding and walking to the doors. Once you exit the cafe, you’re quick to spin your drink around for any part you need to mix, instead, you’re met with a handwritten message, one rushed to write.

Stopping to read it, you scan the text, “i’d like to see you again, call me? (you dont have to obviously) shift ends at five <3, ***-***-****.

Letting out a breathy laugh, you look through the glass walls of the cafe to see a hopeful expression. You nod at him, waving goodbye. And out of the corner of your eye, you swear you can see him celebrate.

perm taglist — @jwnghyuns @ja4hyvn @trsrina @redm4ri @badmuni @yeokii @enhastolemyheart @softpia @s00buwu @ox1-lovesick @boyfhee @hanniluvi @teddywonss

yenqa © please do not copy, steal or translate.

[fuck-customers]

This situation truly felt like the closest I've ever gotten to reenacting the L vs. Light from Death Note battle lmaoo I kept my cool and plausible deniability, but I was dying laughing internally.

(I think I've won the battle, btw. I'll have to wait and see. There's more to this war, though)

So, for background (and I've complained about this on this blog several times...sorry) my moron boss refuses to put price tags/signs on the products in the store, especially at the register. Considering I work in a retail store...this is obviously a problem. So I've made several attempts to get products priced, in varying degrees of extremity.

1. I made handmade signs/tags out of receipt paper/scratch paper and put them on the products around the register. (Candy, toys etc.) Braindead manager took them down.

2. All but 4 of the shopping carts at work are broken, but customers are stupid and still try to drag them halfway through the store and then abandon them or somehow blame me personally for them being broken. So I put signs on the broken ones and blocked them off. Dumbshit managers keep unblocking them and then customers try and fail to use them and abandon them throughout the store, rinse and repeat daily.

3. I then got the idea to go over my manager's head, but without having it fall back on me. Write to corporate. I originally started snatching receipts to leave negative reviews on the store survey, but that seemed to be a dead end, as the SM and DM are the ones who are supposed to read the surveys, but appear not to, as not a single thing was fixed in over 6 months of "customers" complaining weekly. (Usually at least 1 every 2-4 days)

4. I found a clearance price gun and tagged everything with it, even if it wasn't clearance. One way or another, it had a price on it, right? Of course the braindead moron took them off.

5. I then found actual price tags that were technically for different products, but had the same prices as our current candy, so I tagged the items with that. (For example, we'd have a tag for chocolate that we no longer carry that was $3.99 and we have some current chips on the shelf that are $3.99, so I'd just put the old tag for the current candy, since all customers need is the dollar amount and blacked out the old product description) These lasted longer than the previous attempts, but were ultimately taken down, but this is (hopefully) the turning point.

6. Just to really make sure something would change, a month or so after reusing old price tags, I (simultaneously, while also putting up old tags) made several fake emails posing as disgruntled customers and emailed corporate complaining about the lack of prices and the broken carts (among other things) at my specific location. (I did not name any specific employees or throw anyone under the bus. I just complained about the appearance of the store and any mention of employees was simply left at "the cashier" "the manager" etc. with no personally identifying info) I did this on the feedback section of the company website as well.

This all came to a head today when the braindead's mini-me (the ASM) pulled me aside before I clocked in today to basically call me out. She said that she knew that I was the one who put the handmade tags and also put "broken" signs on the broken carts and blocked them off. I, of course pretended not to know about it, because I'm not THAT stupid. But I'm not in trouble, because she has no real proof. (It was very much "I know that she knows and she knows that I know she knows lol) Anyway, she says (and we'll see about this) that new carts have been ordered and are on their way and also that she had to go around and undo all the tags (oh boohoo, she had to do her job, poor her) and will be putting real, correct tags on the products.

We'll see. In the meantime, "customers" are still going to leave bad reviews and contact corporate until changes are actually made for real. There are still other issues that need to be fixed, but are not as important as the lack of price tags and carts. (Such as the lack of price checkers, the shit radio music, the lack of employees, the dysfunctional inventory system, the bare shelves, the disorganized store, etc.)

Posted by admin Rodney

[devildomwriter]

Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly | Barbatos x Reader

.7K Words | GN Reader | CW: none, slightly Nsfwish

Barbatos was at the top of the ladder with boughs of holly in hand. He sighed as he hung the hundredth bunch and looked down the long corridor he had left.

The Little D.’s scrambled beneath him also trying to quickly hang the boughs. Barbatos wanted it done as soon as possible so Diavolo had as much time to enjoy the holiday spirit as he could.

Barbatos descended the ladder and moved it to the next window when a grin crossed his face. He turned around and bowed politely, “___ what a happy surprise. What brings you to the demon lord’s castle?”

You grinned and hugged him, “we've been dating for months, when will you stop being so formal?” You asked.

He chuckled and shook his head, “Old habits I suppose. Is there something I can help you with today?”

You shook your head. “Just the opposite. I wanted to help you decorate.”

He looked surprised but it melted into a pleased grin. “Oh my. How kind of you, ___.”

He eyed the boxes yet to be emptied and decided it would be okay to accept your help as long as it was really what you wanted.

He nodded and handed you a box with several bunches of holly. You started laughing and he gave you a puzzled look.

“I finally get to deck the halls with boughs of holly,” you chuckled.

Barbatos shook his head. “Oh, is that why you wanted to help?”

You quickly protested, “No, not at all. It was a funny coincidence that’s why I was laughing.”

Barbatos decided you were telling the truth and ascended the ladder again to continue where he left off.

You turned around and Little D. no.3 and Little D. no.6 brought you a ladder and scooted it to the correct spot.

“Will you hold it for me?” You asked them and they nodded. They were glad to have an excuse to stop running around. Little D. no.7 looked upset he hadn’t offered as he was most tired of them all.

Barbatos clicked his tongue in disappointment and the Little D.’s quickened their pace while their two brothers had a chance to relax by the ladder.

“Are you alright up there?” Barbatos asked, looking back every couple of seconds to make sure you hadn’t gotten scared.

It was a pretty tall ladder but you had the magic to support your fall so it didn’t worry you. A thought occurred to you and you sighed deeply. Barbatos turned back around to inquire if you were alright.

“Why aren’t we just using magic…”

He shook his head. “Did you forget it’s Devil Down Day?”

“Oh, is that today?”

Barbatos sighed and shook his head. “I hope you haven’t been using your magic, that would be a big problem.”

You shook your head. “Not unless getting here counts because that started in the human world technically.”

He nodded in approval, “I suppose that doesn’t violate anything.”

You smiled, relieved you weren’t in trouble with anyone, especially Barbatos. It was no secret you were fond of each other but he was a stickler for the rules even when you were involved so you had to be very careful to avoid breaking any.

“It always has some bad timing doesn’t it?”

Barbatos nodded, “it did nearly kill you last time if I recall.”

You chuckled nervously. “Yeah…don’t remind me.”

He descended the ladder and dismissed the Little D.’s holding you up to grab the ladder himself.

You began to descend when your foot missed a step. Barbatos’s eyes widened and he took a step up to catch you by your hips. You gasped and he carried you down even though it wasn’t necessary.

“Perhaps you could hold the ladders instead.”

You blushed, embarrassed. “Th-that was just an accident.”

“Well I should hope it was an accident and you weren’t falling on purpose so I’d carry you,” he teased and your face reddened.

“Huh?”

“If that were the case I may have to punish you for taking me away from my responsibilities,” he gave you a mischievous grin and you blinked in surprise.

Did he really mean what you think he meant? He was good at teasing you and denying it later, which you were already used to thanks to Lucifer.

“Wh-what kind of punishment?” You stuttered and it was his turn to laugh.

“What an adorable expression. Would you like to find out?”

You nodded and he beamed. He ordered the Little D.‘s to finish the decorations themselves and carried you away to his room.

You were “punished” until morning, though in your opinion it was more of a present. It was the perfect way to begin the holidays

[totheidiot]

10 fic lines !!

was tagged by @waxalas !!! make sure to check out that post. so. first lines of your latest 10 fics ! tagging @catboymettaton and @partingwayssoon and @breeze-tells-tales to do this with me also !! my deepest deepeest apologies if any of you have been tagged before </3

just like waxy, i do not have 10 fics and i am just touching on the death note fics because i would rather not think about my stranger things fics at all. so i'll be doing my wips as well !! so heree, have that barest snippets from them :)) i offer my thoughts about each opening alsoo

i. thy evil spirit [lawlight]

The ice-cold water from the faucet dripped on the basin in a methodical fashion.

i bet half of the fic is just light dealing with a tap, i kid you not. like turning it on. turning it off. water. that's all the fic is. this fic is a plumber's mediocre wet dream. i don't completely hate that first line though. it's kind of boring but it works. 3/10.

ii. perfumed roses [yagamane]

On February 14, Misa woke up in the crack of dawn, her mood cheery and her heart full.

ah. the cliche of a story starting with our protagonist waking up and starting their day. how intelligent. this also works though, it has this false-sense of comfort and happiness to it. it's kind of unsettling, especially since. y'know light is supposed to be dead and all. 6/10.

iii. oh to see without my eyes [misa amane-centric]

Every evening, to relieve herself of the stress of the day, she goes on a walk.

simple. the writing is almost dull which is the intention. it gets to the point very nicely. like hell yeah, she is going on a walk. 7/10.

iv. bill of lading [teru mikami-centric]

As you get ready for bed at exactly eleven o'clock, Miss Kiyomi Takada calls you.

technically not even a fic, just a choose your own adventure game i am making for mikami week but i am going to put it here so i can hit the 10 fics mark. nothing to say. it's dull in a way that it was NOT the intention. i need to change this. 1/10.

v. parapraxis [mikalawlight]

"His name is L Lawliet."

i once read this writing tip where you should never start a story with a dialogue and that tip makes nonsense but i still follow it so religiously. this is the only exception because i really do think it works nicely. it puts you right in the action, in that pivotal moment where light learns L's name and in the fic, still refuses to kill him. might be one of the best in this list. 8/10.

vi. i am just a ghost (so i can't hurt you anymore) [lawlight]

He died in his arms, at least. That was perhaps L's only comfort.

okay we are getting something mhm mhm. this fic is what i consider my manum opus so it better be a nice and snappy opening and. it kind of didn't disappoint. it's tragic, it's a little romantic. which is the exact defination of this fic if i am being honest. 9/10.

vii. the telling gets old [lawlight]

On the morning of November 5, 2007, Light Yagami woke up, completely aware that today, L will die. And he had never been so happy in his life.

why do i have two whole fics where the protagonist just. wakes up. what the hell. okay but i will give this a pass though, because i do think it works. this is the lawlight timeloop au and it begins in the average timeloop fashion, character waking up in the day that is going to loop. nicely done here. like hell yeah, L is going to die. very nicely foreboding. 7/10.

viii. a heart that's full up like a landfill [meronia]

Mello's body is nothing but ash and debris in the ground of an abandoned, incinerated church—so Near visits an empty grave each year.

my writing is one of the things i am just a little insecure about, i know full well that i am not a good writer. BUT DAMN? DAMN? THIS LINE? i am the best writer in the world. like i have nothing to say. just read it. isn't that the best line you have ever read? no notes. 10/10.

now. i don't have any more. this is literally all i have, i have nothing more. only eight, there's technically another lawlight wip i have but i haven't started writing even a single line for it so you guys just get this much !!

[awkward-halfhug]

to soften rough edges | gally x oc

series summary: Subject B10 Rosalind Franklin (Frankie) was supposed to be sent to Group B. Due to a mixup by an incompetent WICKED employee, she was sent to Group A, the all-boys maze.

How will her unexpected appearance affect the variables, the Glade, and the lives of everyone in it?

For one Glader in particular, Frankie might be changing, not only his present, but his entire life going forward. And not because he can't get her to stop following him around like a baby duck.

...Well, not only

(also on my ao3)

chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

6.9k

concerned friends and borrowed clothes

Frankie woke up before sunrise. Although, technically she'd woken up about a million times in the night, tossing and turning. She felt awake, but not rested. 

It had been a weird day yesterday. Frankie was hoping today would be more normal. Don't get her wrong, she thought it was super sweet that Gally, Newt, Alby and the Keepers were looking out for her. She felt better than before about it all. A little bit anyways. But she still felt ....uneasy. She didn't want to tell Gally that, though. He seemed worried enough as it was and there wasn't actually anything wrong today. She just felt weird about the whole thing still. 

But...she did tell Gally she wouldn't keep things from him. She told him she would tell him about her weird feelings, even if she thought they weren't a big deal. And this didn't feel like a big deal to her. But he did say he wanted to hear about her not-big-deal thoughts and feelings. Right? Or was this too small of a not-big-deal? Was she supposed to tell him all of her feelings? She had a lot of them; did he want an update at the end of every day?

No. That's probably not what he meant. Probably just the stuff like if she feels safe or not. Right? That's basically what he said, wasn't it? Frankie frowned. She couldn't remember his exact wording right now. She'd ask him later.

Lying in her hammock, Frankie took a deep breath and tried to put her confused thoughts aside for a moment. 

She stared up at the tree limbs above her. A bird tweeted from somewhere nearby; she couldn't see from where, but it was somewhere from the left. A few moments later an answering tweet sounded from her right. Such a pretty conversation. Frankie wondered if their conversations ever sounded pretty to the birds. 

She tried to focus on them. On the birds. Tried to wonder what they were saying. Wondered if it counted as eavesdropping if she couldn't understand what the chirps meant. 

Then she heard Gally start to stir beside her and she realized the sun was rising. The day would start and Frankie would have to start with it.

She'd be training with the Track-hoes today. She had liked learning with the Med-Jacks yesterday. She hoped today would go just as well. Training-wise anyway. Newt would be there, at least.

She stretched her limbs out like a cat, straining the muscles until she couldn't anymore. She immediately regretted the action as her muscles relaxed and she practically melted into her hammock in comfort. She should've done that hours ago; maybe she'd have gotten more sleep. Now, as she was supposed to get up, she felt relaxed enough for proper rest. Go figure. Frankie really didn't like this whole stressing all night thing. She dared to hope the day wouldn't require too much of her physically, but she knew that was a dumb thought. She'd need to be awake for whatever job she did.

"You okay?" Gally asked groggily, and Frankie realized she'd sighed. Gally yawned as he maneuvered his legs to the floor and rubbed his face.

"Just tired. Didn't sleep very much."

Gally grunted and stretched his arms over his head. "How come?"

"I dunno. Too many thoughts. Yesterday was a lot."

Gally nodded, eyebrows high, in obvious agreement. "Well, today will be different." He got to his feet. "But anything happens, you come get me, right? We agreed on that?"

Actually they'd only agreed she'd tell him. She figured that meant whenever they ran into eachother, or at the end of the day. The thought of searching him out immediately if something happens is a strange one. She felt an uncomfortable twinge in her stomach at the idea of pestering him at work. But if this is what he'd meant, then he must not be bothered by the thought like she is. And truthfully, it did sound nice to be able to turn to him immediately in any times of need.

"Yeah. Agreed." Frankie smiled tiredly at him, and got up from her hammock as well. "Shower?" She looked at Gally hopefully.

He smiled apologetically at her. "Only if your clothes are ready. Sloppers are in charge of laundry and they've got a lot of boys'–people's– clothes to wash. If they've even washed yours yet, they might not be dry."

So no shower every day. "How long does it usually take the clothes to get done?" Frankie asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer. Gally was right, there were a lot of boys here, so a lot of laundry to get done everyday.

"Sometimes a day, sometimes two or three. Sometimes four, depending on how lazy the Sloppers are. Usually it's two days, though." Gally looked somewhat uncomfortable giving this information. "So yeah. No, um, no daily showers. Sorry." He averted his eyes as he pulled his boots on. 

Frankie considered this while she pulled her boots on as well. Two days might not be too bad. It's not a week. And she can imagine she'd be too tired some days to take a shower if she was honest with herself. Thinking about it, she didn't actually want to take a shower this morning anyway. Would she be cleaner? Yes. But she was tired. This kind of gave her an excuse to be lazy.

"It's okay." Frankie told him. Actually, was it? Frankie covertly sniffed her armpits while Gally's back was turned. Okay, yeah, she was fine. This was okay.

"I'll be working on better locks for the bathroom and showers today. In the meantime, you'll have a guard whenever you shower. Hope you don't mind."

Frankie didn't mind, depending on who it was. Once Gally told her who had volunteered though, she felt completely at ease with the idea.

Gally and Frankie each got their boots on, and they walked together to breakfast in comfortable silence.

--

"Hey Fry, how are you today?" 

Frypan gave Frankie a long assessing look before replying. "I'm good Frankie. Are you good?"

Frankie thought about it for only a moment. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Fry raised his brow. "Okay? You sure?"

Frankie nodded. "I'm sure."

Nodding to himself, Frypan started piling food on a plate, hesitated, then added a couple more spoonfuls of scrambled eggs, and adding an apple for good measure. " That's good to hear. But if you're ever not good" Frypan leveled a serious look directly into Frankie's eyes, "you can tell me."

Frankie smiled at the sweet boy. As he handed her the plate. "Okay, Fry."

"And if you ever feel like you'd rather sit back with me again during a meal than out there with those losers, that's just fine with me babygirl, you know that."

"Gotcha."

Frypan pulled her plate back and spooned one last bit of eggs onto her plate and then handed it back. 

"Okay, now, go on, git." He told her, relishing her answering giggle.

--

The sun was hot in the sky today, and it was still morning. Frankie was walking with Newt over to the fields to start Track-hoe training. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the strip of fabric Gally had ripped off his own shirt and used as a make-shift hair tie the day before. She pulled her hair into it and knotted it behind her head again.

She was feeling good today, despite the heat. Breakfast was good. Frypan was sweet, and although he'd given her too much food, Gally had shown no hesitation eating whatever she had left on her plate. He'd sat next to her, and whether he knew it or not, he was in the perfect position to shield her from view of Joe. Which, she shouldn't need. It's not like his eyes on her could harm her. But somehow she still didn't want him looking at her. She was very glad for Gally, in many ways.

So, breakfast was good. Her hair was off her neck now, and she was ready to go.

Newt was walking next to her and kinda giving her not covert glances out of the corner of his eye every now and then. 

"What's wrong?" 

Newt looked startled to be caught. "Oh, uh. Just...you're good, yeah?"

"Yes, Newt. I'm good." She smiled at him but the wrinkle in his brow didn't go away. It was sweet of him to worry, but he looked a little too worried. "So, what are we doing today?"

Newt shook his head as if to shake the thoughts into place. "Uh, we'll have to introduce you to Zart first; he's Keeper. Technically he'll be giving you your job for today, but most likely harvesting, at some point at least. Cucumbers look about ready. And avocados." A smile finally lit his face as he remembered about the avocados. 

"Avocados, really?" Frankie didn't remember eating any avocados, obviously. Just images of them flashing in her head to remind her what they were. But she did have a feeling she liked them. The images left her feeling happy. And they were cheering Newt up, and that, she was excited about.

Newt seemed to animate even more. She wasn't sure if he was just this excited about his job usually, or if he liked avocados this much. "Really! This is the second year they've actually produced any fruit. There are so many! We had some good rain and Zart was thinking that extra water must be important since they produced so much more than last year, when we had less rain."

Newt had started using his hands in his explanation and Frankie couldn't help smiling at her friend's enthusiasm for the fruit. Or possibly farming in general, since he was still just as excited when he started talking about the tomato yield so far. He was just telling her about the wheat being near ready to harvest when they arrived at the farming area.

Frankie had seen the fields and orchards from afar, but up close they looked so expansive. She found herself both excited to get started and a little overwhelmed. Newt had quieted and was giving her a minute to take it all in. She looked from left to right and stood on her tiptoes to see how far the wheat went on for.

"You ready, greenie?" Newt asked her.

Frankie trailed her hand along a few stalks of wheat. Poky.

"Yeppers."

--

Newt led her to a storage shed where Zart and a few other boys were pulling on gloves and grabbing various tools.

Zart was a tall boy, stocky, blonde and fair skinned. Although he wasn't necessarily mean, he didn't smile upon greeting her. Instead, he immediately turned and called the other Track-hoes around him. 

Without warning, he began telling all the boys about new rules and how not to be a creep, and she should've been prepared for this she knew, but it felt like yesterday all over again. The boys kept giving her curious glances and she felt their eyes boring into her. She felt embarrassed. The sun felt like it was pricking at her skin hotter than before. She tried to focus on Zart but now all she could think about was how hot she was and how people were staring, and how Zart smelled really bad. Just, really bad. She felt bad for thinking it immediately. He smells like flowers she tried to convince herself. But then she felt bad for lying to herself. Lying is bad. But maybe he smelled like... not-so-great smelling flowers? No. Best to face facts. The boy smelled like spoiled milk. 

Suddenly, Zart was looking at her as if she was expected to answer him, or do something. Had he finished the rules talk and assigned her to work? But work on what? She hadn't paid attention! Was it his fault because of the spoiled milk smell, or hers for not ignoring it and not paying attention? Probably hers. But in her defense, the smell was getting harder to endure the longer she stood there. 

He was still looking at her, now with a little confused furrow in his brow. Darn it! Distracted again. Stupid milk! 

"Ummm..."

Newt stepped forward, placed a hand on her shoulder, and smiled at Zart. "I'll just help her get familiar with everything then, shall i?" It seemed like Newt was deferring to Zart as the actual keeper of the Track-hoes, but Frankie got the feeling Newt was speaking with his Second-in-Command voice. 

She was glad for it. 

As Zart gave an indifferent shrug and went back to what he was doing, Newt led her to the tools and leaned in close to Frankie's ear. "Didn't get a word did you?" He asked.

Could Newt be a mind reader? "Yeah...how–?"

Newt pursed his lips and nodded his head sagely. "Bad milk, right?"

She was even more shocked. "Yes!" She exclaimed. Then, looked around and noticed others looking over, curious at her outburst. "Yes", she whispered, "how did you know?

"It's generally hard to focus on anything Zart says when you first meet him. Every greenie has the same trouble with it. After a while you get used to it, and can remember critical details he's mentioned, but it does take a while to get to that point, let me tell you." 

She was doubly glad Newt had her back today.

They got her set up with a pair of gardening gloves and a basket.

"So what was it Zart was talking about?" She asked timidly, still feeling bad about focusing on poor Zart's milk smell.

"Harvesting, like I figured. There's a lot to get done."

"What are we harvesting?" Frankie asked as she pulled on the gloves.

"Avocados" Newt waggled his eyebrows at her and she laughed.

"Ah, the prized fruit. And on my first day!"

Newt nodded seriously. "Right-o. Count yourself fortunate."

Newt led her to the avocados trees, where a few other boys were already picking fruit.

"Lee. Wil." Newt gave a nod to each boy. Frankie recognized them vaguely, but she didn't think she'd actually met them. But apparently this wasn't the time for big introductions. Frankie barely managed a wave to each boy and a shouted "Hi, I'm Frankie!" In their direction, to which she received nods in return, before Newt was leading her past them toward the rows of trees with brown and green ovular fruits hanging on them.

"Ta-da" Newt turned to her and did jazz hands in front of the avocados and Frankie laughed. Newt smiled, pleased.

"Alright, now, these ones here," Newt pointed to several fruit that were more green than brown. "These need to stay on the tree a little bit longer. Ooh, especially you, little fella."

Frankie giggled.

"These, right here," Newt plucked one of the avocados he was now indicating, "are ready." He tossed her the avocados and she squeaked while reaching, then juggling, then promptly dropping the avocado.

Frankie picked it up and frowned. It had a squished spot now.

Newt snorted. "I'll make sure to tell Frypan that one's all yours, then, shall I?"

Frankie narrowed her eyes at him and when he turned his back toward the trees again, she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Saw that." Newt said, without turning somehow.

Frankie's eyes widened and she slowly retracted her tongue.

Clearing her throat, Frankie walked up beside Newt. "So just pick the brown ones?"

"Well, almost. You've gotta check how it feels too. Like this one, see?" He hands her an avocado. "Feel that? Yeah, that one's just right. That one on the other hand, you feel that?" He switched the avocados in their hands. "This one needs another day or two. Probably."

"Probably?"

"It's not an exact science, Frankie. It's basically just fondling the things until you find ones squishy enough."

Frankie scrunched her nose at his wording. Just, all of his wording. That whole sentence, she didn't like.

"Okay..." Frankie eyed the tree for an appropriately brown looking fruit and specifically did not fondle the thing, she simply...groped it...no. Uh...man-handled? It? That sounded marginally better in her head. She man-handled the fruit, pressing down—

"Gently!"

— gently, with her fingertips. It gave a little and she made sure not to press any harder in case it bursted. "I think this one's good. Right?" Frankie looked to the boy for his input.

Newt grabbed the avocado and inspected it himself before smiling. "That's perfect. Now, just keep doing that and I'll get us a basket for our findings. Be back in a jiff."

Smiling, Frankie set out in search of more perfectly ripe avocados. This day was going to be easy.

———

This day was not easy. Who knew that just moving her arms repetitively could be so exhausting? She could not believe the boys around her have been doing this day in and day out and their arms haven't fallen off. Yet. It's gotta be just a matter of time for them at this point.

The other thing was, Frankie wasn't sure she had this whole manhandling-till-she-found-the-ripest-avocado thing down as well as she thought she did. It was just, after the first few avocados, she started to compare with the last ones and she couldn't tell if the fact that the newer ones were squishier meant that she'd picked unripe ones before or if they were both ripe and she was overthinking it. Maybe there was some ripe-ness wiggle room. 

Regardless, because of this, she wasn't sure if she'd picked too many or too few avocados. Or, perhaps, just the right amount. Frankie had an image of three bears flash in her head for a moment but couldn't quite figure out what that had to do with the avocados. 

They were all in the basket Newt had given her. He was working at another tree down the row. He was much faster at this than she was. Practice, she supposed. And confidence, certainly. She wished she had his fruit-picking confidence.

She lifted the basket and practically dragged it beside her, heading for Newt. The basket was much heavier than she'd expected. Either the fruit were much heavier than they looked, or Frankie's arms lacked a certain athleticism she was beginning to suspect she was going to need in the Glade. Could be both.

She huffed as discreetly as she could as she drag-carried the basket to just beside the boy. Frankie took a moment to catch her breath.

"Alrighty, now what?"

Newt looked up from his fruit man-handling and flicked his eyes from her to the basket and back. "Oh, good haul. Just take that on over to the Homestead for the Cooks to do what they will with, and then come back here."

Frankie felt herself panicking at the thought of lugging the evil little fruit all the way to the Homestead and trudging back. Newt must've seen it on her face because he got a bemused look in his own face and then offered "Or, I could do that, and you could flag down Brandon for some water, yeah? How's that sound?"

Frankie smiled gratefully. "Sounds really good. Thank you."

"'Course. Be back." Newt took her basket with apparent ease, and began the trek to the Homestead. 

Except, actually, the avocados must be at least a little heavy for him as well, because he was now walking funny. Frankie felt relieved it wasn't just her. 

Turning, she set out to look for Brandon, who she assumed must be in the general vicinity if she could flag him down from here.

———

When Newt returned, Frankie waved him over to where she and Brandon were standing. She figured Newt could use a water break as well. Watching him make his way over to her, she was doubly glad she did. The funny walk from earlier had become more pronounced. Those avocados must've done a number on him. Maybe she wasn't the only one not quite cut out for physical labor. Although, if that was the case for Newt, why was this his job, she wondered.

He reached her, not out of breath in the slightest and she frowned just slightly. Maybe he was cut out for this. But the funny walk... Hmm..

"This for me, Frankie? You're a right sweetheart."

"Uhh, I brought you the water, actually." Brandon looked affronted. Rightfully so, as he did actually lug all this water over here in buckets, which was probably even heavier than the avocados that were giving Frankie such a hard time.

"Yeah, but you ignore me when I try to flag you down, yet you come for her. She's the reason I've  got a drink right now and we both know it. Ergo, you are not the sweetheart in this scenario, Brandon."

Frankie frowned a little at Brandon. "Why don't you bring Newt water?"

Brandon huffed a long-suffering sigh and glanced at Newt. "Rat."

Newt shrugged, sipping his water. "Rats gotta drink, too."

Brandon rolled his eyes and looked back to Frankie. He shrugged. " 's'heavy."

"But Brandon, what if you ignore his hand when he's been working really hard in the field all day, and he's tired and he's sweat all of the water out of his body and Newt dies of dehydration? You'd have to live with his blood on your hands for the rest of your life! You can't want that, Brandon, seriously!" Frankie pleaded, her eyes urgent.

Brandon looked incredulously from her to Newt. 'Blood on my hands?' He mouthed to Newt.

Newt smirked. " Hey mate, if you can live with that on your conscience, on your head be it. Me, I'd listen to the girl."

Frankie nodded enthusiastically, looking serious as a heart attack.

Brandon sighed. "Fine. I'll...work harder" he 

grumbled, looking down and kicking a rock with his foot.

Frankie's face flooded with relief. "Thank you, Brandon!"

Brandon laughed. "For you. And so that my hands stay free from blood guilt."

Frankie smiled up at Newt victoriously, and Newt smiled back.

After finishing both their cups of water, Newt waved Brandon off, with a murmured, "Thanks. For once."

Frankie smacked him slightly.

"For this. Thanks for this, mate."

"Yeah, yeah." Brandon waved at both Newt and Frankie before picking up his buckets of water and wandering toward another patch of probably thirsty Gladers.

"Alright, next up. Tomahtoes."

Frankie smiled. "Tomaytoes?"

"'S what i said."

Frankie hummed happily and followed Newt to the tomato vines.

———

The sun felt like it was beating directly down onto Frankie's neck. Her pits were sweaty and her face was overheated, but it was her neck that felt like it was on fire.

Frankie looked at the others working around her, in between fields and orchards and vines. The sun was beating down on all of them the same and yet no one was complaining. Frankie was impressed, but a little sad at the thought that they had to deal with this oppressive heat on them every day. It felt like the sun was actively attacking her, with his fiery hand searing into her nape.

Now that she was feeling the heat to its full extent, she started noticing something she probably should have noticed earlier. Several of the boys had what looked like sunburns on their faces or necks or arms or even their legs. The most skin she saw, the more red. Some were more obvious than others, like Zart, because of how pale his skin was. Earlier, Frankie was mostly trying to not think about what he smelled like; she hadn't paid that much attention to him besides that, which she felt bad for. But she could see him picking vegetables a little ways off and he definitely had the worst sunburn of everyone there. 

The poor boy.

Newt came over to her to switch out baskets with her. He'd instructed her on how to pick the right tomatoes and she'd been working at it for a while. Her basket was nearly full, but not completely, so before switching hers out for the empty one in Newt's hand, she picked one last plump looking tomato off the vine and placed it on top of its brothers and sisters in the basket. She then handed it over to Newt and smiled.

"You're getting the hang of things quick, aren't you?"

Frankie preened. Ignoring the ache in her arms and back, and all the sweating, maybe she could do this as a job. Newt seemed to like her progress so far, anyway.

"Alright, lunch time." 

Frankie's stomach grumbled as if in answer to Newt, and they both laughed.

They headed first to the shed to put their gloves and baskets down, and then made for the Homestead for lunch.

Looking at her companion as they walked, Frankie frowned. Newt was still walking funny.

"Hey Newt?"

"Hmm?" He glanced at her. She noticed he was a step behind her, so she slowed her pace to match his.

"Are you okay?"

Newt smiled confusedly at her. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"It's just just, you've been walking a little weirdly since earlier. I thought maybe you twisted your ankle or something."

Newt's eyes widened for a second but then he averted his eyes and they returned to normal. "Ah. No need to worry, love. Just an old injury, sometimes flares up with exertion, that's all."

"An old injury?" 

"Yep." Newt nodded, then turned to face ahead of them. 

Frankie wanted to ask him what happened, but when they neared the lunch line, Newt started talking about vegetables again, and she figured maybe he didn't want to talk about it.

———

Lunch left her feeling full and happy. She had sat with Wil and Lee at their lunch table, and actually got to talk with them, without fields of veggies in the way. They were both nice to her, and she made them both laugh when she asked them to list their top three favorite vegetables. She wasn't sure why they laughed, exactly, but it made her happy she accomplished it anyway. 

But now, they were all spread out amongst the rows of fields again. This time, Newt had put her to work weeding, and she didn't like it nearly as much as picking fruit.

The boys around her that were also weeding were all squatting while they picked weeds, and she'd started out doing the same. But boy, was that not something her legs enjoyed. Pretty much all of her legs, but especially her calves and thighs and even her ankles, were pleading with her to put an end to the torture within minutes of her attempting to pull the weeds that way.

She decided torturing her poor legs wasn't getting the job done any better than if her legs weren't being tortured, so she forewent the squatting altogether and sat down completely on the floor, and started pulling weeds that way.

She did not think she had ever had a better idea than this one. She didn't  know why everyone wasn't simply sitting on the ground, but if they truly wanted their legs to hate them, it wasn't for her to judge. That was between them and their own legs. Her legs, however, were thanking her.

That wasn't to say the weeding was pain-free, exactly. Her back did hurt from hunching, but Frankie resigned herself to some sort of pain, and she found her back was more tolerable.

She got into a rhythm. Sit down, pull weeds, stretch out her back, and then crawl over to the next section, and repeat. She did this until Zart found her. His only response was a tilted head, a wrinkle in his brow and a confused sounding "Okay...?" She was going to ask him if she was doing a good job but before she could, he was already shaking his head slightly while he huffed a laugh under his breath and then he just walked off again. 

She was sweating like a dog by the time Newt found her later. Or wait, no. Dogs don't sweat, do they? That was why they pant, wasn't it? Because they can't sweat. A pig then. She was sweating like a pig. But actually, couldn't pigs not sweat either? They rolled around in the mud to cool off, didn't they? Well, she was sweating like something that actually sweats, at any rate. Despite her earlier conversation with Gally, she was really hoping her clothes were clean.

Newt had his hands on his hips and an amused look on his face as he looked down at her. He looked like he was holding back a laugh.

"Really getting in there, huh?"

"Hmm?" Frankie asked. Sort of. If 'hmm' counted as a question, anyway.

"Becoming one with the soil. Getting dirt under your fingernails...et cetera." Newt snorted.

Ah. Yes, that did seem to be a side effect of her weed plucking method. The boys around her looked sweaty and exhausted but none looked quite as 'one with the soil' as she did.

"I stand by my choices." Frankie insisted.

"Right. Well, whatever gets the job done, suppose." Newt shrugged. "Come on, let's drop off our gloves, and maybe you can shake yourself out like a dog before we head to dinner, yeah?"

She should probably be offended, but the imagery made her laugh.

She did, indeed, do her best impression of a dog before dinner. It did practically nothing. Newt laughed at her all the way to dinner.

———

Gally saw Frankie approaching their usual table with Newt in tow. The other boy gave Gally a nod before turning toward Frankie.

"Good work today" Newt told her, and she beamed. "Alright, supper's calling. I'll see you shanks later." And with that, the boy took his place in line.

Frankie unceremoniously plopped herself down onto the bench and flopped her upper body on the table in front of her.

Gally snorted. "You good there?"

Frankie grunted into the table.

"That bad, huh?" Gally tried to keep the humor out of his voice, but her dramatics were making it hard.

She mustered what looked to be all the strength left in her body and lifted her head. "I didn't realize how tired I was until just now. I don't think I can move my body anymore today." She looked forlornly at him.

"You're not gonna go to bed then? Just gonna stay there all night?"

He watched in amusement as she nodded her head in resignation of the idea. "I'm going to have to."

"What about food? Not gonna get in line?" 

At that, her head slowly turned until she stared in dramatic longing at the kitchen. Her bottom lip pouted. "No food for me." 

Gally barked out a laugh and rose from his seat. "Alright, well, I'm gonna go see what Frypan's cooked up. You just keep melding with the table."

Standing in line, Gally's eyes snagged on Scott and Henry, huddled up at their usual table, looking like they were having a serious conversation. They kept sneaking glances at Frankie, and while that got a raised eyebrow from him, Gally was now at the front of the line and had to focus on the task at hand.

By the time Gally returned to his and Frankie's table, Henry and Scott were approaching from the other direction.

Gally placed his plate of food down, and then placed another in front of Frankie's nose. The girl's face lit up as she looked from the food to him and back again. 

"You fed me!" 

Gally smirked. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get used to it."

Frankie ignored that and clapped her hands in excitement, before digging it.

He'd almost forgotten the boys' impending approach until they were in front of their table. Too busy watching Frankie do a little happy dance in her seat while she ate.

Henry cleared his throat and both Gally and Frankie looked up. Scott was standing a bit behind Henry, blocking him from Frankie's view. Both boys had looks of concern on their faces. Finally, Henry spoke up.

"Hey Gally. Frankie. Look, I'll cut to the chase; are you okay?"

Frankie looked confused for a moment, still enjoying her mouthful.

"Did something happen? We heard those rules today, and well, we got worried."

It seemed to dawn on Frankie what they were talking about then, and she looked down at her plate. "No, it's okay, nothing–"

Gally cut her a look.

"–nothing serious happened."

Gally rolled his eyes at her downplaying the situation. Henry looked comforted by her words, but Scott still looked, rightfully, concerned.

He stepped forward. In a quieter voice than Gally was used to hearing from the boy, Scott spoke. "If someone's uh, bothering you...you can, tell us, about it. We'll uh, we'll have your back." 

Frankie changed from avoiding eye contact to looking up at the two boys. She looked touched. "Thank you. Really."

Scott nodded, and then just sort of stood there, avoiding looking at the girl again, until Henry took initiative and sat down at their table, pulling Scott down beside him.

Guess they had company now.

Henry changed the subject and the slight tension in Frankie's shoulders eased up. The conversation turned to some trouble some of the animals got into at Henry's job today, and Frankie's eyes lit up.

"Hey, actually, I have a question for you, Henry."

"Go for it." Henry nodded encouragingly.

"Do pigs sweat?"

Gally laughed at her random question, but then something caught his eye.

"Hey, uh, I'll be back. Bathroom."

——

Joe was leaving the bathroom as Gally approached. This was not a coincidence and they both knew it.

Joe saw him and barely bat an eye, making to walk past him. Gally shot an arm out and stopped the boy.

For a moment Gally just stared at him, eyes boring into the other boy's.  Joe, however, seemed unfazed, even bored. "What?"

"If you so much as think about her again, I'll make you wish you were banished."

Joe remained unbothered. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise" Gally's voice was steady as he said it and he found he meant it.

Joe had the audacity to look amused. "And what are you gonna do if I do? You can't hurt me, unless you want to be banished yourself. And then who would protect poor little Frankie, hm?" Joe pouted with mock-concern.

Gally just glared at the other boy. It was all he could do, and they both knew it.

"That's what I thought" Joe scoffed, before walking past Gally, making sure to knock his shoulder hard into Gally's as he did so.

Gally seethed in silence as he watched the shank retreat.

——

By the time Gally returned to the table, after using the restroom and taking a few minutes to calm down, dinner seemed to be over. Fine by him because his appetite was effectively gone.

The only people left were a few slow eaters at various tables, and Frankie. She had waited for him. He managed a smile at that.

"You think you can work up enough energy to walk to bed, or is that your new pillow?"

Frankie's head popped up from its position resting on the table and she hopped off the bench with newfound energy.

"I think I can manage now that my belly's full." She grinned toothily up at him.

"Mmhmm. I can see that." They began to walk at a leisurely pace.

"Actually..." Frankie looked up at Gally with big eyes. "So I know we just talked about it this morning, but do you think we could check to see if my clothes are done yet? I kinda..." Frankie holds her arms out from her body and then lets them fall back to her sides.

Now that she'd brought it up, he couldn't help but tease her a little.

"Yeah, how are you so dirty? I see Track-hoes every day and they manage to keep their dirt to a minimum, but you..."

Frankie laughed, letting out an offended "Hey!"

"What'd you do, roll around in the soil?" He was mostly teasing her reaction, but he was also genuinely curious. How had she managed to get this filthy?

Frankie blushed as she answered. "I didn't roll around...exactly." She then explained her particular method of pulling out weeds.

Gally blinked for a moment. He then laughed, good at hard. He couldn't decide if it was an incredibly lazy or ingenious way to work in the fields. She started to defend herself but the image of her on her butt, picking weeds, then crawling hands and knees like a child to another spot to then plop down on her butt again, just made him laugh harder.

He was still laughing when they got to their hammocks but he reigned it in when he saw the little pout on her face.

Remembering her original question, Gally sighed. "Well, unfortunately, if your clothes aren't at your hammock," which clearly, they weren't, " then the sloppers haven't finished with them."

Frankie looked unsurprised but still disappointed. He wished he could do something to fix it but he couldn't make her clothes appear out of nowhere.

Then he realized he could do something that would take that look off her face. At the low, low price of his own hygiene for the next few days.

"If you wanted though" Gally said, rummaging through a pile of his things by his hammock, "I've got some clothes I can change into."

Frankie hesitated to take the bundle of clothes from his hands.

"Clean! Clean clothes!" Gally cleared his throat. "They're just, they're mine. These ones weren't..." They weren't as gross as they could be and he had been too lazy to shower is what he wasn't going to say. "Uh, the point is, you can wear them, until yours are clean."

Frankie still looked hesitant. "Are you sure? I don't want to take your only other clothes. What will you change into?"

"I'll be fine, Frankie. Just take them."

Finally, she grabbed the pile of clothes, holding them carefully away from her dirty body. "Thank you Gally."

Gally was out a fresh pair of clothes, but the pleased little smile on the girl's face made that seem inconsequential somehow.

"Oh um" She looked up at him pleadingly again " would you mind being my, uh, shower...guard? I know you're probably tired, too. I'll try to be quick!"

"Not a problem."

———

Gally waited patiently outside the shower, listening to the sound of water sloshing and fabric shushing. He was pretty sure she dropped something at one point because he heard a thunk and a quiet "woopsies". Most of the time what he heard was humming, though. He wasn't sure if it was a song she'd made up or if it was a song from before she came here. She wasn't singing actual words, just sort of mumbling syllables every now and again. Whatever it was, it was off-key, he just knew it. For some reason, that made him smile.

Gally stayed alert, roving his eyes back and forth in case Joe or some other half-wit shank tried anything, but no one did. All was clear.

And then he heard the door open and Gally turned toward the sound and she–

She was in his clothes.

He knew she would be in his clothes. Intellectually, anyway. Gave them to her himself. This was his own plan. He'd counted himself a genius for coming up with it. Now, he wasn't so sure.

Gally swallowed.

They fit her differently than they did him obviously. She was like, a foot shorter than him, but also, she was a girl so she was a little...curvier...than he was. And that meant his clothes fit...different. they fit better and worse on her than on him. The pants fit better, at least. Probably the last time they fit him properly was when he was her height, he thought.

She was saying words. Thanking him and smiling and he was nodding helplessly, like there was nothing wrong. Assuring her it was "no problem at all". That was a lie, he was pretty sure, but he couldn't define why exactly and even if he could, he wouldn't dare try to explain it to Frankie.

And look, it wasn't like it wasn't obvious she was female in the other clothes she'd been wearing, or the ones she came out of the box in, but these were his clothes. There was a distinction somewhere in there that was making Gally's brain short circuit and his heart beat a little faster, and he wasn't sure he liked it.

They head back to the hammocks, Frankie still happily humming that unidentifiable tune.

The rest of the night was a blur in his head after that. He blinked and they were saying good night to one another, but his mind had been a whirl since they left the showers.

He couldn't get the sight of her in his clothes out of the forefront of his mind. And then the feel of her hair through his fingers when she asked him to help her detangle it again. The water from her hair dripping down her back onto his shirt.

It was fine. This was fine. The sloppers would finish her clothes soon and then he can stop feeling like whatever it is he was feeling and everything would be fine.

He squeezed his eyes tight against the image of her head turned toward him in her hammock, her smile soft and her eyes sleepy. Her voice quiet when she said "thank you, again, for everything."

He sighed as quietly as he could.

It was fine.

thank you for reading! If you enjoyed, please consider commenting/reblogging. also please feel free to talk to me about the story in my ask box :)

[queenie-official]

Chapter Eight: ‘Coronation Day’ Bridgerton Au!Anakin

part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

a/n: i know i technically didn’t have to put out two chapters today but i feel like i had to spoil you guys since i didn’t get to post yesterday🤭

a failed honeymoon, that’s what happened. well you personally hadn’t considered it so, in fact you thought it rather successful after all you and Anakin where finally becoming a proper team. two people who cared for each other not just because of titles, but out of genuine like for one another. though as Eleanora had pointed out once she’d arrived back to the castle when your honeymoon ended and you’d told her all about what happened, she’d said you had failed to do one very specific and important thing. you did not consummate the marriage. of course you knew that no one else would be able to know that but eventually the pressure would be placed on you when the lack of an heir is apparent.

in your defense a lot had happened over the last seven days and proceeding to the next level was the farthest thing on your mind. for now however you decided to push the worry back as there where far more important things to concern yourself with then a failed honeymoon. for starters Anakin was still sick, currently laying down in his quarters probably out cold from the fever that refused to leave him and then there was of course the coronation which is supposed to take place in a few days. if Anakin didn’t get any better however the coronation day would have to be pushed back- you had no problem with that of course but the people might. as of now they have been without a ruler for over a year now.

when your father past away early last year becoming the next leader of Alderaan was the last thing on your mind, now it was all you could think about. not from lack of trying, but when you have thousands of people looking at you and all of parliament reminding you the longer the kingdom does not have a new queen the weaker it becomes it’s hard to avoid. you could only hope Anakin recovered fast. you hadn’t gotten the chance to visit him today but had instructed one of the guards to keep you tabbed with any updates on him so you could rest assured if anything did happened you would know. as of right now however you where attempting to look over a new bill the royal council and most of parliament wanted to approve of.

it was complete nonsense and made you sick to your stomach, parliament was divided and you had final say at the end of the day. and after coronation day you would have to deliberate to the council on why you would not be letting it pass. They wanted to take away education from those they felt undeserving- to undo the very law your father had passed a few years ago. you’d started pacing again, twirling the ring on your finger not nearly helpful enough of a distraction for something this big.

why was this a divided decision to begin with the answer was clear everyone who wanted an education deserved one regardless of there status and yet somehow there was now a bill trying to undo that. it made no sense, you remember being told it was a unanimous decision when the law passed unless that was a lie- which was entirely possible but your father never lied to you. another thought came that made your stomach twist just that much more, could he of been the one lied to? all agreeing with him in public but under the table the truth is hidden.

“are you alright?” you pause abruptly snapping towards the doors of the study, a breath of relief falls out of you and you find yourself running to hug the girl who stood there. “Padme, i missed you so much” she chuckles quickly hugging you back. “what is your husband that bad of company?” you can’t help but giggle as you pull away from her, matching smiles on each of your faces. “not at all, but i prefer your company” you say with a smile before walking over to sit down at your desk. “how is he? i’ve read all your letters” she says as she closes the door to the study, quietly sitting across from you as you shift some papers around to clear a space.

“you never corresponded” you point out with a small frown. “if people heard i was sending letters to the castle during the queens honeymoon it would of been a scandal” she sighs and you know she’s correct but you’d really missed your friend.“he’s alright, i’m hoping he recovers quickly.” you answer her previous question and she smiles softly “your worried for him.” you can’t help but blush slightly at her call out, turning your head to the side to try and hide your face “i can’t help it, it’s strange but it’s like he’s become a part of me.” she giggles at your reply “i don’t think it strange, he is your husband” you roll your eyes playfully, leaning back in your seat as you look at her “my husband whom i’ve only just met two weeks ago”

“the right person can come in your life and it’ll be as if they’ve always been there y/n, besides from the way you wrote about him i’d say you two have gotten pretty close” her response makes you feel a bit giddy and a welcomed silence proceeds.

“so is your pacing due from your worry for him or?” she speaks up, bringing back her earlier concerns to the surface. “no that is from a completely different thing” your honesty worries her more and you watch as her face contorts. “want to elaborate?” she asks not wanting to jump to conclusions.

“just read for yourself” you sigh, reaching over to the pile of papers you’d been going through earlier and handing them to her. she’s quick to skim through them, always was a fast reader. you could see the anger and disgust grow on her face when she realized what exactly the contents of the papers consisted off. “they want to remove the free education law! that’s ridiculous, you can’t approve this” she places the papers down, looking up to you in pure distress. “i don’t want to but this bill was drafted last week and im scared they’ll push for it to be passed- and if i have to push back coronation day..” her face falls more “you wouldn’t have the proper authority to fight it.”

“precisely, it’s horrible they want to undo my fathers work. i worry this bill is one of many” you rub the side of your face trying to calm yourself. “well when the other bills are drafted it’ll be to late, you’ll be queen and can stop them” she reassures you. “but what of the ones they draft now. there’s talk padme” you’d heard they’d already had quite a few in the works right now, you weren’t sure which other laws they wanted undone but you couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more of the ones your father had passed.

“you’ll have to convince them” she’s right of course but that was easier said then done. “how do i convince half of parliament and the entirety of the royal council they are in the wrong” you sigh. “a speech?” she suggests, your brows knit together “a speech” you repeat not really feeling like that would be much help.

“or a well drafted essay explain how their all idiots, both might have to do actually. one way or another you’ll eventually have to deliberate and provide a speech regardless. might as well do it now with just the council. get them on your side and then convincing parliament won’t even be in the question” once again true but way easier said then done. “it’s not like you have many other options” she said once she noticed your hesitation.

a speech it was.

to your relief Anakin had finally recovered. it took until day of but he was finally good enough to stand in front of thousands without looking like he’d pass out at any moment. he was still a bit sick but it was coverable, and once you where sure he could handle the pressures of the day- a lot of reassurance on his part that he wasn’t lying this time and truly was fine- you where able to worry about the day itself rather then him.

for once you’d made it past getting dressed without dragging it out too long, now it was just going through with the ceremony.

you fiddle with the gloves on your fingers, unable to twist your ring from underneath so this was the next best solution. that or to begin pacing which really wasn’t an option since you where stood beside Anakin and didn’t want him to think you where a crazy person. how he was calm you would never know, though in all fairness you shouldn’t be shocked. he had an odd talent for acting as if everything was okay even when it wasn’t.

you let your arms fall to your sides tightening your hands into fists as your mind continued to race with everything you had to do during this as well as everything you’d have to do once you where done, when all the real responsibilities kicked in. you felt his hand on yours, pulling you back to reality and grounding you. you look over at him his calmness comforting you, carefully he pulled your hand up to his face and kissed it gently. you felt yourself fully relax, lacing your fingers with his before leaning into his side a bit. he didn’t say anything he didn’t need too, besides if he did the walls where paper thin here and you where pretty sure everybody who’s gathered there today would hear your conversation.

you both heard trumpets begin to play and new it was time, standing tall and releasing your hands from one another you where to walk in one at a time. and as the doors opened you held your head up just a tad higher, a soft smile gracing your features as you face your people and begin to walk down to the center of the room where two thrones were. the sound of your heart racing was drowned out by the cheers of your subjects, you weren’t sure if that was for the better or worse- you never quite liked loud spaces. once you made it to the thrones you turn to face your people.

the archbishop beginning the ceremony by introducing you before you stood in front of your throne. then the trumpets played again and the doors to the hall opened once more, it was anakin’s turn.

as soon as he was announced by the archbishop the actual crowning begin. reciting an oath to the people and then watching Anakin do the same- it was a repetitive process of back and forth. always starting with you and ending with him. holy oil splashed over you and then splashed over him. a scepter placed into your hands and then one placed into his. it was more boring then stressful and you where pretty much dissociating through it.

it wasn’t until the heavy crown was placed on your head that you where reminded of where you were and who was watching. and once the crown was placed on Anakin’s head you both moved from in front of the thrones to each other, facing the people as a couple holding your hands as the service was closed.

Finally you were the Queen, finally you could rule for your people without being told you had no authority. the weight of the crown on your heads serving as a very real manifestation of the weight of the kingdom on your shoulders. the hand that squeezed your own reminding you that you where not in this alone.

now the real work begins.

part 9

Tag list: @luvvfromme @gatekeepingirlboss @bimbo-baggins86 @iluvanakinskywalker @bby-imasociopath @curlycarley @burnthecheshirewitch @misscaller06

alright lovies here’s chapter 8 🤭 strap your seatbelts in for chapter 9 tomorrow because oh boy 😀 anyways i hope you enjoyed this 🥰🥰 let me know your thoughts or predictions i’m curious as to what you guys might think is going to happen👀👀 have a good day huns Xx<3

[empressofmankind]

BEGGARS SHAN'T BE CHOOSERS - Part I

[Crocodile x F!OC]

SFW

(A/N) Better known as the 'Impel Down' fic, I kept mentioning the past two weeks. This is Part One. Of five? Of ten? I've given up. The total draft was > 12k. So, I split it in 3x 4k. And then, I noticed today the 'first part' had grown to >7k. So, I've split it again. I have a clear end in mind, but how long it'll take me to get there...

Originally, this fic was meant to focus around Buggy, but then a 2.53m unit of absolute bullshit got in the way. Shivs and her world class plans, good gods. Post-Alabaste, the mens are stuck in Impel Down. Shivs is dead set on springing the clown from prison. However, she'll first need to figure out where they're keeping him. On account of his devil fruit powers, she suspects level 6. And she has an excellent alibi to demand visitation to level 6. For once, the legal quagmire of technically still being married to Crocodile is going to work for her. Right? RIGHT??

In this first part, we'll join Shivs and Benji (and Mani!) as they get ready to, and make their way for, Impel Down. That's it, that's all that happens, and it took me near 4k. I am so long-winded. It's a terminal condition, I know.

Tag(s): Considering this is the entré, there isn't actually much to tag for? There's fluff and humour. There's a 10-year-old running around saying the absolute funniest shit as things go straight over her head. We got Mani the scaly golden retriever Bananawani along? Oh, and one (1) good marine.

🐊 🐊 🐊 

Beggars Shan't Be Choosers - Part I

“They're stupid clothes,” Benji said, her brow wrinkling with petulant annoyance. She was wearing a crispy white dress shirt, a green-on-ochre striped vest and grey slacks. She'd refused a dress of any sort. Her flame orange hair was neatly brushed and her small face wasn't covered in grease paint for once.

“I think you look handsome,” Shivs said as she pinned her own red hair up with a two-pronged kanzashi fashioned with golden lotuses whose inlaid blue diamonds had not seen the light of day in years.

“I look stupid.”

“Look. I am not comfortable in my clothes either,” Shivs said and indicated the mid-thigh sheath dress of black lace on dark grey broadcloth she wore. She'd decided on sheer stockings to go with it, but no gloves. 

“You look pretty in them.”

Shivs turned back to the mirror to finish pinning her hair and adjusting her bangs to fall neatly from under the strings of her eyepatch. “That is the idea, yes.”

Benji put her hands in her pockets, kicking her foot, making squeaky noises against the deck boards. “What am I supposed to look like? I don't want to be pretty.”

“You are supposed to look like the most capable and well-behaved child to ever grace the Blue.” Shivs pinched her cheek, gilt bangles jangling. “And you do when you don't stand with your hands wearing out your pockets like that.”

Benji took her hands out of her pockets. They idled a moment, undecided, but then she clasped them behind her back. “Your neck looks naked.” 

Shivs laughed at that because the bateau neckline of the dress could certainly use something. “Yours too.”

She plucked one of Buggy's patterned neck scarves from a drawer and tied it around her daughter's neck, tucking the ends into the vest. “There.”

“You should wear a pretty necklace,” Benji said, though her eyes were on the scarf. She seemed to like that, at least.

Shivs didn't have all that many necklaces conventionally considered ‘nice’. Going through the few she had in her thoughts, she picked up her modest jewellery box. Then paused as her gaze lingered on the bottom drawer of her vanity. Maybe she should… She pulled the drawer open and reached among clothes she rarely wore, patting around until she found the old music box.

Its silver had blackened with age and negligence, but even so, its delicate engravings of waves and tall ships were fine. If she polished it now, the oxidation remaining in the fine creases would help pick out its details better than ever before. She didn’t, of course. And she didn’t open the lid either. She couldn’t remember if it was wound up, and didn’t want to hear its melody if it was.

Instead, she held it with both hands and turned its engraved body as if removing a lid from a jar. With a click, the top section came off. Within the tiny compartment revealed lay a small, gold hoop with a bent hinge. She’d long since let the earlobe puncture it used to occupy close. Taking a thin string from her jewellery box, she suspended it from that instead.

“Like so?” Shivs asked, drawing Benji’s attention as she fastened it around her neck.

“Don’t you have anything sparklier, like your hair thing?”

Shivs brushed the kanzashi. Though the era of having such things aplenty was long behind her, she was loath to detract from the last one that remained to her with lesser gems. Besides, he’d notice.

“Sadly, no.”

“Oh?” Benji gave her the thumbs up. “Gold is pretty too, I guess!”

Part of the reason she’d picked it was that it was 24-carat gold. Just like the kanzashi.

“Can I do your makeup?”

“Only if you do not turn me into a clown,” Shivs said as she sat down at her vanity so the girl could reach her face. Benji grinned and set to work.

When Benji declared she was done, Shivs turned to the mirror and had to admit the little girl was now officially better at this than her. She’d gone for a dark burgundy smokey eye with a flawlessly thin line of gold right at the root of her eyelashes and a touch of white on the waterline. It made the hazel of her good eye pop like nobody’s business. She was pretty sure the dark red lipstick was Buggy’s favourite to use himself.

“I like it,” Shivs said and Benji beamed. “Now, I just need shoes.”

“I'll fetch some!” 

Benji was up and running out of the cabin before Shivs could protest. It was only a few minutes before the girl returned, clutching shoes in her arms. And not just any shoes, either. She held up gold-tinted, faux leather gladiator sandals with six-inch stiletto heels that would be a trick and a half to walk on. Where had she even found those?

“These will look awesome with your hair thing and necklace!”

She didn’t disagree as she put them on, but hoped the floors of Impel Down would be neatly packed concrete and nothing else. She hadn’t walked on heels like these in half a decade. Throwing a long bridge coat the rosy beige of dunes about her shoulders, she turned to the floor-length mirror.

Benji looked her up and down with the pinched expression of a critical, pint-sized costume designer grading their latest creation. “You look very pretty.”

Benji wasn’t wrong. She did look nice. Her mood sank, settling like an anchor in the pit of her stomach. She looked like his wife.

“Why is it OK to lie today?”

“It's not a lie.” Shivs shook the morose feeling and picked up her small black bag, its gilded chain rattling as she double checked its content. “More like, hm.”

“Make believe?”

“Yes. Yes, I suppose it is,” Shivs said as she snapped the bag closed and hung it from her shoulder. “It will be easier to convince them to let us visit if we look the way they’d expect.”

“Why would they let us visit uncle Crocodile? Aren’t those visits for, like, if you’re his mom or sister or baby or something?” Benji’s small face was filled with healthy scepticism, hands in her pockets once again. “We should pretend he’s my dad.”

Shivs flinched and struggled to keep her smile from faltering. “Well, only if we have to.”

“They’d have to be pretty bad people to stop a kid from visiting their father.” Benji took her hand. “I hope uncle Crocodile knows where dad is.”

“I am sure he knows.” Shivs gave Benji’s hand a squeeze. She’d no idea how she’d find out where Buggy was if Crocodile didn’t know. She couldn’t exactly demand that information on legal grounds like she had done with him. “Is Mani ready, too?”

“Yes! I scrubbed her squeaky clean and even picked her teeth and scales. She’s eaten and done a big poop.” Shivs tried to let the girl’s bubbly chatter lift her spirits. “I borrowed one of Richie’s sparkly collars and she looks flashy in it!”

“Sparkly? That sounds amazing.”

“It is! She likes sparkly things.”

“Let’s fetch her then and go before we are too late.”

Benji glanced up at her as they left the cabin. “How can we be late for an appointment we didn’t make?”

“We can be late for the only ship going there today.”

🐊 🐊 🐊 

Benji had wanted to stand upon the prow as the government ship approached the Gate of Justice out of Enbies Lobby, because the skipper had said the Tarai current that would see them to Impel Down was chock full of sea kings. Shivs sat on a deck chair with a glass of wine, watching the girl run back and forth with binoculars she’d weedled from a matelot. On account of the seastone laminated hull, she doubted they would see any. However, there was no need to dunk on her chipper mood.

They were not the only visitors, more had trickled aboard to form a modest but motley company on the deck. She’d caught snippets of conversations as they walked by: a mother visiting her son; a brother, his sister. And she had a good guess what some of them were whispering about as they stole glances her way. She’d neglected to list any details regarding who they’d be visiting, but, in hindsight, she supposed the pony-sized bananawani lounging beside her gave it away. 

She’d tied Mani’s rhinestone-infested lilac leash to her chair leg, to discourage the reptile from wandering or - worse - deciding to take a swim. Not that she had any illusion as to its ability to pull the chair straight from under her if it wanted to go. But Mani was a creature of habit and minimal effort. A minor inconvenience such as this would be enough to keep her snoozing on the deck.

“Spotted any big ones?” Shivs said when Benji came towards her for a sip of lychee ramune.

“Not yet.” Benji plopped down beside Mani, putting her skinny arm around her scaly neck as she slurped lemonade. “Did you know bananawani hunt sea kings?”

“Really?” 

Shivs remembered the way the casino halls would darken as they swam by, their shadows passing beyond the glass as they glided towards the feeding platform. The unwitting sea king never stood a chance.

“They are their only known predator and totally hunt them,” Benji babbled happily while enjoying her drink. Mani’s eyes were still closed, but she’d shifted to lean into the little girl’s petting. “Do you think sea king tastes good?”

The water would run red but only for a short while, only until the currents whisked it away. Theoretically, the creature could make it out for the Rainbase oasis connected to the Sandora river.

“I bet Mani would prefer sea king chow,” Shivs said.

“I don't think they sell that at the pet stores.” Benji pouted as she hugged Mani. “She won’t be able to have a sea king snack until she’s big enough to hunt them herself.”

Hopefully, that would take a while yet. Bananawani could grow to colossal sizes, dwarfing mid-class tall ships. Shivs had no idea what they were supposed to do with a fully grown one. Or how to afford feeding the beast if there was no prey for her to hunt on her own. Rain Dinners’ bananawani never hunted alone.

Benji emptied her bottle with a big, noisy slurp, waking Mani. “Maybe we should have brought something?”

“A deck would have been nice,” Shivs said as she watched them. “We could have played slapjack.”

“No, I mean, for uncle Crocodile?” 

Shivs flinched.

“You always say that it is nice to bring something when you visit someone. Especially if you want something from them in turn?” Benji scrunched up her face, rubbing Mani’s thick scaly neck. “I have, like, half a bag of marshmallows, but I didn’t think to bring them.”

“I have something for him, don’t worry about it.”

🐊 🐊 🐊 

Impel Down was a fortress as ugly as it was unimaginative. It spilled onto the rapidly approaching horizon as a grey stain overtaking the limitless freedom of the open sea. And as they drew near on the Tarai current, its squat towers and crenellated battlements came into ever sharper focus until they dominated their entire surroundings. Curiously, there were no cannon embrasures, machicolations or any such defences one might expect from a proper bastion. 

A fleet of warships rested at anchor along the approach to the underwater prison. The modest passenger ship they were on was dwarfed by the marine dreadnoughts they passed as the current pulled them inexorably towards the prison’s colossal gatehouse.

Benji had returned to the prow for the approach, and Shivs joined her there.

“It’s so huge!” Benji stared wide-eyed at the thick walls as they sailed under the barbican and into the secured harbour proper beyond. Mani sat beside her, holding her own leash.

“The vast majority of the complex is actually underwater.” Shivs counted the cannons peeking down at them through the embrasures, out of habit more than anything. She wondered if they had a standing firing crew to man them.

“Are we going underwater?” Benji hopped from one leg unto the other. “The Calm Belts are supposed to be full of Sea Kings! Maybe there will be a window, and I can see one? Maybe there will be wild Bananawani too!”

“It is a prison, so I don’t think there will be windows,” Shivs said in an attempt to calm the girl’s excitement and avoid utter disappointment if that turned out to be true. “It does reach quite a ways below the water surface. A few kilometres, perhaps? Yes, I think so.”

“Wow.” Turning to Mani, Benji added: “Let's find a window, I bet there will be wild Bananawani! You can say ‘hi’!”

Shivs took her by the shoulder when she saw the other visitors disembark. “Come, let’s not be late.”

Benji glanced up at her as they walked to the gangplank. “For the visit we didn-?”

“Don’t say that,” Shivs interrupted her with a quelling look.

“Right.” Benji smiled again and took Mani’s leash. “Come on Mani. Can’t be late!”

They were funnelled through the gatehouse and into a courtyard patrolled by marine sentries. Here, too, cannons peered through embrasures on all sides. Evidently, the prison was more concerned about threats to its security rising from within than without.

“Visitors for level 1 and 2 inmates, that way,” a young marine officer said as he gestured to a colleague. “Level 3 and up, with me.” The few people that joined them as they went to the marine officer gave the juvenile Bananawani plodding beside them a wide breadth. 

The officer led them up steps and into an wholly uninviting lobby. With its worn plaster walls and dirty grey linoleum floor it did its very best to make you want to leave as soon as possible. No seats, no plants, no windows, no nothing. 

“Registration check.” The marine officer motioned them towards the looming concrete counter on the other side of the unpleasant space. “In an orderly manner, gentlefolk.”

Benji put her arm around Mani, leaning into the large reptile and putting her nose against its scales as she eyed their casually hostile surroundings.

“What’s his name?” The marine officer’s tone was amiable, conversational.

“Hers!” Benji said, holding on tighter to the Bananawani.

He tried to catch her gaze with a smile. “Big girls, both of you.”

“Her name is Mani.”

“Ah, ‘she who averts harm’,” he said, and Shivs appreciated his attempts to make Benji feel comfortable. “A wise choice for such a hardy animal.”

“She’s very sweet and tough,” Benji agreed as she snuggled Mani. “I love her.”

“I am sure she loves you very much too.”

“What is your name?” Benji asked. “Mine is Benji!”

“Nice to meet you, Benji,” the young marine said. “Mine is Toby.”

By then it was their turn, and Shivs approached the desk. It was higher than such things normally were, for she was not a particularly short woman and yet she need not bend down to meet the registrar’s gaze.

“State your name and purpose?” the woman said, hands poised to take down the information.

“Figarland Seonaid. Conjugal visit,” Then added when she saw her transcribe it as ‘Sheona’: “That is without the H, and spelled with N-A-I-D.”

The registrar gave a sign of neither interest nor recognition. “Visiting?”

“Crocodile Niall.”

The woman paused when she heard that name. And Shivs ignored the whispers she could not quite catch from those behind her in line.

“Niall. N-I-A-L-L. Not ‘Nile’.”

The registrar flipped through a thick binder, finger running down a table packed with dense handwriting. “No visitation registered.”

“Preposterous,” Shivs said, overacting an affronted tone. “A signed request for visitation has been approved weeks ago.” 

“There is no record of it, ma'am.”

Benji let go of Mani to fling her arms around Shivs’ waist instead, and gave the registrar and marine officer her most watery of wobbly baby looks. “Mommy, I want to see daddy!”

Shivs rubbed her shoulder, giving the registrar the pleading look of parents the world across trying to desperately manage a child on the brink of wailing. Benji's little sob into the fabric of her dress was very convincing. Mani paced around them, uncertain but riled by the sudden change of mood.

“Can't you put in an expedited request?” Shivs suggested, trying her damndest to sound sincere. “She'd been looking forward to it, and we get so few chances.”

“No registration, no visitation,” the woman said as Benji took in a breath to start a wail.

Toby shook his head. “Let me see what I can do,” he said as he produced a small, earpiece Den Den Mushi and put the sea snail against his ear. A few transmissions later, he turned to the registrar and held up his hand. “Two visitor badges, please.”

With due reluctance the registrar handed them over to him and he turned to Benji. “There you go, kiddo,” he said as he gave her one, and then Shivs as well. “Courtesy of the vice-admiral making the curator see reason.”

“You're the best!” Benji beamed. “Look, mom, I am number 17! What is yours?”

Shivs looked at the scuffed 13 on the badge. It reminded her of a poker table she used to deal at, and the memory settled in the pit of her stomach like a fetch of cannon balls. “Not as high as yours, sweetie.”

“Come, I will see you two down to the right level,” Toby said, and led them to the elevator room beyond the lobby. There were four, two on the left and two on the right. He took them to the far right one, the doors opening as they approached.

“Awesome!” Benji said as she rushed inside, Mani hot on her heels. For the elevator was made entirely of armoured glass and provided a grand view of the ocean sprawling all the way across the horizon. The afternoon sun kissed the waves, setting sparkles to the white-capped water. And Shivs felt it beckon in her bones. 

Benji gave him a hopeful look. “Are we going underwater?”

“We are,” Toby said as he put a key in the control panel and turned it.

When the doors slid closed, Shivs suppressed the sudden and overwhelming urge to get out, to leave and never look back. To stay at the surface, where they belonged. I have to, she told herself as she clenched her hands into fists around the chain of her handbag. Bugs is down there, and he hates the dark beneath the waves.

The elevator jolted to life and Shivs closed her eyes, ignoring the sound of the lapping waves against the glass as they submerged, focussing on Benji’s excited noises instead. When she opened them again, they were enveloped in blue. Sunlight still penetrated, sending curtains of light through the water. Less so with every foot they descended, as the blue grew deeper, darker.

“A Sea King!” Benji screamed, spooking Mani as she glued herself against the glass. In the far distance, blurred in the shifting hues of the blue, swam a long, serpentine creature, its body undulating as it made its way from somewhere to elsewhere. 

“It could be the Prince of the Deep,” Toby said as he came to stand beside her. “It has about the right shape. Colour too, perhaps.”

Benji glanced at him, her eyes large and eager. “Prince?”

“Yes, because he is a prince among his kind. The largest Sea King in this part of the Calm Belt,” Toby said. “Ten times larger than Coral Grove, our largest dreadnought.”

“Wow.” Benji pressed her face against the glass. “Mani could snack on that for years.”

“Wouldn’t it be tough for her to hunt such a large creature?” Toby said, not without humour.

Benji rolled her eyes. “Not right now, she’s a baby. But she’ll be big and strong one day! Bananawani hunt Sea Kings, did you know?” she said and babbled the poor marine’s ears off about the large reptiles for some minutes.

As the armoured glass elevator descended to deeper water, their surroundings became steadily darker. Shivs put her gaze on the glass floor and the pitch black abyss below. It was easier to face the darkness approaching than the light receding, the sparkle of the sun on the water surface dwindling as you sank. The sea has never been friendly to man.

Beside her, Benji had put her arm around Mani as she looked up. No more sea kings down here.

“The 6th level is also called ‘The Basement’,” Toby said, making the girl glance away from the ever more distant sunlight. “Do you know why?”

Ghosts in the attic and monsters in the basement, Shivs thought as she recalled the sailors’ idiom about grief with its haunting memories and stowed feelings.

Benji eyed him, holding on to Mani still. “Because it's dark and far down?”

Because nobody goes there if they can help it. Shivs stared at the watery dark beneath their feet. The sea floor might never come and she'd not be surprised.

“Nope!” Toby said, his smile bright in the dimming light. “Because it is where all the cool people stay.”

Benji’s mood lit up. “My unc- Dad, is super cool! He's actually made out of sand, like, for real.”

“Are you made out of sand?”

Shivs gaze snapped onto him like a hawk. He was looking at Benji, fondness soft on his youthful face. He couldn't be much older than 20 or 22.

“I don't think so?” Benji let go of Mani to brush at her clothes, then glanced at him. “Do you want to pet her?”

Toby smiled. “Absolutely.”

🐊 🐊 🐊 

Horny hell seat reservations - @tiredemomama @smut-goblin @ruledbyproblematique @momodwriter @littlemountainwolf @fanaticsnail @feral-artistry - except there's no horny. Croc isn't even in it either. I feel like a cheat.

[waytootiredforthistoo]

I've listened to When I Forgive You by Sasha Allen at least 30 times today and I just,,,,

I've been waiting for this song to come out for Years now, and I cannot believe it's finally here

I can't stop thinking about:

that little voicemail from his grandma?

the little break in his voice at 'violence' in the last chorus??

the line 'she could have turned away and simply washed her hands of it' right after describing his grandma as 'a catholic through and through' bc I am such a sucker for a religious allusion done right, and fuck is that done right.

Extended discussion of the religious allusion below the cut

The expression to 'wash your hands' of something (meaning to abandon, to refuse to accept responsibility for) is one of those that has been around and secularized enough that I feel the need to explicitly point out its origin to anyone who didn't grow up in church every week.

It comes from the end of Matthew, Matthew 27:24 specifically (see NIV translation below)

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!���

This is the moments Jesus is released to be put to death. Specifically what is happening here is that the crowd has turned against Jesus, almost on a dime (on thirty silver pieces if you think you've got jokes). Narratively, this comes 6 chapters, 5 days, after Palm Sunday, where everyone is praising Jesus in the streets, calling him titles, giving him gifts, loving him.

The local powers, local priests, didn't like the messages of love and acceptance he preached. Didn't like the way he supported the needy without judgement and rebuked those who hoarded wealth, who misused the power of the church. So they got people up in arms about the whole thing and nothing at all, stoked a fire, formed a crowd to arrest him and have him put to death.

This is where Pilate comes in. Technically, Israel was under Roman rule at the time. The Jews were allowed to practice their local laws and customs, but only to a certain extent, and one of those extents was the death penalty. If the Jews wanted to put someone to death, they had to get approval from the local Roman authority, Pilate.

So the crowd brings forth Jesus, says they want him dead, and in Matthew 27:11-26 we can see Pilate going back and forth with the crowd, not understanding why they want him dead all of the sudden. He brings up the fact that just days ago they were calling him "king of the Jews" calling him "Messiah," and now they want him dead. He offers another murderer who was supposed to be put to death in Jesus's stead as if it's just a bloodlust they need satisfied. None of it works.

He sees that it isn't going anywhere, so he physically washes his hands to symbolically wash Jesus's blood off of them, turns Jesus over to the crowd, and tells them even though he believes Jesus is innocent, they can do what they want with him.

THIS is what Sasha is invoking in the line when he says "she could have turned away and simply washed her hands of it." We know because he positions it immediately after a line about how religiously devote his grandmother is. How aware she is of the origin of this expression, this idea.

He's saying there's precedent. He's saying the Bible is meant to be a life guide for Christians, and she would only be following it to abandon him, innocent as he is, to the crowd who turns to hate him on a whim, who changes their views not because of anything he's done but because his existence threatens the political powers that be.

He positions his grandmother as Pilate, as an outsider who doesn't really understand what's going on, as someone who can see that what is happening is wrong, but also someone that no one would really blame for just turning around and doing nothing.

He talks about how his grandmother re-writes that ancient narrative. This is a story we've all heard before. We know how it ends. Except it doesn't. It doesn't end there for Jesus if you believe in his resurrection, and we know it doesn't end there for Sasha. He says as much in the chorus in the line "All your violence, all your venom won't come close to getting rid of me"

Because that's the truth of it. Nothing anyone can ever do will get rid of trans people. Trans people have been here since the beginning of humanity, and no hatred will ever erase them, and this time, this trans person has a grandmother to stand with him. To refuse to wash her hands of it. To tell everyone "how great her grandson is."

Anyways,, I could talk about this song all day, but everyone should go listen to it. It's up on Spotify now and it's brilliant

[yupimnear]

Since the list is quite long, I will answer portions of the questions seperately to avoid a single post that is far too annoying.

You, yourself, who you are

1. When someone asks who you are, what is the first thing that goes through your mind? What makes you, you?

Well, I'm L, to put it simply. I dislike saying it, but it is technically true. I'm a detective and I'm going to catch Kira. That is who I am.

2. How would you describe yourself as a person?

It's difficult to say. Most people from an understanding of themself through their behaviours, actions, feelings, etc. To ask someone who they are "as a person" implies some level of intimacy beyond how they see themselves in a professional environment. However, I am hardly ever not in a professional environment, so it's hard for me to understand who I am beyond my work. Most of my time spent socialising is with coworkers or done, at the very least, in a way that I see as purely for and because of my work. I suppose when I am alone, I am technically different. When interacting with no one and almost nothing, I am different. But I don't really know who I am, as a person.

3. Simplify your personality with 5 core traits.

Hm... Reserved. Critical. Insightful, to an extent. Conscientious. And... Unfeeling.

4. Do you think you are your body or are you in your body?

Interesting question. I have come to view myself more as being my brain, than my body. But it's foolproof, considering my brain often has thoughts that I am not privy to, and does things that I am not fully aware of, especially not for the reasoning behind it. But my body is much the same. Still, I would say that I am in my body, rather than that I am body.

5. What percentage of the day do you feel like your true self?

Another interesting question. I'm not even sure who my true self really is. Perhaps it is zero percent and perhaps it is one hundred. Although I am of the understanding that the percentage is likely far lower than that, for reasons given in the second question's answer.

6. All insecurities and doubts aside, what’s something you genuinely like about yourself?

Something that I like about myself? I'm not sure. There's many things about myself that I both like and dislike, such as how hard-working I am. On the outside, it is a good trait and something I can be proud of. But I also dislike it because I find it to be something too similar to the original L. And a lot of the work that I focus so hard on is not something I am especially happy doing either. That said, it doesn't mean that my liking of that trait is any less genuine. I suppose, then, I'll say... I like how easily I cry.

7. What’s your favorite personal possession that means absolutely nothing to anyone else?

Any of my toys fits into this category decently. If I had to be more specific: my puppets.

8. How do you think others perceive you? Is their perception of yourself similar to your own or different? What do people often misunderstand about you?

I think that the way I see myself is often warped to more closely match how others see me. After all, it is very easy to lie to yourself, despite what I would like. And when the consensus on who you are seems to be so evenly spread, it is difficult to convince yourself that everyone is wrong. I am emotionless and difficult and impatient and quite irritating but I'm just like L, which is a good thing, apparently. After all, how can I tell everyone that they are wrong about me?

9. Do you identify as human or feel human, if you don’t, then what do you feel like?

I am human. This is simply fact. Do I feel human? No. And really, I'm not human at all. I'm more similar to a machine, actually. The only difference is that I am alive, though that hardly matters much at all.

10. What events made you who you are today?

I suppose every event, by technicality. There are also plenty of things that were not events at all which contributed heavily to "who I am". My mother dying, anything and everything that happened during my time at Wammy's, but especially how Roger treated me, how Mello treated me, how the other children whispered about me. And also when Mello left. And me getting the SPK. And most of my agents being killed. And, frankly, every call I've had between myself and the second L. Mello coming back. And so on and so forth. Those are all examples...

11. Have you done anything you are proud of lately?

Hm. No. But I made a very tall card tower just a day or two ago. That was nice.

12. What is the luckiest thing that has happened to you?

The luckiest? Well, I'm not sure. Everything "lucky" feels more unlucky to me. The luckiest... Maybe... Me getting hold of Mello's photo.

13. When was the last time you changed your belief/opinion on something major?

Something major... I'm not certain. Most of the beliefs I have were solidified quite a long while ago. Although in more recent months, I have come to find Kira to be more annoying than I originally thought, but that's hardly a change. Oh. My belief and thoughts on the case itself have changed quite drastically. That was, maybe... only a few months ago now?

14. If you remember anything about it, then what is so special about the place you grew up?

The only place I grew up, not including Wammy's, was in France with my mother. Everything about it was special, in it's own right. My mother, as a whole, was special in the most amazing way. I was cared for and loved unconditionally. That's the best kind of special, although I did not realise it at the time whatsoever. No, I wouldn't understand how special and unique it really was until much later.

15. A fun fact about yourself?

I like romance novels. Some people know this already, but I think it's fun and unexpected, in a way. I think it's because I am usually so serious.

16. What is the most impressive thing you know how to do?

Impressive is quite a subjective term. I don't do anything that I myself find impressive. Some find it impressive that I manage to be L. I hardly manage it very well, though.

17. What quirks do you have?

Quirks? Any of my stimulatory behaviours can be considered that way.

18. What is something you wish you knew more about?

Kira, obviously, although I know quite a lot already. But rather than a person, I'll pick an actual thing. Socialisation, maybe? I've been told I am not very good at it. I think if I had a better, less clinical understanding of the topic, then I would be much better off altogether.

[mcxcuseme13]

I'm on week 3 of being indoctrinated into the F1 (Lando Norris) fandom. Obviously, being 21 days in, I don't know much, so I've come here to learn anything I can. But also find a space to vent, as my mom doesn't care, and my essentially only friend only cares about how good Lando and Charles look. Unfortunately, said friend also compared Oscar to a Gregg's Sausage Roll, which my American brain can't comprehend.

I don't have much to add about my journey other than 21 or so days ago to now. 6 months ago, F1 started popping up everywhere, but it got real bad 3 weeks ago. My friend DMed Lando asking to be him because that's her dream job. Not being an F1 driver. Being Lando Norris. From then Lando was appearing everywhere so I bought a Lego car hoping he'd go away but he didn't. I suppose this is the part where I say my favorite f1 things are. My favorite drivers are (in specific order), Oscar, Lando, and Logan. I don't have a favorite team. I guess there's a debate online about not picking a team for it's drivers so I'm neutral. I guess this might also be controversial, but I didn't pick my drivers based on looks or ability (obviously). It was more of a personality thing.

What I already know/have learned:

I'm an Oscar & Lando fan, not a McLaren one. Apparently, strategy and ownership is pretty wack, but Oscar still won today, which makes me very happy

People aren't ever happy when someone wins

But I feel like we should just be happy that the same person is winning over and over again

Max Verstappen wins a lot

He also has a theme song, so that's pretty cool

It's pronounced Sharles Le-clare, not Charles Leclerk

The Monaco Curse (very scurry)

Leclerc Family Tree

Fans are more interested in 2 dogs' lives than the 2 drivers they're attached too (still sold separately)

It doesn't matter how much Logan Hunter Sargent may suck, he is still everyone's baby bald eagle

And the technical stuff is still iffy. I'm pretty good with teams, drivers, etc. though

I'm sure I'm missing some stuff, but if anyone would be so kind to explain anything to me, I'd be very grateful 🫶

[literallynharmonia]

caught up with cringetober because I literally forgot to do it, individuals and explanations under cut

Day 1: Heterochromia I’ve come to the revaluation that my sona is already cringe as hell considering not only can his entire body change color but he also has differently colored eyes as a staple of his design. They’re usually yellow and blue but this time I color picked the blue from the trans flag and the mint from the Vincian flag for this color palette, it turned out really pretty :)

Day 2: Self Insert Now she isn’t my self insert anymore, but back in the day when I was at “peak cringe” she definitely was. This is my warriors OC Icypelt and I have a post going over part of her story on my profile somewhere. She’s been through a lot and I think her modern design is very pretty :)

Day 3: Unnecessarily complex fit/design Spider scene is kinda infamous in my brain for having wayyy too much detail but I love them and I think this might be my favorite one out of this batch, super cute, the pose is really cute and the colors are nice and fits her really well :D

day 4: Angel x Devil inevitable MCR reference ik, Helena and Revenge, love them dearly. Poor revenge man this one is cute and looks like a sticker!!

Day 6 (I skipped day 5 because I didn’t want to open up ms paint today): neko i kinda hate this one but cat Gerard yay

Day 7: Pinterest base at first I wanted to draw hobie in place of Gwen but I remembered that I haven’t really drawn Mikey with her even though they’re supposed to be friends so I drew her instead. Idk. The height difference is not accurate because of that but Jumping Spider is small because he’s based on a jumping spider and those are tiny who would have thought

Day 8: tumblr sexyman i have never played undertale a day in my life i just know a lot of people wanted to jump sans’ bones

day 9: Crossover ship/rarepair OH BOY THIS ONE GOES KIND OF HARD AND IM EMBARRASSED ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY KIND OF WORK FOR EACH OTHER UM MIGUEL OHARA X CLOTTED CREAM COOKIE IM INSANE OMG-

day 10: fursona i already have a fursona I already drew and yes I colorpicked from the lesbian flag how could you tell /j

Day 11: Yandere LYLA is technically canonically a yandere because spoiler alert she tried to kill Miguel’s fiancé via overheating her in the shower (essentially literally boiling her like a lobster) because she was “in love” with him (she said if she did have autonomy and had feelings the would be in love with him but she doesn’t but idk who knows I don’t).

day 12: niche interest ik MCR isn’t exactly “niche” but the black parades story in particular has always caught my interest and I have my own interpretation of it and a whole kind of story I’m still developing and character arcs and headcanons and interactions and yeah you get it, death in particular has evolved into god knows an OC on his own I just keep him attached to MCR because… it makes more sense that way, ig-

day 13: creepypasta does this count- whatever grimdark is just the same thing as a creepypasta- I’m not really in the MLP fandom anymore but it was my first ever “fandom” I was actually apart of. My first hyperfixation if you will. I wasn’t in the grimdark part of the fandom because I was too young for it but I was actually watching the izzzyzzz grimdark video and I was like “oh” and drew a rainbow factory Rainbowdash. Honestly I should draw ponies more they’re fun to draw

Day 14: candygore (?) im not good at drawing candygore and since I was rushing this o didn’t do it as well as I thought I can, but it still turned out pretty cool

Day 15: song lyrics aaaa inevitable hesitant alien drawing this one turned out so cute!! The colors and the sparkle eek so cute aaa action cat lyrics I’m breaking down right in front of you I’m sorry

planning on doing the rest of the month now, maybe not exactly on time since I’m still in school but I’ll try to get 31 drawings out by Halloween. Love the idea of cringetober because I just love all things cringe. Ack this is so good