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solar-wing · 1 month

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⚣ 5+1: TikTok Trends 🤳🏽

⚣🤳🏽 A/N → I kept seeing all these couple trends on TikTok and it made me think of how Jason would react to these very same trends with his boyfriend...so I wrote it. tee hee WARNINGS: established relationship | social media trends | relationship goals | fluff/comfort | jason's had enough |

⚣🤳🏽 Summary → Five times Y/N did a social media trend/prank on Jason and the one time the vigilante finally got his boyfriend back.

⚣🤳🏽 Words → 3.7K

REBLOGS & replies are greatly appreciated, please! 💛

⚣ ENJOY 🤳🏽

Social media is an interesting thing with a variety of uses. You could use it to connect with old friends from high school and college, remembering the good ole days. It could be a place to connect with other people in specific communities so individuals could find those they related to and shared similar views and interests with. More than ever, it could be used to spread activism and political messages.

For Y/N L/N, it was a place for him to display his loving and chaotic relationship with his boyfriend Jason Todd.

They both had very different relationships with social media.

Y/N was a whirlwind of hashtags and filters, a living embodiment of the digital age. His phone was an extension of his hand, scrolling through endless videos and GRWMs where they were always running late for whatever they were getting ready for.

The boy took his college studies seriously, but the thought never not crossed his mind that he could become a full-time content creator if he wanted to. Ask any of his friends or especially his boyfriend, the dude was a walking meme who kept hundreds to thousands of reaction pictures and videos on his phone which is something he successfully managed to get his boyfriend addicted to as well.

No seriously, it had gotten so bad that Bruce had to reach out to Y/N to see if he could get Jason to stop or at least delete the photos from his phone. Apparently, in their family group chat, his boyfriend had taken to sending some very targeted and specific images.

It was fine until Bruce said something about Jason being reckless or something and risking lives, and his boyfriend responded with some interesting images and a very petty caption.

Jason: this u?

It was safe to say Bruce was less than amused, though apparently everyone else found it hilarious. But, sadly Y/N had to inform the billionaire that he wouldn’t be able to get his boyfriend to stop even if he tried and that he was also a victim of this new ordeal.

Bruce was confused until Y/N showed him a picture Jason sent him after Y/N refused to come cuddle him because he was studying for a midterm.

Jason: get ur ass in here now or else...respectfully

This was the exact fun and chaotic energy Y/N wanted to share with the world on social media and TikTok. But, Jason had a different relationship with it than his boyfriend.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jason was a firm believer in a simpler existence, preferring face-to-face conversations over likes and retweets. He possessed a refreshing aversion to the constant buzz of notifications and the pressure to document every meal or outing.

His only exception was Twitter, where he could voice his unhinged and questionable thoughts freely without raising suspicion or judgment because it was…well, it was Twitter.

However, that did not stop Y/N from using his poor and innocent lover in his little TikTok exploits when he wanted to.

The first one was something innocent, at least in his eyes. He and Jason were in their shared apartment near Y/N’s campus. They were lying together on the couch, with Y/N parallel to the piece of furniture while Jason sat up properly with his boyfriend’s legs over him.

He was silently reading a book while Y/N pretended to scroll through social media, fidgeting now and then when Jason would accidentally tickle his feet while unconsciously rubbing his feet. Then, the sneaky little man would pull up an audio from TikTok of a man’s voice, talking as if they were on a Facetime call.

At first, Jason didn’t think anything of it when he heard the ring from his boyfriend’s phone and he knows that he frequently calls his parents or friends. Besides, Jason knows almost everyone that Y/N knows so it definitely wasn’t out of the ordinary.

So why the fuck did he not recognize that voice that was speaking on the other end of Y/N’s phone? More than ever, why was it male?!

The second he heard the random male voice ask his boyfriend why he was smiling like that, the phone was snatched out of his hand and Jason was prepared to threaten extreme bodily harm to whoever was on the other side of that phone.

So imagine his confusion when was looking back at himself.

When he noticed the recording button at the bottom, he looked toward his boyfriend who was trying his best to hold in his laughs and was doing a terrible job. Y/N made sure to snatch his phone back though so Jason couldn’t delete the footage.

Jason allowed it though despite his annoyance, seeing Y/N happy and laughing always trumped over any negative feelings he was experiencing. However, he did give his boyfriend a nice gentle lesson about what happens when he plays with the vigilante’s jealous side.

It ‘twas not gentle though, not one bit.

And Y/N was a little fucker who never learned his lesson. Proud of it too.

The second time wasn’t even a week later after he’d seen a new trend going around the clock app that he just knew he wouldn’t be able to resist.

“Might be a little bit controversial but get ready with me while I give you my reasons on why cheating on your significant other is okay in certain scenarios.”

In under 5 seconds, the bathroom door shot open after the apartment sounded like a large predator had come running through it. Judging by the very unamused look Y/N was receiving, it may have been just that.

Y/N had to do his best not to laugh (or moan) at the image on his phone’s screen of a hulking, pissed-off Jason standing over him as he watched his skincare in silence. He knew his followers were going to get a kick out of this, probably detailing the filthiest things their horny little minds could cook up in his comment section like the little horny bastards they were.

Though, Y/N would be no better.

Jason still didn’t say anything, continuing to stare down at him like an angry parent who’d just been embarrassed in church by their child.

“Um, can I help you?” Y/N asked, desperately holding back the smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

Jason’s dark hair fell over his forehead, his white streak hanging lazily between as his eyes narrowed down at his smaller boyfriend, his large, intimidating arms crossed over his chest. Y/N had to take a large breath to calm down the fluttering in his stomach.

Why did his boyfriend have to be so hot? The world was not fair.

When Jason continued to not say anything, just staring silently at his lover, Y/N decided to finish his skincare in silence while checking to make sure his video was still recording.

When about five minutes passed and neither of the boys said anything, the taller and larger male started to become slightly confused. Why wasn’t Y/N saying anything? He wasn’t crazy, knowing exactly what he heard until a lightbulb went over his head and he realized what was going on.

Once Y/N finished patting his face with sunscreen, he looked up to his boyfriend to see him with a now slightly less peeved expression and more of a smug, amused look.

“What?”

“You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“I think I’m quite hilarious actually.”

Jason didn’t say another word before turning on his heel, slowly walking out of the bathroom back towards the kitchen with that damn slutty walk of his. Seriously, why was the universe so unfair to Y/N? Then again, he definitely wasn’t complaining.

But, just because Jason realized what was going on didn’t mean he was going to just let the harmless prank go so easily. Y/N would be reminded once again how petty his boyfriend could be in the worst ways possible.

There really should be a hotline or emergency number for guys whose boyfriends decide to tease and edge them for over an hour. These crimes should not go unchecked!

Anyways…Y/N still didn’t learn his lesson. Third time’s a charm.

By this time, Jason had become well aware that Y/N would not stop using him in his little videos and pranks, so he figured if you can’t beat em, join em. He got his own TikTok account and only followed his boyfriend while also doing his best to keep up with whatever trends were going around, especially with couples so he could stay one step ahead.

This proved very useful, as when the ‘Water’ song by Tyla became a trend all over TikTok, Jason was more than aware of what his boyfriend was trying to do when he noticed from the corner of his eyes him recording him, pretending like he was just watching the videos.

Ah ah ah, gonna have to try harder than that, babe. Jason didn’t even budge like he was going to look, not like he would’ve either way.

But, he was NOT prepared to come home one day to find his boyfriend with his tripod set up, starting the countdown timer to record a video. The second the video started recording and Jason realized what song was playing, he didn’t waste a second before running and tackling Y/N out of the camera view before he could even hit the first beat.

He didn’t care if he fell for that one, those moves were for Jason’s eyes only. Something else the vigilante was going to have to remind his boyfriend about.

But, at least when Y/N looked at the footage, he realized he finally had something to post for that trend where people ran and tackled their significant others to that Barbie Girl remix. He’d always wanted to do that trend but hadn’t met Jason yet, so he was a bit too single to do it.

The fourth time was something also a little bit simple, less of a prank and more of Y/N just being a little shit that went looking for trouble.

When Jason was once again in the kitchen cooking, with his usual tank-top and jogger combo, Y/N thought it a perfect opportunity for him to get some revenge on his boyfriend since the gargantuan male always found it funny to slap Y/N on his butt hard as shit. Vengeance was needed.

So, when Jason wasn’t looking, Y/N walked into the kitchen positioning his phone in another spot so it could see the entire action, knowing if he tried to be sneaky, the vigilante would still catch on to him and turn around. He walked up behind him and gave his boyfriend a little hug as usual and a kiss on his back, something the towering male pretended not to be giddy at.

However, his sweet, tender moment was interrupted when he felt a medium-palm land on his ass with a precision aim, leaving a tingling sting behind.

“Payback!” Y/N decreed, already turning around and running for their shared room.

When he went back and looked at the footage later, he had to admit, the view of Jason turning around slowly as Y/N scurried away was very amusing. Especially considering he layered the video with the Wii Sports fencing music as his mammoth-sized man stalked after him like a predator cornering its prey.

His vengeance did not last long.

By this time, Jason had become somewhat of a regular presence on Y/N’s TikTok account, and all of his followers wanted more content with the two of them together.

So, after a long time coming, Y/N had managed to successfully convince Jason to do a video with him on camera. They decided to do the Alphabet challenge, something Y/N thought he’d have an easy win at.

He was not prepared for his boyfriend's extensive vocabulary. “Are you ready to start, honey?” Y/N started sneakily, thinking his boyfriend wouldn’t catch it.

“Bet you thought you were slick, huh?” Jason replied with his usual smug look.

“Can you be any less smug?” Y/N said with a playful eye roll.

“Don’t act like you don’t like it.”

At that point, it was almost like they weren’t even doing a challenge, but rather doing their usual relationship banter back and forth that just happened to be getting recorded. The longer it went on, the more chaotic it became, both boyfriends pulling the absolute wildest sentences they could think of out of their mouths to throw the other ones off.

“Suck my ass.”

“Turn around”

He’d also underestimated Jason’s lack of shame and vulgarness.

“Explain how you get a body like that?”

“From fucking whiny little pretty boys like you.”

Oh.

Yeah, he should’ve thought this one through a little more.

They’d managed to go through the whole alphabet at least three times, going from bantering back and forth to Y/N reciting lines from movies he could both think of, to Jason reciting lines from some of his favorite books. The smaller man at some point figured he could start using lines from pop culture and trends to throw his colossal boyfriend off. However, he was absolutely not prepared for him to quote the Rachel voicemail, word for word, knowing how much that whole message always made him weak.

“This is for Rachel you big, fat, white, nasty-smelling fat BITCH.”

Why did he have to put so much emphasis on the ‘bitch’ part? He threw in the towel there and let Jason have it, swearing victory on their next face-off.

Now, Y/N didn’t think it would go any farther than that. He figured he would keep making videos pranking Jason and that now and then, the vigilante would begrudgingly join in.

Oh, he was wrooong…

Frankly, Y/N should have known Jason was playing a prank on him the second he called him by his actual name instead of one of his pet names. The vigilante always got upset at him when he used Jason’s actual name instead of babe, baby, Jaybirdie, love, or even just simple Jay.

So, when Jason was not only calling him by his name but refusing to touch and or kiss him at all. Y/N absolutely should have figured something was up.

When Jason got over his initial awkwardness of physical touch in their relationship, that meant became a touch-clingy animal. Whether a hug, hand holding, cuddling, or even simple finger grazes, he needed them all. And kissing, if Y/N ever even dared leave their bedroom, let alone their apartment without giving his giant teddy bear of a boyfriend a kiss, he basically committed the ultimate sin.

So, imagine his surprise when he wakes up and leans over to give his Jaybirdie his kiss, and the big lug rolls over to the other side of the bed before his lips can even get close. Never mind the fact that he woke up and Jason was not cuddling him, hugging, or even just touching him for the matter.

But, he figured Jason was just out of it, discombobulated after waking up or something, and needed a moment. Then, when he was getting ready for his classes and making breakfast, Jason came out and Y/N plated his food for him while grabbing some juice from the fridge.

“Thanks, Y/N.”

Immediate strike two.

Y/N immediately turned around to his lover who was slowly eating his food, rather than inhaling it like he usually does which is why Y/N always has to make extra because the man is still hungry after the first plate. He gave him a weird look and just shrugged it off like he was hearing things, continuing to fill up the glass of juice before handing it over to the vigilante.

“Thanks, Y/N.”

There it was again. Okay, so he wasn’t imagining shit.

And, now that he was thinking about it, Jason was acting really weird. He didn’t come in and hug from behind like he does when Y/N is cooking. He hasn’t made one lewd sexual joke all morning. Heck, he’s barely looked towards the smaller male since this morning.

“You’re welcome. Is everything okay?”

Finally, Jason looked up at him, but it was with a straight face instead of his usual small smile or even the smirk that he always seemed to carry.

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know, you just seem like you’re upset about something. Did I do something to make you mad?” Y/N asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable and uncomfortable. He was not used to this behavior from Jason. It was almost like the beginning of their relationship when the vigilante wouldn’t be very guarded against him because he didn’t trust him yet. A feeling he was very happy to forget.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. Are you okay?” Jason asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just worried about you, I guess. You seem quiet.”

“I’m good, Y/N. You don’t need to worry about me.” Jason said, going back to scrolling on his phone while eating.

“Oh, okay,” Y/N said softly, looking down at the ground and feeling very out of place all of a sudden.

On the other end, he didn’t realize how much it was KILLING Jason on the inside to keep up this ruse. He was just about ready to fold and call it quits this morning when he turned over and avoided his boyfriend’s kiss.

Now, he felt absolutely disgusted and horrible at how hurt Y/N looked. He planned to wait it out until he got back from his classes, but he knew right at that moment he wasn’t going to be able to make it that long. He underestimated how much seeing his boyfriend upset would affect him.

“Alright, well, I’m gonna head to my class now. Text me if you want to meet up for lunch.”

“Okay,” Jason said, not saying anything else which he could see was visibly confusing Y/N even more.

He knew that Y/N didn’t like to push because of Jason’s boundaries, always rather giving him space than crowding him and trying to force him to tell him what was going on. It did nothing to help alleviate the guilt he was feeling.

When Y/N came over to try and give Jason a hug and goodbye kiss and Jason visibly moved away, the vigilante wanted to kill himself right at that moment at the wounded expression all over the boy’s face, who just moved to grab his bag, keys, and phone and damn near ran for the door. That was a clear strike three for the college student.

Absolute shit Jason felt like.

When he heard the front door open and slam, he immediately jumped up, grabbed his phone, and ran after his boyfriend who was booking it towards the stairs.

“Y/N, wait.”

When he made no moves to slow down, Jason had to pull out the vigilante moves to catch him since he was nearly out the complex door.

“Baby, stop. I was just messing with you,” He said, grabbing his boyfriend and planting kisses all over his face.

“No, that’s not funny. Get off me you jerk,” Y/N said not making any move to push Jason off which the vigilante smiled at.

“I’m sorry, but now you know how it feels,” Jason showed Y/N his phone that had been recording the entire interaction, “Payback,” He declared, clearly mocking the smaller boy.

Y/N rolled his eyes before heading back inside with his boyfriend who showered him with love and kisses for his prank but made fun of him the entire time. And it didn’t stop there.

Jason did scare pranks, couples challenges where they had to answer questions (his favorites were the ones that came with punishments like dunking each other’s head in water or getting hit with a pillow), and more.

It was the reaction memes all over again.

But, there was still one challenge he hadn’t come across yet that Y/N did and was more than ready to do on his boyfriend.

They were currently sitting in the car, spending a day out together since Y/N's load from his classes was light and there weren’t any cases Jason was working on with himself or his family either. They were parked in a parking garage outside a shopping center, having just come back from shopping and grabbing some food inside when Y/N set up the camera.

“Babe, what are you doing?” Jason asked while stuffing his face with the freshly baked pretzel bites they got.

“Saw this new couple challenge on TikTok and wanted to do it,” He said, setting up the phone mount and adjusting it so it had him and Jason in full view.

“So, I saw this new challenge where couples are asking their partners random questions about each other and seeing who knows more about the other. So me and my husband are going to do the same thing and I’m going to start.” Y/N said into the camera.

The moment it came out his mouth, Y/N could see the initial surprise on his face turn into a small smile, but he didn’t say anything or question him, so he kept going. As he did his best to think up random questions to ask Jason, he kept referring to him as his husband, increasing the smile to a shit-eating grin the longer it went.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Y/N asked.

“I’m your husband now?” Jason asked, turning to him with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, is that a problem?” Y/N asked with his own raised eyebrow.

“Absolutely not,” Jason said, not saying another word as Y/N ended the video. He pulled out his phone as they finished their food and Y/N showed the original challenge that everyone was doing, agreeing with him when he called the guy from the original video a complete idiot.

But, he definitely noticed Jason not being as discreet as he thought he was, immediately noticing Jason’s browser on his phone being pulled up to engagement rings.

Oh boy.

☀️ | Jason Todd/Red Hood | ☀️

☀️ | Masterlists | ☀️

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antiporn-activist · 2 months

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I thought y'all should read this

I have a free trial to News+ so I copy-pasted it for you here. I don't think Jonathan Haidt would object to more people having this info.

Tumblr wouldn't let me post it until i removed all the links to Haidt's sources. You'll have to take my word that everything is sourced.

End the Phone-Based Childhood Now

The environment in which kids grow up today is hostile to human development.

By Jonathan Haidt

Something went suddenly and horribly wrong for adolescents in the early 2010s. By now you’ve likely seen the statistics: Rates of depression and anxiety in the United States—fairly stable in the 2000s—rose by more than 50 percent in many studies from 2010 to 2019. The suicide rate rose 48 percent for adolescents ages 10 to 19. For girls ages 10 to 14, it rose 131 percent.

The problem was not limited to the U.S.: Similar patterns emerged around the same time in Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, the Nordic countries, and beyond. By a variety of measures and in a variety of countries, the members of Generation Z (born in and after 1996) are suffering from anxiety, depression, self-harm, and related disorders at levels higher than any other generation for which we have data.

The decline in mental health is just one of many signs that something went awry. Loneliness and friendlessness among American teens began to surge around 2012. Academic achievement went down, too. According to “The Nation’s Report Card,” scores in reading and math began to decline for U.S. students after 2012, reversing decades of slow but generally steady increase. PISA, the major international measure of educational trends, shows that declines in math, reading, and science happened globally, also beginning in the early 2010s.

As the oldest members of Gen Z reach their late 20s, their troubles are carrying over into adulthood. Young adults are dating less, having less sex, and showing less interest in ever having children than prior generations. They are more likelyto live with their parents. They were less likely to get jobs as teens, and managers say they are harder to work with. Many of these trends began with earlier generations, but most of them accelerated with Gen Z.

Surveys show that members of Gen Z are shyer and more risk averse than previous generations, too, and risk aversion may make them less ambitious. In an interview last May, OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman and Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison noted that, for the first time since the 1970s, none of Silicon Valley’s preeminent entrepreneurs are under 30. “Something has really gone wrong,” Altman said. In a famously young industry, he was baffled by the sudden absence of great founders in their 20s.

Generations are not monolithic, of course. Many young people are flourishing. Taken as a whole, however, Gen Z is in poor mental health and is lagging behind previous generations on many important metrics. And if a generation is doing poorly––if it is more anxious and depressed and is starting families, careers, and important companies at a substantially lower rate than previous generations––then the sociological and economic consequences will be profound for the entire society.

What happened in the early 2010s that altered adolescent development and worsened mental health? Theories abound, but the fact that similar trends are found in many countries worldwide means that events and trends that are specific to the United States cannot be the main story.

I think the answer can be stated simply, although the underlying psychology is complex: Those were the years when adolescents in rich countries traded in their flip phones for smartphones and moved much more of their social lives online—particularly onto social-media platforms designed for virality and addiction. Once young people began carrying the entire internet in their pockets, available to them day and night, it altered their daily experiences and developmental pathways across the board. Friendship, dating, sexuality, exercise, sleep, academics, politics, family dynamics, identity—all were affected. Life changed rapidly for younger children, too, as they began to get access to their parents’ smartphones and, later, got their own iPads, laptops, and even smartphones during elementary school.

As a social psychologist who has long studied social and moral development, I have been involved in debates about the effects of digital technology for years. Typically, the scientific questions have been framed somewhat narrowly, to make them easier to address with data. For example, do adolescents who consume more social media have higher levels of depression? Does using a smartphone just before bedtime interfere with sleep? The answer to these questions is usually found to be yes, although the size of the relationship is often statistically small, which has led some researchers to conclude that these new technologies are not responsible for the gigantic increases in mental illness that began in the early 2010s.

But before we can evaluate the evidence on any one potential avenue of harm, we need to step back and ask a broader question: What is childhood––including adolescence––and how did it change when smartphones moved to the center of it? If we take a more holistic view of what childhood is and what young children, tweens, and teens need to do to mature into competent adults, the picture becomes much clearer. Smartphone-based life, it turns out, alters or interferes with a great number of developmental processes.

The intrusion of smartphones and social media are not the only changes that have deformed childhood. There’s an important backstory, beginning as long ago as the 1980s, when we started systematically depriving children and adolescents of freedom, unsupervised play, responsibility, and opportunities for risk taking, all of which promote competence, maturity, and mental health. But the change in childhood accelerated in the early 2010s, when an already independence-deprived generation was lured into a new virtual universe that seemed safe to parents but in fact is more dangerous, in many respects, than the physical world.

My claim is that the new phone-based childhood that took shape roughly 12 years ago is making young people sick and blocking their progress to flourishing in adulthood. We need a dramatic cultural correction, and we need it now.

1. The Decline of Play and Independence

Human brains are extraordinarily large compared with those of other primates, and human childhoods are extraordinarily long, too, to give those large brains time to wire up within a particular culture. A child’s brain is already 90 percent of its adult size by about age 6. The next 10 or 15 years are about learning norms and mastering skills—physical, analytical, creative, and social. As children and adolescents seek out experiences and practice a wide variety of behaviors, the synapses and neurons that are used frequently are retained while those that are used less often disappear. Neurons that fire together wire together, as brain researchers say.

Brain development is sometimes said to be “experience-expectant,” because specific parts of the brain show increased plasticity during periods of life when an animal’s brain can “expect” to have certain kinds of experiences. You can see this with baby geese, who will imprint on whatever mother-sized object moves in their vicinity just after they hatch. You can see it with human children, who are able to learn languages quickly and take on the local accent, but only through early puberty; after that, it’s hard to learn a language and sound like a native speaker. There is also some evidence of a sensitive period for cultural learning more generally. Japanese children who spent a few years in California in the 1970s came to feel “American” in their identity and ways of interacting only if they attended American schools for a few years between ages 9 and 15. If they left before age 9, there was no lasting impact. If they didn’t arrive until they were 15, it was too late; they didn’t come to feel American.

Human childhood is an extended cultural apprenticeship with different tasks at different ages all the way through puberty. Once we see it this way, we can identify factors that promote or impede the right kinds of learning at each age. For children of all ages, one of the most powerful drivers of learning is the strong motivation to play. Play is the work of childhood, and all young mammals have the same job: to wire up their brains by playing vigorously and often, practicing the moves and skills they’ll need as adults. Kittens will play-pounce on anything that looks like a mouse tail. Human children will play games such as tag and sharks and minnows, which let them practice both their predator skills and their escaping-from-predator skills. Adolescents will play sports with greater intensity, and will incorporate playfulness into their social interactions—flirting, teasing, and developing inside jokes that bond friends together. Hundreds of studies on young rats, monkeys, and humans show that young mammals want to play, need to play, and end up socially, cognitively, and emotionally impaired when they are deprived of play.

One crucial aspect of play is physical risk taking. Children and adolescents must take risks and fail—often—in environments in which failure is not very costly. This is how they extend their abilities, overcome their fears, learn to estimate risk, and learn to cooperate in order to take on larger challenges later. The ever-present possibility of getting hurt while running around, exploring, play-fighting, or getting into a real conflict with another group adds an element of thrill, and thrilling play appears to be the most effective kind for overcoming childhood anxieties and building social, emotional, and physical competence. The desire for risk and thrill increases in the teen years, when failure might carry more serious consequences. Children of all ages need to choose the risk they are ready for at a given moment. Young people who are deprived of opportunities for risk taking and independent exploration will, on average, develop into more anxious and risk-averse adults.

Human childhood and adolescence evolved outdoors, in a physical world full of dangers and opportunities. Its central activities––play, exploration, and intense socializing––were largely unsupervised by adults, allowing children to make their own choices, resolve their own conflicts, and take care of one another. Shared adventures and shared adversity bound young people together into strong friendship clusters within which they mastered the social dynamics of small groups, which prepared them to master bigger challenges and larger groups later on.

And then we changed childhood.

The changes started slowly in the late 1970s and ’80s, before the arrival of the internet, as many parents in the U.S. grew fearful that their children would be harmed or abducted if left unsupervised. Such crimes have always been extremely rare, but they loomed larger in parents’ minds thanks in part to rising levels of street crime combined with the arrival of cable TV, which enabled round-the-clock coverage of missing-children cases. A general decline in social capital––the degree to which people knew and trusted their neighbors and institutions––exacerbated parental fears. Meanwhile, rising competition for college admissions encouraged more intensive forms of parenting. In the 1990s, American parents began pulling their children indoors or insisting that afternoons be spent in adult-run enrichment activities. Free play, independent exploration, and teen-hangout time declined.

In recent decades, seeing unchaperoned children outdoors has become so novel that when one is spotted in the wild, some adults feel it is their duty to call the police. In 2015, the Pew Research Center found that parents, on average, believed that children should be at least 10 years old to play unsupervised in front of their house, and that kids should be 14 before being allowed to go unsupervised to a public park. Most of these same parents had enjoyed joyous and unsupervised outdoor play by the age of 7 or 8.

2. The Virtual World Arrives in Two Waves

The internet, which now dominates the lives of young people, arrived in two waves of linked technologies. The first one did little harm to Millennials. The second one swallowed Gen Z whole.

The first wave came ashore in the 1990s with the arrival of dial-up internet access, which made personal computers good for something beyond word processing and basic games. By 2003, 55 percent of American households had a computer with (slow) internet access. Rates of adolescent depression, loneliness, and other measures of poor mental health did not rise in this first wave. If anything, they went down a bit. Millennial teens (born 1981 through 1995), who were the first to go through puberty with access to the internet, were psychologically healthier and happier, on average, than their older siblings or parents in Generation X (born 1965 through 1980).

The second wave began to rise in the 2000s, though its full force didn’t hit until the early 2010s. It began rather innocently with the introduction of social-media platforms that helped people connect with their friends. Posting and sharing content became much easier with sites such as Friendster (launched in 2003), Myspace (2003), and Facebook (2004).

Teens embraced social media soon after it came out, but the time they could spend on these sites was limited in those early years because the sites could only be accessed from a computer, often the family computer in the living room. Young people couldn’t access social media (and the rest of the internet) from the school bus, during class time, or while hanging out with friends outdoors. Many teens in the early-to-mid-2000s had cellphones, but these were basic phones (many of them flip phones) that had no internet access. Typing on them was difficult––they had only number keys. Basic phones were tools that helped Millennials meet up with one another in person or talk with each other one-on-one. I have seen no evidence to suggest that basic cellphones harmed the mental health of Millennials.

It was not until the introduction of the iPhone (2007), the App Store (2008), and high-speed internet (which reached 50 percent of American homes in 2007)—and the corresponding pivot to mobile made by many providers of social media, video games, and porn—that it became possible for adolescents to spend nearly every waking moment online. The extraordinary synergy among these innovations was what powered the second technological wave. In 2011, only 23 percent of teens had a smartphone. By 2015, that number had risen to 73 percent, and a quarter of teens said they were online “almost constantly.” Their younger siblings in elementary school didn’t usually have their own smartphones, but after its release in 2010, the iPad quickly became a staple of young children’s daily lives. It was in this brief period, from 2010 to 2015, that childhood in America (and many other countries) was rewired into a form that was more sedentary, solitary, virtual, and incompatible with healthy human development.

3. Techno-optimism and the Birth of the Phone-Based Childhood

The phone-based childhood created by that second wave—including not just smartphones themselves, but all manner of internet-connected devices, such as tablets, laptops, video-game consoles, and smartwatches—arrived near the end of a period of enormous optimism about digital technology. The internet came into our lives in the mid-1990s, soon after the fall of the Soviet Union. By the end of that decade, it was widely thought that the web would be an ally of democracy and a slayer of tyrants. When people are connected to each other, and to all the information in the world, how could any dictator keep them down?

In the 2000s, Silicon Valley and its world-changing inventions were a source of pride and excitement in America. Smart and ambitious young people around the world wanted to move to the West Coast to be part of the digital revolution. Tech-company founders such as Steve Jobs and Sergey Brin were lauded as gods, or at least as modern Prometheans, bringing humans godlike powers. The Arab Spring bloomed in 2011 with the help of decentralized social platforms, including Twitter and Facebook. When pundits and entrepreneurs talked about the power of social media to transform society, it didn’t sound like a dark prophecy.

You have to put yourself back in this heady time to understand why adults acquiesced so readily to the rapid transformation of childhood. Many parents had concerns, even then, about what their children were doing online, especially because of the internet’s ability to put children in contact with strangers. But there was also a lot of excitement about the upsides of this new digital world. If computers and the internet were the vanguards of progress, and if young people––widely referred to as “digital natives”––were going to live their lives entwined with these technologies, then why not give them a head start? I remember how exciting it was to see my 2-year-old son master the touch-and-swipe interface of my first iPhone in 2008. I thought I could see his neurons being woven together faster as a result of the stimulation it brought to his brain, compared to the passivity of watching television or the slowness of building a block tower. I thought I could see his future job prospects improving.

Touchscreen devices were also a godsend for harried parents. Many of us discovered that we could have peace at a restaurant, on a long car trip, or at home while making dinner or replying to emails if we just gave our children what they most wanted: our smartphones and tablets. We saw that everyone else was doing it and figured it must be okay.

It was the same for older children, desperate to join their friends on social-media platforms, where the minimum age to open an account was set by law to 13, even though no research had been done to establish the safety of these products for minors. Because the platforms did nothing (and still do nothing) to verify the stated age of new-account applicants, any 10-year-old could open multiple accounts without parental permission or knowledge, and many did. Facebook and later Instagram became places where many sixth and seventh graders were hanging out and socializing. If parents did find out about these accounts, it was too late. Nobody wanted their child to be isolated and alone, so parents rarely forced their children to shut down their accounts.

We had no idea what we were doing.

4. The High Cost of a Phone-Based Childhood

In Walden, his 1854 reflection on simple living, Henry David Thoreau wrote, “The cost of a thing is the amount of … life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.” It’s an elegant formulation of what economists would later call the opportunity cost of any choice—all of the things you can no longer do with your money and time once you’ve committed them to something else. So it’s important that we grasp just how much of a young person’s day is now taken up by their devices.

The numbers are hard to believe. The most recent Gallup data show that American teens spend about five hours a day just on social-media platforms (including watching videos on TikTok and YouTube). Add in all the other phone- and screen-based activities, and the number rises to somewhere between seven and nine hours a day, on average. The numbers are even higher in single-parent and low-income families, and among Black, Hispanic, and Native American families.

In Thoreau’s terms, how much of life is exchanged for all this screen time? Arguably, most of it. Everything else in an adolescent’s day must get squeezed down or eliminated entirely to make room for the vast amount of content that is consumed, and for the hundreds of “friends,” “followers,” and other network connections that must be serviced with texts, posts, comments, likes, snaps, and direct messages. I recently surveyed my students at NYU, and most of them reported that the very first thing they do when they open their eyes in the morning is check their texts, direct messages, and social-media feeds. It’s also the last thing they do before they close their eyes at night. And it’s a lot of what they do in between.

The amount of time that adolescents spend sleeping declined in the early 2010s, and many studies tie sleep loss directly to the use of devices around bedtime, particularly when they’re used to scroll through social media. Exercise declined, too, which is unfortunate because exercise, like sleep, improves both mental and physical health. Book reading has been declining for decades, pushed aside by digital alternatives, but the decline, like so much else, sped up in the early 2010s. With passive entertainment always available, adolescent minds likely wander less than they used to; contemplation and imagination might be placed on the list of things winnowed down or crowded out.

But perhaps the most devastating cost of the new phone-based childhood was the collapse of time spent interacting with other people face-to-face. A study of how Americans spend their time found that, before 2010, young people (ages 15 to 24) reported spending far more time with their friends (about two hours a day, on average, not counting time together at school) than did older people (who spent just 30 to 60 minutes with friends). Time with friends began decreasing for young people in the 2000s, but the drop accelerated in the 2010s, while it barely changed for older people. By 2019, young people’s time with friends had dropped to just 67 minutes a day. It turns out that Gen Z had been socially distancing for many years and had mostly completed the project by the time COVID-19 struck.

You might question the importance of this decline. After all, isn’t much of this online time spent interacting with friends through texting, social media, and multiplayer video games? Isn’t that just as good?

Some of it surely is, and virtual interactions offer unique benefits too, especially for young people who are geographically or socially isolated. But in general, the virtual world lacks many of the features that make human interactions in the real world nutritious, as we might say, for physical, social, and emotional development. In particular, real-world relationships and social interactions are characterized by four features—typical for hundreds of thousands of years—that online interactions either distort or erase.

First, real-world interactions are embodied, meaning that we use our hands and facial expressions to communicate, and we learn to respond to the body language of others. Virtual interactions, in contrast, mostly rely on language alone. No matter how many emojis are offered as compensation, the elimination of communication channels for which we have eons of evolutionary programming is likely to produce adults who are less comfortable and less skilled at interacting in person.

Second, real-world interactions are synchronous; they happen at the same time. As a result, we learn subtle cues about timing and conversational turn taking. Synchronous interactions make us feel closer to the other person because that’s what getting “in sync” does. Texts, posts, and many other virtual interactions lack synchrony. There is less real laughter, more room for misinterpretation, and more stress after a comment that gets no immediate response.

Third, real-world interactions primarily involve one‐to‐one communication, or sometimes one-to-several. But many virtual communications are broadcast to a potentially huge audience. Online, each person can engage in dozens of asynchronous interactions in parallel, which interferes with the depth achieved in all of them. The sender’s motivations are different, too: With a large audience, one’s reputation is always on the line; an error or poor performance can damage social standing with large numbers of peers. These communications thus tend to be more performative and anxiety-inducing than one-to-one conversations.

Finally, real-world interactions usually take place within communities that have a high bar for entry and exit, so people are strongly motivated to invest in relationships and repair rifts when they happen. But in many virtual networks, people can easily block others or quit when they are displeased. Relationships within such networks are usually more disposable.

These unsatisfying and anxiety-producing features of life online should be recognizable to most adults. Online interactions can bring out antisocial behavior that people would never display in their offline communities. But if life online takes a toll on adults, just imagine what it does to adolescents in the early years of puberty, when their “experience expectant” brains are rewiring based on feedback from their social interactions.

Kids going through puberty online are likely to experience far more social comparison, self-consciousness, public shaming, and chronic anxiety than adolescents in previous generations, which could potentially set developing brains into a habitual state of defensiveness. The brain contains systems that are specialized for approach (when opportunities beckon) and withdrawal (when threats appear or seem likely). People can be in what we might call “discover mode” or “defend mode” at any moment, but generally not both. The two systems together form a mechanism for quickly adapting to changing conditions, like a thermostat that can activate either a heating system or a cooling system as the temperature fluctuates. Some people’s internal thermostats are generally set to discover mode, and they flip into defend mode only when clear threats arise. These people tend to see the world as full of opportunities. They are happier and less anxious. Other people’s internal thermostats are generally set to defend mode, and they flip into discover mode only when they feel unusually safe. They tend to see the world as full of threats and are more prone to anxiety and depressive disorders.

A simple way to understand the differences between Gen Z and previous generations is that people born in and after 1996 have internal thermostats that were shifted toward defend mode. This is why life on college campuses changed so suddenly when Gen Z arrived, beginning around 2014. Students began requesting “safe spaces” and trigger warnings. They were highly sensitive to “microaggressions” and sometimes claimed that words were “violence.” These trends mystified those of us in older generations at the time, but in hindsight, it all makes sense. Gen Z students found words, ideas, and ambiguous social encounters more threatening than had previous generations of students because we had fundamentally altered their psychological development.

5. So Many Harms

The debate around adolescents’ use of smartphones and social media typically revolves around mental health, and understandably so. But the harms that have resulted from transforming childhood so suddenly and heedlessly go far beyondmental health. I’ve touched on some of them—social awkwardness, reduced self-confidence, and a more sedentary childhood. Here are three additional harms.

Fragmented Attention, Disrupted Learning

Staying on task while sitting at a computer is hard enough for an adult with a fully developed prefrontal cortex. It is far more difficult for adolescents in front of their laptop trying to do homework. They are probably less intrinsically motivated to stay on task. They’re certainly less able, given their undeveloped prefrontal cortex, and hence it’s easy for any company with an app to lure them away with an offer of social validation or entertainment. Their phones are pinging constantly—one study found that the typical adolescent now gets 237 notifications a day, roughly 15 every waking hour. Sustained attention is essential for doing almost anything big, creative, or valuable, yet young people find their attention chopped up into little bits by notifications offering the possibility of high-pleasure, low-effort digital experiences.

It even happens in the classroom. Studies confirm that when students have access to their phones during class time, they use them, especially for texting and checking social media, and their grades and learning suffer. This might explain why benchmark test scores began to decline in the U.S. and around the world in the early 2010s—well before the pandemic hit.

Addiction and Social Withdrawal

The neural basis of behavioral addiction to social media or video games is not exactly the same as chemical addiction to cocaine or opioids. Nonetheless, they all involve abnormally heavy and sustained activation of dopamine neurons and reward pathways. Over time, the brain adapts to these high levels of dopamine; when the child is not engaged in digital activity, their brain doesn’t have enough dopamine, and the child experiences withdrawal symptoms. These generally include anxiety, insomnia, and intense irritability. Kids with these kinds of behavioral addictions often become surly and aggressive, and withdraw from their families into their bedrooms and devices.

Social-media and gaming platforms were designed to hook users. How successful are they? How many kids suffer from digital addictions?

The main addiction risks for boys seem to be video games and porn. “Internet gaming disorder,” which was added to the main diagnosis manual of psychiatry in 2013 as a condition for further study, describes “significant impairment or distress” in several aspects of life, along with many hallmarks of addiction, including an inability to reduce usage despite attempts to do so. Estimates for the prevalence of IGD range from 7 to 15 percent among adolescent boys and young men. As for porn, a nationally representative survey of American adults published in 2019 found that 7 percent of American men agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “I am addicted to pornography”—and the rates were higher for the youngest men.

Girls have much lower rates of addiction to video games and porn, but they use social media more intensely than boys do. A study of teens in 29 nations found that between 5 and 15 percent of adolescents engage in what is called “problematic social media use,” which includes symptoms such as preoccupation, withdrawal symptoms, neglect of other areas of life, and lying to parents and friends about time spent on social media. That study did not break down results by gender, but many others have found that rates of “problematic use” are higher for girls.

I don’t want to overstate the risks: Most teens do not become addicted to their phones and video games. But across multiple studies and across genders, rates of problematic use come out in the ballpark of 5 to 15 percent. Is there any other consumer product that parents would let their children use relatively freely if they knew that something like one in 10 kids would end up with a pattern of habitual and compulsive use that disrupted various domains of life and looked a lot like an addiction?

The Decay of Wisdom and the Loss of Meaning

During that crucial sensitive period for cultural learning, from roughly ages 9 through 15, we should be especially thoughtful about who is socializing our children for adulthood. Instead, that’s when most kids get their first smartphone and sign themselves up (with or without parental permission) to consume rivers of content from random strangers. Much of that content is produced by other adolescents, in blocks of a few minutes or a few seconds.

This rerouting of enculturating content has created a generation that is largely cut off from older generations and, to some extent, from the accumulated wisdom of humankind, including knowledge about how to live a flourishing life. Adolescents spend less time steeped in their local or national culture. They are coming of age in a confusing, placeless, ahistorical maelstrom of 30-second stories curated by algorithms designed to mesmerize them. Without solid knowledge of the past and the filtering of good ideas from bad––a process that plays out over many generations––young people will be more prone to believe whatever terrible ideas become popular around them, which might explain why videos showing young people reacting positively to Osama bin Laden’s thoughts about America were trending on TikTok last fall.

All this is made worse by the fact that so much of digital public life is an unending supply of micro dramas about somebody somewhere in our country of 340 million people who did something that can fuel an outrage cycle, only to be pushed aside by the next. It doesn’t add up to anything and leaves behind only a distorted sense of human nature and affairs.

When our public life becomes fragmented, ephemeral, and incomprehensible, it is a recipe for anomie, or normlessness. The great French sociologist Émile Durkheim showed long ago that a society that fails to bind its people together with some shared sense of sacredness and common respect for rules and norms is not a society of great individual freedom; it is, rather, a place where disoriented individuals have difficulty setting goals and exerting themselves to achieve them. Durkheim argued that anomie was a major driver of suicide rates in European countries. Modern scholars continue to draw on his work to understand suicide rates today.

Durkheim’s observations are crucial for understanding what happened in the early 2010s. A long-running survey of American teens found that, from 1990 to 2010, high-school seniors became slightly less likely to agree with statements such as “Life often feels meaningless.” But as soon as they adopted a phone-based life and many began to live in the whirlpool of social media, where no stability can be found, every measure of despair increased. From 2010 to 2019, the number who agreed that their lives felt “meaningless” increased by about 70 percent, to more than one in five.

6. Young People Don’t Like Their Phone-Based Lives

How can I be confident that the epidemic of adolescent mental illness was kicked off by the arrival of the phone-based childhood? Skeptics point to other events as possible culprits, including the 2008 global financial crisis, global warming, the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting and the subsequent active-shooter drills, rising academic pressures, and the opioid epidemic. But while these events might have been contributing factors in some countries, none can explain both the timing and international scope of the disaster.

An additional source of evidence comes from Gen Z itself. With all the talk of regulating social media, raising age limits, and getting phones out of schools, you might expect to find many members of Gen Z writing and speaking out in opposition. I’ve looked for such arguments and found hardly any. In contrast, many young adults tell stories of devastation.

Freya India, a 24-year-old British essayist who writes about girls, explains how social-media sites carry girls off to unhealthy places: “It seems like your child is simply watching some makeup tutorials, following some mental health influencers, or experimenting with their identity. But let me tell you: they are on a conveyor belt to someplace bad. Whatever insecurity or vulnerability they are struggling with, they will be pushed further and further into it.” She continues:

Gen Z were the guinea pigs in this uncontrolled global social experiment. We were the first to have our vulnerabilities and insecurities fed into a machine that magnified and refracted them back at us, all the time, before we had any sense of who we were. We didn’t just grow up with algorithms. They raised us. They rearranged our faces. Shaped our identities. Convinced us we were sick.

Rikki Schlott, a 23-year-old American journalist and co-author of The Canceling of the American Mind, writes,

"The day-to-day life of a typical teen or tween today would be unrecognizable to someone who came of age before the smartphone arrived. Zoomers are spending an average of 9 hours daily in this screen-time doom loop—desperate to forget the gaping holes they’re bleeding out of, even if just for … 9 hours a day. Uncomfortable silence could be time to ponder why they’re so miserable in the first place. Drowning it out with algorithmic white noise is far easier."

A 27-year-old man who spent his adolescent years addicted (his word) to video games and pornography sent me this reflection on what that did to him:

I missed out on a lot of stuff in life—a lot of socialization. I feel the effects now: meeting new people, talking to people. I feel that my interactions are not as smooth and fluid as I want. My knowledge of the world (geography, politics, etc.) is lacking. I didn’t spend time having conversations or learning about sports. I often feel like a hollow operating system.

Or consider what Facebook found in a research project involving focus groups of young people, revealed in 2021 by the whistleblower Frances Haugen: “Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rates of anxiety and depression among teens,” an internal document said. “This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.”

7. Collective-Action Problems

Social-media companies such as Meta, TikTok, and Snap are often compared to tobacco companies, but that’s not really fair to the tobacco industry. It’s true that companies in both industries marketed harmful products to children and tweaked their products for maximum customer retention (that is, addiction), but there’s a big difference: Teens could and did choose, in large numbers, not to smoke. Even at the peak of teen cigarette use, in 1997, nearly two-thirds of high-school students did not smoke.

Social media, in contrast, applies a lot more pressure on nonusers, at a much younger age and in a more insidious way. Once a few students in any middle school lie about their age and open accounts at age 11 or 12, they start posting photos and comments about themselves and other students. Drama ensues. The pressure on everyone else to join becomes intense. Even a girl who knows, consciously, that Instagram can foster beauty obsession, anxiety, and eating disorders might sooner take those risks than accept the seeming certainty of being out of the loop, clueless, and excluded. And indeed, if she resists while most of her classmates do not, she might, in fact, be marginalized, which puts her at risk for anxiety and depression, though via a different pathway than the one taken by those who use social media heavily. In this way, social media accomplishes a remarkable feat: It even harms adolescents who do not use it.

A recent study led by the University of Chicago economist Leonardo Bursztyn captured the dynamics of the social-media trap precisely. The researchers recruited more than 1,000 college students and asked them how much they’d need to be paid to deactivate their accounts on either Instagram or TikTok for four weeks. That’s a standard economist’s question to try to compute the net value of a product to society. On average, students said they’d need to be paid roughly $50 ($59 for TikTok, $47 for Instagram) to deactivate whichever platform they were asked about. Then the experimenters told the students that they were going to try to get most of the others in their school to deactivate that same platform, offering to pay them to do so as well, and asked, Now how much would you have to be paid to deactivate, if most others did so? The answer, on average, was less than zero. In each case, most students were willing to pay to have that happen.

Social media is all about network effects. Most students are only on it because everyone else is too. Most of them would prefer that nobody be on these platforms. Later in the study, students were asked directly, “Would you prefer to live in a world without Instagram [or TikTok]?” A majority of students said yes––58 percent for each app.

This is the textbook definition of what social scientists call a collective-action problem. It’s what happens when a group would be better off if everyone in the group took a particular action, but each actor is deterred from acting, because unless the others do the same, the personal cost outweighs the benefit. Fishermen considering limiting their catch to avoid wiping out the local fish population are caught in this same kind of trap. If no one else does it too, they just lose profit.

Cigarettes trapped individual smokers with a biological addiction. Social media has trapped an entire generation in a collective-action problem. Early app developers deliberately and knowingly exploited the psychological weaknesses and insecurities of young people to pressure them to consume a product that, upon reflection, many wish they could use less, or not at all.

8. Four Norms to Break Four Traps

Young people and their parents are stuck in at least four collective-action traps. Each is hard to escape for an individual family, but escape becomes much easier if families, schools, and communities coordinate and act together. Here are four norms that would roll back the phone-based childhood. I believe that any community that adopts all four will see substantial improvements in youth mental health within two years.

No smartphones before high school

The trap here is that each child thinks they need a smartphone because “everyone else” has one, and many parents give in because they don’t want their child to feel excluded. But if no one else had a smartphone—or even if, say, only half of the child’s sixth-grade class had one—parents would feel more comfortable providing a basic flip phone (or no phone at all). Delaying round-the-clock internet access until ninth grade (around age 14) as a national or community norm would help to protect adolescents during the very vulnerable first few years of puberty. According to a 2022 British study, these are the years when social-media use is most correlated with poor mental health. Family policies about tablets, laptops, and video-game consoles should be aligned with smartphone restrictions to prevent overuse of other screen activities.

No social media before 16

The trap here, as with smartphones, is that each adolescent feels a strong need to open accounts on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and other platforms primarily because that’s where most of their peers are posting and gossiping. But if the majority of adolescents were not on these accounts until they were 16, families and adolescents could more easily resist the pressure to sign up. The delay would not mean that kids younger than 16 could never watch videos on TikTok or YouTube—only that they could not open accounts, give away their data, post their own content, and let algorithms get to know them and their preferences.

Phone‐free schools

Most schools claim that they ban phones, but this usually just means that students aren’t supposed to take their phone out of their pocket during class. Research shows that most students do use their phones during class time. They also use them during lunchtime, free periods, and breaks between classes––times when students could and should be interacting with their classmates face-to-face. The only way to get students’ minds off their phones during the school day is to require all students to put their phones (and other devices that can send or receive texts) into a phone locker or locked pouch at the start of the day. Schools that have gone phone-free always seem to report that it has improved the culture, making students more attentive in class and more interactive with one another. Published studies back them up.

More independence, free play, and responsibility in the real world

Many parents are afraid to give their children the level of independence and responsibility they themselves enjoyed when they were young, even though rates of homicide, drunk driving, and other physical threats to children are way down in recent decades. Part of the fear comes from the fact that parents look at each other to determine what is normal and therefore safe, and they see few examples of families acting as if a 9-year-old can be trusted to walk to a store without a chaperone. But if many parents started sending their children out to play or run errands, then the norms of what is safe and accepted would change quickly. So would ideas about what constitutes “good parenting.” And if more parents trusted their children with more responsibility––for example, by asking their kids to do more to help out, or to care for others––then the pervasive sense of uselessness now found in surveys of high-school students might begin to dissipate.

It would be a mistake to overlook this fourth norm. If parents don’t replace screen time with real-world experiences involving friends and independent activity, then banning devices will feel like deprivation, not the opening up of a world of opportunities.

The main reason why the phone-based childhood is so harmful is because it pushes aside everything else. Smartphones are experience blockers. Our ultimate goal should not be to remove screens entirely, nor should it be to return childhood to exactly the way it was in 1960. Rather, it should be to create a version of childhood and adolescence that keeps young people anchored in the real world while flourishing in the digital age.

9. What Are We Waiting For?

An essential function of government is to solve collective-action problems. Congress could solve or help solve the ones I’ve highlighted—for instance, by raising the age of “internet adulthood” to 16 and requiring tech companies to keep underage children off their sites.

In recent decades, however, Congress has not been good at addressing public concerns when the solutions would displease a powerful and deep-pocketed industry. Governors and state legislators have been much more effective, and their successes might let us evaluate how well various reforms work. But the bottom line is that to change norms, we’re going to need to do most of the work ourselves, in neighborhood groups, schools, and other communities.

There are now hundreds of organizations––most of them started by mothers who saw what smartphones had done to their children––that are working to roll back the phone-based childhood or promote a more independent, real-world childhood. (I have assembled a list of many of them.) One that I co-founded, at LetGrow.org, suggests a variety of simple programs for parents or schools, such as play club (schools keep the playground open at least one day a week before or after school, and kids sign up for phone-free, mixed-age, unstructured play as a regular weekly activity) and the Let Grow Experience (a series of homework assignments in which students––with their parents’ consent––choose something to do on their own that they’ve never done before, such as walk the dog, climb a tree, walk to a store, or cook dinner).

Parents are fed up with what childhood has become. Many are tired of having daily arguments about technologies that were designed to grab hold of their children’s attention and not let go. But the phone-based childhood is not inevitable.

The four norms I have proposed cost almost nothing to implement, they cause no clear harm to anyone, and while they could be supported by new legislation, they can be instilled even without it. We can begin implementing all of them right away, this year, especially in communities with good cooperation between schools and parents. A single memo from a principal asking parents to delay smartphones and social media, in support of the school’s effort to improve mental health by going phone free, would catalyze collective action and reset the community’s norms.

We didn’t know what we were doing in the early 2010s. Now we do. It’s time to end the phone-based childhood.

This article is adapted from Jonathan Haidt’s forthcoming book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.

#phones are bad #childhood

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crookedkryptonitebeliever · 2 months

Text

Yandere coworker (part 9)

Tw: afab reader, non con touching, non con kissing, violence, cyprus mad n yelling

Masterlists, part 1, part 10

It's been a little over a month now. You barely get to sleep at your own apartment anymore ever since you got that fever.

Because Cyprus kept stealing your stuff and blackmailing you with it, you've never missed a night of sleeping at his place. It's like you're living there now, your pyjamas are Cyprus's large clothes and you've been wearing the same few outfits to work over and over, thanks to the free washing services downstairs.

Once or twice, he lets you visit your home just to pack up your skincare, soaps and whatever you need. He already bought you a new toothbrush earlier on in this relationship. Cyprus wouldn't allow you to take your gaming consoles though, he said he didn't want it to "clog up" his apartment.

It's... Nice. You didn't have to worry about what to eat. The bills are paid for. Your rent was also paid for despite barely living there anymore, you had no idea how Cyprus managed to transfer the accounts to his without you knowing. It didn't seem to put too much pressure on him, he was still as cool as a cucumber. You wonder how much he earns in a month.

You didn't have to deal with that creep back at your apartment, but you knew that he was lurking around, watching you and Cyprus during the rare visits. However, as long as that hunk of a man is next to you, he wouldn't dare to approach. That's a plus, at least.

You just had to get used to Cyprus's molester tendencies. It doesn't matter how hostile you would be with him, he would always try to seize every possible opportunity to touch you.

He would pull you into the staircase during lunch, just to make out with you until your legs grow weak and your head goes blank. Cyprus said it helps with his insatiable urge to smoke, you think it's at least helping him, so you're somewhat okay with this treatment. Totally not because you're secretly enjoying the attention and experiences he's giving you.

You managed to convince yourself that being with Cyprus isn't all that bad. He cooks, he cleans, he defends you from Jane, he prepares a cup of your favourite drink every morning and delivers it to your desk, he clocks you out and helps you greatly with your phone addiction.

He sets a limit where you can only use your phone for a grand total of two hours per day. Just to text your friends and family, but he made you delete all social media off your digital slab. Which caused a massive meltdown on your part, where you would cry and flail, and spit and hiss. But Cyprus was unmoving, he's determined to rid you of his modern curse.

Most of your time is filled with doing something else, visiting the beach, and the park, going on motorbike rides with Cyprus, having his tongue shoved down your throat, watching his violent boxing matches, eating at restaurants, talking, and visiting places that you always see on social media, but never been to (Ie., the zoo, the aquarium, carnivals and some other trending venues). You would come back dead exhausted from the day's activities, and you're astonished at how he never seems to run out of energy or date ideas.

You could cry, sob, beg, and struggle, yet he wouldn't allow you to rot in his bed or yours. There must be a destination to go to every day, after work. He would sling your entire body over his shoulder if he had to, it wasn't a fun experience being hung upside down while your legs helplessly flail around.

His lifestyle was completely different than yours, it's almost as if he's living in the 80s- sometimes even completely forgetting to bring his phone with him. That is unfathomable to you, forgetting your phone is just like forgetting your vision, how anyone could live without it, you couldn't understand.

It would be a lie to say that you never had any fun. You would start off teary-eyed and throwing a tantrum because all you wanted to do was take a nap or play your videogames after a long day of work, but in the end, you would be laughing gleefully with cotton candy in one hand, and a stuffed animal in another. You would collapse immediately upon coming back to his place, allowing you to have a complete, 8 hours of sleep a day without fail.

As it turns out, Cyprus only uses his gadgets for work or for research on where to go, or date ideas. Not even for navigation, he used old-fashioned paper maps for that. His screen time is unbelievably low, you wonder if he's actually a modern man or someone from the pre-smartphone era.

Cyprus began to have a "candy drawer" at work, where he would offer sweet treats to nobody but you.

You think he's using that as a substitute for smoking during hours when he couldn't assault your mouth with his, putting actual work into quitting his habit. It's almost admirable, you just wish that he didn't rope you into it as well. You missed your phone badly.

From there, you found out that his favorite candies are mostly cinnamon-flavoured or chewy liquorice sticks. Oddly enough, you couldn't taste whatever he ate when you and he mashed kissers. There is a faint hint of cinnamon, but the licorice isn't there. There was a moderately intense scent of mint, though.

Now everyone in the office knows that you and Cyprus are a pair. Even those from other departments and floors knew not to steal you away from him. Because he once caught someone from marketing flirting with you, he was then let go a few days later. You and your coworkers knew he had something to do with it since he kept entering his supervisor's office with a stack of papers.

You took a peek at them once, their account balances, supposedly serving as evidence that his rival was embezzling company funds with the help of someone in Finance.

There was a new hire that tried to make moves on you. Cyprus made it very clear that you were his by interrupting the conversation with a passionate kiss on your lips. He then barked at the newbie to leave you alone. It's now a must to tell all newcomers about your relationship with Cyprus, and why he isn't to be messed with.

It's very different from the usual, stoic, and professional Cyprus the office once knew. On all matters relating to work or otherwise, he still maintains that frosty, quiet, and monotonous exterior. But when it comes to you? The message is clear: Do not touch his woman. Even looking at you wrongly will cause him to try and sabotage their career.

Your coworkers used that new feature to their advantage. If they wanted to find him for something (Ie., regarding the annual financial report, discuss an error from his side, politics, etc.), all they needed to do was find you and exchange a couple of words. Cyprus will then appear to manifest out of thin air to possessively protect his territory.

They knew not to abuse it too much, though. A man tried to summon him through you one time too many, he came back from lunch late, with an eye swollen shut, a bloody nose, some teeth knocked out of his mouth and bruises all over his body. When quizzed about what happened, he refused to say anything to anyone and refused to press charges on his anonymous assailant. He avoided your gaze and ran away whenever you tried talking to him. Shortly after, he transferred departments and you never saw him around again.

You still didn't know what he said to Jane to make her deathly afraid of him. To this date, she hasn't tried anything with you; allowing you to go home at 5 pm sharp and holding her tongue whenever you made a mistake.

You have come to know a lot about him since he likes talking; sharing about himself and knowing more about you. Unfortunately, Cyprus remarked how embarrassing it is that you have nothing to say about yourself except to describe what you see online. And you didn't realize what you did until he pointed it out, which kept you up at night reflecting on your life so far.

He has friends that he would regularly talk about, they were who you would think Cyprus would associate with: Loud, brash, and sharing a mutual hatred for work and their superiors.

You couldn't remember the names of his closest friends, maybe it's because you believed that this relationship between him and you wouldn't last long. However, you do know he has three best friends, all male.

Today, he's bringing you to meet them in the same pub where you first ate dinner with him. Of course, you didn't want to go. He had to drag you into his car, hissing and spitting as usual. You felt insulted that he would be nonchalant, carrying you without being visibly affected by your hits. As if you're his inanimate suitcase.

When the car starts moving, you would turn docile. Not wanting him to crash or injure yourself by jumping out. He would always have a victorious grin on his face, knowing that he won once again.

You're nervous because you already don't like Cyprus. You couldn't imagine dealing with three more, it might just cause a blood vessel in your forehead to pop. Your boyfriend tried reassuring you by rubbing your thigh while he drove. No matter how you press against the door to try and get away from his grabby hands, he will always reach you.

Reaching the pub, he parked in a spot but told you to wait in the car for a while. It didn't take long until the deafening noises of motorbikes made you shut your ears with your hands. You peered out the window to see three, black and sleek motorcycles pull up around Cyprus's cars. Their drivers all wore leather jackets with customized helmets, and a feminine figure was behind each one, which you assume was his buddies' girlfriends.

They excitedly hopped off their vehicles and started knocking on Cyprus's windows. You cower deeper into your seat in fear as Cyprus rolls them down.

"What the hell, Cy? Just got out of work or something?" One of his friends stuck his arm into the window and pressed on the honk, making you wince at the sudden loudness.

"Yeah, what's with the car? We always come here with our bikes!" Another one slapped the top of Cyprus's car.

"Don't tell us you agreed to work overtime!" The last one jabbed Cyprus in the head, causing your boyfriend to jab his friend's head back.

"Oh my god! Is that her? She's so cute!" The women gushed at you as they took off their helmets. "Hi! What's your name?" You squirmed uncomfortably when they all jutted their hands inside the car to squeeze your cheeks, stroke your hair, and tickle your chin. You felt so violated, already at the brink of tears as their girlfriends continued taking turns petting you.

"Get the fuck away from my car, all of you!" Roared Cyprus, he was so loud that your ear temporarily rang. You couldn't imagine what it was like for his friends that are right next to him.

They backed off, but it didn't seem like they were surprised or upset. Instead, they were giggling and smiling at each other. Is it normal for Cyprus to lose his temper like this?

He stormed out of his car and started yelling at his friends and their partners. "What the fuck is wrong with all of you? I told you all to behave, look at what you did to my girl!" Cyprus marched up to your door, glowering at the women in the process.

He opened the door and cupped your cheeks, wiping away the tears that you didn't know were falling from your eyes.

"Aw... We're sorry." The women had a guilty and sympathetic look on their faces. The men awkwardly looked away and scratched the back of their heads.

"Give me a moment to talk to them, doll." He murmured, tenderly kissing you on the forehead before turning around to scowl at his friends.

All six of them already knew where Cyprus wanted them to go, it was like watching a dog herding sheep into a secluded place.

You watched Cyprus yell at them harshly while their gazes were downcast, it seemed like the girlfriends got more scolding than the men. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion when you spotted that it almost seemed like they were trying to stifle a laugh while being torn a new one by Cyprus. Are they not afraid of him? Do they not respect him, or is this just their dynamic?

He stomped back to you once he was done flaming their asses, while the rest went into the pub.

Cyprus sighed as he shook his head in disapproval, he unbuckled your belt and held onto your hand.

"Come on, let's go in."

You're seated next to your boyfriend at a large table, and one of the girlfriends excitedly takes the chair beside you. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her as he hooked his arm around your waist, pulling you close to him.

Now that you had a closer look, you noticed that the women wore beautiful and stylish clothes, had long, healthy hair, had long, acrylic nails on, and their thick makeup looked like it was applied by a professional.

The first ten minutes were spent catching up between the men and their partners, joking around. You were too intimidated to participate, opting to anxiously grip your pint of beer and pretending to drink, so you wouldn't need to speak. All that anger and rage from Cyprus evaporated, he is much more playful and animated now, yet equally as loud as his friends.

You had to jam your fingers into your ear canal to bear with the explosive environment.

"Oh, what about this cutie right here? We didn't even catch your name, and we made you cry. Poor thing." Dread washed over you as the girl next to you suddenly brought all seven pairs of eyes on you.

You took a deep breath as everyone fell silent, waiting for your response. Eventually, you stammered your name.

There was a beat of silence, followed by one of the men cheering excitedly, and then all of them joined in, boisterously welcoming you into the circle.

You took a deep breath and exhaled, this is going to be a long night...

Each of them fought to ask you questions about yourself, cutting each other off and speaking at the same time. You couldn't tell who was saying what, and what was being said. It is just one big cacophony of voices.

Only when you brought your palms to your ears, Cyprus shouted one more time to shut everyone up.

"I told you all to fucking behave! We're leaving if you all can't stop acting like animals!" He berated.

You looked around, there were patrons throwing glances your way, but most of them didn't care. It didn't make the situation any less awkward for you.

"Aww... We're sorry." The woman next to you had her hand hovering over your head, about to patronizingly stroke your hair as if you were a leashed pet, but Cyprus slapped it away and glared at her.

She merely rolled her eyes at Cyprus and huffed, dramatically flopping onto her man's chest. Her boyfriend gave numerous kisses on the 'injured' hand as she mock sobbed.

Cyprus spoke for you, basic information about how you and he met. A simple description of your personality, but he did emphasize 'shy' more than twice. You wonder what their definition of 'Shy' meant.

The conversation revolved around you now, but you didn't say a word. Too afraid that you might excite them too much again. It was humiliating to be hiding under Cyprus's jacket while clinging onto him, but they were genuinely scary.

The woman next to you tried to touch you discretely, having her thigh brush yours, her fingers grazing your knee, her stocking-clad feet gently rubbing your calf up and down. Driving you closer and closer to Cyprus until you're positively pressed up against him.

Whenever you looked back at her, she would have this gleeful smile. Well, all the girlfriends had this same look on them whenever you paid them any attention. It's as if they're overcome by cuteness aggression, since they're mildly gyrating in their seats as soon as you made eye contact.

There was a point where they chatted amongst themselves while Cyprus took a couple of sips from his beer. You tugged on his shirt to catch his attention.

"Yes, princess?" He cooed, craning his neck down so he could hear you.

You told him that you want to go home. You don't like his friends, especially their overly friendly partners.

He frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, but one of his friends decided to pipe up.

"Hey! Share with the class, what the hell are you two talking about?"

"She speaks!? We have got to hear it!"

"Come on, Cy! Let us in!"

He slammed his fist on the table, silencing everyone once again and causing a bit of their beers to spill.

"That's it." He growled, rising up from his seat and holding you tight. "We're leaving."

All six of them began whining loudly, pawing at Cyprus and yourself, begging you both to stay.

"You all can fuck off to hell." He spat, whipping out enough cash to cover the beers for you and him.

"Come on, doll. We're going home."

He stared at you, waiting for you to lead the way.

However, you thought about it. Maybe they meant well; just a little too eager to know you. Maybe you could get more information about him through his friends, perhaps you could act like the opposite of his type.

#yandere #yandere x reader #yandere oc #yandere male #yandere concept #tw yandere #yandere x you #yandere oc x reader #male yandere oc x reader #oc cyprus #male yandere x reader #yandere x female reader #female reader #tw afab reader #male yandere #male yandere oc

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jhdyuiee · 21 days

Text

A wish or two

☁︎ pairing: doyoung x fem!reader x jaehyun

☁︎ synopsis: finally! after going back and forth with Qulture Corps. you've finally landed a spot. everything seemed as though it'll be fine and dandy, however it seems like team managers, Kim Doyoung & Jeong Jaehyun, have other things in mind...

☁︎ tags/warnings: threesome!, smut!, everything is consensual!!, rough sex, unprotected sex, semi-public sex, oral (males & female receiving), masturbation, spanking, fingering, hair pulling, dirty talk, name calling (whore, good girl, baby), throat fucking, dumbification, impact play (pussy slapping), spitting, multiple orgasms, squirting, kissing/making out, breast play, cursing, praise kink, multiple positions, drinking, office romance

☁︎ w.c: 6.7k

☁︎ a.n: hello! jiji here, this one came up as a request by one of you & thank you so much for that!! i really appreciate any request and will try my best to make them possible. i hope you all enjoy this one, it’s actually my first writing something like this so i am a bit nervous on how you all will enjoy it. anyways stay safe and i’ll hopefully be back soon…🤍

Prologue.

Everything sort of just happened.

There was no stopping either of us.

Our hunger, lust, and desire for one another was an addictive drug. One with no cure.

But I didn’t care… heck I wanted more, Doyoung wanted more, Jaehyun wanted more.

March 20.

Finally… Finally! I can’t believe I finally got accepted! After two months of going back and forth with the company, they’ve finally hired me. Oh thank goodness, I don’t know what I would’ve done if they hadn’t hired me.

Qulture Corps. A renowned company, mainly widely known for producing some of the latest fashion and make-up trends. Since I graduated I’ve been dying to get a spot on their team. Truly, this is a dream come true!

The call I received earlier from them was nerve-racking, I thought they’d call me to inform me I didn't make the team, but luckily I did and was set to start in 3 days.

3 days. Oh god, I’m so fucking excited. ‘What am I going to wear?’ A sheer sense of panic overcame me, first impressions are always a must, especially if I’m going to be working for a company where literally fashion is at the top of its game.

“I have no time to waste,” I muttered, as I got up from my living room couch and headed off to my bedroom. I picked up my purse, slipped on my shoes, and headed off to a mall not so far away from my apartment complex.

I stormed off to every store trying to find the perfect outfit, however I just ended up picking up whatever caught my eye at every store I went to. This is a disaster.

Sighing, I headed off to the next shop, a boutique called Soltre. The store has a beautiful yet elegant aesthetic to it, it was sort of my vibe. I made my way to where a particularly beautiful and gorgeous top was racked. I inspected it, so lost in my thoughts I was unable to hear the footsteps that approached me from behind.

“That’s a beautiful top,” said a voice, causing me to turn around, startled. I was faced with a tall man with dark brown hair and dark chocolate-colored eyes. I was awe-struck, such a beautiful man was standing in front of me. “You should definitely buy it,” he continued when I didn’t respond.

I looked away, my focus back on the shirt. “I guess I’ll take you up on that then,” I finally spoke, glancing up at him again. He gave me a smile, dimples appearing. Wow. “This shop is one of the best in the mall after all,” he said.

‘He seems to know a lot about fashion,” I thought. “You sure know a lot… about uhm, fashion I mean.”

“You can say it’s my line or work per say,” he answered.

“Ah, I see. Well then, I uhm have to get going,” I said, fumbling with the top. I walked past him, but soon turned around, “Thank you.” I offered him a smile as well. He returned a smile as well, “My pleasure,” his voice said smoothly.

Once I paid, I left the store and decided that I had enough shopping for today, plus my arms couldn’t bear to handle another bag so I went back home. My thoughts though kept wondering on the mystery man I met at the store today. I didn’t ask for his name, well not that it should matter since I’ll probably never meet him again.

The rest of the day continued as normal and so did the next 3 days. Until finally, the long awaited day. My first day at the job!

☁︎*^+**

I glanced at myself one last time before heading out. I decided on the top recommended by mr. stranger man, a nice gray pleated skirt, and some cute black mary janes. With everything looking fine in my eyes, I headed to my car. The drive was gonna be at least half an hour, but I’ll manage. The closer I found myself to the building the more my stomach twisted and turned. I was getting even more nervous by the second. I can’t blow this up, I kept repeating.

When I arrived, the building was huge, at most 15 floors. Once I parked, I took quick deep breaths, to calm the nerves. “Let’s do this,” I said, and headed off into whatever awaited me.

The check-in process went smoothly, I met up with my new boss, Lee Taeyong and luckily he seems like a genuinely kind and easy going boss. My nerves from earlier are now fleeting.

I rode in the elevator with Taeyong to the 7th floor, where he was to introduce me to my new team. Once we arrived, I took a look at my surroundings. There were rarely people there, this floor seemed rather peaceful. “Ah, I see you’ve noticed. This is the planning department, and where you’ll be from now on. The planning department is rather small than most companies, but that’s because we choose the best of the best. We want committed people here, creative people who aren’t afraid to voice their thoughts and feelings,” Taeyong explained.

‘Wow… I made it to such a prestigious department… I thought I was just going to spend my days typing away at a screen or answering calls. This is absolutely 10 times better.’

“Wow, I’m honored Mr. Lee,” I spoke, bowing at the man. “Oh, god no you don’t need to do all that, reading your resume I figured you’d be a perfect fit for the team. Plus the team managers thought so as well,” he said.

“Team managers?” I asked, confused. “Ah, yes in this department we have two team managers. Follow me this way and I'll introduce you all,” Taeyong responded, as he guided me to the far end of a hallway located on our left side. Taeyong briefly knocked on the door before proceeding to open it. He ushered me inside, closing the door behind me.

“Hey! You two come over here for a sec,” Taeyong said, capturing the attention of the two males sitting on their desks who then got up, walking towards us. I looked at both of them, ‘Wait a minute he looks-‘ my thought was interrupted by Taeyong.

“You two, this is Y/L/N our new worker. Y/N this is Kim Doyoung and Jeong Jaehyun,” Taeyong explained. One of the two males reached his hand out, “Doyoung,” he mentioned. I took his hand and turned to the man standing beside him.

“Nice seeing you again,” he said with a chuckle. It was Mr. Stranger man in the flesh. Who knew he’d be my new manager, well that explains a whole lot about our interaction…

“You two know each other?” Taeyong asked.

“Ah well-“ I was interrupted by Jaehyun, “We met at the mall a couple days ago when I set out to look for… inspiration.”

Taeyong looked at us, his expression unreadable. “Very well, I trust you two know what to do with her,” he said as the two males nodded.

“Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns Y/N. I look forward to seeing what you bring to the team,” Taeyong added, as he left us behind with one another.

“So, shall we show you to your office?” Doyoung spoke up. I nodded, as they led me to my desk. It was quite close to their office, ‘That’s a relief.’

“Let us know if you need anything… Doyoung and I gotta get back, we have a meeting soon,” Jaehyun explained as he leaned against the door frame.

“Thank you, you two I appreciate it,” I thanked them. They smiled, shutting my door and walking away.

I leaned against my chair, recapping my past hour. It’s only a relief that everything went smoothly, Doyoung seemed great, and Jaehyun did too. I shut my eyes, not believing this was my life now. Honestly, I could get used to this.

However… what I didn’t know was what would come of my life a month from now. The irreversible. The desire. The lust.

1 month later.

It’s been over a month now since I started working for Qulture Corps, and so far it’s been nothing but amazing. The work has gone smoothly, and today we just wrapped up the final meeting for our upcoming Fall Collection. Although, it’s still months aways, production of the products does take some time to produce.

Knock. Knock.

“Come in,” I answered.

Doyoung appeared before me, “Hey, Y/N I just came in to inform you we're having a team dinner tonight. Would you like to come?”

I pondered for a bit, making sure I had no plans afterwards. “Yeah! That sounds fun, I’ll go,” I said.

“Great, see you at 7 p.m then. I’ll send you the location too,” Doyoung explained before exiting shortly after.

My phone then buzzed with the restaurant's location. In the time that I’ve spent here I’ve been able to get closer to both Doyoung and Jaehyun… However, it feels like something else is there between us. Something unexplainable, indescribable.

I snapped out of my thoughts, continuing my remaining work and answering emails before I decided to head off to meet them at the restaurant.

Luckily the drive there wasn’t long so I found myself a bit early. I entered and gave the waiter Doyoung’s name as Doyung had instructed me to do so. Our table was located in the far back. Later, everyone started pouring in Eunsoo, Leah, Jaemin, Mark, Chenle, Haechan, Yena, and Isabel. Surprisingly, Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Taeyong were the last to arrive, you would think that host would be the one’s here first. Kinda funny isn’t it?

“Nice to see you all here,” Taeyong announced.

“Wouldn’t miss out on free drinks!” Haechan cheered.

I chuckled, Haechan was definitely the life of the party within our team. With drinks and food on the table now, everyone dug in. They truly weren’t lying when they said food tastes better when you eat with others.

“Hey~ Y/N~ you’re so beautiful, a-anyone ever told you that~” Leah slurred, she was a rather light drinker. I laughed in her embrace, luckily still a bit sober so as to not do anything stupid. I glanced up, catching Jaehyun as his eyes lingered on mine. My mouth slowly opened so to speak, utter a word, but swallowed the words back down.

I pulled away from Leah’s embrace. “I’m gonna go to the restroom,” I say, excusing myself. Although, I wasn’t going to the restroom… I headed outside, stopping by an alleyway. I wanted some fresh air, the short eye contact with Jaehyun earlier got me irritable hot.

As I took in a breath, a voice spoke up, “Restroom huh.” I whipped my head towards the direction of the voice, only for my eyes to meet with Jaehyun. ‘What was he doing here?’

I stumbled on my words, “I… I, uhm-” Jaehyun walked closer, I inhaled his sandalwood smell that radiated off him. I was losing my composure, ‘Was this the alcohol?’

“Just wanted some fresh air,” I stuttered. “Yeah?” he questioned. I nodded, silence befalling us. I just couldn’t speak. “Look at me,” he whispered. A beat, then two passed before I looked up. Jaehyun was so close, I could feel his breath, see the fire in his eyes. He brought his hand to caress my cheek, then ghosted a finger over my bottom lip.

“Jaehyun…” I whispered. “I’m sorry baby, but can I… Can I kiss you,” he whispered back. I nodded shyly, closing my eyes.

I felt as Jaehyun’s lips collided with mine, his soft lips molded so beautifully against mine. It was gentle, so beautiful that I wished time would stop, but then Jaehyun backed away. My lips feeling empty again.

“Don’t stop,” I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I put my lips back on his, only this time teeth clattering, tongues colliding with one another. It was rougher, that the first that I ended up pushed against the wall, legs wrapped around his waist.

We were so lost in each other we failed to notice the person standing on the front of the alleyway. Cough. I flinched, the cough caused us both pull away and direct our attention to the male standing on the other end.

Doyoung…

“Fuck,” I muttered. I got off Jaehyun, patting myself. We walked to Doyoung who has not said a word since catching both of us.

“I was getting worried when neither of you came back so I looked for you two,” Doyoung later explained.

“Sorry about that,” I apologized. “Oh! No, not at all there is nothing to apologize… In fact, I’m sorry to have walked in on that.”

Gosh thank god it was dark because I was probably burnt red. I was so goddamn embarrassed.

“I should get going now, it’s quite late…” I proceeded to say as a means to get out of this awkward situation.

“Oh, yes of course you’re right. You should get back safely Y/N,” Doyoung said.

“See you tomorrow… Y/N,” Jaehyun said, finally speaking up since Doyoung walked in on us.

After bidding them both farewell, I rushed to my car. I wanted nothing more but to lock myself up in my apartment. A quick drive later, I threw myself on my bed. I recounted my kiss–or rather heated make-out–with Jaehyun, but then the memory of Doyoung catching us haunting right after.

Buzz.

I turned my head to my phone which was lying beside me. Speak of the devil. It was from Doyoung…

I unlocked my phone, opening his message. However, I now wish I hadn’t.

Doyoung: you know Y/N seeing the way you two kissed earlier got me so fucking hard

Doyoung: [ 1 image attachment ]

Doyoung just… he just… Oh my fucking… Was he really sending me a picture of his cock!? “He’s big…” I mumbled as I took another look at the image he sent.

Shit. I felt as the wetness began pulling in between my legs. I rubbed my legs together, but then slipped a hand inside, and fingers inside as I imagined Doyoung roughly pounded in and out of me. The squelching sounds echoed in my room, along with my little whimpers and moans.

First the kiss with Jaehyun and now this, masturbating to Doyoung?!

Once I reached my high, I waited until I caught my breath so to continue the rest of my night time routine. With one last sigh, I laid myself on my bed again, trying to shoo away any indecent thoughts of Jaehyun or Doyoung.

However, that proved rather harder as I ended up dreaming about not one, but both of them!

☁︎*^+**

It’s been 4 days since the whole ordeal with Jaehyun and Doyoung, and everything surprisingly has been rather good. It’s like what happened between us never– happened! We were like regular co-workers again. Though, I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not…

“Y/N?” Eunsoo spoke. I flinched, regaining my focus. “Huh, oh yeah what’s up?” I asked.

“Oh, nothing I was just asking if you’re okay… you’ve been kind of out of it lately,” she said worriedly.

“Yeah, everything's peachy so to speak,” I replied. Nothing was in fact peachy though. Pretending like nothing happened 4 days ago has actually been haunting me. The kiss, picture, dreams have been driving me insane. ‘Was I always so horny?’

Buzz.

My phone vibrated, causing both of us to turn to it. I picked it up, ‘Jaehyun?’

Jaehyun: can you come to my office?

A second later he added,

Jaehyun: like right now

“Looks like I’m being summoned,” I said. Eunsoo bid me a “good luck,” and I scurried off to his office. A million questions pondered my head, but neither of them were about what was to come in the next few minutes.

I knocked, and the followed a “Come in.” As I entered there he was, but he wasn’t alone. Doyoung was here too. ‘Great just my luck.’

“Is something the matter?” I asked. Jaehyun glanced at Doyoung, he hesitated before he spoke. “We have something we want to say to you Y/N.” I gave them a nod as to signal them to continue whatever they wanted to tell me. They gave each other one more glance.

“We’re truly sorry for our behavior that night at the restaurant,” they both said, bowing at me. I can see their sincerity, but part of my heart ached. 'Did they truly think of that night as a mistake? The kiss? The picture?’

They got back up, but neither one of us spoke up. Silence befell us. ‘I didn’t like this. No, I don't want to pretend nothing happened. I-’ “No, god no please,” I spoke up. They looked at me with confused eyes. “D-Don’t pretend nothing happened. At least I can’t. I- I…” my words got caught in my throat. ‘What am I saying?’

Doyoung then spoke up, “You what Y/N… tell us. What do you want?” ‘He’s right, what do I want? Ah, wait a minute… what I want is…’

“I want you… I want you both.”

Silence.

Oh god what did I just say. “Oh wait uhm-” I couldn’t even speak as Doyoung's lips collided with mine. His kiss was different from the one I shared with Jaehyun, even more gentle and passionate. ‘Wait a minute Jaehyun!’ I broke our kiss, my eyes meeting Jaehyun’s. He just stood there like how Doyung did that day.

Jaehyun then smirked, coming closer. “Is that really true? You want us both,” he says.

I felt as my face heated up, I glanced from Jaehyun to Doyoung. “Yes,” I muttered. “Please, I want you both.”

No words fell from their mouths, but their movements continued. Jaehyun walked until he was behind me, and Doyoung raised his hand to my chin. “You sure you can handle both of us, right here right now?” Doyoung asked.

“Yes, please I couldn’t stop thinking about that night,” I admitted. I then felt Jaehyun's mouth ghosting near my ear. “Then make sure to not be too loud or else they’ll have to witness how much of a whore you are,” Jaehyun whispered, then kissing my ear down to my neck. Every kiss lit me up even more. I wanted more.

Doyoung then crashed his lips onto mine again with the same intensity, while Jaehyun’s arms wandered all over my body. His hands groped my breast, causing me to moan into the kiss I was sharing with Doyoung. They later wandered even further, until they cupped my cunt causing me to grind on his hand. “Impatient aren’t you?” he whispered into my ear.

Doyoung backed away, our saliva connecting. “We have time, don’t worry,” Doyoung said, as he teased the buttons of my shirt. He slowly unbuttoned each button, dropping the shirt on the floor. My bra later joined in as well, leaving my perky breasts for his eyes. I watched as Doyoung stuck out his tongue, licking on my bud. All the while, Jaehyun began working on my lower half. He successfully got rid of my pants, leaving me in only my panties.

I whipped my head towards him when I felt Jaehyun's fingers playing with my slit. “Oh god,” I whimpered when he prodded his finger in my hole. “So wet already,” he muttered against my neck. I could only let out a small whimper and he continued the movement. “S-Stop teasing me… Please,” I pleaded.

“You sure are an impatient one. Fine then take it,” Jaehyun said as he inserted two of his fingers inside my cunt. I practically sucked his fingers in, the wetness echoed around the room. “Fuck, so tight and wet,” he whispered in my ear. His pace was unbearable, he would slow down and then go fast. I was losing my mind, his fingers hit me so fucking well– it was like he studied my body beforehand to know what my likes and dislikes were. I felt my stomach clenched, my cunt tightening around his fingers.

It certaining helped too that all the while Doyoung was working his way with my tits. His mouth would lick one and then return the same affection to the other one. He sucked on them like a child, biting down on my bud a couple of times as well. His stimulation on my tits and Jaehyun’s on my cunt were enough to have me pushing me to the edge.

“Cum. I know you want to,” Doyoung said when he let go of my breast with a pop. With a final pinch to my clit by Jaehyun, I came. I came so hard, I would’ve fallen if not for Jaehyun catching me. I watched hazily as Jaehyun licked his fingers clean of my essence, and felt as Doyoung carried me. He then placed me on the couch they had in the middle of their office.

“On your hands and knees,” Doyoung commanded. My body acted on it’s on, getting into the position. I watched as Jaehyun came in front of me, and later whipped my head around to see Doyoung behind me. “Think you can suck me off while he eats you out?” Jaehyun asked. I nodded, so turned on by what he just said that I drooled from my mouth and in between my legs. He chuckled, unzipping his pants and freeing his cock from his underwear. His cock was big. It made me doubt if I would be able to take it all.

“Don’t worry, you can take it baby or else a whore like you wouldn’t have made such a request,” he said when he noticed a hint of doubt on my face. “Now open up.”

I did as Jaehyun said, opening my mouth up for him. I flickered my eyes up to watch him as he brought his cock closer to my mouth. Once it was close enough, I started by swirling my tongue around his tip, and then wrapping my lips around his tip. I watched as his brows furrowed, so I continued my movements. I then began gliding my tongue along his shaft, up and down, down and up. He seemed to be enjoying it judging by the way he’d started groaning.

As I began taking him even more, I felt Doyoung's tongue begin to kitten lick my cunt. Doyoung had begun with some slow licks, but would stay a bit longer on my clit which caused me to moan against Jaehyun’s cock. His cock was so big that I barely even made it halfway yet. I felt as the tears began pooling in my eyes and drool passed my lips. “That’s a good girl, take more I know you can,” Jaehyun said. And so I did until his cock reached the back of my throat. “Fuck,” Jaehyun groaned, grabbing a fistful of my hair. He started taking over, bobbing my head along his shaft.

Meanwhile, Doyoung had begun licking me even faster, occasionally sucking on my clit which just caused me to moan on Jaehyun’s cock even more. I can tell the sensation satisfied Jaehyun as he muttered incoherent words into the air.

I felt like another high was coming, so fast and quick it was almost embarrassing. As I was lost in the pleasure I suddenly felt a wet muscle poke my hole, oh god. Doyoung was fucking me with his tongue. It felt so good, enough to have my cumming for a second time while Jaehyun was stuffed in my throat. “Cumming before me? I think you deserve a punishment,” Jaehyun said.

‘Punishment? What is he-’ I couldn’t even finish my thoughts before Jaehyun started gripping my hair even tighter and increasing his speed. It was getting messy– drool and tears everywhere. As if matters couldn’t get any more worse, Doyoung landed a slap on my ass. It only caused my eyes to widen and moan on Jaehyun’s cock.

“Fuck, that feels good. Doyoung do that again since it seems like our little whore enjoys it.” I looked up at Jaehyun, with those tearful eyes of mine, in which he also looked down at me. A smirk plastered on his face. Obliging to Jaehyun’s words, Doyung began slapping my ass even more.

“Shit, I’m close,” Jaehyun moaned. A thrust or two down my throat, Jaehyun came into my mouth, my throat. I watched as his chest heaved, and he pushed his hair out of his forehead. “Swallow it all,” he commanded, which I instinctively ended up doing.

“Come here now,” Doyoung’s voice spoke up, as he sat on the couch, patting his lap. I saw as his cock stood proudly against his stomach. I crawled to him. “Put your back against me and put it in yourself,” he said. So then I turned around, grabbing his hard cock and began inserting it inside me. I felt as his cock stretched me out the deeper he went in. “Yes, just like that baby… It’s almost all in,” Doyoung groaned.

“She’s so tight Jaehyun, I guess all that stimulation did nothing to her,” Doyoung chuckled as he turned to the other male. I turned to look at Jaehyun who just kneeled on the couch, fisting his cock. Then suddenly, Doyoung plunged the rest of his cock into me. No warning, just the grip he had on hips. With him all inside me now, I felt as his cock hit my cervix. I whisper lowly, “S’ good.”

“What was that? You like that?” he said, as he began thrusting into me. Who was I to deny what he just said, I loved it. “Ye-Yes you feel so good!” The phrase that slipped past my lips only caused his thrust to become deeper and rougher. Doyoung was treating me like his personal toy. He kept ruthlessly pounded into me, until it came to a halt. “Making me do all the work?”

I turned around, nodding my head no. “Hmm, is that so? I’m tired, why don’t you do it now,” Doyoung says, a slight smirk appearing on his face. So I did, thrusting slowly at first. “Stop the teasing, go faster baby,” Doyoung whispers into my ear. And so I grip onto his thighs, bouncing myself on his cock.

In the midst of it all, Jaehyun continued watching us contently while fisting his cock, he enjoyed the sight in front of him. You, a whimpering mess who was so cock drunk already. He wanted to get a taste of that sweet, tight cunt of yours soon because if he wasn’t already, he’d go insane.

“God, Doyoung I’m cl-close.” My stomach was tightening up, so close to unleashing. “Ready to cum all over my cock,” he replied. I yelled out “yes” as I repeated his name over and over again. “Open your eyes,” another voice said. And so I fluttered them open, Jaehyun’s cock in front of me. I watched as he jerked himself in front of me. It only turned me on even more.

“Shit, you like that? Like watching Jaehyun jerk himself off to you fucking me?” Doyoung says. I tightened even more around his cock, causing Doyoung to groan. His hands roamed down to my clit. He rubbed and pinched the poor thing continuously.

Just a few more thrusts and I came for the third time this night. My back arched, eyes rolling back, and moan and after moan slipping out. However, it didn’t stop here. Doyoung brought his hands back to my hips and kept fucking me through my orgasm. It was all too overstimulating, I felt I could even cum again.

“Fuck, I’m cumming. Don’t waste any drop,” Doyoung groans, finally cumming. His warm seeds painting my walls white. At the same time, Jaehyun also came, cumming all over my breasts. All three of us were heaving, trying to gather some oxygen back into our bodies.

“Don’t think we’re done here,” Jaehyun chuckles. He gently picks me up, bending me over the couch. My hands gripping it, while my ass stuck up. I felt his hand come in contact with my ass cheek in a harsh slap, causing me to yelp forward.

Jaehyun wasted no time, plunging himself deep and snug into my cunt. “Fuck, Doyoung wasn’t lying. How are you still so tight?” Jaehyun says, as he pounds in and out of me. I don’t even know who I am anymore, I could only think of how deep Jaehyun was reaching me. He hit my g-spot so well with every thrust I could barely contain myself. I ended up squirting all over for the first time tonight.

“Making a mess,” Doyoung’s voice spoke. I tried opening my eyes to locate him, only for him to be besides me. We locked eyes, and his lips later engulfed mine. It was a sloppy kiss, but I didn’t care. It felt good, everything felt good. Jaehyun’s thrust too became sloppy, it could only mean he was close too. And so with a thrust or two later, he came in me.

My stomach feels so full now. This is what I’ve wanted. This is what I-

Jaehyun’s POV.

“Shit, did you kill her with your dick?” Doyoung says, laughing as he puts his pants back on.

“So funny, she’s just fallen asleep,” I replied. “Think we went too far?” Doyoung continues.

“Probably, but hey she said she wanted it. Wanted both of us,” I say, shrugging my shoulders. I took Y/N into my arms while Doyoung began cleaning the couch. Luckily, the couch was made of leather so it shouldn’t be too hard right?

I looked down at her. Y/L/N. From the moment I first met her at that store, I fell in love. I know as cliche as it sounds, it’s true. There was something so captivating about her, something that made me want her. All of her.

So when I saw her that day, her first day here I knew it meant something. Fate? Whatever it was, I didn't want to waste any opportunity. Which is why that day at the dinner, I did that. It wasn’t planned or anything, but I just felt something that day. Some urgence?

However, then I learned of Doyoung’s mutual interest in her too. We talked it out, but we left it at “It’s whoever she wants. Whoever she chooses.” But to my surprise, it ended up being both of us.

I smiled down at her sleeping face. She’s cute. Everything about her was just so beautiful. Whether what just happened ends up being a regret for her once she wakes up, I hope she knows or at least has some awareness of our feelings for her.

“Hey!” Doyoung yells, capturing me out of my haze. “I finished cleaning it, bring her over here so we can wipe her clean.”

I nodded, placing her gently back down onto the couch. Doyoung began cleaning her with a wet cloth he got from our private bathroom. “Go get her a pair of clothes, in the meantime Jae,” Doyoung says.

“Mmm, be right back then.”

I exited, leaving them behind. On the elevator ride, my thoughts were consumed with questions. Good and bad ones. In particular, “What will happen once she wakes up?” I tried shrugging them off, as my answers will come once she wakes up.

“Hm?” I stirred my eyes open. ‘Where am I? This isn’t my apartment?’

“Awake already, sleeping beauty?” A voice said. I recognized that voice… Doyoung!

“A-Ah I-” “Water?” Jaehyun says, handing me a water bottle. I gladly accepted it, my throat felt quite dry. ‘Wait a minute… Oh Shit!’ I nearly choked on the water as I remembered what had transpired a couple hours ago. I looked outside their windows, the night sky illuminating.

“Uhm… I-” Jaehyun interrupts me, “regret it?” I looked at him puzzled, ‘regret?’

“What? No, No! I… I just don’t know what I should say, what I should do…”

“Well, it’s whatever you want Y/N,” Doyoung says, getting closer. “You want us to be friends, we’ll go back to that. You want us to be fuck buddies with one another, we’ll do it. You want to put a label on it, we’ll do that too.”

Is he serious right now?! The three of us? Wouldn’t I be asking for too much? Is it greedy of me that I want that. I want to be with them. I want Doyoung. I want Jaehyun.

I look at the floor, trying to hide my embarrassment from what I was about to admit. “I- I want us to be together. Me, Doyoung, and Jaehyun.”

It went silent, neither of them spoke up. So I took the courage to then look up. I flinched, at how close they’d gotten, standing only a few inches away.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Jaehyun asks. I nod, “Yes, is it selfish of me to?”

Jaehyun nods, “No. Be as selfish as you want with us.” To which Doyoung adds, “We just want you to be happy.”

I feel like crying again, only happy tears though. How could this even be my life right now? A tear trickled down. Then another, and another until I felt both of them wipe them off my face.

I smiled, “Thank you. Thank-”

“There’s no need to thank us. We love you,” Doyoung says, smiling as well.

“He’s right. We love you Y/N,” Jaehyun adds. We all smiled, engulfed in each other's warmth.

Today might’ve just been the best day of my life. No matter what the future brought us, I would be prepared to face it because after all I wasn’t alone.

It was me, Doyoung, and Jaehyun. It was us against the world.

Bonus!

I shifted to the other side of the bed, but a strong hold on me prevented me from doing so. I stirred my eyes open, Jaehyun. Ah, that’s right, this was my life now. I’d moved in with Jaehyun and Doyoung a week ago but the whole thing hasn’t really sunk in yet.

“Good morning,” he muttered. “Admiring me already?”

“N-No!” I refuted. It was barely morning and here he is teasing me already.

He chuckled, and then leaned in to kiss my temple. “Sleep well?” I muttered a small, “Yes” before snuggling against his bare chest. I’ve always felt so safe around him, and Doyoung. They made me feel so safe and loved.

We stayed like that for a while until I felt his hands come down to grope my ass. A shameless man he is. ”Where’s Doyoung?” I asked.

“Work probably,” Jaehyun says as he works his lips from my ear to my jaw. He kissed me so tenderly, every touch of his lips felt so warm; his embrace so warm. Jaehyun’s lips then lingered to my mouth, engulfing me into a tender kiss. It always went like this, he would be gentle but then go rougher. His tongue intruding, teeth clashing, and occasional lip biting.

“So I got you all to myself huh,” he whispered in my ear. I giggled before capturing him in another heated kiss that ended up with Jaehyun on top of me.

His hands roamed all over my body, from my waist to hips to breasts. He squeezed my breasts, pinching my nipples that sent an electric shock throughout my body. Oh god.

He parted from our kiss only to look down at my embarrassingly lustful state. “Fuck, you’re so beautiful. Every part of you baby.”

My heart throbbed at his statement, my face probably beet red. He then began removing my top, leaving my shorts and panties on. He brought his mouth towards one of my breasts, where he began licking it and sucking on my nipple. Later, he returned the same affection to the other neglected breast. I was a squirming mess, I tried getting friction from somewhere, anywhere. God, I was so fucking wet already, I could feel it as it pooled between my legs.

“Eagered like always,” Jaehyun said with a pop as he let go of my breast. His lips kissed down until they reached the waistband of my shorts. Those poor things were off in seconds, along with my panties. I watched as Jaehyun spread my legs open, “God, so wet already.” I moaned his name when I felt him tease my folds with his fingers, and then a Slap.

I widened my eyes at his action. Then again, another Slap. “You like that,” he says, coming closer to my ear. “You like it when I slap your sweet cunt.”

Slap. Oh fuck, was this good. Slap. “Y-Yes!” I yelled. He wasn’t stopping, continuously torturing my cunt. “Look at all this mess you’re making so early in the morning,” Jaehyun’s voice says, bringing his hand to his mouth. I watched as he licked his fingers clean of my essence.

“Get on your hands and knees for me baby,” he later says. I complied, getting in the position he most enjoys. I moaned out even louder when he slid his cock so easily inside me. “Fuck, so wet that it slid right in.”

Grabbing my arms, holding them from behind me, he started mercifully thrusting into me. His cock reaching the deepest part of me like it always has. I was enjoying this so much that I just kept moaning louder and louder.

“Having fun without me?” A voice rose. I quickly looked up, capturing Doyoung’s figure. Oh god.

With another thrust I moaned again. “I was wondering what was going on since I heard screaming, but it looks like our girl was just horny wasn’t she?”

Jaehyun speaks up while thrusting into me, “Yep… Mmm, she thought you… were gone and pounced onto me. Poor thing I couldn't just neglect her.”

“N-No! He- He is ly-lying,” I tried saying. “Lying? Me? You hear that Doyoung she’s accusing me of lying,” Jaehyun says smugly.

“I know, don’t you think she deserves a lesson?” Doyoung questions Jaehyun. Jaehyun chuckles in satisfaction. Oh, no…

Thus, I found myself sucking off Doyoung’s cock while Jaehyun continued pounding into me like some ruthless beast. “Just like that, a little deeper,” Doyoung groans. He watches me intently as I suck his cock into my mouth, but that didn’t last long. Doyoung ended up taking control, thrusting into my throat like I was his personal pleasure toy. Which I admit, I probably was, but hey he was mine too.

“Your pussy swallows me up so well, fuck I’ll never get tired of this,” Jaehyun groans. His thrust had gotten sloppy, meaning he was close to cumming. Good thing I was too as I started squeezing around his cock. I felt Jaehyun’s hand snake to my stomach and then further down. His fingers pinched and rubbed on my clit. I moaned into Doyoung’s cock, the sensation causing his cock to twitch in my mouth.

“I’m cumming,” Jaehyun groaned, thrusting his cock into me one last time. I also met my orgasm, cumming all over Jaehyun’s cock. He must’ve been watching as our cum mixed together, oozing out of my pussy.

“Shit, I’m cumming too,” Doyoung abruptly says, releasing his seeds inside my mouth.

Once we both caught our breaths it was back to fucking again. There was no stopping us once we started. Which was how I ended up with Doyoung’s cock buried within me. “Spread your legs wider,” Doyoung says. “Good girl, keep 'em like that.”

“Open your mouth,” Jaehyun says from the side. I opened it only for him to spit in my mouth and then start kissing me again. My lips are going to be so swollen from all the kissing, but my pussy from all the rough pounding. However, those concerns were at the bottom of my list. The pleasure they kept giving me was too blissful.

I love this. I love Doyoung. I love Jaehyun. “I love you,” I whispered, just loud enough for them both to hear. The three-word phrases elicited a small smile on their faces.

“We love you more.”

24.05.02

final a.n: hi again! i would like to apologize for the delay. i think i have spoken up about this before but i would like to inform u all that as i am still a student, it can be hard to juggle all things at once. im very sorry for not uploading during the month of april, it truly saddens me but with school on my plate its been rather difficult. however, from now on i promise to at least post once a month. thank you for your patience i truly am grateful to every single one of you! i love you all <3!!!!!!!

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sinner-sunflower · 1 month

Text

Lucifer AU idea- Rabbit Hole

Y'all know that Rabbit Hole by Miku song with the animation trend? Imagine Luci doing that dance ugh

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

The song is Angel Dust's first official music video that he wrote after breaking free of Valentino's deal.

Ozzie had offered him a job to Club Ozzie's first Pride ring branch and Angel never felt happier.

He got into music as an outlet for his emotions, releasing 'Addict' and 'Poison' to the public via Al's radio show. (He managed to convince Alastor to do it cos it would make his ratings skyrocket past Vox and Alastor loves nothing more than kicking Vox when he's already down)

After the success of his first 2 songs, Angel decided that maybe the 3rd one should have a music video.

With the help of Ozzie as his producer, the project is a go.

Writing the song was the easy part. Angel wanted it to sound fun but also resonate with his past experiences (just read the translation of the lyrics! The one angel wrote is from this Cover!)

One day, he and Ozzie were brainstorming at the Sin's office at the Pride branch.

Ozzie: Angel, this is your first music video! It must be grand! Showstopping! Jaw-dropping! Never before seen! Revolutionary!

Angel: But how do I do that, big dick boss man? I don't think even being greatest porn star Hell has ever seen will wow people now. I've done lots of things and I can't think of anything else.

Ozzie: Hmmm

Just then, Lucifer enters the office.

Lucifer: Ozzie! Just who I'm looking for. I need you to do some inspection regarding your crystals. I just talked to Belphagor and she said that her team just confiscated a whole ton in some imp warehouse in Greed. I know I don't need to meddle but I wouldn't be worried if it was anywhere else. Who knows what Mammon is doing with those and- oh! Angel!

Angel: Heya, Short king.

Lucifer: What are you doing here?

Angel: I work here, baby~

Lucifer: Oh! I knew that haha. And what's this?

The King of Hell gestures to the board they were using for notes.

Angel: Don't tell anyone, but I'm gonna be releasin a new song and it's gonna have a music video!

Lucifer: Really?! That's great! It hasn't been that long too since Poison, wasn't it?

Angel: Yeah, but we wanna catch these motherfuckers off guard

Ozzie: That's why we're brainstorming how we can wow these desensitised demons. I still think we can do-

Lucifer: Why don't I do it?

Angel and Ozzie blink in surprise at the King's words.

Angel: Do what?

Lucifer: Act! In your music video! You know, instead of you, I'll be the uhhh 'rabbit girl'? Not that- you're uh- not enough I just mean that uhm- I think the last thing they'd expect is the King of Hell a sinner's music video.

Angel: Babe, you do know this would be a not safe for work type thing, right?

Lucifer: Yeah? I know? I know you better than you might think, you know.

Ozzie: You sure? Cos Charlie might see this.

Angel: Yeah. I know I don't wanna see my dad basically naked dancing to music.

Lucifer: You can go through it with her if it makes you feel any better. But I'm up for anything.

The two others in the room just stare at him with their mouths wide open.

Lucifer: But if you don't want I...

Angel: Hell no! We are doing this!

Ozzie: Hell won't know what hit em.

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

Charlie gave it a green light cos she's so excited about her dad finally socializing and breaking out of his cocoon to really realize what everything is about. Angel wants to record a reaction of the hotel for research purposes.

A few weeks later, the video is done and it's dropped out of nowhere.

Ozzie invited the Sins to the hotel for an exclusive live viewing (he and Angel ofc knew what time it would be released and set the whole thing up)

Everyone sat in the lobby in front of a giant projector (No, Alastor, you can't watch a video on the radio!), and as the clock struck at 9:13 AM on a random Tuesday, the video played.

Let's just say that it certainly did leave mouth agaped and caused mass panic.

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Ozzie anonymously sent a copy to Heaven and somewhere in a bright glowing building, 6 archangels lay unconscious at the ground due to shock,

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If you guys want me to write some dialogue for that first reaction in the hotel, drop the comment!

#hazbin lucifer #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel lucifer #hazbin angel dust #hazbin hotel angel dust #helluva asmodeus #helluva boss asmodeus #asmodeous #lucifer harem #lucifer centric #lucifer au #lucifer morningstar fanart #lucifer morningstar #lucifer magne

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sobfultoast · 1 month

Note

Hi! It's me who sent the request a few hours ago. Everyone makes mistakes and it's completely fine that you accidentally deleted it. My bad for being anonymous. 😅

Can I request the brother's reactions to MC who smokes/vapes?

Btw I really love your work!

THANK YOU!

•°~◇ Smoking ◇~°•

Prompt: Here are the demons' opinions on smoking/vaping, do they smoke/vape and their reactions to an MC who smokes/vapes.

+ Them supporting an MC who wants to quit.

A lot of demons smoke as it doesn't hurt them. It's more of a treat to them; a pack of 20 is the same price as a chocolate bar. Demons can get addicted to it, though, as it is shown demons can get addictions (Example being Mammon's addiction to gambling).

Vapes are a new trend in devildom and are ridiculously pricey. So, lots of demons stick to smoking rather than vaping unless they want to be trendy. Good luck buying a vape in devildom. They're like £60 for a standard vape.

As soon as you came to devildom, Lucifer made the house rule that none of the brothers could smoke/vape in the house. They were not happy.

(CW: Smoking, obviously; mention of health issues; Overprotective and worried demons; Addictions)

• ° ~ ◇ ~ ° •

Lucifer

Lucifer hates the fact that he smokes. He started smoking just after his fall. He and some noble demons were attending one of Diavolo's dinners. Everyone else was smoking. It was a sign of richness and luxury back years ago on earth, and that also translated to Devildom as well. Lucifer's felt pressured to also try them and has been hooked ever since.

He has to deal with 6 trouble magnets that he calls his brothers (7 trouble magnets if including you). Smoking helps relieve the stress of managing that. He is like that type of mum who has a glass of wine in his left hand and a cigarette in the other.

Lucifer isn't interested in vapes. It's nothing more than a trend that will pass eventually to him.

If you do try and hide the fact you smoke or vape, good luck. You can't hide it from him. He'll find out quickly, almost as soon as you arrive. Lucifer has weekly room inspections, and he'll sniff your hidden stash out like a blood hound.

Because he'll find out so early, he isn't really emotionally attached to you yet. All he does is go: "Tch... Not in the house." If his brothers find out the human smokes/vapes, they'll get all annoyed about why they have to go outside to smoke now. So, to at least make it fair, the same rule applies to you.

After a year, he regrets that reaction of his. He knows the risks it has to humans. It's why he made all his brothers go outside. He doesn't like knowing you're constantly at risk of health issues every time you take a puff.

He's worried. Unlike you, smoking doesn't harm him. Lucifer will be relieved if you say you want to quit. He decides he'll quit with you so you can support one another. You don't even have to ask him. Lucifer just wants to make sure you live a long life with him.

Mammon

Mammon smokes often. His go to is cigarettes and also cigars. Mammon is too broke to buy Vapes in devildom, so if you ever see him with one, it's most likely stolen. Probably from Asmodeus. He was in shock when he went to the human world and saw how expensive smoking is. £16 for a pack of just 20! What a rip-off! Grrr...

He had no clue that nicotine harms humans. So when Lucifer made a rule to not smoke in the house, he didn't understand. Mammon was not happy, so he tried sneaking around Lucifer. He was always caught.

Hiding it from Mammon is also very hard but not impossible. Your room is his room, and he has gone through "his" whole room a million times. He'll find it if you hide it in your room so if you hide it outside of your room, there is less of a chance. If he does find it, he won't confront you about it. He doesn't know it hurts humans. He just takes them for himself.

Mammon is always stealing his brothers' cigarettes and vapes, so he is also definitely stealing yours. The only difference between you and his brothers is that he'll actually share his cigs with you. Until he finds out about the dangers.

Smoking can be deadly to humans? And my human is smoking them?! Mammon is overprotective of you so of course he is against you using them! Mammon will pester you to stop it. He'll even help you himself by smoking yours before you! So heroic.

If you say you want to quit, he is very happy with your choice. He'll try and avoid anyone smoking around you, and Mammon never hesitates to praise you for your progress.

Will he quit with you? He'll try. He'll have a lot of hic ups. Temptation is everywhere in hell, especially for an impulsive demon like himself, but if it means he can support and help you? He'll try his damn best.

Leviathan

Leviathan doesn't smoke often. Levi only smokes when on the ships as everyone else is often doing it, and it relaxes him when surrounded by people. You can also find him smoking if his phone or handheld device dies when in public.

Levi doesn't vape, even if he seems like a type of person who would. They're just so pricy and such a normie trend in his eyes. He'd rather save up for merch.

He used to smoke a lot more in the past. There were a few times where he'd boxed himself in his room and went through a whole pack of cigs. When Lucifer opened the door, it was just 💨. Levi only did that because he had a social event coming up that he couldn't avoid but even with his anxieties, Levi soon decided to stop smoking in his room. It started to damage his merch! And because he is always in his room, he rarely smokes now.

Leviathan does know that smoking harms humans. When he found out one of his favourite human idols smokes, he was sending them spam letters to stop. What if your voice drops?! What if you get sick?! He was basically begging them.

Despite that, he does think it looks sorta cool in fiction. Like in those anime scenes where the badass character is smoking in the corner, looking super menacing. It's so edgy of them.

He probably won't find out you smoke/vape unless you deliberately do it around him. Since he is always in his room and there is no smoking/vaping in the house, he probably will never catch you if you hide it.

When he does find out, he is conflicted. He thinks you look sorta cool and totally understands if you're doing it to calm yourself. But, then again, he knows it hurts you! Levi doesn't really know how to respond so he just won't confront you about it nor bring up the idea of quitting. He doesn't want you to get mad or annoyed at him for whatever reason he can think of.

Levi will ask Satan for advice and does support you all the way if you do want to quit. He'll always keep his attention on your behaviour and will give you lots of praise and encouragement! Just look how far you got! He's so proud of you. It's okay to have setbacks, we all have them!

Satan

Satan smoked on the rare occasion. Satan never smoked in the house as well. He knew it was damaged and stains books, so he always went outside if he ever did. But when a certain someone made a rule to not smoke in house, he might have started purposely smoking around the house. Out of pure spite.

Satan stopped smoking around the house after the body swapped situation. He became so much less hateful towards Lucifer after that, and also so much closer towards you. Satan now avoids smoking around you and has always avoided doing it around cats. He knows what second hand smoke does to mortal creatures.

Satan is also another brother you can't hide it from. Satan is basically a certified detective. He'll catch on.

Satan won't pressure you to stop. He knows people smoke for all sorts of reasons. From addiction to coping mechanisms, everyone has a reason, and he understands that it is sometimes complicated.

If you tell him you want to quit or start showing any signs that it is affecting your lungs, he will try to suggest alternatives. Such as a vape that has low nicotine density or nicotine patches. If you're just doing it for the motion like some, he'll show you some vapes that are just flavoured vapour. Satan does lots of research into it, so he suggests the best things to try. He wants to make sure you take the best steps in whatever you want to do. He'll be standing right by your side.

Asmodeus

Asmodeus hates smoking. It smells awful. It makes people look awful as it makes your skin look bad and stains your clothes. He hates it.

Vaping is a totally different thing to him, however. It smells and tastes nice. His favourites are the cherry flavoured ones, but he'll also use whatever is popular at the time.

Asmodeus is frustrated that he can't vape in his room. It's his room! He does sneak a puff with his window open, and unlike Mammon, Asmodeus is rarely caught.

Asmodeus will find out if you smoke/vape from your scent alone. This man can tell you the name of the perfume or cologne you are using just from smell. If you've just smoked, he'll notice. He gives you his perfume. "Can't have you smelling so dreadful, darling! Here. Now you can smell as good as me!"

Asmo won't point out the vape smell as it smells better than tobacco. If it is one of his favourites, however, he'll definitely point it out. You guys have so much in common! He loves that one too!

Asmodeus does know smoking is a risk to humans but he just didn't care. It didn't concern him... Until he fell for you. Now it kinda does.

Out of the brothers, Asmodeus is probably one of the calmer ones if you vape. You both end up having a box of vapes that you hide from Mammon. Asmodeus wouldn't like it if you smoked though. Asmo really does hate the smell of them. Please avoid smoking around him. He gets enough of it from the clubs in his opinion.

Asmodeus is with you every step of the way if you quit. He'll keep his stash as hidden as he can from you and maybe even slowly stop using them as much himself. He pampers you and helps distract you from your addiction. Asmodeus is your biggest cheerleader throughout your journey!

Beelzebub

Beelzebub is the only brother to not smoke or vape. Even if he tried, he'll just end up eating it anyway... They do not taste good.

He thinks vapes smell tasty. Why are they always based as food? They get him drooling. He has eaten one of Asmodeus' vapes. Again, they don't taste good. It's a false advertisement.

It can be easy to hide it from beel. I don't see him picking up on it unless you have started dying after every run, but again, you could tell him it's just a human thing and he'll trust what you're saying.

Beelzebub does know it harms humans because of his body building classes. He has given some humans advice there and learnt that smoking damages your lungs from these said humans.

Beelzebub then began asking Belphie to avoid smoking around you. Beel didn't want you to get hurt at all. Just to find out you smoke/vape yourself. Why??? He just doesn't understand.

Beelzebub does ask questions why and still struggles, understanding why'd you do something that harms your fragile human body...

He will show distaste for it when he sees you doing it. Every time you take a puff around him, he looks like a kicked puppy. Beel doesn't like knowing you are hurting yourself.

If you decide to quit, he is very enthusiastic about that idea. He'll get you foods to distract yourself. He heard sunflower seeds and gum are food a lot of ex-smokers use as a distraction. Beel will also ask all his brothers if they'd also like to quit alongside you. If not, could they just avoid smoking around you. Beel just wants you to be okay.

Belphegor

Belphie smokes. He picked it up as a distraction to cope after the fall and found comfort in it.

Belphegor doesn't know it harms humans despite his knowledge about humans. When he was interested in humankind, we didn't know anything about cancer and etc. After the fall, Belphie lost interest and just didn't learn.

Belphie didn't smoke at all in the attic. Belphie was going mad, especially with the nightmares of Lilith. He didn't have Beel or anything other than nap. As soon as he gets out, he'll smoke in the house. Lucifer scolds him for it but why should he care? He was trapped in the attic for months. He doesn't even hide it. He literally pulled out a cigarette at the dining table during family dinner.

Hiding it from him is easy. When he does find out, he is confused about why you would hide it from him though? Even when he learns about all the harmful consequences, he understands why someone would smoke/vape so why hide it from him.

He is probably the most chilled brother about it. You two watch the stars with the reassuring yet cold breeze as you share a lighter for your cigarettes.

Belphegor does also vape. They're convenient. He doesn't have to roll or light anything, which his lazy self appreciates.

If you wanna quit, of course he'll support you. You can't smoke if your stuck napping with him, right? Belphie doesn't like the idea of quitting. Then again, Belphie dislikes a lot of things but he'll always do them for you.

•°~◇ Have a good day! ◇~°•

I don't know if this is what you wanted??? But I tried. If you have any criticism, just say. I've never done a request but I hope this is what you wanted.

I know I've been gone for a little while but life. I'm back tho 💪

#obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me belphegor #obey me beelzebub #om lucifer #om mammon #om leviathan #om satan #om asmodeus #om belphegor #om beelzebub #obey me: one master to rule them all #obey me shall we date #obey me #i hope this is good

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bajistadiamond · 5 months

Text

Yuu and the Magical Power of Songs

Yuu Singer, 🎶💎Ramshackle💎🎶 (We wish you a Merry Christmas - Phineas and Ferb Version)

I couldn't think of a better idea for this Christmas than to use "We wish you a Merry Christmas" that they used in Phineas and Ferb… Well. I will do the same for this New Year... This story takes place after the OverBlots; After the near destruction of NRC, Malleus and Yuu combined their magic into a time spell that returned them all to the entrance ceremony to start things off without disaster.

The holidays are the funniest and happiest time of the year for many.

When Yuu first arrived at Twisted Wonderland he didn't imagine the seriousness with which they prepared for each celebration… what he discovered in spring and fall.

And that's not to mention the events that occurred randomly.

Anyway, at this moment the 8 dorm leaders were in a meeting.

"So we agree to decorate everything?" Yuu asked those present, who nodded at his words.

Since for some reason the entire student population wanted to celebrate the holidays at NRC, they needed to vote on whether they would decorate just their dormitories or the entire school.

Azul already had many ideas for the most fruitful season for Mostro Lounge.

"I have many selected items to order." Kalim said excitedly as he showed his cell phone to Riddle.

"Send me the links, I have my contacts so shipping will be cheaper hehehe~". Idia said with a giggle, who was present forced by Ortho.

Leona looked at the largest of the Shroud inquisitively, but he did not want to know.

"And who will pay for everything?" Vil asked, adjusting his Santa hat.

Yuu smiled and the others could swear that demon horns appeared on his head. "The director of course."

The others looked at Yuu strangely; Crowley was a cheapskate no matter how much he said otherwise, they highly doubted that he would pay for Christmas decorations.

"The director is so kind that he gave me his credit card." Yuu said taking said card out of his pocket. "Besides, when he realizes it, it will be too late."

Everything was silent for a moment before everyone laughed like "villains."

These holidays would be expensive for Dire Crowley…

The light music club was preparing to practice; they would have a lot of work performing at Mostro Lounge and the Christmas and New Year party.

"So what should we play today?" Cater asked looking at her cell phone for ideas.

"How about it, all I want for Christmas is you~." Lilia suggested doing a riff.

"It's already widely seen." Kalim commented, much to Carter's surprise.

Kalim had been using a lot of internet tutorials to be more independent, so he also updated himself on trends on the web… Jamil still couldn't decide if Kalim being addicted to MagiCam was good or bad.

"And a classic?" Ortho suggested with a smile. The young man with the shrouds had become a member of the club shortly before the Malleus OverBlot.

At that moment, Yuu entered. "Sorry guys, the decorations arrived and I wasn't going to risk leaving Grim alone with the glass things." He explained, leaving his coat on the coat rack.

"Don't worry Yuu-kun, we're still thinking about what to play." Cater said to the white haired one.

Yuu thought for a moment; He had managed to listen to Ortho's suggestion and thought it was a very good idea.

"And if we sing, we wish you a Merry Christmas?" The others looked at Yuu, it wasn't a bad idea.

"We can use a classic, with a little tweak." Yuu explained to them grabbing a microphone.

"Alright, you're in charge Yuu." Carter said to the aforementioned before turning on a LIVE for everyone to see. Yuu smiled mischievously as Kalim started playing the drums...

We wish you a Merry Christmas ~

The "voice of the gods" was instantly present. Everyone's clothes changed to a unique Santa Claus outfit for each one. For Kalim it was with two shades of red and round gold glasses, for Ortho it was blue with white and a tulle cape with snowflake embroidery, for Carter it was bright green with black and pearls in her hair, for Yuu it was the typical red and white and cool ski goggles.

We wish you a Merry Christmas ~

And a Happy New Year ~

The song was heard throughout the campus; filled everyone with joy. They organized themselves in the patio to decorate. Many were singing or humming with their hands full of golden tinsel.

We wish you the best day ever ~

And hope all your Christmas endeavors ~

At Heartslabyul, Trey watched in barely concealed horror as Riddle pulled out the fruitcake the aforementioned had made. Riddle cut a piece of the cake from him and then looked nervously at the green-haired man. The one with glasses forced a smile before trying the cake… It was because of the magic of friendship and the miracle of Christmas that Trey didn't have stomach pains.

Are super-fun, amazing and clever ~

And that your New Year's rocks too! ~

Many were using their brooms to fly around NRC and decorate it. The white already contrasted the black and gray of the building beautifully, but with the gold and green tinsel it looked much more impressive. Inside the building there were white LED lights as far as the eye could see and pine trees were added in the largest rooms. Meanwhile, in the teachers' lounge, they were enjoying a good eggnog… The principal was just crying in a corner because of the receipt of everything.

Oh, come, tell me what'cha doin' ~

All my relatives just flew in ~

In Pomefiore, Vil was reflecting on his life choices. The salon was in chaos with many enjoying to "let their hair down" and enjoy themselves. Epel led the party wearing an ugly sweater with lights while he sang about his family's traditions.

From Harveston and Shaftlands ~

For the holidays! ~

Neige had been included in the party. It had been a shock to have discovered that he was distantly related to Epel and now the two got along very well. Vil had no problems with this, after meditating and having Yuu with a therapist, he was able to come to terms with himself and accept that he and Neige were unique.

Both Christmas trees and menorahs ~

It can be confusing for us ~

Strangely enough, Epel managed to bring out the most sarcastic and stubborn side of Neige. The two always ended up arguing whether it was about musical tastes, food or clothes. And now they were fighting over which decorations were better. Luckily for Vil, Rook managed to calm things down by saying that both decorations were beautiful together; and he also brought cocoa, which Vil was happy about.

When we break into a chorus ~

Of olé, Olé ~

And oy vey, Oy vey ~

In the NRC cafeteria, many were preparing a magnificent Christmas dinner; Many were grateful that Lilia was busy and not in the kitchen.

Delicious meals I will try~

Groceries A through Z ~

Leona sang before taking a big bite out of a turkey leg. The lion was in a dream when the taster of the dinner was selected, to the jealousy of many. And Leona enjoyed teasing the others with moans of satisfaction at how delicious the food they brought him to try was.

Ruggie, get away from that punch bowl ~

Ruggie pouted as he was caught drinking the fruit punch while pocketing a couple of cookies.

I'm saving that for me ~

Hyena Boy, offended that his lazy friend wouldn't share punch, threw some figgy pudding into the punch bowl.

Sorry, sir ~

Ruggie sang mockingly because he knew that of all the fruits, Leona hated the fig the most. In the yard, Silver was sleeping peacefully among a small mound of snow. No one wanted to bother the boy during his nap, but they couldn't help but decorate him; They put a headband on him with reindeer antlers and shiny spheres in his ears.

We wish you a Silver Christmas ~

Yuu had changed it from "Perry" to Silver as a joke, but when he sang it he realized that the phrase was not so bad, a silver Christmas.

We wish you a Silver Christmas ~

And a (ZZZ~ Silver´s snoring ZZZ~) New year ~

Azul seriously needed a calculator; His had broken strangely shortly after Jade told him she needed to rest. Now, the lens guy was in her office doing the math by hand and with an abacus.

I want a calculator ~

Slash-Earnings-English Translator ~

"At this rate I finish in the new year." Blue thought tiredly as the music from the music club's LIVE was what kept him sane. The boy was also grateful that Yuu's magic decorated his office; he hadn't had much time to do it.

To find a common denominator ~

In all my tongues! ~

Mostro Lounge was enjoying free time with good music. Some were dancing dressed as elves and others were enjoying a good coffee or hot chocolate.

I will give you good hugs ~

To all you shrimps ~

Floyd with a big smile was trying to hug whoever he could, but everyone was avoiding him because of the mistletoe that the boy had hung on his head. Everyone knew how strong the hug and joking kiss they would receive from Floyd would be.

That's how I say "Merry Christmas" ~

I ain't good with words! ~

Floyd was finally able to grab someone to hug him and kiss him on the cheek, poor thing was Jamil. The one from Scarabia walked out calmly, still in shock, to go to the bathroom and wash his face with bleach.

I wish you would let me rule you ~

I'm going to teach you about anime ~

In Idia and Ortho's room, the oldest was dancing around the room while programming the lights, preparing the gifts he had for his brother, and turning on all of his monitors for the special Christmas events in all of his RPG games.

I won't sugarcoat or fool you ~

Your New Year's looks grim! ~

The oldest of the Shroud danced in the comfort of his chair, for him it was very noob to start singing at Christmas. Although he will deny to death that he sang Christmas songs from his favorite anime in the shower.

We wish your every endeavor ~

Makes this the best Christmas ever ~

The music club put the best of their voices into the final part of the song. Carter, Kalim and Ortho could tell that this was the best version of "we wish you a merry Christmas" they had ever heard. LIVE had ranked #1 in trends and throughout Twisted Wonderland they were dancing no matter what.

And we're all so glad that we will never ~

Mention figgy pudding ~

"Pudding?". Many people asked themselves when they heard the lyrics. Although they didn't give it importance; It was the best one of the best Christmas songs. And needless to say, they enjoyed the chorus at the end.

"Merry Xmas!". Yuu, Carter, Kalim and Ortho exclaimed into the cell phone before the LIVE ended...

Night Raven College had a good day that day and the decorations could be seen from the town on the island. And they were better than the other academy, to the envy of some in the RSA.

...

... As for Crowley, he stayed in his nest for the rest of the holidays…

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bloop-im-a-frog-now · 10 days

Text

"Spread The Sculk"

Cub never does something twice. Last time, his little sculk possession had been fun, putting sculk catalysts in everyone’s base, and forcing the others to cure him. The addicting feeling of letting his body being control will never cease to amaze him.

But it’s over now.

“No more sculk,” he tells himself as he does his usual early season routine.

The last time he told that to himself, he let the hungry desire of diamonds take control of him during a civil war.

He isn’t the weak-minded fool he was before. He can control himself and the itch of letting an entire hivemind take his body as a host and doing their bidding for them. Sculk is very last season trend, and he has no desire to do anything with it again.

It means nothing every time he went mining, he always managed to find some sculk veins or an Ancient City. After all, Cub is able to go back where he came from and leave the place for good. He doesn’t need to block all the entrances to where the sculk is calling him. It isn’t calling him.

Cub sighs. The more he spends in denial, the more his work becomes affected by it. Doing the custom fireworks takes him more time than he planned it to be. All that for satisfying a stupid itch and a growing curiosity of the calls.

He decides to go down in his mines, one day, silk touch pickaxe and some golden carrots in his inventory. He breaks the stone that blocked the entrance to the Deep Dark and inhales the air. A strong odour of fermented mushrooms takes over his mind, and something Cub thought he had buried deep inside him resurfaces at the smell.

He accidentally places his hand against the wall, and almost jerks his hand away at the feeling of the sculk veins, slimy and cloudy at the same time, like bread covered in jam.

“Just exploring, okay Cub? You’re just exploring, and then you’ll go back.”

A clicking noise resonated in his skull, and that is when Cub knew he will not just explore.

“Just a taste,” he tries to convince himself. “Just a taste.”

His heart pounds in his head as he walks towards the Deep Dark, towards an Ancient City most likely. He is both frightened and delighted to be around sculk. Last time, it had taken them ages to cure him. The vex had simply stopped pestering his head, though by the way Scar often smirks at him, he has a strange feeling his friend made a deal with them.

Sculk is both a different infatuation and a similar one. Cub knows the sensation of possession, of giving his free will to a malevolent entity only looking out for itself. Sculk seems to take control of him in a way he isn’t used to.

And that excites him.

The air he inhales digs inside his lungs, wriggling as if it was a worm looking for a place to plant its eggs. Cub does not feel panic. As he arrives to an open area of the Deep Dark, close to an Ancient City, he realizes his lungs are filled to the brim with not air, but cotton balls clinging to the walls.

His mind now has one objective, and he welcomes the sculk in his body with open arms. You can never satisfy an itch unless you scratch it until it bleeds.

The tremolo of the sculk sensor sends shivers down each vertebra of his spine. His boots crunch the sculk veins, becoming sparse the more he travels in the Deep Dark. He was in need of a sculk catalyst.

Sculk sensors click around him. He knows being careless could cost his life. As the shiver spreads to the extremities of his members, as something worms itself in his heart, he grins widely.

“Missed this,” Cub mumbles to himself, silk-touch pickaxe in his hand.

He closes his eyes, and hums. The sculk washes around him, like waves against a beach. Slow and mounting, whispering sweet nothing to his ears as he walks on the sculk, a smile growing on his face.

The sculk calls for him, left and right, and he can only obey to it. He steps on the sculk veins, the clicks of his boots against the stone bricks matches the tremolo of the sculk sensor.

Cub opens his eyes as a Warden spawns.

Right in front of him is a sculk catalyst, all alone in the myriad of sculks.

“Let’s go,” he cheers quietly to himself as he breaks the catalyst with his pickaxe.

The roar of the Warden echoes in his ears, but he simply closes his eyes once again, and lets the sculk call to him.

He does not need to speak. Something squeezes his heart as his feet walk on their own, triggering more sculk sensors and creating more Wardens. The creatures can not hear him. He grins to himself as he lets go of the control of his body. The sculk silences his breath, slithering to his nose and covering his mouth with its viscous body.

Cub can no longer breath, but he is not worried. Its tendrils give him the bare minimum of oxygen he needs to survive, but he knows he is much more useful as a host than a body that has free will. His grin doesn’t come undone as the sculk pulls his legs forward, out of the Deep Dark, away from the Wardens searching for who had awakened them from their slumber.

Sculk has limitations. It can not carry Cub above the mines, but he does not need them to. Determinedly, he walks to the surface, close to his base, and places the sculk catalyst right at his front door.

“Time to spread it,” he chuckles to himself as he jumps on the catalyst.

Immediately, sculk veins burst out of the catalyst and turns the grass to sculk. Cub softly laughs to himself as the sculk takes over his legs, over his body and forces him to jump over and over again on the sculk catalyst.

It will spread to Etho’s base, which will spread to Tango’s base, which will spread to Cleo’s base.

A tremolo greets his jumping, like a cat purring, but it isn’t a purr. It is a laugh, echoing in Cub’s head, becoming louder and louder the more he jumps. His legs become as heavy as lead. He is no longer the one jumping, but he doesn’t care. His thoughts are swallowed by the laughter, and he pants for air the more the weight of exhaustion crushes his body.

The tendrils in his heart squeeze the organ again, to make it skip a beat before wrapping around his lungs. Cub laughs hysterically.

“That’s it, that’s it,” he wheezes out. “Take me with you.”

His mind flashes memories of the vex possession. The laughter morphs into their cackling, and Cub’s heart wells.

It feels like home.

“Master,” he lets out.

His vision turns black and faintly, he hears something snap, like a footstep breaking a twig.

With his thoughts no longer existing, he does not become aware the sculk broke both of his legs, letting him lie there in it. The addicting feeling of giving your freewill to a parasite has carved itself a warm hole into Cub’s brain.

He never left the sculk. The sculk never left him.

#hermitaday #when i learned cub was back at it with the sculk #this wrote by itself #cubfan135 #bloop's attention seeking strategy #horror #body horror #just to be safe ya know?#cub seeing any minecraft entity: can this thing possess me?#love that for him #possession #addiction

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sunkissed-zegras · 22 days

Note

Okay, so I’ve actually been thinking about this non-stop, but I’m no writer, so you’ll have to bear with me: Manager y/n, who is doing ‘research’ for the Paige edits, gets super into TikTok for like a week before they have to cut themselves off.

And during this week, they’re not just watching videos – no, they’re posting them. I’m talking like 5 a day MINIMUM. It all starts when they see the “who’s afraid of little old me” sound is trending and promptly post a slideshow, beginning with a soft, smile-filled picture of them with the team before “you should be” is sung out, and it cuts to a like 10-second compilation they had seen of them and the team screaming at refs or just looking super pissed off on the sidelines (as others have mentioned, the rbf is no joke).

Fans, of course, go crazy because, omg they’re posting on their account now? (It’s chalked up to KK’s influence.) And when their first video blows up, Manager y/n is officially hooked.

After seeing Paige’s Tru Fru video, they use the song to make an edit of them and the team using mostly unseen pictures and videos from the Europe trip to “I was over love and I’d had enough ‘till I found you”. It’s just so painfully sweet and a little bit sappy; people love it.

Things take a dramatic turn, though, when they discover thirst traps. NOW, they only post one, but one is enough to send people spiraling. “That’s my playpen, borderline thinking like Barbie.”

Lives are lost that day.

And the team’s reaction? Let's just say they've never hit the repost button faster. Paige has it saved and favorited in her camera roll, but you didn’t hear that from me.

“Now I’m down bad, crying at the gym” is posted to a video from when they tried to do the team’s conditioning day with them, and things didn’t go well. Manager y/n is strong, but this is a whole other level; they don’t even make it past the first hour before tears are shed. The whole team finds it hilarious (and it is).

KK gets them into dances too; there’s at least three posted to “Get it sexyy” before the day is done. And there’s soooo much more. “There must have been an angel by my side” is posted with Ice and Azzi. A “You know how to ball, I know Aristotle” ‘fit check with Paige goes triple platinum on the platform. And there are a perhaps unreasonable number of videos posted to “make her disappear just like poof, then she’s gone, addicted don’t know what the fuck I’m on” from a particularly fun night out (they had to take frantically down half of them when they woke up, but we won’t talk about that).

But perhaps the true pièce de résistance is ‘Man eater’. It was supposed to just be a ‘fit check after they got particularly dressed up for a team dinner/fundraiser but simply put, the people couldn’t take it. It took less than an hour for edits to start rolling in, and when some multiple people in their classes the next day (INCLUDING THEIR FAVORITE PROFESSOR) tells them they saw it , Manager y/n decided to take a step back (they can handle online attention, but in person is a whole different ball game).

After all, “we can’t have too many celebrities on this team.”

Last notes: This brief deep dive does dramatically affect the quality of the edits they make though; there was just so much inspiration to be taken (for research purposes only of course). 2 weeks after they stop posting on their personal account, a Paige and Nika hype edit to ‘Carnival’ is posted on the UConn page. They almost get in trouble for it, but they gain a couple of thousand followers and it quickly becomes the most liked video on their page. And who’s going to get mad at someone for what turns out to be a stroke of marketing genius (explicit lyrics be damned)?

THIS IS NOW MY FAV THING EVERTRR CUS YOURE SO SO SO RIGHT, i love the way u think nonnie

absolutely, and i feel like after the week is over she’s on the same level as paige — there are fan edits EVERYWHERE and manager is getting so much attention from everyone (ofc she doesn’t mind tho)

when she stops posting as much as she used to i can def see everyone begging for scraps 😭😭 they reuse the same 10 clips they have and the scraps they can find up until queen y/n posts again 😭😭

pls send more thoughts this was so much reading through it!

#uconn wbb manager thoughts 💭#god i love this ask sm #paige bueckers

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yooo-gehn · 3 months

Text

A late night rant about sex

A porn star once had an erectile dysfunction right in the middle of shooting porn, he just couldn't get it up, so you know what he did? The naked super sexy lady on top of him was just not arousing him, so he grapped his phone, and played his favorite porn clip, and shazam, he was back in the game. How crazy meta is that? A porn star needed porn to be sexually functional! Even when he knows exactly how unreal it is. I know it's easy to use this story to condemn porn, but actually screw that.

All I was thinking is damn, sex is never ever as simple as feeling aroused by mere naked bodies. It's a whole complicated very personal world we are taught to automatically feel ashamed of. It's a personal mood, taste, kink, type, fetish, and of course, it starts and ends in the mind. So much so that when it comes to turning yourself on, you can't do it because someone is naked and going down on you, you can only do it with seducing your specific mind with what it sexually craves.

But we are collectively and extremely sex starved that we become nations of hungry people eating the first thing they manage to put in their plate, for a starved person doesn't get to pick what they eat. They go for the bare minimum, or less. That porn star who couldn't get it up still have a better sex life than most people I know. We talk a lot about how bad porn is to the mind because it confirms our worldview, so nobody talks about how bad our actual sex life is, we are either masturbating alone as our little dirty secret, or we are denied our right to even admit we have personal nontraditional sexual cravings, cause you'd instantly be a filthy animal.

I read an article once in Psychology Today about how porn psychologically affects the sex life of married couples, bearing in mind we're Not talking about porn addicts who consume porn excessively, and you know what it basically said? The therapist didn't preach us about how porn automatically damages our sex life, but rather said what I always thought, that couples who had no problem with porn, found it arousing and helpful, and other couples who were uncomfortable with it, found it to be harmful, and consider it disloyalty if they found out their partner watches porn.

So your personal beliefs and preferences can make or break your sexual experience? And manifest itself physically? There's no "one ring that rules them all"? No ultimate manual or guideline that applies on everyone of us? Go figure.

You know, Napoleon once sent a letter to his wife saying "Home in three days, don't bathe", and it never grossed me out, in fact, it felt genuine, intimate sex as it should be, sex IS gross, we're fancy apes, who worry too much about looking our best, like it's a goddamn performance test. Like the brain doesn't fire bursts of electrical impulses from nowehere to nowehere during sex. Like it's not all about how ripe the moment is, how ripe your labia is, how ripe your cock is, how ripe your whole state of being is, and to be with a person who knows how to play the instrument of your body, cause they know, cause they made it safe for you to say, is sexier than every porn clip and every meaningless sex and every traditional soulless sex.

There's been a trend that looks down on passion cause it's a luxury for those who can afford it, missing the fact that just because something is out of reach, doesn't mean it's not important. We adapt to not having passionate lives by claiming it's silly to try to find our passions in life. But you know what eventually happens? We become a porn star doing his job and not be able to command his body to betray its nature. We become a porn star who sooner or later wouldn't be able to get it up.

#تأملات في الجنس

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unholy-screeching9 · 1 year

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I m sorry to bother you but…..do you think you could do KD x reader where they both have a shitty day and just need each other? Like they cuddle? Everybody needs comfort, even the greatest showman on inkwell isles!^^

You don't even know how much I needed to write this. These past few weeks have been hell for me, so it was so nice to finally be able to write something again, especially something comforting <3

There's some suggestive content in here still, so I advise everyone to be careful!

SUGGESTIVE CONTENT WARNING! 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI.

💋

King Dice x Reader "Bad Day Headcanons"

SONG RECOMMENDATION: “I’ll Never Smile Again” - Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey

King Dice x Reader “Bad Day” Headcanons (GAME)

If anyone were to ask King Dice what it’s like to be the right hand man of the Devil himself, why, he’d say it’s a dream. The best thing that’s ever happened to him. Well, maybe the second best. Marrying you will always come first.

He really does enjoy his job as the casino’s manager, and doesn’t mind the workload. To be surrounded by fawning fans and patrons, collecting their wallets, possessions, and damn souls from right under their noses? The job is certainly never boring. The poor fools who enter make sure of that.

King Dice always enjoys a good gamble. Whether it’s a friendly game of poker, craps, roulette, or even a bet on which racehorse would take the prize, the manager clings to the thrill of the risk like a drug.

But the thing about addiction is, you never realize how much you’re suffering until it’s much too late to do anything about it. More often than not, you tend to bite off much more than you can chew.

Dice occasionally finds himself in this position, having become in over his head. Sometimes, the die gets a small reality check of his own.

This reality check comes in many different forms. Not that he ever loses a bet, of course. The King never loses, and he intends to keep it that way, no matter how dirty his hands get. There’s a reason why the house always wins, and Dice is that reason.

Instead, his reality check comes in the form of angry patrons who have had one too much to drink, picking a fight with the manager. A demanding boss constantly looming over his shoulders, nitpicking Dice’s methods and making it incredibly difficult for him to do his damn job.

The crushing weight of pressure to keep up a perfect approachable appearance, luring the poor fools of Inkwell inside the Devil’s mitts like a lion tricking its prey.

Not to mention the heavy workload of papers to sign, contracts to file, tailoring appointments to keep his style consistent with whatever trends might be appearing, exhausting measures to keep his boss happy, stocking of supplies, the list could go on.

Normally, it’s manageable enough. Some of the tasks overlap, and Dice manages to find a nice, smooth routine to keep everything in order, especially with the help of his cards.

Typically, they will work behind the scenes while Dice manages the front, filing his papers for him, checking the drink stocks from behind the counter (the Tipsy Troop is of very little help at times), or even just forging Dice’s signature on a few of his contracts to lighten his load.

This way, all the King really has to deal with is a few tiffs with particular drunkards, looking pretty, and keeping his staff in line.

However… sometimes, the workload is just too much for Dice to handle, even with his cards and his staff scrambling to help the poor man keep a level head.

Sometimes, Dice is kept after his shift usually ends, signing contracts until he can barely see straight, fingers ready to fall off.

Sometimes, Dice gets scuffed up during a fight, causing a small crack in his head, or a few rips in his suit.

Sometimes, the Devil is too irate to effectively calm down, and Dice is on the receiving end of his boss’s wrath whether what caused the ruckus was his fault or not.

Sometimes… Dice just can’t take it.

There have been numerous occasions where you’ve watched him trudge inside your chambers, completely worn out, a sour expression on his face. Dice can’t even smile at you or offer any kind of greeting as he shucks off his shoes and jacket, frustratedly kicking the objects off to the side.

You hate seeing him like that. It’s not like him, at all. He deserves so much better than what he’s given, and you wish you could do something about his awful working conditions.

On the nights your husband returns to you looking beaten and weary, you do the one thing that you know he’ll never oppose. You guide him into laying on top of you, his aching head resting over your chest, listening to your soft, steady heartbeat.

You simply hold him in your arms and hum a relaxing tune, your fingers gently running over the crisp edges of his head. It relaxes him almost instantly.

Very few words are exchanged between the two of you. Dice is too tired and frustrated with everything to vent, and you don’t push him. You won’t even try to make small talk. Sometimes, there’s just no point in speech.

No… sometimes, things are meant to be silent. And comforting Dice after a horrible day at work is usually one of those times.

In the early hours of morning, you may occasionally wake up and find Dice staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep with too much on his mind. It is here when he finally opens up to you, spilling the details of why he entered your chambers in such a cranky mood.

You say nothing, just letting him speak, not even flinching when he occasionally raises his voice, gesturing irritatedly with his hands. You barely even bat an eye when he lets out a frustrated huff, grumbling under his breath about how different he wishes his life turned out, falling onto his back with a defeated sigh.

What does get your heart caught in your throat, is when his hand finds yours from under the covers. When he gives you a gentle squeeze, shifting close to you and rubbing his thumb over the smooth, shiny gold of your wedding ring.

“You’re the only good thing that’s come out of this mess, doll.”

Before you can even respond, Dice is asleep, his hand still squeezing your own like a lifeline.

Well, that certainly gets your heart to flutter.

You can absolutely relate to his struggles, as you have had many, many bad days of your own. More than you can count. Fortunately, it’s usually nothing you can’t deal with yourself.

You can handle a hard day with your own job. You can handle coming home to the casino’s chaotic ambiance after a hard day at work, with a couple drinks and a quick smoke for good measure. You can handle the long wait for your husband to return from his shifts and into your quarters. The wait is a hundred times worth it for that sweet, sensual embrace he gives you (and whatever follows afterwards).

What gets you slightly miffed is the treatment from the folks around you who are cautious, curious, and just damn nosy over your relationship with King Dice. Repeated. Near constant.

If you need to answer one more goddamn question about Dice’s ability as the Devil’s right hand man to love, one more inquiry over whether or not the man has you in some sort of trance, one more jealous complaint from the filthy drunkards who can’t learn to keep to themselves, your head just might fall off its shoulders.

It’s not that you’re not used to the comments and questions, it’s not that you can’t handle the occasional jab from another being. It’s definitely not that you’re protective of your husband, when he can certainly protect himself and you as soon as he feels the need to. It just… it gets so god damn annoying after a while.

And some days, you just can’t.

The pressure of your job, worrying over your lover and his duties, dealing with the obsessive freaks? It’s certainly difficult not to crack.

What ends up tipping you over the edge is any extra conflict life decides to throw at you on that particular day. Your boss gives you a hard time over something unwarranted. Someone bumped into you and spilled a drink all over you, so you have to work in soiled clothing.

You’ll never admit it to yourself (or anyone else), but you’re a ticking time bomb on the daily, waiting for one final push into detonation. And when that push comes, well, you’re nearly inconsolable.

You barely make it through the rest of your day without killing someone. As soon as your shift ends, you head back home, attempting to take the side door to avoid the casino’s loud, unbearable ambiance.

The door is locked. God fucking dammit.

You let out a frustrated shout, banging your fist against the golden door frame before stepping away. You bite the inside of your cheek to distract yourself from the growing pain in your hand, and the fact that you now have to make your way through the suffocating atmosphere just to get to your room.

Holding your breath, you quickly throw open the double doors, effectively silencing the whole room with the sheer amount of force you use as each door slams against the walls with a bit of recoil.

Ignoring the stares and slight whispers of the folks who recognize who you are, you make your way through the maze of tables and machines, passing by the Blackjack table where your husband sat at the head, his deck of cards slipping from his hands and falling into a heap on the table.

He stares at you in surprise, eyes desperate to reach yours, feeling crestfallen when you never meet his gaze.

Watching you effectively slip past the crowd and head into the private halls, Dice makes a mental note to grab a bottle of wine for you on the way back to his chambers. He notices the clusters of people continuing to stare at the door and whispering in suspicion, and quickly becomes angry over their inquiries.

Gathering up his deck of cards with one swoop of the hand, he brings his other fist down on the table to grab everyone’s attention, glaring menacingly at the wide eyes of his patrons.

“Well, get back to it, will ya?! Don’t you fellas know it’s rude to stare at someone and start talkin’ smack when they’re no longer present? Forget what you saw and move on!”

The powerful bellow of his voice combined with his threatening gaze was enough to jumpstart the casino into action once again, the games and chatter continuing like nothing ever even happened.

With an aggravated huff, he turns back to his own table and silently deals the deck to his slightly shaky players, ignoring their hesitant movements and fearful eyes on him. As long as they aren’t focused on you anymore, he doesn’t give a damn.

When the day finally ends, Dice makes a beeline towards his room, a bottle of wine and two glasses in hand. For once, he’s silent as he opens the door and steps inside, quietly stepping over to your curled up form on the bed.

A gentle hand rubs over your shoulder, making you flinch in surprise before you slowly relax into your husband’s touch, your eyes slipping shut as you do your best to collect yourself.

Dice notices you trying to calm down and shakes his head, setting the wine and glasses down on your nightstand and taking your hands.

“It’s alright to be angry and upset, sweetness. Don’t try and bottle it up for my sake. If you need to yell or cry, go ahead. I’ll spare your dignity.”

That’s all you need to hear. Dice silently nods along in understanding as you tear into the horrible day you had, letting you yell out your frustrations, his hand gently running along your inner thigh in an attempt to comfort you.

If you start to shed any tears in the middle of your rant, your lover offers you his handkerchief, continuing to listen to you as he pours you a glass of liquid happiness.

The rest of the night is filled with tears, alcohol, and eventual silence as you both finish off the bottle, settling down for bed. You’re more than eager to sleep off the struggles, in hopes that tomorrow will bring you fortune.

You both are there for each other when you need it, and that’s something you’ll always cherish about your husband. How someone as intimidating and evil as him could be so sweet and caring with you, you’ll never understand. But you are grateful for it.

Dice is just as grateful for you, for dealing with his messes. For putting up with his work life, for loyally waiting for him every night, no matter how late it gets. For looking past his ‘rough and tough’ persona, and learning to love his broken, messy interior.

Your love for each other is what gets you both through even the hardest of days.

That includes, when both of you aren’t exactly having the best time. It’s rare for you to have an off day at the same time, but in the unfortunate case that something like this happens, well… you lean on each other more than ever.

Both metaphorically and physically.

As usual, you return home first, making your way through the casino’s main floor and biting your lip to keep from shouting at the drunkards who bump into you, whoop and holler in your ear, or simply stare at you in disgusting infatuation.

Except this time, Dice is too distracted with his own hardships that he doesn’t even notice you come in. This time, it’s his eyes that fail to meet yours as you pass by, creating a slight twinge in your heartstrings.

It seems today is just shitty all around, you suppose.

Stopping by Dice’s office, you grab a couple books from one of his many bookshelves, and head back to your quarters. Maybe some light reading will help you get your mind out of reality for a while.

Dice’s escape from reality… isn’t quite as healthy.

With a cigar in his mouth and a glass of scotch in his hand, he finally makes his way to the room with heavy footsteps, just wanting to see you. To hold you. To lament to you.

He knows in his heart that all you want is the same. It’s what you both need right now. You just need to be near each other. To hold each other. To kiss each other. To forget the stress of the day, and just focus on what’s most important.

Your love for one another.

The quiet creak of the door opening followed by the light of the hall flooding the room catches your attention, your head lifting from your book and finally meeting Dice’s eye as he steps inside, taking a drink from his whiskey glass and setting it on his bedside table.

You’re up in a moment, the book forgotten about as you make your way over to him, helping him remove his jacket, carefully draping it over a hook and hanging it neatly. When Dice kicks off his shoes, you move them underneath his hanging tailcoat for him.

The only sounds in the room are the rustling of fabrics being taken off, the soft pads of footsteps trailing to the bathroom, the running water from the sink’s faucet, and the aching ringing in your ears.

Dice washes the makeup from his face and steps back into the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed with you, clad only in his boxers. His movements are tender and careful as he cups your face with his hands, his fingers slowly covering your ears, helping to finally rid you of the god-awful sounds plaguing your brain and causing a headache.

Your eyes flutter closed as you rest your pounding forehead against his bare chest, taking in that addicting scent of smoke and musk.

For the first time in a while, Dice chuckles slightly, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head. While you rest against him, he helps you rid yourself of your top and bottoms, leaving you in your undergarments. Shivering slightly, you shift closer to him for warmth, and Dice responds by pulling you into his lap all together.

He peppers you with all the kisses you’d ever need, holding your face in his hands as he makes his way over your cheeks, forehead, nose, and finally, your lips.

Oh, hell, his lips are magical. They’re so soft against your own, and the taste of alcohol and cigar smoke is always welcomed. It’s incredible. Your favorite way to take your whiskey, if you were honest with yourself.

Your arms find your way around his neck area, and his around your waist. Both of you are itching just to get a taste of each other, your tongues meeting and mingling with one another. You both are exhausted and frustrated with your lives, but it’s the kisses you share that make the day worth going through.

Dice scoots back into bed with you in his lap, laying down on his back, letting you sprawl on top of him. Skin against skin. Lips against lips. Hands interlocked. Neither of you want to be anywhere else.

After a while, you both are content with just relaxing in each other’s embrace, unwilling to move. You’re warm. Comfortable. Almost happy. Almost.

It’s not enough to completely fix the horribleness of your days, but it’s damn near close. It’s enough to convince you both that the hard days are worth it. It’s enough to bring small, peaceful smiles on your faces, providing comfort for each other when it’s so desperately needed.

“Darlin’?”

Your husband finally speaks, bringing you out of your thoughts. You turn your head to look up at him, your eyes locking in with his bright green ones.

“Are you alright?” He asks, hesitantly, already knowing the answer. You understand what he’s really asking– he wants to know if you’re willing to talk about it, or if you just need time in silence.

You sigh softly to yourself, contemplating your reply before you flash him a soft smile, gently rubbing your hand over his chest.

“I’m okay, my love. It was just a rough day today.”

Dice understands your reply and nods, pressing a loving kiss to your forehead as he shifts on his side, letting you shift with him so you both are in a spooning position, with your partner hugging you from behind.

“Alright.”

Silence falls over the both of you, and you are left with your thoughts, occasionally shifting closer together for comfort when you remind yourselves of what you’ve gone through that day. If Dice’s leg finds its way over yours, you don’t mind at all. If you let out the occasional sniffle as your emotions threaten to take over, Dice pretends he doesn’t hear.

If your shoulders begin to heave slightly as you silently cry to yourself, Dice’s soothing hand makes its way towards your back, rubbing reassuringly. If Dice squeezes you closer in an effort to quell his own shakiness, you rest your back against him, nestling your head under the bottom edge of his cubed head.

After a while, you turn around to face him, wanting to bury yourself into his arms. The smile that had temporarily graced your lips is gone, replaced with a dispirited frown.

Dice looks down at you in concern, gently caressing your cheek, his thumb wiping away the occasional tear that fell down your cheek.

“You’re not alright, are you, sugar?”

A shaky sigh leaves your lips as you shut your eyes, a couple extra tears lining your eyes making their way down your cheeks. Dice takes care of those as well, his fingers gently massaging your face in comfort.

“No, I’m not.”

Not that you needed to tell him that. He knows. He always knows. And he understands, you know that. Because he’s not alright, either. Neither of you are.

You’re both in pain. Exhausted. Frustrated. Angry. You aren’t even in the mood to be intimate tonight, neither of you have the energy.

Even so, you find yourself pressing closer against him, relishing in the feeling of your skin contacting his. Falling intoxicated to the addicting scent of smoke and citrus that at this point may be Dice’s natural musk.

Sometimes, just cuddling with each other without any clothes on is just what you need. It’s physical. Intimate enough. Comforting. Relaxing, even. It’s nice, when you want the blissful feeling that sex leaves you, but when neither of you have the strength to move.

The slow, slightly shaky rise and fall of Dice’s chest keeps you grounded in reality, and simultaneously, your erratic heartbeat fluttering against his own keeps your lover’s own emotions in check. It’s a silent reminder that you’re okay. You’re safe. You’re not going anywhere.

If there’s one thing that you both can count on, it’s that you’re secure. Dice would never let anything happen to you, and you would always be there to pick up the shards and piece his life back together.

You both lock eyes with each other, silently proclaiming your love for one another, and kiss once more. Your breathing slows as you relax once more, just focusing on the comforting tastes, scents, and soft groans coming from the King.

Dice pulls you closer to him, holding you tightly as he runs a gentle hand through your hair. The feeling is soothing to him; your hair is so soft. He doesn’t want to be anywhere else. Luckily for him, neither do you.

Eventually, you both slip off to sleep, finding contentment from being wrapped in each other’s arms, exchanging gentle snores with one another as you finally get some rest.

At 6:00 am sharp, Dice’s alarm goes off, the man groaning in irritation as his hand lazily swats at the damned thing before yanking out the plug. With a yawn, you sit up and stretch, sighing to yourself as you mentally prepare yourself for what you hope to be a better day at work.

Before you can get far, however, Dice’s hand grabs your wrist, pulling you back into his warm, relaxing embrace.

“Dice, we need to-”

“Five more minutes, doll. Please.”

You sigh, shaking your head as you squirm slightly, not wanting to be late for your job.

“Dice, I can’t. We can’t. Your boss would use your head as game dice for the craps table if he knew you had–”

“To hell with the boss.” Dice grumbles crankily, insistently pulling you closer. “My boss, and your own, can wait five minutes.”

Well, you suppose he does have a point. Besides, he’s so comfortable, it’d be a waste to get up now, when you both still have a little time. So, you reluctantly give in, settling back down and shutting your eyes again. Surely, the day can wait a little longer.

And when you both wake up a half hour later, scrambling to get up and make yourselves presentable, as much as you want to say otherwise you can’t help but think to yourself…

It’s worth it.

King Dice x Reader “Bad Day” Headcanons (SHOW)

Many believe that becoming a beloved star in showbiz has to be a dream come true.

Let’s face it, the showmen get everything they could ever ask for. Doting fans who would bend over backwards just for a damn signature, the ability to pick up anyone they want for a partner, all the money in the world, and an influencing presence on some of the highest officials in town.

Being a star should be the best thing that could ever happen to a man. And if you were to ask King Dice how he views his job, he’d certainly tell you how splendid he has it.

After all, running a game show where he can sing, dance, and talk all he wants, with an enormous crowd screaming his name before he even enters the stage? Why, it’s magical.

The King loves his job, dearly. He doesn’t see himself doing anything else. He’s even found himself enjoying the thought of what happens to the foolish fellows who stumble upon his spotlight, happily playing his game, and falsely believing they’ve won. Sure, they may have won on paper, but here's the catch: King Dice never loses.

There’s something so satisfying about the idea of those pests who are so desperate to touch him getting what’s coming to them. It’s a nice little bonus to the job, knowing that those he severely disliked would be taken care of.

However… sometimes, King Dice gets the occasional contestant who isn’t so horrible. A contestant who’s surprisingly respectful of his boundaries, plays the game perfectly, and doesn’t give him any trouble whatsoever.

Dice would be lying if he didn’t feel a little twinge of guilt as he watches the poor thing happily wave to the crowd before waltzing into the Mystery Prize Room, expecting a wonderful bout of riches and earthly pleasure. The showman closes the door quickly, signing off before leaving the stage in a slight rush, not wanting to think of it any longer.

King Dice is selfish. Egotistical. Arrogant. Self-absorbed. The perfect fit for the Devil’s ‘Number One.’ He couldn’t care less about what happens to others; it’s none of his concern.

But yet… that unfamiliar sting of regret still finds its way to Dice’s cold, dead heart.

It’s uncomfortable. Awkward. Foreign. It shouldn’t be there.

It sours his mood. He curses that contestant for being so unlucky. He curses his boss for putting him in this position, knowing fully well that for the sake of his job, he’s lost the trust of one of the good ones. But most of all, he curses himself, for not giving enough warning.

Being a splendid actor, Dice is able to finish the rest of the night without a hitch, but there are other things on his mind. His head is no longer in the game.

And the occasional guilty night is only one hardship Dice puts up with as a star working for the Devil. The list could go on for miles.

Unpleasant conversations with his boss when one of his contestants came close to losing. The headaches from the constant flashing cameras fighting each other for a good angle of him. The carpal tunnel from signing every damn scrap of paper his fans shove in his face. The numbness in his cheeks from smiling all day long.

That’s not even half of it.

The truth is, being a star isn’t all it's cracked up to be. It’s hard work. Exhausting rehearsals. Pounds of makeup. Putting up a charismatic persona under layers of clothing, under hot lights. For hours. A lot of sacrifice is put into making sure everything is perfect, and some days, Dice wonders whether or not it’s worth it.

You’ve spent many nights as Dice’s support system, guiding him out of his dressing room and into the waiting limo from the back way, to avoid the crowds. Letting him rest his legs in your lap as the limo takes you home, and massaging his aching feet as he sips tiredly at his champagne. Helping him up to your chambers, removing his jacket for him and hanging it up neatly by the door to be used for the next day.

Unbuttoning his vest and undershirt, tossing the clothes into the hamper for his cards to wash, and gently massaging his bare chest. Allowing him to melt into your touch with a gentle moan as you slip his slacks off for him, setting them off to the side as you coax your lover to lay down.

Wiping off his makeup for him as he complains to you about the exhaustion he feels, and the mess he had to deal with that day. Letting him rant out his frustrations at how disgusting his fans can be, and how he sometimes wishes he hired a few bodyguards to keep the pests away. Consoling him with a soft, soothing voice, validating his struggles and perhaps even appealing to his ego, letting him know just how patient and strong he is for dealing with such nastiness all day.

Dice is grateful for your help, every time. And he’s sure to let you know that as you work your magic.

“You’re the only one who could ever bring me true joy, doll. I adore you.”

You smile and shake your head, kissing his cheek as you peel off your own clothes, tossing them off to the side and laying down with him, allowing him to rest his pounding head over your chest and relishing in the contact.

“And I you, my King. Please, get some sleep. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.”

He obeys, but only after you start humming to him. Your voice puts him right out, and he finally finds the relaxation he’s been looking for.

Your job complete, you allow yourself to snuggle close with him, watching over him and making sure he’s safe and secure. Eventually, your eyes slip shut, and you both rest together, allowing the past to wither away in preparation for the next day.

You understand where your husband is coming from, sometimes. Every job has its faults and struggles, including the job of singing and putting on a show for others’ enjoyment. Including your own job, which leaves you with many, many days where you wonder if it’s even worth the effort.

After all, Dice makes more than enough money to keep you both well off for the rest of your lives. You don’t necessarily need to keep your job, but it’s something to do during the day while your lover is at the studio. Something to keep you busy. Something you’ve earned for yourself. An accomplishment. It’s hard to give up.

Even though sometimes, you heavily consider quitting in favor of keeping your husband company. It’d be nice to let go of all the hardships of your job for good, and bask in Dice’s presence all day instead.

The worst of it all is when you work overtime, and you miss Dice’s show entirely. You sometimes get so occupied you can’t even tune in on the radio. It makes you unbelievably aggravated. Not only that, but you can’t even make it to go home with him at times, having to catch a cab back to your quarters.

Even so, Dice waits for you. Greets you as soon as you trudge through the door, taking care of your bags, your coat, and your shoes. Drawing a bath for you, and helping you undress. Undressing himself, and joining you in the tub. He washes the grime off of your body for you, singing a soft, comforting melody as you rest your head on his chest, your sore voice trying to match his rhythm.

Soon enough, you both are softly singing together in harmony as Dice massages the tension out of your shoulders and back, effectively distracting you from your heavy responsibilities.

Once you’re clean and Dice is satisfied with his work, he pulls up the plug and drains the tub, carrying you out and drying you off. He secures his fluffiest robe around you, tying the knot with a pretty little bow before drying himself, shucking on another robe for himself, and guiding you out into the bedroom.

A slow jazzy song is chosen from his record books, and the gramophone plays the tune gently, prompting a slow dance between you and your husband. His hands guide you into the proper positions, and soon he’s swaying along to the song with you, singing to you and sneaking in a few kisses until a smile finally graces your lips.

You admire his ability to bring you joy, even when you don’t feel like smiling at all. It’s so unbelievably sweet of him to treat you so kindly, especially when his job is just as difficult.

Once you’re worn out and you’ve forgotten all about the struggles you faced in the day, Dice will remove your robe and his own, carrying you off to bed to turn in for the night.

He holds you. Tightly. His lips grace your face and neck, planting several kisses over your skin along with the occasional love bite. He understands you may be too tired to be intimate, but he figures he can at least make a mark or two to let others know you’re taken.

His teeth and mouth feel exquisite against you, and the gentle nipping and biting make you chuckle occasionally. He tickles, especially when his mustache grazes over your skin just slightly.

Dice longs for your laughter. It’s all he ever wants to hear from you. He hates seeing you upset, and if he can help it, he’ll chase all of the horrible feelings away, leaving you a relaxed, giggling mess in his arms.

“Dice…” You manage to mutter between your laughter.

“What is it, angel-eyes?”

“Thank you for this. I appreciate it. You never fail to take the pain away when I need you the most. I love you, so so much.”

Dice simply smiles at your words, bringing the duvet over you and covering you up so only your head is sticking out. With a kiss to your lips and a caress of your cheek, he murmurs into your mouth some of the sweetest things you’ve ever heard him say.

“Anything to see your smile again, my dear. It breaks my heart to see you so upset. Please, lean on me when you feel like you’ve lost your smile. I’ll always be willing to help you find it.”

He seals the promise with another sensual kiss to your lips, bringing you into his chest as your tongues explore each other’s mouths. You’ll never understand how he sweeps you off your feet with something as simple as a kiss, but you won’t complain. You love it.

He’s yours. And you’re his. No one else will ever have the privilege of his gentleness, or your loyalty. No one else deserves those privileges. They can rot in hell, for all you care.

You eventually find yourself nodding off in his arms. With a fond chuckle, Dice pulls his mouth away from you and lets your head drop onto his shoulder. Your ear is filled with your husband’s sensual whispers of praise, successfully lulling you to sleep.

Wanting to keep you relaxed even in the early morning hours, Dice wakes up before his alarm and shuts it off before it even has the chance to ring. Figuring he’s allowed to be a little late just this once, he decides to stay with you an extra hour, humming quietly in your ear and massaging your shoulders.

When you finally wake to get ready for work, you find a small box of chocolates and a cup of your favorite morning drink along with a single purple rose resting on your nightstand.

That cheesy bastard, you love him to pieces.

Taking a sip of your drink and indulging yourself in a few of the chocolates, you decide that you can finally move forward, and strive to have a better day. With Dice’s sweet gesture, you’re already off to a pretty good start.

Through your hard days and his own, you and Dice are always there to pick each other back up when you need it. You’re each other’s rocks. Best friends. Spouses. You wouldn’t want to share this type of bond with anyone else. When one of you is down and broken, the other will always be there to pick up the pieces.

However, there is the rare occasion when both of you are down. When both of you are tired, struggling, and ready to quit. Those days hit especially hard.

You can already tell it’s one of those days when you trudge home late after work, and find that Dice isn’t even home. He must’ve gotten caught with the crowd, or was dragged off to some damn party that he really didn’t want to go to. Dice hated any parties that involved other celebrities. Hoity-toity bastards. They make him sick to his stomach.

Even though a huge part of you wants nothing more than to curl up and sleep, you know that you won’t be successful until your husband comes home. You can’t sleep as well when you’re alone, especially when you’re emotionally struggling. You need him.

And when Dice finally steps into your quarters, barely able to stand on his own as he lets his tailcoat fall to the ground, you can tell that he needs you just as much.

Exhausted, you make your way over to him and just wrap your arms around him, burying your face into his chest. After a few moments of processing, you feel Dice’s arms tightly wrap around you as well, pulling you against him as his shoulders sag slightly. Jeez, he’s so weak and tired, it makes your heart break for him.

“Shitty day?” You ask, your voice muffled from your face being snugly buried into his chest.

You hear a dejected sigh from above you as Dice rests his head on top of yours, nodding slowly.

“Shitty day. You?”

“Mhm.” You mutter back, hugging yourself closer to him for safety and relief.

Dice coos sadly in response, kicking off his shoes and sliding them in a heap by the door. You yelp a little in surprise as he lifts you up, carrying you over to bed and sitting down on the edge with you.

You watch as he runs a defeated hand over his face, shaking his head in resignation. He looks worn and ragged, like he had been run through a road roller. Dice certainly feels that way, at least.

He looks down at you with an unreadable expression, cupping your face and examining your eyes. Your beautiful, glossy eyes that are incredibly easy to get lost in. They’re truly a wonder, in Dice’s head. You yourself, are a wonder. A joy. A prize.

He wishes you didn’t feel so low today.

“I’m so sorry, my sweet. But I don’t believe I have the energy to help you find your smile tonight.”

That sentence is enough to shatter your heart, but not in the way you’d think. You’re not upset that he can’t provide the comfort he thinks you need. You’re not upset that he can’t make love to you, or run you a bath, or dance with you until your feet hurt.

You’re upset that he’s been run down to his last thread tonight. You’re upset that he feels guilty for being unable to help you in the way he would like. You’re upset that he’s had such a horrible day, when he should’ve been enjoying himself.

In response to his apology, you lean forward and press your lips to his, gently nipping at his bottom lip and coaxing a small groan from his throat.

Helping him undress completely, you mumble in his mouth in a voice that’s barely audible:

“Dice, don’t think that you need to pamper me to help me relax. Don’t think that you need to sweep me off my feet and carry me everywhere to make you happy. Don’t think that you need to do all of these sweet little gestures to bring me comfort.”

You run your hands up and down his sides, memorizing the way his smooth ivory skin feels against your fingers.

“All I need tonight is you. And you’re here now. That’s all I could ever want. I just want you.”

Dice is at a loss for words, opening his mouth to say something, but nothing coming out. After a minute, he sighs hopelessly, shaking his head and just holding you in his arms, searching for solace in your loving warmth.

You both sit together, naked and weary, just embracing each other. Loving each other. Not daring to move, in fear of stumbling or breaking the quiet atmosphere. It’s… surprisingly wholesome.

Who knew that all you both would ever need when you’re down is a hug? That was all it took to make you at least a little content with where your life is? You suppose you shouldn’t be surprised, after all any type of contact with Dice is enough to bring you peace.

You contemplate in his arms for a moment, remembering that new blues song that was playing on the radio over your workplace a few days ago. How did it go again?

Oh, yes. You remember.

“I’ll never smile again…” you start, your voice hesitant, wondering if you had heard the lyrics right. “Until I…”

Recognizing what you were trying to sing, Dice finds the corners of his lips turning up in a soft smile. He kisses your forehead, hugging you close and slowly swaying back and forth with you from where you were both seated on the bed.

“Until I smile at you…” he finishes your open sentence, gently rubbing your back as his mind recalls the melody himself.

“I’ll never laugh again… what good would it do?”

You close your eyes, peacefully swaying along with him as you both slowly make your way through the song, taking in the quiet, soothing notes of the melody.

“I’ll never love again, I’m so in love with you…”

As you harmonize with your husband, you eventually feel a small, blissful smile finally reach your face. You both gaze into each other’s eyes, smiling tiredly with one another as you finally conclude with the last line of that song you both had just gotten familiar with.

“Until I smile at you.”

Silence greets your ears once again, but this time, there’s a feeling of satisfaction in the air, rather than misery. And what’s even better is, you both are smiling with one another.

You chuckle quietly, your hand tracing up and down Dice’s bicep as you gently kiss and bite at his collar bone.

“You know, you had apologized earlier for not having any energy to help me find my smile. But I don’t think you realize that all I need to smile again is you, Dice.”

Dice stares down at you in slight awe, slowly processing your words and taking them to heart. You feel yourself get slightly squeezed against him as he lets out a quiet, teary chuckle that brings out a couple tears of your own that you didn’t realize you were holding back.

“I… I guess I never thought of that, babydoll.”

He wipes away your tears as he blinks back his own, lowering his head down and pressing tiny kisses to the top of your head, little bursts of love and warmth exploding from your chest.

You ache for him. He puts so much unnecessary pressure on himself, sometimes it’s hard to watch. You wish he’d give himself a break. He deserves one more than ever.

“Tomorrow’s your day off, right? It’s Saturday, so I have off as well. Maybe we could dedicate it as a recovery day.” You offer quietly, rubbing in between his shoulder blades to help him calm himself.

With a gentle sniffle and a moment of thought, Dice smiles sadly once again, nodding thoughtfully and taking your hand.

“I’d love that more than anything, sweet one. We’ll spend the whole day together, just the two of us.”

Just the two of you. No one else. Not a single coworker to deal with, or a boss screaming in your ear. Not one nasty admirer clinging to Dice’s leg, begging for one picture. Just you, Dice, and the peaceful quiet that home brings the both of you. Yes… that does sound perfect.

“It’s a date then.”

Content with your plans of a better tomorrow, Dice crawls back into bed and lays down with you, curling up under the covers with you snuggled perfectly in his arms. Once you both settle down, you sigh quietly together, your heads slowly resting against each other.

Your hands connect with each other, the soft metal of your wedding rings clinking together as your fingers interlock. The clear diamonds sparkle and glisten as the pale moonlight peaks in from the window, hitting the stones at just the right angle.

Dice grins warmly in amusement, his thumb rubbing over the rings in curiosity before he squeezes your hand reassuringly, bringing you closer.

“Now that I think about it… I wouldn’t have my life any other way. I think I’ve done well for myself.”

You laugh softly, your nose gently brushing against the pip on his face as you nod in response, agreeing with his statement.

“I wouldn’t either, sweetheart. You’re worth all the bad days in the world.”

You relax in each other’s arms, peacefully satisfied with where you both are at. As you start to nod off, you hear Dice begin to quietly hum the tune you were both singing together earlier in an attempt to lull you off to sleep. It works, rather quickly. You’re passed out by the time he reaches the fifth or sixth line.

For a moment, Dice watches you resting against him, enjoying the feeling of your chest slowly rising and falling against his own, your heart beats slowly coming together and finding a steady rhythm.

He’s right; he wouldn’t have it any other way. This is perfect. All he needs.

You’re all I need, the showman thinks to himself as his heavy eyelids finally close, and within mere seconds, he’s fast asleep, holding you securely in his embrace.

You both sleep well into the next day, taking the time to recuperate and take care of the exhaustion you were dealing with. By the time you finally rise, you keep the promise you had made to each other, spending the day making each other laugh, sing, and dance together.

Your love for each other really is worth all the bad days in the world.

#cuphead #cuphead dont deal with the devil #the cuphead show #king dice #king dice cuphead #king dice fanfic #king dice x reader #suggestive

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