#QUESTIONARIES

[dissertations-posts]

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[thelittleeggrat]

fuck it im doing one of those ask questionaries

1.first kiss (story and age)

2. gender awakening

3. lesbian stories

4. age i first drunk alcohol

5. random hyper fixation i can explain in heavy detail.

6. first crush

7. first realationship

i cat think of any more

[rocketonthemoon]

random ask: what kind of ask games do you miss the most

I very specifically miss the themed ones that used to go around! Like the ones that were like Fall Asks! and then the questions were all fall themed but instead of numbers they were like "Hot Chocolate: What's your favorite warm drink" or stuff like that. I feel like they used to be everywhere about every which thing, they were very fun

[exitpro]

Are you asking the right exit interview questions? The key to an effective exit interview is to ask questions that will provide actionable results. Most employers ask questions that don’t reduce employee turnover. Ensure your exit interview has questions like these, which are proven to extend tenure and increase retention:

1. Did your supervisor/manager recognize your contributions?

2. Were you given the tools, resources, and technology to succeed in your role?

3. During your tenure with our company, did you ever observe any unethical or inappropriate behavior?

Read the ExitPro exit interview blog for cost-effective insights here https://exitpro.com/top-8-exit-interview-questions-to-get-the-best-exit-interview-reports/

[debertwoo]

Our Company (DataUs Inc.) 1st Interview Questionary

Hi, I’m DataUs Founder and CEO (Delbert Woo) . Nice to meet you. 🙂 1st interview question reply mail please.Please respond to the questions below by e-mail.And I want the interview to be conducted at the level of light greetings. question 1.Why apply DataUs? question 2.How much do you know about DataUs? question 3.How long (eg, 20 hours a week) and what kind of work (eg, Data or AI research…

[incubaus]

[43qh]

Summer Haze (M)

quinn hughes x fem!reader

genre: angst, smut, fluff

word count: 3.7k

warnings: unprotected sex, pining

summary: there is nothing sweeter than coming back to quinn hughes.

it’s summer again.

you can feel the slight burn on your knees as you sit on a folding chair, watching as the hughes’ brothers all get the boat ready for the lake. it was warm, but nothing you weren’t used to. becoming friends with all three brothers growing up was a hassle, you could say. they liked to bicker every now and then, especially the younger two. quinn was a bit reserved, but that never stopped you from chatting with him.

to quinn, you were like the sun. every time you made your way towards him, he felt his chest go tight and his hands turn sweaty. you had a gorgeous glow, something he admired more and more as the years went by. you turned into a beautiful woman that he adored. someone who handled herself with grace and yet knew how to have fun.

you just graduated college, and the weight on your shoulders felt lighter as you stared into the water. you had some time on your hands before you got into your new job, and you felt relaxed.

“i heard you graduated, gorgeous,” you hear a familiar voice, a cheeky smile on jack’s face as you turn your head to the right to look at him.

you smile back, “sure did. with honors.”

jack nods, “impressive.” jack pauses before continuing, “we all missed you, y’know.”

you nod softly, looking away for a second out of guilt. you had avoided coming to the lake for a few years so you could study and get everything done. you weren’t aware how much it had affected the hughes family. they were so used to having you around, and when you stopped coming, they worried for you and your mental health. you had to assure ellen than you were fine and just taking care of your studies. you promised her you’d be back in no time. that phone call was two years ago.

“i missed you guys too,” you smile at him, and jack pats your back.

“show up more.” he finishes before rushing back to his brothers that were already bickering. quinn looked frustrated as luke had a smile on his face. you knew luke did something just to piss him off. you watch as quinn rolls his eyes when jack comes back to the boat, and quinn hops off.

quinn can’t stop himself from making way to you. he wouldn’t admit it, but he probably missed you the most. he watched as you raised an eyebrow at him, a questionary look on your face as he approaches you.

“is quinn approaching me right now? is this real?” you smile at him, getting up from your seat to meet him halfway.

quinn huffs, “i always approach you.”

“yeah, when someone else needs me.” you point out. you weren’t wrong, and quinn knew it, “so, who needs me?”

“no one,” he licks his lips, before quickly re-answering, “well, me.”

“you?” you tilt your head in a question.

“yeah, how have you been?” quinn tries not to make the conversation awkward, but there wasn’t really anything quinn did that wasn’t awkward around you.

you smile, “i’ve been trapped in studies, but doing good. graduated with-”

“honors.” he finishes, making you pause your sentence, “i know.”

the fact he knew and still kept up with you, despite you practically cutting everyone off, made your heart flutter. you stood there with blank eyes, looking like a deer in headlights. you didn’t know how to react, how to respond. how did he know?

“i watched a viewing of your graduation.” he says, like he was answering the question in your head, “i was impressed, but not surprised. you love outdoing yourself.”

you nod, feeling like your feet are stuck to the ground. he watched you graduate from your college from a viewing, despite his crazy schedule. he made time for you. god, that hurt. and he didn’t text you that night. you almost wanted to cry because you knew he thought you didn’t want to hear from him anymore. the guilt traps you.

“i’m sorry, i didn’t-”

he shakes his head, cutting you off, “i wanted to tell you i was proud. maybe i should have, but you basically fell off the face of the earth, i wasn’t even sure you’d read the message.”

you breathe out a sigh, “i always read what you send.”

quinn smiles to himself, looking towards the water, “well, now i know.”

you nod, looking at him as the sun shines down on him. you see him squint his eyes as he watched the way the water splashes back and forth. quinn is gorgeous. you’re sure everyone knew. maybe not him, but everyone else.

“i’m back now, though.” you say, a light smile gracing your features.

quinn looks back at you, smiling back in a way that makes you start to sweat where you stand, “yeah, feels great.”

quinn was known for being genuine. someone who joked a little less than his brothers. someone who meant what he said, and never took it back. when a sentiment came from quinn, you didn’t have to doubt it came from the heart and nowhere else.

when quinn hears the call of his brothers, saying the boat is ready, he gives you one more smile before rushing off towards them. you stay planted in the grass, suddenly not wanting to ride the boat anymore.

you basked in quinn’s attentive nature, sighing to yourself. how could you have walked away so easily from this?

quinn made it his mission to remember everything about you.

when you left a few years back, he had to remember. it was a taste he couldn’t get rid of, even if he wanted to. so, instead, he embraced it. he remembered how you liked your tea, what temperature was considered perfect for you inside the lakehouse, what soap you used so he could grab it at the grocery store for you. he had to remember these things so it didn’t seem like you were really gone.

when you found out your bathroom was stocked with your favorite necessaties, you knew who did it. you felt a pang in your heart as you noticed that even the towel hanging on the rack was your favorite color. quinn may be silent a lot, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t listen. in fact, it means he listens the most.

what would have happened to you and quinn if you hadn’t cut everyone off? would things be different?

you cross your arms over your chest, looking around the spare bedroom they always saved for you. it felt unreal to be back. you could smell hints of quinn’s cologne hinting the room, confirming that it was him who set the room together for you.

it hurt. god, it hurt like hell.

of course you missed the rest of the hughes family, but something about quinn’s attention sent shivers down your spine. he was so attentive, always specializing your needs. it was like he stocked all of his memories about you just for this moment when you came back.

you sit on the edge of the bed, pressing your hands into the soft comforter and leaning back. you start to wonder that, if you had stayed in touch, maybe things would have been different. maybe your heart wouldn’t ache as much as it did now. maybe you would have been develop something with quinn. something deeper than watching one another from afar.

you hear a knock, shocking you and making you rise to your feet to open the door. on the other side is a smiley quinn. his hair slightly wet, draping over his features.

“like the room?” he questions, hands in his pockets as he looks at you.

“i love it. you remembered everything i like.”

“how do you know it was me?” he fiddles around.

you smile at him, “you’re the only one who would remember.”

quinn nods his head, looking away from you as you see his nose start to turn a shade of pink. quinn didn’t mean to get embarrassed. he wasn’t sure if he liked the feeling you gave him in his stomach when you two talked.

“when did you become this talkative?” you lean against your doorframe, looking at him with playful eyes.

the hockey player shrugs, looking you back in the eyes again, “when i became captain, i guess. i needed to have more assertiveness. pick up my voice a bit more.”

you nod, “makes sense.”

it falls silent, and you both just stare at one another. quinn’s scruff on his face shapes it perfectly, making him a little more attractive than usual. quinn always had features you adored, but he looked a bit more buff now, a bit more grown. it almost made you sad that you missed out on so much. so, so damn much.

“i wish i never left,” you blurt. and his eyes focus in on you.

“me neither.” he states, licking his lips.

you look away in shame, “i thought i knew what was best for me.”

“you don’t need to explain yourself.” quinn takes his hands out his pockets, slowly reaching for your hands. when his hands touch yours, you feel a spark rush down your body. his hands are warm. not too cold, not too hot. they were perfect, a bit calloused, but perfect.

you stood with your teeth clenched, trying hard not to become emotional. you wanted to say something, but he said you didn’t need to explain yourself. for some reason, though, you felt like you did. it was like an ache in the back of your throat begging to be released.

“i know,” you whisper, “but i would for you.”

quinn’s hands tighten on yours, and you desperately want to kill the distance between the two of you. but you don’t, and neither does he. when quinn hears ellen calling his name, he pulls back just as quick as he pulled in.

you sigh, watching as he smiles and bids you a ‘see you later’. you have to close your door hurriedly behind you, your heart pounding in your chest. you could still feel the lingering tingle he left in your hands.

you wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

would it feel better than this?

you’re sure it would.

“he missed you most,” luke’s voice comes from beside you, making you look at him with a questionary look.

“uh- sorry?” you sit on the boat, luke making his way to sit next to you.

“quinn,” he says nonchalantly, “he had a hard time staying away when you stopped texting.”

there’s that ache again. that pain in your chest that makes you want to turn back time. if only you could. if only you could have been by his side.

you drop your head, looking down at your hands as you clutch the seltzer in your hands. the cold condensation in contrast to the hot summer made you swallow.

“i don’t mean to make you feel bad,” luke quickly corrects himself, making you tilt your head up a bit to see the raise in his eyebrows as he realizes what he said, “i just think you should make up for lost time. it really surprised all of us, but i think quinn never once stopped thinking about you. it was really obvious sometimes.”

you look at quinn from where he carefully drives the boat over the waters, making sure not to hit the waves too hard. he sits wearing his hat backwards, sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.

“obvious?” you don’t look away from the man driving the boat.

“yeah,” luke follows your gaze, “he mentioned you a lot. asked if any of us talked to you or heard from you. he would even see something and send it in the groupchat saying how much you would have loved it.”

you take a sip of your drink, throat suddenly dry as you take in the information like a sponge. this felt so unfair. you weren’t supposed to feel so guilty for prioritizing your studies and graduating like you always wanted. but quinn made it almost impossible not to feel that way. and it wasn’t even his fault that you felt this way. that’s what troubled you most.

you had no place to put down this guilt.

you sighed, “i wish i stayed.”

luke shakes his head, “everyone does. don’t let that change what you do now, though.”

luke was right.

you had nowhere else to look other than forward. maybe it would take fighting tooth and nail to get quinn back the way you used to be, or maybe it would be easy. you didn’t know. but as you looked at the eldest hughes brother, watching him focus on the waters, you knew you had to at least try.

none of this would have been worth it, without trying.

when night falls and quinn is finished packing up the boat, you approach him. he meets you halfway, smiling with his teeth.

“have fun today?” he asks, his nose slightly sunburnt.

you stand for just a second before planting yourself in his arms. quinn is a bit shocked, letting out a huff of surprise before instinctively wrapping his arms around your waist. your arms stay linked around his neck, one hand reaching to play with his hair. you hear him hum at the action.

“i’m guessing yes?” his voice is low in your ear, and you shiver as you close your eyes, leaning into him deeper.

“i should have stayed.” you start, and he’s about to pull back but you tug on him to stay, “but i’m not going to let what i did stop me from catching up with you.”

quinn sighs, “there’s not much to catch up on.” he pauses, “we’ve always been connected. always felt it.”

his musk envelopes your nose, easing you into his embrace like it was made for you. maybe it was.

“me too.” you confess.

even while gone, it was always quinn that came to mind. you loved the rest of the hughes family, but quinn never stopped wrapping your mind the most.

the rest of the hug was quiet, no words spoken as the tight hold on one another becomes a close understanding to one another.

this was moving forward.

you stand in front of the sliding doors, watching as rain falls almost violently. you sigh, wrapping your arms around yourself.

“admiring the rain?”

you hear a familiar voice, making you smile to yourself as you turn around and see quinn standing against the wall frame, hands in pockets. he looks good. sweatpants hanging loosely around his hips, eyes drooping like he just woke up, hair messy, shirt clinging to his body. you swallow at the sight of him.

“you could say that.” you respond, and quinn raises an eyebrow. “where’s everyone else?”

quinn hums, “grocery shopping.”

“and you didn’t go?” you tilt your head, knowing he normally liked going so he could pick out what he liked.

he shakes his head, “no.”

you look at him with confused eyes, “why not?”

“knew you’d be here.” he confesses, like it’s almost something he’s not supposed to say, “wanted to stay with you.”

you watched as he shifted uncomfortably, leaning off the wall and standing awkwardly. you smile to yourself at the man in front of you, observing as his ears start to tip a color of red.

you walk towards him, and his breath hitches in his throat. he feels frozen as you approach him. quinn felt his brain stop working as you stopped right in front of him. your perfume engulfed him, hugged him like a blanket.

“you don’t have to kick everyone out to kiss me.”

your words linger in the air, your confident stare making him swallow and lick his lips.

“i- i didn’t kick-”

you roll your eyes, “i didn’t mean literally.”

quinn nods, the silence in the air becoming tense as he doesn’t move, no matter how badly his hands start twitch in his pockets. he wants to pull you flush against his body, kiss you like it matters. but the courage never strikes him.

you huff, taking matters into your own hands and clutching his face. your lips meet his, and he takes a minute before he’s responding back, hands slowly coming out of his pockets to delicately rest on your hips, kissing you softly and slowly.

it wasn’t rushed, just a kiss of silent confessions. you run your nails through his hair, earning yourself a soft groan that you swallow up. it’s heaven. nothing like you’ve felt before. it’s more than what you expected. you can feel his scruff scraping you slightly, and you sigh at the closeness. his hands become more and more greedy, starting to pull you close to him as the kiss becomes something more. something filled with need.

quinn swears he could die like this and be happy. the sound of the rain is buffed out by the sweet sighs you let out during the kiss. he appreciates the way you whine when he pulls back, biting your lower lip with careful teeth. you look up at him, breathing heavy. he swears you looked the most gorgeous than he’s ever seen. doe eyes, curious expression, attention all on him.

he can feel your hands still gripping onto his hair, like you were silently begging for something more. he huffs when he realizes just how close you are. chest to chest, breathing one another’s air, noses close to almost touch.

he wants you. he wants it all.

he’s quick to drag you to his room, making you squeak when he tugs your wrist to follow him. you let out a soft giggle, throwing your head back in some type of euphoria. when your back lands on his bed, you smell him instantly. his soap, his musk, his cologne. all of it. it only made you want him more.

“you’re so beautiful,” he finally spoke, “especially in my bed.”

you smile up at him, “won’t be the last time.”

quinn shakes his head as he makes work at both of your clothes, “hope not.”

it has felt long overdue for this moment. to have quinn all to yourself. to feel his skin on yours, to feel the way his heart beats for you, to feel the way his hands are on your sides and thighs as he spreads you apart for his hungry eyes.

“gorgeous,” he breathes, taking in your fully nude body, “so wet, too.”

you furrow your eyebrows in frustration, whining, “then you must know how much i need you?”

quinn smiles to himself, laughing under his breath, “yeah, definitely.”

quinn doesn’t think he can tease you any longer. the more he teases you, the more he’s teasing himself, really. it’s not long until he’s lining up to your entrance, making the both of you let out long strings of relief the second he enters you. he stretches you out, making you feel every throb and vein possible on his cock.

you clutch his shoulders, “fuck.”

quinn nods, “so tight.”

both of your breathing has become rapid, staggered and eager. quinn’s first thrust into you is slow, like he’s testing the waters. it feels so fucking good, like he was made for you.

“take my cock so well,” quinn says it like a prayer, “made just for me, only me.”

your walls flutter at his words, causing a hitch in his throat and a stutter in his thrusts. quinn can’t help picking up his pace, your pussy feeling too good. he felt almost drunk, nothing quite coherent coming to his brain. he can barely feel the way your nails claw at his shoulder and bicep as he picks up a brutal pace. it all feels too good. your moans echoing around his room, bouncing in his ears and sending him to cloud nine.

“want you to-” you gasp as he reaches that spot inside you that has you curling your toes, “fuck, cum inside me. want your cum inside me.”

quinn can feel sweat starting to develop on his forehead, and he groans at your confession. “gonna give it to you. want you to cum for me first, though.”

quinn makes a point by lowering a hand down to your clit, rubbing deep circles into you. you let out a soft yelp, surprise being taken over by pleasure too quickly. you can feel the way your pussy is starting to convulse around him, and you can tell he’s trying his hardest not to cum.

with one particular thrust and press of his thumb on his clit, you let out a string of curses mixed with his name as you cum. it doesn’t take much for quinn to follow right behind you, the fluttering of your pussy almost too much for him. you shiver at the feeling of his cum coating your walls, listening to the way his breathing slowly comes down from such a high.

quinn hugs you close to him, despite his exhaustion. he never wants this to end. never wants to be apart from you again. this is something he’s scared of losing. he pined too long for you to leave again.

you run your fingers through his hair, easing you both back to earth and reality. “i never stopped thinking about you.”

quinn has his head buried in your neck, “me neither.”

this wasn’t just a summer fling to either of you. this was something important.

“i’m never leaving again.” you kiss his temple, “especially not you.”

quinn relaxes, exhaling a breath he didn’t know he was holding. you can feel the relief escape his shoulders. he finally pulls out, quickly grabbing a towel from his bathroom to clean you up. he kisses your forehead, handing you a bottle of water he already had on his night stand from last night.

when he finishes taking care of you, he slips on a pair of boxers and hands you a pair yourself. you smile in gratitude. quinn swears he’s living in heaven. he swears this is what heaven looks like.

quinn gets in the bed next to you, watching as you slip on a shirt of his, too. “you’re pretty in my clothes.”

“you’d say that in anything i wore,” you lean into his embrace as he holds his arms out for you.

he just smiles, “maybe so.”

the sun starts shine through his window, the rain finally stopping and leaking in a special summer haze in the room.

your very own summer haze.

[gloomwitchwrites]

Just Like Dad (2 of 4)

Content & Warnings: referenced military career, domestic fluff, some humor, canon-typical swearing, Kyle is a girl dad

Word Count: 935

A/N: Part of the Imagines & What If Series

An evening of peace is interrupted when Kyle has to answer questions about what he does for a living.

ao3 // taglist // main masterlist // just like dad masterlist

Peace is shattered.

It always is when you have a kid.

It’s not just scraped knees or melted ice cream splattered on the pavement. Sometimes, peace is shattered because your child is a feral goblin who decides disturbing your sleep is the perfectly logical thing to do.

Wearing a pink onesie, standing in the bedroom doorway with her little fist raised and clutching a thin piece of paper, you and Kyle’s six-year-old daughter is ominously backlit by the hallway light. Kyle blinks, a little stunned by the sight before him. You shift beside him, one hand reaching out to him, murmuring his name.

There are a few seconds between her sudden appearance and the leap onto the bed. She spider-crawls like a thing out of a horror movie.

“Bloody hell,” groans Kyle, pinching the bridge of his nose as his daughter perches like a gargoyle next to him.

“Daddy,” she whispers.

You are already awake, turning over onto your back with squinted eyes as you’re blasted by the bright light of the hallway.

Before you can even speak, Kyle is shaking his head, placing a hand on your shoulder. “I’ve got this,” he groans, sitting up to turn on the bedside light. You glance at your daughter before returning to your original position.

Kyle rests his forearms on his bent knees, staring at his daughter who gazes at him with a peppy eagerness like she’s just eaten a cake heavily coated in icing. She shouldn’t have this much energy at this late hour.

“Go to bed,” says Kyle. “It’s past bedtime.”

She clutches the thin piece of paper. “I wanted to show you earlier.”

While Kyle is typically indulgent when it comes to her, he’s not feeling that way at the moment. He only wants to sleep.

“It’s late, bug,” he replies. “Tomorrow.”

She shakes her head, her tight curls bouncing slightly. “I didn’t know what to put here. You don’t talk about your job.” She points to a spot on the paper, and Kyle frowns as he peers closer.

Fuck.

It’s one of those questionaries where the child answers all these questions about themselves, and several pertain to her parents and what they do. She has left that entire section blank. Kyle understands that schools do this so that the students can build identity in their community while also making connections with classmates.

But she’s right. Kyle doesn’t talk about his job. At least not with her. You, his wife, are an entirely different story. You, the one who has been through nearly all of it, is the only person who truly knows everything. His daughter is far too young to know specifics or to fully comprehend the sheer violence of his work.

“You’re right, love. I don’t.”

“Why?” she asks automatically.

This is not a conversation he wants to be having. She needs to be in bed, and Kyle should be asleep and spooning you before he has to take this feral fiend of a daughter to school in the morning.

Kyle sighs and runs his hand over his face. “Where is this coming from?”

Her face falls slightly, and then becomes steel. “I want to be like you,” she says. “I want to grow up and be strong.”

No, babygirl. No. You don’t want to be like me.

You stir beside him, shifting like you’re about to turn and join the conversation. But Kyle knows you need your rest, and this isn’t the sort of conversation he desires to have this late at night.

That hardness melts away, and Kyle’s heart fractures slightly. She’s so small and yet so determined. Her little fist clutching the paper shakes slightly as if asking him is taking all her strength.

“Give me the paper.” Her smile widens as she hands it over. “And go turn off the hall light.” She groans loudly and Kyle shushes her as she throws herself off the bed and drags herself to the hall.

The light flicks off, and then she’s rushing back to him. He pats the side of the bed, and she crawls in, curling up next to him as he grabs the book off his bedside table.

“Pencil?” he asks, and she whips one out, her smile wide.

Kyle snorts and snags it, twirling it end-over-end as he tries to formulate an answer to the questions. Some of that gentle humor slips away, falling into memory, all the lead and blood and carnage comes back, roaring in his ears.

He takes a deep breath, silencing it all.

Graphite touches paper, and Kyle begins jotting down answers to all the things his daughter didn’t answer. She rests her head against his shoulder, watching the pencil scratch across the paper.

When he’s done, he presents the paper, and his daughter takes it reverently, as if all the secrets she doesn’t have are now suddenly before her. She does not take the pencil as she slips off the bed and starts to sprint for the door. She comes to a halt and turns on her heel, running back to him.

“Thanks, Daddy,” she says a little too loud before kissing his cheek and heading out into the hall.

The bed shifts, and Kyle turns to look at you as you twist to face him.

“What did you write?” you murmur.

Kyle sighs and shuts off the bedside light. He snuggles in, and you reach for him in the dark. Wrapping his arms around you, he pulls you close, inhaling your scent, allowing his mind to drift toward dreaming.

“A nice truth,” replies Kyle softly just before he slips into sleep.

[joosthead]

7 or 29 with joost from the otp questionary please 🙏

₊˚⊹⋆ prompt: 7. what’s the first thing that changes when they have feelings for each other?

₊˚⊹⋆ cws: none

₊˚⊹⋆ reader: gn!reader but normal au coded

₊˚⊹⋆ junote: a little cheese for u anonnie thank you for requesting :3 i’ll be answering 29 in a diff post bc someone asked 29+30 and they go together p well so stay tuned 👀 p short drabble tbh but i just wanted to make it look pretty

RPF/REAL PERSON FICTION BELOW CUT, DNI IF ANTI-RPF

the first thing that changes when you start having feelings for each other is… nothing at all, really, in terms of behavior. he already loved making you smile, loved making you laugh—the romantic feelings were just a plus, and an even bigger reason why he wanted and needed you around. you were already the first person he showed his music to, the first person on his speed dial.

the hardest thing to adjust to was honestly the physical aspect of it all; how was joost going to hold back from someone so beautiful? how did he ever back when he didn’t have feelings for you? touch was already a large part of your friendship. always an arm around your shoulder, or a loose hand around your waist when you walked together.

still, just friends, though.

when you’d come to shows, you’d fuss over the finishing touches on his outfits—the first show back once he’d realized he liked you, he wore a dress shirt and a tie, not realizing you’d come up and adjust it for him after he tied it in the mirror. pretty fingers handling him delicately, your eyebrows knitting together at how haphazardly he tied his tie. “so many years of practice, joosty, you still can’t do it better?” you quipped quietly, so focused on helping him.

he’d known how to do it perfectly most his life—then you came along.

for once, he was quiet, just watching you as if the roar of the crowds outside and the voices of rushed roadies and security weren’t right outside your door.

“so handsome, joost. you’ll do amazing,” you said, and it was enough to tune out the noise. you hugged him around the waist, and he knew how far gone he was.

after that, he tried to keep away from you physically out of respect, but you two always orbited around each other regardless—stopping himself from walking with you, cuddling with you, taking your hand and squeezing it just once before letting go… that was impossible, and even with all the new feelings floating around, he wasn’t going to stop himself.

so yeah :3 he gets all bashful smile looks down at ground when you call him out “where my hug at” style cuz he always does that to you when you don’t hug him … the hypocrisy!!! /j

[sirshio]

I made a small questionary for MML fans!! Please rebloq with your answers, I really am interested!

1. Favorite character

2. Favorite supporting character

3. Favorite ship

4. Favorite episode

5. Favorite song

6. Least favorite (or hated) character

7. Least favorite (or hated) supporting character

8. Least favorite (or hated) ship

9. Least favorite (or hated) episode

10. Least favorite (or hated) song

11. Since when are you a fan?

12. What or who made you watch MML?

13. When and where you knew about MML?

14. Did you created fan-content?

15. If yes, what kind of?

16. If no, but want, which kind of, then?

You are welcome to modify my questions about favorite/least favorite character/episode/ship/song and write two or three instead!

P.S. for me who is an autistic person with OCD, this IS a small questionary.

[crazy-so-na-sega]

Vanno tenute d'occhio le élites

Solo ciò che fanno le élites dominanti è davvero significativo. Ma ricorda:

"1. L'élite di oggi non è quella di ieri, e tantomeno quella domani o addirittura di dopodomani.

2. Le élites sono coloro che hanno i redditi più alti e pagano meno tasse.

3. Le élites sono coloro che possono esigere da altri la compilazione di questionari, e richiedere ingenti indennizzi per i loro "sacrifici".

4. Le élites sono coloro che non cercano giustizia nei tribunali e che per le ingiustizie commesse non temono i tribunali.

5. Le élites sono coloro che se hanno bisogno di un passaporto non devono andarlo a ritirare in Questura.

6. Le élites sono coloro che accusano senza temere di essere accusati.

7. Le élites sono coloro di cui nessuno osa scrivere la sociologia."

Carl Schmitt, Glossario, 22-7-48

[h2ojustaddmako]

My first purchase from the German H2O merchandise market: this big 3-season fan book

I haven't read through it yet, but there are character profiles, behind the scenes, questionaries and so and so. I'll let you know what random LOREEEE would come up

[mykoreanlove]

Who Are You Dating?

Your friend was sitting opposite of you with crossed arms and pouting lips, being visibly upset with you.

“I just don’t understand why you are keeping this a secret from me! Don’t you trust me, y/n?” You laughed sheepishly.

“Of course I trust you. But just like I said, now is not the time to reveal his name. Not yet.”

Your friend sighed in annoyance.

“Fine. Keep your stupid secret then.” She gulped her drink in one go and thought about her next move for a minute.

“Hey, y/n!” You leaned over the table, paying her your utmost attention. “Since you won’t tell me the name of your famous sweetheart… can you at least tell me what he’s like? Is he treating you well?”

Your lips turned up into one big smile. Was your boyfriend treating you well? Was he paying attention to you and your needs? You took a sip of your drink and nodded, smiling nonchalantly.

“You could say so, yeah.” Your friend got up from the table and strode over to the bar, leaving you alone and confused. She came back with a bottle of soju in her hands and determination in her eyes.

“Do you know what this is?” You looked at her bewildered. “Soju”, you answered.

“Yes. Soju. This is a special kind of soju. With each shot we take, I get to ask you a question about your secret romance guy which you have to truthfully answer. Got it?” You admired your friend’s determination – she always had been stubborn and now was no exception.

“And you think you will figure it out that way?”

She smirked at you, then proceeded to pour the first two shots. You were nervous, yet amused. Would she figure it out? Or were you smart enough to keep your idol boyfriend’s identity a secret? You leaned back in anticipation and mustered the shots.

“Game on.”

Your friend clanked her glass with yours and both of you downed the bitter tasting alcohol in one go.

“Waaah”, she sighed in relief. “Nothing beats soju if you ask me.” You on the other hand winced in dismay as you weren’t the big drinker your friend wanted you to be.

You heard your friend clap her hands together, signaling that it was time to start her questionary game.

“Question one, and I’ll go easy on you with that one, is: when and where was your first date?”

You thought back to the first time you met him, smiling unconsciously.

“Well, it had to be months ago. Oh I know, it was the beginning of April. Shortly after my dad’s birthday. Even though I had met him weeks prior our first date was in April.”

“You met him weeks prior? What? Was he too shy to ask you out?” You threw your head back laughing.

“No, not at all. He asked me out right away – he didn’t waste any time on making clear that he liked me. However, it took us some time to meet up because he had to work non-stop. He was out of the country a lot and all his plans to take me out fell through. But then-”, you stopped with a big smile. “Then, it kind of happened spontaneously.”

Your friend looked at you skeptically. “Spontaneously?”

“Yeah. He was alone in the office, working on his music. It was late at night, so he ordered a cab for me and met me in his company’s building.” Your friend looked disappointed.

“That’s not the love story I wanted to hear, y/n.” You laughed in amusement.

“But why? He worked with what he got. He found some mats and a blanket and used those to imitate a picnic. He literally got all the snacks the office had to offer and he even found some fairy lights that he hung up to set the mood.” You smiled warmly, thinking back to how your boyfriend looked in those golden lights, admiring you just as much as you admired him.

“We talked all night and even slept there until we got woken up by the sun. I know it sounds like it wasn’t that much but it was actually very romantic.”

Your friend smirked. “Did something remarkable happen?” You blushed and looked down at your lap. “OMG, y/n. Spill the tea!”

“He, uhm, he actually showed me what he was working on. It was a love song, a very sexy one, too. And I loved it – he is so great at his craft. After he made sure that I loved the song he confessed to me – he actually wrote it for me. And then he kissed me.” Your cheeks grew redder by the second.

“No way, that sounds so lovely! He wrote a sexy love song for you? Can I hear it?” You chuckled silently.

“You already have.” Your friend’s eyes grew wide in surprise.

“What? No way? I have? He actually published a song he wrote for you?!” You smiled proudly while nodding your head. Your friend clasped her chest in amazement. “Damn.”

You took the bottle of soju in your hands and poured the next shots. After your friend had composed yourself you downed the next round. “Okay, now tell me. What is his best quality? And leave no part out!”

You leaned back in your chair, thinking about an answer that would do him justice. His best feature? You thought about his exceptional good looks – driving not only you, but thousands of fans crazy. He had those beautiful, yet intense eyes that could pierce right through you with just one glance. He had that cute nose that you could admire all day. You thought of his very sweet and kissable lips that you loved to hang unto. As you pictured your boyfriend’s face you automatically started recalling his body. The muscles on his back or his well-defined arms turned you on indefinitely. His strong legs or selient abs made you weak, as well as his cute little tushy did.

But was that his best quality? No, far from it. He was a very handsome man on the outside, but even more so on the inside. You admired his intellect, especially his emotional intelligence. He always knew how to take care of you and what to say to soothe your wounds. You admired his hard work and determination – you had never seen someone so ambitious and goal-focused as he was. You thought about his kindness – no matter how hard the day had been or which brutal lies had been spread about him, he always wore a smile on his face and treated the people around him with kindness and compassion.

“Hello? Earth to y/n? Are you still debating on his best quality?” You laughed at your friend. “Hey, it’s hard. He is such a great person. I-”

Suddenly you thought back to a moment in which you were laughing hysterically together about the most profane things, holding your stomachs while gasping for air. What you admired the most about your boyfriend was his humbleness – he never forgot where he came from and he always tried to stay down to earth while being his best self. A proud smile covered your lips again.

“His best quality is that he’s real.”

Your friend re-filled the shot glasses while monitoring the remaining soju. “Alright, I guess I have about 2 questions left, so I better make them count.” You both downed the next shots, which you started to regret immediately as you felt yourself getting dizzy. Your chest got warmer, you tongue got looser and your impulse to overshare grew quickly.

Your friend cleared her throat before posing her next question. “Is he dominant or submissive?” You nearly choked on your own spit after hearing that one. “What? It’s something your best friend should know!”

By now your cheeks were dark red – a mixture of the soju in your blood and the shyness you felt in your body. You were no prude but talking about your sex life made you feel awkward. Especially in a public place like a bar. About your super famous boyfriend that nobody was supposed to know about. You tried dodging the question but your friend was merciless.

“So?”

“Kind of both I guess?”

“I guess? I guess? Who is fucking him? You or me? What do you mean I guess?”

“Oh my god”, you whimpered as you lowered your head and hoped that the floor would swallow you this instant. How were you supposed to answer that?

He was in fact both – most of the times he loved to take on the dominant role. Usually he was the one seducing you, mounting you and having his way with you – which you totally loved. You loved getting on your knees for him, begging him to make you feel good and give you what you wanted. You loved when he was using his strength over you, pressing you into the mattress until not only your legs shook but also the walls around you. You fucking loved it when he was degrading you, being rough with you until it was over and he would pamper you like a princess.

But sometimes it was reverse – sometimes the responsibility of his work took a toll on him and he was happy to be submissive. He enjoyed being indecisive, not balancing the world on his shoulders for once and then he behaved like a brainless puppy that followed your every word. A pussydrunk boy that would burn the world down if you asked him to.

Your friend watched you debate your answer for what felt like eternity until she smirked naughtily. “You’re thinking about him fucking you for like 5 minutes and your face tells me everything, y/n. You don’t have to answer me. Lucky you though!” She stuck her tongue out and erupted in laughter afterwards.

You were eyeing the bottle of soju which was nearly empty. “Thank god”, you mumbled under your breath.

“Oh”, your friend pouted. “The bottle is almost empty. This game is so much fun – why don’t we get a new one after?” She beamed at you in excitement which you shut down immediately.

“If we get a new one, you’re the one answering questions, missy!” She rolled her eyes at you in annoyance.

“Drink up!”

Just one more question. You just had to answer one more question and you would be released from this torture. You did well until now, you had not said his name so far. You grinned at yourself proudly, congratulating yourself for your willpower.

“So, your special secret guy. Has he been in love before you?”

You felt your chest tighten. The alcohol in your blood made it impossible to hide your true feelings, so it was written all over your face. “Shit, wait. Is this a touchy subject?”

It was. In fact, it really was.

You sighed in dismay, taking your time before answering truthfully. “There has been someone before me that he was deeply in love with. His feelings were reciprocated and they shared a very beautiful, yet intense time together. It didn’t work out because there were a lot of obstacles in their way, rendering their love impossible.”

Your friend watched you silently for some time. “Y/N, it’s over between them, right? Why are you so disturbed by this?” You chuckled awkwardly.

“It is over between them, that’s true. And I shouldn’t be jealous or pissed off because of it but I find it very hard not to be. Especially when he sees that ex every day.” Your friend’s eyes widened in shock.

“Every day? Was he dating a staff member or something?” You shook your head.

“No, he was dating one of his members.” Your friend’s jaw hit the floor, leaving her silent for the first time that evening.

“You got to be shitting me. He was in a relationship with one of his members? Holy fuck. I thought those boy on boy ships were made up by crazy fan girls but they actually exist?”

“Of course they exist. Imagine spending years with someone that you like. You go through thick and thin, that person understands what you are going through like no other. It’s only natural to develop feelings in that scenario. Especially with all those sexy dances and touchy photoshoots.” Your friend nodded in agreement.

“Does he know?”

“About my insecurities? No. I try my best to hide them. What’s done is done, right?”

You glanced over at the bottle of soju. “It’s almost empty.“

“Almost”, your friend poured the remaining sip into your shot glass. “This is like half a shot. Do you get to ask me half a question then?” you grimaced.

“Haha, smart ass. Save those comments for your boyfriend. Let me think. We’ve covered your first date and his best qualities and we’ve talked about him in bed and his history with love. Oh! I know.” Your friend looked at you with a mixture of anticipation and excitement. You looked at the shot in your hand for the last time this night and downed it in one go. It actually didn’t taste so bad after four of them.

“Does he love you?”

Did he love you? You grinned the widest grin while thinking about all the ways he made you feel loved every single day. You swore yourself to secrecy in the beginning of the game but after all that soju you couldn’t help yourself. You gestured your friend to come nearer to you.

“Pssst”, you whispered, “Want to know how he loves me?” Your friend nodded while you checked your surroundings like a criminal that was about to confess his sins.

“Okay. He says ‘I love you’ obviously but you know that words are words and actions are what I’m about, right? Listen to this. When I wake up alone I always get a sweet good morning text. He randomly sends me songs that remind him of me. He loves to cook my favorite dinner. He gifts me presents all the fucking time. He calls just to hear my voice. He buys me lingerie only to take it off in 5 seconds. He sends flowers to my house just because I like flowers. He brings me soup when I feel sick. He even kisses me when I have a runny nose. If I complain about something that’s broken in my house he makes sure it gets repaired. He always asks about my family. He always compliments me – on my body and my character. He leaves random notes in my house. He always has the snacks I love most. He tracks my cycle and gets me pads and chocolate when my uterus is out to kill me. He leaves kisses all over my body. He helps me studying Korean and is so patient with me while I’m literally slaughtering his native tongue.  He always checks in on me and reassures me when I feel insecure. He teaches me his dances and pretends I’m good at it. He laughs at my jokes – I mean obviously he does because I’m hilarious, but it’s like he laughs extra hard. And when I’m sad or down the drain he makes sure that I laugh a little bit more. He always makes sure that I know how proud he is of me. Even if I have to date him in secret right now I know that he loves me with all of his heart.” You looked at your teary-eyed friend.

“So, did you figure it out?”

[acribistica]

Che cafonata i questionari obbligatori e preliminari al conseguimento del titolo di studi dell’AlmaLaurea in cui ti si richiede anche il cognome della tua trisavola da nubile. Per non parlare di tutte le sezioni che danno per scontato che tu debba lavorare anche durante gli studi non tenendo minimamente in considerazione eventuali limitazioni personali, sia attestate che non (e in questo secondo caso sarebbe già più scusabile). Il completamento di tutte le sezioni richiede almeno quaranta minuti. Impossibile, quindi, che uno voglia prendersi una laurea solo perché gli va, per esempio. No, si deve capitalizzare sulle proprie conoscenze giocoforza. Non siamo meno schedati che in Cina, per quanto mi riguarda. Questa contemporaneità mi fa ribrezzo nel suo pensiero unico e nella sua patinata ipocrisia, e nemmeno oso soffermarmi a immaginare eventuali prospettive future. Ci stiamo allegramente consegnando al collasso.

[tmzrkstan]

nct 127 as co-workers asking you out.

•----------••----------••----------••----------••-------•

✦ warnings: a little bit of cursing.

✦ genre: nct x gn!reader, co-workers to lovers, fluff.

•----------••----------••----------••----------••-------•

✦ Johnny:

•You had just transferred from another branch and was kinda lost with everything new;

•Johnny liked to call himself welcome committee leader;

•Then he didn't waste time and welcomed you with a list of the best places in town that you "must" visit;

•The fact that you spend the whole week laughing of his silliest jokes made him realize how pretty you your smile was;

•Got to the point where you two received bad looks from those who tried to concentrate and do some work;

•So you when you almost leaving for the night he asks: "What about giving them a rest and go out for drinking? I can show you one of the places I told you about.".

✦ Taeyong:

•You always felt lucky about the team you worked on, everyone was nice to each other;

•Even when there was a rare discussion it didn't last long, especially because of Taeyong, the kind guy you always looked up to;

•He just felt that him should make everyone comfortable and ended up leaving his wishes behind;

•One big example was that he had been trying for months to ask you out but always end up in a group date;

•Don't get him wrong, he really enjoyed those people, but on the other hand was into you for almost a year;

•Inevitably found himself way too drunk muttering his frustration about not being able to confess his feelings at the bar's table with your colleagues like "🥺";

•The next day he hardly has the courage to talk to you, but after realizing that his feelings were mutual didn't wasted more time;

•A few minutes before you arrived on your date, he sends a text to confirm if was just the two of us.

✦ Yuta:

•Beeing an foreign made him have a leg up on his popularity;

•Yuta was kinda mysterious about his personal life, which generated more whispers around the company;

•But somehow, he noticed you among so many people;

•You would been lying if you said you were never attracted to the mysterious japanese man, you just didn't spend hours talking about him;

•Which eventually caused a questionary from your friends in the cafeteria, like, how could you not be curious about Yuta, why didn't tried to get more information like everybody else;

•That moment was when the aforementioned man appeared out of nowhere confirming: "They gonna get all the information out of the source at our date today.";

•He gave you a winked and handed you a paper with his phone number, leaving behind a table freaking out on you.

✦ Doyoung:

•You were in a way the one working for him;

•Like, when he needed the product you sold he would just call you and meet with you to pick it up;

•You didn't approve of the idea of ​​a date because you might have conflicts of interest, even after he asked you a few times;

•"What you want me to do? Buy it from another person?"

•Until the day he asked to change the delivery location and you found yourself standing in front of a restaurant.

•"I can only pay you after you have lunch with me" he said, and you accused him of taking advantage of you;

•But anyways, you were already there so it would be okay to try, right?

✦ Jaehyun:

•You were sure he hated you;

•Everytime that he needed something from you he would go to your table you would get lost in your thoughts, why didn't he like you? Altough, you were intimidated by him.

•He wouldn't even look you in the face, barely spoke two words and when he saw you in the break room he'd leave.

•Jaehyun was waiting for you to finish analyzing what he brought you when you let out: "Why you hate?" without thinking;

•The conversation went like: "Sorry, what?"/ "What?"/"What did you say?"/ "What did I say what?"/"🤨"/"😐";

•That question hovered over the poor man's head the rest of the day;

•Next morning he approached: "I thought you didn't like me, when you started working here you always ran away from me, so I didn't mean to make you more uncomfortable.";

•You find it cute and admitted to feeling intimate thanks to his beauty and intelligence;

•No a long time after that he asked you out of nowhere.

✦ Jungwoo:

•You I had been teaching him something for days, and he never seemed to understand;

•Even advised him to ask someone else, as you were doubting of your teaching ability;

•But he always made a point of confirming that it should be you;

•One day, you caught him doing it perfectly alone and you went like "😲";

•When he came to you for help again you made him confess that he already knew what to do, and forced him to say the reason for the torture;

•"I was hopping this would made you realize that you like me and ask me out, but you too dumb for that.";

•A few days later, you find yourself having dinner with him, still indignant.

✦ Mark:

•The classic trope of long term friends that are secretly in love with each other;

•Apart from the fact that everyone has already noticed this;

•You always helped each other and spent as much time as possible together in a corner laughing;

•Even though everyone told Mark to come clean, he swore you had a secret life outside of work, maybe even married with kids;

•No one could take the drama anymore, so the team got together and forced you to go out together;

•When you realized there were only the two of you, you thought it was a personal joke, but Mark understood what he had to do;

•It took all night, but he finally confessed and asked you out on a real date.

✦ Haechan:

•You weren't enemies, but you loved to compete with each other;

•Even though it left you with your emotions on edge, your boss didn't care because it meant greater results.

•When you reached the same goal on the same day, you had to break the tie, this time with a prize;

•Unfortunately for your ego, Haechan won and for the prize you had to run out and buy him lunch;

•In the lunch room, you wish him a good meal sarcastically and he forces you to eat with him;

•"You so dumb, if you want a date just say it 🙄";

•"Then we're having dinner tonight 😉".

•----------••----------••----------••----------••-------•

✦ author: first time trying it here! sorry for any mistake, english is not my mother language. Hope you like It!!!

[quinloki]

Quicksand

Fem Reader x Sir Crocodile

20 Chapters - 46,838 words

Version with images can be found here.

CW: Language, violence, blood, moral ambiguity, murder, sexual themes and situations, yandere, angst with a happy ending, a referenced instance of physical abuse. 18+ only

Summary: You're employed as an Internal Coordinator in the West Branch of Rain Dinners in Grandline Metro. You're well-aware your boss is the Warlord Sir Crocodile, but your sixty days is almost up on the popular dating website Cult of Personality, and you're looking forward to meeting the person you've been talking to for the last sixty days. (This makes it sound way fluffier than it is, oops.)

Chapter 1: The Nitty-Gritty

You smile at the sound of the message popping up on your computer. You'd been chatting online with someone for the last couple months, and after getting to know one another through your shared likes and dislikes, you'd finally decided to meet. You've avoided sharing photos, or even having a conversation on the phone, but all of that had been the point of the website you'd both found yourselves using.

Cult of Personality was a quirky singles site that focused on people getting to know one another purely through interests. The idea behind it was that you could get to know someone without those pesky instincts getting in the way – no getting swept away by someone's voice, or getting too focused on their appearance (for better or worse). Instead, you spent at least sixty days communicating by text through anonymous proxies. If anyone said something that was a deal-breaker during that time, then there were no messy fallouts to deal with.

The connection would be severed without you knowing enough about the other to be able to locate them. The system was even designed to automatically censor location names, so people couldn't accidentally give themselves away. The only thing the service did with location information was use it to randomly match people who were within 100km of one another.

It was great for people who didn't really want to fill out tons of questionaries, or worry about uploading photos, or dealing with talking about themselves. 

For you it was nice because after a few failed relationships, and with a job that took a lot of your time, it was an easy way to get yourself back into the whole idea of dating.

As your luck would have it, you found someone who you enjoyed "talking" to after only a couple tries. You had even admitted that you looked forward to your conversations and had been pleasantly surprised to find out he did as well. It was reassuring to know that things weren't one-sided, and shortly after that you'd both started making plans to meet up once the 60 days was completed, and the site gave you the option to lift the automatic censoring.

You had preemptively decided on a Saturday lunch meeting, just in case you were at the edges of the 100km diameter that the site utilized. Better than trying to make a dinner reservation on a Friday after work, and ending up in a panic if one of you were to be stuck in traffic.

The restrictions lifted tomorrow, Wednesday, and as you got ready for work you were humming to yourself.

In Grandline Metropolis, amidst it's 600,000 sq km of land, you worked for one of the seven Warlords who oversaw the second circle of the city. While you knew Mr. Crocodile was a warlord, you weren't directly connected to the city's underground. You knew about the city's underground because you were school friends with people who had ended up in that life, and you still kept in touch. But, like most of the employees of the Rain Dinners – the casino/restaurant/hotel chain with five locations around the Grandline Metro – you weren't a part of the underground directly. There were people closer to Mr. Crocodile who probably had ties to stuff like that, but you were just the secretary to one of the mid-level casino floor managers of the West location, just outside White Beard's territory.

Buggy was, well, buggy. He seemed to be constantly under a lot of stress, but he wasn't a terrible boss. He had a decent sense of humor, was easily brought into focus, and often went out of his way to make sure the people under him were doing well. He was a bit selfish, but whenever someone needed to be legitimately let go, you always had to come to him with well-documented, irrefutable proof. While that could be annoying in some cases, it was also reassuring that he wasn't letting people come and go without being sure there was nothing else to be done for it.

"Hey boss, I won't be available this weekend." You explain, handing over another paper for Buggy to review. "So if something goes wrong you'll have to call Alvida."

"Are we expecting anything unusual this weekend?" He questions calmly.

"No, there's no big events, and Alvida's already aware I'll be unavailable." You're kind of surprised to see Buggy this calm. Usually, he was a complete mess when you took vacations or called out sick.

"Alright, (Y/N), just make sure to let Alvida know that Galdino's going to be the one reaching out. I'm off this weekend as well."

Ah, that explains why he's so relaxed. You muse. After a moment's thought you flinch. You hadn't exchanged names with the person you were meeting this weekend. Statistically, it was improbable that it was Buggy, but it wasn't impossible either. Well, if it was him, you couldn't let your professional assessment of him color how he was in his private life.

"I'll let her know." You assure him flatly, taking back the last of the documents and reorganizing them quickly on his desk. "Your meetings are light today, and tomorrow you have the Staff Luncheon to attend."

Buggy flinches. "Right."

"It's at our branch this month, Buggy."

Your boss sighs. "That's the problem."

You laugh. "It is harder to 'accidentally' miss it due to traffic when it's here."

"You're being a little too flashy, Miss (Y/N)." He grumbles.

"And yet you still appreciate me." You quip, giving him a smile before walking out to get back to your own work.

The rest of your work day went smoothly. You coordinated with Galdino and Alvida about the weekend, making sure they knew that neither you nor Buggy would be available. Alvida had raised an eyebrow over it, since she knew you'd been signed up on Cult of Personality. You had filled her in on your plans for the weekend before now. You were still pretty sure it wasn't Buggy, but she made you promise her that if it turned out to be him you would let her know immediately.

Alvida had her quirks, and she could kind of mean in that haughty beauty sort of way, but she wasn't malicious or cruel. You'd shared a few drinks outside of work, and mainly she just enjoyed drama and gossip.

Getting home you went through your after-work routine. Peeling off your work clothes you slipped into sweats and a t-shirt, made yourself something easy, and relaxed with an episode of your favorite show while you ate. Afterward you checked your messages and settled into the dating website.

You: One more day \o/

Him: I'm glad your enthusiasm hasn't waned.

You: At this rate I'm worried I'll be exhausted come Saturday. I'm really looking forward to this.

Him: Plans can be easily adjusted if need be.

You: Joking aside, I'm sure I'll manage. Though, I have to admit that today has caused me to be very curious about something. >_>

Him: Oh?

You: Well, it seems my boss at work has requested this weekend off as well. O_O

Him: Ah-ha. Did you request your time off today?

You: I did.

Him: Then I wouldn't worry. I didn't have any of my employees request time off to me directly today.

You: Oh good.

Him: My condolences to your boss.

You: lol he's not a bad guy, but that would've been incredibly awkward.

Him: It would've been a mark against you wanting to meet someone new, as well.

You: You're not wrong.

You: Admittedly, I wouldn't hold it against you if we did know one another.

Him: That's reassuring. Though, if I do know you, then I have done myself a great disservice for not knowing you well enough until now.

You feel yourself blush despite it all. It was nice to be appreciated for your, well, you-ness, and not for anything else. You let him know you appreciated the sentiment and the two of you talked about nothing and everything off and on for the rest of the evening.

Tomorrow was going to be the longest Wednesday to ever dare to exist, not just because you were looking forward to getting home before you'd even left for work, but also because the monthly staff luncheons always made the days feel longer when they were at your branch. It wasn't nearly as bad when Buggy was ushered out and into a different branch for the event, but every 5th month it meant your casino was filled with important people.

Important people like to feel important, so there were all sorts of extra protocols and fine moving parts to worry about. The hardest part was going to be dealing with the Billions. The people who were only just barely important and wanted to make sure no one could possibly forget it. The Baroque Works staff would be there as well, and if things went well, after the initial meet and greet, all you would have to worry about was filling Buggy's shoes while he was busy at the Luncheon.

. . . . .

You: Good morning, I can't stay on and talk much right now, there's an event at work I need to be in early for. Looking forward to talking to you tonight!

Him: Much anticipated.

The drive into work was faster than usual since you had left a couple hours earlier and traffic was nonexistent. You got into work and got all your normal morning work done before the doors had even opened. Alvida and Galdino were in almost as early and you set them to work organizing the cleaners and preppers. Surfaces that had been polished the night before were polished again just to add a little more luster.

There were three times as many valets available today, to deal with the influx of VIPs, and almost every member of staff was working. People were rotated in and out on tables more often as well to keep every extra sharp. Extra areas had been opened in the back to accommodate people being able to lounge between there active table times so they could recharge properly. It was an untenable schedule every single day, but everyone came together to make it work for the Luncheons.

When the owner, Mr. Crocodile arrived, everyone lined up to greet him. It was the only time all the staff stopped what they were doing to greet a guest. Nothing was said, but everyone lined up neatly in the lobby and bowed slightly as he entered. As far as you knew it wasn't even something he had requested, one of the Numbers had demanded it at their branch some years ago and the tradition stuck.

Frankly, if you ever learned who Mr. Nine was, you would happily punch the lout right in his nose for suggesting it. Fortunately, Mr. Crocodile didn't linger in the entry way, and strode quickly through. Considering he was just over 7', he had an impressive stride. Aside from the company photo, and the occasional glance in the hall when the luncheons were held at your branch, all you ever saw of him were his shoes.

When you first started working at Rain Dinners you'd had a little crush on him, but from the way things went for most of the staff, everyone had a little crush on him. He was the least eccentric of the Warlords, far as you were aware, and the man had style. Most of the ladies swooned over him and half the of the men on staff did as well.

He wasn't much older than you either. Far from the youngest of the Warlords, he was just over 30 and doing remarkably well for himself. He was barely of legal gambling age when he started the first Rain Dinners, and within three years there were 5 of them in the Grandline Metro alone.

With the owner gone, everyone burst into action and the several moments later the casino came alive as the doors opened to the public and the day began properly.

Only eight more hours to go before you could start making proper plans for the coming weekend.