#Getting new clients is like making Christmas gifts

[luvyeni]

❛CHRISTMAS EVE❜ ( p. jay )

p. husband!jay x fem!reader w. 0.8k+

— 𖦹 warnings. unprotected sex, breeding kink, mentions of baby

— 𖦹 ( your husband makes it home just in time to spend christmas eve with you ) !

8 days of christmas masterlist

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

‘9:30 p.m.' is what the clock read, and jays leg bounced up and down nervously — he was gonna miss Christmas eve, he promised you he’d be there.

He was on his way out , when his assistant stopped him reminding him that he had a late video call with investors for his company — pissed that he forgot about the meeting , even more pissed that it was Christmas eve and he knew you wanted to spend it with him.

You said it was fine, but he didn’t care, he knew you were saying that just to make him feel better — he was determined to make it to you. He took one look standing up. “sir?” His assistant sat next to him. “I can’t I have to get home.” He said. “Sir this is important, it’s a new client.”

“It’s Christmas eve, and they’re an hour late.” He said. “if they wanted it , they would’ve been punctual.” He grabbed his  coat. “What do we do?” His assistant said. “Go home to your family, Merry Christmas .” he said making his way out of his office.

He wasted no time, hopping into his car, speeding all the way home to you, it was now 10 o’clock — you probably were still getting ready for bed, he was gonna make it. Pushing the buttons to your condo door, walking it dropping his things, not even bother to stop in the kitchen — heading straight to the bedroom.

“Jay?” sat on the bed, finishing up some wrapping, your husband walking in the door. “I made it baby.” He said, you smiled. “What about your meeting.” He shook his head. “I don’t care about that.” He said undoing his tie, rolling his sleeves up. “My wife wanted me home for Christmas eve, so im here.”

You smiled , putting the newly wrapped gift on the night stand. “Come here.” You stretched your arms out. “You are perfect.” You kissed him, hugging him. “I love you so much.” He whispered, his forehead pressed against yours. “I don’t care if it’s Christmas eve or saint patrick’s day, if you want to spend it with me, then im here.”

“I love you too jay.” He kissed you again, with much more hunger. Your camisole sleeve falling down, barely covering your boobs at this point. “So beautiful baby.” He squeezed your boob. “Jay.” He smiled. “shush baby girl.” He stood up. “Gonna give you everything you want.”

He unbuttoned his dress shirt , you watched him slowly undoing his slacks , letting them fall to the ground, stepping out of them. “Gonna fuck a baby inside you tonight.” He climbed in between your legs, using his thumb, pressing down on your clothed clit. “Fu-fuck jay please.”

He pulled your panties to the side , the cool air hitting your cunt making you moan. “Look at how wet your are.” He was salivating. “You really want me to fuck a baby into you.” You nodded. “Y-yes.” You mewled. He grabbed the base of his cock, slapping his mushroom tip against your clit. “Fuck jay , please put it in.”

He slowly pushed into your hole , groaning as he bottomed out. “such a perfect pussy.” He moaned , pulling out just to push himself back in, stretching you out. “can’t wait to fill it with my cum.”

You moaned out, gripping his arm as he rocked into you. “Sh-shit jay you feel so good.” He hummed. “Fuck princess, your taking my cock so well.” He sped up. “good fucking girl.” His cock head pressing against your womb. “gonna breed you nice and well.”

You clenched around him , making him moan out. “fuck you like that?” he grunted. “Is that what you want for Christmas? Want me to fuck a baby into you?” You screamed out as he began to plow into your cunt. “Fu-fucking answer me.” You nodded , your eyes shut. “Fuck yes, please give me a baby.”

He grabbed your legs , bringing them to your chest, plowing into you harder and faster. “Jay!” he moaned , cursing and whispering filthy shit into your ear. “fuck my pretty wife, cum for me.” He said. “Cum all over my cock, make a mess.”

Your eyes rolled to the back of your head ,you let out a pornographic moan as you cum, your cunt fluttering around him as you came down from your high. “Good girl.” He said. “Fuck im cumming.” He grunted , thrusting once, twice — shooting his load into your waiting womb. “Fake take my load baby.”

He stayed inside you , positioning you into a much comfortable position — pulling you deep into his arms , kissing your forehead. “Thank you.” You said. “For making it home I really wanted you here.” You confessed. “I told you baby I’ll always be here for you, no  matter how many meetings I have to cancel.” He looked at the time, it read ‘12:00’

“It’s Christmas.” He kissed your forehead. “Merry Christmas my beautiful wife.”

“Merry Christmas my handsome husband.”

©️LUVYENI

[onpointedfeetandbrokendreams]

Day 4 - Painland Week

Day 4 of Painland Week 2024: August 5th - August 11th by @painlandweek

Prompt: Domestic

Tags:  Post-canon, Slice-of-life, Alive Niko Sasaki, Established Relationship

TW: None

--

Solving big cases had its perks. After Port Townsend, the reputation of “The dead boy detectives and their brand new psychic” had caught on, and with more requests came higher prices. In just a couple of months they didn’t need to worry about paying rent in time for their office space anymore. In a year, they could afford to expand to the apartment next door. Crystal and Jenny had a lot of fun throwing down the wall between the two places with a hammer, and Niko spent an entire month drawing different plans for the new space. They had to hire actual construction workers at some point, but they wanted the first part of the renovation to be theirs.

There were many debates about who would get a personal room, since they only had two. Jenny said she would rather die - no offence - than live with them, but both Crystal and Niko wanted one and they were adamant that they needed them more than a ghost, which was exactly the moment when Edwin decided he needed one, being “one of the founders of the Agency”. Charles, on the other hand, was just trying very hard to hide how much it triggered him when the members of his new family fought with each other.

“How about this,” he said, “we split the two rooms, Edwin and I will take one, you two the other, and we buy more of those rollable mattresses to put in the common space when one of you needs more privacy.”

It was, undoubtedly, the best compromise, so the others had to agree - not without one last challenging glare between Crystal and Edwin, but that was to be expected.

“Thank you, Charles, I know it was silly of us to argue on such a matter,” Edwin said when the two of them were left alone.

Charles hugged him around the waist and hooked his chin on his shoulder. “I mean, I didn’t want to say anything before, but it wouldn’t really make sense for them to have two separate rooms in our office, would it?”

“I feel like I am being a bad influence on you, darling,” Edwin chuckled.

With an answering grin, Charles disentangled himself and started walking towards their new room. “I suggest we buy a very large bed, and we use those two walls for libraries,” he pointed at the different parts of the space as he talked.

“We can put the libraries outside, in the shared space, seeing our collections of tomes and artefacts always impresses the potential clients. How about posters?”

Charles’ eyes widened with wonder. “Really? You would let me?”

“Charles, you do not need my permission, it is a personal room, so clients will not see it, you do not have to remain professional in here.”

It felt like it was Christmas’ morning, except better, because he could share it with the best person who had ever existed instead of his asshole father.

–

It took them months to finish the renovation, but it was so worth it. They finally had a waiting room, a functioning toilet for the living, coffee and tea machines, central heater, two desks, one for meeting clients and the other for research, and the almost fully decorated rooms.

“There is only one thing missing,” said Niko, excitedly. She had been looking like that for an entire day, like she was hiding the most juicy secret and she was barely able to stop herself from telling everyone she met.

“Construction workers have officially left, thank god,” Crystal groaned, closing the door behind her to join the others. “Which means, tonight is the first official house party!”

“This is not your house,” Edwin had to point out, earning himself a raised brow. “Also, Niko was about to say something.”

Niko’s grin, if possible, widened even more. “Yes, I have the best gift ever.”

She produced from her bag something that looked like an old polaroid camera, and before anyone could say anything, she explained:

“You know I went to Port Townsend in December, with my mum. Tragic Mick gave this to me, he says it’s enchanted to allow ghosts to appear in pictures!” She jumped in delight.

Edwin was on the item immediately, opening his palm behind him, in a way that Charles knew meant he wanted his book on “Magical Objects for the Day to Day Life”.

“Edwin, mate, before you go all business on this, do you realise what it means?” Charles said, very softly. “We can finally take a picture together.”

Even Crystal was smiling at the idea, despite her usual distaste for their “too explicit sappiness”.

Edwin looked around at them all, then at the object in his palm again, and smiled the biggest smile Charles had ever seen. He hugged Niko, and all four of them piled on before starting to take pictures in different corners of the new space.

At some point, boxes of Chinese food appeared on the floor, followed by a cake Crystal had ordered for the occasion with the icing forming the words: “Happy Agency Reopening Day!”. While Niko and Crystal had dinner, the two ghosts retreated to their room for a moment, still overwhelmed by the pictures they were holding in their hands.

Edwin caressed them with trembling fingers. “Which one should we put on the wall?”

“This one,” Charles said immediately, but instead of pointing to one of the pictures, he pressed a kiss to Edwin’s lips and clicked the button on the polaroid camera. He hadn’t dared do that in front of the girls, but he had desperately wanted to since Niko had shown them the object.

“You are lucky I love you so terribly,” Edwin said in a mock offended tone.

“I know,” Charles replied, putting the camera and the precious picture on one of the shelves.

“Guys! It’s still friendship time, you can go be lovesick idiots later!” called Crystal from outside the door. Quieter - but not enough not to be heard - she added:

“Shouldn’t the honeymoon phase be over after a thousand years?”

Charles chuckled. “Ready to go back there?”

Edwin nodded and entwined their fingers together, walking towards the door. Before they could walk through it, Charles whispered: 

“I forgot to say, I love you too.”

[digenerate-trash]

Bailey vs Christmas please 🥺

I'm assuming yan Bailey. Because here is where you get the Bailey VS everything shit!! So here we go!!!

AMAB Bailey | GN PC

Bailey looks up at the ceiling of his room. It's cold. It's always so fucking cold in here. It's why he doesn't keep you in here... but he shoves that thought aside. Not today. He's not going to think about it today. His body aches with every stretch and stiff movement. The light streaming through his window was extra bright because of the snow-topped streets and road. He hates this. A whole week with nothing to do all the orphans are home a lot which means double the work. And what's worse is that it's harder for him to get clients this time of year as well. It's like people feel worse about buying orphans during the holidays. Not that you're suffering with paying the bills. Not thinking about it.

Still. He has to get up. He can already hear the commotion of collective excitement just down the hall. He rubs his face growling slightly. He won't interrupt yet. He still needs coffee before he can start yelling. 

Still, as he looks out the kitchen window something seems a bit different this year. He can't put his finger on it. He's always in a terrible mood. But this morning he's more... just depressive. He knows what it is.

A bit later the noise picks up again and Bailey is assuming that's the older ones getting up and collecting presents. Are you up yet? He hates the noise but he still holds off. If he interferes now no one is happy and he'll have to deal with bitching orphans all day. So he waits...

Another hour of him in his kitchen staring into a mug of coffee and hating himself. The thoughts he's trying to avoid keep coming back. 

Did you get a gift?

Do you care he's not there?

Are you going to talk to him today?

Bailey shakes his head. He's waited long enough. And he is sick of the noise. He sets his mug down on the counter before heading out into the main orphanage. The hall is covered in wrapping paper and cards. Most orphans have a new set of mittens or scarves. Some have little toys that they're sharing with others. 

And there's you. Of course, you are here. Your back is against the wall as you talk with Robin. He's hugging a little half-unwrapped gift. The wrapping paper on his matches every other gift in this damn hall and of course it does. Why wouldn't you be the cause of all this noise? 

"Clean this fucking mess up," Bailey says startling both you and Robin. But then there's a moment where you smile at him. You leave Robin's side to go and pick up the last gift under the tree and hand it to Bailey. Same wrapping paper... 

Not today, not today, not today Not today, not today, not today Not today not today, not today

Bailey hurriedly tucks the gift under his arm before pushing you away. 

"I'm not kidding. I want all this garbage gone by noon!" Bailey yells before he's back down the hall. The blush that creeps up his neck is enough to make him sick he covers his mouth and nose as he heads to his office and sits down in his chair again. Safe. Comfterble. 

He grabs the gift setting it down in front of him. Too pretty to rip open... 

Bailey reaches into his desk pulls out the Valentine's Day gift you got him last year and stares at them both. His nails dig into his palms as he looks them over. 

Why did it have to be you?

[ashisgreedy]

Garreth's Gareer AU HCs

Written By @finalgirllx and @greedyforgarreth simultaneously.

Headcannon's of Garreth Weasley in different careers! 

(These start out serious but we became delirious over time writing this. They devolve into… well, you will see.)

This was not edited. Cheers!

Baker

"Weasley's Confections"

He comes home smelling like sugar every day

He always has flour or frosting in his hair

He'd always bring home a sweet for you

He'd write your names on the little sweets

He's always brainstorming new cake-decorating ideas

He'd always try out new flavor combinations, leading to a very messy kitchen!

He has his own frosting line

during the holidays he has you come and assist him in helping customers in his little shop

During Christmas, you and he dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus to decorate cookies with kids

He holds a cake-baking class every once in a while for the community

Chef

He’s a personal caterer, with a small team

He puts on a little show as he cooks for small parties

He has signature dishes he makes that are unique to his catering business

He definitely has a roster of corny jokes for the occasion 

His favorite clients are small bachelorette parties and groups of older ladies because he loves how energetic they are and they laugh at his corny jokes.

Unbuttons his chefs coat throughout the evening for bachelorette parties 

“I'm having a pasta-tively great time”

He would have a volunteer come up for silly demonstrations - how to crack an egg

He hosts his own booth at food festivals to help market is personal business 

Zookeeper 

Robert Irwin vibes - Always educating people on animals

He loves helping with the petting zoos! 

Passionate about preservation of the species and holds educational classes for nearby schools. 

His favorite animal would be an iguana 

He definitely gives away stuffed animals from the gift shop! 

Wears a khaki uniform at all times in the zoo

When he’s not in that - he’s in animal patterns and Hawaiian shirts.

As a side hobby, he surfs to raise money for ocean animals

He’d definitely buy environmentally friendly items at all times

Airline pilot 

Mile high club a million times

Has dated all the stewardesses

Has a mask kink.

Falls asleep almost immediately after the plane takes off

“GARRETH! THE PLANE HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER!” 

Yoga Instructor

Holds instructional classes for business people during their lunch hour.

He’s insanely flexible, and shows it off

Knows his butt gets a lot of attendees

He wears silly headbands

Specializes in Hot Yoga classes

Would have the corniest playlist

His best friend Leander is the Zumba instructor 

He also teaches the occasional water aerobics 

Takes his yoga knowledge into the bedroom 

Wedding planner (morally corrupt)

Really pays attention to the needs of the fiancees…wink

Makes sure to attach his personal cell phone..wink

“Does he know what colors you’d like for the wedding? Or does he not listen to you as well as I could…” wink

Turns cake tasting erotic, feeding the fiancee a cake bite in front of her fiance… wink

He helps put the garter on the bride, slowly… wink

He offers you private dance lessons before the big day…wink 

Ruins your dress before the husband gets the chance…wink 

Shows you the ring he would have gotten for you instead (It’s much better).

Actually listens to you (unlike your fiance)...wink 

Firefighter 

You met when he carried you out of a burning building..sexily 

He saves your kitten and gives it an oxygen mask until it’s lively again.

He pushes you out of the way of a falling burning ceiling 

He lets you wear his helmet to calm you down. (He tells you how silly you look and it helps)

He single-handedly prevented a train collision and explosion in the center of the city 

Sexy arms, covered in soot, and he takes off his jacket and you lick him up 

He’s the one that carries the massive axe that busts through walls. 

"Is this the firehouse? Because you've got me feeling the heat."

Him sliding down the pole during an emergency *Eyes emoji*

Massage therapist 

His massages take ages because he makes sure to work out EVERY knot you have before you get off his table. 

“Oh my dear, you sure are a little tense, aren’t you? Let’s fix that.” 

Love the hot rocks, “ooh, a little hot” whenever he uses them

He gives all kinds of facials for his dedicated clients 

If you get really, really horny during the massage, he says he’ll give you a “happy ending” but really it's just a clap of his hands and a smile.

He plays “Happy” by Pharell Williams at the end of every massage

Sometimes he’ll offer a bonus technique where he steps on the client 

His spa music is just hip hop and rap songs turned into gentle melodies. 

Detective 

The clue is in your panties~

If you’re a threesome, he and the other suggest “split up and look for clues” aka your holes. 

When he’s feeling goofy he’ll bring a magnifying glass to your pussy. “I don’t need this, I already know where the clit is!” 

The hat stays on during sex.

Handcuffs. Nuff said.

He makes the outline of a body on the floor with painters tape and fucks you in that position. 

He asks you questions during sex like “Where were you at 11:34 PM Monday evening?” “Do you have an alibi?” “What crimes have you committed?” “Can you please state your full name and contact information?” “Your childhood street address?” 

He makes you hold his badge up to him during sex.

He smokes his cigar after. 

Lifeguard 

Diving into that… wink.

Speedos all day, every day.

He is super happy to carry a whistle with him all day.

He would’ve saved Ash that one time. 

He wouldn’t have let finalgirllx fall into that lake on her bike. 

He smells like coconut from the sunscreen

Sand *everywhere* “Got some sandy buttcheeks there!” 

When he runs, his pecs bounce.

Really enjoys the maritime accuracy of Spongebob Squarepants 

Very proud of his CPR certification. 

Driving instructor 

Bends you over the seat and fucks you to make sure the leather of the seat cushion is durable. 

Makes you sit on his lap and it causes the horn to honk. He doesn’t mind <3

“I wanna ride.”

Pretends to honk the horn, but really he’s just squeezing your breasts. 

Fingers you while you parallel park to make sure you really know what you're doing. 

“Red means stop, green means go.” But this is your safe word instead. 

Is very passionate about turn signals and will yell at you if you forget to use it. Drivers safety biotch

"Do you believe in love at first drive, or should I take you for another spin?"

Kindergarten teacher 

Fucks all the single moms. 

He is excellent with kids and really enjoys providing them a foundation for a bright future ahead of them.

Has a breaking and entering kink. 

His favorite craft to do with the children is making flowers out of tissue paper. He loves seeing the look on the parent's faces when they gift it. 

Has a mask kink. 

“Baby Shark” is banned from the classroom. 

Enjoys macaroni art. 

He has a talking stick that he’s very strict about using.

Loves having the students draw him and he puts every single one on the walls of the classroom.

Meteorologist 

There are lots of memes of him online. 

“It’ll be wet out this evening, and I’m not just talking about you, ladies.” Gets fired immediately

Becomes an at home meteorologist that says suggestive things about the news on his lives. 

More popular than any news station in the entire world. 

Part times as a camboy. Uses the same channel. 

Sticks his ass out a bit when he points to the green screen. That he somehow has one at his house. 

Instagram polls asking what he should wear during his next live. 

“It’s gonna be cold, ladies! Don’t wear your bras!” …wink 

His camboy name is “Weather Boy” and he makes people call him that professionally as well. 

The front of his business card is for meteorology and the back is his camboy persona.

Musician 

Very good with his fingers. 

The Weasley Wigouts - his band name!

Picks a new genre for every album, he likes to switch it up. Makes for some very confusing tours. 

Tongue piercing.

Has a tramp stamp tattoo on his lower back of Professor Sharp. 

Got his start on Soundcloud. 

Calls his fangirls his “Weasley Sluts!” 

Orders Subway for lunch for the band every day. 

Grew his hair out longer so he can headbang with it, even during soft songs. 

Manbun Garreth era! 

Science teacher 

Really looks up to Bill Nye. 

Wears a lab coat everywhere. 

Always flirts with the math teachers. 

Loves the volcano experiments more than anything. 

He gets wayyyy too hyped about the science fair. “It’s next week! Don’t forget!” and the students groan.

Always has granola bars and hot chocolate stocked in case any student is hungry.

Never sends any of his students to detention. He takes them aside and just says “Come on, man…” 

When teaching a chapter on biology and reproduction, he yells at the students to “AVERT YOUR EYES!” and dramatically covers his own. 

"What did the biologist wear to impress their date? Designer genes!"

Has a tattoo on his chest that says “The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.”

Voice over artist 

Gets his start in English dubs of hentai. 

He has a small role as an NPC in Hogwarts Legacy. Guess who! 

Loves voice acting for the Elder Scrolls series. 

Will do raps for his fans on live, as much as 15 songs. 

Can sing and has a small youtube video with cover songs he loves. 

His most popular cover is of “Sugar, We’re Going Down,” by Fall Out Boy. 

Treats BookTok to sexy ASMR from time to time. 

Florist

Knows all the meanings to all the flowers in his shop.

Wants to fuck you on a flower bed. 

Really loves blue flowers (I don’t know the names of flowers).

He obsesses over flower arrangements and makes them look perfect! 

Always has dirt on his face and under his nails. 

"If kisses were petals, I'd give you a garden."

Has a mask kink. 

Will arrange all of the flowers for his own wedding. 

Loves to roleplay as Ghostface with his partner. 

Always smells fantastic. 

Likes to put a flower behind his ear when he’s working.

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hey, I wanted to ask if you know some fan-fics where Derek is CEO/Manager and is in a relationship or married with Stiles?? Stiles works in the company too. Thank you!

I sure do!

Love Me So (let it snow) by Innaz (zanni_scaramouche)

(1/1 I 5,573 I Explicit)

As CEO, Mr. Hale is used to spending more nights curled on his office coach than his bed, but this time it isn't an impending merger or new client deal keeping him hibernated on the fortieth floor this Christmas Eve. A city wide blizzard warning, a power outage, and a dismal lack of tea leaves him hours away from what he expects to be one of the more pathetic Christmas mornings of his life.

That is, until the new bright eyed intern scares the living crap out of him.

That Thin Line In and Out of My Bed by fadedhues

(4/4 I 5,611 I Explicit)

“Ow,” Derek says, scowling, rubbing his bicep where Laura hit him.

She retorts, “That’s what happens when you zone out and eye-fuck your new assistant, Derek,” crossing her arms and jutting a hip out.

(aka the one where Derek is a CEO of his family's company; enter Stiles, his new assistant, who happens to be extremely fuckable)

12 Days of Hale Publishing by relenafanel

(2/2 I 7,533 I General)

Something must have poked his Christmas Spirit. It might be the way Hale was watching the proceedings with a scowl on his face, unable to hide what was clear derision. Earlier, his eyes had lifted when Stiles entered the work pen with the presents, and Stiles had been under the impression he had been vaguely pleased. The only thing Stiles could think of that would make someone such a gloomy grump was not getting a gift.

“What?” Hale asked, staring at him through the glass wall that made up the part of his office facing the work area.

“I’ve got something for you!” Stiles said, waving the small rectangular present as he walked in.

“That’s not mine,” Mr. Hale said, staring at the box like it offended him. Then he stared at Stiles like he was offending him more. “You’ve made a mistake.”

“No mistake, sir. It’s a special delivery from magical Hale Holiday Elves.” Stiles gestured to his head. “See the hat. A man wearing this hat makes no mistakes.”

Mr. Hale and the Lumberjack by isthatbloodonhisshirt

(1/1 I 15,407 I Teen)

“Derek,” Stiles whined, draping himself across Erica’s desk. She patted his back comfortingly. “Derek, why doesn’t the lumberjack like me? What can I do to change that?”

“If you’ve opened your mouth around him, that explains everything,” Derek told him coldly. “Maybe try shutting up for once. And standing still. Not breathing would help your cause, too.”

Stiles let out a wail of despair, and everyone quickly moved in to comfort him. Derek scowled, annoyed, and clapped his hands loudly.

“Enough. Back to work. Stiles, get the fuck out of my department.”

“Language,” Stiles chided, pointing one finger at him while still draped across the desk.

One Way or Another by Anyshe

(11/? I 28,262 I Mature)

“A deal?” Stiles asked slowly, keeping his gaze eyeline to Derek’s even though his boss was practically looming over him as Stiles sat in his chair. “Yes, a deal. I won’t fire you. I will even give you that recommendation you want so badly and turn it into the dean of admissions myself. All you have to do is accept.” Derek’s voice oozed with promise. Like molasses, the sweetness of his promises consumed Stiles. “What would I have to do?” Stiles gulped. Derek’s mouth spread into a full grin as he leant forward, both arms caging Stiles as they rested on the arms of his chair. Derek’s face was inches from his own. If Stiles just leant a little closer he could…. “Be my boyfriend.” Wait... What?

Rules & Restrictions by DamnSterek

(11/11 I 49,795 I Explicit)

“I want you to dom me.”

Stiles had dropped his bag and had turned around to gape at Derek. He what now?

Derek had still been staring at his food, angrily, as if he wanted it to disappear.

“You want what?” Stiles asked, just to be sure. His ears must have played a trick on him. Only they hadn’t.

“I want you to dominate me,” Derek had said to his food.

“Excuse me? Are you talking to me?” Stiles had asked again.

He still couldn’t believe it as he stared at the ceiling. Derek had blushed and sputtered for a long time, especially when Stiles walked back into the room and sat down on his spot.

Stiles barely got any answers from his boss, so he had proposed to talk about it on Monday.

He had never in his dirtiest and darkest mind thought Derek Hale would be a submissive. That was just insane.

___

Or the one where Stiles and Derek indulge in a BDSM relationship without love. Also, Derek is Stiles's boss.

The New Guy by MeshackDiva

(28/28 I 59,997 I Mature I Sterek)

Stiles is new to Beacon Hills. He finds a job at Hale & Co. where things are different then any other job he has had. Though, when he starts to fall for the company CEO, Stiles is unsure of what to do with himself. Does he pursue his wants, or back off and continue to work like any other employe.

[promptthebear]

Kissmas Day 4

Prompt: Tucking their hands beneath the other person’s shirt, just to watch them break the kiss and gasp in surprise at the sensation of cold/warm hands on their skin

Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader

CW: Dom/Sub dynamic, the use of the word "Sir" in a BDSM type context, mild cursing and spicy but not explicit. Also Billy is kind of a sugar daddy

“What the hell are you wearing?”

You turned to face your fiancée, Billy Russo, who was standing in the doorway of your shared apartment. He had just come in from the snowy evening outside and had yet to take off his black peacoat, leather boots and matching charcoal hat and gloves. Even bundled up to his neck in wool and flannel, Billy still cut a striking figure. Everything had been tailored to fit, hugging his trim waist ever so slightly and accentuating the broadness of his shoulders.

“It’s a sweater” you finally replied, pausing to lick some of the cookie dough off the spatula you were holding. The way Billy’s eyes lingered on your lips and tongue certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

“You look like a Macy’s display. What was wrong with the Prada one I bought you?”

“Nothing” you said, turning back towards your bowl and reaching for the jar of cinnamon next to it “But I didn’t want to get it all messy while I was baking.”

“Wear an apron then,” Billy’s retort was half muffled as he reached inside the hall closet to hang up his jacket “Or better yet, nothing at all. You’re washable.”

“Any excuse to get me naked”

“Damn right, sweetheart.”

The ghost of Billy’s breath against your ear and the sudden feeling of his hands coming to snake around your waist almost had you jumping out of your skin. Even after four years living together, you’d often forget how quickly and quietly Billy could move…until he snuck up on you.

“Shit!” You cried, turning and smacking at his chest with the flat of your palm “Don’t do that!”

“Sorry princess,” Billy replied, his wide smirk suggesting he wasn’t sorry in the least “But you make it too easy”

“Such a fucking jerk,” you mumbled, already forgiving him as you slung your arms over his shoulders “How was your day?”

“Fine. That big client who we were scouting finally signed a contract with us, the new batch of trainees has been really promising and I found another little something for you on my way home”

You rolled your eyes, thinking back to the already massive pile of wrapped gifts under the tree in your living room. Despite Billy’s promises to go easy on the shopping this year, you knew he had about as much self control with his Amex card as a starving man in a steakhouse.

“Billllyyyy” you couldn’t help but let a little bit of a whine sneak into your voice “You’re spoiling me. I don’t need any more presents”

“Clearly, you do,” he replied, tugging at the bottom of your sweater “Or why else would you be wearing something like this?”

You glanced down at your torso. A glittery snowman surrounded by pompom snowflakes and embroidered candy canes stared back up at you through button eyes. The sweater in question had been a gift from your college roommate some years ago, though the two of you hadn’t kept touch after graduation. It wasn’t chic or stylish by any definition, but you had thought it was charming, in a kitschy sort of way.

“It’s cozy.” you said, looking up at Billy through your eyelashes and pulling an exaggerated pout “But I guess I’ll just have to be festive enough for the both of us, so we don’t compromise your carefully crafted image, Mr. Russo.”

“Watch it” Billy’s voice dipped low, taking on a gruff edge that sent a tingle down your spine. One of his hands had travelled down to grab your ass, a warning of things to come if you kept teasing “Bratty girls don’t get Christmas presents.”

“Sorry” your voice was a breathy whisper, your mouth so close to Billy’s you could smell the drink he must’ve had a lunch today. It was a stronger liquor than you favoured, and the way it blended with the spicy tang of his cologne made your head spin

“Sorry…what?” he was almost growling now. The hand on your ass squeezed, making you gasp softly.

“Sorry, Sir.”

Billy grinned at you, white, wide, and devastatingly beautiful. You could feel his fingers start to twine in your hair, and the sound you made when he pulled your head back made him chuckle softly. He leaned down, bringing those perfect teeth mere inches from the column of your neck.

“Mmm. I wonder, do you taste as good as you smell right now?”

“You won’t know unless you try.”

That was all the incentive Billy needed. He bit down against your skin, none too gently, giving you no time to prepare for the pleasurable agony that followed. You all but whimpered, already beginning to tremble underneath Billy’s touch. He laved his tongue over the spot, soothing the pain as quickly as it had started.

“So sweet for me, like a Christmas cookie. Would you like that? If I covered you in frosting and licked it off?”

You tried to babble a response, please, thank you, yes sir, very much sir, but your brain all but short circuited when Billy pressed his mouth against yours. It was a rough, heady kiss, his tongue already pushing at the seam of your lips. You let him in without resistance, eager to take whatever he had to offer and then some.

It was all you could do to stay upright as Billy continued to lavish attention on you, each kiss more heated and electric than the last. You were about to suggest you take things to the bedroom, when you suddenly felt Billy’s hands push underneath your sweater. You gasped, in spite of yourself. Apparently he hadn’t had much time to warm up between now and when he came into the apartment. His fingers were freezing, and if the shit eating grin he was giving you was anything too go by, he knew it too.

“What the fuck” you whispered, emphatically. It was like someone had just run an ice cube down your spine. Billy couldn’t help but laugh at the betrayal in your eyes. As always, you made it too easy.

“Hey. I told you, I want it off”

“Yes Sir.”

[sweetfirebird]

A Christmas Gift for the Silver Fox

SHW Drew on Patreon gave EXTREMELY generously to a food and housing org and for a prompt said, "in case you have a snippet about "Charlie & Will ten years on" floating around that you're longing for an excuse to write about...."

Sidenote but it is really weird to consider that Will and Charlie ten years on is… more or less now.

Content tags: Covid mention, background family stress. The lightest of BDSM mentions. References to both the book Play It Again, Charlie and some of the commentfic that is floating around the internets somewhere. Passing body image and aging issues. Financial issues. Some alcohol.

This is it for the charity prompt fills this year. Thank you to everyone for being so generous and awesome. <3

A Christmas Gift for the Silver Fox

Will shoved yet another roll of wrapping paper to the side and peered underneath it for a list he was nearly almost hundred percent certain that he’d actually made and used today while shopping and now needed to consult and possibly revise.

“How many bows did you think you’d use?” he asked himself irritably under his breath, setting aside a bag of those he’d bought today. He’d add to the bin of them that he’d gotten years ago in an attempt to make gift wrapping easier. He was going to be like all the homemaking influencers and have a wrapping station, or so he’d thought at the time. He didn’t have a station. He had the temporary use of the kitchen table and space in one of the closets. And there was no point in setting aside wrapping supplies to save time and money if every year he saw some new cute wrapping paper patterns and brought them home.

A tape dispenser clattered to the floor, startling Natalie Wood, who skittered away from Will’s feet and went back to circling the food bowls.

“Sorry, Natty.” Will meant it, but he muttered that too, bending over to snatch up the tape and then resuming his exhausted search for the Christmas list. Beside the rolls of paper and the bin of bows and ribbon were some of the gifts for various Howard cousins and niblings and siblings and siblings-in-law that he’d purchased today. He needed to make sure he had what he wanted to get, and then see what else was still left, and he wanted to do it while shopping was fresh in his mind.

Then he had to wrap them all, tonight, if he could. It would make the following weeks slightly easier. Tomorrow, he’d agreed—months ago, without thinking—to pick up Alicia and take her to the city for some comics event at a shop, which meant getting up early and lots of waiting in line… and probably seeing something she liked and getting it for her for Christmas as sneakily as he could.

If it was expensive, he’d have to use the joint card, which he frowned thinking about. All his life, he’d thought he would enjoy being like Lorelei Lee and spending someone else’s money but it turned out that when it was a reminder of his failures, he didn’t care for it.

Not failures, he immediately repeated in his head, glancing guiltily across the kitchen. It wasn’t failure to finally settle down and get a chair in an actual salon, only to end up having to go back to traveling to work for private clients because of Covid. He wasn’t the only one it had fucked over and it had nothing to do with him succeeding or failing and he was lucky, very lucky, to be okay, both health-wise and financially. He knew that, like he knew that Charlie didn’t mind Will spending his money.

Charlie would, in fact, get cranky if Will called it that and not their money. And would not like Will calling himself a failure either, for having to rebuild his savings and his career this late in the game.

Charlie would be harder on himself than he would ever be on Will, and that included spankings. Then he’d say something about how he worried less about Will knowing that their finances were linked, or say that’s what he thought marriage meant, sharing highs and lows, and if his family had money, and Will was his family, then shouldn’t Will use it?

But Will couldn’t think about that now or he’d lose focus. He was going to complete the list, handle everything like he’d said he would, and then he wouldn’t feel weird about it and everyone would have a nice Christmas. So that. He had to summon the energy and just do it. Wrap presents. Finish the list, if he could. Get ready for bed. Get up to taxi Alicia around and listen to her talk about girls and boys with wonder and a little envy he hadn’t realized he’d ever have toward young people, but there it was anyway. Bring her back here to wait for her mom to pick her up. Get ready for a holiday party which Charlie was iffy on attending for various reasons, but if they didn’t go to that, then probably spend the evening on the phone or online dealing with the rest of the shopping, or wrapping anything he failed to wrap tonight.

Meanwhile, the tree in their living room had lights on it but no decorations, there were several school recitals and one dance performance they were supposed to go see in the next few days, as well as a few more parties—including the one for Charlie’s work which was officially-unofficially mandatory, and Will needed to do a few hair consults before a late December wedding.

Not that long ago, Will’s Decembers had mostly been a small bit of Christmas shopping, first just for his sister and few friends, then for Charlie too. Then Charlie’s sisters, then everyone, even though Charlie kept insisting they could do joint gifts or that he could handle it. Of course Charlie could handle it; he’d been handling it for years before he ever met Will—and frankly for most of the years afterward. That was the point. Will was going to help him, the big, charming dope. If Charlie could insist that marriage meant sharing everything, then it meant sharing everything… even if Will was so tired.

His one Christmas tradition, born out of retail jobs with long December hours and having no family but his sister, was to find whatever channel was playing his favorite Christmas black-and-white classics, and watch them while enjoying a glass or two of champs.

Now, of course, too much champagne was out of the question because of his acid reflux and he had no time to watch anything.

He sighed for the memory of peace and quiet and Barbara Stanwyck, and also his twenties and the ability to eat and drink whatever he wanted, then dropped his head down onto his hands on the table to glare at the reindeer on the roll of wrapping paper closest to him.

In the kitchen, connected to the dining room of the larger apartment they’d happened to have moved into right before lockdown, Charlie was loading the dishwasher, pausing to handwash a few things as well and to check the time on whatever was in the oven.

Charlie had worked all day and probably fielded calls from his family and still had emails to answer or papers to grade, but he’d made dinner anyway. It was for the best; Will couldn’t cook even if he tried. And he’d been busy anyway, out shopping for the family.

Their family, Charlie would say. Like their money. And that Will shouldn’t still think he needed to be perfect and do everything for them—the big hypocrite—and how honestly, he’d been going to get the teens gift cards and Will should do the same.

He was probably right. That’s what teenage Will would have wanted from older relatives instead of bath sets or Christmas socks.

Actually, a nice bath set would be good, for him and for Charlie. He should write that down.

Where the fuck was that list anyway? He had a whole Charlie??? section that needed to be added to. He’d snuck a peek at Charlie’s To Be Read list for some book titles, and considered some fancy cookware that Charlie would probably just buy for himself if Will didn’t. Maybe Will should get Charlie a gift card too, or do one of those TikTok-esque shopping sprees in a Barnes & Noble.

Which would still be spending Charlie’s money, really. Their money, but really Charlie’s. Will was still saving up what he’d lost in the past few years, so using his own would mean Charlie wouldn’t be able to get many books—shockingly expensive things, history books.

Charlie wouldn’t care if Will spent his—their money—or spent his own and got him a cheap bath set, that was the worst part. He was always stupidly surprised to get any meaningful presents, so the amount wouldn’t matter. But Will cared. He wanted to get Charlie something he valued in with all the other stuff.

Nat returned to circle his feet, her soft meows mixed with the quiet thumping that meant Hulking had joined her. Hulking, adopted in Sam’s memory, was a stray who’d had a leg amputated and only entered the kitchen and dining area with its smoother, harder for him to navigate, floors when he was starving. Or cat-starving, anyway.

Alicia had named him. Will got up to feed them and then washed wet food off his hands before dragging himself back over the table to continue his work. He heard the momentary silence that meant Charlie had stopped, probably to watch Will go by, and belatedly looked over once he was no longer on his feet.

“God damn it, Charlie,” Will exclaimed softly without meaning to.

His nearly fifty-year-old hot piece of a husband was in sweatpants, socks, and a soft sleep shirt with the sleeves rolled up to keep them out of the dishwater. He was wearing an apron, the one that said “Silver Fox” which Will had gotten him two birthdays ago, because he was. He had more silver in his hair than dark brown, which was bad enough, but he was actually fitter than he had been because once he’d finally gotten his hip surgery, he’d been ordered to work out to help keep his balance and his strength up and he took that seriously.

He took everything seriously. 

He was currently handwashing Will’s reusable water bottle, the one with the sticker of the French poster for Bringing Up Baby on it—L’impossible Monsieur Bébé—because he was obsessed with keeping bacteria out of it and because tomorrow morning when Will was running around, he was going to want that bottle with him. It was just like Charlie to do this to Will when Will was tired, grumpy, and frustrated.

Charlie looked over, then opened his mouth.

“Don’t.” Will cut him off before he could ask if Will had eaten.

Charlie didn’t look hurt, not exactly, but did take a second before he turned around again, because he was. And now Will was a dick… who yes, had not eaten.

“You should have let me make dinner,” he said anyway. “Or I could have brought some home.” Though even McDonalds would have strained Will’s budget these days, and probably also make him sick. Anyway, Charlie would have thought it wasn’t healthy, which it wasn’t, and made Will take vitamins or something.

Which should have made Will feel like a child but he of course was trained in the ways of Charlie and loved it.

Charlie left the water bottle to dry on a towel by the sink and then said in a mild voice, “I’m going to make some tea. Would you like some?”

There was a lot of hidden worry beneath that careful offer. Will gave up looking for the list in his mess of presents and paper and slumped down in his seat to watch Charlie be competent. “Why do you like me so much?” he wondered quietly, not whining but close.

They both startled at the same time as the words sank in. “No, nope,” Will denied it all immediately. “Never mind. That was exhaustion talking. Don’t worry about it.”

Charlie put down the kettle he’d only just filled. He walked over to the fridge, reached on top of it for a red tin that Will didn’t remember seeing before, then brought it over to the table. He sat down with a loud, old-man noise of relief to be off his feet, then popped the lid on the tin and held it out for Will to look inside.

“Fudge?” Will guessed excitedly, already taking a piece.

Charlie nodded. “And chocolate rum balls. Teddy, the new office guy, apparently de-stresses with baking and confectionary, and goes overboard for Christmas. As people tend to do.”

He gave Will a look. Will gave him a look back.

“That remark feels pointed,” Will finally said, only a little bit snippy because fudge. “I have to get gifts for your family.”

“Which I told you, you didn’t have to do.” Charlie was noticeably not eating any of the candy.  

Will took a rum ball and handed it to Charlie before taking one for himself. “I want them to be happy. I want you to be happy…. Fuck. These are incredibly good. Do we need to get him something in return?”

Charlie hummed a little around a sinful bite of chocolate and rum. “A bottle of wine should do it. I’ll take something from the house if I have no time to go to the store. All that red you can’t drink anymore just sitting there.”

“Stupid aging,” Will sighed it. “Stupid acid reflux. Years of champagne and terrible meals catching up with me.”

“Pretty sure some of it is also genetic.” Charlie shook the tin to urge Will to take more. “You didn’t eat this afternoon.” He was not guessing. “Just seasonal lattes and whatever you had for lunch?”

“The seasonal latte was my lunch,” Will grumbled. “Skim milk even. We can’t all age like you.”

Charlie put the tin to the side and folded his hands in front of him. The Silver Fox on his apron taunting Will. “What can I do to help you?”

“Charlie,” Will whined at him, his irritation forgotten, “you have enough to do.”

“I’d rather see you enjoying yourself.” Charlie accepted the whining but did arch an eyebrow. “You usually do, this time of year.” There was a hint of a question there.

Will floundered a little. “I’m just… going through some stuff, and it’s the worst time of year to do that. Taking stock before Christmas is dumb. It’s nothing. I’ll get over it.”

Charlie took a rum ball all on his own, so Will went for more fudge. “You know,” Charlie began slowly, after savoring his chocolate, “you don’t have to get me anything.” He ignored Will’s gasp of outrage that Will made very dramatic even though he had just had this thought about Charlie moments before. “Truly.” He looked Will in the eye with a serious, dark stare that would have made lesser men whimper. “I’m happy as I am.”  

“You’re dreadful,” Will returned immediately, but didn’t give Charlie a chance to be hurt. “Just absolutely… I ought to make you something handmade, and heartfelt, and ugly, and force you to display it in the house…. Except you would.” He really would. He did it for his sisters and niblings all the time. Will sighed, perhaps also dramatically. “I’m just tired. And hungry—shush, you—and poor—and I know what you’re going to say and shush for that too. Then you go and wash my water bottle for me. I want to do something like that for you.” Will gestured at the air, then reached for more chocolate. “But also bigger and grander because you should have that. You can deny it all you like, but you supported me for two years. Maybe it’s natural for you but I still want to just… fuck, make things easier for you, at minimum. Then get you something really nice.”

A gorgeous frown of confusion came and went on Charlie’s face. “What would you like to do for me?” He was almost tentative, which he really shouldn’t be.

“If I knew that, I’d do it,” Will answered, huffy. He leaned forward a second later. “You know what? I’d like to let you rest. To not have you picking up after me and taking care of me—” the alarm on Charlie’s face was touching— “just for the one day,” Will assured him. “A few hours, even. To not be a mess or stressed, and… all that. But it’s December so… the month of stress.”

Charlie took another rum ball. This conversation had puzzled him or he wouldn’t be reaching for the booze in candy form. He ate it silently, frowning into space at first and then at the reindeer-pattern wrapping paper before looking up again.

“Wrinkles,” Will gently reminded him out of habit.

Charlie gave a nod, not of agreement. More decisive. “What are you doing tonight? Wrapping?” He waved over the table.  

“I have to if I want this all out of the way before the last things arrive… and still have some to ship off, and tomorrow I’m out most of the day and…” Will groaned.

“Or.” Charlie stopped Will’s moaning with a word. “Or… we make Alicia help tomorrow. Wrapping presents for the family is a grownup activity. It will make her feel more adult but also, having big Christmases like this takes work and everyone needs to learn how to contribute sooner or later. And then you give me your list, and we just do gift cards for the teens like I suggested… and maybe a few of the adults. And they can be understanding—they will be understanding,” Charlie added, in that voice that said he meant it and the family would listen. “And how about… tonight, we eat dinner and then do nothing?”

Shocking. Scandalous. Outrageous.

Will sat straight up. “I will probably fall asleep if I do that.” But he wanted.

The softest smile of relief crossed Charlie’s face. “That’s all right with me. You know that.”

“A night on the couch with the half-done Christmas tree and maybe a movie before we’re snoring?” Will was so middle-aged adjacent because that sounded amazing.

“Could you give me that, Will? As your present?” Charlie was so delicate and fine. “You haven’t watched your December movies yet either.”

Of course he’d noticed.

“Charlie.” It was probably the lack of food or the chocolate and sugar but if Will had known what he was in for, he would have dropped that flowerpot to get Charlie’s attention sooner. “It took me years to find these movies on DVD and now once I own them, they’re streaming everywhere? So rude,” he complained instead of saying any of that. “Bell, Book, and Candle could be considered a Christmas movie and I’ve been debating adding it to my usual watch. It begins and ends with Christmas anyway.” He had rambled about that for years now and Charlie had definitely heard it before and was probably very bored. But he regarded Will with that soft look lingering in his eyes. “You know this isn’t going to count, right?” Will surrendered. Will always surrendered to Charlie and was happy to do it. “I still want you to have nice things to open the morning of.”

The oven timer beeped. Charlie sighed and pushed himself up, leaving Will unattended with the chocolate because of course Charlie wouldn’t mind if Will had a million love handles as long as Will was okay and content.

Dreadful, for him to be like that. Will would do whatever he wanted, but all he wanted was this. A quiet night with Will.

Tired or not, Will leapt out his chair, startling poor Hulking as he rushed over to grab Charlie and hold him tight.

The oven beeped again.

“Fuck off,” Will said into the Silver Fox.  

Charlie exhaled the smallest laugh and gently disengaged from Will’s hold to go to the oven and take out whatever he’d put in there—sweet potatoes and chicken or something—and then, after taking his oven mitts off, came right back to Will.

That was much nicer. A much better end to the day than Will had been anticipating. Except maybe it could get a tiny bit nicer. He peeked up. “Need me to do anything else, Charlie, sir?”

“Ah.” Charlie sighed it—very pleased, Will could tell, because he used the voice when he spoke next. “Get out plates and silverware and whatever you want to drink with dinner. Make enough room on the table for that, but you don’t need to clean off the whole thing. Eat real food, and then you have as many rum balls as you like… that won’t affect you tomorrow morning.” Will didn’t think he could get drunk off candy but nodded anyway because he enjoyed being good for Charlie when he wasn’t being bad for Charlie. Charlie wiped something, probably chocolate, from Will’s mouth. “I bought more Tums today when I went to pick up my prescription, including a small travel-sized one for your workbag, since December is the month of tempting foods.”

Will considered that he ought to complain, again, and wonder how he was ever going to show love the way Charlie did, but did his best anyway. “Is that all, sir?”

Charlie hummed thoughtfully, petting Will’s mouth now, with no agenda except that he liked to do it. “There is something you’re supposed to say when you feel like this, isn’t there.”

He was not asking.

“Oh.” Will was vaguely embarrassed to have forgotten, but he was tired and hungry, and had stressed himself out for weeks now. He inched up, silently asking for a kiss but also to let Charlie gaze at him in that serious Charlie way while Will said what he should have said from the start. “Charlie loves me, and that’s all that matters.”

[depressedbagpipe]

Frenemies to lovers trope where billy Russo & you are each others secret Santa. What do you think that would be like?

let the hunger games begin :)

ah shit, here we go again

the only scenario that comes up to my head is billy being the boss and you being either his assistant or some other close worker of his at anvil

and maybe you all attended some workshop where you learned that group activities could boost the company's productivity so Secret Santa became a tradition shortly after

and for the first time, billy *actually* decides to participate after some peer pressure from other workers

now, you absolutely despised his guts

not like you genuinely hated him, but maybe working for someone 24/7 creates that sort of annoyance at having to organize someone else's life for them

he definitely kept you up all night working because he is the first one in and the last one out

this is turning a bit into devil wears prada but you get me

and the odds were never in your favor so naturally you get him as your Secret Santa

and you're complaining to your friend about what to get him as a gift

because what on earth do you gift a man who absolutely has everything already

and the way he treats you doesn't make it any better

because you're his employee, and the only person who always gets his coffee order right

but besides that knows absolutely nothing about you

so imagine his shock when he got you as his Secret Santa

now, if anything, this man is resilient

if he wants something, he'll stop at nothing to get it

so the long hours spent at his office where the two of you are working slowly turn into friendly conversations

initially, he wanted to know just enough about you to get you something he knew you'd like, but over time you actually became close

just imagine the slow-burn

i can see Secret Santa being assigned a few months in advance so everyone would have enough time to buy things

and during those months, billy and you keep growing closer

one day you're running late and when you get to your desk, your usual coffee order is sitting there

and you look up to see billy on a phone call, but his eyes briefly meet yours and he winks at you

and your face heats up in a way that's never happened before but you nod your head at him in appreciation and take a sip regardless

and these little acts keep happening until the Christmas party

Billy probably threw some big event, like a charity of sorts or a gala for new investors and clients

like black tie kinda thing

people everywhere are giving each other their Secret Santa gifts

and at midnight you go out on a balcony or the roof or literally any romantic space available in the building where you can be alone for a while

because you're the main character and need your alone time

so naturally, billy's already looking for you

mind you, this party is taking place a few days before christmas

i don't think billy would be that much of an asshole to have everyone working and dressing up on Christmas eve/day

and you're making small talk like your heart isn't beating loudly in your chest at the proximity

cause you don't really feel like his assistant right now

so then billy pulls out this velvet box from his pocket and reveals the surprise

and you frown as you open it and you tear up because it's a beautiful diamond locket with that one quote from that one book you love so much

you definitely bonded over literature, by the way, because i say so

obviously, you're at a loss for words because that's just too expensive but he insists on you keeping it

'cause he made it especially for you, 'because you deserve it'

and then you give him your gift

kinda matches too, maybe the most beautiful hardcover edition of the Picture of Dorian Gray

you tell him how you had to call in some favors

pull a few strings too

this is an afterthought but imagine being friends with a designer/editor/publisher and you get him this special edition with his face on it as if he were dorian gray (the multiverse is running wild lately)

and you recall that one conversation where you both stayed up late just talking and drinking, sitting on the floor of his office where you both accidentally poured your hearts out

but then were too drunk to remember what happened later

billy said that was his favorite book, and you remembered!

'of course I've remembered.'

and now billy is just looking at you with that glazed look he always gets like 'no one's ever thought of me that much'

and next thing you know he's kissing you with all that pent-up sexual tension

only this time you both recall what happened next ;)

you're still his employee but yeah, secretly dating from now on just adds more spice to your romance

[survivalxofxthexfittest]

The Lockmoore timeline

November 1st:

Oscar was out in the field with his partner investigating a case. They were retracing the suspect's steps, interviewing anyone and everyone in the immediate areas. He was on his next knock-and-talk when he became aware that something big was going on - the homeowner's neighbor shuffling through the yard and attacking the duo. Sadly his partner didn't make it. He immediately took off to get his sister and fiancée.

Emily was in the middle of a session when she got the call from Oscar. After telling him to hold on, she wiped down her client's tattoo and took a quick break to take the call. Clear and to the point as he was when he told her to hide somewhere safe until he got to her, she'd never heard Oscar so frantic before. Emily didn't believe him at first when he said people were acting like rapid animals and attacking people, but she would appease her brother's worry. Just as soon as she finished her session. She made her way back to the front of the shop, fully expecting to jump right back in to inking her client, but was stopped in her tracks when she saw them getting attacked instead. She turned and ran back toward the break room, slamming and locking the door just in time to avoid being the next victim.

Oscar was forced to take out the two infected to get to his sister, the two of them wasting no time to get in his car and head for his fiancée's work. By the time they made it there the building had been infiltrated and he fought his way through a small horde in the lobby. Just as he was passing through to the stairwell he saw Liv, or at least who used to be Liv. He froze in place, devastated he hadn't gotten to her in time, his world crashing around him. If Emily hadn't decided she'd waited outside long enough and went looking for him, he would have been attacked and turned along with Liv.

The siblings went to Oscar's apartment and holed up like the emergency broadcast instructed. He isolated for days, reeling from grief. Emily did her best to keep things as normal as possible while she tended to her brother's broken heart.

November 16th:

They started running low on supplies - Oscar's place very bachelor despite Liv having recently moved in because they ate at Emily's so often. The two decide to make their way to Em's place to resupply only- her garden apartment not as secure as Oscar's fourth floor space. They mapped out their route and uneventfully got to her complex. Given the ease of the trek they decided to stick around a few days and scavenge what they could from the rest of the building - only coming across three infected during their search.

November 18th:

Their trip back to Oscar's was not as easy. They were momentarily separated when the way back was blocked by a small horde. They managed to fight their way back, safe and sound, although Emily was almost three hours behind her brother which made him fear the worst.

December 16th:

The supplies they'd scavenged from Emily's complex started to run low and the pair began serious talks on leaving D.C. behind and heading Northeast - Oscar convinced the cold would at least slow down the infected. They made it all the way to the Delaware Memorial Bridge before they had to abandon their car. They found shelter in Wilmington for the night.

December 17th:

They start their trek once more, making it to Philadelphia by nightfall. The city is overrun and they are stuck finding shelter as they methodically make their way through, scavenging what they can as they go. The cold is getting worse, but nothing they can't survive so long as they keep warm over night.

December 24th-25th:

The two celebrate the Christmas holiday as best they can. They each managed to find a gift for the other while out on recon throughout their travels.

December 26th-February 4th:

They make their way slowly but surely toward Manhattan - the trip impeded by hordes and blockades along the route. They get stuck once more in Newark, New Jersey - the cold finally too much for them to safely travel through. They ended up using the FBI's headquarters for shelter, the mountains of paperwork left behind giving them plenty of fuel for warmth. The building's generators were surprisingly still working when they first arrived and Oscar used the opportunity to do a little digging into the events surrounding the fall. They were afforded three days of power before it went out completely. They scavenged when they could until the snow relented and they were able to get back on the road.

February 5th-March 2nd:

They finsihed their journey and finally wound up in Manhattan. They made unnecessary, but indulgent stops in the Museum of Art, the Empire State building, and the zoo for a moral boost - also using the Subway for shelter as needed. After their mini tour of the city they came upon The Wexley and snuck in through the garage.

[blueascend]

Rokkaku Yuta hadn’t always been the most observant person.

It was hard to believe now, but it was true. He’d been the last in their friend group to notice Minato and Keita’s relationship. He’d even gone out with his first girlfriend four times before he realized they were dating. Back in his University days, he’d truly been hopeless!

But ever since he started working at Toyokawa, he’d been honing his observational skills. It was important for a good salesman to know their client well without asking too many questions, after all, and Rokkaku planned on being the best. 

He was certainly learning from the best - Kurosawa was the kind of mentor any new salesman could only dream of and Rokkaku was not going to let him down. 

Still, Rokkaku had to admit, he did have some room for improvement.

“You wanted to talk to me, Kurosawa-san?”

Kurosawa looked unusually somber as he closed the door behind them, leaving them alone in the empty conference room. Whatever he had to tell Rokkaku, surely it couldn’t be bad? He’d seemed so happy lately, even when he tried to hide it behind his professional facade. 

(See? Observant.)

“Kurosawa?”

Kurosawa drew a deep breath. “I have some news to share.”

“Bad news?” Rokkaku asked.

“No.” Kurosawa shook his head. “Just the opposite.”

Rokkaku smacked his arm playfully. “Well, why the long expression then?”

“Ah, I - I’m worried, I suppose.” Kurosawa smiled, small and stiff. “I don’t think I need to be but I can’t help it. Force of habit.”

For once, Rokkaku was at a loss for words. He’d never seen Kurosawa like this, holding himself with such wariness. Whatever he was about to say, it seemed like he might be - scared of Rokkaku’s reaction? But that couldn’t be it, could it?

“I’m moving in with my partner,” Kurosawa finally said. “And I - we would like to invite you to the small housewarming we’re hosting.”

Rokkaku’s eyes widened. “Eh? But that’s great news! Why would that worry you?”

“...It’s Adachi.”

Rokkaku blinked. Kurosawa’s voice was quiet but he was pretty sure he’d heard him correctly. Hadn’t he?

“Adachi and I are moving in together,” Kurosawa said, seeming to understand that Rokkaku needed the clarification. “We’ve been dating for almost a year.”

Kurosawa and..... Adachi??

Rokkaku stared into space, memories rushing through his brain and rearranging themselves to fit this new context. Almost a year? So that time just after Christmas - and with Adachi’s accident - and last week, when he saw them get in the same cab....

“I never would have guessed,” Rokkaku admitted. “You hid it so well!”

Kurosawa laughed nervously. “We tried.” He swallowed.. “Are you alright with it?”

“Alright?” Rokkaku repeated incredulously. “You and Adachi are my most respected seniors and two of my favorite people. And to learn that you’ve found happiness together - that’s amazing!”

Kurosawa’s shoulders sagged, relief flooding his expression. He blinked, eyes suddenly shining. “Yeah?”

“Yes, of course!” 

Rokkaku grinned and, unable to hold back his exuberance any longer, reached out to hug Kurosawa tightly. It was hardly appropriate but what the hell - Kurosawa wasn’t just his senior, he was his friend!

He feared for a moment he’d overstepped but then Kurosawa laughed and hugged him back. When they parted he’d regained his composure, although his eyes were still shiny. Rokkaku chose not to comment.

“Seriously, though,” Rokkaku said. “I never would have seen it coming. You are two such different people - but it makes sense, in a way. You compliment each other.”

Kurosawa’s smile widened. “When did you get so wise?”

Rokkaku preened.

The housewarming party was indeed small, just the two hosts plus Rokkaku, Fujisaki, Minato and Tsuge. 

Tsuge and Minato brought sake as well as an advance copy of Tsuge’s latest novel (“It’s not a gift so much as homework. I need to know which parts are exciting and you are my most dedicated reader, Adachi.”) 

Fujisaki brought a beautiful snack box, the kind that would be perfect for distinguished company. (“We’re saving this for when your sister visits.” “But she said distinguished company, Adachi.” “You can be such a brat, you know that?”)

And Rokkaku brought - 

“A cactus?” 

Kurosawa turned the pot over in his hands with a puzzled smile.

“I read that a potted plant would be a good housewarming gift,” Rokkaku explained. “I picked this because I didn’t want to burden just one of you with caring for it and a cactus would be very difficult for Ada-” he cut himself off with a cough, amending, “for anyone to kill.”

Adachi laughed, taking the pot from Kurosawa’s hands and setting it down on the counter. “That’s very thoughtful, Rokkaku, thank you.”

Rokkaku shot him a thumbs-up.

They gathered around the small table - it was a tight fit, but they managed - toasting to the happy couple and their future. For the next couple of hours, the beer and conversation flowed freely. Rokkaku had to admit that although it was strange to see his seniors in this new context, it was also very heartwarming.

They looked at ease together, in a way he hadn’t even realized they didn’t apart. Clearly, they were good for each other. 

Although, it also made him wonder...

“Were you together yet the first time I visited you here?” 

He didn’t even realize he’d spoken aloud until the rest of them turned to look at him, all looking various degrees of confused.

“At our sleepover last year,” he elaborated. A sudden terrible thought occurred. “Was I crashing date night?!”

Adachi laughed, Kurosawa hiding his grin behind his glass. “Ah, no, you didn’t. We got together soon after, though.”

“How did that happen?” Fujisaki inquired, the question sounding politely curious rather than nosy coming from her. “I’ve never heard that story.”

“Me neither,” Minato chimed in. “Who asked out who?”

Adachi and Kurosawa exchanged looks, loaded with some meaning Rokkaku couldn’t decipher. 

“Wait,” Rokkaku said. “Don’t say it yet, let us guess! It must have been-”

“Kurosawa,” he, Minato and Fujisaki said at once.

Adachi frowned. “Hey, why does no one think it was me?”

“It wasn’t,” Kurosawa reminded him, giving Adachi such a loving look that Rokkaku could feel it like a wave from across the table. "I also told you I liked you first, remember?”

“Well, I did it second,” Adachi mumbled, resting his pink cheek against his palm. “I ran halfway across the neighborhood just to catch you on your way home to tell you.”

Rokkaku gasped. “How romantic!”

“Mhm,” Kurosawa hummed, stars in his eyes as he reminisced. “Very.”

“Kurosawa also fell in love first, didn’t he?” Fujisaki said. Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and Rokkaku suspected she wouldn’t have spoken up if she were entirely sober.

Drunk Fujisaki was a bit of a trouble maker, it turned out. 

Rokkaku approved.

“I did, yes,” Kurosawa said with a dramatic sigh. “All those years, spent pining away hopelessly...”

“Don’t exaggerate,” Adachi laughed.

Kurosawa blinked. “But I’m not? I was in love with you for seven years before we got together.”

“Eh?” Adachi’s mouth dropped open. “You are exaggerating now, Yuichi!”

Rokkaku and Fujisaki exchanged shocked, delighted glances. Seven years? Yuichi??

“I’m not,” Kurosawa repeated, wrapping his arms around Adachi’s shoulders, the rest of them seemingly forgotten. “You should comfort me, Kiyoshi, it was very difficult!”

Rokkaku was sure it had been - how could it not? He couldn’t imagine loving anyone for seven years, let alone having it be unrequited for all that time. But Kurosawa looked blissfully happy now, clinging to Adachi like an octopus, blushing cheeks pressed together.

“You’re drunk,” Adachi said through his laughter, but he was leaning into Kurosawa’s embrace anyway.

“You’re drunk,” Kurosawa replied.

“We’re all drunk!” Tsuge exclaimed, raising his glass, leaning heavily against a grinning Minato.

Rokkaku raised his glass as well, the two of them toasting and then downing the rest of their drinks. 

“I hope you realize none of you are crashing here tonight,” Adachi said dryly. His authority was somewhat undermined by his octopus boyfriend, still wrapped around him.

It was very strange, seeing them like this, but Rokkaku felt privileged to witness it. To know they had such deep trust in him. 

He may still not be the most observant, but there was one thing he was happy he excelled at - being the kind of man his friends could confide in.

[starlit-meloncholia]

one thing i never thought i'd get into was fashion. i used to buy just whatever clothes fit me at Walmart, but ever since i committed to only wear clothes that make me happy i've come to realize how deeply enjoyable clothing can be. (putting it below for politeness)

when i was still working in homeless services, i worked with a veteran client who always dressed like a cowboy. i once asked him why, and he told me it was because when he left the army, he didn't know who he was any more without it. The routine, training, and combat he saw made it so when he got out, he wasn't the same person he was when he went in. So, he decided if he didn't know who he was, then he'd just be who he liked, and he liked cowboys.

one day a few years ago, sick of boymoding at work after a scolding from my boss about painting my nails, i decided to pack up all my men's clothing and donate it. i kept a few shirts with sentimental value and boxed the rest up to drop off at goodwill. now having pretty much no clothes i had no choice but to buy an entire new wardrobe, and i had no idea what i was doing. i was sick of wearing clothes i didn't like, but i had also never liked any clothes i'd ever worn. so i asked myself: what did i like?

i just got an order of clothes i got with a christmas gift card and i'm so happy just looking at these cute moon leggings i got to wear today. i'm excited for another order to come, because i bought my favorite dress again so i can wear it more. i have a distinct aesthetic that i'm now known for, and i feel more confident and happy than ever. every time i step out of the door in a cute outfit i feel like the baddest bitch on the block.

[sparkling-ariaria]

Winter spirit & dazzling lights (BTS, HP & Stranger Things fic rec)

Stories for that excited and soft feeling you get by looking at the bright lights, snuggling up in a cozy blanket and all the memories that come with it~

*Complete fem or non-specific reader insert fics* Updated: 05.01.2024

HARRY POTTER

She's so sweet by magicchai - Harry x gf!Reader Harry returns to the Gryffindor common room to see y/n has gotten everyone to help decorate the living space.

You're my secret santa? by perpetuallydaydreaming - Remus x gf!Reader You give Remus a gift he thought he’ll never have.

Meant to be by proserpina-magnus - Regulus x gf!Reader Regulus and Y/N jumping into the black lake while it's snowing.

Baking gone wrong by justmyheart - Sirius x gf!Reader

Blue Christmas by findmeinasunshower - Sirius x gf!Reader Sirius comes to spend Christmas with you and your family, but you notice the Holiday blues hanging over him.

Snow by roxetteblack - Sirius x gf!Reader Sirius decided to take you on a small weekend getaway in a cabin during winter.

Winter Blurb: Picking a Christmas Tree by of-many-fandomss - James x gf!Reader

Winter Blurb: Gingerbread Houses by of-many-fandomss - Sirius x gf!Reader

BTS

Dreaming of a Christmas with you by myplaceforstories - Taehyung x Reader Just a quick Christmas romance inspired by Tae’s recent Pride and Prejudice photos and the It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas vid.

Daisy by run2yoongi - Yoongi x vet!Reader A late, winter night at the vet clinic brings you closer to your regular client, a cat-loving Min Yoongi and his feline companion, Daisy. When he was unable to stand seeing another stray cat spend the holidays on the cold streets, he agrees to take her in. You didn't anticipate that helping the new cat-dad would help you feel a little less alone these holidays, too.

My Home by purpleyoon - dragon!Yoongi x human healer!Reader It was close to winter, and your medicine was nearly complete for you to use. But when it came to, you helped another whose wounds were life threatening. Now, random items kept showing up on your porch, with each item bringing you closer to the creature you healed.

November by alpacaparkaseok - A small drabble about Namjoon embodying the month November.

December by alpacaparkaseok - A small drabble about Seokjin embodying the month December.

January by alpacaparkaseok - A small drabble about Yoongi embodying the month January.

STRANGER THINGS

Season of giving by rosygaze - Eddie x gf!Reader Exchanging gifts with him.

“Something you wanted.” by rainylana - Eddie x gf!Reader You show up to Eddie and Wayne’s with gifts.

Blurbcember prompt by lovebugism - Steve x shy!Reader Steve finds out the cute girl at the record store likes him and decides to bring her ice cream as a proclamation of love.

Kiss me underneath the mistletoe by eddiesxangel - mechanic!Eddie x Reader Eddie and you share your first kiss.

Under the mistletoe by eiightysixbaby - modern!Eddie x Reader A holiday party, a sweet gift exchange, and an even sweeter kiss.

Sweet dreams of holly and ribbon by forevermoreharrington - Steve x gf!Reader Steve gets his sweet girl an early Christmas gift and she’s dizzy over it.

Maybe this christmas time by headkiss - Steve x sunshine!Reader Working as an elf during the holidays (which he isn’t a fan of) is not how Steve would choose to spend his time, neither is doing a bucket list of your creation. You end up changing his mind.

Merry & Meddling by munson-blurbs - Eddie x shy!Reader Max and Lucas are tired of their friends silently pining over each other but never making a move, so when the Winter Formal rolls around, they take matters into their own hands.

[kart0]

Today was not a good day and my mood is terrible and I have no money and I am barely surviving

I have been planning on opening commissions because I really, really need money. All I have, literally, is $0,053. I am not joking. I have R$0,29 ( my currency ). That's all I have on my bank account. and I refuse to use credit bc I know myself and I don't want to owe money. I'm already owing $40 to my mom, bc I had to prepare for a con, which ended up being very bad and I made no profit whatsoever. I borrowed $100 from her and all money I got, I used to pay her back. And I still haven't paid it all.

And I am. Desperate. I have to buy clothes ( haven't gotten new clothes since 2019 ) and I need new shoes ( I always ask for shoes on my birthday, bc I don't have money to get new ones by myself so I use my birthday as an excuse ) and I plan to save money to buy a new computer. I have a notebook that doesn't work, takes around 3 hours. THREE. FUCKING HOURS. to turn on and work properly. I've been meaning to switch to drawing on a pc because my ipad can only do so much ( and it does a lot, I love it, but it doesn't have a lot of options. I can't get clip paint studio on my ipad cuz it's a subscription and it is expensive. I have clip paint on my notebook tho, but it just doesn't work cuz it's too heavy, and I like working on big canvas )

Last year I was looking for a display drawing tablet ( I bought myself a Wacom intuos in 2017, but I couldn't adapt. I am not very coordinated. At that time i would prefer to draw traditionally, and if digital, on my phone with my FINGER. ) and my dad ended up gifting me one that I really loved ! I had been looking for good and cheap alternatives to wacoms, and I was so dedicated into finding one that I'd be able to afford and he ended up gifting me one !!!! I was over the moon !!!! It was pricey, so I got it as a birthday, and Christmas gift combined. My birthday is in August btw so it was toooootally fine. I don't usually get any Christmas gifts anyways. At least not expensive ones, I usually ask for underwear, or socks, or pajamas. Things I need.

I opened the display tablet and then it dawned on me. My notebook suuuuuuuucks. It will be such a hassle to work and just inconvenient. Why would I spend 3 hours turning it on when my ipad it's already there.

Ugh I am sorry I am getting so out of track, I just. I need to explain why, this matters so much to me.

The actual upsetting thing:

I will open comms, and I have been struggling to price my art because. I don't want to fail, and not get any customers cuz it's too expensive. But I can't work for free, lately I've been spending at least 2 hours on every bust I've drawn. And I know it's not the cleanest or sharpest artstyle out there. I keep doubting myself that no one is interested in my art, in me. I have some followers on Twitter, which is my main source of clients. But I barely get any interactions. If my art can barely get any comments or likes or fucking views, then most likely no one will see my commission post, and no one will buy one.

And to make things worse, I have a mutual who is super nice I really like her I think she's awesome and she has great art but she just announced she's planning to open comms too, soon. And I feel so fucking stupid. Everyone was commenting on that post saying "I can't wait" "ohhhh this will be good" "this is so exciting I will definitely comm you" and I got. Nothing.

It's my own fault. I'm the only one to blame. I don't interact a lot. I'm not a part of the community there. I don't have friends there. Even though I have double her followers, I don't have their trust, or their empathy. Maybe I'm just that unlikable. I'm not worth it.

And I feel like I could've done something about it. If I had been braver and posted my comms sheet sooner, before her post. If I tried harder to make friends there. If I posted more art. If I. If I just.

I don't know what to do, and I feel terrible about these thoughts. She deserves it ! She deserves more than I do. She's nicer and I'm just me. A prickly, bored, unfazed, egocentric narcissist who can only cry about themself. I feel such shame, and guilt, but I can't help it. I am a naturally envious, jealous, and putrid shell of a person.

I've been trying to be nicer but I don't have the energy to talk to them, and I feel too awkward. I feel so fucking lonely all the time and I need validation. I seek for love. I want to be seen and loved and cherished. I want them to look at me but I don't do my part. All I'm good is my art, and it's not even that fucking good. My worth is my posts. Gosh, I feel so stupid.

Why am I like this ?

I feel angry to myself that I can't be normal. I don't make friends I don't talk to anyone I don't make connections.

I don't post a lot and I am not that active.

The worst thing even is that I don't even have a job.

I don't want to charge too much, I don't want to get paid too little. I don't want to burn out and not be able to get more comms. I don't want to not get any comms at all.

This other artist is in the same fandom as I am ( haikyuu ) so we basically have the same clients. If I charge too high, they will compare our prices and choose hers. "Her art is better" "her art is worth more" "at least she will offer full bodies, when you only will offer headshots"

They will choose her, and I don't know what to do. I know we're in a crisis, economy is in shambles, and people just can't afford to support both artists. I know that ! I know that and I can't change my pricing because it's already cheap, for me. People always say to charge more but most people just don't want me. And my commissions always tend to look like shit because I am too afraid to upset people. I need to prove they did the right choice by commissioning me. I need them to know I did my best. I want them to be happy. But all I feel is that I'm failing !

I'm failing at everything, look where I am !

I DONT EVEN HAVE A FUCKING DOLLAR. I DONT HAVE 1 DOLLAR. One fucking dollar.

And I feel like I'm going crazy. How could I not ? I don't have a job, I will never get a job, I am barely surviving at college, I have no plans for the future, I am neurodivergent and no one will hire me, I don't work well with other people I am not friendly. I'm just.

I'm bad at being a person.

I don't know what to do. Yes I will be opening comms. And I'm considering lowering my prices. I don't blame this artist at all. It's not her fault, and I know that.

And I don't wish her any harm. I just. I feel envy. Why am I not her.

Why am I so bad at this ?

[harley-sunday]

Maxiel Heist AU

Originally posted this on the sideblog but figured it might as well go up here. Wrote this in one go because I needed some sort of Maxiel robbery/heist AU in my life. There's a more elaborate fic in here somewhere but for now I hope you enjoy this drabble/set up (1.7k) even though this is not what I normally write at all. Also, I know this is not factually accurate but...

The thing is- Max Verstappen likes to be prepared. Likes to leave nothing to chance, likes to plan ahead, and likes to know exactly what to expect at any given time. 

Which is why, from Monday to Friday, his days are pretty much carbon copies of each other. He wakes up five minutes before his seven AM alarm, gets up, showers, and puts on his clothes - a dark navy suit with a white dress shirt and a pair of brown leather shoes that he only wears for a year before he replaces them. The same goes for his suit by the way. Every year, during the mandatory break his boss makes him take between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, he goes to the same tailor he’s been going to ever since he started his job two years ago and gets a new suit and ten new dress shirts. Last year his sister went along and pressured him into buying a navy tie she said would bring out the color of his eyes but that still lays of course untouched in the back of his closet somewhere.

Max still styles his hair the same way he's done ever since he was old enough to do it himself and then puts on the same cologne he’s used since he turned eighteen, when his sister gifted him a bottle of Tom Ford Azure Lime for his birthday, which, unlike the tie, he does like. He kisses his, barely awake, boyfriend of two years goodbye before he heads to the kitchen and makes himself the same breakfast he’s been having ever since he moved out of his mother’s home. Two pieces of toast with a slice of cheese on each and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Simple, but it does the trick.

Once he's had breakfast, he tends to his two cats, Jimmy and Sassy, who get some cuddles before Max changes their water, tops up their bowls with some cat food, and cleans out their litter boxes. He always checks his weather app right as he grabs his car keys, to see if he needs to bring his coat, before he heads out the door and takes the elevator down to the parking area of his apartment building and fires up his Porsche 911, a birthday gift from his boyfriend when he turned twenty-five last year. He drives out onto Fremont Street at exactly seven fifty because leaving early only means he’ll spend more time at work than he intends to and leaving late means he’ll be stuck behind a school bus most of the way. 

He’s been working as a financial advisor for the past year, moved up through the ranks pretty quickly once the bank’s manager saw his potential and made him his protegé. Max is still not sure the regional manager, a certain Dr. Helmut Marko he's only met once, agrees with this decision, but then again Max doesn't really care what the weird old Austrian guy has to say. He won't be working here much longer anyway.

The branch of Wells Fargo he works at is on the smaller side, ten or so employees in total, located on the outskirts of a mall in one of the city’s more wealthier suburbs, but Max likes it. Likes how, even though he meets different clients throughout the week, there still is a certain familiar rhythm to his day. He knows that when he gets in at eight-fifteen, Damian, the security guard, will greet him from behind the morning newspaper with a curt nod and a, “Morning, Mr Verstappen.” Knows that Bea, one of the bank tellers, will be standing at the coffee machine in the break room and will either complain about the weather or the traffic she was faced with that morning, while Portia, the other bank teller, will have her hands folded around a mug of steaming hot tea and nod in agreement. He doesn't care much for Bea or Portia, the two middle aged women far too nosy and invested in his private life for his liking, and so Max sticks to smalltalk mostly.

The thing is- Max Verstappen likes to be prepared. Likes to leave nothing to chance and likes to plan ahead.

Which is why his first client of the day always comes in at eight forty-five, because Max knows by now a meeting usually takes no longer than fifty minutes, and knows not to schedule another meeting right after because there’s a coffee break at ten. And because he of course doesn't drink coffee he takes a Red Bull instead. The first of four he'll have throughout the day- Five if it's the weekend.

His next meeting is always at ten-thirty and then another one at twelve, allowing for a lunch break at one. Max gets made fun of by Bea and Portia, and sometimes Damian too, because his lunch is just as varied as his breakfasts - a tomato soup and a carpaccio sandwich from the bodega around the corner he has been buying ever since he started working here. After a month of ordering the same lunch, Andy, the shop owner, stopped asking Max for his order and simply made sure he had his food ready to go at one o’clock. 

By now he also knows that the hours between one and three are relatively calm and that Bea and Portia have come to take turns going outside for a short walk after their lunch break, leaving only one teller out front for about half an hour at a time. Every day at exactly one-fifty, Damian disappears for ten minutes or so, for his after-lunch toilet break. On Thursdays there’s a Brinks truck that comes in at two to pick up the money deposited to the bank the week prior and Max knows that even though technically Damian should be present for the exchange, the Brinks’ guys know their way around the building and usually finish up before Damian even comes back.  

Max schedules his third client of the day at three, leaving him some time to catch up on emails and administrative tasks he thinks are the most dreadful part of his job. His last client of the day comes in at four and by five he’s ready to head home and settle into his evening routine of a workout, a shower, dinner, and some Fifa or Call of Duty on his Playstation before he goes to bed at ten. His days blend together seamlessly, his almost every waking minute accounted for in a carefully constructed regimen that he’s perfected over the years. 

The thing is- Max Verstappen likes to be prepared. Likes to leave nothing to chance.

Which is why it is weird that at one-fifty two on a random Thursday afternoon in November he remains seemingly calm when three masked men walk into the building and try to rob the bank, disturbing an otherwise quiet afternoon. Portia panics and starts screaming before they shut her up by gagging her and tying her to her chair in a haphazard way. Before Christian or Max have time to respond, two of the men make their way to Christian’s office while the other one barricades the door to the staff bathroom, locking in Damian. Christian gets held at gunpoint and is made to open the safe that holds the money Brinks is supposed to pick up in eight minutes. Christian tries to tell the men he doesn’t have the code, that only Brinks can open the safe, and for a moment it looks like the robbers believe him but then one of them catches Max’s eye and throws him a wink before he cocks his gun, puts it against Christian’s temple, finger on the trigger, and says, “Didn’t your momma teach you not to lie, boss?” 

It’s then Max remembers he’s supposed to have pushed the panic button located on the side of his desk the minute these guys walked in and he does so at one fifty-six, right as Christian gives in and opens the safe. He watches in silence as at least four or five bags filled with bank notes get taken out of the safe and get put into a large black duffel bag that one of the guys hoists onto his shoulder. Just as quickly as they entered the men start to retreat but not before one of them points a finger gun at Max and pretends to shoot him. Max doesn’t say anything and waits until the men have disappeared before he rushes to Christian who tells him to check on Portia first. 

Max knows it will take another two or three minutes before the police arrive and later he’ll explain to them that he blacked out for a second, too shocked by what was going on to think logically and apologizing for not pushing the button sooner. The detective he gives his statement to will nod and tell him, “Don’t worry, son. It’s hard to predict how we will act in stressful situations.” Max has to bite his tongue to not tell the detective that, “I of course knew how I was going to react.” 

He spends longer than he wants talking to the police, repeating his statement over and over again, his dinner a box of Chinese takeout one of the officers picked up for him and the detective. 

The thing is- Max Verstappen likes to be prepared. 

Which is why, when he finally makes it home later that night he can’t help but smile when he finds his boyfriend standing in the kitchen, whipping up what looks to be like a late-night snack. Max sneaks his arms around Daniel's waist and hooks his chin over his shoulder, voice raspy from talking all evening, "Hey."

"Hey," Daniel replies, putting his hand over Max's where it rests on Daniel's stomach and intertwining their fingers. "You had a good day at work?"

Max scoffs but chuckles, "I did."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Max echoes, letting go of Daniel so he can spin his boyfriend around and finally kiss him. With his lips still ghosting over Daniel's he returns the question, "Did you?"

Daniel pulls back a little, eyes darting to the living room where Max knows there's a now-empty black duffel bag hidden away somewhere, and points a one-handed finger gun at Max, clicking his tongue to mimic the shot, "I did."

[firespirited]

Got screwed by LaPoste again. Flatmate woke me up to pay €11: more than the cost of the item with postage: I'd already paid import taxes, it was tracked so they could have emailed me for the €3 custom fee, it had a CN22 that said both these things but it was folded inwards so their shoddy machines didn't scan it.

A few years ago this would have ruined half my day. But I've been doing whatever therapy technique it is to take your strong emotions and break it down into every single component and examine every facet until it's something you understand, can accept and form solutions

Here's a little peek at what comes out after lots of uncomfortable moments of digging down:

ANGER because this is ethically wrong and entirely avoidable:

If they'd bothered to open the CN22, i wouldn't have to pay. As is I was presented with losing the item and reorder (with wait time) or hand over the money. Their corner cutting on personnel led to this.

Customs fee was actually €3. The extra €8 is a handling fee for laposte. If your parcel has tracking, customs contact you by email and you pay online. I did it last week for the Japan parcel. I was not sent an email for this.

None of that €8 handling fee goes to the postie who has an extra five minutes to make up for. I wouldn't mind if it was a tip, we cash-tip regularly for difficult deliveries.

There's no receipt and most people pay in cash so an unscrupulous postie could ask for whatever whenever. Half of my spam is claims from various delivery companies claiming my parcels are held up and need money, they opened a terrible can of worms

Laposte is not great at what they do and have not operated as a public service for a long time now with massive inflation on the cost of sending stuff. A postcard stamp (in country!) will set you back $1.6

RESENTMENT because I was extremely strict about hobby money.

A €11 loss would have meant two yarn or partial reroots to make up for it. Possibly selling one of my personal collection. At least four hours of work.

Every single supply and unexpected expense like parcel loss or extra fees came from the hobby fund which would be in the red if it wasn't a current sales moment. (My first rotary tool was bought with hobby money even though it had non doll purposes for example.)

I knew at the time that it was unhealthy thinking but hadn't found an alternative or ways to mentally unblock.

IMPOTENCE:

recourse is nearly impossible the post office system is designed that way: no receipt and they can claim bad formatting of the CN22 masked the barcode. It's always something. They sent my australia parcel to austria, billed me, i opened a case and checked in every month and nothing.

poverty mindset: if you've ever felt the sting of removing an item from the conveyor belt to afford the total, you know that someone else's small change is something big and important and painful. Even once you have some money it doesn't go away: donating to others is easy, being cheated by a system is awful.

Solutions:

As much as possible, I don't use LaPoste and their extortionate prices for sending to France and the EU. My two posties get regular tips and cash gifts at Christmas but I don't use the post office unless I absolutely have to. Mondialrelay or Point to Point get my money whenever possible. That feels good and makes losses feel less bad.

I treat unexpected expenses like a lost parcel, disgruntled client or new fees as a tip to myself. I put in the work, did everything I could and something out of my control happened. The expense is marked down but cancelled out from my personal kitty. I have been inconvenienced: I'm not going to let it hurt or work it off.

Hobby supplies that are multipurpose are a third category. I was putting glues, chemicals, thread and needles under expenses when I use them for all sorts of repairs.

More importantly: the hobby money spreadsheet became a guideline not a business expenditure book.

Since about 2019 I've also been trying to integrate the idea of the joy of the hobby having its own cost and reward built in:

If i make no money back from a €30 gunky bundle of dolls, there was still €30 worth of enjoyment in fixing them up. The experience of practising even if it comes out all wrong is also valuable. And you often get a tutorial out of it 😁 (see my "mistakes I make so you don't have to" tag)

There was a time before handicap benefits where every cent counted but even then we all managed to make tough choices so we could save small amounts of 'cushion' money - We'd all learned to be so cautious that the cushions went mostly untouched until benefits hit and something unlocked despite still being under the poverty line: the cushion had gone from €30 (100 if we had a good series of months) to €300 emergency funds and no medical expenses were paid out of pocket (as opposed to upfront with a potential refund later) and that made all the difference.

But also a big change was the mindset:

Normal people's unwinding experiences often aren't free even if it's just eating your own snacks at a local bit of grass.

Really throwing out the idea that hobbies should be monetized (that part was hard to unlearn, not just because it was so prevalent but because of shame at not "having a job"- i know now that my full-time job is to keep this body alive and I get maybe 3 hours max to not be about surviving)

Even in poverty you deserve treats because those make priceless memories. Hobby time is valuable because it's what's makes us human not just productivity/survival machines.

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

Anyway I've also been trying to apply this to my rejection sensitive dysphoria, knowing I'm going to lose Lily soon, frustration with how slow core muscle rebuilding is taking, as well as the very real fear of alienating my sister by accident or just clashing needs (NGL I spiralled most of the day when we had the odd confrontation last week).

but I'd rather break down something less personal in public. ^^;

Here's hoping this little thing that would drive me batty from feeling powerless, which now doesn't sting as much helps someone

[purplesurveys]

1784

Do you own anything from Victoria's Secret "Pink" line? Do you really think the clothes are worth the price? I don't. And maybe for some people yeah but personally it's not my style so no.

What does your last incoming text say, who was it from, and how do you feel about that person? It was a delivery rider just asking for specific directions going to our house. I don't have any feelings about the guy since I never ended up meeting him as I was out when he texted.

Did you have a New Year's kiss? No, I've always been with family in celebrating the New Year.

Are there any words that you cannot pronounce or that you pronounce incorrectly? For some reason I struggle with enunciating 'beautiful.'

After a long day at work or of doing something physical what tends to hurt more? Your back or your feet? Back and shoulders, which is why I always have a supply of ointment to coat all over my body at the end of the day lol. My legs only really hurt on days I do a lot of walking, which don't happen a lot.

Do you have a smart phone? If so, what's your favorite app? Yes. As for my favorite app, I always find myself checking in on Reddit multiple times a day, even when mid-work.

Who would you say is the overall best person you know, and why? Angela is the most reliable person in my life. I trust her inputs on literally everything – just this morning I messaged her asking for help on how to use Carousell LOL – and apart from that she has the kindest heart and I know she'll always have my back no matter what, whether it's in the form of listening to me or calling me out when I'm on ther verge of doing something stupid.

If you had to choose between being a Nurse or an English teacher which would you choose and why? English teacher. I know I wouldn't be the best with kids/teenagers but I feel like I nevertheless have enough people skills to get by. Plus I feel like I'm okay when it comes to explaining and teaching things, so it'd work out better at least compared to being a nurse.

Do you have a specific gas station you usually go to? Or do you stop wherever? Yes, there's a specific brand I always go to. I'm not good with car stuff so I don't want to risk going to a different station and potentially going with the wrong kind of gas and damaging my car forever.

How much older than you was the oldest person you have dated/had a relationship with? I've only ever been with one person and they are my age.

Is anything stressing you out at the moment? We have a family Christmas party/reunion this weekend and I have not wrapped a single gift. I might just buy a bunch of paper bags tomorrow since there is simply no time to individually wrap everything hahaha.

What is your opinion on dating someone who already had a child/children from a previous relationship? I know it shouldn't be a problem at this age but personally speaking it might intimidate me. I'm nowhere near ready to be a mom/stepmom.

Have you ever actually found a mascara that makes a huge difference for your lashes? I don't use mascara. I like my eyelashes enough as they're naturally long already and don't really feel the need to make it look ~aesthetically pleasing~

Would you rather have one or two great facial features that stand out, or have just an overall pretty face but have no special features? I'd take the pretty face. Pretty privilege is real and can take you places.

Do you have any plans for Valentine's Day? Did you do anything last Valentine's Day? I haven't had plans for Valentine's Day in three years and don't feel the need to celebrate it alone.

Do you check your horoscope daily? If so, did you relate to your horoscope at all today? I do not believe in horoscopes.

When you need to remember something, how do you usually go about doing so? I use my Notes app and just note down a bunch of stuff in there, whether it's a dream I don't want to forget, or a random thing a client would say during a meeting that I'd need to remember. That's why I often get confused when I look through my archives haha everything lacks context.

Do you think you're a confident person? In your opinion what makes someone "confident" anyways? I'm confident in some ways, like how I feel comfortable with my own company and am not in an active search for a relationship; or how I'm always ready to bite back if a relative tries to be condescending with me (because Filipino family culture means always trying to find reasons to indirectly insult one another hahaha). But I'm also no stranger to insecurity every now and then.

How would you describe someone that is your type of guy/girl? I like someone no-nonsense, a bit on the serious side and have an air of confidence and being able to take care of themselves. Someone who tries to make jokes every 10 seconds just sounds exhausting. I also prefer a friend than setups or online dating as it's more comforting if I already know the person.

Do you read books often? What is your all time favorite book and author? I used to but stopped reading a very long time ago. I just lost the time for it at some point until eventually I also lost the passion for it. That said I never was able to find my all-time favorite book or author.

Have you recently accomplished anything that you are proud of yourself for? I've been having a difficult time coming to terms with my promotion until literally today when I encountered a Reddit thread of someone who's in the EXACT same situation – got promoted but doesn't feel like they're cut out for the job, and them feeling like they only got promoted because a couple of seniors in their workplace had just resigned, and them ultimately thinking of leaving.

I honest to god thought everyone in the thread was going to be supportive of OP resigning, but it was the complete opposite. People were raising points like "they trust you enough to promote you, make the most of it," "they've seen your past mistakes and still promoted you," "discomfort is inevitable with change, just stick with it and grow from it" and it really felt like they were talking to me. Anyway, I'm for sure still thinking of resigning but stumbling upon that has also helped me start to cope with and embrace (for now) where I'm at.

So speaking of for nows, I'll try to be proud of my biggest achievement this year which is getting promoted to director – something I literally never even strove to achieve since I only ever targeted becoming a manager.

Are you still friends with any of your exes? Do you still communicate with any of them at all? I'm not friends with her and cut off all contact the year immediately following the breakup.

What is your opinion on people that shop at Sephora for makeup as opposed to buying makeup from the drugstore? I don't care.

When you enter a store like Target or Walmart where is the first section you go? We don't have those.

Are you the type of person to fight for someone or walk away? Depends. I used to be the kind of person who would, regardless of the circumstances; but after some things I've been through I'm a little less...dedicated to people in general now.

Is marijuana legal for "recreational use" where you live? Also what is your opinion on the recent legalization of marijuana in certain states? It's not, and I don't have much of an opinion on marijuana tbh since it's never been a hot societal/cultural concern where I live.

Do you live on your own or with your parents/a roommate? Do you think you'd like to live alone? I live with my family, so that's parents and siblings. I'd love to live alone one day, but I'm not in a rush because how the hell can I live anywhere with these condo prices lol?

How often would you say you use Microsoft Word? I use it around 4-5 times a week, but I'm predominantly on Google Docs as it lets me work on files in real-time with teammates at work.

What is the last online purchase you made? Last few gifts for my sister, which includes a Spongebob pajama set and a couple of FNAF plushies. She's into so many fandoms that I just got her something from each haha. Before I checked these out I also had gotten her a few Resident Evil fanmade merch.

Do you usually have bad symptoms around "that time of the month"? I just get very emotional and feel like crying every 0.5 seconds, but as far as physical symptoms there fortunately aren't any.

Is there anyone you have to see on a daily/weekly basis that you really dislike? Not really, no.

Is your hair thick or thin? Would you say it's easy to manage? It's very thick and is quite difficult to manage, especially after I had it bleached. It's always been on the dry and frizzy side and don't think it will ever get to a healthy glowing state.

Have you ever had to deal with any type of long distance relationship, whether it be a romantic relationship or a friendship? Yes, 10 years ago I had a tight-knit group of Internet friends; we were all into wrestling and were pretty much part of the first wave of stan Twitter when it wasn't even a thing yet, lol. We slowly fizzled out when the main two people we were stanning left WWE and went off the radar for a bit.

Are you procrastinating doing anything right now? Yes. Can you believe I still have a deck to work on, so close to Christmas? This is my first December where work is still on a peak. It's gross.

How do you feel about being called sweetie/dear/honey/etc.? It's okay as long as it doesn't come from a man who's being disgusting.

Have you ever had a thing for/relationship with a coworker? How did it end? Never have. Seems a little irresponsible to me.

What type of deodorant do you use? Do you notice any difference between powders and gels? I have a local brand and I've never used powder so I can't compare.

What would you say is your worst habit? Peeling off nails. I've gotten more than one bleeding nailbed because of this.

Do you have a place you go to a lot that you may be considered "a regular" at? Not a restaurant, but I guess the FamilyMart below our office? They already know what kind of coffee I get hahaha.

Do you ever read the articles posted on the home page of Xanga? Has there ever been one that has really stood out to you? I was never on Xanga.

What is the weather currently like where you live? It's sunny and it's started to get cold on mornings and late evenings, but the afternoons are still brutal. I suppose it won't get Christmas-cold until January.

Is there anyone that you text on a regular basis that you do not have saved in your phone? If so, why don't you have their number saved? My mom. I just never saved it before and now it's always just been her number hahaha, and I don't feel like changing it anymore.

Do you have any plans for Mardi Gras? No.