#Empire clock company

[itsrockinronnie]

Clocks at our summer retreat

At our seasonal cottage located in central Canada, we enjoy displaying a small selection of clocks, during the summer months. The first clock, displayed for a number of years, was a Danial Dakota time and strike clock, which we had converted to a quartz movement. This clock, originating from the 1960s, incorporated Chinese design elements that were inspired by American clocks of that era. It…

[cloudystevie]

pavlov's dog

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pairing || mob boss!bucky barnes x f!reader

word count || 1812

summary || he kept you waiting and it's his honour to make it up to you.

warnings || smut! loosely depicted mafia business, daddy kink, oral fem receiving, pet names, begging, mild degradation, dacryphilia, pussy slaps, cmnf, subspace, dom!bucky

author's note || 18+ ONLY. hi. i haven't written for more than a year and a half. ive been feeling some type of way about bucky and maybe getting back to writing mindless porn is what i needed to get my creative fulfillment ive been severely lacking. please don't mind the potentially choppy smut as i haven't written in a long while. feel free to reblog and leave comments!!

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8:53.

8:53 PM, and you were still waiting for Bucky to finish his meeting. A recent competitor was threatening Bucky’s monopoly in New York, apparently, something to do with some guy who owned a publishing company inherited by his grandpa, who was looking to buy one Bucky already owned.

Whatever. You weren’t really listening when Bucky was talking about it over the phone because you were too busy keeping his cock warm.

You watch the digital clock flash another minute, and finally, your phone dings with an activity notification at the front door. Before you can try to be chill about it, you all but run to the door to greet your man, practically jumping on the balls of your feet with excitement. The door swings open, and you barely glimpse Bucky's tired and frustrated expression before it morphs into a sweet smile reserved for you, making his eyes crinkle at the corners and shine. 

Running into his arms, you koala hug him as you nuzzle your nose into his neck. He expertly toes his shoes off while showering you with the same attention. “Were you waiting by the door for me the whole time, baby?” He asks with a smile.

Nodding your head yes and widening your eyes while twisting your lips into a pout, you decide to play the sweet, patient girlfriend who Bucky knows you really aren’t. “You kept me waiting for 4 whole hours, Jamie, 4 hours. I stood right by this door and didn’t take a single break until you came home.” 

A hearty laugh escapes his lips at that, and you can feel the tension from his shoulders leaving as you gently rub them while still managing to cling onto him as he maneuvers you two to your bedroom. Unfortunately, both of you are well aware that patience is a virtue that you very simply do not possess.

“My poor, incredibly patient and honest baby. How rude of me to keep you waiting like this, huh?” He keeps his voice low, both in pitch and volume. It sends a tangible shiver down your spine as he sets you down on the bed. You bite your bottom lip, subconsciously spreading your legs, unable to hide your reactions from him.

Bucky loves how responsive you are to him.

“So mean to me daddy.” You whisper, “need you to make it up to me.”

Bucky licks his lips and clenches his jaw because fuck he needed this, especially after being stuck at his office for nearly 4 extra hours while you were at home looking like this. So sweet and soft and submissive for him; all he needed was someone to control because his empire in New York was being tried.

But Bucky had it under control. He always did. This wasn’t the first time he had to deal with a newcomer who decided to get a little ballsy and try and take over some of his territory.

He always did fuck you more aggressively when work had more hiccups than usual.

“Yeah, honey baby? How do you want Daddy to make it up to you? Use your words.” Bucky’s tone kept dropping, getting deeper and deeper with each delicious word he spoke to your somehow already foggy brain.

Even while he was giving you some control, he managed to maintain dominance over you, and that just flared the heat pulsing between your thighs.

“Need you, daddy, want your mouth.” You whisper, heat spreading your cheeks as you voice what you want, but a surge of pride goes through Bucky. At the beginning of the relationship, you had really struggled with voicing what you wanted, whether it was something like telling him you didn’t feel like getting dolled up to eat at a luxury French restaurant and wanted some burgers instead or how you struggled to say to him you wanted him to take his shoes and coat off before he came inside your apartment and sat on your couch. He dealt with people who feared him every day, people who never corrected him or crossed him. It was made abundantly clear you are not one of those people; you need to tell him what to do and how to do it, and he will. Bucky would bring the moon and the stars to you if the thought ever crossed your mind.

Dropping to his knees will have to do for now, he thinks.

His large palms spread your thighs as your pliant body falls back, but you prop yourself up on your elbows to watch the show. Bucky smiles at you with hunger in his eyes as he licks his lips once again while gingerly sliding your pajama shorts down your legs. You inhale sharply as the cool air from the open balcony doors hits your core. Bucky can’t help the rumble emerging from his chest as takes in your already wet pussy, bringing his thumb up to flick your swollen clit and messily run the tip of his finger around your pussy.  “You were waiting for me without any panties on? You’re that fucking desperate for me, sweetheart? Ready to bend over for me as soon as I walk through the door?”

You whimper at his fingers and throw your head back, nodding it desperately fast. 

“Aww, don’t go quiet on me now,” Bucky teases, “you were being such a good girl telling me what you want. Don’t stop now, angel baby.”

You whine high in your throat as you tug on his hand that is still purposefully brushing over your clit, “Please, Daddy, just- just-” 

Before you can finish your plea, Bucky licks up your slit, expertly swirling his tongue around your clit as your thighs jolt around his head, and a surprised mewl leaves your lips. “Oh god, Daddy, need more, please more,” your hands reach out to grab onto whatever you can, one hand gripping Bucky’s hair, making him hiss and buck his own hips against his tight slacks while the other latches onto the silk bedsheets.

“Greedy girl,” Bucky hums against your pussy, but to your delight, he indulges you, slipping a thick finger into your pulsing hole. Still, before you have time to react to that, he’s wrapping his lips around your swollen clit for the first time tonight and sucks on it. Making your back arch up and your legs quake as you try to simultaneously push yourself away from him but pull him closer. A near-pornographic moan leaves your swollen lips as your chest heaves. You cry out his title as he slides another long finger inside you, hollowing his cheeks as he sucks on your poor little clit and soothes it with kitten licks every few seconds.

“Oh Daddy, you’re gonna- fuck, you’re gonna make me cum please, Daddy, please can I cum!” You babble, drool seeping from your lips as Bucky always manages to reduce you to a mindless, pathetic mess. It had never been easy for you to stop or slow down your orgasm, as Bucky always tended to barrel it out of you. Although you had noticed that the high that spread through your body when he permitted it was much more euphoric than the orgasms that slipped out of you.

Maybe it was something akin to Pavlov’s dog effect. Conditioning.

Bucky was aware of this fact as well. He knew your body, your mind, better than you did. 

A satisfied smirk works itself onto his lips, and he grumbles something against your sensitive cunt, enjoying the way you struggled to keep your body at bay. “I dunno, my stupid little baby, dunno if you’re desperate enough yet.” Bucky’s words vibrate against you and propel you towards your high even quicker. Your whines get more high-pitched and breathy as you struggle against your boyfriend’s relentless tongue. “I am Daddy, I am desperate. Always am for you, please, Daddy, make me cum.” You whine a bit petulantly as your orgasm is right there. But he’s dangling it above your head and forcing you to obey him. So, you try the guilt-tripping route.

Tears well in your eyes, and your lip quivers, “Please, Daddy, don’t you wanna make me cum? Don’t you wanna take care of me? Make me cum all over your tongue and make a mess? Please, Daddy, need you so bad!” You cry, tears slipping down your face, and Bucky grunts, closing his eyes as he tries not to cum in his pants at the sound of your breathy pitch and the sight of tears slipping down your face.

He pulls back and curves three fingers toward your special spot, and takes his other hand to slap at your swollen clit in quick succession, making you squeal. Arousal paints your thighs as he quickly switches back to overstimulate your poor button by sucking on it so hard that your orgasm squirts onto his bearded face, making him groan in appreciation as he mumbles something like: “That’s it, there’s my good girl making a fucking mess like Daddy taught you.” But you are too out of your mind to really process his words as you struggle to breathe down from your high, tears slipping down your face as you bask in the overwhelming feelings of such an intense orgasm. 

Bucky kisses up your thighs and stomach, easing his fingers out and tongue away slowly so you don’t go from overstimulated to zero all at once. He cups your face in his hands and kisses your cheeks as he shushes you, bringing you down from your high with soft words and coos that appeal to your clouded brain. You cup his much larger hands in yours, pouting your lips up for a kiss, and he chuckles before placing a soft kiss against your swollen lips. He can taste the salt from your tears, and it sends even more blood rushing straight to his dick as he ruts his hips against yours, making you pull your lips apart on a mewl. 

“Daddy, will you fuck me now?” You ask with a certain lilt to your voice. Bucky scoffs before pressing his lips to yours and rumbling against your lips, “You’re an insatiable little whore you know that?” 

Manhandling you to the top of the bed, he throws you against the pillows as unbuttons his slacks and pulls his hard cock out, pre-cum oozing from the swollen red tip as he looks like he could destroy you. “I’m your little whore daddy.” You tease, spreading your shaky legs apart, and he licks his lips.

—--------

Bucky worked from home the next morning. Needing the extra time to make up for the late nights and the particularly strenuous activities that led into the early morning hours. 

As you sat on his lap, peacefully dozing in and out of sleep, he knew he had made the right choice that morning.

[dreamcatchers-husband]

A Business Proposal

Male Reader X Fromis_9 Nakyung

Length: 12.6k+ Words

Tags: Angry sex. Teasing. Creampie

A/n- So the winner of the poll was was post it now. So here you go. Been a while since a new fic but this is in honor of my two years of writing smut on tumblr. Hope you enjoy.

Business proposals. It probably isn't a lie when you say they probably happen every day. Sometimes they can be rather fair for both sides but in your case, you couldn’t be more annoyed. 

“What do you mean I have to marry her? And in a month and a half also?”

Your parents rolled their eyes as they then placed a contract in front of you. 

“Look. Their company has always been a great partner of ours and this could help elevate both of us to the top. This union will combine both our profits and make our wealth reach new heights. The day you marry her, you will officially become the chairman of C Industries. If you don’t marry her then we will look for another board member to take the place. Please don’t make us do that.” 

Your mother and father were hard workers. It took them 27 years but they managed to develop a company that was second to none. Now what was this company focused on? Honestly? Everything. C industries were just a jack of all trades. Tech development, construction of apartments, agriculture. Those were just a few things. It always amazed you how they managed to build their empire and you knew it was yours eventually until now. 

You were destroyed hearing those words. Years of hard work would be ruined over one decision your parents made without warning.

“Shit. Are you going to make me do this?” 

“Yes, Yejun. Now it’s it a yes or a no?” 

Sadly there was only one answer. 

5 frantic weeks went by as both companies got together and worked out the merger. Most of your days went by with you attending meetings from 7 in the morning until 8 at night. You met with lawyers from both sides as well as your parents and future in-laws but one certain lady was always missing. 

Despite this marriage being forced on you. You were going to be a good husband and love and support your wife. So of course you were wondering about her after all this time. Currently, your meeting was ending with the Lee’s so you knew it would be the best time to ask. 

“Excuse me, Mr. Lee. If I may ask, where has Nagyung been this entire time? Me and her will be running this company together yet she hasn’t even shown up for a single meeting.”

“Ah. She has been very busy deciding things for your wedding with the planner. We haven’t seen much of her either. We just get updates over some phone calls. You must be excited to meet your future wife. Why don’t you go give her a visit? She has her place in the city and I’m sure it would give the Two of you some time to connect. I will send you the address as well as the passcodes to enter.” 

“Are you sure it’s ok for me to enter?” 

“Of course, Yejun. You will be married in a few weeks. If she gives you any problems just tell us.” 

“Very well Mr Lee. I will head over tonight when I get a chance.”

“Very well. I wish you a good night and hope to see you soon again.” 

With a handshake, everyone in the room parted their own ways. Your parents didn’t even stay as they gave you a wave goodbye. Looking to the right, your eyes looked up at the clock and saw that it was 5 pm. Today was one of the lucky days you all ended it early. With the idea of visiting Nagyung fresh in your mind, you quickly gathered your things and went towards the elevator. 

After a few seconds, the familiar ring echoed out in the hallway. The doors to the machine opened and you entered. The ride down to the garage took a bit as you were on the 45th floor. After about a minute and thirty seconds, the same ding came back and doors opened. 

Respect is what could be felt in the air. As people passed you, they all took the time to stop and give you a bow. Of course, they would show that kind of respect to the future CEO. Despite that, you felt a bit weird and appreciated when they treated you like anyone else. You never wanted the money or power to get to your head. You hope it never does. 

As you finally arrived at the black vehicle, your hands brought out the key fob and unlocked the car. The little chirp from your Toyota brought a smile to your face. You had just bought it a few days ago and loved having a state-of-the-art car for the first time in your life. Once in the driver seat, your foot stepped on the break and you pressed the start button. As the car roared to life, you waited a few seconds until the display screen in the middle of the console was active. Once up, you could see there was a Message from Mr.Lee. In the text was the address so you just clicked on it and your car put it in the GPS. With the instructions not playing in the speakers, you put the car in drive and took off. 

A few minutes passed as you drove away from the company building. Taking a glance at the time, you saw it was 5 pm and a typical dinner time. With the GPS saying you were 5 minutes away, you began to glance around and look for some food. With your eyes scanning all the buildings, they eventually saw a large neon sign that caught your attention. 

Seeing an open spot near the store, you turned your wheel and parked right in front of the building. Turning the engine off, you quickly jumped out and walked to the front door of the restaurant. The name “Very Very Good Chicken” certainly caught your attention. 

As you pulled the glass door open, the strong fragrance of chicken hit your nose. By just a few smells you got, it was going to be good. Going up to the counter, a young man could be seen just standing behind the counter. His attention was facing down, so you could tell he was just on his phone. 

As you finally reached the register, it took the young. Man, a minute to notice you were there. The sudden jolt from the man scared you since you scared him. Both of you began to laugh at this and calmed down after a few seconds. 

“Sorry. Welcome to Very Very Good Chicken. What can I get for you?”

“Hi. Could I get half and half of the Ganjang and Yangnyeom flavors?” 

“Of course. So half and half of the Ganjang and Yangnyeom flavors. Would you like any drinks to take with you as well or just the chicken?” 

“Hmmm. How about a bottle of draft beer?” 

“A bottle of draft beer. So in total, it’s the chicken and the beer. Your total will be 35,000 Won. How would you like to pay?” 

Handing over your card the young man quickly swiped it and then handed it back. 

“Please give us like 15 minutes to get that ready for you sir. Thank you for buying with us.” 

Nodding towards him, your legs brought you over to an empty seat and you waited for the food. The 15 minutes went by in a flash as you saw the young man walking over with the bags of food. Standing up, your right hand extended and you took hold of the plastic. 

“Thank you for buying. Hope to see you again!”

“Thank you!”

Walking out of the building, you immediately arrived at your vehicle and placed the food on the passenger seat. Getting back in the car, you took a look over your left and pulled out of the spot. Your GPS continued to direct you toward the large apartment building. After the Five-minute drive, you pulled into a large parking lot that was across the building. Your Toyota certainly stuck out from the various nice-looking cars that were stationed there. 

Despite that, you parked your car in the first spot you could find. With the engine turned off, your hand took hold of the plastic bag and hopped out of the vehicle. Your footsteps brought you to the front door where a doorman was ready to let you in. Thanking the man, you made your way inside the building and took a look around. The giant glass chandelier in the center of the lobby certainly brought all eyes to it. 

Moving past it, you eventually made it toward some elevators in the backside of the lobby. Pressing the circular button, your leg began to bounce as you waited for the elevator. A few more seconds passed until a ding echoed out in the lobby. With the door in front of you opening, you quickly hopped on the elevator and pressed the button to the 22nd floor. With the doors closing, all you could do was wait until you were on the correct floor.

A little jingle played in the metal cage as you stood there with the food. Honestly, you weren’t quite sure how to say Hi to Nagyung. Well hi was the least of your concerns. What would you talk about with your fiancé?

Your time to brainstorm ran out as the same Sound as before hit your ears. With the doors opening to your desired floor, you began to walk off the elevator and take a look around. On both sides, apartments lined down the hallways. In front of you was a sign. In the black font, you saw that on the right-hand side were all apartments from 2210- 2220. On the left-hand side were apartments 2200-2209. With a glance at your mobile device, you took a glance at the text and saw that Nagyung lived in apartment 2220.

As you moved down the right-hand side, your eyes scanned all of the apartment buildings until you reached the end of the hallway. With the number in front of you, your right hand went up and formed into a fist. Hesitation is what you felt until a sudden boost of confidence brought you to knock on her door. 

Silence was all that could be Heard. A few seconds passed as you were getting ready to knock again. Before your right hand could hit the door, the sound of the lock being undone began to come from the door. As the white door pulled back, your eyes were met with a strange man who happened to be shirtless. 

“Fucking finally. Forty-five minutes for damn fried rice.”

You didn’t even have time to react as the bag of food was snatched from your hand. A wad of cash was then thrown at your face as the man slammed the door. Were you at the wrong Apartment? Taking your phone back out, you decided to send a message to Mr. Lee. Your message only repeated the address back to the man. It didn’t even take ten seconds for the name to respond saying it was correct. 

Now you were beyond confused. Who the hell was that man? Bringing your ear to the door, muffled sounds passed through but you could hear laughter coming from a couple of people. It could be seen as rude but now you needed to know what was going on. With the keypad on the left side of the door, your fingers put in the code that was given to you. 

12418 imputed. You then pushed the door and were met with a house hallway. Stepping in, you gently closed the door behind you and lurked forward. A couple of nice-looking jackets were on the right-hand side. On the left side was a small wooden table with some car keys. The Bentley logo was very easy to see from the back of the key fob. Obviously, she had a very nice car. As you finally arrived at the end of the hallway, your eardrums picked up about three different voices who were joking around. 

“What the fuck? This is chicken, not fried rice. I’m gonna yell at this place!” 

Walking out of the hallway, you were met with The three individuals who happened to all be undressed. Nakyung as well as the man from the door yelled but you also noticed another young woman who just ran to cover her exposed body. 

“YEJUN! WHAT THE FUCK?”

“Your parents said I could come and visit you. They gave me the code to your door.”

“Wait. You know this creep? Isn’t he the delivery boy?”

“Are you really that stupid Sangjun? That’s Choi Yejun. The future CEO of the company once the merger happens.”

“That doesn’t explain why he’s here?” 

“Well, I came to visit my Fiancé. I didn’t expect to find her naked with another man and woman.”

The man’s expression changed from anger to shock when he heard those words. 

“FIANCÉ? YOU TOLD ME THE MERGER WAS JUST THE MERGING OF THE COMPANIES! YOU ARE MARRYING THE NEW CEO?”

The young man quickly threw on his pants and then bowed before you. 

“Sir I am so sorry. She never told me she was going to be married. I can’t lose this job!”

“Leave, and never disrespect a delivery driver like that again.” 

“Thank you, sir!”

As he ran away, you took a glance at Nagyung and the other woman who were now clothed. 

“Saerom unnie. Can you please give me and Yejun some privacy?”

The young woman gave your fiancé a nod and then walked deeper into the apartment. 

As your eyes met with Nagyung’s, you could tell she was beyond annoyed.

“My parents really gave you the code to enter my home?”

“Your father said it was ok since we are going to get married soon. I’m sorry I’m still just confused. Who were those two?”

“I don’t think you deserve to know that info considering you broke into my home.” 

“Look I know I did barge in but your father said I could. Who were they?”

Nagyung rolled her eyes and began to walk away from you. Following behind her, the two of you eventually reached a nice kitchen. The expensive appliances as well as granite countertops let you see the girl lived in such luxury. From a topside cabinet, the young woman pulled out a glass and a bottle of scotch. Pouring the brown substance into the glass, Nagyung took a seat in the nice leather chair and looked at you. 

“Saerom Unnie is one of my assistants. I have a couple of other girls who work for me. Sangjun is just someone in the marketing department of my father's company.”

“That still doesn’t explain why he was naked. Or why your assistant was naked as well.” 

“You can’t be that’s stupid. What do men and women do when they are naked together?”

Sure you weren’t dense but somehow your brain was trying to convince you that they were participating in some other activity. 

“But why? We’re eng-“

“Engaged? That wasn’t my idea. The only reason this is happening is because my father said I had no other option. The company merger was going to happen. This way my family still kept their wealth and power and a say in the company. Did you want this to happen? I can’t say I would blame you for wanting to marry such a beautiful girl like me.” 

“No. I didn’t want this. My parents threaten to take away my birthright. I would not be the CEO of C Industries unless I married you as a favor to your parents. Now I didn’t want this b-“

“I’m going to stop you there. We both didn’t want this so why are you getting mad? I’m going to be very blunt right now. I love sex. I honestly can never have enough of it so I sleep with any man or woman who even gives me a fuck me look. We are going to get married but I’m still gonna be looking for sex. Look Yejun, you look like a sweet guy but you probably can satisfy me at all in bed. I will act like a good wife in public but I am going to live my life how I want. So if you are now well informed then get the fuck out of my house.”

The way Nagyung spoke to you made you angry yet you also felt sad. Your body reacted on its own as you began to walk towards the exit. Everything was a blur as you were finally back in your car. The anger and sadness remained. Angry that your future wife thought you less of a man. Perhaps you were wondering why you were sad. Well, you always thought you would marry a woman that loved you back. Now that dream. No, fantasy is now gone. 

As you pulled out of the driveway, you began to drive home in an almost robotic state. Fifteen minutes passed as you arrived at your apartment building. Pulling Into the garage, you made your way over to your designated spot and parked in it. Stepping out from your black vehicle, your legs brought you to the entrance where you scanned your keycard. With it unlocked, you made your way over to the small dinky elevator that was already there. Hopping in, the doors slowly closed with a bit of squeal behind them. 

With the elevator going up, you didn’t have to wait more than twenty seconds to reach the 3rd floor. Walking out of the elevator, you walked to the right side and made it to the first door there. Taking out your key, the piece of metal then entered the key slot and turned to the left. Pushing your door open, you then made your way in and closed the door behind you. 

Taking your shoes off, you left them near the door and walked to your couch. Unlike Nagyung, your home honestly was not the best. You didn’t see much of a need for an expensive home. It was all about what you made with the space you had. Wasn’t much but you loved this place. As you slowly removed some of your clothes on the couch, your phone began to ring in your pocket. Taking it out, you saw it was Mr.Lee.

“Hello, Mr.Lee. How are you?”

“I’m doing well, Yejun. Did you go see my daughter?”

……..

Silence. What could you even say to him? 

Oh yeah, I went to see her and she told me she’s gonna be getting railed 24/7 by men and women who aren’t married to her. How she’s told me she’s going to constantly cheat on me? Should you say something?

“Yejun? Are you still there?”

“A-Ah yes. We had a little bit of a chat. She was busy with the preparations so it was just a short talk. I’m sure we will talk more.”

“Oh I’m sorry she was busy but I’m glad you got to talk a little bit with her. Why don’t I schedule a dinner for you and her so you get to know each other better.”

“Oh you don’t have to-“

“Oh don’t worry. I’ll set it up for tomorrow night. 7 pm and I will send you the location.”

You didn’t even have time to respond as the phone call ended. How would dinner even go? Guess that was a problem for tomorrow. For now, you should just rest. 

7 pm came faster than you anticipated. Your future father-in-law reserved a dinner at Lotte Tower. Honestly, it was all uneventful as you arrived at your table. The view out into Seoul was just amazing. You had personally never eaten at this place but you were plenty excited now. A young waitress at the time walked over and placed a glass of red wine in front of you. With a nod, you grabbed the glass and took a sip. Looking at your watch you saw it was 7 pm exactly, so your date of sorts would be arriving soon. 

One minute passed, then two, and then three. Soon it was ten minutes. By this time you could already imagine what happened. You were stood up. At least you thought you were until a young woman walked up to you. 

“M-May I take a seat? I’m here on behalf of your fiancé.”

With a nod, the young woman took a seat across from you and grabbed the cup of water. Bringing it up to her red lips, the girl began to drink the glass of water until the glass was empty. Placing it down, her eyes met with yours and she quickly looked down.

“Hello, sir. My name is P-Park Jiwon and I will be your new personal assistant.”

“When did I hire you?”

“A-Actually, your Fiancé assigned me to the position. I was working at The Lee company already as her assistant but reassigned me. She already spoke to your parents and hers and they approved.

You weren’t even married yet and this woman was already making decisions for you. 

“And let me guess. She’s currently not here because she went to meet up with one of her appointments.”

“Y-Yes sir.”

“Of course she is. Well then I guess-“

At that time, the young waitress brought over two plates of food and placed them in front of the two of you. 

“Well, this food shouldn't go to waste. Eat with me. Let’s get to know each other if we are going to be working together.”

Jiwon looked a little hesitant but as you raised your wine glass to her with a smile, she nodded her head and raised her own. 

Two hours passed and your table was full of laughter. This nervous girl was wacky and funny. You could tell that working with her was going to be a fun time. Since your dinner was over, the two of you walked out to your car and you helped her get in. You would end up dropping off at her home and then going back to your own.

A week passed and you found yourself moving things into your new office. As you placed your knick-knacks on the shelves on the right wall, a knock was heard at your door. From behind the door; Jiwon came and smiled at you. 

“Ok, I think that’s everything, Mr. Choi. That last of your things were in the box.” 

“When we are alone you don’t need to call me Mr. Choi. Yejun is fine. And thank you for the help.” 

“Of course Mr.- I mean Yejun. So what’s next?”

As Jiwon walked over, her eyes didn’t notice one of the empty boxes near you. Before you could warn her, the young woman tripped and started falling forward. Extending your arms, you managed to catch Jiwon before she smashed her face into the floor. 

“You ok Jiwon?” 

“Y-Yeah. Thank you.” 

“Well, don’t you two look nice and cozy.”

You took a look in the direction of the voice and were met with a glare from your fiancé. Jiwon quickly stood up and got away from you. Bowing towards her, Nagyung got closer and got face to face with Jiwon. 

“Why don’t you go get me a coffee, Jiwon?”

“Yes, Ms.Lee.” 

Running out of your office, Nagyung came over and glared at you now. 

“Was it you?” 

“What was me?” 

“Did you tell the media we’re getting married?”

“No. I did not.” 

“DON’T YOU DARE LIE TO ME.”

“Watch your fucking tone with me. Why the hell would I tell the media?”

“Because it played out exactly how you would want it. Everyone now knows I’m engaged and going to be married. No man wants to risk pissing you off so they all cut their ties to me. None of them will fuck me. Sure I still got some girls to mess around with but I need a man to please me.” 

“Nagyung. I did not tell the media. It probably just made its way out. Maybe this will be a way for you to stop this little habit you have.” 

“Oh shut up. You’re probably looking forwards to fucking your assistant. What the hell did I walk into?” 

“She fell. I caught her. Don’t try to assume you know me.” 

“Whatever. Since the news is out, the media will be outside our wedding. When we pass the camera’s we will be the perfect couple. Do what you need to do so that narrative will play out.” 

You hadn't noticed Nagyung had a tight hold on your arm until she let go. Walking towards the door, Jiwon almost bumped into Nagyung as she was returning. Nagyung took the cold cup from Jiwon's hand and left your office. That nervous girl you had met at dinner returned around her. It’s something you hated to see.

“I’m sorry about that Jiwon.”

“It’s ok. She’s been like that for the two months I worked for her.” 

“Well, I will make sure it stops. Don’t you worry about that.” 

Jiwon’s frown turned into a smile when you told her that. In a short time, you already cared for this girl. You would make sure to protect her the best you could. 

The chirping from birds let you know it was the next day. A little look from your crusty eyes saw that it was seven am. You had to be at the shop to get your hair done by eight. Begrudgingly, your legs threw your covers off of you and made their way to your slippers. Standing up, you managed to tumble your way to the shower and hop in once the dirty pajamas were off. 

You knew your time was short so you made your shower quick. That cold water surely helped you to wake up. Since you were in a bit of a hurry, you took your time in the shower to also brush your teeth. Some people might be disgusted but you do what you need to when you're short on time.

Getting out of the shower, you managed to empty your bladder and run back out to your room. From your dresser came a casual pair of underwear, sweatpants and a shirt. Throwing them on, you then made your way to your kitchen and grabbed a few cookies from a container. Shoving them in your mouth, you then got to your shoe stand grabbed the comfiest pair of sneakers, and threw them on. Looking up at your clock on the wall, you saw it was 7:20 already. 

Grabbing the keys to your vehicle, you rushed your way towards it.

The drive was uneventful as you arrived at the shop with 15 minutes to spare. With your parked near the building. You then made your way to the entrance and met with the Receptionist. The young woman smiled at you as she saw you. 

“Well if it isn’t the man of the hour. Welcome, Mr.Choi. Please follow me, I’m sure you're ready to start getting spiffy for your future bride.” 

With a nod, you began to follow the young woman down a pair of nice granite steps. This shop was amazing. As you finally got down the stairs, you saw plenty of workers running around getting different things ready. 

As you passed a small section of the shop, your ears could hear why people were running all over. The voice of your fiancé was telling people instructions on how she wanted to look. The receptionist pushed you forward into an area with other males that were waiting for you. 

“They will be responsible for getting your hair and other stuff ready. Your fiancé already brought your suit in which you will be married. They will make sure it fits you perfectly despite having your measurements beforehand. Have fun.” 

With a nod, you walked over to the men and gave them a bow. 

“Please make me look good today.”

The men all smiled and Instructed you to sit down. 

Hours went by. It wasn’t just your hair that was getting done. By orders of Nagyung, light makeup was being applied to you. Somehow light makeup took nearly 4 hours. Wouldn’t that be heavy makeup? Either way, it was noon by the time your hair and makeup were done. The staff had ordered some small sandwiches for you all to snack on before you went to put on your suit. With your simple ham sandwich gone, you went and looked at your suit.

The black tux seemed to be custom-tailored to your size. You probably had your parents to thank for that. You could have sworn a suit of yours was missing from your wardrobe. Pulling a cover, you proceeded to remove the tuxedo from its hanger and laid it on a table. Removing your clothes, you proceeded to throw on the white dress shirt and buttoned it up. Grabbing the pants from the table, your right leg went into the right slot and the left leg into the left slot. You had plenty of practice with suits and such. Putting them on wasn’t hard at all. 

After two more minutes, your belt was in the buckles and you had your pants and dress shirt on. The white bow tie that remained on the table stood out to you. Most women made their partner wear the same color their 2nd dress would be. This being the color could either mean she wanted you to look bad, or her dress after the wedding would be white as well. Either way, you proceeded to pick up the bow tie and put it on. The final piece of your outfit was the nice black jacket. As you put it on, your eyes looked into the mirror in front of you. Your outfit was complete. Honestly, it was a perfect fit. 

Pulling back on the cover, you proceeded to walk out towards the stylists and they began to pass a lint roller all over your tux. 

“Perfect sir. Your bride is going to be very happy.”

“Yeah, sure she would.”

“Your wedding is being held at 3 pm in the Seoul Cathedral. That’s about a 30-minute drive from here. It’s 1:30 pm so it’s time to head out. Good luck today and don’t forget to say I do.” 

Giving the men a bow, you began to head back out the way the receptionist had brought you. It was nothing eventful until you found a giant limousine waiting for you. The older man waiting by the back door gave you a bow and pulled it open. Giving the older man a bow, you quickly entered the limo and the door closed behind you. After a few seconds, the man went to the driver's side and hopped in. Before you knew it, you were on your way to the cathedral.

Honestly, it surprised you how many times you were using the same word to describe your wedding day. Uneventful. The 30-minute drive was uneventful until you finally arrived at your destination. The flashing cameras began to surround the vehicle as well as yells from the media. Security was already outside and began to push the men and women away as your vehicle inched forward to its final spot. Once there, the large men who helped push the media away helped you step out of the limo. 

Despite being pushed back once, the various news sites came piling back over once again. The yells of your security were all you could hear as they were throwing the men and women back. Step by step you began to go up the steps of the cathedral. You aren’t even sure how much time it took until you were finally at the entrance. Once past the wooden doors, you could finally hear yourself think. 

As you began to move further into the church, various men and women began to walk toward you and say their hellos. Despite it being early, the church was already filled with various people. A large majority of these people were businessmen and women who wanted to get on your family’s good side. Doesn’t surprise you most of them are there to kiss ass. 

The repeated motions of your arm going up and down were annoying. Sure everyone knows how simple a handshake is but once you reached 30 people, it was just bothersome. With the random businessmen out of the way, next was saying hello to the executives of The Lee Company. As you stood in front of the 6 men and women, your head went down and gave them all a deep bow.

“I welcome you all to my wedding. Thank you for taking the time to come to this event. I’m sure all of your schedules were packed.”

The oldest of the bunch came over and shook your hand. 

“Of course, we need to attend to meet our company president. Some were hesitant but this merger will help make us all a lot of money. I speak on behalf of all of my colleagues here. I am Ru Sangki.” 

“Mr.Ru. I thank you all for coming. Will you be joining us for the festivities after?” 

“Who could ever say no to free alcohol?”

With a small laugh, you proceeded to make your way to the end of the church where your parents were waiting. As your mother's eyes met with your own, you could see she was beginning to tear up.

“Sweetie. Y-You look amazing.”

“Thank you, Mother. Please don’t cry. You know I hate that.” 

“I just never thought I would s-see the day.”

“Well, it’s here whether we like it or not.” 

Placing a hand on your shoulder, your father looked at you. 

“L-Listen Yejun. Your mother and I know this wasn’t your favorite thing but we appreciate you doing this. This will help our families rise to new heights. I guess we’re beginning to sound like broken records but this has already had an impact. Our stock prices have risen 7% since the first word of your wedding. New investors are lining up. The two of you will make this into a worldwide empire. I’m sure of it. You’re both young. I’m sure you will learn to love each other.”

You wanted to roll your eyes but as a matter of respect, you just nodded your head to your father. 

“OK then. Your wedding will start in a few minutes. Why don’t you go stand up there and we will get started once your bride arrives.”

“Yes, father.” 

Walking up on the stage, you began to just wait and give everyone a nod as they got to their seats. Minute after minute passed as your foot began to tap on the wooden floor. You were in your own world until the sound of an organ playing spooked you. The stereotypical tune from weddings began to play for everyone’s ears. Everyone was sitting for a minute until the sound of the doors could be heard. 

The crowd now standing, looked back and began to take pictures. Your eyes first noticed the older man with her arm intertwined. Next to him was the young woman who had a white dress. Nagyung’s wedding dress wasn’t like other women’s. Most women had massive gowns that could fall to the floor. The fluff from those dresses was always a lot yet Nagyung didn’t dress like that. 

Your fiancé’s dress was short. Her legs were on full display for the crowd to see. The two straps on her shoulders showed her soft skin. The white down her body showed her beautiful curves that could make any man drool. Around her neck, the collar of her dress seemed to have jewels all around to just show a look of elegance. 

Step by step, the young woman got closer as her father held her arm. Small cries could be heard on the left-hand side. As you looked, your eyes noticed Nagyung’s mother crying at the sight of her daughter. You could tell she was just happy her child was getting married. After a few more seconds, Mr.Lee and Nagyung were finally at the front. 

Walking down the five steps, your arm then extended to take Nagyung. Mr.Lee in that moment caught you by surprise as he hugged you. 

“Look after her please.”

You were a bit shocked by this action but after you composed yourself, Mr.Lee revived a nod yes from you. Taking Nagyung’s arm, the two of you went up the 5 wooden steps and met with a priest who seemed to appear out of thin air. 

“Ladies and gentlemen. I would like to welcome you all here today. It’s not often family, friends and loved ones get the chance to gather all together but you all took the time to come here for a very special moment. The moment when a man and woman become one. This is a sacred event that has stood the test of time. One that plenty would feel blessed to have, and I am sure these two feel just that way. Choi Yejun and Lee Nagyung have brought you here today for this. Their marriage. Now as I stand before these two, I can see the nerves on their faces. What couple wouldn’t be nervous on their special day but this just shows the love the two have for each other.”

You could almost laugh hearing those words but you needed to keep the act up. Nagyung smiled at the priest and nodded her head. 

“Now Yejun, the duty of a husband can be tough. Sometimes you will be a friend, other times a confidant but you will always be the head of the family. You will be responsible for the needs your wife will have. Be that someone to talk to or someone to just enjoy time together. The key to all this will be communication. Communication will be the thing to help your marriage last as long as people like your parents. I hope you can fulfill the needs of your family. Now Nagyung. That same goes for you. The role of a husband can be hard at times but you will be his friend and confidant. The two of you will also have the struggles of running a business but if you communicate, then you can stand everything thrown at you two. Now I know plenty of weddings like to go on for an hour and bore you all with different sorts of speeches but I’m not going to do that to you all. I’ll make it shorter than average. We will now move on to the vows. We will start with Yejun. Repeat after me.”

At least this wasn’t going to be long.

“I, Choi Yejun.”

“I, Choi Yejun.”

“Take you, Lee Nagyung.”

“Take you, Lee Nagyung.”

“To be my wife.”

“To be my wife.”

“To have and to hold from this day forward.”

“To have and to hold from this day forward.”

“For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.”

“For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.”

“In sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you.”

“In sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you.”

“Now Nagyung. Repeat after me. I, Lee Nagyung.”

“I, Lee Nagyung.”

“Take you, Choi Yejun.”

“To be my Husband.”

“To be my Husband.”

“To have and to hold from this day forward.”

“To have and to hold from this day forward.”

“For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.”

“For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer.”

“In sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you.”

“In sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you.”

“Thank you, both of you. Now I must ask. Should anyone have any reason these 2 should not be wed today, please speak or forever hold your piece.”

Silence in the church.

“Well then. As I said I wouldn’t make this long. By the power vested in me by South Korea and god, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

As you looked at your bride. Your eyes met with hers and saw she was smiling at you. You could tell it was fake but you had to play the part. Putting your hand on your wife’s waist, you then pull her closer and put your left hand on the back of her head. Tilting your head to the left, you then pulled Nagyung’s face toward you and connected your lips. The kiss was simple, just your lips touching but your heart was racing. It had been years since you kissed a girl. You were ready to push your tongue forward until Nagyung pulled her face back. 

Cheers filled the church as the two of you faced the crowd. Smiles were on everyone’s faces. Your parents as well as your in-laws seemed happy. With the feeling of happiness in the air, you couldn’t help but give a genuine smile. At that time, Nagyung pulled your head closer to hers. 

“Carry me to the limo. Make it seem romantic, idiot.”

Now your fake smile is back. Picking the young woman up, you began to walk down the wooden steps and go down the aisle. The cheers continued as you went down and gave everyone a quick nod. Nagyung pulled herself up a little and began to kiss your cheek. Each step you took brought you closer and closer to the doors. Security was ready as you finally reached the end. Your parents and in-laws managed to keep up with you and were ready to go out. 

“Take a few pictures for the media and walk to the limo. We will join you there.”

“Ready, Nagyung?”

“Let’s do this.”

With security pushing the door open, your eyes were immediately blinded by the flashing lights of cameras. Yells from your security as well as the media hit your ears once more. You thought they were crazy before but now that your wife was in your arms, they almost lost it. You were now the power couple of South Korea. Each push on the men that were in front of you wasn’t fruitful. It took a couple of tries for you to make any progress towards the limo. 

More of your guards came and began to pull the cameramen away from you all. Taking a chance, you posed with Nagyung and she smiled for the cameras. After an intense struggle that lasted five minutes, you were finally at the limo door. For one final picture, you looked at Nagyung and attached your lips to hers. The kiss was the same as before, just on the lips. It made your heart skip a beat until your wife pulled away again. 

Putting your wife down, the young woman stepped into the limo and you followed behind. Your parents as well as in-laws also hopped in the limo and then closed the door. Unlike before, security already had them away from the vehicle and you were able to take off. Hugs were passed around as everyone hugged their parents. Your parents then hugged Nagyung and your in-laws hugged you.

“Your dress was stunning. So different from other brides.” 

“Thank you, Mrs.Choi. I-“

“Call me Mom please.” 

“Thank you M-Mom. I had the dress custom-made by some famous stylists at Versace. It was worth every penny.” 

The rest of your ride was filled with Nagyung talking about her dress as well as the different jewelry she had on her person. For not wanting to get married she truly went all out for her dress. Fifteen minutes passed as you reached the venue for the reception. A hotel.  Your wife had reserved several rooms and suites in this massive hotel. As the limo parked at the entrance, security stood guard and helped you get out. Helping Nagyung get out, you extended your arm once more and began to walk in with your family. 

“Now me and your in-laws will finish setting up the reception. You two go over to the conference room and we will come get you when it’s time.” 

“Ok, mom.” 

Walking to an adjoining room, you and Nagyung found a couple of reclining seats and sat in them. The only noises that could be heard were the music as well as the staff workers who were setting up. You Weren’t sure how much time had passed until you heard a small grunt from Nagyung. Looking in her direction, the young woman was standing up and walking towards the door. 

“You ok?”

“I’m gonna go do something. I’ll be back.” 

You didn’t get the chance to respond as your wife pulled the door open and left. You were getting ready to follow behind her until the door opened again. A smile filled your face as you saw it was Jiwon. 

“Congratulations Yejun!”

“Thank you Jiwon. I didn’t know you were in attendance.”

“Well of course I needed to come. I want to support you and be here in case you need something. So where is your bride going?”

“She said she would be back. That’s it.”

Jiwon’s smile turned into a look of sadness when she heard that. 

“I think I know where she went. Follow me.”

Should you?

Jiwon didn’t wait as she grabbed your hand and began to pull you towards the rooms. The first floor seemed to have a few hotel rooms. As you went down this hallway, Jiwon reached one of the many doors there and pulled out a keycard. Scanning it, the green light appeared and she pushed the door open. Walking in, you were met by a sight that angered you. Nagyung had her arms wrapped around another woman and was kissing her neck. Somehow they didn’t even notice you. 

“Nagyung. You’re married now. W-We shouldn’t.”

“It’s ok. I’m sure he won't mind it being another girl, Seoyeon.”

You weren’t sure why you were surprised. She said she was going to keep cheating but with the men avoiding her, you thought the women would too. Your eyes seeing this were suddenly met with the worried young woman. You could see the fear in her eyes as what she worried about happened. 

“M-Mr. Choi.”

Nagyung at that time turned around and saw you. Most people would act shocked when caught cheating. Nagyung just rolled her eyes. 

“Did you bring my husband here?”

Jiwon was silent for a second until she nodded yes. 

“Next time keep to yourself. Or you will be out a Jo-“

“You will not be out of a job Jiwon. I give you my word on that. Nagyung. I truly thought that maybe you would not do it but I’m here and you couldn’t give a shit. Wow.” 

As you began to walk out of the room, you could hear Nagyung scoff and yell at you. You paid her no mind as you and Jiwon returned to your waiting room. Once there, you took a seat again and just closed your eyes. While anger was coming off in waves, you felt a hand touch your arm. It was Jiwon and you could tell she was sorry for you. In a short time, this girl was already proving to be a better friend than any you had before. 

“Sorry. I know this wasn’t your choice but maybe if you have a normal conversation with her then she will listen and stop.” 

You were just silent. It could seem stupid but it only really hurt because Nagyung was keeping stuff from you, lying.  At that time your fiancé returned and took a seat. The two of you were just glaring at each other now. Tension was all that could be felt in the air. Nagyung could have probably jumped on you until a knock on the door caught everyone's attention. It was the party planner. 

“Everything is all set. Let’s go show everyone the lovely couple.”

Your feelings would have to wait, you now had to be the perfect couple. Standing up, you and your wife met at the door and intertwined your arms. Both of you put a fake smile on your faces and walked toward the reception hall door. The doors were quickly pulled open and music began to play. You and Nagyung began to playfully dance to the tune while going into the reception hall. Cheers echoed in the venue as the two of you made your way to the center of the hall. 

You were ready to continue walking toward your seats until a slow song began to play. Normally the first dance would be later on but it looked like it was at that moment. Placing your hand on Nagyung’s thin waist, the two of you began to stumble a bit and go in the opposite direction. To everyone, it was just nerves when in reality you had never practiced this with your wife. 

“Get your shit together and dance. I better not be embarrassed by this.”

Looking to the right a bit, Nagyung began to follow you and you both swayed left and then right in tune. Your dance wasn’t amazing but it served its purpose. A couple of minutes passed as the song stopped and everyone clapped. Directed to your table, the two of you took your seats and looked out into the crowd. It would be a long rest of the day. 

Hours went by. To say it was horrible was an understatement. Every few minutes Nagyung would pull you closer and complain about something you did. Insult after insult continued to go in your ears. How were you going to have a calm conversation with your wife? You were angry. She was angry and annoyed. Would your emotions cause problems in this chat? A sudden pinch on your arm brought you back to your senses. The two of you had been bowing toward everyone who came to the weddings and it had ended. As people packed the dance floor and music blared in people’s ears, your parents and in-laws walked over and placed a few folders in front of the two of you. 

“We know it’s been a long night, and it’s still technically a little early but we couldn’t wait any longer. In front of you are the deeds to your new home. Now C Industries has been developing a new mega building near the heart of Seoul. Well, the penthouse is already done. This home would be worth several million but it’s our wedding gift to the two of you.”

Both you and Nagyung were surprised. The two of you thought it would be time to go home shopping soon but your parents gifted you one. Both you and Nagyung bowed your heads and the massive gift you both received. 

“Finally. In front of you are the transfer of ownership documents for both you and Nagyung. It’s all set. You both just need to sign and Yejun will be the CEO while Nagyung will be the COO.”

Pulling the cover to the manilla folder, the documents were all there and you began to give them a look over. There were no tricks in the end. This was the moment you had been dreaming about your whole life. Picking up a pen, your hand went down to the bottom of the document and began to sign. Once your lengthy signature was done, you took a glance to the left and saw Nagyung was done signing as well. Your wife was smiling and u like her previous ones, this one looked genuine.

“We are proud of the two of you. Welcome the new leaders of C Industries!”

Finally after everything today you were happy now also. 

“We know it’s a bit early but the presidential suit was reserved for the two of you tonight. Here are the keycards so you can enter. Go ahead and leave whenever you want. We love you both.” 

With your parents and in-laws leaving, Nagyung immediately took one of the cards and looked up at the clock. It was 10 pm. 

“Well, I will be heading to the suite. I’m done with all these fake smiles I’ve been giving. Have fun dumbass.”

Standing up, Nagyung made her way to the exit and bowed at everyone as she left. You were left alone at your table now. It felt awkward. Should you just go to your room also? Wait, what if Nagyung was meeting with another person again? 

Your mind began to go in circles as you asked yourself that question repeatedly. Your body reacted on its own as you made your way to the exit. After saying your goodbyes, you quickly made your way towards the elevator and waited for it. After a minute, the metal cage arrived and you walked in. Scanning your keycard, you then pressed the button to the presidential suite and the doors closed. As you went up, your leg began to bounce as you waited to get to your room. 

A loud ding brought you back to earth and the doors opened. Right in front of you was the entrance to the suit. With the card scanner on the handle, you quickly scanned the rectangle in your hand and saw the green light. Walking in, the door was pushed almost all the way but then stopped by a pair of white heels. Pushing your way past the door, you continued your way further until you reached the living room. On the couch sat your wife. The bottle of champagne on the table in front of her was opened and she was enjoying it. 

“Why are you up here?” 

“I have just as much right to be in this room Nagyung.” 

Grabbing a glass, you then poured some of the contents of the bottle into it. You didn’t even hesitate to down the entire glass of champagne. Nagyung scoffed at this action and filled her glass once more. 

“You’re acting like you had a tough day. I had to act like the perfect wife.”

“And you are acting like you aren’t a nightmare to deal with. I tried my best to be kind towards you all day yet all you did was treat me like trash.” 

Nagyung’s scoff returned as she then stood up. 

“I have been treating you well, all things considered.”

Your wife at that time walked towards the bedroom, leaving you shocked at her words. Following behind you raised your voice a bit. 

“That was treating me well? How the fuck is that treating me well?”

“You got to kiss a gorgeous woman like me. I think that’s pretty good for a loser like you. Plus you ruined one of my chances to destress. I could have slapped you for that.” 

“First. You need to stop calling me a loser. I don’t get where you got that idea and secondly, you went to do shit like that on our wedding day. You don’t even care.” 

“I don’t care. I told you I love sex. A wimp like you can’t satisfy me.”

Getting closer to Nagyung, your glare met with hers.

“I have asked you already. Stop calling me a wimp. I’m getting tired of this.”

“Wimp, wimp, wimp.” 

Our anger was ready to boil over. You had this rage you wanted to release but you didn’t know how. You hadn’t noticed how close your face was to Nagyung’s until you could feel her breath on yours. The two of you were angry and needed to get rid of this feeling. 

Your bodies reacted on their own as you both grabbed each other. Your lips were connected to Nagyung’s before you knew what was happening. This wasn’t like the short kisses you had before. You had wanted to push your tongue forward before and now you had the chance. 

As your tongue moved into her mouth, the two of you began to fight against each other. You would have figured Nagyung would push you away but she continued to kiss you. The young woman’s tongue was shorter than yours, yet she managed to put up a good fight. Your tongues were pushing against each other and then circling, chasing each other.  With your pent-up anger, you finally pushed your tongue against hers and took control in her mouth. Oxygen was something the two of you didn’t notice until your lungs felt empty. 

Pulling back, both of your chests heaved as they took in as much air as possible. Still, your face ended up back in her body only now her neck. First, you began with small pecks on her soft skin. A few pecks later you began to nibble on her skin and pull a bit. The combination of your kisses and bites began to leave a red mark on your wife’s neck. Soft moans hit your ear as Nagyung held you close. 

You weren’t sure when but after a little bit, Nagyung was already pulling off your jacket and ripped off your tie. Your hands stopped being idle after those actions and followed her lead. Your wife didn’t have much clothes on, so it was easy to begin to raise her white dress. Pulling back from your bride's neck, she began to help you remove her wedding dress. As the clothes began to leave her body, your eyes were blessed by the sight of her nude breast. Nagyung didn’t have a bra on this entire time. Just that thought made your already stiff cock to twitch. 

Nagyung seemed impatient as the young woman ripped the buttons to your shirt open. With that out of the way, your hands went down to your belt and unhooked it. Pulling the leather belt off your pants, Nagyung quickly unbuttoned your pants and pulled them down. Raising both your legs, your pants were finally gone and you were matching Nagyung. Only your undergarments remained. 

“Not bad for a wimp.”

“Shut up you bitch. Why am I even doing this?”

“Please, I'm asking myself that. You probably have a little shrimp dick.”

Nagyung’s hand reached out and took hold of your clothes shaft. Your wife had a smirk on her face until she began to feel around. 

“Take a look then.” 

Your wife rolled her eyes at the cockiness in your tone and dropped to her knees. As she went down, her hands wrapped around the band of your underwear and pulled it down. As your cock was freed from its confines, it accidentally hit Nagyung in the face as she got closer. A small gasp left her mouth as she stared at your dick. Raising her hand slowly, your wife’s dainty fingers wrapped around your cock. 

“Well well well. I guess my husband is blessed with a nice cock after all.”

Slowly, Nagyung’s hand began to move up and down your length. With each small stroke, a bit of precum left your tips and began to move down your shaft. The clear slick began to slick up your wife’s hand a bit. Her hand was soft and moving slowly, yet it felt great. Nagyung. Could tell these small actions felt amazing as she then sped up a little bit.

“Awe. Your cock is heating up a bit. This is probably the most a girl has ever done to your length.”

“I’m not a virgin Nagyung. I just don’t Sleep around with anything that breathes.”

“Well you should be happy your wife loves sex. Because that means I’m an expert at this.”

Goosebumps filled your body as you felt something warm wrap around your cock. Looking down, your eyes met with Nagyung’s as her mouth trapped your tip. A few small sucks began to attack your cock head. A slight groan left your mouth as Nagyung continued this action. Sure it felt great but it would quickly bore you. 

Nagyung seemed to have read your mind as she smirked a bit. Lower and lower went your wife’s mouth on your length. You weren’t sure how but Nagyung managed to move your entire length down her throat. After five seconds, Nagyung pulled her mouth back and off your length. Your wife then began to move her tongue on your length and moved it from the base to your tip. Left then right went her tongue around your cock. Moving down to your balls, Nagyung began to move her tongue around them and played with them. Your wife’s hand while she sucked on your balls stroked it up and down. 

After a minute, Nagyung returned her mouth to your length and began to suck on your cock head. Down went her head on your length inch by inch until you filled her throat. The same action repeated two more times until Nagyung hit you with something new. When you filled her throat once more, you felt a vibration around your length as well as a constriction. Nagyung was somehow massaging your cock with her throat. It was unlike anything you had felt before. If you truly were a virgin, you would have blasted your load down Nagyung's throat at that moment. 

Pulling back, Nagyung giggled a bit and just looked at you. 

“How does that feel dear? I told you I’m talented. Or maybe you are just a virgin.

“T-That was….. ok.” 

“Well. If it’s just ok then fuck my face. Dump a load down my throat.”

With the same insult being repeated, you decided to take her up on this invitation. Both of your hands took hold of Nagyung’s head and your waist began to move back and forth. At first, it was slow but when your eyes met with Hers, you saw she rolled them at you. With a sudden thrust, Nagyung’s throat was filled and her eyes shot out a bit. Back and forth your cock entered and left her mouth. Your wife’s throat was getting filled every second with your action. Despite this, she would take deep breaths when she could and took it. She truly wasn’t a rookie at this. Once again, Nagyung began to constrict your length with her throat. The feeling every time felt like the first time. The girl certainly wanted you to cum. 

“F-Fuck. Guess you can do more than just complain with that mouth.”

You felt almost embarrassed but you knew you were close. Using as much strength as you could, you pounded into your wife’s throat. You didn’t have time to warn Nagyung as you thrust into her throat a final time, blowing your load. Shot after shot of your cum went down the young woman’s canal. A small pur left Nagyung’s mouth as your semen filled her stomach. It was one of the best orgasms you had in a while. Letting go of your wife, Nagyung pulled back and began to suck on your tip. Your whole body jolted as you were still sensitive.

“Fuck. I haven’t swallowed a load that big in a while. You must have needed to let one out for a while now.”

Your head just nodded a bit as Nagyung stood up and laid her back on the bed. 

“Hurry up and eat my pussy. I better cum from that worthless tongue of yours.

After finally catching your breath, your legs dropped down and you brought yourself up to Nagyung’s legs.

“Sit back and enjoy, bitch.”

Wrapping your arms around Nagyung’s thick thighs, you then pulled your wife closer. Deciding to tease Nagyung, your lips went to her legs, and began to kiss them. Each peck down her leg brought you closer and closer to her panties. Nagyung being impatient wrapped her hand on her panties and pulled them down. With her privates uncovered, your kisses got closer and closer until you hovered about her pussy. Her slick had covered her legs already and you had a taste, but now you wanted more

“Fucking eat my pussy.” 

You would have liked to leave her there frustrated, but you decided to be nice and gave her pussy a kiss. A little moan left her mouth and you gave her lips another kiss. You repeated this action as your hands moved up to her folds. Spreading them open, your tongue took the chance to push in and began to lick around. More moans left Nagyung’s mouth as your tongue began to swirl in her cavern. 

With her folds parted, your eyes managed to see your wife’s clit. With your left hand, you began to run her nub in little circles. Letting go of Nagyung’s folds, you then used your right hand and pushed your index finger into her. The small moans were replaced with swears as your fingers moved in and out of her pussy. All 3 actions made your wife begin to jump around. She wasn’t ready for you to please her. Nagyung was truly caught off guard. 

Adding two more fingers at once, Nagyung’s legs began to shake at the combined efforts of your hands and tongue. In and out your fingers pistoned Nagyung’s tunnel faster and faster. Your tongue with its continuous flicks on her clit began to speed up despite your mouth getting tired. Nagyung was close and you could tell.

Pulling back, you looked up at Nagyung and heard a groan from her. 

“Why the fuck did you stop?”

“Maybe we should just leave you here as payback or-“

Nagyung wasn’t happy and pulled your head back into her snatch. Should you keep going? Nagyung didn’t wait as her fingers began to rub her clit. Your three fingers pushed back into her snatch and your tongue licked her folds. It didn’t take long for Nagyung to get close to her orgasm again. Moving your fingers as fast as possible. 

“F-Fuck. Just a l-little more.”

Keeping the same pace, Nagyung soon began to jolt around and yell. A rush of fluids hit your face and you then opened your mouth. Each squirt of your wife’s fluids filled your mouth quickly. Drinking it, your body shivered as you had the best-tasting drink of your life. Pulling back, Nagyung was panting for air and had a bright smile on her face.

All of this made you hard again. You thought you were turned on before, but now. You wanted to fuck the life out of your wife. You didn’t hesitate to stand back up and line your length with her folds. Nagyung saw this and smirked. 

“Look at you. Taking charge. I wonder if that cock can make me cum.”

“I already made you cum.”

“That was with my help. I doubt you can do it on your own but go ahead and try.”

“Let’s see if that loose pussy can make me cum.” 

Your cock head began to push forward and wrapped around your length. You didn’t hesitate to go as deep as possible in that instant. Every inch of your length was wrapped by Nagyung’s walls, and it was the greatest feeling ever. Pulling back, you began to move back and forth. 

“Mhmmmm. Such a beautiful cock but I’ve had better.” 

Your anger returned as you wrapped your hands on her hips. Harder and harder your cock began to shove itself into your wife.

“Little better but I think I should go find a better cook than you right now.”

Adding a bit of speed, your hips thrusted more and more into Nagyung’s pussy. Achieving a steady speed, you continued to fuck Nagyung. 

Clap clap clap

Those were the sounds that could be heard in the room. Finding a bit more strength, you began to move harder. Grunts left your mouth as Nagyung moaned. 

“T-That’s fucking it. Keep going, wimp” 

Grabbing Nagyung’s hair, you aggressively pulled your wife’s upper body closer to you. 

“S-Stop calling me a wimp.” 

“Y-You want me to stop. Then make sure I cum.”

Lowering your hand, your fingers began to search until you found her clit once more. As your wife did before, your fingers began to move her clit in circles. You could feel your wife begin to constrict her walls on your length from this action. You hadn’t noticed Nagyung had her arms wrapped around your neck until now. Letting go of her upper body, your head moved down and went into her breast. 

With your mouth wide open, you managed to find Nagyung’s right nipple and wrapped it around your lips. At first, you began to give it a few teases but soon you began to suck on it harder. You were never the best multitasker yet you managed to keep fucking Nagyung, playing with her clit and sucking on her breasts. Raising your head, you then moved your mouth to her left breast and began to suck on her nipple. 

“Fuck. I-I’ve needed this.”

“M-Me too.”

You were surprised at that moment as Nagyung pulled your head back. You thought she was going to push you away until she brought her lips to yours. The two of you were in a battle once more. Your tongues fighting for dominance. This kiss was aggressive, yet you could feel almost a sense of care in it. Pulling back from the kiss, Nagyung smiled at you and kissed your cheek. 

“B-Babe. Keep going, please. I’m going to cum if you keep this pace.” 

Your heart fluttered a bit when she called you that. You were going to help her cum. Keeping your thrusting pace, your fingers sped up and stimulated her clit even more. Nagyung at that time began to yell once more and jump around in your arms. Your wife’s eyes began to roll back as she continued to jump around. The construction around your length was just as good as her throat, you were ready to cum. With a few more thrusts, your length reached the end of your wife’s caverns. Your seed began to flood your wife’s snatch as you fell on top of your wife. Your cock throbbed more than five times as you filled her to the brim with your semen. 

You weren’t sure how much time passed as you felt Nagyung kissing your neck. Getting back up, you looked down and saw your cum leaking out of your wife’s pussy. Nagyung brought her fingers down at that moment and grabbed some of the semen that was dripping. 

Raising it to her mouth, your wife playfully spun around and raised her ass towards you. 

“Put another load in me.”

You didn’t need to think twice about that invitation. Despite everything, your cock was still plenty hard. Nagyung at that time reached back and lined your length up with her folds. With a push, your length was enveloped in your wife’s caverns once more. 

“Fuck. How are you so tight?” 

“How do you have such a nice cock?”

Picking up a little speed, your thrusts began to get harder. Nagyung at that time brought her upper body up and you took hold of her arms. From your wife’s delicate arms, they began to go up and take hold of her breast. Your lips once more went to her neck and you began to pepper it with kisses.

“God I love that. Maybe I really won’t need another cock after this.” 

“Here y-you go again. This is the only cock you are going to have from now on.”

“M-Maybe but you get a pleasure other men have never had.” 

“And what’s that you whore.”

Nagyung’s walls got tighter with that word. 

“None of them got to fuck me without a condom. Let alone fill me with cum.” 

“Then let me fuck a-another load into your loose pussy.”

Nagyung moaned when you insulted her again. Your speed began to increase when you could imagine another load in your wife. Letting go of her left breast, you immediately raised it and slapped her ass. A grunt left Nagyung as you then slapped her ass again. 

“Y-You can do better dear. Fuck me like others have before.” 

Your slaps continued on her ass after she said those words. 

“S-Shut up you whore.”

“W-Whore? Yet you’re fucking me.”

“B-Because this is my pussy now.” 

Your thrusts increased and Nagyung began to grunt like you. 

“C-Choke me.” 

You would have never thought of yourself grabbing your partner's neck during sex but with the way Nagyung spoke to you, there wasn’t any hesitation. Both of your hands wrapped around the young woman’s neck and began to squeeze a bit. This seemed to turn Nagyung more. The constriction around your cock got tighter with each squeeze you gave her neck. Nagyung began to lower her hand down to her clit but you saw this and slapped her hand away. 

“Y-You come when I say so.” 

Your right hand continued to give a few squeezes to her neck while your left hand went to her clit. Rubbing it in circles once more. Your combined efforts were bringing Nagyung to her orgasm, and you were soon to follow. Should you be ashamed about cuming so soon again? Probably not when you were making her cum quickly also. 

Every one of your actions went as fast as they could. The rubbing of Nagyung’s clit, the choking of her neck, and the thrusting Into her walls. 

“P-Please. Just a little more.”

With your constant pace, you saw Nagyung’s body begin to shake as her third orgasm of the night came. A rush of fluids hit the bed as you gave her neck one final squeeze. Just like your hands. Your wife’s walls squeezed around your cock and tried to milk you of all you had. Letting go of her neck, your cum began to fill Nagyung. Pants for air and mains filled the room, just like you filled your wife. 

After a minute, Nagyung pulled her body away from yours and pulled the covers to the bed. Hoping under the covers, you followed her and wrapped her in your arms. 

The room was silent until Nagyung broke the air. 

“Can I be honest?” 

“Sure.”

“That was some of the best sex I’ve had in a while. You were great but I still want to sleep with other partners. I have been doing this for so long and it will just be so hard to change myself. 

You began to chuckle a bit hearing that. 

“I have a compromise. Why don’t you let me sleep with other women and you can sleep with other women as well?”

You were amazed at what you just heard. You were mad about your fiancé trying to sleep with others but now your mind was debating if you should take this offer.

“It’s called an open relationship. And to stay clean I will only sleep with women I introduce you to and you can sleep with women I introduce you to. You already proved that cock can satisfy me. I won’t lie to you anymore or try to trick you but please let me continue this life, dear.”

Should you do it? should you change your morals just to have more sex?

“I’ll let you fuck Saerom unnie first if you would like.”

Your cock twitched at the thought of fucking her. Her beautiful body certainly had never left your mind when you saw it. This deal would be in your favor. 

“Fuck it. Let’s do it. So much for being angry at you for trying to sleep with others."

Nagyung laughed and hopped back on you. The young girl smirked and began to kiss your neck. 

“I hope we can wake up early. Our flight to Jeju is at 7 am. This week is going to be filled with fucking. Let’s see if you can keep up, wimp."

“One way to find out.” 

Plunging Nagyung back on your rod, the young woman began to bounce as you pulled her down for a kiss. 

This relationship is going to be Interesting.

A/n 2- Thank you for reading. Not the best but i hope you enjoyed it. Not sure when i will come back with another piece so until then. Thank you for reading, sorry for typos and see you next time

[joifee]

Here are both my pieces for the @bdubszine !!!!! Such a great opportunity to run with it and just have fun with detail work.

I am in love with sungod bdubs and very proud of this piece with the improv class^^

Down below is some in depth talk for the first piece with bdubs and all his clocks :D

The one on his chest is a regular minecraft clock - he always carries one in his offhand. In the background his his big tower from his "building with bdubs" series. He is wearing his moss cloak. On his wirst: A clock with a horse: he loves horses. also it actually is inspired by the horse-mountain he build in season 9 of hermitcraft A purple clock with ears: a purple panda clock. He joined one mcc (minecraft championship) and one it first try on the team called purple pandas) A tnt block-clock: Season 7 of hermitcraft he had, alongside impulse and tango, a company called "the boomers" who would explode stuff with tnt for diamonds - bdubs stick was he would die in every blow up they do (there are compilations)

in his jacket: The clock looking like a ring: reference to double life. He was soul-bonded to impulse and they lowkey roleplayed as a married couple and impulse gifted him a clock as a sign or marriage. therefore it looks like a ring. it also has "i" pointers because impulse always puts "i"s on his stuff A regular alarm clock: Basically that - maybe a reference for him always sleeping through the night. The red glasses clock: reference to season 8. He, tango and keralis based together and called themself "big eyes crew" and they all wore red glasses Emerald shaped clock: season 9 as the right hand to king rendog (theres also a crown inside the shape) emeralds because rendog and bdubs wanted to change currency to royal emeralds which started a war on the server and led to rendogs execution. bdubs stayed loyal till the end "hep" clock: Season 7. He plays right hand man to mayor scar. There was a turfwar between two groups - one wanted their main island to be mycelium the other wanted it to be grass. HEP was the group who wanted grassblocks so its a grassblocked shaped clock. they lost the war clock with a snake: 3rd life reference. Inside the clock theres a castle "the crastle" which was his and cleos base in 3rd life. The snake stands for cleo. the heart is part of the logo for the traffic series (same btw count for the heart in the impulse ring) sundial: reference to the hermitcraftxempires smp crossover. bdubs came to empires smp and announced himself as "the sungod" and basically became a god and gem, oli, fwhip and sausage were his followers for the short time. the shape is after a build sausage made in his name the "B" sign: reference to last life. He was part of team B.E.S.T. and they had shields with their initials aka Bdubs, Etho, Skizzlman and Tango. The four hearts are the lifes he was given at the start of the series half tnt clock: reference to ethoslab who is his best friend on hermitcraft and they are just unnormal about each other messed up steam punk clock: reference to the create series he did with keralis, tango, scar and zedaph who unfortunatly was short lived mcc coin: the coin he got for winning mcc broken heart monitor clock: limited life. there's a heart monitor and digital clock. the clock is broken because bdubs didnt uploaded his view for limited life (at the time of drawing this piece) so we never new how much time he had left (we know now) small pocket watch with snake and wings: also limited life. he teamed up with scar (the wings) and cleo (the snake) tree clock: the tree of whimsey. one of his first builds of season 9. he crowned tango as parkour king, cub as royal magican/dragonslayer and ren as king under it

rest of the smaller clocks are filler

[sirfrogsworth]

Grampa's Antique Fan (2015 vs 2024 Edit)

As a young man, after coming home from the Second World War, my grampa got a job as an electrician for Emerson Electric. He didn't work on the actual electrical products. He just maintained the electrical systems that power the tools to make electrical components.

It was a "I heard you need electricity for your electricity" type deals.

The company was founded in 1890 in nearby Ferguson, Missouri by John Wesley Emerson. He was a Union commander in the Civil War and a lawyer and then a judge and then an author and then a historian... so he was clearly qualified to run one of the first electronics companies. (This is currently referred to as the "Law of Elon".)

Emerson (the company, not the dude) specialized in electric motors and was the first to stick their motors in a fan and sell them.

As you can see by the 4 protective fan guard loopies, these were very safe for kids to be around.

I mean, the biggest thing you could shove in there is a baby arm, which is the least important part of a baby. No baby heads were chopped off—which was the bar for consumer safety during that era.

Fans are rated by the volume of air they can push over a period of time and your average box fan can push about 1400 cubic feet per minute or "CFM". When this Emerson (the fan, not the dude) was produced they actually used "CCH" or cubic cubits per hour. Emerson (the dude) loved using odd standards of measurement much to the chagrin of his engineers.

Due to the small surface area, weak angle of attack, and heavy metal blades, this electronic beast could only push a baker's dozen cubic cubits per baker's hour—which was a confusing metric of time because people were very superstitious and they refused to put the 13 on the baker's clocks. They just left a mysterious blank void after the 12 and apparently several people had existential crises during the baker's hour. Some were institutionalized for a rare condition called Time Delirium.

Thankfully Emerson Electric was able to provide the electroshock therapy devices that cured several patients. This was achieved by erasing the memory of the traumatic time delirium events along with a few other unimportant details like what they did last Tuesday and their mother's name and one engineering degree that the guy wasn't even using.

My dad actually got the fan working and let me tell you... that bad boy could really work up a gentle breeze...

...if you stood behind it and blew.

And that fine American-made electric fan motor was just as quiet as a leaf blower on Saturday morning.

Over the last century, Emerson was bought and sold and bought and sold.

And bought and sold and bought and sold.

Was that 7?

Eh, close enough. We'll call it a baker's 7.

They changed their product line countless times over their 130+ years of existence. After fans they pivoted and made electric meat grinders. To this day, no one know what inspired that decision.

Currently, they make radar avionics and are majority-owned by the private equity firm, Blackstone. Which is a totally non-evil sounding name they chose for their company-eating empire. Please ignore that the CEO was one of Trump's policy strategists. This is a non-evil company with a non-evil name run by non-evil people, okay?

Despite Emerson Electric having to settle a baker's gross of lawsuits involving a few lightly scalp'd babies, they maintain a Fortune 500 status and are still headquartered in Ferguson.

They occupy one of the most boring ass buildings ever constructed.

Just rectangles all the way down.

That architect told every angle to get rect.

Of course, I forgot all of this cool history and sold this fan in the estate auction. I suppose it is a good thing I got a nice photograph to help assuage my current feelings of guilt. I mean, it is not baby scalping, time delirium guilt—but I would feel better if I knew my gramp-gramp's fan was in a good home with 0 babies.

[dazailover4ever]

Bound by Dimensions

In a world where power and intelligence define your every move, you’ve built an empire as the CEO of a billion-dollar company. Renowned for your sharp mind, your life is as controlled as it is successful—until a mysterious curse transports you to an entirely new reality.

Thrown into the dangerous and unpredictable world of Jujutsu Sorcery, you find yourself entangled with Gojo Satoru, the most powerful sorcerer, and his enigmatic students. As you fight to find your way back to your own universe, unexpected bonds form, and the line between duty and desire begins to blur.

With time running out and your heart pulled in two directions, one question remains: Will you sacrifice everything for love, or will you return to the life you’ve always known?

The clock is ticking, and the curse may be the least of your problems.

Part 1: The Rift Between Worlds

Part 2: The Pull of Two Worlds

Part 3: Torn Between Two Worlds

Part 4: The Final Goodbye

[nayziiz]

Reckless | CS55

Summary: Via finds herself caught up in office politics and encounters Carlos Sainz Jr., the intimidating son of her boss. Despite her initial reluctance, she is drawn into a web of intrigue surrounding the Sainz family and their business empire. As tensions rise and secrets unravel, Via and Carlos grapple with professional challenges, personal relationships, and the allure of forbidden romance. Via must navigate the complexities of power, ambition, and desire, ultimately confronting difficult truths about those around her in a world where appearances can be deceiving and loyalties tested.

Warning: Violence, blood, alcohol, smut, fluff, guns

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x OC (Via Driscoll) - appearances from other drivers

Masterlist

Chapter 2

As the clock ticked down to the quarterly business meeting, Julia and Eleanor were in a frenzy of activity, hurrying to ensure that everything was in order before the impending deadline. With less than thirty minutes remaining, they dashed about the executive suite, orchestrating last-minute preparations and double-checking every detail to guarantee a seamless presentation. The air crackled with tension as they worked tirelessly to meet the looming deadline, their determination unwavering in the face of the impending challenge.

“What time are the drinks arriving?” Eleanor inquired, her voice tinged with urgency as she glanced over at Via, who was diligently setting out notepads and pens in the boardroom.

“They'll be here shortly before 11.” Via replied, her tone calm and assured despite the flurry of activity around her.

She focused intently on her task, ensuring that every detail was attended to in preparation for the upcoming meeting. With time ticking away, Via remained steadfast in her commitment to ensuring the meeting's success, her professionalism unwavering in the face of the mounting pressure.

As Via and Eleanor conducted a final sweep of the boardroom to ensure that everything was in place for the quarterly meeting, Via couldn't shake the sense of unease that had settled over her. She couldn't understand why Mr. Sainz had specifically requested her presence, as she had never been included in his meetings before. Via's attention was drawn to an extra chair positioned to the left of Mr. Sainz's seat. Instantly, her curiosity was piqued. Being privy to the guest list for the meeting, Via realised that the additional chair was not accounted for. 

A sense of apprehension washed over her as she exchanged a meaningful glance with Eleanor, silently acknowledging the anomaly. With a furrowed brow, Via couldn't help but wonder what unexpected developments lay ahead as she took her position in the corner of the room, the mystery of the extra chair lingering in the back of her mind.

“Who else are we expecting?” Via inquired, her curiosity getting the better of her as she turned to Eleanor, seeking clarification.

“Mr. Sainz Jr. will be joining the meeting this morning.” Eleanor hesitantly answered, her tone betraying a hint of uncertainty.

“Is he going to be working for the company?” Via pressed further, her brow furrowing in concern as she contemplated the potential implications of Carlos Sainz Jr.'s presence in the meeting.

“What’s with all the questions, Via?” Eleanor countered, her frustration evident in her tone as she glanced at Via, clearly impatient with her inquiries.

“I’m just curious. Julia said he never used to be involved in the business.” Via responded, her voice tinged with a sense of intrigue as she sought to understand the sudden shift in Carlos Sainz Jr.'s role within the company.

“She’s right, but he’s going to be more involved moving forward. His father is looking forward to teaching him about the business, so the rest of us don’t have much of a choice than to tolerate him.” Eleanor explained, her impatience fading slightly as she offered Via some insight into the situation.

As if on cue, Mr. Sainz Sr. entered the boardroom, his presence commanding attention as he strode purposefully into the room. Via watched as Eleanor, who was at his side almost instantly, exchanged a subtle glance with him, their silent communication speaking volumes about their close rapport.

Via couldn't help but marvel at the synchronicity between Mr. Sainz and Eleanor. In the few times she had been around them together, she had observed how they moved in perfect harmony, as if they were two halves of the same whole. Mr. Sainz always ensured Via was comfortable, whether it was by offering her a seat or ensuring she had refreshments. Their connection was palpable, a testament to the deep bond forged over fifteen years of working closely together.

As Mr. Sainz took his place at the head of the table, Via couldn't shake the sense of awe at witnessing their seamless partnership, their ability to anticipate each other's actions and thoughts a testament to the strength of their relationship. It was a dynamic that commanded respect and admiration, leaving Via with a newfound appreciation for the power of true collaboration.

As Mr. Sainz whispered something to Eleanor, Via couldn't help but notice the sense of urgency in their exchange. Moments later, Eleanor swiftly joined Via in the corner of the room, her expression serious as she relayed the message to Via. 

“Listen to me carefully, Via.” Eleanor stated firmly, her tone leaving no room for misunderstanding as she grabbed Via’s attention. “Everything said during this meeting is strictly confidential. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Via replied, her voice steady as she nodded in acknowledgment.

“Mr. Sainz is going to be testing your loyalty, and if any information leaves this building today, you will be the prime suspect.” Eleanor continued, her words carrying a weight of seriousness that made Via's heart skip a beat.

“Understood, Ms. Pope.” Via agreed, her determination evident as she braced herself for the challenge ahead.

“You do not speak unless spoken to. You stay in this corner with me unless you’re pouring the guests a drink.” Eleanor added with her instructions leaving no room for deviation as she outlined Via’s role in the meeting.

Via's heart raced with anticipation as she absorbed Eleanor's words, her mind racing with possibilities about what Mr. Sainz's whispered instructions could mean for the meeting.

Their conversation was interrupted as the refreshments for the meeting arrived, drawing their attention back to the task at hand. Via and Eleanor quickly made their way to the table, their movements synchronised as they busied themselves with arranging the refreshments for the attendees.

Across the room, Mr. Sainz watched the two women intently, his gaze penetrating as he observed their interactions. Via couldn't help but feel a sense of scrutiny under his watchful eye, a reminder of the gravity of the situation unfolding before them.

Via shifted her focus to the arrival of the first guests as they entered the boardroom and took their seats. With a warm smile, she and Eleanor greeted the executives, their demeanour poised and professional as they welcomed each attendee.

Grabbing a bottle of champagne, Via moved gracefully among the guests, pouring the sparkling liquid into their flutes with practised precision. Soon, the boardroom was filled with the sound of chatter and the clinking of glasses as everyone settled into their seats, anticipation hanging heavy in the air.

As the meeting commenced, Via couldn't help but notice the empty chair reserved for Junior, its significance not lost on her. With Eleanor by her side, she observed Senior rise to his feet, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and apprehension as she prepared to face the challenges that lay ahead.

"Good morning, everyone. I’m pleased to see that you all could make it. I know your schedules are quite full at the moment," Mr. Sainz greeted the attendees, his voice carrying a commanding presence that demanded everyone's attention.

Via couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as she listened to Mr. Sainz speak. His authoritative tone and confident demeanour made it clear that he was a force to be reckoned with. Despite her intuition and observational skills, Via found it difficult to read him, his demeanour shrouded in an air of mystery that left her feeling uncertain and apprehensive.

Via remained vigilant, keenly aware of the weight of Mr. Sainz's words and the implications they held for her future within the company. With each passing moment, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being tested, her loyalty and integrity hanging in the balance as she navigated the complexities of corporate intrigue and personal ambition.

“We have an exciting few weeks coming up. We have our annual charity gala happening in a few short weeks and, as far as I can tell, it’s coming together quite well.” Mr. Sainz announced, his gaze shifting down to his notes as he spoke.

Via listened intently, her attention fully focused on Mr. Sainz's words. The mention of the upcoming charity gala sparked a glimmer of excitement within her, despite the tension that hung in the air. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at being involved in such a prestigious event, even if her role was primarily behind the scenes.

As Mr. Sainz continued to outline the details of the gala, Via's mind raced with thoughts of the preparations that lay ahead. With each passing moment, she grew more determined to ensure the success of the event, her dedication to her work unwavering.

A brief knock at the door interrupted the meeting, capturing everyone's attention. Eleanor nudged Via, prompting her to answer the door. As Via opened it, she was met with the gaze of Junior, his pebble brown eyes locking with hers for a moment before he entered the boardroom and took his seat beside his father.

“Nice of you to join us, son.” Mr. Sainz remarked casually before continuing down his agenda. “Then later this week, Eleanor and I will be travelling to Spain to check in with our Barcelona branch.”

Via couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue at the mention of the Barcelona branch, her mind already racing with thoughts of the upcoming trip and the potential implications it held for the company.

“Navy blue suit, dotted navy tie.” Eleanor whispered to Via, her voice barely audible as she discreetly pointed out the man sitting next to Junior.

Via nodded in understanding, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took note of the man's attire. She understood the significance of Eleanor's instructions and was determined to carry them out with precision.

“Keep filling his glass. He's inclined to be more cooperative after a few drinks.” Eleanor added, her tone low and deliberate as she emphasised the importance of their strategy.

Via maintained her composure as she made her way down to where the man sat, her smile warm and professional as she caught his eye. As she poured the champagne into his glass, she felt a jolt of discomfort when the man's hand rested on the small of her back, his touch unwelcome and intrusive.

The action didn't go unnoticed by Junior, who shot Via a glance filled with icy disdain, clearly displeased by the man's inappropriate behaviour. In a silent display of solidarity, Junior nudged his champagne flute across the table for Via to pour into, a subtle gesture that did not escape her notice.

Grateful for Junior's intervention, Via poured the champagne into his glass, her nerves easing slightly as she glanced down at him. Despite his outward appearance of calm and collectedness, there was an underlying tension simmering beneath the surface, a silent promise of retribution for any further transgressions against her. 

“Thank you.” Junior murmured under his breath, his voice barely audible but loud enough for Via to hear.

With a small nod of appreciation, she resumed her position in the corner of the room, her focus sharpened as she continued to observe the proceedings with unwavering determination.

“And, as you have all seen, my son, Carlos Jr., will be working under me as he learns the business.” Mr. Sainz continued, his announcement drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

All eyes darted to Junior as Mr. Sainz spoke, and Junior responded with a confident smile, acknowledging the scrutiny with a sense of self-assurance. Despite the weight of expectations placed upon him, Junior remained composed, his demeanour poised and confident as he prepared to embark on his new role within the company.

Via couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue at the revelation, her thoughts swirling with questions about the implications of Junior's newfound position. With each passing moment, the dynamics within the room shifted, setting the stage for a new chapter in the company's journey, one in which Junior's presence would undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the future direction of the business.

“Why, sir? Are you planning a sabbatical of some kind?” The man next to Junior asked, his interruption causing a ripple of curiosity to sweep through the room.

“I assure you, Henry, I will not be going anywhere.” Mr. Sainz stated firmly, his tone laced with dry amusement as he addressed the impertinent question. “He wishes to be more involved in his family’s business, and I am happy to mentor him.”

Via observed the exchange with keen interest, noting the subtle shift in Mr. Sainz's demeanour as he responded to the man's inquiry. Despite the interruption, Mr. Sainz remained composed and in control, his unwavering commitment to the company's success evident in his response. With each passing moment, Via's admiration for Mr. Sainz's leadership only grew, solidifying her determination to follow his example and excel in her own role within the organisation.

Eleanor's almost imperceptible eye roll did not escape Via's notice, a silent acknowledgment of the frustration simmering beneath the surface at the need for Mr. Sainz to justify his son's presence to his subordinates. Via couldn't help but sympathise with Eleanor's sentiment, understanding the delicate balance of power dynamics within the corporate hierarchy. The fact that Mr. Sainz felt compelled to address the question spoke volumes about the complexities of familial relationships in the context of business, highlighting the intricacies of navigating personal and professional boundaries.

“On a less joyful note, we are faced with a continuous issue that is yet to be resolved. This was the case at the last quarterly meeting too.” Mr. Sainz continued, his tone shifting to one of seriousness as he addressed the room.

“On several occasions, we have seen confidential business information be leaked to the media, which has resulted in an unstable stock exchange and a loss of profits across numerous departments. My question is, why has this not been resolved? Did I not ask you to find the leak and take the appropriate steps to resolve the problem?” Mr. Sainz's voice held a note of frustration as he demanded answers from his team.

Via felt a sense of unease settle over the room as Mr. Sainz addressed the issue head-on, his words underscoring the gravity of the situation. The implications of the leaks were far-reaching, with potentially dire consequences for the company's financial stability and reputation.

As Mr. Sainz's gaze swept across the room, Via couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her colleagues, knowing that the pressure to find a solution weighed heavily on each of them. With each passing moment, the urgency of the situation became increasingly apparent, leaving Via with a sense of determination to do whatever it took to help resolve the issue and restore stability to the company.

“Sir, it’s not so easy to just find the leak.” Henry countered, his voice firm as he addressed Mr. Sainz, causing a ripple of attention to sweep through the room as everyone glanced in his direction. “All the departments have launched internal investigations which have yet to deliver any substantial evidence.”

Henry's words hung heavy in the air, his candid assessment highlighting the challenges inherent in uncovering the source of the leaks. Via couldn't help but feel a sense of empathy for her colleague as he spoke, recognizing the immense pressure he must be under to address the issue.

As the tension in the room mounted, Via braced herself for Mr. Sainz's response, knowing that the outcome of the meeting hung in the balance.

“Then try harder.” Mr. Sainz quipped, his tone edged with frustration as he pushed back against Henry's explanation.

“Mr. Sainz, we can’t just fire persons we suspect without any reliable evidence counting in our favour. The investigations need to run their course, and we will go from there.” Henry countered, his response firm but respectful as he defended the cautious approach to handling the situation.

Via observed the exchange with a mixture of apprehension and admiration, recognizing the delicate balance between Mr. Sainz's demands for action and Henry's commitment to due process. The tension in the room was palpable as the two men squared off, each advocating for their respective positions with unwavering determination.

“If you, and your departments, are incapable of conducting a simple investigation, perhaps I should get a third-party investigator in to assist. Perhaps that will lighten the burden on you, Henry,” Mr. Sainz spat, his frustration evident in his tone. “You would think three months would provide you with sufficient time to have at least some leads, but even that seems impossible. Have we truly appointed a bunch of fools to run the departments, or am I hallucinating?”

A chill ran down Via’s back as she listened to the CEO threaten his employees. Despite his harshness, Via couldn't help but acknowledge that he had a point. After three months of investigation, there should have been at least some progress made in uncovering the source of the leaks.

“Mr. Sainz, I assure you, we are trying our best to-" Henry attempted to reason, but Mr. Sainz cut him off abruptly.

“Not to worry, Henry. I will take the necessary measures to ensure this matter is dealt with as soon as possible. We can’t keep losing money as a result of your tardiness.” Mr. Sainz snapped, his tone final and uncompromising as he asserted his authority.

The room grew eerily quiet as the individuals around the table refused to meet the CEO’s eyes, their silence hanging heavy in the air like a palpable tension. Despite the subdued atmosphere, Junior remained a passive bystander, observing the heated meeting with a calm detachment that belied the intensity of the situation.

Via couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as she glanced around the room, noting the strained expressions and tense postures of her colleagues. The weight of Mr. Sainz's words lingered in the air, casting a shadow over the room as everyone grappled with the implications of his ultimatum.

As the gruelling forty minutes of the meeting came to an end, Mr. Sainz finally concluded the proceedings, and a collective sense of relief swept through the room as everyone rushed out, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere created by the grumpy CEO. Some lingered for a moment longer to greet Junior, undoubtedly hoping to curry favour with the influential figure.

However, amidst the flurry of activity, Carlos's attention was focused solely on Via. While others vied for his attention, he remained fixated on her, his gaze following her movements as she went about clearing the table of empty champagne flutes and discarding crumpled paper balls into the waste bin.

Via couldn't help but feel a sense of unease under Carlos's scrutiny, the intensity of his gaze leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable. Despite her discomfort, she remained composed, determined not to let her emotions show as she continued with her tasks, her mind racing with questions about the true nature of Carlos's interest in her.

Via's attention was momentarily diverted from her task as Eleanor's voice rippled through the room, breaking through the tension that lingered in the air. She turned to face Eleanor, her expression attentive as she awaited further instructions.

“Yes, Ms. Pope?” Via responded, her voice steady despite the undercurrent of uncertainty that coursed through her.

“I need you to come with me to Mr. Sainz's office. There are some matters we need to discuss.” Eleanor's gaze lingered on Via for a moment before she spoke again, her tone measured yet inscrutable.

Via's heart skipped a beat at Eleanor's words, a sense of apprehension settling over her as she followed Eleanor out of the boardroom and into the CEO's office. When Via and Eleanor entered Mr. Sainz’s office, they found Junior already in the midst of pouring whisky for his father and himself. The air in the room was thick with tension as Eleanor shut the door behind them, enveloping all four individuals in the confines of the office.

Senior's demeanour was visibly agitated as he threw his notepad down on the desk with a forceful gesture, causing Via to flinch slightly at the sudden movement. The sound echoed in the silence of the room, drawing Junior's attention as he placed his father’s drink down on the coaster on his desk.

“They are fucking imbeciles.” Senior's voice rumbled with palpable frustration, his words laced with contempt as he vented his frustration at the perceived incompetence of his employees. “Three months to conduct an internal investigation? That's unheard of.”

Eleanor, ever the composed presence in the room, wasted no time in addressing her boss's concerns.

“Would you like me to contact the PIs to start investigating?” She questioned, her voice steady despite the tension that permeated the air.

Mr. Sainz's expression softened slightly at Eleanor's offer, a hint of contemplation flickering in his eyes as he considered his next course of action.

“No. There's one more thing I want to do before we contact Verstappen.” He countered, his tone measured yet resolute as he hinted at a plan that had yet to be revealed.

Via listened intently to the exchange, her curiosity piqued by Mr. Sainz's cryptic words. With each passing moment, the anticipation in the room grew, leaving Via with a sense of apprehension about the unknown challenges that lay ahead.

“What’s the plan?” Eleanor wondered aloud, her curiosity mirroring Via's own as they awaited Mr. Sainz's response.

Mr. Sainz glanced briefly at Junior before his gaze settled on Via. With a decisive nod, he made his announcement, his words echoing through the room with unexpected clarity.

“You two will be running the investigation.” He declared, his voice carrying a weight of authority that brooked no argument.

Via's heart skipped a beat at the revelation, her mind racing with a flurry of questions and concerns. She exchanged a quick glance with Eleanor, their shared apprehension mirrored in each other's eyes. Via braced herself for the daunting task that awaited her, knowing that the success of the investigation would depend on her ability to rise to the occasion and prove herself worthy of Mr. Sainz's trust.

“Sir, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Eleanor quickly interjected, her concern evident in her voice as she voiced her reservations about the decision.

Mr. Sainz paused for a moment, considering Eleanor's question before offering his rationale. 

“Two young minds with clear perspectives is all we need. And, if I’m being honest, the leak could have been in that very meeting just now. A mistake will creep in at some point. I just want this handled.” He explained, his tone resolute as he defended his decision. “Will you two help us with this?”

Via felt a surge of apprehension at the weight of the responsibility placed upon her shoulders, but she knew that she couldn't afford to let her doubts overshadow her determination to succeed. With a sense of resolve, she met Mr. Sainz's gaze with unwavering determination.

“Yes, sir.” She agreed, her voice steady despite the uncertainty that lingered in the air.

Carlos, too, voiced his agreement, his expression solemn as he acknowledged the gravity of the task ahead.

“Yes, father.” He affirmed, his commitment unwavering as he prepared to embark on the investigation alongside Via.

As the reality of their new roles sank in, Via couldn't help but feel a sense of determination stirring within her. With Mr. Sainz's trust placed firmly in their hands, she knew that failure was not an option.

“Then it’s decided. Eleanor, will you make sure they have all the information they may need?” Mr. Sainz asked, his voice firm as he addressed Eleanor.

“Of course, sir.” Eleanor nodded in acknowledgment, her efficiency evident as she prepared to assist Via and Carlos in their new roles.

She turned to Via, her demeanour urgent as she grasped her arm, almost pulling her out of the office in her haste to get started on the investigation.

“Leave the girl.” Mr. Sainz requested, his tone softer as he settled back into his seat, signalling the end of the discussion.

Eleanor swallowed hard as she and Carlos exited the office, the weight of the impending investigation hanging heavy in the air. Meanwhile, Via turned back to face Mr. Sainz, her nerves fluttering as she awaited his next words.

“You can come closer, Ms. Driscoll. I don’t bite.” Mr. Sainz chuckled lightly, his demeanour surprisingly relaxed given the gravity of their conversation.

Via feigned a smile as she stepped closer to his desk, her curiosity piqued by his sudden change in tone.

“I’m sure you’re rather overwhelmed with all of this information.” He started, his voice gentle as he acknowledged the daunting task that lay ahead. “When we hire new staff members, we go through an extensive process in confirming their references. You’re one of very few employees who had a squeaky clean background.”

Via's heart skipped a beat at Mr. Sainz's words, her mind racing with a flurry of questions and concerns.

“May I ask where you’re heading with this, sir?” She asked, her voice steady despite the uncertainty that lingered in the air, catching Mr. Sainz by surprise.

“You’re direct. I like that.” Mr. Sainz remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice as he acknowledged Via's straightforwardness. “Eleanor has spoken very highly of you and commended your hard work. That’s why I would like you involved in this investigation. You seem to be quite level-headed, and that’s what I need in someone conducting this investigation. I also thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get Junior involved; a more hands-on approach, if you will.”

Via's heart swelled with a sense of pride at Mr. Sainz's words, her determination to succeed in the investigation growing stronger with each passing moment.

“Certainly, Mr. Sainz. Thank you.” She agreed, her voice steady as she expressed her gratitude for the opportunity.

“Of course, this is a confidential investigation. Not even the executives may know you or Junior are involved. Is that clear?” Mr. Sainz emphasised with his tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.

“Understood, sir.” Via assured him, her commitment to maintaining confidentiality unwavering as she prepared to embark on the investigation alongside Junior.

“Good.” Mr. Sainz smiled genuinely, a rare expression that softened his features. “That is all. Oh, please ask Junior to come in.”

Via nodded in acknowledgment as she rose from her seat, her mind still processing the weight of their conversation. She made her way to the door and opened it, fully expecting to find Junior waiting outside.

However, what she found on the other side was something she had not anticipated. Junior stood in front of Eleanor’s desk, his fists resting on the surface as he and Eleanor exchanged tense glances, the air thick with unspoken tension.

“You best tell your father to keep her out of this.” Eleanor warned, her voice laced with a hint of warning as she locked eyes with Junior, her demeanour unwavering despite the palpable tension between them.

Realising the gravity of the situation, Via quietly clicked the office door shut behind her, determined to prevent Mr. Sainz from overhearing their conversation. With each passing moment, the sense of unease in the air grew, leaving Via with a sinking feeling that there were more secrets lurking beneath the surface than she had initially realised.

“It’s too late, Eleanor. She’s already involved.” Carlos countered, his voice firm as he defended his father’s decision. “When are you going to stop questioning my father’s decisions?”

With a tense silence hanging in the air, Carlos pushed himself off Eleanor’s desk, his movements betraying the undercurrents of frustration and tension that simmered beneath the surface. As he turned towards his father’s office, his gaze inadvertently met Via's, and for a fleeting moment, the intensity in his eyes softened.

“Your father is asking for you.” Via stated softly, her voice breaking through the tension-filled atmosphere as she watched Carlos's demeanour shift, his wound-up body gradually softening in response to her words.

In that brief exchange, Via couldn't help but sense the complexity of the dynamics at play, the underlying tensions between father and son, as well as the unspoken connection that seemed to linger between Carlos and Eleanor.

Despite his softened demeanour, Carlos pushed past Via and entered his father’s office without a word, leaving Via to quietly close the door behind him. As the latch clicked into place, the tension in the air seemed to dissipate, leaving Via alone with Eleanor, whose stance had weakened considerably since Carlos's departure. 

Via approached Eleanor cautiously, concern etched into her features as she observed her colleague collapse onto her chair, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as if she had been holding them in for far too long.

“Is everything okay?” Via inquired gently, her voice laced with genuine concern as she reached out to offer Eleanor some comfort.

Eleanor scoffed at the question, her frustration evident in the sharpness of her tone as she struggled to regain her composure. Despite her outward bravado, Via could sense the vulnerability that lay beneath Eleanor's tough exterior, leaving her with a sinking feeling that there was more to Eleanor's distress than met the eye.

“Yes, Via, everything is perfectly fine. I just love babysitting my boss’s son. And, now you’re saddled up with him too.” Eleanor sarcastically replied, her words dripping with bitterness as Via made her way back to her desk. "As if we don’t have more important things to worry about."

Via couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at Eleanor's pointed remark, knowing that her involvement in the investigation had only added to her colleague's burden. With a heavy sigh, she settled back at her desk, the weight of the day's events lingering in the air like a thick fog.

Later that evening, as Via made her way out of the building, the sound of rain echoed off the pavement, its steady rhythm matching the tumultuous thoughts swirling in her mind. On any other day, she might have welcomed the rain as a soothing reprieve from the chaos of the day, but tonight it felt like an ominous portent of the challenges that lay ahead.

Via couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her, a nagging sense that the storm clouds gathering overhead were just the beginning of a much larger storm looming on the horizon.

Seeking refuge from the relentless rain, Via hurried into a cosy coffee shop just a block away from the office building. The soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped her as she navigated through the bustling crowd, her thoughts still consumed by the events of the day and the impending interaction with Carlos for the investigation.

Finding solace in a seat close to the window, Via fumbled through her purse in search of her phone, her fingers trembling slightly with anticipation. Though she wasn't completely drenched, her hair glistened with droplets that threatened to obscure her phone's screen as she finally managed to unlock it.

With a sigh of frustration, Via opened the Uber app, only to be met with disappointment as she realised there were no available rides nearby.

“Wonderful.” She muttered under her breath, her irritation mounting with each passing moment.

Resigned to her fate, Via removed her coat and hung it over the back of her chair before scrolling through her contacts in search of Neil's number. Amidst the chaos of the crowded coffee shop, she longed for the comfort of familiar company, hoping that Neil would be able to offer some semblance of solace in the midst of her turbulent thoughts.

“Hey, Via.” Neil answered after a few rings, concern evident in his voice. “What's up?”

“The rain!” Via exclaimed, her voice shaky from the cold as she recounted her predicament.

“Where are you? I'll come pick you up.” Neil offered without hesitation, his willingness to help warmed Via's heart despite the chill in the air.

After providing Neil with her location and directions, Via sent him her exact coordinates and hung up, feeling a sense of relief knowing that help was on the way. She tucked her phone away and rubbed her hands together, attempting to generate some warmth as she waited for Neil's arrival.

As Via glanced out of the window, her heart skipped a beat when she spotted Carlos walking by and entering the busy coffee shop. She instinctively turned away, hoping to avoid any awkward encounters, but she couldn't shake the feeling of his presence lingering in the air like a familiar scent.

Carlos stood in line, patiently waiting to place his order, his eyes scanning the crowded coffee shop until they landed on Via's familiar figure. Despite his efforts to maintain a casual demeanour, a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he observed her from a distance. He found himself drawn to her, his curiosity piqued by their brief interactions earlier in the day.

Their eyes met briefly in the reflection of the window, sparking a moment of silent recognition between them before Carlos tore his gaze away, his thoughts consumed by the enigma that was Via. Her voice echoed in his mind, its soothing yet firm tone reminiscent of his mother's, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue.

Meanwhile, Neil entered the coffee shop, his eyes scanning the bustling crowd until they landed on Via. With determination in his stride, he made his way towards her, every effort focused on catching her attention and ensuring her safety amidst the chaos of the storm.

“Via!” Neil exclaimed, his voice cutting through the air and drawing both Ana's and Carlos's attention.

Ana turned to see Neil approaching, a warm smile on his face as he helped her into her coat. Carlos's gaze remained fixed on the interaction, his curiosity piqued by the familiarity between Ana and Neil, and the ease with which they shared physical contact.

“It's freezing, and I really just want to get home.” Ana informed Neil, her voice tinged with a hint of urgency as she leaned into his comforting presence.

Neil nodded in understanding, more than happy to assist his friend in any way he could. As they made their way out of the coffee shop, Carlos quickly grabbed his coffee order and followed behind them, the chill of the night air driving them closer together as they sought warmth in each other's company.

“You're shaking, Annie. I have an extra coat in the car.” Neil observed, concern evident in his voice as he pulled Ana closer to him, offering her the comfort and support she needed in that moment.

As Neil and Via reached Neil's car, Via's gaze wandered to the sleek Ferrari parked next to it, realising it belonged to Carlos. She couldn't help but feel a pang of recognition as Carlos greeted her by her full name.

“Olivia.” Carlos greeted her.

“Hello.” Via responded vaguely, her mind still reeling from the encounter as she hurried into Neil's car, eager to put some distance between herself and Carlos.

Carlos's smile faded into a frown as he watched Via retreat, his thoughts swirling with questions and uncertainties. He climbed into his own car, his expression unreadable as he started the engine and drove off with an air of determination.

Back in Neil's car, Via's unease lingered as Neil buckled his seatbelt, his question hanging in the air.

“Who was that?” He wondered aloud, his curiosity reignited by the unexpected interaction.

“That's the boss's son.” Via explained, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension as she glanced out of the window, still processing the encounter.

“Oh! Well, he is attractive.” Neil chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood with a playful remark. “Maybe you should be a bit nicer to him.”

Via managed a weak smile in response, though her thoughts remained consumed by the enigmatic figure of Carlos Sainz Jr. and the mysteries surrounding him.

[kirimoochi]

confidential relationship.

₊˚ ᗢ alhaitham x ceo/gn!reader, modern au.

⤷ what is he like, when he's in a relationship with a ceo?

Al-Haitham has a satisfactory job. He doesn’t do more than he has to. He comes in early as 9 am and clocks out every day at 5 pm. His only job is to report files and sort them out at the office. He makes coffee in the morning and always refills his cup every few hours or so. It was nothing too special. At least, not to your caliber. 

You wake up earlier than him, freshening yourself up and leaving the bedroom when the sun just barely peeks over the horizon. As the owner of a successful entertainment brand, you tend to show up to the office sooner than everyone else. Dressed professionally head to toe, you press a kiss to Al-Haitham’s forehead before leaving. He stirs in his sleep. His arms wrap themselves around the pillow you’ve replaced your presence with. He buries his nose into the fabric and inhales deeply. Too entranced in his dreams to know you’ve left for work.

Although you and he have been in a long-term, exclusive relationship, neither of you expressed it out loud. Even when you moved into his apartment, it has always been a quiet business. You met during your freshman year of college during orientation. The two of you hit it off quite well, with him being a linguistics major and you being in business. Neither of your classes was close to each other but you always made time to meet him in the middle for some coffee. What started as casual conversations about books led to something more romantic when he presses you against the soft cushions of his sofa. His forehead leaning against yours as he whispers to you a not-so-romantic confession about his feelings.

Going back to the present: His face gets a little red and warm when he sees a bouquet laying on his desk. Based on the variety and scent, he can infer that it came from you. He picks up a singular strand and holds it up to the tip of his nose, inhaling slightly to capture the aroma. He figures that you must have had it delivered earlier this morning. Did you call right before he woke up? He tucks the flower back into the vase. He lets a small smile crack his stoic expression.

Before he could pick it up and rearrange it in his room, Tighnari peeks through the door with a smile. Instead of asking about the mistitled files, he asks if the man received flowers from a secret admirer. He notes that the daisies and clematis produced a sweet smell that freshened his stuffy office. This causes Al-Haitham to shake his head and slam the door, replying to him only through emails about work. He’s glad that you sent these anonymously. He wouldn’t hear the end of it if you were to see his tinted ears. 

During break hours, he would take the elevator to your office. He is quick to look and scan his surroundings before pressing the top floor. He dares not to ruin your reputation in this empire you’ve worked so hard to create. All those all-nighters in college, planning out your company with empty cups of coffee was not to be wasted just because he couldn’t hold his desire to see you. He clears his throat when he walks out, taking a few steps in the left hallway to reach your private quarters. He knocks several times in a rhythm only you can understand. And with a few seconds and clicks, the door unlocks. 

You pull him into you, eagerly wrapping your arms around his waist as he smiles. With one hand holding his lunch, he uses the other to hold onto you. He kisses the crown of your head, whispering to you a soft, “hello.” He quietly guides you to one of your sofas, pulling you beside him as he continues to kiss your ear. You mumble a few protests in return but submit to his touches. He was waiting all day to see you and now that he has you, he doesn’t want to let go so easily.

At last, your stomach growls, leading to the two of you parting and chuckling a bit. He pulls out his lunch while you open up yours. You talk about how stressful it was to book Kamisato Ayato for a commercial promoting Yae Miko’s newest show: Cupid’s Lovestory. You and he lean into each other, with him sneaking a few bites of your food while you pout. 

“Al-Haitham! You ate my favorite part.”  “I made it for you, the least you could do is share a bit with me.”

[book--brackets]

Best Fantasy Book Poll Links

Preliminary Rounds

Poll 1: The Hobbit - Circe (here)

Poll 2: The Night Circus - Coraline (here)

Poll 3: The Mistborn Saga - The Stormlight Archive (here)

Poll 4: The BFG - Daughter of Smoke & Bone (here)

Poll 5: The Raven Cycle - Earthsea Cycle (here)

Poll 6: Simon Snow - Legacy of Orisha (here)

Poll 7: Anansi Boys - Legends & Lattes (here)

Poll 8: The Scholomance - The Locked Tomb (here)

Poll 9: Song of the Lioness - The School for Good and Evil (here)

Poll 10: DragonLance: Chronicles - Otherworld (here)

Poll 11: Temeraire - The Queen's Thief (here)

Poll 12: The Liveship Traders - Seven Realms (here)

Poll 13: The Two Princesses of Bamarre - Falling Kingdoms (here)

Poll 14: The Wicked + the Divine - Chronicles of the Black Company (here)

Poll 15: Curse Workers - The Near Witch (here)

Poll 16: Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar - The Riyria Chronicles (here)

Poll 17: Green Rider - The Deep (here)

Poll 18: Fledgling - The Elric Saga (here)

Poll 19: Young Wizards - Reckless (here)

Poll 20: Her Majesty's Royal Coven - The Saint of Steel (here)

Poll 21: The Magic Thief - Furthermore (here)

Poll 22: Valdemar: Mage Wars - Girls Made of Snow and Glass (here)

Poll 23: Dragonkeeper Chronicles - Faerie Tale (here)

Poll 24: The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy - The Squire's Tales (here)

Poll 25: The Cemeteries of Amalo - Stoneheart (here)

Poll 26: The 13 Clocks - Deeplight (here)

Poll 27: The Chronicles of Faerie - Guides for Dating Vampires (here)

Poll 28: Once & Future - Birthright (here)

Poll 29: Kingdoms and Empires - Lyra (here)

Poll 30: Star Wars: Jedi Quest - Wildworld (here)

Poll 31: Troll Trilogy - The Merlin Spiral (here)

Poll 32: Codebearers - Knights of Liofwende (here)

Round 1

Poll 1: Lord of the Rings vs Spellbound (here)

Poll 2: Howl's Moving Castle vs Zachary Ying (here)

Poll 3: Song of the Lioness vs The Tarot Sequence (here)

Poll 4: Lockwood & Co. vs The Unicorn Chronicles (here)

Poll 5: Circle of Magic vs Dragon Slippers (here)

Poll 6: The Queen's Thief vs Valdemar: Vows and Honor (here)

Poll 7: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard vs The Edge Chronicles (here)

Poll 8: Artemis Fowl vs Star Wars: Jedi Quest (here)

Poll 9: Discworld vs The Fairy Realm (here)

Poll 10: The Locked Tomb vs The Cemeteries of Amalo (here)

Poll 11: The Immortals Quartet vs Deltora Quest (here)

Poll 12: The Sisters Grimm vs Young Wizards (here)

Poll 13: The Keys to the Kingdom vs The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (here)

Poll 14: Princess Academy vs In Other Lands (here)

Poll 15: Simon Snow vs Hexwood (here)

Poll 16: Good Omens vs The Merlin Spiral (here)

Round 2

Poll 1: The Lord of the Rings vs The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (here)

Poll 2: Song of the Lioness vs The Locked Tomb (here)

Poll 3: Howl's Moving Castle vs The Immortals Quartet (here)

Poll 4: Lockwood & Co. vs Discworld (here)

Poll 5: Artemis Fowl vs Young Wizards (here)

Poll 6: The Queen's Thief vs Simon Snow (here)

Poll 7: Magnus Chase vs Princess Academy (here)

Poll 8: Circle of Magic vs Good Omens (here)

Round 3

Poll 1: The Lord of the Rings vs The Locked Tomb (here)

Poll 2: Howl's Moving Castle vs Discworld (here)

Poll 3: Artemis Fowl vs The Queen's Thief (here)

Poll 4: Magnus Chase vs Circle of Magic (here)

Semifinals

Poll 1: The Lord of the Rings vs Discworld (here)

Poll 2: The Queen's Thief vs Circle of Magic (here)

Finals

The Lord of the Rings vs The Queen's Thief (here)

[duhnova]

The Kings Gambit: Bound (Teaser)

pairing: lawyer!yoon jeonghan x fem!reader

SERIES genre: smut (eventually), slow burn (incredibly slow im sorry), angst, fluff (more is on the taglist form/ will be added as i continue to write)

TEASER genre: fluff, mentions of food, mentions of a gun, humor?

word count: 911 (for the teaser), fic is looking at 40k+

synopsis: Money never came easy for Jeonghan, so when he finally built an empire that’s just his own he’ll do anything to protect it. But when you come into his life it’s like it’s all flipped upside down as he learns you’re more precious to him than the eleven digit number in his bank account.

a/n: there is no posting/completion date for this fic yet so please be patient with me - this is a labor of love (sweat, and tears LITERALLY) and i am sitting at about 21k+ words with A LOT more to go. i will be posting the fic to my ao3 as well, there it'll be one big thing versus here i will probably have to break it up into parts to keep tumblr from imploding on itself. (so if you want the full fic all at once i'd follow my ao3 but you're in no way obligated too! the full fic will be published here regardless <3). i might post more teasers and behind the scenes in the future as i write more just because of how long this fic is going to be.

collab masterlist || taglist || bound masterlist (coming soon...)

“Now I see why Joshua likes you so much.” He stepped closer, only stopping when he notices the way she shifts, like she was uncertain of him. “What’s your name?”

“Y/N,” She mumbles wearily, not to sure of Jeonghans intentions. “I’m Mr. Hongs assistant.” 

“Y/N?” He tests her name out, loving the way it tastes on his tongue and loving even more the way her jaw clenches a little. “It’s nice to meet you.” He sticks his hand out for her to shake, the coat that was resting loosely on his shoulders shifted. 

“Nice.. To meet you too.” Y/N mumbles, shaking his hand almost hesitantly. 

“So, how’d you come about working for grumpy ol Shua?” Jeonghan lets his arm fall to hide within his jacket again. 

“He uh..” She clears her throat, allowing her voice to come out stronger. “He pulled my file from the old company I was working for and decided he wanted me to work for him instead and now here I am.” She shrugs like its the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Sounds like something he would do, he hates having others come to him. He’d rather hunt on his own so he knows what he’s getting himself into y’know?” He looks down at his watch to check the time, tsking quietly. 

“Yeah I know.” She looks up at the clock to mimic Jeonghan's action. 

“Why’d you take up his offer?” His eyes went straight back to staring into hers. “I assume its cause he offered you more?”

“Partially.” Is all she gives him to work with.

“Oh?” His interest was peaked double now at her vagueness.

“I just wanted out of there, thats all. Why do you care anyways?” She gives him a suspicious look. 

“I don’t care actually, I’m just trying to kill time.” He shrugs his shoulders before checking his watch again. “Which leads me to ask, do you have any plans for lunch?” He looks at her through his eyelashes before looking at his wrist again, watching the second hand tick. 

“Excuse me?” She frowns confused.

“Well I have a reservation for two at this italian restaurant downtown and since Shua flaked on me to meet one of his girls I assume, I’m down a lunch partner now.” He tries to gauge her feelings but her face is still set in a confused downturn. 

“What, is day drinking alone at noon too taboo for you Yoon?” The way she crosses her arms and smirks playfully tells him she left all the formalities out on purpose just to tick him off. 

“It’s Mr. Yoon.. Or sir if that floats your boat more, sweetheart.” He runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek, enjoying the way she swallows before scoffing. 

“And its Y/N sir.” Jeonghan smirks, his teeth on display before hes tilting his head a little.

“Do you want to join me for lunch Y/N?”

“Something is telling me to say no but I’m starving and in desperate need of a margarita.” She lets her shoulders slump a little. “So yes, I’ll join you for lunch Mr. Yoon.”

“Whose the day drinker now huh?” He laughs a little when she shoots him a glare. 

“Do you think I’d get fired if I cut your tongue out?” Y/N finally moves away from the desk so she could walk around Jeonghan to grab her coat that she hung up when she first entered the office earlier. 

“I’m sure Shua would give you a raise, he wouldn’t have to listen to me anymore.” Jeonghan snorts as he moves to open the door for her, letting her exit the room first. 

“Thank you.” She gives him a small nod as she walks out and down the hall, barely giving him time to close the door behind himself and catch up before shes calling for an elevator. 

“So how old are you?” He tried to make small talk now that an awkward silence fell over them. 

“I’m twenty-four..” She clutches her jacket a little. “You?” 

“Twenty-eight..” He bites his tongue so he doesn’t let it slip that he still had a birthday to get to this year. The elevator dings, signaling its arrival and it causes another awkward silence to fall over the two of them as they have a straight ride down to the lobby. 

“Hey Y/N!” Hoshis voice calls from the front desk where he was sitting in for one of the receptionists while they took their break. “I tried to tell Mr. Yoon that Mr. Hong wasn’t here but he wouldn’t listen.. Sorry bout that.” He laughs sheepishly causing her to give him a gentle smile. 

“It’s quite alright, me and him are actually going to get some lunch so I’ll see you in an hour or so?” She gives him a small wave as Jeonghan ghosts his hand on her lower back, guiding her in the correct direction while shes distracted. 

“So you can smile.” He hisses a little when she jabs her elbow into his side, hissing herself when she hit something hard.

“What was that?” She huffs, rubbing her elbow a little. 

“Thats where I keep my gun.” He mumbles, side eyeing the people around them as he leads her towards the side street he had to park on since he left his pass to get into their private garage on his desk. 

“You have a gun?” Y/N gives him an incredulous look.

reblogs + feedback is greatly appreciated!

[deusvervewrites]

Escaping Gravity X Princeling:

All for One never really cared about the woman he picked to produce a living quirk storage unit for him. She served her purpose, and was promptly disposed of afterwards.

Inko Midoriya, on the other hand…

There was something about that woman. Something that brought him back after the first time they met. Something that had him spending time with her even when he could be working to benefit his criminal empire instead.

There were some weeks he found himself spending more time as Hisashi than as All for One, with assistants such as Kurogiri keeping an eye on important matters while he was off enjoying human company in a way he hadn’t in centuries.

Then, one day, All for One stopped returning entirely. Those under his employ kept to their tasks, expecting that he may reappear at any moment… but he never did.

All Might and Nighteye continued their campaign against AFO’s criminal empire, and safehouse after hideout after laboratory was seized by the authorities while their Master failed to resurface.

All Ochako knows is that her “Father” was showing up less and less frequently until it felt like he had been gone for a very long time. She didn’t have a clock in the vault, so she didn’t know how long, but she certainly noticed when she ran out of food. Kurogiri never let that happen before… but it had been a while since she last saw him. Had she just been forgotten? Abandoned? Left to die inside of this prison?

Tearing open the door of the vault with all the ease of crushing an empty soda can, All Might gazed upon the interior… and he found not riches or weapons, nor drugs or sensitive documents… but a little girl.

About a decade later, Yagi Ochako freezes outside the gates of UA as she makes eye contact with a green-haired boy who has hundreds of quirks.

Well then

[bleachbleachbleach]

[Bleach 079]

Renji????? Excuse me, but respectfully, what. Aizen-san? Aizen-SAN? What is this?

I cannot conjure a single reason or reasonable circumstance where anyone in the Gotei--vice-captain and below--would not refer to a captain with the honorific -taichou. Maybe this read-through will prove me wrong, but I don't... I don't think so? Especially Renji, because I have always felt that if any VC were going to win a speedrun of "list all the captains," it would be Renji. (Nanao also knows this info well; Renji can just shout faster.) I should probably revise this headcanon based on the fact that he doesn't remember that Hitsugaya exists and he's out here Aizen-san'ing his former captain, but I shall not be.

Renji just seems like the kind of person who would study all the captains, and kinda have them all clocked. I feel like if Renji and Rukia had spent more time in school together, they would have ended up making Captain trading cards. Renji would supply all the info, and Rukia the illustrations. They'd be study guides, technically, but Rukia figures, I am not drawing all these dumb captains unless we can monetize this, and they start a whole trading card micro-empire. (Renji does propose this to Kira and Hinamori, but Kira thinks its gauche and Hinamori doesn't think anyone would need captain trading cards because there's only 13 of them to memorize. Just keep writing your share of the kidou flashcards, Renji, there are over 9000. Well, maybe one captain flashcard.)

Punk vibes he may have, but Renji's also well aware of how rank works and he will walk the walk; he's a company man. (Yes, he challenges his own captain in open combat in the middle of an active invasion. He does do that. But he knew that's what he was doing, and the contrast is the point--)

Renji does later call him Aizen-taichou, so there's that:

What momentary madness took him over. Was it the squiggly dialogue that threw him off? Was it the stress of dropping Rukia off at her execution tower? Who has he been hanging out with who'd call Aizen 'Aizen-san' and poison his BRAIN like that. Though lol, Ichimaru does refer to Byakuya as "Kuchiki-taichou-san" when he and Zaraki go pop in at the 6th, so maybe it was thinking about Ichimaru that addled him.

Because we also have Renji and Ichimaru, who at least in his internal narrative Renji doesn't seem to respect all that much. He says "Ichimaru no yarou," which is a masculine, crude way of referring to someone. To a superior officer (or honestly any co-worker), it's rude as hell. Though, granted, Renji is only being as rude about Ichimaru internally as Hitsugaya is rude about Renji out loud, so. XD Take that as you will.

But it does make me wonder about what their VC-subordinate relationship was like, what the circumstances of Renji's leaving the 5th were, and whether Kira's devotion to Ichimaru came out of his time in the 5th or whether it was cultivated only afterward, in the 3rd. And if it was in the 5th, how did this impact Renji and Kira's relationship? I'm in love with all of these potentials. Honestly I'm kind of into the idea that the Nerd Squad were all kind of mid about Ichimaru as a VC, and that when Kira eventually ends up becoming VC of 3rd he's resigned about it--only for the relationship to change. And at some point Renji realizes he can't joke about Ichimaru with Kira any more, like they used to.

[sharonisthebettercarter]

contemplated at shooting annie (which he unnecessarily did)

punched Hughie for stopping him from killing Kimiko’s brother, Kenji, right in front of her. Then said if he got in the way of him reuniting with Becca, he’d kill Hughie too.

Used an infant as a weapon and threatened to kill them

Is a hypocrite himself (obviously)

Killed a whale

Drugged Marvin

He was willing to sell Ryan to Vought knowing that it would likely mean another Homelander. He didn't care, because it meant he would have Becca.

Insulted Ryan, TO BECCA'S FACE (honestly, Becca should've never tried to make Billy like, let alone tolerate Ryan if she knew that Billy has a weak connection with children and is distrustworthy around them. Like she should've just told him to kick rocks and make sure he won't have a hand in raising Ryan either)

He said that Becca could just "have another kid", not understanding that kids aren't replaceable, like objects (jewelry, cars, houses, etc.) That attitude is fucking horrifying if you're a parent, and I'd worry that he would have that attitude towards any kids (whether mere mortal or supe)

He betrayed his team multiple times

Threatened to kill hughie multiple times

doesn’t care who he hurts in the process

Gaslighted ryan

Let's also add the fact that he CHEATED ON BECCA WHEN THEY WERE TOGETHER

Attempts to kidnap Zoe (based on what the trailers implying)

UNALIVES 2 CHARACTERS AT LEAST (ONE MAIN CHARACTER) wouldn't surprise me if it turns out to be Hughie, considering he threated to unalive Hughie numerous of times.

In all honesty, I hope he hallucinates an angry Becca and Becca's ghost haunts him in the next seasons, like Rhonda's ghost haunted Anika in "Empire".

don't forget unnecessarily attempted to blow up teddy stillwell~!

this shit would be why i roll my eyes anytime someone calls billy an 'aNtI-hErO' or 'gOoD', leik Y'ALL--

lol oh no dear gawd you poor bitch, my dear sweet beautiful angel baby child~<3

just wait until we get to the end of the story or even just a *little* bit further along... this ain't even the half of it...

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the ever expanding shit list on butcher can make homie look tame at times, but yeah no~. def not a good guy, def not right in anyway, one of the big main points of the story is proving butcher wrong and showing just how far his own head was up his own ass.

he's a secondary villain to the series, primary being h--VOUGHT (but also since people forget our *actual* hero is HUGHIE, and that the supes themselves are a SYMPTOM not the actual source of the problems *cough*cough*HEY REMEMBER STARLIGHT WHO EXISTS??* OR THIS WHOLE ASS ABUSIVE FUCKIN' COMPANY THAT EXPLOITS CHILDREN AND EXPERIMENTS ON BABIES LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS??????) and leik. he is *made* specifically to disappoint and prove the reader/viewer *wrong* about him (apart from prove himself wrong) by being his absolute worst with zero excuses for it at legit every chance he gets. mainly by being a serial killer butt~

he's *designed* to toy with our emotions and the hope that we see some *good* in him or give him the benefit of the doubt, because we are seeing the story mostly from *hughie's* perspective, and that is specifically how *HUGHIE* feels about him. and some are def blind to it (like hughie lmao) but some can see through butcher's bullshit (like *annie*)

like his whole damn niche is *dragging* homelander down to his level and causing chaos beyond his own wildest wet dreams at the *expense* of everyone else, and homie clocked that motherfucker before giving him the promise of that ticking time bomb explosion because butcher ain't the only one pushing him too far--but he is certainly the most devoted.

his *obsession* with homie completely consumes his life and everything he does. homelander *hardly* cares about billy beyond his being a persistent thorn in his side that *occasionally* provides *some* level of interest.

i think an easy gauge at what's really going on is to look no further than annie's perspective. many people are more than willing to overlook butcher's bullshit, but annie describes what's going on probably better than anyone i've seen.

for homie? she specifically says. "there's something *wrong* with homelander", but with butcher she just gets fuckin' mad MAD because HE. KNOWS. BETTER. and does worse.

the framing there isn't a mistake. leik at all.

post gen v, i saw a bunch of people calling for the gen v kids to join the boys or for butcher to 'adopt' them and the only thing i could think was 'dear fuckin' satan, for the love of GAWD, PLEASE NO' because the only thing butcher does and *would* do is~

ABUSE.

USE.

MURDER WHEN THEY ARE NO LONGER OF USE.

LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT.

it is LITERALLY all he does the WHOLE fuckin' time, and it's comin' to a head cause there is only so much bullshit his team will tolerate, and i--.

MM IS BETTER ANYWAY AND IF ANYONE SHOULD BE DOING ANY ADOPTING--

i need butcher... to stay THE FUCK *away* from the gen v kids because *when* he hurts them i will lose my shit--

i don't think hughie will die. given the comic, he's actually one of the few people i would say is actually guaranteed to survive (again, goes back to people forgetting *hughie* is our protagonist, NOT butcher), but he may be the one who ends up killing butcher, def not before billy does a ton of damage to showcase what an irredeemable scumbag he really is (i love him, i really do BUTT JESUS fuckin' CHRIST MAN--)

when it comes to ryan, that's a whole 'nother can o worms, but there's a part of me that honestly feels billy only protected him--not because he actually gives a shit about ryan specifically (let's not forget that moment he was about to beat ryan to death when becca died), but because he actually does care specifically about *keeping his promise to becca* and the leverage that ryan *is* over homelander.

and while i do think it's possible that through that and in his own twisted round about way, he *cares* for ryan in a similar way he cares for hughie (mostly just the connection to becca tho), i also think it's pretty likely there is a part of him that deeply resents ryan *specifically*, i think its SUPER duper fuckin' likely that as soon as billy gets the idea in his head that:

'ryan is a lost cause and can't be saved'?

*and* he's no longer of use to billy?

that poor kid's gonna fall to the 'just another supe freak/only worth somethin' dead' list for billy. :/

and i get it, it is fuckin' infuriating but he is supposed to be infuriating because we're supposed to realize just how full of shit and actually evil he really is under the bravado. he's just another extremist opposite of homelander to the point where even their desires and presentation, inner and outer, ring opposite.

boi is a wannabe frank castle with ZERO fuckin' principles.

but yeah, once you get to the point of trying to BLOW UP A FUCKIN' BABY, i--

[everlastiingiimmortals]

a few thoughts on dr. ratio for now! (these thoughts are sponsored by luna and starry, ty friends)

"Veritas Ratio" isn't his true name. he absolutely chose it for himself, this pompous ass. tRuTh AnD rEaSoN. god. smh. anyway his real name is Andreas (last name pending)

as a side note, he's Roman-themed (his full name is Latin) but i do prefer the original concept of him being more associated with Athena, and therefore Greek-themed. I'm a tiny bit sad about losing the mask but the stupid roman bust is infinitely funnier so it's worth it.

as a side side note I do think it's an interesting commentary on roman... well. romanticization if he's originally greek. I took a class in my freshman year on the influence of the Roman Empire on Greek literature and culture and vice versa and I'd love to brush up on that again

favorite flower is a peony, but he's also fond of Micromeria acropolitana which is an incredibly rare plant (it ONLY grows on the Acropolis of Athens irl) due to its history and symbolism.

the first thing he looks at when he meets someone new are their eyes. they say eyes are the windows to the soul, and that's very true to him; one look can tell him how intelligent someone is, and it's usually through that first impression that he determines whether someone will be worth his time or not, unless he's later surprised (he would rather be wrong and pleasantly surprised by someone being smarter than he clocked them than waste his time on someone disappointing and irritating).

favorite animal is an owl. he's also fond of crows.

Luna asked if I thought he was an optimist, pessimist, or realist. I initially said he is a realist... but after thinking on it more I'd say he's more an idealist. he just portrays it as practicality and is such an asshole that often times he seems to trend on pessimism.

favorite Astral Express member is Himeko (hi Koi). least favorite is March 7th.

despite his sharp tongue and strict attitude, especially when teaching, he's not one to shy away from praise when approving of others. his expectations are high, but he's not afraid to let his students know when they've met them.

he's not afraid of nudity. doesn't even really bat an eye about it either, he doesn't get flustered around nakey people or being nakey himself. to him, the human form is a beautiful thing (and look at him, he's literally a mfing Adonis. those muscles?????) and it's not something to hide. he'll tell you that ideally he'd go around in the nude if not for the fact that humans are poorly insulated compared to other warm blooded animals with their fur, feathers, or blubber, and that it'd be greatly frowned by societal standards (this latter point is genuinely secondary to him than being exposed to the elements).

when not teaching or bashing people for being stupid, he's actually fairly quiet. much of his time is spent reading, studying, and educating himself on all manner of things. he can honestly be quite peaceful company if you don't bother him, but he's also quite sensitive to having eyes on him. hence, the sensory deprivation helmet (LMAO).

he seems to me to be an architect? but he's also a philosopher? i feel like he strives to be a master of all trades, as impossible of a feat as that is. after all, one cannot eradicate ignorance in all things if oneself is ignorant in some things, but these two things are his expertise. (subject to change with more info)

his definition of "stupidity" is not not knowing things, but rather lacking in common sense and critical thinking. to Ratio, stupid questions absolutely exist. the problem doesn't come with not knowing something, but not using your brain or being unwilling to learn about said thing. stupidity is a willingness or insistence on staying ignorant, and it's the easiest way to send him into a spite induced lecture before he gets fed up and just puts on the bust to literally shut people out.

[redstringraven]

hey, @bellathetmntgeckolady, thanks for the tag!! ( •̀ ω •́ )✧ i've not done one of these in a long time, so this'll be fun! i think things like this are nice little community builders; it's a shame not to see them as often.

"the rules of the game are to write one song for every letter in your url, and then tag as many people as there are letters in your url." reposting because those reblog chains get longggg.

also, i made a temporary spotify playlist if that's easier listening.

r - reverence ; hammock e - end of small sanctuary ; akira yamaoka d - dúlaman ; celtic woman s - spanish sahara ; foals t - tsunami ; fløre r - rainy day ; alec holowka i - inner universe ; origa n - no turning back ; olivier deriviere, eric maria couturier g - give a fuck ; tezatalks r - resting grounds ; christopher larkin a - apocalypse ; sleeperstar v - voidfish (plural) ; rachel rose mitchell e - empires ; ruelle n - neglected space ; imogen heap

if you're tagged, no pressure to take part! i'll be tagging a mix of pals and folks i've never tagged before but who seem in my orbit. ...if your @ didn't work, i hope you see this somehow. <xD;;; take care!

@plantdonut, @grozva, @joyfuladorable, @sftgnge, @gatorkid509, @mojimallow, @badatusernames, @vdragon-creations, @adenthemage, @roquog, @maddys-nerd-blog, @yellowhollyhock, @figuringitoutasigoalong, @cheesy-che, @sassatello

because i'm insufferable, i'll also put some small character/song relevant thoughts under the cut. as a treat to myself.

reverence: this song gives me the feeling of being out on casey's farmhouse porch on late summer afternoon or at sunset. everyone's just kind of basking in the warmth, downtime, and company of each other. some might be napping, those awake are making quiet, idle conversation. it's just nice.

end of small sanctuary: this one always makes me think of raph and gwyn, specifically, sitting on city high-point at sunset. much like how it's used in SH3 when heather is just being a teenager at the mall and is probably music she'd listen to, this very much gives me the energy and warmth of raph and gwyn sitting in the setting sun, high above the city, with maybe some food and light conversation. a breath between The Horrors™.

dúlaman: i've been trying to find and listen to more celtic/irish music for a lot of reasons (so if you know any pls gib), but one is to better cultivate the sound and energy of liáfsian folksongs and music.

spanish sahara: how could i make this list without one of the songs that never fails to fuck me up. spanish sahara has been the driving 'score' in my head when it's come to a number of story scenes or character moments due to the slow build and emotional release of the song as well as the lyrics. i dunno. this song just moves and inspires me in ways i can't quite articulate.

tsunami: this song just feels so strongly like aislinn to me. the lost-lover part, sure, but especially the feeling of drowning and just... the instrumentals/vocals feel like her, too. i associate her a lot with water.

rainy day: no specific scenario here, but this score makes me think of and want to draw don or leo. the game it's from kind of has a melancholic nostalgia to it, and the vibe sits well with them.

inner universe: this song is all vibes for me, and it always makes me think of entering the territory of one of the liáfsian dragons and crossing paths with it. specifically the dragon i associate with leo.

no turning back: this score is fully for gwyn being on the run. the title, the strings, the faint ticking clock and building drums toward the end, the urgency throughout. it is, for better or worse, a reflection of what so much of her life has felt like.

give a fuck: sounds and feels like a nyxram song. hard to explain, this one just always makes me think of her.

resting grounds: this score's on my playlist for the liáfsian ruins, which is an area in the realm considered to be cursed ground (but no one knows or remembers why). the ruins are beautiful, peaceful. but you never quite have the sense that you're truly alone.

apocalypse: this song always makes me think of PtINL, i can't really explain why. it's on my personal playlist for the fic, and every time it comes on shuffle it just sends me back into thoughts of mikey, aloy, their travels and their bond.

voidfish (plural): first of all: LOVE the voidfish. second, this is another one of those scores that gives me the energy of encountering ancient liáfsian fae.

empires: this song always makes me think of a 'trailer' for gwyn and ash's arc. i think it's accurate not only for how the final conflict between gwyn, ash and darach will go down, but there's a hint at a much older threat in there and "the tides are turned" being that companionship has been found in the turtles.

neglected space: this song, without fail, always makes me think of and want to draw nyxram. there's something sad, lost and desperate to it.

[adventure-showdown]

What has been nominated so far

Note, just because something has been nominated, and so is listed here, does not mean it will be included, I will include the absolute most I can but if I can't find it on TARDIS wiki its not getting in because i can't verify its a piece of who media

Also note, there might be some mistakes on here, I'm copying the nominations across directly, there might be some stories that are listed twice without me realising, because of alternate titles, or I just didn't spot it, or stuff that was spelt wrong when it was nominated, feel free to tell me

I've done my best to spot when nominations of a series were intended to enter the individual parts rather than the series as a unit, if I've got this wrong let me know and I will fix it. (if a story is on one line its currently being considered as a unit)

Final note, a couple of things got nominated under multiple mediums, usually full length TV story and minisode, so if you can't find your nomination, maybe check one of the other mediums

You can make further nominations here, there are basically no limits so long as its set in the Whoniverse (or its about Doctor Who, eg An Adventure in Space and Time or The 5 (ish) Doctors Reboot)

the list is under the cut (I will endeavour to keep it up to date)

Audio

Main Range

The Marian Conspiracy

The Apocalyse Element

The Shadow of the Scourge

The Holy Terror

Storm Warning

Minuet in Hell

Loups-Garoux

The Chimes of Midnight

Seasons of Fear

The Time of the Daleks

Jubilee

Neverland

Spare Parts

Creatures of Beauty

Doctor Who and the Pirates

Omega

Master (Main Range 49)

Zagreus

Scherzo

The Natural History of Fear

Arrangements for War

The Harvest

Faith Stealer

Caerdroia

Terror Firma

Singularity

Other Lives

The Kingmaker

The Girl Who Never Was

The Condemned

The Doomwood Curse

The Magic Mousetrap

The Company of Friends: Benny's Story

The Company of Friends: Fitz's Stroy

The Company of Friends: Izzy's Story

The Company of Friends: Mary's Story

A Death in the Family

Robophobia

The Silver Turk

1963: The Assassination Games

The Widow's Assassin

Dalek Soul

The Grey Man of the Mountain

The Eighth Doctor Adventures

The Blood of the Daleks

Horror of Glam Rock

Immortal Beloved

Phobos

No More Lies

Human Resources

To the Death

Doom Coalition

The Eleven

The Red Lady

The Galileo Trap

The Gift

The Sonomancer

Absent Friends

The Eighth Piece

The Doomsday Chronometer

The Crucible of Souls

Ship in a Bottle

Songs of Love

The Side of the Angels

Stop the Clock

Ravenous

Escape from Kaldor

Better Watch Out/Fairytale in Salzburg

Companion Piece

Day of the Master

Stranded

Stranded as a Whole (I think, I couldn't find a story called Stranded)

UNIT Dating

What Lies Inside

Paradox of the Daleks

Connections

Here Lies Drax

The Love Vampires

Albie's Angels

Special Releases

Living Legend

Out of Time

Out of Time (individual story)

Wink

The Companion Chronicles

Solitaire

Peri and the Piscon Paradox

The Cold Equations

The Last Post

The Scorchies

The Tenth Doctor Adventures

Death and the Queen

The Sword of the Chevalier

No Place

The Creeping Death

The Tenth Doctor and River Song

Expiry Dating

Ghosts

Once and Future

The Martian Invasion of Planetoid 50

The Diary of River Song

The Bekdel Test

The Lost Stories

The Queen of Time

Paradise 5

The Elite

Short Trips

I am the Master

Forever Fallen

A Full Life

Bernice Summerfield

Oh No It Isn't

The Faction Paradox Protocols

The Eleven Day Empire/The Shadow Play

Torchwood

The Last Beacon

Serenity

Rhys and Ianto's Excellent Barbecue

Gallifrey

Square One

First Days of Phaidon

Gallifrey IV

Warfare

Unity

Missy

A Spoonful of Mayhem

The Lumiat

Too Many Masters

The Paternoster Gang: Heritage

The Cars That Ate London!

A Photograph to Remember

Destiny of the Doctor

Smoke and Mirrors

Novel Adaptations

Nightshade

Fifth Doctor Box Set

Psychodrome

Iterations of I

Psychodrome

Iterations of I

Counter-Measures

The Fifth Citadel

The Forgotten Village

Peshka

The Concrete Cage

The New Counter Measures

Troubled Waters

The Hollow King

The Eighth of March

Inside Every Warrior

Comics

TV Comic

Time in Reverse

Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor

Space in Dimension Relative and Time

Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor

Old Friends

Doctor Who Magazine

The Star Beast

Voyager

The World Shapers

Ground Zero

The Flood

The Fallen

The Land of Happy Endings

Direct to Home Media Films

PROBE

PROBE: The Zero Imperative

PROBE: The Devil of Winterborne

PROBE: Unnatural Selection

PROBE: Ghosts of Winterborne

PROBE: When to Die

The Stranger

The Stranger: Summoned by Shadows

The Stranger: More than a Messiah

The Stranger: In Memory Alone

The Stranger: The Terror Game

The Stranger: Breach of the Peace

The Stranger: Eye of the Beholder

Other

Downtime

Shada (1992) - version with linking narration

Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor

Wartime

K9 (spinoff series)

Regeneration/Liberation/The Korven

The Bounty Hunter

Sirens of Ceres

Fear Itself

The Fall of the House of Gryffen

Jays of Orthrus

Dream-Eaters

Curse of Anubis

Oroborus

Alien Avatar

Aeolian

The Last Oak Tree

Black Hunger

The Cambridge Spy

Lost Library of Ukko

Mutant Copper

The Custodians

Taphony and the Time Loop

Robot Gladiators

Mind Snap/Angel of the North/The Last Precinct/Hounds of the Korven/The Eclipse of the Korven

Minisodes

A Fix with Sontarans

Born Again

Clara and the TARDIS

Dimensions in Time

Emperor of the Daleks (More than 30 Years in the TARDIS)

famine appeal 1986

Merry Christmas Doctor Who

P.S.

Pond Life

Rain Gods

Space/Time

Tardisodes

The Battle of Demons Run: Two Days Later

The Bells of Saint John: A Prequel

The Doctor's Meditation

The Great Detective

The Last Day

The Naked Truth

The Shrink

Time Crash

Wall's Sky Ray lollies advertisment

Seret Message from the Time Lords (Weetabix advert)

Novels & Short Stories

Short Stories and Short Story Collections

12 Doctors, 12 Stories

Grey Matter

Lepidoptery for Beginners

Something Borrowed

Nothing at the End of the Lane

The Room With All the Doors

Standalone

Harvest of Time

Scratchman

The Stranger

Engines of War

The Eighth Doctor Adventures

Vampire Science

Alien Bodies

Seeing I

The Scarlet Empress

Unnatural History

Interference

The Blue Angel

The Burning

The Turing Test

The Year of Intelligent Tigers

The City of the Dead

The Adventuress of Henrietta Street

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

Anachrophobia

The Book of the Still

The Crooked World

Camera Obscura

The Gallifrey Chronicles

The Past Doctor Adventures

Divided Loyalties

Fear of the Dark

Fear Itself

Novelisations

Doctor Who and Shada (fan novelisation)

Virgin New Adventures

The Left-Handed Hummingbird

Human Nature

Lungbarrow

Faction Paradox

The Book of War

This Town Will Never Let Us Go

Of the City of the Saved

The New Series Adventures

The Blood Cell

Other

Step Into the 80s!/On Through the 80's! (adverts)

Ronald Rat continuity announcement

Zygon: When Being you Just isn't Enough (Porno)

The Man From MI5

The Infinite Quest

Dooms Day hour 1

Songs

Doctor in Distress

Doctorin' the TARDIS by the Timelords

I'm gonna Spend my Christmas with a Dalek

TV (this category is less about if it was televised and more about the length to distinguish it from minisodes)

Dreamland

Search Out Space

Webcasts

Real Time

Shada (2 nominations)