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#Instead of rolling on the keyboard lol
hungryriverbeast · 2 years
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New bed for the boys!
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this is our third one in this style 💕 check out TheGrouchyCat on Etsy! She handmakes these beds and donates some of the sales to local shelters ✨
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loverdude · 1 year
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I am sooooo considering asking my parents to help get me a rolling backpack bc I don't think my back can take much more of this
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lovverletters · 1 year
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Yandere! Streamer x Streamer! Reader
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A/N : I'm taking a break from the bullet point format and decided to try making a drabble instead. Huuge thanks to @bloozz for giving streamer his name🌷
T/W : Streamer reader, yandere behaviour, obsessive behaviour, etc
«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»
"Damnit..! I lost again" He let out a defeated sigh as he watches the 'GAME OVER' screen blinking at him in an almost mocking way.
The chat of his live stream went wild upon his fifth time losing on a game that he had been playing for hours by now and yet he still hasn't been able to beat it.
"Yeahhh, thanks a lot chat! those 'L's you're spamming are definitely helpful" Micha rolled his eyes at the countless mockery his viewer was sending him. He knew it was all jokes- or at least he hope it is.
Deciding that he needed a break from the game, he cracked open a can of soda and laid back against his chair, opting to interact more with his viewers.
He had only been streaming for a few months and had gained a pretty sizeable amount of viewer and fanbase.
Bloozzclues : You should check (insert your streamer name) out! They've beaten this game multiple time and have some useful tips you can use.
"(Y/S/Name)? I've heard of them before, saw a few of their speedruns. I never understand how they manage to get that luck based glitch to work! But thanks bloozz! i'll be sure to check them out after stream" Micha replied to one of the chat and moved on to the others.
Soupispretty :(Y/S/Name) is actually watching your stream rn lol
Micha choked on his drink as he tries to contain his coughs. He almost spat out the soda onto his keyboard and it would've been a nightmare to clean it up.
Scrolling through the main page of the streaming website on his other monitor, lo and behold, the (Y/S/Name) was indeed watching his stream. Specifically, the parts where he lose to the same boss every. single. time.
He felt his cheeks reddened everytime he heard (Name) laughed or giggled at him. They wouldn't just laugh at him though, they would also insert in some advices for him to improve on which made him incredibly jittery with excitement.
(Y/S/Name) also known as (Name) has always been an inspirational figure of his when he first started streaming. To be acknowledged by his idol causes him to be so overwhelmed, he almost fainted from how fast his heart is beating.
The chimes of his subscription's notif brought him back to his senses, Micha's chats were going crazy from the streamer's trance like reaction to (Y/S/Name) stream.
Kafkaismywife : is he okay??
Peachesandcrem : bro looks possessed💀
Collecting what little composure he has anymore, Micha decided to end the stream under the guises of him being exhausted.
"Ahem.. er sorry about that guys, i think the sleep deprivation is getting to me. So, thank you all for being in this stream but I have to log off now!" He smoothly blurted out, getting back into his streaming persona.
After saying goodbyes to his viewers, he clicked the end stream button. Alone with his thoughts, Micha switches the screen back onto your stream.
He knew from then on, his adoration for you had grown into something more. Something deadly and dangerous.
«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»
(Name) let out an exhausted sigh as they had just finished another successful stream. They played horror games for hours and ended the stream by reacting to random clips their viewer sent via mediashare.
"I should probably take a shower and take a long nap right after.." (Name) thought.
Ping!
It was the sound of their notifications, (Name) picked their phone up and clicked on it. They were directed to their twitter where the person had messages them.
Michatwt
Hey! Thanks a lot for the advice you gave me when you reacted to my live
"Oh it's that streamer i watched earlier on stream" (Name) spoke outloud as they quickly typed out a reply.
(Name)ishere
No prob! Thought you needed some tips to beat the game haha
(Name) sent out the reply and Micha replied immediately. 'He sure is a fast typer' they thought.
Michatwt
This might sounds odd but would you be down to make a collab with me? I think it'll be more fun if you teach me on stream
They paused for a moment, thinking over their decision. (Name) have been wanting to make a collab stream before but never got to it. This would be a great opportunity to produce some new content!
(Name)ishere
Sounds good! We'll discuss about this collab later, I got something to do right now
Michatwt
Of course! See you later haha
Somewhere else, Micha was jumping out of joy and practically on his knees thanking the higher beings for this opportunity he's been given to be close to his idol, his (Name).
«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»
A/N : ending on a cliffnote because this has been rotting in my draft.
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banquetwriter · 5 months
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hey !! I’d like to request a Johnnie x reader that has to do with you guys getting into some kind of fight and it’s just super bad so you leave and you guys go without talking and eventually Johnnie comes and apologizes to you and you guys talk it out
୨୧ Puffy eyes ୨୧
pairing: Johnnie Guilbert ♡︎ Reader
warnings: ୭̥⋆*。 screaming, arguing, lots of crying, Johnnie being desperate lol, not edited
summary: ʚ Johnnie and you fight and the makeup that happens after • fluff/angst ɞ
Words: 2891
An: Tara is my #1 and NO ONE can change that, the I'm doing my requests out of order bc i had more inspo for this one lol
SUPPORT ME
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You hadn't had ANYTHING to eat today. You were helping a friend out by watching her kid so obviously you couldn't leave the kid unattended. After a few exhausting hours, you had to help your different friend go shopping at a formal event they had coming up.
It was safe to say your brain was fried and scrambled. You set your bag down on the counter and fill up a glass of water. You took a second to let yourself sit in your misery before placing the empty cup in the sink and making your way to your shared room with Johnnie.
You slowly creaked open the door, he was sitting on his phone in his editing chair. You didn't even say anything, just sat your bag down and flopped onto the bed. But to your surprise, Johnnie doesn't say a thing, he just continues to type away on his phone.
Realistically it wasn't a big deal, sure it was annoying but texting people made him nervous so he was a slow texter. You rolled over onto your back looking up at the ceiling, then to your boyfriend.
You stared at him for at least a minute before you were fed up. “Johnnie?” you asked in a small voice. He silently looked up at you, not even putting his phone away. “What?” he asks after a beat of silence. You try to speak by opening your mouth but nothing comes out.
You get tears well up in your eyes, how embarrassing, you eventually managed to stutter out your thoughts. “N-nothing i-i just wanted to m-make sure you were ok.”
“Yeah. I'm fine,” he said looking back down at His phone. You wanted to cry, your annoying day wasn't getting any better. “OK, good. Let me know if you aren't,” you said, but your words seemed to fall on deaf ears. He didn't react, just continuing to text.
You inhaled sharply trying to prevent the tears threatening to spill from leaving your eyes. “What's wrong with you?” he asks in a bored tone.
The phrase takes you by surprise. He didn't ask what was wrong or if you were ok he asked what was wrong with you. Like it was some sick joke. “What?” you ask, staring at him, your eyes were already droopy, and could barely hold steady.
“You're just all whiny and bitchy right now,” he said, shrugging. You were taken aback. Never in your time dating Johnnie has he EVER said anything like this to you. “I’m-” you started trying to compose yourself from blowing over.
You're interrupted by the sounds of a digital keyboard clacking away. You look back at him to see he is no longer looking at you or paying any sort of attention to you but is instead texting again. Your sadness and pain turned to anger in a second.
“Who are you texting?” you ask in the most level-headed voice you can muster. “What?” he asked looking up again. “I asked ‘Who are you texting?’” you repeated. He stared at You blankly like it was a joke you were pulling on him.
But there was no joke, you were dead serious. “Just work stuff,” he muttered, continuing to type. Jealousy and suspension ran through your body, curious as to why he was acting so angry. He was also hiding who he was talking to.
Was he cheating?
You cursed yourself as soon as you thought about it. No. Johnnie would never. But would he? “No I get that but who?” you asked, sitting up. He eyed you in a funny manner, “Someone I'm trying to collab with.” he said, for once in this whole conversation not looking down at His phone.
“Cool. But who is it?” you ask again your suspicion growing tenfold. “Just this girl I-” You don't let him finish before you cut him off. “Girl?” you ask in a loud voice. His phone turns off automatically from inactivity. “Yeah. Is there a problem with me having female friends?” he asks, turning his chair towards you.
You squint your eyes at him as if to ask ‘Are you serious?’. “No, I have no issue with you having female friends. I am in what I thought was a very secure relationship. What I have issues with is you treating me like a little bitch and then hiding who you're texting, when it's some girl you're gonna “collab” with.” you say adding air quotes around your words.
The tension was thick, laced with the mallace your words held. “Woah. ‘What you thought was?’” he quotes sitting forward in your chair. “Hey, you listened to me for once! Good job!” you replied in a mocking cheery voice.
“So you're just gonna fucking dump me over what I do for work?” he said standing up. Your world felt like it was spinning. ‘Dump him?’ you hadn't mentioned breaking up with him but… if that's the first thing he thought of maybe he wanted that.
“Dump you?” you ask. “When have I said anything about that? I'm just upset with you,” you said, your tiredness gone. “Yeah upset at me for doing work!” he shouts at you. Johnnie hasn't yelled at you this whole time you've been dating.
You can't hold your tears in anymore. His loud demeanor cuts through your already fragile heart like a razor blade. You don't say anything letting your tears fall. Johnnie's face contours with regret at his words. “Y/n I-” he begins but you cut him off.
“I was never upset at you for doing your work. You treated me like shit and ignored me to text another girl, one you won't even tell me the name of.” your voice was calm but filled with anger. You slowly stood up reaching for your bag.
Johnnie followed suit trying to hold you. You smacked his contact away from you, his arms still outstretched as he slowly took a step back from you. Your eyes had turned into faucets, leaking all your sadness out. “Don't call me. Don't text me. If you think I am going to break up with you over a tiny argument, maybe we shouldn't talk at all.” you spat between your tears.
“Y/n no! I didn't mean-” but the rest of his words don't register as you grab your bag and run out of the room without bothering to close the door. He follows you, saying things your brain doesn't let you pick up. You practically ran downstairs where Jake was walking into the house.
He noticed something was clearly wrong and started to say something that you again couldn't hear. You brushed right past him leaving your house and getting into your car. You didn't know what or where you were going; you just drove.
You found yourself heading towards Tara’s house. You didn't know if she was even home or could have people over. You say in your car resting your forehead against your steering wheel. You reluctantly picked up your phone and dialed Tara’s number.
“Heyy girl,” Tara said. You tried to keep your voice level but failed. “Um, Tara? Are you home?” you asked, your voice breaking. You peeked in her driveway not seeing her flashy pink car. “Omg y/n I'm not no are you ok? What happened?” she asked quickly.
“Me and Johnnie got into a fight and he-” your voice broke with a sob. “I'm shopping right now but give me 15 I can be at my house! Where are you right now? Are you still there?” she asked in a panicked voice. “No, I left, I'm at your house,” you said, your voice creaking.
“Ok hang tight I will be right there,” she said before hanging the phone up. You put your phone on Do Not Disturb not having time to deal with anyone's bullshit right now. You stayed in your car just sobbing your eyes out.
It wasn't like you and Johnnie hadn't had arguments before but they weren't like this at all. He hadn't ever yelled. They usually get resolved quickly. But that was all gone now. You two probably weren't even dating anymore.
The idea just made you cry harder, you could see through bleary eyes that Tara had pulled in. She hastily got out of her car and ran to yours. You undid your seatbelt and opened the door. Tara’s arms were on you in an instant.
You continued to cry as she pulled you out of the car and helped you into her house. All you could do was bawl your eyes out on her couch. Tara ran around her house finding you some tissues then a cup of water then some vegan chocolate (better than nothing right) and eventually, she door-dashed you some Taco Bell.
By this point, your blubbering had cooled down and you were able to recount the argument to your loving friend. “He yelled at you? I don't think I've ever heard his voice get loud enough to register a yell.” Tara mumbles while taking a bite of her food.
You wipe your tears away nodding your head in agreement. “I don't even think we are together anymore,” you said, shrugging your shoulders. It's crazy how life can be so perfect then it comes crashing down out of nowhere.
“I don't think that's right y/n,” Tara says looking at you opening a sauce packet. You just shrug in response, how could this happen to you? You two felt so perfect. It was all broken now huh?
After a moment of silence, Taras's phone goes off. “Oh god, it's a call from Johnnie,” she mutters while picking it up. “Hello?” she asks, standing up and waking to the other side of the room.
You could tell she was trying to not let you hear the conversation. Fortunately or unfortunately you did hear. “Johnnie I don't think we should be really-” she stops for a second, you can't hear what he is saying but you know it's something long as for the next several seconds you hear nothing.
“Johnnie Johnnie calm down please,” Tara said, her voice much calmer than it was when she answered the phone. “I'm not going to tell you where they are-” Tara was cut off again. You can't hear him clearly but you can't tell he is hysterical.
She lets out a deep sigh, “Yes Johnnie they are safe I promise I'm looking at them right now.” she mutters, turning around to look at you. She looks at you for a little before you can hear the hysterical sounds again and she rolls her eyes looking back at the backdoor.
“You sniffle slightly looking down at the table before Tara comes pattering back over to you. “You need to talk to that boy soon,” she comments with an exaggerated look on her face.
You take a deep sigh and check your phone. Since you still had DND on you couldn't see any of your motifs, you unlock the phone to see that Johnnie had called you 48 times in a row. With several voicemails.
You turned on the first one to listen, checking the timestamp that was minutes after you left the house. “Hey, y/n please I'm sorry I didn't mean to make a big deal I was just upset earlier.” the voicemail clicked signaling it was the end. The next one was 30 minutes later.
“Hey, y/n please I'm getting really worried about you calling me back as soon as you can.” your heart burned as you heard his worried voice.
The next few voicemails were minutes apart.
“Y/n please I'm sorry where are you? Are you safe? Call me back, I'm sorry.” his voice was breaking and high-pitched.
“Y/n you have to call me back I'm so worried about you. Please I'm so sorry I promise we can work this out just call me.”
“Y/n, please! I never meant to hurt you. I swear that girl didn't even mean shit I didn't even wanna collab with her please.” he was sobbing now.
“Y/n please I'm gonna keep calling you until you answer.”
You checked and he had called you so much apparently he needed to call Tara to make sure you were ok. You felt your heart pinging after him wanted to just hear his voice again.
Just then your phone goes off with a call from Jake. Taras's eyes shoot up trying to see who it was. “It's just Jake,” you mutter before answering the phone. “Hello?” you ask.
There is silence before Jake answers back surprised, “Hey sorry I didn't think you would answer me um, look I know you're totally pissed at Johnnie which you have every right to be but do you think you could call him back? Uhh, I am not exaggerating when I say he is having a full-blown freakout right now.” Jake spoke the last part quietly.
Johnnie presumably was in the room with him so you took a deep breath. “Yeah, I can call him just tell him it will be a few ok? I didn't ignore his calls on purpose I had Do Not Disturb turned on,” you said looking at Tara while you spoke.
“Ok gotcha no worries just soon please he is freaking out right now,” Jake said again. “Bye Jake,” you muttered, hanging up the call. You took the phone from your ear and scrolled around till you found Johnnie’s contact. You took a deep breath before you called him.
He picked up instantly,“Y/n? Oh my god, you don't know how happy I was when you called. Are you ok? I mean I know you aren't ‘ok’ but are you safe?” he rambled for a second.
“Johnnie?” you asked quietly. There was silence on the other side. “Yes?” he croaked out quietly. “One question at a time, please calm down,” you said sadly. “Are you safe?” you took a deep breath. This was the Johnnie you fell in love with. The one who cared about you.
“Yes I'm safe at Taras,” you Said which did not make Tara happy, as she quickly made a cutting motion at her throat. “Ok. Ok good,” he said quietly. There wasn't any noise for a second. Both of you feel like kicked puppies.
“Can we talk in person? Please? I miss you.” he said, his voice filled with sadness. You would love to but you feared what would happen so close after the argument. “Yeah, we can just not today,” you promise him. He stays quiet over the line, you can feel his heart breaking.
“Yeah of course whenever you feel comfortable, ok?” He was trying and failing to sound very positive. You hung up the phone and spent the next few hours trying everything Tara thought would make you feel better. It was a sweet attempt but there wasn't much that could cheer your mood up.
Eventually, you made a makeshift bed on her couch and fell asleep. In the morning you borrowed Taras's bathroom and got ready. You hugged her goodbye and promised her that if you needed anything else you wouldn't hesitate to call.
Full of nerves you made your way to your own house. You stepped out of the car and unlocked your front door. You walked into the usually lively space that was now empty and sad. You gripped your bag tightly and made your way upstairs.
You opened the door to your room, and the sight you saw nearly shattered your heart into two. Johnnie, still wearing his clothes from yesterday, was clutching one of your sweatshirts. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Dark circles sat under his eyes.
He looked up at you as you entered the room. He didn't move, he just stayed on the bed. “Sweetheart-” you began dropping your bag and going to his side. He quickly wrapped his arms around you, nearly suffocating you with the force of holding you.
“I'm so sorry, I was upset because my computer crashed while I was editing and so I lost the footage and- it doesn't matter I'm sorry,” he mumbled into your shirt. Wet hot tears slowly slid down his face and made their way to your clothes.
“Johnnie, did you sleep last night?” you whispered towards him. He just shook his head no. “I forgive you. I promise. It was a stupid fight. I promise you I didn't and don't want to break up ok?” you said finally playing with his hair slightly.
“What did I do to deserve you?” he cried to you pulling away and meeting your eyes. “I don't know but it has to be something pretty good.” you joked. He laughed, wiping a few tears from his eyes. You assisted him with wiping them away by placing small kisses under his eyes.
You silently pulled him into the bathroom, getting him situated on the counter. You stood in between his legs cleaning off his day-old make-up. He sat silently as you tenderly cared for him. Eventually, you got him to drink a glass of water and helped him change into comfy clothes.
You lay down with him, being a big spoon of course. He made a million promises to you before dozing off. Your argument wasn't finished but it could take the back seat.
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mysticmellowlove · 5 months
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pls needy!yan x ignoring!reader
note; feeling like an academic weapon in one class while being an academic victim in another is a harsh reality :')
warnings; fluff, so unserious lol, reading this back there is like a subtle yandereness whoops, it was cute though so i hope you still like it
There was one thing in this world that would never change. Work will always continue to be a part of your relaxing afternoons. As your fingers clacked on the keyboard, a riveting sound that had you considering if you'd buy one of those specifically clacky boards instead, the monotonous sound drowned out everything else.
A slow and exaggerated blink later and you realised that maybe two things would never change in this world. Your boyfriend, packaged in a small parcel of sugary sweet words and devious hands, was whining at you from the doorway to the office. If you were to look up from your computer and make eye contact there would be no escaping the resulting cuddle session.
Sometimes you wondered how he even survived without you before... though you'd never actually ask him that as he would most definitely say that he was basically dead. Your boyfriend really was just a funny little guy.
"Baby.... you've been working all day." A sigh came from the corner of the room. You schooled your expression as you took a sneaky peek from the corner of your eye, he was no longer at the door. You flicked between pages on your computer and tried to get back to your work.
"Have you forgotten about me?" A sulky tone seemed to drift closer, he was on the move again. A small laugh bubbled up, was he seriously doing this? You two had date night only yesterday, a whole night dedicated to taking him out and swamping him with affection.
In a matter of moments, you jumped as he launched himself onto your lap, his arms winding around your neck. He seemed to sink into you, his body instantly relaxing as you pursed your lips, a soft sigh leaving your mouth.
Still, you continued to work as he fiddled with the hair at your nape, twisting it around his fingers and slowly tugging at it. The urge to simply stop what you were doing and take a nap was high, but there were things you had to get done.
It began to get substantially harder when he began to pepper kisses on your neck, using his intimate knowledge of your sweet spots to try and drag your attention away from your computer. Willingly or not you felt your body relax as he lightly sucked on your skin, drawing it into his mouth.
"I'm busy." You muttered as you swapped your screen to the graph you were working on in excel, the numbers looking even more annoying than they did ten minutes ago. His smile seemed to spread as he pressed his face into your shoulder.
"But wouldn't it be better to spend time with me instead? You can finish this later." He whispered, his voice low and seductive as he peeled himself from your body. You dodged his gaze as he looked at you, an exaggerated pout on his lips.
"Let me take care of it, let me take care of you." He drawled as he leaned in and kissed the tip of your nose, then your forehead and then the side of your mouth. A huff of air left you as you leaned to the side to see the screen better.
"Babe." A certain tinge of harshness leeched into his voice for only a moment before he was kissing your eyelids, forcing them to close. An exasperated sigh left you as you finally let your hands clasped around his waist.
"Go sit on the couch, let me save this first and then we'll spend time together, yeah?" Despite the annoyed look on your face you couldn't help but melt under the cheesy grin he gave you.
"Of course! Love you baby!" He cooed as he jumped off of you and skipped over to the office door. You rolled your eyes as you hit the save button on your computer and went to stand up.
You spoilt him too much...
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lucrativesoul · 1 year
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Espionage
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summary: working in an underground crime syndicate, your job gets risky, but, the more risk, the more reward. you jumped the gun on your thievery through an art museum, and come across one certain guard who is adamant on stopping you in your path.
pairing: guard!leon kennedy x female reader
word count: 11.5k
warnings: smut, fingering, choking, slight degradation, dom leon
a/n: yall know i had to do one with tactical gear leon i mean come onnnn look at him!!! (patrick voice) i went a little wild with this one LOL i really thought it was gonna be my shortest work yet and here we are. the plot of this was inspired by Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig! if you guys liked the idea of our mc's job here, i suggest you check out that book, its a really great young adult read! i had so much fun with this one, i really hope i didn't keep you guys waiting. i hope you enjoy, thank you endlessly for the support, and I will see you soon :)
Taking a deep sigh, you reclined yourself back as far as you could in the stiff chair, which wasn’t much. The light above you was flickering, to your annoyance, but you kept quiet about it, focusing instead on the rapid typing on the keyboard from the man in front of you. The room was cold, and you pulled your sweatshirt tighter around you. You knew to come prepared this time.
You hoped you would get out of here before the traffic rush. You hated having to come all the way out here, but, after all, it was your job.
To explain how you came into this would take too long, as you tell everyone, so simply put: Some connections in your life led to other connections, and those connections allowed you to quit your two part time jobs and become a full time criminal. Literally.
You met this man, Carlos, at the gym where you liked to spar with some of the trainers when they weren’t in sessions. Simulating a fight was not something you had expected to find a lot of entertainment in, but when you got up there in front of someone and were forced to defend yourself with blocks and punches and kicks, it introduced a whole new adrenaline into your world. Keeping up with your physical shape had definitely aided in your ability to be nimble, and your history of (attempted) gym consistency helped build muscle. 
Carlos had pulled you aside after a sparring session with another trainer, impressed by your moves, and had told you he wants to see you put it to the real test. He offered you a spot in the gym he frequented (which was, to your horror at first, the sketchiest building you had ever seen in your life from the outside), paired you with a trainer who wasn’t afraid to throw real punches, and before you knew it, you could fight an array of builds and heights. 
From there, you kept talking to people who knew people who knew Carlos, and he weaseled you into his line of work where he trusted you to go on the scene of whatever was the target, and sold all of your loot. He was your fence, you were his robber. Quite simply.
A real threat of danger hung over your head on every job, and you knew this well enough. There was always the chance of getting caught, considering every location had guards 24/7. There was always a chance you could get hurt; fall from a high location, the failure of equipment, get shot for fucks sake, but you loved the adrenaline it gave you. You felt on top of the world, and in the back of your mind, you knew this would surely be considered an addiction, but you didn’t care. Every new job upped the ante, and you needed more.
The second deep breath you took expanded your lungs, the stretch feeling good after not moving for several minutes now. You rolled your head side to side, hearing the crack, and turned your attention back to Carlos, who finally started talking again.
“I have buyers in Europe lined up for these.” He looked down at the desk, an array of shiny stones and metals bent in intricate shapes and chains laid out in front of him. Courtesy of yours truly. “A few are interested in the same piece, but they can argue with themselves, I’m only going to sell it to them, I’m not the mediator.” He sighed and pushed back in his rolling chair, pulling open a file cabinet and a manila folder.
“Where in Europe? Can we hand deliver?” You couldn’t help but grin slightly, and Carlos didn’t have to look up from his papers to know you were.
He shrugged. “If you want to risk receiving a chest cavity the size of a gold ball, knock yourself out.” He knew you were joking, and you knew the rules well enough. Knowing who your buyers were, and going within any sort of vicinity of them while knowing their identity was strictly off limits. He turned his head towards his computer again. “Venice. Nice.” He turned towards you. “Budapest. The usual.”
You nodded. You were expecting some sort of answer along the lines of that, so it wasn't too much of a surprise to you. Oh, how it would be nice to be in Europe, though.
“Here’s the deal.” Carlos put the folder of papers down in front of you, and you lazily scanned it, knowing that most of it was going to look like gibberish anyways. Carlos was the man in between here, you simply stole things. You didn’t deal with the numbers and the logistics. “The man who is in the battle for our largest emerald is willing to step aside and let our Venetian buyer take the cake, because he reached out with another job that he and only he wants to be in the running for.”
You scoffed. “Dude must be loaded then. A solo job?”
Carlos cocked an eyebrow. “He gave me parameters for the job, and I almost turned him down without even running it by you, to be honest.”
You sat up straight. “The fuck, Carlos? Give it to me, I can take it.”
He sighed and slouched back in his chair. You were honestly surprised that Carlos was not the one in your spot. He was insanely built and could easily take down four armed guards at once, but you never found out why he chose to be behind the scenes. At least you knew he trusted you enough not to put you in anything that would be instant death.
“There’s apparently an heirloom to this guy’s lineage sitting in a chamber room of the gallery downtown. He’s been trying to find a means to reach it and claim it back for years, but, according to him, the museum won’t budge on letting him anywhere near a buying price.”
You let his words sink in. “What’s so bad about that?”
Carlos sighed again. “It’s an art gallery.” He stared at you, waiting for you to get the point. “They have armed guards posted day in and day out. Alarms at every possible entrance and cameras watching every square inch of the place. It’s just not feasible.”
You shook your head. “Carlos, come on. I know you have access to the technical means that we need to do our surveillance. We can watch their route. We can track who does what nights and who might be the easiest to take down. I did that at the villa two weeks ago.” 
“Yes, and you nearly lost your life. I was shooting myself in the foot for putting you out there.”
You shook your head again. Part of you was thankful that Carlos had the decency to regret his decision of accepting that job, and feeling remorse once you reported back that one of the bodyguards had you in a near death chokehold before you managed to, by luck, weasel free. Even you were still haunted by that. But you would never let it slow you down, and would never tell Carlos, as he would surely put you in safer locations. Which meant less fun.
“I’m just saying, now that it’s been done, I can do it again. And be careful about it this time. I want to do this Carlos, I believe I can.”
Carlos was silent for a moment, thinking over your words. He sighed.
“I want our people staking out on the perimeter the whole time. I don’t want to hear objections. There will be a team this time, this is not just somebody’s home. This is government and city property, if you don’t die, you and I are as good as dead in the prison system.”
You quirked a small smile. “Come on Carlos.” He lazily held eye contact. “You think I’d rat you out like that?”
He sighed and rolled his eyes, but you could tell he was fighting the urge to smile as well. “Be back here tomorrow at 12. We’ll start our prep.”
You, Carlos, and two other men were huddled around a plethora of screens deep in the trenches of Carlos’ office. One of the monitors had split screen CCTV surveillance, six cameras watching the main galleries and two hallways, one was a datamine of the encrypted content regarding the people employed to stand guard at the museum, and the others were floor plans of each floor and wing of the gallery.
The size of the place didn’t scare you, in fact, it only brought more excitement to your job. As soon as Carlos brought up the blueprints and started mapping escape routes and how to avoid camera sightings, you memorized it instantly. This would be a breeze.
“Here’s who we need to look out for.” He drew up a site that had profiles of each of the seven guards that do night duty. Their employee photos looked like mugshots. “These three guys guard the east wing, these two rotate between west wing and foyer since that is the smallest wing and closer to the entrance, and these two are usually staked out by the rear gallery.”
“You seem to already have this down, Carlos.” You mumbled.
He snickered from in front of you. “I’ve been watching already.”
You sighed through your nose. “Going to turn down this job my ass.”
“We’re expecting these two to be in the west wing the night of the heist. I’ve been watching, and they tend to rotate, but there’s a pattern. I’m sure it will be them.” You nodded, listening closely to his words. Carlos might be a pain in the ass sometimes, but you knew he didn’t mess around with ensuring the best possible route. “One stands in the wing while the other stands in the foyer. They rotate at the same time, so there is a small window when no one is watching the far end of the gallery.”
“How am I getting in there? Hanging out overnight?” It was a partial joke, but you never knew with this team. 
Carlos shook his head, and diverted everyone’s attention to an isolated map, similar to the layout of the floor plan. “This is the duct system.” You stifled a laugh. You should have expected this. “Big enough for a person like you. The duct room is locked whenever no one is accessing them, and the only people that do are the janitorial team, and Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the only times they are sweeping the building.”
“Literally, sweeping.” 
Carlos sighed heavily at your remark. “The system that is connected to the electronic lock is also connected to what controls the cameras and the lights. I can get you in there, but only in a very small window of time. It needs to be during the day.”
“The day.” You echoed. “So, I’ll be camped out in there for a while, then?”
Carlos nodded. You knew what you were about to get yourself into. It came with the job description, and before the job actually launched into action, you knew that familiar feeling of anxiety blossoming in your chest. You had been in the gym consistently, trying to find someone to mock a chokehold with you in the case that it happened all over again. If it did, you decided Carlos didn't need to find out.
You knew you were physically ready. The odds of going against a huge man didn't look great from the outside, but you were flexible, and fast, and if you could bounce around their sights, you could steer clear of any sort of altercations.
“Yes, you’ll be in there for a while. It’s the only way.” You nodded again. You knew there was no such thing as comfort in this line of work. If you get too comfortable, you might as well get ready to be comfortable in a jail cell, or in the afterlife. “We move in Thursday night. Just to be sure that the cleaning happens Wednesday and we won't get any surprises. You’ll enter at 4 PM. I’ll be watching all morning to decide what you should wear to make the least waves possible and so you can disappear when they close at 6. Regular day employees stay until 7:30, then the guards move in, but we can’t make our moves until well after sunset.” Carlos was looking mostly at you, as the other teammates he rounded up were just going to stake out the perimeter. “You know the prep. Make sure you last while you wait.”
You spent the next week in the office watching everyone’s moves. The guards followed a monotonous routine in which areas they patrolled. Odd, considering they might want to watch for corners where people could stay hidden. 
They all stuck to their schedules, no employee stayed later than an hour and a half after closing, guards immediately did a sweep of the whole building for the lame thieves who attempted to hide in bathrooms, before they stuck to their positions, and that’s where they stayed for the night, until 5 AM. You were positive you had this down now, there was no way you could be wrong.
There was, of course, but you preferred to pretend otherwise.
The guards rotated as predicted, and with every step they took every passing day you grew more confident in this job. That person who was commissioning this should be well willing to tip generously considering the amount of prep taking place.
You swallowed the lump of anxious nerves, pushing yourself into your work mindset as you sat outside the museum, the breeze cooling down your heated skin. Carlos had been keeping watch of the patrons since opening, and he concluded the appropriate outfit for you to don would be a tan hoodie, light wash jeans, and you didn’t have many options in the way for shoes, a simple pair of white sneakers having to do the trick. You knew they would be watching at the door, a metal detector as well as bag checks were mandatory, so you couldn’t risk a bag, but you had all you needed strapped underneath your clothes to your second skin layer– a skintight bodysuit, equipped with maximum breathability and flexibility– and all of your weapons holstered as close as they could get.
With nothing else except your phone (which was off) and wallet (with a fake ID), you walked up the steps, blending in with the bustle, but knowing well enough to not look too suspicious. You knew the rest of your team was around the perimeter, out of your view, and you were going to hear from Carlos for the first time when it was necessary for you to hide. He was never on location, he was seated safely in his office, every screen lit up with hacked CCTV footage and an in-ear device to communicate directly to you.
You took yet another deep breath in. You got this. You had to.
You knew you had time to kill while you waited to hear from Carlos. It couldn’t be right away, that would look too unnatural if you made a beeline past too many priceless works of art. So, not begrudgingly, you strolled through the galleries, admiring the timeless art, feeling inspired, excited, the sun streaming in through the glass ceilings of some of the halls.
It was mostly quiet, the murmur of people surrounding you, discussing what they were looking at, the occasional kid running by. As much of an admirer you were, you could feel the adrenaline coursing through your arms and hands, dying to get started. But, as Carlos taught you well, patience was a virtue, and if you rushed things, it could get bad, and fast.
After a lap, which lasted close to an hour, you sat on a bench in the west wing. You knew this was close to where you needed to be, and it would be easier to stay close in case the window of opportunity arose when you weren’t expecting it, which was typical. 
You toyed around with a pamphlet you had picked up near the entrance, still keeping an eye out for any employee, or any guard, which would be out of place at this time. It was nearing 5:30 now, and they were going to be closing in 30 minutes. Your heart rate quickened at that thought, knowing they were going to be sending employees to do loops and tell people their time was being cut short. You slowly straightened your posture, trying not to look too alert, trying to calm down–
“--in, come in. Connected to base, CCTV footage overrode, stations manned.” You heard Carlos’ crackly voice through your in-ear, and you slumped backward, relieved.
“Copy.” You kept your voice low and mouth movements to a minimum. “I assume you know where I’m at.”
“Bench in the back left of the west wing. The duct room is also being watched. It has been looking clear for the last ten minutes, give me another five to make sure, then I will give you instructions.”
You gave a slight nod, knowing he could see you. You kept up your previous charades, reading the same script for the fifth time on the pamphlet, people watching, and employee watching. The next five minutes took way too long.
“Get up slowly and walk along the wall to the left. Someone is coming down the hallway telling people there is 20 minutes to closing. Let him pass you, acknowledge what he said, and let him get about 20 feet ahead.” You shifted in your seat, pushing yourself up. Taking another look at the paintings hung on the walls, you realized as you approached– this was the one you were meant to take. You were so tempted to stand here and look at it, but you didn’t want to draw a suspicious coincidence in the mind of the employee who would see you standing in front of it. One glance later, and you moved on.
“Excuse me,” A soft voice spoke from behind you. You turned around, and acted surprised. A short man with dark hair had a friendly smile on. “The gallery will be closing in 20 minutes, just a heads up.” You nodded a thank you, and promised to move on swiftly.
“Ten seconds, then when you walk through the aisle in between the columns, there’s a hallway to the left. You’ll have a really small window to duck into the door on the left side and wait while I override the door code.”
“Code?!” You whisper-shouted, taking care to keep your voice low. “This should have been something you told me earlier.” 
“Don’t worry, I have access to it and can let you in. It will only take one more second, but you have to be quick with this door, you know that.” You sighed, knowing he was right. Your steps were quiet, but firm, and you caught sight of the small hallway he was talking about. “There’s no one behind you, but we can’t guarantee that’s permanent.” Oh, yes, you knew that was the truth. You wanted to turn around, but fought against it, not wanting to catch anyone’s eye.
Step, breath, step… “Go, now, hurry.” You careened quickly to the left into the hallway, knowing anyone would notice you if they walked by. “Two seconds…” Carlos configured the software to the door’s electronic lock as you approached and stood there, heart hammering. You pulled your sleeve over your hand. You heard the click. “You’re in, move.” You pushed down on the door handle with your sleeved hand and creeped into the room, wasting no time in shutting the door. You waited for the command before you moved. “You made it blindly. No one noticed you.” You sighed gently. “To your left, there's a switch. Flip the one in the middle. It’s the nightlight.”
You did as told, relaxing slightly now that you could see. The room looked exactly as expected. It was more of a closet, really. There was an electric panel on the wall opposite the door, a rack of cleaning supplies to the right, and in the left corner across from you, a large duct sock extending from a fixture that was taller than you. You had no idea where it led to, as it disappeared up into the ceiling, but you had a feeling that’s where you were destined to spend the next handful of hours.
You took your time inspecting the room, knowing there was going to be nothing quick about this next step. Behind the large fixture that filtered the air and sent it through the duct, there was a small passageway blocked by a vent grate. Carlos had told you vis in-ear to unscrew the large grate and tuck yourself in there. At least it was right next to the cooling system, and you could shed some layers. It would get hot, and quickly, in there.
Time ticked by slower than ever as you were stretched out in the vent, now loose from your jeans and sweatshirt. Your bodysuit was keeping you cool, and you managed your breathing whenever you remembered so you would be able to keep your core temperature as stable as possible. You ran over the plan once, twice, a thousand times, and maybe even drifted off once or twice, by the time you heard Carlos’ voice again, sounding angelic after all this time.
“Hey, you awake in there?” His soft, crackled voice sounded through your brain.
“As ever. What’s the time?” You whispered back, shocked at how far the smallest vocal sound carried through the metal tube.
“Close to 11PM. We have to get moving soon.” You nodded, knowing he couldn’t see you.
“Can I push this thing open? Can someone hear me from here?”
“Give me two seconds, I need to make sure I can disable central control of the cameras so no one else watching security can see. We don’t need any unnecessary backup here.” You let Carlos do his thing from base, and tried your best to stretch your limbs getting ready to move. “Okay, this will take a few minutes, but in thirty seconds, the rotation from west wing to foyer is going to start. Countdown, then crawl out as carefully as possible.”
Breathing steadily, countdown rapidly ticking in your head, you started at thirty, gripping the grate as much as you could once you hit one, and pushed outwards. You had managed to click the metal back in place behind you once you crawled in, but it wasn’t the most subtle sound. Now, it counted even more that it was timed right.
With a solid shove and a louder than you expected click (and a wince), and shimmied your way out of the vent, placing the metal onto the ground with the slowness of a turtle. You had no idea if anyone was going to open the door to this right now, so you just had to trust that the silence from Carlos meant that nothing was about to go wrong.
You stood up, sighing deeply when you could finally stretch out before getting to move for the first time in nearly 6 hours. The spandex of your bodysuit contoured with your body, and you felt unrestrained as you stretched out, ready to be as light on your feet as possible. There was a small holster on your thigh, where a retractable baton was strapped in tight, and one around your waist, holding onto three tiny knives– stainless steel– the closest thing that would get you through the detectors without being flagged. Fingers crossed they wouldn't need to be used.
“The rotation just finished, so in about ten more minutes, our window will open for you to come out and stay hidden. Remember where all the sculptures are layed out?”
“Yeah, I do.” You continued to stretch through Carlos’ words. “I’m ducking out of here at your command, softly shutting the door. I come quietly to the opening of the hallway and duck out to the right, hide behind a column and stay low.” You recited again, and heard Carlos give a hum of approval. 
“Just hang tight for now, I’ll let you know when you need to start moving. Security override is almost done. Remember, they’re gonna try and reboot the system immediately, which will take another minimum five minutes, max ten. Be light on your feet, move fast.”
You steadied your breathing once again, flexing everything in your body to make sure you were adequately stretched out and ready for action. You had never felt more so. 
“Exit the room in twenty seconds. Start counting.”
You pounced on your feet at the sound of Carlos’ voice after a few minutes, gloves on your hands (which had also been hidden in a pocket of the bodysuit), and gripped the handle, counting just to the pace you had been trained to.
“Move.”
You and Carlos reached the countdown at the same time, and you pressed the metal handle down and inched the door open, swiftly, but not enough to cause the hinges to make noise. You slithered out, and once you had the door shut again without a sound, you dropped down onto your knees, walking in a crouch to the entrance of the gallery.
You were hidden immediately by a column. You peeked out, knowing there wouldn’t be a guard in the aisle but checking anyway, and waddled over to the next column, feeling your heart rate increase with every step. Peeking around, you spotted the guard, who was walking slowly towards the middle of the west wing. He had his hands by his sides, gun holstered on his hip. Not much more than an average cop’s bulletproof vest on his body.
You waited for him to reach the center and do a lazy turn, back towards you, to run to the next column. Time was ticking, but as long as he stayed right where he was, you would be able to secure this artwork and disappear.
You reached the next column, and the next, all the while the guard was still turned, and you ducked back whenever he did a mandatory sweep of the area behind him. You could see the painting you needed from your current position. If Carlos had it under control, he could stifle the alarm system at the very second you used one of the knives to cut the cords and rip it from his ceiling holsters. You could tell on your first walk by this afternoon that it was nothing more than a heavy fishing wire, and it could be done soundlessly.
One more column, and you could see the guard from your hunched over position. You were pretty well hidden behind the column itself and a sculpture sat in front, and slightly to the left of it. You heard him sniffle, and shift his weight again before turning around, and crouch-running to the column that sat just to the right of the painting. This was it.
You had your head parked solidly right behind the column, watching the guard. He was still facing you, looking up at the ceiling, down all the obvious passageways, and then he turned. It was now or never.
You creeped forward, hand over the knife on your holster, ready to slice through the cord on the wall. You were waiting for Carlos’ sign that the alarms had been disabled. Nothing, but you had no time to wait. You had to try it.
You pulled the knife from the holster and pushed the blade out, gloved hand gripping the frame, and in two swift movements, the wires giving a slight shing with the cut, it was loose, no alarms, and you dropped back to the ground and ran.
Taking the same caution on the way back as you did on the way over, you stopped at columns to watch the guards, and by the tell-tale sign of him stalking forward once, you knew the rotation was about to happen.
You grew closer and closer back to the duct room; through the vents as your only way out. 
Taking the opportunity of no guard in the hall, you went as fast as you could in a crouch, seeing the opening for the hallway mere feet away. It was home free. Another job done.
Still in the clear, your heart hammering, you dove forward into the hallway, not wasting anymore time. You reached the hallway, turned the corner, and found yourself staring straight into the barrel of a gun.
Stopping short, nearly screaming out, you could only stare as you tried to identify the person behind it. You couldn’t move, your limbs were frozen in place. You could not hear Carlos, you didn’t even know if he saw you cut the line. He had the alarms disabled, clearly, but where was he? And who was this man?
You couldn’t see the bottom half of his face. Behind the large gun he had pointed at you, he had  a black neck gaiter covering from his nose down. His eyes were hard, eyebrows deeply furrowed, they looked blue in the dim light. His blonde hair was pushed off his forehead, stiff with gel. He was covered neck to feet in gear, a large, bulletproof vest and cargo pants, not another inch of skin showing. He was crouching to your height. Clearly, he knew you would be coming back here. What the fuck was going on?
He tilted his head in a mocking gesture at you, making fun of your momentary stupidity. You wanted to fight, but you knew better. If you drew attention now, you would be vastly overpowered very quickly. 
“Looking for an easy escape?” His voice was deep and husky, and for a moment you thought this was someone on your team. But no, they were told strictly to stay outside under all circumstances. This was not someone trying to help you. He was trying to capture you.
“Who are you?” You whispered, praying that Carlos was listening, feeling more panicked that you couldn’t hear him.
He shook his head. He was not in the mood to be courteous. “Go to the door behind me to my left. If you make noise, I’ll kill you. If you fight, I’ll kill you. Go,”
Your breath hitched, you could fight him with a knife, but with the barrel aimed straight for your brain, it was no use trying right now. You needed a plan, and quick. But for now, you had to obey.
Your legs felt like jelly as you stayed low and walked over to the door, the stranger backing up and keeping his gun trained on you the whole time. When you approached it, you stood up, looking back at him. He nudged his gun forward in a go in gesture, and with a deep breath, you quietly pushed the handle downwards and walked in.
This was not the duct room, which was the door on the other side of the hallway. Why had you not seen this door, why did Carlos also not seem to know about this door? When you walked in, you for real almost choked this time, it was the goddamn control room. The very one that Carlos had overridden to let you get into the museum after hours in the first place. Oh, you were fucked.
“You thought you had it all planned, huh? I’ve been sitting here this whole goddamn time watching you. I saw you walk in, I saw you sit down, I saw you go into the hallway, I was waiting for you.” Your stomach ran cold, not knowing what to do now. Carlos was MIA. He surely must be frantic. Was he going to send the team in?
You were staring straight ahead at the vast array of monitors, way more than Carlos had. Every inch of the museum was being watched. You saw the screen with the duct room hallway. It was in the rightmost corner. The control room door was hidden from this angle. This room had been scrubbed from blueprints. You would have seen it, you know it.
The chair in front of you was pushed out, most likely from this man standing up to meet you when you returned. A coat, issued with the museum’s logo, was draped over the chair. You could see a nametag pinned to the front. Leon S. Kennedy. That name did not sound familiar.
You squeaked out when the barrel of the gun hit you square in between the shoulder blades. “Your buddies can’t save you now, you know. Next time they try to do this, they’ll have to do more than just some book research.”
You took a steady breath, urging yourself to sound more collected than you felt. “Don’t act so high and mighty, Leon Kennedy.”
He scoffed. “Don’t act so fucking smart because you know how to read.” He used his gun once more to push your shoulder so you could spin around and face him. You could only stare as he maintained his composure. His eyes were not softening up. “Did you think you could be in and out with this one? Just like all the others?” You tried to fight it, but you felt your face scrunch in confusion. How does he know about the others? He made another sound, like a laugh, and you could almost see the outline of his cocky smile underneath his mask. “Don’t act like you stayed off of anyone’s radar. Your little fence isn’t exactly a low profile criminal in the underground market.” Your stomach sank. He knew about Carlos. He knew about the whole ring, he had been watching you! 
“This was… Is this even a real job?” You spat out, feeling more and more of a struggle to breathe. 
Finally, Leon put down his gun. He knew he had you under his fingers. He crossed one more step to get in your face, looking down at you. “Like I said… Your buddies need to be more careful with what they decide to take on.” He muttered at you.
Something clicked inside of you. It was a life or death situation, and there were no more good outcomes. With the swiftness of air, you shot your right hand up, connecting your fist with the side of Leon’s jaw. It caught him off guard, but it did no more than knock him back a couple of steps. That was a hard jaw.
You used those two seconds to your advantage as you sprung forward, using the chair behind you as leverage as you kicked into his chest with both feet, sending him flying backwards, knocking the gun loose from his grip. He almost fully lost his balance, and you rocketed forward, finishing him off and wanting to send him straight to the floor.
It seems, though, you underestimated how well trained this man might be. He never hit the floor, and from the second you sent him reeling backwards, he was already connecting the distance between you two again, and he ducked when you sent another leg flying at him. He hooked your other leg in his grip, turning you over and forcing you to fall to the floor on your back, effectively rendering your lungs useless.
You gasped for air, finding the strength to fight back, and before he could unlatch himself from the leg he had a grip on, you tightened your other around his throat, tucking his neck right under your knee, and you squeezed hard. 
Finding air again, and still keeping Leon in a chokehold, you pushed yourself up, and rolled the both of you over, so you were now essentially sitting on top of him, pushing his body into the ground as you kept him senseless. The dominance didn’t last long, as he pushed himself up, slamming you, once again, into the ground, loosening your leg, and escaping.
Your attempts at punches were meek, and he gripped both of your wrists in his hands and pinned them down; it was useless. It was over. During the altercation, most likely while he was being choked out, his gaiter slipped down, now wrapped around his neck. The rest of his features match the top half, and god dammit why did you have to make enemies with a man who looks like he should be on display in this very place?
“You should stop trying to fight me.” He grumbled from over you. You knew he had the upper hand now, definitely physically, but you weren’t going to stop.
“And just accept defeat? Accept whatever is going to happen next?” Despite knowing it would be useless, you attempted to break free from Leon’s grip anyway. It resulted in a tighter grasp around your wrists, and you winced. “What do you want from me? You set this up just to catch me. But you’re on the inside, too. You can’t nail us without incriminating yourself.”
If it was even possible, his face hardened further. He lowered his body to bring his face inches from yours, and you found yourself not turning away from his gaze. 
“Maybe that’s just not what I’m after.”
The sentence brought your mind to a complete blank. What else could he be after? If he was employed by the museum you were currently trying to steal a painting from and sell it for thousands, shouldn’t he want to take you down to protect the art? Wouldn’t he want to put you and your team in jail for the crimes you all have committed? 
“So, what? You just wanted to take me down? Try and make me fail? To prove something to yourself?” You were desperate at this point to hear something from Carlos, and the more time went by, you were sure Leon must have done something to the connection. Since he already knows… “Why can’t I hear my team?” You barked at him.
He quirked a cocky grin once again. “I don’t need you calling for unnecessary help. I’ve got it taken care of.” With one harsh movement, he adjusted both of your wrists so they were being held by his left hand. He then used his right to rip the in-ear out, making you cry out when the tape was torn from behind your ear. He kept tugging the cord until the tiny transmitter, which was clipped to the inside of your bodysuit, just below your shoulder, was out in the open, and tossed it aside. He was putting increasing pressure on your wrists, and you couldn't help but writhe.
“Let me go, I don’t get why you’re doing this.” You started a struggle again, but he shut it down swiftly. “Why me, Leon, why us? Surely we can’t be the only underground heist group within the vicinity, surely someone else must have tried to break in here.” 
Leon stared at you for a moment from his place above you. His expression gave nothing away about his thoughts, and it was aggravating you endlessly. He thought he was all that. You were pissed off, because you also felt like that was true. He did manage to fumble your route and tackle you and cut you off from comms. Asshole.
He lifted himself off of you slowly, and you felt the pressure around your wrists disappear. He was straddling you now, his large legs encapsulating you on both sides, his arms looked massive from this angle. His vest was littered with utility pouches, and you weren't sure you wanted to find out what was in them. The gaiter was slack around his neck, and you felt so tiny, submissive, and rapidly heating up under his half lidded gaze. You can’t believe you went over his employee profile. You would have remembered a face like his.
“You’re right. You are not alone in this ring of underground syndicates, frankly, not even the first to have been here. I took on a few of them. I’m not actively working to destroy the network that you work out of, I’m just doing my job. Why should I let thieves get away with it just because they’re good at what they do?” You stared at him as he spoke. You couldn't believe how much information he truly had, and how much more he would surely not reveal to you. “I didn’t care about the other bunch, they were all dirty criminals doing it for the money with no real talent and no morals, so, fuck them, I’ll bust them when they step into my territory.” He lowered himself again, and now he was holding himself above you, arms on either side of your head. He was staring straight down into your eyes. “But then you appeared on my radar. I was surprised to see a woman in this line of business. That’s not common. I had to watch you closely. Maybe my own ignorance made me think that you would be out of play quicker than you even started, but when I discovered you had taken down two men larger than me and turned around a chokehold that surely would have killed you, I couldn't help but be impressed.”
You couldn't stop the scoff that escaped your lips. “Fuck you. You don’t know what I’m capable of. I worked my way up to where I am now.” Your sentence was cut short when he placed a rough hand on your chin, holding it in his palm.
“Shut up.” You ground your jaw, holding back snarky comments that would put you in a worse position. His demeaning command twisted your stomach in an unfamiliar way. “When I noticed your skill, as you needed to throw in there before I finished, I saw a challenge. I couldn’t just let it go.”
No words came out of your mouth right away, still trying to process his. You shook your head in confusion. “Challenge?”
“I like a woman that can put up a fight.” Leon said nothing more, daring you to stay something in retaliation. You kept your mouth shut, unsure of what kind of response you should even give. You squinted your eyes at him, but he didn't falter.
“What kind of job even is this?” His grin grew. The anger and frustration mixed with something foreign in your stomach. You curled your toes instinctively at this feeling. “Setting me up for failure just to wrestle me so you can get a workout?”
He shook his head slightly, that glint in his eyes not fading. “It’s not all about me, you know. You’re my challenge right now, yes, but I see something in you. I want you on my side.”
“Your side? Are there sides to be had here?” 
“Sure there is,” His voice dropped to a low whisper now. You realized in that moment how quiet the room was. After the altercation the two of you had, you concluded it must be soundproof. There would have been a guard here by now. “You can fight. You're a spy. You’re practically invisible. That would be so useful to me. With me. I can give you that, you won’t have to worry about the inevitable end of this.”
You finally brought your hands down by your sides, and he didn’t move to stop you. “Here? You want to offer me the occasional chance of action from the museum?”
“You said it yourself.” His gaze hardened once more, and you suddenly remembered how harsh he was towards you five minutes ago. “I’m on the inside. I’m just as dirty as you guys are.” You stared, fighting the urge to gape your mouth. Someone on the inside, working right under everyone’s nose? “With me, I can make sure you’ll never face the threat of being shut down. Thrown in jail for years, for life. Carlos can’t do that.” You felt a twist at the mention of Carlos’ name, hoping he was alright.
You hated yourself for even letting that thought flick across your mind momentarily. You and Carlos were a team, he taught you everything, yes, but he had no other ‘ins’ in the world to protect you from the law. You were on your own in the field. He just directed you.
Leon had the connections. Leon worked with them. There was a chance that he really could keep you safe. 
“What’s…” You grit your teeth, and swallowed hard, hating this position. “What’s in it for me? I’d be losing what I worked for the last few years. Just to be under your belt now.”
He shook his head. “You’re not losing. You’re gaining.” He came dangerously close to your face, yet again, you didn't move away. “Trust me.” 
With nothing left to say to him, your body only had one way to react. You quickly hooked your left arm around Leon's neck, holding him in close, and using all the weight you could muster to flip positions with him. You could see in his face he was almost expecting this from you, yet he let it happen, and didn’t fight it. 
He let out a grunt as his back hit the ground, knowing his vest took most of the impact. You were now successfully above him, in between his spread legs, his arms splayed out on the sides. The arm that had been used as leverage around his neck was now holding you up, the other was poised threateningly at his collarbone, as if you were going to choke him at any second. 
But now, over him, though you felt triumph, you were at a loss for words again, still so muddled about the situation. Leon let the arrogant smile take over his features.
“We’d make a great pair, don’t you think?” 
A million emotions surged through your veins, making it even harder to focus, to find the right thing to say or do. The way he was looking up at you, those eyes, that face, you wanted to collapse and give it to what he was saying, but you would be damned if you gave in to any sort of manipulation from him. The job was already fucked. There was no money. It was a setup just to get you into his lair… for a lack of better word. He seemed to know the ins and outs of this building, yet, he was working underground for the same reasons, presumably, as you were. 
Fuck it, it doesn’t matter. There’s no job. You wouldn’t leave Carlos behind, but couldn’t you pretend?
Your hand gripped the collar of his shirt. “What’s the negotiation?” You mumbled. You tried your best to keep the intimidating look in your eye, but you were afraid Leon never even saw it in the first place.
He breathed out a small laugh. It infuriated you, but sent a chill down your spine. “Can’t we worry about the price later?”
You sighed, and pushed yourself off of him using his body to boost you. He grunted. On your knees now, you said, “You did all of this to get me to work with you and you won’t even tell me what your prices are?”
He followed your lead, and pushed himself off the floor with ease. He was now sitting up, staring you directly in the eye. “I’ve got a different asking price right now.” His voice became low, and you stiffened. It wasn’t every day on the field that you were met with a master tempter. Leon knew what he was doing now, and it all started to make sense to you. Regardless of if he really wanted you on his team or not, he kept an eye on you for weeks, months potentially, he brought you in here for one reason, and maybe one reason only. 
“What makes you so sure I’ll accept?” You whispered, not able to find the courage anymore to speak properly. 
“I think I just know. Am I wrong?” He stared deep into your eyes, yet another challenge. The challenges never seemed to end with him.
And, despite everything, you knew he wasn’t. You could feel it inside of you, he was right. You were about to accept his not-so-professional asking price, and you wanted to hate yourself for even giving in, but you couldn’t. You just couldn’t feel anything except eagerness. 
You breathed in shakily, frozen in your spot, wanting him to do something first, but he was just letting you fall apart slowly under his gaze, most likely enjoying watching your reaction to a simple stare. You ground your jaw together, resorting to only shaking your head. “Cocky bastard.” 
He laughed out loud once. “You got that right.” 
It seemed he had it now, not giving you time to start anything that you couldn’t move to do. With a solid palm, he pushed backwards onto your chest, sending you into the floor again. You caught yourself with your forearms and could only stare up at him as he towered over you on his knees, looking more intimidating than he did with a gun pointed at your face.
Leon brought one of his hands down to raid your holders strapped around your waist, pulling the knives free and flipping one open. Your breath caught for a second when he brought it to your neck, but then released even more unsteadily when he gripped your collar in the other hand and tore the blade through the spandex fabric of your bodysuit.
You gasped when the air hit your skin, shielded by the temperature regulating fabric, feeling more exposed than you ever had on a mission before. Of course, you figured, you decided a long time ago that the most comfortable way to don the bodysuit was with as little resistance as possible, so as soon as Leon tore the fabric apart from the middle, yourbare chest was on display for him. You felt heat run through your body, from embarrassment and the arousal that you couldn’t stop.
If it was even possible, his eyes grew darker with emotion previously undetected, and his grip on the bodysuit fragments that he was holding onto tightened endlessly, still tugging them off your body as far as they could go. 
He let go, your sleeves still intact, nipples hardening, before continuing to tear it apart lower, until you felt the crotch seams rip right under you, and as shocked by his actions as you were, you were doing nothing to stop it. You tried to tell yourself you wanted to stop him, but you knew yourself better than that by now. He would have been on the ground before he could have even held the knife to your throat.
If he was a mind reader, it wouldn’t have shocked you to find that out anymore. “Just gonna lay there and let me do this to you? Maybe I overestimated your skill.”
It was one thing to be flayed out by someone you didn’t know, another to be held at gunpoint during a mission, but an entirely different field to be insulted by the person who performed all said acts. 
“You don’t know anything about my skill. I guess saying you’ve been watching me was a lie.” You pushed yourself up onto your elbows, not even caring about your physical state anymore. Using your left arm, you sat further up, pushing Leon backwards with your right, and delivered him right onto his ass. “You think I can’t take charge of a situation?”
He looked up at you, not ready to physically retaliate. “I think you can, only when the person is letting you do so.”
You grabbed a hold of the gaiter still slung around his neck, and suddenly you were inches away from him. “I’m not letting you make me think that you’re allowing me to do anything. If watching me wasn’t a lie, you’d know I’m a lot more capable than what I’ve just let you do.”
He tilted his head sideways, clearly liking the new lack of distance between the two of you. “Then prove it.”
You decided to make a bold move. Repositioning your legs so you were now on top of him, you dropped yourself to sit right in his lap, feeling exactly what you were expecting. He groaned, finally not expecting something from you, and with a victorious smile, you fell lower, grinding into his erection with all your body weight. His hands instinctively went to claw at your thighs, the grip so tight it almost stopped you from moving, and his breathing became ragged.
“You give this treatment to every criminal that breaks into here?”
Leon laughed through the breaths. “I never get to them first to do this.” As you continued to gyrate on his lap, his eyes fell shut and his head rolled back, thumping on the wall behind him. His hands snaked up your legs, fingers toying the edges of the ripped fabric of his doing, and he pulled it further, trying to unsheath you as much as he could.
“Then allow me to make sure the rest of your criminals are forgettable.” You snaked your arms around his torso, letting him pull you loose from the sleeves of your bodysuit. Now free, you kept your grip firmly on his biceps, your own body weakening at the realization of how strong they felt. 
As badly as you wanted to free them, as badly as you wanted to see him underneath his armor, you wanted to see it when he took you. You needed to look up at his gear and see his hardened face, the strong bodyguard who made you submit.
He continued with his deep groans the more you ground down on his hard cock, and you could feel it yourself through his pants. Leon’s efforts made it so you had barely anything protecting you, and all that stood in the way were his thick pants. You wanted to free him from his constraints, but you wanted to be a tease about it.
“I hope you had a plan for this, because I’m not obeying someone who wanted to kill me.” You had yourself steady by gripping his knees with your hands, leaning back, his eyes never peeled away from your breasts, out in the open.
He took a hand and placed it over your hip, large and warm, and it sent a wave of heat straight to your core, sure you were wet through your panties now.
“So now you want me to take charge, after going on about your own strengths, huh…” He squeezed his hand over your hip, and it made you squirm.
You basically hopped up and slammed yourself down on his lap, just wanting to make him suffer. “You’ll do what I say, and we’ll see who's listening to orders.” Your motion had made him whine as predicted, and you carefully studied his face as it was scrunched up, mostly in pleasure, probably some in pain.
“Then what?” He half whispered out at you. “Tell me what to do, then.” His hands made their way up to your chest, squeezing delicately, but enough to arch your back into his touch. His other was seated on your thigh, the pressure of his fingertips increasing by the second.
You leaned in close to him, inches away, enough to taste him if you so pleased, but you waited. “Why don’t you treat me like the criminal I am?”
A shudder visibly flowed through his body at your words, the back of his head hit the wall again. The hand on your thigh was now on your throat, not tightening just yet, but with enough sturdiness to keep you in your place. Your whole body was on the move now as Leon shifted his weight, and once again, you found yourself with your back on the floor, staring up at him towering over you. Though you had already been aware of it, your nakedness became prominent in this moment, realizing Leon’s neck and face were all you could see of his skin.
“Don’t think I’ll be gentle then,” He barked out at you, having shaken off the pleasure from you grinding down on him.
You smirked, watching him finally take his gloves off, having nothing to say, but only (oddly) excited about the new course of action. He stopped bothering with trying to get the rest of your clothes off, having opened up enough room for him to work in. You thought he was most definitely either going to push your panties aside for access or cut them off, and as turned on as you knew you would be if he did the latter, you still had to leave this place after this.
“Take my belt off.” He was rigid after flinging his gloves aside, giving you orders to obey. Keeping your back square on the ground, raising only your arms, your fingers worked swiftly to undo the belt buckle, pulling the leather through the metal and setting it free. You looked up into his eyes, which were boring holes into you, and when he made no other movement, you continued to his button and zipper.
When your hand made contact with the fabric you saw the jump his cock made at the friction, even barely there. He let out a soft, shaky breath at you working it open, never losing his composure. The rigid tent right in front of your face was long and thick, and you had to get your hands on it faster than yours could work themselves.
Finally undone, you pushed the opening aside and pulled down the elastic band of his underwear, his facial expression never changing, up until you wrapped your hand around the base of his dick, now out in the open, and he groaned. He wrapped one of his own hands around your wrist, a plea not to move it, but you ignored it, and brought yourself to a sitting position so his head was lined up with the tip of your tongue.
“You want to suck it too, like a whore?” Leon’s other hand found solace in the back of your head, fingers tangling up your hair to get a steady grip. The pull made you wince, but you silenced the feeling by running your flat tongue along the underside of his dick, swiping along the head and letting the precum sit in your mouth.
A deep sigh was the result of your actions, and everything he did only egged you on. You felt him adding force to your head to move, but again, moved at your own pace, letting your tongue trace the indents and veins, letting your hand massage the base while your other was on the floor, holding you upright.
The anticipation alone of this moment could have filled your mouth with saliva, and the throbbing cock in front of you only added to help it. You opened your wet mouth and seated your lips around the tip, feeling that push on the back of your head again. Your tongue swirled endlessly, dragging up and down the slit, pushing more of the precum to the back of your throat, and finally, when you decided you had had enough, you slid his length as far back as you could go, a heavy breath coming from above you when you bottomed out. 
His grip on your hair became shaky, and his breathing never righted again the more you took him into your mouth, bringing him closer to orgasm. The friction lightened up with your saliva around the base, your hand becoming covered in it, the sickening sucking noises sending sparks straight down to your pussy, which was begging to be touched, but you had to push Leon to the edge first. 
You could feel his legs starting to buckle, but you pushed on, knowing he would stop you before he could cum in your mouth. As much as you wanted to bring him to that, you wanted to be pleasured by him first.
With one more deepthroat, stifling a gag and feeling his hand lift from your hair, he pulled himself out of your mouth, strings of saliva connecting his head to your lips. 
He took a deep breath in, looking down at you, almost spent but so much more to give.
With no warning, his hand was back on your throat, pushing you backwards into the floor once more. This time, the pressure was enough to constrict your breathing slightly, and you wrapped a hand around his thick forearm. 
“You weren’t getting off the hook that easily,” Even with the breathiness he was speaking through, his face still showed all the authoritative attitude that he had in the first five minutes of your encounter. At this angle, the shadows on his face made him even scarier, but you felt nothing except turned on by him. Strands of gelled hair fell forward onto his forehead, a glisten of sweat decorated his skin.
“Maybe this was your plan the whole time,” He continued, the hand on your throat not allowing you to speak, but giving you enough air to be satisfied. Your breath hitched when you felt him pull your panties to the side, and deliver a rough sensation to your sensitive clit. “You knew the treatment you’d get by crossing me.”
One finger, then two, and surely your slick was in a pool on the floor by now. His appendages had no resistance as they slid in and out of you, hitting your soft walls, arching your hips to get more and more, but he had you at bay, and he knew it.
“You like this, huh?” Leon brought himself closer to your face, lips just a hair away from yours, but he wouldn’t kiss you. “You like being treated like a slut?” You took another restricted breath in when he returned to your clit, massaging it in circles, making your pussy ache even more. “Answer me.” 
A choked out sob came out of you before, “Yes, I do…” and you felt your face heating up at the force of making you degrade yourself. 
“Yeah, I can tell, you’re so wet I should’ve just fucked you the moment I caught you.” He was growling at you now, and it did nothing but send you into pure bliss at his treatment. “Maybe you’ll learn another lesson or two, one they could never teach you.”
Between the stimulation on your clit and the hand on your throat, a tear slipped out of your eye, but you were anything but dissatisfied. He raised himself, removed his hand (much to your displeasure), and readjusted himself, cock lined up square with your heat.
“Open your mouth.” You did as you were told, and he spit directly into your open mouth, and at the distraction of that, he slid into you.
Your jaw hung slack as he made his way in, you could feel the way his cock was stretching your walls wide, your pussy was so wet it made it easier than you were expecting it to be. Your eyes rolled back, not being able to help the way your eyelids fluttered closed, eyebrows furrowing, fingernails surely cutting Leon’s skin through his sleeves where you gripped him hard.
The stretch was immaculate, it burned and it felt like you were on fire, but none of it made you want to tell him to stop. Skin to skin contact was made on your clit when he was all the way in, you felt so full you could barely breathe, and your clit was sending rocket fire signals to your brain, it made you writhe with the sensations.
You gasped, the drag out feeling just as good as the shove in, and you cried out through the constriction around your throat, “Leon… fuck,”
Leon grunted at your appraisal, you felt the fingers over your neck twitch, knowing he was holding himself back from using all the strength he had in his one hand. You tried your hardest to pry your eyes open, you needed to see him.
“You’re such a slut, letting yourself get fucked to get out of trouble,” He spit out at you in between hard thrusts and heavy breathing. You practically felt the tip of his dick hit your stomach every time he thrust in, and from the sounds alone, you knew it had you soaked. You already knew he was a big man, but watching him in his bulletproof gear had you even weaker than you were before, this big heavy guard taking advantage of you, using you, and you loved it.
Your legs wrapped around his torso, hoisting your hips up to feel more, get him deeper, if it was even possible. 
You could barely even breathe, every move that Leon made inside of you made your head spin, every noise he made turned you to jelly, every thrust had you whining so hard you were sure you were going to lose your voice. 
The pressure on your throat lifted, and the sharp intake of cold air down your windpipes made you dizzy. Opening your eyes, Leon was now back to his position on his knees, still fully sheathed inside of you, and with a slick motion, and the wettest sounds you had ever heard from yourself, he slid out, leaving you empty.
You didn’t even have time to process the movement before Leon had his hand on your arms and was turning you over, bare chest to the cold floor, and you unintentionally shuddered. Using your arms to the best of your ability to hold yourself up, you felt them shake violently, and knew they would give out any time soon. 
Looking up, you saw Leon reach forward and pull his discarded jacket down from the back of the chair, sliding it under your head, and pressing you back down by the nape of your neck. You couldn’t help but moan.
Strong hands settled on your hips, and you had to bite the material under you to muffle the scream as Leon pushed himself back into you, every nerve on fire as he hit the deepest spots you didn’t know existed. This time, he was relentless, like he promised.
You could barely hear him through your own screaming and whining.
“Take it like a whore, I know you can…” A slap to your ass, more tears from your eyes. “Fuck, so good, you’ll learn now…” Hands in your hair, pulling your head up. “I’m gonna fill you up, like a fucking slut,” 
Barely processing anymore, your head a mess and eyes full of tears, you only registered the small change when you felt his arm around your waist, fingers teasing circles into your clit while still pounding into your pussy, still getting wetter by the second. The new feeling had your legs spreading wider for him, further weakening you, your thighs shaking with a strong timber you know no man had ever given you before.
“L-Leon…” It didn’t even sound like words anymore at this point, but Leon got the idea. He pressed harder into the soft nub, making you bite back into his jacket and moan loudly. 
“Come on, I know you can cum for me,” Two more thrusts had him in, and you felt the shaft of his cock pulsing erratically inside of you as he released his seed in you, not waiting for you to say he could or not, but knowing he was going to anyway. 
The feeling of being filled to the brink was what send you over the edge, his fingers still making work and his dick milking itself dry inside of your tight walls had you clenching around it, ragged breaths taking your body hostage as white flashed before your eyelids, and Leon knew he had made you finish, especially in the way your body crumpled underneath him.
Swallowing hard, your throat dry, you slowly came back to reality, and your vision cleared. You felt hands on your waist, slowly rolling you over to lay on your back.
Leon was positioned over you, edge in his eyes long gone, face shiny and slick from sweating, all his hair nearly limp over his face. He looked like a completely different person.
“Are you alright?” Still not knowing if you can speak, you nodded, letting your mouth re-salivate. He pinched your chin delicately between his forefinger and thumb, moving your head to the side to expose your neck. “If I bruised you, I didn’t mean to.”
You shook your head. “It will give me something to cover my disappearance with.” You had no idea how long it had been, but with no contact to Carlos back at base, you wouldn’t be surprised if your entire team flanked the building at this very second to rescue you. Now how to get out with an entirely ripped bodysuit…
“Consider my offer.” Leon mumbled, clear enough to hear, but low enough to hear his exertion. “I was serious.”
You blinked slowly at him, not seeing his expression change at his offer. “If I accept, I’m not a criminal you’ll have to put in place anymore.”
At this, he smiled, and dipped his head down to kiss you again, possibly one of the only times he had that night.
“Honey,” He pulled away. “You’ll always be a criminal.”
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from-vuka · 2 months
Text
So... this is a drabble (do ppl still use that word?) for a future idea i have of Ghoap x reader.... lol (i think reader is gender neutral but i could be wrong ;;) not all of it is planned out so there may be gaps but imma rewrite into a whole piece maybe????
Listen idk im still getting used to putting myself out there LMAO
cw: implied cheating towards the end, neglectful relationship (not simon), married! reader, "the one that got away" mentality (idk if this is a cw but i put here)
‧₊*: ⋅ଳ⋅˚₊‧𖦹₊⊹⋆.ೃ࿔*:・
When they parked, the first question was where to go.
The mission has been a bust. Intel was incorrect or outright wrong, gaps missing in reports that they knew would be a problem later--and they were always right. When shit hit the fan, they knew exactly what to do: collect their people and dip before Laswell had anything to say about shooting at Russian military.
The little SUV they stole was hot, the AC blasting but doing little to quelch the need for water or how sweaty they had gotten running despite the possibility of snow. Price had long since left the car, pacing back and forth as he tried to call Kate. Gaz tinkered on the laptop, seeing if any of the files they were able to download or code ripped from its program could indicate a next step, a lead in the right direction.
Soap and Ghost sat in the trunk; its overhead door open to let in the late autumn breeze.
“Fuck, another night on the fuckin’ ground,” Soap moaned, leaning back against the inner side of the SUV. “Gonna be a rough fu--”
“I know a place,” Simon said quickly, almost too quick. His thumbs, looking too big for the little cracked screen of the iPhone 8 the military gave him (since he refused a smartphone for as long as possible) hit the virtual keyboard. He sent two messages before the machine was buzzing and flashing. He got up, rolled his shoulders, and answered.
Johnny whistled, pulling Gaz from the blue light of his laptop to Simon. His feet paced like John’s but quicker; too much energy for such a short call. His eyes didn’t seem so harsh as he explained the situation, describing his irritation at the whole thing. When he hung up, his body relaxed only a fraction before turning to the car.
“Got us a place to lay low,” He murmured. “Don’t see us getting a hotel from Laswell,” He commented as John cursed and gripped his phone, containing the growing rage for another short while. “Reception out here isn’t gonna happen ‘til the clouds fuck off.”
“The fuck you mean you know a place?” Soap asked, and Simon tugged his arm to pull him out of the trunk.
He closed the trunk door and shoved Soap into the back seat, he himself taking the driver’s seat. John didn’t question their new set-up, sitting in the passenger’s side and pointing the vents at his sweaty skin.
“We’re stayin’ with a friend. Lives remote, no neighbors, little to no internet,” Ghost hummed, pulling off the side of the road and heading to where his GPS blinked in retaliation for the lack of connection.
The team didn’t ask any more questions, too tired from the run to get this shitty little SUV, and instead reflected on the mission and their faults, as if they could have done anything to change the outcome. Bad intel is bad intel—there isn’t a way to fix it or better training to prepare for it. Still, the loss burned their skin like fire ant bites.
At a certain point, the phone stopped giving directions. Gaz questioned it, and Simon’s response made sense: when you live as remote as his friend did, GPS could only take you so far. The rest was muscle memory.
Soap asked him how often he came here. Simon said every time he had to leave the base, get away from the shitty flat he rents only for when he’s off deployments. Most of his possessions, he said, live here. There wasn’t anyone he trusted more than this person.
As they pulled down a dirt road, the first they saw was you.
You stood outside the two-floor cabin, standing on a wrap-around porch, your hands on your hips as you watched the shitty, sad SUV park on the dirt driveway. Simon was the first to pop out despite being the driver, taking big steps up to you and the front door. His body was tense only for a moment before you hugged him hello, silent otherwise, and let him trail mud, dirt, and blood into your home.
The rest watched from the car until you waved them up, turning and heading inside. On edge, they headed into the cabin and found it homey. It wasn’t what they were imagining from previous safe houses: dirty floors with stains and dust; broken or bare furniture, maybe none at all; thick spider webs and old cooking pots.
No, it was homey-homey. The furniture was worn but comfortable, soft blankets and thick pillows over any cushioned surface available. Rugs lined the wooden floors, making pathways for your socked feet. The windows had stained glass art pieces hanging to let the light shine in rainbows, and the few lights that were on at this point in the evening were small table lamps and a candle burning in the renovated and cozy kitchen. They could smell stew cooking on the stovetop and bread baking in the fire oven.
Simon didn’t seem to feel any of the intrusion that they did. His shoes were left by the door, a couple pairs that looked eerily similar lined up on a shoe rack. The coat rack had a mix of grey, Simon-sized hoodies and jackets with fluffy, colorful, graphic jackets that seemed to fit you.
Even as Simon wandered into the kitchen, checking on the stew and bread, he looked like he fit in the small space. He opened the fridge and pulled out a case of ale and a little bottle of wine while you grabbed beer mugs and a few wine glasses. You handed him the bottle openers as he handed you oven mitts for the bread. It was synchronized—Simon had been here enough before to know how you lived and worked.
“Who’s this?” Price asked, breaking the spell between you two. Simon glances at you then at Price.
Simon explained, grinning a little as he did, that you were his best friend of nearly 10 years; that you were the person on his emergency contact and his address when he was deployed. He watched as you started serving the stew and he said that you gave him permission to keep a low profile in your home until Laswell could tell them what to do next. There weren’t any other options available that wouldn’t bring attention to them, unless they wanted to sleep in the woods. Until then, Simon saw no reason to leave this place.
Price wanted to be the one to speak the truth—that Laswell would probably get back to them by morning—but as he watched Simon place full bowls on the kitchen table in the next room over while he mumbled to you about grabbing spoons and butter knives, he couldn’t. Instead, he nodded and led the rest to the table, enjoying the quiet moments of delicious and hot food that were far better than any MRE they had in their backpacks.
The rest of the night was calm. Johhny was eager to ask questions (and John and Kyle ready to listen), but the time never came. After dinner, you showed them where the two bathrooms were and where the guest shower was located. You took them into the basement where several couches and chairs sat around a stove heating the space and a flatscreen with VHS and DVD players. A few retro gaming consoles sat displayed on the TV stand. Pointing out the blankets, comforters, and pillows on one of the couches, you said that the laundry room was in the little space off to the side in case they wanted fresh clothes. Afterwards, you thanked them for keeping the place clean and headed up to the master bedroom.
It didn’t shock any of them when Simon trailed behind you.
Clean, fed, and exhausted, the interrogations began the next morning when you wandered downstairs in one of Simon’s shirts, putting sausage in a cast iron skillet for breakfast. Johnny, now awake and ready to annoy, sat in the kitchen and asked you question after question as you answered honestly.
“Why do you live out here?”
“It’s private.”
“Do you like it here?”
“Yes. Otherwise, I would move.”
“Where do you work?”
“Don’t need to.”
“Why don’t you need to work?”
“I have money.”
“How’d you get it?”
“...Si, usually.”
Johnny smirked like a fox when he thought he caught you, but you just giggle at his obsessive nature and finish up cooking. Simon comes down nearly 30 minutes later, settling beside you in the kitchen as he brews tea and coffee. His hands wandered every now and again to your arms, your side, a hand on your lower back as he moves around the kitchen—which makes Johnny’s eyes boggle. How could Simon be keeping such a sweet thing so hidden? Why is he lying by saying a ‘friend’?
It wasn’t until later, when the morning blurred into afternoon, that they understood why.
When he arrived, Simon’s mood soured while yours grew sweeter, if only for a moment. You kissed the mystery man at the door and told him the situation, to which he didn’t seem to mind. He headed upstairs, practically ignoring your silent requests for tender affection to shower. You sulked a little, trying to put on a brave face as you started on lunch. Simon was there, then, chatting with you more than he did anyone as you prepared subs and fries. They could hear your angelic rings of laughter as he calmed you into your previously happy self.
When the man came back down, he ordered you to grab him a beer, and you did so without a second thought. He demanded you grab the remote, whined when it wasn’t working (“As always,” Simon later grumbled), and took out his frustration on you. He berated your meal with backhanded compliments. He ignored your requests for napkins or salt to finish his food and leave for the shed outside, dirty plate and crumbs left on the table.
You sighed as he left, frowning and watching him disappear into the wooden shed. Then Simon was there again, taking up his seat beside you and set up to finish eating there. His eyes glanced at you, cracking piss-poor dad jokes to get your little voice to chuckle as you finished eating—maybe not as much as Simon thought you should, as he later shoved cut-up plum and cheese squares into your face while the two of you sat on the wrap-around porch and caught up over tea.
John wasn’t sure what to do; Gaz and Soap were even more lost. It was so clear, then it was so confusing. It wasn’t until dinner was over and the team was sitting by a little bonfire, you and your apparent husband off to bed for the night, that they asked Simon.
“Who is that, really?” John asked.
“...I dunno. Thought we were somethin’, then we weren’t. I knew the world wouldn’t wait for me forever. Now... now I have this.”
“You give ‘em money?” Johnny, now, asked.
“Have to. Stupid fucker blows it all at casinos or fucking hides it. He’ll make it a problem if things aren’t paid on time when he’s the jackass ruining the credit score. Don’t know for sure, but I think the fucker might get close to physical when I’m not here. Thinkin’ bought putting cameras around just to make sure.”
“So... what? Is this just how you’ll spend the rest of your life? Don’t think you’ll need to do much convincing, that bastard doesn’t care,” Kyle said, leaning back in his seat.
“He doesn’t. Our jobs are similar, he’s just in construction. Leave for a while, come back for a little bit, and then leave again. The only difference between that bloke and me is that I like being here. But...”
He thinks to you: how happy you were to date the jackass, playing with your hair nervously; how you glowed with something primal and sensual after he showed you “the best night of your life,” even if you’d go back on your words later when the love-bomb spell wore off; how he proposed so sloppily yet you ate it up like candy because no one had ever treated you so sweetly. It didn’t matter that he got so drunk at the wedding he puked on your dress or that Simon swore he saw the moron kissing another girl at a party but couldn’t be the one to ruin you by telling the truth. Your husband was romantic, you said, but all Simon saw were red flags and a growing need to rearrange the fucker’s teeth.
“But I can’t destroy happiness I don’t understand.”
“I don’t think what’s going on is ‘happiness’...” Johnny said, opening another bottle. “More like... I dunno, a lack of respect? Not knowing what happiness really is?” He bit his lip before clicking his tongue in triumph. “No, no, it’s complacency. Nothing bad can happen if nothin’ changes.”
Simon hums, smoking a cigarette and watching the flames of the fire.
Kyle glanced at Price, who cleared his throat for a second. “Simon, I’m not usually one for this kind of thing, but--”
“I know, need to get over it,” Simon snapped, smoking down the cigarette into a nub before throwing it into the firepit.
Price frowned. “I think it might be the opposite.”
“I’m not destroying a family.”
“There isn’t a family, Ghost, just two people who are married and don’t do shit together,” Johnny said. “He doesn’t seem to be in the picture. How often is this place empty? There’re no photos of them on the wall. He didn’t seem happy to see his own partner. They don’t even have kids.”
Simon frowns. “I know. It’s the main complaint... lyin’ ‘bout what he wants.”
“So then... take ‘em,” Johnny said, Kyle rolling his eyes. “It doesn’t seem like anyone’s holding on too tight.”
Simon didn’t speak again that night. He headed upstairs when the rest departed for the basement. The next day, the man was kissing you good-bye as the team came upstairs. You looked sad, miserable even, and followed him outside. The two of you spoke, but he snapped at you before heading to the car, ignoring your whines for a last kiss. He drove off and you came back inside, starting breakfast in silence again.
When Simon came down, he knew. He pushed John, Kyle, and Johnny to the basement so he could hold you and comfort you. You cried hard into his chest, hiccupping and sobbing as you whined about his disregard for your comfort—that he didn’t care enough to kiss you goodbye again when you asked him if this was the last time he’d leave you.
Simon hated it because himself in your lover. He imagined it before: leaving for a deployment and seeing your round teary eyes as he packed. He’d stop, instead picking you up to kiss you and lay you on the bed, proving that he loved you so much more than you knew. Maybe he wouldn’t even be able to leave if you cried like you had in the past.
No, he wouldn’t. He’d see your face and feel the fear you have of losing him. He’d leave his bags in the bedroom to pull you close to the couch, feeling over your skin like he’s been dying to do since he met you in that dirty dive bar when you both were in your early 20s. He’d ignore phone calls from Price or Laswell or any other CO to take you out for dinner and fuck you in the back of his truck like you always giggled about. He’d shower with you when you came home, wash your hair and realize your scent is all around him, not just the quick perfume he gets every time you pass by.
Would he mourn the death of his career? Probably not—not if you were pressed to his side, lips kissing his jaw and chin as he held your legs in his lap. (If he was lucky, maybe even pregnant.) Every metal, award, trophy... it’d dull the moment you stood beside it, the moment his brain conjured up your image in lieu of polished gold. He’d put on his crisp, shiny-adorned uniform one last time for your wedding. You always said the fabric made him look so regal.
It wasn’t a surprise when the next morning you seemed gloomy. You tried to play it off, smiling when talking to someone before retreating back into yourself, and John could tell how much it hurt Simon. He trailed behind you like a kitten, watching from doorways to make sure the waterworks hadn’t started. When they did, he tugged you to the master bedroom and let you curl up into the blankets and sob. Simon rubbed your back, a silent yet strong barrier between you and loneliness.
You asked him what you should do—how could you keep loving a man who won’t treat you like a person? Who won’t see you as anything but a hole to fuck when he comes home before leaving again? He wasn’t soft like Simon, you said, and Simon felt conflicted.
He wasn’t soft. No one else got to see the affection he rarely used, felt his hands doing anything other than breaking and taking. He towered over men far weaker than him. He didn’t feel remorseful for the pain he caused to those who deserved it and maybe even the ones who didn’t. He made himself built for war, yet you cried into his lap and called him a softie.
Maybe he was—but only for you. You were just an exception.
He couldn’t tell if it was the conversation from the previous night or your red cheeks and puffy eyes that did it for him. He couldn’t bare letting you fall apart over an ugly motherfucker like your husband. He calmed you, pulling your limp body into his lap. His arms around you felt more like a strait jacket than a hug, but you took it readily. Your fingers gripped his shirt, and he truly realized the effect you had on him. Tilting your chin up, he hummed a soft apology before pressing his lips to yours, keeping his hand on your jaw.
Maybe, after that, it was a good thing the bedroom door was locked. Maybe it took a few days for you to completely move forward, legal papers signed and delivered at the little post office in town, 25 minutes from your cabin. Maybe Simon was there, his hands and lips unable to leave your skin for longer than a minute. Maybe, as he left with Laswell’s next instructions, he took you upstairs one last time and promised to be back later, when he was done—that he’d come back and take you to the courthouse that same evening, paying a stranger to watch you exchange vows if Johnny didn’t tag along like he figured he would, and you’d never feel lonely again.
Imagine your surprise when he showed up three months later and he kept his word—with a certain loud Scot in tow, too.
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poraphia · 1 year
Note
Halloooo ^^ ..
I read a lot of ur stories and now Im in love with fictions :3 (might need therapy cuz of it but nvm that)
U an amazing writer <3
(Im pretty new to Tumblr so extremely sorry if this ends up where it shouldnt be or smth like that lol)
But anywaaay , Can I pls request a Wilbur Soot angst fic :D ?
Im going thru THAT phase rn so anything would be awsome really ..
Maybe a fight (unintentionally) breaks out between Wilby and reader and Wilby accidentally raises his voice and reader gets scared ? I know its a cheesy story and people might'a written before but I barely find Wilbur angst fics anymore :(((
Anyway , Thank u so much .. U dont have to write any of this if ur uncomfortable .. Hope ur doing okay :> .. Take care n' bye :D
"You’re Being Too Loud."
➵ PAIRING! cc!stressed!wilbur x stressed!reader
➵ CREATING! 10.12.23 | 1444 words
➵ CONTAINING! angst to comfort, wilbur is ignoring reader, reader lowkey has attachment issues, reader sensitive to loud noises, wilbs is overworked
➵ SAYING! hiii @toastyliltoasts41 welcome to tumblr! sorry for the late late response but i hope you enjoy :) personally going thru this myself especially w so much work ive been doing recently and also im noise sensitive (literally walk around with noise canceling headphones all the time). thank u for all the nice words!
─── ・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚. ───
I slipped off my shoes and placed them near the doorstep. My socks glided against the furnished planks as I slid to our shared office. I dragged my backpack behind me, feeling the weight of my laptop, notebooks, and textbooks. Once I made it to the room, I placed my bag on the chair and unpacked all my belongings onto my desk.
Today was too exhausting, and the one thing I dreaded doing right now was to open my laptop and be faced with more work. Instead of taking my laptop with me, I grabbed my phone and dragged myself out of the office and into the bedroom.
After changing into my loungewear, I snuggled myself into silk sheets, shivering a little from the cold fabric wrapping around my body. Ignoring the chill, I held up my phone with both of my hands and swiped open the messaging app to text my boyfriend. I glanced at the past messages, realizing that Wil hasn’t responded to any of my messages from this afternoon. The last time he texted was this morning when was telling me what time he would come home. Sighing, I typed in another message in hopes that this time he would respond.
“Hey, I’m home now. Too tired to cook food today. Let’s order something when you get home? <3”
I clicked send before clicking off my phone and placing it on the nightstand. My eyes fluttered close, and slowly, I drifted off to sleep.
I woke to the sound of footsteps clicking against the ground. With my hands I pushed my body up to examine the noise. From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a familiar tall figure headed toward the office. A small smile formed on my face as I carefully got out of bed.
My bare freet pressed against the cream colored carpet. I wandered around the hallway before finding the office door slightly ajar. Through the crack I saw Wil hunched over his computer. His sweater’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and his fingers hastily clicked against his keyboard. Quietly, I approached him from behind, throwing my arms around his shoulders and hugging him close.
Wil quietly hummed in response. I titled my head, pecking his cheek, but he didn’t react and instead his eyes stayed glue to his screen. My eyebrows slightly furrowed, but nonetheless, I continued hugging him.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I mumbled in a croaky voice.
“Hey,” he replied blankly.
“Did you see my texts earlier today?”
“Uh huh,” He said absently. “I saw the message after I ate though. Sorry.”
I felt my chest tighten a little, hurting at his absence. All I wanted in the moment was a hug and a conversation about each other’s day, but instead, he was absorbed in his work and couldn’t even make the effort to look at me.
“Wil, can we talk?” I asked.
He slightly shook his head. “No, not right now, honey. This video has to be out by tomorrow and one of our editors hasn’t been feeling well so I took up the work.” He explained briefly.
“But you’re already busy working at the studio…” I mumbled.
“I know, but I can finish this up by tonight. Just give me some time, please.” He requested. My heart skipped a little, feeling like a dog that had been put aside for a brand new puppy.
“Wil, you haven’t talked to me all day. Could we at least just have dinner together?” I nearly pleaded.
“I already said I just ate, (y/n).” Wil said rather sternly. “Please can I just finish my work?”
“But I want to spend time with you.” I said, speaking up a little bit. I unwrapped my hands away from him and stepped back a little. He turned his chair a little to face me with one of his hands still on the keyboard. He looked up at me, a stressed but furrowed expression on his face. I wrapped my arms around myself, hugging my own chest.
“I want to spend time with you but you’re basically prioritizing this work over me.” I said again. “I understand that sometimes you have too much work. I understand that. But we haven’t been spending time with each other for the past few days and it’s driving me crazy. I just want to relax with you, Wil.” I bit the insides of my cheek. Wil, in turn, sighed and rubbed his nosebridge.
“I’m not prioritizing work over you, (y/n), I’ve just been busy lately and this argument is just stressing me out even more.” His words were spat out like venom.
“Which is why I’m asking that we just spend time together! This isn’t just for me, but it’s for you too.” I threw my hands up, frustrated. “Wilbur, we can relax together! You’re acting like this isn’t stressing me out either!”
Wil got up from his seat now. His tall figure nearly towered over me, making me slightly cower. “I DON’T WANT TO FUCKING RELAX RIGHT NOW, (Y/N)! I HAVE SHIT TO DO!”
I stepped back, nearly stumbling. Without realizing, tears were running down my burning hot cheeks. The air went cold and I felt this hallowing emptiness surrounding me. A ringing was bouncing in my eardrums and goosebumps ran through my arms and legs. He looked down at me, eyes wide as if he just realized what words escaped his lips. Before he could say a word, I walked out of the office and back into bed, slamming the door behind me.
I jumped into the mattress and buried my face deep under the sheets. I quietly sobbed into the fabric, not caring for the tears darkening the silk. It didn’t take but a couple minutes later to hear the creaking of the door and soft footsteps approaching the bed. I lied still under the covers as I felt the mattress dip from a newfound weight.
Wil sat there for a while. His knee shook a little, making a tiny thumping noise against the floor. I was turned away from him with his lower back lightly pressing against the heel of my foot.
“(y/n)..?” He softly called out for me. “Are you awake..?”
I shifted a little, moving my foot away from him to let him know I was listening. He sighed with his leg coming to a stop.
“(y/n), I’m sorry. I—I’ve just been really stressed, but that gives me no right to start yelling at you. And me being really busy has been taking away the time with you.” He paused a little bit, presumably licking his lips. I still didn’t have the courage to move. Instead I laid still, not daring to move. “I’m really sorry, (y/n).” He apologized again.
A deep sigh huffed from my nostrils before I sat up, letting the sheets cascade off my body. He turned his head to look at me, his feet still planted on the ground. I looked into his eyes, seeing the pained looked deep in those irises.
“Y-You know I don’t like loud noises.” I croaked out, my voice cracking with my words. He slowly nodded, bringing his legs up on the bed to fully face me. “And I really don’t like it when you yell. Please, I really just wanted to spend time together.”
“And we will spend time together.” He grabbed my hands and cradled them in his. “I’ll message Elodie right now if she could finish the work. But right now, it’s going to be me and you together, okay? We can maybe catch up on our show and I’ll order some food for you, okay?” He reassured, rubbing his thumb against the back of my hand. “Maybe I’ll steal some fries from you every once in a while.”
I giggled a little. “Noooo! Get your own food!” I whined, lightly pushing his shoulder. He chuckled in response before wrapping his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest. I wrapped my arms around his torso in response, breathing in his scent.
“I just missed you, Wil, you know that…” I softly whispered. He nodded, running his fingers through my hair.
“I missed you too. I promise I do.” He whispered back. His voice was low and deep but he made sure to maintain his volume. It was soothing, something I could fall asleep to,
and most importantly,
it wasn’t loud.
─── ・ 。゚☆: .☽ . :☆゚. ───
a / n ~ hope you enjoyeddd notes of all kind are super duper appreciated! if you wanna be in a taglist or an anon my inbox is always freee :D ALSO SURPRISE!! TWO ONESHOTS IN ONE DAY I AM ON A ROLLLL
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coldresolve · 2 months
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tbh i didnt mean “not wanting to be criticized” i meant “not wanting to search up things and dive into stuff”. Rolling your head on the keyboard and relaxing while creating something is not the same by any means. I was also thinking more of visual art when i wrote that, since “art” is usually used in that sense these days. I do write and i do “research” (not like actual research articles tho) but i couldnt care less about political or any “other” interpretations. I know ur on the mindset of “all art is political” but nah. I just like creating. I dont even ever look ar politics. No news, no social media, nothing, i dont care, i dont interact, i dont listen. Not something that i care about. And im not the only one. And thats also fine. Art and creativity and the act of creation means different things to different people and noone can make a blanket statement with saying “its always political” or “it always has a »deeper« meaning”.
I also dont think “no deeper meaning” means its “shallow” or “lacks depth” (eventho this sounds contradictory), it just means that what might mean something to the artist, doesn’t necessarily mean anything for others and interpretating it in all kinds of ways is the viewers own opinions (also fine, but my point stays that it wasnt “meant” to be interpreted in any way other than how the artist meant it). Like idk how to explain this but just because you (or anyone) thinks about art in such a “deep” and “layered” way its not always like that. Not by far.
Woodworking is art. Pottery is art. Even architecture is art. All those art forms usually dont have any “statement”, or if they do, its not as common. Its relaxing and soothing to just… create. And im not saying “oh just start woodworking without any research”, that would most likely be a safety hazard. What im saying is not knowing about all these political bulshits and not CARING about them either doesnt make the art less valid?
I used these examples because writing and drawing is usually more “political” for a lot of people (including you I know) but for many people its just the same as a piece of pottery or wood statue they work on to relieve stress. And the way you talk about art/writing makes it seem like those people are “less than”. Because they dont do research, because they dont use themes or whatever all those things. No, you dont have to do all those if you just wanna create. Its gatekeepy af.
And tbf at least they are creating it themselves, even if it doesnt fit your standards. At least they arent using some ai. In these times we need to encourage people to create more than ever instead of gatekeeping art and writing and talking down to people who arent as sophisticated as you are.
Because your writing and art is insane but man that shits stressfull. I just want to relax and turn my brain off and create some art to soothe my nerves… not all this political implications lol
My opinion and i know you disagree but anyways. You said you like “criticism” so thougth i would share my thougths too.
hope you dont mind if i break it up by point. below the cut cause youve said a lot and i say a lot, ayy
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you wanna have mindless fun and dont care if it comes at the cost of spreading harmful misinfo, bigotry or stereotypes, i got it. i read you loud and clear. im also criticizing you for it, which according to this, you shouldn't have a problem with
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so when you said in the last ask that you don't care about 'pushing bad stereotypes', you meant visually...? are you drawing racist charicatures or sth lmao
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you're right, i do think all art is political, but politics isnt just men in suits arguing about taxes yknow. a political ideology is a prescriptive worldview, that's it. broadly speaking, it's about how you see the relationship between the past/present/future, resources and power, who has them and who don't, and does that align with our ethics, etc. why things are the way they are and how they ought (/not) to be. how you see the world, other people and yourself necessarily shows up in self-expression, that is what self-expression is. it's inherent to art, and you can't get away from this by simply going 'not true' - what you're telling me here is just that you've decided you personally don't care. which is your right i suppose
just like i have a right to be able to think of this 'heres all the ways i'm extremely apolitical' section as you just declaring a privelege. lots of people - especially this site's userbase - don't get the luxury of being able to look away, because their existence itself is highly politisized. either you pay attention or they start sending you and your friends to camps, babey. deciding to be apolitical is a Very political act
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you're not sticking fully to topic here. i never talked about depth, i talked about engaging with art uncritically, which are two different things. i do hold the former as an opinion but this is already long, send a different ask if you want me to get into it lol its mostly just me being a judgy bitch abt popular culture
to the relevant stuff, im just gonna reiterate that the themes you put in your work exist whether you want them to or not. death of the author, that whole thing. if you portray poverty in a way that suggests poor people are just being lazy, or that black people are violent, or that gay people are predatory, if you essentialize these traits in any given work, that is the statement that depiction makes, regardless of whether the artist actually believes it's true or not. that's just how biases work in fiction. it's not gonna stop existing because you stop paying attention to it.
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funny you should mention woodworking - hi, im a cabinetmaker and i love talking about my craft. cool facts: scandinavian woodworking tends to use sustainable/local wood, minimalistic and semi-rustic designs with a focus on elegance and simplicity, and mostly uses natural finishes. american wwoodworking is a bit flamboyant and grand, frequently uses exotic woods for details, bulkier designs, with a focus on sturdiness and practicalty, and mostly uses glossy/shiny finishes. japanese woodworking is all about precision, subtlety and a world-famous tradition of the craft spanning back millenia, using wood from species that allow for chisel work with a precision that's down to the width of a human hair, occasionally stained with some nice colors (asia generally loves wood stain). ikea's woodworking uses cheap materials and cost-effective factory production, focuses on the mass marketability of their furniture, and has a legal team to deal with worker's rights abuses and forced labor cases. if you can read nothing about priorities and worldview into any of this, i don't know what to tell you. alas its true. your chair is indeed political
this doesn't mean you can't also use any chair to simply sit down in. these two aren't mutually exclusive.
pottery is the same. architecture is the same. in fact, tell any former soviet country that there's no politics in architecture lol they'll look at you weird
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never said your art isn't valid or whatever, idek what that means in this context. i just said i can still criticize your racist charicatures regardless of how much mindless fun you had making them lol
(in case its not obvious i dont think youre making racist charicatures or all that shit, im going to the extremes to illustrate a point ykwim. im guessing you'd be fine with me critizising racism in fiction - in fact i don't actually believe you'd disagree with any of the things i've said if i'd framed it in terms of racism, or at least i hope not lol i dont know how far your take goes. im challenging a double standard ig)
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"because they don't use themes" mhm, youre one of the ppl who dont know what a theme is, which ig is pretty valuable for context. art necessitates making decisions about what you portray and how you portray it. those decisions say something about your thought process, which your audience is able to draw conclusions about, or at least interpret from. art is a form of communication. if you create art, you are communicating. it means something. there is a message, usually more than one. that's what themes are. can be as benign as "damn hangovers kinda suck" or some grand statement about the nature of being human, doesn't matter. both of those things are themes
i don't think any person is "less than", i'm criticizing people's approach to art. person =/= person's approach to art. remember in my original post when i said that criticism is not the same as personal attacks? or cultural elitism?
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im not particularly sophisticated, i just like abstraction cause im mentally ill lmfao. and i do want to encourage people to make art. i just also hate consumerist brainrot, so
its not that i cant relate to wanting to turn your brain off sometimes and just watch some sloppy horror movie or whatever, i do that too. but i also recognize that said sloppy horror movie can be criticized in seventy thousand different ways, and at least being aware of that instead of mindlessly consuming probably leads to a more wholistic appreciation of the art you create and engage with.
this is sliding into opinion territory like the sidenote in my last answer, so beware, but. if 'mindless fun' is the only way you engage with art, you're missing out, i'm sorry, Facts*. you're treating art like content to be consumed to distract you from the real world, not as something thats supposed to inspire or motivate or make you think about/understand things. it's reductive of what art has the potential to do, the ways it can help you grow. it takes effort to change your approach and i get that, but it gets easier once you've done it enough, and it is very worthwhile imo. just sayin'. im genuinely being an optimist about art here
*= opinion lol. but its a strong opinion which is basically the same as a fact**
**= irony
anyway i genuinely enjoy having these sorts of conversations just for the record. am able to disagree with someone without assuming they're a bad person or whatever. i understand if youre not interested in talking continuing but youve been fairly respectful or whatever so thats nice, love and peace✌️
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thotsforvillainrights · 7 months
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Hiii!!! Hru??? I got a smutty one for ya
How about getting down on skeptic under his desk whiles he’s (trying) to work.
Hehe
(*Laughs Manically* You fool, you have no idea the power you've just given me! My birthday is tomorrow so this must obviously be more of a gift to myself than anyone else...even though I can't read my own stuff for fun lol. I still have fun writing it!)
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~Urgency~
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Urgency-importance requiring swift action
By no means was he a bad partner. At least to your standards, he was just fine. Sure he had his flaws namely his anger issues, but that was never a huge problem as you could always tame him no matter what. Perhaps one could say it was his attention to detail and naturally anal behavior when it came to some things that would come across as too much or annoying. However, again you'd say they were wrong and there wasn't an issue with the way he was. The only thing you might stop to complain about is his passion about his work not just for the liberation army but for Feel Good Inc as well. Still, this wouldn't classify him as a bad partner.
Maybe just an annoying one instead.
On days like today it was all too hot to handle. The temps outside were on a rise and your apartment wasn't any different. The maintenance was supposed to be visiting each unit to get the air back going. Until then, you were stuck with plug-in fans circulating each room. Hot and sticky, sweaty shirts and cracked windows hoping for another gentle breeze to bless your face. The ice maker was abused in the fridge as you'd collected many cubes for your 3rd glass of water, and for the plastic sandwich baggie you used as a makeshift icepack. Aside from the temp, there was another thing 'hot and bothered' plaguing your small apartment. You weren't usually this needy no, but sometimes it seemed to sneak up on you in the worst of moments. You could feel yourself slowly slipping away, rolling in the uncomfy bed and staring at the outside of your bedroom window as you watched people on the streets try to get out of the blazing heat and to wherever they needed to go. In the distance you could hear some splashing and cheerful conversation with light music coming from the apartment's pool. Maybe later you could go when there weren't as many people? That's how Skeptic tended to like it, quiet and calm with no one else around.
Just the thought of your partner sent you spiraling yet again. You tossed and turned once more, quietly groaning above a whisper and rubbing your thighs together pathetically for some ounce of relief. All in vain unfortunately. The thought of trying to even approach him right now wasn't on your mind, but slowly became more of a reality the longer you waited on him to finish his work and leave that damned office for the day. It was already 3 in the evening and he was still in there, fingers tacking away at the abused keyboard. You'd become more desperate by the minute and now seconds as you finally slipped out of bed and crept down the hallway. You cracked the door open and felt a sudden relief at the temperature difference between the office and the rest of the apartment. Because it was pitch black in there with only the light of the monitor glaring, it was much cooler. Not to mention he was hogging the good fan as well. You stared at him working for just a little while. He's wearing a simple black shirt and some gray joggers with a matching black waistband and black around the pant cuffs. His hair is up and out of his face, tied back into a long ponytail with clipped back bangs. You can see his eyes scanning across the screen before stopping and lazily looking over at you.
"Come in or leave. You're letting the cold air out." He grumbles and you comply, quickly entering the room and smiling at him. "Sorry, my bad. It's literally so hot out there that I can't get comfy." You say, trying not to look at down at his lap. You knew you must've gotten his attention. Regardless of the sweat, he'd be attracted to seeing you with a shirt slightly damp and hanging off your shoulder a bit, shorts and socks on. A simple look for most, but something entirely irresistible for him. "Yeah well, that's the price you pay for being stubborn. I told you long ago that I wanted you to move in with me at my place but noooo. You just wanted us to both be here in this rat-box you call an apartment. We're moving when the lease is up and I'm picking the next place." He complains, glancing down at you and licking his lips before quickly turning his attention back to the computer screen. Light a light switch you quickly moved over to him and dropped to your knees at his side. "What the hell???" he questions you. Ignoring his confusion, you shimmy your way under his desk and pry his legs open, smiling up at him now with mischievous intent. Although confused, his eyes have a slight sparkle of curiosity to them. "Instead of complaining about the apartment why don't you just relax and let me help you finish working? Then we can get out of the apartment and maybe enjoy the pool or the game room, hmm?" You talk but your words fall on deaf ears. By now (with the way you've began running your hands up his leg and to his pant line) he's already starting to be too far gone in your touch. "Y/N..." he says in a warning tone. It doesn't do anything to stop you in this moment. You shush him with a smile and pull his pants down just enough to free his cock from it's clothed confines.
Sure that gust of wind throws him off for a bit, but it's nothing compared to the sheer intensity of feeling your tongue swipe at the tip of it so suddenly.
His hand quickly slaps over his mouth to silence his groans. You didn't like it but also didn't have the energy to complain. Right now the focus was getting him going just enough. "Keep working." You demand with a smile. He wants to complain but knows this game all too well. You weren't going to keep going if he didn't play along so he did as he was told. Reluctantly he took his eyes off you and started working again, trying his hardest to keep his sounds packed down his throat when he felt your tongue hard at work all for him. He shudders when you take a long and slow lick of the precum dripping from his slit of his head. His head spins and he hasn't even noticed you'd slowed your actions to a halt. "I don't hear you typing up there." You tease. "Y/N please I-"
"I didn't ask to hear you beg Tomoyasu. I said I wanted you to work. Now do as I say or I'll stop right now." He couldn't call your bluff. It's not like you wanted to stop. If anything, you wanted to take it a little further than this! But he didn't have to know that. He'd do anything you wanted at this point, he was too close to jeopardize his own release. His fingers quickly picked back up on the codes he began to type quickly. By now he was done keeping quiet. You'd been rewarded with each and every moan and groan he let slip from his mouth. It was a motivator to keep going, using a free hand to work at the base of his cock while you'd sucked the other half. He didn't warn you when it was over. Instead he'd thrown his head back and moaned your name with vigor, his hand gripping at the edge of his desk as he tried to gather his breath and stop shaking from the orgasm.
He didn't give you much time at all to stand up properly as you tried to maneuver your way from beneath the desk. Instead he gripped at your hand and pulled you up and into his arms for a deep kiss. Next he'd led you off the ground and quickly to the bedroom, all urgency from work now dedicated to slipping your clothes off. You never made it to the pool that evening but staying in the bed was the next best thing.
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br1ghtestlight · 1 year
Note
Gene is my favorite boy, and you understand him so well, I definitely appreciate it. Why is everyone so mean to him 😤
Anyway, to feed my Gene obsession, do you perhaps have any headcanons of him specifically when he was younger? Could be a headcanon from a few years before canon, or even when he was a baby, but I want headcanons from when he was young 🤌🏼
Preferably baby headcanons because baby Gene is so precious I want more content for him
BABY GENE IS SUCH A SWEETHEART i love him so much <3
when both louise and gene started kindergarten tina told them that if they were feeling nervous or scared they could always ask their teacher for her and she would be there to comfort them. louise didn't end up doing this but gene started crying and asking for tina AT LEAST seven times on his first day he was so nervous and missed his family :( his seperation anxiety was so bad that linda ended up staying w/ him practically the first week and tina after that until he made a few friends and felt more confident (but it really helped to know that his sister was there if he needed her)
bob and linda got gene's keyboard as a christmas present when he was like four but before that he would NOT STOP banging pots and pans together and singing making noise etc so they decided if he was gonna be a musician all the damn time he should at least have a proper insturment
when he was a very very young toddler he also had one of those rainbow xylophone toys and both bob and linda immediately noticed that he had a good grasp of rhythm for his age. like not great but he was clearly intending to play actual songs and notes instead of just banging like most kids do
he also LOVED when his parents sang to him like bob would sing his favorite old rock and roll albums to gene before bed and they would just rock out together :) bob was kinda surprised bcuz tina was NOT a fan of his music when she was younger lol
gene was always very jealous of tina's dolls and wanted to play w/ them. not that bob and linda WOULDNT let him play with girly toys if he wanted to or buy them for him but most of them were for ages 3+ and it wasn't safe for him to play with them. tina would occasionally let him play with her dolls if she was there supervising (as much as a four year old can supervise) and when he was old enough she gifted a lot of her old dolls to him!!!! and of course he immediately lost interest bcuz he was a toddler lol but he loved playing dress up
gene wanted to eat anything and EVERYTHING as a kid like he would eat the couch. he would eat the penny. he would attempt to eat the bar of soap. to the point that bob and linda were actually worried he had an eating disorder or something but no he just loves eating (and he likes feeling the different textures in his mouth too) so they started introducing new foods to him all the time and that mostly stopped it although not completely as we saw in that one thanksgiving episode. LOTS of books read to him about what is safe to eat and what isn't
gene would absolutely not sleep without a bedtime kiss/hug/cuddle from linda AND bob and he honestly had trouble sleeping by himself well into his elementry school years. he was always sneaking into his parents bed in the middle of the night to the point they just kinda Accepted this was their reality until he went off to college
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alchemic-writings · 1 year
Text
A Welcome Distraction Ch.2
This Story Is 18+ You can find Ch.1 here
My eye twitches as I look at the message in front of me. 
[1:14 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
Are you stupid?
What a great way to welcome someone to your community! I hear Ais and Vere both groan behind me as they stare at the same message. “God, I recognize that profile picture. This moderator is such a bore,”  Vere flips his hair over his shoulder as he continues, “I once made a post advertising my cam show and they banned me for a month!” Ais nods his head in recognition of the memory, “Mn, their kink must be having a stick up their ass or something. I don’t get how they can ever meet anyone here when they’re such a buzzkill.” 
I sigh as my fingers hover over the keyboard. “It makes sense for them to be suspicious of my thread. They probably think I’m a bot or a scammer or something.” 
[1:14 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
Are you stupid?
[1:17 am] Dreadful Hands:
Hi! I’m so sorry, my friend wrote that post as a joke. 
If you could delete that for me and let me write
 a PROPER introduction I promise it’ll be less like a bot lol.
I lean back and cross my arms, “See guys? Sometimes the best thing to do is to not be constantly antagonistic! Just apologizing can get you a long way instead of being an ass,” my lecture is paused as a new message notification pops up. 
[1:19 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
I’ve deleted your post, but I’m going to need
 to approve of your new introduction before I can let you send it. 
You obviously have no idea what you’re doing and neither does your friend. 
Laughter fills the air behind me as Ais and Vere read over my shoulder. Ais puts his head on my shoulder as he pats my head, “Does little sparrow need to get permission from their teacher before they can post on the bdsm website?” I shake him off as I turn to point at the two of them, “You two are the reason I’m in this situation!” Vere covers his grin with a hand, “Well what kind of response did you expect from a dom?” I pause. This moderator is a dom? I click on their username which leads me to their profile. I can now see their profile picture larger now and I can’t stop my jaw from dropping. It’s a simple picture of their back, but it is covered with beautiful black ink to form raven wings from the nape of their neck all the way down to their cute dimples on their lower back. Under the layer of dark ink is beautiful pale skin that lets me see the way their muscles are toned but not bulky. They could easy manhandle someone while still keeping a lithe figure that would be delicious to dig my nails into- 
“Hellooooo? Earth to dumbass?” I am snapped out by the motion of Vere’s hand waving in front of my face. I sent a glare his way, “What?” Ais responds for him with a shit eating grin, “We just didn’t want you drooling all over the keyboard is all.” My face begins to flush as I scramble for a response, “Wha- I was not- I did not drool.” One of Ais’s eyebrows quirk as he points to the corner of his lip. I raise my hand to my own before gasping when my fingers make contact with wetness. The two begin laughing as I quickly wipe the liquid from my mouth, “Okay, maybe I just appreciate a nice tattoo!” Ais flexes his arm, causing the inked tentacles on him to bludge. I roll my eyes at the action and return my eyes to StarRaven’s profile. 
Their only picture is the one they have as their profile image, but they do have a description in their bio
[(MOD) StarRaven: 26, Dom, Masters Student at Senobium University] 
Short and simple, all the necessary information someone might need about them. I sigh as I look over the rest of their completely blank profile. They’ve never made their own forum thread unless it was to remind others of community guidelines or to respond to any questions or to give advice to others posts. Based on their responses they’re extremely knowledgeable in bdsm and willing to answer reasonable questions. I bite my lip as I close the laptop. I absolutely cannot let these two know what I’m planning lest they bully me into oblivion. “I’m too tired to bother typing out an intro post now. I’m going to get changed and crash on the couch,” I sit up and pick up my clothes that I left unceremoniously on the floor in the closet before heading to the bathroom. 
As soon as the door is locked I quickly pull out my phone. I download the app and enter my login information. Adrenaline causes my fingers to shake as I open the private messages icon and begin typing.
[1:32 am] Dreadful Hands:
I totally have no idea what I’m getting into with bdsm…
But I really want to!!
Would you be willing to answer my questions?
I promise no stupid ones!   
I quickly turn off my phone and set it on the counter before beginning to change back into my original clothes. There was no turning back and if I get rejected, who cares? They’re just a random stranger, it’s not like there aren’t hundreds of doms I can ask for advice from, that I can get dominated by. A shiver still runs down my back at the thought of running my nails down those black wings regardless… 
When I finish changing, I immediately make my way out of the bathroom and enter the darkness of Vere’s room. The two have already decided to turn in for the night, Ais holding onto Vere and playing with the latter's hair when his eyes flit up to meet mine. A soft smile rests on Vere’s face as he hums in his sleep. I send Ais a sympathetic look but he shakes his head in response. He blames himself for catching romantic feelings for Vere, but I can’t help but feel my heart break for him as I see him literally hold what he wants but also not be close enough. I quietly step out of the bedroom and close the door behind me, giving the two privacy that I am sure Ais appreciates. 
I settle onto the sofa in the living room and wrap myself in the blanket hanging off of it as I pull out my phone again and see I have received new messages on Collared. With bated breath I open the app, fully prepared to be rejected.   
[1:38 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
You really must be desperate.
Asking a stranger to explain bdsm to you…
But if I say no you’ll just ask someone else and get hurt.
Fine. Ask away. 
My feet kick under the blanket at my success as I quickly respond back.
[1:56 am] Dreadful Hands:
Thank you Thank you!!
I promise not to let you down >:3
Ok first question:
What do you do if someone is all tied up 
But they need to use the restroom??
[1:57am] (MOD) StarRaven:
You’re going to make me regret agreeing to this. 
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A yawn leaves my mouth as I rub my eyes; I ended up texting with StarRaven until 4 am when they logged off saying they needed to head into work. Despite them insisting that they cannot be on their phone at their job, they continue responding to my messages within an hour. I suppose I’m no better, though. Hiding in the corner of the front counter while I look down at my phone in glee as I type my next message.
 [10:17 am] DreadfulHands:
I feel like I’ve just spilled my heart
out for you to dissect lol.
When are you gonna share your kinks??
[10:17 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
I’m not going to. 
[10:18 am] DreadfulHands:
Whhhaaatt why not??
I feel like I’m being taken advantage of now ;A;
Aren’t we supposed to trust each other and share
this stuff with each other?? You said yourself that
communication is the most important part of bdsm.
[10:18 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
 We’re not each other’s dom/sub.
Unlike some I don’t want to share that
with every person I come across online. 
I only share that when I meet someone in person 
for a session zero.
My eyes flit over to the room around me after I read their message. The cafe had already finished its brunch rush and we won’t expect more customers for at least another hour. When my eyes find my screen again I begin typing out my response before I can even process what I’m asking for. 
[10:20 am] DreadfulHands:
What if we had a session zero, then?
I watch as the typing bubble pops up, attention completely focused on their response. It’s true that I haven’t known Raven for even twelve hours but dammit I wanted them! I haven't felt this drawn to someone since Quinn, and having the ability to explore something I’ve always been interested in pulling me towards them even more. 
A cough from behind me startles me out of my thoughts so much that I jump, nearly dropping my phone. I scramble to catch it midair as I hear the same voice chuckle at my reaction. I confirm the cause of my mini heart attack when I turn around and find my boss, Leander, standing in front of me with his arms crossed and a carefree smile on his face. 
Once he has my attention he begins to walk towards me before stopping an arms length away, “Had a fun night last night?” A blush forms on my face as I look towards him. “W-what do you mean by that?” He hums as he eyes me up and down, “Well your clothes are wrinkled, you look like you didn’t get a second of sleep, and you’ve been on your phone your entire shift.” I cringe at how observant Leander is. His care for others can be both a blessing and a curse. A blessing when he noticed how miserable I was after breaking up with Quinn and giving me an entire week off, and a curse as he eyes me right now, waiting for a response. 
I finally got the courage to look him in the eyes, “Not in that way I’m afraid, I spent the night with Vere and Ais,” Leander gives a nod in understanding. Those two have visited me at my job before, but they never stay for long and it’s very brief. But even a brief encounter with them can reveal their attitudes. “It’s good to hangout with your friends, a distraction is needed every once in a while. Just try to focus while you’re on the floor, okay?” I nod, “Yes’sir! I won’t let it happen again.” A soft smile forms on Leander’s lips before he sighs, “I know that It’s a Sunday, but seriously between you and Mhin it seems like everyone is distracted today.”
The mood in the front of the store immediately sours at the mention of our coworker. Mhin, our baker and resident sourpuss. They come in at 5 am every morning to get everything ready for the day and prepare the foods that will be sold tomorrow. I only see them for at most an hour every shift before they clock out at 10 am to head home. Every attempt I have made to be friendly towards them has been met with rejection. It's a mystery how someone is so bitter and creates pastries that are so sweet. Maybe it’s because they pour any sweetness they have into their baked goods. Based on the time it seems that Leander’s statement is true, it’s already thirty minutes past when Mhin would usually clock out for the day. The image of Mhin being glued to their phone seems like an oxymoron. As far as I’m aware they only have one friend, a doctor named Kuras, that has only shown up to visit Mhin once since I’ve worked here. I find it hard to believe there would be anyone they could be excited enough to text throughout their shift. 
I can feel my phone buzz in my pocket as my heart tightens. That must be Raven’s response to my suggestion. They took such a long time to respond to it that my blood pressure begins to rise at the thought of what they have said. Buzz. Buzz. They’re sending multiple messages. My heart begins to pound as I excuse myself to use the restroom, but as I turn the corner I slam myself into someone else. Strong hands find my waist to push me back from the person I just ran into.
 As I step back to apologize I am met with a harsh voice instead, “God, can’t you watch where you’re going?” Any thought of an apology is lost in anger as I snap back, “Watch where I’m going? You’re the one on your fucking phone!” My eyes flit down to the black cellphone in their hands. Their eyes squint at me and a blush begins to form on their cheeks as they pull up the hood of their jacket to hide it and push past me instead of responding. I don’t breathe until I hear the bell of the front of the store signaling their departure. I sigh as I begin to walk slowly to the bathroom. 
Once the lock clicks into place on the door I slide against it while pulling out my phone. I unlocked it and finally read the messages from Raven.
[10:31 am] (MOD) StarRaven:
God, you really are desperate. 
Fuck.
Fine, yeah. We can have a session zero.
Just don’t… Don’t have any high expectations, ok?
My heart begins to skip again but this time out of excitement rather than anxiety. Raven actually wants to meet me, and based on their texts they’re just as desperate as I am. I bite my lip as I hold my phone to my chest while proceeding to do exactly what they told me not to do. But how could I not hold high expectations? My first time meeting with a dom to have sessions with. Even though they haven’t brought up their previous relationships I can tell that they’re knowledgeable in a way that you don’t get from just being in a forum. 
A dull ache begins to form between my legs as I rub my thighs together to try to relieve it. I don’t even know what they look like or if they’d want to have sex with me but I’m already imagining them tying me down to the bed to do whatever they want to me. A shiver runs down my spine just like when Ais put that collar on my neck last night. This… This is what submission is like. And I can already tell this isn’t something I’ll be able to live without now that I’m finally getting a taste of it. I snap out of my thoughts and look back to the open messages on my screen. 
[10:38 am] Dreadful Hands:
When can we meet?
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prodigal-upsiders · 2 years
Text
more fruity four band au
I cannot stop rotating band au in my head, so here’s specifically some random bits about the instruments and covers they play:
Nancy plays the drums, and I have a lot of thoughts about how that comes about. might post a snippet or two about it later.
Robin picks up the bass, because I think that is very sexy of her. (one or two of their original songs do feature some cool brass from her as well, but I don’t think she really like, loves the trumpet itself so much as she just loves making music)
Steve is the lead singer, but he also surprises them with the info that his parents used to pay for piano lessons. they stopped when he got to high school, wanted him to focus on sports and other things, but he gets a secondhand keyboard and goes to town reviving those skills. their original tracks don’t feature a lot of keyboard but it’s very fun flavor to bring out sometimes 
More Steve - he picks up the rhythm guitar parts. Steve is a highly kinesthetic learner, okay; give him something to do with his hands and he picks it up quick. also, "hey man will you teach me how to play guitar” was initially a ploy he cooked up to get Eddie to sit fucking still while he was still healing after spring break, but hey actually he really enjoys it
we all know Eddie is lead guitar. I just didn’t want to not give him a bullet point of his own okay
as far as genre goes I think their band ends up with an experimental rock n roll vibe, not all heavy metal but with influences for sure - they just don’t let Eddie write that many songs about dragons and witches, lol. but he does get to show off with fantastic guitar solos, because honestly is it even any flavor of 80s rock if there’s not a cool guitar solo in it. there’s enough shared roots between their tastes to make something really cool. I know the “steve only listens to pop” is popular, but tbh the fic “Cut and Changed and Rearranged” put Boston fan Steve in my head and he will never leave now, so. I have more specific ideas about which albums Eddie plays to coax them to the edge of the metal genre, though, because of course he does
I don’t envision they ever like, hit it really big - I think a certain level of commercial success would freak them out, honestly. it’s not a lifelong career for any of them but Eddie, who stays in the industry but transitions to mainly songwriting and/or producing in the later years. but they put out several albums, do a couple of tours, and are kind of a cult classic of the scene before they retire. they do record a reunion/celebration album when gay marriage is made legal and it’s all the songs they had to shelve back in the day because there was definitely no way to make them sounds straight lol. they drop the announcement of the album and also the fact that they’re marrying each other in the same tweet.
a couple of the songs I put on their playlist with the hcs about them:
Immigrant Song - Led Zepplin. Steve may be lead vocals but it’s Nancy and Robin who like to do the war cry part
Baba O’Riley - The Who. aka Teenage Wasteland, and Steve absolutely practices that intro for weeks in secret so that he’s got it down enough that he can wink at Eddie the first time he plays it for the band 
Bad Reputation / Call Me Lightning - a couple of the few that Robin takes lead vocals instead of Steve. listen if Nancy and Robin don’t get to cover some Joan Jett then what’s the POINT
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catnippackets · 1 year
Note
How to come up with tunes basically. Like how to make music that sounds good. How to put different sounds/instruments together in a way that is enjoyable. All I have to work with is GarageBand but I feel like everything I’ve tried to make just sounds like… disorganized? Idk it never sounds like it flows well. I try to do it like the songs I’ve enjoyed do it, where it starts with one sound/instrument/beat and then more sounds are added one at a time until the additional complexity makes it sound better and better - like what you did in Help Like You. How do I do that is what I’m trying to ask, I don’t know if I’ve articulated that properly. How do you put different sounds together in a way that doesn’t sound like a mess?
this still feels very vague to me so I'm just gonna try to explain what I do and hopefully that's of at least some use to you lol I'm not good at all with explaining my process behind any art that I do so I honestly don't think you're gonna get much out of this but I'll try anyway (I also cannot read or write music so idk if that will make my advice better or worse lol)
music does not come naturally to me, at least making songs never feels very natural. usually in the past when I've made music it's felt like I would just wake up one day and my brain would know that something had to come out today and then I'd write the song and then I wouldn't be able to do it again for another like 8 months. it's a little easier to do it now though. when the melody doesn't just come to me like that I usually either fiddle around w a keyboard (I'm sure there's one in garageband if that's what you're using) and hit some notes that sound nice together and then just kind of go from there. OR what happens a lot is I'll be in bed right on the verge of falling asleep and I'll get a little tune in my head that comes from nowhere and then I have to quickly roll over and hum it into my phone before I forget it and then when I wake up I do something with it lol. usually I come up w the melody for the chorus and then for the verses you just sort of build off the chorus to do something that fits with it?? idk how else to explain it
another thing that works in my favour in this regard is I'm really bad at mimicking other people's styles (both visual art and music sounds), so if I'm listening to a song and hear like a drum beat that I really dig I can think "hm I wanna make a song with that drum beat" and then when I recreate it, it really sounds nothing like the drum beat I was trying to mimic, but it still sounds nice and then I have a nice new song that you can't tell was inspired by something else at all bc I can't copy things lol
I would say if you're having trouble, do a bunch of covers of songs you like first instead of starting with your own music. make a playlist of songs you really like and study them, see how the different sounds work with each other, and then try to recreate them, so you can see how many layers go into a song and what makes other people's songs work. you can start small, with the bass/harmony and then singing along with it, like someone who just plays the guitar or piano and sings, and then progress to adding more instruments. adding harmonies will make the melody stronger. adding a bass line (no specific instrument but it will probably be very low) will sort of support the melody and give it a little more depth without distracting from it. the beat will indicate the speed of the song (generally the beat is what you dance to, instead of the melody). you don't need all of them to make a good song, it can be as simple or complicated as you like, but there's plenty of songs out there that only use like one instrument and still sound lovely so you don't have to get too crazy, especially not at first
also I've never used garageband cuz I don't use apple products but before I bought fl studio I used bandlab, which is free for anybody to use and super easy, they have a wide range of instruments and you can also add premade loops too! just in case anyone else is reading this who can't use garageband, the layout looks very similar to it (the only annoying thing is you only get 16 layers which sounds like a lot at first but truly is not lol)
good luck!!
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chad-der-box · 1 year
Text
2023 WWDC Keynote Recap
This year's keynote is expected to cover a few things.
New software updates to be released this fall
New Macs (specifically looking at a bigger MacBook Air and an updated Mac Studio)
Apple's Virtual Reality headset (Rumored to be named Reality Pro, powered by realityOS).
With that being said, let's get started!
15” Macbook Air
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11.5 mm thing; just over three pounds
Magsafe charging and two thunderbolt ports
Available in Midnight, Starlight, Silver and Space Gray
15.3” screen to be exact
18 hours of battery life
Six speakers
TLDR: we made the 13” Macbook Air bigger
Starting at $1299
Available to order today; ships next week
M2 13” Macbook Air dropping by $100 to $1099
M2 Mac Studio
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Updating to the M2 Max
Also announcing the M2 Ultra chip, double the performance of the Max
It’s literally two M2 Max chips put together
This thing is stupid powerful and none of you reading this will ever need this power
Faster HDMI ports
MAC PRO
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Was not expecting this omg
First Apple Silicon computer to have PCI expansion
All come with M2 Ultra
Afterburner card built directly into the Mac Pro
This is going to be so expensive.
8 Thunderbolt Port
iOS 17
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Phone, Facetime & Messages
Personalized contact posters for the phone app so you display how you want to on other people’s devices
Live Voicemail - you can see live transcriptions of Voicemails as people make them
FaceTime now has a “voicemail” function for when someone isn’t available
Messages is receiving stronger search functions
Group chats will jump to the first message you haven’t seen
Swipe on a bubble to reply directly to that message
Check In - let’s your friend know when you get home or let them know if you were delayed or something went awry
All end to end encrypted and on the device
iMessage apps are hidden behind button now to declutter the app
Stickers are being updated as well to be more powerful
Spending way too much time on stickers…
AirDrop
NameDrop - bring phones close together and you can choose to send someone selected contact details
This is basically that old Drop app people had ten years ago
For large files, you don’t have to stay right next to the person anymore
Autocorrect
Autocorrect now becoming stronger using AI (they wouldn’t use that word though)
Keyboard will do better at learning words (no longer changing your swear words to “duck”)
Dictation getting stronger as well with “not AI”
Journal
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New App 
Phone intelligently uses data from your phone to create details journal entries
Only uses the information you give it access to
Set reminders for when to make your journal entries
On device processing, end to end encrypted
Standby
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When phone is on its side and charging, it will basically transform into a smart display
Shows clock, weather, alarm, calendar, etc.
Even remembers preferred view for where you are when you charge
Basically requires a MagSafe charger but i'd be curious if it would work while plugged in and sitting on its side
The Others
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You no longer need to say “Hey” to activate Siri
May lead to a lot more accidental activations if not done correctly by Apple
Photos now creates albums of your pets!!
Offline Maps rolling out as well
iPadOS 17
Widgets & Lock Screen
Widgets are now interactive instead of just displaying info
Lock Screen
iPads getting the same lock screen features as last year’s iPhones finally
Up to 6 widgets on your lock screen
Live Activity features coming to the lock screen (like timers or order tracking)
The Others
Health app now coming to iPad and has been optimized for the larger screen
“The best device for PDFs” lol
Now easier to fill out PDF forms directly in apps like Mail and Notes and not having to switch to other apps
Multiple PDFs can be saved in the same note now, as well as collaborate on PDFs in a note
Better Stage Manager controls
External display support for FaceTime & conference calls
macOS Sonoma
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Screensavers & Widgets
Macs receiving the same type of screensavers that the Apple TV has
Widgets can be added to the desktop instead of hiding in notification center
Intelligently faded into the background or tint so they aren’t distracting when opening up apps
You can access iPhone widgets on Mac as long as iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi
All of this is just making me want a touchscreen Mac more
Gaming
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On a Mac? lol
Introducing “Game Mode”
Optimizes CPU & GPU performance to make sure gaming is the priority
Lowers audio latency on AirPods
Game Porting Toolkit to make it easier for developers to bring games to the Mac
Video Conferencing
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New ways to layer your conference calls with content you are sharing
New effects in calls just like iMessage
Looks cool but will take support from conferencing apps if I’m understanding correctly
Safari & Web Apps
Private browsing locks your private windows when you aren’t using them
Profiles feature let’s you customize your browser to what you’re doing, such as work or school or home
You can now turn websites into web apps, treating it as its own app instead of a tab in the browser
Third party apps allowed you to do this before but its nice that its integrated now
Audio & Home
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AirPods
Adaptive Audio - combines Noise Cancelling & Transparency modes
Lets you choose the level that’s appropriate for your current environment
AirPods sense when you start speaking and lower your music appropriately
Some really useful features... now if only the AirPods Pro would stay in my ears
AirPlay
Can use Siri on HomePod to start playing certain devices on your phone like SoundCloud
AirPlay in Hotels
Uses QR code to quickly connect your phone to your hotel’s TV
SharePlay in Carplay
tvOS
iPhone can locate the remote finally!
FaceTime on Apple TV
Wirelessly connects to iPhone to use the camera, and displays the caller on the TV for everyone to see
Also enables you to watch shows on your TV and stay on a call with friends to watch together
Zoom & Webex coming to the TV later this year
watchOS 10
It’s already been 10 years?!?!?!
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Widgets
Widgets now hidden right below the watch face so you can scroll to see more useful information quickly
Many apps updated to take better advantage of display and be more glanceable
Fitness
New Cycling features for the Watch
Shows power zones, show up on iPhone as live activity, connect to Bluetooth sensors in bikes
Will keep track of last place you had cellular connection
Last place you had service for SOS calls as well
More trails and trailheads added to Maps
You can see topographic map data now as well to see elevation on trails
Health
Watch now lets you to reflect on your mood & emotions throughout the day (also available on Phone)
Health app will correlate moods with activity and lifestyle changes
Vision Health
Focusing on Myopia
Apple Watch will sense amount of time in daylight for children to reduce risk of myopia
Screen Distance feature lets you know if your device is too close and will cause eyestrain
All health data is encrypted and not stored in the cloud
ONE MORE THING
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Apple Vision Pro
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Y’all just have to watch the video for this. If Apple delivers on what they’re showing then its a big moment.
youtube
•Uses hand & eye tracking to control the device. No controllers. •Apps can react to the world around you •Look at search fields and you can just start talking to fill it out •Also the front of the device shows your eyes… its… weird…  •Calling it “Eyesight” •Supposed to make it easier for people to see where you’re paying attention
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•Again, this is such a weird new dynamic that its hard to describe here without seeing the visuals •Works as a 3D Camera  •Turn any space into a 3D IMAX theater
OH BOB IGER IS HERE
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• Ok actually watch this Disney demo. Wild stuff. But also consider of it half of it is probably fake.
•New R1 chip in addition to the M2 chip for the device. •runs “virtually silent” so it makes some noise lol •Device makes a 3D avatar of you for FaceTime calls. Like a lifelike avatar. Very different from how Meta does their calls •New images streamed to the displays in 12 milliseconds
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•visionOS is the name of the operating system here. The assumed name was realityOS. •Lots of developers, including Adobe & Microsoft, building support for launch •New app store for the device as well •Unlocks via Optic ID, which uses your Iris and stores information encrypted on the device •Device does not share data with developers about where you look on the screen •Over 5000 patents went into this thing
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•$3499  •Available early next year •that’s both more expensive and later than what as expected
And that's a wrap. Some real interesting stuff shown today. Public Betas of the software updates should be available in about a month. And if you're looking for the new iPhones or watches, you're about three months too early. Check back in September for more on that!
You can view the whole keynote from today below or a quick video recap from Apple as well.
Recap: https://youtu.be/6_pru8U2RmM
Full Keynote: https://www.youtube.com/live/GYkq9Rgoj8E?feature=share
2 notes · View notes
pinkoptics · 2 years
Text
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I posted 688 times in 2022
That's 176 more posts than 2021!
35 posts created (5%)
653 posts reblogged (95%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@dedkake
@spockvarietyhour
@akasanata
@fullmetalcarer
I tagged 652 of my posts in 2022
Only 5% of my posts had no tags
#stargate atlantis - 371 posts
#cherik - 94 posts
#yes - 45 posts
#mcshep - 35 posts
#rofl - 32 posts
#lol - 31 posts
#rofl🤣 - 26 posts
#john sheppard - 16 posts
#um - 12 posts
#this - 10 posts
Longest Tag: 125 characters
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
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And also:
thighs
thigh holster
butt
bleps
expressive eyebrows
heart eyes
@dedkake
32 notes - Posted February 20, 2022
#4
I continued work on my Shrine fic today! 4/5 times John touches Rodney during the Shrine have been written.
Previously mentioned here.
I am both thrilled and in emotional pain.
because
well
The Shrine
I mean—
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Preview anyone?
*
John grasps Rodney’s wrists.
Squeezing tight enough to hurt. Yanking them back. Away. Trying to stop him. He can’t watch this. He can’t stand by and watch.
This had been a terrible idea.
John knew it would end up this way. Blames himself. Should have stopped it earlier. Should have insisted, should have been better, should have protected Rodney. Even if it was from himself.
But, it was what Rodney had wanted. How could he deny Rodney anything he wants right now? Besides, it has been another way to track the progression of the illness. Not his memory—he and Keller had that one covered with the videos—but his ability to think critically, problem solve, strategize.
A nightly chess match.
It couldn’t have ended up any other way, any other way but this.
“Stop it!”
John is trying to rip Rodney’s hands away from his face, where Rodney is attempting, literally, awfully, to pound his brain into working properly. Hitting himself over and over.
“Stupid!” Rodney’s shout is over loud, pained. He manages to hit himself again, despite John’s best efforts. Rodney’s desperation makes him strong. Too strong. Stronger than John. “So fucking stupid!”
“No! Rodney! Please! Come on!”
Rodney shouldn’t be this strong, shouldn’t be able to keep violently hitting his own forehead over and over. But he twists, he jerks, he slips away and John grabs at him again.
“Sixth graders can play this fucking game! I played it in first grade! I’m officially more imbecilic than I was when I was fucking six.”
“Rodney! God damn it!” John had managed to get a hand around his bicep, but then the bicep is gone, leaving his fingers grasping at air. “You just used the word imbecilic, clearly you’re not— ”
John’s words are silenced by Rodney inadvertantly hitting the coffee table with the backs of his knees. The chessboard goes flying, pieces scattering everywhere. Rodney goes flying too, his back hitting the table hard before the momentum rolls him off and onto the ground.
John doesn’t know which sound he’s heard tonight that’s snaked the deepest fracture line in his heart— the heels of Rodney’s palms smacking against his own skin, the anguished self-recriminations, or the crack of Rodney’s skull against Atlantean metal.
He’s on his knees hovering over Rodney before he even knows he’s made the decision. After a moment of chilling stillness, where John is half-convinced the universe has played an even crueller joke and he’s lost Rodney sooner than they’d expected, Rodney groans, eyes flickering open.
“Well that fucking hurt.”
John’s whole body attempts to collapse on top of him with relief, and definitely without his permission, but he just trembles instead.
You’re okay. Fuck. You’re okay. For now, you’re okay. I can’t do this. How do I do this? Rodney, how do I do this?
*
See the full post
33 notes - Posted May 1, 2022
#3
Three A.M.
McShep | 260 words | G
Sleepy boys | Sleepy Cuddles
on Ao3
John wakes to the click-clacking of keyboard keys being pressed just this side of too hard. He doesn’t check the time. It could be 11pm, 1am or 3. It doesn’t really matter. John long ago gave up on berating the man for his poor sleeping habits. Atlantis needs too much from him and Rodney asks too much of himself. Instead, John slips from the warmth of the blankets and curls his arms around Rodney from behind. He rests his head against the nape of Rodney’s neck, then presses a kiss there.
“That’s enough for tonight.”
He presses another soft kiss to punctuate the point.
Rodney’s body slumps, coiled tension releasing. It works today, but it doesn’t always. Sometimes there’s no slump. Sometimes there’s Rodney shaking him off with muttered words John never quite makes out and the click-clacking of the keyboard resumes. John never argues anymore, just slips back into bed and drifts back off, ensuring that he, at least, has had enough rest to be alert and able to protect his scientist.
Today, though, Rodney follows him, shedding uniform clothes until he’s down to an undershirt and briefs. John slides to the far side of the bed, the cold side, letting Rodney slip into the warmth John left behind. He lets him wriggle and settle, watching as he sighs contentedly in his newly created pocket of comfort. John slides back, curling an arm and leg over Rodney, who wriggles and settles and sighs contentedly once more. John waits, listens, for Rodney’s breathing to even out. Makes sure.
They sleep.
42 notes - Posted November 26, 2022
#2
So friends, mcshep sick fic. But not h/c, hilarity of huge misunderstandings instead. @dedkake’s fault. Can’t remember how we got here 😆
Established relationship (or not, really could work either way).
John’s in bed. Wakes up. Is feeling gross. Headache, stuffed nose, sore throat, achey muscles, too hot/too cold in turns. The works.
Sees Rodney puttering around his room, picking up used tissues, clearing a soup bowl, refilling a cold water glass. But…
He’s in a hazmat suit.
Cue panic. John must be dying. Whatever he’s got, it’s bad. Alien bacteria, ebola… something that warrants quarantine protocols. Oh no. But Rodney. Hypochondriac Rodney is there. Quiet. Caring.
John is so in love. Has been. For so long. Suddenly Rodney must know. This could be his last chance, right?! Must tell him.
Feverish outpouring of feelings. Over the top love confession. So Un-john. Hardly making sense because hello fever. Rodney just standing there stupid.
What the fuck has gotten into you?
I’m dying.
No you’re not.
But hazmat suit. Quarantine.
I just don’t want your gross flu germs. You’re a disgusting human petri dish.
John why do I love this absolute idiot omg.
Rodney I love you too. But you’re still gross. I’ll kiss you when there is no longer a hazmat suit between us.
44 notes - Posted March 12, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
File this under fanfic writer problems:
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Coming to an Ao3 page near you, John’s… cocoa ☕️
It’s hot.
Real hot.
Steamy.
53 notes - Posted July 27, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
6 notes · View notes